Safety Assessment of Non-Electric uses of nuclear energy

Project Information

SANE

Grant agreement ID: 101163929

EC signature date 13 May 2024

Start date 1 September 2024

End date 31 August 2027

Funded under

• Euratom Research and Training Programme (EURATOM)

Total cost

€ 3 613 191,00

EU contribution

€ 3 487 603,50

Coordinated by

TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT OY
Finland

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SANE (Safety Assessment of Non-Electric uses of nuclear energy)

Reporting period: 2024-09-01 to 2026-02-28

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The main objective of the SANE project is to assess potential of non-electric uses of nuclear energy over a wide range of future applications.

A high level overview of potential non-electric uses of nuclear energy along with mapping of large energy needs in the long-term will be made. Case studies of selected applications considered to be of high importance for Europe in the middle and long term, e.g. e-fuels, process industry, desalination, hydrogen production, and propulsion for ship and space applications. Safety of non-electric uses of nuclear energy is studied through case studies centered around a low temperature district heating reactor concept. The feasibility of the coupling between a nuclear power plant and its non-electric use (i.e. process industry plant) is investigated.

Project will be exploring and identifying the ways to improve communication of risk arising from the operation of NPP and in peculiar of SMR for heating production​. Specific focus will be on using the understanding of probabilistic safety assessment information for communicating the risk associated to the novel reactors, and a case investigation will be performed on the lessons learned from crisis and emergency risk communication related to ZNPP in Ukraine and abroad during 2022-2023.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the first reporting period (M1-M18), SANE project established a scientific and technical foundation for assessing the feasibility, performance and safety of non electric applications of nuclear energy. A comprehensive screening and feasibility assessment identified and analysed ten end uses, including process industry, district heating and heat for agriculture, hydrogen and e-fuel production, ship propulsion, desalination and wastewater treatment, space applications and data centers, creating well defined reference cases for further study.

In parallel, safety concepts and criteria applicable to non electric reactors were identified, and representative operational, design basis and severe accident scenarios were defined for a generic low temperature district heating reactor. Multiple independent deterministic safety and severe accident models were developed across different system codes, enabling initial code to code verification and identification of modelling challenges specific to coupled nuclear–industrial systems. Integrated performance and coupled system analyses were initiated for selected end uses using system level models, supported by structured hazard identification methods.

In addition, preparatory work in radiological risk assessment established an inventory of technical and radiological risks, regulatory reference frameworks and source term considerations relevant to non electric SMR applications.

Overall, SANE progressed from application screening to model based, application specific analysis, providing an integrated framework linking feasibility, reactor safety, coupled system performance and radiological risk assessment for subsequent advanced studies.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

During the first reporting period (M1-M18), SANE project has advanced the state of the art by extending both the scope and methodological depth of non electric nuclear energy assessment. The project has moved beyond high level reviews to application specific feasibility analyses considering concrete energy requirements, coupling constraints and deployment contexts beyond 2050.

SANE has further adapted nuclear safety methodologies to reactors intended for non electric use, initiating deterministic design basis and severe accident analyses and preparatory probabilistic analyses for a low temperature district heating reactor. Independent system and severe accident models enabled early code to code verification and identified modelling challenges specific to non electric operation.

In addition, SANE has progressed from conceptual studies to integrated nuclear–industrial system models, applying structured hazard dentification methods to coupled systems. Finally, by linking safety and consequence analyses with regulatory mapping, stakeholder studies and lessons from Ukraine, the project has laid the foundation for risk communication grounded in qualitative and quantitative, application specific safety information.