Nuclear Power: “Too cheap to meter”

Ready Kilowatt

Nuclear Fuel Cycle

Uranium production in the U.S.

Nuclear Fuel Cycle

What is “nuclear fission”?

U-235 + 1 neutron = U-236

U-236 splits into:

2 neutrons + byproducts + ENERGY

Light Water Reactors

Boiling Water Reactor

Light Water Reactors

Pressurized Water Reactor

Heavy Water Reactor

Nuclear fission reactors used in Canada use heavy water as the moderator in their reactors. Since the deuterium in heavy water is slightly more effective in slowing down the neutrons from the fission reactions, the uranium fuel needs no enrichment and can be used as mined. The Canadian style reactors are commonly called CANDU reactors.

Moderator = graphite blocks

Problems:

1. Instability

of graphite

2. Lack of

containment

at Chernobyl

World Nuclear Reactors

NUCLEAR POWER TIMELINE

1946 Atomic Energy Act passed creating AEC

1957 Price Anderson Act passed

1960-80 Many US nuclear plants constructed

1970s: increasing anti-nuclear activism

1978:

• Three Mile Island accident

• China syndrome

1986: Chernobyl

NUCLEAR POWER TIMELINE

Since TMI decline of nuclear power in U.S.; cancellation of plants, etc. Business in rest of the world is mixed, at best.

Politics: Seabrook / MUSE

“prudency reviews” / TMI, Ginna

Evacuation plans and licensing

Decommissioning

new designs

Licensing Process:

• US

• Elsewhere

NUCLEAR POWER TIMELINE

Since Chernobyl, caution about nuclear power has grown, but the change is not as abrupt as elsewhere. Why?

• Germany

• UK

• Japan/France

Externalities and the Nuclear Fuel Cycle

• Low-Level Waste (LLW) - includes radioactively contaminated protective clothing, tools, filters, rags, medical tubes, and many other items

• High-Level Waste (HLW)- "irradiated" or used nuclear reactor fuel; some fuel processing wastes

• Uranium Mill Tailings - the residues remaining after the processing of natural ore to extract uranium and thorium

Radioactive Wastes

Waste Disposal

1. Low-level wastes: LLRWPA/compacts

2. High level wastes:

a. NWPA: Indiana case

b. Yucca Mountain

High level Nuclear Waste (Dry Cask) Storage

High level Nuclear Waste (Wet) Storage (fuel rods)

Nuclear Waste (Wet) Storage

Conceptual diagram of the Yucca Mountain facility

Opposition to Yucca Mountain Disposal Site

What is the future of nuclear power?

What factors point toward its resurgence?

What factors point toward its continued dormancy?

What about nuclear power in the developing world?

Fast Breeder Reactors

Under appropriate operating conditions, the neutrons given off by fission reactions can "breed" more fuel from otherwise non-fissionable isotopes. The most common breeding reaction is that of plutonium-239 from non-fissionable uranium-238. The term "fast breeder" refers to the types of configurations which can actually produce more fissionable fuel than they use. France has made the largest implementation of breeder reactors with its large Super-Phenix reactor and an intermediate scale reactor (BN-600) on the Caspian Sea for electric power and desalinization.

Gas-Cooled Reactors: Pebble bed