World Nuclear News

OPG completes first Darlington rebuild

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 14:54:34 GMT

Reconstruction of unit 2 at the Darlington nuclear power plant in Canada has been completed and the process to restart the reactor can now begin, Ontario Power Generation has announced. The company will delay the planned start of the refurbishment of Darlington 3, scheduled to begin in May, as part of its measures to ensure stable electricity supplies during the COVID-19 crisis.

Canada's NWMO outlines repository plans

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 16:14:35 GMT

Canada's Nuclear Waste Management Organisation says it remains on track to select a single, preferred site by 2023 for a deep geological repository for used nuclear fuel. The organisation has released its latest Triennial Report, including for the first time a strategic plan beyond site selection.

JET team discovers neon can improve plasma barrier

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 16:03:01 GMT

Scientists working on the Joint European Torus device have discovered that neon could be used to force extreme heat load away from a fusion reactor's exhaust system while maintaining high performance. Recent tests used neon to radiate and improve the edge of plasma known as a 'pedestal', which separates the very hot core from a cooler layer and away from material surfaces.

US national lab supercomputers to help fight COVID-19

Thu, 26 Mar 2020 15:58:58 GMT

Five US National Laboratories will play a key role in a consortium tasked with harnessing the power of supercomputers to combat COVID-19, Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette said in a video address yesterday. The supercomputing facilities at the Department of Energy's national laboratories are used, amongst other things, to carry out research supporting the development of next-stage nuclear reactors and advanced nuclear fuel. President Donald Trump announced the launch of the consortium, which includes the Argonne, Lawrence Livermore, Los Alamos, Oak Ridge and Sandia labs, on 23 March.

Energoatom separates plant personnel for protection against COVID-19

Thu, 26 Mar 2020 16:06:16 GMT

Energoatom yesterday announced the introduction of measures to protect its key workers from exposure to COVID-19. They are being housed in separate rooms within specially appointed hotels, where all the necessary measures for disinfection and medical monitoring are being carried out, the Ukrainian nuclear power plant operator said.

EnBW sets provisional date for cooling tower demolition

Thu, 26 Mar 2020 12:55:21 GMT

The coronavirus outbreak has impacted German utility EnBW’s deconstruction plans for its Philippsburg nuclear power plant, which is in the federal state of Baden-Wurttemberg. The controlled detonation of the plant's cooling towers will take place on 14 May at the earliest as the date may be subject to change, it said.

IAEA launches project to examine economics of SMRs

Thu, 26 Mar 2020 12:41:45 GMT

The International Atomic Energy Agency is launching a three-year Coordinated Research Project focused on the economics of small modular reactors (SMRs). The project will provide Member States with an economic appraisal framework for the development and deployment of such reactors.

US low-carbon power seeks way past pandemic

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 16:00:22 GMT

The USA's clean energy sectors have outlined the government support they need to get through the COVID-19 pandemic. Associations representing the nuclear, hydro, solar and wind energy industries have all written to Federal leaders for help.

Fennovoima changes spur progress with Hanhikivi project

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 15:34:10 GMT

Finland's Fennovoima said operational changes made in 2019, both within the company and throughout the Hanhikivi 1 nuclear power plant project, have brought significant progress in different areas of the plant design and preparatory work. In a newly-published report, the company describes the project's progress and the sustainability work it carried out last year.

Key components of second HTR-PM reactor connected

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 12:56:58 GMT

The reactor pressure vessel, steam generator and hot gas duct of the second reactor at China's demonstration high-temperature gas-cooled reactor plant (HTR-PM) have been successfully paired and connected, China National Nuclear Corporation announced today.

Canadian uranium operations suspended in response to COVID-19

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 14:58:05 GMT

Cameco is temporarily suspending production at its Cigar Lake uranium mine in northern Saskatchewan and placing the facility in safe care and maintenance mode during the COVID-19 pandemic. In consultation with Cameco, Orano Canada Inc is suspending production at its McClean Lake uranium mill, where ore from Cigar Lake is processed. The suspensions at both operations are expected to last at least four weeks.

US report identifies nuclear workforce trends

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 16:37:12 GMT

The US nuclear power sector shed more than 2000 jobs last year, according to a newly released report by the National Association of State Energy Officials and the Energy Futures Initiative. The sector employed a total of 60,916 workers across the country in 2019, which was over 3% less than in 2018, although employment in the nuclear fuel sector rose slightly.

EDF, Orano prepare for COVID-19 impact

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 14:25:43 GMT

French utility EDF has scrapped its nuclear generation target for 2020 on an anticipated fall in output this year because of the coronavirus crisis. Fuel cycle company Orano has likewise suspended its financial outlook for this year.

Message: Nuclear power in the fight against COVID-19

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 15:22:02 GMT

Nuclear power has responded to the call to action in the public health crisis that each and every one of us is facing, writes World Nuclear Association Director General Agneta Rising.

"The global COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is prompting dramatic actions from governments, placing great restrictions on people and on business in order to save potentially millions of lives.

At this time more than ever we need to be able to rely on electricity supply. It goes without saying that the huge efforts of medical staff worldwide depend on the ventilators, the monitors and all the other vital equipment that it proving so vital to giving people the chance to recover from this disease."

COVID-19 crisis shows need to keep electricity options open, says Birol

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 15:02:38 GMT

The huge disruption caused by the coronavirus crisis has highlighted how much modern societies rely on electricity and how firm capacity, such as that provided by nuclear power, is a crucial element in ensuring supply, International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol said yesterday.

Sellafield starts controlled shutdown of Magnox facility

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 14:31:29 GMT

Since the global outbreak of COVID-19, Sellafield Ltd says it has taken some precautionary actions at its site in north-west England, including the controlled shutdown of the Magnox Reprocessing Plant. The reprocessing plant is approaching its 60th year and is a complex chemical facility designed to process and separate plutonium and uranium.

Bruce prioritises power and isotope supplies

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 12:46:37 GMT

Bruce Power has outlined the steps it is taking to ensure the Bruce nuclear power plant continues to provide reliable electricity for Ontario whilst maintaining the supply of cobalt-60 for medical sterilisation. The Major Component Replacement project at the Canadian plant remains on schedule but activities will be narrowed to essential tasks as it moves to the next stage of its COVID-19 response, the company said on 20 March.

Challenging times highlight supply chain importance says UEC chief

Fri, 20 Mar 2020 15:23:18 GMT

Recent global events and supply disruptions have highlighted the importance of domestic supply chains, the CEO of US uranium producer Uranium Energy Corp said today. The company has postponed plans to resume a drilling programme at its Burke Hollow in-situ leach project until market conditions "normalise".

Ambassador expresses hope for further Korea-UAE cooperation

Fri, 20 Mar 2020 14:21:47 GMT

The successful cooperation between South Korea and the United Arab Emirates in building the Barakah nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi has opened a new avenue for further collaboration between the countries in global nuclear power markets, South Korea's ambassador to the UAE said this week.

Turkish utility to cooperate with Rolls-Royce in SMRs

Fri, 20 Mar 2020 13:45:30 GMT

Turkey's state-owned EUAS International ICC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK's Rolls-Royce to evaluate the technical, economical and legal applicability of small modular reactors. In addition, they will consider the possibility of joint production of such reactors.

Vattenfall involved in Estonian study on SMRs

Thu, 19 Mar 2020 12:17:26 GMT

Swedish utility Vattenfall is participating in a study on the deployment of small modular reactors in Estonia. In January, Estonia's Fermi Energia signed Memoranda of Understanding with Finnish power company Fortum and Belgian engineering firm Tractebel to cooperate on the study.

Australia produces first batch of medical isotope

Thu, 19 Mar 2020 14:15:25 GMT

A new radioactive version of the element scandium has been produced in Australia's OPAL reactor for the first time. Scandium-47 has the potential for theranostic use, that is, both as a therapeutic drug and a diagnostic agent, and has similar properties to lutetium-177, which is already being used in clinical trials.

IAEA addresses safety of smart devices in nuclear plants

Thu, 19 Mar 2020 14:09:12 GMT

The safety of smart digital devices used in nuclear power plants - some of which were not initially designed for nuclear-related purposes - was discussed last month at a meeting in Vienna organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The objective of the meeting was to establish guidance on the selection and evaluation of smart devices to be used in systems important to the safety of power plants.

Oklo submits first advanced reactor licence application

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 23:19:45 GMT

California-based Oklo Inc has submitted a combined licence application for its Aurora "powerhouse" to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This is the first COLA to be submitted using a new application structure for advanced fission technologies and the first privately funded application for a commercial advanced reactor.

Russia and Bangladesh expand nuclear cooperation

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 14:06:46 GMT

A number of documents have been signed between Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom and the government of Bangladesh that will enhance existing bilateral cooperation in the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes. Russia is currently constructing a two-unit nuclear power plant at Rooppur, Bangladesh.

Uranium firms adjust to COVID-19 impact

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 13:56:58 GMT

Kazatomprom's uranium inventory will enable it to meet its commitments should mine production or the ability to physically deliver material be impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak, the company said yesterday. Meanwhile, GoviEx Uranium Inc has cancelled the second tranche of a non-brokered private placement offering, while NxGold Ltd and Mega Uranium Ltd have mutually agreed not to proceed with a proposed business change that would have seen Nx become a uranium-focused investment issuer.

Wendelstein 7-X upgrade moves to divertor stage

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 15:36:56 GMT

The upgrade of the world's largest stellarator-type fusion device - Germany's Wendelstein 7-X - is set to enter a new stage with the final delivery of components for the so-called divertor. Preparations for installation of the water-cooled inner cladding components have been completed, with installation work expected to continue well into next year.

Kazakh-Russian enrichment JV completes share sale

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 12:36:11 GMT

Kazatomprom announced today it has completed the sale of its 50% interest (minus one share) in Uranium Enrichment Centre JSC (UEC) to its partner in the joint venture, TVEL. The world's biggest uranium producer disclosed the RUB6.253 billion (about USD100 million) transaction with the nuclear fuel manufacturer subsidiary of Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom in January.

Kyushu misses deadline for Sendai 1 emergency facilities

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 14:19:17 GMT

Kyushu Electric Power Company today took unit 1 of its Sendai nuclear power plant offline as it had failed to meet the deadline for completion of a back-up control centre. It's the first time operation of a Japanese reactor has been temporarily suspended for this reason. It plans to take unit 2 offline in May for the same reason.

Malawi uranium mine sale completed

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 16:26:47 GMT

Australian-based exploration company Lotus Resources Ltd has completed the acquisition of the Kayelekera Uranium Mine in Malawi from Paladin Energy. The mine produced 10.9 million pounds of uranium (4193 tU) from 2009 to 2014 but has been on care and maintenance since then.