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Issued by the World Nuclear Association
World Nuclear Association Director General Agneta Rising said, “The IEA report is right to conclude that a coordinated policy effort will be needed to harvest opportunities including moving towards a more modern, cleaner and resilient energy sector for all.”
Barakah unit 1has received its operating license, giving the go-ahead for 60 years of operations. Agneta Rising, Director General, World Nuclear Association commented, “This is a big step towards the start-up of Barakah, which will soon supply clean and reliable electricity to the UAE for generations to come.”
The increase in nuclear generation globally seen in 2019 helped avoid an additional 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions (50 MtCO2), according to data released yesterday by the IEA. "The challenge of climate change is so immense that we cannot afford to exclude low-carbon technologies" according to International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director, Fatih Birol.
The two barge-mounted reactors onboard Akademik Lomonosov have started providing electricity to the coastal town of Pevek in Russia. This marks the official start of operations for the world’s first small modular reactors and makes today a historic one for the global nuclear industry.
An inquiry has recommended lifting the ban in Australia on the use of the most modern nuclear power plants and new designs under development in a report issued today.
Background information on topical issues
Agneta Rising's speech at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) International Conference on Climate Change and the Role of Nuclear Power, in Vienna on October 2019, highlighted the need for governments to take action to create the conditions needed to allow nuclear energy to deliver its potential.
Agneta Rising's speech looking back on progress made by the nuclear industry, and looking ahead to future opportunities. The speech was to mark the NEA's 60th anniversary.
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.
World Nuclear Association
Published: Fri, 22 May 2020 14:28:46 GMT
The floating nuclear power plant Akademik Lomonosov has been fully commissioned in Pevek, which is in the Chukotka region of Russia's Far East. The milestone was made official following the approval of Rosenergoatom General Director Andrey Petrov. Rosenergoatom is the operator subsidiary of the state nuclear corporation Rosatom.
Published: Fri, 22 May 2020 15:41:03 GMT
Energy Fuels Inc is continuing work on a programme to investigate using the USA's only currently operational conventional uranium mill, White Mesa, to process uranium and thorium-bearing rare earth element (REE) ores and recover uranium while producing REE concentrates.
Published: Fri, 22 May 2020 15:18:41 GMT
Atommash, part of the Atomenergomash engineering division of Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom, has completed the core barrel, or shroud, of the reactor vessel for unit 1 of the Rooppur nuclear power plant in Bangladesh.
Published: Fri, 22 May 2020 14:37:23 GMT
Bruce Power will be carrying out a second harvest of cobalt-60, which is used to sterilise medical equipment, as part of the company's COVID-19 response, CEO Mike Rencheck said yesterday. An initiative launched three weeks ago to leverage Ontario's nuclear supply chain in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic is already delivering results, he said.
Published: Thu, 21 May 2020 14:36:32 GMT
A bipartisan group of US Senators has called for the Department of Commerce to extend the Russian Suspension Agreement, as recommended by the Nuclear Fuel Working Group.
Published: Thu, 21 May 2020 14:06:19 GMT
Advanced nuclear reactors can meet Puerto Rico's unique energy needs by complementing renewable sources with zero-emission electricity resilient to extreme natural events, a preliminary feasibility study has concluded. The study - conducted by Puerto Rican-led not-for-profit organisation the Nuclear Alternative Project - was funded by the US Department of Energy.
Published: Thu, 21 May 2020 12:57:03 GMT
All construction and installation works at the construction site of the Central Spent Fuel Storage Facility at the site of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine is expected to be completed by the end of September. The country’s nuclear power plant operator, Energoatom, announced the new target date following a meeting at the site by its acting president, Petr Kotin, on 15 May in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
Published: Wed, 20 May 2020 11:41:22 GMT
The nuclear sector has reacted quickly and effectively to the unprecedented challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic without compromising safety, security or non-proliferation, panellists in a webinar hosted by the UAE Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation said yesterday. They also considered how to apply lessons learned in the post-pandemic era.
Published: Wed, 20 May 2020 13:37:08 GMT
The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s upper house of parliament, has adopted a draft law on nuclear safety that enables state-run nuclear power plant operator Energoatom to secure a EUR200 million (USD220 million) loan from Euratom. The parliament said yesterday it had approved "in the second reading and as a whole" draft law №2373 On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on the Safety of Nuclear Energy Use.
Published: Tue, 19 May 2020 13:51:46 GMT
Cold hydrostatic testing has been completed at Barakah unit 4, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation has announced. The testing incorporated lessons learned from the previous three Barakah units and is a crucial step towards the completion of unit 4.
Published: Tue, 19 May 2020 15:05:51 GMT
The USA produced a total of 0.17 million pounds U3O8 (65.4 tU) of uranium concentrate from all domestic sources in 2019, according to a newly published annual report from the US Energy Information Administration. This was 89% less than in 2018.
Published: Tue, 19 May 2020 13:51:01 GMT
Rosatom has applied to delay by two months the commissioning of unit 2 of the Leningrad II nuclear power plant in western Russian owing to the departure from the country of foreign workers installing diesel generators at the site. According to a report by Russian newspaper Kommersant yesterday, Rosatom considers their exit - owing to safety considerations amid the coronavirus pandemic - to be force majeure and has requested to be released from any fine for not being able to meet its obligations to add the unit's generating capacity to the wholesale market.
Published: Tue, 19 May 2020 13:27:40 GMT
The International Atomic Energy Agency has released the final report from its January 2018 mission to France to review radioactive waste management and decommissioning in the country. The review team said it had been "impressed with the nature and implementation of the French national programme".
Published: Mon, 18 May 2020 15:01:57 GMT
The Nuclear Industry Association of South Africa has outlined six potential options for financing new nuclear power plants in the country. Last week, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe told a parliamentary committee he would be willing to look at innovative funding options as his department begins the process to develop 2500 MWe of new nuclear capacity.
Published: Mon, 18 May 2020 15:24:23 GMT
Russian regulator Rostechnadzor has verified load following mode at unit 1 of the Novovoronezh II plant - Russia's first VVER-1200 reactor.
Published: Mon, 18 May 2020 13:43:32 GMT
The decommissioning of Norway's shut down research reactors at Halden and Kjeller will cost around NOK20 billion (USD1.96 billion) and take 20-25 years, according to a report commissioned by the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
Published: Fri, 15 May 2020 15:42:41 GMT
Making a commitment to build six new EPRs in France would be an "effective stimulus" for the country's economy as it recovers in the years ahead from the shock of COVID-19, the French nuclear energy society wrote in a position paper published this week. Nuclear energy "ticks all three boxes" highlighted in the debate about the recovery - that investments should be in low-carbon, resilient and sovereign industries, it said.
Published: Fri, 15 May 2020 14:27:59 GMT
X-energy's TRISO-X fuel is to be irradiated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Nuclear Reactor Laboratory's research reactor, the company has announced. Data from the irradiation testing will be used to support licensing of X-energy's Xe-100 and other TRISO-based reactors.
Published: Thu, 14 May 2020 15:34:11 GMT
A new programme launched today by the US Department of Energy will provide USD160 million initial funding, cost-shared with industry, for the construction of two demonstration advanced reactors that can be operational within the next five to seven years. This follows an appropriation by the US Congress of USD230 million in the 2020 budget to start a new demonstration programme for advanced reactors.
Published: Thu, 14 May 2020 13:59:52 GMT
Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) has carried out training in the operation of a submersible remotely operated vehicle that will be used to investigate the used fuel pool of unit 2 at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The investigation is scheduled to begin in mid-June.
Published: Thu, 14 May 2020 12:52:21 GMT
The integrated head package for Vogtle Unit 3 has been set into place on top of the reactor vessel, Georgia Power has announced. This follows the recent completion of open vessel testing for the AP1000 unit, which is one of two under construction at the site near Wayensboro, Georgia.
Published: Thu, 14 May 2020 10:52:52 GMT
Russia's Rosatom has completed hydrostatic testing of the catch basin of Leningrad II-2’s evaporative cooling tower. At 167 metres high, it is one of the tallest industrial facilities in the Leningrad region, Rosatom said.
Published: Wed, 13 May 2020 13:51:25 GMT
Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority today approved a draft report concluding Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited's reprocessing plant at Rokkasho in Aomori Prefecture meets new safety standards. The approval brings the plant, construction of which began in 1993, closer to starting up.
Published: Wed, 13 May 2020 14:04:29 GMT
AEM Technology, part of the Atomenergomash engineering division of Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom, has welded together the upper and lower parts of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) for unit 1 of the Rooppur nuclear power plant in Bangladesh.
Published: Tue, 12 May 2020 15:05:23 GMT
A newly released Euratom Supply Agency report has identified the three biggest threats to the availability of nuclear fuel in the EU - a lack of transport hubs open to nuclear shipments; a lack of investment in conversion facilities; and permanent reduction of production and withdrawal from uranium exploration.
Published: Tue, 12 May 2020 14:44:56 GMT
UPDATED An initiative by the International Atomic Energy Agency to help some 120 countries contain the COVID-19 pandemic has received strong extrabudgetary backing from Member States, with voluntary pledges so far totalling around EUR22 million (USD24 million). Japanese pharmaceutical firm Takeda has also committed to donate almost USD5 million.
Published: Tue, 12 May 2020 14:13:32 GMT
The US nuclear industry had its "best year ever" in 2019, as it "led the world" in generating more than 809 terawatt hours of electricity, Rita Baranwal, assistant secretary for nuclear energy at the Department of Energy, said yesterday. Despite this achievement, the country's ability to produce domestic nuclear fuel is "on the verge of a collapse", she added.
Published: Tue, 12 May 2020 13:51:07 GMT
Researchers at the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) are refining their design of a 3D-printed nuclear reactor core, scaling up the additive manufacturing process necessary to build it, and developing methods to confirm the consistency and reliability of its printed components.
Published: Mon, 11 May 2020 14:48:58 GMT
South Africa's Department of Mineral Resources and Energy is to begin work on a roadmap for the procurement of 2500 MWe of new nuclear capacity. It will consider "all options" including small modular reactor projects led by private companies and consortia, Minister Gwede Mantashe told the country's Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy on 7 May.
Published: Mon, 11 May 2020 14:17:50 GMT
Canadian uranium producer Cameco will next week resume production at its Port Hope Conversion Facility's uranium hexafluoride plant and its Blind River Refinery in Ontario. The Cigar Lake uranium mine in northern Saskatchewan, in which it holds a majority stake, will remain in care and maintenance.
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