http://english.sina.com/world/2008/1201/201790.html
2008-12-01 14:41:35 GMT2008-12-01 22:41:35 (Beijing Time) Xinhua English
BRUSSELS, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) members on Monday called for reinforced training in nuclear fields so as to preserve a sound nuclear knowledge base.
EU industry ministers, who are meeting in Brussels, warned that there is a real risk of losing nuclear knowledge for the EU, as numerous retirements in the nuclear field will be seen in a short term.
The ministers called to reinforce training in nuclear fields and remove administrative impediments to the free movement of nuclear experts.
They also asked for more coordination in nuclear education and training in Europe on the basis of the European Nuclear Education Network and underlined the need to reinforce the teaching of mathematics, physics and chemistry at each level so that nuclear-related education can have a solid basis.
The ministers said that appropriate conditions must be created for mutual recognition of nuclear professional qualifications throughout the EU.
They also encouraged EU member states and the European Commission to establish a review mechanism for professional qualifications and skills in the nuclear field.
"For obvious safety reasons, the existence of a knowledge base is indispensable to the improvement of the whole nuclear power cycle," the ministers said in a statement.
Almost one third of EU's electricity is supplied by some 152 nuclear reactors currently.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Poland aims for nuclear power plant by 2020: PM
Coal-dependent Poland could build a nuclear power station on its territory by 2020, in a drive to switch to a cheap and clean energy source, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Monday.
"Poland wants to make a rapid decision on building a nuclear power plant," Tusk said on the sidelines of a UN climate conference in the western city of Poznan.
The "ambitious and absolutely realistic" goal could be achieved by 2020, he said, adding: "Nuclear energy really is cheap and clean."
Unlike several east European countries that have joined the European Union since 2004, Poland does not have a nuclear power station. A communist-era project was mothballed in the 1980s.
Poland has already chosen a nuclear option off its territory, however, by signing on to a four-nation project to build a power plant in neighbouring Lithuania.
The plan, which also involves Latvia and Estonia, is to replace a Soviet-era nuclear plant in Lithuania which that country pledged to close by 2010 as a condition for joining the EU.
Poland currently derives 94 percent of its energy from coal-fired power plants.
Each year Poland chokes out almost twice the EU average in carbon dioxide, by far the main culprit among the greenhouses gases that contribute to global warming.
But with more than a century's worth of reserves, experts predict coal will remain Poland's dominant energy source for years.
Poland has no other fossil fuels to speak of and lacks the necessary conditions to take a large-scale jump into renewable energy sources such as wind farms or hydro-electric plants, officials say.
(Source: SpaceDaily)
"Poland wants to make a rapid decision on building a nuclear power plant," Tusk said on the sidelines of a UN climate conference in the western city of Poznan.
The "ambitious and absolutely realistic" goal could be achieved by 2020, he said, adding: "Nuclear energy really is cheap and clean."
Unlike several east European countries that have joined the European Union since 2004, Poland does not have a nuclear power station. A communist-era project was mothballed in the 1980s.
Poland has already chosen a nuclear option off its territory, however, by signing on to a four-nation project to build a power plant in neighbouring Lithuania.
The plan, which also involves Latvia and Estonia, is to replace a Soviet-era nuclear plant in Lithuania which that country pledged to close by 2010 as a condition for joining the EU.
Poland currently derives 94 percent of its energy from coal-fired power plants.
Each year Poland chokes out almost twice the EU average in carbon dioxide, by far the main culprit among the greenhouses gases that contribute to global warming.
But with more than a century's worth of reserves, experts predict coal will remain Poland's dominant energy source for years.
Poland has no other fossil fuels to speak of and lacks the necessary conditions to take a large-scale jump into renewable energy sources such as wind farms or hydro-electric plants, officials say.
(Source: SpaceDaily)
IAEA monitors safety of Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant
The International Atomic Energy Organization (IAEA) representative to Iran Christer Viktorsson said on Sunday that IAEA monitors the safety of Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant, in Iran's southern Bushehr province, the official IRNA news agency reported.
"Cooperation between IAEA and Iran on the security and safety of Bushehr nuclear power plant is in line with existing protocols and agreements," IRNA quoted Viktorsson as saying, adding that "Iran is now fully cooperating with IAEA to maintain safety of Bushehr nuclear power plant."
He made the remarks in the First International Seminar on Nuclear Power Plant, Environment and Sustainable Development which was opened in Tehran Sunday morning in the presence of Iranian Parliament (Majlis) Speaker Ali Larijani.
Referring to IAEA's due obligations, he added that "IAEA renders any services to meet safety demands during setting up of new nuclear power plants," and technical points should be observed by the countries in the construction of the nuclear power plants.
The Bushehr nuclear power plant is Iran's first nuclear power plant. It originally started in the mid-1970s by Siemens of Germany but abandoned with the outbreak of the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Iran and Russia, after reached the agreement on nuclear cooperation in 1992, signed a contract in January 1995 to finish the construction of the plant.
However, completion of the plant has been repeatedly delayed. The construction of the plant is at its last stages and Russians have promised to complete it in 2009, according to the Iranian media.
Source: ChinaView
"Cooperation between IAEA and Iran on the security and safety of Bushehr nuclear power plant is in line with existing protocols and agreements," IRNA quoted Viktorsson as saying, adding that "Iran is now fully cooperating with IAEA to maintain safety of Bushehr nuclear power plant."
He made the remarks in the First International Seminar on Nuclear Power Plant, Environment and Sustainable Development which was opened in Tehran Sunday morning in the presence of Iranian Parliament (Majlis) Speaker Ali Larijani.
Referring to IAEA's due obligations, he added that "IAEA renders any services to meet safety demands during setting up of new nuclear power plants," and technical points should be observed by the countries in the construction of the nuclear power plants.
The Bushehr nuclear power plant is Iran's first nuclear power plant. It originally started in the mid-1970s by Siemens of Germany but abandoned with the outbreak of the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Iran and Russia, after reached the agreement on nuclear cooperation in 1992, signed a contract in January 1995 to finish the construction of the plant.
However, completion of the plant has been repeatedly delayed. The construction of the plant is at its last stages and Russians have promised to complete it in 2009, according to the Iranian media.
Source: ChinaView
S.Korea to join Jordan nuclear power projects
South Korea signed a cooperation agreement with Jordan to participate in Jordanian infrastructure projects including building nuclear power generators, state-run Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO) said on Monday.
Jordan plans to build several nuclear power plants to raise the portion of nuclear power to 30 percent of its total power generation by 2040.
The resource-scarce Middle Eastern country also plans to spend about $5 billion over the next decade to build a waterway between the Dead and the Red seas.
"The Jordanian government wished to cooperate with South Korea for the projects as (South Korean companies) have competitive skills in these areas," KEPCO said in a statement.
South Korea has around 20 nuclear power plants that account for about half of the country's power generation.
(Source: Reuters)
Jordan plans to build several nuclear power plants to raise the portion of nuclear power to 30 percent of its total power generation by 2040.
The resource-scarce Middle Eastern country also plans to spend about $5 billion over the next decade to build a waterway between the Dead and the Red seas.
"The Jordanian government wished to cooperate with South Korea for the projects as (South Korean companies) have competitive skills in these areas," KEPCO said in a statement.
South Korea has around 20 nuclear power plants that account for about half of the country's power generation.
(Source: Reuters)
Iran proposes joint nuclear plants with Gulf states
Iran on Sunday proposed developing nuclear power plants jointly with neighbouring Arab states in the Gulf, amid international pressure on Tehran to halt its sensitive atomic work.
"I suggest that countries in the region put on their agenda the creation of a consortium to build and develop light-water nuclear plants," said Gholam Reza Aghazadeh, the head of Iran's atomic energy organisation.
"Iran is ready to present a comprehensive proposal if the Persian Gulf countries agree to it in principal," he told an energy conference in Tehran.
However, he did not give any specifics about the proposal, or its feasibility.
Iran has long defied UN demands to halt uranium enrichment and it is under sanctions targetting individuals and institutions involved in its nuclear programme.
The light-water reactor market is dominated by Western countries and Russia, which is currently building Iran's first nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr on the Gulf.
However, completion of the plant has been repeatedly delayed.
Officials say Iran's first home-built nuclear plant using domestic technology is at the basic design stage and is scheduled to come on line in around nine years.
The Islamic republic is also building a 40-megawatt heavy water research reactor in Arak, in central Iran.
Uranium enrichment lies at the centre of fears about Iran's nuclear programme as the process can be used to make the fissile core of an atom bomb.
Iran, OPEC's second largest oil exporter, insists it only wants to enrich uranium to make nuclear fuel to meet the growing energy demands of its population.
Tehran has not responded to a proposal by world powers offering Iran incentives including help with peaceful nuclear technology and a light water reactor in return for suspending enrichment.
(Source: AFP)
"I suggest that countries in the region put on their agenda the creation of a consortium to build and develop light-water nuclear plants," said Gholam Reza Aghazadeh, the head of Iran's atomic energy organisation.
"Iran is ready to present a comprehensive proposal if the Persian Gulf countries agree to it in principal," he told an energy conference in Tehran.
However, he did not give any specifics about the proposal, or its feasibility.
Iran has long defied UN demands to halt uranium enrichment and it is under sanctions targetting individuals and institutions involved in its nuclear programme.
The light-water reactor market is dominated by Western countries and Russia, which is currently building Iran's first nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr on the Gulf.
However, completion of the plant has been repeatedly delayed.
Officials say Iran's first home-built nuclear plant using domestic technology is at the basic design stage and is scheduled to come on line in around nine years.
The Islamic republic is also building a 40-megawatt heavy water research reactor in Arak, in central Iran.
Uranium enrichment lies at the centre of fears about Iran's nuclear programme as the process can be used to make the fissile core of an atom bomb.
Iran, OPEC's second largest oil exporter, insists it only wants to enrich uranium to make nuclear fuel to meet the growing energy demands of its population.
Tehran has not responded to a proposal by world powers offering Iran incentives including help with peaceful nuclear technology and a light water reactor in return for suspending enrichment.
(Source: AFP)
US nuclear renaissance explained
The 2008 issue of the Energy Bar Association's Energy Law Journal contains an excellent article on the US nuclear renaissance.
This current and comprehensive (100 pages with 683 footnotes) article provides good background on the US new nuclear activity.
The author is Roland M. Frye, Jr. (a Senior Attorney at the NRC) with input from David B. Matthews (Director, Division of New Reactor Licensing at the NRC).
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Nuclear less risky than renewables, UK government told
The UK's renewable energy targets could prove both costly and risky, and nuclear energy is the most reliable viable low-carbon alternative, according to the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee.
The committee's report - entitled The Economics of Renewable Energy - acknowledges government commitments to increase renewable energy use, but is sceptical as to whether the target of 15% renewables for the UK by 2020, proposed by the European Union (EU), can be met. It also warns that an over-reliance on intermittment power generation options, such as wind energy, could prove both costly and risky in terms of security of supply.
Scope for significant increases in hydroelectricity, domestically produced biomass and solar energy - the most reliable renewable sources - is limited in the UK, the report notes. This leaves wind turbines, which only operate when the wind is blowing, as the chief way in which the country's renewable share can be increased. The committee warns that meeting the government's own targets is likely to result in a dependence on intermittent renewables for electricity generation at a level unprecedented in Europe. "Wind generation should be viewed largely as additional capacity to that which will need to be provided, in any event, by more reliable means," the report finds, noting that it should be seen as supplementary to, rather than a substitute for, the coal and nuclear plants that are due to be replaced by 2020.
What is more, renewables will not be cheap, the report finds, with the evidence suggesting that the full costs of wind energy, although declining over time, remain significantly higher than those of conventional or nuclear generation. Under current policies, renewables would need to grow from their current 5-6% to 30-40% to meet the 2020 targets. The higher costs associated with renewable generation, in comparison to conventional or nuclear, would raise electricity generation and transmission costs by £6.8 billion ($10.5 billion) per year, a 38% increase that would have to be met by UK consumers.
The cost of nuclear power is little affected by the oil price or by the cost of carbon, by virtue of nuclear plants' very low emissions, the report noted, and found that "all the cost estimates" showed nuclear to be cheaper than renewable energy. "We cannot consider renewable energy in isolation from the rest of the UK energy system and we support measures to include nuclear plants as an essential element of the UK's energy mix," the report stated.
Committee chairman Lord Vallance, commenting on the report, said that although the government must take steps to reduce carbon emissions, the dash to meet the 2020 targets risked drawing attention and investment away from cheaper and more reliable low carbon generation such as nuclear and potentially fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage. "The government should not allow its pursuit of the immediate 2020 target to take its eye off the longer term", he warned.
The UK's Climate Change Act, which sets legally binding targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions including a carbon dioxide reduction of at least 26% by 2020, against a 1990 baseline, became law on 26 November.
(Source: World Nuclear News)
The committee's report - entitled The Economics of Renewable Energy - acknowledges government commitments to increase renewable energy use, but is sceptical as to whether the target of 15% renewables for the UK by 2020, proposed by the European Union (EU), can be met. It also warns that an over-reliance on intermittment power generation options, such as wind energy, could prove both costly and risky in terms of security of supply.
Scope for significant increases in hydroelectricity, domestically produced biomass and solar energy - the most reliable renewable sources - is limited in the UK, the report notes. This leaves wind turbines, which only operate when the wind is blowing, as the chief way in which the country's renewable share can be increased. The committee warns that meeting the government's own targets is likely to result in a dependence on intermittent renewables for electricity generation at a level unprecedented in Europe. "Wind generation should be viewed largely as additional capacity to that which will need to be provided, in any event, by more reliable means," the report finds, noting that it should be seen as supplementary to, rather than a substitute for, the coal and nuclear plants that are due to be replaced by 2020.
What is more, renewables will not be cheap, the report finds, with the evidence suggesting that the full costs of wind energy, although declining over time, remain significantly higher than those of conventional or nuclear generation. Under current policies, renewables would need to grow from their current 5-6% to 30-40% to meet the 2020 targets. The higher costs associated with renewable generation, in comparison to conventional or nuclear, would raise electricity generation and transmission costs by £6.8 billion ($10.5 billion) per year, a 38% increase that would have to be met by UK consumers.
The cost of nuclear power is little affected by the oil price or by the cost of carbon, by virtue of nuclear plants' very low emissions, the report noted, and found that "all the cost estimates" showed nuclear to be cheaper than renewable energy. "We cannot consider renewable energy in isolation from the rest of the UK energy system and we support measures to include nuclear plants as an essential element of the UK's energy mix," the report stated.
Committee chairman Lord Vallance, commenting on the report, said that although the government must take steps to reduce carbon emissions, the dash to meet the 2020 targets risked drawing attention and investment away from cheaper and more reliable low carbon generation such as nuclear and potentially fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage. "The government should not allow its pursuit of the immediate 2020 target to take its eye off the longer term", he warned.
The UK's Climate Change Act, which sets legally binding targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions including a carbon dioxide reduction of at least 26% by 2020, against a 1990 baseline, became law on 26 November.
(Source: World Nuclear News)
Friday, November 28, 2008
EU's Rehn sees "prominent" role for nuclear power
Nuclear power will play a key role in helping the European Union cut its dependence on fossil fuels and secure future energy supplies, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said on Friday.
"Nuclear energy will have a prominent role in leading the EU towards a low-carbon society," Rehn said in the text of a speech at a conference in the Finnish city of Turku.
"The role of nuclear energy will be essential to strengthen the Union's energy security after 2020," he said.
Ambitious EU plans to cut carbon dioxide emissions by a fifth by 2020 have brought nuclear power back into fashion, also boosted by predictions of soaring fossil fuel prices.
But it has been a source of friction in the 27-nation bloc ever since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, with France heavily reliant on the technology but neighbouring Germany and nearby Austria still staunchly opposed.
In Finland, Rehn's home country, work is ongoing on a fifth nuclear reactor and the government earlier this month flagged the possible need for more nuclear power.
Rehn said that while laudable, the EU's emissions targets were still not enough to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels.
"EU energy policy cannot perform miracles ... Even after the implementation of the climate and energy policies, the EU's net imports of fossil fuels are still expected to stay roughly at today's levels," he said.
(Source: ForexPros.com)
"Nuclear energy will have a prominent role in leading the EU towards a low-carbon society," Rehn said in the text of a speech at a conference in the Finnish city of Turku.
"The role of nuclear energy will be essential to strengthen the Union's energy security after 2020," he said.
Ambitious EU plans to cut carbon dioxide emissions by a fifth by 2020 have brought nuclear power back into fashion, also boosted by predictions of soaring fossil fuel prices.
But it has been a source of friction in the 27-nation bloc ever since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, with France heavily reliant on the technology but neighbouring Germany and nearby Austria still staunchly opposed.
In Finland, Rehn's home country, work is ongoing on a fifth nuclear reactor and the government earlier this month flagged the possible need for more nuclear power.
Rehn said that while laudable, the EU's emissions targets were still not enough to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels.
"EU energy policy cannot perform miracles ... Even after the implementation of the climate and energy policies, the EU's net imports of fossil fuels are still expected to stay roughly at today's levels," he said.
(Source: ForexPros.com)
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa restoration work progresses
Work to bring the reactors of Tokyo Electric Power Co's (Tepco's) Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant back into operation is progressing. All seven reactors at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa have stood idle since the plant was struck by an earthquake in July 2007. Seismic reinforcement work at Unit 7 of Tokyo Electric Power Co's (Tepco's) Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant has now been completed and system function tests with fuel loaded in the reactor have begun. System function tests have also started at Unit 6, following the completion of inspections of equipment levels at that unit. Meanwhile, two station transformers and one excitation transformer have been inspected and repaired at Unit 3, where a fire broke out when the quake struck. At the time of the earthquake, three of the seven reactors at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa - units 3, 4 and 7 - were in operation and shut down safely as tremors began. The other units were undergoing periodic inspections at the time.
(Source: World Nuclear News)
(Source: World Nuclear News)
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
New NPP in Lithuania will not cover demands for energy in all Baltic countries – Estonian expert
Andres Mäe, researcher of the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute, Estonia, answered questions about prospects of energy security and nuclear industry of the Baltic region.
Estonia is taking part in a nuclear power plant construction project in Lithuania, so is nuclear generation considered to be a good and stable source of electricity?
The Estonian government has supported plans of the state-owned energy company (Eesti Energia) to participate in the new nuclear power plant in Lithuania, in order to use electricity produced there to cover some of Estonia’s energy demand in the future.
Estonia has not yet adopted any official position on the development of nuclear energy. Still, individual members of the parliament and the government and scientists have recommended taking into consideration building a nuclear power plant in Estonia.
Construction of a nuclear power plant usually takes much time. In terms of energy security of the region may the Baltic States and Estonia feel lack of electrical energy before the new NPP is constructed in Lithuania?
Yes, there will be a small deficit in electrical energy production in the Baltic states after the closure of the Ignalina NPP. Latvia is already importing one third of electricity from Estonia, Russia and Lithuania, it will have to find another source to replace Lithuania in 2010. Lithuania will cover part of its domestic consumption with Elektrenai thermal power plant working on natural gas but it will also have to start to import electricity from Russia and Belarus. Estonia will cover its base load consumption by itself and will import electricity from Latvia’s hydropower plants to cover its peak load demand as it does nowadays. Estonia has also an opportunity to import electricity from Scandinavia via underwater cable EstLink.
Do you think generation capacity of the new NPP will be enough to meet electricity needs of Estonia in particular and all the Baltic states or other sources of electricity will be needed in a long-term prospect?
The new nuclear power plant in Lithuania will not be able to cover the electrical energy demand of the Baltic states and main reason for that is participation of Poland in the same project. One NPP is simply not enough for all four participants. Yes, there is urgent need for additional power generating capacities in the Baltic states.
Speaking about energy security of the Baltic region, theoretically may the Baltic NPP in the Kaliningrad region also become a source of electricity for the Baltic States and Estonia?
The Baltic NPP in Kaliningrad Region is already planned to produce electrical energy for export to Poland and the Baltic states. The region itself is too small to consume the total amount of electricity produced at the NPP.
(Source: Regnum)
Estonia is taking part in a nuclear power plant construction project in Lithuania, so is nuclear generation considered to be a good and stable source of electricity?
The Estonian government has supported plans of the state-owned energy company (Eesti Energia) to participate in the new nuclear power plant in Lithuania, in order to use electricity produced there to cover some of Estonia’s energy demand in the future.
Estonia has not yet adopted any official position on the development of nuclear energy. Still, individual members of the parliament and the government and scientists have recommended taking into consideration building a nuclear power plant in Estonia.
Construction of a nuclear power plant usually takes much time. In terms of energy security of the region may the Baltic States and Estonia feel lack of electrical energy before the new NPP is constructed in Lithuania?
Yes, there will be a small deficit in electrical energy production in the Baltic states after the closure of the Ignalina NPP. Latvia is already importing one third of electricity from Estonia, Russia and Lithuania, it will have to find another source to replace Lithuania in 2010. Lithuania will cover part of its domestic consumption with Elektrenai thermal power plant working on natural gas but it will also have to start to import electricity from Russia and Belarus. Estonia will cover its base load consumption by itself and will import electricity from Latvia’s hydropower plants to cover its peak load demand as it does nowadays. Estonia has also an opportunity to import electricity from Scandinavia via underwater cable EstLink.
Do you think generation capacity of the new NPP will be enough to meet electricity needs of Estonia in particular and all the Baltic states or other sources of electricity will be needed in a long-term prospect?
The new nuclear power plant in Lithuania will not be able to cover the electrical energy demand of the Baltic states and main reason for that is participation of Poland in the same project. One NPP is simply not enough for all four participants. Yes, there is urgent need for additional power generating capacities in the Baltic states.
Speaking about energy security of the Baltic region, theoretically may the Baltic NPP in the Kaliningrad region also become a source of electricity for the Baltic States and Estonia?
The Baltic NPP in Kaliningrad Region is already planned to produce electrical energy for export to Poland and the Baltic states. The region itself is too small to consume the total amount of electricity produced at the NPP.
(Source: Regnum)
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