ECA Update | IAEA: Hosting a Nuclear Facility; Office of Nuclear Energy Update; New Media; And More
Published: Wed, 11/08/23
INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA)
HOSTING A NUCLEAR FACILITY:
MAYORS DISCUSS ROLE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
IAEA | 11/03/2023
Excerpt:
The IAEA recently hosted a meeting in Vienna that brought together leaders of nuclear facility host communities, representatives of facility operators, safety authorities and
government officials from some 50 countries to share experiences in fostering positive relationships with local stakeholders. A group of host community representatives also met with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, who recognized the need for open engagement with stakeholders if low carbon nuclear energy is to achieve its potential in the clean energy transition.
Nuclear energy stands on a robust technical and safety foundation, but misconceptions and concerns persist, particularly about nuclear waste. The IAEA supports countries in their efforts to engage stakeholders in activities that span the nuclear
fuel cycle, from uranium mining to nuclear power plant construction and decommissioning, up to waste management, through publications, conferences, expert missions and technical meetings as well as the Safety Standards.
Mayor Rebecca Casper of Idaho Falls in the United States of America, home to the Idaho National
Laboratory, highlighted how an initially fraught public dialogue has positively evolved over time.
“A dialogue that was formed through distrust and even some anger has transformed into one that is now based on collaboration over improving future outcomes,” Casper said. “The form of engagement also has changed from press releases and ad-hoc public meetings to a schedule of regular, face-to-face meetings and forums. I believe regular interaction facilitates ongoing attention and understanding as problems emerge or plans change.”
Participants also noted the important distinctions between hosting research reactors and nuclear power reactors or radioactive waste
facilities, as each of them has different purposes, opportunities and risks. Casper compared discussions about waste storage versus new technologies and their potential economic and environmental benefits. “It can be much easier to create a public dialogue that is based on future opportunity than one based on measured risk,” she said.
The October meeting was the latest effort by the IAEA to support national initiatives to strengthen stakeholder engagement and outreach related to nuclear power programmes. Last April, the
Agency hosted a first-of-a-kind workshop on reimagining nuclear energy. It brought together more than 60 participants from 32 countries including from academia, government and industry to
explore creative and innovative ways to engage stakeholders on nuclear energy, which provides a quarter of all low carbon electricity.
The production is the first of its kind in the U.S. in more than 70 years and meets a key milestone in the U.S. Department of Energy’s HALEU Demonstration project to stand up and operate 16 advanced centrifuges at an enrichment facility in Piketon, Ohio.
Ramping Up Domestic HALEU Production
The Department awarded American Centrifuge Operating, a subsidiary of Centrus, a contract in November 2022 to start up and
operate an enrichment cascade before the end of the year.
Centrus started enriching limited quantities of uranium hexafluoride gas into HALEU earlier this month and met this year’s production goal of 20 kilograms nearly two months ahead of schedule.
The Piketon plant is currently the only facility in the U.S. licensed to enrich uranium up to 19.75 percent and is the first domestic plant to start enrichment production
since the 1950s.
"This critical milestone is essential to meeting the Department’s near-term HALEU needs, while laying the groundwork for the full restoration of America’s lost domestic uranium enrichment capacity,” said Centrus President and CEO Daniel B.
Poneman. “We are committed to working with the Department and industry to build a public-private partnership so that we can scale up production in the coming years to meet the full range of commercial and national security requirements for enriched uranium.”
“Meeting this first production mark is very exciting for everyone involved in the Piketon demonstration project,” said Jon Carmack, DOE’s Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Supply Chain. “Centrus reached this accomplishment ahead of schedule and has proven the domestic capability to produce HALEU for the next generation of nuclear reactors.”
Centrus is expected to boost its annual production of HALEU material to 900 kilograms in 2024 under the contract, with options to produce more in the future.
The HALEU will be used to help fuel
the initial cores of two demonstration reactors awarded under DOE’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program and support fuel qualification and the testing of new reactor
designs.
Adding Nuclear to the Mix: NEI, EPRI, NETL, WVU, AND GAIN
This event serves as a platform to bring together diverse stakeholders including local communities, policymakers, utility companies, and energy innovators to delve into the dynamic landscape of enhancing
energy portfolios. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the evolving energy industry, focusing on the integration of innovative value-added energy solutions. By participating, you'll have the opportunity to learn about the current developments and opportunities in the nuclear and sustainable energy generation space. Whether you're seeking to better understand the future of energy, explore ways to support local economies, or foster resilient energy practices, this conference offers a unique
chance to connect, learn, and contribute to the ongoing transformation of our energy systems.
Colonel George L. Chapman is the Deputy Commander, 91st Missile Wing, Minot Air Force Base (AFB), N.D. In this role, he assists leading the wing’s 1,800 personnel as they operate, maintain, and secure 150 Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), 15
missile alert facilities, and 150 remote launch facilities located throughout an 8,500 square-mile missile complex in N.D. Combat-ready Airman provide a safe, secure, and reliable nuclear capability to credibly hold at-risk targets worldwide, ever-poised to accomplish the Air Force’s core mission of global strike.
Colonel Benjamin D. Jensen is the Deputy Commander of the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot Air Force Base, N.D. As the Deputy Commander, he is responsible for the health and welfare of roughly 4,900 active-duty members, 500 civilian employees, and 6,000 family members. He also
assists with overseeing operations involving the wing’s fleet of B-52H bombers to provide deterrence and long-range strike capability for combatant command operations worldwide.
Follow the latest DOE budget updates with ECA's budget tracker
Monitor DOE spending bills, detailed site budgets, and more.
DISPOSAL DRIVES CLEANUP: RE-ENERGIZING MOMENTUM FOR DISPOSAL SOLUTIONS FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE
This report calls on the Department of Energy to launch the initiative to develop the actual waste disposition approaches. The Department could potentially save hundreds of billions of dollars in cleanup costs by using its available tools and implementing the report’s recommendations.
Interactive guide for communities and governments to help navigate nuclear waste cleanup
The Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) recently released the Guide to Successful Environmental Cleanup, an interactive online resource that provides frequently asked questions, case studies, and recommendations regarding nuclear waste cleanup.
To assist local government officials, their communities, and federal agencies in deciphering
the complexities of the environmental cleanup process, ECA developed this guide to facilitate future successful cleanups.
Read the latest edition of the ECA Bulletin, a regular newsletter providing a detailed brief of ECA activities,
legislative news, and major events from across the DOE complex. Have suggestions for future editions? Email bulletin@energyca.org.
Learn More about Cleanup Sites with ECA's DOE Site Profiles
ECA's new site profiles detail DOE's active Environmental Management cleanup sites and national
laboratories, highlighting their history, missions, and priorities. The profiles are a key source for media, stakeholders, and the public to learn more about DOE site activities, contractors, advisory boards, and their surrounding local governments.
