China seen ahead of US in advanced nuclear; US announces Gen III+ funding
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China is likely to be some 10-15 years ahead of the United States in its ability to deploy fourth-generation nuclear reactors at scale, according to a study by the non-profit think tank Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF).
China plans to build six to eight new nuclear power plants each year, with the intention to build a total of 150 new nuclear reactors between 2020 and 2035, the report said.
Average construction time for each of the new reactors at about seven years, it added.
The bulk of the reactors currently being deployed are based on Westinghouse’s AP1000 design and are considered Gen III+ reactors.
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The Chinese version of the reactor, the CAP 1400, was built after a technology transfer accord with Westinghouse in 2007 followed by a computer hack by Chinese military in 2010 in which confidential and proprietary technical and design specifications for the AP1000 were stolen, the ITIF said.
“While China did not excel at innovating the CAP 1400, it did excel at taking the steps needed to deploy it. In fact, while China was deploying its version of the AP1000 as early as 2017, America’s first installation of the Generation III+ reactor only came online in 2023,” the ITIF said.
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China is also making significant progress in the development and deployment of Generation IV reactors and is advancing in research and development in fusion reactors, the study noted.
US announces Gen III+ funding
The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has released a $900 million funding opportunity to support the initial deployments of Gen III+ small modular reactor (SMR) technologies, it said in October.
The funding will be released in two tiers, with the first providing $800 million to support up to two first-mover teams committed to deploying a first plant and facilitating a multi-reactor, Gen III+ SMR orderbook.
The first-tier first movers will have the opportunity to work with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to incorporate safeguards and security by design into the projects, it said.
The second funding opportunity will provide up to $100 million to encourage additional Gen III+ SMR deployments by addressing key gaps that have hurt the domestic nuclear industry, such as design, licensing, supplier development, and site preparation, the DOE said.
Applications are due on January 17, 2025.
Oklo cleared for fuel recycling facility
The U.S. DOE has approved the Conceptual Safety Design Report (CSDR) for California-based reactor developer and nuclear fuel recycling company Oklo’s Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), the company said in a statement.
“This approval is a key milestone as Oklo advances toward its goal of utilizing recovered nuclear material to fuel its first commercial Aurora powerhouse,” Oklo said.
The facility is expected to make fuel for OKlo’s Aurora power plant, which will also be located at INL, to use high assay, low enriched uranium (HALEU) taken from used Experimental Breeder Reactor-II fuel.
The CSDR approval will be followed by the Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis before construction and the Documented Safety Analysis after construction and commissioning.
The company is on track to begin operations at the facility in the near term, while the deployment for Oklo’s Aurora plant remains on schedule for 2027, the company said.
Rolls-Royce SMR, ČEZ Group (CEZ) reach SMR accord
British Rolls-Royce SMR and the Czech Republic’s CEZ Group have reached an agreement to deploy up to 3 GW of electricity in the Czech Republic using the Rolls-Royce power plants, the companies said in a statement.
As part of the deal, CEZ will make an investment in Rolls-Royce SMR by acquiring a stake of approximately 20%, it said.
“We are pleased to receive this significant opportunity to deploy our SMR technology in the Czech Republic and welcome CEZ as a strategic investor and partner in Rolls-Royce SMR,” CEO of Rolls-Royce Tufan Erginbilgiç said.
“We have a shared vision and CEZ further strengthens our ability to build stable, secure, low carbon power – delivering on our promise as a leading SMR business.”
The two companies will work to finalize contractual order terms for an order of the first unit, with early works to expected to begin as soon as 2025, they said.
CEZ will also support Rolls-Royce SMR to deploy other reactors across Europe using the learning curve and knowledge transfer from the Czech project.
The collaboration represents an important strengthening of ties between the British and Czech governments and signals a strong commitment to building an international supply chain, generating an enormous opportunity to develop skills in both countries and deliver significant economic growth, the companies said.
By Reuters Events Nuclear