THE WORLD'S NUCLEAR NEWS AGENCY

World Nuclear Review - week ending 27th August 2004

Japan's Kansai Reviews Records And 5th Worker Dies In Wake of Accident

Japanese utility Kansai Electric Power Company has announced that, following the 9th August accident at its Mihama nuclear power plant, a review of company inspection records shows that the auxiliary system involved in the accident "is not safety related" and was not subject to safety regulations restricting operations.

Kansai said last week that it was in the process of reviewing its inspection records to compile an investigative report into the type of pipe-thinning - and rupture - blamed for the accident at Mihama-3 (see News No. 160, 10th August 2004). A fifth worker died on 25th August of injuries sustained in the accident.

Kansai's investigation has so far revealed that there was one section in the steam converter system at Mihama-3 as well as one section each at its Takahama-1 and Ohi-3 and -4 units where pipe wall thinning was never monitored.

Kansai explained that that the steam converter is part of the auxiliary system at its pressurised water reactors (PWRs) - and that it supplies steam to the air conditioner, helps heat (for example) tank water, provides turbine gland steam during plant start-up and supplies steam to the seawater desalination unit. The company also said, however, that: "This system is not safety related and so is not subject to operational restrictions imposed by safety regulations. Therefore, plant operation would not be compromised at all even by shutting down the system."

Source: Kansai / Japan Atomic Industrial Forum / Nuclear Safety Network

Full report: NucNet News in Brief No. 25, 26th August

Management Changes At PBMR, 'Areva In Potential Investment Talks'

The director-general of the South African Department of Trade and Industries (DTI), Alistair Ruiters, has taken over as chairman of the board of directors of PBMR (Pty) - the company established to develop, demonstrate and commercialise the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR).

Dr Ruiters, whose appointment was approved by the PBMR board on 18th August, will continue as DTI director-general while heading the board. At the same time, the board approved a series of other management changes.

Jaco Kriek, vice-president for Mega Projects at the state-owned Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) of South Africa, one of the PBMR corporate partners, was named chief executive (CEO) of PBMR - succeeding Nic Terblanche, who was appointed as CEO just over 12 months ago (see Business News No. 45, 6th August 2003). Mr Terblanche has now been named chief operating officer.

Tom Ferreira, communications manager for PBMR, told NucNet today that Mr Terblanche would be "more internally focused", while Mr Kriek would bring "a lot of experience on a lot of projects, especially on the financing side".

Mr Ferreira added: "Financing is our priority right now, especially regarding discussions with new investors." He said PBMR is negotiating with potential investors, including France's Areva group.

South Africa's cabinet still must endorse a five- to 10-year plan for development of the PBMR, and the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism must give final approval to the environmental impact assessment. Mr Ferreira said those decisions may be made "within the next two months", adding that "the government is very supportive of this project, and I think Dr Ruiters' appointment as chair is a good indicator of this".

Source: NucNet correspondent Thecla Fabian / PBMR

Full report: NucNet Business News No. 43, 20th August

US And France Sign Agreement On R&D And Phenix

US energy secretary Spencer Abraham on 24th August signed an agreement with French atomic energy commission (CEA) chairman Alain Bugat to allow cooperation between the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology and the CEA - and to provide the DOE with access to France's Phenix prototype fast breeder reactor, which the DOE said "has a capability that no longer exists in the US".

The agreement builds on a meeting between the DOE and CEA in September 2000, when an agreement was signed covering research and development (R&D) cooperation in such areas as the Advanced Fuel Cell Initiative, Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems Initiative and the Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative (see also News No. 218, 11th July 2001 and News No. 303, 23rd September 2002).

Under the proposed implementing arrangement, the DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology and the CEA will perform an experimental irradiation project in the Phenix experimental fast reactor. They will test various types of fuel loaded with minor actinides - highly toxic, long-lived material contained in spent nuclear fuel - under constant conditions and acquire data to permit selection of the best-performing fuel for future use in high-level waste (HLW) transmuting systems.

Source: DOE

Full report: NucNet News No. 166, 25th August

Iran Considering Candu Units - Work Proceeds On New Research Reactor

Iran is considering turning to Candu units for the development of its "long term" nuclear power programme - beyond the ongoing construction of the light water reactor (LWR) at Bushehr.

The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) told NucNet that heavy water reactors (HWR) "especially Candu' are under consideration, adding: "What is noteworthy at this point is Iran's decision and determination to diversify its range of nuclear power plants and at the same time its focus on those types of plants which can be designed and built with the help of nuclear knowledge which has been developed in our country."

Separately, the AEOI confirmed that work is proceeding on the construction of an HWR research reactor - in line with a commitment made last year (see News No. 273, 18th September 2003). Iran says the new research reactor is needed to "research and produce several essential radiopharmaceuticals". Initially, Iran tried to buy a HWR research reactor but was met with sanctions, and so decided to build one of indigenous design - the so-called IR-40.

The AEOI said a long-term nuclear programme was needed to "reverse the trend of unrestrained use of fossil resources" with greater emphasis on new technologies, such as nuclear, which is recognised as "more competitive". Achieving 7000 megawatts (MW) of installed nuclear generating capacity remains the country's goal over the next 20 years and the 1000MW unit under construction with Russian assistance at Bushehr is described as "the backbone" of plans for further nuclear development.

Iran has also reaffirmed its objective of reaching "self sufficiency" in the provision of nuclear fuel (see News No. 70, 10th February 2003).

Source: AEOI

Full report: NucNet News No. 165, 23rd August

France's Areva and EDF Sign Used-Fuel Management Contract

Areva chairman Anne Lauvergeon and FranÃois Roussely, president of state-owned utility ElectricitÈ de France (EDF), on 24th August signed a contract under which Areva will treat 5,250 metric tonnes of used nuclear fuel from EDF nuclear power plants - and which provides for the retrieval of recyclable materials, the supply of 100 metric tonnes of mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel per year and the containment of final residues.

The 4 billion-euro contract runs until December 31, 2007, and makes official an agreement signed by the two groups in 2001 (see Business News No. 76.1, 4th September 2001).

Source: Areva

Full report: NucNet Business News No. 44, 25th August

Former UK Energy Minister Makes Case For Nuclear New-Build

Brian Wilson, the UK's former energy minister, on 22nd August said that "the case for resuming a nuclear energy programme in the UK is so strong that the time is ripe to take the argument head-on".

Mr Wilson was replaced as energy minister last year (see Feature No. 7, 29th August 2003), although he continues to be a member of Britain's governing Labour Party, a member of parliament and is the special representative on overseas trade of the prime minister, Tony Blair.

His comments on 22nd August were part of an article Mr Wilson wrote for a leading British Sunday newspaper, 'The Observer', in which he said it was "a myth that the world is turning its back on nuclear".

Mr Wilson said the UK government "has sought to reconcile two positions that are almost certainly irreconcilable". He added: "On the one hand, we have signed up for Kyoto and taken a lead in arguing the urgency of the climate change imperative. On the other, we brought into government a generational prejudice against nuclear power that evolved largely on the premise that it is the other side of the coin that is nuclear weapons There might not have been a civil nuclear industry had it not been a by-product of military investment. But, while that is an interesting historical and political fact, it is not a persuasive argument against a present-day assessment of what nuclear power has to offer.

Source: 'The Observer' / Various

Full report: NucNet News No. 164, 23rd August

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