SPAIN – Spot finds support amid French nuclear outages

Spanish spot power prices are set to remain strong this week as nuclear outages in France continue to underpin power markets. Baseload power for Monday and Tuesday settled at EUR 66.56/MWh and EUR 67.67/MWh, respectively, compared to last week’s average of EUR 65.25/MWh. Spanish day-ahead prices could average EUR 65.71/MWh this week, according to Energy Quantified …

France’s Nuclear Future in Play

Ecology minister’s sudden resignation puts spotlight on controversial power source. France produces almost three-quarters of its electricity from nuclear power. That didn’t sit well with Ecology Minister Nicolas Hulot, who abruptly quit his post after he “failed to convince” the government in questioning the use of atomic energy. President Emmanuel Macron, aiming to boost renewables as he prepares an energy-policy …

Rosatom seeks to boost cooperation in Eurasia

Rusatom International Network – a subsidiary of Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom – has signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation with the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB). The memorandum provides for establishing common principles of bilateral cooperation with Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and other countries. The agreement was signed on 10 August by Alexander …

Russia on an international offensive to sell its nuclear plants

Russia is stepping up its overseas sales of nuclear power plants, with state-run nuclear energy company Rosatom agreeing in July to cooperate in building a plant in the Central Asian country of Uzbekistan and reaching an accord with China to build a plant in that country. Russia accounts for 67% of the world’s nuclear plant deals currently in development. By 2030, Rosatom aims …

Deputy Secretary Brouillette Hosts Fifth Meeting of the U.S.-Japan Bilateral Commission on Civil Nuclear Cooperation

The fifth meeting of the U.S.-Japan Bilateral Commission on Civil Nuclear Cooperation (the Bilateral Commission) was held in Tokyo on August 8, 2018. Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette and Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Takeo Mori led the discussions as co-chairs. The delegations included participants representing a wide range of governmental agencies. Participants from …

IAEA Reviews Saudi Arabia’s Nuclear Power Infrastructure Development

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts has concluded a twelve-day mission to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to review its development of infrastructure for a nuclear power programme. The Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR), which ended on 24 July, was carried out at the invitation of the Government of Saudi Arabia. Saudi …

Energy minister expresses support for nuclear power

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce has issued a position paper urging Ontario’s new Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines Greg Rickford to continue the government’s support for nuclear power. The report, titled Blueprint for Making Ontario Open for Business, suggested the new Ontario government should leverage Ontario’s nuclear sector, “which gives the province key …

China’s CGN eyes stake in UK nuclear stations

Beijing-run giant seeks 49% holding in eight plants. The Chinese government is in early-stage talks to buy a big minority stake in Britain’s fleet of nuclear power stations, The Sunday Times can reveal. China General Nuclear (CGN), the country’s state-run nuclear giant, is understood to have made an approach about acquiring a share of up …