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ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT: |
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Obama taps nuclear for 80% emissions cut |
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20 November 2008 |
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President-elect Barack Obama has set a target of
reducing US greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels
by 2020, followed by a further 80% reduction by
2050, using nuclear energy alongside other clean
energies. |
|
|
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NEW NUCLEAR: |
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Exelon changes mind over design of new reactor |
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25 November 2008 |
|
Exelon Nuclear no longer thinks GE-Hitachi's
Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR) is
the best choice for its proposed new plant at
Victoria, Texas, and is in discussions with reactor
vendors to decide on an alternative. |
|
Constr uction gets under way at Chinese sites |
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24 November 2008 |
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Construction work has formally begun on two new
nuclear units at Ningde and Fuqing, both in China's
Fujian province. The units are CPR-1000 reactors, an
advanced pressurised water reactor design developed
by China from the Areva-designed PWRs at the Daya
Bay nuclear power station. |
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ASE and Carsib sign contract for Belene |
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24 November 2008 |
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Russia's AtomStroyExport (ASE) has sub-contracted
Carsib, an Areva/Siemens consortium, for the control
and automation systems to be used in the Belene
nuclear power plant in Bulgaria. |
|
Invest ors agree on Cernavoda 3 and 4 project
company |
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20 November 2008 |
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Representatives from the seven companies investing
in the construction of units 3 and 4 at Romania's
Cernavoda nuclear power plant have signed an
agreement specifying what share in the project they
will each hold. |
|
|
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NUCLEAR POLICIES: |
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US trade mission targets Indian market |
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25 November 2008 |
|
Following the signing of the US-India nuclear trade
agreement, a trade mission of US commercial nuclear
industry executives will visit India next month
touting for business. A delegation of Japanese
nuclear industry officials is currently in India. |
|
Kentuc ky energy plan calls for nuclear rethink |
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21 November 2008 |
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The US state of Kentucky, which currently has a
moratorium on the construction of nuclear power
plants, has unveiled its first-ever comprehensive
energy plan. The plan calls for nuclear to be
considered as part of the state's future energy mix. |
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IAEA reports on Iran, Syria |
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20 November 2008 |
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Safeguards reports from the International Atomic
Energy Agency confirm that Iran is continuing to
enrich uranium and expand its enrichment plants, and
that anthropogenic uranium particles have been found
in samples from the bombed Dair Alzou site in Syria. |
|
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REGULATION & SAFETY: |
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ASN warns EdF on hydrogen pipework |
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19 November 2008 |
|
The French nuclear regulator has instructed
Electricite de France (EdF) to improve underground
pipes carrying hydrogen at its Cruas nuclear power
plant after corrosion was detected. However, it said
there had been no leak or immediate danger. |
|
|
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CORPORATE: |
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Forgem asters gains foothold in US market |
|
19 November 2008 |
|
Sheffield Forgemasters International Ltd (SFIL) of
the UK has received its first order from the US
nuclear power market, thanks to a stainless steel
reactor coolant pump casing originally created for
China. |
|
|
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EXPLORATION & NUCLEAR FUEL: |
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LES plans to double NEF capacity |
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24 November 2008 |
|
Louisiana Energy Services (LES) has announced that,
due to customer demands, it plans to double the
capacity of the National Enrichment Facility (NEF),
currently under construction in Eunice, New Mexico. |
|
Austra lia starts shipping uranium to China |
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21 November 2008 |
|
Australia's minister of resources and energy, Martin
Ferguson, has welcomed the first shipment of uranium
to China, following the earlier signing of a
bilateral safeguards agreement between the two
countries. |
|
|
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INDUSTRY TALK: |
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BHP Billiton withdraws Rio Tinto bid |
|
25 November 2008 |
|
BHP Billiton has decided to withdraw its hostile bid
for Rio Tinto, saying that it is no longer in the
best interests of BHP Billiton's shareholders. |
|
Jordan and China sign nuclear agreements |
|
25 November 2008 |
|
[Petra, 25 November]
Two nuclear agreements - one on the purchase of a
sub-critical assembly and the other implementing an
earlier draft cooperation agreement - have been
signed by Jordan and China. |
|
Sellaf ield share transfer completed |
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24 November 2008 |
|
The transfer of shares in Sellafield Ltd to Nuclear
Management Partners Ltd (NMP) has been completed,
bringing to an end a two-year competitive process to
secure a parent body for the licence company that
manages and operates several sites on behalf of the
UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). |
|
Areva signs MOX supply contract with Kansai |
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24 November 2008 |
|
France's Areva has signed a contract to supply 32
mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel assemblies for use in units 3
and 4 of Kansai Electric Power Co's Takahama nuclear
power plant in Fukui prefecture, Japan. |
|
Wolf Creek licence extended 20 years |
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21 November 2008 |
|
The operating licence for the Wolf Creek nuclear
power plant in Kansas has been renewed for a further
20 years by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
With the renewal, the licence is extended until 11
March 2045. |
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Altern ative suppliers snap up power at EdF auction |
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20 November 2008 |
|
Electricite de France (EdF) has held its second
auction of power to so-called alternative suppliers
to help develop competition in the small business
and residential customers market. |
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Argent ina and Algeria agree to cooperation |
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19 November 2008 |
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[Media Line, 18 November]An
agreement on cooperation in the peaceful use of
nuclear energy has been signed between Algeria and
Argentina, the Al-Khabar newspaper reported. Algeria
is aiming to sign similar agreements with Russia,
China and South Africa. |
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Mayor: 'Foolish' not to consider hosting plant |
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19 November 2008 |
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[CBC News, 18 November]The
mayor of Prince Albert in Canada's Saskatchewan
province has said it would be "very foolish" not to
consider the possibility of a nuclear power plant
being constructed nearby. |
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