Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire

Monday, January 24, 2011

French consortium studies anchored submarine power plant

French Company Designs Underwater Nuclear Plant

Scientists Warn Iran Could Produce Enough Nuclear Material for Warhead in 5 Months

Scientists Warn Iran Could Produce Enough Nuclear Material for Warhead in 5 Months

Iran's nuke program _ how much time for diplomacy?

2nd Annual Nuclear Decommissioning Conference April 5th-6th, 2011 (tbc), Manchester, UK

3 exclusive nuclear decommissioning presentations to give you a taste for what's in store next year......

To celebrate the launch of our 2nd Annual Nuclear Decommissioning Conference 2011 , I’m giving away free access to presentations from three of Nuclear Energy Insider’s most popular speeches in the past 12 months, from our recent Nuclear Decommissioning Supply Chain Summit in Manchester.
The presentations are:
1.' Regulation, decommissioning and the supplyc chain - fit for the future?'
Dr Mike Weightman - HM Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations - Health and Safety Executive
2. 'Nuclear decommissioning - What's in it for me?'
Peter Lutwyche - Nuclear Operations Director, UK Operations North - Jacobs
3. 'Tier 1 contractor and supply chain teaming approach for enhanced safety performance'
John Lehew - President and Chief Executive Officer - CH2M Plateau Remediation Company

I hope you enjoy the presentation and find much value in it for your business. If you have any comments or questions please contact me using the details below.
Kind Regards,
Emma`s signature

Emma Banymandhub
Senior Industry Analyst
Nuclear Energy Insider

Russia to help Belarus build nuclear power plant

Moscow (AFP) Jan 20, 2011 Russia said Thursday that it will extend Belarus a loan that will help the former Soviet republic build its first nuclear power plant since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said following talks with his Belarussian counterpart Mikhail Myasnikovich that the plant would help Belarus establish energy independence and move away from its reliance on Russian oil.
"We understand that it is a very important project for Belarus. It increases the energy independence of the republic," Putin said.
"The Russian side is ready (to help Belarus) realise this project. The project is big, nearly six billion dollars, and we are ready solve the issue of a loan," said Putin.
The Belarussian prime minister said the basic terms of the construction project "will be agreed in the first quarter" of this year.
It was not immediately clear how much money Russia was lending its traditional ally for the project.
The nuclear power plant's construction was first envisioned in the early 1980s but then put on hold by the Soviet Union following the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster in Ukraine.
Official Belarussian data estimates that about 70 percent of the fallout from the reactor explosion landed in Belarus.
The project was resurrected in recent years following a series of energy disputes between Russia and Belarus that involved both oil and natural gas, with some of the shipment interruptions also affecting European countries.
Belarus imports almost all of its oil from Russia through the Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline.
Addressing the energy dispute, Putin said that Belarus would continue to receive subsidised oil supplies that should help the struggling nation keep its economy on track.
"The Belarussian economy will receive subsidies from cheap Russian oil of an order of no less than 4.124 billion dollars," said Putin.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Iran has boosted atomic bomb ability: US scientists

Washington (AFP) Jan 21, 2011 Leading American scientists Friday warned against Western complacency over Iran's nuclear drive, saying in a study that Tehran last year boosted its capacity to build an atomic bomb. The study, published by a body set by scientists from the top-secret Manhattan Project which built the world's first atomic bomb, comes as the United States and five other powers hold nuclear talks with Iran in Istanbul.
And it follows claims by US and Israeli officials that international efforts have slowed Iran's nuclear drive.
The Washington-based Federation of American Scientists said on its website that the gas centrifuges at Iran's main enrichment plant in Natanz became more efficient in 2010.
Centrifuges are the machines that enrich uranium for fuel in either civilian nuclear power plants or for a bomb's destructive power. Uranium must be enriched to 90 percent for a bomb, compared to five percent for power plants.
"Despite a drop in centrifuge numbers during 2010, the total enrichment capacity of Iran's main facility has increased relative to previous years," said the study authored by Ivanka Barzashka.
"The growth in enrichment capacity from 2009 to 2010 is greater than from 2008 to 2009," it said, adding the calculations were made on data provided by the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.
"Contrary to statements by US officials and many experts, Iran clearly does not appear to be slowing down its nuclear drive. On the contrary, it has a greater enrichment capacity and seems to be more efficient at enrichment," it said.
Barzashka estimated "it would take Iran anywhere from five months to almost a year to produce enough HEU (highly enriched uranium) for a single crude bomb, which does not seem like a viable breakout option."
"Breakout" potential is the time it would take to build a bomb.
"We are still in a stage where the numbers of new centrifuges Iran installs and their effective performance have significant effect on its time to a bomb," the author said.
During a January 10 visit to Abu Dhabi, on the opposite side of the Gulf from Iran, Clinton said international sanctions have made it "much more difficult" for Iran to pursue its nuclear ambitions.
And Israel's strategic affairs minister, Moshe Yalon, said last month that a series of "technological challenges and difficulties" meant Tehran was still about three years away from being able to build nuclear weapons.
The New York Times reported January 16 that US and Israeli intelligence services collaborated to develop a destructive computer worm, known as Stuxnet, to sabotage Iran's atomic bomb-making efforts.
Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, denying Western charges it seeks to build bombs.

Why nuclear energy is on hold for Alaska by Molly Rettig

Why nuclear energy is on hold for Alaska

by Molly Rettig

Asian banks and companies compete to win Egypt nuclear tender

Egypt to Seek Atomic Reactor Bids, South Korea offers building help

UPDATE 2-Saudi to sign nuclear deal, cut fossil fuel use

Preventing Nuclear Terrorism - Stanley Foundation

Joule Unlimited Claims to have engineered cyanobacterium that will produce biofuel equal to $30 barrel oil

Carnival of nuclear energy 36 and links to all past carnivals of nuclear energy

Cost to convert to all nuclear powered economy

Saturday, January 22, 2011

NATO Sees Russia as Missile Defense Partner

NATO Sees Russia as Missile Defense Partner

Indian Navy accelerates Nuclear Submarine programme

Undersea Nuclear Power Stations Could Be En Route to France BY Kit Eaton

Undersea Nuclear Power Stations Could Be En Route to France

BY Kit Eaton

Big powers leave Iran nuclear talks empty-handed

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – World powers failed to make progress with Iran in two days of talks on its nuclear program, with the EU calling the discussions disappointing and saying no further meetings between the two sides were planned.

"This is not the conclusion I'd hoped for," European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said at the conclusion of the talks in Istanbul on Saturday.

Read more ....

Iran talks fail, no new date set -- Yahoo News/AP
Ashton 'disappointed' as Iran nuclear talks end -- Yahoo News/AFP
Iran nuclear talks end in stalemate -- The Guardian
Foreign powers 'disappointed' at Iran nuclear talks -- BBC
Ashton: Iran's stance at nuke talks "disappointing" -- Reuters
Iran nuclear talks end in Istanbul without breakthrough -- M&C
World powers wrap up nuclear talks with Iran without progress -- Xinhuanet
EU's Ashton Says Six Powers Disappointed But Door Open To Iran For New Talks -- Radio Free Europe
Iran Rejects Talks To Rein In Nuclear Efforts -- NPR/AP
Iran talks fail, no new date set -- FOX News
Atomic Split Widens After Iran Steps Up Demands at Negotiations in Turkey -- Bloomberg
Snap Analysis: Iran nuclear talks fail to ease dispute -- Reuters

Friday, January 21, 2011

Hu urges US to ease high-tech export restrictions

January 21, 2011 by Mira Oberman Hu said China wanted to "fully tap our cooperation potential"

Enlarge

Supporters of Chinese President Hu Jintao wait outside the Hilton Hotel hoping to get a glimpse of him in Chicago, Illinois. Hu urged the United States to ease restrictions on high-tech exports to China after Beijing and Washington signed $45 billion in trade deals during his US visit.

President Hu Jintao has urged the United States to ease restrictions on high-tech exports to China after Beijing and Washington signed $45 billion in trade deals during his US visit.