NUKE NEWZ

Holtec unveils hybrid nuclear-solar power plant design

02 February 2024

Holtec International has announced a new power plant design which combines the benefits of nuclear with those of solar. The Combined Nuclear/Solar Plant (CNSP) features the company's SMR-300 small modular reactor, its HI-THERM HSP solar thermal system, together with its Green Boiler energy storage system.

An SMR-300 plant (Image: Holtec)

The plant can "provide base load or on-demand power while eliminating the intermittency drawback of solar plants", according to Holtec.

Holtec has been developing its small modular reactor (SMR) unit since 2011. The SMR-300 is a pressurised water reactor producing about 300 MW of electrical power or 1050 MW of thermal power for process applications, and the company says it has undergone several design evolutions, the most recent of which is the incorporation of forced flow capability overlayed on gravity-driven flow in the plant's primary system.

With the combined plant, the energy contribution of the Sun to the power plant will occur through the HI-THERM HSP hybrid solar plant.

The nuclear reactor's steam supply system and the heat from the solar thermal plant are conjugated in the Green Boiler which is a heavily insulated thermal energy storage device with integral steam generators. Holtec says the Green Boiler is a three-in-one device that: can store vast amounts of heat; receives high temperature heat conveyed to it from the solar collector; and  can make motive steam at the required pressure and superheat to power the turbine.

"The CNSP will have a much higher thermodynamic efficiency than the nuclear plant alone and would make solar power an integral part of base load supply," the company said. "It should be noted that the CNSP does not use any batteries, which have been the Achilles heel of the renewable energy industry. In fact, CNSP contains no fragile parts or materials that may limit its service life, which is expected to exceed 60 years."

Holtec believes the most immediate application of the CNSP technology is to repower coal-fired power plants, which typically have sufficient land area to house the CNSP, which would use the coal plant's existing power block, thereby minimising the cost of transition. The steam production portion of the coal plant will be decommissioned, it said, freeing up most of the plant's land area where the solar plant would reside.

While it says the CNSP is adaptable for deployment in any country, the company plans to offer the technology principally in those regions of the world where "solar radiation level is adequate to be harvestable".

"We believe that an adroit combination of nuclear and solar embodied in the CNSP provides a compelling solution for nations seeking to move past fossil fuels," said Holtec President and CEO Kris Singh.

In December 2019, California-based Oklo Inc launched its Aurora energy plant which is powered by a small reactor with integrated solar panels. The company describes Aurora as an "advanced fission clean energy plant design developed to power communities with affordable, reliable, clean power." The Aurora "powerhouse" includes a "fission battery" which uses metallic fuel. Its sloped roof serves as the support for solar photovoltaic panels. It can produce about 1.5 MW of electrical power and can also produce usable heat.

Grossi to discuss Zaporizhzhia staffing concerns

02 February 2024

The decision to block access for staff yet to sign a contract with the Russian operators of the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and its impact on safety, is going to be raised by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi when he visits the site next week.

IAEA staff have been at Zaporizhzhia since September 2022 (Image: IAEA)

Grossi, who will be visiting the Ukrainian capital on Tuesday to discuss nuclear safety and security issues in the country, is then going to to make his fourth trip across the frontline of the war to get to the six-reactor Zaporizhzhia plant.

On Thursday the current operators of the plant, which has been under Russian military control since early March 2022, said that 120 workers still employed by Ukraine's national nuclear energy company Energoatom would not be allowed access to the site.

The IAEA says: "The staff working at the ZNPP (Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant) now consists of former Energoatom employees who have adopted Russian citizenship and signed employment contracts with the Russian operating entity, as well as staff who have been sent to the ZNPP from the Russian Federation. The ZNPP told the IAEA team at the site today that there are enough certified personnel at the plant and all positions are fully filled."

Grossi said he would be discussing the new development during his visit, saying: "It is of crucial importance that the plant has the qualified and skilled staff that it needs for nuclear safety and security. The number of staff has already been reduced significantly since the war began almost two years ago." He told the UN in January that even with reactors shut down the plant was "operating on significantly reduced staff who are under unprecedented psychological pressure which ... is not sustainable".

The IAEA says there were about 11,500 staff working there before the war began. The current operators of the plant say they have 4500 staff employed there and 940 applications under consideration, with 750 people promoted over the past year: "We emphasise that at the moment the Zaporozhye NPP is staffed with the necessary personnel to ensure the safe operation of the station."

Yuriy Chernichuk, the Russian operator's director of the plant, said the decision to lock the 120 specialists out of the site was needed to bring the site into line with the Russian nuclear industry's norms and regulations: "We are grateful for their professionalism and dedication. And, despite the fact that there was enough time to make a decision on concluding a contract with the Russian operating company, we are ready to consider their applications if they make the appropriate decision."

The current team of IAEA experts at the site have this week visited unit 1's reactor hall and safety rooms, two fresh fuel storage facilities, the dry used fuel storage facility and water sprinkler ponds as well as observing some of the commissioning work for the new diesel steam generators, which will be used to process liquid waste. The IAEA said the plant operators have "not yet confirmed whether the steam generated by this new equipment will enable it to place all reactor units in cold shutdown". One remains in 'hot' shutdown to produce steam for the plant's needs.

UK decommissioning research partnership begins to bear fruit

02 February 2024

A research partnership between the UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and National Decommissioning Centre (NDC), formed in 2022, is already helping the energy sector to reduce costs and emissions, improve environmental outcomes and deliver sustainable net-zero decommissioning.

(Image: NDA-NDC)

The NDC - based near Aberdeen, Scotland - is a GBP38 million (USD48 million) partnership between the University of Aberdeen, Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC) and industry. NZTC develops and deploys technology to accelerate an affordable net-zero energy industry. Founded in 2017, the centre was created as part of the Aberdeen City Region Deal, with GBP180 million of UK and Scottish government funding.

In September 2022, the NDA and NDC signed a three-year collaborative research agreement - the first of its kind between the nuclear and oil and gas decommissioning sectors. The partnership, supporting research with a potential value of up to GBP900,000, sees the NDA work with researchers from the University of Aberdeen in areas of mutual interest to both the nuclear and oil and gas sectors.

The agreement built on three years of discussions involving the NDA, the NDC, Net Zero Technology Centre, regulators including the North Sea Transition Authority, and industry bodies, which sought to identify mutually beneficial opportunities through the insights and lessons learned from each sector.

Among the areas identified for joint research are the development of AI-based techniques to support risk management, sharing new technology development, analysing impact on the economy and environment and finding environmentally safe alternatives to cement.

Both nuclear and oil and gas decommissioning require the cutting of structures underwater. The NDC is developing an underwater laser cutter for oil and gas decommissioning and one partnership project delivered a review on the applicability of this to nuclear decommissioning.

In addition, an AI-enabled risk live dashboard has been developed for monitoring real-time global news to evaluate how international events can impact the nuclear industry in the short or long-term. It will be used to help risk analysts in their day-to-day jobs by scanning vast amounts of information quickly, allowing more time to identify, consider and respond to potential risks.

The partnership is also undertaking an economic impact study looking at the socioeconomic benefits of decommissioning at a local and national level and the possible impacts and benefits for associated communities. Analysis shows decommissioning activity has the potential to deliver economy-wide gains in key areas such as skills, employment, and household income, which in turn boost household consumption. The study will support stakeholder engagement helping to inform politicians and policy makers on key opportunities and enable discussions around support for skills, training and economic development to back decommissioning activities.

"We are tasked with decommissioning the UK's oldest nuclear sites safely, securely, sustainably and cost effectively," said Heather Barton, Interim Environment, Health and Safety Director, who coordinates the partnership on behalf of the NDA. "The real strength in the partnership is that there are numerous areas where we can collaborate to help us achieve this. It has been a resounding success since it was launched with several key outcomes already achieved including providing impartial insights to regulators, government, stakeholders, and advisory groups. By utilising technology and innovation, we can create a safer working environment for our employees, return our sites to communities for reuse earlier, and leave a more sustainable legacy for generations to come."

"Bringing the NDC and NDA together has allowed for collaboration in new ways to achieve our joint goals of delivering safe, efficient and sustainable decommissioning," added Sergi Arnau, Project Delivery Manager at the NDC. "The NDC has a culture of innovation in research and development and we are looking forward to continuing to successfully harness the skills and capabilities available through the partnership to deliver vital work with the NDA.

"For year 3 of the partnership and beyond, a project to enhance the autonomous capabilities of underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) used during the inspection and maintenance of nuclear ponds is envisaged. Furthermore, the expertise gathered from years of oil and gas drilling exploration will prove beneficial in the development of an underground storage facility for radioactive waste disposal."

Nuvia to carry out Ringhals decommissioning work

02 February 2024

Nuvia, a subsidiary of France's Vinci construction group, has been awarded a contract by Vattenfall to remove, inspect and sort the radioactive and other materials currently inside the reactor buildings of units 1 and 2 at the Ringhals nuclear power plant in Sweden.

The signing of the contract (Image: Nuvia)

The works on site are planned to be carried out from mid-2025 to 2031, will mobilise up to 400 people and involve the processing of more than 30,000 tonnes of materials.

This work will prepare for the future conventional demolition of the reinforced-concrete structures of the two units. Vattenfall estimates that the entire demolition process will take around 8-10 years.

Vinci noted that Nuvia - which is active in Sweden through its subsidiary Nuvia Nordic AB - has participated in most of the country's nuclear dismantling projects so far. In 2022, Nuvia was awarded the contract to dismantle the large elements of the primary circuit of one of the plant's two units.

Ringhals 1 is a boiling water reactor built in 1969 by ASEA Atom, while Ringhals 2 is a pressurised water reactor built in 1970 by Westinghouse.

Ringhals 1 and 2 were closed at the end of 2020 and 2019, respectively - several years earlier than planned due to the economic impact of punitive taxes. When it announced its intention to close the plants, in 2015, Vattenfall said, "Market conditions and the impact of the high output tax have prompted us to limit investments in Ringhals 1 and 2." The final decision was made in October 2015. Two other reactors will continue to operate at Ringhals until the early 2040s.

In August 2021, Vattenfall awarded a contract to Westinghouse for the segmentation and disposal of the reactor pressure vessels, internals and fuel racks at Ringhals 1 and 2.

Iran announces start of work at new plant site

02 February 2024

The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) has announced the start of work at a site in Hormozgan province that it says will be home to four new nuclear reactors.

Site works are now under way at Hormozgan (Image: Mohsen Vanaei/IRNA)

The site, near the cities of Minab and Sirik, will ultimately have a capacity of about 5000 MWe and is part of 20,000 MWe of capacity the country intends to build over the next 20 years, the AEOI said.

The ceremony to mark the start of work at the site took place during a visit by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to the province on 1 February, with the President issuing an order by videolink to Mohammad Eslami, the head of the AEOI.

Eslami said USD15 billion will be invested in the "super project" to build four 1250 MWe units in line with the Makran coast development plan. No details have been provided about the units themselves.

Mohammad Eslami, second from the left in the middle row, attended the ceremonial start of site works (Image: Mohsen Vanei/IRNA)

A Russian-designed VVER unit with a capacity of 915 MWe is already in operation at Bushehr on the Persian Gulf coast where a second VVER is under construction and a third unit is planned. Site work has also begun at a site at Dharkovin on the Karun river, in Khuzestan province. AEOI said in December 2022 that construction of a 300 MWe domestically designed pressurised water reactor had begun there, but this reactor is not yet classed as "under construction" in the International Atomic Energy Agency's Power Reactor Information System database which defines the start of construction as the first major placing of concrete for the base mat of the reactor.

In 2015, press reports suggested that two Chinese-supplied 100 MWe units had been pencilled in for construction at a site on the Makran coast.

Iran's official IRNA news agency has shared a gallery of photographs from the Hormozgan ceremony.

Replacement steam generators arrive at Cruas-Meysse

02 February 2024

Three new steam generators were delivered last month to the Cruas-Meysse nuclear power plant in south-eastern France. The components will be replaced at unit 3 later this year in order to enable the 900 MWe pressurised water reactor (PWR) to continue operating beyond 40 years.

One of the steam generators arrives at Cruas-Meysse (Image: EDF)

Steam generators transfer the thermal energy generated in the reactor vessel of a PWR from the primary (reactor) cooling system to the secondary (turbine) cooling system, producing the steam to drive the electricity generation turbine. In French 900 MWe PWRs, the main primary circuit includes three steam generators.

Three new steam generators - each measuring about 21 metres in height, 4.5 metres in diameter and weighing some 330 tonnes - were delivered to the Cruas-Meysse site on 11, 18 and 24 January following a two-day journey. The components were manufactured by Framatome at its Saint-Marcel plant in Chalon-sur-Saône and were then transported 283 km by barge and 3 km by road. The journey had been carefully prepared since June last year.

A steam generator is unloaded from the barge (Image: Framatome)

The new steam generators will be installed in the reactor building of unit 3 in place of those that will be dismantled after 40 years of use. The new components will be re-welded to the hydraulic circuits of the plant before a comprehensive testing phase begins.

The old steam generators will be removed, taken out of the reactor building and stored in a specially constructed building on the site.

A steam generator being transported by road (Image: Framatome)

EDF noted that, over time, the thousands of tubes within the steam generators can become clogged, making heat exchange less efficient. It said the replacement of these components allows performance gains with 13% additional heat exchange surface due to the number of tubes being increased from 3460 to 4460.

Unit 3 at the Cruas-Meysse plant will be taken offline in August for a complete inspection that will last more than seven months, called a ten-year inspection. During the outage, the replacement of the steam generators will last about 100 days and will involve nearly 1000 workers.

Cruas-Meysse 3 is the first unit at the site to undergo its fourth ten-year inspection.

A ten-year inspection includes modifications, maintenance work, checks and tests on the installation with regard to the most recent safety standards and best national and international practices. It also constitutes a decisive step in obtaining the opinion of the Nuclear Safety Authority regarding the continued operation of the production unit for an additional ten years.

The steam generators of Cruas-Meysse units 4 and 1 took place in 2014 and 2017, respectively, while those of unit 2 are scheduled to be replaced in 2027.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

 

Nuclear Power Plant to Reopen in Michigan

By Charles Kennedy - Jan 31, 2024

The U.S. Department of Energy will provide a loan of $1.5 billion to Holtec, the energy equipment supplier, to reopen the Palisades nuclear power plant in Michigan.

This is according to a Reuters report citing an unnamed source who said the loan will be made public next month.

This would be the first time ever that a closed nuclear power plant in the United States would be reopened.

A spokesperson for Holtec confirmed the news of the reopening, saying "We hope for a timely approval to bring the plant back to full power operation toward the end of 2025."

“As we transition away from fossil fuels, nuclear is going to be a critical part of not only reaching our climate goals but doing so in a way that ensures the lights stay on,” Nick Culp also said.

Holtec originally bought the Palisades nuclear plant in 2022 from Entergy with the intention of decommissioning it as federal and state energy policies made it harder for nuclear power to compete with other forms of energy.

However, last year the Biden administration rediscovered nuclear power as a low-carbon option and signaled they would support more nuclear—especially as it emerged the massive buildout in wind and solar that the administration saw as the only way to transition away from oil and gas might not be that easy to do.

As interest in nuclear returned Holtec filed an application with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission last October to reopen the facility. A month later, the company had also signed a deal with a Michigan non-profit energy cooperative to buy up to 66% of the power that Palisades would generate.

The Palisades plant has a capacity of 800 MW, and Holtec last year announced plans to build two new reactors at the site—small modular reactors with a capacity of 300 MW each. The company, however, said that without federal funding it would not be able to reopen Palisades and would have to instead decommission it.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

 

Nisga'a Nation forms mine royalty company

North of 60 Mining News - February 2, 2024

Pretium Resources Inc.

Ultrahigh-grade gold permeates a rock sample collected from Brucejack– a Northern B.C. mine that represents one of the five royalties that Nisga'a Nation is transferring to Nations Royalty.

Nations Royalty is positioned to be Canada's largest business majority owned by a First Nation, significant player in realm of mining royalties.

Leveraging royalties it has received through benefits agreements for mine projects in Northern British Columbia, the Nisga'a Nation is forming a Canadian First Nations mining royalty company for Indigenous people.

The Nisga'a Nation's lands and treaty area covers nearly 27,000 square kilometers (10,400 square miles) at the southern tip of B.C.'s prolific Golden Triangle. In recent years, the northwestern B.C. First Nation has accumulated significant royalties through benefit agreements with companies exploring and developing five mine projects in its region.

On Feb. 1, the Nisga'a Nation finalized a deal to transfer these annual benefit payment entitlements to Vega Mining Inc. in exchange for Vega shares. As a result of the transaction, Vega will be majority-owned by the Nisga'a Nation and renamed Nations Royalty Corp.

"Our people have a history of leadership and innovation, from significant legal victories to the first Modern Treaty in British Columbia," said Nisga'a Lisims Government President Eva Clayton. "Today, we embark on this new venture with Indigenous groups and leaders from the mining industry to promote cooperation and progress, ushering in a new era in Indigenous business, as well as Canada's mining and natural resources sector."

Rob McLeod, a third-generation miner from the town of Stewart within the Nisga'a region and with deep family ties to Nisga'a leadership, will serve as interim president and CEO of Nations Royalty.

Mining magnate Frank Giustra is a strategic advisor to the First Nations-owned royalty company.

"I am honored to collaborate with the Nisga'a and other First Nations in establishing this essential new company," Giustra said. "Almost two decades ago, I played a role in developing the metals streaming concept as a co-founder of Wheaton Precious Metals and I see Nations Royalty as a vitally important successor to this concept."

Strong royalty foundation

Nations Royalty will be built on a foundation of five royalties Nisga'a Nation holds on one operating gold mine, one gold mine ramping up to operation in the coming months, and three advanced-stage mineral exploration and mine development projects.

These projects for which Nisga'a Nation holds royalties include:

• Brucejack – a high-grade gold mine operated by Pretium Resources Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Newmont Corp, the largest gold mining company in the world. This mine produces nearly 300,000 ounces of gold per year.

• Premier and Red Mountain – a mining operation being developed by Ascot Resources Ltd. that is slated to reach commercial production in the coming months. This mine is expected to produce roughly 1.1 million oz of gold and 3 million oz of silver over the first eight years.

• KSM – a world-class mine project being developed by Seabridge Gold Inc. that is slated to produce more than 1 million oz of gold, 3 million oz of silver, 178 million lbs of copper and 4.2 million lbs of molybdenum annually for 33 years.

• Kitsault molybdenum deposit – a large and fully permitted brownfield site being actively advanced by New Moly LLC. Nisga'a Lisims Government is having preliminary discussions with mining companies on the idea of a hub and spoke mill at the site of the Kitsault.

"Our portfolio of royalties are from Tier 1 and Tier 2 assets equally diversified across gold and copper, providing a strong foundation to grow the company," said Nisga'a Lisims Government Secretary-Treasurer Charles Morven. "Our objective is to establish the Company as a long-term, dividend-paying cornerstone investment for the Nisga'a Nation."

Diversifying Indigenous royalties

The Nations Royalty benefits are expected to extend well beyond the Nisga'a Nation. The company is already in discussions with other First Nations and Indigenous groups to join the company in the near future, marking a transformative moment in Canada's mining landscape, characterized by unity, empowerment, and a shared vision for the future.

"We look forward to collaborating with First Nations across Canada and Indigenous communities worldwide, as well as outside shareholders, through Nations Royalty," said Morvan.

Building on the strong foundation laid with the Nisga'a royalties, Giustra sees Nations Royalty as a way for other Indigenous groups to expand and diversify their potential gains by pooling the royalties held in various regions of Canada and potentially in places like Alaska, where Indigenous groups hold royalties on lands owned by Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) regional and village corporations.

"Through the vision of combining additional Indigenous held royalties, Nations Royalty will provide an opportunity for Indigenous groups across Canada and potentially globally, to achieve diversification through different regions and commodities," he said.

Giustra also sees Nations Royalty as a vehicle to inspire Indigenous entrepreneurs and companies to participate in capital markets across various industries while also providing a collective Indigenous voice to sustainable mining practices.

"A core focus of the company is to build capacity for Indigenous people in the management of public companies and capital markets, which we hope will result in the creation of additional Indigenous economic ventures," he said. "The company is positioned to set new benchmarks in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles, benefiting indigenous groups, investors, and capital markets."

Details of the deal

Vega Mining, a company formerly listed as a metals and mining company on the TSX Venture Exchange, is basically a shell company for the formation of Nations Royalty.

To transform Vega into Nations Royalty, the idling company will issue shares in exchange for the Nisga'a Nation royalties. At the same time, Vega will raise C$10 million through the issuance of 11.11 million shares at C90 cents per share. As a result of these transactions, Nisga'a Nation will own 76.5%, current Vega shareholders will own 15.9%, and investors in the financing will own 7.6% of Nations Royalty.

"This transaction allows us to bring forward the future value of our royalties and retain the net-asset value (NAV) multiple and diversification afforded to public royalty companies," said Morven.

Nations Royalty's board will consist of six directors, four nominated by Nisga'a Nation and two independent directors – Matthew Coon Come and Alex Morrison.

Coon Come gained international recognition during his tenure as the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations from 2000 to 2003, where his dedication to indigenous self-determination and commitment to bridging gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities have left a lasting legacy in the ongoing struggle for Indigenous rights and reconciliation in Canada and worldwide. In 2018, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada for his exceptional contributions. He currently serves as a director of Seabridge Gold, and previously served on the boards of Newmont and Goldcorp Inc.

Vega Mining Inc.

Mines and development projects within the Nisga'a Nation region of northwestern B.C.

Morrison is an experienced mining executive with more than 35 years of experience. He has vast multidisciplinary experience in senior strategic roles in finance, accounting, information technology, supply chain, risk management, and operations support at Newmont Mining, Homestake Mining, Phelps Dodge, and Stillwater Mining. His most relevant experience for Nations Royalty is his former role as chief financial officer at Franco Nevada, a leading international gold royalty company. He has held diverse corporate director, chairman, and lead director roles for a broad list of mining companies, including Detour Gold, Taseko Mines, Energy Fuels, Gold Standard Ventures, and Gold Resource Corp. He is a chartered professional accountant.

McLeod, who played a pivotal role in the formation of Nations Royalty, is expected to be named as interim president and CEO.

It is the goal of Nations Royalty, however, to be managed and run by Indigenous people.

Upon the completion of the transaction, Nations Royalty's management team will include individuals possessing extensive expertise in Indigenous engagement, benefit agreement negotiations, finance, technical due diligence, and marketing, with a strong emphasis on Indigenous leadership at the forefront.

Author Bio

Shane Lasley, Publisher

Over his more than 15 years of covering mining and mineral exploration, Shane has become renowned for his ability to report on the sector in a way that is technically sound enough to inform industry insiders while being easy to understand by a wider audience.