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Atomic Insights

Atomic energy technology, politics, and perceptions from a nuclear energy insider who served as a US nuclear submarine engineer officer

New Nuclear

NuScale announces a major step in the NRC’s review of its passively safe SMR

January 10, 2018 By Rod Adams 74 Comments

NuScale, a leader in the increasingly competitive field of advanced nuclear reactor design, has announced that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) reviewers issued a document that formally agrees that their design does not require any electrical power to achieve safe shutdown. It’s difficult to explain the importance of that regulatory position. People with experience […]

Filed Under: Advanced Atomic Technologies, New Nuclear, Nuclear regulations, Small Nuclear Power Plants, Smaller reactors

Vogtle continuation decision tells me America still produces leaders that can make complicated, long-term decisions

December 22, 2017 By Rod Adams 35 Comments

The Georgia Public Service Commission unanimously approved a plan to continue the Vogtle Expansion Project. Georgia Power, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Southern Company, immediately accepted the deal contained in the plan and will continue moving forward with due diligence and effort. The announced decisions made me even more confident that there is strong […]

Filed Under: AP1000 saga, Atomic politics, New Nuclear

Did the Republican tax reform bill add the last straw that halts large nuclear plant construction in U.S.?

December 20, 2017 By Rod Adams 24 Comments

Early this morning, Senate Republicans passed a tax reform package. Despite passing generous, deficit-increasing legislation that includes many provisions that favor corporations and most forms of energy production, it did not include an extension of the operational deadline that must be met to qualify for the nuclear production tax credit. In my analysis, there is […]

Filed Under: Atomic politics, New Nuclear

Atomic Show #261 – Three advanced nuclear technology developers

December 18, 2017 By Rod Adams

Advanced nuclear development projects have made some significant steps during 2017. I met – via Skype – with representatives of three of the projects yesterday. Several more were invited, but were busy doing business even on a Sunday evening. The three who were able to attend were Seth Grae, the CEO of Lightbridge (NASDAQ: LTBR), […]

Filed Under: Advanced Atomic Technologies, New Nuclear, Podcast

Who will be ThorCon’s EPC contractor?

September 27, 2017 By Guest Author 17 Comments

ThorConIsle cooling pond, fission power module, secondary heat exchanger cell, steam generator cell, turbine hall, switchgear hall.

By Jack Devanney Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors have led recent nuclear plant projects into disasters. Deca-billion dollar cost overruns. Schedules doubling. Some projects being cancelled after squandering billions of dollars. Giant corporations facing bankruptcy. This raises the obvious question: if Westinghouse can’t build a standard nuclear power plant, how in the world will a start up like ThorCon […]

Filed Under: Advanced Atomic Technologies, Business of atomic energy, Guest Columns, Liquid Fuel Reactors, New Nuclear, Thorium Reactors

Can Gas Turbines Using Nuclear Fuel Change The Energy Game?

August 31, 2017 By Rod Adams 51 Comments

It’s time to change energy game by adapting the well-proven, flexible and reliable combined cycle to be able to use nuclear fuel. That will match the best available heat conversion system with a low cost, emission-free heat source.

Filed Under: Advanced Atomic Technologies, Army Nuclear Program, Economics, Gas Cooled Reactors, New Nuclear, Small Nuclear Power Plants

Is V.C. Summer really dead or is near term revival possible?

August 17, 2017 By Rod Adams

Several leaders in the South Carolina government are actively searching for ways to revive the V. C. Summer expansion project. The project includes construction of two Westinghouse AP1000 power plants capable of producing 1,140 MWe each. That is enough new nuclear capacity to enable the state to idle or close almost all of its coal-fired […]

Filed Under: New Nuclear, AP1000 saga

House Science, Space And Technology Gets Sage Advice From Energy Innovators

July 29, 2017 By Rod Adams

The witnesses testifying at Tuesday’s hearing on Energy Innovation in front of the House Committee on Science, Space & Technology provided forceful and specific examples of the important role that the Department of Energy has played in supporting commercially valuable research and development. They shared their thoughts about ways to improve outcomes, streamline processes, and […]

Filed Under: Advanced Atomic Technologies, Atomic politics, New Nuclear

South Korea’s President-Elect Pledges ‘Nuclear Zero’ by 2060. Actions Have Already Begun

May 30, 2017 By Rod Adams

Nuclear energy in the Republic of Korea is being threatened as a result of the May 9 presidential election of Moon Jae-in. Since at least 2012, when he suffered a narrow election defeat, Moon has advocated a halt to nuclear plant construction, prohibiting license extensions and achieving a “nuclear zero” policy by 2060. With the […]

Filed Under: Atomic politics, Fossil fuel competition, International nuclear, Natural Gas, New Nuclear

Emirates Nuclear Announces Construction Completion And Operational Delay For First Nuclear Unit

May 11, 2017 By Rod Adams

Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) confirmed last week that it had completed construction for its first of four large nuclear units. It also announced that the initial operation of the plant will be delayed until sometime in 2018 to allow sufficient time to gain more operational experience and obtain national and international readiness reviews. After […]

Filed Under: International nuclear, New Nuclear

GA Power And Westinghouse Extend Temp Vogtle Nuclear Plant Construction Agreement Through May 12

May 4, 2017 By Rod Adams

Late Friday evening, Georgia Power issued a terse press release. Thousands of people who have been tensely anticipating a crucial decision regarding the fate of the Plant Vogtle expansion project cannot stop worrying yet. We will now mark our calendars for May 12 as the next deadline for announcing a decision about whether the massive project will be continued […]

Filed Under: AP1000 saga, New Nuclear

What Does Westinghouse Bankruptcy Mean To Nuclear Energy Innovators?

April 5, 2017 By Rod Adams

Steve Kuczynski, Chief Nuclear Officer, Southern Co. Speaking to 7th Annual SMR and Advanced Reactor Summit

Attendees at the 7th Annual International SMR and Advanced Reactor Summit in Atlanta, GA were intensely curious about the effect of Westinghouse’s decision to enter into a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization effort. They are also working hard to learn whatever lessons might be available to help them avoid similar situations. What About That Westinghouse News? […]

Filed Under: AP1000 saga, Atomic politics, Business of atomic energy, New Nuclear, NRC

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