Temporary analysis of the costs of electricity generation from coal and from nuclear power

The so-called national consensus on electricity generation from coal assumes that the use of German hard coal is supported by cheap electricity from uranium and therefore permits a more favourable mixed calculation of electricity prices. If this argument, that nuclear power subsidises hard coal, because it is generated more cheaply, is still correct, then in continuing many investigations on this one must ask whether the whole argument still applies in temporary conditions. The question is therefore pursued in this investigation, what operating period is the minimum for a nuclear power station, in order to fulfil the argument of the subsidising of electricity generation from coal. In the author's opinions the risk of premature shutdown exists in the first place. Premature shutdown of hard coal power stations can be excluded, as one cannot see any technical and administrative reasons for this. In the following analysis of costs, the average electricity generating costs per kilowatt-hour (Pfennige/kWh) are to be calculated, for hard coal power stations with the usual life of 20 years, while the period of use of a nuclear power station is varied between 1 and 20 years. Both types of power station should be operated as base load stations. The point at which both electricity generating costs are equal will be described as the break-even point. Up to the break-even point, the hard coal power station 'subsidises' the nuclear power station and after it the reverse applies. In order to test the robustness of the results of the temporary cost comparison with regard to the variation of important parameters, a sensitivity analysis is carried out at the end of the investigation. (orig.)