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life experiences...

Here's an example where I Googled this question..."Does the reliability of nuclear power plants make it a better source of grid power than variable sources like wind and solar?" Now, given my background of a Masters in Engineering degree focused on power systems of ALL kinds, plus 10 years of design and management of Fast and Thermal reactor systems, along with 50 years of connection with those who spent their entire careers in the nuclear power field, I feel comfortable in being able to discern the accuracy of an AI response to that question...at least better than the average viewer...and in this case, I find the answer to be highly accurate and worthy of viewing by members of this Forum.

AI can be...as here...a valuable tool for communicating more succinctly on topics that can be quite complex...i.e. well crafted Overviews, or Summaries. That being said, there is inherent danger in the technology being misused...but we'll for sure talk more about this later on the OF.

Since this example is not highly contentious among this group, as far as I can tell...take a look for yourself at the AI response...you get valuable information without having to sift through multiple links to various studies, which would likely roll the eyes of a significant portion os this Forum's membership and cause them to never learn the answer. I see that as a Good Thing...which is why you're going to see more AI submittals from this poster...Enjoy...and You're Welcome ;-)

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AI Overview

Yes, the high reliability of nuclear power plants makes them a superior source of baseload power compared to variable wind and solar sources, due to nuclear's near-constant, high capacity factor. Nuclear plants operate over 90% of the time, providing stable, dispatchable power to the grid, whereas wind and solar output fluctuates depending on weather conditions and require backup power sources to compensate for these gaps in availability.

Nuclear Power's Reliability

High Capacity Factor:
Nuclear plants have the highest capacity factor among energy sources, meaning they produce electricity at or near their maximum output for a majority of the year.

Baseload Power:
This high reliability allows them to provide continuous, non-interrupted energy, a crucial characteristic for baseload power on the grid.

Consistent Output:
Unlike wind and solar, nuclear plants can operate day and night, providing a consistent energy supply regardless of external environmental factors.

Variable Renewable Sources

Intermittency:
Wind and solar energy are intermittent, meaning their availability depends on fluctuating natural conditions like wind speed and sunlight.

Output Gaps:
When the sun sets or the wind stops, the output of these sources drops, creating gaps in power supply that need to be filled by other energy sources.
How Nuclear Complements Renewables

Stability for the Grid:
The dispatchable nature of nuclear power allows it to provide stability and resilience to the electrical grid, particularly when it has high percentages of variable renewable energy sources.

Complementary Role:
Nuclear power acts as a stable, reliable energy source that can back up and complement the variable output of wind and solar, rather than a direct competitor for grid power.
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