Originally Posted by
Petit-Lion
How deep is it? First guesses were about 100 meters. Then figures like '500 meters' were floated around. And now this 800m "for the most sensitive things". Ok, nobody knows. And nobody knows how deep can one or several MOPs reach, either.
I'm curious, how hot is it down there? The average geothermal gradient is 3 K/100 m below the surface in Europe (
Wikipedia). Therefore about ISA+24 at 800 meters. Could be different under this mountain, a geologist would know. And you have a big plant with hundreds centrifuges, each requiring tens of kW of electricity. Where goes all this heat? And where does all the electricity come from? Maybe it's easier to target the nearest powerplant and/or the numerous huge exhaust stacks?
IMO it can't be this deep
and this big at the same time...
Forgive me if I'm talking out of my proverbial but I understand that as they have enriched to a level beyond that required for power generation maybe they're running the centrifuges from a small underground reactor?
Edit: No, how would they cool such a reactor?