World Nuclear News

Poland amends laws to speed investment in nuclear energy

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 12:05:46 GMT

Poland's Council of Ministers has adopted a draft act amending the act on the preparation and implementation of investments in nuclear power facilities and associated investments, the country's National Atomic Energy Agency announced. The main goal of the changes is to shorten the time of investment implementation.

ABS awarded federal contract for marine nuclear propulsion project

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 15:07:01 GMT

The American Bureau of Shipping has announced it is to research barriers to the adoption of advanced nuclear propulsion on commercial vessels under a research contract awarded by the US Department of Energy. The organisation is also supporting separate research into molten salt reactors.

TVO, Wärtsilä tribunal concludes

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 11:15:31 GMT

An arbitration tribunal has resolved all the claims presented by the parties in proceedings between Teollisuuden Voima Oyj and Wärtsilä Finland Oy concerning a 2013 contract for emergency backup generators at the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant.

Inner dome concreting under way at Rooppur 2

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 15:13:21 GMT

The concreting of the inner containment dome of the reactor building of unit 2 at the Rooppur nuclear power plant in Bangladesh has been started.

Chinese EPR resumes power supply after extended outage

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 11:35:04 GMT

Unit 1 of the Taishan nuclear power plant in China's Guangdong province offline has been reconnected to the electricity grid after having been offline for more than a year following the discovery of damaged fuel rods.

Ukrainian regulator restores Chernobyl licences

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 15:07:14 GMT

The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine decision resumes most of the plant's radioactive waste management licences, which were suspended in May following the Russian military occupation of the area.

Largest module installed at Sanmen 3

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 14:16:43 GMT

The largest and heaviest module has been installed at unit 3 of the Sanmen nuclear power plant in China's Zhejiang province, China National Nuclear Corporation has announced.

California governor proposes legislation to keep Diablo Canyon open

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 15:18:08 GMT

Text circulated to California lawmakers by Governor Gavin Newsom says continued operation of the state's only nuclear power plant for an additional five to ten years is critical to ensure energy system reliability and minimise greenhouse gas emissions. It would authorise a loan of up to USD1.4 billion to extend the plant's operating lifetime.

South Korea's SK Group invests in TerraPower

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 13:40:14 GMT

SK Inc and SK Innovation - both affiliates of SK Group, Korea's second-largest conglomerate - have invested USD250 million in US nuclear innovation company TerraPower. The investment by SK is part of the latest private capital fundraise, which has raised at least USD750 million of investment in TerraPower.

Milestone as reached Darlington refurbishment is ahead of schedule

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 15:51:19 GMT

Fuel channel installation has been completed at Darlington unit 3, and the unit is now expected to return to service by late 2023 - several months earlier than planned - Ontario Power Generation has announced. The unit is the second of four Darlington units to undergo a mid-life overhaul.

One-year delay in Canadian repository site selection

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 10:54:46 GMT

Canada's Nuclear Waste Management Organization has said that, due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it now does not expect to identify a preferred site for a deep geological repository until late-2024. It had previously expected to make the decision next year.

DFS shows Lance ISL projects as 'globally competitive'

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 13:17:23 GMT

A definitive feasibility study has been completed for the Ross and Kendrick production areas at Peninsula Energy Ltd's flagship, 100%-owned Lance in-situ leach uranium projects in Wyoming, USA.

Inflation Reduction Act passed by the US House

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 14:37:25 GMT

The US House of Representatives has voted to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which now heads to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. The passing of the wide-ranging bill, which includes support for existing and new nuclear, was welcomed by the nuclear industry.

Equipment installation under way at Russian ISL project

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 16:27:46 GMT

Installation of primary equipment for in-situ leach uranium production has begun at the Dobrovolnoye uranium deposit in the Zverinogolovsky district of Russia's Kurgan region.

Global nuclear industry states its support of the NPT

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 15:10:54 GMT

Twenty national and international nuclear industry associations have issued a joint statement in support of the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty and are calling on signatories to the treaty to support the transfer of nuclear technology for peaceful uses among those meeting their commitments under it.

Terrestrial Energy to work with Alberta on SMR commercialisation

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 15:11:13 GMT

A Memorandum of Understanding between the nuclear technology company and Invest Alberta supports commercialisation of Terrestrial Energy's Integral Molten Salt Reactor with a focus on reducing emissions in the oil and gas, and petrochemical industries.

Niger government increases stake in Dasa uranium project

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 12:15:27 GMT

Global Atomic has completed the formation of its Niger mining subsidiary which is to be 20% owned by the country's government. Societé Minière DASA SA will be responsible for operating the Dasa project, which is on track for yellowcake production in early 2025.

In quotes: UN Security Council discusses Zaporizhzhia

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 11:23:33 GMT

The United Nations Security Council has held an emergency meeting to discuss the situation involving the Zaporozhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Here is a round-up of what was said at the meeting, which was called following shelling of the site over the past week.

Covra seeks permit change for new waste storage facility

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 11:56:57 GMT

The Central Organisation for Radioactive Waste has applied to the country's nuclear regulator for a change in its licence to allow the construction of a new multi-functional storage building for low and intermediate-level waste at its site in Nieuwdorp, in the municipality of Borssele, the Netherlands.

UKAEA appoints consortium to help deliver STEP

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 14:38:53 GMT

A consortium led by Atkins as prime contractor, alongside Assystem, has been appointed by the UK Atomic Energy Authority as Engineering Delivery Partner to its Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production programme.

Cooperative effort sees Japanese HEU transfer completed

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 14:34:47 GMT

A second campaign to repatriate high-enriched uranium from a research reactor in Japan to the USA has been completed, bringing to an end a three-year joint effort to transfer 45 kg of the material as part of shared non-proliferation goals.

Agreement to bolster Korean nuclear industry

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 12:02:59 GMT

South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, Doosan Enerbility and nuclear energy equipment and materials manufacturers with the aim of revitalising the country's nuclear industry.

Pressure vessel installed at second Zhangzhou unit

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 14:57:23 GMT

The reactor pressure vessel has been hoisted into place at unit 2 of the Zhangzhou nuclear power plant in China's Fujian province. Zhangzhou 2 is the second of two Hualong One units being built at the site, scheduled to enter commercial operation in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

Dow to decarbonise with advanced nuclear

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 15:37:37 GMT

Materials science company Dow is to collaborate with X-energy to deploy Xe-100 high-temperature gas reactor technology to provide carbon-free process heat and power to one of Dow's US Gulf Coast sites. The reactor is expected to be operational around 2030.

G7 demands Russia hand over Zaporizhzhia, Russia calls for UN meeting

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 11:43:55 GMT

Russia has asked for International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi to brief an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council about the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Meanwhile G7 foreign ministers have demanded Russia "hand back full control" of the plant "to its rightful sovereign owner, Ukraine".

EDF sues French government over electricity sales

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 12:16:06 GMT

The state-controlled nuclear giant EDF has launched a legal claim against the French government for more than EUR8.0 billion (USD8.2 billion) in lost earnings resulting from the order to sell more nuclear electricity at below market-level prices this year.

Final permits in place for Phoenix ISL field test

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 21:39:25 GMT

Denison Mines Corp is now fully permitted to recover a uranium-bearing solution from the Phoenix ore body at the Wheeler River project in northern Saskatchewan. The feasibility field test will be a first-of-its-kind test and will help de-risk the planned in-situ leach uranium mining operation.

Deep Isolation licenses disposal technology to Amentum

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 10:44:39 GMT

Deep Isolation has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with technical and engineering services provider Amentum to cooperate on the commercialisation of Deep Isolation's radioactive waste disposal technology around the world.

Chinese molten-salt reactor cleared for start up

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 15:28:03 GMT

The Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics - part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences - has been given approval by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment to commission an experimental thorium-powered molten-salt reactor, construction of which started in Wuwei city, Gansu province, in September 2018.

India sets out climate commitments, ponders SMRs

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 14:50:00 GMT

Days after India's cabinet approved its updated Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement, a member of the government's NITI Aayog policy think-tank has called for the country to focus on small modular reactors to help meet its energy needs.