Download Youth Future Nuclear

IYNC BULLETIN
International Youth Nuclear Congress
#10
December 2015
www.iync.org
Youth Future Nuclear
2
Editorial
A look forward and backward by Lubomir Mitev
We now have less than one year to go before the 2016 IYNC in Hangzhou, China. Preparations for the new congress are going strong and the IYNC officers and the local organization committee hope that many of the nuclear sector’s young professionals will join us at
the congress.
A lot has also happened since we published our last Bulletin. Despite the fact that the
summer months in the northern hemisphere are characteristically quiet, the IYNC attended
events and promoted the Hangzhou congress as much as possible.
The biggest news from the summer months came from the 2016 sponsorship chair and
IYNC past president, Nicolas Anciaux. Thanks to Nicolas’ efforts, the first two sponsors of
IYNC2016 were announced: equipment supplier Holtec International and US utility Exelon
Generation. Special thanks go to IYNC Treasurer Dan O’Connor who was instrumental in
obtaining the agreement of Exelon, the company he works for, to sign up and support the
international nuclear youth initiative.
Nicolas also informed us all of another sponsor who has agreed to support IYNC2016: the
Canadian Nuclear Association. Thanks to Mayank Sood, Canadian National Representative to IYNC, for the successful discussion with the CNA management. This is just another
example of how much IYNC values the cooperation of our national representatives.
In June, IYNC held its mid-term Board of Directors meeting in conjunction with the European Nuclear Young Generation Forum. The meeting was a huge success and we were
glad to welcome most of our board members to Paris. Several important decisions were
approved and there was a general sense of support for the ongoing actions by the IYNC
officers.
News also from IYNC Executive Secretary Rahul Srivinasan who travelled to his homecountry of India in July and August, promoting IYNC as he went. Rahul met with the India
Nuclear Society and the Young Generation network to help with capacity building. He also
attended the Indian Youth Nuclear Society’s Board of Directors meeting on 9 August and
helped them present a proposal for the IYNC officers to visit India and meet with nuclear
representatives in the country.
IYNC President Melissa Crawford and Vice-President Ekaterina Ryabikovskaya also represented IYNC at the Women In Nuclear conference in Vienna in August. IYNC had a booth
at the conference and distributed information about the up-coming congress. IYNC definitely values the contribution women have in the nuclear field. Ekaterina also had a presentation in front of the plenary regarding the up-coming report by IYNC on the arguments
used by the anti-nuclear industry, which was very well received.
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
3
All of these events show our dedication to making IYNC the face of the international youth
in nuclear and making sure that we all have equal opportunities in our endevours. We
continue to push ahead with the organization of the next Congress and we welcome your
support for all of our initiatives. For more information on the activities, take a look inside
the Bulletin and learn about what happened at most of these events. We would also like to
highlight where IYNC will be promoted in the coming months.
Thank you and enjoy reading this issue of the Bulletin!
When
Where
Name
August
Vienna, Austria
23rd WiN Global Annual Conference:
Women in Nuclear Meet Atoms for Peace
September
London, UK
World Nuclear New Build congress
London, UK
World Nuclear Association Symposium
Zurich, Switz.
European Nuclear Society: Top Fuel
Vienna, Austria
IAEA General Conference
October
Ottawa, Ontario,
Canada
The 7th International Conference on Modelling and
Simulation in Nuclear Science and Engineering
Charlotte, USA
Nuclear Decommissioning & Used Fuel Strategy
Summit
Istanbul, Turkey
International Conference On Emerging Nuclear
Energy Systems
Bristol, UK
European NPP Simulation Forum
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Middle East Nuclear Power Briefing
Mumbai, India
India Nuclear Energy Summit
Bali, Indonesia
Southeast Asia Nuclear New build congress
London, UK
Small Modular Reactor
Indonesia
Nuclear Youth Summit
November
December
Washington DC, USA Young Professionals Congress
Paris, France
Nuclear Power Plant Life Management & Extension
Warsaw, Poland
Central & Eastern Europe Nuclear New Build
London, UK
Nuclear Institute-Nuclear Industry Association
Annual Dinner
Paris, France
UNFCCC CoP 21
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
4
Contents
IYNC Network Officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
IYNC Mid Term Board Meeting . . . . . . . . 9
ENYGF Nuclear For Climate
Declaration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
IYNC Position Paper: Nuclear
For Climate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
YGN Leadership at WiN Global
Conference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
The Future of the IYNC at the IAEA. . . 19
NAYGN/NEA Conference
in Washington DC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
The Universal Agreement on Climate
Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
IYNC BULLETIN #10
Bulletin Editor:
Lubomir Mitev
[email protected]
Authors:
Country Report — Malaysia . . . . . . . . . . 26
Country Report — Sri Lanka. . . . . . . . . . 27
Country Report — United States. . . . . . 29
Melissa Crawford
Lubomir Mitev
Nicholle Turnipseed
Myra Liyana
Islam El-Hadj
African Young Generation Report. . . . . 31
www.iync.org
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
5
IYNC Network Officers
Melissa Crawford
President
Melissa Crawford is a graduate from the Nuclear Engineering program at the University of Florida. Melissa participated in internships at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the USA in 2005 and
2006. Her work was focused on non-destructive identification of
the mass and enrichment of Plutonium isotopes in oxide samples.
This was performed as a joint project between ORNL and the Joint
Research Center in Italy.
After university, Melissa began work on Instrumentation and Control projects with Siemens in the power industry. She worked on
analog to digital modernization projects in existing plants and
digital design for new build nuclear power plants. She then participated in a year-long delegation at the Siemens Energy headquarters in Erlangen, Germany, where she worked with the global power
market in product management.
Melissa has been working with IYNC for over four years and is
happy to lead the IYNC in her current capacity as President and
General Co-Chair of IYNC2016 in Hangzhou, China. The focus during this term will be addressing communication outside the nuclear
industry and strengthening collaboration with YGN’s worldwide.
Ekaterina Ryabikovskaya
Vice President
Ekaterina works as a Managing Editor at ROSATOM corporate
newspaper in Moscow. She has a Diploma in Computer Science and
currently she is in her sixth year at the National Research Nuclear
University MEPHI, majoring in nuclear engineering. Her field of
scientific interest comprises high-temperature-reactor fuel and the
mathematical modeling of the processes occurring in it during irradiation.
Ekaterina has been involved in IYNC since 2006.
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
6
Rahul Srinivasan
Executive Secretary
Rahul is originally from India and has been working in the US as a
consultant for global nuclear energy clients for the past four years.
He recently decided to go back to studying and was accepted to
follow a programme at Harvard University. We wish him all the best
in his new adventure!
As an IYNC officer and founding member of the young generation
network in his home country, India, he firmly believes that young
nuclear professionals across the globe can collaborate effectively
to sustain a strong international nuclear community. Beyond his
professional engagements, he is a tennis and soccer enthusiast and
enjoys teaching and traveling.
Nicolas Anciaux
Past President
Nicolas works as a mechanical engineer for the Westinghouse Electric Company in China. He received a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Université Catholique de Louvain (2006)
focusing on energy and finite elements analysis.
Nicolas has worked for two years at LMS-Siemens as a structural
analyst before starting to work in February 2009 at Westinghouse
Electric Belgium where he led engineering projects on European
power plants and the AP1000 design. Nicolas has now been working in China since January 2014 on the world’s first AP1000 nuclear
plant in Sanmen.
Nicolas was responsible for the communications of the Belgian
Nuclear Society Young Generation for two years where he helped
the Belgian nuclear industry to be more transparent. He then went
on to become President of the International Youth Nuclear Congress (IYNC) during the 2012-2014 term and led to develop IYNC’s
communication through social media, expand the IYNC network to
Asia, collaborate with other international nuclear associations and
organize IYNC2014 in Burgos, Spain.
Nicolas believes that Young Generation Networks and IYNC in
particular provide the best environment to build a strong network,
learn about the different aspects of the nuclear sector and form the
future international leaders of our great industry.
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
7
Dan O’Connor
Treasurer
Dan O’Connor has been the IYNC Network Treasurer since March
2013. He works for Exelon Corporation, currently at the Limerick
Generating Station outside of Philadelphia, PA, in the United States.
Dan hails from Albany, NY, and holds a BA in Physics (College of
the Holy Cross), an MS in Mechanical Engineering (University of
Wisconsin-Madison), and an MBA in Strategic Management (Villanova University). He is very interested in the policies, technologies, and diplomacy helping to safely expand nuclear power in
order to responsibly provide electricity for the world’s growing
population.
Nicholle Turnipseed
Research project chair and YGN Liason
Nicholle has experience working at the Legacy Plant, Unit 1, as well
as in the new construction of Units 2 & 3. As a graduate of Louisiana State University she majored in Biological Sciences with an
emphasis in Chemistry. In 2013, after completing her initial Chemistry training, Nicholle set personal goals to become more involved
in her company’s corporate culture. As a result, in 2014 she became
the NAYGN Community Service Chair where she has led numerous philanthropic events. Most recently, the 2014 Back-to-School
Drive. In that one event NAYGN was able to accumulate enough
school supplies and monetary donations to contribute to 6 different schools in the Richland, Fairfield, Lexington, and Newberry
Districts. Nicholle also serves as a board member for the Freedom
and Hope Foundation, an organization dedicated to the wounded
members of the military—both active duty and veterans. She is a
member of WIN, Women in Nuclear, where she serves as a MEBA/
STEM Initiative Representative.
Nicholle is the Research Project Chair-YGN Liaison for the International Youth Nuclear Congress committee. As a YGN Liaison,
Nicholle is responsible for assisting new applicant countries interested in beginning their local chapters. In particular, she advises
new applicants with grant applications for the IYNC Network Start
Up Grant. Nicholle’s education and experience has given her the
practical knowledge on how to lead with dedication and responsibility, not only with the members of NAYGN, but in all of her endeavors.
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
8
Lubomir Mitev
Bulletin Editor
Lubomir is the communications manager for the European Atomic
Forum – Foratom. He was previously working as a journalist for
the global nuclear news agency NucNet. Before that, he worked as
a freelance journalist in Brussels, Belgium, with a strong focus on
energy and sustainability/climate change. He has attended many
international conferences, including UNFCCC CoP 16 in Mexico and
the Rio+20 Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He continues to
travel throughout Europe and the world in his current position and
has a profound interest in foreign cultures. He was brought on as
editor of the IYNC Bulletin in 2014.
Lubomir does not belong to a nuclear YGN organization but is
engaged with IYNC in order to spread the message of young professionals in the nuclear sector. He is dedicated to the development
of nuclear energy and believes the flow of information to the new
generation is the best way to help.
Alexander Gladtsin
Web — Master
Alexander works as a system administrator and security engineer at the National Research Nuclear University «MEPhI» in
Moscow. He graduated from the faculty of «Nuclear systems
and materials» and has a Diploma in Non-destructive Control. After graduation, he continued to work in the Laboratory
of Non-destructive Control as a design engineer. His field of
interest include a data acquisition and processing systems,
non-destructive controls, ARM-based telemetry and automation systems, Linux-like operation systems. In his free time he
goes hunting, doing exercises with a barbell, archery among
others.
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
9
IYNC Mid Term
Board Meeting
The IYNC Mid Term Board of Directors Meeting took place Saturday, 21 June 2015 in
Paris, France. At the meeting, 20 Country reports were presented and the Board
discussed the needs and concerns to update the IYNC Bylaws. The Board also approved
the network operating budget for the term and learned of the activities surrounding the
upcoming IYNC2016 in Hangzhou, China.
This meeting was held with special thanks to our hosts French Young Generation in
Nuclear, and as a precedent to the ENYGF2015 meeting which started the following day.
List of Participants
Melissa Crawford
Kate Ryabikovskaya
Nicolas Anciaux
Rahul Srinivasan
Nicholle Turnipseed
Christian Vega
Timothy Rownes
Eileen Radde
Alexandre Soares Leal
Mayank Sood
Niina Miettinen
Sophie Missirian
Vecsi Aron
Nitendra Singh
Alina Constantin
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
Country
USA
Russia
Belgium
USA
USA
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Brazil
Canada
Finland
France
Hungary
India
Romania
List of Participants
Andrei Rusinkevich
Rasmus Enlund
Samuel Moore
Nathan Peterson
Denis Janin
Raphael Chesori
Shengke Zhi
Eleonara Dragan
Luca Caprioti
Alexander Tsibulya
Sarka Vondrova
Helge Gottschling
Ian Kaniu
Jose Garcia
Anouk ter Brugge
Country
Russia
Sweden
USA
UK
France
Kenya
China
Romania
Italy
Russia
Czech Republic
Germany
Kenya
Spain
Netherlands
10
ENYGF Nuclear
For Climate Declaration,
Paris 2015
by Melissa Crawford & Lubomir Mitev
Six months before the UNFCCC CoP 21 talks in Paris in December, the European Nuclear
Young Generation Forum (ENYGF) took place also in Paris from 22 to 26 June 2015. This
edition of the bi-annual forum was dedicated to climate and environmental issues. During
the event, high-level speakers from Europe’s major nuclear industry and research centres
delivered speeches and discussed the role of nuclear in the fight against climate change.
The forum also provided the stage where the representatives from the 19 European Young
Generation Networks signed and presented a position paper prepared in the framework of
the Nuclear for Climate initiative. The two key messages of the declaration are that nuclear
is part of the solution in the fight against climate change and COP21 is a unique opportunity to achieve a world-wide low-carbon society in which nuclear power will have a
key role to play.
The Declaration reads:
“Our belief is that fighting climate change cannot discard, on ideological background and
judgment, such promising technologies. It is our duty to inform the public in an objective
and scientific way of the benefits of nuclear power. CoP 21 is a unique opportunity to internationally develop a low-carbon society in which nuclear power will have a key role to play.”
The European YGN also said the CoP 21 United Nations climate change summit in Paris in
December is a unique opportunity to internationally develop a low-carbon society in which
nuclear power will have a key role to play. A review of more than 20 studies assessing the
greenhouse gas emissions produced by different forms of electricity generation shows that
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
11
life cycle emissions from all of
the major forms of renewable
energy – solar, wind, biomass,
hydroelectric – are similar to
those produced by nuclear.
Therefore, nuclear energy
has almost no carbon dioxide
emissions and one of the lowest production costs within the
energy market, mainly related
to the fuel and operating costs
which have little impact on the
price of nuclear electricity.
Nuclear generation is predictable and provides baseload electricity with a high level of reliability to the end-user, the YGN also said. “It is not subject to variations in fuel availability
as uranium is largely available from diverse politically stable countries. Nuclear power is
therefore a key asset for energy security and independence”.
IYNC Workshop
To promote the task of this term to create a young generation approach to public communication, IYNC hosted a workshop at ENYGF2015 entitled Understanding Communication Outside the Nuclear Industry. This workshop was coordinated with guest speaker Dr.
Hugo Marynissen, President of the CiP Institute and Professor of the Antwerp Management
School. This workshop was arranged as a follow-up action to IYNC’s first step in developing a communication strategy – the IYNC Special Report on Understanding the Anti-nuclear Environmental Movement which will debut at PIME2016.
In order to communicate to your audience, you must first understand what they are saying
about you. Therefore participants at the workshop were provided a draft copy of the IYNC
report, which was used as a basis to start the workshop. Dr. Marynissen implemented
an interactive 5-step method during the workshop to develop Short, Mid and Long Term
Goals for communicating effectively and clearly about nuclear technology. The workshop
was a great success and brought together the great minds of more than 20 participants
from many countries.
Outcomes of the workshop:
Communication Goals: (What do we want to communicate about?)
1) Improve Perception on Nuclear
2 Improve communication about nuclear
3) Clarify messages
4) School Outreach programs
5) Make YGN voice heard in the public
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
ENYGF 2015 Paris
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
12
13
IYNC Position
Paper:
Nuclear
For Climate
According to the United Nations, the world population in 2015 is 7.2 billion and it is expected to grow to 9.6 billion in 20501. Given this projected increase in population and the
corresponding growth in economic activity and consumption, energy demand will also
rise. Electricity is a vital service for the operation of society’s most basic services, such as
providing clean water, healthcare, food, communication, and transportation.
Moreover, electricity-generation is the main source of carbon dioxide emissions in the
world today; about 70% of the world’s electricity comes from burning fossil fuels such as
coal, oil and gas2. With ongoing efforts to decarbonise the economy, many traditionally
fossil-fuel burning activities - such as transportation - are being electrified. This trend will
further the burden on the electricity production system. In order to actually decarbonise,
the reduction in oil- and gas-burning by vehicles must be met with increased production of
clean energy. Despite multiple international efforts, CO2 emissions have increased by 60%
in comparison to 1990 levels3.
Even today, 1.3 billion people do not have access to electricity. In the poorest regions of
the world, communities use inefficient, polluting and unsustainable energy technologies
which also tend to negatively impact human health4.
Climate change, now scientifically accepted as being caused by human activity by the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, will have a profound impact on the future of
the planet. Any policy agreements regarding greenhouse-gas reductions and sustainable
development reached during the CoP21 in Paris in 2015 must be implemented swiftly, to
ensure that future generations do not inherit problems which could have been prevented.
Nuclear power plants produce nearly no CO2 emissions: 15 grams of CO2 per kilowatthour, compared to 11 g CO2/kWh for wind energy, 45 g CO2/kWh for solar photo-voltaics,
and 400 g CO2/kWh for natural gas-fired power stations5. It comes as no surprise that
the world’s five largest greenhouse gas emitters – China, the USA, the EU, India and Russia – are looking to develop or maintain their nuclear power industries alongside renewable
1
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (2015). World population prospects. New York, NY.
International Energy Agency (2014). Energy technology perspectives 2014: Harnessing electricity’s potential.
Paris.
2
3
International Energy Agency (2014).
4
World Bank (2013). Sustainable energy for all. Washington DC: Angelou, N. et al.
5
According to the results published by the European Union’s NEEDS project.
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
14
energy sources and other low-carbon technologies. This is consistent with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 1,200 possible scenarios for the limiting of global
warming to 2 oC. Only eight of those scenarios include phasing out nuclear power6.
Nuclear energy has already had a profound effect in limiting climate change. Statistics
from the International Energy Agency (IEA) show that the operation of nuclear power stations has avoided the release of 56 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide since 1971. This amounts
to two years-worth of CO2 emissions at current international emissions levels, stopped
from entering the atmosphere7.
Nuclear power is an integral part of the global energy system, producing 11% of global
electricity. In the European Union, it accounts for 27% of total electricity production and
53% of carbon-free electricity8. In the USA, nuclear power produces almost 20% of the
country’s total electricity and 66% of its low-carbon electricity. In comparison, Japan’s decision to shut down all of its 48 nuclear reactors after the earthquake and tsunami in March
2011 has resulted in a 6% increase in CO2 emissions, forcing the country to concede and fail
at meeting its targets under the Kyoto Protocol.
Research is ongoing on future energy technologies, including new ways of exploiting nuclear technology in even safer, more reliable and sustainable manners. The future of the
nuclear industry lies in two areas: 1) more efficient use of nuclear fuel, which contributes
to the transmutation of high-level nuclear waste, making it easier to dispose of or treat;
and 2) replicating the inexhaustible power of the sun through nuclear fusion technology.
The commercialisation of Generation IV nuclear reactors is anticipated before 2050 and
will contribute to the achievement of the first area. The start-up of the ITER fusion reactor being built in France and scheduled for commissioning around 2030 will demonstrate
the infinite possibilities of the second. For all of this to be possible, the decision-makers of
today and tomorrow must recognise nuclear energy as a necessity.
The International Youth Nuclear Congress (IYNC) is a global network of the new generation of professionals in the nuclear field. As a network of young people, the members of
IYNC are dedicated to developing new technologies, designing solutions and solving problems in the nuclear energy industry for the welfare of humankind.
IYNC is committed to providing and contributing to a solution to climate change and the
achievement of greenhouse gas reduction goals through the use of low-carbon technologies.
IYNC firmly believes that future generations can benefit from the continued use of nuclear
energy in several ways.
Firstly, today’s young people will have to implement the policies agreed to during CoP21
and achieve the targets set for 2050 and beyond. Over the next 35 years, the portfolio of
technologies available to humankind for the achievement of these targets will grow and
allow the use of electricity storage, new and more efficient renewable energy sources and
systems, and improved nuclear energy technology. The primary purpose of IYNC is to
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2015).Climate change 2014: Synthesis report. Contribution of
working groups I, II and III to the fifth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Geneva: Pachauri, R.K. and Meyer, L.A. (eds.)
6
7
International Energy Agency (2014).
8
International Energy Agency (2104).
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
15
transfer knowledge from the current generation of leading scientists and engineers to the
next generation, to allow today’s young people to carry out CoP21’s charge. We strongly
support the development of new ideas and provide a forum for the young generation of
today so they can become the innovators of tomorrow.
IYNC needs the new UNFCCC Protocols to be adopted at CoP21 to establish clear goals
and define a strong vision for young people to understand and work towards.
Secondly, population growth does not only mean an increase in demand for goods, services and energy – it also means a larger and more diverse workforce. The popularity of
nuclear science and technology has fallen over the last twenty years. This has resulted in
a similar decline in new specialists entering the nuclear field. In comparison, most predictions of future world energy requirements all point towards nuclear energy being a key
part of the solution – the IEA estimates that to limit temperature increases to 2OC, nuclear
capacity must approximately double from 400 gigawatts (GW) today to 930 GW in 2050.
Achieving this goal will require support for research and development in nuclear energy
and all low-carbon technologies, as well as concerted efforts to inspire more interest in
young people to enter the sector.
IYNC calls on the UNFCCC to include in its Protocols to be adopted at CoP21 to recognise
nuclear technology as an indispensable source of low-carbon electricity and to support
research, development and innovation in nuclear science.
Thirdly, each country faces specific challenges in energy and environmental policies, such
as level of economic development, security of energy supply, availability of natural resources, transportation networks, and public opinion. It is clear that a shift away from fossil-fuel use in all sectors of the economy will necessitate greater use of electricity. Pollution
does not take into account international borders and politics and neither should electricity. Therefore, tackling climate change should not be based on technology-specific goals
which bring with them a bias for or against specific technologies, but on the best possible
means and combination of solutions to achieve the required result of decarbonisation.
IYNC demands that the UNFCCC recognise technology neutrality in energy policy for the
decarbonisation of the energy system in the Protocols to be adopted at CoP21.
Finally, communication, international cooperation, and technology transfer are at the
heart of tackling problems on a global scale. In the 1950s and 60s, the first nuclear power
reactors developed in France were based on designs from the USA. Similarly, the indigenous reactor designs developed in China in the 1990s and now are based on a transfer of
technology from France and the USA. IYNC is committed to the development of new approaches to communicate the benefits of nuclear power as part of a balanced energy mix.
Only through international cooperation and an open and transparent sharing of ideas and
experiences can we maintain and increase the level of technical know-how in energy engineering and science.
IYNC proposes that the international community set up global forums where intra-technology and inter-technology communication can be conducted freely, openly and scientifically to achieve a balanced energy mix worldwide.
The members of IYNC are committed to solving existing problems and issues and working together with all energy technology sectors to achieve all of the above.
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
16
YGN Leadership at
WiN Global Conference
IYNC President Melissa Crawford and Vice President Ekaterina Ryabikovskaya, along with
ENSYGN Chair Eileen Langegger, were invited to represent the young generation in nuclear at the 23rd WiN Global Annual Conference: Women in Nuclear Meet Atoms for Peace
which took place 24-28 August at the Vienna International Center
IYNC had a small booth there where we could inform the WiN Participants and IAEA visitiors about the IYNC and the opportunities available to be involved in the upcoming
IYNC2016 in Hangzhou.
Mrs Langegger was up first and presented Career Development in a Challenging Environment — Why Young Generation Networks are Essential at the session on Career Development. Ms Ryabikovskaya presented the IYNC’s communication work this term: Environmentalists and the Anti Nuclear Movement — Understanding Communication Outside the
Nuclear Industry at the Panel Session on Energy, Environment and Climate Change. Ms
Crawford presented the young generations call for a multilateral approach to waste management, as well as the IYNC2016 to be held in Hangzhou, China, at the Safeguards and
Non-proliferation panel.
The events are testament to the great collaboration and strong ties between WiN, IYNC
and the IAEA. We will have more news on the outcomes of this event unfold in the next
issue of the IYNC Bulletin.
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
17
23rd WiN Global
Annual Conference
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
18
23rd WiN Global
Annual Conference
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
19
The Future of the IYNC
at the IAEA
For the 59th Annual General Conference of the IAEA, IYNC had a very successful participation. IYNC was officially recognized by the IAEA in 2013, and has since been invited as
an observer to their meetings and events.
Both IYNC Officers and IYNC2016 ExCom members attended, and our booth was prepared
to inform participants of the Congress about IYNC and our next Congress, IYNC2016 in
Hangzhou. Many people were interested in our work.
Monday morning saw a meeting with IYNC President and Vice President and the Chief of
the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) at Vienna. Further collaboration will be coming in our future.
A meeting with the United Nations Young Generation in Nuclear was held Monday evening,
to increase communication and collaboration between IYNC and the professionals at IAEA.
It is our intent to continue this tradition at future IAEA GC going forward. Tuesday allowed
for further discusion with the IAEA WiN chapter and IYNC on the future IYNC WiN chapter. The Nuclear4Climate Steering Committee meeting, and vists to the Member States.
Wednesday IYNC Vice President Ekaterina Ryabikovskaya met with Deputy Director General Chudakov to discuss the history and future of IYNC and IAEA, and IYNC2016 Technical
Program Chair Luca Cappriotti was invited judge in the World Nuclear Olympiad.
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
20
IAEA General
Conference
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
21
NAYGN/NEA Conference
in Washington DC
by Nicholle Turnipseed
On 12 to 14 May 2015, VC Summer’s NAYGN chapter had the opportunity to partake in
a series of professional development sessions centered on the theme of Nuclear Dollars and Sense that took place in Washington DC. This years’ conference was a first time
joint venture with NAYGN and NEA (Nuclear Energy Assembly). The attendees included
Nicholle Turnipseed (President), Courtney Tampas (Vice President), Daniel Cain (Professional Development Chair), Duane Twining (Treasurer), Lisa Williamson (Public Information
Co-Chair), and Rhe Adams (Public Information Chair). There was opportunity to participate in breakout sessions that ranged from discussions on the financial impacts of political
decisions to new nuclear construction.
The informative sessions hosted by NEA highlighted the future of the nuclear industry with
topics, including Aligning the Nuclear Policy, Economic and Regulatory Agenda and a CEO
panel discussion on the New Electricity Business. The Top Industry Practice Awards (TIP)
were also a part of these sessions. The awards highlighted the nuclear industry’s most innovative techniques and ideas, while promoting the sharing of fresh ideas and best practices.
The Supplier Expo that took place on May 12th had over 45 exhibits that showcased exciting products and technology in the nuclear industry.
The conference ended with a trip to Capitol Hill on May 13th. The members of NAYGN had
appointments with offices of their local, federal congressional representatives, for Hill Day.
The visits centered on supporting nuclear science and impact some congressional activities that would directly affect our industry.
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
22
Direct Participants Feedback
1) What sticks in my head is the relationship between carbon-free energy sources (I
don’t use the term renewable because nuclear can be renewable). Of all the discussions that weren’t professional development (of which I didn’t pick good sessions),
that was the theme. ISO-controlled markets and how they price power, federal
subsidies, political lobbying and think tanks working on congress, etc. Our lives in
nuclear power are all impacted by these issues, if not now, sometime in the future. SCANA is going to feel the effects of potential NRC budget cuts, EPA rule changes,
federal subsidies, distributed solar, etc. Our executives are actively managing all of
these impacts on our business and our employment. My favorite part was meeting all the new people. During a meal or social, stop at a table and sit down to meet
others. It was also interesting to hear the different perspectives on starting nuclear
careers.
2) The NAYGN sessions were good in that they exposed us to areas that we might
not get to experience during our normal job functions. They also got us interacting
with some of our new found friends. The NEA sessions seemed more philosophical
in nature with broader, longer-term views of the industry and operations. This was
appropriate given the typical NEA audience versus the NAYGN crowd. For followup, we need to help each other maintain the contacts established at the conference.
We also need to encourage others to get out there and participate both within our
own chapter but also within the region and beyond.
3) What impressed me the most was the knowledge of our legislature representatives on nuclear and how pro-nuclear they were. Also, I enjoyed the influencing
leaders workshop in which we role played a case study in teams. It was eye opening
on the vast knowledge needed and how to work relationships across different parties within the company and other parties outside of the company. December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
23
The Universal
Agreement
on Climate Change
An historic agreement to combat climate change and unleash actions and investment
towards a low carbon, resilient and sustainable future was agreed by 195 nations in Paris
on 12 December 2015. The Paris Agreement for the first time brings all nations into a common cause based on their historic, current and future responsibilities. The Agreement’s
main aim is to keep a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius
and to drive efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius
above pre-industrial levels. According to the latest scientific reports, global temperatures
have already risen by almost 1 degree Celsius.
To reach these ambitious and important goals, appropriate financial flows will be put in
place, thus making stronger action by developing countries and the most vulnerable ones,
in line with their own national objectives.
“The Paris Agreement allows each delegation and group of countries to go back home
with their heads held high. Our collective effort is worth more than the sum of our individual effort. Our responsibility to history is immense” said Laurent Fabius, President of the
COP 21 UN Climate change conference and French Foreign Minister. The minister, his emotion showing as delegates started to rise to their feet, brought the final gavel down on the
agreement to open and sustained acclamation across the plenary hall.
French President Francois Hollande was also present to congratulate the delegates:
“You’ve done it, reached an ambitious agreement, a binding agreement, a universal agreement. Never will I be able to express more gratitude to a conference. You can be proud to
stand before your children and grandchildren.”
What Does the Agreement Mean?
The Paris Agreement and the outcomes of the UN climate conference (COP21) cover all
the crucial areas identified as essential for a landmark conclusion. As well as setting a
long-term direction, countries will peak their emissions as soon as possible and continue to
submit national climate action plans that detail their future objectives to address climate
change. This builds on the momentum of the unprecedented effort which has so far seen
188 countries contribute climate action plans to the new agreement, which will dramatically slow the pace of global greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, two contributions were
submitted the day the Agreement was adopted.
According to the agreement, countries will have to submit updated climate plans – called nationally determined contributions (NDCs) – every five years, thereby steadily increasing their
ambition in the long-term. In 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
will have to prepare a scientific report of the effects of a temperature increase of 1.5 degrees
Celsius and the best actions to tackle the effects of climate change. The NDCs will be reviewed
every five years after that, therefore starting in 2023. The agreement also includes a compliance mechanism, overseen by a committee of experts that operates in a non-punitive way.
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
24
Climate action will also be taken forward in the period before 2020. Countries will continue
to engage in a process on mitigation opportunities and will put added focus on adaptation opportunities. Additionally, they will work to define a clear roadmap on ratcheting up
climate finance to USD 100 billion by 2020 per year. Governments decided that they will
work to define a clear roadmap on climate finance while also setting a new goal on the
provision of finance from the USD 100 billion floor by 2025. This is further underlined by
the agreement’s robust transparency and accounting system, which will provide clarity on
countries’ implementation efforts, with flexibility for countries’ differing capabilities.
The landmark Paris Agreement was reached against the backdrop of a remarkable groundswell of climate action by cities and regions, business and civil society. During the week of
events under the Lima-to-Paris Action Agenda (LPAA) at the COP, the groundswell of action by these stakeholders successfully demonstrated the powerful and irreversible course
of existing climate action.
Countries at COP 21 recognised the enormous importance of these initiatives, calling for
the continuation and scaling up of these actions which are entered on the UN-hosted NAZCA portal as an essential part in the rapid implementation of the Paris Agreement.
The LPAA and NAZCA have already captured climate actions and pledges covering:
• Over 7,000 cities, including the most vulnerable to climate change, from over 100 countries with a combined population of 1.25 billion people and around 32% of global GDP.
• Sub-national states and regions comprising one fifth of total global land area and combined GDP of USD 12.5 trillion.
• Over 5,000 companies from more than 90 countries that together represent the majority of global market capitalisation and over USD 38 trillion in revenue.
• Nearly 500 investors with total assets under management of over USD 25 trillion.
According to many analysts, these pledges have created a momentum for change which
will continue to grow among business and civil society and is only re-enforced through a
global agreement. “The Paris Agreement gives businesses and investors the policy certainty they crave and provides a vital foundation for a healthier, stronger and more prosperous economy. Companies, cities and governments are realizing that can do well, by doing
good. From now, on, the smart money will no longer go into fossil fuels, but into cleaner
energy, smarter cities, and more sustainable land use,” said Felipe Calderon, former President of Mexico and Chair of the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate.
However, the agreement did not go without criticism. James Hansen, former NASA scientist and the person considered the ‘father’ of global awareness of climate change, spoke to
the Guardian newspaper, saying: “It’s a fraud really, a fake. It’s just bullshit for them to say:
‘We’ll have a 2C warming target and then try to do a little better every five years.’ It’s just
worthless words. There is no action, just promises. As long as fossil fuels appear to be the
cheapest fuels out there, they will be continued to be burned.”
Mr Hansen returned home from COP 21 and immediately called (yet again) for a price to
be placed on each tonne of carbon dioxide which is emitted. He calls it a “fee” because
“taxes scare people off”. He says USD15 a tonne that would rise USD10 a year and bring
in USD600bn in the US alone should do the job the Paris Agreement did not. There aren’t
many takers, even among “big green” NGOs as Hansen labels environment groups.
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
25
Nuclear4Climate
at COP21
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
26
Country Report —
Malaysia
Malaysia Establishes Malaysia Young Generation in Nuclear (MyYGN)
In a two-day conference aimed at youth empowerment and development in nuclear, 145
participants comprising of university students and young professionals in the nuclearrelated industries in Malaysia concluded the inaugural Nuclear Youth Congress 2015 (NYC
2015) held in Johor Bahru, from 12-13 October 2015.
The event, with the theme of “Aspire to Inspire: Empowering Youth in Nuclear”, successfully achieved its main objective of forming the Malaysia Young Generation in Nuclear
(MyYGN). Mr Luca Capriotti, a representative of the International Youth Nuclear Congress
(IYNC) who presented IYNC at the conference, spoke about the mentorship programme
and the International Youth Nuclear Congress 2016 (IYNC2016) event. He was instrumental
in advising and guiding the setting up of MyYGN.
The involvement of IYNC in this event has “positively helped to cement the importance of
having a robust and dynamic nuclear youth movement in Malaysia,” explained Myra Liyana
Razali, the IYNC National Representative for Malaysia.
Through this establishment, MyYGN hopes to represent the interest of Malaysia’s young
generation in nuclear, engage and communicate with other young Malaysians on nuclear
matters and facilitate networking opportunities among members to exchange nuclear
knowledge and information.
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
27
Country Report —
Sri Lanka
The Youth Nuclear Society of Sri Lanka reports on its latest activities as well as an overview of the latest news from the country’s nuclear sector.
Latest developments & news from the USA
In January 2015, the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Regulatory Council (SLAERC) was established to allow for the introduction of nuclear power generation technology in the country,
and also to address concerns over the security of radioactive sources and to deal with
radiation emergencies.
In February 2015, the government signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with India. It
concerns capacity building and training in the peaceful application of nuclear energy, especially the use of radioisotopes, nuclear safety, radioactive waste management, radiation
safety and nuclear security.
In April 2015, our country signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with Pakistan.
Moreover, Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board (SLAEB) is involved in promoting on development of Nuclear Science and Technology (NST) in the fields of Human Health, Industry,
Environment, Food & Agriculture, Animal husbandry, Naval & Aeronautics and Isotopes hydrology. In addition, the SLAEB conducts public awareness programs in order to enhance
the knowledge on the benefit of NST & electricity generation using nuclear power.
The electricity production can be increased by about 6460 MW by 2032 in Sri Lanka. In
fact, the Generation plan (2013 -2032) of Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is mainly concerned with options for the next generation’s electricity instead of the existing coal power
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
28
plants. A country like Sri Lanka should have a good mixture of energy options for electricity generation rather than adhering to one conventional energy source such as coal. It
is time for Sri Lanka, to go for nuclear power as an option to meet future power demand
of the country. Some countries smaller than Sri Lanka have successfully adopted nuclear
power plants for their electricity generation. By 2032, a nuclear power plant with minimum
capacity of 600 MW would be a favourable development for Sri Lanka.
News from the Young Generation Network
A video documentary (about 40 minutes in length) was created in the local language by
Mr. Malinda Ranaweera – Patron, Youth Nuclear Society of Sri Lanka (YNSS) to explain the
benefits of “Electricity generation using Nuclear Power in Sri Lanka”.
We provide information services through the web sites regarding the “Electricity generation using Nuclear Power” & peaceful applications of Nuclear science and Technology” as
follows.
We disseminate a lot of our information and activities on the YNSS Facebook Group: Youth
Nuclear Society of Sri Lanka (YNSS)
The 4th Annual General meeting of Youth Nuclear Society of Sri Lanka (YNSS) was held on
22 July 2015 at the Auditorium of SLAEB. Mr. Lakshitha Perera and Ms. Nadeera Hemamali
were appointed as the president and secretary of YNSS.
Nuclear Energy is Important for the Fight Against Climate Change
Apart from the hydro power, solar and wind energy, the production of electricity using fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas is the major production source in Sri Lanka. Hydro power
reserves of the country are nearly fully exploited. In addition, solar and wind energy is not
available for exploitation in large scale due to the requirement of having reserves. Moreover, coal resources are also a limited conventional resource and in terms of foreign expenditure, petroleum is an expensive source for the power generation in the country. However,
it is obvious that the emission of greenhouse gasses from fossil fuel burning has an impact
on climate change and causes many problems such as carbon credit penalties which are
mandated by environmental protocols.
Nuclear power seems to be the main solution for these kinds of issues because it produces
lower amounts of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. In terms of climate change mitigation,
nuclear is important and many countries intend to introduce nuclear power in the coming decades, or to expand already existing programs. All countries have the right to use
nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, as well as the responsibility to do so safely and
securely.
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
29
Country Report —
United States
The North American Young Generation Network reports on its latest activities as well as
an overview of the latest news from the US nuclear sector.
Latest developments & news from the USA
The United States continues to have the largest nuclear fleet in the world, distributed over
many utility companies who successfully compete to provide the best possible services to
the public for the lowest prices. Despite this, nuclear only provides 20% of the energy in
the United States. Nuclear is important in that it can provide sustainable jobs, clean energy
and innovation that will allow us to meet the demands of future generations.
There are five new reactors in the USA which continue to be under construction:
1. Watts Bar Unit 2
2. Vogtle Units 3 & 4
3. Summer Units 2 & 3
These new reactors, plus Duke Energy’s pre-construction investments in the Lee nuclear
station, are signs of potential growth in the industry. Additionally, states in the western US
are making initial investments in building Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) which is a further
sign that the industry my see resurgence in the near future.
However, there were four recent plant closures in the United States:
1. Crystal River Unit 3
2. Kewaunee
3. San Onofre
4. Vermont Yankee
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
30
Despite this, two more plants in Illinois are at risk of closure: Exelon’s Quad Cities and Clinton nuclear plants. With these other two plants at risk, further challenges for the industry
in the United States are heralded. These challenges have accelerated the need for interim
storage of spent nuclear fuel which is now under construction in Texas. It seems the US
nuclear industry has found a way to turn a challenge into an opportunity.
Nuclear will continue to provide essential energy with minimal impact on environmental
resources which future generations will have increasing demand for. Therefore, a source of
electricity which does not consume resources will be needed to meet increasing demands
will be invaluable to the future of a growing and changing country.
News from the Young Generation Network
Regional Conferences underway: following the success of the NAYGN National Conference
in Washington DC, the regional conferences have been organized to solidify professional
relationships and continue to create professional development opportunities for NAYGN
members.
The Regional events allow for more young professionals to take leadership roles in communicating with other companies and chapters in relation to organizing professional
events. The regional conferences also allow executives to interact with up-and-coming
professionals in the industry and within their own organizations.
Nuclear Energy is Important for the Fight Against Climate Change
Nuclear power is the largest, most reliable and economically advantageous source of
clean, pollution free power in the world.
There is a large effort in the industry to pursue and/or promote nuclear energy as a method of combating climate change. Yet, the United States boasts a diverse populace with
diverse views and opinions on industry, energy, pollution, policy and business. Therefore,
to represent this diversity and recognize that other countries will adequately take nuclear
as a means to combat climate change, this country report draws attention to the broader
benefits of nuclear.
Nuclear energy respects the property rights of citizens by not polluting the environment
or consuming cooling water. Additionally, the nuclear energy provides long lasting, economically sustainable careers for not just local employees, but for suppliers and manufacturers throughout the country and the world. The innovation and solutions that have been
made possible by the industry have yielded the safe energy models for the current demands of the modern world and are producing solutions that will last thousands of years.
We are able to responsibly handle waste and provide sustainable energy and careers for
future generations.
Nuclear is the only the industry that currently has designs, models and plans but it is also
the technology that will meet the demands of future generations for a time period that
stretches beyond the visible horizon for the human race.
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
31
African Young
Generation Report
Islam El-Hadj, IYNC’s representative in Tunisia, talks
about the latest activities as well as an overview of
the latest news from the Tunisia nuclear sector and the
African Young Generation Network.
Latest developments & news from Tunisia
The Nuclear field in Tunisia is divided into three major
areas.
First, it is nuclear research in the National Centre of Nuclear Sciences and Techniques, CNSTN. The late activities are to establish a subcritical assemblies installation
in the centre in order to help do research activities and
even produce radioactive sources. Currently, it is waiting for the ministry approval to finance the project.
Second, we have feasibility studies to build a 1,000-megawatt nuclear power station. The
energy mix developed has proven that Tunisia is in need of nuclear energy by 2030 to help
reduce the share of fossil fuelled power plants, which are producing 98% of the country’s
electricity. In the meanwhile, nuclear legislation has to be voted by the deputy chamber
and we are trying to accelerate the creation of the Regulatory Body.
Third, we have several nuclear medicine treatment facilities. In fact, legislation is to be
modified in order to take into account the huge amount of radioactive sources being used
and how to transport and dispose of these sources.
Tunisia, as well as many other countries in Africa, depends a lot on fossil fuel sources,
mainly gas and oil. This is a very dangerous situation for two major reasons:
First, dependency on market prices of oil. Prices are very often high and for many developing countries the selling price of a kWh doesn’t exceed the cost which means deficits
in the budgets of companies and the state budget. On the other hand, uranium is at a low
price and produces way too far more energy if compared to fossil fuel.
Second, the use of nuclear energy will help Tunisia keep its fossil fuel resources for the
next generation and the extracted quantities will be used for other activities, mainly petrochemical ones.
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
32
News from the African Young Generation Network
The African Nuclear Young Generation is a young organization which is trying to shape
itself. As for the recent activities we are trying to:
1. Identify and Select members from around all Africa
2. Make online meetings to get acquainted with one another and to discuss different
matters; The first hangout meeting was made on 215 July 2015 and the discussion
was about:
a. Mission of the African YGN
b. Leadership Roles/Responsibilities
c. Plans for the African YGN in South Africa
d. The structure of the African YGN
e. Possible Affiliations
f. Membership/registration models
g. Next meeting
We are also trying to cooperate with IYNC and other organization to see how can we promote our YGN on a national level in other countries as well as internationally.
Nuclear Energy is Important for the Fight Against Climate Change
Nuclear energy is the winning horse in order to help the world satisfy its growing need for
electric power in a sustainable way. Among the reasons to promote nuclear energy is to
save our planet and reduce the impact of climate change. In fact, nuclear energy is among
the best ways to reduce CO2 emissions.
Furthermore, producing energy with nuclear will help preserve fossil resources for other
activities (transportation and chemical products). Thus, the need to drill more oil wells will
decrease and we all know the negative impact of these activities such as: water use and
contamination, soil contamination etc.
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin
33
December 2015 / IYNC Bulletin