Energy Analysis for the Connection of the Nuclear Reactor DEMO to the European Electrical Grid

Sergio Ciattaglia, Maria Carmen Falvo, Alessandro Lampasi and Matteo Proietti Cosimi
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Sergio Ciattaglia: EUROfusion Consortium, 85748 Garching, Germany
Maria Carmen Falvo: DIAEE—Department of Astronautics, Energy and Electrical Engineering, University of Rome Sapienza, 00184 Rome, Italy
Alessandro Lampasi: ENEA Frascati, 00044 Frascati, Rome, Italy
Matteo Proietti Cosimi: DIAEE—Department of Astronautics, Energy and Electrical Engineering, University of Rome Sapienza, 00184 Rome, Italy

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-19

Abstract: Towards the middle of the current century, the DEMOnstration power plant, DEMO, will start operating as the first nuclear fusion reactor capable of supplying its own loads and of providing electrical power to the European electrical grid. The presence of such a unique and peculiar facility in the European transmission system involves many issues that have to be faced in the project phase. This work represents the first study linking the operation of the nuclear fusion power plant DEMO to the actual requirements for its correct functioning as a facility connected to the power systems. In order to build this link, the present work reports the analysis of the requirements that this unconventional power-generating facility should fulfill for the proper connection and operation in the European electrical grid. Through this analysis, the study reaches its main objectives, which are the definition of the limitations of the current design choices in terms of power-generating capability and the preliminary evaluation of advantages and disadvantages that the possible configurations for the connection of the facility to the European electrical grid can have. In reference to the second objective, the work makes possible a first attempt at defining the features of the point of connection to the European grid, whose knowledge will be useful in the future, for the choice of the real construction site.

Keywords: nuclear fusion; tokamak; generation power plant; power system; electrical transmission grid (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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