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How it works #
Global Nuclear district heating use #
Many reactors produce district heating, without significant penalty in electrical performance. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as of 2019, 52 nuclear reactors around the world, provide district heating in addition to generating electricity. Mostly in Eastern Europe and Russia [1].
Switzerland has received district heating Benznau NPP two reactors since 1984 [2]. The Gösgen nuclear power plant has extracted process steam since 1979 and supplied it to a cardboard factory and other heat consumers in the vicinity.
The Temelin nuclear plant in Czech Republic supplies by late 2023, 30% of the district heating supply to the city of Budweis. It saves costs and 80,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year [3].
The Haiyang Nuclear Power Plant in China started operating in 2018 and started supplying small scale heat to the Haiyang city area in 2020. By November 2022, the plant used 345 MW-thermal effect to heat 200,000 homes, replacing 12 coal heating plants [4].
Recent years have seen an interest in small modular reactors (SMRs) and their potential to supply district heating [5].
Sources #
- IAEA Releases 2019 Data on Nuclear Power Plants Operating Experience | IAEA
- Beznau 1 and 2 – swissnuclear
- Horkovod z Temelína je kompletní, zajistí Budějovicím třetinu tepla — ČT24 — Česká televize (ceskatelevize.cz)
- Largest nuclear heating project warms China’s first carbon-free city (districtenergy.org)
- Finnish firm launches SMR district heating project : New Nuclear – World Nuclear News (world-nuclear-news.org)
