State senate still has yet to strike a deal to save Byron nuclear plant

Exelon says plant will close as planned without ‘quick passage of legislation’ SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Senate failed to come up with a Clean Energy Bill this week, with environmentalists and labor leaders far apart on the negotiations. That means the future of the Byron Generating Station is still up in the air. “We are …

Hongyanhe 5 achieves first criticality

Unit 5 of the Hongyanhe nuclear power plant in China’s Liaoning province has attained a sustained chain reaction for the first time. The 1080 MWe domestically-designed ACPR1000 pressurised water reactor is expected to be connected to the grid later this year, after which it will enter commercial operation. The first pre-critical control point of Hongyanhe …

Fuel Cladding Failures at Nuclear Power Plants Explained

The China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) informed the IAEA yesterday that a minor fuel cladding failure  had occurred at the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant. What are fuel cladding failures, and what do they mean for safety? Read our explainer to find out. Nuclear power plants are designed with multiple back-up and diverse safety systems as part of …

Iraq hopes to build 8 nuclear power reactors by 2030

The country currently uses electricity and gas imports from neighbouring Iran to generate around a third of its electricity. BAGHDAD: Iraq, which suffers chronic electricity shortages, wants to construct eight nuclear power reactors by 2030 in order to reduce its external energy dependence, an official said Tuesday. The country currently uses electricity and gas imports …

5 Key Takeaways from the Nuclear Energy FY2022 Budget Request

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently released its Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Congressional Budget request which seeks a record $1.8 billion for the Office of Nuclear Energy (NE). This is a historic level of commitment by the Biden-Harris Administration and it clearly recognizes the important role our current nuclear fleet and future reactors will play in …

Japanese Cabinet Approves Energy White Paper 2021

On June 4, the Japanese Cabinet approved the FY20 Annual Report on Energy—Japan’s “Energy White Paper 2021.” Taking up the circumstances surrounding energy and major measures, it addressed three major issues: ・Progress in Fukushima reconstruction. ・Challenges and activities toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. ・Changes in energy security. In recent times, Japan’s energy white papers …

Samsung to Explore MSR Nuclear Power for Zero Emission Shipping

South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries will undertake a joint research and development project with the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), for the first modern exploration of nuclear-powered ships. Under the strategic cooperative agreement, they plan to explore the opportunities to use nuclear power as a solution for carbon-neutral shipping. There was great interest …

ROSATOM starts construction of unique power unit with BREST-OD-300 fast neutron reactor

The construction of a 300 MW nuclear power unit with an innovative lead coolant BREST-OD-300 fast reactor has begun at the site of the Siberian Chemical Combine (an enterprise of TVEL Fuel Company of ROSATOM) in Seversk, Russia’s Tomsk region. The event was attended by Tomsk regional governor Sergei Zhvachkin, ROSATOM Director General Alexey Likhachev, …

Russia brings back largest global uranium project

Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Trutnev has instructed Rosatom to submit a plan for the resumption of uranium mining in Yakutia. Rosatom, the state corporation specializing in nuclear power, in 2017 suspended the development of Yakut uranium deposits but is now ordered to resume mining in the region by Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Yuri Trutnev. News online …