THE WORLD'S NUCLEAR NEWS AGENCY

World Nuclear Review - week ending 30th January 2004

Study To Consider New Units For Canada's Bruce Power

Canada's Bruce Power is to conduct a feasibility study into restarting units one and two of its Bruce A nuclear power plant in Ontario - and into building "one or more" additional units at the site.

Bruce Power chief executive Duncan Hawthorne told the North American Power Markets Conference in Toronto this week: "If this study concludes there is a sound business case to be made for expanding Ontario's reactor fleet, I can think of no better place to do it than at Bruce Power."

The feasibility study will involve a technical inspection of the remaining laid-up units one and two at Bruce A, and an assessment of how much it will cost to upgrade them to current standards. The company will also look at the "preliminary case" for refurbishing its four Bruce B units which, without 'significant upgrades', will reach the end of their original design lifetime over the next 15 years.

Canada's Cameco Corporation, which holds a 31.6% share of Bruce Power, said the study would consider the feasibility of building one or more advanced Candu reactors that are being developed by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL).

Source: Bruce Power / Cameco

Full report: NucNet Business News No. 7, 30th January

Negotiator Revitalises Sweden's Nuclear Phase-Out Debate

Comments by the man negotiating with Swedish utilities about a possible 'German-type' nuclear phase-out have revitalised the country's nuclear debate - while a recent opinion poll shows continuing strong support for nuclear.

Bo Bylund, who was appointed by the Swedish government in 2002 to discuss the details and timetable for the eventual closure of nuclear facilities, is expected to present his report at the end of April.

However, in an opinion article published in the 22nd January edition of the Swedish daily newspaper 'Dagens Nyheter', Mr Bylund said that while it might be possible to phase out nuclear in Sweden, the nuclear contribution to electricity generation could not be compensated for through the country's planned programme of energy conservation, wind power and bio-mass, or increased electricity imports.

Source: Carl-Erik Wikdahl, Energiforum AB / Dagens Nyheter

Full report: NucNet News No. 23, 26th January

Ambassador Sets Out Japan's Case For Hosting ITER

Japan's ambassador to France, Hiroshi Hirabayashi, has called for calm and compromise in negotiations over the siting of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) - but he said that his country is best placed to host the project.

Mr Hirabayashi's remarks came in an opinion article he wrote for the 23rd January edition of the French daily newspaper, 'Le Monde'.

He said he was prompted to voice his opinion because of a resurgence of the ITER debate in the media - resulting from an endorsement by the US government of Japan's candidacy to host the project.

Presenting his scientific and technical arguments in favour of Japan's candidacy, the ambassador said there was little doubt that Rokkasho is the best site. He pointed to what he said was the superiority of Japan's existing JT-60 Tokamak-type fusion reactor.

He added: "A good understanding (of the scientific and technological needs of the project) will at least help to dispel the illusion, which tends to be believed, that it is unthinkable that the ITER project is not coming to France." He stressed that Japan was ready to compromise on parts of the project - and would support the siting of a data analysis and distance control centre for the project at Cadarache.

Ministers responsible for deciding the location of ITER are due to try and reach a final decision soon.

Referring to suggestions that Europe might try to develop its own project if Cadarache is not chosen, the ambassador called for "calm". He said that the ITER decision must rest on scientific and technical arguments and not be impeded by "Franco-American rivalries".

Separately, the director of ITER Canada, Murray Stewart, has told NucNet that he thought it was unlikely that Canada would return to the international project as a partner, but said the country could seek "associate membership" through one of the major parties.

Source: 'Le Monde' / Murray Stewart

Full report: NucNet News No. 24, 28th January

N-Power Falls In 'Difficult Year' For Hungary But Share Remains High

Hungary's sole nuclear power plant, Paks, has described 2003 as "a difficult year", with decreased electricity generation after an incident involving damaged fuel assemblies that led to the shut-down of unit 2.

"Nevertheless, nuclear energy remained a significant source in Hungary's electricity production," Paks told NucNet.

The plant generated a total of 11.01 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity in 2003, compared to the 2002 total of 13.95 TWh. The decrease was mainly as a result of taking unit two out of operation last April.

In general, nuclear continued to be a key contributor to Hungarian electricity generation, enjoying 32.7% or almost one-third of the market share in 2003 - just down from a 39.4% share in 2002 when all four Paks units were on line.

Meanwhile, Paks says a technical business plan was submitted last month by Russian nuclear fuel manufacturer TVEL for work including the removal of damaged fuel assemblies from the cleaning system at unit two. TVEL was chosen to carry out the work last year.

Experts from TVEL and Paks will submit a licence application to the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority for permission to start the work before the end of this year.

Source: Paks nuclear power plant

Full report: NucNet News No. 22, 26th January

FirstEnergy Says February Restart Of Davis-Besse 'Not Unreasonable'

Operators of the Davis-Besse nuclear power plant in the US say that, if all goes well with tests now under way, the single-unit plant could be restarted next month - two years after it was shut down following the discovery of reactor vessel damage.

FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (Fenoc) this week began heating plant systems at the single-unit pressurised water reactor (PWR) to normal operating temperature and pressure, using heat from the coolant pumps.

Fenoc spokesman Richard Wilkins told NucNet that, after operating at this level for about a week, the company will assess plant performance. If there have been no problems, operators could ask the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to send its restart readiness assessment team to the plant towards the end of next week.

If the NRC concludes that the reactor is ready to return to operation, a public meeting will be held to discuss the restart after which regulators will make a final decision. Mr Wilkins said that, assuming all goes well and no significant new issues emerge, a February restart is "not unreasonable".

The NRC issued a 'red' finding at the plant in 2002 ' based on the US colour code safety significance system stretching from green (low safety significance) through white, yellow and red (high safety significance). Regulators also rated the issue as level three on the International Nuclear Event Scale.

Source: Fenoc / NRC

Full report: NucNet News No. 26, 29th January

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