nuclear

Company’s micro-reactor receives Government of Canada Funding, supports country’s aggressive climate goals Burlington, Ontario, Canada – March 17, 2022 – Westinghouse Electric Canada announced today, along with the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, an investment of C$27.2 million from the Government of Canada’s Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF). This investment will support […]

A 7.3-magnitude earthquake caused some deficiencies at two of the three nuclear power plants (NPPs) located in relatively close proximity to the fault, but it did not cause any safety concerns, according to Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA). The quake struck about 60 kilometers off the coast of Japan on March 16 at 2:36 p.m. […]

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced this week that it would provide up to $48 million for a new Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) program that could substantially reduce the disposal impact of used nuclear fuel (UNF). The program, dubbed CURIE (Converting UNF Radioisotopes Into Energy), is intended to support “a comprehensive national strategy […]

An Ohio-based utility said it plans to deactivate or sell the remaining coal-fired units at two of its power plants in 2023, five years earlier than previously expected. Akron-based Energy Harbor made the announcement March 14. The company in a news release said it wants to be a carbon-free power generator by the end of […]

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported on March 4 that Russian forces had taken control of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) site, but that the reactors continued to be operated by the plant’s regular staff and there had been no release of radioactive material. “What we are telling you is confirmed information that […]

In its most recent update on the status of Ukrainian nuclear power plants (NPPs), issued to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on March 2, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) said it maintained communications with the country’s NPPs and that all units “continued to operate as before.” Of Ukraine’s 15 reactors, more […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission  (NRC) in a dramatic reversal on Feb. 24 threw out a key environmental review that staff applied to subsequent license renewal (SLR) approvals for units at Turkey Point and Peach Bottom nuclear plants in 2019 and 2020, deeming their applications “incomplete.” In a series of orders, the federal regulatory agency’s three […]

A government agency that supports research into Brazil’s energy sector has forecast a significant jump in demand for electricity within the country over the next several years. Empresa de Pesquisa

Holtec is decommissioning the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. The company has a fairly aggressive schedule that could see site restoration work completed in 2027. This article provides a current-day status

In the February 2022 issue of POWER, an overview of existing district heating systems that utilize nuclear power for their energy source was presented and best practices of successful installations were

The American Nuclear Society (ANS) warned the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that the continued unavailability of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel within the United States is risking “significant deployment delays” of advanced reactors. In a February 14th letter,  ANS President Steven Nesbit and ANS Executive Director and CEO Craig Piercy urged the DOE to expedite the creation of a HALEU availability […]

France, already a world leader in nuclear power generation, plans to build at least six new reactors, with President Emmanuel Macron on Feb. 10 saying the country will consider building an additional eight on top of that as it also moves forward with developing small modular reactors (SMR). Macron, who is up for re-election in […]

DAVIDSON, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Curtiss-Wright Corporation (NYSE: CW) announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Teledyne FLIR Defense to supply unmanned systems and integrated solutions to the U.S. nuclear power market and Department of Energy (DOE). Mobile unmanned systems (MUS), including drones, robotics, and submersibles, play a critical role in industrial and defense applications […]

GE has signed an exclusive agreement with EDF Group, an entity majority held by the French government, to sell the equipment segment and some services that make up Steam Power’s nuclear-serving steam turbine business—part of a portfolio that GE adopted during its 2015 merger with French equipment giant Alstom. The American technology conglomerate confirmed it signed […]

California’s power grid continues to evolve and will look much different by 2040, according to a 20-year draft transmission plan released by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). The plan calls for significant additional renewable energy resources, along with a $30.5-billion build-out of the transmission grid.  The outlook, developed by the grid operator along with […]

The 462-MWe Carbon-Free Power Project—the first six-module NuScale Power VOYGR-6 power plant—has completed field investigation activities at its Idaho National Laboratory (INL) site in Idaho Falls, Idaho. The achievement announced on Feb. 3 marks a major milestone for CFPP LLC, the entity Utah state energy services interlocal agency Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS) established […]

Handing a muted victory to proponents of nuclear and gas, the European Commission (EC) on Feb. 2 adopted a measure that labels some nuclear and gas energy activity as climate-friendly investments. However, it set out strict, potentially limiting technical screening criteria for those activities to qualify, prompting pushback from the nuclear and gas industries. The […]

Many people who believe we need a “Green New Deal” will say that Earth faces an existential catastrophe that could cut short the lives of young people who are living now. But if nuclear energy is mentioned

Since the inception of the nuclear era more than 70 years ago, federal taxpayers have been bailing out nuclear power plants and keeping the industry afloat with endless, costly subsidies. Yet, the industry is

Nuclear energy is competitive for urban district heating applications. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, about 43 nuclear reactors around the world—mostly in Eastern Europe and

The two-unit expansion at the Plant Vogtle nuclear power facility in Georgia remains a work in progress, a project that still holds the promise of emissions-free electricity even as construction delays and cost overruns continue to spark debate about its future. Proponents, including Georgia regulators and nuclear energy advocates, remain optimistic about the amount of […]

The former heads of nuclear power regulation in the U.S., Germany, and France, along with the former secretary to the UK’s government radiation protection committee, have issued a joint statement that in part says, “Nuclear is just not part of any feasible strategy that could counter climate change.” COMMENTARY The statement issued Jan. 25 notes […]

A subsidiary of billionaire Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Energy has announced it plans to invest another $3.9 billion into renewable energy in Iowa, with a project that would add more than 2 GW of wind power to the state. Des Moines-based MidAmerican Energy on Jan. 19 said the Wind PRIME project also includes solar power […]

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) said it has dismissed a license application for one of the first advanced nuclear reactor designs to be considered by the agency. The NRC on Jan. 6 said it could not make a judgment on the merits of the design of Oklo Inc.’s 1.5-MW advanced fission power system, known […]

A leaked draft of the European Commission’s proposal to label some natural gas and nuclear power plants as “transitional” or “green” investments has prompted pushback from some European Union (EU) members. Criticism is also mounting in South Korea, where liquefied natural gas (LNG) was included in its new green taxonomy guidelines—but nuclear was left out. […]

Improvements in nuclear power technology are being driven by research into safer reactor designs and new fuel types, including smaller reactors that offer flexible siting options with modular construction

The end of the year will bring the end of power production for three of Germany’s final six operating nuclear power plants. The 1,410-MW Brokdorf unit in Schleswig-Holstein, the 1,360-MW Grohnde unit in Lower Saxony, and the 1,288-MW Gundremmingen C unit in Bavaria will all be permanently taken off the gird on Dec. 31. That […]

It’s been another news-filled year in the power industry. The following stories were the top 10 traffic-getters posted in 2021 on POWER’s website. Did you see them all as they were released? 10. Mitsubishi Power Developing 100% Ammonia-Capable Gas Turbine Mitsubishi Power is developing a 40-MW class gas turbine that can directly combust 100% ammonia […]

TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom has launched the new fabrication facility for manufacturing of TVS-K nuclear fuel for PWR reactors at the site of Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant, one of the world’s major nuclear fuel enterprises. The new facility will enable TVEL to supply various modifications of TVS-K fuel to nuclear power plants powered by […]

What is a microreactor and why would you want one? The definition could be debated, but nuclear reactors in the 1 MW to 20 MW range generally fit the bill, and there are countless possible applications for the technology. “This could be used for disaster relief. This could be used for mines, remote communities—on a […]