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A maintenance and refuelling outage is under way at the Krško Nuclear Power Plant in Slovenia, operating company NEK has announced. All overhaul works, involving some 45,000 activities, is expected to last a month, are managed and supervised by NEK employees in cooperation with external contractors from Slovenia and Croatia and contractors of specific works in the nuclear industry from the international environment, NEK said. More than 2,100 people enter the plant every day and more than 1,500 people work there during peak hours.

Source: NEI Magazine
Date: Saturday, 15 October 2022
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsslovenias-krko-npp-undergoes-upgrade-iaea-assesses-emergency-preparedness-10085865

An Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has concluded a 13-day mission to Argentina. The IRRS team reviewed all regulatory functions and responsibilities of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARN) against international safety standards and concluded that the regulator had demonstrated a long-standing commitment to enhancing and promoting nuclear safety. The team also recommended areas where improvements can be made. The mission was conducted at the request of the Government of Argentina and hosted by ARN.

Source: NEI Magazine
Date: Friday, 16 September 2022
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsiaea-mission-reviews-nuclear-regulation-in-argentina-10009986

The completion of remediation works at the former uranium legacy sites in Shekaftar and Min-Kush, in the Kyrgyz Republic, “brings a major environmental benefit for Central Asia’s most populous region and secures the sustainability of the sites for years to come,” the European Bank forReconstruction and Development (EBRD) said on 28 March.

Source: NEI Magazine
Date: Friday, 01 April 2022
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsuranium-legacy-sites-remediated-in-kyrgyz-republic-9591829

Spain’s Council of Ministers has approved a Royal Decree-Law to fulfil a commitment made by President Pedro Sanchez to maintain the final electricity bill for consumers in 2021 at the same level as in 2018. The measure will reduce the monthly bill by 22% until the end of the year or 30% if a recent VAT reduction from 21% to 10% is included.

Source: NEI Magazine
Date: Wednesday, 22 September 2021
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsspains-economic-support-measures-cause-concern-to-nuclear-industry-9095609

The Almaraz nuclear power station in Spain. Courtesy CSN. Spain’s fleet of seven commercial nuclear power plants and other radioactive facilities operated safely and guaranteed the radiological protection of workers, the population and the environment in 2020 despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the country’s nuclear regulator said.

The Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) said in its annual report (Spanish only) to the Congress of Deputies and the Senate, that the implementation of prevention and contingency plans in relation to the pandemic enabled the correct functioning of nuclear facilities.

CSN president Josep Maria Serena i Sender said 2020 had been “an exceptionally difficult year”, but on 14 March, the day Spain declared a pandemic emergency, the organisation began “a rapid digital transformation” that allowed it to continue carrying out its mission, with 85% of its staff working remotely.

Spain has decided to phase out its fleet of commercial nuclear reactors by 2035, but a May 2021 International Energy Agency report warned this might not be straightforward.

Source: Nucnet
Date: Saturday, 21 August 2021
Original article: nucnet.org/news/nuclear-fleet-operated-safely-in-2020-despite-pandemic-8-5-2021

In its latest Energy Policy Review of Spain released on 26 May, the International Energy Agency (IEA) says Spain has made considerable progress towards its goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050, but future gains need to be supported by stable policies, adequate public financing and incentives for private investment.

Source: NEI Magazine
Date: Friday, 28 May 2021
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsiea-report-on-spain-says-nuclear-phase-out-bears-watching-8773076

In a review of Spain's energy policy, the International Energy Agency (IEA) says the country should consider the usefulness of nuclear energy, including for non-electricity applications, for diversifying technical options to achieve long-term carbon neutrality by 2050. Under Spain's current policy, operation of its fleet of seven nuclear power reactors will be phased out by 2035. The country aims to generate all of its electricity from renewable sources by 2050.

Source: World Nuclear News
Date: Friday, 28 May 2021
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Nuclear-could-help-Spain-reach-net-zero-goal-says

Industry group says solutions needed to reduce excessive tax burden on reactor operators Ignacio Araluce: Access to funding is more complex for nuclear than other energy sources. Courtesy Foro Nuclear. The head of Spain’s nuclear industry group Foro Nuclear has renewed his call for federal government to reduce the “suffocating” fiscal pressure on the country’s fleet of seven commercial nuclear power reactors.

Ignacio Araluce said in Foro Nuclear’s annual report for 2020 that solutions are needed to reduce the excessive tax burden on the fleet, which generated 22.18% of the country’s electricity last year, making nuclear the primary source of production.

Mr Araluce said earlier this year that commercial nuclear power is being penalised with access to funding sources more complicated than for other clean energy sources.

Speaking at a webinar organised by the Madrid-based group, Mr Araluce said “we need to ensure that [nuclear energy’s] contribution to the fight against climate change is valued in accessing better financing conditions and reducing the tax burden it bears”.

Source: Nucnet
Date: Thursday, 27 May 2021
Original article: nucnet.org/news/foro-nuclear-president-renews-call-for-reduction-in-suffocating-fiscal-pressure-5-5-2021

Country’s reactor fleet has been ‘excellent’ and shutdowns could hit security of supply The Vandellos nuclear plant in Spain is due for closure in February 2035. Courtesy Foro Nuclear. Spain should not rule out nuclear energy as an option beyond 2050 with reactor technology having “great potential” to contribute to decarbonisation through high-temperature heat supply and hydrogen production, a report by the International Energy Agency says.

The report warns that “given the great challenge” for achieving carbon neutrality in 2050, the high level of nuclear technology infrastructure and skilled professionals in Spain could be used for developing and implementing long-term energy strategies including using nuclear to contribute to the decarbonisation of the electricity system and hard-to-abate sectors such as manufacturing and transport

Spain has decided to phase out its fleet of seven commercial nuclear reactors by 2035, but the report warns this might not be straightforward.

It says the government needs to closely monitor the financial situation of its “excellent” reactor fleet to prevent any unforeseen or sudden final shutdowns that could significantly deteriorate the security of electricity supply.

The phaseout of low-carbon nuclear, along with a planned phaseout of coal plants, means natural gas combined-cycle plants will be crucial to balancing out a power system that is heavily dependent on variable renewables once coal and nuclear have left the market.

Source: Nucnet
Date: Thursday, 27 May 2021
Original article: nucnet.org/news/iea-says-madrid-should-not-rule-out-long-term-use-of-nuclear-technology-5-3-2021

The Almaraz nuclear power station in Spain has two reactors in commercial operation. Courtesy CSN. A revision of taxes and levies on nuclear generation is needed in Spain if the government is to meet the challenge of climate change, the industry group Foro Nuclear said.

Nuclear power leads electricity production in Spain with a share of over 22% in 2020. But Foro Nuclear said the industry’s financial results have been reduced to the point where some years it has operated with losses, mainly due to the excessive tax burden it endures.

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the average price of electricity in the wholesale market fell in 2020. At the same time, taxes applied to electricity production from nuclear sources increased, with a new tax in Catalonia and the extension to all nuclear power plants of a tax that finances response services provided by state security forces.

The rate of contributions to national radioactive waste management company Enresa has also increased, from €6.69/MWh to €7.98/MWh, Foro Nuclear said. This is for the management of irradiated fuel and other radioactive waste products and for the future decommissioning of nuclear power plants.

Source: Nucnet
Date: Friday, 12 February 2021
Original article: nucnet.org/news/industry-group-calls-for-reduction-in-nuclear-sector-s-tax-burden-2-4-2021