Argonne evaluates small modular reactors for Ukraine's economic recovery

Argonne evaluates small modular reactors for Ukraine's economic recovery
by Beth Burmahl for ANL News
Lemont IL (SPX) Nov 21, 2024

Building on a decades-long partnership, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory will play a leading role in planning and rebuilding the nuclear-generated clean energy infrastructure in post-war Ukraine. Argonne will focus on developing small modular reactor applications that could play a key role in helping countries meet energy security goals.

Argonne's work supports the U.S. Department of State's (DOS) Foundational Infrastructure for the Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) program. Launched in 2019, FIRST is a multiagency U.S. government initiative that provides capacity building support to partner countries exploring the potential for small modular reactors and other advanced nuclear reactor technologies.

FIRST helps countries meet their clean energy needs consistent with the highest nuclear security, safety and nonproliferation standards, in addition to helping partner countries safely and responsibly build a small modular reactor or other advanced reactor program. Ukraine partnered with FIRST in 2021.

Recently, Ukraine announced participation in the Nuclear Expediting the Energy Transition (NEXT) program. NEXT is a sub-program of FIRST that provides countries with technical support for developing and deploying small nuclear reactors.

Ukraine's Minister of Energy German Galushchenko and Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins were joined by U.S. DOE Acting Assistant Secretary of Nuclear Energy Michael Goff, Argonne National Laboratory Director Paul Kearns, Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Azerbaijan H.E. Yuriy Husyev, and Chief Nuclear Strategy Officer of the Electric Power Research Institute Neil Wilmshurst. They announced the NEXT partnership during the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) held in Baku, Azerbaijan in November.

A leader in developing and analyzing advanced reactor technologies, Argonne will support two projects in Ukraine under the DOS NEXT initiative introduced in 2023.

By partnering with Argonne, Ukraine could develop the small modular reactors that can strengthen the country's energy security and play a critical role in post-war Ukraine.

Argonne scientists are taking part in a project focused on leveraging secure, safe and proliferation-resistant small modular reactor technology to provide clean nuclear-generated hydrogen, known as "Clean Fuels."

The project was originally announced by Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry and Galushchenko at COP27. The project is now funded for the second phase to build a pilot plant that will demonstrate production of clean hydrogen and ammonia using simulated safe and secure small modular reactor technology. Ammonia and clean hydrogen are key ingredients for agricultural fertilizers. Argonne will provide technical assistance and capacity-building to Ukraine and related stakeholders. The project will be carried out by a public-private consortium from Japan, the Republic of Korea, Ukraine and the U.S.

Argonne is supporting a second project to develop a roadmap to rebuild, modernize and decarbonize the Ukrainian steel industry with secure and safe small modular reactors, known as "Clean Steel." Small modular reactors can provide energy security and resiliency benefits for clean steel production in post-war Ukraine.

The project will carry out siting and feasibility studies and develop a strategy for integrating energy and power generated by small modular reactors into steel making processes. This project is led by DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and other partners are engineering, project delivery and professional services firm Hatch and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Approximately one-third of the size of a traditional reactor, small modular reactors generate significant amounts of electricity. Still an emerging technology, small modular reactors have many benefits. They are scalable and offer greater flexibility than traditional nuclear reactors. Small modular reactors also have the potential to replace damaged thermal power plants that use carbon-emitting fossil fuels as an energy source.

By introducing small modular reactors into its energy mix, Ukraine can increase its generation of nuclear power, advance resilient and clean energy goals, and take a critical step toward energy independence.

Argonne's work in the FIRST Program and NEXT sub-Program builds on its partnership with Ukraine going back to the 1990s. Argonne has provided Ukraine with valuable expertise and technical support in civil nuclear applications. Argonne also leads an internship training program for Ukrainian graduate students in advanced reactor technology.