THE WORLD'S NUCLEAR NEWS AGENCY

World Nuclear Review - week ending 22nd August 2003

Iran Confirms Go-Ahead For Construction Of Second Bushehr Unit

The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) has confirmed that work is to go ahead on constructing a second 1000-megawatt (MW) unit at the country's Bushehr nuclear power plant.

The AEOI told NucNet on 16th August that Iran's government had given the go-ahead to start the second phase of the project and for contracts to be drawn up.

No announcement was made about potential partners for the second phase, although the AEOI has said previously that Russia - Iran's partners in Bushehr-1 - might also be asked to build the second unit.

Iran's decision to push ahead with the second phase of Bushehr, while work continues on the first unit, will be welcomed by nuclear professionals in the country who had said that a commitment was needed if progress was to be made in meeting the country's target of having a total installed nuclear capacity of 7000 MW by 2022.

The vice-president for nuclear plants at the AEOI, Asadallah Saboury, told NucNet earlier this year: "We should start thinking about the next unit this year or next year at the latest". Mr Saboury also indicated that two more years would be needed to complete Bushehr-1, although the formal date for the start of operations is still August 2004.

Also this week, the Iranian government authorised "necessary studies and assessments" towards the "setting up of a 5000 MW nuclear power plant" - although no further details were given.

Source:AEOI

Full report: NucNet News No. 252, 16th August

China Set To Give Go-Ahead For Six-Unit N-Plant

China's government is expected to give the go-ahead to build six 1000-megawatt (MW) units at a single site in the southern province of Guangdong by the end of this year.

The new six-unit plant would be China's largest single nuclear power plant project to date.

China's Guangdong Nuclear Power Group (CGNP) has already begun preliminary works at the site, in Yangjiang, about 500 kilometres west of Hong Kong.

Revised proposals to build the units were submitted for approval to authorities in Beijing over three years ago and now the government of Yangjiang city has agreed with CGNP to set aside more than 472 000 square metres of land for the plant.

Construction is now expected to start next year and the plant is expected to start generating electricity within 15 to 20 years. The gross investment in the project is estimated at around eight billion US dollars.

Source:Chinese Nuclear Society

Full report: NucNet News No. 255, 20th August

Ukraine Court Ruling Halts Bankruptcy Move Against Nuclear Utility

The court of appeal in Ukraine has cancelled an earlier legal order appointing a receiver for the state-controlled nuclear utility, Energoatom, and the start of bankruptcy proceedings.

Energoatom president Sergei Tulub said that the earlier order by the Kiev economic court - issued on 21st July after seven creditors claimed to be owed a total of around 25.1 million US dollars (USD) from the utility - had been cancelled.

Energoatom had argued that if bankruptcy proceedings went ahead, the company would be unable to continue with day-to-day operational activities such as paying for fresh nuclear fuel, removing spent nuclear fuel or maintaining and repairing units.

The company says it has debts of some USD 900 million, but that it is owed USD 1.63 billion - some USD 1.38 billion of that by state-owned wholesale power market operator EnergoRynok.

Separately, the Ukraine government has issued a decree that redefines the status of the 30-kilometre exclusion zone around the now closed Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The decree will effectively legalise the position of hundreds of citizens who have returned to live in the area, without permission, and those who refused to leave following the 1986 accident.

Source: International Chernobyl Centre

Full story: NucNet Business News No. 46, 15th August

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