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power levels of 5%, 15% and 20% after which the first turbo-generator was launched and the unit began to supply electricity to the grid. The new unit will provide approximately
13% of total electricity consumption. Unit 4 is expected to be completed in 2024. Construction of the first two 471 MWe VVER units at the four-unit Mochovce plant began in 1982. Construction of units 3&4, which started in 1986, was frozen in 1992. Units 1&2 began operation in 1998 and 1999 and work to complete units 3&4 resumed in 2009 but faced a series of delays. The final design includes many upgrades to safety and security, introduced in the wake of the Fukushima accident. Meanwhile, ÚJD has received a request from
Jadrová Energetická Spoločnosť Slovenska (JESS) for a siting permit for a new NPP. It will be located near the existing Bohunice NPP in Jaslovské Bohunice. JESS plans to apply for a construction licence
for the plant at the end of 2025 and construction work is scheduled to start in 2031.
Japan Operation beyond 60 years approved Japan’s Cabinet has formally adopted a policy approving the operation of nuclear reactors beyond their current 60-year limit. It also allows construction of new units to replace ageing ones in order to cut carbon emissions while ensuring energy security. The government’s “green transformation”
policy features extensive use of nuclear power along with renewable energy and marks a major policy shift. Public sentiment turned against nuclear power following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident. The government had repeatedly subsequently given assurances that it was not considering building new reactors or replacing existing ones. In the wake of the accident, Japan decided that the life span of nuclear reactors should be 40 years, in principle, while allowing an extension of up to 20 years in some circumstances. However, opinion has softened following the sharp rise in global energy prices caused by the sanctions imposed on Russia. Japan relies heavily on fossil fuel imports, prompting a reconsideration of nuclear power. Bills necessary to implement the new policy have been submitted to parliament. The government also plans to raise about JPY20,000bn ($152bn) through the issue of green transformation bonds. It estimates public and private investment of over JPY150,000bn will be necessary over the next 10 years. The new policy will be implemented by excluding time spent on inspections and other offline periods from consideration when calculating the entire service life of a reactor. Replacing old reactors with advanced ones,
regarded as safer than conventional units, will be allowed only at existing NPP sites where units are destined for decommissioning. The government aims to begin operating next- generation reactors in the 2030s.
Ukraine Cameco in major uranium supply deal Ukrainian nuclear utility Energoatom and Canada’s Cameco Corporation have agreed the commercial terms for a major uranium supply contract. Cameco will provide sufficient volumes of natural uranium hexafluoride (UF6) (including uranium and conversion services), to meet Ukraine’s nuclear fuel needs until 2035. Finalisation of the 12-year contract is anticipated in the first quarter of 2023 although key commercial terms, such as pricing mechanism, volume and tenor, have already been agreed. However, the contract “will contain a
required degree of flexibility, given present circumstances in Ukraine,” Cameco noted. Although financial terms of the contract are confidential and will not be released, Cameco President & CEO Tim Gitzel said the total dollar figure is in the multi-billion-dollar range. Cameco will supply 100% of Energoatom’s UF6
requirements for the nine nuclear reactors at its Rivne, Khmelnitsky and South Ukraine NPPs for the duration of the contract. This represents combined requirements of approximately 15.3m KgU as UF6. There is also an option for Cameco to also supply the six reactors at Zaporizhia, should it return to Energoatom. If this option were exercised in 2024, ZNPP would require roughly 10.4m KgU as UF6. Gitzel noted the agreement has the potential
to be the single largest supply contract in Cameco’s history, and that, with Ukraine and other European countries previously purchasing fuel from Russia, the war had created the opportunity.
United States Centrus tests HALEU cascade Centrus Energy Corp has completed construction of a demonstration cascade of advanced uranium enrichment centrifuges and major supporting systems in Piketon, Ohio. This is a step towards US first-of-a-kind production of High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) planned for the end of 2023, assuming it completes the remaining support systems and obtains final approval from the NRC. This will be the first new US technology enrichment plant to begin production in 70 years. HALEU is an advanced nuclear fuel required
for most of the next-generation reactor designs currently under development. Nine of the 10 designs selected for funding under the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP) will need HALEU. This includes two demonstration reactors – Terrapower’s Natrium sodium- cooled fast reactor and X-energy’s Xe-100 high temperature gas-cooled reactor. However, currently the only company able to supply HALEU fuel is Russia’s Techsnabexport (Tenex). As part of a previous, cost-shared contract,
Centrus had been deploying its AC100M centrifuges in Piketon and says it is also investigating scaling up the facility. ■
round up
SAFETY AND SECURITY THE AKKUYU NPP, currently under construction in Türkiye, was not damaged by the major earthquake that recently struck central Türkiye and northwest Syria, according to Rosatom. Earth tremors of about magnitude 3 were felt but no damage was revealed to building structures, cranes and equipment.
NUCLEAR FUEL US-BASED NANO Nuclear Energy has been selected as a founding member of the US Department of Energy’s HALEU (high-assay low-enriched uranium) Consortium. This came after Nano Nuclear earlier established a new subsidiary - HALEU Energy Fuel. Centrus Energy, Dow Chemical, TerraPower, and the Nuclear Energy Institute were also announced as founding members.
CHICAGO BASED CLEAN Core Thorium Energy and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission are planning a pre-licensing review of the Clean Core’s advanced nuclear fuel. The ANEEL fuel design uses thorium and High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU).
USED FUEL ORANO NPS, A subsidiary of France’s Orano Group has been selected by Swiss utility Axpo to supply its TN Eagle casks for the entire operating period of the Leibstadt NPP. The TN Eagle is Orano NPS’s latest-generation cask for used fuel transportation and dry storage. The cask is assembled more rapidly due to an innovative weld-free design and manufacturing processes.
US-BASED DEEP Isolation EMEA Ltd has been awarded a grant by the UK to develop a corrosion-resistant canister for deep disposal of used nuclear fuel. The project is a collaboration between the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, the University of Sheffield and US-based NAC International.
ISOTOPES RUSSIA’S SMOLENSK NPP has sent to Leningrad NPP the first ever batch of cobalt-60 (CO-60) in four containers. Co-60 is used as ionising radiation sources for irradiators that sterilise medical devices, food and other products.
US-BASED SHINE Medical Technologies has received the final supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS) from the US NRC for a licence to operate a medical isotope production facility in Janesville, Wisconsin. NRC said it will consider both the EIS and the final safety evaluation report in issuing the licence.
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