Paul Shoemaker’s Post

The recent completion of Vogtle Unit 4 marks a significant milestone in the US nuclear industry. While it's exciting to see this new generation reactor online, the project's high cost and lengthy delays serve as a cautionary tale. Challenges Faced: Cost Overruns: The project ballooned from an initial estimate of $14 billion to over $30 billion. Schedule Delays: Construction, originally expected to be completed in 2016 and 2017, stretched to 2023 and 2024. Keys to Success in Large Projects: These challenges highlight the importance of several factors in ensuring large projects are delivered efficiently: Clear and Optimized Design: A well-defined and streamlined plan can minimize construction complexities and delays. Strong Project Controls Team: Effective project management ensures costs stay on track and milestones are met. Leveraging Trade Expertise: Utilizing the skills and experience of qualified contractors can optimize construction processes.

"The growing demands for electric power have turned attention to nuclear energy." This article from Project Management Institute written 50 years ago highlights some familiar themes - such as the increasing demand for reliable energy and the need for improved #nuclear project performance - and recommends strategies to execute projects more effectively. When this article was posted, there were 55 nuclear plants under construction, over 100 more on order, and still more new projects being announced regularly. Nuclear projects were flying off the shelf, but their performance was leaving regulators and consumer organizations dissatisfied. A contemporary study from the Atomic Energy Commission had found that for every 2.5 months in a nuclear project lifecycle, there was an average schedule slippage of about a month. The poor performance was attributed to several factors - skilled labour shortages, supply chain issues, changing regulatory requirements and ineffective contracts to name a few - but suffice it to say that utilities were unable to effectively track and control the progress on their projects. Regardless of the cause, the recommended corrective actions are timeless: 1. Recognize that improvements in cost and schedule performance are not only possible, but necessary. 2. Treat vendors as partners, not adversaries. 3. Play a more active role early in the planning stages and throughout execution to improve visibility and transparency. 4. Exercise closer control of changes. 5. Prepare tailored reporting for senior management to improve their awareness and ability to intervene on critical items.

The first nuclear plant shutdown reversal in the US. Michigan's Palisades Nuclear Plant had a short decommissioning stint since 2022 and planning to continue providing power in 2025. Japan is doing the same with its fleet, Diablo Canyon's decommissioning was overturned by CA in December. Why are we extending the life of nuclear plants? Well, it's a no-brainer —carbon free, reliable 24/7 operation, virtually unlimited fuel availability, the safest power source among all other options. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) knows the problems created at the grid level by intermittent sources, and its Loan Programs Office (LPO) announced a $1.52 billion for a loan guarantee to Holtec Palisades LLC to finance the restoration and resumption of service of the Palisades Power Plant. The unit was defuelled following its shutdown, but since the plant's infrastructure already exists, the project to restart it does not involve traditional major construction activities, DOE said. It will only require inspections, testing, refurbishment, rebuilding, and replacement of some existing equipment. The fastest and most economical way to generate 800 MWe 24/7 with no environmental impact. Replacing nuclear clean reliability with anything else is harder than we think!

Invest in Building Fusion energy, space and maritime propulsion systems, Your talk is Nuclear (meaning Fission) and fails to discuss fusion. https://lnkd.in/ge_aeX7M The nuclear fission industry is, ignorant of what's happening around you. Pull your uranium heads out, start adjusting your industry to fusion energy and start preparing to enter the commercially growing fusion energy industry. As it dawns on Earth like the sun. Great Headline Guardian on Nuclear fission. https://lnkd.in/g8sMZtpR Fission is moving towards obsolescence at an accelerated pace, as it is "out of step, out of time, out of place," and merely a temporary industry globally. https://lnkd.in/gbd_mZqk Commercial fusion electrical generation is a promising innovative sustainable and clean energy method. By 2028, Helion is expected to start producing electricity from its first fusion commercial power plant, which will provide electricity to Microsoft. The plant will produce at least 50 MWe after an initial ramp-up period. https://lnkd.in/gY9J3MQY Now see what news is happening in the Fusion industry in the world. https://lnkd.in/g9hMBD7a As fission trebles, fission fuel shortage is increasingly real, as linked below. https://lnkd.in/gze5rwpr

While I Applaude their initiative; there are many case studies and publications that discusses the challenges including recommendations that identifies risks and mitigations of all aspects of nuclear project from licensing, design, supply chain, construction including qualified labor force to financing, etc. Overall, the key to success is initial realistic pre-planning across all facets of the project with a robust execution plan early in the project built on all stakeholders ownership/monitoring of risk identification/quantification and mitigation. #nuclear #smr #cleanenergy #development #planning #construction #iaea #doe #nuclear #renewables #climatechange #nrc #energy #wnn #naea #pej #onr #nnr #iea #eu #europe #nea #ensreg #nuscale #westinghouse #geh #bloomberg #worldbank #whitehouse #umichners #umich

Rolls-Royce SMR has enlisted GSE Solutions to develop a power station simulator, as it continues to mature the design of its SMR technology and remains on track to complete Step 2 of the Generic Design Assessment this summer.   GSE Solutions is a world leader in advanced engineering and workforce solutions across the clean-energy and power industries. This simulator will play a key role in Rolls-Royce SMR’s programme to develop, verify and validate the performance and control systems of its unique ‘factory-built’ nuclear power plant. It forms part of a much wider programme of development activities that are focussed on ensuring the ‘delivery-certain’ nature of the plant.   David Dodd, Rolls-Royce SMR Engineering Director, said: “Commissioning a simulation and test platform is another stride towards deploying the first Rolls-Royce SMR power plant. The work with GSE is part of our ‘digital-first’ methodology and our truly modular approach to developing new nuclear power – a reliable source of clean, affordable energy for the UK and the rest of the world.” #RollsRoyceSMR #DigitalFirst #Netzero Great British Nuclear, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero https://lnkd.in/dkn6XCQy

£1.1bn of works included in Great British Nuclear’s SMR project pipeline Great British Nuclear (GBN) has revealed its commercial pipeline has £890M-£1.1bn worth of work up for grabs and implied its small modular reactor (SMR) competition plans to appoint two suppliers. The body published its Great British Nuclear Commercial Pipeline document on 28 October 2028 which details five areas where, in total, it intends to spend up to £1.1bn on services needed for the delivery of its SMR program. The five contracts are; owner’s engineer (OE), project delivery partner, foundation engineering capability, civils/infrastructure and foundation project management and commercial capability. Civils and infrastructure alone has an estimated contract value of £200M. Project delivery partner The highest value area is for the project delivery partner, with an estimated value of £600M to £800M. GBN said it estimated the contract length for a project delivery partner to be 10 years, “subject to final scoping and phasing” and said the contract “may be let in stages.” It said the estimated procurement start date is 1 July 2025 and the contract commencement date is 1 September 2026. Owner’s engineer The OE contract is listed as having an estimated value of £30M to £50M, lasting 10 years, and the planned procurement sourcing route said: “Open: plan for one competition to account two suppliers with call-off contracts”, strongly implying that there would be two SMR designs approved and taken forward at the end of the GBN competition. “This will include technical and project assurance to GBN/DevCo in its role as an enduring Intelligent Client in the immediate term, and stand-up of Independent Nuclear Oversight of GBN/DevCo Core Safety Capability when required.” Foundation engineering capability The requirement for a foundation delivery capability is estimated to have a value of £30M to £40M, with the procurement start date being 3 March 2025 and the contract commencement date estimated as 18 August 2025, and total project time estimated to be three years.” Civils/infrastructure Details about civils and infrastructure work were very limited. It said it needed balance of plant covering manufacture, supply and installation. The contract is estimated to be £200M, taking approximately five years, with an estimated procurement start date of 1 January 2028 and estimated contract commence date of 1 January 2030. Foundation project management and commercial capability The estimated value of its foundation project management and commercial capability contract is £10M to £15M, lasting 1.5 years, and with an estimated procurement start date of 24 February 2025. It estimated that contract commencement would be 11 August 2025. https://lnkd.in/ebatbh8W

Poland is on track to replace 77% of its energy generation with nuclear reactors, following unsuccessful attempts to diminish coal plant reliance through solar and wind experiments. With the recent addition of a Rolls-Royce reactor, the nation is progressing in its nuclear plan. The lineup of reactors under development as of today includes: ⚡ 24x GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy BWRX-300 (7.2 GW) ⚡ 3x Westinghouse Electric Company AP1000 (3.75 GW) ⚡ 2x Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) APR1400 (2.8 GW) ⚡ 6x NuScale Power VOYGR (462 MW) ➕ 1x Rolls-Royce SMR (470 MW) The current fleet under development will be able to provide 118.5 TWh of energy per year. Taking into account that Poland generated 154 TWh in 2023, the country's nuclear roadmap is looking to transition 77% of its energy generation to nuclear, following the French model.

Go #Poland 🇵🇱, nuclear is the way to go for 2050 Net Zero. “The currently approved fleet will be able to provide 118.5 TWh of energy per year. Taking into account that Poland generated 154 TWh in 2023, the country's nuclear roadmap is looking to transition 77% of its energy generation to nuclear, following the French model ⚡ 3x Westinghouse Electric Company AP1000 (3.75 GW) ⚡ 2x Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) APR1400 (2.8 GW) ⚡ 24x GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy BWRX-300 (7.2 GW) ⚡ 6x NuScale Power VOYGR (462 MW) ➕ 1 Rolls-Royce SMR (470 MW)”

Romania to Complete Cernavoda 3 & 4 in $7 Billion Deal EnergoNuclear, the project subsidiary of Romania’s Nuclearelectrica, will sign the contract for the development of the new Units 3 and 4 at the country’s sole nuclear power plant (NPP) Cernavoda next month, during the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (COP 29), energy minister Sebastian Burduja said Monday 10/28/24. The engineering, procurement and construction management (EPC) contract will be signed with a consortium comprising US-based energy engineering companies Fluor and Sargent & Lundy, Canada’s Atkins Realis, as well as Italy’s Ansaldo, Burduja said in a social media post. “Funding is largely provided by participating states, through USEXIM (3 billion USD), Canada (2 billion Canadian dollars, agreement signed in my presence in Ottawa) and Italy (2 billion EUR, agreement signed in February 2024),” Burduja said. Units 3 and 4 will be developed by 2032 and will be based on the same technology. Together the two new units will provide Romania with another 1,400 MW of nuclear energy capacity, Burduja said. Atkins Realis is the owner of the CANDU technology. & & & Czech Republic to Invest in Rolls-Royce’s SMR Program The Czech Republic plans to take part in UK-based Rolls-Royce SMR’s small modular reactor program with a decision on “significant” investment to be made in several weeks, trade and industry minister Lukas Vlcek told state broadcaster Radio Prague International. Asked during the interview how large should the investment in Rolls-Royce SMR should be, Vlcek said: “It will be in the range of several hundred million British pounds” and “the final decision should come soon, by the end of the year at the latest.” & & & Ultra Safe Nuclear Files for Chapter 11 Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC), announced that it is seeking to run a sale process pursuant to Section 363 of Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The filing will consist of USNC and its subsidiaries, Ultra Safe Nuclear-Technologies, USNC-Power, and Global First Power Ltd. USNC announced it entered into an asset purchase agreement (APA) with Standard Nuclear, Inc. to serve as the Stalking Horse Bidder for USNC’s fuel-related assets and technology development contracts. Under the terms of the APA, Standard Nuclear will acquire the assets for $28 million in cash. & & & Read the full text of these reports at Neutron Bytes https://lnkd.in/e_vkjzuw