The team of “EnergoService” AD congratulates its employees, partners and all professionals in the field of energy sector on the occasion of their professional holiday.
Wishing you health and inexhaustible energy to overcome crises.
Let us continue the development of our engineering activities in support of the clean nuclear energy.
HAPPY HOLIDAY!
*Westinghouse Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations Elias Gedeon, right, and Valentin Iliev, CEO of Kozloduy NPP – Newbuild.
Source: https://info.westinghousenuclear.com/news/westinghouse-signs-kozloduy-contract-in-bulgaria
Cranberry Township, PA, June 14, 2023 – Westinghouse Electric Company today announced it signed a Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) contract with Bulgaria’s Kozloduy NPP-Newbuild for a new AP1000® reactor to be located at the Kozloduy site. Work is commencing per the agreement to assess Bulgarian industry and the existing infrastructure at the Kozloduy site for its potential to support the construction of an AP1000 reactor.
“We are pleased to begin work to deliver the world’s most advanced, Generation III+ reactor technology to provide clean and reliable baseload energy for our customer and the people of Bulgaria,” said David Durham, Energy Systems President for Westinghouse. “We thank Kozloduy NPP-Newbuild and the Bulgarian Parliament for their confidence in our industry-leading, Nth of a kind technology. We commend Kozloduy NPP-Newbuild for their thoughtful approach to best-in-class project delivery that will ensure high localization of the work.”
Earlier this year, both entities signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a joint working group to plan deployment of the AP1000 reactor in Bulgaria. The working group is evaluating regulatory, licensing and design requirements and developing a streamlined execution path in support of Bulgaria’s energy strategy. The FEED contract is the first step in delivering the AP1000 reactor project.
There are currently two Russian-designed VVER-1000 reactors in operation at the Kozloduy site. Westinghouse signed a 10-year agreement in December 2022 to supply nuclear fuel to one of the units starting in 2024. The fuel will be supplied out of Westinghouse’s fabrication site in Västerås, Sweden and is the only fully Western option to Russian supply.
The AP1000 advanced reactor is the only operating Generation III+ reactor with fully passive safety systems, modular construction design and has the smallest footprint per MWe on the market. In addition to one AP1000 reactor operating and another nearing completion at the Vogtle site in Georgia, four AP1000 units are currently setting operational performance records in China with six additional reactors under construction. Poland recently selected the AP1000 technology for its nuclear energy program and nine units have been announced for Ukraine. The technology is under consideration at multiple other sites in Central and Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom, and in the United States.
Westinghouse Country Manager for Bulgaria Ivan Pironkov said on Tuesday during a conference on the development of nuclear energy, held in Sofia, that 2032 is a realistic deadline for a Westinghouse reactor to be operational at the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant site, and Bulgaria could be the first country in Europe to commission the AP1000 reactor. He said that there are currently four such reactors operating in China and two more units are about to be commissioned in the US.
Pironkov pointed out that six reactors in Ukraine, of a similar type to those at Kozloduy NPP, have already switched to using nuclear fuel from Westinghouse. Four of them are at the Zaporizhzhya NPP and two at the South Ukraine NPP.
“This shows that the fuel we are proposing for Kozloduy NPP is not a pilot project, but a technology that has already been tested and is working successfully and safely. Westinghouse has been developing fuel for VVER-1000 reactors since 1998, and the first plant for which such fuel was developed was the Czech Temelin NPP. For Kozloduy NPP we offer RWFA nuclear fuel, which has already proven its reliability in Ukraine. We also offer repairs of cartridges in cases of unsealing, because otherwise replacement costs a lot of money,” Pironkov explained.
He expressed hope that the Bulgarian authorities will allow the construction of a new nuclear power plant in Kozloduy so that Bulgaria remains a country with a nuclear power plant.
Westinghouse has been developing engineering activities in Bulgaria for more than 10 years, and a major programme to upgrade systems at Kozloduy NPP is currently underway. The company is also working on projects in Spain, UK, United Arab Emirates (UAE), South Africa, etc., and it is the only one that has projects for refueling all types of nuclear reactors, Pironkov noted.
Bulatom President Bogomil Manchev said that developing the energy sector simultaneously develops the economy. According to him, if the Westinghouse unit becomes operational by 2038, Bulgaria will be able to start closing the coal plants in the Maritsa basin, but he expressed concern over economic stability in that period of time, because of the high emission prices. Manchev fully supported the government’s energy strategy because it includes a forecasting period of nearly 30 years ahead, while nuclear power requires at least 20-30 years of planning. According to him, the State should train about 10,000 engineers to provide the necessary personnel to work on the construction and operation of the new nuclear facilities, both the American and French ones. He noted that out of these 10,000 engineers, only a third will remain, but that is the ‘cost norm’ of highly qualified personnel worldwide.
Researched and written by World Nuclear News
Japan should work to restart its idled nuclear power reactors, consider extending their operating lives and develop “next-generation innovative reactors”, the country’s prime minister has said. In July, Fumio Kishida called for the maximum use of nuclear over the coming winter.
Following the second meeting of the Green Transformation (GX) Implementation Council via video, which he attended remotely, Kishida said: “The world’s energy situation has changed completely due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and a major shift is occurring in the global energy supply and demand structure. With future crisis scenarios in mind, Japan must firmly balance overcoming the current crisis and promoting GX.”
He added, “In order to overcome the current crisis of tight power supply and demand, we will mobilise all possible measures not only this winter but also for the next few years to avoid unforeseen circumstances. In particular, with regard to nuclear power plants, in addition to securing the operation of the 10 units that have already restarted, the government will take all possible measures to restart nuclear power plants that have already been permitted to be installed.”
Kishida said Japan will “boldly accelerate” the development of power systems, accelerate the introduction of stationary storage batteries, and promote power sources such as offshore wind power in order to expand the introduction of renewable energy.
“In addition, with regard to nuclear power, it is necessary to mobilise the collective efforts of all parties concerned toward restarting operations, and to extend the operating period on the premise of ensuring safety,” Kishida said, noting that items that will require political decisions in the future, such as the maximum use of nuclear power plants and the development and construction of next-generation innovative reactors incorporating new safety mechanisms, had been presented in the meeting.
Under revised regulations which came into force in July 2013, Japanese reactors have a nominal operating period of 40 years. Extensions may be granted once only and are limited to a maximum of 20 years, contingent on exacting safety requirements.
Kishida noted some of these measures will take time to realise, “but renewable energy and nuclear power are decarbonised energies that are indispensable for promoting GX.”
Kishida requested the GX Implementation Council submit a report on “concrete conclusions” by the end of the year “on all measures, including the institutional framework for evaluating these as options for the future, and how the parties concerned should make efforts to further deepen public understanding.”
The GX Implementation Council, which first met on 27 July, is tasked with finding ways to move to a carbon-neutral society by 2050.
Last month, Kishida called for up to nine of the ten reactors that have already been restarted to be in operation over the winter to avoid electricity shortages. This, he said, would secure about 10% of Japan’s total electricity consumption.
Prior to the March 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, Japan’s nuclear generating capacity had provided around 30% of the country’s electricity. However, within 14 months of the accident, the country’s nuclear generation had been brought to a standstill pending regulatory change. So far, ten of Japan’s 39 operable reactors have cleared inspections confirming they meet the new regulatory safety standards and have resumed operation. Another 17 reactors have applied to restart. In 2021, nuclear energy provided just 7.2% of the country’s electricity.
Two Soviet-era reactors at the Bohunice nuclear power plant in the Slovak Republic have been fully dismantled and the components decontaminated for safe storage or recycling.
The work was funded through the Bohunice International Decommissioning Support Fund (BIDSF) supported by the European Commission together with Austria, Denmark, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom and managed by the EBRD.
This is the first time reactors of this type have been decommissioned and disassembled directly on site. The work was completed on schedule and within budget and will provide valuable experience and expertise for other decommissioning work around the world.
Work at the site to take apart and process the remaining equipment and systems will be completed by 2025. Civil structures and power plant buildings will then be demolished, and the area made safe for redevelopment by 2027.
Source: https://www.ebrd.com/news/video/landmark-reached-in-slovak-nuclear-decommissioning-project-.html
From 06 through to 15 July, a SALTO* peer review mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was held. It reviewed the activities for ensuring long-term operation (LTO) of Units 5 and 6.
The mission team implemented a thorough review of the documentation, and during working meetings with experts and managers of the nuclear power plant discussed the activities in the review areas of “Organization of ageing management and LTO activities”,“ Scope setting, plant programmes and corrective action programmes”, “Ageing management of mechanical SSCs”, “Ageing management of electrical and I&C SSCs”, “Ageing management of civil SSCs”, and “Human resources, competence and knowledge management for LTO”.
The review team, composed of experts from the Czech Republic, Spain, Slovakia, and UAE, together with three IAEA representatives, found good performance that will be shared with the international professional community. Suggestions were made for further improvement of the activities implemented for safe long-term operation.
The Chief Executive Officer of Kozloduy NPP appreciated highly the IAEA support for the nuclear power plant pointing out that the results from this mission would contribute for enhancing the activities that ensure the safe operation of Units 5 and 6 in the extended lifetime period.
The IAEA Team Leader, Gabor Petofi, noted that Kozloduy NPP staff demonstrated professionalism, openness, and receptiveness to the suggestions for improvement, and that the measures for safe LTO were performed in a timely manner and in compliance with the IAEA safety standards.
This SALTO mission was preceded by two pre-SALTO missions – one on Unit 5, in 2016, and one on Unit 6, in 2018.
*SALTO – Safety Aspects of Long Term Operation
sources: www.kznpp.org
https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/IAEA-reviews-long-term-safety-of-Bulgarian-plant
Source: Samihah Zaman, Senior Reporter, https://gulfnews.com/, March, 15 2021
Set to begin commercial operations soon, it will supply 1,400MW power to national grid.
Abu Dhabi: The UAE is the first Arab country with a functional power plant. By the end of this month, its Barakah Nuclear Power Plant is set to begin commercial operations.
When the plant is complete, the electricity it produces without generating any carbon will be able to power more than half a million UAE households for a whole year. These 5,600 megawatts of clean electricity will prevent the release of 21 million tonnes of carbon emissions every year, which amounts to the carbon absorbed by 350 million trees over ten years.
Already, the plant’s first Unit has been connected to the UAE national grid. This is a big deal: The UAE — an energy producer that has historically relied on carbon-producing fossil fuels for its energy needs — is setting the lead for a clean energy future, even in a world facing economic setbacks as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Located in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra area, the Barakah plant is owned by the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, and operated by Nawah Energy Company. Its activities are overseen by the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR).
In 2020, the first of its four units was connected to the grid. At the same time, FANR granted the operating licence for Unit 2 on Tuesday. Eventually, the plant will supply 25 per cent of the UAE’s peak electricity demand.
“It is historic that the UAE is the first Arab country in the region to operate a nuclear power plant, and it is the culmination of 13 years of effort in building such a programme. This milestone was achieved due to the UAE’s vision and its leadership to build a peaceful nuclear energy programme to cater for the future needs of energy in the country,” said Hamad Al Kaabi, UAE Permanent Representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and FANR deputy chairman.
Ahead of the plant’s commercial operations, here are all the important facts to know about the UAE’s journey towards the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Uranium is a naturally occurring, mildly radioactive element that fuels many nuclear energy plants. Uranium-235 is an isotope, or form, of the element that can undergo fission, the process of splitting an atom. This makes it an ideal fuel for nuclear reactors.
Just like oil and coal, the material for nuclear fuel, called uranium ore, comes from underground. It is found in mines in nearly 20 countries around the world. After it is mined, uranium ore goes through several processes. This includes separating it from other substances, changing it into a material that is usable for nuclear fuel, and manufacturing fuel pellets.
The fuel pellets are about the size and shape of a pencil eraser or an adult fingernail. They are loaded into metal tubes. These tubes, called fuel rods, are about four meters long. When bundled together, the rods create a fuel assembly.
A nuclear reactor can use more than 200 fuel assemblies at one time, depending on the design. The APR-1400, the reactor design used at Barakah, operates using 241 fuel assemblies. Each fuel assembly weighs about 650kg.
Fuel load is the safety-led process that involves filling a nuclear reactor with uranium, the fuel that is used as a source of heat to generate electricity. As part of the Fuel Load process, Nawah’s expert operators and fuel handlers transferred 241 fuel-assemblies, one-by-one, into the reactor. With safety being the overriding priority at every stage, the carefully planned task took roughly 14 days to complete. With all the fuel assemblies loaded, the reactor vessel at Unit 1 of the Barakah Plant contains 241 nuclear fuel assemblies. Each pellet contains enough energy to produce electricity for one Emirati household for up to four months, with zero carbon emissions.
New fuel assemblies have a low level of radioactivity. A person can stand next to a fuel assembly without threat to their health. During the process of manufacturing of fuel assemblies, workers wear special gloves to protect the tubes and components of the assembly from the oils and moisture which accumulate on a person’s skin. When they are brought to the site, fuel assemblies are transported in specially designed shipping casks. These casks are secure and robust, and made primarily of stainless steel. They are designed to protect the fuel from damage during transport.
Used fuel is highly radioactive. Countries around the world have safely transported and stored used fuel for decades. Carefully designed containers are used to store and to transport used fuel, and prevent the release of radioactive material into the environment. The UAE is committed to ensuring the implementation of the highest international standards of quality and safety when handling used nuclear fuel to protect employees, the public and the environment. Does nuclear fuel need to be replaced?
Each fuel assembly can last up to six years in a reactor. Workers replace the fuel assemblies when they no longer produce enough heat. They replace about one-third of a reactor’s fuel every 12 to 24 months. At Barakah, refuelling will take place every 18 months but engineers are working to improve the efficiency of the reactor and the fuel being used in order to move to a 24-month operating cycle. This will ensure the reliable delivery of continuous and clean electricity to the UAE for two years before a reactor has to be shut down to be refuelled.
Once it is removed from a reactor, used nuclear fuel is stored in concrete and steel-lined pools located adjacent to the reactor building for about five years. Cool water circulates through the pools to remove heat from the fuel until it is cool enough to move to long-term storage or to reprocess.
When the used fuel is cool, it is moved to concrete and steel containers called dry casks. These casks can be securely stored on-site at a nuclear energy plant or at an interim or long-term storage facility. As part of its commitment to nonproliferation, the UAE decided to forgo reprocessing from the start of the nation’s peaceful nuclear energy programme.
A nuclear plant uses uranium as fuel to generate heat. The heat makes steam, which spins a turbine connected to a generator, producing electricity.
Inside the nuclear fuel assemblies, there are fuel pellets made of uranium. One pellet is the size of a fingernail, but it contains the same amount of energy as one ton of coal, or 471 litres of oil. Uranium is a special element and has an interesting property — if it absorbs a small particle called a neutron, it will split into two lighter elements, releasing a lot of heat together with more neutrons. This process is called fission. The new neutrons then hit more uranium atoms, which split, releasing more heat and neutrons and so on. This is called the chain reaction and it goes on and on by itself.
No, because in a nuclear plant, workers control the reaction by using special equipment that absorbs neutrons. In this way, the number of neutrons absorbed by the uranium is limited, thus limiting the amount of heat generated as well. This also means that the plant workers, known as reactor operators, can completely stop the reaction, and safely shut the reactor down.
Reactor startup is when the chain reaction is launched. It is the first time a neutron is sent to a uranium atom, which releases heat and more neutrons. The reaction is then allowed to continue, increasing the amount of heat inside the reactor.
Grid synchronisation or grid connection, is a historic moment for any energy plant. This marks the first time that the electricity produced at the plant is delivered to the national grid. To do this, the plant’s operators and engineers bring the electric generator to the same conditions as the electric grid, allowing the two to connect safely.
In a nuclear energy plant, grid connection happens in the same way as in any gas, coal or oil-fired plant. The equipment and process for grid connection are all the same. The main difference with any fossil-fuelled plant is that a nuclear plant uses uranium pellets as fuel to generate heat, which creates steam that spins a turbine, which in turn drives the electric generator to produce electricity. This process creates zero CO2 emissions.
To connect a nuclear plant to the electrical grid, the reactor operators slowly increase the heat generated by the reactor to generate enough steam to begin spinning the turbine and driving the generator. Once the reactor is at about 15 per cent power, enough steam is created to have the turbine spinning at its optimal speed. This allows the electric generator to prepare to synchronise and connect to the national electricity grid.
Following the successful startup of the reactor and then the grid synchronisation and connection of unit’s generator, the plant operators slowly increase reactor power and electrical output. This process is called Power Ascension Testing (PAT). Numerous tests are conducted at different power levels, ensuring that all equipment is performing safely and as designed. This process takes several months to complete, until the unit reaches 100 per cent reactor power.
ENEC has already answered common questions about nuclear safety.
Yes. The performance records of approximately 450 nuclear energy facilities operating in more than 30 countries have demonstrated that nuclear energy is safe.
The World Association of Nuclear Operators tracks data about plant performance, including safety system performance, fuel reliability and industrial accident rates. The performance data consistently show positive results.
In the UAE, the FANR plays an essential, and entirely independent role in ensuring that the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant is safe, secure and reliable through robust regulation and oversight.
— Multiple physical barriers that protect against accidental radiation release.
— Multiples layers of redundant and diverse plant safety systems which ensure that the reactor operates normally and shuts down automatically if necessary.
— The emergency response plan, which is regulated, tested and exercised with FANR, and has been reviewed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
No. It is enshrined in the UAE Nuclear Law that the UAE will not enrich uranium, and this is reinforced in the UAE Policy on the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Following a comprehensive procurement process, ENEC entered into contracts with six suppliers to provide materials and services, including uranium enrichment. KEPCO Nuclear Fuels (KNF) in South Korea fabricates the fuel assemblies which are then shipped to the UAE following all regulations and international best practices.
No. In addition to forgoing domestic enrichment, another part of the UAE’s commitment to nonproliferation is to forgo the reprocessing of nuclear fuel.
The UAE is a signatory of all relevant international agreements and treaties for nonproliferation, and is a member of the relevant organizations and regimes. The UAE also signed a 123 Agreement with the United States of America, which incorporates nonproliferation commitments.
The Federal Government of the UAE is developing its long-term storage policy for spent fuel, but ENEC must ensure the safe disposal of solid radioactive waste in accordance with the laws of the UAE and the legislation of the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The UAE is a signatory of the IAEA Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, and submits a regular report to the organisation to describe its efforts on the steps taken to fulfil its obligations as a Contracting Party to the Convention.
The UAE is well ahead in developing its plans, with storage needs not required for at least two decades, as the Barakah plant can safely store waste for the first 20 years of operations.
Note: The IAEA is the global body that facilitates cooperation in the field of nuclear energy.
The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) was established in 2009 as an independent nuclear regulator. Its mandate is to ensure the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear and radiation activities in the UAE.
Mission: The FANR works to protect the public and the environment from the harmful effects of ionising radiation.
Workforce: More than 245 people work at FANR, including 67 per cent Emirati and 41 per cent of women. Its nuclear experts hail from 31 different countries, and possess a strong nuclear safety, security and nonproliferation record.
Standards: The FANR built a robust regulatory system based on international standards, including IAEA best practises and standards followed in United States, Canada and South Korea.
Barakah Nuclear Power Plant
This is the first nuclear power plant in the UAE, and in the Arab World.
Location: It is located in Al Dhafra area in Abu Dhabi emirate, 280 kilometres away from the capital city.
The nuclear power plant will produce electricity to cover 25 per cent of the UAE’s peak energy needs when fully completed.
The electricity generated through the plant will help prevent the release of 21 million tons of carbon emissions annually.
FANR is responsible for regulating the design, siting, construction, operation and decommissioning.
The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) was established in 2009 to construct the plant.
Nawah Energy Company is the operator and in charge of maintenance. It is an ENEC subsidiary.
The plant consists of four units.
It uses advanced third generation nuclear technology (APR1400), designed by Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO).
The four units will supply a total of 5,600 megawatts. Each unit will produce 1,400 megawatts individually.
Overall construction rate at present is 95 per cent. Units 1 and 2 are complete. Unit 3 is 94 per cent complete and Unit 4 is 88 per cent complete.
Till date, the plant has been issued eight different licensed by FANR.
March 2010: License for selection of a site for the construction of a nuclear facility
July 2010: License for the preparation of the construction of a nuclear facility
July 2012: License for the construction of Unit 1 and 2 of Barakah Nuclear Power Plant
July 2014: License for the construction of Unit 3 and 4 of Barakah Nuclear Power Plant and related regulated activity
January 2017: License for the handling and storage of nuclear fuel
February 2020: License for the operation of Unit 1, valid for 60 years
March 2021: License for the Operation of Unit 2, valid for 60 years
In 2080, the FANR will issue a decommissioning license to dismantle the nuclear facility.
Operating license: What does it include?
— Plant layout design
— Site location, including geography and demography
— Reactor design: fuel, control and cooling systems
— Safety systems
— Radioactive waste management
— Physical protection
— Nuclear nonproliferation
— Emergency preparedness and response system
— Organisational readiness
— Decommissioning plan
— Capacity building
2015: ENEC submitted the Operating License Application (OLA) for Barakah Units 1 and 2 to FANR.
August 2020: The first criticality of Unit 1 was initiated in August 2020. ‘Criticality’ is a normal operating condition in the reactor, where energy is produced using nuclear fuel.
November 2020: Unit 1 was connected to the national electricity grid and delivered full power.
FANR role: Following the issuance of the operating license in February 2020 until the first criticality phase, FANR’s oversight activities included regular inspection using its resident inspectors, as well as deploying inspectors to oversee the fuel loading and the testing processes. The authority has thus far conducted 220 inspections, requested 59 additional information for Unit 2, and reviewed a 14,000-page application covering Units 1 and 2.
— Nuclear infrastructure
— Legal and regulatory system
— Nuclear Safety
— Nuclear security
— Nuclear nonproliferation
— Emergency preparedness
— The Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement
— The Additional Protocol to the Safeguards Agreement
— The Convention on Nuclear Safety
— The Treaty on Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons
— The UN Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
— 123 Agreement on Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation
The Barakah plant has implemented lessons learned from Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. Post-Fukushima, the APR1400 design used at Barakah underwent a significant review using the European Stress Test method. This method determined that the plant design was already fairly robust against Fukushima-type events. To ensure this, FANR integrated the lessons learned from Fukushima into the requirements for the construction of the Barakah plant and reported on their implementation to the IAEA in 2017.
