Sustainable Nuclear Energy in Europe and High Level Strategic EURATOM Initiatives

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1 Sustainable Nuclear Energy in Europe and High Level Strategic EURATOM Initiatives Jozef Misak, Director for Strategy, NRI Rez FISA 2009, 22 June 2009, Prague Sustainability: Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs Europe s electricity system must prove sustainable by ensuring a secure fuel and electricity supply (security), decreasing CO2 emissions (environment) and affordable prices for consumers (economy)

2 Development of nuclear power Components of sustainability First reactors Commercial power reactors LWR with enhanced safety and performance Fast reactors with closed fuel cycle Atoms for Peace TMI-2 Chernobyl Generation I Shippingport Dresden Fermi I Magnox Generation II LWR PWR,BWR CANDU GCR VVER 440, 1000 RBMK Generation III EPR, AP 1000, AES 2006 APWR 1700, APR 1400 Generation IV

3 The European context EC Green Paper (03/2006) -> Energy Policy for Europe (01/2007) -> Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan (11/2007): Europe s electricity system must prove sustainable by ensuring a secure fuel and electricity supply, decreasing CO2 emissions and affordable prices for consumers For the first time underlining the benefits of nuclear energy: low carbon emissions, competitiveness, and stable prices Objectives 20, 20, 20 by % reduction in GHG (compared to 1990) 20% renewable energies in energy mix, 20% reduction in energy consumption Nuclear fission together with other low carbon technologies one of the contributors to meet the 2020 challenges Preparations for the demonstration of a new generation (Gen-IV) of fission reactors Maintaining the current 1/3 share of nuclear electricity in Europe in the long term

4 High level EU initiatives to support the new strategy High-Level Group on Nuclear Safety and Waste Management - to help the Commission develop European rules regarding the safety of nuclear installations and the safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste European Nuclear Energy Forum ENEF - nuclear discussion forum hosted by the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The work is organised in three Working Groups: "Opportunities", "Risks", and "Transparency Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform - SNE TP - aims at coordinating Research, Development, Demonstration and Deployment (RDD&D) in the field of nuclear fission energy European Industrial Initiative initiated to focus on priorities in nuclear fission on the development (demonstration) of Generation-IV technologies, using Public Private Partnership projects European Energy Research Alliance created to coordinate activities of national research institutes for energy as well as research teams working in universities and specialised centres

5 What is Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform (SNETP)? SNETP is a Europe-wide forum gathering stakeholders sharing the vision of sustainability of fission power: nuclear industry, research centres, technical safety organisations, universities, etc. SNETP overall goal is to enhance the sustainability of nuclear fission by supporting technological development The Platform develops the Strategic Research Agenda and the Deployment Strategy and monitors their implementation

6 A collective vision, endorsers and contributors currently more than 70 organizations sharing the same vision

7 European vision on sustainable nuclear power The Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform (Launched 21 Sept. 2007, currently more than 70 organizations) The SNETP fosters new research required to reach the objectives of sustainable nuclear energy through available funding tools (Framework Programmes, national and bilateral projects) EURATOM research actions are important for synergy of all resources

8 Vision of the SNETP Actions for ensuring sustainability of nuclear power: 1. Ensure long term safe operation of current Generation II reactors 2. Built and ensure safety and competitiveness of evolutionary Gen III reactors 3. Develop Gen IV fast breeders with closed fuel cycle 4. Enlarge the nuclear fission portfolio beyond electricity production: H 2, synthetic fuels, H 2 O desalination, paper, cement industry

9 European vision of sustainable nuclear power Progress to sustainability Necessary steps towards sustainability Live time extension of current NPPs Replacement of current reactors by Gen III by 2020 and Gen IV fast reactors by A transition is necessary between current reactors and GEN IV systems Plant life extension beyond 40 years Existing reactors 40-year plant life Gen. III Generation III GenerationIV

10 Importance of Continued Operation of Generation II Reactors There are 145 nuclear reactors in operation in 15 out of 27 EU countries, with installed power ~ 131,5 GWe Nuclear contribution to EU electricity production is ~ 31 % Reduction in import of natural gas by ~190 Mton, i.e. equivalent ~ 80 % of the total import of the gas to EU-27 Reduction in CO2 emissions by ~900 Mton, i.e. equivalent to emissions from whole transport sector in EU Excellent performance and safety record Nuclear power necessary as part of energy mix for reaching reduced emissions target (maintaining 30 % nuclear share)

11 Predictions of global nuclear capacity (Nuclear Energy Outlook 2008) 1400 reactors in 2050 New Plants to be equipped by Gen III reactors with significantly enhanced safety and performance 600 to 436 reactors in n June

12 Fast and Cost-effective Construction of Generation III Reactors Generation III PWRs considered in CR Skladování paliva Pomocné aktivní provoz y Budova reaktoru Bezpečnostní systémy 1divize Dieselgenerátorová stanice Odpadové hospodářství Bezpečnostní systémy 2+3 Bezpečnostní systémy 4divize Dieselgenerátorová stanice Administrativní budova Budova elektro Vstup EPR Strojovna AP-1000 Mitsubishi-APWR VVER-92 (or AES 2006)

13 Development of Generation IV Reactors with Closed Fuel Cycle SNETP Road Map for Gen IV Fast Reactors

14 Generation IV Reactors Highly economical, Proliferation resistant, Enhanced safety, Minimize waste Lifetime of fuel resources (years) Known global uranium resources can cover a hundred years under current conditions and they are distributed in stable countries. These resources would last for thousands of years when considering future fast neutron reactors Coal Oil Gas Uranium/LWR Uranium/FR Stan Gordelier, Nuclear Energy Agency, 1 st meeting of WG on Opportunities of ENEF, 5 March 2008, Brussels

15 Nuclear energy has other promising applications than electricity, such as low-cost mass hydrogen production 300 C

16 Conclusions Europe has recognized the role of nuclear energy for a sustainable energy mix as a key low-carbon, safe and competitive technology and relevant actions are taken On the longer term vision for low carbon society by 2050, the EC technology breakthroughs are needed and these are identified in the Strategic Energy Technology Plan Four components for ensuring sustainability of fission nuclear power include: lifetime extension of current reactors, fast and effective construction of Gen III reactors, development of Gen IV reactors with the closed fuel cycle, future use of nuclear power also for non-electric applications The Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform fosters new research towards sustainable nuclear energy through available funding tools (FP, national and bilateral projects) EURATOM research actions are important for synergy of all available resources, complementing national research and fostering the interaction among all stakeholders: research, regulators, industry and universities)