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Costs of the different electrical production methods
The report of the Cour des Comptes (public audit authority) of January 31, 2012 included a highly detailed evaluation of the costs incurred by the French electronuclear industry in 2010 using various methods. One approach is the current economic cost*, which consists in calculating an overall cost per megawatt hour of electricity produced over the entire operational life of a given production facility. It is used to compare the cost of nuclear power with that of other energy sources, including hydropower, wind, solar, biomass and geothermal plants, as well as natural gas, coal and petroleum.
The problem lies in finding precise, reliable figures on the cost of a megawatt hour for each energy production method. Different sources were consulted, resulting in cost estimates ranging from 20 to 60 per MWh for hydropower, 70 to 85 for onshore wind power, 110 to 200 for offshore wind, 170 to 350 for solar, a consistent rate of 110 for biomass, 62 to 81 for CCG (combined cycle gas) and 44 to 70 for coal. (The latter two estimates do not include the carbon tax, which can increase the cost of a MWh by several tens of euros.)
These figures are estimates, provided as a general indication to allow non-experts to make comparisons. In practice, the actual costs of a given energy source can be double or even triple the estimate, depending on variables such as the load factor for wind turbines or the power output and geographic location of solar panels.
In comparison, according to the 2012 French public audit authority report, the economic cost of a megawatt hour of nuclear-generated electrical power is 49.50.
Taking into account the evolution of the investments needed between now and 2025 for maintenance and post-Fukushima safety upgrades, this figure rises to 54.20.
A debate is underway on whether the calculation of the cost of electricity should include all or part of the past cost of publicly-funded research and development.
The public audit authority estimates the cost of a megawatt hour produced by the Flamanville EPR, France's first nuclear plant of the third generation, at 70 to 90.
For the sake of completeness, it should also be specified that in addition to the production costs for each technology, the service provided to the power grid must also be considered, in particular the guaranteed minimum production and peak capacity reserves. For example, the service provided by a nuclear reactor or gas power plant is not the same as that of a wind farm, whose production is intermittent.
*The current economic cost is an updated calculation taking the following elements into account: initial investments, operating and maintenance costs, investments for upgrades (e.g. replacing large components) and provisions for future costs (waste treatment, dismantling).
