Performance evaluation of hydrogen production based on off-peak electric energy of the nuclear power plant * R.Z. Aminov a , A.N. Bairamov b,* a Saratov State Technical University Named Yuri Gagarin, 77 Polytechnicheskay Str., Saratov, 410054, Russia b Federal State Institution of Science Saratov Scientific Center RAS of. 13, 77 Polytechnicheskay Str., Saratov, 410054, Russia article info Article history: Received 24 June 2017 Accepted 4 July 2017 Available online 4 August 2017 Keywords: Nuclear power plant Excess energy Hydrogen Water electrolysis Membrane unit Hydrogen market abstract The article investigates the efficiency of commercial hydrogen production by water elec- trolysis on the base of NPP excess energy with its additional purification higher than 99.9999%, considering its transport. The competitive high purity hydrogen release price has been determined as compared to the market price. Besides, the use of high duty electrolysis plants has been suggested. Moreover, the advantages of water electrolysis cyclic operation while consuming electric energy from NPP as compared to the continuous mode have been presented in the paper. © 2017 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Introduction Russian Federal Program of Nuclear Industry Development provides for significant increase of nuclear power plants (NPP) share in energy systems of the European part of the country. So, according to the Energy Strategy of Russia for the Period up to 2035 [1], the development of nuclear power and nuclear fuel cycle is considered to be a strategic target. Today, NPP with fast reactor and proper recycling fuel cycle plants are con- structed along with ongoing construction of NPP with tradi- tional thermal reactor. For example, the construction of 9 new power generating units at existing and new NPP sites (1 power generating unit at Beloyarsk NPP; 2 power generating units at Rostov NPP, 2 power generating units at Novovoronezh NPP II and 4 power generating units at Leningrad NPP II), as well as the modification of existing power generating units under life extension program are in progress [1]. NPPs are used traditionally in base load curve, driven by the following two matters [2,3]: 1 High rate of capital investments and lower generating cost, as compared to other thermal power stations, due to low fuel factor rate. Today, nuclear-to-organic fuel cost ratio is * This paper is the English version of the paper reviewed and published in Russian in International Scientific Journal for Alternative Energy and Ecology “ISJAEE” issue number 05e06 (193e194), date31.03.2016 P59-70. * Corresponding author. E-mail address: oepran@inbox.ru (A.N. Bairamov). Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/he international journal of hydrogen energy 42 (2017) 21617 e21625 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.07.132 0360-3199/© 2017 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.