Javascript is required for this site.
Find out more about the latest Working Group meetings.
READ MORE >
Register now to attend the premier annual event for the nuclear industry at the early bird rate.
World Nuclear Association Strategic eForum high-level panels.
Top-level international forum co-organised by Nuclear Energy Institute and World Nuclear Association.
World Nuclear Association held a number of virtual events in 2020 that are available to watch on our website.
World Nuclear Association staff participate in a number of external conferences.
View the upcoming events that the Association is supporting.
World Nuclear Association
Published: Mon, 19 Apr 2021 13:26:21 GMT
A new specialist nuclear transport organisation has officially launched today in the UK. Nuclear Transport Solutions, part of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, operates Direct Rail Services and Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited, which provide rail and shipping services, respectively. The NDA is also in the process of integrating its radioactive waste management businesses.
Published: Mon, 19 Apr 2021 14:39:47 GMT
Iran on 17 April began enriching uranium up to 60%, after previously notifying the International Atomic Energy Agency of its intention to do so. Enrichment to 60% uranium-235 is being carried out in two cascades of IR-4 and IR-6 centrifuges at the Natanz facility.
Published: Fri, 16 Apr 2021 15:12:55 GMT
A white paper containing 13 recommendations for the Dutch government to help realise the construction of new nuclear power plants in the Netherlands has been issued by the e-Lise Foundation. Founded at the end of 2020, the Foundation aims to promote the use of nuclear energy in the Netherlands and abroad. It is currently participating in the government's market consultation on the use of nuclear energy.
Published: Fri, 16 Apr 2021 13:20:14 GMT
The nuclear power industry and its supply chain already conforms with the environment, social and governance principles being discussed by investors, delegates at the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle forum heard on 14 April. However, speakers in a session on ESG investments in the nuclear fuel cycle called for the industry to be more vocal in getting this message across.
Published: Fri, 16 Apr 2021 13:36:50 GMT
A joint agreement has been reached between the State of New York, Entergy, Holtec and other stakeholders to provide for the transfer of the Indian Point nuclear power plant to Holtec for decommissioning and site remediation. It also resolves pending litigation concerning the post-shutdown transfer of plant licences when the final unit at the site shuts down later this month.
Published: Thu, 15 Apr 2021 16:52:38 GMT
Orano is confident about its uranium mining future and will continue to invest in its projects while remaining committed to being a responsible mining company at all stages of operation, Orano Mining CEO Nicolas Maes told delegates at the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle forum today.
Published: Thu, 15 Apr 2021 14:17:30 GMT
A study into the feasibility of the development and deployment of small modular reactors in Canada, prepared at the request of the leaders of New Brunswick, Ontario and Saskatchewan, has concluded the development of SMRs would support domestic energy needs, curb greenhouse gas emissions and position Canada as a global leader in this emerging technology. The province of Alberta has joined the three provinces as a signatory to a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on SMR development.
Published: Thu, 15 Apr 2021 13:40:32 GMT
The nuclear industry has for too long taken a passive role in debates that determine how its technology is perceived by the public, but the climate crisis demands active communication about its many benefits, Rauli Partanen, the CEO of Think Atom, said yesterday in his address to delegates at the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle forum. In his keynote speech, Selling the benefits instead of the fear - How to turn the discussion on the future of nuclear into an expansive and progressive one, Partanen said the positive facts about nuclear are lost to poor messaging.
Published: Wed, 14 Apr 2021 16:27:01 GMT
The business case behind the decision to restart the USA's only domestic uranium conversion facility announced earlier this year rested on suitable answers to several "puzzle piece" questions falling into place, ConverDyn's Malcolm Critchley told the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle forum yesterday.
Published: Wed, 14 Apr 2021 15:50:48 GMT
The pandemic has shown the resilience of the nuclear industry to act responsibly, both as a supplier of energy and as an employer, the head of the world's biggest uranium producer said today. In his address to delegates at the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle forum, Kazatomprom CEO Galymzhan Pirmatov said the wellbeing of the company's 20,000 employees was his first priority.
Published: Wed, 14 Apr 2021 14:08:10 GMT
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories has fabricated proprietary advanced fuel pellets for Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation's Micro Modular Reactor. This is the first time that a TRISO-based nuclear fuel has been manufactured in Canada.
Published: Wed, 14 Apr 2021 11:42:12 GMT
Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority has today issued an administrative order to Tokyo Electric Power Company preventing it from transporting nuclear fuel stored at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant or loading it into reactors. The order - issued in response to a series of security breaches at the site - will delay Tepco's planned restart of unit 7 at the plant in Niigata Prefecture.
Published: Wed, 14 Apr 2021 10:00:46 GMT
The International Atomic Energy Agency has a clear mandate, but the climate crisis and the economic impact of the pandemic mean that, on behalf of its Member States, it needs to have a more visible presence than has traditionally been the case, its director general said yesterday during the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle forum, which is being held this week by the US Nuclear Energy Institute and World Nuclear Association. Speaking as part of the forum's first session - Executive Panel: From Plans to Actions - Rafael Mariano Grossi said the IAEA is therefore collaborating more than ever with other organisations to offer its "unique perspective".
Published: Tue, 13 Apr 2021 13:27:57 GMT
The Japanese government today announced its formal decision that the treated water stored at the Fukushima Daiichi site will be discharged into the sea. Tokyo Electric Power Company is expected to start discharging the mildly-radioactive water in 2023 in line with international standards and regulations.
Published: Tue, 13 Apr 2021 15:26:39 GMT
Canadian uranium producer Cameco is "bullish about the future" thanks to growing interest from around the world in nuclear energy as a reliable, sustainable and low-carbon source of electricity, President and CEO Tim Gitzel said today during the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle forum, which is being held this week by the US Nuclear Energy Institute and World Nuclear Association.
Published: Tue, 13 Apr 2021 14:12:11 GMT
There is bipartisan support in the USA for the country to be the world's leading supplier of fuel for advanced reactors, Maria Korsnick, president and CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute, said today during the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle forum, which the NEI is co-hosting this week with World Nuclear Association.
Published: Tue, 13 Apr 2021 11:50:31 GMT
The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has awarded contracts for the first phase of its Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations programme to demonstrate a nuclear thermal propulsion system above low Earth orbit in 2025. General Atomics will carry out reactor development work, while Blue Origin and Lockheed Martin will develop spacecraft concept designs.
Published: Tue, 13 Apr 2021 10:27:45 GMT
Concreting of the cooling tower at the first unit of the Kursk II nuclear power plant in western Russia has started. At a height of 179 metres, the structure will be the tallest cooling tower in Russia. It is expected to be fully completed by 2024.
Published: Tue, 13 Apr 2021 09:50:26 GMT
The UK's Office for Nuclear Regulation has today provided EDF with permission for Reactors 3 and 4 at the Hunterston nuclear power plant in North Ayrshire, Scotland to return to service for a limited period of operation. This will be the power station’s final period of operation before moving into the defueling phase.
Published: Sun, 11 Apr 2021 12:35:33 GMT
Policymakers who ignore nuclear energy are not serious about meeting climate goals, delegates said at an Atlantic Council webinar last week. The first in the Raising Ambitions series, the event highlighted the attributes of this clean source of electricity and heat ahead of the Leaders’ Climate Summit, which the US Administration is hosting on 22-23 April.
Published: Mon, 12 Apr 2021 14:45:25 GMT
A major renovation project has been completed at TRIGA International's fuel fabrication facility in Romans-sur-Isère, southeastern France. The facility is the only supplier of uranium-zirconium hydride fuel for use in TRIGA-type research reactors. The upgrades will ensure the continued operation of 36 such reactors around the world.
Published: Mon, 12 Apr 2021 11:58:33 GMT
Cameco has announced plans to restart production later this month at its Cigar Lake uranium mine in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, which was suspended in December last year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, Orano Canada said it will resume production at its McClean Lake uranium mill, where ore from Cigar Lake is processed.
Published: Fri, 09 Apr 2021 13:36:27 GMT
TAE Technologies, the California, USA-based fusion energy technology company, has announced that its proprietary beam-driven field-reversed configuration plasma generator has produced stable plasma at over 50 million degrees Celsius. The milestone has helped the company raise USD280 million in additional funding.
Published: Fri, 09 Apr 2021 13:07:07 GMT
The Estonian government yesterday formally approved the formation of a nuclear energy working group (NEPIO) tasked with analysing the possibility of introducing nuclear energy in Estonia. Headed by Environment Minister Tõnis Mölder, the NEPIO will present its conclusions and proposals to the government by September 2022 at the latest.
Published: Thu, 08 Apr 2021 15:09:09 GMT
Significant progress was made last year with work to obtain a construction licence for the Hanhikivi 1 nuclear power plant in Finland, Fennovoima said in its 2020 Annual Report, released yesterday. It still expects to receive the licence by the end of 2021 despite a "challenging" schedule.
Published: Thu, 08 Apr 2021 14:45:34 GMT
The Volgodonsk branch of Russia's AEM-Technology JSC has dispatched the first-ever reactor pressure vessel for the VVER-TOI (typical optimised, with enhanced information) reactor design. The RPV is being transported to the construction site of the Kursk II nuclear power plant, which will be the first to use the new design. Hydraulic testing of the RPV for the first Kursk II unit was completed in December last year.
Published: Wed, 07 Apr 2021 15:01:07 GMT
A group of 46 non-governmental organisations from 18 countries has written to Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, calling for the inclusion of nuclear energy in the EU taxonomy for sustainable investments. The exclusion of nuclear, they say, would promote a strategy that is "clearly inadequate" to decarbonise the region's economy.
Published: Wed, 07 Apr 2021 12:15:41 GMT
Framatome recently signed a "multi-million dollar" contract with US utility Dominion Energy to support the long-term operation of its nuclear power plant fleet. The five-year contract covers nuclear power plant outage and maintenance work, including steam generator services, refuelling services and inspections.
Published: Tue, 06 Apr 2021 12:47:10 GMT
Barakah unit 1 entered commercial operation today, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation has announced. The unit, which is operated by Nawah Energy Company, has been the single largest electricity generator in the UAE since reaching 100% power in early December. ENEC said the 1400-megawatt unit, which is in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi, is now providing "constant, reliable and sustainable electricity around the clock". As a result, ENEC says it is "now leading the largest decarbonisation effort of any industry in the UAE to date".
Published: Tue, 06 Apr 2021 14:31:52 GMT
Japanese engineering, procurement, and construction firm JGC Holdings Corporation has agreed to invest USD40 million in small modular reactor developer NuScale Power. It will also partner with Fluor Corporation - NuScale's majority investor - on the deployment of NuScale power plants.
Tel: +44 (0)20 7451 1521
events@world-nuclear.org