THE WORLD'S NUCLEAR NEWS AGENCY

World Nuclear Review - week ending 12th November 2004

Still No Decision On ITER Site As Delegations Meet In Vienna

Countries negotiating where to site the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project have again failed to reach a decision, despite a new round of talks that ended on 9th November 2004 in Vienna, Austria.

The delegations from China, the EU, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the US concluded a meeting at the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency with a brief statement expressing "optimism that the process was now proceeding effectively towards a fruitful conclusion among the six parties in the near future".

The statement said that the two potential host nations for ITER - the EU (proposing Cadarache in France) and Japan (proposing Rokkasho) presented the results of recent "intensive bilateral discussions on the balance of roles and responsibilities of host and non-host in the joint realisation of ITER- These discussions will continue in the near future with the aim of aligning the two parties' views".

Separately, Russia has said that Europe could start constructing the reactor without the approval of Japan, the US and South Korea.

Source: ITER delegations' statement / Nuclear Society of Russia / Kurchatov Institute

Full report: NucNet News No. 203, 9th November

Inquiry Opens Into Balakovo Leak Rumours

The prosecutor's office in the Saratov region of western Russia has launched an investigation into misleading reports about a minor incident at the Balakovo nuclear power station on 4th November 2004.

Nina Gellert, a senior aide to the Saratov region prosecutor, said the investigation may result in a criminal case under Article 207 of the Russian Criminal Code.

She said "unknown persons" reported a major man-made disaster accompanied by an emission of radioactive substances into the atmosphere. "This caused panic and jeopardised the health of people who started, as a preventive measure, to consume iodine designed for external use. As a result about 10 people ended up in hospital."

At 01.24 local time on 4th November, unit two of the Balakovo nuclear power plant was scrammed. Balakovo chief engineer Viktor Ignatov said there was a leak of non-radioactive desalinated water feeding steam generator number four of the unit, but there were no leaks of steam or water into the environment. Unit two was shut down while the piping was repaired and following checks by the technical supervision authority Rostekhnadzor it was reconnected to the grid at 03.40 on 6th November.

Source: NucNet correspondent, Judith Perera / Balakovo nuclear plant / Various

Full report: NucNet News No. 202, 9th November

Indian PM Marks Pouring Of First Concrete At Fast Breeder Project

First concrete has been poured at the site of India's fast breeder reactor programme during a ceremony at Kalpakkam.

Indian prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh helped mark the event - and the 50th anniversary of the Indian Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) - at a ceremony in Kalpakkam late last month hosted by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR).

Speaking at the event on 23rd October 2004, Dr Singh said: "Our nuclear programme takes a major step forward today. This is an occasion to celebrate and also to reflect on our past achievements and also to look to the future with hope, courage and confidence."

India's Atomic Energy Regulatory Board gave permission for site excavation work in 2002 and the Indian government formally authorised construction in 2003. Although a considerable amount of preliminary work has been carried out, last month's ceremony marked the official start of construction of India's 35 billion rupee (627 million euro) 500-megawatt (MW) Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) project.

The PFBR is scheduled to achieve first criticality in 2010 and begin commercial operation in 2011.

Source: Prime Minister of India / DAE / NucNet board member for India, Dr Anil Kakodkar

Full report: NucNet News No. 201, 9th November

Consortia Win Funds To Test Licensing Process For New US N-Plants

Two nuclear utility-led consortia have won financial backing from the US Department of Energy (DOE) to launch the first phase of projects with the goal of starting to build a new nuclear reactor unit in the country.

The DOE announced on 4th November that a total of 13 million US dollars (USD) had been allocated for one consortium led by Dominion and another by NuStart Energy to start testing the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) combined construction and operating licence process for new nuclear power plants.

The Dominion project could lead to a licence to build and operate an Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) Advanced Candu reactor (the ACR-700) using the North Anna nuclear power plant as a reference site. This consortium comprises AECL and its US subsidiary AECL Technologies, Bechtel Power Corporation and Hitachi America. If a plant order results from the project, the DOE said that Dominion potentially could have a new nuclear power plant in operation as early as 2014.

The NuStart project will evaluate the Westinghouse Advanced Passive Pressurised Water Reactor (AP-1000) and the General Electric (GE) Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR). The consortium plans to select a final reactor technology and a site by 2007. If a nuclear plant order results from this project, NuStart could also have a new nuclear plant in operation as early as 2014, the DOE said. NuStart comprises nine nuclear power companies (Exelon Generation, Entergy Nuclear, Southern Company, Constellation Generation Group, Duke Energy, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Florida Power & Light, Progress Energy and EDF International North America) plus two reactor vendors - GE and Westinghouse Electric.

Cooperative agreements for both projects are expected to be in place by next month and a detailed project-planning phase will be completed in fiscal year 2005. A final decision by the DOE and the consortia whether to proceed to the implementation phase of the projects will be made during the project-planning phase.

Source: DOE

Full report: NucNet Business News No. 52, 5th November

Russian Ratification Of Kyoto Protocol Completed

Russian president Vladimir Putin has signed Russia's law on ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, completing the country's ratification process and setting in motion the activation of the international agreement on the limitation of greenhouse gas emissions.

Russia's lower house of parliament, the Duma, ratified the law on 22nd October 2004, and ratification by the upper house, the Federal Council, followed on 27th October. Mr Putin's signing on 5th November completes the country's ratification process.

Russia must now deposit its formal instrument of ratification with the secretary-general of the UN in New York, and the Kyoto Protocol will enter into force 90 days after it has been received.

The protocol has been welcomed by the global nuclear industry. Producing virtually no emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, nuclear is being promoted as a protocol-friendly energy source.

Source: Nuclear Society of Russia / UNFCCC

Full report: NucNet News in Brief No. 49, 8th November

US Awards Contract For New Idaho Nuclear Lab To Battelle Team

US secretary of energy Spencer Abraham announced on 9th November 2004 that the US Department of Energy (DOE) has selected the Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA) to establish the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) as "the nation's premier laboratory for nuclear energy research, development, demonstration and education within a decade".

The Idaho National Laboratory will combine the research and development components of the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory West. The Idaho National Laboratory will begin operating under this new name and contract on 1st February 2005. The term of the contract is 10 years and has an estimated value of 4.8 billion US dollars. BEA, owned by Battelle Memorial Institute, teamed with several institutions for the DOE bidding process, including Battelle Memorial Institute, BWXT Services Inc., Washington Group International, the Electric Power Research Institute and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The BEA team was selected over three other bidders - following a request for proposals announced by DOE in May 2004.

Source: DOE / INL / BEA

Full report: NucNet News in Brief No. 51, 11th November

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