Nuclear fuel rods power nuclear plants. They combine uranium cells with structural parts in a manufacturer.
What you need
- Encased uranium cells.
- Encased industrial beams.
- Electromagnetic control rods.
- Manufacturers to assemble the rods.
Step-by-step build
- Produce encased uranium cells from uranium.
- Produce encased industrial beams and control rods.
- Feed all inputs into manufacturers to make fuel rods.
- Belt the rods to storage or the nuclear plant.
- Balance every input to the manufacturer.
- Add manufacturers as power demand grows.
Throughput tips
- Keep uranium cells flowing
- Balance all three inputs
- Belt rods to the plant
- Scale with power demand
Practical notes
Fuel rods combine encased uranium cells with structural parts, which means the nuclear chain and the steel chain meet here. Uranium cells are the harder input, so build the uranium line first. Balance every input to the manufacturer, because a rod shortage shuts down power rather than one line.
Keep a rod buffer near the plant so generation never waits on assembly. Add manufacturers as power demand grows, and overclock the uranium chain first when rods run short. Rods also feed plutonium production, so plan the buffer with that demand in mind.
Uranium cells are the harder input, so build that chain before the assemblers.
Rods also feed plutonium production, so plan the buffer with that demand in mind.
Common mistakes
- Uranium running short
- One structural input dry
- Unbalanced inputs stalling rods