France’s muted nuclear recovery can cool Europe’s LNG demand

A general view shows the four cooling towers and the reactors of the Electricite de France (EDF) nuclear power plant in Cattenom, France, February 14, 2022. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/File Photo  Plunging nuclear power output has forced France to boost liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports by more than any other major buyer so far in 2022, amplifying …

Chancellor gives Sizewell C go ahead

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced on Thursday the government’s support for Sizewell C’s construction, subject to final agreement. In his Autumn Statement, he said the nuclear power station would create thousands of jobs and represented the biggest step in the UK’s journey to energy independence. He stressed the need for the UK to further increase domestic …

Rising steel prices, interest rates could push NuScale Utah project cost to $100/MWh, but support remains

Rising steel prices, interest rates could push NuScale SMR cost to $100/MWh, threaten UAMPS project NuScale Power Higher steel prices and interest rates are driving up the projected cost of energy from Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems’ planned 462 MW small modular reactor project, multiple municipal utilities have reported. Previous cost estimates were for the project …

Macron’s Plan for New Nuclear Reactors Sparks Hiring Drive

Macron’s call for six new plants sparks push for more staff Industry needs to train more welders, electricians, engineers The French nuclear industry, already grappling with the maintenance of its fleet of aging reactors, needs to recruit as many as 15,000 employees annually as President Emmanuel Macron pushes for at least six new plants to …

German lawmakers OK delay in switching off nuclear plants

German lawmakers have approved a plan to keep the country’s three remaining nuclear power plants until mid-April German lawmakers have approved a plan to keep the country’s three remaining nuclear power plants until mid-April, extending their life beyond the originally planned shut-off at the end of this year. The lower house of parliament voted 375-216 …

US DOE announces funding for HALEU demonstration

Centrifuge casings at the Piketon HALEU demonstration facility (Image: Centrus) The USD150 million cost-shared award will see a Centrus Energy Corp subsidiary demonstrate US ability to produce high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) for advanced reactors, with an enrichment cascade producing up to 20 kg of HALEU in operation by the end of next year. The award …

Romania secures $3 billion US funding for two nuclear reactors

File photo. A vessel passes by the Cernavoda nuclear powerplant, in background, while navigating on the Danube-Black Sea channel, near Cernavoda city at 170 km south-east from Bucharest, Monday 25 August 2003. [Robert Ghement/EPA/EFE] Romania announced Wednesday (9 November) that the United States will provide funding worth more than $3 billion for the construction of …