Nuclear Energy

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/COP29-hosts

The "inclusion of facilitated and affordable nuclear technologies in the resource deliberations of the COP process is essential", Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has said.

Bayramov, whose country is hosting the 29th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP29) in November was speaking at the Nuclear Energy Summit, co-organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Belgium, in Brussels last month.

In his address to those attending, he said: "The inclusion of nuclear energy in the global stockake at COP28, as a means for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, was indeed a historic milestone. This development is a testament to the progress made collectively in ensuring the safety and security of nuclear energy and highlights the instrumental role of the IAEA.

"As we explore expanded use of nuclear energy, it is imperative that we redouble our efforts in addressing nuclear safety. Moreover, facilitating affordable access to nuclear technologies for peaceful purposes should remain the cornerstone of our collective endeavours.

"We, as the host country for COP29, are committed to spearheading efforts to produce tangible outcomes at this milestone event to be held in Baku later this year - ensuring the inclusion of facilitated and affordable nuclear energy technologies in the resource deliberations of the COP process is essential."

"The path forward necessitates a balanced approach integrating the safe, secure, equitable and affordable expansion of nuclear energy while ensuring environmental sustainability. I would like to assure you that in our national capacity, and as the COP29 chair, we will spare no effort in this regard," he added.

He said that the country was currently exploring with the IAEA the feasibility of using nuclear applications in detecting landmines which, he said, were "a significant challenge for Azerbaijan".

What COP28 agreed

The text of the COP28 global stocktake agreement said that the parties recognise that limiting global warming to 1.5°C "with no or limited overshoot requires deep, rapid and sustained reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions of 43% by 2030 and 60% by 2035 relative to the 2019 level and reaching net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050".

The agreement calls on parties to "contribute to global efforts, in a nationally determined manner, taking into account the Paris Agreement and their different national circumstances, pathways and approaches".

It calls for a transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, "in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net-zero by 2050 in keeping with the science". In addition, it says there should be an acceleration in zero and low-emission technologies, "including, inter alia, renewables, nuclear, abatement and removal technologies such as carbon capture and utilisation and storage, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors, and low-carbon hydrogen production".

World Nuclear Association said this was the first time nuclear energy has been formally specified as one of the solutions to climate change in a COP agreement.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Further-Norwegian-site-identified-for-SMRs

Norsk Kjernekraft has decided to initiate work on the impact assessment of a plot of land in Øygarden municipality, west of Bergen, to assess the possibility of establishing a nuclear power plant comprising up to five small modular reactors.

The company will compile a report, which will be sent to the Ministry of Oil and Energy for an assessment. The ministry will send the report out for consultation, and then the municipality, residents and industry will be able to make their comments. If approved by the ministry, the report and input will form the basis for an impact assessment.

The plot of land in question is adjacent to the Kollsnes industrial area. The 250-acre site is owned by landowner and former mayor of Øygarden, Rolv Svein Rougnø. Rougnø has entered into a letter of intent with Norsk Kjernekraft and the agreement outlines that the site can be acquired for use in the construction of small modular reactor (SMR) power plants.

Norsk Kjernekraft said the site has space for five SMRs, each with a generating capacity of 300 MWe. This means that the site has the potential for generating 12.5 TWh per year, corresponding to almost 10% of Norway's current total electricity consumption.

"This is another important milestone," said Norsk Kjernekraft CEO Jonny Hesthammer. "There are a great many municipalities that are now positive about investigation work being carried out. In this way, concrete knowledge can be acquired which can be used as a basis for decisions about whether nuclear power can be built in the municipality in the future. This must of course be done in consultation with both residents and municipal politicians. Without these being in place, there will be no nuclear energy in the municipality."

Norsk Kjernekraft aims to build, own and operate SMR power plants in Norway in collaboration with power-intensive industry. It says it will prepare licence applications in accordance with national regulations and international standards. It will follow the International Atomic Energy Agency's approach for milestones, and focus on what creates value in the early phase. Financing will take place in collaboration with capital-strong industry and solid financial players.

The company entered into an agreement of intent last year on the investigation of nuclear power with several municipalities.

In June 2023, it signed a letter of intent with TVO Nuclear Services - a consulting company wholly owned by Finnish utility Teollisuuden Voima Oyj - to jointly investigate the deployment of SMRs in Norway. The cooperation included the assessment of the suitability and effectiveness of the development of nuclear power in the Norwegian municipalities of Aure, Heim, Narvik and Vardø.

In November, it submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Oil and Energy for an assessment into the construction of a power plant based on multiple SMRs in the municipalities of Aure and Heim. A corresponding report is in the process of being finalised for Vardø municipality.

A new company, Halden Kjernekraft AS, has also been founded by Norsk Kjernekraft, Østfold Energi and the municipality of Halden to investigate the construction of a nuclear power plant based on SMRs at Halden, where a research reactor once operated.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Justification-sought-for-use-of-Newcleo-reactor-in

The Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) has applied to the UK government for a justification decision for Newcleo's lead-cooled fast reactor, the LFR-AS-200. Such a decision is required for the operation of a new nuclear technology in the country.

"Our application makes the case that the benefits of clean, firm, flexible power from the LFR-AS-200 would far outweigh any potential risks, which are in any event rigorously controlled by robust safety features, including passive safety systems, built into the design and incorporated into the operating arrangements, in line with the UK’s regulatory requirements," the NIA said. "The application also demonstrates that the reactor design would support nuclear energy's contribution to a stable and well-balanced electricity grid, which is essential to reduce consumer bills and maintain economic competitiveness."

The government has confirmed that the application - the first ever for an advanced nuclear technology in the UK - has been accepted for consideration, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) will support the Secretary of State in their role as the justifying authority responsible for the justification decision. DEFRA will now conduct a process of internal review and consultation with a number of statutory consultees.

The NIA noted that a justification decision is one of the required steps for the operation of a new nuclear technology in the UK, but it is not a permit or licence that allows a specific project to go ahead. "Instead, it is a generic decision based on a high-level evaluation of the potential benefits and detriments of the proposed new nuclear practice as a pre-cursor to future regulatory processes," it added.

The NIA, as the representative body of the UK civil nuclear industry, often makes justification applications, because justification is a generic decision that can be relied upon by anyone and are not personal to individual reactor vendors or project developers. The NIA has previously applied for justifications for Hitachi's Advanced Boiling Water Reactor, Westinghouse's AP1000 and Framatome's EPR.

"Advanced reactors like Newcleo's lead-cooled fast reactor design have enormous potential to support the UK's energy security and net-zero transition, so we were delighted to apply for this decision," said NIA Chief Executive Tom Greatrex. "This is an opportunity for the UK government to demonstrate that it backs advanced nuclear technologies to support a robust clean power mix and to reinvigorate the UK's proud tradition of nuclear innovation. We look forward to engaging with the government and the public throughout this process and to further applications for new nuclear designs in the future."

Newcleo CEO Stefano Buono added: "This is an important milestone in our development programme and a vital step forward in our delivery plan for the UK. We're of course delighted to be the first ever advanced technology to be submitted to the justification process and the first reactor design to be considered since the last wave of large-scale designs, almost a decade ago.

"We continue to progress our UK plans at pace - aiming to deliver our first of a kind commercial reactor in the UK by 2033. We are but one player in the new nuclear renaissance and we look forward to working with government and the rest of the sector to develop the robust supply chain that can deliver the UK's ambition of 24 GW of nuclear power by 2050."

The first step of London-headquartered Newcleo's delivery roadmap will be the design and construction of the first-of-a-kind 30 MWe lead-cooled fast reactor to be deployed in France by 2030, followed by a 200 MWe commercial unit in the UK by 2033.

At the same time, Newcleo will directly invest in a mixed uranium/plutonium oxide (MOX) plant to fuel its reactors. In June 2022, Newcleo announced it had contracted France's Orano for feasibility studies on the establishment of a MOX production plant.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Energoatom-gets-backing-for-new-nuclear-fuel-facil

Ukrainian nuclear power giant Energoatom says that it got the backing of the local community after a day of public hearings about plans to build a facility near the city of Yuzhnoukrainsk for the production of fuel assemblies.

The company says that the facility will include Westinghouse technology within the project which will see the assembling of nuclear fuel for VVER-1000 reactors, from ready-made components, some of which are already manufactured at Energoatom sites.

The location of what Energoatom describes as a unique production facility is close to the South Ukraine nuclear power plant, about 300 kilometres south of Kyiv, and it is anticipated that construction will see the creation of about 110 jobs.

During the public hearings on Thursday, Energoatom stressed the safety measures of the industrial site and, according to its report: "Having received answers to the rest of the questions regarding ecology, financing, economic benefits and social preferences, the residents of the South Ukrainian community unanimously supported the construction of the Technological Complex."

Energoatom, which has ended any use of Russian nuclear fuel since the start of the war in 2022, has been diversifying its fuel supply and ultimately aims to create a complete nuclear fuel cycle in the country. Last year Energoatom President Petro Kotin said the full cycle of nuclear fuel production in Ukraine could be achieved by 2026, with Ukraine's Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko saying that in the longer term the aim is to export to other countries.

Ukraine has 13 VVER-1000 reactors, including three at South Ukraine NPP, as well as another six at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which has been under Russian military control since early March 2022. The Rivne nuclear power plant has two VVER-1000s and also two VVER-440 reactors.

Source: https://www.neimagazine.com/news/newsedf-reorganises-its-nuclear-business-11661384

The EDF group is reorganising its nuclear business to improve efficiency in preparation for planned government investment in the nuclear power sector. In 2022, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the revival of the French nuclear industry and the planned construction of six new EPR2 type reactors. The first was to be commissioned by 2035 at the latest.

In 2023, the French nationalised EDF, buying those shares it did not already own and delisting its shares from the stock market. EDF CEO Luc Remont in July 2023 informed managers that the group's nuclear activities would be reorganised to redress the recurring problems that led to production cuts in 2022. EDF had faced a series of technical and political, resulting in nuclear reactor outages that exacerbated Europe's energy crisis in the wake of sanctions placed on Russian oil and gas. The outages reduced 2022 nuclear power output to the lowest level since 1988.

In January, France’s Minister for Energy Transition, Agnes Pannier-Runacher, said a new draft law on energy security would propose construction of eight more EPR reactors in addition to the six already planned. The text sets ambitious targets for the deployment of nuclear and renewables. “It breaks with the previous programming law, which reduced the share of nuclear power in the electrical mix to 50% by 2025 [the date was amended to 2035 in 2019]”, she noted.

EDF said the new organisation of its nuclear business and of the Innovation, Corporate Responsibility & Strategy Directorate aimed at grouping expertise and skills into major specialisms, placing methods on an “industrial” footing to improve performance, and reinforcing cross-functional working within the company. The changes came into effect on 1 April.

EDF’s nuclear business was organised into four directorates and one unit. The Strategy, Technologies, Innovation & Development Directorate brings together strategic activities relating to preparation for the future and planning at Group level. It acts as project owner for nuclear construction projects, drives nuclear development at international level, and constitutes the technical authority. This Directorate is headed by Xavier Ursat.

The Projects & Construction Directorate acts as prime contractor for major new nuclear projects, in accordance with the industrial safety, nuclear safety, quality, cost and deadline framework and objectives, up to the handover to operations teams. It is headed by Thierry Le Mouroux.

The Engineering & Supply Chain Directorate is responsible for delivering studies, equipment and services in line with quality, cost and deadline requirements, while harmonising methods, tools and product/process reference standards for new projects and for the existing fleet. This Directorate brings together the nuclear engineering entities, and activities linked to suppliers. It is headed by Alain Tranzer.

The Nuclear & Thermal Generation Directorate is responsible for the operation, maintenance and decommissioning of the existing nuclear and thermal fleets and for new projects entering service, in France. It continues to roll out, in particular, the Grand Carénage (major plant relift) and START 2025 programmes. Cedric Lewandowski heads this Directorate.

The Industry & Services Unit manages operational design/analysis, manufacturing and industrial services activities for the nuclear steam supply system, fuel, and instrumentation and control systems (Framatome). The unit is headed by Bernard Fontana.

The newly appointed Directorate and Unit heads all hold the rank of Group Senior Executive Vice President.

In addition, the Impact Directorate is joining the Financial Directorate within a new Performance, Impact, Investment & Finance Directorate to be headed by Group Senior Executive Vice President Xavier Girre. The Regulations Directorate has been placed under the Group General Secretary, which is responsible for the Group Legal division, Public & European affairs divisions. Brice Bohuon continues in the role of Group Senior Executive Vice-President, Group General Secretary.

Luc Rémont, EDF Group Chairman & CEO, said: “We are currently seeing an unprecedented recovery in nuclear power, which brings considerable challenges for EDF. We have to continue operating our existing fleet beyond the 40-year mark, while also successfully building the new EPRs, developing our future SMR [ Nuward small modular reactor] product, and increasing the pace of work on projects currently in the pipeline.”

He added: “Against this backdrop, our organisation and the way we work is evolving, to deliver further improvements in performance, and ensure that our nuclear projects are successful. We must achieve the best possible level of performance in each of our major specialisms.”

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Organisation-for-maritime-nuclear-launched

A new international membership organisation - the Nuclear Energy Maritime Organization (NEMO) - has been launched to bring together stakeholders involved in all aspects of floating nuclear power and nuclear mobility.

Headquartered in London, UK, NEMO said it aims "to provide a platform for its members to network and facilitate a functional connection between regulators to foster development and exchange best practices".

It said its mission is to help national and international regulators create appropriate future-oriented standards and rules for the deployment, operation and decommissioning of floating nuclear power "allowing floating nuclear power solutions to be deployed with the highest standards of safety, security, and environmental justice".

As such, NEMO said it will seek to provide expert guidance to nuclear and maritime regulators represented at the International Maritime Organisation and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

"Our focus will be to help close the gap between existing regulations for both the nuclear and maritime industries," NEMO said.

The organisation plans to hold regular events, workshops, webinars and publications for its members and the wider public. The organisation also intends to collaborate with other industry associations, government bodies, academic institutions, and civil society organisations to advance the cause of floating nuclear power.

"We are very excited to launch NEMO, which we believe will be a valuable and influential voice for floating nuclear power," said NEMOs inaugural chairman, Mamdouhel-Shanawany, former head of the IAEA Safety Assessment Section and Global Nuclear Director at Lloyd's Register. We invite all stakeholders who share our vision and values to join us and become part of this dynamic and forward-looking alliance."

NEMO said membership is "open to companies with a bona-fide link to the floating nuclear power segment and who meet the organisation's membership criteria, which include a commitment to sustainability, innovation, and excellence".

NEMOs inaugural members are: South Korea's HD KSOE and JEIL Partners Ltd; the UK's Lloyd's Register and Core Power; the USA's BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC, TerraPower and Westinghouse; Japan's Onomichi Dockyard; Norway's VARD Group; France's Bureau Veritas; and Italy's RINA.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/General-concept-for-Lithuanian-repository-prepared

The general concept for the construction of a geological disposal facility in clay-based rocks for Lithuania's radioactive waste has been developed by the State Enterprise Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant with assistance from Finnish waste management company Posiva.

Lithuania's Development Programme for the Management of Nuclear Facilities and Radioactive Waste 2021-2030, proposes that long-lived radioactive waste in the country will be stored in interim storage facilities until the end of their operational period when there will be final disposal in a geological disposal facility (GDF). The repository - a specially engineered structure several hundred metres underground - is expected to be constructed and commissioned in 2068. Lithuania's radioactive waste and used fuel comes from the Ignalina plant, which stopped operating in 2009, as well as from medicine, industry and research.

The location for the GDF's installation has yet to be determined but is expected to be approved by 2047. The concept prepared by that time will be adjusted depending on the progress of the project development, Ignalina NPP (IAE) said.

The preparation of the concept is a very important stage of the installation of a geological disposal facility, in order to involve the public and representatives of municipalities in the decision on the location of the installation, said IAE General Director Linas Baužys.

"This month we started public consultations with municipalities," he added. "From now on, by continuing them, we will have a concept of what the future radioactive waste disposal site will look like physically and what specific measures will be taken to ensure its safety."

The concept for the Lithuanian GDF was developed by Posiva Solutions Oy, a subsidiary of Finnish waste management company Posiva, under a contract signed in early 2022. Posiva is jointly owned by Finnish nuclear power companies and has developed that country's geological disposal facility at Olkiluoto. The repository is expected to begin operations in the mid-2020s, becoming the first of its kind in the world.

A GDF comprises a network of highly-engineered underground vaults and tunnels built to permanently dispose of higher activity radioactive waste so that no harmful levels of radiation ever reach the surface environment. Countries such as Finland, Sweden, France, Canada, the UK and the USA are also pursuing this option.

Two large RBMK reactors at the Ignalina nuclear power plant provided 70% of Lithuania's electricity until their closure in 2004 and 2009 as a condition of the country joining the European Union. The power plant is being decommissioned by Ignalina NPP, which has removed fuel from the reactors and placed it into dry casks for interim storage at the site. The decommissioning process is due to last until 2038.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/DOE-releases-community-guide-on-coal-to-nuclear-co

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has released an information guide for communities considering replacing their retired or retiring coal power plants with nuclear power plants. The guide is based on a technical study that found transitioning from a coal plant to nuclear would bring local benefits including employment opportunities, increased revenues and economic activity.

Nearly 30% of the USA's coal plants are projected to retire by 2035, but pivoting away from carbon-emitting sources for electricity generation means economic uncertainty for the communities where those plants are situated, Coal-to-nuclear transitions: An information guide notes. But advanced small modular reactors are particularly well suited to replace coal plants, it says.

The report is based on an in-depth technical study prepared for the DOE, and builds on a 2022 DOE report highlighting the opportunities and challenges as coal communities consider converting to nuclear.

A nuclear power plant replacing a coal power plant would employ more people and create additional long-term jobs and increase total income in host communities, as well as increasing revenue for host communities, power plant operators, and local suppliers. In addition the study found that, with planning and support for training, most workers at an existing coal plant should be able to transition to work at a replacement nuclear plant.

The information guide "offers communities a high-level look at the economic impacts, workforce transition considerations, and policy and funding information relevant to a coal-to-nuclear transition", DOE said. It also provides utilities with a brief overview of considerations such as power requirements, project scope and timeline, and infrastructure reuse.

"As we work to transition to a net-zero economy, it's absolutely essential that we provide resources to energy communities and coal workers who have helped our nation's energy system for decades," said Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Kathryn Huff.

The DOE's 2022 report identified 157 retired and 237 operating coal plants sites as potential candidates for a coal-to-nuclear - or C2N - transition, finding 80% of those potential sites to be suitable for hosting advanced nuclear power plants.

Advanced reactor developer TerraPower has already selected a location near a retiring coal plant for its first Natrium advanced reactor. It recently submitted an application to build the demonstration project at Kemmerer, Wyoming to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and plans to begin non-nuclear construction work later this year. Utility PacifiCorp, which operates the retiring Naughton coal plant at Kemmerer, last year added two further Natrium units to its future plans.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Heysham-2%C2%A0to-address-issues-identified-after-IAEA

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team's visit to the UK's Heysham 2 nuclear power plant "found areas of good practice" but also recommended improvements including in "setting and reinforcing expectations" for identifying and correcting "substandard conditions and equipment deficiencies in a timely manner".

The IAEA Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) mission took place in October 2023 at the request of the UK government. The missions - this was the 220th since 1982 - are designed to review operating practice in a wide range of areas across nuclear power plants.

In this case the 13-strong OSART team included experts from Brazil, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Slovakia, Sweden, the USA, and three IAEA staff members, with the team having 354 years of collective nuclear power experience. Heysham 2, in Lancashire on the northwest coast of England, features two 620 MWe advanced gas-cooled reactors which began operation in 1988 and are due to end operations in 2028.

Areas of good practice highlighted in their newly published report includes the implementation of a "wall hound" system to "detect electromagnetic interference and radio frequency interference (EMI/RFI, including Bluetooth) emitted by mobile phones, laptops and smart watches raising an audible and visual cue/prompt". Also the use of hot connection indicators to monitor cable connections temperatures and "the use of chemistry preservation metric by the plant to monitor system status". The use of military training expertise for staff is also praised, especially as it relates to stressful or emergency situations.

The wall hound system was installed in 2020 at three key locations: "the entrance to the RCA, the reactor building, and in the safety circuit/main control room. Certain devices are authorised for use by the plant staff and provisions are established to determine whether detected items are allowed or prohibited".

Initially it detected about 450 devices a month, but that number is now down to about 300 devices per month, of which about five are unauthorised and require action to be taken. The report adds: "The benefit of the Wall Hound System is the prompt detection of EMI/RFI which could impact sensitive plant equipment and possibly impair equipment function resulting in a transient or plant trip."

The most significant proposals for improving operational safety were:

• The plant should improve its approach in setting and reinforcing expectations and challenge the site personnel to identify and correct substandard conditions and equipment deficiencies in a timely manner.
• The plant should improve the material conditions of some plant systems, structures, and components to further reduce the risk to plant safety and reliability.
• The plant should improve the control of fire doors and storage in the plant to further reduce fire risk to equipment and personnel safety.

As an example of the first of those areas the report says "during the review the team observed the following, field operators were not systematically identifying and reporting all deficiencies, additional equipment/materials were left at work sites, without proper fire loading risk assessments, the need for a number of maintenance tasks to be reworked, material deficiencies open for long time periods due to large work backlogs, oil leaks on all diesel generators, unsecured items in seismically controlled areas, contamination and occupational exposure control shortfalls".

The OSART team's 82-page report noted challenges caused by staff turnover but praised the safety culture at the plant, saying: "The team identified that the plant has a good reporting culture enabled by a respectful work environment. The operating experience is well embedded and communicated: morning briefs involve all plant personnel and are customised if needed, the use of event briefs in pre-job briefs is relevant. In addition, the decision-making is rigorous and a conservative approach has been clearly demonstrated."

It also said that "Heysham 2 NPP management expressed their commitment to address the issues identified and invited a follow up visit in about eighteen months to review the progress".

Operator EDF said the report "noted nine areas of good practice ... which can be replicated globally, and provided eight recommendations for further improvement". Heysham 2 Station Director Martin Cheetham said: "The nuclear industry is always working to drive forward improvement, which is why regular in-depth reviews involving international experts are important. They supplement our own internal processes and our work with our regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation.

"Safety is our overriding priority and we greatly value the recommendations provided to the station. We have also invited the IAEA back to review our progress."

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said the OSART mission reviewed 10 areas: Leadership and Management for Safety; Training and Qualification; Operations; Maintenance; Technical Support; Operating Experience Feedback; Radiation Protection; Chemistry; Emergency Preparedness & Response; Accident Management.

It added that "during the mission, the international experts observed that safety performance at Heysham 2 was good" and the department "welcomes the report from the IAEA and looks forward to a follow-up mission conducted by the IAEA in around two years' time. We would also like to thank and commend EDF Energy and Heysham 2's leadership and plant personnel for hosting the mission, for their positive engagement with the review team and their commitment to nuclear safety. The UK Government is confident that good progress will be made by EDF Energy on the further enhancements suggested by the IAEA and recognises the positive feedback provided by IAEA on the operational safety of Heysham 2".

In his foreword to the report, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stressed that an OSART mission "is not a regulatory inspection to determine compliance with national safety requirements ... each review starts with the expectation that the plant meets the safety requirements of the country concerned. An OSART mission attempts neither to evaluate the overall safety of the plant nor to rank its safety performance against that of other plants reviewed. The review represents a 'snapshot in time'; at any time after the completion of the mission care must be exercised when considering the conclusions drawn since programmes at nuclear power plants are constantly evolving and being enhanced."

In 2016, the second unit at Heysham 2 set a world record for uninterrupted operation of a commercial nuclear power reactor, following a 940-day run.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Rio-Tinto-to-manage-Ranger-rehabilitation

Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) has appointed majority owner Rio Tinto to manage the rehabilitation of the former Ranger uranium mine in Australia's Northern Territory. Mining and processing operations at Ranger ceased in January 2021.

Rio Tinto, which owns just over 86% of ERA's shares, will manage the Ranger Rehabilitation Project under a new Management Services Agreement.

The agreement follows discussions and negotiations between Rio Tinto and ERA's Independent Board Committee in relation to a proposal to provide services and advice on the execution of the project. The committee sought and received a proposal from Rio Tinto, and carefully considered the potential Management Services Agreement and whether it was in the best interests of ERA's shareholders. The committee concluded that there was significant value for ERA, and potential cost savings, in directly leveraging Rio Tinto's mine rehabilitation, project management experience and capability to support the safe and efficient delivery of the Ranger Rehabilitation Project.

Under the Management Services Agreement, Rio Tinto and ERA aim to complete the rehabilitation of Ranger - located eight kilometres east of Jabiru and 260 kilometres east of Darwin - in the safest and most efficient way, and to a standard that will establish an environment similar to the adjacent Kakadu National Park and that is consistent with the wishes of the Traditional Owners of the land, the Mirarr people. The agreement requires Rio Tinto and ERA to seek to mitigate risks and minimise costs in alignment with ERA's obligations.

The MSA is expected to be implemented in the second quarter of 2024, with the transition period expected to take 2-3 months.

ERA will continue to directly manage its commitments in Jabiru, corporate and financial affairs, assets and governance, including the lease renewal for the adjacent Jabiluka site.

An updated rehabilitation timeline for the Ranger project will be disclosed when finalised in due course, ERA said.

"We are pleased to have appointed Rio Tinto to manage the Ranger Rehabilitation Project," Independent Board Committee (IBC) Chairman Rick Dennis said. "The Ranger Rehabilitation Project is a complex and globally significant rehabilitation and after extensive consideration the IBC has concluded that there would be significant value for ERA in directly leveraging Rio Tinto's mine rehabilitation, project management experience and capabilities."

ERA CEO Brad Welsh added: "The ERA team has worked incredibly hard and made good progress rehabilitating Ranger. However, as the project moves into a new phase it will benefit from Rio Tinto's global expertise in mine closure. We look forward to working with and supporting Rio Tinto on the safe and efficient delivery of this important project."

"So far, ERA has made progress in key areas, including water, tailings treatment and management and pit rehabilitation," said Rio Tinto Chief Executive, Australia, Kellie Parker. "We are aligned with ERA in wanting to build on this work using Rio Tinto's expertise in closure projects and our commitment to strong stakeholder relationships. We look forward to working in partnership with the Mirarr Traditional Owners and other stakeholders to complete the project."

ERA was required to complete final rehabilitation of the project area and return the land to an environment similar to the adjacent areas the Kakadu National Park by January 2026, but forecast costs and timescales have continued to increase. Preliminary reforecasting in 2022 suggested the total cost of the rehabilitation would be AUD1.6-2.2 billion - up from AUD973 million from a 2019 feasibility study - with rehabilitation not completed until between the fourth quarter of 2027 and the fourth quarter of 2028.

In February, ERA said it spent AUD211 million on rehabilitation work at Ranger in 2023, and expects to spend about AUD1.2 billion on rehabilitation activities up until the end of 2027. The company said it expects it will require further funding in the second half of 2024 for the first tranche of estimated rehabilitation expenditure. Post-2027 activities and estimates of their costs remain highly uncertain, the company added.

"Mirarr are pleased that the ERA independent board committee has finally admitted that ERA has lost control of the Ranger Rehabilitation Project and will hand over management of it to the major shareholder Rio Tinto," said Thalia van den Boogaard, CEO of Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation, representing the Mirarr Traditional Owners.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Bangladesh-considering-two-more-nuclear-units

Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said the country is keen to build two more units at the Rooppur nuclear power plant which is currently under construction.

She made the comments during a meeting with Rosatom Director General Alexei Likhachev, saying "we are interested in building" more nuclear power units at Rooppur, "if there is any scope to do so" and added: "I would request you to utilise Bangladeshi expertise in other nuclear power plant construction projects."

Likhachev confirmed they were "starting the discussion of new projects" including the construction of two more power units at the Rooppur NPP site, but also the "possibility of construction of a multi-purpose high power research reactor is being reviewed".

He added that the "Rooppur NPP construction project is approaching one of the most important milestones - the physical start-up of unit 1, which is to take place before the end of the year".

According to a Dhaka Tribune report on the meeting, based on a briefing from the prime minister's team, Hasina stressed the need for technical surveys to be carried out as the initial stage for planning new units "but her government seeks to build another nuclear power plant in Rooppur on completion of the ongoing project".

It also reported on the inter-state agreement regarding the return of used nuclear fuel from Rooppur to Russia and said Likhachev had reported that the country's first nuclear power plant was now 85% completed, with the aim being to start supplying electricity to the national grid in 2025. Regarding the potential expansion of the plant, he suggested that construction of third and fourth units should begin as soon as possible after the completion of the first two to make the most of the trained and experienced workforce.

He also said Rosatom was offering the option of floating nuclear power plants and small modular reactors, according to a report by the Russian Tass news agency of an interview on Russian television.

The Rooppur plant, 160 kilometres from the capital Dhaka, features two Russian VVER-1200 reactors. Rosatom in February 2011 signed an agreement for two reactors to be built at Rooppur for the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission. The initial contract for the project, worth USD12.65 billion, was signed in December 2015. The Bangladesh Atomic Regulatory Authority issued the first site licence for the Rooppur plant in June 2016, allowing preliminary site works, including geological surveys, to begin. Construction of the first unit began in November 2017. Construction of the second unit began in July 2018. They have an initial life-cycle of 60 years, with a further 20-year extension possible.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/X-energy,-TransAlta-to-assess-use-of-Xe-100-in-Alb

X-Energy Reactor Company and Canadian power producer TransAlta Corporation are to study the feasibility of deploying an X-energy Xe-100 advanced small modular nuclear reactor at a repurposed fossil fuel power plant in the province of Alberta.

The partners will evaluate the economics, regulatory impacts, licensing requirements, timelines, and overall suitability of deploying an Xe-100 plant at a fossil fuel power plant site. The study will also focus on identifying and building Alberta-based supply chain partners and vendors and economic benefits for the province.

X-energy and TransAlta will be supported by Canada-based nuclear and professional engineering firms, including Hatch Ltd, Kinectrics Inc, and PCL Nuclear Management Inc. The study results are expected to provide "valuable insights and data to inform future TransAlta project and business decisions".

The study will be supported through funding from Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA), an initiative supported by the Government of Alberta designed to invest in promising technologies and solutions to reduce emissions throughout the province. X-energy has been awarded CASD623,152 (USD459,079) in funding for the project through ERA's Reshaping Energy Systems funding competition. It is one of 13 projects to receive funding totalling CAD33.7 million through the competition. "These projects, valued at approximately CAD88 million in public and private investment, focus on technologies that will reduce emissions and contribute to a more flexible and sustainable energy grid in Alberta," ERA said.

Alberta - which last year established a goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 - joined the provinces of New Brunswick, Ontario and Saskatchewan as a signatory to a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on small modular reactor (SMR) development in 2021 and has more recently signed memorandums of understanding with several SMR developers including ARC Clean Technology, X-energy and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute.

The Government of Alberta is reconsidering the possibility of having conventional nuclear power plants, Affordability and Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf told reporters at the provincial legislature on 28 March. His comment was the first public suggestion that the government is contemplating conventional nuclear power plants like those in Ontario and New Brunswick, according to CBC.

"This partnership with Emissions Reduction Alberta marks a significant step forward for clean energy technologies in the province," said Benjamin Reinke, X-energy's vice president for global business development. "We are pleased to work with TransAlta, a leader in power production, innovation, and sustainability, to evaluate how X-energy can support the province's climate goals.

"Alberta's tradition of energy innovation combined with our advanced nuclear technology offers a powerful solution to reducing emissions while increasing reliable baseload generation capacity and supporting the region's key economic drivers."

Blain van Melle, Executive Vice President, Commercial and Customer Relations at TransAlta, added: "TransAlta is excited to work with Emissions Reduction Alberta and our project partners to explore how X-energy's innovative small modular reactor technology can potentially augment TransAlta's existing sites and assets to deliver clean, reliable heat and power to our customers at competitive rates and without emissions from fossil fuels."

The Xe-100 - a high-temperature gas reactor capable of a thermal output of 200 MW or (80 MW electrical) which uses fuel made from robust TRISO fuel particles - is one of two designs selected by the US Department of Energy in 2020 to receive USD80 million each of initial cost-shared funding to build an advanced reactor demonstration plant that can be operational within seven years. X-energy announced in March 2023 that the first deployment of the design will be at one of materials science company Dow's sites on the US Gulf Coast. Seadrift - where Dow manufactures more than 4,000,000 pounds (1816 tonnes) of materials per year for use in applications such as food packaging, footwear, wire and cable insulation, solar cell membranes and packaging for pharmaceutical products - was selected to host the first Xe-100 in May 2023.

X-energy has also signed a joint development agreement with utility Energy Northwest for the deployment of up to 12 Xe-100 small modular reactors in central Washington State.

X-energy aims to deploy the first advanced small modular reactor in Alberta by the early 2030s.

In January this year, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission concluded that there are no fundamental barriers to licensing the Xe-100, an outcome that X-energy said increases confidence in proceeding with formal licence applications in Canada.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Restarted-Namibian-mine-transitions-to-commercial

Paladin Energy has announced the first commercial production from the Langer Heinrich uranium mine since operations were suspended at the Namibian project in 2018.

Paladin launched the project to return the mine to production in 2022, and the first ore was fed to the processing plant on 20 January this yea. The company has now announced that "uranium concentrate production and drumming" were achieved on 30 March. The focus will now shift to production ramp-up and building a finished product inventory, ahead of shipments to customers, it said.

"Achieving first production at the Langer Heinrich Mine is an important milestone for Paladin," said CEO Ian Purdy. "I would like to thank all our staff and contractors for their hard work and dedication in returning this globally significant uranium mine to production. I would also like to thank the Namibian Government and our local communities in the Erongo region for their continued support."

As part of the transition to production, Paladin Chief Operating Officer Paul Hemburrow will assume responsibility for all of the mine's activities.

Langer Heinrich is in central western Namibia, about 80 km east of Swakopmund. According to Paladin, which acquired the project in 2002, it produced over 43 million pounds U3O8 (16,540 tU) over 10 years of operations, and is projected to produce over 77 million pounds U3O8 over a future mine life of 17 years. The project is 75%-owned by Western Australia-based Paladin, with China National Nuclear Corporation subsidiary CNNC Overseas Uranium Holding Limited owning a 25% interest.

Paladin said it will provide guidance for key FY2025 operational parameters for the mine in July.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/HTR-PM-heating-project-commissioned

The nuclear heating project of the demonstration High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor-Pebble-bed Module (HTR-PM) at the Shidaowan site in China's Shandong province has been connected to the heating grid and put into operation, China Huaneng announced.

The project uses high-temperature steam extracted from the HTR-PM's steam system to heat water in a heat exchanger. This high-temperature water flows to the heat exchange station in the municipal and power station energy areas and undergoes secondary heat exchange to become residential heating.

The heating pipeline was completed on 22 March and the project was connected to the heating grid on 27 March.

China Huaneng noted the project will add an additional 190,000 square metres of heating area, which can meet the clean heating needs of 1850 households. It can replace 3700 tonnes of coal every heating season and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 6700 tonnes.

The company said the milestone marks "the first time that a fourth-generation nuclear energy heating system has realised heating for urban residents, and a breakthrough in the comprehensive utilisation of fourth-generation nuclear energy."

The HTR-PM - the world's first pebble bed modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor - features two small reactors (each of 250 MWt) that drive a single 210 MWe steam turbine. It uses helium as coolant and graphite moderator. Each reactor is loaded with more than 245,000 spherical fuel elements ('pebbles'), each 60 mm in diameter and containing 7 g of fuel enriched to 8.5%. Each pebble has an outer layer of graphite and contains some 12,000 four-layer ceramic-coated fuel particles dispersed in a matrix of graphite powder. The fuel has high inherent safety characteristics, and has been shown to remain intact and to continue to contain radioactivity at temperatures up to 1620°C - far higher than the temperatures that would be encountered even in extreme accident situations, according to the China Nuclear Energy Association.

First concrete for the demonstration project was poured on December 2012, with the operating permit granted in August 2021 and the plant connected to the grid in December 2021. It reached its initial full power in December the following year and was declared to be in commercial operation in December last year.

The project is a collaborative effort involving Tsinghua University as a technical leader, responsible for research and development and main components and systems design, with China Huaneng Group as the owner and operator of the plant, and China National Nuclear Corporation as the engineering, procurement, and construction contractor and fuel manufacturer.

The HTR-PM follows on from China's HTR-10, a 10 MWt high-temperature gas-cooled experimental reactor at Tsinghua University's Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, which started up in 2000 and reached full power in 2003. Beyond the HTR-PM, China proposes a scaled-up version - HTR-PM600 - with one turbine rated at 650 MWe driven by six reactor modules.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/IAEA-confirms-nuclear-security-improvements-at-Jap

Physical protection measures at Japan's seven-unit Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant have been significantly strengthened over recent years, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. The finding came as Tokyo Electric Power Company submitted a plan to the nuclear regulator to begin loading fuel into unit 7 of the plant later this month.

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts has completed a nuclear security mission at the plant in Japan's Niigata Prefecture, which was carried out at the request of Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco). The nine-day mission - conducted from 25 March to 2 April - aimed to assess the enhancement of the physical protection measures at the plant and to provide further advice as necessary to the facility's operator.

The five-person team assessed and observed physical protection measures against the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material as amended, and relevant IAEA Nuclear Security Guidance documents. They visited the plant and met with Tepco staff. The team included experts from Finland, the UK and the USA, as well as one IAEA staff member.

The team observed the facility management's commitment to improving nuclear security and identified continuous improvements in several areas of the plant's physical protection system since 2018, when the IAEA conducted an International Physical Protection Advisory Service Follow-up Mission in Japan, including a site visit at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa. It noted most of the improvements have been completed, and some requiring significant resources and time to complete are either under implementation or planned to be implemented. The team provided Tepco recommendations and suggestions for further improvements.

"Critical infrastructure, such as nuclear facilities, requires robust physical protection measures, as part of a national nuclear security regime supported by a legislative and regulatory framework and nuclear security culture," said Elena Buglova, director of the IAEA's Division of Nuclear Security. "The IAEA expert missions are intended to assist the requesting States in establishing and further strengthening their national nuclear security regimes, including the physical protection against theft, sabotage or unauthorised use of nuclear and other radioactive material."

"The findings provided by the experts of the expert mission team are very important and will be used further to enhance nuclear security of our plant in line with the IAEA international standards," said Takeyuki Inagaki, superintendent of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant. "Based on the advice given by the IAEA experts, Tepco is committed to continuously improve our security measures by establishing a strong security culture to sustain this current security enhancement effort and prevent it from declining again in the future.

"Also, we will further strengthen the prevention measures against internal threat and continue our improvement aiming towards a better physical protection system, including intrusion detection. This expert mission has also provided us a great opportunity to learn about international good practices. We will continue to improve towards a plant, which our local region can trust and feel safe about."

Approval sought for fuel loading

Tepco applied for Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) approval of its design and construction plan for Kashiwazaki-Kariwa units 6 and 7 in September 2013. It submitted information on safety upgrades across the site and at those two units. These 1356 MWe Advanced Boiling Water Reactors began commercial operation in 1996 and 1997 and were the first Japanese boiling water reactors to be put forward for restart.

In 2017, Tepco received permission from the NRA to restart units 6 and 7. Local government consents are still required before the reactors can be restarted.

However, in April 2021 the NRA issued an administrative order to Tepco prohibiting it from moving nuclear fuel at the plant until improvements in security measures there had been confirmed by additional inspections. The order followed the disclosure by Tepco of faulty intruder detection equipment at the site as well as the unauthorised use of an ID card.

This administrative order was lifted in December.

On 28 March, Tepco submitted a plan to the NRA to begin loading fuel into Kashiwazaki-Kariwa unit 7 on 15 April. The company noted, "At this time, there is no forecast for the subsequent steps, so the specific [restart] scheduled date is listed as undetermined."

The Kyodo news agency reported that after loading fuel into unit 7, Tepco hopes to bring it to criticality and ascertain whether any irregularities are present before gradually increasing its output.

However, the unit can only attain criticality once local approval has been received.

Although it has completed work at the other idled units at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, Tepco is concentrating its resources on units 6 and 7 while it deals with the clean-up at Fukushima Daiichi. Restarting those two units - which have been offline for periodic inspections since March 2012 and August 2011, respectively - would increase the company's earnings by an estimated JPY100 billion (USD659 million) per year.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/TerraPower-submits-application-to-build-Natrium-re

The company says its application to build the Natrium reactor demonstration project is the first construction permit application for a commercial advanced reactor to be submitted to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Non-nuclear construction will begin this summer.

Natrium technology features a 345 MWe sodium-cooled fast reactor using high-assay low-enriched uranium fuel, with a molten salt-based energy storage system that can boost the system’s output to 500 MWe for more than five and a half hours when needed. TerraPower plans to build the Natrium demonstration plant near a retiring coal facility at Kemmerer in Wyoming.

The company said it has been working closely with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in pre-application meetings and is confident in its application. The demonstration plant's design means that non-nuclear construction will begin this summer, while nuclear construction will begin after the application has been approved, the company said. The completed demonstration project will be a fully functioning commercial power plant.

"This submission marks another step toward bringing the Natrium reactor to market and revolutionising how a nuclear reactor functions on the grid," TerraPower President and CEO Chris Levesque said. "We will continue working closely with local stakeholders, elected officials and regulatory partners as we begin non-nuclear construction this year while working through this application process with the NRC."

The company is working to strengthen the advanced nuclear supply chain in North America, and in February announced a second round of contracts for long-lead suppliers to support the development of the Natrium reactor. The selected contractors were: GERB Vibration Control Systems Inc to provide design and testing services, and supply seismic isolation equipment for the Natrium reactor support structure; Thermal Engineering International (USA) Inc to design and fabricate the sodium-salt heat exchanger; Hayward Tyler, Inc to provide design, fabrication, testing and qualification for the primary and intermediate sodium pumps; Framatome US Government Solutions LLC to design the ex-vessel fuel handling machine and bottom loading transfer cask; and Teledyne Brown Engineering to provide the design, fabrication, and testing for the in-vessel transfer machine which will manipulate core components from within the reactor vessel during refuelling operations.

The NRC is currently engaged in review activities related to three other non-light water reactor advanced reactor designs: construction permit applications for Kairos Power LLC's Hermes and Hermes 2 advanced test reactors; and an application for a construction permit for a molten salt research reactor from Abilene Christian University. None of these will be commercial plants, although the two 35 MW (thermal) reactors making up the Hermes 2 project are expected to generate electricity. The NRC decided in December to approve construction of the non-power Hermes sodium-cooled test reactor.

Local residents had called for units to be shut down over safety concerns.

A Japanese district court on Friday (29 March) rejected petitions from residents and allowed five commercial nuclear reactors in western Japan to continue operations.

Local residents had asked the Fukui District Court to halt operation the five reactors – one at the Mihama nuclear power station and four at Takahama –citing inadequate safety measures.

The five plants, in Fukui Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast, are all operated by Kansai Electric Power Company.

According to the Japan Times, in the petitions, the plaintiffs claimed that the design basis earthquake ground motions for the Mihama and Takahama stations are unreasonably low, given the strength of past earthquakes in Japan.

However, presiding judge Yasushi Kato said it is necessary to fully consider regional differences when evaluating earthquake ground motions, and found no problems with Kansai Electric’s survey or the Nuclear Regulation Authority’s (NRA) screening.

The court also found that the plant operator’s checks on the aging of facilities were reasonable.

The court rejected the plaintiffs’ claim that evacuation plans are inadequate.

Mihama-3, the only unit that remains in operation at the Mihama site, began commercial operation in 1976, and Takahama’s four units between 1974 and 1985.

All of Japan’s nuclear power plants were shut down following the 2011 Fukushima disaster for rigorous safety checks and inspections. The country has been returning reactors to service in recent years.

Mihama-3 and Takahama-1 and -2 have been restarted with NRA approval for operation beyond 40 years.

Kansai Electric has also applied to operate Takahama-3 and -4 beyond 40 years and the Takahama-1 beyond 50 years.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Grossi-s%C2%A0fresh-warning%C2%A0about-nuclear-safety-in-Ukr

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has said "we cannot afford to let our guard down" after military action over the past week near to nuclear facilities in Ukraine.

He said that IAEA staff at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant have heard explosions every day over the past week at varying distances from the plant, several times sounding near the site "presumably from outgoing artillery fire", according to the team at the site. An air raid warning was also heard on Wednesday.

The agency's experts have continued to carry out walkdowns of the site and "did not observe any concerns related to nuclear safety", although they did not have access to all areas, including some parts of the turbine halls. In the director general's update on the situation he added "the IAEA is aware of social media reports and images related to the presence of troops and vehicles inside one of the turbine halls at the ZNPP. The presence of such vehicles in ZNPP turbine halls has been reported in previous updates by the Director General".

Maintenance on parts of the safety system of the first unit at the plant - which has six units and has been under Russian military control since early March 2022 - has not yet resumed after it was postponed last week, the update added.

"For more than two years now, nuclear safety and security in Ukraine has been in constant jeopardy. We remain determined to do everything we can to help minimise the risk of a nuclear accident that could harm people and the environment, not only in Ukraine," Grossi said.

"So far, we have managed to stabilise the situation but, as we have seen again this past week, nuclear safety and security in Ukraine remains extremely vulnerable. We cannot afford to let our guard down at any time."

Elsewhere in Ukraine the subcritical Neutron Source installation, located in the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology, lost its external power as a result of shelling and is now relying on emergency diesel generators. Radiation levels remain normal, the IAEA said it had been informed. The facility, which produced radioisotopes for medical and industrial applications up until the start of the war, was transferred to a deep sub-critical state at the start of the conflict, when it also suffered damage from shelling.

"Due to the nature of this facility, which has been shutdown since the start of the armed conflict, we do not currently anticipate a situation that could have any implications to public safety. But, clearly, leaving a nuclear installation without off-site power is not normal and once again demonstrates the risks from this war to nuclear safety," Grossi added.

At Ukraine's other nuclear facilities the IAEA teams have reported that nuclear safety and security continues to be maintained, although there have been regular air raid alarms.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Flamanville-EPR-ASN-consults-over-commissioning-au

France's nuclear regulator has launched a three-week public consultation on its draft decision to authorise the commissioning of the Flamanville EPR reactor, which has a summer 2024 target for connection to the grid.

The regulator, the Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire (ASN), said the consultation will run from 27 March until 17 April and said it completes the consultation process relating to authorising commissioning of the reactor, following ones held in summer 2023 and from January 15 to February this year.

ASN said it would take into account comments made during the new consultation in finalising its decision, noting that the authorisation is required for fuel to be loaded into the reactor.

In response to the ASN consultation announcement EDF said that thanks to the work of its teams carrying out "final tests and technical instructions to ensure that the installation is fully operational and compliant with the highest safety standards, the Flamanville 3 EPR is technically ready to engage its commissioning".

The company added that following the consultation "the ASN will be in a position to authorise the commissioning of the plant, enabling the first nuclear fuel loading, followed by start-up operations. Connection to the national grid is scheduled for summer 2024".

The ASN said that it would be specifying the methods for taking into account feedback from the operation of other EPR-type reactors in the world. The first EPR units came online at Taishan in China, where unit 1 became the first EPR to enter commercial operation in 2018 followed by Taishan 2 in September 2019. In Europe, Olkiluoto 3 in Finland entered commercial operation in 2023 and two units are under construction at Hinkley Point C in the UK.

Construction work began in December 2007 on the 1650 MWe unit at the Flamanville site in Normandy - where two reactors have been operating since 1986 and 1987. The dome of the reactor building was put in place in July 2013 and the reactor vessel was installed in January 2014. The reactor was originally expected to start commercial operation in 2013.

IAEA has expressed support for plans and offered technical assistance.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) has applied for regulatory approval to load nuclear fuel into Unit 7 at its Kashiwazaki Kariwa power station in Niigata Prefecture, western Japan, from April 15 as it seeks to restart the facility.

Kashiwazaki Kariwa, the world’s biggest nuclear station with seven units and a net installed capacity of about 7,965 MW, has been offline since 2012 pending safety checks after the Fukushima disaster in 2011.

Tepco and the government are keen to restart Kashiwazaki Kariwa. Tepco said in June 2020 it was concentrating its resources on restarting the newer Units 6 and 7, which originally began commercial operation in 1996 and 1997 respectively.

In January, Japan’s nuclear regulator lifted an operational ban imposed on Kashiwazaki Kariwa two years ago, allowing Tepco to work towards gaining local permission to restart.

International Atomic Energy Agency director-general Rafael Grossi has expressed his support for increasing Japan’s nuclear capacity and offered Japan technical assistance as its bids to restart Kashiwazaki Kariwa.

Japan is looking to its nuclear reactors to cut carbon emissions and ensure stable sources of energy. Prime minister Fumio Kishida’s government has signalled a major policy shift in favour of nuclear.

Before Fukushima-Daiichi, Japan’s fleet of 54 nuclear plants generated about 30% of the country’s electricity, but were all shut down for safety checks following the accident.

Among the 33 operable nuclear reactors in Japan, 12 have now resumed operations after meeting post-Fukushima safety standards. The restarted plants are: Sendai-1 and -2, Genkai-3 and -4, Ikata-3, Mihama-3, Ohi-3 and -4 and Takahama-1, -2, -3 and -4.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency nuclear generated about 6.1% of the country’s electricity in 2022. The Tokyo-based Japan Atomic Industry Forum said recently that the fleet generated 81 TWh of electric power in 2023, about 50% higher than 2022.

DOE says new software could be rolled out across all nation’s BWR units.

US-based technology company Blue Wave AI Labs has successfully deployed machine learning (ML) tools at two nuclear power plants operated by Constellation, potentially saving the company millions of dollars per reactor each year, the US Department of Energy said.

The project was part of a $6m (€5.5m) effort supported by the DOE to help lower the operating costs of nuclear power plants using the latest artificial intelligence (AI) and ML technologies.  

Two US national laboratories — Argonne and Brookhaven — contributed to the project.

Blue Wave projects that the new software could save up to $80m per year once the tools are expanded to the nation’s fleet of 32 boiling water reactors (BWR). 

Blue Wave tested its technology at Constellation’s Peach Bottom and Limerick nuclear power stations starting in 2022.  Peach Bottom and Limerick, both in Pennsylvania, have two operational BWR each.

Blue Wave’s AI tools used vast amounts of historical plant data to analyse and improve sensor measurements within the reactor core.  

Reactor operators depend on sensors to measure power generation, fuel consumption, and the overall state of the reactor with respect to operating limits. 

Over time, these sensors can become out of calibration and lose accuracy. If enough sensors stop working correctly, the reactor will reduce power or shut down as a precautionary measure, costing an operator millions of dollars per day in lost generation revenue. 

The DOE said that in 2023, Blue Wave identified sensors at the Limerick-2 BWR that were suspected to be out of calibration. These sensors were taken offline, allowing the plant to continue operating. 

During the next sensor calibration cycle, plant operators were able to verify that sensors that were taken offline were giving incorrect readings due to miscalibration, as was predicted by Blue Wave’s tool.

The DOE said the AI algorithms also improved engineers’ ability to predict how much fuel must be purchased and how to configure the fuel to generate the greatest amount of power while preserving margin to operating limits – another time-consuming and expensive process.   

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Dukovany-to-Brno%C2%A0hot-water-heating-supply-pipeline

Czech nuclear power operator ČEZ and municipal heating company Teplárny Brno have signed agreements relating to a 42-kilometre pipeline from the Dukovany nuclear power plant that aims to benefit 250,000 people in the city of Brno.

The strategic contracts signed cover the removal of heat from the Dukovany units to the boundary of the power plant, ČEZ said, as well as agreement on future contracts which are a condition for steps towards the construction of the heating pipe, with work scheduled to begin in 2027 and due to take about four years.

The companies say that the cogeneration production of heat will help Brno, the Czech Republic's second largest city, to cut its use of gas - possibly covering 50% of its heating needs. The pipeline is being designed to avoid built-up areas and will include tunnelled sections, including one stretch of 1100 metres in the Bobrava Nature Park.

The projected cost of the scheme is CZK19 billion (USD811 million) with part of it to be met by possible European Union subsidies as well as possible financing via commercial institutions.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said: "The construction of the heat pipe is an important step towards energy self-sufficiency and independence for Brno. If we have been saying for a long time that the basic energy source of the Czech Republic should be nuclear energy in the future, then this project fully meets the requirements and criteria. We will use the heat from the nuclear power plant, we will get rid of dependence on other fuels and we will ensure safe supply of heat to households and institutions."

ČEZ CEO Daniel Benes said he was glad the project was moving forward adding: "South Bohemia and our Temelín nuclear power plant, which uses a new heat pipe to supply heat to České Budějovice, can be an example of good practice in the use of nuclear sources for heat production."

Jiří Herman, chairman of the board of Teplárny Brno, said the project will provide more stability for heating prices for Brno: "This will fundamentally reduce the sensitivity of the price of heat to fluctuations in energy prices. Even if we consider the price of heat after 2030, the calculations show us that compared with the current price level, we can expect a positive impact - a reduction - on the price of heat."

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.

Following a visit to the plant earlier this week for the announcement, the prime minister also held meetings with mayors of nearby towns and villages about plans for new nuclear power capacity at Dukovany. He noted CZK13.5 billion of transport measures and said the aim was to minimise any negative impacts on the area during construction.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/CNL-aims-for-carbon-neutrality-of-Chalk-River-site

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) has announced a target of achieving carbon-neutral operations at the Chalk River Laboratories site in Ontario by 2040. It said connecting to the small modular reactor proposed for the site could contribute to meeting this target.

The target is outlined in CNL's newly-released 2023 ESG Report, A CNL Sustainability Performance Update, an annual document that tracks the company's progress towards sustainable operations, and among other goals, was established to support the Canadian government in its commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

The new carbon emission reduction plan was put in place to fulfill environmental objectives set out by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) in its environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy. CNL operates Chalk River Laboratories on behalf of AECL, who owns the site, under a government-owned, company-operated management model. Together, the organisations will work together over the next two decades to reduce emissions by approximately 90% to near-zero, and then balance out any remaining emissions with strategic carbon offsets.

Among the organisational changes identified in its Carbon Neutral Strategy are: updated engineering standards and climate resilience planning requirements for all new construction projects and retrofits; energy performance improvements through the adoption of electric heating and conservation measures; the decommissioning and removal of outdated, inefficient buildings; and the electrification of CNL's vehicle fleet.

"CNL is even exploring the potential to connect to a small modular reactor (SMR) proposed for construction at the Chalk River site, leveraging the clean energy from the reactor to further offset the carbon footprint of CNL's operations," the company said.

Global First Power Ltd - a joint venture launched in 2020 by Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) and Ontario Power Generation - aims to build, own and operate a proposed Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) at the Chalk River Laboratories site by 2030. The 10 MWt (3.3 MWe) to 45 MWt (15 MWe) MMR high temperature gas-cooled reactor would provide process heat to an adjacent plant via a molten salt heat exchange system, and would serve as a model for future SMR deployments. It is based on UNSC's proprietary Fully Ceramic Micro-encapsulated fuel technology, which is a tristructural-isotropic - or TRISO - fuel.

"At CNL, we understand that the actions we take today will have an impact on future generations, so we must make responsible decisions in the modernisation and operation of the Chalk River Laboratories site," said CNL President and CEO Joe McBrearty. "And that starts with reducing our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. CNL has already reduced our GHG emissions by approximately 30% relative to 2005 levels, and we are poised to achieve a 40% reduction by 2025. To meet our net-zero by 2040 targets, we have developed a Consolidated Carbon Neutral Strategy which will guide our ongoing business activities, ensuring that GHG emissions are factored into all our operational decisions, big and small."

"As a federal Crown corporation and the owner of the Chalk River Laboratories, AECL has set ambitious targets within our ESG strategy to meet the Government of Canada's net-zero goals by 2050," said AECL President and CEO Fred Dermarkar. "With the unique opportunity to leverage our nuclear science and technology capabilities, AECL has accelerated the target to meet carbon neutrality at the Chalk River site by 2040. We are encouraged by CNL's work in Chalk River to implement their carbon neutral strategy."

"Sustainability is far more than sound environmental stewardship," CNL said. "The ambitious emissions target is part of a much broader, comprehensive plan to fulfill the delivery of sustainability-related objectives at Canada's national nuclear laboratory.

"As part of this plan, CNL completed an ESG materiality assessment in 2023 that will guide improvement efforts across seven major focus areas, including waste management, climate resilience, ecosystem services, community relationships, employee engagement and well-being, effective leadership and responsible supply chain. This assessment was the product of a thorough stakeholder engagement exercise, which included a survey of over 700 stakeholders and in-depth interviews to gather feedback and refine the company's ESG priorities."

"Whether it was the development of our new forest management plan, the creation of an Indigenous procurement strategy, or the launch of our new education programming, CNL has had an exceptional year in our pursuit of more sustainable operations," McBrearty added. "However, I think the completion of our ESG materiality assessment will have the greatest impact on our operations, because it allows CNL to look inward at our operations through the eyes of our stakeholders and identify the issues and opportunities that we must prioritise as a company."

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Workshops-to-extend-US-nuclear-cooperation-with-Eu

The US Trade and Development Agency has announced funding for a series of international workshops to advance US-led civil nuclear energy deployment in Europe and Eurasia.

USTDA Director Enoh Ebong announced the funding following her participation in the US delegation to the International Atomic Energy Agency's inaugural Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels last week.

The USTDA is an independent federal government agency focused on connecting US companies with export opportunities in emerging markets. The agency achieves its mission by funding feasibility studies, technical assistance and pilot projects that integrate US private sector innovation into infrastructure projects at the critical early stages when design choices and technology options are determined. It also connects overseas project sponsors with US partners through its reverse trade missions, industry conferences and expert workshops.

Over the next two years, USTDA will host four workshops in Europe and the USA to promote industry-wide transatlantic partnerships and support decision-makers as they plan for implementation of civil nuclear energy projects. The first workshop will be held later this year at the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.

USTDA said this workshop series takes the next step following its previous five-part workshop series on small modular reactor (SMR) technology and civil nuclear energy regulations and standards in Europe. That series focused on bringing together US and European public and private sector officials to focus on creating an enabling environment for SMR deployment in Europe.

This programme is the latest in USTDA's recent portfolio of nuclear energy-related activities, including project preparation to enhance climate and energy security in Indonesia, Poland, Romania and Ukraine. The agency noted that in Poland and Romania, USTDA's assistance led to the selection of US technology for pioneering nuclear energy projects.

"Civil nuclear energy holds promise as a clean and secure energy solution, and USTDA is at the forefront of supporting our partners both to develop frameworks for deployment and to advance their individual infrastructure needs," Ebong said. "Our previous workshop series helped to bring consensus in Europe that small modular reactors have a role in the continent's energy transition and climate plans.

"I am pleased to announce our upcoming series, which will build on this progress by focusing on technology deployment. We look forward to working with US industry and our European partners on an agenda that will generate opportunities for US companies while helping our partners advance their energy and climate goals."

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Floating-nuclear-power-plant-plan-for-Russia-s-Far

Rosatom and the government of Primorsky Krai have signed an agreement for a feasibility study and location options for floating nuclear power units off its coast.

The agreement was signed at the Atomexpo 2024 event in Sochi and aims to produce reliable and carbon-free electricity generation facilities in the region, which borders China and North Korea and is about 250 miles across the sea from Japan.

Rosatom said the agreement will also include the financial, economic, legal and technical aspects of a prospective project, as well as how it would be organised. The Far Eastern region of Russia is estimated by the country's Unified Energy System operator to need at least 1.35 GW of power by 2029-2030.

Andrei Leontyev, Minister of Energy and Gas Supply of the Primorsky Territory, said: "Initially, we see the need for four floating power units to eliminate the energy shortage in the south ... in addition to small-scale nuclear energy, we also consider it necessary to create a nuclear power plant with two 600 MW units in the medium term for the development of our region."

Rosatom Deputy Director General for Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Solutions, Andrey Nikipelov, said: "Small-scale nuclear power is a modern green way of stable energy supply with energy costs projected for decades ... floating power units with their mobility and scalability are a doubly flexible solution not only to cover the current needs of a region with actively developing industry and infrastructure, but also new opportunities that will further expand the economic potential of the region and provide better living conditions for people."

Rosatom has developed floating nuclear power plants based on the RITM-200 reactor which has been used on its new fleet of nuclear-powered icebreakers and construction has begun for units to supply the Baimsky Mining and Processing Plant, with "dozens of countries and regions" said to be showing an interest. It says, for example, that there is a need for up to 15 floating nuclear power units for Russia's Arctic zone.

Russia already has one floating nuclear power plant, the Akademik Lomonosov, which is stationed at Pevek where it supplies heat and power to the town. This is based on two KLT-40S reactors generating 35 MWe each, which are similar to those used in a previous generation of nuclear-powered icebreakers.

Export push

Also at the Atomexpo forum, Rosatom signed an agreement with Russia's TSS Group on terms for the formation of a joint venture for the construction and operation of floating nuclear power units for foreign markets.

The floating power plants will use RITM-200 reactors and have a capacity of 100 MW and a service life of at least 60 years.

Sergei Velichko, Chairman of TSS Group, said: "Floating power units are an effective solution to the problems of current and future energy shortages in regions with rapidly developing economies ... we see high demand for a stable and green source of energy in almost all countries in Africa and the Middle East ... we believe that the largest sovereign funds will be serious drivers of investment in this technology."