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23 July 2010
First CPR1000 gets grid connected.
China Guangdong Nuclear Power Co's Ling Ao II unit 1 was grid connected 15 July. Construction on the reactor began in December 2005. Officially the first of the CPR1000 range, Ling Ao II-1 is an evolution of the Daya Bay reactors which are in turn based upon French three loop technology. Equipment localisation for the reactor reached 50%, greater than any of its predecessors. Localisation for Ling Ao II-2 is expected to reach 70% and will include the first Chinese-made pressure vessel. Ling Ao II-1 is rated at 1037 MWe net (at seawater temperature of 23 deg C).
WNN 16/7/10. Nuclear Power in China
Rostov contract for Ukraine
Majority state-owned Ukrainian company Turboatom has won a $23 million contract from Nizhniy Novgorod AtomEnergoProekt (NN-AEP) to supply the condenser for Russian reactor Rostov unit 3. As with many other Russian reactors, construction work was suspended on Rostov 3 during the late 1980s but re-initiated last year. The condenser will be made from titanium instead of copper nickel alloys, a first for Turboatom. It is scheduled for delivery in May 2011. Turboatom had previously provided the turbines for the reactor before the suspension of construction around 1990, but they will likely be refurbished and uprated from 1000MWe to 1160MWe.
WNN 21/7/10. Nuclear Power in Russia, Nuclear Power in Ukraine
Experimental fast reactor achieves criticality
An experimental sodium cooled fast reactor achieved criticality for the first time on 21 July 2010 according to owner, the China Instituted of Atomic Energy (CIAE). The Chinese Experimental Fast Reactor (CEFR) was built by Russia's OKBM Afrikantov in collaboration with OKB Gidropress, Nikiet and Kurchatov Institute. It is expected to produce 60MWth and about 20MWe. However, the import of ready developed Russian fast reactors is likely to preclude further development of the design. In October last year, an agreement was signed between CIAE and China Nuclear Energy Industry Corporation (CNEIC) with AtomStroyExport to start pre-project work on a plant with two BN-800 reactors.
WNN 22/7/10. Nuclear Power in China, China Nuclear Fuel Cycle
2009 Red Book signals century of uranium resource
The 23rd biennial publication of the Red Book reports that the total identified uranium resource of 6,306,300 tonnes is sufficient for over 100 years of supply at 2008 rates of consumption. Compared to the 2007 figure the total inferred resources have jumped by 15.5%, however the 2009 value includes a new high cost category of <$100/lbU compared to 2007 maximum price category <$50/lbU. In the 2009 <$50/lbU category, the resource had fallen by 1.2%, and in lower price categories the reduction has been significant due to a general increase in mining costs. Worldwide exploration and mine development expenditures in 2008 totalled over $1.6 billion, up 133% compared to 2006 figures despite declining market prices since mid-2007. This is expected to level off during 2009. Given the challenges of establishing new production, the book predicts that secondary supplies of uranium will continue to be required.
WNN 20/7/10. Supply of Uranium
