Nuclear technology developments and implications for Asia Ian Hore-Lacy Senior Research Analyst, World Nuclear Association February 2016
Total 440 operable nuclear power reactors, 65 under construction, 150+ firmly planned. 11+% of world electricity, total 384 GWe. Locations approximate
Nuclear power s vital attributes Energy-dense a little fuel does a lot, easily stored Clean virtually no emissions Safe relative to any industrial activity or energy source Continuous, reliable supply on large scale But: capital-intensive Title Name 4
A modern reactor is safer than a 1960s model: But never entirely safe.
Hanbit (Yonggwang) NPP, South Korea
Barakah, UAE Title Name 7
Fast neutron reactors About 300 reactor-years of experience Many are and will be operated as breeders BN-600, BN-800 in Russia, sold to China Phenix & Super Phenix in France Monju in Japan Many small reactor designs are FNR Role in burning actinides from use LWR fuel
Beloyarsk 3 Fast Neutron Reactor
Increasing interest Small & Medium Reactors For progressively-constructed large plants For small grids For isolated sites Many innovative designs Range of sizes to 300 MWe (small), & to 700 MWe (medium) Diverse possible uses NuScale 50 MWe
First Russian floating nuclear power plant May 2015 With 2 x 40 MWe reactors for Pevek, NE Siberia
First Russian floating nuclear power plant With 2 x 40 MWe reactors for Pevek, NE Siberia
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China s HTR-PM 15
Model of Chinese HTR 3 x 210 MWe 16
IAEA 2008 Climate Change & Nuclear Power
Reverse osmosis use electric pumps off-peak Distillation scope for cogeneration Nuclear Desalination
Reverse osmosis desalination plant, Jersey,
Process heat is major potential use Tar sand processing Synfuel oil from coal Thermochemical hydrogen etc 20
Transport: electromobility Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles & EVs - Charge off-peak GM Volt/ Ampera Sold c90,000 in 2014 Increase proportion as base-load
22 With overnight charging of EVs
Higher base-load proportion reduced kwh cost
Energy-dense, so primary heat transfer: Water - <350 C, high pressure (96% of today s reactors) Gas He or CO 2, up to 950 C, high pressure, steam or Brayton cycle Liquid metal sodium, or Pb-Bi, low pressure, to 650 C Fluoride salt Li-Be, low pressure, high temp. 24
China: Sanmen units 1 & 2 Feb 2014
www.world-nuclear.org > Information Library
Insurance against future fuel price increases Main Drivers for nuclear expansion: Basic economics Energy security - geopolitical Prospect of carbon emission costs on alternatives
World Energy Outlook 2009, Fig 2.9 Electrification rates vs population no-electricity 72% av in developing countries India Indonesia Pakistan Nigeria Bangladesh others 1.5 B
Guardian Every 26 tonnes U 3 O 8 (22 tu) used saves 1 million tonnes CO 2 relative to coal
Source: The Oil Drum, 2010, g/kwh
Reactors Under Construction China 25 9 Russia 6 India Belarus Chinese Taipei 2 Pakistan 2 Slovakia 1 2 France 1 Finland 1 Brazil Argentina 1 2 3 Japan 4 4 5 UAE USA South Korea 31
32 Most demand is for continuous, reliable supply
500 TWh French electrical mix evolution Unit 58 (Civaux 2) 1999 541TWh 10% 400 300 200 100 0 78% Unit 1 (Fessenheim 1) 1977 Oil crisis 1973 Fossil Nuclear Hydro 12% 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 J C Frappier, CEA
The nuclear reactor fleet in France 58 units in operation on 19 sites GRAVELINESS FLAMANVILLE PENLY PALUEL PALUEL CHINON CIVAUX CHOOZ CATTENOM NOGENT/SEINE ST-LAURENT DAMPIERRE BUGEY BELLEVILLE FESSENHEIM 900 MWe (34 Units) 1300 MWe (20 Units) 1500 MWe (4 Units) 80% of electricity from nuclear power BLAYAIS ST-ALBAN CRUAS TRICASTIN The cheapest KWh in Europe GOLFECH J C Frappier, CEA
Time for: an effective safety paradigm Paul Scherrer Institut 1998: considering 1943 accidents with more than 5 fatalities The alternatives to nuclear are far more dangerous even including accidents Chiba refinery fire Smog in Beijing 35
An impressive safety record! Now 15,000+ reactor-years civil, similar for naval No deaths c 50 deaths No deaths
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Learning from Olkiluoto 3 for Taishan 1 38
From FOAK to NOAK in South Korea Construction Cost Index (Cost/kW) % 100 80 60 40 20 0 100 1 st OPR1000 (YG 3&4) 80 N th OPR1000 (UC 5&6) 78 Improved OPR1000 (SK 1&2) 69 1 st APR1400 (SK 3&4) 61 N th APR1400 Source: B K Kim, 2010, Presentation to WNU 39
To 2015: about 2.5 million tonnes mined
Nuclear-powered Icebreaker Yamal, 23,500 dwt Powered by two 170 MWt reactors 54 MW at propellers
Nuclear submarines use reactors up to 200 MWt
Nuclear Process Heat Synthetic crude oil from coal - A nuclear source of hydrogen + nuclear process heat double the liquid hydrocarbons and eliminate most CO2 emissions
Hydrogen Economy Now: 50 million tonnes per year hydrogen, for oil production future: 1000 Mt/yr + for use in fuel cells Now: steam reforming of natural gas High temperature electrolysis of water Thermochemical production from water using nuclear heat - needs 950ºC
Fuel Assembly for Nuclear Reactor
Sizewell B nuclear power plant, UK - a PWR
Main new-generation nuclear reactors: GE Hitachi/Toshiba ABWR - 1350 MWe - operating Areva NP EPR - 1700 MWe - building Westinghouse AP1000-1200 MWe - building Gidropress AES-2006 1200 MWe - building Korea HNP APR-1400-1450 MWe - operating Mitsubishi APWR - 1500 MWe GE Hitachi ESBWR - 1600 MWe - licensed Candu EC6 750 MWe
Small Reactors China: CNP300 operating and being built in Pakistan India: PHWR-220 operating in India Russia: KLT-40s civil version for floating NPPs, being built Argentina: CAREM-25 being built at Atucha USA: NuScale 50 MWe planned USA: Holtec SMR-160 planned Russia: SVBR-100 fast reactor - planned USA-Japan: GE-H PRISM 311 MWe fast reactor - planned
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Generation IV Reactors Neutron spectrum Coolant, Temp pressure Fuel Uses Gas-cooled Fast Helium 850 C Lead-cooled Fast Lead 480-800 C High U-238+ Electricity & hydrogen Low U-238+ Electricity & hydrogen Molten salt Fast Fluoride, 700-800 C Low Thorium, U- 238+ Electricity & hydrogen Molten salt Advanced HT reactor Slow Fluoride, 750-1000 C Low UO2 in prism hydrogen Sodium-cooled Fast Sodium 550 C Low U-238 & MOX electricity Super-critical Fast or slow Water 510-625 C Very High U-235 electricity High-temp gascooled Slow Helium 900-1000 C High U-235 Hydrogen & electricity