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Issued by the World Nuclear Association
The World Energy Outlook 2017 report, published today by the International Energy Agency, foresees a substantially expanded role for nuclear energy if the world is to meet the challenges of people’s development needs, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions to avoid dangerous levels of climate change.
Comments made by Agneta Rising, Director General of World Nuclear Association, at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ministerial Conference “Nuclear Power in the 21st Century”, being held in Abu Dhabi 30 October – 1 November.
World Nuclear Association launches a special update to its 2017 World Nuclear Performance Report focusing on developments in Asia.
A Citizens’ Jury convened in July to determine the future of two reactor projects in South Korea1 has concluded that construction of Shin Kori units 5 and 6 should continue.
General construction work has begun at the Akkuyu nuclear power plant site in Turkey. It is a positive sign that reactor construction will indeed commence in 2018 - putting Turkey on track to be the next new country to introduce nuclear energy into its mix after the UAE and Belarus.
Background information on topical issues
Full text of speech made by Agneta Rising to the Energy Commission Members of the Bulgarian Parliament on 25 January 2018.
Germany is projected to miss its 2020 emissions reduction target because it has prioritised closing nuclear plants ahead of closing coal plants.
Although peak generation from solar briefly exceeded generation from nuclear energy on 26 May 2017 in the UK, over the whole day nuclear generated considerably more low carbon electricity. Expanding nuclear offers greater potential for emissions savings.
Lloyds Register have today published their latest Technology Radar report, A Nuclear Perspective. The report concludes that nuclear power generation technologies are now cost competitive with fossil fuels and innovation is gathering pace.
Preparations are underway for the restart of the Sendai 1 reactor in Japan. Sendai 1 is a pressurized water reactor (PWR) sited on the southwest coast of Kyushu, the third largest island of Japan. It is owned and operated by the Kyushu Electric Power Company.
World Nuclear Association
Published: Thu, 19 Apr 2018 14:26:27 GMT
The International Atomic Energy Agency and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations have successfully tested releasing sterile mosquitos from drones as part of efforts to use a nuclear technique to suppress the insect that spreads Zika and other diseases. The IAEA said today that testing of the new system had been carried out in Brazil last month.
Published: Thu, 19 Apr 2018 15:26:58 GMT
Canada has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Iter Organisation to explore how Canada can participate in the project to construct the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. The fusion reactor - construction of which began in 2010 - is scheduled to achieve first plasma in 2025.
Published: Thu, 19 Apr 2018 10:08:51 GMT
The first test simulating an accident situation in a pressurised water reactor has been successfully completed at the CABRI research reactor in Cadarache, southern France. The test was part of an international research programme aimed at improving knowledge of nuclear fuel behaviour during an accident involving a sudden increase of power.
Published: Wed, 18 Apr 2018 15:17:32 GMT
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories has invited small modular reactor project proponents to evaluate the construction and operation of a demonstration SMR project at a site it manages. CNL aims to have a new SMR constructed on its Chalk River site by 2026.
Published: Wed, 18 Apr 2018 12:10:11 GMT
Ukrainian nuclear power plant operator Energoatom expects the country's Cabinet of Ministers to approve soon tender documentation to attract a private partner for the 'energy bridge' project. The project aims to make the export of electricity to the European Union possible by disconnecting unit 2 of the Khmelnitsky nuclear power plant from the Ukrainian national grid, and to attract funding required to complete units 3 and 4 at the plant.
Published: Tue, 17 Apr 2018 15:20:23 GMT
The announced closure of four nuclear power plants in Ohio and Pennsylvania will lead to increased emissions of carbon dioxide and air pollutants, according to a report released by the Brattle Group. The retirement of the Beaver Valley, Davis-Besse, Perry and Three Mile Island plants will also mean higher electricity costs for residents, and the loss of thousands of jobs.
Published: Tue, 17 Apr 2018 15:42:04 GMT
India and the USA have signed an agreement enabling their scientists to collaborate on the development and construction of different types of neutrino detectors.
Published: Tue, 17 Apr 2018 12:06:34 GMT
AEM Technology has completed the manufacture of the bottom of the reactor vessel for unit 1 of the Kursk II nuclear power plant under construction in western Russia. This is the first of the VVER-TOI (typical optimised, with enhanced information) design nuclear reactors.
Published: Mon, 16 Apr 2018 15:36:46 GMT
Estonian-founded cyber security specialist company Guardtime has planned and executed a custom cyber exercise for the UK's civil nuclear sector.
Published: Mon, 16 Apr 2018 15:30:13 GMT
Argentina's nuclear regulator has extended the operating licence of the Atucha 1 nuclear power reactor. The licence extension allows the 44-year-old 362 MWe (gross) pressurised heavy water reactor - the first nuclear power plant in Latin America - to operate until 2024.
Published: Fri, 13 Apr 2018 15:47:19 GMT
New Jersey legislators yesterday passed bills establishing a zero emissions certificate programme that will recognise and compensate eligible nuclear power plants for their zero-carbon attributes and contribution to fuel diversity.
Published: Fri, 13 Apr 2018 14:25:45 GMT
The social and environmental impacts of electricity provision affect individuals, economies and countries in ways that are not captured in market prices, but yet are too important to be neglected, according to a report issued today by the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency. Despite their importance, full accounting for these costs remains difficult, it says.
Published: Fri, 13 Apr 2018 15:38:47 GMT
A demonstration test of a process to decontaminate radioactive soil was successfully carried out last November in Japan's Fukushima Prefecture, France's Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission announced on 11 April. The technology was developed by CEA, Orano and Veolia.
Published: Thu, 12 Apr 2018 15:16:46 GMT
The chairman of Energy Resources of Australia has called on Australian governments to embrace the potential to expand the country's uranium mining industry and be prepared for an expansion in nuclear power generation worldwide.
Published: Thu, 12 Apr 2018 14:23:55 GMT
EDF should consider extending checks on welds in the main secondary system of the EPR reactor under construction at Flamanville to other systems, the French nuclear safety regulator has said. Welding flaws were not detected during the manufacturing checks performed by subcontractors of Framatome but were identified during pre-service inspections by EDF prior to commissioning.
Published: Wed, 11 Apr 2018 15:09:44 GMT
The reactor internals for the demonstration Hualong One being constructed as unit 5 of the Fuqing nuclear power plant in China's Fujian province have been shipped from the manufacturing plant in Shanghai. The unit is scheduled to be completed next year.
Published: Wed, 11 Apr 2018 15:35:24 GMT
China General Nuclear has begun loading fuel into the core of unit 1 of the Taishan nuclear power plant in China's Guangdong province following the issuance of a permit from the regulator. The unit is later this year scheduled to become the first EPR reactor to enter operation.
Published: Tue, 10 Apr 2018 16:03:10 GMT
Canadian science, health care and nuclear sector organisations have launched an initiative aiming to ensure the country remains a world leader in the production of medical isotopes following the final closure of the National Research Universal reactor. The Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council aims to raise awareness and support long-term policies at the domestic and international level.
Published: Tue, 10 Apr 2018 15:57:29 GMT
Unit 3 of the Ohi nuclear power plant in Japan's Fukui Prefecture today resumed commercial operation, Kansai Electric Power Company announced. The reactor is the sixth to be restarted after clearing the country's revised safety regulations.
Published: Tue, 10 Apr 2018 14:31:19 GMT
Quality deviations have been detected on certain welds of the main secondary system in the EPR reactor under construction at Flamanville, northern France, EDF announced today. The utility has informed the French regulator of the discovery, but has yet to determine whether the unit's start-up, expected at the end of this year, will be delayed.
Published: Tue, 10 Apr 2018 16:28:17 GMT
The final dome structure has been completed at the United Arab Emirates' four-unit Barakah nuclear power plant, a key milestone for the project. The country has also inaugurated its first dosimetry laboratory to support radiation protection activities.
Published: Mon, 09 Apr 2018 15:21:35 GMT
Peninsula Energy Limited has formally submitted a request to the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality to amend its existing permit to allow the use of a low-pH recovery solution at the Lance uranium project in Wyoming, USA. This is expected to increase recovery rates and improve the cost profile of the project. Meanwhile, a study has highlighted the potential of membrane separation to improve economics at GoviEx Uranium's Madouela project in Niger.
Published: Mon, 09 Apr 2018 15:30:19 GMT
The use of small modular reactors (SMRs) for remote communities and mines in northern Ontario will be studied following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Bruce Power, Laurentian University and Mirarco Mining Innovation. The five-year, CAD1 million (USD786,000) research agreement will create an Industrial Chair position at Mirarco.
Published: Mon, 09 Apr 2018 16:29:06 GMT
Rolls-Royce is to modernise control rod systems in 14 of China General Nuclear's CPR1000 nuclear power units in China. The UK engineering firm has also signed long-term service contracts with three Chinese plants.
Published: Fri, 06 Apr 2018 15:23:57 GMT
Japan's Toshiba announced today that it has completed the sale to Brookfield of its shareholding in Toshiba Nuclear Energy Holdings (US) Inc - the indirect holding company of Westinghouse Electric Company. The sale is independent of Brookfield's acquisition of Westinghouse and some of its affiliates.
Published: Mon, 09 Apr 2018 08:33:29 GMT
The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation and its joint venture subsidiaries, Nawah Energy Company and Barakah One Company, have signed three agreements with Korean companies. Enec and Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) in October 2016 signed a joint venture agreement that made Kepco a minority shareholder in Nawah and BOC.
Published: Fri, 06 Apr 2018 14:52:45 GMT
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved the issuance of combined construction and operating licences for the two proposed AP1000 reactors at Florida Power and Light's Turkey Point plant in Florida. The utility has yet to make a final decision on whether to proceed with building the units.
Published: Thu, 05 Apr 2018 16:04:37 GMT
Russia's Rosatom has completed concreting the foundation of unit 1 of the Rooppur nuclear power plant in Bangladesh. ASE Group, a subsidiary of the Russian state nuclear corporation, said today the project to build the Asian country's first nuclear power unit was on schedule.
Published: Thu, 05 Apr 2018 14:49:06 GMT
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has renewed its contract with Southwest Research Institute to operate the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses. The five-year contract is valued at up to USD52 million.
Published: Wed, 04 Apr 2018 15:11:30 GMT
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce says the continued operation of the Pickering nuclear power plant until 2024 would be a benefit to Ontario's economy, its local communities, its climate change goals and the stability of its energy system. The OCC made its comment in a report released yesterday in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis.
Published: Wed, 04 Apr 2018 15:24:22 GMT
The Belgian government has approved a new "energy pact" that maintains the previous policy to phase out nuclear energy in the country by 2025. A draft bill on the new federal energy strategy will be submitted to the cabinet by the end of May.
Published: Fri, 06 Apr 2018 09:55:44 GMT
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan today attended via videolink from Ankara a ceremony to mark the pouring of first safety-related concrete for unit 1 of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant. Putin arrived today for a two-day working visit to the Turkish capital.
Published: Tue, 03 Apr 2018 17:06:02 GMT
Canada's National Research Universal - one of the largest and most versatile research reactors in the world - has been permanently shut down. The reactor at the Chalk River site ceased production in October 2016, but had since remained on standby.
Published: Tue, 03 Apr 2018 15:22:50 GMT
The same construction milestone - installation of the reactor pressure vessel - has been reached at unit 4 of the Vogtle nuclear power plant in the US state of Georgia and at unit 5 of the Hongyanhe plant in China's Liaoning province.
Published: Tue, 03 Apr 2018 13:17:41 GMT
Terrestrial Energy USA and Energy Northwest have agreed a memorandum of understanding on the terms of the possible siting, construction and operation of an Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) at a site at the Idaho National Laboratory in southeastern Idaho.
Published: Tue, 03 Apr 2018 17:04:04 GMT
Removal of the final calandria tube insert at Ontario Power Generation's Darlington unit 2 yesterday marks the completion of an important step in disassembly of the Candu reactor as it undergoes refurbishment.
Published: Tue, 03 Apr 2018 08:51:05 GMT
FirstEnergy Solutions has notified regional transmission organisation PJM Interconnection that it will deactivate the Beaver Valley, Davis-Besse and Perry nuclear power plants during the next three years. The company, which is aiming to leave the competitive market, is seeking legislative policy solutions to keep the plants operating.
Published: Thu, 29 Mar 2018 08:49:52 GMT
An international multi-laboratory and university collaboration has been launched to develop detection hardware and algorithms to improve non-proliferation detector capabilities for remote monitoring of nuclear reactors. Its developers say the initial project will be the first demonstration of remote monitoring of individual reactor operations at a significant distance, using scalable water-based technology.
Published: Wed, 28 Mar 2018 16:07:23 GMT
TVEL, Rosatom's nuclear fuel manufacturing subsidiary, has signed an agreement with Fortum Power and Heat Oy to supply modified nuclear fuel assemblies to be used at the Loviisa 1 and 2 VVER 440s in Finland. Rosatom said yesterday the agreement is in addition to TVEL's existing fuel supply contract with the Finnish utility.
Published: Wed, 28 Mar 2018 15:02:34 GMT
The Japanese nuclear regulator has approved the Japan Atomic Energy Agency's plans for decommissioning the Monju prototype fast breeder reactor. JAEA submitted the plan - which had earlier been approved by a government-appointed team - to the Nuclear Regulation Authority in December last year.
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