USA strengthens geopolitical nuclear energy links
Following the lifting of its prohibition on funding nuclear power plants overseas, the US government has announced three significant nuclear cooperation agreements, with Poland, Romania and Bulgaria in eastern Europe, and also extending one with India. Each of these, according to the State Department, “strengthens and expands strategic ties between the United States and a partner country by providing a framework for cooperation on civil nuclear issues and for engagement between experts from government, industry, national laboratories, and academic institutions.” In addition, they are “helping partner countries prepare to take advantage of the advanced nuclear technologies and coming innovations in reactor design and other areas that are being pioneered in the United States” - after three decades of declining US interest. Last year nuclear-related legislation enjoyed strong bipartisan support in Congress for the first time since the 1970s, and for the first time since 1972 the Democratic Party platform includes positive mention of “existing and advanced nuclear” power.
 
The July change to US Development and Finance Corporation policy marked a "significant step forward" in US efforts to support the “vast” energy needs of its allies around the world, and to accelerate growth in developing economies that have limited energy resources. It also represents a geopolitical step up to offer at least some competition to Russia, which has numerous nuclear cooperation agreements around the world driven by Rosatom and the Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank). For countries embarking upon nuclear power Rosatom promotes its ability to make an integrated offer for its nuclear power plants abroad, involving not only turnkey construction and fuel, but also training, services, infrastructure development, legal and regulatory structures, etc. in a single package. Such links are very long-term. Russia is preeminent in exporting large reactors, with projects in Bangladesh, Belarus, China, Egypt, Finland, India, Iran, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Hungary either under construction or with planning well advanced.
WNN 24/7/20, 12/10/20, 20/10/20, 29/10/20      US policy
 
New Russian reactor connected to grid
Leningrad II, unit 2 has been connected to the grid at Sosnovy Bor, joining unit 1 which came on line in March 2018. These represent one of the two similar types of VVER-1200 current-generation Russian reactors. Construction of unit 2 started in April 2010 but several major delays occurred, mostly due to low power demand in the region, but also involving change of main contractors. Gross power is 1170 MWe, net 1085 MWe, and each reactor will also provide 1.05 TJ/h (9.17 PJ/yr) of district heating. Two further reactors are planned for the site so that all four RBMK reactors there, commissioned through to 1981, can be retired. The old unit 2 is due to close next year when this new one is in full commercial operation.
 
Only two new power reactors are currently under construction in Russia, at Kursk, but Russian contractors are deployed building nine new reactors in Bangladesh, Belarus, India, Iran and Turkey, with all the main plant components coming from Russian factories. Four large new Russian reactors in China will soon start construction with some imported parts but local workforce.
WNN 23/10/20.   Russia NP
 
Further US reactor power uprates
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved a 1.4% power uprate Tennessee Valley Authority’s Watts Bar 2 reactor. That will add about 16 MWe to it, bringing it to about 1180 MWe net. It is the USA’s newest operating reactor, having come on line in 2016.
WNN 28/10/20.      US NP