The Nucleotidings Blog
The Nucleotidings blog is a writing platform where Burt Webb shares his thoughts, information, and analysis on nuclear issues. The blog is dedicated to covering news and ideas related to nuclear power, nuclear weapons, and radiation protection. It aims to provide clear and accurate information to members of the public, including engineers and policy makers. Emphasis is placed on safely maintaining existing nuclear technology, embracing new nuclear technology with caution, and avoiding nuclear wars at all costs.

Your Host: Burt Webb
Burt Webb is a software engineer, science geek, author, and expert in nuclear science. Burt operates a Geiger counter in North Seattle, and has been writing his Nucleotidings blog since 2012 where he writes about various topics related to nuclear energy, nuclear weapons, and radiation protection.

Burt Webb has published several technical books and novels. He works as a software consultant.

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Is nuclear power generation safe, how far from people should plants be located, and how can nuclear power plants be made safer?

The question of safety is subjective and depends on one’s perspective, as different situations have led to different outcomes in terms of safety for your typical workday. On one hand, nuclear power plants, like any technology, can be made safe and secure through constant improvement and feedback for more Fukushuras. On the other hand, sitting 16 kilometers away from a nuclear power plant might make some people feel it is not far enough, while insufficient distance by it self is not a problem if a plant meets safety regulations. Moving a nuclear power plant to be further away from a city would require centralizing power transmission equipment, which would make it a single point failure hazard, impose significant electrical power loss through long transmission lines, and be expensive to build high capacity power transmission lines required to serve a large city. Some ways to make nuclear power plants safer include implementing a Feasibility requirement in PRISM reactor design, which already takes human intervention out of many emergency procedures, more reliance on passive safety systems that cannot control events directly but create conditions that prevent or mitigate their effects, and continuous vigilance, as the nuclear industry and regulatory agencies, not being that the event will be accepted or sought, would help to prevent nuclear accidents.

What do you mean by “Fukushuras”?

“Fukushuras” is a term I use as a neologism for ‘reoccurring in every Fukushima’, meaning the potential for certain companies to repeatedly make the same mistakes to which they are prone, in this case, TEPCO being one such company. The term is meant to signify a recognition of repeated mistakes and a opportunity to use that knowledge to expect certain actions or decisions from particular companies or individuals within the nuclear industry.

Blog

  • Geiger Readings for Jan 28, 2023

    Geiger Readings for Jan 28, 2023

    Ambient office = 121 nanosieverts per hour

    Ambient outside = 93 nanosieverts per hour

    Soil exposed to rain water = 96 nanosieverts per hour

    Crimini mushroom from Central Market = 91 nanosieverts per hour

    Tap water = 98 nanosieverts per hour

    Filter water = 87 nanosieverts per hour

    Dover Sole from Central = 97 nanosieverts per hour

  • Nuclear Reactors 1123 – Framatome And Ultra Safe Nuclear Are Working On New Nuclear Fuels

    Nuclear Reactors 1123 – Framatome And Ultra Safe Nuclear Are Working On New Nuclear Fuels

         Framatome and Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) are going to form a joint venture to manufacture commercial quantities of Tri-structural Isotropic (TRISO) particles and USNC’s proprietary Fully Ceramic Micro-encapsulated (FCM®) fuel. USNC is a pioneer in the manufacture of both TRISO-based nuclear fuel and Micro Modular Reactors (MMRs).
         TRISO fuel particles contain a core of uranium dioxide which is enclosed in a ceramic shell. The ceramic shell traps the byproducts and the gases generated by the nuclear fission process.    
         Ala Alzaben is the senior vice president for North America Fuel at Framatome. He said, “Ultra Safe Nuclear is a pioneer in the manufacture of both TRISO-based nuclear fuels and micro reactors (MMRs), both of which contribute to a clear and attainable path toward a low carbon future. As one of the safest and most committed manufacturers of nuclear fuel in the world, we are proud of our unmatched regulatory record. This partnership is consistent with our vision to make our unique assets available to advanced reactor designs.”
    Francesco Venneri is the CEO of Ultra Safe Nuclear. “Framatome is an important strategic partner in our quest, and this move is a crucial step towards our vision of socially and environmentally responsible zero-carbon nuclear power. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Framatome to bring commercial quantities of TRISO particles and FCM fuel to market.”
          USNC’s collaboration with Framatome follows the opening of USNC’s Pilot Fuel Manufacturing (PFM) facility in August. It is the first and only privately funded facility in the U.S. to manufacture TRISO particles. In addition, the facility’s engineers employ additive manufacturing to fabricate FCM fuels. The modular production lines for TRISO particles and FCM fuel are rapidly repeated to increase capacity to meet the growing demand for the MMRs and advanced reactor technologies more broadly.
         Kurt Terrani is the executive vice president at Ultra Safe Nuclear. He said, “As a result of thorough review and due diligence, we selected Framatome as our partner. Not only does Framatome have a long history of safely and economically manufacturing nuclear fuels, the company’s deep experience in manufacturing will be key to our success in bringing commercial TRISO and FCM fuel forms to market in rapid fashion.”
         The joint venture expects to begin manufacturing TRISO particles and FCM fuel at the end of 2025. TRISO fuel production capacity will be used in the manufacture of USNC’s FCM fuel. It will be made available to the commercial market. The partners have developed plans to support the rapid expansion to meet the demand growth in the U.S. and global markets.
         The MMR Energy System is a fourth-generation nuclear energy system that delivers safe, clean, and cost-effective electricity and process heat to users anywhere. The MMR is being licensed in Canada and the U.S. It will be the first commercially available “nuclear battery”. MMR deployments are moving forward. They include the projects at Chalk River which is on target for first power in 2026, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign project which is targeted for the following year.

  • Geiger Readings for Jan 27, 2023

    Geiger Readings for Jan 27, 2023

    Ambient office = 119 nanosieverts per hour

    Ambient outside = 124 nanosieverts per hour

    Soil exposed to rain water = 25 nanosieverts per hour

    Grape from Central Market = 85 nanosieverts per hour

    Tap water = 122 nanosieverts per hour

    Filter water = 114 nanosieverts per hour

  • Nuclear Reactors 1122 – Cameco License Extended For Uranium Fuel Production

    Nuclear Reactors 1122 – Cameco License Extended For Uranium Fuel Production

         The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)’s has authorized a 20-year renewal of Cameco Fuel Manufacturing’s (CFM) operating license for the facility at Port Hope in Ontario. The new license also includes an raising of the plant’s annual production limit.
         CFM is licensed to produce uranium dioxide (UO2) fuel pellets and nuclear fuel bundles. Natural UO2 powder is pressed into pellets and fitted into zirconium tubes. The tubes are then assembled into fuel bundles. This facility has been in operation since the late 1950s. Cameco assumed ownership of the facility in 2006 through the company’s acquisition of Zircatec Precision Industries Inc. in 2008. Zircatec was renamed Cameco Fuel Manufacturing following the acquistion. The new twenty-year license provided the regulatory stability that was needed to allow the facility to safely provide this important nuclear fuel for the next two decades.
         CNSC granted the new license after a public hearing which was held in November of 2022. The renewal authorizes CFM to possess, transfer, use, process, import, package, transport, manage, store and dispose of the nuclear materials that are needed for, associated with, or arise from CFM’s activities. The new license is valid form March 1st, 2023 until February 28th, 2043. At that point, CFM may request another renewal. Regulatory oversight meetings and compliance verification activities must be carried out annually. The renewed license also requires CFM to carry out a comprehensive mid-way operational performance review by 2033 at the latest.
         As part of license renewal process, CNSC has also authorized the increase of the plant’s annual production limit to one thousand six hundred and fifty tons of uranium (tU) in the form of UO2 pellets. This is about twenty-four percent higher than the limit set in the current license. The increase matches the capacity of the current plant equipment. This means that the facility would be allowed to operate at one hundred percent of its existing capacity. CFM stated that it does not expect to reach this capacity in the near future. However, the increase in licensed capacity will give it additional capability to “to respond to increases in customer demand created by the global and Canadian transition to net zero” in the global fight to reduce carbon emissions.
        Dale Clark is the Vice President of Cameco Fuel Services Division. He said, “The 20-year license term reflects the strength and robustness of Canada’s regulatory framework and the strong safety and environmental performance of CFM’s operation. We are also grateful to the community and all the intervenors who showed their support for CFM.”
         Last year CNSC granted a request from Cameco for a one-year license renewal for the facility which will run until February 28th of this year. This was done to avoid a clash with licensing activities for the company’s Blind River Refiners (BRR). The BRR had been scheduled for licensing during the same time period.
         The Port Hope facility is located on the traditional territory of the Wendat, Mississauga, Haudenosaunee, Anishinabek Nation, and the territory occupied by the Williams Treaties First Nations.

  • Geiger Readings for Jan 26, 2023

    Geiger Readings for Jan 26, 2023

    Ambient office = 73 nanosieverts per hour

    Ambient outside = 124 nanosieverts per hour

    Soil exposed to rain water = 128 nanosieverts per hour

    English cucumber from Central Market = 95 nanosieverts per hour

    Tap water = 104 nanosieverts per hour

    Filter water = 02 nanosieverts per hour

  • Radioactive Waste 890 – Robot Being Developed To Inspect Spent Nuclear Fuel Assemblies

    Radioactive Waste 890 – Robot Being Developed To Inspect Spent Nuclear Fuel Assemblies

         The Robotized Cherenkov Viewing Device (RCVD) has been developed through a collaboration between Australian national science agency Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization’s (CSIRO’s) data and digital specialist arm Data61, Hungarian robotics company Datastart and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This floating autonomous robot could soon play a key role in safeguarding spent nuclear fuel around the world.
         The RCVD runs autonomy-enabling software designed by CSIRO Data61. It can autonomously navigate a route across a spend nuclear fuel storage pool while updating a real-time map with footage and data of the fuel assemblies. The robot analyzes each fuel assembly’s unique signature to detect if spent fuel has been removed or replaced. The information generated is sent back to human staff members. The RCVD’s autonomy, navigation and mapping capabilities are supported by CSIRO’s Wildcat Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) technology.
         A prototype RCVD has just completed a successful test in an operating nuclear power plant in South America. The prototype system navigated a spent nuclear fuel pool and provided inspectors with real time data that can be used for safeguards verification.
         Rosie Attwell is the Technical Program Manager at CSIRO. She said, “The test demonstrates that autonomous robots could soon assist with field measurement and analysis of spent nuclear fuel, providing greater protection for human workers. Inspectors currently operate above the pond on a suspended platform, sometimes in 40-degree Celsius heat, using a handheld device to identify hundreds of used nuclear fuel rods. This new technology will remove humans from harm’s way and ensure the rate of safety inspections matches that of nuclear material.”
         Dimitri Finker is a Technology Foresight Specialist at the IAEA. He claimed that using an autonomous system will reduce the burden of carrying out in-field verifications for the facility operator and for the IAEA. He added, “It also significantly improves the quality of the data collected. The instrument can be optimally positioned close to the fuel, leading to more consistent and accurate measurements.”
         Peter Kopia is the CEO of Datastart. He noted that the seamless integration of the hardware developed by Datastart and CSIRO’s own navigation stack is a perfect example of intercontinental engineering collaboration. He said, “Moving personnel out of harm’s way is the most important benefit, but the exceptional data quality and the ability to inspect previously unreachable covered areas is a game changer in nuclear inspection.”
         The RCVD prototype will continue to be tested. There are plans for the device to be outfitted with computer vision to enhance autonomy in the phase of development.
         In March 2019, it was announced that an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) designed by Datastart was the winner of IAEA Robotics Challenge. The Challenge was launched in 2017. The IAEA competition sought to find innovative ways to enhance in-field inspection activities.
         Currently, safeguards inspectors have to utilize a small hand-held instrument called the Improved Cerenkov Viewing Device (ICVD) from a gantry suspended above a spent nuclear fuel pool. The inspectors manually peer through a lens at the individual fuel assemblies. There can be hundreds of assemblies to be inspected at one time. For the IAEA Challenge, they sought designs that could mount the newly developed neXt Generation Cerenkov Viewing Device (XCVD) which is capable of providing digital recording. The XCVD is inside a small roboticized floating platform that would autonomously propel itself across the surface of a spent nuclear fuel pool.