US regulator seeks to improve efficiency

Published: Fri, 19 Jul 2019 11:13:20 GMT

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has proposed a reduction in the frequency and scope of inspections at the country's more than 90 nuclear power units to help reduce costs and improve efficiency. In response, the Nuclear Energy Institute said "smarter regulations" can help nuclear plant owners and operators allocate time and resources to areas that most impact safety.

Kalinin and Beloyarsk outages due to non-nuclear faults, says Rosenergoatom

Published: Fri, 19 Jul 2019 13:50:16 GMT

Russia's Rosenergoatom has explained the recent unplanned shutdowns at its Kalinin and Beloyarsk nuclear power plants, which have attracted media interest. Rosenergoatom, which is the nuclear power plant operator subsidiary of state nuclear corporation Rosatom, said both incidents were caused by electrical faults unrelated to the nuclear equipment.

Olkiluoto faces further delay to July 2020

Published: Thu, 18 Jul 2019 14:01:56 GMT

Commissioning of the EPR at Olkiluoto in Finland has been delayed again, this time by six months to July 2020, utility Teollisuuden Voima Oyj said yesterday. The new date was given in an updated schedule for the OL3 EPR unit from the plant supplier Areva-Siemens Consortium.

Rio Tinto completes Rössing sale to China

Published: Thu, 18 Jul 2019 13:40:35 GMT

Rio Tinto has completed the sale of Rössing, the world's longest-running open pit uranium mine, to China National Uranium Corporation Limited for an initial cash payment of USD6.5 million plus a contingent payment of up to USD100 million.

US Senate committee passes bill promoting advanced reactors

Published: Wed, 17 Jul 2019 12:43:20 GMT

A bill supporting advanced nuclear reactors was among 22 pieces of energy-related legislation approved by the US Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee yesterday. 

Canada launches environmental assessment of Micro Modular Reactor

Published: Wed, 17 Jul 2019 11:36:40 GMT

The Canadian government has issued the notice of commencement of an environmental assessment for a small modular reactor project proposed by Global First Power with support from Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation and Ontario Power Generation. The companies described the move as a significant "first" for the Canadian nuclear industry.

US President rejects request for uranium import quota

Published: Tue, 16 Jul 2019 12:13:45 GMT

Uranium imports do not threaten the national security of the USA, President Donald Trump has decided in his response to the Uranium Miners’ Section 232 Petition. He did however call for a "fuller analysis" of national security considerations with respect to the entire nuclear fuel supply chain.

Iran exceeding nuclear deal limits 'not significant', says EU

Published: Tue, 16 Jul 2019 13:36:35 GMT

European signatories to the Iran nuclear deal do not see Tehran's recent moves reducing compliance as significant and do not intend "for now" to trigger the agreement's dispute mechanism, Federica Mogherini, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said yesterday, following a meeting of the EU's Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels

Foratom spells out benefits of long-term operation

Published: Mon, 15 Jul 2019 13:18:10 GMT

Foratom, the European nuclear trade body, has highlighted the importance of long-term operation of the existing fleet of nuclear power plants in a position paper published on 10 July. Ensuring the LTO of the European nuclear fleet will help Europe achieve its climate goals at an affordable cost, it says.

E3 reaffirm commitment to Iran deal

Published: Mon, 15 Jul 2019 12:47:52 GMT

France, Germany, and the UK - together known as the E3, as the three founding members of the European Union - issued a joint statement yesterday reaffirming their commitment to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. But they said they were "deeply troubled" by recent events in the Gulf and "concerned" over US-Iran relations.

Uzbekistan adds second plant to nuclear power goal

Published: Fri, 12 Jul 2019 10:42:36 GMT

Uzbekistan has decided it now wants to build four nuclear power units and not just two as previously stated, Alisher Sultanov, the country's energy minister, said in an interview with news agency Kun.uz this week.

Ukraine seeks to improve Chernobyl's image

Published: Fri, 12 Jul 2019 10:40:44 GMT

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a decree that sets out plans to develop the Chernobyl exclusion zone as a site for tourism, including new walking trails and enhanced mobile phone reception.

State support pivotal to Russia’s nuclear sector, says report

Published: Fri, 12 Jul 2019 10:40:04 GMT

Russia's nuclear power sector "continues to benefit" from supportive government policy, in contrast to "tighter restrictions" in Western Europe owing to environmental concerns and growing competition from renewables, S&P Global Ratings says in a report published yesterday.

Keys to Chernobyl shielding passed to Ukraine

Published: Thu, 11 Jul 2019 13:39:16 GMT

The keys for the New Safe Confinement shielding unit 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant were symbolically presented to the Ukrainian authorities yesterday, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has announced.

EDF ordered to extend work on canal at Tricastin

Published: Thu, 11 Jul 2019 11:52:55 GMT

EDF has been instructed to further reinforce the embankment, or dyke, of the canal supplying cooling water to its 3820-megawatt Tricastin nuclear power plant in southern France by "no later than" the end of 2022, the French nuclear safety authority, Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire, said yesterday. The company is not required to close the plant while it carries out the work.

Nuclears small role in humanitys biggest adventure

Published: Thu, 11 Jul 2019 10:11:55 GMT

On 21 July, 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped onto the Moon. During the brief few hours he and Buzz Aldrin spent on the surface they deployed a suite of scientific experiments, some of which would depend on radioisotope heaters to protect them from the harsh lunar night. Dr Jonathan Cobb, senior communication manager at World Nuclear Association, describes nuclear technology's role in the historic event.

Lower nuclear projections threaten UK climate goal, report shows

Published: Thu, 11 Jul 2019 11:37:02 GMT

National Grid, which owns and operates the electricity transmission network in England and Wales, has reduced projections of nuclear capacity in its latest Future Energy Scenarios. However, more nuclear would be needed to achieve the UK's new net-zero climate change target.

US research reactor goes digital in licensing 'first'

Published: Tue, 09 Jul 2019 23:01:53 GMT

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has licensed the first entirely digital nuclear reactor instrumentation and control system in the USA, at a university-based research reactor originally built in 1962. The NRC licence also for the first time covers parts certified under standards laid down by a non-US regulatory body.
 

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy wins Oyster Creek contract

Published: Wed, 10 Jul 2019 14:59:10 GMT

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy has been awarded a contract by Comprehensive Decommissioning International to decommission reactor internals and the reactor pressure vessel at the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant in New Jersey, USA. CDI is a joint venture company of Holtec and SNC-Lavalin.

UK failing its own climate ambition, report says

Published: Wed, 10 Jul 2019 14:26:44 GMT

The UK government must show it is serious about its legal obligations to tackle and prepare for climate change, the independent Committee on Climate Change said today as it published its Reducing UK emissions - 2019 Progress Report to Parliament.

TVEL delivers fuel for China's experimental fast reactor

Published: Wed, 10 Jul 2019 11:39:00 GMT

TVEL, the nuclear fuel manufacturer of Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom, has supplied a batch of nuclear fuel for the China Experimental Fast Reactor under its contract with China Nuclear Energy Industry Corporation and China Institute of Atomic Energy - the site where the reactor is located.

Czech state to back new nuclear units

Published: Tue, 09 Jul 2019 13:19:45 GMT

The Czech government has given preliminary approval for Elektrárna Dukovany II - a subsidiary of utility ČEZ - to build at least one new nuclear power unit. The decision was announced in a government resolution published yesterday by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

US plant takes delivery of Holtec fuel racks

Published: Tue, 09 Jul 2019 13:57:32 GMT

Holtec International has fabricated and delivered six high-density used fuel racks and associated ancillary equipment to Duke Energy's Shearon Harris plant ahead of schedule.

CNL to refuel Slowpoke reactor

Published: Mon, 08 Jul 2019 15:55:55 GMT

The Canadian government of Canada has awarded Canadian Nuclear Laboratories a CAD8.5 million (USD6.5 million) contract to refuel the Royal Military College of Canada's Slowpoke-2 research reactor. The three-year project will enable the reactor to operate for another 30 years.

First Barakah operators receive regulatory certification

Published: Mon, 08 Jul 2019 13:46:12 GMT

The United Arab Emirates' Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation has officially certified Nawah Energy's first group of operators for the Barakah nuclear power plant. Certification of operators is a key requirement for the issue of the plant's operating licence.

US federal funding granted for SSR technology development

Published: Fri, 05 Jul 2019 14:12:47 GMT

Moltex Energy USA LLC has been awarded USD2.55 million of US federal funding to develop technologies that will be capable of shortening Stable Salt Reactor construction timelines to under three years.
 

Belarusian plant prepared for hydraulic tests

Published: Fri, 05 Jul 2019 12:09:15 GMT

ASE Group has conducted a test-run of all four of the main circulating pumps of the first unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant as part of preparations for hydraulic testing of the systems and equipment of its primary and secondary circuits.

Superannuation industry calls for Australia to consider nuclear

Published: Thu, 04 Jul 2019 16:02:51 GMT

A technology-neutral discussion paper issued by Industry Super Australia, a body which represents union-backed industry superannuation funds, says nuclear must be part of the country's future energy mix.
 

Rolls-Royce and AMS join in I&C system testing services

Published: Thu, 04 Jul 2019 13:30:19 GMT

Rolls-Royce and Analysis and Measurement Services Corporation have signed a partnership agreement to provide advanced Instrumentation and Control system testing services to the nuclear energy market. 

IAEA helps cyclone-hit Mozambique prevent animal disease

Published: Wed, 03 Jul 2019 12:40:14 GMT

The International Atomic Energy Agency has delivered emergency supplies to help Mozambique fight further outbreaks of animal diseases, such as African swine fever, foot and mouth disease and Rift Valley fever. which could threaten people and livestock in the aftermath of floods caused by recent cyclones.