Canada selects location for used nuclear fuel repository

Thursday, 28 November 2024

Fourteen years after beginning its consent-based siting process, Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and the Township of Ignace have been selected as the host communities for Canada's proposed deep geological repository.

(Image: NWMO)

"This is a historic moment," Nuclear Waste Management Organization President and CEO Laurie Swami said. "This project will solve an environmental issue and supports Canada's climate change goals. And today's decision was driven by a consent-based siting process led by Canadians and Indigenous peoples. This is what making history looks like."

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) said the announcement was an important milestone in delivering on its promise to not leave Canada's used fuel as a burden for future generations to manage. There is international scientific consensus that a deep geological repository is the safest way to manage used nuclear fuel over the long term, and Canada is among the leading countries in implementing this solution, the organisation said.

Launched in 2010, the NWMO's community-driven, consent-based site selection process included clear commitments that the plan could only move forward in an area with a site that meets rigorous safety standards and has "informed and willing" hosts. By 2019, the initial list of 22 communities that had expressed an interest in learning about the project and exploring their potential to host it had been narrowed down to two, both in Ontario: the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation-Township of Ignace area and the Saugeen Ojibway Nation-South Bruce area.

Earlier this month, members of Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation indicated their willingness to move forward with the process. The Township of Ignace confirmed its willingness to proceed in July, following a community vote.

"This important decision for Canada was possible because of the communities' leadership and active engagement over a decade of learning, as well as considering the future of their communities," NWMO said. "The safety of the site was also established through rigorous site assessment and technical studies."

There has been widescale public information and consultation over the plans (Image: NWMO)

The project will now move forward to the regulatory decision-making process. The NWMO has agreed to an Indigenous-led Regulatory Assessment and Approval Process, a sovereign regulatory process that will be developed and implemented by Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation to ensure that potential impacts of the project are assessed against Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation's Anishinaabe values, and that conditions to mitigate any impacts are designed by Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and complied with by the NWMO. The project will also undergo the regulatory decision-making processes of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and through the Government of Canada's impact assessment process.

Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation Chief Clayton Wetelainen said the nation views its role as the potential host for Canada’s used nuclear fuel as "one of the most important responsibilities of our time".

"This project will be under intense scrutiny by our Nation’s regulatory process in addition to the regulatory oversight by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and the CNSC," he said. "Wabigoon will ensure that safety, environmental protection and Anishnaabe values are upheld throughout this process," he added.

Township of Ignace Mayor Kim Baigrie expressed her gratitude to the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and Ignace communities and the other communities that were involved in the site selection process, for their leadership and engagement, and commended the NWMO for its progress in advancing a "safe, responsible and informed" plan. "Thanks to our commitment to health and safety, Canadian nuclear energy will continue to power communities at home and allies around the world - providing Canadians jobs and opportunities for generations," she said.

Ontario’s Minister of Energy and Electrification Stephen Lecce thanked the leaders of Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and the Township of Ignace for their leadership and willingness to host the project. "As our government expands our zero-emissions nuclear fleet to meet rising energy demand, Ontario is cementing its position as a world leader in all parts of the nuclear lifecycle – this achievement by NWMO is just the latest example," he said.

How will the deep geological repository work?

 

Canada's used nuclear fuel is currently in interim storage at reactor and laboratory sites. NWMO's project timeline envisages construction of the repository - which will be more than 600 metres below ground and have an underground footprint of about 2 kilometres by 3 kilometres - beginning in around 2033, subject to being granted the necessary licences. Operations of the repository - which will use a series of engineered and natural barriers that work together to contain and isolate used nuclear fuel - are expected to begin in 2040-2045.

(Images: NWMO)

Korean waste agency to cooperate with Finland, Spain

Thursday, 28 November 2024

The Korea Radioactive Waste Agency has signed agreements with Finland's Posiva Oy and Spain's Enresa to strengthen cooperation in radioactive waste management.

The signing of the MoU with Posiva (Image: Korad)

On 25 November, the Korea Radioactive Waste Agency signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Posiva and its subsidiary Posiva Solutions. The signing ceremony was attended by Ilkka Poikolainen, chairman of the board of directors of Posiva, and Mika Pohjonen, president of Posiva Solutions.

Finnish radioactive waste management company Posiva is jointly owned by Finnish nuclear power companies TVO and Fortum and has developed that country's geological disposal facility at Olkiluoto. Posiva has applied for an operating licence for the repository for a period from March 2024 to the end of 2070. Pending a final decision on its application by the government, Enresa is scheduled to begin operating the world's first high-level radioactive waste disposal facility in 2025.

"In particular, the MoU with Finland's Posiva and Posiva Solutions is expected to serve as a cornerstone for securing technological capabilities in high-level radioactive waste management projects, including sharing experiences in constructing and operating underground research facilities, promoting joint research, and operating human resource development programs through expert exchanges," the Korea Radioactive Waste Agency said. 

The Korean agency on 27 November signed an MoU with Spanish decommissioning and waste management firm Enresa, attended by Enresa President Jose Luis Navarro Rivera.

The signing of the MoU with Enresa (Image: Korad)

Enresa was created in 1984 as a public, non-profit organisation responsible for the management of radioactive waste, with the aim to perform an essential public service: collecting, treating, conditioning, storing and disposing of the radioactive waste produced throughout the Spanish State. It has been operating the low and intermediate-level radioactive waste disposal facility in El Cabril since 1992, while high-level radioactive waste is managed in on-site storage facilities at the nuclear power plants.

"Through an MoU with Spain's Enresa, we plan to expand the foundation necessary for promoting the corporation's future projects by sharing information on the treatment and disposal of decommissioning waste and the operation of an interim storage facility for high-level radioactive waste," the Korea Radioactive Waste Agency said.

The agency said that, through the MoUs, it will strengthen cooperation on issues including: the establishment of radioactive waste management policy and site selection process; and the treatment, transport, storage and disposal of radioactive waste.

"I sincerely hope that productive cooperation activities will be actively carried out based on these MoUs," said Korad Chairman Cho Seong-don. "In Korea, we will also work hard to promote management projects led by the corporation, starting with the enactment of the Special Act on the Management of High-Level Radioactive Waste."

First Zhangzhou unit begins supplying power

Thursday, 28 November 2024

Unit 1 of the Zhangzhou nuclear power plant in China's Fujian province has been connected to the grid, China National Nuclear Corporation has announced. The unit is the first of four Hualong One (HPR1000) reactors under construction at the site.

(Image: CNNC)

The reactor began supplying electricity to grid at 7.46am on Thursday, CNNC said, marking "major progress in the mass production of Hualong One by China National Nuclear Corporation, and makes new contributions to the optimisation of the national energy structure and the realisation of the 'dual carbon' goals".

It added: "A series of tests will be carried out as planned to further verify the performance of the unit to meet commercial operation conditions."

In May 2014, the local government gave approval for Phase I of the Zhangzhou plant, comprising two AP1000 units. The National Nuclear Safety Administration gave approval in December 2015 for the AP1000 units and confirmed site selection in October 2016. Construction of Phase I had originally been expected to start in May 2017. However, CNNC subsequently decided to use the HPR1000 (Hualong One) design instead. Two more Hualong One units are planned for Phase II of the plant and a further two proposed for Phase III.

Four units are now under construction at Zhangzhou (Image: CNNC)

Construction of Zhangzhou 1 began in October 2019, with that of unit 2 starting in September 2020.

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

The Zhangzhou project - with a total investment of over CNY100 billion (USD14 billion) - is owned by CNNC-Guodian Zhangzhou Energy Company, a joint venture between CNNC (51%) and China Guodian Corporation (49%).

CNNC said the Zhangzhou plant is the starting point for the mass construction of Hualong One reactors and "is currently the world's largest Hualong One nuclear power base". It plans to construct a total of six Hualong One nuclear units at the site. Currently, four Hualong One units are under construction there. 

"At present, the total number of Hualong One units in operation and under construction at home and abroad has reached 33, making it the third-generation nuclear power technology with the largest number of units in operation and under construction in the world," CNNC noted.

Slovenia's GEN to intensify study of SMR options

Thursday, 28 November 2024

In the wake of the cancellation of a planned referendum on new nuclear in Slovenia, the Director General of GEN energija, Dejan Paravan, has said that alongside continuing work on the proposed JEK2 project they will also be seeking more detailed information from small modular reactor companies.

Roadshows have been held to explain the plans (Image: GEN energija)

Speaking at the Slovenian Association for Energy Economics conference at the University of Ljubljana, Paravan said that the company was continuing to prepare everything necessary for a final investment decision on the JEK2 project to be taken in 2028.

JEK2 is a plan for a new one or two-unit nuclear power plant, with up to 2400 MW capacity, next to Slovenia's existing nuclear power plant, Krško, a 696 MWe pressurised water reactor which generates about one-third of the country's electricity and which is co-owned by neighbouring Croatia. Prime Minister Robert Golob has committed to hold a referendum on the project before it goes ahead, and it had been due to be held on 24 November, before it was cancelled amid political differences. Golob's Freedom Movement said that there would still be a referendum, but it would now be later in the process, by 2028 at the latest.

At the conference, Paravan said that GEN remained committed to the project but "we cannot ignore what happened in the past months. For this reason, in addition to ongoing activities on the project, we will additionally intensify activities related to studying the possibility of using small modular reactors and ask key suppliers for detailed information".

He added: "The events of the past months have also shown the necessity of a professional and open discussion regarding the energy future of Slovenia, which is not based on emotions and takes into account the reality of possible alternatives, including the necessary interventions in space that these technologies require."

As part of the public information process ahead of the planned referendum, the option of small modular reactors (SMRs) at the JEK2 site had been considered, but it had been concluded that, given the timelines proposed for the project, SMRs were not considered suitable, compared with larger units. However, the assessment said that GEN would continue to monitor the development of SMR technology, noting that "the development of this technology is very dynamic, the promises of the providers are great" although the "technical and economic assumptions of SMR technology have not yet been proven in practice".

USA, Lithuania to cooperate on SMRs

Wednesday, 27 November 2024

US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and Lithuania's interim Minister of Energy Dainius Kreivys have signed an intergovernmental agreement to cooperate on the development of Lithuania's civil nuclear power programme, with a particular focus on the deployment of small modular reactors.

The signing of the agreement (Image: Lithuanian Ministry of Energy)

Lithuania's national energy independence strategy stipulates the country must become a climate-neutral economy by the 2050s. The Ministry of Energy says the decarbonisation processes will require a large amount of additional electricity – electricity consumption is expected to increase sixfold by the 2050s, from the current 12 TWh to 74 TWh. The highest growth in electricity consumption is expected between 2030 and 2040. The ministry says that in order to balance the growing consumption, as well as large amounts of wind and solar generation, new managed generation capacities will be needed. Therefore, the National Energy Independence Strategy and the National Energy and Climate Action Plan provide for assessment of the possible construction of fourth generation small nuclear reactors (SMRs) in Lithuania. Lithuania should decide on the construction of such reactors in 2028. 

The Lithuanian Ministry of Energy says the new cooperation agreement with the USA "provides that by then the United States will prepare a technology assessment report, which will include a market analysis of SMR technology, the risks of SMR technology and a life-cycle assessment of such a reactor installation, a siting analysis of new nuclear facilities, potential project financing arrangements and sources".

In addition to collaboration in the deployment of SMRs, the agreement envisions the exchange of experts to ensure the promotion of the highest standards of safety and security, the enhancement of physical and security for all civil nuclear facilities in Lithuania, and consultation regarding best practices related to decommissioning and fuel management and workforce development.

The ministry noted that the completed assessment will be used in the preparation of a report on the development of nuclear energy, predicting its development in the Lithuanian energy system, technological choice, operating model, opportunities for the local supply chain to participate in the project, necessary changes to the regulatory environment, public information and training of specialists, among other things.

"In order to make a competent decision on the development of the next generation of nuclear energy in Lithuania, we must fully assess the technical and financial possibilities of such a decision, and provide measures for managing possible risks - this agreement between the United States and Lithuania will serve this purpose," Kreivys said.

"Safe, clean and reliable civil nuclear energy will be a critical component of Lithuania's energy pathway," Granholm said. "The US remains committed to working with Lithuania to advance its national security, regional security, and democratic sovereignty."

The US Department of Energy (DOE) noted: "This agreement marks the first such intergovernmental framework led by the DOE with a specific focus on the deployment of fourth generation SMRs and represents a significant element of the United States' advancement of the development of clean, safe, and reliable nuclear power for partners and allies."

Lithuania agreed to shut down the two RBMK reactors at Ignalina as a condition of its accession to the European Union. Unit 1 was shut down in December 2004 and unit 2 in December 2009.

GLE acquires land for laser enrichment facility

Thursday, 28 November 2024

Global Laser Enrichment has acquired the land in Kentucky where it plans to build the Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility.

A conceptual rendering of the PLEF facility (Image: Silex Ltd)

The 665-acre (2.7 square kilometres) parcel of land was previously owned by the Commonwealth of Kentucky and managed by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. It was acquired by Global Laser Enrichment (GLE) through an agreement among the Commonwealth, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, and the Paducah-McCracken County Industrial Development Authority. GLE entered into a set of agreements providing it with an option to purchase the plot earlier this year.

GLE is the exclusive global licensee of the SILEX laser-based uranium enrichment technology, which would be deployed commercially at PLEF. The project is underpinned by a long-term agreement signed in 2016 for the sale to GLE of some 200,000 tonnes from the US Department of Energy's inventory depleted uranium hexafluoride (DUF6) for re-enrichment to equivalent natural grade uranium hexafluoride. The DOE has a large inventory of the material - also known as tails - from the former operations of its first-generation gaseous diffusion enrichment plants.

The site acquired by GLE is adjacent to the DOE's former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, which closed in 2013. It provides access to the cylinder yard where the DUF6 tails inventories are stored, minimising transportation between the PGDP and the proposed PLEF plant.

DUF6 storage at the PGDP (Image: Silex Ltd)

GLE said it is currently on track to submit the environmental report for the plant to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission in December and the licence application in the summer of 2025. The company's CEO Stephen Long said GLE is working towards a commercialisation decision "and maintaining our deployment target of no later than 2030."

The SILEX technology was developed by Australian company Silex Systems Ltd, which owns 51% of GLE, with the remaining 49% owned by Canadian company Cameco.

Silex CEO/Managing Director Michael Goldsworthy said the acquisition of the PLEF site is the result of "several years of dedicated efforts" from the GLE team with "considerable support" from the community of Paducah and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The DOE tails inventory will underpin production of natural grade uranium hexafluoride at PLEF for up to 30 years, he said, with a production rate that will be "equivalent to a uranium mine with an annual output of up to 5 million pounds of uranium, which would rank in the top 10 of today's uranium mines by production volume."

 World Nuclear News