How many nuclear power plants would we need to get us to 100%

[Altair_IV]

16. It depends

The statement was made that nuclear power plants don't throttle up and down well. That statement is not categorically true. It depends on the answer to "how much".

Reactors can throttle up and down with no problem at all. Many universities have small research reactors that can be pulsed and throttle up to extremely high power for a few nanoseconds. The problem is not the reactor, but the thermal inertia of the Rankine steam plant attached; and in that regard, a nuclear power plant is no different than either a coal-fired or gas-fired Rankine steam cycle.

The Rankine steam cycle can certainly throttle up and down extremely quickly for very small changes in load. These plants have to because they have to respond to the changes in load, and match those changes instant to instant. The cycling up and down to match load changes are within the capability of these plants.

The problem is for very large ramp ups or ramp downs that changes the power by a very significant fraction of the plant's current power level. However, good management of the grid makes such demands extremely rare.

Altair_IV