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Status of Nuclear Power in US. Brief history of nuclear power Nuclear reactor roadmap 2010 Program Economics of nuclear power Nuclear fuel cycles. 1932—Chadwick discovers neutron in England. 1938—Hahn and Strassman discover fission in Germany.
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Status of Nuclear Power in US • Brief history of nuclear power • Nuclear reactor roadmap • 2010 Program • Economics of nuclear power • Nuclear fuel cycles
1932—Chadwick discovers neutron in England. 1938—Hahn and Strassman discover fission in Germany. 1942—Fermi and colleagues construct 1st critical assembly in Chicago (CP-1). 1946—Creation of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) after WWII. 1951—Experimental Breeder Reactor I (EBR-1) in Idaho generates first electricity from nuclear energy. 1957—First commercial light water nuclear reactor reaches full power in Shippingport, PA. 1960s—Rapid growth of the nuclear power industry in U.S. 1977—Creation of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). 1979—TMI accident. 1989—NRC licensing process streamlined. 2000—Generation IV (GEN IV) concepts formalized. 2002—Nuclear Power 2010 Program announced by DOE to stimulate nuclear industry in US; Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative established by DOE. 2007—First applications received by NRC for new nuclear plant construction. History of Nuclear Power
FBR GE (ESBWR) Westinghouse (AP1000) Westinghouse Areva NP Russian Nuclear Reactor Roadmap From DOE via Wikipedia
Nuclear Power 2010 Program • Joint government/industry cost-shared effort ($18.5 • billion in loan guarantees). • Identify sites for new nuclear power plants. • Develop and bring to market advanced • nuclear plant technologies. • Evaluate the business case for building • new nuclear power plants. • Demonstrate untested regulatory and licensing • processes (Construction and Operating License). GEN III GEN III+ www.ne.doe.gov From the NRC
Worldwide Electricity Demand From the Energy Information Administration
Need to invest in nuclear energy
Benefits and Challenges of Nuclear Power • Zero greenhouse gas emission (CO2, SO2, Nitrous oxides) • Stable base-load electricity generation • Reduces reliance on energy imports • Pricing stability (production costs constant when adjusted for inflation) • Improved safety (safety system triggers per plant: 2.4 in 1987, 0.03 in 2000) • Fuel reprocessing technology proven (UK, Germany, Japan, France reprocess) • Helps diversify energy supply • Radioactive waste (no real plan in US: local storage, Yucca mountain) • Fear of accident (TMI and Chernobyl) • Lack of public support (tide is turning; US federal government support now) • Cost (goal of NP 2010 program is to help with cost)
Old vs. New Licensing Process Changed 1989
Economics of Nuclear Power Current cost of electricity: $0.10 per kWh Estimated capital cost w/interest: $4,000 per kW(e) (3% cost inflation, 6-year construction) Total capital cost 1500 MW(e): $6B 1 year revenue at 100% full power: $1.3B The Keystone Center June 2007
Hour by Hour Electricity Cost—Champaign region Individuals can now purchase electricity on a per hour basis— does not include distribution costs. Ameren IP
Nuclear Fuel Cycle UOX MOX LEU UF6 U3O8 The Future of Nuclear Power, MIT
DOE Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee, 2002 Sasahara et al., 2004 Effect of closing the fuel cycle—actinide burning Cm-245 long-lived
Open: Once-through cycle Major actinides: U, Pu Minor actinides: Np, Am, Cm, Bk, Cf U ore The Future of Nuclear Power, MIT
PUREX—Plutonium-Uranium Recovery by Extraction Spent Fuel Nitric Acid Soluble Elements (U, Pu, FPs) Insoluble Solids TRUEX Organic Solvent (TBP + Kerosene) Am + Cm Partitioning based on solubility Nitric Acid + FPs Pu + U + Solvent Plutonium Uranium
Closed: One recycle of Pu w/thermal only Proliferation Concerns The Future of Nuclear Power, MIT
Compare Effect of closing the fuel cycle NEA News 2002, no. 20.2
Reduction in repository holding times P. Lisowski, 2007
Radioisotope contribution to spent fuel radiotoxicity The Future of Nuclear Power, MIT
GEN IV Reactor Concepts From DOE via Wikipedia FAST THERMAL
Integrated Approach Global Partners US Industry DOE 2010 Program GNEP NERI AFCI NHI GEN IV
GP NE Non-proliferation Advanced Burner Reactor The GNEP Concept GNEP Technical Development Plan, 2007
Original: China, France, Japan, Russia, United States. New: Australia, Bulgaria, Ghana, Hungary, Jordan, ROK Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Ukraine Global Partnership P. Lisowski, 2007
Closing the fuel cycle with fast reactors P. Lisowski, 2007
Effect of closing the fuel cycle—resource conservation DOE Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee, 2002
Closed: recycle with fast breeder reactor Duderstadt and Hamilton
Closed: Recycling with thermal and fast reactors The Future of Nuclear Power, MIT
Effect of closing the fuel cycle NEA News 2002, no. 20.2