Nuclear Energy

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Second-CGN-Hualong-One-completes-commissioning-tes

Unit 4 of the Fangchenggang nuclear power plant in China's Guangxi Autonomous Region has entered commercial operation, China General Nuclear (CGN) announced. The unit is the second of two CGN-designed demonstration Hualong One (HPR1000) reactors at the site.

The 1180 MWe (gross) pressurised water reactor completed a 168-hour trial test run at 8.00am on 25 May, "officially meeting the conditions for commercial operation", CGN said.

First concrete was poured for the nuclear island of Fangchenggang unit 3 - 39% owned by Guangxi Investment Group and 61% by CGN - in December 2015, while that for unit 4 was poured a year later. Unit 3 was originally expected to start up in 2019, with unit 4 scheduled to start up in 2020. Both their start-ups were subsequently postponed until 2022.

However, in January 2022, CGN announced that the start-up of Fangchenggang 3 and 4 had been put back again due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Unit 3 achieved first criticality - a sustained chain reaction - on 27 December 2022 and was synchronised with the grid on 10 January 2023. It entered commercial operation on 25 March last year.

China's National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA) granted CGN an operating licence for Fangchenggang 4 on 27 February this year, allowing the loading of fuel into the reactor's core to begin. The fuel loading process was completed on 2 March. The reactor reached first criticality on 3 April and was connected to the grid six days later.

CGN said the commissioning of unit 4 "marks the full completion of CGN's Hualong One demonstration project".

"The commissioning of unit 4 of the Fangchenggang nuclear power plant has further verified the safety, maturity and advancement of CGN's Hualong One technology, and accumulated valuable experience that can be used as a reference and replicated for the mass construction of Hualong One," said Cai Zhen, chairman of Guangxi Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Company.

The Fangchenggang plant is planned to house six reactors. The first phase comprises two CPR-1000 units which were put into commercial operation in 2016. Units 5 and 6 are expected to feature Hualong One reactors.

CGN noted that, with Fangchenggang unit 4 now in commercial operation, the number of power reactors in operation it manages (including associates) has increased to 28 units and the installed capacity of nuclear power generating units in operation has increased from 30,568 MW to 31,756 MW.

The first two units of China National Nuclear Corporation's version of the Hualong One design at the Fuqing plant in Fujian province have both already started up. Unit 5 entered commercial operation on 30 January 2021, with unit 6 following on 25 March 2022.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Contract-for-expansion-of-Rolls-Royce-submarine-si

International infrastructure group Balfour Beatty has been selected by Rolls-Royce as its non-fissile construction partner to help expand its Raynesway site in Derby, UK, to meet the growth in demand from the Royal Navy, and as a result of last year's AUKUS announcement.

In September 2021, the leaders of Australia, the UK and the USA announced a new enhanced trilateral security partnership - the AUKUS partnership - under which Australia will acquire at least eight nuclear-powered submarines. The submarines are to be built in Adelaide, South Australia.

In March last year, as part of the AUKUS trilateral agreement, it was announced that Rolls-Royce Submarines Ltd of the UK will provide reactors for the Australian submarines. Three months later, Rolls-Royce announced plans to almost double the size of its Raynesway site.

In March this year, it was confirmed that Australia had committed GBP2.4 billion (USD3 billion) over ten years to the UK SSN-AUKUS programme, representing a proportionate contribution to both the expansion of Rolls-Royce Submarines infrastructure, as well as a fair contribution to costs associated with submarine design.

The increase in demand will see Balfour Beatty - which is currently involved in the construction of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in Somerset, England - build new manufacturing and office facilities as well as the adjoining site infrastructure. The increase in work from the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) will create 1170 skilled roles at Rolls-Royce, across a range of disciplines including manufacturing and engineering.

"We cannot deliver against our commitments to the MOD and the AUKUS programme on our own," said Rolls-Royce Submarines Infrastructure Director Terry Meighan. "It will require a strong and reliable supply chain bringing their expertise to enhance and enable the critical work we do. The selection of Balfour Beatty as our expansion construction partner is a prime example of that."

Balfour Beatty's Group Chief Executive Leo Quinn added that the announcement "marks an important step forward in ensuring Rolls-Royce has the infrastructure in place to support the strategic requirements of the MOD and the AUKUS programmes. I'm delighted Balfour Beatty has been chosen to support this critical work for a project that will see us unite our unique multi-disciplinary expertise and experience in delivering large scale complex projects within live, operational nuclear environments".

Earlier this year, Rolls-Royce announced multi-disciplinary professional services consultancy WSP as its non-fissile design partner for the expansion of its Raynesway site. It will be WSP's role to design the new facilities and the infrastructure that links the site together.

The first generation of AUKUS nuclear submarines - SSN-AUKUS - are to be based on the UK's submarine design incorporating US submarine technology. The first UK submarines built to this design will be delivered in the late 2030s to replace the current Astute-Class vessels, with construction principally taking place at Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Australia will work over the next decade to build up its submarine industrial base, and will build its submarines in South Australia with some components manufactured in the UK. The first Australian-built submarines will be delivered in the 2040s.

State agency Rosatom says construction of six-unit small modular reactor scheduled to begin this summer.

Russia and Uzbekistan signed an agreement on Monday (27 May) for Moscow to build a small nuclear power plant in the Central Asian country with construction scheduled to begin this summer.

The agreement came as Russian president Vladimir Putin held talks in the Uzbek capital with Uzbekistan leader Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Mirziyoyev hailed the project as “vital” in remarks after the talks, noting that Uzbekistan has “its own large reserves of uranium.” Putin, in turn, vowed to “do everything in order to work effectively on Uzbekistan’s [nuclear energy] market”.

If the agreement is implemented, the small modular reactor (SMR) plant would become the first in Central Asia.

Rosatom said in a statement that the project involves the construction of a plant in the Jizzakh regio, west of the capital Tashkent in the east of the country.

There are no nuclear power plants in any of the five ex-Soviet Central Asian republics, although Uzbekistan and its neighbour Kazakhstan, both uranium producers, have long said their growing economies needed them.

The plant will be based on a Russian design and have a total capacity of 330 MW comprising of six reactors with a capacity of 55 MW each.

Rosatom will be the general contractor for the construction of the plant and local companies will be involved in the construction process, the statement said.

‘Not Just A Preliminary Agreement’

Russia will use its RITM-200N reactor technology, which is an adaptation of marine technology for land-based deployment. RITM-200 reactors, on which the RITM-200N is based, have been used on Russian icebreakers. Since 2012, 10 RITM-200 reactors have been manufactured with the first three already in operation on vessels in the western Arctic.

The agreement was signed by Rosatom’s engineering division Atomstroyexport and Uzebkistan’s State Directorate for the Construction of Nuclear Power Plants, part of Uzatom, the state agency for the development of nuclear energy.

Alexey Likhachev, Rosatom’s director-general, said Rosatom has confirmed its “undisputed global leadership in nuclear energy” by signing the first-ever export contract for the construction of a small nuclear power plant. “This is not just a preliminary agreement; we are starting construction this summer,” he said.

Uzatom director Azim Akhmedkhadjaev said that according to forecasts, demand for energy resources in Uzbekistan will almost double by 2050.

“It is evident that for the stable operation of the energy system and economic development, our country must ensure a baseload power source in addition to renewable energy sources.

A Global Interest In New Nuclear

“We are witnessing a global increase in interest in new nuclear projects, both in large-capacity power plants and small modular reactors.”

Uzbekistan, a Central Asian country of 33 million people, is looking to nuclear power as a low-carbon energy source to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and boost electricity generating capacity.

A small nuclear plant based on the RITM-200N reactor is already under construction in the village of Ust-Kuyga, Yakutia, 4,000 km to the east of Moscow in the country’s Far East.

The first unit is expected to begin operation in 2028. The facility will provide electricity to industrial enterprises, including the development of the Kyuchus gold ore deposit and the Deputatskoye and Tirekhtyakh tin deposits.

Rosatom said small nuclear power plants offer advantages over larger plants including shorter construction times and the potential to increase capacity according to needs.

According to International Atomic Energy Agency, there are about 50 SMR projects and concepts at various stages of development worldwide.

Russia says it is the only country that has practical experience of SMR construction. In 2020, Russia was the first in the world to commission a floating nuclear power plant, the Akademik Lomonosov, which supplies energy to consumers in the remote city of Pevek in Chukotka.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/IAEA-s-Grossi-continued-concerns-over-Zaporizhzhia

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has said concerns continue over the impact potential disruption to off-site power could have at Ukraine's nuclear power plants.

He was speaking after Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP), which has been under the control of the Russian military since early March 2022, had to rely on its last remaining 330 kV back-up external power line for more than three hours on Thursday.

According to the IAEA the disconnection of the 750kV Dniprovska line happened at 13:31 local time, about six kilometres from plant's switchyard, in Russian-controlled territory. The plant told the IAEA that it was caused by a short-circuit and that it was reconnected at 16:49.

Before the conflict the plant had four 750 kV and six 330 kV lines, compared with one of each at the moment. It also has an expanded fleet of emergency diesel generators to provide power for essential safety functions in case all external power is lost.

Grossi said: "For Europe's largest nuclear power plant to depend on one or two power lines is a deep source of concern and clearly not sustainable. Our concerns also extend to the operating nuclear power plants across Ukraine, where a disruption to off-site power supplies could have very serious implications for nuclear safety."

He reported that the IAEA team stationed at Zaporizhzhia continued to hear explosions at various distances from the plant: "For the outside world, the situation ... may have appeared relatively calm in recent weeks, since the drone attacks on the site confirmed by our experts in mid-April. But this is not the way we see the situation on the ground. The stark reality is one of constant danger. The nuclear safety and security situation at the site remains extremely vulnerable."

The IAEA team has continued to carry out observations at the plant, and this week visited the main warehouse facility, outside the plant perimeter, where they saw spare parts and "the team noted that much of the electrical equipment originated from western suppliers and was delivered prior to the start of the armed conflict". The IAEA said it was told by the ZNPP that the transition to a new procurement system was almost complete for procurement from potential suppliers in the Russian Federation.

The IAEA has had staff stationed at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant since September 2022 as part of efforts to reduce the safety risks to a facility which is on the frontline of Russian and Ukrainian forces. It also has experts present at the Khmelnitsky, Rivne and South Ukraine nuclear power plants and the Chernobyl site - they all report that "nuclear safety and security is being maintained despite the effects of the ongoing conflict, including air raid alarms on several days over the past week".

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Innovative-piping-rehabilitation-solution-to-be-us

Framatome has been awarded a multi-million-dollar contract to carry out its first major mitigation of buried condenser feed pipes using its innovative spray-in-place structural pipe liner solution at a three-unit operating nuclear plant in the USA.

The company says it will mitigate more than one mile (1.6 km) of large diameter piping running underground to plant condenser boxes. The project will be carried out during nine outages over eight years, with the first application planned in 2025.

Ageing and degradation of buried pipes and underground piping components is a challenge for nuclear power plant operations, but the location of these components - which can be as small as a few centimetres and as large as three metres in diameter - makes carrying out repairs and inspections costly. Framatome has developed a spray-in-place liner, delivered remotely using in-pipe robotic crawlers to spray a fast-curing liner evenly onto the inside of the pipe. The engineered structural liner system, which was developed with industry partners, can rehabilitate safety-related piping beyond its original 50-year design life and through to the end of plant life, and with no excavation required the quick-installing system minimises safety risks and reduces outage durations and costs.

Catherine Cornand, senior executive vice president for the Installed Base BU at Framatome, said the company had adapted an industrial solution and applied it to the nuclear industry to support long-term operational needs and competitiveness. "Now utility customers have access to an innovative, technically advanced, turnkey rehabilitation solution that includes in-depth engineering, manufacturing, application, project management, technical support and OEM experience," she said.

The system has been validated through a two-year testing programme which was completed last year.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/US,-EC-bodies-call-for-enhanced-security-of-radioa

Leaders from the US Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the European Commission (EC) have highlighted the need to strengthen security of radioactive sources in open civilian facilities such as hospitals, research laboratories, and industrial facilities to prevent the use of these materials in acts of terrorism.

The two organisations issued a Joint Statement on Enhancing Radioactive Source Security at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) International Conference on Nuclear Security (ICONS 2024). The statement highlights the importance of the security of radioactive sources and the commitment of the EU and the USA to support states in establishing and maintaining national nuclear security regimes for radioactive materials.

The statement "aligns with principles set forth in the IAEA's Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources and its corresponding Supplementary Guidance on Import and Export of Radioactive Sources and Management of Disused Radioactive Sources, as well as the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism".

The partnership between the EC and NNSA's Office of Radiological Security (ORS), under its mission to enhance global security, "goes hand-in-hand with the EU's counter-terrorism agenda and commitment to radiological security", the statement says.

ORS and the EC Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME) will continue their efforts in co-organising regional radiological security response exercises following on from a first event held in Iasi, Romania, last year, the statement says, with the EC's Joint Research Centre and US experts providing technical support in designing and implementing the exercises.

Open civilian facilities that use radioactive materials can be vulnerable to adversaries seeking to acquire radioactive sources for use in radiological dispersal devices or "dirty bombs". These facilities depend on local law enforcement agencies to respond in the event of an attempted radiological theft, and the Joint Statement also highlights the need to carefully plan response procedures in close coordination and cooperation with such agencies.

"The impacts of a radiological event can have consequences that transcend borders. This is not a problem that any single country can address alone. Together, with the European Commission, NNSA strives to work collaboratively to strengthen radioactive source security," NNSA's Jeffrey Chamberlin said.

ICONS 2024 is the fourth ICONS conference to be held by the IAEA. The conference includes a ministerial segment and a scientific and technical programme of high level policy discussions on the overall themes central to nuclear security, with parallel technical sessions on specialised scientific technical, legal and regulatory issues concerning nuclear security.

The conference is being held in Vienna from 20 to 24 May.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Estimated-cost-for-JEK2-options-range-from-EUR9-4

GEN energija has given its latest update on the development of plans for the JEK2 new nuclear capacity in Slovenia, putting forward likely costs and saying that from the point of view of the power network 1300 MW would be the optimal size.

GEN energija said that its "best internal assessment" - and not based on binding offers from potential suppliers - was overnight construction costs of EUR9300 per kW of installed power: "This means EUR9.3 billion (USD10.1 billion) for a power plant of 1000 MW and EUR15.4 billion for a power plant of 1650 MW. For all calculations and used assumptions, we intend to obtain an international review by a recognised institution before the referendum is held."

In a report of the briefing, GEN energija said its study of the country's power system considered options from 1000 MWe to 2400 MWe - "the key findings are that from the point of view of safety and stability" of the country's power network "the optimal size of JEK2 is up to 1300 MW of net electric power ... and that new sources of balancing system services are needed, especially resources to ensure the manual reserve for frequency recovery".

GEN Energija says the project is of "exceptional strategic importance" enabling decarbonisation and energy security for 80 years or more. It also estimates there will be an estimated 5640 new jobs in 10 years as well as more than 37% share of domestic suppliers for the project.

Slovenia's plan is to build the new nuclear power plant, with up to 2400 MW capacity, next to its existing nuclear power plant, Krško, a 696 MWe pressurised water reactor which generates about one-third of the country's electricity and which is co-owned by neighbouring Croatia. Prime Minister Robert Golob has committed to holding a referendum on the project before it goes ahead, and has suggested it could be held later in 2024.

The current timetable for the project is for a final investment decision to be taken in 2028, with construction beginning in 2032. In October, GEN Energy CEO Dejan Paravan said there were three technology providers being considered for the project - Westinghouse, EDF and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power - who all had strengths and "the decision will not be easy".

There was a further boost for the project on Thursday when Slovenia's National Assembly passed a resolution on the long-term peaceful use of nuclear energy, including the JEK2 project and the proposal for a referendum.

Two VVER-1200 pressurised water reactor units under construction at site.

Russia’s nuclear equipment manufacturer Atommash has shipped the 320-tonne reactor pressure vessel (RPV) for the Tianwan-8 nuclear power plant under construction in Jiangsu province, eastern China.

Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom said that by the end of 2024 the reactor head and internals equipment will be delivered for the VVER-1200 plant.

The company said it has already delivered two of the four steam generators, part of the nuclear island equipment for Tianwan-8.

In a nuclear power plant, the RPV is one of the largest reactor components, a vessel containing the nuclear reactor coolant, core shroud, and the reactor core and fuel.

There are two Russia-designed Generation III+ VVER-1200 pressurised water reactor units under construction at Tianwan. Construction of Tianwan-7 began in May 2021 and Tianwan-8 in February 2022.

The Tianwan station has another six PWR units in commercial operation, with Units 1 to 4 having been built by Russia using its VVER-1000 technology.

Units 5 and 6 are China’s indigenous CNP-1000 PWR design.

Nuclear plant to be built near retiring coal site in Wyoming.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has accepted TerraPower’s construction permit application for review, marking the first time in more than 40 years that the NRC has docketed this type of application for a commercial non-light water reactor.

The advanced reactor company, based in Bellevue, Washington, and backed by Bill Gates, is seeking permission to build its Natrium reactor in Kemmerer, Wyoming as part of a demonstration project supported by the US Department of Energy (DOE).

If approved, the construction permit will be the first issued by the NRC for a commercial non-light water power reactor.

The DOE said TerraPower's application applied new guidance that was recently issued by the NRC to ensure consistency, quality and uniformity of reviews for non-light water reactor applicants.

The Natrium reactor is a 345-MW electric sodium-cooled fast reactor with a molten salt energy storage system that is being designed to flexibly operate with renewable power generators to help decarbonise the electric grid.

The first Natrium reactor will be built in Wyoming near the retiring Naughton coal plant – a transition to nuclear power that the DOE said could bring new economic and environmental benefits to the community.

Non-nuclear construction on the project is expected to start later this summer.

TerraPower said recently it is confident its first Natrium plant will be built by 2030, but fuel supply remains a concern.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Japanese-Canadian-JV-for-fusion-technology-develop

Private Japanese fusion technology company Kyoto Fusioneering and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) have formed a joint venture - named Fusion Fuel Cycles Inc - aimed at developing and deploying deuterium-tritium (D-T) fusion fuel cycle technologies.

Fusion Fuel Cycles (FFC) - based in Chalk River, Ontario - will engineer and deliver large-scale fuel cycle systems for global fusion development programmes. The partners said: "By marrying the advanced technological and operational capabilities of its parent organisations, FFC is uniquely positioned to offer comprehensive solutions that surpass those previously achievable by either entity alone."

FFC's mission is to accelerate the deployment of fully integrated D-T fuel cycle systems that meet the highest safety and performance standards. The first project under this initiative is UNITY-2, a groundbreaking integrated and flexible fuel cycle test facility located at the Chalk River Laboratories in Ontario. This facility will pioneer the full D-T fuel cycle from fuel discharge to purification and supply, demonstrating efficient tritium processing technology in relevant conditions and at relevant rates to enable a risk-reduced path to a fusion powerplant on a decadal timeframe.

"As the first of several planned projects, UNITY-2 represents a significant step forward, setting the stage for subsequent facilities that will support experimental and power plant-scale fusion machines worldwide," Kyoto Fusioneering said.

UNITY-2, slated for commissioning by late-2025 and full operations by mid-2026, will serve as a versatile and open platform for fusion innovators worldwide to advance science and close technology gaps related to tritium-processing systems. Specifically, it will support the study and demonstration of tritium inventory minimisation and processing efficiency; tritium emission minimisation and material compatibility; process modeling, controls, and simulation; fuel supply; tritium accountancy and diagnostics; safe tritium operations; and waste minimisation.

The data and insights garnered from UNITY-2 operations will be invaluable for regulatory bodies to licensing D-T fusion devices.

"Establishing Fusion Fuel Cycles marks a significant milestone in fusion energy development, combining Kyoto Fusioneering's technological prowess and CNL's extensive experience with tritium handling to revolutionise the fusion industry," said CNL CEO Jack Craig.

Kyoto Fusioneering CEO Satoshi Konishi added: "Through FFC, we are not just accelerating the development of crucial fuel cycle technologies but also providing comprehensive solutions that will shape the future of fusion energy. This facility - UNITY-2 - is just the beginning, as we aim to design and implement similar systems globally."

"This new venture is an anchor point for Canada in the growing global fusion industry," said Atomic Energy of Canada Limited CEO Fred Dermarkar. "Canada boasts world-renowned capability in tritium and tritium-handling, as a result of our strong CANDU reactor ecosystem. At AECL, we are pleased to be able to leverage this capability to address a critical operation that will be needed for demonstration and deployment of fusion for commercial applications."

Kyoto Fusioneering was spun out of Kyoto University in 2019 as Japan's first fusion start-up, to develop advanced technologies for commercial fusion reactors building on decades of university research. One of the advanced technologies the company is developing for commercial fusion reactors is tritium fuel cycle technologies and breeding blankets for tritium production and power generation.

In March 2023, CNL signed a memorandum of understanding with Kyoto Fusioneering to partner on the delivery of technical services to support the growing international fusion reactor market, with a key focus on testing related to tritium. This was followed by a strategic alliance agreement between the partners in September last year, outlining how they would work together to jointly explore opportunities to accelerate the development and commercialisation of fusion fuel cycle technology.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/DOE-unveils-process-for-Russian-LEU-import-waivers

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has issued details of the process for obtaining waivers to allow the import of limited quantities of Russian-origin low-enriched uranium (LEU) to ensure US nuclear plants do not experience supply disruptions when the recently signed prohibition law comes into force.

The Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act was signed into law by President Joe Biden earlier this month and will go into effect on 11 August. The ban runs until the end of 2040, but the DOE may waive the ban, under certain conditions, to allow the import of limited amounts of material up until 1 January 2028.

The process released by the DOE allows the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, to grant a waiver to an importer for specified quantities of Russian LEU if it is determined that no alternative viable source of LEU is available to sustain the continued operation of a nuclear reactor or a US nuclear energy company; or the importation of Russian LEU is in the national interest.

According to the DOE, an import could be in the national interest if it meets one of the following criteria:

• The import is necessary to maintain the viability of a US nuclear energy company that is critical to the US nuclear energy fuel supply chain.
• The import is intended to support an existing arrangement to provide fuel for a nuclear power plant in another country and thus minimise the likelihood of that country seeking a non-US fuel supplier.

Waivers will only be granted for a limited amount of material: 476,536 kg in calendar year 2024; falling to 470,376 kg in 2025; 464,183 kg in 2026 and 459,083 in 2027.

Bloomberg reported earlier this week that Russian state-owned uranium supplier Tenex had sent a notice of force majeure to its US customers giving them 60 days to obtain a waiver. According to that report, Tenex - part of Rosatom - has said it intends to honour its contractual commitments, although delivery schedules could need to be renegotiated for utilities that do not have waivers in place within 60 days.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/US-collaboration-fortifies-nuclear-grade-graphite

Microreactor startup Radiant Industries and Amsted Graphite Materials have agreed to work together to reduce reliance on foreign sources of nuclear-grade graphite, with Radiant placing a "significant" purchase order for nuclear-grade graphite to support development of its Kaleidos microreactor.

California-based Radiant is developing the 1MW Kaleidos high-temperature gas-cooled portable microreactor, which will use a graphite core and TRISO (tri-structural isotropic) fuel. It was one of three microreactor developers selected last year to receive a share of USD3.9 million US Department of Energy funding to develop and test their designs in the new Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) test bed facility at Idaho National Laboratory. Testing is scheduled to begin in 2026, and Radiant says it is aiming for commercial production units in 2028.

However, the company says the success of the Kaleidos demonstration project and the viability of subsequent commercial projects "will depend in critical part on supply certainty and affordability of nuclear-grade, medium and fine grain graphite required for application in a nuclear environment".

Formalising its strategic relationship with Amsted Graphite Materials, which is the largest US-owned synthetic graphite producer, will secure a reliable supply of these materials, Radiant Chief Operating Officer Tori Shivanandan said: "By joining forces to secure a reliable supply of critical graphite materials, we are investing in the success of our Kaleidos Demonstration Project and laying a solid foundation for the future of clean energy in the United States."

Key objectives outlined in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two companies include collaborative efforts in policy advocacy at federal, state and local levels, strategic discussions with third parties, exploration of public-private partnerships with the US government, and participation in testing and R&D programs with universities and government laboratories. The companies say the MoU "underscores the mutual commitment of Radiant and Amsted Graphite Materials to reduce reliance on foreign sources of nuclear-grade graphite, enhance US advanced manufacturing capabilities and bolster the security of US nuclear energy supply chains".

Graphite has been used in nuclear reactor cores as a moderator, slowing down the neutrons released from nuclear fission so that the nuclear chain reaction can be maintained. Most of the power reactors currently in commercial operation - with the exception of the UK's advanced gas-cooled reactor fleet and the Soviet-designed graphite moderated, water cooled RBMK - use light or heavy water as the moderator, but advanced reactor designs, including high-temperature gas-cooled reactors and molten salt reactors, use graphite moderators.

Amsted Graphite Materials signed a partnership agreement to establish an integrated domestic supply chain for nuclear-grade graphite with small modular reactor developer X-energy in 2022. X-energy’s Xe-100 high-temperature gas-cooled reactor is designed to use synthetic graphite as a moderator.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Study-to-assess-benefits-of-Hartlepool-SMR-plant

X-energy and Cavendish Nuclear have commissioned Teesside University to undertake a study of the potential regional benefits and economic impacts of a proposed power plant in Hartlepool, UK, based on X-energy's Xe-100 high temperature gas-cooled reactor.

The assessment - including jobs, skills, supply chain contracts, and investment - will be led by Matthew Cotton, Professor of Public Policy and will utilise expertise from Teesside University International Business School and its School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Law. It will include a review of available socio-economic data and engagement with local stakeholders including government officials, community leaders and sector experts.

The study will also examine national impacts, including contributions to meeting the UK government's net-zero targets. This assessment - which will begin immediately and be completed later this year - will include the additional benefits from industrial decarbonisation applications and the manufacture of other clean energy products, such as hydrogen and aviation fuel.

According to X-energy and Cavendish, early estimates indicate a 12-reactor X-energy plant at Hartlepool would "directly employ hundreds of people in operations and a peak construction workforce of several thousand in addition to the employment benefits in the wider supply chain".

The study is part of a GBP6.68 million (USD8.5 million) programme funded by X-energy, and by the UK government which awarded the firms GBP3.34 million in April this year from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero's Future Nuclear Enabling Fund.

The Xe-100 is a Generation IV advanced reactor design which X-energy says is based on decades of HTGR operation, research, and development. Designed to operate as a standard 320 MWe four-pack power plant or scaled in units of 80 MWe, it is engineered to deliver reliable and load-following grid-scale power to electricity systems and to pair seamlessly with renewables. At 200 MWt of 565°C steam, the Xe-100 is also suitable for other power applications including mining and heavy industry.

X-energy and Cavendish - a wholly-owned subsidiary of Babcock International - are proposing to develop a 12-reactor plant at the Hartlepool site on Teesside in the northeast of England, to be operational by the early 2030s. The companies plan to build a fleet of up to 40 Xe-100 reactors in the UK.

Carol Tansley, X-energy's vice president of projects and UK market leader, added: "Our nuclear power station project represents a fantastic economic and employment opportunity in addition to the vital contribution it makes to energy security and decarbonisation. We want to understand from the outset how best to help our potential host community and the surrounding area capitalise on the benefits it will bring.

"Teesside University is ideally placed to help us. The team has huge experience of similar exercises in the past, and excellent links with the local community and business sector."

Cavendish Nuclear Managing Director Mick Gornall added: "A regional economy which hosts a project like this can experience a rise in productivity and growth. Creating supply chains and other infrastructure in local and neighbouring areas can permanently enhance economic capacity. Beyond Hartlepool, we estimate a national fleet roll out of 40 Xe-100s could bring around GBP20 billion of investment into the UK."

Teesside University's Professor Cotton said: “A core principle of our research is to work with communities to address regional disparities and drive social impact for regions across the world. The proposed nuclear power plant at Hartlepool represents a massive capital investment in the Tees Valley and it is vital to understand what that impact will look like.

"By analysing how a project of this scope and scale will manifest itself, we will be able to determine the different socio-economic considerations, issues and risk factors for Hartlepool and surrounding regions.

"In doing so, we will be able to determine the best course of action in order to take full advantage of the benefits and mitigate any impacts for the region."

The Hartlepool nuclear power plant, on Teesside in the northeast of England, is among four of the UK's seven AGR fleet which continue to generate electricity. It has been operating for 40 years and was due to end operations in March this year until a two-year extension was announced in March last year.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Belarus-ratifies-updates-to-nuclear-power-plant-ag

The Belarus council of ministers has ratified protocol amendments which allow extension of the warranty period from those in the original 2011 intergovernmental agreement with Russia for the construction of the country's nuclear power plant.

According to the official Belta news agency, the ratification is of the amendments which were agreed between the two countries in November 2023.

It says: "According to the protocol, the two-year warranty period for the operation of the equipment established by the agreement can be extended for a longer period. Certain equipment may have a longer warranty period. In addition, the agreement contains a provision that the procedure for setting the price of nuclear fuel and the terms of its supply are agreed upon by the Russian and Belarusian competent authorities."

The Belarus nuclear power plant has two VVER-1200 reactors and is located in Ostrovet in the Grodno region. A general contract for the construction was signed in 2011, with first concrete in November 2013. Construction of unit 2 began in May 2014. The first power unit was connected to the grid in November 2020, with the second unit put into commercial operation in November 2023. The amendment to the original agreement was part of measures to resolve issues relating to the project taking longer than original envisaged.

In January this year, Belarus and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding to deepen cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear technology, with a multipurpose nuclear research reactor one of the possible results.

Flagship project has seen cost and schedule overruns, but is now close to operation.

The loading of fuel into the reactor vessel of the Flamanville-3 EPR nuclear power plant in northern France has been completed, Alain Morvan, director of the Flamanville-3 project, said in a post on LinkedIn.

Morvan said 241 fuel assemblies were loaded. Each was about five metres high and weighed nearly 800 kg.

The handling of the fuel assemblies was carried out by teams from state nuclear operator EDF. Workers from nuclear company Framatome were responsible for monitoring the reactor core and a team from France-based industrial company Reel oversaw the functioning of equipment used for these operations.

EDF announced on 8 May that it started fuel loading, a day after French nuclear regulator ASN gave permission for the fuel loading and startup procedures to begin.

The loading of the reactor concludes the first stage of startup, Morvan said.

“Flamanville-3 becomes the 57th reactor in the French nuclear fleet, Moravon said in his LinkedIn post. “This is the culmination of many years of work nourished by an ‘unusual’ collective energy, allowing us to begin startup operations.”

He said 150,000 pieces of equipment and all the EPR’s circuits have been rigorously checked and conditioned. More than 58,000 operating criteria were tested.

Further operational tests will now be carried out with the 1.630-MW plant’s power gradually increased until it is connected to the grid, scheduled for this summer, at 25% power.

Completion Initially Scheduled For 2012

The construction of Flamanville-3 started in 2007 and the reactor had been initially expected to be completed in 2012.

The unit is currently 12 years overdue and the expected final construction costs of the unit have already risen from an initial estimate of €3.3 billion ($3.56 billion) to over €13.2 billion.

Multiple factors have contributed to the delays and cost overruns at Flamanville-3, but a French report into the project in 2019 noted that several elements of the project’s construction had been launched prior to the completion of the reactor’s design, leading to certain sections of the work having to be demolished and rebuilt.

ASN said on 7 May that after fuel loading, it will continue to monitor Flamanville-3’s operations during the pre-critical phase, before a nuclear chain reaction begins in the unit’s core.

This monitoring will look primarily at whether the safety circuits are operating correctly. The regulator will subsequently have to approve the start of nuclear fission and the staged increase in operational power to 25% and then 80% of the unit’s total capacity.

There are three EPR units in commercial operation globally – two are at the Taishan nuclear station in China and one at the Olkiluoto nuclear station in Finland. Additionally, there are two units under construction at Hinkley Point C in the UK’s southwestern county of Somerset.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Large-scale-nuclear-included-in-Australian-cost-re

Large-scale nuclear has been included for the first time in national science agency CSIRO's annual GenCost report, which has included small modular reactors (SMRs) since its inception in 2018.

GenCost is described by CSIRO as a leading economic report for business leaders and decision-makers planning reliable and affordable energy solutions to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Published in collaboration with the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), the report offers "accurate, policy and technology-neutral cost estimates for new electricity generation, storage, and hydrogen technologies, through to 2050."

The decision to include large-scale nuclear in GenCost 2023-24 was prompted by increased stakeholder interest in nuclear following updated costings for SMRs in the 2023-24 consultation draft, the organisation said.

The report based its cost estimates for large-scale nuclear on South Korea’s nuclear programme, as the best representation of a continuous building programme consistent with other technologies in the report, and adjusting for differences between South Korean and Australian deployment costs. It calculated an expected capital cost of a large-scale nuclear plant in 2023 of AUD9217 per kW (USD6215 per kW) - but added that this capital cost could only be achieved if Australia were to commit to a continuous building programme and only after an initial higher cost unit is constructed.

With no local development pipleline for large-scale nuclear, and taking into account additional legal, safety and security requirements, and stakeholder evidence, the report estimated a development timeline of at least 15 years, with deployment from 2040 at the earliest.

The report found the estimated electricity cost range for large-scale nuclear under current capital costs and a continuous building programme to be AUD163 per MWh to AUD264 per MWh, which it said is expected to fall by 2040 to AUD141 per MWh to AUD232 per MWh.

New large‐scale nuclear costs are "significantly lower" than for SMRs - which have been significantly increased in the latest version of the report to reflect more recent data based on Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems' Carbon Free Power Project in the USA, which was cancelled in November 2023.

The report found the levelised costs of electricity - the total unit costs a generator must recover over its economic life to meet all its costs including a return on investment - used to summarise the relative competitiveness of different generation options were lowest for variable renewables (solar photovoltaic and wind). "If we exclude high emission generation options, the next most competitive generation technologies are solar thermal, gas with carbon capture and storage, large-scale nuclear and coal with carbon capture and storage," it noted.

CSIRO Chief Energy Economist Paul Graham, lead author of the report, said GenCost is "flexible to adjusting assumptions, scope and methodology" in response to feedback received during the formal consultation period and throughout the year. “For example, our approach to the inclusion of large-scale nuclear technology provides a logical, transparent and policy-neutral method of costing a potential deployment scenario in Australia," he said.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Nucleareurope-calls-for-expansion-of-EU-hydrogen-o

Nuclear trade body Nucleareurope has highlighted the benefits of European-based hydrogen production from nuclear energy in a new position paper.

Nucleareurope noted a recent survey by McKinsey found that intensive gas buyers expect to reduce their gas demand in the future, largely by switching to hydrogen or synthetic gases produced via hydrogen.

"For the time being, the European Commission's focus is primarily on hydrogen produced exclusively from renewables, with a significant share of this hydrogen being imported from third countries, notably from the global south," the position paper says. "This will result in an important increase in energy demand due to transportation and losses while potentially exploiting countries where energy poverty is high and affecting Europe's energy sovereignty by creating a dependency on imported renewable hydrogen."

The European Commission's REPowerEU plan - adopted in May 2022 to rapidly reduce EU dependence on Russian fossil fuels - foresaw 10 million tonnes of domestic hydrogen production complemented with 6-10 million tonnes of imported hydrogen by 2030. However, following the communication in February this year on the 2040 climate targets, this plan has been downsized to 3 million tonnes, "perhaps to align it with the realistic forecasts of domestic production via renewables," Nucleareurope said.

"This is where other low-carbon energy sources, such as nuclear, could fill the gap and help meet the original ambitions, as the main target remains unchanged: net-zero by 2050," it added.

According to Nucleareurope, the main advantage of hydrogen production via nuclear is that the load factor of the installed electrolysers will be maximised with baseload production - possibility to reach 8000 hours per year with nuclear and improve the lifetime and payback of the installation.

One existing nuclear power plant with a capacity of 1000 MWe and a capacity factor of over 90%, coupled with 1000 MW of electrolysers, could produce about 0.16 million tonnes of low-carbon hydrogen per year, providing an uninterrupted supply to end-users, it noted. This output could increase further by up to 20% if coupled with high-temperature electrolysers capable of using nuclear steam.

In order to support the deployment of domestic hydrogen production, Nucleareurope recommends that the EU focus on: encouraging a diversified approach to hydrogen production that recognises the potential of all net-zero technologies; emphasising the importance of energy sovereignty in the context of hydrogen production; developing policies to support the growth of domestic hydrogen industries, recognising their role in reindustrialisation and job creation; advocating for strategic investments in infrastructure that support domestic hydrogen production, storage and distribution; and allocating resources for research and development initiatives focused on improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of hydrogen production technologies, including nuclear-based methods.

"Domestic production of hydrogen can help solve some of the challenges which the EU is facing in terms of energy security, environmental sustainability, and economic competitiveness" said Nucleareurope Director General Yves Desbazeille. "Reimagining how hydrogen, a versatile and clean energy carrier, can play an important leading role in transforming the energy system is key in this respect."

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Hot-testing-completed-at-first-Zhangzhou-unit

Tests that simulate the temperatures and pressures which the reactor systems will be subjected to during normal operation have been completed at unit 1 of the Zhangzhou nuclear power plant in China's Fujian province. The unit is the first of three Hualong One (HPR1000) reactors under construction at the site.

Hot functional tests involve increasing the temperature of the reactor coolant system and carrying out comprehensive tests to ensure that coolant circuits and safety systems are operating as they should. Carried out before the loading of nuclear fuel, such testing simulates the thermal working conditions of the power plant and verifies that nuclear island and conventional equipment and systems meet design requirements.

China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) noted that during the hot testing of Zhangzhou 1, workers completed the full-load load test of the diesel generator, main system passivation, and 111 commissioning tests, as well as 73 regular operation tests.

Cold functional tests - which are carried out to confirm whether components and systems important to safety are properly installed and ready to operate in a cold condition - were completed at Zhangzhou 1 in early November last year. The main purpose of those tests - which marked the first time the reactor systems were operated together with the auxiliary systems - was to verify the leak-tightness of the primary circuit.

China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment issued construction licences for Zhangzhou units 1 and 2 on 9 October 2019 to CNNC-Guodian Zhangzhou Energy Company, the owner of the Zhangzhou nuclear power project, which was created by CNNC (51%) and China Guodian Corporation (49%) in 2011. Construction of unit 1 began one week after the issuance of the construction licence, with that of unit 2 starting in September 2020.

"According to the plan, unit 1 will generate electricity within the year, which will drive the economic and social development of southern Fujian and serve as a new development engine for the region to achieve carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals," CNNC said. It noted that preparations are currently under way for cold functional tests at unit 2.

In September 2022, China's State Council approved the construction of two further Hualong One units as Phase II of the Zhangzhou plant. First concrete for the nuclear island of unit 3 was poured on 22 February this year. CNNC said first concrete for unit 4 is expected "within the year".

Ministers discussing who will build the station, which will join Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C as major future suppliers of clean energy.

The UK government has earmarked Wylfa in north Wales as the site of a large-scale nuclear power station as it pushes ahead with ambitious plans for the biggest expansion of nuclear power for 70 years.

Wylfa on the island of Anglesey – Ynys Môn in Welsh – has been named as the preferred site for the UK’s third major nuclear power station in a generation, coming after EDF’s Hinkley Point C, which is under construction in Somerset, and its Sizewell C nuclear project planned for Suffolk.

The government said that it is already in discussion with major energy companies interested in building a nuclear station at Wylfa.

Earlier this year the government set out plans to quadruple nuclear power generation to up to 24 GW by 2050, up from about 5.8 GW today.

South Korea’s state-owned nuclear developer has reportedly held early-stage discussions with government t officials about building a power station using its APR1400 reactor technology at Wylfa.

US-based nuclear developer Westinghouse and the construction group Bechtel have also proposed building the facility, using Westinghouse’s AP1000 reactor technology.

France’s state power company EDF said it was for the government to determine which nuclear reactor type is used at Wylfa but two more of its own EPR units would “be the surest choice” by “building on the skills and experience being developed at Hinkley Point and Sizewell”.

The government said in a statement it is kickstarting talks with global energy firms to explore building the new power station, which could provide enough power for six million homes for 60 years.

“It brings the UK closer to its target for a quarter of electricity to come from homegrown nuclear power by 2050 to strengthen the nation’s energy independence,” the statement said.

Claire Coutinho, the secretary of state for energy security and net zero, said the government was “powering ahead with the biggest expansion of nuclear energy in 70 years”.

‘Clean, Reliable Power For Millions’

Coutinho said: “Anglesey has a proud nuclear history and it is only right that, once again, it can play a central role in boosting the UK’s energy security. Wylfa would not only bring clean, reliable power to millions of homes – it could create thousands of well-paid jobs and bring investment to the whole of north Wales.”

In 2020, Hitachi, which owned the site until it was bought by Great British Nuclear (GBN), pulled out of a plan to build a nuclear station on the site. The Japanese company blamed a lack of funding from the UK government.

GBN is the government body designed to drive the delivery of new nuclear energy projects in the UK, including a fleet of small modular reactors.

GBN recently secured Wylfa and Oldbury-on-Severn in Gloucestershire as two possible sites for new nuclear projects. It was the first time the government acquired land for new nuclear since the 1960s.

The decision on the nuclear developer, and what type of technology should be used at Wylfa, will be made by GBN.

Tom Greatrex, the chief executive of the UK-based Nuclear Industry Association, said: “A large-scale project at Wylfa would be the single biggest inward investment in Welsh history, and a huge step towards both energy security and net zero for the whole country.”

Sue Ferns, the senior deputy general secretary of the Prospect trade union, one of the UK’s largest, said: “Gigawatt scale new nuclear power stations are vital to hitting net zero and for our energy security. But they also maintain well-paid and highly skilled jobs, meaning this project would be a major boost to the Welsh economy.”

“Now we need a laser-like focus on delivery of new nuclear to make sure skills and experience are not lost, and costs are reduced as we progress,” Ferns said.

Wylfa is home to two gas-cooled Magnox plants that were permanently shut down in 2012 and 2015 and is seen as suitable site for large reactors or small modular reactors.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/AtkinsRealis-to-design-UK-tritium-processing-facil

The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has appointed Canadian engineering firm AtkinsRéalis to deliver the detailed design of an isotope separation system to strengthen research into sustainable fusion delivery.

The Isotope Separation System will form part of UKAEA's Hydrogen-3 Advanced Technology (H3AT) facility, a world-first tritium fuel cycle research facility to include a prototype-scale process plant and experimental platform, which is a scaled version of the design for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor.

AtkinsRéalis said the tritium capacity of this "highly complex Isotope Separation System will make it the most advanced research facility of its kind, helping to enable the development of tritium fuel cycle infrastructure necessary for sustainable fusion power".

The company has already completed the concept and detailed process design of the main H3AT facility - currently under construction at UKAEA's Culham Campus, in Oxfordshire - alongside the concept and preliminary design of the Isotope Separation System. The AtkinsRéalis team will now deliver detailed process and mechanical designs for the system, including the vital cryogenic and ambient temperature equipment that will be required to collect, process, and recycle the tritium fuel.

"The H3AT facility will be a first-of-a-kind research facility to strengthen UK and international efforts to advance tritium fuel cycle technology," said Jason Dreisbach, head of advanced energy technologies at AtkinsRéalis. "The Isotope Separation System is a key element to demonstrate fusion fuel cycle performance at scale, and we look forward to contributing our significant experience in fusion engineering and tritium to help realise UKAEA's ambitions."

Framework renewal

The announcement came as UKAEA renewed its multimillion-pound Engineering Design Services Framework with nine companies. The renewal is based on a successful four-year delivery of various engineering and design desk-based projects.

The framework, with a value up to GBP9 million (USD11.4 million), supports the development of a UK industrial supply chain capability by allowing the companies to work closely with UKAEA as it undertakes fusion energy research. "It is vital in the mission to develop commercial fusion energy, while also helping to grow the UK economy by ensuring industry are fully involved," UKAEA said.

The companies which are part of the renewed framework are: Assystem, AtkinsRealis, Demcon, Eadon, Frazer Nash, IDOM, Jacobs, M5tec and Optima. UKAEA said these companies have expertise in some, or all of the following disciplines: mechanical engineering; process engineering; systems engineering; electrical, control and instrumentation engineering; computer-based modelling; and specialist nuclear services.

"This framework has enabled UKAEA to work collaboratively and with maximum efficiency with the fusion supply chain," said Colette Broadwith, Strategic Procurement Business Partner for UKAEA. "By renewing it for another four years, UKAEA can continue to leverage the engineering and technical expertise of our industrial partners to help accelerate fusion energy's commercialisation, for the benefit of all."

Last week, UKAEA awarded six organisations GBP9.6 million of contracts to advance their concepts to support fusion energy development. The contracts were awarded to three universities and three companies focusing on digital engineering and fusion fuel cycle developments dedicated to addressing fusion energy challenges. The contracts will develop next-generation digital tools for future fusion power plant designs, and advanced production and handling of hydrogen isotopes.

The contracts range between GBP460,000 and GBP1.9 million, and are funded by UKAEA's Fusion Industry Programme, an initiative launched in 2021 to develop the necessary technology and skills for the future global fusion power plant market.

The UKAEA carries out fusion energy research on behalf of the UK government, overseeing the country's fusion programme, including the MAST Upgrade (Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak) experiment as well as hosting the recently closed Joint European Torus (JET) at Culham, which operated for scientists from around Europe. It is also developing its own fusion power plant design with plans to build a prototype known as STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) at West Burton in Nottinghamshire, which is due to begin operating by 2040.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Sign-off-for-first-Hualong-One-export-Karachi-2

Representatives from China and Pakistan formally signed the final acceptance certificate for Karachi unit 2, just over three years after the 1100 MWe unit started up.

Karachi 2 was declared in commercial operation in May 2021. Since then, various performance indicators have been gradually optimised, and operating performance and WANO indicators have been continuously improved, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) said. The unit has generated a total of nearly 23 billion kWh, reducing coal consumption by 7.176 million tonnes and carbon dioxide emissions by 18.768 million tonnes per year.

Experience gained from the design, construction, commissioning and operation of the unit will be used to improve new projects, including preparations for the construction of Chashma unit 5 - for which a ground-breaking ceremony was held last year - the company added.

CNNC said that its Zhongyuan Operations and Maintenance subsidiary has been working towards finalising acceptance items and equipment warranty documents during the unit guarantee period. It said it has "successfully closed" more than 99.9% of the main contract guaranteed task projects and "effectively promoted the improvement of the operational stability" of many key items of equipment.

A joint working group was set up in February to "proactively and comprehensively" understand any concerns raised by Pakistan during the final acceptance phase of the unit. Zhongyuan Operations and Maintenance worked closely with the Pakistani owners to ensure the rapid resolution of concerns with frequent meetings to study related issues and discuss solutions, which significantly reduced the number of final acceptance items, CNNC said.

Karachi units 2 and 3 are the first exports of CNNC's 1100 MWe Hualong One pressurised water reactor. Construction of unit 2 began in 2015 and unit 3 the following year. Karachi 2 achieved first criticality in February 2021 and was connected to the grid the following month after the completion of commissioning tests. Unit 3 achieved first criticality in February 2022 and entered commercial operation in April that year. The site, in the province of Sindh, was also home to Pakistan's first nuclear power reactor, Karachi 1 - a small Canadian pressurised heavy water reactor which shut down in 2021 after 50 years of operation.

In August 2023, Pakistan's Executive Committee of the National Economic Council formally approved a project to build Chashma unit 5, a Hualong One reactor, at Mianwali in Punjab, on a site that is already home to four operating Chinese-supplied CNP-300 pressurised water reactors. China has agreed to invest some USD4.8 billion in the Chashma 5 project.

China Zhongyuan Engineering Corporation is CNNC's general contractor for Karachi 2 and 3.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Control-room-commissioned-at-Chinese-SMR

The main control room of the ACP100 small modular reactor demonstration project at the Changjiang site on China's island province of Hainan, has officially been put into operation, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced.

CNNC said that, with the establishment of part of the digital control system (DCS) network - the 'nerve centre' of nuclear power plant operation, the first on-site measurement signal was displayed on the main control screen.

The main control room of the ACP100 - referred to as the Linglong One - adopts a large wall-mounted monitoring screen for the first time, the company said, adding that this design greatly optimises the space of the main control room.

The DCS system for the ACP100 adopts two domestically-developed platforms: the Dragon Scale platform (safety level) and Dragon Fin platform (non-safety level). The Dragon Scale platform can realise reactor safety control under various working conditions and ensure the safe operation of the nuclear power plant. Meanwhile, the Dragon Fin platform is responsible for operation and management and is an important guarantee for the efficient and economical operation of the nuclear power plant. Between them, the two platforms control hundreds of systems within the nuclear power plants, nearly 10,000 equipment operations and various operating conditions.

The first cabinet of the DCS system was moved into place on 10 April, followed by installation and debugging work.

CNNC announced in July 2019 the launch of a project to construct an ACP100 reactor at Changjiang. The site is already home to two operating CNP600 pressurised water reactors (PWRs), while the construction of the two Hualong One units began in March and December 2021. Both those units are due to enter commercial operation by the end of 2026.

First concrete for the ACP100 was poured on 13 July 2021, with a planned total construction period of 58 months. Equipment installation work commenced in December 2022 and the main internal structure of the reactor building was completed in March 2023.

Under development since 2010, the 125 MWe ACP100 integrated PWR's preliminary design was completed in 2014. In 2016, the design became the first SMR to pass a safety review by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Once completed, the Changjiang ACP100 reactor will be capable of producing 1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to meet the needs of 526,000 households. The reactor is designed for electricity production, heating, steam production or seawater desalination.

The project at Changjiang involves a joint venture of three main companies: CNNC subsidiary China National Nuclear Power as owner and operator; the Nuclear Power Institute of China as the reactor designer; and China Nuclear Power Engineering Group being responsible for plant construction.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Facility-to-demonstrate-Rolls-Royce-SMR-module-pro

Rolls-Royce SMR has announced plans for a facility in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK, to manufacture and test prototype modules for its small modular reactors.

The first phase of the Rolls-Royce SMR Module Development Facility - to be housed within University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre's existing Factory 2050 facilities - is worth GBP2.7 million (USD3.4 million). Rolls-Royce SMR said it will be part of a wider package of work worth more than GBP15 million that will "further de-risk and underpin" its SMR programme.

"Our investment in setting up this facility and building prototype modules is another significant milestone for our business," said Rolls-Royce SMR’s Chief Manufacturing Engineer Victoria Scott. "Our factories will produce hundreds of prefabricated and pre-tested modules ready for assembly on site. This facility will allow us to refine our production, testing and digital approach to manufacturing - helping de-risk our programme and ensure we increase our delivery certainty."

Koen Lamberts, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, added: "We are very proud that Rolls-Royce SMR has chosen to base its Module Development Facility at our Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre's Factory 2050. Today's announcement is a testament to the university's strengths in clean energy research and innovation, and our unrivalled expertise in developing leading-edge manufacturing techniques. We welcome this significant commitment from Rolls-Royce SMR to our ongoing partnership and the South Yorkshire region."

The Rolls-Royce SMR is a 470 MWe design based on a small pressurised water reactor. It will provide consistent baseload generation for at least 60 years. 90% of the SMR - about 16 metres by 4 metres - will be built in factory conditions, limiting on-site activity primarily to assembly of pre-fabricated, pre-tested, modules which significantly reduces project risk and has the potential to drastically shorten build schedules.

Rolls-Royce SMR has received UK government funding of GBP210 million as part of Phase 2 of the Low-Cost Nuclear Challenge Project, administered by UK Research and Innovation, which has been supplemented by GBP280 million of private capital. The aim of this government support is to accelerate the Rolls-Royce SMR design and pass at least Step 2 of the Generic Design Assessment regulatory process carried out by the nuclear industry's independent regulators: the Office for Nuclear Regulation, the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales.

It is one of six SMR designs selected in October by Great British Nuclear on a shortlist for the UK's SMR selection competition. The aim is for a final investment decision to be taken in 2029.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/MHI-awarded-additional-contract-for-ITER-fusion-ma

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has been awarded a contract to supply a further 12 outer vertical targets for the divertor to be used in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The Japanese company has already delivered six of the components.

The contract - the value of which was not disclosed - was awarded by Japan's National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) and follows the initial production order for the manufacture of six units (Unit 1 - Unit 6) received in 2021.

With the additional 12 units (Unit 7 - Unit 18), MHI will manufacture 18 of the total 54 outer vertical targets. MHI said production of these units will be completed successively, with delivery to QST expected to begin in 2026.

The divertor is one of the core components of the fusion reactor used in the tokamak. It removes the helium ashes in the core plasma produced by the fusion reaction, unburned fuel and other impurities, as well as removes high heat load and particle loading, which are necessary for stable confinement of the plasma. The divertor comprises four parts: the outer vertical target being procured by Japan, the cassette body and inner vertical target being manufactured in the EU, and the dome being made in Russia.

The heat load on the divertor reaches a maximum of 20 MWt per square metre. Since the outer vertical target - which directly faces the plasma due to its structure - is used in an extreme environment where it is exposed to the heat load and high energy particle loading from the plasma, and its structure has an extremely complex shape, high-precision fabrication and processing technology is required.

MHI has previously received orders for production for five (of a total of 19) toroidal field coils, another core component of ITER, all of which were shipped by 2023.

In mid-2022, the company delivered equipment for confirming and demonstrating the safety of the 'blanket' of ITER. The blanket is one of the components that comprises the inner wall of the fusion reactor. The testing equipment supplied by MHI comprised four systems: the High Heat Flux Test Equipment, the In Box Water Eruption Test Equipment, the Be-Water Reaction Test Equipment; and the Flow Assisted Corrosion Test Loop.

"Going forward, MHI will continue its efforts for manufacturing of major components such as the divertor and equatorial launcher," the company said. "In addition, MHI will actively support the design and development of the fusion prototype reactor planned to be constructed following the ITER project, contributing to the realisation of fusion energy."

ITER is a major international project to build a tokamak fusion device in Cadarache, France, designed to prove the feasibility of fusion as a large-scale and carbon-free source of energy. The goal of ITER is to operate at 500 MW (for at least 400 seconds continuously) with 50 MW of plasma heating power input. It appears that an additional 300 MWe of electricity input may be required in operation. No electricity will be generated at ITER.

Thirty-five nations are collaborating to build ITER - the European Union is contributing almost half of the cost of its construction, while the other six members (China, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the USA) are contributing equally to the rest. Construction began in 2010 and the original 2018 first plasma target date was put back to 2025 by the ITER council in 2016, but is currently in the process of being revised again.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Slovakia-and-South-Korea-discuss-cooperation-on-ne

The Slovak Republic government is aiming to develop details of proposals for a new nuclear power unit at Bohunice by October - with South Korea, as well as the USA and France, among potential partners.

The Slovak Republic's government officially approved the plans for a new 1.2 GWe unit, near the existing Bohunice nuclear power plant, last week. The government asked the economy ministry to draw up details of the plan by the end of October. The government meeting and the decision took place last Wednesday, before Prime Minister Robert Fico was targeted in an assassination attempt. He is described as in a serious but stable condition and recovering in hospital.

Slovak Republic Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár was on a visit to South Korea last week, and held talks with his South Korean counterpart Cho Tae-yul about expanding their bilateral cooperation to the status of strategic partnership.

The Slovak Republic's official TASR news agency reported Blanár as saying: "We also talked with our South Korean partner about the use of nuclear energy, in which Slovakia and South Korea see great potential. The Republic of Korea has extensive experience in the planning, construction and operation of nuclear power plants, so we welcome further discussion and consultations with the South Korean side."

It added that the minister said that South Korea could be a potential partner in the construction of the new nuclear block, and that there was also discussion about small modular reactors, which Slovakia is considering.

Slovakia currently has five nuclear reactors - three at Mochovce and two at Bohunice - generating half of its electricity, and it has one more at Mochovce under construction. Both plants are operated by Slovenske Elektrarne.

In February last year Jadrová Energetická Spoločnosť Slovenska (JESS) submitted a request to the Slovak Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ÚJD) for a siting permit for a new nuclear power plant near the existing Bohunice plant in Jaslovské Bohunice, a small village in the west of the Slovak Republic. JESS - a joint venture between Slovak state-owned radioactive waste management company JAVYS (51%) and Czech utility ČEZ (49%) - was formed in December 2009 to build and operate a new nuclear power plant at Bohunice.

JESS is responsible for the preparation of the New Nuclear Resource Project (NJZ) and, "as part of the activities of the pre-preparation stage and in accordance with the approved Business Plan for the NJZ Project for the period 2022-2025, processed the necessary documentation for the written application for a permit for the location of a nuclear facility". At the time of submitting the siting permit application JESS said it planned to apply for a construction licence for the plant at the end of 2025 with construction work scheduled to start in 2031.

JAVYS signed a framework cooperation agreement with France's EDF in August last year and a memorandum of understanding with the USA's Westinghouse the previous month, both relating to potential projects involving large scale units and small modular reactors. Associated Press reported last week that the Slovak Republic's economy minister Denisa Sakova had said there would be a tender to pick the supplier of the new unit, with Russia's Rosatom not allowed to compete.