current issuesdoe's nuclear energy programs
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Current IssuesDOE's Nuclear Energy Programs
Dr. Peter LyonsAssistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy
U.S. Department of Energy
SFANSParis, France
September 23, 2013
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Nuclear EnergyPlays an Important Role in US Energy Supply
Nuclear power is a clean, reliable base load energy source
Provides 19% of U.S. electricity generation mix
Provides 61% of U.S. emission-free electricity
Avoids about 700 MMTCO2 each year
Helps reduces overall NOx and SOx levels
U.S. electricity demand projected to increase ~28% by 2040 from 2011 levels
100 GWe nuclear capacity - 100 operating plants
Fleet maintaining close to 90% average capacity factors
Most expected to apply for license renewal for 60 years of operation.
Nuclear19%
Electricity Production, 2012
Total: 4,054,485 GWh
Nuclear61%
Conven. Hydro22%
Wind11%
Solar0%
Geo-thermal
1%Biomass
5%
Net Non-Carbon Emitting Sources of Electricity, 2012
Source: Energy Information Administration
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President Obama’s Nuclear Energy Goals
"We have an obligation to leave our children a planet that’s not polluted or damaged, and by taking steady, responsible steps to cut carbon pollution and an all-of-the-above approach to develop homegrown energy …
Thanks to the ingenuity of our businesses, we're starting to produce much more of our own energy. We're building the first nuclear power plants in more than three decades in Georgia and South Carolina.“ - Georgetown University June 26th, 2013
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Secretary of Energy, Dr. Ernest Monizconfirmed on May 16, 2013
Professor of Physics and Engineering Systems at MIT and founding Director of the MIT Energy Initiative and of the MIT Laboratory for Energy and the Environment
Under Secretary of the Department of Energy (1997 to 2001)
Associate Director for Science in the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President (1995-1997)
Served on the President Obama’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology; the Department of Defense Threat Reduction Advisory Committee; the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future; and the Council on Foreign Relations
Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Humboldt Foundation, and the American Physical Society.
Bachelor of Science degree summa cum laude in Physics from Boston College, Doctorate in Theoretical Physics from Stanford University
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“I believe small modular reactors could represent the next generation of nuclear energy technology, providing a strong opportunity for America to lead this emerging global industry.”
Secretary Moniz on Nuclear Energy
“We are committed to fostering the safe and secure contribution of nuclear power to the global energy mix.” IAEA International Conference on Nuclear Security – July 1, 2013
U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resource Confirmation Hearing
April 9, 2013
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Key Areas of Focus
Small Modular Reactors
Progress on Back End of Fuel Cycle
Fukushima Dai-ichi accident response and research impacts
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Why are SMR technologiesof interest to DOE?
Safety Benefits
Passive decay heat removal by natural circulation
Smaller source term inventory
Simplified design eliminates/mitigates several postulated accidents
Below grade reactor siting
Potential for reduction in Emergency Planning Zone
Economic Benefits
Reduced financial risk
Flexibility to add units
Right size for replacement of old coal plants
Use domestic forgings and manufacturing
Job creation
NE working definition of SMRs: reactor units with a nominal output of 300 MWe or less and are able to have large components or modules fabricated remotely and transported to
the site for assembly of components and operation.
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SMR Licensing TechnicalSupport Program
Supports first phase for deployment
Facilitates and accelerates commercial development and deployment of near term U.S. SMR designs at domestic locations
$452 M in cost-share program over 6 years• FY12 funding is $67M and FY14 request is $70M
DOE has selected one award under the first SMR funding opportunity announcement (FOA) – Babcock and Wilcox mPower Design selected
DOE issued a second FOA that places more emphasis on innovation in improved safety attributes and further reduces regulatory risk for some of the SMR technologies through:
lower core damage frequencies longer post-accident coping periods enhanced resistance to natural phenomena potentially smaller emergency preparedness zones smaller workforce requirements
** Both the 1st and 2nd funding opportunities will be funded out of the $452M program**
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Babcock and Wilcox (B&W) Selected for First SMR Award
The Department has selected Babcock & Wilcox (B&W), in partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Bechtel, to receive the first award under the SMR Licensing Technical Support Program.
The mPower SMR design is technically well-conceived with a viable path to certification and licensing that has been worked aggressively with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission over several years leading to this selection.
~180 MWe
Utilizes standard UO2 LWR fuel
Up to 4 year refueling interval
Provides air-cooled condenser option
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Blue Ribbon CommissionRecommendations
1. A new, consent-based approach to siting future nuclear waste management facilities.
2. A new organization dedicated solely to implementing the waste management program and empowered with the authority and resources to succeed.
3. Access to the funds nuclear utility ratepayers are providing for the purpose of nuclear waste management.
4. Prompt efforts to develop one or more geologic disposal facilities.
5. Prompt efforts to develop one or more consolidated storage facilities.
6. Prompt efforts to prepare for the eventual large-scale transport of spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste to consolidated storage and disposal facilities when such facilities become available.
7. Support for continued U.S. innovation in nuclear energy technology and for workforce development.
8. Active U.S. leadership in international efforts to address safety, waste management, non-proliferation, and security concerns.
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Key Elements of Administration Strategy
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Congressional Activity
Senators Wyden, Murkowski, Feinstein, and Alexander introduced
comprehensive nuclear waste legislation – Nuclear Waste Administration
Act of 2013 (S. 1240)
Establishes a siting process for storage and repository facilities that relies on
consent agreements and Congressional ratification
Establishes a new organization – Nuclear Waste Administration – run by a single
Administrator and overseen by an Oversight Board
Addresses funding reform by creating a new Working Capital Fund in which fees
are deposited and are available as needed
Path to passage is difficult to predict
Court cases still pending
Some factions in Congress ready to “move on” from Yucca Mountain, while
others not
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Analysis of Fukushima Event Using MELCOR
Objectives of Study
Collect, verify, and document data on the accidents
Reconstruct the accidents and their progression using MELCOR
Validate the models and analyses
Participants were Sandia National Laboratories, Idaho National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Sponsors were DOE and NRC
Collaborators
Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Institute of Nuclear Power Operators (INPO)
Preliminary results encouraging in terms of capturing essential accident signatures/trends
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Fukushima Dai-ichi Next Steps
OECD/NEA Fukushima Benchmarking Project
Recently initiated a Fukushima Dai-ichi analysis and benchmarking project that DOE and NRC support
Results of this effort could guide defueling of Fukushima Dai-Ichi plant
NEA effort expected to last about a year and is expected to:
Improve understanding of accident progression;
Enable comparison and improvement of various models and their methodology; and
Assist in decommissioning planning by evaluating current internal status, including distribution of fuel debris.
As part of Phase 2, DOE will work with Japan and international community to develop plan for such data collection during defueling
DOE R&D Program
DOE is committed to apply lessons learned from Fukushima to develop even safer nuclear plants
R&D to make reactors more accident tolerant initiated:
– Fuel, Instrumentation and Controls, Batteries
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High temperatureduring loss of active
cooling
Slower Hydrogen Generation Rate• Hydrogen bubble• Hydrogen explosion• Hydrogen embrittlement of the clad
Improved Cladding Properties
• Clad fracture• Geometric stability • Thermal shock resistance• Melting of the cladding
Improved Fuel Properties • Lower operating temperatures• Clad internal oxidation• Fuel relocation / dispersion• Fuel melting
Enhanced Retention of Fission Products• Gaseous fission products• Solid/liquid fission products
Improved Reaction Kinetics with Steam• Heat of oxidation• Oxidation rate
Behaviors of Accident Tolerant Fuels &Fuel and Cladding at High Temperatures
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Materials With Slower Oxidation KineticsOffer Larger Margins of Safety
• Materials with slower oxidation kinetics in steam (~ 2 orders of magnitude or less) delay rapid cladding degradation
Fuel exposed after 24hrs of cooling
Relative to Zr oxidation kinetics
*Slide provided by Oak Ridge National Lab*
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Nuclear Energy University Programs
The Nuclear Energy University Programs (NEUP) and the Integrated University Program (IUP) have a well established competitive process for awarding R&D, infrastructure and scholarships/fellowships.
The Office of Science and Technology Innovation will continue implementing this competitive process and will expand to incorporate it into all competitive research. Since FY09, NEUP has awarded
$238M to 83 schools in 34 States
and the District of Columbia.
The NE R&D Programs are the cognizant technical managers of these competitive R&D awards and therefore play in integral role in the success of each project.
Universities and Industry are strongly encouraged to actively engage and collaborate with the associated NE R&D programs.
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UA
ASU
U of A
UC, IrvineCSULB
UCLAUCSB
UC, Berkeley
UC, Davis
CU
CSM
CSU
GW
UFL
GIT
ISUBSU
U of I
MC
U of I
IIT
NU
Purdue
ND
KSUUK
BU
UML
UMD
JHU
UMN
U-M
MST
MU
MSU
ASU
NCSU
UNC-CHUNM
UNLV
UNR
AU
CCNYHunter College
RPI
SU
SUNY, Stony Brook
MIT
CSU CWRU
OSU
WUUC
OSU
PSU
PittDrexel
URI
CUFMU
SCSU MTCUSC
UTK
UT, AustinTexas A&M
UH
UT, Dallas
UT, Arlington
USU
UU
VT
VCU
UW
WSUCBC
LTC
UW-Madison
SDSU Rochester
Dartmouth
UTPB
VU
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Integrated Research Projects
2013: Simulation of Neutron Damage for High Dose Exposure of Advanced Reactor Materials Award Announcement Pending (September 2013)
Previous IRP Awards:
2012: Inherently Safe ReactorsGeorgia Institute of Technology – Integral Inherently Safe Light Water Reactor - (Italy, UK)
2012: Accident Tolerant Fuels Univ. of Tennessee – Advanced Accident-Tolerant Ceramic Coatings for Zr-Alloy Cladding (Australia, UK)
2012: Accident Tolerant FuelsUniv. of Illinois, Urbana Champaign – Engineered Zircaloy Cladding Modifications for Improved Accident Tolerance of LWR Nuclear Fuel - (UK)
2011: Accelerated Aging of Used Nuclear Fuel in StorageTexas A&M University Fuel Aging in Storage and Transportation: Accelerated Characterization and Performance Assessment of the Used Nuclear Fuel Storage System
2011: Advanced Thermal Reactor Concepts Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyHigh-Temperature Salt-Cooled Reactor for Power and Process Heat
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Sanmen – June 2013Source: SNPTC
Vogtle – August 2013Source: Georgia Power Co.
Summer – June 2013Source: SCE&G
Global Demand for Nuclear Energy Continues
Haiyang – June 2013Source: State Nuclear Power Engineering Feng Qingyi
Wang Jinjie.
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Global Energy Distribution
as indicated by nighttime electricity use
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