THE WORLD'S NUCLEAR NEWS AGENCY

World Nuclear Review - week ending 24th December 2004

New Corporation Will Oversee China's Nuclear Expansion

China is setting up a state corporation to oversee the expansion of its nuclear power industry amid efforts to satisfy rising demand and meet targets for increasing nuclear power generation as much as five-fold in the next 15 years.

The new corporation - the State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation - will organise tenders among equipment suppliers, negotiate contracts and pursue technology transfer from foreign companies.

A preparatory office for the new corporation has already opened and staff are being recruited. The office's task is to help prepare for the construction of four nuclear power reactor units - two each in the coastal provinces of Guangdong and Zhejiang - as part of what ministers have described as an "accelerated" programme of new nuclear construction with the emphasis on Chinese "self-reliance".

Chinese authorities confirmed to NucNet that state council has appointed Chen Zhabao to head the corporation.

The announcement of the new corporation comes as China prepares for expansion of its nuclear power sector to help eliminate power shortages over recent years.

Source: EIA / China Atomic Energy Authority / IAEA

Full report: NucNet News No. 219, 23rd December 2004

Cameco Proceeds With Cigar Lake Uranium Mine Construction

The world's largest uranium producer, Cameco, has announced that construction is set to start at central Canada's Cigar Lake project, the second largest high-grade uranium deposit in the world.

Cameco operates Cigar Lake on behalf of a joint venture consisting of Cameco, COGEMA Resources (a subsidiary of AREVA), Idemitsu Uranium Exploration Canada and TEPCO Resources. On 20th December 2004, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) announced that it had approved a construction licence for Cigar Lake, about 660 kilometres north of Saskatoon.

"We are excited about bringing Cigar Lake uranium into an expanding market that reflects a renewed worldwide interest in nuclear energy," Jerry Grandey, Cameco's president and chief executive officer said in a statement on 21st December 2004. "After many years of waiting, we are now confident the long-term market fundamentals support our decision to invest in a large uranium development."

The statement said this market outlook is shared by a number of Cameco's international customers, who have entered into longer-term contracts with Cameco for a significant amount of future Cigar Lake production.

Cameco anticipates construction will begin early in 2005 and take approximately 27 months. Production could begin in 2007 followed by a ramp-up period of up to three years before the mine reaches full production of about 7,000 tonnes a year.

Source: Cameco

Full report: NucNet Business News No. 56, 22nd December 2004

Tarapur Units Could Rely On Indian MOX, Says Atomic Energy Chief

The head of India's Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) says that mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel has been tried successfully at the country's Tarapur nuclear power plant - and that India could provide its own MOX for the plant if necessary.

Anil Kakodkar, chairman of the AEC, told NucNet that MOX, which is already being produced in India, could be used at Tarapur's two operational boiling water reactor (BWR) units if low enriched uranium (LEU) - currently supplied by Russia - was no longer "made available".

Dr Kakodkar was responding to unconfirmed media reports that Russia might cease supplies of LEU for the first two units at Tarapur because of concerns raised by the Nuclear Suppliers Group - which sets guidelines concerning nuclear-related exports for participating governments. He said that in such a situation, India was "not vulnerable", and that the country's nuclear power industry was able to "satisfy all its needs" itself.

Tarapur is the site of India's first nuclear power plant, which opened in 1969. The construction of two new pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR) units started at Tarapur in 1998, next to the existing BWRs. Russia is contracted to supply low-enriched uranium fuel pellets for the Tarapur plant under IAEA safeguards and supplies natural uranium to India's Rajasthan nuclear power plant, also subject to IAEA safeguards.

Source: Anil Kakodkar

Full report: NucNet News No. 218, 22nd December 2004

Iran, Sweden, Kazakhstan Join IAEA Chief's Group Of Experts

The director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mohamed ElBaradei, has appointed three additional members

Dr ElBaradei announced the formation of the group - to consider non-proliferation issues such as the possibility of bringing parts of the nuclear fuel cycle under "multilateral control" - in June of this year. A former IAEA deputy director-general, Bruno Pellaud, chairs the group.

Source: IAEA

Full report: NucNet News in Brief No. 71, 21st December 2004

Temelin Operating Normally After Coolant Overflow Incident

Czech Republic utility CEZ says both units at its Temelin nuclear power plant are operating normally at full power and "all auxiliary systems are working in accordance with the operational needs of the units".

The statement, issued on 21st December 2004, followed an incident the previous day involving an overflow of reactor coolant.

CEZ spokesman Milan Nebesar said the incident happened during a routine operation as Temelin-2 was being brought up to full power. A measuring device proved defective in a tank designed to receive reactor coolant from unit two's primary circuit. This in turn led to an overflow of 20 cubic metres of water. However, the overflow water was drained into a designated tank via a sewerage system specially designed for such an eventuality.

Source: CEZ

Full report: NucNet News in Brief No. 71, 21st December 2004

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