It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
US campaign puts case for disposal, not reprocessing, of used fuel
The Nuclear Scaling Initiative’s Scale What Works campaign says that direct disposal of used nuclear fuel in the US is the "safest, most secure and least expensive pathway for the country" as nuclear energy capacity is expanded.
A rendering of the Onkalo underground used fuel repository in Finland, which is cited as an example of the benefits of 'clear, straightforward direct disposal policies' (Image: Posiva)
The initiative - which is a collaboration of the Clean Air Task Force, the EFI Foundation and the Nuclear Threat Initiative - aims to "build a new nuclear energy ecosystem that can quickly and economically scale to 50+ gigawatts of safe and secure nuclear energy globally per year by the 2030s".
The Nuclear Scaling Initiative (NSI) Executive Director Steve Comello said: "Making smart fuel management choices today, that acknowledge that reprocessing technologies today are not economically viable and pose security and waste management risks, can drive grid reliability, innovation, and economic and national security for the United States and beyond."
NSI, whose global advisory board is chaired by former US Secretary of State John Kerry, says that all forms of energy production produces waste, and says that in nuclear's case, directly storing and "eventually disposing of intact spent fuel" underground "is a safe, straightforward process that uses existing expertise and infrastructure".
Countries should learn from the reprocessing experience in the UK, Japan and France, NSI says, adding that its view is that reprocessing used fuel is "costly, complex and time-intensive, increasing energy prices for consumers and diverting resources from readily deployable technologies".
Former Deputy Secretary of Defense and Under Secretary of Energy John Deutch said: "Reprocessing is not a reasonable option: it threatens security, is not cost-effective and will slow our ability to scale nuclear energy."
Reprocessing of used fuel from commercial reactors has been prohibited in the USA since 1977, with all used fuel being treated as high-level waste. However, the nation has more than 250 plant-years of reprocessing operational experience, mostly from reprocessing oxide fuels at government-operated defence plants as part of its military programme. A civil reprocessing plant at West Valley, New York, operated successfully from 1966-1972: a second one at Morris, Illinois, failed to work successfully and was declared inoperable in 1974. A third civil reprocessing plant was built at Barnwell, South Carolina but was not commissioned due to the changed government policy.
Earlier this month the US Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy awarded more than USD19 million to five US companies to research and develop recycling technologies for used nuclear fuel.
The Department of Energy noted that less than 5% of the potential energy in the USA's nuclear fuel is extracted after five years of operation in a commercial reactor. It says recycling used nuclear fuel could increase resource utilisation by 95%, reduce waste by 90%, and decrease the amount of uranium needed to operate nuclear reactors. Additional benefits to nuclear fuel recycling include the recovery and extraction of valuable radioisotopes for medical, industrial, and defence purposes.
In September last year Oklo Inc announced plans to design, build and operate a facility at Oak Ridge in Tennessee to recycle used nuclear fuel into fuel for fast reactors like the company’s own Aurora powerhouse. The Executive Orders signed by President Donald Trump last year included directions to the Department of Energy to bring forward national policies on the management of used fuel and high-level waste and evaluate private-sector reprocessing options, amongst other things.
Study examines benefits of Pallas to future power plant construction
The knowledge and expertise gained in the Netherlands from the construction of the Pallas research reactor reduces the risk of delays in future nuclear power plant construction thanks to experience with permits, documentation, and supply chain qualification, according to a study by SEO Economic Research.
(Image: SEO)
The study - Building on Experience - examined the potential societal value of the Pallas programme for the construction of future Dutch nuclear power plants.
The Pallas research reactor is being built at Petten to replace the existing High Flux Reactor (HFR), which began operating in September 1960 and supplies about 60% of Europe's and 30% of the world's medical radioactive sources. Pallas will be of the "tank-in-pool" type, with a thermal power of around 55 MW, and able to deploy its neutron flux more efficiently and effectively than the HFR. Construction was officially launched in September last year.
"Pallas primarily delivers social added value through risk reduction: fewer surprises, fewer redesigns, and fewer iterations with suppliers or the supervisory authority," SEO said. "This predictability is important before construction begins, because many choices are made during this phase that later impact lead time and costs. At the same time, the learning effect is still developing and will only fully materialise if the acquired knowledge is actively retained and remains transferable.
"A scenario analysis shows that reducing construction delays by one to three years could yield significant financial benefits. For two nuclear power plants, the indicative total benefits range from EUR0.98 billion (USD1.16 billion) to EUR2.13 billion with a one-year reduction in delay to EUR2.96 billion to EUR6.41 billion with a three-year reduction in delay, primarily due to lower delay costs and an earlier start of the operational phase. In addition, smaller but positive savings are possible upfront (tens of millions of euros)."
NRG-Pallas said the construction of the new research reactor "presents an interesting case study because it is the first large-scale nuclear project in the Netherlands since the 1970s. With Pallas, the Netherlands has once again gained practical expertise in quality standards, safety, and supply chain qualification. The position of the supervisory authority, ANVS, has been strengthened with up-to-date expertise and experience".
The report shows that the acquired knowledge primarily reduces risks by reducing the likelihood of redesign and fewer issues with suppliers or regulators, thus lowering the risk of delays. These learnings enable faster and more predictable operations on these types of projects. Pallas also contributes to strengthening the ecosystem by enabling a new generation of professionals to gain experience, and by enabling suppliers to invest in knowledge to meet nuclear quality standards.
In December 2021, the Netherlands' new coalition government placed nuclear power at the heart of its climate and energy policy. In addition to keeping the Borssele plant in operation for longer, the government also called for the construction of new reactors. Based on preliminary plans, two new reactors will be completed around 2035 and each will have a capacity of 1000-1650 MWe. The two reactors would provide 9-13% of the country's electricity production in 2035. The cabinet announced in December 2022 that it currently sees Borssele as the most suitable location for the construction of the new reactors. Three other locations are also being considered for the reactors: the Tweede Maasvlakte near Rotterdam, Terneuzen in Zeeland and Eemshaven in Groningen. The government is also taking steps to prepare the Netherlands for the possible deployment of small modular reactors.
"With Pallas, the Netherlands has been able to gain unique knowledge about the practical aspects of implementing a large-scale nuclear project," said NRG-Pallas CEO Maurits Wolleswinkel. "Research agency SEO was asked whether it would be worthwhile to proactively retain this knowledge and manpower once the programme has completed all its various phases. The research confirms that the realisation of the Pallas reactor represents important pioneering work that could be of great value for the construction of new nuclear power plants. If the Netherlands retains and utilises this knowledge efficiently, its nuclear ambitions can be realised faster and at lower costs."
"Interviews and studies show that the Pallas programme can significantly reduce both time and costs in the construction of new nuclear power plants," said Erik Brouwer, head of the Competition, Aviation and Innovation group within SEO. "With NRG-Pallas, the Netherlands now has an organisation with recent experience in construction and permitting processes."
The report has been submitted to Jan Anthonie Bruijn, Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, and Sophie Hermans of the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth.
"The report confirms that the investment made by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport extends beyond the domain of public health and is of great value to the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport's major societal mission of achieving a sustainable and reliable energy supply," NRG-Pallas said. "Intensive collaboration between the ministries and the use of this report will ensure that the knowledge and experience are retained and utilised to the fullest extent possible for the Netherlands."
Assessment of proposed Norwegian SMR plant to begin
The Norwegian government has given Norsk Kjernekraft approval to begin work on an impact assessment for a nuclear power plant in Aure and Heim municipalities, the first step in the licensing process for nuclear power in Norway.
The proposed location for the plant (Image: Norsk Kjernekraft)
Nuclear project developer Norsk Kjernekraft submitted a proposal to Norway's Ministry of Energy in November 2023 for an assessment of the construction of the small modular reactor (SMR) plant. According to the preliminary plan, the plant will be located in a common industrial area - the Taftøy industrial park - in the border area between Aure and Heim in Trøndelag county. The plant is planned to consist of several SMRs, which together will produce around 12.5 TWh of electricity annually, if the plant is realised in its entirety.
In April last year, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Health and Care Services, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, and the Ministry of Climate and Environment requested the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, and the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment programme for the proposed plant. A notification with a proposal for an assessment programme for the project was published for consultation in Norway by the Ministry of Energy in May 2024 with a deadline for submissions that same autumn.
At the request of the Ministry of Energy, the Norwegian Environment Agency submitted the proposed impact assessment programme for consultation by neighbouring countries, giving them the opportunity to assess the impacts this could have on them, so that this can be investigated further in a possible further process of planning the licence application and operation. The deadline for other countries to provide input to the assessment programme was 6 January 2026. The consultation responses have now been reviewed and taken into account.
The Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Health and Care Services, and the Ministry of Climate and Environment have now established an impact assessment programme for the plans for the prosed plant.
"The impact assessment shall be prepared in accordance with the established assessment programme, and will constitute a central part of the decision-making basis for any applications for concessions under the Atomic Energy Act and the Energy Act, applications for permits under the Pollution Act and other relevant permits and approvals," the Ministry of Energy said.
"By establishing this assessment programme, we are setting minimum requirements for the scope and content of impact assessments for a possible nuclear power plant in Taftøy Business Park," said Minister of Energy Terje Aasland. The fact that we have now established this assessment programme does not mean that a position will be taken on nuclear power production as a power source in the Norwegian power system. Whether nuclear power will be relevant in Norway must be considered more closely in light of the Nuclear Power Committee's report. For the government, it is important to ensure a predictable and safe process."
"It is very pleasing that we have now received a formally binding impact assessment programme from the Ministry of Energy for nuclear power in Aure and Heim municipalities," said Norsk Kjernekraft CEO Jonny Hesthammer. "This is a big step forward for nuclear power in Norway. This confirms that Norway has the regulatory framework for nuclear power."
"Now we will first sit down and make a plan for the implementation of the impact assessment, where an important part is how the local population and other stakeholders will be able to contribute to the benefits and disadvantages of the nuclear power plant being highlighted. We have already started work on parts of the impact assessment, and we look forward to having a good dialogue with neighbours, municipalities and state authorities," he said.
The proposed nuclear power plant in Aure and Heim is the first of ten projects that Norsk Kjernekraft is implementing in Norwegian municipalities.
Safety review completed at South African research reactor
A team of International Atomic Energy Agency experts has outlined areas of good performance, and areas for strengthening South Africa's Safari-1 research reactor's ageing management programme.
(Image: NECSA)
The five-day six-person Safety Review Mission on Ageing Management and Continued Safe Operation was at the invitation of the facility's operator, the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) and was completed on 6 February.
Safari-1 is a tank-in-pool research reactor which reached first criticality in 1965 with a capacity of 6.67 MWt. Over its 60 years of operation it has undergone various power uprates and been converted to use low-enriched uranium fuel and low-enriched uranium targets for isotope production. Today, it has a licensed operating power of 20 MWt and is one of the world's major commercial producers of medical and industrial radioisotopes. It is also used for activation analyses, material modification (such as the neutron transmutation doping of silicon for the semi-conductor industry) and provides support services such as neutron radiography and neutron diffraction for both industry and research.
It is currently licensed to operate until 2030, but could be a sustainable operational irradiation facility beyond that date, pending an engineering assessment supported by an ageing management programme, Necsa has said.
Kaichao Sun, mission team leader and Nuclear Safety Officer at the IAEA, said: "We appreciated the high quality of the discussions during the mission, and the openness of the Safari-1 counterparts is well noted. Systematically implementing the ageing management activities can be challenging. Continuously improving the management system that integrates the existing operational programmes helps address this challenge."
The good performance identified included a "strong commitment and involvement of the reactor management and technical staff by conducting a self-assessment" against the review mission guidelines as part of preparation, and "effective engagement and communication between the operating organisation and the regulatory body at an early stage for the ongoing periodic safety review".
Recommendations to strengthen the ageing management programme included "management of financial and human resources to achieve the organisation's objectives of continued safe operation; development of a systematic screening process to identify the structures, systems and components in the scope of the ageing management programme; and establishment of formalised programmes to proactively address the obsolescence and qualification of equipment".
Sammy Malaka, Acting Group Executive for Nuclear Operations and Reactor Manager of Safari-1, said: "Our responsibility to manage the ageing process becomes increasingly critical. We view this … mission as a collaborative opportunity to strengthen our safety culture, enhance our ageing management programme, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our research reactor operation and capabilities."
A draft report from the mission team was provided and a follow-up mission is being scheduled for 2028.
The South African cabinet approved the construction of a Multipurpose Reactor to succeed the Safari-1 research reactor, in 2021. Last year South Africa's Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientso Ramokgopa announced a budget allocation of ZAR1.2 billion (USD66 million) towards the cost of such a new multipurpose reactor.
U.S. Strategy in Armenia and Azerbaijan Includes Nuclear and AI
Vice President Vance's visit successfully broadened US economic and strategic engagement with Armenia and Azerbaijan, moving past the initial focus on the Middle Corridor trade route.
In Baku, the US and Azerbaijan signed a Strategic Partnership Charter, pledging to expand cooperation in energy, aerospace, digital infrastructure, AI, and defense, including the transfer of coastal defense vessels.
The main outcome in Yerevan was a nuclear energy agreement that positions the US as the leading contender to build a new nuclear power plant in Armenia, alongside a major sale of surveillance and drone technology.
Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan succeeded in widening the scope of US economic engagement with the two South Caucasus nations. In the months immediately after Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a provisional peace deal in Washington last August, the Trump administration’s focus was on the development of the Middle Corridor trade and logistics network. But now other sectors, including civilian nuclear energy, arms sales and artificial intelligence, are part of the discussion.
Vance’s stop in Baku on February 10-11 included the signing of a US-Azerbaijani Charter on Strategic Partnership. While much of the document is devoted to maximizing the economic potential of TRIPP, or the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, there are numerous provisions indicating that the partnership aims to have a much broader foundation.
The two sides pledge to “mobilize public and private sector investment” to expand not just TRIPP, but also Azerbaijan’s energy and aerospace sectors and the country’s digital infrastructure. The document additionally expresses an intention to “expand collaboration on developing AI partnerships.”
Defense and security cooperation are also in play. Vance noted at the signing ceremony that the US will send an undisclosed number of coastal defense vessels to Azerbaijan for use in the country’s sector of the Caspian Sea.
The US-Azerbaijani relationship “is one that will stick and is one that will continue to produce great fruits for both of our peoples,” Vance said.
Notably, the partnership document outlines an intent to deepen civilian nuclear cooperation, underscoring a US effort to muscle into a Eurasian energy market that has long been dominated by Russia. The countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia are embracing nuclear energy as a means of meeting rapidly growing power needs.
The main outcome of Vance’s stop in Armenia was a nuclear energy agreement that positions the United States as the front-runner to secure the contract to build a new nuclear plant in the country. A final decision on the tender likely will not come until after Armenia holds parliamentary elections on June 7.
Somewhat overshadowed by the nuclear agreement, Vance in Yerevan disclosed “a major sale of military technology” in the form of “surveillance and drone technology to the Armenians.”
Vance went on to say that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will use the new arms “to secure his country and to make sure that the peace we are creating sticks.”
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