Carnival of Nuclear Energy 333

The Carnival of Nuclear Energy 333 is up at Neutron Bytes

Atomic Insights – Nuclear plants that are economically uncompetitive under current market conditions (cheap natural gas) should be retained for future operations, not immediately destroyed.

Some might wonder at my wording. They might accurately point out that virtually all of the 30+ commercial reactors that have been permanently shut down in the US are still standing and have not been physically removed from their sites.

An operational nuclear plant in the US is effectively “destroyed” and prohibited from ever being operated again if the owner certifies to the NRC that it intends to permanently cease operating and thus obtains a license amendment that converts the operating license to “possession only.”

That certification letter can be called the “death certificate” for a US nuclear power plant

Nextbigfuture – Lightbridge has joint venture with France’s nuclear energy company to develop new metallic fuel for 10-30% power increases in existing nuclear plants

Nextbigfuture – Unit 4 of the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant in Russia has started commercial operation, state nuclear corporation Rosatom. The BN-800 fast neutron reactor started operating at 100% power for the first time on 17 August.

The BN-800 reactor was brought to minimum controlled power for the first time in June 2014, at which time commercial operation was planned for the end of that year. However, in December 2014 Rosenergoatom announced that nuclear fuel for the unit would first be developed further. It was brought again to the minimum controlled power level in August 2015, and again in November 2015, eventually being connected to the grid on 10 December 2015