• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.56 no.8
• /
• pp.3155-3166
• /
• 2024

While several nuclear energy newcomer (NEN) countries have shown interest in small modular reactors (SMRs) as a potential energy source, this interest can generate new uncertainties regarding future nuclear weapons proliferation risks. Therefore, this research seeks to determine whether future SMR deployment in NEN countries will contribute to nuclear weapons proliferation, and how the risks can be mitigated. This research uses the Bayesian network statistical approach in conjunction with surveys of experts to assess nuclear proliferation risks when NEN countries deploy SMRs or a large commercial nuclear reactor. The results indicate that an NEN with a strong commitment to the nuclear non-proliferation norms and a stable security environment will experience a lower probability of having higher proliferation risks relative to the United Arab Emirates. Specifically, we demonstrate that experts anticipate a minimal escalation in proliferation risks across different SMR types. Instead, the results show that enrichment or reprocessing (E&R) facilities, if associated with an SMR, exert a substantial influence on proliferation risks. Lastly, implementing a spent nuclear fuel (SNF) retrieval system could serve as an option to mitigate proliferation risks in an NEN country. These findings offer insights for leading nuclear supplier countries to alleviate the potential proliferation risks by NEN countries.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.56 no.4
• /
• pp.1234-1243
• /
• 2024

The pressing need to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions has stimulated a renewed interest in nuclear energy worldwide. However, while numerous countries have shown interest in nuclear power over the course of history, many of them have not continued their pursuit and chosen to defer or abandon their peaceful nuclear power projects. Scrapping a national nuclear power program after making initial efforts implies significant challenges in such a course or a waste of national resources. Therefore, this study aims to identify the crucial factors that influence a country's decision to terminate or hold off its peaceful nuclear power programs. Our empirical analyses demonstrate that major nuclear accidents and leadership changes are significant factors that lead countries to terminate or defer their nuclear power programs. Additionally, we highlight that domestic politics (democracy), lack of military alliance with major nuclear suppliers, low electricity demand, and national energy security environments (energy import, crude oil price) can hamper a country's possibility of regaining interest in a nuclear power program after it has been scrapped, suspended, or deferred. The findings of this study have significant implications for policymakers and stakeholders in the energy sector as they strive to balance the competing demands of energy security, and environmental sustainability.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.53 no.5
• /
• pp.1705-1716
• /
• 2021

Bangladesh, as a newcomer country, is expecting to start her nuclear power journey by 2022. Due to evident reasons, newcomer nuclear countries face several key challenges concerning the development of national nuclear safety infrastructure. The paper investigates the status of the 7 key safety infrastructure issues out of the 19 and readiness of the supportive organizations, laboratories, and workforces following the International Atomic energy Agency's status evaluation guide at milestone 3 and foreign countries' practice. Much progress has been achieved at phase 3 regarding the establishments of a few Acts, a regulator, and an operator. However, comprehensive regulatory frameworks, skilled workforces, establishments of a few supportive organizations, and laboratories for managing environmental radioactivity, radiological accidents, and radioactive wastes are yet to ready. Several suggestions are made for establishing and expediting radiation monitoring laboratories, a radiological emergency management center, a radioactive waste management company, and technical support organizations for the safety infrastructure. To avoid perceived risks, policymakers and competent authorities need to emphasize creating an optimized safety infrastructure before commissioning and operating the 1^st nuclear power plant safely, securely, and cost-sustainably.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.51 no.2
• /
• pp.618-625
• /
• 2019

When newcomer countries consider a nuclear power programme, it is recognized that the most important organizations are the Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organization (NEPIO), the regulator, and an operating organization. Concerning the number of construction delays these days, one of the essential organizations is an Authorized Inspection Agency (AIA). According to World Nuclear Industry Status Report, all of the reactors under construction in eight out of the thirteen countries have experienced delays. Globally, the Flamanville 3 project and Sanmen Unit 1 are 6.5 years and 5 years late respectively. One of the major reasons of delay is due to inappropriate manufacturing and inspection on safety class components. The recommendations are made to develop such an organization: (i) find existing inspection organizations in relevant industries, (ii) contract with expatriates who have experience on nuclear inspection, (iii) develop a legislative framework to authorize the inspection organization with enforcement, (iv) include a contract clause in the BIS for developing the AIA, (v) hold training programmes from vendor country, (vi) during manufacturing and construction, domestic AIA shall be involved.