Episode 63 | Fission's Future | Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE)
It was an honor to be approached to speak to the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy about the next generation of nuclear technologies.
Ed McGinnis is the office's Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary. For DOE, the approach is two-fold: pave the way for smaller reactors and upgrade the existing fleet of 98 large nuclear reactors.
The office is very keen on the development of Small Modular Reactors, which this podcast first covered in Episode 16.
"That is what nuclear energy is homing in on," says McGinnis. "Bringing in the Small Modular Reactors, that way utilities don’t have to bet the farm by deciding to build a large nuclear reactor that may cost $6-8 billion per unit…many utilities just cannot do that."
NuScale appears to be close to getting the first approved SMR design. They are currently developing a project in Idaho that could be ready by 2026.
McGinnis described these SMR designs as "walk-away safe."
"This design, if it had a complete loss of power, that reactor would shut down on its own," he says. "Even without any pumps or motors, or human intervention. That is game-changing."
In addition, McGinnis says there are Micro-reactor designs that could hold promise. One design could have a 10-year core lifespan (today's reactors need to be serviced every 18-24 months). Another project at Oak Ridge National Lab is developing a 3D-printed reactor.
For large-scale nuclear projects, McGinnis admits there have been challenges. Last decade, the U.S. seemed as if it was on the cusp of a nuclear renaissance. However, in the years since the Fukushima disaster in 2011, 14 units have been canceled.
Only Georgia Power's Vogtle 3 & 4 units are still under construction. McGinnis is optimistic Vogtle's completion could be the start of a new era in expansion.
"This first build, yes there's pain, but it's going to be hugely valuable, " he says. "We will have shown that we can build the world's largest, passively safe, commercial reactors, and once we have completed that in Georgia, we will have so much, with regard to lessons learned."
That means building new plants in the 2020s, and extending licenses for the existing fleet of 98 units. The average age of a reactor in the U.S. is 39 years. A license lasts 40 years. 84 units have received extensions to operate 60 years and 6 units have applied to extend their license to 80.
However, McGinnis says early retirements, like Beaver Valley in Pennsylvania is sending the wrong message. "That community was banking on generational jobs, contributions, an anchor to the community, for another 28 years," he says. "And now it’s slated to be closed next year. That's a tragedy.”
In addition, McGinnis points out the three plants in Pennsylvania closing alone will wipe out 20 years of gains made from wind and solar.
He says the choice is clear. "We will not be able to reduce—not even substantially—carbon and concerns over climate change without nuclear."
In addition, nuclear energy has helped lead to carbon reductions and a prosperous economy. "We have led the past 10 years in carbon reduction while achieving historic growth in our economy."
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