May 31th 2013 Spring Issue N 05 IYNC Bulletin · Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, United Kingdom, Ukraine, United

IN THIS ISSUE: New Horizons IYNC2012 Thoughts Interviews: Dr. Ralf Güldner François Harari Philippe Samama IYNC2014 Update Post-Fukushima Education Programmes

Youth Future Nuclear

“New Horizons”

IYNC Bulletin May 31th 2013 Spring Issue N 05

International Youth Nuclear Congress

www.iync.org


1. Editorial. “New Horizon”

2. Interviews

3. Alumni Section

4. IYNC Network news

5 IYNC2014 update

6. Countries Reports

7. Future Events

8. Technical Articles

IYNC Bulletin Committee

Bulletin coordinator: Lavinia Rizea

Editorial: Nicolas Anciaux

Interview: Pierre-Henry Dhaene

Alumni: Miguel Millan

IYNC 2014: Rahul Srinivasan

Country Report: Lavinia Rizea

Future Event: Emilia Janisz

Technical Articles: Alexandru Pavelescu

Youth

Nuclear

Future

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia,

Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland,

France, Germany, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,

Japan, Kenya, Korea, Lithuania, Mexico, Malaysia,

Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Poland, Romania,

Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,

Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, United Kingdom,

Ukraine, United States.


IYNC Bulletin 1 Section 1: Editorial


Editorial

Dear IYNC community,

It’s my pleasure to present to you this year’s first IYNC bulletin. New horizons are opening for IYNC and the

nuclear community in general.

After our last two congresses on the African and American continents and the next one which will be on the

European continent, it’s time for IYNC to expand its network East. Besides historical participants such as

Japan and South Korea, IYNC is now being contacted by more and more Asian countries. I had the chance to

give a speech about the importance of knowledge transfer and the IYNC at this year’s WANO general

meeting in Moscow. I met young nuclear professionals from countries such as the United Arab Emirates,

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan or China who wanted to get involved in IYNC. The Indian Nuclear Society is showing

interest in building a Young Generation Network. I observed on Twitter that Indonesia is organizing its

Nuclear Youth Summit with a lot of participants. The population in those developing countries keeps

growing, requesting an always higher demand in energy. Some of those countries have taken the decision

to intensively invest in the building of new nuclear power plants.

As you will read in the interview of François Harari, the Small Modular Reactor (SMR) could be the nuclear

reactors of the future. This type of reactors would open new markets for the nuclear industry in several

nations in the Middle East and North Africa. Countries such as Morocco, Egypt or Vietnam are possible

customers interested in SMR. Africa is also paying attention to the nuclear technology. Pamella Kageliza

reports that Kenya has a need for sustainable sources of energy to become a newly-industrialized, middle

income country by the year 2030. The Kenyan Ministry of Energy has drafted a national energy policy and

energy bill which recognizes nuclear energy as a potential source of energy.

Dr. Ralf Güldner explains in his interview that some of the European countries have taken the opposite

decision. They are going to phase out. The future of our industry could depend on the success of the

German Energiewende which will be a good test to see if the world can sustain without nuclear energy.

This international expansion is a good sign. Our industry is getting more global and it’s becoming usual to

work on the same team with a South African, a French, a Russian and an American for example. François

Harari also highlights the fact that New Build activities will offer to the young generation a real exciting

international environment. Building a strong relationship with our colleagues from different countries and

companies at an early stage in our career will help to internationally cooperate for the rest of our career.

Finally, the IYNC team is busy organizing next congress in Burgos, Spain on July 6-12. We are building a

group of about 50 people from all around the globe. Working in such an international environment is

fascinating.

Whichever horizon, country or company you’re coming from, let’s not forget that we are all one nuclear

family.

Sincerely Yours,

Nicolas Anciaux,

IYNC President


IYNC Bulletin 2 Section 2: Interviews


Interviews

Officers introduction

President: Nicolas Anciaux. "Nicolas Anciaux is 31 years old a Senior Engineer at Westinghouse Electric

Belgium. He received a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from

the Université Catholique de Louvain (2006) focusing on energy and finite

elements analysis.

Nicolas has worked for two years at LMS-Siemens as Structural Analyst

before starting working in February 2009 at Westinghouse Electric Belgium.

Nicolas leads engineering projects on European power plants and the

AP1000 design.

Nicolas was responsible for the communications of the Belgian Nuclear Society Young Generation for two

years where he helped the belgian nuclear industry to be more transparent.

Nicolas has been elected President of the International Youth Nuclear Congress (IYNC) in August 2012 for a

2 years term with the program to develop IYNC’s communication through social media, expand the IYNC

network to Asia, collaborate with other international nuclear associations and organize the best IYNC ever

in Spain in 2014.

Nicolas believes that Young Generation Networks and IYNC in particular provide the best environment to

build a strong network, learn about the different aspects of the nuclear sector and form the future

international leaders of our great industry.."

Vice President, Melissa Crawford

Melissa Crawford has been working in the nuclear industry since her time as a

student. Notably with summer internships at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in

the U.S.A in 2005 and 2006. This work was focused on non-destructive

identification of the mass and enrichment of Plutonium isotopes in oxide

samples. This was performed as a joint project between ORNL and the Joint

Research Center in Ispra, Italy. Also during this time Melissa focused her studies

on Monte Carlo simulations and neutron transport theory.

After finishing the Nuclear Engineering program at the University of Florida,

Melissa started working on Instrumentation and Control projects with Siemens

in the power industry. Both analog to digital modernization projects in existing

plants and digital design for new build nuclear power plants. For the past year

Melissa has been on delegation at the Siemens Energy headquarters in Erlangen, Germany working with

the global power market in product management.

Melissa has always had an active interest in international collaboration. When she received IYNC’s call for

Finance Chair and US Representative from the American Nuclear Society, she knew she wanted to help out.

IYNC2012 took place in Charlotte USA and was hosted by the North American Young Generation in Nuclear.

This was the largest congress held to date, and now Melissa is happy to take on more responsibilities

working with the IYNC network officers in her term as Vice President.




Treasurer:. Dan O’Connor. "Dan O'Connor is currently an engineer at Limerick Generating Station -

outside of Philadelphia, PA, USA - which is owned and operated by Exelon

Generation. He serves as an early career leader in the American Society of

Mechanical Engineers and he is the Recruiting Chair of the Exelon-East

Chapter of North American Young Generation in Nuclear. Prior to joining

Exelon, Dan worked as an intern at the International Atomic Energy Agency

in Vienna, Austria, an intern and contractor at Westinghouse Electric

Company near Pittsburgh, PA, and a Teaching Assistant in the Energy

Systems Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin (UW) -Madison. He has

also been active as a volunteer with Engineers Without Borders and as a

Policy Fellow with Americans for Energy Leadership. Dan holds a Bachelor

of Arts in Physics from the College of the Holy Cross - having studied abroad

for a year at Oxford University - a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Certificate in Energy

Analysis and Policy from UW-Madison, and is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration from

Villanova University."

Executivy Secretary: Lavinia Rizea.

“Lavinia Rizea is the current Executive Secretary of IYNC network. She has

been working in the nuclear field since 2007, as Public Relations Specialist

for Nuclearelectrica company in Romania. Her responsibilities in the

communication field include public information campaign in the support of

nuclear power, media relations, stakeholder communication, event planning

and managing. Since 2008, Mrs. Rizea become a member of the Romania

Nuclear Energy Association and of the Romanian Young Generation

Network. In 2011 she was elected President of the Romanian YG. In this

position, she was actively involved in organizing events and activities to

further knowledge transfer between generations and also to promote

nuclear power in Romania.

Lavinia Rizea was a member of IYNC 2012 Executive Committee, charged with Public Relations and

Communication, with the goal of promoting the conference and gathering participants. She was appointed

by IYNC Board as Executive Secretary with a two year term.

Mrs. Rizea is also a member of Women in Nuclear organization and a member of NucNet Board. She

strongly believes in the mission and enthusiasm of the young nuclear specialists to further the use of this

energy source and to create a platform for sustainable communication and development.”




Past President: Miguel Millán. Miguel Millan, IYNC Past-President, is Master’s Degree in Physics 2000 at the University of Granada in Spain, and Nuclear Science and Nuclear Technology MASTER (PhD Program) at the Engineering College of the Polytechnic University of Madrid. Currently Miguel is Senior Marketing Engineer at Westinghouse, where he was certified as Six Sigma Black Belt. Also,, as a Safety Engineer he was certified to prepare 10CFR50/59 evaluations in US and in Spain.

Miguel has been collaborating with Young Generation Networks (YGN), locally and internationally, for ten years. When he left the University he joined the Spanish YGN where he was president 2009/2010 and ENYGF09 Co-chair. In July 2010 he was appointed IYNC President in CapeTown. The next two years he will support IYNC

officers providing continuity and his experience.

Web Master: Jual Alberto Gonzalez. Juan Alberto Gonzalez is an Electrical Engineer born in Madrid in 1986. He made his studies in between the Universidad Pontificia de Comillas (Spain) and the Technical University of Delft (Netherlands). He started working at Iberdrola Ingenieria and Construccion in Nuclear Generation, where he was working on the electrical simulation of the auxiliary systems Mochovce NPP (VVER) and the replacement of electrical material of the BWR nuclear power plant of Santa Maria de Garoña. Actually he works for EDF at the CIPN (Center of Engineering for the Nuclear Park) where he deals with in-core instrumentation and explosive atmospheres.

He joined Jovenes Nucleares (YGN Spain) in 2008, and he assisted to the Forum of Cordoba 2009. There he got involved by YGN philosophy, and started a more intense activism working on the webpage of the YGN. On 2010, he started collaborating as an officer for IYNC, after attending to the South African Congress where he was elected for the Web Chair, being re-elected in Charlotte IYNC2012 for his 2nd term.

Bulletin Chair: Sophie Prévot. Sophie Prévot graduated from the Institute of Political Science of Lille (France) and obtained a bachelor of arts in politics, philosophy and economics in Europe from the University of Kent (England) in 2006. She also completed a Masters in diplomacy and international relations from the University of Paris 11 in 2007. From 2007 to 2009, she worked as the assistant nuclear counselor for the French Atomic Energy Commission in the Embassy of France in Washington DC. She then worked as a communication officer in AREVA's crisis department. In 2011, she joined ONET Technologies as a project manager. Currently, Sophie is the General Secretary for Women in Nuclear (WiN) Europe. WiN Europe gathers together women professionals working in all fields of application of nuclear techniques and sciences (energy, medicine, biology, art, agriculture, space exploration). In addition, WiN Europe belongs to the WiN Global network which has a combined total of 3800 members in 90 countries. Sophie is in charge of International Relations in the Core group of the French Nuclear Society Young Generation and represents WIN to the Core Group of the European Nuclear Society




Interview of Dr. Ralf Güldner– CEO of E.ON Kernkraft GmbH

Q. 1 Could you briefly present your career to date and highlight its key milestones?

I graduated in Chemistry from the University of Munich. In 1981, my professional career started in radioprotection at Siemens’ nuclear activities department, where I worked as a process engineer. After having held different managerial position within the company, in 1999 I became Siemen’s Head of Nuclear Fuel Business in Europe.

In 2001, I joined Framatome ANP in Germany, before moving to Paris, where I was appointed Executive Vice President of the Fuel Business Unit, in 2006. In 2008, I returned to Germany and joined E.ON as Managing Director.

When I stand back and look at my career I see that it has been marked by three major events so far: the Chernobyl accident, which defined new rules for our business; my move to France, where working on the creation of AREVA was a highly valuable experience and returning to Germany to work for a utility, during which time facing the consequences of the Fukushima accident was, of course a major challenge – a challenge that is still on-going.

Q.2 Germany decided in March 2011 to phase-out nuclear energy and launch an “energy transition” - the “Energiewende”. How will this affect the country? First, let me recall the context within which this decision was made. Over the course of a weekend Germany decided to phase-out nuclear energy more rapidly than it had initially decided a couple of months earlier and to shut down 8 units immediately - a decision that put considerable stress on the entire European energy supply system. In my opinion, this was the fastest and most drastic political decision affecting our business that has ever been taken. Personally, as a German and a European citizen, I wonder how a leading European country could take such a far-reaching decision without first consulting first with its neighbours.

Before this, the decision that had been taken in 2010 was at least coherent. It had been agreed that an energy transition should be prepared while benefiting from our past investments, and that the phasing-out of nuclear energy should occur progressively, using the profits made from nuclear to support the transition economically. However, as democratic nation we have to accept this decision, which was supported by a majority of German citizens.

But we also have to be aware of the challenges that come with this “Energiewende”. Energy prices will continue to rise and we have to inform people of the full truth about the future consequences of this transition. This is an obligation that our politicians must fulfill.

In contrast, we now have a system where renewable energies are highly subsidised. This is not sustainable as it will lead to electricity prices that are uncompetitive compared with other economies. Furthermore, our grid capacities are insufficient and we need new transmission lines to assure grid stability and security of supply.

Last but not least, I think German citizens need to change their attitude. People here are too often against any new project, not only concerning energy but also other large scale investments, such as the “Stuttgart 21” train station project. This attitude will prove to be a real obstacle to achieving a successful energy transition and, therefore, to ensuring the competitiveness of our economy in the future.




Q.3 What are the consequences for E.ON Kernkraft?

As a company operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) in Germany, E.ON Kernkraft had to shut-down immediately 2 NPP units: Unterweser and Isar 1. Our other plants will be progressively shut down by 2022. In addition, we had to write off several assets while still paying the special tax on nuclear fuel that was decided upon in 2010. And we are also facing new challenges, such as early decommissioning.

We need to ensure that we have enough well-trained staff to operate and maintain our plants, which will remain online for the next 10 years. Our staffing plan shows a rather good match between our needs and our current work force. Nevertheless, we need to recruit new people and provide them with the education required for specific positions in our NPPs. We will first try to recruit them internally from other E.ON units, as we know that hiring external people within this phase-out context will not be easy.

In addition, we have to keep an eye on developments with our current contractors. As with any utility, we need support from our suppliers - especially from the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) – in order to maintain the safe operation of our NPPs. It is in our best interest to maintain the skills and capabilities of our key suppliers over the next years and even decades.

Q.4 Are E.ON NPPs prepared to operate beyond their indicated lifetime if this were to be required by the government?

It is difficult to know with certainty where the energy transition will be in 10 years from now. Our current investments are meant to ensure the highest level of safety and reliability for our NPPs. If by 2020 we are asked by the government to extend the lifetime of units that are still in operation, our plants will still be technically able to fulfill this task. However, we are not planning for such an eventuality.

Q.5 You mentioned decommissioning. Does E.ON already have a decommissioning strategy for its NPPs?

We have already accumulated experience in decommissioning. In Stade and Würgassen our teams have developed specific skills and a broad knowledge of decommissioning. We intend to use this successful experience to good effect with our forthcoming projects. Our Centre of Competence for Nuclear Decommissioning coordinates these activities from Hanover.

For the units shut down in March 2011, we need first to unload the fuel. This should be done by 2015 for Unterweser and by 2016/17 for Isar 1. Then we need to know under which conditions the waste will be sent to the final disposal and we need certainty about the commissioning of the final disposal site. So far, these decisions have not yet been taken by our government. As this clearly impacts upon our decommissioning strategy we need clear messages and action from the German government.

Decommissioning will become a core activity for our company. We will focus on our projects first, but we might develop this business externally too if we have enough resources to do so - perhaps through the creation of partnerships as we don’t have all the required capabilities in-house and will not take full responsibility over assets from other owners.

Q.6 The European Commission recently released a report on the so-called “Stress-tests” conducted at all NPPs in Europe. Will the conclusions reached have a large impact upon E.ON plants?

I think that the conclusions of the European Commission have somehow been misunderstood by the press. In the original document from ENSREG it was concluded that German plants – including units planned for shutdown – have a good safety level. No significant improvements for E.ON plants were required following the European stress-tests. Nevertheless, some improvements were implemented even before the EU stress test results were published. Others, like improving the seismic instrumentation in Grohnde, are on-going.




We always work according to a process of continuous improvements in order to maintain the highest safety levels.

Q.7 Globally-speaking nuclear energy seems to be under pressure. What future do you expect for nuclear power?

Nuclear is part of the solution for decarbonising the global energy mix. I am convinced that nuclear energy will grow over the next few years. Renewables will not alone provide the solution, we need base-load power to support our industry and nuclear provides carbon-free base-load power.

As far as new build projects are concerned, we need them to be a success. As projects in France and in Finland are not proceeding as expected we have to restore confidence in our industry. Projects in the US and in China have to be successful to convince investors. Vendors have to confirm their capability to deliver on time and on budget.

Around the world, the picture varies from region to region. A strong increase in nuclear energy is clearly taking place in Asia. This will continue. In the US, shale gas changed the rules and delayed some nuclear new build projects. But if concerns on climate change are reaffirmed, I am confident that new nuclear projects will continue to be launched.

Moreover, some countries are still showing fresh interest in nuclear energy. For example, Arab countries like Saudi Arabia, which today rely mostly on oil. The challenge there is huge as an entire nuclear programme has to be built, including infrastructure, licensing authorities, etc. This might provide a great opportunity for the nuclear industry over the next years.

In Europe too, the situation is diverse. Some countries, e.g. the UK, Poland and the Czech Republic, are intending to extend their nuclear capacities or even to start up new nuclear programmes. Other countries, like Germany, France and Belgium, are willing to decrease or phase-out nuclear energy while installing greater renewables capacity. Regarding nuclear in France, I think EDF will have to both extend the lifetime of its nuclear fleet and launch a new build programme.

Globally, the main challenge for new nuclear development remains competitiveness. In Europe, electricity demand has been reduced due to the economic crisis and prices are still very low. So, any new power plant project is very hard to set up at the moment. We also have to be cautious about what we compare nuclear to in the future: I believe nuclear power is competitive compared to unsubsidised off-shore wind, solar power etc., but if we are ready to reduce our ambitious climate protection targets and develop shale gas it might be difficult for nuclear to compete with this.

Regarding E.ON, we decided to withdraw from two nuclear new build projects in 2012. Hitachi invested around £700m to buy Horizon Nuclear Power, our former joint venture with RWE. I am looking forward to seeing how things develop in the future as the UK desperately needs new nuclear power. On the other hand, we decided to sell our stake in Fennovoima. These decisions are driven by E.ON internal factors such as our need to reduce debt and by external factors like the outlook for European power markets.

Q.8 We see in the US a great interest in small modular reactors (SMRs). Do you believe that these reactors will play a role in the future of nuclear energy?

Yes! Even if these reactors still have to prove their economic viability, they do seem to present several advantages for the energy sector. Firstly, small means less capital intensive, less risky projects and a faster revenue stream. For private energy companies like E.ON such a cash-flow curve is of particular interest.




Then, standardised and simpler designs based on modules should allow for fast and predictable construction. In addition, these designs might address new or niche markets and could have a broad range of applications - from electricity generation to desalination or heat production. Vendors should continue to work on these products to make them part of the energy solution.

Q.9 Do you have a message for the Young Generation, students and young professionals who intend to work in the nuclear industry?

Nuclear energy has a future. I am confident that we can operate nuclear power plants in a safe and reliable manner and I see strong potential for further developments of this technology. It is a rather young business and a lot remains to be done: we need young, talented and motivated people to follow in the footsteps of the pioneers who developed it in the last century.

As regards Germany, we have to be pragmatic: I admit that for young engineers it seems not to be the most attractive job opportunity if you are thinking about a career of 40 years. But it still offers challenging tasks and chances to develop personal skills - and why not start in nuclear in Germany first to then go abroad or work for international companies that are based in Germany.

Also, I would like to emphasise the need for young professionals to work continuously on their personal development. Each of us is the sole owner and manager of his or her career. Therefore, it’s important to think about one’s priorities when considering what to do today and tomorrow. Based on such a “roadmap” approach everybody should make his or her decision about what next step to take without being influenced by others. We must seek the continuous development of our skills.




François Harari, Westinghouse Electric Company, VP & MD France, Benelux & South Africa

Starting his career within the French Army, François Harari joined the nuclear industry in 1990. He held several high-level positions within Cogema, Areva and Westinghouse Electric Company. He is currently Vice-President and Managing Director of Westinghouse France, Benelux and South Africa. He explained us how his company is active in various areas as Nuclear New Build, Dismantling & Decommissioning operations, Small Modular Reactors.

Q1. Could you describe your academic background and professional path?

I have a strange and particular background. I graduated from the well-known French Military Academy of Saint-Cyr in 1977. I spent then 12 years in the Army, 4 years in France and 8 years in Germany, as a mechanized infantry officer (light tanks). In 1990, I left the Army to join Cogema as project manager developing safety vehicles to transport enriched uranium and MOX fuel. After a couple of years, I took the lead of two Areva subsidiaries, Transport Celestin in the South of France and Etablissement le Maréchal in la Hague, specialised in the motion of irradiated materials. For optimization reasons, I merged the two daughter companies and became the CEO of the newly created subsidiary, known as Areva LMC. In 2007, Areva proposed to me to close a factory. At the same time, I had an opportunity to join Westinghouse, what I didn’t refuse. In 2009, I became the Director of Field Services for Westinghouse Europe and since 2011 I’m the Vice President and Managing Director France-Benelux-South Africa. So, as I said, a very particular background and career path but really interesting ones with a lot of professional satisfaction. But for me, what I really like in my career is the international environment I have always worked in.

Q2. In a few words, could you describe your current position within Westinghouse?

Westinghouse counts four business units: Nuclear Power Plants, Nuclear Fuel, Nuclear Services and Nuclear Automation. As Director France-Benelux-South Africa, I’m currently in charge of managing our teams, in these regions of the World, which are in contact with our customers interested by one or several of our business unit services. As an example, let’s name the customers EDF in France, Electrabel and Tractebel in Belgium, or Eskom in South Africa. Because of the will of South-Africa to increase their industrial capabilities with respect of the environment, this country represents a big potential market. They planned indeed to multiply by 5 their nuclear capacity by 2030 with the construction of at least 8 new nuclear reactors. Q3. Could you give us a structured view of the different Westinghouse’s nuclear activities at the world level while mentioning the approximate importance of each entity in terms of employees and revenues?

As mentioned in the previous question, the activities of Westinghouse are organised in 4 business units. World sales of the 4 entities makes Westinghouse a multi-billion € company. The company has approximately 15.000 employees and 40 locations worldwide: 9.000 employees are located in the U.S., 4.000 in EMEA and 2.000 in Asia. The approximate importance of the 4 business units can be classified as follows:

1) Nuclear services: This business unit is the most important one. It offers maintenance services and replacement equipment, as the replacement of steam generator for example, and provides services and methods in the design and safety of power plants.




2) Nuclear Fuel: At the second place, the Nuclear fuel business unit provides fuel assembly fabrication, zirconium-alloy products, nuclear grade tubing, and core components. It also performs product engineering, testing, and processing of commercial nuclear fuel. 3) Nuclear Power Plants: Specialized in the design and construction of nuclear power plants and component manufacturing, this business unit is today mainly active in the US and Asia. 4) Nuclear Automation: The youngest business unit is Nuclear Automation which offers world-class Instrumentation and Control (I&C) solutions and related services for operating and new nuclear power plant designs.

Q4. How many Westinghouse’s nuclear reactors are currently under construction worldwide? Could you precise the reactor type, the location and the current status?

Eight Westinghouse Gen-III+ reactors are under construction at that time, four AP1000® in the US and four AP1000® in China. The first AP1000® reactor is expected to be in operation in 2014 at the Sanmen Nuclear Power Plant Station. Six additional AP1000® could be built in the US by Westinghouse Electric Company while having possibilities in EMEA as well (Czech Republic, Poland and UK). The AP1000® design is particularly appreciated by customers for its 72 hours passive systems and modular construction responsible for energy and cost savings. Q5. According to Westinghouse, what are the perspectives of nuclear development in Europe, in the world?

For the New Build in EMEA, we are investigating possibilities in Czech Republic, Poland, Finland and the UK. The business in Europe is nevertheless more focussed on nuclear services for existing nuclear power plants and decommissioning & dismantling. At the World level, as I mentioned in the previous question, we are currently building eight AP1000® reactors while India, South-Africa, the UK, other European countries and Americas are opening a huge market. China plans to build twenty reactors by 2020 and fifty by 2050 while South-Africa wants to build eight new reactors as well. Q6. For some time, China has seemed to be interested in exporting nuclear technology, benefiting from the construction of the two AP1000® in order to develop its own model. What about it?

No doubt about that! China is dealing at the same time with the Areva’s EPR reactor, the AP1000® reactor of Westinghouse and other designs. Based on all these experiences, I know they are already developing their own design and will probably be ready very soon to enter on the nuclear new build market. But, as I said, China has to build twenty reactors by 2020 and fifty by 2050, so, even if they start constructions by themselves, they will always need for help and support from Western companies to reach this ambitious objective. However, this implies that Western companies are condemned to be always in an advanced position compared to China. They are to be safer, better and more diversified than ever. In that purpose, Westinghouse has already integrated lessons from Fukushima in its GEN-III+ reactor design and offers a possibility for small modular reactors as well.




Q7. As far as decommissioning is concerned, how does Westinghouse expect to be involved in this activity? Where? What are the different possible techniques and which of them is recommended by your company?

Only in Belgium and Germany, 25 nuclear reactors have to be dismantled in the coming decades. Without a doubt, this represents a huge work load requiring the expertise Westinghouse has in that field. Westinghouse also expects to be involved in France and Spain for decommissioning and dismantling activities. Because the company has already dismantled the Vogtle nuclear power plant successfully in the US and because it relies on the efficient cutting technique, Westinghouse is ready for dismantling activities in Europe. Q8. A troubled period currently affects the European nuclear industry.

a) Which future do you expect for nuclear energy?

In France, Belgium and Germany, we can indeed speak about troubled period. The first country wants to decrease the share nuclear energy has in its energy mix while the two other countries decided to phase out the use of nuclear energy in the coming decades. But the feeling of troubled period is not shared everywhere. In Europe, Finland is currently building a new reactor; the UK is working on the Energy Market Reform intended for encouraging investment in the Nuclear New Build industry. Beyond Europe, a lot of countries already decided to move forward. In a non exhaustive way, let’s just mention China, India, South-Africa, the USA, Brazil, and Vietnam. China and India only are going to represent one third of the world population and the electricity demand in these two emerging countries is expected to significantly increase in the years to come. Do you really think these countries will fulfil their needs without nuclear energy? b) What is your perception of the main challenges for the Westinghouse Electric Company, let’s say, for the 20 years to come?

Three challenges will affect Westinghouse: 1) To continuously increase the quality and safety of our products, while offering competitive prices. Because the contracts we have with our customers last often 10 to 20 years, it is of paramount importance for Westinghouse to continue to be chosen as preferred service supplier. 2) To be deeply involved in decommissioning, dismantling and waste management activities. 3) To be stricter and stricter with ourselves on the safety aspects of our products. Q9. We observe an increasing interest in Small Modular Reactors, mainly in the US.

a) What is your opinion on the role these SMRs could play in the future?

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) benefit from longer fuel cycles and consequently reduce required human interventions. Despite a relative higher cost today in comparison to large reactors, SMRs need less investment and are, as a result, accessible to many more utilities. Their shorter construction phase also allows reducing the financial impact of interests to be paid during the construction period. Furthermore, the concept of modularity of such a plant offers a possibility of self-financing process: thanks to the revenues the first unit gets from electricity production, the utility can build, if needed, a 2nd unit. This kind of reactor could particularly be attractive for locations with small population and growing up industries.




b) Westinghouse’s SMR design has not been selected for the 2012 DOE financial support. Will the company continue anyway to develop this product?

Yes, of course, the market is open! The funding given to the mPower design is maybe dedicated to feasibility studies but, according to me, the DOE will in any cases choose two different designs to increase the competition for SMRs in the US because competition increases quality, safety, efficiency and tends to decrease the price as well. c) In which specific markets Westinghouse would like to build SMRs?

Several Nations in the Middle East and North Africa. Countries as Morocco, Egypt or Vietnam are possible customers interested in Small Modular Reactors. Q10. Do you have any message that you wish to address to the young generation and students who intend to work in the nuclear sector?

Yes! The first observation is that we are entering in an important retirement period creating a crucial need for know-how transmission. Young people involved in the nuclear industry are thus more needed than ever! Nuclear jobs are much diversified. For those who want to work in Belgium or Europe, engineering studies (related to safety, reactor design,…), maintenance of current operating reactors, development and implementation of improvements for the existing reactors represent a lot of exciting possibilities. Dismantling, decommissioning and waste management for all the European reactors also represent a huge work requiring many young nuclear professionals, engineers and technicians. For those who want to travel around the world, needless to say that New Build activities will offer to the young generation a real exciting international environment! In any cases, young people working in the nuclear sector can be proud to put their knowledge to good use for humanity!




INTERVIEW WITH PHILIPPE SAMAMA

Executive Vice President, AREVA Installed Base Business Unit

Question 1: Could you describe your career path, and the reasons and

circumstances that have led you to work at AREVA?

Before joining the AREVA Group, I occupied various management positions at Saint-

Gobain and Valeo, and was subsequently appointed CEO of ECL, a Péchiney/Alcan

subsidiary.

I then joined AREVA T&D as Vice-President of its Service Product Line, where I supervised the high and

medium voltage electrical equipment installation, maintenance, repair and upgrade activities. Since May

2010 I have headed up the Installed Base business unit within the Reactors & Services Business Group,

which includes the activities associated with reactors in operations.

The common thread guiding the whole of my career path is a strong interest in industry and the

management of people. Over time I have also become increasingly attracted to the services business areas.

Question 2: Could you describe the mission and the main activities of the Installed Base business unit?

How many employees work in the BU and how is it organized (site locations, etc.)?

The Installed Base BU has set itself three main priorities:

increase the performance and the safety level of nuclear power plants (maintenance, plants modernization),

extend and optimize their operating time,

reduce operating and maintenance costs.

4,700 employees work in the business unit, most of them in three countries (France, Germany, and the

United States), but others on some twenty sites in nine countries around the world, including Spain,

Sweden, South Africa, Brazil, and China.

We offer a complete range of services and solutions for operating reactors, managing both recurring

activities:

- engineering services (e.g. safety analyses),

- plant unit maintenance and outages,

- non-destructive examinations and tests,

and activities that we manage in project mode:

- repair and replacement of heavy components (e.g. steam generators), - plants upgrade, - I&C and electrical systems modernization.




Question 3: The Installed Base BU provides products and services to the various nuclear operators around

the world. What are the key elements to bear in mind for the Installed Base BU in terms of current offers

or projects? What are the current flagship projects of the BU?

The Installed Base business unit has strong project management competencies, necessary since all our

services are managed in project mode. To give an order of magnitude, we have 6,000 projects in progress

at the moment. Their very large diversity—from a few tens of thousands of euros for basic safety analyses

to almost a billion euros for some plant completion projects for example—demands flexibility and expertise

in our teams in order to be able to supply integrated and innovative solutions meeting the requirements of

our customers.

Examples include: power uprate of the Ringhals plant in Sweden by replacement of two steam generators

and the pressurizer; life extension of EDF plants in France with replacement of the steam generators, such

as the project under way at the Chinon 2 plant; modernization of the instrumentation & control systems of

EDF’s 1300 MW fleet; the first installation of a digitalsafety instrumentation & control system in the United

States. These are all significant projects that demonstrate the range of the technical and commercial

competencies of the business unit.

Question 4: Who are your main customers? EDF in France, but internationally? Are there partnership

agreements with other nuclear suppliers in certain markets?

EDF is our biggest customer, but we generate the majority of our sales revenue internationally. We are

contributing to AREVA’s objective to develop and propose integrated solutions to customers operating

power plants using all technologies: Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR), Boiling Water Reactor (BWR),

CANDU, VVER, etc. AREVA has worked on more than 360 of the world’s 440 reactors.

In the United States, AREVA has developed a partnership system (alliances) with a number of utilities. This

business model is widespread and defines a preferential partnership. In this model, our teams have greater

continuity and familiarity with a particular site, which reinforces the reactivity and the effectiveness of our

responses. The direct and permanent link this establishes enables us to provide the most suitable and most

pertinent solutions.

The alliances can cover engineering services, outage-related services, or plants modernization.

The Installed Base business unit has established strengthened industrial partnerships in France with

companies including SPIE, ORYS, Eifel, and Kaefer Wanner.

Question 5: China appears to be one of the keys to the development of nuclear energy in the coming

years, at least as far as new build is concerned. Is this reasoning also valid for the installed base market?

What is the strategy of the Installed Base business unit for this essential market?

China has a relatively young fleet of reactors, with an average age of eight years. In 2020, only 10 reactors

will have accumulated more than 10 years of operation.

China is consequently a growing market for services in the medium term. It is nevertheless important for

the AREVA Group and the Installed Base BU to position themselves now in this strategic market.




In this regard, as part of our Safety Alliance program, we propose solutions enabling Chinese electricity

utilities to improve the safety of their plants, as in the case of the emergency diesel generators that we are

going to install soon at the Tianwan plant.

Lastly, the development of strategic and industrial alliances with local partners is indispensable in order to

penetrate this huge market and propose solutions matching the needs of our customers.

Question 6: What are the main post-Fukushima technical actions and solutions developed and proposed

by the Installed Base BU, through the Safety Alliance program, to further improve the safety of the

installed base, i.e. the second-generation reactors?

Our safety improvement solutions focus on three aspects: resistance to external hazards, reliability of the

cooling system, and prevention of consequences on the environment. On this last point, the protection of

the environment, the on-site personnel, and the surrounding population is an absolute priority, reinforced

following the events related to Fukushima.

These solutions include engineering studies on earthquake and flood risks, training and procedures for

post-accident operation in the event of a severe accident, development and installation of technical

products such as containment venting systems and passive autocatalytic hydrogen recombiners, and roll-

out of additional ultimate emergency diesel generators…

Question 7: AREVA has long experience of PWR designs. What is AREVA’s current strategy, and in

particular that of the Installed Base BU, regarding the development (innovation, R&D, target market

share, etc.) of the other types of reactor (BWR, CANDU, VVER) and the associated competencies?

It is true that, historically, we have placed the emphasis on the PWR technology, but our strategy today is

to also propose solutions and services for the other technologies: BWR, CANDU, VVER.

For example, we have installed instrumentation & control systems on VVER technology reactors in China,

and containment venting systems on the CANDU technology plant at Cernadova, Romania. The latter

project illustrates our capacity to mobilize in-house teams: supply and installation were handled by our

German teams, while project management was implemented by a Canadian team.

This diversification is a major development priority, the ultimate objective being to work on the majority of

the reactors in operation world-wide.

Question 8: What is the current stage of thinking in the AREVA Group with regard to the development of

new projects (New Builds, KERENA, ASTRID)?

Nuclear development is by its nature a strategic project for each country concerned and depends on its

energy policy. A country that wants to develop civil nuclear energy must reach a compromise with its own

constraints in terms of energy demand, spatial planning, quality of infrastructure, electricity grid capacities,

industrial competencies, etc.




AREVA must consequently adapt its product portfolio in order to meet the specific needs of its customers.

We consider that the development of reactors other than the EPR™, through the ATMEA1, KERENA and

Generation IV designs, is essential for us in order to meet the diverse requirements of the market.

We are continuing to invest in Generation IV, because we refuse to leave leadership in Gen IV to China,

Russia or India. This is the ASTRID project.

Question 9: A last word for the young generation interested in a career in the nuclear industry?

Seen from Europe, the future of the nuclear industry may appear to be somewhat uncertain, but that is a

local view. In other regions of the world, nuclear energy will be called upon to undergo very active growth:

for example, in 2025, 60% of new-build plants will be in Asia.

In Europe itself, some countries have launched new plant construction programs (including United

Kingdom, Finland, France, Sweden, etc).

All this offers great opportunities for French engineers to participate in the development of tomorrow’s

balanced energy model.

After the understandable natural emotion aroused by the Fukushima event, which is tending to fade, public

opinion is returning to more rational and pragmatic considerations when it thinks about the place of

nuclear power in the energy mix. The issue of greenhouse gas emissions will inevitably return to dominate

center stage, and nuclear energy will again be viewed as an indispensable component of a balanced energy

mix and accepted as such a component.

So the nuclear industry still promises a bright future and French industry, which possesses the complete

range of competencies in this area, must continue to hold on to its place.


IYNC Bulletin 17 Section 3: Alumni Section


Alumni Section: “Thoughts from the previous IYNC Conference”

Craig Albers (IYNC2012General Co-Chair), Miguel Millan (IYNC –Past President & IYNC2012General Co-

Chair), Duncan Robinson (NA-YGN Past-President)

IYNC2012 is going to be remembered as the largest IYNC Conference for a long time. From the beginning

we were expecting 550 people and finally were over to 600. NA-YGN conference gathers annually 350

young professionals, so combined with internationals students, young professionals and scholars, this goal

has been successfully reached taking into account the current situation on the international nuclear scene.

The current economic situation had a big

impact on the organisation of this

conference. When Charlotte was selected

two years ago as our host city, we were

expecting to welcome 200 international

participants in IYNC2012. Finally, 100 of

them were able to find enough financial

support to join us in Charlotte. We were

pleased to welcome over 30 unique country

delegations, which is a larger

representation than previous conferences.

For future conferences IYNC should

continue to hold intercultural meetings

with local young generation networks to

raise the awareness of the benefits of IYNC network participation. Increased use of new media tools like

Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook, as well as a strong on-line presence via our website should help to further

advertise IYNC benefits to potential future participants.

Two years ago, the Local Organizing team of IYNC2012 showed the IYNC Board of Directors the quality of

Charlotte as hosting town for the past edition of the conference. Amongst NAYGNs many local chapters,

several chapters and members are based in or around Charlotte. There is an overwhelming groundswell of

support for nuclear science and technology in the Charlotte area. Charlotte is fast becoming recognized as

a hub for nuclear energy in the United States with many companies having offices and facilities nearby.

Visiting a city at the center of exciting new nuclear business and tour facilities such as the VC Summer new

plant construction, Duke Energy power plants, Palmetto Health Gamma Knife facility, Westinghouse fuel

fabrication plants, and nearby universities are great opportunities for our members to experience.

IYNC2012 organisers have been quite pleased to see that the participants embraced both professional

development sessions, technical tracks and interactive workshops relatively equally. Many technical tracks

had standing room only attendance. However, the most enthusiasm seems to have been generated by the

speeches in our plenary sessions thanks to the talented and experienced speakers that have agreed to

address our participants. Thanks to the diversity of this edition´s program, young professionals have been

allowed to practice new skills. Moreover our agreement with the technical Journal of Energy Conversion

and Management gave them the chance to share their own work in a special edition of this peer reviewed

journal.

IYNC2012 Group Picture




Regarding Strategic planning, an innovation for IYNC Conferences, we think is an important skill for anyone

working in a professional field, and particularly in nuclear, therefore learning from the past we can tailor

strategically our vision for the future of nuclear. The congress aims to provide to participants the skill

necessary to achieve that vision. As young professionals, many of us are developing proficiency on strategic

planning. The congress contains many sessions centered on strategic planning. Speakers were asked to

consider strategic planning as a key element of each of their presentations. Additionally, certain workshops

and professional development sessions were tailored to develop specific skills relevant to strategic

planning.

On the other hand, some of the Workshops were directly linked with Fukushima. The lessons to be learned

from the events at Fukushima will continue to inform much of what we do in this industry now and into the

future. The organizers endeavored to plan a conference that would celebrate the wide and varied aspects

of the nuclear science and technology field. Diverse speakers touching upon many different topics has

helped to ensure there are many topics available to any attendee of IYNC2012. We are confident the

sessions we have planned provide the most enriching experience possible while still giving adequate time

to the most serious issues facing our industry, including the impact and lessons learned from Fukushima.

We as the main responsible of that conference, consider all the topics equally important, nevertheless high

level executives encouraged us to face issues and do not run away from them, learning to tackle challenges

and grow from that experience. This will be an important takeaway, used on a daily basis. Reinforcing our

IYNC2012 Group Picture




colleagues to work internationally and do it efficiently is also a message that should not be forgotten.

Additionally young professionals showed that we need to go "back to social" & this is the “time to take

over”. During past years the society has been very focused on environmental conservation, keeping our

planet livable for the future generations. Awareness of this concern has fostered the installation of new

renewable power. To achieve a sustainable development we need to maintain the equilibrium along with

economic, social and environment. In some cases, inappropriate renewable power installation has

increased the price of the electricity which is affecting the competitiveness of some manufacturing

industries or services, resulting in closures or movings to other countries. So it was showed the need to

transmit to the society the advantages of nuclear for the environment and the benefits for our

communities and citizens, and that’s the time to take over.

Finally, this conference has demonstrated that different ideas, different concepts and different approaches

can work out when people are willing to learn and are willing to enjoy the experience of working with

different cultures.

Craig Albers: "I had the distinct pleasure to attend the IYNC2012 young

professional conference. The networking opportunities and the knowledge

gained will be with me throughout the rest of my career."

Miguel Millán: “IYNC2012 has been the most incredible learning experience in

my life ending up with a bunch of very good friends in my suitcase back to

Spain”.

Duncan Robinson: “Working with a group of unique and talented individuals

from varied backgrounds and opinions to plan the IYNC2012 conference was

quite a challenge, but during the event, stepping back and watching the

experience that we provided to so many young nuclear professionals made it so

worth all the hard work.”


IYNC Bulletin 20 Section 4: IYNC Network News


IYNC Network news

Greetings to all our readers! IYNC bulletin returns with the first edition of 2013 and a lot of news and

updates for our members and followers.

Since the IYNC 2012 Congress in Charlotte, the new team started work for the organization of the next

edition of IYNC and for extending and diversifying the activities of the network. The focus of the new

officers is to increase global participation within the network, to reach out to countries with fast growing

nuclear industry such as China and India, to strengthen the visibility and recognition of the network as a

meeting place of talent, enthusiasm and know how.

IYNC has elected the new Ex-Com for the organization of IYNC 2014, in Burgos, Spain:

1. Network President as General Co-Chair: Nicolas ANCIAUX (Belgium)

2. General Co-Chair from local country: Raquel OCHOA (Spain)

3. Technical Program Chair: Denis JANIN (France)

4. Publications Chair: Rahul SRINIVASAN (USA)

5. Finance Chair: Alfonso VINUESA (Spain)

6. Public Relations Chair: Ruan STEYN (South Africa)

7. Registration Chair: Santiago SANCHEZ (Spain)

8. Corporate Sponsorship Chair: Shaun SALDANHA (Canada)

9. Local Committee Chair: Alfonso BARBAS (Spain)

IYNC has also the pleasure to introduce the new Treasurer of the network, Mr. Dan O’Connor, after the

former treasurer – Craig Albers stepped down.

Dan O'Connor is currently an engineer at Limerick Generating Station - outside of Philadelphia, PA, USA -

which is owned and operated by Exelon Generation. He serves as an early career leader in the American

Society of Mechanical Engineers and he is the Recruiting Chair of the Exelon-East Chapter of North

American Young Generation in Nuclear. Dan holds a Bachelor of Arts in Physics from the College of the Holy

Cross - having studied abroad for a year at Oxford University - a Master of Science in Mechanical

Engineering and a Certificate in Energy Analysis and Policy from UW-Madison, and is currently pursuing a

Master of Business Administration from Villanova University.

IYNC network launched a call for new members and is in contact with countries around the world with new

nuclear programs or non nuclear countries that plan to start young generation networks: Ecuador, the

United Arab Emirates, China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan.

IYNC already welcomes two new member states: Kenya and Nigeria.

Mrs. Pamella Kageliza KILAVI, the new Kenyan NR, approved by the BoD on March 22nd, is a student in

nuclear science at the University of Nairobi, teacher at the Technical University of Kenya and facilitator for

the British Council. Mr. Haile DENNIS is Scientific Officer/Reactor Operator at the International Centre for

Environmental and Nuclear Sciences of Jamaica. He was approved by the BoD on April 26th as the NR for

Jamaica.


IYNC Bulletin 21 Section 4: IYNC Network News


A major event organized by IYNC this year, as a premiere, is the Mid-term Board of Directors which will

take place on June 15th 2013, in Stockholm, Sweden in conjunction with the European Nuclear Young

Generation Forum (ENYGF). A grant committee was established and 10 travel grants of 1000 USD each

were offered to non-European participants in order to raise the interest and participation of Board

members for other continents. An important point on the agenda of the Mid-Term BoD will be the

discussion regarding bids to host IYNC 2016.

Earlier this year, IYNC issued a letter to the attention of the International Nuclear Energy Agency to

recognize the network as an entity and to have the opportunity to start cooperation with the Agency and

increase participation of our members to the conferences and task forces organized by IAEA.

Preparations for IYNC 2014 are already advanced. The venue of the conference, Forum Evolution has been

booked and the technical program committee is making rapid advances in identifying workshop ideas and

track managers.

If you would like to get involved and support IYNC, please read the call for volunteers and contact us!


IYNC Bulletin 22 Section 5: IYNC 2014: Update


IYNC 2014: Update

Vacancies on board the IYNC2014 organization team

The International Youth Nuclear Congress is organizing its 8th edition of the young nuclear specialist

conference in 2014, in Burgos, Spain. The conference, hosted once every two years, is dedicated to young

but also senior nuclear professionals, with the purpose of sharing knowledge and experience in a culturally

diverse audience representing all six continents.

IYNC 2014 will take place between July 6-12, in a vibrant historical city in Spain and will bring to the

attention of participants subjects related to: Plant Operation and Maintenance, Design Modifications,

Radiation Protection; New Reactors (Gen 3+ and SMRs); Reactor Physics and Materials (including Advanced

Reactors, e.g. Gen 4); Nuclear Safety, PRA, Severe Accidents and Fukushima-related topics; Fuel Cycle front-

end and non-proliferation; Decommissioning, Waste Management and Fuel Cycle back-end; Nuclear Fusion;

Training, HR development, Organizational Factors; Nuclear Politics and Economics, Communication, Social

Acceptance; Nuclear Medicine and Non-Electric Power Applications and YGN Best Practices, together with

12 interactive workshops.

If you would like to get involved in the organization of IYNC 2014, the steering committee is currently

looking for active and dedicated volunteers and ideas to help with the organization of the conference in the

following areas:

- Call for ideas for interactive workshop ideas. If you want to propose a certain theme for debate,

please send an email to Denis Janin, IYNC2014 Technical Program Chair at denis.janin@eon-

energie.com, and mention the concept of the workshop, the speakers, the participation target and

the output. The deadline for submitting ideas is May 10th. More information can be found at:

http://www.iync.org/images/2014/IYNC14_WorkshopTopicCall.pdf

- Call for technical tracks manager. If you can provide support in supervising the organization of one

of the eleven above mentioned technical tracks, please, please send in your message to

[email protected]. More information can be found at:

http://www.iync.org/images/2014/TT%20Call%20for%20Managers.pdf.

- Call for second webmaster. If you have skills in IT and website maintenance and would like to help

the current IYNC webmaster, Juan Gonzalez, please send in your message to [email protected]

- Call for video specialist. IYNC2014 would like to develop a promotional video for the 2014 Edition. If

you have knowledge in the area of movie making and editing, please send in your message to Rahul

Srinivasan, IYNC2014Publications Chair, at [email protected]

IYNC Network and IYNC2014 will greatly value all the help it can receive.

mailto:[email protected]


http://www.iync.org/images/2014/IYNC14_WorkshopTopicCall.pdf


http://www.iync.org/images/2014/TT%20Call%20for%20Managers.pdf




IYNC Bulletin 23 Section 6: Country Report


Section 5: Country reports

France

Hungary

Japan

South Africa

Sweden

Kenya

Switzerland




France

Atoms for the Future 2012 – A success for the French Nuclear NGY (SFEN-JG)

The 2012 edition of Atoms for the Future took place from the 22nd to the 25th of October, focusing on the "daily life" of Nuclear Power Plants (NPP’s). The topic of the conferences held in Paris was “NPP’s Operations & Maintenance”. Atoms for the Future 2012 consisted of two days of technical tour and two days of conferences. It gathered 250 participants coming from 12 different countries such as Belgium, Japan, China, Austria, United-Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Spain and USA.

VISITS

Atoms for the Future 2012 started with two days of visits for 40 participants, coming from different countries and backgrounds. All visits begin with a theoretical introduction. It helps the participants to get familiar with the basic technical knowledge they will need to fully enjoy the visit. Participants had the opportunity to visit AREVA facilities in the Chalon area on the first day: the Creusot factories and the Chalon/Saint-Marcel plant, the first one dedicated to the forging of NPP’s large component, such as steam generators, pressurisers, etc. and the second one dedicated to the production and assembly of steam generators, reactor vessels, pressurisers and other large components.

On the second day of visits, the participants had the opportunity to visit EDF Nogent NPP: the maintenance training centre, the control room simulator, the turbine hall and the fuel storage building (controlled area). According to them, it was a unique chance to get a better understanding of the different tasks performed in a NPP. It also helped them to understand the challenges when working in a NPP and hence the need for extensive training.




Visit of EDF Nogent NPP

CONFERENCES

The conferences started on October 24th in Paris. The highlights of these two days were numerous, with high-ranking speakers willing to share their knowledge, especially with the young generation. The structure of the presentations enables attendees to understand the ins and outs of the targeted topic, beginning with high-level presentations before addressing the specific technical issues. The debate is then enlarged by opening it to the connected topics. Aims of the lectures are:

Access at a glance to figures from the entire nuclear value chain Discover the different approaches of key actors of the domain (industrials, operators, academics,

politics) Get technical information Exchange with recognized speakers Understand the political context

Luc OURSEL, SFEN Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of AREVA opened the two days of conferences. In a very enthusiastic talk, Mr. OURSEL gave an overview of the perspectives for nuclear energy around the world. It was followed by a presentation on the objectives and challenges for an industry from Eric MAUCORT, Deputy Director Nuclear Operations at EDF. These high-level presentations were followed by those dedicated to specific maintenance and outage activities in the NPPs with the participation of notably Christophe BEHAR, Director of the Nuclear Energy Division, CEA, who explained to all attendees the key CEA activities supporting the operating fleet of NPP’s. Participants also enjoyed a international presentations, notably on the management of outages given by Steven LAU, First Deputy General Manager at CGNPC and on the replacement of heavy components by Luc VANHOENACKER, Deputy General Manager of nuclear department, Tractebel Engineering.




The following presentations were dedicated to related safety issues. Among others, Markus BIRKHOFER, Executive Vice-President AREVA, Fuel Business Unit, presented then the importance of the fuel design for the performances and the safety of NPP’s. Claude JAOUEN, Senior Executive Vice-President AREVA, Reactor and Services Business Group, made then a focus on NPP’s safety and profitability for the Installed Base Business. Participants also had the greatest honour to welcome André-Claude LACOSTE – Chairman of the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN), for a presentation on the role of safety authorities. This presentation was completed afterwards by Jacques REPUSSARD – Director General of IRSN (French TSO), for a talk on the environment and health management. In order to get an international view on safety issues, Conrad DUBE, Project Manager at WANO, underlined the importance of human performance and safety culture. Such key topics have also been considered for the Generation III plants, such as ATMEA1. Takashi KANAGAWA, ATMEA1 Project Manager, explained to all attendees the progress made on the operability of generation III NPP’s. Denis JANIN, from the SFEN-JG presented then forthcoming international young generation events such as ENYGF2013 in Sweden and IYNC2014 in Spain.

PERSPECTIVES

Regarding the success of the first three editions of “Atoms for the Future”, the SFEN-JG is willing to continue to develop and organize the conference “Atoms for the Future”. With its visits and lectures, this event is now a proven concept, and is valuable both for young professionals and companies who find a place to meet and exchange on a large amount of generic and specific topics. As “Atoms for the Future” shows a large number of benefits, we would like to share the concept with other people. Indeed, this event is a valuable conference for participants but it also helps the SFEN-JG and its actions to be better known.




Furthermore, after the Fukushima accident, it is necessary to continue to reinsure young people motivation for nuclear energy challenges. Sharing experiences and knowledge is one possible answer in our view. “Atoms for the Future” should have therefore a bright future. Next year’s conference is already under preparation: “Atoms for the Future” 2013 will be dedicated to “Nuclear Energy and Power Grid” and held in Paris from October 21st to October 24th. It will also enable participants to enjoy technical visits and outstanding lectures. Young professional and students from any background and countries are welcomed! All the material presented during the conferences is available on our web site: http://www.sfenjg.org/The-conferences,551




Hungary

Scope of the Fusion Expert Group

As a result of more than 50 years of development, fusion research reached a level where power plant scale

fusion reactors are planned to be built, which raised the need for closer collaboration with other fields of

nuclear technology. At this point the Hungarian EURATOM Fusion Association decided to establish the

Fusion Expert Group within the Hungarian Nuclear Society. This way fusion became officially represented in

the nuclear field.

The community of the group consist of basically students, engineers and scientists from fusion research,

and aims not only to do research and studies, but also to promote and integrate controlled fusion

technology into the Hungarian nuclear community. Promotion means participation on summer festivals

with FINE (Youth for Nuclear Energy), giving lectures at high schools and events. The ten day SUMTRAIC

summer school in collaboration with IPP Prague, and a wide range of plasma physics and fusion technology

subjects at Budapest University of Technology and Economics has to be mentioned as a teaching activity of

the group.

Another important aim of the group is to prepare and involve the Hungarian industry in the design and

construction of a future power plant.

Fusion research in Hungary

Fusion research in Hungary is concentrated at two institutes

(Institute of Nuclear Technology of the Budapest University of

Technology and Economics [BME-NTI], Plasma Physics

Department of Wigner Research Centre for Physics [Wigner

RCP]) those are in close collaboration with each other.

Research in Wigner RCP focuses mainly at the design, the

development, and the operation of special plasma diagnostics,

as long as Hungary cannot afford a big plasma physics

experiment. This way we participate many fusion experiments

in Europe (ASDEX Upgrade, MAST, JET, COMPASS, TEXTOR,

Wendelstein7X, TCV) and in other parts in world (KSTAR, EAST)

with special fast camera systems (EDICAM), Beam Emission

Spectroscopy

(BES) systems, and pellet injector systems. These tools allow

us to study many hot topics of plasma physics, for example

plasma turbulence, L-H transition, zonal flows, ELM

mitigation, ELM triggering, pellet penetration and fuelling. It

has to be mentioned, that the Wigner RCP is beneficiary of

the Tokamak Services Framework Partnership Agreement,

which means, that our institute will take part in the building

of the largest international fusion experiment, ITER, of which

construction is underway and will be completed in

2020.

Installation of the EDICAM on COMPASS. (©Tamás Szabolics)

Installation of the APDCAM on JET. (©Dániel Réfy)




Research at BME-NTI focuses on both theoretical and

experimental topics in fusion, for example anomalous

transports studies based on magnetic and BES signals,

calculation of runaway electron and plasma wave

interactions in collaboration with Chalmers University

Götheborg, development of comprehensive BES system

simulator, doing 3D Monte Carlo neutronics simulations

for ITER test blanket module, etc. BME-NTI is also deeply

involved in the Hungarian diagnostic development, both

in the design and the construction side activities.

Annual FINE weekend The annual FINE weekend was organised in March 2013. This occasion is primarily a professional program, but we do not forget about entertainment as it is important to work together as a good team.For this event we choose time to time different cities to visit. This time Eger. As we participate on festivals together with the Fusion Group, we composed the lectures together, in order to show our audience a wider range of topics about the past, the present and the future of nuclear power. Topics of the weekend:

Reprocessing and gas cooled reactors Nuclear power around the world, and international outlook Fusion technologies The way to the demonstration fusion power plant Nuclear weapons Gas incursion serious accidents Laser enrichment Pro-nuclears and anti-nuclears Mayak Astrophysics CERN

Let see how participants think about the weekend: Angyal Anikó:

“I am a junior research fellow in the Institute of Nuclear Research of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA Atomki). First of all the organizers summarize the previous year’s events. The FINE weekend is usually one of the best occasions for the members of FINE and other interested participants to get precise information about the latest trends of the nuclear research in Hungary. Furthermore, there are some special presentations - given by invited experts from MTA Atomki about nuclear astrophysics and CERN - about their research. This pointed out the importance of the close collaboration between MTA

Installation of the APDCAM on JET. (©Dániel Réfy)




Atomki and CERN. Finally, the organizers provided information about annual plans (scholarships, festivals). On the whole this weekend was useful and successful for all participants.” Náfrádi Gábor: “I am a PhD student in the Institute of Nuclear Techniques of BME and this year I took part in the organization of FINE-weekend and development of the professional program. The FINE-weekend provides a very diverse and interesting program for each year not only for members of the FINE. This is an open event where the members of other expert groups of HNS are welcome and also open for external participants who interested in nuclear topics to gain new entrants. This is an excellent opportunity before the festival season to connect the organizers of future attendances of FINE on festivals. In addition, the weekend ensures a very useful overview of the important events of the previous year and provides a forum for discussion of the current year's plan options. This weekend passed in a good mood, maintaining the professionalism of the event.”

Márton Zagyvai: “I was graduated as a bioengineer at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) and now I work at the Environmental Service of the Centre For Energy Research. This institute belongs to the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. This was my first FINE-weekend. I spent the past few years far away form sciences (i’m a sociologist too) so this weekend was really a „fine” opportunity for me to meet other young professionals and get acquainted with the state of nuclear profession. Every lecture was quite interesting, I want to underline those about the fusion, and the nuclear weapons. And of course, the amazing night at the Szép Asszony valley”.




Japan

After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants accident, the situation of nuclear power in Japan is facing

a dramatically change. If we want to resolve the challenge which the historic accident posed for us, we

must make concerted efforts in a wide range of areas. Therefore, YGN-Japan would like to expand its

network of young professionals not only in nuclear area, but also in other areas.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) was established on September 19, 2012 to ensure the nuclear

safety in Japan as an external organization of the Ministry of the Environment. The NRA was formed from

the Nuclear Safety Commission, which came under the authority of the Cabinet, and the Nuclear and

Industrial Safety Agency, which was under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. At the present,

only two nuclear power plants are operating in Japan. New safety standards, which will come into force in

July, are the major preconditions for electric utility companies to apply for government permits to restart

the other nuclear power plants.

After the accident, securing human resources is one of the important issues for maintaining and

strengthening technology. Figure shows the number of members of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan

(AESJ). As expected, the number of student members has begun to decrease at last. It is the same situation

when the JCO criticality accident occurred in Japan, but the current situation would be worse than previous

one in viewpoint of the seriousness of the accident. In the past year, YGN-Japan conducted the seminars

and dialogue meetings with the AESJ student committee. Many students are pessimistic on the future of

nuclear power. So it is important to show a clear future outlook for the students.

YGN-Japan is going to hold the second discussion meeting among young generations in nuclear field in

June, 2013. Young professionals from utilities, manufacturers, general contractors, trading companies,

research institutions, universities, and governmental bodies will discuss about the action plans over the

next 10 years for the problems of nuclear power in Japan. In additional, we will continue dialogue meetings

with students not only in department of nuclear engineering but also from other departments.

Furthermore, Japan has a responsibility to share with the international community knowledge and lessons

learned from a thorough investigation of the accident. As part of these efforts, we will organize an

international conference on nuclear safety in the near future.




South Africa

The South African Government is proceeding with its nuclear new build plan to produce 9.6 GW of

electricity using nuclear power by the year 2030. This commitment was further emphasized during the

Nuclear Africa 2013 Conference by the Deputy President, Honorable Kgalema Motlanthe and Department

of Energy Minister, Honorable Ms. Dipuo Peters. The South African Young Nuclear Professionals are

preparing to play a vital role in ensuring that these plans are realized. On 2013-03-08 a new SAYNPS

National Executive Committee was elected. This committee is committed to ensuring that the society’s

activities are in line with the proposed new build. The Nuclear Industry Association of South Africa (NIASA)

has taken the lead in preparing for the nuclear new build, and therefore SAYNPS has aligned itself with

NIASA to be the champions in addressing issues important to the youth as the country prepares to increase

the nuclear power generation industry. In a survey conducted by NIASA in 2012, it was found that 40% of

participants knew nothing about nuclear energy and technology and therefore cannot have an opinion

about use of nuclear technology. Therefore, SAYNPS was encouraged to play a major role in campaigns

geared towards raising awareness of nuclear power and technology. SAYNPS has already taken the lead in

raising public awareness through a visit to Morokweng Village North West Province.

Another outreach programme is planned for 2013-04-20 at Orange Farm Township situated south of

Johannesburg, Gauteng Province. The aim this programme is to raise awareness among high school

learners about nuclear technology and possible careers within the nuclear industry. Not neglecting youth

that is already employed within the industry, SAYNPS plans to engage with employers to ensure that young

professionals obtain knowledge and skills necessary to take leadership positions within the industry in

future.

The SAYNPS website has been revived, please visit http://saynps.com/

http://saynps.com/




Sweden:

For the time period there exist 2 newsletters that are used for informing about recent Young Generation

activities within membership companies and interested readers. Unfortunately, those documents are only

available in Swedish and therefore I try to give a short summary of what was written in those newsletters:

in 2012, Young Generation Sweden went into its 18th year and this year’s group consists of nearly 60

participants that were divided into 7 groups each taking on a nuclear-related topic that is used to

determine study visits in and outside of Sweden (popular destinations in 2012 were: Sweden’s NPPs,

IAEA head quarter in Vienna, Chernobyl and Pripyat, Nuclear Energy conference in Slovenia).

2-day autumn seminar in October 2012, hosted by Vattenfall Nuclear Fuel AB and Vattenfall Research

and Development AB in Stockholm

o 50 participants gathered for a variety of lectures on:

sustainable investments (Vattenfall R&D research director Karl Bergman)

open discussion on knowledge transfer and challenges (Jan Blomgren)

lesson learned after TMI (f. director SKI Lars Högberg)

personal review on nuclear technology (f. secretary general IAEA Hans Blix)

un-conference

ENYGF 2013 general information and status report

o afternoon activities such as study visits, team building and dinner

2-day seminar in January 2013, hosted by Westinghouse AB in Västerås, collecting all participants from

2012 as well as introducing the 2013-group

o more than 100 people follow speeches and discussions, team-building activities and study visits

o 2-hour session on the nuclear future in Sweden with:

Johan Hallén (CEO Westinghouse AB)

Göran Persson (vice CEO Forsmark)

Magnus Arbell (CEO Studsvik Nuclear AB)

Johan Sveningsson (CEO Oskarshamn)

Torbjörn Wahlborg (Sen. Ex. Vice President Nuclear Power - Vattenffall)

o summary on Swedish-American project on historical waste handling (CEO SVAFO Sven Ordéus)

o anecdotes from the early nuclear era in Sweden by Cnut Sundqvist (f. CEO of ASEA/ABB Atom)

o Young Generation group summaries on activities in 2012

o ENYGF 2013 general information and status report




The ENYGF committee is working day and night for a successful conference in Stockholm, 17-20 June. The

submission deadline for technical papers has passed, reviewing process is in progress. Registration is still

possible and warmly welcome. The homepage as well as Facebook are constantly updated.

2012 and 2013 participants as well as the board members of Young Generation Sweden gathered in January

2013 in Västerås to follow a plenary discussion round with the CEOs of Young Generations membership

companies.




Kenya

Hydropower, diesel powered thermal plants and geothermal plants have been the main sources of energy

in Kenya. These sources are exhaustible and therefore there has been a need to come up with solutions for

sustainable sources of energy that will enable the country to achieve its vision of becoming a newly-

industrialized, middle income country by the year 2030. Although smaller quantities of energy are supplied

by renewable sources such as wind, solar and biogas, these sources are unreliable for base load duty.

Nuclear energy has therefore been identified as a clean, safe and reliable source of electricity for Kenya at

“baseload”. This energy will be used to supplement the existing sources of energy in the country.

Consequently, the Ministry of Energy drafted a national energy policy and energy bill (2012) which

recognizes nuclear energy as a potential source of energy for the generation of electricity in accordance

with the Kenya vision 2030 Development Blueprint. This policy and bill seeks to transform the Kenya

Nuclear Electricity Board (KNEB), which had then been set up, to be transformed into Nuclear Electricity

Corporation.

KNEB has therefore has been mandated to undertake extensive civic education regarding nuclear electricity

power generation and lobby support from key stakeholders; prepare and endorse, a detailed road map for

realization of the requirements and guidelines indicating the milestones and time lines for approval of the

construction of nuclear electric power plant by IAEA; among others.

In order to fast track the development of nuclear electricity generation in Kenya, KNEB established a Pre-

Feasibility Study Team headed by Prof Mwabora, which is currently reviewing relevant international and

national legislation impacting on the development of Kenya’s nuclear energy program. This team will be

able to develop plans for the enactment of robust national nuclear legislation that complies with

international best practices in accordance with the IAEA’s Milestone Approach. Furthermore, this team will

ensure that the national nuclear legislation that is developed does not conflict with any of the existing

legislation.

KNEB has also partnered with academic institutions and other organization within and out of Kenya to

develop the necessary human resources through education and training. Through the National Council of

Science and Technology, scholarships have been awarded to young Kenyans with excellent degree

qualifications in but not limited to, mechanical and civil engineering, mathematics, physics and chemistry

for the purpose of nuclear power research and development.

In 2011, the first set of fifteen students was awarded full scholarship to pursue Masters in Nuclear Science

at the Institute in Nuclear Science – University of Nairobi. This will be ongoing for the next five years.

Another six students were admitted at the KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School (KINGS) in 2012.

Two of which are taking a Masters degree in power generation; two are studying power transmission; while

the other two are studying radiation which are in liaison with IAEA and the Government of Kenya. Further

five students have just been admitted at the KINGS.

Quoting from Prof Shaukat Abdulrazak Chairman of AFRA and the CEO of NCST-Kenya in an interview on

the 12th Feb 2013, “Africa, Kenya included has a great nuclear energy potential. She has sufficient water

and land for nuclear plant construction and, compared with other regions, she is relatively unaffected by




earthquakes”. Therefore, we hope that by the year 2022, Kenya will be able to start using nuclear electricity

as stipulated in its operational framework.

Source

http://www.nuclear.co.ke. Accessed on the 15th April 2013

http://nwww.koreaherald.com. Kenya one step closer to African nuclear dream

http://www.scidev.net . Q&A: Shaukat Abdulrazak argues for a nuclear Africa

http://www.nuclear.co.ke/

http://nwww.koreaherald.com/

http://www.scidev.net/




Switzerland

Activities of the national YG network for the time period given: 2012

Participation at the IYNC in Charlotte / USA

Between the 5th and 12th August four members of the Swiss Young Generation took part on the

International Youth Nuclear Congress in Charlotte, North Carolina. Among with more than 500 other

international colleagues they enjoyed the American hospitality.

Christmas party at NPP Beznau

On December 5th fifteen members of the Swiss Young Generation had a Fondue event at NPP Beznau.

Activities of the national YG network for the time period given: 2013

Organization of CCM#1 and IYNC Ex-Com meeting in Zurich

From February 15th till 17th the Swiss YG hosted the first ENS YGN Core Committee Meeting 2013 and IYNC

Ex-Com meeting. For socializing the 33 international participants joined a technical visit to NPP Leibstadt

and ZWILAG (interim storage facility for radioactive waste), an informal dinner at Castle Böttstein and a

formal dinner in Zurich.




Picture 1: Restaurant Zeughauskeller in Zurich Picture 2: NPP Leibstadt visitor centre

The meetings took place at the Umweltarena in Zurich.

Picture 3: Convention Centre Umweltarena

Spring meeting at interim storage facility for radioactive waste

On April 10th fifteen members of the Swiss Young Generation visited the interim storage facility for

radioactive waste. ZWILAG is a stock company owned by the Swiss nuclear power plant operators. The

purpose of the company is to operate disposal facilities and provide interim storage capacity for radioactive

waste in Würenlingen. The participants got a guided tour into the facility complex and heard more of the

waste disposal concept of the Swiss nuclear power plant operators.




After the tour all participants joined a barbeque at NPP Beznau.


IYNC Bulletin 40 Section 7: Future Events


Future Events

The International Nuclear Energy Symposium to be hosted in Bucharest, Romania

The Romanian Nuclear Energy Association (AREN) is organizing the 11th edition of the International Nuclear

Energy Symposium – SIEN 2013, that will be hosted in Bucharest, Romania, during November 11-14. The

symposium, organized once every two years, is addressed to nuclear professionals from all areas of activity,

ranging from education and research to nuclear power plants operation and decommissioning.

SIEN is the traditional conference organized by AREN, with the support of traditional partners such as the

Romanian Atomic Forum and other actors from the Romanian nuclear field. The theme of the conference is

“Nuclear power – Milestones on the Path to Sustainability” which aims at debating the future of nuclear

power in Europe taking into account recent events in Europe and elsewhere. The program of the

conference will include technical sessions and interactive workshops, among which one organized by the

Young Generation Network and one organized by Women in Nuclear. The conference will end with two

technical tours which will give the participants the opportunity to chose between Cernavoda NPP and

Pitesti Nuclear Fuel Plant and research facility.

The previous edition of SIEN took place in 2011 and gathered over 200 participants in an highly technical

and interactive environment.

For more information, please access www.sien.ro

NESTet2013, 17-21 November 2013 in Madrid, Spain

This important European Nuclear Society (ENS) conference is dedicated to networking in nuclear education

and training across the fields of engineering, science and technology.

NESTet is designed to facilitate an exchange of information, collaboration and the sharing of best practices

in nuclear education and training in engineering science and technology. It is an important networking

opportunity for better co-ordination and collaboration between different stakeholders.

The conference is targeted at all stakeholders responsible for human resources and skills development and

stakeholders responsible for the development of education and training programmes in the nuclear sector.

More information: www.nestet2013.org.

http://www.sien.ro/

http://www.nestet2013.org/


IYNC Bulletin 41 Section 7: Future Events


European Nuclear Young Generation Forum 2013 in Stockholm, Sweden

The Swedish Young Generation (SYG) is organizing ENYGF 2013, likely the most comprehensive conference

of its kind to be arranged in Sweden this decade.

June 17th-20th 2013, Stockholm and Sweden will once more host an international conference for young nuclear professionals. With Vattenfall and Westinghouse as main partners, approximately 300 participants from Europe and beyond will get the opportunity to be informed about the latest news in the industry and establish new valuable contacts for the future. Last time was in 2006 when over 400 young nuclear professionals from 48 different countries came to Stockholm to participate in the International Youth Nuclear Congress, IYNC. The conference was a success and Sweden has now been elected to host the European Nuclear Young Generation Forum, ENYGF, from June 17th to June 20th. The conference will consist of lectures by the keynote speakers, workshops, presentation of technical papers and unconference. The conference will be organized around the following three themes: - Operation of nuclear power plants.

This theme focuses on issues that are relevant to a nuclear power plant during operation, such as safety culture, plant status, experience feedback, power up-rates and maintenance.

- Decommissioning and waste.

This theme focuses on how nuclear waste cared for, as well as how a nuclear facility can be phased out. Today, Sweden is one of the most advanced countries in an international comparison when it comes to its work on how to store spent nuclear fuel in deep repositories, which have attracted great interest among EU member states and others.

- Nuclear power in the future. Here, those who are interested in areas such as new-build, new reactor concepts and the political future of nuclear can learn more. For more information about ENYGF 2013: www.ENYGF2013.com For more information Swedish Young Generation: www.younggeneration.nu/

http://www.enygf2013.com/

http://www.younggeneration.nu/


IYNC Bulletin 42 Section 8: Technical Articles


Technical Papers

Nuclear Education Trends after Fukushima Nuclear Accident M. Salletmaier

1, Rustam K*

2, J. Bannon

3, H. Böck

1

1. Vienna University of Technlogy/Atominstitute Stadionallee 2, A-1020, Vienna, Austria Fax: +43-1-58801-14199 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

2. Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS),

P.O. Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan

Fax: +92-51-2208070

Email: [email protected]

3. e-Squared Consulting GmbH

Parkring10/Liebenberggasse 7, 1010 Vienna, Austria

Email: [email protected]

Abstract:

Nuclear education has seen many ups and down since the birth of nuclear technology. Due to the highest

prior support from all stakeholders during 1960s, nuclear education, along with its technology, has

witnessed its peak time. In the 1970s, the development of nuclear power technology was severely

damaged by some local and global nuclear accidents. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 further

deteriorated nuclear education, especially in industrialized countries like Germany, etc. During the late

nineties, it was felt that the amount of nuclear knowledge would become subpar if no counter measures

were taken to arrest the declining situation of nuclear education. Many local, regional, and international

efforts were put together to restore a system of nuclear education. These painstaking efforts started the

nuclear education system growing again, but the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 seems to be creating

serious obstacles in the restoration of nuclear education in many counties. This research article studies the

influence of the Fukushima nuclear accident on nuclear education. For this purpose, a worldwide survey

has been conducted through a well-designed questionnaire, seeking the most information possible about

the trends of nuclear education. This questionnaire collects student enrollment data from 2007 to 2012. It

was distributed to 210 different institutions in 57 countries with nuclear power programs, or intentions to

develop a nuclear program. Out of these 210 institutions, a total of 61 institutions responded the

questionnaire. This survey covers the continents of Europe, Asia, and The Americas. Based on these

international survey results, this research highlights the impacts of the Fukushima nuclear accident on

nuclear education programs in European, Asian, and American countries individually.

Keywords: worldwide survey, NKM, nuclear education, Fukushima accident

BACKGROUND

Nuclear technology relies on nuclear knowledge. The role of nuclear education and training institutions in

creation, storage, and dissemination of nuclear knowledge is recognized at the global level [1]. Nuclear

education has seen its ups and downs during the development of nuclear technology. Figure 1 reflects the







historical trends of nuclear education in the United States. This shows that nuclear engineering programs

and departments were formed in the late 1950’s and 1960’s from interdisciplinary efforts in many of the

top research universities, providing the manpower for this technical discipline. For many of these programs,

research reactors were constructed worldwide, and started their operation to facilitate research and

training in the field of nuclear technology. The decade of 1960 was the peak time of nuclear education, as

there were sharply increasing trends in student enrolment and nuclear engineering programs at universities

[1].

Fig. 1: Historical Trends of Nuclear Engineering Programs in the United States.

The development of nuclear power technology has been severely damaged by some local and global

nuclear accidents, e.g. the reactor fire at Browns Ferry, Alabama in 1975 and the core meltdown at Three

Mile Island in 1979. The Chernobyl disaster in 1986 supported further declining trends, especially in

industrialized countries. Most of the ordered nuclear plants were cancelled [2]. The serious decline of

student enrolment and lack of industry interest threatened the sustainability of nuclear technology. Similar

issues, like safety and aging of nuclear facilities and personnel, were emerging in many countries, and

awareness of the importance of nuclear knowledge management in addressing such issues was growing

significantly. Knowledge management has become an important element of the organizational behavior of

the nuclear industry. The importance of managing nuclear knowledge was recognized at a very global level

in the IAEA General Conference in 2002 [1] by adopting a new resolution on nuclear knowledge,

emphasizing the importance of nuclear knowledge management. The resolution was reiterated in

subsequent years. In Europe, it was felt that failure to take appropriate steps would seriously jeopardize

the provision of adequate expertise. Many serious efforts by governments, industry, and academia were

put forth to restore and improve the nuclear education system [1,3]. The improvement in student

enrollment was seen in many countries [1]. For example, there was an increased interest in existing and

new programs like GNEP and Gen IV designs (i.e. new plants, new fuel cycles, recycling, etc.) in the USA.

Also, there was positive feedback from industry and government. Due to the enhancement of the student

pipeline, undergraduate enrollments have been recovered to pre-1990 levels, while graduate enrollments

are steady (and growing with the availability of research funding). The improvement in the situation is

shown in Figure 2 [1].




Fig. 2: Improvement in Undergraduate Student enrollment with DOE investment.

WORLDWIDE SURVEY ON NUCLEAR EDUCATION AFTER FUKUSHIMA ACCIDENT

During the efforts to restore nuclear education, the present world has witnessed another severe nuclear

accident in 2011, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, that has negatively influenced the nuclear

education system in some developed counties like Germany, Sweden, etc. To study the effects of the

Fukushima nuclear accident on nuclear education, a worldwide survey was conducted through a well-

designed questionnaire [4]. This questionnaire has collected the most information possible about the status

and trends in nuclear education to reflect the effects of Fukushima accident. The questionnaire was

distributed worldwide to 210 different institutions of higher education that offer nuclear education. The

responses received from the institutions of the different countries have been incorporated into this report.

The list of countries and the respective universities that responded to the questionnaire is given in Table 1.

The following information has been collected, through the questionnaire, from different countries of the

globe.

1. Name and country of the institution

2. Nature and length of nuclear education program

3. Special academic/training program (if any)

4. Total number of applications per year

5. Student enrollment data of the current year (2012)

6. Enrollment data of last six years (from 2007 to 2012)

7. Main employer of the graduates

8. Inclusion of Fukushima accident in the course

9. Student interests in response to Fukushima accident

10. Impact of Fukushima accident in the funding

11. Institution is interested in the final report

12. Rating the questionnaire

13. Confidentiality of data

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_Daiichi_nuclear_disaster




This survey questionnaire is available at www.tinyurl.com/ATI-NKM

Table 1: The countries and their respective universities that participated in survey

Countries Institution Country Institution

European Countries

Spain Technical University of Catalonia Finland Lappeenranta University of

Technology (LUT)

United

Kingdom

1. University of Manchester, School of Physics & Astronomy

2. Nuclear Technology Education Consortium

Czech

Republic

1. Brno University of Technology 2. Czech Technical University in

Prague, Department of Nuclear Reactors

Slovenia University of Ljubljana/ "Jozef Stefan"

Institute

Romania University Politehnica of Bucharest

Netherlands Radboud University Nijmegen Hungary Budapest University of Technology

and Economics

Slovakia 1. Slovak University of Technology, Institute of Nuclear and Physical Engineering

2. Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava; Institute of Nuclear and Physical Engineering.

Belgium 1. XIOS – Uhasselt 2. Catholic University of Louvain

(Louvain-la-Neuve, French speaking)

3. UHasselt/XIOS

Italy Università di Pisa Sweden Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (KTH)

Germany 1. Ruhr-Universität Bochum 2. 2FH Aachen 3. Karlsruher Institute of Technology

(KIT)

Switzerland Swiss Federal Institute of

Technology Zurich and Lausanne

(ETHZ, EPFL)

Lithuania Vilnius University Turkey Istanbul Technical University (ITU)

- Energy Institute

Ukraine Sevastopol National University of

Nuclear Energy and Industry

American Countries

Canada Ecole Polytechnique Montreal

USA 1. University of Tennessee 2. University of Wisconsin - Madison 3. Ohio State University 4. Virginia Commonwealth University 5. University of California at Berkeley 6. Penn State University 7. University of Idaho 8. University of Missouri

Brazil Nuclear and Energy Research

Institute - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Asian Countries

http://www.tinyurl.com/ATI-NKM




China Xi'an Jiaotong University India Indian Institute of Technology

Kanpur

Pakistan Pakistan Institute of Engineering and

Applied Sciences (PIEAS)

Japan Research Institute of Nuclear

Engineering, University of Fukui

Thailand Chulalongkorn University South

Korea

1. KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology)

2. Seoul National University

The survey results were analyzed to study the trends in nuclear education before and after the Fukushima

nuclear accident. This survey was carried out in three regions of the world, Asia, Europe, and The Americas

[4]. This research article is based on the information collected during the survey, and provides the trends in

nuclear education after the Fukushima nuclear accident.

2.2 SURVEY RESULTS

After collecting the data from 29 different countries in Europe, Asia, and The Americas, the trends in

nuclear education have been seen in different regions, reflecting the nature and size of their respective

nuclear programs. It has only been one and half years since the Fukushima accident, which is not enough to

predict the visible influence of the accident. The visibility of trends in nuclear education may take some

more time. The Fukushima accident affected the nuclear environment in some developed countries like

Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and Japan, while in India, Pakistan, and China, the public perception is

still pro-nuclear and there have been increasing trends in nuclear education. This section is divided into

three subsections: Europe, The Americas, and Asia. Out of the 59 received responses, 40 have shown

complete enrollment records, 11 presented incomplete records, and 8 were unable to provide any

enrollment data. It is safe to say that many universities did not respond to the questionnaire because of

their own reasons, and possibly due to lack of data.

A total of 51 universities reported no change in their budget situation due to Fukushima, 5 institutions

reported a decrease in funding, and only 3 institutions have seen an increase in their budgets after the

Fukushima nuclear disaster. It is quite troubling that almost 10% reported a decrease in funding, even

though nuclear education would need more money to train better professionals.

Figure 3 depicts the overall state of nuclear education around the globe. After the Fukushima nuclear

accident, Germany shut down half of their nuclear power plants, Italy held a referendum which cancelled

their plans for new build, Switzerland put their nuclear plans on hold, and other European countries also

didn’t show much enthusiasm for nuclear development. It is not surprising that European universities show

the biggest decline in student numbers. American universities show almost no big impact from Fukushima.

Unfortunately, we had very few responses from the 2 biggest Asian players (China and India), who will

make a big impact on the nuclear landscape in the following years. The rest of Asia shows mostly constant

enrollment numbers, with some universities expanding their programs while a few are cancelling courses.

In general, Asia is seeing increasing trends because of their nuclear energy capacities.




Fig. 3: Nuclear Education Trends in Different Regions of the World

2.2.1 Europe

Before the Fukushima nuclear accident, the nuclear knowledge management landscape in Europe (EU-27)

has been observed as growing in variety, as well as in number of instruments and initiatives [6]. The effects

of the Fukushima Daiichi accident on the workforce situation are significant in some countries. For

example, the main changes that affect the supply of/demand for nuclear experts, at least at a national

level, occurred in Germany (where 8 nuclear power reactors were taken off the grid, and the rest will be

closed by 2022), and in Italy (where, in June 2011, a referendum imposed a ban on the reintroduction of a

nuclear power program). In some countries, new builds and replacements of nuclear reactors might be

slowed down, whereas significant changes are not expected in other countries, and the industry is still

running under full capacity with regard to new builds and full order books. The overall picture is

changeable, and a clear judgment of the consequences is considerably challenging at this moment. It is,

however, clear that there is still the need for highly competent experts on nuclear safety in the EU-27,

which should provide a drive for good job opportunities in the region for decades to come [6].

To depict the real influence of the Fukushima accident, the responses on the above-described

questionnaire were received from 24 different institutions of nuclear education, located in 18 European

countries.

28

16

16

Total

Constant

Rising

Decline 10

4

1

America

Constant

Rising

Decline

5

3

2

Asia

Constant

Rising

Decline

13

9

13

Europe

Constant

Rising

Decline




Europe is quite important for the nuclear future, since many countries have their own programs, but do not

coordinate much with one another. EHRO-N has already started to find out how flexible nuclear experts in

Europe are, and how much they are willing to travel or resettle in a new location.

With somewhat contrary perceptions from both people and the media, the European nuclear landscape

will shift and diversify. Much effort is needed to provide the proper workforce that is needed to make

Europe a global player both in nuclear energy production and in R&D.

Fig. 4: Pre and Post Fukushima Trends in Nuclear Education in Some European Countries

2.2.2 Asia

China, India, South Korea, Japan, and Pakistan have been surveyed to investigate the influence of the Fukushima nuclear accident on their respective nuclear education programs. The trends in nuclear education of these countries are summarized in Figure 5. The figure shows completely different trends, compared to European countries. It may be due to the nature and demands of nuclear energy in these regions. The energy demand in some Asian countries is increasing rapidly. For example, China currently shares less than 2% from nuclear power [9]. Its rapid growth in demand has given rise to power shortages, and the reliance on fossil fuels has led to much air pollution. The economic loss due to pollution is put by the World Bank at almost 6% of GDP [7], therefore China seeks to build as many nuclear power plants as possible, with 400GW expected by 2050 [8]. India shares 3.7% of the total consumption from nuclear

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

University of Pisa

ETH Zürich

University of Manchester

Technical University of Catalonia

Italy

Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan

UK

FH Achen

Spain

XIOS Hasselt

Belgium




technology, and one third of its population is yet not connected to any grid [7]. Pakistan shares only 2.37% of the country’s electricity. Currently, Pakistan is also facing severe energy crises. Therefore, out of the many reasons for increasing trends in nuclear education, one might be the increasing energy demand.

However, after the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, safety issues in new nuclear power plants are being emphasized in Asian countries. For example: in China, the government suspended its approval process, pending a review of lessons which might be learned from it, particularly regarding siting of reactors with plant layout and control of radiation release. Safety checks of operating plants were undertaken immediately, and review of those under construction was completed in October 2011. Resumption of approvals for further new plants was suspended until a new nuclear safety plan was accepted, and State Council approval was given, in October 2012 [7]. India is also taking measures for safety improvements to cope with major disasters.

Fig. 5: Pre and Post Fukushima Trends in Nuclear Education in Some Asian Countries.

Nuclear education in most of the Asian countries is reflecting the development of nuclear technology. Figure 5 presents the slightly mixed trend in nuclear education of Asian countries. Both institutions of South Korea show slight decline, while Pakistan and Indian institutes demonstrate slightly increasing trends.

2.2.3 America

Currently, the USA produces 19.2 percent of its electricity from nuclear energy, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has granted, or is in the process of granting, 20-year license extensions for most of the country’s 104 operating reactors. The country will continue to obtain a significant portion of its electricity from nuclear power [10]. The Fukushima accident has stressed the need for safety improvements, and the United States has begun to take concrete steps to address serious shortcomings in nuclear plant safety and security that have been evident for years.

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

JAPAN Confidential

Seoul National University

Xi'an Jiaotong University

KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology)

PIEAS - Islamabad




In the late ninties, the USA made many efforts to improve its nuclear education enrollments. As a results of these efforts, the student enrollment in US institutions offering nuclear education was increasing significantly, as can be seen in Figures 2 and 6. It is difficult to predict the real picture of trends in nuclear education just one year after the Fukushima accident, but with time, the trends become more visible. The present survey on nuclear education indicates a gradual slowing down of student enrollment in US universities. Nine US universities responded the questionnaire. The response from Canada has also been received, but

due to a lack of enrollement data, it is not included in the plot under discussion. Figure 6 presents the

student enrollment trends before and after the Fukushima accident.

Fig. 6: Pre and Post Fukushima Trends in Nuclear Education in the USA.

Conclusions

1. Even one year after the Fukushima nuclear accident, there has already been a visible effect on the

nuclear education enrollment numbers for universities around the world. Because the Fukushima

accident occurred in recent history, however, student enrollment data over the next 5 years will

likely show an increasingly clear and significant influence on nuclear education programs, stemming

directly from the Fukushima nuclear accident.

2. Survey data indicates that the Fukushima accident has resulted in a gradual slowing of student

enrollment in nuclear education programs in many countries, rather than immediate stoppage of

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

University of Tennessee

University of Wisconsin - MadisonUSA

University of Idaho

USA

University of Missouri

USA




programs or sudden and drastic increases or decreases in enrollment trends. This shows that the

effects of the Fukushima accident may not yet be fully realized, and that the nuclear industry as a

whole is still in the process of reacting to the Fukushima accident of 2011.

Acknowledgement:

The authors are deeply grateful to the higher education institutions and nuclear stakeholders who responded to the questionnaire and extended their wishes for further cooperation. In case of queries or suggestions concerning our questionnaire or our study in general, the authors would appreciate to your feedback. Contact email: [email protected]





References

1. IAEA Nuclear Energy Series No. NG-T-6.1 Status and Trends in Nuclear Education“ IAEA 2011, Vienna,

Austria.

2. Helmuth Böck, Education and Training in Nuclear Energy: State of the Art, need and Future Strategies,

International conference on Research Reactor Fuel management (RRFM 2010), 21 -25 March 2010,

Marrakech, Morocco.

3. OECD publication (2003) Nuclear Legislation in OECD Countries, ISSN 1727-3854.

4. M. Salletmaier, J. Bannon, H. Böck, R. Khan, Post Fukushima Student Enrollment Study, EHRO-N

Meeting 2012, Istanbul, Turkey.

5. R. Khan, H. Böck, M. Villa, The status and patterns of nuclear education in an anti-nuclear environment, Austria, Int. J. Nuclear Knowledge Management, Vol. 4, No. 3, 2010.

6. Veronika Simonovska, Ulrik von Estorff, Putting into perspective the supply of demand for nuclear experts by 2020 within EU-27 nuclear energy sector, An EHRO-N report, JRC70083 2012, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

7. World Nuclear Association website, http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf63.html 2011, 22a St

James's Square London SW1Y 4JH, United Kingdom.

8. Rio Tinto, China to become nuclear number one, November 2012,

http://www.news.com.au/news/china-to-become-nuclear-number-one-rio/story-fnejlrpu-

1226519612061

9. Alan McDonald, Nuclear Power Global Status, IAEA website,

http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Magazines/Bulletin/Bull492/49204734548.html

10. U.S. Nuclear Power after Fukushima, Union of concerned scientists, July 2011,

www.ucsusa.org/nuclear_power

http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf63.html

http://www.news.com.au/news/china-to-become-nuclear-number-one-rio/story-fnejlrpu-1226519612061

http://www.news.com.au/news/china-to-become-nuclear-number-one-rio/story-fnejlrpu-1226519612061

http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Magazines/Bulletin/Bull492/49204734548.html

http://www.ucsusa.org/nuclear_power




Current situation in Brazil

Alexander Soares.

Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN)

1 Government returns to discuss installing new nuclear plants

Pressure comes from the need for increased use of thermal power plants, perceived this summer

BRASILIA - After almost two years since the accident at Fukushima in Japan, the government returned to discuss the installation of new nuclear plants in Brazil, pressed by the need for increased use of thermal power plants, perceived this summer. The latest edition of the National Energy Plan (NEP), 2007, indicated the construction of four new nuclear plants, but after the leak in Japan in March 2011, the matter ended up in the drawer. Now, when it became clear that the dams no longer realize the need continuous supply of the country, the idea resurfaced accompanied the debate over how private companies could be members of Eletrobras Eletronuclear these new ventures. For this to occur, you need to change the constitution and break the monopoly of the Union in this segment.

Later this year must be published a new PNE, which will point the Brazilian supply needs by 2050, making room for the expansion of these plants. Today, the only entrepreneur nuclear plants in Brazil's Eletrobras Eletronuclear, who hires consortia for specific services that relate to the operation of the plant and mastery of the fuel cycle. With a change in the Constitution that the government sees an opportunity to make room for the private sector in this sector, supplying the international credit crunch for the segment after the nuclear accident at Fukushima, which ended up hurting the construction of Angra 3.

- There is an understanding that the private sector can participate in some stages of the Brazilian Nuclear Program (GNP). We need to adapt our legislation because the Brazilian experience of recent years to build power plants and transmission lines for special purpose entities (SPE), which enters the state with 49%, and the private sector, with 51%, was well- successful. In the case of nuclear energy, is an alternative that must be considered. The private sector would be restricted to the more conventional part of the plant and the fuel cycle would continue a policy of state. We should start discussing it - said a source from the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME).

Destination of waste is still an obstacle

Particularly item 23 of Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the Union control of the nuclear industry, inhibits potential investors to join the state in this area, even if invited. Recently, contractors and suppliers in the nuclear industry and the government have made it to parliament a draft Constitutional Amendment Project (SGP) for reviewing this and other articles of the Charter, including the transferring of the legislature to the executive the siting of new facilities.

Greenpeace, environmental non-governmental organization that, since its inception, is opposed to nuclear power, which recognizes the need for power generation in Brazil, in the best of scenarios for energy efficiency and waste reduction, will triple by 2050, but continues to condemn the nuclear power option.

- Brazil should meet the future need for energy with a mix of available sources except nuclear, coal, diesel and fuel oil - said Ricardo Baitelo, energy coordinator of Greenpeace.

The government is already clear that will be expanded in the PNE, the forecasts for generation from biomass and wind energy, whose prices have been reduced in recent years, but believes that other less volatile sources such as nuclear are necessary to maintain security supply. When you go back to 2050, the




new NAP will show that the load will grow up to four times, while the previous plan from 2007 indicated a need to double generation by 2030.

- Our hydropower potential is exhausted between 2025 and 2030. Brazil will have to expand the system, especially with thermal plants, which today are coal, natural gas and nuclear. All three have their difficulties. On the nuclear issue, the difficulties are radioactive waste, public opinion, the safety and the fact that it takes ten years to complete - the source said.

These points have already been addressed by the government in recent months. In terms of security, for example, after you transact for eight years in October the government could approve - without fanfare and prior knowledge of opponents - a renewal Protection System to Brazilian Nuclear Program (Sipron), an agency attached to the Office of Institutional Security and the Presidency responsible for preventing nuclear damage, as well as the joint to help before a disaster. The text makes Brazilian law suits clauses of the Convention on Nuclear Safety, signed by Brazil in 1994.

About the delay of construction, the source MME explains that Brazil can advance current technology, PWR, for a model that is already being implemented in China and the U.S., the AP1000. This new technology can reduce the time for building a plant from ten to four years, thanks to a modular assembly model. This again implies a cost, but it could reach the country with investors who already have this technology out there.

The disposal of nuclear waste carcinogens, however, is still a major obstacle for the sector. There are discussions in the government about the search for a permanent destination, but the waste of Angra, for example, still housed submerged near the energy complex on a temporary basis. With regard to public opinion, the last obstacles to the government, Greenpeace admits that there is a strong volatility of the population on the subject between an accident and another.

- I believe it (waste disposal) is defined in the next two years, but it is a major problem, maybe even bigger than the accident, because there is no architectural projection for the fate of tailings - said Baitelo of Greenpeace. - The views, the only constant is the nuclear industry lobby.

The nuclear industry maintains a worldwide network of information exchange in support of the use of atomic power. One argument is that there are 65 plants under construction today, all carefully reinforced after Fukushima. Also argue that carbon emissions are practically zero, a thermal advantage over the other.

- The country masters the technology, we have the sixth largest uranium reserves in the world, and the plants are safe, so I took my family to live in Angra when I was working there - said Antonio Müller, President of the Brazilian Association for the Development of Activities Nuclear (Abdan).

The organization argues that the government resumes the transformation project of the National Commission of Nuclear Energy (CNEN) in a regulatory agency. Today, Cnen encompasses the roles of fomenting and supervising the sector, raising requests for regulatory changes to the commission itself.

________________________________________

Disaster in Japan affected completion of Angra 3

Eletronuclear lost access to funding because of withdrawal of the Germans

BRASILIA - The Fukushima disaster has resulted in delay of at least six months in anticipation of the completion of Angra 3 nuclear power plant, which will generate 1405 MW of power. After the accident, Germany decided to abandon nuclear generation, and fall, the support they had in similar projects worldwide. With that, Eletronuclear lost access to financing from European banks which accounted for 30% of the total cost in today $ 12 billion. In 2012, Eletrobras announced the extension of the date for start of operation in July 2016.




Only at the end of last year, a credit of $ 3.8 billion with Caixa Economica supplied this lack in Angra 3 and allowed a resumption of breath in the venture. Helped delay also a questioning of the bidding process for the service of electromechanical assembly plant, which ended up in the Court of Audit (TCU).

That last bit is delayed, however, compared with the 20-year period in which Angra 3 has shelved after the Chernobyl accident in 1986, the largest in history. Incorporated as an idea in 2007, the work just took off, in fact, in June 2010, has Leonam dos Santos Guimarães, adviser to the president of Eletronuclear.

Advocate of nuclear power as an alternative to the need for more thermal Guimarães said that if came into operation today, the power of Angra 3 would cost £ 180 per MWh, while no thermal operating for more than $ 500 per MWh.

- Thermal energy cheaper today is nuclear - Guimarães said.

2. Angra 1 completes 30 years in international performance standard

The Angra 1 nuclear power plant completed 30 years of operation or criticality. On 13 March 1982, the plant became self-sustaining, in April 1, was synchronized to the interconnected electric power and, in 1985, went into commercial operation. After facing problems that have hampered its operation in the early years of operation, Angra 1 now has performance standards consistent with international practice. In 2010, the plant hit its production record, a fact that was repeated again in 2011. With 640 megawatts of power, Angra 1 generates enough electricity to supply a city of 1 million inhabitants, as Victory or Florianópolis.

"The problems faced by Angra 1 and forced to interrupt their operation had nothing to do with your ability to generate power," says Jorge Luiz Lima de Rezende, superintendent of Angra 1. Mechanical Engineer graduated from the Catholic University of Petrópolis, he joined Furnas in 1978 and participated in the Group Departure of Angra 1, consisting of engineers and technicians of the company that performed the test commissioning of the plant, along with experts from Westinghouse, a U.S. company technology provider. Rao explains that interruptions initial Angra 1 were due, largely, to design errors and defects in the original equipment that needed to be replaced. "Many essential equipment supplied by Westinghouse, as the electric generator and condenser, had defects, which forced us to seek solutions to complex engineering resolve them," he recalls.

One of the most serious problems faced was in 1986, localized corrosion in the pipes caused by capacitors fixing "barnacles", animal abundant in the sea of Angra dos Reis. The advanced level of corrosion has required the replacement of 48,000 tubes of copper and nickel tubes degraded by titanium material more resistant to etching caused by acid secreted by "barnacle" to settle on the walls of the tubes. "There were other problems occur, of minor significance, but significant enough to cause inoperability of the plant for short periods," says Rao.

Shortly thereafter, a design error in the main electrical generator led to the burning of the equipment. "Once the plant has reached 100% power, the electric generator had a cooling problem and located the crash came. We had to rebuild it completely. It was a long project, which took nearly a year of work, but since then, we never had problem with this generator, "says Rao.

Another challenge faced by a long period, was replacing the original fuel element, supplied by Westinghouse, the national fuel, manufactured by Nuclear Industries of Brazil (INB), with the German company Siemens Project, a provider of technology Angra 2. "The new fuel, to be placed on the Westinghouse reactor, rods exhibited a vibration, leading to wear of the fuel element casing. To avoid a possible increased activity in the primary system to the degradation of the casing, turn off the reactor and install dampers in the guide tubes of each fuel, "explains Jorge Rezende.




The last major change occurred in 2009 with the replacement of steam generators, equipment vital to the operation of the plant and whose successive problems were responsible for long periods of interruption in operation. The pair of original steam generators whose tubes were made from an alloy of Inconel 600, was less resistant to the temperature and pressure of the primary system designers expected by Westinghouse. The solution was to replace it with a new pair of steam generators, designed by Areva (French company that bought Siemens) with inconel tubes 690, a material more resistant and that has proven its complete adaptation to system conditions.

Firefly

The successive interruptions of operation that marked the first years of operation of Angra 1 were caused by the degradation of the pipes of condensers, requiring the shutdown of the unit for repair, and auto trips, which are generated directly by the reactor protection system to any signal threat. According to Rao, the Angra 1 reactor has 21 tackles possibilities of direct, by which it protects itself off automatically. He cites the binding of a valve cannot send the amount of water needed to maintain the level in the steam generator and generates a trip signal for the automatic reactor. "This is a case where a trip was really necessary, but there are also many situations where an outfit, sometimes small, gives a problem that would not cause any threat to the safety of the reactor, yet it generates a signal disarm "notes.

Gone are the days where Angra 1 was pejoratively called the "firefly" by critics of nuclear power, for lighting and extinguishing lived. With the design problems solved and equipment, the automatic trips ceased. The latest happened on June 25, 2011. Since then, the plant has a shutdown of 32 days, from September 14 to October 18, 2011, in exchange for fuel and another three days, 4-6 November to repair a hot spot in the transformer bushing Auxiliary unit. "Discounting these days of scheduled shutdown, since totaled over 400 days without automatic or manual shutdown of the reactor, and further, operating much of the time at 100% power, breaking all historical records from generation to Angra1" Rao celebrates.

With 30 years of operation, Angra 1 has an operating license valid until 2024. Eletronuclear is planned to start in 2014, studies on the wear of the steel mill equipment to assess the possibility of extending its useful life.

Criticality

The March 13 commemorates the criticality of Angra 1, ie when the plant's reactor remained self-sustaining for the first time. Next, as the process occurs criticality:

Before departure in a nuclear reactor, it is kept in a subcritical situation, hardly occurs when production of neutrons. This is done by retaining the neutrons through the use of boric acid diluted with water to the reactor coolant at high concentration and inserting control rods of the fuel. Gradually, the boron concentration is being reduced and the control rods are being withdrawn, causing more neutrons is produced inside the reactor. When the rates of production and consumption that can generate neutron fission in uranium are equal, the reaction becomes self-sustaining and can say that the reactor is critical.

3. Pioneer, CDTN turns 60

The Center for Development of Nuclear Technology (CDTN) first Brazilian nuclear research center, completed 60 years of existence. Created on August 22, 1952 under the name of Institute of Radioactive Research (IPR), the center was the first institution in the country dedicated specifically to nuclear technology. It was also the first unit outside the U.S. to receive a nuclear reactor Triga research, one of the models used in the area. In these six decades of existence, CDTN has been providing services and maintaining technical cooperation with public and private entities, universities and hospitals, especially for companies in the electrical,




mineral, oil and steel. Housed on the campus of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) in Belo Horizonte, the center operates in seven major areas: education and training, materials, environment, mining, health, nuclear safety and nuclear technology.

4. Brazilian NPP´s occupy second place ranking in the IAEA

Brazil has occupied the second place in the survey on the performance of all nuclear plants in the world in 2011,

conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). According to a survey on the factors of availability

by country, Brazil, with 95.7%, second only in Slovenia, with 98.6%. This number measures the actual output of a

power plant compared to the maximum generation capacity of the unit during a specified period of time.

According Eletrobras Eletronuclear the past three years, since the exchange of steam generators for Angra 1,

there is a sharp and continuous improvement of the performance of Brazilian plants. In the past, Angra 1 and

Angra 2 hit record production. The company's expectation is that the result will be even better in 2012, insofar

as Angra 1 is available for operating the entire year. This year, the operating cycle of the unit will be longer, so

that it is not necessary to stop for refueling and scheduled maintenance.

http://oglobo.globo.com/opiniao/brasil-precisa-de-mais-usinas-nucleares-7582254

5. Brazil needs more nuclear plants

The private sector participation in investments in the nuclear area would be welcome, but for this, the

Constitution énecessário remove the state monopoly

In 2016, will come into operation the third Brazilian nuclear power plant, adding 1,405 megawatts of firm

power in the interconnected power system exactly along the country's largest consumer centers. This year,

in addition to civil works will begin to be assembled equipment for Angra 3. If you were already in

operation, the third nuclear power plant would have a competitive rate compared to other sources of

thermal energy, with the advantage of not requiring long transmission lines and operate almost year round,

with shutdowns for periods when the reservoirs of dams are filling.

The environmental impact of nuclear power plants is very low compared to other energy sources as they

take up relatively little space, and they have all phases of operation strictly controlled for reasons of

radiation safety. In a radius of several kilometers are samples of air, water, land and even the milk of cows

to observe any variation of radiation beyond the natural.

Angra 3 will be the last nuclear plants built on former nuclear agreement signed with Germany in the 70s.

The technology remains secure and current, with high redundancy, the more expensive. There is an

ongoing technological developments that will enable the construction of plants with slightly less capacity

(1,000 megawatts), but that will require less investment in the security - they will be intrinsically safe.

It is towards this new technology that plans for building new nuclear power plants in Brazil should point.

There are already advanced studies choice of suitable sites for the installation of a set of four plants in the

Northeast.




The accident in Fukushima due to tsunami in Japan has made the world hangs in the middle of one nuclear

programs. But, analyzed the causes of the accident, all plants have adopted similar procedures in place that

will prevent a repeat of the problem.

Thus, the construction of new plants in Brazil should return to the agenda, considering the needs of future

expansion of the generating of electricity in the country. To enable an acceleration in this type of

investment, the entry of the private sector in partnership with the public would be very welcome.

Currently, the Constitution establishes the Federal monopoly on nuclear activity, but there is more

technical reasons, or financial management so that this limitation is maintained.

A constitutional amendment, with broad support in Congress, would have to be approved to remove this

restriction. It's time to open the discussion. There is an energy crisis looming.

Read more on this in # http://oglobo.globo.com/opiniao/brasil-precisa-de-mais-usinas-nucleares-7582254

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Documents

May 31th 2013 Spring Issue N 05 IYNC Bulletin · Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, United Kingdom, Ukraine, United