KHNP Wins Contract to Build Reactors at Dukovany

Carbon, Energy, Environment, Solar

KHNP Wins Contract to Build Reactors at Dukovany

KHNP Wins $17.3B Contract to Build 2 Units at Dukovany
Italy Gov’t Sets Policy Plans for SMRs
New US Nuclear Startup Plans “Fleet” of Reactors
Oklo Completes Successful Demo of Advanced Fuel Recycling Process
MOX Fuel Loaded At Beloyarsk-4 (BN-800)
Global Investment in Fusion Topped $900M in Past Year

KHNP Wins $17.3B Contract to Build 2 Units at Dukovany

The reactors are expected to be APR1000 PWRs
Westinghouse immediately attacked the award over alleged intellectual property issues with South Korea

(NucNet contributed to this report) South Korea’s state-run Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) has won a lucrative public tender to build at least two nuclear reactors in the Czech Republic with the first unit scheduled to be online by 2036.

KHNP beat France’s state power company EDF in the tender launched in 2022 for one new nuclear power reactor at the Dukovany power station site, about 200 km southeast of Prague.

But that’s not all. The Czech Republic in an ongoing effort to become more energy independent and wean itself off fossil fuels, said later it was seeking bids for a total of four new units: two for each of its two nuclear stations at Dukovany and Temelín. It has now decided that in the near term it will aim for two new units at Dukovany.

“We have decided to build two units at Dukovany for now,” Prime Minister Petr Fiala told reporters, adding the government would discuss an option for another two units at Temelín. Fiala said the price offered by KHNP, which recently build four nuclear plants at Barakah in the Unted Arab Emirates, beat expectations at around $8.65 billion) per unit if two units are built.

“The Korean bid was better in all criteria assessed,” Fiala said.

The government said it expected to sign an agreement with KHNP by March 2025. Construction could begin in 2029 and the first new reactor online in 2036. Czech companies would participate in about 60% of the construction. The Czech Republic last April submitted a financial plan which included details on how it plans to pay for the reactors to the European Union.

The government said in January that a bid by US firm Westinghouse did not meet its conditions. In a press conference reported by S&P Global, Czech Minister for Industry and Trade Jozef Sikela said that problem with Westinghouse’s bid was that it was “not binding” and therefore could not be compared with those from the other two vendors. The Czech government expected a turnkey reactor at the end of the process and Westinghouse-Bechtel’s offer did not, for example, include penalties for failing to meet deadlines or other guarantees that the Czech government was seeking.

Russia’s Rosatom and China’s CNG were excluded from the Czech ender on security grounds. Previously, both countries were also booted out of tenders from Romania and China was ejected from a deal in the UK that had offered it the right to build a Hualong One at the Bradford site in return for equity stakes in EPRs under construction at the Hinkley Point and Sizewell sites.

About the APR1000

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power’s (KHNP’s) APR1000 reactor design has been formally certified as compliant by the European Utility Requirements (EUR) organization – a technical advisory group for European utilities on nuclear power plants.

The APR1000 is an evolutionary pressurized water reactor (PWR) which has been developed from the proven OPR1000 design. The design – intended for overseas markets – is based on the experience that has been accumulated through the development, construction, and operation of the OPR1000, the first standard PWR plant in South Korea. (IAEA technical profile)

A total of 12 OPR1000 units have been built and put into operation in South Korea. The APR1000 also utilizes the state-of-the-art proven technology and incorporates a number of advanced design features from the larger APR1400 to meet the utility’s needs for enhanced economic goals and to improved plant safety. KHNP build four of these reactors in the UAE.

Lingering Intellectual Property Dispute

Westinghouse filed a suit with the US District Court for the District of Columbia against KHNP and parent firm Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), contending that KHNP’s APR-1400 reactor technology includes intellectual property licensed by Westinghouse and that KHNP needs permission from the US firm before selling the unit to other countries. Westinghouse targeted KHNP bids for projects in Poland and the Czech Republic.

The court dismissed the suit in September 2023, but did not rule on the issue of intellectual property infringement. The court said that as a private entity, Westinghouse could not pursue enforcement of US government regulations governing export controls of nuclear energy technologies.

David Durham, president of energy systems at Westinghouse, KHNP has failed to comply with Westinghouse’s intellectual property rights that they agreed to contractually.

“The use of Westinghouse intellectual property outside of Korea is the principal dispute between the parties.”

In a statement emailed to NucNet on July 17th, Westinghouse said it reaffirms its position that KHNP is not authorized to use Westinghouse reactor technology, which is the basis of KHNP offer and references for the Czech nuclear tender, without Westinghouse’s agreement. It is unclear if the claims by Westinghouse have standing the the Czech judicial system. Westinghouse also challenged the Letter of Intent from Poland issued to KHNP for two reactors in that country.

The dispute was submitted to an international arbitration body in August 2023. However, it is apparent from the statements by Westinghouse this week that the process has not resulted in a resolution satisfactory to all parties.

Poland’s Nuclear Program

In October 2022, Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced that Westinghouse had been selected for the first part of the country’s six-reactor plan to build up to 9 GWe of capacity by 2040. Financing of the Westinghouse project remains uncertain. Westinghouse and Bechtel, its EPC, declined to take an equity stake in the project.

In October 2023 Poland’s Ministry of State Assets, South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, ZE PAK, PGE and KHNP signed a letter of intent to develop plans for a nuclear power plant consisting of at least two Korean-supplied APR1400 reactors in Patnów. KHNP offered to fund a portion of the project though an equity investment contingent on Poland covering all other costs.

EDF’s Loss for Dukovany Seen as Major Setback on Export Plans

French state owned nuclear power conglomerate’s loss of a contract award for two reactors for CEZ’s Dukovany power station in the Czech republic is a major setback for the the firm. Schedule delays and cost overruns in Finland, France, and the UK are seen as the reasons the contract went to South Korea’s KHNP.

A win would have represented a turn around for EDF which lost out to Westinghouse in Poland in 2022 and previously in the UAE. An EDF bid is pending in Saudi Arabia, but the Saudi government has twice postponed the award date while tentatively scheduling it for this month.

However, the French government has committed to building eight and as many as 14 redesigned EPRs in France to replace the oldest reactors in its fleet. The new design, which has not yet been built, was part of the Czech bid.

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Italy Gov’t Sets Policy Plans for SMRs

Minister says first nuclear reactors could be online within 10 years

(NucNet) The Italian government is seeking to restore nuclear power in the country to reduce carbon dioxide emissions with the first new reactors in operation within 10 years, according to the Financial Times. The newspaper said prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s rightwing government is planning to introduce legislation that will allow investment in small modular reactors (SMRs).

Environment and energy security minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin told the Financial Times that nuclear power should account for at least 11% of the country’s total electricity consumption by 2050 as Italy seeks to reduce its reliance on imported fossil fuels.

“To have a guarantee of continuity on clean energy, we must insert a quota of nuclear energy. Renewable technologies such as solar and wind power cannot provide the security that we need.”

Earlier this year, referring to a poll that showed increased support in Italy for nuclear power, Fratin said there had been a reluctance to talk about nuclear power, but “the country has changed a lot” and there is a “new and modern sensibility”.

The survey showed that 54% of Italians favor nuclear power. The young are especially keen with 63% supporting nuclear compared to 47% of those over 55.

In May 2023, the Italian parliament backed the government’s plan to include nuclear in the country’s energy mix as part of its decarbonization efforts.

Italy banned nuclear energy after it was rejected in a national referendum following the Chernobyl disaster in 1987 and another in 2011 following the Fukushima-Daiichi accident. It shut down its last commercial reactors, Caorso and Enrico Fermi, in 1990.

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New US Nuclear Startup Plans “Fleet” of Reactors

The Nuclear Company, a fleet-scale nuclear development company, announced plans to construct a series of nuclear power plants in the U.S. The company says its target markets are data centers, electrification of the transportation sector (cars, trucks), and manufacturing centers.

Details are sparse about the reactors it plans to build, how many it plans to build as a “fleet, where it plans to build them, and how it will finance the entire venture.

The firm is privately held backed by a consortium of venture capital firms that fund early stage technology companies. Early investors in the company include CIV, an investment firm that backs and builds companies at the vanguard of energy and industry; True Ventures, Wonder Ventures, Goldcrest Capital, and MCJ Collective.

Three Pronged Approach to Risk

The company said it will avoid the risks of schedule delays and cost overruns that plagued the two Vogtle units with a three pronged approach

Building at scale: The Nuclear Company is committed to fleet-scale nuclear power. This design-once, build-many approach uses a proven design to deliver safe and reliable electricity at the lowest cost. While others are betting on unproven design and engineering, we’re focused on approved and licensed technology already operating in the United States.

The firm did not identify the reactor design nor indicate if it plans to build full size reactors or small modular reactors. The firm’s criteria for choosing the technology for its “fleet” would point to the Westinghouse 1,150 MW AP1000 which is “licensed and operating” in the US.

Experienced partners: Individual utilities typically will not assume the risks associated with large nuclear power construction. Without providing specifics the firm said in its press statement that it is building coalitions across communities, regulators, and financial stakeholders, catalyzing the nuclear industry toward rapid development in America and globally. The firm claims its consortium of utilities and independent power producers, hyperscalers, nuclear technology suppliers, and private equity help mitigate risk and make nuclear power an attractive investment.

On time, on budget: The firm says it is developing standardized processes and scheduling so that it can sequence work to minimize delays. By moving construction expertise from one site to the next immediately, the firm says will improve efficiency.

Firm Says It is Aware of the Challenges of its Approach

Juliann Edwards, Chief Development Officer for The Nuclear Company and Chair of U.S. Women in Nuclear, said, “The Nuclear Company is working towards solving America’s surging energy demand by redefining how large-scale, nuclear infrastructure projects are delivered.”

“We recognize the challenges facing our industry, where one-off nuclear projects historically go over budget and run behind schedule. Our unique approach integrates proven technology with unparalleled collaboration among diverse organizations, ensuring that fleet-scale projects are executed on-time and on-budget. The time is now given a sea change in public opinion that’s overwhelmingly supportive of nuclear power, recent bipartisan legislative action, and our business model that drives down upfront costs. Together, we’ll reap the long-term benefits of plentiful, cheap nuclear power during this once-in-a-century opportunity for nuclear power in America.”

Ms. Edwards has professional experience in the nuclear industry including serving on the board of Bruce Power in Canada and work in executive roles with several US nuclear energy industry engineering services firms.

Bus Tour of Sites and Stakeholders

Building on its work developing coalitions in support of fleet-scale nuclear, The Nuclear Company is embarking on The Nuclear Frontier bus tour with stops in six states and Washington D.C.

The tour aims to engage with government and industry leaders, as well as the skilled tradespeople who will rebuild America’s nuclear leadership. The Nuclear Company’s consortium of utilities and independent power producers, hyperscalers, nuclear technology suppliers, and private equity help mitigate risk and make nuclear power an attractive investment.

“The success or failure of the U.S. economy will be determined by our ability to power its innovations. Nuclear power is the cornerstone of that endeavor,” said The Nuclear Company Co-founder and Chair Patrick Maloney.

“The Nuclear Company’s business model is designed to solve the problems that have constrained the country’s nuclear potential. The Nuclear Company aims to reposition the U.S. as a paradigm of clean energy advances that will set the standard for the industry.”

Previously, he founded and was the CEO of a renewable energy residential retailer company that served 250,000 customers in nine states which was acquired by Shell Oil in 2021. The acquisition augments Shell’s existing position as a power supplier to residential customers in the U.S. alongside another portfolio company, MP2 Energy, an electric utility in Woodlands, TX. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

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Oklo Completes Successful Demo of Advanced Fuel Recycling Process

Oklo Inc. (NYSE: OKLO) a fast fission clean power technology and nuclear fuel recycling company, announced the successful completion of the first end-to-end demonstration of the key stages of its advanced fuel recycling process, in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory.

This achievement marks a significant step forward in Oklo’s efforts to scale up its fuel recycling capabilities and deploy a commercial-scale recycling facility to increase advanced reactor fuel supplies, and enhance fuel cost effectiveness.

Supported by a $5 million cost-share award from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) under the Optimizing Nuclear Waste and Advanced Reactor Disposal Systems Program (ONWARDS), this project aims to facilitate the deployment of a commercial-scale advanced fuel recycling facility.

“We know that recycling is an important path to reduce high-level waste, and advance nuclear energy with safe and sustainable domestic fuel stocks,” said ARPA-E Director Evelyn N. Wang.

“Through ARPA-E’s ONWARDS Program, Oklo is working to achieve these goals. This milestone marks an important step forward in the team’s progress as they work towards economically viable nuclear fuel recycling.”

Oklo’s fuel recycling technology is engineered to extract over 90% of the remaining potential energy from used fuel, which is expected to be utilized in Oklo powerhouses to generate clean energy. It incorporates unique proliferation-resistant features, including maintaining the consolidation of transuranic materials.

The introduction of commercial fuel recycling operations is also expected to save up to 80% on Oklo’s fuel costs, driving long-term value through enhanced fuel efficiency, alternative fuel source creation, and reduction in high-level waste requiring permanent disposal.

“We recognize the inherent opportunity to enhance our mission through fuel recycling, converting used fuel into clean energy,” said Jacob DeWitte, co-founder and CEO of Oklo.

“Oklo’s use of fast fission technology positions us well to realize these fuel recycling benefits. The success of this project brings us closer to bringing a commercial-scale domestic fuel recycling facility online, crucial for strengthening our business model and advancing economic viability.”

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MOX Fuel Loaded At Beloyarsk-4 (BN-800)

Move is part of efforts to reduce amount of long-lived radwaste

(NucNet) Russia has loaded what it claims are the world’s first fuel assemblies containing uranium-plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel along with minor actinides into the Beloyarsk-4 BN-800 fast breeder reactor (FBR) near Yekaterinburg in central Russia. Russia’s state nuclear operator Rosenergoatom said the fuel loading with the “innovative” assemblies is designed to confirm the possibility of industrial disposal of minor actinides.

Beloyarsk NPP director Ivan Sidorov said minor actinides are the most radiotoxic and long-lived components contained in used fuel. The possibility of eliminating them using fast neutron reactors will reduce the volume of radioactive waste from the entire infrastructure of the nuclear fuel cycle resulting from the operation of nuclear power plants.

Three experimental MOX assemblies containing the minor actinides americium-241 and neptunium-237 manufactured at Rosatom’s Mining & Chemical Combine (MCC) were loaded into the reactor core after approval by the regulator. State nuclear corporation Rosatom said the Federal Service for Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Supervision (Rostekhnadzor) had confirmed the safety of the assemblies.

In the BN-800 reactor, the assemblies will undergo experimental industrial operation during three cycles. Beloyarsk-4 is an 820-MW FBR that began commercial operation in October 2016.

An FBR is designed to generate more fissile material than it consumes, allowing a significant increase in the amount of energy obtained from natural, depleted and recycled uranium. The technology also enables plutonium and other actinides to be used and recycled, considerably reducing the amount of long-lived radioactive waste.

MOX fuel is manufactured from plutonium recovered from used reactor fuel, mixed with depleted uranium. It provides a means of using surplus weapons-grade plutonium for civilian energy generation. This eliminates the need for the storage of surplus plutonium, which needs to be secured against the risk of theft for use in nuclear weapons.

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Global Investment in Fusion Topped $900M in Past Year

(WNN) The Global Fusion Industry in 2024 report says that more than $900 million has been invested in the fusion industry in the past year, and more than 1000 jobs created.

The fourth edition of the report, produced annually by the Fusion Industry Association – which represents private nuclear fusion companies – says that in total the 45 companies surveyed suggest that the overall industry has attracted more than 7.1 billion of investment over the past several years.

The $900 million of new funding reported by the companies since the previous report includes $426 million of public funding, up 57% on the amount of public funding the previous year.

Notable investments included in the 2024 report are;

$100 million for Xcimer,
$90 million for SHINE and
$65 million for Helion.

The USA has 25 of the 45 companies in the FIA survey, followed by the UK, Germany, Japan and China all with three and Switzerland with two. Australia, Canada, France, Israel, New Zealand and Sweden all have one company among those in the survey, which was carried out in the second quarter of 2024.

Andrew Holland, CEO of the Fusion Industry Association, said: “In the face of continued challenges in raising capital for ‘deep-tech’ ventures, the additional funding underscores confidence in fusion technology’s potential to revolutionize the global energy landscape on a timescale that is relevant to investors. Plus, with government policies shifting to direct more public funding into private fusion companies, the major players are aligning behind a shared goal.”

The survey reports that the companies remain optimistic that fusion will provide electricity to the grid by the end of the 2030s, with 70% believing it will happen by the end of 2035. A lower proportion, but still more than 50%, believe that the first fusion plant will be considered commercially viable by 2035.

Asked about future challenges, two-thirds of companies believe that in the coming years “power efficiency will be a major challenge” as well as there being a risk of funding not being available as a barrier to success.”

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