Reborn Before the Apocalypse: My Backing is the Nation

Chapter 156 Mega Disaster
Sun Changhe, who served as the chief consultant for the doomsday plan, looked at the report in front of him with a serious expression.

The peak power of 18.1TW means that during peak electricity consumption periods, an average of 181 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity will be used every hour.

This figure is more than seven times the global electricity consumption of my time.

Without the large-scale development of energy storage and clean energy technologies, the human world would never have been able to support such a massive power grid.

But now... even a power grid this large is showing signs of being unable to support itself?
Especially since ion drilling equipment is not yet in operation.

This is a real power hog, no, it should be called an electric whale.

It is estimated that the peak power of an average ion drilling rig, along with its supporting facilities, is around 1GW.

If 500 units are started simultaneously, that's 500GW. And that power is almost equivalent to half the electricity consumption of the entire vast country in my time.

The combined electricity needs of hundreds of thousands of factories, cities, and over a billion people across the country for all their daily lives, lighting, and industrial use are only twice that number.

"The backup power station must be activated."

The researcher said to Sun Changhe in a deep voice, "Otherwise, our entire power grid could be paralyzed by these shocks, which would be a huge disaster for the world."

Sun Changhe looked at him and said, "Give me an introduction to the current status of the backup power station."

"The main types of backup power plants are coal-fired and gas-fired ultra-supercritical power plants. Since the large-scale deployment of thorium-based molten salt reactor nuclear power plant technology more than a decade ago, thermal power plants that undertake peak-shaving tasks have been shut down on a large scale, with only a few thermal power plants operating at extremely low power as a backup."

Today, the electricity generated by thermal power plants accounts for only about three-thousandths of the world's electricity consumption.

However, if they could be restored to full power operation, the power generation capacity could be increased to around 2TW, which would be more than enough to meet all subsequent electricity demands.

"Can we restore these coal-fired power plants to their peak power output in a short period of time?"

"Regarding the line, we have dispatched manpower to expedite the renovation, which can be completed within a month."

Equipment maintenance, repair, and debugging can also be completed within a month.

Regarding fuel, most coal mines and natural gas fields worldwide have been shut down, with only a few continuing to operate, and even those are not producing large quantities.

Increasing production in the short term is unrealistic, but there are currently large reserves of coal and natural gas around the world, which can be urgently allocated to support the operation of coal-fired power plants for about three months.

Sun Changhe nodded slightly.

Three months from now, either humanity will be extinct, or the apocalypse will have passed. Being able to survive for three months is more than enough.

"The only obstacle at present is skilled workers."

The expert continued, "More than a decade ago, due to the large-scale shutdown and production reduction of thermal power plants, a large number of thermal power experts were forced to retire and dispersed to various industries."

Reopening these coal-fired and gas-fired power plants would require a large-scale conscription of workers. And there are likely too many uncertainties involved.

You might not be aware of this group of people…

He gave a wry smile: "These people are the biggest opponents of clean energy plus nuclear power these days. They spend all day online, spreading rumors that nuclear power emits radiation and that world governments are promoting nuclear power with ulterior motives, that they are colluding with aliens..."

Sun Changhe knew that the shift from thermal power to nuclear power was an inevitable trend. History was moving forward with great strides, and no one could defy this law.

From a personal perspective, however, someone who has worked for over a decade or more might be forced into retirement after decades of working at a power plant that has closed or reduced production. The knowledge they've painstakingly acquired throughout their life could become useless, and this disparity could be very difficult to accept. It's understandable that they might feel resentment and complaints.

Now... Oh, before you didn't need us anymore, you discarded us like trash, but now that you need us, you're eagerly asking us to come out of retirement. Do you think we're just toilet paper?

Arrogant at first, then obsequious – that's the way it is.

Sun Changhe closed his eyes, paused for a moment, then opened them and slowly said, "Go and recruit them. They will agree."

"Director Sun, you don't know..."

The expert seemed a little impatient. Sun Changhe interrupted him before he could finish, saying, "I understand them."

I will report this matter to the decision-making team and make recommendations. You can start the preliminary preparations.

"Yes."

……

Five days later, several buses carrying thermal power experts, technicians and engineers stopped in front of a somewhat abandoned thermal power plant.

The car stopped, and a group of middle-aged and elderly people, at least 50 years old and with a full head of white hair, got off the car. Looking at the huge cooling tower in front of them, their eyes were full of emotion.

"Hey, Lao Zhao, didn't you say back then that the World Government harbored evil intentions and that you would never trust it in your life? What are you doing here?"

"Old Li, how dare you talk to me like that? Weren't you the one who encouraged us to submit the joint petition? Didn't you come here too?"

The group of middle-aged and elderly people joked with each other for a while, then fell silent.

"I, I have never actually opposed nuclear power."

I'm just against shutting down the coal-fired power plants.

I know that nuclear power replacing thermal power is an inevitable trend, I know all that. But I've studied thermal power my whole life, and suddenly I'm useless in the second half of my life, all my knowledge is useless, I just can't accept it..."

After a long silence, an elderly expert spoke as if to himself.

Each person felt a pang of sympathy.

"I never thought we'd live to see the day when the power plant restarts, and that all our skills will be put to good use, especially in something as important as dealing with aliens. Wow, we old folks are still useful, and very useful at that. I never expected this."

"Old buddies, enough said. This might be the last time we use this knowledge in our lives. Let's all work hard and not let the young people down. We can't let them look down on us. Let those young guys see that we can be useful too!"

"Alright, after this, I have no other wishes. If I can survive the apocalypse, I'll go home and live a good life with my wife."

"Sigh, times are changing, and what we've learned is outdated. I have no regrets if I can be of use again this time."

With each sigh, the middle-aged and elderly people marched towards the long-lost and somewhat dilapidated control building, like soldiers heading to battle.

Ahead, the young technicians urgently dispatched by the World Government were already welcoming these veterans.

(End of this chapter)