Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire

Major Energy and Environmental News and Commentary affecting the Nuclear Industry.

Friday, November 13, 2020

Fukushima Update November 13, 2020

 

Fukushima Update November 13, 2020 –

Fukushima’s governor visits F. Daiichi… The Nuclear Regulation Authority says F. Daiichi unit #3 suffered at least two explosions… Miyagi’s governor approves the restart of Onagawa unit #2… Miyagi Prefecture will allow sending iodine tablets by mail… The NRA says the changes to Japan’s new used fuel storage facility are safe.

https://www.hiroshimasyndrome.com/fukushima-accident-updates.html

US Senate committee includes uranium reserve in FY2021 allocations : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News

US Senate committee includes uranium reserve in FY2021 allocations : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News: Fiscal 2021 allocations released yesterday by the US Senate Committee on Appropriations include USD150 million to initiate the uranium reserve programme to address challenges to the production of domestic uranium. The bills provide appropriations for the fiscal year running from 1 October, 2020 to 30 September, 2021 and also include continued funding for the Advanced Reactors Demonstration Program.

Joe Biden’s Four Big Energy Transition Challenges

Joe Biden’s Four Big Energy Transition Challenges: Decarbonizing our continent-spanning electric grid will require grappling with four big challenges: cost, keeping nuclear plants open, replacing natural gas in the power sector, and the ongoing land-use conflicts over renewables.

General Chair's Special Session -- ANS / Meetings / 2020 ANS Virtual Winter Meeting / Technical Sessions

General Chair's Special Session -- ANS / Meetings / 2020 ANS Virtual Winter Meeting / Technical Sessions

Calls for Barnoldswick to be considered in nuclear power station plans | Bradford Telegraph and Argus

Calls for Barnoldswick to be considered in nuclear power station plans | Bradford Telegraph and Argus: CALLS have been made to engineering giant Rolls Royce to save skilled jobs at its Barnoldswick factories by using the sites as part of its plans for…

Researcher Developing Novel System For Nuclear Waste Repositories - Texas A&M Today

Researcher Developing Novel System For Nuclear Waste Repositories - Texas A&M Today: News from Texas A&M University

86,000 gallons of radioactive waste handled at SWPF so far | Savannah River Site | postandcourier.com

86,000 gallons of radioactive waste handled at SWPF so far | Savannah River Site | postandcourier.com: In a little more than one month, the Salt Waste Processing Facility handled tens of thousands of gallons of nuclear waste at the Savannah River Site. Millions of gallons are

WNN Daily World Nuclear News November 13, 2020

  

13 November 2020
NEW NUCLEAR: Hongyanhe 6 enters commissioning phase

Cold functional testing was recently completed at unit 5 of the Hongyanhe nuclear power plant in China's Liaoning province, China General Nuclear (CGN) announced. The ACPR-1000 reactor is scheduled to enter commercial operation in the first half of 2022.
Cold functional tests are carried out to confirm whether components and systems important to safety are properly installed and ready to operate in a cold condition. They are the first comprehensive tests to check the performance of the entire reactor. The main purpose of these tests is to verify the leak-tightness of the primary circuit and components - such as pressure vessels, pipelines and valves of both the nuclear and conventional islands - and to clean the main circulation pipes.
The cold functional testing of Hongyanhe 6 began on 19 October. After completing a series of commissioning tests for the reactor coolant system, chemical and power control system, the primary circuit reached the 228 bar maximum pressure platform on 25 October for pressure holding tests. The tests were completed on 27 October. A total of 68 commissioning tests were completed over this period. CGN said "all the data meet the design requirements and the primary circuit hydraulic test is qualified."
Construction of Phase I (units 1-4) of the Hongyanhe plant, comprising four CPR-1000 pressurised water reactors, began in August 2009. Units 1 and 2 have been in commercial operation since June 2013 and May 2014, respectively, while unit 3 entered commercial operation in August 2015 and unit 4 in September 2016.
Phase II of the Hongyanhe plant - units 5 and 6 - comprises two 1080 MWe CGN-designed ACPR-1000 reactors. Construction of unit 5 began in March 2015 and that of unit 6 started in July the same year. Cold functional testing of unit 5 began on 10 October last year, marking the start of its commissioning phase.
In late December last year, CGN announced a change in the schedule for starting up units 5 and 6. It said the units are now expected to start operating in the second half of 2021 and the first half of 2022, which is, respectively, one year and six months later than previously scheduled.
The Hongyanhe plant is owned and operated by Liaoning Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Company, a joint venture between CGN and State Power Investment Corporation, each holding a 45% stake, with the Dalian Municipal Construction Investment Company holding the remaining 10%.
The ACPR-1000 - a three-loop unit with double containment and core-catcher - was launched by CGN in November 2011. In 2012 central planners in Beijing directed China National Nuclear Corporation and CGN, to 'rationalise' their reactor programmes. This meant CNNC's ACP1000 and CGN's ACPR-1000 were 'merged' into one standardised design - the Hualong One (HPR1000). Yangjiang units 5 and 6 were the first ACPR-1000 units to enter commercial operation, in July 2018 and July 2019, respectively. The ACPR-1000 is also being built as units 5 and 6 of the Tianwan plant. Tianwan 5 entered commercial operation in September, while Tianwan 6 is expected to be put into commercial operation by the end of 2021.

NEW NUCLEAR: Irradiation testing of IMSR moderator graphite begins

Terrestrial Energy and Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group (NRG) have started a graphite irradiation testing programme at the High Flux Reactor (HFR) in the Netherlands. This work is part of a broader programme underway for confirmatory testing of components and systems in the Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR).
NRG, operator of the European Union-owned HFR at Petten, is providing technical services to support Terrestrial Energy for "in-core" materials testing and development of the IMSR power plant. The testing programme at NRG is designed to confirm the predicted performance of selected graphite grades throughout the seven-year cycle of the IMSR. Its scope simulates IMSR core conditions, encompassing the full range of IMSR operating temperatures and of the neutron flux.
The HFR has now reached full power indicating the successful start of the test programme, Terrestrial said. The test programme involved many months of preparation, which included test design, characterisation of the as-manufactured graphites, analysis and development of the loading matrix. This effort utilised the expert services of Terrestrial Energy's engineering consultant, Frazer-Nash Consultancy.
The graphite irradiation programme aims to enable Terrestrial to select the most suitable graphite grade for use in the IMSR reactor, as well as qualifying graphite for IMSR use. Different graphite grades will be subjected to neutron irradiation at elevated temperatures and characterised on a range of material properties. The data set created will cover the lifespan of the graphite components in the IMSR.
The collaboration between Terrestrial Energy and NRG is part of a wider partnership between Terrestrial and the European Union's scientific community, following a March 2018 technical services agreement with the European Commission's Joint Research Centre in Karlsruhe, Germany to perform confirmatory studies of the fuel and primary coolant salt mixture for the IMSR.
"Our work with NRG at its Petten HFR facility is an important element of our overall IMSR test programme, now well underway," said Terrestrial Energy CEO Simon Irish. "The start of in-core irradiation tests speaks to our progress and comes after many months of prior work."
Vinod Ramnandanlal, commercial director of NRG, added, "We recognise the commercial capabilities of molten salt technologies and the growing interest in their development and deployment today. We are delighted to be supporting Terrestrial Energy as it moves forward with in-core irradiation testing, the first developer to commence such testing."
Molten salt reactors use fuel dissolved in a molten fluoride or chloride salt, which functions as both the fuel (producing the heat) and the coolant (transporting the heat away and, ultimately, to the electricity generating equipment). Terrestrial's IMSR builds on 50 years of experience at the USA's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and integrates the primary reactor components, including the graphite moderator, into a sealed and replaceable reactor core unit. The IMSR uses two molten salt streams - a fuel salt that contains the uranium and another salt to transfer heat from the reactor to the electricity generation system.
Earlier this week, Terrestrial announced the US Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory had begun detailed testing of the fuel salt for the IMSR.

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT: DOE publishes strategic framework for hydrogen effort

The US Department of Energy (DOE) yesterday released its Hydrogen Program Plan to provide a strategic framework for its hydrogen research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) activities. The plan, which reinforces DOE's commitment to develop the technologies that can enable hydrogen expansion in the USA, incorporates the RD&D efforts of multiple DOE offices to advance the production, transport, storage, and use of hydrogen across different sectors of the economy.
"Hydrogen is an exciting fuel source that has the potential to integrate our nation's energy resources, but to fully recognise its potential across the economy, we need to lower costs and see a significant increase in hydrogen supply and demand," Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette said. "This administration is excited by the Department-wide efforts and collaborations outlined in this Plan that will address these issues and help secure hydrogen as an option in the nation's energy future."
According to DOE, the plan serves as the overarching document to set the strategic direction of the Hydrogen Program, and to complement the technical and programmatic multi-year plans from each DOE office engaging in hydrogen RD&D activities.
Hydrogen is a versatile fuel that offers a path to sustainable long-term economic growth, Deputy Energy Secretary Mark Menezes and the heads of the various offices said in a message to stakeholders. It can add value to multiple sectors of the economy, serve as a sustainable fuel for transportation and as input to produce electricity and heat for homes and even be exported. "But realising the true potential for hydrogen requires a commitment to continued research and development as well as ramping up demonstrations and deployments with the private sector to achieve scale. Unlike other fuels, hydrogen requires more integration of the fossil, nuclear, and renewable energy systems, and it will take an integrated approach from all energy sectors to realise the full potential and benefits of hydrogen," they said.
The plan's strategic framework incorporates the research, development, and demonstration efforts of the Offices of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Fossil Energy, Nuclear Energy, Electricity, Science, and the DOE's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) to advance the production, transport, storage, and use of hydrogen.
"For decades, DOE has supported the development of technologies to complement the production of hydrogen fuel from our traditional sources," Menezes said. "The RD&D activities outlined in the Plan will contribute to this important DOE-wide effort to support our all-of-the-above energy strategy."
A key aspect of the strategy is to enable hydrogen production from a diverse array of low-carbon domestic energy resources, including renewables, nuclear energy, and fossil fuels (with carbon capture, utilisation and storage - CCUS).
Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Rita Baranwal said the programme plan allows DOE to streamline its efforts around hydrogen R&D. "@GovNuclear [the Office of Nuclear Energy] is currently working to demonstrate high- and low-temperature electrolysis at US reactors to produce hydrogen at scale, which could open up new markets for the nuclear industry," she tweeted.
DOE in October selected two projects to advance flexible operation of light-water reactors with integrated hydrogen production systems to receive cost-shared funding through the Office of Nuclear Energy's US Industry Opportunities for Advanced Nuclear Technology Development funding opportunity announcement, in collaboration with the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office.
Under one of those projects, Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy will work with Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to demonstrate a system that uses a nuclear plant's steam and electricity to split water. The resulting hydrogen will initially be used at the power plant, but it could eventually be sold to other industries. The system is likely to be demonstrated at the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Station, INL said this week.
The second proposal sees FuelCell Energy Inc of Connecticut team with INL to demonstrate and validate a solid oxide electrolysis cell hydrogen production system for integration into nuclear power plants.
A two-year project to demonstrate commercial hydrogen production via low-temperature electrolysis at Energy Harbor's Davis-Besse Nuclear Plant near Toledo, Ohio, received DOE funding in September 2019. Arizona Public Service, under the same award, is also evaluating the integration of nuclear energy with hydrogen production at the Palo Verde nuclear power plant.



IN OTHER NEWS:

Kyushu Electric Power Company plans to restart unit 1 of its Sendai nuclear power plant in Japan's Kagoshima prefecture on 17 November, having completed construction of a bunkered back-up control centre as required under revised safety regulations. The utility expects the 890 MWe pressurised water reactor to reach criticality the following day, and for power generation to resume on 19 November. Sendai 1 was the first reactor to be restarted in August 2015. However, Kyushu took the unit offline on 16 March as it missed the deadline for completion of the back-up control centre.

Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems will evaluate the possibilities of building a four or six-module plant instead of a 12-module NuScale SMR plant in Idaho, it has told POWER magazine. This follows NuScale's announcement earlier this week of a power uprate to its SMR module and the launch of the smaller plant solutions which it said offers potential customers more options in terms of size, power output, operational flexibility, and could also reduce construction schedules and costs.

Orano group subsidiary Orano Med has increased its capacity for the production of the medical radioisotope lead-212 at its Maurice Tubiana Laboratory at Bessines-sur-Gartempe. The process recovers the isotope from thorium, allowing thorium nitrate from the group's mining activities to be recycled.

Australia's National Radioactive Waste Management Facility is a vital piece of national infrastructure which will support the ongoing development of the nation's nuclear medicine and research industries, Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt said yesterday. Pitt said the site which has been identified for the facility - Napandee, near Kimba in South Australia - is technically suitable and the facility is broadly supported by the community. The government will continue to progress the legislation that will allow the facility to be delivered, he said.


Unsubscribe | Forward to friend | Manage your subscriptions
© World Nuclear Association. Registered in England and Wales,
company number 01215741.
World Nuclear Association, Tower House, 10 Southampton Street,
London WC2E 7HA, UK

Energy Communities Alliance ECA Update November 13, 2020

 

 

Nuscale Will Get 25% More From Modular Nuclear Reactors For Breakthrough Economic Value | Energy Central

Nuscale Will Get 25% More From Modular Nuclear Reactors For Breakthrough Economic Value | Energy Central: NuScale used advanced testing and modeling to determine the NuScale Power Module™ (NPM) can generate an additional 25 percent more power per module for a total of 77 MWe per module (gross), resulting in about 924 MWe for the flagship 12-module...

The Hard-to-Abate sectors need innovation solutions to reach Net-Zero Co2 Emissions | The Energy Collective Daily

 

The Hard-to-Abate sectors need innovation solutions to reach Net-Zero Co2 Emissions | The Energy Collective Daily

Link to The Energy Collective Network

Director General Presents IAEA Report to UN General Assembly

Director General Presents IAEA Report to UN General Assembly: In addressing the United Nations General Assembly for the first time, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi spoke of the global impact of COVID-19 and climate change as well as of the role of nuclear technologies in tackling these and other development challenges.

German Court Demands Gov’t Review Compensation for Nuclear Exit

German Court Demands Gov’t Review Compensation for Nuclear Exit: Germany’s highest court said Thursday the government must revise the terms of compensation paid to energy companies forced to switch out of nuclear power, calling current arrangements “…

Chain reaction - Britain’s nuclear industry faces a do-or-die moment | Britain | The Economist

Chain reaction - Britain’s nuclear industry faces a do-or-die moment | Britain | The Economist: Boris Johnson weighs up whether to throw his support behind a new power station

Xcel Energy, Idaho National Lab form private-public partnership to tap nuclear energy for hydrogen production - Daily Energy Insider

Xcel Energy, Idaho National Lab form private-public partnership to tap nuclear energy for hydrogen production - Daily Energy Insider: A new partnership between Xcel Energy and Idaho National Laboratory, together with more than $10 million in federal funding, will investigate how to use nuclear energy to make hydrogen used at nuclear plants and, perhaps, ... Read More »

Rolls-Royce to Help Power UK - 16 Mini-Nuclear Plants? | IE

Rolls-Royce to Help Power UK - 16 Mini-Nuclear Plants? | IE: Mini-nuclear plants are gaining traction! Check out the nuclear alternative to harmful fossil fuels.

Elios2 tested at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant - sUAS News - The Business of Drones

Elios2 tested at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant - sUAS News - The Business of Drones: Researchers at Chernobyl used the Elios 2 to determine that no nuclear waste was present in Reactor Five for the first time since the 1986 disaster. November 12, 2020—Flyability partnered with DroneUA to conduct a mission at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant with the goal of determining whether nuclear waste was present in one of […]

UK Nuclear on Tenterhooks Pending Funding Announcement | Greentech Media

UK Nuclear on Tenterhooks Pending Funding Announcement | Greentech Media: Government finance package could put Britain at the front of the global small modular nuclear reactor race.

Leningrad nuclear power plant shuts down its No 2 reactor for decommissioning - Bellona.org

Leningrad nuclear power plant shuts down its No 2 reactor for decommissioning - Bellona.org: Russian nuclear officials say they have shut down the second of the original reactors at the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant, paving the way …

Japan Electric Company Gets Local Approval to Restart Nuclear Reactor

Japan Electric Company Gets Local Approval to Restart Nuclear Reactor: Japan's Tohoku Electric Power said on Wednesday it had received the green light from a local governor to restart one of its nuclear reactors, nearly a

Commercializing next-generation nuclear energy technology | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Commercializing next-generation nuclear energy technology | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Oklo, co-founded by MIT alumni, is using a startup mindset to build a compact, fast nuclear reactor that meets federal regulations.

PG&E ‘continues to engage in criminal thinking,’ regulator says | abc10.com

PG&E ‘continues to engage in criminal thinking,’ regulator says | abc10.com: To prevent their equipment from sparking wildfires, PG&E implemented planned blackouts during windstorms. But are these blackouts really working?

PG&E Reorganization

PG&E Reorganization: A federal court in California dismissed two appeals challenging a bankruptcy court’s order confirming PG&E’s reorganization plan, finding any ruling in favor of the appeals would “result in ch…

Thursday, November 12, 2020

Putin Reveals Existence Of New Nuclear Command Bunker | The Drive

Putin Reveals Existence Of New Nuclear Command Bunker | The Drive: Russia already has two very large bunker complexes built underneath mountains, including one housing a key nuclear doomsday command system.

Rolls-Royce plans 16 mini-nuclear plants for UK - BBC News

Rolls-Royce plans 16 mini-nuclear plants for UK - BBC News: The firm says the project will create 6,000 new jobs in the Midlands and the North of England

Fossil fuel giants scrabble with climate issues | Net Zero Carbon | Energy Central

Fossil fuel giants scrabble with climate issues | Net Zero Carbon | Energy Central: Equinor (formerly Statoil) made an announcement last week that it aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, joining just a few other oil and gas companies in making such a commitment.At a time when the climate crisis is regularly front-page news and when fossil fuel producers are under heavy scrutiny by the public, how are companies like Equinor, Shell, and ExxonMobil

Rosatom Retires Leningrad 2 With Replacement Ready - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers

Rosatom Retires Leningrad 2 With Replacement Ready - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers: The latest nuclear news in Nuclear Power Industry about utilities, companies, suppliers in the nuclear energy market.

Belarus Unit Has Early Hiccup After Milestone Start - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers

Belarus Unit Has Early Hiccup After Milestone Start - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers: The latest nuclear news in Nuclear Power Industry about utilities, companies, suppliers in the nuclear energy market.

NuScale Finds 25 Percent More Power In Modular System - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers

NuScale Finds 25 Percent More Power In Modular System - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers: The latest nuclear news in Nuclear Power Industry about utilities, companies, suppliers in the nuclear energy market.

Nuclear vs Solar: The Race For Renewable Dominance | OilPrice.com

Nuclear vs Solar: The Race For Renewable Dominance | OilPrice.com: Proponents of nuclear energy claim that it is more reliable and effective than solar energy, but the solar industry has several advantages over nuclear power

E.ON sells German nuclear power forward at above-market prices | Reuters

E.ON sells German nuclear power forward at above-market prices | Reuters: Utility company E.ON said on Wednesday it has sold forward 84% of its German nuclear power generation in 2021 and 52% of its 2022 output at prices above the current wholesale market, raising earnings prospects from that segment.

NuScale Small Modular Recators: Nuclear Facility Tour Video

NuScale Small Modular Recators: Nuclear Facility Tour Video: Get an intimate look at how small modular reactors are changing energy. Step inside the NuScale test facility, where nuclear magic happens.

Did You Know: New Jersey Gets Almost ALL Of Its Carbon-Free Energy From Nuclear Power? (Sponsored Content)

Did You Know: New Jersey Gets Almost ALL Of Its Carbon-Free Energy From Nuclear Power? (Sponsored Content): Did you know that nuclear power accounts for approximately 40% of all of the electricity generated in New Jersey – and 90% of the state’s carbon-free

Mini-nuclear plants may be an experiment worth exploring | Rolls-Royce | The Guardian

Mini-nuclear plants may be an experiment worth exploring | Rolls-Royce | The Guardian: Roll-Royce gave an eye-catching pitch but the economics of nuclear power needs further inspection

US nuclear lab partnering with Xcel Energy to produce hydrogen | KSTP.com

US nuclear lab partnering with Xcel Energy to produce hydrogen | KSTP.com: The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded just under $14 million for an attempt to build a hydrogen-energy production facility at a nuclear power plant in Minnesota with the help of a nuclear research lab in Idaho ...

Feds Pump $10M into Xcel Energy for Hydrogen Production | Neutron Bytes

Feds Pump $10M into Xcel Energy for Hydrogen Production | Neutron Bytes: DOE/INL Fund $10M for Hydrogen Production at Xcel Nuclear Reactor John Wagner Named INL Director BWXT Fires Up TRISO Fuel Manufacturing Operations Terrestrial Energy Inks Molten Salt Testing Progra…

IAEA to Hold International Conference on Strengthening Nuclear Safety | IAEA

IAEA to Hold International Conference on Strengthening Nuclear Safety | IAEA: Results and achievements in strengthening nuclear safety over the last decade and ways to further enhance safety will be the focus of the International Conference on a Decade of Progress after Fukushima-Daiichi: Building on the Lessons Learned to Further Strengthen Nuclear Safety, planned to be held in Vienna from 22 to 26 February 2021.

First RPV arrives at Turkey's Akkuyu nuclear plant - Nuclear Engineering International

First RPV arrives at Turkey's Akkuyu nuclear plant - Nuclear Engineering International: The 330t reactor pressure vessel (RPV) for unit 1 of Turkey's Akkuyu nuclear power plant has been delivered to the construction site.The RPV, measuring 4.5 meters in diameter and 12 meters high, was manufactured at Atommash, the Volgodonsk...

NuScale Boosts SMR Module Capacity; UAMPS Mulls Downsizing Nuclear Project

NuScale Boosts SMR Module Capacity; UAMPS Mulls Downsizing Nuclear Project: In a breakthrough that could improve the economics of NuScale Power’s small modular reactor (SMR) technology—and reshape a project under development by

NuScale boosts SMR module output 25% - Green Car Congress

NuScale boosts SMR module output 25% - Green Car Congress: NuScale Power announced that through further value engineering efforts, using advanced testing and modeling tools, NuScale analyzed and concluded that the NuScale Power Module (NPM) can generate an additional 25% more power per module for a total of 77 MWe per module (gross), resulting in about 924 MWe for the...

Nuclear waste — Texas may not be the solution | TheHill

Nuclear waste — Texas may not be the solution | TheHill: With storage at reactor sites running low and many of these sites at risk from climate change-related sea level rise, the imperative to address nuclear waste is urgent. The latest bid has put Texas in the crosshairs.

Renegotiating Iran nuclear deal 'will be difficult'

Renegotiating Iran nuclear deal 'will be difficult': Officials in Tehran say that for the US to jump back into the historic agreement with world powers, new sanctions would have to be undone and a price paid for recent economic damage.

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Saudi Arabia Reported to Acquire Uranium Mill Technology from China to Make Yellowcake | Neutron Bytes

Saudi Arabia Reported to Acquire Uranium Mill Technology from China to Make Yellowcake | Neutron Bytes: The New York Times reported on August 6, 2020, that a U.S. government classified intelligence analysis includes an assessment that Saudi Arabia, working with China, was building a facility to conve…

Middle East nuclear ambitions stymied by financial constraints, enrichment fears | S&P Global Platts

Middle East nuclear ambitions stymied by financial constraints, enrichment fears | S&P Global Platts: While the UAE started its first nuclear reactor this year, other countries in the Middle East are stuck in their plans as they grapple with financial constraints, uranium enrichment aspirations, and W

US firms said to be in talks for Wylfa Newydd project : Corporate - World Nuclear News

US firms said to be in talks for Wylfa Newydd project : Corporate - World Nuclear News: A US consortium of Bechtel, Southern Company and Westinghouse is in talks with the British government about reviving the Wylfa Newydd nuclear power plant project in north Wales by building AP1000 reactors at the site on Anglesey. Citing an unnamed source, the Financial Times said today that discussions about Wylfa began after the US consortium contacted the British government in September, expressing its wish to take over the project.

Barry FitzGerald: Biden time? Uranium battlers faintly feel the whoosh factor - Stockhead

Barry FitzGerald: Biden time? Uranium battlers faintly feel the whoosh factor - Stockhead: Spare a thought for the uranium explorers and developers, the hardiest bunch of juniors that can be found on the ASX.

International Marine Shipping Industry Considers Nuclear Propulsion

International Marine Shipping Industry Considers Nuclear Propulsion: The international shipping industry wants to reduce their rather large carbon footprint and are considering installing nuclear power in their increasingly large ships. It would save billions of barrels of oil per year. And they only have to adopt the Nuclear Navy’s protocols to be safe and easy.

USEA To Hold Virtual Press Briefing on Financial Institutions’ New Carbon-Disclosure Group

  USEA To Hold Virtual Press Briefing on Financial Institutions’ New Carbon-Disclosure Group

This Friday, Nov. 13 at 11 a.m. ET, the United States Energy Association (USEA) will hold a virtual briefing for members of the media on a new financial industry effort to measure the carbon impact of loans and investments as a building block for further climate action.

The briefing will be moderated by Llewellyn King, syndicated columnist and broadcaster. 

Global banks and financial institutions, representing more than $15 trillion in assets, are collaborating in an initiative, called the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF), to develop a consistent methodology for financed emissions.

PCAF’s 80 members include Amalgamated Bank (its U.S. organizing member), Bank of America, Citibank, BlackRock, Morgan Stanley, and NatWest in Europe and UIT in Taiwan.

Guidehouse, the global consultancy, was instrumental in the formation of PCAF, and now provides the Europe-based secretariat.

This virtual event is open to members of the media and any other interested parties. Members of the media will be given preference in the questioning.

Every participant should register beforehand. Following the event, a recording will be available on the USEA website.

Register here: 
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DrIsb2LnQya0jQWIceqzJg

Speakers for the event will be:

Ivan Frishberg, Director of Impact Policy, Amalgamated Bank
Giel Linthorst, Executive Director, PCAF

Rolls-Royce vows to create 6,000 UK jobs with nuclear power station plans | Business | The Guardian

Rolls-Royce vows to create 6,000 UK jobs with nuclear power station plans | Business | The Guardian: Engineering firm is part of consortium pushing for government backing

Company Announces SMR Can Deliver An Additional 25% Power :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency

Company Announces SMR Can Deliver An Additional 25% Power :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency: Advanced testing and modelling have shown that an innovative small modular reactor being developed by US-based NuScale Power can generate an additional 25% more power per module for a total of 77 MW per module (gross), resulting in about 924 MW for the flagship 12-module power plant.

NuScale said the development would significantly lower the overnight capital cost of the light-water SMR technology on a per kilowatt basis from an expected $3,600 to approximately $2,850.

It said the 25% increase in power means a 12-module plant will now approach a size that makes it a competitor for the gigawatt-size market.

TRISO demonstration fuel project completed by BWXT Nuclear | Power Engineering

TRISO demonstration fuel project completed by BWXT Nuclear | Power Engineering: BWX Technologies announced that its nuclear subsidiary is again producing an experimental fuel at its Virginia facility. The TRISO nuclear fuel line restart project is completed by BWXT Nuclear Operations Group. The TRISO production line restart comes 18 months after the company announced that plan. It also has gained a contract with the U.S. Department...

Senate proposes spending increase at environmental agencies | TheHill

Senate proposes spending increase at environmental agencies | TheHill: The Republican-led Senate is proposing modest spending increases for environmental agencies compared to last year’s budget, diverging from proposed cuts that the Trump White House put forward earlier this

NRC seeks comments on language for proposed advanced reactor rulemaking -- ANS / Newswire

NRC seeks comments on language for proposed advanced reactor rulemaking -- ANS / Newswire

US consortium mulls taking on abandoned Wylfa nuclear project : CityAM

US consortium mulls taking on abandoned Wylfa nuclear project : CityAM: A group of US companies has reportedly approached the government about taking over the development of a nuclear power plant at Wylfa in north Wales.

Texas Gov. Abbot objects to nuke site in Permian Basin

Texas Gov. Abbot objects to nuke site in Permian Basin: The facility if approved would store up to 40,000 metric tons of high-level nuclear waste under a 40-year license in eight phases.

Energy Communities Alliance ECA Update Novemer 11, 2020