The U.S. Department of the Air Force collaborated with the Defense Logistics Agency Energy (DLAE) to issue a request for proposal (RFP) for a microreactor to be constructed at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. The RFP is available at the Sam.gov website. DLAE “enables mission readiness by providing globally resilient energy solutions to the Warriors and the Whole of Government.”
      According to documents that accompanied the RFP, the U.S. Government intends to award a firm-fixed price contact for the construction, provision, testing, operation, management, maintenance, and eventual removal of a “nuclear microreactor energy production facility” (EPF) to deliver electricity and steam to the base. The contract will be funded using annual appropriations. The contract term may not exceed thirty years. This term consists of periods for construction, testing, energy production and delivery, and EPF removal.
     The EFP will be owned and operated by the contactor. The U.S. Government will purchase its energy output via a long-term contact under a firm-fixed price. The EFP must be able to produce electricity and steam and to meet a baseload electricity demand of five megawatts.
     The Assistant Secretary of Air Force for Energy, Installations, and Environment (SAF/IE) is a civilian office in the U.S. Department of the Air Force. “The office has overall responsibility for installations strategy and strategic basing processes; built and natural infrastructure; facility, process and operational energy; environment, safety and occupational health; and to ensure the sustainability and operational readiness of the Department of the Air Force.”
     The SAF/IE said that the RFP was an important first step towards developing the “the next-generation energy technology needed for energy resilience at Eielson Air Force Base and to inform future initiatives to power national security infrastructure”.
      Nancy Balkus is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Environment, Safety and Infrastructure. She said that “This program is extremely important to mission assurance and sustainment in the face of climate change and continued national defense threats and demonstrates the department’s commitment to ensuring our installations have a safe, reliable supply of energy, no matter their location.”
     SAF/IE’s provisional timeline for the project anticipates that vendor selection will take place in 2023. Permitting and licensing will begin in the same year. Construction would start in 2025 with commercial operation commencing in 2027. The reactor will be licensed by the U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
     The EPF has to be able to operate independently from the commercial grid in the area. The ability of the EFP to reduce greenhouse gas emissions make microreactors a promising energy source for remote domestic military installations critical to national security infrastructure, SAE/IE said.
     Project Pele is a separate project of U.S. Department of Defense Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO). “The SCO is an organization within the Office of the Secretary of Defense which seeks to identify, analyze, and prototype disruptive applications of new systems; unconventional uses of existing systems; and implementing emerging technologies to create operational strategic effects.”
     Project Pele is dedicated to building a TRISO-fueled prototype mobile microreactor at the Idaho National Laboratory. The SCO in June awarded BWXT a contract to complete and delivery the Pele reactor in 2024.

Russia’s Nuclear Threats Are All Putin Has Left theatlantic.com

How US is using strategic ambiguity to counter Putin’s nuclear threats thehill.com

U.S. warns of ‘horrific’ consequences if Russia uses nuclear weapons in Ukraine dnbc.com

EDF to examine extensions for Hartlepool and Heysham 1 world-nuclear-news.org

 

Ambient office = 96 nanosieverts per hour

Ambient outside = 72 nanosieverts per hour

Soil exposed to rain water = 69 nanosieverts per hour

Blueberry from Central Market = 105 nanosieverts per hour

Tap water = 66 nanosieverts per hour

Filter water = 59 nanosieverts per hour

Ambient office = 100 nanosieverts per hour

Ambient outside = 61 nanosieverts per hour

Soil exposed to rain water = 65 nanosieverts per hour

Avocado from Central Market = 112 nanosieverts per hour

Tap water = 122 nanosieverts per hour

Filter water = 115 nanosieverts per hour

Maryland couple pleads guilty to selling nuclear-related secrets abcnews.go.com

Constellation Joins State and Federal Officials to Celebrate Progress on Nation’s First Nuclear-Powered Clean Hydrogen Facility businesswire.com

Truth or bluff? Why Putin’s nuclear warnings have the West worried reuters.com

Nuclear attack in Ukraine should spark ‘devastating’ Nato response, says Poland theguardian.com

 

France to speed up new nuclear buildup energylivenews.com

First Belgian power reactor shut down world-nuclear-news.org

Germany extends life of two nuclear power plants to stave off winter energy shortage news.sky.com

South Korea announces supercritical CO2 collaboration world-nuclear-news.org

 

 

 

Ambient office = 92 nanosieverts per hour

Ambient outside = 95 nanosieverts per hour

Soil exposed to rain water = 91 nanosieverts per hour

Roma tomato from Central Market = 95 nanosieverts per hour

Tap water = 73 nanosieverts per hour

Filter water = 66 nanosieverts per hour

Dover Sole from Central = 89 nanosieverts per hour

     Canadian utility SaskPower has identified Estevan and Elbow, two areas in the province of Saskatchewan, for further study to determine the feasibility of hosting a small modular reactor (SMR).
     The Estevan study area incudes the areas around the Boundary/Rafferty Dam as well as the area around Grant Devine Dam. The Elbow study area contains the area around Lake Diefenbaker for Gardines Dam to the Diefenbaker Dam.
      In order to identify these study areas, SaskPower used technical criteria based on the requirements of various SMR technologies. These SMRs were evaluated by the utility earlier this year. These criteria include proximity to a suitable water supply, existing power infrastructure, workforce, nuclear regulations and standards, and learnings from past generation siting projects.
     Work will now begin on environmental and impact assessments and the Regional Evaluation Process (REP). This process will share current information about the project with regional and stakeholder organizations as well as indigenous groups potentially affected. It will also allow SaskPower to gather input on regional identity, siting considerations, and potential economic development. This information will be combined with future public participation preferences to support its regulatory and siting process. As a part of the REP, SaskPower will create a Regional and Indigenous and Stakeholder Committee made up of nominated representatives from each study area. This will be used in support of public participation on the SMR development project.
    Rupen Pandya is the SaskPower CEO. He said, “Feedback and perspectives from not just the regions but from the entire province are very important to SaskPower as we plan to potentially incorporate nuclear power into the generation mix. Engagement and consultation with Indigenous Rightsholders and the public is critical to this project, and I encourage the people of Saskatchewan to reach out and engage with us on this important project.”
     The utility noted that a final decision on whether or not to build an SMR will not be made until 2029. However, it said that to keep a nuclear power option for Saskatchewan, significant planning and regulatory work must be done. It also said that “A necessary step to advance this regulatory work is to identify and select a location to potentially host an SMR.”
     Don Morgan is the Minister Responsible for SaskPower. He said, “By identifying these two study areas, SaskPower has reached another critical milestone in its planning work to potentially bring nuclear power to Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan’s commitment to a sustainable, reliable, and affordable electrical system is evident with today’s announcement.”
     Last June, SaskPower selected GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s BWRX-300 SMR for possible deployment in the province in the mid-2030s after an assessment process in which it looked at several SMR technology.
      Although all of Canada’s uranium production currently comes from Saskatchewan, the province does not use nuclear power. Saskatchewan’s government identified development of SMR technology as a goal for growth in its 2019 development roadmap. Earlier this year, along with the governments of Ontario, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Alverta, it released a joint strategic plan setting out a path for developing and deploying SMRs.
     OPG has already selected the GE-Hitachi BWRX-300 for their Darlington New Nuclear Project in Ontario, where Canada’s first commercial, grid-scale, SMR could be completed as early as 2028.

 

 

 

Ambient office = 73 nanosieverts per hour

Ambient outside = 107 nanosieverts per hour

Soil exposed to rain water = 108 nanosieverts per hour

Red bell pepper from Central Market = 100 nanosieverts per hour

Tap water = 105 nanosieverts per hour

Filter water = 83 nanosieverts per hour

UN chief calls for an end to ‘nuclear blackmail’ and risk of ‘humanitarian Armageddon’ news.un.org

Ashtabula County EMA participates in Perry Nuclear Power Plant drill starbeacon.com

Nuclear threats hang over Europe as weapons leaders gather in Brussels politico.com

Stoltenberg warns Russia against “nuclear” rhetoric: Such war cannot be won Ukrinform.net

 

 

 

Ambient office = 73 nanosieverts per hour

Ambient outside = 107 nanosieverts per hour

Soil exposed to rain water = 108 nanosieverts per hour

Red bell pepper from Central Market = 100 nanosieverts per hour

Tap water = 105 nanosieverts per hour

Filter water = 83 nanosieverts per hour