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BR2 is one of the most powerful research reactors in the world contributing significantly to the global supply of medical radioisotopes and testing nuclear innovations. Since it began operating in 1962, it has been fuelled by highly enriched uranium (HEU), considered a nuclear proliferation risk. Belgium’s nuclear research centre, SCK-CEN, plans to replace this with low-enriched uranium (LEU).

Source: NEI Magazine
Date: Friday, 31 March 2023
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsbelgiums-br2-research-reactor-to-use-low-enriched-uranium-fuel-10714503

Even oil-rich companies of Middle East are eying reactors, as more nations announce plans for SMRs Russian troops occupied the Zaporizhzhia nuclear station, which was damaged by shelling. File photo courtesy IAEA. 2022 was a year of mega milestones for nuclear energy.

Countries around the world turned to nuclear as a reliable low-carbon energy source as they looked for ways to wean themselves off Russian imports and lower carbon emissions.

New plants began operating, deals for small modular reactors were signed and countries announced ambitious plans for new-build.

On the political front, US president Joe Biden signed into law new legislation that will help to finance struggling nuclear reactors and could save dozens from being shut down early. In Europe, the nuclear industry celebrated when members of the European parliament decided to “follow the science” and support legislation which includes nuclear in the bloc’s sustainable finance taxonomy for green investment.

Source: Nucnet
Date: Tuesday, 10 January 2023
Original article: nucnet.org/news/five-major-developments-that-are-setting-the-stage-for-2023-and-beyond-1-1-2023

The US Administration, through the Department of Energy (DOE), has announced funding of $1.5 billion from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act to build and upgrade the US national laboratories. The resources will upgrade scientific facilities, modernise infrastructure, and address deferred maintenance projects at the laboratories managed by DOE’s Office of Science.

Source: NEI Magazine
Date: Thursday, 10 November 2022
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsus-announces-15-billion-to-strengthen-national-laboratories-10281810

Midwest can be ‘powerhouse for low-carbon fuel production’ The aim is to produce clean hydrogen from the Davis-Besse nuclear power station. Courtesy Wikipedia. Energy Harbor has joined forces with the University of Toledo and several industrial companies and US Department of Energy national laboratories to launch the Great Lakes Clean Hydrogen coalition, which aims to produce clean hydrogen using nuclear power from the Davis-Besse nuclear power station in Ohio.

The coalition envisions transforming the Midwest into a powerhouse for low-carbon fuel production. It said it will use nuclear power generated by Energy Harbor’s Davis-Besse nuclear station to produce carbon-free hydrogen through electrolysis.

The coalition said the focus on clean hydrogen production through electrolysis avoids the challenge of capturing and sequestering carbon dioxide. Nuclear reactors can produce clean hydrogen by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. Methods are being explored to use nuclear energy to produce hydrogen from water by electrolysis, thermochemical, and hybrid processes.

In October 2021, Energy Harbor and the DOE agreed to develop a hydrogen production demonstration project at Davis-Besse in collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Xcel Energy, and Arizona Public Service. The plant was chosen due to its proximity to key hydrogen consumers in the manufacturing and transportation sectors of the market.

Source: Nucnet
Date: Friday, 16 September 2022
Original article: nucnet.org/news/us-initiative-aims-for-productions-with-nuclear-energy-from-davis-besse-9-4-2022

The US space agency NASA has selected three design concepts for a 40KW nuclear power system designed to last at least 10 years in the lunar environment to help "lay the groundwork for powering our long-term human presence on other worlds".

Source: World Nuclear News
Date: Thursday, 23 June 2022
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Nuclear-power-on-the-Moon-NASA-selects-three-propo

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on 5 May that, to speed up greening of the emerging hydrogen economy, it had launched an initiative to develop a roadmap for the commercial deployment of hydrogen production using nuclear energy. The initiative brings together decision makers, designers, project managers and operators to share the latest advances in national strategies and technologies and to identify technical readiness for different technologies of hydrogen production using nuclear energy. The initiative will culminate in a roadmap guiding document, to provide countries with a tool for evaluating, planning and strategising the development of nuclear hydrogen projects.

Source: NEI Magazine
Date: Wednesday, 11 May 2022
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsiaea-to-develop-roadmap-for-commercial-hydrogen-deployment-9687282

The US Department of Defence’s (DOD’s) Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) has released a Record of Decision (ROD) for Project Pele, a programme intended to design, build, and demonstrate a mobile microreactor.

Source: NEI Magazine
Date: Wednesday, 20 April 2022
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsus-defence-department-to-build-project-pele-mobile-microreactor-9635695

Legislation excludes uranium sourced from Russia and China Advanced fuels are seen as the most critical element in the design of advanced nuclear reactors. Courtesy Idaho Nationall Laboratory. US senator John Barrasso has introduced to the US Senate a bill to ensure a domestic supply of high-assay, low-enriched uranium (Haleu) to fuel advanced nuclear reactors.

The Fueling Our Nuclear Future Act of 2022 would ensure a domestic supply of Haleu for advanced reactors by directing the Department of Energy to prioritise establishing a domestic Haleu enrichment capability and to use enriched uranium held by the DOE and the National Nuclear Security Administration to fuel advanced reactor demonstrations until US commercial enrichment is available.

The bill explicitly excludes uranium sourced or processed by any entity owned or controlled by the governments of Russia and China.

The American Nuclear Society said Russia currently operates the only commercial Haleu enrichment capacity. A mature commercial Haleu infrastructure in the US could serve domestic Haleu needs and also supply US allies with Haleu.

Source: Nucnet
Date: Wednesday, 13 April 2022
Original article: nucnet.org/news/senator-introduces-bill-to-ensure-domestic-supply-of-haleu-for-advanced-reactors-4-2-2022

The AA Bochvar Research Institute of Inorganic Materials (VNIINM), a subsidiary of Russian nuclear fuel manufacturer TVEL, has successfully developed the technology and manufactured experimental fuel pellets from uranium disilicide for light water reactors. The move is part of a programme for the development of so-called accident-tolerant fuel (ATF).

Source: World Nuclear News
Date: Friday, 04 February 2022
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/TVEL-develops-accident-tolerant-fuel-pellets

All realistic options that might contribute to global net-zero must be considered, the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) has said in an open letter to COP26 President Alok Sharma. Nuclear systems and advanced reactors - such as Generation IV systems - can contribute to a net-zero society alongside renewable energies, it says.

Source: World Nuclear News
Date: Saturday, 30 October 2021
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/GIF-calls-for-nuclear-s-inclusion-in-COP26-discuss

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