COLD WAR 2.0 HEATS UP

Russian Wargame Practicing Tactical Nukes Use Is Warning to West

May 22, 2024

Simon Saradzhyan

The Russian defense ministry has just launched a multi-phase exercise near Ukraine meant to prepare its forces for using non-strategic nuclear weapons (NSNWs). In addition to the obvious purpose of preparing Russian troops to use tactical nuclear weapons in battle, the multi-stage exercise is also meant to signal to the West that it should refrain from escalating assistance to Ukraine, as well as to warn the U.S. and its allies that Russia may liberalize its conditions for using nuclear weapons. Finally, the exercise may be evidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to retain Valery Gerasimov as head of the General Staff, at least for now.

That the Russian armed forces are planning a NSNW wargame became publicly known on May 6, when the country’s defense ministry (MoD) issued a statement disclosing that Putin—who is the commander-in-chief of the Russian armed forces—had ordered an exercise in the Southern Military District (SMD) to have MoD units practice using tactical nuclear weapons. The wargame is supposed to prepare these units for what the ministry described as “unconditionally ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Russian state in response to provocative statements and threats of individual Western officials against the Russian Federation,” according to the statement.1 The defense agency’s rather curt announcement was followed by a longer statement from the country’s foreign ministry (MFA), which said that the planned wargame “should be considered in the context of recent bellicose statements by Western officials and sharply destabilizing actions taken by a number of NATO countries that are aimed at building forceful pressure on the Russian Federation and at creating additional threats to the security of our country in connection with the conflict in and around Ukraine.”  

Echoing the MoD, the MFA said in its May 6 statement that the exercise would be aimed at practicing using NSNWs for the purpose of ensuring “the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Russian state.” Thus, both Russia’s MoD and MFA implied within hours of each other that Russia could resort to nuclear strikes to protect its territorial integrity (Condition 1) and sovereignty (Condition 2), even though the publicly available versions of Russia’s strategic documents do not explicitly mention either of these two conditions. While not explicitly mentioned as conditions for use of nuclear weapons in those documents, Condition 1 and Condition 2 have been mentioned by Russian leaders, respectively, at least 10 times and two times, in the period from Feb. 22, 2022, to May 5, 2024. As I wrote on May 6, these references may indicate that the Russian leadership may be considering introducing them in the next editions of Russia’s military doctrine (which currently dates back to 2014) and/or in the Basic Principles of State Policy on Nuclear Deterrence (which dates back to 2020). That the doctrinal language on nuclear weapons use may undergo this kind of liberalization is something that Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov implied in comments to Russian media on May 9. When asked in the same media opportunity if Russia could revise its nuclear doctrine to allow a preventive strike, Ryabkov said: "The environment itself is changing. This is why the correspondence between the basis documents in this sector and the need of ensuring our security is being constantly analyzed.” Speaking on the same day as Ryabkov, Putin chose not to discuss conditions for use of nuclear weapons, but he did comment on the NSNW wargame itself, claiming it was “nothing unusual.” Speaking with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko beside him, Putin said on May 9 that the wargame will consist of three phases and that Belarus, which hosts some of Russian NSNWs, has been offered the opportunity to participate in the second phase.  

Nearly two weeks after Putin’s comments, the Russian MoD announced on May 21 that the first game of the NSNW wargame had begun in the Southern Military District, which abuts Ukraine. The missile units of the Russian Ground Forces in the SMD are practicing how to first deliver nuclear warheads to their delivery vehicles (the Iskander surface-to-surface missiles), then to install them in these missiles and then deploy them to the areas they would be launched from, according to the MoD statement. Meanwhile, Russian Aerospace Force units are practicing installing nuclear warheads into Kinzhal air-to-surface missiles, which are carried by warplanes (e.g. MiG-31 interceptors, in contrast to some earlier Zapad (West) wargames, in which long-range Tupolev bombers simulated launches of air-to-surface nuclear missiles), with these planes subsequently conducting flights in designated patrol areas, according to the MoD statement.2

As stated above, in addition to the obvious purpose of training its troops to use NSNWs, the Russian leadership means to use this exercise to signal to the West that it should refrain from escalating assistance to Ukraine following France’s (and some other NATO members’) warnings that they may send troops to Ukraine, as well as Britain’s decision to allow Ukraine to use U.K.-supplied weapons for strikes inside Russia.3 The wargame also appears to serve as a broader warning to the West that, if the high-intensity militarized stand-off between West and Russia continues over Ukraine and other issues, Russia may liberalize its conditions for use of nuclear weapons in its doctrinal documents. Finally, the exercise may be evidence that Putin intends to stick to his post-reshuffle intention to keep chief of the General Staff and first deputy defense minister Valery Gerasimov in his posts, at least for now, in spite of replacing Sergei Shoigu with Anatoly Belousov as the country’s defense minister. The NSNW wargame is being conducted under the “leadership of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces,” according to the MoD’s May 21 statement. If that language means Gerasimov is commanding the current wargame, then that indicates Putin meant it when he said upon firing Shoigu earlier this month that he has no plans to oust Gerasimov as well. After all, Gerasimov probably would not have been picked by Putin to command such an important wargame if Putin meant to fire him soon.

Footnotes:

1. The same language then appeared in the MoD’s May 21 announcement that the exercise was beginning that day. “The ongoing exercise is aimed at maintaining the readiness of personnel and equipment of units for the combat use of non-strategic nuclear weapons to react as well as to unconditionally ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Russian state in response to provocative statements and threats of individual Western officials against the Russian Federation.”
2. It should also be noted that the ongoing NSNW exercise is not the only major nuclear wargame that Russia might be holding this year. There is also one major annual wargame meant to train Russia’s strategic nuclear triad..
3. Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov cited these statements by the U.K. and France among the reasons why Russia decided to hold the NSNW wargame. 

Simon Saradzhyan is the founding director of Russia Matters.

Opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author. Photo by Mil.ru shared under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

China’s Rapid Nuclear Expansion Is Threatening U.S. Dominance in the Sector

By Haley Zaremba - May 22, 2024

• 
  
• China is quickly becoming the world's leading producer of nuclear energy, raising concerns for US competitiveness.
• 
  
• China's plans for floating nuclear plants in the disputed South China Sea create tension with neighboring countries.
• 
  
• China and Russia's joint project to build a nuclear reactor on the moon raises questions about safety and militarization.

China’s runaway nuclear energy expansion has competitors biting their fingernails. As nuclear energy regains traction around the world as a promising baseload power source for a decarbonized future, it’s also become more and more of a geopolitical battleground. As countries scramble to keep a strategic foothold in a rapidly changing energy landscape, becoming a nuclear energy powerhouse is suddenly important for world superpowers. And China seems to be winning this race. 

While the United States has been the biggest nuclear power generator in the world for decades, the American market has significantly slowed in recent years at the same time that Beijing has doubled down on deployment, adding a whopping 34 gigawatts of nuclear energy capacity over the last ten years. As a result, China is set to overtake the United States (and France) to become the world’s biggest producer of nuclear energy within the decade. 

China currently has 55 operating nuclear power reactors compared to the United States’ 94, but it already has 23 new reactors under construction and more on the way. In fact, it’s taken China just 10 years to add the same amount of nuclear capacity that the United States needed four decades to build. 

Beijing is able to approve new nuclear reactors at a much faster clip than the United States, at a blazing rate of ten new plant approvals per year. Chinese plants are also much less expensive to build, in part thanks to preferential loans with particularly favorable terms from state-owned banks. While the United States has recently taken pains to kick-start its own stalled nuclear energy sector, its newest power plant is so behind schedule and over budget that nuclear energy advocates are worried that it might derail the nation’s nuclear ambitions altogether. 

While the sharp rise in nuclear energy deployment in China is great news for the nation’s decarbonization potential – and therefore great news for the entire world’s ability to meet mid-century climate goals – China’s fast and furious approach has put a number of world leaders on edge. Policymakers in the United States have demonstrated concern that China’s rapidly increasing nuclear energy capacities could allow it to export nuclear reactors at a large scale, ultimately undermining U.S. foreign relations in the importing countries. This would not be a new trend, but a continuation of China’s already massive expansion of energy influence in emerging markets. 

Meanwhile, China’s plans to put floating nuclear power plants in the South China Sea have stirred up tensions with its Southeast Asian neighbors. China, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines all have overlapping claims to parts of the sea, which China claims almost in its entirety despite a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration which rejected Beijing’s claim as “having no legal basis.” In contempt of this ruling, China has continued to ‘reclaim’ land to build artificial islands in the Sea and now plans to send about 20 floating nuclear power plants to some of those islands. 

Experts have widely condemned these plans, warning that “China’s planned deployment of floating nuclear reactors to the disputed South China Sea may risk ramping up tensions with other claimants and undermining regional security.” Adding to these tensions, there is some legitimate concern that China will be using these plants to power military operations in the conflicted region, which would be in violation of international law. 

Indeed, China’s outsized nuclear ambitions cannot be hemmed in by its own borders, or even terrestrial bounds. Earlier this year, Moscow and Beijing announced joint plans to put a nuclear reactor on the moon within the next decade. Russian state media even claims that development of the plant is already underway and Russia and China are currently working on experimental and research facilities under the project.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

Hot testing completed at first Zhangzhou unit

22 May 2024

Tests that simulate the temperatures and pressures which the reactor systems will be subjected to during normal operation have been completed at unit 1 of the Zhangzhou nuclear power plant in China's Fujian province. The unit is the first of three Hualong One (HPR1000) reactors under construction at the site.

Workers in the control room mark the completion of hot tests at Zhangzhou 1 (Image: CNNC)

Hot functional tests involve increasing the temperature of the reactor coolant system and carrying out comprehensive tests to ensure that coolant circuits and safety systems are operating as they should. Carried out before the loading of nuclear fuel, such testing simulates the thermal working conditions of the power plant and verifies that nuclear island and conventional equipment and systems meet design requirements.

China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) noted that during the hot testing of Zhangzhou 1, workers completed the full-load load test of the diesel generator, main system passivation, and 111 commissioning tests, as well as 73 regular operation tests.

Cold functional tests - which are carried out to confirm whether components and systems important to safety are properly installed and ready to operate in a cold condition - were completed at Zhangzhou 1 in early November last year. The main purpose of those tests - which marked the first time the reactor systems were operated together with the auxiliary systems - was to verify the leak-tightness of the primary circuit.

The Zhangzhou site (Image: CNNC)

China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment issued construction licences for Zhangzhou units 1 and 2 on 9 October 2019 to CNNC-Guodian Zhangzhou Energy Company, the owner of the Zhangzhou nuclear power project, which was created by CNNC (51%) and China Guodian Corporation (49%) in 2011. Construction of unit 1 began one week after the issuance of the construction licence, with that of unit 2 starting in September 2020.

"According to the plan, unit 1 will generate electricity within the year, which will drive the economic and social development of southern Fujian and serve as a new development engine for the region to achieve carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals," CNNC said. It noted that preparations are currently under way for cold functional tests at unit 2.

In September 2022, China's State Council approved the construction of two further Hualong One units as Phase II of the Zhangzhou plant. First concrete for the nuclear island of unit 3 was poured on 22 February this year. CNNC said first concrete for unit 4 is expected "within the year".

Control room commissioned at Chinese SMR

21 May 2024

The main control room of the ACP100 small modular reactor demonstration project at the Changjiang site on China's island province of Hainan, has officially been put into operation, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced.

The ACP100's main control room (Image: CNNC)

CNNC said that, with the establishment of part of the digital control system (DCS) network - the 'nerve centre' of nuclear power plant operation, the first on-site measurement signal was displayed on the main control screen.

The main control room of the ACP100 - referred to as the Linglong One - adopts a large wall-mounted monitoring screen for the first time, the company said, adding that this design greatly optimises the space of the main control room.

The control room's wall-mounted monitoring screen (Image: CNNC)

The DCS system for the ACP100 adopts two domestically-developed platforms: the Dragon Scale platform (safety level) and Dragon Fin platform (non-safety level). The Dragon Scale platform can realise reactor safety control under various working conditions and ensure the safe operation of the nuclear power plant. Meanwhile, the Dragon Fin platform is responsible for operation and management and is an important guarantee for the efficient and economical operation of the nuclear power plant. Between them, the two platforms control hundreds of systems within the nuclear power plants, nearly 10,000 equipment operations and various operating conditions.

The first cabinet of the DCS system was moved into place on 10 April, followed by installation and debugging work.

CNNC announced in July 2019 the launch of a project to construct an ACP100 reactor at Changjiang. The site is already home to two operating CNP600 pressurised water reactors (PWRs), while the construction of the two Hualong One units began in March and December 2021. Both those units are due to enter commercial operation by the end of 2026.

First concrete for the ACP100 was poured on 13 July 2021, with a planned total construction period of 58 months. Equipment installation work commenced in December 2022 and the main internal structure of the reactor building was completed in March 2023.

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

Once completed, the Changjiang ACP100 reactor will be capable of producing 1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to meet the needs of 526,000 households. The reactor is designed for electricity production, heating, steam production or seawater desalination.

The project at Changjiang involves a joint venture of three main companies: CNNC subsidiary China National Nuclear Power as owner and operator; the Nuclear Power Institute of China as the reactor designer; and China Nuclear Power Engineering Group being responsible for plant construction.

Karachi 2: Final sign-off for first Hualong One export

21 May 2024

Representatives from China and Pakistan formally signed the final acceptance certificate for Karachi unit 2, just over three years after the 1100 MWe unit started up.

The event to mark the final acceptance of Karachi 2 was attended by representatives from the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, Karachi K-2/K-3 Nuclear Power Plant and China Zhongyuan (Image: CNNC)

Karachi 2 was declared in commercial operation in May 2021. Since then, various performance indicators have been gradually optimised, and operating performance and WANO indicators have been continuously improved, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) said. The unit has generated a total of nearly 23 billion kWh, reducing coal consumption by 7.176 million tonnes and carbon dioxide emissions by 18.768 million tonnes per year.

Experience gained from the design, construction, commissioning and operation of the unit will be used to improve new projects, including preparations for the construction of Chashma unit 5 - for which a ground-breaking ceremony was held last year - the company added.

CNNC said that its Zhongyuan Operations and Maintenance subsidiary has been working towards finalising acceptance items and equipment warranty documents during the unit guarantee period. It said it has "successfully closed" more than 99.9% of the main contract guaranteed task projects and "effectively promoted the improvement of the operational stability" of many key items of equipment.

A joint working group was set up in February to "proactively and comprehensively" understand any concerns raised by Pakistan during the final acceptance phase of the unit. Zhongyuan Operations and Maintenance worked closely with the Pakistani owners to ensure the rapid resolution of concerns with frequent meetings to study related issues and discuss solutions, which significantly reduced the number of final acceptance items, CNNC said.

Karachi units 2 and 3 are the first exports of CNNC's 1100 MWe Hualong One pressurised water reactor. Construction of unit 2 began in 2015 and unit 3 the following year. Karachi 2 achieved first criticality in February 2021 and was connected to the grid the following month after the completion of commissioning tests. Unit 3 achieved first criticality in February 2022 and entered commercial operation in April that year. The site, in the province of Sindh, was also home to Pakistan's first nuclear power reactor, Karachi 1 - a small Canadian pressurised heavy water reactor which shut down in 2021 after 50 years of operation.

In August 2023, Pakistan's Executive Committee of the National Economic Council formally approved a project to build Chashma unit 5, a Hualong One reactor, at Mianwali in Punjab, on a site that is already home to four operating Chinese-supplied CNP-300 pressurised water reactors. China has agreed to invest some USD4.8 billion in the Chashma 5 project.

China Zhongyuan Engineering Corporation is CNNC's general contractor for Karachi 2 and 3.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

nUKe NeWs

Study to assess benefits of Hartlepool SMR plant

23 May 2024

X-energy and Cavendish Nuclear have commissioned Teesside University to undertake a study of the potential regional benefits and economic impacts of a proposed power plant in Hartlepool, UK, based on X-energy's Xe-100 high temperature gas-cooled reactor.

Hartlepool is now due to operate until 2026 (Image: EDF)

The assessment - including jobs, skills, supply chain contracts, and investment - will be led by Matthew Cotton, Professor of Public Policy and will utilise expertise from Teesside University International Business School and its School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Law. It will include a review of available socio-economic data and engagement with local stakeholders including government officials, community leaders and sector experts.

The study will also examine national impacts, including contributions to meeting the UK government's net-zero targets. This assessment - which will begin immediately and be completed later this year - will include the additional benefits from industrial decarbonisation applications and the manufacture of other clean energy products, such as hydrogen and aviation fuel.

According to X-energy and Cavendish, early estimates indicate a 12-reactor X-energy plant at Hartlepool would "directly employ hundreds of people in operations and a peak construction workforce of several thousand in addition to the employment benefits in the wider supply chain". 

The study is part of a GBP6.68 million (USD8.5 million) programme funded by X-energy, and by the UK government which awarded the firms GBP3.34 million in April this year from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero's Future Nuclear Enabling Fund.

The Xe-100 is a Generation IV advanced reactor design which X-energy says is based on decades of HTGR operation, research, and development. Designed to operate as a standard 320 MWe four-pack power plant or scaled in units of 80 MWe, it is engineered to deliver reliable and load-following grid-scale power to electricity systems and to pair seamlessly with renewables. At 200 MWt of 565°C steam, the Xe-100 is also suitable for other power applications including mining and heavy industry.

X-energy and Cavendish - a wholly-owned subsidiary of Babcock International - are proposing to develop a 12-reactor plant at the Hartlepool site on Teesside in the northeast of England, to be operational by the early 2030s. The companies plan to build a fleet of up to 40 Xe-100 reactors in the UK.

Carol Tansley, X-energy's vice president of projects and UK market leader, added: "Our nuclear power station project represents a fantastic economic and employment opportunity in addition to the vital contribution it makes to energy security and decarbonisation. We want to understand from the outset how best to help our potential host community and the surrounding area capitalise on the benefits it will bring.

"Teesside University is ideally placed to help us. The team has huge experience of similar exercises in the past, and excellent links with the local community and business sector."

Cavendish Nuclear Managing Director Mick Gornall added: "A regional economy which hosts a project like this can experience a rise in productivity and growth. Creating supply chains and other infrastructure in local and neighbouring areas can permanently enhance economic capacity. Beyond Hartlepool, we estimate a national fleet roll out of 40 Xe-100s could bring around GBP20 billion of investment into the UK."

Teesside University's Professor Cotton said: “A core principle of our research is to work with communities to address regional disparities and drive social impact for regions across the world. The proposed nuclear power plant at Hartlepool represents a massive capital investment in the Tees Valley and it is vital to understand what that impact will look like.

"By analysing how a project of this scope and scale will manifest itself, we will be able to determine the different socio-economic considerations, issues and risk factors for Hartlepool and surrounding regions.

"In doing so, we will be able to determine the best course of action in order to take full advantage of the benefits and mitigate any impacts for the region."

The Hartlepool nuclear power plant, on Teesside in the northeast of England, is among four of the UK's seven AGR fleet which continue to generate electricity. It has been operating for 40 years and was due to end operations in March this year until a two-year extension was announced in March last year.

Wylfa preferred site for UK new build

22 May 2024

The UK government has announced that Wylfa in Anglesey, North Wales, is its preferred site for a new large-scale nuclear power plant. It has launched talks with international energy companies to explore building a power plant at the site.

The existing Wylfa site (Image: ONR)

In March, the government announced that an agreement had been reached to buy the Hitachi-owned sites for new nuclear at Wylfa and at Oldbury-on-Severn in southwest England for GBP160 million (USD203 million). At the time, it said the two sites were expected to be prioritised for new nuclear as the UK seeks to expand nuclear energy capacity. It marked the first time the government acquired land for new nuclear since the 1960s.

The government has now said that Wylfa is its first option for siting a "major nuclear power station, similar in scale to Hinkley in Somerset and Sizewell in Suffolk".

"This new project would revive the nuclear history of Wylfa and bring thousands of jobs and investment to the area, boosting the local economy," it said.

The government also said it is "kickstarting talks with global energy firms" to explore the construction of the plant.

"We are powering ahead with the biggest expansion of nuclear energy in 70 years," said Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Claire Coutinho. "Anglesey has a proud nuclear history and it is only right that, once again, it can play a central role in boosting the UK's energy security."

The UK government aims to grow nuclear energy capacity to 24 GW by 2050, with a mix of traditional large-scale power plants and small modular reactors (SMRs). Last year, the government and the new Great British Nuclear (GBN) arms-length body set up to help deliver that extra capacity began the selection process for which SMR technology to use. In October, EDF, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Holtec, NuScale Power, Rolls Royce SMR and Westinghouse were invited to bid for UK government contracts in the next stage of the process.

GBN CEO Gwen Parry-Jones said: "Having agreed to purchase the Wylfa site earlier this year, GBN looks forward to working with the government on the market engagement programme for large-scale gigawatt providers and also delivering this vital project in the years to come."

"The government is absolutely right to pursue more large-scale nuclear alongside the SMR programme: it is proven technology that delivers clean, sovereign power and can transform communities with thousands of high-quality, long-term jobs and apprenticeships," said Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association. "Wylfa is an ideal place for a big nuclear project, and the community knows nuclear.

"We welcome the government's engagement with potential partners internationally, and we urge them to move forward at pace. A large-scale project at Wylfa would be the single biggest inward investment in Welsh history, and a huge step towards both energy security and net-zero for the whole country."

The UK's Office for Nuclear Regulation said it "will liaise with government in its role as the independent regulator to ensure the highest standards of safety, security and safeguards within the industry and for the public. The UK has a highly respected regulatory structure and we have been preparing for the expansion of new nuclear in this country for some time."

Wylfa was the biggest and last Magnox site to be built in the UK. Its twin 490 MWe reactors began commercial operation in November 1971 and January 1972, respectively. Unit 2 was permanently shut in April 2012, with unit 1 following in December 2015. Defuelling of the plant was completed in September 2019.

Hitachi's Horizon Project - launched in 2009 - was to develop two UK Advanced Boiling Water Reactor units at Wylfa Newydd with the intention to develop the company's nuclear business in the UK. However, it decided to suspend the project in January 2019, from the viewpoint of its "economic rationality as a private company" because it was clear that further time was needed to decide on a financing structure for the project, and the conditions for building and operating the nuclear power plants. In January 2021, Horizon withdrew its application for planning consent for the Wylfa Newydd nuclear power plant.

UK plans near surface disposal of intermediate level waste

21 May 2024

In its updated strategy for handling nuclear waste and radioactive substances, the UK proposes to use a shallower disposal facility for suitable intermediate-level waste which was previously earmarked for the planned deep geological disposal facility.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said that the search for a site for a geological disposal facility (GDF) was currently under way in England and Wales, and it was unlikely to be ready to start accepting waste until 2050. The plan has been for it to provide permanent safe disposal of high and intermediate-level waste. The existing near surface disposal facilities are used solely for the disposal of suitable low-level waste.

But following a consultation held last year, the department has now published its response and updated strategy which includes the proposed near surface disposal facility for intermediate-level waste (ILW). It would have the advantages of being ready within 10 years and would allow for quicker decommissioning and savings of around GBP500 million (USD636 million) in storage costs, the department says.

In Managing Radioactive Substances and Nuclear Decommissioning: UK policy framework it says: "A near surface disposal facility for ILW is a facility that can be located at or below the surface (up to 200 metres, the minimum depth of a GDF), and may make use of existing structures. It differs from a GDF in the degree of isolation provided by the facility, including host geology, depth and design.

"A near surface disposal facility for ILW below the surface could be constructed as silos, vaults or caverns and could be accessed by a tunnel or shaft. They would likely consist of multiple barriers including waste packages, grout, walls, backfill material and reinforced caps over the closed silos, vaults or caverns."

It also says a surface level disposal facility for intermediate-level waste could be similar to the Low Level Waste Disposal Facility at Dounreay, with waste packages stacked in engineered concrete vaults "up to the approximate level of the surface ... when the vaults are closed, they would be covered with an engineered cap to prevent rainwater entering and reduce the risk from inadvertent human intrusion. The barriers provided by the packaging of the waste, the concrete vaults and the engineered cap prevent any harmful amounts of radioactivity escaping".

The working assumption in the strategy is that the disposal facility for intermediate-level waste would most likely be located on existing Nuclear Decommissioning Authority land. It also says that "lightly contaminated rubble and substructures can be disposed of on-site if safe to do so. This will avoid tonnes of waste being bagged up and transported for heavy-duty disposal elsewhere, reducing impact on the environment".

Other changes in the strategy aim to encourage innovation in waste treatment techniques, including greater recycling such as extracting isotopes from the nuclear materials for diagnosis and treatment of cancers or for powering future space missions, issues covered in a recent episode of the World Nuclear News podcast.

What they said

UK Minister for Nuclear Andrew Bowie said of the overall framework: "The UK has been a pioneer in nuclear technology, and now we’re taking sensible steps to manage our radioactive waste, while reducing the burden on the environment and taxpayer. This will help continue our world-leading nuclear safety record, protect our environment and mean quicker decommissioning of former sites."

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority CEO David Peattie said: "We welcome the updated policy which takes account of the significant innovation and decommissioning experience that has been developed within the NDA group and wider sector, both in the UK and internationally, in recent years. We'll work closely with our stakeholders and communities to take forward the opportunities created by this new policy, ensuring that we maintain the highest standards of safety and environmental protection to deliver our nationally important decommissioning mission."

Environment Agency CEO Philip Duffy said: "It is important that the right infrastructure is in place to manage radioactive waste in a way that protects the environment and public health. We will be working in partnership with our fellow regulators to ensure that this risk-led approach is overseen by robust regulation."

AtkinsRéalis to design UK tritium processing facility

21 May 2024

The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has appointed Canadian engineering firm AtkinsRéalis to deliver the detailed design of an isotope separation system to strengthen research into sustainable fusion delivery.

A rendering of the H3AT facility (Image: UKAEA)

The Isotope Separation System will form part of UKAEA's Hydrogen-3 Advanced Technology (H3AT) facility, a world-first tritium fuel cycle research facility to include a prototype-scale process plant and experimental platform, which is a scaled version of the design for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor.

AtkinsRéalis said the tritium capacity of this "highly complex Isotope Separation System will make it the most advanced research facility of its kind, helping to enable the development of tritium fuel cycle infrastructure necessary for sustainable fusion power".

The company has already completed the concept and detailed process design of the main H3AT facility - currently under construction at UKAEA's Culham Campus, in Oxfordshire - alongside the concept and preliminary design of the Isotope Separation System. The AtkinsRéalis team will now deliver detailed process and mechanical designs for the system, including the vital cryogenic and ambient temperature equipment that will be required to collect, process, and recycle the tritium fuel.

"The H3AT facility will be a first-of-a-kind research facility to strengthen UK and international efforts to advance tritium fuel cycle technology," said Jason Dreisbach, head of advanced energy technologies at AtkinsRéalis. "The Isotope Separation System is a key element to demonstrate fusion fuel cycle performance at scale, and we look forward to contributing our significant experience in fusion engineering and tritium to help realise UKAEA's ambitions."

Framework renewal

The announcement came as UKAEA renewed its multimillion-pound Engineering Design Services Framework with nine companies. The renewal is based on a successful four-year delivery of various engineering and design desk-based projects.

Representatives from UKAEA and companies supporting the Engineering Design Services Framework, at UKAEA's Fusion Technology Facility in Rotherham (Image: UKAEA)

The framework, with a value up to GBP9 million (USD11.4 million), supports the development of a UK industrial supply chain capability by allowing the companies to work closely with UKAEA as it undertakes fusion energy research. "It is vital in the mission to develop commercial fusion energy, while also helping to grow the UK economy by ensuring industry are fully involved," UKAEA said.

The companies which are part of the renewed framework are: Assystem, AtkinsRealis, Demcon, Eadon, Frazer Nash, IDOM, Jacobs, M5tec and Optima. UKAEA said these companies have expertise in some, or all of the following disciplines: mechanical engineering; process engineering; systems engineering; electrical, control and instrumentation engineering; computer-based modelling; and specialist nuclear services.

"This framework has enabled UKAEA to work collaboratively and with maximum efficiency with the fusion supply chain," said Colette Broadwith, Strategic Procurement Business Partner for UKAEA. "By renewing it for another four years, UKAEA can continue to leverage the engineering and technical expertise of our industrial partners to help accelerate fusion energy's commercialisation, for the benefit of all."

Last week, UKAEA awarded six organisations GBP9.6 million of contracts to advance their concepts to support fusion energy development. The contracts were awarded to three universities and three companies focusing on digital engineering and fusion fuel cycle developments dedicated to addressing fusion energy challenges. The contracts will develop next-generation digital tools for future fusion power plant designs, and advanced production and handling of hydrogen isotopes.

The contracts range between GBP460,000 and GBP1.9 million, and are funded by UKAEA's Fusion Industry Programme, an initiative launched in 2021 to develop the necessary technology and skills for the future global fusion power plant market.

The UKAEA carries out fusion energy research on behalf of the UK government, overseeing the country's fusion programme, including the MAST Upgrade (Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak) experiment as well as hosting the recently closed Joint European Torus (JET) at Culham, which operated for scientists from around Europe. It is also developing its own fusion power plant design with plans to build a prototype known as STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) at West Burton in Nottinghamshire, which is due to begin operating by 2040.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

Iraq’s Prime Minister Blames Oil Firms for Kurdistan’s Crude Export Impasse

Charles Kennedy - May 20, 2024

• Talks to restart oil exports from Kurdistan are on hold due to a disagreement over oil contracts.
• 
  
• Oil companies operating in Kurdistan refuse to amend their contracts with the region.
• 
  
• Iraq blames oil companies for the impasse, while Kurdistan previously blamed Baghdad.

Oil companies operating in Kurdistan refuse to amend their contracts with the semi-autonomous region of OPEC’s second-largest producer Iraq, which has led to an impasse in the talks about resuming oil exports from Kurdistan, the Prime Minister of Iraq, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, said this weekend.

“The companies refuse to amend, so the process stops at this point,” Al-Sudani said in a televised press conference on Sunday, as carried by Bloomberg.

Crude oil exports from Kurdistan have now been halted for more than a year, after they were shut in in March 2023 due to a dispute over who should authorize the Kurdish exports.

The impasse followed an International Chamber of Commerce ruling in March 2023 in a dispute between Turkey and Iraq regarding Kurdistan oil. The ICC ruled in favor of Iraq, which had argued that Turkey should not allow Kurdish oil exports via the Iraq-Turkey pipeline and the Turkish port of Ceyhan without approval from the federal government of Iraq.

With the talks with companies now halted, Al-Sudani didn’t say when these could resume.

Earlier this year, Iraq’s Oil Ministry said that foreign oil firms in Iraqi Kurdistan are partially to blame for the delays to the resumption of exports from the semi-autonomous region of OPEC’s second-largest producer.

In November 2023, Norwegian firm DNO, one of the six members of the Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR), said that the international oil companies operating in Kurdistan would not be producing oil for exports until they have clarity about overdue and future payments and sales terms.

In January this year, the foreign companies called on U.S. Congress for immediate action to help resolve halted crude oil exports from Kurdistan. APIKUR has written a letter to Congress in which it said “The export of oil is the foundation of Iraq’s economy, and all Iraqis will benefit when full production and global sales resume from the Kurdistan Region.”

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

BYD Set to Supply London's Electric Double-Decker Buses

By City A.M - May 20, 2024

• 
  
• Transport giant Go-Ahead Group is set to award BYD a contract to build more than 100 all-electric double-decker buses.
• 
  
• The firm is one of a slew of Chinese automakers rapidly expanding on the European continent.
• 
  
• Transport for London (TfL), chaired by Mayor Sadiq Khan, has given the decision the green light.

Rapidly expanding Chinese automaker BYD is close to a deal that would see it supply all-electric double decker buses in London.

Transport giant Go-Ahead Group is set to award the Shenzhen-based firm a contract to build more than 100 of the vehicles at around £400,000 each and £100,000 cheaper than its UK competitors, sources told the Sunday Times.

Transport for London (TfL), chaired by Mayor Sadiq Khan, has given the decision the green light. BYD previously partnered with competitor Alexander Dennis and has produced hundreds of electric double-decker buses for Go-Ahead.

The firm is one of a slew of Chinese automakers rapidly expanding on the European continent, offering electric vehicles (EVs) at cut throat prices. It is backed by Warren Buffet and earlier this year, overtook Elon Musk’s Tesla to take the top spot in global EV sales for the first time.

But the new deal could raise eyebrows given BYD has faced accusations from human rights groups that metals in its supply chains were made using Uyghur forced labour.

The United Nations in 2021 wrote to BYD stating it had “received information” the company may be involved through its supply chain “in alleged forced labour, arbitrary detention and trafficking of Uyghur [muslims] and other minority workers.”

Tom Cunnington, head of bus business development at TfL, said: “We have been assured by the manufacturer that no unethical practices have taken place and would act immediately if provided with evidence to the contrary.

“TfL is a member of the Electronics Watch Low-Emission Vehicle Programme, working to apply the worker-driven monitoring model of Electonics Watch to the electric vehicle market. 

“All bus companies have individual robust ethical and sustainability policies that ensure the highest standards are met on the environment and workers’ rights.”

BYD and Go-Ahead Group did not respond to a City A.M. request for comment.

Speaking to the Sunday Times, former conservative party leader Sir Ian Duncan Smith, said: “We’ve yet again gone to China to build buses. What is the matter with our domestic production?

“These are iconic, British London buses. Why is it that we simply do not look for a contractor based, if not in the UK, then certainly in Europe.

By Guy Taylor via CityAM