We round up the past week’s news and updates from the world of Nuclear.
EDF: Hinkley Point C nuclear project expected to create 1,700 more jobs, by Power Engineering International: “The Hinkley Point C nuclear plant construction project in the United Kingdom apparently is helping lift the local South-Wales economy out of stagnation caused by the COVID-19 shutdown, according to a new report by developer EDF Energy.
The effort to build England’s latest nuclear power reactor project could hire 1,700 workers in the next year, according to the EDF report summary. Overall, the company says, some 71,000 jobs across Britain will be supported during the construction.”
Nuclear could help Spain reach net-zero goal, says IEA, by World Nuclear News: “In a review of Spain’s energy policy, the International Energy Agency (IEA) says the country should consider the usefulness of nuclear energy, including for non-electricity applications, for diversifying technical options to achieve long-term carbon neutrality by 2050. Under Spain’s current policy, operation of its fleet of seven nuclear power reactors will be phased out by 2035. The country aims to generate all of its electricity from renewable sources by 2050.”
U.S. senators introduce nuclear power credit to help curb emissions, by Reuters: “Three Democratic U.S. senators introduced a measure on Wednesday to boost existing nuclear plants to a wide energy tax reform bill, after the Biden administration pushed for such a change to help curb carbon emissions… “We’re in danger of seeing the premature closing of the nuclear reactors in this country,” Cardin said before introducing the amendment at a hearing considering the wider bill, the Clean Energy for America Act.”
Finland Breaks Ground On Its Deep Geologic Nuclear Waste Repository, by Forbes: “At the beginning of this month, the Finnish waste management company, Posiva Oy, announced the start of excavation on their deep geologic nuclear waste repository for their spent nuclear fuel (SNF) at ONKALO. The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority of Finland has certified the process. Operation of the repository is expected to begin in 2023. The total cost estimate is about €2.6 billion ($3.4 billion).”
Sizewell B switched off for a further 3 months for essential repairs, by East Anglian Daily Times: “Sizewell B will not generate electricity for three months to enable essential repairs – and EDF will have to submit a “robust safety case” to regulators before it is switched back on.
The nuclear power station – which supplies electricity for 2.5million homes and businesses – has already been offline for six weeks for regular maintenance and refuelling and it was hoped it would be working again next week.”
