CNNC completes design of district heating reactor

The preliminary design of the Yanlong swimming pool-type low-temperature reactor for district heating has been completed, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced yesterday. CNNC launched its independently researched and developed Yanlong reactor (referred to as the DHR-400) for district heating in November 2017. The move came shortly after the “49-2” pool-type light-water reactor developed by …

Challenges and changes at Kazatomprom

NAC Kazatomprom has changed its strategy to be more responsive to prevailing market conditions, CEO Galymzhan Pirmatov told delegates attending the World Nuclear Association Symposium 2018 in London today. Over the past 20 years the Kazakh uranium producer has transformed from a small uranium company to the largest uranium producer in the world, and diversified …

Uranium supply crunch may be just around the corner

Production cuts, halted projects and operations, as well as renewed interest from investors has helped drive uranium prices up by 30% in the past four months, but experts remain cautious about the long-term outlook for the commodity. Decade-low prices have had a negative effect on the profitability of existing mines and a devastating effect on the capacity …

UComps: Battling the Odds – How Uranium Explorers survive (and thrive) during the worst of times

EXCLUSIVE TO SIGHTLINE U3O8 – In 2011, after suffering nearly three years of declining U3O8 prices, uranium companies were energized at what appeared to be a rapid return in the spot price as it leapt nearly 50% to close the month of February at US$70.00.  Two weeks later, the excitement came to an abrupt halt …

Japan’s Kyushu Electric may restrict renewable energy supplies after nuclear ramp-up

Kyushu Electric Power Co may start restricting third-party supplies of solar energy after it restarts a fourth nuclear reactor, the company said on Wednesday, underscoring the risks to a government push to boost renewable energy. Japan’s fifth-biggest utility by sales plans to restart the No. 2 reactor at its Sendai station later on Wednesday, giving …

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 …