Andra cleared to store more waste in Cires repository

22 July 2024

French radioactive waste management agency Andra has been granted approval by the Aube department to increase the authorised capacity of the Cires very-low-level radioactive waste disposal facility, without increasing the disposal surface area.

Cires (Image: Andra)

Opened in Morvilliers in 2003, Cires (the Centre Industriel de Regroupement, d'Entreposage et de Stockage) was designed and authorised to receive 650,000 cubic metres of very-low-level radioactive waste (VLLW) - primarily material such as weakly contaminated rubble, earth, scrap metal - in three storage areas, called tranches 1, 2 and 3. By the end of 2022, Cires had reached 69.4% of its total authorised storage capacity. In view of the VLLW delivery forecasts announced by the producers of waste for the coming years, the site - covering 46 hectares - is expected to reach its authorised storage capacity around 2028-2029.

The national inventory of radioactive materials and waste, published by Andra, predicts that between 2,100,000 cubic metres and 2,300,000 cubic metres of VLLW will be produced by 2050-2060, mainly during the dismantling of nuclear facilities currently in operation.

Andra submitted its environment authorisation application file for increasing the authorised storage capacity of Cires to the Aube department in April 2023. This file included several documents explaining the purpose of the project as well as the work and arrangements necessary for its implementation.

The environmental authorisation procedure comprised three phases. During the first phase, the project was reviewed by the state services, including the Environmental Authority. In the second phase, the public and local authorities were consulted.

In the third phase, the department has now given its approval based on the report and "reasoned conclusions" of the investigating commissioner.

With the authorisation, Cires will be able to accommodate a total of 950,000 cubic metres of VLLW, instead of the 650,000 cubic metres initially authorised, without increasing the disposal surface area.

This has been made possible by the various improvements to the disposal cells since the centre was commissioned in 2003. The disposal cells for VLLW were 80 metres long and could contain 10,000 cubic metres of waste. From 2007, cells 176 metres long were built, increasing the capacity of each cell to 25,000 cubic metres. In 2010, steepening of the slopes and deepening the cells made it possible to reach a disposal capacity of 27,000 cubic metres of VLLW per cell. In 2016, a new optimisation was implemented, which involved raising the height of the above-ground part of the repository. This increased the storage capacity of each cell to about 30,000 cubic metres.

Whilst tranche 1 at Cires has been filled with waste and capped, tranche 2 is currently in operation. Work on tranche 3 is set to begin in April next year, with the tranche becoming available for waste disposal starting in 2028.

Oklo demonstrates fuel recycling process

18 July 2024

California-based liquid metal fast reactor developer Oklo Inc, in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory, has successfully completed the first end-to-end demonstration of the key stages of its advanced fuel recycling process.

Engineers in Argonne’s Chemical and Fuel Cycle Technologies division (Image: Argonne National Laboratory)

Oklo said the completion of the demonstration "marks a significant step forward in Oklo's efforts to scale up its fuel recycling capabilities and deploy a commercial-scale recycling facility to increase advanced reactor fuel supplies, and enhance fuel cost effectiveness".

Supported by a USD5 million cost-share award from the US Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) under the Optimizing Nuclear Waste and Advanced Reactor Disposal Systems (ONWARDS) Program, this project aims to facilitate the deployment of a commercial-scale advanced fuel recycling facility.

Oklo's fuel recycling technology is engineered to extract more than 90% of the remaining potential energy from used fuel, which is expected to be utilised in Oklo powerhouses to generate clean energy. It incorporates unique proliferation-resistant features, including maintaining the consolidation of transuranic materials.

The company said the introduction of commercial fuel recycling operations is expected to save up to 80% on its fuel costs, driving long-term value through enhanced fuel efficiency, alternative fuel source creation, and reduction in high-level waste requiring permanent disposal.

"We recognise the inherent opportunity to enhance our mission through fuel recycling, converting used fuel into clean energy," said Oklo co-founder and CEO Jacob DeWitte. "Oklo's use of fast fission technology positions us well to realise these fuel recycling benefits. The success of this project brings us closer to bringing a commercial-scale domestic fuel recycling facility online, crucial for strengthening our business model and advancing economic viability."

ARPA-E Director Evelyn Wang added: "We know that recycling is an important path to reduce high-level waste, and advance nuclear energy with safe and sustainable domestic fuel stocks. Through ARPA-E's ONWARDS Program, Oklo is working to achieve these goals. This milestone marks an important step forward in the team's progress as they work towards economically viable nuclear fuel recycling."

In January 2023, Oklo submitted a Licensing Project Plan to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), outlining its plans for pre-application engagement activities that support the future licensing of a commercial-scale nuclear fuel recycling facility.

Oklo, founded in 2013, plans to commercialise its liquid metal fast reactor technology with the Aurora 'powerhouse', a fast neutron reactor that uses heat pipes to transport heat from the reactor core to a supercritical carbon dioxide power conversion system to generate electricity. The powerhouse uses metallic high-assay low-enriched uranium, or HALEU, fuel to produce about 15 MWe as well as producing usable heat.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

 

UK justification decision sought for Rolls-Royce SMR

19 July 2024

The Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) has applied to the UK government for a justification decision for Rolls-Royce SMR's small modular reactor, a decision required for the operation of a new nuclear technology in the country. It marks the first ever application for justification of a UK reactor design.

A rendering of a Rolls-Royce SMR power plant (Image: Rolls-Royce SMR)

UK regulations require that any new practice that produces ionising radiation is justified by an evaluation of the potential benefits and the potential detriments.

"Our application makes the case that the benefits of clean, firm, flexible power from the reactor would far outweigh any potential risks, which are in any event rigorously controlled by robust safety features, including passive safety systems, built into the design, in line with the UK's regulatory requirements," the NIA said. "The application also demonstrates that the reactor design would support nuclear energy's contribution to a stable and well-balanced electricity grid, which is essential to reduce consumer bills and maintain economic competitiveness."

The government has confirmed that the application has been accepted for consideration, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) will support the Secretary of State in their role as the justifying authority responsible for the justification decision. DEFRA will now conduct a process of internal review and consultation with a number of statutory consultees.

The NIA noted that a justification decision is one of the required steps for the operation of a new nuclear technology in the UK, but it is not a permit or licence that allows a specific project to go ahead. "Instead, it is a generic decision based on a high-level evaluation of the potential benefits and detriments of the proposed new nuclear practice as a pre-cursor to future regulatory processes," it added.

The NIA, as the representative body of the UK civil nuclear industry, often makes justification applications, because justification is a generic decision that can be relied upon by anyone and are not personal to individual reactor vendors or project developers. The NIA has previously applied for justifications for Hitachi's Advanced Boiling Water Reactor, Westinghouse's AP1000 and Framatome's EPR. In April this year, it applied for a justification decision for Newcleo's Italian-designed lead-cooled fast reactor, the LFR-AS-200.

"Rolls-Royce SMR's design, like other SMRs, offers huge possibilities for the UK to revive our industrial capabilities and deliver low-carbon energy for net-zero and energy security," said NIA Chief Executive Tom Greatrex. "We are delighted to support this step to get the design approved in its home country.

"It is essential that our nuclear renaissance is made in Britain, so the new government should ensure that we deploy enough SMR designs to justify investment in the UK supply chain to deliver them."

Helena Perry, Rolls-Royce SMR’s Safety and Regulatory Affairs Director, said: "As the UK's most advanced SMR design, today's submission for regulatory justification is another important step to ensure that we can continue to move at pace towards deployment in the UK.

"Each Rolls-Royce SMR 'factory-built' nuclear power plant will provide enough clean, affordable, electricity to power a million homes for 60+ years - delivering energy security, enabling net-zero and making a transformational contribution to the UK economy. Rolls-Royce SMR remains on track to complete Step 2 of the Generic Design Assessment by the nuclear industry's independent regulators and move immediately into the third and final step this summer."

The Rolls-Royce SMR is a 470 MWe design based on a small pressurised water reactor. It will provide consistent baseload generation for at least 60 years. 90% of the SMR - about 16 metres by 4 metres - will be built in factory conditions, limiting on-site activity primarily to assembly of pre-fabricated, pre-tested, modules which significantly reduces project risk and has the potential to drastically shorten build schedules.

It is one of six SMR designs selected in October by Great British Nuclear on a shortlist for the UK's SMR selection competition and one of the five vendors to submit a bid by the 8 July deadline. The aim is for a final investment decision in two or three of the designs to be taken in 2029.

 

GA progresses with silicon carbide fuel cladding development

22 July 2024

General Atomics has manufactured the first batch of full-length SiGA silicon carbide composite tubes designed for pressurised water reactors. The company is developing nuclear fuel rods that can withstand higher temperatures than materials currently used.

SiGA woven silicon carbide nuclear fuel cladding (Image: GA)

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) is under contract with the US Department of Energy (DOE) through its Accident Tolerant Fuel Program to advance silicon carbide fuel cladding technology for enhanced efficiency and improved safety of the US nuclear reactor fleet.

SiGA is a silicon carbide composite material which, because of its hardness and ability to withstand extremely high temperatures, has been used for industrial purposes for decades. It now forms the basis for the development of nuclear reactor fuel rods that can survive temperatures far beyond that of current materials, such as zirconium alloy.

GA-EMS has successfully created silicon carbide nuclear fuel cladding tubes. The company's technology incorporates silicon carbide fibre into its cladding. The combination creates an incredibly tough and durable engineered silicon carbide composite material which can withstand temperatures up to 3800°F (2093°C) - about 500 degrees hotter than the melting point of zirconium alloy.

GA-EMS has already created 6-inch (15cm) long SiGA rodlets and 3-foot (91cm) cladding samples that meet stringent nuclear power reactor-grade requirements and will undergo irradiation testing at DOE's Idaho National Laboratory.

Recent work has demonstrated the process is scalable to full-length 12-foot (3.6m) fuel rods.

"This manufacturing demonstration of SiGA cladding at lengths of 12 feet is a notable milestone in our efforts to bring this innovative technology to market," said GA-EMS President Scott Forney. "We have been executing a strategic fabrication and test programme and advancing manufacturing efficiency and scale-up of this enabling product, including demonstration of cladding robustness through collaborative test campaigns with the national labs."

"SiGA cladding is engineered to enhance the safety and affordability of the existing nuclear reactor fleet," added Christina Back, vice president of GA-EMS Nuclear Technologies and Materials. "The material's in-core stability can reduce the frequency for refuelling the core, which will improve nuclear power plant economics, while providing additional fuel protection in the unlikely case of an accident.

"This manufacturing milestone showed excellent property uniformity across the length of the part and throughout the production batch. As we continue to validate our scale-up work, these key performance metrics demonstrated at shorter 6-inch to 3-foot lengths, will continue to be the hallmark of SiGA technology at full length."

In addition to scaling fabrication techniques and process improvements, GA-EMS said it is focused on advanced performance testing, and modelling tool development, for SiGA fuel rods.

GA originally developed its SiGA composite for its Energy Multiplier Module (EM2) small modular reactor design. This is a modified version of its Gas-Turbine Modular Helium Reactor (GT-MHR) design.

In February 2020, Framatome and GA agreed to evaluate the feasibility of using SiGA in fuel channel applications through thermomechanical and corrosion testing. The long-term goal is to demonstrate the irradiation of a full-length fuel channel in support of licensing and commercialisation.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

WAIT, WHAT?!

Centrus receives uranium import waiver

22 July 2024

Centrus Energy has received a waiver from the US Department of Energy (DOE) allowing it to import low-enriched uranium from Russia for delivery to US customers in 2024 and 2025.

Building domestic capacity: centrifuges at Centrus's HALEU demonstration programme (Image: Centrus)

The Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act will go into effect on 11 August, banning the import into the USA of unirradiated, low-enriched uranium (LEU) that is produced in the Russian Federation or by a Russian entity. The bipartisan legislation was signed by President Joe Biden in May, after being passed unanimously by the US Senate.

The waiver process was put in place to ensure US nuclear plants do not experience supply disruptions in the short term, while the country builds up its domestic low-enriched uranium (LEU) capacity. Waivers to allow the import of limited quantities of Russian-origin material may be granted by the US Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, if it is determined that no alternative viable source of LEU is available, or that the importation of Russian LEU is in the national interest. Waivers will only be available up to 1 January 2028: the prohibition will remain in place until the end of 2040.

Centrus filed its first waiver request application - covering deliveries from 11 August 2024 to the end of 2027 - on 27 May. On 18 July, the DOE issued a waiver allowing it to import LEU from Russia "for deliveries already committed by the Company to its US customers in years 2024 and 2025," the company said in a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing. The DOE has deferred a decision on 2026 and 2027 to "an unspecified date closer in time to the deliveries", Centrus said.

A second waiver request application to allow the importation of LEU from Russia for processing and re-export to Centrus's foreign customers, filed on 7 June, is awaiting determination from the DOE.

Centrus has also said it intends to file a third waiver request application to allow for importation of LEU from Russia in 2026 and 2027 for use in the USA. This would be for deliveries that have yet to be committed to customers.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

SMRs feature in Indian budget

24 July 2024

The Indian government has announced plans to partner with the private sector to develop small modular reactors in a 2024-25 budget announcement which recognises a significant role for nuclear in the country's future energy mix.

Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at the post-budget press conference on 23 July (Image: Press Information Bureau)

The budget was presented to Parliament by Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman, who said nuclear energy is expected to form a "very significant" part of the energy mix for Viksit Bharat, the government's strategy to make India into a completely developed nation by 2047.

The first budget since Prime Minister Narendra Modi won a third successive term in office in the general election which took place earlier this year sets out the detailed roadmap for the government's pursuit of its development goal, in line with the strategy set out in an interim budget presented in February. Energy security is one of nine priorities for achieving Viksit Bharat that was identified in the interim budget.

"Towards that pursuit, our government will partner with the private sector for (1) setting up Bharat Small Reactors, (2) research & development of Bharat Small Modular Reactor, and (3) research & development of newer technologies for nuclear energy," Sitharaman said in her budget speech. "The R&D funding announced in the interim budget will be made available for this sector."

The budget allocates a total of INR24,969 crore (USD2.983 billion) to the Department of Atomic Energy (1 crore is 10 million).

Sitharaman said the government intends to bring out a policy document on "appropriate" energy transition pathways "that balances the imperatives of employment, growth and environmental sustainability". As well as the commitment to nuclear energy, the budget includes a major project to install rooftop solar, and a policy for promoting pumped storage projects, which the government says will help to facilitate the integration of the growing share of renewable energy. A project to build a full-scale 800 MWe commercial Advanced Ultra Super Critical thermal power plant will receive fiscal support from the government, and a roadmap for transitioning 'hard to abate' industries to focus on emission targets will be formulated, she said.

India currently has 23 operable nuclear reactors providing some 7,425 MWe of generating capacity, with seven units currently under construction, including both Indian-designed and Russian-designed units as well as one fast breeder reactor. It has plans for a fleet of Indian-designed and built 700 MWe pressurised heavy water reactors as well as for large reactors from overseas vendors, including further Russian-designed VVER reactors in addition to those already in operation and under construction at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu.

More recently, Indian attention has also been turning to small modular reactors (SMRs): In August 2023, Minister of State Jitendra Singh told the country's parliament that the government was considering options for SMRs, and looking at ways to allow the participation of the private sector and start-ups in such projects.

India's Atomic Energy Act of 1962 prohibits private control of nuclear power generation: only two government-owned enterprises - NPCIL and Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI, set up to build and operate fast reactors) - are legally allowed to own and operate nuclear power plants in India. But the possibility of involving other public sector and private corporations in the country's future expansion plans has been under consideration for some time.

Earlier this year, government sources said India was planning to invite private firms to invest some USD26 billion in its nuclear energy sector, and holding talks with several private firms to secure investments to support the construction of some 11,000 MWe of new nuclear capacity by 2040.

RoPower and Fluor sign FEED 2 contract for SMR project

25 July 2024

Romania's Nuclearelectrica its project company RoPower Nuclear have signed the Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) Phase 2 contract with Fluor Corporation for the Doicești small modular reactor project.

(Image: Nuclearelectrica)

The signing ceremony took place during the US Department of Energy-led Partnership for Transatlantic Energy and Climate Cooperation (P-TECC) summit - the project has received substantial support from both the Romanian government and international partners, including a significant grant from the US Trade and Development Agency.

Under the FEED 2 contract, Fluor will provide RoPower Nuclear with the design and engineering services required for the implementation of the project, at the end of which there will be an updated cost estimate and schedule as well as the safety and security analyses needed for a final investment decision.

Romania's small modular reactor (SMR) project is aiming for 462 MW installed capacity, using NuScale technology with six modules at the former coal plant site at Doicești, each with an installed capacity of 77 MW. The SMR project is estimated to create nearly 200 permanent jobs, 1500 construction jobs and 2300 manufacturing and component assembly jobs, as well as facility operation and maintenance jobs over the 60-year life of the facility.

Sebastian Burduja, Romania's Minister of Energy, said: "This investment has the potential to put our country on the map of the most important global centres of energy innovation. Romania aims to become an example for other countries in the region, where there are dozens of similar coal-fired power plants that could be transformed more quickly into nuclear power generation capacity - zero CO2 band production - using SMR technology."

Cosmin Ghiță, CEO of Nuclearelectrica, said: "We are thrilled to continue our progress with the Doicești SMR project. The continued development of this advanced nuclear project is a testament to the strong partnership between Romania and the United States, reflecting our shared goals of energy security and environmental stewardship."

Pierre Bechelany, president of Fluor’s LNG & Power division, said: "We are pleased to continue our role in supporting this important project to deploy the next generation of nuclear power to produce clean and reliable baseload electricity for Romania and Europe. When completed, the plant will be the first of its kind in Europe."

As well as Nuclearelectrica, RoPower Nuclear, Nova Power & Gas (part of the E-INFRA group and joint owner of RoPower) and Fluor, Samsung C&T Corporation and Sargent & Lundy are also involved in works to facilitate the development and deployment of NuScale SMR power plants in Romania. Also this week, the US International Development Finance Corporation restated its interest in considering providing up to USD1 billion of financing for the project.

Steady Energy, Kuopion Energy enhance cooperation

19 July 2024

Finnish small modular reactor developer Steady Energy has signed a one-year pre-planning agreement with Kuopion Energia aimed at constructing a small nuclear power plant to start producing district heat in the city of Kuopio in the early 2030s.

LDR-50 district heating SMR (Image: Steady Energy)

As part of the agreement, Kuopion Energia will start an environmental impact assessment for potential plant locations. Suitable locations for the plant will be refined during the environmental impact assessment process, Steady Energy noted, adding that, generally, suitable places in cities include existing industrial sites.

"The investment decision will be made by Kuopion Energia, which will also seek necessary zoning changes in due course," Steady Energy said. "Zoning decisions are the responsibility of the City of Kuopio. The estimated construction time is 3.5 years."

Steady Energy's LDR-50 district heating SMR - with a thermal output of 50 MW - has been under development at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland since 2020. Designed to operate at around 150°C and below 10 bar (145 psi), the company says its "operating conditions are less demanding compared with those of traditional reactors, simplifying the technical solutions needed to meet the high safety standards of the nuclear industry". It noted that its reactors are affordable enough for municipal utilities to invest in independently.

"LDR-50 is a small and simple nuclear reactor which would help Kuopio to achieve its climate goals and provide affordable energy for heating the city," Steady Energy said. "The newly signed agreement initiates practical work towards an investment decision for the plant."

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. Currently, the proposed locations for the pilot plant include: Salmisaari caves in central Helsinki; Huuhanmäki caves in Kuopio, the regional capital of North Savo in eastern Finland; and the power plant sites at Kymijärvi and Teivaanmäki in Lahti, a regional capital in southern Finland.

In December 2023, the company signed a letter of intent with municipal energy company Kuopion Energia in Eastern Finland that includes an option for the construction of up to five district heating reactors starting in 2030. That agreement followed a letter of intent signed in October between Steady Energy and Helsinki's energy company Helen for the construction of up to 10 SMRs for district heating.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

 

Belgian nuclear extension plans to face EU state aid investigation

23 July 2024

The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation into whether the support for the lifetime extension of two of Belgium's nuclear power reactors is in line with its rules on acceptable state aid.

The Doel plant in Belgium (Image: Engie)

Belgium finalised plans in December to extend the lifetimes of Doel 4 and Tihange 3 by 10 years, providing capacity of 2 GWe from the reactors, which are 89.8% owned by Engie's Electrabel and 10.2% by EDF's subsidiary Luminus. The decision to extend their lifetimes was designed to boost the country's energy security while keeping carbon emissions as low as possible.

The agreement reached by the Belgian government is for the creation of a 50-50 joint venture between the state and Electrabel which would own, together with Luminus, the plants and their production. There would be the issuing of shareholder loans for about EUR2 billion (USD2.2 billion) to cover the capital expenditure necessary for the lifetime extension and, according to the EC, "financial support mechanisms provided by the Belgian State, including the prefunding of Electrabel's costs and expenses for the development activities, a contract-for-difference (CfD) for the duration of the extension, a loan of approximately EUR580 million and an operating cashflow guarantee".

The EC also says that the proposal is for the "transfer of liabilities from Electrabel to the Belgian State concerning long-term storage and final disposal of nuclear waste and spent fuel, against the payment of a lumpsum of EUR15 billion; and risk-sharing and legal protections in the event of future legislative changes, specifically concerning nuclear operators in Belgium or Electrabel's nuclear activities".

The commission says that the measures appear justified but it has "doubts as to compatibility with EU State aid rules and has therefore decided to open an in-depth investigation". The areas to face further investigation include the necessity of additional financial support beyond the CfD arrangement, the design of the CfD itself and "the proportionality of the combination of financial and structural arrangements and of the EUR15 billion lumpsum; compliance with relevant EU sectoral legislation, in particular concerning the design of the CfD mechanism and the impact of the measure on the market in light of the CfD design and the selection and independence of the agent selling the nuclear electricity".

Belgium and interested parties now have the opportunity to submit comments. European Union member states are free to decide on their energy mix and state financial support "should remain necessary and proportionate and not adversely affect trading conditions to an extent contrary to the common interest".

The background

Under a plan announced by Belgium's coalition government in December 2021, Doel 3 was shut down in September 2022, while Tihange 2 shut down at the end of January 2023. The newer Doel 4 and Tihange 3 would be shut down by 2025. However, following the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022 the government and Electrabel began negotiating the feasibility and terms for the operation of the reactors for a further 10 years, with a final agreement reached in December, with a balanced risk allocation

The business model agreed for the extension will have a balanced risk allocation, in particular through a Contract for Difference mechanism covering remuneration for electricity generation. The strike price is to be based on the actual cost of extending operation of the nuclear units. This cost is not yet known, but will be estimated based on the nuclear safety requirements set out by the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control. An initial price will be set in 2025 and updated in 2028 to reflect the known final cost of the extension, to cover the period up to 2035.

The final text also sets out the technical and operational conditions for restarting the two units from November 2025, with full guarantees of nuclear safety. Engie said the operation of these two reactors and the dismantling work under way of its other units will maintain around 4000 direct, indirect and induced jobs.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

75 YRS OF SCI-FI-TEK

Japan-UK enhance cooperation on fusion

24 July 2024

British inertial fusion energy developer First Light Fusion has hosted a delegation from the Japanese government, headed by State Minister Soichiro Imaeda from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). The visit comes as the UK and Japan seek closer collaboration on commercial fusion energy research.

Members of the Japanese delegation are shown First Light's facilities (Image: First Light Fusion)

During the visit on 23 July, First Light held a roundtable with the Japanese delegation, led by First Light's Chief Financial Officer David Bryon and other senior members of the Board. This was followed by a tour of First Light's technological facilities, including its pulsed power facility Machine 3, the largest of its kind in Europe.

First Light said the meeting, at its headquarters in Oxford, is the latest collaboration in a deepening partnership between the UK and Japan on the rapid progression of fusion commercialisation at both a private and public sector level.

Nuclear fusion is the process by which two light nuclei combine to form a single heavier nucleus, releasing a large amount of energy. First Light is pursuing a form of inertial confinement fusion called projectile fusion, which creates the extreme temperatures and pressures required to achieve fusion by compressing a target containing fusion fuel using a projectile travelling at a tremendous speed. This differs from approaches pursued by other mainstream fusion companies in that it does not involve using complex, energy-intensive, expensive lasers, or magnets.

As part of First Light's commercial fusion strategy, it will seek to leverage its unique amplifier technology by joining forces with other organisations with driver capabilities and nuclear engineering companies. "This offers the fastest and simplest possible route to commercial fusion energy, and with unrivalled, world-renowned expertise in nuclear engineering, Japan is positioned to be a key collaborator in that," the company said.

In April last year, the Japanese government launched its Fusion Energy Innovation Strategy - a comprehensive strategy aimed at supporting the "realisation of fusion energy as the world's next-generation energy source". Following recent technological breakthroughs, including in inertial fusion energy with the demonstration of ignition by the USA's National Ignition Facility in December 2022, the Japanese government has made fusion research a key pillar in its future energy strategy.

Part of the Japanese strategy involves greater cooperation with the UK as a leading global fusion player. In May this year, First Light attended an event in Tokyo hosted by the British Embassy which brought together the British and Japanese fusion industries and representatives from both governments.

"We are delighted to welcome State Minister Soichiro Imaeda and his team to First Light Fusion," Bryon said. "In the global fusion race, Japan is showing real leadership by delivering a government-led national fusion strategy to unlock private funding, backing inertial fusion energy as the leading viable approach to commercial fusion, and driving vital global cooperation.

"It was a pleasure to demonstrate our technological capabilities and recent advancements in our unique amplifier technology. Our amplifier technology will be key in unlocking commercially viable and affordable fusion energy at scale as part of a global clean energy mix which will help deliver on our shared 2050 net-zero target."

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

Shake tests improve seismic safety of dry storage systems

24 July 2024

Researchers subjected two full-sized dry storage systems for used nuclear fuel to simulated seismic events to help improve understanding of the potential impacts of earthquakes on fuel in storage at more than 70 US reactor sites.

One of the casks on the shake table: high-speed cameras and sensors were used to gather data from the simulated seismic events (Image: DOE)

US Department of Energy (DOE) researchers used a specialised outdoor shake table at the University of California San Diego to carry out the tests on a full-scale vertical cask weighing 125 tonnes and a 111-tonne horizontal storage system. Both casks were equipped with dummy fuel assemblies and more than 240 sensors to collect data on around 40 different seismic simulations, DOE said.

The storage systems that are already in use in the USA are designed to withstand significant seismic loads. The data from these tests will be used to evaluate the impacts of potential seismic events on the used fuel inside the casks - particularly the fuel cladding - and to inform the design and licensing of future storage systems for used fuel. It will also help improve current practices.

"Building public trust through transparent and rigorous testing is a key objective of this initiative," Deputy Assistant Secretary for Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste Disposition Paul Murray said. "These tests have yielded valuable data on the performance of spent nuclear fuel storage systems during seismic events. The insights gained are essential for ensuring the safety and integrity of these systems, which is crucial for long-term storage solutions."

The seismic tests were funded by the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy's Spent Fuel and High-Level Waste Disposition programme.

A video of the tests can be seen on the DOE's YouTube channel.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

 

Canada to turn radioactive sources from Thailand into cancer treatments

24 July 2024

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) has received shipments of disused radium-226 sources from the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology, which will be recycled to produce actinium-225 to be used in targeted radiotherapy.

The benefits of the scheme are called 'monumental' (Image: Archara Phattanasub/TINT/IAEA)

The arrangement is part of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA's) Global Radium-226 Management Initiative, which aims to connect countries who have old radiotherapy sources with other countries interested in recycling or reusing them.

According to the IAEA: "Radium-226, discovered in 1898 by Marie Sklodowska-Curie and Pierre Curie, was formerly used in radiotherapy but has since been replaced by other sources. Today, it serves as a feedstock for the production of the radioisotope actinium-225, which is so rare that annual global production is less than a grain of sand. Actinium-225 is an alpha-emitting source known to be effective in destroying malignant cells in targeted cancer treatments. It allows for targeted radiotherapy as it can be placed close to the tumour and will kill cancerous cells without damaging nearby healthy tissue."

Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology and CNL have been in contact via the scheme since 2022 and over the past year 70 packages of disused radium-226 have been sent to Canada. The institute's Archara Phattanasub, Head of the Radioactive Waste Technology and Development Section, said: "Recycling these sources has multiple benefits for Thailand and is in line with circular economy objectives. This initiative has helped up significantly reduce the risk for any type of incident associated with these disused sources and freed up a lot of space in our national storage facility."

Jack Craig, President and CEO of CNL, said: "The IAEA has long championed the safe storage and disposal of disused sealed radioactive sources, which has always been appreciated and supported by Canada. However, their initiatives to assist donor nations in removing long-term liabilities while enabling a new radiotherapeutics industry is monumental."

Olena Mykolaichuk, the Director of the IAEA’s Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology, said the collaboration "serves as a great example of how to effectively conduct complex source transportation operations with many moving parts ... fostering sustainable practices is a key element of the IAEA’s mandate, and we look forward to delivering on this initiative for many years to come."

The transport of radioactive material is closely regulated and overseen by national bodies and port authorities, with IAEA support prior to shipment. More transfers are planned for this year, including from El Salvador, Fiji and Slovenia.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News