The cost of nuclear electricity: France after Fukushima

Nicolas Boccard ()

Energy Policy, 2014, vol. 66, issue C, 450-461

Abstract: The Fukushima disaster has lead the French government to release novel cost information relative to its nuclear electricity program allowing us to compute a levelized cost. We identify a modest escalation of capital cost and a larger than expected operational cost. Under the best scenario, the cost of French nuclear power over the last four decades is 59€/MWh (at 2010 prices) while in the worst case it is 83€/MWh. On the basis of these findings, we estimate the future cost of nuclear power in France to be at least 76€/MWh and possibly 117€/MWh. A comparison with the US confirms that French nuclear electricity nevertheless remains cheaper. Comparisons with coal, natural gas and wind power are carried out to find the advantage of these.

Keywords: Electricity; Nuclear power; Levelized cost; Alternative fuels (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (34)

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Working Paper: The Cost of Nuclear Electricity: France after Fukushima (2013)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:enepol:v:66:y:2014:i:c:p:450-461

DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2013.11.037

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