Nuclear Energy

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/10/22/climate/china-us-nuclear-energy-race.html

https://archive.ph/7pwlY

TL;DR don't restart old plants, build new ones.

If 1 asks me re the best way to know re the Chernobyl disaster, I'll suggest this. 1 of my top series.

I asked myself "How about the Fukushima Daiichi disaster?" I had 3 ideas –

1. I found an eli5 explainer using Google.

2. Plainly difficult's vid (the best for me)

3. The days

Plainly difficult's vid is more detailed than the eli5 explainer so if you're in no rush, please watch.

I was at the 20:00 mark of The days episode 4 when I stopped due to its slowness.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/23454650

Summary

France’s Flamanville 3 nuclear reactor, its most powerful at 1,600 MW, was connected to the grid on December 21 after 17 years of construction plagued by delays and budget overruns.

The European Pressurized Reactor (EPR), designed to boost nuclear energy post-Chernobyl, is 12 years behind schedule and cost €13.2 billion, quadruple initial estimates.

President Macron hailed the launch as a key step for low-carbon energy and energy security.

Nuclear power, which supplies 60% of France’s electricity, is central to Macron’s plan for a “nuclear renaissance.”

The world's first nuclear-powered battery — a diamond with an embedded radioactive isotope — could power small devices for thousands of years, according to scientists at the UK's University of Bristol.

The diamond battery harvests fast-moving electrons excited by radiation, similar to how solar power uses photovoltaic cells to convert photons into electricity, the scientists said.

Scientists from the same university first demonstrated a prototype diamond battery — which used nickel-63 as the radioactive source — in 2017. In the new project, the team developed a battery made of carbon-14 radioactive isotopes embedded in manufactured diamonds. The researchers chose carbon-14 as the source material because it emits short-range radiation, which is quickly absorbed by any solid material — meaning there are no concerns about harm from the radiation. Although carbon-14 would be dangerous to ingest or touch with bare hands, the diamond that holds it prevents any short-range radiation from escaping. "Diamond is the hardest substance known to man; there is literally nothing we could use that could offer more protection," Neil Fox, a professor of materials for energy at the University of Bristol, said in the statement...

A single nuclear-diamond battery containing 0.04 ounce (1 gram) of carbon-14 could deliver 15 joules of electricity per day. For comparison, a standard alkaline AA battery, which weighs about 0.7 ounces (20 grams), has an energy-storage rating of 700 joules per gram. It delivers more power than the nuclear-diamond battery would in the short term, but it would be exhausted within 24 hours. By contrast, the half-life of carbon-14 is 5,730 years, which means the battery would take that long to be depleted to 50% power....

[A] spacecraft powered by a carbon-14 diamond battery would reach Alpha Centauri — our nearest stellar neighbor, which is about 4.4 light-years from Earth — long before its power were significantly depleted.

The battery has no moving parts, according to the article. It "requires no maintenance, nor does it have any carbon emissions."

Abstract credit: https://slashdot.org/story/436735/outstanding

For the past 1.5 years I've been sharing nuclear news in this Lemmy board, building an archive of now almost 2000 posts.

My initial hopes were to build a community of nuclear enthusiasts that fled the reddit platform. That didn't quite materialise, althought this board now has 600+ subscribers, making it the biggest pro-nuclear energy community on Lemmy.

I'm now going to shift my posting strategy to my main Mastodon account. This has two reasons:

1. Nowadays I host my own instance and one of the first things I changed was to extend to character limit to 5000, instead of 500. This removed my need for Lemmy for quite a bit.
2. More importantly, a big migration just happened to Bluesky and the posts here are invisible to Bluesky users. My Mastodon account meanwhile is bridged and can be followed.

The latter is actually relevant, to me anyway, as the "Energy Twitter" is reconstituting itself on Bluesky.

But there are still hundreds of you here, mostly Lemmy users no doubt. What do you want to see out of this community? I'd really love to hear some opinions on this!

As for people on Mastodon: follow me at @collectifission@greennuclear.online 🙂

Days after Mining Minister Ousmane Abarchi said that Niger was actively seeking to attract Russian investment in natural resources including uranium, Orano has said the financial situation for its majority-owned SOMAÏR subsidiary - operator of the Arlit mine - is still deteriorating.

The board of SOMAÏR has approved a motion to introduce protective measures which Orano says are essential for preserving the cash required to pay salaries and maintain the safety and integrity of industrial sites. "The Board is requesting a temporary halt to expenditure related to mining and processing ore, until such time as it resumes the export and sale of its products," the French company said.

Orano owns 63.4% of SOMAÏR, with the remaining 36.6% owned by Niger state-owned mining assets company SOPAMIN.

SOMAÏR has been facing financial difficulties since the July 2023 coup d'état in Niger. Mining activities at the mine resumed after the coup, but the country's border with Benin - the main supply and export corridor for the Arlit uranium mine - has remained closed and the company has been unable to resume sales. In October, Orano announced a decision to suspend mining activities at Arlit and use SOMAÏR's remaining cash reserves to prioritise the payment of salaries and the upkeep of vital site functions.

Orano reaffirmed this commitment in a 12 November vote on a proposal to direct its remaining available cash reserves in this way. "The administrators representing SOPAMIN left the meeting room during that vote, choosing to abstain," the French company said.

"Today, SOMAÏR is stifled by the debts accumulated by its shareholder SOPAMIN, and by its inability to export and obtain proceeds from the sale of its products, even though it has quality industrial facilities and mineral reserves which should permit production to continue until 2040; as well as a competent and highly-qualified Nigerien workforce, which has demonstrated commendable professionalism and resilience in this trying time," Orano said.

"It is important to note that what is being announced is in no way a cessation of operations or closing of the site, but merely the decision to place a stop on all non-essential expenditure in the current configuration. As an operator, Orano has always made sustainable investments in SOMAÏR and regrets this situation and the difficult consequences it will entail for the 750 employees of SOMAÏR and the firm’s sub-contractors as well as the local economy."

Russia statements 'regrettable', says Orano

Earlier this week, Abarchi told Russia's RIA Novosti press agency that Niger was actively seeking Russian interest in its uranium and natural resources sector.

"We have already met with Russian companies that are interested in coming to Niger and exploring and extracting natural resources. And this area is not only about uranium. Indeed, we invited them to come to Niger for this," he said in an interview on the sidelines of the first ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum in Sochi.

Russia is also working on the practical steps to open an embassy in Niger - it closed its embassy in Niamey in 1992, and Russian interests there are currently represented by the Russian Embassy in the Republic of Mali. Speaking ahead of a meeting in Sochi with his Nigerien counterpart Yaou Sangare Bakary, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the two nations' "mutual commitment to expanding bilateral interaction" had been re-affirmed with the recent resumption of operations of the Nigerien embassy in Moscow, closed since 1995. By reopening "in the near future" the Russian embassy in Niamey "we will restore a robust diplomatic infrastructure which will be beneficial for bilateral relations", he said.

Orano described Abarchi's statements in Sochi as 'damaging' and said they would not alter the company's position.

"Orano considers the statements by the Minister for Mining made to foreign media to be regrettable, as they indicate a choice which will not resolve the problems facing SOMAÏR … Only a united effort by all stakeholders to progress towards stability, and measures to stabilise operations over the long term, can allow SOMAÏR to resume its activities in peace."

Framatome's PROtect Enhanced Accident Tolerant Fuel chromium-coated M5Framatome cladding has become the world's first ATF technology to operate with full length fuel rods at a burnup rate above 60 GWd/tU.

Framatome's PROtect technology incorporates chromium-coated cladding, which significantly enhances oxidation resistance, improves mechanical performance at high temperatures, and reduces hydrogen generation in the unlikely event of a loss of cooling.

Fuel rods utilising Framatome's Enhanced Accident Tolerant Fuel E-ATF technology completed four 12-month cycles of operation at the Gösgen nuclear power plant in Switzerland earlier this year. The lead fuel rods consist of Framatome's advanced chromium coating added to the state-of-the-art M5Framatome zirconium alloy cladding, with uranium dioxide (UO2) fuel pellets for some and with UO2 chromia-enhanced fuel pellets for the others. The fuel assembly was fabricated at Framatome's fabrication facility in Lingen, Germany.

Visual examinations as well as dimensional changes measurement examinations were carried out during the plant's scheduled refuelling and maintenance outage in the spring. These confirmed expected results and excellent performance already observed at the end of the three previous cycles of these full-length chromium-coated lead fuel rods.

These lead fuel rods have now been reinserted for a fifth operational cycle, further expanding PROtect's demonstration of enhanced safety and economic potential for utilities.

"This is the latest demonstration of our PROtect technology advancement and of our commitment to bring new and innovative solutions to the market," said Lionel Gaiffe, senior executive vice president of Framatome's Fuel Business Unit. "The success of this project reflects the strong collaboration between Framatome and our customers, which is crucial for the industry and contributes to meeting future energy needs."

Framatome said its PROtect Enhanced Accident Tolerant Fuel programme has accumulated operational experience across six reactors globally, spanning five different reactor types.

Accident-tolerant fuel is a term used to describe new technologies that enhance the tolerance of light-water reactor fuel under severe accident conditions as well as offering improvements to reactor performance and economics. Such fuels may incorporate the use of new materials and designs for cladding and fuel pellets.

Three vendors - Framatome, GE Hitachi with GNF, and Westinghouse - are working with the US Department of Energy to develop new fuels under its Accident Tolerant Fuel Program.

The engineering, procurement and construction management contract for the completion of Romania's Cernavoda units 3 and 4 has been signed with the FCSA Joint Venture including Fluor, AtkinsRéalis, Ansaldo Nucleare and Sargent & Lundy Energie.

Romania's nuclear power plant operator Nuclearelectrica said that the estimated value of the engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract, which was signed at the COP29 climate conference, was about EUR3.2 billion (USD3.4 billion).

It will be structured in two phases. The first phase is the Limited Notice to Proceed, lasting between 24 to 30 months, followed by the Final Notice to Proceed phase lasting around 80-84 months. The latter phase is subject to commercial terms being agreed and a Final Investment Decision "being taken in line with the Support Agreement between the Romanian State" and Nuclearelectrica.

What is the project?

Cernavoda is the only nuclear power plant in Romania and consists of two 650 MWe Candu-6 reactors. Unit 1 went into commercial operation in 1996 and unit 2 in 2007. Operator Nuclearelectrica plans to extend the operating life of unit 1 to 60 years. Most of the work on the unfinished units 3 and 4 was done in the 1980s prior to the fall of the government of Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989. It was reported in 2021 that unit 3 was 52% complete and unit 4 30% complete.

In July this year the European Union issued a positive opinion on the technical and nuclear safety aspects of the construction of the two units, which have a scheduled operation date of 2030 for unit 3 and 2031 for unit 4. In October 2022, Romania said Canada and the USA were both offering to help with the financing of the construction of Cernavoda 3 and 4.

In quotes

Romania's Energy Minister, Sebastian Burduja, said: "It is the most important project for the Romanian energy sector in recent decades. We have the strongest international partners with us to bring it to fruition by 2031-2032. Signing today's contract required a considerable effort, on all levels: diplomatic, financial, legal. The two new reactors will mean an additional installed power of over 1400 MW at Cernavoda, an increase in annual energy production in Romania by over 11 million MWh, for at least 30 years of operation, over 19,000 well-paid jobs and avoiding a minimum of 10 million tonnes of CO2 emissions each year. Once this investment is completed, in 7-8 years, Romania will provide over 30% of the national energy needs only through nuclear energy production. Today's historic step is also a symbolic one: Romania is able to carry forward strategic projects thought up 50 years ago and blocked by decades of hesitation, carelessness or lack of decision."

Cosmin Ghita, Nuclearelectrica CEO, said: "Today marks a major milestone in the advancement and ultimately completion of Romania’s strategic Cernavoda NPP Units 3 and 4 project. The EPCM contract represents the very foundation of the project. We are honoured to work on this contract and project with highly professional, internationally recognised partners. Units 3 and 4, Candu technology, will provide Romania with energy security and clean energy in a safe and sustainable manner. Once units 3 and 4 are connected to the grid, 66% of Romania’s clean energy will be provided by nuclear energy, showcasing, one more time, the critical role of nuclear energy in deep decarbonisation."

Joe St Julian, President, Nuclear, AtkinsRéalis, said: "Candu technology has served Romania well and is the right choice for the next 60 years. The last seven Candu reactors built around the world, and the ongoing life extension of 10 Candu reactors in Ontario, have been conducted on time and on budget. We will employ our unmatched nuclear power know-how as the steward of this technology, to ensure a similarly successful outcome for the build of these two new units in Romania."

Victor Suchodolski, Sargent & Lundy Chairman, President and CEO, said: "We’ve worked with the United States and Romanian governments since the inception of their 2020 intergovernmental agreement to enable cooperation to advance the Cernavoda projects and the civil nuclear power sector in Romania. We bring our comprehensive large-scale integrated nuclear plant design expertise to help provide safe, reliable and sustainable solutions to Romania."

Daniela Gentile, CEO of Ansaldo Nucleare, said: "This project is a significant milestone that brings Italy together with key international partners. In light of growing electricity demand, nuclear power plays a vital role in energy security and in the transition to cleaner energy. This agreement not only emphasises the importance of international collaboration and Europe’s commitment to nuclear energy, but also reflects confidence in Ansaldo Nucleare’s 60 years-long expertise."

Pierre Bechelany, President of Fluor’s LNG & Power business, said: "Nuclear energy is a safe and clean source of reliable baseload electricity, which is critically important to meeting growing power demands globally. Fluor is pleased to be a part of such an important project for Romania and eastern Europe."

Orano subsidiary Orano Med has laid the foundations for its Advanced Thorium Extraction Facility plant in Bessines-sur-Gartempe in Haute-Vienne, western France. This facility is the world's first industrial plant dedicated to the production of thorium-228, a precursor of lead-212, for radioligand therapies.

Lead-212 targeted alpha therapy combines the ability of biological molecules to target cancer cells with the cell-killing potential of alpha emissions generated by lead-212. Orano Med says the development of these radiopharmaceuticals has long been hindered by the difficulty of producing them on an industrial scale.

Thanks to innovations that ensure a very high level of purity, the Advanced Thorium Extraction Facility's (ATEF) construction will industrialise the production process for thorium-228, under development for more than 10 years by the Laboratoire Maurice Tubiana (LMT). ATEF will supply all the ATLab (Alpha Therapy Laboratories) facilities set to manufacture lead-212-based drugs for patients worldwide.

The ATEF facility, scheduled for commissioning in 2027, will increase LMT's current production capacity tenfold. The project represents a total investment of about EUR250 million (USD264 million), creating nearly 70 direct and 100 indirect jobs. The ATEF project has been selected under the France 2030 plan following the call for "Industrialisation and health capacities 2030" projects and will receive public support of EUR22 million.

In the short-term, the combined production capacities of the ATEF and LMT will ensure supply for clinical trials and the commercial launches of Orano Med's first treatments. In ten years, this industrial platform will enable the production of 100,000 doses annually, the company said.

"Construction of the ATEF facility at our historic site in Bessines-sur-Gartempe is a significant step for growing our activities in the region," said Orano CEO Nicolas Maes. "The expansion of our production capacities in the radiopharmaceutical field also contributes to the industrial and economic revitalisation of our country. In addition, this project fulfills Orano's mission of maximising the value of nuclear materials, the core of our Group’s expertise."

Orano Med CEO Arnaud Lesegretain added: "We are convinced that radioligand therapies will soon become an essential tool in the fight against cancer. As the Phase II clinical trial of our most advanced drug, AlphaMedix, nears completion, we are building a globally unique integrated industrial platform to ensure the large-scale production and distribution of lead-212-based treatments."

Orano Med has lead-212 production facilities, laboratories and R&D centers in France and the USA.

In February this year, the company began construction of its Alpha Therapy Laboratory in Onnaing in northern France. This will be Europe's first industrial-scale pharmaceutical facility dedicated to the production of lead-212 based radioligand therapies. It will focus on the production of lead-212 therapies developed by Orano Med and their distribution in Europe. Orano Med is due to inaugurate a similar facility this year in Indianapolis to serve the US market.