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Go-Ahead Given For New China Unit
19 July (NucNet): China Guangdong Nuclear Power Company (CGNPC) has received central government approval to build two nuclear reactor units in the southern province of Guangxi.
The first-phase of development at Fangchenggang will cost 24 billion yuan (about 3.5 billion US dollars, 2.7 billion euro) and comprise two domestically developed CPR-1000 units with capacities of 1,080 megawatts each, according to a statement published today.
Construction of the two units at Fangchenggang will start by the end of this month and be completed by 2016, according to the statement.
China wants 15 percent of its energy demand to come from clean sources by 2020 to reduce emissions and reliance on coal and oil.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, China has 11 nuclear units in commercial operation and 24 under construction.
Last week CGNPC announced that the first unit of the Ling Ao II nuclear power plant was connected to the grid on 15 July and has begun trial operation.
The unit, 1,080-megawatt CPR-1000, achieved first criticality on 9 June. Commercial operation is expected to begin in October, when it would become China’s twelfth commercially operational nuclear unit.
New Japan Report Highlights ‘Competitive’ FBR Development Costs
20 Jun (NucNet): The cost of implementing fast breeder reactor (FBR) technology for commercial use is “competitive” when considering factors such as high thermal efficiency, according to a new report by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA).
JAEA considered costs and related issues in a progress report on the country’s fast reactor cycle technology development program, the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum (JAIF) reported.
In terms of economic competitiveness, FBR fuel cycle technology was considered “somewhat more expensive than future light water reactor technology”, with estimated construction costs for two units in the region of 780 billion Japanese yen (about 9 billion US dollars; 7 billion euro), and a construction period of about 37 to 40 months.
However, JAEA still sees FBR development as competitive when taking into account factors such as high thermal efficiency and the use of high burn-up fuel, JAIF said.
According to JAIF, the progress report has been sent to the Japan Atomic Energy Commission as the country works towards “full commercialization” of fast reactor and related fuel cycle technology within about the next 40 years.
A detailed report in English is available in the ‘Atoms in Japan’ section of JAIF’s website ( http://www.jaif.or.jp/english ).
Former Chief US Regulator Joins Utility Board
20 Jun (NucNet): A former US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) chairman, Dale Klein, has joined the board of directors of the Southern Company.
Southern announced Mr Klein’s election to its board June 19. Mr Klein, 62, is currently the associate vice-president of research and associate director of the Energy Institute at The University of Texas in Austin.
Mr Klein served as chairman of the NRC from July 2006 to May 2009 and as a commissioner until March 2010. He also serves on the boards of Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and its primary subsidiary, Arizona Public Service Company.
Earlier this year, Southern agreed the terms for conditional loan guarantees from the federal government to break ground on the first new nuclear plant in the country in more than three decades. Two new Westinghouse AP1000 units are set to be built at the existing Vogtle nuclear plant, where the company already owns and operates two nuclear units.
The conditional loan guarantees become final when the Vogtle project receives its combined construction and operating license, which is scheduled to be issued by the NRC in late 2011.
Companies Team Up For Potential Nuclear Projects In Saudi Arabia
12 Jul (NucNet): Three companies have announced a “teaming agreement” to pursue potential nuclear power plant projects in Saudi Arabia.
The Shaw Group and Exelon Nuclear of the US, with Japan’s Toshiba Corporation, said today their joint approach would offer services to design, engineer, build and operate new nuclear plants.
Under the terms of the agreement, the group would pursue projects using Toshiba’s Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) design, Shaw said. The group is also capable of using Westinghouse’s AP1000 technology, Shaw said. Westinghouse is a Toshiba group company.
Shaw said in a statement: “Shaw, Toshiba and Westinghouse are working with customers to build four nuclear units in China and six new nuclear units in the US... the addition of Exelon creates a team that is unmatched in its ability to offer a portfolio of technology, construction and operations in Saudi Arabia.”
Shaw said the Saudi government had recently confirmed its commitment to the research and funding of commercial nuclear power.
However, Shaw pointed out that for any US company to engage in civilian nuclear cooperation with Saudi Arabia, the US and Saudi governments must negotiate a framework agreement under the US Atomic Energy Act.
Toshiba’s involvement in the project will also be subject to the conclusion of an agreement for civilian nuclear cooperation between the Japanese and Saudi governments, Shaw said.
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