Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire - Major Energy and Environmental News and Commentary affecting the Nuclear Industry. Nuclear Activities
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Japan's Fukushima disaster could have been avoided - Asia Times
Japan's Fukushima disaster could have been avoided - Asia Times: The 10th anniversary of Japan’s March 11, 2011, Richter scale 9.1 mega-earthquake and subsequent Fukushima nuclear disaster is bringing the
NRC chairman sets out vision for US nuclear regulation : Regulation & Safety - World Nuclear News
NRC chairman sets out vision for US nuclear regulation : Regulation & Safety - World Nuclear News: Becoming a more modern, risk-informed regulator remains a key goal of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, its chairman Christopher Hanson said during his opening address to the regulator's 33rd Regulatory Information Conference. Hanson, who was sworn in as a commissioner in June 2020, was designated chairman of the NRC by President Joe Biden in January this year.
Rosatom targets 24 new reactor units in Russia by 2045 : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News
Rosatom targets 24 new reactor units in Russia by 2045 : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: Rosatom has announced that implementation of Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to increase the share of nuclear power in the country's energy mix to 25% by 2045 will require, according to preliminary estimates, the construction of 24 new reactor units, including in new regions.
First concrete poured for Akkuyu unit 3 : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News
First concrete poured for Akkuyu unit 3 : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: Rosatom announced today that first concrete has been poured for the third unit of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant under construction in the Mersin province of Turkey. The Russian and Turkish heads of state joined the ceremony held to mark the event by video link. The Akkuyu nuclear power plant project is based on an intergovernmental agreement the two countries signed in 2010.
Nuclear safety bolstered since Fukushima accident, says Grossi : Regulation & Safety - World Nuclear News
Nuclear safety bolstered since Fukushima accident, says Grossi : Regulation & Safety - World Nuclear News: The March 2011 accident at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant "galvanised the international community," International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today. He outlined the work the IAEA and its Member States have done to strengthen nuclear safety in the ten years since the accident.
How High Are Federal Interest Payments? | Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
How High Are Federal Interest Payments? | Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget: This year, the federal government will spend $300 billion on interest payments on the national debt. This is the equivalent of nearly 9 percent of all federal revenue collection and over $2,400 per household. The federal government spends more on interest than on transportation, education, and research and development combined. The household share of federal interest is larger
When Imagination Failed: Revisiting Intelligence Failures - CounterPunch.org
When Imagination Failed: Revisiting Intelligence Failures - CounterPunch.org: Yogi Berra opined that “it’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future,” but over the past 80 years there has been more than enough intelligence collected to prevent costly failures. From Pearl Harbor in 1941 to this year’s invasion of the Capitol, there were strong intelligence indicators of the tumultuous events that were to More
China Is Buying Record Amounts of Iranian Oil – The Diplomat
China Is Buying Record Amounts of Iranian Oil – The Diplomat: China is moving closer to Iran than ever before, but the partnership still has limits.
Economic growth in Africa will not be achieved by a blanket ban on fossil fuels | TheHill
Economic growth in Africa will not be achieved by a blanket ban on fossil fuels | TheHill: Shifting U.S. development aid to low- and zero-carbon energy infrastructure projects over time is a worthy goal. But a blanket ban today on the financing of fossil fuels in the poorest countries will not only obstruct economic growth.
Our Ecomodernist Politics | The Well News | Pragmatic, Governance, Fiscally Responsible, News & Analysis
Our Ecomodernist Politics | The Well News | Pragmatic, Governance, Fiscally Responsible, News & Analysis: Our Ecomodernist Politics Opinions | The Well News | Pragmatic, Governance, Fiscally Responsible, News & Analysis
GE Hitachi, Fermi Energia extend SMR cooperation : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News
GE Hitachi, Fermi Energia extend SMR cooperation : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy has entered into a teaming agreement with Fermi Energia to support the potential deployment of its BWRX-300 small modular reactor in Estonia. This follows their signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in late 2019.
Nuclear Power Looks to Regain Its Footing 10 Years after Fukushima - Scientific American
Nuclear Power Looks to Regain Its Footing 10 Years after Fukushima - Scientific American: Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.
Measure would give Nevadans defense against Yucca Mountain - Las Vegas Sun Newspaper
Measure would give Nevadans defense against Yucca Mountain - Las Vegas Sun Newspaper: Maybe, finally, it’s time for Nevada to obtain a right of refusal on efforts to dump the nation’s nuclear waste in our state. Southern Nevada’s congressional delegates have ...
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
DOE Awards New Contract for Environmental Remediation Services at the DOE/National Nuclear Security Administration Naval Reactors Kesselring Site | Department of Energy
DOE Awards New Contract for Environmental Remediation Services at the DOE/National Nuclear Security Administration Naval Reactors Kesselring Site | Department of Energy: DOE Awards New Contract for Environmental Remediation Services at the DOE/National Nuclear Security Administration Naval Reactors Kesselring Site
EM Update | Vol. 13, Issue 9 | March 9, 2021
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EM Update | Vol. 13, Issue 9 | March 9, 2021
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EM Poised to Build on Success, White Says in Address
Crews Finish Demolishing Brookhaven Reactor Exhaust Stack
EM Enters New Era with Release of 2021 Priorities to Advance Cleanup Mission
Walls Going Up for Newest Saltstone Disposal Unit at Savannah River Site
Project Manager Comes Full Circle in Idaho Site Career Spanning Six Decades
EM Prepares to Test Hanford Tank Waste Treatment System
Oak Ridge Enters Homestretch of ETTP Cleanup, Transformation
WIPP Makes Steady Progress in Annual Maintenance Outage
DOE Recognizes EM Nevada Program Experts for Contributions to Waste Management Assessment
EM Poised to Build on Success, White Says in Address
EM is poised to build on recent achievements and launch a new era of progress, Acting Assistant Secretary William “Ike” White said Monday at the Waste Management Symposia 2021.
Speaking at the event held virtually this year, White said EM delivered on key priorities during 2020 while adhering to precautions and worker safety protections during the COVID-19 pandemic. EM now is taking the next step.
“Today, EM is at the start of a new era, with a new Administration, and a new set of ambitious priorities for the year. And, hopefully, the start of a post-pandemic world,” he said.
White was a plenary speaker at the symposia, one of the nation’s leading gatherings of government, international, and industry experts on waste management. Other EM speakers are participating in sessions throughout the weeklong conference.
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Acting Assistant Secretary William "Ike" White
White said EM will build on the transformational progress achieved in 2020 in tank waste capabilities, successful demolitions that resulted in skyline changes, a shrinking cleanup footprint, and the award of contracts that accelerate safe progress.
In the key field of tank waste treatment — one of EM’s biggest challenges — White said the Salt Waste Processing Facility at the Savannah River Site now is operational and is expected to process 6 million gallons of waste this year.
Further, the Integrated Waste Treatment Unit at the Idaho National Laboratory Site is expected to start up in 2021. The Hanford Site will complete construction of the Tank Side Cesium Removal system, a pretreatment system critical to the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) approach to treating tank waste.
Among other priorities, White said a number of sites will enter new phases in addressing contaminated excess facilities. Oak Ridge is focusing on building demolition at the Y-12 National Security Complex and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory after successfully taking down the entire uranium enrichment complex at the East Tennessee Technology Park.
Other notable demolition goals for 2021 include the West Valley Demonstration Project in New York beginning to pull down its last major facility, and the completion of demolition of DOE-owned buildings at the Energy Technology Engineering Center in Ventura County, California.
Most importantly, White said, EM will continue to shrink its footprint by continuing to make land and resources available this year to communities near EM sites.
White said new DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm understands the importance of the EM mission and DOE’s responsibility to deliver on commitments.
“She and the new DOE team know the vital role the communities near our sites played in U.S. history,” he said. “They also know how important the EM mission is to help those communities have a strong future.
“The cleanup progress we make doesn’t just support national security, energy, and research missions,” he said. “It also helps us to create opportunities for economic development, conservation, and recreation for the communities EM sites call home.”
White applauded the performance of the EM workforce and others who supported the program during the pandemic over the past year.
“I have been extremely proud of the way the entire cleanup program and all of the companies that support the program have coordinated and worked together to ensure the safety and health of our workforce,” White said. “In the nuclear industry, we have always been clear that the safety of the public and the workforce is our top priority. And in the current circumstances, all of you have worked to demonstrate that this truly is a core value for the cleanup program.
“Our ability to move forward on the public safety mission in the past year has been due, in large part, to the effectiveness of the actions we’ve taken to ensure the safety of the workforce, and we don’t want to lose sight of that as we get closer to an end point on this pandemic,” he said.
Crews Finish Demolishing Brookhaven Reactor Exhaust Stack
UPTON, N.Y. – Work crews have demolished the High Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR) exhaust stack at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, achieving an EM program priority.
Brought to ground level on Feb. 24, the 320-foot-tall stack at the former reactor site at the national laboratory on Long Island, New York was decommissioned and demolished under the direction of DOE, with oversight by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District.
The distinctive red-and-white stack was used for a small research reactor that DOE shut down more than 20 years ago. The HFBR provided a source of neutrons for multidisciplinary scientific research in materials science, chemistry, biology, and physics.
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The Brookhaven National Laboratory’s High Flux Beam Reactor exhaust stack before demolition.
Midway through demolition of the Brookhaven National Laboratory’s High Flux Beam Reactor exhaust stack.
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The site of the Brookhaven National Laboratory’s High Flux Beam Reactor exhaust stack after crews demolished it.
Sustained demolition of the stack started in early January using a patented concrete chimney demolition system called the MANTIS. EM crews dismantled the stack down to the base, approximately 36 feet above ground, before fully demolishing it last month.
“Our crews worked through pandemic hurdles and intense weather delays to complete the HFBR stack demolition with zero safety incidents and zero vibration disturbances to ongoing laboratory operations. Using innovative systems like the MANTIS to safely control debris and minimize personnel on the demolition platform, we’ve made huge strides in EM’s cleanup scope at Brookhaven,” said Paul Lucas, the project manager.
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Sixty-five waste containers loaded onto railcars await shipment away from Brookhaven National Laboratory. It is the first of two expected shipments of debris from the exhaust stack demolition.
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EM Crews use the MANTIS system to safely demolish the High Flux Beam Reactor exhaust stack, a prominent part of the Brookhaven National Laboratory. The MANTIS is a remotely operated demolition system for concrete chimneys.
The project’s next steps are cleanup of soils and the below-ground stack infrastructure, and verification that cleanup goals have been met. The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education will conduct independent verification of the stack cleanup.
The first rail shipment of exhaust stack debris to off-site disposal will involve 65 intermodal waste containers loaded onto a 10-railcar train. Approximately 45 additional containers are expected to be shipped as part of the second and final waste shipment.
Removal of the HFBR stack will mark the completion of the EM cleanup scope at Brookhaven required by a 2009 record of decision.
-Contributor: Stephanie Shewmon
EM Enters New Era with Release of 2021 Priorities to Advance Cleanup Mission
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EM's Calendar Year 2021 Mission and Priorities lists specific planned accomplishments across the cleanup complex for the coming year.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – EM has released its Calendar Year 2021 Mission and Priorities, a key marker to the program’s continuing success in addressing the legacy of nuclear weapons production and government-sponsored nuclear energy research.
The Calendar Year 2021 Mission and Priorities outlines a new list of specific planned accomplishments across the cleanup complex for the coming year. Built on significant achievements in 2020, the Calendar Year 2021 Mission and Priorities marks a new era for EM that will continue progress in addressing environmental risks and financial liabilities, while advancing EM’s obligations to the communities that played such an important role in U.S. security and prosperity.
“EM is protecting the environment today and helping to prepare the communities near our sites for the economy of tomorrow. By successfully tackling our past environmental legacy, EM progress means safer, cleaner sites and new economic opportunities for the future,” said William “Ike” White, acting assistant secretary for EM.
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Crews demolish Building 9210 at the 1940s-era Biology Complex at Oak Ridge.
The Calendar Year 2021 Mission and Priorities sets goals at EM sites, including:
Completing construction of the Tank Side Cesium Removal (TSCR) system at the Hanford Site. TSCR is a pre-treatment system critical to the site’s Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) approach to treating tank waste.
Completing the processing of 6 million gallons of tank waste at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, a goal made possible by the 2020 startup of the major Salt Waste Processing Facility.
Transitioning from deactivation to demolition at Building X-326, one of three former uranium enrichment process buildings at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Ohio.
Completing demolition of the 1940s-era Biology Complex at the Oak Ridge site in Tennessee.
Beginning demolition of the Main Plant Process Building at the West Valley Demonstration Project in New York, the last major facility at the former commercial nuclear fuel reprocessing center.
Completing demolition of all 18 DOE-owned buildings at the Energy Technology Engineering Center in Ventura County, California.
Awarding contracts that continue to enable safe and efficient cleanup progress across the EM enterprise.
The Calendar Year 2021 Mission and Priorities is available here.
Walls Going Up for Newest Saltstone Disposal Unit at Savannah River Site
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The first wall section of Saltstone Disposal Unit 8 is being constructed at the Savannah River Site.
AIKEN, S.C. – The first wall section is now rising from the ground on the newest mega-sized disposal unit being constructed at EM’s Savannah River Site (SRS).
Savannah River Remediation (SRR), EM’s liquid waste contractor at SRS, continues to make progress on Saltstone Disposal Unit (SDU) 8 with the recent wall and flooring installation. SDU 8 will stand at 43 feet tall and 375 feet in diameter, and have a 33-million-gallon capacity, just like two mega-sized SDUs built at SRS before it. The disposal units are built to safely and permanently contain decontaminated salt solution processed at SRS.
The 25 wall sections of SDU 8 will be constructed using high-strength, reinforced concrete and will be wrapped with seven layers of more than 300 miles of steel cable for added strength. The flooring of SDU 8 is more than halfway complete. The concrete floor sits on top of a multilayer foundation: a geosynthetic clay liner and high-density plastic liner sandwiched between two concrete layers called “mud mats.” The floor is being completed in 14 sections.
SRR is building SDU 9 in parallel with SDU 8. At SDU 9, the lower mud mat is complete with the liner now being installed on top of it. Site prep design is ongoing for SDUs 10-12, the final three units to be built. The site prep design and excavation work for SDUs 7-12 were completed safely by BK All American Company, a locally owned small business.
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Savannah River Remediation, EM’s liquid waste contractor at the Savannah River Site, continues to make progress on the next Saltstone Disposal Units being constructed to support the Salt Waste Processing Facility.
DOE-Savannah River SDU Federal Project Director Shayne Farrell said waste tank cleanup is a priority for EM, and the SDUs play a key role in that mission, along with the Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF) that is now operational and processing waste.
“The Salt Waste Processing Facility will greatly increase waste tank cleanup at the Savannah River Site,” Farrell said. “The liquid waste system relies on the capability to safely dispose of the saltstone onsite, and the Saltstone Disposal Units are required to fulfill this mission need.”
SRR President and Project Manager Phil Breidenbach said the SDU program is quite a phenomenal construction project, and it is easy to feel awe by the size, the materials, and the magnitude.
“However, it is important to remember that these structures, the Saltstone Disposal Units, are engineered and constructed by people,” Breidenbach said. “It takes construction workers, subcontractors, engineers, safety professionals, planners, and more to get the job done. We have a great team at Savannah River Remediation getting this work done the right way — safely.”
SRR is building the SDUs to support the increased decontaminated salt solution from the SWPF. Salt waste at SRS is decontaminated through processes that remove radioactive isotopes, such as cesium, at SWPF.
The treated solution is then sent to the Saltstone Production Facility, where it is mixed with dry materials to form a grout. The grout is pumped to the above-ground SDUs where it hardens to a form called saltstone. The first mega-volume unit, SDU 6, is already operational and receiving treated waste. SDU 7 is nearing completion and undergoing testing.
-Contributor: Colleen Hart
Project Manager Comes Full Circle in Idaho Site Career Spanning Six Decades
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Fluor Idaho Calcine Retrieval Project Manager Howard Forsythe, right, and Chief Engineer Tim O’Connor monitor robotic testing for EM's calcine retrieval project at the Idaho National Laboratory Site.
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – It’s rare for employees supporting EM’s cleanup to come full circle in their careers, but Howard Forsythe has done just that.
Forsythe, a manager with Fluor Idaho, EM’s cleanup contractor at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site, accepted an engineering job at the site in 1978 after graduating from the University of Utah with a degree in chemical engineering.
His first job was running the Waste Calcining Facility, which was known as the calciner. It used a closed-loop thermal heat source to convert a high-level liquid waste generated through spent nuclear fuel reprocessing to a granular solid called calcine.
The waste he helped transform was transferred to concrete storage vaults called bin sets, which stand out like sentinels over the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center. The New Waste Calcining Facility, which replaced the original plant in 1982, permanently shut down in 2000 after both facilities had generated a total of 4,400 cubic meters of calcine transferred to six bin sets.
How ironic it would be for Forsythe to manage the calcine retrieval project that is tasked with transferring calcine from one bin set to another and closing the first bin set under federal regulations. It’s the first step to prepare the material for out-of-state disposal.
“The big difference between when I came here to create calcine and now is the technology already existed to run the calciner,” Forsythe said. “For the calcine retrieval project, we are having to create high-tech equipment and robotics from scratch to enter a bin set that was never designed to be opened.”
Forsythe manages a small team of mechanical and design engineers who have developed technologies to enter the bin set, recover the calcine from the storage vaults, transfer the granulated material 600 feet to another bin set, and monitor all activities with state-of-the-art, remotely operated cameras that can withstand extremely high radiation fields.
“What draws engineers to this project is the fact that they are creating innovative technologies, testing their designs, and modifying the equipment to ensure its long-term reliability,” he said. “They are pioneers.”
In just over a month, Forsythe will retire after a 42-year career at the INL Site. He will not get to finish seeing the calcine — that he helped to create — retrieved, but he feels he is turning the task over to a talented group of engineers who can carry the baton to the finish line.
“It’s important for those in the nuclear industry to bring up the next generation to lead the industry into the future,” he said. “I’m proud to have mentored these talented engineers who will take over this project. It’s in good hands.”
-Contributor: Erik Simpson
EM Prepares to Test Hanford Tank Waste Treatment System
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To support testing of the Tank-Side Cesium Removal system, EM Office of River Protection tank operations contractor Washington River Protection Solutions recently installed ion exchange columns and filters that will treat tank waste.
RICHLAND, Wash. – EM Office of River Protection (ORP) tank operations contractor Washington River Protection Solutions has begun testing a critical piece of equipment needed to treat Hanford Site tank waste.
Since delivering the Tank-Side Cesium Removal (TSCR) system enclosures in September, workers have installed and tested additional equipment, including electrical, test tanks, interconnecting piping, hoses, pumps, and associated insulation. That equipment is required for operational acceptance testing, which will provide validation of operations and maintenance procedures and training.
“We’ve made tremendous progress in just a few short months,” said Janet Diediker, ORP federal project director. “We are well on our way to beginning TSCR operations this calendar year.”
The TSCR system will remove radioactive cesium and solids from tank waste and is critical to Hanford’s Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) approach, which will send treated waste directly from Hanford’s tank farms to the Low-Activity Waste Facility at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant to be vitrified, or immobilized in glass.
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Nuclear chemical operator Brian Ennen is training to support 24/7 operations of Hanford’s Tank-Side Cesium Removal system.
Significant training has already occurred, including for the operators who are conducting the testing. In addition, several weeks of hands-on operator training are planned for four shifts, necessary for the safe, 24/7 operation to ensure a steady supply of treated tank waste.
Workers are also practicing switching out the TSCR system’s 24,000-pound ion exchange columns that will absorb the cesium from the tank waste after solids have been filtered out. It is estimated that two columns will reach capacity and need to be replaced about every 26 days during DFLAW operations.
View the TSCR system on a self-guided Hanford virtual tour.
-Contributor: Hal McCune
Oak Ridge Enters Homestretch of ETTP Cleanup, Transformation
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Oak Ridge workers with heavy equipment tear up a concrete slab where the former 235,000-square-foot Centrifuge Complex stood.
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – Oak Ridge crews are removing building foundations and remaining contaminated soil areas at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) to achieve EM’s ultimate vision for the site: a multi-use industrial center, national park, and conservation area.
All building removals and many major soil remediation projects at ETTP, which is the former Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, were completed last year. The latest work is not as pronounced as the massive demolition projects that took place there over the past two decades, but it’s just as critical as EM transforms the former Manhattan Project and Cold War-era enrichment complex into new uses.
“Completing building demolition at ETTP significantly altered the site, eliminated numerous risks, and enabled new economic development at the site,” said Acting ETTP Portfolio Federal Project Director James Daffron. “However, there are some remaining building slabs and soil and groundwater remediation projects to complete. These efforts are enhancing safety and making more land available to the community for reuse in the future."
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A view of the site where crews removed the building slab for the Centrifuge Complex. The project, scheduled for completion this spring, will result in a grassy field available for transfer from government ownership for economic development.
The former Centrifuge Complex area, which had a footprint of 235,000 square feet, is the largest slab removal taking place at ETTP. Crews are breaking up and removing the concrete slab, sampling soil to identify potential contamination, and backfilling excavated areas with clean soil.
The project, scheduled to wrap up this spring, will convert the site into a grassy field available for transfer from government ownership for economic development.
Crews with Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) cleanup contractor UCOR are also removing contaminated soil and backfilling sites in other ETTP areas. At the location of the former K-1401 facility, workers have removed thousands of cubic yards of contaminated soil and backfilled the area with clean soil. K-1401, one of the site’s early facilities, was used as a cleaning and decontamination facility, generating a variety of contaminants.
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Employees collect samples to identify areas of soil that require removal. They also conduct confirmatory sampling to ensure the removal of all contamination following completion of the project.
In another area where tanks associated with the site’s former power infrastructure stood, crews placed a 2-foot protective soil cover over a 9-acre tract that contained asbestos-contaminated soil. They are also placing a 2-foot cover on an adjacent 21-acre site and contouring it to ensure proper stormwater drainage.
OREM is also working with regulators on an interim record of decision to address groundwater cleanup at the site. It will accompany two existing records of decision addressing soil remediation of the site’s main plant and the area surrounding it.
Cleanup at ETTP is paying dividends for the region. More than 20 business are already located there. Future industrial development projects include a medical radioisotope pharmaceutical company and a nuclear test reactor facility.
-Contributor: Wayne McKinney
WIPP Makes Steady Progress in Annual Maintenance Outage
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Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) personnel perform maintenance on an overhead crane in the site’s Waste Handling Building. The crane is used to remove transuranic waste containers from transportation casks. This work is part of the nearly 100 activities being performed during the annual WIPP maintenance outage.
CARLSBAD, N.M. – They are three weeks into an eight-week maintenance outage, and crews are making steady progress to help keep the vital national mission of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) moving forward.
This year’s annual long maintenance break at the nation's only deep geologic repository for nuclear waste spans Feb. 15 to April 14, with 97 planned work activities using personnel from six departments, including mine operations, waste handling, hoisting, work control, safety, and engineering. The break includes site-wide power outages to accommodate electrical work.
“We are making great progress to complete the almost 100 activities planned for the annual long maintenance break,” said WIPP outage manager Andy Cooper. “All the work is critical to ensure all systems are working properly to support WIPP’s important national mission.”
Preventive maintenance checks are made on a schedule that can range from daily to annually. Quarterly efforts generally take about a week to tackle. Once a year, a multi-week outage is scheduled to handle projects needing the greatest effort that cannot be performed while normal transuranic waste operations are ongoing.
One of the largest outage projects began when crews started removing approximately 170 feet of railroad-like rails used to transfer waste pallets. The rails and metal plates will be removed, and the salt floor will be leveled. Gravel ballast will be added as a base layer, and the rails will be reinstalled.
Crews also began replacing a battery exhaust fan in the site’s waste handling building, a project expected to take two weeks. They also started testing and repair of a 13.8-kilovolt feeder cable between two onsite electrical substations, and replacement of air pressure instrumentation.
As of March 1, workers completed mechanical and electrical inspections on four contact-handled waste bay dock cranes; calibrations of dock instrumentation; a filter changeout on two ventilation fans; mechanical inspections on the supplemental ventilation system fan; mechanical and electrical inspections of two fans known as the 860-series fans; and inspections of eight bulkheads in the WIPP underground used to direct airflow.
-Contributor: Roy Neese
DOE Recognizes EM Nevada Program Experts for Contributions to Waste Management Assessment
LAS VEGAS – Two experts associated with the EM Nevada Program have been honored with the Secretary of Energy’s Achievement Award in recognition of their service to a DOE complex-wide assessment team.
The prestigious honor — a subset of the annual Secretary's Honor Awards and based on accomplishments from 2019 — was awarded to Marilew Bartling, Radioactive Waste Acceptance Program manager for Navarro Research and Engineering, the environmental program services contractor to the EM Nevada Program; and Andrew Worker, a general engineer specializing in waste disposition, who recently joined the EM Nevada Program.
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Marilew Bartling, Radioactive Waste Acceptance Program manager for Navarro Research and Engineering, the environmental program services contractor to the EM Nevada Program.
Andrew Worker, a general engineer specializing in waste disposition, who recently joined the EM Nevada Program.
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The Achievement Award honors a group or team of DOE employees and contractors who accomplish significant achievements on behalf of the Department, demonstrating cooperation and teamwork in attaining their goals.
Bartling and Worker were recognized for their contributions to a 36-person assessment team, formed at the direction of the Deputy Secretary of Energy. The team extensively investigated and analyzed radioactive waste packaging and shipping practices across the DOE complex. Bartling and Worker possess nearly 50 years of combined experience in radioactive waste management.
In an explanation of the award, the Secretary of Energy emphasized that Bartling and Worker had “applied their extensive technical expertise and knowledge of DOE policies, procedures, and practices toward independently assessing a critical system within the Department, thereby enhancing the confidence of senior DOE leadership in the safe conduct of radioactive waste packaging and shipping operations.”
With the support of Bartling and Worker, the work of the assessment team ultimately led to the issuance of a DOE report titled “Enterprise-wide Assessment of the Department of Energy’s Packaging and Shipping of Radioactive Waste.” The Secretary noted that the report had succeeded in “extensively documenting recommendations and best practices found across the Department” and provided “a road map to further strengthen the management of radioactive waste packaging and shipping operations.”
The final assessment report found that, overall, DOE site contractors have developed and implemented effective procedures and practices for the proper characterization, waste stream control, packaging, and shipping of radioactive waste for disposal.
For more information on EM Nevada’s safe, secure, and successful radioactive waste management program, click here.
-Contributor: Michelle French
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Follow EM on Twitter: @EMcleanup
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GE Hitachi, Fermi Energia extend SMR cooperation : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News
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Nuclear can bring balance to climate debate, says EC official : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News
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China puts nuclear power, waste disposal on the front burner in bid to meet climate targets | South China Morning Post: Beijing wants industry development accelerated in the next five years, including building more facilities to deal with radioactive waste.
Premier nixes nuclear power as answer to energy dilemma - Focus Taiwan
Premier nixes nuclear power as answer to energy dilemma - Focus Taiwan: Taipei, March 9 (CNA) Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) on Tuesday rejected speculation that the government would consider activating the country's 4th Nuclear Power Plant to produce electricity amid a debate over how to generate more electricity to meet future needs.
Perry Nuclear Power Plant Begins Refueling Outage
Perry Nuclear Power Plant Begins Refueling Outage: /PRNewswire/ -- Energy Harbor Corp. announced today its Perry Nuclear Power Plant in North Perry Village, Ohio, was taken offline at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday,...
UAE licenses second unit of Barakah nuclear power plant | Reuters
UAE licenses second unit of Barakah nuclear power plant | Reuters: The nuclear regulator in United Arab Emirates has issued an operating licence for the second unit of the Barakah nuclear power plant, an official from the regulator said on Tuesday.
Texas Crisis Shows the Need for More Resilient Energy Resources | RealClearEnergy
Texas Crisis Shows the Need for More Resilient Energy Resources | RealClearEnergy: A crisis can often have a domino effect, where one bad event sets off a chain reaction of problems, each worsened by the last. For the more than four million Texans who recently went without power in
What’s the Role for New Nuclear Power in the Fight Against Climate Change? | Greentech Media
What’s the Role for New Nuclear Power in the Fight Against Climate Change? | Greentech Media: Some fear that small modular reactors could rob cash from more proven low-carbon technologies.
Nuclear Power Looks to Regain Its Footing 10 Years after Fukushima - Scientific American
Nuclear Power Looks to Regain Its Footing 10 Years after Fukushima - Scientific American: Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.
Webinar Registration - Zoom
Webinar Registration - Zoom: Radioactive waste is handled responsibly, safely, and securely around the world. Delays in implementation have meant the final step of disposal for radioactive waste is still, generally, decades away. Important progress is being made in several countries, in particular Finland, Sweden, and France are moving forward towards the realization of such disposal facilities and countries like Belgium and Switzerland are following closely behind. Most other countries are trailing by more than two decades, as only generic designs for such disposal facilities are available and the process towards the identification of a disposal site is yet to be started (or restarted).
This webinar provides an overview of the current progress and status of such disposal programs globally and the technical, socio-political, and regulatory timelines associated with such disposal facilities. The webinar will also address the more recent considerations for a more integrated waste management policy seeking to optimize the overall management of all radioactive wastes requiring disposal.
UAE licenses second unit of Barakah nuclear power plant | Reuters
UAE licenses second unit of Barakah nuclear power plant | Reuters: The nuclear regulator in United Arab Emirates has issued an operating licence for the second unit of the Barakah nuclear power plant, an official from the regulator said on Tuesday.
UAE licenses second unit of Barakah nuclear power plant | Reuters
UAE licenses second unit of Barakah nuclear power plant | Reuters: The nuclear regulator in United Arab Emirates has issued an operating licence for the second unit of the Barakah nuclear power plant, an official from the regulator said on Tuesday.
Czech nuclear energy ambitions face stiff tests | Business| Economy and finance news from a German perspective | DW | 09.03.2021
Czech nuclear energy ambitions face stiff tests | Business| Economy and finance news from a German perspective | DW | 09.03.2021: The Czech nuclear regulator has cleared the way for the construction of new reactor units at the Dukovany nuclear power plant. But the government's nuclear plans face opposition from many sides.
1 new COVID-19 case at Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. Total is 257
1 new COVID-19 case at Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. Total is 257: The employee was last at the site on Feb. 23, reporting the positive test result between Feb. 25 and March 3.
US Nuclear Lab to Relocate Hundreds of Workers in New Mexico | New Mexico News | US News
US Nuclear Lab to Relocate Hundreds of Workers in New Mexico | New Mexico News | US News: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — One of the nation’s premier nuclear laboratories announced Monday that it will be moving hundreds of employees from its sprawling campus in the mountains of northern New Mexico to Santa Fe as part of a real estate deal that officials described as the largest job relocation in the capital city's history.
What’s the Role for New Nuclear Power in the Fight Against Climate Change? | Greentech Media
What’s the Role for New Nuclear Power in the Fight Against Climate Change? | Greentech Media: Some fear that small modular reactors could rob cash from more proven low-carbon technologies.
What is Israel building at its Dimona nuclear site? | Middle East Eye
What is Israel building at its Dimona nuclear site? | Middle East Eye: Satellite photos indicate that construction has been underway for two years, while Netanyahu continues to paint Iran as the regional villain
China puts nuclear power, waste disposal on the front burner in bid to meet climate targets | South China Morning Post
China puts nuclear power, waste disposal on the front burner in bid to meet climate targets | South China Morning Post: Beijing wants industry development accelerated in the next five years, including building more facilities to deal with radioactive waste.
Monday, March 8, 2021
Two nuclear power units in Kudankulam not powering South now, Energy News, ET EnergyWorld
Two nuclear power units in Kudankulam not powering South now, Energy News, ET EnergyWorld: The two 1,000 MW atomic power generation units of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu account for the bulk of t..
To secure a green future, Japan must reckon with its nuclear past | The Japan Times
To secure a green future, Japan must reckon with its nuclear past | The Japan Times: The government panel shaping the nation's energy future sees the restart of almost every reactor halted after meltdowns in 2011 as necessary to meet climate goals.
Regulators want $1B in refunds for Miss. power plant | Govt-and-politics | martinsvillebulletin.com
Regulators want $1B in refunds for Miss. power plant | Govt-and-politics | martinsvillebulletin.com: NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Utility regulators say Entergy Corp. wrongfully charged customers over eight years for a Mississippi nuclear power station that often malfunctioned and was repeatedly deemed unsafe, filing
China Gives Nuclear Power a Fresh Push in Drive to Go Green | Financial Post
China Gives Nuclear Power a Fresh Push in Drive to Go Green | Financial Post: (Bloomberg) — China is offering new backing for the development of nuclear power as a key tool in its drive to cut carbon emissions.
Why Hydrogen Needs Nuclear Power To Succeed
Why Hydrogen Needs Nuclear Power To Succeed: Hydrogen is increasingly popular in 2021, but critics say that costs will have to go down by more than 50% still to make it competitive with hydrocarbon fuels, something that perhaps only nuclear power could achieve
Legacy of the Fukushima nuclear disaster | East Asia Forum
Legacy of the Fukushima nuclear disaster | East Asia Forum: Tokyo must address the legacy of Fukushima before setting its eyes on using nuclear power as part of its decarbonisation planning
Japan's Nuclear Past Complicates Its Green Future - Bloomberg
Japan's Nuclear Past Complicates Its Green Future - Bloomberg: To meet its global climate commitments, Japan will need to restart almost every reactor it shuttered after the 2011 Fukushima disaster, and then build more.
Ostrovets unit 2 begins simulated fuel loading : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News
Ostrovets unit 2 begins simulated fuel loading : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: The loading of 'dummy' fuel assemblies began yesterday at unit 2 of the new nuclear power plant in Ostrovets, Belarus. "This process is a prerequisite and, in a way, a dress rehearsal for the loading of nuclear fuel into the reactor," Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom said.
Nuclear can bring balance to climate debate, says EC official : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News
Nuclear can bring balance to climate debate, says EC official : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News: The workshop the International Energy Agency and the International Atomic Energy Agency held jointly last week was very timely because the European Union is at an important juncture, and must consider the role of a variety of energy sources in its electricity mix if it is to achieve its decarbonisation goals, said Massimo Garribba, deputy director general of DG-Energy at the European Commission, adding that those sources include nuclear energy.
Germany Gives Nuke Plant Operators $2.9B for Early Shutdown | Business News | US News
Germany Gives Nuke Plant Operators $2.9B for Early Shutdown | Business News | US News: BERLIN (AP) — The German government said Friday it has agreed with four utility companies that they will receive a combined 2.4 billion euros ($2.9 billion) in compensation for the early shutdown of their nuclear power plants.
Sunday, March 7, 2021
X-Energy Signs on to DOE ARDP for $80M in Initial Funding | Neutron Bytes
X-Energy Signs on to DOE ARDP for $80M in Initial Funding | Neutron Bytes: X-Energy Signs on for ARDP and $80M in Initial Funding China Five-Year-Plan Includes Proposals For Up to 20 New Reactors China Commits to the ACP100 Small Modular Reactor Tvel / Russian Company St…
House Energy and Commerce leaders unveil sweeping climate change legislation - POLITICO
House Energy and Commerce leaders unveil sweeping climate change legislation - POLITICO: The 981-page bill calls for a federal clean energy standard that sets an interim goal of 80 percent clean electricity by 2030 and 100 percent by 2035.
US regulators look to license renewals to keep fleet active | Reuters Events | Nuclear
US regulators look to license renewals to keep fleet active | Reuters Events | Nuclear: The vast majority of the operators of the U.S.’s 94 nuclear power reactors have made one license renewal since 1998, extending their lives to 60 years from 40 years. However, the aging fleet is shrinking fast – there were over 112 reactors operating at the beginning of the nineties – and there are only two new reactors in construction in Waynesboro, Georgia, Vogtle 3 and 4,
Repositioning nuclear power: From Fukushima to COP 26 - The Sunday Guardian Live
Repositioning nuclear power: From Fukushima to COP 26 - The Sunday Guardian Live: An unprecedented, high-intensity earthquake followed by a tsunami on 11 March 2011 led to disruption of operations at the nuclear reactors at Fukushima Daiichi, Japan. But even more significantly, the accident cast a shadow on the entire nuclear sector as public scepticism on nuclear safety grew across the world. In order to arrest the downslide, …
Opposition to Yucca storage is costing Nevadans | LETTER | Las Vegas Review-Journal
Opposition to Yucca storage is costing Nevadans | LETTER | Las Vegas Review-Journal: If Nevada opted to build a facility to use proven current safe and cost-effective technology to recycle “free” nuclear waste and then sell the resulting power to users on the electric grid, it would be a boom to the Nevada economy.
Saturday, March 6, 2021
The Dark Side of Bill Gates’s Climate Techno-Optimism | The New Republic
The Dark Side of Bill Gates’s Climate Techno-Optimism | The New Republic: Innovation can be extremely unequal.
The man who saves forgotten cats in Fukushima's nuclear zone | Reuters
The man who saves forgotten cats in Fukushima's nuclear zone | Reuters: A decade ago, Sakae Kato stayed behind to rescue cats abandoned by neighbours who fled the radiation clouds belching from the nearby Fukushima nuclear plant. He won't leave.
Nuclear power proves its resilience a decade after Japan’s Fukushima disaster - MarketWatch
Nuclear power proves its resilience a decade after Japan’s Fukushima disaster - MarketWatch: It has been a decade since the Japan nuclear disaster caused the energy industry to rethink the safety of the power source. But the event hasn’t led to the...
House E&C Leaders Unveil Climate Bill Designating Nuclear as “Clean Energy Project” - ExchangeMonitor | Page 1
House E&C Leaders Unveil Climate Bill Designating Nuclear as “Clean Energy Project” - ExchangeMonitor | Page 1: ExchangeMonitor covers nuclear weapons, waste management, nuclear cleanup, international intelligence as well as carbon capture and storage.
The Fukushima Disaster Didn’t Scare the World Off Nuclear Power | Council on Foreign Relations
The Fukushima Disaster Didn’t Scare the World Off Nuclear Power | Council on Foreign Relations: In fact, experts say the fight against climate change could spark a nuclear energy revival.
ERCOT Lists Generators Forced Offline During Texas Extreme Cold Event
ERCOT Lists Generators Forced Offline During Texas Extreme Cold Event: The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) in freshly revealed data on March 4 reported that the Texas grid suffered 1,796 generating or energy
U.S. House Bill Introduces Federal Zero-Emissions Electricity Standard
U.S. House Bill Introduces Federal Zero-Emissions Electricity Standard: A sweeping climate proposal introduced by U.S. House Democrats on March 2 sets a stringent clean energy electricity mandate for power retailers
Viewpoint: Nuclear in the fourth industrial revolution : Perspectives - World Nuclear News
Viewpoint: Nuclear in the fourth industrial revolution : Perspectives - World Nuclear News: The nuclear energy industry will continue to innovate and adopt advanced technologies to constantly improve the way nuclear power plants generate efficient, reliable and carbon-free electricity to power an increasingly interconnected world, writes Catherine Cornand, senior executive vice president of the Installed Base Business Unit at Framatome.
A nuclear frontier | TheHill
A nuclear frontier | TheHill: If we want to tackle climate change, reduce emissions, and power the grid, then we need the proper mix of energy. We need to make sure that nuclear not only stays on the grid, but grows on it.
The Iran nuclear deal needs to be fixed and rewritten, not just revived | TheHill
The Iran nuclear deal needs to be fixed and rewritten, not just revived | TheHill: The administration should make use of the leverage it has to push for an improved agreement that addresses wider regional security concerns.
Friday, March 5, 2021
The U.S. Grid Isn’t Ready For A Major Shift To Renewables | naked capitalism
The U.S. Grid Isn’t Ready For A Major Shift To Renewables | naked capitalism: The Texas power outages exposed serious shortcomings with the structure and operation of the US electrical grid.
Fukushima Update March 5, 2021
Fukushima Update March 5, 2021 -
Tepco finished transfer of fuel bundles from Unit #3 SFP... JAIF President Shiro Arai chronicles this past year’s F. Daiichi milestones... Most residents in the former Fukushima evacuation zones think reconstruction is not happening... Fukushima residents file another lawsuit over radiation exposure... Former PMs Naoto Kan and Junichiro Koizumi continue their anti-nuclear crusade... Japan’s official 10th anniversary memorial event for the 2011 earthquake and tsunami will happen March 11th... A listing of Press reports posted this past week in anticipation of next week’s 10th anniversary of the nuke accident... Two posts concerning the continuing plight of tsunami victims.
https://www.hiroshimasyndrome.com/fukushima-accident-updates.html
FAS COVID-19 Ask a Scientist
FAS COVID-19 Ask a Scientist: nj Support Center helps you to find FAQ, how-to guides and step-by-step tutorials.
Forging 1,000 Venture Scientists to Transform the Innovation Economy
Forging 1,000 Venture Scientists to Transform the Innovation Economy: The Administration should establish the Venture Science Doctorate (VSD) to train graduates to combine research and entrepreneurship.
China said to speed up move to more survivable nuclear force
China said to speed up move to more survivable nuclear force: WASHINGTON (AP) — China appears to be moving faster toward a capability to launch its newer nuclear missiles from underground silos, possibly to improve its ability to respond promptly to a...
Baby Nukes: When a Little Boom Is All You Need - Inkstick
Baby Nukes: When a Little Boom Is All You Need - Inkstick: Over the course of our nuclear history, smaller (potentially more usable) nuclear weapons have come in all shapes and sizes — from so-called backpack bombs to
Child Migration Quickly Overwhelming Biden Administration’s Resources
Child Migration Quickly Overwhelming Biden Administration’s Resources: “We are not saying don’t come, we are saying don’t come now," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says.
What Does National Security Even Mean Anymore, After January 6th and the Pandemic? | The New Yorker
What Does National Security Even Mean Anymore, After January 6th and the Pandemic? | The New Yorker: Talking threats, foreign and domestic, with Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Gantz says Israel has list of Iran-backed targets ready to strike | Joe Biden News | Al Jazeera
Gantz says Israel has list of Iran-backed targets ready to strike | Joe Biden News | Al Jazeera: Defence minister says Israel has identified Iranian targets to attack if Tehran continues ‘nuclear escalation’.
Western powers drop censure plan as Iran agrees to IAEA talks | Nuclear Energy News | Al Jazeera
Western powers drop censure plan as Iran agrees to IAEA talks | Nuclear Energy News | Al Jazeera: Iran agrees to cooperate with international experts regarding uranium particles discovered at several of its sites.
New Belgian and Dutch waste storage facilities planned : Waste & Recycling - World Nuclear News
New Belgian and Dutch waste storage facilities planned : Waste & Recycling - World Nuclear News: Construction of a new facility for the storage of low-level radioactive waste has begun at the Dessel site in Belgium. Meanwhile, a new storage facility for low and intermediate-level waste is planned at the Netherlands' centralised radioactive waste processing and storage facility.
Hungary and Poland plan nuclear to replace coal : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News
Hungary and Poland plan nuclear to replace coal : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News: Hungary is now the sixth European country to bring forward its coal phaseout plan, announcing that it will shut its last remaining coal plant in 2025. Meanwhile Poland says its first nuclear power unit will be built in Gdansk and the second one probably at the site of its Belchatów coal plant.
Magnox Inquiry concludes NDA had 'optimism bias' : Corporate - World Nuclear News
Magnox Inquiry concludes NDA had 'optimism bias' : Corporate - World Nuclear News: The final report of an independent inquiry into the UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority's award of the Magnox decommissioning contract, related litigation and its subsequent termination has been published. Led by Steve Holliday, a former CEO of National Grid, the process to hold the Magnox Inquiry began in March 2017. Holliday was asked to conduct an inquiry by Greg Clark, then secretary of state for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Germany agrees compensation for nuclear phaseout : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News
Germany agrees compensation for nuclear phaseout : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News: The German government has reached an agreement with EOn, EnBW, RWE and Vattenfall on compensation for the forced premature closure of their nuclear power reactors. The utilities are set to receive a total of almost EUR2.5 billion (USD3.0 billion) in compensation after agreeing to drop all legal actions against the government related to the nuclear phaseout. The final regulation related to the compensation will be made into law by the end of this year.
Thursday, March 4, 2021
The lessons of Fukushima - Nuclear power must be well regulated, not ditched | Leaders | The Economist
The lessons of Fukushima - Nuclear power must be well regulated, not ditched | Leaders | The Economist: It is an essential weapon in the fight against climate change
MIT Spinoff To Build Commercial Fusion Energy Campus In Devens | Earthwhile
MIT Spinoff To Build Commercial Fusion Energy Campus In Devens | Earthwhile: Commonwealth Fusion Systems will build a research and manufacturing campus campus in Devens, Mass. with the goal of bringing fusion energy to market
Fact Check: Have Investments In Wind Energy ‘Pushed Out’ Gas And Nuclear Power? | Texas Standard
Fact Check: Have Investments In Wind Energy ‘Pushed Out’ Gas And Nuclear Power? | Texas Standard: Our weekly check-in with the Texas Truth-O-Meter.
Officials file $360M complaint against Entergy over nuclear plant's power output
Officials file $360M complaint against Entergy over nuclear plant's power output: The Louisiana Public Service Commission, in conjunction with officials in New Orleans and Arkansas, has filed a multi-million-dollar complaint against Entergy over the output of a nuclear plant in Mississippi.
China on course to lead in nuclear by 2030, says IEA : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News
China on course to lead in nuclear by 2030, says IEA : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News: China will have the world's largest nuclear power fleet within a decade, while most of the units in longstanding nuclear regions - Japan, the European Union and the USA - are facing the end of their original 40-year design lifetime, Brent Wanner, lead of World Energy Outlook Power Sector Modelling & Analysis at the International Energy Agency, said yesterday. Without policy support for the long-term operation of the existing fleet, this trend is certain to continue, he told delegates at the High-Level Workshop on Nuclear Power in Clean Energy Transitions, which the IEA held jointly with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The first Polish nuclear power plant will be built in Gdansk
The first Polish nuclear power plant will be built in Gdansk: The first Polish nuclear power plant will be built in Gdansk Pomerania, minister and government plenipotentiary for strategic energy infrastructure Piotr Naimski told RMF FM. He admitted that coal power plants will be closed down.
Polish-US civil nuclear agreement enters into force : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News
Polish-US civil nuclear agreement enters into force : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News: The diplomatic notes Poland and the USA exchanged last year on cooperation in the development of Poland's civil nuclear power programme have officially entered into force, Poland's Secretary of State for Strategic Energy Infrastructure Piotr Naimski told the TOK FM radio station yesterday. This means the USA now has 18 months to prepare both a technology and a financing offer to build nuclear power plants in Poland, he said.
Canada Embraces Nuclear Energy Expansion to Lower Carbon Emissions - WSJ
Canada Embraces Nuclear Energy Expansion to Lower Carbon Emissions - WSJ: The government is encouraging the deployment of small modular reactors as part of its strategy to reduce carbon emissions, making the country an exception in the developed world.
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