Israel may build a nuclear power plant

[Big_Zukini]

Israel and USA signed an MoU, part of the Pax Silica project, to advance a large fab and energy project in Israel's southern Negev desert. Emphasis on MoU.

The early outline is to (long term) lease a 4,000 acre area to the US, with mostly American management and investment, in which semiconductor facilities will be constructed, as well as a "high density energy project" inofficially understood to be a nuclear reactor.

Israel is a small nation with significant energy demands and high interest in decoupling energy from vulnerable resource supply chains. Yet it does not have the expertise or funds to construct its own nuclear power plant, at least not in parallel quality to the current most advanced variants.
Nor is import politically viable due to non-NPT-signatory status.

This plan however is a realistic workaround. Lease the territory to the US, let the US construct as if on its own territory, and voila.

https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-us-tech-park-in-negev-may-have-nuclear-power-plant-1001533004

 

[Dilandu]

Finally!

 

[Justo Miranda]

How do they cool the reactor core?

Are there significant groundwater reserves in the Negev?

 

[Big_Zukini]

How do they cool the reactor core?

Are there significant groundwater reserves in the Negev?

Penguin appreciated.

I do not know.

 

[chimeric oncogene]

How do they cool the reactor core?

Are there significant groundwater reserves in the Negev?

modern cooling towers with forced convection can operate with less water; there is also the possibility of seawater use but that I think is less likely

 

[Scott Kenny]

If you can get the tertiary loop temperature down to ~65degF and recover that water you don't even need but some make-up water.

 

[amadolabonte]

Israel and USA signed an MoU, part of the Pax Silica project, to advance a large fab and energy project in Israel's southern Negev desert. Emphasis on MoU.

The early outline is to (long term) lease a 4,000 acre area to the US, with mostly American management and investment, in which semiconductor facilities will be constructed, as well as a "high density energy project" inofficially understood to be a nuclear reactor.

Israel is a small nation with significant energy demands and high interest in decoupling energy from vulnerable resource supply chains, and if you need to estimate paint cost per square foot, it does not have the expertise or funds to construct its own nuclear power plant, at least not in parallel quality to the current most advanced variants.

This plan however is a realistic workaround. Lease the territory to the US, let the US construct as if on its own territory, and voila.

The MoU lets Israel lease land to the US so they can build semiconductor and energy facilities, providing Israel access to advanced infrastructure without bearing the full cost or political risk.

 

[EmoBirb]

The MoU lets Israel lease land to the US so they can build semiconductor and energy facilities, providing Israel access to advanced infrastructure without bearing the full cost or political risk.

I fail to see what benefit there would be for the US. As in, why would they back this idea? I know the Israel lobby is by far the strongest in US politics, but the Americans have to get least something out of this deal, right?

 

[Big_Zukini]

I fail to see what benefit there would be for the US. As in, why would they back this idea? I know the Israel lobby is by far the strongest in US politics, but the Americans have to get least something out of this deal, right?

I wonder if any US-Greece deal ever generates talk about the Greek lobby.

The US gets the benefit of money and technological progress.
The semiconductor industry is currently the most strategically valuable industry for any diversified economy to have.
It is very profitable, provides tremendous political power, and in many ways semiconductor industry dominance is technological dominance.

 

[EmoBirb]

I wonder if any US-Greece deal ever generates talk about the Greek lobby.

The US gets the benefit of money and technological progress.
The semiconductor industry is currently the most strategically valuable industry for any diversified economy to have.
It is very profitable, provides tremendous political power, and in many ways semiconductor industry dominance is technological dominance.

The US can just skip the middle man and develop their semiconductor industry indigenously, which isn't under constant threat and under their immediate control. And if it's about cost, there are plenty of US aligned places where such an undertaking would be cheaper.

Truly a strange decision forming up, makes one wonder which US politician has been blackmailed this time.

 

[Big_Zukini]

The US can just skip the middle man and develop their semiconductor industry indigenously, which isn't under constant threat and under their immediate control. And if it's about cost, there are plenty of US aligned places where such an undertaking would be cheaper.

Truly a strange decision forming up, makes one wonder which US politician has been blackmailed this time.

The US is a capitalistic country. Same for Israel. So investments are an integral part of their economic models.

The semiconductor industry has some very expensive components so it uniquely requires substantial government investment to assist its growth.
Fabs can cost tens of billions of dollars each, depending on their manufacturing capacity and technology.

A healthy investment portfolio is diverse. So investment is required in many industries, and in the current economy also across many countries.
If I invest only in energy and only in one company that does nuclear reactors - that's a good investment, but very unsafe and makes no sense compared to some index stocks that follow tech, energy, commodities, finances etc.

Governments also have investment portfolios. Some they invest locally, but almost always they diversify to other nations. Feel free to check what assets comprise your pension fund.

The US and Israel are both tech oriented with conducive environment for startups.
However, Israeli labor is cheaper than American. So after the tooling investment, you get a cheaper product. A diverse supply chain consisting of local and distant, cheap and expensive etc.

This facility is also supposed to feed into the IMEC, which will go through Israel and end in Europe.

Also please refrain from goofy conspiracy theories. I would prefer to believe this is a conversation between intelligent adults.

 

[Michel Van]

How do they cool the reactor core?

Are there significant groundwater reserves in the Negev?

Germany build a dry cooling tower for there experimental High Temperature Pebble Reactor in 1980s
Work perfect until Chernobyl happens and Helmut Kohl terminate the program and they demolish it.
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/THTR-300

 

[Arjen]

I wonder if any US-Greece deal ever generates talk about the Greek lobby.

The USA is currently strong-arming Taiwan to move semiconductor manufacturing to the USA, so I think @EmoBirb 's question is a valid one.

 

[Big_Zukini]

The USA is currently strong-arming Taiwan to move semiconductor manufacturing to the USA, so I think @EmoBirb 's question is a valid one.

That is why I answered it.

 

[NMaude]

I was under the impression that Israel already had a nuclear-reactor just to simply breed Plutonium-239 for their nuclear arsenal.

 

[Big_Zukini]

I was under the impression that Israel already had a nuclear-reactor just to simply breed Plutonium-239 for their nuclear arsenal.

There are 2 reactors. One in Dimona for its nuclear program.
Another in Soreq for civilian research purposes.
But no NPP.
I do not understand much about nuclear physics so I will stop here.