Drought Dashes Hopes For U.S. Hydropower Capacity

By Irina Slav - Oct 31, 2024

Drought has been one big reason for hydro’s smaller contribution to dispatchable electricity this year.

Greater water use by industry and households has diminished water availability.

Ember: hydropower output this year has fallen to a record low of 5.2% of total generation, while nuclear has gone up by 1.3% to 17.6%.



Hydropower is, along with nuclear, the best of both worlds in terms of electricity. It is a zero-emission source of energy, and its output can be adjusted in response to demand—a dispatchable source. The problem? It depends on the weather, and because of this dependence, hydropower managed to drag the total share of low-emission power generation down this year, and boosted gas. Dispatchability matters.

Back in April, the Energy Information Administration forecast that hydropower output this year would jump by 6% over 2023, when it dipped to the lowest since 2001. “We expect hydropower to increase in nearly every part of the country, with notable increases in the Southeast and in the Northwest and Rockies,” the EIA wrote. “We expect other regions with significant hydropower generation to either increase slightly, such as in New York, or remain about the same, such as in California.”

None of this happened, however. Instead of growing, hydropower output this year has remained essentially unchanged from last year’s 23-year low, reducing the total share of dispatchable low-emission electricity generation in the total U.S. mix. Geothermal has not been able to help because it has not reached a massive enough scale of utilization. Wind and solar could not help, even with the substantial additions in capacity because of their weather dependence. So, generators turned to gas yet again to respond to growing electricity demand. Dispatchability matters.

The EIA did not seem to think so earlier this year. In May, a month after its forecast about hydropower generation, the agency forecast that wind, solar, and hydro would grow to account for a total 22% of U.S. power generation this year. Indeed, in an October 29 data highlight, the EIA said that wind and solar alone accounted for 22.6% of total generation. There is just one problem with that data highlight. It says nothing about demand.

Wind and solar together could eventually come to generate a third of U.S. electricity—on clear, windy days. Yet what’s important is the balance between supply and demand. With electricity, there’s no space for a shortage because a shortage means blackouts, so the grid needs to be perfectly balanced at all times.

Hydropower has been great at doing this because output at hydropower stations can be adjusted in the same way that output at gas and coal power plants can be adjusted, and at nuclear plants, too. Where output cannot be adjusted, save for so-called curtailment, which means dumping excess electricity, is wind and solar. Hydro, therefore, has been excellent at “covering” for these two. But only if there’s enough water in the dams.

For context, China experienced an extended drought in the last two years. It significantly reduced the amount of hydropower the country generated. This year, however, the weather changed and brought abundant rainfall to China. As a result, hydropower output surged, raising the total share of low-carbon energy in the country to elevated levels. Apparently, the opposite happened in the U.S. And, unlike the EIA predicted earlier in the year, low-carbon sources will not be able to meet rising demand.

Drought has been one big reason for hydro’s smaller contribution to dispatchable electricity this year. Another issue has been greater water use by industry and households, Reuters’ Gavin Maguire noted in a report on the latest data from the EIA. In it, Maguire also cited data from climate outlet Ember showing that hydropower output this year has fallen to a record low of 5.2% of total generation, while nuclear has gone up by 1.3% to 17.6%.

At the same time, demand for electricity has risen a lot faster, Maguire also noted, prompting generators to turn to the only dispatchable and weather-independent source of electricity available besides anathematized coal: natural gas. The rising share of natural gas in the U.S. energy mix this year has become yet another stark reminder of just how important it is for electricity supply to be available on demand.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

 

Amentum contracted for Ignalina dismantling work

Friday, 1 November 2024

US-based company Amentum has been awarded a contract worth an estimated EUR5.5 million (about USD6 million) to consult for the first-of-a-kind dismantling of steam drum separators at units 1 and 2 of the Ignalina nuclear power plant in Lithuania.

Ignalina (Image: Amentum)

The seven-year contract with Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP) will be implemented under International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) Yellow Book Conditions, administered by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and funded by European Commission grants.

Lithuania assumed ownership of the two RBMK-1500 units - light-water, graphite-moderated reactors, similar to those at Chernobyl - in 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union. It agreed to shut down the Ignalina plant as a condition of its accession to the European Union, with unit 1 shutting down in December 2004 and unit 2 in December 2009. The reactors are expected to be fully decommissioned by 2038, with most of the cost of the decommissioning being funded by the European Union via the EBRD and other funds.

Amentum said it will provide consultancy services to support INPP's Project Management Unit and carry out the duties of FIDIC Engineer for the dismantling contract. It will help INPP to manage the removal of the steam drum separators, which are large drums installed over the graphite core to divert steam to the turbines. The Project Management Unit will oversee the design and safety justification for dismantling and fragmentation of the drums and associated equipment. These are located in the plant’s radiologically contaminated primary circuit.

"We will deploy our extensive nuclear decommissioning and waste management experience from the UK, France, Czechia and Slovakia to this ground-breaking project,” said Andy White, who leads Amentum Energy & Environment International.

Amentum was created in early 2020 from the spin-off of US-based global infrastructure firm AECOM's Management Services business. Through its heritage firms, Amentum has been working at Ignalina for more than 20 years on projects including the delivery of the New Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility and other facilities required for decommissioning.

In September, Amentum completed a merger with Jacobs Solutions Inc's Critical Mission Solutions and Cyber and Intelligence government services businesses to form an independent, publicly traded company called Amentum Holdings, Inc. The combination was described by Amentum CEO John Heller as transformational for the company, forming a "global leader in advanced engineering and innovative technology solutions".

 

Holtec highlights its used fuel assembly repairs at Angra

Friday, 1 November 2024

Holtec International said it repaired 125 damaged used fuel assemblies as part of the successful completion of its recent loading campaign of 480 used nuclear fuel assemblies into 15 HI-STORM FW dry storage casks at Angra unit 2 in Brazil.

(Image: Holtec)

Holtec said its team would return in early 2025 to load 75 damaged fuel containers from the Angra 1 site into 18 HI-STORM FW systems, also at the Complementary Dry Storage Unit for Spent Fuel (UAS).

Under a turnkey contract signed in 2017, Holtec of the USA supplied Eletronuclear with HI-STORM FW systems and related equipment for dry storage of used fuel from Angra units 1 and 2. Angra 1 is a Westinghouse-designed 609 MWe pressurised water reactor (PWR), while Angra 2 is a Siemens-designed 1275 MWe PWR. The units have different architectures and licensing bases, adding to the complexity of the project. Holtec modified their respective cask handling cranes and equipment for loading the fuel into the multi-purpose canisters and for moving the canisters to the dry storage facility.

PK Chaudhary, President of Holtec’s Nuclear Power Division with direct responsibility for Projects, Manufacturing & Supply Chain, said: "We thank Eletronuclear's team for their exemplary support for the Angra 2 used fuel storage campaign. We are gratified to see our innovative spent fuel storage solutions play a critical role at the Angra Nuclear Station. We look forward to a repeat success when our team returns to load used fuel at Angra 1 in early 2025."

The storage facility is designed to receive fuel elements after the cooling process in pools at the plants. They are stored in canisters made of steel and concrete to guarantee safety. It is a system which is used in the USA and is designed to withstand extreme events such as earthquakes and floods.

It includes physical security, radiation and temperature monitoring, an armoured access control centre and a storage warehouse with a technical workshop, designed and constructed by Holtec. The facility was constructed because the storage pools of both units were reaching full capacity. It is designed to hold up to 72 modules, with the capacity to receive used fuel until 2045.

Holtec said it used its Fuel Repair Device (FRD) to repair the damaged used fuel assemblies, technology which it used for the first time during refuelling at its Indian Point Nuclear plant in the USA last year. It says that its system renders a damaged fuel assembly that cannot be handled by normal means into one that can be handled in a normal manner using the plant’s existing fuel handling tooling and is "the only fuel repair technology available in the industry that involves no welding or introduction of any foreign material in the fuel pool".

Holtec says that in 2025 at Angra 1 it will load 18 HI-STORM FW systems with 75 damaged fuel containers and used fuel will be stored in MPC-37 canisters, each of which can contain 37 PWR used fuel assemblies.

 UH OH

IAEA says leak was detected in Zaporizhzhia reactor coolant pump support system

Friday, 1 November 2024

The International Atomic Energy Agency has reported that "a small water leakage was detected from an impulse line - essentially a small pipe - connected to" Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant's first unit’s primary circuit, with repairs taking place and no "immediate issue for nuclear safety".

(Image: ZNPP)

According to the update from the IAEA, the repairs required the pressure in the primary circuit to be decreased to atmospheric levels and the operators of the plant - which has been under Russian military control since March 2022 - told them on Thursday the welding work had been completed and radiography checks of the welds were on-going.

Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said: "The agency will continue to follow this issue closely, although we don’t see any immediate issue for nuclear safety. In general, we have identified regular equipment maintenance - which is vital to ensure sustainable nuclear safety and security - as a challenging area for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant during the conflict."

All six of Zaporizhzhia's units have been in cold shutdown and, following this shutdown for maintenance, unit 1 is expected by the IAEA to be put back into cold shutdown.

The operators of the plant said on Telegram that a "microcrack in the pipeline was discovered and promptly eliminated", and after testing has confirmed the successful repair "it will be put into operation". The update added that radiation levels at the plant and surrounding area was unchanged.

The IAEA has had experts stationed at the Zaporizhzhia plant for more than two years, seeking to protect nuclear safety and security at the site, which is close to the frontline of the Ukrainian and Russian forces. The IAEA says the current team at the plant "continue to hear explosions daily, although no damage to the plant was reported".

There are also IAEA teams at Ukraine's three other operating nuclear power plants, with those at Khmelmnitsky reporting that drones had flown within 400 metres of the plant. Grossi said: "Frequent reports of drones flying near nuclear power plants continue to be a source of deep concern for nuclear safety and security. As we have stated repeatedly, any military activity in the vicinity of nuclear power plants represents a potential risk."

 

New company takes over UK's STEP fusion programme

Friday, 1 November 2024

Leadership of the UK's STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) programme has transitioned to UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the UK Atomic Energy Authority.

Ian Chapman (left) and Paul Methven (Image UKIFS)

The establishment of UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd (UKIFS) as a new delivery body for the UK's fusion programme was announced in February 2023 by then Science Minister George Freeman.

UKIFS will lead a public-private partnership that will design, build and operate the STEP prototype fusion plant at the West Burton power plant site in Nottinghamshire, England. The West Burton site was selected to host STEP in October 2022.

The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) - which carries out fusion energy research on behalf of the government - said it will continue to be STEP's fusion partner, working alongside two industry partners – one in engineering and one in construction – to spearhead the development of a UK-led fusion industry.

"A major procurement exercise is currently under way to select STEP's strategic, long-term industry partners, with the shortlist expected to be announced by the end of the year," the UKAEA said.

"The launch of UK Industrial Fusion Solutions demonstrates significant progress and commitment to developing fusion as a viable clean energy source, and also to creating a UK-led fusion industry," said Paul Methven, CEO of UKIFS and Senior Responsible Owner for STEP. "STEP is a national endeavour with global impact, and we will continue to work closely with public and private sector partners to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of a revolutionary sustainable new energy source that will drive economic growth."

Ian Chapman, CEO of UKAEA, said: "UKIFS brings together an experienced team dedicated to translating decades of fusion research into a functioning prototype plant that will be capable of supplying low-carbon, safe, and sustainable energy to the grid. UKIFS will integrate partners in a national endeavour to build STEP as well as focussing on delivering enormous social and economic benefits to the UK, especially for the East Midlands region where the plant will be built."

The aim for the first phase of work on STEP is to produce a 'concept design' by the end of this year. The UK government is providing GBP220 million (USD285 million) of funding for this part. The next phase of work will include detailed engineering design, while all relevant permissions and consents to build the prototype are sought. The final phase is construction, with operations targeted to begin around 2040. The aim is to have a fully evolved design and approval to build by 2032, enabling construction to begin. The demonstration plant is due to begin operating by 2040.

The technical objectives of STEP are: to deliver predictable net electricity greater than 100 MW; to innovate to exploit fusion energy beyond electricity production; to ensure tritium self-sufficiency; to qualify materials and components under appropriate fusion conditions; and to develop a viable path to affordable lifecycle costs.

SPACE/COSMOS

Nuclear propulsion system proposed for European space missions

Friday, 1 November 2024

A consortium led by Belgian engineering firm Tractebel has completed the European Space Agency-commissioned RocketRoll project on nuclear electric propulsion for space exploration. The consortium has defined a comprehensive technology roadmap to equip Europe with advanced propulsion systems capable of undertaking long-duration missions.

Illustration of an NEP spacecraft (Image: ESA)

The RocketRoll project - or 'Preliminary European Reckon on Nuclear Electric Propulsion for Space Applications' - brought together leading stakeholders in aerospace and nuclear within a consortium led by Tractebel that includes the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), ArianeGroup, Airbus and Frazer Nash. It also included researchers from the University of Prague, the University of Stuttgart and engineers from OHB Czechspace and OHB System in Bremen.

The partners studied the feasibility of an electric nuclear propulsion (NEP) system where the electricity produced by a nuclear power reactor powers electric ion thrusters - ionising a gas and accelerating the ions produced, which are then ejected to generate thrust. This method's thrust is lower but continuous, and with far greater fuel efficiency it has higher speeds and could cut 60% off the Mars travel time of traditional chemical rockets.

"Thanks to its huge energy density, NEP offers disruptive advantages in terms of speed, autonomy, and flexibility," Tractebel said. "This innovative propulsion technology has the potential to transform space exploration and space mobility by enabling longer-duration missions, potentially shaping the future of interplanetary exploration."

The RocketRoll project, which started more than a year ago and concluded last month, has now submitted a technology roadmap to develop an NEP system, including a candidate design for a demonstrator spacecraft that could flight test NEP systems for deep space missions by 2035.

"I am proud to lead such an important initiative in nuclear electric propulsion, which could enable exploration and in-space logistics in Earth Orbit and beyond on a scale that neither chemical nor electrical propulsion could ever achieve," said Brieuc Spindler, Space Product Owner, Tractebel. "I am committed to navigating the intricate technical and strategic challenges ahead. By leveraging its nuclear expertise and innovative solutions, Tractebel helps advance space technologies and push the boundaries of the final frontier's exploration."

Currently, European space missions depend on external sources for nuclear capabilities. Tractebel says its strategy is to engineer a range of nuclear power solutions, from radioisotope to fission systems, while also contributing to developing a European value chain for nuclear solutions in space applications.

According to the European Space Agency: "NEP would enable exploration and in-space logistics in Earth Orbit and beyond on a scale that neither chemical nor electrical propulsion could ever provide. The ultimate raison d'être of NEP is to explore beyond Mars orbit where solar power is limited.

"In addition, NEP could have strong synergies with other space application. For instance, nuclear power could be used on the Moon or Mars surface to power future habitats or robotic exploration of the solar system, or in space for other purpose than propulsion."

AstroForge gets first-ever U.S. government license for deep space asteroid mining

The startup will be launching its “Odin” mission in January

By Rowan Dunne
NOV 1, 2024

Workers prepare the Odin spacecraft for launch next year. Photo credit: AstroForge

“We Mine Asteroids” is the motto of a California space startup that just became the first company to secure a commercial deep space license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The agency provided this experimental certification on Oct. 18.

AstroForge will be sending a newly developed spacecraft 7 million miles away from the Earth in a historic attempt to extract critical metals from a distant asteroid. The company’s “Odin” vessel, being launched in January, is now authorized to establish communication networks capable of functioning over that vast distance with partners on the ground.

A rocket made by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Falcon 9, will be assisting AstroForge to send Odin into orbit. Odin’s name means knowledge and wisdom seeker in Norse mythology.

Its journey will be part of the Intuitive Machines Inc (NASDAQ: LUNR) IM-2 lunar mission, AstroForge says. Intuitive Machines uses SpaceX’s rocket for their lunar endeavours.

“This was the last gate needed to launch Odin,” AstroForge chief executive, Matthew Gialich, said in an X post Monday. “Can’t wait to strap this thing to the side of the falcon and send it to the cosmos.”

The International Telecommunications Union has designated any distance greater than 2 million kilometres as “Deep Space.” Odin’s ability to tolerate the amount of radiation present at such great distances was a significant factor considered in its development.

Odin’s launch follows the failure of the Brokkr-1 cubesat satellite sent into space last April. It failed to communicate properly, but AstroForge learned lessons from the undertaking that have informed its upcoming launch of Odin.

AstroForge to launch larger craft by 2025-end: ‘Vestri’

Vestri, which is about twice the size of Odin, will be making its way to the same target asteroid by the end of next year. The space rock it will be landing on is anticipated to have rich iron content. It will attach itself to it with magnets.

This launch will be part of Intuitive Machines’ third mission next year.

“Vestri will assess the asteroid’s composition, giving us critical insights into the quality and quantity of valuable elements it holds,” AstroForge says.

AstroForge raised US$40 million in a Series A funding round led by Nova Threshold this August. The space tech company has secured a total of US$55 million.

“There is no question that Earth is running out of resources and current practices are incredibly destructive to our planet,” co-founder Jose Acain said in a recent interview. “AstroForge has found a solution that promises a resource-rich and sustainable future.”

Asteroids have the potential to be beneficial material sources for batteries, solar panels and many other technologies. A study published last year in the journal Planetary and Space Science determined that they can host a diverse array of valuable metals and minerals.

AstroForge just added a seasoned advisor who spent nine years working for SpaceX to its team. Hans Koenigsmann will now be overseeing operations at the company’s new facility in Seal Beach, California.

 

Candu Energy begins planning for Monark pre-licensing design review

Friday, 1 November 2024

AtkinsRéalis company Candu Energy Inc has announced it is entering into a special project with Canadian nuclear regulators to plan for a Pre-Licensing Design Review of the new Candu Monark reactor's suitability to be licensed and built in Canada.

(Image: AtkinsRéalis)

The 1000 MW Candu Monark, a Generation III+ reactor with the highest output of any Candu technology, was unveiled in November 2023. The conceptual design phase of the reactor was completed in September, and AtkinsRéalis plans to complete the preliminary engineering by 2027.

"Reactor development is a key differentiator for us as we have the exclusive licence to deploy one of only a few large reactor technologies available worldwide, and so we have extensive experience navigating the nuclear licensing process in Canada," said Joe St Julian, AtkinsRéalis President, Nuclear. "As the world enters a nuclear market super-cycle with estimated demand for 1,000 new reactor builds, we remain on track to complete the Candu Monark's design by 2027, positioning the first Candu Monark new build to begin as early as 2029 and be completed by the mid-2030s."

The special project will familiarise Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) staff with the design and allow them to provide feedback on what will be needed in a future pre-licensing design review.

The CNSC's optional vendor design review (VDR) process enables CNSC staff to provide feedback to a vendor early on in the design process. Such a review aims to verify, at a high level, that Canadian nuclear regulatory requirements and expectations, as well as Canadian codes and standards, will be met as well as helping identify, and potentially resolve, any fundamental barriers to licensing for a new design in Canada. AtkinsRéalis said it believes completion of a VDR was an added measure that offers predictability to a purchasing utility.

A typical VDR includes three phases, but since the Candu Monark's design heavily leverages the platform of past Candu reactor models which have fully completed all three phases of the regulator's VDR, as well as those that have already been licensed and built, the company said it has asked the CNSC to consider two possible types of pre-licensing design review: either a VDR, or a preliminary regulatory design assessment.

The special project between the CNSC and AtkinsRéalis will see the regulator's experts develop a schedule and estimate for both a VDR and a preliminary regulatory design assessment, reflecting the impact of the range of improvements and modernisations made to Candu Monark technology, their variance to past Candu designs that have already gone through all three VDR phases, and any relevant changes to regulatory requirements and expectations.

"AtkinsRéalis will then be able to evaluate which of these pathways will be most suitable in supporting the Candu Monark design programme, with the goal of seeking rigorous review and feedback on the Candu Monark's design in support of ensuring that any eventual Candu Monark new build project can be undertaken with confidence in the licensing costs and timeline," the company said.

NextEra No Longer Bullish on Nuclear SMRs

THAT WAS FAST

By Alex Kimani - Oct 31, 2024

NextEra Energy is exploring the reopening of the Duane Arnold nuclear plant amid rising data center interest but remains cautious on the viability of small modular reactors.

SMRs, though promising in terms of smaller size, lower fuel needs, and modular design, face significant challenges.

High production costs for HALEU, estimated to reach up to $25,725/kg, pose a substantial financial hurdle.

A week ago, renewables utility company NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE) delivered a healthy third-quarter earnings report. During the third quarter earnings call, CEO John Ketchum told investors that the company is currently evaluating the possibility of reopening its Duane Arnold nuclear power plant in Iowa amid growing interest from data center companies.

According to Ketchum, Duane Arnold’s boiling water reactor makes it easier to restart and operate economically compared to other nuclear power plants. However, Ketchum said he was “not bullish” on small modular reactors (SMRs), adding that the company’s in-house SMR research unit has so far not drawn favorable conclusions about the technology.

“A lot of [SMR equipment manufacturers] are very strained financially,” he said. “There are only a handful that really have capitalization that could actually carry them through the next several years.”

Ketchum might have a valid point.

Small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) are advanced nuclear reactors with power capacities that range from 50-300 MW(e) per unit, compared to 700+ MW(e) per unit for traditional nuclear power reactors. Given their smaller footprint, SMRs can be sited on locations not suitable for larger nuclear power plants, such as retired coal plants. Prefabricated SMR units can be manufactured, shipped and then installed on site, making them more affordable to build than large power reactors. Additionally, SMRs are supposed to offer significant savings in cost and construction time, and can also be deployed incrementally to match increasing power demand. Another key advantage: SMRs have reduced fuel requirements, and can be refueled every 3 to 7 years compared to between 1 and 2 years for conventional nuclear plants. Indeed, some SMRs are designed to operate for up to 30 years without refueling.

The U.S. Department of Energy has so far spent $1.2B on SMR R&D and is projected to spend nearly $6B over the next decade. Last year, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) certified NuScale Power Corp.(NYSE:SMR) VOYGR 77 MW SMR in Poland, the first ever SMR to be approved in the country.

But there’s a big problem here because the fuel required to power these novel nuclear plants might be really expensive.

Three years ago, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved Centrus Energy Corp.’s (NYSE:LEU) request to make High Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) at its enrichment facility in Piketon, Ohio, becoming the first company in the western world outside Russia to do so. A year later, the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) announced a ~$150 million cost-shared award to American Centrifuge Operating, LLC, a subsidiary of Centrus Energy. HALEU is a nuclear fuel material enriched to a higher degree (between 5% and 20%) in the fissile isotope U-235. According to the World Nuclear Association, applications for HALEU are currently limited to research reactors and medical isotope production; however, HALEU will be needed for more than half of the SMRs currently in development. HALEU is only currently available from TENEX, a Rosatom subsidiary.

Centrus estimates that a full-scale HALEU cascade--which involves scaling-up its 16-centrifuge cascade at the Piketon plant to 120 centrifuges--could produce ~6,000 kg/y of the fuel. However, the company says that ramp-up will require “sufficient funding and offtake commitments.” Still, it represents a fraction of the 40 metric tons of HALEU the DoE estimates will be required by the sector by 2030. A 2023 survey by the Nuclear Energy Institute on U.S. advanced reactor developers estimated that the total market for HALEU could reach $1.6 billion by 2030 and $5.3 billion by 2035.


Last year, the Nuclear Innovation Alliance (NIA) published a report wherein they discussed production costs for HALEU. Here’s an excerpt from the report:

‘‘Calculated HALEU production cost for uranium enriched to 19.75% is $23,725/kgU for HALEU in an oxide form and $25,725 for HALEU in a metallic form under baseline economic assumptions but could be higher.’’

The report claims that a SWU (Separative Work Unit) is going to cost a lot more in a HALEU enrichment cascade compared to a standard LEU (Low-Enriched Uranium) enrichment cascade. SWU is the standard measure of the effort required to separate isotopes of uranium (U235 and U238) during an enrichment process in nuclear facilities(1 SWU is equivalent to 1 kg of separative work). NIA estimates that a LEU SWU will cost $150 but that a HALEU SWU will cost $1,000. According to the NIA, to save money, you’d make low-enrichment uranium first, then use the produced LEU as the feed for a HALEU enrichment cascade.



Source: Energy From Thorium


NIA reckons it might cost ~$2000/kgU to make HALEUF6 into HALEUO2, and as much as $4000/kgU to make HALEUF6 into HALEU-metal. At the end of the day, you'd end up with HALEU with 28 times the fissile content of natural uranium at over 100 times the price. In an interesting blog, Kirk Sorensen, founder of Flibe Energy, has worked out that it would cost anywhere from $10-$20/MWh on fuel costs alone to generate electricity from HALEU, multiples higher than for standard nuclear plants where fuel costs account for a small part of the overall electricity bill.

But, don’t give up on SMR tech just yet: Centrus’ shares have tripled over the past five weeks after the company signed a nuclear fuel supply deal with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP). The purchase commitment from KHNP covers a decade of deliveries of Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) to help fuel Korea's large fleet of reactors.



Source: Seeking Alpha

By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

Cap-and-Trade Showdown: Will U.S. Voters Pull the Plug?

By Julianne Geiger - Nov 01, 2024

Voters could axe the cap-and-invest program that’s raised over $2 billion since 2023.

Launched under the Climate Commitment Act (CCA), this market requires Washington’s biggest polluters to buy emissions allowances.

Behind the initiative to axe the project is hedge fund manager Brian Heywood, who is doling out cash at rallies while he blames the carbon cap for slapping everyday drivers with higher prices.


Washington state’s carbon market may be a goner. Voters could axe the cap-and-invest program that’s raised over $2 billion since 2023, sending chills through states eyeing similar moves. Launched under the Climate Commitment Act (CCA), this market requires Washington’s biggest polluters to buy emissions allowances.

The controversial program has found itself the subject of a ballot initiative in the upcoming election that some hope will send it packing.

Washington’s CCA, launched in 2023, sets a cap on the state’s carbon emissions, requiring major polluters to buy allowances that match their emissions. Over time, the cap tightens, reducing the number of available allowances to push emissions lower and drive the state toward its ambitious 2050 net-zero goals.

But not everyone’s on board—especially when gasoline prices spiked sky-high—some say as a direct result of the program.

Behind the initiative to axe the project is hedge fund manager Brian Heywood, who is doling out cash at rallies while he blames the carbon cap for slapping everyday drivers with higher prices—with the state earning the designation of highest gas prices in the country last year. In his view, it’s the blue-collar commuters ultimately paying the figurative—and literal—price.

Supporters argue that it fuels green programs—from transit to salmon protection—that a state reliant on fossil fuels badly needs. Even BP, a company typically on the fence about emissions cuts, is campaigning to save it, citing “backward” climate moves if the initiative passes. BP has skin in the game with its Cherry Point refinery but insists it's about the long-term stakes.

Critics might argue that BP has the luxury of supporting a pricey carbon program, leveraging its deep pockets to reap the rewards of a greener image. Smaller polluters, however, lack that cushion and may struggle to absorb the costs without passing them onto consumers.

This is the carbon market experiment that the rest of the country is sizing up for lessons in climate ambition—and reality checks.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

U.S. Recycles Most Gold from Scrap Electronics By Far, Report Shows

By Paul Ploumis
ScrapMonster Author

The United States is currently leading the way by a wide margin, according to the study.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): A new report from The Gold Bullion Company titled “Treasure in Trash” has assessed which countries recycle the most gold from e-waste. The United Kingdom-based metals trader examined data from 2022 for its findings.

The United States is currently leading the way by a wide margin, according to the study. In 2022, the Americans produced over 13,750 kilograms of gold, valued at over US$1.2 billion, from 4.1 billion kilograms of electronic scrap.

“The United States’ consumerist culture could be a major contributing factor to its high e-waste production,” the authors said. “It is common to buy the newest gadget model and then throw out the old one.”

China is trailing behind the U.S. on the leaderboard, but didn’t even produce half that much during the year. The Asian superpower only pulled 6,630 kilograms of gold from 1.9 billion kilograms of e-junk, generating US$568.4 million.

Germany, France and Japan placed third, fourth and fifth respectively. They each generated under half of what China produced throughout 2022.

The nation that generates the least gold from e-waste in Azerbaijan.