THE WORLD'S NUCLEAR NEWS AGENCY

World Nuclear Review - week ending 8th August 2003

Japan Urged To 'Hold Firm On Fuel Cycle Policy'

A top-level working group in Japan has called for the country to 'hold firm' to its nuclear fuel cycle policy - stressing the need to promote a fast breeder reactor programme and to pursue the use of mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel.

The recommendations are contained in a report on a working group's discussions on Japan's nuclear fuel cycle, headed by the vice-chairman of the country's Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), Tetsua Endo. The report was released in Japan on 5th August.

The report is seen as significant in that the AEC clearly states the need to "hold firm on the nuclear fuel cycle" - questions about which have been raised throughout Japan.

Stressing the need to promote the fast breeder reactor cycle, the report points out that "the light water reactor cycle is at the stage of commercialisation in other countries and Japan is at the stage where implementation is technically feasible."

The report says that the use of MOX in Japan has "not made the progress initially hoped for", adding that the delay in the planned start-up of a reprocessing plant had made it difficult for companies to make long-term plans for the use of plutonium "with any high degree of certainty".

Source: Japan Atomic Industrial Forum

Original report: NucNet News No. 243, 7th August

PBMRCo Changes To Face 'Crucial Next Phase'

The head of South African utility Eskom has announced a significant restructuring in the management of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) project 'in anticipation of the crucial next phase of the programme'.

Eskom chief executive Thulani Gcabashe said the current chief executive of the PBMR Company (PBMRCo), David Nicholls, will be returning to a senior post at Eskom head office to assist in "creating the organisational infrastructure to host the demonstration plant and to set the stage for Eskom (becoming) a major purchaser of subsequent commercial PBMR plants".

PBMRCo's new chief executive will be Nic Terblanche, who Eskom said was "a seasoned executive" who had been responsible for a number of the utility's major capital projects.

Mr Gcabashe said: "Following Eskom's successful completion of the feasibility phase of the project, and the issuing of a positive record of decision on the related environmental impact analysis by government, it is time to transform PBMR into a top-flight project delivery organisation."

Source: Eskom / PBMRCo

Original report: NucNet Business News No. 45, 6th August

Minister Delays Sump Work at German N-Plant

Germany's federal environment minister Jİrgen Trittin has rejected an application for work to avert sump clogging at the country's off-line Biblis A nuclear power plant.

Regulators in the German state of Hesse say that Mr Trittin, a Green member of Germany's coalition government, is demanding the backfitting of containment equipment as a pre-condition to approving a licence for the work.

Plant operator RWE Power had proposed a simple backfit at the 1225-megawatt pressurised water reactor (PWR) unit, involving inserting a three-dimensional grid box into the sump opening to enlarge the area.

Source: Hesse and federal environment ministries

Original report: NucNet News No. 242, 5th August

Increase in Secondary Insurance Premium For US N-Plants

US regulators are increasing the secondary premium for nuclear liability insurance the amount that the country's commercial nuclear plants would have to pay in the event that claims for damages exceeded primary insurance cover.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) said on 4th August that it was amending its regulations to raise the secondary premium from USD 83.9 million to USD 95.8 million. The new premium takes effect on 20th August and will apply to each operational reactor unit with an installed capacity of 100 megawatts or more. Under the country's Price-Anderson nuclear liabilities legislation, nuclear plant operators pay an annual (primary) insurance premium to private insurers for public liability coverage, for each reactor unit, to satisfy potential claims in the event of a major nuclear accident.

The secondary (also known as "deferred") premium is designed to cover claims that might exceed the primary insurance and is "retrospective". This means it becomes payable only if claims for nuclear accident damages exceed the primary cover. Under such circumstances, each licensed unit would be assessed to pay a "pro-rated share" as necessary.

The amended regulations also reflect a recent US increase in primary nuclear liability insurance from USD 200 million to USD 300 million per nuclear plant site.

Source: NRC

Original report: NucNet News No. 241, 5th August

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