Latest news with #nuclear reactor
Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
NRC Eyes New Accident Tolerant Nuclear Fuels For Commercial Use
Part of a nuclear reactor fuel rod element. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has completed a study of advanced, better performing accident tolerant fuels being developed by three U.S. companies as it prepares to handle licensing demand for new commercial nuclear power reactors. Accident tolerant fuels may offer important technological advances to increase the safety of U.S. nuclear power plants. ATFs are being studied to determine their potential to perform better in normal operations and during transportation as well as in nuclear power plant accidents. The NRC's Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research recently released the report prepared by the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The Richland, Wash.-based PNNL is providing technical assistance about the proposed nuclear fuel and new fuel cladding designs that may replace current nuclear fuel rods made with zirconium-based alloys. The 91-page highly technical report is called 'Spent Fuel Storage and Transportation of Accident Tolerant Fuel Concepts' and outlines the latest information on fuel material properties and performance associated with storing and transporting spent nuclear fuel. The federal government is evaluating the performance of nuclear power systems containing ATF. The NRC says the same performance requirements are being sought with irradiated ATF fuel as mandated for conventional zirconium alloy cladded uranium dioxide fuel. The new report explores the current activities of the following companies in their developments with ATFs and fuel cladding designs: The DOE is working on its Advanced Fuels Campaign with teams of researchers seeking new nuclear power plant fuels at five of its national laboratories. The federal collaborations are centered at the PNNL, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Advanced Fuels Campaign national laboratories are located in many regions of the U.S. According to DOE, ATFs offer several advantages over conventional nuclear energy fuel. ATFs are being developed to improve nuclear reactor safety 'by maintaining structural integrity and reactor cooling for a longer duration during severe accident conditions,' DOE says. ATFs The main objective of the Advanced Fuels Campaign is to develop and use ATFs to significantly increase nuclear power performance and safety. Researchers lower a test train into the Advanced Test Reactor at Idaho National Laboratory. The NRC report also discussed whether its current regulations would apply to ATF storage and transportation. While it advised companies applying for licenses to provide justification data to support their applications, the NRC noted the federal government's current regulatory framework for storing and transporting spent nuclear fuel would generally cover apply to ATFs. These findings would appear to pave the way for greater interest by companies in turning to nuclear power to meet their energy demands.
Japan Times
19-07-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Kansai Electric eyes next-generation reactor at plant in Fukui Prefecture
Kansai Electric Power Co. is planning to build a next-generation nuclear reactor at its Mihama power plant in Fukui Prefecture, sources said Friday. The company will shortly resume a survey of geological and other conditions for building the new reactor, informed sources said. The survey was suspended after the March 2011 massive earthquake and tsunami that triggered the country's worst nuclear accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holding's Fukushima No. 1 plant in northeastern Japan. This is the first concrete move toward building a new reactor in the country since the disaster. The move comes after the government adopted a new basic energy plan in February, clarifying its policy of making maximum use of nuclear plants and outlining plans to work on the development and installation of next-generation reactors that are safer than conventional ones. Still, there is strong opposition to building a new reactor in Japan. At the Mihama plant, the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors are set to be decommissioned. The No. 3 unit is currently active, but next year, it will mark its 50th year in operation. In April, Kansai Electric released its fiscal 2025 plan, which calls for creating a business environment to replace nuclear reactors. If the survey at the Mihama plant finds it feasible to build a new reactor there, the company is expected to submit an application to the Nuclear Regulation Authority and accelerate related moves. Under the basic energy plan, the government aims to raise the share of nuclear energy in the country's power sources from the current level below 10% to around 20% in fiscal 2040. To meet this target, more than 30 nuclear reactors need to be operational. Among other power utilities in Japan, Kyushu Electric Power Co. has included a plan to consider developing a next-generation reactor in its management vision for the period until 2035.
