Nuclear Energy

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Newcleo-and-NAAREA-launch-Gen-IV-reactor-partnersh

France's Naarea and the UK-headquartered Newcleo have announced a strategic and industrial partnership designed "to support all players in their industrial, technological, scientific and regulatory development" of Generation IV fast neutron reactors.

The companies say that the partnership will be open to others to join and said it will focus on key areas where there are common interests, such as gaining access to the used nuclear fuel from conventional nuclear reactors that their Gen-IV reactors are designed to use as part of their efforts to close the fuel cycle.

Other areas of cooperation are the development of a joint research and development platform for areas such as heat exchangers and materials, and working together to unlock financing and funding for both the research and for the fuel cycle infrastructure that will be required.

They also propose to cooperate on the industrial development front with regulators and on "providing access to scientific computing tools particularly for safety demonstrations, making test centre sites available for future prototypes and developing and implementing shared test facilities".

Newcleo is planning a 30 MWe lead-cooled fast neutron test reactor in France in 2030, with a 200 MWe first-of-a-kind commercial unit planned for the UK in 2032. Naarea is developing a 40 MWe/80 MWt molten salt fast neutron reactor with a target of 2027 for a prototype and by 2030 for construction of a manufacturing facility and launch of series production.

Stefano Buono, Newcleo chairman and CEO, said that by joining forces the two companies were "further encouraging the development and deployment of Gen-IV nuclear technology in Europe. This collaboration reinforces our shared commitment to innovation and sustainability in the nuclear sector".

Jean-Luc Alexandre, chairman and founder of Naarea, said the two firms were "creating momentum to accelerate their development by providing a joint and coordinated response to the demands of public authorities for a unified voice to express common needs. Our two companies want to simplify the work of public authorities and ultimately promote the development and deployment of Gen-IV nuclear power in Europe, against a backdrop of strong global competition".

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Agreement-to-advance-SMRs-in-Alberta

The agreement between North American power producer Capital Power Corporation and Ontario Power Generation (OPG) will see the two companies work together to examine the feasibility of developing grid-scale small modular reactors (SMRs) in the province, including possible ownership and operating structures.

The feasibility assessment will be completed within two years. At the same time, work will continue on the next stages of SMR development, the companies said. The commitment agreement advances the joint strategic plan for the deployment of SMRs released in 2022 by the governments of Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick.

Capital Power President and CEO Avik Dey said SMR technology would provide an important source of safe, reliable, flexible, affordable and clean base load electricity for the province. The agreement lays the foundation for a long-term strategic partnership, he said at the livestreamed announcement. The company is looking to deploy its first SMR unit between 2030 and 2035.

Capital Power operates some 7600 MWe of generating capacity at 30 operations in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario and 10 US states, including fossil fuel, solar, wind, waste heat and landfill gas facilities.

OPG is building what it describes as North America's first fleet of SMRs at its Darlington New Nuclear site in Ontario, where the construction of the first of four GE-Hitachi BWRX-300 SMRs is expected to be completed by the end of 2028 with the unit online by the end of 2029. A 300 MWe SMR unit would be "right-sized" for Alberta's electricity market, Dey said, and leveraging Ontario's experience in nuclear will help to accelerate opportunity in Alberta.

OPG CEO Ken Hartwick said the company expects to complete the regulatory process to obtain the licence to construct the new plants at Darlington, giving it sufficient information to be able release cost numbers for all four Darlington SMR units, by early 2025. The first Darlington unit will be "a little more expensive" but subsequent units are expected to be less expensive, he said: "We anticipate someone like Capital being able to utilise our learnings so they get the benefit of a lower cost to build."

Alberta's Minister of Affordability and Utilities Nathan Neudorf said SMRs "have the potential to play a major role in the province’s search for the right energy mix to supply clean, reliable and affordable electricity" and the partnership is "an exciting and important step forward in our efforts to decarbonise the grid while maintaining on-demand baseload power".

Whether SMR units would be located at one location, or several, would the considered during the feasibility stage, Neudorf said, but an "attractive" quality of SMR technology is the ability to do both, with units grouped together or deployed singly in more remote locations.

Last year, Alberta announced a CAD7 million (USD5 million) investment in a multi-year study of the deployment of SMRs for the province's oil sands operations. Alberta Minister of Energy and Minerals said SMRs "are a critical component of the clean power generation supply mix and hold promise for the oil sands".

The announcement came two days after extreme cold resulting in high power demand put the Alberta grid at a high risk of rotating power outages, prompting the Alberta Emergency Management Agency to ask residents to limit their electricity use to essential needs only.

Ahead of the announcement, Ontario Minister of Energy took to social media from Alberta's capital city, Edmonton. "With temperatures near minus 45 over the weekend - even colder in some parts of Alberta - and virtually no wind or solar showing up on the grid, Alberta issued electricity advisory asking its residents to conserve electricity to avoid brownouts," he said in a video on X. "I look forward to exporting Ontario's nuclear expertise to provinces and states and jurisdictions around the world looking for energy autonomy and energy security, and that includes our friends here in Alberta."

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Nuclear-battery-Chinese-firm-aiming-for-mass-mark

Beijing Betavolt New Energy Technology Company Ltd claims to have developed a miniature atomic energy battery that can generate electricity stably and autonomously for 50 years without the need for charging or maintenance. It said the battery is currently in the pilot stage and will be put into mass production on the market.

Atomic energy batteries - also known as nuclear batteries or radioisotope batteries - work on the principle of utilising the energy released by the decay of nuclear isotopes and converting it into electrical energy through semiconductor converters.

Betavolt, which was established in April 2021, says its battery "combines nickel-63 nuclear isotope decay technology and China's first diamond semiconductor (4th generation semiconductor) module to successfully realise the miniaturisation of atomic energy batteries".

The company's team of scientists developed a unique single-crystal diamond semiconductor that is just 10 microns thick, placing a 2-micron-thick nickel-63 sheet between two diamond semiconductor converters. The decay energy of the radioactive source is converted into an electrical current, forming an independent unit. Betavolt said its nuclear batteries are modular and can be composed of dozens or hundreds of independent unit modules and can be used in series and parallel, so battery products of different sizes and capacities can be manufactured.

Betavolt says its batteries can meet the needs of long-lasting power supply in multiple scenarios such as aerospace, AI equipment, medical equipment, micro-electromechanical systems, advanced sensors, small drones and micro-robots. "If policies allow, atomic energy batteries can allow a mobile phone to never be charged, and drones that can only fly for 15 minutes can fly continuously," it said.

The first battery that the company plans to launch is the BV100, which it claims will be the world's first nuclear battery to be mass-produced. Measuring 15mm by 15mm and 5 mm thick, the battery can generate 100 microwatts, with a voltage of 3V. The company plans to launch a 1-watt battery in 2025.

Betavolt says its atomic energy battery is "absolutely safe, has no external radiation, and is suitable for use in medical devices such as pacemakers, artificial hearts, and cochleas in the human body". It adds: "Atomic energy batteries are environmentally friendly. After the decay period, the nickel-63 isotope as the radioactive source turns into a stable isotope of copper, which is non-radioactive and does not pose any threat or pollution to the environment."

The company plans to continue research on using isotopes such as strontium-90, promethium-147 and deuterium to develop atomic energy batteries with higher power and a service life of 2-30 years.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Key-safety-component-installed-at-Sanmen-3

The first of two core makeup tanks has been successfully hoisted into place at unit 3 of the Sanmen nuclear power plant in China's Zhejiang province. The tanks are an important part of the CAP1000 reactor's passive safety system.

Each CAP1000 unit contains two water replenishment tanks, A and B. They are mainly used to provide boronated water in the event of an accident to ensure the effectiveness of core decay heat removal.

The core water supply tank B was installed at Sanmen 3 on 11 January, the Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute (SNERDI) announced.

"Due to the complex installation environment of the core water tank, which is surrounded by multiple modular steel beams and structural embedded parts, SNERDI conducted a comprehensive analysis of the hoisting risks in advance and formulated solutions," it said. "Three-dimensional simulation was used to identify and remove interference items on the hoisting path to ensure safe and efficient hoisting work; at the same time, innovate construction technology and milling machines were used to process in blocks and match them with pads of corresponding sizes to effectively solve the flatness of the foundation in place."

The CAP1000 reactor design - the Chinese version of the AP1000 - uses modular construction techniques, enabling large structural modules to be built at factories and then installed at the site. This means that more construction activities can take place at the same time, reducing the time taken to build a plant as well as offering economic and quality control benefits.

The construction of two new reactors at each of the Sanmen, Haiyang and Lufeng sites in China was approved by China's State Council in April 2021. The approvals were for Sanmen units 3 and 4, Haiyang 3 and 4 and units 5 and 6 of the Lufeng plant. The Sanmen and Haiyang plants are already home to two Westinghouse AP1000 units each, and two CAP1000 units were approved for Phase II (units 3 and 4) of each plant.

The CAP1000 reactor design - the Chinese version of the AP1000 - uses modular construction techniques, enabling large structural modules to be built at factories and then installed at the site.

The first safety-related concrete was poured for the nuclear island of Sanmen 3 on 28 June 2022, marking the official start of its construction. The first concrete for that of unit 4 was poured on 22 March 2023.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Moltex-recycling-process-granted-Canadian-patent

The patent covers Moltex Energy Canada's Waste To Stable Salt (WATSS) process for converting any uranium oxide fuel into molten salt reactor fuel, part of a suite of technologies being developed by the company alongside its Stable Salt Reactor - Wasteburner (SSR-W) fast reactor and GridReserve thermal energy storage system.

The process was invented by Ian Scott, Moltex's co-founder and chief scientist. It involves the conversion of used nuclear fuel into products and by-products: transuranics, along with some uranium and fission products, are extracted into a salt which forms the fuel for the SSR-W reactor and some other reactors; uranium - a major by-product - which is considered as intermediate to low level radioactive waste, but can also have other uses; and fission products, a byproduct which can be disposed directly or used as a heat source for remote applications.

Unlike conventional reprocessing routes, the WATSS process is unable to produce pure plutonium which could be misused for "nefarious purposes", the company said. As well as removing this proliferation risk, this also makes it simpler and less expensive than conventional reprocessing, it added.

Moltex CEO Rory O'Sullivan said the patent is testament to Moltex's commitment to innovation and to finding improvements in existing nuclear energy processes. “Waste is one of the most important considerations in the nuclear industry, and Moltex’s process offers an elegant and cost-effective solution to safely reducing waste stockpiles,” he added.

Moltex is aiming to deploy first-of-a-kind SSR-W, WATSS and GridReserve units at NB Power's Point Lepreau site in New Brunswick, where an existing Candu reactor is expected to retire around 2040.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Sizewell-C-project-to-enter-construction-phase

The Sizewell C nuclear power plant project has been awarded a Development Consent Order (DCO), paving the way for formal construction work to begin at the site in Suffolk, UK.

EDF Energy submitted a DCO for the plant in May 2020. The DCO - which is from the nuclear site licence application - is considered by the Planning Inspectorate, which determines if the overall proposed scheme is acceptable under national planning legislation. The project was granted permission by the Planning Inspectorate to build in July 2022. However, while preparatory works subsequently began, many obligations needed to be satisfied before construction could commence under its DCO

Those obligations, set out in a Deed of Obligation document signed with East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council, and which included activity ranging from key road surveys to the establishment of Governance Groups, are all now satisfied and the formal construction phase of the project can begin, EDF Energy has announced.

By commencing formal construction, a GBP250 million (USD318 million) package of funding for the local community will become available in phases during the construction phase of the project. That funding includes GBP23 million for community projects, GBP100 million for the environment, GBP12 million to support local tourism, and a GBP12 million housing fund to boost private housing and tourist accommodation.

To ensure local people continue to have their say on the project during construction, new Sizewell C Forums have launched so that residents can discuss key issues with the project team. There are four main forums, chaired independently, covering all the main project-related topics relevant to the community. Parish and town councils will represent the community at the forums, and local people can attend the meetings as observers.

In September 2023, the UK government, Sizewell C and EDF launched an equity raise process to attract private investors into the project. While triggering the DCO and entering the construction phase is not dependent on a final investment decision (FID), constructive discussions with qualified potential investors are continuing and an FID is expected later in 2024.

"This is a significant moment for our project in Suffolk and a big step for British energy security," Julia Pyke and Nigel Cann, Joint Managing Directors at Sizewell C, said. "We've had a really successful year of pre-commencement works on site, and we've been working hard with local partners and organisations to ensure we're ready to take this next step for the project.

"While Sizewell C will be a linchpin of Britain's energy system, it's much more than a power station, especially for this region. Entering the construction phase will be a game-changer for the area, helping to boost employment and skills, enhancing the local environment, and developing new clean technologies."

Nuclear Minister, Andrew Bowie, visiting the Sizewell C construction site, said: "This is a major milestone for Sizewell C and our ambition to deliver up to 24 GW of low-carbon nuclear power by 2050. It comes after we announced the biggest expansion of nuclear power for 70 years which will help to bring down bills and bolster our energy security. East Anglia will benefit from thousands of new jobs and apprenticeships as a result, demonstrating the local rewards of backing new nuclear."

"Today's commencement of formal construction is good news for Britain," added Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association. "Construction at Sizewell C means tens of thousands of jobs on site and across the country and potentially billions in investment for the region. The project will drive much needed work into British industry and sustain the skills we need for a new nuclear programme. Sizewell lays that foundation for jobs, clean power and energy security for the rest of this century."

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

"Sizewell C will deliver 1500 apprenticeships and support thousands of jobs across the country, with at least one-third of the peak construction workforce of 7900 coming from the local area," Sizewell C said. "The project will invest in local skills to ensure there is a pipeline of talent ready, not only to build and operate Sizewell C, but to support the UK's future nuclear ambitions. The project will also have a transformational impact on local supply chains."

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Supply-chain-issues-prompt-Kazatomprom-to-adjust-p

The Kazakh national atomic company expects to adjust its 2024 production guidance due to factors including the availability of sulphuric acid and delays in completing construction works at newly developed deposits, although it remains committed to its delivery obligations for the year.

In August 2022, Kazatomprom said it planned to increase its 2024 uranium production to a 90% level relative to its subsoil use agreements - an increase of 2000-3000 tU above expected 2023 levels, which were 80% relative to subsoil use agreements. This decision was based primarily on mid- and long-term contracts signed with new and existing customers and would have been the highest production level relative to subsoil contracts since the company's 2017 decision to flex down production from 2018 in response to supply and demand considerations.

The company has continued to note that challenges related to global supply chains and limited availability of certain key operating materials and reagents would pose a risk to planned production increases.

With growing demand from agricultural and industrial enterprises and shortages on both domestic and foreign regional markets, preliminary agreements with suppliers resulted in the company securing lower than required volume of sulphuric acid for 2024, Kazatomprom said today. It is "actively pursuing" alternative supplies of the reagent, which is used as the oxidant in its in-situ leach uranium operations, but current projections indicate that achieving its planned production levels "may be challenging".

The exact impact is still being assessed, and will be detailed in Kazatomprom's next quarterly trading update which is due by 1 February. If the issues continue throughout this year, 2025 production plans may also be affected, it said.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Utility-invests-USD10-million-in-advanced-reactor

Puget Sound Energy - the oldest and largest utility in Washington State - is contributing USD10 million towards the feasibility stage of Energy Northwest's programme to develop and deploy a next-generation nuclear energy facility. Energy Northwest has already determined that X-energy's Xe-100 advanced small modular reactor (SMR) is the most suitable design to meet the region's specific needs.

State polices requiring a "substantial increase" in clean electricity are leading utilities to evaluate potential sources of new clean energy generation, Energy Northwest said. New nuclear energy technologies, such as advanced SMRs, are approaching commercial readiness and feature enhanced safety systems; simplified, standardised, and scalable designs; and the ability to both swiftly integrate with renewables and provide around-the-clock electricity without producing any greenhouse gas emissions, it added.

The USD10 million that Puget Sound Energy has agreed to invest in the programme will supplement some USD10 million contributed to date by Energy Northwest and supporting entities, which includes nearly USD1 million of combined investment from 17 other public utilities.

"As we decarbonise the electric grid, it is increasingly evident new sources of carbon-free, reliable, and affordable electricity must be deployed - and advanced nuclear energy technology can play a vital role in this transition," said Energy Northwest CEO Bob Schuetz. "Energy Northwest's partnership with Puget Sound Energy underscores our shared commitment to address the climate challenge and meet the region's future clean energy needs with the help of new and innovative carbon-free nuclear energy technologies."

"Our clean energy future depends on finding reliable resources that produce energy when customers need it without emitting greenhouse gases," said Mary Kipp, president and CEO of Puget Sound Energy. "Advanced nuclear technology has the potential to be that resource."

The Xe-100 SMR is an 80 MWe high-temperature gas cooled reactor which uses TRISO (tristructural isotropic) particle fuel. A joint development agreement signed in July between Energy Northwest and X-Energy Reactor Company envisages the deployment of up to 12 Xe-100 units at a site adjacent to the existing Columbia nuclear power plant, with the first module expected to be online by 2030.

Energy Northwest is a joint operating agency set up by the state legislature in 1957, with 28 public power member utilities serving more than 1.5 million customers. It owns and operates the region's only nuclear power plant, the Columbia Generating Station, as well as solar, hydroelectric and wind generating facilities and a battery energy storage system. Puget Sound Energy owns over 3500 MWe of generating capacity, including hydroelectric, wind and thermal plants.

Washington is committed to making its electricity supply completely free of greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, under a law signed in 2019.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Eight-truck-convoy-delivers-giant-German-SANS-at%C2%A0A

The small-angle neutron scattering instrument (SANS) is 33 metres long when assembled and has been donated by the German Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin institute following the closure of the BER-II reactor in 2019. It will be reassembled and come into operation when Argentina's RA-10 multipurpose research reactor begins operating.

The instrument is used to analyse structures between 0.5 and 400 nanometers (a nanometre is one billionth of a metre) allowing materials science studies, polymers, soft matter, electrochemistry, magnetic systems and biological samples, among others, at the nanoscale.

Karina Pierpauli, executive director of the Argentine Neutron Beam Laboratory, called the arrival a "milestone" and a result of "scientific-technological cooperation between Argentina and Germany" over recent years.

According to Argentina's National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA), the instrument has a collimation and detection system that can provide various experimental configurations and the detection tube, which operates in high vacuum, is 16 metres long and 1.5 metres in diameter.

CNEA said that Argentina was selected from a number of countries who applied to host the instrument at the end of its life-cycle at BER-II, and will give it new life using the neutron beams that the RA-10 reactor, scheduled for 2025, will produce.

The instrument was carefully taken apart in Germany during 2021 and 2022, with each step documented so it can be reassembled in the beam laboratory being built next to RA-10 at the Ezeiza Atomic Centre in Argentina. Cold assembly is due to be carried out this year.

The size of the equipment meant that eight containers were used to transport it by ship from Hamburg before it was transported by a fleet of lorries to its new home. A ninth container with irradiated components, has specialised transport and is due to arrive next month.

In July, CNEA said the RA-10 - a 30 MWt open-pool research reactor - was about 80% completed, with expectations it would be operating in 2025 and would replace the RA-3 reactor on the same site. This 10 MWt pool-type reactor began operations in 1967. The RA-10 will be used for the production of medical radioisotopes and CNEA said the Argentine Neutron Beam Laboratory was "aimed at exploiting the neutron beams that originate in the reactor core for science and technology ... in addition, there will be a materials testing laboratory to study their behaviour under irradiation. This includes fuel element rods and plates, but also structural materials intended for fourth-generation nuclear reactors."

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/NRC-approves-HALEU-transport-package

NAC International's patented Optimus-L packaging system to contain and transport high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) TRISO fuel has been approved by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Such fuel will be used in advanced reactors.

The NRC issued a Certificate of Compliance (CoC) on 14 December, enabling NAC with the Optimus-L system (packaging and contents) to transport HALEU TRISO fuel compacts to support an advanced reactor project for a undisclosed customer.

"This is the first time the NRC has licensed high-capacity packagings (>500 lb payload) for HALEU TRISO fuel in the US and lays the foundation for future licensing of NAC's Optimus systems to carry other HALEU contents," NAC noted.

TRISO fuel comprises spherical kernels of enriched uranium oxycarbide (or uranium dioxide) surrounded by layers of carbon and silicon carbide, giving a containment for fission products which is stable up to very high temperatures. HALEU TRISO fuels are being considered as the preferred fuel in several advanced reactor designs currently under development.

The Optimus-L is a lightweight, versatile and modular nuclear materials packaging system first licensed by the NRC in December 2021. NAC developed Optimus as a platform that can be easily expanded and optimised for multiple types of nuclear materials using the company's proprietary methodologies. NAC said it plans on leveraging this platform to include a range of HALEU forms and design configurations to support future HALEU material packaging and transportation projects.

"The approval of high-capacity packaging systems like Optimus-L for these types of fuel supports the development of a robust HALEU infrastructure to ensure material movement is not a limiting factor in modern nuclear power development," NAC said. "When compared to smaller capacity drum packages that would require an excessive number of packagings and significantly more handling effort per conveyance trailer, the Optimus-L offers a highly competitive solution to economically ship commercial quantities of HALEU materials with fewer packagings."

"We are pleased to achieve this milestone - NRC certification for our unequaled Optimus-L system to incorporate HALEU TRISO contents," said NAC President and CEO Kent Cole. "Receiving this CoC supports our objective of offering high-capacity and high-efficiency HALEU transportation to support commercial shipments.

"This amendment opens the door for other future HALEU contents in the Optimus-L platform. This certification is an important milestone on our HALEU packaging technology roadmap, and by offering efficient HALEU packaging and transportation, we are doing our part to help build a robust HALEU fuel cycle."

Moltex Energy aims to deploy first-of-a-kind SSR-W plant at Point Lepreau.

A patent has been granted in Canada for advanced nuclear power company Moltex Energy Canada’s spent nuclear fuel recycling process that converts uranium oxide fuel into molten salt reactor fuel.

Invented by Moltex co-founder and chief scientist Ian Scott, the innovative process is known known as “waste to stable salt”, or Watss.

In the process, spent nuclear fuel is converted into several parts. Transuranics – the long-lived, man-made elements – along with some uranium and fission products are extracted into a salt which forms the fuel for Moltex’s under-development stable salt reactor-waste burner (SSR-W) plant, avoiding the need for high-purity separations.

Moltex’s 300-MW SSR-W and some other reactors can use this fuel, converting it to clean energy while destroying these long-lived waste products created by nuclear fission, Moltex said.

The New Brunswick-based company said recently that rigorous experiments had demonstrated the viability of its Watss process.

Moltex says its process is notable because conventional spent fuel reprocessing is complex and expensive. “Conventional reprocessing either directly produces pure plutonium, or can be altered to produce pure plutonium, which could be misused for nefarious purposes,” the company said.

“In contrast, the Watss process is unable to produce pure plutonium, making the process far safer for current and future generations. This also makes the process simpler and less expensive.”

Moltex chief executive officer Rory O’Sullivan said the patent is testament to Moltex’s commitment to innovation and to finding improvements in existing nuclear energy processes.

“Waste is one of the most important considerations in the nuclear industry, and Moltex’s process offers an elegant and cost-effective solution to safely reducing waste stockpiles.”

Moltex has been chosen by NB Power to develop its reactor technology in New Brunswick, Canada, with the goal of deploying first-of-a-kind SSR-W, Watss and GridReserve units at the Point Lepreau nuclear station site. GridReserve is a thermal energy storage tank, also under development by Moltex, enabling the SSR-W to act as a peaking plant.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Molten-salt-test-system-reaches-operational-milest

Kairos Power has successfully completed 1000 hours of pumped salt operations with its non-nuclear Engineering Testing Unit (ETU). The unit, loaded with 12 tonnes of Flibe salt, is the largest Flibe system ever built and will inform the design, construction, and operation of the Hermes low-power demonstration reactor.

Flibe is a chemically stable mixture of lithium, fluorine, and beryllium that will be used as the coolant for Kairos's fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor, the KP-FHR. The company is following an iterative approach to development: the non-nuclear ETU was built at the company's testing and manufacturing facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to demonstrate the design and integration of key systems, structures, and components, exercise the supply chain, and accelerate the company's experience with large-scale Flibe operations.

Kairos produced 14 tonnes of Flibe for the ETU at the Molten Salt Purification Plant MSPP in Elmore, Ohio, in partnership with Materion Corporation, itself the first plant ever built to produce Flibe at an industrial scale. The Engineering Testing Unit has also catalysed the development of other critical infrastructure for Kairos Power, the company said, as well as initiating the supply chain for specialised materials and components, and so mitigating development risk.

Kairos said it was collecting "an abundance of data" from the ETU operations, which have included amongst other things the removal and inspection of surrogate fuel pebbles via the integrated Pebble Handling and Storage System to demonstrate the feasibility of online refuelling and commissioning a first-of-its-kind chemistry control system to continuously monitor the purity of the molten salt circulating inside the unit. The system is continuously monitored from two control rooms, one co-located with ETU in Albuquerque and one at the company's headquarters in Alameda, California.

"Gaining experience with Flibe production and operations is fundamental to taking risk off the table towards KP-FHR commercialisation," Kairos Power co-founder and CEO Mike Laufer said. "Iterative development with real hardware systems like ETU 1.0 is a pillar of our strategy to deliver a clean, safe, affordable technology with true cost certainty, and, when combined with in-house manufacturing, provides a unique opportunity to move quickly so we can make an impact in the fight against climate change."

The ETU began operations in the autumn and is expected to run for about five months. Once testing is complete, this first iteration of the ETU - ETU 1.0 - will be decommissioned to make way for ETU 2.0, which will demonstrate modular construction. A final iteration, ETU 3.0, will be built adjacent to the Hermes site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission recently approved Kairos's application to build Hermes, a 35 MW (thermal) non-power version of the KP-HFR, with the company aiming to begin construction this year.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/UK-releases-roadmap%C2%A0to-quadruple-nuclear-energy-ca

The British government has 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 roadmap "will give industry certainty of the future direction of the UK's ambitious nuclear programme, on top of the government's historic commitment to Sizewell C and world-leading competition to develop small modular reactor (SMR) technology," the government said.

The plans include next steps for exploring a large-scale nuclear power plant as well as SMRs. The roadmap also includes a government ambition to secure 3–7 GW worth of investment decisions every five years from 2030 to 2044 on new nuclear projects.

According to the government, plans to streamline the development of new nuclear power plants and introduce smarter regulation could speed up the overall process and, as a result, the delivery of nuclear power in the UK. This includes allowing regulators to assess projects while designs are finalised, and better cooperation with overseas regulators assessing the same technology.

Earlier this week, the government announced it will also invest up to GBP300 million (USD381 million) in UK production of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), which is currently only commercially produced in Russia. HALEU - uranium enriched to between 5% and 20% uranium-235 - will be used in the advanced nuclear fuel required for most of the next-generation reactor designs currently under development.

The government has also published two consultations, one on a new approach to siting future nuclear power plants and another on supporting the sector and encouraging private investment to roll out advanced nuclear projects. The proposals aim to "attract investment in the UK nuclear sector by empowering developers to find suitable sites rather than focusing on eight designated by government".

The roadmap says: "The coming years are expected to bring further clarity on the costs and effectiveness of new nuclear technology. This may require us to re-evaluate some of our strategies and policies for the long term. To take account of these developments, we therefore intend to publish a Roadmap 'update' by the end of 2025."

"Nuclear is the perfect antidote to the energy challenges facing Britain - it's green, cheaper in the long term and will ensure the UK's energy security for the long-term," said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. "This is the right long-term decision and is the next step in our commitment to nuclear power, which puts us on course to achieve net-zero by 2050 in a measured and sustainable way. This will ensure our future energy security and create the jobs and skills we need to level up the country and grow our economy."

Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Claire Coutinho added: "We're making the biggest investment in domestic nuclear energy in 70 years ... From large gigawatt projects to small modular reactors, the UK's wider nuclear revival will quadruple our nuclear capacity by 2050 – helping to power Britain from Britain."

"The government's investment in nuclear will ensure the UK remains at the forefront of technological developments," said Minister for Nuclear Andrew Bowie. "Our plans will give investors the confidence to back new UK projects, with a simpler process for locating new schemes and clear support for private sector companies developing innovative new technologies."

Simon Bowen, chairman of Great British Nuclear, the arms-length body designed to drive the delivery of new nuclear energy projects in the UK, welcomed the roadmap and the consultations on siting - especially in the context of the UK's current small modular reactor selection process - and alternative routes to market.

He said: "It's a very comprehensive document, a great step forward and a step in the right direction for forming the UK's new nuclear programme, which we will be accountable for delivering alongside our colleagues in Sizewell and Hinkley."

The release of the roadmap was welcomed by industry, with Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of Nuclear Industry Association, saying: "We will need both large and small nuclear at scale and at pace for our energy security and net-zero future. Allowing developers to engage with the government about Regulated Asset Base funding models should also make it cheaper to finance projects, cutting costs to the consumer. Decisions on 3-7 GW in each five year period provide the greater clarity and predictability, which in turn enables supply chain investment and more UK content in the future fleet.

"The commitments to maximise our use of regulatory assessments already undertaken overseas will help get innovative reactor designs into construction faster and reduce the duplication in regulatory activity that eats up time for no additional benefit."

World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y León added: "The UK government’s roadmap to streamline the process of future nuclear development and quadruple nuclear energy in the UK by 2050 is a pragmatic example of the positive action now being taken to deliver on the commitments made by those countries that endorsed the net zero nuclear Ministerial Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy at COP28. The UK was a founding government partner of our Net Zero Nuclear initiative and I welcome today’s announcement."

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Russia-ready-to-mass-produce-first-wall-panels-for

Manufacturing and testing of prototype first wall panels for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) fusion machine has been successfully completed, says St Petersburg-based JSC NIIEFA - part of the Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom.

The last stage of the multi-year process - from exploratory experiments on small mock-ups to manufacturing and acceptance tests on a full-scale prototype of a highly loaded panel of the first wall of the vacuum chamber of ITER - was measuring the geometric parameters of the prototype after tests.

For the ITER project, which is under construction in Cadarache in southern France, Russia's responsibilities include manufacturing 179 of the most energy intensive (up to 5 MW per square metre) panels of the first wall, which is 40% of the total area of ​​the reactor wall.

Rustam Enikeev, deputy director general for thermonuclear and magnetic technologies at JSC NIIEFA, said: "The next step will be to obtain permission to begin mass production, this will require the preparation and approval of a large volume of documents."

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

Thirty-three nations are currently collaborating to build ITER - the European Union is contributing almost half of the cost of its construction, while the other six members (China, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the USA) are contributing equally to the rest. Construction began in 2010. The UK was also involved but in the wake of its departure from the EU it announced in September it was leaving Euroatom. Existing contracts are being honoured but ITER says the UK will not be part of new contracts. Switzerland is currently considered to be a "non-participating third country" as its negotiations with Euratom on an association agreement continues.

According to the ITER website, the first wall panels "are the detachable, front-facing elements of the blanket that are designed to withstand the heat flux from the plasma. These highly technological components are made of beryllium tiles bonded with a copper alloy and 316L (N) stainless steel".

Rosatom says that each panel consists of 40 so-called fingers and the overall dimensions of one panel are 2 metres by 1.5 metres by 0.5 metres, with a weight of about 800 kg. They can be in different shapes, with scientists at JSC NIIEFA developing about 40 design options. It added that NIIEFA specialists "gained unique experience and competencies in the development of the design of plasm-facing components" and the experience would benefit "future national projects in the field of development and creation of plasma-facing components for controlled thermonuclear fusion installations".

Russian record for pulse duration in a tokamak

Meanwhile scientists at the Kurchatov Institute have achieved a discharge with a plasma current of 260 kiloamperes (kA) lasting more than two seconds, a new duration record for tokamaks in Russia.

The institute said that temperatures in the plasma in the T-15MD tokamak hit 40 million degrees Celsius during the experiment, which took place on 15 December.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/US-seeks-proposals-for-domestic-HALEU-production

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for uranium enrichment services to help establish a reliable domestic supply of fuels using high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU). Such fuel is not currently commercially available from US-based suppliers.

The current US commercial nuclear fuel cycle is based on reactor fuel that is enriched to no more than 5% U-235 (known as low-enriched uranium, LEU). Some of the advanced reactor technologies that are currently under development use HALEU fuel - enriched to between 5% and 20% U-235 - which enables the design of smaller reactors that produce more power with less fuel than the current fleet, as well as systems that can be optimised for longer core life, increased safety margins, and other increased efficiencies. At present, only Russia and China have the infrastructure to produce HALEU at scale.

DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy plans to award one or more contracts to produce HALEU from domestic uranium enrichment capabilities. Once enriched, the HALEU material will be stored on site until there is a need to ship it to deconverters.

Under the HALEU enrichment contracts - which have a maximum duration of 10 years - the government assures each contractor a minimum order value of USD2 million, to be fulfilled over the term of the contract. Enrichment and storage activities must occur in continental USA and comply with the National Environmental Policy Act. Proposals are due by 8 March.

This RFP incorporated industry feedback received on a draft version issued in June last year.

In total, President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act will provide up to USD500 million for HALEU enrichment contracts selected through this RFP and a separate one, released in November, for services to deconvert the uranium enriched through this RFP into metal, oxide, and other forms to be used as fuel for advanced reactors.

"Nuclear energy currently provides almost half of the nation's carbon-free power, and it will continue to play a significant part in transitioning to a clean energy future," said US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm. "President Biden's Investing in America is strengthening our national and energy security through the domestic buildup of a robust HALEU supply chain, helping bring advanced reactors online in time to combat the climate crisis."

"The Biden-Harris Administration knows that nuclear energy is essential to accelerating America's clean energy future," added Assistant to the President and National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi. "Boosting our domestic uranium supply won't just advance President Biden's historic climate agenda, but also increase America's energy security, create good-paying union jobs, and strengthen our economic competitiveness."

DOE projects that more than 40 tonnes of HALEU could be needed before the end of the decade, with additional amounts required each year, to deploy a new fleet of advanced reactors in order to reach the current US Administration's goal of 100% clean electricity by 2035 and net-zero emissions by 2050.

DOE is supporting several activities to expand the HALEU supply chain for advanced commercial reactors, including recycling used nuclear fuel from government-owned research reactors. In November, DOE reached a key milestone under its HALEU Demonstration project when Centrus Energy produced the country's first 20 kilograms of HALEU.

Together, the USA, Canada, France, Japan and the UK have announced collective plans to mobilise USD4.2 billion in government-led spending to develop safe and secure nuclear energy supply chains.

Earlier this week, the UK government announced it will invest GBP300 million (USD381 million) to launch a HALEU programme, making it the first country in Europe to launch such a nuclear fuel programme.

In September, Orano revealed plans to extend enrichment capacity at its Georges Besse II (GB-II) uranium enrichment plant in France, and said it had begun the regulatory process to produce HALEU there.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Onagawa-2-restart-delayed-by-several-months

Safety upgrade work at unit 2 of the Onagawa nuclear power plant in Japan's northeastern Miyagi Prefecture will not be completed next month, as previously planned, Tohoku Electric Power Company announced. The utility had earlier expected to resume commercial operation of the reactor around May.

Tohoku said that work to fireproof electric cables at the unit is taking longer than planned.

"Regarding fire protection work, since late August last year, we have been carrying out work mainly on wrapping electrical conduits with fireproof materials, but the work area is narrow due to equipment and scaffolding installed for other safety work," it said in a statement. "There were many problems, so we proceeded with the construction while changing the route of the conduit according to the site situation.

"Recently, it has been confirmed that the amount of construction work has increased due to confirmation work for changing the route of electrical conduits and completing fire protection measures work, and as a result, the construction period for fire protection measures work is expected to be delayed, so safety measures work will be carried out. We are currently re-examining the completion date."

Tohoku said it currently anticipates a delay of several months regarding the completion date of the safety measures.

The company applied to the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) in December 2013 for a safety assessment of Onagawa 2 - a 796 MWe boiling water reactor (BWR) - to verify countermeasures applied at the plant meet new safety standards. In late November 2019, the NRA approved a draft screening document that concluded the upgraded plant will meet revised safety standards, introduced in January 2013. In February 2020, the NRA approved the final screening report, clearing the way for the unit to resume operation. Tohoku is required to complete the countermeasure upgrades and obtain the approval of local authorities before it will be able to restart Onagawa 2.

The Onagawa plant was the closest nuclear power plant to the epicentre of the earthquake and tsunami of 11 March 2011, but sustained far less damage than expected. The earthquake knocked out four of the plant's five external power lines, but the remaining line provided sufficient power for its three BWRs to be brought to cold shutdown. Onagawa 1 briefly suffered a fire in the non-nuclear turbine building. The plant was largely unaffected by the tsunami as it sits on an elevated embankment more than 14 metres above sea level, but the basement floors of unit 2 were flooded.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/CNL-permitted-to-build-Chalk-River-repository

The Canadian nuclear regulator has amended the licence held by Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) for Chalk River Laboratories in Ontario, authorising the construction of a near-surface disposal facility for low-level radioactive waste at the site.

CNL applied to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) in 2017 for an amendment to its nuclear research and test establishment operating licence for Chalk River Laboratories, to permit the construction of the Near Surface Disposal Facility (NSDF).

The proposed NSDF Project is intended to provide safe disposal of up to 1 million cubic metres of solid low-level radioactive waste including legacy wastes from 65 years of operations at the Ontario site, waste from the remediation of contaminated lands, and debris from Chalk River infrastructure decommissioning activities. It will comprise a mound, built at near-surface level, consisting of disposal cells with a base liner and cover as well as systems to collect leachate, detect leaks and monitor the environment. The Chalk River Laboratories site is located on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg peoples.

The CNSC has now concluded that, under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act of 2012, the NSDF Project is "not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects, provided that CNL implements all proposed mitigation and follow-up monitoring measures, including continued engagement with Indigenous Nations and communities and environmental monitoring to verify the predictions of the environmental assessment (EA)".

The commission also concluded that the design of the NSDF Project is "robust, supported by a strong safety case, able to meet its required design life, and sufficient to withstand severe weather events, seismic activity, and the effects of climate change".

The amended nuclear research and test establishment operating licence remains valid until 31 March 2028. It includes two new conditions that require CNL to implement licensing regulatory actions and EA regulatory commitments for the NSDF Project.

The CNSC's decision applies only to the construction of the NSDF Project. CNL will be required to apply for a separate licence to operate the facility. The NSDF would have an expected operating life of at least 50 years.

The majority of the waste to be placed in the NSDF is currently in storage at the Chalk River Laboratories site or will be generated from environmental remediation, decommissioning, and operational activities at the site. About 10% of the waste volume will come from other Atomic Energy of Canada Limited-owned sites or from commercial sources such as Canadian hospitals and universities.

Source: https://www.neimagazine.com/news/newsindian-pm-dedicates-demonstration-fuel-reprocessing-plant-to-nation-11425550

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dedicated to the nation the Demonstration Fast Reactor Fuel Reprocessing Plant (DFRP) at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) at Kalpakkam in Chengalpattu district. The DFPR was built at a cost of about INR4bn ($48m) and is the world's only industrial-scale plant capable of handling both carbide and oxide used fuels from fast reactors, according to an official statement.

The DFRP houses indigenously designed and developed novel equipment and symbolises the successful collaboration between government R&D infrastructure and Indian industries, providing a crucial stepping stone for the next generation of breeder and fast reactors, the statement said.

"The dedication to the nation of DFRP by Prime Minister Narendra Modi underscores India's commitment to realising the dream of Net Zero by leveraging the full potential of India's uranium and thorium reserves and providing abundant green energy through the three-stage nuclear power programme," it added.

The new facility is a significant step towards advancing India’s nuclear capabilities and is designed to reprocess fuel from Prototype Fast Breeder Reactors (PFBR).

The fast reactor power generation company, Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (BHAVINI), based in Kalpakkam, played a leading role in this initiative. BHAVINI is currently setting up the PFBR and has plans for two additional fast reactors in the future. The DFRP is a pilot project for larger facilities.

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) highlights the DFRP as a crucial step towards the establishment of large commercial-scale fast reactor fuel reprocessing plants supporting India’s commitment to achieving self-sufficiency in nuclear fuel cycle capabilities.

The integrated commissioning of the PFBR, managed by BHAVINI, is well underway. Significant milestones include the filling of the main vessel with 1.15 tonnes of liquid sodium in August 2023 and the deployment of indigenously manufactured primary and secondary sodium pumps.

Adjacent to Kalpakkam, the Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Facility (FRFCF) is under and is anticipated to be completed by December 2027. This ambitious project, executed by the Nuclear Recycle Board, the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), and the DAE, was originally budgeted at approximately INR 96bn. The primary goal of the FRFCF is to reprocess used fuel from fast breeder reactors. In 2017, IGCAR awarded Hindustan Construction Company a contract worth INR7.64bn to construct the FRFCF.

Fast breeder reactors (FBRs) are key to India’s three-stage nuclear power programme, which is intended to exploit India’s vast resources of thorium. DAE envisioned the introduction of plutonium fuelled fast reactors as the intermediate stage, between pressurised heavy water reactors and thorium-uranium-233 based reactors. This necessitated closing the fast reactor fuel cycle. DAE therefore set up special R&D facilities for fast reactor fuel reprocessing at IGCAR (phase one) and pilot plant CORAL, was commissioned in 2003 (phase two). The third phase is the construction and operation DFRP. In the fourth phase, commercial scale reprocessing will be carried out by setting up the reprocessing plant (FRP), which will close the PFBR fuel cycle.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/US-Administration-sets-out-rules-for-clean-hydroge

The White House says its tax credit incentive stands to be the most consequential policy supporting the deployment of clean hydrogen in US history - but stipulations that would make credits available only to the newest clean electricity generating units would exclude most of the US nuclear fleet.

The proposed regulations for claiming the so-called 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit established under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act issued by the US Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service were published in the Federal Register on 26 December.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 provides a production credit for each kilogram of qualified clean hydrogen produced by a taxpayer at a qualified clean hydrogen production facility. Providing tax credits of up to USD3 per kilogram of hydrogen to projects with low lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions, the White House says the 45V credit accompanies other hydrogen programmes such as the Department of Energy's Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs Program.

The credit amount is dependent on the emissions intensity of the hydrogen production process. However, the proposed regulations stipulate that only clean power generators that began operating within three years of the hydrogen facility entering service will be eligible.

This requirement effectively eliminates all existing US clean energy generating capacity from qualifying for the credit, instead requiring hydrogen producers to construct purpose-built energy projects for their production facilities, Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) President Maria Korsnick said.

"This requirement will make many clean hydrogen projects uneconomic and will create years of delay for the few projects that can move forward in the face of the Administration's added constraints," she added. "The US nuclear fleet is well positioned to propel the US as a global leader in clean hydrogen production, but the Administration's proposal will undercut the development of a domestic clean hydrogen economy and will bolster the competitiveness of our global competitors.

"By explicitly allowing the zero-emission nuclear power production tax credit to be claimed in conjunction with the H2 Credit, the authors of the IRA made clear that existing nuclear facilities were eligible for the H2 Credit. NEI will continue to engage the Administration to ensure the H2 credit is implemented as clearly intended by Congress. Doing so will ensure nuclear energy can fill its full potential in decarbonising the hardest-to-abate sectors of our economy and will accelerate progress toward a cleaner energy economy."

Last October, US President Joe Biden and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm announced seven regional clean hydrogen hubs that will share USD7 billion in federal funding to accelerate the commercial-scale deployment of low-cost, clean hydrogen. Several hubs' plans envisage using nuclear energy, with Constellation Energy, a major participant in the MachH2 hub, planning to build the world's largest nuclear-powered clean hydrogen production facility at its LaSalle Clean Energy Center in Illinois.

That facility will cost an estimated USD900 million, produce an estimated 33,450 tonnes of clean hydrogen per year and create thousands of "good-paying" jobs, but will need the tax credits to be cost-effective.

"The proposed rule flies in the face of Congress's clear intent to use America's nuclear energy to produce hydrogen," the company told the American Nuclear Society.

Senator Joe Manchin, chairman of the US Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said the proposed rule "makes absolutely no sense", imposing onerous rules not included in the IRA that limit the ability of the credit to help develop a domestic hydrogen market. The proposed rules "will only make it more difficult to jumpstart the hydrogen market, which will be a critical part of our secure energy future", he said.

The proposed regulations are open to public comment until 26 February, and a public hearing will be held on 25 March.

Source: https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/pressreleases/iaea-reviews-kenyas-nuclear-infrastructure-development-for-new-research-reactor-programme

Kenya has made significant progress in the development of the national nuclear infrastructure for the country’s new research reactor programme, according to an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) review mission.

An IAEA team of experts concluded a nine-day mission to review the preparations for a research reactor programme in Kenya. The Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review for Research Reactors (INIR-RR) was conducted at the invitation of the Kenyan Government, from 11 to 19 December 2023.

Mission team members reviewed the status of the country's nuclear infrastructure development in accordance with the Phase 1 criteria and conditions of the IAEA's Milestones Approach for research reactors.

Some countries embarking on a nuclear power programme, including Kenya, are pursuing the development of their first research reactor, which can serve as a stepping stone towards their future nuclear power programme. Kenya plans to commission its first research reactor between 2030 and 2034.

Recommendations and suggestions were provided by the IAEA team for the further development of the nuclear infrastructure for the new research reactor programme.

“Kenya has demonstrated a sustained and very professional approach to the development of its research reactor programme,” said Andrey Sitnikov, who led the IAEA review mission and is the Technical Lead of the IAEA Research Reactor Section. “We noted that before making the final decision, Kenya did a great job of developing and preparing laws and regulatory documents, actively involving interested stakeholders in the programme, and developing human resources of both the future operator and the regulator.

The INIR-RR review team comprised two experts from India and the United States of America, and six IAEA staff members.

About INIR-RR missions

INIR-RR missions are designed to assist countries in determining the status of their national nuclear infrastructure and to identify further development needs to support a new research reactor project. They follow the IAEA's Milestones Approach for research reactors, which provides guidance on the preparation of a research reactor project by addressing 19 issues, ranging from nuclear safety and security to the nuclear fuel cycle, waste management, and funding and financing.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Community-led-study-recommends-nuclear-to-replace

A study of clean energy alternatives led by the Pueblo Innovative Energy Solutions Advisory Committee (PIESAC) found that only advanced nuclear could make the community "whole" from the losses it will suffer from the closure of the last unit at the Comanche coal-fired power plant in Pueblo, Colorado, while ensuring a just transition.

PIESAC, a diverse 11-member committee of Pueblo community leaders, was assembled by Xcel Energy-Colorado to evaluate and recommend future clean energy generation strategies to replace the final coal-fired unit at Comanche as the company transitions to delivering 100% carbon-free energy by 2050 to its Colorado customers and communities. The plant, some 110 miles (177 km) south of Denver, includes three coal units: unit 1 (335 MWe) retired in 2022, unit 2 (315 MWe) is due to retire by the end of 2025, and unit 3 (750 MWe) is to retire by 1 January 2031 at the latest.

The closure of Comanche 3 - which had originally been expected to operate until 2070 - will have "devastating impacts" on the economy of Pueblo unless the community, Xcel Energy and other stakeholders begin planning now for its replacement, the study says. The 2031 closure will cost Pueblo more than USD845 million in taxes which fund schools, fire districts, libraries, conservation districts as well as the operations of the city and the county. "It is urgent that we reduce climate changing emissions, but we must also provide a path forward for coal communities such as Pueblo that have relied on highly paid skilled jobs and tax payments from coal plants," the study finds.

PIESAC's newly released report is the culmination of ten months' work to evaluate clean energy generation strategies to replace the existing coal units at the Comanche Generation Station while ensuring a "just transition" so that "coal communities should not only be no worse off with the closure of coal facilities but also replace the coal generation with high paying and highly skilled jobs and lost tax base so that coal communities have an opportunity to prosper, grow, and reimagine their local economies".

The committee looked at a "large number" of generation possibilities for Pueblo that could be available by 2034, including various energy storage and battery technologies, hydrogen as a primary fuel, the construction of additional solar facilities, combined cycle gas with carbon capture, and advanced nuclear. Of these, it recommends that only the latter two - a new gas plant with carbon capture or advanced nuclear - should be considered for Pueblo.

A new gas plant with carbon capture would provide 20 to 25 jobs with a salary range of USD80,000-120,000 and tax payments of approximately USD16.5 million a year, but advanced nuclear would provide 200 to 300 jobs with a salary range of USD60,000-200,000 and tax payments of USD95.29 million a year, it notes: "Of all of the technologies that we studied, only advanced nuclear generation will make Pueblo whole and also provide a path to prosperity."

Coal accounted for some 27% of Xcel Energy-Colorado's 2022 generation mix, with natural gas supplying around 31% and wind 36%. The company is aiming for 81% of its generation to be carbon free by 2030 and 100% carbon free by 2050.

Xcel Energy-Colorado is part of Minneapolis-headquartered Xcel Energy, serving eight Western and Midwestern US states from a generating portfolio which includes the Monticello and Prairie Island nuclear power plants in Minnesota.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Licences-issued-for-main-stage-of-Leningrad-7-and

Russian nuclear regulator Rostekhnadzor has issued licences to Rosatom for the construction of nuclear installations for Leningrad nuclear power plant's proposed units 7 and 8.

The permit is valid for 15 years with Rosatom saying that in total about 150 buildings and structures will be erected at the site over the next few years, with the aim of getting to the stage of loading fuel into the new VVER-1200 reactors in 2029 and 2031 - the official timeline is then for them to enter commercial operation in 2030 and 2032, respectively.

To obtain the necessary construction licence, the application included documentation relating to the safety of the power units and confirming the readiness of the nuclear power plant, which is in Sosnovy Bor, for construction.

Vladimir Pereguda, director of the Leningrad plant, said: "We have proven that the construction of power units No.7 and 8 will be carried out in strict accordance with Russian norms and regulations in the field of the use of atomic energy, that construction and installation work will be provided with modern design solutions and sound, proven technologies, that the volume of work performed, cost compliance construction, the quality of purchased equipment, the quality of design and working documentation will be controlled by highly qualified specialists from among the nuclear plant employees. We are fully ready to begin large-scale work on the new stage of the Leningrad NPP."

Work at the construction site, which began in August 2022, has seen a pit prepared for the nuclear island and turbine island of the seventh unit.

The Leningrad nuclear power plant is one of the largest in Russia, with an installed capacity of 4400 MWe, and provides more than 55% of the electricity demand of Saint Petersburg and the Leningrad region, or 30% of all the electricity in Northwest Russia.

Leningrad 1 shut down in 2018 after 45 years of operation. Leningrad 2, also a 1000 MWe RBMK unit, started up in 1975 and was permanently shut down in November 2020. As the first two of the plant's four RBMK-1000 units shut down, new VVER-1200 units started at the neighbouring Leningrad II plant. The 60-year service life of these fifth and sixth units (also known as Leningrad II-1 and Leningrad II-2) secures power supply until the 2080s. Units 7 and 8 will replace units 3 and 4 as they are shut in the coming years.

Rosatom says that the new units will not only replace the existing capacity but will be able to meet growing demand and help large regional investment projects. The VVER-1200s are capable of load following, in contrast to RBMK units which only operate in baseload mode, which means running only at full power between refuelling and maintenance outages.

Company also looking at running Sizewell B for 20 years longer than scheduled.

EDF Energy is planning to extend the life of four nuclear power stations in the UK and invest £1.3bn (€1.5bn, $1.6bn) 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 (AGR) stations – Torness, Heysham A and B, and Hartlepool A – by the end of the year. This would require regulatory approval.

Between them the four stations have eight units in operation – two at Torness, two each at Heysham A and Heysham B and two at Hartlepool. According to International Atomic Energy data, the eight units have a combined net generating capacity of 4,685MW.

A spokesperson for the company said operating extension plans would depend on inspections, adding there would not be long lifetime extensions but “incremental”.

Last March, EDF said it was extending lifetimes at Hartlepool A and Heysham A by a further two years to March 2026. Heysham B and Torness power stations are now due to stay operational until March 2028.

The company is also looking into running its single-unit Sizewell B station for 20 years longer than scheduled, until 2055. It is the UK’s only pressurised water reactor plant and according to the IAEA has a capacity of 1,198 MW. A final decision will be taken next year.

EDF said it would invest a further £1.3bn in its whole UK nuclear fleet, which employs 5,000 people, between 2024 and 2026, taking the total invested to nearly £9bn since 2009. It plans to hire more than 1,000 people at its UK nuclear operations this year.

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.

Fleet Hit By Closures And Outages

The output of EDF’s UK nuclear fleet was 37.3 TWh last year, 15% lower than the year before because of station closures and statutory outages.

In recent years the UK has generated about 15% of its power from its fleet of commercial nuclear power plants. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UK’s nuclear share in 2022was 14.2%.

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 only commercial nuclear plants under construction in the UK are two EPR units at Hinkley Point C, although there are plans for two new units at Sizewell C.

Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the London-based Nuclear Industry Association, said EDF’s unprecedented investment will help preserve nuclear as “a bedrock of our energy security”.

But he warned that while lifetime extensions will help in the short term, they will not address the medium and long-term issues of a fleet getting close to retirement.

“What we now need is for the government to get Sizewell C to a final investment decision swiftly and set out a plan for a new fleet of stations large and small to maintain nuclear’s contribution to our energy security and economic prosperity for the future.”

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/EIA-programme-submitted-for-Olkiluoto-1-and-2

The environmental impact assessment (EIA) programme for a possible operating licence extension and power uprating of units 1 and 2 at the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant has been submitted by Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) to Finland's Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (TEM).

Olkiluoto units 1 and 2 - which were first connected to the grid in September 1978 and February 1980, respectively - currently meet 15% of Finland's electricity demand.

In September 2018, the Finnish government approved a 20-year extension to the operating licences of both units. The new licence replaced TVO's then current operating licences, issued in 1998, which were valid until the end of 2018. The two boiling water reactors are currently permitted to operate until the end of 2038.

TVO announced in October last year that it had initiated an EIA procedure for the licence extension and power uprate. The company is considering extending the operating licences by a further 10-20 years and increasing the power output of each reactor from 890 MW to approximately 970 MWe.

On 5 January, TVO submitted an EIA programme, as required under Finnish law. In the assessment of environmental impacts, the current state of the environment is determined and the environmental impacts caused by the project and their significance are assessed. Matters to be evaluated in the EIA procedure are, for example, effects on people and society, waterways and fisheries, land use and landscape, soil and bedrock, groundwater and vegetation, animals and protected areas.

TEM has published the EIA programme on its website, where it can be viewed for 60 days. During that time, anyone has the opportunity to give their own comments about the programme. In addition, TEM requests statements about the programme from several authorities, communities and municipalities in the affected area.

TVO said that decisions regarding the licence extensions and power uprates will be made after the completion of the EIA report.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/NuScale-cuts-jobs,-refocuses-on-key-strategic-area

Small modular reactor (SMR) developer NuScale Power Corporation has announced measures, including the loss of 154 employees, which it says will save USD50-60 million a year and "better position itself commercially, financially, and strategically".

NuScale President and CEO John Hopkins said the company's SMR technology - the only one to have received US Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval - was "already many years ahead of the competition ... today, commercialisation of our SMR technology is our key objective, which includes near-term deployment and manufacturing".

In a news release issued on Monday, the New York Stock Exchange-listed company said it was "taking steps to transition from R&D to commercialisation and aims to ... align resources with core priorities, which include advancing revenue-generating projects, securing new orders and positioning NuScale towards long-term success".

NuScale's VOYGR SMR - a pressurised water reactor with all the components for steam generation and heat exchange incorporated into a single 77 MWe unit - is the first SMR design to have received approval from the NRC and is under consideration for construction in various countries around the world including in the USA, Romania and in Poland, where a plan by copper and silver producer KGHM Polska Miedź SA to build a power plant based on NuScale Power's SMR has been approved by the Ministry of Climate and Environment.

However, in November NuScale and Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems mutually agreed to terminate the Carbon Free Power Project (CFPP), which was to have featured six NuScale power modules generating 462 MWe of electricity and which was pencilled in for operation by 2029. The CFPP had targeted 80% subscription for the project by the end of 2023, but the parties said it had become clear that they would not have enough subscription to support deployment.

NuScale had placed its first upper reactor pressure vessel long-lead production order with Doosan Enerbility in March 2023 for the CFPP - the company intends to transfer those modules to its next customer, Hopkins said during an American Nuclear Society event in November.

NuScale Power was the first SMR developer to undergo a business combination to accelerate the commercialisation of its technology. In May 2022, it merged with Spring Valley Acquisition Corporation to create the world's first publicly traded SMR technology provider. Its shares initially rose by 50% in value, but have fallen back in recent months and closed on Friday at less than one-third of their value in May 2022.