Nuclear Energy

Radiopharmaceuticals are drugs that contain, among other ingredients, radioactive forms of chemical elements called radioisotopes. Depending on the type of radiation that those radioisotopes produce, they can be used to diagnose or treat several medical conditions. Their applications range from imaging of many different organs, such as brain, heart, kidney and bone, to the treatment of cancer and hyperthyroidism.

Radiopharmaceuticals are given to patients by injection, or by mouth, and can be monitored and analysed with external medical devices and tests. Specialized safety protocols are in place in most countries to protect patients and health professionals from any side-effects of these drugs.

In addition to containing radioactive atoms, radiopharmaceuticals contain molecules that are designed to travel inside the body of the patient until they reach their target tissue or organ. For instance, certain radiopharmaceuticals are “sugar-like” – their radioactive atoms are part of a substance that is very similar to sugar, a glucose analogue. Since tumours consume more glucose than other parts of the body, the sugar-similar drug travels inside the body of the patient and gets absorbed to a high degree by the tumour cells that will “eat the sugar” and thereby make the tumour visible.

How are radioactive drugs and imaging devices used to diagnose diseases?

Unlike X ray examinations that can be performed at “any time”, examinations with radiopharmaceuticals often require a waiting period from when the drug is administered until it has reached the target tissue. A diagnostic radiopharmaceutical emits radiation called “(gamma) photons”. Like X rays, this special form of light can penetrate the body and detected by an external “camera” that will produce a “picture” which can be used to, for instance, see a tumour or assess the functioning of the lungs.

Following the administration of a radiopharmaceutical to a patient, health professionals typically use one of the following devices for medical imaging purposes:

• Gamma cameras: these devices detect gamma photons to produce “pictures” of the target tissue or organ.
• Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scans: these devices can be used to generate 3D images because some of their parts move around the patient’s body to take “pictures” of gamma photons from all directions. These are combined to reconstruct the 3D structure of the target tissue or organ.
• Positron emission tomography (PET) scans: these devices work by recording the pairs of photons that are created each time an emitted “positron” -reacts to an “electron”. This can be used to generate high quality 3D images without the need of rotating parts.

How are radiopharmaceuticals used to treat diseases?

Therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals contain, among other ingredients, radioactive atoms that release high-energy types of radiation -such as alpha or beta particles with short range in tissue - which destroy or weaken unwanted cells or tissues, such as tumours or overactive thyroid cells.

Diagnostic and treatment processes share similarities, however treatment with radiopharmaceuticals focuses on delivering targeted radiation to specific cells, omitting the imaging step central to diagnostic use.

While the radiopharmaceutical is designed to make it travel inside the body without harming healthy tissues, the patient may need to undergo additional tests to monitor potential side effects of this kind of therapy, which is normally considered safe and well-tolerated. What is the role of the IAEA?

• Through its technical cooperation programme, the IAEA supports countries with technical advice, training, and equipment related to the production, the handling, and the use of radiopharmaceuticals.
• The IAEA provides practical guidance on topics related to radiopharmaceuticals and overviews the current trends in the field through technical and scientific publications, such as the IAEA Radioisotopes and Radiopharmaceuticals Series.  
• The IAEA leads coordinated research projects in various nuclear fields, including nuclear medicine and the use of radiopharmaceuticals.
• The IAEA publishes Safety Standards on the use of ionizing radiation in the field of nuclear medicine.
• Through its radiation protection of patients (RPOP) portal, the IAEA provides answers to the frequently asked questions from patients and health professionals on medical procedures that involve the use of radiation, including nuclear medicine, and diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals.

Source: https://www.neimagazine.com/news/newsrussia-to-start-testing-equipment-for-large-lead-cooled-fast-reactor-11483770

Russia’s Siberian Chemical Plant (SCC part of Rosatom fuel company TVEL) plans in April 2026 to begin testing a small-scale model of the steam generator for the planned large-scale lead-cooled fast reactor – the BR-1200. This will be an industrial, more powerful version of the experimental Brest-OD-300, under construction at SCC as part of the pilot demonstration power complex (ODEK - Opitno Demonstratsionovo Energo-Kompleksa), which is part of the Breakthrough (Proryv) project intended to demonstrate closed fuel cycle technology.

The lead circuit parameters in the BR-1200 test bench – a lead temperature 350-550°C, and nominal lead coolant consumption of 134 kg per second – will be specified during design. It is expected that construction of the test bench will begin this year for completion in March 2026 and commissioning the following month. [The BR-1200 is not to be confused with the BN-1200 sodium-cooled fast reactor which is to be built at unit 5 of the Beloyarsk NPP].

The technical design of the test bench was developed by the NA Dollezhal Scientific Research & Design Institute of Power Engineering (NIKIET which earlier developed a model for the Brest-300. Russian scientists, according to Rosatom, have already prepared a technical proposal for a high-power reactor unit with lead coolant.

SCC has been responsible for implementing the ODEK project since 2011 which will also include a module for fabrication and refabrication of nuclear fuel (MFR) and a module for reprocessing irradiated fuel. The MFR is already almost completed and planned for commissioning this year. Construction of the Brest-300 began in 2021 and the launch is planned for 2027-2029. Construction of the reprocessing unit planned for 2025-2026 for commissioning in 2030.

Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev told Russia-24: “I think that in 2028-2029 we will launch Brest as a reactor and the whole complex, as an industrial unit. But before that, we will begin building new fast neutron reactors in the Russian Federation."

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Iran-announces-start-of-work-at-new-plant-site

The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) has announced the start of work at a site in Hormozgan province that it says will be home to four new nuclear reactors.

The site, near the cities of Minab and Sirik, will ultimately have a capacity of about 5000 MWe and is part of 20,000 MWe of capacity the country intends to build over the next 20 years, the AEOI said.

The ceremony to mark the start of work at the site took place during a visit by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to the province on 1 February, with the President issuing an order by videolink to Mohammad Eslami, the head of the AEOI.

Eslami said USD15 billion will be invested in the "super project" to build four 1250 MWe units in line with the Makran coast development plan. No details have been provided about the units themselves.

A Russian-designed VVER unit with a capacity of 915 MWe is already in operation at Bushehr on the Persian Gulf coast where a second VVER is under construction and a third unit is planned. Site work has also begun at a site at Dharkovin on the Karun river, in Khuzestan province. AEOI said in December 2022 that construction of a 300 MWe domestically designed pressurised water reactor had begun there, but this reactor is not yet classed as "under construction" in the International Atomic Energy Agency's Power Reactor Information System database which defines the start of construction as the first major placing of concrete for the base mat of the reactor.

In 2015, press reports suggested that two Chinese-supplied 100 MWe units had been pencilled in for construction at a site on the Makran coast.

Iran's official IRNA news agency has shared a gallery of photographs from the Hormozgan ceremony.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Holtec-unveils-hybrid-nuclear-solar-power-plant-de

Holtec International has announced a new power plant design which combines the benefits of nuclear with those of solar. The Combined Nuclear/Solar Plant (CNSP) features the company's SMR-300 small modular reactor, its HI-THERM HSP solar thermal system, together with its Green Boiler energy storage system.

The plant can "provide base load or on-demand power while eliminating the intermittency drawback of solar plants", according to Holtec.

Holtec has been developing its small modular reactor (SMR) unit since 2011. The SMR-300 is a pressurised water reactor producing about 300 MW of electrical power or 1050 MW of thermal power for process applications, and the company says it has undergone several design evolutions, the most recent of which is the incorporation of forced flow capability overlayed on gravity-driven flow in the plant's primary system.

With the combined plant, the energy contribution of the Sun to the power plant will occur through the HI-THERM HSP hybrid solar plant.

The nuclear reactor's steam supply system and the heat from the solar thermal plant are conjugated in the Green Boiler which is a heavily insulated thermal energy storage device with integral steam generators. Holtec says the Green Boiler is a three-in-one device that: can store vast amounts of heat; receives high temperature heat conveyed to it from the solar collector; and can make motive steam at the required pressure and superheat to power the turbine.

"The CNSP will have a much higher thermodynamic efficiency than the nuclear plant alone and would make solar power an integral part of base load supply," the company said. "It should be noted that the CNSP does not use any batteries, which have been the Achilles heel of the renewable energy industry. In fact, CNSP contains no fragile parts or materials that may limit its service life, which is expected to exceed 60 years."

Holtec believes the most immediate application of the CNSP technology is to repower coal-fired power plants, which typically have sufficient land area to house the CNSP, which would use the coal plant's existing power block, thereby minimising the cost of transition. The steam production portion of the coal plant will be decommissioned, it said, freeing up most of the plant's land area where the solar plant would reside.

While it says the CNSP is adaptable for deployment in any country, the company plans to offer the technology principally in those regions of the world where "solar radiation level is adequate to be harvestable".

"We believe that an adroit combination of nuclear and solar embodied in the CNSP provides a compelling solution for nations seeking to move past fossil fuels," said Holtec President and CEO Kris Singh.

In December 2019, California-based Oklo Inc launched its Aurora energy plant which is powered by a small reactor with integrated solar panels. The company describes Aurora as an "advanced fission clean energy plant design developed to power communities with affordable, reliable, clean power." The Aurora "powerhouse" includes a "fission battery" which uses metallic fuel. Its sloped roof serves as the support for solar photovoltaic panels. It can produce about 1.5 MW of electrical power and can also produce usable heat.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Grossi-to-discuss%C2%A0Zaporizhzhia-staffing-change-con

The decision to block access for staff yet to sign a contract with the Russian operators of the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and its impact on safety, is going to be raised by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi when he visits the site next week.

Grossi, who will be visiting the Ukrainian capital on Tuesday to discuss nuclear safety and security issues in the country, is then going to to make his fourth trip across the frontline of the war to get to the six-reactor Zaporizhzhia plant.

On Thursday the current operators of the plant, which has been under Russian military control since early March 2022, said that 120 workers still employed by Ukraine's national nuclear energy company Energoatom would not be allowed access to the site.

The IAEA says: "The staff working at the ZNPP (Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant) now consists of former Energoatom employees who have adopted Russian citizenship and signed employment contracts with the Russian operating entity, as well as staff who have been sent to the ZNPP from the Russian Federation. The ZNPP told the IAEA team at the site today that there are enough certified personnel at the plant and all positions are fully filled."

Grossi said he would be discussing the new development during his visit, saying: "It is of crucial importance that the plant has the qualified and skilled staff that it needs for nuclear safety and security. The number of staff has already been reduced significantly since the war began almost two years ago." He told the UN in January that even with reactors shut down the plant was "operating on significantly reduced staff who are under unprecedented psychological pressure which ... is not sustainable".

The IAEA says there were about 11,500 staff working there before the war began. The current operators of the plant say they have 4500 staff employed there and 940 applications under consideration, with 750 people promoted over the past year: "We emphasise that at the moment the Zaporozhye NPP is staffed with the necessary personnel to ensure the safe operation of the station."

Yuriy Chernichuk, the Russian operator's director of the plant, said the decision to lock the 120 specialists out of the site was needed to bring the site into line with the Russian nuclear industry's norms and regulations: "We are grateful for their professionalism and dedication. And, despite the fact that there was enough time to make a decision on concluding a contract with the Russian operating company, we are ready to consider their applications if they make the appropriate decision."

The current team of IAEA experts at the site have this week visited unit 1's reactor hall and safety rooms, two fresh fuel storage facilities, the dry used fuel storage facility and water sprinkler ponds as well as observing some of the commissioning work for the new diesel steam generators, which will be used to process liquid waste. The IAEA said the plant operators have "not yet confirmed whether the steam generated by this new equipment will enable it to place all reactor units in cold shutdown". One remains in 'hot' shutdown to produce steam for the plant's needs.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Nuvia-to-carry-out-Ringhals-decommissioning-work

Nuvia, a subsidiary of France's Vinci construction group, has been awarded a contract by Vattenfall to remove, inspect and sort the radioactive and other materials currently inside the reactor buildings of units 1 and 2 at the Ringhals nuclear power plant in Sweden.

The works on site are planned to be carried out from mid-2025 to 2031, will mobilise up to 400 people and involve the processing of more than 30,000 tonnes of materials.

This work will prepare for the future conventional demolition of the reinforced-concrete structures of the two units. Vattenfall estimates that the entire demolition process will take around 8-10 years.

Vinci noted that Nuvia - which is active in Sweden through its subsidiary Nuvia Nordic AB - has participated in most of the country's nuclear dismantling projects so far. In 2022, Nuvia was awarded the contract to dismantle the large elements of the primary circuit of one of the plant's two units.

Ringhals 1 is a boiling water reactor built in 1969 by ASEA Atom, while Ringhals 2 is a pressurised water reactor built in 1970 by Westinghouse.

Ringhals 1 and 2 were closed at the end of 2020 and 2019, respectively - several years earlier than planned due to the economic impact of punitive taxes. When it announced its intention to close the plants, in 2015, Vattenfall said, "Market conditions and the impact of the high output tax have prompted us to limit investments in Ringhals 1 and 2." The final decision was made in October 2015. Two other reactors will continue to operate at Ringhals until the early 2040s.

In August 2021, Vattenfall awarded a contract to Westinghouse for the segmentation and disposal of the reactor pressure vessels, internals and fuel racks at Ringhals 1 and 2.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Replacement-steam-generators-arrive-at-Cruas-Meyss

Three new steam generators were delivered last month to the Cruas-Meysse nuclear power plant in south-eastern France. The components will be replaced at unit 3 later this year in order to enable the 900 MWe pressurised water reactor (PWR) to continue operating beyond 40 years.

Steam generators transfer the thermal energy generated in the reactor vessel of a PWR from the primary (reactor) cooling system to the secondary (turbine) cooling system, producing the steam to drive the electricity generation turbine. In French 900 MWe PWRs, the main primary circuit includes three steam generators.

Three new steam generators - each measuring about 21 metres in height, 4.5 metres in diameter and weighing some 330 tonnes - were delivered to the Cruas-Meysse site on 11, 18 and 24 January following a two-day journey. The components were manufactured by Framatome at its Saint-Marcel plant in Chalon-sur-Saône and were then transported 283 km by barge and 3 km by road. The journey had been carefully prepared since June last year.

The new steam generators will be installed in the reactor building of unit 3 in place of those that will be dismantled after 40 years of use. The new components will be re-welded to the hydraulic circuits of the plant before a comprehensive testing phase begins.

The old steam generators will be removed, taken out of the reactor building and stored in a specially constructed building on the site.

EDF noted that, over time, the thousands of tubes within the steam generators can become clogged, making heat exchange less efficient. It said the replacement of these components allows performance gains with 13% additional heat exchange surface due to the number of tubes being increased from 3460 to 4460.

Unit 3 at the Cruas-Meysse plant will be taken offline in August for a complete inspection that will last more than seven months, called a ten-year inspection. During the outage, the replacement of the steam generators will last about 100 days and will involve nearly 1000 workers.

Cruas-Meysse 3 is the first unit at the site to undergo its fourth ten-year inspection.

A ten-year inspection includes modifications, maintenance work, checks and tests on the installation with regard to the most recent safety standards and best national and international practices. It also constitutes a decisive step in obtaining the opinion of the Nuclear Safety Authority regarding the continued operation of the production unit for an additional ten years.

The steam generators of Cruas-Meysse units 4 and 1 took place in 2014 and 2017, respectively, while those of unit 2 are scheduled to be replaced in 2027.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/UK-decommissioning-research-partnership-begins-to

A research partnership between the UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and National Decommissioning Centre (NDC), formed in 2022, is already helping the energy sector to reduce costs and emissions, improve environmental outcomes and deliver sustainable net-zero decommissioning.

The NDC - based near Aberdeen, Scotland - is a GBP38 million (USD48 million) partnership between the University of Aberdeen, Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC) and industry. NZTC develops and deploys technology to accelerate an affordable net-zero energy industry. Founded in 2017, the centre was created as part of the Aberdeen City Region Deal, with GBP180 million of UK and Scottish government funding.

In September 2022, the NDA and NDC signed a three-year collaborative research agreement - the first of its kind between the nuclear and oil and gas decommissioning sectors. The partnership, supporting research with a potential value of up to GBP900,000, sees the NDA work with researchers from the University of Aberdeen in areas of mutual interest to both the nuclear and oil and gas sectors.

The agreement built on three years of discussions involving the NDA, the NDC, Net Zero Technology Centre, regulators including the North Sea Transition Authority, and industry bodies, which sought to identify mutually beneficial opportunities through the insights and lessons learned from each sector.

Among the areas identified for joint research are the development of AI-based techniques to support risk management, sharing new technology development, analysing impact on the economy and environment and finding environmentally safe alternatives to cement.

Both nuclear and oil and gas decommissioning require the cutting of structures underwater. The NDC is developing an underwater laser cutter for oil and gas decommissioning and one partnership project delivered a review on the applicability of this to nuclear decommissioning.

In addition, an AI-enabled risk live dashboard has been developed for monitoring real-time global news to evaluate how international events can impact the nuclear industry in the short or long-term. It will be used to help risk analysts in their day-to-day jobs by scanning vast amounts of information quickly, allowing more time to identify, consider and respond to potential risks.

The partnership is also undertaking an economic impact study looking at the socioeconomic benefits of decommissioning at a local and national level and the possible impacts and benefits for associated communities. Analysis shows decommissioning activity has the potential to deliver economy-wide gains in key areas such as skills, employment, and household income, which in turn boost household consumption. The study will support stakeholder engagement helping to inform politicians and policy makers on key opportunities and enable discussions around support for skills, training and economic development to back decommissioning activities.

"We are tasked with decommissioning the UK's oldest nuclear sites safely, securely, sustainably and cost effectively," said Heather Barton, Interim Environment, Health and Safety Director, who coordinates the partnership on behalf of the NDA. "The real strength in the partnership is that there are numerous areas where we can collaborate to help us achieve this. It has been a resounding success since it was launched with several key outcomes already achieved including providing impartial insights to regulators, government, stakeholders, and advisory groups. By utilising technology and innovation, we can create a safer working environment for our employees, return our sites to communities for reuse earlier, and leave a more sustainable legacy for generations to come."

"Bringing the NDC and NDA together has allowed for collaboration in new ways to achieve our joint goals of delivering safe, efficient and sustainable decommissioning," added Sergi Arnau, Project Delivery Manager at the NDC. "The NDC has a culture of innovation in research and development and we are looking forward to continuing to successfully harness the skills and capabilities available through the partnership to deliver vital work with the NDA.

"For year 3 of the partnership and beyond, a project to enhance the autonomous capabilities of underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) used during the inspection and maintenance of nuclear ponds is envisaged. Furthermore, the expertise gathered from years of oil and gas drilling exploration will prove beneficial in the development of an underground storage facility for radioactive waste disposal."

Utility interested in potential deployment of SMRs in the mid-2030s.

Canadian utility SaskPower has signed an agreement with GE Vernova’s nuclear wing for the possible deployment of small modular (SMR) reactor technology in Canada’s Saskatchewan province.

SaskPower said cooperation will involve project planning and expertise-sharing on the BWRX-300 SMR, covering design, fuel sourcing, fabrication, and workforce and supply chain planning.

The company said it selected the GE Hitachi BWRX-300 as the technology for its SMR development plans, and this agreement marks a significant step in advancing clean energy goals in Saskatchewan.

The agreement with GE will enable SaskPower to obtain essential technical and engineering details, said SaskPower.

“Gaining detailed technical specifications, requirements and designs to the BWRX-300 is necessary for our planning work and license applications,” according to Rupen Pandya, SaskPower president and chief executive.

In November 2023, SaskPower agreed to work with utility Ontario Power Generaion (OPG) and its subsidiary Laurentis Energy Partners on the advancement of its SMR programme.

SaskPower is aiming to deploy SMRs in Saskatchewan in the mid-2030s, with a construction decision earmarked for 2029.

BWRX-300 SMR is to be deployed by OPG at its Darlington nuclear power station in Ontario by the end of the decade. Poland’s Orlen Synthos Green Energy and Estonia’s Fermi Energia are also eyeing the GE SMR design.

In September 2022, SaskPower said it had chosen two sites in Saskatchewan for the potential construction of an SMR. The company said an area will be selected by 2023, with a specific site chosen by 2024.

In August 2023, Canada approved up to CAD 74m (€50m, $54m) in federal funding for SMR development in Saskatchewan.

The money would go for pre-engineering work, technical studies, environmental assessments, regulatory studies and community engagement to help SaskPower move its SMR plans forward.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Kazatomprom-confirms-2024-production-plans-as-acid

The Kazakh national atomic company said it expects to see a "modest" growth in 2024 production despite adjustments to its previously announced production plans related to the availability of sulphuric acid and construction delays at newly developed deposits.

Kazatomprom's 2023 production was 21,112 tU on a 100% basis (11,169 tU attributable), which the company said was slightly lower than 2022 production "primarily due to an insignificant decrease in the production plan for 2023, compared to 2022". 2024 uranium production volumes are expected to be 21,000-22,500 tU on a 100% basis (10,900-11,900 tU attributable), it said in its quarterly operations and trading update. For the majority of its mining operations, it expects that production volumes will be about 20% below the amount stipulated in subsoil use agreements.

The company had previously - in August 2022 - said it planned to increase its 2024 uranium production to a 90% level relative to its subsoil use agreements, which would have been the highest production against subsoil agreements since the company's 2017 decision to flex down production in response to supply and demand considerations. But in January this year, Kazatomprom said it expected to adjust the volume because of the challenges it is now facing.

Sulphuric acid is a key reagent in Kazatomprom's in-situ leach operations, but around 60% of the world's supply of the commodity is used for fertiliser production. Growing demand from the agricultural sector and a combination of factors such as supply chain disruptions and geopolitical uncertainty have led to domestic and regional shortages over the past few years. Current demand affects both availability and pricing, with a 33.6% increase in Kazatomprom's weighted average cost of sulphuric acid during 2023.

Kazatomprom said it is "actively engaged in discussions with sulphuric acid manufacturers in the neighbouring countries to augment the supply volumes for 2024" and is "actively pursuing" alternative sources for procurement. "Looking ahead in the medium term, the deficit is expected to alleviate as a result of the potential increase in sulphuric acid supply from local non-ferrous metals mining and smelting operations. The Company also intends to enhance its in-house sulphuric acid production capacity by constructing a new plant," it added.

In 2023, Kazatomprom founded a new partnership enterprise - Taiqonyr Qyshqyl Zauyty LLP (TQZ) - to implement the construction of a new 800,000-tonnes per year sulphuric acid plant. TQZ is now owned by Kazatomprom subsidiaries Kazatomprom-SaUran (75%) and RU-6 (25%). Italian firm Ballestra is to assume responsibility for the project's design, equipment procurement, and provision of technical support following the signature of a strategic partnership in January.

When combined with existing in-house production capacities of the SKZ-U and SSAP partnerships, in which it is a partner, Kazatomprom said it envisions a consolidated sulphuric acid production volume of around 1.5 million tonnes.

Market strategy

Kazatomprom said it remains committed to its "market-centric strategy", creating long-term value for its shareholders and remains committed to its 2024 contractual obligations to all existing clients, using some of its inventory to do this.

"The company has a comfortable level of inventories to fulfil its existing contractual commitments in 2024 and will persist in ensuring the availability of essential inventory levels, thereby ensuring its capability to fulfil delivery commitments while optimising resource utilisation," Kazatomprom said. "Additionally, we usually reserve a segment of our annual production as uncommitted. This approach enables us to capitalise on emerging opportunities and adapt to fluctuations in the market landscape. This strategic approach enables the Company to mitigate risks effectively and uphold our contractual obligations to clients, even amidst production-related challenges."

Production plans for 2025 could be "unfavourably" influenced if access to sulphuric acid continues to be limited through 2024 and delays in construction at Kazatomprom's newly developed deposits are not reduced, the company said, and previously announced plans to return to a 100% production level relative to subsoil use agreements in 2025 "may be at risk".

Heel Overijssel volbouwen met windmolens en zonnepanelen vindt Provinciale Staten geen aantrekkelijk idee. Als het gaat om toekomstige energiebronnen dan kan kernenergie voor een meerderheid van de provinciale partijen een goed alternatief zijn. SGP, BBB, VVD en JA21 kwamen gisteren in de Provinciale Staten met een motie om de mogelijkheden van kernenergie in Overijssel na 2030 te onderzoeken. De motie werd in meerderheid aangenomen.

Een belangrijke reden voor het plaatsen van een kerncentrale in Overijssel is dat er geen goede landbouwgronden meer hoeven te worden opgeofferd voor windmolens en zonnepanelen. Dat stelt de SGP, die de provincie verzoekt om kernenergie als nieuwe energiebron mee te nemen in een onderzoek naar nieuwe energievoorzieningen tussen 2030 en 2050.

Innovatieve provincie

“Als het gaat om mogelijke nieuwe energiebronnen moeten we op voorhand geen opties als kernenergie uitsluiten”, vindt SGP-Statenlid Lubbert Talen. Hij noemt Overijssel een innovatieve provincie, die landelijk de voortrekkersrol kan nemen voor nieuwe kerncentrales. “In onze provincie zit veel technische kennis en talent op allerlei vlak. Dus daar moeten we gebruik van maken. Juist als het gaat om onze stroomvoorziening zou het vreemd zijn als we dat niet benutten.”

“We merken dat voor kernenergie ook enthousiasme is bij ondernemers en mogelijke initiatiefnemers. Maar zij krijgen onvoldoende informatie om waar dan ook mee te starten. Het is tijd om daar verandering in te brengen”, aldus Talen.

Stevige meerderheid

In de Provinciale Staten krijgt de SGP de handen al op elkaar voor een onderzoek naar kernenergie. De motie die samen met BBB, VVD en JA21 werd ingediend, heeft de steun van CDA, D66, PVV, Volt en Forum voor Democratie. “Een stevige meerderheid”, constateert een tevreden Talen.

“Er is nu nog onvoldoende kennis van de realistische mogelijkheden voor de realisatie van het opwekken van kernenergie binnen de provinciegrenzen. Maar het past wel bij de doelstelling om het gebruik van fossiele brandstoffen verder te reduceren en de CO2-uitstoot tot 2050 terug te brengen tot nul.”

Waar en hoe groot?

In het onderzoek moet naast de haalbaarheid worden meegenomen welke gebieden in Overijssel eventueel geschikt zijn voor een kerncentrale en hoe groot de opwekcapaciteit zou moeten zijn. Nederland telt momenteel één grote kerncentrale in Borssele. Het kabinet wil (het liefst ook daar) nog twee centrales bijbouwen. In Overijssel wordt eerder gedacht aan een Small Modular Reactor (SMR); zulke reactoren zijn een stuk kleiner.

In september van dit jaar willen de provinciale partijen meer weten over de mogelijkheden voor kernenergie in Overijssel. Sommige onderdelen hebben meer tijd nodig, waardoor de echte uitkomsten van het onderzoek pas later bekend worden. “Maar het zou mooi zijn als we de verrommeling van het landschap een halt kunnen toeroepen en toch onze energie in Overijssel duurzaam kunnen opwekken”, aldus Talen.

Prague hopes to cut down new-build costs via a ‘package’ deal.

The Czech government announced on Wednesday (31 January) that it will be seeking binding bids from two technology vendors, France’s EDF and South Korea’s KHNP, for the construction of up to four new reactor units at the existing Dukovany nuclear power station.

The announcement means the government has changed its approach to new-build as it was previously looking for binding bids for a single new 1,200-MW Dukovany unit with the possibility for non-binding offers for an additional three units split between the Dukovany and Temelin nuclear stations.

In October 2023, Elektrárna Dukovany II (Edu II), a wholly owned subsidiary of state utility ČEZ, received final bids for the construction of a new nuclear power unit at Dukovany, or Dukovany-5, from US-based Westinghouse Electric, EDF and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP). All three submitted initial bids in November 2022.

The government said yesterday that Westinghouse will not be invited to the next stage of the Dukovany tendering process for up to four units now because the US company “did not meet the necessary conditions”.

A statement said Westinghouse’s offer was not binding, which “makes it impossible” to assess it, while “the entity responsible for the quality of the project” was not clearly defined.

However, the government said “no one is eliminated” and the tender “will not be completed” until an engineering, procurement, and construction contract is concluded. “We do not exclude anyone from the tender, and the entire tender will only end when the contract with the selected supplier is signed.”

“At this time, we are contacting bidders who have submitted a binding offer for Dukovany-5 and non-binding offers for additional units to make those offers binding,” said the statement. “Westinghouse has not yet submitted a binding offer in accordance with the solicited documentation.”

Four Units Possibly Cheaper Than One

Czech prime-minister Petr Fiala told journalists at a press conference yesterday that building up to four new reactor units “in one package” is economically advantageous and estimated to push the total cost down by 25%.

According to the government, savings can be made by synergies in preparation, such as engineering, increased order quantities, and optimised construction, where heavy equipment, site equipment, accommodation capacity, and logistics can be used more efficiently across several reactor units.

Fiala said his country will decide on the number of new reactors to build after comparing all bidders’ binding offers.

Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura told journalists that the government’s decision will help clarify the final price for the potential construction of additional reactors by the end of May, along with obtaining necessary guarantees.

“This will improve our negotiating position and eliminate the risk of price gouging,” Stanjura said.

The government said vendors will now have until 15 April to submit their binding bids for four new reactor units, while a review process is scheduled to take a month with results announced in late May. A contract with the selected supplier is then expected to be signed in March 2025.

The tender pushback will not affect the new-build project’s timeframe which foresees a new Dukovany-5 unit to come online in 2036, according to the government.

In 2020, the Czech state, which holds a 70% stake in ČEZ, approved plans to give an interest-free loan for to finance Dukovany-5. Estimations at the time said the loan would be valued at about €7.5bn ($8,1bn).

In 2021, the state also approved a model to buy electricity from the new unit at a fixed price for 30 years, with consumers making up the difference if that price is higher than wholesale market prices. The support schemes are currently being reviewed by the European Commission under the requirements of European Union rules.

The government said yesterday that a financing model for an addition three reactor units has not yet been decided. The investor model and future relations between the state and ČEZ is “particularly important” for the decision on the construction of additional reactors, said the government.

A new working group on financing additional units is expected to be formed by the end of 2024, a press conference was told yesterday.

Existing And New Nuclear Essential For Czech Energy Mix

The Czech Republic has six commercially operational reactor units: four Russia-designed VVER-440 units at Dukovany and two larger VVER-1000 units at Temelín. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, in 2022 the six units provided 36.7% of the country’s electricity production.

The government confirmed new nuclear will be help ensure the security and stability of electricity supplies at affordable prices to citizens and companies in the future, and also replace retiring capacities at Dukovany later this century.

Construction of a first new unit at Dukovany could begin in 2029. The new unit will be built next to the existing power station where all four units began commercial operation between 1985 and 1987.

Earlier on, state-owned companies from China and Russia were excluded from bidding on security grounds.

All bidders in the Czech nuclear new-build programme have demonstrated their technologies overseas. Westinghouse’s AP1000 PWR operates at two sites in China and one in the US, EDF’s EPR is operational in Finland and China, while KHNP has deployed its APR-1400 design in the UAE, and domestically. In the Czech Republic, both EDF and KHNP are seeking to deliver a reduced 1,200-MW versions of their flagship technologies.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Podcast-Newcleo-s-Andrew-Murdoch-on-its-lead-coole

Please open the source for the podcast player, or listen to the podcast on any podcast platform.

Newcleo's UK operations managing director sets out the benefits of its lead-cooled fast reactor technology, its plans for a demonstrator reactor and MOX fuel factory in France, and its future goal of rolling out up to 20 of its reactors in the UK.

Newcleo's Andrew Murdoch says the company, which was only founded in 2021, is focused on taking its 200 MW commercial reactor design through regulation both in France and the UK with the aim of deploying a first-of-a-kind reactor by 2033.

He also talks about the impact of the recently published UK government roadmap to 24 GW capacity by 2050, which, among other things, said that for the foreseeable future the plutonium at Sellafield is not being considered for use in advanced reactors - "we know there's a long-term discussion to be had in the UK around the potential to reuse plutonium that is currently stored" there. But, more positively, consultations on opening up new sites and alternative routes to the market was encouraging news as Newcleo works to select potential sites.

Featuring in the news round-up, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi gave an update on the situation in Ukraine to the United Nations Security Council. He warned about the risks of any complacency about the risks and safety situation at the occupied Zaporizhzhia and other nuclear power plants in the country.

January saw EDF revise the schedule and projected budget for its big new nuclear project in the UK. Hear how Hinkley Point C Managing Director Stuart Crooks explained the revision in a message to staff, and also stressed the benefits likely to flow at the replica project at Sizewell C.

There is also a round-up from World Nuclear News's Claire Maden of the raft of encouraging news from the uranium sector, fuelled by soaring spot prices and a generally positive outlook for nuclear power.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Slovenia-aiming-for%C2%A0referendum-on-new-nuclear-this

Prime Minister Robert Golob has said that a cross-party summit has agreed on the need for both renewables and nuclear energy as part of the "path to a carbon-free future".

Those attending the meeting included Slovenia's President Nataša Pirc Musar, the President of the National Assembly Urško Klakočar Zupančič, the President of the National Council Marko Lotrič and the presidents of parliamentary parties in the country.

A referendum has already been pledged on the proposed new nuclear capacity at the Krško plant and Golob said all the parties agreed on holding a vote. "So far, we are leaning towards holding the referendum in the second half of the year, there is no final date yet. We will continue to discuss this issue," he said, adding that the referendum would "decide whether we want nuclear energy to remain part of Slovenia's future" as well as the construction of the second block at Krško.

He said those attending had agreed to work together on the wording of the referendum question. "In my opinion, there is a sincere willingness of all five parliamentary parties to find a question on which we will agree," he said.

Holding the referendum sooner rather than later was important for ensuring the speed of the development, with the aim of a final investment decision in 2027 or 2028 and the new capacity online in the 2030s. Those attending had also agreed to consider ways of expediting the legislative process relating to the new unit, the prime minister's office said.

Slovenia has plans to build a new nuclear power plant - the JEK2 project - with up to 2400 MW capacity next to its existing nuclear power plant, Krško, a 696 MWe pressurised water reactor which generates about one-third of the country's electricity and which is co-owned by neighbouring Croatia.

A working group of Slovenian government ministers and industry officials was established in September with the aim of speeding up the implementation of the project and preparing "all the necessary bases for citizens to make high-quality and informed decisions" about it in a referendum which the government says is needed for the project to happen. Earlier this month the country's main opposition party proposed an early consultative referendum on the project and the prospect of small modular reactors elsewhere in the country.

In October, GEN Energy CEO Dejan Paravan said there were three technology providers being considered for the project - Westinghouse, EDF and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power - who all had strengths and "the decision will not be easy".

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/UK-strengthens-nuclear-regulation,-IAEA-mission-fi

The UK has a strong commitment to nuclear and radiation safety and has made progress to reinforce its regulatory functions, although recruitment challenges remain, an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts said following its completion of a follow-up Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission.

IRRS missions are designed to strengthen the effectiveness of the national nuclear and radiation safety regulatory infrastructure, based on IAEA safety standards and international good practices, while recognising the responsibility of each country to ensure nuclear and radiation safety.

The seven-day follow-up IRRS mission was conducted at the request of the UK government and took place at the headquarters of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), in Bootle, near Liverpool. Its purpose was to evaluate the implementation of 24 recommendations and 19 suggestions provided during the initial full-scope IRRS mission in October 2019.

The IRRS team comprised of seven senior regulatory experts from seven IAEA Member States, three IAEA staff members, and one observer from Canada.

The team said that since 2019, the UK regulatory bodies involved in the review have shown a strong professionalism and commitment in carrying out their mandate to nuclear and radiation safety in the UK. Of the 24 recommendations and 19 suggestions made in 2019, 19 recommendations and ten suggestions have been successfully addressed and closed.

In its report, the team made six new findings consisting of four recommendations and two suggestions in relation to the topics covered during the IRRS initial mission. In particular, the team noted that the inability to recruit and retain specialists and inspectors has had an impact on the regulatory processes of some bodies and recommended a pay reform where required in order to ensure the statutory remit is delivered.

"This IRRS follow-up mission demonstrated that the UK has made continuous improvements since the IRRS 2019 mission to the highest standards of nuclear and radiation safety," said Ramzi Jammal, acting CEO of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, and the team leader for the IRRS follow-up mission. "The findings of the mission will contribute to the ongoing efforts to ensure a robust regulatory framework for the benefit of the public and the environment."

The final mission report will be provided to the UK government in about three months.

"We thank the IRRS mission team members for productive discussions on the UK's radiological safety framework," said a spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. "We are committed to maintaining the highest nuclear safety standards and are grateful for the hard work of our government departments and regulatory bodies across the four nations of the UK in helping to make the mission a success.

"It comes at an important moment for British nuclear as the government recently set out plans for a revival to deliver up to 24 GW by 2050. This will require a robust regulatory framework and significant work has already been done by UK regulators to develop their approach and work more closely with international partners."

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Orano-to-supply-dry-storage-systems-to-Xcel-Energy

TN Americas - a subsidiary of Orano USA - has been awarded a contract by Xcel Energy to provide NUHOMS dry fuel storage systems to the Monticello and Prairie Island nuclear power plants, both in Minnesota.

Under this multi-year contract, Orano will manufacture and deliver the selected NUHOMS dry storage systems for the secure interim storage of used nuclear fuel assemblies. The NUHOMS dry storage canisters will be manufactured at Orano's TN Fabrication facility in North Carolina.

"Using Orano's NUHOMS systems for both Monticello's boiling water reactor and Prairie Island's pressurised water reactor ensures high-quality dry storage performance and transport-ready technology for future offsite removal," Orano said.

This contract award continues the long-term dry fuel storage management partnership between Orano and Xcel Energy in place for 18 years at Monticello and 33 years at Prairie Island.

"We appreciate Xcel Energy's confidence in us and the selection of our NUHOMS storage system following a comprehensive review of competing technologies and offers," said Jean-Luc Palayer, CEO of Orano USA and President of Orano TN Americas. "The combination of our experienced team, proven technology, and reliable performance provides the certainty sought by our customers for successful and safe project delivery."

Dry cask storage allows used fuel assemblies that have already spent some time cooling in ponds to be stored in dry casks or vaults, typically with air circulation inside concrete shielding. It has been used at US nuclear power plants since 1986, and according to World Nuclear Association, at least one-third of the USA's total used fuel is now in dry storage casks.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Kursk-s-second-unit-retired-after-45-years-operati

At 04:01 Moscow time on 31 January the second unit at the Kursk nuclear power plant, an RBMK-1000 reactor, came to the end of its service life and stopped generating power. It began commercial operation in 1979.

Alexander Shutikov, director general of Rosenergoatom, said: "During the period of operation in generation mode, the second power unit generated more than 256 billion kWh of electricity. This volume is sufficient to ensure the current level of electricity consumption for 4.3 million Russian residents over the entire 45-year operating life of the power unit."

The first unit at Kursk was shut down in December 2021. The original design life for the four RBMK-1000 reactors at the plant was for 30 years but had been extended by 15 years following life extension programmes.

Although the second unit is no longer generating power for the grid, it is considered to be "in operation without generation" until nuclear fuel is completely removed - which in the first unit's case was two years after it was retired. Shutikov said: "As in the case of power unit No,1, which was shut down in December 2021, normal operations will be carried out at the second unit in the future, which, in fact, are practically no different from regular scheduled shutdowns."

All the four units at Kursk are scheduled to shut by 2031. They are being replaced by new reactors at the Kursk II site, which is next to the original plant in western Russia, about 60 kilometres (37.5 miles) from the Ukraine border. It will feature four VVER-TOI reactors, the latest version of Russia's large light-water designs. They have upgraded pressure vessels and a higher power rating of 3300 MWt that enables them to generate 1300 MWe gross.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/SaskPower-GEH-agreement-to-advance-SMR-development

Canadian Utility SaskPower and GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) have signed an agreement to advance small modular reactor (SMR) development in Saskatchewan. In June 2022, SaskPower selected GEH's BWRX-300 as the technology to be used in its SMR development work.

The new agreement will enable SaskPower and GEH to collaborate on project planning and facilitate the sharing of expertise related to the design, fuel sourcing and fabrication for the BWRX-300 SMR. It will also support workforce and supply chain planning needed for a Saskatchewan-based SMR deployment.

SaskPower said the agreement will streamline its planning and licensing work to inform its decision in 2029 whether to proceed with nuclear power in Saskatchewan.

"Gaining detailed technical specifications, requirements and designs to the BWRX-300 is necessary for our planning work and license applications," said SaskPower President and CEO Rupen Pandya. "Leveraging experience and expertise from our colleagues in the nuclear industry is an important part of our planning work."

"This agreement is another important step in our efforts to support Saskatchewan's workers, businesses and clean energy goals," said GEH Canada Country Leader Lisa McBride. "The BWRX-300 reimagines what is possible when it comes to generating reliable, carbon-free energy."

SaskPower selected GEH's (GEH) BWRX-300 in June 2022 for potential deployment in the province in the mid-2030s after an assessment process in which it looked at several SMR technologies.

The BWRX-300 is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of GEH's US Nuclear Regulatory Commission-certified ESBWR boiling water reactor design and its existing, licensed GNF2 fuel design, a unique combination that GEH says positions it to deliver an "innovative, carbon-free baseload power generation source" this decade.

Ontario Power Generation has already selected the BWRX-300 for its Darlington New Nuclear Project in Ontario, where Canada's first commercial, grid-scale, SMR could be completed as early as 2028.

SaskPower will not make a decision on whether to build an SMR until 2029, but in the meantime will continue with project development, licensing and regulatory work. In September 2022, the company said it had identified two areas in the province of Saskatchewan - Estevan and Elbow - for further study to determine the feasibility of hosting an SMR.

Operator OPG to refurbish four Candu units onsite.

The Ontario provincial government in Canada has pledged support for the long-term operation of four units at the Pickering nuclear power station, owned and operated by Ontario Power Generation (OPG), for an additional 30 years.

Pickering currently has six Candu 500 515-MW pressurised heavy water reactor units in commercial operation – Units 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.

Under OPG’s operating schedule, Pickering-1 and -4, which started commercial operation in 1973, are set for a permanent retirement at the end of 2024. While, since 2022, OPG has been seeking a lifetime extension until September 2026 for Units 5 to 8, which have been commercial since the mid-1980s.

According to Todd Smith, Ontario’s energy minister, global businesses are interested in expanding their operations in regions with reliable, affordable, and clean electricity, and a refurbished Pickering nuclear station would help Ontario compete and attract future investment.

“The refurbishment of Pickering would create thousands of new jobs and help produce at least another 30 years of safe, reliable and clean electricity to power the next major international investment, the new homes we are building, and industries as they grow and electrify,” said Smith during an announcement on Tuesday (30 January).

"Our province still needs this station and its workers," Smith told journalists.

Owner OPG is now to proceed with the initial stage of the refurbishment process which will last until the end of 2024 and include engineering and design work, and securing long-lead components that could require years for manufacturing.

A statement by Ontario said the government is supporting OPG’s CAD 2 billion (€1.37bn, $1.49bn) budget for this first project phase.

The statement said OPG’s preliminary schedule foresees the refurbishment of Pickering to be completed by the mid-2030s.

Ontario said the refurbishment of Pickering is expected to increase the province’s gross domestic product (GDP) by CAD 19.4 billion over the 11-year project period and create 11,000 jobs per year.

The government quoted a report by the national Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) as saying that the Pickering refurbishment would provide “better overall ratepayer value in terms of costs and risks, when compared against non-emitting generation alternatives”.

The Pickering long-term operation project, however, still remains a subject to regulatory approval by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

Pickering Records Record Generation, Refurbishment Under Way At Darlington

OPG reported earlier this month that Pickering recorded its highest generation output since 2019 and its second-highest output as a six-unit nuclear station (since 2005). The station provided for 14% of Ontario’s electricity needs.

Pickering-1 to -4 were shut down in 1997 over safety concerns. Units 1 and 4 were refurbished and restarted in 2005 and 2003, while the refurbishing of Units 2 and 3 was seen economically unviable and the two units were permanently retired.

According to data by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the six units at Pickering have a reference net combined capacity of about 3,100 MW. This means a life extension for Pickering’s four newest units will retain about 2,060 MW of that capacity.

OPG began in 2016 a 10-year refurbishment project of its Ontario-based Darlington nuclear power station, which has four commercial Candu 850 878-MW units, with the goal to operate the facility for another 30 years.

Darlington-2 and -3 have already returned to service, while the company says work is on schedule for Darlington-1 and -4, expected for completion in 2025 and 2026. The cost of the four-unit project had been estimated at CAD12.8bn.

Ken Hartwick, OPG president and chief executive, said the company’s experience with Darlington “will be invaluable” as refurbishment work will begin for Pickering. He said Darlington’s refurbishment was “a highly complex project that remains on time and on budget.”

The refurbishment of the Pickering nuclear station is part of Powering Ontario’s Growth plan, which aims to meet electricity demand and reduce emissions by supporting the electrification of the province's economy. This includes advancing nuclear energy, procuring storage and natural gas generation, developing new transmission infrastructure, reducing demand through energy efficiency programmes, and planning for future transmission to address system bottlenecks and explore export opportunities.

According to the Canadian Nuclear Association, international data shows that the lifetime extension of existing nuclear facilities is the cheapest form of low-carbon power.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/New-partnerships-further-radioisotope-power-plans

Zeno Power's first full-scale radioisotope power systems will be fuelled by strontium-90 (Sr-90) material recycled from a legacy radioisotope generator under a new public-private partnership with the US Department of Energy Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM). The company has also announced a partnership with Westinghouse to fabricate the heat sources for its systems.

Radioisotope power systems (RPSs) use the heat from radioisotope decay to generate power, and can be used to supply clean energy for applications in off-grid environments. The use of Sr-90 in RPSs is not new - but historical systems were heavy, which limited their applications. Zeno, established in 2018, says its key innovation is a novel design that increases the specific power of Sr-90 heat sources, enabling broad use of its RPSs in space and terrestrially.

The company demonstrated its first Sr-90 heat source at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in October 2023, and aims to commercialise its technology by 2026. It intends to use the Sr-90 from the legacy equipment to deliver on contracts with the US Department of Defense (DOD).

The partnership with OREM will see Zeno use Sr-90 recovered from BUP-500 - short for Byproduct Utilisation Program - a 500-watt radioisotope thermal generator which was built in the mid-1980s at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The equipment was never deployed and had remained in storage at the Tennessee site. Prior to this new partnership, OREM had expected that it would remain in storage for another 30 years before it could be disposed of.

OREM and environmental cleanup contractor United Cleanup Oak Ridge (UCOR) recently transported the BUP-500 generator from the Tennessee lab to an out-of-state commercial nuclear facility for processing. The transfer will accelerate the demolition of the facility where it was previously stored, avoids the costs associated with disposal, and significantly reduces liability at ORNL, OREM said.

"This is a win-win scenario that's removing a significant source of radioactivity at a savings to taxpayers, while also supporting nuclear innovation," OREM Manager Jay Mullis said.

Zeno co-founder and CEO Tyler Bernstein said: "This public-private partnership enables us to transform legacy radioactive material into clean energy, enabling future national security and scientific missions. We appreciate the commitment and support of so many officials from DOE, OREM, and UCOR who made this partnership a reality."

The company says it has to date been awarded more than USD40 million in contracts from the DOD and NASA to deliver RPSs that will enable critical operations on the seabed, on orbit, and the surface of the Moon.

Westinghouse to fabricate heat sources

The partnership announcement came days after Zeno said it has selected Westinghouse Electric Company to process radioisotopes to fabricate the heat sources for its RPSs in an agreement Zeno described as a "significant milestone" for the commercialisation of its technology.

"Working with Westinghouse, we will build the nuclear hardware for our RPSs to provide reliable power in the most critical domains of the 21st century - from the depths of the oceans to the surface of the Moon," Bernstein said.

"Westinghouse has a long history of building innovative nuclear technologies that provide safe, reliable and carbon-free power. Our relationship with Zeno Power aligns with our vision to expand the use of nuclear into new markets," Dan Sumner, President of Westinghouse Operating Plant Services, said.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Polar-crane-commissioned-at-second-San-ao-unit

The polar crane has been installed within the top of the containment building of unit 2 at the San'ao nuclear power plant in China's Zhejiang province. With tests now completed, the crane is ready for use.

The crane is located under the containment dome on a trolley that moves 360° on a circular rail over the reactor shaft, enabling transport operations anywhere in the central hall of the reactor building. It can be used for installing large equipment, such as the reactor vessel and steam generators, as well as during maintenance work and the transportation of fuel.

The diameter of the crane's hoisting track is 43 metres, the main lifting weight is 200 tonnes, the auxiliary lifting weight is 35 tonnes, and the lifting weight of the installation trolley is 480 tonnes. It is installed at a height of more than 38 metres.

The load testing of the main trolley of the polar crane was successfully completed on 27 January.

On 2 September 2020, the executive meeting of the State Council approved the construction of units 1 and 2 as the first phase of the San'ao plant. China's National Nuclear Safety Administration issued a construction permit for the two Chinese-designed HPR1000 (Hualong One) pressurised water reactors on 30 December that year and first concrete for unit 1 was poured the following day. The first concrete for San'ao 2 was poured on 30 December 2021. Six Hualong One units are eventually planned to be built at the site.

San'ao 1 and 2 are scheduled to begin supplying electricity in 2026 and 2027, respectively.

The San'ao project marks the first Chinese nuclear power project involving private capital, with Geely Technology Group taking a 2% stake in the plant. China General Nuclear holds 46% of the shares of the project company Cangnan Nuclear Power, with other state-owned enterprises holding the remainder.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Belarus-and-Russia-aim-to-deepen-nuclear-cooperati

A multipurpose nuclear research reactor is one of the possible results of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Russia and Belarus to deepen cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear technology.

The MoU was signed by Rosatom Director General Alexei Likhachev and the Chairman of the State Committee on Science and Technology in Belarus, Sergey Shlychkov.

Rosatom said in a statement that the MoU "provides for the implementation of joint projects in the field of nuclear medicine, digitalisation, additive technologies, elimination of accumulated environmental harm and radioactive waste management. Russian-Belarusian cooperation in these areas is focused on using the competencies of the Russian nuclear energy industry complex and Belarusian enterprises in the interests of ensuring the technological sovereignty of our countries".

The official Belarus news agency Belta added more detail, saying that under the MoU "the parties will create a multipurpose nuclear research reactor, a set of laboratories, a multipurpose irradiation centre and a nuclear medicine centre in Belarus, both as separate facilities and as part of a comprehensive project featuring several separate elements that together form the Centre for Nuclear Research and Technology".

It also quoted the State Committee on Science and Technology as saying: "Non-nuclear energy solutions are also relevant for bilateral cooperation. These include energy storage systems, utilisation of production and consumption waste, elimination of accumulated environmental damage. Special attention will be paid to the production of ionising radiation detectors and components, improvement of infrastructure for the final isolation (burial) of radioactive waste."

Belarus and Russia already have close ties in the nuclear field. The first nuclear power plant in Belarus, built by Rosatom, is now fully operational after the second VVER-1200 unit was put into commercial operation in November. The plant is located in Ostrovets in the Grodno region. A general contract for the construction was signed in 2011, with first concrete in November 2013. Rosatom began construction of unit 2 in May 2014. The first Ostrovets power unit was connected to the grid in November 2020 and, the energy ministry says, the plant will produce about 18.5 TWh of electricity per year, equivalent to 4.5 billion cubic metres of natural gas, with an annual effect on the country's economy of about USD550 million.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/IAEA-mission-reaffirms-safety-of-Fukushima-water-r

Japan's discharge of treated water into the sea at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is consistent with international safety standards, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Task Force monitoring the release has concluded in its first full report since the water discharge began last year.

At the site, contaminated water - in part used to cool melted nuclear fuel - is treated by the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS), which removes most of the radioactive contamination, with the exception of tritium. This treated water is currently stored in about 1000 tanks on site.

Japan announced in April 2021 it planned to discharge treated water stored at the site into the sea over a period of about 30 years, and asked the IAEA to review its plans against IAEA safety standards. An IAEA Task Force was established to implement the assistance to Japan, which included advice from a group of internationally recognised experts from Member States, including members from the region, under the authority of the IAEA Secretariat.

Japan started to discharge the water on 24 August 2023 and has so far completed the release of three batches, a total of 23,400 cubic metres of water.

The latest report covers the IAEA review mission conducted from 24-27 October last year to follow up on the findings from the IAEA's Comprehensive Report on the Safety Review, published in July 2023. That report - issued before the discharge began - found Japan's plan for handling the treated water to be consistent with international safety standards and that the discharge as planned would have a negligible radiological impact to people and the environment.

During the latest mission, the Task Force reviewed the facilities and equipment installed at the Fukushima Daiichi plant to discharge the ALPS-treated water. It also met with Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), the operator of the plant, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Nuclear Regulation Authority.

Based on their assessments, the Task Force said the mission "did not identify anything that is inconsistent with the requirements in the relevant international safety standards" and therefore "reaffirmed the conclusions from the Agency's comprehensive safety report issued on 4 July last year".

The team also concluded: a robust regulatory infrastructure is in place in Japan to provide operational safety oversight of the discharge of ALPS-treated water; the equipment and facilities at Fukushima Daiichi are installed and operated in a manner that is consistent with Japan's plan for the release of the water and the relevant international safety standards; and optimisation of protection - that is the process to determine the level of protection and safety for individuals - needs to be considered as part of the overall decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi site. However, the Task Force fully recognised that the discharges are in the early stages and that further time and operational experience are required before progress can be made on this issue.

The next review mission to Fukushima Daiichi is anticipated to take place in the Spring of 2024.

Separately, the IAEA also issued two reports prepared as part of its safety review of the water discharge detailing the latest findings of its ongoing corroboration of the measurement data underpinning Japan's plan for the discharge of the ALPS treated water.

The first report describes an interlaboratory comparison (ILC) that assessed Tepco's capabilities for accurate and precise measurements of the radionuclides present in the treated water stored on site. Water samples were taken in October 2022 from two tanks at Fukushima Daiichi. In the second report, the IAEA details an ILC of radionuclides analyses in samples of seawater, sediment, fish and seaweed taken in November 2022 from offshore locations and a fish market close to the site.

Warsaw plans to have country’s first nuclear power station on Baltic coast.

Poland is working towards developing a contracts for difference (CfD) scheme to finance its first nuclear power station in the northern Pomerania province, a ministerial spokesperson told local energy portal BiznesAlert.

The ministry of climate and the environment said that a CfD arrangement is the “only form of price support” provided in the recent proposal to reform the European Union electricity market design regulation.

The CfDs will make it possible to “efficiently” develop a business and financing model with the European Commission, the ministry told BiznesAlert.

“However, it should be borne in mind that the Commission will still conduct a detailed analysis of the compatibility of the measures, as part of a wider aid package, with the principles of permissible public aid,” said the ministry. EU rules require European Commission scrutiny for any form of state support in industry or agriculture in order to maintain fair competition on the bloc's internal market.

In October 2023, the EU’s energy ministers reached an agreement on reforming the electricity market design, the way the bloc’s power-related markets and price setting operate. As part of the proposed EU rules, countries will be allowed to use two-way CfDs to finance new reactors or the lifetime extensions of existing ones.

Before finalising the reform, negotiations are still to take place between the European Parliament and Council.

A CfD is a subsidy model where deviations, whether positive or negative, from a predetermined reference (strike) price result in payments to one of the contractual partners – the utility or the power consumer – in the case of nuclear plants. CfDs mean a developer will need to finance the entire construction cost of a nuclear project up front, and only began receiving revenue when the station starts generating electricity.

The CfD financing model has been used to support nuclear energy projects including Hinkley Point C in southwest England, but has been replaced by the RAB (regulated asset based) model for the proposed Sizewell C project.

Poland’s ministry of climate and the environment told BiznesAlert that the use of a CfD scheme “does not preclude the use of other forms of support, e.g. government guarantees for debt financing.”

Financing Remains Unclear As Westinghouse Ready To Build AP1000 PWRs

In November 2022, Warsaw chose Westinghouse Electric to supply its AP1000 reactor technology for a three-unit facility near the villages of Lubiatowo and Kopalino to the northwest of Gdansk on the Baltic coast.

Last year, a consortium was formed between Westinghouse and US-based construction company Bechtel in order to serve as the main developer for the project. Construction start is earmarked for 2026, with a first unit online in 2033, though experts say some delay in the schedule is now a possibility.

The financing for the nuclear project has not been agreed, with the price tag for the first station seen at least $20bn (€18.3bn). The former government of the conservative Law and Justice party was involved in discussions with US-based partners and export financing institutions on a possible capital stake in Poland’s first nuclear station, but public information has been scarce.

According to Wojciech Jakóbik, an energy expert and editor-in-chief of BiznesAlert, Poland had been on the lookout for various financing schemes for new nuclear.

“One of them, called Sa-Ho, includes direct energy supplies to co-owners of the nuclear operator and would not end with additional charges to the energy bill of the final consumers which can be the case with CfDs,” said Jakóbik.

Under the Sa-Ho model electricity offtake would be the duty of shareholders and proportional to their share in the ownership. The shareholders would be electricity consumers, including companies in the manufacturing and transport sectors, large cities, municipalities, government entities. In essence, it is a cooperative model where the new-build project is initially bankrolled by the state and then sold to energy consumers.

According to a 2020 nuclear programme, the Polish state would initially have 100% of shares in a company set up to invest in nuclear energy (Polskie Elektrownie Jadrowe), but once a co-investor is chosen the state will maintain 51% of shares in the company and the co-investor will take 49%. The co-investor must be “related to the technology provider”.

An opposition coalition formed a new government led by Donald Tusk in December and officials have said work on Poland’s nuclear programme would continue despite pledges of a need to review contracts related to the new-build project.

Source: https://www.neimagazine.com/news/newsmore-delays-for-fukushima-nuclear-fuel-debris-removal-11473421

The removal of melted fuel rods from the Fukushima Daiichi NPP destroyed by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami will be deferred until around October, Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings (Tepco) said, citing delays in completing a robot arm for the task.

Fuel debris removal was originally scheduled to start within a decade of the 2011 reactor meltdowns, but development and testing of a robot arm in the UK was delayed by COVID-19, initially postponing the work until 2022 and then to the latter half of fiscal 2023. Akira Ono, Tepco official in charge of decommissioning efforts, told a news conference that the delays were due to problems with deposits near the reactor entrance, as well as "the need to improve the safety and operability of the robot arm”.

The huge robotic arm, 18 metres long and weighing 4.6 tonnes, was developed by Japan’s International Research Institute for Nuclear Decommissioning (IRID), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) UK’s Veolia Nuclear Solutions (VNS). It was delivered to MHI’s Kobe facility for testing in July 2023.

An estimated 880 tonnes of radioactive debris is in reactor units 1-3 comprising fuel and other materials that melted, cooled and solidified after the plant lost power following the tsunami. Debris removal is viewed as the main challenge in decommissioning. Tepco plans to start with unit 2. However, before the melted fuel can be tackled, melted equipment and other detritus must be removed. Tepco began this work in January using low-pressure water and other tools but is unclear how long it will take.

A revised approach will use a new method of retrieval using a telescopic tube first instead of a robotic arm, but this still requires approval from the Nuclear Regulation Authority. Tepco will attempt to use this device to take out the melted fuel around October. The robot arm is expected to take about 90 days to clear a path to the debris.

The government has spent JPY7.8bn ($52.8m) to develop the robot arm and the delays put at risk the decommissioning target year of 2041 to 2051. Decommissioning and compensation costs are expected to increase beyond the current estimate of JPY23,400bn ($158 billion).