World Nuclear News

Ukraine, Russia and control of Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 12:09:52 GMT

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree to transfer Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to Russian control and oversight on Wednesday. But Ukraine calls it an illegal attempt to take control of the plant and says the Russian president’s decree is "null and void".

US initiative aims to help find best decarbonisation fit

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 15:20:02 GMT

A tool provided by a new multi-disciplinary initiative led by Idaho National Laboratory aims to support communities and economies looking to transition to carbon-free energy in making informed energy choices that are right for their time, place and community.

First waste sealed within Dounreay waste vault

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 11:48:59 GMT

Workers at Dounreay in Scotland, UK, have carried out the first in a series of campaigns to seal waste containers into place within the two near-surface low-level waste disposal vaults at the site.

IAEA breaks ground on new laboratory block

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 14:25:29 GMT

The International Atomic Energy Agency has held a groundbreaking ceremony at its Seibersdorf facility near Vienna to mark the start of construction on a new nuclear applications laboratories building. The building will house three laboratories: Plant Breeding and Genetics, Terrestrial Environment and Radiochemistry, and Nuclear Science and Instrumentation.

Nuclear central in Virginia's energy plan

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 13:39:04 GMT

The 2022 Virginia Energy Plan, announced by Governor Glenn Youngkin, calls for a nuclear innovation hub to be established in the state and for a commercial small modular reactor to be deployed in southwest Virginia within the next decade.

CNL invites academia to join CNRI programme

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 14:47:09 GMT

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories has issued a call for proposals for the fourth round of its Canadian Nuclear Research Initiative, which is aimed at collaborative research initiatives on small modular reactors and advanced reactors. CNL has now expanded the programme to invite project applications from Canadian universities.

Brazil’s ENBPar and Rosatom agree to cooperate

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 14:09:35 GMT

Participações em Energia Nuclear e Binacional SA and Russia’s Rosatom signed a Memorandum of Understanding which seeks to promote mutual cooperation in areas and activities related to nuclear energy.

Released Zaporizhzhia director general 'not returning to role'

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 11:44:13 GMT

The International Atomic Energy Agency says it understands that Ihor Murashov, who had been director general at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, will not resume the role after his release from Russian detention. Energoatom's President Petro Kotin says administration of the plant was transferred to Kyiv following the detention and that he has now taken on the role of its acting director general.

Licence renewal sought for Comanche Peak

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 14:25:26 GMT

Vistra has applied to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a 20-year operating licence extension for the two-unit Comanche Peak nuclear power plant in Texas. The current licences for Comanche Peak units 1 and 2 expire in 2030 and 2033, respectively.

Westinghouse and Ansaldo Nucleare collaborate on next-gen LFR nuclear plant

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 14:52:14 GMT

Westinghouse Electric Company and Ansaldo Nucleare have signed a new cooperation agreement to develop a next generation nuclear power plant based on Lead-cooled Fast Reactor technology.

Winning bid announced to host UK fusion plant

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 12:25:27 GMT

The West Burton power plant site in Nottinghamshire, England, has been selected to host the UK's prototype fusion energy plant - the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production. The demonstration plant is due to begin operating by 2040.

Ranger valuation report prompts ERA board changes

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 23:30:02 GMT

Energy Resources of Australia has announced that its chairman and two independent non-executive directors are to step down. The announcement came after majority owner Rio Tinto questioned the content of a newly released valuation report to address material cost and schedule overruns on the rehabilitation of the Ranger project.

New IAEA peer review for management of disused sources

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 13:37:41 GMT

A new peer review service has been launched by the International Atomic Energy Agency in an effort to support countries faced with limited resources and capacities for the management of disused sealed radioactive sources.

Brookfield sees new dawn for nuclear

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 13:45:24 GMT

There is no credible net-zero scenario in which nuclear does not grow its capacity from today, global asset management company Brookfield said in a newly released White Paper.

PEJ seeks Polish regulator opinion on safety analysis plans

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 14:26:48 GMT

Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe has applied to the President of the National Atomic Energy Agency (Panstwowa Agencja Atomistyki) for a general opinion on the planned verification of safety analyses for prospective nuclear power plants.

SKB revises cost of Swedish nuclear waste programme

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 11:58:27 GMT

According to the latest estimate submitted by Sweden's radioactive waste management company Svensk Kärnbränslehantering AB, the remaining costs for the country's radioactive waste programme total SEK124.1 billion (USD11.13 billion). The previous estimate, submitted in 2019, was SEK110.0 billion.

Grossi welcomes release of Zaporizhzhia's director

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 12:26:22 GMT

UPDATED International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has welcomed the release by Russian forces of Ihor Murashov, the director general of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. He had earlier warned his detention was "detrimental to nuclear safety and security" and said he hoped he "will return to his family safely and promptly and will be able to resume his important functions at the plant".

Ontario extends Pickering operations

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 11:23:08 GMT

The Government of Ontario has announced its support for the continued operation of Ontario Power Generation's Pickering plant beyond its previously planned closure date. It has also told the company to reassess the feasibility of refurbishing four of the site's six units, which could enable them to operate for a further 30 years.

Finnish EPR reaches full capacity for first time

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 11:20:25 GMT

Power output from the 1600 MWe Olkiluoto 3 EPR in Finland has reached 100% as commissioning tests of the reactor continue, operator Teollisuuden Voima Oyj has announced. Regular electricity production is scheduled to start in December.

Princeton physicists make plasma confinement breakthrough

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 14:54:57 GMT

Physicists at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have proposed that the formation of "hills and valleys" in magnetic field lines could be the source of sudden collapses of heat ahead of disruptions that can damage doughnut-shaped tokamak fusion facilities. Their discovery could help overcome a critical challenge facing such facilities.

KBR to support UK repository development

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 13:25:16 GMT

USA-headquartered KBR has been awarded a contract to support the UK's Nuclear Waste Services in developing a Geological Disposal Facility. Such a facility, NWS says, will create more than 4000 jobs for the local host community.

UK telexistence contest winners announced

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 14:21:54 GMT

Three organisations have won a total of GBP1.3 million (USD1.4 million) in funding to develop four cutting-edge telexistence innovations for defence, security and nuclear decommissioning applications.

Fuel despatched for China's CFR-600 fast neutron reactor

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 14:10:50 GMT

The first batch of nuclear fuel has been dispatched to China for the CFR-600 sodium-cooled pool-type fast-neutron nuclear reactor at Xiapu in China's Fujian province.

Nuclear powering vehicles as Energoatom launches ATOMcharge network

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 10:15:43 GMT

Ukrainian nuclear power operator Energoatom is entering retail electricity through a network of electric vehicle chargers branded ATOMcharge. A network of 120 charging stations is to begin construction within two years, the company said.

MHI develops reactor with enhanced safety features

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 11:52:27 GMT

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has launched the SRZ-1200 advanced pressurised water reactor design. Developed in collaboration with four Japanese utilities, the 1200 MWe reactor is designed to meet the country's enhanced regulatory safety standards.

Final Japanese research reactor to convert to LEU

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 15:07:40 GMT

Japan's last high-enriched uranium-fuelled research reactor is to be converted to low-enriched uranium fuel under a new agreement between the US Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration and Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

MoltexFLEX launches flexibly-operated molten salt reactor

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 14:26:06 GMT

Moltex Energy Limited subsidiary MoltexFLEX has launched its FLEX molten salt reactor that, through flexible operation and the use of thermal storage technology, can support intermittent renewable energy through its rapid responsiveness to changes in demand.

Animals 'likely triggered landmines' at Zaporizhzhia

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 13:08:53 GMT

Three landmine explosions close to Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant this week appear likely to have been set off by animals, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Mariano Grossi has said. Although there was no major damage, it highlights continuing risks faced by the plant and its workers.

Nuclear 'gaining traction' as option in many African countries, says IAEA

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 13:47:12 GMT

Discussions with ministers from several African countries have been held at the International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference about nuclear power's potential role in helping economic development and water supply while also mitigating climate change as it provides clean and reliable energy.

Accord reached on keeping two German reactors in reserve

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 12:02:27 GMT

The German government has reached an agreement with the operators of Isar 2 and Neckarwestheim 2 on keeping the nuclear power plants on standby to supply power over the coming winter if needed.