Facts & Myths of

Nuclear Power Plants

Dr. Ned Xoubi
‫الدكتور نضال الزعبي‬
 Facts & Myths of
Nuclear Power Plants

‫الدكتور نضال الزعبي‬

Dr. Ned Xoubi
Commissioner for Nuclear Fuel Cycle
Jordan Atomic Energy Commission

Symposium on the Technology of Peaceful Nuclear Energy

October 14-16, 2008
Irbid - Jordan
 Facts or Myths

The whole world is closing NPP, So why are we building it ?

Law of nuclear power - 10% or less of electrical grid size

It will contaminate our water and kills the fish

Needs a lot of water (need for drinking)

Public will be exposed to a huge amount of Radiation

The West will Disassemble their NPPs and send it to us

We will become a Radioactive waste dump

Jordan Atomic Energy Commission

xoubi

 
   
 Reactors Operating in 2008
Fact
943 Reactors are being operated around the world

284 Research Reactors in 56

Countries

220 reactors power over 150
ships and submarines

439 Power Reactors in 30
countries

Jordan Atomic Energy Commission

xoubi

 
   
 Operating Reactors around the World

Jordan Atomic Energy Commission

xoubi

 
   
 Reactors Under-Construction in 2008
36 Reactors are being built today around the world

36 Reactors are
under
construction in
12 Countries

97 Reactors are
planned in 17
countries

Jordan Atomic Energy Commission

xoubi

 
   
 NPPs are built on Beaches & Lakes, Rivers

Belgium

Switzerland

United States of
America
Lake Michigan

Jordan Atomic Energy Commission

xoubi

 
   
 ‫أثبتت الطاقة النووية أنھا طاقة آمنه‪ ،‬وبأنھا حقا ً صديقة البيئة‬
‫‪Nuclear Energy is Safe and Environmental Friendly‬‬
‫من بحيرة‬ ‫‪France‬‬
‫‪Germany‬‬ ‫ألمانيا‬ ‫متشيغان ذات‬
‫المياه العذبة‬
‫واألسماك ومصدر‬
‫مياه الشرب‬
‫لماليين األمريكيين‬
‫إلى غابات‬ ‫سويسرا‬
‫‪Spain‬‬
‫بريطانيا ومزارع‬
‫أسبانيا إلى السويد‬
‫وسويسرا وألمانيا‬
‫وفرنسا وحتى‬
‫شواطئ اليابان‬
‫‪Jordan Atomic Energy Commission‬‬
‫‪xoubi‬‬

‫   
 ‬
 ‫مصادر اإلشعاعات النووية‬
Less than 1% of exposure is due to the generation of electricity in
nuclear power plants
%٣ ‫الطب النووي‬ %٢ ‫منتجات استھالكيه‬
%١ ‫مصادر اخرى‬
%٨ ‫األشعة الكونية‬

%٨ ‫التربة والصخور‬

%٥٦ ‫الرادون؛‬

%١١ ‫الغذاء والماء؛‬

‫أشعة أكس الطبية‬

%١١

Background Sources, US Average Annual Dose (360 mrem)

Jordan Atomic Energy Commission
xoubi

 
   
 Average Annual Dose from Natural Radiation

Jordan Atomic Energy Commission

xoubi

 
   
 Comparative Radiation Doses (mSv/yr)
Typical Background radiation experienced by everyone 2-3
Average dose to US nuclear industry employees 2.4
Exposure by airline crew flying the NY – Tokyo polar route 9
Maximum actual dose to Australian uranium miners 10
Limit (averaged) for nuclear industry employees & U miners 20
Natural background levels in several places in Iran, India and 50
Europe

For Doses below 100 mSv per year, there is no available scientific
evidence indicating any cancer risk or immediate health effects
Jordan Atomic Energy Commission
xoubi

 
   
 Types of Operating Power Reactors
Reactor type Main Countries No. Fuel Coolnt Modrtor
Pressurized Water US, France, Japan, enriched
264 water water
Reactor (PWR) Russia UO2
Boiling Water Reactor enriched
US, Japan, Sweden 94 water water
(BWR) UO2
Pressurized Heavy
natural heavy heavy
Water Reactor Canada 43
UO2 water water
'CANDU' (PHWR)
natural U
Gas-Cooled Reactor (metal),
UK 18 CO2 graphite
(AGR & Magnox) enriched
UO2
Light Water Graphite enriched
Russia 12 water graphite
Reactor (RBMK) UO2
Fast Neutron Reactor Japan, France, PuO2 and liquid
4 none
(FBR) Russia UO2 sodium
Jordan Atomic Energy Commission
xoubi

 
   
 Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR)

Jordan Atomic Energy Commission

xoubi

 
   
 Boiling Water Reactor (BWR)

Jordan Atomic Energy Commission

xoubi

 
   
 Electricity Production Cost

Jordan Atomic Energy Commission

xoubi

 
   
 Cost Projections for OECD
nuclear coal gas
OECD electricity generating
cost projections for year 2010 Finland 2.76 3.64 -
on - 5% discount rate France 2.54 3.33 3.92
Germany 2.86 3.52 4.90
Jordan Current Cost (2008) Switzerland 2.88 - 4.36
6 cents/kWh Gas Burning Plants Netherlands 3.58 - 6.04
18 cents /kWh Oil Burning Plants Czech Rep 2.30 2.94 4.97
Slovakia 3.13 4.78 5.59
USA Current Cost (2007) Romania 3.06 4.55 -
6.8 cents/kWh Gas Burning Plants Japan 4.80 4.95 5.21
Korea 2.34 2.16 4.65
10.3 cents /kWh Oil Burning Plants
USA 3.01 2.71 4.67
1.76 cents /kWh Nuclear Plants Canada 2.60 3.11 4.00
US 2003 cents/kWh, 40 year lifetime, 85% load factor. Jordan Atomic Energy Commission
xoubi
Source: OECD/IEA NEA 2005.
 
   
US 2003 cents/kWh, Discount rate 5%, 40 year lifetime, 85% load factor.
Source: OECD/IEA NEA 2005.
 ‫‪Uranium‬‬
‫اليورانيوم من العناصر الموجودة في الطبيعة‬
‫يتألف اليورانيوم الطبيعي من ثالثة نظائر‪:‬‬
‫)‪(U238) (U235) (U234‬‬
‫اكثر من ‪ ٩٩%‬من اليورانيوم الطبيعي ھو‬
‫)‪(U238‬‬
‫‪1%‬ھو من اليورانيوم الطبيعي ھو‬ ‫اقل من‬
‫)‪(U235‬‬
‫من اليورانيوم )‪ (U235‬يعطي طاقة‬ ‫‪ ١‬غرام‬
‫)‪(1MW day‬‬
‫‪8500 Gwh‬‬ ‫‪350 Kg‬‬
‫‪Jordan Atomic Energy Commission‬‬
‫‪xoubi‬‬

‫   
 ‬
 ‫‪Nuclear Fuel‬‬

‫
لتصنيع الوقود النووي يتم تخصيب اليورانيوم‬

‫
عملية التخصيب ھي زيادة او "اثراء" نسبة‬
‫اليورانيوم ‪.٢٣٥‬‬
‫
بقية اليورانيوم )ال نحتاج الية( ھو ما يسمى‬
‫اليورانيوم المنضب‬
‫
يستخدم الوقود النووي في المفاعالت النووية‬
‫
الوقود النووي يأتي في كثير من االشكال‬
‫واالبعاد‬

‫‪Jordan Atomic Energy Commission‬‬

‫‪xoubi‬‬

‫   
 ‬
 Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF)

SNF is Fuel removed from a

reactor, after it has reached
the end of its useful life
It can be reprocessed to
produce new fuel (France,
UK, Russia, Japan)
Or Stored, and then disposed
of in a final repository (USA)

Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Pool

Jordan Atomic Energy Commission
xoubi

 
   
 The Nuclear Fuel Cycle

Jordan Atomic Energy Commission

xoubi

 
   
 Limitation of The National Grid Size
Lithuania
Has One Reactor , Producing Over 70% of its total Electricity Since 1992

Armenia
Has One Reactor , Supplying 25% - 42% of its total Electricity Since 1996

Slovenia
Has One Reactor, Supplying 32% - 39% of its total Electricity Since 1992

Source xoubi, EIA( 2005)

Jordan Atomic Energy Commission
xoubi

 
   
 Nuclear Energy

Safe, Proven, Reliable, Low-cost supplier of electricity

Available and proven technology

Economic benefits – jobs & economy

Each nuclear plant

Adds over $500 million/year to the economy

Employs ~ 500 – 1500, with an equivalent number of
indirect jobs

Waste product is controlled, stored, monitored, protected
and regulated

The developed world is moving back to Nuclear
Jordan Atomic Energy Commission
xoubi

 
   
 Thank You

Questions ?

Jordan Atomic Energy Commission

xoubi