NEWS |
round up
PLANT OPERATION JAPAN’S SENDAI DISTRICT Court has rejected local residents’ calls to prevent restart of unit 2 at Tohoku Electric Power Co’s Onagawa NPPa in Miyagi Prefecture. Tohoku Electric Power Co aims to resume operations of Onagawa 2 in February 2024. All three reactors at the Onagawa plant were shut down following the March 2011 massive earthquake and tsunami. Unit 2 cleared national safety screening in February 2020 and later won local consent to resume operations.
UPGRADES
CZECH NUCLEAR UTILITY launched a tender for two new generators for the Temelín NPP. They are expected to increase output from 1125 MWe to 1150 MWe and will have a lifespan of some generators between 2028 and 2030. The current generators have been in operation since the plant’s two units were launched in 2000 and 2002.
REGULATION AND LAW AN INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC Energy Agency Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission said the Czech Republic is committed to maintaining and strengthening its robust regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety. The team also identified areas for possible improvements. This was the second full scope IRRS mission hosted by the Czech Republic. The previous one
took place in 2013 with a follow up in 2017. The mission was conducted at the request of the Czech government.
United Kingdom
COVVI and Atkins plan robotic hand UK-based COVVI, which develops prosthetic hands and Atkins, part of Canada’s SNC- Lavalin Group, have signed an agreement to develop a robotic solution intended to deliver near-human dexterity for use in nuclear environments. The companies will adapt COVVI’s bionic hand, originally developed for people with an upper limb difference. The hand, or ‘end effector’, will be attached
to a robotic arm and will enable workers to perform dangerous manipulations remotely, even when a high level of dexterity is required. The product will be integrated into Atkins’ collaborative robotic solutions in the nuclear sector. These include its use in glovebox operations to handle nuclear materials and waste, avoiding the need for operators to place their hands in gloveboxes. The two firms have been working together for
the last six months to develop the integration between the robotic hand and collaborative robots such as Kinova’s Gen3 arm. Atkins is also developing a digital twin to rehearse and pre- plan glovebox activity to increase efficiency. Sam Stephens, Head of Digital, Nuclear,
SNC-Lavalin, said: “Robotics hold huge potential for the nuclear sector and we expect their use to become increasingly common over the coming decade as the industry seeks to improve safety, increase efficiency and address increasing skills shortages.” He added: “The new robotic hand has the potential to reduce risk and improve productivity for nuclear operators.” The use of a bionic hand and application
of COVVI’s expertise in biomimicry aims to significantly increase durability and functionality compared with current solutions. It will more closely replicate human dexterity. The remote control of robotics (teleoperation) will also reduce the presence of humans in hazardous areas and enable glovebox operations to continue over longer periods, minimising risk and speeding up project delivery. It should also free up time for site operators to focus on other high priority, skilled activity.
Japan Reassessment of Fukushima risks Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has ordered plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) to urgently assess the risks of a possible collapse at unit 1 of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi NPP, and to formulate emergency measures as soon as possible to avoid any radioactive leakage. Videos taken during a robotic probe in March showed that the pedestal of unit 1’s containment vessel, the main supporting structure directly under its core, was severely damaged. The robot found the concrete wall was missing in over half of the pedestal, measuring fi ve metres in internal diameter, leaving the reinforcing bar exposed. Based on TEPCO’s survey results, experts
have said that severe damage to the base will inevitably affect the load-bearing performance. If the base tilts and the pressure vessel falls in the event of another major earthquake, the consequences would be serious. Sankei Shimbun reported that if the reactor pressure vessel falls, it could also damage various pipes connected to it, resulting in leakage of radioactive materials. In a worst-case scenario, some falling materials could combine with the melted nuclear fuel accumulated at the bottom, leading to “re-criticality”. Tepco originally planned to cover the entire unit with a containment in 2023 to prevent the leakage of radioactive materials during the construction process. However, due to the high radiation level, progress was slow. Tepco has said that, although the concrete exterior is mostly missing, the steel reinforcement remains intact, and there is little safety risk. If the pedestal fails, its surrounding structures could prevent the reactor from collapsing. Tepco says its contractor is responsible
for the slow construction Tokyo Shimbun newspaper reported. Tepco “has no time to waste in confronting the issue – it must swiftly assess the damage and take effective action to prevent an accident or leak of radioactive materials,” said Asahi Shimbun. Tepco argues that the pedestal has managed to support the reactor vessel even though
A leader in nuclear instrumentation, Reuter-Stokes offers more than 60 years’ experience in the field, with thousands of neutron and gamma detectors deployed. This depth of experience has established Reuter-Stokes as an excellent operational partner, continually enhancing instruments to maintain excellent reliability, sensitivity and reduced service cycles.
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10 | July 2023 |
www.neimagazine.com
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