Nuclear Power. Facts and Myths

Only three countries in the game

In the world, only three countries can compete in the production of reactors and fuel for them - these are Russia (which has become a technological leader), the United States and France.

For 2017 Japanese Westinghouse (owned), Toshiba located in the United States, controls 31% of the market volume (is in bankruptcy), 27% - a French company Orano (formerly Areva) and 17% "," Rosatom that is, TK "."TVEL

Nuclear fuel

Main article: Nuclear fuel

Nuclear Power in Russia

Main article: Nuclear power in Russia

• Rosatom

Nuclear power plant in the USA

Main article: US Nuclear Power Plants

Nuclear Power Plant in China

Main article: Nuclear power plants in China

NPP in France

The world leader in the use of nuclear power plants for 2015 is France. Its 58 power units generate about 80% of all electricity. At the same time, their total power is less than that of the American ones - about 70 GW.

1898: Henri Becquerel discovered the phenomenon of radioactivity

The phenomenon of radioactivity was discovered in 1898 by Henri Becquerel. At first, it was believed that the detected radiation was emitted by an atom, and only later it became clear that their source was an atomic nucleus.

Nuclear Power Plant in Spain

Main article: Nuclear power plants in Spain

NPP in Switzerland

The nuclear reactor of a nuclear power plant in the Swiss commune of Mülleberg was deactivated in December 2019. The shutdown ceremony was broadcast live. The nuclear power plant is closed after 47 years of operation. Its dismantling should end by 2034. This is Switzerland's first step towards abandoning nuclear^[1], a nuclear power^[2].

After the disaster at the Japanese Fukushima nuclear power plant, the Swiss authorities announced that they would no longer build new nuclear reactors. Four nuclear power plants remained in the country at this time. Two of them - in the city of Betsnau - are next in line for decommissioning.

Prior to closing, the Mülleberg station generated approximately 5% of the total domestic demand. The authorities are confident that the future lies with hydropower, as well as solar power plants.

But experts note that without an agreement with the EU, Switzerland could face a shortage of electricity and dependence on imports. Negotiations have been ongoing since 2007, but no agreement has yet been signed.

Swiss Business Federation chief economist Rudolf Minsch says: "We must become part of the European electricity market, so that our companies can operate on equal terms, and Switzerland would receive guarantees of reliable supplies."

Meanwhile, critics say authorities and the operator company decided to stop the Mülleberg nuclear plant not because of safety concerns, but because permanent repairs and control of the aging plant cost too much.

Nuclear Power Plant in India

2023: First fully Indian nuclear power plant put into full operation

On August 31, 2023, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the third power unit of the Kakrapar nuclear power plant, which is the country's largest reactor, has earned full capacity. Read more here.

Nuclear Power Plant in Japan

Main article: Nuclear power plants in Japan

Bangladesh Nuclear Power Plant

Main article: Bangladesh Nuclear Power Plants

Nuclear power plant in Hungary

Hungary The Paks nuclear power plant, built in the late 1980s. according to the Soviet project. This is the only nuclear power plant in the country located 100 km from the city, Budapest 5 km from the city of Paksha. There are 4 power units with VVER reactors with a total capacity of about 2 thousand MW, which produce about 40% of the electricity consumed by Hungary^[3]

In 2009, the Hungarian parliament approved the construction of two new power units with VVER-1200 reactors, and at the end of 2014 Rosatom signed contracts for these power units. In June 2019, the first construction and installation work began at the Paks-2 NPP construction site.

At the end of 2020, Russian nuclear fuel of a new modification was loaded at the Paks nuclear power plant in Hungary. During the completed scheduled preventive repair (PPM) at power unit No. 3 of the Hungarian nuclear power plant (NPP) Paks, a batch of fresh nuclear fuel containing 18 fuel cartridges of a new modification VVER-440 loaded into the reactor core. This was announced in December 2020 by TVEL, a daughter of Rosatom.

The new fuel will be introduced at all 4 operating power units of the Paks NPP, the number of cassettes of the new modification in the makeup will gradually increase.

In October 2020, as part of the contract signed in 2017 for the implementation of an engineering project for the development, justification and implementation of new fuel between TVEL and MVM Paks NPP Ltd:

• the development of fuel of a new modification of 2 generations has been completed;
• a package of documentation for licensing new fuel in the national regulator of the nuclear power has been handed over to the customer;
• at the plant - manufacturer of fuel for reactors VVER-440 the Machine-Building Plant in Elektrostal (PJSC "MSZ") - a subsidiary of TVEL, acceptance tests of fuel cartridges were completed.

Industry leaders

2022: Countries with the most nuclear reactors

Data as of 2022

2021:9% of nuclear reactors in the world are in the Russian Federation, another 10% are built using Russian technologies

Russia has a dominant position in global nuclear reactor technology supply chains, according to a report released on May 23, 2022 by Columbia University's Center for Global Energy Policy. Read more here.

NPP environmental friendliness

Nuclear energy in the world is increasingly being condemned, with new myths and tales emerging about it. This is often facilitated by "green" organizations, in order to convince the population of the planet, they sometimes launch various frankly false rumors in order to somehow defame nuclear power plants. As in any energy industry, there are pros and cons here^[4][5]. We give some facts for 2015:

• The average duration of the NPP operation is forty years, during this period of time a small amount will be added to the cost of electricity in addition to construction costs, which will go to its decommissioning.

• Each inhabitant of the Earth, as a result of exposure to natural radiation background, receives an average of 300-500 millibers (mber) per year. For example, a daily three-hour TV viewing gives 0.5 mber, and an X-ray of teeth - 3000 mber.

• There is an opinion that people who live near nuclear power plants are much more likely to have leukemia, this fact has not been proven and this is essentially not true. This disease is the same often found anywhere on the planet, and its outbreaks are both near nuclear power plants and in any resort city with an excellent ecological situation.

• Wind or wave energy is thought to be more environmentally friendly. This is also a controversial issue, as wind farms are often built along the banks of water bodies, which already disrupts the ecological balance. The production of such plants has a strong enough impact on the environment, and in order to generate the same amount of energy as in nuclear power plants, it will take just a huge number of these plants.

• It is often said that the Earth will soon run out of uranium - this is a lie. There is more uranium on our planet than gold by as much as 600 times! According to 2015 data, it will last for another five hundred years. And when it ends, scientists will easily be able to process thorium and convert it into uranium, and the reserves of this very thorium are three times more uranium.

• It is often argued about the cost of atomic energy. Ten percent of the cost of this energy is the price of uranium, its price is quite stable in contrast to oil or gas. For 2015, nuclear energy prices are more expensive only than gas prices, but at the same time it is twenty times cheaper than the energy of windy mills.

• The myth that nuclear power plants take a long time to build is interesting: on average, construction time takes about 5 years. For stations of this power, this is not such a bad result.

• The longest people are frightened by the fact that nuclear power plants produce gases that harm the environment. But according to recent calculations, they emit and contain less carbon compared to solar or hydropower. Also, they talk about radioactive waste, which very soon will have nowhere to go! But in fact, such stations generate a small amount of waste, while the storage facilities are replenished once every 20-40 years.

• After the terrorist attack in the United States on September 11, 2001, when the planes crashed into the twin towers, they began to fear a repetition of such events. Of course, existing nuclear power plants fell under the potential risk object. After a thorough and comprehensive study, it was concluded that no transport or passenger aircraft was capable of causing serious damage to such stations. Moreover, modern nuclear power plants are equipped with additional protection systems.

Notes