Nuclear Energy

Case ‘crosses multiple jurisdictions and covers two issues’.

Westinghouse is to appeal a US district court decision to dismiss a lawsuit to stop two South Korean state-run companies from exporting nuclear power plants, determining it is not qualified to take the legal move.

The District Court for the District of Columbia rejected the complaint that Westinghouse filed against Korea Hydro Nuclear Power (KHNP) and parent company Korea Electric Power (Kepco) last October.

The US company filed the suit to prevent the South Korean companies from transferring technical information on reactor designs, which it claims have been licensed by it, to Poland and other countries under a US export control regulation.

In the legal filing in October, Westinghouse said KHNP’s APR14000 reactor design includes intellectual property licensed by Westinghouse and requires permission from the US company before being transferred to Poland and other countries considering deploying the plant.

Westinghouse told NucNet in an email that its dispute with Kepco/KHNP crosses multiple jurisdictions and covers two issues: compliance with US nuclear technology export control requirements, and Kepco/KHNP’s long-standing obligations to comply with Westinghouse’s intellectual property rights that they agreed to contractually.

The use of Westinghouse intellectual property outside South Korea is the principal dispute between the parties.

“The decision by the US District Court merely holds that export control enforcement resides with the US government,” said David Durham, president of energy systems at Westinghouse. “Westinghouse intends to appeal the decision.”

The decision has no bearing on the ongoing arbitration proceeding against Kepco/KHNP involving Kepco/KHNP’s non-allowed transfer of Westinghouse’s intellectual property outside South Korea.

“Westinghouse is committed to protecting our intellectual property and we fully expect to be successful in the arbitration on all issues,” Westinghouse said.

The arbitration panel has confirmed that a final ruling is not expected until late 2025.

Canada is helping to finance two new nuclear reactors in Romania, which that country's energy minister says will help diminish Russia's ability to use its energy exports as a weapon.

Canadian Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson signed the $3-billion deal with his Romanian counterpart, Sebastian Burduja, in Ottawa today.

The Canadian financing is limited to what Romania's nuclear operator spends to buy equipment and expertise from Canadian companies.

Burduja says the deal is partly about climate change, because it will help ease Romania's need to burn coal to make electricity.

But he says it is first and foremost about adding new non-Russian energy sources, and Romania is in talks to share with other countries in the region to ease their reliance on Russia, too.

Two Canadian-made Candu reactors already account for one-quarter of Romania's electricity supply and the two additional reactors will increase that to almost one-third.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/CEZ-extends-deadline-for-final-bids-for-new-unit

The Czech company ČEZ has pushed back the deadline to the end of October for final bids to be submitted to construct a new nuclear unit at the Dukovany nuclear power plant.

The tender for the new nuclear unit was launched in March 2022, when a security qualification of potential vendors was completed, with preliminary bids received in November from the US company Westinghouse, France's EDF and South Korea's Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP).

ČEZ said it had agreed to extend the deadline at the request of one of the bidders. It had already extended the original deadline from 15 September to 2 October at the request of another one of the bidders, it said, adding that "during the selection process applicants sent hundreds of additional questions and visited the location itself several times".

The aim is for the new unit to start trial operation in 2036. As well as submitting the binding offer for the one block, the bidders are also expected to submit non-binding offers for three other proposed new nuclear blocks.

Once the offers are received ČEZ "will evaluate all submitted offers and submit the evaluation report to the government of the Czech Republic for final approval". A legal framework for funding the construction, known as Lex Dukovany, brought in in September 2021, will allow ČEZ as a state-owned company to purchase electricity from new nuclear plants at a fixed rate for at least 30 years, with the possibility of extension. The power will be resold on the wholesale market and any profit or loss translated into an adjustment to power bills, although the government said it will set an upper limit on any extra cost.

Westinghouse is proposing its AP1000, KHNP its APR1400 design and EDF its EPR1200, which is a smaller version of its EPR design. All three are pressurised water reactors. Across Europe the larger EPR design of about 1650 MWe is under construction in France and the UK and being commissioned in Finland, while the AP1000 and APR1400 were both recently selected for construction in Poland.

Earlier this month Czech Republic Prime Minister Petr Fiala said that he thought the new unit was "far from the only opportunity" and he believed the country would need "up to four in the future".

Four VVER-440 units are currently in operation at the Dukovany site, which began operating between 1985 and 1987. Two VVER-1000 units are in operation at Temelín, which came into operation in 2000 and 2002. Past Czech energy policy has proposed two new units at each of the two existing sites. There are also developing plans for small modular reactors in the country in an area near the existing Temelin plant. The Czech Republic gets about 34% of its electricity from its nuclear power plants.

Nuclear’s focus on the future and on building something to benefit future generations aligns with traditional First Nation values and wisdom.

We are facing a problem worldwide that we urgently need to solve.

Our reliance on fossil fuels is leading to a catastrophe for the Earth, yet continuous power generation is essential to maintain our way of life. We need a solution that can meet our energy needs while not causing more undue harm to Mother Earth.

Indigenous people are stewards of the land, and have always been in touch with the lands. We understand the importance of considering the long-term impact of our decisions, not just how they will affect this generation, but also our next seven generations. If we want these generations to be able to access energy, we need to make smart, informed decisions now.

The importance of reliable, clean energy for the good of the land and its people has drawn me to nuclear as an essential part of the solution. As we move forward, I believe that nuclear energy can address the energy concerns of not just the province of New Brunswick, but also the entire country and the world. This is a source that will solve our energy needs for many years to come.

Renewables like wind, solar, and hydro can and should be part of the solution as well, but they cannot meet our needs on their own. What do you do when the sun doesn’t shine, the wind doesn’t blow, and the water doesn’t flow? We still need a sound baseline power source.

Nuclear is the best complement to renewables that we have. Around one third of New Brunswick’s power already comes from nuclear—we already know it works. Its power generation isn’t dependant on weather conditions, and because it doesn’t emit greenhouse gases, it doesn’t contribute to climate change. Nuclear is the proven, reliable source we need.

Nuclear energy does come with an asterisk: waste. While nuclear produces relatively small amounts of waste, some of it remains radioactive for thousands of years. While we know how to manage and store it securely, it’s still something we are leaving in the care of future generations for a long time.

But now, we have a company in New Brunswick developing another way to handle nuclear waste. Moltex Energy can recycle that waste and use it to produce more energy. In doing so, the process can not only reduce waste volumes, but also its radioactivity.

As well, this nuclear waste recycling process allows us to do more with the resources we already have. We would not burn the bark off a log and throw away the rest of the wood when building a fire, but with conventional nuclear reactors, we are doing just that with their fuel. Nuclear fuel recycling allows us to make the best possible use of the valuable resources Mother Earth has given us, maximizing the energy we are able to produce from them.

I realize that at first glance, nuclear energy and First Nations can appear to be strange bedfellows. But in reality, nuclear’s focus on the future and on building something to benefit future generations aligns with traditional First Nation values and wisdom. If we want to create a prosperous future for our children, grandchildren, and the next seven generations, then I believe that nuclear energy development and innovation must be a priority. Also, if we want to leave a better world for those who come after us—one in which people enjoy abundant energy, as well as a healthier planet—we need to start now.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/US-university-builds-facility-for-first-of-a-kind

The Gayle and Max Dillard Science and Engineering Research Center (SERC) at Abilene Christian University (ACU) in Texas will host the Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing Laboratory (NEXT Lab) and a first-of-a-kind advanced reactor facility.

The new USD23 million, 28,000 square foot (2600 square metre) facility was officially opened on 1 September. It features a 6,000 square foot research bay with a 25-foot deep, 80-foot long shielded trench and a 40-tonne crane, as well as a training control room, conference room, office spaces, machine shop, and specialised laboratories for radiochemistry, molten salt systems and instrumentation. Its construction has been funded by private donors.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission is currently reviewing ACU's August 2022 application to construct a 1 MW (thermal), low-power molten salt research reactor, also known as MSRR, at the NEXT Lab facility. The reactor is being designed by Texas-based Natura Resources and the effort is being supported by the Natura Resources Research Alliance of ACU, Georgia Institute of Technology, Texas A&M University, and The University of Texas at Austin, supported by USD30.5 million in sponsored research agreements. A detailed design engineering contract has been awarded to Zachry Nuclear Engineering, part of Zachry Group.

Natura Resources said it is seeking to deploy its first molten salt reactor system in the new facility by 2026, and then to deploy larger systems of the factory-build modular reactors for commercial operations in the early 2030s.

A U.S. District Court has dismissed Westinghouse's yearlong case against Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and its parent company Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco).

With the latest ruling favoring the state-run companies, Korea breathed a sigh of relief for avoiding a major risk in future nuclear export deals, as the country is vying to win major power plant deals in central Europe.

However, it still left room for further disputes, as the issue of intellectual property infringement of nuclear reactor technology remains yet to be fully resolved.

Westinghouse filed a lawsuit in the District Court for the District of Columbia against KHNP in October last year for intellectual property infringement, in order to block the company from selling nuclear reactors to Poland and other countries.

The Pittsburgh-based power generator manufacturer claimed that KHNP needs U.S. government consent to sell its APR1400 nuclear reactor overseas under the Part 810 export control regulation because the plant’s design incorporates Westinghouse technology.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Part 810 regulation controls the technology transfer of nuclear reactors and equipment to foreign entities.

Had the court ruled in Westinghouse’s favor, the decision may have obligated KHNP and Kepco to receive approval from the U.S. government for nuclear exports, posing a significant setback for the country’s goal of exporting 10 nuclear plants by 2030.

However, the district court ruled in favor of KHNP and Kepco Monday, accepting the defendants’ argument that the authority to enforce the export restriction had been delegated exclusively to the U.S. Attorney General, and therefore, a private entity that is not the U.S. government does not hold the legal ground for enforcement against KHNP.

However, KHNP may continue to face legal or other administrative challenges as the dismissal did not address whether the company violated Westinghouse's intellectual property rights.

KHNP and Kepco have been claiming that while it did receive assistance from Westinghouse in the early stages of APR1400 development, the core technology is domestically developed and free from U.S. export restrictions.

The question of whether the technology transfer of the APR1400 reactor design would infringe on Westinghouse’s intellectual property rights is yet to be answered.

KHNP previously submitted a filing for its bid for an 8 trillion won ($6.02 billion) project in Dukovany, the Czech Republic, which was declined by the U.S. Department of Energy in January saying that the documentation must be submitted by "U.S. Persons,” meaning that it requires Westinghouse’s participation.

KHNP is currently pursuing arbitration over the intellectual property dispute against Westinghouse through the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board as well.

KHNP signed a letter of intent for the 1.4-gigawatt Patnow project with Polish counterparts last year to build two nuclear plants using the APR1400 reactor technology. The nuclear company is also competing with Westinghouse and France’s state-owned EDF to win the 1.2-gigawatt Dukovany project in the Czech Republic.

Following the court ruling, nuclear-related stocks closed higher in the market on Tuesday, driven by investors’ growing expectations for new deals. Doosan Enerbility increased 5.17 percent to close at 17,900 won, and Kepco Engineering & Construction rose 4.95 percent to 65,700 won.

Molten salt test reactor will be built alongside test plant at Oak Ridge.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has formally accepted for review Kairos Power’s construction permit application (CPA) for Hermes 2, a proposed two-unit demonstration plant that would produce electricity and is intended to be deployed in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

California, US-based Kairos said Hermes 2, a molten salt test reactor, would build upon work it has already carried out to further “de-risk technology, construction, supply chain, and licensing for a multi-reactor plant”.

The NRC said the Hermes 2 demonstration plant is intended to provide operational data to support the development of a larger version for commercial deployment. Kairos will have to submit a separate application in the future for an operating licence for Hermes 2.

Kairos said licensing certainty is a key part of its strategy to achieve cost certainty for its advanced fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR) technology.

In July, Kairos submitted a CPA to the NRC for permission to build the Hermes 2 plant next to a Hermes molten salt test reactor it plans to build at Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

In June, the NRC issued a final safety evaluation report for Kairos’ application to build the test reactor – a 35 MW (thermal) non-power version of Hermes 2, at Oak Ridge. The company said at the time it expected to receive the construction licence later this year.

In May the NRC’s independent advisory committee on reactor safeguards recommended the construction licence be approved.

Hermes will use tri-structural isotropic particle fuel (Triso) and molten salt to cool the reactor core.

Earlier this year Kairos signed an agreement to produce Triso fuel pebbles for the Hermes demonstration reactor at Los Alamos’ low-enriched fuel fabrication facility in New Mexico.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Iran-withdraws-further-IAEA-inspector-designations

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has called for the Iranian government to reconsider the decision which affects the planning and conducting of nuclear safeguards verification activities.

Grossi said the Islamic Republic of Iran informed him on 16 September of its decision to withdraw the designation of several experienced IAEA inspectors assigned to conduct verification activities in Iran under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Safeguards Agreement. Together with the previous recent withdrawal of the designation of another IAEA inspector, Iran has "effectively removed about one third of the core group" of the agency's most experienced inspectors, he added.

Although Iran is formally allowed to do this under its safeguards agreement, Grossi said he "strongly" condemned the "disproportionate and unprecedented unilateral measure" as a "step in the wrong direction" and an "unnecessary blow to an already strained relationship between the IAEA and Iran in the implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement".

"Without effective cooperation, confidence and trust will continue to be elusive and the agency will not be in a position to discharge effectively its verification mandate in Iran and provide credible assurances that nuclear material and activities in Iran are for peaceful purposes," he said.

"Our experience demonstrates that shutting out Agency inspectors affects our essential verification mandate and is not the way of working in a cooperative manner.

"I call upon the Iranian Government to reconsider its decision and to return to a path of cooperation with the agency."

The European Union (EU) said it was also "highly concerned" by the development. "Particularly worrying is the direct and severe impact of this decision on the Agency's ability to conduct its verification activities, which includes the monitoring of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)," an official statement said. "The EU urges Iran to reconsider its decision without delay."

The JCPOA is the 2015 agreement between Iran and the so-called P5+1 - the USA (which subsequently withdrew from the deal in May 2018), the UK, France, China, Russia and Germany - under which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activities including uranium enrichment over a 15-year period and to allow in international inspectors in return for the lifting of economic sanctions. The IAEA is responsible for verifying and monitoring the implementation by Iran of its nuclear-related commitments under the agreement.

The next stage of the JCPOA - Transition Day - is due to be reached in October this year, and will trigger the lifting of the remaining nuclear-related sanctions, ballistic missile restrictions, and related designations. On 14 September - two days before Iran's notification to Grossi - the France, Germany and the UK (together known as the E3) said they intend to maintain nuclear proliferation-related measures on Iran, as well as arms and missile embargoes beyond Transition day in "direct response to Iran's consistent and severe non-compliance with its JCPOA commitments since 2019". A spokesman for the E3 said the group remained committed to finding a diplomatic solution, and would be ready to reverse the decision, should Iran fully implement its JCPOA commitments.

Also on 14 September, a group of 63 IAEA member states from all regional groups including all EU member states signed a joint statement expressing concern at Iran's lack of cooperation on NPT Safeguards Agreement and calling on Iran to "act immediately to fulfil its legal obligations" and address outstanding safeguards issues.

Nasser Kanaani, a spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, reacted to Grossi's statement saying that the E3 and the USA had "taken advantage of the atmosphere in the [IAEA] Board of Governors for their own political goals with the aim of ruining the atmosphere of cooperation between Iran and the agency" but said Iran would continue "positive cooperation" within the framework of existing agreements.

Tasnim News reported that the IAEA inspectors whose designations were suspended are from France and Germany.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Private-investment-sought-for-Sizewell-C-project

The UK's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has launched a pre-qualification for potential investors as the first stage of an equity raise process for the Sizewell C nuclear power plant project in Suffolk, England.

"Specifically, we are aiming to obtain investment from organisations able to take a meaningful stake in the company," the department said.

"Being able and willing to own a significant part of the company's equity will be vital in ensuring that investors are able to have a substantial and positive influence on delivery over the construction period. It will also ensure that investors are meaningfully exposed to the incentives included in the company's licence, motivating them to monitor and intervene in delivery."

It added that private sector investors must "bring sufficient benefits to the company to justify their involvement". Investment is therefore being sought by the government, the Sizewell C Company and EDF - the project's lead developer - from companies with significant experience in the delivery of major infrastructure projects, especially in large-scale nuclear or other complex energy or infrastructure projects.

"In taking this stake, at the time of a positive Final Investment Decision, investors would be expected to make a commitment to their share of the company's equity requirement," the department said. "This would provide confidence to the government, EDF and the company that new investors would fulfil their shareholder obligations as Sizewell C moves into the full construction phase."

Prospective investors have now been invited to complete a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ), which will set out certain requirements in more detail which investors will need to meet in order to pre-qualify. The PQQ is a bidding requirement for the equity raise, and compliance with it is a pre-requisite for any potential investor to be eligible for participation in the rest of the process. Investors will have until 9 October to submit their responses to the pre-qualification questions. Following assessment of their responses, the investors who have been successful in the pre-qualification phase shall be invited to participate in the bidding process for the Sizewell C equity raise.

In January last year, the UK government provided GBP100 million in funding to develop the project, and also took legislation through parliament allowing a new way of funding new large infrastructure projects - a Regulated Asset Base (RAB) funding model - and in this case gave itself the option to take a 20% stake in the project.

"The government has assessed that seeking private investment through the RAB structure has true potential to result in a good value for money outcome for consumers and taxpayers, as the RAB structure is set up to incentivise the company (and in turn, the private investors) to drive the project's construction to schedule and ultimately help to promote efficiency and enhance overall value," the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said.

"Any investment will be subject to strict national security checks," it added.

The government has already invested GBP700 million (USD868 million) in the project and ministers have also made GBP511 million available to continue project development and prepare the site for construction, ahead of the planned private equity raise for the project in advance.

"Investing in Sizewell C is an exciting opportunity to be a part of the UK's nuclear revival - delivering clean, reliable, and affordable power for generations to come," said Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Claire Coutinho. "This project will create thousands of jobs, power six million homes and will boost our energy security. We are focused on securing good value for taxpayers and look forward to seeing strong and competitive bids to be a part of this exciting project."

Sizewell C Company Joint Managing Director Julia Pyke added: "The launch of the formal equity raise opens another exciting phase for the project, following a positive response from investors during market testing. Investors who participate in Sizewell C would be contributing to one of the biggest clean energy projects in the UK. They should feel confident in our proposals as we are building a replica project with government backing, a mature reactor design and a workforce ready to build it."

The plan is for Sizewell C to feature two EPRs producing 3.2 GW of electricity, enough to power the equivalent of around six million homes. It would be a "replica" of the Hinkley Point C plant, under construction in Somerset.

EDF agreed in October 2016 with China General Nuclear (CGN) to develop the Sizewell C project to the point where a final investment decision could be made. EDF had an 80% stake and CGN a 20% stake. CGN planned that becoming a minor shareholder in the project would "lay the foundation for further development of CGN-led projects in the UK", notably at Bradwell B. However, the so-called "golden era" of UK-China relations has ended in recent years with the UK government citing security concerns as it reviewed and blocked Chinese investments in UK infrastructure. In November 2022, the UK said it will invest GBP679 million and become a 50% partner with EDF in the Sizewell C nuclear project.

Welcoming the commencement of the private investment process, Nuclear Industry Association Chief Executive Tom Greatrex said: "This marks the start of an exciting new chapter for Sizewell C and for the future of nuclear in the UK. The capital raise is vital to delivering the project, which will ultimately ensure we have better energy security and enough clean power to meet future demand. Sizewell C will be one of the world's greatest low-carbon assets, helping the UK significantly cut reliance on gas and creating thousands of highly-skilled jobs across the country."

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Long-term-safety-of-Asco-plant-reviewed-by-IAEA

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts has completed a follow-up review of long-term operational safety at the Ascó nuclear power plant in Spain. The team reviewed the plant's response to recommendations and suggestions made during a Safety Aspects of Long-Term Operation (SALTO) mission in 2021.

A SALTO peer review is a comprehensive safety review addressing strategy and key elements for the safe long-term operation (LTO) of nuclear power plants. SALTO missions complement IAEA Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) missions which are designed as a review of programmes and activities essential to operational safety. SALTO peer reviews can be carried out at any time during the lifetime of a nuclear power plant, although according to the IAEA the most suitable time lies within the last ten years of the plant's originally foreseen operating period. SALTO and OSART reviews are carried out at the request of the IAEA member country in which the review is to take place.

The Ascó plant comprises two Westinghouse pressurised water reactor units with an installed capacity of about 1030 MWe each. Unit 1 entered commercial operation in 1984, with unit 2 following in 1986. Operator Asociación Nuclear Ascó-Vandellós II (ANAV) plans to extend the operation of both units beyond the initial 40-year lifetime. Unit 1 is currently authorised to operate until 2030, while unit 2 is licensed until 2031.

During a 5-8 September mission - requested by the plant's operator, Asociación Nuclear Ascó-Vandellós II (ANAV) - the SALTO team focused on aspects essential to the safe Long Term Operation (LTO) of both units. The team reviewed implementation of recommendations made during the July 2021 SALTO review mission which had built upon an initial Pre-SALTO mission in 2019.

The review team - comprising four experts from the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Sweden, as well as two IAEA staff members - concluded 12 of the 14 recommendations and suggestions made in 2021 have already been resolved by ANAV and work is being done with an appropriate progression for the complete implementation of the remaining two: a comprehensive programme to confirm the resistance of electrical components to harsh conditions (equipment qualification programme) and a comprehensive strategy for managing the aging of structural elements of electrical cabinets and panels.

The IAEA said plant management expressed a determination to address the remaining areas and to continue cooperating with the IAEA on LTO.

"For us this is the last step of the IAEA's supporting service to ensure safe operation of our reactors in the LTO period," said Jorge Martínez Casado, director of the Ascó plant. "The IAEA SALTO missions, and technical cooperation helped to improve our focus on safe operation. We have worked together with the IAEA for the past five years carrying out three missions and several technical discussions. We appreciate the IAEA's support of our plant in managing ageing and preparation for safe LTO, and we will continue to improve our processes to further comply with IAEA safety standards."

The team provided a draft report to ANAV and to the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN), Spain’s nuclear regulatory authority, at the end of the mission. ANAV and CSN will have an opportunity to make factual comments on the draft. A final report will be submitted to ANAV, CSN and the Spanish government within three months.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Energoatom-sends-first-uranium-mined-in-Ukraine-to

The first batch of uranium mined at the Eastern Mining and Enrichment Plant in Ukraine has been sent to Canada where it will be converted into natural uranium hexafluoride as part of the company's agreement with Cameco.

Energoatom President Petro Kotin said: "The agreement with our strategic partner Cameco provides for the supply of the entire volume of uranium mined at the Eastern Mining and Processing Plant (SkhidGZK) to Canada and its further conversion into natural uranium hexafluoride (UF6). Such a process is necessary to prepare for dispatching it for enrichment to our other strategic partners - Urenco, and then to Westinghouse for nuclear fuel manufacture. Such nuclear material processing is not available in Ukraine yet. But we are working on creating the appropriate capacities."

Energoatom and Cameco signed bilateral contracts earlier this year. In March, the first one was for Cameco meeting 100% of Energoatom's need for natural uranium hexafluoride from 2024 to 2035 for the nine nuclear reactors at the Rivne, Khmelnitsky and South Ukraine plants for the duration of the contract. These plants have combined requirements over the contract term of some 15.3 million kgU as UF6 - equivalent to 40.1 million pounds U3O8 (15,424 tU).

The second agreement covered the sale of Ukrainian uranium to Canada, with conversion of the uranium being provided by Cameco. April's Agreement for weighing, sampling, storage, analysis and transportation of uranium oxide concentrate was signed in Canada by Kotin and Cameco President and CEO Tim Gitzel in the presence of Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal. It covered the physical delivery of uranium oxide from Ukraine to Canada, providing for the entire quantity of uranium mined by Ukraine's SkhidGZK to be supplied to Canada and for conversion and supply of natural uranium hexafluoride for enrichment.

Energoatom, which has ended any use of Russian nuclear fuel since the start of the war last year, has been diversifying its fuel supply and ultimately aims to create a complete nuclear fuel cycle in the country.

Six units at Ontario facility will have their lifetimes extended.

Unit 6 at the Bruce nuclear power station in Canada has returned to commercial operation following a major refurbishment and life extension project that is costing about CAD13bn (€9bn, $9.6bn) for six units at the facility.

Owner and operator Bruce Power said the Candu pressurised heavy water reactor unit was declared commercially operational on 14 September, 39 years to the day of its first in-service date of 14 September 1984.

The company said the refurbishment outage was completed ahead of schedule.

Unit 6 was first synchronised to Ontario’s electricity grid at 30% power on 8 September, returning to operation ahead of schedule and for the first time since it was taken offline in 2020 for a complete overhaul and refurbishment.

Bruce Power’s life extension programme started in 2016 and remains on track with inspections, refurbishment and major component replacement progressing.

Unit 6 is the first of six units that Bruce Power and its partners will refurbish as part of the project between 2020 and 2033.

The project will extend the life of the Bruce site in Ontario until “2064 and beyond”, Bruce Power said.

Work on the Unit 3 project is on track, the company said. Unit 3 was taken offline for defuelling in March.

Bruce Power said in 2015 that the cost of the project to refurbish all six units would be CAD13bn. The company said it would assume all risks for cost overruns.

In 2022 Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator said the final fixed cost of the Unit 3 refurbishment alone was CAD1.9bn.

The eight Candu units at the Bruce site began commercial operation between September 1977 and May 1987.

IAEA mission says main challenge is PAA’s independence.

Poland’s nuclear regulatory framework is in line with International Atomic Energy Agency safety standards and its regulatory body is competent and “prepared for the launch” of the country’s ambitious nuclear power programme, the International Atomic Energy Agency said.

A 12-day Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission to Poland, conducted at the request of the Polish government, said regulator Panstwowa Agencja Atomistyki (PAA) is a competent regulatory body whose staff are committed to deliver their regulatory statutory obligations effectively and to prepare to embark on a nuclear power programme in line with international safety standards.

It said the main challenge in Poland is to “implement robust measures to ensure that the PAA is effectively independent and continues to be properly resourced”.

Using IAEA safety standards and international good practices, IRRS missions are designed to strengthen the effectiveness of the national regulatory infrastructure for nuclear and radiation safety.

“This is a major milestone for Poland, which has been considering a nuclear power programme for many years,” said Mike King, deputy office director for reactor safety programs and mission support at the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the IRRS team leader.

King said the PAA's commitment to safety is essential to ensuring that any nuclear power plants built in Poland are operated safely and securely.

The mission – the second of its kind – said Poland has trained 300 regional sanitary inspectorate staff on how to inform the public on radon related issues.

IAEA Praises Communications Strategy

PAA has a communications strategy that allows it interact effectively with interested parties, including information published on its website in relation to the conflict in neighbouring Ukraine, the mission said.

It said Poland has installed 30 additional radiation monitoring stations close to its border to improve radioactivity detection capability.

Poland operates a single research reactor, Maria, has a research reactor, EWA, under decommissioning and two spent fuel storage facilities, all in Otwock, near Warsaw.

The National Radioactive Waste Repository in the town of Rozan is a near-surface repository for radioactive waste and sealed radioactive sources disposal operated by Radioactive Waste Management Plant.

The IAEA said industry, medicine and research applications of radioactive sources are widely used.

Poland has plans to build large-scale nuclear power plants and small modular reactors in an effort to reduce carbon emissions from its power generation sector. The country at present gets about 70% of its electricity from stations burning black and brown coal.

In November 2022, Warsaw chose US-based Westinghouse Electric to supply its AP1000 reactor technology for a three-unit nuclear power station at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site in the municipality of Choczewo near the Baltic coast of Pomerania.

The first AP1000 unit is expected online in 2033 with others planned to follow into the 2040s.

Na decennia tot taboe te zijn verklaard, lijkt kernenergie weer een reële optie in Nederland. Politieke partijen die eerder tegen waren, zijn nu voor; het kabinet besloot al tot de bouw van twee nieuwe centrales. Kan nucleair de haperende energietransitie vlottrekken? En hoe dan?

Lange tijd was het onderwerp kernenergie onbespreekbaar, maar sinds de energie- en de klimaatcrisis lijkt nucleair een optie in Nederland. Het kabinet wil twee grote, nieuwe centrales bouwen, die straks een flink deel van de Nederlandse elektriciteit leveren. Ook een aanzienlijk deel van de politiek is voor. D66, jarenlang geen voorstander, ziet kernenergie nu als een van de oplossingen voor de klimaatcrisis, zei de nieuwe partijleider Rob Jetten eerder deze maand. Ook onder meer VVD, BBB, CDA, PVV, Volt en Ja21 zijn positief.

Hoewel de meeste milieubewegingen tegen zijn, zijn er ook clubs die nucleair toejuichen, zoals RePlanet, een milieuorganisatie met jongeren uit diverse Europese landen. ‘Kerncentrales zijn schoner, nemen minder ruimte in en leveren veel meer energie op’, zegt de Nederlandse vertegenwoordiger van RePlanet, Freek van der Heide.

Ontlasten stroomnet

Kerncentrales kunnen de energietransitie vooruithelpen, doordat ze werken zoals de oude kolencentrales: ze leveren heel veel elektriciteit in een constante stroom. Dat is prettig voor het stroomnet, dat eigenlijk niet is ontworpen om de enorme vloedgolven duurzame stroom van zonnepanelen en windparken te verwerken.

Door de snelle groei van zonne- en windenergie, zijn nu grote delen van het Nederlandse stroomnet overbelast. Ook wordt duurzame stroom vaak geproduceerd op plaatsen waar de vraag laag is, zoals op de Noordzee en in provincies als Drenthe en Groningen. Om al die groene stroom in goede banen te leiden, moet het elektriciteitsnet fors worden uitgebreid en verzwaard.

Dit kost geld. Veel geld: de afgelopen vier jaar is 13 miljard euro besteed aan de verzwaring van het stroom- en gasnet, waarbij de meeste euro’s gingen naar elektriciteitskabels, blijkt uit cijfers van Netbeheer Nederland. En elk jaar stijgt het bedrag. Hoogspanningsbeheerder Tennet investeert de komende tien jaar 13 miljard euro op land en 26 miljard voor de aansluiting van windparken op zee.

Volgens een rapport van PwC uit 2021 besteden netbeheerders tot 2050 102 miljard euro aan verzwaringen van het net. Dat is niet het enige, want al die kabels moeten ook worden onderhouden. De beheerkosten stijgen volgens PwC van 2,8 miljard euro per jaar nu naar 5,6 miljard in 2050. Later dit jaar komen er nieuwe budgetramingen, die volgens Netbeheer Nederland waarschijnlijk hoger zullen uitvallen.

Kan dat geld niet beter worden besteed? Bijvoorbeeld door meer uit te gaan van het bestaande net? Dit net is in ruim honderd jaar opgebouwd, waarbij kolen- en gascentrales zijn aangesloten op hoogspanningskabels, de supersnelwegen voor stroom, die vervolgens via afritten en vertakkingen eindigen in woonwijken en bij fabrieken. Vervang kolencentrales en een deel van de gascentrales door nucleaire, CO2-arme varianten en je voorkomt een groot deel van de problemen waar de energietransitie nu tegenaan loopt.

CO2-reductie

Was meer kernenergie niet veel beter geweest? Dan had het bestaande net niet halsoverkop omgebouwd hoeven te worden en was er extra tijd om geleidelijk meer wind en zon in het systeem te brengen.

‘Als je terugkijkt met de kennis van nu, was een keuze voor kernenergie verstandiger geweest’, oordeelt de Eindhovense hoogleraar energietechnologie David Smeulders. Deze energievorm is nauwelijks besproken bij het maken van plannen voor de huidige energietransitie. ‘Bij het opstellen van het Klimaatakkoord (in 2019, red.) is kernenergie expliciet uitgesloten bij de overwegingen’, zegt hij. ‘Daar is een fout gemaakt.’

Smeulders vindt dat destijds alle opties opengehouden hadden moeten worden. ‘Het doel is om de uitstoot van CO2 terug te dringen, daar doen we het voor, en dat kan met kernenergie. Dit wordt soms uit het oog verloren.’

De uitkomst van de discussie destijds had nog steeds kunnen zijn dat kernenergie te duur is, dat het afvalprobleem te groot is of dat er betere alternatieven zijn. Maar dat er nauwelijks over gesproken is, is raar, stelt de Eindhovense hoogleraar. ‘We hadden kunnen voorzien dat het stroomnet zou gaan piepen en kraken.’

Transitie mislukt?

Smeulders vreest dat we over tien jaar misschien moeten concluderen dat de transitie is mislukt. Dat we of te veel CO2 uitstoten of dat de industrie vertrokken is. ‘Dat willen we geen van beide.’ Meer nucleair in het systeem kan een oplossing zijn, vindt hij. Maar de bouw van een kerncentrale is evenmin gratis en vergt ook veel tijd. Volgens Smeulders is het daarom goed dat er meer aandacht komt voor potentiële nieuwe technologieën.

Zeker met de opkomst van zogenoemde modulaire kerncentrales (SMR’s), waarvan de standaardcomponenten grotendeels in een fabriek worden gebouwd en ter plaatse in elkaar gezet. Deze industrialisering van de bouw moet kerncentrales goedkoper maken en sneller te realiseren. Bijvoorbeeld bij het industriegebied Chemelot in Limburg. Door SMR’s te plaatsen op locaties waar veel vraag is, hoeven er nauwelijks nieuwe hoogspanningslijnen te worden aangelegd – ook een voordeel.

Maar SMR’s bestaan alleen nog maar op de tekentafel. Optimisten denken dat ze binnen zeven jaar beschikbaar zijn, maar de Eindhovense hoogleraar twijfelt. ‘Tel daar maar minstens drie jaar bij. Maar ik denk dat kerncentrales desondanks een van de opties zijn om de problemen met de transitie op te lossen.’

Nucleair is duur

Niet iedereen is het hiermee eens. Adviesbureau CE Delft heeft in 2020 een inventarisatie gemaakt van het effect van een groot aandeel nucleair op het energiesysteem. De kosten van zo’n systeem zijn volgens CE Delft hoger: ruim 14 miljard euro per jaar, uitgaande van een ‘optimistische kostenraming’ voor de bouw van de kerncentrales.

Een andere optie is nauwelijks meer nucleair, en een maximale inzet van zon en wind, ongeveer zoals nu gebeurt. In dit scenario is naar schatting van CE Delft 17 gigawatt aan wind en 27 gigawatt aan zonvermogen nodig. Hiermee redt Nederland het niet en is aanvullend 25 gigawatt aan CO2-vrije energiecentrales nodig, om ervoor te zorgen dat het land niet zonder elektriciteit komt te zitten op momenten dat er geen wind en zon is, en er toch veel stroom wordt verbruikt, zoals op sommige momenten in de winter. De totale kosten van dit systeem komen volgens CE Delft uit op bijna 12 miljard euro per jaar. Flink goedkoper dus.

Nucleair is duur, zegt ook Patrick van de Rijt, hoofd marktanalyse bij hoogspanningsbeheerder Tennet. Bovendien bestaat het risico dat zon en wind nieuwe kerncentrales straks uit de markt drukken. Groene stroom is per kilowattuur immers goedkoper dan nucleaire, zelfs als alle investeringen in netwerkkabels worden meegenomen, aldus de Tennet-expert. Doordat er steeds meer groene stroom komt, is er in de markt minder plaats voor nucleair, dat vaak niet kan concurreren op prijs.

‘Er komt dus druk te staan op het aantal uren dat een kerncentrale kan leveren’, zegt Van de Rijt. Doordat de vaste kosten van een kerncentrale hoog zijn (vooral vanwege de dure bouw), wordt een centrale al snel onrendabel als deze niet 24 uur per dag kan leveren.

Dunkelflaute

Maar wind en zon kunnen dat ook niet. ’s Nachts is er bijvoorbeeld geen zonne-energie, en als het niet waait, is er ook geen windenergie. Kerncentrales kunnen in dit gat springen. Van de Rijt twijfelt of dit straks vaak gebeurt, omdat er over enkele jaren heel veel grote accu’s zijn verbonden met het stroomnet. Die absorberen overdag overschotten zonnestroom en leveren die af als de zon is ondergegaan. Van de Rijt denkt dat er straks zoveel accu’s zijn, dat de nacht (als de energievraag lager is) overbrugd kan worden. Dit betekent dat nucleair ook ’s nachts vaak geen rol van betekenis kan spelen.

In een elektriciteitssysteem met veel wind en zon zijn kerncentrales alleen nodig tijdens bijvoorbeeld een zogenoemde dunkelflaute, een langere periode in de winter waarin er geen zon en wind is. Maar dat gebeurt niet vaak, zegt Van de Rijt. En er zijn andere manieren om zo’n periode te overbruggen. Als elektriciteit schaars is, zal de prijs omhoogschieten. Dan kan het voor sommige grootverbruikers lonend zijn de productie even stil te leggen. Dit ‘afschakelen’ is een relatief goedkope optie. ‘Ik eet ook geen aardbeien met Kerstmis’, zegt Van de Rijt. ‘Het kan wel, maar het is duur.’

Marktwerking is mooi, maar komt de rekening nu niet te veel bij de industrie te liggen, die immers een deel van het geld verdient waarmee de transitie betaald moet worden? Dit valt volgens de Tennet-expert mee. Op andere momenten kan de industrie namelijk profiteren van lagere stroomprijzen. Afnemers zullen af en toe op hun handen moeten zitten als de prijs flink omhooggaat, zegt Van de Rijt. ‘Komende jaren moeten we even stalen zenuwen hebben.’ Gammel schip

Een bezwaar dat vaak genoemd wordt in de discussie over nucleair is dat kernenergie weliswaar CO2-arm is, maar niet duurzaam, vanwege het afval en de beperkte hoeveelheid brandstofreserves. Smeulders is van mening dat dit duurzaamheidsargument een semantische discussie is. ‘Ik vind: duurzaam is minder CO2.’

Hij ziet nog een voordeel: kernenergie levert veel restwarmte op, die in warmtenetten gebruikt kan worden voor verwarming van gebouwen en bij industriële processen. ‘De helft van de energie die we verbruiken, is warmte, dat wordt weleens onderschat. Nu wordt die bijna allemaal geloosd. SMR’s kunnen prima warmte leveren aan lokale netten.’

Ook de discussie over de vraag of nucleair duur is of niet, zegt de hoogleraar niet zo veel. ‘Ik kan een gedegen rapport schrijven waarbij het duurder is, en net zo’n gedegen rapport waarbij kernenergie goedkoper is.’

Nu veel bestaande energiecentrales worden uitgeschakeld en vervangen door wispelturiger wind en zon, bouwen we een schip zonder ballast, vindt Smeulders. ‘Het moet wel overeind blijven, je hebt onderin de romp ballast nodig. Die komt van traditionele centrales en dus ook van kernenergie.’

Van de Rijt van Tennet ziet dat anders. ‘Nucleair levert baseload, een constante hoeveelheid elektriciteit die altijd beschikbaar is’, zegt hij. Dat is vooral prettig voor de zware industrie, die graag 24 uur per dag op vol vermogen draait. ‘Als je voor nucleair bent, bedrijf je in feite industriepolitiek, want die bevoordeel je met veel baseload.’

Waterstof

Binnen deze discussie bestaat nog een onzekere factor: de rol die elektrolysers straks gaan spelen in het energiesysteem. Elektrolysers kunnen waterstof maken uit water en elektriciteit. Ze kunnen volop draaien als er een teveel aan groene stroom is. Die waterstof kan op een later moment, als er een tekort aan groene stroom is, worden gebruikt om bijvoorbeeld gascentrales op te laten draaien. Dit is ook een dure optie, want groene waterstof is schreeuwend duur. Maar vermoedelijk is ze goedkoper dan het gebruik van kernenergie, aldus de marktexpert van Tennet.

Voorstanders van kerncentrales noemen nog een voordeel: ze kunnen dankzij hun restwarmte efficiënt waterstof produceren. Al is niet zeker of de import per schip uiteindelijk niet goedkoper is.

Veel is dus nog onzeker. Smeulders vindt dat haast geboden is. Laten we stoppen met rapporten schrijven, zegt hij. ‘Laten we gaan bouwen.’ Als je naar CO2 kijkt, moet je gewoon je boerenverstand volgen, vindt hij. Dat betekent diversificeren. ‘Kernenergie is een deel van de oplossing. Laten we wat minder ambitieus zijn met wind en zon, en wat ambitieuzer met nucleair.’

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Hyundai-builds-partnerships-in-Poland

South Korea's Hyundai Engineering & Construction (HEC) has signed a series of agreements with Polish institutions and construction companies in an effort to tap into the country's nuclear power and infrastructure markets. The company is also establishing an office in Warsaw to create "a bridgehead" for entering other Eastern European markets.

HEC, which attended the Krynica Economic Forum in Poland as a member of the public-private joint Korean delegation, used the visit as an opportunity to sign business agreements with the Polish Association of Construction Employers (PZPB), the National Center for Nuclear Research (NCBJ) and leading local construction companies, including nuclear energy projects.

On 12 September, HEC signed a "business agreement for new nuclear energy business" with PZPB. The signing ceremony was held with the attendance of HEC President Young-jun Yoon, PZPB Vice Chairman Damian Kazmierjak, and key officials from both companies. With this agreement, the two companies will actively exchange Polish construction-related policies, industry trends, local information, and professional technology. The partners plan to seek active cooperation measures to discover new nuclear power plant projects.

On the same day, a business agreement was signed with NCBJ. The institute, established in 1952, is Poland's largest nuclear research institute and conducts research across all fields of nuclear energy, including nuclear physics, radiology, and materials. With this agreement, the two companies agreed to establish an overall cooperation system in: nuclear R&D; research reactors; nuclear safety; nuclear technology; and human resources exchange.

In addition, HEC has signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with two major Polish construction firms - Erbud Group and Unibep SA - to cooperate in such areas as renewable energy, infrastructure, new airports and smart cities.

Unibep said that through its MoU with HEC, signed on 7 September, both parties "expressed their willingness to cooperate on nuclear energy projects and infrastructure tasks implemented in Poland".

"The aim of the agreement is to create a strong partnership that will enable Unibep access to new technologies and know-how necessary to implement extensive and prestigious projects in the nuclear energy and infrastructure sectors, the implementation of which will soon begin in Poland," said Przemysław Janiszewski, a member of the management board of Unibep and Director of Energy and Industrial Construction.

"Through this visit to Poland, we were able to confirm Poland's potential for a new economic leap forward, and we expect that we will be able to contribute to the expansion of Polish energy and infrastructure by promoting mutual exchange between the two countries," an HEC spokesperson said in a statement. "We have established a cooperative system with major institutions and companies, and we will strive to achieve practical results by strengthening partnerships at the private level based on the strategic partnership between the two governments."

HEC said it also plans to open a local office in Poland to "serve as an outpost for entry into Eastern Europe and will actively work on expanding business in neighboring countries, including quickly understanding the local situation and maintaining close cooperative relationships with local companies to secure new order opportunities".

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Constellation,-ComEd-in-landmark-energy-matching-d

The hourly carbon-free energy matching agreement will see ComEd power all its offices and metered facilities with locally produced nuclear energy, in a 'first' for an investor-owned US utility. Constellation earlier this year signed a similar hourly energy matching agreement to power a Microsoft data centre.

The agreement means ComEd will be the first investor-owned utility in the USA to power its facilities with 100% clean energy produced at the same time and place it is consumed, according to Constellation.

"Matching clean energy production to the time and place a customer uses it is the only way we will truly achieve zero carbon emissions across our economy," Constellation President and CEO Joe Dominguez said. "Following this summer of record-shattering weather, it's clear that hourly matching needs to become the standard within our industry for the US to have any reasonable shot at reaching its 2050 climate goals and preventing the worst effects of climate change."

ComEd’s hourly carbon-free energy purchase will match its anticipated electricity use of about 65,000 MWh across its 54 offices and metred facilities, including its corporate and regional headquarters, reporting centres, business offices, training and special use facilities and substations.

ComEd CEO Gil Quiniones said the hourly matching solution provides an important tool to address climate change challenges. "ComEd is committed to doing everything possible to help Illinois achieve its goal of 100% clean energy by 2050, and that includes reducing the use of fossil fuels and lowering carbon emissions at our own facilities in every hour of every day," he added.

According to Constellation, most companies in the USA that wish to pursue net-zero goals do this by buying annual renewable energy certificates (RECs), which match their estimated annual energy use with non-emitting sources - which may be located anywhere in the country, and may not be generating power at the time that the customer is actually consuming it. So the energy being used by a customer with an REC may actually come from a carbon-emitting plant.

In contrast, hourly matching means a customer's electricity needs are met from local carbon-free generation at the time and place it is needed. Constellation has collaborated with Microsoft to develop an advanced software and analytics solution to do this. Microsoft subsequently became the first customer to use the technology, using the system to enable a data centre in Virginia to use nuclear power to complement renewable sources and enabling it to become an almost 100% carbon-free operation.

"We are pleased to see that more companies are choosing hourly matching as part of their sustainability strategy," Adrian Anderson, general manager of renewable and carbon-free energy at Microsoft, said.

Constellation Energy Corporation was launched in January 2022 following the separation of Exelon's utility and competitive energy businesses. It operates the USA's largest fleet of nuclear power plants as well as hydro, wind and solar generation facilities. ComEd, an Exelon company, does not generate electricity but provides electric services to more than ​​4​ million customers across northern Illinois - some 70% of the state's population.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Turkey-at-important-point-in-China-nuclear-plant-t

Turkey's Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has said the country is in talks with Russia about a second nuclear plant, and with China for a third one - and has also held out the ambition of adding 5 GW of small modular reactor (SMR) capacity to the country's energy system by 2050.

In an update on the state of talks about Turkey's plans for more new nuclear energy, to follow the Akkuyu nuclear power plant currently under construction, Bayraktar said: "We have reached a very important point in the nuclear power plant negotiations with China, we need to finalise this within the next few months."

He added: "Our negotiations with the Russians for the second nuclear power plant planned, in Sinop, are continuing. We are also in contact with South Korea. Turkey's priority in this regard is more technology transfer and localisation."

In the statement, which was posted on X, formerly Twitter, the minister said that discussions about SMRs continued, with the aim of adding 5 GW of capacity by 2050 - which would mean a total of at least 16 individual SMRs.

According to Russia's Tass news agency, Bayraktar also told a news briefing that Rosatom "has huge experience acquired at Akkuyu NPP ... its partners in this project, its contractors have an advantage as they know how to construct a nuclear power station in Turkey".

"We are at the stage when we are in negotiations with all interested sides. Of course, we would like to get a higher bid in terms of higher localisation as we reached certain localisation in the Akkuyu project. We want to get higher localisation in the second and third projects," Tass reported him as adding.

Meanwhile at the existing nuclear power plant project at Akkuyu, concreting of the foundation has been completed in the turbine hall building of the second power unit. Rosatom said that "a modern vibration isolation system was used, an important part of which are spring blocks ... designed to separate the foundation slabs of the turbine hall building and the turbine unit, increase the level of seismic resistance, and also to minimise vibrations during the operation of the turbine unit".

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. 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.

Earlier this year Bayraktar said the country wanted to speed up efforts on the planned second nuclear power plant, in Sinop, and a third plant in the Thrace region, in the country's northwest, and that he wanted the country to have installed nuclear capacity of 20 GW by the 2050s.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Takahama-2-reactor-restarted

Unit 2 of the Takahama nuclear power plant in Japan's Fukui Prefecture has been restarted after being taken offline more than 12 years ago, Kansai Electric Power Company announced. The 780 MWe (net) pressurised water reactor becomes the 12th Japanese reactor to resume operation.

Takahama 1 entered a regular inspection outage in January 2011, two months before the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant that resulted in all of Japan's operable reactors being taken offline. Unit 2 of the plant was taken offline in November 2011.

Kansai applied to the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) to restart the two reactors in March 2015.

In April 2016, the NRA confirmed both units met new safety regulations. In December of that year, the NRA gave its approval for the reactors - which began operating in 1974 and 1975, respectively - to operate for up to 60 years, becoming the first Japanese units to be granted a licence extension beyond 40 years under the revised regulations.

Takahama 1 was restarted on 28 July and resumed full-scale operation on 28 August.

Kansai has now announced that unit 2 was restarted at 3.00pm on 15 September and will reach criticality on 16 September. Power generation is scheduled to resume on 19 September. The company plans to conduct a comprehensive load performance test on 16 October and resume full-scale operation.

The restart of Takahama 2 means that Kansai has now resumed operation at all seven of its operable reactors following the introduction of stricter safety standards.

Takahama 3 and 4 - two 1180 MWe PWRs - were returned to commercial operation in February 2016 and June 2017, respectively. In April this year, Kansai asked the NRA for permission to extend the lifespan of Takahama units 3 and 4 - which both began commercial operation in 1985 - by 20 years.

In December last year, the Japanese government adopted a plan to extend the operation of existing nuclear power reactors and replace aging facilities with new advanced ones. The move is part of a policy that addresses global fuel shortages following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and seeks to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Demonstration-reactor-to-be-built-in-Rwanda

The Rwanda Atomic Energy Board (RAEB) has signed an agreement with Dual Fluid to collaborate on the development of a demonstration Dual Fluid nuclear reactor in Rwanda. The demonstration reactor is expected to be operational by 2026.

The Government of Rwanda has agreed to provide the site and infrastructure for the project, while Dual Fluid is responsible for the technical implementation of the partnership. Rwandan scientists will also receive practical training in nuclear technology.

Dual Fluid, a Canadian-German nuclear company founded in 2021, says it is creating an "entirely new type of nuclear reactor" using two circulating fluids, one of liquid fuel and the other a lead coolant. The company says the high efficiency offered by the concept, which it describes as a "Generation V" reactor, could "exponentially" increase reactor performance. The company has described its concept in more depth in a whitepaper.

"The government of Rwanda has committed to provide the site and Infrastructure for the project while Dual Fluid is responsible for the technical implementation of the partnership," Rwanda's Ministry of Infrastructure said on X (formerly Twitter). "The nuclear reactor technology will be added to the existing energy generation mix to accelerate growing energy demand, boost the industrial development and build an economy that is resilient to climate change and reduce the cost of fossil fuels."

"In order to meet the growing energy demand of its population, to boost the development of its industrial sector, and to build an economy that is resilient to climate change, Rwanda is looking at nuclear energy to add to its energy generation mix," RAEB CEO Fidel Ndahayo said. "In the spirit of remaining a 'proof-of-concept' destination as a strategy to accelerate the integration of innovative technologies, Rwanda is establishing strategic partnerships with start-up companies involved in the design and development of small modular nuclear reactor technologies."

Dual Fluid CEO Götz Ruprecht said time was a critical factor for the company. "After years of detailed preparation and concept improvement, we are now convinced that we have found an ideal partner for the first realisation of our groundbreaking technology," he said. "The reason why Dual Fluid chose to invest in Rwanda is its highly favourable governance and business environment that has already attracted major international players. Our demonstration reactor will show that a better, far more efficient way of generating nuclear energy is possible and within reach in the near future."

Rwanda has been looking towards nuclear energy for some time, signing an intergovernmental agreement with Russia on the use of nuclear energy in 2018, followed by two memorandums of cooperation on education and personnel training and on developing public acceptance of nuclear energy. The RAEB, which is intended to coordinate research and development of nuclear energy activities in the country, was established by the Rwandan government in 2020.

Earlier this year, RAEB Chairman Lassina Zerbo spoke to World Nuclear News about his vision of Rwanda as a "pilot country" in Africa, with ambitions for a ministerial round table discussion "to bring those in Africa who are interested in this field to talk, to work together to combine efforts in order to go as quickly and as best as possible to achieve the peaceful use of nuclear energy in the continent."

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/X-energy-to-develop-second-Project-Pele-microreact

The US Department of Defense (DOD) has awarded a contract option to X-energy, LLC to develop an enhanced engineering design for a transportable microreactor suitable for both commercial and defence use under the Project Pele initiative. This second design would be complementary to the prototype microreactor which is being built by BWX Technologies (BWXT).

Project Pele was launched in 2019 with the objective to design, build, and demonstrate a prototype mobile nuclear reactor within five years. The initiative is led by the DOD's Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO), which is working in collaboration with the US Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the US Army Corps of Engineers, as well as with industry partners.

BWXT and X-Energy were selected in 2019 to develop a final design for the prototype reactor, with BWXT contracted in June 2022 to build a prototype microreactor. Executing the contract option with X-energy builds upon X-energy's work already completed under Project Pele and continues funding for the company to develop a reactor design which is ready for licensing by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for both commercial ventures and military resiliency, SCO said.

The contract option for one year of work by X-energy "will not result in a completed engineering design, but will allow a thorough analysis of design options, leading to a Preliminary Engineering Design and initiation of a regulatory preapplication process".

"The Strategic Capabilities Office specialises in adapting commercial technology for military purposes," said SCO Director Jay Dryer. "By nurturing and developing multiple microreactor designs, SCO will not just provide options for the military Services, but will also help jump-start a truly competitive commercial marketplace for microreactors."

Prototype progress

The BWXT-designed prototype reactor - a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor fuelled by TRISO (TRIstructural-ISOtropic) high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) - will operate at between 1 and 5 MWe and will be transportable in commercially available shipping containers. The prototype is on schedule for completion over the course of 2024 and operation in 2025, SCO Programme Manager Jeff Waksman told an American Nuclear Society webinar last month.

The project is now in the final design phase prior to receiving final regulatory approval from the US Department of Energy, which is anticipated to happen in spring of 2024, he said. "We are now ordering hardware, we are making fuel, we are forging the containment vessel, we're making moderator blocks … we are no longer a paper reactor, an academic reactor, we are now becoming very real."

Assuming regulatory design approval is granted as anticipated, work will start to assemble the reactor over the course of 2024, with components that will already have arrived at BWXT's Lynchburg, Tennessee facility, Waksman said. By early 2025, the reactor is expected to be shipped to Idaho National Laboratory. It will then be fuelled and shipped to a desert location for initial testing before undergoing a final operational readiness review. "If all goes according to the schedule we have right now we will be able to turn the reactor on before the end of calendar year 2025," Waksman said.

The reactor will then be taken down so that its transportability can be demonstrated, he added.

Testing and operation of the prototype reactor, which is not a commercial project, will be regulated by the US Department of Energy rather than the NRC.

The DOD uses around 30 TWh of electricity per year and more than 10 million gallons of fuel per day, and the US military is the nation's largest single energy consumer. The US Congress, in the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, directed the DOD to site and operate at least one nuclear reactor at a DOD facility within a decade, to meet energy resilience and assurance needs. Another project to meet the US military's energy needs using nuclear reactors recently saw the US Department of the Air Force, in partnership with the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, select Oklo Inc to site, design, construct, own and operate a microreactor facility to deliver electricity and steam at the Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Shelf-M-project-being-developed-for-Sovinoye-gold

Rosatom's mining division Atomredmetzoloto JSC and RAOS JSC have signed an agreement to cooperate on plans for a Shelf-M small nuclear power plant project at the Sovinoye gold deposit in Chukotka in Russia's far east.

The agreement covers cooperation for the implementation for a project based on the Shelf-M reactor, with power of up to 10 MWe, to supply the Sovinoye gold deposit "as well as the adjacent promising ore fields and the residential settlement of Leningradsky", Rosatom said.

The Shelf-M reactor has been developed by NIKIET JSC based on its experience with marine nuclear reactor designs. The service life of a plant would be 60 years, with refuelling every eight years, and according to the 2022 edition of the International Atomic Energy Agency's Advances in Small Modular Reactor Technology Developments, needs only 15 members of staff present during normal operation.

Vladimir Verkhovtsev, director general of Atomredmetzoloto JSC, said that the small nuclear power plant project meets the criteria of an efficient and environmentally-friendly power supply for the gold deposit, adding: "I am sure that our cooperation will contribute to unlocking the economic and investment potential of Chukotka region and the entire far east of Russia."

RAOS president, Evgeny Pakermanov, said: "We are very happy to join efforts with the mining division of Rosatom to implement the advanced nuclear generation projects that open up new opportunities for the socio-economic development of the Chukotka remote areas rich in natural resources."

He said that with their partners they would design the project, including "the external infrastructure, carry out the necessary engineering and survey work at potential construction sites, and consider the possibility of securing state support for the project". The technical designs of the reactor plant and the main equipment are expected to be completed by 2024 and the plan is for it to be in commercial operation by 2030.

Rosatom and the government of the Chukotka Autonomous District signed the cooperation agreement for a nuclear power plant based on Shelf-M reactor technology in June. Developing such land-based small/micro nuclear power plants for remote territories is part of a Russian government project.

The Sovinoye gold deposit is on the coast of the Chukchi Sea, in Iultin District. It was discovered in the 1970s and in 2020 the Atomredmetzoloto subsidiary ELKON MMP purchased the licence to survey, explore and mine the deposit.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the VIII Eastern Economic Forum, which has been taking place this week.

Also during the forum, Rosatom director general Alexei Likhachev said the company was ready to expand its projects in Russia's far east. He cited the launch in Chukotka of the floating nuclear power plant Akademik Lomonosov and said that as well as the construction of "four floating power units for Baimsky Mining and Processing Plant we see the need for up to 15 floating power units in the Arctic. The prospects for development of low-power land-based NPPs as well as large-scale nuclear generation in the region are obvious".

And Konstantin Beirit, president of Seligdar Polymetallic Holding, said its two strategic projects "the tin field of Pyrkakayskye Stockworks in Chukotka and the gold field of Kyuchus in the Republic of Sakha (also known as Yakutia) are directly connected with functioning of the operating floating NPP Akademik Lomonosov and the world's first land-based small nuclear power plant under construction".

Scientists have developed a nuclear fuel source no larger than a seed, which NASA will test for use in future moon missions.

Scientists in the U.K. have created mini, seed-sized nuclear fuel cells that could power futuristic flower-shaped reactors on the moon as soon as 2030.

The tiny new fuel cells, developed by researchers at the Nuclear Futures Institute at Bangor University in Wales, are roughly the size of poppy seeds, which are around 0.04 inch (1 millimeter) across. The mini pellets are a type of tri-structural isotropic particle (TRISO) fuel, which is made from uranium, carbon and oxygen surrounded by a hard, ceramic-like shell. The cells are much more durable and efficient than traditional nuclear fuels, which makes them perfect for space exploration.

The fuel cells are designed to power the Space Flower Moon Micro Reactor, a conceptual car-sized fusion reactor designed by Rolls-Royce. Funding for the reactor was secured in early March, and the design is a leading candidate to power future moon bases as a part of NASA's Artemis program, which aims to establish a permanent base on the moon by 2030. Researchers think one of the durable pellets could power a single reactor for up to 15 years.

The fuel cells have now been sent to NASA for testing, which will simulate how the nuclear pellets deal with the simulated forces of a rocket launch and whether they are as efficient as the researchers claim, according to the BBC.

Reliable power sources will be crucial for future moon bases because solar power cannot be relied upon at night, when temperatures plummet below minus 200 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 129 degrees Celsius) and vast amounts of energy will be needed to heat living quarters and vital infrastructure.

"On the moon and on planetary bodies that have day and night, we can no longer rely on the Sun for energy and therefore must design systems such as the small micro-reactor to sustain life," project researcher Simon Middleburgh, a nuclear materials expert at Bangor University, said in a statement.

Nuclear reactors are the only current viable option for creating a reliable power source on such a short timescale, Middleburgh said. However, "the fuel must be extremely robust and survive the forces of launch and then be dependable for many years," he added.

The shells of TRISO fuels withstand corrosion, oxidation and high temperatures, and prevent radiation from leaking from the fuel, all of which may arise in space, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

In addition to being robust enough to survive the journey to the moon, a main attraction of TRISO fuels is that they are extremely small, which makes them much more cost-effective to launch into space.

Although the mini reactor is designed primarily for space exploration, it could also provide a temporary source of reliable energy in areas affected by natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis and tropical storms, the researchers said.

NASA isn't the only entity with its eyes on the moon. On Aug. 23, India's Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft landed near the moon's south pole in search of resources for a future lunar base. And in 2021, China and Russia announced plans to develop a joint base on the moon, although this project has suffered a recent setback after Russia's Luna 25 lander crash-landed on the moon last month.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/More-funding-to-progress-UK-nuclear-generated-hydr

An EDF-led consortium has been awarded UK government funding to further develop plans to use heat and electricity from Heysham 2 to create hydrogen for use in the production of asphalt and cement. Earlier this year, a feasibility study demonstrated the significant benefit the project would bring in proving how nuclear could power hydrogen electrolysis.

The consortium includes EDF, construction material manufacturer Hanson, National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) and Vulcan Burners.

The concept is to demonstrate solid oxide electrolysis (SOEC) integrated with nuclear heat and electricity from EDF Energy's Heysham site in Lancashire, England, to provide low-carbon, low-cost hydrogen via novel, next generation composite storage tankers to multiple Hanson asphalt and cement sites in the UK. The project partners claim the technology could improve hydrogen production efficiency by 20% when compared with conventional electrolysis. At present, no facility in the world has used hydrogen as fuel for asphalt production.

In November 2022, the UK Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy awarded the Bay Hydrogen Hub - Hydrogen4Hanson project almost GBP400,000 (USD499,500) in funding for a feasibility study of the concept. This funding was made available from the UK government's GBP1 billion Net-Zero Innovation Portfolio, under the Industrial Hydrogen Accelerator Programme.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has now announced a further GBP6.1 million from the same pot for the project, a figure that will be matched by the project partners.

The government and industry funding, which combined will exceed GBP15 million, will go towards developing a final design for the hydrogen production, distribution and end-use technology and for exploring the full costs and delivery plans.

Over the coming months, the project partners will develop the full designs for the electrolyser and scope and cost all works that will be required at Heysham 2 to take the scheme forward. Once this work is concluded, a decision will be made which could see construction, and supporting physical works, begin at the power station in early 2024.

"For decades nuclear power in the UK has provided zero-carbon electricity to the grid and helped to constrain the nation's emissions, collectively saving more than 700 million tonnes of carbon dioxide going to the atmosphere," said Rachael Glaving, commercial director at EDF. "But we know nuclear power can do even more to drive towards decarbonisation. Our hope is that this project shows industries that are dependent on fossil fuels, as well as the nuclear sector, that by working together we can build a lower carbon future for industry and confirm the UK's place as a global decarbonisation technology leader."

NNL Vice President Government and New Build, Gareth Headdock, added: "This project places the UK as a global leader in the development of nuclear enabled hydrogen. We are really excited to see this new application of nuclear energy, along with the increasing investment in advanced nuclear. As we invest in the next generation of scientists and engineers, the Bay Hydrogen Hub is building the skills we need for our hydrogen future."

The Heysham site is divided into two separately-managed nuclear power plants - Heysham 1 and Heysham 2 - both with two reactors of the advanced gas-cooled reactor type. Heysham 1 began operating in 1983 and is expected to shut in 2026. Operation of Heysham 2 began in 1988 and is expected to end in 2028.

ccra, Ghana – U.S. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation Ann Ganzer joined Ghanaian counterparts today to announce further U.S. support for establishing Ghana as a Small Modular Nuclear Reactor (SMR) Regional Training Hub and center of excellence for the sub-Saharan African region. The $1.75 million in funding will support Ghana’s nuclear workforce development, including the provision of an SMR control room simulator, university partnerships, and academic exchanges to position Ghana to serve as a regional training hub for nuclear power technicians and operators. Through this partnership, Ghana will be positioned to develop a skilled nuclear workforce for the region consistent with the highest international standards of nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation.

“This new commitment will support Ghana in establishing a Small Modular Reactor Regional Training Hub and center of excellence for the sub-Saharan African region. With this support, Ghana will be positioned to develop a skilled nuclear workforce for the country and the region consistent with the highest international standards of nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation. This partnership will assist Ghana and other like-minded countries in the region in moving towards clean, affordable, safe, and secure energy sources,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Ganzer.

This project is supported by the Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) capacity building program, in which Ghana has participated since 2022. FIRST supports Ghana’s leadership in the region on moving towards SMR deployment, consistent with the highest international standards for security, safety, and nonproliferation, and its development of a skilled nuclear workforce to achieve decarbonization and energy security goals. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation hosted a high-level delegation from Ghana and Kenya to visit U.S. national laboratories and operating nuclear power plants to strengthen our partnerships, with support by the FIRST Program. Both Kenya and Ghana have been outstanding FIRST program partners in the sub-Saharan African region and continue to receive support in the form of training, technical collaboration, and capacity-building activities.

This announcement is another step in the U.S. commitment to deepen U.S.-Ghana civil nuclear cooperation and support Ghana’s goal of being a first mover in Africa, as announced (link) at the 2022 International Atomic Energy Agency Nuclear Power Ministerial Conference in Washington. U.S. support to Ghana includes technical assistance, professional training exchanges, and regulatory framework collaboration.

The United States is committed to supporting the use of innovative clean energy technologies to power global decarbonization efforts and providing options to achieve net zero transition in hard-to-abate energy sectors.

Kernenergie is terug als verkiezingsthema. Veel partijen spreken zich er in aanloop naar 22 november over uit. En meestal komt het erop neer dat Nederland meer kernenergie moet gaan gebruiken. Dat is een radicale verandering ten opzichte van pakweg tien jaar geleden.

De Tweede Kamer sprak vandaag met demissionair minister Jetten voor Klimaat en Energie over het onderwerp, dat voor veel partijen lange tijd taboe was omdat ze kernenergie als gevaarlijk zagen, vooral na de rampen in Tsjernobyl (1986) en Fukushima (2011) . Een ander belangrijk argument tegen kernenergie was voor hen het afval dat duizenden jaren radioactief blijft.

Inmiddels lijkt er sprake te zijn van "een nucleaire renaissance", constateerde VVD-Kamerlid Erkens in het debat, waarin hij pleitte voor de bouw van meer nieuwe kerncentrales. Hij is "blij dat het politieke en maatschappelijke draagvlak zich uitbreidt". Hij voelde zich gesteund door de aanwezige collega-Kamerleden van CDA, Forum voor Democratie en JA21, die liever in kerncentrales investeren dan in nieuwe windmolenparken bijvoorbeeld.

'Klein deel energievoorziening'

De fracties van GroenLinks en PvdA stonden in dit debat, waar lang niet alle fracties aan meededen, opeens alleen met het standpunt dat kernenergie niet de oplossing is voor een stabiele energievoorziening in de toekomst. Kamerlid Kröger wees namens de twee fracties ook op de tijd en de kosten die gemoeid zijn met de bouw van nieuwe kerncentrales.

"Het voelt alsof voor heel veel partijen dit het ding is waar je alle ballen op moet zetten", zei ze. "Maar het gaat uiteindelijk maar om een klein deel - zo'n 9 tot 12 procent - van de totale energievoorziening."

Minister Jetten gaf een overzicht van de stand van zaken na de val van het kabinet. De coalitiepartijen VVD, D66, CDA en ChristenUnie hadden in het regeerakkoord afgesproken om de kerncentrale in Borssele langer open te houden en "de benodigde stappen" te zetten voor de bouw van twee nieuwe kerncentrales. Die moeten ook in Borssele komen, is inmiddels besloten. Er worden verschillende onderzoeken gedaan om te kijken of dat mogelijk is.

Hoe het verder gaat is aan het volgende kabinet, zei Jetten. Maar wat hem betreft is het belangrijk dat er niet alleen wordt gekeken naar zonne- en windenergie om van olie en gas af te komen, maar zeker ook naar kernenergie. Dat vindt hij niet alleen als bewindspersoon. Op een partijbijeenkomst in Zwolle, liet hij onlangs als lijsttrekker van D66 weten dat ook zijn partij als geheel van standpunt veranderd is.

Concept-verkiezingsprogramma's

In het verkiezingsprogramma van 2017 wees D66 kernenergie nog af. In dat van 2021 ook nog, maar toen was er een zinnetje aan toegevoegd dat er met "open vizier op de ontwikkelingen in deze technologie" werd gelet.

De partij van Jetten is niet de enige die op dit punt een ontwikkeling heeft doorgemaakt. In de verkiezingsprogramma's van 2017 pleitte alleen de SGP voor kernenergie. In de conceptverkiezingsprogramma's die inmiddels klaar zijn, hebben bijna alle partijen een paragraaf aan het onderwerp gewijd. En veel partijen zijn dus voor uitbreiding. Moet kernenergie worden uitgebreid of niet?

Wat zeggen de partijen in de campagne

• VVD: ja
• D66: ja
• CDA: ja
• SP: nee
• GL/PvdA: nee
• Partij voor de Dieren: nee
• Forum voor Democratie: ja
• Volt: ja
• BBB: ja
• JA21: ja
• BVNL: ja