World Nuclear News
 | Greens threaten blue over yellowcake The result of the Australian general election has finally come, with a new ruling coalition of Labor, some independents and a Green. |
| Application doubles Dutch new-build plans.jpg "Borssele (EPZ)") Dutch-owned Energy Resources Holding has launched the application process for a new nuclear plant at the Netherlands' Borssele site. The plan is completely separate from another plan for new build at the site launched last year by Delta. |
| Price named for new Kozluduy units In a consolidated effort to attract a lasting investment interest in new nuclear power, the Bulgarian government has for the first time revealed what it would be prepared to pay for two new reactors at Kozloduy. |
| Putin dismisses alternatives to nuclear Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin has said that nuclear energy is the only alternative to traditional energy sources, RIA Novosti reported. Speaking at a meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, he said that while the global gas market has been recovering from the recent economic downturn, demand for energy sources will soar over the next few years. Putin noted, "You couldn't transfer large electric power stations to wind energy, however much you wanted to. In the next few decades, it will be impossible." He said that future energy consumption patterns will only undergo minor changes. Nuclear energy is the only "real and powerful alternative" to oil and gas, Putin asserted, calling other approaches to meeting future energy demand "claptrap." |
| IAEA: Renaissance is in motion Despite mixed signals, the overall trend for nuclear is up as the number of new reactors under construction continues to rise, according to a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency. |
| Nuclear a cash cow for Germany's plans.jpg "Neckarwestheim (EnBW)"){kind=small} German nuclear power plants are set to operate for longer after a policy change from Angela Merkel's government gave them a short-term extension in return for billions in taxes. |
| Construction starts on Japanese used fuel store.jpg "Groundbreaking at Mutsu (RFS)") Construction has started of an interim used fuel storage facility in Mutsu, Aomori prefecture, Japan. The Recyclable Fuel Storage Centre is expected to begin operating in July 2012 with an initial capacity of 3000 tonnes of used fuel. |
| Risk statistics on energy The risks of potential accidents at nuclear power plants are compared to the risks of other energy forms by a new OECD report for policymakers considering nuclear energy. |
| Poland revises 'unrealistic' nuclear launch date Poland's plan to ready itself for the deployment of nuclear power plants have been put back by two years, with 2022 now the likely date for the start-up of its first reactor. |
| Further cooperation for China and Russia
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| Russia launches new UO2 powder production line The Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant - part of Russia's TVEL - has commissioned a new production line for uranium dioxide powder. The new line uses a high-temperature 'dry' process, rather than 'wet' extraction technology currently used at the plant. |
| Recycling a viable option, US commission told There could be "significant benefits" in the implementation of reprocessing and recycling technology under a new waste management strategy, industry executives have told the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future. |
| Davis Besse seeks life extension First Energy Nuclear Operating Company (Fenoc) has applied to extend the Davis Besse nuclear power plant's license by 20 years. Should the Nuclear Regulatory Commission grant the request, the pressurized water reactor could operate until 2037. The request comes shortly after Fenoc decided to replace the reactor's vessel head due to cracking around control rod drive mechanism nozzles. This was discovered in February and took until July to repair. The current vessel head itself is a replacement for one that suffered major corrosion in 2002. The reactor is currently operating at its full rated capacity of 908MWe. |
| UK partnership for major components.jpg "Cammell Laird's construction hall") A British shipbuilder aims to 'catapult' itself into the nuclear industry with a partnership to bid for module construction jobs. |
| Ezulwini uranium plant closes for repairs Toronto-based First Uranium has temporarily closed its Ezulwini uranium plant in South Africa to replace two columns in the ion exchange section following a structural failure on a loading column. The company said that the plant will remain offline while two replacement columns are designed, manufactured, installed and commissioned. The work is expected to be completed by the end of 2010. The company said that the anticipated impact of the temporary shut down on its cash flow, loss in uranium sales and rescheduled capital is some $1.2 million. The operation of the gold plant at the site is not affected. Deon van der Mescht, First Uranium's president and CEO, noted: "As our production build up at Ezulwini is at an early stage, the overall impact to the repair will be minimal." In 2006, the company acquired the previously-operated Ezulwini gold and uranium mine, which it said contains some 2700 tU in measured and indicated resources and 78,000 tU of inferred and additional resources. The mine became fully operational in 2009. However, the ramping up of gold and uranium production from the Ezulwini mine has been slower than expected. |
| Financial demands before German nuclear operators In addition to the introduction of a new €2.3 billion ($2.9 billion) annual windfall tax, the German government has now demanded nuclear firms pay a contribution towards the development of renewable energy. |
| Chinese VVERs start using domestically made fuel.jpg "Tianwan (ASE)"){kind=small} The first domestically produced VVER fuel assemblies have been loaded into the cores of the Russian-designed units 1 and 2 of the Tianwan nuclear power plant in Jiangsu province, China. |
| Nuclear the example for safety culture
|
| Building plants builds support in South Korea Support for the nuclear power industry is rising in South Korea following the country's successful bid to construct four APR1400 reactors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). |
| The costs of new nuclear EDF Energy has promised to be a 'good neighbour' to the people of Sedgemoor, near the Hinkley Point nuclear power plant where the company wants to build two new reactors. In return for the power plant, Sedgemoor Council chief executive Kerry Rickards told the Bridgwater Mercury, "It's only right and proper that EDF contributes towards the facilities at Bridgewater Hospital – we could get a bigger and better hospital than currently planned." In addition to many local jobs and a £40 million ($60 million) per year boost to the local economy for 60 years of operation, EDF has specifically put aside £1 million for community investment. Rickards, however wants "a heck of a lot more than £1 million... We could also get more than one pool, or a much fancier pool than the one currently planned." |
| Greens threaten blue over yellowcake The result of the Australian general election has finally come, with a new ruling coalition of Labor, some independents and a Green. |
| Application doubles Dutch new-build plansDutch-owned Energy Resources Holding has launched the application process for a new nuclear plant at the Netherlands' Borssele site. The plan is completely separate from another plan for new build at the site launched last year by Delta. |
| Price named for new Kozluduy unitsIn a consolidated effort to attract a lasting investment interest in new nuclear power, the Bulgarian government has for the first time revealed what it would be prepared to pay for two new reactors at Kozloduy. |
| Putin dismisses alternatives to nuclear Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin has said that nuclear energy is the only alternative to traditional energy sources, RIA Novosti reported. Speaking at a meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, he said that while the global gas market has been recovering from the recent economic downturn, demand for energy sources will soar over the next few years. Putin noted, "You couldn't transfer large electric power stations to wind energy, however much you wanted to. In the next few decades, it will be impossible." He said that future energy consumption patterns will only undergo minor changes. Nuclear energy is the only "real and powerful alternative" to oil and gas, Putin asserted, calling other approaches to meeting future energy demand "claptrap." |
| IAEA: Renaissance is in motion Despite mixed signals, the overall trend for nuclear is up as the number of new reactors under construction continues to rise, according to a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency. |
| Nuclear a cash cow for Germany's plansGerman nuclear power plants are set to operate for longer after a policy change from Angela Merkel's government gave them a short-term extension in return for billions in taxes. |
| Construction starts on Japanese used fuel storeConstruction has started of an interim used fuel storage facility in Mutsu, Aomori prefecture, Japan. The Recyclable Fuel Storage Centre is expected to begin operating in July 2012 with an initial capacity of 3000 tonnes of used fuel. |
| Risk statistics on energy The risks of potential accidents at nuclear power plants are compared to the risks of other energy forms by a new OECD report for policymakers considering nuclear energy. |
| Poland revises 'unrealistic' nuclear launch date Poland's plan to ready itself for the deployment of nuclear power plants have been put back by two years, with 2022 now the likely date for the start-up of its first reactor. |
| Further cooperation for China and Russia
|
| Russia launches new UO2 powder production line The Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant - part of Russia's TVEL - has commissioned a new production line for uranium dioxide powder. The new line uses a high-temperature 'dry' process, rather than 'wet' extraction technology currently used at the plant. |
| Recycling a viable option, US commission told There could be "significant benefits" in the implementation of reprocessing and recycling technology under a new waste management strategy, industry executives have told the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future. |
| Davis Besse seeks life extension First Energy Nuclear Operating Company (Fenoc) has applied to extend the Davis Besse nuclear power plant's license by 20 years. Should the Nuclear Regulatory Commission grant the request, the pressurized water reactor could operate until 2037. The request comes shortly after Fenoc decided to replace the reactor's vessel head due to cracking around control rod drive mechanism nozzles. This was discovered in February and took until July to repair. The current vessel head itself is a replacement for one that suffered major corrosion in 2002. The reactor is currently operating at its full rated capacity of 908MWe. |
| UK partnership for major componentsA British shipbuilder aims to 'catapult' itself into the nuclear industry with a partnership to bid for module construction jobs. |
| Ezulwini uranium plant closes for repairs Toronto-based First Uranium has temporarily closed its Ezulwini uranium plant in South Africa to replace two columns in the ion exchange section following a structural failure on a loading column. The company said that the plant will remain offline while two replacement columns are designed, manufactured, installed and commissioned. The work is expected to be completed by the end of 2010. The company said that the anticipated impact of the temporary shut down on its cash flow, loss in uranium sales and rescheduled capital is some $1.2 million. The operation of the gold plant at the site is not affected. Deon van der Mescht, First Uranium's president and CEO, noted: "As our production build up at Ezulwini is at an early stage, the overall impact to the repair will be minimal." In 2006, the company acquired the previously-operated Ezulwini gold and uranium mine, which it said contains some 2700 tU in measured and indicated resources and 78,000 tU of inferred and additional resources. The mine became fully operational in 2009. However, the ramping up of gold and uranium production from the Ezulwini mine has been slower than expected. |
| Financial demands before German nuclear operators In addition to the introduction of a new €2.3 billion ($2.9 billion) annual windfall tax, the German government has now demanded nuclear firms pay a contribution towards the development of renewable energy. |
| Chinese VVERs start using domestically made fuelThe first domestically produced VVER fuel assemblies have been loaded into the cores of the Russian-designed units 1 and 2 of the Tianwan nuclear power plant in Jiangsu province, China. |
| Nuclear the example for safety culture
|
| Building plants builds support in South Korea Support for the nuclear power industry is rising in South Korea following the country's successful bid to construct four APR1400 reactors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). |
| The costs of new nuclear EDF Energy has promised to be a 'good neighbour' to the people of Sedgemoor, near the Hinkley Point nuclear power plant where the company wants to build two new reactors. In return for the power plant, Sedgemoor Council chief executive Kerry Rickards told the Bridgwater Mercury, "It's only right and proper that EDF contributes towards the facilities at Bridgewater Hospital – we could get a bigger and better hospital than currently planned." In addition to many local jobs and a £40 million ($60 million) per year boost to the local economy for 60 years of operation, EDF has specifically put aside £1 million for community investment. Rickards, however wants "a heck of a lot more than £1 million... We could also get more than one pool, or a much fancier pool than the one currently planned." |
Cooperation between China and Russia is to expand to cover floating nuclear power plants said authorities, the first time the innovative nuclear power source has been mentioned in reports from bilateral talks.
Senior industry figures have explained to the US oil spill commission how the nuclear industry used self-regulation to transform levels of safety and performance.