Nuclear watchdog group causes stir with call to financially support existing nuclear plants

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) surprised environmental advocates and energy officials on Thursday when it called for keeping existing nuclear power plants open for as long as safely possible to provide a wider window for transitioning to renewable energy resources. The group has spent years criticizing the nuclear industry for its safety problems and …

Ernest Moniz cautiously optimistic about global response to climate change

Ex-US secretary of energy believes Paris accord was key first step but not enough to address global warming There are grounds for optimism on the global response to climate change, though most countries are “off the pace” required to fulfil their obligations under the Paris agreement, according to former US secretary of energy Dr Ernest …

India makes climate change case for nuclear power, suggests promoting it

India has declared that nuclear energy is vital for meeting the challenge of climate change and suggested supporting efforts to promote its public acceptance amid growing opposition to nuclear power and plans by some countries to phase out their atomic generation plants. “Nuclear power remains an important option to meet the challenges of increased energy …

UK, Canada sign Nuclear Cooperation Agreement

The UK and Canada today signed a bilateral Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (NCA), the third such agreement signed by the UK this year in preparation for its exit from the European Union. It will allow the UK and Canada to continue their “mutually beneficial” civil nuclear cooperation when current European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) arrangements cease …

Climate goal demands huge boost in Chinese nuclear

China’s nuclear generating capacity must increase to 554 GWe by 2050 if the country is to fulfill its part in meeting a proposed target of limiting global temperature rise to below 1.5°C, according to a study by the National Development and Reform Commission’s Energy Research Institute. The Paris Climate Change Agreement, which entered into force …

U.K. reaffirms commitment to nuclear energy at Budapest summit

The main day of the U.K.ʼs 4th CEE Nuclear Energy Summit took place Tuesday, aiming to deepen business connections between the U.K.ʼs largest firms and organizations in the nuclear energy field, while regional market players presented their newest developments, technological innovations, and trends in the sector. The event was launched by the U.K. Department for …

Japan’s nuclear industry growing, but slower than government hoped

Japan’s resurgent nuclear industry will miss a government target of providing at least a fifth of the country’s electricity by 2030, a Reuters analysis shows. With eight reactors running and one more set to come online in November, nuclear has this year overtaken non-hydro renewables in power output for the first time since the 2011 …

Study quantifies job creation in the nuclear sector

A study on the employment generated by the nuclear energy industry has been published by the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Some 200,000 job-years of employment are created by each gigawatt of nuclear capacity constructed, it suggests. “The nuclear energy sector employs a considerable workforce around the world, …