| NEWS
NuScale cancels key SMR project
round up
NEW BUILD ROSATOM HAS GRANTED permission to nuclear utility Regenerator for the second stage of preliminary construction at unit 7 of the Leningrad NPP and for the start of preliminary work at unit 8. This approval is regulated by Russia’s Town Planning Code and enables construction and installation work to begin on 67 capital construction facilities for unit 8.
Above: The Carbon Free Power Project planned for INL has been cancelled Source: INL
Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS) and Oregon-based NuScale Power have mutually agreed to terminate the Carbon Free Power Project (CFPP). The project envisaged construction of six small modular reactors (SMRs) at the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Idaho National Laboratory (INL). “Despite significant efforts by both parties to advance the CFPP, it appears unlikely that the project will have enough subscription to continue toward deployment,” a joint statement said. “Therefore, UAMPS and NuScale have mutually determined that ending the project is the most prudent decision for both parties.” Since UAMPS announced its plan to develop the CFPP using NuScale SMRs in 2015, the parameters of the project have changed several times. The initial plan was for 12 50 MWe NuScale SMR modules for a 600 MWe plant. This increased to 720 MWe, when UAMPS opted to scale up to 60 MWe modules. The, in 2021, UAMPS decided to build 77 MWe modules, but downsized the plant from 12 units to six, which would yield 462 MWe. UAMPS, a political subdivision of the state
of Utah established in 1980, is a consortium of cities in Utah, Idaho, New Mexico and Nevada. It provides a range of power supply services to its 50 members, including public power utilities in seven states. CFPP Partners include NuScale Power (developer of the nuclear power modules), Fluor Corporation (construction and licensing contractor), and DOE. In late 2020, the DOE awarded the cooperative
$1.35bn over 10 years for the project, subject to congressional appropriations. In January 2023, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issue its final rule certifying NuScale’s SMR design, making it the first SMR to be certified by the agency. The same month, however, NuScale reported that the target price for power from the planned plant had increased to $89/MWh, up 53% on the previous estimate of $58/MWh. Nevertheless, in March CFPP agreed to continue
with the project despite the rising costs. The CFPP was expected to begin operation in 2030. Then in November, NuScale came under
pressure after a lengthy report by Iceberg Research alleged it had sold reactors to a “fake customer”. This referenced a deal NuScale had announced in October to supply Standard Power with 1,848 MWe of power provided by 24 SMRs to power two datacentre sites. Iceberg predicted that Standard Power would be unable to support the contract. NuScale said the Iceberg allegations were “riddled with speculative statements with no basis in fact and demonstrates a limited understanding.” The report, however, had a negative effect on NuScale’s share price. NuScale President & CEO John Hopkins noted
that through the company’s work with UAMPS and partnership with DOE, it had “advanced our NuScale Power Modules to the point that utilities, governments and industrials can rely on a proven SMR technology that has regulatory approval and is in active production”. He added: “NuScale will continue with our other domestic and international customers to bring our American SMR technology to market and grow the US nuclear manufacturing base, creating jobs across the US.” UAMPS CEO & General Manager Mason Baker
said the decision was “very disappointing” but was “the best course for the UAMPS members participating in the CFPP”. He added: “We have learned many invaluable lessons during the development of the CFPP that we will carry forward in future development work to meet the future energy needs of the UAMPS member communities. NuScale’s share price fell by over 40% on the news of the cancellation. DOE provided $232m for the UAMPS project
since October 2020. A spokesperson said the work will be valuable, adding: “While not every project is guaranteed to succeed, DOE remains committed to doing everything we can to deploy these technologies.” ■
THE REACTOR PRESSURE vessel (RPV) has been delivered by Rosatom to the construction site of the Akkuyu NPP under construction in Turkiye, following a 3,150 km voyage by sea. The RPV, which weighs 347.5 tonnes in shipping packaging, is 11.45 metres long and 5.7 metres wide. It was manufactured at the Atommash plant, part of Rosatom.s mechanical engineering division.
POWER UTILITY VATTENFALL has applied to Varberg municipality for a detailed plan to allow construction of new reactors on the Värö Peninsula in Sweden west of the existing Ringhals NPP. The announcement came as the government launches a review of the permitting process. Vattenfall already owns most of the one square kilometre area west of the Ringhals plant.
CHINA NATIONAL NUCLEAR Corporation says the steel containment dome has been installed at the ACP-100 small modular reactor (SMR) demonstration project at the Changjiang NPP in Hainan Province. The multi-purpose, 125 MWe SMR (also known as Linglong One) is a pressurised water reactor designed for electricity generation, urban heating, urban cooling, industrial steam production, or seawater desalination.
BULGARIAN PRIME MINISTER Nikolai Denkov told a government meeting that construction of unit 7 at the Kozloduy NPP had begun. The statement was broadcast by Bulgarian National Television. An additional BLG500m ($274m) will be allocated to the enterprise that will be responsible for implementation of the project and negotiations will begin with companies involved in the construction of the seventh unit. Completion date is set for 2033.
PLANT OPERATION JAPAN’S NUCLEAR REGULATION Authority has approved an extension of the operating lifetimes of two reactors at Kyushu Electric Power Co’s Sendai NPP, which is now approaching 40 years of operation. The approval will allow the company to extend by 20 years the operating lives of units 1&2 890 MWe PWRs in Kagoshima Prefecture
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