Study highlights benefits of nuclear district heating

12 July 2024

Nuclear is much cleaner and has less environmental impacts over the life cycle of the production than other energy sources for the Finnish and European district heating markets, a study by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has concluded.

Helsinki (Image: Pixabay)

In Europe, the homes of 60 million people are currently kept warm during winter by 3500 local district heating networks, VTT notes. Heating is also a major source of CO2 emissions, which is why the deep decarbonisation of the energy system requires a wide range of alternatives to fossil fuels.

The VTT study evaluated the carbon footprint of heat produced using the LDR-50 small modular reactor (SMR) technology - being developed by VTT spin-off company Steady Energy for district heat production and low-temperature industrial applications - together with other adverse environmental impacts over the life cycle of the production.

The study relied on standard Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) methodology, which takes into account the energy and material streams of the different phases of the life cycle, together with the associated emissions. LDR-50 specific parameters were used as input data for evaluating the contributions from the fuel cycle. Since the technology is still under development, estimates for plant construction and the different stages of operation were based on conventional nuclear power plant technology.

The specific emissions for heat produced by the LDR-50 heating plant was estimated to be 2.4 grams of CO2 per kilowatt-hour. The result was compared with other commonly used district heating fuels, such as coal, natural gas and peat, as well as various biofuels. The emissions number for the nuclear option was the lowest in the comparison. The difference was significant, especially compared with fossil fuels. Similar emissions for natural gas and hard coal, for example, were 282 gCO2/kWh and 515 gCO2/kWh, respectively. For biofuels, the values ranged from 10 to 50 gCO2eq/kWh.

"More importantly, it was shown that the carbon footprint of nuclear-based district heating can be more than two orders of magnitude smaller than that of fossil heating fuels," VTT said. "The nuclear option also did well in comparison to direct electric heating and heat pumps, even when the electricity supply came from low-carbon sources."

The carbon footprint of these heating options is largely determined by the specific emissions of electricity consumed in the process, VTT noted. "To account for the variation in electricity sources, the average emission numbers from different European countries were included in the comparison. The carbon footprint of the nuclear option was comparable to heating with heat pumps in countries with a clean electricity mix, such as Sweden and France, and significantly lower when compared to grids with a large share of fossil production (e.g. Poland, Czech Republic and Germany)."

In addition to greenhouse gas emissions, the adverse environmental effects of nuclear district heating and conventional heating fuels were evaluated for 12 different impact categories, the study found.

"In none of the impact categories did nuclear-based district heating perform worse than the widely-used conventional heating fuels," it said. "In most categories the impact was clearly below the average. The result is largely explained by the very high energy content of uranium fuel. Even though uranium mining and milling inflicts negatively on the environment, the overall impact per produced amount of heat remains small compared to the alternatives."

VTT said the study shows that nuclear energy can become a viable option for replacing fossil fuels in heat production. It noted the largest emission reduction potential lies in countries where energy production still relies heavily on coal and natural gas, and district heating holds a large market share. Such countries include, for example, Estonia, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Ukraine.

The LDR-50 district heating SMR - with a thermal output of 50 MW - has been under development at VTT since 2020. It is designed to operate at around 150°C and below 10 bar (145 psi). The LDR-50 reactor module is made of two nested pressure vessels, with their intermediate space partially filled with water. When heat removal through the primary heat exchangers is compromised, water in the intermediate space begins to boil, forming an efficient passive heat transfer route into the reactor pool, the company said. The system does not rely on electricity or any mechanical moving parts, which could fail and prevent the cooling function.

Steady Energy - which was spun out in May 2023 from the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland - expects the construction of the first operational LDR-50 district heating plant to begin by 2028, with the first unit expected to be operational by 2030. The LDR-50 district heating SMR - with a thermal output of 50 MW - has been under development at VTT since 2020.

Last month, Steady Energy said it is set to start construction of its first LDR-50 district heating reactor pilot plant in Finland next year, with potential sites including the Finnish capital Helsinki and two other cities.

Finnish municipal decision-makers favourable to SMRs

08 July 2024

Decision-makers in Finland's largest cities have a positive attitude towards the construction of small modular reactors in their municipalities, a survey commissioned by Finnish SMR developer Steady Energy has shown.

A multiple LDR-50 unit plant (Image: Steady Energy)

Among the municipal decision-makers in big Finnish cities, an average of 86% said they support the construction of SMRs, while only 11% are opposed. The most favourable municipal decision-makers are in Tampere (94%), Espoo (93%), Lahti (94%), Turku (91%) and Helsinki (89%).

Municipal decision-makers in Vantaa have the least positive attitude towards the construction of SMRs, although 69% of them have a very, or somewhat positive attitude.

The younger the municipal decision-maker who answered the survey, the more positive the attitude was, Steady Energy noted. According to the survey, of the municipal decision-makers aged 35 or older, all have a positive attitude towards SMRs, with 78% having very positive attitudes.

The respondents to the survey justify their positive position on SMRs primarily as a way to reduce carbon emissions. This justification was used by one in three. The next most important reasons were safety, self-sufficiency and security of supply. The decision-makers were also asked what methods their own municipality should use for heat production. The most popular answers were heat pumps using waste heat and SMRs.

The survey - conducted by research company Aula Research in May-June - was carried out by e-mail and telephone interviews. A total of 184 municipal decision-makers responded to the survey, and the survey's response rate was 21%. The target was the municipal decision-makers and leading office holders of the largest cities. In addition to Steady Energy, the research was financed by Energy Industry, Energiakaupunkit, Helen, Kuopio Energia and Oulun Energia.

"We know fairly well what the energy industry thinks about small-scale nuclear power in different countries: it is a cheap and emission-free form of electricity and heat production and even necessary to reach climate goals," said Steady Energy CEO Tommi Nyman. "We gathered information from outside our bubble and the results are undeniably very encouraging."

Last month, Steady Energy said it is set to start construction of its first LDR-50 district heating reactor pilot plant in Finland next year, with potential sites including the Finnish capital Helsinki and two other cities. The pilot plant will serve as a full-scale, operational model of the Finnish-designed SMR. Unlike the actual power plant, the pilot unit will use an electric element to produce heat inside the reactor capsule instead of nuclear fuel. The main purpose is to test operational features and to establish the necessary supply chains with various manufacturers to construct actual plants.

Steady Energy - which was spun out in May 2023 from the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland - expects the construction of the first operational LDR-50 district heating plant to begin by 2028, with the first unit expected to be operational by 2030. The LDR-50 district heating SMR - with a thermal output of 50 MW - has been under development at VTT since 2020.

In Finland, more than half of the energy used for heating comes from district heating, which is mostly produced with fossil fuels, peat and biomass. Utilities are seeking ways to swiftly transit away from combustion-based heat production to new and innovative low emission alternatives such as SMRs.

L&T flags off second steam generator for new Kaiga units

12 July 2024

Indian engineering company Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has shipped the second steam generator destined for the units 5 and 6 of the Kaiga nuclear power plant in Karnataka State.

The steam generator prepares to leave the factory (Image: L&T)

A "flagging off" ceremony was held on 12 July by L&T to mark the shipment of the steam generator from its Hazira complex in Gujarat.

Speaking at the ceremony, Anil Parab, whole-time director and senior executive vice president - L&T Heavy Engineering & L&T Valves, said: "L&T Heavy Engineering, as an industry trendsetter, continues to create global benchmarks in delivery of critical nuclear equipment. Eleven-month early delivery of this second steam generator is another example of consistency and resilience even during pandemic and supply chain disruptions. We are fully geared up as the trusted and dedicated partner of the Department of Atomic Energy and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) to triple the current installed nuclear power capacity to 100 GWe by 2047."

Workers "flag off" the steam generator (Imagwe: L&T)

In March 2018, L&T Special Steels and Heavy Forgings Private Limited - a joint venture between L&T and NPCIL - received an order worth INR4.42 billion (USD52.9 million) from NPCIL to supply forgings for steam generators. These forgings will be used in the manufacture of the critical equipment for six new indigenous 700 MWe pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs), part of the Indian government's plan to construct ten PHWR units.

The Indian cabinet in 2017 approved the construction of ten domestically designed 700 MWe PHWR units using a fleet mode of construction to bring economies of scale as well as maximising efficiency. The first two of these units are Kaiga 5 and 6.

L&T delivered the first steam generator for Kaiga units 5 and 6 in March this year, 12 months ahead of contractual delivery.

Steam generators are heat exchangers used to convert water into steam from heat produced in a nuclear reactor core. In PHWRs, the coolant is pumped, at high pressure to prevent boiling, from the reactor coolant pump, through the nuclear reactor core, and through the tube side of the steam generators before returning to the pump.

L&T says it has "a proven track record of manufacturing more than 42 steam generators for major nuclear power plants across the nation".

Serbia gathers experts to establish nuclear energy programme

12 July 2024

The Minister of Mining and Energy and representatives of five other ministries and from 20 academic faculties, scientific institutes and energy companies have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the development of nuclear energy in Serbia.

(Image: Emilija Jovanović/Serbia's Ministry of Energy)

Minister Đedović Handanović said that the intention was to gather experts from the country and abroad to examine the possibility of establishing a programme for nuclear energy in Serbia. Her ministry added that "the use of nuclear energy is foreseen in one of the scenarios of the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan" and said she had noted that the 1989 ban on the construction of new nuclear power plants in the country "does not refer to scientific research and research-development works, mining-geological research works and staff training".

A preliminary study is now planned to provide an analysis of the available technologies and requirements to help inform decisions to be taken "along with the development of educational and scientific programmes, strengthening of capacities in our institutes and creation of a regulatory and institutional framework".

Minister of Environmental Protection, Sandra Dokić, said that 26% of electricity in the European Union was produced by nuclear power and that nuclear power had a key role to play in reaching climate neutrality by 2050, citing the examples of Poland and Romania, which were planning on new nuclear.

The event was attended by Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vučević, who said the MoU "corrects the mistake" in the 1980s which banned nuclear energy in the country. He said it would be a key development for the sovereignty and independence of the country and said "it is possible to develop nuclear energy while simultaneously protecting the environment and the health of the citizens of Serbia - I believe that this is a great chance for the development of Serbia".

The background 

The construction of nuclear power plants, nuclear fuel production plants and plants for used nuclear fuel processing for nuclear power plants has been forbidden since 1989 - in the wake of the Chernobyl accident - predating the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. That ban has stayed in place, although the current government is aiming to reverse it.

In March, Serbia's President Aleksandar Vučić told the Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels the country was seeking support from other countries in terms of know-how and financing to achieve its aim of getting 1200 MW of capacity from small modular reactors.

The signatories

The MoU was signed by the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, JP "Nuclear Facilities of Serbia", Directorate for Radiation and Nuclear Safety and Security of Serbia, Serbian Nuclear Society, Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Faculty of Science in Novi Sad, Faculty of Science in Kragujevac, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy from Belgrade, Faculty of Technical Sciences in Novi Sad, Nikola Tesla Institute of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Biology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Economics and Faculty of Medicine. The other ministries to sign it were the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Health, as well as the companies Elektroprivreda Srbije and Elektromreza Srbije.

Construction of Leningrad 7 'running ahead of schedule'

12 July 2024

Rosatom says that the work on the reactor building is currently running two and a half months ahead of schedule, with concreting of the foundation completed.

(Image: Rosatom)

About 400 people are involved in construction work at the site of what will be the Leningrad nuclear power plant's seventh and eight units. Those at unit 7 are preparing for concreting the foundation slabs for the nuclear island buildings, excavating a pit for the turbine island, and constructing a pile field for the fourth cooling tower.

Konstantin Khudyakov, from Leningrad NPP, said: "The recipe for a durable and strong foundation for the reactor building is simple: high-quality initial ingredients included in the concrete mix and their correct proportions, non-stop pouring of the concrete mix and proper care of the concrete until it has completely hardened and cured. It is also important that the work is carried out by highly qualified construction personnel. We strictly followed all these requirements, so we are confident that testing the lower part of the finished foundation using non-destructive testing methods will prove its high quality and strength."

The next stage is to reinforce and concrete the upper part of the reactor building foundation, adding 1.5 metres to its thickness, with the foundation expected to be fully complete in the Autumn and the construction of the reactor building's internal containment and the construction of internal floors will begin.

Rosenergoatom Director General Alexander Shutikov said construction of the reactor building was currently two and a half months ahead of schedule. He said that the reactor building had a 65-month construction timeline but added that, given the experience from units 5 and 6, and the "availability of the necessary materials, equipment, documentation and personnel ... [we] have every chance of finishing earlier".

The background

The Leningrad nuclear power plant is one of the largest in Russia, with an installed capacity of 4400 MWe, and provides more than 55% of the electricity demand of St Petersburg and the Leningrad region, or 30% of all the electricity in northwest Russia.

Leningrad 1 shut down in 2018 after 45 years of operation. Leningrad 2, also a 1000 MWe RBMK unit, started up in 1975 and was permanently shut down in November 2020. As the first two of the plant's four RBMK-1000 units shut down, new VVER-1200 units started at the neighbouring Leningrad II plant. The 60-year service life of these fifth and sixth units (also known as Leningrad II-1 and Leningrad II-2) secures power supply until the 2080s. Units 7 and 8 will replace units 3 and 4 as they are shut in the coming years.

The pouring of the first concrete for unit 7 in March marked the start of the main phase of construction of the new power unit, which is expected to generate power for 60 years, with the possibility of a 20-year extension. The foundation slab consists of about 5500 cubic metres of concrete.

KAERI completes upgrade of Bangladeshi research reactor

11 July 2024

Work to commission the modernised instrumentation and control system of the Bangladesh Training Research Reactor has been completed, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) announced.

The control room for the BTRR (Image: KAERI)

KAERI said the project marks the first bilateral cooperation in the nuclear industry between two countries, which have worked together since 2021.

In July 2021, KAERI won a contract worth about USD3.9 million from the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) for the modernisation of its Bangladesh Training Research Reactor (BTRR). The project involved the development and replacement of key facilities at BTRR, including the delivery of digital instrumentation and control systems to replace its analog systems.

The 3 MW TRIGA Mark-II research reactor achieved its first criticality on 14 September 1986. The reactor has been used for manpower training, radioisotope production (iodine-131), and various R&D activities in the field of neutron activation analysis, neutron radiography and neutron scattering.

"The BTRR project has been the cornerstone to the nuclear cooperation between Korea and Bangladesh, and now we expect today's accomplishment will help further advancing the peaceful use of nuclear energy and technologies in the country," said KAERI Executive Vice President In-Cheol Lim.

In May 2022, KAERI signed a memorandum of understanding with BAEC for technological cooperation in nuclear research and development. Under the MoU, the main areas for cooperation include the development, utilisation and upgrade of research reactors, the production and application of radioisotopes, development of radiation technology, neutron science and the management of radioactive wastes.

KAERI has also been active in promoting the development and use of research reactors globally. In 2009, a KAERI-led consortium won the construction project of the Jordan Research and Training Reactor (JRTR), Korea's first nuclear reactor export. From planning and engineering to start up test, KAERI played a leading role in the successful completion of the project.

In June this year, the KAERI-led consortium also finished the capacity upgrade of a research reactor and installation of a cold neutron source at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. The so-called OYSTER (Optimised Yield - for Science, Technology & Education - of Radiation) project started in 2014 and marked Korea's first export of nuclear reactor technology to Europe. Previously, KAERI was also involved in upgrade and refurbishment of research reactor in Greece, Thailand and Malaysia.

Building upon the years-long experience and expertise, KAERI is also collaborating with US partners in ensuring proliferation resistance of research reactors, especially in emerging countries. Earlier this year, the Korean government signed an MoU with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) for the Proliferation Resistance Optimization (Pro-X) Programme. Under the cooperation framework aiming at integration of proliferation resistance into nuclear reactor design, KAERI will work closely with NNSA to optimise the institute's export-oriented reactor designs, contributing to strengthening the non-proliferation regime in the field of research reactors.

EDF withdraws from UK's SMR selection competition

09 July 2024

While other shortlisted vendors have submitted bids for their respective small modular reactor (SMR) designs, EDF has withdrawn its Nuward model from Great British Nuclear's SMR selection contest.

How each of the shortlisted six designs might look (Composite image: Holtec, Rolls-Royce, Nuward, NuScale, GE Hitachi, Westinghouse)

The UK aims to grow nuclear energy capacity to 24 GW by 2050, with a mix of traditional large-scale power plants and SMRs. Last year, the 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 (GEH), Holtec, NuScale Power, Rolls-Royce SMR and Westinghouse were invited to bid for UK government contracts in the next stage of the process.

In early June, the deadline for submitting bids was delayed by two weeks, from 24 June to 8 July, four days after the general election that led to a change from a Conservative to Labour government in the UK. The deadline delay was believed to be at the request of one of the bidders rather than relating to the election.

An EDF spokesperson told World Nuclear News the company had decided "to pull out of the SMR competition due to incompatibility between the level of commitment and the time schedule required by GBN and the level of maturity of the Nuward SMR".

The move comes just days after EDF announced it planned to do further work to optimise the design of its Nuward SMR, focusing on existing and proven technologies. That decision followed feedback from potential European customers and was taken in order to guarantee project deadlines and budgets would be met. EDF did not say whether the reactor's redesign would have an impact on the Nuward project's budget and timeline.

Bid submissions

GEH announced it submitted its tender response by providing documentation in support of its BWRX-300 SMR technology.

"We have entered this competition with a proven track record of progressing SMR reactor technology internationally, a fuel that is already licensed and in operation, and a reactor designed for manufacture," said Andy Champ, GEH UK Country Leader. "Our BWRX-300 has evolved from proven, simple, boiling water reactor technology and is not just smaller, but through innovation even further simplified. We believe this uniquely positions us to reliably deliver an SMR with the most value for money and along with our strategic investment partners, be a valuable partner to the UK Government as it strives to reach its net-zero target by 2050.

"We have a strong and growing team here in the UK, and we are confident that our SMR represents the lowest risk and highest reward choice for Great British Nuclear. We look forward to the outcome of the competition and the opportunity to play a pivotal role in helping to deliver not just Great British Nuclear's ambitions, but also the new Government's mission to make the UK a green energy superpower."

In a LinkedIn post, Rolls-Royce SMR said it too had submitted its tender response to GBN. "This is an extremely exciting time for Rolls-Royce SMR which stands ready to move rapidly to the next phase," the company said. "Selection by GBN before the end of the year will unlock supply chain investment, job creation and enormous opportunities to export this unique product to countries around the world that are seeking to strengthen their energy security with a long-term, low-carbon solution."

Also on LinkedIn, Holtec announced it had submitted its tender, noting its proposal "is strengthened by the collaboration with our esteemed partners, including Hyundai Engineering & Construction. Holtec is uniquely positioned to serve as the vehicle for US, UK, and South Korean strategic cooperation".

It added: "The stakes have never been higher for SMR-300 joint deployment to provide UK energy security. We look forward to the opportunity to partner with Great British Nuclear and to playing a pivotal role in the ongoing evolution of the UK nuclear industry."

NuScale said in a post on X that it had submitted a tender response for its VOYGR SMR. "With the only SMR tech that has completed R&D, secured regulatory approvals, and begun manufacturing, we are ready to deploy reliable, clean nuclear power in the UK," it said.

The other technology provider in the contest is Westinghouse, with its AP300 SMR. It submitted an application to the UK's Department of Energy Security and Net Zero in February for approval to enter the Generic Design Assessment, which allows regulators to assess the safety, security and environmental implications of new reactor designs, separately from applications to build them at specific sites.

"The AP300 SMR is an evolution of our advanced AP1000 reactor, which is now deployed in both China and the United States and licensed in the UK," Westinghouse said. "The pedigree of the AP300 SMR, its proven technology, and real supply chain base make it and Westinghouse the perfect fit for delivering GBN’s and the UK Government’s important energy security and net-zero goals."

Rita Baranwal, Westinghouse Senior Vice President for the AP300 SMR, added: "This partnership can deliver clean, reliable energy for UK consumers for decades to come, powering a century or more of growth and prosperity in the UK.  We are proud to propose our proven APX (AP300 and AP1000) technology, coupled with our skilled UK workforce and more than 75 years of nuclear manufacturing experience in country, to create a true partnership with GBN."

The background

In an interview earlier this year for the World Nuclear News podcast, GBN Chairman Simon Bowen said the planned timeline was for the SMR selection shortlist to be cut to around four after the submission of responses to the tender, with the goal of placing contracts by the end of the year with two or three technology providers - this would be for co-funding the technology all the way through to completion of the design, regulatory, environmental and site-specific permissions process, and the potential to place a contract for the supply of equipment. Each selected technology would have an allocated site with the potential to host multiple SMRs.

The aim is then for a final investment decision to be taken in 2029.

It is not yet clear what impact the change of government might have on the selection process, although the in-coming Labour Government has been pro-nuclear energy and said in its election manifesto it would "end a decade of dithering that has seen the Conservatives duck decisions on nuclear power. We will ensure the long-term security of the sector, extending the lifetime of existing plants, and we will get Hinkley Point C over the line. New nuclear power stations, such as Sizewell C, and small modular reactors, will play an important role in helping the UK achieve energy security and clean power while securing thousands of good, skilled jobs".

Nukem Technologies acquisition agreement announced

09 July 2024

Japan's Muroosystems Corp has signed an acquisition agreement for Nukem Technologies Engineering Services, which specialises in decommissioning, waste management and engineering services.

(Image: Nukem)

The Germany-based company was bought by Russia's Atomstroyexport in 2009 for a reported EUR23.5 million (USD25.5 million). The proposed terms of the current acquisition contract, which was signed on 29 May, has not been disclosed.

Nukem said that the decision to sell was taken in 2022 "in view of the difficult geopolitical situation and the challenges involved in continuing the company under a Russian owner. Since then, intensive negotiations have been held with potential buyers who recognised the enormous potential of Nukem, both in terms of its products and its highly qualified team".

In a statement posted on its website, Nukem said the takeover by a Japanese investor "marked a new beginning" and gives it "the opportunity to return to the markets that were no longer accessible due to the previous ownership structure". It added that as part of the process "all necessary approvals for the transaction will be obtained and obligations to third parties will be diligently fulfilled".

In quotes

Thomas Seipolt, managing director of Nukem, said: "We are delighted to have found a partner in the new owner who not only wants to continue Nukem's established business, but also to expand it - both in terms of new markets and new technologies such as nuclear fusion. We are confident that we can shape a successful future together and would like to thank our customers and partners for their trust."

Nobuaki Ninomiya, executive director at Muroosystems, said: "The completion of this capital transaction is scheduled for mid-August this year, and Muroosystems Corp is excited to embark on this new journey with Nukem. We anticipate that the fusion of German and Japanese professionalism will create new synergies in the nuclear decommissioning and nuclear markets across Europe, Japan and other Asian countries."

The background

Nukem was founded in Germany in 1960, originally with the goal of designing and manufacturing nuclear fuel elements. Political and policy changes over the years led to a broader direction and in 2006 its business activities in the field of decommissioning, management of radioactive waste and engineering technology were concentrated in the Nukem Technologies subsidiary. This was bought by Russia's Atomstroyexport in 2009 and transferred in 2019 to TVEL, which is the fuel division of Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom. Its projects in recent years have included Lithuania's Solid Waste Retrieval Facility and its Solid Radioactive Waste Management and Storage Facility.

In April it filed for insolvency under self-administration and was under creditor protection, saying the challenges the company was facing were "attributable to the deteriorating business environment due to the ownership structure following the outbreak of war in Ukraine in February 2022" and said at that time that efforts at a sale could not be finalised "mainly due to legal uncertainties related to the Russian ownership and the permissibility of such an acquisition".

Muroosystems is based in Tokyo and was established in 2006. According to the press statement announcing the acquisition "It focuses on IT solutions centred around decentralised data centres and engages in power development projects primarily based on renewable energy".

Balakovo steam generators prepared for dismantling

09 July 2024

Workers at Russia's Balakovo nuclear power plant have removed the first of four used steam generators from a storage facility and prepared it to be transported for dismantling and disposal.

(Image: Rosenergoatom)

The participants in the pilot project for the transportation and disposal of used steam generators of the PGV-1000 M type were the plant itself, FSUE RADON, OOO OKB Spetstyazhproekt and the Balakovo branch of JSC Atomenergoremont (Rosatom's Electric Power Division).

The used steam generators at the Balakovo plant - each weighing 322 tonnes - have been kept in a special storage facility for more than 30 years. Immediately after their removal from the power unit, they were chemically washed inside and decontaminated outside. Lead shot was poured into the connectors of the primary circuit to act as a biological protection. All connectors were plugged and welded, after which a protective paint and varnish coating was applied to the steam generators.

(Image: Rosenergoatom)

To implement the innovative project, a set of design programmes and solutions for the extraction of oversized metal equipment was developed, and a package of organisational documentation for its equipment and transportation, processing and disposal was prepared. Also, during the project in Balakovo, the bottom of the Volga River was dredged and the berth from which the steam generators will be transported on a barge was strengthened.

"To clear the way for removing the steam generators from the cells where they had been standing for a long time, the storage wall was dismantled," said Evgeny Poryadchenko, Deputy Head of the Reactor Equipment Repair Shop at Balakovoatomenergoremont. "Then the extracted equipment was placed on rails and delivered to the Balakovo NPP heavy equipment site. Using the SBL portal system, each steam generator was moved to a 14-axle platform with air suspension for transportation to the Volga berth."

(Image: Rosenergoatom)

"Each steam generator that we extracted from the storage facility underwent a thorough radiation inspection and sealing," noted Dmitry Izotov, Deputy Chief Engineer for Radiation Protection at Balakovo NPP. "The equipment is absolutely safe, it can be transported unpackaged by road and water transport."

Within the framework of the project, it is planned to send three more PGV-1000 M steam generators from the Balakovo plant for disposal.

Rosenergoatom noted that a significant portion of the metal remaining after processing of the components is planned to be reused in industrial production. 

Further Norwegian town signs up for nuclear studies

08 July 2024

A second municipality in southern Norway's Agder county, Lyngdal, has entered into a cooperation agreement with Norsk Kjernekraft regarding the investigation of a possible future nuclear power plant in the area.

(Image: Norsk Kjernekraft)

Norsk Kjernekraft - which aims to build, own and operate small modular reactor (SMR) power plants in Norway in collaboration with power-intensive industry - said the purpose of the agreement was to provide a better basis for decision-making. It involves initial investigation of all relevant locations for SMR power plants in the municipality.

The collaboration agreement had the approval of all municipal council representatives.

"As mayor, I am proud to have a forward-leaning municipal council that unanimously supported the cooperation agreement," said Lyngdal Mayor Unni Nilsen Husøy. "I believe that nuclear power will become an important part of future energy needs, and I look forward to further research and collaboration.

"In the future, we will be completely dependent on energy sources that require little land use and that produce low greenhouse gas emissions in order to be able to face the future, a future where we need predictability, stability and a reasonable power supply for industry and consumers."

Norsk Kjernekraft CEO Jonny Hesthammer added: "Another milestone has been reached for nuclear power in Norway. Lyngdal municipality is forward-leaning and shows commitment to providing enough reliable power to secure future jobs and at the same time safeguard vulnerable nature.

"Nuclear power is a sustainable energy source with very low greenhouse gas emissions. The energy source will be absolutely central to ensure the municipalities have enough electricity and at the same time ensure security of supply. We look forward to a constructive collaboration with the municipality."

Lyngdal - located in the Lister region, in the far west of Agder - becomes the second municipality in the county to sign such an agreement with Norsk Kjernekraft. Just last week, nearby Farsund announced it had signed an agreement with the company.

Also last week, Norsk Kjernekraft announced it had signed a cooperation agreement with the municipality of Lund in the southern Norwegian county of Rogaland.

Last month, Norsk Kjernekraft submitted a proposal to Norway's Ministry of Energy for an assessment into the construction of a power plant based on multiple SMRs in the north-eastern county of Finnmark. In April last year, the municipality of Vardø in Finnmark proposed nearby Svartnes as a possible site for a nuclear power plant to Norsk Kjernekraft, which aims to build, own and operate SMR power plants in Norway in collaboration with power-intensive industry.

In November, Norsk Kjernekraft submitted a proposal to the ministry for an assessment into the construction of an SMR power plant based in the municipalities of Aure and Heim in south-western Norway. In April this year, it initiated work on the impact assessment of a plot of land in Øygarden municipality, west of Bergen, to assess the possibility of establishing a nuclear power plant comprising up to five SMRs.

Last month, the Norwegian government appointed a committee to conduct a broad review and assessment of various aspects of a possible future establishment of nuclear power in the country. It must deliver its report by 1 April 2026.

List of Norwegian towns considering nuclear continues to grow

05 July 2024

Farsund in Agder county, on the southern tip of Norway, has become the latest municipality to enter into an agreement with Norsk Kjernekraft to jointly carry out initial investigation work on the possible construction of a nuclear power plant.

A meeting in Farsund's town hall to discuss the construction of a nuclear power plant in the municipality (Image: Norsk Kjernekraft)

Norsk Kjernekraft - which aims to build, own and operate smallmodular vreactor (SMR) power plants in Norway in collaboration with power-intensive industry - said the cooperation agreement was adopted with a broad political majority and aims to provide an information base that will enable all stakeholders to better assess the suitability for the establishment of a nuclear power plant in Farsund.

"Following such a process, the municipality can better assess whether they wish to proceed, for example by establishing a separate company together with Norsk Kjernekraft and local/regional industry, as has been done with Halden Kjernekraft AS," the company added.

Norsk Kjernekraft describes Farsund as "a future-oriented coastal municipality" which has several large workplaces within national and international companies, including a large proportion of power-intensive industry and workshop industry. The town is also the county's largest agricultural municipality.

The Mayor of Farsund, Ingrid Williamsen, said: "We will need large amounts of power in the future and so this is an important step on the way. If we should be so lucky that it turns out that Farsund is a suitable location for this type of power, it would be very gratifying."

Earlier this week, Norsk Kjernekraft announced it had signed a similar cooperation agreement with the municipality of Lund in the southern Norwegian county of Rogaland, which is expecting a large increase in power demand due to industrialisation of the area.

Last month, Norsk Kjernekraft submitted a proposal to Norway's Ministry of Energy for an assessment into the construction of a power plant based on multiple SMRs in the north-eastern county of Finnmark. In April last year, the municipality of Vardø in Finnmark proposed nearby Svartnes as a possible site for a nuclear power plant to Norsk Kjernekraft, which aims to build, own and operate SMR power plants in Norway in collaboration with power-intensive industry.

In November, Norsk Kjernekraft submitted a proposal to the ministry for an assessment into the construction of an SMR power plant based in the municipalities of Aure and Heim in south-western Norway. In April this year, it initiated work on the impact assessment of a plot of land in Øygarden municipality, west of Bergen, to assess the possibility of establishing a nuclear power plant comprising up to five SMRs.

A new company, Halden Kjernekraft AS, has also been founded by Norsk Kjernekraft, Østfold Energi and the municipality of Halden to investigate the construction of a nuclear power plant based on SMRs at Halden, where a research reactor once operated.

"The number of municipalities that are now taking the initiative to investigate nuclear power is impressive and increasing rapidly," said Norsk Kjernekraft CEO Jonny Hesthammer. "The Ministry of Energy must prepare for many reports with proposals for study programmes in the near future.

"Municipalities such as Farsund have a large need for power linked to the green transition. They must ensure jobs and long-term value creation, and here nuclear power can become absolutely central. We look forward to a long and constructive collaboration with Farsund municipality."

Last month, the Norwegian government appointed a committee to conduct a broad review and assessment of various aspects of a possible future establishment of nuclear power in the country. It must deliver its report by 1 April 2026.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

Podcast: How are the USA's historic new Vogtle nuclear units doing?

04 July 2024

Southern Nuclear's Senior Vice President at Vogtle 3 and 4, John Williams, on the achievement of completing the first new US nuclear power units in more than 30 years - and the lessons which can be shared.

Williams talks about the "tremendous pride" felt by everyone involved in completing the new units, with both Westinghouse AP1000s performing well and Vogtle 3 operating at 98% capacity since being put into service a year ago. As well as the direct jobs - 9000 workers were on site at peak construction - he says the new units are demonstrating the benefits of carbon-free energy, and the role that can be played in the future of energy in the US and further afield.

The project had many well-documented challenges to overcome - the impact of Fukushima, Westinghouse's Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2017 and the global pandemic - and Williams outlines some of the lessons learned which Southern Company - Southern Nuclear and Georgia Power's parent company - is committed to sharing with utilities in the US and other countries as they embark on their own projects.

The first lesson, he says, is the need for resilience, which has been demonstrated by the project partners Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power, MEAG Power and Dalton Utilities, and operator Southern Nuclear

Others include a "tremendous partnership" with the workforce, a constructive regulatory environment at both state and federal level and "we can't stress enough how important it is that the engineering design of a power plant is sufficiently complete to support efficient construction".

Vogtle 3 and 4, pictured in March 2024 (Image: Georgia Power)

 

He added: "Our last one that we always tell is that it's important that the owner and operator of the facility own the project from the beginning. There are myriad of commercial arrangements whereby these projects could get built, but whoever's going to own it and operate it is ultimately responsible for the cost for the schedule, for the regulatory compliance and we believe ownership by that owner operator is critical from the very beginning."

Williams said that over the years there have been "ebbs and flows but I think right now public opinion around nuclear energy is probably at its highest because people recognise the solution that it can play as we look to fight climate change. So we need reliable energy in a way that minimises impact to the environment. Nuclear energy is the right solution for that."

In the World Nuclear News round-up Claire Maden reports on the progress of the ADVANCE Act in the US, Kazakhstan's plans for a referendum later this year on new nuclear, and the latest uranium-mining developments in Niger.

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Episode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production 

US study examines feasibility of coal-to-nuclear conversion

10 July 2024

A study by researchers at the University of Michigan ranks the feasibility of converting 245 operational coal power plants in the USA into advanced nuclear reactors, providing valuable insights for policymakers and utilities to meet decarbonisation goals.

The Petersburg coal plant in Indiana was found to be the most feasible large plant to convert to nuclear (Image: AES Indiana)

In 2022, coal-fired power plants accounted for nearly 20% of total energy generation in the USA, resulting in the emission of 847 million metric tonnes of CO2, equivalent to 55% of the country's total CO2 emissions from the power sector.

Coal power plants (CPPs) are being phased out in many countries, including the USA. Utilities across the nation have incorporated the transition from coal-fired generation to cleaner energy resources into their Integrated Resource Plans. Furthermore, several utilities have set a goal to retire all CPPs within the next 15 years.

As part of this transition, there is a need to repurpose retired CPPs to alternative clean sources - one possibility is nuclear energy, which can generate the same stable base load of energy as coal but with zero carbon emissions, the study says.

Rather than establishing new sites, transitioning operational CPPs to nuclear plants can save time and money by using existing equipment like transmission lines and power system components. Surrounding communities also stand to benefit from the transition, retaining jobs and tax bases as coal plants are phased out.

The new University of Michigan study systematically evaluates the potential for coal-to-nuclear (C2N) energy transitions in the USA using the Siting Tool for Advanced Nuclear Development (STAND). Developed by the University of Michigan, National Reactor Innovation Center in Collaboration, Argonne National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, STAND enables users to input socioeconomic factors, safety, and proximity parameters to select potential advanced nuclear reactor development sites.

"The tool's ability to evaluate multiple sites simultaneously while balancing a suite of objectives offers a more scalable and robust analysis than previous studies, which focused on a few specific plants," the researchers noted.

The 245 operational coal plants studied were classified into two different groups based on their nameplate capacity. "Since advanced nuclear reactors are divided into various classes, such as microreactors, medium-scale reactors, and small modular reactors, it is necessary to categorise coal plants accordingly to match their capacity for a smooth transition to nuclear power," the study says.

Results revealed a broad spectrum of suitability levels and tradeoffs across different locations, highlighting both the feasibility and complexity of transitioning from coal to nuclear capacity. For the smaller electric capacity group, the feasibility score ranged from 51.52 to 84.31 out of 100 with a median of 66.53. The larger electric capacity group ranged in feasibility scores from 47.29 to 76.92 with a median of 63.97.

The R M Schahfer coal plant in Indiana emerged as the most feasible smaller electric capacity site, generating 1000 MWe or less, while the AES Petersburg plant in Indiana was top-ranked among the larger electric capacity sites, having generation capacity greater than 1000 MWe.

"The analysis conducted by STAND can benefit energy modelers, stakeholders, policymakers, utilities, and energy industries in making informed decisions," the study concludes. "It provides a top-down approach to assessing the potential for C2N transition in different coal sites. However, it is essential to emphasise that further on-site geological investigations, environmental assessments, and community engagement processes are necessary before finalising decisions related to reactor licensing."

"My hope is that this work, which looks at the potential for coal-to-nuclear transitions in a very granular way, for each coal plant across the country, can inform the national and state-level conversations that are unfolding in real time," said Aditi Verma, assistant professor of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences at University of Michigan and senior author of the study.

The study - published in Energy Reports - was sponsored by the Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy, funded through the Nuclear Energy University Program.

The possibility of replacing coal power plants with nuclear capacity is being actively explored in the USA and elsewhere. TerraPower in 2021 announced plans to build a demonstration unit of its Natrium sodium-cooled fast reactor at a retired coal plant site in Wyoming; in 2022, the the Maryland Energy Administration announced its support for work to evaluate the possibility of repurposing a coal-fired electric generating facility with X-energy’s Xe-100 small modular reactor; and Holtec International recently said it is considering coal plant sites as possible locations for its SMR-160 with plans to bring the first unit online as early as 2029. In Poland, NuScale is exploring with energy company Unimot and copper and silver producer KGHM possibilities for its reactors to replace coal-fired power plants.

Dominion considers deploying SMR at North Anna

11 July 2024

US utility Dominion Energy has issued a Request for Proposals from small modular reactor vendors to evaluate the feasibility of developing an SMR at its North Anna nuclear power plant in Virginia.

Governor Youngkin with plant employees after his ceremonial bill-signing at North Anna (Image: Dominion Energy)

"While the RFP is not a commitment to build an SMR at North Anna, it is an important first step in evaluating the technology and the North Anna site to support Dominion Energy customers' future energy needs consistent with the company's most recent Integrated Resource Plan (IRP)," Dominion said.

In its 2023 IRP, the company said it plans to continue evaluating the feasibility, operating parameters, and costs of SMRs and will update modeling assumptions related to SMRs in future filings.

"Potential cost reductions relative to the assumptions reflected in the 2023 Plan may be realised as the design of SMRs matures and as anticipated construction schedules are established. Based on updated capital, operating and maintenance costs, continued progress of licensing timelines, and new policy initiatives or legislative changes, it is conceivable that the deployment of SMRs could be further accelerated by the company, with the first SMR being placed in service within a decade," it said.

The issuance of the RFP was announced at an event on 10 July at the North Anna site. Company leaders were joined at the event by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, Virginia State Senator Dave Marsden, Virginia State Senator Mark Peake and Louisa County Board of Supervisors Chair Duane Adams, among other local and state leaders.

Dominion also announced that it intends to seek "rider recovery" of SMR development costs in a filing with the Virginia State Corporation Commission expected later this year. This was enabled by bipartisan legislation passed by the Virginia General Assembly earlier this year. Governor Youngkin ceremonially signed the legislation at the event at North Anna.

The legislation contains cost caps limiting current SMR development cost recovery to no more than USD1.40 per month for a typical residential customer. Dominion anticipates that its initial request will be substantially below that limit.

"For over 50 years nuclear power has been the most reliable workhorse of Virginia's electric fleet, generating 40% of our power and with zero carbon emissions," said Robert Blue, chair, president and CEO of Dominion Energy. "As Virginia's need for reliable and clean power grows, SMRs could play a pivotal role in an 'all-of-the-above' approach to our energy future. Along with offshore wind, solar and battery storage, SMRs have the potential to be an important part of Virginia's growing clean energy mix."

Governor Youngkin added: "The Commonwealth's potential to unleash and foster a rich energy economy is limitless. To meet the power demands of the future, it is imperative we continue to explore emerging technologies that will provide Virginians access to the reliable, affordable and clean energy they deserve. In alignment with our All-American, All-of-the-Above energy plan, small nuclear reactors will play a critical role in harnessing this potential and positioning Virginia to be a leading nuclear innovation hub."

The North Anna site is currently home to two 944 MWe pressurised water reactors, which began commercial operation in 1978 and 1980, respectively. Under their current licences, North Anna units 1 and 2 can continue to operate through 2038 and 2040, although Dominion has applied for 20-year extensions for both units.

Aalo prepares for US licensing of microreactor

10 July 2024

Aalo Atomics has submitted a pre-application regulatory engagement plan (REP) with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for its Aalo-1 microreactor, detailing the planned pre-licensing application interactions with the regulator.

(Image: Aalo Atomics)

An REP helps reactor developers' early interactions with NRC staff and can reduce regulatory uncertainty and add predictability to licensing advanced technologies. There is no regulatory requirement for an REP, and the guidelines note that the topics and appropriate level of detail a prospective applicant would wish to include are entirely voluntary and should be agreed upon in discussions between the applicant and NRC staff.

Austin, Texas-headquartered Aalo said: "By setting expectations, building trust, and addressing the NRC's questions and concerns early on, we aim to create a safe, socially acceptable, and commercially viable Aalo-1 reactor for the Idaho Nuclear Project."

The company said that initially, this project will feature seven independent Aalo-1 reactors, potentially expanding to an additional seven reactor units.

"Once we get the green light and start construction, this will be the highest number of nuclear reactors at a single site in the US - a game-changer for small reactor clusters," Aalo said. "This plant will help our partner utility provide affordable, reliable electricity to meet current and future energy and sustainability needs. We aim to have it up and running by 2029."

In May, Aalo announced it had completed the conceptual design of the Aalo-1 - a factory-fabricated 10 MWe sodium-cooled microreactor that uses uranium zirconium hydride (UZrH) fuel elements. It plans to construct a full-scale, non-nuclear prototype of the reactor that will be used to test and refine its technology, ensuring that Aalo-1 meets its technical, regulatory, and economic targets.

The company also said in May that it had signed a siting memorandum of understanding with the Department of Energy (DOE), marking the first step towards deploying its first Aalo-1 reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) site in Idaho. "While not yet confirmed, Aalo intends to leverage this siting MoU towards locating the first Aalo-1 reactor at the Central Facilities Area site within INL, a location chosen to collocate with newly constructed megawatt-scale electrolysers, and INL's upcoming hydrogen motorcoach fleet," Aalo said.

It plans to submit a combined construction and operating licence application (COLA) for the project in 2026.

In December last year, Aalo was among the first FY2024 recipients announced for GAIN vouchers. The federally funded vouchers aim to accelerate the innovation and application of advanced nuclear technologies by providing companies access to the extensive nuclear research capabilities and expertise of the US Department of Energy's national laboratory complex.

GAIN - Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear - is an initiative launched in 2016 by the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy which helps businesses overcome critical technological and commercialisation challenges of nuclear energy technologies through a voucher system, giving stakeholders access to the DOE's R&D facilities and infrastructure to support the cost-effective development of innovative nuclear energy technologies. All awardees are responsible for a minimum 20% cost-share, which could be an in-kind contribution.

Aalo was awarded GAIN vouchers to collaborate with INL to evaluate modelling and simulation capabilities for the fuel and core system of the Aalo-1 microreactor, which is inspired by INL's planned MARVEL microreactor.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

EXPERIMENTAL-SCI-FI-TEK

AtkinsRéalis to design fusion plant for Type One Energy

11 July 2024

US fusion energy developer Type One Energy has selected Canadian engineering firm AtkinsRéalis to develop the pre-concept design for its Fusion Pilot Plant, which will use stellarator technology to demonstrate its potential to generate clean, safe and affordable power from fusion energy.

An impression of how the stellarator may look (Image: Type One Energy)

AtkinsRéalis said its UK-based fusion team will work alongside US capabilities and expertise to provide multi-disciplinary engineering services, to develop the full plant requirements, pre-conceptual facility designs, and a preliminary site layout. Working in close collaboration with Type One Energy, AtkinsRéalis will integrate established project delivery solutions alongside novel fusion technologies, seeking to de-risk the delivery of the fusion plant while optimising cost.

"This programme of work is the first step in a strategic partnership with Type One Energy as they commercialise their technology and progress the potential of fusion to power the US' energy transition," said Jason Dreisbach, director of advanced energy technologies at AtkinsRéalis. "With our global fusion expertise, we are uniquely positioned to support the transition of Type One Energy's fusion technology into a commercially viable and sustainable source of energy to power a net-zero future."

"We selected AtkinsRéalis because of its subject matter expertise across multiple disciplines, including engineering, planning, and deployment, as well as its accumulated knowledge and market presence in the emerging fusion technology space," said Type One Energy’s Vice President of Global Partnerships and Supply Chain Management Gregg Schneider. "We believe that developing long term business and functional level relationships will serve both parties as additional work scopes are contemplated over the next decade."

In February, Type One Energy announced plans to build Infinity One - its stellarator fusion prototype machine - at Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA's) Bull Run Fossil Plant in Clinton, Tennessee. The project is the result of a tri-party memorandum of understanding signed in 2023 between TVA, Type One Energy and the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in which the partners expressed an interest in the successful development and commercialisation of economic and practical fusion energy technologies.

The construction of Infinity One could begin in 2025, following the completion of necessary environmental reviews, partnership agreements, required permits, and operating licenses, Type One Energy noted. It will allow the company to verify important design features of its high field stellarator Fusion Pilot Plant, particularly those related to operating efficiency, reliability, maintainability, and affordability.

Type One Energy's Infinity One is a stellarator fusion reactor - different to a tokamak fusion reactor such as the Joint European Torus in the UK or the Iter device under construction in France. A tokamak is based on a uniform toroid shape, whereas a stellarator twists that shape in a figure-8. This gets round the problems tokamaks face when magnetic coils confining the plasma are necessarily less dense on the outside of the toroidal ring.

Type One Energy said it "applies proven advanced manufacturing methods, modern computational physics, and high-field superconducting magnets to develop its optimised stellarator fusion energy system".

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

 NUCLEAR WASTE 

Canadian town declares willingness to host repository

11 July 2024

The Township of Ignace in north-western Ontario has become the first community to confirm its willingness to move forward to the next phase of the site selection process to host a deep geological repository for Canada's used nuclear fuel.

NWMO President and CEO Laurie Swami congratulates Mayor Kim Baigrie on Ignace confirming that it is willing to host a deep geological repository (Image: NWMO)

Canada's Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) launched the process to select a suitable site for the deep geological repository (DGR) for Canada's used nuclear fuel in 2010. By 2012, 22 communities had expressed an interest in learning about the project and exploring their potential to host it. Eleven of those communities went forward to the second phase of NWMO's preliminary assessment process. By the end of 2019, the list of potential host communities had been narrowed down to two: the Revell Site, some 43 km northwest of the town of Ignace, and 21 km southeast of the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation; and the South Bruce Site, about 5 km northwest of Teeswater in the municipality of South Bruce.

Ignace's willingness process provided numerous opportunities for the community to provide input on the project. A multi-phased community engagement programme led by a third-party engagement consultant, With Chéla Inc, included direct dialogue with residents, youth engagement and a community vote open to residents 16 and older. In addition, a volunteer Willingness Ad Hoc Committee considered the results of the engagement activities and provided guidance to Council on the community’s willingness to host the project.

The recommendations to Council outlined that 77.3% (495 participants) voted in favour of becoming a willing host community, whilst 20.8% (133) voted against and 1.9% (12) abstained. With Chéla estimated there were 1035 eligible participants and 660 opted into the process.

At a special meeting on 10 July, Ignace Council unanimously accepted and endorsed a set of recommendations from the Willingness Ad Hoc Committee and passed a resolution addressed to NWMO that indicates that the town is a willing host community for the DGR.

"We are proudly the first community in Canada to be indicating our support and our willingness to continue in the selection process by the NWMO in the potential siting of the DGR project in this area," said Mayor Kim Baigrie. "The residents of the Township of Ignace have spoken loud and clear and we fully respect their direction as a Council, and we clearly have now indicated our support through an official resolution to the NWMO based on the recommendations from our Willingness Ad Hoc Committee members."

"The endorsement by Township Council of this recommendation from the Willingness Ad Hoc Committee in no way, either guarantees that the Township will host a deep geological repository for used nuclear fuel, or that a final decision by the NWMO has been made on the actual siting of this multi-billion-dollar project," Ignace Council noted in a statement. "It simply indicates, through an official resolution to NWMO, that the community of Ignace has undertaken a willingness process and has now agreed to continue to be a potential willing host towards the decision from NWMO slated for later this year."

A concept for the Canadian used nuclear fuel repository (Image: NWMO)

"We congratulate the Township and its residents for reaching this important step and admire the thought and care that has gone into this process and into shaping what the project could look like in the community," said NWMO Vice-President of Site Selection Lise Morton. "We could not have gotten to where we are today without the leadership and dedication to learning shown by the people of Ignace."

NWMO continues to collaborate with the three other communities involved in the site selection process to understand community willingness to move forward. Discussions are ongoing with Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation (WLON) in the northwest, Saugeen Ojibway Nation (comprised of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation and the Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation) and the Municipality of South Bruce in the southwest, which will hold a municipal referendum in October.

NWMO has always said that the project will only proceed in an area with informed and willing host communities, where the municipality, Indigenous peoples, and others in the area are working together to implement it.

The Ignace Council said it respects that a decision by WLON will also be required to proceed if northwestern Ontario is selected to host the DGR.

NWMO is expected to make a final decision on the siting of the DGR by the end of December 2024. Once the final site selection has been made, its safety will be confirmed through a rigorous regulatory review of the repository design and safety case. The regulatory and licensing process is expected to take about 10 years to complete.

Construction of the repository is expected to begin in 2033, with operations beginning in the early-2040s.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

 

UN motion calls for Zaporizhzhia plant's return to Ukrainian control

12 July 2024

The United Nations General Assembly voted by 99 votes to 9, with 60 abstentions, for Russia to "immediately return the plant to the full control of the sovereign and competent authorities of Ukraine". Meanwhile the IAEA warns about the impact of the war on the city where most of the nuclear power plant workers live.

IAEA experts have been at the plant for nearly two years (Image: IAEA)

Extracts of United Nations resolution

The UN General Assembly resolution "demands that the Russian Federation urgently withdraw its military and other unauthorised personnel from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and immediately return the plant to the full control of the sovereign and competent authorities of Ukraine to ensure its safety and security and in order for the International Atomic Energy Agency to conduct safe, efficient and effective safeguards implementation in accordance with the comprehensive safeguards agreement and additional protocol of Ukraine, consistent with the repeated calls by the General Conference and the Board of Governors of the Agency".

It also "calls upon the Russian Federation, until it returns the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant of Ukraine to the full control of the sovereign and competent authorities of Ukraine, to provide the International Atomic Energy Agency Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhia with timely and full access to all areas at the plant that are important for nuclear safety and security in order to allow the Agency to report fully on the nuclear safety and security situation at the site".

And it calls upon "all parties to the armed conflict to implement fully the 'seven indispensable pillars for ensuring nuclear safety and security during an armed conflict' and the five concrete principles of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency to help to ensure nuclear safety and security at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant ... urges the Russian Federation to immediately remove all anti-personnel mines placed along the perimeter of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant".

What was Russia's reaction?

Russia's First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Dmitry Polyansky, was reported by the official Tass news agency as calling it "another nonconsensual, politicised draft [which] will have absolutely no effect on the ground, as the previous ones". The resolution was opposed by nine countries - Belarus, Burundi, North Korea, Cuba, Mali, Nicaragua, Russia, Syria and Eritrea - with the 60 abstaining including India and China.

Continuing IAEA concerns about safety at Zaporizhzhia

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in its latest update on the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP), said it was concerned about military action in the area and especially its impact on the workers who live in the nearby town of Energodar which has suffered power cuts, water shortages and forest fires over recent days.

The IAEA said it had been told by the operators of ZNPP an attack had damaged an electrical transformer in a sub-station in Energodar as well as shelling which damaged a water pumping station. Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said: "These latest attacks have not targeted the nuclear power plant directly, as in April. However, continued military activity in the region remains a serious concern and it is essential that the ... plant is protected to ensure nuclear safety and security. The sporadic loss of basic living essentials such as electricity and drinking water is affecting the staff and families at all nuclear power plants and facilities throughout Ukraine, potentially impacting on their ability to perform their important nuclear safety and security work."

The six unit nuclear power plant, which has been under Russian military control since early March 2022, is located on the frontline of the Russian and Ukrainian forces. There have been IAEA experts stationed at the site since September 2022 as part of efforts to support safety and security measures. They conduct regular walks and inspection of parts of the site, but have "continued to hear explosions and gunfire at various distances from the plant on a near daily basis over the past week".

They also reported that the recent hot weather had led to the level of the cooling pond dropping by about one centimetre a day, falling to below 15 metres for the first time since the Kakhovka dam was destroyed last year.

Elsewhere in Ukraine

The IAEA also has experts stationed at Ukraine's other nuclear power plants - Khmelnitsky, Rivne and South Ukraine, as well as at Chernobyl - and they report that nuclear safety and security is being maintained. The IAEA also says that a further four deliveries of equipment took place over the past week to support Ukraine in maintaining nuclear safety and security - bringing the total number of deliveries to 55 since the war began.

The Rivne nuclear power plant received measurement instruments, Khmelnitsky got filter absorbers, there was nuclear security equipment for State Enterprise USIE Izotop and also power supply units for the radiation monitoring network operated by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News