EPR
Nuclear regulators in France, Britain and Finland said Monday they have told French nuclear giant Areva and its foreign partners to correct a safety design flaw on its latest-generation EPR reactor.
Nuclear Power Daily 2nd Nov 2009 more >>
Argus Media 2nd Nov 2009 more >>
FT 3rd Nov 2009 more >>
The UK nuclear safety regulator (HSE’s ND), the French nuclear regulator (ASN), and the Finnish nuclear regulator (STUK) have asked the licensee and manufacturer to make improvements to the initial EPR design. The licensees, and AREVA, have agreed to make architectural changes to the initial EPR design which will be reviewed by the regulators.
Joint Regulatory Statement 22nd Oct 2009 more >>
Hinkley
British Energy said on Monday its Hinkley Point B7 nuclear reactor has been in an unplanned outage since late on Friday. A spokesman from British Energy said it was currently assessing the situation. He gave no further details.
Reuters 2nd Nov 2009 more >>
Wylfa
There is a some opposition to a new nuclear station on Anglesey replacing the original, but not everyone is in favour of those wind turbines.
Anglesey Today 1st Nov 2009 more >>
Companies
Kevin Walsh has been named as senior vice president of General Electric Hitachi’s global nuclear fuel cycle operations and CEO of Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF), the nuclear fuel joint venture of GE, Hitachi and Toshiba.
Nuclear Engineering International 2nd Nov 2009 more >>
OECD-NEA
A senior executive at Australian national nuclear research and development organisation ANSTO has appointed to lead the Nuclear Development Division of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA).
Nuclear Engineering International 2nd Nov 2009 more >>
US
EDF welcomes the decision of the Board of Directors of its American partner Constellation Energy to approve moving forward based on the conditions set forth in the order issued by the Maryland Public Service Commission with respect to the creation of a nuclear joint venture between EDF and Constellation Energy. The Maryland PSC has attached conditions designed to preserve the independence and financial strength of Constellation Energy`s regulated subsidiary.
Reuters 2nd Nov 2009 more >>
Energy Efficiency News 2nd Nov 2009 more >>
FT 3rd Nov 2009 more >>
The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), which represents the nuclear industry in the US, is calling for a comprehensive package of federal policies, financing and tax incentives to support a major expansion. The NEI wants to see the creation of a Clean Energy Deployment Administration to act as a permanent financing mechanism for new plants. It is also calling for significant tax incentives to support industry development. However, the Union of Concerned Scientists says the plans amount to a request for $100 billion in new federal loan guarantees on top of the $110 billion loan guarantees already agreed by Congress.
Energy Efficiency News 2nd Nov 2009 more >>
UAE
The United Arab Emirates is setting up a new investment vehicle to take stakes in the global nuclear industry as it prepares to award a contract to develop the first civilian nuclear plants in the Arab world. The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation is expected to be formally established within weeks. It will oversee the development of the nuclear programme and act as a government investment arm by making strategic investments in the sector, domestically and internationally.
FT 3rd Nov 2009 more >>
Iran
Mohamed El-Baradei, outgoing chief of the United Nations nuclear agency, urged Iran on Monday to be more forthcoming in response to proposals to end the standoff over its nuclear programme.
FT 3rd Nov 2009 more >>
The Iranian attitude (it was not even a final response, and it came days after a deadline set by the International Atomic Energy Agency) left western powers fuming, and the US, which has been unusually patient, probably more disappointed than most.
FT 3rd Nov 2009 more >>
Iran wants more talks on a U.N.-drafted nuclear deal and to import atomic fuel rather than send its own uranium abroad for processing, a Iranian diplomat said, suggesting terms world powers are likely to rebuff.
Reuters 2nd Nov 2009 more >>
North Korea
North Korea has completed the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods to extract weapons-grade plutonium, according to its official news agency.
BBC 3rd Nov 2009 more >>
Czech Republic
The end of October was the deadline for vendors to submit bids to build two new reactors in the Czech Republic. AtomStoyExport’s bid was based on what it calls the MIR-1200 design.
World Nuclear News 2nd Nov 2009 more >>
Disarmament
Now is the time to continue the trend toward nuclear disarmament, four global, regional and national ecumenical organizations have told leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union, the United States and Russia.
Ekklesia 2nd Nov 2009 more >>
Submarines
A PLEA has been made for the Government to reveal a top-secret nuclear dumping ground situated in Argyll and Bute. MP Alan Reid has called on the defence secretary, Bob Ainsworth, to come forward and name the site where the waste – radioactive waste from decommissioned nuclear submarines – is being disposed of. It comes after revelations that at least one site on the confidential list is situated in Argyll and Bute. It was also revealed that Coulport was previously named as a possible site, but was later rejected.
Helensburgh Advertiser 2nd Nov 2009 more >>
FIVE sites in Scotland have been secretly earmarked as radioactive waste dumping grounds. The list was drawn up by Ministry of Defence chiefs who are looking for a storage site for 27 nuclear submarines that have been scrapped or are about to be. The sites are the Clyde naval nuclear bases of Coulport and Faslane, the Rosyth dockyard in Fife, the Dounreay nuclear plant in Caithness and Hunterston nuclear power station in north Ayrshire. The Scottish locations are part of a dossier of 12 potential sites across the UK. An MoD spokesman said no decision has yet been taken on where their old subs would be stored.
Daily Record 2nd Nov 2009 more >>
John Large says it would be political suicide for Westminster to impose this on Scotland.
Press and Journal 2nd Nov 2009 more >>
Climate
With just five days’ formal negotiations left before the start of crucial UN climate talks in Copenhagen next month, key figures in the negotiations are showing clear signs of impatience at the US position. At international climate talks in Barcelona, the UN and EU, backed by international environment and development groups, today piled pressure on the US to set more ambitious targets and timetables to cut greenhouse emissions in order to reach an agreement.
Guardian 3rd Nov 2009 more >>
