A COMPARISON OF ADVANCED NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGIES Andrew C. Kadak, Ph.D MARCH 2017 B | CHAPTER NAME ABOUT THE CENTER ON GLOBAL ENERGY POLICY The Center on Global Energy Policy provides independent, balanced, data-driven analysis to help policymakers navigate the complex world of energy. We approach energy as an economic, security, and environmental concern. And we draw on the resources of a world-class institution, faculty with real-world experience, and a location in the world’s finance and media capital. Visit us at energypolicy.columbia.edu facebook.com/ColumbiaUEnergy twitter.com/ColumbiaUEnergy ABOUT THE SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS SIPA’s mission is to empower people to serve the global public interest. Our goal is to foster economic growth, sustainable development, social progress, and democratic governance by educating public policy professionals, producing policy-related research, and conveying the results to the world. Based in New York City, with a student body that is 50 percent international and educational partners in cities around the world, SIPA is the most global of public policy schools. For more information, please visit www.sipa.columbia.edu A COMPARISON OF ADVANCED NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGIES Andrew C. Kadak, Ph.D* MARCH 2017 *Andrew C. Kadak is the former president of Yankee Atomic Electric Company and professor of the practice at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He continues to consult on nuclear operations, advanced nuclear power plants, and policy and regulatory matters in the United States. He also serves on senior nuclear safety oversight boards in China. He is a graduate of MIT from the Nuclear Science and Engineering Department. His career of over forty years in the nuclear industry has provided many of the insights found in this report. Columbia University in the City of New York energypolicy.columbia.edu | March 2017| 1 A COMPARISON OF ADVANCED NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGIES ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author wishes to thank Nicola DeBlasio, Richard Nephew, Phil Sharp, Sue Tierny, Matt Robinson, Tim Frazier, Jesse McCormick, and David Sandalow for their very helpful comments on earlier drafts of this paper. This paper was made possible due, in part, to a grant from the Sasakawa Peace Foundation. This policy paper represents the research and views of the author. It does not necessarily represent the views of the Center on Global Energy Policy. 2 | CENTER ON GLOBAL ENERGY POLICY | COLUMBIA SIPA A COMPARISON OF ADVANCED NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGIES TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................................................... 2 Preface .......................................................................................................................................................... 9 Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 10 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 11 1 Nuclear Energy Primer ............................................................................................................................... 13 1.1 Basics of Nuclear Technology ........................................................................................................ 13 1.1.1 The Basics of Nuclear Technology .................................................................................................. 13 1.1.2 Principal Elements of a Reactor ................................................................................................... 13 1.1.3 Challenges in Nuclear Reactor Design ......................................................................................... 13 2 Generation III + Large Light-Water Reactors .......................................................................................... 18 2.1 Safety ................................................................................................................................................. 20 2.2 Nonproliferation .............................................................................................................................. 21 2.3 Nuclear Waste ................................................................................................................................. 21 2.4 Economics ........................................................................................................................................ 21 2.5 More Innovative Light-Water Reactor Designs .......................................................................... 24 2.5.1 AP-1000 ............................................................................................................................................ 24 2.5.2 Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR) ............................................................ 26 2.6 Standard Design Large Pressurized Water Reactors .................................................................. 29 2.6.1 APR-1400 Korea ............................................................................................................................ 29 2.6.2 The European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) ................................................................................. 31 2.6.3 VVER-1200 Russia ........................................................................................................................ 32 2.6.4 APWR ............................................................................................................................................... 34 2.7 Chinese Pressurized Water Reactors .............................................................................................. 35 2.7.1 CPR-1000 ......................................................................................................................................... 36 2.7.2 ACPR-1000 ...................................................................................................................................... 37 2.7.3 Hualong-1, HPR-1000 .................................................................................................................... 38 2.7.4 CAP-1400 ......................................................................................................................................... 39 2.8 Standard Boiling Water Reactors .................................................................................................. 40 2.8.1 Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) .................................................................................. 40 2.9 Small Modular Reactors (SMR) ..................................................................................................... 42 2.9.1 SMART .............................................................................................................................................. 42 2.9.2 NuScale ........................................................................................................................................... 44 2.9.3 SMR-160 .......................................................................................................................................... 46 2.9.4 KLT-40 ............................................................................................................................................ 48 2.9.5 mPower ............................................................................................................................................ 50 energypolicy.columbia.edu | March 2017| 3 A COMPARISON OF ADVANCED NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGIES 2.9.6 Westinghouse 225 ........................................................................................................................ 50 2.9.7 Central Argentina de Elementos Modulares (CAREM) ............................................................ 51 2.9.8 Other SMR Designs in Development ...................................................................................... 52 3 High-Temperature Gas Reactors ............................................................................................................. 53 3.1 Nonproliferation ..................................................................................................................................... 53 3.2 Nuclear Waste ................................................................................................................................ 53 3.3 Pebble-Bed Reactors ..................................................................................................................... 54 3.3.1 HTR-PM Pebble-Bed Reactor ........................................................................................................ 55 3.3.2 X-energy ....................................................................................................................................... 57 3.4 Gas Turbine Modular High-Temperature Reactor (GT-MHR) ............................................... 58 3.5 ANTARES .................................................................................................................................... 60 3.6 High-Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) .......................................................... 62 3.7 Energy Multiplier Module (EM2) ................................................................................................ 63 3.7.1 Nonproliferation ..........................................................................................................................