NEI Catch-Up Newsletter - 18th April 2024
Nuclear Engineering International
NEI has been providing technical insight behind the news headlines for the entire civil nuclear sector for over 60 years
Welcome to another LinkedIn newsletter from the team at Nuclear Engineering International. Some great project news from all around the world and plenty to cover.
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Support grows for South Africa’s HTMR-100 SMR
South Africa’s Koya Capital has signed a partnership agreement with Stratek Global to assist in securing finance?for construction of a high temperature modular reactor. The ZAR9bn ($480m) HTMR-100 is based on South Africa’s Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR).
South Africa began developing the PBMR in the 1990s, but it was put into care and maintenance in 2010. It was reincorporated, into Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd , in 2012. The pebble bed reactor design was developed in Germany and was used there in the 1970s and 1980s. South Africa became involved in 1988 when Johan Slabber, then with the Atomic Energy Commission (later Necsa ) met with the German pebble bed reactor scientists.
China’s Fangchenggang 4 achieves first criticality
Unit 4 at China’s Fangchenggang NPP in the Guangxi Autonomous Region has achieved first criticality, according to China General Nuclear Power Engineering Company Ltd. (CGN). The unit is the second of two demonstration Hualong One (HPR1000) reactors (units 3&4) at the site. The Fangchenggang plant will eventually house six reactors. Phase one (units 1&2) are CPR-1000 units which began commercial operation in 2016. Units 5 and 6 are expected to be Hualong One reactors.
Newcleo teams up with CEA on reactor development
UK-based nuclear start-up newcleo has signed a partnership agreement with the French Alternative Energies & Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) on development of newcleo's lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR).
Newcleo stated its intention “to capitalise on France’s unique nuclear expertise and contribute to its international influence through partnerships with national public and private organisations”. Ludovic Vandendriesche , Managing Director of newcleo's French subsidiary, newcleo SA, said: "This partnership is a real catalyst for progress on our Generation IV reactor project."
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Clean Core fuel completes phase one of Canadian vendor design review
Chicago-based Clean Core Thorium Energy (CCTE) has completed Phase 1 of the pre-licensing Vendor Design Review (VDR) process with Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission – Commission canadienne de s?reté nucléaire (CNSC). No issues were identified by CNSC that could present a fundamental barrier to the licensing of Clean Core’s ANEEL fuel in Canada.
The fuel is made of thorium and high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), developed for use in pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs) and Canada deuterium uranium (Candu) reactors. Clean Core says the fuel can offer significantly improved performance with existing proven heavy water reactor systems by leveraging thorium’s inherently superior nuclear, thermal and physical properties.
Funding secured to accelerate Xe-100 deployment in the UK
X-energy UK , a wholly-owned subsidiary of US-based X-energy Reactor Company and Cavendish Nuclear , a wholly-owned subsidiary of Babcock International Group have been awarded funding from the UK Government’s Future Nuclear Enabling Fund (FNEF) to further the development of their plans to deploy Xe-100 advanced modular reactors (AMRs) in the UK. The government’s ￡3.34m ($4.23m) will be matched by X-energy for a total programme of ￡6.68m. The funds will be used to develop UK-specific deployment plans including an assessment of domestic manufacturing and supply chain opportunities, constructability, modularisation studies, and fuel management.
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