Nuclear Tomorrow - May 2025
Nuclear Tomorrow - May 2025
Nuclear Tomorrow is a newsletter that is issued monthly to identify press reports on developments in the field of nuclear energy. Topics are selected for their relevance to
the impact of nuclear energy on global warming. The newsletter is written for members of the general public who are concerned with policy related to these issues. Postings are categorized as dealing with Technology (T), Policy (P), and/or Construction (C). In some cases registration or a fee is required to access an article. Hyperlinks are provided to connect newsletter posts to the referenced publication. (See hot buttons associated with each posting) The newsletter is intended to expand on topics included in the book, “Nuclear Energy: Boom, Bust, and Emerging Renaissance,” to be published in 2025 by Oxford University Press. The author of the book and of this newsletter is Edward A. Friedman, Emeritus Professor of Technology Management at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA. The book is available for pre publication purchase via the Oxford University Website. The following link is for the paperback edition. A hardcover edition and an email version will be forthcoming.
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/nuclear-energy-9780198925781?lang=en&cc=gb#
Widespread Power Outage Hits Spain and Portugal (T)
A train that stopped near Cordoba, Spain, as power went down on Monday.
On Monday, April 28th there was a loss of electrical power in Spain that affected most areas of Spain and Portugal through mid Tuesday. The news story that is referenced here describes in some detail the impact of this event on the people and resources of the region, but does not deal with the cause.
While the cause remains unknown several weeks later, there are strong candidates for what precipitated this extremely disruptive event. Most often cited is the unusual reliance in Spain on renewable energy sources. In 2023 the approximate contributions to energy production originated with wind - 23%; solar - 21%; Hydro - 14%; Nuclear - 21% and Fossil Fuels - 21 %. With Spain relying for nearly 50% of its electrical energy on wind and solar, it is vulnerable to negative impact in the event of fluctuations in the system. This is because of the fact that when wind and solar fail the transition to zero power availability is instantaneous. In contrast, electrical energy from fossil fuel or nuclear plants is produced by generators that contain fly wheels that keep rotating for a short time following the loss of power. The continuity of these systems to continuing to function for a short time is referred to as inertia. The sudden loss of power can lead to the system shutting down. Further analysis is needed to determine the impact of this instability on the event in Spain.
Other factors that could have contributed to the shut down include those relating to regulation of the grid. A loss of power in one section sof the grid could be balanced by power from another section. The grid in question encompassed Spain, Portugal and parts of France. The failure that was experienced took down the entire network. These complex interrelationships await further analysis.
Since first posting the above comments, the cause of the blackout has been determined to be an abrupt loss of power at the Granada power station. The cause of that power loss has yet to be determined.
2.
Giant Batteries Are Transforming The Way That The U.S. Uses Electricity (T)
The analysis of energy choices among solar, wind, fossil fuel and nuclear needs to take into account the ability of solar and wind to provide power when the sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing. The availability of high capacity batteries that are cost effective is emerging as a game changer. During the past decade battery costs have fallen by 80 percent and giant batteries the size of shipping containers have become available. The report discusses the increase in use of large storage batteries in California and Texas to provide energy during periods when solar and wind are not available. While battery use is expanding they continue to be too costly to replace larger gas burning plants that
Provide steadier power day and night.
3.
Can a small Massachusetts start-up perfect a battery that would make electric vehicles cheaper and more convenient than conventional cars? (T)
This report reviews the significant progress being made by Factorial Energy in developing a solid state automobile battery that could revolutionize the viability of electric vehicles. A solid state battery that does not incorporate highly flammable liquid electrolytes is a safer component for use in automobiles. Of great significance is the fact that solid state batteries have a much reduced vulnerability of overheating and have the capacity to be charged quickly, in the time is takes to fill a car with gasoline. Solid state batteries pack more energy into a smaller space, reducing weight and increasing range. Factorial, which is based in Massachusetts, has entered a partnership with Mercedes-Benz which is initiating field testing of Factorial batteries in Mercedes automobiles. They are hoping that the battery will work using air cooling, thereby eliminating the need for a heavier, costly liquid cooling system. Pursuit of fabrication and operational factors will probably take several years to determine if this innovation is viable.
4.
Denmark rethinking 40-year nuclear power ban amid Europe-wide shift (P)
A tide of increased support for the use of nuclear energy, that has been evident in Europe during the last several years has manifest itself in Denmark. For the past 40 years Denmark has had a ban on implementation of nuclear energy. The energy minister of ghtghtDenmark has announced a review of the viability of nuclear energy that is likely to see the lifting of this ban. This review is taking place at a time when the Danish offshore wind company, Orsted, has experienced cancellation of a contract to build a large windfarm off the Yorkshire coast near Hornsea, England. This was due to the project becoming too expensive.
5.
Trump tightens control of NRC (P)
While not finalized or publicly discussed is an initiative revealed by National Public Radio (NPR) by Trump to control the actions of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). NPR has reportedly seen a draft of an executive order for the “reform of the NRC.”
The thrust of this order is to implement a review process by the White House of intended NRC actions. This process is reported to require the NRC to submit actions that they have approved to be submitted to the White House for approval or revision prior to public disclosure. This plan has been denounced by Edwin Lyman of the Union of Concerned Scientists who said, “To have political appointees meddling in these technical decisions is just a recipe for confusion and chaos.” While there have been calls for revision of the rules governing the NRC dating back to the Kemeny Commission’s report on Three Mile Island in 1979, this reported initiative by Trump falls outside the boundaries of any rational criticism of the NRC that has appeared to date.
6.
Trump signs executive orders to boost nuclear power, speed up approvals (P)
On May 23, 2025, Trump signed four executive orders to advance a goal of quadrupling domestic nuclear power production by 2050.
Much skepticism exists about the attainability of this goal. The orders reorganize the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to ensure quicker reviews of nuclear projects. An 18 month deadline was established for NRC action on industrial applications. Also, the orders called for a pilot program to implement three new experimental reactors online by July 4, 2026. There was also a
call to allow emergency measures to increase production of uranium fuel. In addition there was authorization for a study on
restarting reactors that had been closed. Critics noted that some of these initiatives could compromise safety and violate frameworks of existing regulations.
7.
Belgium Parliament Votes to Abandon Nuclear Phaseout Plans (P)
On May 15, 2025, the Belgium parliament voted overwhelmingly to abandon a planned nuclear phaseout. A 2003 nuclear phaseout law had imposed a closure date on Belgium’s nuclear power plants. At that time there were seven plants, while in 2025 there are four.
8.
Taiwan’s only operating nuclear power plant to shut down (P)
There has been ambivalence in Taiwan for many years regarding nuclear power. The current government has opted to close the only remaining nuclear energy source.
9.
Svante Opens World’s First Gigafactory for Carbon Capture in Canada ( C )
Svante Technologies, a Canadian carbon capture company, has launched the world’s first large scale carbon capture facility in Burnaby, British Columbia. While many have engaged in wishful thinking about capturing ambient carbon, this is the first realization of meaningful implementation of such technology. This facility is built to capture millions of tons of carbon dioxide every year. Svente’s system uses solid filters made of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). These filters have the ability to capture carbon dioxide molecules. The system can capture up to 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year which is roughly equivalent to taking 2 million gasoline powered cars off the road each year. Svante is pursuing multiple initiatives to expand production of these filters.
10.
Berlin, Paris overcome rift over nuclear energy, French official says (P)
The new German government has signalled to France that it will no longer object to treating nuclear power on a par with renewable energy in EU legislation. This is a major policy reversal
for Germany and leaves Austria as the only EU member with an anti-nuclear stance.
11.
Sweden passes law to fund new generation of nuclear reactors. (P)
Sweden’s parliament voted on May 21, 2025, to fund development of four large scale reactors. It currently has six reactors that were built in the 1970’s and 1980’s. The opposition parties voted against the bill. Sweden is almost fossil fuel free with 40% of its electrical energy produced by hydro, 30% by nuclear and 20% by wind. Sweden hopes to achieve net zero by
2045 but is challenged by the increasing demand for electricity.
12. Virtual models paving the way for advanced nuclear reactors (T)
Argonne National Laboratory is developing digital models of nuclear reactors that can be modified using artificial intelligence (AI). This approach can introduce modifications in reactor design that are explored under quickly and accurately. By simulating diverse scenarios, digital twin technology helps ensure that reactors run safely, reliably and efficiently, reducing costs and extending the life of reactor components.
13.
To win on nuclear energy, the United States should lose reprocessing (P)
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
The recent executive orders by President Trump on nuclear energy called for a major nuclear waste reprocessing initiative. This commentary criticizes reprocessing as misguided and cites
The experience of the UK which accumulated more than 100 tons of plutonium from reprocessing. This plutonium was ultimately seen as a major security challenge since it could easily be diverted into weapons. The UK ultimately decided to abandon this initiative and to dispose of its stockpile of plutonium. The article calls for the reversal of this plan when it undergoes review at the executive level and by Congress.
14.
S’pore and France to expand defense ties, cooperate on nuclear energy in upgraded relationship (P)
France and Singapore will expand cooperation in pursuit of nuclear energy. Agreements were signed to facilitate cooperation on safety, workforce development, research, environmental protection and protection of public health as well as emergency preparedness and response. This is in line with France’s aggressive nuclear export strategy.
15.
UAE, France eye energy synergy (P)
May 24-27, 2025, delegations from the UAE and France met in Paris to discuss development of new relationships on nuclear safety, fuel cycle management and employment of small nuclear reactors. Collaboration opportunities were explored. As with Singapore this was in line with France’s aggressive nuclear export strategy.
16.
Uprated NuScale SMR design gets US approval (T)
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved the 77 Megawatt Electric (MWe) version of the NuScale small modular reactor (SMR) design. Previously the NRC had approved a 50 (MWe) version which was the first small modular design approved for use in the US. NuScale hopes to be able to manufacture SMRs in a factory and deliver them via truck to a site where multiple units can be assembled. This strategy is discussed in the book, “Nuclear Energy: Boom, Bust and Emerging Renaissance,” written by this newsletter’s author. NuScale has one of the most highly developed plans for mass production of nuclear energy.
17.
New Yorker Magazine Gen IV Letter to the Editor (P)
In response to an article written in The New Yorker by Elizabeth Kolbert, the author of this newsletter submitted a letter to the magazine which was published in their May 26, 2025 issue.
The general public has little awareness of nuclear energy developments that have taken place during the past decade. Ms. Kolbert, unfortunately, made no mention of those developments which this letter sought to bring to the attention of readers of The New Yorker ( which has a circulation of 1.3 million ).
With regard to item 13 from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists regarding plutonium and the ease of making a weapon, I asked some people who know about this, including one who was instrumental in assembling a nuclear bomb. Here are some replies:
"Without monstrous cooperation from several insiders at a reprocessing facility, and an amazing array of transport and transfer equipment and facilities, it verges on the impossible, like about 1 in a million probability of success. And that leaves a harder part still undone, which is making the bomb. And, once again, that requires facilities that are capable of being used, undetected, with highly skilled people in the field of nuclear weapons assembly, likely more than an order of magnitude harder than stealing the Pu. And the hardest part is actually deploying the weapon. With today's detection and tracking systems, along with the intelligence about the "weapons people" to be watched and tracked, I suspect that truly becomes impossible in the US."
"...the plutonium in used nuclear reactor fuel is not suited for use in nuclear weapons because it contains too much Pu-240 that would have to be separated from the Pu-239. This is a much more difficult process than uranium enrichment since we are looking at a one- versus three-neutron difference in the isotopes to be "separated." Furthermore, to make reactor-grade plutonium into weapon-grade plutonium is impractical and dangerous. Pu-240 has a fairly high spontaneous fission rate, making it a relatively strong neutron emitter (more dangerous than gamma-ray radiation). Pu-241, also in the reactor-grade plutonium mix, decays to Am-241, which is a strong alpha emitter that poses self-heating problems and radiotoxicity problems if inhaled or ingested. Needless to say, you don't perform these kinds of operations in someone's basement or garage.
The nuclear proliferation issue is a red herring, as used nuclear fuel has been reprocessed outside the U.S. for decades. If obtaining weapon-grade plutonium from reactor-grade plutonium was a realistic option, then why is Iran going to all the trouble to enrich natural uranium rather than just stealing reprocessed plutonium?"
The Bulletin people are hardly scientists. They seem to think that promoting radiophobia will prevent weapon proliferation.
For a more realistc approach to radiaion, please see radiationeffects.org , the website or (true!) Scientists for Accurate Radiation Information.
Excellent information
Thank you
Gary