Nuclear Energy

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Canadian-British-partnership-for-fusion-developmen

The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) have signed a collaboration framework agreement to partner on the development of technologies in relation to the management of tritium, an isotope of hydrogen used as fuel in fusion energy.

A key focus of the partnership will be on hydrogen isotope management within the fusion fuel cycle, safely removing, processing, and reinjecting fuel to the plasma in a continuous manner. Hydrogen isotope management is an essential part of the fusion fuel cycle - tritium needs to be separated from other hydrogen isotopes in the exhaust gas so that it can be recycled and reused as a fusion fuel. Tritium is rare in nature, so managing tritium efficiently is crucial to fusion energy's commercial viability.

The first project under this collaboration will involve samples of candidate materials for isotope separation being analysed at both CNL's facilities in Chalk River, Ontario, and UKAEA's facilities in Culham, Oxfordshire.

The UKAEA and CNL agreement establishes a framework in which the two organisations will conduct joint research projects, facilitate personnel secondments, share expertise for consultancy services, and work together to provide services to the fusion industry.

Both UKAEA and CNL facilities will also be leveraged in this partnership to advance tritium technologies required for fusion applications, including the design of tritium processing plants, tritium-compatible materials development, tritium breeder blanket technologies, tritium decontamination, and analytical equipment and the modelling of tritium handling processes.

"Fusion energy promises to be a safe, low carbon and sustainable part of the world's future energy supply," said UKAEA Executive Director Stephen Wheeler. "Tritium is a key fuel for fusion energy, and developing a commercial scale fuel cycle for the handling and reprocessing of tritium is vital to the delivery of fusion as a clean energy source.

"This collaboration between UKAEA and CNL brings together two of the largest and most experienced tritium research and operational teams in order to accelerate the development of new technologies for tritium processing."

Jeff Griffin, Vice-President, Science and Technology at CNL, said: "CNL has a proud history of working alongside the United Kingdom to advance clean energy technologies, and this agreement builds on that relationship, to pursue fusion technologies, a transformative clean energy solution for our respective countries."

"For our part, CNL has extensive expertise in the safe operation of facilities, storage and management of tritium, capabilities that will be critically important to this collaboration. Overall, we are thrilled to work with such a talented and internationally respected team of researchers at the UKAEA, and we cannot wait to get started," added Ian Castillo, Head of Hydrogen and Tritium Technologies at CNL.

This agreement complements the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) earlier this week by the UK's Energy Secretary, Claire Coutinho, and Canadian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Jonathan Wilkinson, at the International Energy Agency's Ministerial Meeting in Paris. The MoU aims to enhance collaboration on key focus areas, including research and development, regulatory harmonisation, and skills and workforce development.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Belgium-launches-project-to-develop-metal-smelter

The European Commission has given approval for a project by Belgium's Nuclear Research Centre (SCK-CEN) and the Centre for Metallurgical Research (CRM) to develop an advanced smelter for metal generated through the dismantling of nuclear power plants.

Metals removed during the dismantling of nuclear power plants fall into three main categories: most of the metal is free of any residual radioactivity and can therefore go through a conventional recycling process; another portion is too contaminated to be processed or recycled and is categorised as nuclear waste and sent for disposal; while the third and final part has a limited level of radioactivity, allowing it to be recycled within dedicated infrastructure.

In June last year, the Belgian government allocated EUR13.5 million (USD14.5 million) in funding under the Belgian Recovery and Resilience Plan to the SMELD (which stands for State-of-the-art Metal Melting Limiting waste during D&D) project. This project aims to develop a facility that will enable larger quantities of metal emanating from dismantling to be recycled. It focuses on material that is too radioactive to be recycled immediately, but not radioactive enough to be disposed of as radioactive waste.

"That particular category actually accounts for considerable volumes," said CRM Group CEO Joeri Neutjens. "We believe that by putting in place the right technologies and installations, we will be able to give that metal a second life."

With the European Commission now approving the investment, SCK-CEN and CRM have signed a research partnership, allowing them to launch the project.

The project has two components: firstly, fundamental research activities performed by SCK-CEN in Mol, in collaboration with CRM in Liège, followed by feasibility studies. Using a laboratory fusion furnace, this will enable research into the movements of certain radioisotopes during the fusion process and will help determine parameters/methods for controlling the movements of these isotopes. The project will also include feasibility studies, industrial research and fusion infrastructure, and even larger-scale research with one or more industrial partners, to be selected by SCK-CEN.

The intention is that SMELD will lead to an upgraded form of the technology being used in today's large-scale melting plants. By capturing most of the radioisotopes during melting and separating them from the metal, these plants are already bringing about a dramatic reduction in the quantity of radioactive waste. Nevertheless, some radioisotopes are difficult to capture using the techniques currently available.

"We believe that still more can be got out of the process and have made it our target to ensure that the new melting furnace is more effective at isolating those residual radioisotopes as well larger quantities of metal can then be recycled and re-used," Neutjens said.

The furnace will undergo an extensive development process, in which advanced thermodynamic simulations will be combined with laboratory-scale provisional feasibility and optimisation tests. The initial part of that process is being carried out at CRM Group using non-radioactive materials and will be followed by small-scale tests at SCK-CEN using radioisotopes. The two project partners will then scale up the development into a genuine, advanced processing furnace. They intend to complete the work to construct the furnace by 2026.

"In Europe, more than 70 nuclear reactors have already closed down and it is estimated that dozens more will follow in the coming years," said Guido Mulier, a dismantling expert at SCK-CEN. "It therefore won't be long before they become due for dismantling. Recycling and re-using the maximum quantity of materials makes it possible to reduce the ecological footprint of dismantling. And that is what this project is all about: a desire to create a circular economy in dismantling."

He added: "Any country commencing a dismantling project stands to benefit from improved recycling techniques. We are paving the way towards an installation of that type, the commercial operation of which will ultimately be undertaken by an industrial partner. SCK-CEN and CRM will reserve the right to continue carrying out research in that installation as a means of optimising existing techniques, but also new ones."

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Slovakia-s-SMR-timescales-unveiled-as-Project-Phoe

A feasibility study, as part of the US-funded Project Phoenix, is looking into the potential for small modular reactors (SMRs) in Slovakia with an indicative timeline to 2035.

Project Phoenix was announced by US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry (pictured above) at the COP27 climate conference in 2022 and aims to support energy security and climate goals by creating pathways for coal-to-SMR power plant conversions while retaining local jobs through workforce retraining. The first recipients, announced in September last year, were the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia, with Slovenia added earlier this month.

Slovenské elektrárne has now announced that staff from Project Phoenix implementation partners, Sargent & Lundy, have visited Slovakia to carry out the initial phase of a field survey of sites for the feasibility study on the construction of SMRs in the country. They visited Slovenské elektrárne's Bohunice and Mochovce nuclear power plants and the Nováky and Vojany coal-fired plants.

The study begins with rating/excluding sites against serious constraints such as "seismicity, unsuitability of the geological subsoil or surroundings, lack of cooling water. This is followed by a survey of suitable sites and selection of the most suitable ones. In the next phase, the most appropriate SMR technologies for each selected site are assessed. Finally, a licensing plan and a capital cost analysis of the alternatives is prepared".

The analysis will also factor in the purpose of the SMR, such as electricity, heating, cogeneration and existing infrastructure and also "other socio-economic and environmental factors that may influence the final choice of sites".

According to Slovenské elektrárne, the aim is to complete the feasibility study in 2025, with the initial SMR design and licensing process running from 2026 to 2029, with procurement of major components from 2030 to 2033 and "implementation project, construction, commissioning" in 2035.

The Project Phoenix grant application was made by Slovenské elektrárne with the Slovak Economy Ministry, the Nuclear Regulatory Authority, the Slovak University of Technology, US Steel Košice and the Slovak Power Transmission System, VUJE. The aim is to help the country's transition from coal to nuclear energy "in a manner that prioritises nuclear safety, non-proliferation, security of energy supply, and sound financial considerations from the outset".

Slovenské elektrárne adds that it sees the project as a good way to develop its know-how: "Slovenské elektrárne has extensive experience in the field of nuclear energy. We are one of the first countries to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. We also must extend our knowledge in the field of SMRs."

Slovakia currently has five nuclear reactors generating about half its electricity, with one more reactor under construction. The first two, at Bohunice, went into commercial operation in 1984 and 1985 respectively, while Mochovce 1 and 2 were connected to the grid in 1998 and 1999, respectively. Construction of Mochovce 3 and 4 began in 1986 but was halted in 1992. It was later restarted and Mochovce 3 entered service in 2023, with work continuing on Mochovce 4.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/IEA-Ministerial-Meeting-recognises-role-of-nuclear

The International Energy Agency's (IEA's) 2024 Ministerial Meeting and 50th Anniversary event, held in Paris on 13-14 February, has agreed to recognise nuclear as one technology for achieving energy security and decarbonisation.

The IEA said the event - co-chaired by France and Ireland - "produced a strong commitment to safeguard energy security while speeding up clean energy transitions to keep the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C within reach".

"Those countries that opt to use nuclear energy or support its use recognise its potential as a clean energy source that can reduce dependence on fossil fuels, to address the climate crisis and improve global energy security," a ministerial communiqué released at the end of the event said. "These countries recognise nuclear energy as a source of baseload power, providing grid stability and flexibility, and optimising use of grid capacity, while other countries choose other options to achieve the same goals. We recognise the importance of ensuring the highest standards of nuclear safety, security and non-proliferation."

Speaking at the closing press conference, IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol noted: "For the first time, there was a full paragraph in the recognition of nuclear power to address energy security and climate change issues."

"In our communique it is clear that it is up to countries to pick nuclear or not - it is optional. There is no push for countries to make use of nuclear, but if countries opt to use nuclear power we have highlighted the benefits of that. It is up to countries to make their own strategies."

Irish Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan, who co-chaired the meeting, added: "The text we have agreed today may obviously contain paragraphs that some countries feel uncomfortable with, but that doesn't mean you can't agree the overall.

"And it's really critical that we did come together at a time when multilateralism is at risk in so many different areas, that we are agreed in the clear, broad direction that we are going and it's not forcing any one country in terms of its fuel choices but it is absolutely saying that we are all having to decarbonise."

"I have been speaking with French industrials, European industrials and global industrials over the past 24 months, and I asked them 'What do you need to make sure you are on track and that we get rid of emissions by 2050?'," said Roland Lescure, France's Minister for Industry and Energy, who also co-chaired the meeting. "They say one thing - we need low-carbon energy like there is no tomorrow and we need it cheap.

"And I think they all had their own views on getting there. But it's about time we just get there. So some countries will get there one way. We know that Germany, for example, is going full-on with renewables. We (France) have decided to go 50/50 - we are going to have nuclear and renewables. The most important thing is to just do it. Let's do it together ... the time for ideological wars is over. Now is the time for action. What we are showing today, it's the first ministerial meeting after the COP that we are ready to act."

COP28 - held in Dubai in late 2023 - ended with a unanimous agreement by all parties calling for a transitioning away from fossil fuels and an acceleration of zero- and low-emission technologies, including nuclear. The text of the 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".

World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y León spoke during the closing session of the event's Energy Innovation Forum. She said: "To some extent, the IEA has included the role of nuclear energy in global decarbonisation for some years. But I think that certainly after COP28, where for the first time we actually saw nuclear energy recognised as one of the energy technologies that need to be accelerated if we are serious about meeting Paris Agreement goals and we had over 25 countries committing to trebling nuclear capacity by 2050."

She added: "We see that sometimes the challenges that we have is not the technology, it is the delivery model of this technology. Certainly that is true for nuclear energy and also we really need to have - and here I think it would be fantastic for the IEA to look into - industrial policy. We heard this in a couple of sessions before and I would like to emphasise that I think it is important to have good energy policy. But industrial policy goes right behind it because not every startup, not every sector, can develop their own supply chain, their own industrial infrastructure in order to succeed, to develop what we need at scale at speed."

Unit is second Westinghouse-supplied AP1000 at delayed Georgia reactor project.

The Vogtle-4 nuclear power plant in the US state of Georgia has reached first criticality, a key step during the startup testing sequence that paves the way for planned commercial operation during the second quarter of 2024.

First criticality demonstrates that – for the first time – operators have safely started the nuclear reaction inside the reactor. This means atoms are being split and nuclear heat is being made, which will be used to produce steam. A reactor achieves criticality when the nuclear fission reaction becomes self-sustaining.

Georgia Power said in a statement that operators will continue to raise power to support synchronising the plant to the grid and begin producing electricity. Then, operators will continue increasing power through multiple steps, ultimately raising power to 100%.

Vogtle-4 is the second Westinghouse AP1000 plant at the Georgia site. Vogtle-3 began commercial operation on 31 July 2023.

Vogtle-3 and -4 are the first nuclear units to be built in the US in more than three decades, but have seen cost overruns and delays.

The $14bn (€13bn) original cost of Vogtle-3 and -4 has risen to more than $30bn. The cost for Georgia Power, with a 45% share of the project, will be about $15bn.

Construction of Vogtle-3 began in March 2013 and of Vogtle-4 in November 2013. The in-service date for Vogtle-3 when the project was approved in 2012 was 2016.

In October Georgia Power said the in-service date for Vogtle-4 was being pushed back to 2024 due to a motor fault in one of four reactor coolant pumps.

Not including Vogtle-4, the US has 93 operating commercial nuclear reactors at 55 sites in 28 states. They generate about 18% of the country’s electricity. Vogtle-4 is the only unit under construction.

Report says valve system had not been properly maintained.

A steam leak at the Heysham A nuclear power station in the UK could have seriously injured staff, an investigation by the UK regulator has found.

The incident was caused when a valve controlling steam from the reactor failed at the two-unit station in Lancashire, northwest England.

A report by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) found the valve system had not been maintained.

The power station’s owner EDF Energy accepted the findings and said it was carrying out a review. EDF Energy is the UK division of French state nuclear operator EDF.

Nobody was injured as a result of the incident on 23 December 2023, but the ONR investigation found that EDF Energy had failed to maintain the valve system.

This had the “potential for serious personal injury, if people had been present in the area near the valve”, the ONR report said.

The ONR said it has issued an improvement notice to EDF and the company has until 30 April to comply.

Heysham A has two advanced gas-cooled nuclear plants that began commercial operation in 1989.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Waste-issues-need-consideration-in-SMR-deployment,

Waste management issues need to have a significantly greater prominence in the process of developing and deploying small modular reactor and advanced modular reactor designs, according to the UK's Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM).

"There is considerable impetus for the development of small modular reactor (SMR) and advanced modular reactor (AMR) designs and their commercial deployment, both for energy security and for environmental reasons, particularly given the historic difficulties of deploying reactors at gigawatt scale," CoRWM notes in a new position paper.

However, it says the issue of managing the used fuel and radioactive waste from these new reactors "appears, with some exceptions ... to have been largely ignored or at least downplayed up to now". It adds that the issue "must be considered when selecting technologies for investment, further development, construction and operation".

The paper says: "This must involve addressing the uncertainties about such management at an early stage, to avoid costly mistakes which have been made in the past, by designing reactors without sufficient consideration of how spent fuel and wastes would be managed, and also to provide financial certainty for investors regarding lifetime costs of operation and decommissioning."

CoRWM says it is essential to know: the nature and composition of the waste and, in particular, of the used fuel; its likely heat generation and activity levels; how it could feasibly be packaged and its volume; and when it is likely to arise.

"So far there is little published material from the promoters and developers of new reactor types to demonstrate that they are devoting the necessary level of attention to the waste prospectively arising from SMR/AMRs," it notes.

The position paper provides recommendations to the UK government, Great British Nuclear (GBN), and Nuclear Waste Services and regulators to consider as SMR and AMR deployment is progressed.

"There are many questions to be answered concerning the radioactive waste and spent fuel management aspects of the design and operation of SMRs and AMRs," CoRWM says. "This paper begins the process of raising them, with the caveat that our knowledge of the reactor designs and their fuel requirements is relatively immature compared with large GW reactors."

CoRWM says there are various mechanisms by which these questions could be addressed in the process of obtaining approval for the new reactors. These are principally: the process of justification, which will be mandatory for all new reactor types; Generic Design Assessment which is optional and non-statutory; nuclear site licensing; and environmental permitting.

"The last two stages of control may in some cases come too late in the process to allow for effective optimisation of designs and the selection of materials that reduce waste," CoRWM says. "It remains to be seen how effective these mechanisms will be and whether they will occur sufficiently early in the decision-making process to ensure that radioactive waste management is fully and responsibly addressed."

CoRWM was established in 2003 as a non-statutory advisory committee and is classed as a non-departmental public body. Its purpose is to provide independent advice to the UK government, and the devolved administrations based on scrutiny of the available evidence on the long-term management of radioactive waste, arising from civil and, where relevant, defence nuclear programmes, including storage and disposal.

The UK government has plans to expand nuclear energy capacity to 24 GW by 2050, with a fleet of SMRs a key part of that strategy. Last year, the government and the new GBN arms-length body set up to help deliver that extra capacity began the selection process for which SMR technology to use. In October, EDF, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Holtec, NuScale Power, Rolls Royce SMR and Westinghouse were invited to bid for UK government contracts in the next stage of the process.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/CEZ-steps-up-preparations-for-arrival-of-Westingho

Czech nuclear power plant operator ČEZ says that its fuel diversification strategy will see the first Westinghouse VVER fuel delivered to its Dukovany nuclear power plant at the end of the year.

Six test Westinghouse fuel assemblies were delivered for the first unit at the Temelin nuclear power plant in 2019. The results are being studied by experts in both companies and they contributed to the preparation and specification of the fuel that the power plant will receive for the first time in the first half of next year.

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. For the VVER-440 fuel being supplied to Dukovany, Westinghouse is using a fuel assembly design based on fuel it is already supplying to the Rivne nuclear power plant in Ukraine.

Tarik Choho, president of Westinghouse Nuclear Fuel, said: "We have already delivered over 1500 fuel assemblies for VVER-1000 type reactors, which have been verified to operate as expected and without problems". He said the plan for Dukovany is to use a version based on the latest VVER-440 fuel assemblies which are already used by the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine.

Bohdan Zronek, Director of the Nuclear Energy Division for ČEZ, said that the company was currently completing the expansion of storage space at Dukovany, with the aim of keeping at least three years' supply.

ČEZ began a process of diversifying its fuel suppliers with a 2018 tender process, with contracts signed in 2022 for Westinghouse and Framatome relating to Temelin, and a 2023 contract with Westinghouse for Dukovany. It has previously received fuel supplied by Russia's TVEL. In 2022 it also decided to increase its fuel reserves stored at the nuclear power plants, to boost energy security. It also says the new fuel types meet the requirements of the switch to longer fuel cycles - of 16 months at Dukovany and 18 months at Temelin.

The Czech Republic uses nuclear power for 34% of its electricity, generating this from the four reactors at Dukovany and two at Temelin. Its current new nuclear plans include up to four new units, as well as a possible roll-out of small modular reactors.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Energoatom-and-Hyundai-E-C-discuss-cooperation

Energoatom chairman and CEO Petro Kotin and Hyundai Engineering & Construction's Regional Director for Europe and North Africa, Hyung-Hwan Park, have held talks about deepening cooperation between the ​two companies.

During their meeting they discussed the priorities for development of Ukraine's nuclear programme, which includes plans for as many as nine new Westinghouse AP1000 units, plus a possible roll-out of small modular reactors (SMRs).

Kotin said: "In order to achieve the goals we have set, we are interested in cooperation with new partners. So Hyundai E&C could participate in these projects."

He added that he hoped international pressure over the occupation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant would lead to its return to Ukrainian control, after which "Energoatom will count on the support of its partners to restore the safe operation of the plant".

According to Energoatom, Park "expressed his support for Ukraine and expressed his desire to deepen cooperation between the companies. The South Korean company is ready to join Ukrainian projects on the expansion of nuclear generation, as well as the implementation of joint innovation and research projects".

In November Hyundai Engineering & Construction, part of the Hyundai Group, signed a memorandum on mutual understanding with Ukraine's state grid operator Ukrenergo to cooperate on researching the possibilities of developing the electricity transmission system in Ukraine.

Ukraine has 15 nuclear units generating about half of its electricity, including the six at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant which has been under Russian military control since early March 2022. Last month, Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said the process of adding four new units at the Khmelnitsky nuclear power plant - the construction/completion of the part-built third and fourth units based on VVER-1000 technology and two new Westinghouse AP1000 units - would start this year.

In May 2022, Hyundai E&C signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Westinghouse to jointly participate in global AP1000 plant opportunities.

Move follows recent plans to deploy first private reactor units in northeast England.

Westinghouse has formally submitted an application to the UK Department of Energy Security and Net Zero for approval to begin the general design assessment (GDA) of its AP300 small modular reactor.

The US-based reactor technology company, which unveiled the AP300 design last year, said this is the first step in the formal licensing process within the UK.

The AP300 SMR design uses Westinghouse’s existing Generation III+ advanced technology, which has regulatory approval in Great Britain, the US and China, as well as compliance with European Utility Requirements (EUR) standards for nuclear power plants.

The company said this brings licensing advantages and substantially reduces delivery risk for customers.

This GDA application comes less than a week after Westinghouse signed an agreement with Community Nuclear Power (CNP) that could lead to the deployment of the UK’s first privately financed SMR fleet using the AP300 technology. The first plant could begin commercial operation by the early 2030s.

The UK government is running a competition for companies to design and build SMRs. In October it selected six companies to advance to the next phase of the competition. The companies are: Westinghouse, EDF, GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Holtec Britain, NuScale Power and Rolls-Royce SMR.

The AP300 SMR is based on Westinghouse’s large-scale AP1000 unit. There are four AP1000 units in commercial operation in China and one, Vogtle-3, in the US. A second Vogtle unit is approaching operation.

The company said that unlike every other SMR under development with first-of-a-kind technologies and risks, Westinghouse’s AP300 SMR uses the AP1000 engineering, components, and supply chain. The AP300 is the only SMR based on a licensed, operating nuclear reactor, Westinghouse said.

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Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Fuel-transfer-trolley-in-place-at-Finnish-encapsul

The transfer trolley for moving used fuel transport casks has been installed at Finnish waste management company Posiva's encapsulation plant under construction at Olkiluoto.

The trolley - measuring about five metres by four meters and weighing some 30 tonnes - was manufactured by the French company CSI and delivered to the encapsulation plant in early February.

The trolley has now been moved from the fuel reception hall one floor down and placed on the rails on which it will operate.

The transfer trolley plays both a central and versatile role in the final disposal process, Posiva said. It not only receives the transport casks upon arrival but also transfers, lifts, and inserts them into the docking station. One challenge is that all of this takes place in a rather compact space within the transfer corridor.

The fuel transport cask transfer trolley is the first link in the used fuel handling phase. The used fuel is transported to the encapsulation plant from Teollisuuden Voima Oyj's (TVO's) interim fuel storage using a transport cask. A docking preparations station is provided between the reception point and the docking station, where maintenance activities and measures that prepare the cask for docking and undocking are carried out on the cask.

"This is yet another important milestone at the encapsulation plant," said Installation Manager Veijo Ruotanen, who is in charge of the installation of the main equipment at the encapsulation plant. "Having the equipment specifically designed for this purpose ready for operation and in place and installation work progressing at a good pace is a major accomplishment."

The encapsulation plant is part of Posiva's final disposal facility complex. Once the final disposal operation starts, used nuclear fuel will be transported from interim storage to the encapsulation plant where it will be packed into final disposal canisters made of copper and spheroidal graphite cast iron. From the encapsulation plant, the cannisters will be transferred into the underground tunnels of the repository, located at a depth of 400-450 metres, and further into deposition holes lined with a bentonite buffer.

Skanska Talonrakennus Oy, the contractor responsible for construction of the used fuel encapsulation plant, handed over the building - some 72 metres in length and about 40 metres wide - to Posiva at the end of May 2022 for installation of the nuclear systems and commissioning of the process systems of the encapsulation plant.

The site for Posiva's repository at Eurajoki, near the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant, was selected in 2000. The Finnish parliament approved the decision-in-principle on the repository project the following year. Posiva - jointly owned by Finnish nuclear utilities Fortum and TVO - submitted its construction licence application to the Ministry of Employment and the Economy in December 2013. Posiva studied the rock at Olkiluoto and prepared its licence application using results from the Onkalo underground laboratory, which would be expanded to form the basis of the repository. The government granted a construction licence for the project in November 2015 and construction work on the repository started a year later. The repository is expected to begin operations in the mid-2020s.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Westinghouse-begins-UK-licensing-process-for-AP300

The company has formally submitted an application to the UK Department of Energy Security and Net Zero for approval to enter the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) for the AP300 small modular reactor.

Westinghouse is one of six small modular reactor (SMR) suppliers shortlisted in October 2023 to bid for support from the UK government as part of plans to quadruple the country's nuclear energy capacity to 24 GW by 2050, and earlier this month announced it has signed an agreement with Community Nuclear Power Limited to build four AP300s in northeast England. This would be the UK's first privately-financed SMR fleet.

The 300 MWe reactor design is based on Westinghouse's AP1000 technology, a design which is already licensed in the UK. AP1000 units have regulatory approval - and are in operation - in China and the USA and the design is also compliant with European Utility Requirements standards for nuclear power plants. Westinghouse says this brings licensing advantages and substantially reduces delivery risk for customers.

"The AP300 SMR builds on the pedigree of the already approved AP1000, and we are very optimistic that the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero will approve our GDA application," Westinghouse Energy Systems President David Durham said. "The UK regulators are already very familiar with the AP300 SMR's underpinning technology, so we look forward to working with them to progress the timely development and deployment of this advanced, proven technology in the UK."

Utilising the AP1000 engineering, components and supply chain enables streamlined licensing and leverages available technical skills, the company says. The projects will also leverage Westinghouse's 75-year history of nuclear manufacturing operations in the UK at its facility in Springfields, Lancashire.

The GDA process is carried out by two UK regulators - the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the Environment Agency - to assess the safety, security, and environmental protection aspects of a nuclear power plant designs. It allows the regulators to assess the safety, security and environmental implications of new reactor designs, separately from applications to build them at specific sites.

Generic Design Assessments have previously been completed for the EDF/AREVA UK EPR, the Westinghouse AP1000, the Hitachi-GE UK ABWR and the CGN/EDF/GNI UK HPR1000 designs. A GDA assessment is currently ongoing for Rolls-Royce SMR Limited's Small Modular Reactor design, and GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy in January announced that its BWRX-300 SMR design is to enter the GDA process.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Bulgaria-and-USA-sign-nuclear-cooperation-agreemen

The USA and Bulgaria have signed an intergovernmental agreement to cooperate on the development of the European country's civil nuclear programme, including the plan for new units at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant.

The agreement, signed by US Assistant Secretary of Energy for International Affairs Andrew Light and Bulgarian Minister of Energy Rumen Radev, builds on a 2020 memorandum of understanding.

In addition to creating a working group to support plans to design, construct and commission the new units at Kozloduy, the two countries will also "explore collaboration on research and training programmes and developing Bulgaria's nuclear supply chain resilience".

The agreement also proposes the two countries "work together to promote transparency and public awareness as Bulgaria develops civil nuclear energy as a safe, sustainable, and carbon-free source of energy".

Light said: "This agreement will play a vital role in promoting energy security and decarbonisation for Bulgaria and the region. Together, we will support Bulgaria’s efforts to strengthen all aspects of its civil nuclear power programme, including nuclear safety and security, nuclear fuel supply, and nuclear project development."

Radev said: "This agreement is an expression of our shared vision for the development and role of nuclear energy as a key element in achieving the goals of carbon neutrality. For us, a very important aspect is cooperation in the field of training and the exchange of experience, the exchange of personnel and knowledge, and last but not least, the development of a supply chain in which many Bulgarian companies are actively involved."

The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) quoted Radev as saying: "The financial framework for the construction of units 7 and 8 at Kozloduy should not exceed 14 billion (he did not specify if this is USD or EUR) ... the idea is to implement the project entirely on public funds with up to 25-30% self-financing. The rest is to be loan-financed for part of which State guarantees will be furnished."

Five companies have expressed a formal interest in construction of the two new Westinghouse AP1000 reactors planned for the Kozloduy nuclear power plant. When the decision to move ahead with AP1000 units at Kozloduy was given approval by the country's council of ministers in October, the target date for the completion of the first unit was 2033, with the second unit to follow "two or three years after the first one".

Kozloduy units 1-4 were VVER-440 models which the European Commission had classified as non-upgradeable and Bulgaria agreed to close them during negotiations to join the European Union in 2007. Units 5 and 6 feature VVER-1000 reactors that were connected to the grid in 1987 and 1991, respectively. Both units have been through refurbishment and life extension programmes to enable extension of operation from 30 to 60 years.

Source: https://www.neimagazine.com/news/newsswedish-regulator-approves-extended-intermediate-storage-for-used-fuel-11512697

Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM - Strålsäkerhetsmyndigheten) has approved radioactive waste management company Svensk Kärnbränslehantering’s (SKB’s) renewed safety report for the intermediate storage of used nuclear fuel in Oskarshamn. This allows test operation of the expanded facility to begin.

SKB operates the Central intermediate storage for used nuclear fuel (Clab) in Oskarshamn where used nuclear fuel from the Swedish reactors is stored in anticipation of the final repository for the fuel being completed. SKB has applied to increase the amount of used fuel that can be stored in Clab from 8,000 tonnes to 11,000 tonnes, which the Government and the Land and Environmental Court have authorised. The government's decision contained conditions for approvals of security reports in three stages.

The process has now reached the second stage, that SKB applied SSM for approval of a renewed safety report. “The decision means that SKB can now start storing more than 8,000 tonnes, which was the previous limit,” said Elisabet Höge, investigator at SSM. “Normally, the plant receives in the order of 150 tonnes of used nuclear fuel a year.”

The next step is for SKB to submit a supplementary safety report describing the experience of the test operation and the SSM will then decide whether the plant can switch to routine operation.

Warsaw planning first three reactor units in Pomerania.

Finland-based TVO Nuclear Services (TVONS) and Fortum have signed a two-year framework agreement with Polish Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ), a state-owned company responsible for the construction project of the first nuclear power plant in Poland.

The companies will support PEJ in the development of operation and maintenance processes of Poland’s first nuclear power station.

TVONS and Fortum will provide technical support for the licensing and design phase of the station and help PEJ develop it capabilities to become an operator of a nuclear power plant.

PEJ is responsible for the preparation of the investment process for the construction of the first Polish nuclear power station in Pomerania. In November 2022, Warsaw chose Westinghouse to supply its AP1000 reactor technology for the three-unit facility.

The first unit is scheduled to be online in 2033 as set in Warsaw’s 2020 nuclear energy programme while the start of construction is earmarked for 2026.

TVONS is a subsidiary of Finnish nuclear power company Teollisuuden Voima Oyj, which owns and operates the three-unit Olkiluoto nuclear power station. Finland-based Fortum owns and operates Finand’s only other nuclear power station, the two-unit Loviisa.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Cylinder-shortages-hit-Centrus-HALEU-plans

The US nuclear fuel and services company expects the shortages to be temporary but says it will no longer be able to deliver the anticipated 900 kg of material under the second part of its contract with the US Department of Energy.

Centrus made its first delivery of 20 kg of high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU) produced at the American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon, Ohio, to the Department of Energy (DOE) in November, marking the end of the first phase of a cost-share contract signed in 2022. The company then moved forward to the second phase of that contract - a full year of HALEU production at the 900 kg per year plant.

The contract is part of DOE efforts to ensure the availability of HALEU - uranium enriched to between 5% and 20% uranium-235 - for advanced nuclear fuel for next-generation reactor designs and to build a domestic HALEU supply chain. The material is to remain on site in Piketon in a specially constructed storage facility until it is needed.

DOE is contractually required to provide the storage cylinders needed to collect the output from the Piketon cascade, but "supply chain challenges have created difficulties" for the department in securing the necessary 5B cylinders the entire production year, Centrus said in its Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Results, released on 8 February. "Centrus anticipates that the delays in obtaining 5B Cylinders will be temporary, but no longer will deliver 900 kilograms of HALEU UF6 originally anticipated for Phase 2 of the contract, which extends to November 2024," the company said.

Type B cylinders are regulator-certified casks that can maintain shielding from gamma and neutron radiation used for materials including enriched uranium. The Type 30B cylinders are used to transport low-enriched uranium to fuel fabricators cannot be used for HALEU, which is enriched above 5% uranium-235.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Naarea-and-Thorizon-team-up-on-molten-salt-reactor

Naarea of France and Thorizon of the Netherlands have signed a strategic partnership agreement to advance the development of molten salt reactors (MSRs) in Europe.

Both Naarea and Thorizon envision MSRs as key enablers to a stable, carbon-free and future-proof energy system. In this context, the two companies have decided to join forces to accelerate the development of MSRs in Europe.

The partnership aims to create the best conditions to: pool resources for safety and security demonstrations and chemical, industrial and strategic knowledge in molten salt technology; develop shared laboratories and test facilities; secure access to reprocessed fuel materials needed for molten salt fuel synthesis; provide the market with a range of complementary energy solutions with a common technology basis; and increase political and public support for MSR technology.

Together, both companies work for optimal modularity in their design: Naarea through modular manufacturing, Thorizon through its modular core made of molten salt cartridges produced offsite. This collaboration will ensure a complete cooperation in the development of their two technologies and their specific features.

Naarea - formally established in November 2021 - says its ultra-compact molten salt fast neutron reactor uses "the untapped potential of used radioactive materials, and thorium, unused mining waste". Once it develops the XSMR reactor design, the company intends to target applications in areas such as transportation, agriculture and smart buildings. Naarea says that, because of the compact size of its reactor and because there is no need for it to be grid-connected, the XSMR can "be deployed as close as possible to regions, to match energy demand as closely as possible and allow the control of security of supply, at the service of industries and communities". It expects the first units of XSMR - which can generate 80 MWt/40 MWe - to be produced by 2030.

Thorizon - a spin-off from NRG, which operates the High Flux Reactor in Petten - is developing a 250 MWt/100 MWe MSR, targeted at large industrial customers and utilities. The Thorizon concept is unique due to its patented cartridge-based core. Thorizon aims to construct a pilot reactor system before 2035.

"This strategic molten salt cooperation completes the recent strategic and industrial partnership launched by Naarea and Newcleo to optimise, thanks to fast neutrons technologies, the re-use of spent fuel from conventional reactors, ensuring complete closure of the fuel cycle," the partners said in a joint statement. "It also complements Thorizon's partnership with Orano to develop a production process for the re-use of spent fuel."

"This strategic industrial partnership will help speed up the development of molten salt and will create the conditions to build a European champion alliance in fast neutrons molten salt technology for the benefit of decarbonising urgently our planet," said Naarea founder and CEO Jean Luc Alexandre. "I'm grateful to say that this collaboration will offer new perspectives on recycling spent fuels from conventional reactors. Thorizon has extensive expertise and has been working on their technology for many years, which is a strong asset for our partnership."

"Building an innovative reactor is not something you can do on your own, this requires strong partnerships and strong teamwork," added Thorizon CEO Kiki Lauwers. "We opened an office in Lyon to connect to the rich nuclear experience and expertise in France. Now, with this partnership with Naarea, we can leverage the French and Dutch ecosystems ... I see a mutual commitment to bring the molten salt reactor to the market urgently and a strong willingness and open mindset to share knowhow to advance this course."

MSRs use molten fluoride salts as primary coolant, at low pressure. They may operate with epithermal or fast neutron spectrums, and with a variety of fuels. Much of the interest today in reviving the MSR concept relates to using thorium (to breed fissile uranium-233), where an initial source of fissile material such as plutonium-239 needs to be provided. There are a number of different MSR design concepts, and a number of interesting challenges in the commercialisation of many, especially with thorium.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Kakrapar-4-gets-go-ahead-to-increase-power

The Indian regulator has given the go-ahead for the 700 MWe pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR) to move to the next stage of commissioning and increase power to 50%. The unit reached first criticality in December.

"The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) issued Permission for the Phase-C Commissioning stage of Kakrapar Atomic Power Project Unit-4 (KAPP-4) on February 09, 2024, after a satisfactory Safety Review," the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board said. The permit is valid until 30 June.

Phase-C commissioning will see the power of the reactor gradually increased in three stages as the reactor undergoes testing. The first stage - C-1 - allows the unit to increase power to 50%. Phase C-2 will allow the power to be increased to 90%. The final stage will allow the power to be increased to 100%. Regulatory permission will be required to move from one stage to the next.

KAPP 4 is an Indian-designed and built 700 MWe pressurised heavy water reactor and is the second in a series of sixteen units such units, the first of which - Kakrapar unit 3 - was declared in commercial operation in mid-2023.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Akkuyu-s-first-unit-hits-fresh-landmarks

The reactor compartment of Akkuyu nuclear power plant unit 1 in Turkey has been prepared for controlled assembly of the reactor - and the generator stator has also been installed in its pre-design position.

Turkey's Nuclear Regulatory Agency issued permission for Akkuyu's first power unit to be commissioned in December and Rosatom says that a "clean area" has been established, with all construction materials removed and personnel access limited, which will now be in place for the lifetime of the unit

Sergei Butckikh, first deputy CEO of Akkuyu NPP, said: "There is currently active preparation for controlled assembly of the reactor - the clean area's ... creation means completion of general construction works in the containment of the reactor building ... we are commencing the installation of reactor components for loading dummy fuel assemblies and the cold-and-hot run-in phase."

Meanwhile, the generator stator and the base of the generating system are being installed in the turbine hall. The turbine generator stator weighs 430 tonnes, is 12 metres long with a 4.2 metre diameter, and Rosatom says it is the heaviest piece of equipment in the plant. A hydraulic rigging system was used, and a rail track built, as part of the process of transporting it to its design position. Pumps, pipelines and other equipment are also being installed in the turbine hall.

Alexei Likhachev, director general of Rosatom, who visited the site with Turkey's Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, said: "The construction readiness of the first block is more than 90%. All equipment of the nuclear island has been installed. The installation of the stator and the base of the generating system is under way in the turbine room."

Akkuyu, in the southern Mersin province, is Turkey's first nuclear power plant. Rosatom is building four VVER-1200 reactors, under a so-called BOO (build-own-operate) model. According to the terms of the Intergovernmental Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Turkey, the commissioning of the first power unit of the nuclear power plant must take place within seven years from receipt of all permits for the construction of the unit.

The licence for the construction of the first unit was issued in 2018, with construction work beginning that year. Nuclear fuel was delivered to the site in April 2023, with Likhachev saying that the aim was to carry out a physical start-up in 2024. The 4800 MWe plant is expected to meet about 10% of Turkey's electricity needs, with the aim that all four units will be operational by the end of 2028.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/UK-initiative-to-expand-nuclear-workforce

The UK civil and defence nuclear sectors have launched a "first-of-its kind collaborative cross-sector initiative" - known as Destination Nuclear - aimed at boosting the workforce to help deliver the country's nuclear expansion ambitions.

The sector is launching the initiative to attract and recruit people over the next two decades, as it enters a new era of government-backed expansion. The civil and defence nuclear workforce will need to double over the next 20 years - supporting around 80,000 additional skilled jobs across the UK.

The new initiative - which brings together government, private sector organisations and their supply chains, education institutions - aims to deliver against the UK's nuclear ambition by attracting and recruiting more people into the industry to help fill critical skills gaps.

The Destination Nuclear campaign will target those considering a career change with transferrable skills, as well as supporting a commitment to apprenticeships and graduate schemes and increasing the opportunity for PhD students across industry-leading organisations. The nuclear sector will work with other sectors and develop training programmes to re-skill people who may be transferring from other industries.

Techniques already being used by those working in other sectors including construction and manufacturing – digital, robotics and artificial intelligence - will also be harnessed to fill nuclear roles such as welding, systems engineers, project planning and civil and structural engineers.

The campaign will also benefit national and regional employment, as well as supporting broader EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion) and social mobility goals through reaching a much broader audience.

"Destination Nuclear has provided a focal point where the sector has come together to deliver this vital campaign programme," said Lynne Matthews, Head of Destination Nuclear. "To deliver our nuclear ambition we need to significantly grow the workforce. Many potential candidates may have not considered nuclear as a career. Destination Nuclear will help show the wealth of opportunities the sector has to offer and help a broader range of people explore and venture into a career that is challenging, rewarding and sustainable."

"For those of us who have been in the industry for a while and passionate about its future contribution to society, Destination Nuclear is a game changer," added Great British Nuclear Chairman Simon Bowen. "It demonstrates how a united effort can result in delivering huge benefit with everyone collaborating for the future success of the industry."

EDF Energy CEO Simone Rossi commented: "EDF's nuclear businesses aim to hire more than 1000 people this year, to work at power stations, new build projects and in technical and support roles. It is an exciting time to be working in the sector but finding enough of the right people is challenging. That is why we are supporting Destination Nuclear to help more people realise the wealth of opportunities in this vital sector."

In January, the British government launched a roadmap for reaching its ambition for the UK to have 24 GWe of nuclear generating capacity by 2050, representing about 25% of the country's projected electricity demand. It said the Civil Nuclear Roadmap "outlines plans for the biggest expansion of nuclear power for 70 years to reduce electricity bills, support thousands of jobs and improve UK energy security - including exploring building a major new power station and investing in advanced nuclear fuel production". Nuclear's share of energy in the UK is currently about 16%, however all but one of its existing reactors are due to retire by 2030. The nuclear workforce will expand further following the AUKUS nuclear submarine partnership.

"The UK has begun the biggest nuclear power expansion in 70 years, with our world leading SMR competition and plans for a new mega nuclear plant similar in scale to Sizewell or Hinkley," said Minister for Nuclear Andrew Bowie. "To meet our ambitions, we need to rapidly ramp up recruitment in the sector, making sure we have enough people from engineers to welders to design and build new nuclear. Nuclear has fantastic career opportunities, and we want people of all ages to consider joining a key industry of the future."

Wylfa could be suitable for new large-scale reactors or small modular reactors.

The UK government is in talks to take control of a key site in Wales earmarked for a nuclear power station as part of wider plans to roll out new reactors as part of the nation’s biggest expansion in nuclear power for 70 years.

According to press reports, state-owned Great British Nuclear is in early-stage discussions with Hitachi, owner of the land in Wylfa in Anglesey, an island off north Wales, to buy the site with a view to finding a new private sector partner to develop a station there.

The future of the site has been uncertain since Hitachi abandoned plans to build a new reactor there in January 2019 after failing to strike a financial agreement with the British government.

The Japanese industrial group eventually wrote off £2.1bn (€2.4bn, $2.6bn) on the project. It also stopped work at a second site in Oldbury, South Gloucestershire.

The Wylfa site has been valued at £200m, according to the Financial Times, which first reported the talks between Hitachi and GBN.

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 a small modular reactors (SMRs).

The London-based Nuclear Industry Association welcomed the reports about Wylfa. Chief executive Tom Greatrex called the talks a welcome step in making a new project at Wylfa a reality.

‘One Of The Very Best Sites For Nuclear’

“It’s one of the very best sites for new nuclear in the UK and the success of ramping up nuclear to the levels needed for energy security and net zero rests a great deal on whether we develop at Wylfa.”

In January, the UK government set out plans for what it claimed will be Britain’s biggest nuclear power expansion in 70 years with the possible construction of about 11 new reactors by 2050 – enough to meet a quarter of the national electricity demand.

Ministers published a roadmap that recommitted the government to building a fleet of nuclear reactors capable of producing 24 GW by 2050 – an increase from around 5.8 GW today.

Energy secretary Claire Coutinho said a nuclear revival was essential to cut greenhouse gas emissions and boost energy security, especially after the crisis in gas supplies that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Companies and institutions in the UK nuclear industry on Monday (12 February) said they were launching a recruitment drive to ensure there were enough workers to sustain the government’s push.

The campaign, Destination Nuclear, said the number of employees needed to double in size over the next 20 years to support the possible quadrupling of output.

There are about 64,500 workers across the UK civil nuclear supply chain, plus thousands more in defence, according to the Nuclear Industry Association, a lobby group.

It has support from the French state-owned energy company EDF, engineers such as Atkins, Jacobs and Laing O’Rourke, as well as companies involved in the UK’s nuclear weapons and submarines programmes including Babcock, Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems.

Background: Falling Output, No New Plants

The share of nuclear energy in the UK’s electricity generation has fallen to around 15% from 27% in the 1990s as older plants have been decommissioned and no new plants have come online.

Since 2000, the UK has seen permanent reactor shutdowns at Bradwell, Calder Hall, Hinkley Point A, Hinkley Point B, Hunterston, Oldbury, Sizewell, Chapelcross, Dungeness and Wylfa. The last unit to go offline was Hinkley Point B-1 in August 2022.

The government and developer EDF Energy started a process last year to bring private equity investment into the planned Sizewell C project, with EDF saying a sustainable commercial model is needed for a final investment decision.

EDF Energy is planning to extend the life of four nuclear power stations in the UK and invest £1.3bn in its nuclear fleet as it aims to maintain UK nuclear output at current levels until at least 2026.

The French energy company said it would make a decision on whether to extend the life of the four advanced gas-cooled reactor stations – Torness, Heysham A and B, and Hartlepool A – by the end of the year. This would require regulatory approval.

EDF Energy operates all of Britain’s five nuclear power stations that generate electricity. A further three are defuelling (Hunterston B, Hinkley Point B and Dungeness B), the first stage of decommissioning. The only new commercial reactors under construction in the country are two EPRs at Hinkley Point C.

Reactor to be built at Idaho National Laboratory with plans to connect it to microgrid.

Fuel for the Marvel microreactor, which Idaho National Laboratory plans to host at its transient reactor test (Treat) facility, is now being fabricated by Triga International, with the first fuel delivery expected in spring 2025, the US Department of Energy announced.

Marvel operation was expected “by the end of 2024” as recently as May 2023, but that timeline had shifted by October, when the DOE said the plant “is expected to be completed in early 2025.”

Now, according to the DOE’s latest announcement, fuel loading for Marvel is anticipated in 2026, with the microreactor expected to be on line by 2027.

Triga International is a joint venture between French nuclear fuel cycle company Framatome and US energy and defence corporation General Atomics. It is the only fuel supplier for Triga research reactors around the world.

Triga is a nuclear reactor model designed by General Atomics that is used for research and hands-on training activities. Triga-type fuel designs are now being explored for new applications beyond university training. Framatome said Triga fuel can be used for non-Triga plants such as small modular, micro or advanced reactors.

The Marvel design is a sodium-potassium-cooled microreactor that will generate 85 kilowatts of thermal energy. It will be built inside the Treat facility with plans to connect it to a microgrid.

The project will be used to help industry partners demonstrate microreactor applications, evaluate systems for remote monitoring, and develop autonomous control technologies for new reactors. The system will operate for about two years, according to an INL factsheet.

The DOE announced in October 2023 that Marvel had achieved 90% final design, which “further solidifies the design that may be fabricated.” With that milestone achieved, contracts – including a contract for fuel – could be signed.

Triga International was awarded a contract valued at about $8.4m (€7.8m) in November to produce 37 fuel elements for Marvel.

The company began the fabrication process in late January at its at dedicated Triga manufacturing facility at Romans-sur-Isère, near Grenoble in southeast France, according to the DOE.

The fuel for Marvel will be similar to the Triga fuel used in university reactors for research and hands-on training. The DOE said it was selected for its high safety performance and certified use in the US.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/New-world-record-set-in-JET-s-final-fusion-experim

The Joint European Torus (JET) produced the largest amount of energy achieved in a fusion experiment during its final round of deuterium-tritium experiments, breaking its own record set in 2021.

High fusion power was consistently produced for 5 seconds during JET's final deuterium-tritium experiments resulting in a ground-breaking record of 69 megajoules, using only 0.2 milligrams of fuel, the EUROfusion consortium and UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) announced. This exceeded the previous world record it set in 2021, when it produced 59 megajoules over 5 seconds.

The tokamak's final experiments using deuterium and tritium fuel were conducted over seven weeks from August to October last year, ahead of its retirement following its final pulse in December.

JET, which is in Culham, near Oxford in the UK, was a European project built and used collaboratively by European researchers. It is now owned, and in recent years has been operated by, the UKAEA, and used by scientists from 28 European countries to conduct research into the potential for carbon-free fusion energy in the future through work coordinated by the EUROfusion consortium. The tokamak's first deuterium-tritium experiments took place in 1997.

"This world record is actually a by-product. It was not actively planned, but we were hoping for it," Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics scientist Athina Kappatou, one of nine Task Force Leaders at JET, said. "This experimental campaign was mainly about achieving the different conditions necessary for a future power plant and thus testing realistic scenarios. One positive aspect, however, was that the experiments from two years ago could also be successfully reproduced and even surpassed."

JET was a tokamak fusion system with a doughnut-shaped vacuum chamber where, under the influence of extreme heat and pressure, gaseous hydrogen fuel becomes a plasma. The charged particles of the plasma can be shaped and controlled by massive magnetic coils placed around the vessel to confine the hot plasma away from the vessel walls. It was the only tokamak fusion machine in operation capable of handling tritium fuel, and was a key device in preparations for the multinational ITER fusion research project which is currently under construction in southern France.

As well as ITER, and the electricity-generating demonstration plant known as DEMO that is planned to be its successor, JET's findings also have implications for projects such as the UK's Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (or STEP) prototype power plant and other fusion projects around the world.

"Our successful demonstration of operational scenarios for future fusion machines like ITER and DEMO, validated by the new energy record, instil greater confidence in the development of fusion energy," said EUROfusion Programme Manager Ambrogio Fasoli. "Beyond setting a new record, we achieved things we've never done before and deepened our understanding of fusion physics."

"JET's final fusion experiment is a fitting swansong after all the groundbreaking work that has gone into the project since 1983. We are closer to fusion energy than ever before thanks to the international team of scientists and engineers in Oxfordshire," said UK Minister for Nuclear and Networks Andrew Bowie.

The UK government's Fusion Futures programme has committed to invest GBP650 million (USD820 million in research and facilities to cement its position as a global fusion hub, Bowie added.

"JET has operated as close to powerplant conditions as is possible with today’s facilities, and its legacy will be pervasive in all future powerplants. It has a critical role in bringing us closer to a safe and sustainable future," UKAEA CEO Ian Chapman said.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/CNEN-and-Eletronuclear-discuss-Brazilian-nuclear-p

The presidents of the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN), Francisco Rondinelli, and Eletronuclear, Raul Lycurgo Leite, covered Angra 3's prospects for 2029 completion, domestic fuel supply, the Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor and site selection for the radioactive waste-focused Nuclear Technology Centre (CENTENA) in their talks.

Rondinelli said the meeting “represents a significant step in consolidating cooperation between CNEN and Eletronuclear, reaffirming the joint commitment to the safe and sustainable development of the nuclear sector in Brazil". He gave an update on the negotiations relating to CENTENA which will be a disposal facility for radioactive waste, with operational support buildings and research and technological facilities for things such as nuclear medicine.

Leite said that the supply of nuclear fuel "adding value to Brazilian uranium, could be the main immediate market achievement in the short term".

They agreed on the need for a fresh Brazilian nuclear programme, with Rondinelli indicating the process of developing it would be outlined after June's 5th National Conference on Science, Technology and Innovation.

Their meeting came a week after representatives from Eletronuclear and Empresa Brasileira de Participações em Energia Nuclear e Binacional (ENBpar) met with regional government figures to discuss strategic projects for the company, including the life extension project for Angra 1 as well as completion of Angra 3.

According to Eletronuclear they also discussed the possibility of a tax incentive at the state level for the nuclear sector, as had been done from 2011 to 2017 with federal taxes, saying "the tax incentive could improve Eletronuclear's cash flow, an essential measure for the company's long-term sustainability. It is also noteworthy that the state government can be a strong ally to support the extension of the useful life of Angra 1 and the advancement of Angra 3".

Brazil currently has two reactors - Angra 1 and Angra 2 - which generate about 3% of the country’s electricity. Work on the Angra 3 project - to feature a Siemens/KWU 1405 MW pressurised water reactor - began in 1984 but was suspended two years later, before construction began. The scheme was resurrected in 2006, with first concrete in 2010. But, amid a corruption probe into government contracts, construction of the unit was halted for a second time in 2015, when it was 65% complete. It resumed again in November 2022 - at the time of the project’s revitalisation, Eletronuclear’s aim was to start operations by the end of 2026.

Brazil also began a process to identify sites for new nuclear power plants in 2022. The country has historically relied on hydro for as much as 80% of its electricity but changes in rainfall patterns produced droughts which reduced this to 65% by 2018. Brazil’s National Energy Plan to 2050 says the country aims to add 10 GW of nuclear capacity in the next 30 years.