Nuclear Energy

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), more than two-thirds of the world’s 442 nuclear power reactors are now over 30 years old and approaching or already surpassing the end of their originally anticipated 40-year lifespan.

Around 100 of those reactors globally have already had their operating licences extended. The IAEA also projects that, unless more operating licences are extended, existing nuclear capacity will decline sharply before 2030, particularly in Europe and North America, with all existing plants scheduled to retire by 2060.

Set against the background of an electricity generation sector that faces the immense challenge of shifting almost entirely from fossil fuels to low carbon energy sources by 2050, extending the lifespan of nuclear power generation plants, as we have seen with EDF’s Hartlepool and Heysham 1 plants, could provide an effective route to help meet the UK’s future low emissions energy goals.

In this article, Andrew Buckley – Technical Manager, ABS Consulting Ltd. (UK Office) looks at the modelling and simulation processes required to support nuclear risk assessments from a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and seismic walkdown perspective.

With over 25 years' experience working for engineering consultancies, Andrew specialises in FEA and extreme load simulation for a variety of nuclear clients across the country. He has spent much of his career analysing and assessing non-linear problems and projects under normal operating and extreme loading conditions.

This expertise has made him a highly sought-after specialist when considering dynamic loadings such as seismic, impact, and blast for structures and buildings. While Andrew primarily uses ABAQUS for his analysis, he also has experience with ANSYS, LS-DYNA, and other software packages.

Although nuclear plants themselves do not have a set-in-stone lifespan, their components do. To continue to run a plant beyond the design mark that every nuclear facility was built with, you should make a case that nothing has deteriorated that could cause problems if left unaddressed.

A recent example of this is EDF Energy extending the operating life of its Hartlepool and Heysham 1 nuclear plants by two years to March 2026, having originally been due to end generation in 2014. To achieve their objectives, EDF needed the justification to state their extension case to the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) in the shape of proof that the plants can safely achieve what they want them to.

It is important to also state that the lifetime extension justification process equally applies to any organisation with a nuclear licence, not purely power generation plants. Stating the Case For Lifetime Extension

There are clear arguments for lifetime extensions within the UK’s existing nuclear plants. Compared with a nuclear new build, lifetime extension projects can be far less capital intensive, with significantly shorter construction times, better cost controls and less construction delays.

So, it makes sense to state the case for their lifespan extension, particularly against emission reductions targets. But lifetime extensions should look way beyond the graphite core itself and its behaviour. Every aspect of a nuclear plant’s operation should be assessed and proven to remain capable of safe operation.

The case for lifetime extension focuses on the operator evidencing that they have identified and are safely managing any ageing effects in systems, structures, and components. Further, it should confirm that the operational, structural and environmental parameters, conditions have deteriorated and that risks to individuals and the environment have not increased.

Safety sits at the heart of any lifetime extension plan and within their Safety Case, operators should consider any new or escalated levels of risk, hazard, or standards that have been introduced. It is also important to consider that the Safety Case will be constantly evolving as equipment is replaced after reaching the end of its life.

So, what should nuclear plant operators be looking at when they are considering the evidential case for extending the lifespan of their nuclear operations? The Role of Modelling, Simulation and Seismic Walkdowns to Support Nuclear Risk Assessments

Finite Element Analysis

By using FEA, we can study the behaviour of structures, plants and equipment when subjected to both normal operating (day-to-day) and design loadings and extreme hazards such as seismic, weather impact and blast loads. These include linear and non-linear approaches and analysis methodologies.

Seismic Walkdown

Seismic walkdowns are also invaluable in this process, providing a real time review of the facility, its infrastructure and the plant and equipment in its current condition and location. This is important as it can take account of any variations from concept, design or installation drawings or references and assesses the true condition, including material degradation and damage. Additionally, the seismic walkdown review enables the identification and consideration of potential interactions with adjacent plants and equipment that could occur during seismic events, which might not be considered by a desktop-based assessment.

Both processes can be used to look at:

New Installations

Operators should provide detailed design analysis and assessments for any new structures, cranes or plant and equipment. It is important to demonstrate that existing structures and plants have been assessed for the potential impact of new hazards or loadings that could impact the safety case.

Operators should therefore consider:

• Seismic and condition walkdown surveys.
• Structural assessment and substantiation against static and dynamic load cases, including blast, seismic and other natural hazards, such as climate change impacts.
• Design of structural elements, connections and retrofit solutions to mitigate structural vulnerabilities.
• Production of engineering substantiation calculations with technical specifications and drawings.
• The impact of new installations with respect to existing structures, plant and equipment.
• Independent Technical Assessment (ITA).

Mechanical Plant and Equipment Assessments

New and existing plant and equipment should be assessed against normal operations or extreme load cases as part of engineering substantiation. Review areas include:

Featured Services:

• Facility Walkdown Assessments.
• Engineering Calculations to Substantiate Equipment and Support Systems.
• Design of Retrofit Solutions Packages.
• Stress and Fatigue Analysis of Pipe Systems.
• Analysis of Pressurized Systems.
• Analysis of Electrical Supplies.
• Equipment Qualification utilising the Seismic Qualification Utility Group (SQUG) Generic Implementation Procedure (GIP).

Crane Analysis and Design Review

Operators should understand the potential vulnerabilities associated with their cranes by quantifying associated risks, reducing potential safety and operational impacts. By considering variances in loading conditions, a detailed analysis can take place to understand the integrity of the structure. Review areas include:

Featured Services:

• Structural / Mechanical Stress Analysis.
• Seismic Assessment with Coupled Structural Assessment.
• Dynamic Loading.
• Structural Plastic Deformation.
• Fatigue and Stress Condition Analysis.
• Design Review Against International Codes of Practice.

Conclusion

Stating the Safety Case for extending the lifespan of a nuclear facility involves multiple complex processes involving every operational aspect of a plant. For those looking to extend the lifetime expectancy of a plant, having a clear, thought through plan utilising FEA and Seismic Walkdown methodologies, can be greatly beneficial.

The Swedish government has announced it intends to invest over SEK1bn (€88m, $97m) in 2025 to expand fossil-free electricity production including plans for an investment of more than $9m in pilot and demonstration nuclear power projects.

The government said in a statement that in the budget bill for 2025, it is proposing “a series of investments to secure an increased and secure energy supply, which is a prerequisite for climate change”.

The statement said new nuclear power is needed to meet future electricity needs and to increase supply security in the electricity system.

It said: “The government’s work to enable the expansion of new nuclear power is now entering a more intensive phase.”

The statement said the investments required will largely be made with existing nuclear technology, but “new innovative solutions will also be required both within individual technologies and at the system level”.

The government also said it will streamline the permitting process for new reactors and is increasing an Environmental Protection Agency grant with an additional SEK2.5m (€219,500, $240,800) in 2025 so the agency can provide guidance. In 2026 the grant is estimated to increase by SEK2.5m and in 2027 by SEK1.5m.

The government also said “additional work” will be required to strengthen the conditions for new nuclear power and it is allocating SEK30m (€2.6m $2.8m) in 2025 for this purpose. It estimated that SEK35m will be set aside in 2026 and SEK25m in 2027.

‘Urgently Working On Financing Model’

Financial markets minister Niklas Wykman said “now we are urgently working on the financing model for new nuclear power”. He said nuclear power is an important part of securing Swedish growth in the future, not least because it can be planned.

Mattias Johansson, secretary of the Sweden Democrats party, the largest member of Sweden’s right-wing governing bloc, said the government and the Sweden Democrats have already taken a series of decisive measures to improve the conditions for new nuclear power, and now further steps are being taken.

“It is absolutely necessary to meet the electricity needs of the future and to increase the security of supply in the electricity system,” he said.

“There is also a renaissance going on in nuclear power with several new exciting technologies, where Sweden will now also be able to participate and lead the development by developing new technology in the field.”

The government said it intends to submit the proposals to parliament as part of its budget bill for 2025.

Background: Stockholm’s Ambitious Nuclear Plans

The current government, which took office last year, has taken a number of measures to remove barriers and create better conditions for new nuclear power.

Late last year Sweden’s parliament approved a bill allowing more nuclear reactors to be built than planned, scrapping the previous cap of 10. New laws will also allow construction of nuclear reactors at sites other than existing ones.

Parliament also established a new energy policy goal of a completely fossil-free electricity system by 2040, which includes nuclear power.

The government is calling for new nuclear power with a total output corresponding to at least two large-scale reactors to be in place by 2035. By 2045 it wants a further expansion that could correspond to at least 10 new large-scale reactors.

It appointed a national coordinator for the expansion of nuclear power who called on Stockholm to establish an organisation that can oversee its ambitious plans for the deployment of large-scale nuclear reactors and small modular reactors. Carl Berglof said the new organisation would manage activities and resources common to several nuclear power projects.

A government commission said recently that Sweden’s plans for a rapid expansion of its nuclear power capacity are likely to cost around 400 billion crowns ($38bn, €34bn) and should be financed by a mix of government loans and price guarantees.

Sweden-based power company Vattenfall announced earlier this year that it had shortlisted Rolls-Royce SMR and GE Hitachi’s BWRX-300 SMR designs in an ongoing evaluation to potentially deploy new reactors at its existing Ringhals nuclear site in southwest Sweden.

Sweden’s six existing nuclear plants are at three sites: Forsmark, Oskarshamn and Ringhals. According to International Atomic Energy Agency data, nuclear energy provided 28.6% of the country’s electricity generation in 2023.

The inner steel containment dome has been hoisted into place for at Unit 3 of the Sanmen nuclear power station in Zhejiang province, eastern China.

Developer China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) said the move means that civil construction of the main internal structure of the containment building of Unit 3 “has been basically completed”.

The dome, a steel component that weighs about 788 tonnes, was installed on 6 September, CNNC said.

Workers can now begin installing the main equipment for the unit’s nuclear island, the company said.

Sanmen-3 is the first CAP1000 nuclear plant under construction in China. The CAP1000 is China’s version of the Westinghouse AP1000 Generation III+ pressurised water reactor design.

First concrete was poured for Sanmen-3 in June 2022. In March 2023, first concrete was poured for the nuclear island of twin Sanmen-4.

The Sanmen station already has two commercially operational Westinghouse AP1000 units since 2018 – Sanmen-1 and Sanmen-2.

China has 30 commercial nuclear power units currently under various stages of construction.

The PIME 2024 (Public Materials Information Exchange) nuclear communications conference is returning on 14 and 15 October 2024 after a five-year hiatus, organisers the European Nuclear Society (ENS) have announced.

The conference will take place in Aix-en-Provence, France, and will feature an exclusive technical tour of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (Iter) nuclear fusion site in Cadarache.

The 2024 edition will focus on the evolving landscape of nuclear energy communication in the context of urgent global challenges, including climate change, growing energy demand, Europe’s power supply security and innovation.

The event will bring together nuclear communication professionals to discuss the latest trends, challenges and best practices in nuclear energy communication.

It will feature presentations, workshops and networking opportunities, culminating with the Iter site visit on the afternoon of 15 October.

Insights Into Strategies At Iter

The conference will begin with a session offering insights into how Iter is adapting its communication strategies to effectively convey the complexities and potential of fusion energy. The focus will be on the approaches taken by Iter’s communication team to engage diverse audiences.

Another session will focus on how media perceptions, political dynamics and public attitudes towards nuclear power have evolved since 2022. Experts, including Bloomberg reporter Jonathan Tirone and Jessica Johnson, director of communications and advocacy at the Brussels-based industry group nucleareurope, will discuss changes in narratives and communication models, offering ways for communicators to navigate the increasingly complex nuclear power and technology landscape.

A third and final session will look at how the media and the public influence and interact with each other. Experts from the University of Antwerp and Imperial College London will bring insights from social sciences and their findings on public responses to energy system change, climate change risks, emerging technologies, and psychosocial approaches to energy use in everyday life.

Workshops will cover topics including shaping nuclear communication in the future, small and advanced modular reactors, the relationship between human resources and nuclear communications, local stakeholder engagement and closing the significant gender gap in public support for nuclear power.

Before the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, PIME was a regular event specifically designed for professionals involved in nuclear communication. The last PIME was held in Paris in June 2019.

A Platform For Ideas And Collaboration

Organisers ENS are reviving the conference in the light of significant changes in the global outlook for nuclear power since 2019.

Many countries in Europe and beyond are planning to deploy nuclear reactors over the next decade while the promise of innovative small modular reactors draws closer.

“We’ve noticed that many communicators in our network are feeling the shifts in their environment and are adapting their strategies,” said Kirsten Epskamp, secretary-general of ENS.

These developments require a fresh look at how communication strategies may need to evolve to meet the changing global industrial, political and social environment around nuclear power.

"As a response to this growing need, ENS decided to bring back PIME as a valuable service to the nuclear community, creating a platform for exchanging ideas and enabling collaboration," Epskamp said.

For a detailed programme and registration follow the PIME event’s official website.

An operation to remove a small amount of radioactive debris from Unit 2 at Japan’s Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear station has begun, after technical issues led to the cancellation of an earlier attempt.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) said in a statement on Tuesday (10 September) that its “pilot extraction operation” had started. It will take about two weeks, according to the company.

Tepco is aiming to retrieve just three grams of fuel mixed with other debris as part of a demonstration programme for the unprecedented cleanup, which reports have said is expected to take decades and cost 23 trillion yen ($161bn, €145bn).

The tiny sample will be studied for clues about conditions inside the reactors – a crucial step towards decommissioning Fukushima-Daiichi.

Unit 2 was one of three of six plants at the facility that melted down after a magnitude 9.0 quake and tsunami in March 2011 destroyed the station’s power supply and cooling systems.

Removal of the fuel debris has proved challenging, requiring the development of a telescopic device equipped with a gripper tool. The device can extend up to 22 meters and access the debris through a penetration point into the primary containment vessel.

Tepco originally planned to start its first trial removal on 22 August, but had to stop the work at a preliminary stage after detecting a problem involving the installation of the necessary equipment.

About 880 tonnes of fuel debris remain in the three reactors that suffered meltdown, according to estimates by the International Research Institute for Nuclear Decommissioning.

Tepco said that in Units 1, 2 and 3, the fuel and the metal cladding that forms the outer jacket of the fuel rods melted, then re-solidified as fuel debris.

“Fuel debris” refers to this melted fuel and other substances after they cooled and re-solidified.

At the time of the accident, Units 1 to 3 were operating and had fuel rods loaded in the reactors.

After the accident, the loss of emergency power prevented further cooling of the cores, resulting in overheating and melting of the fuel.

Tepco has been surveying the inside of the Unit 2 containment vessel before retrieval of the fuel debris can begin.

In Unit 2, Tepco believes there is a large amount of fuel debris in the bottom of the reactor pressure vessel, but little in the surrounding containment vessel.

The number of people working in the civil nuclear industry in the UK is at its highest level ever with major new projects helping to drive a 60% increase in the number of jobs in a decade, according to a new report by the Nuclear Industry Association (NIA).

The NIA’s 2024 Jobs Map – the sector’s major annual jobs report – shows there are 86,908 people working in the sector, an increase of over 9,000 on last year’s total, and up from 54,515 in 2014.

The record growth is driven by new projects at Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C, although the NIA said “urgent decisions “are needed on the next wave of projects to keep up momentum and sustain growth.

The construction of two France-supplied EPR units at Hinkley Point C has tripled the size of the nuclear workforce in the southwest of the country, from 8,500 workers in 2014 to over 27,000 today.

The project has also brought £5.3bn (€6.2bn, $6.9bn) of investment into the region, with the benefits soon to be replicated by the construction of two more EPR units at Sizewell C in Suffolk, southeastern England.

By contrast, Wales, home to the Wylfa nuclear site, has seen the steepest decline in jobs across the UK, down 40% in the last decade, despite having the best site for new nuclear anywhere in Europe. A new large-scale nuclear power station at Wylfa, on the island of Anglesey, could create thousands of jobs and bring in billions of pounds in investment.

Elsewhere in the UK, innovations in advanced nuclear technology have helped drive the number of jobs, with a growing workforce of over 700 people developing small modular reactors. SMR deployment could create thousands of jobs.

The NIA said the nuclear industry provides a vital engine of economic development outside London and the southeast, with over 29,000 people employed in the North West in decommissioning, fuel cycle research and reactor design, and remains the sector’s biggest regional workforce.

Elsewhere, the UK’s “world-class” nuclear fusion research expertise sees more than 2,700 people employed at the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy in Oxfordshire, the NIA said.

The UK has nine commercial nuclear power plants in operation at five generating nuclear power stations, providing around 15% of the country’s electricity.

Four units at Hartlepool and Heysham are scheduled to retire by March 2026, followed by four more units at Heysham B and Torness by March 2028. That will leave only Sizewell B in operation from the current fleet.

Hinkley Point C, the only new nuclear power station under construction in the UK, is due to begin generating in 2031.

Japan's approach for recycling and disposing of soil and radioactive waste from decontamination activities after the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) accident as currently planned is consistent with IAEA Safety Standards, an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report released today says.

The findings, presented by the IAEA to Japan’s Minister of the Environment Shintaro Ito today, were the result of a sixteen-month safety review. The IAEA assessed the approach of the Ministry of Environment Japan (MOEJ) to date for the managed recycling and the final disposal of removed soil and radioactive waste against the IAEA Safety Standards. These safety standards serve as a global reference for protecting people and the environment and contribute to a harmonized high level of safety worldwide.

“We appreciate the enormity of the challenge facing Japan in dealing with the aftermath of the 2011 FDNPS accident and we commend the country for requesting our impartial and technical review of its plans,” said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. “The recycling and disposal of the soil further contributes to the reconstruction of areas affected by the accident.”

About 13 million cubic meters of soil and about 300,000 cubic meters of ash from incineration of organic material was removed as part of decontamination activities in Fukushima Prefecture and stored at an Interim Storage Facility (ISF) covering an area of 16 square kilometres, spanning across the Okuma Town and Futaba Town.

The management of removed soil—enough to fill 11 Tokyo Domes—is governed by a Japanese law which permits the government to repurpose the soil both within and outside of Fukushima Prefecture and for final disposal of the remaining soil to take place outside of the Fukushima Prefecture by 2045.

Japan plans to recycle roughly 75% of the removed soil – the soil which has low levels of radioactivity – by using it, if demonstrated safe, for civil engineering structures including embankments for roads, railways, seawalls, waste treatment sites, coastal protection, agricultural land, and land reclamation. The remaining soil which cannot be recycled will be disposed of permanently and Japan intends to confirm the site selection and disposal process in 2025.

"The IAEA is confident that as the Ministry of the Environment (MOEJ) continues to explore solutions in line with our recommendations, its evolving strategy for recycling and final disposal of removed soil and waste will remain consistent with IAEA Safety Standards," said Director General Grossi.

In response to Japan’s request in October 2022 for a safety review, an IAEA team – comprised of five IAEA staff and six international experts from Belgium, Germany, Japan, the UK, and the US - conducted three international expert missions in May 2023, October 2023 and February 2024. The IAEA’s review included providing advice and support to Japan from both technical, including safety aspects, and social viewpoints.

The team of experts recognised the many technical and social challenges facing the MOEJ if it is to implement the managed recycling of removed soil and secure final disposal outside Fukushima Prefecture by 2045.

“The IAEA found the MOEJ's proactive approach to managing removed soil and waste arising from decontamination activities reflects a commitment to ensuring safety, protecting public health and promoting environmental sustainability in Fukushima Prefecture and beyond,” said Director General Grossi. “The IAEA is committed to engaging with Japan on the managed recycling and the final disposal of removed soil and waste through future follow-up assessments of the MOEJ's approach.”

The operator of South Africa’s Koberg nuclear power station needs to continue its work to ensure that programmes supporting long-term operation (LTO) are fully implemented for the LTO period and that the containment monitoring system is fully refurbished and remains fully functional, an International Atomic Energy Agency team has said.

The recommendations follow a Safety Aspects of Long-Term Operation (Salto) team follow-up review mission to the two-unit facility near Cape Town requested by the operator Eskom.

Koeberg-1 and -2 started commercial operation in 1984 and 1985 respectively. Unit 1 received a licence to continue operating until 2044 in July this year and Eskom is planning to extend operation of Unit 2 until 2045.

During the 3 to 6 September mission, the Salto team’s review focused on aspects essential to the safe LTO of both units. The mission reviewed Koeberg’s response to recommendations and suggestions made during a Salto mission in 2022, which built upon an initial IAEA pre-Salto mission in 2019.

“The team observed that the plant is addressing the Salto team’s suggestions and recommendations from the 2022 review,” said team leader and IAEA nuclear safety officer Bryce Lehman.

“Based on its efforts, the plant has made significant improvements in ageing management and resolved most of the issues identified in 2022. The plant is on track to complete the remaining items in a reasonable timeframe.”

The Salto team said Eskom had updated the LTO programme ensuring that all LTO activities are systematically planned, executed on schedule and aligned with safety and operational standards.

The Koeberg nuclear power station, 30 km north of Cape Town, provides around 5% of the country’s electricity and plays a vital role in reducing reliance on coal, the IAEA said.

It is the only commercially operating nuclear power station on the African continent.

The IAEA said Koeberg has two pressurised water reactors with a combined capacity of 1,934 MW, making it a key component of South Africa’s energy infrastructure.

South Africa’s energy minister said recently that the procurement process for planned new nuclear in South Africa could be delayed by up to six months to allow for more consultation following legal challenges.

A robust supply chain is needed to enable new reactors to be built on time, on budget and at the scale needed to meet decarbonisation goals - and major players in the nuclear engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) sector shared some of the experiences and lessons learned from projects both nuclear and non-nuclear at World Nuclear Symposium 2024.

Bechtel took over construction of the Vogtle new-build projects in the USA in 2017. More recently, the company has a contract with Westinghouse to build three AP1000 units in Poland, which, as well as addressing national energy security and climate goals, provides an opportunity to train thousands of professionals and workers in nuclear work and help to establish a supply that can be utilised and replicated in future AP1000 projects, Ahmet Topkinar, general manager of Bechtel’s Nuclear Power business line, said.

Innovation and standardisation are key factors for improving schedule time, values and cost services, he said. Being involved from the very start of a project - which, unlike the Vogtle project, is the case for Bechtel at Terra Power's Natrium construction project at Kemmerer, Wyoming, means that design engineers can check for "constructability", and this minimises the need to rework aspects of the project, which in turn saves time and money.

Tokpinar also spoke of the value of an integrated EPC approach, a lesson learned from Bechtel's non-nuclear projects. "What we do on our non-nuclear projects, which we are implementing now on our nuclear projects, is a totally integrated digital delivery platform," he said. "And what I mean by that is you create a common data environment where all the data resides. You have all your other programmes and tools that connect, read back and forth, whether it's your construction material, tracking tools, your engineering design tools, your procurement system, they are all connected to this single source of data."

As well as minimising the errors from "chasing paper", this approach makes it much easier to visualise and plan construction activities. Doing this advance work packaging before mobilising at the site saves time, he added. The company is aiming for a completely paperless, digital workflow to improve productivity. "We think this is going to be a game changer, a paradigm shift in the nuclear industry," he said.

But there are two challenges that are holding back the development of a repeatable nuclear supply chain, Tokpinar said. "One is funding - and the firm commitments from governments and customers alike to identify the pipeline of projects. There has to be some consolidation from customers around picking winners," he said. "The second is standard design … a point where we have a standard design that is licensable under at least certain jurisdictions, that can be truly replicated, then we will achieve the nth-of-a-kind benefits of using the same supply chain, same design, rolling crews and professionals from one project to another. It's not rocket science."

"I think we do a very good job as an industry advocating for nuclear. But now we need to take responsibility to deliver it with success," Tokpinar said.

Time is money

Stéphane Aubarbier, deputy CEO at Assystem, also felt that a broader use of digital tools could be a game-changer for nuclear projects.

Finance - or more specifically the cost of finance for nuclear projects - is a key consideration, said. This is especially so for newcomer countries to nuclear. "It is not that they don't find money: it is that they find money at too expensive a cost," he said. Improving project timelines will help to decrease the cost of financing, he said. "So if we have a material design phase that is very short, we have less rework during the construction, and then we can hope that the construction phase will be shorter than expected," and not overrun, he said.

But even more important is improving methods of construction, and here digital tools will be a game-changer, he said. Nuclear is a document-based industry, so transitioning from being document-oriented to being data-oriented will require a change in mindset, but will be the main way to shorten nuclear power plant construction times. This will also decrease the risk profile of the industry, and decrease the cost of finance, he said.

"As soon as we do that, we would see the cost of funding decreasing, it would be more affordable and then it will take pave the way for many more countries to step into nuclear programmes," Aubarbier said.

Business model

The four-unit Akkuyu plant, currently under construction, is Turkey's the first nuclear power plant and the first anywhere to be built under a build-own-operate model, with Russian atomic company Rosatom responsible for construction, operation, commissioning and personnel training. Esra Songur, advisor to the deputy CEO of Akkuyu Nuclear JSC, told the panel that this approach offers strong project management through alignment with Rosatom's established management infrastructure.

"The model has significantly impacted the implementation of our project," she said. "This gives to us some challenge because this is the long term responsibility, and a key lesson learned from the project is that communication stakeholder management is crucial," Songur said. "We will be an integral (part) of this community for 60 years or more. The supply chain is another important subject for us: we have 400 companies, customers, of which most of them are local," she said. The local supply chain is crucial for to manage the project efficiently: "So our first priority and and key lessons will be is stakeholder management."

Being ready

Asked what lessons Framatome has learned from recent projects - and what needs to be done to ensure the supply chain is able to support the construction of many new reactors, Framatome CEO Bernard Fontana had a very simple answer. "First, be ready," he said. This means investing in developing the workforce with the skills and expertise necessary for nuclear projects - which Framatome has doing via skills academies. The company has been investing in its industrial capabilities too, to enable it to produce a flow of components such as steam generators, and making acquisitions to assure its supply chain for components such as pumps and turbine technology.

Asked what his key takeaways for the audience would be, Fontana named his three "obsessions" of safety, quality, and lead time. "And this also relies on the engagement of the teams - suppliers, contractors, customers... So let's mobilise our team in the one team spirit."

There is an increasing willingness to consider investing in new nuclear projects - but issues remain around the lengthy investment timelines and perceived regulatory risks, a panel at World Nuclear Symposium heard.

The panel Capitalising on Interest - Mobilising finance to accelerate deployment, heard from Vicki Kalb, Global Head of ESG and Sustainability Research at UBS, that until recently "we would not have been able to have a conversation with investors about nuclear ... literally we would have been laughed out of the room and that was particularly true of the ESG investor community. But that radically changed a couple of years ago."

She said that the concerns people had with nuclear investment - issues such as waste or the long-term investment danger - issues which stopped them from engaging with nuclear investments changed in 2022 with events in Ukraine and the European Union's inclusion of nuclear in its green taxonomy, with the energy security case growing since then, as well as the "dawning realisation" of the scale of electricity demand growth required - "on steroids" this year as a result of the requirements of data centres and artificial intelligence "which really focused investor attention on that problem".

"In the past it was very common for institutional investor to have an exclusionary policy around nuclear energy - that has definitely changed," she added.

Seb Henbest, Group Head of Climate Transition, HSBC, said that all international banks had net-zero targets and were positioned to support transition and although there were differences "there's a clear recognition that there's a role". He said that there were traditional concerns about safety, environment and proliferation issues, but, as with financing any other large-scale energy infrastructure, the banking teams are wanting to see "really strong offtake partners, public or private, solid credit ratings". He said cost and timeline overruns add to the capital costs so "the appetite might be there, but to get capital to flow" it was important to instill confidence "that these are good projects that won't burn us, that we can manage and distribute that debt over time".

He said that nuclear's recognised role in meeting net-zero meant the reputational risk of nuclear projects was much lower than it had been in the past, but regulatory risks remained - "long projects, long lifetimes, long commitments, today it looks great, but what about tomorrow?".

Kalb added that when they speak to investors they want to know about their returns profile "on the investment, so much of it comes down to the length of time it's outside the typical institutional investor's window - 'and these projects just are taking too long', that is the issue that keeps coming back ... 'how can I invest in this and see a return within my window'".

It was a point picked up at a later session at the last day of World Nuclear Symposium event in London, with Ed Cook, Global Head of Capital Markets, BlackRock, noting that with nuclear power plant construction and operation covering 40 or more years, it was mainly pension or insurance funds which could operate with such long investment/return timeframes.

Cosmin Ghita, CEO of Romania's nuclear operator Nuclearelectrica, said that there was a great opportunity for greater public-private partnership, especially in the regulatory area to decide "what flavour of regulation you bring in to be able manage nuclear risks accordingly to what they really are, and enable construction". He added that the recognition of nuclear's role internationally had changed the conversation, including in Europe where "we can say 'nuclear' out loud in the commission and not be afraid of it".

He said that nuclear power plant operators collaborate well on safety, citing the work of World Association of Nuclear Operators, and he suggested "maybe there's a way to expand that to build outs?".

Henbest said that while nuclear was now in green taxonomies that achievement still "paled in comparison" with other financial challenges which need to be overcome, saying that new renewable capacity was cheaper and produced returns more quickly than nuclear. He suggested that the focus could be on specific uses of nuclear energy - "nuclear for tech ... nuclear for heavy industry decarbonisation".

Kim Lauritsen, Senior Vice President Enterprise Strategy & Energy Markets, Ontario Power Generation, outlined the new nuclear on the way in Canada and said they had utilised a variety of investment sources, including green bonds. She also highlighted the importance of public pre-development finance - and cautioned against direct comparison of MWh costs between renewable energy and nuclear, because account had to be taken of the need for a reliable baseload.

Kalb added that from an investor's point of view renewables can scale, "is fantastic technology, cheap and it is quick" but she added that there was an "intermitancy problem", the scale of construction grid development. She added: "The quality of one unit of nuclear versus one unit of anything else is far superior."

Ghita said that with new technologies, government support would be needed especially for the first-of-a-kind projects, likening it to government support for solar panels that drove demand, and led to large-scale order books that brought the cost down and also the need for such subsidies.

Henbest, picking up on the point about solar panels, said that the promise of SMRs was that they would also be able to have large elements of modular manufacturing processes and "tap into learning rates" as a result of manufacturing volume. "The way financing works with series build is that we know the first one is going to be expensive, but if you do it well and do it right, the next one gets cheaper, the one after that cheaper", so the challenge is to get the big order books.

Actions being taken by various countries to meet the target of tripling global nuclear power generating capacity by 2050 were discussed by panellists during a session at World Nuclear Symposium 2024. Cooperation will be key to meeting the target, they agreed.

Last December, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai saw the 198 signatory countries to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change call for accelerating the deployment of low-emission energy technologies including nuclear power for deep and rapid decarbonisation, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors such as industry. In addition, more than 20 countries at COP28 pledged to work towards tripling global nuclear power capacity to reach net-zero by 2050.

Introducing the session, World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y León said "new-found momentum in favour of nuclear is taking shape in some countries around the world".

John Gorman, president and CEO of the Canadian Nuclear Association, described the momentum in Canada as "remarkable". He said: "We, as a nation, are doing just about everything right when it comes to nuclear."

He noted that Canada has "the entire ecosystem" - it is the second largest exporter of uranium in the world and it has an indigenous reactor technology, Candu, which is in use in seven nations around the world. "We are refurbishing the vast majority of our existing nuclear plants, and importantly those refurbishments ... are on time and on budget."

Gorman said policymakers across Canada needed to be re-engaged in order to build political support for new build. "The roadmap that we created - which was a very collaborative effort, a pan-Canadian effort - to introduce small modular reactors (SMRs) into the system acted as a thin edge of the wedge for policymakers to feel comfortable to rediscover nuclear ... Since the recognition and support for small modular reactors, it has opened up new large build."

He described SMRs as being disruptive. "I mean disruptive in a very positive way. It's forcing system operators, regulators and utilities to go through the process of rethinking how we introduce and deploy new nuclear. So disruption can be good and small modular reactors are good for that."

China National Nuclear Corporation Chief Economist Huang Mingang said nuclear energy currently only represents 4.9% of China's total electricity generation, with coal accounting for the majority of the rest. "If China wants to realise carbon peak and carbon neutrality, there is still a very long way to go," he said. "Just in the last month, the Chinese government approved 11 units. In this case, the total number of units in China in operation and under construction and officially approved will be in the region of 102 units. This is a milestone for Chinese nuclear energy."

He added that, according to projections, by 2035 China will have 150 nuclear power units in operation plus 50 units under construction.

"We do have to admire what China is doing in terms of the parallel construction of these projects at the same time," Gorman said. "Every nation has to come to terms that we are going to have to be doing these projects concurrently. And if I just look at one province alone, Ontario, our official systems plan is calling for 18 GW of new nuclear by 2050. The work being done right now is figuring out how we are going to support that in concurrent ways because of all the consideration you have there. But nations have done this before - Canada has done it before, the USA has done it before, as have Sweden and France."

Daniel Westlén, State Secretary to Sweden's Minister for Climate and the Environment, said a change of government two years ago made it possible to make changes to Sweden's nuclear policy.

"We have found for a long time that we have increasing support for nuclear power," he said. "It's politics that has been the problem, where nuclear has been used to form governments. The matter of where we stand on nuclear has not been based on physics or the needs of the power system. It has been based in political realities, and the ability to form a government. Now that is gone, we have a government that accepts nuclear, where everybody is working to make nuclear possible and work properly."

Westlén said Sweden is "much better prepared this time" for its new nuclear programme, compared with when it built its current reactors in the 1970s and 1980s. "We have operating experience, we have recent projects of power uprates and modernisations. So we have a lot of people that have been doing complex projects in nuclear. We didn't have any of that last time. I think there is reason for optimism." However, he added: "I'm sure the first project is going to be a little more complex and run into hurdles than the coming ones and that's why it's so important to have a programme and then get this bandwagon effect going."

Vijay Kumar Saraswat, a member of Niti Aayog, the Indian government's public policy think tank, said the country aims to reach net-zero by 2070. "Our main mission is to reduce the carbon emissions as much as possible and we have a strategy for reaching that in terms of how do you meet the energy demands with the reduced use of fossil fuels," he said.

"In the last ten years, we increased our nuclear energy contribution - something like 1.8% of total power production and about 2.8% in terms of electricity," Saraswat said. "That would be an almost 35% increase in the last ten years."

He said India plans to triple its nuclear energy capacity by around 2030 through the construction of large reactors and SMRs.

Bilbao y León said the size of the challenge of meeting climate targets "is enormous", adding that "it requires nuclear and wind and solar and hydro and natural gas and many other things, so all low-carbon energy industries really need to work together".

Westinghouse says that it believes the Hive System - a generative artificial intelligence system built on more than 100 years of its in-house expertise - "will drive improved cost and schedule through the entire reactor lifecycle from design, licensing, manufacturing, construction and operations".

It features a Nuclear Large Language Model AI System named bertha, after Bertha Lamme who was the first woman in the US to receive a mechanical engineering degree - in 1893 - and then became the first female engineer hired by Westinghouse.

The company says that Hive, which was demonstrated at World Nuclear Symposium in London (see picture above), means its customers can effectively gain access to the company's huge amount of "proprietary industry innovation and knowledge ... via a highly secure system infrastructure and software" which will help, for instance, by "optimising maintenance planning, inspections and improve the digital user experience to provide operational teams with the right information at the right moment".

Lou Martinez Sancho, Westinghouse Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of R&D, said: "Westinghouse has always been at the forefront of innovation in the nuclear industry and now we are excited to pioneer an integrated nuclear AI system for global deployment ... use cases include streamlining preventive plant maintenance and nuclear fuel safety, manufacturing and optimisation applications."

According to Google's definition, Generative AI "is powered by foundation models (large AI models) that can multi-task and perform out-of-the-box tasks, including summarisation, Q&A, classification, and more".

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has amended its regulations for licensing non-power production or utilisation facilities to reflect the limited risk such facilities pose to public safety. At the same time, it is also revising the definition of a testing facility to a more risk-informed standard than the current power-based definition.

The new final rule will eliminate licence terms for research reactors and medical therapy facilities, meaning they will no longer need to apply for renewed licenses to continue operating. Instead, they will be required to update their final safety analysis reports every five years to maintain a current licensing basis.

The NRC currently licenses 28 operating research reactors, mostly at universities, that fall into this category - also known as NPUFs.

NPUFs that qualify as commercial or testing facilities will continue to have finite licence terms, and the new final rule clarifies the license renewal process for these facilities, the NRC said.

The final rule will also revise the definition of a testing facility, which is currently any NPUF capable of producing more than 10 megawatts of energy is considered to be a testing facility. This prescriptive criterion will change to a more risk-informed standard based on an accident dose rate - which reflects the dose a person at the facility boundary would be calculated to receive during a hypothetical worst-case accident - of more than 1 Rem.

The NRC currently licenses one testing facility, at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Kairos Power's Hermes test reactor in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, for which the NRC has issued a permit, will also fall into this category, and the agency has also issued a construction permit to SHINE Medical Technologies to build a commercial medical isotope production facility in Janesville, Wisconsin.

The new final rule does not change the licence renewal process for commercial nuclear power plants, the NRC said.

Italian multinational Saipem and advanced reactor developer Newcleo have signed an agreement to explore the possible offshore applications of Newcleo’s technology.

Newcleo is developing a lead-cooled fast neutron demonstration nuclear technology which according to earlier reports, will be suitable for a wide range of locations due to its unique intrinsic safety and compact characteristics.

The company said in a statement that the goal of the agreement is to study the potential for utilising modular LFRs to provide electricity and hear for old and gas offshore installations.

The statement said the agreement will also focus on extending the use of the LFR technology for electricity generation from floating nuclear units.

Saipem specialises in engineering, drilling, and construction services for the energy and infrastructure sectors, particularly in the oil and gas industry.

According to the statement, exploring the potential of nuclear power is part of the company’s efforts to achieve its corporate net zero objectives by 2050.

Newcleo, which is based in the UK and has offices in France, Italy and Switzerland, says it is aiming to deliver a first demonstration reactor by 2033. The company was founded by Italian physicist and alumnus of the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, Stefano Buono.

The company has recently announced a number of partnerships and agreements related to the development of its reactor technology, including among others France’s Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), new-gen reactor developer Naarea, Italy’s Maire Tecnimont, and shipbuilder Fincantieri.

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has inspected the cooling tower affected by fire last month at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and says it is "not usable in the future, so it will probably be demolished".

Grossi, on his fifth visit to the six-unit nuclear plant which has been under Russian military control since early March 2022, said that the security situation remains "very fragile ... so our work continues ... we will be analysing, assessing what we saw today - until the conflict is over or it enters a phase where there is no more active military activity ... the possibility of something serious cannot be excluded".

The IAEA has had a team of experts stationed at Zaporizhzhia for two years - with 23 rotations of staff during that time. Their presence is intended to boost nuclear safety and security at the plant which is on the front line of Russian and Ukrainian forces.

Ukraine and Russia each blame the other side for putting nuclear safety and security at risk. After the fire at the cooling tower Russia accused Ukraine of causing it with drone attacks, while Ukraine accused Russia of causing it deliberately, or by negligence.

Taking questions from reporters afterwards Grossi was asked about the IAEA not attributing blame to either side - it was an issue that Rosatom Director General Alexei Likhachev said he had raised - and Grossi explained that it was important for the agency to stick to facts and "not get dragged down into political discussions". He said they could provide the facts and details and analysts could draw their own conclusions.

The visit to Zaporizhzhia took place on Wednesday and was followed on Thursday by a visit to the Chernobyl site. Grossi, posting on the X social media site, said the IAEA had delivered 550 beds "as part of our medical assistance to Ukrainian NPPs. Support will soon include ambulances and hospital refurbishments".

Swedish lead-cooled small modular reactor (SMR) technology developer Blykalla said it is participating in a new project focused on integrating SMRs with thermochemical processes to produce renewable materials, like bio-coal and bio-oil, which can then be used to reduce carbon emissions and enhance energy efficiency in Sweden's steel and chemical industries.

The project is a collaborative effort between academia - RISE Research Institutes of Sweden (which is leading the project) and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology - and relevant industry actors steel producer SSAB, Blykalla and bio-coal producer Envigas. Funded by the Swedish Energy Agency, the project has received a substantial investment of over SEK10 million (USD967,000 million) and is set to start in December.

Blykalla said the project focuses on leveraging the heat generated by SMRs to power thermochemical processes such as pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonisation. The objective is to produce renewable materials that can replace fossil-based products in the steel and chemical industries, thus significantly reducing carbon emissions and enhancing energy efficiency. By coupling SMRs with these processes, the project aims to maximise resource efficiency and contribute to Sweden's ambitious target of becoming fossil-free by 2045.

"This effort is expected to support the broader industrial transition to fossil-free processes, particularly in sectors that are traditionally heavy carbon emitters, like steel production," it added. "The results are anticipated to have far-reaching implications, providing a model for other countries and industries looking to reduce their carbon emissions and enhance energy efficiency."

Blykalla - formerly called LeadCold - is a spin-off from KTH in Stockholm, where lead-cooled reactor systems have been under development since 1996. The company - founded in 2013 as a joint stock company - is developing the SEALER (Swedish Advanced Lead Reactor. A demonstration SEALER (SEALER-D) is planned to have a thermal output of 80 MW. As in future commercial reactors from Blykalla, the fuel rods will be cooled by 800 tonnes of liquid lead. The reactor will have a height and diameter of about 5 metres.

Blykalla's goal is for its first 140 MWt SEALER-55 commercial reactor to be ready for operation by 2030.

The concrete foundation of the turbine building for Akkuyu unit 3 in Turkey includes a steel reinforcement frame which measures 58.2 metres by 20.4 metres by 5.3 metres.

In total more than 307 tonnes of reinforcement steel was included in the foundation - the steel rods used in the frame varied with diameters up to 36 millimetres. In total 2220 cubic metres of high-strength self-compacting concrete were used.

Sergei Butсkikh, CEO of Akkuyu Nuclear, said: "The design maturing period will be 56 days. During this time there will be monitoring and steam curing, especially important to ensure high quality of the massive foundation structure."

The foundation is designed to withstand and evenly distribute heavy loads generated during turbine operation. Once it has reached its design strength full-scale work on installing the turbine generator plant will begin.

The background

Akkuyu, in the southern Mersin province, is Turkey's first nuclear power plant. Rosatom is building four VVER-1200 reactors, under a so-called BOO (build-own-operate) model. According to the terms of the 2010 Intergovernmental Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Turkey, the commissioning of the first power unit of the nuclear power plant must take place within seven years from receipt of all permits for the construction of the unit.

The licence for the construction of the first unit was issued in 2018, with construction work beginning that year. Nuclear fuel was delivered to the site in April 2023. Turkey's Nuclear Regulatory Agency issued permission for the first unit to be commissioned in December, and in February it was announced that the reactor compartment had been prepared for controlled assembly of the reactor - and the generator stator had also been installed in its pre-design position.

The aim is for unit 1 to begin supplying Turkey's energy system in 2025. When the 4800 MWe plant is completed it is expected to meet about 10% of Turkey's electricity needs, with the aim that all four units will be operational by the end of 2028.

The fourth and final unit at the Barakah nuclear power station in the United Arab Emirates has begun commercial operation, marking full delivery of a project that will generate 25% of the kingdom’s electricity needs, Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation said on Thursday (5 September).

Enec, which is responsible for the deployment and ownership of nuclear energy plants in the UAE, said the “historic milestone” of full operation for all four units at the station means Barakah is now generating 40 TWh of electricity per year, nearly the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption of New Zealand.

“This clean and carbon-free energy is enough to power 16 million EVs annually,” Enec said. “This represents the largest decarbonisation effort in the UAE and the region, positioning the country ahead of its 2030 climate commitments.”

Construction of Barakah, the first commercial nuclear power station to operate in the Arab World, began in 2012. The first of its four South Korea-supplied APR1400 plants began commercial operation in 2021.

Enec managing director and chief executive officer Mohamed Al Hammadi said Barakah, on the Persian Gulf coast west of the city of Abu Dhabi, offers “a new model for the world” and demonstrates that nuclear energy is bankable and can be delivered efficiently.

He said the units came online within eight years from first concrete pour to fuel load and achieved a 40% improvement in schedule from start of operational readiness to commercial operations for Unit 4 compared to Unit 1.

Speaking at the World Nuclear Symposium in London on Thursday, Al Hammadi said growth in energy demand is “serious” and the nuclear industry has two options: do nothing and continue as a small industry, or “if we act and tap into this demand, we can create change”.

‘Significant Step’ Towards Net Zero

UAE president Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said on social media on Thursday: “With the start of operations at Unit 4 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, the UAE has taken another significant step on the journey towards net zero.

The UAE has said it wants to use nuclear power as the main source for generating non-hydrocarbon-based electricity.

Most of the energy produced in the UAE is from natural gas and oil. The country is also a major exporter of oil and gas with natural gas accounting for 63% of total energy supply in 2021, according to the International Energy Agency.

Unconfirmed press reports earlier this year said the UAE was planning to launch a tender for the construction of a new nuclear power plant station that would double the number of the Gulf state’s commercial nuclear power reactors.

Enec has said that the success of the Barakah nuclear power station project has equipped the UAE with the expertise it needs to consider expanding its nuclear programme into areas including small modular reactors and clean hydrogen production.

Al Hammadi told the 2022 World Government Summit in Dubai that the “sky is the limit” for the UAE’s nuclear energy industry with the country engaged in discussions related to “futuristic reactors” including SMRs and considering the use of clean hydrogen generated by reactors.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has published its final environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no significant impact for Kairos Power's construction permit application for the dual unit Hermes 2 test reactor project.

The regulator has also exempted the project from the requirement for an environmental impact statement to support construction permits for test facilities: the Oak Ridge, Tennessee site where Hermes 2 is to be built was previously evaluated with an environmental impact statement for the Hermes 1 test reactor, which the regulator says is sufficient for it to grant the exemption.

The exemptions mean the NRC will be allowed to issue a final environmental assessement and Finding of No Significant Impact – or FONSI - instead of an environmental impact statement to meet its obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and its own regulations for the environmental review of the Hermes 2 application.

Kairos submitted its application for construction permits in July 2023 for the two fluoride salt-cooled, high-temperature reactors in July. The plant is be built on the same site as Hermes, a non-power version of Kairos Power's fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor, the KP-HFR. Site work and excavation for Hermes, for which the company has already received a construction permit from the NRC, began in July.

As with Hermes, Kairos plans to build and operate Hermes 2 to demonstrate key elements of the technology for possible future commercial deployment, the NRC said in the final environmental assessment. Each Hermes 2 reactor would be similar in size and design to the Hermes reactor with some design differences, but the NRC concluded there would be no additional environmental impacts resulting from granting the exemptions.

NRC staff will now provide the Hermes 2 environmental assessment and its safety evaluation of the project to NRC commissioners who will vote on whether to authorise the construction licence. The company will need to submit a separate application for operating licences in the future.

The site is in the Heritage Center Industrial Park of the East Tennessee Technology Park, on land formerly owned by the US Department of Energy for the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant.

China’s State Council has approved the construction of four new Westinghouse nuclear reactors at two Chinese power plants. China’s State Power Investment Corporation plans to build two of the reactors at its Bailong nuclear power project in Guangxi Province, where preparatory groundwork construction can now begin at the site. The other two units were approved for the Lufeng nuclear power plant, located in Guangdong Province and owned by China General Nuclear Power Corporation, where sitework has already begun.

Quotable: “Westinghouse AP1000 technology continues to be recognized for its record-breaking operational and availability performance through successful deployments in China and the U.S.,” said Patrick Fragman, Westinghouse president and chief executive officer. “Utilities are clearly seeing the value of the AP1000 platform and are making it a part of their long-term investments to provide safe, clean and reliable baseload electricity. With these new approvals and their delivery schedule, there will be 18 units based on AP1000 technology in operation globally by the end of the decade.”

A closer look: China now has a combined total of 16 operational or approved AP1000 reactors on its books.

According to Westinghouse, the AP1000 reactor is the only operating Generation III+ reactor with fully passive safety systems, modular construction design, and the smallest footprint per megawatt-electric on the market. It is the same reactor that was used at Georgia's Vogtle-3 and -4, which came on line in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

The AP1000 technology has been selected for the nuclear energy programs in Poland, Ukraine, and Bulgaria, and is also under consideration at multiple other sites in Central and Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom, India, and North America.

In a recent Q&A with Nuclear News, Westinghouse Energy Systems president David Durham said, “The Westinghouse AP1000 technology is the most proven nth-of-a-kind technology in the world and the most advanced in operation today. Westinghouse has gained real-time, operational knowledge and success from the deployments of its AP1000 technology, versus being a reactor concept on a piece of paper that has not yet deployed a similar technology. The AP1000 reactor continues to operate in an extremely consistent manner while setting operational records.”

China’s growth: With broad support from its government, China has emerged at a leader in nuclear expansion in recent years. As of this summer, the country has 27 nuclear reactors under construction to add to its current fleet of 56 reactors.

It anticipates building six to eight new nuclear reactors each year going forward, putting it on pace to surpass the United States in nuclear generation by 2030, according to a June 24 article from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.

Thorizon of the Netherlands has announced that the Dutch and French nuclear regulators are to collaborate on a preparatory review of its Thorizon One molten salt reactor to streamline the pre-license applications expected next year.

The Dutch Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ANVS) and the French nuclear regulator Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire (ASN) - together with the Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), ASN's technical support organisation - have agreed to collaborate on a preparatory review of the Thorizon One. The review aims to understand the reactor's design and safety features, facilitating future licensing in both countries.

The review, Thorizon said, will take place through a series of joint technical meetings starting in the coming months to present the Thorizon One reactor simultaneously to both authorities ahead of pre-license applications expected at the same time in both countries in 2025.

This common preparatory review will aim at both understanding the specific design of this reactor, its safety approach and associated research and development programme, as well as defining the scope of the pre-license applications to ensure the assessment resources are focused on the most significant safety challenges of the Thorizon One reactor project. This is expected to increase the efficiency of the future pre-licensing applications in both countries.

"Thorizon is pleased to advance its molten salt reactor design," said Thorizon CEO Kiki Lauwers. "The early feedback from both nuclear regulators is invaluable for demonstrating the safety of the Thorizon One reactor. This multi-country cooperation will facilitate deploying the reactor in multiple countries in the future."

The company noted this project falls under the memorandum of understanding signed by ASN and ANVS in September last year aimed at collaborating on regulatory initiatives, including the licensing of nuclear installations such as small modular reactors (SMRs), and sharing experiences on new and innovative technologies.

Thorizon - a spin-off from NRG, which operates the High Flux Reactor in Petten - is developing a 250 MWt/100 MWe molten salt reactor (MSR), targeted at large industrial customers and utilities. Thorizon envisions the first MSR in Europe to be operational by 2032.

"Licensing is a critical path in this timeline, making early dialogues with regulators essential," Thorizon said. "To streamline the licensing process, Thorizon One plans to comply with existing safety regulations, use licensed materials and components, and work with experienced companies with prior nuclear licences."

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

A draft plan including as many as 34 new nuclear power units in Russia by 2042 has been published for public consultation - they are a mix of large and small reactors, and include replacement of existing units as well as new locations.

The proposed new capacity is part of the draft plan for electric power facilities published by the Unified Energy System of Russia. It proposes that by 2042 the share of electricity generated by nuclear power will have increased from 18.9% to 23.5% and takes into account Rosatom's proposal for up to 37 new units.

The new capacity includes four VVER-TOI units due to be commissioned at the Kursk II Nuclear Power Plant between 2025 and 2034, and three VVER-S/600 units at the Kola Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) between 2035 and 2040, plus two new VVER units at Smolensk NPP from 2033 to 2035. At Novocherkassk, the proposal is for two new 'VVER-optimum' reactors with a capacity of 2400 MW to be commissioned between 2036 and 2038. It also includes new units at the Reftinskaya, South Ural and Krasnoyarsk nuclear power plants between 2038 and 2042 as well as the pilot BREST-OD-300 demonstration power unit at Seversk which is planned for commissioning in 2028.

According to Strana Rosatom, "Nuclear power plants are also planned to be built in Primorsky and Khabarovsk Krais. These will be two-block nuclear power plants with VVER-S/600 reactors with a total capacity of 1200 MW. A low-power nuclear power plant with four RITM-400 reactors with a total capacity of 320 MW is planned to be built in Norilsk. The Chukotka ASMM, the Baimsky MPEB and the Yakutsk ASMM are also included in the project, but they are located in territories that are not technologically connected to the Unified Energy System of Russia."

The largest increase in nuclear generation is expected in Siberia, Russia's Far East and the Urals - a total of 12.7 GW with a total of 13 new power units.

Rosatom Director General, Alexei Likhachev, said: "As part of implementing the order of the President of the Russian Federation to achieve a share of nuclear energy of 25% by 2045 in the country's energy mix, a large-scale programme for the construction of nuclear power units has been implemented since 2007. The new general scheme provides for the construction of 28 gigawatts of new nuclear power generation by 2042. Having implemented such an ambitious task, we will be able to provide the country's regions with clean energy for decades to come and create a basis for stable economic growth."

The draft is open for consultation until 20 September and, following any revisions, will be submitted to the government with Rosatom anticipating signing to take place in December.

A number of the units included in the draft list are already under construction. Among those hoping to start construction soon is the second stage of the Smolensk NPP where site preparation has begun in the area, cleared of vegetation, earmarked for the new site. Temporary facilities for construction workers are also being prepared.

Alexander Chebotarev, deputy head of the capital construction department of the Smolensk NPP said: "In order to start concreting the foundation slab of the reactor building of power unit No 1, it is necessary to construct supporting facilities as soon as possible. These are treatment facilities, utility networks, reinforcement facilities, a concrete mixing unit, warehouses, administrative and utility buildings, and others. We will begin constructing the infrastructure in 2025, as soon as the state examination of the design documentation for these facilities is completed and we receive permission for construction."

Tohoku Electric Power Company announced it has started loading fuel assemblies into the reactor of unit 2 at its Onagawa nuclear power plant in Japan's northeastern Miyagi Prefecture. The reactor has been offline since November 2010 and will become the 13th Japanese reactor to be restarted.

Tohoku 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 was required to complete the countermeasure upgrades and obtain the approval of local authorities before restarting Onagawa 2.

Tohoku has now announced that it started fuel loading into the core of Onagawa 2 at 15:00 local time on Tuesday 3 September and that it expects to complete this work next week.

"We will continue to prioritise safety and thoroughly address each and every process, while also carefully communicating our efforts to local residents, as we work hard to restart operations," the company said.

On 18 July, Tohoku announced it had decided to revise the timing of fuel loading as part of the restart process for Onagawa 2 from "around July 2024 to around September 2024". It added: "As a result, we expect the plant to restart power generation around November 2024."

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.

Workers have started the installation of reactor core internals for China’s ACP100 small modular reactor (SMR) demonstration project, the China Nuclear Energy Association said.

Reactor internals are structures inside a nuclear reactor’s pressure vessel that support, guide and contain the nuclear fuel assemblies, control rods and coolant flow.

The 125-MW ACP100, also known as the Linglong One, has a core module as the main component where the nuclear chain reactor happens.

The core module integrates the reactor pressure vessel (RPV), evaporator and main pumps, and removes the need for a main pipeline.

Construction of Linglong One began in July 2021 on a site next to the existing Changjiang nuclear power station in the island province of Hainan, southern China.

The outer containment dome was lifted into place in February 2024 effectively closing the nuclear plant’s containment building.

Developer China National Nuclear Corporation has said the demonstration plant will verify the design, manufacture, construction and operation of the technology.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed the presidential decree setting the date for a national referendum on the construction of a nuclear power plant. The referendum will take place on 6 October.

The president announced the date of the referendum in his annual state-of-the-nation address on Monday, saying the country is in "dire need of reliable and environmentally-friendly" sources of energy. Nuclear can "largely" meet the rapidly growing needs of the Kazakh economy, but any decision on nuclear must be taken with the support of the people, he said.

The topic has now been "on the public agenda" for a year since his announcement of plans for a referendum in last year's state-of-the-nation address, Tokayev said. "I believe that this is a sufficient time for citizens to make a balanced decision. In this regard, I support the Government's proposal. A national referendum on the construction of the nuclear power plant will be held on 6 October this year, today I will sign the corresponding Decree."

The decree, formally published on 3 September, came into effect on its signature on 2 September. The referendum will submit the question "Do you agree with the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan?"

Kazakhstan is the world's leading producer of uranium. Although it does not currently use nuclear energy, it is not without nuclear experience: it has three operating research reactors, and a Russian-designed BN-350 sodium-cooled fast reactor operated near Aktau for 26 years, until 1999.

Kazakhstan has been preparing for a possible nuclear power programme to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, diversify its energy mix and reduce CO2 emissions for some time. Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP), a subsidiary of Kazakhstan's Samruk-Kazyna National Welfare Fund JSC, was set up in 2014. As well as being designated as the owner/operator of a future plant, KNPP is tasked with pre-project work including a feasibility study to justify the need for nuclear power - carried out in 2018 - and locating a site. Although no site has been formally announced, a site at Ulken, on the shores of Lake Balkhash, has been identified as the most suitable location. The proposed first nuclear power plant would be a large reactor but there are also options for using small modular reactors to replace retiring coal plants in the years to come.