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News NEA2020 – No. 38.1 In this issue: Reducing the construction costs of nuclear power Management and disposal of high-level radioactive waste: Global progress and solutions GNDS: A standard format for nuclear data and more... NEA News Volume No. 38.1 2020 Contents Facts and opinions Reducing the construction costs of nuclear power � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 4 Management and disposal of high-level radioactive waste: Global progress and solutions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 8 GNDS: A standard format for nuclear data � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 11 NEA updates Workshop on Preparedness for Post-Accident Recovery: Lessons from Experience � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 13 Online communications during the COVID-19 pandemic � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 15 News briefs In memoriam: Professor Massimo Salvatores � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 21 New publications � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 22 OECD Boulogne building. 1 Shutterstock, Peter Varga EDITORIAL Nuclear Energy and the NEA: Continuous service during the COVID-19 crisis he crisis we have been facing over the past several applied in new and innovative ways� In each country, choices T months is unlike any we have ever faced in the era of are made in the context of the level of threat to the health globalisation and interconnectiveness� All countries have felt and safety of the workforce and the general population� Still, the impact, all economies have been affected, all populations in each country, nuclear safety remains the priority� are under threat� Despite the return of some countries to an With this backdrop, the NEA must support our members almost normal, yet necessarily more precautious situation, as they adjust to the environment created by the COVID-19 the event is still ongoing and, by most accounts, is likely to crisis� We have worked to establish a means for rapid be with us in varying degrees of severity for months� exchange of ideas and best practices, information about In the short term, an important pillar of any country’s what is working well and what is not� While we hope pandemic response strategy is a reliable electricity supply� that the threat from this pandemic will soon lessen, many Many parts of the infrastructure essential to modern life – experts anticipate a considerable risk to public health food supply, transportation and public health services cannot continuing into September and October, with the potential function without reliable electricity� The principal threat to of a second round of infections� The NEA’s ongoing work the operation of any electricity generating facility during will serve both immediate necessities and prepare us for the a pandemic is the direct and indirect effects on essential longer term� personnel for extended periods� In the meantime, the pandemic has been a test of the The nuclear sector, like all other areas of our modern NEA’s own safety culture� I am pleased to report that the society, has been doing its part to reduce the number of same safety culture we highlight in our publications on infections� The world’s nuclear power plants are operating nuclear operations, putting health and safety first, has safely and effectively and are contributing to the reliable grids been applied to the NEA itself� The entire Agency has been needed to power the untold millions who are teleworking, the teleworking since 12 March, with little disruption to its families sheltering at home, and essential medical facilities work� While important events have been postponed, the operating far beyond their intended capacity� But while the work of our committees has continued, software packages energy flows, the sector itself is impacted by the pandemic from the NEA Data Bank continue to be issued, and we and must quickly adapt to ever-changing, unprecedented and have successfully hosted numerous web events and online uncertain circumstances� meetings since the crisis began – including several online discussions on the topic of the crisis itself� It is the norm in the nuclear sector to change processes and practices only after deliberate analyses, with numerous This success is due to the dedication of the Agency’s staff viewpoints taken into account; but today’s crisis calls upon to the work we pursue on behalf of our member countries; to all for quick responses� Decisions must be made rapidly in the commitment of our members to the important matters situations that have no complete parallel� Regulators must that bring them together from all over the world; and to the adjust their plans for inspections� Operators defer outages confidence of all those who comprise the nuclear technology and modifications to their plants� Technologies that allow sector that whatever challenges we face at the moment, a people to do their jobs away from normal workplaces must be brighter future always lay ahead� William D. Magwood, IV, NEA Director-General 3 Nuclear Technology Development and Economics 2020 FACTS AND OPINIONS Unlocking Reductions in the Construction ReducingCosts the construction of Nuclear: costs 1 of nuclear Apower Practical Guide by A. Vaya Soler and M. Berthélemyfor Stakeholders Mr Antonio Vaya Soler ([email protected]) and Dr Michel Berthélemy ([email protected]) are Nuclear Energy Analysts in the NEA Division of Nuclear Technology Development and Economics. Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation Energy Nuclear Emirates Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, United Arab Emirates. n 8 August 2020 at 19:52 local time, unit 5 of the On the other hand, successes like that in Tianwan demonstrate O Tianwan nuclear power plant (NPP) in Jiangsu province, how the nuclear sector can deliver cost effectively and on People’s Republic of China, was connected to the grid� The a predictable time frame if the NrightE conditionsA are in place first concrete of this ACPR1000 reactor had been poured during the planning and execution of these projects� In other on 27 December 2015, meaning that this milestone was words, the problem is not associated with nuclear energy as achieved less than five years after construction first began such but with specific projects� (WNN, 2020)� In light of these trends, in 2018 the NEA formed an ad This level of construction performance contrasts with hoc expert group to consider the issues around reducing the that observed in recent projects in Western OECD countries costs of nuclear power generation� The group’s objective was where projects have been characterised by significant to identify industrial strategies and governing frameworks to delays and cost overruns� In some cases costs have more unlock significant cost reductions in the deployment of large than tripled from initial estimates� This poor track record has Generation III reactors over the next decade and beyond in helped create the perception of the increased overall risks OECD countries� The group gathered together participants associated with new NPP projects and is weighing on near- from academia, the nuclear industry and international term decisions over whether to pursue new developments organisations to provide a 360-degree view of the economic or not� As a result, nuclear energy may be unable to deliver issues faced by nuclear new build and to collect first-hand its expected role in reducing carbon emissions (IEA, 2020)� insights of ongoing projects� 1. Unlocking Reductions in the Construction Costs of Nuclear: A Practical Guide for Stakeholders, on which this article is based, is available for download from the NEA website� 4 | NEA News 2020 – No. 38.1 Pixabay, Steve Buissinne Steve Pixabay, Nuclear power plants, like all other low-carbon in nature, which means that they will be amortised with technologies such as solar PV and wind, are capital intensive timely decisions on subsequent construction projects� With with a cost structure dominated by upfront investment costs� several projects near completion in OECD countries, the next Of particular importance are the financing costs that can decade offers a window of opportunity to capitalise on the represent up to 80% of the investment costs in the levelised lessons and infrastructure developed from recent Generation cost of electricity (LCOE)� Financing costs include interest III reactors, and to deliver more competitive nuclear power accrued during construction as well as the return of capital projects� However, historical nuclear construction cost data during the operating lifetime of the plant� Most of an NPP’s shows that building more reactors may not necessarily expenses are incurred upfront during the construction period, yield cost savings� Cost reductions are also contingent on a thereby making this type of investment highly sensitive to number of additional factors� the cost of capital� The uncertainties around construction The experts identified eight key construction cost costs become more detrimental than those costs and any reduction factors to drive positive and incremental