8 news articles found
Conversion of Vietnam's only civilian research reactor to low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel has been completed, with the return of unused high-enriched (HEU) fuel to Russia. The Czech Republic is preparing to send spent HEU back to Russia under the same program.
- Source: World Nuclear News
- Date: Tuesday, 18 September 2007
- Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Vietnam-returns-HEU-fuel,-Czech-Republic-to-follow
The Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Reactor was built for a cost of $3 billion. The machine was unveiled today to an assembly of 400 nuclear fusion scientists, diplomats and guests by proud owners, South Korea's National Fusion Research Institute (NFRI), based at Daejon, 160 km south of Seoul. The project also involved the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (Kaeri) and the Pohang University of Science and Technology.
The fusion research reactor, which took 12 years to build, is the first in the world to feature a fully superconducting magnet system with a central solenoid, toroidal and poloidal field coils. It measures 8.6 m high, and 8.8 m in diameter.
NFRI President Jae In Shin said that KSTAR was the centrepiece of a government strategy to "vault the Korean research effort to the forefront of fusion science and technology."
Tokomak-design reactors like KSTAR use magnetism to contain a toroidal-shaped plasma at temperatures of up to 300 million degrees C. Despite this temperature it is necessary to cool superconducting magnets to -269 degrees C. Inside the plasma, a few grams of deuterium and tritium atoms are stripped to the nucleii, which fuse to release energy. It is hoped that this form of nuclear energy could one day be used to generate electricity, but maintaining a steady plasma has proven very difficult. KSTAR should be able to maintain a steady-state plasma for up to 300 seconds.
KSTAR is also the name for a four-to-five-year research program which uses the reactor facility. Commissioning begins immediately, first plasma at KSTAR is expected next year.
Besides this program, scientific results from KSTAR will contribute to the Iter project which has begun in France. Iter will be a huge 500 MWt tokamak, intended to be the proving ground for its successor, a prototype fusion power station already named Demo which researchers hope to begin constructing in 2025.
Further information
Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute
National Fusion Research Institute
Pohang University of Science and Technology
WNA's Nuclear Fusion Power information paper
WNN: Fusion project implementation agreed
- Source: World Nuclear News
- Date: Friday, 14 September 2007
- Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/KSTAR-unveiled
With several Southeast Asian countries looking at nuclear power to meet their energy needs, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) wants to ensure that nuclear material and technology is not used for non-peaceful purposes.
During a 29 July meeting in Manila, Philippines, foreign ministers from the ASEAN member states reviewed the implementation of the Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapons Free Zone (SEANWFZ) treaty and endorsed a five-year plan of action to strengthen it.
The ten members of ASEAN - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam - have all signed the regional non-proliferation treaty. However, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam - have yet to ratify their support for the accord.
Since 1997, a treaty creating the SEANWFZ has been in force in the region, limiting the use of nuclear energy by members to peaceful purposes, such as power generation. Under the treaty, ASEAN members may not develop or test nuclear weapons and pledge not to allow the storage or transport of those weapons within their territories. However, naval ships from countries such as the USA often pass through busy Southeast Asian shipping lanes, without confirmation whether the ships are carrying nuclear weapons.
Ahead of the Asian security summit this week, ASEAN said that the five nuclear powers that are permanent members of the UN Security Council (China, France, Russia, the UK and the USA) should sign a protocol to the treaty.
Alberto Romulo, Philippine foreign secretary, said that the bloc would seek the expertise of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as it considers any new restrictions. He said that the IAEA could also help ASEAN regulate the use of nuclear power in the region. "There are countries in Asia that are resorting to nuclear power for energy, for peaceful purposes and that's okay, but we want to ensure that it remains so," Romulo said. He added, "We want to ensure that whatever nuclear powers ASEAN countries have, the countries do not allow the export of certain materials which could lead to development of nuclear energy other than for peaceful purposes."
Malaysia will build a facility to monitor nuclear technology developments in Southeast Asia, according to a 14 July report by the country's national news agency, Bernama. Deputy prime minister Najib Tun Razak said that the 100 million Ringgit ($29 million) facility in Pahang state would be the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. Science, technology and innovations minister Jamaluddin Jarjis said the facility is expected to be completed in three years in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency. "Its main function is to ensure that nuclear energy use in the region is only for peaceful purposes and not for making weapons," said Jamaluddin.
ASEAN leaders signed the Cebu Declaration on Energy Security at the 12th ASEAN summit on 15 January 2007. This encouraged the use of biofuels, hydropower and nuclear power in order to reduce oil dependency and greenhouse gas emissions. The document encourages the use of technologies that can reduce carbon emissions compared to the existing generation mix.
Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam are all considering the construction of nuclear power plants in order to meet their rapidly increasing electricity demand.
In Indonesia, plans are to call tenders in 2008 for two 1000 MWe units, Muria 1 and 2, leading to decision in 2010 with construction starting soon after and commercial operation from 2016 and 2017. Muria units 3 and 4 will be built later, for operation from 2023. The government has said that it has $8 billion earmarked for four nuclear plants of total 6 GWe to be in operation by 2025.
Thailand's National Energy Policy Council commissioned a feasibility study for a nuclear power plant in the country, and among the options in the draft power development plan for 2007-2021 was the construction of 5000 MWe of nuclear generating capacity, starting up in 2020-21. In June 2007, the Energy Minister announced that the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) will proceed with plans to build a 4000 MWe nuclear power plant. Construction will commence in 2015, to operate from 2020.
In February 2006, the Vietnamese government announced that a 2000 MWe nuclear power plant would be on line by 2020. A feasibility study for this is due to be completed in 2008. Formal approval would then be required to open a bidding process with a view to construction starting in 2011 and commissioning in 2017. In March 2006, it was reported that South Korea had expressed interest in bidding for the project, and its Ministry of Science and Technology would draft a plan for long-term cooperation on nuclear energy. This was signed in November 2006.
Further information
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
WNA's Emerging Nuclear Energy Countries information paper
WNN: Southeast Asian plans for nuclear
WNN: ASEAN summit declares support for nuclear
- Source: World Nuclear News
- Date: Monday, 30 July 2007
- Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/ASEAN-tightens-nuclear-non-proliferation-treaty
On 26 April, 21 years ago, Ukraine's Chernobyl plant suffered the worst nuclear accident in history when a power runaway event wrecked reactor 4, leading to a hydrogen explosion that destroyed the reactor building and exposed the core of the ruined reactor.
Work on constructing two more RBMK 1000 units at the site came to an immediate halt, but the three remaining reactors continued to operate for some years, unit 2 was shut down in 1991, unit 1 in 1996 and unit 3 in 2000. Their contribution to Ukraine's electicity supply was only recently replaced by the start-up of Khmelnitsky 2 and Rovno 4 in late 2004.
Several major projects are underway at the contaminated site. Most important is the work to isolate the dangerous remains of unit 4 from the environment. Toward that end, a $1 billion international project will see a New Safe Confinement constructed over the decaying Object Shelter erected in the disaster's immediate aftermath by Soviet authorities. Groundwork is underway to prepare for the construction of a massive arch structure which will cover unit 4's reactor building and its section of the shared turbine hall.
At the other units, more conventional decommissioning activities are in progress. The first batch of dismantled equipment from the turbine hall of unit 1 was sent to the Kompleks waste handling facility at the start of April, over 30 months after work began. Only outdoor equipment has been dismantled so far, this providing a relatively simple introduction to the decommissioning of contaminated plant equipment. In addition, preliminary work has been done towards dismantling the insides of the turbine hall.
Around 10 t of equipment from unit 1 is shipped off site each day, and at that rate, work could be complete by 2020-2.
Meanwhile, defuelling - the first stage in the decommissioning of a nuclear power plant - is taking place at unit 3. After nuclear fuel assemblies have been left to cool in the reactor core for a few years, they can much more easily be removed for storage and eventual recycling or disposal. At unit 3, nine of the reactor's 1000 assemblies are removed by rail each day for interim storage at the nearby INF SF-1 dry storage facility. However, the facility does not have sufficient space to hold all the fuel, and some must be kept in buffer pools until a second store is constructed.
Defuelling of units 1 and 3 began in December 2005. Unit 1 was defuelled by the end of November 2005 while unit three should be defuelled by late June this year.
Further information
WNA's Nuclear Power in Ukraine information paper
WNA's Chernobyl Accident information paper
- Source: World Nuclear News
- Date: Thursday, 26 April 2007
- Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Decommissioning-at-Chernobyl
The keel was laid for the world's first floating nuclear power plant at the Sevmash shipyard on 15 April. The Akademik Lomonosov will house two 35 MW KLT-40S nuclear reactors, similar to those used in Russia's nuclear powered ice breakers, and two generators, and will be capable of supplying a city of 200,000 people.
- Source: World Nuclear News
- Date: Tuesday, 17 April 2007
- Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Russian-floating-reactor-construction-starts
[Summit Resources, 2 March] SummitResources has rejected Paladin Resources' A$1 billion ($792 million)hostile takeover bid, describing the offer as "opportunistic andinadequate." Summit's managing director, Alan Eggers, said that theoffer did not reflect the value of its uranium, base metal and ironprojects. Summit controls the Valhalla uranium deposit in northwestQueensland, with 26,000 tonnes U3O8 as indicated and inferredresources, but which is open and likely to increase. Another 11,500tonnes of resources nearby are also part of the Isa Uranium JointVenture. Last year Paladin bought a 50% interest in the joint venture,so the takeover bid would have brought several prospective propertiesunder Paladin’s full ownership. Eggers said, "We believe Paladin nowrecognises the inherent value of the Mount Isa uranium province, whichis one of the most prospective uranium provinces in the world today."He also noted that the offer came just two weeks before the AustralianLabor Party (ALP) is expected to change its 'no mines' policy.
- Source: World Nuclear News
- Date: Friday, 02 March 2007
- Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Summit-rejects-Paladin-takeover-offer
The law, entitled Law Concerning the Construction and Operation of Nuclear Power Plants and the Sale of Energy Generated from Nuclear Power Plants, would see a centralised nuclear planning regime established in Turkey.
Since the 1960s, various governments have asserted the desirability of nuclear power to reduce oil imports and suggested potential sites in the Sinop and Akkuyu provinces. Now, under President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the first attempt to legislate the need for nuclear energy is underway.
Energy Minister Hilmi Guler said on 22 January that in order to incentivise private companies to construct a nuclear power plant, "We are providing guarantees for 15 years of purchases: this is an important advantage."
He confidently added: "After the law passes in the coming months we'll be able to make our choices."
The draft law would see the companies holding electricity distribution licences required to purchase a certain proportion of their supply from new nuclear power plants for a period of 15 years. Other conditions of the law seek to ensure that the cost of the nuclear electricity generated would be below the current average wholesale electricity price, currently around 5.8c/kWh.
Criteria for choosing a constructor and operator for a new plant would be chosen by the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEK). Provisionally it is expected that the firm or consortium offering the lowest construction and operating cost on a per-kW basis averaged over the 15-year period would be chosen, and that prices offered in its bid would define the guaranteed price.
The Turkish Council of Ministers has the power to decide the siting and capacity of new nuclear projects, while the subsequent selection process will be carried out by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. TAEK would ensure nuclear safety as the nuclear regulator, although the draft law envisages the establishment of a new body to carry out that function in future.
On radioactive waste, Guler said: "We are establishing a fund that will automatically meet any needs."
Further information
OECD Nuclear Energy Agency: Nuclear power situation in Turkey
- Source: World Nuclear News
- Date: Thursday, 25 January 2007
- Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Turkey-plans-incentives-for-nuclear
The Cebu Declaration on Energy Security is a pact to reduce oil dependency and greenhouse gas emissions. The document encourages the use of technologies that can reduce carbon emissions compared to the existing generation mix.
The Declaration was signed on 15 January at the 12th ASEAN summit, which was made part of a larger South Asian summit by the inclusion of regional 'dialogue partners'. The ASEAN nations are: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam; while dialogue partners included Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.
Hosted in Cebu in the Philippines by the country's president, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the summit heard discussion on key regional projects like the ASEAN power grid and the trans-ASEAN gas pipeline. Ultimately the leaders would like to create an open energy market. Haruhiko Kuroda, chief of the Asian Development Bank, told the meeting that a regional trading bloc would increase competitiveness and help to improve economic conditions for the continent of Asia's 750 million poorest people.
Leaders stressed the importance of energy efficiency and agreed to monitor the security, environmental, health and safety aspects of the energy sector. Arroyo said that ASEAN nation officials would consider establishing a regional regime on nuclear safety.
Of the ASEAN nations, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam have expressed desires to employ nuclear energy. Indonesia has signed nuclear cooperation agreements with both Russia and South Korea, while it is discussing the deployment of 7000 MWe of nuclear capacity along its northern coast. According to Indonesian officials, a site in the Ujah Lemah Abang area of Central Java has been chosen for the first plant.
Among the ASEAN's regional partners, China, India, Japan and South Korea have all made significant use of nuclear energy a national policy, while Australia produces almost a quarter of the world's uranium supply.
Further information
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
WNA's Emerging Nuclear Energy Countries information paper
- Source: World Nuclear News
- Date: Monday, 15 January 2007
- Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/ASEAN-summit-declares-support-for-nuclear
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