Pathways for New Nuclear Development Proceedings of a Workshop (2025) / Chapter Skim
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3 Construction Timelines
3 Construction Timelines
Pages 18-27
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From page 18... ...
The discussion highlighted potential solutions to develop resilient and agile supply chains and minimize construction costs, schedule overruns, and supply chain issues, including through repeated construction components and processes; approaching nuclear deployments as products rather than projects; and appropriate updates to codes and standards.1,2,3,4,5 1 G Locatelli, M
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From page 19... ...
He also highlighted how the nuclear industry can learn from megaprojects in other industries, such as aerospace and chemical engineering, to improve reactor construction and deployment timelines. Kuczynski, who served as chief executive officer and president of the Southern Nuclear Operating Company during the completion of the Vogtle 3 and 4 units, stressed that the costs of deploying nuclear reactors must be brought down in order to fully realize the role of nuclear energy in America's energy future, and he posited that the only way to bring down those costs is to reduce the time it takes to build reactor units.
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From page 20... ...
In addition to addressing these issues, he said that applying lessons from other megaprojects, such as the importance of strong project management, cost-sharing, experiential learning, to ultimately deliver reactors as products, not projects, will drive down costs and make nuclear energy more competitive. He also pointed to the debate between economies of scale and economies of multiples -- that is, the question of whether it is better to build one large reactor or many small ones -- and suggested that this debate will remain unresolved until actual construction and deployment at scale enables a true determination of reactor costs.6 6 B.N.
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From page 21... ...
He also emphasized the importance of driving "nuclear culture" into supply chain and EPC vendors, many of which have limited experience in nuclear work. For example, component cleanliness standards are very different for nuclear projects than for other types of construction, and ensuring that all contributors fully understand these requirements in advance can help to minimize delays and costs.
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From page 22... ...
Envisioning a Path for Near-Term Deployment Verma asked what it might take to see near-term nuclear deployment. Nygaard replied that balancing risks and opportunities, aligning incentives and business models, and securing financing for orders are key steps but can take a long time.
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From page 23... ...
The process of gaining orders will be slow, especially at first, but expe rience and incremental victories will enable the industry to hone busi ness models and supply chains, creating cost-effective scaling. In the 8 Systems Analysis and Integration Campaign, 2024, "A Tool to Quantify Capital Cost eduction Pathways for Advanced Nuclear Reactors," June 11, https://fuelcycleoptions.inl.
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From page 24... ...
For example, forming a large consortium could lower component costs through volume and allow stakeholders to co-manage projects, share operating and maintenance costs, and institute consolidated inventory control. Successful partnerships require transparency and mutual trust that all stakeholders are working to benefit the whole project.
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From page 25... ...
To move forward, he suggested creating a stakeholder collaboration to outline a construction schedule for two to three promising technologies, encourage coordination and cooperation, and minimize siloing. Verma agreed with this vision, which she characterized as "a mix of cooperation and competition." Challenges for Factory Fabrication Given the benefits of standardization and scaling, Verma prompted panelists to comment on whether it is possible to make reactors in factories, and Locatelli highlighted several challenges to achieving this.
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From page 26... ...
"They fail because carpenters, because welders are not properly educated to the nuclear quality, to the nuclear business." Kuczynski agreed that workforce needs, especially for skilled trades, are a "top tier challenge" that will continue to be a limiting factor for nuclear construction if not addressed. Abou-Jaoude noted that to triple nuclear energy production will likely require a four-fold operational workforce increase, along with more than 200,000 workers for construction and manufacturing.13 He suggested that transitioning coal sites, whose workforce has similar skill sets, into nuclear plants can help fill gaps,14 and Fletcher added that coal sites are often located in areas with high unemployment, making them well suited for recruiting workers into a new field.
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From page 27... ...
He added that codes and standards are updated too rarely, too slowly, without the guidance of the right experts, and without examining features of nonLWRs that have specific considerations. "The nuclear energy community, and nuclear engineers in general, need to engage more in the codes and standards and encourage them to move faster and consider things beyond the historical," Abou-Jaoude said.
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