Coupling heat storage to nuclear reactors for variable electricity output with baseload reactor operation

Nuclear reactors produce heat and thus can couple to heat storage systems to provide dispacthable electricity while the reactor operates at full power. Six classes of heat storage technologies couple to light-water reactors with steam cycles. Firebrick Resistance-Heated Energy Storage (FIRES) converts low-price electricity into high-temperature stored heat for industry or power. FIRES and brick recuperators coupled to nuclear brayton power cycles may enable high-temperature reactors to buy electricity when prices are low and sell electricity at higher price.