Economic Comparison of Large and Small Fusion Reactor Concepts

If technically feasible, small, low capital cost pilot plants would accelerate fusion development. The ultimate economic issue associated with this approach is whether or not these plants can then be developed into commercial power plants without a significant increase in size, i.e., power level. It is concluded that, to be competitive, small [ 500-MW(electric)] fusion plants would require new techniques (for the power industry) such as modular construction with factorycentered mass production of modules and minimum on-site construction. Otherwise, the economy-of-scale favors as large a power level as possible within limits imposed by constraints associated with institutional structures, siting restrictions, and electrical grid sizes—all of which could undergo radical changes by the time fusion is introduced.