Future Energy Pathways

NEWCLEO advances with licensing of MOX fuel plant and Reactor in Europe. The design is of a 4th gen lead-cooled reactor.
History of this company is very interesting...
The founder (italian scientist Stefano Buono) worked at CERN with nobel-prize winner Rubbia and the chief Engineer was in the team that design France's Superphenix reactor in the 70s.
The company is helped by state-agency ENEA that worked on lead-tech for nuclear since the 90s, when they were able to buy documentation and technology from Russia after the fall of the USSR.

They are currently building a small electrical reactor in a former italian nuclear research site.

Fuel loading at Mochovce 4 reactor has been completed and start-up can now begin.
The reactor is expected to begin commercial operation in the next months.
A very interesting video with a close-up of the core is also available, not in english tho.

Mochovce 4 will be the fourth and last unit of Mochovce NPP to begin operation, the 121st operational nuclear reactor connected to the EU grid.

Some news on smaller nuclear power output in the attached link. DARPA's Rads to Watts program could offer small power cells that could last for years without recharging.
How DARPA plans to get nuclear power in the size of a 'AA battery' - Breaking Defense

Indonesia research agency shown their SMR design that aimed to produce both electricity and hydrogen. This design is their work collaborate with China Tsinghua University. The idea for nuclear power is now gaining momentum not only in Indonesia, but also throughout ASEAN Neighbourhood.

Rumour say this SMR design is also being evaluated by MinDef for naval purpose (SSN). The other design is SMR Molten Salt reactor from Thorcon.

Is India going to "follow" China in Energy transition?

Interesting article about uranium enrichment.

URENCO and ORANO (EU), CNNC (China) and ROSATOM (Russia) control approximately 99% of global enrichment market.

SolarisKenzo said:

URENCO and ORANO (EU), CNNC (China) and ROSATOM (Russia) control approximately 99% of global enrichment market.

Click to expand...

That's mostly because the USA as one of the largest nuclear powerplant operators doesn't have independent commercial enrichment at all.

The US sold off scrap enriched fuel on the side from its 1940s/50s military enrichment until decommissioning those plants 1992. From 1994 to 2013 US powerplant operators use watered-down Russian military uranium stocks for fuel for about half their needs, since 2013 they've been buying regular Russian enriched uranium from Tenex, the commercial front of ROSATOM. In both cases the reseller is a former US government agency (USEC) that was privatized in 1998 (as CENTRUS). Plans by USEC/CENTRUS to start their own commercial enrichment have been largely unsuccessful in the part.

URENCO operates the currently only commercial enrichment facility in the USA, which provides most of the rest.

Massive engineering of one of the "trendy" sources of our times, offshore wind.

There are 14 of these platforms with the same converter equipment (one per offshore windpark out in the German highsea EEZ, between ca 50 and 100 km offshore beyond the Wattensee island chain). Although all built and installed a bit differently, mostly because the company uses different suppliers to have them built worldwide.
The purpose of these platforms is to convert 155 kV or 66 kV 3-phase alternating input from the windpark to 320 kV DC to reduce transport losses over the usually circa 200-250 km connection to the main high-voltage power network. Power handled is between 400 and 900 MW per platform, i.e. on scale with a smaller nuclear plant.

Engineering-wise probably most interesting among those 14 are HelWin 1 and HelWin 2. These two (looking much like BorWin 5 in the video) were build right next to each other and then connected with a permanent bridge so that the two can share helicopter platform and crew quarters.

IAEA now shown more active support for SMR proliferation. This meeting with Indonesia reseach agency (which included nuclear agency), emphasises support for Indonesia plan on network of SMR on outer islands.

Map of active european nuclear power plants by nucleareurope

According to this, Indonesia Nuclear Power sign agreement for 2 SMR with 100mw each as floating power plant. The plan to put this flooating power plant on North Maluku islands to support border regions there.

Previously the nuclear floating power plant will use Thorcon reactor. Seems Rosatom now take the deals.

Thorcon faces resistance from local "Greens" who can easily stoke fears that a Fukushima-style accident will ruin the locals' way of life. This despite that a Fukushima-style accident is impossible with Thorcon's design. Worst case scenario an accident would cause the reactor to be wrecked which will ruin billions of investment but wouldn't affect anything outside the power plant.

But explaining this to the average Joe will require explaining technical issues, which people don't really want to listen. Meanwhile, scaremongering is easy.

I believe the 'Green' and other enviromentalist already in loosing momentum on nuclear debate. Especially in ASEAN as nuclear lobby gaining ground. Energy security is the game, and Nuclear power become part of it. People not forgot how the green push Germany to shut down most of it's nuclear reactor prematurely. Now create high cost energy industry relative toward others Euro zone.

On Thorcon, seems the question being raise more on reliability of its molten salt tech. Still I agree with you, on safety side molten salt reactor has best safe guard in the case on melt down.