NUKE NEWS

Energoatom and Hyundai E&C sign cooperation memorandum

14 May 2024

The memorandum of cooperation signed by the Ukrainian and South Korean companies covers cooperating on the design, construction and commissioning of new nuclear power units in Ukraine.

(Image: Ukraine's Ministry of Energy)

The agreement was signed by Energoatom's Petro Kotin and Korean Hyundai Engineering and Construction Executive Vice President and Operations Director Choi Young in the presence of Ukraine's Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko and South Korea's Ambassador to Ukraine Kim Hyun-Tae.

Halushchenko said the agreements were important in terms of the plans for new Westinghouse AP1000 units at the Khmelnitsky nuclear power plant: "It is important that, together with the Korean side, we sign this memorandum during the war and, without waiting for its end, move forward. I am confident that together we will build an energy industry in Ukraine that will meet the best global standards."

The ambassador said the memorandum would "contribute to the development of Ukrainian-Korean cooperation in the nuclear industry, in particular, the exchange of experience in the field of nuclear technologies".

Kotin said: "South Korea"

IAEA warns against attacks on, or from, Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has restated that "there must be no attack of any kind from or against this major nuclear facility".

The six reactors are now all in cold shutdown (Image: IAEA)

In his latest update on the situation at the six-unit Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which has been under Russian military control since early March 2022, Grossi said that on the question of military action targeting the plant, or being launched from it "the five concrete principles - widely supported by the members of the United Nations Security Council - are very clear".

He said that the agency's experts at the plant had heard military activity on most days "including artillery and rocket fire some distance away ... as well as small arms fire both near to and further away from the site". There had also been air-raid sirens on Wednesday and Thursday.

The IAEA was "aware of reports alleging that a training base for drone operators as well as drone launch pads have been deployed near the ZNPP's reactor unit 6 and its training centre. The IAEA experts have not seen any evidence of drones being launched, or the presence of training facilities or launching pads, within the site perimeter, but have requested access to the rooftop of a nearby laboratory building. The ZNPP has informed the IAEA team that the request is under consideration".

Since September 2022 there have been IAEA experts stationed at the facility, helping to monitor the situation and seeking to reduce the risks to safety and security at a place which is located on the frontline of Russian and Ukrainian forces.

They have carried out regular walkdowns across the site, although there have been some areas where they have had to request access a number of times before being allowed to visit. This week they have visited the two fresh fuel storage facilities, performed radiation monitoring along the site perimeter and measured the levels of the site's sprinkler ponds, which they reported to have enough water to provide cooling to the six reactors.

Another issue that the IAEA has been monitoring has been the staffing situation at the plant. The Russian operators say there are currently 5000 staff, an increase on last year but "still significantly fewer than it had before the conflict", the agency added. There are 800 open positions, and the operators have told the IAEA that staffing levels at Rosatom-operated nuclear power plants are generally "significantly lower than the corresponding staffing levels of Ukraine". The IAEA says its experts are "prevented from freely talking to main control room staff, affecting the agency's ability to independently assess the knowledge and experience of these personnel that are essential to maintaining nuclear safety at the ZNPP".

Grossi said: "We are continuing to monitor the staffing situation closely, as it is of vital importance for nuclear safety and security. For this purpose, our experts would also require an opportunity to discuss with the operators of the main control rooms, and other qualified staff."

The IAEA said that its teams at Ukraine's other nuclear power plants of Khmelnitsky, Rivne and South Ukraine, plus at Chernobyl, "reported that nuclear safety and security continues to be maintained".a has developed nuclear energy and expertise in the nuclear industry. Energoatom and Ukraine as a whole are interested in the development of our cooperation with the Hyundai company, which is one of the world leaders in this market."

The agreements build on a letter of intent that was signed by the two companies in November 2023. In May 2022 Westinghouse and Hyundai E&C signed a strategic cooperation agreement to jointly participate in global AP1000 plant opportunities and last month a ceremony was held to mark the start of the project to build what will become unit 5 at Khmelnitsky NPP.

Ukraine has 15 nuclear units which could generate about half of its electricity, including the six at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant which has been under Russian military control since early March 2022. Ukraine's nuclear expansion plans include proposals for nine new AP1000 reactors across the country.

Khmelnitsky's first reactor was connected to the grid in 1987, but work on three other reactors was halted in 1990, at a time when unit 3 was 75% complete. Work on the second reactor restarted and it was connected to the grid in 2004. A project to complete units 3 and 4 is under way - last month, the Ukrainian Cabinet put forward a draft law on their construction/completion. Halushchenko said earlier this year that unit 3 could come into operation in as little as two and a half years.

Two of the new AP1000s are due to become the fifth and six units at Khmelnitsky and would bring the plant's total capacity beyond that of the six-unit Zaporizhzhia plant which has been under Russian military control since early March 2022. During their talks, Energoatom and Hyundai E&C discussed all these projects as well as agreements with Holtec International on the construction of factories for the production of equipment for small modular reactors and containers for used nuclear fuel.

10 May 2024

Estonian parliament begins preparations for nuclear power programme

09 May 2024

Members of Estonia's parliament, the Riigikogu, have submitted the draft resolution which will allow preparations to begin for the adoption of nuclear energy in the country and the creation of a suitable legislative and regulatory framework.

The Riigikogu building is situated in the courtyard of Toompea Castle and was the first public building in Estonia which was designed to have electric power (Image: Riigikogu Photo Archive/Martin Siplane)

The draft calls for the Riigikogu to pass a "fundamental decision" on whether to allow production of nuclear energy in Estonia. According to the Riigikogu, the draft is mainly based on the analysis conducted by the Nuclear Energy Working Group in 2021-2023 which concluded that the adoption of nuclear energy in Estonia was feasible. The findings of that study were submitted to the Estonian government in March.

The 55 members of the Riigikogu who submitted the draft "support the preparations for the adoption of nuclear energy and the creation of a necessary legislative framework for it", including the drafting of the Nuclear Energy and Safety Act and supplementing the existing legislation, the establishment of nuclear regulatory institution, and the development of "sectoral competences".

According to the draft's explanatory memorandum, the adoption of nuclear power would provide a "controllable and continuous generation capacity" to balance fluctuations in renewable energy generation, help Estonia reach its climate neutrality target, ensure "stable and affordable electricity" in the long term, promote research and development, bring economic benefits and create jobs for local people. It would also bring challenges such as the training of a qualified workforce, handling and storage of used nuclear fuel, and emergency preparedness. "To address these, it is essential to ensure appropriate regulation, supervision, competence development and timely and adequate funding that would guarantee the safe and responsible use of nuclear energy when it is adopted," it states.

The draft does not grant the right to build a nuclear power plant in Estonia, the Riigikogu said.

Estonia's current domestic electricity generation is dominated by fossil fuels, but the country is seeking to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and is looking at nuclear power as a reliable and low carbon option to diversify its energy mix by 2035 when it plans to phase out its use of domestic oil shale. A draft law which would suspend the issuance of new domestic oil shale mining permits until the end of 2025 - to allow time for climate laws to be drafted - has been announced by the Estonian government and is being sent to parliament for consideration.

An IAEA mission to Estonia reported in October that the country had developed a comprehensive assessment of its nuclear power infrastructure needs to decide whether to launch a nuclear power programme. In February 2023, Estonia's Fermi Energia announced it had selected GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy's BWRX-300 SMR for potential deployment in the Baltic country by the early 2030s.

Hungary and China sign nuclear energy cooperation agreement

10 May 2024

A memorandum of understanding on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy has been signed by the China Atomic Energy Authority and Hungary's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, right, hosted talks (Image: Peter Szijjarto/Facebook)

The agreement was one of 18 covering a wide variety of areas signed during President Xi Jinping's visit to Hungary on Thursday.

A joint statement issued by the two countries on the establishing of an over-arching All-Weather Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the New Era, said: "The Chinese side will continue to encourage capable Chinese enterprises to invest in Hungary. The two sides will promote orderly cooperation in emerging fields including clean energy, artificial intelligence, mobile communication technology and nuclear energy and technology."

Hungary's President Viktor Orban said, after his talks with the Chinese president: "The Hungarians have serious ambitions. The previous 100 years, the 20th Century, was a shameful one for Hungary. It was a century in which we lost, a century in which we suffered extremely heavy losses of historic proportions. And the concept driving the Hungarians is that we want to win the 21st Century, and not lose it. And to win we need partners, investors, trading partners and the world’s most advanced technology."

He added: "I will make special mention of something which is not only an economic fact, but also an expression of confidence: the fact that we can extend our cooperation to the whole spectrum of the nuclear industry, where up until now there has been no cooperation between our two countries. This holds great potential, because in this respect - in terms of the nuclear industry - Hungary has considerable international experience and prestige, as we have been involved in this industry for more than 50 years, and currently the largest nuclear development in Europe is taking place in Hungary.

"Our plan is that by the beginning of the next decade the share of Hungary's energy provided by nuclear power will be between 60 and 70 per cent."

In the text of his published remarks, President Xi said the two countries would "connect our development strategies more closely, deepen economic, trade, investment, and financial cooperation, and advance the Budapest-Belgrade railway and other key projects. We will expand cooperation in emerging industries and foster new quality productive forces to empower and facilitate economic and social development of the two countries".

The official statements and publications during the visit do not yet appear to include detail of the content of the memorandum of understanding on nuclear. China is the fastest growing generator of nuclear energy. According to World Nuclear Association figures, it currently has 56 operable reactors with a capacity of 54 GW - and it has 27 more reactors under construction which would provide 28.9 GW more capacity. Hungary currently has four operable nuclear reactors with a capacity of 1.9 GW, supplying about 40% of the country's electricity. It has also embarked on the Paks II project which would see Russia's Rosatom supply two VVER-1200 reactors.

Eletronuclear updates Angra 1 lifetime extension progress

13 May 2024

Brazilian nuclear power plant operator Eletrobras Eletronuclear says it is on track to complete all the steps required to get approval for extended operation of the Angra 1 unit.

Angra 1 and 2 (Image: Eletronuclear)

Angra 1, Brazil's first nuclear power unit, is a 609 MWe pressurised water reactor that was first connected to the grid in 1982. Eletronuclear is seeking a lifetime extension from 40 to 60 years.

Getting a lifetime extension is a long and complex process and years of preparation had already gone into it even before the initial request for renewal of its operating licence was submitted to the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN) in 2019. Eletrobras said that during 2023 it submitted 16 reports to the regulatory body, including assessments of safety factors as defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

It said it had also responded to 166 follow-up questions from CNEN by the end of last month. And it had also carried out the third and final Periodic Safety Reassessment, a document produced every 10 years looking at things such as safety performance, emergency planning, equipment qualification and management systems.

The company also uses the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's License Renewal Application process and is preparing next month for a fourth visit by the IAEA for a Safety Aspects of Long Term Operation (SALTO) mission - the previous ones were held in 2013, 2018 and 2022.

José Augusto do Amaral, superintendent of Operational Support Engineering and responsible for the LTO, said: "The negotiation process with [CNEN] should last until the end of this year to finalise the steps. But the company is prepared and continues to have constant dialogue ... we are managing to demonstrate that Angra 1 will be able to continue operating efficiently and safely."

Measures already taken to extend the service life for a further 20 years include new steam generators, changing the reactor pressure vessel cover and replacing the main transformers, the company says, as well as implementing ageing/obsolescence management systems. It estimates safety and modernisation spending of around BRL3 billion (USD585 million) between 2024 and 2028. it will get short term financing from its main shareholders, ENBPar and Eletrobras, while negotiations are completed with the US Export-Import Bank for the full modernisation programme.

Angra 1 reached criticality in 1982 and entered commercial operation in 1985. The pressurised water reactor (PWR) has a design capacity of 640 MWe (net capacity 609 MWe). Eletrobras Eletronuclear also operates Angra 2, a 1275 MWe (net) PWR which began commercial operation in 2001. Together with Angra 2 it generates about 3% of Brazil’s electricity. Work on the Angra 3 project - to feature a Siemens/KWU 1405 MW pressurised water reactor - began in 1984 but was suspended two years later, before construction began. The scheme was resurrected in 2006, with first concrete in 2010. But, amid a corruption probe into government contracts, construction of the unit was halted for a second time in 2015, when it was 65% complete. It resumed again in November 2022 - at the time of the project’s revitalisation, Eletronuclear’s aim was to start operations by the end of 2026. However, work has again faced interruptions pending agreement with local authorities on "socio-environmental" compensation payments.

Brazil also began a process to identify sites for new nuclear power plants in 2022 - its National Energy Plan to 2050 said the country aimed to add 10 GW of nuclear capacity in the next 30 years.

Turbine building roof installed at Akkuyu 2

13 May 2024

The three-month process of installing the roof on the turbine building of the second unit at Turkey's Akkuyu nuclear power plant has been completed.

One of the sections is lifted under clear night skies (Image: Akkuyu Nuclear JSC)

The roof is formed from nine sections, weighing between 95 and 175 tonnes and measuring 61 metres long, with a Liebherr 13000 crawler crane used. Each section had to be installed to an accuracy of within 10 millimetres.

Sergei Butskikh, first deputy director general of Akkuyu Nuclear JSC, said: "Installing roof trusses in a turbine hall is a complex task that requires a high degree of attention to detail and flawless execution. Despite the strict schedule and difficult weather conditions, the team of builders successfully completed the task. We are proud of the results achieved and thank each employee for their diligence and professionalism. At the next stage, we will begin installing the main units and components of the turbogenerator unit."

The section is lowered into place (Image: Akkuyu Nuclear JSC)

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.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

US President signs uranium import prohibition

14 May 2024

The act prohibiting the importation into the USA of unirradiated, low-enriched uranium (LEU) that is produced in the Russian Federation or by a Russian entity has been signed into law by President Joe Biden.

President Biden pictured signing legislation earlier this year. The President has now signed into law HR 1042. (Image: The White House/Adam Schultz)

The president signed HR 1042, the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act, on 13 May - two weeks after the bill was passed unanimously by the US Senate. The legislation bans the import of Russian-produced unirradiated LEU as well as the import of unirradiated LEU that has been swapped for banned uranium.

The prohibition on imports of LEU comes into effect 90 days after the date of the enactment of the bill, and will last until the end of 2040. Waivers may be granted to allow the import of limited amounts of LEU, under certain circumstances, until 1 January 2028.

"Today, President Biden signed into law a historic series of actions that will strengthen our nation's energy and economic security by reducing - and ultimately eliminating - our reliance on Russia for civilian nuclear power," US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said.

"This new law re-establishes America's leadership in the nuclear sector. It will help secure our energy sector for generations to come. And - building off the unprecedented USD2.72 billion in federal funding that Congress recently appropriated at the President's request - it will jumpstart new enrichment capacity in the United States and send a clear message to industry that we are committed to long-term growth in our nuclear sector."

He added that the law also delivers on multilateral goals, including last year's announcement by the USA with Canada, France, Japan and the UK of plans to collectively invest USD4.2 billion to expand their enrichment and conversion capacity. "I am proud to say that with these funds from Congress, we have well-exceeded that pledge and are working with industry to realise this ambition," he added.

HR 1042 complements the Nuclear Fuel Security Act, legislation aimed at revitalising the US nuclear fuel industry, which was included as part of the National Defense Authorisation Act for fiscal 2024, which was signed into law in March.

According to a December 2023 US House Report on HR 1042, the USA currently imports more than 20% of its enriched uranium from Russian state-owned nuclear company Rosatom and its subsidiary Tenex.

In response to the measure, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was reported by the Russian Tass news agency to have told a news briefing "it’s hard for the Americans to compete with us on the international market", adding that the ban was "nothing more than unfair competition" and not critical for the Russian nuclear industry: "Our nuclear industry is one of the most advanced in the world. We will continue to develop this industry."

US Q1 uranium production highest since 2018

14 May 2024

US production of 82,533 pounds U3O8 (32.1 tU) in the first quarter of 2024 was the highest Q1 production since 2018 and almost 80% more than production for the whole of 2023.

The ion exchange plant at the Rosita facility (Image: enCore Energy)

According to the US Energy Information Administration's (EIA) latest Domestic Uranium Production Report, US uranium production in the first three months of the year was from five facilities, all using in-situ leach methods rather than conventional mining and milling. Four of these - Nichols Ranch, Ross, Lost Creek and Smith Ranch-Highland - are in Wyoming.

The fifth facility, Rosita, in Texas, resumed operations in November, having last produced uranium in 2008. EnCore Energy Corp announced the first shipment of uranium from the plant, which has an annual capacity of 800,000 pounds U3O8, in March.

The EIA listed three US uranium mills as "on standby" in Q1: Shootaring Canyon and White Mesa, both of which are in Utah, and Sweetwater in Wyoming. Anfield Energy Inc has recently said that it is targeting a restart of the Shootaring Canyon mill in 2026 - it has been on standby since 1982. The Vancouver-based company has submitted its plans for reactivating the mill, which it acquired in 2015, to Utah state regulators for approval.

Would-be producers making the most of the uranium market

NexGen Energy Ltd has said its newly announced strategic purchase of 2.7 million pounds U3O8 (1039 tU), together with a recent share placement, "will significantly assist the company in funding the anticipated capital needs to develop the Rook I Project" in Canada. Denison Mines Corp intends to use its physical uranium investment to support future project financing efforts for Phoenix - and has just sold 100,000 pounds U3O8 from its physical uranium holdings at more than three times the price it paid for it.

Rook I (Image: NexGen)

NexGen said on 8 April it had entered into a binding term sheet with Canadian hedge fund MMCap International Inc SPC for the purchase of 2,702,410 pounds U3O8 for an aggregate purchase price of USD250 million, for convertible debentures equivalent to roughly 4.3% of the company's issued and outstanding common shares.

The announcement came days after the company announced a CAD224 million (USD164 million) share offering to Australian investors. This Australian Chess Depository Interest (CDI) offering is expected to close on or around 15 May.

On closing of the CDI offering and the transaction with MMCap, NexGen said it will have some CAD600 million in cash and USD250 million worth of physical uranium on its balance sheet.

NexGen CEO Leigh Curyer said the purchase represents a "strong opportunity for NexGen to bolster its marketing discussions and optimises the optionality of project financing structures under evaluation", at a time when available physical uranium is "extremely tight" and expected to continue to be scarce given the long-term supply deficit. "Upon closing of the CDI offering and this strategic uranium purchase, the company will hold cash and uranium worth over CAD930 million and will significantly assist the company in funding the anticipated capital needs to develop the Rook I Project," he said.

Rook I is in the Southwestern Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is 100% owned by NexGen and hosts the Arrow uranium deposit, with measured and indicated mineral resources of 256.7 million pounds U3O8. A 2021 feasibility study outlines a mine capable of producing some 29 million pounds U3O8 per year over the first 5 years of an 11-year mine life, making it the largest and lowest cost uranium mine in the world according to NexGen.

The company is currently working to secure the federal and provincial approvals needed to move forward with the mine. In November, it received approval from Saskatchewan's Ministry of Environment to proceed with the development of Rook I, making NexGen the first company in more than 20 years to receive full provincial environmental assessment approval for a greenfield uranium project in Saskatchewan.

Denison confirms uranium sale

Denison is another company with Canadian uranium projects to develop, with a 95% interest in its flagship Wheeler River project which the company describes as the largest undeveloped uranium project in the eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan. As well as many uranium properties, the company's interests in Saskatchewan also include a 22.5% ownership interest in the McClean Lake Joint Venture and the McClean Lake uranium mill. It is targeting production of 800,000 pounds U3O8 (on 100% basis) from McClean Lake North in 2025, following an announcement earlier this year by with its joint venture partner Orano Canada Inc of plans to restart operations at McClean Lake using the patented Surface Access Borehole Resource Extraction - or SABRE - mining method.

In its quarterly results announcement on 8 May, the company confirmed it had completed the sale of 100,000 pounds U3O8 from its physical uranium holdings, at a price of USD100.00 per pound. The sale, which was completed in April, was agreed in January and is part of the company's plans to sell around 300,000 pounds U3O8 from its physical uranium holdings this year. Denison said it acquired its physical uranium position in 2021 at an average cost of USD29.65 per pound U3O8.

President and CEO David Cates spoke of the company's strategy of holding investments in physical uranium to support future financing of Phoenix, and how Denison's portfolio of uranium reserves, resources, and physical holdings has "greatly appreciated" in value over recent months.

"As Denison has avoided entering low-priced uranium supply contracts in recent years and has held its physical uranium investment to support future project financing efforts for Phoenix, we are now in an enviable spot with significant uncommitted uranium production and physical holdings potentially available to the market at time of expected scarcity. Taken together with continued geopolitical instability and the expected emergence of significant additional demand from new nuclear builds, it is an ideal time for our Company to be readying to build a low-cost Saskatchewan-based uranium mine," he said.

10 May 2024

Post-irradiation testing of high-burnup fuel under way at ORNL

10 May 2024

High burnup fuel rods manufactured by GE Vernova's Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF) are being examined at the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) after spending six years in a commercial nuclear power reactor.

The fuel shipment arrives at ORNL (Image: US Department of Energy)

The rods, manufactured at GNF's fabrication facility in Wilmington, North Carolina, with support from the Department of Energy's Accident Tolerant Fuel programme, were shipped to the lab after completing three full cycles of operation at a US nuclear power plant. ORNL will conduct post-irradiation experiments over the next several years to verify safety and performance. Results from the experiments will be used to support the commercial deployment of such fuels.

Higher burnup fuel is designed to remain in the reactor core for longer periods of time before it is removed for long-term storage, leading to fewer refuelling outages, increased power output for better economics, and less used fuel over the lifetime of the reactor.

"This shipment of these rods is another milestone in the drive to develop the next generation of even safer and more reliable fuel," said Mike Chilton, Executive Vice President, GNF. "We are proud to be part of this collaboration with ORNL and DOE to benefit the entire industry."

"This fuel shipment to Oak Ridge National Laboratory is an important step in GNF's efforts to commercialise their high burnup fuel," said Frank Goldner, a nuclear engineer at DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy. "High burnup fuels are expected to enhance the performance of today's reactors and will help us on our path to reach net-zero emissions by 2050."

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

U$A

Viewpoint: Proud of progress on new nuclear, but pace needs to increase

Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Kathryn Huff reflects in this Q&A on the highlights of her three years leading the US Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy and the momentum behind expanding nuclear energy capacity. This article was first published by the Office of Nuclear Energy on 3 May.

(Image: DOE)

What have been the high points from your time at the Department of Energy? 

It's been an absolute honour. It has been a real thrill to see the bipartisan support for nuclear energy. I think my confirmation was a real signal that that was the case, even starting out.  

The existing nuclear fleet: We want to keep existing reactors running, and I’ve seen Diablo Canyon stay open when it was potentially destined to close. Palisades Nuclear Power Plant has a hope of a future even though it has shut down, and they're restarting that plant very soon. With Vogtle Unit 3 and 4 coming online, it takes us from the 92 reactors or so we were at when I started, up to 93, 94. With Palisades it’ll be 95. In a different world, we could have been walking backwards instead and allowing those reactors to shut down. 

Advanced rector development: I think especially with the construction permit application for the Kairos Power fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor, it’s a real demonstration that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is ready to license advanced reactors. We've seen so much progress with the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations and the two big demonstration projects, TerraPower and X-energy. Broadly, I think just every time I talk to people, there is more and more awareness of the incredible variety of new nuclear reactor technologies available and the ways that each of them could fit into a clean energy future.

Investments in nuclear energy:  In the last three years in this Biden-Harris Administration, what we are seeing is not an accident. It's not chance. This kind of investment is policy. This is President Biden's Invest in America strategy. It starts with investing in the kinds of energy technologies that will succeed in decarbonisation while simultaneously helping with American jobs and prosperity in general. We want to see this transition move forward in a way that is deeply American and that supports American lives.

Building a domestic supply chain for nuclear fuels: I think it’s really a shame that the situation that has driven so much attention on our nuclear fuel supply is such an incredible, unjust attack from Russia on Ukraine. But it has focused a great deal of our attention on the trust we have to have in our fuel supply chains. When there are nations in the world willing to use fuel for energy as a weapon and access to that fuel can be used to dominate and control other nations, we cannot allow ourselves or our allies and partners to be exposed to that. And the United States is ready to be a good partner in that more diverse fuel supply. But we have to work really hard to rebuild our capacity. 

Managing nuclear waste:  We have restarted a consent-based process that had been started in the Obama Administration, and that consent-based process focuses on centring communities and their interests with regard to the storage of spent nuclear fuel and potentially, ultimately, the disposal of spent nuclear fuel. It's what we owe to communities, it’s what we've promised the utilities, and trust that the US government is moving forward rather than stagnating with regard to this policy is essential to the build-out of new nuclear. 

What was your best day at the DOE, if you had to pick one? 

I think the best day was at COP28. Our government stood alongside over 20 other governments and said, we see how necessary nuclear is going to be with regard to our 2050 net-zero goals, that we will not get to net-zero without tripling nuclear energy, and so we must try. And we pledged to try.  That is earth-shaking. I think it represents not necessarily what we believe to be a projection of what is likely - it's not even a reflection of what we believe is possible with the resources we have today from the federal government to incentivise a change. It's instead a declaration of where the numbers lie and what it's truly going to take. And I think that was a really defining moment. 

You joined the DOE from academia. What caused you to accept the job? 

To be honest, it was a complete surprise that I was even being considered. It never occurred to me to work in the government. Tarak Shah, the secretary’s chief of staff at the time, said to me, "We’re in a war with the climate crisis, and we need you on the front lines". And I can't say no to that. This is a very motivational value for me that, you know, it is worth doing some public service to save the world. And we're doing nothing less. And so he got me right in the heart with that one, and I was powerless against it. 

What has it been like working for the federal government? 

The Office of Nuclear Energy has been an honour to work in.  The people have amazed me. And I think generally speaking, the thing I will take away the most is an incredible respect for the public servants in the US government. The public has no idea the amount of care and concern and work that is put in every day within walls of an agency like this one. The Department of Energy is working so hard every day for the people of the United States, and seeing it firsthand is really breathtaking. 

How does it feel when you look back at the progress we've made over the past few years? Do you feel like we've made huge strides, or there's still so much left to be done? 

Can I say both? I think both are true. Yes, we have made huge strides. We are now walking forward - we should be running forward, with regard to new deployments of nuclear energy. But, you know, we could be walking backwards. That shift in the direction is so important, and we're in a place where that momentum, I think, is going to stick with us. But I think there's no question in the scientific world that we're not moving fast enough to decarbonise. And so while we're moving very fast and I'm so proud of us for moving as fast as we are, we've got to move so much faster, especially when we think about the tripling of nuclear energy goal. Building 200 new gigawatts of nuclear power between now and 2050 is going to be hard, but it'll have a lot of benefits.  

Do you have any parting words as your time at DOE comes to a close here? 

Well, I'm a big nerd. And so I think about The Lord of the Rings sometimes, and there's this moment where Bilbo says that he misses his books and his armchair, and he's had enough of adventure. But I will always be so proud of this. And, you know, like Bilbo, I will think back on it fondly and often.

The original version of this article, and video of the interview, can be found here.

10 May 2024

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

GREENWASHING

EDF secures 'green' financing for extended operation of reactors

French utility EDF has signed green bank loans for a total amount of about EUR5.8 billion (USD6.3 billion), which will be used to finance the life extension of its existing nuclear power plant fleet in France.

The Tricastin plant comprises four 900 MWe PWRs (Image: EDF/Toma/M Hake)

The loans - which have maturities of between 3 and 5 years - have been arranged with major international banks, including BNP Paribas, Bank of America, Crédit Agricole CIB, ING, Natixis CIB, Société Générale and Wells Fargo.

EDF announced its Grand Carénage life extension programme for the existing fleet in France in 2011. Under this investment programme, the company planned to spend around EUR55 billion by 2025 on upgrading its plants to improve their performance and enable their continued operation beyond 40 years. The programme also includes safety upgrades in response to the Fukushima Daiichi accident in Japan.

The investment was optimised and revised to EUR45 billion in 2018, and in 2020 EDF adjusted the programme's cost to EUR49.4 billion.

A green bilateral loan worth EUR1 billion was announced by EDF and Credit Agricole CIB in November 2022.

EDF noted that the investments in the extension of the operation of its reactors "are aligned with the European taxonomy".

In July 2022, the European Parliament voted to include certain nuclear and gas activities within the European Union's list of officially approved "green" investments.

In February 2021, the country's nuclear safety regulator, the Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire (ASN), set the conditions for the continued operation of EDF's 900 MWe reactors beyond 40 years. The regulator said it considered the measures planned by EDF combined with those prescribed by ASN will ensure the safety of the units for a further 10 years of operation.

In August 2023, unit 1 of the Tricastin nuclear power plant in southern France became the first French power reactor licensed to operate beyond 40 years.

EDF operates three pressurised water reactor designs, known as the 900 MWe, the 1300 MWe and the 1450 MWe N4. Its 32 operating 900 MWe reactors came into commercial operation between 1977 and 1988, and include the oldest of the country's current nuclear fleet. Such reactors are in operation at EDF's Blayais, Bugey, Chinon, Cruas-Meysse, Dampierre, Gravelines, Saint-Laurent and Tricastin nuclear power plants.

ASN said the improvements and measures will be applied to each reactor individually during their fourth periodic safety reviews, scheduled to run until 2031. These reviews will take the particularities of each facility into account, it said. The measures planned by EDF for each reactor will be subject to a public inquiry.

13 May 2024

Authorisation issued for Flamanville EPR commissioning

08 May 2024

France's nuclear regulator has authorised the commissioning of the Flamanville EPR reactor, which has a summer 2024 target for connection to the grid.

Flamanville (Image: Screengrab from EDF/Youtube)

The authorisation from the Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire (ASN) means EDF can now load nuclear fuel into the reactor and carry out start-up tests and then operation of the reactor. Within hours of the authorisation being announced EDF said it had begun to load nuclear fuel assemblies into the reactor vessel - adding that it would take several days to load the 241 fuel assemblies.

The ASN decision follows a public consultation which ran from 27 March until 17 April.

ASN issued technical requirements alongside the authorisation saying it would supervise the performance and monitoring of installation start-up tests after fuel loading and also specify methods for acting on feedback from other EPR-type reactors around the world. The first EPR units came online at Taishan in China, where unit 1 became the first EPR to enter commercial operation in 2018 followed by Taishan 2 in September 2019. In Europe, Olkiluoto 3 in Finland entered commercial operation in 2023 and two units are under construction at Hinkley Point C in the UK.

Construction work began in December 2007 on the 1650 MWe unit at the Flamanville site in Normandy - where two reactors have been operating since 1986 and 1987. The dome of the reactor building was put in place in July 2013 and the reactor vessel was installed in January 2014. The reactor was originally expected to start commercial operation in 2013. In December 2022 the total cost at completion of the project was estimated by EDF to be EUR13.2 billion (USD14.2 billion).

China and France aim to strengthen nuclear energy cooperation

09 May 2024

China's CGN and France's EDF have signed a Letter of Intent on deepening and expanding cooperation on nuclear energy - it came as President Emmanuel Macron hosted a visit to France by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

(Image: China Xinhua News/X)

Acording to the Chinese Foreign Ministry report on the talks, President Xi said the two countries should step up cooperation in a number of areas, including "nuclear energy, innovation and finance", with President Macron responding that France was "ready to step up cooperation with China" in areas including "nuclear energy for civilian use".

During the visit there were a number of business cooperation agreements outlined, with the Letter of Intent on Deepening Related Cooperation in the Nuclear Energy Field signed by Yang Changli, Chairman of China General Nuclear (CGN), and EDF Chairman and CEO Luc Raymond.

According to CGN the letter of intent means "the two parties will further expand and strengthen cooperation in aspects such as nuclear power engineering construction, talent training, EPR operations and leadership training in the field of nuclear power operations to achieve common development".

CGN and EDF have worked together over many years, dating back to the Daya Bay nuclear power plant's construction, which began in the 1980s, and CGN said that deepening and expanding cooperation areas "is of great significance to the development of civil nuclear energy in both countries and the business development of the two groups".

China and France are two of the world's biggest generators of nuclear energy, with both having large-scale plans to expand capacity in the coming years. According to World Nuclear Association figures, both countries currently have 56 operable reactors. China's have a capacity of 54 GW and it has 27 more reactors under construction which would provide 28.9 GW more capacity. France currently has 61 GW nuclear energy capacity, with one more 1.6 GW reactor under construction. 

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

UK

In Pictures: Hinkley Point C receives heaviest delivery yet

13 May 2024

The first of eight steam generators manufactured by Framatome in France has been delivered to the Hinkley Point C construction site in Somerset, England.

The steam generator making its final approach to Hinkley Point C (Image: EDF Energy)

Measuring 25 metres in length and weighing 520 tonnes, the steam generator was transported by sea and road. The component travelled the final four miles by road transporter after arriving from Avonmouth at Combwich Wharf on the River Parrett in Somerset.

The steam generator travelling by barge to Combwich Wharf (Image: EDF Energy)

"The generator's arrival is in time for the fit-out of the new power station, which will see the first nuclear reactor installed later this year," EDF Energy said.

The steam generator getting ready to leave Combwich Wharf (Image: EDF Energy)

(Image: EDF Energy)
The first of two 13-metre, 500-tonne reactor pressure vessels for Hinkley Point C - which was built by Framatome at its Le Creusot facility in Burgundy, central France - was delivered to the site in February 2023.

Construction of Hinkley Point C - composed of two EPR reactors of 1630 MWe each - began in December 2018, with unit 1 of the plant originally scheduled to start up by the end of 2025, before that was revised to 2027 in May 2022. In January EDF announced that the "base case" was now for unit 1 being operational in 2030, with the cost revised from GBP26 billion to between GBP31-34 billion, in 2015 prices. When operational, the plant is expected to provide enough power for 6 million homes for at least 60 years.

UK aims for Urenco-built HALEU facility by 2031

08 May 2024

The UK government is awarding GBP196 million (USD245 million) to Urenco to build a uranium enrichment facility with the capacity to produce up to 10 tonnes of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) per year by 2031.

The Capenhurst site (Image: Urenco)

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero says the new facility will be built at Urenco's Capenhurst site in northwest England, will support around 400 jobs and "will put an end to Russia's reign as the only commercial producer" of HALEU fuel in Europe.

HALEU - uranium enriched to between 5% and 20% uranium-235 - will be used in the advanced nuclear fuel required for most of the next-generation reactor designs currently under development. At present, only Russia and China have the infrastructure to produce HALEU at scale. The first advanced reactors are scheduled to be operational in the early 2030s.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that building the uranium enrichment plant was essential for guaranteeing the country's nuclear and energy security.

Urenco CEO Boris Schucht said: "The responsibility the nuclear industry has to help governments and customers to achieve climate change and energy security goals is clear. We welcome this government investment, which will help accelerate the development of a civil HALEU commercial market and in turn the development of the next generation of nuclear power plants. These plants will have even higher safety standards and lend themselves to quicker licensing and construction processes."

The GBP195 million funding is part of the GBP300 million HALEU programme announced in January, with the energy department saying that the remaining funding would be allocated later this year to other parts of the programme including to support deconversion capability (converting the enriched uranium into a form to be made into fuel).

Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said: "This investment will enable the UK to fuel advanced reactors around the world, building on our existing capabilities to strengthen energy security for our allies."

Zara Hodgson, Director of the Dalton Nuclear Institute, which is also based in the northwest of England, said: "This is the biggest single investment in UK nuclear fuel production capability in decades, and it is especially welcome as it will accelerate the supply of the next generation of fuels that are vital for this new net zero nuclear era. Urenco Capenhurst's HALEU Enrichment capability will help hugely to unlock the deliverability of advanced nuclear projects, opening the door to sustainable  electricity and heat for industries from nuclear, across the UK and overseas. We look now towards to how we can support this important project through training and innovation."

The USA is also developing a domestic supply of HALEU. In November last year, Centrus Energy delivered the first HALEU produced at its American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon, Ohio, to the US Department of Energy (DOE). Construction of the 16-centrifuge demonstration cascade plant began in 2019, under contract with the DOE. The delivery by Centrus of more than 20 kilograms of HALEU to the DOE means that phase one of the contract has now been completed and Centrus can move ahead with the second phase: a full year of HALEU production at the 900 kilograms per year plant.

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

Urenco is one third owned by the UK government, one third by the Dutch government and one third by two German utilities, E.ON S.E. and RWE AG.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

KHNP deploys four-legged robot in Kori decommissioning

13 May 2024

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power's (KHNP) radiation-measuring robot is being used for the first time in the dismantling and decontamination of the 576 MWe pressurised water reactor.

(Image: KHNP)

The four-legged autonomous robot is one of two specialised robots for use in a nuclear power plant environment that KHNP has been developing since 2021: the other one is an indoor autonomous flying robot. The robots are equipped with multiple cameras and radiation sensors, and the ground robot also has temperature and humidity sensors. Together with 3D Lidar technology - a laser-based method of imaging shapes using reflected light - these sensors can be used to "visualise" radiation dose information and monitor dangerous areas to ensure the safety of workers.

(Image: KHNP)

KHNP said it started using "systematic decontamination to dismantle" Kori 1 on 7 May. It plans to use robots to minimise radiation exposure to workers and increase the efficiency of decontamination work.

Kori 1 started commercial operation in 1978 and was permanently shut down in 2017, when it became the first South Korean reactor to enter decommissioning.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

 

Canadian firms team up for heavy water production

14 May 2024

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited and AtkinsRéalis have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore opportunities to collaborate on the production of heavy water for use in new Candu reactors in Canada.

The Bruce Heavy Water Plant prior to dismantling (Image: Bruce Power)

Heavy water - a form of water in which the normal hydrogen is replaced by a heavier form of hydrogen called deuterium - is used as both the moderator and as the reactor coolant in pressurised heavy water reactors, such as Candus. However, it has not been produced in Canada for more than 25 years.

The MoU brings together AtkinsRéalis' nuclear and industrial capabilities in Canada as the licensee of Candu technology, as well as Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), owner of Candu intellectual property and other heavy water production technologies, and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), a world leader in the industry with extensive experience in heavy water technologies.

The objective of the MoU is to evaluate options and select cost efficient, environmentally responsible, and viable heavy water production technologies, which could include the establishment of industrial scale heavy water production facilities to support the deployment of a new fleet of Candu reactors.

"This collaboration among important stakeholders in the Canadian nuclear sector sets the stage for Canada to lead the global heavy water market, solidifying its role as a key player in the energy transition," said AtkinsRéalis President and CEO Ian Edwards. "With Candu reactors operating across four continents, a global nuclear new build market with expected demand in excess of 1000 new reactors, a strong Candu reactor refurbishment market, and the introduction of the new Candu Monark 1000 MW reactor in addition to the existing Enhanced Candu 6, this memorandum of understanding could not have come at a better time."

AECL President and CEO Fred Dermarkar added: "I am pleased that AECL, CNL and AtkinsRéalis are collaborating and working together to advance heavy water production for Candu reactor technology. Candu technology is uniquely positioned to contribute to important national objectives such as decarbonisation, energy security, economic growth and maintaining Canada's Tier-1 nuclear nation status."

"The deployment of large-scale nuclear power in Canada is an enormous undertaking, and will require extensive alignment and coordination between organisations, industries, public officials and regulators from across the country," said CNL President and CEO Jack Craig. "Heavy water is one key piece of the larger puzzle, and CNL is working hard to play a leadership role in this process, ensuring that the broader industry is working towards a shared vision, and that the necessary inventory and production capabilities are in place to supply these reactors."

The Bruce Heavy Water Plant, which operated from 1973 until 1998, was built by AECL and located within the boundaries of the Bruce nuclear power plant, but was owned and operated by Ontario Power Generation. The plant was built to supply the heavy water needed for Canada's nuclear power programme. Candus are very efficient in their use of heavy water, which is recycled, meaning that the Bruce Heavy Water Plant's output was no longer needed after sufficient stockpiles were produced. Decommissioning of the plant began in 2004, with demolition work completed in 2006.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News