Nuclear Energy

Australia's only nuclear reactor - the OPAL multi-purpose research reactor - has officially returned to power and recommenced operations, following a months-long planned shutdown to carry out essential maintenance and upgrades including a complex operation to replace the unit's cold neutron source (CNS).

Planning and design activities commenced in 2015, working towards the planned shutdown in March this year. As well as the replacement of the CNS - a three-metre-tall device next to the reactor core which slows down neutrons as they travel from the OPAL reactor through to the large scientific neutron beam instruments - the shutdown also included the replacement of the First Reactor Protection System, a primary system required for reactor safety.

Planning for the project included the construction of a full-scale mock-up of the CNS and reactor environment which allowed team members to undertake comprehensive training in conditions which mimicked the real environment. The mock-up was also used for developing the process for replacing the CNS and the specialist tooling required. Multiple practice runs of the removal and installation of the CNS, and crane manoeuvres using the life-size OPAL mock-up, were carried out over the year before the planned shutdown, and more than 100 bespoke hand-tools were designed and created by ANSTO's engineering workshop to support a unique range of maintenance activities.

Replacement of the CNS was a first-of-a-kind operation for Australia's nuclear science and technology organisation. General Manager for the OPAL Reactor, David Vittorio, said: "Since OPAL commenced operations 17 years ago, we've been in a constant state of forward planning for regular, scheduled maintenance periods to ensure OPAL continues to operate safely, reliably, and efficiently.

"This planned shutdown has been the most significant maintenance and upgrade programme in OPAL's history to date. We're very fortunate to have extensive engineering and maintenance expertise, and decades of experience in running nuclear research reactors to accomplish these types of projects."

The replacement CNS is slightly larger than the original one, and will increase the performance to 8 of the centre's 15 neutron beam instruments. Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering Director Jamie Schulz said: "The neutrons produced by OPAL support our unique facility and scientific instruments, allowing our researchers and industry partners to study the structure and dynamics of samples, such as molecules, polymers, proteins, and viruses."

The 20 MW OPAL reactor was officially opened in 2007 as a replacement for the HIFAR research reactor which operated from 1958 to 2007. It produces medical radioisotopes as well as enabling the supply of more than half of the global demand for irradiated silicon for use in electronics and green technologies. These functions were temporarily paused during the reactor shutdown, and ANSTO worked with alternative suppliers overseas to import critical nuclear medicine products while the reactor was out of service.

The World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) governing body has said it will continue to support all nuclear power plants so none become isolated from "industry interaction needed to support the highest levels of nuclear safety".

The resolution, which came at WANO's 17th Biennial General Meeting in Abu Dhabi in the UAE, also says: "We declare our firm intention to provide a focused support to Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Kursk nuclear power plant and other nuclear power facilities located close to areas of military operations, to the extent necessary for maintaining their safe operation, within WANO competence and mandate."

It adds: "We reaffirm that every effort must be taken to ensure no interference in the nuclear operators’ ability to safely perform their work at any nuclear power plant in the world; and ... we are dedicated to maintaining WANO unity in supporting all nuclear power plants in the world, ensuring that no member nuclear power station becomes isolated either from the industry or from industry interaction needed to support the highest levels of nuclear safety."

The resolution concludes: "We urge all members to promptly and thoroughly review key SOER (Significant Operating Experience Reports) recommendations ... to help ensure readiness to maintain nuclear safety in the face of military conflict, severe weather events or other disruptive situations ... we restate our position that nuclear operators cannot be hindered in their ability to safely operate nuclear power plants, and we urge all parties to respect the IAEA's seven indispensable pillars for ensuring nuclear safety and security and the five concrete principles and restrain from actions that can initiate or prevent mitigation of a safety event."

The gathering, held every other year, brought together more than 400 delegates from 35 countries. WANO CEO, Naoki Chigusa, said it reinforced "our collective commitment to work as one team in supporting each other on the ongoing journey to achieve higher levels of performance. With around 60 nuclear units under construction worldwide, this year's event included special emphasis on supporting new entrants and emerging technologies".

The assocation also launched its revised strategy Unity Towards Nuclear Excellence with a "renewed focus to support new nuclear units start up safely and reliably over the next decade".

WANO Chairman Tom Mitchell, said: "The great engagement and participation of delegates at this conference underlines the unity of this unique association. It is the key principle that underpins the success of WANO since its establishment."

Outgoing WANO President Mohamed Al Hammadi said: "With renewed momentum in the nuclear sector to deliver new units to generate clean, baseload power, WANO will fulfil an important role in supporting these new units and the wider global fleet. Together, we will continue to build on our successes and remain dedicated to our mission of collaboration knowledge-sharing for nuclear safety and reliability."

WANO is a not-for-profit international organisation established in 1989 by the world's nuclear power operators to exchange safety knowledge and operating experience among organisations operating commercial nuclear power reactors. It currently has 460 nuclear units as members, with 60 under construction.

The organisation is well known for the on-going support operating nuclear power units provide and receive from each other, and it has created an earlier stage category of membership for an organisation during the tendering, licensing, construction and commissioning phase of a new nuclear power plant, with the intention that they will transfer to a full voting member at the time of pouring of first nuclear concrete on the nuclear island.

Westinghouse Electric Company has announced that it will transform its Operating Plant Services business into two new global business units - Long-Term Operations and Outage & Maintenance Services - as of the beginning of 2025.

The new Long-term Operations (LTO) business unit will develop and deliver innovative solutions across engineered solutions; instrumentation and controls systems; training and resource solutions; and parts that support the global operating fleet of nuclear power plants.

Meanwhile, the new global Outage & Maintenance Services (OMS) business unit will deliver outage, maintenance, inspection, welding and refurbishment services for operating nuclear power plants in the Americas, EMEA and Asia regions.

Westinghouse said the new organisation "reflects the increased market focus on extending the operating life of today's nuclear fleet and delivering optimised performance to existing reactor operators". It added that the new structure will "enhance customer value by elevating these respective segments within the enterprise and better positioning our teams to deliver our technical solutions for our clients worldwide".

The OMS business unit will be headed by Luca Oriani, currently senior vice president of Global Engineering & Components Services, while the LTO business unit will be headed by Marie Blanc. Dan Sumner, current president of the global Operating Plant Services business, plans to leave Westinghouse in early 2025 to pursue a personal project.

Westinghouse President and CEO Patrick Fragman said: "Westinghouse is a global leader in delivering solutions that enable the installed nuclear fleet to operate their plants effectively, safely and as long as possible."

France's Framatome has signed a memorandum of understanding with Czech utility ČEZ on the development of fuel for VVER-1000 pressurised water reactors. ČEZ operates two VVER-1000 units at its Temelín plant.

ČEZ - which also operates four VVER-440 reactors at its Dukovany plant - began a process of diversifying its fuel suppliers with a 2018 tender process, with contracts signed in 2022 for Westinghouse and Framatome relating to Temelín, and a 2023 contract with Westinghouse for Dukovany. It has previously received fuel supplied by Russia's TVEL.

"We are pleased to take another step in the development of a Framatome own-design VVER-1000 fuel design, with a view to ensuring the safe, reliable and uninterrupted operation of the VVER nuclear power plants in the Czech Republic and beyond," said Lionel Gaiffe, senior executive vice president of the Fuel Business Unit at Framatome. "Framatome is the fuel supplier which can guarantee a 100% sovereign European technology, with a fully European design and product, and manufacturing facilities and a fuel component supply chain located and operated in the EU."

"The first key step to strengthen the energy security of the Czech Republic taken by ČEZ Group was ensuring fuel deliveries and increasing the number of fuel suppliers," said Bohdan Zronek, director of the nuclear energy division for ČEZ. "Another step is the collaboration on the new fuel development with Framatome. ČEZ Group has long been focused on enhancing the safety and efficiency of its nuclear power plants, as well as ensuring their operation for at least 60 years. These initiatives are part of our strategy that aligns with our strategic direction."

In 2022, ČEZ also decided to increase its fuel reserves stored at its nuclear power plants, to boost energy security and it says the new fuel types meet the requirements of the switch to longer fuel cycles - of 16 months at Dukovany and 18 months at Temelín.

Nineteen VVER reactors - developed during the time of the Soviet Union and historically reliant on Russian fuel supplies - are currently in operation in the EU, including four VVER-1000 reactors in Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, and 15 VVER-440 reactors in the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary and Slovakia.

"The international context has accelerated the need for a Framatome sovereign VVER fuel design to reduce the risk of interruption in the supply of critical services and to reduce dependency on imports from outside of Europe," Framatome said.

It said it was advancing the development of a fully European sovereign nuclear fuel product for both VVER-440 and VVER-1000 reactors, with the support and cooperation of European VVER operators. Framatome has been working on its own-design fuel for VVER reactors since 2018. The company has three nuclear fuel fabrication facilities: Romans in France; Lingen in Germany and Richland in the USA.

ČEZ selected Westinghouse in February 2016 to supply six Lead Test Assemblies for the Temelín plant. In August 2018, ČEZ announced plans to test six Westinghouse fuel rods in unit 1 of the plant.

Temelín has a unique fuel design operating currently and therefore careful testing with limited fuel introduction over a period of two years was required to ensure safe compatibility with existing fuel. Westinghouse has developed a modified Robust Westinghouse Fuel Assembly design for use at Temelín. The new design includes fewer spacer grids for the assembly to be compatible with non-Westinghouse fuel, and material upgrades to further improve fuel economy and performance.

Dutch nuclear energy development and consultancy company ULC-Energy BV has completed a study - supported by C-Job Naval Architects - analysing the design and economic implications of using civil nuclear reactor technology to power a Newcastlemax bulk carrier.

The study compares a nuclear-powered Newcastlemax bulk carrier - a cargo vessel with a maximum beam 50 metres and maximum length overall of 300 metres - with one powered by conventional very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) and one powered by green ammonia. In collaboration with independent ship design and engineering company C-Job, the study explores the design impact, greenhouse gas emissions, and commercial performance for each fuel type.

The study concluded that the structural and safety modifications needed to integrate a nuclear reactor into a Newcastlemax bulk carrier would have minimal impact on its cargo capacity. In addition, nuclear propulsion offers the lowest operational cost per tonne shipped, significantly lower than alternatives like ammonia or VLSFO. While the lower fuel costs of a nuclear-powered ship are partly offset by the higher capital expenditures required to construct the vessel, the study found that a nuclear-powered Newcastlemax bulk carrier could sail longer, faster, and cheaper, all without producing greenhouse gas emissions.

Furthermore, it said a nuclear-powered Newcastlemax has nearly zero greenhouse gas emissions, lower even than a ship powered by green ammonia, demonstrating the potential of nuclear propulsion to support the shipping industry's decarbonisation goals.

"This latest study from ULC-Energy furthers our mission to deliver unique, fundamentals-based analysis on the integration of nuclear technologies into various industries," said ULC-Energy CEO Dirk Rabelink.

Niels De Vries, head of energy at C-Job, added: "The study is another remarkable milestone for the adoption of nuclear power in marine vessels. It shows how C-Job can work in a flexible manner with its clients and combine knowledge in designs that create significant value. Furthermore, it is another great example of the capability of C-Job with system integration and risk-based design to ultimately make shipping more sustainable. We valued the collaboration with ULC-Energy, specialists on nuclear technology and fuel, and look forward to working together on future projects."

The study acknowledged that civil nuclear maritime propulsion faces licensing, operational, and other challenges. "Given that most nuclear reactor designs being considered for maritime use are still in the conceptual phase, current estimates for the capital costs of such ships are limited; however, accuracy will improve as projects mature," ULC-Energy said.

"One possible drawback in the use of a nuclear propulsion system is the cost of its installation," according to C-Job. "However, this is offset by the low operational expenditures and by the fact that a reactor can be used for its entire service life, either in a second ship or by extending the service life of the first ship."

In February, ULC-Energy completed a study commissioned by global mining company BHP to investigate the potential use of civil nuclear technologies to power commercial maritime vessels. That study compared key characteristics of various civil reactor designs against the requirements for the potential use in commercial maritime shipping and evaluated a range of regulatory, operational and commercial challenges, such as port access, licensing and vessel classification, capital costs, and crew training and certification.

The shipping industry consumes some 350 million tonnes of fossil fuel annually and accounts for about 3% of total worldwide carbon emissions. In July last year, the shipping industry, via the International Maritime Organization, approved new targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions, aiming to reach net-zero emissions by, or around, 2050.

Unprecedented load growth, renewed interest in AP1000s, and increased recognition of the value of the existing nuclear fleet - including plans to restart closed reactors - have prompted the US Department of Energy to issue an updated version of its Pathways to Commercial Liftoff - Advanced Nuclear report.

Pathways to Commercial Liftoff is a series of reports launched by the Department of Energy (DOE) to provide public and private sector capital allocators with a perspective as to how and when various technologies could reach full-scale commercial adoption, including a common analytical fact base and critical signposts for investment decisions. The first four Liftoff Reports - designed as "living documents" to be updated as the commercialisation outlook on each technology evolves - on clean hydrogen, advanced nuclear, and long duration energy storage, were published in March last year.

The DOE launched the updated Advanced Nuclear report on Monday at the same time as it announced nearly USD3 billion in federal loan guarantees and grants to support the repowering of the Palisades nuclear power plant in Michigan, which shut down in 2022.

Since the publication of the last iteration of the report, a widespread surge in electricity demand after decades of stasis has increased the need for and interest in nuclear, the report says. Much of this load growth is being driven by artificial intelligence and data centres with a particular need for carbon-free 24/7 generation concentrated in a limited footprint.

"In 2022, utilities were shutting down nuclear reactors; in 2024, they are extending reactor operations to 80 years, planning to uprate capacity, and restarting formerly closed reactors," the report notes.

Nuclear provides a differentiated value proposition for a decarbonised grid, the report finds. It generates carbon-free electricity, provides firm power that complements renewables, has low land-use requirements, and has lower transmission requirements than distributed or site-constrained generation sources, as well as offering high-paying jobs and significant regional economic benefits.

The report identifies a committed orderbook of 5-10 deployments of "at least one reactor design" as the first essential step for catalysing commercial liftoff. If those 5-10 reactors are of the same design, construction costs are largely expected to decrease based on repeat building and learning by doing.

The primary barrier to committing to new nuclear projects cited by many potential customers is cost, or cost overrun risk, but measures including sharing costs to lower barriers to entry, either among private sector companies or with the government, and ensuring on-budget delivery through improved cost estimating and implementing best practices, can help to overcome this, the report finds.

Another barrier identified in the report is the lack of "nuclear and megaproject delivery infrastructure" in the USA, and it says this must be addressed: "The integrated project delivery model aligns incentives between owners and contractors to deliver projects on-time and on-budget. Funding constructability research could target the drivers of cost overruns and improve project delivery".

Economies of scale

When it comes to costs, the report finds, large reactors provide "powerful economies of scale", with generating costs at multi-units plants 30% cheaper per MWh than single unit plants. This makes large reactors a good solution for bulk electricity generation.

Because civil works construction drives capital costs, the value proposition for small modular reactors (SMRs) centres around maximising design standardisation and factory production, and while SMRs may be more expensive than large reactors in terms of dollars per MW and dollars per MWh, they potentially offer a smaller overall project costs and "may be the right fit for certain applications", such as replacing smaller retiring coal plants or industrial processes requiring high temperature heat, the report finds.

Microreactors, too, could serve a variety of use cases where their compact size, transportability, and reliability are highly valued, the report finds. However, to justify investment in manufacturing facilities, microreactor designers may require a committed orderbook of some 30-50 reactors, it says - but notes that an orderbook of 50 reactors "would only amount to 500 MW total for 10 MW reactors, which could be achievable for a single industrial customer".

Since the first edition of the Liftoff report was issued, Vogtle units 3 and 4 have entered commercial operation. The two AP1000s were the first new nuclear units to be constructed in the USA in more than 30 years, and Vogtle is now the largest generator of clean energy in the USA - but lessons have been learned, the report notes.

"Delivering the first projects reasonably on-time and on-budget will be essential for achieving liftoff of the next wave of nuclear in the US; Vogtle provides essential lessons for project delivery," the report says. It also says that the costs of those two units "is not the correct anchor point for estimating additional AP1000s given costs that should not be incurred again".

"The nuclear industry is building momentum to break the commercial stalemate as utilities and other potential customers see the successful operation of Vogtle Units 3 and 4, anticipate sustained electrical load growth, and internalise IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) benefits. However, the industry must overcome remaining barriers to achieve liftoff," the report says.

"New nuclear has a critical role in decarbonisation, strengthening energy security, reliability, and affordability while providing high-quality, high-paying jobs and facilitating an equitable energy transition. Industry, investors, government, and the broader stakeholder ecosystem each has a role to play in ensuring new nuclear achieves commercial liftoff and rises to meet the challenge in time."

The report is a collaborative effort of the US DOE Loans Programs Office, Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, Office of Nuclear Energy, Office of Technology Transitions, Office of Policy, and Argonne National Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory.

The US Department of Energy has finalised a USD1.52 billion loan guarantee for Holtec International's project to recommission the single-unit pressurised water reactor, and the Department of Agriculture has issued USD1.3 billion in grants to two rural electric cooperatives that will purchase power from the restarted plant.

The Department of Energy (DOE) conditionally committed to the loan guarantee in March. Today's announcement is the first closing of a loan guarantee through the Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) programme under Title 17 Clean Energy Financing Section 1706, first authorised and appropriated under the US Inflation Reduction Act. The EIR programme can finance "projects that retool, repower, repurpose, or replace energy infrastructure that has ceased operations or enable operating energy infrastructure to avoid, reduce, utilize, or sequester air pollutants or greenhouse gas emissions". According to the DOE, USD52.8 billion in Section 1706 (EIR) projects have been submitted to date or are expected to be submitted in the next 120 days.

"This project will bring a retired nuclear power plant back to life for the first time in American history and deliver reliable, affordable clean power to rural areas in Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois - showing how the Inflation Reduction Act is revitalising communities across the Midwest," said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy. "Today's investments will create good-paying, union jobs - many of them for workers who've been at the plant for more than two decades."

The single-unit pressurised water reactor, on the shores of Lake Michigan, ceased operations in May 2022. Holtec agreed to purchase the 800 MWe unit from then-owner and operator Entergy in 2018, ahead of the scheduled closure, for decommissioning, completing the acquisition in June 2022. But the company then announced plans to apply for federal funding to enable it to reopen the plant.

Last year, Holtec signed a long-term power purchase agreement with Michigan non-profit Wolverine Power Cooperative to purchase two-thirds of the power generated from a reopened Palisades, with Wolverine's partner Hoosier Energy, which supplies member electric cooperatives across Indiana and Illinois, purchasing the balance. Shortly afterwards - in October 2023 - Holtec formally began the process of seeking reauthorisation from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to restart Palisades.

Earlier this month, Wolverine and Hoosier were among 16 rural electrical cooperatives announced by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to receive a share of more than USD7.3 billion in financing for rural electric cooperatives to build clean energy for rural communities across the country through its Empowering Rural America (New ERA) programme. Today, the USDA announced the award of more than USD650 million to Wolverine and USD675 million to Hoosier. Hoosier is to use the funding to help it procure 369 MWe of nuclear energy through the restart of Palisades and 250 MWe of renewable energy annually, while Wolverine will use its New ERA investment to purchase 435 MW of power from the plant.

According to Wolverine, the project to restart Palisades will reduce carbon emissions by nearly 2 million tonnes annually, putting the cooperative’s members on track to reach 100 percent carbon-free energy before 2030, as well as "restoring and maintaining" a highly-skilled workforce of 600 and supporting key initiatives that will benefit local communities for decades to come.

In an update published on 18 September, Holtec said the programme to restart Palisades is now in the inspections and maintenance phase and on schedule. The company has previously said it is aiming to repower the plant by the end of 2025.

"This loan is more than just a financial transaction: it is a signal of confidence in the vital role that nuclear energy will play in securing a clean, sustainable, and reliable energy future," Kris Singh, founder and CEO of Holtec International, said. Singh's words were reported by Power magazine.

Germany based radioactive waste management and nuclear decommissioning company Nukem Technologies Engineering Services has been acquired by Tokyo-based IT company Muroosystems, marking a new chapter free from Russian ownership.

The company said it had successfully closed its acquisition by Muroosystems following the signing of a purchase agreement in May. It said the move marks “a pivotal moment” for the company.

The decision to sell Nukem, based in Karlstein am Main, was made in 2022 in view of the difficult geopolitical situation and the challenges involved in continuing the company under a Russian owner, Nukem said in a statement.

Nukem Technologies had been owned by Russia’s state nuclear equipment manufacturer Atomstroyexport.

“Since then, extensive negotiations have taken place with potential buyers who recognised the immense value of Nukem’s products and its highly skilled team,” the statement said.

“The completion of the acquisition heralds a new beginning for Nukem during these turbulent times. This transition allows Nukem to re-enter markets that were previously inaccessible under the former ownership structure, ensuring that the company’s expertise and long-standing experience can once again be fully leveraged.”

Nukem said that as part of the closing process, all necessary regulatory approvals have been obtained and commitments to third parties have been diligently fulfilled. The effective date of the economic transfer of the company to the new owner is 25 September 2024.

Nukem managing director Thomas Seipolt said: “With Muroosystems, we will continue to build on our strong foundation in nuclear decommissioning and radioactive waste management while seeking new growth opportunities.

“We are particularly excited about expanding into innovative areas like nuclear fusion technology, which aligns with the global shift toward sustainable energy solutions.”

Nobuaki Ninomiya, an executive board member at Muroosystems, said that by integrating advanced nuclear-related technologies with Muroosystems’ expertise in IT, “we will create new synergies that will boost our competitiveness in developing next-generation energy solutions”.

He said: “In the future, we plan to solidify our business base in Europe and actively expand into the Asian market.”

Muroosystems, established in 2006, focuses on IT solutions centred around decentralized data centres and engages in power development projects primarily based on renewable energy.

A new survey has shown that more than half of the Swiss population supports the government's plan to remove the country's ban on the construction of new nuclear power plants.

The online survey was conducted by the Leewas Institute on behalf of 20 Minuten and Tamedia, and was reported by SonntagsZeitung. Some 19,552 people took part in the survey, carried out on 19-22 September.

The survey found that 53% of respondents were in favour of the construction of new nuclear power plants, with 43% opposed and 4% undecided. This was a turnaround compared with a survey conducted from 6-10 September, in which 51% were against new nuclear power plants.

In late August, the Swiss government announced it will seek to lift the country's ban on the construction of new nuclear power plants, which has been in place since 1 January 2018. The Federal Department of Energy and Communications will submit an amendment to the Nuclear Energy Act to the Federal Council by the end of 2024, and the consultation will last until the end of March 2025. Parliament will then discuss the initiative and the counter-proposal.

A new Swiss energy policy was sought in response to the March 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan. Two months later, both the Swiss parliament and government decided to exit nuclear power production. The Energy Strategy 2050 initiative drawn up by the Federal Council came into force in 2018 and calls for a gradual withdrawal from nuclear energy. It also foresees expanded use of renewables and hydro power but anticipates increased reliance on fossil fuels and electricity imports as an interim measure.

The Federal Council noted that "in recent years, the situation on the electricity market and in energy policy has changed fundamentally" due to: climate targets and electricity demand; new gas-fired power plants no longer being an option; and geopolitical uncertainties.

Switzerland currently has four nuclear reactors generating about one-third of its electricity. They all have an unlimited operating licence and can be operated as long as they are safe.

First safety-related concrete has been poured for the nuclear island at Unit 4 of the Zhangzhou nuclear power station in Fujian province, eastern China, state company China National Nuclear Corporation announced.

Zhangzhou-4 is the fourth Hualong One plant under construction at the site, which will eventually house six Hualong One reactors.

Construction of Zhangzhou-1 began in October 2019, of Zhangzhou-2 in September 2020 and of Zhangzhou-3 in February 2024. Zhangzhou-1 is the first unit scheduled to begin commercial operation, potentially by the end of the year.

The Hualong One, or HPR1000, is an indigenous pressurised water reactor unit that incorporates elements of CNNC’s ACP1000 and China General Nuclear’s ACPR1000+ reactor designs.

“The Zhangzhou nuclear power plant is the starting point for the mass production of Hualong One,” CNNC said. “So far, four units have started construction, and safety and quality are all under good control.

Unit 1 is expected to be put into operation and generate electricity in 2024; unit 2 is fully advancing the relevant work before cold testing; unit 3 started construction on 22 February this year; and the preliminary work of units 5 and 6 is progressing in an orderly manner.”

The Zhangzhou project is owned by CNNC-Guodian Zhangzhou Energy Company, a joint venture between CNNC (51%) and China Guodian Corporation (49%).

China has 56 commercial reactors in operation, the same number as France and second only to the US, which has 94. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency it has 28 commercial nuclear power units under construction.

Of those 28 plants, 17 are Hualong One units under construction at eight sites – one unit each at Ningde, Shidaowan and Fangchenggang; two units each at Changjiang, Lufeng, Taipingling, Sanaocun and Jinqimen; and four units at Zhangzhou.

There are also two Hualong One plants in operation outside China, both in Pakistan at the Kanupp nuclear station, also known as Karachi.

Nuclear power still provides just about 5% of China’s electricity generation, compared to 65% in France and 18% in the US.

The inner containment building for unit 2 of Egypt's El Dabaa nuclear power plant has begun to take shape, with work also under way on the reactor vessel for the fourth unit.

The inner containment building is a cylindrical reinforced concrete structure which houses the nuclear reactor and the primary circuit equipment of the nuclear power plant. It has a domed roof and will be surrounded by a similar shaped, but larger, outer containment building.

The inner containment building consists of 12 leaf-type segments, each weighing between 60 and 80 tonnes, with the first segment installed on Thursday, 26 September. The installation of the first tier of the inner containment building for unit 1 took place between March and May this year.

Mohamed Dwiddar, project manager of the El Dabaa nuclear power plant, described it as "a new milestone in the continuous progress of the construction works - this achievement is a result of the combined efforts of the Egyptian team represented by the Nuclear Power Plants Authority in its capacity of the owner, and the Russian team represented by Atomstroyexport".

ASE JSC's Alexey Kononenko, director of the El Dabaa NPP Construction Project, said: "Today we are moving on to a new stage of the construction works ... our international team has done a tremendous job for this purpose ... it is a great pleasure to acknowledge the close cooperation between both the Russian and Egyptian parties - currently, we are building all four units of the NPP simultaneously, ensuring overall development of the construction site of the nuclear power plant”.

Among the work taking place for the other units, this week also saw Rosatom's AEM-Special Steels machine building division begin work on the reactor vessel for El Dabaa's unit 4.

The metallurgists smelted 192 tonnes of metal. After casting, the metal was treated outside the furnace and then cooled in a vacuum chamber for two days to 550-650 degrees Celsius, Rosatom said, adding: "To give the billet the desired shape and dimensions, the ingot is then transferred to the forging, pressing and mechanical-thermal shops."

El Dabaa will be Egypt's first nuclear power plant, and the first in Africa since South Africa's Koeberg was built nearly 40 years ago. The Rosatom-led project is about 320 kilometres north-west of Cairo and will comprise four VVER-1200 units, like those already in operation at the Leningrad and Novovoronezh nuclear power plants in Russia, and the Ostrovets plant in Belarus.

Rosatom will not only build the plant, but will also supply Russian nuclear fuel for its entire life cycle. It will also assist Egyptian partners in training personnel and plant maintenance for the first 10 years of its operation. Rosatom is also contracted to build a special storage facility and supply containers for storing used nuclear fuel. Construction of the nuclear power plant began in July 2022.

Newcleo, the developer of small modular lead-cooled fast reactors, has relocated its headquarters from London to Paris in a move which opens up "access to a broader range of European funding opportunities".

In a statement announcing the move, Newcleo said: "The company is now better placed to secure significant investments and grants from European institutions and institutional investors ... with the newly appointed European Commissioner for energy given a specific mandate to accelerate the development of small modular reactors, Newcleo's relocation comes at a crucial time."

The company, launched in 2021, currently has more than 850 employees at 19 locations across France, Italy, the UK, Switzerland and Slovakia.

Newcleo says its "ambitious timelines" include the development of a precursor reactor in Italy by 2026, the establishment of a MOX manufacturing plant in France by 2030, the construction of a prototype 30 MWe lead-cooled fast neutron test reactor in France by 2031 "and the delivery of commercial reactors starting from 2033".

A spokesperson told World Nuclear News the headquarters move does not involve any staff transfers. The company has previously said it aimed for its first-of-a-kind commercial reactor to be in the UK - the spokesperson said it "continues to target a first UK reactor by 2033".

Newcleo's founder, chairman and CEO Stefano Buono said: "Relocating our headquarters to Paris is a strategic milestone in accelerating our mission to deliver the next generation of sustainable nuclear energy. We are now better positioned to deepen our European partnerships and tap into funding resources from institutional and industrial investors. This move aligns with our commitment to making a global impact by closing the nuclear fuel cycle and providing a clean, safe, and reliable energy source."

The company also announced it was closing the "UK phase of its Series A capital raise and will reopen it in France later this year to further facilitate investments from French and European parties. At the date of the tranche closing, the company has raised a total of over EUR535 million (USD596 million) from institutional and individual investors, of which EUR135 million has been subscribed and paid from the UK Series A tranche".

Newcleo says its investor base now includes more than 700 shareholders, including funding from Inarcassa (the Italian National Pension and Security Fund for Engineers and Architects), Walter Tosto, Ingérop, "family offices and individual investors active in AI and data centres development".

In April, the UK's Nuclear Industry Association applied for a justifcation decision for Newcleo's LFR-AS-200 lead-cooled fast reactor, the first time such an application had been made for an advanced nuclear technology in the UK. Last month, the company signed a cooperation agreement with Slovak nuclear engineering and services firm VUJE covering an assessement of deploying Newcleo's LFR technology in Slovakia and exploring fuel cycle solutions to potentially re-use Slovakia's used nuclear fuel inventory, collaborating on research and development activities and developing skills and capabilities in advanced nuclear technologies.

The first safety-related concrete has been poured for the nuclear island of unit 4 at the Zhangzhou nuclear power plant in Fujian province, China National Nuclear Corporation announced. The plant will eventually house six Hualong One reactors.

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.

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

CNNC issued the environmental impact assessment for Zhangzhou units 3 and 4 in October 2020. In September 2022, China's State Council approved the construction of two Hualong One units as Phase II of the Zhangzhou plant.

"The Zhangzhou nuclear power plant is the starting point for the mass production of Hualong One," CNNC said. "So far, four units have started construction, and safety and quality are all under good control.

"Unit 1 is expected to be put into operation and generate electricity in 2024; unit 2 is fully advancing the relevant work before cold testing; unit 3 started construction on 22 February this year; and the preliminary work of units 5 and 6 is progressing in an orderly manner."

The Zhangzhou project is owned by CNNC-Guodian Zhangzhou Energy Company, a joint venture between CNNC (51%) and China Guodian Corporation (49%).

The first two demonstration units of CNNC's version of the Hualong One design at the Fuqing plant in Fujian province have both already started up. Unit 5 entered commercial operation on 30 January 2021, with unit 6 following on 25 March 2022. Two Hualong One reactors have also been constructed as units 2 and 3 of the Karachi plant in Pakistan's Sindh province. These entered commercial operation in May 2021 and April 2022, respectively.

In addition to Zhangzhou units 1-4, CNNC is also building two Hualong One reactors as units 3 and 4 of the Changjiang plant, in Hainan province, construction of which began in March 2021 and December 2021, respectively.

It is also preparing to start construction of Phase I of the Jinqimen plant in Zhejiang province, which will feature two Hualong One reactors.

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy announced on September 24 four new Gain vouchers to help companies advance microreactor technologies, identify potential sites capable of hosting a nuclear-powered data centre, and prevent corrosion in molten salt reactors.

Gain is the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear. Like all Gain vouchers, these – the fourth and final round for fiscal year 2024 – do not give companies direct financial awards.

Instead, they provide access to the nuclear research capabilities and expertise of the DOE’s national laboratories. All awardees are responsible for a minimum 20% cost share, which could be an in-kind contribution.

The awardees are:

Tennessee-based ANA, who will partner with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to identify potential sites in the US that could host advanced nuclear capacity and data centres.

Antares Nuclear of California will work with ORNL to perform an independent technical audit of the company’s heat pipe–cooled microreactor, called Antares R1, to verify core neutronics and thermal hydraulics.

Nano Nuclear Energy of New York will collaborate with Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to evaluate the novel heat exchanger design of Zeus, its modular microreactor, through computational modelling and sensitivity analysis.

Missouri-based Sigma-Aldrich will work with INL to begin to standardize test methods for detecting oxide impurities in salts to prevent corrosion issues in molten salt nuclear reactors and other high-temperature industrial applications.

The DOE also announced this week that it had awarded 19 Nuclear Science User Facilities Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects totalling approximately $1m (€900,000).

The awards were granted to 19 principal investigators from different institutions including universities and industry. Each project supports the advancement of nuclear energy.

The DOE said these RTE projects aim to improve the understanding of material behaviour under irradiation, which is crucial for the development of more resilient materials for nuclear applications.

Research topics covered by the awards include irradiation effects on high entropy carbide ceramics, multi-principal element alloys, zirconium alloys, reactor pressure vessel steels, steel cladding, ceramic-based waste forms and structural characterisation of irradiated metallic fuels.

Nucleoeléctrica Argentina says it has secured the necessary funds to carry out the Atucha 1 life extension project.

The President of the company, Alberto Lamagna, made the announcement ahead of its planned shutdown on 29 September, after 50 years of operation.

Atucha I, a 362 MWe pressurised heavy water reactor, entered commercial operation in 1974 and had a design life in its operating licence of 32 equivalent years of full power. The first extension, with an amendment to the operating licence, began in 2018 when that 32-year mark was reached.

Argentina's Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARN) said during this first extension phase that Nucleoelectrica "had to carry out studies and establish programmes that would ensure ... that the systems and components adequately preserve the functionalities for which they were designed, thus guaranteeing operation under the safety conditions with which the plant was licensed. The studies and maintenance tasks necessary to meet this requirement had to obtain approval from the ARN".

The duration of the amended operating licence was for the equivalent of 5 years operation at full power, or 10 years from 2014, which ends on 29 September. Following the shutdown, ARN said, the next stage of the Long Term Operation (LTO) project will see it "verify in detail the implementation of the updates and improvements required ... to raise the design bases of the facility to a higher level of security than that with which it was originally licensed".

Nucleoeléctrica Argentina put the refurbishment programme's cost at USD463 million in 2023 when it launched a fundraising round of bond sales to cover the LTO cost and construction of a dry storage facility for used fuel.

Lamagna said: "The project will allow Atucha I to operate for 20 more years, ensuring its contribution to the national energy matrix and promoting the development of technical capabilities that will position Argentina in the global nuclear services market."

Background

Atucha 1 was designed and built by KWU, which was a joint venture of Germany's Siemens and AEG. Over time, KWU was fully owned by Siemens, before being sold to the reactor business of France's Areva which is now owned by EDF and trading as Framatome. However, Argentina now has an experienced supply chain of its own for pressurised heavy water reactors, having completed and brought into operation the similar Atucha 2 reactor in 2016.

It has become common for pressurised heavy water reactors like Atucha 1 to undergo refurbishment, which typically involves replacing pressure tubes and fuel channels, to enable another two decades of operation. Nucleoeléctrica Argentina said 2000 jobs would be created as it modernised "all the processes and systems of the plant."

US uranium production continues to grow, with 2024's year-to-date production already more than triple that recorded for the whole of 2023, according to the latest figures from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Meanwhile, as press reports suggest US concern that its ban on Russian uranium might be being circumvented, the Office of the United States Trade Representative has announced increased tariffs on Chinese imports including uranium.

US uranium production in the second quarter of 2024 was 97,709 pounds U3O8 (37.58 tU), the EIA said in its quarterly update. This is an 18% increase from first quarter production of 82,533 pounds U3O8, bringing production for the first half of the year to 180,242 pounds - far more than 2023's total production of 49,619 pounds, and close to 2022's full-year production of 193,945 pounds U3O8.

Production in the second quarter was from five facilities - Nichols Ranch, Ross, Lost Creek and Smith Ranch-Highland, all in Wyoming, and Rosita in Texas.

The EIA's quarterly report appeared in the same week the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced in the Federal Register modified tariffs for various goods imported into the USA from China. These tariffs were originally imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to address Chinese imports related to technology transfer, intellectual property and innovation that the USA considers to be unreasonable or discriminatory, and which burden or restrict US commerce. The newly announced rates follow a statutory review process.

The tariff on "Actinium, californium, curium, einsteinium, gadolinium, polonium, radium, uranium & their compounds, alloys, dispersions, ceramic products & mixtures", which currently stands at 7.50%, will increase to 25%. The new tariff will apply to products that are "entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after September 27, 2024".

According to the EIA's Uranium Marketing Annual Report, US utilities purchased 49.239 million pounds U3O8 in 2023, meaning that imports made up most of the 51.625 million pounds purchased in the year. Sources for all but around 957,000 pounds of those imports were disclosed, but the agency withheld the actual amount of uranium purchased from several countries including China to avoid disclosure of individual company data.

Although US imports of Chinese uranium have been small, there now appears to be concern in the USA that Chinese imports may be used to circumvent the ban on the import of Russian-produced unirradiated LEU into the USA which has been in place since the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act came into force in August.

The US Department of Energy "along with other relevant agencies is closely tracking imports from China to ensure the proper implementation of the recently enacted Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act", a department spokesperson told Reuters. US officials are monitoring imports from China and other countries to "ensure they are not importing Russian uranium as part of a scheme to export material produced domestically that they would otherwise have used in their own reactors", the spokesman added.

The Chinese foreign ministry told Reuters that "China has always opposed any illegal unilateral sanctions and 'long arm jurisdiction'" and that cooperation between China and Russia is "an independent choice made by two sovereign countries based on their respective development needs, openly and honestly, without targeting any third party, and without being interfered or obstructed by any third party".

China is willing to continue "normal economic and trade cooperation" with countries around the world, including Russia, it added.

The SMART100 small modular reactor design has been granted standard design approval by South Korea's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission.

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KA-CARE) applied for standard design approval of the SMART100 in December 2019. The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) began its review of the application in August 2021.

The NSSC announced it has now granted standard design approval for the reactor at a meeting today (Thursday).

The SMART100 (System-integrated Modular Advanced Reactor 100) is an advanced version of the original SMART design, which became the world's first SMR to receive standard design approval in mid-2012.

SMART is a 330 MWt pressurised water reactor with integral steam generators and advanced safety features. The unit is designed for electricity generation (up to 100 MWe) as well as thermal applications, such as seawater desalination, with a 60-year design life and three-year refuelling cycle.

While the basic design of the SMART is complete, development has been stalled by the absence of any orders for an initial reference unit. It was developed by KAERI, which had planned to build a demonstration plant to operate from 2017.

The SMART100 builds upon the safety, economic, and operational benefits of the SMART, offering enhanced power output and safety features. SMART100's development prioritised safety improvements, including the integration of a fully passive safety system. This system is capable of maintaining reactor cooling without the need for external power, using natural forces like gravity and fluid density differences to ensure the safe shutdown and cooling of the reactor during emergencies.

Along with these safety enhancements, SMART100 also offers increased thermal output, rising from 330 MW to 365 MW, while its electrical output has been boosted from 100 MW to 110 MW, significantly improving efficiency while maintaining a compact design.

KAERI said the simplified and modular design of SMART100 also improves its economic feasibility. Key components such as the steam generator and reactor coolant pumps are integrated into a single vessel, reducing the risk of major accidents like large pipe breaks. Additionally, the reactor can maintain safe conditions without requiring emergency power generators or operator intervention during accident scenarios.

"The upgraded model is now ready for global export, particularly to Saudi Arabia, a key partner in the development of this technology," KAERI said.

KAERI President Han Gyu Joo said: "The standard design approval for SMART100 is a crucial milestone in demonstrating its proven safety and readiness for commercialisation. We are committed to advancing SMART technology and ensuring its successful export to global markets."

In September 2019, South Korea and Saudi Arabia agreed to collaborate on the commercialisation of the SMART SMR. Under the memorandum of understanding, the two countries agreed to work together to refine the design of the SMART reactor. Korea will also assist in gaining Saudi design approval of the reactor, as well as cooperating in the construction and operation of a SMART reactor in Saudi Arabia. The partners will also promote the SMART design to other Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian countries considering the use of small reactors.

US computer technology company Oracle wants to power a new data centre through nuclear energy, according to the firm’s chief technology officer Larry Ellison.

Speaking during a recent earnings call, Ellison confirmed the cloud computing giant has “already got building permits” for three small modular reactors, without giving details.

Ellison highlighted the complexity and scale of the projects Oracle has under development, saying, “We’re in the middle of designing a data centre that’s north of a gigawatt. We found the location and the power source.

“We’ve looked at it, they’ve already got building permits for three nuclear reactors. These are the small modular nuclear reactors to power the data centre”.

Ellison gave no details of a location and timeline for the project.

With data centre power demands skyrocketing, nuclear power has become an attractive option for companies hoping to source larger amounts of energy whilst minimising carbon emissions.

In April this year, Amazon Web Services, a subsidiary of the online retail giant founded by Jeff Bezos, acquired US power producer Talen Energy’s Cumulus data centre campus at the Susquehanna nuclear power station in Pennsylvania.

AWS, which provides cloud computing platforms, aims to develop a 960 MW data centre campus on the site, which gets its power from the Susquehanna nuclear station.

Last week, US-based utility Constellation Energy announced the signing of a power purchase agreement with Microsoft, a 20-year deal that will also see the restart the long-shuttered Unit 1 of the Three Mile Island nuclear power station in Pennsylvania.

Constellation said the tech company wants to use energy from the nuclear plant to fill the power consumption of its data centres with carbon-free sources.

The first used fuel has been placed into a space-saving storage rack at the storage pond for Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor fuel at the Thorp reprocessing plant on the Sellafield site in Cumbria, UK.

The Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (Thorp) plant ceased reprocessing in 2018 after 24 years of operation. The facility is now being used to store used nuclear fuel until the 2070s.

In order to increase the storage capacity of the Thorp receipt and storage ponds, a new design of fuel can storage rack has been developed. These new racks - known as 63-can racks - are taller but have a smaller footprint than the previous design. Each rack can store 63 fuel cans, while current storage compartments can hold up to 20 fuel cans.

Fuel that was already being stored in the pond is being transferred into the new storage racks and all future fuel receipts will be stored in this way.

"Since the change of approach to managing spent fuel, it was clear we would need to innovate to be able to safely store everything we need to in the Thorp pond," said Roddy Miller, Sellafield Ltd's nuclear operations director. "These racks will increase fuel capacity from 4000 tonnes to 6000 tonnes, meaning we can accommodate all current and future arising, negating the need for a new storage facility.

"It's a great example of collaboration between ourselves, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Group, EDF Energy, and our supply chain. Everyone involved should be proud of their contribution."

Weighing 7 tonnes and standing 5.5 metres high, the stainless steel containers are being built by a consortium of Cumbrian manufacturers (including Carlisle-based Bendalls Engineering and Workington's West Cumberland Engineering) and Stoke-based Goodwin International. Between them, they will manufacture 160 racks. Another 340 racks will be needed in the future.

Because fuel will be stored for longer than was originally intended, the pond at Thorp has required other alterations including raising the pH level to avoid corrosion and installing new cooling capacity.

Three of the UK's seven AGR plants are currently in the defueling stage: Hunterston B, Hinkley Point B and Dungeness B. Four AGR plants are still in operation. Heysham 1 and Hartlepool are currently expected to operate until March 2026. Heysham 2 and Torness are currently due to generate until March 2028.

A project aimed at reducing water consumption in nuclear power plants by capturing water from cooling tower plumes has been launched at EDF's Bugey nuclear power plant in eastern France.

US firm Infinite Cooling has developed technology that uses an innovative process that captures fine water droplets in cooling tower plumes using an electrically charged collection mesh. This recovered water - which is said to be more than 100 times purer than the circulating water in the cooling system - can significantly reduce the need for water treatment and decrease waste water discharge volumes, resulting in cost savings and enhanced environmental performance.

Testing of the technology began at the Bugey plant in August and will continue until March next year. Taking place on a test setup at the plant, the tests will assess the technology's performance in diverse environments and measure the amount of water recovered, the quality of the reclaimed water, and the system's operational impact.

Additionally, the project will gather essential insights to guide the large-scale deployment of this transformative solution, considering installation and operational factors.

"Cooling towers, which are the largest consumers of water in nuclear plants, stand to benefit immensely from this technology, which is expected to recover between 1% and 15% of the evaporated water depending on operating conditions," Infinite Cooling said. "The reclaimed water, noted for its high purity, is ideal for reuse, reducing both water treatment costs and waste water discharge."

Maher Damak, CEO and co-founder of Infinite Cooling, said: "Working closely with EDF marks a significant milestone for Infinite Cooling. Our mission is to address one of the most urgent challenges in industrial processes - water scarcity. The tests at Bugey are a pivotal step in demonstrating the power of our technology and its potential to enable sustainable water management in power plants worldwide."

The Bugey plant currently comprises four operating 900 MWe pressurised water reactors - units 2-5 - that started up between 1978 and 1979. Bugey 1 was a gas-cooled reactor that was built from 1965 with its first grid connection in 1972. It was shut down permanently in 1994. The site has been selected by the France's Nuclear Policy Council for the installation of the third pair of EPR2 reactors, after the Penly and Gravelines sites.

The US Department of Defense has broken ground at Idaho National Laboratory for the Project Pele prototype mobile microreactor. It will become the USA's first electricity-generating Generation IV reactor as early as 2026.

The reactor, under a Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) initiative, is being manufactured by BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC. Assembly of the final reactor is set to begin in February next year. The current schedule includes transport of the fully-assembled reactor to Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in 2026.

The prototype reactor facility is designed to be transported within four 20-foot shipping containers, and tested at INL's Critical Infrastructure Test Range Complex. The Project Pele team will construct a concrete shield structure at the test site next year in order to be ready for reactor placement in 2026.

Upon arriving at INL, the reactor will be transported by truck to the test site and positioned within the concrete shield structure. Piping and electrical wiring will connect the reactor to INL's specialised electric microgrid. Once the reactor's final safety review is completed, the Pele project team will then proceed with the initial test and evaluation plan. The reactor is expected to deliver 1-5 MWe for a minimum of three years of full power operation.

"We are thrilled to move beyond the era of PowerPoint advanced reactors," said Project Pele Programme Manager Jeff Waksman. "Our tight partnership with INL and the Department of Energy (DOE) Idaho Operations Office is leading the way forward not just for manufacturing advanced reactors, but also for regulating them in an efficient and safe manner."

"The Department of Defense (DoD) has a long record of driving American innovation on strategic and critical technology," said SCO Director Jay Dryer. "Project Pele is a key initiative for improving DoD energy resilience and will also play a crucial role in advancing nuclear power technology for civilian applications."

Project Pele was launched in 2019 with the objective to design, build, and demonstrate a prototype mobile nuclear reactor within five years. The initiative is led by the DoD's Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO), which is working in collaboration with the US Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the US Army Corps of Engineers, as well as with industry partners.

BWXT Advanced Technologies and X-energy LLC were subsequently selected to develop a final design for a prototype mobile high-temperature gas reactor using high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel under the Project Pele initiative. BWXT was contracted in June 2022 to build a prototype microreactor. The contractor team also includes critical roles played by Northrop Grumman, Rolls Royce Liberty Works, and Torch Technologies. The fuel for the reactor will be produced at BWXT's facilities using material from the DOE's highly-enriched uranium inventory.

The reactor is to be a single prototype, which will be demonstrated only within the USA under DOE oversight. DoD will decide whether or not to transition the technology and to use it operationally at a future date, but the reactor could also serve as a "pathfinder" for commercial adoption of such technologies, DoD said.

In a separate project, the US Air Force in 2021 announced plans to build its first microreactor would be at Eielson air force base in Fairbanks, Alaska, to be operational in 2027.

Westinghouse Electric Company and Bechtel said they welcome the announcement by the Polish government of its intention to allocate PLN60 billion (USD15.7 billion) to fund the country’s first nuclear power plant.

Undersecretary of State for Strategic Energy Infrastructure Maciej Bando announced the start of the formal process to request European Commission approval of the financing at the 2nd Congress of Nuclear Energy in Warsaw on 11 September. "This week I will sign an official request to the European Commission, starting the notification process," he said. The government is working on legislation to allow it to "inject" funds into state-owned company Polskie Elektrownie Jadrowe (PEJ), which is in charge of overseeing the building of the nuclear plant.

The Polish government selected the Westinghouse AP1000 reactor technology for construction at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site in the Choczewo municipality in Pomerania in northern Poland in 2022, and an agreement setting a plan for the delivery of the plant was signed in May last year by Westinghouse, Bechtel and PEJ. The Ministry of Climate and Environment in July issued a decision-in-principle for PEJ to construct the plant, and the company has applied for a permit to start preparatory works at the site. The aim is for Poland's first AP1000 reactor to enter commercial operation in 2033.

The government's announcement of its intention to allocate funds to the plant came as Bechtel and Westinghouse were meeting with key stakeholders in Warsaw and Gdansk to showcase project progress and reaffirm their commitments to economic development and community engagement, the companies said.

"With the AP1000 design, Poland has selected the most advanced, proven technology already setting operational records in six operational units with another 12 planned to operate before the end of the decade," Westinghouse President and CEO Patrick Fragman said. "This project will drive more than 100 billion zloty of economic impact in Poland, creating tens of thousands of jobs during construction and the many decades of operation to come."

Bechtel President and COO Craig Albert said the "historic" project will strengthen Poland's energy independence "while also creating enormous economic opportunity, including new jobs, the training of a skilled nuclear power workforce, and the establishment of a supply chain with substantial participation by Polish companies".

Iran says it has three nuclear energy reactors under construction, with site and technology selection processes under way for more - and has also outlined planned nuclear fuel cycle and research reactor developments.

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran's plans for its nuclear energy sector were highlighted at a side event at the International Atomic Energy Agency's General Conference in Vienna.

A Russian-designed VVER unit with a capacity of 915 MWe is already in operation at Bushehr on the Persian Gulf coast. Two further units featuring VVER-1000 units are planned. It said unit 2, which had first concrete poured in 2019 and the core catcher installed this month, has a scheduled installation of its reactor pressure vessel "30 months later", and physical start-up scheduled for 55 months later, which would be in 2029. The plan is for first concrete for unit 3 in the last quarter of 2024.

The country's goal is to reach 20 GW of nuclear energy capacity by 2040 and the meeting heard that site selection and planning was taking place for an unspecified number of other plants. Earlier this year the AEOI announced the start of work at a site in Hormozgan province that it says will eventually be home to four new nuclear reactors.

During the series of presentations in the event 50 Years of Nuclear Technology in Iran: Success Stories, the country's history with research reactors was also highlighted, as well as plans to develop the domestic fuel cycle capabilities.

Research reactors

The Tehran Research Reactor is a 5 MW pool-type research reactor which has operated since 1967 and been used for research reactor purposes and also radioisotope production. New applications developed for it in recent years, the event also heard, include gem colouring in 2017, neutron imaging in 2019 and fuel irradiation and testing from 2020.

A replacement research reactor, the 10 MW Isfahan Research Reactor (IRR10), is being built "based on the expertise and knowledge of Iranian experts". Construction began in 2022 and the main utilisations are expected to be fuel testing and radioisotope production. There is also a plan to establish "an international nuclear science and technology training centre".

The applications of the research reactors such as for medical use, pest control, irradiation, disinfection and food safety, were also highlighted.

There are currently six irradiation sites in operation and a similar amount under construction with the aim of slashing the 30% of agricultural product currently lost and boosting food safety, with irradiation of spices specifically mentioned.

Other applications included a plant breeding department, developing cotton, soybean, rice, tangerines and ornamental plants as well as new organic fertilisers and use of the sterile insect technique to tackle pests, among other applications:

Nuclear fuel cycle

The meeting heard that the country has open pit mines at Khoshuomi, Narigan and Saghand, plus Ardakan Yellowcake Production Plant and Saghand Yellowcake heap-leaching plant. The session heard that the plan is to design and fabricate fuel for the Tehran, Isfahan and Modernised Arak Research Reactor and the "Darkhovein Power Reactor (IR-300)" in the next five years. The Darkhovein - also known as Darkhovin - reactor is a proposed Iranian-designed 300 MW power reactor.

In order to achieve the planned 20 GW of capacity by 2040, the meeting was told that a number of steps have been, or are, necessary:

• Aerial exploration of uranium mines across more than half of the surface area of Iran
• Design and construction of uranium ore processing plant and yellowcake production unit (heap leaching system)
• Design and construction of a conversion plant to produce uranium oxide and UF6,
• Design and construction of a zirconium cladding, fuel rod, and fuel assembly manufacturing plant for light water reactors and plate-type fuel for the Tehran research reactor, including quality control and pre-irradiation testing
• Design and construction of infrastructure for the irradiation of fuel samples and post-irradiation testing

The country is also developing accident tolerant nuclear fuel, and looking at the design and construction of pre-disposal and near surface disposal facility for low and intermediate level radioactive waste.

Cooperation with the IAEA and Non-Proliferation

The presentation focused on the achievements and plans Iran says it has for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and details were given of the many areas of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and World Association of Nuclear Operators over the past 50 years:

Elsewhere at the IAEA's General Conference, the status of the country's non-proliferation treaty actions was covered. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said: "With regard to the NPT Safeguards Agreement, it is a matter of concern that significant safeguards issues remain outstanding after a number of years and that we appear to have reached an impasse. Iran’s implementation of the activities set out in the Joint Statement between myself and Iran in March last year has stopped. However, my correspondence so far with the new government has been constructive and open and I hope to visit the country in the not-too-distant future ... it is critical that the Agency is able to provide credible assurances that Iran’s nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful."

In his statement to the general conference, Mohammad Eslami, Vice-President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and President of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said that "the realisation of a Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons in the Middle East has become more important than ever" and added "the cooperation of the Islamic Republic of Iran with the Agency continues in an honest and extensive manner. The number of the Agency's designated inspectors in Iran is incomparable to any other Member States. More than one fifth of all inspections carried out by the Agency across the world in 2023 took place in Iran over our nuclear facilities, while Iran’s nuclear facilities constitute only three percent of the total number of nuclear facilities worldwide".

The successful integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into nuclear operations will depend on striking “the right balance of trust” between human operators and AI systems, nuclear regulators from the UK, US, and Canada have said.

In a joint paper on AI in the nuclear sector the regulators underlined the need for international cooperation to harmonise regulatory approaches as AI technologies evolve.

The paper marks the first international collaboration between regulators to address the use of AI in the industry, the UK Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) said.

The ONR, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) co-authored the paper, which outlines how AI could benefit nuclear safety, security and safeguards.

The paper says AI can be a tool to analyse large datasets with the goal to manage risks, improve efficiency, and reduce worker exposure in hazardous environments.

Among its conclusions, the paper says that the rapid pace of AI development means that “it is unlikely that AI-specific consensus standards for the nuclear domain will be available to support regulatory activities within the near future”.

In the meantime, existing nuclear-specific standards should be adapted to address the unique attributes of AI technologies, the paper said.

According to the paper, in the nuclear industry, the quality and integrity of data will be crucial for AI system performance. Data deficiencies, such as bias or inaccuracies, can lead to faulty AI outputs with serious consequences, it warned.

To ensure successful AI integration, meticulous data curation, validation, and governance throughout the AI lifecycle will be essential.

The paper addresses other topics, including integrating AI into existing nuclear systems, managing the AI lifecycle from design to deployment, and common areas of focus for regulators when approaching AI, including considerations for safety cases for AI in nuclear applications.

Shane Turner, technical director at the ONR, said the regulatory collaboration will support the global nuclear community in understanding critical considerations for AI deployment.

“ONR is open to innovation and committed to enabling the safe and secure use of AI and other innovative technologies in the nuclear sector,” Turner said.

NANO Nuclear Energy's novel heat exchanger concept, intended for use in the Zeus microreactor, a technical audit of the Antares R1 thermosiphon-cooled microreactor, a study to develop purity tests for molten salts, and a screening process to identify potential sites for nuclear-powered data centres have been chosen to receive funding from the US Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy's Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) programme.

The GAIN initiative was launched in 2016 to help businesses overcome critical technological and commercialisation challenges of nuclear energy technologies through a voucher system, giving stakeholders access to the DOE's R&D facilities and infrastructure to support the cost-effective development of innovative nuclear energy technologies. All awardees are responsible for a minimum 20% cost-share, which could be an in-kind contribution.

The recipients of the final round of funding for 2024 are:

Advanced Nuclear Advisors LLC, to partner with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) on:

• Project SparkHub: Nuclear-Powered Data Center Development

Antares Nuclear, Inc, partnering with ORNL on:

• Independent Analysis of Antares R1 Core Design

NANO Nuclear Energy, Inc, partnering with Idaho National Laboratory (INL) on

• Independent Assessment of a Novel Heat Exchanger Concept for Open-Air Brayton Cycle

Sigma-Aldrich Inc (doing business as MilliporeSigma), partnering with INL on:

• Development of Oxygen IR Calibration Standards for High-Purity Chloride Salts

NANO Nuclear Senior Director and Head of Reactor Design Massimiliano Fratoni said the award will enable the company to work alongside INL to further refine and progress its design, adding that the partnership will be "pivotal" for its future deployment. "The heat exchanger is an enabling component of our patent-pending ZEUS microreactor design, allowing us to keep the system size compact and simplifying its design to match our vision of developing portable, secure and reliable nuclear microreactors to benefit mankind," he said.

NANO will collaborate with INL to conduct an independent evaluation of the heat exchanger design for microreactor, which is designed to fit within a 45-foot high cube container and features a power conversion unit capable of generating 1 to 2 MW of electricity without the use of fluid coolant. A key aspect of this design is its ability to dissipate heat from the reactor vessel using an open-air Brayton cycle. The collaboration with INL will involve the development of a computational model to analyse and verify critical attributes of the heat exchanger essential to reactor operations, providing a comprehensive assessment of its performance.

The Antares R1 is described by the company as a kilowatt-scale, rapidly deployable microreactor designed to power critical infrastructure capabilities in "austere and remote" locations on Earth and in space. Earlier in September, the company announced it had been awarded USD3.75 million in funding from the US Air Force to accelerate the development of their microreactor.

Great British Nuclear has announced that there are four companies remaining in the contest to select technology for the UK's proposed small modular reactor programme, with NuScale missing out.

There were initially six companies shortlisted last year by Great British Nuclear - the arms-length body set up to oversee the UK's plans for new nuclear. The six were EDF, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy International, Holtec Britain, Nuscale, Rolls-Royce SMR and Westinghouse Electric Company UK. The six were invited to submit initial tenders by July, and EDF, whose Nuward SMR was in the running, dropped out at that stage.

In a short statement on Thursday, Great British Nuclear (GBN) said it had now concluded the initial tender phase of the technology selection process and selected GE Hitachi, Holtec, Rolls-Royce SMR and Westinghouse, with NuScale - who had put forward the VOYGR SMR - not going through. The statement said: "In the next stage of the procurement process bidders will be invited to enter negotiations with GBN."

Reaction

Among those through to the next stage, GE Hitachi's UK country leader Andy Champ said: "We have big ambitions for deploying our SMR technology in the UK, so we are proud to advance to the next stage of GBN’s competition. With site works already under way in Canada for our first BWRX-300 – the most advanced SMR project in the G7 - we are in a strong position to lead SMR deployment in the UK by leveraging our expertise in other markets."

Chris Cholerton, Rolls-Royce SMR CEO, said: “Rolls-Royce SMR is the UK’s only SMR company and is already 18 months ahead of competitors in the regulatory approvals process. Today’s news that we will progress to formal negotiation with GBN will help us to maintain this important first-mover advantage. Rolls-Royce SMR has been chosen by the Czech Republic to deploy their fleet of SMRs and is in the final two in Sweden’s SMR selection process. Success in the UK will further strengthen our position as the leading SMR company and ensure the UK is able to capitalise on this transformational opportunity for the domestic supply chain."

Patrick Fragman, Westinghouse President and CEO, said: "We are pleased that GBN recognises the advantages of the AP300 SMR design, which is based on an operating reactor that is already licensed in the UK. With proven technologies and regulator familiarity, the AP300 can get to market quickly, economically and with certainty. We look forward to working with GBN through the final review and selection process."

The background

GE Hitachi is putting forward its BWRX-300, a boiling water reactor, Holtec's SMR-300 is a 300 MWe pressurised water reactor, the Rolls-Royce SMR is a 470 MWe pressurised water reactor and Westinghouse's AP300 is a 300 MWe/900MWth pressurised water reactor. They all stress that their designs are based on existing technologies and will be able to be constructed at speed and benefit from modular production techniques.

In an interview earlier this year for the World Nuclear News podcast, GBN Chairman Simon Bowen said the planned timeline was for the SMR selection shortlist to be cut to around four after the submission of responses to the tender, with the goal of placing contracts by the end of the year with two or three technology providers - this would be for co-funding the technology all the way through to completion of the design, regulatory, environmental and site-specific permissions process, and the potential to place a contract for the supply of equipment. Each selected technology would have an allocated site with the potential to host multiple SMRs.

The aim is then for a final investment decision to be taken in 2029.

There has since been a change of government, but it has pledged to continue with the process - in its election manifesto Labour said it would "end a decade of dithering that has seen the Conservatives duck decisions on nuclear power. We will ensure the long-term security of the sector, extending the lifetime of existing plants, and we will get Hinkley Point C over the line. New nuclear power stations, such as Sizewell C, and small modular reactors, will play an important role in helping the UK achieve energy security and clean power while securing thousands of good, skilled jobs".

Uranium Energy Corporation has agreed to buy British-Australian multinational mining company Rio Tinto’s assets in Wyoming, US, which include the fully-licensed Sweetwater plant and a portfolio of uranium mining projects.

The Texas-based uranium producer and explorer said the $175m (€157m) cash deal would give it key assets that will allow it to boost production, providing opportunities for synergy with its other projects in Wyoming’s Great Divide Basin.

It said the move was a response to unprecedented demand for uranium and nuclear energy. This spike, it said, is being fuelled by ongoing geopolitical events, the escalating need for reliable clean energy, and the rapid adoption of AI technologies.

Uranium Energy estimates the transaction, to be closed in the fourth-quarter of 2024 calendar year, would add about 175 million pounds of historic resources.

“These assets will unlock tremendous value by establishing our third hub-and-spoke production platform and cement [Uranium Energy] as the leading uranium developer in Wyoming and the US,” chief executive Amir Adnani said in the statement.

The Sweetwater plant is a 3,000 tonne per day conventional processing mill with a licensed capacity of 4.1 million pounds of triuranium octoxide (U3O8), a compound of uranium also known as yellowcake that is used to produce fuel for nuclear power reactors.

Uranium Energy will also acquire Red Desert, a development-stage uranium project, encompassing approximately 50,000 hectares of exploration and mining rights, and the Green Mountain project, 35 km north of the Sweetwater plant.

The steel dome of the outer containment building has been completed at Unit 1 of Turkey’s Akkuyu nuclear power station, project contractor Rosatom said.

The Russian state-owned nuclear corporation is supplying four of its Generation III+ VVER-1200 pressurise water reactor units for Ankara’s first nuclear power station, on Turkey’s southern Mediterranean coast.

Rosatom said the 147-tonne top section of the dome took six hours to lift in place. Workers installed the lower section of the dome in August 2024.

According to Rosatom, the VVER-1200 reactor system design has a two-part containment – an external one to protect from physical influence and impact and an inner one to secure the hermetic tightness around the core reactor equipment and piping.

Construction of Akkuyu-1 began in April 2018. The unit was originally scheduled to be online in 2023, but latest projections have this is now likely to be 2025. A further unit at the site is expected to start every year afterwards.

Rosatom signed agreements with Turkey to build the Akkuyu units in 2010 and 2013. The cost of the station has been reported at $20bn (€18bn).

US nuclear company Holtec has chosen South Yorkshire as the planned location for a £1.5bn (€1.7bn, $1.9bn) small modular reactor factory that will also serve potential export markets in Europe and the Middle East.

Holtec said the factory will create thousands of highly skilled and high-paying jobs.

The South Yorkshire site was chosen from 13 potential locations around the UK following “a robust and highly competitive process”. Four locations – West Midlands, Cumbria, Tees Valley and South Yorkshire – were shortlisted

Holtec Britain – a subsidiary of Holtec International – has been working at Sizewell B nuclear power station in Suffolk, southeast England, for more than 15 years and has been in the UK for nearly 30 years.

The company said the SMR factory in South Yorkshire would see at least 70% of materials, components and work carried out in the UK.

It added that £50m would be invested in UK skills and training through its SMR Learning Academy.

Holtec said it was working to finalise its factory business plan to support its final investment decision, which will be based on its UK and international order book.

Holtec has been developing its SMR-300 unit at its technology campus in Camden, New Jersey, since 2011.

The plant is a pressurised water reactor producing around 300 MW of carbon-free power. It can also provide thermal energy for use in industrial processes, residential and commercial heating, desalination, or clean hydrogen generation.

The reactor itself will be placed underground, protecting it from extreme weather events and other threats, and will be designed to passively cool during shutdown without the need of external power or human intervention for enhanced safety.

The SMR-300, which recently completed Step 1 of the UK’s generic design assessment process, is one of six SMR designs shortlisted in October last year by state body Great British Nuclear for the UK’s SMR selection competition and one of the five vendors to submit a bid by the 8 July deadline.

The aim is for a final investment decision on two or three of the designs to be taken in 2029.

Holtec proposes to deploy around 5 GW of SMRs in serial production in the UK by 2050.

Earlier this year Rolls-Royce SMR chose Sheffield in South Yorkshire as the home for a facility to manufacture and test prototype modules for its SMRs.

Ontario Power Generation's (OPG) project to refurbish the four Candu units at Darlington is now 86% complete, with unit 1 preparing to restart ahead of schedule. Meanwhile disassembly work on unit 4 continues - and the company has announced its latest corporate green bond issue.

The reactor and supporting systems at Darlington 1 are undergoing tests in preparation for regulatory approval to restart the unit in the final quarter of this year, OPG said in its latest update on the project which covers the period to 30 June. "At the end of this report period, Unit 1 refurbishment execution was 95% complete, on plan, with the restoration of the reactor vault forecasted to be complete in Q3," the company said.

The execution of the refurbishment of unit 4, which began in July 2023, is 42% complete and is on plan, with recent highlights including the completion of calandria tube insert removal, allowing for ongoing work to remove the unit's 480 calandria tubes and pressure tubes which is expected to be completed during the current quarter.

"The refurbishment of the four Darlington units remains on plan for completion by the end of 2026, as committed," the company said. "Unit 1 is on track to complete in Q4 2024, ahead of plan."

The Darlington units are being refurbished in a CAD12.8 billion (USD9.7 billion) project that will enable the station to operate for an additional 30 years. Unit 2 was the first to be refurbished and returned to service in June 2020; unit 3 returned to service in July 2023.

OPG has also initiated a project to refurbish four Candu units at the Pickering nuclear power station, as well as planning to build up to four BWRX-300 small modular reactors (SMRs) at its Darlington New Nuclear project.

On 18 September, the company announced the issue of CAD300 million (USD221 million) of bonds under its Sustainable Finance Framework and said it will use the net proceeds to fund a range of low-carbon energy projects. Under a new Sustainable Finance Framework announced in June, OPG may use funds from the bonds for energy-related projects and programmes including new nuclear projects, such as SMRs, and large new nuclear, in addition to maintenance or refurbishment of existing facilities.

OPG has issued a total of CAD4.6 billion in green bonds since 2018, including offerings by its subsidiaries. To date in 2024, OPG and its subsidiaries have issued CAD1.5 billion in green bonds, including CAD1.3 billion under the Sustainable Finance Framework.

Rajasthan Atomic Power Plant unit 7 - India's third indigenously designed 700 MWe pressurised heavy water reactor - achieved first criticality on 19 September after receiving clearance from the Indian nuclear regulator.

First criticality marks the completion of the construction phase and the start of the operational phase, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) said. The unit will now undergo various tests before it is connected to the grid. Its power will then be raised, in steps, until it reaches full power - a process known as power ascension testing - with clearance from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board at each step.

Fuel loading at Rajasthan Atomic Power Plant unit 7 - or RAPP-7 - began on 1 August, and the unit now joins Kakrapar 3 and 4 in India's fleet of 700 MWe pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs). Kakrapar 3 achieved first criticality in July 2020, was connected to the grid in January 2021 and was declared to be in commercial operation in July 2023. Kakrapar 4 reached first criticality in late December 2023, was connected to the grid in February and declared in commercial operation at the end of March.

"The successful achievement of criticality of RAPP-7, after the smooth operation of the first two 700 MW PHWRs … at Kakrapar in Gujarat, demonstrated the maturity achieved by NPCIL in the design, construction and operation of the indigenous 700 MW PHWRs," NPCIL said.

The Rajasthan plant is already home to six operating PHWRs with a total capacity of 1180 MW. A second 700 MW PHWR - RAPPS-8 - is also under construction and is expected to start generation next year.

As well as Rajasthan units 7 and 8, four Russian-supplied VVER pressurised water reactors are under construction at NPCIL's Kudankulam site in Tamil Nadu. Site works are also under way for the construction of two 700 MW units Gorakhpur in Haryana. In addition to these, a 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor is being built by BHAVINI at Kalpakkam in Madras.

Ten further 700 MW PHWRs have received administrative approval and financial sanction: Kaiga units 5 and 6 in Karnataka; Gorakhpur units 3 and 4 in Haryana; Chutka units 1 and 2 in Madhya Pradesh; and Mahi Banswara units 1 and 2 and units 3 and 4 in Rajasthan. The Indian government recently approved the transfer of the project to build four 700 MWe PHWRs at Mahi Banswara to NPCIL and National Thermal Power Corporation's Ashvini joint venture.

China looks set to start lifting its ban on the import of Japanese fishery products after reaching an agreement with Japan for the independent monitoring of the discharge of treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant by China and other countries.

At the Fukushima Daiichi site, contaminated water - in part used to cool melted nuclear fuel - is treated by the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS), which removes most of the radioactive contamination, with the exception of tritium. This treated water is currently stored in tanks on site.

Japan announced in April 2021 it planned to discharge ALPS-treated water into the sea over a period of about 30 years. It started to discharge the water on 24 August last year and has so far completed the release of eight batches, a total of 62,400 cubic metres of water.

"As one of the most important stakeholders, China is firmly opposed to this irresponsible move," China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. "At the same time, China has urged Japan to seriously address concerns in and outside Japan, to earnestly fulfill its obligations, to give full cooperation in the establishment of an independent and effective long-term international monitoring arrangement in which stakeholders can participate substantively, and to accept independent sampling and monitoring by China."

Japan and China have now reached an agreement that allows stakeholders, including China, to conduct independent sampling, monitoring and inter-laboratory comparisons at key stages of the discharge process, which is currently being monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

"Taking into account the interests of all stakeholder countries, including China, Japan welcomes the expansion of long-term and international monitoring at key stages of the ocean release under the IAEA framework, and will ensure that all stakeholder countries, including China, effectively participate in this monitoring and that independent sampling and inter-laboratory comparisons are conducted by the participating countries," said Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"China states that it has taken temporary emergency precautions against aquatic products of Japanese origin according to relevant Chinese laws and regulations and WTO rules," the Chinese ministry said. "After China participates substantively in the long-term international monitoring within the IAEA framework and the independent sampling and other monitoring activities by participating countries are carried out, China will begin to adjust the relevant measures based on scientific evidence and gradually resume imports of Japanese aquatic products that meet the regulation requirements and standards."

The agreement was welcomed by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, who said: "I wish to commend the government of Japan for its continued engagement with the IAEA, and the government of China for the constructive consultations held with the Agency in support of this bilateral process that comes to a positive conclusion today."

The agreement, Grossi said, "has built on our existing sampling and monitoring activities in compliance with the IAEA statutory functions". He said the IAEA will coordinate with Japan and other stakeholders, including China, to ensure that the additional measures are implemented appropriately under the framework of the IAEA, "maintaining the integrity of the process with full transparency to ensure that water discharge levels are, and will continue to be, in strict compliance and consistent with international safety standards".

Japan and China have agreed to "continue constructive dialogue from a scientific perspective, in a responsible manner towards the ecological environment and people's health, and to appropriately address concerns regarding the ocean release of ALPS-treated water."

IAEA experts stationed at the Fukushima Daiichi plant have taken samples from the batches of diluted water, after they were prepared for discharge. The IAEA's independent on-site analysis has confirmed that the tritium concentration in the diluted water that has so far been discharged is far below the operational limit of 1500 Bq/litre. The IAEA says it will have a presence on site for as long as the treated water is released.

USA-based Holtec International has selected South Yorkshire in England as the preferred site for its proposed UK small modular reactor factory. It has also signed memorandums of understanding with two British research centres to support SMR manufacturing and testing.

Holtec's selection process involved evaluation of 13 locations that responded to a call for interest released by Holtec earlier this year, after which four locations - West Midlands, South Yorkshire, Cumbria and Tees Valley - were shortlisted. Holtec's UK subsidiary, Holtec Britain, has now selected South Yorkshire as the location for its new SMR factory to serve the UK, Europe and the Middle East.

According to the company, the factory is estimated to provide GBP1.5 billion (USD2 billion) in Gross Value Added to the economy and is set to create hundreds of well-paid, high-skilled jobs.

Holtec said that at least 70% of materials, components and services will be sourced from the UK, with significant supply chain opportunities, particularly in and around South Yorkshire.

"Holtec Britain was impressed by the resounding interest in our new SMR factory across the UK and the strong support received by the local authorities during our engagements," said Gareth Thomas, Director of Holtec Britain. "However, after a rigorous process, South Yorkshire was finally selected as our preferred location.

"In addition to the technical, supply chain, training, and logistics criteria for the formal evaluation, we were also impressed by the history and pride of the people we met during our visit to South Yorkshire, which demonstrated the workforce really cares about the quality and reputation of their work. For Holtec, that translates to a workforce that can be trained and will remain committed to delivering the high-quality nuclear products that Holtec, and our customers, demand."

Holtec said it was working to finalise its factory business plan to support its Final Investment Decision, based on its UK and international order book.

Holtec has been developing its SMR unit since 2011. The SMR-300 is a pressurised water reactor producing around 300 MW of electrical power or 1050 MW of thermal power for process applications, and the company says it has undergone several design evolutions, the most recent of which is the incorporation of forced flow capability overlayed on gravity-driven flow in the plant's primary system.

The SMR-300 is one of six SMR designs selected in October last year by Great British Nuclear on a shortlist for the UK's SMR selection competition and one of the five vendors to submit a bid by the 8 July deadline. The aim is for a final investment decision on two or three of the designs to be taken in 2029.

Holtec proposes to deploy around 5 GWe of SMRs in serial production in the UK by 2050.

In December 2023, Holtec secured GBP30 million from the UK government's Future Nuclear Enabling Fund to start the generic design assessment (GDA) process, and completed the first step last month.

The company said it is on track to begin the licensing and construction of two SMR-300 units at its Palisades nuclear power plant site in Michigan. It is aiming to file a construction permit application for the two Palisades SMRs in 2026 with the first SMR-300 plant targeted for mid-2030, subject to regulatory reviews and oversight.

Cooperation agreements

Holtec has also announced that it has signed memorandums of understanding with two UK research centres within the High Value Manufacturing Catapult - the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and the Coventry-based Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) - to support SMR manufacturing and testing.

The MoU with AMRC agrees that both parties will conduct in-depth analysis of manufacturing technology efficiency and UK skills challenges. Holtec and AMRC will also explore collaboration on SMRs, large-scale nuclear and fusion in both the civil and defence sectors.

"With the signing of this MoU, we're delighted to work with Holtec on a number of manufacturing technology challenges that will bring enhanced efficiency, productivity and impact for the UK - which is at the very core of what we do at the AMRC and indeed, the wider High Value Manufacturing Catapult, said AMRC CEO Steve Foxley.

Holtec Britain's Thomas said: "Our MoU is a serious statement of intent to cement our UK footprint to service the UK domestic market with UK R&D, UK jobs and a fully integrated UK supply chain."

The MoU signed between Holtec Britain and MTC is aimed at supporting the manufacturing and testing of the SMR-300. The agreement states that both parties will work together to find the best manufacturing processes and solutions for the SMR-300. MTC will leverage its expertise to explore innovative manufacturing processes for a future testing phase and both parties will work collaboratively from proof of concept to final installation, training and support after project completion.

"Through our partnership with Holtec, not only will we deliver the innovations needed by one company, but also support end-to-end supply chain development to help anchor this growth sector in the UK," said MTC Senior Business Development Manager Andrew Bowfield.

Thomas added: "Our MoU with the world class MTC is a landmark moment for Holtec Britain as we commit to build on our historic UK nuclear history and use this SMR moment to grow jobs with a fully integrated UK supply chain."

US-based utility Constellation Energy has announced the signing of a power purchase agreement with Microsoft, a 20-year deal that will also restart the long-shuttered Unit 1 of the Three Mile Island nuclear power station in Pennsylvania, the company said in a statement.

The 819-MW Three Mile Island-1 (TMI-1) pressurised water reactor unit was shut down in 2019 over economic concerns. The unit was first connected to the grid in 1974.

Constellation said TMI-1 will be brought back online under the deal with Microsoft as the tech company wants to use energy from the plant to fill the power consumption of its data centres with carbon-free sources.

Constellation said that apart from adding approximately 835 MW of carbon-free energy to the US grid, a restart of TMI-1 would create 3,400 jobs, contribute over $3bn (€2.69bn) in state and federal taxes, and add an expected $16bn to Pennsylvania’s gross domestic product.

The company said that in order to prepare for the restart, it will make significant investments in key infrastructure, including the turbine, generator, and cooling systems.

The plant, expected to be operational by 2028, will also undergo US Nuclear Regulatory Commission safety reviews and state-level permit approvals. A separate license renewal will allow operations to continue through 2054, said Constellation.

According to Constellation, a recent poll has shown strong public support for the TMI-1 restart, with more than two-thirds of Pennsylvanians in favour of the move.

"This critical step forward will ensure Pennsylvania has sufficient baseload power to meet its needs for decades," said US Congressman Scott Perry.

Microsoft’s Bobby Hollis, vice president for energy, called the deal a "major milestone" in the company’s commitment to decarbonising the grid and advancing carbon-free energy technologies.

Constellation said it acquired TMI-1 in 1999, and before its closure, the plant generated enough electricity to power over 800,000 homes, operating at peak capacity about 96% of the time, "well above industry averages".

The company’s plans include renaming the TMI-1 plant to the Crane Clean Energy Centre, in honour of Chris Cane, who was a former long-standing chief executive of Exelon Energy* and passed away earlier this year.

Constellation is the largest US nuclear operator with a fleet of 21 commercial nuclear reactor units at 14 sites.

The Three Mile Island nuclear station, near Harrisburg in Pennsylvania, houses a second reactor units (TMI-2) which only operated for approximately six months before suffering a partial meltdown and reactor core damage during an accident on 28 March 1979 and was never restarted again.

Constellation said TMI-1 is a “a fully independent facility” and its long-term operation was never impacted by the Unit 2 accident. The company said TMI-2 is in the process of being decommissioned by its owner, Energy Solutions.

*In 2022, Constellation split from Exelon Energy, which it had merged in 2012

A coalition of global nuclear industry organisations has called on governments to fully harness the potential of nuclear energy as part of a “strategic priority” to meet climate targets and boost energy security.

In a joint declaration, representatives from organisations* including Brussels-based Nucleareurope, London-based World Nuclear Association, US-based Nuclear Energy Institute, France’s Gifen, and six others, urged governments to accelerate the deployment of new nuclear power facilities based on proven designs and “fast-track” new technologies, including small and advanced reactors.

The declaration also called on governments to “to maximise” the potential of existing nuclear plants by extending operational lifetimes, increasing output, and restarting closed facilities where feasible.

More investment, efforts, and support are also needed in areas including the nuclear fuel supply chain within OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) member states, workforce development, nuclear research, and greater regulatory coordination, the declaration said.

Global Financing Of Nuclear

The coalition highlighted the importance of ensuring that nuclear energy projects have access to national and international climate finance mechanisms.

The group called for multilateral financial institutions, including the World Bank, to incorporate nuclear energy into their investment portfolios and build internal capacity to support these investments.

To encourage greater private sector investment, the group urged governments to provide clarity on the financial mechanisms available for nuclear projects, and their inclusion in sustainable energy taxonomies or green bond schemes.

According to George Borovas, partner and global head of nuclear at law firm Hunton, Andrews, Kurth, multilateral financial institutions have stayed away from nuclear due to internal policies which in many cases have not been seriously discussed with all member countries.

“With climate change and sustainable development becoming the number one priority it is time for all of these institutions to examine their policies and decide whether nuclear must be a part of the solution,” Borovas told NucNet.

“Nuclear projects are the kind of projects that multilateral financial institutions generally support — i.e. large infrastructure projects with society-wide benefits,” he said.

New OECD Initiative

The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) which hosted the industry meeting during a Paris-event on Thursday (19 September) said it will start a new initiative on Roadmaps to New Nuclear, aimed at uniting countries with a shared interest in rebuilding their capability to implement successful nuclear energy new-build projects

This initiative will focus on tackling key challenges in the nuclear sector, such as securing financing, preparing supply chains, and cultivating a skilled and diverse workforce, the NEA said.

Thirteen nations, including Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, South Korea, Sweden, the UK, and the USA, have already expressed interest in joining the effort.

According to NEA director general William Magwood, the new initiative will help turn ministerial and industry priorities into “practical actions” to support the goal of tripling global nuclear energy capacity by 2050.

*The declaration was signed by representatives of: Canadian Nuclear Association, CANDU Owners Group, Electric Power Research Institute, Groupement des industriels français de l’énergie nucléaire (Gifen), Japan Atomic Industrial Forum, Korea Atomic Industrial Forum,

The programme to restart the Palisades nuclear power plant in Michigan is now in the inspections and maintenance phase and remains on schedule, Holtec International said in its latest update. Meanwhile, the US regulator has been petitioned to codify regulations for restarting shuttered nuclear power plants.

Recent progress at the plant, in Covert Township, has included initial accreditation for Holtec's operations and maintenance and technical training programmes, requalification of 26 former Palisades licensed operators, significant workforce growth, completion of chemical cleaning of the primary coolant system , and comprehensive reactor vessel internal inspections. The chemical cleaning has "had a dramatic effect on further improving the plant’s occupational radiation safety metrics", Holtec said.

The focus has now shifted to detailed inspections and maintenance of major systems, including the main turbine, containment building structure, high-voltage towers and transformers. Detailed inspections of the plant’s steam generators have been completed, during which the need for additional maintenance activities was identified, Holtec said: "Thorough and early inspections have allowed us to proactively identify and implement the needed refurbishments before Palisades returns to service. Palisades's owner’s engineer, Nuclear Consultants International (NCI, an autonomous Holtec affiliate), is working with experienced on-site and external experts to devise and implement industry-proven solutions."

Preparations are also nearly complete for a five-month campaign to transfer used fuel assemblies currently stored in the plant’s fuel pool to Hi-Storm FW dry fuel storage systems at a unified on-site storage facility, designed and built by Holtec’s Nuclear Power Division.

“As nuclear professionals, restoring the plant to its highest level of safety is our utmost priority. Our primary focus remains ensuring that Palisades returns to service safely and reliably, with all necessary repairs and maintenance completed to the highest standards,” said Holtec Chief Nuclear Officer Rich Burroni.

Palisades' single-unit 800 MWe pressurised water reactor was shut down in 2022, after more than 40 years of commercial operation, and was to be decommissioned. Holtec completed its acquisition of the reactor from then-owner and operator Entergy shortly after the reactor's closure, with plans to finish dismantling, decontamination, and remediation by 2041. The same month, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) transferred the plant's operating licence to Holtec for the purpose of decommissioning.

But Holtec then announced plans to apply for federal funding to enable it to reopen the plant, and in October 2023 submitted a filing with the NRC to formally begin the process of seeking reauthorisation of power operations at the plant. The company is aiming to repower the plant by the end of 2025. It would be the first nuclear power plant in the USA to return to commercial operations after being closed down, and current plans would see it provide baseload clean power until at least 2051.

Regulatory process

According to NRC information, Holtec will need to explain to the regulator how it will return plant components to a status that supports safe operation; restore the licensing basis of the plant to an operational status, and make any upgrades necessary to meet current NRC requirements. NRC staff will carefully review the regulatory and licensing documents for the plant, inspect new and restored components necessary to operate safely, and continue ongoing oversight to ensure sufficiency of all plant systems and programmes. The NRC has established the Palisades Nuclear Plant Restart Panel to provide oversight of the restart effort.

Palisades may not be the only shuttered US plant to return to service: earlier this year, NextEra Energy CEO John Ketchum told investors the company was considering the possibility of restarting the Duane Arnold boiling water reactor plant, which closed in 2020. Constellation Energy CEO Joe Dominguez has also, in comments to investors, not ruled out a restart of Three Mile Island unit 1 which closed in 2019.

Now, the US regulator has been petitioned to revise its regulations to include a Commission-approved process for returning a decommissioning plant to operational status. In an entry in the US Federal Register, the NRC said it has determined that the petition "meets the sufficiency requirements" for it to be documented, and is calling for public comment. The petition was submitted by a former engineering director of the plant and an investigative journalist, with community members near the plant adding their signatures.

"The petition states that the NRC staff lack a specific NRC Commission-approved and codified process for licensing, inspecting, and approving the return to service of a power reactor that has entered decommissioning. The petitioner requests that the NRC conduct rulemaking to include a codified process for returning a decommissioning plant to operational status," the NRC said.

The review of the petition is a separate process from the ongoing NRC consideration of requested actions related to the potential restart of the Palisades Nuclear Plant, the regulator added.

Ten industry associations have issued a communiqué calling on all OECD member states to set out clear plans for nuclear energy deployment. The document was released during the first day of the second Roadmaps to New Nuclear conference in Paris, organised by the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency.

Co-chaired by Swedish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Business and Industry, Ebba Busch, and OECD NEA Director-General William Magwood, the OECD NEA said at the event "ministers, CEOs and other leaders will discuss concrete ways to make good on global pledges to increase nuclear energy production to fight climate change".

It added: "Building on the success of Roadmaps to New Nuclear 2023, ministers, senior government officials and industry representatives will convene to share recent experiences, deliberate on best practices and chart a collaborative path towards delivering new nuclear energy construction at the scale and pace required to meet the growing global expectations for nuclear energy.

"Whereas Roadmaps 2023 provided a general direction for collective action, which was followed by a pledge by more than 20 countries at COP28 to triple global nuclear energy capacity by 2050, this second meeting will focus on critical next steps to bring solutions to the countries most interested in proceeding with nuclear new build."

The NEA said the discussions during the two-day event "will inform the development of actionable policy recommendations for policymakers, nuclear power companies and the nuclear energy sector more broadly".

The nuclear industry - represented by the Canadian Nuclear Association, Candu Owners Group, the Electric Power Research Institute, Groupement des Industriels Français de l'Energie Nucléaire (Gifen), Japan Atomic Industrial Forum, Korea Atomic Industrial Forum, Nuclear Energy Institute, nucleareurope, Nuclear Industry Association and World Nuclear Association - issued a communiqué saying: "We congratulate those OECD member states that signed the Declaration to Triple Nuclear at COP28. We urge all OECD member states to set out clear plans for nuclear energy deployment that would fulfil the targets they have set through the UNFCCC process and to demonstrate their commitment to nuclear energy, giving clear signals to markets and investors."

The associations said they recognise that meeting a tripling of nuclear capacity by "2050 will require significant expansion in access to financing, strengthening of supply chains, investment in workforce, further development of the nuclear fuel supply and supportive policies and regulations to enable rapid scaling of nuclear energy generation".

They called on governments to help maximise the use of existing nuclear power plants, including extending the operating period of reactors, uprating their output and restarting those that have shutdown where feasible. They said governments should act to accelerate deployment of new nuclear facilities based on proven designs, and accelerate the development, demonstration, and deployment of new nuclear technologies, including new large nuclear reactors as well as small modular reactors and advanced modular reactors.

The associations highlighted eight key areas in which governments must take action in order to achieve the 2050 target. These include: promoting policies to encourage fleet deployment of nuclear energy technologies; ensuring ready access to national and international climate finance mechanisms for nuclear development; ensuring that multilateral financial institutions include nuclear energy in their investment portfolios; providing clarity to investors on the funding and investment recovery mechanisms available for nuclear projects and including nuclear energy in clean energy financing mechanisms; continuing efforts to strengthen supply chains for nuclear fuel in OECD member states; investing in workforce development and training; continuing investments in nuclear research and efforts to bolster the nuclear supply chain within OECD member states; and expanding regulatory cooperation.

"The communiqué issued today congratulates those OECD member states that signed the Declaration to Triple Nuclear at COP28, and encourages other member states to join," said Sama Bilbao y León, Director General, World Nuclear Association. "The goal to triple global nuclear capacity is also shared by industry through the Net Zero Nuclear initiative highlighting government and industry collaboration. The time is now to expand nuclear capacity and provide clean, reliable and secure energy for all."

New initiative launched

The NEA announced it will create a new Joint Undertaking on Roadmaps to New Nuclear that will "bring together like-minded countries to rebuild their capability to implement successful nuclear energy new-build projects".

The initiative will focus on addressing the most pressing issues in nuclear energy, including nuclear finance, supply chain readiness and building a skilled and diverse workforce.

So far, 13 countries (Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, South Korea, Sweden, the UK and the USA) have expressed interest in the initiative.

"The Joint Undertaking on Roadmaps to New Nuclear will allow us to turn the priorities identified by Ministers and CEOs into practical actions to support the tripling of nuclear energy capacity by 2050," OECD NEA Director-General William Magwood said. "This collaborative framework will advance international cooperation, foster strategic partnerships, and exchanges among governments and industry to more effectively deliver on the national priorities of the countries pursuing new nuclear capacity."

The Czech Republic has chosen UK firm Rolls-Royce SMR after assessing seven potential technology suppliers for its proposed small modular reactor programme.

The Ministry of Trade said that the applicants were approached "on the basis of their potential suitability for placement in the Czech Republic ... Rolls-Royce SMR emerged as the best company with which ČEZ (the Czech nuclear power company) wants to establish a strategic partnership". The government will now carry out a "safety assessment of the British company" as was done for those who bid for the recent large nuclear units contracts - involving the Ministry of the Interior, Security Information Service, ÚZSI, Military Intelligence and other key institutions to ensure it complies with the state's security requirements.

The first small modular reactor (SMR) is planned by ČEZ at a site near the existing Temelin nuclear power plant in the 2030s, "before the start up of the new large Czech nuclear unit which is planned for before 2040", the ministry said. ČEZ is also looking at other sites suitable for SMRs, including Tušimice and Dětmarovice where survey and monitoring work is taking place to see if they are suitable nuclear sites.

Rolls-Royce SMR's selection by the Czech Republic comes as the company waits to hear whether it will be selected by the UK as one of the preferred suppliers for its own SMR programme. It is one of five in the running, with the expectation that two technologies will be selected to be taken forward by the UK government's arms-length Great British Nuclear body for deployment.

The Czech government says it would be an "advantage ... that Rolls-Royce SMR is just forming its supply chain, and Czech companies thus have a unique opportunity to stand at its birth and participate to the maximum extent possible. Thanks to this strategic cooperation, local companies will be able to participate not only in the development and implementation of the new small modular reactor, but also in the supply of SMR abroad".

Prime Minister Petr Fiala said: "Small modular reactors can be a key technology for ensuring energy security in the future. That is why from the beginning we try not only to build them, but also to participate in their global production and development. In addition, the establishment of a strategic partnership between ČEZ and Rolls-Royce SMR will be a great opportunity for Czech companies that have many years of experience in the nuclear industry."

Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela said: "This technology can not only provide enough electricity at affordable prices, but also support our efforts to decarbonise and safely transition to clean energy sources. In addition, this cooperation is also a great opportunity for Czech industry. Our companies can be part of the global supply chain from the very beginning and contribute to the development of this promising technology."

ČEZ CEO Daniel Beneš said: "The strategic partnership with Rolls-Royce SMR will allow us to use our long-term experience in the field of nuclear energy in combination with the high technological maturity of the British company." He said that ČEZ would now negotiate specific terms of the cooperation with the British company.

CEO of Rolls-Royce SMR, Chris Cholerton, welcomed the decision and said: "Discussions are ongoing to finalise contract terms and the final agreements are subject to customary regulatory clearances. Details of the agreement will be published at signing. This important strategic partnership further strengthens Rolls-Royce SMR’s position as Europe’s leading SMR technology, and will put ČEZ, Rolls-Royce SMR and its existing shareholders at the forefront of SMR deployment. Rolls-Royce SMRs will be a source of clean, affordable, reliable electricity for Czechia - creating jobs, enabling decarbonisation, reducing the reliance on imported energy and supporting the global effort to reach net zero."

Nuclear Power in the Czech Republic

The Czech Republic currently gets about one-third of its electricity from four VVER-440 units at Dukovany, which began operating between 1985 and 1987, and the two VVER-1000 units in operation at Temelín, which came into operation in 2000 and 2002. In July, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) was named the preferred bidder for up to four new units at the two existing nuclear power plants, with the target of the first unit entering commercial operation in 2038.

The Czech SMR roadmap was published and approved last year setting out options for technology suppliers and identifying a range of potential sites - 45 in total - as well as investor models. Its vision is for "SMRs to complement large nuclear untis from 2030s-40s onwards".

The Rolls-Royce SMR

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

Its capacity is larger than many of its SMR rivals - the general definition of an SMR is of a reactor unit with an output of up to 300 MWe. In July, it successfully completed Step 2 of the UK's Generic Design Assessment process and progressed to the third and final phase of the process which assesses the safety, security and environmental aspects of a nuclear power plant design that is intended to be deployed in the UK. The target date to complete that final stage is August 2026.

In July, the Nuclear Industry Association applied to the UK government for a justification decision for Rolls-Royce SMR's SMR, a decision required for the operation of a new nuclear technology in the country. It marks the first ever application for justification of a UK reactor design. If Rolls-Royce is successful in the UK's SMR selection contest, the aim is for a final investment decision to be taken in the UK in 2029.

The Lower Saxony Ministry of the Environment has rejected an application from environmental groups NABU and BUND to revoke or withdraw the planning approval decision for the Konrad repository for low and intermediate-level radioactive waste.

The former Konrad iron ore mine - in Salzgitter, Lower Saxony - closed for economic reasons in 1976 and investigations began the same year to determine whether the mine was suitable for use as a repository for low and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LLW/ILW).

In 2002, the Lower Saxony Ministry for the Environment issued a planning approval decision for the Konrad repository. Following multiple legal proceedings, this approval was confirmed by the Federal Administrative Court in 2007. A construction licence was issued in January 2008.

However, in May 2021, NABU and BUND submitted an application to withdraw or revoke the existing planning approval decision for the Konrad repository and to stop construction.

The Lower Saxony Ministry of the Environment has now dismissed the application "after intensive legal and substantive review".

Federal radioactive waste company, Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung (BGE) - which assumed responsibility as the operator of the Konrad repository from the Federal Office for Radiation Protection in April 2017 - welcomed the decision.

"This finding once again confirms that the planning approval decision for the Konrad repository is legal," it said. "BGE will continue to push ahead with the construction of the Konrad repository so that the majority of low and medium-level radioactive waste from Germany can be safely disposed of."

Thomas Lautsch, technical director of BGE, added: "With the planning approval decision for the Konrad repository, we have a robust basis for the construction, operation and decommissioning of the Konrad repository. The construction will take place on this basis and will also be implemented in accordance with the current technical regulations."

The Konrad mine is being converted for use as a repository under the supervision of BGE. The two mine shafts are being renovated and equipped with the necessary infrastructure underground. Among other things, this infrastructure includes transport galleries and the emplacement areas at a depth of around 850 metres. Above ground, construction work is under way on new buildings, including the reloading hall.

The final disposal of up to 303,000 cubic metres of LLW/ILW at Konrad is set to begin in the early 2030s. This waste represents 95% of the country's waste volume, with 1% of the radioactivity. At present, this waste is stored above-ground in interim storage facilities at more than 30 locations in Germany. Once within the Konrad repository, the containers will be immobilised with suitable concrete and securely sealed off during emplacement operations. Once operations are complete, all cavities of the mine will be backfilled and sealed in a manner that ensures long-term safety.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has reinstated the expiration dates for the subsequent renewed licenses for the two commercial reactor units at the Turkey Point nuclear power station in southern Florida.

Turkey Point-3 and -4 can again operate until July 2052, and April 2053 as a result of the NRC decision, a statement said.

This action follows the completion of a supplemental environmental review required by a and NRC order issued in 2022.

The NRC had decided to issue the order to reverse a 2019 decision by a previous, Republican-led commission to extend Florida Power & Light’s operating licence for the Turkey Point-3 and -4 nuclear power plants.

The Commission said environmental groups had requested a hearing on the review, but in August 2024, the NRC’s atomic safety and licensing board concluded there were no remaining contested issues and terminated the judicial process.

The NRC’s decision can be appealed through late September, though NRC regulations allow licensing actions to proceed during the appeal process.

The NRC had previously granted FPL an initial 20-year extension that will allow the reactors to run until 2032 and 2033. Florida Power & Light said in 2018 that it was filing an application for a second 20-year licence renewal, taking the units’ operational lifetimes to 80 years.

Turkey Point-3, an 837-MW pressurised water reactor unit began commercial operation in December 1972, while 821-MW Turkey Point-4 followed in September 1974.