World Nuclear News

UK needs massive energy program, says academy

Warwick Pipe — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:38:31 GMT

The UK needs to exploit its renewable energy resources to the maximum to meet future energy demand and reduce carbon emissions - and will still need to build at least 20, even up to 80, new nuclear or other low-carbon baseload power stations.

Britain looks for reprocessing strategy

Jeremy Gordon — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:51:45 GMT

The UK has begun to weigh up its options with respect to reprocessing or directly disposing of used nuclear fuel as its main reprocessing plant ages.

NRC team to inspect cracks at Davis-Besse

Jeremy Gordon — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:49:39 GMT

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has dispatched a special inspection team to investigate cracks discovered in the reactor vessel head at the Davis-Besse nuclear plant in Ohio.

Grid connection for new Russian reactor

Jeremy Gordon — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:32:15 GMT

The second reactor at Russia's Volgodonsk nuclear power plant was today synchronized with the regional electricity grid, having reached 35% of its generating capacity. The unit is set to start commercial operation later this year.

Majority of Swedes support nuclear energy

Jeremy Gordon — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:44:26 GMT

Over half of Swedes think that the country should continue to use nuclear power plants and that Sweden's existing reactors should be replaced with new ones, a new opinion poll has found.

Nuclear press confirmed for Sheffield Forgemasters

Jeremy Gordon — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:35:20 GMT

A UK manufacturer will be able to supply ultra-heavy forgings for nuclear power plants after a strategic government loan announced today. Sheffield Forgemasters said it could supply reactor pressure vessels within three years of installing the press.

USEC reaches American Centrifuge milestone

Jeremy Gordon — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:53:18 GMT

USEC is operating a cascade of centrifuges in a commercial configuration at its Piketon, Ohio, plant. The company hopes that reaching the milestone will improve its chances of receiving a loan guarantee.

New member for UK manufacturing centre

Jeremy Gordon — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:29:30 GMT

Sheffield-based DavyMarkham has become the first company to join the second membership tier of the UK's Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (NAMRC).

Poland's nuclear site study

Jeremy Gordon — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:53:46 GMT

A nationwide survey has selected Poland's best sites for nuclear power plants, two of which are planned for 2020.

Illinois Senate votes to overturn nuclear ban

Jeremy Gordon — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:22:05 GMT

The Illinois state Senate has voted overwhelmingly to remove a 23-year-old moratorium on the construction of new nuclear power plants in the state. However, the bill stills need to be approved by the House.

Koeberg prepares to keep World Cup lights on

Warwick Pipe — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:47:50 GMT

South Africa's Koeberg nuclear power station is to undergo two maintenance outages over the next month in preparation for the World Cup soccer tournament, to be held in South Africa in June. According to South African press reports, operator Eskom is planning two one-week shutdowns to allow it to carry out pre-emptive maintenance work on cooling systems at the plant. The company is committed to ensuring a reliable electricity supply as the eyes of the world turn to the month-long football fixture, which kicks off when South Africa play Mexico in Johannesburg on 11 June.

Nuclear 'roadmap' in latest Russia-India accords

Jeremy Gordon — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:12:45 GMT

New agreements between Russia and India cover cooperation in nuclear power and a roadmap for this year's work by the two countries. Meanwhile, the Indian government has deferred a bill that could be vital to opening nuclear trade with the USA.

Ansto bolsters research collaboration

Jeremy Gordon — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:21:40 GMT

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization (Ansto) has widened its nuclear research cooperation with the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), as well as signing an agreement with an Australian university to conduct research into the storage of radioactive waste.

Prison sentence for former KazAtomProm head

Warwick Pipe — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:31:43 GMT

Moukhtar Dzhakishev, the former president of Kazakh national nuclear company KazAtomProm, has been found guilty by a court in Astana of misappropriation and bribery, according to an Interfax report. "A prosecutor asked for 14 years in prison from the court. The court agreed and imposed this very punishment on him, that is, 14 years in a high security penitentiary, and has also deprived him of the right to occupy government positions for seven years," said Nurlan Beisekeyev, Dzhakishev's attorney. The court also ruled that Dzhakishev should be stripped of the Order of Kurmet, a state award. Beisekeyev said that Dzhakishev would appeal the sentence. The court also sentenced Talgat Kystaubayev, Dzhakishev's bodyguard, to five years in prison and stripped him of his military rank of major. Dzhakishev was arrested in May 2009 and charged with embezzling state shares in uranium mines in collusion with Moukhtar Ablyazov, the former chairman of BTA, one of Kazakhstan's top banks. Kazakh law enforcers have since added new accusations, including money-laundering and bribe-taking. Seven other KazAtomProm officials have also been charged with corruption. Dzhakishev has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

IAEA sets target on delay and denial

Jeremy Gordon — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:32:47 GMT

The International Atomic Energy Agency has set a target of reducing delays and denials of shipment of radioactive material to "an insignificant level" by 2013.

Assessments continue at Bruce

Jeremy Gordon — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:45:21 GMT

Bruce Power is conducting checks on 192 staff that could have been affected by a contamination incident in November last year. Chalk River Laboratory has so far carried out 39 large volume bioassays with the results that ten people have shown less than detectable activity (MDA); 20 have more than MDA but less than 10 mSv; six are between 10 and 20 mSv and three are between 20 and 30 mSv. None of these results has taken a worker beyond annual or five-year dose limits. An American lab will soon begin contributing to the work, following approval from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, which expects the move "to double the rate of bioassay testing within a few weeks." Bruce Power is complementing the survey with 'extent-of-condition' tests for workers that may have previously encountered alpha contamination. Alpha contamination was present in corrosion products dislodged during grinding work.

Now Turkey for South Korean nuclear exports

Jeremy Gordon — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:53:49 GMT

South Korea's ascent to the top level of nuclear nations has continued with prospective cooperation with Turkey and fresh determination to introduce reprocessing.

Second EDF contract for UK architect

Jeremy Gordon — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:30:16 GMT

London-based YRM has been awarded a contract by EDF Energy to act as overall architect for the planned new Sizewell C nuclear power plant in Suffolk, UK. The contract follows an earlier one for work on the new Hinkley Point C plant.

Chinese projects place orders

Jeremy Gordon — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:14:00 GMT

Orders for waste management systems and valves for new nuclear reactors under construction in China have been placed with US-based suppliers Energy Solutions and Flowserve.

European nuclear safety training institute

Jeremy Gordon — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:25:17 GMT

Four national technical safety organizations have announced the creation of a European Nuclear Safety Training and Tutoring Institute (ENSTTI) to help strengthen European research and assessment know-how in the fields of nuclear safety and radiation protection.