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The programme to restart the Palisades nuclear power plant in Michigan is now in the inspections and maintenance phase and remains on schedule, Holtec International said in its latest update. Meanwhile, the US regulator has been petitioned to codify regulations for restarting shuttered nuclear power plants.

Recent progress at the plant, in Covert Township, has included initial accreditation for Holtec's operations and maintenance and technical training programmes, requalification of 26 former Palisades licensed operators, significant workforce growth, completion of chemical cleaning of the primary coolant system , and comprehensive reactor vessel internal inspections. The chemical cleaning has "had a dramatic effect on further improving the plant’s occupational radiation safety metrics", Holtec said.

The focus has now shifted to detailed inspections and maintenance of major systems, including the main turbine, containment building structure, high-voltage towers and transformers. Detailed inspections of the plant’s steam generators have been completed, during which the need for additional maintenance activities was identified, Holtec said: "Thorough and early inspections have allowed us to proactively identify and implement the needed refurbishments before Palisades returns to service. Palisades's owner’s engineer, Nuclear Consultants International (NCI, an autonomous Holtec affiliate), is working with experienced on-site and external experts to devise and implement industry-proven solutions."

Preparations are also nearly complete for a five-month campaign to transfer used fuel assemblies currently stored in the plant’s fuel pool to Hi-Storm FW dry fuel storage systems at a unified on-site storage facility, designed and built by Holtec’s Nuclear Power Division.

“As nuclear professionals, restoring the plant to its highest level of safety is our utmost priority. Our primary focus remains ensuring that Palisades returns to service safely and reliably, with all necessary repairs and maintenance completed to the highest standards,” said Holtec Chief Nuclear Officer Rich Burroni.

Palisades' single-unit 800 MWe pressurised water reactor was shut down in 2022, after more than 40 years of commercial operation, and was to be decommissioned. Holtec completed its acquisition of the reactor from then-owner and operator Entergy shortly after the reactor's closure, with plans to finish dismantling, decontamination, and remediation by 2041. The same month, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) transferred the plant's operating licence to Holtec for the purpose of decommissioning.

But Holtec then announced plans to apply for federal funding to enable it to reopen the plant, and in October 2023 submitted a filing with the NRC to formally begin the process of seeking reauthorisation of power operations at the plant. The company is aiming to repower the plant by the end of 2025. It would be the first nuclear power plant in the USA to return to commercial operations after being closed down, and current plans would see it provide baseload clean power until at least 2051.

Regulatory process

According to NRC information, Holtec will need to explain to the regulator how it will return plant components to a status that supports safe operation; restore the licensing basis of the plant to an operational status, and make any upgrades necessary to meet current NRC requirements. NRC staff will carefully review the regulatory and licensing documents for the plant, inspect new and restored components necessary to operate safely, and continue ongoing oversight to ensure sufficiency of all plant systems and programmes. The NRC has established the Palisades Nuclear Plant Restart Panel to provide oversight of the restart effort.

Palisades may not be the only shuttered US plant to return to service: earlier this year, NextEra Energy CEO John Ketchum told investors the company was considering the possibility of restarting the Duane Arnold boiling water reactor plant, which closed in 2020. Constellation Energy CEO Joe Dominguez has also, in comments to investors, not ruled out a restart of Three Mile Island unit 1 which closed in 2019.

Now, the US regulator has been petitioned to revise its regulations to include a Commission-approved process for returning a decommissioning plant to operational status. In an entry in the US Federal Register, the NRC said it has determined that the petition "meets the sufficiency requirements" for it to be documented, and is calling for public comment. The petition was submitted by a former engineering director of the plant and an investigative journalist, with community members near the plant adding their signatures.

"The petition states that the NRC staff lack a specific NRC Commission-approved and codified process for licensing, inspecting, and approving the return to service of a power reactor that has entered decommissioning. The petitioner requests that the NRC conduct rulemaking to include a codified process for returning a decommissioning plant to operational status," the NRC said.

The review of the petition is a separate process from the ongoing NRC consideration of requested actions related to the potential restart of the Palisades Nuclear Plant, the regulator added.

Ten industry associations have issued a communiqué calling on all OECD member states to set out clear plans for nuclear energy deployment. The document was released during the first day of the second Roadmaps to New Nuclear conference in Paris, organised by the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency.

Co-chaired by Swedish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Business and Industry, Ebba Busch, and OECD NEA Director-General William Magwood, the OECD NEA said at the event "ministers, CEOs and other leaders will discuss concrete ways to make good on global pledges to increase nuclear energy production to fight climate change".

It added: "Building on the success of Roadmaps to New Nuclear 2023, ministers, senior government officials and industry representatives will convene to share recent experiences, deliberate on best practices and chart a collaborative path towards delivering new nuclear energy construction at the scale and pace required to meet the growing global expectations for nuclear energy.

"Whereas Roadmaps 2023 provided a general direction for collective action, which was followed by a pledge by more than 20 countries at COP28 to triple global nuclear energy capacity by 2050, this second meeting will focus on critical next steps to bring solutions to the countries most interested in proceeding with nuclear new build."

The NEA said the discussions during the two-day event "will inform the development of actionable policy recommendations for policymakers, nuclear power companies and the nuclear energy sector more broadly".

The nuclear industry - represented by the Canadian Nuclear Association, Candu Owners Group, the Electric Power Research Institute, Groupement des Industriels Français de l'Energie Nucléaire (Gifen), Japan Atomic Industrial Forum, Korea Atomic Industrial Forum, Nuclear Energy Institute, nucleareurope, Nuclear Industry Association and World Nuclear Association - issued a communiqué saying: "We congratulate those OECD member states that signed the Declaration to Triple Nuclear at COP28. We urge all OECD member states to set out clear plans for nuclear energy deployment that would fulfil the targets they have set through the UNFCCC process and to demonstrate their commitment to nuclear energy, giving clear signals to markets and investors."

The associations said they recognise that meeting a tripling of nuclear capacity by "2050 will require significant expansion in access to financing, strengthening of supply chains, investment in workforce, further development of the nuclear fuel supply and supportive policies and regulations to enable rapid scaling of nuclear energy generation".

They called on governments to help maximise the use of existing nuclear power plants, including extending the operating period of reactors, uprating their output and restarting those that have shutdown where feasible. They said governments should act to accelerate deployment of new nuclear facilities based on proven designs, and accelerate the development, demonstration, and deployment of new nuclear technologies, including new large nuclear reactors as well as small modular reactors and advanced modular reactors.

The associations highlighted eight key areas in which governments must take action in order to achieve the 2050 target. These include: promoting policies to encourage fleet deployment of nuclear energy technologies; ensuring ready access to national and international climate finance mechanisms for nuclear development; ensuring that multilateral financial institutions include nuclear energy in their investment portfolios; providing clarity to investors on the funding and investment recovery mechanisms available for nuclear projects and including nuclear energy in clean energy financing mechanisms; continuing efforts to strengthen supply chains for nuclear fuel in OECD member states; investing in workforce development and training; continuing investments in nuclear research and efforts to bolster the nuclear supply chain within OECD member states; and expanding regulatory cooperation.

"The communiqué issued today congratulates those OECD member states that signed the Declaration to Triple Nuclear at COP28, and encourages other member states to join," said Sama Bilbao y León, Director General, World Nuclear Association. "The goal to triple global nuclear capacity is also shared by industry through the Net Zero Nuclear initiative highlighting government and industry collaboration. The time is now to expand nuclear capacity and provide clean, reliable and secure energy for all."

New initiative launched

The NEA announced it will create a new Joint Undertaking on Roadmaps to New Nuclear that will "bring together like-minded countries to rebuild their capability to implement successful nuclear energy new-build projects".

The initiative will focus on addressing the most pressing issues in nuclear energy, including nuclear finance, supply chain readiness and building a skilled and diverse workforce.

So far, 13 countries (Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, South Korea, Sweden, the UK and the USA) have expressed interest in the initiative.

"The Joint Undertaking on Roadmaps to New Nuclear will allow us to turn the priorities identified by Ministers and CEOs into practical actions to support the tripling of nuclear energy capacity by 2050," OECD NEA Director-General William Magwood said. "This collaborative framework will advance international cooperation, foster strategic partnerships, and exchanges among governments and industry to more effectively deliver on the national priorities of the countries pursuing new nuclear capacity."

The Czech Republic has chosen UK firm Rolls-Royce SMR after assessing seven potential technology suppliers for its proposed small modular reactor programme.

The Ministry of Trade said that the applicants were approached "on the basis of their potential suitability for placement in the Czech Republic ... Rolls-Royce SMR emerged as the best company with which ČEZ (the Czech nuclear power company) wants to establish a strategic partnership". The government will now carry out a "safety assessment of the British company" as was done for those who bid for the recent large nuclear units contracts - involving the Ministry of the Interior, Security Information Service, ÚZSI, Military Intelligence and other key institutions to ensure it complies with the state's security requirements.

The first small modular reactor (SMR) is planned by ČEZ at a site near the existing Temelin nuclear power plant in the 2030s, "before the start up of the new large Czech nuclear unit which is planned for before 2040", the ministry said. ČEZ is also looking at other sites suitable for SMRs, including Tušimice and Dětmarovice where survey and monitoring work is taking place to see if they are suitable nuclear sites.

Rolls-Royce SMR's selection by the Czech Republic comes as the company waits to hear whether it will be selected by the UK as one of the preferred suppliers for its own SMR programme. It is one of five in the running, with the expectation that two technologies will be selected to be taken forward by the UK government's arms-length Great British Nuclear body for deployment.

The Czech government says it would be an "advantage ... that Rolls-Royce SMR is just forming its supply chain, and Czech companies thus have a unique opportunity to stand at its birth and participate to the maximum extent possible. Thanks to this strategic cooperation, local companies will be able to participate not only in the development and implementation of the new small modular reactor, but also in the supply of SMR abroad".

Prime Minister Petr Fiala said: "Small modular reactors can be a key technology for ensuring energy security in the future. That is why from the beginning we try not only to build them, but also to participate in their global production and development. In addition, the establishment of a strategic partnership between ČEZ and Rolls-Royce SMR will be a great opportunity for Czech companies that have many years of experience in the nuclear industry."

Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela said: "This technology can not only provide enough electricity at affordable prices, but also support our efforts to decarbonise and safely transition to clean energy sources. In addition, this cooperation is also a great opportunity for Czech industry. Our companies can be part of the global supply chain from the very beginning and contribute to the development of this promising technology."

ČEZ CEO Daniel Beneš said: "The strategic partnership with Rolls-Royce SMR will allow us to use our long-term experience in the field of nuclear energy in combination with the high technological maturity of the British company." He said that ČEZ would now negotiate specific terms of the cooperation with the British company.

CEO of Rolls-Royce SMR, Chris Cholerton, welcomed the decision and said: "Discussions are ongoing to finalise contract terms and the final agreements are subject to customary regulatory clearances. Details of the agreement will be published at signing. This important strategic partnership further strengthens Rolls-Royce SMR’s position as Europe’s leading SMR technology, and will put ČEZ, Rolls-Royce SMR and its existing shareholders at the forefront of SMR deployment. Rolls-Royce SMRs will be a source of clean, affordable, reliable electricity for Czechia - creating jobs, enabling decarbonisation, reducing the reliance on imported energy and supporting the global effort to reach net zero."

Nuclear Power in the Czech Republic

The Czech Republic currently gets about one-third of its electricity from four VVER-440 units at Dukovany, which began operating between 1985 and 1987, and the two VVER-1000 units in operation at Temelín, which came into operation in 2000 and 2002. In July, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) was named the preferred bidder for up to four new units at the two existing nuclear power plants, with the target of the first unit entering commercial operation in 2038.

The Czech SMR roadmap was published and approved last year setting out options for technology suppliers and identifying a range of potential sites - 45 in total - as well as investor models. Its vision is for "SMRs to complement large nuclear untis from 2030s-40s onwards".

The Rolls-Royce SMR

The Rolls-Royce SMR is a 470 MWe design based on a small pressurised water reactor. It will provide consistent baseload generation for at least 60 years. 90% of the SMR - measuring about 16 metres by 4 metres - will be built in factory conditions, limiting on-site activity primarily to assembly of pre-fabricated, pre-tested, modules which significantly reduces project risk and has the potential to drastically shorten build schedules.

Its capacity is larger than many of its SMR rivals - the general definition of an SMR is of a reactor unit with an output of up to 300 MWe. In July, it successfully completed Step 2 of the UK's Generic Design Assessment process and progressed to the third and final phase of the process which assesses the safety, security and environmental aspects of a nuclear power plant design that is intended to be deployed in the UK. The target date to complete that final stage is August 2026.

In July, the Nuclear Industry Association applied to the UK government for a justification decision for Rolls-Royce SMR's SMR, a decision required for the operation of a new nuclear technology in the country. It marks the first ever application for justification of a UK reactor design. If Rolls-Royce is successful in the UK's SMR selection contest, the aim is for a final investment decision to be taken in the UK in 2029.

The Lower Saxony Ministry of the Environment has rejected an application from environmental groups NABU and BUND to revoke or withdraw the planning approval decision for the Konrad repository for low and intermediate-level radioactive waste.

The former Konrad iron ore mine - in Salzgitter, Lower Saxony - closed for economic reasons in 1976 and investigations began the same year to determine whether the mine was suitable for use as a repository for low and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LLW/ILW).

In 2002, the Lower Saxony Ministry for the Environment issued a planning approval decision for the Konrad repository. Following multiple legal proceedings, this approval was confirmed by the Federal Administrative Court in 2007. A construction licence was issued in January 2008.

However, in May 2021, NABU and BUND submitted an application to withdraw or revoke the existing planning approval decision for the Konrad repository and to stop construction.

The Lower Saxony Ministry of the Environment has now dismissed the application "after intensive legal and substantive review".

Federal radioactive waste company, Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung (BGE) - which assumed responsibility as the operator of the Konrad repository from the Federal Office for Radiation Protection in April 2017 - welcomed the decision.

"This finding once again confirms that the planning approval decision for the Konrad repository is legal," it said. "BGE will continue to push ahead with the construction of the Konrad repository so that the majority of low and medium-level radioactive waste from Germany can be safely disposed of."

Thomas Lautsch, technical director of BGE, added: "With the planning approval decision for the Konrad repository, we have a robust basis for the construction, operation and decommissioning of the Konrad repository. The construction will take place on this basis and will also be implemented in accordance with the current technical regulations."

The Konrad mine is being converted for use as a repository under the supervision of BGE. The two mine shafts are being renovated and equipped with the necessary infrastructure underground. Among other things, this infrastructure includes transport galleries and the emplacement areas at a depth of around 850 metres. Above ground, construction work is under way on new buildings, including the reloading hall.

The final disposal of up to 303,000 cubic metres of LLW/ILW at Konrad is set to begin in the early 2030s. This waste represents 95% of the country's waste volume, with 1% of the radioactivity. At present, this waste is stored above-ground in interim storage facilities at more than 30 locations in Germany. Once within the Konrad repository, the containers will be immobilised with suitable concrete and securely sealed off during emplacement operations. Once operations are complete, all cavities of the mine will be backfilled and sealed in a manner that ensures long-term safety.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has reinstated the expiration dates for the subsequent renewed licenses for the two commercial reactor units at the Turkey Point nuclear power station in southern Florida.

Turkey Point-3 and -4 can again operate until July 2052, and April 2053 as a result of the NRC decision, a statement said.

This action follows the completion of a supplemental environmental review required by a and NRC order issued in 2022.

The NRC had decided to issue the order to reverse a 2019 decision by a previous, Republican-led commission to extend Florida Power & Light’s operating licence for the Turkey Point-3 and -4 nuclear power plants.

The Commission said environmental groups had requested a hearing on the review, but in August 2024, the NRC’s atomic safety and licensing board concluded there were no remaining contested issues and terminated the judicial process.

The NRC’s decision can be appealed through late September, though NRC regulations allow licensing actions to proceed during the appeal process.

The NRC had previously granted FPL an initial 20-year extension that will allow the reactors to run until 2032 and 2033. Florida Power & Light said in 2018 that it was filing an application for a second 20-year licence renewal, taking the units’ operational lifetimes to 80 years.

Turkey Point-3, an 837-MW pressurised water reactor unit began commercial operation in December 1972, while 821-MW Turkey Point-4 followed in September 1974.

Czech state-controlled utility CEZ will establish a strategic partnership with UK-based Rolls-Royce SMR for the development of small modular reactors (SMR), prime-minister Petr Fiala told a press conference on Wednesday 18 September.

A government statement said the partnership will be concluded on the condition that Rolls-Royce SMR passes a standard security assessment test.

Fiala said Prague is not interested to “only build” new SMR plants but participate in their production on a global scale.

“The establishment of a strategic partnership between CEZ and Rolls-Royce SMR will be a great opportunity for Czech companies, which have many years of experience in the nuclear industry,” Fiala said.

The government said CEZ plans to build the first SMR plant in the Czech Republic near the existing Temelin nuclear station. It is expected to be built in the first half of the 2030s before any new large-scale units come online.

CEZ chief executive Daniel Benes said the strategic partnership with Rolls-Royce SMR will allow the company to combine its long-term experience with nuclear energy with “the high technological maturity” of its new UK partner.

Benes said that CEZ will now negotiate a specific form of cooperation with Rolls-Royce SMR.

Rolls-Royce SMR chief executive Chris Cholerton welcomed the decision of the Czech government to name the UK company as preferred supplier for the development and construction of SMR plants.

Cholerton said the final agreements “are subject to customary regulatory clearances” and details will be published upon signing.

Cholerton also confirmed Rolls-Royce SMR was selected from a list of seven potential SMR technology providers.

Rolls-Royce has said its SMR will be factory-built, enabling easier transportation, reduced completion risk, and increased build time certainty. The SMR plant is to have an output of 470 MW.

The Czech Republic has six commercially operational reactor units: four Russia-designed VVER-440 units at Dukovany and two larger VVER-1000 units at Temelín. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, in 2023 the six units provided 40% of the country’s electricity production.

The Czech government approved an SMR deployment roadmap in 2023. Prague also wants to deploy two large-scale reactor units at Dukovany in the late 2030s and potentially at Temelin in the 2040s.

French state-owned energy company EDF and France-based International Institute of Nuclear Energy (I2EN) have signed agreements with Slovenian scientific institutions to improve cooperation in the civil uses of nuclear energy.

The agreements, signed at the French embassy in Slovenia, aim to advance research, development, training, and education in nuclear energy, officials said.

Thes efforts are part of a broader cooperation between France and Slovenia, supported by EDF for several years, Vakisasai Ramany, senior vice-president for international nuclear development at EDF, said on social media.

One of the agreements was signed between EDF and Slovenia’s Jožef Stefan Institute (IJS). It focuses on research and development for nuclear power plants and small modular reactors.

A second agreement was signed between I2EN and the University of Maribor. It aims to develop higher education programmes in nuclear science and technology, with initiatives including student and researcher exchanges, joint European projects, and potential internships in France.

Slovenia has been considering the construction of a new reactor unit at its existing Krsko nuclear station and earlier reports said a final decision on the project would be made in 2027 or 2028, with commercial operation in the mid-2040s.

The existing single 688-MW pressurised water reactor at Krkso is co-owned in equal shares by the governments of Slovenia and neighbouring Croatia. It is the only nuclear plant in Slovenia.

Slovenia has received offers for its new-build plans from three suppliers including EDF, South Korean KHNP, and US-based Westinghouse Electric.

Slovenian state secretary Jure Gasparic highlighted earlier this week the importance of nuclear energy for the country’s green transition, alongside renewable energy sources.

“We are aware that the development of a successful and safe nuclear programme requires cooperation between industry, science and the government, strengthened by international partnerships,” Gasparic was quoted by local media as saying.

The Indian government has approved the creation of a joint venture between Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited and National Thermal Power Corporation to construct, own and operate nuclear power plants in India.

Under Indian legislation, only two companies - Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) and Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (Bhavini, set up to build and operate fast reactors) - are legally allowed to own and operate nuclear power plants in India, but a 2016 amendment to the 1962 Atomic Energy Act allows public sector joint ventures.

State-owned National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) agreed with NPCIL to form a joint venture for nuclear power plant construction as long ago as 2011, and last year signed a supplementary joint venture agreement for the development of six 700 MWe Indian-designed pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs), including the four earmarked for construction at Mahi Banswara in the state of Rajasthan. These units are amongst a list of ten PHWRs already accorded administrative approval and financial sanction to be built in "fleet mode".

On 11 September, the government approved the formation of Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Ltd (Ashvini), a joint venture between NPCIL (51%) and NTPC Ltd (49%). The companies were informed of that decision on 17 September.

In addition, the government has approved the transfer of the project to build four 700 MWe PHWRs at Mahi Banswara from NPCIL to Ashvini.

NTPC said that, in addition to the Mahi Banswara project, "Ashvini shall also pursue other nuclear power projects in different parts of the country".

The government also approved exemption to NPCIL to invest more than INR5 billion (USD59.7 million) and exemption to NTPC to invest more than INR50 billion in a single joint venture or subsidiary company.

"This will enable adequate financing for accelerated nuclear power capacity addition in India," the two companies said.

Welcoming approval for the joint venture, NPCIL and NTPC said: "This will pave the way for pooling of resources from both NTPC and NPCIL, in terms of finances, technology and project expertise, for the rapid expansion of nuclear power productivity in the country to meet the target of net-zero by 2070."

Last month, NTPC - India's largest power company - confirmed it intends to set up a 100% nuclear power subsidiary, called NTPC Nuclear Power Company, with NTPC Chairman and Managing Director Gurdeep Singh saying the utility sees nuclear capacity - including small modular reactors - as central to its plans. Singh said the company is actively looking for locations for nuclear power plants, including in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Karnataka.

According to a Reuters report in February, government sources said India was planning to invite private firms to invest some USD26 billion in its nuclear energy sector, and is in talks with "at least" five private firms including Reliance Industries, Tata Power, Adani Power and Vedanta Ltd to invest around INR440 billion (USD5.30 billion) each.

Plans are not yet finalised, but the government hopes to use the investments to build 11,000 MWe of new nuclear capacity by 2040, the sources said. The plants would be built and operated by NPCIL, with the investing companies earning revenue from electricity sales from the plants. This hybrid plan would not require any amendment to India's Atomic Energy Act of 1962 - which prohibits private control of nuclear power generation - but would need to be approved by the Department of Atomic Energy, they said.

As well as further 700 MWe PHWRs, Indian plans envisage the construction of large reactors from overseas vendors, including further Russian-designed VVER reactors in addition to those already in operation and under construction at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu. In August 2023, Minister of State Jitendra Singh also told the country's parliament that the government was considering options for small modular reactors, and looking at ways to allow the participation of the private sector and start-ups in such projects.

The owners of the Oskarshamn nuclear power plant in Sweden have decided to begin a preliminary study on what measures can be taken to extend the operating life of unit 3 from 60 to 80 years.

The boiling water reactor was commissioned in 1985, and its service life and production capacity were increased in 2009. The total power of the plant is about 1450 MWe and the annual production is around 11 TWh. Uniper is the majority owner of Oskarshamn with a 54.5% share, with Fortum holding the remaining 45.5%.

The unit currently has a planned operating period until 2045 but Fortum said: "The owners estimate that the current reactor will be able to produce electricity well into the 2060s."

"The next step is to broaden and deepen the analysis work in order to take into account all the relevant perspectives that an operating time extension would entail," Uniper added.

"It is a very welcome orientation decision," Uniper Sweden CEO Johan Svenningsson said. "This means that Uniper gets a solid basis for a decision to extend the operating time of Oskarshamn 3 to 80 years, in the early 2030s. The existing nuclear power is an important component for a stable and reliable energy system."

Uniper noted: "In addition to safe and reliable operation, market conditions are also required where the importance of nuclear power for the energy system is valued. In addition to energy delivery, it may include support services for system stability."

"Nuclear power is important for Sweden," Svenningsson said. "In addition to delivering large amounts of fossil-free and predictable electricity, nuclear power provides stability and an increased ability to transport electricity from all types of power in the transmission system.

"Nuclear power is also important to Uniper. We ensure the operation of Swedish nuclear power by continuously investing in today's facilities and carefully following the global technological development in the nuclear power field."

As swell as owning a share in the Oskarshamn plant, Germany-based Uniper also owns shares in Sweden's Ringhals, Forsmark and Barsebäck nuclear power plants, as well as in Swedish Nuclear Fuel Handling.

Finland's Fortum made a similar decision together with Vattenfall in June this year to assess the possibility of extending the operating lifetime of the Forsmark plants' two pressurised water reactors from 60 to 80 years.

The first results of the pioneering scientific research project launched earlier this year have catalogued microplastic particles in the sea water, sediment and animals in Antarctica.

The preliminary results were outlined during an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference session focusing on the study, which is supported by Argentina and forms part of the wider IAEA NUTEC plastics initiative, which aims to use nuclear technologies to tackle plastic pollution.

Nathalie Bernard, from the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories and University of Buenos Aires, unveiling the results, said that "sadly we have found microplastics everywhere, on every sample, every matrix". She said that the concentrations of microplastics varied by location and by day.

More than 250 samples were collected from the Almirante Irizer icebreaker, which sailed 27,209 kilometres over 125 days covering 84 sampling stations. Over the course of a week 166 samples were collected from Argentina's Carlini research station base as part of what was described as the first study of microplastics pollution from South America to Antarctica.

The samples were of water, of sediment and also of penguin droppings and shellfish. Bernard said: "All of these results were possible thanks to nuclear techniques, specifically vibrational microspectroscopy which allows us not only to count, but also identify polymers. We were able to analyse particles as small as 20 microns (WNN note: for comparison a human hair is about 100 microns) and this is important because we found out that almost 90% of the particles we analysed were smaller than 100 microns and ... most of the studies conducted before have focused on larger particles, larger than 300 microns, which clearly overlooks the larger majority."

The preliminary results - with 30% of the samples analysed so far, found that in terms of distribution in water, in Buenos Aires it was 256 microplastic particles per litre, compared with 5 microplastics particles per litre in the Antarctic Ocean and 21 microplastics particles per litre at Carlini Station in the Antarctic.

The Carlini samples found 6000-15,000 microplastic particles per kilogramme of sediment, 15 microplastic particles per square metre of sand and 200-4000 microplastic particles per biological sample of shellfish or penguin droppings.

There were 11 different types of plastics found in the samples, 62% were "Teflon-like microplastics" and 29% were polyethylene-like. Examples of the types of products using the types of plastics found included frying pans, PVC pipes and plastic drinks bottles.

The early theories about the possible sources of the pollution in Antarctica include fisheries, local human activities and global sources, via the atmosphere or ocean currents.

Bernard said that the conclusions of the preliminary study was that "we know now that microplastics are everywhere, that we can find different levels and types between the sites and that the levels in Antarctica are relatively low if we compare them with highly populated industrial zones - but they are far away from zero, which is what it was thought to be until recently in Antarctica.".

The next steps are to finalise the analysis and do extra checks before sharing the results globally and using the figures as a baseline for future surveys, to assess possible pollution sources and inform policy makers for local and global actions in line with the Antarctic Treaty.

The meeting also heard progress reports on the United Nations actions to end plastics pollution and how the NUTEC initiative can help with plastics upcycling using irradiation to allow plastic waste to not just be traditionally recycled, but also used in cement or in wood/plastic composits - one of the examples given was Argentina using radiation-modified railway sleepers from plastic waste.

Argentina's Foreign Affairs Minister Diana Mondino said that the country was one of the original signatories of the Antarctic Treaty and said: "There's growing concern in understanding the impact in the Antarctic ecosystem from plastics and microplastics." She said the results had prompted the creation of a regional group in Latin America led by Argentina to focus on the issue.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said the NUTEC initiative had been well received because "we do have a serious problem with microplastics, nanoplastics and we did also have a scarcity of information, objective information". He said having the facts was important so people can take "informed decisions when it comes to the protection of this environment, which is so pristine and that we all care for".

"This is not a simple environmental endeavour that we take for the sake of knowing a little bit more - the idea is that we provide important information that is relevant for fisheries, relevant for very important economic activities in all our countries."

Australia's ambassador Ian Biggs said that Australia had a major stake in the international effort in Antarctica and he said that according to projections there could soon be a tonne of plastic in the ocean for every three tonnes of fish, saying this showed the necessity of action to tackle plastic pollution and he said Australia believed that the NUTEC programme was "making a real difference in helping countries address pressing global challenges on plastic pollution".

The background

The IAEA's NUTEC plastics scheme was established in 2020 and uses a series of monitoring laboratories to use nuclear technology to sample and analyse microplastics - which are bits of plastic less than 5 millimetres in diameter - in the environment. There are more than 60 countries participating in monitoring of microplastics in the sea, and the goal is to equip more than 50 laboratories with the technology to form a global monitoring network.

The aim is to then be able to take action to bring in measures designed to reduce the sources of the pollution - at least 30 countries are involved in developing innovative recycling technology, including using irradiation to treat plastics and make them fit for reuse, or for a wider range of reuses. This process uses gamma and electron beam radiation technologies to modify certain types of plastic waste, breaking down plastic polymers judged not to be of sufficient quality into smaller components and then allowing them to be used to generate new plastic products.

The IAEA cites studies suggesting that only around 10% of plastic produced between 1950 and 2015 has been recycled, with the majority (about 60%) going to landfill, meaning action is imperative given estimates that there will be one tonne of plastic for every three tonnes of fish within a few years.

Grossi visited an IAEA mission in Antarctica in January with Argentina's president to see the start of work for the project, with the IAEA explaining that "there is still almost no information available on where and how much microplastics arrive in the Antarctic and how much is taken up by Antarctic organisms. There is also very little data existing on the types of microplastics reaching this pristine area through ocean currents, atmospheric deposition and the presence of humans in the Antarctic".

It also said the "presence of microplastics can contribute to accelerating the ice-loss in Antarctica by reducing ice reflectivity, altering surface roughness, promoting microbial activity, acting as thermal insulators, and contributing to mechanical weakening of the ice structure".

The construction project for Bangladesh's first nuclear power plant has hit a fresh landmark with dummy fuel assemblies being loaded into unit 1 of the Rooppur nuclear power plant.

The dummy fuel assemblies' dimensions, weight and materials are exact replicas of standard fuel assemblies, but without nuclear fuel. They are designed to check the geometry of the reactor core and are a key step of the start-up process for a new nuclear unit.

In addition to ensuring the quality of the loading and handling processes, they will also help to confirm the hydraulic parameters of the reactor plant during circulation flushing and reactor cold and hot tests preceding physical start-up of the unit.

Nuclear fuel loading will only take place after the tests with the dummy fuel assemblies have been successfully carried out.

The Rooppur plant, 160 kilometres from the capital Dhaka, features two Russian VVER-1200 reactors. Rosatom in February 2011 signed an agreement for two reactors to be built at Rooppur for the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission. The initial contract for the project, worth USD12.65 billion, was signed in December 2015. The Bangladesh Atomic Regulatory Authority issued the first site licence for the Rooppur plant in June 2016, allowing preliminary site works, including geological surveys, to begin. Construction of the first unit began in November 2017. Construction of the second unit began in July 2018. They have an initial life-cycle of 60 years, with a further 20-year extension possible.

Denis Muzlov, Director of Atomtechenergo JSC Branch in Bangladesh, said that all 163 dummy fuel assemblies (DFA) would be loaded over the next few days, with the work continuing round the clock. "Loading of one DFA into the reactor, using the refuelling machine in automatic mode, takes 25 minutes on average. After the DFA loading, we will start preparing the reactor for subsequent circulation flushing and cold and hot tests."

Alexey Deriy, ASE JSC Vice President for Projects in Bangladesh, said the project was a demonstration of Rosatom "creating the conditions for development of new industries in its partner countries. Construction of Rooppur NPP is going on, the start-up and adjustment works at unit 1 are in full swing. Upon the power plant start-up, Bangladesh will be provided with electricity for further development of the country."

US developer Aalo Atomics has announced it is partnering with Idaho Falls Power in a project aiming to deploy seven factory-built Aalo-1 microreactors, totalling 75 MWe of generation.

The Aalo-1 microreactors will be constructed at the company's reactor factory and headquarters in Austin, Texas. "The reactors for this project could be the first factory-built commercial microreactors in this country," Aalo Chief Technical Officer Yasir Arafat said. "This approach will allow significantly higher predictability in quality, cost, and schedule than today's large-scale plants, which, at best, take nearly a decade to build."

Aalo said its memorandum of understanding with Idaho Falls Power will deliver clean, dependable power to the city of Idaho Falls and will "open the door for surrounding communities to harness the benefits of advanced nuclear technology". Idaho Falls Power will use part of the microreactors' output, with the remaining power being made available to surrounding municipalities and other commercial applications.

Municipal electric utility Idaho Falls Power currently operates, owns and operates five hydropower plants along the Snake River, which provide about one-third of the electricity used in the city of Idaho Falls. It also owns a "small" solar installation, but purchases most of the balance of its power from the Bonneville Power Administration. The utility said it is "negotiating a power purchase agreement with Aalo Atomics" under which Aalo would lease land for the life of the project, up to 80 years, at Idaho Falls Power's new Energy Research Park, where it recently began construction of a 17.5 MWe natural gas plant.

Aalo said its choice of Idaho Falls was strategic, building on the region's rich history of nuclear innovation and ongoing development, and strong public support for nuclear.

Earlier this year, Aalo announced it had completed the conceptual design of the Aalo-1 - a factory-fabricated 10 MWe sodium-cooled microreactor using uranium zirconium hydride fuel elements. It is working on the construction of a non-nuclear test reactor (Aalo-0), at its Austin HQ, and plans to build its first nuclear reactor - the Aalo Experimental reactor (Aalo-X) - at Idaho National Laboratory as part of its phased approach to development and deployment.

In line with this development philosophy, the MoU with Idaho Falls Power stipulates that the project will only proceed to full construction once specific cost and uncertainty milestones are met, Aalo said, protecting both parties from potential setbacks. Aalo is also pursuing other parallel commercialisation paths.

"This phased approach allows us to minimise risks while still pushing the boundaries with new nuclear technology," Aalo CEO Matt Loszak said. "We've built in multiple layers of risk reduction so that both partners can move forward with confidence."

Aalo said it was moving forward with plans to secure regulatory approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, with the Idaho Falls project "slated to go online before the end of the 2020s" - although Idaho Falls Power has said the project "is not expected to come online before 2030".