2019 - A Wish List in Nuclear EnergyANS Nuclear CafeJanuary 10, 2019, 3:54PM|Will DavisWelcome to 2019! I hope everyone who took a break enjoyed it. For those who didn't, why didn't you? Initially, I had thoughts of trying to separate from social media and news to a significant extent during the holidays but, after conversations with Linda Zec (our wonderful ANS staff liaison for the Social Media Team, among many other things) decided that it was impractical to do so for a variety of reasons. So, as the holiday furor ebbed and flowed and I continued, still connected, to read news and year-end summations, I found myself wishing that there wouldn't be so much frustrating news in 2019. That's why I decided to open my eighth calendar year writing for the ANS Nuclear Cafe with a wish list, or "listicle" in the inside jargon, if you prefer. Here, in ascending order of importance (or, I suppose, increasing order of unlikelihood) are my five wishes for this new year in nuclear energy. (All on one screen; no annoying "next" buttons. You're welcome.)#5: ZEC. Zero Emission Credits seem right now to be the hot ticket in keeping operating plants going, and we see what looks like a trend in the use of these in at least two states right now. I'd like to see this sort of policy become standard nationwide. This isn't to take away state's rights, instead, it's the notion that ALL the states would begin to understand that there must be reliable, dispatchable power and that keeping existing nuclear running wherever possible is essential. So, I'd like to see a majority of states devise, debate, consider and adopt ZEC each of their own design with the purpose (either primary or inclusive in nature) of preserving these nuclear plants this year.#4: K-K 6 and 7. TEPCO in Japan desperately needs to restart the two ABWR units at its western Kashiwazaki-Kariwa site in order to attempt to get off the public dole, much less return to profit. While the struggling company has made some progress to that end, it continues to bog with issues both at Fukushima and in the arena of public opinion. This year, I'd like to see TEPCO form and launch a concrete plan to upgrade these units as required by the new regulations and set a firm-as-possible restart date for these units to actually pull rods within the next two years.#3: Anyone, anywhere? I'd like to see, in 2019, at least one major U.S. utility announce that it is still considering, which is to say "keeping the option open," to construct a gigawatt-class commercial nuclear power plant. The collapse of the V. C. Summer expansion and resultant flailing coupled with the overruns at Vogtle have caused many to write off anything that isn't SMR or Gen-IV. I think (as my readers know all too well) that this is a mistake. My first hope would be DTE and Fermi Unit 3, but frankly I'm not picky. Even a couple Japanese utilities are moving to complete yet-unfinished plants and have at least discussed launching construction of plants announced but not built. It's worth some hope, at least. (It's a pretty thin hope when all you want is one announcement of 'still considering,' but that's the nuclear energy environment we're actually in now, not the one we would wish for.)#2: Second SMR. It's wonderful that NuScale is dedicated now to build a prototype plant at NRTS - whoops, INL - to demonstrate its truly innovative concept for small nuclear reactor AND POWER PLANT construction. (Emphasis included because this is an extremely important point.) What I'd like to see this year is a second firm commitment from a commercial user, not connected to Federal support with the possible exception of loan guarantees, to launch the EIS and begin the licensing process for a second NuScale SMR power plant- in the United States.#1: South Korea comes around. The continued drive by Moon Jae-In to shut down South Korea's nuclear plants and kill future construction of any more has not only pushed national electricity generator-and-supplier KEPCO into the red but also seriously damaged the nation's ability to export nuclear plants. For decades, South Korea sought to become what Japan was - namely, a world renowned producer and exporter of quality products. In that model, the selection of vast amounts of inexpensively generated nuclear power was key, exactly as was the case with Japan. The knee-jerk, unwarranted overreaction to the Fukushima accident led to the election of Moon Jae-In in part on a pro-renewables, anti-nuclear platform. (Aside: Note that while many nuclear proponents here in the U.S. exhort the community not to bash renewables but instead to try to make nuclear and renewables get along, Moon Jae-In was elected in part on exactly the opposite premise: Renewables should come and nuclear should go. Think about that.) What's happened now of course is that South Korea's overall commitment to nuclear energy is seriously in question enough that export of its gigawatt-scale commercial nuclear plants is increasingly unlikely. This terrible reversal of fortune for the Korean nuclear enterprise isn't isolated; the government's policies are damaging many areas of Korean business and society. As my primary wish I'd like to see Moon come around and admit that this anti-nuclear policy is a clear mistake and reverse it. It couldn't be more clear that the public in Korea wants the nuclear plants and low-energy price. Heck, there are even communities where nuclear plants were to be built which are now in an uproar because they were cancelled. How often has THAT happened, historically? Moon Jae-In and his party need to reverse course on the nuclear energy policy for the good of the nation's industry, economy, and people.Well, there they are, the five things I would like to see happen, which I probably will not hold my breath for but will continue to watch. If you have any wishes for 2019, or a constructive comment, please leave that for me in the comments below. Next week, I'll be returning to my usual article format with more technical-historical content.Tags:american nuclear societygen-ivjapankashiwazaki-kariwakepcomoon jae-innuclearnuclear powernuscalesmrsouth koreatepcounited statesv.c. summervogtlewill daviszeczero emissions creditShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Biden taps Janet McCabe to serve as deputy at EPAMcCabeThe incoming Biden administration plans to appoint Janet McCabe to serve as deputy administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, The Hill reported early Friday.McCabe previously served as the acting assistant administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation at the EPA for much of the Obama administration.Go to Article
More adjustments to Vogtle milestone dates likelyThe initial shipment of nuclear fuel for Unit 3 arrives at the Vogtle site in December. Photo: Georgia PowerLargely as a result of the continuing COVID-19 crisis, the Vogtle reactor-construction project team expects to further adjust dates for achieving key project milestones, including the start of hot functional testing and fuel load for Unit 3, Southern Company subsidiary Georgia Power announced on January 11.The company added, however, that it continues to expect to bring Unit 3 into service this November and Unit 4 into service in November 2022. Additional updates on the project will be provided during Southern’s quarterly earnings call next month.Go to Article
Holtec SMR could be built at Oyster Creek siteThe site of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station in Lacey Township, N.J., could be the location for Holtec International’s SMR-160 small modular reactor, according to an AP News story published last week.ARDP investment: Holtec received $147.5 million in Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program funding to demonstrate its SMR design. Company spokesperson Joe Delmar said, “As part of our application to the Department of Energy for its advanced reactor demonstration program, we expressed interest in possibly locating an SMR-160 small modular reactor at the Oyster Creek decommissioning site in the future. This concept is only preliminary and something we would likely discuss with Lacey Township and the community if plans to locate (the reactor) at Oyster Creek evolve.”Go to Article
When adverse action meets protected activity: Protecting employees and employers while upholding safety cultureWorkers in nuclear must be free to report potential problems without fear of retaliation. When it comes to issuing adverse actions, employers have a responsibility to ensure that protected activity rights are not infringed.Go to Article
Canada unveils ambitious plan for SMRsDeclaring small modular reactors to be “the next innovation that will help us reach net-zero emissions by 2050,” Canadian Minister of Natural Resources Seamus O’Regan last week introduced his government’s SMR Action Plan at a virtual event live-streamed on YouTube.Go to Article
Congress set to pass year-end funding billThe final text of the approximately 5,600-page Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 was released on December 22. While the timing of final passage is still fluid, the Senate was expected to approve it and send it on to President Trump to sign into law, according to John Starkey, American Nuclear Society government relations director.Below are some key funding highlights from the legislation pertaining to nuclear energy.Go to Article
Study completed on BWRX-300 deployment in PolandThe completion of a study assessing the feasibility of deploying a fleet of GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s (GEH) BWRX-300 small modular reactors in Poland was announced recently by the Polish firm Synthos Green Energy (SGE). The feasibility study, which was prepared by Exelon Generation, was not made publicly available by SGE. The study covers the analysis of key aspects of SMR technology implementation, including cost issues, personnel policy, regulatory and security issues, construction models, and operational issues, according to SGE.SGE is a subsidiary of Synthos S.A., a manufacturer of synthetic rubber and one of the biggest producers of chemical raw materials in Poland. According to SGE, it views SMR technology as an opportunity for the deep decarbonization of Polish industry and the country's heating sector.Go to Article
EU Taxonomy to Include Nuclear Energy as Sustainable Energy Source ANS PositionA PDF version of the letter can be downloaded here. I write on behalf of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) to recommend the EU’s inclusion of nuclear energy as a sustainable energy source securing Europe’s prosperous future. ANS and the 10,000 nuclear technology professionals it represents are committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit humanity.Go to Article
Advanced reactors take center stage in Popular MechanicsThe January/February 2021 issue of Popular Mechanics hit subscriber mailboxes this week with a stark cover image of a single small reactor under the headline, “Tiny nuclear reactors are about to revolutionize American energy.” The story looks at advanced reactors as a pivotal step to “redeem nuclear’s stature in American energy.”A good primer: The article does a good job introducing the casual reader to the idea that “bigger is no longer better” and that the future of nuclear power in the United States will most likely be “a combination of traditional large plants and smaller, safer megawatt reactors.”Advanced reactors, including small modular reactors, show that nuclear is no longer a one-size-fits-all operation, the article notes. The industry now “is all about personalization,” says Ken Canavan, Westinghouse’s chief technical officer, who is quoted in the article. The capacity and scalability of SMRs “is just irreplaceable,” he adds.The article explains that SMRs, microreactors, and other advanced reactor designs will be able to bring reliable, carbon-free power to small or remote locations, replacing fossil fuel power plants and supplementing the “resource-sucking downtimes left by renewables.”Go to Article
First fuel shipment for Vogtle-3 deliveredSouthern Company subsidiary Georgia Power has announced the receipt of the initial shipment of nuclear fuel for Vogtle-3, characterizing the event as a “major step” for the two-unit nuclear expansion project currently under way at the Vogtle nuclear power plant near Waynesboro, Ga.Next step: With the receipt of the first nuclear fuel assemblies, the project is now focused on one of the major milestones for Unit 3, hot functional testing, the last critical step before fuel load and, ultimately, in-service operation, Georgia Power said.In October, Vogtle plant operator Southern Nuclear announced a readjustment of its July 2020 “aggressive site schedule” dates for Unit 3 hot functional testing, fuel load, and commercial operation. The dates were moved from October 2020, December 2020, and May 2021, respectively, to January 2021, April 2021, and the third quarter of 2021. Southern Nuclear said that hot functional testing could start as late as the end of March 2021 and fuel load as late as mid-year 2021 without jeopardizing Vogtle-3’s November 2021 regulatory approved in-service date.Go to Article