Nuclear Conversion And Processing

Thorium Power Provides Update On Talks With Poland
9 February 2007

CCNMATTHEWS (MCLEAN)— Thorium Power Ltd. announced 9 February 2007 that discussions are currently underway with senior Polish government officials and representatives from the Swierk Institute of Atomic Energy in Warsaw regarding the development of nuclear power infrastructure in Poland. Over the past quarter, a regular series of meetings have been held between Thorium power delegates and the Polish government. and discussions continue to advance in a most positive manner. Thorium Power is a leading developer of low waste, non-proliferative nuclear fuel processing technology.

Poland has formally submitted its 2007 budget to the European Union. The budget includes a request of 95 million Euros ($123 million) over a six-year period specifically for the development of nuclear infrastructure. The scope of the projects include vetting light-water reactors for the generation of electricity, and high-temperature reactors for the generation of electricity and process heat for the gasification of coal and conversion of coal into liquid. The Thorium delegates and the Polish government representatives are giving particular attention to incorporating thorium-based fuels in their light water and high temperature reactor programs. The project also provides for the development of research reactors and expansion of the country's nuclear research facilities.
Source: http://www.ccnmatthews.com/news/releases/show.jsp?action=showRelease&searchText=false&showText=all&actionFor=634888

Source Reliability: 7.5

-Ian

Nuclear Waste Storage

Nuclear Storage: Ready, Willing, Able, And Undecided
6 February 2007

ROYAL SOCIETY OF CHEMISTRY (UNITED KINGDOM) -- An expert report into the UK's long term nuclear waste storage plans has concluded there are no insurmountable technical barriers to storing nuclear waste deep underground. But the report urges government policy makers to keep the public informed about their plans.

By the summer of 2007, the government hopes to unveil a report explaining how suitable storage sites can be selected. From the granite or crystalline rocks found in Scotland to the clays found through the Midlands and East of England, between a third and two-thirds of the UK is geologically suitable for storing waste some 300-1000 metres deep, Alan Hooper of Nirex UK told reporters at a press conference.

Another question facing the government is whether any repository should stay open for a time - allowing waste to be monitored and perhaps retrieved - or whether it should be instantly sealed. The scientific consensus was that sealing immediately was probably safer, said David Read of the University of Aberdeen.

Wherever nuclear waste ends up being buried, getting public consent will be just as important, experts warned. Even if the process went without a hitch from now on, it would take at least twenty years to complete, said Read.
Source: www.rsc.org

Source Reliability: 8

-Josh

Fuel Fabrication

Removal Of Damaged Fuel Completed At Paks
30 January 2007

WNN (PAKS) — TVEL removed some 30 damaged nuclear fuel rods from a washing tank at Paks 2. The undamaged reactor restarted on 30 December 2006. On 10 April 2003 water circulation in a nuclear fuel washing well was inadequate causing a Level 3 incident on the International Nuclear Events Scale. Highly radioactive material accumulated on the floor of the well as 30 nuclear fuel rods suffered damage from overheating. In remarks reported by Nuclear.Ru, Istvan Kovacs, director general of MVM, part owners of the plant, said he had personally insisted on choosing the bid from Russia's TVEL to complete the removal ahead of the other bidder, Areva NP, who had manufactured the original washing equipment when known as Framatome ANP. Kovacs said: "All fuel fragments and pellets have been removed, placed in special tubes and transferred to the hold-up pool." The recovery operation should be complete by March after the decontamination and removal of the tank, and the decontamination of washing well 2. Source: www.world-nuclear-news.org

Source Reliability: 8

Comment: The Paks Nuclear Power Plant is the only operating nuclear power station
in Hungary. The plant’s four reactors produce more than 40 percent of the electrical power generated in the country.

-Kelly

Fuel Fabrication

Appeals Rejected Against PBMR Fuel Plant
30 January 2007

WNN (KOEBERG) — South Africa's Minister for Environmental Affairs and Tourism, has rejected appeals against a pilot plant at Pelindaba to manufacture fuel for Eskom's planned pebble-bed modular reactor (PBMR) at Koeberg. Marthinus van Schalkwyk released his Record of Decision (RoD) on 26 January. He said that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) complied with the necessary requirements and that the plant would not have a “significant detrimental impact on the environment.” The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) had received a total of 27 appeals from various organizations and individuals. The appellants were, among other things, dissatisfied with the EIA process, opposed to the consequences of long-term storage of high-level radioactive waste and contaminated materials, as well as the environmental impacts associated with the pilot fuel plant in terms of radiological safety and accident scenarios, such as graphite fires and health impacts. Source: www.world-nuclear-news.org

Source Reliability: 8

Comment: The Pelindaba Nuclear Research Center is home to the South African nuclear weapons program and the Atomic Energy Board site, which includes the Safari-1 research reactor, a hot cell complex, a waste disposal site, and conversion and fuel fabrication facilities.

-Kelly

Nuclear Research Reactors

£20m For Nuclear Research Centre
26 January 2007

THE ENGINEER ONLINE (LONDON) -- The University of Manchester’s Dalton Nuclear Institute and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) are establishing a major new nuclear research facility in West Cumbria, England, according to a collaboration agreement that calls for each organisation to invest USD 20 million over a seven-year period. The new lab will be equipped with specialized equipment that will drive research into radiation sciences and engineering decommissioning. The new facility, which will form part of the UK Government's recently announced National Nuclear Laboratory, will be located at Westlakes Science and Technology Park, near Whitehaven. The lab will have close links with the existing British Technology Center (BTC) at Sellafield, which is managed by Nexia Solutions.
Source: The Engineer Online

Source Reliability: 8

Comment: The BBC provides a fuller discussion of Nexia Solutions and the UK effort to develop a national laboratory system in this article. BBC Online

- Pat

Nuclear Power Reactors

Alerts Shut 4 Swedish Nuke Plants
3 February 2007

REUTERS (STOCKHOLM) - Four out of Sweden's 10 nuclear reactors were off-line on Saturday 3 February 2007 because of safety worries, capping a difficult week for the Nordic country's nuclear industry. State owned power group Vattenfall shut down Forsmark reactors 1 and 2 after it detected a problem in a rubber seal on the outer wall of one of the reactors. Earlier this week Vattenfall shut down the Ringhals 3 reactor to check and adjust instruments after some anomalous readings. Its sister reactor, Ringhals 1, has been off-line since Monday after a problem with its cooling system. Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/02/03/nuclear.sweden.reut/

Source Reliability: 9

Comment: Sweden relies on nuclear power for around half of its energy. The Ringhals nuclear power plant is the largest in Sweden and accounts for roughly 20 percent of Sweden's electricity production. The Forsmark nuclear power plant accounts for roughly a sixth of Sweden’s electricity production.

-Ryan