NucNet: Global Nuclear News

The nuclear communications network

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December 2007

April 2008

Report Shows UK Industry ‘Ready For New Nuclear Construction’

29 Apr (NucNet): UK industry is ready to provide 80 per cent of a “sustained programme” of new nuclear power plants, according to a report released today by the country’s Nuclear Industry Association (NIA).

Survey Shows Strong Support For New Nuclear Plant Incentives In US

28 Apr (NucNet): Nearly 80 percent of US citizens support financial incentives from the government to promote the development of carbon-free energy technologies, including new nuclear power plants, according to a new national survey.

Application Made For Decision In Principle On Fifth Finnish Unit

25 Apr (NucNet): Finnish utility Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) today submitted an application for a decision in principle to build a fourth reactor unit at the country’s Olkiluoto nuclear power plant.

E.ON And Areva To Cooperate On New Nuclear Projects

23 Apr (NucNet): Germany’s E.ON signed a letter of intent today with France’s Areva group to cooperate on building new nuclear power plants and the further development of nuclear power.

JAIF President Says Japan Should Do More For Nuclear Development

22 Apr (NucNet): Japan needs to do more to encourage the development of its nuclear energy industry, including adopting measures for dealing with radioactive waste and making sure a new generation of workers is available for nuclear design and construction, Japan Atomic Industrial Forum (JAIF) president Takuya Hattori has said.

Japan PM To Push ‘Importance’ Of Nuclear Power At Next G8 Summit

21 Apr (NucNet): Japan’s prime minister has pledged to raise the benefits of nuclear energy in tackling climate change when he chairs the next G8 summit of leading industrialised nations in July.

United Arab Emirates Establishes Nuclear Corporation

21 Apr (NucNet): The United Arab Emirates is to establish a new corporation to oversee the possible construction and deployment of nuclear units in the oil and natural gas-rich Gulf state.

Canadian Regulators Resume Full Oversight Of Research Reactor

14 Apr (NucNet): The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) says it resumed full regulatory oversight of the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor in Chalk River, Ontario, on 11 April.

Areva And MHI Discuss Nuclear Fuels Joint Venture

11 Apr (NucNet): Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) of Japan and France’s Areva group are considering setting up a joint venture for the supply of nuclear fuel.

UK Environment Agency Notes ‘Good Performance’ Of Nuclear Sector

11 Apr (NucNet): A new UK government agency report says the overall environmental performance of the country’s nuclear sector during 2006 was “very good… with improvements being made in a number of areas”.

British Energy’s Nuclear Output ‘Ahead Of Expectations’

10 Apr (NucNet): Output from British Energy’s nuclear power plants was 50.3 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity for the financial year ended 31 March 2008 compared to 51.2 TWh in the previous financial year.

Areva Signs New Fuel Cycle Services Contracts With Japan

10 Apr (NucNet): France’s Areva group said today it had secured contracts in Japan worth a total of 2 billion euro (3.1 billion US dollars).

Japan’s Nuclear Share Could Reach 49% By 2030, Says Report

9 Apr (NucNet): The share of Japan’s electricity generated by nuclear energy could be close to 50 percent by fiscal year 2030, a report says.

Processing Deal Puts MOX Use Back On Track For Japan’s Kansai Electric

9 Apr (NucNet): Japan’s Nuclear Fuel Industries (NFI) is to process 16 mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel assemblies to be used at units 3 and 4 of the country’s Takahama nuclear power plant.

US Regulators Remind Operators Of ‘Counterfeit Parts’ Guidance

9 Apr (NucNet): US nuclear regulators have issued a reminder of earlier advice aimed at ensuring no counterfeit parts are used at the country’s nuclear power plants.

Draft French Decommissioning Policy Proposes ‘Immediate Dismantlement’

8 Apr (NucNet): A draft decommissioning policy by France’s Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) recommends that licensees of the country’s nuclear installations adopt strategies of “immediate dismantlement” rather than deferred decommissioning.

AECL Pulls Out Of UK Nuclear Reactor Assessment

7 Apr (NucNet): Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) has dropped any immediate plans to build nuclear reactors in the UK as the nuclear industry in its home market takes off, the state-run company has announced.

UK Clean-Up Funding ‘Needs Urgent Reforms’

7 Apr (NucNet): The way in which the clean-up of Britain’s nuclear sites is funded is unsustainable and in urgent need of reform, a parliamentary committee has said.

UK’s Thorp Returns To Service, Three Years After Shutdown

3 Apr (NucNet): Production is slowly being ramped up at British Nuclear Group’s thermal oxide reprocessing plant (Thorp) at Sellafield – three years after the plant was shut down, Sellafield has confirmed.

Industry ‘Should Consider Financial Support’ For UK Nuclear Students

3 Apr (NucNet): A national bursary award scheme for undergraduates could help build a skills base for the new generation of nuclear power plants that are expected to be built in Britain over the next decade, the chairman of the UK Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) said yesterday.

Utilities Submit COL Application For South Carolina Units

2 Apr (NucNet): Utilities South Carolina Electric & Gas Company (SCE&G) and Santee Cooper have submitted an application to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for a combined construction and operating licence (COL) for up to two new Westinghouse AP1000 reactor units at the Virgil C Summer nuclear power plant in South Carolina.

Canadian Province To Evaluate Future Nuclear Potential

1 Apr (NucNet): An evaluation of the potential for development of nuclear energy technology in Canada’s Alberta province is to be carried out by the Alberta Research Council (ARC) in cooperation with the US Idaho National Laboratory (INL).