Top uranium miner Kazatomprom sells 49% interest in two mines to China’s CGN

The world’s largest uranium producer Kazatomprom and China’s CGN Mining announced today that Kazatomprom will sell to CGN up to a 49% interest in its wholly owned subsidiary, Ortalyk, on market terms determined by a third-party valuation. Ortalyk owns 100% interest in the Mynkuduk and Zhalpak uranium deposits in Kazakhstan. Mynkuduk has a designed capacity …

Extending nuclear cooperation to the Middle East

International treaties governing nuclear security serve as frameworks based on shared experience, but they are not a substitute for practical and ongoing cooperation. This was one of the messages from delegates at NP1 – The Nuclear Power Conference Israel – Threats, Challenges, Opportunities. The 10 November event took place amid growing concern about Iran’s move away …

UK and Euratom sign Nuclear Cooperation Agreement

The UK and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) have signed a Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (NCA). This is separate from the wider UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement that was also announced on 24 December and which has since been approved by ambassadors from the 27 EU Member States, paving the way for it to take …

China starts building second CFR-600 fast reactor

Construction work has started on the second CFR-600 sodium-cooled pool-type fast-neutron nuclear reactor in Xiapu County, in China’s Fujian province. Also known as the Xiapu fast reactor demonstration project, the CFR-600 is part of China’s plan to achieve a closed nuclear fuel cycle. Construction of unit 1 started in late 2017. The fuel will be …

Adequate uranium to meet demand, latest Red Book concludes

Sufficient uranium resources exist to support the long-term, sustainable use of nuclear energy, according to the latest edition of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) joint report on uranium resources, production and demand. However, the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on the industry and recent reductions in uranium …

Congress approves nuclear energy funding for FY2021

The US Congress voted to approve appropriations for fiscal year 2021 that includes USD1.5 billion for the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy. The appropriations also include USD150 million to initiate the uranium reserve programme to address challenges to the production of domestic uranium. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, approved by Congress on 21 …

Pilot operation stage started at the first power unit of Belarus NPP

On December 22, 2020 the pilot operation stage started at Belarus NPP power unit 1 of III+Gen with VVER-1200 reactor (ROSATOM’s Engineering Division is the General Designer and the General Contractor), as specialists started a gradual reactor power increase up to the rated power. A permit to proceed to this stage was issued by the …