Zabielski, partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, has advised on numerous nuclear energy projects across the world, including the UAE nuclear new-build programme as well as those in Turkey, Bulgaria and the United Kingdom.
A mechanical engineer before moving into law, he begins by recalling why he has a well-timed haircut to thank for launching his career in nuclear. Discussing the key role played by nuclear energy lawyers, he says it is essentially "problem solving", for example finding a path forward on risk allocation to enable what are giant projects to go ahead.
The decision to switch funding models in the UK from Contracts for Difference to Regulated Asset Base is a "very positive step forward", and he explains why he hopes the change would also make sense for projects in the European Union.
Other topics covered include the growth of private financing, the World Bank's decision to start to finance some nuclear projects and the need to develop skills in countries with no recent nuclear energy construction history. Plus the role of regulators will also be important in achieving the ambitious scale of nuclear energy capacity expansion being promoted, he says.
Also in this episode, in the news round-up, Claire Maden reports on the UK Government taking the Final Investment Decision on Sizewell C - which will feature two EDF EPRs with a capacity of 3.2 GW - and the finalising of the project shareholdings. She also outlines the key findings of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency's Small Modular Reactor Dashboard, which has identified 127 different SMR designs around the world.
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Episode credit: Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production
Cover Picture: Courtesy of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
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