IAEAInternational Atomic Energy Agency

Chairpersons’ Summary

Mr. Hadid Subki & Mr. Il-Soon Hwang4 July 2019

The 17th INPRO Dialogue Forumon Opportunities and Challenges in Small Modular Reactors

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INPRO Dialogue Forums

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• Bringing together technology holders and users to jointly consider international and national actions for achieving innovations in nuclear reactors and fuel cycles

• Supporting Member State efforts that keep nuclear energy available to contribute to meeting sustainable energy needs of the current century and beyond

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17th INPRO Dialogue Forum

• Main objectives: • Discuss and share information and knowledge on SMRs and its role

in the energy market• Promote an open dialogue on Opportunities and Key Challenges in

the development and deployment of SMRs• Identify the barriers to entering commercial market and potential

solutions• Recommendations for the IAEA

• Participation and structure:• 140 participants from 23 Member States and International

Organizations • 6 Sessions and 27 Presentations in 3 Days

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Research & Technology Development (1)

• For integral-PWR type SMRs: simplified reactor system smaller containment reduced civil structure reduced EPZ enhanced public acceptance;

• Modularization shortens construction time, makes SMR plant scalable for multi-unit deployment, in turns reduce investment cost;

• SMR challenges are not primarily in technology rather in its licensability in user countries while the design development is under review in the country of origin;

• R&TD should facilitate licensability in embarking countries for human capacity building of the regulators

• Optimization of containment vessel design• Fuel is not standardized, shorter, requires CHF tests• Instrumentation and control system and Man-machine interface• Technology readiness level for large diversity of design

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Research & Technology Development (2)

• Need to „break the ice“ between vendor countries and embakring countries

• Embarking countries have well educated human resource with advanced nuclear education, but no opportunities to involve in the design and technology development with designers, to the least R&D (IAEA CRP a solution)

• Collaborative R&D to promote standardization of various SMR designs, e.g. in the integral PWR types

• Standardization efforts need interraction among users, technology developers and regulators

• Through R&TD, Member States embarking countries become intelligent customers

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Market Opportunities (1)

• Several SMR market opportunities in existing and future nuclear markets;

• Current market status of SMR in the viewpoint of both investors and developers were explained;

• SMRs introduce advanced safety features, but economy needs to be demonstrated through FOAK that can pose risks and barriers. Could be overcome by governments.

• Supplier-User G-to-G cooperation can be desirable.• Financiers need simple explanations of risk management

that address past nuclear accidents• Owner-Vendor partnership and Project Management (PM)

strategy are important.

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Market opportunities (2)• If an accident occurs on SMRs, the impact shall be

significantly minimized compared to that in large reactors, no severe accident allowed.

• User states should ask themselves on the need for nuclear power, the commitment and preparedness to build.

• Basic features of different SMRs in terms of safety features, economy issues, innovative concepts, multi-purpose utilizations and technological issues were presented.

• Balanced R&D is required for technical proof in every fields.• Project Management for FOAK design has been

challenging.• Market need for SMR success driven by safety, reliability,

security, eco-friendliness and suitable market scheme

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Design Requirements (1)

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Design Requirements (2)• Design simplification• Enhanced safety performance• Manufacturability• Constructability Shorter construction time• Appropriate size for the grid• Proven Technology and Regulatory Certainty• Plant Standardization• Operability and Maintainability• High capacity factor• Supply chain (fuel, system, component, equipment)• Severe accident prevention robustness• Cost competitiveness: Affordable upfront capital cost and competitive

generation cost per kW-hour. • Security, safeguardability and enhanced proliferation resistance

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Near-Term Deployment SMR designs

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Near-Term Deployment SMR designs

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International Organizations

• Many universities in Member States want to joint IAEA-CRP, but only know after the CRP already started. IAEA will issue earlier notification of new CRPs

• Request the IAEA to provide information or report on near term or future SMR global market Will be discussed in next week TWG-SMR meeting; may be performed by

IAEA/NEPIK/PESS OECD/NEA has produced such a report

• Safeguards by Design (SBD) benefits technology developers, users, IAEA and regulatory bodies

• Presentation on the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC) was delivered, SMR is 1 of the 7 focused areas, discussed in 11 IFNEC meetings

• Two (2) important workshop/meeting on SMR Financing in Dead Sea, Jordan (2014) and on SMR Regulation in Paris, France (2018)

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Member States presentation (1)• INET of Tsinghua University, China is developing of nuclear heating reactor

NHR200-II that promises advantages including complete integration, natural circulation based, passive safety and reduced EPZ size

• Ghana has been performing Reactor Technology Assessment of SMRs using the IAEA RTA e-Toolkit• Raised several suggestions to the IAEA to further improve the method by removing

repetitive subjects in different Elements• BATAN, Indonesia has been developing a 10 MWth HTGR-type experimental

power reactor, based on the Nukem-Rosatomdesign, through a bidding in 2015. New funding being procured for a scaled up 100 MW PeLUIT design, site licensed received from the regulatory body

• Iran nuclear energy authority has also conducted SMR technology identification and assessment for future potential deployment

• UNIST, Republic of Korea has an on-going R&D on micro reactors called URANUS, a eutectic lead bismuth cooled reactor, with fast neutron spectrum

• The Kurchatov Research Institute, Russia has advanced R&D to support SMR design and technology development in the Russian Federation for electricity, heating and desalinating

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Member States presentation (2)

• Algeria is interested on NPP likely with SMR for cogeneration after 2035, the country has 2 operating research reactors, basic nuclear infrastructure available

• Egypt is running already an NPP construction project for El-Dabaa site with 4 units of VVER-1200, but also considering cogneration SMRs for future use in synergy with renewable energy sources;

• Jordan has 2 parallel paths, previously worked on plannig to deploy 1000 MWe with VVER-1000 for Al Amra site, implied that capital cost too high this time, SMRs have then been considered. RTA conducted on 6 SMR designs including the Xe-100 and HTR-PM of GCR, also RITM-200

• Jordan requires hybrid water and dry-based cooling for UHS• 14

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Member States presentation (3)

• Morocco has worked on large NPP planning, an IAEA-INIR mission was conducted in 2015, planning for phase-2; Non-binding process done with CANDU6 (Canada), VVER1000 (Russia) and OPR1000 (Republic of Korea); may consider SMR Generation-III after 2030

• PAEC, Pakistan, has a dedicated directorate for SMR design development. PAEC has established requirements for iPWR design and technology

• TINT, Thailand: if SMR is adopted in the future, may require Plug&Play, Simplicity, Serial Production and Inherent Safety. Thailand has Industrial Park. Also require: Social Acceptance

• Ukraine: 4 NPPs – 15 units of VVER in operation, 14.5 GWe, due to available infrastructure and lack of fossil fuels, SMRs may be prospective

• Romania has performed INPRO NESA and MESSAGE Studies that conclude the need of SMR in the future. Now operates only 2 CANDU6.

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Opportunities

• Current emphasis on environmental protection Reduce CO2 through non-electric sectors Reduce heat dump on environment by increasing efficiency of NPPs

• Increase flexibility of NPP operation by load following –flexibility of cogeneration

• Improve economics

• Increase economic activities

• Increase energy independence

• Reduce poverty through improved water supply

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Challenges

• Convince stakeholders, particularly potential users, public, and politicians about merits of NPP with non-electric applications and cogeneration

• Select most appropriate NPP (SMRs versus large NPPs) for cogeneration

• Select most appropriate coupling scheme for cogeneration processes

• Develop mature high temperature processes• Develop as needed safety standards and regulations of

NPP with cogeneration, i.e., coupling to heat processes• Demonstrate economic, reliable, and safe NPP with heat

processes (presently non-existence of NPP with high temperature processes)

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Barriers to enter commercial market

• Public and political acceptance

• Cooperation between utilities and heat users

• Licensing of NPP with cogeneration

• Qualified human resources and expertise

• Financing

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Chairs’ Summary-1

• 17th INPRO DF on SMR Opprotunity and Challenge• 142 delegation from 22 MS & IAEA• 4 IAEA, 2 Algeria, 2 Argengina, 1 Bangladesh,11 China,2 Egypy, 3

France,1 Ghana, 3 Indonesia, 2 Iran, 1 Italy, 1 Jordan, 1 Malaysia, 2 Morocco, 1 Pakistan, 89 ROK, 3 Romania, 4 RF, 1 Senegal, 2 Thailand, 3 Ukraine, 3 USA, 1 Viet Nam

• Heated discussions throughout the Forum period• Comprehensive media coverages: over 20 news reports

• 17th INPRO DF was strongly supported by ROK Ministry of Science and ICT, UNIST, Ulsan Metropolitan City Government and sponsored by ROK nuclear industries• Dedicated students• Technical Tours• Cultural Performances

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Chairs’ Summary-2

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Opportunities1. Climate Change

2. Safety

3. Simplicity

4. Flexible Application

5. Capital Cost

6. Flexible Deployment

Challenges1. Policies

2. Licensing

3. Security & Safeguards

4. Implementation

5. LCOE

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Recommendation

1. Meeting and Guidance on SMRs

2. Information Sharing

3. General

Chairs’ Summary-3

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Meeting and Guidance on SMRs

Public Acceptance

Licensing

Safety, Security and Safeguard

User Requirements

Funding and Financing

Chairs’ Summary-4

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Information Sharing

Data Bank on SMR

Bi- or Multi-national cooperation

Facilitate SMR Near-Term deployment

Vender

Platform

ARIS

Chairs’ Summary-5

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GeneralClimate Control Strategy

Entitle SMR as Clean Energy

CRP on Hybrid Renewable SMR

Technology Transfer & Training

R&D Support

Compilation of R&D, Lic. Constr. Experiences

Design for Safeguards, SNF, Waste, Decomm.

Chairs’ Summary-6

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Chairpersons’ Conclusion17th INPRO DF has been a great success;

Invaluable SMR knowledge and experiences have been

shared and discussed to arrive at meaningful

recommendations;

-by proactive participation of distinguished delegates

-by excellent presentations

-by well-designed programs

-by dedicated bright Sherpas;

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Seung Chang YOO (UNIST)

Jeong Hyeon LEE (UNIST)

Kwang Beom KO (UNIST)

Inyoung SONG (UNIST)

Junhyuk HAM (UNIST)

Taeyong KIM (UNIST)

Yunju LEE (UNIST)

Yeong Shin JEONG (UNIST)

Min Ho LEE (UNIST)

Ji Yong KIM (UNIST)

Do Yeong LIM (UNIST)

Ye Yeong PARK (UNIST)

Dong Hoon LEE (UNIST)

Sherpas of the 17th INPRO DF

IAEAInternational Atomic Energy Agency

…Thank you for your attention