12 Jun (NucNet): Finnish power company Fennovoima has halted studies in one of the communities under consideration for hosting a new nuclear power plant because the project has �divided� local decision makers.

Fennovoima said on 5 June 2008 that it is refraining from further studies in Kristinestad. The project, originally supported by city leaders, has since �divided the decision-makers of Kristinestad? in a way that, in Fennovoima�s view, prevents the city from possessing the conditions necessary for the carrying out the project consistently�.

However, the company said technical pre-planning in other possible locations has been completed and it is now preparing for technical planning in Pyhajoki, Ruotsinpyhtaa and Simo, where Fennovoima chief executive officer Tapio Saarenpaa said conditions are �very favourable� for siting a new nuclear plant.

Fennovoima, formed by a consortium of companies with the aim of building a new 1,000 to 1,800-megawatt nuclear plant to be operational between 2016 and 2018, started studies in 2007 by considering more than 10 municipalities.

The company submitted an environmental impact assessment (EIA) programme in January 2008 to Finland�s Ministry of Employment and the Economy for up to two units. The EIA will be completed in September 2008 and Fennovoima expects to submit its application for a decision-in-principle to the Finnish government by the start of 2009.

� by John Shepherd

>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)

New Finnish Power Company Announces Nuclear Build Plans (News No. 140, 6 June 2007)

Environmental Impact Programme Submitted For New Finnish Units (World Nuclear Review No. 5, 1 February 2008)

More Land Acquired For Potential New Nuclear Plant In Finland (News in Brief No. 29, 12 March 2008)

Source: NucNet

Editor: editors@worldnuclear.org

12 Jun (NucNet): An agreement has been reached on the pricing structure under which Russia supplies uranium derived from dismantled nuclear weapons to the Cameco Corporation and partners Areva and Nukem.

Cameco said yesterday that the agreement, which is subject to approval by the Russian and US governments and Cameco�s board, concerns the remaining term of a commercial agreement which ends in 2013.

Cameco buys about 7 million pounds of uranium annually from Russia�s state-owned nuclear fuel cycle company Techsnabexport (Tenex) under the commercial agreement. Cameco sells the uranium to utilities around the world to generate electricity. The purchase price was agreed to in 2001, when uranium prices were lower than they are today. However, last year Tenex called for a review of the pricing structure.

Jerry Grandey, Cameco�s president and chief executive officer, said discussions between Tenex, Cameco and Cameco�s western partners had resulted in a �fair and reasonable� solution that enables all parties to share in the benefits of increased uranium prices.

The existing volumes available to Cameco under the commercial agreement remain the same and the new pricing structure makes no changes in the years 2008 to 2010. However, during 2011 to 2013, about 7 million pounds of uranium (of about 23 million pounds available to Cameco) would have higher prices.

Details of the new structure are available on Cameco�s web site (http://www.cameco.com).

>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)

Cameco And Partners Finalise Amended Uranium Deal (Briefs No. 2, 22 June 2004)

Russia Urges Review Of Price Paid For Weapons-Origin Uranium (World Nuclear Review No. 45, 9 November 2007)

Source: NucNet

Editor: editors@worldnuclear.org

12 Jun (NucNet): The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has sent a health physics inspector to a National Institutes of Standards & Technology (NIST) laboratory in the state of Colorado in response to a plutonium contamination event.

The NRC said yesterday that the laboratory, part of the US Department of Commerce, had told the agency that on 9 June 2008 a small glass vial containing about a quarter of a gramme of plutonium powder ruptured, resulting in the contamination of two workers and the laboratory in which they were working.

The laboratory holds an NRC licence authorising it to possess and use radioactive materials used in scientific research. The two researchers who discovered the broken vial received some contamination on their hands but were able to wash it off using soap and water, the NRC said.

NRC said NIST had reported that medical tests are being conducted to monitor any adverse health effects. �The lab�s health physics staff responded and detected contamination in a small lab, which was sealed and will be decontaminated.�

Some contamination found in an adjoining hallway has been cleaned up. Other workers at the laboratory had some trace contamination on their shoes and clothing, but it was washed off.

The NRC inspector will interview workers, inspect records, monitor the licensee�s response to the event, and review the licensee�s adherence to NRC regulations for the storage, handling and use of radioactive materials. Findings will be detailed in a written report to be made public.

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Source: NucNet

Editor: editors@worldnuclear.org