Recent Developments:

Domestic:

11/17/2020 – US Senate: Senators Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Revitalize America’s Nuclear Infrastructure

• Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), and Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the American Nuclear Infrastructure Act of 2020 (ANIA), which aims to “enable U.S. international leadership, preserve America’s nuclear fuel supply chain, reduce carbon emissions, and strengthen our economic, energy, and national security.” A summary of the bill can be found by clicking the link.

European News:

[Romania] 11/23/20 – Romania Insider: EC approves $8bn nuclear plant expansion in Romania

• EU approves US-Romania intergovernmental agreement, allowing nuclear cooperation to proceed on an expedited basis through public procurement. This will help them build the Cernavoda nuclear power plant’s third and fourth reactors with the assistance of the US, France, and Canada. Separate from this agreement, there is an MoU with the EXIM bank for $7bn in financing for nuclear projects and other areas.

[Regulatory] 11/26/20 – Euractiv: Hydrogen produced from nuclear will be considered ‘low-carbon’, EU official says

• The EU has clarified language surrounding hydrogen produced by nuclear energy. Now, the EC will consider hydrogen produced by nuclear energy as “low-carbon.” This is according to Paula Abreu Marques, head of unit for renewables and CCS policy at the European Commission’s energy directorate.
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[EU] 11/25/20 – Reuters: EU drafts deal to upgrade 2030 climate change target next month

• EU signals it is prepared to amend ETS disbursements to support countries with greater needs for financing to meet carbon reduction targets. The corresponding Modernization Fund would be given larger allocations to primarily CEE countries and as currently written allow nuclear investment. France has already signaled its use for nuclear generated hydrogen. Modernization fund will have longer timeframes for projects.

[Finland] 11/4/20 – STUK: STUK to launch reform of nuclear safety regulations and guidelines

• Finnish regulator STUK confirms work on streamlining authorizations for SMRs. This streamlining will allow license holders “more leeway for planning and creating the most appropriate solutions in terms of safety before submitting them to STUK for approval.”

[US-EU] 12/2/20 – European Commission: A new EU-US agenda for global change

• The EU proposes US-EU cooperation on the design of a regulatory framework for sustainable finance.
• Further, the EU proposes that the US and EU create a “green-tech alliance” to create lead markets and cooperate on clean energy practices, including: “renewables, grid-scale energy storage, batteries, clean hydrogen, and carbon capture, storage and utilization.”
• The EU says that the ultimate goal of these proposals are to expand on US-EU Energy Council work, create transatlantic investment and cooperation, and support other countries to meet their climate goals.

News from around the world:

[China] 11/16/20 – NEI Magazine: China’s Hualong One passes EUR compliance assessment

• China's third-generation nuclear power technology, Hualong One (HPR 1000) successfully passed the European Utility Requirements (EUR) compliance assessment and obtained the EUR certification according to China General Nuclear (CGN). The Hualong One reactor is China’s first indigenously design reactor intended for the export market.  

[Russia] 11/3/20 – NEI Magazine: Rosatom plans ground-based SMR for Yakutia

• Rosatom is planning to build a small nuclear power plant in Yakutia located in Russia’s Far East. Rosatom hopes to receive a construction license for the project in 2024 with the aim of launching the reactor in 2027.
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[RoK/Russia] 11/23/20 – Business Korea: South Korea and Russia Likely to Vie for Dukovany Nuclear Power Station

• Czech energy company CEZ is expected to move ahead with the Dukovany Nuclear Power Station construction project with either Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power or Rosatom. The total cost of the turnkey project is roughly 6 billion Euro. Atmea, a joint venture between Areva of France and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan, was recently eliminated in the second round of negotiations. Westinghouse of the United States, EDF of France and China General Nuclear Power Corp. are expected to join the bidding. It was recently reported that Rosatom illegally received bidding-related key information from a CEZ employee.

Related: PM hints at potential delay in Dukovany bidding, security services express concern over potential Russian or Chinese technology

[Russia] 11/13/20 – Asharq Al-Awsat: Russia Seeks to Expand Nuclear Energy Partnerships in the Middle East

• Russia’s Rosatom is actively seeking to strengthen partnerships in the Middle East. They note rising population and wealth as opportunity to expand their nuclear partnerships in the Middle East and North Africa. They are currently working on projects in Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and bidding for work in Saudi Arabia. Rosatom’s Director-General stated that the goal of the Russian nuclear sector was to achieve total energy leadership by 2030, in nuclear, renewable, and hydrogen energy.

Source: The above is part of the US Department of Commerce’s SMR PPP Newsletter. This newsletter will be sent out every other week with relevant SMR news from the US, Europe, and the world.