Economic evaluation of KALIMER

The main results of this study are as follows. To estimate the economic feasibility of KALIMER, the cost estimate model has been developed by using MS Excel software. Two scenarios were considered in this study. Scenario-A is composed of KALIMER options, which have FC1B (first commercial plant with 1 block), FC3B (first commercial plant with 3 blocks), NOAK1B (Nth-of-a-kind plant with 1 block), NOAK3B(Nth-of-a-kind plant with 3 blocks). The size of each block is 333 MWe. Scenario-B is comprised of PWR options, which have existing PWRs and new concepts of advanced PWR (APWR) in order to compare with KALIMER options. According to the results, the specific capital cost ($/kWe) and the levelized busbar cost (mills/kWh) for the NOAK3B option are 11% and 12% lower than that of FC3B option, respectively. These results from learning effects, scaling factors and some reductions of material and labor requirements for the NOAK3B option. And the levelized capital cost of NOAK3B option is 17%, 6% lower than that of existing PWR and APWR option, respectively. These results form shorten of construction times and labor requirements, modularization and design simplications etc. Therefore, decision and policy maker related to KALIMER development must note through the results of this study that multi-blocks design concept for its commercial plant should be considered to get the economy of scale effects. KALIMER has high competitiveness comparing to the existing PWRs and APWR. Therefore, it should be considered as a power supply option in the future in Korea. (author). 7 refs., 17 tabs., 7 figs