1. Some Key Considerations RelatingSome Key Considerations Relating
to the Deployment of Nuclearto the Deployment of Nuclear
Powerplants in AustraliaPowerplants in Australia
Presented at the 35Presented at the 35thth Annual Meeting of theAnnual Meeting of the
Australasian Radiation Protection SocietyAustralasian Radiation Protection Society
Adelaide, South AustraliaAdelaide, South Australia
October 2010October 2010
George Anastas, ConsultantGeorge Anastas, Consultant
PE, CHP, FHPS, DEE, FARPSPE, CHP, FHPS, DEE, FARPS
PastPast--President, Health Physics SocietyPresident, Health Physics Society
11021 BridgePointe, NE11021 BridgePointe, NE
Albuquerque, NM 87111Albuquerque, NM 87111
USAUSA
2. 22
Ye Olde DisclaimerYe Olde Disclaimer
• The views expressed herein reflect only the views and
opinions of the author. These may or may not
represent or reflect the views and opinions of any
past, current or future employer(s), professional
societies, my wife, children, sons-in-law, daughter-in-
law, present and future grandchildren, friends or
colleagues.
• George Anastas, Albuquerque, New Mexico
October 2010
3. 33
Some FactsFacts
• The fissioning of atoms produces energy
which can be used to generate steam, to
drive a turbine generator to produce
electricity.
• There are hundreds of operating nuclear
powerplants worldwide.
• There are over 100 nuclear powerplants in
the construction or planning process.
4. 44
Additional Facts
• kWhr (energy) is growing in Australia
(?4%/yr since 1990).
• Peak electrical load (in MegaWatts) is
growing in Australia.
5. 55
More Facts
• There are advantages to using nuclear power to
produce electricity. (reduced “greenhouse
gases”, diversity of fuel mix, displace additional
coal fueled units, brown and black coal =70% of
electricity generation, …)
• Australia emits ~1.5% of the world’s GHG.
• There are disadvantages to using nuclear power
to produce electricity. (capital costs,
infrastructure needs, dis-economies of scale, …)
6. 66
A Quote from George
(Not Anastas)
• As George Santanya (Jorge Agustín
Nicolás Ruiz de Santayana y Borrás) a
Spanish-American philosopher, essayist,
poet, and novelist once said,
“Those who cannot remember the past
are condemned to repeat it.”
7. 77
Prelude
• If, for a variety of reasons, it is in
the “public interest” to pursue the
development of nuclear
powerplants in Australia, then…
8. 88
Australia Is in a Unique (and
envious) Situation
• Australia can critically evaluate the path
forward, learning from the mistakes/errors
missteps of others.
One does not have to be first, but one
should try to be the best.
George Anastas, October 2010
9. 99
Suggestions/Considerations (1)
• Select one or two vendors/types of reactors (proven
track record for design, construction and operation,
do not go for a large size, unique design, etc.).
• Assure management has experience overseeing
massive projects over a long time horizon.
• Train/educate utility staff (assignment overseas,
particularly for operators).
• Select a turbine generator that “fits” with the
characteristics of the steam produced by the NSSS.
• Be wary of language and culture of vendor(s).
10. 1010
Suggestions/Considerations (2)
• Insurance (limit liability?, property)
• Size of powerplant (operating reserve {single
largest generator + fraction of peak load},
sharing reserves, transmission constraints,
cooling water, market forces, baseload, etc.).
• Siting considerations (bank sites, ?Jervis
Bay?)
• Financing/Capital cost (Loan Guarantees?).
• Construction time
11. 1111
Suggestions/Considerations (3)
• Begin to develop the infrastructure (education,
training, nuclear engineering, assignment to
similar nuclear powerplants).
• Begin to develop the INDEPENDENT regulatory
structure (and training for the regulatory staff).
• Regulatory Agency = Absolutely and
Unambiguously, No Promotion.
• Regulatory Agency=Transparent, Arms Length
(do not let the dingoes tend the sheep!).
12. 1212
Suggestions/Considerations (4)
• Enticing offshore experienced human
resources with nuclear power project
experience to support available Australian
human resources (?)
• Turnkey arrangements
• Russia’ recent arrangements with Turkey
– Finance
– Operation
13. 1313
The Ugly Difficult, The BadThe Ugly Difficult, The Bad
and The Goodand The Good
(Apologies to(Apologies to
Clint Eastwood, et al)Clint Eastwood, et al)
14. 1414
Chaos (?) at the Vendor LevelChaos (?) at the Vendor Level
• KEPCO, PWR
• AREVA, PWR
• Westinghouse, PWR
• General Electric, BWR
• Toshiba
• Hitachi
• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
• AECL, CANDU
• Numerous Joint Ventures
• Russia (?) VEER
• China (?)
• India (?)
15. 1515
NotNot--SoSo--Minor Reliability ItemsMinor Reliability Items
• Turbine generator supplier (have to match
NSSS steam conditions with TG, so TG
supplier and NSSS vendor have to talk)
• Forced Outage Rates for NSSS
• Forced outage rates for TG
16. 1616
Other NotOther Not--So Minor ItemsSo Minor Items
• Enrichment Services (?)
• Low/Intermediate level waste disposal
(Ngapa land at Muckaty Station??)
• Spent Fuel Storage/Disposal
• Financing (1000 MWe, $US 5-10 B, 5-10
years construction time period)
17. 1717
Additional NotAdditional Not--SoSo--Minor ItemsMinor Items
• A/E Services
• Construction (QA)
• Outage management
• Cooling water (cooling towers, perhaps:
fresh water cooling, don’t think so: that
leaves once through sea water)
• Then because of the above, thermal
discharge
20. 2020
EpilogueEpilogue
• Beware the regulator that promotes.
• Beware the promoters.
• Base decisions on facts, not wishful thinking.
• If it is too good to be true, then …
• Since there may be VAST HUGE sums
involved at an unknown financial risk, perhaps
proceed carefully in an incremental risk adverse
approach.
21. 2121
Epilogue (2)Epilogue (2)
• What organization owns/operates the
power reactor?
– Australian Private industry
– Foreign entity (like Russian/Turkish
arrangement)
– Australian Federal government
• Federal Authority
• Federal Company
– Some combination
22. 2222
Ye Olde DisclaimerYe Olde Disclaimer
• The views expressed herein reflect only the views and
opinions of the author. These may or may not
represent or reflect the views and opinions of any
past, current or future employer(s), professional
societies, my wife, children, sons-in-law, daughter-in-
law, present and future grandchildren, friends or
colleagues.
• George Anastas, Albuquerque, New Mexico
October 2010
