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A Publication

ENRICHMENT

FUEL FOR THOUGHT

NEWS

TECHNOLOGY

CYBER SECURITY IN THE

NUCLEAR POWER SECTOR

MARKET OVERVIEW:The Middle East and North Africa

TAYLOR WILSON ONSMALL

MODULAR NUKES

LESSONS LEARNED FROM

NUCLEAR UPRATES

EVENTS CALENDAR

JULY/AUGU

ST2013

Volume6

No.

4

Image Copyright David Varga, 2013

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Headlinedeck

A Publication

ENRICHMENT

FUEL FOR THOUGHT

EVENTS

NEWS

CASE STUDYKeeping a New Generation o Nuclear Plants Cool

ARE SMRS THE NEW FACEOF NUCLEAR POWER?Why SMRs are poised to change the

way we think about nuclear energy.

CHANGING MINDSETSWhy Nuclear Suppliers Need to Think Like Manuacturers

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OFTHE SECTION 316(B) RULING DELAY

The EPAs orthcoming cooling water intake

rule is expected to be fnalized this summer.Heres how to prepare.

PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATIONOF NUCLEAR WORKERS

Amid a massive workorce transition, the nuclear

industry is training a new crop o employees.

THE PROMISE OF SMALLMODULAR REACTORS

A conversation with B&Ws CEO, Jim Ferland.

SMRThe New Face of

NUCLEARPOWER?

3

1

7

8

1

5

1

2

2

3

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NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL > JULY/AUGUST 2013

ENRICHME

BY DENVER NICKS, EDITOR

Underway On Nuclear PowerAt a time when the course was being

set for how the future of nuclear pow-

er would play out in the Atomic Age,

Admiral Rickover chose Wilkinson, ascientist willing to challenge the status

quo and look out past the fog of tradi-

tion. Because of this attitude toward nu-

clear power, shared

by Eisenhower and

others, the technol-

ogy scaled up to start

providing steady,

emissions-free ener-gy to people all over

the world in a relative blink of an eye.

Today, nuclear power is challenged on

many fronts, while a world suffering from

a runaway greenhouse effect and deadly

particulate pollution needs it more than

ever. We would do well to remember

why Wilkinson was chosen for the job.

That same outlookbold, informed, fu-ture-orientedis what the world needs

from nuclear power in the 21st century.

In this issue of NPI, we have a number

of articles that look toward the future

with optimism and a respect for techni-

As we finalized this issue of Nuclear Power International, a

major milestone for the nuclear industry passed by quietly,

almost stealthilysilent and deep, you might say.

Vice Admiral Eugene P. Wilkinson passed away on Thursday,

July 11, at the age of 94. Decades earlier, in 1955, the vice admiral

made history when, while piloting a submersible ship named the

USS Nautilus out of Groton, Conn., into Long Island Sound, he ut-

tered the now-famous words, Underway on nuclear power.

The moment was not only momentous because it marked thebeginning of Americas nuclear navy but because it marked the in-

augural moment for something even more transformational for our

planet: the use of nuclear fission to generate power. In the Nautilus,

President Eisenhower recognized the potential for peaceful applica-

tion of nuclear technology, leading to his Atoms for Peace program.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Admiral Rickover chose Wilkinson to command the first nucle-

ar submarine over the stern objections of many in the submariner

community, in part because Wilkinson was not even a submarinerhimself. He was chosen, writes Wilkinsons biographer, because, not

having graduated from the Naval Academy, he was free from the

deadly embrace of tradition, and because he had been a trained

physicist before joining the service, giving him technical know-how

the older cadre of officers lacked.

cal knowledge. Taylor Wilson, who

age of 14 became the youngest

ever to build a working nuclear r

writes about why nuclear power nget small to survive, and suggests

ten salt small modular reactor de

do it. Tom Franch, of AREVA,

about the relativel

and growing threat

berattacks and the

tance of cybersecu

nuclear facilities. In

dent consultant Billwrites about the ve

est nuclear industry development

MENA regionMiddle East and

Africawhere economies dep

upon fossil-fuel exports are r

up nuclear power in an effort to

long-term energy security while

ing petroleum products for sale

These and other articles in our uing issue of NPI point to a future

clear power in which, while cha

abound, technical advances both

and on the horizon suggest even

promising days to come.

That same outlook

bold, informed, future-

orientedis what the

world needs from nuclear

power in the 21st century.

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CONTINUED

4NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL > JULY/AUGUST 2013

FUEL FOR THOUGHT

You likely wont be reading this until August,

but Im writing it in late June, so the title is

accurate. Ive compiled some mid-year musings,

only loosely connected, but they all speak to where

nuclear power is and where it may be headed.

Musing #1: The decision by Southern California Edison

in June to permanently shut down the San Onofre Nuclear

Generating Station due to its steam generator problemscast a pall over the industry. Coming on the heels of the

Kewaunee shutdown in May and the announcement

by Duke Energy in February that it would not proceed

with efforts to repair the concrete containment structure

at Crystal River, the U.S. industry is now left with 100

reactors on the nuclear plant wall and some uncomfortable

misgivings about the future.

Because of nuclear powers tenuous hold on public

perception and support, I believe many people feel that adomino effect may be in play. In other words, if one (or

a few) nuclear plants shut down, the rest will come down

with them. Anti-nuclear groups long for the day when this

happens; pro-nuclear groups fear it.

Mid-Year MusingsBRIAN SCHIMMOLLER, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

NO COMPANY IS

MORECOMMITTEDTO SUPPORTING

OPERATING

NUCLEAR PLANTS

www.westinghousenuclear.com
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CONTINUED


FUEL FOR THOUGHT

The fear and optimism are probably

both misguided. Reality simply doesnt

conform to the domino theory. Itdidnt come to pass with respect to the

expansion of Communism around the

world, and wont happen with respect

to nuclear power absent a spate of plant

accidents or gross mismanagement.

Lets face it: plants get old; markets

change; competition emerges. For some

nuclear plants, yes, that will mean

retirement. Not a happy thought, but,as the Lion King put it, thats the circle

of life. The hope is that these decisions

can be made rationally, fully informed by

technical and economic realities, which

leads me to.

Musing #2. Rational discussion in the

public sphere about nuclear power has

been challenged by Fukushima, by the

fear of radiation exposure, and by thecommon conflation of nuclear weapons

with commercial nuclear power. Into

the fray steps Robert Stone, a long-

time documentary film-maker who

released Pandoras Promise in June

to limited theaters nationwide (www.

pandoraspromise.com).

The movie examines nuclearpower from the perspective of five

environmentalists who each decided

after much investigation to support the

technology. One of these individuals, Mark

Lynas, is a self-avowed environmental

activist who has been heavily involved

in the global climate change debate.

After significant soul-searching and in-

person witness including a trip to theFukushima area Lynas came to realize

that nuclear power had to be part of the

solution to climate change.

The film does a good job of addressing

many of the misunderstandings

regarding nuclear power, including

claims that the Chernobyl accident has

killed millions of people. As a movie

made by an environmentalist, aboutenvironmentalists, I believe Pandoras

Promise stands a reasonable chance of

engaging a wider audience in discussions

around energy policy and nuclear power.

I strongly recommend you go see it, and if
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you cant make it to a theater screening,

CNN has plans to show the documentary

in late 2013.My one quibble with the movie is

the absence of discussion around the

economics of nuclear power. Stone

presents the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR)

as some sort of technological savior for

the nuclear industry. Technically, I dont

argue that the IFR and its breeder cousins

have many positive characteristics,

including a much higher extraction ofenergy from the nuclear fuel and the

ability to burn long-lasting nuclear

waste components.

Short shrift is given, however, to

whether the economics of these fourth-

generation reactors would be competitive

with other options. Admittedly, its

difficult to say since only a handful of

breeder reactors have been built and onlya few remain operating. But economics

need to be part of the debate, not just to

keep electricity prices as low as possible

but also to educate the public about the

importance of comparing the levelized

cost of electricity over the life of the

plant rather than just the upfront capital

costs, which leads me toMusing #3. President Obama released

his plan to constrain carbon dioxide

emissions from U.S. power plants in

June. The presidents plan directs EPA

to work with the states and industry

to establish carbon pollution standards

for new and existing plants; provides

loan guarantee authority for advanced

fossil and energy efficiency projects;and supports expanded renewables

deployment on public lands.

Im not overly confident that these

actions will prompt significant changes

in the generation mix, and Im even less

confident that Congress would enact any

broader carbon legislation in the next

5-10 years. But any movement in this

direction is a potential plus for nuclearpower since it could tip the economics

in its direction.

So we end up at musing #4. Nuclear

power has a futurejust not the future

you thought it would be.

CONTINUED


FUEL FOR THOUGHT

Owned & Produced by Presented by Supported by Co-located with

NOVEMBER 1214, 2013 | ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER | ORLANDO, FL, USANUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL.COM

Global demand for energy continues to grow. So do concerns related to the environment, greenhouse gas emissions and

climate change. Emission-free, baseload nuclear power can be a viable option to address these concerns and meet grow

demand for energy. Nuclear energy remains a viable, clean and safe option for meeting demand around the world.

Now in its seventh year, NUCLEAR POWER International 2013 provides the nuclear power industry the perfect venue to g

and exchange information abou t nuclear powers role in todays changing world. Visit www.nuclearpowerinternational.c

more information or to register tod ay.
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EDF places reactor dome at

nuclear plant in FranceJul 17, 2013EDF installed the dome on the reactor

building at Unit 3 at the Flamanville

European Pressurized Reactor (EPR)

in France, according to Electric Light &

Power/POWERGRID International.

Unit 3 of the Flamanville Nuclear

Power Plant is the first nuclear reactor

to be built in France for some 15 years.It will have a nameplate capacity of

1,650 MW and is scheduled to come

into service by 2016.

Work at the Flamanville EPR site,

which commenced in December

2007, has involved the full spectrum

of stakeholders in the French nuclear

industry, with peak personnel levels

on site rising to 3,200 people in 2012(including 60 percent regional workers,

2,600 employees of external contractors,

and 600 EDF employees), representing

a total of five million hours worked.

This major industrial construction site

building over the next few months.

The first half of this year has already

seen the first electrical tests and theinstallation of steam piping inside

the turbine building, as well as the

installation of the first instrumentation

and control (I&C) cabinets that will

eventually be used for controlling,

monitoring, protecting and operating

the EPR.

Kudankulam nuke plant tocome online in AugustJul 16, 2013

The Kudankulam nuclear power plant

in Tamil Nadu, along the coast of southern

India, will begin delivering power to the

grid in mid-to-late August, according to

a report from the UKs Daily Mail. The

plant went critical at midnight on July 13.The Kudankulam plant has been

surrounded by controversy as a wave

of protest moved to block the reactor

from going online. In early May, the

Indian Supreme Court issued a decision

has been subject to regular inspections

by the French Nuclear Safety Authority

(ASN) throughout the project.The reactor housing structure will be

guaranteed leaktight by welding around

the entire circumference of the dome,

which will then be clad with 7,000

metric tons of concrete to boost its

strength.

The dome has been fitted by

Bouygues Construction, the company

in charge of the civil engineering worksfor the Flamanville EPR. The operation

has required a 4 months preparation and

involved 30 employees from Bouygues

Construction.

The Flamanville EPR construction

site is entering its final phase, with

95 percent of civil engineering work

completed, along with 46 percent of

electrical and mechanical installationwork. Now that the dome has been

installed, the heavy components of the

nuclear steam supply system (steam

generators, reactor vessel, pressurizer,

etc.) will be installed inside the reactor

dismissing safety concerns and pav

way for the plant to go online.

Pakistan boosts nuclearwith Chinese help

Jul 8, 2013

Plans to increase Pakistans n

capacity from 700 MW today to

MW by 2025 are moving forw

the countrys nuclear commission

lights construction on a new plaKarachi to be built with Chines

Kyodo news service reports.

A government official speak

condition of anonymity confirm

the Pakistan Atomic Energy Comm

has given its blessing on construc

a second plant near Karachi, a

MW facility to be called KAN

The new plant will be located n137 MW KANUPP-1 plant, wh

been in operation since 1970.

The federal budget has re

allocated $60 million to purcha

for the facility. Total constructio

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N

are expected to hit $9.6 billion.

Chinese involvement in the project

represents a step in the countrys moveto increase its footprint in the global

nuclear market. The country has been

rapidly scaling up its own nuclear sector

over the past decade, using imported

technology while developing indigenous

designs.

Pandoras Promisestirs nuclear debateamong environmentalists

July 5, 2013

The pro-nuclear documentary

Pandoras Promise is irking some in the

environmental movement, according to a

review of the film from National Public

Radios Richard Harris.

(Pandoras Promise) was intended totrigger a conversation about nuclear, and

it has, Harris said in reviewing the film.

Harris quotes Edwin Lyman, from

the Union of Concerned Scientists, who

says, There have always been devotees

of the technology who believe that it has

this promise that simply has not yet been

realized. But if you actually look at thefacts on the ground, nuclear power has

been a very, very difficult technology to

bring from the pads and pencils of the

designers into the real world.

In response to environmentalists

critical of nuclear power and of the film,

filmmaker Robert Stone says there is and

never will be a perfect solution to our

environmental challenges. If youre goingto wait around for the absolute perfect

technology where theres absolutely

no downside ever, well Ill show you a

technology that doesnt work.

Russia to launchworlds first floating

nuclear plant by 2016Jul 8, 2013The decades-old dream of floating

nuclear power plants will become a reality

in Russia by 2016, according to reports

from Russia Today.

Russias floating Small Modular

Reactors (SMRs) will have a capacity

of 75 MW and will be towed to remotelocations in the vast country where power

transmission has always been difficult.

Construction on the first floating SMR

began in 2007.

A fleet of floating nuclear power plants

has been a dream elsewhere in the world

for decades, including the United States,

where plans to build floating plants

moved at pace until the mid-1970s when amoratorium on new nuclear build settled

over the country.

Macfarlane winsnew term as NRC chair

Jun 28, 2013

Allison Macfarlane has been confirmed

by the Senate for a full five-year termas chair of the US Nuclear Regulatory

Commission.

A geologist and former professor of

environmental science at George Mason

University, Macfarlane was first appointed

to the position in July 2012 to fin

the term of chair Gregory Jaczk

resigned after a contentious tenure mby a reportedly combative mana

style. Macfarlane has vowed to

more conciliatory and transparent

the NRC while encouraging more

engagement. Her tenure thus far, h

has not been without controve

recent weeks, she has clashed with S

Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), over

attempt to retrieve NRC docurelating to the now-shuttered San

nuclear plant.

The Nuclear Energy Institute

Marvin Fertel welcomed Macf

reappointment, saying Over th

year Chairman Macfarlane has d

outstanding job of restoring coll

within the commission and demon

respect for differing opinions to alagency to fully focus on fulfilling it

mission. The credibility of the N

immensely important to us, as

to the global nuclear energy comm

given the agencys stature worldwi

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CONTINUED


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berg. Any sort of asset that doesnt pro-

duce CO2.

Obama vows carboncap for power plantsin climate policy overhaul

Jun 25, 2013

In a major policy announcement

Tuesday, President Obama proposed

new regulations on carbon emissions

from existing power plants in an effort

to jump start the administrationsgoals for combating climate change. If

implemented, the carbon emissions cap

on existing plants would be a first-of-its-

kind regulation sure to have significant

and reverberating impacts across the

power generation industry and the wider

economy.

As a president, as a father, as an

American, Im here to say: We needto act, Obama said, speaking before

an audience at Georgetown University.

Power plants can still dump unlimited

amounts of carbon pollution into the air

for free. Thats not right, its not safe, and

it needs to stop. He noted that existing

power plants account for 40 percent of

carbon emissions in the United States.

Obama vowed to make reducing powerplant carbon emissions the cornerstone

of his climate policy.

Though his speech was short on

details, the president doubled down

on his commitment to shale gas

development, stating flatly that We

should strengthen our position as the

top natural gas producer.

Under Obamas plan, renewableenergy power generation, which doubled

during the administrations first term,

will be doubled again by 2020. Obama

noted that, Many power companies have

already begun modernizing their plants

and creating new jobs in the process,

and that a number of state and local

governments have already implemented

carbon emissions regulations. Its justtime for Washington to catch up with the

rest of the country, he said.

Tom Kuhn, president of the Edison

Electric Institute, a trade association

representing roughly 70 percent of the

American electric power industry

a cautious tone. Kuhn stressed th

new regulations contain ach

compliance limits and deadlines, micosts to customers, and are con

with the industrys ongoing inves

to transition to a cleaner generatin

and enhanced electric grid. Kuhn

that fuel diversity must remain

consideration in any new energy po

A group of leading environ

groups, including the Natural Re

Defense Council, the Sierra Cluthe Environmental Defense Fund

a joint statement praising the pre

proposals. President Obamas dec

take action to cut carbon pollutio

existing power plants for the fir

ever is particularly important since

plants are the largest unlimited so

carbon pollution and cleaning th

is key to protecting Americans frimpacts of climate change, the sta

said.

Nuclear power received shor

in the presidents climate address

cap on carbon emissions could hav

Nuclear industry to see boostfrom Obama climate policy

Jun 28, 2013The nuclear power industry in the

United States is poised to get a very welcome

boost under the Obama administrations

new climate policy, Bloomberg reports.

Bucking the trend of backing away

from investments in nuclear energy, Ex-

elon (NYSE: EXC), the nations biggest

producer of nuclear power, has held fast to

a low-emissions investment strategy whileits stock price declined 64 percent since

2008. As the Obama administration sig-

nals a preference for emissions-free power

production, according to Bloomberg, that

strategy may now finally be paying off.

Renewable technologies are similarly ex-

pected to reap the benefits of the any new

policy environment, while coal companies

are likely to be the clear loser.The one clear winner that I think you

can point to out in the industry is zero-

emissions generation sources, so nuclear for

Exelon, wind and solar farms for NextEra,

energy analyst Andrew Smith told Bloom-

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reaching positive impact on the American

nuclear industry, which has been

beleaguered in recent years with high costsand new regulations. The Nuclear Energy

Institute moved to stake out territory in

the discussion on emissions-free energy

alternatives

There is no debating this fact: Nuclear

energy produces nearly two-thirds of

Americas carbon-free electricity, said

NEI President Marvin Fertel. As a nation,

we cannot reach our energy and climategoals without the reliable, carbon-free

electricity that nuclear power plants

generate to power our homes, businesses

and infrastructure. President Obama

recognized this during the presidential

campaign when he said, It is unlikely

we can meet our aggressive climate

goals if we eliminate nuclear power as

an option. Likewise, Energy Secretary

Ernest Moniz supports the expansion of

nuclear energy to meet national energy

and environmental imperatives.

Resistance to the presidents plan came

swiftly. Representatives from the coal

industry, which will be the primary target

of any new emissions regulations, were

unsurprised by the announcement but noless troubled for it. Even brand new, state-

of-the-art plants wouldnt be able to meet

these regulations, American Coalition for

Clean Coal Electricitys Lisa Miller told

Politico.

Republican attorneys general from

Oklahoma, Alabama, Montana and

West Virginia vowed to challenge new

regulations, saying in a joint statement,This presidents unprecedented use of

the Environmental Protection Agency

to enact overreaching regulations and

circumvent state primacy has prompted

our fellow Republican attorneys general

to fight back and full force, and we plan to

continue.

The American Public Power Association

said in a release that while it agreed with

some parts of the Presidents plan, it had

some concerns over emissions regulations.

APPA is encouraged that the President

has directed EPA to re-propose last years

flawed proposed rule for new power

plants that effectively banned new coal-

fired plants, the APPA statement said.

However, we are concerned that thenet effect of a re-proposed rule may be

the same. Thus, we urge EPA to make

substantial changes including provisions

that differentiate between fuel types

and set a standard for coal that can be

achieved using technology that is currently

commercially available.

New Vogtle reactors to causesmaller customer rate increasethan expected

Jun 17, 2013

The two nuclear reactors currently

under construction at Plant Vogtle in

Georgia will end up costing the customers

less than previously thought, according to

an executive with Southern Co (NYSE:

SO).

Speaking at the opening plenary session

of the American Nuclear Societys 2013

Annual Meeting, President and CEO

of Southern Nuclear Steve Kuczynksi

announced that the increase in ele

rates on customers once Vogtles tw

reactors come online is expectedlimited to between six and eight p

The revised projection is signif

lower than the projected rate incr

up to 12 percent that had been or

envisioned when the project first

Kuczynski said.

Kuczynksi attributed the cha

more favorable financing arrang

with Wall Street and investorsavailable to the company as a resul

ongoing economic downturn in

years. Were in a very good p

economically, he said.

Kuczynksi said the new nu

reflect the reality that people sho

get bogged down in short term th

when analyzing the costs and ben

nuclear construction, instead cons

the long-term benefits of stable b

power. The new expected rate i

associated with Vogtle indicates, h

that even this year-long delay

negligible impact.

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11NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL > JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013

TECHNOLOGY

boreoscope. The right-side-up feature, in

which the video feed from the camera on

its head is corrected to align with gravity,

makes operating the robot more intuitive.

With further development and

testing, such a robot could give operators

a more complete understanding of a

plants condition and perhaps reduce a

plants downtime by enabling faster, moreefficient inspections, said Martin Fries, an

engineer with EVN Group, owner of the

Zwentendorf facility.

Next, engineers hope to make the robot

even more like a snake: waterproof.

SnakeBotIt can see, and slither, and writhe its way into tightspaces. Is it a snake? Well, kind of.

The modular snake robot developed

by researchers at Carnegie

Mellons Robotics Institute made

big news this summer when it successfully

inspected the bowels of Austrias dormant

Zwentendorf nuclear power plant. Just two

inches in diameter and 37 inches long, its

body tethered to a control and power cable

out the rear end, the robots 16 moduleswith two half-joints each gives it 16 degrees

of movement, affording it the dexterity

to reach places and get high-quality, well-

lit viewing angles that would be difficult

or impossible for a human or even a

BY DENVER NICKS, EDITOR

www.power-gen.com/index/connect.html

POWER-GEN International is posting, tweeting, blogging, uploading

linking to keep you updated. Get social with us and stay in touch

attendees, exhibitors, industry experts and professionals around the w
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NUCLE

Cybersecurity in the Nuclear Power Sector

nuclear power plants. Plant system

are subject to the NRCs Cybers

Rule are known as critical sy

As a result, every plant subm

cybersecurity plan to the NRC t

scribed how the plant would imp

their cybersecurity program an

THOMAS FRANCH IS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENREACTORS AND SERVICES FOR AREVA, INC.AMERICA

In todays digital age, many critical business operations take place in cyberspace,

requiring companies to take measures to protect their employees and business

infrastructure from cyberattacks. Malicious individuals and groups, whether

aiming to steal personal information or to completely destabilize an Internet

network or critical infrastructure system, can expose sensitive personal and business

information and disrupt critical operations. Critical infrastructure, such as electrical

power generation or transmission and distribution systems, experience escalated costs

to protect against potential exploitation that could adversely impact operations. The

processes and practices designed to protect networks, computer programs and datafrom attack, damage or unauthorized access is known as cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity is a growing field across all facets of business operations. We rely

on digital technology to communicate, travel, work and power our homes, offices

and economy. Our daily lives, economic vitality, critical infrastructure and national

security depend on a stable, safe and resilient defense against cyberattacks. The threats

being launched every day have driven the need to improve upon the cybersecurity

protective strategies. These improved strategies aim to protect systems and networks

around the globe and across personal, business and critical infrastructure boundaries.

CYBERSECURITY IN THE NUCLEAR SECTOR

The nuclear power industry is one of the most highly regulated and safest industries

in the world, and takes cyber threats seriously. After the attacks of September 11,

2001, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) amended the plant design basis

threat (DBT) to include cyberattacks. In early 2002, the NRC issued an order to

require power reactor licensees to

implement interim measures to enhance

cybersecurity at their sites. In 2009, the

NRC amended their extensive physical

protection program regulations to include

a specific regulation, 10CFR73.54, for

a cybersecurity program that would be

a component of the operating licenses.

These requirements provided highassurance that digital computer and

communication systems and networks

associated with safety and important

to safety functions, security functions,

emergency preparedness functions

(including off-site communications), and

support systems would be adequately

protected up to and including the

DBT. Subsequently, the NRC issued

COMWCO-10-0001, to clarify that its

cybersecurity rule should be interpreted

to include components in the Balance of

Plant that contain a link to radiological

health and safety at NRC-licensed

BY TOM FRANCH, AREVA INC. SENIOR VP, REACTORS & SERVICES

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NUCLE

the midst of a renewal. Across the

nuclear plants are being licensed t

ate for longer periods of time and asitioning from analog to digital s

for increased safety and perfor

While this transition to digital t

ogy is increasing the capability, lon

safety and reliability of Americas

plants, the need to integrate rob

bersecurity measures is a necessity

en digital protection systems are

in place at nuclear plants arouworld to proactively protect agains

threats to plant safety and control sy

Protecting the U.S. nuclear po

frastructure from exploitation and

attacks perpetrated against critic

tem networks is an industry challe

threats evolve for both nuclear infr

ture and corporate networks, ther

increased need for digital security

dition, there is a growing need for

cally knowledgeable people that po

combination of cybersecurity skill

system knowledge and nuclear reg

experience.

with digital plant equipment are subject to

increased security screening, cybersecu-

rity training and behavioral observation. Implement cybersecurity con-

trols to protect equipment deemed

most essential for the protec-

tion of the public health and safety.

Implement measures to maintain the

effectiveness of the program. These mea-

sures include maintaining the CDAs and

the equipment subject to 73.54 in the

plant configuration management pro-gram and ensuring changes to the CDAs

are performed in a controlled way. A

cybersecurity impact analysis must be

performed before making changes to

the CDAs. The effectiveness of cyber-

security controls is periodically assessed

and enhancements are made where

necessary. Vulnerability assessments

are performed to ensure the cybersecu-

rity posture of the CDAs is maintained.

As nuclear plants work to enhance their

cybersecurity, they are preparing for safe

and reliable operation for decades into the

future. The nuclear energy industry is in

isolation devices. As a result, the key

safety, security and power genera-

tion equipment at the plants are pro-tected from any network-based cyber-

attacks originating outside the plant.

Enhance and implement robust con-

trols over the use of portable media and

equipment. In instances where devices

like thumb drives, CDs and laptops are

used to interface with plant equipment,

measures are in place to minimize the cy-

ber threat. These measures include suchactions as minimizing the use of devices

that are not maintained at the plant; vi-

rus scanning devices both before and af-

ter being connected to plant equipment;

and implementing additional security

measures where the source of the data

or device originates outside the plant. As

a result of these actions, plants are well

protected from attacks that are propa-

gated through the use of portable media.

Enhance defenses against insider

threats. Training and insider mitigation

programs have been enhanced to include

cyber attributes. Individuals who work

schedule for implementation. The NRC

reviewed and approved each of these plans

and schedules. The cybersecurity planprovides high assurance that plant critical

systems and critical digital assets (CDAs)

subject to 10CFR73.54 are protected

against cyberattack up to and including

the DBT. Each licensee plan includes

an implementation schedule containing

eight milestones. Seven of the milestones

were due for completion by December

2012. The stringent measures imple-mented by the milestones were aimed

at protecting the most sensitive criti-

cal systems by mitigating attack vectors.

In accordance with NRC require-

ments, each U.S. nuclear power plant was

required to:

Establish a dedicated cybersecurity

assessment team to meet cyber require-

ments as part of their cybersecurity plan.

Identify critical systems and criti-

cal digital assets that fell within the

scope of the NRC requirements.

Isolate key control systems using ei-

ther air-gaps or robust hardware-based

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CONTINUED


NUCLE

ogy meets stringent cybersecur

quirements and is currently insta

on order at 77 plants in 16 cou

Cybersecurity plays a significain securing the infrastructure ass

the nuclear sector. Through p

ships between the nuclear indus

cybersecurity providers who

unique nuclear experience, the

try can be confident that their

digital assets will be protected.

of highly skilled cyber engineer

daily to protect the nations critsets against threats and exposur

because of strict regulatory ov

and a culture steeped in safety

curity, there is no industry better

to address cybersecurity for the

sector than the nuclear industr

cutting-edge expertise brought to

by the AREVA-Northrop Gru

team is one example of a partn

that takes a proactive, multi-p

approach to ensure the cybersecu

the U.S. nuclear power sector, h

utilities meet todays missions a

dress tomorrows threats.

utility customers in addressing their

cybersecurity needs with forward-

looking solutions. In response to the

NRCs call for commercial nuclear fa-cilities to establish and implement cy-

bersecurity measures, these experts

assist utility customers in maintaining

compliance with the NRCs require-

ments. Further, nuclear plant licens-

ees can leverage these experts knowl-

edge, processes, tools, methods and

cutting-edge technology to stay ahead

of the evolving cybersecurity landscape.As utilities upgrade their older ana-

log systems to newer digital technol-

ogy, cybersecurity experts are work-

ing with them to ensure these new

advanced systems meet stringent cy-

bersecurity requirements. These ad-

vanced digital technologiessuch as

AREVAs TELEPERM XS digital con-

trol system, which has already been ap-

proved and licensed by the NRCad-

dress the increasing obsolescence of

nuclear plant analog systems and lead

the nuclear industry in cybersecurity

risk mitigation. The AREVA technol-

tion. The ever-evolving nature of cyber

threats means that there is also a need

for evolution in the products used to

combat those threats. A plant equippedwith the most up-to-date cyber threat

analysis platform, including unique digi-

tal signature tools, endpoint protection

and network situation awareness model-

ing tools, will be better able to detect

and mitigate the threat of cyberattacks.

Due to its impact on the economy

and its dedication to the safety and se-

curity of its plants, the nuclear indus-try needs to partner with companies

that have experience in cybersecurity

and protecting critical infrastructure.

One such example is AREVAs re-

cent partnership with Northrop Grum-

man. Northrop Grumman supports the

U.S. federal government in providing

cybersecurity support to U.S. defense,

intelligence and civilian agencies. Mean-

while, AREVA has digital expertise,

plant engineering and system knowl-

edge, and extensive regulatory experi-

ence. Together, AREVA and Northrop

Grumman cybersecurity experts assist

For the nuclear industry, safety and

security are non-negotiable; best-in-class

cybersecurity is critical to the continued

operational excellence of the U.S. nucle-ar fleet.

THE SOLUTION LEADING THE WAY

The U.S. nuclear power industry is a

critical segment of the economy and the

industry is investing heavily in improv-

ing its cybersecurity protective strate-

gies. The key for success in cybersecu-

rity in the nuclear power industry is tohave technically knowledgeable resourc-

es, both in understanding cybersecu-

rity needs and plant system knowledge.

Handling CDAs and network configura-

tions, completing detailed susceptibility

and consequence assessments and analy-

sis, and running full-scale vulnerability

and penetration testing services are just

a few of the capabilities needed to estab-

lish a robust cybersecurity program at a

nuclear facility.

Once a plant has the appropriate re-

sources, it needs cutting-edge technol-

ogy to help enhance its cyber protec-

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NUCLE

THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA. LIGH

INDICATES COUNTRIES ON THE PERIPHERY.

Nuclear Dawn in the DesertMarket Overview: The MENA Region

(Middle East and North Africa )

has been touted as a highly succmodel for other countries to em

Progress occurred rapidly a

packages were developed and p

als submitted and reviewed. Ulti

ly Korean Electric Power Com

(KEPCO) and their APR1400 r

design was selected for the firs

units. The schedule is to bring

1-4 online, one each year from

through 2020. FANR issued th

1 License approximately one ye

Concrete work began immediate

Unit 1 is now rising out of the d

A number of unique ch

Two years since Nuclear Power Internationals last report, the MENA region is still

aggressively pursuing nuclear power. This article discusses some of the latest changes in

the region, including progress on nuclear development as well as remaining challenges.

W

hile perhaps not so obvious to the observer in the United States or Eu-

rope, commercial nuclear power is growing at a very healthy rate on a

global basis. With 69 new plants under construction worldwide andbetween 150 and 200 more in the planning stages in 2013, only 2 years after Fu-

kushima, we might call this a boom. While most of these new units are to be sited

in East Asia, as we will see, there is significant interest by countries in the broader

Middle East region and this is attracting a lot of attention by suppliers worldwide.

One may wonder why the oil and gas rich countries of the Middle East would need

or want to invest in nuclear power but a closer look reveals that economically it makes

a lot of sense. Countries ranging from Egypt to Saudi Arabia to United Arab Emir-

ates to Jordan, Turkey and Iran have fast growing populations and electricity demand

keeping pace. While many (though not all) of these countries have abundant hydro-

carbon energy resources, they want to diversify their generation as well as preserve

these natural resources for export and other needs. Their fast-growth is causing inter-

nal energy consumption to rise rapidly. Saudi Arabia predicts that at current growth

rates, by the 2030s it may no longer be the worlds swing producer of oil, unless

it develops an alternative to burning a higher and higher percentage of its own oil

and gas for electricity. Country planners

point out that it is important for the en-

tire world for Saudi to avoid this scenario.So what has changed over the past

few years since NPIs last report? Lets

take a look at some key countries to bet-

ter understand their situations and as-

sess the opportunities and challenges.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE)

The most obvious progress in the re-

gion has been the rapid advancement ofthe UAEs commercial nuclear program

in Abu Dhabi, at the Barakah site. In

2008 the country selected Lightbridge

as a consultant to develop their nuclear

law and to help in the initial establish-

ment of the Emirates Nuclear Energy

Corporation (ENEC) and federal regula-

tion. CH2M Hill was chosen to provide

program management and to further

implement the countrys vision. The

Federal Authority for Nuclear Regula-

tion (FANR) was established to create

a gold standard regulatory infrastruc-

ture. The UAE nuclear program so far,

BY BILL LINTON, PRINCIPAL, LINTON CONSULTING

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NUCLE

tion and position Turkey for a lon

future in which expansion of fos

hydro generation may be incre

challenged. Further, it will redu

keys dependence on Russian natu

The Akkuyu nuclear site in th

sin province on the Mediterranea

was originally licensed in the mid-

but has been delayed several tim

2010, an agreement between Rus

Turkey resulted in a restart under a

own-operate (BOO) model. Thi

is growing comparably. By bringing

1400 MWe of new capacity online an-

nually from 2017 - 2020 (totaling 5,600MW), the country will achieve the di-

versification and preservation of its

declining hydrocarbon resource base

for export and other in-country use.

TURKEY

Turkey, a much larger country than

the UAE, is ranked second in population

in the region (80.7 million), after Egypt(85.3 million), and is very close in size

to Iran (79.9 million). Turkey generates

more than twice as much electricity as

the UAE and is much more diversified.

Its generation mix is about 23% hydro

plus a small amount of renewables and

the majority from fossil fuels includ-

ing coal, oil and gas. Adding nuclear

will help meet the countrys high elec-

tricity demand growth, which has av-

eraged above 6% over the past 3 years

and could grow by more than 50% by

the early 2020s. Adding nuclear to the

mix will also provide further diversifica-

ing to leaders in the organization, FANR

has been staffed with a large number of

experienced personnel from many coun-tries ranging from the United States and

Canada to the UK and South Africa,

while still employing large numbers of

national staff. While the objective is to

grow the percentage of Emiratis staff-

ing this organization, it is acknowledged

that it will take some time to transition

to a significant mix of indigenous per-

sonnel because of the extensive nucleartraining and experience required. The

importance of establishing a sound

regulatory body cannot be overempha-

sized. By all accounts, it seems that the

UAE has done this well. A key point

emphasized by a FANR leader we in-

terviewed is the realization that de-

ciding to implement nuclear power re-

quires at least a 100-year commitment.

Today, the UAE generates approxi-

mately 109 TWh of electricity annu-

ally from 100% hydrocarbon energy

resources. The population is growing

rapidly at almost 3% per year and GDP

es are being met by all partners. The

APR1400 design had to be adapted to

both the unique climate of the Middle

East and to the desert site. The chal-

lenges of summer heat, desert sand,

and warmer-than-typical cooling wa-

ter were not trivial for the KEPCO

design team. Other hurdles have in-

cluded staffing and training, fuel pro-

curement, and waste management plans.

One of the most important challeng-

es has been creating FANR, the nuclear

regulatory body of the UAE. Accord-

DR. WILLIAM TRAVERS (LEFT) AND H.E. HAMAD AL

KAABI (RIGHT) AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE OF NU-CLEAR LIABILITY LAW (PHOTO COURTESY OF FANR).

IAEA DIRECTOR GENERAL YUKIYA AMANO AT

KAH NUCLEAR POWER PLANT CONSTRUCTIOUNITED ARAB EMIRATES (PHOTO COURTESY IAEA).

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NUCLE

will be a first for this

approach that is being

aggressively promot-ed by Rosatom. The

Akkuyu NPP will

have four power units

of 1200 MW each.

After construction,

it will produce about

35 billion kilowatt-

hours per year. The

units are expectedto come online se-

quentially starting in

2019 through 2023.

A second site at

Sinop on the Black

Sea coast has also gone through multiple

planning and negotiating phases with

vendors ranging from Canadian to Ko-

rean to Chinese to Japanese and French.

In May, the Turkish and Japanese govern-

ments agreed to cooperate in the develop-

ment of a contract to build and operate 4

ATMEA1 reactors totaling 4,400 MWe

with commercial operation scheduled

for 2023. The ATMEA1 reactor is a joint

venture between AREVA and Mitsubi-

shi Heavy Industries. The investment

is expected to total about $22 billion.

However, there are several concerns

about nuclear power in Turkey. The

country bridges two continents and its

underlying tectonic plates make Tur-

key more earthquake prone than many

other countries in the region. These

conditions require design adaptations to

assure safety. There is also a serious con-cern over public acceptance, as demon-

strations against nuclear power illustrate

publics resistance to the technology.

SAUDI ARABIA

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA),

a world leader in production of oil, gas,

and petroleum products, is also a huge

generator of electricity. In the region,it generates more electricity than Iran,

but with only 1/3 of its population.

Saudis highly industrialized economy

as well as huge energy requirements for

water desalination and air conditioning

drive this demand. Today, Saudis elec-

tricity is generated almost 100% from

hydrocarbon resources (oil and gas).

KSAs planners have foreseen a huge

dilemma as growth in population and

industrialization continue to increase its

electricity demands. The generation of

even more electricity from oil and gas

will consume larger quantities of the

countrys resources that would

wise be available for export. This

result in a huge cost to its economsolve this challenge, KSA has

lished King Abdul City for Atom

Renewable Energy (K.A. CAR

has budgeted in excess of $300

for future development program

government agency is working w

merous consultants and contrac

diversify the Kingdoms electrici

duction and has envisioned as m16 nuclear power units in addi

significant renewable energy res

These announcements have

ed the attention of global nuclea

er firms from Korea and France

United States and we are seeing e

volvement of key global nuclear v

such as GE-Hitachi, Westing

Toshiba, AREVA, EDF and KEP

well as others. The USA and Sau

a long history of close working re

ships in the oil, gas, refining and

sectors and some believe this wi

into the nuclear arena as well. G

MR ALI AKBAR SALEHI, MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE ISLAMIC REPUB-LIC OF IRAN (SECOND FROM LEFT) MET IAEA DIRECTOR GENERAL YUKIYA AMANO(NOT PICTURED) AT THE IAEAS HEADQUARTERS IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA (PHOTOCOURTESY OF DEAN CALMA & IAEA).

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NUCLE

instance, has provided over 500 gas gen-

erators in the KSA which generate over

half its electric power. GE also has madea significant impact through training and

growing local employment. At a recent

supplier conference, K.A. CARE made it

clear that localization of the supply chain

will be an important selection criteria.

KSA has signed nuclear coopera-

tion agreements with Argentina, China,

France, and South Korea. In July, Are-

va and EDF signed a further agreementwith Saudis National Institute of Tech-

nology to train technicians in various nu-

clear disciplines. France has welcomed a

number of visits by KSA representatives

for educational purposes in fuel cycle ac-

tivities, NPP operation and construction.

However, there remains a significant

hurdle yet to be bridged before the devel-

opment of nuclear power in KSA. Like

the UAE, Saudi must establish bi-lateral

nuclear trade agreements (often referred

to as a 1-2-3 agreement in the US). These

agreements clear the path for sharing

nuclear technologies. They are used to

limit proliferation of nuclear technolo-

gies and materials, and to prevent their

access by terrorist organizations. The

US Congress will have to approve a 1-2-

3 agreement between the US and KSA

and the infrastructure has to be estab-

lished that assures appropriate safety

and safeguards. It has been suggestedthat US suppliers may be excluded

from these huge Saudi opportunities

unless the agreement is achieved soon.

It is not clear at this time how long it

may be before an acceptable agreement

can be achieved. There are a number

of 1-2-3 agreements up for renewal and

there are many complexities for con-

sideration at this time, including the

highly sensitive issue of enrichment.

K.A. CARE has stated, Saudi

Arabia will only deploy the most ad-

vanced and thoroughly tested tech-

nologies, paying maximum attention

to safety, security and safeguards of

the highest international standards.

IRAN

Iran is a close third in population in

the region with 79.9 million people. It

is growing rapidly, and until econom-

ic sanctions began taking effect GDP

growth was relatively high (5.9%); more

recently, since international sanctions

began taking a serious toll, it declined to

below 1%. Iran is the second largest gen-erator of electricity in the region, closest

to Saudi Arabia and Turkey. While oil

and gas are a major source of this electri-

cal energy, it also has some hydropower.

Nuclear power has been under very

slow development in Iran for many years.

The Bushehr NPP was actually started in

1975, then abandoned in 1979 after the

Shah was deposed. In the early 2000s it

was resumed through a deal with Rus-

sias Atomstroyexport/Rosatom. Ac-

cording to the IAEA it went commercial

in July of 2012. It has a capacity of 1,000

MWe. Irans plans call for additional nu-

clear reactors, but the timing is no

The country also mines, enrich

manufacturers nuclear fuel. Iransar program is not fully cooperativ

IAEA and is regularly noncompl

matters of nuclear energy, inspe

etc. Its no secret that the world s

believes that the Iranian governm

besides developing commercial

poweris developing highly en

nuclear materials for weapons. A

egade country and sponsor of terIran is the cause of much concer

even the peaceful use of nuclear

in the Middle East. Further, it

alone policy leave its nuclear pow

dustry disadvantaged from a safe

spective, since it does not get the

of regulatory and peer reviews tha

countries enjoy.

JORDAN

Among the smaller countries

Mideast, Jordan has a population

million and electric generation c

of 14.6 TWh. Jordans electricity

Saudi has signed nuclearagreements with Argentina,

China, France & South Korea.

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NUCLE

erated almost totally from oil and gas;

but the country imports a high percent-

age of its energy needs. According to the

IAEA, a Royal Decree to pursue nuclearpower was issued in January 2007, tak-

ing into account national goals for en-

ergy security and diversification, and a

desire to reduce dependence on imports.

While Jordan has considered nucle-

ar power for some years, it has now de-

veloped a more specific strategy and

plan, including identification of a poten-

tial site. However, financing is an ob-

stacle and true progress in implemen-

tation is very slow. In recent years, its

announcements of intended contracting

bids have been subsequently delayed.

Jordans strategy aims to ensure the

security of its energy supply for electric-

ity production and water desalination.

Unfortunately, its desire to include fuel

production, to leverage its indigenous

uranium deposits as a financing scheme

runs counter to nonproliferation policy.

The Jordan Atomic Energy Commission

(JAEC) has been working with WorleyP-

arsons since 2009 to provide pre-con-

struction consulting services. The scope

of work includes feasibility and financial

assessment, technology assessment and

selection, and the preparation of util-ity organization structures. JAEC is se-

riously looking for options that include

public-private partnerships and ways to

go forward despite its limited resources.

EGYPT

The most populous country in the

MENA region is Egypt with 85.3 million

people. Like the other countries in the

region, it is fast growing in both popula-

tion and GDP, though economic activ-

ity has been adversely affected by the

last several years of political upheaval.

Egypt is not as oil-rich as its neighbors

and uses most of its oil and gas for inter-

nal consumption. The interest country

leaders have expressed in nuclear power

is driven by the need to diversify genera-

tion and to meet growing demand. The

country needs to discourage consump-

tion of hydrocarbons and find alterna-

tives for in-country energy production.

Egypts recognition of the value of nu-

clear power was evidenced by a recent

signing of an agreement between a rep-

resentative of an Egyptian delegation

in South Korea and the South Korean

Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy.

In seeking ways to reduce hydrocar-

bon dependence, the Egyptian Ministry

of Electricity and Energy has developed

plans to establish bidding processes for

the rights to build a plant in El-Dabaa.

The site, located on the Mediterranean

Sea, has been studied and is believed

to be suitable for up to 4,000 MWe as

well as a desalination plant. However,

local residents have hosted a si

express their objections to the

In later developments, at th

of this writing in July 2013, E

military officers removed the

trys first democratically elected

dent, Mohamed Morsi, and susp

its Constitution. The political t

that began in early 2011 with the

Spring has continued to the p

day. Egypts current political

tion serves as an example of w

nuclear program must be establis

the foundation of a stable gover

A ROUNDTABLE AT THE NUCLEAR ENERGY INSIDER MENA CONFERENCE IN DUBAI.

www PowerGenerationWeek com
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CONTINUED NUCLEUS20NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL > JULY/AUGUST 2013

OTHERS

There are a number of other coun-

tries in the region that have expressed

interest in nuclear power. A few, suchas Kuwait, have decided not to pursue

it at this time. For others who have ex-

pressed interest, peaceful conditions,

political stability, safety leadership cul-

ture, security, and financial wherewith-

al are essential prerequisites. These

requirements make nuclear power in

some of these countries unlikely for

a number of years to come. To quote

a long-time industry player we inter-

viewed, Nuclear plants shall not be

built on shaky ground, or in shaky

countries.

SUMMARY

Commercial nuclear power is likely

to grow significantly in the MENA re-

gion over the next 10-20 years. A num-

ber of key countries have the economic

drivers, energy demand and financial

strength to build nuclear industries.

However, considering that nuclear

power requires a 100-year commit-

ment, it is essential that the regions

nuclear power plants be limited to se-

lected countries that can assure their

sustainable, safe operation. It is para-

mount that the MENA regions nuclear

industry be built upon the foundations

that this unique industry and unique

part of the world requires.

Bill Linton is Principal of Linton Consulting, a profes-

sional practice active in energy, power, nuclear, process

and manufacturing. Lintons ongoing Strategic View

process has focused on nuclear for the past 5 years.

The process involves ongoing monitoring of industries

through confidential executive interviews, roundtables,tours, and conference activities. This article is based

upon insights gained from our research, visits to the

Middle East, and interactions with government and pri-

vate sector managers in a variety of countries and com-

panies over the past few years.

Considering that nuclearpower requires a 100-yearcommitment, it is essential

that the regions nuclear powerplants be limited to selectedcountries that can assure theirsustainable, safe operation.

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Redeeming the Atom

The second half of the 20th

Century was coined the Atomic

Age, in acknowledgment of

how, for better or worse, the ability to

manipulate the atom fundamentally

changed the course of history. Most

would argue that the 1950s and 60s were

the height of the fervor and excitement

surrounding peaceful applications of

atomic energy. It was a time when this

newfound power could do anything,

raising the possibility of incredible

destruction and incredible progress. In

contrast to the hype, what happened

over the following decades was not

radical innovation and application of

BY TAYLOR WILSON

At age 14, Taylor Wilson became theyoungest person ever to build a working

fusion reactor. Since then he has inked a

book deal, spoken at TED, and seen movie

rights to his story get bought up by a major

studio. Now 19, his work continues in

pursuit of advances in nuclear technology

new nuclear technologies, but rathersmall incremental improvements to

existing designs.

I have long argued that nuclear physics

is simply a morally neutral, fundamental

property of nature, and that nuclear

technology can be a powerful tool if

wielded properly. Much like our advances

in computing, we are left with nothing

more than a tool, albeit, in the case of

nuclear energy, one that is intrinsically

more powerful than any other. As with

any other tool, we can either choose to

use it for good or malice, responsibly or

recklessly. While our brief adolescence

with the technology has been clouded

under the shadow of nuclear war, there

may well be a redemption for nuclear

energy in the future. Human conflict has

long been driven by scarcity of resources,

a challenge nuclear power is poised to

meet like no other technology, and I truly

believe that, properly implemented,

we have the possibility of using this

technology to secure the greates

of peace we have ever enjoyed as a

In sitting down to evalua

future of nuclear power, howeveuncomfortable truths soon

evident. While the benefits

energy-dense, baseload power

amid a global race to eliminate

emissions are obvious, nuclear p

being weakened in the face of a b

hydraulically fractured shale gas r

and the plummeting cost of ren

installations. The intensive

Fukushima regulatory environm

the large installed capacity of new

projects utilizing designs such

AP1000 mean few utilities can s

the price tag, even with large gove

loan guarantees. Nevertheless

than any of these issues, wha

out to me as a singular challe

the industry is the basic tech

at the core of todays nuclear u

While admittedly we are gen

ahead of those early pioneers in

energy, and the marginal improv

are uncountable, todays PW

Why we need small-scale nuclear power

NUCLE

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additional internal UF6 reservo

filled from standard transport cy

of low-enriched UF6 once These heat and power modu

lowered below grade to provide p

protection against any and all

of impact, and a borated cap se

these two modules. The reactor m

has as an output for a non-radi

secondary salt loop, which is exc

with a loop of supercritical CO

feeds the second module, a super

CO2

brayton cycle with ass

turbo-machinery. While the

module is completely sealed a

field serviceable, maintenanc

be performed on the power m

For this technology to wo

rethinking of physics is necessa

it doesnt even demand a new c

materials or manufacturing tech

All it requires is the dedication to co

to design the best reactor system p

and bring it to market succe

Even the regulatory problems th

inevitably doomed short-lived at

in fact, weve had the basic know-how

for decades. At its heart, the technology

is the molten salt reactor invented atthe Oak Ridge National Laboratory in

the 1960s. The reactor designs I have

developed are inspired by this original

concept to provide some of the necessary

features just touched on. Additionally

providing passive emergency cooling,

an extremely compact core and reactor

subsystems, few moving parts, minimal

online processing, and the latest materials

and fabrication techniques, and you can

have an idea of the design I am working

to move to market. With a sealed

module design life of 30 years, even with

the harsh fluoride salt environment,

there are no exceedingly difficult

materials problems. Designs range in

size from 2 to 100MWe, the range in

which the core technology excels. 50

MWe, however, is the standard design

for utility costumers needing town-

sized distributed power generation.

Consisting of two modules that

are transported to a site, the core and

BWRs are the same basic technology

we originally tapped to bring nuclear

power onto the grid in the 1950s. Whilethe industry has had an enviable safety

record, and exposing its weaknesses

requires exceptionally unlikely

cascading failures, the technology at

work today does have its intrinsic flaws.

So much of the cost of nuclear power

comes from the fact we have to regulate

using the concept of defense in depth.

While incredibly rare, there is always the

possibility of core damage in the event

of loss of offsite power or a large break

LOCA. Fukushima demonstrated what

hazards lie in the catalytic tendency of

zircalloy cladding to produce explosive

chemical potentials at elevated core

temperatures. Because of these

fundamental issues in implementation,

were forced to ensure multiple

redundant systems are in place to prevent

damage and the release of radioactivity.

But what if we could adopt a

technology that relied less on defense

in depth by using a reactor that is not

only passively safe, but intrinsically safe?

What if we could have a nuclear power

plant that runs more like a giant battery?What if we could develop a technology

with strong negative coefficients and

tightly limited reactivity, then eliminate

every chemical or hydraulic inclination

for radiological materials to leave the

primary system of the reactor and turn

up the heat of the neutrons so that along

with an incredible reduction of spent

nuclear fuel volume, you end up burning

higher order actinides and reducing the

radiotoxicity of the waste tremendously?

What if we could then put this technology

in a sealed, mass-produced unit that rolls

off an assembly line, like the Ford model

Ts of old or todays mass-produced

items with high risks and technological

complexity similar to a nuclear plant ,

such as rockets and Boeing 747s. Many

have long sought such a system, and

yet none exists in production today.

But this technology is possible and,

most importantly, it doesnt require

solving a physics problem to implement

NUCLE

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NUCLE

development of more traditional Smal l

Modular Reactors: a cost matching

agreement with private investment.Maybe its my age, or perhaps

my brain is just wired differently,

but I dont agree with the cynicism

sometimes passed around when it

comes to new generation nuclear

technology. Whether it is safety, cost,

politics or just public perception

hurdles that must be overcome,

someone always has a reason why not

to do it. The same goes for just about

any technology, even something with

as friendly a face as solar power. But

I refuse to accept this defeatism. I

believe that our only true limitations

are the basic physical principles that

govern the natural universe. All

other challenges just require clever

engineering and the will to press on,

and they can be overcome. Thankfully

we were given a powerful tool in the

basic physics of nuclear structure. And

I think wed be foolish to not take any

opportunity we are given when it comes

at innovative nuclear power concepts

become trivial with such an intrinsically

safe reactor. Instead of regulating thedefense in depth protection of a light

water reactor, you are regulating a box

of non-weapons-usable radioactive

material, which, if correctly engineered,

has no inclination to spread its contents

outside its containmentsomething

no more threatening to a dairy farm

next door than a wind farm. But its

high capacity factor means it runs all

the time, and with a 30 year sealed

lifetime, it beats any fossil fuels, even

inexpensive shale gas. No proliferation

of nuclear weapons or nuclear terrorism;

no chemical or hydraulic potential

to expel its contents, and a carbon

footprint that looks like wind, solar,

or geothermal deployable anywhere in

the world, at any time. Other than the

fuel inside, this bears no resemblance

to Windscale or Chernobyl, not even

Fukushima, or the scary but relatively

benign Three Mile Island LOCA.Finally, what about the cost? If this

new nuclear doesnt compete in the

market now, it will never get built. Along

with its small size, this technology, in

decreasing risk and even eliminating

expensive components like those

necessary to handle the pressures of

light water reactors, will be competitive

even with the short-lived inundation of

cheap shale gas we see currently in the

domestic energy market. I personally

believe that the

implications of

such a project

mean it shouldnt

be a completely privately funded effort,

but the technology must be a competitive,

money-making proposition in the free

market if it is to be federally subsidized.

Correctly designed, this technology will

be competitive and the way to bring

this to market is what the Department

of Energy has already proposed for the

to these basic principles, to e

them and utilize them to the

I am a fan of renewable energin particular, when deployed

right geographical location, but I

believe that we cannot elimina

pollution to our environment w

approach exclusively. I also belie

in a couple of decades fusion

will reach the grid, hopefully w

own contribution, and that this

truly be the abundant, was

energy holy grail that will kee

civilization trucking on long in

future. But there is a complicated

of steps to reach this goal, and

we reach breakeven on fusion

tomorrow, we still have a lon

ahead of engineering challenges

its implementation. In the inter

years, however, whether you li

small village in Africa, or smal

America, I have no doubt that yo

and the future of our species, w

forever changed for the better by

Modular Reactor technology.

I believe that our only true limitations are the basicphysical principles that govern the natural universe.

NUCLE

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Lessons Learned fromSuccessful Nuclear Uprate Projects

Extended power uprate (EPU)

projects on nuclear power plants

deliver significant benefits to

utilities and the communities the plants

help power. They increase nuclear

power output from existing facilities

and modernize the plant in a fraction

of the time and cost of a new build.

Bechtels extended power uprate work

includes the completion of more than

a dozen units with over 14 million

man hours worked since 2009. Most

recently, Bechtel completed one of the

largest EPU projects of its kind in U.S.

history on behalf of the NextEra Energy

nuclear fleet. Work was done at the

Point Beach nuclear plant in Wisconsin

and at the St. Lucie and Turkey Point

nuclear plants in Florida. The projects,

were recognized by the Nuclear Energy

Institute with the Best of the Best Top

Industry Practice awards in innovation

and excellence. The EPUs increased

generating capacity in Florida by more

than 500 megawatts the equivalent

of building a new mid-size plant and

added enough electricity to provide

power to about 300,000 additional

customers.

EPU projects are as complex as they

are desirable and effective. These projects

include major construction activity that

requires highly detailed and complex

planning to meet tight schedules while

maintaining quality and safety. To

produce successful results, EPU projects

require a shift in mindset and approach,

as well as tested teams and processes

to ensure that new megawatts are

delivered in a reliable and safe manner.

COMPLEX PROJECTS

WITH TIGHT TIMELINES

Large construction projects are

challenging enough on their own, with

complex scopes of work and the need to

coordinate significant numbers of manualand non-manual teams. EPU projects

are particularly challenging because

not only is there a significant amount

of work required, but the work takes

place in a nuclear plant that is already in

operation, sometimes on the operating

unit itself, requiring intense focus and

care. When the generation of power from

a nuclear facility is at stake, there simply

isnt room for errors. Utilities depend on

construction companies to maintain the

safety, functionality, and compliance of

its operating units while working on the

other unit, just as people in surrounding

communities depend on the safety of

the plant and the power it generates.

The challenges of EPU projects are

generally met through the use of large

teams of experts. These experts may

come from all over the world, and

they may have different backgrounds

in welding, pipe-fitting, and engineer-

ing. However, while they have the skills

BY LASZLO VON LAZAR, DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, BECHTELSPOWER GLOBAL BUSINESS UNIT

NUCLE

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formance tools,

and many otherspecialties de-

manded by the

work at hand.

A n o t h e r

challenge that

can affect proj-

ect outcomes is

schedule pres-

sure. The ma-

jority of EPU

work occurs during an outage, which

means a significant amount of planning

is required prior to construction in order

to limit the duration of the outage and/

or prevent any delays. Unlike greenfield

projects where construction might go

on for several months to several years,

construction at EPUs typically happens

over the course of two to four months.

The implementation of the scheduling

for example, preventing the stack of

trades and the execution of the plan

according to the schedule are critical.

required for the project, they may not

have had prior experience working in

nuclear plants before. For example, a

pipefitter may not typically deal with

the complexity and large diameter pipe

that need to be installed around existing

structures and other electrical and me-

chanical components. In these cases, at

Bechtel we evaluate a workers skills, and

provide training and testing in welding

shops, for example, before work begins

inside the operating facility. The compa-

ny also provides training in human per-

Throughout its 115-year history,

Bechtel has built some of the largestand most complex projects worldwide,

including work at more than 150 nuclear

plants around the globe. Based on its vast

nuclear and EPU experience, Bechtel has

identified key lessons learned that can

serve as guidance for similar projects.

LESSON 1: TEAMS MUST APPROACH

EPUS AS MAJOR CONSTRUCTION

PROJECTS NOT MODIFICATION

PROJECTS.

At regular intervals, nuclear power

plants undergo scheduled outages for

maintenance or for minor modifications

to equipment. EPU

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