World Nuclear Association Update

The Call for Presentations for the 37th Annual WNA Symposium is now out, with an 18th May deadline for submissions. The WNA Symposium is the nuclear industry’s premier event – an annual conference attended by over 700 leaders and specialists from more than 30 countries. The Symposium brings together the nuclear industry and its major stakeholders to discuss topics ranging from the nuclear fuel market to the practicalities of building new nuclear power plants. 

The topics we are particularly looking to cover include, but will not be limited to:

• From mining to fabrication: the key issues for fuel supply in meeting growth.
• Adjusting to lower secondary supplies with the end of the US/Russia HEU Agreement.
• Keeping on track with waste management, decommissions and disposal.
• How the global supply chain can assist national industries to benefit from nuclear investments.
• Tried and tested: the challenges for our existing reactors.
• On budget, on time and on line: successfully implementing new build.
• Policy, technology and society: the challenges of future energy supply.

We welcome presentations on these and other topics from industry experts and external specialists. We particularly encourage proposals from professionals in emerging nuclear countries and from younger specialists.

Submitting a Proposal

Proposals for Presentations must be submitted in the form of an abstract by 18 May 2012 using this online form.

Ian Emsley participated in the IAEA expert group convened to formulate high and low projections for global nuclear capacity to 2050. The group met in Vienna between 22-27th April and the work will be published in August.

The global projections reflect those generated for individual countries which are based principally on reactors that are planned or under construction and reactors that are expected to be retired in the period to 2030. Projections for 2030-2050 are based on expected electricity requirements, stated government objectives, past performance and technical capacity. The apparent consequences of Fukushima have been incorporated into the projections but the full consequences will not be known for many years.

WNA's Julian Kelly participated in the OECD/NEA Expert Group on Reactor Fuel Performance (EGRFP). The expert group is under the guidence  of Working Party on Scientific Issues of Reactor Systems (WPRS), which in turn is under the guidance of the OECD Nuclear Science Committee (NSC). 

The EGRFP covers the technical issues including reactor-based plutonium disposition, and the International Fuel Performance Experiments database. 

More details can be found on their website at http://www.oecd-nea.org/science/wprs/index.html.

 

Two World Nuclear University short courses were held in Brazil recently, in WNU short courses in Rio de Janeiro and at the Angra Nuclear Power Plant. 

A team of experts gave presentations on the topics of World Energy; Nuclear Economics; Project Structuring & Financing; Technology Selection; Nuclear Fuel (including trade and transport issues); Responses to Fukushima; Nuclear Politics & Public Acceptance. ABDAN, the national Brazilian nuclear association, helped organise the courses. 

 

  

 

There was a very good response from the delegates at both of the courses.  

More details on the various courses on offer can be found on the WNU website.

Over 250 delegates attended the first WNA India International Nuclear Symposium in New Delhi in February. The event was a great success and we thank all the delegates for their participation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A full programme of presentations was mixed with networking opportunities.

 

 

 

 

A selection of photos from the conference is available on WNA's flickr page.

 

The third annual Nuclear Power Asia conference opened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on January 31. The World Nuclear Association is the official partner of the conference. 

Delegates heard an overview of the Fukushima accident and lessons learned so far from Kimitoshi Yahagi, General Manager of Nuclear Power & Plant Siting Administrative Department, TEPCO, followed by the Keynote session moderated by WNA Deputy Director General Steve Kidd.
 

 

The WNA stand proves popular with delegates at Nuclear Power Asia 2012  

 

Two WNA Working Groups – Nuclear Law & Contracting and CORDEL – are cooperating to identify best practises in licensing and permitting for nuclear new build. The Joint Task Force on Licensing & Permitting has devised a survey to collect industry views on the relationship between nuclear new build projects and licensing/permitting processes. The survey focuses on the interaction between regulatory processes and the industry's commercial activities relating to new build, such as scheduling, procurement, contracting and finance. 

WNA will be providing further details about this survey to our member company principle representatives. If you are involved in nuclear new build projects – whether from the vantage of a utility, supplier, advisor, financier, or otherwise – we would welcome your participation in this survey and your perspective and insight as we seek to streamline the new build process. If you are interested in participating in the survey, please contact wna@world-nuclear.org.

The deadline for applications to the World Nuclear University Summer Insitute 2012 is approaching for those applicants with financial support confirmed (either through their company or through a sponsor). The final date for receipt of applications is 6th January 2012. 

The World Nuclear University is a partnership created in 2003 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Atoms for Peace initiative, which gave birth to the IAEA. The WNU mission is to support the beneficial use of nuclear technology by uniting industry, academia and inter-governmental organizations in efforts to strengthen nuclear education and leadership.

The most prominent WNU activity is the WNU Summer Institute, a six-week leadership development programme for young, high-potential nuclear professionals held at Christ Church College, Oxford, UK.

 

WNU SI 2011 Fellows 

The Summer Institute programme is designed to expand participants’ horizons across the full spectrum of issues surrounding nuclear energy. Built on a foundation of instruction from some of the world's foremost leaders in science, engineering and the global environment, the programme is augmented by team-building exercises and a week-long technical tour of nuclear and related facilities. The programme is aimed at nuclear professionals between 27 and 37 years of age.

Details of the full range of WNU programmes, and further information about applying to the Summer Institute can be found on our website (http://www.world-nuclear-university.org/default.aspx)
 

The World Nuclear Association is pleased to welcome a number of new members companies, bringing the total number of WNA members to 200.

CGNPC Uranium Resources Co 
CGN-URC supplies fuel for the nuclear power generating units of CGNPC. CGN-URC are involved in the civil nuclear fuel market, domestic and overseas exploration, development and operation activities of uranium resources, as well as the import and export of uranium products, and provides related services.

CLP Power Hong Kong Limited 
Established in Hong Kong over a century ago, CLP has a significant presence in five markets today, with operations in Hong Kong, Chinese Mainland, Australia, India, Southeast Asia and Taiwan. Electricity generated at CLP's power stations in Hong Kong is delivered to customers through a transmission and distribution network that is owned and operated by CLP Power Hong Kong. Their network includes around 13,800 kilometers of overhead, underground and submarine cables that feed into around 13,400 substations. CLP Power Hong Kong achieves a supply reliability of 99.99%, which is among the highest industry standards around the world.

Deep Yellow Limited
Deep Yellow Limited is an ASX-listed advanced-stage uranium exploration company operating in the southern African nation of Namibia and in Australia. It also has a listing on the Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX). The Company’s primary focus is in Namibia, where exploration is conducted by its wholly-owned subsidiary Reptile Uranium Namibia (Pty) Ltd. DYL’s flagship Omahola Project has a JORC compliant resource of 52 million tonnes at 338 ppm for 38.6 Mlbs U3O8 from four deposits, INCA, Ongolo Alaskite, MS7 and Tubas Red Sand (TRS).

Edgen Murray CorporationIn addition to the most comprehensive inventory of high performance steel products, Edgen Murray provides the energy sector with a unique combination of engineering knowledge and global logistics infrastructure and support. They provide chrome and nickel alloy, high yield stainless components, fittings and valves for all forms of power generation

Global Atomic Fuels  
Global Atomic Fuels Corporation is a private Canadian resource company founded in January 2005 by former senior executives of Denison Mines Limited. Global has acquired 6 contiguous concessions covering approximately 3,000 square kilometres in the Agadez Region of central Niger. These concessions give Global the right to explore for uranium and other minerals on the property. Niger is the fifth largest uranium producing country in the world. The Global concessions cover part of a large regional trend of uranium producers, advanced uranium projects and uranium showings.

PGE Energia Jadrowa S.A.
The development of nuclear power engineering is an opportunity for Poland to meet the rising demand for electricity supplied at reasonable prices. At the beginning of 2009 the Polish government entrusted PGE with a mission to develop nuclear power generation in Poland. The investment plans of PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna S.A. include the construction of two nuclear power plants, with a capacity of about 3,000 MW each. Establishment of PGE Energia Jądrowa S.A. in December 2009 was one of the steps undertaken by PGE to execute the initial schedule’s assumptions. PGE Energia Jądrowa S.A. is a pillar of the Nuclear Power Generation business line within PGE Capital Group. This company is responsible for implementation of comprehensive tasks related to the construction of nuclear power plants. These duties include, among other things, analysis of best practices in preparation and execution of the construction of nuclear power plants in selected European countries.

Reviss 
A world leader in the manufacture and supply of sealed radiation sources, radioisotope technologies and services. These range from cobalt-60 sources for sterilization of medical devices and caesium-137 sources for blood irradiation through to cobalt-60 sources for gamma knife application, sealed sources for oil well logging, process gauging and many other industrial applications. We also supply a range of specialist raw materials to OEM users.

Trade Tech Energy
Trade Tech Energy  specializes  in nuclear fuel trading, nuclear finance  and nuclear market consulting services.

UCL Australia
The UCL School of Energy and Resources, Australia (UCL SERAus) is an integral part of University College London, one of the foremost academic institutions in the world. UCL SERAus is UCL's first ever overseas campus, and students are provided with many opportunities to interact with their colleagues in London. UCL SERAus, develops the management talent that will help the industry meet the challenges of the future energy industry. The goal of UCL SERAus is to give students a broad and deep understanding of the complexities of the industry and the specialised technical knowledge to have a real impact – to pursue sector management careers and shape the energy and resources industry of the future.

WSP Group
WSP is a global design engineering and management consultancy specialising in Property, Transport & Infrastructure, Industry and Environment projects. WSP works with clients worldwide to create built and natural environments for the future. WSP designs sustainability strategies and delivers integrated energy solutions for some of the world’s most renowned blue chip corporations. WSP works with national and international businesses to address important issues related to the carbon agenda, climate change and sustainability.

The World Nuclear Association is the official partner for the Nuclear Power Asia 2012 conference, to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 31 January - 1 February next year. The conference will together nuclear stakeholders at the region’s largest nuclear power event, with 250 attendees, 40 global nuclear expert speakers and 20 exhibitors expected to attend. 

The conference will look at key questions including: 

• How to embark on long-term capacity building for future NPP Owner/Operator?
• What are the challenges in developing nuclear power infrastructure and are there
new approaches to address such challenges?
• Reactor design - the new safety assessment criteria; how much have things changed?
• Has it become more “expensive” to finance nuclear new build?

The conference programme features a strong mix of international and regional experts. The opening keynote session will be moderated by WNA Director General John Ritch. 

More details can be found on the conference website at www.nuclearpowerasia.com