World Nuclear News

ASE keeps the lid on Chernobyl

Jeremy Gordon — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:15:21 GMT

Repairs to the roof of the Chernobyl sarcophagus have been completed one month ahead of schedule, AtomStroyExport said today. New sections were laid over areas showing signs of corrosion.

No environmental impact from Voglte 3 and 4

Jeremy Gordon — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:03:33 GMT

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has concluded that there are no environmental impacts that would prevent its from issuing Southern Nuclear Operating Co with an Early Site Permit (ESP) for its Vogtle site in Georgia.

Liquid metal destruction is complete

Warwick Pipe — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:59:03 GMT

Clean-up workers at Dounreay celebrated what they called a 'milestone' in the dismantling of the former research site. A plant built to destroy radioactive liquid sodium coolant has neutralised 1533 tonnes of the material.

A plan to license NGNP

Jeremy Gordon — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 09:46:21 GMT

The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) project took another step forward on 15 August when the US Department of Energy and Nuclear Regulatory Commission submitted a joint licensing plan for the advanced reactor.

Sanctions proposed for Ascó emission

Jeremy Gordon — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:27:56 GMT

The Spanish nuclear safety regulator has delivered its opinion on the failings that led to a small release of radioactive particles in April this year to government. It has proposed sanctions for four 'major' and two 'minor' transgressions.

New date for Atucha 2

Jeremy Gordon — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:11:16 GMT

[Dow Jones, 15 August] Argentina's planning minister Julio De Vido has said that the country's third nuclear power plant - Atucha 2 - will begin operating by October 2010. Construction of the 750 MWe Atucha II unit began in June 1981 and the plant was originally expected to enter operation in 1987. However, the project was stalled for 14 years because of "inexplicable" political and economic reasons, De Vido said. "Everything is now in place for this to happen as scheduled," De Vido said in a radio interview. Argentina relaunched its nuclear power program in August 2006. In July 2007, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL) signed an agreement with Argentina's Nucleoelectrica to enter into commercial negotiations to define the contracts and project delivery model for a new 740 MWe Candu 6 nuclear power plant. The agreement also called for AECL to assist Nucleoelectrica to finish construction of the Atucha 2 reactor, which is currently some 80% complete. Argentina currently has two nuclear power reactors (Atucha 1 and Embalse), both pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs), which generated about 6.2% of its electricity in 2007.

Loan guarantee sought for North Anna 3

Jeremy Gordon — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:24:33 GMT

Dominion has submitted part of an application for a loan guarantee for a potential third reactor at its North Anna site in Virginia. It is the second to apply with regards a new nuclear power reactor, while others will follow before the early September deadline.

Clarification requested on Loviisa 3 EIA report

Warwick Pipe — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:18:28 GMT

Finland's Ministry of Employment and the Economy has submitted its statement on the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report of Fortum's proposed new reactor at its existing Loviisa site.

'Nuclear' city athletes win silver for Russia

Warwick Pipe — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:07:09 GMT

The head of Rosatom, Sergei Kiriyenko, has congratulated two athletes from the Russian 'nuclear' city of Novouralsk near Yekaterinburg in the Urals for winning a silver medal as part of the men's 4x200 metres freestyle relay in the Beijing Olympics. At the same time, the team also set a new European record. In a telegram to Danila Izotov and Alexander Sukhorukov, Kiriyenko said that their victory not only gave Russia its fifth silver medal in the games, but was also a present for all Russian nuclear workers. He said, "Novouralsk is a small city and its residents, most of whom work at Ural Electrochemical Integrated Plant (UEIP), are happy that their city has given birth to such outstanding sportsmen. The whole of our nuclear industry is proud of you." Russia's largest uranium enrichment plant operates at UEIP.

Gemstone to power National Nuclear Laboratory

Warwick Pipe — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:31:35 GMT

The UK's National Nuclear Laboratory only got the official go-ahead last month but can already boast a High Performance Computing Cluster (HPCC) known as Gemstone to create and integrate 4D computer models.

New reactor helps cut Romanian power imports

Warwick Pipe — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:51:06 GMT

Romania managed to cut its electricity imports by nearly 30% in the first half of 2008 relative to 2007, thanks to a massive increase in nuclear output after its second nuclear unit, Cernavoda 2, started up.

North American uranium output dips

Warwick Pipe — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:25:03 GMT

Figures show that uranium production in the USA and Canada has dropped during the first half of 2008.

EdF may increase stake in Constellation

Warwick Pipe — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:32:52 GMT

The board of Electricité de France (EdF) has authorised management to increase the company's stake in US utility Constellation Energy from the current 4.97% to 9.9%, and this may be increased later.

Kazakh acid shortage eases for Uranium One

Warwick Pipe — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:25:22 GMT

Uranium One reported that the recent Kazakh sulphuric acid crisis has abated without impact on the company's uranium operations and start-up projects in the country. The recent start-up of a new acid plant and plans for another has helped.

First customer for Hyperion reactor

Warwick Pipe — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:52:34 GMT

Hyperion Power Generation announced that it has received a letter of intent from investment company TES Group to purchase the Hyperion Power Module (HPM) – a 27 MWe nuclear power reactor. The intention is to purchase up to six units for various projects in Europe and the Middle East, at some $25 million each. Hyperion said that, if these projects are successful, TES could potential buy up to 50 HPMs. The HPM is a small self-regulating hydrogen-moderated and potassium-cooled reactor fuelled by powdered uranium hydride. It is designed to operate for 5-10 years before being returned to the factory for refuelling. The reactor is about 1.5 metres wide and 2 metres high, so easily portable, and has no moving parts. Hyperion has had preliminary discussions with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and a US design certification application is possible in 2012, when the company plans to begin manufacturing the plants in New Mexico. The design is licensed from the US Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory there. Hyperion eventually expects to build 4000 units for sale worldwide.

Remediation work at Cigar Lake suspended

Warwick Pipe — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:41:59 GMT

Cameco Corp announced that it has temporarily suspended remediation work at the No.1 shaft at its Cigar Lake uranium project, which flooded in 2006, due to an increase in the rate of water inflow to the mine.

Ritual ceremony heralds construction of U plant

Warwick Pipe — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:36:45 GMT

[Times of India, 11 August; Thomson Financial, 8 August] A bhumi puja, or ritual ground breaking ceremony, performed by the chairman of India's Atomic Energy Commission, Anil Kakodkar, has formally marked the start of work on a new uranium processing plant at Tummalapalle in the Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. The $269 million mine and mill project is expected to produce 220 tU per year after commissioning in 2010. According to reports of a recent statement by the Indian Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, the country has approved plans to invest Rs2 billion (about $47 million) in prospecting and exploration to extend uranium resources. A shortage of indigenous uranium is hampering the development of India's nuclear power programme, with nuclear power plants running at about half of capacity due to a shortage of fuel. Several new reactors have had start-up dates postponed due to the fuel shortage. However, some easing this year is likely due to the new Turamdih mill in Jharkhand state coming on line soon (the mine there is already operating). As a non-signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), India cannot currently buy uranium from other countries.

Chinese nuclear company registers interest in Belarus

Warwick Pipe — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:28:26 GMT

China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group (CGNPG) has expressed an interest in taking part in the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Belarus, according to the country's deputy energy minister.

Russian civil nuclear reorganisation proceeds

Warwick Pipe — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:52:33 GMT

Russia has announced that its nuclear power generation organisation has been reconstituted and renamed. Rosenergoatom becomes simply Energoatom.

Australian uranium deposit sale completed

Warwick Pipe — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:52:24 GMT

Cameco and Mitsubishi have completed their joint acquisition of the Kintyre uranium deposit in Western Australia from Rio Tinto for $495 million. Canadian uranium miner Cameco now has a 70% interest in the deposit, with Mitsubishi Development Pty, an Australian subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corp, holding the remaining 30%. Cameco says it will operate the project, where Rio Tinto identified uranium reserves (not JORC-compliant) of 24,000 tonnes U₃O₈ and inferred resources of 12,000 tonnes U₃O₈ at relatively high grades in 1988. Rio Tinto has sold the deposit as part of plans to divest some $10 billion of assets in 2008 following a strategic portfolio review in the wake of its acquisition of Alcan in 2007. According to the company, options are now being explored to divest its Sweetwater uranium assets in the USA, despite saying earlier in the year that it had withdrawn Sweetwater from sale while it reconsidered its options.