Nuclear Energy

For the past 1.5 years I've been sharing nuclear news in this Lemmy board, building an archive of now almost 2000 posts.

My initial hopes were to build a community of nuclear enthusiasts that fled the reddit platform. That didn't quite materialise, althought this board now has 600+ subscribers, making it the biggest pro-nuclear energy community on Lemmy.

I'm now going to shift my posting strategy to my main Mastodon account. This has two reasons:

1. Nowadays I host my own instance and one of the first things I changed was to extend to character limit to 5000, instead of 500. This removed my need for Lemmy for quite a bit.
2. More importantly, a big migration just happened to Bluesky and the posts here are invisible to Bluesky users. My Mastodon account meanwhile is bridged and can be followed.

The latter is actually relevant, to me anyway, as the "Energy Twitter" is reconstituting itself on Bluesky.

But there are still hundreds of you here, mostly Lemmy users no doubt. What do you want to see out of this community? I'd really love to hear some opinions on this!

As for people on Mastodon: follow me at @collectifission@greennuclear.online 🙂

Days after Mining Minister Ousmane Abarchi said that Niger was actively seeking to attract Russian investment in natural resources including uranium, Orano has said the financial situation for its majority-owned SOMAÏR subsidiary - operator of the Arlit mine - is still deteriorating.

The board of SOMAÏR has approved a motion to introduce protective measures which Orano says are essential for preserving the cash required to pay salaries and maintain the safety and integrity of industrial sites. "The Board is requesting a temporary halt to expenditure related to mining and processing ore, until such time as it resumes the export and sale of its products," the French company said.

Orano owns 63.4% of SOMAÏR, with the remaining 36.6% owned by Niger state-owned mining assets company SOPAMIN.

SOMAÏR has been facing financial difficulties since the July 2023 coup d'état in Niger. Mining activities at the mine resumed after the coup, but the country's border with Benin - the main supply and export corridor for the Arlit uranium mine - has remained closed and the company has been unable to resume sales. In October, Orano announced a decision to suspend mining activities at Arlit and use SOMAÏR's remaining cash reserves to prioritise the payment of salaries and the upkeep of vital site functions.

Orano reaffirmed this commitment in a 12 November vote on a proposal to direct its remaining available cash reserves in this way. "The administrators representing SOPAMIN left the meeting room during that vote, choosing to abstain," the French company said.

"Today, SOMAÏR is stifled by the debts accumulated by its shareholder SOPAMIN, and by its inability to export and obtain proceeds from the sale of its products, even though it has quality industrial facilities and mineral reserves which should permit production to continue until 2040; as well as a competent and highly-qualified Nigerien workforce, which has demonstrated commendable professionalism and resilience in this trying time," Orano said.

"It is important to note that what is being announced is in no way a cessation of operations or closing of the site, but merely the decision to place a stop on all non-essential expenditure in the current configuration. As an operator, Orano has always made sustainable investments in SOMAÏR and regrets this situation and the difficult consequences it will entail for the 750 employees of SOMAÏR and the firm’s sub-contractors as well as the local economy."

Russia statements 'regrettable', says Orano

Earlier this week, Abarchi told Russia's RIA Novosti press agency that Niger was actively seeking Russian interest in its uranium and natural resources sector.

"We have already met with Russian companies that are interested in coming to Niger and exploring and extracting natural resources. And this area is not only about uranium. Indeed, we invited them to come to Niger for this," he said in an interview on the sidelines of the first ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum in Sochi.

Russia is also working on the practical steps to open an embassy in Niger - it closed its embassy in Niamey in 1992, and Russian interests there are currently represented by the Russian Embassy in the Republic of Mali. Speaking ahead of a meeting in Sochi with his Nigerien counterpart Yaou Sangare Bakary, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the two nations' "mutual commitment to expanding bilateral interaction" had been re-affirmed with the recent resumption of operations of the Nigerien embassy in Moscow, closed since 1995. By reopening "in the near future" the Russian embassy in Niamey "we will restore a robust diplomatic infrastructure which will be beneficial for bilateral relations", he said.

Orano described Abarchi's statements in Sochi as 'damaging' and said they would not alter the company's position.

"Orano considers the statements by the Minister for Mining made to foreign media to be regrettable, as they indicate a choice which will not resolve the problems facing SOMAÏR … Only a united effort by all stakeholders to progress towards stability, and measures to stabilise operations over the long term, can allow SOMAÏR to resume its activities in peace."

The engineering, procurement and construction management contract for the completion of Romania's Cernavoda units 3 and 4 has been signed with the FCSA Joint Venture including Fluor, AtkinsRéalis, Ansaldo Nucleare and Sargent & Lundy Energie.

Romania's nuclear power plant operator Nuclearelectrica said that the estimated value of the engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract, which was signed at the COP29 climate conference, was about EUR3.2 billion (USD3.4 billion).

It will be structured in two phases. The first phase is the Limited Notice to Proceed, lasting between 24 to 30 months, followed by the Final Notice to Proceed phase lasting around 80-84 months. The latter phase is subject to commercial terms being agreed and a Final Investment Decision "being taken in line with the Support Agreement between the Romanian State" and Nuclearelectrica.

What is the project?

Cernavoda is the only nuclear power plant in Romania and consists of two 650 MWe Candu-6 reactors. Unit 1 went into commercial operation in 1996 and unit 2 in 2007. Operator Nuclearelectrica plans to extend the operating life of unit 1 to 60 years. Most of the work on the unfinished units 3 and 4 was done in the 1980s prior to the fall of the government of Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989. It was reported in 2021 that unit 3 was 52% complete and unit 4 30% complete.

In July this year the European Union issued a positive opinion on the technical and nuclear safety aspects of the construction of the two units, which have a scheduled operation date of 2030 for unit 3 and 2031 for unit 4. In October 2022, Romania said Canada and the USA were both offering to help with the financing of the construction of Cernavoda 3 and 4.

In quotes

Romania's Energy Minister, Sebastian Burduja, said: "It is the most important project for the Romanian energy sector in recent decades. We have the strongest international partners with us to bring it to fruition by 2031-2032. Signing today's contract required a considerable effort, on all levels: diplomatic, financial, legal. The two new reactors will mean an additional installed power of over 1400 MW at Cernavoda, an increase in annual energy production in Romania by over 11 million MWh, for at least 30 years of operation, over 19,000 well-paid jobs and avoiding a minimum of 10 million tonnes of CO2 emissions each year. Once this investment is completed, in 7-8 years, Romania will provide over 30% of the national energy needs only through nuclear energy production. Today's historic step is also a symbolic one: Romania is able to carry forward strategic projects thought up 50 years ago and blocked by decades of hesitation, carelessness or lack of decision."

Cosmin Ghita, Nuclearelectrica CEO, said: "Today marks a major milestone in the advancement and ultimately completion of Romania’s strategic Cernavoda NPP Units 3 and 4 project. The EPCM contract represents the very foundation of the project. We are honoured to work on this contract and project with highly professional, internationally recognised partners. Units 3 and 4, Candu technology, will provide Romania with energy security and clean energy in a safe and sustainable manner. Once units 3 and 4 are connected to the grid, 66% of Romania’s clean energy will be provided by nuclear energy, showcasing, one more time, the critical role of nuclear energy in deep decarbonisation."

Joe St Julian, President, Nuclear, AtkinsRéalis, said: "Candu technology has served Romania well and is the right choice for the next 60 years. The last seven Candu reactors built around the world, and the ongoing life extension of 10 Candu reactors in Ontario, have been conducted on time and on budget. We will employ our unmatched nuclear power know-how as the steward of this technology, to ensure a similarly successful outcome for the build of these two new units in Romania."

Victor Suchodolski, Sargent & Lundy Chairman, President and CEO, said: "We’ve worked with the United States and Romanian governments since the inception of their 2020 intergovernmental agreement to enable cooperation to advance the Cernavoda projects and the civil nuclear power sector in Romania. We bring our comprehensive large-scale integrated nuclear plant design expertise to help provide safe, reliable and sustainable solutions to Romania."

Daniela Gentile, CEO of Ansaldo Nucleare, said: "This project is a significant milestone that brings Italy together with key international partners. In light of growing electricity demand, nuclear power plays a vital role in energy security and in the transition to cleaner energy. This agreement not only emphasises the importance of international collaboration and Europe’s commitment to nuclear energy, but also reflects confidence in Ansaldo Nucleare’s 60 years-long expertise."

Pierre Bechelany, President of Fluor’s LNG & Power business, said: "Nuclear energy is a safe and clean source of reliable baseload electricity, which is critically important to meeting growing power demands globally. Fluor is pleased to be a part of such an important project for Romania and eastern Europe."

Fission power and nuclear fuel recycling company Oklo has received letters of intent and is partnering with two major data centre providers to deliver up to 750 MW of nuclear power for data centres across the US.

The California company, backed by Sam Altman, the chief executive officer of US artificial intelligence company OpenAI, said the commitments expand its customer pipeline to approximately 2,100 MW.

Oklo said that under the letters of intent it will work with one of the fastest-growing data centre companies to deploy its nuclear plants in select markets, addressing the provider’s critical need for sustainable, reliable power.

“This collaboration supports Oklo’s expanding footprint, including its announced sites in Idaho, Ohio, Texas, and Wyoming, reinforcing the company’s commitment to advancing clean, resilient power options nationwide,” a statement said.

Oklo’s Aurora nuclear power plant consists of a small fast neutron fission reactor with integrated solar panels. Aurora can produce up to 15 MW of power and operate for 10 years or longer before refuelling. It can also generate heat for industrial applications.

It uses metallic fuel and can operate on fuel made from fresh high assay low-enriched uranium (Haleu) or used nuclear fuel.

Fast neutron reactors offer the prospect of vastly more efficient use of uranium resources and the ability to burn actinides, which are otherwise the long-lived component of high-level nuclear waste. They can extract more energy from uranium, use less mined uranium and convert unused uranium into new fuel.

Altman is Oklo’s chairman. The company went public in May through a merger with his AltC Acquisition Corp.

Earlier this month Oklo said it had secured an environmental compliance permit from the US Department of Energy and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) for its nuclear power plant site in the US.

The company said in a statement that the permit is a significant milestone as it advances its plans to deliver the first commercial advanced fission power plant in the US, at the INL site.

Orano subsidiary Orano Med has laid the foundations for its Advanced Thorium Extraction Facility plant in Bessines-sur-Gartempe in Haute-Vienne, western France. This facility is the world's first industrial plant dedicated to the production of thorium-228, a precursor of lead-212, for radioligand therapies.

Lead-212 targeted alpha therapy combines the ability of biological molecules to target cancer cells with the cell-killing potential of alpha emissions generated by lead-212. Orano Med says the development of these radiopharmaceuticals has long been hindered by the difficulty of producing them on an industrial scale.

Thanks to innovations that ensure a very high level of purity, the Advanced Thorium Extraction Facility's (ATEF) construction will industrialise the production process for thorium-228, under development for more than 10 years by the Laboratoire Maurice Tubiana (LMT). ATEF will supply all the ATLab (Alpha Therapy Laboratories) facilities set to manufacture lead-212-based drugs for patients worldwide.

The ATEF facility, scheduled for commissioning in 2027, will increase LMT's current production capacity tenfold. The project represents a total investment of about EUR250 million (USD264 million), creating nearly 70 direct and 100 indirect jobs. The ATEF project has been selected under the France 2030 plan following the call for "Industrialisation and health capacities 2030" projects and will receive public support of EUR22 million.

In the short-term, the combined production capacities of the ATEF and LMT will ensure supply for clinical trials and the commercial launches of Orano Med's first treatments. In ten years, this industrial platform will enable the production of 100,000 doses annually, the company said.

"Construction of the ATEF facility at our historic site in Bessines-sur-Gartempe is a significant step for growing our activities in the region," said Orano CEO Nicolas Maes. "The expansion of our production capacities in the radiopharmaceutical field also contributes to the industrial and economic revitalisation of our country. In addition, this project fulfills Orano's mission of maximising the value of nuclear materials, the core of our Group’s expertise."

Orano Med CEO Arnaud Lesegretain added: "We are convinced that radioligand therapies will soon become an essential tool in the fight against cancer. As the Phase II clinical trial of our most advanced drug, AlphaMedix, nears completion, we are building a globally unique integrated industrial platform to ensure the large-scale production and distribution of lead-212-based treatments."

Orano Med has lead-212 production facilities, laboratories and R&D centers in France and the USA.

In February this year, the company began construction of its Alpha Therapy Laboratory in Onnaing in northern France. This will be Europe's first industrial-scale pharmaceutical facility dedicated to the production of lead-212 based radioligand therapies. It will focus on the production of lead-212 therapies developed by Orano Med and their distribution in Europe. Orano Med is due to inaugurate a similar facility this year in Indianapolis to serve the US market.

Canada's Laurentis Energy Partners has signed an agreement with Orlen Synthos Green Energy to support the preparation of the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report for deploying GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy's BWRX-300 small modular reactor in Poland. The agreement is valued at up to CAD40 million (USD28.5 million).

The Preliminary Safety Analysis Report is a comprehensive analysis required by Poland's nuclear regulatory body, National Atomic Energy Agency (PAA), as part of the investor's application for a construction permit. The report aims to demonstrate the safety of the planned construction in Poland of GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy's BWRX-300 small modular reactors (SMRs). Orlen Synthos Green Energy said the development of the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report is "one of the most important and laborious elements of the licensing process for a nuclear power facility".

The Preliminary Safety Analysis Report presents both general design aspects and a detailed description of the systems and elements of the proposed reactor's construction and equipment. It will contain descriptions of the construction preparation and management system, environmental and local conditions, a description covering the period of operation of the power plant, including nuclear fuel management, and finally a description of the process of decommissioning the facility after its operation is completed. A significant component of the report is the safety analyses of the nuclear facility.

In implementing the report for Orlen Synthos Green Energy, Laurentis - a subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation (OPG) - will be responsible for preparing the scope of work related to environmental conditions, terrain characteristics, facility operation, construction, commissioning and future decommissioning of the power plant.

Laurentis and Orlen Synthos Green Energy (OSGE) signed a Framework Agreement in 2022 for the provision of services supporting the development and implementation of SMRs in Poland. Laurentis is already supporting OSGE in the early planning of the SMR implementation project.

OSGE will also be supported in the preparation of the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report by GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. GEH, as the BWRX-300 technology designer, will be responsible for the technological and safety analyses. The company played a significant role in the preparation of a similar report in Canada for a project implemented by OPG, for which the PSAR analysis was delivered to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission in 2022.

OSGE, as the future owner and operator of the plant, will be responsible for preparing input data for analysis, as well as for coordinating and supervising the ongoing work. The work is planned for almost two years, with the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR) being ready in mid-2026.

"PSAR is one of the key elements of the whole licensing process for a nuclear power plant," said OSGE CEO Rafał Kasprów. "By having such experienced partners involved in the project, we are confident that OSGE will deliver to the Polish nuclear authority a comprehensive report that meets all requirements of the Polish law. We are launching work on the first PSAR related to small modular reactors in the EU. This is a significant milestone in the SMR deployment process, and I believe it paves the way for bolder actions in other European countries, as well."

"Laurentis is excited to work with OSGE to take the next steps to establish the feasibility of small modular reactor deployment in Poland," said Laurentis President and CEO Jason Van Wart. "As a company with experience and expertise in new nuclear services from conception to execution, including regulatory support, we are uniquely positioned to help OSGE progress its project to enable Poland to achieve its clean energy ambitions."

"International collaboration will be crucial to the successful execution of new nuclear projects, so we are excited to work together with OSGE and Laurentis Energy Partners on this licensing requirement for deployment of our SMR technology in Poland," said Sean Sexstone, executive vice president, Advanced Nuclear, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy.

OSGE plans to build a fleet of GE Hitachi BWRX-300 reactors in Poland. In May 2023, the company received a positive general opinion from the President of the National Atomic Energy Agency regarding selected technical assumptions for the BWRX-300 reactor technology. This is an element of the pre-licensing process. In December, the Ministry of Climate and Environment issued decisions in principle for the implementation of the investment in six locations: Stawy Monowskie, Włocławek, Ostrołęka, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Kraków-Nowa Huta and Stalowa Wola-Tarnobrzeg. In February 2024, the General Director for Environmental Protection issued a decision defining the scope of the environmental report for the construction of a SMR in Stawy Monowskie in the Małopolska province. This is the first such decision in the European Union.

The BWRX-300 is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of GEH's US Nuclear Regulatory Commission-certified ESBWR boiling water reactor design and its existing, licensed GNF2 fuel design, a unique combination that GEH says positions it to deliver an "innovative, carbon-free baseload power generation source" this decade.

Japan’s nuclear watchdog has formally prevented the Tsuruga-2 nuclear power plant in the country’s north-central region from restarting, the first rejection under safety standards that were revised after the 2011 Fukushima disaster.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority said the unit, in Fukui Prefecture, is “unfit” for operation because owner and operator Japan Atomic Power Company (JAPC) failed to address safety risks stemming from the presence of possible active fault lines, which can potentially cause earthquakes, underneath it.

Tsuruga-2, a 1,108-MW pressurised water reactor unit that initially began commercial operation in 1987, is the first reactor to be prevented from restart under safety standards adopted in 2013 based on lessons from the 2011 Fukushima-Daiichi meltdowns following a massive earthquake and tsunami.

Those standards prohibit reactor buildings and other important facilities being located above any active fault.

JAPC has maintained that its own analysis has shown that the fault is not active and does not extend under the unit.

In September the NRA approved a draft report which recommended that Tsuruga-2 does not meet the stricter regulations.

Recent press reports in Japan said the NRA had decided Tsuruga-2 could not be restarted because it could not rule out the possibility that a fault line running under the reactor building is connected to adjacent active fault lines.

“We reached our conclusion based on a very strict examination,” NRA chairperson Shinsuke Yamanaka told reporters.

‘Data Coverups And Mistakes’ By Operator

The verdict comes after more than eight years of safety reviews that were repeatedly disrupted by data coverups and mistakes by the operator, Yamanaka said. He called the case “abnormal” and urged the utility to take the result seriously.

An older unit at Tsuruga, the 340-MW Tsuruga-1 boiling water reactor, began commercial operation in 1970 and was permanently shut down in 2015.

Before the Fukushima disaster Japan’s fleet of 54 nuclear plants generated about 30% of the country’s electricity, but were all shut down for safety checks following the accident.

Among the 33 operable nuclear reactors in Japan, 13 have now resumed operations after meeting post-Fukushima safety standards. The restarted plants are: Sendai-1 and -2, Genkai-3 and -4, Ikata-3, Mihama-3, Ohi-3 and -4, Onagawa-2 (temporarily offline) and Takahama-1, -2, -3 and -4.

In October, Japan’s new economy minister said the country will need to maximise the use of existing nuclear power plants because AI and data centres are expected to boost electricity demand.

Yoji Muto said the new administration will plan restarting as many reactors as possible so long as they are safe.

Muto’s comments point to a continuation of former prime minister Fumio Kishida’s policy that moved Japan back towards nuclear energy as a major power source.

The US International Development Finance Corporation has signed a letter of interest with Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe to provide more than PLN4 billion (USD980 million) in financing for Poland's first nuclear power plant.

"The involvement of this important entity has more than just a financial dimension for us. It confirms the US administration's interest in our project," said Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ) Finance Division Director, Wojciech Rosiński.

He added that the letter of interest (LOI) signed by the US International Development Finance Corporation reflects the outcome of months of talks held by PEJ with the institution as well as with other leading institutions from the US market interested not only in Poland but also in the global energy transition.

Agnes Dasewicz, head of investments at US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), added: "DFC is committed to enhancing regional energy security throughout Central and Eastern Europe. This LOI is a step toward reducing regional reliance on Russian energy exports while also seeking to bolster economic growth and create jobs."

The DFC - the USA's development bank - works in partnership with the private sector to finance solutions to challenges facing developing countries, and invests across a range of sectors, including energy, healthcare, critical infrastructure, and technology. In July 2020, DFC lifted its legacy prohibition on funding nuclear energy projects overseas.

PEJ - a special-purpose vehicle 100% owned by Poland's State Treasury - said the letter of interest received from DFC "is another document regarding the financing of the Lubiatowo-Kopalino nuclear power plant project". A similar declaration, for the equivalent of about PLN70 billion, was made earlier by the US Export-Import Bank, as a result of years of talks with Westinghouse, supported by PEJ and Bechtel since last year. Westinghouse and Bechtel jointly form a US consortium that implements the PEJ investment project in Pomerania.

In November 2022, the then Polish government selected the Westinghouse AP1000 reactor technology for construction at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site in the Choczewo municipality in Pomerania in northern Poland. 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. The aim is for Poland's first AP1000 reactor to enter commercial operation in 2033.

Under an engineering services signed in September last year, in cooperation with PEJ, Westinghouse and Bechtel will finalise a site-specific design for a plant featuring three AP1000 reactors. The design/engineering documentation includes the main components of the power plant: the nuclear island, the turbine island and the associated installations and auxiliary equipment, as well as administrative buildings and infrastructure related to the safety of the facility. The contract also involves supporting the investment process and bringing it in line with current legal regulations in cooperation with the National Atomic Energy Agency and the Office of Technical Inspection.

In September, the Polish government announced its intention to allocate PLN60 billion to fund the country's first nuclear power plant.

Societa Gestione Impianti Nucleari SpA (Sogin) announced it has opened a dedicated area at the shut down Latina nuclear power plant for the dismantling of its six steam generators.

The Latina plant, comprising a single 210 MWe Magnox graphite gas-cooled reactor, began operating in January 1964. It was permanently shut in December 1987 as a result of the Italian referendum on nuclear power that followed the April 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Sogin - the Italian state-owned company responsible for dismantling the country's nuclear power plants - took over ownership of the site in November 1999.

Whilst in operation, the steam generators (also referred to as boilers) - positioned outside the reactor building - allowed the heat to be transferred from carbon dioxide to water, thus producing the steam needed to drive the turbines and produce electricity.

Sogin described the dismantling of the steam generators as "a particularly complex activity because it involves components positioned at high altitude of large dimensions". Each one is 24 metres high with a diameter of 6 metres, with a combined weight of 3700 tonnes.

"Work is currently under way to build the confinement structures that will allow the areas affected by the boiler cutting and material handling activities to be isolated and kept safe from the external environment for the entire duration of the operations," Sogin said.

The project involves the subsequent sectioning of each boiler into nine cylindrical parts, each weighing approximately 90 tonnes, proceeding progressively from top to bottom. The technique adopted will be diamond wire-cutting, which simultaneously allows the internal components of the steam generator to be sectioned (tie rods, spacers, brackets, sheets, etc).

The cylindrical portions will be lowered to the ground using a special crane and then transferred to the Materials Treatment Station, which has already been built, where the tube bundles will be removed, the external casing will be cut into smaller parts and decontaminated with high-pressure water. Most of the operations will be carried out using high-tech robotic systems.

The metallic materials resulting from cutting the casing will be released and sent for recycling, while the tube bundles will be treated by melting by a qualified operator, in line with Sogin's circular economy strategy based on minimising radioactive waste.

Italy's Ministry of Economic Development issued a decree in 2020 authorising Sogin to begin the initial phase of decommissioning the Latina plant. The main activities envisaged during this initial phase concern the dismantling of the six boilers and the lowering of the reactor building height from 53 to 38 metres. Buildings and auxiliary systems will also be dismantled. These operations are in addition to those already carried out or in progress at the plant.

By the end of this phase, all previous radioactive wastes generated through the operation of the plant or those produced by the dismantling of structures, systems and plant components will be stored safely at the site. These wastes will be stored both in a new temporary storage facility and in some specifically adapted reactor building premises. This initial phase of decommissioning the Latina plant is expected to be completed in 2027 and to cost EUR270 million (USD284 million).

With the availability of a planned national repository, it will be possible to start the second and final phase of the decommissioning of the plant with the dismantling of the graphite gas reactor. Once all the radioactive waste has been transferred to the repository and the temporary storage facilities demolished, the site will be released, without radiological restrictions, and returned to the community for its reuse.

The project company planning to build two new AP1000 reactors at Bulgaria's Kozloduy nuclear power plant site has invited interested parties to participate in pre-qualification for the provision of engineering consulting services.

The project company, Kozloduy NPP–New Build EAD, is 100% owned by the state-owned Kozloduy NPP EAD, which operates the existing nuclear power plant.

Westinghouse's AP1000 has been selected as the technology for the two new units and in November Hyundai Engineering & Construction, Westinghouse and Kozloduy NPP-New Build signed an engineering contract for the new capacity, with Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov saying that signing the contract meant that schedule and finance details would be firmed up within 12 months for the new capacity.

According to the invitation notice: "In order to achieve the goals in a timely manner ... it is necessary for a significant number of experienced experts and technical resources to be involved in providing engineering and technical consulting services during the implementation of all the phases of the Project regarding unit 7 and unit 8. Within the scope of the required necessary engineering consultancy services, Kozloduy NPP-New Build EAD expects the Contractor to participate effectively and support the entire process of planning, management, implementation, control and coordination of all activities and processes related to the timely and qualitative performance of all the phases of the Project implementation, including those relating to the process of negotiating the scope and terms of the subsequent contract for engineering, procurement and construction of new nuclear units at the Kozloduy NPP site."

It stresses that the current phase is limited to pre-qualification of candidates "and does not have any impact on the scoring and ranking of candidates in the subsequent stages". It adds: "The candidates which comply with all the pre-qualification criteria will be invited to participate in the subsequent tender stage of the public procedure. In that second stage, the eligible candidates will receive detailed tender specification and will be invited to submit concrete tender offers. Following the evaluation of the submitted tender offers by the Owner and consequent negotiations, a contractor will be selected, and a services contract will be signed."

Its says any companies headquartered in, or with parent companies registered in Russia or China, "will not be considered".

The criteria being judged in the pre-qualification are the Technical capacity and reputation of the candidate - "The candidate should have deep knowledge and significant expertise and experience in engineering and construction management of nuclear units" - the Economic and Financial Status - candidates must demonstrate three years of positive net income and turnover exceeding USD50 million - and Other Considerations - which covers the need for a physical presence in Bulgaria and the expectation of "a certain local content from the successful contractor".

The deadline to submit prequalification documents is 16:30 Bulgarian time on 29 November.

The background

Kozloduy units 1-4 were VVER-440 models which the European Commission classified as non-upgradeable and Bulgaria agreed to close them during negotiations to join the European Union in 2007. Units 5 and 6 feature VVER-1000 reactors that were connected to the grid in 1987 and 1991, respectively. Both units have been through refurbishment and life-extension programmes to enable extension of operation from 30 to 60 years. The country's two operable reactors generate about one-third of its electricity.

The aim is for the first new Westinghouse AP1000 unit - unit 7 at Kozloduy - to be operational in 2035 and the second one - unit 8 - to be operational in 2037. The 2300 MWe capacity of the two new units would exceed the 1760 MWe capacity of the closed first four units. The Bulgarian government has also said that further units will be needed to replace units 5 and 6 by 2050.

Framatome's PROtect Enhanced Accident Tolerant Fuel chromium-coated M5Framatome cladding has become the world's first ATF technology to operate with full length fuel rods at a burnup rate above 60 GWd/tU.

Framatome's PROtect technology incorporates chromium-coated cladding, which significantly enhances oxidation resistance, improves mechanical performance at high temperatures, and reduces hydrogen generation in the unlikely event of a loss of cooling.

Fuel rods utilising Framatome's Enhanced Accident Tolerant Fuel E-ATF technology completed four 12-month cycles of operation at the Gösgen nuclear power plant in Switzerland earlier this year. The lead fuel rods consist of Framatome's advanced chromium coating added to the state-of-the-art M5Framatome zirconium alloy cladding, with uranium dioxide (UO2) fuel pellets for some and with UO2 chromia-enhanced fuel pellets for the others. The fuel assembly was fabricated at Framatome's fabrication facility in Lingen, Germany.

Visual examinations as well as dimensional changes measurement examinations were carried out during the plant's scheduled refuelling and maintenance outage in the spring. These confirmed expected results and excellent performance already observed at the end of the three previous cycles of these full-length chromium-coated lead fuel rods.

These lead fuel rods have now been reinserted for a fifth operational cycle, further expanding PROtect's demonstration of enhanced safety and economic potential for utilities.

"This is the latest demonstration of our PROtect technology advancement and of our commitment to bring new and innovative solutions to the market," said Lionel Gaiffe, senior executive vice president of Framatome's Fuel Business Unit. "The success of this project reflects the strong collaboration between Framatome and our customers, which is crucial for the industry and contributes to meeting future energy needs."

Framatome said its PROtect Enhanced Accident Tolerant Fuel programme has accumulated operational experience across six reactors globally, spanning five different reactor types.

Accident-tolerant fuel is a term used to describe new technologies that enhance the tolerance of light-water reactor fuel under severe accident conditions as well as offering improvements to reactor performance and economics. Such fuels may incorporate the use of new materials and designs for cladding and fuel pellets.

Three vendors - Framatome, GE Hitachi with GNF, and Westinghouse - are working with the US Department of Energy to develop new fuels under its Accident Tolerant Fuel Program.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority has officially ruled that unit 2 of the Tsuruga nuclear power plant in Fukui prefecture cannot be restarted as it does not comply with regulatory safety standards.

New regulatory standards announced in June 2013 prohibit reactor buildings and other important facilities being located above any active fault.

On two occasions - in May 2013 and March 2015 - a Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) panel of experts concluded that an active fault lies under the Tsuruga 2 reactor building. However, owner Japan Atomic Power Company (JAPC) has maintained that its own analysis has shown that the fault is not active and does not extend under the unit. In November 2015 it applied to the NRA for a review to restart the operation of Tsuruga 2.

An NRA review team presented the results of their confirmation of the activity of the fault at a meeting on 31 May this year, and the continuity of the fault at a meeting on 26 July. The team concluded that the possibility of an active fault running directly underneath the reactor building "cannot be denied". The regulator adopted the team's draft screening report in August.

Following a public comment period, the NRA has now ruled that the unit does not comply with the regulatory safety standards and can therefore not be restarted. It marks the first instance that such a decision has been made under the new regulations.

NRA Chairman Shinsuke Yamanaka was quoted by Jiji Press as saying "it was a big decision", adding that the decision "is not different at all from those made so far, in that we conducted strict screening from scientific and technical standpoints".

In a statement, JAPC said it was "disappointed" with the NRA's decision. "It did not recognise that the activity and continuity of the K fault found in the D-1 trench on the site of Tsuruga nuclear power plant unit 2 are in conformity with the new regulatory standards," it said.

"We will work toward reapplying for permission to change the installation of Tsuruga nuclear power plant unit 2 and starting operation," the utility added. "We will specify the content of the additional investigation required for the application, taking into account the opinions of external experts."

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have signed an agreement to expand their cooperation in nuclear energy as part of efforts to unlock investments in a low-carbon future.

The IAEA said in a statement that the agreement, signed on the sidelines of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (Cop29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, will expand existing partnership between the two organisations “beyond nuclear and radiation safety concerns”.

The move marks a shift in focus from traditional safety concerns towards capacity-building initiatives and developing energy policy, governance and financing frameworks, and mechanisms to reach net zero goals, the statement said.

“Together we are not only building on years of successful cooperation in nuclear safety, but we are opening new doors for capacity building, clean energy, and economic resilience,” said IAEA director-general Rafael Grossi.

“Partnering with financial institutions, like the EBRD, is essential to unlocking the investments needed for a low-carbon future,” he said.

Grossi highlighted the importance of partnerships with financial institutions and the private sector to scale up nuclear energy.

The IAEA said it invites government, industry, banks and other stakeholders to partner with the agency and to contribute their financial resources, expertise, industrial knowledge and advocacy.

The agency said countries can benefit from the IAEA-EBRD partnership’s activities in support nuclear and radiation safety and technical infrastructure, including the decommissioning of facilities and the management of radioactive waste.

The IAEA and EBRD have a longstanding commitment to nuclear decommissioning efforts across Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia, including ongoing projects in Ukraine, Bulgaria, Lithuania, and Slovakia, and environmental remediation in Central Asia.

Cold hydraulic testing has been completed on the primary and secondary circuits of Unit 1 of the Sanao nuclear power station in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang, the China Nuclear Energy Association (CNEA) said.

During cold testing the reactor coolant system was filled with water and pressurised above normal operating conditions, then lowered to normal design pressure while inspections took place to verify systems met design standards. This included checking that welds, joint pipes and other components did not leak under pressure.

CNEA said the completion of cold testing marks the full transition of the nuclear power unit from the installation stage to the commissioning stage.

Sanao, also known as Sanaocun or Zhejiang Sanao, has two domestic 1,117-MW Hualong One units under construction. Construction of Sanaocun-1 began in December 2020 and Sanaocun-2 a year later.

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

It is Beijing’s domestic flagship reactor technology, with 17 of the 28 reactor units under construction in China being of the Hualong One design. There are also two Hualong One plants in operation outside China, both at the Kanupp nuclear station in in Pakistan.

Electric cables in decommissioned nuclear power plants which were previously incinerated can now have their copper recovered using a new technique successfully trialled by Veolia.

The company says it has developed a method to safely handle the wires to dispose of the plastic coating which surrounds and protects the copper wire within it from radiation.

Veolia says that "standard thin gauge to heavy duty electrical cables will make up hundreds of tonnes of waste during the planned decommissioning across various projects" and an initial trial of 12 tonnes of cable that were stripped of their contaminated plastic coating found that the exposed cores of the wires were tested for radioactivity and found to be safe, producing four tonnes of copper for recycling.

Copper is used in many domestic appliances, computers, pipework, construction and numerous other places including musical instruments and statues. It is plentiful within the earth's crust but the amount which is currently deemed to be economically viable to be mined is about 60 years' worth, Veolia said.

It estimates that using the recycled copper from decommissioned nuclear power plants saves around 85% of the carbon emissions associated with copper sulphide extraction from large open pit mines.

Nicola Henshaw, Managing Director Hazardous at Veolia UK, said: "Utilising our expertise in decontamination, depollution and hazardous waste, part of our global GreenUp strategy, we’ve helped the nuclear industry significantly reduce its waste and salvage valuable materials. As more end of life nuclear facilities are decommissioned this new process represents a new way of capturing valuable resources from this industry. With pressure on the earth’s copper reserves, more demand from industry, and the need to reduce carbon emissions, this latest innovation marks an advance towards a circular economy."

The Veolia group has operations in 57 countries and employs more than 210,000 people across waste management, water management and energy services. Its operations in the UK include the decommissioning programme for Magnox nuclear reactors where its work ranges from initial surveys through decontamination to appropriate disposal.

A new jobs map published by EDF Energy shows the nuclear industry now supports 3500 jobs in the city of Bristol in southwest England. Many of these jobs have been supported by the Hinkley Point C project, with further new build projects expected to provide more.

The Bristol, nuclear city jobs map shows the extent of the jobs in dozens of businesses involved in engineering, manufacturing, logistics, training and research. Across the region, 27,000 jobs are now supported by nuclear - three times more than in 2014.

Engineering centres with hundreds of engineers have been developed at Aztec West business park in Bristol. They are due to expand to support Sizewell C in Suffolk, the UK's next nuclear project after Hinkley Point C in Somerset, EDF Energy noted. Plans to develop the Oldbury and Berkeley sites in Gloucestershire for small modular reactors offer further potential for growth in skilled jobs.

The figures show that more than 300 Bristol-based companies have won contracts at Hinkley Point C, worth more than GBP2 billion (USD2.6 billion). Framatome and construction firm Laing O'Rourke and have opened new factories in Avonmouth, employing 150 people, building modular parts for the Hinkley Point C project, while 650 engineers at the UK EPR Engineering centre based at Aztec West are designing Hinkley Point C and the next large nuclear power station project at Sizewell C.

The University of Bristol supports world-leading nuclear research and training, while training is also supported by the University of the West of England Bristol also benefits from facilities to support nuclear skills and the National College for Nuclear in Somerset, Bridgwater and Taunton College and South Gloucestershire and Stroud College.

"The South West went first with new nuclear at Hinkley Point C and Bristol is reaping the rewards," said Andrew Cockcroft, Head of Social Impact at Hinkley Point C. "The project has been a catalyst to attract new businesses and growth to the city, supporting thousands of highly skilled, well-paid jobs and making Bristol a national centre of nuclear expertise."

Phil Smith, Managing Director of Business West, added: "Bristol, the economic engine of the South West, sits at the centre of the region's new era of exciting expansion into the production of low-carbon energy. Tackling the UK's critical challenges of energy prices, energy resilience, and achieving net-zero, the region's burgeoning developments in offshore wind, EV batteries, and in particular new nuclear projects, will be dependent on Bristol's powerhouse of academia, engineering, and professional services.

"Business West is supporting the much-needed supply chain that new nuclear will rely on, including the critical component of an available and skilled workforce."

The US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is considering support for Poland’s project to build its first commercial nuclear power station with a loan of 4 billion zloty (about $979m, €920m).

The interest was confirmed in a letter of interest signed by the DFC, the US government’s development finance institution, on 12 November.

The DFC letter of interest is another key document related to the financing of the Polish project to build three Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear power plants at a site near the villages of Lubiatowo and Kopalino in Choczewo commune, Pomerania, a province in the north of Poland.

A similar declaration, for the equivalent of about $17bn, was made by the US Export-Import Bank (Exim Bank), following years of talks with Westinghouse, supported by PEJ and Bechtel.

Westinghouse and Bechtel jointly form a US consortium that will implement the nuclear project.

In March, Robert Rudich, energy attaché at the US embassy in Warsaw, said Exim Bank had sent a letter of interest for “a very large number of billions of dollars”. He said: “That is probably the lowest-cost debt financing available and it is an immensely powerful tool that we are bringing to this strategic project.”

“The involvement of the DFC has more than just a financial dimension for us,” said Wojciech Rosiński, finance division director at Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ), the state company set up to implement the nuclear project, including securing financing. “It confirms the US administration’s interest in our project,”

Nuclear LOI Follows ‘Months Of Talks’

Rosiński said that the letter of interest was the outcome of months of talks held between PEJ and the DFC.

Agnes Dasewicz, head of investments at DFC, said DFC is committed to enhancing regional energy security throughout Central and Eastern Europe

“This LOI is a step toward reducing regional reliance on Russian energy exports while also seeking to bolster economic growth and create jobs,” Dasewicz said.

DFC partners with the private sector to finance solutions to the most critical challenges facing the developing world. It invests across sectors including energy, healthcare, critical infrastructure and technology.

In November 2022, Warsaw chose US-based Westinghouse to supply its AP1000 pressurised water reactor technology for the construction of three units in Pomerania.

At the COP29 UN climate change conference taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan, six more countries - El Salvador, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Nigeria and Turkey - have added their support for the tripling of global nuclear energy capacity by 2050.

During COP28 - held in Dubai, UAE, in December last year - 24 countries backed a Ministerial Declaration calling for the tripling of global nuclear energy capacity by 2050. The heads of state, or senior officials, from Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Ghana, Hungary, Jamaica, Japan, South Korea, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine, the UAE, the UK and the USA signed the declaration on 2 December, with Armenia and Croatia also signing up during the summit.

The declaration says the countries recognise the need for a tripling of nuclear energy capacity to achieve "global net-zero greenhouse gas/carbon neutrality by or around mid-century and in keeping a 1.5°C limit on temperature rise within reach". It also recognises that "new nuclear technologies could occupy a small land footprint and can be sited where needed, partner well with renewable energy sources and have additional flexibilities that support decarbonisation beyond the power sector, including hard-to-abate industrial sectors".

On Wednesday, in an event co-organised by the COP29 Presidency, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the USA and World Nuclear Association, a further six countries signed the declaration. This brings the total number of countries endorsing the declaration to triple to 31.

"We warmly welcome these six new countries to the Coalition of the Ambitious," said World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y León. "Today's announcement highlights the essential role of nuclear energy in meeting the Paris Agreement goals in a cost-effective and equitable manner.

"Leadership requires a clear-eyed assessment of the here and now, but also the foresight to prepare for what the world will need not only in 2050, but in the decades after. The signatories to this declaration are making a long-term commitment. But it is a long-term commitment with a long-term pay off, providing energy certainty and reliability in an uncertain world."

World Nuclear Association noted the announcement "is the latest moment of recognition for the essential role of nuclear energy in achieving net-zero emissions". On Tuesday at COP, the US Administration issued a roadmap outlining plans for the deployment of 200 GW of nuclear capacity by 2050. Other recent developments have included the recognition of nuclear energy - for the first time in a major COP decision - among the solutions needed to keep the 1.5-degree goal within reach, as part of last year's Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement. In March, the IAEA and Belgium co-chaired the first Nuclear Energy Summit, in which countries highlighted the role of nuclear energy in reducing the use of fossil fuels, enhancing energy security, and boosting economic development. In September, at New York Climate Week, 14 of the world's largest banks and financial institutions from five countries signalled their support for tripling global nuclear capacity.

"Nuclear can now count on the world's biggest banks to back the growth of the nuclear industry," Bilbao y León said. "Nuclear has attracted the interest and investment of the world's largest and most advanced technology companies. And nuclear has ever-increasing support from the public, who recognise that in nuclear they have an answer to their demands for energy security, reliable supply and prices, and a response to climate change. This is truly a global coalition of the ambitious. And thank you all for being part of it."

World Nuclear Association and the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, with support from the IAEA's Atoms4NetZero and the UK government, launched the Net Zero Nuclear initiative in September 2023 seeking "unprecedented collaboration between government, industry leaders and civil society" ahead of COP28. The Net Zero Nuclear Industry Pledge, has been endorsed by more than 130 companies.

US president Joe Biden’s administration is setting out plans for the US to triple nuclear power capacity by 2050, with demand climbing for the technology as a round-the-clock source of carbon-free power.

Under a roadmap unveiled on 12 November, the US would deploy an additional 200 GW of nuclear energy capacity by mid-century through the construction of new reactors, plant restarts and upgrades to existing facilities. This would at least triple the current US capacity of about 97 GW.

The White House said it wants to “jump start the nuclear energy deployment ecosystem” with 35 GW of new capacity by 2035 that will be operating or under construction in the US.

It then wants to ramp up to a sustained pace of producing 15 GW per year in the US by 2040.

The strategy is part of a concerted push by the Biden administration to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, a goal the incoming Trump administration is likely to abandon.

However, increased deployment of nuclear power has bipartisan congressional support and president-elect Trump has signalled support, calling for the construction of new nuclear reactors during his 2024 campaign.

The roadmap relies on existing federal authorities, but would require new funding, leaving nuclear power’s bipartisan supporters in Congress to allocate that money.

In July, bipartisan support led to the enactment of a law giving the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission new tools to regulate advanced reactors, licence new fuels and evaluate breakthroughs in manufacturing that promise faster and cheaper buildouts.

The White House said: “These targets reflect ambitious but achievable goals to serve as a call to action for the nuclear energy industry and signal that the US government is working and will continue to work to facilitate the safe and responsible deployment of nuclear energy and related infrastructure and job creation.”

Ali Zaidi, the White House national climate adviser, said: “Over the last four years the United States has really established the industrial capacity and the muscle memory across the economy to carry out this plan.”

The roadmap says that during the 1970s and 1980s, the US successfully deployed approximately 100 GW of domestic nuclear power. The US nuclear energy industry continues to “lead the world” in nuclear power safety, security, innovation, operational performance, and non-proliferation, but has since fallen behind in deploying new nuclear power plants and faces increasing competition in the global marketplace for reactor exports.

Plans Call For Large-Scale Reactors And SMRs

A significant “potential deployment pathway” for new large reactors is using existing nuclear sites, the roadmap says. Adding new units to existing sites can reduce costs and construction times because site characterisation work is at least partially complete, a workforce is already in place, physical security is in place, and support from the local community is often present.

Among the 54 sites with operating reactors and 11 sites where reactors have retired, a recent Department of Energy study identified that 41 sites have the land, water, and other conditions to site up to 60 GW of new large reactors. Several of the 54 sites were originally designed for two or more reactors but only have one operating.

The roadmap also points to small modular reactors (SMRs), which it says have strong potential for resilient electricity and for industrial heat and hydrogen production.

Demand for nuclear is increasing as nations aim to accelerate the addition of low-emissions power sources, and as a result of rising electricity consumption by energy-intensive industries including data-processing for artificial intelligence.

Microsoft struck a deal in September for electricity that would be generated from a restarted Three Mile Island-1 nuclear plant in Pennsylvania. Google, Amazon and billionaire financier Ken Griffin are all among those to have recently expressed new interest in the development of nuclear energy.

Japanese regional utility Chugoku Electric Power has told the Nuclear Regulation Authority that it plans to restart Unit 2 at its Shimane nuclear power station in Shimane Prefecture, southwest Japan, on 7 December.

If the restart goes ahead, it will bring the number of reactors able to operate to 14 and boost the nation’s power supply this winter.

Shimane-2, the second boiling water reactor (BWR) unit to restart in Japan since the 2011 Fukushima disaster, was set to resume in August, but the restart was rescheduled due to essential safety upgrade work.

Shimane-2 is a 789-MW BWR unit of the same type as those that suffered meltdowns at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power station following the massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. The plant began commercial operation in 1989.

Unit 2 at Tohoku Electric Power Company’s Onagawa nuclear power station in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, was restarted on 29 October, becoming the first BWR in Japan to be go back online.

However, it was taken offline on 3 November due to an equipment malfunction. While a generator test was being carried out, an incident occurred in which a device for calibrating the detector that measures neutrons inside the reactor was stopped in the middle of the process.

Tohoku Electric said it had identified the cause of the incident, but has not yet said when it plans to restart the plant.

Before the Fukushima disaster Japan’s fleet of 54 nuclear plants generated about 30% of the country’s electricity, but were all shut down for safety checks following the accident.

Among the 33 operable nuclear reactors in Japan, 13 have now resumed operations after meeting post-Fukushima safety standards. The restarted plants are: Sendai-1 and -2, Genkai-3 and -4, Ikata-3, Mihama-3, Ohi-3 and -4, Onagawa-2 (temporarily offline) and Takahama-1, -2, -3 and -4.

In October, Japan’s new economy minister said the country will need to maximise the use of existing nuclear power plants because AI and data centres are expected to boost electricity demand.

Yoji Muto said the new administration will plan restarting as many reactors as possible so long as they are safe.

Muto’s comments point to a continuation of former prime minister Fumio Kishida’s policy that moved Japan back towards nuclear energy as a major power source.

Newly appointed prime minister Shigeru Ishiba, who succeeded Kishida on 1 October following the Liberal Democratic Party presidential election, had said during his election campaign that Japan should reduce its dependence on nuclear energy, but later said that he would support the restart of existing plants.

Texas A&M University is beginning the licensing process for potential sites at Texas A&M-RELLIS in Bryan, Texas, for multiple companies to test and construct the next generation of nuclear reactors - and says it will be the only higher education institution with a commercial reactor site licence in the USA.

The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents has agreed to notify the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission of the plan by submission of a letter of intent, which it says marks the beginning of a licensing process. "Reactor companies will benefit from the A&M System taking on the licensing burden," the university said. "The result will be a shorter path to getting their reactors up and running."

This "test-bed" supporting multiple reactors from various companies, could put additional power into the state's energy grid at a time of high demand, said John Sharp, chancellor of the Texas A&M System. He described the Texas A&M System - a statewide network of 11 universities - as "the missing piece of the puzzle" for the development of small modular reactors (SMRs).

The Texas A&M System has already gathered proposals from nuclear reactor companies that hope to construct reactors at Texas A&M-RELLIS, and said negotiations are expected to begin soon. There might also be additional opportunities for organisations "to take advantage of the A&M System's site for nuclear testing and the manufacturing of modular reactors", it said. It will announce the companies that are selected to carry out testing at Texas A&M-RELLIS "after negotiations are complete".

Texas A&M University is home to the largest nuclear engineering department of any university in the USA and the A&M System helps manage the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Pantex nuclear weapons plant. The TRIGA research reactor at the university's Nuclear Engineering & Science Center's celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2021

"From the people, to the land, to the enthusiasm to innovate, the Texas A&M System has everything we need to help the country meet its clean energy needs," Sharp said.

Chugoku Electric Power Company has announced that it plans to resume operation of unit 2 at its Shimane nuclear power plant on 7 December. The 789 MWe boiling water reactor has been offline since January 2012.

In June 2021, Shimane 2 became the 17th Japanese reactor to pass the regulator's safety screenings and the fifth boiling water reactor (BWR) - the same type as those at the Fukushima Daiichi plant - to receive regulatory approval to restart.

Following approvals by the cities of Matsue, Izumo, Yasugi and Unnan, in June 2022 the governor of Shimane prefecture approved the restart of Shimane 2. His approval marked the completion of the process to gain the consent of local communities for the unit to resume operation.

In early October, Chugoku released a revised schedule for the restart of the unit. It said the reactor was expected to restart in early December, with power generation scheduled to begin in late December. The reactor will resume commercial operation in January 2025.

The utility has now specified that the unit will be restarted on 7 December.

Chugoku began loading fuel into the core of Shimane 2 on 28 October. The process of loading the 560 fuel assemblies was completed on 3 November.

Unit 2 at Tohoku Electric Power Company's Onagawa nuclear power plant was restarted on 29 October, becoming the first BWR in Japan to be restarted. However, the unit was taken offline on 3 November due to malfunctioning equipment. While a generator test was being conducted, an incident occurred in which a device for calibrating the detector that measures neutrons inside the reactor was stopped in the middle of the process.

Today, Tohoku said that it had identified the cause of the incident - "the connection between the expansion joint inside the reactor containment vessel and the guide pipe used to feed the detector cable into the reactor had become detached" due to a nut not being sufficiently tightened.

The utility has not yet said when it plans to restart the reactor again.

Great British Nuclear (GBN) said it had started detailed negotiations on 11 November with the final four shortlisted bidders into the UK’s small modular reactor (SMR) programme.

The four companies, GE Hitachi, Holtec, Rolls-Royce SMR and Westinghouse, have been shortlisted following two rounds of assessment by GBN, the government’s nuclear delivery body.

GBN will negotiate with all four before final tenders are submitted, with final decisions to be taken in the spring.

The government said in a statement that to reach this stage, each of the four designs was subject to a “robust analysis”. GBN has evaluated each technology, including aspects such as safety, deliverability, and their ability to support development of a fleet of SMRs.

“GBN considers the designs, each of which is proceeding through the UK’s regulatory process, are viable options for development,” the statement said.

“Subject to negotiations, GBN consider any one of these designs would be fit to use in the UK nuclear programme.”

GBN’s chair, Simon Bowen said: “This is a significant moment for the SMR programme. Our technical experts have assessed each design in detail and are very confident these SMRs could play a key role in the UK’s future energy mix.

“The negotiation phase will enable us to select the absolute best technologies on the best terms for the UK.”

The two companies that were on an initial list of six, but were not included in the list of four, were EDF and US-based NuScale Power.

French state-owned utility and nuclear operator EDF said in July that it had pulled out of the competition after deciding to shift away from its indigenous Nuward technology to a design based on proven technology only.

The UK government gave no reason for NuScale’s failure to make the list of four. In November 2023, NuScale cancelled its first SMR project, in the US, as costs increased.