Research project Assessing the role of nuclear power in designing a robust energy system
Nuclear power has an overall high capacity factor, but it also has operational uncertainties due to unplanned outages. This project aims to investigate how the operational uncertainty might affect the role of nuclear power in robust energy system design for Sweden.
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Photo: Markus Gann/Mostphotos.
The rapid expansion of wind and solar power increases uncertainty in energy systems due to weather variability and dependence on long-distance transmission. Nuclear power may offer greater stability, but it is also subject to significant uncertainty in both investment costs and operational reliability, factors that are rarely fully accounted for in energy-system planning.
This project employs a stochastic optimization framework to explicitly model these uncertainties and derive robust investment strategies for Sweden. A central research question is whether greater risk aversion and a stronger demand for system robustness favor a more nuclear-centric energy system.
The results will provide policy-relevant insights for policymakers and investors on the role of nuclear power in a robust, carbon-neutral future.