| NEWS
United States Six contracts to support HALEU The US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) has awarded six contracts to support the US domestic supply chain for high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) under the Investing in America Agenda. Many advanced reactors will require HALEU to achieve smaller designs, longer operating cycles, and increased efficiencies over current technologies, NE noted. The contracts will allow companies to bid on work for deconversion services, a critical component of the HALEU supply chain. All contracts will last for up to 10 years
with each awardee receiving a minimum contract of $2m, with up to $800m available for these services, subject to the availability of appropriations. Selected companies include: BWX Technologies (BWXT), Centrus Energy, Framatome Inc, GE Vernova, Orano USA and Westinghouse.
The HALEU that DOE acquires through these
contracts will be used to support reactors such as those under development through DOE’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP) – TerraPower’s Natrium reactor and X-energy’s Xe-100. The US currently lacks commercial HALEU enrichment and deconversion services to support the deployment of advanced reactors. DOE also plans to award contracts for enrichment services to support the full breadth of the HALEU supply chain. “Building a strong, reliable domestic nuclear fuel supply chain will help our nation reach the President and Vice President’s ambitious climate goals while also protecting the environment and creating good-paying, high- quality jobs,” said Deputy Secretary of Energy David M Turk. He added that the contracts underscore the Administration’s “continued commitment to strengthening our energy and national security by our eliminating America’s reliance on Russian uranium for civil nuclear power”. Welcoming the award, Framatome Inc CEO
Tony Robinson said DOE’s investment provides advanced reactor developers confidence to select Framatome as their supplier of choice. Framatome patented its dry conversion process in 1989 at its Richland, Washington, facility. Jean-Luc Palayer, CEO of Orano USA said its
team of companies represents the full range of capabilities needed for success and certainty of project delivery. The team led by Orano Federal Services (Orano FS) included Fluor, Spectra Tech, Shine Technologies (SHINE), and others. Centrus President and CEO Amir Vexler
said the award is an important step toward expanding and diversifying the capabilities of its American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon, Ohio. In November 2023, Centrus delivered its first delivery 20 kg of HALEU to DOE, marking the end of the first phase of a cost-share contract signed in 2022. Under Phase 2, Centrus is expected to deliver a full year of HALEU production from the 900 kg capacity plant.
Australia OPAL reactor back online The Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation’s (ANSTO’s) multi-purpose research reactor has officially returned to power and restarted operations, following a planned shutdown to carry out essential maintenance and upgrades. The Open Pool Australian Lightwater (OPAL)
reactor at the Lucas Heights nuclear medicine precinct was closed in April. OPAL is a 20 MWt multi-purpose reactor that uses low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel. The $300m OPAL reactor, supplied by Argentina’s INVAP, was opened in 2007 with an estimated design life of 60 years. The upgrades included replacement of
OPAL’s cold neutron source, located next to the reactor core. The three-metre-tall device slows down neutrons as they travel from the reactor to neutron beam instruments, allowing researchers to look at the structure of materials. The shutdown also enabled extensive
software and hardware upgrades to the First Reactor Protection System, a digital system which monitors the reactor’s critical parameters. This system is the first line of defence allowing the reactor to automatically shut down safely. In the years leading up to the planned
shutdown, a project team of ANSTO engineers and technicians designed and constructed a full-size mock-up of the reactor to support rehearsals and training activities. This first-of- a-kind project for ANSTO required 10 years of intricate and sequential process planning. In the 12 months prior to the planned
shutdown, ANSTO’s project team performed multiple practice runs of the removal and installation of the cold neutron source, and crane manoeuvres using the life-size mock- up. Over 100 bespoke hand tools were also designed and created by ANSTO’s engineering workshop to support a unique range of maintenance activities.
Lithuania Ignalina decommissioning deal Amentum has been selected as consultant for the dismantling of steam drum separators in Units 1 and 2 of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP) in Lithuania, what was once the country’s largest generator of electricity. The seven-year contract, estimated by
INPP to be worth €5.5m (€6.5m) in revenue and to be implemented under International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) Yellow Book Conditions, will be administered by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and funded by European Commission grants. Amentum will provide consultancy services
to support the INPP’s Project Management Unit (PMU) and carry out the duties of FIDIC Engineer for the dismantling contract. Amentum will help INPP to manage the removal of the Steam Drum Separators – large drums installed over the graphite core to divert steam to the turbines. The PMU will oversee the design and safety
round up
USED FUEL
FRANCE’S ORANO HAS signed the first four five-year engineering partnerships to support the Back End section of its Future Programme. Orano intends to renew its used fuel processing and recycling plants in the period 2040-2050 as part of the programme. At the same time, Orano will be working to keep its existing facilities in operational condition to ensure the long-term future and resilience of the La Hague (Manche) and Melox (Gard) plants.
THE FIRST STAGE of encapsulation has been completed as part of the trial operation underway at Posiva’s Onkalo used fuel repository in Finland. The first canister has been packed successfully with test elements simulating actual fuel. The first two encapsulations were carried out using only weights. In this third Trial, elements resembling actual fuel, were packed inside the canister.
ADVANCED REACTORS US-BASED START-up Last Energy plans to develop privately financed micro modular nuclear power plants at the closed Llynfi coal-fired power station in South Wales to serve local industrial customers. Last Energy’s PWR-20, comprises a few dozen modules that are assembled like a Lego kit requiring minimal land.
US AND UK researchers have fabricated test capsules made up of advanced metal alloys and graphite for use in future advanced reactors. The UK research team assembled eight capsules at the UK Atomic Energy Authority Culham Campus after the experimental design was finalised at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The capsules comprise 578 samples of structural materials. They will undergo irradiation testing later this year at INL.
SMRs
FINNISH ENERGY UTILITY Keravan Energia has signed an agreement with Steady Energy to develop nuclear-powered district heating based on small modular reactor technology. Kerava is the third Finnish city to take this path following earlier initiatives by Kuopio and Helsinki. If the project proceeds to investment, construction could begin as early as 2029 for operation in 2032.
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION (EC) has selected nine SMR projects in its initial round of applications to form Project Working Groups (PWGs) under the European Industrial Alliance on SMRs. The EC launched the Alliance in February to facilitate the development of SMRs in Europe by the early 2030s. The selected projects will not receive direct funding from the Alliance.
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