Canada’s Candu Energy has just signed a preferred vendor agreement with South Korea’s Doosan Enerbility. This agreement will allow it to pursue collaboration on nuclear power projects worldwide, including the upgrading of Candu reactors and nuclear new-build projects.

According to Doosan Enerbility, it was selected by Candu Energy following the shortlisting of nine companies from about two thousand vendors for the role of preferred vendor. The preferred vendor agreement was signed in Seoul on the 29^th of April of this year.

Doosan Enerbility said, “Upon signing this agreement, Doosan Enerbility will now be able to expand its participation in global nuclear projects, as it will have the chance to engage in the design, manufacturing, installation, commissioning and operation processes of global nuclear power plant projects being conducted by Candu Energy.”.

Gary Rose is the Candu Energy President. He said, “The Candu technology has already been successfully rolled out to four continents of the world and been proven to be a product of the highest reliability. As we endeavor to strengthen our supplier capabilities for Candu’s global projects, including those in the Asian region, we are delighted to have Doosan Enerbility come on board as one of our global supply chain partners.”.

Jongdoo Kim is the CEO of Doosan Enerbility’s Nuclear Business Group. He added, “Doosan Enerbility is the first-ever non-Canadian company to be selected as a preferred vendor, which is essentially a verification of the Korean nuclear industry’s competitiveness in the global market. With the signing of this agreement, we aim to participate in not only Candu Energy’s heavy water reactor facility upgrade projects, but also in nuclear new-build projects.”.

In 2024, Candu Energy placed orders with Doosan Enerbility to supply feeder pipes for use in the refurbishment of Unit 1 at the Cernavoda nuclear power plant in Romania and for the four Candu reactors at Canada’s Pickering B plant.

Earlier this month, Candu Energy finalized preferred vendor agreements with eight Canadian companies for the refurbishment and construction of Candu reactors. Agreements were signed with BC Instruments, BWXT, Celeros, ES Fox, Niagara Energy, NWI Precision, Senior Flexonics and Velan. Candu Energy said that these companies would benefit from preferential access to key contracts and will play a critical role in the deployment of new Candu reactors in Canada and abroad.

There are currently thirty-one Candu reactors in operation around the world, including in Canada, South Korea, Romania, China and Argentina. Candu units are pressurized heavy water reactors designed to operate for thirty years, with a further thirty years available subject to refurbishment. This process includes the replacement of key reactor components such as steam generators, pressure tubes, calandria tubes and feeder tubes. It involves removing all the reactor’s nuclear fuel and heavy water and isolating it from the rest of the power station before it is dismantled. Thousands of components, including those that are not accessible when the reactor is assembled, are inspected. All four hundred fuel channels and nine hundred and sixty feeder tubes are replaced during the high-precision rebuild.

AtkinsRéalis is the parent company of Candu Energy. It unveiled plans for the one-thousand-megawatt Candu Monark, a Generation III+ reactor with the highest output of any Candu technology, in November of 2023. AtkinsRéalis completed the conceptual design phase in September of 2024 and is in the planning stage of a vendor design review with the Canadian nuclear regulator.

Candu Energy

BRICS is an intergovernmental organization comprising ten countries including Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. The first expert session within the framework of the BRICS Nuclear Energy Platform (NEP) has just been held in China. Leading experts discussed the best practices for implementing modern solutions in the energy sector.

The BRICS NEP was created in October of 2024 and is intended to share experience and support for the development of nuclear technologies among BRICS member countries. One of the platform’s goals is to help companies with persuading their governments to see nuclear power as a clean energy source, and also share assistance for dealing with other issues which may be impeding nuclear energy projects.

Held on the sidelines of the 16th China International Exhibition on Nuclear Power Industry in Beijing on the 27^th of April, the first expert session was held within the framework of the BRICS Nuclear Energy Platform.

The theme of the event was ‘Key factors influencing the development of nuclear energy’. It was organized with the support of Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear corporation. The event brought together representatives of government agencies and specialized organizations of the BRICS countries and partner countries of the association, as well as representatives from the ASEAN Energy Center and World Nuclear Association.

The discussions focused on new approaches to the efficient distribution of nuclear power resources, current industry trends and prospects for cooperation between participating countries for balanced global development and energy security.

The opening speech was given by the Platform’s Chief Coordinator Elsie Pule of South Africa and Celso Cunha, president of the Brazilian Association for the Development of the Nuclear Industry. Rosatom said that for representatives of countries new to the nuclear power industry, the session “became an opportunity to adopt best practices in the energy and non-energy application of nuclear developments to address environmental and social challenges facing society”.

Chen Xin is deputy director of the Uranium Resources Department of China’s State Nuclear Uranium Resource Development Company. He said, “Young specialists in the nuclear industry need the help of experienced experts from countries with advanced technologies. The session provided an opportunity for representatives of nuclear organizations of the BRICS countries to establish interaction for the implementation of joint projects.”

Artem Goncharuk is the director general of Rosatom East Asia. He added, “The session once again confirmed the existence of a large and as yet untapped potential for joint work between BRICS organizations and partners. We will continue to move forward and will ‘take a step, leaving a mark’. Work on preparations for the next expert session has already begun.”

During 2025, the Platform plans to hold special expert-level events at major nuclear industry venues. The next Platform session is due to be held on the 21^st of May on the sidelines of the Nuclear Trade & Technology Exchange conference and exhibition in Brazil.

More than twenty other countries are expressing an interest in joining the organization which is widely seen as a counterbalance to the G7 grouping of industrialized nations.

BRICS member countries currently have about three hundred and ninety gigawatts of operable nuclear power units with a further sixty megawatts under construction.

BRICS

Swedish lead-cooled small modular reactor technology developer Blykalla and Norway’s Institute of Energy Technology (IFE) are forming a strategic collaboration to accelerate the technical development of Blykalla’s SEALER reactor.

Blykalla was formerly called LeadCold. It is a spin-off from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. Lead-cooled reactor systems have been under development at the Institute since 1996. The company was founded in 2013 as a joint stock company. It is developing the SEALER (Swedish Advanced Lead Reactor) lead-cooled SMR.

Blykalla said that the new collaboration with the IFE focuses on a number of critical areas that are essential for scaling SEALER from prototype to full commercial readiness. These areas include the development of control room and operator environments, as well as the design of instrumentation and control systems to allow remote and autonomous operation. The IFE will also contribute to the development of core mechanical components, such as shutdown assemblies and fuel handling systems, and it will support the design of radiation shielding to meet rigorous regulatory requirements.

Prototype development and component testing will be a central part of the work. It will help mature instrumentation of core, primary system and auxiliary systems, and reduce the technical risks associated with licensing and deployment. Together, Blykalla and IFE intend to speed up the transition from low technological readiness levels to the industrial standards needed for commercial rollout.

Blykalla said initial joint development will take place in Sweden and Norway. Further phases align with SEALER’s licensing and industrialization timeline.

Jacob Stedman is the CEO of Blykalla. He said, “We’re proud to work with the renowned research institute IFE. Strengthening Scandinavian collaboration feels both vital and natural at a time when technological sovereignty is becoming central to industrial growth and long-term sustainability. Partnerships between leading actors can make all the difference in bringing new technologies to market and securing a clean energy future for our region.”

Bjørn Axel Gran is the vice president at IFE Nuclear. He added, “We’re pleased that our competence and expertise will be used in the next stage of the nuclear area. Partnership with Blykalla allows them to take research into innovation and allows us to get first-hand learning of future research gaps.”

Blykalla plans to construct its first reactor called SEALER-One, in Sweden. The prototype will function as a demonstration of its technology. At the same time, it will be used for pyrolysis, whereby industrial customers can utilize its steam for, among other things, decarbonized biochar production. The company aims to make SEALER-One operational by 2029. Blykalla has signed a Letter of Intent with nuclear operator Studsvik to develop SEALER-One on its site in Nyköping, Sweden. Work to license the reactor is currently under way.

In the long-term, Blykalla plans to deploy up to one thousand SMRs by 2050, delivering five hundred terawatts of clean energy annually to industrial users that cannot rely on intermittent power sources. It states that SEALER is designed to serve sectors such as hydrogen production, process heat, and pyrolysis. It has the potential to significantly reduce global carbon dioxide emissions and secure industrial resilience and growth.

In February of this year, Blykalla and Norwegian nuclear project developer Norsk Kjernekraft signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the deployment of SEALER in Scandinavia. Under the MoU, the two companies will assess the business case for integrating the SEALER into power plant projects that are currently under development by Norsk Kjernekraft, evaluating site suitability, regulatory pathways, and economic feasibility for deployment in Norway. The agreement also covers the collaboration on licensing, financing, construction, and operational aspects of SEALER-One in Sweden.

Blykalla

The State of Idaho and the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) have just agreed to a targeted waiver of the 1995 Settlement Agreement. The agreement established milestones to remove legacy waste at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) site while permitting nuclear energy research and development at the lab.

The waiver will allow critical research on a high burnup spent nuclear fuel cask from a commercial nuclear power plant. This research will provide data to support licensing for the extended storage of spent nuclear fuel at fifty-four nuclear power plants in twenty eight states.

Idaho Governor Brad Little said, “The collaborative effort between the State of Idaho, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Idaho National Laboratory showcases our commitment to advancing nuclear energy research while upholding the goals of the 1995 Settlement Agreement. We are proud to support innovation in nuclear energy that will support national security and energy independence into the future.”

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said, “Idaho National Laboratory is DOE’s lead lab for nuclear energy research and development, and it is critical that we continue to grow this research capacity and maintain American competitiveness. This agreement between the State of Idaho and DOE ensures the lab can continue its cutting-edge research to advance nuclear technology, helping to meet President Trump’s commitment to unleash American energy dominance.”

INL Director John Wagner said, “As the nation’s center for nuclear energy research and development, we look forward to utilizing our unique facilities and expertise to support this critical national need. We are thankful to the Department of Energy and the state of Idaho for entrusting us with the safe and secure execution of our vital mission.”

Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador said, “This agreement protects Idaho’s interests and supports important research that will strengthen America’s energy security. We’re grateful for the Trump Administration’s work with Idaho to honor the 1995 Settlement Agreement and advance innovation safely and responsibly. Idaho will always protect our land, our people, and our future.”

DOE-Idaho Operations Manager Robert Boston said, “Thanks to the state of Idaho’s foresight, INL will continue to uphold and expand its legacy as the nation’s premier nuclear energy research, development and demonstration laboratory.”

Modern commercial nuclear fuels are more efficient which lowers costs for utilities and their customers. To ensure continued safe storage, the nuclear industry and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission need data to confirm the performance of spent nuclear fuel during long-term storage. This data is crucial to over seventy percent of today’s dry storage facilities, allowing them to renew their licenses and continue safely storing this spent nuclear fuel.

This new waiver will enable INL to address a national need not envisioned when the Settlement Agreement was established three decades ago while supporting the national commitment to energy independence. This research will help support the current U.S. nuclear reactor fleet, which produces nearly twenty percent of the nation’s electricity, and reinforce Idaho’s critical role in supporting the U.S. nuclear industry.

The waiver supports research reactors at American universities. These reactors play an essential role in educating the next generation of nuclear scientists and engineers while enabling vital nuclear research. This waiver also permits the INL to safely manage small amounts of spent nuclear fuel from domestic university reactors which will preserve this crucial national research and talent pipeline. Without this waiver, some universities risk having to shut down their research reactors because of regulatory limits on spent nuclear fuel storage.

Idaho National Laboratory