Nuclear Energy

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Consortium-to-speed-up-development-of-lead-cooled

Five partners from Belgium, Italy, Romania and the USA have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on the development, demonstration and commercialisation of lead-cooled small modular reactors (SMRs).

The agreement is between Belgium's SCK-CEN nuclear research centre, ENEA (the Italian national agency for new technologies, energy and sustainable economic development), Italy's Ansaldo Nucleare, Romania's Regia Autonoma Tehnologii pentru Energia Nucleara (RATEN) and Westinghouse Electric Company of the USA.

The MoU was signed in Brussels in the presence of Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, Romania's President Klaus Iohannis and representatives from the Italian and US embassies in Belgium.

"With their combined efforts and shared drive to implement a cost-competitive energy-generating solution, the partners will nurture this promising technology, facilitating the commercial-scale deployment of sustainable nuclear energy," SCK-CEN said. "The newly formed collaboration has outlined a clear vision, based on a step-wise approach to demonstration. Beginning with a small-size reactor to demonstrate the technological and engineering aspects of the commercial SMR-LFR in Mol, Belgium."

It noted: "The Lead-cooled Fast Reactor design developed by Westinghouse will be the starting point for this project ultimately targeting its global commercialisation."

The consortium will initially work towards the next development phase, which is the construction of the Advanced Lead-cooled Fast Reactor European Demonstrator (ALFRED) in Pitești, Romania, focusing on the technical and economic feasibility of future commercial SMRs. It will leverage and expand the work done over the past 10 years by Ansaldo Nucleare, ENEA and RATEN under the Fostering ALFRED Construction (FALCON) consortium toward this objective.

A 300 MWt demonstration ALFRED unit is being built at RATEN-ICN's facility in Mioveni, near Pitesti, where a fuel manufacturing plant is in operation for the country's two operating Candu reactors. ALFRED is seen as a prelude to an industrial demonstration unit of about 300-400 MWe. The lead-cooled reactor will employ mixed-oxide fuel and will operate at temperatures of around 550°C. It features passive safety systems. The total cost of the project is put at some EUR1.0 billion (USD1.1 billion).

The conceptual design of the ALFRED reactor and the integrated project were led by Ansaldo Nucleare under the seventh Euratom framework programme. ENEA performed the core design, technological development and safety analyses through numerical and experimental approaches.

"Thanks to the Myrrha (Multipurpose Hybrid Research Reactor for High-tech Applications accelerator-driven research reactor) project, SCK-CEN is a global leader in lead-bismuth research, and it will merge its acquired knowledge with RATEN's extensive expertise in lead and ENEA’s widespread experience in lead technology development," SCK-CEN said. "Westinghouse Electric Company and Ansaldo Nucleare will bring extensive experience in design, licensing, construction and commercialization of nuclear power plants globally."

Prime Minister De Croo said: "A year and a half ago, we took the strategic decision to accelerate our energy transition. Reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, limiting our gas emissions and our dependence on countries like Russia, by investing massively in offshore energy, hydrogen infrastructure, but also the nuclear power of the future. We have decided to do this by drawing on the expertise developed in Belgium, and by allocating EUR100 million to the research and development of SMRs.

"From the beginning, we are convinced that this would be set up in cooperation with international partners. The agreement SCK-CEN has just signed today with Ansaldo Nucleare, ENEA, RATEN and Westinghouse is the first visible milestone in this strategy, a solid foundation on which we will continue to build."

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Ministerial-approval-for-NexGen-uranium-project

Saskatchewan's Ministry of Environment has given its approval for NexGen Energy to proceed with the development of its Rook I uranium project. NexGen is the first company in more than 20 years to receive full Provincial Environmental Assessment approval for a uranium project in Saskatchewan.

The approval is a major milestone for the project, NexGen CEO Leigh Curyer said: "Throughout the rigorous EA process, the Government of Saskatchewan recognised the unparalleled value and future opportunities the Rook I Project will provide for local communities, Saskatchewan, and Canada." With this approval in place, the company has now submitted all responses to the federal technical review of the project's Environmental Impact Statement and is looking forward to the completion of the environmental assessment approval process, he added.

The company has lodged the initial applications for approvals of site earthworks, shaft sinking infrastructure, site water and mine waste management facilities, and associated ancillary infrastructure and services, and said it is continuously engaged with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment regarding these phases of development.

Rook I is 100% owned by NexGen and hosts the Arrow uranium deposit, with measured and indicated mineral resources of 256.7 million pounds U3O8 (98,739 tU) supporting an initial 10.7 year mine-life.

The company has adopted an integrated approach to the federal and provincial environmental licensing processes, with the provincial energy ministry and the federal regulator, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, cooperating to share information while completing the environmental assessment process in accordance with their separate requirements and guidelines.

The project is located within the Clearwater Dene Nation, Birch Narrows Dene Nation and Buffalo River Dene Nation traditional territories, and the Métis Homeland. All four Local Priority Area Communities have formally confirmed their consent and support for NexGen's stewardship of the Rook I Project covering the full life-cycle of the mine.

80% want to extend operational lifetimes of reactors.

Never before has the Belgian population been so supportive of nuclear energy with 85% wanting to keep it in the electricity mix and 86% preferring to see the operational lifetimes of existing reactors extended, as long as this is safe, according to a poll.

The Belgian Nuclear Forum poll says 80% of respondents want to extend the operational lifetimes of nuclear reactors for more than 10 years and 75% are in favour of restarting Tihange-2, which was shut down in February 2023, and Doel-3, which was shut down in September 2022.

According to the poll, 87% want Belgium to invest in the development and construction of small modular reactors.

Only 13% wants to keep a 2003 nuclear phaseout law that requires all reactors to be shut down. The law was amended in 2013 and 2015 to provide for the three oldest reactors –Tihange-1, Doel-1 and Doel-2 – to remain operational until 2025.

The poll, carried out for the Belgian Nuclear Forum by research agency Polaris/AQ Rate, questioned 1,000 people between September 15 and 21.

Belgium’s five nuclear plants are Doel-1, Doel-2 and Doel-4 in the northern Antwerp province, and Tihange-1 and Tihange-3 in the eastern province of Liege.

In July the government signed an interim agreement with nuclear operator Engie to extend the use of two of Doel-4 and Tihange-3 by 10 years.

The government said the move was because of energy supply concerns after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

At the time the Belgian Nuclear Forum said the agreement was a significant step forward and will allow Belgium to partially align itself with its neighbouring countries in the common fight against climate change.

But it warned the extensions would not be enough unless the government abolishes the 2003 law.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Collaboration-widens-for-Rolls-Royce-SMRs-in-the-N

Dutch construction firm BAM Infra Nederland has agreed to collaborate with ULC-Energy and Rolls-Royce SMR on the deployment of a fleet of Rolls-Royce SMRs in the Netherlands.

In August 2022, Rolls-Royce SMR of the UK signed an exclusive agreement with ULC-Energy to collaborate on the deployment of Rolls-Royce SMR power plants in the Netherlands. ULC-Energy - established in 2021 and based in Amsterdam - aims to accelerate decarbonisation in the Netherlands by developing nuclear energy projects that efficiently integrate with residential and industrial energy networks in the country.

In September 2022, ULC-Energy signed a memorandum of understanding with US utility Constellation - a minority shareholder in Rolls-Royce SMR Limited - to support the deployment of a fleet of Rolls-Royce SMRs in the Netherlands.

Rolls-Royce SMR said it has now signed a memorandum of understanding with construction company BAM Infra Nederland to explore the opportunities for collaboration to support deployment of its SMRs in the Netherlands.

"Together with our strategic partner, Rolls-Royce SMR, we are forging a long-term plan that contributes to the energy transition in the Netherlands," said Sander den Blanken, director of commercial business development at BAM Infra Nederland. "We can achieve this by developing a robust and modular solution, bringing an alternative energy source for our country one step closer. We bring innovation at a scale that minimises speed and risk through our industrial approach and, with this development, we take a significant step towards a more sustainable Netherlands."

Rich Everett, group head of supply chain for Rolls-Royce SMR, said: "We are delighted to explore opportunities for collaboration with BAM Infra Nederland, which builds on the successful partnership that we have developed with BAM Nutall in the UK - which is also part of the BAM Group."

"ULC-Energy is pleased with the collaboration with BAM Infra Nederland," added ULC-Energy CEO Dirk Rabelink. "Developing nuclear energy projects is a long-term process and stable, complementary and long-term partnerships are crucial to our success.

"With the design of the Rolls-Royce SMRs, we are building on Rolls-Royce's knowledge and experience built up over several decades in the field of producing nuclear reactors. The fully standardised SMRs are designed to exceed all rules and guidelines of the leading licensing authorities. In combination with the application of proven reactor and fuel technology, we can reduce the risks of delays and changes due to the permitting process."

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

According to ULC-Energy, a single Rolls-Royce SMR could provide enough electricity for 1.4 million Dutch households.

Earlier this month, ULC-Energy and Rolls-Royce SMR signed an agreement with Denmark's Topsoe to jointly investigate the production of hydrogen using Topsoe's Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell technology with both electricity and heat produced by a Rolls-Royce SMR nuclear power plant.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Holtec-to-produce-containers-for-used-fuel-in-Ukra

Energoatom and Holtec International are planning to build a plant in Ukraine for the production of containers, which are currently made in the USA, for storage of used nuclear fuel. The two already have joint plans for the construction of a plant in Ukraine to manufacture equipment for Holtec small modular reactors.

The announcement, by Ukraine's Ministry of Energy, came after a meeting in Washington DC, between Ukraine's Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko (pictured above, left) and Holtec President Chris Singh (pictured, right).

Ukraine's Centralised Spent Fuel Storage Facility (CSFSF), located in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, was commissioned last year. It is a dry storage site for used nuclear fuel assemblies from seven VVER-1000 and two VVER-440 reactors at the Rivne, Khmelnitsky and South Ukraine nuclear power plants. It is designed to have a total storage capacity of 16,530 used fuel assemblies, including 12,010 VVER-1000 assemblies and 4520 VVER-440 assemblies. Contracts were signed for its construction with USA-based Holtec International in 2005, though construction only began in 2017.

Halushchenko said: "With such professional partners as Holtec International, the revival of Ukrainian nuclear energy is not just our goal, but a reality. We are grateful to our partners for their belief in the importance of nuclear energy for the sustainable future and success of Ukraine."

Singh said: "Ukraine's potential in the field of nuclear energy is the best in the region. Our company has been and remains your reliable partner."

The use of the CSFSF means the country no longer has to export its used fuel back to Russia, and it is estimated by Energoatom to save about USD200 million a year. Energoatom President Petro Kotin said it was not just about saving money but was "one of the most important steps in achieving our energy independence".

Holtec International and Energoatom already have plans to build a plant in Ukraine to manufacture equipment for Holtec SMRs, with Energoatom hoping it will become a hub for exports to other European countries. A cooperation agreement signed in April between the two companies called for a joint project office to be established to begin work required for licensing and deployment of up to 20 Holtec SMR-160s in Ukraine.

Speaking after a meeting with Holtec International Vice President Riaz Avan, Energoatom's Kotin said: "The introduction of the latest technologies and the construction of modern production facilities of Holtec in Ukraine will be of great importance for the post-war reconstruction of the economy of our country. This will create thousands of new jobs and significantly strengthen the competitiveness of the Ukrainian nuclear industry. We have a chance to become leaders in this field along with other global companies."

Canada uranium company sees ‘sustained and positive momentum for nuclear energy’.

Canada-based uranium company Cameco has completed the acquisition of Westinghouse Electric in a partnership with Brookfield Asset Management and its Brookfield Renewable Partners affiliate and institutional partners.

Cameco now owns a 49% interest and Brookfield owns the remaining 51% in Westinghouse, one of the world’s largest nuclear services businesses and provider of the AP1000 reactor technology.

The total value of the acquisition was $8.2bn (€7.6bn), a statement said. This was adjusted from $7.9bn at the close of the deal to take account of working capital balances.

According to earlier reports, Brookfield Renewable Partners was expected to pay $2.3bn for its share while Cameco’s share was expected to cost $2.2bn, with $3.4bn in existing debt on Westinghouse’s balance sheet.

“We expect this acquisition will enhance Cameco’s participation in the nuclear fuel cycle at a time when there is tremendous growth on the horizon for our industry,” the company said.

Cameco president and chief executive officer Tim Gitzel said the business prospects for Westinghouse have significantly improved since the deal was first announced a year ago with an “undeniable sustained and positive momentum for nuclear energy around the world”.

He had said earlier that buying Westinghouse would give Cameco more direct access to customers that will need its fuel.

“We like to think of ourselves as more than just mining and this is just an extension of that,” Gitzel said. “We know what they do, and their business is very complementary to what we do.”

Brookfield Renewable Partners is a subsidiary of Canada’s Brookfield Corporation. Brookfield Business Partners, another subsidiary of Brookfield Corporation, had bought Westinghouse in 2018 as part of the nuclear company’s bankruptcy.

• Source: https://www.rd.nl/artikel/1041025-atoomcooperatie-wil-kernenergie-lucratief-maken-voor-burger
• Zonder paywall: https://archive.ph/ZqfcL

Iedere Nederlander kan mede-eigenaar worden van een wind- of zonnepark. Ondernemer Patrick Bauduin vindt dat dit ook zou moeten kunnen voor een kerncentrale. Daarom heeft hij met enkele mede-initiatiefnemers de Atoomcoöperatie opgericht.

Ook in Den Haag zien steeds meer politieke partijen in dat Nederland niet om kernenergie heen kan als de samenleving uiterlijk in 2050 klimaatneutraal wil zijn. Daarom is het kabinet inmiddels zo ver dat het twee kerncentrales wil gaan bouwen. Bauduin –die de consument met zijn bedrijf Atoom Alliantie al sinds 2020 stroom aanbiedt die volledig afkomstig is van kernenergie– windt er geen doekjes om: „We zouden graag zien dat burgers en bedrijven kunnen meebeslissen en meeprofiteren als er een kerncentrale wordt gebouwd. Als eerste kernenergiecoöperatie ter wereld willen we dit mogelijk maken.”

Wat zijn de voordelen van kernenergie ten opzichte van wind- en zonne-energie?

„In de eerste plaats: deze energiebron is betrouwbaar. Zonlicht hebben we niet in overvloed en ook de wind laat het vaak afweten. Een kerncentrale levert daarentegen altijd. Daarnaast neemt zo’n centrale veel minder ruimte in beslag dan een windpark of zonneweide met een vergelijkbaar vermogen. Dat is zeker in een land als Nederland, waar de ruimte schaars is, een absoluut voordeel. Omdat kernenergie geen CO2 oplevert, durf ik ronduit te stellen dat dit de beste energiebron is.”

In hoeverre kun je kernenergie schoon noemen als die ook gevaarlijk hoogradioactief afval produceert?

„Het gaat om relatief weinig afval. Neem de huidige kerncentrale in Borssele. Die zorgt jaarlijks voor zo’n 4,5 kubieke meter aan hoogradioactief afval. Dan heb je het over een zestiende deel van de inhoud van een zeecontainer.

Daarbij gelden er strenge protocollen –die nog veel strenger zijn dan in de chemische industrie– om dit afval veilig op te slaan, bijvoorbeeld onder de grond. De kans dat er iets misgaat is normaal gesproken heel erg klein. Daarbij lopen er nu onderzoeken naar mogelijkheden voor hergebruik van radioactief afval zodat dit in de toekomst een circulaire energiebron kan worden. De techniek staat niet stil.”

Hoe kan de burger via de Atoomcoöperatie meeprofiteren van een nieuwe kerncentrale?

„Naast de twee grote kerncentrales die de overheid er graag bij wil bouwen, zijn in sommige provincies gesprekken gaande over de komst van kleine, modulaire reactoren. Van zo’n kleinere centrale willen we als coöperatie, samen met andere partijen, eigenaar worden door aandelen te kopen. Als die op termijn stroom gaat leveren en rendabel wordt, geven wij de winst als aandeelhouder terug aan onze leden.”

U en uw compagnons zeggen u volledig belangeloos in te zetten voor dit initiatief. U verdient hier dus niets aan?

„Dat klopt. Leden betalen per jaar 23,50 euro – een knipoog naar Uranium-235, de isotoop waaruit door splijting kernenergie ontstaat. Dat geld gebruiken we volledig voor verschillende kostenposten, zoals het op orde houden van de administratie. Het geld gebruiken we ook om bijeenkomsten te organiseren voor onze leden en om nieuwe leden te werven.

Als een project concreet wordt, en er bijvoorbeeld investeerders nodig zijn om grond aan te kopen, geven we leden de kans om daarin te investeren. Ieder lid mag zelf bepalen hoeveel geld hij erin wil steken.”

Het werven van leden is een week voor de lancering begonnen. Op hoeveel staat de teller?

„We hebben nu 230 leden. Daarmee zijn we al groter dan de gemiddelde energiecoöperatie, die zo’n 160 leden telt. De rek is er nog lang niet uit. Vorige week hebben we de Atoomcoöperatie pas officieel gelanceerd. Hierbij waren onder meer Kamerleden van VVD en CDA aanwezig, maar ook gemeenteraadsleden van D66 en Volt. Daarom denk ik dat ons initiatief heel veel groeipotentie heeft. Uiteindelijk willen we de grootste energiecoöperatie van Nederland worden.”

Switzerland plans keeping nuclear plants in use longer than previously expected over fears of electricity shortages, mirroring a broader trend of European countries revisiting the potential of atomic energy.

The country decided to exit nuclear power in 2017, but didn’t set a date to shut down its four plants, which are supposed to run as long as deemed safe. Operators Axpo Holding AG and Alpiq Holding AG have already boosted the planned lifespan for their plants to 60 years from a previous target of 50, spokespeople for the companies told Bloomberg. That would see them operating until around 2040.

On top of that, Alpiq is studying the impacts of a further extension to as many as 80 years on safety, investments and profitability, its spokesman said. That would mirror moves in the US, where more than 90% of existing nuclear reactors will likely seek approval to operate at least that long.

Swiss nuclear power plants are allowed run for as long as they can be operated safely, a spokesperson for Switzerland’s Federal Office of Energy said, highlighting that the government never set an exit date and all lifespan calculations stem from reactor operators.

According to a survey of those companies, extending power plants’ lifetimes beyond 60 years is economically feasible without financial support from the government, the spokesperson added.

Countries across Europe are also looking to allow nuclear plants to run for longer. France, Belgium and Finland are working on extensions for their reactor fleets similar to Switzerland’s, as they anticipate growing electricity demand and don’t want to rely solely on renewable energies.

The same is the case with Romania, Bulgaria and Slovenia, which have plans to build new plants. Germany, on the contrary, shut down its last plants in April after political wrangling over the decision shook Europe’s largest economy for more than two decades.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Orano-two-tier-dry-storage-system-in-loading-first

Orano has loaded the first used fuel into the upper modules of the two-tiered NUHOMS MATRIX horizontal dry storage system at the Wolf Creek nuclear power plant in Kansas.

The Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Company in 2018 contracted Orano TN - a business line of Orano USA - to design, construct and commission an interim used fuel storage facility, and to transfer used fuel from the plant's storage pool to the new dry storage facility. According to Orano, the two-tier compact horizontal storage system being used at Wolf Creek reduces the footprint requirements by as much as 45% compared with other Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) facilities storing the same number of canisters.

Over the course of three weeks, three Extended Optimized Storage (EOS) 37PTH canisters were each filled with 37 used nuclear fuel assemblies in the reactor's used fuel pool and then transferred into the upper modules of the MATRIX dry storage system. A joint team of Orano and Wolf Creek worked together to complete three loadings after training which included dry runs with the equipment on-site and at a full-scale MATRIX mock-up at the Orano TN Fabrication facility in Kernersville, North Carolina, where the eight EOS 37PTH storage canisters were manufactured.

With five canisters loaded into the lower tier of the system in 2022, eight of the available 11 modules in the constructed MATRIX system have now been filled. Future loading campaigns will be conducted after the MATRIX system has been expanded by the addition of further modules, starting in Spring 2024, Orano said.

An ISFSI is a US Nuclear Regulatory Commission-licensed facility for the storage of used fuel which has been allowed to cool for several years in a reactor's used fuel pool before being transferred to dry storage.

Wolf Creek, a single-unit 1200 MWe (net) pressurised water reactor, is the only nuclear power plant in Kansas. According to information from the US Nuclear Energy Institute, nuclear energy provides 14.3% of the state's electricity and 23.3% of its carbon-free electricity, complementing wind and solar.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/China-completes-ITER-magnet-support-components

A ceremony was held on 3 November to mark the final shipment from China of assemblies for the magnet supporting system of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) fusion machine under construction in Cadarache, southern France.

The magnet support system - developed and supplied by China National Nuclear Corporation's (CNNC's) Southwestern Institute of Physics - is one of the core structural safety components of the ITER reactor. It includes 18 sets of gravity supports, 72 sets of poloidal field coil supports and 18 sets of correction field coil supports. The total system - weighing more than 1600 tonnes - is responsible for supporting the entire ITER superconducting magnet system and is the load-bearing frame of the ITER device.

"The magnet supporting system is mainly to support the superconducting magnets in the magnetic confinement nuclear fusion, which is also like a backbone of a house," Li Pengyuan, leader of the magnet supporting project, was quoted as saying by CGTN. He noted the system plays a role in bearing the load and counteracting all the electromagnetic forces in order to ensure the safety of the ITER reactor.

The final shipment - which departed from Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province - consisted of 18 sets of poloidal field coils.

CNNC noted, since 2018, the Southwest Institute of Physics has successfully completed the delivery of more than 30 batches of magnet support products.

The company said the timely shipment of the final components "lays the foundation for the major engineering node of the first plasma discharge of the ITER plan, and also lays the foundation for the design and development of China's future fusion reactors".

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

Thirty-five nations are collaborating to build ITER - the European Union (plus Switzerland) 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 timeline for ITER has been for first plasma in 2025 and the start of deuterium-tritium operation in 2035, but that timeline is being revised. In June, the ITER Organisation was expected to reveal the revised timeline for the project but instead put back by a year an announcement on an updated timeline.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Inaugural-study-completed-for-potential-Canadian-I

The first in-situ leach field test programme carried out by Denison on Tthe Heldeth Túé uranium deposit at Waterbury Lake achieved its planned objectives and has confirmed expectations that the deposit can be amenable to mining using in-situ techniques.

The potential use of in-situ leach (ISL) mining - also referred to as in-situ recovery, or ISR - at Waterbury Lake was first evaluated in an independent preliminary economic assessment carried out in 2020. The 2023 field test programme has been carried out to provide data on the permeability of the Tthe Heldeth Túé (THT) deposit, and to collect a database of hydrogeological and metallurgical data to further evaluate the ISL mining conditions at the deposit.

A test pattern of 8 small-diameter wells - four monitoring wells, two pump/injection wells, one Vibrating Wire Piezometer and one recharge well - were drilled in the Eastern Pod of THT to carry out hydrogeologic studies and ion tracer tests. Samples from the drill core recovered from drilling the test wells will also be used to provide further datasets on the deposit. Core material from the wells in the mineralised zone will also be used to verify and update the current mineral resource estimate for the deposit and support future wellfield design and mineral processing assessments.

Denison President and CEO David Cates said the programme had "delivered excellent results, confirming our previous expectations that THT can be amenable to ISR mining and should be considered as a potentially low-cost and highly prospective uranium development project. … We continue to meaningfully invest in our exploration and development pipeline projects, and the results from the ISR field test programme support bringing THT forward for additional evaluation, and reinforce the project's potential to become Denison's second ISR uranium mine development asset in the Athabasca Basin."

The Waterbury Lake project, in northern Saskatchewan, is 67.41% owned by Denison Mines Corp and hosts the THT - formerly known as J Zone - and Huskie uranium deposits. The project is close to key regional infrastructure, including roads and the provincial power grid, and both uranium deposits are within 20 km of Denison's 22.5%-owned McClean Lake mill. The remaining 32.59% of the project is owned by Korea Waterbury Lake Uranium Limited Partnership, a consortium of investors in which Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power holds a majority position.

ISL recovers minerals from ore in the ground by dissolving them in situ. The resulting solution is then pumped to the surface, where the minerals are recovered. This causes little surface disturbance and generates no tailings or waste rock, and is a lower cost option than underground or open-pit mining, but it requires suitable geology: the orebody needs to be permeable to the liquids used, and located so that groundwater away from the orebody cannot become contaminated.

More than half of the world's uranium production is now produced by ISL, but the technique has not so far been used in Canada. However, Denison is looking to use ISL at the Phoenix deposit at the Wheeler River project, also in Saskatchewan, where feasibility field tests have now been completed. The company is also looking into the potential use of ISL at the Midwest project, for which it completed a preliminary conceptual mining study earlier this year. The Midwest project is a joint venture owned by Denison (25.17%) and Orano Canada Inc (74.83%).

Bloc reaching moment for strategic decisions, says energy commissioner.

The European Commission has formally announced the creation of an industrial alliance dedicated to small modular reactors (SMRs) amid calls to get the first units connected to the electricity grid within a decade

The alliance will focus on accelerating the deployment of SMR technologies and ensuring a strong EU supply chain, including a skilled workforce.

EU energy commissioner Kadri Simson told an event in Bratislava to discuss the alliance that the bloc was reaching the moment for strategic decisions to be made and successful deployment of SMRs by the next decade will be an important and timely milestone on Europe’s path to climate neutrality by 2050 and “this must be our goal”.

She backed plans for the establishment of the industrial alliance, saying it would allow the EU to advance not only domestically but also in the context of the global competition for industrial and technological leadership.

She warned that there is a strong need to consolidate the different member states’ efforts and initiatives in a coordinated approach that will “guarantee collective success”.

“I see a very clear interest from stakeholders – vendors, potential users of SMR technology, research organisations and nuclear safety regulators – to drive forward SMR development and deployment in Europe,” Simson said

“I am confident that the EU can have a leadership role in achieving technological maturity for SMRs.”

Simson said: “Let me say from the start that I see a clear window of opportunity opening up.

“Our discussion takes place against the backdrop of the EU’s net zero commitment, and the urgency of climate action.

“As you are well aware, the legislative framework for a 55% greenhouse gas emission reduction by 2030 is almost complete, and the commission will present by January next year its scenarios for carbon emission reduction targets for 2040.”

Industry ‘Must Lead Development’

She said it is clear that to achieve ambitious emission reduction targets in the next decade, all renewables and low-carbon energy sources will be needed.

Ditte Juul-Jorgensen, director-general for energy in the commission, said in a keynote that the commission expects the industry to lead in the development of “an SMR collaboration scheme” between industry, science, regulators, and policymakers.

“Our analysis makes it clear we are going to need nuclear as part of Europe’s future energy mix,” she said.

Yves Desbazeille, director-general of the Brussels-based industry group nucleareurope, said SMRs are expected to bring many benefits to the EU as a whole in terms of helping to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors, as well as creating jobs and generating economic growth in the EU.

“The groundwork [for the industrial alliance] has been laid by its predecessor, the European SMR pre-Partnership and we are delighted that the European Commission is now giving its full backing to this key technology of the future.”

In a statement nucleareurope said the alliance is expected to focus on key areas including market incentives, financing, education, training, supply chains, and support for research and development.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Doosan-Enerbility-to-design-used-fuel-storage-syst

South Korean engineering firm Doosan Enerbility has signed a contract with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power to carry out the overall design of a used nuclear fuel dry storage system.

The contract - awarded following an international competitive bidding process - will see Doosan Enerbility completing the design work and obtaining certification by 2027 for the dry storage system, which includes the cask for storing and transporting used nuclear fuel.

"This contract holds huge significance as it was won with our locally-developed cask and this essentially laid the foundation for our Korean-standard used nuclear fuel storage and transportation cask business, for which we forecast there will be new orders amounting to trillions of Korean won in the future," said Jongdoo Kim, CEO of Doosan Enerbility's Nuclear Business Group. "By working together with our small-to-medium sized local partners in Korea, we aim to do our utmost to enhance our manufacturing competitiveness, as we seek to also venture into the areas of interim storage and permanent disposal of used nuclear fuel."

According to Doosan Enerbility, the nuclear industry estimates that some 2800 casks will be needed for dry storage and interim storage facilities in the Korean market, leading to the forecast that the market will grow to the size of about KRW8.4 trillion (USD6.2 billion) by 2060.

Upon winning the manufacturing contract, Doosan Enerbility plans to work in collaboration on the related processes with its 140 small-to-medium sized partner companies spread across the various regions in an effort to promote the Korean domestic nuclear power industry.

In October 2015, Doosan and NAC International of the USA announced the signing of a cooperation agreement for the joint development of a used nuclear fuel storage system to be deployed in Korea.

In 2017, Doosan completed development of the DSS-21, a dry storage system that has the capacity to safely store and transport up to 21 used fuel assemblies. Since then, the DSS-24 and DSS-32 models, upgraded versions with larger storage capacities, were developed, along with the DPC-24, a cask that can be used for both storage and transporting of used fuel.

In 2021, Doosan became the first Korean company to export used fuel storage casks to the USA, supplying five sets of a vertical concrete cask to the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania.

A metal overpack for cask storage of used nuclear fuel, jointly developed by Doosan Enerbility and NAC, received design certification from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in January this year. The MSO-37 was conceptualised by NAC and Doosan Enerbility for international applications and applies to the Korea Dry Cask Storage industry as an alternative to concrete storage systems. According to Doosan Enerbility, it was the world's first metal overpack to have obtained design certification from the NRC.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Planning-permission-sought-for-new-reactors-at-Rin

Vattenfall is applying to the municipality of Varberg for a detailed plan to enable the construction of new reactors on the Värö Peninsula, to the west of the existing Ringhals nuclear power plant in Sweden. The announcement came as the government launches a review of the permitting process.

In June 2022, Vattenfall announced it was initiating a pilot study to assess the conditions for proceeding with a decision to build at least two small modular reactors (SMRs) adjacent to the Ringhals plant. It aims to bring the new reactors into operation in the early 2030s.

According to the application for planning permission, the operating area for the plant will accommodate reactors with associated buildings. In addition, an activity area is required with space for workshops, storage, office space, a dining room, sewage treatment plant, emergency services, etc, as well as an outer area that accommodates parking, staff housing, hotels and more. Vattenfall said it will investigate how much of the existing infrastructure at the Ringhals plant will be able to be shared with a new plant.

"In order to be able to build new reactors on the Värö Peninsula, a new detailed plan needs to be drawn up," said Desirée Comstedt, project and development manager for nuclear power at Vattenfall. "Vattenfall is therefore applying for a planning notice from Varberg municipality to draw up such a detailed plan."

The company already owns most of the one-square-kilometre area west of the existing plant at Ringhals. As part of the plans, Vattenfall has started a process to buy properties in the area in question on the Värö Peninsula.

"A future nuclear power plant is supposed to be located in or next to the National Interest Ringhals, an area designated for electricity production and cogeneration," Comstedt noted. "We have carried out a location investigation which shows that this area is most suitable to meet the increasing need for plannable electricity in Sweden as quickly as possible."

Earlier this year, work has been under way for an environmental impact statement, which includes field studies and ground surveys in the area west of Ringhals. A process of requests to reactor suppliers recently began.

"The preliminary study on the conditions for building new nuclear power on the Värö Peninsula is expected to be completed by the end of 2023 and is part of our decision documents for upcoming permit applications with the Radiation Safety Authority and the Land and Environmental Court to build new nuclear power reactors," Comstedt said. Streamlining the permitting process

In October last year, Sweden's incoming centre-right coalition government adopted a positive stance towards nuclear energy, with the Christian Democrats, the Liberals, the Moderates and the Sweden Democrats releasing their written agreement on policies - referred to as the Tidö Agreement. The agreement said necessary regulations should be developed to create the conditions for the construction and operation of SMRs in Sweden. In addition, the permitting process for nuclear power plants must be shortened.

A bill to amend Sweden's legislation on nuclear power was introduced by the country's government in parliament In early October. It aims to remove the current law limiting the number of reactors in operation to ten, as well as allowing reactors to be built on new sites, rather than just existing ones.

The government announced on 2 November that it has now commissioned an investigator to analyse how the permitting processes for nuclear power can be made clearer, shorter and whether a fast track for nuclear power in the environmental permit process can and should be introduced.

"The government is now taking the next step to provide better conditions for new nuclear power to be built and operated in Sweden," said Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari. "We need to streamline our regulatory framework and our authorities for the applications that may come for new reactors that relate to both conventional reactors and SMRs. This applies to both well-known technology and new technology."

In addition to more efficient permit processes, it is also part of the task of the investigator to propose "fair and appropriate" fees for testing new reactors and to review how the existing nuclear waste system can be developed, the government said. It also includes reviewing the regulation of emergency zones.

The assignment is divided into four different parts. The assignments on permit review and fees are to be completed by 30 December 2024, the assignment on nuclear waste and used nuclear fuel by 29 August 2025, and the assignment on preparedness by 27 February 2026.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Staff-levels-at-Zaporizhzhia-remain-in-spotlight

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says it is continuing to monitor the status, training and condition of staff at the nuclear power plant - while the Russian operators say that there are enough staff to maintain it in "self-sufficiency" mode.

In his latest update on the situation at the six-unit plant which has been under Russian military control since early March 2022, the IAEA's Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said the agency's staff at the plant were continuing to "pay close attention to maintenance activities at the site".

“The reduced number of maintenance staff at the plant and the limited availability of all necessary spare parts have the potential to impact the operation of safety systems. It is essential that all necessary maintenance is performed,” Director General Grossi said.

The update, published on Friday, added: "The IAEA experts are also continuing to collect information on the status and condition of staff, as well as on the training and licensing of operating staff at the plant under Russian Federation regulations."

In response, on Monday, Russian news agency Tass said "the region's Governor Yevgeny Balitsky told reporters at a press conference 'There are about 3000-3500 people working at the plant now'." This, he said, was compared with 11,500 employees when the plant is in full operation. "But today there are about 3500 people who ensure its viability, its safety," in "self-supply mode", he reportedly said.

Four of the six units are in cold shutdown, with two in 'hot shutdown' where they produce heat for plant safety activities and heating for the nearby town of Energodar where many staff and their families live. Balitsky reportedly said that there was enough electricity generation in the region without the plant's supply, and that the lack of operating high-voltage lines around the plant meant "there was no point in restarting the power units in normal mode".

The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine has said all six units should be in cold shutdown for safety reasons, although the Russian side have rejected that view.

In the IAEA's update, which followed the latest rotation of its staff at the site, Grossi said: "For 14 months now, we have had IAEA experts present ... monitoring nuclear safety and security and informing the world about developments there. Their work is vital for efforts to keep this major nuclear facility safe and protect people and the environment in Ukraine and beyond. However, the risk remains. Our important work continues as long as it is necessary."

He said staff continue to hear explosions in the distance "underlining the ever-present dangers to nuclear safety and security". He added that in the past week the IAEA experts had visited facilities for storing fresh fuel, emergency generators for unit 1, the open switchyard of the 750 kV power line, the central warehouse and the temporary emergency response centre. They were also informed that there will be an emergency exercise held this month, the first such exercise since the war began.

The IAEA team continue to request access to the rooftops of units 1, 5 and 6, having already being able to inspect those areas of the other three units. They also continue to seek access to all six turbine halls.

They report that eight of the plant's nine mobile diesel boilers are operating to generate heat for the winter, and work has begin to insulate the new wells which have been built to provide cooling water since the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in June.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Kazatomprom-updates-on-shipments-and-plans

Sanctions on the transport of products through Russian territory have not restricted Kazatomprom's activities, the company said in its quarterly update, and production remains in line with plans. Separately, Kazatomprom's shareholders have approved a major sale of natural uranium concentrates to China's State Nuclear Uranium Resource Development Company (SNURDC).

Third-quarter shipments went ahead without any disruptions or logistical/insurance-related issues, the company said on 1 November.

"Kazatomprom continues to monitor the list of sanctions on Russia and the potential impact they could have on the transportation of products through Russian territory. To date, there are no restrictions on the company's activities related to the supply of its products to customers worldwide," it said.

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) provides an alternative to Kazatomprom's primary uranium transportation via St Petersburg if it becomes unavailable for any reason. The alternative route, which does not cross Russian territory, was used for 58% of all shipments of uranium from Kazakhstan to Western countries in the first half of the year. and Kazatomprom said it expects that figure to rise to 71% of its total 2023 deliveries of uranium to Western countries.

"Whether shipped by Kazatomprom or its joint venture partners, Kazakh-origin uranium retains its origin until its arrival at a conversion facility," the company noted.

Third quarter uranium production (100% basis), at 5092 tU, and year-to-date production, at 15,317 tU, were both were slightly lower year-on-year but remain in line with plans announced at the beginning of the year, the company said.

China sale approved

Kazatomprom shareholders on 1 November also approved an agreement on the sale of natural U3O8 "on market conditions" to Chinese company State Nuclear Uranium Resource Development Company (SNURDC). The agreement was submitted for consideration by shareholders "since the transaction value, cumulative with the previously concluded transactions with SNURDC, comprises fifty percent or more of the total book value of the Company's assets", it said.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Containment-shell-in-place-for-Chinese-SMR

The steel containment dome was successfully hoisted into place at the ACP100 small modular reactor (SMR) demonstration project at the Changjiang site on China's island province of Hainan, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) has announced.

The reactor building for the ACP100 - also referred to as the Linglong One - consists of three parts: the internal structure, the steel containment shell and the outer concrete shielding shell. The steel containment shell consists of four parts: the bottom head, the lower cylinder, the upper cylinder and the top head. "Its shape is like an upright capsule that contains the internal structure of the reactor building," CNNC noted.

The containment vessel bottom head - which supports the steel containment shell - was assembled on-site from 50 pre-fabricated steel plates. The assembled component was hoisted into place by crane onto the plant's concrete foundation plate on 24 October 2021. The lower section of the containment shell - some 15 metres in height and weighing about 450 tonnes - was lowered into place upon the vessel bottom head on 26 February 2022, 46 days ahead of schedule. This was followed by the installation of the upper cylinder of the containment shell - about 15 metres in height and weighing about 720 tonnes - on 6 July last year.

The containment top head for the ACP100 was moved into place on 3 November, the company said.

"The key structures are capped and the peak period of internal installation has begun," CNNC said. "This hoisting completed the final step of forming the steel containment vessel as a whole, providing a more complete and reliable protective barrier for the reactor core modules, internal components, voltage regulators and other important equipment that had been introduced in advance."

According to CNNC, "The modular and open-top construction method adopted by Linglong One reduces construction costs and saves the construction cycle through standardised design and batch manufacturing of individual modules."

CNNC announced in July 2019 the launch of a project to construct an ACP100 reactor at Changjiang on China's southern island province of Hainan. The site is already home to two operating CNP600 PWRs, while the construction of the two Hualong One units began in March and December 2021. Both those units are due to enter commercial operation by the end of 2026.

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

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

Once completed, the Changjiang ACP100 reactor - which CNNC describes as "the world's first commercial land-based small modular PWR" - will be capable of producing 1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to meet the needs of 526,000 households. The reactor is designed for electricity production, heating, steam production or seawater desalination.

The project at Changjiang involves a joint venture of three main companies: CNNC subsidiary China National Nuclear Power as owner and operator; the Nuclear Power Institute of China as the reactor designer; and China Nuclear Power Engineering Group being responsible for plant construction. For the demonstration plant, the reactor vessel is being supplied by Shanghai Boiler Works Limited, the steam generators by a CNNC subsidiary and other reactor internals by Dongfang Electric Corporation.

Last week, Vattenfall (ENS Corporate Member) announced that it is seeking approval from local authorities to develop a detailed plan for the construction of new nuclear power reactors near the existing Ringhals nuclear power plant, in western Sweden.

Vattenfall already owns most of the land west of Ringhals, where it operates two PWR units dating back to the early 1980s.

The application for the new reactors necessitates a detailed plan, and Vattenfall is applying for a planning notice from Varberg municipality.

The company aims to have these new reactors in operation in the early 2030s. Therefore, Vattenfall has initiated property purchases in the area designated for electricity production and cogeneration.

However, the final investment decision will only be made once all required permits are obtained. Vattenfall said it had begun work on an environmental impact statement (EIS) for new nuclear.

The company did not say what reactor type or capacity it is planning, but had said earlier that the EIS work falls within the framework of a preliminary study on small modular reactors at Ringhals and includes field studies and ground surveys in the area around Ringhals.

Bergen-based startup Norsk Kjernekraft has already signed agreement with UK-based with Rolls-Royce SMR.

A company which says “the time is right” for Norway to return to nuclear power has submitted a proposal to Norway’s ministry of oil and energy as the first formal step towards the possible construction of the country’s first commercial nuclear power plant.

Bergen-based Norsk Kjernekraft, part of the M Vestt energy gas and oil group, said the proposal is for an assessment of the construction of a power plant based on multiple small modular reactors (SMRs) in the municipalities of Aure, northern Norway, and Heim in central-west Norway.

According to a preliminary plan, the plant will be built in a common industrial area in the border area between Aure and Heim. It could be operational within 10 years, Norsk Kjernekraft chief executive officer Jonny Hesthammer said

Other areas in the municipalities may also be considered, Norsk Kjernekraft said.

The facility would consist of several SMRs, which together will produce around 12.5 TWh of electricity annually. This would correspond to an increase in Norway's power production of about 8%, Norsk Kjernekraft said.

Earlier this year Norsk Kjernekraft signed agreements with three municipalities – Aure, Heim and Narvik – to investigate the construction of SMRs.

At the time, Norsk Kjernekraft, founded in 2022 with the aim of building and operating SMRs, said it would work with the three municipalities to investigate the technical, financial and safety aspects of building one or more SMRs in their area.

‘Rapid And Positive Turn’ In Favour Of Nuclear

In March 2023, Norsk Kjernekraft signed an agreement with UK-based with Rolls-Royce SMR to work together to increase acceptance of nuclear power in Norway, and to potentially establish future projects that “could lead to the deployment of Rolls-Royce’s small, modular nuclear power plants in Norway”.

Norsk Kjernekraft said it had seen “a rapid and positive turn” in favour of considering nuclear power in Norway. The company said it was “already in dialogue” with politicians from a number of parties and perceives them to be interested in learning more. “That includes the governing parties,” the company said.

Norway has never had commercial nuclear power plants, but has operated two research reactors for the production of medical radioisotopes and research purposes.

The two research reactors are the nuclear fuel and materials testing reactor at Halden and the Jeep II neutron scattering facility at Kjeller. They were permanently shut down in June 2018 and April 2019 respectively.

The country has a disposal facility for low and medium level radioactive waste from radioactive sources used in industry and medicine as well as that generated by the research reactors. Norway also plans new medical irradiation facilities at hospitals in Oslo and Bergen.

Russia-supplied VVER unit now licensed to 2033.

Ukraine’s nuclear regulator has said Unit 1 of the South Ukraine nuclear power station can operate safely for a further 10 years, bringing its lifetime to 50 years.

The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) said in a statement that the results of an examination of nuclear and radiation safety confirmed the possibility of further long-term operation at the plant, in southern Ukraine about 350 km south of Kyiv, to December 2033. The existing licence was scheduled to expire this December.

Petro Kotin, president of state nuclear operator Energoatom, said in a statement: “The uniqueness of this event is that, for the first time in Ukraine, all the necessary procedures and examinations to obtain the appropriate conclusion were carried out under Western standards and without a longtime shutdown of the power unit.”

The usual practice has been to shut down a nuclear power unit down for between 200 to 250 days, Kotin said. “This time, we went through all the necessary procedures to extend the life... while maintaining generation and providing electricity to our citizens.”

The 950 MW VVER unit entered commercial operation in December 1983. The original design lifetime of the three Russian reactors at South Ukraine was 30 years, with the option of 10-year extensions.

Unit 1 was given an initial 10-year extension to its operating licence in 2013.

Ukraine has 15 nuclear plants, including the six at Zaporizhzhia which have been under Russian military control since early March 2022, shortly after Russia’s invasion. According to International Atomic Energy data the fleet generated 55% of the country’s electricity in 2021.

Energoatom and US-based Westinghouse Electric recently signed a memorandum of understanding for the development and deployment of Westinghouse’s AP300 small modular reactor (SMR), with the first units potentially going online within a decade.

Ukraine, despite continuing conflict with Russia, is pursuing the carbon neutrality of its energy sector by 2050 and plans to develop nuclear generation in the form of large-scale reactors such as Westinghouse’s AP1000 and advanced SMR plants including the AP300. Nuclear is part of Kyiv’s energy strategy until 2050.

Source: https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/pressreleases/update-192-iaea-director-general-statement-on-situation-in-ukraine

A new team of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency crossed the frontline this week to replace their colleagues in monitoring nuclear safety and security at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), the thirteenth such mission since the IAEA last year established a permanent presence at the site to help prevent a nuclear accident during the military conflict, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today.

Also on Thursday – when the rotation of IAEA experts took place – there were Russian reports of drone attacks in the town of Enerhodar, where many plant staff live.

Almost every day in recent weeks and months, the IAEA experts have continued to hear explosions some distance away from Europe’s largest nuclear power plant (NPP), underlining ever-present dangers to nuclear safety and security.

“For fourteen months now, we have had IAEA experts present at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, monitoring nuclear safety and security and informing the world about developments there. Their work is vital for efforts to keep this major nuclear facility safe and protect people and the environment in Ukraine and beyond. However, the risk remains. Our important work continues as long as it is necessary,” Director General Grossi said.

Over the past week, the IAEA experts have continued to perform walkdowns at the site, visiting its facilities for storing fresh fuel, the emergency diesel generators of unit 1, the open switchyard of the 750 kilovolt power line, the central warehouse and the temporary emergency response centre. They were informed that an emergency exercise is planned for November, the first since before the conflict.

The experts have also been at the ZNPP’s cooling pond and associated areas, where they observed cleaning of the outlet channel of the cooling towers. The IAEA team was informed that the current shutdown status of the ZNPP’s six reactors provided an opportunity to perform this cleaning work.

Following last month’s closure of the reactor vessel of unit 3, which had been left open following maintenance in 2022, the plant informed the IAEA experts that pressure testing of the unit’s steam generators was under way and would be completed over the weekend, after which testing on the primary and secondary cooling circuits will be conducted. Today, the ZNPP confirmed to the IAEA experts that unit 3 would be kept in cold shutdown following the completion of the pressure tests.

An open reactor vessel together with the adjacent spent fuel storage pool contains borated water which might be pumped and used for cooling of fuel in any of the six units, if needed. However, additional volumes of borated water are also stored in two special buildings at the ZNPP site. The reactor vessel closure improves the nuclear safety status of the unit.

The ZNPP confirmed to the IAEA experts this week that there are no plans to re-start any of the units, four of which are in cold shutdown and two in hot shutdown to generate steam for various nuclear safety functions and heating for Enerhodar during the winter.

The IAEA continues to pay close attention to maintenance activities at the site, with maintenance of equipment essential for plant safety a continued source of concern.

“The reduced number of maintenance staff at the plant and the limited availability of all necessary spare parts have the potential to impact the operation of safety systems. It is essential that all necessary maintenance is performed,” Director General Grossi said.

Related to such activities, the IAEA experts were informed that maintenance of part of the safety system of unit 6, as well as hydraulic testing of its primary cooling circuit, was completed this week.

The IAEA experts are also continuing to collect information on the status and condition of staff, as well as on the training and licensing of operating staff at the plant under Russian Federation regulations.

As part of preparations for the winter, the ZNPP has begun to insulate the ground water wells that have been constructed near the water sprinkler pond area as an alternative source of cooling water following the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in June. The insulation is intended to ensure that the wells continue to provide cooling water to these ponds, which in turn provide essential cooling of the six reactors, during the winter.

The IAEA team has continued to request access to the rooftops of reactor units 1, 5 and 6, after in recent months being able to go to those areas of the ZNPP’s three other units.

The IAEA experts also need access to all six turbine halls together. However, they were only granted partial access to the turbine hall of reactor unit 2 on 27 October, after earlier the same month receiving similarly restrictive access to the turbine halls of units 1 and 4.

Eight of the plant’s nine mobile diesel boilers are currently operating to generate more heating during the winter, their usage depending on the requirements for steam at the plant and for heating in Enerhodar.

The IAEA teams at Ukraine’s three other NPPs – the Khmelnitsky, Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs – and the Chornobyl site report safe and secure operations of these nuclear facilities despite the continuation of the conflict.

This week, the IAEA carried out its 31th delivery of equipment to Ukraine to support nuclear safety and security in the country. State enterprise USIE Izotop and the Institute for Safety Problems of Nuclear Power Plants of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine received portable gamma-radiation detectors donated by Greece.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Partners-to-study-hydrogen-production-using-Rolls

ULC-Energy of the Netherlands has signed an agreement with Denmark's Topsoe and the UK's Rolls-Royce SMR to jointly investigate the production of hydrogen using Topsoe's Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell (SOEC) technology with both electricity and heat produced by a Rolls-Royce SMR nuclear power plant.

The joint investigation will include a valuation of the operational flexibility of the Rolls-Royce SMR in combination with Topsoe's proprietary SOEC technology in the future energy market.

According to ULC-Energy, nuclear energy combined with SOEC technology has the potential to produce clean hydrogen more cheaply than alternative electrolysis processes. It says this is because: the electrolysis takes place at a high temperature, which means that less electricity is needed to produce hydrogen; nuclear power plants can produce energy on average up to 95% of the time, significantly higher than alternative variable energy sources; and nuclear energy can supply heat as well as electricity. By using heat directly, energy losses in the steam turbine can be avoided thus increasing the effective energy capacity of the nuclear power plant above its electric power rating.

Furthermore, the Rolls-Royce SMR nuclear power plant can, when required, switch to deliver power to the grid, providing back-up to variable power sources when these sources are not available. ULC-Energy said this is expected to be a competitive solution compared with alternatives, like long-duration energy storage solutions or hydrogen combustion for electricity generation.

"Hydrogen will play an increasingly important role in balancing future energy markets," said ULC-Energy CEO Dirk Rabelink. "We expect nuclear energy, especially in combination with high temperature electrolysis, to be able to produce zero-emission hydrogen competitively on a stand-alone basis. Additional value associated with the operational flexibility will further enhance the business case for this solution."

"At Topsoe, we are excited to be part of this study demonstrating the synergy between Topsoe's SOEC technology and nuclear. SOEC is a modular design that leverages high-temperature electrolysis that enables industrial-scale production of clean hydrogen using clean energy," said Topsoe Business Development Director Jack Carstensen. "When coupled with a heat-producing technology such as nuclear, SOEC allows for the lowest levelised hydrogen cost with the highest level of energy efficiency."

Harry Keeling, head of industrial markets at Rolls-Royce SMR, added: "The production of low-cost hydrogen is a critical step on the pathway to decarbonising our wider society. This agreement with ULC-Energy and Topsoe is an exciting step toward unleashing the potential of the Rolls-Royce SMR as its ability to flexibly provide thermal and electrical energy supports a wide range of industrial applications, chief amongst these being the large-scale generation of low-cost hydrogen."

In August 2022, Rolls-Royce SMR signed an exclusive agreement with ULC-Energy to collaborate on the deployment of Rolls-Royce SMR power plants in the Netherlands. ULC-Energy - established in 2021 and based in Amsterdam - aims to accelerate decarbonisation in the Netherlands by developing nuclear energy projects that efficiently integrate with residential and industrial energy networks in the country.

The formal planning phase was to start this year, and ULC's timeline sees site selection and contract negotiations taking place in 2024, with a formal licensing application the following year and construction of a first SMR unit beginning in 2027, with a start-up date in the 2030s.

Source: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Agreements,-declarations-mark-Macron-visits-to-Kaz

France and Kazakhstan have pledged cooperation on minerals and the nuclear fuel cycle, while in Uzbekistan there was agreement to raise the level of bilateral relations, during official visits by President Emmanuel Macron this week. The French president was accompanied by a large delegation including representatives from French industry.

In Kazakhstan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Macron agreed in a joint declaration, issued on 1 November, to promote enhanced trade and cooperation in nuclear energy and on strategic minerals. The visit also saw Kazatomprom and Framatome sign an agreement on cooperation in the nuclear fuel cycle.

"Kazakhstan is the world's top uranium producer, contributing over a quarter of nuclear fuel consumed in Europe," the Kazakh leader said. "With nuclear power comprising 63% of France's energy sector, there is a vast potential for further cooperation."

France is one of Kazakhstan's largest trading partners, and also one of its main foreign investors, Tokayev said, investing about USD18.7 billion in the Kazakh economy over the past 15 years. "Today we are implementing important projects in the energy, nuclear industry, mining, chemical industry, machinery, construction, aerospace and pharmaceutics. The successful operation of more than 170 French companies, such as Alstom, Total Energies, Orano, Vicat, in our country proves this fact," he added.

During the visit, Kazakh nuclear company Kazatomprom and Framatome of France signed an agreement on the development of mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of the nuclear fuel cycle.

"Framatome is one of the strategically important partners for Kazatomprom in the development of nuclear fuel cycle projects. I am confident that joint work will allow us to open up new prospects for the development of bilateral relations between our countries in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy", said Meirzhan Yussupov, Kazatomprom's CEO.

The agreement provides for the expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation between the companies to implement joint promising projects in the field of the nuclear fuel cycle, as well as the education and training of specialists, Kazatomprom said.

"Framatome is pleased to have signed today this agreement with Kazatomprom, the world's largest uranium producer. It strengthens our long-time partnership and will enable us to extend our cooperation in the field of nuclear fuel cycle," said Vincent Mercier, Fuel Business Unit, Sales & Marketing Vice President on behalf of Framatome.

French companies have a long history of cooperation with Kazakhstan's nuclear sector: the Ulba-FA nuclear fuel assembly plant in Ust-Kamenogorsk, which uses Framatome technology to produce fuel for Chinese nuclear power plants, opened in 2021, while EDF is one of four nuclear reactor vendors shortlisted to supply Kazakhstan's first nuclear power plant.

Strategic partnership

Macron's visit to Uzbekistan on 2 November was the first visit to the country by a French president in more than 30 years. At their meeting in Samarkand, the presidents of the two countries agreed to raise their bilateral relations to the level of a strategic partnership. The leaders' dialogue follows President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev's official visit to France in November 2022, during which Orano Mining, the State Committee for Geology and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Uzbek state-owned enterprise Navoiyuran signed a strategic agreement laying the foundations for the development of new uranium mines in Uzbekistan.

Mirziyoyev described Macron's visit as "a clear confirmation of your personal attention and special approach to the further development and strengthening of Uzbek-French friendly and multilateral cooperation relations." The Uzbek presidency said the portfolio of current and prospective projects exceeds EUR10 billion, with French companies including Orano, EDF, Total, SUEZ, and others successfully operating in the country.

A joint business forum was held as part of the business programme of the official visit, during which Mirziyoyev held separate meetings with EDF Chairman and CEO Luc Remont and Orano Chairman Claude Imovin. Initiatives to expand cooperation in geological exploration and uranium mining were supported at the meeting between Mirziyoyev and Imovin, the Uzbek presidency said.