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2018-01-24 11:40:00

EU NUCLEAR POWER - 2017

EU NUCLEAR POWER - 2017

WNANuclear Power in the European Union 

  • The EU depends on nuclear power for more than one-quarter of its electricity, and a higher proportion of base-load power. Nuclear provides over half of low-carbon electricity. 
  • Very different energy policies pertain across the continent and even within the EU, but attention is now being given to an EU Energy Union. 
  • A substantial degree of transmission interconnection exists in western Europe, but much more investment is needed. 
  • Electricity markets are a key to the future of reliable generation capacity, including nuclear.

The EU is the largest energy importer in the world, importing 53% of its energy, at an annual cost of around €400 billion.

 

 

In 2015 in the EU, 27% of electricity was nuclear, 27% was from coal, 17% from gas, 2% from oil, and 27% renewables (more than half from hydro). The hydro plus other renewables target for 2030 is about 46-50% of electricity (27% renewables overall), with wind and PV likely to contribute more than half of that. The power transmission system operating body (ENTSO-E) is formulating a 'Vision Package' to grapple with increased levels of variable renewables. This is to take forward the Energy Union strategy, and comprises four executive papers: on market design, on regions to enforce the internal energy market, on better regulation for energy in the EU, and on a new framework for European security of supply.

EU nuclear generation capacity

The 128 nuclear power reactors (119 GWe) operating in 14 of the 28 EU member states account for over one-quarter of the electricity generated in the whole of the EU. Half of the EU’s nuclear electricity is produced in only one country – France. The 53 units operating in three non-EU countries (Russia, Ukraine and Switzerland) account for about 17% of the electricity in the rest of Europe. Norway and Switzerland are effectively part of the EU synchronous grid.

Although nuclear is a proven source of low-carbon, dispatchable electricity giving a high degree of energy security and provides 53% of the EU's carbon-free electricity, the sector today faces major challenges within the EU. Some member states are strongly anti-nuclear, and electricity markets are often structured in response to populist support for renewables. In the period to 2030, nuclear capacity that will be lost due to the closure of a number of reactors – either because they have reached the end of their operating lifetimes or due to political interference – is expected to outweigh that gained from new reactors. A slight decrease from the current EU nuclear capacity of 122 GWe is therefore expected in the near term. Total EU generating capacity in 2011 was 903 GWe, almost one-third of this in Germany and France.

Nuclear plant construction is currently underway in only three EU member states – Finland, France and Slovakia. These construction projects have all experienced cost overruns and delays. Further new units likely to come online before 2030 are planned or plausibly proposed in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland and the United Kingdom. The long-term future of nuclear power in the EU is likely to depend on the outcome of these projects, which are relatively few in number – in total less than planned in Russia.

EU nuclear power

Country 2015 nuclear generation Reactors operable at March 2017 Reactors under construction at March 2017 Reactors planned at March 2017 Reactors proposed at March 2017
  TWh % e No. MWe net No. MWe gross No. MWe gross No. MWe gross
Belgium 24.8 37.5 7 5943 0 0 0 0 0 0
Bulgaria 14.7 31.3 2 1926 0 0 0 0 1 1200
Czech Rep. 25.3 32.5 6 3904 0 0 2 2400 1 1200
Finland 22.3 33.7 4 2764 1 1700 1 1200 0 0
France 419.0 76.3 58 63,130 1 1750 0 0 0? 1? 1750?
Germany 86.8 14.1 8 10,728 0 0 0 0 0 0
Hungary 15.0 52.7 4 1889 0 0 2 2400 0 0
Lithuania 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2700
Netherlands 3.9 3.7 1 485 0 0 0 0 0 0
Poland 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 6000 0 0
Romania 10.7 17.3 2 1310 0 0 2 1440 0 0
Slovakia 14.1 55.9 4 1816 2 942 0 0 1 1200
Slovenia 5.4 38.0 1 696 0 0 0 0 1 1000
Spain 54.8 20.3 7 7121 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sweden 54.5 34.3 9 8849 0 0 0 0 0 0
UK 63.9 18.9 15 8883 0 0 11 15,605 2 2300
EU 815.2  c27% 128 119,421 4 4392 24 29,045 8 or 9 9600

In October 2015 EU industry association Foratom proposed a target of commissioning 100 new nuclear power reactors between 2025 and 2045, total 122 GWe, to at least maintain the current nuclear capacity up to 2050 in at least 14 EU member states. Foratom recommended that there should be no nuclear-specific taxes; that the process for obtaining clearance for state aid from DG Competition must be clear and completed to a strict timetable; and that the EC should not discriminate among low-carbon technologies, including nuclear energy as well as renewable energy sources. The EU and the European financial institutions should address existing market failures in many of the member states and facilitate investment in nuclear energy projects. "This would ease the burden of high up-front capital intensity in order for the overall benefit of nuclear's competitiveness to be realised. All applications for funding should be considered on a non-discriminatory basis."

In the non-EU countries the outlook is more positive for nuclear, both in the near term and longer term. Growth in the nuclear sector of these countries will be largely driven by the deployment of Russian VVER designs. Construction is now underway in Russia and Belarus using VVER technology. Looking further ahead, Russian nuclear technology development is well ahead of any in the EU, with France the only modest challenge to that.

EU neighbours nuclear power

Country 2015 nuclear generation Reactors operable at April 2016 Reactors under construction at April 2016 Reactors planned at April 2016 Reactors proposed at April 2016
  TWh % e No. MWe net No. MWe gross No. MWe gross No. MWe gross
Belarus 0 0 0 0 2 2388 0 0 2 2400
Russia 182.8 18.6 35 26053 8 7104 25 27755 23 22800
Switzerland 22.2 33.5 5 3333 0 0 0 0 3 4000
Turkey 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4800 4 4500
Ukraine 82.4 56.5 15 13107 0 0 2 1900 11 12000
Total 287.4   55 42,493 10 9492 31 34,455 43  

In Europe the nuclear industry creates or supports  an estimated 780,000 jobs.

Emissions reduction targets and means

The 2008 EC Climate and Energy Package set the '20-20-20' targets for 2020: a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels, a 20% renewables share in energy consumption and a 20% improvement in EU energy efficiency.

Wind and solar in five EU countries, February 2016

  Wind capacity end 2015, GWe Wind output Feb 2016, TWh Solar capacity end 2015, GWe Solar oputput Feb 2016, TWh
Germany 45.0 10.6 39.7 1.2
Spain 23.0 6.1 6.7 0.6
UK 13.6 3.0 8.7 0.4
Italy 9.1 2.2 18.9 1.2
France 10.4 2.8 6.2 0.4

Platts Renewable Power Tracker, calculated load factors 32-39% for wind, 4.3-12.9% for solar

Windeurope.org reports that there was 142 GWe of wind capacity installed in the EU by the end of 2015, about 131 GWe onshore and 11 GWe offshore. This comprised 15.6% of EU capacity, more than hydro. Evidently on the basis of 25% capacity factor, it could produce 315 TWh to meet 11.4% of EU consumption in a normal wind year.

Energy Security

EU heads of state pledged in 2014 to focus on energy security and to agree on a climate and energy framework. They were divided on the impact of the Ukrainian crisis (Russian control of Crimea and subsequently parts of eastern Ukraine), with Germany calling for ambitious CO2 reduction, renewables and energy-efficiency goals to lower the reliance on imported fossil fuels, notably Russian gas. Russia supplies over 30% of Europe’s gas, and half of this transits via Ukraine. However, Poland and other eastern European countries wish to maintain significant dependence on domestic energy resources such as coal and possibly shale gas as a higher priority than CO2reduction. Dependence on Russian gas is a wide concern. Gazprom gas exports to western Europe increased by 20% over 2010 to 2016.*

EnergyMarketPrice 17/10/14 reported on an evaluation of the vulnerability of EU28 and ten neighbouring countries to a possible six-month halt in gas supplies from Russia: Germany is Europe's main purchaser of Russian gas, paying Russian gas exporter Gazprom approximately $15 billion a year, while EU members such as Bulgaria and Slovakia are almost completely dependent on Russian gas imported through Ukraine. A halt in Russian supplies would be a peril to markets such as Bulgaria and Britain, since these countries have insignificant gas storage capacities, of three weeks and two months respectively. Meanwhile, Germany has reserves for almost half a year, or among the biggest in Europe.

Russian dependence

The EU has a high dependence on Russia for natural gas, as outlined above, and to a lesser extent, oil. Several Russian-designed nuclear power reactors get their fuel mainly from TVEL in Russia, and the older VVER-440 units depend wholly on TVEL for fuel fabrication. A lot of EU uranium enrichment is done in Russia, though other capacity is available in EU and USA.

Russian nuclear reactors in the EU are in Bulgaria (2), Czech Republic (6), Finland (2), Hungary (4) and Slovakia (4, with two more being built). Hungary has an agreement for two more to be built, and Finland is planning one with Russian equity.

Uranium supplies for the EU

Euratom reported that in 2015, 15,990 tonnes of uranium was delivered to EU-28 utilities. This represented 26% of world supply from mines. Nearly all of this was under long-term contracts. In addition, MOX fuel containing 10.8 tonnes of plutonium was used, representing a saving of 1050 tonnes of natural uranium and 0.74 million SWU.

The main sources of 2014 uranium deliveries were: Russia 25.6%, Kazakhstan 18.5%, Canada 17.8%, Niger 13% and Australia 12%. The 2015 average price for deliveries under long-term contracts was €78.31/kgU, 8% lower than in 2013. However, new contracts were being written at an average of €88.53/kgU, 5% lower than 2014. The Euratom long-term price was €94.30. In 2015 enrichment was supplied by: EU (Areva and Urenco) 7.54 million SWU, Russia (Tenex) 4.15 million SWU, and others 0.8 million SWU.

In 2013 inventories had grown to 54,526 tonnes of natural uranium equivalent, about three years' requirements, in 2014 they decreased 3% to 52,898 tU and in 2015 they were 51,892 tU. Projections by utilities for Euratom suggest that this will diminish to about 2025.

Euratom reported that in 2015, 2230 tU of fresh fuel was loaded into commercial reactors in the EU-28. It was produced using 16,235 tU of natural uranium and 303 tU of reprocessed uranium as feed, enriched with 11.85 million SWU. In 2015, the fuel loaded into EU reactors had an average enrichment assay of 3.82% and an average tails assay of 0.24%.

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Earlier:

 Nuclear
2018, January, 15, 10:10:00

RUSSIAN NUCLEAR ELECTRICITY UP TO 18.9%

ROSATOM - Following 2017, a share of electricity production by Russian nuclear power plants has increased up to 18.9%.

 Nuclear
2018, January, 12, 12:55:00

RUSSIA'S NUCLEAR RECORD

ROSATOM - Russian NPPs exceeded the record of 2016 in the volume of generated electricity by increasing cumulative production by more than 6.5 billion kWh, up to 202.868 billion kWh (against 196.366 billion kWh in 2016).

 Nuclear
2017, December, 15, 12:55:00

NUCLEAR - 2050: 25%

WNN - According to the Foratom statement, World Nuclear Association Director General Agneta Rising said: "By 2050, nuclear energy must account for 25% of energy generation if we are to meet our climate targets. With nuclear making up 11% of generation in 2014, an extra 1000 GWe in nuclear capacity will need to be built by 2050. However, meeting this goal will not be easy."

 

 Nuclear
2017, December, 13, 12:05:00

FRENCH THERMONUCLEAR REACTOR

WNN - Construction of the Iter fusion reactor, being built at Cadarache in the south of France, is now 50% complete, the Iter Organisation has announced. The reactor - construction of which began in 2010 - is scheduled to achieve first plasma in 2025.

 

 Nuclear
2017, December, 8, 17:05:00

BRITAIN'S NUCLEAR INDUSTRY

WNN - The UK's Nuclear Industry Council (NIC) has today published its proposals for a nuclear Sector Deal. The document follows the government's publication last month of its Industrial Strategy white paper, which states the nuclear sector is "integral to increasing productivity and driving growth" in the UK.

 

 Nuclear
2017, December, 4, 22:55:00

BRITAIN'S NUCLEAR ENERGY

FT - The UK’s nuclear “new build” programme is intended to help replace large amounts of dirty coal-fired power generating capacity and old nuclear plants due to be decommissioned in coming years.

 

 Nuclear
2017, November, 9, 13:50:00

EIA: NUCLEAR ENERGY WILL UP

EIA projects that global nuclear capacity will grow at an average annual rate of 1.6% from 2016 through 2040, led predominantly by countries outside of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). EIA expects China to continue leading world nuclear growth, followed by India. This growth is expected to offset declines in nuclear capacity in the United States, Japan, and countries in Europe.

 

 

 

Tags: EUROPE, NUCLEAR, POWER