Nuclear Plant Operations 101
December 1, 2010
Vijay K. Sazawal, Ph.D.
Director, Government Programs
Disclaimer: Views expressed in the presentation are attributable solely to the author
Presentation

Global Nuclear Power Map and Market

Nuclear Fuel Cycle
 Front end
 Back end

Power Reactors
 Nuclear Power Plants in operation
 Light Water Reactors (LWRs)
 Evolution of Nuclear Reactor Designs
 Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)

Application of Export Controls
 Definition of key terms
 Departmental delineation
 When in doubt…..

Closing remarks
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Global Nuclear Map and Market

30 Countries with 438 total units operating
 U.S.: 104 (20%)
 France: 58 (78%)
 Japan: 53 (27%)
 Russia: 31 (17%)
 Canada: 21 (15%)
 S. Korea: 20 (37%)
 Germany: 17 (27%)

50 Reactors in construction in 13 countries

68 Countries considering nuclear power,
nearly half seriously

Key markets for U.S. companies include
China, India, Canada, Poland, the Czech
Republic, Slovakia, Italy, Vietnam, UAE and
U.K.
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Nuclear Fuel Cycle
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Front End of Nuclear Fuel Cycle

Mining (Uranium Ore)

Milling (“Yellowcake”/Uranium Oxide)

Conversion (UF6)

Enrichment (LEU)

Fuel Fabrication/Assembly
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Nuclear Enrichment
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Fuel Assemblies
BWR FUEL
PWR FUEL
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Back End of Nuclear Fuel Cycle

Interim storage

Spent fuel processing

Repository
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Interim Wet Storage
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Interim Dry Storage
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Reprocessing
COEX
PUREX
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Repository - WIPP
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Repository – Yucca Mountain
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Nuclear Power Plants in Commercial Operation
Reactor Type
Main Countries
Number
GWe
Fuel
Coolant
Moderator
Pressurised Water
Reactor (PWR)
US, France, Japan,
Russia, China
265
251.6
Enriched UO2
Water
Water
Boiling Water
Reactor (BWR)
US, Japan, Sweden
94
86.4
Enriched UO2
Water
Water
Pressurised
Heavy Water
Reactor ‘CANDU’
(PHWR)
Canada
44
24.3
Natural UO2
Heavy Water
Heavy Water
Gas-cooled
Reactor
(AGR & Magnox)
UK
18
10.8
Natural U
(metal)
Enriched UO2
CO2
Graphite
Light Water
Graphite Reactor
(RBMK)
Russia
12
12.3
Enriched UO2
Water
Graphite
Fast Neutron
Reactor (FBR)
Japan, Russia
2
1.0
PuO2 and UO2
Liquid Sodium
None
Source: Nuclear Engineering International Handbook 2010
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Light Water Reactors (LWRs)
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Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR)
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PWR Steam Generator
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PWR Coolant Pump
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BWR Reactor System
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Balance of Plant (BoP)
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Evolution of Nuclear Reactor Designs
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Small Nuclear Power Reactors

IAEA defines “small” as under 300 MWe

Renewed interest in small reactors partly in response to high capital cost of large power reactors

Lends to modular construction and incremental additions in capacity

Assessment by IAEA in 2009 concluded that there could be 43-96 small modular reactors (SMRs) in
operation by 2030

Other countries are likely to build and operate SMRs ahead of the U.S. Russia will commission a
floating nuclear plan (35 MWe PWR) in 2011

FY 2011 President’s Budget Request included $39M for SMR development

DOE exploring public-private partnership to pursue NRC design certification for 1 to 2 SMRs employing
LWR technologies

Commercial deployment of SMRs expected in the U.S. around 2020
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NRC Pre-Application Review of Small Reactors
No.
Design
Applicant
Capacity
Type
Design
Certification
Application
1.
NuScale
NuScale Power, Inc.
160 MWt/45 MWe
PWR
1Q CY 2012
2.
Pebble Bed Modular Reactor
(PBMR)
PBMR (Pty.), Ltd.
400 MWt/165 MWe
HTR
FY 2013
3.
Super-Safe Small & Simple
(4S)
Toshiba
30MWt/10 MWe
LMR
2Q CY 2012
4.
Hyperion Power Module
(HPM)
Hyperion Power
Generation, Inc.
70MWt/25 MWe
MSR
N/A
5.
Power Reactor Innovative
Small Module (PRISM)
GE-Hitachi Nuclear
Energy
840MWt/311 MWe
LMR
1Q CY 2012
6.
mPower
Babcock & Wilcox
Company
400MWt/125MWe
PWR
4Q CY 2012
 Gas Turbine-Modular Helium
General Atomics-OKBM
600MWt/285 MWe
HTR
N/A
General Atomics
250 MWe
HFR
N/A
Reactor (GT-MHR)
 Energy Multiplier Module
(EM2)
 Traveling Wave Reactor
TerraPower, LLC
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•HTR
N/A
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Application of Export Controls
Definition of Key Terms

Source Materials:
 Material in any physical or chemical form or ores that contain by weight 0.05 percent or more of
uranium or thorium (or in combination). Depleted uranium (left over from uranium enrichment) is
considered a source material
 Source Material Licensing: 10 CFR Part 40

Special Nuclear Material (SNM):
 Plutonium, Uranium-233, Uranium enriched in the isotopes U-233 or U-235. Pu and U-233 do not
occur naturally
 SNM Licensing: 10 CFR Part 70

By Product Material:
 Non-SNM material that is radioactive and produced either by fission process or by using SNM.
Examples are Tritium (H-3), Carbon-14, Flourine-18, Cobalt-57, Krypton-87, Radium-226
 By Product Licensing: 10 CFR Part 30
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Nuclear Facilities and Equipment
Under NRC Export Licensing Authority

Major equipment used in nuclear reactors:
 Reactor pressure vessel
 On-line fuel charging and discharging machines
 Control rod system and drive mechanisms
 Reactor primary coolant pump
 Zirconium tubes
 Reactor internals (NSSS)

Major equipment (especially designed or critically important) for following plants:
 Separation and enrichment of isotopes of uranium and lithium
 Fabrication of nuclear reactor fuel assemblies
 Reprocessing of irradiated nuclear reactor fuel
 Production of heavy water
 Conversion of uranium and plutonium
 Production of SNM using accelerator driven systems above 5MWt
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Nuclear Material Under NRC Export Licensing Material

SNM*

Source Material*

Byproduct Material*

Deuterium (heavy water)

Nuclear grade graphite

Full details in 10 CFR Part 110, including latest updates
* Requires NRC Import License
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Department of Commerce-Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS)

Export licenses cover “Dual Use” items

BIS export licenses may be required depending on the nature of the item, the country of destination and
specific “end-use”

Export licenses may apply to major equipment and technology in the Balance of Plant (BoP)
 High pressure turbines
 Condensate pumps, valves and motors
 Main generators and back-up generators
 Transformers
 Fire detection and suppression systems
 I&C used in BoP
 Radiation detection
 Telecommunications
 Tools and maintenance
 Additional guidance from BIS: www.bis.doc.gov
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When in Doubt…..





Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration (ITA)

Civil Nuclear Exporters Guide: www.ita.doc.gov

(202) 482-8245

(202) 482-3851
NRC (10CFR 110)

Office of Export Controls and International Programs

(301) 415-3684

(301) 415-1780
NNSA (10CFR 810)

Office of International Regimes and Agreements

(202) 586-0269

(202) 586-3806
DOC (“Dual Use”)

Bureau of Industry and Security

(202) 482-16414

(202) 482-2180
DOS (“123 Agreements”)

Office of Nuclear Energy, Safety and Security

(202) 647-4061

(202) 647-3978
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Closing Remarks

U.S. Government
 Executive Order – National Export Initiative
 Civil Nuclear Trade Initiative
 Interagency Working Group
 Trade Promotion

Government – Industry Coordination
 Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory Committee (CINTAC)
 Civil Nuclear Exporters Guide
 Export Control Seminars
 Industry Briefings

Any Questions?
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