Comparison of Various Types of Power Stations

Sr. No

Particulars

Thermal Power Station

Nuclear Power Station

Hydro Power Station

Diesel Power Station

1.

Selection of site

Generally, Installed at the load
centre. Factors such as transportation of coal, availability of enough water
and cost of land are the deciding factors. Now-a-days sites are preferably
near coal mines.

Installed near the load centre.
However, availability of cooling water and availability burial radioactive
waste are the deciding factors. Transportation of fuel is not the problem

Ample quantity of water at sufficient
head and possibility of constructing a dam to store water in the catchment
area decide the site. Transportation should also be available.

Can be installed anywhere preferably
at load centre.

2.

Simplicity and cleanliness

It causes air pollution due to smoke
and ash. Disposal of ash is also a problem.

They are neat and clean, no problem of
air pollution. Equipment handling is complicated.

Waste disposal causes problems.

They are simple in operation and very
neat and clean, without any problem.

Operation is simple and cleaner than
thermal plant. Produces less air pollution.

3.

Reliability in service

Less reliable

Reliable

Most reliable

Less reliable

4.

Space or land required for
installation.

Need much more space than diesel set
but much less compared with hydro stations. It needs large space for storing
of fuel i.e. coal

It requires less space as compare to
hydro and steam power station.

It requires a lot of space civil
engineering construction work, such as dam, power house etc.

It requires less space and the plants
are of small sizes.

5.

Field of application

Generally, use as base-load generating
stations

Always prefer to run as base-load
plants as reactors cannot be easily controlled to correspond quickly to load
changes.

During dry season prefer to use as
peak-load plant during rainy season can be use as base-load plant.

Use as stand-by, also use to supply
peak-load with thermal and hydro.

6.

Cost

(a) Initial cost (appr.)

Per MW

(b) Fixed cost per annum. (Interest,
depreciation, taxes, insurance etc.)

(c) Variable cost

(i) Cost of fuel

(ii) Transportation of fuel

(iii) Maintenance

(iv) Transmission liability

(d) Running cost per KWH Of energy

10 to 15 days

13% nearly

High

Very high, when power station is away
from coal mines; and railway sidings.

Higher as compared to hydro and diesel
but comparable to nuclear power plants.

It is possible when installed near
coal mines. Otherwise less.

High

25 lakhs

15% nearly

Low

As quantity to be transported is very
small, cost is low.

On the high side as skilled and well
trained staff is required to handle the equipment

Low

Low

15 to 40 lakhs

10% nearly

Practically Nil

Nil

Comparatively low

Very high

Much low

15 to 25 lakhs

15% nearly

Very high

Higher than that for nuclear plant and
less than thermal.

 Comparatively low

Nil

More than thermal

7.

Time required for completion of work

3 to 4 years

Nearly 10 years

Above 10 years

Very short