Nuclear Energy

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Three-microreactor-designs-selected-for-US-test-be

Radiant, Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation and Westinghouse have been awarded US Department of Energy funding totalling USD3.9 million for front-end engineering and experiment design of their respective microreactor designs in a new test bed facility at Idaho National Laboratory.

The awards have been made through the National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC), which has developed the front-end engineering and experiment design (FEEED) process to help industry partners progress more quickly toward first-of-a-kind testing of advanced reactors. Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Kathryn Huff said the FEEED process will bring Radiant's Kaleidos, Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation's Pylon, and Westinghouse's eVinci reactor designs "one step closer to reality."

Westinghouse's eVinci microreactor is a heatpipe reactor producing up to 5 MWe of electricity that can also produce high temperature heat for industrial applications. Described by the company as "essentially a battery", the reactor could provide versatile power for a variety of applications such as remote communities, universities, mining operations, industrial centres, data centres, defence facilities, and even on the surface of the Moon. The funding will support planning for the deployment of a one-fifth scale test reactor version of the reactor, which Westinghouse said will enable design finalisation, testing and licensing of the technology.

"We appreciate the ongoing support from the Department of Energy and Idaho National Lab to further the development of this truly innovative reactor technology," said Jon Ball, president for eVinci Technologies at Westinghouse. "We are at an inflection point and are accelerating the commercialisation of our eVinci technology. NRIC's partnership will be a critical enabler to advance technology readiness and licensing."

Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation's Pylon microreactor is a containerised system capable of producing 1.5-5 MWe with a lower mass than the company's Micro Modular Reactor (known as MMR) high-temperature gas-cooled reactor system. The system is designed to be easily transportable to off-grid locations both on Earth and in space: for terrestrial use, the system comprises separate nuclear heat supply system and balance-of-plant modules, each individually fitting within a standard 20 ft (6 m) container. "Demonstration of this technology will enable compact, low mass (10-ton class) nuclear systems and develop future markets to attract new classes of customers to the benefits of advanced nuclear technology," the company said on X (formerly Twitter).

California-based start-up Radiant Industries was set up in 2020 by former SpaceX engineers Doug Bernauer and Bob Urberger. The company is developing the Kaleidos high-temperature gas-cooled microreactor, which will be capable of generating up to 1.2MWe or 1.9 MW of thermal power for facility heating or water desalination, as a potential replacement for diesel generators. The electric power generator, cooling system, reactor, and shielding are all packaged in a single shipping container, facilitating rapid deployment. Radiant is targeting commercial unit production in 2028.

Repurposed dome

The test bed - Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) - will repurpose the Experimental-Breeder Reactor-II containment structure at Idaho National Laboratory. This, the Department of Energy (DOE) says, will lessen the environmental footprint and save companies money in the testing process, as well as reducing overall project risk. It is one of two test beds being developed by the DOE: the Laboratory for Operation and Testing in the US test bed will host smaller reactor experiments to support the development of advanced reactors.

EBR-II operated from 1964 to 1994, and was originally built to demonstrate a complete sodium-cooled breeder reactor power plant. It was later modified to test other reactor designs and to test materials and fuels for fast reactors, as well as generating power and heat for the site. While the reactor and much of its supporting equipment has been dismantled, the remaining 70-foot diameter, 80-foot high containment structure is particularly suited to host reactor demonstration and other nuclear projects.

Testing in DOME could begin as soon as 2026, DOE said.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/IEA-sees-increasing-role-for-nuclear-in-energy-tra

"A changing policy landscape is creating opportunities for a nuclear comeback," according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) in the latest edition of its World Energy Outlook, with nuclear generating capacity expected to increase from 417 GWe in 2022 to 620 GWe in 2050 in a scenario based on existing energy policies.

The IEA says major shifts under way today - including the rise of clean energy technologies such as solar, wind, electric cars and heat pumps - are set to result in a considerably different global energy system by the end of this decade.

"If countries deliver on their national energy and climate pledges on time and in full, clean energy progress would move even faster," it says.

However, it noted that demand for fossil fuels still remains far too high to keep within reach the Paris Agreement goal of limiting the rise in average global temperatures to 1.5°C. "Bending the emissions curve onto a path consistent with 1.5°C remains possible but very difficult," the IEA said. "The costs of inaction could be enormous: despite the impressive clean energy growth based on today's policy settings, global emissions would remain high enough to push up global average temperatures by around 2.4°C this century, well above the key threshold set out in the Paris Agreement."

The IEA said its latest World Energy Outlook "proposes a global strategy for getting the world on track by 2030 that consists of five key pillars, which can also provide the basis for a successful COP28 climate change conference. They are: tripling global renewable capacity; doubling the rate of energy efficiency improvements; slashing methane emissions from fossil fuel operations by 75%; innovative, large-scale financing mechanisms to triple clean energy investments in emerging and developing economies; and measures to ensure an orderly decline in the use of fossil fuels, including an end to new approvals of unabated coal-fired power plants."

The World Energy Outlook considers three scenarios. The Stated Policies Scenario provides an outlook based on the latest policy settings, including energy, climate and related industrial policies. The Announced Pledges Scenario assumes all national energy and climate targets made by governments are met in full and on time. The Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario looks at what must be done to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

The IEA says the legacy of the global energy crisis "may be to usher in the beginning of the end of the fossil fuel era". The momentum behind clean energy transitions is now sufficient for global demand for coal, oil and natural gas to all reach a high point before 2030 in the Stated Policies Scenario, it says. The share of coal, oil and natural gas in global energy supply - stuck for decades around 80% - starts to edge downwards and reaches 73% in the this scenario by 2030.

The Stated Policies Scenario sees a peak in energy-related CO2 emissions in the mid-2020s but emissions remain high enough to push up global average temperatures to around 2.4°C in 2100. The IEA noted this outcome has improved over successive editions of the WEO "but still points towards very widespread and severe impacts from climate change". Nuclear capacity growth

Prospects for nuclear power have improved in leading markets, the World Energy Outlook says, with support for lifetime extensions of existing nuclear reactors in countries including Japan, South Korea and the USA, and support for new reactors in Canada, China, the UK, USA and several EU member states. It notes that nuclear is "the second-largest source of low-emissions power worldwide today, behind hydropower but far larger than wind or solar PV".

Nuclear generating capacity increases from 417 GWe in 2022 to 620 GWe in 2050 in the Stated Policies Scenario, with growth mainly in China and other emerging market and developing economies, while advanced economies carry out widespread lifetime extensions and look to build new projects to offset retirements. In this scenario, global nuclear generation increases from 2682 TWh in 2022 to 4353 TWh in 2050, while its share of total electricity production decreases from 9% to 8% over the same period.

The IEA says large-scale reactors remain the dominant form of nuclear power in all scenarios, including advanced reactor designs, but the development of and growing interest in small modular reactors (SMRs) increases the potential for nuclear power in the long run. More lifetime extensions and new construction in countries open to nuclear power boost global capacity in the Announced Pledges Scenario to 770 GWe in 2050, with nuclear output doubling to 5301 TWh. The Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario sees nuclear generating capacity reaching 916 GWe by 2050, with a production of 6015 TWh.

"The transition to clean energy is happening worldwide and it's unstoppable. It's not a question of 'if', it's just a matter of 'how soon' - and the sooner the better for all of us," said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. "Governments, companies and investors need to get behind clean energy transitions rather than hindering them. There are immense benefits on offer, including new industrial opportunities and jobs, greater energy security, cleaner air, universal energy access and a safer climate for everyone. Taking into account the ongoing strains and volatility in traditional energy markets today, claims that oil and gas represent safe or secure choices for the world's energy and climate future look weaker than ever."

"Every country needs to find its own pathway, but international cooperation is crucial for accelerating clean energy transitions. In particular, the speed at which emissions decline will hinge in large part on our ability to finance sustainable solutions to meet rising energy demand from the world's fast-growing economies. This all points to the vital importance of redoubling collaboration and cooperation, not retreating from them."

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Akkuyu-%C2%A0First-polar-crane-commissioned,-fuel-loadi

The circular overhead crane in the first unit of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Turkey has been put into operation. The first components of the fuel reloading system have also been delivered, TVEL says.

The polar crane has a lifting capacity of 390 tonnes, a diameter of 41.5 metres with the weight of the entire structure being about 500 tonnes.

It will play a key role throughout the lifecycle of unit 1 at the new nuclear power plant - initially it will be involved in lifting and moving during assembly of the nuclear reactor, and then in the years ahead for reloading and inspecting the reactor and delivering nuclear fuel to the special reloading machine.

Sergei Butskikh, First Deputy General Director of Akkuyu Nuclear JSC, said: "The crane is a complex technological engineering structure consisting of several components - a bridge, a service trolley, a control cabin with a touch screen monitor, and special control cabinets, which are installed in a separate room outside the sealed area of ​​the reactor compartment. I would like to note that safety is our priority."

Meanwhile, TVEL's Central Design and Technological Institute (CPTI) said it has delivered the first component for unit 1's earthquake-resistant fuel reloading machine, which is designed to load nuclear fuel into the reactor core and replace used nuclear fuel with fresh fuel.

The first element sent was the rail track, which TVEL said is 26 metres long, with an 8 metre width and designed "in such a way as to exclude uncontrolled movements of equipment during seismic impacts, blackouts and other emergency situations ... the reloading machine equipment is one of the most complex systems in the reactor island complex of a nuclear power plant. It combines mechanical, lifting, electrical devices, a control system and must have high accuracy to perform work with fuel assemblies in a nuclear reactor". The allowable error for the machine in reaching the correct location is 2 millimetres, and the slope of track must not exceed 0.15 millimetres per metre of length.

Mikhail Tarasov, General Director of CPTI, said; "Taking into account the specific features of the Akkuyu NPP construction site, the project turned out to be unique. We are successfully moving towards the delivery of a full set of equipment for the first power unit, which is planned until the end of 2023." Their contract includes the supply of the same equipment for all four power units and the company also has a contract to supply the reloading machines for the four units at the El Dabaa nuclear power plant in Egypt.

The Akkuyu plant, 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. Construction of the first unit began in 2018 and is scheduled to have its physical start-up next year. The 4800 MWe plant 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.

Source: https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/pressreleases/iaea-mission-finds-progress-in-nuclear-and-radiation-safety-in-australia-notes-areas-for-improvement

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission said Australia has made significant progress in building a resilient and adaptable regulatory infrastructure for radiation safety. The team has also identified areas for potential enhancements, such as the completion of a national strategy on radiation safety. Noting ongoing activities to address consistency in the State and Territories radiation safety programmes, the team said further efforts were warranted in this area, which the establishment of a national strategy would support.

The Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) team concluded a nine-day follow-up mission from 16 to 24 October to review progress of Australia’s implementation of recommendations and suggestions made during an initial IRRS mission in 2018.

The follow-up mission was conducted at the request of the Government of Australia and hosted by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), the Commonwealth Government regulator. Under Australia’s federal system of government, ARPANSA regulates Commonwealth entities and other entities are regulated by the respective regulatory bodies of the six States and two Territories. The majority of licenced activities in Australia are carried out under the supervision of state and territory regulatory bodies. The scope of the IRRS follow-up mission was the same as the scope of the 2018 mission, namely the regulatory framework for all nuclear and radiation facilities and activities in Australia, Emergency Preparedness and Response, medical and occupational exposure situations, and public and environment protection.

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 recognizing the responsibility of each country to ensure nuclear and radiation safety.

Australia does not have any nuclear power plants. Its one research reactor produces radioisotopes for medicine, research, and industry. Radiation sources are used in facilities and in activities in the field of research, industry, medicine, and agriculture. The country has storage facilities for low and intermediate level radioactive waste and plans to establish a national radioactive waste management facility.

The IRRS mission interacted with the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, the Australian Radioactive Waste Agency (ARWA), and all nine radiation safety regulators: ARPANSA for the Commonwealth of Australia, Queensland Health, the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority, Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services, South Australia’s Environment Protection Authority, Tasmania’s Department of Health, Western Australia’s Radiological Council, the Northern Territory’s Department of Health, and the Australian Capital Territory’s Health Protection Service.

The IRRS team said that since 2018, Australia has made significant policy decisions to broaden the radiation and nuclear safety framework. Following the announcement of the AUKUS trilateral security partnership (in September 2021) and the decision on the optimal pathway in March 2023 to acquire conventionally-armed nuclear-powered submarines, Australia announced plans to establish a new statutory Commonwealth regulator known as the Australian Nuclear-Powered Submarine Safety Regulator (ANPSSR). Additionally, in July 2020, Australia established the Australian Radioactive Waste Agency (ARWA) with the mission of handling the nation's radioactive waste. During this time, the COVID-19 pandemic led to significant temporary resource constraints in the field of radiation and nuclear safety.

The IRRS team, comprised of seven senior regulatory experts from Canada, Finland, France, Ireland, United Kingdom, United States of America, and three IAEA staff members, conducted a series of interviews with ARPANSA, government representatives and the State and Territory regulatory bodies, and reviewed relevant reference material.

One of the most prominent challenges identified by the 2018 IRRS mission was the establishment of a national framework for radiation safety that ensures a consistent level of safety and protection for individuals and the environment across all jurisdictions, both in principle and regulatory practice. In response, a series of activities have been undertaken at both national and jurisdictional levels. The adoption by all regulatory bodies of a second edition of the National Directory for Radiation Protection (NDRP2) has laid the foundation for the adoption of nationally agreed radiation safety codes and standards but its implementation has not proceeded uniformly and promptly across all jurisdictions.

"The team found progress in how Australia is approaching challenges in radiation safety," said Petteri Tiippana, Director General of the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), Finland, and the IRRS team leader. “We underscored the importance of recognizing the substantial advantages of consistent regulation for public health, the regulated industry, and the efficient use of resources across the country as a whole.”

The IRRS team recognized that substantial progress had been made in response to the 2018 findings. Out of the 23 recommendations and 12 suggestions, 16 recommendations and 10 suggestions have been successfully addressed and closed.

Two additional good practices were offered:

• ARPANSA has published on its public website the results of its assessment of leadership for safety and safety culture.
• The use of the newly introduced incident management system across ARPANSA for routine recording of health and safety incidents will ensure that staff are familiar with the system and will use it effectively to manage the response to a nuclear or radiological emergency.

“The follow up mission has provided an important evaluation of Australia’s progress since 2018, during what has been a challenging period globally,” said Dr Gillian Hirth, CEO of ARPANSA. “With the changing nuclear landscape in Australia, it has been valuable to demonstrate our strong commitment to radiation and nuclear safety and also the progress made as we work towards consistent radiation protection for all Australians. We are extremely thankful to all mission participants for lending their expertise to evaluate and advise on how Australia can enhance its regulatory frameworks in line with international best practice.”

In its report, the team said that to attain national uniformity in radiation and nuclear safety, the Commonwealth Government, in conjunction with State and Territory Governments, should take the following critical steps:

• Finalizing and implementing a national strategy for radiation safety.
• Encouraging and facilitating effective and efficient inter-jurisdictional collaboration in the development of regulatory activities.
• Considering binding mechanisms to guarantee consistent and timely implementation of the NDRP2.

The IRRS team offered additional specific findings to address the critical steps to attain national uniformity as mentioned above, noting that several 2018 recommendations that remain open are also related to the same topic. The review also demonstrates that significant challenges related to competencies and resources of all regulators identified in 2018 remain.

“The IRRS is an internationally recognized process that strengthens regulatory effectiveness. Countries that invite missions – including Australia – demonstrate openness and transparency,” said Hildegarde Vandenhove, head of the IAEA Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety, at the closing meeting held today. “By disseminating and sharing good practices and lessons learned, IRRS missions contribute to a stronger global nuclear safety regime. We are confident that Australia will implement the recommended improvements.’

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

IAEA Safety Standards

The IAEA Safety Standards provide a robust framework of fundamental principles, requirements, and guidance to ensure safety. They reflect an international consensus and serve as a global reference for protecting people and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation.

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. – Oct. 24, 2023 – Westinghouse Electric Company today announced the launch of a new design and manufacturing facility near downtown Pittsburgh to accelerate commercialization of the eVinci™ microreactor. In June, Westinghouse established eVinci™ Technologies LLC as a separate business unit within the company to streamline all aspects of bringing the microreactor to the market.

Located in the borough of Etna, the eVinci “accelerator” is an 87,000 square-foot facility that will be home to engineering and licensing operations, testing, prototype trials, business development and sales. It also includes manufacturing space for producing the innovative heat pipes that are central to the eVinci technology, as well as other components. Westinghouse construction on the space began earlier this year and will be completed in Q1 2024.

“Today’s announcement is just the latest in a long line of Westinghouse innovations – each one a result of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s legacy as an energy leader,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “I believe Pennsylvania should play a central role in efforts to connect the dots and invest in clean sources of energy, and that’s why my Administration’s energy policy ensures we have a diverse and reliable portfolio of energy resources that fosters innovation, protects our communities and our planet, and creates jobs. Together, we can usher in a new chapter of innovation and energy leadership here in Pennsylvania.”

“We are in a race to bring advanced nuclear technology to market as swiftly as possible to help tackle climate change and meet diverse community needs,” said DOE Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Dr. Kathryn Huff. “We need this kind of approach that brings the right people together to hash out real-world solutions and deliver on the promise of advanced reactors.”

“We believe the eVinci technology will truly change lives and livelihoods for the better. Thanks to the support from the U.S. Department of Energy and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, we are making big strides to deploy at speed and at scale,” said Patrick Fragman, Westinghouse President and CEO. “We are targeting to have multiple eVinci microreactors in operation throughout the world by the end of this decade, and the work we do here will make that possible.”

Pennsylvania contributed economic development grants to the project as part of a state initiative to build innovation and grow jobs. The DOE continues to support the eVinci technology through its Nuclear Energy and Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-e). With the federal awards and strategic government partnerships with Idaho National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory, Westinghouse is advancing the eVinci microreactor design, licensing, and manufacturing capabilities.

The Etna location was chosen in part due to its proximity to some of the world’s finest universities, partnering with Westinghouse on this breakthrough technology, such as Carnegie Mellon University, Penn State - New Kensington and the University of Pittsburgh.

The eVinci Microreactor builds on decades of Westinghouse innovation to bring carbon-free, safe and scalable energy wherever it is needed for a variety of applications, including electricity and heating for remote communities, universities, mining operations, industrial centers, data centers and defense facilities, and soon the lunar surface and beyond. The eVinci microreactor has very few moving parts, working essentially as a battery, providing the versatility for power systems ranging from several kilowatts to 5 megawatts of electricity, delivered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for eight-plus years without refueling. It can also produce high temperature heat suitable for industrial applications including alternative fuel production such as hydrogen and has the flexibility to balance renewable output. The technology is 100 percent factory built and assembled before it is shipped in a container to any location.

For 25 years, I’ve watched nuclear energy get knocked down and back up — revived mainly because of the need to decarbonize and hit net-zero targets. But this time, it appears that nuclear’s roots in the electricity and industrial sectors will firm up in the next decade and beyond.

That’s irreversible. It’s the only fuel source that can provide round-the-clock carbon-free energy — when we are trying to decarbonize nearly everything, and the electricity demand will probably double by 2050.

“We need to get behind this technology immediately, and it’s a hard reality,” says James Schaefer, senior managing director of Guggenheim Partners, during a virtual discussion hosted by the United States Energy Association in which I appeared. “People need to quickly understand that the current tools don't get us to clean. Nuclear is safe and clean.”

There are a lot of fundamentals driving that conclusion. However, there are still plenty of hurdles to cross. Investors want to see returns within a reasonable timeframe, not two decades from now: There is an endless regulatory process, unproven technologies, and an immature supply chain. It’s hard to risk billions with so many unanswered questions.

“These projects take a long time to come to fruition,” says Tom Marcille, chief nuclear officer for Holtec International’s small modular reactors unit. “It takes solid financial footing by a company with good financials and adequate cash flow.”

For starters, nuclear will always be more expensive to build than wind, solar, or natural gas. But nuclear units last 80 years, and they are inexpensive to run while they are incredibly efficient. Moreover, the focus must be on nuclear’s cost compared to solar-plus-storage or natural gas-plus-carbon capture.

Advanced nuclear designs consisting of small modular reactors will start hitting toward the end of this decade. And once those seeds sprout, a whole garden will form. Allied Market Research says the global demand for those reactors will grow from $3.5 billion in 2020 to $18.8 billion in 2030. That’s a compound annual growth rate of nearly 16%.

Who Is Demanding The Electricity?

For example, NuScale, owned mainly by Fluor FLR -0.1% Corp., will also start building in Idaho in 2026, with at least one module to come online in 2029. It says 12 modules can combine to form a 924-megawatt unit. Meanwhile, Ontario Power Generation will start constructing a small modular reactor in late 2024 and begin operating in 2028. The Tennessee Valley Authority is using the same technology. It expects to start up a small nuclear plant in the early 2030s.

“We have a very large pipeline,” says Chuck Goodnight, vice president of sales for NuScale. “We're gonna need that capacity to meet the demand.”

“There's a natural order of things: if there are signed contracts for real projects, the supply chain will stand itself up. They can confidently make those capital investments,” adds Julie Kozeracki, senior advisor with the loans program at the U.S. Department of Energy, at the virtual conference.

“We are fiercely private-sector-led and government-enabled,” she emphasizes. “So we've got low-cost debt financing through the loan programs office — like the 30% and up to 50% investment tax credit from the Inflation Reduction Act. I mean, that's basically buy one reactor, get one free.”

Back in the day, nuclear-focused utilities such as Constellation Energy CEG +1.9%, Duke Energy DUK +1.7%, First Energy, Dominion Energy, and Public Service Enterprise Group led the charge. However, the advent of small nuclear reactors changed the field of play. And now industrial users are compelled to decarbonize, prompting them to look at installing small modular reactors on site.

For example, Dow is partnering with X-energy to develop a small modular reactor at one of Dow’s sites along the Gulf Coast, which could go live in 2030. Dow is also taking a minority ownership position in X-energy. Each modular reactor can generate 80 megawatts. But they can be stacked together to produce 320 MW, providing clean, reliable, and safe baseload power to support electricity systems or industrial applications.

“The market is a lot larger than ever because industrial members are moving in,” says Steve Chengelis, director of research and development for future nuclear at EPRI, during the event. “The industrial portion of the electrical consumption is about 25% (of CO2 releases,) which is why we will see this mass build-out.”

Can Policymakers Get On The Same Track?

Specifically, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said electric power caused 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions, while industrial operations accounted for 24%. Transportation made up 27%, all in 2020.

But let’s look at another voracious energy consumer — a dynamic that has yet to be considered by long-term planners and adds a whole other layer of complexity to the decarbonization challenge: data centers and artificial intelligence. The International Energy Agency says data centers globally consumed 240-340 terawatt-hours or 1-1.3% of the electricity demand in 2022.

“If you look at a data center focused on artificial intelligence or machine learning, power consumption is typically about five times higher than a typical data center,” says Mark Gake, nuclear technology portfolio manager for Black & Veatch. “So it will drive a lot of extra demand that we must meet. And we've got to figure out the right solution, and nuclear should have a stake in that game.”

Elected leaders must coalesce and agree to a long-lasting climate policy to electrify nearly everything. To this end, nuclear energy may provide a bridge between the two major parties. Many elected Republicans are dubious of crafting climate-friendly legislation. Still, they support heavy industry and the jobs those companies create — ditto for carbon-free nuclear power, a significant employer.

At the same time, that thinking comports with the Democratic philosophy and their Keynesian economic views, notes Schaefer with Guggenheim Partners. The government can partner with industry to create jobs and reduce emissions. Many progressives thus welcome such public-private partnerships centered on small modular reactors if they help companies like Dow get clean and hire workers.

Consider: The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects global electricity demand to increase by as little as one-third to as much as three-quarters by 2050. And nuclear energy and renewables will comprise two-thirds of that demand bump.

And that’s why nuclear energy has more than staying power. Indeed, it’s on the road to being a go-to energy source.

“Foreign dependencies” exist in several steps of the medical radioisotope supply chain, threatening the EU’s strong position in production and endangering the development and application of nuclear medicine products and procedures, the annual report of the Euratom Supply Agency (ESA) says.

ESA, the body responsible for the supervision of uranium supply and demand in the EU, warned that an increasing variety and volume of enriched isotopes will be needed for radionuclide production to support the development of new treatments in the fight against cancer.

In addition, enriched isotopes currently sourced partly from Russia will be needed in the longer term to develop non-fission alternatives to the most used radionuclide in nuclear medicine, technetium-99m (Tc-99m), which will remain essential in the next few decades.

The continuing EU dependence on Russian imports could therefore have “a significant impact on member states’ ability to meet existing patient needs and support the development of future cancer treatments”.

The ESA said one of the key conditions for the uninterrupted supply of medical radioisotopes is the availability of nuclear materials such as high-assay low-enriched uranium (Haleu) for the production of irradiation targets and fuel for research reactors.

Haleu is not produced in the EU but is imported from the US and Russia. Uncertainties exist regarding both sources – Russia being “a high-risk partner” and US stocks estimated to last until 2035-2040, depending on consumption of the existing stockpile.

EU Needs Security Of Haleu Supply

If Europe cannot ensure the provision of Haleu after 2035, the production of the most frequently used medical radioisotopes is at risk.

An ESA working group recently identified options for achieving different levels of security of Haleu supply for the EU. These ranged from continuing to buy it from the US and Russia, an ESA Haleu bank with a 10-year reserve, to autonomy thanks to European production.

“Depending on the option selected, a set of actions, commitments and financing would be necessary from the EU, its member states, industries and end users,” the ESA said.

“The European capacity for enrichment of source materials and stable isotopes needs strengthening, which is only possible with investment.”

“Clear political decisions” are needed at both EU and member state level to address Haleu future supply vulnerabilities. The EU, national authorities, industry and users should explore all options to ensure EU autonomy and the continued Haleu supply to users for medical and research purposes.

EU production could be established by taking advantage of the domestic industry, its capacities, knowhow and technology.

• Most elements are found as mixtures of several isotopes. For certain applications in industry, medicine, and science, samples enriched in one particular isotope are needed. Many methods have been developed to separate the isotopes of an element from one another. Each method is based on some difference – sometimes a very slight one – between the physical or chemical properties of the isotopes of an element.

Fuel loading has begun at the Kakrapar-4 nuclear power plant in Gujarat state, western India, with New Delhi saying the landmark paves the way for the “early completion” of 14 more identical units.

India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board said it had given permission for fuel loading to begin based on the outcome of a requisite safety review.

The identical Kakrapar-3 began commercial operation earlier this year, having reached initial criticality in mid-2020. Construction of both Kakrapar-3 and Kakrapar-4 began in November 2010.

Kakrapar-3 was the first-of-its-kind indigenous 630 MW net (700 MW gross) pressurised heavy water reactor unit (PHWR) designed in India.

According to International Atomic Energy Agency data, India, which relies on coal for about 48% of its energy generation, has 19 nuclear power plants in commercial operation and eight under construction – one at Kakrapar, four at Kudankulam, two at Rajasthan and a prototype fast breeder reactor at the Madras nuclear site. Operational plants provide about 3.1% of the country’s electricity generation.

The government has said India’s nuclear capacity is expected to reach 22,480 MW by 2031, up from today’s figure of about 6,885 MW (net) or 7,480 (gross).

The government did not say if its projected 22,480 MW figure was net or gross, but either way it represents a significant threefold increase.

In a statement state nuclear company Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd said 14 more indigenous PHWR units would be built, but did not name them.

In December the government confirmed plans to build at least 10 more nuclear power plants.

The 10 plants are Kaiga-5 and Kaiga-6 in Karnataka state, Mahi Banswara 1-4 in Rajasthan state Gorakhpur-3 and -4 in Haryana state, and Chutka-1 and -2 in Madhya Pradesh state.

Earlier this year, France and India said they had made progress on a longstanding initiative to build six EPR nuclear power plants at Jaitapur in the Maharashtra region of western India.

Both countries agreed to work on establishing a partnership on small modular reactors and advanced modular reactors.

In April 2021, France’s state-owned power company EDF said it had made a binding offer to build six 1,600-MW EPR units at the Jaitapur site.

Source: https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/africas-first-iaea-collaborating-centre-for-plant-breeding-and-genetics

Innovative plant breeding programmes using safe and proven nuclear techniques are vital for enhancing food security and sustainable agriculture.

For nearly 60 years, the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture and its Plant Breeding and Genetics Laboratory in Seibersdorf, Austria, have been using gamma rays and X-rays to irradiate seeds and plant tissues to speed up the natural evolution process of gene mutation in plants. This technique generates genetic diversity for breeding new and improved crop varieties. Radiation-induced mutation produces millions of variants. There is no residual radiation left in a plant afterward. Breeders then screen for the desired traits and crossbreed.

To promote research and development on mutation breeding in West and sub-Saharan Africa, the IAEA has designated the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission as an IAEA Collaborating Centre in plant breeding and associated technologies for food and nutrition security for a period of four years. A signing and plaque award ceremony took place on 29 September at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Austria, in the margins of the 67th annual General Conference.

“Mutation breeding is an important tool to help us meet the challenge of feeding our planet,” said Najat Mokhtar, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications. “It enables us to develop food crops with increased yields, better nutritional quality and greater resilience to the impacts of climate change. By working together more closely with BNARI, we can share expertise and develop capacities for using this safe and highly effective technique across a wider region.”

BNARI is Africa’s first IAEA Collaborating Centre in the field of plant breeding and genetics, and one of only six worldwide. Due to its geographical location and expertise using radiation-induced mutation, BNARI is well placed to strengthen West African capacities in plant breeding and genetics.

“We are resolutely committed to leveraging this partnership to advocate for the widespread adoption of mutation breeding and associated technologies to fortify food and nutrition security throughout Africa,” said Michael Osae, Director of BNARI.

BNARI’s designation as an IAEA Collaborating Centre follows many years of working together on both coordinated research projects and national and regional technical cooperation projects, which contributed to building the capacities necessary to become a Collaborating Centre. In the last four years, BNARI has both hosted and provided experts for IAEA-organized training courses and received fellows from other African countries and Jamaica.

The Collaborating Centre will facilitate the exchange of knowledge, not only between Ghana and the IAEA but also among African countries and with similar Collaborating Centres worldwide.

“Today marks yet another significant milestone in the enduring partnership between Ghana and the IAEA,” said Samuel Boakye Dampare, Director General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, after signing the agreement. “Ghana has been steadfast in its collaboration with the IAEA, harnessing the power of nuclear and biotechnological solutions to benefit not only our nation but also the broader African community.”

Under the agreed workplan, BNARI will share capabilities and expertise on in vitro multiplication, perform collaborative research on tissue culture and mutation breeding, and provide irradiation services to other countries in the region.

As its first activity as an IAEA Collaborating Centre, BNARI will host a regional training course, Molecular Marker Technologies for Identification of Mutations, from 16 to 27 October 2023.

• Source: https://www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/1981749568/is-frans-timmermans-spoor-bijster-over-kernenergie-hij-vertelt-groene-sprookjes
• Zonder paywall: https://archive.ph/soAMi

Het atoom zorgde voor enig vuurwerk tijdens het eerste verkiezingsdebat van College Tour zondagavond. Toen een student uit Delft vroeg waarom hij nu toch tegen kernenergie is, leken zijn tegenstanders Pieter Omtzigt en Dilan Yesilgöz zich te verkneukelen op wat komen ging.

De antwoorden die Timmermans vervolgens gaf, werden door zijn opponenten gekwalificeerd als onzin en zorgen voor consternatie bij energiedeskundigen. „Wat mij betreft is Timmermans nu echt af wat kernenergie betreft”, zegt Roobol, stralingsdeskundige van het Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM). „Hij vertelt groene sprookjes.”

’Te lang is onzin’

Zo zei Timmermans dat het te lang duurt voordat er überhaupt nieuwe kerncentrales – het demissionaire kabinet wil er twee – staan. „Grote kerncentrales staan er niet vandaag of morgen, het is een vrij lang traject”, zegt Roobol. „Maar de eerste kleinere reactoren SMR’s zullen we in 2025-2030 zien verschijnen. Grote centrales kosten wat meer tijd, maar ’te lang’ is onzin.”

Roobol wijst op Carlo Wolters, directeur van kerncentrale-exploitant EPZ in Borssele, die zegt dat de grote nieuwe centrales al in 2031 klaar kunnen zijn. „Dat is vier jaar eerder dan waarop het kabinet rekent.”

Toch houdt Timmermans vast aan de overtuigingen van Diederik Samsom, de man die gedurende zijn Brusselse jaren als klimaatpaus zijn rechterhand was. Toen Den Haag zich in 2008 boog over kernenergie, zei de toenmalige PvdA-leider Samsom dat windparken op zee er veel eerder zouden zijn dan kerncentrales. „Nieuwe kerncentrales staan er pas in 2020”, beweerde Samsom toen.

’Alle oplossingen duur’

Ook het tweede argument dat Timmermans noemde – ’het kost miljarden’ – snijdt geen hout volgens Roobol. „Alle oplossingen voor CO2-arme energie zijn duur, alle oplossingen kosten miljarden. En juist afgelopen week maakte klimaatminister Rob Jetten bekend dat de aansluitingskosten van de windparken op de Noordzee 40 miljard euro duurder worden dan verwacht.” De overschrijding betreft de periode 2032 tot 2057 en is exclusief de kosten van de windmolens zelf.

„Er is geen bedrijf dat erin wil stappen”, zei Timmermans bij wijze van derde argument. „Maar er zijn drie bedrijven uit Frankrijk, de Verenigde Staten en Zuid-Korea die met het kabinet al spreken over de twee nieuwe centrales. Wij moeten natuurlijk de offertes afwachten”, zegt Roobol. „Maar voor die 40 miljard van de kostenoverschrijdingen bij wind op zee heb je ongeveer vier kerncentrales.”

Windparken

Timmermans’ tegenwerping dat er in Nederland geen ruimte is voor kernenergie, heeft Roobol hogelijk verbaasd. Want juist windparken bezetten erg veel ruimte voor relatief weinig energie. „Een nieuwe kerncentrale in het Finse Olkiluoto bezet negentien hectare en levert jaarlijks twaalf miljard kilowattuur stroom, genoeg voor twee miljoen huishoudens. Het toekomstige windpark ’IJmuiden Ver’ daarentegen heeft veertigduizend hectare nodig. Dat park levert net zoveel stroom in een jaar als twee grote kerncentrales op veertig hectare. En bedenk dat kerncentrales leveren wanneer je wilt, het windpark alleen als het voldoende hard, maar niet té hard, waait.”

Timmermans hield ook vol dat er geen studies zijn die het nut van kernenergie aantonen. Ook dat klopt niet, zegt Roobol. Vorig jaar september verscheen een grote studie op verzoek van Jetten. Onafhankelijke experts van adviesbureau Witteveen+Bos concludeerden dat zowel grote als kleine kerncentrales een ’significante rol’ in het Nederlandse energiesysteem kunnen spelen en kunnen bijdragen aan het verminderen van onze afhankelijkheid van de import van schaarse grondstoffen.

Energierekening

Ad Louter, directeur van de uraniumverrijkingsfabriek Urenco in Almelo, vindt het kostenargument van Timmermans ook niet sterk. Aan de twee nieuwe centrales hangt een prijskaartje van 20 miljard euro. ,,20 miljard is vreselijk veel geld. Maar je moet naar het hele plaatje kijken”, zegt Louter. De rekening van hernieuwbare energie wordt vaak opzettelijk te laag ingeschat, weet de topman. Zo telt men het ’stopcontact op zee’ en ’balanceren’ - het op en afschakelen van gascentrales - niet mee. ,,Maar die verschijnen wel op je energierekening. Hou je bij de kostprijs per kilowattuur wel rekening met al die zaken, dan blijkt dat kernenergie de goedkoopste oplossing is.”

Kernenergie komt op tijd om iets te betekenen in de strijd tegen klimaatverandering, verzekert Louter. ,,Volgens het akkoord van Parijs moeten we de CO2-uitstoot in 2050 met 95 procent hebben verminderd ten opzichte van 1990. Het duurt acht tot tien jaar om een centrale te bouwen, dus kernenergie zal daar dus ruimschoots aan bij kunnen dragen.”

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/LED-lights-developed-specifically-for-nuclear-faci

Whitecroft Lighting has supplied LED lighting to the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant project in Somerset, UK - its first nuclear energy lighting contract. The company says that through the contract it has developed a new, specialist LED lighting solution for the nuclear energy sector.

Manchester-based Whitecroft Lighting - part of Sweden's removederhult Group - said it took about six years to research, collaborate, custom test and deliver the first LED lighting "proven to be optimised for the needs of the nuclear industry".

"As a result, LED lighting has been written into the specification for Hinkley Point C (HPC) – the first time LEDs have been included in a nuclear power project," the company said.

It noted that although low-energy LED lighting has become the new industry standard across most markets, the technology was still to be proven for lighting nuclear energy facilities, which to-date has mainly used traditional fluorescent lighting. With the support of the Hinkley Supply Chain, Whitecroft Lighting was encouraged to work with the project to try and find an energy-saving lighting solution.

"Fluorescent lighting is essentially a 1930s technology and much of it is set to be phased out by new industry standards over the coming years," said Tony Male, Whitecroft Lighting's Regional Sales Manager, Wales and West. "EDF was keen that HPC benefited from the energy saving benefits of LEDs where appropriate, and its preference was to use a UK lighting manufacturer. Whitecroft not only saw this as an opportunity to be part of one of Europe's largest infrastructure projects, but to also break new ground for lighting and set new standards for the nuclear energy industry for years to come."

The company said innovating to the unique standards of nuclear energy meant tackling a new set of engineering and environmental challenges as well as safety considerations. The LEDs and the electronics which supported them had to be proven to meet HPC's stringent safety standards.

"Each requirement encouraged Whitecroft Lighting's custom design team into new areas of creativity and collaboration, and in many ways, these testing regimes are as innovative as the final product," Male said. "After multiple layers of testing, we eventually demonstrated that we could deliver a viable LED solution for the zones covering around 90% of HPC's estate."

As a result, Whitecroft initially agreed to supply around 40,000 LED luminaires across a broad range of buildings and facilities. These include specialist environments, such as the generation halls and more standard areas, including the command building. The first batch of specialist LEDs were delivered to HPC in May, with further large consignments of luminaires and other hardware to be made over the duration of the plant's ongoing construction.

"The unique LED luminaires manufactured for HPC by Whitecroft will be around 40% more energy efficient than traditional fluorescent lighting, so enabling LEDs to be written into the HPC specification is a ground-breaking moment for the lighting and nuclear industry," Male said. "Over the 40,000 LED luminaires supplied, the saving will equate to around 11,200 KWh each day - the equivalent of around 3000 average family sized homes.

"The exciting legacy for this investment in research and development is that nuclear energy projects across Europe can now be able to share in the benefits of the high quality and energy efficient lighting previously not available for nuclear zones."

Hinkley Point C will be the first new nuclear power station to be built in the UK in more than 20 years and will provide about 7% of the country's electricity. The first of its two EPR reactors is scheduled to be connected to the grid in 2027 and the second in 2028.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Fuel-loading-begins-at-Kakrapar-4

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd started loading the first fuel into the core of the pressurised heavy water reactor unit on 20 October, after receiving permission from India's Atomic Energy Regulatory Board.

Kakrapar 4 - also referred to as KAPP-4 - is one of two Indian-designed 700 MWe pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs) being built at the site in Gujarat. Kakrapar 3 (KAPP-3) entered commercial operation earlier this year, having reached initial criticality in mid-2020.

India's Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) said it had issued permission for fuel loading to begin "based on satisfactory outcome of the requisite safety review".

Kakrapar 3 and 4 are the first of sixteen 700 MWe PHWRs planned for construction in India. Two units are already under construction at Rajasthan units 7 and 8. Site work has also begun for the first of four planned units at Gorakhpur in Haryana.

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) said: "With the successful and stable operation of KAPP-3, the capability of NPCIL in setting up of indigenous reactors of PHWR technology of this size is validated and paves the path for early completion of the remaining 14 reactors."

The Indian government has sanctioned the construction of ten further 700 MWe PHWRs to be built in "fleet mode" by the end of 2031. These are: Kaiga units 5 and 6 in Karnataka; Gorakhpur units 3 and 4 in Haryana; Chutka units 1 and 2 in Madhya Pradesh; and Mahi Banswara units 1 and 2 and units 3 and 4 in Rajasthan.

Four Russian-supplied 1000 MWe VVER pressurised water reactors are under construction at Kudankulam, and a 500 MWe prototype fast breeder reactor is also under construction at Kalpakkam near Madras.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Flushing-of-safety-systems-at-Kursk-II

The flushing of the active and passive safety systems with the open reactor are described as a key moment in the pre-start-up checks for the first reactor at Kursk II nuclear power plant.

The process sees 60 tonnes of chemically demineralised water brought into the reactor vessel through the pressure compensator through the main circulation pipeline of the primary circuit. The water removes any impurities as well as checking that everything has been installed correctly and verifying the operability of the pump units in normal operation and safety systems.

Director of the Kursk NPP Andrey Osharin said that based on the results "we can verify that the installation was carried out correctly and the process equipment is ready for commissioning work”.

Oleg Shperle, Vice President of ASE JSC, Project Director for the construction of the Kursk NPP, said: "This is the first of numerous equipment inspections ... the next stage of post-installation cleaning is hydraulic testing and circulation flushing of the primary circuit of the reactor installation of the first power unit. These operations will prepare the first power unit of Kursk NPP-2 for physical start-up.”

Kursk II is a new nuclear power plant in western Russia, about 60 kilometres (37.5 miles) from the Ukraine border, that will feature two 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.

Construction of the first unit began in 2018, its polar crane was installed in October 2021 and the reactor vessel in June 2022. Concreting of the outer dome of the first unit was completed in August.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/SMRs-would-provide-economic-boost-to-Ontario,-says

The construction and operation of four small modular reactors (SMRs) by Ontario Power Generation at its Darlington site will contribute about CAD15.3 billion (USD11.2 billion) to Canada's GDP, including CAD13.7 billion to Ontario's GDP, according to a report by the Conference Board of Canada. The units will create and sustain 2000 jobs each year in Canada over the next 65 years, it says.

"There is now an increasing need for investing in stable and reliable energy resources, such as commercial-scale SMR technology," the report says. "The deployment of more nuclear power in Ontario is a major investment decision. It is therefore important to understand the potential economic benefits for the province and the country of investing in new nuclear power generation."

Conference Board of Canada partnered with Ontario Power Generation (OPG) to analyse the economic impact and fiscal benefits of building and operating four SMRs within Ontario.

It found the SMRs would have a substantial positive impact on the Ontario and Canadian economies, with Ontario reaping 89% of the economic benefit associated with the project.

Each SMR built would increase GDP by nearly CAD3.8 billion and provide 500 jobs annually over the 65-year period. In addition, the amount of tax revenues accruing to all levels of government is expected to be about CAD4.9 billion over the next 65 years, which includes plant construction and operations. The expected number of jobs created by the project will be about 113,161 provincially and 128,431 nationally.

"The economic impact, or the ratio of increased GDP to spending (the 'economic multiplier') is 0.82 – each dollar spent would increase Canadian GDP by CAD0.82 across the total lifespan of the technologies," Conference Board of Canada found.

On 31 October last year, OPG submitted an application to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) for a licence to construct a GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) BWRX-300 at the Darlington site. This licence is required before any nuclear construction work on the SMR can begin. However, site preparation work is already under way at the site. OPG expects to make a construction decision by the end of 2024. Construction of the unit is scheduled to be completed by late 2028, with the supply of power to the grid set to start in 2029.

The Ontario government announced in July it is working with OPG to begin planning and licensing for three additional BWRX-300 reactors at Darlington. Subject to Ontario Government and CNSC regulatory approvals on construction, the additional SMRs could come online between 2034 and 2036. This timing would allow OPG to apply learnings from the construction of the first unit to deliver cost savings on subsequent units, the government noted. Building multiple units will also allow common infrastructure such as cooling water intake, transmission connection and control room to be utilised by all four units instead of just one, reducing costs even further.

"Being the first North American mover of this innovative technology positions Ontario as a world leader in nuclear and a welcoming destination for new business," said OPG President and CEO Ken Hartwick. "Our plan to construct four new reactors at Darlington will also generate opportunities across Ontario and Canada as suppliers of nuclear components and services have an opportunity to expand to serve the growing SMR market here and abroad."

18 of country’s 19 commercially operational atomic plants in Ontario.

Fifty five percent of Canadians support the use of nuclear energy to generate electricity with support particularly strong in the province where most of the country’s reactors are located, according to an Ipsos study.

Support for nuclear is highest in Ontario, where 66% support nuclear energy.

Eighteen of Canada’s 19 commercially operational nuclear power plants are in Ontario, with the other one in New Brunswick.

These reactors amount to about 11,400 MW of generation capacity and are at three sites, Bruce, Darlington and Pickering.

Support is also strong in Atlantic Canada (65%) and the Prairie provinces (64%), while it is on par with national average in Alberta (56%) and British Columbia (52%).

Support is by far lower in Quebec, where only one-third (34%) support the use of nuclear energy to generate electricity. Quebec had two nuclear plants at Gentilly, but they have both been permanetlyshut down, the last in 2012.

Six-In-10 Support Refurbishment

Regarding the need for future electricity generation and the role of nuclear energy, a strong majority of Canadians agree that Canada needs more electricity generation to meet future demand (87%) and that nuclear energy should play a role in meeting this demand, in tandem with renewable generation such as wind and solar (62%).

Approximately six-in-10 (63%) Canadians support the refurbishment of existing nuclear power plants, while half (51%) support the construction of new nuclear power plants.

Support for refurbishment and building new nuclear power plants is highest in Ontario (74% and 62% respectively), while it is lowest in Quebec (44% and 31% respectively).

Six-in-10 Canadians agree that nuclear energy can help Canada meet its climate change goals (62%) and that nuclear generation can be considered a clean form of electricity (58%).

• Source: https://www.pzc.nl/borsele/nieuwe-kerncentrales-al-over-acht-jaar-open-zegt-topman-epz-ik-ben-absoluut-overtuigd-dat-het-kan~a636ca5d/
• Zonder paywall: https://archive.ph/bKFCT

De twee nieuwe kerncentrales bij Borssele kunnen al in 2031 klaar zijn. Dat is vier jaar eerder dan waar het kabinet op rekent. Carlo Wolters, directeur van kerncentrale-exploitant EPZ, zegt dat in een vraaggesprek met de PZC.

In december vorig jaar wees het kabinet Borssele aan als voorkeurslocatie voor de komst van twee nieuwe kerncentrales. Minister Rob Jetten (Klimaat en Energie) schreef aan de Tweede Kamer dat ‘op basis van voorlopige inzichten’ de bouw rond 2035 kan zijn afgerond. De kerncentrales krijgen elk een vermogen van 1000 tot 1650 megawatt. Borssele I heeft een vermogen van 500 megawatt.

,,Je kunt heel goed binnen budget en tijd bouwen, als je het project maar heel goed aanpakt en niet te ingewikkeld maakt", vertelt Wolters. ,,Daar zijn voorbeelden genoeg van te vinden in de wereld. Ik krijg heel veel vragen of het wel mogelijk is, maar ik ben er absoluut van overtuigd dat het kan.”

Drie jaar geleden schreef EPZ een visie op kernenergie in Nederland. Daarin stelde Wolters dat de bouwtijd van een nieuwe reactor acht jaar is. Belangrijkste voorwaarde is dan wel dat vergunningen en inspraakreacties op tijd zijn afgerond en dat gekozen wordt voor bestaande technologie. Het kabinet praat momenteel met drie bedrijven over de bouw van nieuwe kerncentrales: het Amerikaanse Westinghouse, het Franse staatsbedrijf EDF en KNHP uit Zuid-Korea. Volgens minister Jetten hebben die partijen allemaal ervaring met het bouwen van een bestaand type kerncentrale. Zij komen volgend jaar zomer met een technische haalbaarheidsstudie.

‘Pak een ontwerp van de plank’

Wolters is voorstander van het bestellen van bestaande technologie, een zogeheten generatie III+ reactor. Die zijn nog veiliger dan hun voorgangers. Zij worden gebouwd om lang mee te kunnen gaan. Als het kabinet kiest voor een bestaand type moet er tijdens de bouw niet gesleuteld worden aan ontwerp en regelgeving, zegt Wolters. ,,Dan weet je wat je krijgt. Toen deze, huidige centrale in 1969 gekocht is, is tegen leverancier KWU gezegd: bouw wat je hebt. Het was een turn-key opdracht.” De bouw van de kerncentrale Borssele duurde maar vier jaar.

De EPZ-topman verwacht overigens dat kernenergie in de toekomst niet alleen geproduceerd wordt door twee nieuwe grote centrales in Borssele. Hij voorspelt de bouw van van kleine modulaire reactoren (Small Modular Reactors of SMR’s) bij industrieën, die van fossiele brandstoffen overstappen op elektriciteit. Kleine reactoren zijn volgens hem nodig omdat er nu al krapte is op het volle elektriciteitsnet.

Source: https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/pressreleases/update-189-iaea-director-general-statement-on-situation-in-ukraine

Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has increased the number of reactors in hot shutdown to two units and has also started operating mobile diesel boilers as part of efforts to generate more heating during the winter, including to the nearby town of Enerhodar, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today.

The ZNPP ceased producing electricity for the national grid in September last year. Since April 2023, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant (NPP) has kept five reactors in cold shutdown and just one in hot shutdown to generate steam to process liquid radioactive waste and for other safety related functions.

Ahead of the upcoming winter months, however, it started transitioning a second reactor, unit 5, to hot shutdown last week. The reactor reached hot shutdown early on 16 October, joining unit 4 in this operational status. Both are now providing steam for the site and district heating to Enerhodar, where many plant staff live.

The IAEA has been encouraging the ZNPP over many months to find an alternative source of steam generation and, as previously reported, the Agency experts at the site have been informed that the plant has ordered an external steam generator to meet its requirements, which would allow all six reactor units to be placed in cold shutdown. However, the installation of this equipment is not expected to be completed until the first part of next year. Ukraine’s national regulator, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU), issued regulatory orders in June to limit the operation of all six units of the ZNPP to a cold shutdown state.

The ZNPP separately informed the IAEA late last week that it had decided to close the reactor vessel of unit 3 – which had been left open and was being used as a reservoir of borated water in case it was needed. Borated water is used for cooling the nuclear fuel in the primary circuit of pressurized water reactors and the spent fuel stored in pools. ZNPP has informed ISAMZ that there currently are sufficient supplies of such water on site. The IAEA supports this decision of the ZNPP to close the unit 3 reactor because it strengthens the defence in depth, improving the nuclear safety status of the unit. The ZNPP has said it has no plans to put more than two reactors in hot shutdown.

Also ahead of the winter, the IAEA was this week informed that the nine mobile diesel boilers with varying capacity of between 1 and 6.5 megawatts – installed at the ZNPP and used for district heating also during the previous cold season – are being put into service again, with eight of them currently operating.

Following the detection of minor water leaks in two of the steam generators in unit 6, earlier this month, the ZNPP has successfully completed and tested the repairs of the identified defective steam generator tubes. The testing demonstrated that there were no water leaks detected in any of the four steam generators of unit 6. The ZNPP has now started planned maintenance work on part of the unit’s safety systems.

In the latest indications of military activities some distance away from the ZNPP, the experts have continued to hear explosions almost every day and they have also heard occasional machine gun fire.

The IAEA has been informed that the power supply to Enerhodar was cut for more than two hours in the evening of 18 October. It was not clear what caused the failure. This follows reports that about a week ago an electrical substation was damaged, leading to some parts of the city being left without electricity and water.

Over the past week, the IAEA team has performed walkdowns across the ZNPP site, including in the main control rooms of units 1, 3, 4, and 6, the turbine hall of unit 6, the reactor buildings of units 1 and 3, the emergency diesel generators of units 3, 4 and 6, as well as within the site perimeter. No mines or explosives were observed during these walkdowns, the team reported.

As part of these activities, the IAEA experts also continue to closely observe the performance of the operating staff as the team collects more information about the status of staffing as well as the training and licensing of staff at the plant under the Russian Federation’s regulations.

Following the team’s visit to the rooftop of unit 2 earlier this month, the team has continued to request access to the rooftops of reactor units 1, 5 and 6. The IAEA experts also need access to all six turbine halls together. They were, on 18 October, able to access all floors of the turbine hall of unit 3 but were only allowed partial access to the turbine hall of unit 4 on the same day.

The IAEA teams at Ukraine’s three other NPPs and the Chornobyl site report safe and secure operations of these nuclear facilities despite the continuation of the armed conflict. The IAEA earlier this week conducted successful rotations of its teams at Chornobyl, and the Rivne, Khmelnitsky and South Ukraine NPPs.

The IAEA last week completed its 29th delivery of equipment and other items designed to enhance nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, providing dissolved oxygen analysers, sodium and gas analysers, as well as an oscilloscope multi-meter to the SUNPP. The equipment was procured using extrabudgetary contributions from Japan and the United Kingdom.

IAEA scientists and experts from international laboratories are visiting Japan this week to take marine samples near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. This short video shows the IAEA marine radioactivity experts and independent experts from partner laboratories in the ALMERA network observing the collection of samples of fish, seawater, seaweed and sediment.

Contracts also signed by companies in US.

Framatome has created a new brand, Framatome Space, as it prepares to play “a decisive role” in the future of space exploration.

The French nuclear reactor company already supplies the space industry with domes for the tanks of launchers and hafnium for the hardened alloys for spacecraft.

The company said the space industry is looking to nuclear to facilitate faster and more efficient missions.

“Space is enjoying renewed interest across the globe and a whole new generation is set to embark on a new age of space travel,” a statement said. “Future space exploration can be enabled or enhanced by nuclear power

Framatome said nuclear propulsion can offer higher speeds, greater efficiency and can significantly reduce the time needed to reach Mars.

“Nuclear power could also provide electricity enabling the development of a suitable environment for a sustained human presence on the Moon,” the company said. USNC Wins $5 Million Nasa Contract

In another space-related development for the nuclear sector, Seattle, US-based Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation has been awarded a $5m (€4.7m) contract by Nasa to develop nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) systems for “cislunar” expedition between the Earth and the Moon.

USNC said it will manufacture and test advanced, proprietary fuel the company has developed. It will also work with its commercial partner, Blue Origin, to mature the design of an NTP engine specifically optimised for near-term civil science and cislunar missions. SpaceNukes Signs Partnership For Jetson Project

The Los Alamos, US-based Space Nuclear Power Corporation, known as SpaceNukes, has partnered with Lockheed Martin Corporation and BWX Technologies for the US’s Jetson nuclear electric propulsion demonstration project.

The Jetson effort, managed by the Space Vehicles Directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico began in 2022 and was formally launched with solicitations for spacecraft concepts that might employ nuclear fission reactors.

SpaceNukes is developing Kilopower, a small, lightweight fission power system capable of providing various ranges of power depending on the need. Low-kilowatt reactors could power deep space missions, middle-range reactors in the tens of kilowatts could power a lunar or Martian habitat, and much larger reactors in the hundreds of kilowatts could make enough propellant for a rocket to return to Earth after a stay on Mars.

In 2020, the US government’s Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico signed an agreement to licence the Kilopower space reactor technology to SpaceNukes, a move it said would speed up development of the technology.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Westinghouse-signs-Bulgaria-supplier-MoUs

A series of memorandums of understanding (MoU) have been signed by Westinghouse Electric Company with suppliers in Bulgaria for the proposed new units at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant and other potential projects.

The companies signing MoUs include OSKAR-EL, EnergoService and EQE Bulgaria, with the potential work including manufacturing of key components such as the instrumentation and controls systems, radiation monitoring systems and engineering and consulting services.

David Durham, president of Energy Systems at Westinghouse, said: "The Bulgarian nuclear supply chain is deeply experienced and will be critical in supporting our successful delivery of the world’s most advanced, proven AP1000 reactor for our customer."

The event was hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria, whose CEO Ivan Mihaylov said: "Expanding the partnerships of the company with proven and well-qualified local suppliers is key for the sustainable development of the project here."

Earlier this year Westinghouse and Kozloduy NPP-Newbuild signed an MoU to initiate planning for the potential deployment of one or more of its AP1000 reactors at Kozloduy.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Ukraine-brings-in-pre-licensing-assessment-for-nuc

The large increase in proposed new nuclear energy projects has led the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) to establish a pre-licensing system based on the approach used by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

The need for the new regulations, which were agreed at a meeting on Thursday, was the result of the large number - more than 100 over the past two decades - of new plant proposals which often feature new technology and have no equivalents in existing nuclear power plants, said SNRIU.

It will be particularly focused on small modular reactors, which the country says is one of its main priorities for its energy system.

The pre-licensing process is optional and its purpose is "identification of potential problematic issues" and "identification of those technological solutions that may significantly complicate or make it impossible to obtain a license for the construction of nuclear facilities in the future".

SNRIU said the main task of the pre-licensing assessment is to assess the proposals against things including national safety requirements and rules for nuclear and radiation safety as well as IAEA requirements and recommendations.

It said the pre-licensing assessment's introduction in Ukraine follows the experience of similar systems in the USA, Canada and the UK. The US Bookhaven National Laboratory supported the SNRIU's State Scientific and Technical Centre for Nuclear and Radiation Safety of Ukraine in developing the document setting out the regulations, which proposes 19 initial directions for pre-licensing assessments.

Ukraine has been planning for an expansion of its nuclear energy requirements, with a range of companies signing agreements they hope will lead to large and small reactor projects in the country. In August, a memorandum of understanding on cooperation and the exchange of information in nuclear regulatory matters was signed between SNRIU and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Orano-to-expand-capacity-of-French-enrichment-plan

The board of directors of Orano has approved an investment of some EUR1.7 billion (USD1.8 billion) to raise the production capacity of the Georges Besse II (GB-II) uranium enrichment plant at the Tricastin site in southern France by more than 30%.

The project consists of building a further four modules identical to the 14 existing modules "with the same recognised, tried-and-tested technology and with a reduced environmental footprint", the company said. The additional cascades will increase the plant's capacity by 2.5 million separative work units (SWU), the measurement applied to uranium enrichment.

The GB-II centrifuge enrichment plant - which superseded the Georges Besse I gaseous diffusion enrichment plant that ended production in June 2012 - was officially opened in December 2010 and reached its full production capacity of 7.5 million SWU in 2016.

"In the current geopolitical context, the purpose of this increase in enrichment capacities is to strengthen Western energy sovereignty in France," said Orano Chairman Claude Imauven. "Orano's decision responds to requirements expressed by our customers to strengthen their security of supply with production expected to start up as of 2028."

"This project is seeing the light of day thanks to the support of our customers and to the technical and commercial teams from Orano which have been mobilised on the project since March 2022," said François Lurin, senior executive vice president of Orano's Chemistry-Enrichment Business Unit. "With this extension to capacity, the uranium produced on the Orano Tricastin site will allow low-carbon energy to be supplied to the equivalent of 120 million households each year."

He noted "the importance of the support of the Japanese (Japan France Enrichment Investing, a consortium of Japanese utilities) and Korean (Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power) shareholders in the Tricastin enrichment company SETH (Société d'Enrichissement du Tricastin Holding) in the realisation of this project".

Last month, Lurin said the decision to extend capacity follows requests from some US and European customers who are seeking alternatives to Russian sources of supply. "We have been considering various options and we have concluded that the only way to supply additional needs was to build an extension to our existing capacities and the primary choice we would be able to make is to build up an extension on our Tricastin site at GB-II plant," he said in a video interview. He added: "We are happy to say that we would be able to start up production in 2028, with a ramp-up over two to three years up to a nominal production in 2030."

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Nuclear-companies-sign-up-for-space-technology-mis

With nuclear technology set to underpin new developments in space travel, NASA has awarded Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation a contract to manufacture and test fuel and develop the design of a nuclear thermal propulsion engine for near-term missions. Separately, Space Nuclear Power Corporation has partnered with Lockheed Martin Corporation and BWX Technologies for the US Space Force/Air Force's JETSON nuclear electric propulsion demonstration project, while Framatome has announced the creation of a new brand, Framatome Space.

The USD5 million NASA contract announced by USNC on 17 October will see the company manufacture and test the advanced, proprietary fuel it has already developed through internal research and development efforts. Simultaneously, the company will collaborate with its commercial partner, Blue Origin, to mature the design of a nuclear thermal propulsion engine which has been optimised for near-term civil science and cislunar (between the Earth and the Moon) space missions.

This latest contract will see nuclear thermal propulsion "move from the paper phase into hardware", Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) said. The effort will build on the foundations laid by NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's DRACO - short for Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations - programme, which aims to demonstrate a nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) system in orbit by 2027.

Vishal Patel, USNC programme manager for Nuclear Propulsion, said the coming months will be a "critical and exciting" time for NTP, which still needs significant development before it is ready to be deployed to move "real" payloads in space. "This next year will get us prepared for operational missions achieving higher performance after the DRACO demonstration," he said.

USNC earlier this year delivered uranium nitride-coated uranium oxycarbide tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel to NASA's Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion programme. This latest contract builds on that delivery, with USNC manufacturing fuel assemblies for testing in prototypic conditions. The company will also build and test critical safety systems for the NTP engine, which is a prerequisite for eventual testing of the integrated nuclear system at a DOE site, USNC Chief Scientist for Advanced Technologies Michael Eades said.

SpaceNukes joins JETSON

The JETSON - Joint Emergent Technology Supplying On-orbit Nuclear Power - nuclear electric propulsion demonstration project was launched in January when the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)/Space Vehicle Directorate issued solicitations to industry for high and low-power spacecraft concepts and designs using nuclear fission, rather than solar panels, for propulsion. On 3 October, the AFRL awarded Lockheed Martin, Westinghouse Government Services and Intuitive Machines LLC separate contracts totalling over USD53 million to develop the technologies and spacecraft concepts.

Space Nuclear Power Corporation (SpaceNukes), which is commercialising Kilopower space fission reactor technology under licence from Los Alamos National Laboratory, announced on 16 October that it has partnered with Lockheed Martin Corporation and BWX Technologies for the JETSON project. Lockheed Martin-Space is to provide the spacecraft portion of the work; SpaceNukes will design and guide the assembly of the nuclear reactor power system which will provide electrical power to the spacecraft; and BWX Technologies will "bring their extensive experience in reactor development and manufacturing to ensure the reactor design is fit for the purpose," SpaceNukes said.

SpaceNukes co-founder and CEO Andy Phelps said the New Mexico-based company has already taken the Kilopower design to "much higher" power levels than the 1 kWe reached in the Kilopower Reactor Using Stirling Technology (also known as KRUSTY) demonstration carried out at Los Alamos National Laboratory in 2017-2018.

"The potential of fission power in space is immense and the US must start with a small step to create the expertise and infrastructure needed to provide truly astounding and game-changing capabilities," he said.

Framatome joins space race

Framatome has announced the creation of Framatome Space, which it said is putting the French company's 65 years of nuclear and industrial expertise at the service of the space industry. The company is already supporting the French Alternative Energies & Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and Ariane Group with a feasibility study on an nuclear thermal propulsion engine and earlier this year announced plans with USNC to form a joint venture to manufacture TRISO particles on a commercial scale.

"Framatome is proud to be part of the new age of space travel. We already supply the space industry with domes for the tanks of launchers and hafnium for the hardened alloys for spacecraft. With the creation of Framatome Space we are taking things to the next level," CEO Bernard Fontana said. "The space industry is looking to nuclear to facilitate faster and more efficient missions. Who better than Framatome, with over six decades of experience and expertise in nuclear power, to contribute to the next giant leap for mankind?"

Vice President, Strategy at Framatome and Framatome Space Grégoire Lambert said the company is ready to play a "decisive role" in the future of space exploration. "We firmly believe that nuclear is a game changer to provide the amount of energy needed by any development," he said.

On October 16, the Nuclear Regulation Authority of Japan (NRA) completed its final inspection of Takahama-2 (PWR, 826MW), owned and operated by the Kansai Electric Power Co. (Kansai EP). The reactor then returned to commercial operation after a shutdown of about twelve years. It joins Kansai EP’s Mihama-3 and Takahama-1 as the third nuclear power plant (NPP) in Japan to operate more than 40 years.

So that Takahama-2’s operation could resume, Kansai EP filed applications with the NRA, together with those for Takahama-1 and Mihama-3, for safety examinations to confirm its compliance with the country’s new regulatory standards. To extend their operating lifetimes to 60 years, also, the company had submitted applications for Takahama-1 and Takahama-2 back in April 2015. In April 2016, it received permission to amend the reactor installations (basic design approvals) of both units.

Thereafter, Kansai EP conducted work related to safety measures and obtained local consent. It also completed installation work on the two emergency response buildings referred to in the standards as “specific safety facilities” (permanent backup facilities to be used in the event of an intentional aircraft strikes or other terrorist attacks). The facilities for Takahama-1 became operational some three months ago, on July 14, and those for Takahama-2 on August 31.

Takahama-1 reconnected to the grid on August 2 and restarted commercial operation on August 28. Meanwhile, Takahama-2 reconnected to the grid on September 20 and returned to commercial operation on October 16. With the restart of Takahama-2, all seven NPPs (6,578MW) owned by Kansai EP―Mihama-3, Takahama-1, -2, -3, and -4, and Ohi-3 and -4―are generating electricity again.

Kansai EP’s President MORI Nozomu then released the following comment: “Maximum use of NPPs is essential in order to achieve the goal of ‘S+3E’ (safety, along with energy security, economy and environmental protection).” He also reiterated the company’s determination to maintain safe, stable operations.

Takahama-2 made its debut as Japan’s tenth commercial reactor on November 14, 1975, exactly one year after Takahama-1, bringing Japan’s nuclear installed capacity to more than 5,000MW. At that time, 13 NPPs were under construction nationwide.

Een van de bedrijven die ik met interesse volg is het Amerikaanse Helion Energy. Ik ben geen expert en volg de discussie over kernfusie sinds jaren op afstand en had steeds de indruk dat kernfusie altijd 30 jaar in de toekomst ligt. En nou is er opeens een bedrijf dat zegt dat ze al over 7 jaar een werkende kernfusie reactor te hebben die daadwerkelijk stroom gaat opwekken. Dat zou toch mooi zijn als het lukt.