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A look at the future of nuclear power |
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Readers of World Nuclear News have revealed
visions of a 21st century nuclear power plant, at
ease in its environment. Some of the best are
reproduced here. |
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NEW NUCLEAR: |
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Mochov ce nuclear build begins |
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4 November 2008 |
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Two new reactors will cover 22% of Slovakia's
electricity requirements from 2012 and 2013 after
the official start of their completion. They will
restore Slovakia's status as an exporter of low
carbon power. |
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Nantic oke a potential nuclear site |
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3 November 2008 |
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Bruce Power is to study the environmental impact of
building a two-reactor nuclear power plant at
Nanticoke in southern Ontario. The area is already
home to a large coal-fired power plant, due to close
down for environmental reasons. |
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Resear ch base for new Chinese nuclear power |
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30 October 2008 |
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A new research and development office opened in
Beijing this week, focused on the task of
assimilating AP1000 nuclear technology for mass
deployment. |
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Global push for nuclear skills |
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29 October 2008 |
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Nuclear recruitment drives around the world are
drawing thousands of new workers into the sector.
The initiative is being led by companies building or
about to build new reactors, but extends to
government organisations too. |
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WASTE & RECYCLING: |
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Contra ct awarded to manage Yucca Mountain project |
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3 November 2008 |
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The US Department of Energy has awarded a five-year
contract worth up to $2.5 billion to USA Repository
Services LLC to manage and operate the used nuclear
fuel repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. |
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Sellaf ield to profit from scrapped shock absorbers |
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29 October 2008 |
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Sellafield Ltd has sent six unwanted shock absorbers
from fuel transport flasks to be recycled into the
metals market, having proved them to be exempt from
treatment as nuclear waste. As scrap they are worth
$3250 per tonne. |
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REGULATION & SAFETY: |
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Go-ahe ad for Belgian isotope production restart |
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4 November 2008 |
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Belgium's nuclear regulator has given the go-ahead
for the production of medical isotopes at the
Institute of Radioelements (IRE) at Fleurus. The
facility has been out of action since August,
contributing to a global supply problem. |
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CORPORATE: |
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Centri ca raises cash for BE stake |
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31 October 2008 |
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Centrica has moved to raise ?2.2 billion ($3.5
billion) towards the 25% stake it wants to buy in
British Energy, which is at the centre of plans for
four new reactors. |
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Move towards Indian joint venture |
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30 October 2008 |
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India's largest power company has decided to
approach Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd
(NPCIL) with a view to establishing joint ventures
to build imported nuclear power plants. |
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EXPLORATION & NUCLEAR FUEL: |
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China and Kazakhstan sign cooperation agreements |
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4 November 2008 |
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Agreements on cooperation in uranium production and
nuclear energy have been signed during of meeting of
the prime ministers of China and Kazakhstan. The
agreements follow the signing of memoranda in
September 2007. |
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China' s Candus could recycle uranium |
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3 November 2008 |
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Chinese firms have agreed a strategy towards
recycling uranium for use again in AECL Candu
reactors. The technology to turn used PWR fuel into
PHWR fuel is to be demonstrated. AECL is involved in
similar projects in South Korea and Ukraine. |
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Zambia n mine feasibility study put on hold |
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31 October 2008 |
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The partners in the Chirundu Uranium Project joint
venture in Zambia have decided that the project's
feasibility study will be suspended due to current
financial conditions. Resource estimation work will
be completed by the end of this year. |
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'Hot rocks' to power Beverley |
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30 October 2008 |
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Australia' Petratherm plans to start drilling to
recover geothermal energy in May 2009. The company
has already signed a memorandum of understanding to
provide power to Heathgate Resources' Beverley
uranium mine in South Australia. |
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Milest one for expanding Chinese fuel plant |
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30 October 2008 |
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China's Yibin nuclear fuel fabrication facility has
reached an annual output of 400 tonnes per year,
according to the China National Nuclear Corporation
(CNNC). |
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INDUSTRY TALK: |
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IAEA team returns to Kashiwazaki-Kariwa |
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4 November 2008 |
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The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will
send a team of inspectors to re-examine Tokyo
Electric Power Co's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power
plant in Japan. The fact-finding mission will visit
the site on 1-5 December to review the ongoing
assessment of the impact of last year's earthquake
on the seven-unit plant. |
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Furthe r delay for Rokkasho reprocessing plant |
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3 November 2008 |
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[Japan Times, 1 November]
The trial operation of the Rokkasho used nuclear
fuel reprocessing facility is not expected to be
completed in November, as scheduled. The further
delay has resulted from JNFL being required to
submit an additional report to the government on a
test it restarted in October to produce vitrified
waste. |
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OKG cleaners put on guard duty |
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31 October 2008 |
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[SSM, Associated Press; 30 October]
Swedish utility OKG has been criticized by the
country's nuclear regulator for using cleaning staff
to guard the Oskarshamn nuclear power plant when the
alarm system was malfunctioning. OKG said that it
had acted in the knowledge that the inner security
fences were intact, equipped with the necessary
alarm and surveillance equipment. |
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Credit crunch may delay Entergy spin-off |
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30 October 2008 |
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Entergy has said that its planned separation of its
non-utility nuclear business from its regulated
utility business through a tax-free spin-off may be
postponed due to the "unprecedented turmoil in the
financial markets." |
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Quad Cities investigates explosion |
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29 October 2008 |
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Work is ongoing to find the cause of a gas explosion
that rocked an outbuilding of the Quad Cities
nuclear power plant early on 27 October. Owner
Exelon said in an emailed statement that the plant's
reactors operated normally throughout. |
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Belaru s President in talks with CGNPC |
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29 October 2008 |
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Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus, met with
the top management of China Guangdong Nuclear Power
Co (CGNPC) on 28 October to discuss the possible
construction of the country's first nuclear power
plant. |