Mowry Christofer

Located in Lynchburg, Virginia, USA Babcock & Wicox can be considered a leading technology and services provider in the nuclear industry. The firm has over 3,800 employees and has been in existence since 1856 when Stephen Wilcox patented the ‘water tube boiler’. In a recent interview with Chris Mowry, Enrgia Magazine was able to gain views of the ramifications of nuclear technology, in the light of the recent activities by the Nuclear Regulatory Agency in Abuja. This is the first in what will be a monthly series.

Below are excerpts:

1) Tell us about yourself.

I work for The Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W). I am the President and CEO of B&W Modular Nuclear Energy, LLC. In this role, I am leading the development, licensing and delivery of B&W mPower™ nuclear reactor projects.

2) In lay man’s terms, how would you define the 'modular' Nuclear Reactor?

We use terms like ‘modular’ and ‘scalable’ to mean that more than one of the reactors can be constructed at a site and added to incrementally to provide the amount of power that a utility might need to service its customers. Rather than having to purchase a very large reactor that might provide more power than is needed, one B&W mPower reactor can provide 125 MW of electricity, then more modules can be added as power requirements increase.

3) How many companies in the world provide these services?

A number of companies around the world offer a variety of reactors for commercial purposes. We believe that we are the leading company that is this far advanced in offering such a practical approach to reactor design, manufacturing and construction.

4) Nigeria made recent efforts to start to deliver Nuclear energy in conjunction with the atomic agency. Would the country be using companies like yours to deliver its services?

I’m not really in a position to speak for the country’s specific plans. What I can tell you is that a modular, scalable reactor like the B&W mPower nuclear reactor is ideal for certain applications. For example, if a utility needs a mid-sized power plant that is more affordable than a large reactor, the B&W mPower reactor is a good option. Also, if a certain location’s power grid has a limited capacity, a B&W mPower reactor would be a logical choice since the power plant could start at a relatively small power output, then more modules could be added as demand increases and the grid is expanded.

5) What plans or methodologies currently exist for nuclear waste disposal?

The decision for waste disposal is a large issue that has to be addressed. Different countries handle this matter differently. No matter what approach is taken, the B&W mPower reactor is designed to store internally all the spent fuel generated during the 60-year operating life of the plant.

6) How many of them are applicable to the West African environment?

I don’t know the utility environment there well enough to answer that question for every possible option, but since our reactor stores all of the spent fuel for the life of the reactor, I can tell you that I think our approach would work in just about any location around the world.

7) How much does it cost to build a nuclear reactor?

Costs vary considerably depending on a vast number of factors. Currently, we are not providing specific costs for our reactor, but I can say that the cost will be competitive. It is competitive with other proposed nuclear power options, both from a cost-per-KW basis and also on a plant operations & maintenance basis. The design is simple, with few complex safety and support systems. This reduces construction cost as well as maintenance costs. Further, by manufacturing the reactor in our facilities rather than at the construction site, quality and costs are easier to control.

8) Are there any special parameters for site situation of a nuclear reactor?

Again, that is a hard question to answer for every reactor design, but for our reactor, I can tell you that since it is designed to be placed underground, there is a lot of flexibility in where one could site our reactor.

9) Is the reprocessing of nuclear waste a possibility?

As I’m sure you know, different nations take different approaches to that question. Great Britain, France, Japan, and Russia currently have operating nuclear fuel reprocessing capabilities. Since our reactor stores the spent fuel for the life of the reactor, that is less of a consideration for us.

10) What do you consider as realistic timeframes between commissioning of a reactor and delivery?

We look to start construction on the first reactor in the U.S. in 2015, which would bring the first B&W mPower reactor on line as early as 2018. This schedule means that the B&W mPower reactor will be available for those customers pursuing nuclear plants in the initial wave of U.S. new construction. We have laid out what we think is a realistic timeframe in the U.S., but timeframes would likely be different in different countries.

11) What are the primary risks associated with Nuclear power?

As with any power generation system, there are hazards that must be analyzed and understood so that a utility can ensure safety. While some have concerns about the radioactive material used in nuclear power plants, it is important to know that modern plant designs have greater defense in depth and improved human-machine interfaces to eliminate the chance that operational mistakes could lead to problems.

12) We have heard about the terrible Chernobyl nuclear power accident. Are new nuclear power stations going to be more safely designed?

Nuclear plant design and safety has made tremendous progress in the past few decades. In our case, the B&W mPower reactor is based on proven Advanced Light Water Reactor technology, similar to that used in all of the 104 operating commercial nuclear plants operating in the U.S. today. It also uses standard fuel. The technology is not experimental, but is a selection of the best elements of currently demonstrated and proven designs, based on the nuclear industry’s extensive experience and B&W’s history as a leader in the nuclear.

13) What is the link between nuclear weapons and nuclear power?

There really is no link whatsoever. While both harness nuclear power in some fashion, the similarity ends there. There are vastly different safety systems, fuel systems and uses for nuclear weapons and nuclear power.

14) Can you help with a schematic diagram of the nuclear reactor?

Sure. We’ve attached some graphics for your use.

15) Is there any point you would like to add?

Nuclear power is expected to be an important component in addressing the world’s overall need to increase its power generation options. At the same time, nuclear power does not generate the greenhouses gases that come from burning fossil fuels, which means a vast reduction in the release of carbon or other pollutants into the atmosphere during plant operations. We believe that the B&W mPower reactor is a practical, affordable, near-term solution to the world’s growing demand for the clean, base load power necessary to support and complement the emergence of solar and wind energy.