| NEWS


COP28 agrees to accelerate nuclear


“Whilst we didn’t turn the page on the fossil fuel era in Dubai, this outcome is the beginning of the end,” said UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell in his closing speech. “Now all governments and businesses need to turn these pledges into real-economy outcomes, without delay.” The World Nuclear Association (WNA)


Above: Delegates in Dubai agreed to transition away from fossil fuels


The 28th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28) ended in Dubai with a lengthy agreement unanimously adopted by all parties calling for a transitioning away from fossil fuels and an acceleration of zero- and low-emission technologies. Although nuclear was included, it was mentioned just once in paragraph 28, sub- section (e) of the 197-paragraph text. Paragraph 28 recognises the need for deep,


rapid and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in line with 1.5 °C pathways and calls on the parties to contribute to the


following global efforts: ● Tripling renewable energy capacity globally and doubling the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030;


● Accelerating efforts towards the phase-down of unabated coal power;


● Accelerating efforts globally towards net zero emission energy systems, utilising zero- and low-carbon fuels well before or by around mid-century;


● Transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science;


● Accelerating zero- and low-emission technologies, including, inter alia, renewables, nuclear, abatement and removal technologies such as carbon capture and utilization and storage, particularly in hard- to-abate sectors, and low-carbon hydrogen production;


● Accelerating and substantially reducing non- carbon-dioxide emissions globally, including in particular methane emissions by 2030;


● Accelerating the reduction of emissions from road transport on a range of pathways, including through development of infrastructure and rapid deployment of zero and low-emission vehicles;


● Phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that do not address energy poverty or just transitions, as soon as possible.


stressed that this was the first time nuclear energy had been formally specified as one of the solutions to climate change in a COP agreement. “This marks a 180° turn-around in the treatment of nuclear energy in the COP process, from the lone technology excluded from the Kyoto Protocol mechanisms to COP28’s inclusion among a range of zero and low- emissions technologies,” said WNA Director General Sama Bilbao y León. Although nuclear clearly did not figure at


all prominently in the final declaration, it was the subject of a number of key events and statements during the 12-day conference. Some 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, Japan, South Korea, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine, the UAE, the UK and the USA signed that declaration on 2 December, with Armenia and Croatia adding their signatures later. 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”. Subsequently, the Net Zero Nuclear Industry


Pledge committed to at least tripling nuclear capacity by 2050. Companies from more than 140 countries signed up to the pledge, committing to support the same expansion of nuclear energy as the governments that backed the Ministerial Declaration. “We established the Net Zero Nuclear initiative this year to give the global nuclear industry a more visible presence at COP, uniting pragmatic action from governments, industry and civil society,” said Bilbao y León. “It is now time to move on from pledges and goals to delivering the rapid acceleration in global nuclear capacity needed to achieve net-zero,” she added. ■


round up


NEW BUILD INDIA’S ATOMIC ENERGY Regulatory Board (AERB) has granted permission for the first approach to criticality of unit 4 at the Kakrapar NPP in Gujarat based on satisfactory outcome of the requisite safety reviews. Kakrapar 4 is the second unit of the indigenous designed and built 700 MWe pressurised heavy water NPPs being constructed in India.


US-BASED WESTINGHOUSE has signed an agreement with Ukraine on the purchase of equipment for the expansion of Khmelnitsky NPP. The agreement was signed by Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko, nuclear utility Energoatom President Petro Kotin and Westinghouse CEO Patrick Fragman.


SOUTH AFRICA INTENDS to launch a bidding process for an extra 2,500 MWe of nuclear power by March after getting approval from the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa). South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) plans to issue requests for proposals by March 2024.


ALL FOUR STEAM generators have been installed at unit 2 of Russia’s Kursk-II NPP. Installation was carried out through the opening for the transport gateway. The equipment was lifted with a Caterpillar to the transport portal, then loaded onto a specialised transportation trolley for delivery to the central hall of the reactor building.


PLANT OPERATION THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC Utilities Commission (CPUC) has agreed to allow the Diablo Canyon NPP to operate for an additional five years, despite calls from environmental groups for its closure. The CPUC voted to extend the shutdown date to 2030 instead of closing it in 2025 as previously agreed. See page 14 for more on the Diablo Canyon life extension programme.


FRENCH POWER GROUP Engie and the Belgian federal government have signed a definitive agreement on the extension of unit 4 at the Doel NPP and unit 3 at the Tihange NPP. The text of the agreement was finalised earlier in December and has now received all the required approvals.


A NEW CHEMICAL laboratory has been commissioned at the Akkuyu NPP construction site in Turkiye to conduct high-accurate water monitoring, which will be used in the NPP operation and equipment flushing during the preparation stage for start-up of the units.


www.neimagazine.com | January 2024 | 7


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45