Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority (HAEA)’s Post

The China Aerospace Studies Institute recently released our report on China-Russia Nuclear Industry Cooperation. Researched and written by Daniel Shats, the report examines the nature of the growing nuclear cooperation between China and Russia over the past three decades. While the larger China-Russia partnership his increasingly lopsided with Russia finding itself in the position of junior partner, nuclear energy is a rare area where Russia continues to play the more senior role. However, this dominance is also likely to wane in the coming years as China’s nuclear industry continues to mature. https://lnkd.in/euBwyrta

Increased activity has been observed at a nuclear test site on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in northern Russia, leading to speculation that Moscow may be preparing for a new nuclear test. Satellite images show construction of a large-scale facility related to nuclear testing, potentially signaling Russia's intention to intimidate European countries and the United States amid their support for Ukraine. While there is no direct evidence of a nuclear test, the construction of the facility has raised concerns, especially after Russia's revocation of its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. #AsiaRisk #GeopoliticalConflictandDisputes #Japan Follow us for daily updates on risk and operations in Asia! https://lnkd.in/gkqM7ckh

The global competition between the West and the rest takes many forms, including in the energy area. The nuclear energy industry has long been such a battlefield. Unfortunately, the U.S. and Europe are not doing great when it comes to winning bids in the developing world. In late May 2024, Uzbekistan signed an agreement with Russia for the sanctioned Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom) to build a nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan. It will be the first nuclear power plant in Central Asia, providing emission-free electricity to an energy-hungry nation. It will also give Moscow renewed leverage in a region that used the war in Ukraine as an opportunity to slip out of Moscow’s orbit. This Russian success is not fully consolidated; neighboring Kazakhstan has rebuffed Russian advances, at least for now. Astana is considering four options: from China, Russia, South Korea and France, and the issue will be voted upon in the national referendum to be held this Autumn This Russian advancement in its energy competition against the West was not inevitable. It was only enabled by self-defeating American policies on nuclear power. Most of the rest of the world realizes what the US ignores: nuclear power is necessary to combat climate change and remains one of the greenest and safest forms of energy despite popular misconceptions. Now this ignorance is providing a key geopolitical opening to America’s adversaries. https://lnkd.in/d2zrKFx6

South Korea has triumphed in securing a monumental ₩24 trillion ($17 billion) contract for a nuclear power plant project in the Czech Republic, marking a significant milestone in its return as a nuclear exporting country after deviating from the previous government's 'nuclear phase-out' policy. This achievement comes after a 15-year hiatus since the Barakah nuclear power plant project in the UAE back in 2009. The Czech government announced Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power as the preferred negotiating partner for constructing two 1000-megawatt nuclear reactors in the Dukovany region, with the potential for more in the Temelin area. Korea's victory over Electricite de France (EDF) of France was attributed to its exceptional 'value for money' approach and unwavering commitment to 'on time on budget' execution. South Korea's remarkable success was underpinned by its unparalleled efficiency in meeting deadlines and budgets, highlighted by the completion of the first unit in the UAE just three years after construction commenced, a feat that typically takes 6 to 10 years for other countries. Moreover, with a nuclear construction cost per kilowatt-hour at only $3571 compared to France's $7931 and the US's $5833, Korea demonstrated its cost-effectiveness and competitiveness. In contrast, EDF's reputation for high construction costs and delays, exemplified by the Olkiluoto 3 reactor in Finland, played a role in Korea's victory. Leveraging its 50 years of nuclear expertise, South Korea's bid was further bolstered by the Czech Republic's incentives and Europe's acknowledgment of its world-class competitiveness. This landmark achievement not only signifies South Korea's resurgence in the nuclear exporting arena but also paves the way for fulfilling the government's goal of exporting 10 nuclear reactors by 2030. With Poland's nuclear power plant export on the horizon and increasing interest in nuclear power across Europe, South Korea's foray into the European market marks a pivotal moment in its nuclear industry's global expansion. Source: The Korea Economic Daily, Yonhap News #NuclearPower #Energy #EnergyIndustry #NuclearExporting #MilestoneAchievement #CostEffectiveness

Russia's decision did not come to anybody's surprise, but assessing Zaporizhizhia's safety and security will remain among IAEA's key preoccupations. https://lnkd.in/eX6adk7i Zaporizhizhia / Russia Will Not Restart Reactors, Rosatom Tells IAEA’s Grossi By Rumyana Vakarelska 29 May 2024 ‘Understanding reached’ on safety of six-unit nuclear station Grossi (right, middle) and Likhachev (left, middle) met in Kaliningrad "as part of ongoing consultations on the nuclear safety and security of the Zaporizhzhia NPP", according to the IAEA on social media X. Image courtesy IAEA. Russia is not planning to restart the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine, the head of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom was quoted as saying by Russian state news agency Tass on 28 May, according to Reuters. Tass also said that the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, had held talks with a Rosatom delegation in the western Russian city of Kaliningrad, at which he said an understanding was reached on the safety of the six-unit station, which has been occupied by Russia since soon after the February 2022 invasion. According to Tass, as quoted by Reuters, Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev underlined the importance of the station’s safety and said restarting it was not currently on the agenda. This is apparently a turnaround in Russia’s position. The environment group Greenpeace claimed earlier this month that Rosatom had submitted plans to the IAEA to restart Zaporizhzhia, Europe's largest nuclear power plant by capacity. Grossi told the New Your Times mid-May that he tried to talk Russian president Vladimir Putin out of restarting the reactors, given the “fragility of the situation” during a meeting in Moscow earlier this spring. According to the Times, Putin said the Russians were “definitely going to restart". Rosatom said in a statement, according to the website of the Turkish Anadolu news agency on 28 May that “additionally, the parties explored broader areas of cooperation between Russia and the IAEA, particularly focusing on the future of global nuclear energy development.” Grossi said in an Economist podcast from 28 May that “our voices are respected”. “All agree that it is indispensable that IAEA [inspectors] are there” at Zaporizhzhia. Grossi visited Russia following the latest breach of security at Zaporizhzhia. The IAEA issued an alert last week, following the station’s temporary loss of connection to its sole remaining 750 kV offsite power line on 23 May. All Units In Cold Shutdown The disconnection of the 750 kV Dniprovska line happened around six kilometres away from the station’s 750 kV open switchyard, in Russian-controlled territory, for about three hours.

Now it is the critical time for the United States and its allies to cooperate to stop Russia and China’s expansion. The United States has significant advantages if it commits to competing seriously in international nuclear markets. As a departure point, American firms are developing many more new reactor designs than the twenty-one SMRs that the IAEA cites. Indeed, U.S. companies are currently developing several tens of SMR designs simultaneously. But America cannot succeed alone. South Korea has a very robust nuclear supply chain and extensive human capital that could support the U.S.-led FIRST program and other U.S. nuclear exports. With its significant recent experience building new nuclear plants, the ROK can be one of America’s best partners. South Korea’s government might contribute most effectively by introducing a new concept for such a partnership: SECOND. SECOND would reflect the ROK’s strengths in Supply chain, Engineering, Construction, and Operation for Nuclear Development. A U.S.-ROK alliance including FIRST and SECOND could open a new chapter in nuclear cooperation between Washington and Seoul and among firms in both countries.

The UN nuclear agency's board voted to censure Iran for failing to cooperate fully with the watchdog. The resolution calls on Iran to provide answers in an ongoing investigation and reverse its decision to bar experienced UN inspectors. Iran has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, adding to international tensions. The resolution is not legally binding but carries political and diplomatic weight. The IAEA identified two sites near Tehran with possible undeclared nuclear activity, urging Iran to provide credible answers. Previous resolutions have led to Iran enriching uranium to higher purities and restricting monitoring of its nuclear program. #AsiaRisk #GeopoliticalConflictandDisputes #China Follow us for daily updates on risk and operations in Asia! https://lnkd.in/g3XbbgyW

The APIS project is mentioned in the Financial Times. https://lnkd.in/eiw27dUA It is a rather long and interesting article about how the US and Europe are preparing to reduce their dependence on Russia for nuclear fuel supply. Below I quote the part that is most related to APIS.    "There are signs that some of the technological challenges in countering Russian supplies — such as designing fuel rods that can fit Russian-made reactors — are being overcome. In June 2022 Ukraine signed a deal with Westinghouse, a US nuclear technology company, to supply all the rods for its existing Russian-made plants. Last year the EU selected the company to lead a coalition developing a nuclear fuel supply chain more broadly. “We are the only player who has a technology, which is totally independent from Russia, to supply the fuel to those Russian-made reactors,” says Patrick Fragman, Westinghouse chief executive."

Considering the very limited financial resources of African countries and the absolutely desolate state of their energy supply, the practical implementation of the described project/technology in Uzbekistan should be followed with particular attention in Africa. If this pilot project is successful, such 'mobile nuclear power plants in miniature format' could - reliably - provide sufficient power to finally - and widely - initiate serious sustainable industrialization throughout Africa. It would make sense for several neighboring countries to join forces to acquire and jointly operate one such a nuclear plant. The recently founded AES alliance (consisting of Mali - Burkina Faso - Niger) would be the ideal first candidate for such an exercise. Numerous declarations of intent in this regard have already been made public last year. https://lnkd.in/eQpgiF5D