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Check out the last week's top stories below:
NUCLEAR ENERGY’S ROLE IN NET-ZERO DISCUSSED AT COP 29
The 29th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP 29, taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan from 11-22 November attracted 196 world leaders and some 72,000 participants. Nuclear energy played a minor role in a meeting which tackled a range of highly contentious issues.
Even the breakthrough announcement on the first day that COP Parties had reached a consensus on standards for the creation of carbon credits under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement was not without its controversy. This was put forward as is an essential step in helping to direct resources to the developing world. The COP 29 presidency was hoping end a years-long blockage over rules to govern carbon markets. While it could speed up the energy transition by bringing cash to where it’s needed, civil society groups stress that the money from carbon markets should not replace the vast sums of climate finance that poor countries say they are owed by richer ones.
US UNVEILS AMBITIOUS NUCLEAR EXPANSION PLAN
The US has revealed a new framework for the nuclear sector identifying more than 30 actions the government can take, along with industry and power customers, to help expand nuclear capacity. The targets are also meant to align with last year’s pledges at COP 28 to triple global nuclear capacity by 2050 and to secure a nuclear fuel supply chain free from Russian influence.
The domestic nuclear energy deployment targets are part of an ambitious, first-of-its-kind framework outlining actions that the government can take to safely and responsibly expand nuclear energy capacity in the United States.
TSURUGA 2 FAILS SAFETY STANDARDS
Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has officially ruled that unit 2 at Japan Atomic Power company’s (JAPC’s) Tsuruga NPP in Fukui Prefecture is non-compliant with the new safety standards, following a public comment period. All five NRA commissioners agreed on the decision. This is the first time the NRA has reached a nonconformity decision for a nuclear reactor since its establishment in 2012.
NRA in August had adopted a draft screening report concluding that the Tsuruga 2 reactor did not meet the safety standards after a screening process taking nearly nine years. The official decision now makes the nuclear reactor’s restart virtually impossible. However, it is technically possible for JAPC to reapply to restart the reactor. JAPC has indicated that it will submit a reapplication after conducting an additional investigation.
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OKLO SECURES DATA CENTRE POWER AGREEMENTS
US-based Oklo Inc has received Letters of Intent (LOIs) and is partnering with two major data centre providers to deliver up to 750 MWe for data centres across the US. Oklo said these commitments expand its customer pipeline to approximately 2,100 MWe.
Under these LOIs, Oklo will work with one of the fastest-growing data centre companies to deploy its powerhouses in select markets. According to Oklo, this collaboration supports its expanding footprint, including its announced sites in Idaho, Ohio, Texas, and Wyoming.
Oklo is developing the Aurora microreactor, which uses heat pipes to transport heat from the reactor core to a supercritical carbon dioxide power conversion system to generate electricity.
CERNAVODA TO PRODUCE LUTETIUM-177
Framatome and Romanian nuclear utility SN Nuclearelectrica (SNN) have signed a long-term cooperation agreement to produce medical isotope Lutetium-177 (Lu-177) at the Cernavoda NPP. Lutetium-177 will be produced using Framatome technology.
Earlier this year, the two companies announced the successful completion of a joint feasibility study which demonstrated the suitability of Framatome technology to irradiate Ytterbium-176 at Unit 2 of the Cernavoda nuclear power plant, at the market technical standard required to produce Lutetium-based radiopharmaceuticals. Framatome and SNN are now progressing with the detailed engineering and industrialisation phase, targeting first production batches for radiopharmaceuticals manufacturing in 2028. The project also aims to secure an adequate supply of Lu-177 to meet Romania’s domestic needs for the production and supply of radiopharmaceuticals.
VEOLIA UNVEILS NEW COPPER WIRE RECYCLING PROCESS
Veolia UK has introduced a process to recover copper from electrical cables in nuclear facilities, which were previously treated using high-temperature incineration. The process represents a significant carbon saving as recycling the copper saves around 85% of the emissions associated with original ore extraction.
The process, part of Veolia’s strategic GreenUP programme can effectively manage the hazardous waste from decommissioned nuclear facilities and recover valuable resources. By developing a new method of safe handling to dispose of the contaminated plastic coating that protects the core from radiation, the new process reduces the treatment time and cost, and preserves the valuable copper for recycling.
SIZEWELL C AND LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY SIGN SUSTAINABILITY AGREEMENT
The UK’s Sizewell C NPP project has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the 英国利物浦大学 and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRA) undertaking to work together to help boost sustainability, skills and economic growth across the region. The MOU will provide a launch pad to expand interactions between the two organisations and deepen relevant research, innovation and education ties, including Sizewell C’s support for PhD studentships.
The University of Liverpool has significant research excellence and facilities in nuclear physics, radiation protection, sustainability, supply chain development, risk & resilience, infrastructure, safety, transportation of materials/structure and planning policy. The University’s Department of Physics will provide skills, workforce development and training in nuclear safety to Sizewell C in addition to identifying further opportunities across the University for collaborative projects, centres and programmes.
VIETNAM EXPLORES NUCLEAR REVIVAL AMID RISING ENERGY DEMAND
Vietnamese Prime Minister Ph?m Minh Chính, addressing the National Assembly, noted that electricity demand is expected to rise rapidly, with a projected increase of 12-13% in 2025 and larger increases in subsequent years. The Government and the Prime Minister have directed ministries and all sectors to strictly implement tasks and solutions to ensure an adequate electricity supply under all circumstances.
Chính said the Government would continue to refine legal regulations to address obstacles in implementing power infrastructure projects. It would build a smart and flexible power grid with high automation capabilities and address the legal issues hampering renewable energy projects, ensuring accurate and reasonable pricing to encourage the development of new energy sources.
INL COMPLETES HISTORIC DEMOLITION
Workers at the US Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site have completed the single largest demolition project in Idaho Clean-up Project history three months ahead of schedule and under budget, the US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) reported.
More than 520,000 square feet of building space has been demolished – a 2024 priority project. Decontamination and demolition (D&D) crews with clean-up contractor Idaho Environmental Coalition (IEC) removed the last of 10 steel-framed, soft-sided buildings – nine for waste exhumation and one for waste storage – that had been constructed over a 97-acre Cold War-era landfill called the Subsurface Disposal Area.
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