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The South Korean government has approved the expansion of used fuel storage at the Wolsong nuclear power plant in Gyeongju after four years of delay Korean media reported.

Date: Tuesday, 25 August 2020
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newskorean-government-approves-used-fuel-storage-expansion-8100235

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The Wolsong nuclear power station in South Korea. Courtesy KHNP. South Korea said it is going ahead with plans to build additional storage for spent nuclear fuel at one of its nuclear power stations after local residents living around the facility gave consent.

The move came after the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held talks with people living near the Wolsong nuclear power station, about 370 km southeast of Seoul, from April to July.

An onsite dry storage facility has been in operation for the four Candu pressurised heavy water reactors at Wolsong. Dry storage in modular air-cooled canister storage (Macstor) modules is used for the fuel after six years of cooling in pools.

Seven Macstor modules with a capacity of 168,000 bundles were constructed in 2010. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power applied in April 2016 to add a further seven Macstor modules at Wolsong.

Date: Tuesday, 25 August 2020
Original article: nucnet.org/news/residents-approve-plans-for-additional-wolsong-storage-8-1-2020

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File photo of construction at the Angra-3 nuclear power plant in Brazil. Brazil will choose by the end of this year its partner to help finance the construction of the Angra-3 nuclear power plant, Mines and Energy Minister Bento Albuquerque said, adding that Chinese banks and the Brics Development Bank are possible alternatives.

Speaking in an online interview with magazine Interesse Nacional, Mr Albuquerque also said the government will soon announce an executive decree to minimise the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the energy sector.

In June it was reported that Brazil had approved a business model to complete Angra-3 with or without a partner joining Eletronuclear, the Eletrobras subsidiary that operates the country’s nuclear reactors.

Eletronuclear president Leonam Guimaraes said earlier this year that Brazil wanted to find a partner by 2023 to help finish and operate Angra-3, with companies in China, Russia, France and South Korea among possible candidates. He said lower demand for electricity and a fall in the value of the Brazilian real during the coronavirus crisis could push completion of Angra-3 into 2027,

Date: Tuesday, 25 August 2020
Original article: nucnet.org/news/brazil-plans-to-choose-partner-by-end-of-year-says-minister-8-1-2020

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In order to secure the economic and security benefits of a true 'all-of-the-above' energy agenda, the United States must be at the forefront of nuclear innovation, writes Dan Brouillette. The following is the US secretary of energy's 21 August blog for the Department of Energy (DOE).

Date: Tuesday, 25 August 2020
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Viewpoint-You-cant-have-true-energy-independence

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Holtec International's SMR-160 reactor has completed the first phase of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)'s vendor design review (VDR) process. The company plans to begin the second phase of the voluntary pre-licensing review in the near future.

Date: Tuesday, 25 August 2020
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/SMR-160-completes-first-phase-of-Canadian-review

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International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi will travel to Tehran today, his first trip to Iran since he took office last December. During his discussions there, Grossi will address Iran's cooperation with the Vienna-headquartered agency, and "in particular Iran’s provision of access to the Agency’s inspectors to requested locations", the IAEA said.

Date: Tuesday, 25 August 2020
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Grossi-to-discuss-nuclear-site-access-in-Iran

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The Belarus nuclear power station, where the first unit is scheduled to begin commercial operation next year. Photo courtesy Rosatom. The first loading of nuclear fuel has been completed at the Belarusian-1 nuclear power plant near Ostrovets in western Belarus.

State news agency Belta quoted the ministry of energy’s press secretary, Olga Kozlovich, as saying 163 fuel assemblies were loaded into the reactor and “physical startup operations are now underway”.

The reactor will be brought to its minimum controlled power level so further tests can be carried out alongside a gradual increase in the power level.

Date: Saturday, 22 August 2020
Original article: nucnet.org/news/fuel-loading-complete-at-country-s-first-commercial-reactor-8-5-2020

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Two-unit nuclear station could be first in Central Asia Engineering and geological work has begun at a site near Lake Tuzkan in Jizzakh province, west of the capital Tashkent. Uzbekistan is not yet ready to sign a contract with Russia for the construction of a nuclear power plant in the republic, but details of the agreement have almost been finalised, deputy energy minister Sherzod Khojaev was quoted as saying.

According to press reports, Mr Khojaev said “we are at the finish line” with discussions on all the details of the contract, but “are not yet ready for signing”.

He said the two the parties are working out technical and financial details so that the contract is concluded on mutually beneficial terms and “without discrepancies”.

Mr Khojaev said the authorities of both countries have not set strict deadlines for signing the agreement. “At some moments it is better to do it a little later, but on much more attractive conditions,” he said. “Right now is just such a moment.”

Date: Saturday, 22 August 2020
Original article: nucnet.org/news/country-not-yet-ready-to-sign-russia-contract-but-discussions-almost-complete-8-5-2020

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The UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has launched a public consultation on its Draft Strategy, Cleaning up the UK's earliest nuclear sites, caring for people and the environment. Its strategy is a requirement of the Energy Act, covers 100+ years, is published every five years and includes a public consultation period of 12 weeks. The latest consultation ends on 8 November.

Date: Saturday, 22 August 2020
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/UK-invites-comment-on-decommissioning-strategy

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The foreign ministers of the UK, France and Germany - the E3 - have issued a statement in response to the US administration's letter to the UN Security Council yesterday, requesting to initiate the 'snapback' mechanism of the Iran nuclear deal signed five years ago. This mechanism allows a party to the agreement - the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) - to seek the re-imposition against Iran of the multilateral sanctions lifted in 2015 in accordance with resolution 2231, adopted by the UN Security Council.

Date: Saturday, 22 August 2020
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/E3-respond-to-snapback-request-on-Iran-agreement

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