What is the efficiency of an Average Nuclear Power Plant?

What is the power plant's thermal efficiency?

• A typical coal-fired power plant burns 290 metric tons of coal every hour to generate 730 MW of electricity. 1 metric ton=1000 kg. The density of coal is 1500 kg/m^3 and its heat of combustion is 28 MJ/kg. Assume that all heat is transferred from the fuel to the boiler and that all the work done in spinning the turbine is transformed into electrical energy.

• Answer:

  Energy input / second = 290 metric tons * 1000 kg / metric ton * 28 MJ/kg / 3600 second = 2255.56 MJ Energy output /second = 730 MW * second = 730 MJ η = Energy output / Energy input = 730 MJ / 2255.56 MJ = 0.32 or 32%