Nuclear Engineering International’s Post

Danish molten salt reactor developer copenhagen atomics and Switzerland’s Paul Scherrer Institute have signed a collaboration agreement for a thorium molten salt critical experiment to validate the technology and provide experience for design, construction, and data collection for commercial deployment. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ey-8U_5M #NEI #nuclearpower #nuclearenergy #advancedreactors

Four lead test assemblies with 3D-printed bottom nozzles, manufactured by Westinghouse Electric Corporation are being tested at Alabama Power Company's Joseph M. Farley nuclear power plant, demonstrating a 30% improvement in debris resistance and potentially reducing fuel rod leaks in pressurized water reactors. Read more: https://lnkd.in/evuauaDp #NEI #NuclearPower #NuclearEnergy #3DPrinting #NuclearInnovation

EDF is to prioritize existing proven technologies and revise the design of its Nuward SMR in order to guarantee that project deadlines and budgets are met. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e3v6nVbD #NEI #nuclearpower #nuclearenergy #SMR

⚡ Welcome to this week's LinkedIn newsletter from the team at Nuclear Engineering International. Another busy week for the sector with the industry to move forward at pace. Enjoy the highlights in the attached #nuclearengineeringinternational #nuclearpower #nuclearenergy

12,000 WORKERS DRIVE RAPID PROGRESS AT HINKLEY POINT C Hinkley Point C nuclear power station construction is advancing rapidly, with approximately 12,000 workers now on site preparing for the installation of the first reactor in Unit 1, with reports that work on the second reactor unit is progressing 20%-30% faster than the first, thanks to improved methods and learning from experience. Innovations include a new welding technique that is four times faster and increased modularization for more efficient factory-based work. The final ring for reactor 2 will be installed later this year, with the dome following in 2025. The project has already invested over £5 billion in the South West economy, engaging 3,800 British businesses. Additionally, 8,000 people have received training at the project's three Centres of Excellence. These advancements and lessons learned at Hinkley Point C are being incorporated into plans for the proposed Sizewell C project in Suffolk, potentially improving efficiency and reducing costs for future nuclear power station construction in the UK. #NEI #NuclearPower #NuclearEnergy #NuclearIndustry #EnergyInfrastructure

SWEDEN TAKES ACTION ON IMPROPER DISPOSAL OF RADWASTE AT FORSMARK REPOSITORY Sweden's Radiation Safety Authority (SSM) has ordered seven companies, including the country's three nuclear power stations, to properly dispose of radioactive waste that may have been improperly stored in the final repository for short-lived low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (SFR) at Forsmark. The SSM identified 75 containers with 2,844 barrels likely containing low- and medium-level radioactive waste incorrectly stored between the 1980s and 2001. The waste, originally intended for ocean disposal, may include radioactive substances, unknown liquids, and potentially chemical and biological materials not permitted in the repository. The affected companies, including Forsmark, Oskarshamn, and Ringhals nuclear power stations, must analyze the contents and ensure proper disposal or temporary storage by 1st September 2029. The SSM emphasized that improperly deposited waste could have long-term negative radiation safety consequences for people and the environment, necessitating this action. #NEI #NuclearSafety #RadwasteManagement #RadiationSafety

UKRAINE BOOSTS CHORNOBYL SAFETY WITH NEW INTERNATIONAL PACT The international community and Ukraine are entering a new phase of cooperation on nuclear safety and decommissioning, particularly focused on the Chornobyl nuclear power station. This development follows the Ukrainian parliament's ratification of the International Chornobyl Cooperation Account (ICCA) framework agreement in June 2024, allowing for a broader range of nuclear safety activities. Norway has demonstrated its continued support by pledging an additional €5.6 million to the ICCA. Donors also approved new funding for projects to enhance spent nuclear fuel storage safety and optimize liquid radioactive waste management at Chornobyl. Balthasar Lindauer, EBRD Director of Nuclear Safety, emphasized the importance of this renewed international support, especially in light of the challenges posed by the Russian military occupation of the Chornobyl exclusion zone in March 2022. The EBRD remains committed to supporting Chornobyl's decommissioning and safety efforts, ensuring that years of progress in international cooperation are not lost. The ICCA, established in 2020 by the EBRD at Ukraine's request, has expanded its scope since the start of the war to address safety and security restoration within the Chornobyl exclusion zone and broader nuclear safety measures across Ukraine. #NEI #nuclearenergy #nuclearpower #nuclearsafety #radiationsafety

CONSTELLATION IN TALKS TO REVIVE THREE MILE ISLAND NUCLEAR PLANT US power company Constellation is in discussions with Pennsylvania officials to potentially restart part of its Three Mile Island nuclear power facility, according to a report by news agency Reuters. The talks, described as "beyond preliminary," focus on reviving Unit 1, which operated from 1974 to 2019, and is separate from the unit that experienced a partial meltdown in 1979. The initiative comes amid growing power demands, especially from the technology sector, which has renewed interest in nuclear energy as a low-carbon electricity source. A spokesperson for Constellation confirmed that restarting the unit is technically feasible but emphasized that no decision has been made due to various economic, commercial, operational, and regulatory considerations. The company has already completed an engineering study of the site. A recently restarted Michigan nuclear plant, which received a $1.5 billion conditional loan from the Biden administration, could serve as a model for a public-private partnership at Three Mile Island. However, the project is expected to face challenges, including high costs, logistical hurdles, and potential public opposition over safety concerns. #NEI #NuclearPower #NuclearEnergy #NuclearSafety

IAEA CHIEF URGES WORLD BANK TO HELP FINANCE NEW NUCLEAR PROJECTS International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has called on the World Bank and other multi-national development banks to begin financing new nuclear energy projects as part of global efforts to achieve rapid decarbonization. Speaking to World Bank board members in Washington recently, Grossi emphasized the need for technical and financial support for countries seeking to incorporate nuclear energy into their energy mix. Grossi highlighted that while the IAEA provides technical expertise to countries developing nuclear power programs, financing remains a significant obstacle. He urged multilateral development banks to contribute to sustainable development by assessing nuclear project bankability and offering affordable lending rates. The appeal comes in the wake of a pledge made at COP28 in December, where over 20 countries backed a goal to triple nuclear energy capacity. This pledge included a call for international financial institutions to consider including nuclear energy in their lending policies. The IAEA estimates that achieving the International Energy Agency's target of doubling nuclear energy capacity by 2050 would require more than doubling annual investment in nuclear power to $100 billion. #NEI #NuclearEnergy #NuclearPower #EnergyFinance #Decarbonization Image courtesy of D. Candano Laris/IAEA