THE WORLD'S NUCLEAR NEWS AGENCY

World Nuclear Review - week ending 26th September 2003

More US Units Apply For License Extensions To 60 Years

A license renewal application for an additional 20 years for units one and two of the Farley nuclear power plant has been submitted to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

The Southern Nuclear Operating Company submitted the application for the plant, in Alabama, on 15th September. The current operating licenses for units one and two expire on 25th June, 2017, and 31st March, 2021, respectively.

The NRC staff is conducting an initial review of the application to determine whether it contains enough information for the required formal review.

To date, a total of 16 US units have had their operating licenses renewed. A further 14 renewal applications (excluding Farley) are under review.

Source: NRC

Full report: NucNet News No. 276, 21st September

Russia And China Discuss N-Power Proposals

Chinese proposals for further Russian participation in building nuclear power plants in China were on the agenda in high-level talks between the two countries which started in Beijing on 23rd September.

The issue is understood to be "the focus" of a meeting between Russian prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov and the premier of China's State Council (cabinet), Wen Jiabao.

Russian specialists are building two light-water VVER-1000 reactor units at China's Tianwan plant, which are scheduled for completion in 2004 and 2005 respectively. Russia has also given "preliminary confirmation" of its proposed participation in building the second phase of the plant - comprising a further two units.

Other issues that could extend Chinese-Russian nuclear co-operation include China's possible help in building a floating nuclear power plant in the Russian town of Severodvinsk and Russian participation in building additional industrial uranium enrichment capacities in China

Source: Rosenergoatom / Nuclear Society of Russia

Full report: NucNet News No. 277, 23rd September

November Target For European Decision On ITER Site

A decision on whether France or Spain should be the sole EU candidate site for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project is expected in November.

The European Commission's Competitiveness Council said in a statement issued on 22nd September that it had decided that discussions would continue with "a view to be in a position of reaching a decision" at its session on 27th November.

A recent report compiled for the Council by the ITER site analysis group found that whichever site is eventually selected as the single EU candidate to host ITER - Vandellos in Spain or Cadarache in France - "either would be likely to win the international site selection".

The other potential host countries are Canada (Clarington) and Japan (Rokkasho).

Source: European Commission

Full report: NucNet News No. 278, 23rd September

Romanian Fuel Sent To Russia Under US-Backed Programme

A consignment of former Soviet-origin fresh highly-enriched uranium (HEU) has been sent from Romania's Nuclear Research Institute to Russia, under the US Department of Energy (DOE)-funded Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return Initiative.

US energy secretary Spencer Abraham said that the 14 kg of HEU was flown from Bucharest on a Russian cargo plane on 21st September. The fuel has since arrived at the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrate Plant, where it will be down-blended and used for the production of fresh fuel for power reactor units.

The US said the fuel was originally supplied to Romania by the former Soviet Union for the Russian-designed 2 MW research reactor 'IRT-2M', near Bucharest. The reactor was closed in 1997 and is being decommissioned.

The fresh nuclear fuel was loaded in eight fresh fuel transportation canisters provided by Russia. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards inspectors and DOE technical experts monitored the fuel loading process.

Source: DOE / Rosenergoatom / Nuclear Society of Russia

Full report: NucNet News No. 281, 25th September

Ukraine Bonds Issue To Speed Units' Completion

The government of Ukraine has ordered that the equivalent of 94 million US dollars (USD) worth of bonds be issued by the state nuclear utility, Energoatom, to help raise funds for the completion of the Khmelnitsky-2 and Rovno-4 (K2-R4) units.

According to the country's fuel and energy minister, the order calls for a bank, or consortium of banks, to be selected on a competitive tender basis to perform clearing transactions with the bonds - which will be issued at an interest rate of 12% to be paid quarterly.

In relation to the K2-R4 project Ukraine's deputy fuel and energy minister, Mykola Steinberg, has said that Framatome ANP has confirmed the "possibility in principle" of completing the units in 2004.

The move follows an assessment of the project that was financed by the European Commission. That assessment put the status of completion activities of the units to date at 85%.

Source: International Chernobyl Centre

Full report: NucNet Business News No. 55.1, 19th September

Bulgaria Seminar To Discuss Belene Proposals

Revived proposals for the completion of Bulgaria's Belene nuclear power plant are to be discussed at an international seminar in the country's capital city, Sofia, on 30th September.

International and domestic companies have been invited to present proposals at the seminar for the possible completion of the plant.

Bulgaria is due to publish the findings of a feasibility study into the "efficiency" of a new nuclear plant at the Belene site in October.

Source: Bulatom

Full report: NucNet Business News No. 55.2, 19th September

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