So I'm talking to my dad over the weekend about alternative energy/nuke stuff. (He is an ex-submariner from the late 50's to early 70's). He insisted that a nuclear submarine could supply the electrical needs for medium sized cities (let's say 200,000 population). So here's the scenario: Instead of mothballing the subs powerplants, we dock them off the coast of a city, hook up the power and let the sub do what it does second best. Kinda wacky sounding, but would it work?
Its actually been done, I think in Russia as a portable type of "generator" for remote locations. But the size is a problem... a large submarine nuclear reactor only gives out less than, say, 2% of the MWe of a commercial nuclear power plant, I believe.
I believe in the US we actually dismantle our old Nuclear subs and dispose of the core after the service life (which is determined in advance by the high rate of uranium depletion in the reactors) has expired... I think its 30 years? Once again, I'm not terribly knowledgable on this except as a Naval History buff. Nu-cu-luhr stuff is too new for my tastes
Don't nuke subs make the water around them heavier? It probably wouldn't be the most eco friendly solution longterm, but it wouldn't be too bad for temp applications, such as summer peak energy periods
Nor am I, but I understand that we have 175 nuclear subs. I believe Mr. Bee is correct about the service life...