Workers at 17 No Frills stores in Ontario set Monday strike deadline

Rosa Saba, The Canadian Press

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Almost 1,300 workers at 17 No Frills grocery stores in Ontario could be on strike next week, as the union that represents them has set a strike deadline of 12:01 a.m. on Monday. 

"Loblaw must come to the table prepared to raise wages and improve working conditions for these grocery store workers," said Unifor national president Lana Payne in a news release Thursday. 

The union said contract talks are ongoing, but that workers are prepared to strike to back their demands. 

No Frills is the discount grocery banner owned by Loblaw Cos. Ltd., the largest grocery company in Canada. The 17 stores include five locations in Toronto, as well as locations in Whitby, Etobicoke, Niagara Falls and elsewhere. 

According to Unifor, six per cent of the workers across the stores are full-time. The rest are part-time, with a quarter being students. 

The average hourly wage for the full-time workers is $19.89, while the average hourly wage for the part-time workers excluding the students is $16.95, according to Unifor. The average hourly wage for the students is $15.92.

In Ontario, the minimum wage for students under the age of 18 who work less than a certain number of hours per week is $15.60, compared with the general minimum wage of $16.55. 

On Wednesday, Loblaw reported a third-quarter profit of $621 million, up from $556 million during the same quarter last year. The grocer has been expanding its footprint of discount stores like No Frills as consumers trade down, looking for deals amid the rising cost of living. 

“Our Maxi and No Frills stores led the way, generating double-digit growth again this quarter,” said chairman Galen Weston on a conference call with analysts Wednesday. 

The grocer and its competitors have come under scrutiny for continuing to see profits rise while food inflation soared across the country. 

This round of bargaining is the first big round with a major grocery chain for Unifor after it reached a deal with Metro this summer that brought more than 3,700 workers in the Toronto area significant wage gains. 

Those workers rejected the first deal their union reached with the employer, then went on strike for five weeks before a second deal was reached.

Unifor had said the Metro deal would help it set a pattern as it bargains with major grocery chains over the next couple of years. 

In the press release Thursday, the union said No Frills workers are demanding similar gains to those the Metro workers received. 

Workers are fed up with the disparity between their pay and Loblaw's profits amid the growing cost of living, said Unifor Local 414 president Gord Currie in the release. 

"You know it’s bad when workers at Canada’s largest grocery store chain are struggling to afford their own food, even at discount stores like No Frills," he said. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 16, 2023.

Alberta regulator probes mine wall 'instabilities' after worker nearly buried: union

Bob Weber, The Canadian Press

Alberta's energy regulator is examining practices at a coal mine in the province after three "instabilities" in its rock walls -- including one weeks ago that partially buried a large piece of heavy equipment and its operator.  

"It buried the excavator with the operator in it," said Shayne Jessome, who works at the CST Canada Coal mine in Grande Cache, about 430 kilometres west of Edmonton.

"The guy almost got killed."

The boulders were big enough to damage the excavator's roll cage, Jessome said. 

Alberta Energy Regulator spokeswoman Teresa Broughton said the company reported three "rock-wall instabilities" in June, September and October. The first was reported to the regulator on July 5 and the others on Oct. 31.

"We are assessing the conditions at the site and mitigation activities of (CST) related to these rock-wall instabilities," she said. 

The three events occurred after an earlier one in the fall of 2022. Kyler Leduke was working a night shift, running a large Cat D-10 dozer deep in the mine's open pit, pushing coal toward a scoop shovel.

"Something caught my eye. I looked and I saw all this rock coming down. I thought, 'This is going to hurt.' I curled up and covered my face."

It turned out OK. The floor in the dozer's cab was ankle-deep in rock rubble but Leduke escaped unharmed.

"I was surprised I didn't have to change my ginch," he said.

A photograph provided to The Canadian Press of the dozer shows it buried up to the roof of its cab by refrigerator-sized boulders in what appears to be a mine pit. 

"Inspectors have conducted site inspection and are working with CST to understand what caused these events and review any required remedial actions," Broughton said in an email. "If we find a company isn't following the rules or requirements, we'll take action by applying one or more compliance and enforcement tools."

An official with the United Mineworkers Union said Alberta's Occupational Health Services has opened at least one file on the various events, although the agency refused to comment on it.

The Canadian Press left messages seeking comment at the mine company's Calgary and overseas offices, but they were not returned. 

Jessome, who was until recently the safety chairman at the mine for the union, said he has concerns about how seriously management considers safety at the mine. 

Management turned down his request for monthly tours of the site to look for potential issues, he said. Requests for water trucks were denied even when dust was so thick in the mine drivers couldn't see.

When workers downed tools after Leduke's experience, Jessome said management called union officials to complain instead of addressing concerns. 

Jessome described what it's like in the mine when an instability occurs in a mine wall.

"Sometimes, you can watch things start to crumble a little bit. When it's unstable, all of a sudden it just drops. It just falls, everything falls.

"When that happens, you've got to hope to Christ there's nobody working there."

Jessome said the mine relies on a radar detection system to warn of instability. But he said the people who analyze that data are remote from the site and don't give adequate warning.

The energy regulator normally releases a description of incidents it's looking into. Broughton said none were issued for the mine over the recent instabilities because "these events do not meet the (regulator's) criteria for posting."

The only one of those criteria that apply to hard-rock mining refer to releases of wastewater. 

CST is also under investigation by the regulator for two separate incidents in December 2022 and March of this year that saw more than 1,200 cubic metres of wastewater contaminated with coal fines released into the Smoky River. 

"CST Coal has submitted a release prevention plan to the (regulator) to prevent a reoccurrence of this event in the future, and is actively implementing release prevention measures as identified in the plan, as well as ongoing and continued monitoring of the Smoky River," says the company's most recent environmental, social and governance report.

The company has since reported a third release of wastewater into the Smoky River after heavy rains flooded the site in June. The volume of that release is unknown. 

"Over the past three years (including 2023), there were no reported lost days due to work injuries nor were there any work-related fatalities," the company report says. "The (company) was not aware of any non-compliance of relevant laws and regulations that have a significant impact on it relating to provision of a safe working environment and protecting employees."

CST Coal is owned by CST Group, which is based in Hong Kong and incorporated in the Cayman Islands. It bought the mine in 2017 from the receiver after the previous owner, Grande Cache Coal, went bankrupt.

The mine is both open-pit and underground, company documents say. It mines steelmaking coal, most of which is exported to Japan, Korea and China. 

CST employs about 300 people in Canada. 

Its leases cover almost 30,000 hectares in the northwest Alberta foothills.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 15, 2023.

Report says humidity affects roof stability in Nova Scotia mine under stop-work order

The Canadian Pres

A consultant who produced a report on Cape Breton’s idled Donkin coal mine says seasonal weather and humidity affect roof stability at the underground operation.

Andrew Corkum, a geological expert at Dalhousie University, says mudstone rock in the roof is susceptible to weakening under damp conditions, most prevalent in the spring and summer.

Corkum says the mine needs to be upgraded before operations can safely resume.

He recommends that the mine improve its safety measures and add to its monitoring system in the tunnels.

The Labour Department says the upgrades must be completed by Feb. 29, 2024, before a stop-work order — imposed in July after a rockfall — can be lifted.

The department has also ordered that the mine’s ground-control plan be reviewed by a third-party engineer with experience in mining and tunnelling.

The mine has laid off its 130 workers and has placed its operation in an “idled state.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 15, 2023.

 

Ontario to ban unpaid restaurant trial shifts; part of new labour law

Allison Jones, The Canadian Press

Ontario is planning to explicitly ban unpaid trial shifts for restaurant and hospitality workers, while also strengthening rules against deducting employee wages in the event of customer theft.

The proposed amendments are the latest in a series of labour law changes in a new piece of legislation tabled Tuesday by Labour Minister David Piccini.

While it is already the law that employees must be paid for all hours worked, Piccini said unpaid trial shifts are still happening as part of the interview process in some restaurants, so the practice will be specifically prohibited.

Similarly, labour laws already prohibit employers from deducting wages due to lost or stolen property, but new language will specifically ban it in instances of dine and dash or gas and dash, Piccini said.

As well, while current laws permit employers to share in pooled tips if they are performing the same work as their staff, the legislation would require the employers to tell employees if they are doing that.

Piccini said due to the rise of digital payment apps, including some that charge workers a fee to access their tips, the bill will also specify that employees who get paid their tips via direct deposit can choose where that money gets deposited.

"We're seeing apps that are taking a cut every time ... a worker accesses their tips and that's not acceptable," Piccini said in an interview.

"I mean, imagine telling an office worker they're going to get dinged every time they access their paycheques. We wouldn't say it's acceptable there, so why would we say it's acceptable for those in the hospitality and service sector?"

The Workers' Action Centre said in a statement that the government is failing to meaningfully enforce the existing laws that prevent actions such as deducting wages due to theft. The group pointed to Ministry of Labour investigations, inspections and prosecutions under the Employment Standards Act being far lower than in 2018-19.

The group also noted that the government has so far failed to pass a private member's bill by Progressive Conservative member Deepak Anand that would require customers to pre-pay for gasoline to prevent gas-and-dash thefts. It was referred to committee in April but no hearings have been scheduled.

Other changes contained in the new legislation include several aimed at the recruiting and hiring process. The bill would ban employers from requiring Canadian work experience in job postings or application forms, something Piccini said will help newcomers get more of a foot in the door in order to offer their valuable skills and experience.

Job postings would also be required to include salary ranges and businesses will have to disclose whether artificial intelligence is part of their hiring process, in part due to concerns about data collection and personal privacy.

The legislation would also boost payments to injured workers by enabling increases to Workplace Safety and Insurance Board benefits to be "super indexed" to a rate above inflation.

As well, it would allow more firefighters and fire investigators to qualify for WSIB benefits due to esophageal cancer. Currently, firefighters and fire investigators have to have been on the job for 25 years before esophageal cancer would be considered a work-related illness.

The new legislation would also increase the number of international students in Ontario eligible for the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program by revising eligibility requirements to allow students from one-year college graduate certificate programs to apply.

As well, it would change how regulated professions such as accounting, architecture and geoscience use third-party organizations to assess international qualifications, which the government says would improve oversight and accountability.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2023.

 

Fourth Barakah unit receives operating licence

17 November 2023

The United Arab Emirates' nuclear regulator has issued the licence to Nawah Energy Company, clearing the way for commissioning and commercial operation of the unit and marking a historic moment as the UAE realises its nuclear energy vision.

Hamad Al Kaabi (on the left) and Christer Viktorsson announced the issuance of Barakah 4's operating licence on 17 November (Image: FANR)

The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) said it had reached its decision to issue the licence after conducting a thorough assessment of the application documentation, conducting robust regulatory oversight and inspections in the areas of safety, security and safeguards. It also assessed Nawah's organisational and manpower readiness, and ensured that Nawah was in compliance with all regulatory requirements.

Construction of the fourth Korean-designed APR-1400 unit at Barakah, in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi Emirate began in July 2015, three years after work began on the first Barakah unit. The first three units are now fully operational under FANR's regulatory oversight.

The UAE embarked on its plan to implement a nuclear energy programme in 2008 when its government made the decision to build and operate a nuclear power plant to provide 25% of the country's electricity needs, diversifying its energy sources and supporting its long-term energy vision and net zero goals. Construction of the first unit began in 2012, and Barakah 1 was connected to the grid in 2020.

"Today marks a historic moment for the UAE, where it realised its vision that started 15 years ago in developing the-first-in-the-region peaceful nuclear energy programme," Hamad Al Kaabi, the UAE's permanent representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency and deputy chairman of FANR's Board of Management said. "The success of the UAE Nuclear Energy Programme and the ability to deliver it within a record span of time, adhering to the best international nuclear safety, security and non-proliferation standards, made the country a role model for many nations who are embarking on developing a nuclear energy programmes."

Barakah 4 (Image: FANR)

FANR has certified 215 Reactor Operators and Senior Reactor Operators - including 78 who are Emiratis - who are qualified to operate the control rooms of the nuclear power plant, FANR Director General Christer Viktorsson said.

"The review of the operating licence application for Unit 4 was conducted by a team consisting of 90% Emirati nuclear experts. This indicates the success of FANR's strategy in building the capability and skills of Emiratis to regulate the nuclear sector and ensure its safe operation," he added.

Nawah can now begin the commissioning phase to prepare for commercial operation, during which FANR will carry out around-the-clock inspection at the plant to ensure the nuclear fuel load and testing processes are completed according to regulatory requirements, Viktorsson said. When the plant enters commercial operation the regulator will assume an oversight role.

The Barakah plant is owned by the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) and operated by Nawah. Barakah 4's operating

 

Philippines considers deploying USNC microreactors

16 November 2023

The Philippines' largest electric distribution utility, the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), has signed a cooperation agreement with Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) of the USA to study the potential deployment of one or more Micro-Modular Reactor (MMR) Energy Systems in the Philippines.

The signing of the agreement between USNC and Meralco (Image: USNC)

The agreement was signed by Meralco Chairman and CEO Manuel Pangilinan and USNC Founder and CEO Francesco Venneri on the sidelines of the 30th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Summit in San Francisco. The signing was witnessed by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos.

Under the agreement - which builds on the partnership between the two companies announced in August - USNC will conduct a pre-feasibility study that will run for four months to familiarise Meralco with MMR systems and how these can be effectively utilised in the Philippines. Depending on the results of the pre-feasibility study, Meralco has the option to conduct a more detailed feasibility study with a focus on the adoption and deployment of MMR energy systems.

USNC said the study will help Meralco in critical decisions and potential future activities on project-specific studies and project development plans at identified sites. The study will assess financial, technical, safety, and siting, among other considerations.

The MMR is a 45 MW thermal, 15 MW electrical high-temperature gas-cooled reactor, using TRISO (tristructural isotropic) fuel in prismatic graphite blocks. The graphite blocks contain stacks of ceramic FCM fuel pellets. The helium-cooled reactor can be flexibly fuelled with uranium enrichments from 9% to 19.75% and will have an initial licensed nuclear plant lifetime of 40-years.

"USNC is changing the nuclear safety and national energy security conversations in the Philippines with the MMR," Pangilinan said, adding: "This cooperative agreement moves us forward with a partner who understands these important issues alongside the essential nature of the cost and reliability of the electricity supply."

"This also signifies the commitment of the Philippines, through Meralco, to explore and utilise diverse energy sources for the benefit of Filipinos. We believe that nuclear technology will help balance the need to meet the growing demand of our country with the equally crucial need to transition towards a sustainable energy future," he said.

Venneri said: "Meralco is demonstrating real leadership in advancing the energy security and sustainability roadmap for the Philippines. Our MMR nuclear batteries can play a major role in delivering those benefits. The plans that will quickly follow this study place Meralco well on the way toward creating a reliable, low-carbon, equitable and secure future for Filipinos."

President Marcos welcomed the agreement, saying the "partnership is a significant step towards exploring clean and sustainable energy options for the Philippines". He added that the agreement "is aligned with our commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase resilience to climate change".

In response to the 1973 oil crisis, the Philippines decided to build the two-unit Bataan plant. Construction of Bataan 1 - a 621 MWe Westinghouse PWR - began in 1976 and it was completed in 1984 at a cost of USD460 million. However, due to financial issues and safety concerns related to earthquakes, the plant was never loaded with fuel or operated. The plant has been maintained.

In March 2022, then President Rodrigo Duterte signed an executive order that outlined the government's position for the inclusion of nuclear energy in the Philippines' energy mix, taking into account economic, political, social and environmental objectives. President Marcos included new nuclear among his campaign pledges before winning the election in May last year.

123 Agreement concluded

Also on the sidelines of the APEC Leaders' Summit, US Vice President Kamala Harris met with President Marcos, where they discussed ongoing efforts to deepen security ties and expand commercial and economic cooperation between the two countries.

During the meeting, Harris and Marcos "welcomed the conclusion of a historic '123' civil nuclear cooperation agreement", according to a statement from the White House. It said the agreement "will deepen our partnership to build a global clean energy economy and strengthen our shared commitment to improving energy security and advancing the global non-proliferation regime".

Negotiations on the 123 Agreement were launched in November 2022 during a visit by Harris to the Philippines.

Formal cooperation agreements are required between countries that want to trade nuclear power goods and services, and those involving the USA are called 123 Agreements after the paragraph of the country's 1954 Atomic Energy Act which requires them.

"This agreement will provide the legal basis for US exports of nuclear equipment and material to the Philippines, which will support American workers and businesses," the White House said. 

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

 

IAEA team completes Romanian regulatory review

15 November 2023

Romania is committed to maintaining and strengthening its regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety, an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts has concluded. However, the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission team recommended improving the coordination among government agencies concerned with radiation source facilities and activities.

Romania's Cernavoda plant (Image: Ansaldo Nucleare)

IRRS missions are designed to strengthen the effectiveness of the national nuclear and radiation safety regulatory infrastructure, based on IAEA safety standards and international good practices, while recognising the responsibility of each country to ensure nuclear and radiation safety.

The IRRS team concluded a 12-day mission to Romania on 10 November. The mission, carried out at the request of the Romanian government and hosted by the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN), marks the start of the third IRRS mission cycle to Romania after previous missions in 2006 and 2011.

The team - comprising 20 senior regulatory experts from 15 countries, as well as IAEA staff members and one observer from the European Commission, reviewed facilities and activities regulated by CNCAN.

The mission identified several good performances, including: the performance, during a CNCAN inspection, of an on-the-spot written test for the authorised staff dedicated to radiation safety and emergency preparedness; the development of a detailed cooperation protocol between CNCAN and the Romanian customs authority to ensure the safe inspection of radioactive packages; the prompt update of the regulation for reactors and installations with multiple modules, after the signature of a memorandum of understanding between CNCAN and NuScale Power, to evaluate small modular reactors (SMRs); and the systematic and holistic approach of CNCAN to address the interface of safety and security in its regulatory oversight programme for nuclear power plants.

"Romania has a comprehensive and mature regulatory infrastructure for nuclear safety," said IRRS team leader Peter Elder, vice-president of technical support with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. "CNCAN's challenge will be to prepare itself for the expected expansion of Romania's nuclear power programme. We recommend that Romania further improves its radiation protection framework, especially in the medical sector."

The IRRS team identified several recommendations and suggestions, including: CNCAN should implement its systematic training programme including inspector qualification and enhance its inspection programme to be used in the planning and conduct of inspections, in accordance with a graded approach; and the Ministry of Health should revise and implement the regulatory requirements on radiation protection, including justification of practices, dose constraints for the public exposure and consumer products provision consistent with IAEA safety standards.

The final mission report will be provided to the government in about three months. Romania plans to make the report public.

"We would like to thank the IRRS team and Romanian counterparts for their intensive work during the last two weeks," said CNCAN President Cantemir Ciurea-Ercau. "The IRRS mission confirms our commitment for continuous improvement of nuclear and radiation safety. CNCAN will use the outcomes of the mission to update its action plan to strengthen the regulatory capabilities and national infrastructure for safety."

Romania operates two 720 MWe pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs) at the Cernavoda nuclear power plant. Fuel for the reactors is produced domestically. Preparations for constructing two more 720 MWe PHWRs at Cernavoda and a 462 MWe SMR power plant at Doicești are under way. Romania also operates a dual core TRIGA Mark II research reactor which produces radioisotopes for industrial applications and is used for research and training. The country operates one waste disposal facility and plans to build two more, including a deep geological repository.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

 

UK 'should emulate South Korea' on new nuclear

17 November 2023

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Nuclear Energy report, Made in Britain: The Pathway to a Nuclear Renaissance, says multiple small modular reactor (SMR) units should be ordered to justify firms' investment in UK production facilities - and calls for Wylfa in North Wales to be backed within the next year as the next large-scale plant. 

EDF says around 10,000 people are now working at Hinkley Point C (Image: EDF)

The report, by a group of members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, says that the arms-length body set up to deliver the UK's nuclear expansion - Great British Nuclear (GBN) - should set contract conditions requiring the use of British supply chains. This would mean that even if foreign SMR designs are selected, they would be "effectively made by British industry". The report says the requirement to maximise UK content, should start "with the use of UK nuclear fuel, which is our most mature supply chain capability".

"The UK could once make reactor pressure vessels, coolant circulators, boilers and turbines for nuclear power stations. We cannot do any of that today, but we could again. Companies like Sheffield Forgemasters, for instance, now owned by the Ministry of Defence, could make reactor pressure vessels for civilian SMRs," the report says.

It says that by doing so, the UK can replicate the most successful aspects of the experience of South Korea, which had no nuclear power plants in the 1970s but which now has 24 GW capacity with 4 GW under construction and 5 GW exported. As well as ordering multiple units of each of the winning SMR designs in the current selection process, it says "GBN should standardise on the single most successful SMR design after the initial deployment phase. This will concentrate investment efficiently on the required capabilities, allowing swifter introduction of UK content and more competitive exports".

On the planning front, it suggests imposing a net-zero duty on all planning regulators and also designation of nuclear as a Critical National Priority. It says GBN should choose its SMR Technology Partners and agree co-funding agreements by Spring 2024, saying the government "must be willing to take equity shares in the first SMR projects and to order enough units in the first wave to get the programme off the ground". It says that at the same time a technology partner should be chosen to "deliver a major, multi-reactor, large-scale nuclear project at Wylfa before the Parliament is out", which it will be by December 2024 at the latest.

All-Party Parliamentary Groups are not formal Parliamentary committees and do not have legislative powers but are forums for parliamentarians to discuss an issue or topic - in this case civil nuclear energy - on a cross-party basis. This group says its aim is that "working with the civil nuclear industry, we can assist the UK Government in developing better legislation for nuclear power that will drive forward the UK's ambition to achieve net-zero and ensure a secure domestic energy supply for future generations".

The UK's energy strategy unveiled in April set the target for eight new reactors plus small modular reactors to produce 24 GWe capacity by 2050, meeting about 25% of the UK's projected electricity demand. The UK currently generates about 15% of its electricity from about 6.5 GW of nuclear capacity. The first new nuclear capacity in the UK for about 30 years is being built by EDF at Hinkley Point C - two EPRs producing 3.2 GW of electricity - with a final investment decision also expected on a similar sized project at Sizewell C within the next few months.

Last month GBN announced that EDF, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy International LLC, Holtec Britain Limited, NuScale Power, Rolls Royce SMR and Westinghouse Electric Company UK Limited had been selected to bid for UK government contracts in the next stage of the SMR selection process which will provide support for up to four technologies to pursue a project through Final Investment Decision to construction and operation, with the support including "funding to support technology development site-specific design, a close partnership with Great British Nuclear which will be ready and able to provide developer capability" and support in accessing sites.

Ian Liddell-Grainger, Conservative MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset and and chairman of the all-party group, said: "Ramping up nuclear capacity to the levels needed for energy security and net-zero will require a monumental effort from government and industry. The steps outlined in this report shows how the UK can deliver on its commitment to nuclear and ensure we don’t fall behind the progress being made by other countries."

Charlotte Nichols Labour MP for Warrington North co-chair of the group, said: "Britain must show it is serious about its nuclear renaissance and by following these steps it can deliver on its ambition. The reward is huge: Building 20 GW more nuclear would sustain 250,000 jobs, adding around GBP20 billion (USD25 billion) to our new green economy each year, as well as providing a base of energy security for the rest of this century. We must act now to keep up momentum and deliver."

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

 

NuScale CEO remains upbeat after CFPP cancellation

16 November 2023

The termination of the project that had been expected to be the first operational NuScale SMR reactor was "very disappointing" but the company remains bullish about the future, according to the company's CEO.

NuScale's vision of an SMR plant (Image: NuScale)

Speaking in a special update to the 2023 ANS Winter Conference and Expo, hosted by the American Nuclear Society (ANS),  John Hopkins said the mutual decision to cancel the Carbon Free Power Project (CFPP) project at a site at Idaho National Laboratory was reached after it became clear that customer Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS) - a nonprofit made up of 50 municipalities from across seven states - would be unable to obtain the amount of subscriptions needed to move the project forward.

This was one of three conditions that had to be met for the project to continue to move forward, Hopkins said: "One is they had to obtain the amount of subscription from their customers and their members to move the project. Second, the US government needed to continue to fund, and third, we needed to come in with a price target on a per-megawatt-hour basis."

Hopkins' words reflected comments to NuScale's third-quarter earnings call of 8 November, when the CEO said recently completed estimates had shown that capital costs, when adjusted for inflation, had remained stable and the cost for NuScale's SMR technology had also remained steady. CFPP had targeted 80% subscription for the project by year-end but despite "significant efforts" by both parties it appeared unlikely that the project would have enough subscription to support deployment.

"UAMPS is very, very unfortunate," Hopkins told the ANS, adding that the project had received "so much support" from INL Director John Wagner and Rebecca Casper, the mayor of Idaho Falls. "But it just wasn't meant to be. And so why continue to spend money if you know by year-end that more than likely because of the subscription, the project would not go forward? So, we move on."

Moving forward

Doosan Enerbility is already producing forgings and materials needed to manufacture the first NuScale Power Modules. The company envisages transferring those modules to its next customer, Hopkins told the ANS.

NuScale's SMR technology is currently under consideration in countries across the world, with projects in the USA, Canada, Europe, the Middle East and Asia listed on the company's website. Romanian company RoPower Nuclear "has just approved the second round of funding for the FEL-2, which is very good for that project", Hopkins told the ANS. "That project in particular is extremely important for our United States government, our industry, and the Romanian government," he added.

In October, NuScale announced plans by US infrastructure company Standard Power to develop SMR facilities in Ohio and Pennsylvania using NuScale's reactor technology to power nearby data centres. In the quarterly results, Hopkins said the project envisaged 24 power modules across two plants, collectively producing nearly 2 GWe. This is progressing, he told the ANS: "Hopefully we'll have our master services agreement completed, if not this week, next."

Meanwhile, Polish copper and silver producer KGHM Polska Miedź SA, who earlier this year received a decision-in-principal from the country's Ministry of Climate and Environment approving a potential SMR, has  denied media reports alleging that its cooperation with NuScale has been terminated. KGHM said NuScale's technology was identified as a "preferred" technology in its application given the reactor's certification progress in the USA, but said it is one of several SMR technologies that "could be used in KGHM's planned investment".

Researched and written by World Nuclear News