Copyright Atomic Energy of Canada Limited IAEA, Vienna, Austria, 9-12 Feb, 2010 AECL Perspectives on newcomer NPP owners: lessons from the Cernavoda

Copyright Atomic Energy of Canada Limited IAEA, Vienna, Austria, 9-12 Feb, 2010

AECL Perspectives on newcomer NPP owners: lessons from the Cernavoda

experience

AECL Perspectives on newcomer NPP owners: lessons from the Cernavoda

experience

John Saroudis

Regional Vice-President

CANDU Reactor Division

IAEA Technical Meeting/Workshop“Topical Issues on Infrastructure Development: Managing the Development of

a National Infrastructure for Nuclear Power”9-12 February 2010, Vienna, Austria

Copyright Atomic Energy of Canada Limited IAEA, Vienna, Austria, 9-12 Feb, 2010 2

Outline

• AECL Profile• Vendor Expectations of newcomers to nuclear• Some key questions• Legal, commercial and regulatory matters• Training and Education• Industrial and Localisation Aspects• The Cernavoda Experience• Longer Term Issues• Conclusions


Atomic Energy of Canada LimitedAtomic Energy of Canada Limited

• Established in 1952 to lead the Canadian nuclear industry.

• 33 CANDU reactors in-service worldwide

• Over 5,000 employees

• CANDU recognized as one of the top 10 major engineering achievements of the past century in Canada.

• World records in construction and commissioning.

• Advanced R&D Facilities


AECL’s Power Reactor Products

ACR-1000TM (Advanced CANDU ReactorTM)• 1200 MWe class reactor• Generation III+ technology• Combines experience of CANDU 6 with new

CANDU concepts• Light water cooling & low enriched fuel• Enhanced safety, economics, operability

EC6 (Enhanced CANDU 6)• 740 MWe class• Heavy water moderated and cooled, natural

uranium fueled• Based on the Qinshan project• Enhanced to meet current regulatory

requirements in Canada and internationally, and the Gen III guidelines


CANDU – A Global SuccessCANDU – A Global Success

Pickering, CanadaPickering, Canada Qinshan III, ChinaQinshan III, ChinaWolsong, S. KoreaWolsong, S. Korea

RomaniaRomaniaCernavoda 2 unitsCernavoda 2 units+ 2 units planned+ 2 units planned

Ontario, CanadaOntario, CanadaDarlingtonDarlington 4 units 4 unitsPickeringPickering 6 units 6 unitsBruceBruce 8 units 8 units

IndiaIndia2 CANDU units2 CANDU units 15 PHWR units, 15 PHWR units, 3 units under construction3 units under construction

ChinaChinaQinshan 2 unitsQinshan 2 units

Quebec, CanadaQuebec, CanadaGentilly 2 1 unitGentilly 2 1 unit

N.Brunswick, CanadaN.Brunswick, CanadaPoint LepreauPoint Lepreau 1 unit1 unit

ArgentinaArgentinaEmbalseEmbalse 1 unit1 unit

PakistanPakistanKANUPPKANUPP 1 unit1 unit

South KoreaSouth KoreaWolsong 4 unitsWolsong 4 units


Vendor Expectations of NPP newcomer countries

• Vendors want to deal with an intelligent customer;• Realistic expectations and objectives from host

country;• Clear and practical (credible) process;• Transparency and trust;• Host country commitment to undertaking long process

to develop the necessary infrastructure and human resources required for the successful implementation of an NPP program;

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Vendor Expectations: some key questions

• What is the country's legal framework: does it adhere to international agreements?• Does the country have the ability to develop the

required human resources?• Does it have a developed electricity sector from which

to draw resources that can be further trained?• What is the funding/financing model?

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Why the subject is pertinent

• 43 countries have expressed interest in building a first NPP;• 25 countries are actively considering nuclear power

programs;• Newcomer Country Perspective: Issues of economic

effort, capability of industrial infrastructure, availability of human resources, cultural considerations • Nuclear Vendor Perspective: Responding to new NPP

acquisition process is a time-consuming and expensive process

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What the vendor can do

• Help educate the buyer with help from the IAEA;• Undertake joint pre-feasibility studies (reflect some

vendor requirements into the process);• Make their expectations and requirements known to

the newcomer countries;• Sell proven technology; this provides a reliable base on

which to build in a newcomer country.

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Copyright Atomic Energy of Canada Limited IAEA, Vienna, Austria, 9-12 Feb, 2010 OFFICIAL USE ONLY

CANDU Development: A Strong HistoryCANDU Development: A Strong History

YearsYears

900

800

700

600

500

200

100

Po

we

r (M

We

)P

ow

er

(MW

e)

900900++ MW MWee Class ClassReactorsReactors

660000++ MW MWee Class ClassReactorsReactors

1950 19701960 1980 1990 2000

NRXNRX

NRUNRU

NPDNPD

Douglas PointDouglas Point

Pickering APickering A Pickering BPickering B

Bruce ABruce A Bruce BBruce B

DarlingtonDarlington

CANDU 9CANDU 9

Research & PrototypeResearch & PrototypeReactorsReactors

Today

RAPPRAPPSS 1,2 1,2

KANUPPKANUPP

ZEEPZEEP

ACRACRand beyondand beyond

Gentilly 2Gentilly 2 Wolsong 1Wolsong 1

Pt LepreauPt Lepreau EmbalseEmbalse

CernavodaCernavodaWolsongWolsong2,3,42,3,4

QinshanQinshan1&21&2

CANDU 6CANDU 6

Enhanced CANDU 6Enhanced CANDU 6


Legal and Commercial Aspects

Legal:• Non-Proliferation legislation;• Nuclear Liability legislation;

Commercial:• Well-established judicial system;• Acceptance of 3rd country legal system (if required);

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Regulatory Aspects

• Independent regulatory capability needs to be built up early in the process;• Close initial cooperation with vendor countries

regulators;• Train regulator staff in vendor country(s);• Adopt a clear, well-structured licensing system;

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Training and Education

Training:• Second regulator staff and future operations staff to vendor

country institutions/utilities;• Develop local labour capabilities in nuclear manufacturing and

construction;

Education:• Existence of high level universities;• Institute nuclear engineering courses including Masters level;• Educate future pillars of nuclear program in vendor country

universities

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Autonomy - self-reliance ability to implement program without undue

dependence on others

Economic development local companies to benefit from economic activity

Scientific & Industrial Development strengthens centres of excellence that support

other industries

Shorten the supply chain suppliers closer to customers eliminate language barriers

Costs reduce costs in a multi-unit new build program

Industrial and Localisation Aspects


AECL is committed to share technology

Four decades of experience CANDU plants exported to six

countries & operate in over six languages

High localization in most “CANDU” countries

AECL has no manufacturing facilities- therefore ready to partner with local companies

AECL Localization Policy


• Long history of collaboration starting in the late 1960’s• Technology transfer contracts signed in 1978 for CANDU 6

technology;• Initially program was too ambitious and not realistic (too much

dependence on local capability; program too large in scale);• From 1990’s and on the program was scaled back to one more

manageable and has resulted in the completion of two very successful CANDU 6 units (Unit 1: in 1996 and Unit 2 in 2007)

The Cernavoda Experience


Short history of Canada/Romania nuclear cooperation

Preliminary Phase:• Initial discussions started in late 1960’s;• Bilateral agreement signed 1971;• Joint AECL/ Ministry of Electrical Energy study;• Common study AECL/ISPE on feasibility of CANDU in

Romania (1975-76);–Meeting international safety standards;–Economic evaluation;–Localisation studies; localised D2O production;

• Visits to Canadian nuclear sites

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Short history of Canada/Romania nuclear cooperation (con’t)

1st Commercial Phase (1978-1989):• Commercial contracts signed in 1978:

–Technology transfer to manufacturing sector;–Training in Canada (engineering training at AECL; operations

training at Canadian utilities: Pickering and Pt. Lepreau NPPs)

2nd commercial phase (1990’s to present):• Greater involvement from vendor;• Single unit pace (not 5 units at once);• Successful completion of Unit 1 in 1996;• Successful completion of Unit 2 in 2007 (greater local

participation – local training of operations staff)

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Cernavoda: Regulatory Cooperation

• Initially Romania adopted USNRC based licensing process;• Then had to be adapted to CANDU approach in

collaboration with the AECB (CNSC);• CNCAN set up team of about 25 staff who were trained in

Canada;• In latter years of 2nd commercial phase the CNSC had a

full-time representative advising CNCAN during Unit 1 construction;• Unit 2 licensed entirely by CNCAN (2003-2007)

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Cernavoda: Technology Transfer

• 1978 agreements had significant technology transfer from Canadian to Romanian nuclear manufacturing sector;• Capability developed for an ambitious nuclear program

during the 1980’s (e.g. for Cernavoda Unit 3 it was envisaged to manufacture calandria vessel in Romania);• In reality fell somewhat short of requirements;• Long delays in program and limited volume led to

failure to fully develop domestic capability and eventually to further erosion (mainly in manufacturing).

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Longer Term Issues:

• Effective nuclear programs need sustained efforts to maintain capabilities;• Long interruption in program leads to loss of capability;• Competition for trained human resources can seriously

hamper domestic programs (manufacturing; construction; operation);• Need to adapt objectives to realistic requirements

(a single or 2 unit program has different requirements than a multi-unit long-term program)

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Conclusions

• Vendors want to deal with an intelligent and well-prepared customer;• The acquisition process is long and complex:

newcomer countries must devote the necessary resources (human and monetary) to carry this out;• Preparation for introduction of a first NPP is long and

demands commitment from the buyer;• But, it has been done successfully in several countries;• You CANDU it also!

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Thank you

Documents

Copyright Atomic Energy of Canada Limited IAEA, Vienna, Austria, 9-12 Feb, 2010 AECL Perspectives on newcomer NPP owners: lessons from the Cernavoda