Nuclear Energy

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Turbine-building-roof-installed-at-Akkuyu-2

The three-month process of installing the roof on the turbine building of the second unit at Turkey's Akkuyu nuclear power plant has been completed.

The roof is formed from nine sections, weighing between 95 and 175 tonnes and measuring 61 metres long, with a Liebherr 13000 crawler crane used. Each section had to be installed to an accuracy of within 10 millimetres.

Sergei Butskikh, first deputy director general of Akkuyu Nuclear JSC, said: "Installing roof trusses in a turbine hall is a complex task that requires a high degree of attention to detail and flawless execution. Despite the strict schedule and difficult weather conditions, the team of builders successfully completed the task. We are proud of the results achieved and thank each employee for their diligence and professionalism. At the next stage, we will begin installing the main units and components of the turbogenerator unit."

Akkuyu, in the southern Mersin province, is Turkey's first nuclear power plant. Rosatom is building four VVER-1200 reactors, under a so-called BOO (build-own-operate) model. According to the terms of the 2010 Intergovernmental Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Turkey, the commissioning of the first power unit of the nuclear power plant must take place within seven years from receipt of all permits for the construction of the unit.

The licence for the construction of the first unit was issued in 2018, with construction work beginning that year. Nuclear fuel was delivered to the site in April 2023. Turkey's Nuclear Regulatory Agency issued permission for the first unit to be commissioned in December, and in February it was announced that the reactor compartment had been prepared for controlled assembly of the reactor - and the generator stator had also been installed in its pre-design position.

The aim is for unit 1 to begin supplying Turkey's energy system in 2025. When the 4800 MWe plant is completed it is expected to meet about 10% of Turkey's electricity needs, with the aim that all four units will be operational by the end of 2028.

France’s EDF supplying two EPR units for project with first scheduled to begin operation in 2029.

The first of eight 520-tonne steam generators for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station under construction in Somerset, southwest England, has been delivered to the site after arriving by sea and road.

The 25m long steam generators will take heat from the nuclear reactors to create steam to power the world’s largest turbines.

The generator’s arrival is in time for the fit-out of the new power station, which will see the first nuclear reactor installed later this year, EDF Energy said in a statement on 13 May.

The steam generator travelled the final four miles by road transporter after arriving from Avonmouth at Combwich Wharf on the River Parrett in Somerset.

Four steam generators will be placed in each reactor building, operating at an average temperature of 295°C for at least 60 years. Their design, manufacturing and testing took six years.

France’s state-owned EDF is providing two EPR nuclear plants for Hinkley Point C.

The project has been delayed until 2029 at the earliest, with the cost potentially increasing to as much as £46bn at today’s prices and EDF blaming Covid, Brexit and inflation.

When approval was first given in 2016 the cost was estimated at £18bn.

Under EDF’s latest scenario, one of the two planned units could be operational in 2029.

Once Hinkley Point C is complete, it is expected to generate enough electricity to supply some six million homes for 60 years.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Post-irradiation-testing-of-high-burnup-fuel-under

High burnup fuel rods manufactured by GE Vernova's Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF) are being examined at the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) after spending six years in a commercial nuclear power reactor.

The rods, manufactured at GNF's fabrication facility in Wilmington, North Carolina, with support from the Department of Energy's Accident Tolerant Fuel programme, were shipped to the lab after completing three full cycles of operation at a US nuclear power plant. ORNL will conduct post-irradiation experiments over the next several years to verify safety and performance. Results from the experiments will be used to support the commercial deployment of such fuels.

Higher burnup fuel is designed to remain in the reactor core for longer periods of time before it is removed for long-term storage, leading to fewer refuelling outages, increased power output for better economics, and less used fuel over the lifetime of the reactor.

"This shipment of these rods is another milestone in the drive to develop the next generation of even safer and more reliable fuel," said Mike Chilton, Executive Vice President, GNF. "We are proud to be part of this collaboration with ORNL and DOE to benefit the entire industry."

"This fuel shipment to Oak Ridge National Laboratory is an important step in GNF's efforts to commercialise their high burnup fuel," said Frank Goldner, a nuclear engineer at DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy. "High burnup fuels are expected to enhance the performance of today's reactors and will help us on our path to reach net-zero emissions by 2050."

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Would-be-producers-making-the-most-of-the-uranium

NexGen Energy Ltd has said its newly announced strategic purchase of 2.7 million pounds U3O8 (1039 tU), together with a recent share placement, "will significantly assist the company in funding the anticipated capital needs to develop the Rook I Project" in Canada. Denison Mines Corp intends to use its physical uranium investment to support future project financing efforts for Phoenix - and has just sold 100,000 pounds U3O8 from its physical uranium holdings at more than three times the price it paid for it.

NexGen said on 8 April it had entered into a binding term sheet with Canadian hedge fund MMCap International Inc SPC for the purchase of 2,702,410 pounds U3O8 for an aggregate purchase price of USD250 million, for convertible debentures equivalent to roughly 4.3% of the company's issued and outstanding common shares.

The announcement came days after the company announced a CAD224 million (USD164 million) share offering to Australian investors. This Australian Chess Depository Interest (CDI) offering is expected to close on or around 15 May.

On closing of the CDI offering and the transaction with MMCap, NexGen said it will have some CAD600 million in cash and USD250 million worth of physical uranium on its balance sheet.

NexGen CEO Leigh Curyer said the purchase represents a "strong opportunity for NexGen to bolster its marketing discussions and optimises the optionality of project financing structures under evaluation", at a time when available physical uranium is "extremely tight" and expected to continue to be scarce given the long-term supply deficit. "Upon closing of the CDI offering and this strategic uranium purchase, the company will hold cash and uranium worth over CAD930 million and will significantly assist the company in funding the anticipated capital needs to develop the Rook I Project," he said.

Rook I is in the Southwestern Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is 100% owned by NexGen and hosts the Arrow uranium deposit, with measured and indicated mineral resources of 256.7 million pounds U3O8. A 2021 feasibility study outlines a mine capable of producing some 29 million pounds U3O8 per year over the first 5 years of an 11-year mine life, making it the largest and lowest cost uranium mine in the world according to NexGen.

The company is currently working to secure the federal and provincial approvals needed to move forward with the mine. In November, it received approval from Saskatchewan's Ministry of Environment to proceed with the development of Rook I, making NexGen the first company in more than 20 years to receive full provincial environmental assessment approval for a greenfield uranium project in Saskatchewan. Denison confirms uranium sale

Denison is another company with Canadian uranium projects to develop, with a 95% interest in its flagship Wheeler River project which the company describes as the largest undeveloped uranium project in the eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan. As well as many uranium properties, the company's interests in Saskatchewan also include a 22.5% ownership interest in the McClean Lake Joint Venture and the McClean Lake uranium mill. It is targeting production of 800,000 pounds U3O8 (on 100% basis) from McClean Lake North in 2025, following an announcement earlier this year by with its joint venture partner Orano Canada Inc of plans to restart operations at McClean Lake using the patented Surface Access Borehole Resource Extraction - or SABRE - mining method.

In its quarterly results announcement on 8 May, the company confirmed it had completed the sale of 100,000 pounds U3O8 from its physical uranium holdings, at a price of USD100.00 per pound. The sale, which was completed in April, was agreed in January and is part of the company's plans to sell around 300,000 pounds U3O8 from its physical uranium holdings this year. Denison said it acquired its physical uranium position in 2021 at an average cost of USD29.65 per pound U3O8.

President and CEO David Cates spoke of the company's strategy of holding investments in physical uranium to support future financing of Phoenix, and how Denison's portfolio of uranium reserves, resources, and physical holdings has "greatly appreciated" in value over recent months.

"As Denison has avoided entering low-priced uranium supply contracts in recent years and has held its physical uranium investment to support future project financing efforts for Phoenix, we are now in an enviable spot with significant uncommitted uranium production and physical holdings potentially available to the market at time of expected scarcity. Taken together with continued geopolitical instability and the expected emergence of significant additional demand from new nuclear builds, it is an ideal time for our Company to be readying to build a low-cost Saskatchewan-based uranium mine," he said.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Hungary-and-China-sign-nuclear-cooperation-agreeme

A memorandum of understanding on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy has been signed by the China Atomic Energy Authority and Hungary's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The agreement was one of 18 covering a wide variety of areas signed during President Xi Jinping's visit to Hungary on Thursday.

A joint statement issued by the two countries on the establishing of an over-arching All-Weather Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the New Era, said: "The Chinese side will continue to encourage capable Chinese enterprises to invest in Hungary. The two sides will promote orderly cooperation in emerging fields including clean energy, artificial intelligence, mobile communication technology and nuclear energy and technology."

Hungary's President Viktor Orban said, after his talks with the Chinese president: "The Hungarians have serious ambitions. The previous 100 years, the 20th Century, was a shameful one for Hungary. It was a century in which we lost, a century in which we suffered extremely heavy losses of historic proportions. And the concept driving the Hungarians is that we want to win the 21st Century, and not lose it. And to win we need partners, investors, trading partners and the world’s most advanced technology."

He added: "I will make special mention of something which is not only an economic fact, but also an expression of confidence: the fact that we can extend our cooperation to the whole spectrum of the nuclear industry, where up until now there has been no cooperation between our two countries. This holds great potential, because in this respect - in terms of the nuclear industry - Hungary has considerable international experience and prestige, as we have been involved in this industry for more than 50 years, and currently the largest nuclear development in Europe is taking place in Hungary.

"Our plan is that by the beginning of the next decade the share of Hungary's energy provided by nuclear power will be between 60 and 70 per cent."

In the text of his published remarks, President Xi said the two countries would "connect our development strategies more closely, deepen economic, trade, investment, and financial cooperation, and advance the Budapest-Belgrade railway and other key projects. We will expand cooperation in emerging industries and foster new quality productive forces to empower and facilitate economic and social development of the two countries".

The official statements and publications during the visit do not yet appear to include detail of the content of the memorandum of understanding on nuclear. China is the fastest growing generator of nuclear energy. According to World Nuclear Association figures, it currently has 56 operable reactors with a capacity of 54 GW - and it has 27 more reactors under construction which would provide 28.9 GW more capacity. Hungary currently has four operable nuclear reactors with a capacity of 1.9 GW, supplying about 40% of the country's electricity. It has also embarked on the Paks II project which would see Russia's Rosatom supply two VVER-1200 reactors.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Q-A-%C2%A0Proud-of-progress-on-new-nuclear,-but-pace-ne

Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Kathryn Huff reflects in this Q&A on the highlights of her three years leading the US Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy and the momentum behind expanding nuclear energy capacity. This article was first published by the Office of Nuclear Energy on 3 May.

What have been the high points from your time at the Department of Energy?

It's been an absolute honour. It has been a real thrill to see the bipartisan support for nuclear energy. I think my confirmation was a real signal that that was the case, even starting out.

The existing nuclear fleet: We want to keep existing reactors running, and I’ve seen Diablo Canyon stay open when it was potentially destined to close. Palisades Nuclear Power Plant has a hope of a future even though it has shut down, and they're restarting that plant very soon. With Vogtle Unit 3 and 4 coming online, it takes us from the 92 reactors or so we were at when I started, up to 93, 94. With Palisades it’ll be 95. In a different world, we could have been walking backwards instead and allowing those reactors to shut down.

Advanced rector development: I think especially with the construction permit application for the Kairos Power fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor, it’s a real demonstration that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is ready to license advanced reactors. We've seen so much progress with the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations and the two big demonstration projects, TerraPower and X-energy. Broadly, I think just every time I talk to people, there is more and more awareness of the incredible variety of new nuclear reactor technologies available and the ways that each of them could fit into a clean energy future.

Investments in nuclear energy: In the last three years in this Biden-Harris Administration, what we are seeing is not an accident. It's not chance. This kind of investment is policy. This is President Biden's Invest in America strategy. It starts with investing in the kinds of energy technologies that will succeed in decarbonisation while simultaneously helping with American jobs and prosperity in general. We want to see this transition move forward in a way that is deeply American and that supports American lives.

Building a domestic supply chain for nuclear fuels: I think it’s really a shame that the situation that has driven so much attention on our nuclear fuel supply is such an incredible, unjust attack from Russia on Ukraine. But it has focused a great deal of our attention on the trust we have to have in our fuel supply chains. When there are nations in the world willing to use fuel for energy as a weapon and access to that fuel can be used to dominate and control other nations, we cannot allow ourselves or our allies and partners to be exposed to that. And the United States is ready to be a good partner in that more diverse fuel supply. But we have to work really hard to rebuild our capacity.

Managing nuclear waste: We have restarted a consent-based process that had been started in the Obama Administration, and that consent-based process focuses on centring communities and their interests with regard to the storage of spent nuclear fuel and potentially, ultimately, the disposal of spent nuclear fuel. It's what we owe to communities, it’s what we've promised the utilities, and trust that the US government is moving forward rather than stagnating with regard to this policy is essential to the build-out of new nuclear.

What was your best day at the DOE, if you had to pick one?

I think the best day was at COP28. Our government stood alongside over 20 other governments and said, we see how necessary nuclear is going to be with regard to our 2050 net-zero goals, that we will not get to net-zero without tripling nuclear energy, and so we must try. And we pledged to try.  That is earth-shaking. I think it represents not necessarily what we believe to be a projection of what is likely - it's not even a reflection of what we believe is possible with the resources we have today from the federal government to incentivise a change. It's instead a declaration of where the numbers lie and what it's truly going to take. And I think that was a really defining moment.

You joined the DOE from academia. What caused you to accept the job?

To be honest, it was a complete surprise that I was even being considered. It never occurred to me to work in the government. Tarak Shah, the secretary’s chief of staff at the time, said to me, "We’re in a war with the climate crisis, and we need you on the front lines". And I can't say no to that. This is a very motivational value for me that, you know, it is worth doing some public service to save the world. And we're doing nothing less. And so he got me right in the heart with that one, and I was powerless against it.

What has it been like working for the federal government?

The Office of Nuclear Energy has been an honour to work in.  The people have amazed me. And I think generally speaking, the thing I will take away the most is an incredible respect for the public servants in the US government. The public has no idea the amount of care and concern and work that is put in every day within walls of an agency like this one. The Department of Energy is working so hard every day for the people of the United States, and seeing it firsthand is really breathtaking.

How does it feel when you look back at the progress we've made over the past few years? Do you feel like we've made huge strides, or there's still so much left to be done?

Can I say both? I think both are true. Yes, we have made huge strides. We are now walking forward - we should be running forward, with regard to new deployments of nuclear energy. But, you know, we could be walking backwards. That shift in the direction is so important, and we're in a place where that momentum, I think, is going to stick with us. But I think there's no question in the scientific world that we're not moving fast enough to decarbonise. And so while we're moving very fast and I'm so proud of us for moving as fast as we are, we've got to move so much faster, especially when we think about the tripling of nuclear energy goal. Building 200 new gigawatts of nuclear power between now and 2050 is going to be hard, but it'll have a lot of benefits.

Do you have any parting words as your time at DOE comes to a close here?

Well, I'm a big nerd. And so I think about The Lord of the Rings sometimes, and there's this moment where Bilbo says that he misses his books and his armchair, and he's had enough of adventure. But I will always be so proud of this. And, you know, like Bilbo, I will think back on it fondly and often.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Fortum,-OKG-announce-hydrogen-plans

Utilities in Finland and Sweden have announced separate nuclear-related hydrogen initiatives. Fortum has announced plans for a hydrogen pilot plant near to its Loviisa nuclear power plant, while OKG has signed a contract with Hynion to supply surplus hydrogen from operations at the Oskarshamn plant to its hydrogen filling stations.

Uniper-owned OKG has used electricity produced by the Oskarshamn nuclear power plant in Finland to produce hydrogen through electrolysis of water since 1992. This hydrogen was initially produced to meet the nuclear power plant's own needs: the hydrogen was added to the reactor coolant of the plant's three boiling water reactors in order to reduce the risk of stress corrosion cracking of the reactor piping by reducing the amount of free oxygen in the coolant.

The hydrogen produced at Oskarshamn is now only required for use in unit 3 of the nuclear power plant following the permanent closure of units 1 and 2 in June 2017 and December 2016, respectively, leaving an overcapacity. OKG has modernised the hydrogen plant to expand operations and signed its first contract to supply fossil-free hydrogen from the plant to industrial gases company Linde in 2022.

All businesses in Uniper's portfolio have two main tasks: to ensure a secure energy supply and to drive the energy transition, and the company is playing an important role in the establishment of Europe's hydrogen economy and the development of a significant business in renewable energy, OKG CEO Johan Lundberg said. "It's fantastic that the surplus production we sell can help Hynion with hydrogen to their hydrogen filling stations so that together we can contribute to reducing carbon dioxide emissions."

Hynion said the partnership represents an important part of its strategy to reduce dependence on individual suppliers as it prepares for increasing hydrogen-powered traffic in Sweden. "We need stable producers who, together with us at Hynion, want to contribute to the energy transition and a carbon-free future. The hydrogen delivery from OKG is an important step to secure the supply of hydrogen at our stations," said Hynion AS CEO Slavica Djuric.

Megawatt-scale pilot plant

In a separate announcement, Finnish utility Fortum said it will build a hydrogen production pilot plant in in the Källa area near the company's Loviisa nuclear power plant. Construction of the test centre, on land already owned by the company, will begin this summer, and the plant is scheduled to be commissioned in late 2025.

Hydrogen will be produced by electrolysers with a capacity of around 2 MW, using electricity from the main grid and local domestic water supplies in Loviisa. A filling station will be built in connection with the plant for the delivery of hydrogen to industrial customers. The Källa test centre is expected to be in operation for around two years, and the total R&D cost of the pilot project is around EUR17 million (USD18.3 million). The test centre is being funded entirely from Fortum’s research and development funds.

"Testing hydrogen production at the Kalla test centre on a megawatt scale will provide valuable information not only in terms of the design and operation of potential larger plants, but also of the business opportunities provided by green hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives," said Satu Sipola, vice president of Power-to-X at Fortum. "The pilot project is the first step towards possible future projects and investments."

"Fortum has a strong position in clean energy production, and we strive to find solutions to help our industrial customers decarbonise their operations. We work to drive the development of clean hydrogen in the Nordic countries, and we engage in active research cooperation with companies in the forest, steel and chemical industries and the transport sector, for example," Sipola said.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/UK-consults-on-proposed-planning-policy-for%C2%A0fusion

Fusion plants will not be subject to the same nuclear site licensing process as fission reactors, with the UK government instead proposing developer-led site selection and their designation as nationally significant infrastructure projects.

As part of the regulatory regime being established for fusion plants, the UK is now consulting on a proposed National Policy Statement (NPS) for Fusion Energy, which will apply to England, "to set out and streamline the planning process for fusion power plants".

The government has previously legislated to make clear that fusion plants will not be subject to the nuclear site licensing process that applies to traditional (fission) nuclear power plants "due to the fundamental differences in technology, process and levels of hazard".

It is also proposing to be technology neutral in supporting all fusion energy facilities, including those which provide heat for industrial uses rather than electricity to the grid. "This will ensure that all first-of-a-kind prototype fusion energy facilities are included in the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects process and if fusion is used for its high-grade heat, these facilities will not fall out of scope" of the fusion planning policy statement (EN-8).

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero consultation says that there is a need to set out the planning regime now because "private industry is planning to build commercial facilities in the 2030s which requires siting and construction to start this decade. Companies are already starting to identify potential sites for these facilities. The planning process and considerations required to gain development consent will heavily influence designs, and so clarity needs to be provided well before detailed designs are completed. Regulatory certainty will also be a key consideration of investors and companies when deciding where to invest and where to build. An NPS gives a clear market signal to global investors that the UK is providing a stable regulatory and planning base on which long-term investment can be made".

The proposed regime would mean that applications would be considered by the national Planning Inspectorate and decided by the Secretary of State rather than being considered and decided at a regional planning level. The consultation says this will ensure that local authorities who lack the knowledge to judge an application "are not commercially disadvantaged when competing to host fusion facilities".

Unlike the existing national policy statement which lists approved nuclear power plant sites, the fusion-focused one will not, because "the government believes that identifying sites for future fusion energy facilities would be unnecessarily restrictive and it would be difficult to apply an all-encompassing approach without disadvantaging some technologies and stifling innovation ... local communities may be more receptive to fusion technologies compared to traditional nuclear technologies, but knowledge of fusion across the public in the UK is low. Identifying sites ... would bias developers towards areas of the UK where appetite and knowledge of fusion is currently higher".

The proposals for a regulatory framework for fusion reflect the UK government's view that "the hazards and risks of fusion are not of the same magnitude as fission and are more similar to other hazardous facilities such as chemical plants". It adds that it does not "want to exclude communities that are open to fusion technologies where they would not accept traditional nuclear technologies although it is likely that the first fusion power plants will not be sited close to any urban populations". The planning statement will also "emphasise the significance of safeguarding human health and well-being in the context of fusion projects".

It adds that although "fusion does not produce any high-level or very long-lived waste, different fusion technologies may give rise to different intermediate level waste streams. The government expects that developers consider and account for the long-term management of radioactive waste including storage, transportation, and disposal methods" and says developers will have to meet planning requirements to "safely treat and dispose of any hazardous waste".

Existing planning policies will still apply, such as flood risk and ensuring there is a biodiversity net gain from a development as well as consideration of climate change impacts and adaptation. The facilitiies will also not be allowed to be sited near to areas of military activity. The consultation lasts until 3 July, with a consultation on the wording of a Fusion National Policy Statement expected to take place in spring 2025 and a finalised version published before the end of next year.

Andrew Bowie, minister for nuclear and renewables, said: "The UK has been at the forefront of fusion energy development for decades and is in a unique position to capitalise on the environmental and economic benefits that this transformational new energy source can bring, including at a local and regional level ... through this consultation we want to hear from communities, industry and investors to ensure that the National Policy Statement fully supports development of fusion power plants."

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/China-and-France-aim-to-strengthen-nuclear-energy

China's CGN and France's EDF have signed a Letter of Intent on deepening and expanding cooperation on nuclear energy - it came as President Emmanuel Macron hosted a visit to France by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Acording to the Chinese Foreign Ministry report on the talks, President Xi said the two countries should step up cooperation in a number of areas, including "nuclear energy, innovation and finance", with President Macron responding that France was "ready to step up cooperation with China" in areas including "nuclear energy for civilian use".

During the visit there were a number of business cooperation agreements outlined, with the Letter of Intent on Deepening Related Cooperation in the Nuclear Energy Field signed by Yang Changli, Chairman of China General Nuclear (CGN), and EDF Chairman and CEO Luc Raymond.

According to CGN the letter of intent means "the two parties will further expand and strengthen cooperation in aspects such as nuclear power engineering construction, talent training, EPR operations and leadership training in the field of nuclear power operations to achieve common development".

CGN and EDF have worked together over many years, dating back to the Daya Bay nuclear power plant's construction, which began in the 1980s, and CGN said that deepening and expanding cooperation areas "is of great significance to the development of civil nuclear energy in both countries and the business development of the two groups".

China and France are two of the world's biggest generators of nuclear energy, with both having large-scale plans to expand capacity in the coming years. According to World Nuclear Association figures, both countries currently have 56 operable reactors. China's have a capacity of 54 GW and it has 27 more reactors under construction which would provide 28.9 GW more capacity. France currently has 61 GW nuclear energy capacity, with one more 1.6 GW reactor under construction.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Estonian-parliament-begins-preparations-for-nuclea

Members of Estonia's parliament, the Riigikogu, have submitted the draft resolution which will allow preparations to begin for the adoption of nuclear energy in the country and the creation of a suitable legislative and regulatory framework.

The draft calls for the Riigikogu to pass a "fundamental decision" on whether to allow production of nuclear energy in Estonia. According to the Riigikogu, the draft is mainly based on the analysis conducted by the Nuclear Energy Working Group in 2021-2023 which concluded that the adoption of nuclear energy in Estonia was feasible. The findings of that study were submitted to the Estonian government in March.

The 55 members of the Riigikogu who submitted the draft "support the preparations for the adoption of nuclear energy and the creation of a necessary legislative framework for it", including the drafting of the Nuclear Energy and Safety Act and supplementing the existing legislation, the establishment of nuclear regulatory institution, and the development of "sectoral competences".

According to the draft's explanatory memorandum, the adoption of nuclear power would provide a "controllable and continuous generation capacity" to balance fluctuations in renewable energy generation, help Estonia reach its climate neutrality target, ensure "stable and affordable electricity" in the long term, promote research and development, bring economic benefits and create jobs for local people. It would also bring challenges such as the training of a qualified workforce, handling and storage of used nuclear fuel, and emergency preparedness. "To address these, it is essential to ensure appropriate regulation, supervision, competence development and timely and adequate funding that would guarantee the safe and responsible use of nuclear energy when it is adopted," it states.

The draft does not grant the right to build a nuclear power plant in Estonia, the Riigikogu said.

Estonia's current domestic electricity generation is dominated by fossil fuels, but the country is seeking to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and is looking at nuclear power as a reliable and low carbon option to diversify its energy mix by 2035 when it plans to phase out its use of domestic oil shale. A draft law which would suspend the issuance of new domestic oil shale mining permits until the end of 2025 - to allow time for climate laws to be drafted - has been announced by the Estonian government and is being sent to parliament for consideration.

An IAEA mission to Estonia reported in October that the country had developed a comprehensive assessment of its nuclear power infrastructure needs to decide whether to launch a nuclear power programme. In February 2023, Estonia's Fermi Energia announced it had selected GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy's BWRX-300 SMR for potential deployment in the Baltic country by the early 2030s.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/US-microreactor-developer-goes-public

NANO Nuclear Energy Inc said it intends to use the net proceeds from its initial public offering (IPO) to continue R&D of its proprietary ZEUS and ODIN microreactor designs as well as its high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) activities.

The company announced that its IPO of 2,562,500 shares of its common stock was being priced to the public at USD4.00 per share, less underwriting discounts and commissions. The stock began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on Wednesday, and it expects gross proceeds of about USD10.25 billion from the IPO, which is expected to close on 10 May.

"NANO Nuclear intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to continue the research and development of its proprietary micro nuclear reactor designs, ZEUS and ODIN, advancing its exclusive licensed technology to transport commercial quantities of high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel needed for the future of the advanced nuclear industry, development of a US domestic source of HALEU fuel fabrication for NANO Nuclear's own microreactors and the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry as well as general corporate purposes and working capital," the company said.

NANO was set up by entrepreneur Jay Jiang Yu who became the company's first chairman and president in April 2022. It is developing the ZEUS solid core battery reactor and ODIN low-pressure coolant reactor. Its Advanced Fuel Transportation Inc subsidiary is aiming to build a North American transportation company to provide commercial quantities of HALEU fuel to small modular reactors, microreactor companies and other customers, while its HALEU Energy Fuel Inc subsidiary is focusing on the future development of a domestic source for a HALEU fuel fabrication pipeline.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Authorisation-issued-for-Flamanville-EPR-commissio

France's nuclear regulator has authorised the commissioning of the Flamanville EPR reactor, which has a summer 2024 target for connection to the grid.

The authorisation from the Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire (ASN) means EDF can now load nuclear fuel into the reactor and carry out start-up tests and then operation of the reactor.

The decision follows a public consultation which ran from 27 March until 17 April.

ASN issued technical requirements alongside the authorisation saying it would supervise the performance and monitoring of installation start-up tests after fuel loading and also specify methods for acting on feedback from other EPR-type reactors around the world. The first EPR units came online at Taishan in China, where unit 1 became the first EPR to enter commercial operation in 2018 followed by Taishan 2 in September 2019. In Europe, Olkiluoto 3 in Finland entered commercial operation in 2023 and two units are under construction at Hinkley Point C in the UK.

Construction work began in December 2007 on the 1650 MWe unit at the Flamanville site in Normandy - where two reactors have been operating since 1986 and 1987. The dome of the reactor building was put in place in July 2013 and the reactor vessel was installed in January 2014. The reactor was originally expected to start commercial operation in 2013. In December 2022 the total cost at completion of the project was estimated by EDF to be EUR13.2 billion (USD14.2 billion).

'Complex set of issues connected to the past and the present'

Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency are in negotiations on efforts to expand nuclear safeguards inspections on the country’s nuclear assets, but bilateral talks in Tehran on 6 and 7 May have not yet produced results.

“Iran has to deliver on the joint [civil nuclear safeguards] statement from [March] last year, but the process slowed down after a long period of not talking directly to each other, which was negative”, IAEA director-general Rafael Grossi said at a press conference in the central Iranian city of Isfahan on 7 May.

“Our aims are to engage and achieve concrete results from the proposals in the joint statement, such as the conduct of inspections or voluntary measures, which are specific,” said Grossi. “We discussed all of them and focused on what can be done asap, such as more technical measures.”

According to AP, the head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, Mohammad Eslami, said: “The important point is that Mr Grossi takes the necessary actions to settle the problems that are mainly political.

However, Grossi said that the most urgent measures include agreeing on a package, also satisfying Iran’s expectations, and before this is done, he cannot disclose more information on the progress of the negotiations.

Grossi said that “there is some kind of expectation of magically resolving issues, but we have a complex set of issues connected to the past and the present, so it is a difficult process”.

Grossi also told AP on 7 May that IAEA technical teams will stay longer in Iran to continue negotiations.

“There is a need to deliver very soon, but I cannot set deadlines, although for me and the international community, there is a need to produce results very soon. There is an understanding in Iran of that, too,” Grossi said.

“It will be good if this happens before the next IAEA board meeting, we almost had an impasse, this needs to change,” he said. “Access to facilities would be good,” he added.

Outstanding issues related to two of Iran’s nuclear sites have been resolved, and “we are in talks about the other two”, Eslami was quoted as saying in a Caspian News report on 3 May.

Grossi is trying to bolster his agency’s oversight of Tehran’s nuclear activities after various setbacks.

In 2018, then-US president Donald Trump ended a landmark deal between Iran and major powers that exchanged nuclear restrictions for sanctions relief.

Iran has since accelerated its uranium enrichment and reduced cooperation with IAEA. According to Reuters, Iran is enriching uranium to up to 60% purity, close to the around 90% of weapons grade. If that material were enriched further, it would suffice for two nuclear weapons, according to an official IAEA yardstick.

Iran’s Ambitious Nuclear Power Plans

In July 2022, Iran announced plans to build a new nuclear research reactor at the Isfahan site. The Isfahan Nuclear Technology Centre is Iran’s largest nuclear research complex and employs approximately 3,000 scientists.

Iran also has one commercial nuclear plant in operation and a second under construction at Bushehr, more than 600 km south of Isfahan.

Tehran has said it is planning to pour first concrete for a third unit at Bushehr.

In February, the official IRNA news agency reported that Iran had started construction of a four-unit nuclear power station, with a capacity of about 5,000 MW, in its southern coastal province of Hormozgan.

The US Department of State released a statement signed by the governments of the US, France, Germany and the UK, dated 28 December 2023, saying that Iran must “fully cooperate with the IAEA to enable it to provide assurances that its nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful, and to re-designate the inspectors suspended in September 2023”.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/UK-aims-for-Urenco-built-HALEU-facility-by-2031

The UK government is awarding GBP196 million (USD245 million) to Urenco to build a uranium enrichment facility with the capacity to produce up to 10 tonnes of high-assay low enriched uranium (HALEU) per year by 2031.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero says the new facility will be built at Urenco's Capenhurst site in northwest England, will support around 400 jobs and "will put an end to Russia's reign as the only commercial producer" of HALEU fuel in Europe.

HALEU - uranium enriched to between 5% and 20% uranium-235 - will be used in the advanced nuclear fuel required for most of the next-generation reactor designs currently under development. At present, only Russia and China have the infrastructure to produce HALEU at scale. The first advanced reactors are scheduled to be operational in the early 2030s.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that building the uranium enrichment plant was essential for guaranteeing the country's nuclear and energy security.

Urenco CEO Boris Schucht said: "The responsibility the nuclear industry has to help governments and customers to achieve climate change and energy security goals is clear. We welcome this government investment, which will help accelerate the development of a civil HALEU commercial market and in turn the development of the next generation of nuclear power plants. These plants will have even higher safety standards and lend themselves to quicker licensing and construction processes."

The GBP195 million funding is part of the GBP300 million HALEU programme announced in January, with the energy department saying that the remaining funding would be allocated later this year to other parts of the programme including to support deconversion capability (converting the enriched uranium into a form to be made into fuel).

Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said: "This investment will enable the UK to fuel advanced reactors around the world, building on our existing capabilities to strengthen energy security for our allies."

Zara Hodgson, Director of the Dalton Nuclear Institute, which is also based in the northwest of England, said: "This is the biggest single investment in UK nuclear fuel production capability in decades, and it is especially welcome as it will accelerate the supply of the next generation of fuels that are vital for this new net zero nuclear era. Urenco Capenhurst's HALEU Enrichment capability will help hugely to unlock the deliverability of advanced nuclear projects, opening the door to sustainable electricity and heat for industries from nuclear, across the UK and overseas. We look now towards to how we can support this important project through training and innovation."

The USA is also developing a domestic supply of HALEU. In November last year, Centrus Energy delivered the first HALEU produced at its American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon, Ohio, to the US Department of Energy (DOE). Construction of the 16-centrifuge demonstration cascade plant began in 2019, under contract with the DOE. The delivery by Centrus of more than 20 kilograms of HALEU to the DOE means that phase one of the contract has now been completed and Centrus can move ahead with the second phase: a full year of HALEU production at the 900 kilograms per year plant.

In September, Orano revealed plans to extend enrichment capacity at its Georges Besse II (GB-II) uranium enrichment plant in France, and said it had begun the regulatory process to produce HALEU there.

Urenco is one third owned by the UK government, one third by the Dutch government and one third by two German utilities, E.ON S.E. and RWE AG.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Niger-minister-visits-Dasa-uranium-project

Niger's Mines Minister Ousmane Abarchi took part in the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the processing plant at Global Atomic Corporation's site, and expressed the government's support for the project when he visited the mine on 3 May.

The visit was part of a ministerial tour of "significant exploration and mining projects in the Agadez Region of northern Niger", Global Atomic said. The visit included a tour of underground development, which now exceeds 1000 metres with 5 levels of development under way to access the orebody and prepare stopes for mining.

"We were honoured to host the mines minister and other dignitaries at our Dasa operation," Global Atomic President and CEO Stephen Roman said. "The minister expressed his continuing support for the project and confirmed the Government’s recognition of Dasa’s strategic value and near-term economic benefit that will be realised in the form of local employment, taxes and royalties."

Global Atomic's relationship with Niger Government officials since field operations began in 2008 "has always been positive" and the Niger government "continues to offer support in many ways including security in the region and assistance with expediting logistics to equip our mining team with supplies and consumables to maintain a high pace of mine development", he added. "The underground development has continued to progress on schedule. We value the government’s support as we enter this next significant stage to construct our processing plant."

During his tour, Abarchi said the government was supportive of the SOMIDA team and Global Atomic. "This project is very important for us; as a government and as a shareholder," he said. "We want Dasa to be the start of new Niger mining practice with expectations on state income, employment and environment management."

Underground development of Dasa, a high-grade uranium deposit 105 kilometres south of the established uranium mining town of Arlit, began in late 2022 with first deliveries to utilities expected in 2025. The project is 90%-owned by Toronto-listed Global Atomic and will operate under the company's Niger mining subsidiary SOMIDA (Société Minière de Dasa SA) which is 20%-owned by the government of Niger.

Work at the project continued after the "military initiated" change in government last year, which saw the closure of surrounding borders and Niger air space. International flights have resumed operations and all land borders have been re-opened except for those with Benin and Nigeria, but Global Atomic has initiated an alternate route to deliver supplies from the port of Lomé in Togo and overland through Burkina Faso.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Clean-up-completed-of-70-year-old-Oak-Ridge-site-r

The Low Intensity Test Reactor, known as Building 3005, was built in 1949 as a criticality testing facility that used highly enriched fuel with water as a coolant, and operated until 1968 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the USA.

The US Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) workers completed the taking down of the reactor building and disposition of rubble and debris from the facility last year - a process that took about six months - but the reactor vessel had remained on site pending it being shipped for final disposition.

The 30-foot long (9.1 metres), 37,600 pounds (17 tonnes) vessel was loaded by crane onto a truck and shipped to a low-level radioactive waste facility in Clive, Utah.

During its operational years researchers used the reactor in numerous experiments with the core often reconfigured to perform them. As well as being used for training purposes, experiments at the reactor established the feasibility of water-cooled reactors and the test reactor was one of the design prototypes for commercial nuclear power plants, according to information from ORNL.

The Low Intensity Test Reactor became world-famous when a photographer first captured a blue glow caused by radiation in the pool above the reactor. That photo appeared on the cover of the October 1951 issue of Scientific American. The blue glow is Cherenkov radiation, observed when electrically charged particles - electrons and protons - are moving at speeds faster than that of light in a specific medium

UCOR Project Manager Greg McGinnis said: "Completion of decontamination and transporting the reactor vessel for disposition is a big accomplishment that presented technical difficulties and a unique safety focus to finalise the cleanup at the Building 3005 site."

Acting Oak Ridge National Laboratory Portfolio Federal Project Director Jim Daffron said: "Completing these final tasks are crucial to our ongoing efforts at ORNL."

ORNL was established in 1943 - when it was known as Clinton Laboratories - to conduct pilot-scale production and separation of plutonium for the World War II Manhattan Project. It was also highly involved in reactor design and isotope research and production. EM is responsible for cleanup activities related to the historic operations at ORNL, including 16 inactive research reactors and isotope facilities.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/CPS-Energy-increases-ownership-of-South-Texas-Proj

CPS Energy has agreed to acquire an additional 2% ownership of the South Texas Project (STP) from Constellation and has entered a long-term power purchase agreement for 200 MWe of capacity following the resolution of disputes over Constellation's 2023 acquisition of NRG Energy's share of the two-unit nuclear power plant.

The transaction will see San Antonio-based CPS Energy and Constellation each owning 42% of STP, with Austin Energy's ownership share remaining unchanged at 16%.

"On 2 May, 2024, CPS Energy, Austin Energy, NRG, and Constellation resolved their disputes regarding the proposed sale of an interest in the South Texas Nuclear Project (STP) by NRG to Constellation South Texas LLC and the related rights of first refusal of CPS Energy and Austin Energy," CPS said. "As part of this resolution, CPS Energy and Austin Energy will dismiss their pending litigation against NRG and Constellation and will withdraw their objections previously filed with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission."

Baltimore-based Constellation operates 14 nuclear power plants in the USA with a combined generating capacity of more than 19,000 MWe. It acquired NRG Energy Inc's 44% share in the STP plant last year. The sale marked NRG's exit from nuclear generation.

"The addition of these megawatts to our system supports reliability for our customers as we enter another summer season," CPS Energy President and CEO Rudy Garza said.

The additional 2% ownership of STP for CPS Energy will equate to an additional 52 MWe of carbon free dispatchable generation to its portfolio and supports its Vision 2027 plan that contemplates the retirement of 2249 MWe of older generation capacity before 2030, the company said.

The 2645 MWe STP is located about 90 miles (145 km) south-west of Houston and is operated by the South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company (STPNOC).

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Nuclear-site-licence-issued-for-UK-s-Sizewell-C-si

The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has granted a nuclear site licence for the Sizewell C site in eastern England, where the plan is to replicate the Hinkley Point C model of a nuclear power plant featuring two EPRs.

The licence application was initially submitted in 2020, and despite it having met "almost all" regulatory requirements, two issues prevented the granting of a licence in 2022 - relating to the shareholders' agreement and the ownership of the land at the site. The ONR said at that time it would carry out a "proportionate reassessment" once those two issues had been "resolved to its satisfaction". It has now done so and recommended the granting of the nuclear site licence.

The issuing of the licence is a significant step in the long-running Sizewell C process, but it does not permit the start of nuclear-related construction at the site - instead it formalises ONR's regulatory responsibility and allows it to require project company Sizewell C Ltd to request permission for the start of nuclear-related construction.

It is the first site licence issued by the ONR since the one issued for Hinkley Point C in 2012 and it means that Sizewell C has a legal responsibility to comply with health and safety and nuclear security regulations and needs the project to meet 36 conditions attached to the licence covering the design, construction, operation and decommissioning of the plant.

ONR CEO Mark Foy said: "I am pleased to confirm that following extensive engagement and review by the ONR team, our assessment of the Sizewell C application is complete and a nuclear site licence has been granted. The licensing process is fundamental in confirming that operators of a nuclear site are ready and able to meet their obligations under the nuclear site licence, to protect their workforce and the public.

"The granting of this licence is one step in ONR's process, allowing us to provide greater regulatory oversight, advice and challenge to the licensee as they progress their plans. We will continue working with Sizewell C to ensure that the highest levels of safety and security are met."

Sizewell C director of safety, security and assurance, Mina Golshan, said: "Securing a nuclear site licence is a show of confidence from our nuclear regulator that we have a suitable site, that we can achieve a safe design replicated from Hinkley Point C, and that we have a capable organisation ready to begin major construction work. It’s a huge milestone and demonstrates that this project is firmly on track."

The EDF-led plan is for Sizewell C to feature two EPRs producing 3.2 GW of electricity, enough to power the equivalent of around six million homes for at least 60 years. It would be a similar design to the two-unit plant being built at Hinkley Point C in Somerset, with the aim of building it more quickly and at lower cost as a result of the experience gained from what is the first new nuclear construction project in the UK for about three decades.

EDF agreed in October 2016 with China General Nuclear (CGN) to develop the Sizewell C project to the point where a final investment decision could be made. EDF had an 80% stake and CGN a 20% stake. However, the so-called "golden era" of UK-China relations has ended in recent years with the UK government citing security concerns as it reviewed and blocked Chinese investments in UK infrastructure. In November 2022, the UK said it would invest GBP679 million (USD845 million) and become a 50% partner with EDF in the Sizewell C project. A further GBP511 million of funding was made available to the project in summer 2023, with the government funding designed to get the project to the final investment decision. EDF said in November 2022 that it planned to "retain only a minority stake in the final investment decision - a maximum of 20%".

The UK government has been seeking investment in the Sizewell C project, launching a pre-qualification for potential investors as the first stage of an equity raise process last September. It has also taken legislation through Parliament allowing a new way of funding new large infrastructure projects - a Regulated Asset Base (RAB) funding model, which can see consumers contributing towards the cost of new nuclear power plants during the construction phase. Under the previous Contracts for Difference system developers finance the construction of a nuclear project and only begin receiving revenue when the station starts generating electricity.

In January, a further GBP1.3 billion of government funding was approved allowing for necessary infrastructure work such as roads and rail lines to continue pending a final investment decision being taken. In March Sizewell C Ltd, a standalone company majority-owned by the UK government, signed a deal with EDF Energy to purchase the freehold of the land which will be used for the new power plant.

Minister for Nuclear and Renewables Andrew Bowie said: "Sizewell C will be the cornerstone of the UK's clean energy transition, supplying six million homes with green energy for decades. Obtaining a nuclear site licence is a significant achievement and should instil further confidence from investors - bringing us another step closer towards reaching a final investment decision this year."

Sizewell C Ltd said that earthworks are under way at the site, that the process of raising private equity from investors "continues to make good progress" and "the project is anticipating taking a Final Investment Decision in the coming months".

It took US nearly 40 years to add the same nuclear power capacity as China added in last decade.

China has added more than 34 GW of nuclear power capacity in the past 10 years, nearly tripling its nuclear capacity, according to the latest US Energy Information Administration (EIA) analysis.

The country has increased its number of operating nuclear reactors to 55 with a total net capacity of 53.2 GW, as of April 2024. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) official nuclear power reactor database, says China has 56 plants in operation with a total net capacity of 54.1 GW.

The EIA said an additional 23 reactors with an estimated 23.7 GW capacity are under construction in China. The IAEA puts this at 25 under construction with 26.3 GW net capacity.

The US still has the largest commercial nuclear fleet, with 94 reactors, but it took nearly 40 years to add the same nuclear power capacity as China added in 10 years.

Over the past decade China has added 37 nuclear reactors, according to the IAEA. During that same period the US added two.

The IAEA says China is the fastest expanding nuclear power generator in the world.

Despite rapid capacity growth in 2022, nuclear power made up only about 5% of China’s cumulative power generation that year. Nuclear power accounts for about 18% of the electricity generation mix in the US, the EIA said.

According to the EIA, China’s nuclear fleet is concentrated near population centres in the eastern part of the country along the coast of the Pacific Ocean.

Beijing Aiming To Curb Reliance On Coal

Nuclear reactors are located from the Liaoning province in the north to the Hainan province in the south.

The EIA said the country’s nuclear fleet consists mostly of pressurised water reactors, including four domestically developed HPR1000, or Hualong One plants in operation – two at Fuqing and two at Fangchenggang. There are 10 HPR1000 plants under construction.

There four operational Westinghouse-designed AP1000s, two each at Sanmen and Haiyang, each with a capacity of 1,157 MW, and two French EPRs at Taishan, each with a capacity of 1,660 MW.

China implemented a long-term strategy in 2011 for nuclear power development to meet its electricity demand and to address environmental concerns.

However, coal still remains China’s largest electricity generation source. Coal-fired capacity increased by 19.5 GW in China in 2022, bringing its total coal-fired capacity to 1,089 GW.

Beijing is trying to curb its reliance on coal, which pollutes the air and is hard to transport from the coal mines in the west and north of the country to the economically developed southeast coast, where China is building most of its reactors, the IAEA said.

With nuclear, it plans to increase energy security, lower its reliance on coal and oil and limit CO2 emissions while keeping up with its economic growth, the IAEA said.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/WEC-panelists-welcome-high-support-for-nuclear-pow

The public and political perception of nuclear energy has significantly improved over the past few years, speakers agreed in a panel session during the recent World Energy Congress 2024.

"The fact that we're having this panel here at WEC is really a testament to the growing interest in nuclear," session moderator John Gorman, president and CEO of the Canadian Nuclear Association, noted in his introduction. The session - titled Leap of scale or faith: Realising the full potential of nuclear - was held on 24 April during the congress in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said that although some people refer to a nuclear 'renaissance', he prefers to think of it as "a return to realism".

"We are seeing this realisation that ... ensuring the means to grow and to power our economies ... it would be very difficult, if not simply impossible, to get to that place without nuclear," he said. Grossi said there was a "common understanding" when it comes to energy and the transition to cleaner energy systems - "nuclear has a place. It always had it. We always knew it, but for quite a long time it was challenged, it was contested". He continued: "We have a global consensus that [nuclear] should be accelerated side-by-side with renewables, side-by-side with fossils."

People are now realising that nuclear energy does not emit greenhouse gases and is necessary, along with renewable energies, to reach the target of reaching net-zero by 2050, Laurence Piketty, deputy general administrator of the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) said. She said France's fleet of 56 power reactors - which provide about 70% of the country's electricity - had helped France maintain electricity prices at a "fair level compared with other European countries" during the energy crisis that began in 2022.

Piketty highlighted the 12-member Nuclear Alliance that is calling on the European Commission to recognise nuclear energy in the EU's energy strategy and relevant policies. "I see the excitement around this European alliance as a clear change in the public perception and European perception of nuclear and an increasing acceptance of it, even in countries where nuclear energy was banned for many years," she said.

Referring to the first Nuclear Energy Summit, held in Brussels in March this year, Grossi said some leaders "very candidly said, 'We have changed. Things have changed. And the reality has changed'. And the people out there are saying it even in countries phasing out nuclear - when you go and ask people on the street they would like to have nuclear."

Grossi said there was a generational change in public opinion about nuclear energy. "Young people are very favourable in general to nuclear," he said. "And what we see is that those having expressed more doubts perhaps belong more to my generation than the new generations that are not carrying this package of doubts and sometimes ideological issues." He added: "We have to address problems squarely, including those having to do with opposition, societal doubt. And in this I think there has been a real change."

Naomi Hirose, vice chair of the World Energy Council and chairman of the Japan Energy Association, said that public opinion about nuclear energy in Japan had been "very, very negative" in the years following the March 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. "But I was very much surprised to see [the results of] a public opinion poll which took place a year and a half ago, the end of 2022," the former CEO of Tokyo Electric Power Company said.

"The question was whether nuclear power plants that have passed safety review from the Nuclear Regulatory Authority should be restarted, 58% of the respondents said they should be restarted. I was honestly very surprised because this same question had been asked many times over the years after the accident and the average positive answer is something like 20-25%. But it suddenly changed up to 58%. This is the public reacting to energy security. It was brought about by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and people are very much scared about the safe, stable supply of electricity in Japan. And the price of electric power jumped up. That's why the people changed [their opinion] dramatically."

"The young generation is so important and in much of the world we see that the young generation is actually pushing for the adoption of nuclear," Gorman said.

Piketty said that nuclear energy was now widely recognised as a valuable source of low-carbon, stable, long-lasting, predictable energy that will enable countries to decarbonise in the long-term. "But, with the electrification of many sectors in the world, starting with mobility, nuclear energy needs to show its potential and its capacity to match this ... we have to take up several challenges. We must develop and deploy a new generation of reactors (including SMRs) in a timely manner."

"We are at the moment, unfortunately, in the international scene seeing conflict, we see tension," said Grossi. "And we see problems. It's not the first time - history is not linear. But when it comes to nuclear, there is a lot of convergence. There is a perception and a conviction that there are many things in which we can cooperate and we see that this pattern is a reflection of that.

"There are still challenges ahead of us and nothing is guaranteed, because if we fail to address and to give the right answers to some of the issues perhaps preventing nuclear to flourish in the way we want, we will still have nuclear, but we will not have the nuclear we need. And this is the gap. We know that nuclear is going to continue, but we also know that we need more nuclear. Are we going to get it, yes or no? This is the question."

Unit could operate for additional 30 years until 2060.

South Korea’s state-run Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) said on Monday (6 May) it had signed an agreement with Canada’s Candu Energy to speed up the preparations to compete for a refurbishment project for Unit 1 at the Cernavodă nuclear power station in Romania.

KHNP said it signed the infrastructure engineering services contract with Candu in line with their goal to participate in the retubing and refurbishment project at Cernavodă-1, a Canada-designed 650-MW Candu 6 unit that began commercial operation in 1996.

The project centres on replacing key components and building infrastructure for an additional 30 years of operation until 2060.

Under the partnership with Candu, KHNP will prepare an engineering plan for aspects of the planned refurbishment.

Last year KHNP said it had formed a consortium with Candu Energy and Italy’s Ansaldo Nucleare for the refurbishment of Cernavodă-1.

Romanian nuclear operator Nuclearelectrica has estimated the cost of refurbishment at $1.95bn (€1.81bn), excluding financing costs and inflation rates.

The project began in 2017 and is in the second of three phases. This phase, due to last until 2026, includes providing the financial resources and negotiating and granting engineering, procurement and construction contracts.

The third phase, scheduled for 2027 to 2029, starts with the shutdown of Cernavodă-1 and includes all the work required for refurbishment and the plant’s recommissioning.

KHNP said large-scale facility upgrades, including replacement of pressure pipes, turbines, and generator components, will begin in 2027.

In June 2023, KHNP signed a $255m deal with Nuclearelectrica to build a tritium removal facility at Cernavodă. The facility will be used to extract tritium from heavy water and store it in a safe form, significantly reducing the amount of radioactive waste from reactor operation.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Tackling-microplastics-in-Antarctica-using-nuclear

The International Atomic Energy Agency's NUTEC Plastics initiative uses nuclear and isotopic techniques to produce data on marine microplastics distribution and fight plastic pollution - it is one of the areas covered by Chile's new cooperation agreements with the agency.

The agreement came during a visit to the country by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and was signed by Chile's Foreign Minister Alberto van Klaveren - in a post on X Grossi said they would "study microplastic pollution in Antarctica, aiming to trace origins and impacts to develop strategies against it".

Grossi also signed an agreement with Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission on nuclear technology and lithium "aimed at harnessing nuclear technology to enhance lithium mining".

NUTEC Plastics

The IAEA's scheme was established in 2020 and uses a series of monitoring laboratories to use nuclear technology to sample and analyse microplastics - which are bits of plastic less than 5 millimetres in diameter - in the environment. There are more than 60 countries participating in monitoring of microplastics in the sea, and the goal is to equip more than 50 laboratories with the technology to form a global monitoring network.

The aim is to then be able to take action to bring in measures designed to reduce the sources of the pollution - at least 30 countries are involved in developing innovative recycling technology, including using irradiation to treat plastics and make them fit for reuse, or for a wider range of reuses. This process uses gamma and electron beam radiation technologies to modify certain types of plastic waste, breaking down plastic polymers judged not to be of sufficient quality into smaller components and then allowing them to be used to generate new plastic products.

The IAEA cites studies suggesting that only around 10% of plastic produced between 1950 and 2015 has been recycled, with the majority (about 60%) going to landfill, meaning action is imperative given estimates that there will be one tonne of plastic for every three tonnes of fish within a few years.

Antarctica

Grossi visited an IAEA mission in Antarctica in January with Argentina's president to see the start of work there assessing the impact and scale of plastic pollution. The two-person IAEA research team spent a month assessing "the impact of microplastics by investigating its occurrence and distribution in seawater, lakes, sediments, sand, discharge water and animals of the Antarctic ecosystem near the Argentine Carlini scientific research station".

The IAEA said at the launch of its mission, "there is still almost no information available on where and how much microplastics arrive in the Antarctic and how much is taken up by Antarctic organisms. There is also very little data existing on the types of microplastics reaching this pristine area through ocean currents, atmospheric deposition and the presence of humans in the Antarctic".

It also said the "presence of microplastics can contribute to accelerating the ice-loss in Antarctica by reducing ice reflectivity, altering surface roughness, promoting microbial activity, acting as thermal insulators, and contributing to mechanical weakening of the ice structure".

Other agreements

The IAEA director general and the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission's Luis Huerta signed an agreement aimed at using nuclear technology to enhance the mining of lithium, which has applications in a range of energy sectors, including fusion and "paves the way for wider regional support from the IAEA".

There were also discussions with Chile's health minister about expanding cancer care via the IAEA's Rays of Hope: Cancer Care for All initiative.

Grossi said: "Nuclear science boosts Chile’s development in areas like health, food, security and environment. I look forward to furthering our collaboration."

Chile and nuclear

Chile does not have nuclear power, although there have been discussions about a nuclear energy programme being developed. The Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission has operated the RECH-1 research reactor since 1974. This reactor is located at La Reina Nuclear Centre in Santiago. It is a 5MW pool-type reactor using low-enriched uranium fuel assemblies, light water as moderator and coolant, and beryllium as reflector. The main use of the RECH-1 reactor is the production of radioisotopes, mainly for medicine. In addition, irradiation of samples is carried out for chemical analysis and geological material, for purposes of determining age and preparing radioactive tracers.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Former-Canadian-uranium-mine-site-returned-to-prov

The Province of Saskatchewan has released the former Cluff Lake uranium mine and mill site from decommissioning approvals and its associated surface lease, Orano Canada Inc has announced. The area now has unrestricted public access.

The project, which is some 75 km south of Lake Athabasca and 15 km east of the border with the Province of Alberta, operated from 1979 to 2002, producing more than 62 million pounds U3O8 (23,848 tU) from two underground mines and four open pit mines. The operation also included a tailings management facility, a mill and other support facilities. The Cluff Lake Project is located on Treaty 8 territory, the Homeland of the Métis, and is within the traditional territories of the Dene, Cree, and Métis people. Cluff Lake was fully decommissioned in 2013.

In May last year, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) revoked the uranium mine licence held by Orano Canada for Cluff Lake Project, clearing the way for Orano to transfer the site to the Province of Saskatchewan.

The CNSC has previously released properties at legacy uranium mining sites to provincial control, but Cluff Lake was the first decommissioned "modern" uranium mine to reach this milestone.

With the recent acceptance of a long-term monitoring and maintenance plan, and the provision of adequate funds by Orano to the Province of Saskatchewan to carry out the efforts (in perpetuity), the Cluff Lake property will now be transferred into the provincial Institutional Control Program (ICP). The programme was set up by Saskatchewan in 2007 as part of its institutional control framework for the long-term management of decommissioned and reclaimed mine and mill sites on provincial Crown lands.

The ICP allows for coordination between the provincial Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Energy and Resources, and provides clear direction for mining companies on what is necessary for a property to be transferred. The programme also ensures that any long-term monitoring, maintenance or response to overseen events is funded by the company.

The area now has unrestricted public access, with no restrictions on traditional land use. Orano noted that numerous studies have concluded that the area is safe today and into the future for hunting, fishing, drinking water and the gathering of berries.

"The achievement of full decommissioning of the Cluff Lake site and its return to nature is something that we at Orano are very proud to celebrate," said Orano Mining CEO Xavier Saint Martin Tillet. "The project shows that we, as responsible miners, have the ability and the experience to bring a uranium mining project through the entire life cycle successfully."

"Over the past 20 years many employees, past and present, contractors and community members have been involved in making this a reality and we thank them for their dedication, commitment and expertise," added Orano Canada President and CEO Jim Corman.

Minister of Energy and Resources Jim Reiter said: "We are proud of Orano's 60-year legacy in our province. Our government is pleased with the contributions they have made to our economy and global energy security. Saskatchewan is home to the highest-grade uranium in the world and has consistently ranked as one of the top global jurisdictions for mining investment."

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Kazatomprom-issues-quarterly-update

The Kazakh national atomic company's first quarter uranium production saw a slight year-on-year increase but its guidance metrics remain unchanged. Kazatomprom's first quarter trading announcement also included an update on plans for a new sulphuric acid plant.

Production for the quarter was 5077 tU (100% basis), up from 4744 tU for the same period in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 7%. The company reiterated that its production guidance for 2024 of 21,000-22,500 tU (100% basis) remains unchanged but noted that "sanctions pressure due to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and limited access to some key materials are not known" and "as a result, annual production volumes may differ from internal expectations".

The company said it does not anticipate any effect on Kazatomprom from an act prohibiting the import of Russian enriched uranium products into the USA which was passed by the US Senate this week and is now to be signed into law, since its primary business is the production of natural uranium. "Whether shipped by Kazatomprom or its JV partners, Kazakh-origin uranium retains its origin until its arrival at a conversion facility," the company noted.

It reiterated that the recent severe floods in western and northern regions of Kazakhstan had not affected its uranium mining, processing and transportation activities to date and all Kazatomprom enterprises continue to operate without any disruptions. It said it "continues to monitor the situation around the floods in Kazakhstan, and contributes to restoring vital infrastructure and supporting affected communities".

In 2023, Kazatomprom set up a partnership enterprise, Taiqonyr Qyshqyl Zauyty LLP (TQZ) to implement a project to build a new sulphuric acid plant, but said it now expects the completion of the construction and the start of production at the TQZ plant to be postponed from 2026 to 2027 due to "restructuring procedures and delays in the timing of approval of project design documentation". TQZ is partnering with Italian firm Ballestra which will be responsible for the project's design, equipment procurement and technical support.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Akkuyu-nuclear-plant-s-first-transportation-airloc

The 7-metre diameter and 14-metres long cylindrical chamber has an airlock system allowing the moving of material or equipment into and out of the heart of the first unit at Turkey's new Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant.

The 260-tonne structure was installed using a caterpillar crane. It will allow the delivery of equipment for the operation and maintenance of the reactor compartment, such as the upper reactor unit, reactor coolant pump, primary circuit pipelines and steam generators.

Once the unit is in operation, used and fresh fuel and other equipment can pass through it, with the doors at either end able to maintain an airlock system to ensure the reactor compartment remains sealed.

Sergei Butckikh, first deputy CEO of Akkuyu NPP, said the installation meant they were "one step closer to the completion" of the first unit and it was "a result of well-coordinated and labour-intensive work of Russian and Turkish specialists" working in the Akkuyu project team.

Akkuyu, in the southern Mersin province, is Turkey's first nuclear power plant. Rosatom is building four VVER-1200 reactors, under a so-called BOO (build-own-operate) model. According to the terms of the Intergovernmental Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Turkey, the commissioning of the first power unit of the nuclear power plant must take place within seven years from receipt of all permits for the construction of the unit.

The licence for the construction of the first unit was issued in 2018, with construction work beginning that year. Nuclear fuel was delivered to the site in April 2023. Turkey's Nuclear Regulatory Agency issued permission for the unit to be commissioned in December, and in February it was announced that the reactor compartment had been prepared for controlled assembly of the reactor - and the generator stator had also been installed in its pre-design position.

The aim is for the unit to begin supplying Turkey's energy system in 2025. When the 4800 MWe plant is completed it is expected to meet about 10% of Turkey's electricity needs, with the aim that all four units will be operational by the end of 2028.