Mantle beneath Earth’s Continents Experienced Large-Scale Heating Two Billion Years Ago

Sep 24, 2021 

New research from the University of Adelaide sheds light on why cold eclogites — high-pressure, metamorphic rocks that consist primarily of garnet and omphacite — mysteriously disappeared from geological records during the early stages of the Earth’s development.




The supercontinent Nuna about 1.59 billion years ago. Image credit: Alexandre DeZotti.

“Cold eclogites mysteriously disappeared from the Earth’s rock record between 1.8 and 1.2 billion years ago before reappearing after this time,” said Dr. Derrick Hasterok, a researcher in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Adelaide.

“They are important because they are sensitive to the temperatures in the upper mantle and provide evidence of rocks rapidly transported deep below Earth’s surface along geological faults lines that occur where tectonic plates collide.”

“The prevailing belief is that cold eclogites are preserved only when supercontinents merged,” he said.

“But there is ample evidence for a nearly continuous geological record of cold eclogites over the past 700 million years during which time two supercontinents formed and broke-up.”

Associated with this change in eclogites is a change in the concentration of many trace elements in igneous rocks found elsewhere in the crust, which provide additional evidence of heating beneath continents.

These trace elements are found in critical minerals, which are considered vital for the economic well-being of the world’s major and emerging economies.

“We found evidence from the trace element chemistry of granites that suggests a large-scale heating of the continents around 2 billion years ago that corresponds with the assembly of Nuna (also known as Columbia, Paleopangaea, and Hudsonland), a supercontinent which completed its formation 1.6 billion years ago,” said Dr. Renee Tamblyn, also from the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Adelaide.

“The Earth has generally been cooling since its formation but Nuna had an insulating effect on the mantle, rather like a thick blanket, which caused temperatures to rise beneath the continents and prevent the preservation of eclogites and change the chemistry of granites.”

“The changes in chemistry resulting from this unusual warming event during Earth’s geologic past could help to locate certain critical minerals by looking for rocks formed before or after this heating event — depending on which element is of being looked for.”

The findings were published in the journal Geology.

_____

R. Tamblyn et al. Mantle heating at ca. 2 Ga by continental insulation: Evidence from granites and eclogites. Geology, published online September 21, 2021; doi: 10.1130/G49288.1

Geological cold case may reveal critical minerals

by University of Adelaide

Credit: University of Adelaide

Researchers on the hunt for why cold eclogites mysteriously disappeared from geological records during the early stages of the Earth's development may have found the answer, and with it clues that could help locate critical minerals today.

"Cold eclogites mysteriously disappeared from the Earth's rock record between 1.8 and 1.2 billion years ago before reappearing after this time," said Dr. Derrick Hasterok, Lecturer, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide.

"Cold eclogites are important because they are sensitive to the temperatures in the upper mantle and provide evidence of rocks rapidly transported deep below Earth's surface along geological faults lines that occur where tectonic plates collide.

"The prevailing belief is that cold eclogites are preserved only when supercontinents merged. But there is ample evidence for a nearly continuous geological record of cold eclogites over the past 700 million years during which time two supercontinents formed and broke-up."

Eclogites are high-pressure, metamorphic rocks that consist primarily of garnet and omphacite (a sodium-rich variety of pyroxene).

Associated with this change in eclogites is a change in the concentration of many trace elements in igneous rocks found elsewhere in the crust, which provide additional evidence of heating beneath continents. These trace elements are found in critical minerals. Critical minerals are considered vital for the economic well-being of the world's major and emerging economies.

Lead author Dr. Renee Tamblyn worked with Dr. Hasterok and fellow researchers Professor Martin Hand and Ph.D. student Matthew Gard from the University of Adelaide on the study which was published in the journal Geology.

"We found evidence from the trace element chemistry of granites that suggests a large-scale heating of the continents around 2 billion years ago that corresponds with the assembly of Nuna, a supercontinent which completed its formation 1.6 billion years ago," said Dr. Tamblyn.

"The Earth has generally been cooling since its formation but Nuna had an insulating effect on the mantle, rather like a thick blanket, which caused temperatures to rise beneath the continents and prevent the preservation of eclogites and change the chemistry of granites.

"The changes in chemistry resulting from this unusual warming event during Earth's geologic past could help to locate certain critical minerals by looking for rocks formed before or after this heating event—depending on which element is of being looked for."

Much of Western Australia is older than 2 billion years while South Australia and the eastern states are generally younger.

"The rocks in the Northern Territory and NW Queensland are a little older than the 1.8 billion year mark so may be a place where we can continue our investigations into this mysterious geological case," said Dr. Hasterok.

New model suggests lost continents for early Earth

More information: R. Tamblyn et al, Mantle heating at ca. 2 Ga by continental insulation: Evidence from granites and eclogites, Geology (2021). DOI: 10.1130/G49288.1

Journal information: Geology 

Provided by University of Adelaide 

 'MAYBE' TECH

Tokamak Energy develops new magnet protection technology

24 September 2021

Tokamak Energy of the UK announced it has demonstrated a transformative magnet protection technology that improves the commercial viability of fusion power plants, delivering higher performance than alternative magnet systems. It said results from the latest tests validate a revolutionary approach to scaling up high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets, which are highly resilient to plasma disruptions.

Testing of the high-temperature superconducting magnet (Image: Tokamak Energy)

Tokamak fusion reactors use magnets to contain and isolate a plasma so that it can reach the high temperatures at which fusion occurs. High magnetic fields are necessary for tokamaks to contain the superheated fuel, and higher magnetic fields enable a smaller tokamak. High-temperature superconductors can create these much stronger magnetic fields and so are important for commercial fusion power.

Oxford, England-based Tokamak Energy said the new technology, known as 'partial insulation', allows the magnets to be built and operated at power plant size and provides a simpler alternative to traditional superconducting magnet protection systems.

"For the first time, this latest test gives fusion developers an option for a new design of superconducting magnet that will be resistant to damage, reducing the cost and complexity of damage mitigation systems and the threat of downtime," said Tokamak Energy CEO Chris Kelsall. "The world needs energy that is clean, secure, cheap and globally deployable, and the magnets Tokamak Energy is developing will enable this future. Tokamak Energy's two world leading core technologies – the spherical tokamak and HTS magnets – are central to the company's mission to develop economic fusion in compact power plants."

Tokamak Energy - which grew out of the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, also based in Oxfordshire - is currently manufacturing a new test facility and demonstration system with a full set of magnets. This will test the interaction of all the HTS magnets and validate their use within a full tokamak system for the first time. The new magnet system is scheduled for testing in 2022.

The company is working with CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, on HTS magnets in developing a proprietary technology that will scale to the large magnets necessary for fusion power modules. HTS magnets also have applications for particle accelerators, aerospace and for several other industrial sectors.

"This impressive demonstration of partial insulation technology opens the door to a new frontier in magnet technology, enabling the novel technology we have developed for our spherical tokamaks to be utilised in a wide range of emerging applications that need high field compact HTS magnets," noted Robert Slade, Advanced Technology Applications Director at Tokamak Energy.

Tokamak Energy has developed the ST-40 compact spherical tokamak. Plans are underway for the ST-40 to operate at plasma temperatures of over 100 million degrees Celsius - almost seven times hotter than the centre of the Sun and the temperature necessary for controlled fusion - in 2021. This, it says, will be a key milestone for commercial fusion and the first privately-funded fusion module to reach this landmark globally.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

 MORE NUKE NEWS

Companies sign agreement to increase Ukrainian power output

23 September 2021

Westinghouse Electric Company and Ukrainian company NT-Engineering LLC have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) to implement maintenance optimisation and system repair projects for VVER reactors. They said the work will increase the safety levels and performance of Ukrainian VVERs, improving annual power output and reducing operational costs.

Aziz Dag (right), Westinghouse Regional Vice President Nordics, VVER & UAE, and Demianiuk signing the MoC at Westinghouse Electric Sweden representative office in Kiev, Ukraine (Image: Westinghouse)

The agreement will allow operators to optimise their approach to maintenance in VVER units and significantly increase annual power output through risk-informed configuration management, the companies said. It will also allow operators to increase the time reactors are kept online between planned outages by 16-20 days by identifying maintenance that can be safely performed during reactor operation instead of waiting for the reactor to be shut down for refuelling.

NT-Engineering completed a pilot project earlier this year at Zaporozhe unit 2, a VVER-1000 unit that entered commercial operation in 1986, with support from the US Department of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory. Applying the process to all of Ukraine's VVER-1000s could increase the overall power output of the country's nuclear fleet by 1000 MWe - equivalent to one new VVER-1000 plant. The pilot study has shown the process could be replicated at other VVER-1000 reactors globally, the companies said.

"Implementation of cooperation between NT-Engineering and Westinghouse will improve the efficiency of nuclear power units using modern technologies and will lead to significant economic benefits for the operator of nuclear installations," said Vitalii Demianiuk, chairman of NT-Engineering.

"Westinghouse is committed to continue supporting NT-Engineering in every area of its operations and, through this agreement, optimising the full Ukrainian VVER fleet as well as VVER units outside of Ukraine," said Tarik Choho, Westinghouse president, EMEA Operating Plant Services.

Ukraine and the USA earlier this month agreed to "deepen and intensify" their strategic cooperation in energy, with Ukrainian nuclear power plant operator Energoatom signing an MoC with Westinghouse. Those two companies envisage jointly completing a fourth reactor at the Khmelnitsky nuclear power plant using AP1000 pressurised water technology as well as four new AP1000 units being built at existing Ukrainian nuclear power plant sites.

South Africa planning to start nuclear procurement

22 September 2021

South Africa plans to issue a Request for Proposal for 2500 MWe of new nuclear capacity at the end of March 2022 and complete the procurement process in 2024, Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Nobuhle Pamela Nkabane told the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 65th General Conference. The country is also finalising its ratification of the amended Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material.

The IAEA General Conference is being held from 20-24 September (Image: D Calma/IAEA)

"As we embark on the Just Energy Transition in South Africa, we recognise that nuclear plays a pivotal role as one of the clean energy sources that are needed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050," Nkabane told the conference, which is being held in Vienna.

"In June 2020, South Africa issued a Request for Information to test the market appetite for the 2500 MW of nuclear energy and received positive responses from 25 companies that showed an interest in this programme. The National Energy Regulator of South Africa has recently concurred with a ministerial … determination for the procurement of 2500 MW new generation capacity from nuclear energy. We plan to issue the Request for Proposal for 2500 MW nuclear programme at end of March 2022 and complete the procurement in 2024 to support the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan and ensure security of energy supply."

She thanked the IAEA for its continued support through peer-review Safety Aspects of Long-Term Operation missions at the Koeberg nuclear power plant, which is currently undergoing "technical and regulatory work" to extend its lifetime by 20 years.

A project to replace the SAFARI-1 research reactor - the Multipurpose Research Reactor Project - has progressed "significantly", with the completion of a pre-feasibility report, she said.

The National Radioactive Waste Disposal Institute - which is responsible for managing South Africa's radioactive waste - is to sign Practical Arrangements with the IAEA covering cooperation on borehole disposal of disused sealed radioactive sources, she added.

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy in May 2020 announced the start of work on a roadmap for the procurement of 2500 MWe of new nuclear capacity which was to consider all options, including small modular reactors. The National Energy Regulator of South Africa in November invited public comment on the government's procurement plans and last month formally gave its support to the procurement of the 2500 MWe of new nuclear generation capacity.

The two pressurised water reactors at Koeberg, which are operated by state-owned utility Eskom, began commercial operations in the mid-1980s and together generate some 5% of South Africa's electricity.

Boost nuclear to cut coal faster, Czech Republic told

13 September 2021

Nuclear is already set to become the largest source of energy in the Czech Republic, but accelerating new build and broadening its use to provide more heat would help hasten the phaseout of coal, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Phasing out coal is "a key challenge" for the Czech Republic, the IEA said in a policy review published today. Despite a 36% decrease since 2009, coal still accounts for half of total domestic energy production and it is not expected to be phased out completely until 2038, it said.

Temelin provides heat to a nearby town, and a connection is being made to another (Image: ČEZ)

To bring this date closer, IEA recommended Czech policymakers "anticipate a faster phase-out of coal than is currently envisaged and prepare to accelerate additional deployments of renewable and nuclear power plants." The organisation's head, Fatih Birol, said, "I would encourage the government to undertake a thorough assessment of the economic potentials of all available forms of low-carbon energy and to plot pathways on how best to exploit the most promising options to ensure adequate supply."

The 2038 phase out date for coal comes from a Czech commission report from late last year. It foresaw that coal would be initially replaced largely by natural gas generation, while the share of renewable sources would increase to 25%, largely in line with the State Energy Plan of 2015 and the country’s National Energy and Climate Plan of 2019. According to this projection, nuclear would become the country's largest generation source once coal is gone in 2038, as new nuclear capacity would have become available in 2036 at the Dukovany power plant.

To help ensure the success of this project for a new reactor at Dukovany, the Czech government should support the utility ČEZ to "conduct a robust tendering process", the IEA said.

In the new report, IEA noted arrangements for the state to support the project with low interest loans (interest-free during construction and 2% during operation) for 70% of the construction cost to the utility ČEZ, which would own and operate the plant. "Direct financing support, especially during the construction phase as envisaged by the Czech Republic" is "an effective way to align nuclear new build financial conditions with the country’s long-term energy policy objectives," it said.

Once in operation, there would be a 30-year power purchase agreement where a government company would pay a fixed rate to ČEZ before reselling the power on the wholesale market. "This financial support is intended to significantly reduce the cost of capital and ensure competitive costs for consumers," said IEA. It also noted that the cost of wind and solar power in Europe and China would more than double if those sources were not being given the same kind of support.

Beyond 2040, Czech plans allow for a further new reactor at Dukovany, as well as two new units at its other nuclear power plant, Temelin. If those went ahead, nuclear would rise to supply some 58% of the country's electricity generation.

Nuclear heat

Another way for nuclear to support a faster exit from coal would be to provide more heat to homes and industry. In the Czech Republic, district heating systems supply over 40% of all households, said IEA.

One heating system connected to Temelin supplies the town of Týn nad Vltavou, which has a population of 8000 inhabitants and lies 5 kilometres away. A new connection to the city of České Budějovice, with about 100,000 inhabitants, 26 kilometres away, is currently under construction. There is also local community support to supply heat from Dukovany to the city of Brno, which has 380,000 inhabitants and lies 40 kilometres from the plant.

However, coal still powers 60% of Czech district heat. IEA said the country should develop clean options like large heat pumps and consider whether small nuclear reactors can take some of the role after 2030.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

THE NEU COLD WAR

Ministers close to deal that could end China’s role in UK nuclear power station

Exclusive: deal in which UK government would take stake in Sizewell C would risk inflaming geopolitical tensions

Sizewell, which is still going through planning and development, would eventually power 6m homes, but has been plagued by opposition from local campaigners, fears over its price tag and China’s involvement. Photograph: EDF

John Collingridge and Jillian Ambrose
Sat 25 Sep 2021 

Ministers are closing in on a deal that could kick China off a project to build a £20bn nuclear power station on the Suffolk coast and pump in tens of millions of pounds of taxpayer cash instead – a move that would heighten geopolitical tensions.

The government could announce plans to take a stake in Sizewell C power station, alongside the French state-backed power giant EDF, as early as next month, ahead of the Cop26 climate summit.

That would be likely to result in China General Nuclear (CGN), which currently has a 20% stake in Sizewell, being removed from the project.

It risks inflaming political tensions, which are running high after Britain’s decision to join the Aukus nuclear submarine pact with the US and Australia – a move designed to counteract China’s military expansion. CGN, the power giant backed by the communist state, is also bankrolling EDF’s Hinkley Point C power station in Somerset.

Sizewell, which is still going through planning and development, would eventually power 6m homes, but has been plagued by opposition from local campaigners, fears over its price tag and China’s involvement.

Washington has been leaning heavily on Westminster to remove China from Britain’s nuclear power plans, blacklisting CGN, citing fears over national security and accusing it of stealing military technology – claims it denies. The former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo last year urged Britain to choose sides in the battle to develop nuclear technology, saying it “stands ready to assist our friends in the UK with any needs they have”.

Under plans for Sizewell being discussed by Whitehall officials and EDF, the government could take a stake in a development company that will push it through various stages of planning and bureaucracy, sharing the costs with EDF.

Private sector investors such as the insurance funds L&G and Aviva would then be lured in at a later stage in return for a government-backed funding model called the regulated asset base (RAB), diluting the taxpayer and EDF. Legislation on RAB funding – the same model used to fund airports such as Heathrow and water companies – is due to progress through parliament next month.

EDF’s board is due to hold a meeting in November to discuss pushing Sizewell forward but is understood to be wary about pumping tens of millions into the project without firm commitment from Westminster.

EDF has been lobbying intensively for a RAB mechanism, arguing that it could slash the “strike price” – the guaranteed price for Sizewell’s electricity – to between £30 and £60 per megawatt hour. Hinkley’s £92.50 MWh strike price has been criticised as excessive at a time when offshore wind costs are falling.

All but one of Britain’s eight existing nuclear power stations, which provide up to 20% of its electricity, are due to close by the end of the decade, resulting in a huge gap in low-carbon power generation.

The global gas crunch and soaring energy bills have cranked up the pressure on ministers to act, and ministers are keen to announce a deal on Sizewell next month, ahead of November’s Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow. The business secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, is understood to be pushing the Treasury for a large slice of spending on nuclear power in the 27 October spending review.

Kicking China off Sizewell would effectively tear up the government’s 2015 deal with CGN, under which it agreed to fund Hinkley and Sizewell, and then install its own reactors at a third site at Bradwell in Essex. The chances of CGN getting approval to build its reactor in Britain are seen as slender. That deal was seen as the pinnacle of the “golden era” between Britain and China.

Pressure to remove China has ratcheted up under Joe Biden’s administration, with executives from the US construction giant Bechtel teaming up with Westinghouse, the US nuclear technology company owned by Canada’s Brookfield, to develop another nuclear power station, at Wylfa on Anglesey.

In their pitch to the government, they said the project would strengthen the “special relationship”. “Through a successful partnership at Wylfa, the UK and US will share a common interest in promoting the use of this secure, reliable technology in new markets to compete against state-backed Russian and Chinese options,” they wrote.

Stephen Thomas, a professor of energy policy at Greenwich University, said: “CGN’s motivation in supporting the Hinkley Point and Sizewell projects was to secure a chance to build its own reactor design at Bradwell. With Bradwell now off the table it’s unlikely they would be interested in the Sizewell investment.

“CGN may still persist with approving its reactor design with the UK authorities to secure that gold standard accreditation, but this is where its UK nuclear ambitions are likely to end,” he said.

CGN and EDF declined to comment.

The business department said: “Nuclear power has a key role to play as we work to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and exposure to volatile global gas prices.

“CGN is currently a shareholder in Sizewell C up until the point of the government’s final investment decision. Negotiations are ongoing and no final decision has been taken.”

CNSC confirms orders on CANDU restarts

24 September 2021


The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) has confirmed or amended orders issued to Bruce Power and Ontario Power Generation (OPG) related to pressure tube fitness for service following a public hearing held on 10 September. The regulator confirmed the orders issued for certain units at the Bruce, Darlington and Pickering CANDU plants, but removed Pickering units 1 and 4 from the list. It said it will consider restart requests for the reactors concerned on a case-by-case basis.

The Bruce site in Ontario (Image: Bruce Power)

On 26 July, a CNSC designated officer (DO) issued an order to Bruce Power for the Bruce nuclear power plant, after elevated hydrogen equivalent concentrations (Heq) were reported to the CNSC. The discovery of elevated Heq at Bruce units 3 and 6 was considered by the DO to put into question the predictive capability of the model for the Heq concentration levels in operating reactors with pressure tubes in extended operation. The DO subsequently issued orders to OPG for the Darlington and Pickering plants on 27 July.

The orders applied to the following reactors: Bruce units 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8; Pickering units 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8; and Darlington units 1 and 4. The orders require Bruce Power and OPG to obtain authorisation from the CNSC prior to the restart of designated units following any outage that results in the cooldown of the heat transport system.

As required under Canada's Nuclear Safety and Control Act, the CNSC is required to review the orders and confirm, amend, revoke or replace each of them. The commission also considered the requests for restart submitted by Bruce Power and OPG pursuant to the terms of the orders, in order to determine whether to authorise the restart of designated units.

In a Summary Record of Decision, dated 22 September, CNSC confirmed the DO order issued to Bruce Power on 26 July and to OPG on 27 July for the Darlington plant. However, it amended the DO order issued to OPG for the Pickering plant by removing units 1 and 4.

For the request for authorisation from the CNSC prior to the restart of designated units, the commission said it "does not, at this time, pre-authorise the restart of any designated reactor unit pursuant to the terms of the orders." It said it will consider each request for restart on a case-by-case basis. "Any request shall contain qualitative and quantitative analysis to satisfy the conditions of the order."

The detailed reasons for the CNSC's decision will be provided in a detailed Record of Decision, to be published at a later date.

Bruce Power said it supports this decision and will "continue to provide information when available from activities outlined, consistent with the order, for staff review and commission consideration."

"Pressure tube integrity is based on a number of factors, and high levels of safety continue to be demonstrated to ensure the integrity of our pressure tubes through comprehensive inspections, verification and layers of safety," the company added.

Inside CANDU reactors, each fuel channel consists of a pressure tube, a calandria tube, end fittings and spacers. On the two opposite ends of the pressure tube are end fittings. Inside the pressure tube are the fuel bundles, which generate heat. On the outside of the pressure tube there is the calandria tube, separated from the pressure tube by multiple spacers. Within this gap there is a gas which is measured by an Annulus Gas System which measures moisture and also is a defence measure to ensure integrity of pressure tubes.

Bruce Power found elevated levels of Heq in the pressure tubes during part of ongoing planned inspection, testing, analysis and maintenance activities at Bruce units 3 and 6. Unit 3 is in a routine inspection and maintenance outage, while unit 6 is undergoing its Major Component Replacement, where all pressure tubes are being replaced.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

OUT OF THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE

NuScale signs agreement with new Polish partners to replace coal

24 September 2021

NuScale has signed a second agreement to consider its small reactors as a general replacement for coal units in Poland. The US small reactor vendor will support two energy firms, Poland-based Unimot and USA-based Getka, in their joint work to explore the possibility.

The heads of Getka, NuScale and Unimot yesterday (Image: Unimot)

Poland uses coal as fuel for over 70% of its electricity, as well as half of its heat supply to district heating networks and industry, but is still to announce a definitive policy to fully transition away from this fossil fuel. In recent months Polish industry has taken the matter into its own hands, showing increasing interest in nuclear power.

The latest Polish energy player to consider small reactors is Unimot, which imports liquid and gas fuels as well as electricity for sale on Polish retail and wholesale markets. Unimot already works with a USA-based company called Getka, and yesterday the two signed an agreement with NuScale to explore whether its 77 MWe NuScale Power Module could be deployed "as a coal repurposing solution for existing coal-fired power plants in Poland."

"We are pleased that this is another area to develop low-emission projects in Poland, where we can be as involved as the Unimot Group in decarbonisation," said Adam Sikorski, president of the management board of Unimot.

"Our role will be promoting SMR technology as a reliable alternative for coal technologies, and acquiring business partners in the Polish market, said Sikorski. "Ultimately, we also intend to create a platform of collaboration with Polish academic centres and potential Polish component suppliers to develop this technology in our country. Because of this, we can actively support the energy transformation of Poland, simultaneously diversifying our group's business," he said.

Dariusz Cichocki, chairman and CEO of Getka Group said, “This project aligns with our commitment to decarbonise and diversify Poland’s energy infrastructure.”

Latest in a trend

The agreement was announced yesterday after a similar deal between NuScale and Polish copper and silver producer KGHM, which will analyse technical, economic, legal, regulatory, financial and organisational factors in using NuScale plants as replacement for coal units.

Marcin Chludziński, president of KGHM's management board, said climate change is forcing "decisive actions", with the impact already being felt financially through increases in energy prices. "The construction of small nuclear reactors by 2030 is a solid declaration and an element of our energy transformation. We are pioneers in Poland, as we expect that the first of our nuclear power plants will come online in 2029," he said.

Another collaboration is underway regarding GE-Hitachi's BWRX-300 reactor design as a potential replacement for larger coal units and to power industrial sites. Synthos Green Energy, a subsidiary of the Polish chemical group Synthos, is GE-Hitachi's partner and is looking to support the deployment of nuclear units at power plants and energy intensive chemical plants.

Polish companies sign MoUs on SMR deployment and supply chain

23 September 2021

Two separate agreements have been announced between Polish companies and North American small modular reactor (SMR) vendors and suppliers. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Cameco, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH), GEH SMR Technologies Canada, Ltd and Synthos Green Energy (SGE) will see those companies evaluate a potential Canadian supply chain for a fleet of BWRX-300 reactors in Poland. Separately, NuScale Power, KGHM Polska Miedź SA (KGHM) and Piela Business Engineering (PBE) are to explore the deployment of NuScale's SMR technology to repower or repurpose existing coal-fired power plants.

GEH's vision for BWRX-300 (Image: GEH)

SGE is a member of the Synthos group, one of the biggest producers of chemical raw materials in Poland, which is interested in obtaining affordable, on-demand, carbon-free electricity from a dependable, dedicated source. SGE and GEH have previously agreed to collaborate on the potential deployment of the BWRX-300 in Poland.

SGE President Rafał Kasprów said the company is, in addition to the MoU, working closely with GEH to identify "supply chain opportunities" in Poland that complement the export capabilities being developed in Canada for the BWRX-300.

Uranium supplier Cameco also supplies uranium refining and conversion services to the global nuclear industry and in July this year agreed with GEH and Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas to explore several areas of cooperation to advance the commercialisation and deployment of BWRX-300 SMRs in Canada and around the world.

"We believe nuclear energy will play a major role in helping countries and companies around the world achieve their net-zero emission targets," Cameco President and CEO Tim Gitzel said. "This MoU is a great example of the kind of innovative solutions businesses like Synthos Green Energy are exploring and how SMRs could contribute to industry-driven efforts to decarbonise."

The BWRX-300 is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of GEH's US Nuclear Regulatory Commission-certified ESBWR.

Repurposing coal plants

 

(Image: @NuScale_Power)
The MoU announced today by NuScale Power, copper and silver producer KGHM and business engineering advisory consultancy PBE will see the three companies explore the deployment of NuScale's SMR technology as a repowering or repurposing solution for existing coal-fired power plants and electricity and heat for KGHM's industrial processes in Poland. "This agreement demonstrates international interest in utilising NuScale's SMR technology to produce clean, reliable, and affordable energy," the companies said.

Under the MoU, NuScale will support KGHM and PBE's examination which will include an analysis of technical, economic, legal, regulatory, financial, and organisational factors.

NuScale Chairman and CEO John Hopkins said the retirement of ageing coal-fired power plants is leading to changes in power generation, infrastructure needs, and workforce opportunity. "NuScale's SMR technology is an ideal flexible clean energy solution to repurpose retiring coal fuelled power plants and most importantly, retain and retrain the skilled power plant workforce already in place in these Polish communities," he said.

Marcin Chludziński, president of KGHM's management board, said climate change is forcing "decisive actions", with the impact already being felt financially through increases in energy prices. "The construction of small nuclear reactors by 2030 is a solid declaration and an element of our energy transformation. We are pioneers in Poland, as we expect that the first of our nuclear power plants will come online in 2029," he said.

"SMR technology will not only help us to protect the environment but will also substantially reduce the costs of operating our business," he added. "This is one of the recently-announced initiatives aimed at growing the company, and we plan to generate power commercially in order to assist in the green transformation of Poland and bring down costs for the average household."

Modular energy sources will play an "exceptionally important role" in the energy sector, PBE Managing Partner Piotr Piela said. The SMR, he said, is not only a crucial component "fitting energy transformation of Poland and many others fossil fuels-dependent EU countries", but also a 'technology of common interest' essential to the successful implementation of the "Pan European Green Deal".

NuScale's SMR features a 77 MWe Power Module using pressurised water reactor technology, deployed in power plants housing up to four, six or 12 individual power modules. In August 2020, it became the first, and so far, only, SMR design to receive approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Polish chemical producer Ciech recently announced it will consider nuclear technologies to replace coal burnt for power and process heat in its plants, and signed a Letter of Intent to cooperate with SGE.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

 

Dalhousie turbine turning former mill water supply into power

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Hydroelectric project to generate up to $100,000 in annual revenue

Alexandre Silberman · CBC News · Posted: Sep 25, 2021 

Dalhousie Mayor Normand Pelletier shows the town's new micro hydroelectric turbine, which generates power using excess water supply. (Alexandre Silberman/CBC)

The steady hum of machinery is back on Dalhousie's waterfront, a welcome sign of new activity in New Brunswick's northernmost town.

An underground hydroelectric turbine started operating earlier this month, generating power from the water pipe once used to supply its former paper mill.

Mayor Normand Pelletier said revenue from the turbine will allow the community to explore additional green energy projects and help offset a declining tax base. 

"It's a win-win for Dalhousie and the citizens of the town," he said.

Once a hub of industry in northern New Brunswick, mangled fences and thick weeds now surround the empty tract of land where the mill operated. 

The town of about 3,000 people lost the pulp and paper industry, a chemical plant and a generating station between 2008 and 2011.

Dalhousie's pulp and paper mill shutdown more than a decade ago. The town's water supply pipe was built to supply the operation. (Alexandre Silberman/CBC)

Dalhousie's water pipe was built to supply the now-demolished paper mill from the Charlo Dam. Without the operation, it carries far more water than the town needs.

"We were utilizing one third of that water," Pelletier said. "The rest was being dumped into the Bay of Chaleur."

After the mill closed, the town began conducting studies on the possibility of installing a turbine in the pipe.

 

New Brunswick's northernmost community is using extra water supply from a former paper mill to generate enough power for 50 homes. 2:27

The project took six years to complete and cost about $1 million, with $600,000 from the federal government and $280,000 from the province. The Town of Dalhousie covered the remaining $120,000.

It was expected to start generating power last year, but construction was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The turbine is expected to last 50 years.

Powering 50 homes

The electricity is being sold back to N.B. Power. It's only the second project of its kind connected to the utility's distribution system, according to spokesperson Marc Belliveau.

Hargrove Hydro, commissioned in the late 1960s, is the other project and is located near Florenceville-Bristol.

Pelletier said the turbine produces enough electricity to power 50 homes in the community for a year.

It is expected to generate revenues between $85,000 and $100,000 per year, which will initially be used to pay off the project.

Dalhousie's new hydroelectric turbine generates about 100 kilowatt hours, enough energy to power 50 homes in the community for a year. (Alexandre Silberman/CBC)

The mayor said Dalhousie is starting to look at other possible green energy projects for the community, including wind and solar. 

"We can use that money for future projects that we're looking at," he said.

"It feels awesome to have this up and running."