Electricity from a nuclear generating station is no different from electricity generated in a station fired by coal or oil. The essential difference between nuclear and conventional stations is the method of producing steam to rotate the turbo generators.
The steam raising units at Hunterston - eight to each reactor - were simply boilers. They were specially designed to convet water to steam by the application of hot gas, but they did the same job as boilers under which coal or oil are burned.
Capital costs of nuclear stations are higher than those of coal or oil fired stations but their running costs are very much lower. Hunterston therefore was regarded as a base load station which was operated at a very high load factor, 75% or more.
Its staff of 560 when it went operational worked under ideal conditions of cleanliness and safety in buildings of high amenity and with plant of very high efficiency.
The efficiency of the nuclear plant with its many high refinements was such that the electrial output was significantly higher than the original design rating.
It was a station Scotland was proud of.
The steam raising units at Hunterston - eight to each reactor - were simply boilers. They were specially designed to convet water to steam by the application of hot gas, but they did the same job as boilers under which coal or oil are burned.
Capital costs of nuclear stations are higher than those of coal or oil fired stations but their running costs are very much lower. Hunterston therefore was regarded as a base load station which was operated at a very high load factor, 75% or more.
Its staff of 560 when it went operational worked under ideal conditions of cleanliness and safety in buildings of high amenity and with plant of very high efficiency.
The efficiency of the nuclear plant with its many high refinements was such that the electrial output was significantly higher than the original design rating.
It was a station Scotland was proud of.
This diagram shows that nuclear above only requires two stages to produce electricity as shown in blue but coal generated stations require five stages
