форум

31 January - 6 February 2007

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT:
IPCC reports more climate change certainty
2 February 2007
There is now a 'very high confidence' that human actions have caused a warming of the Earth, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Global temperatures are predicted to rise by between 1.8-4.0 degrees C by 2100. Sea levels are most likely to rise by 28-43cm. The IPCC, who advise the UN on the scientific understanding of climate change, published these findings in Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis, the first part of the IPCC's Fourth Assessment Report.
WEC studies nuclear's role in Europe
31 January 2007
A World Energy Council working group consisting of 29 experts from Europe's electricity industry has provided an analysis of the role nuclear needs to play in Europe's future. "If carbon dioxide emissions were ever penalized, nuclear would be a particularly competitive alternative. As nuclear power generation does not produce greenhouse gases and emissions... it would undoubtedly help tackle growing environmental concerns," their study says.

NEW NUCLEAR:
First concrete at Qinshan Phase II, unit 4
6 February 2007

Officials from the Qinshan Joint Venture have celebrated the start of construction of the fourth reactor of the second phase of development at the Qinshan site. Phase II currently consists of two CNP-600 design PWRs each outputting 610 MWe. Construction has now started on two more reactors for Qinshan Phase II, both of them updated CNP-600 designs that should provide 650 MWe upon completion in 2011.
New lab marks resurgence of UK research
2 February 2007
As the privatised UK power sector begins attempts to renew its nuclear fleet, its skills base is being renewed by investment and restructuring. It was announced on 29 January that £20 million ($39.4 million) in funding was being made available for a new nuclear research laboratory in the UK. It will include accelerators and experimental equipment to study the irradiation damage and effects on materials and chemical systems used in nuclear environments, as well as "cutting-edge" computational modelling and simulation tools. The funding commitment is split evenly between the Dalton Institute at the University of Manchester, and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA).
Poland to join new Ignalina project "as soon as possible"
1 February 2007

Poland's foreign minister has said that the country would soon join, along with Latvia and Estonia, a project to build a new nuclear power plant in Lithuania. Given their shared history and a looming electricity shortfall, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia signed a memorandum of understanding in 2006 to build a new nuclear power plant at the Ignalina site. Now Poland has strongly signalled its firm intent to join the project.
DoE awards over $10m for GNEP siting studies
31 January 2007
The US Department of Energy has awarded more than $10 million to 11 commercial and public consortia selected to conduct detailed siting studies for integrated used fuel recycling facilities. The consortia have until 30 May to submit their reports. Award recipients, announced in November 2006, will carry out siting studies to determine the possibility of hosting a Consolidated Fuel Treatment Centre and/or an Advanced Burner Reactor.

Russia makes deals in India
31 January 2007
Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited India to sign a memorandum of understanding between the two countries. Russia will build four new reactors at Kudankulam, India, under a new Memordandum of Understanding on nuclear trade, which follows the controversial US/India deal. In addition Sergei Kiriyenko, the head of Russia's federal agency for nuclear energy (Rosatom), conducted a lengthy visit to India, inspecting progress at the Kudankulam site where Russian firms are constructing two 950 MWe VVER pressurised water reactors. He announced that the first batch of nuclear fuel for unit 1 would be supplied by Russia in the second quarter of 2007.
Appeals rejected against PBMR fuel plant
30 January 2007

South Africa's Minister for Environmental Affairs and Tourism has rejected appeals against the development of a pilot plant at Pelindaba to manufacture fuel for Eskom's planned pebble-bed modular reactor (PBMR) at Koeberg. Marthinus van Schalkwyk released his Record of Decision on 26 January. He said that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) complied with the necessary requirements and that the plant would not have a "significant detrimental impact on the environment," if the conditions under which it was authorized were implemented.

REGULATION & SAFETY:
Irregular control rod movements at Balakovo
1 February 2007
Russia's Balakovo 1 underwent a sudden shutdown late on 29 January as control rods were found to be in an irregular position. The VVER-1000 was operating at 1030 MWe when control rods changed position spontaneously. Operators followed procedure and shut the plant down for checks. Rosenergoatom, the operator of all Russia's nuclear power plants, said that the loss of power to one of the circuits supplying electricity to a control system initated the event.

NRC updates terrorism regulations
31 January 2007
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has updated its Design Basis Threat rule on radiological sabotage at power plants to cover attacks from land, water and the internet but not air. In order to hold a licence to operate a nuclear power plant in the USA, a company would have to be able to show the NRC that plant design and staff action could "defend with high assurance" against attack by well trained and dedicated groups. The NRC decided that attacks by deliberately crashed commercial aircraft are the concern of the military, rather than plant licensees.

Removal of damaged fuel completed at Paks
31 January 2007
Some 30 damaged nuclear fuel rods have been removed from a washing tank at Paks 2. The undamaged reactor was restarted on 30 December 2006. The Hungarian pressurized water reactor suffered a serious incident on 10 April 2003 when water circulation in a nuclear fuel washing well was inadequate. Highly radioactive material accumulated on the floor of the well as 30 nuclear fuel rods suffered damage from overheating.
Forsmark under scrutiny
30 January 2007

Managers at Forsmark nuclear power plant have faced tough questions following the release of an internal document which revealed safety concerns, and the revelation that subcontractors were sent home after failing alcohol and drug tests. Forsmark have said that of 380 tests conducted on employees and contractors entering the site in 2006, three were sent home for alcohol, while three others were sent home for drugs. All the workers sent home were subcontractors and not Forsmark employees. One was later found to have taken only prescription medication.

NUCLEAR POLICIES:
2008 budgets requested, 2007 budgets unapproved
6 February 2007

American budget request for FY2008 have seen the Department of Energy (DoE) ask for $24.3 billion, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) over $900 million. DoE's request reflects new aims recently outlined by President Bush to reduce the use of gasoline and increase energy independence as well as a change in priorities in favour of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) project. The budget request by the NRC amounts to $916.6 million, which it says would "support the review of twelve of the new reactor applications anticipated to arrive in 2008, two standard reactor design certification applications, three early reactor site permit applications, and the development of the reactor construction inspection program."

CORPORATE:
Total to enter nuclear industry
5 February 2007
The incoming CEO of French oil company, Total, has said that as an energy company, it will certainly have to be part of the nuclear industry: "If it is not hydrocarbons, if it is not renewables, if it is not nuclear, what is it?" Christophe de Margerie said that as access to hydrocarbons becomes more difficult Total would have to move into other parts of the energy sector. "Being in the energy business, which we consider not only as our business but also as a responsibility vis a vis the consumer, we will certainly one day have to return to be part of this [nuclear] adventure." Total has already made very small steps towards involvement in nuclear - it owns 1% of Areva.

WASTE & RECYCLING:
Hifar shut down for the last time
30 January 2007

Australia's first research reactor, Hifar, has been finally shut down after 49 years of making isotopes for research, medical and industrial use. The final shutdown sequence was initiated by Australia's minister for Education, Science and Training, Julie Bishop. The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (Ansto) said that dismantling the reactor and its anciliary buildings would be complete in ten years.

INDUSTRY TALK:
Putin approves nuclear industry reform bill
6 February 2007
[Nuclear.Ru, 6 February] Russia's President Vladimir Putin has signed a federal bill on the management and disposal of the property and shares of organizations operating within the country's nuclear energy sector. The law allows for the formation of a state-owned holding company for all enterprises involved in the civilian nuclear sector, to be known as Atomprom. It does not apply to the military nuclear industry. The bill was adopted by the State Duma on 19 January and approved by the Federal Council on 24 January. In 2006, Putin approved a reorganisation of the country's nuclear industry in order to boost nuclear energy production and strengthen Russia's presence in the global nuclear market.
Forsmark 1 and 2 precautions
5 February 2007
[Forsmark, SKI, 5 February] Inspections have identified reduced elasticity in the rubber seal between the 'wet' and 'dry' wells at Forsmark 1. Management decided to shut the unit down to investigate further on 2 February. As a precaution, the identical Forsmark 2 was also shut down on 3 February. The wet well contains cool water, into which steam from the core cooling system can be piped during reactor overpressure situations, providing an additional means of heat removal from the reactor system. The seal is relatively large and sited between fixed components of the overall reactor building, making it difficult to replace. The well system could operate satisfactorily with minor leaks, although major ones would have a certain effect on performance. Neither Forsmark nor the Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate (SKI) reported that the seal would not function correctly.

Australian uranium output down in 2006
3 February 2007
[ERA, BHP Billiton, Heathgate] Australia's three uranium mines (Ranger, Olympic Dam and Beverley) produced a total of 8954 tonnes U3O8 (7592.7 tU) in 2006, down from the 11,217 t U3O8 (9512 tU) produced in 2005. The mines produced 4748 t, 3381.5 t and 824.6 t U3O8 (4026.1, 2867.4 and 699.2 tU), respectively. Output from Ranger was down due to pit flooding and acid plant problems early in 2006.

Reports of Areva contract
2 February 2007
[LeFigaro, various sources, 1 February] France's Areva will supply two 1600 MWe EPRs and fuel cycle services to China Guangdong Nuclear Power Company, according to unnamed sources. It has been reported that Areva CEO Anne Lauvergeon spent a week in China during which discussions on new nuclear build intensified, culminating in a memorandum of understanding. Two pressurized water reactors built by an Areva subsidiary at Daya Bay for CGNPC started up in 1993 and 1994 respectively.

Project to extract uranium from coal ash
2 February 2007
[Sparton Resources, 16 January] Sparton Resources Inc of Canada has signed an agreement with the Xiaolongtang Guodian Power Co, a subsidiary of China Guodian Group, for a program to test and possibly commercialize the extraction of uranium from waste coal ash at one of the company's thermal power stations in Yunnan province. Spartan, together with its partner ARCN - the remote sensing and research branch of state-owned China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC) - has identified Xiaolongtang and nearby power plants as a possible major supply of uraniferous coal ash. The company said that "if amenable to economic uranium extraction methods [this] could develop into a significant supply of uranium for China's developing nuclear power program."

Forsmark investigation
2 February 2007
[SKI, 29 January; Svenska Dagbladet, 2 February] The Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate has triggered a prosecutor's investigation into whether Forsmark management acted quickly enough to cool the plant's first reactor after a transient resulted in shutdown on 25 July 2006. Two of the unit's emergency diesel generators started promptly and kept the reactor in a safe condition until the other two were manually started 22 minutes later. The decision to put the plant in a 'cold' shutdown state was taken the following day. SKI have described that day's delay as a "possible violation of law" with respect to the Nuclear Activities Act, contending that a cold shutdown should have been ordered immediately. Following SKI's 29 January recommendation, the official prosecutor (åklagarmyndigheten i Uppsala) has decided to begin a preliminary investigation.

Wisconsin could lift new-build moratorium
1 February 2007
[Platts, 31 January] A legislative panel of the Wisconsin state government has endorsed a draft bill that would repeal the state's moratorium on the construction of new nuclear power reactors. The move opens the way for a bill removing the moratorium to be introduced. Wisconsin's Nuclear Plant Construction Statute - passed in 1983 - does not expressly forbid the construction of new reactors, but it does require that any new reactors be economically viable and that a federal facility, such as Yucca Mountain, be available and ready to accept spent fuel. Although the waste issue is expected to remain a key issue in any debate on the moratorium, there is support for the use of nuclear as part of Wisconsin's future energy mix. A bill introduced in 2004 to lift the state's moratorium on the construction of new reactors did not get enough votes.

Thailand considers building nuclear plant
1 February 2007
[The National, 1 February] Thailand is considering constructing a nuclear power plant within the next 15 years, according to Energy Minister Piyasvasti Amranand. He said that the country "uses natural gas for 70% of its needs, and if we don't use other types of energy, that will reach 90% in future." He added that Thailand should not be over-dependent on any one particular type of energy. A public hearing on the government's new power-development plan, including alternative energy sources, will be held on 7 February.

To stop receiving WNN Weekly or change your selections for WNN services, click here. Click here to not receive any more WNN emails.

The WNN Weekly is transmitted from World Nuclear News, Carlton House, 22a St James's Square, London SW1Y 4JH, UK.