Challenges in Introducing and Implementing Small and Medium Sized Reactor (SMRs) in Thailand

Saensuk Wetchgarun, PhD

Reactor Center, Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (Public Organization)

Technical Meeting on Challenges in the Application of the Design Safety Requirements for Nuclear Power Plants to Small and Medium Sized Reactor

Sept 4-8, 2017, Vienna, Austria

Outline

• Thailand on the map

• Electricity consumption

• Country nuclear related organizations

• Nuclear history in Thailand

• Current status of nuclear power in the country

• Challenges in introducing and implementing Small

and Medium Sized Reactor (SMRs) in Thailand

• Remarks

Thailand on the map

Figure from: http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/th.htm Figure from: http://pattayavillaholidays.com/images/thailand-map-2.gif

Thailand on the map

• Located at the center of

Peninsular South East Asia

sharing the boarder with

Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia,

and Malaysia.

• Country total area is

approximately 513,000 km2

Figure from: http://pattayavillaholidays.com/images/thailand-map-2.gif

Thailand on the map• It is about 1260 km from

the northernmost to the

southernmost points and

approximately 780 km

between the westernmost

to the easthernmost points.

• Population: ~68M (2016),

with almost 10 million are

in the capital city area,

Bangkok.Figure from: http://pattayavillaholidays.com/images/thailand-map-2.gif

Electricity consumption in Thailand

Source: Energy statistic of Thailand 2015 [3]

Share of power generation by fuel

Natural Gas 66%

Coal/Lignite 21%

Oil 1%

Hydro 3%

Import 7%Others 2% TOTAL 180,945 GWH

2014

� 20% of natural gas consumption: imported from Myanmar and imported LNG

� Energy security issue: supply and cost

� National policy to reduce natural gas dependency by utilizing alternative

energy sources

Source: Energy statistic of Thailand 2015 [3];

Thailand’s nuclear power plant feasibility study [1]

Main nuclear related Organizations

Nuclear history in ThailandNuclear Non-Power Program

1960 The cabinet ordered the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) to

arrange the reactor building construction

1962 The construction finished. The reactor core was installed and named

“Thai Research Reactor-1 (TRR-1)”. It was reached criticality for the

first time on Oct 27, 1962.

1977 The reactor core was replaced by a new TRIGA MARK-III type. The

reactor was renamed “Thai Research Reactor -1/ Modification 1

(TRR-1/M1).

1993 The government approved for the construction of the new nuclear

research center in Nakhon Nayok province.

Nuclear history in ThailandNuclear Non-Power Program

2009 The Instrumentation and Control Upgrade Project for TRR-1/M1 was

initiated due to ageing concern of the reactor I&C system.

2013 A new research reactor (30-45 kW) under SUT BNCT project

proposed by a domestic university was approved. Currently, this

project is in the preparing stage for the site license.

2017 TRR-1/M1 I&C upgrade project was completed.

Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology proposed a new

multipurpose research reactor project. Currently, it has been in the

feasibility study stage.

SUT: Suranaree University of Technology

Nuclear history in ThailandNuclear Power Program

1966 EGAT proposed NPP project

1967 Government appointed the Nuclear Sub-Committee to conduct

feasibility study and site selection

1970 Government approved Ao Phai in Chonburi Province as NPP site

1972 Government approved a 600 MWe BWR reactor for the project

1974 EGAT reserved nuclear fuel with Energy Research and Development

Administration (ERDA), USA

1976 EGAT proposed to call for bidding

1978 Government postponed the NPP project indefinitely after the

discovery of natural gas in the Gulf of Thailand

Nuclear history in ThailandNuclear Power Program

Natural gas resource

Ao Phai area

Nuclear history in ThailandNuclear Power Program

1982-1991 EGAT carried out site survey and selection

1993-1994 Parliament Energy Commission studied nuclear power generation

1992-1995 EGAT and NEWJEC Inc., Japan co-performed initial environmental

exam and site evaluation

1996 Cabinet appoint Committee to conduct study on economic and

infrastructure for NPP project

Current status of nuclear power program

Power Development Plan Planned nuclear power plant

PDP2007 4 units of 1,000 MWe in 2020 (2) and 2021 (2)

PDP2007 Rev2 2 units of 1,000 MWe in 2020 and 2021

PDP2010 5 units of 1,000 MWe in 2020-2021, 2024-2025 and

2028

PDP2010 Rev2 4 units of 1,000 MWe in 2023-2024 and 2027-2028

PDP2010 Rev3 2 units of 1,000 Mwe in 2026 and 2027

PDP2015 2 units of 1,000 MWe (approximately 5% of power

generated) by 2036.

Power Development Plan (PDP) – a long term environmental friendly power expansion

plan to ensure electricity availability, affordability and security

Challenges in Introducing the first NPP

• National Position

– Political instability

– Government commitment

• Public understanding and acceptance

• Site survey challenges

• Laws and regulations for nuclear power

• Human resource developmentSource: Thailand’s nuclear power plant feasibility study [1]; Status of Nuclear Power Development in Thailland [2]

Public understanding and acceptance

Preliminary Opinion survey results

Questionnaires were sent to target groups by region,

and by occupation throughout the country

Nuclear Power Plant

Development inAgree Disagree Not specified

Thailand 64 32 4

Their provinces 32 59 9

Their communitites 24 66 10

Source: Thailand’s nuclear power plant feasibility study [1]

Difficulties in accessing some potential sites due to

local community opposition caused by

• Bad experience on past industrial development projects

– Pollution, Corruption, Unfair Compensation

• Concerns on public safety (radiation leak and past nuclear

accidents), possible contamination on agricultural and

fishing products, and possible decrease in number of tourists

– Lack of basic understanding on radiation and nuclear

power

Site survey challenges

Source: Status of Nuclear Power Development in Thailland [2]

Demonstration at potential site

Source: Thailand’s nuclear power plant feasibility study [1]

Laws and regulations for nuclear power

• Nuclear Energy for Peace Act B.E.2559 (2016):

newly issued on Aug. 1, 2016

Not yet issued,

In preparation

Issued in Aug 2016

Human resource development

• Regulatory body

– Competent and experience in licensing, analyzing

and regulating NPP

• Technical support organization

– Competent and technical knowledge of NPP and

related systems

• Operator organization

– Competent, operating experience and safety culture

Challenges in Introducing/Implementing SMRs

Similar challenges as those encountered when

introducing the first conventional NPP can be expected.

Moreover, additional challenges or concerns that may

arise as introducing SMRs for the first NPP of the

country instead of the conventional NPP are:

• Public acceptance question

– Is the technology proven safe?

Challenges in Introducing/Implementing SMRs

• Technical issues

– Licensability

• What should be the licensing process for SMRs?

• Limited regulatory experienced from well developed

nuclear power country on licensing SMRs,

• Does existing Law and regulation can be applied to SMRs?

Challenges in Introducing/Implementing SMRs

• Technical issues

– Safety assessment

• How to evaluate the SMRs safety functions?

• How to choose/evaluate the credible accidents for SMRs?

– Operating staff requirements

• How many operating staffs required to operate SMRs?

• Are there any specific knowledge/skills the operating staff

needed to be trained?

Challenges in Introducing/Implementing SMRs

• Technical issues

– Operating and maintenance experience

• As most innovative SMRs are able to operate with longer

fuel cycle than the conventional power reactor, e.g., they

are designed to operate ranging from several years up to

30 years for one fuel cycle, how to prove the reliability of

the system?

• With a very long fuel cycle, how maintenance of the

support systems should be performed while the reactor is

in operation?

Challenges in Introducing/Implementing SMRs

• Technical issues

– Emergency preparedness and accident management

• As innovative SMRs have relatively new design concept,

emergency preparedness, emergency response, and

accident management may be differ from the

conventional NPPs. This issue needed to be clarify since it

is one major concern for the public.

Remarks

• Even though Thailand has been utilized nuclear

energy in various applications and have had

experience for safe operation of research reactor for

decades, introducing nuclear power for electricity

generation in the country still poses big challenges.

• Introducing and implementing SMRs for power

generation is more challenges as the technology shall

be proven safe.

Remarks

• The licensablitiy, safety assessment, operating staff

requirements, operating/maintenance experience aswell as emergency preparedness and accident

management for SMRs, which is possibly different

from the conventional NPPs, are needed to be clearly

evaluated.

• Those issues could be big challenges for Thailand for

regulatory body, technical support organization, andoperating organization.

Thank you for your attention

References

1. Apisit Patchimpattapong, Thailand’s nuclear power plant

feasibility study, Thai Professionals Conference (TPC2010),

Jun, 2010.

2. Kamol Takabut, Status of Nuclear Power Development in

Thailand, Lunch Talk, Thai French Technical Association, Aug,

2010.

3. Energy Statistics of Thailand 2015, The energy Policy andPlanning Office (EPPO), Ministry of Energy, Thailand.