We round up the recent news and updates from the world of Nuclear.
At COP27, nuclear power industry vies for bigger role in decarbonizing planet, by Reuters: “Nuclear energy supporters including politicians and activists sought to polish the industry’s spotty image on Wednesday, using the COP27 climate summit in Egypt to argue that atomic power offers a safe and cost-efficient way to decarbonize the world. Rising concerns about the swift pace of climate change and tight power supplies around the globe have softened some policy makers view of nuclear energy, an industry that has struggled for years to draw investment because of worries about safety, radioactive waste, and huge costs for building a reactor.”
EDF reaffirms its commitment to supporting Polish nuclear power programme, by Nuclear Engineering International: “Following Poland’s announcement that its first NPP would be built by Westinghouse, Vakis Ramany, EDF vice president responsible for international development of nuclear energy, has said: “EDF, with the support of the French government, maintains and renews its integrated EPR-based offer to secure and accelerate the Polish nuclear power programme.” He argued that EPR technology and EDF “remain the best fit and the best chance for the Polish and other European nuclear power programs to meet their objectives.”
Sizewell C nuclear plant plans have not been scrapped, says No 10, by the Guardian: “Downing Street has said plans to build a new nuclear power plant in Suffolk have not been scrapped as part of a drive to make sweeping government spending cuts. Sizewell C, which would sit alongside the existing Sizewell B nuclear reactor on the Suffolk coast if built, was expected to provide up to 7% of the UK’s electricity needs and plug a looming gap in Britain’s nuclear capabilities.”
Canadian government recognises nuclear as clean energy, by World Nuclear News: “The federal government’s inclusion of small modular reactors (SMRs) amongst clean energy technologies eligible for a new investment tax credit has been greeted as a clear signal that it considers nuclear power to be “clean energy” on a par with all other low-carbon technologies.”
Bulgarian government must urgently find non-Russian nuclear fuel, by Euractiv: “Parliament has obliged the caretaker government to speed up the procedure to close a deal for the supply of non-Russian nuclear fuel for the Kozloduy nuclear power plant’s two Soviet reactors which until now have only been supplied by Moscow. The proposal to speed up the procedure to obtain non-Russian nuclear fuel was put forward by GERB, the party of former prime minister Boyko Borissov. According to the party, the government must urgently guarantee the country’s energy and national security by providing an alternative to Russian fuel for the nuclear power plant.”
