"PRISMs to Power the UK" open for business!

Here's the link:  PRISMs to Power the UK

I do hope I can get UK LFTR advocates to come on board with part-time support, for what I regard as the entrée technology for the UK's ultimate switch, in two or three generations, to wall-to-wall LFTR power.

Our short term budget for PWR spending for our 'New Nuclear', could surely be better spent on the equivalent PRISM generating capacity.

Politicians eh! Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em! Let's hope David Cameron can reverse Bill Clinton's dire decision, nearly 20 years ago, to halt IFR progress - energy wars, what energy wars? 

PRISM is almost here and now! The UK can lead the world into the Breeder Reactor era.

Maybe before the turn of the century, LFTRs will become the pre-eminent power source for the rest of this millennium and millennia to come.  In terms of the benefits which can accrue to the UK, there isn't a ha'p'orth of difference between LFTRs and PRISMs, but the timescales are miles apart. Cold reasoning leads me to conclude that in the very near future, PRISM deployment for commercial electricity generation can become a reality for the UK, whereas LFTR technology will surely be the prerogative of the USA or China. 

We have the technical/design capabilities and the manufacturing capacity here in the UK,  to manufacture PRISMs in their entirety and if we can lead the way in this technology, the benefits to our manufacturing industry, growth and prosperity are dream-worthy.                        

Over the past couple of years I have sadly concluded that nothing much will happen in the UK, by way of Government or private investment in LFTR technology, in the next 2 or 3 decades.

I am persuaded however, that there is an opportunity for the UK to start the world on a course to widespread breeder reactor deployment, by dint of our Government's approach to GE Hitachi, to use their PRISM Breeder Reactor to solve our plutonium stockpile problem.

I have contacted GE Hitachi through the website, with the following request:

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I am going to start blogging in the UK, in support of your endeavours to persuade the UK Government to use your PRISM reactor to solve our uranium stockpile problem.

I am particularly convinced by the strength of the arguments, for PRISM to alter public perception of nuclear power, advanced in this recent 'white paper': The Case for Near-term Commercial Demonstration of the Integral Fast Reactor

The aim of my blog will be to argue for an urgent adoption by our Government of your current proposal and my hope is that we will lead the world into the inevitable era of worldwide breeder reactor deployment, for the equitable, clean, plentiful, safe and secure provision of energy for all.

Beyond, what I hope will be your first success, I will be following a blog objective of ultimately powering the UK, to the exclusion of fossil fueled and unjustifiable wind powered sources. Around 30 PRISM Power Blocks of 600 MWe each, will provide all the UK's future electrical energy needs and subsequently, with public perception changed by, say, 5 or 10 years of success of the first PRISM, I think a strong campaign could be mounted.

My reason for contacting your PR department is to ask if I could be kept up to date with the latest PRISM developments, with particular regards to your UK proposals, by way of public/press announcements, newsletters, etc.?

Hoping to hear from you soon.

Regards,

Colin Megson.

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I will be switching soon to:  PRISMs to Power the UK

Anyone fancy taking this blog over, or taking up the UK LFTR banner with another UK based blog?

En Route To Building The First-Of A Kind LFTR In The UK!

PRISM is not the only reactor that 
can 'burn' our 
plutonium

stockpile.

What a chance this would be to get some molten salt reactor experience. We could scale up the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE), operated at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) from 1964 to 1969, under the Directorship of a true doyen of nuclear energy, Alvin Weinberg. In the last few months of operation, the feasibility of 'burning' plutonium, as a fuel in the reactor core, was put to the test.


For a pittance of a Government investment, we could get this operationally proven technology up and running in 5 years - after all, in 5 years from funding approval, the MSRE was designed, manufactured and 'switched on', in the days of slide-rules, tee-squares, protractors and compasses - what could we do now, with CAD/CAM and 3D computer modelling and planning?




Has Paul Howarth, The Director of the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), charged with assessing the likely effectiveness of GE Hitachi's PRISM, got the vision and the guts to at least mention this to Ed Davey as a possible alternative?  


This hot salt reactor plant is just 'glorified' chemical plant and the UK has the design and technological expertise and manufacturing capacity to produce this reactor in its entirety. If we could get a couple of years of operational experience on a plutonium 'burning' unit, we'd be within a shout of getting the first-of-a-kind Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor (LFTR) built and, for the UK, this would mean manufacturing jobs, growth and prosperity we have not seen in 3 generations; plus, as a little aside, operators could halve the price of electricity to domestic and industrial users and still make a handsome profit - because you get twice as much bang for your bucks from a LFTR 'fired' power station.

One Visionary is all that's needed - Can this Minister of State be the One?

A Plea by Email to Rt Hon Mr Edward Davey, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.

Dear Mr Davey,

Are you aware of the international interests and activities, regarding Molten Salt Breeder Reactors (MSBRs)? The extracts below indicate investment and research in China, Japan and the USA are well underway:

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China Initiates Thorium MSR Project  Sunday, January 30th, 2011

The People’s Republic of China has initiated a research and development project in thorium molten-salt reactor technology, it was announced in the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) annual conferenceon Tuesday, January 25. An article in the Wenhui News followed on Wednesday 

Only a few weeks ago, Japanese actions came to the fore:  The researcher, Takashi Kamei, told a thorium conference in Chicago last week [31 May 2012] that Chubu Electric Power Co. has launched a research program..... and that, “This research center includes the use of thorium as a future fuel.”. A later communication stated:     "....concerning thorium molten salt reactors....We announced our plan of stepped-up efforts for nuclear R&D....Subjects of research will include future nuclear energy like thorium rectors. This program will start in 2013. Our main activity will be to support institutions and universities financially. We consider thorium as one of future possible energy resources, but there are many challenges to be solved toward actual utilization. Therefore we  considered basic studies to be very important from a long-term view point and decided to support institutions’ basic study on thorium utilization...."

Flibe Energy, a USA Start-Up Company, has this to say in the final paragraph of their 'Introduction':  We submit for your consideration that the development of a thorium-fueled, liquid-fluoride reactor is a compelling and achievable goal with broad environmental and societal benefits. Flibe Energy has been created to bring this development to reality. 

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What will emerge in this decade is the possibility of factory produced Small Modular Reactor (SMR) versions of these reactors, capable of being shipped by road, rail and container ship. MSBRs are 'glorified' hot-salt chemical plants, operating at atmospheric pressure; you can run by the design and specification of an MSBR and know it will only be half the price of the equivalent PWRs being considered for our 'New Nuclear'. The UK has the capacity and expertise to manufacture this type of plant in its entirety, whereas with new PWRs, we are left watching from the sidelines.

IMHO, the Government need to invest in this technology, to kick-start interest from the private sector for the building of the first-of-a-kind Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor (LFTR), which is the best configuration of an MSBR, for electricity generation. You are on the right path by deploying a GE Hitachi PRISM reactor, which is a Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR), for burning our plutonium stockpile and Professor Paul Howarth is in favour of generating electricity  from the plutonium, instead of burying it. The logical next step is to consider the far safer and more affordable breeder reactor, the LFTR.

To do so, gives us not only energy security, but also emission-free electricity generation to meet our carbon targets in one fell swoop. And, we will see manufacturing growth and prosperity not witnessed in three generations. The APPG on Thorium Energy will certainly be able to contribute towards the debate and I sincerely hope you will be the Minister to open your mind to the enormity of the chance to get our Country to the forefront of LFTR technology and the immensity that this technology holds for peace and prosperity for every individual on the planet.

Regards,

Colin Megson.

Professor Paul Howarth and the Future of Fast Breeder Reactors in the UK

Is it reasonable to surmise that this individual in charge of this organisation could well dictate the UK's nuclear direction for the foreseeable future?

Will he dictate the timing or even the prospects of UK deployment of breeder reactors?

As of mid-April 2012, no apparent utterances on his opinions of the potential or capabilities of the GE Hitachi PRISM.

This is the situation so far:

Legal Status and Ownership

The National Nuclear Laboratory is a UK registered private limited company in which the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change holds all of the shares through a holding company NNL Holdings Ltd.

Objectives

The Government’s objectives for the NNL are for it to:

• operate as a sound commercial business;
• demonstrate value for customers;
• create a platform for UK and internationally funded R&D;
• ensure the latent value of the UK’s R&D can be demonstrated and realised;
• become an international centre of excellence in nuclear research and development, playing a vital role in cleaning up the UK’s nuclear waste legacy and contributing to the programme of nuclear new build;
• safeguard the UK’s high tech nuclear expertise, facilities and skills;
• ensure the stability of the immature UK civil nuclear R&D market;
• provide a basis for opening up the UK market to nuclear facility operational and clean up R&D; and
• safeguard the contribution that the NNL makes to the West Cumbrian economy and local ambitions to become an Energy Coast.

Professor Paul Howarth
Director of Science,
Technology and Project Delivery,
National Nuclear Laboratory, UK

Vision, Mission, Values:

Our strategic vision is the overarching guide to what NNL aims to achieve:

To be a valued and successful nuclear science and technology laboratory, world renowned for its exceptional staff, cutting edge facilities and excellent value for money.

GE Hitachi - NNL Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

“With our recognised technical capability and long experience in fuel cycle analysis, we are pleased that GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy has looked to NNL to provide independent and authoritative input to the potential U.K. application of a PRISM reactor,” said Paul Howarth, managing director of NNL.

 

Add caption

April 2012 Issue of Ethos Journal:  Paul Howarth - "Nuclear Future"

".....There are three approaches to managing the UK’s plutonium stockpile: store it, treat it as waste, or use it as fuel. My feeling is that it should be turned into fuel – we should derive the benefit of electricity from it....."

News:  13 April 2012

NNL Managing Director participates in Prime Minister’s top level business delegation to Japan

Managing Director of the UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), Paul Howarth, was part of the top level business delegation which visited Japan this week.

The group was led by Prime Minister David Cameron..... During the visit UK and Japanese officials agreed and signed a Framework on Civil Nuclear Cooperation, providing the basis for UK companies to engage in multi-billion pound decommissioning opportunities in Japan. In a separate development, the UK Nuclear Industry Association and the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum signed a Memorandum of Understanding to further industrial collaboration between companies from the UK and Japan.

Paul Howarth said: “I was delighted to be invited as a delegate on this tremendously important trip to Japan. There is clearly a huge opportunity ahead for the UK and Japan to work together to address nuclear challenges across the sector – including the areas of new nuclear build, waste management and decommissioning....”

In keeping a close eye on Professor Howarth's utterances in respect of the Plutonium Question and Breeder Reactor Deployment, I intend to publicise any developments with alacrity.

Nuclear Waste Problem - What Nuclear Waste Problem?

Memorandum of Understanding to study the Breeder Reactor Solution to the UK's Plutonium Stockpile.

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) on handling UK plutonium.

NNL will provide expert technical input to the potential U.K. deployment of GEH’s innovative PRISMreactor, which would be specifically designed to deal with the UK’s plutonium while generating 600 megawatts of low-carbon electricity.

GEH met with a number of skilled nuclear workers in West Cumbria to learn how they could work with GEH on PRISM’s potential deployment.

The country is currently storing more than 87 metric tons (and growing) of plutonium at the Sellafield nuclear complex in West Cumbria, England. 

“We are excited for the potential opportunity to utilize the expertise of NNL and help the U.K. continue to take a leadership role in the reuse of plutonium,” said Danny Roderick, senior vice president of new plant projects for GEH.

“With our recognized technical capability and long experience in fuel cycle analysis, we are pleased that GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy has looked to NNL to provide independent and authoritative input to the potential U.K. application of a PRISM reactor,” said Paul Howarth, managing director of NNL.

Today, GEH, along with leading U.K. engineering firms Costain, Arup and Pöyry, (GEH’s “CAP Alliance” partners), met face-to-face with the number of highly talented and experienced nuclear sector suppliers in West Cumbria.

Should PRISM be approved for construction, in addition to creating about 900 permanent jobs and thousands of expected indirect jobs for the local community, this multibillion-pound investment would stand to create a range of opportunities for suppliers while continuing to develop the country’s nuclear energy skills base.

Drawing of the PRISM Reactor
(Power Reactor Innovative Small Module) 

About PRISM

PRISM is based on technology that was demonstrated in a fast reactor in the U.S. called the EBR II (Experimental Breeder Reactor) that operated successfully for 30 years. Calculations have shown that PRISM technology would use practically all the stored plutonium at Sellafield, as PRISM consumes much of the plutonium as a true fuel.