Nuclear power Roundup October 21, 2008

1. Italy will make 8-10 nuclear reactors starting in 2013.

Correcting a 50 billion euro mistake of ending nuclear power in Italy.

The long term aim, according to Scajola, is to ‘rebalance the power generation in Italy’. By 2030 the Italian government would like to see nuclear power taking a 25% share in generation, with renewables on the same level and fossil fuels making up the remaining 50%.

2. Russian and Chinese delegations added an intention to construct an 800 MWe demonstration fast breeder reactor to older plans to expand the Tianwan nuclear power plant. Two new VVER-1000 pressurized water reactor units operate at the plant in eastern China, and a framework to build two more was embellished by an instruction to draft a memorandum concerning their actual construction. Russia already operates one BN-600 fast breeder reactor for electricity production at Beloyarsk, while a BN-800 unit is under construction there. The 800 MWe unit for China is presumed to be similar to the second Beloyarsk reactor.

3. Kyrgyzstan Kara Balta since the start of 2008 has produced over 600 tonnes of uranium and plans to produce more than 2000 tonnes in 2009.

4. Saskatchewan, Canada has some of the largest uranium reserves in the world. Saskatchewan has appointed a 12 member panel to perform a study on how to develop its uranium and nuclear industry. The new partnership’s mandate is to identify and evaluate opportunities for value-added development of the uranium industry and make recommendations in a report that is to be submitted by March 31, 2009. Members include Armand Laferrere, president of Areva Canada, Jerry Grandey, president and CEO of Cameco and Alex Pourbaix, president of energy at TransCanada Corp and Duncan Hawthorne, president of Bruce Power Inc.

This should result in a recommendation to vigorously develop the Uranium resources, step up to nuclear research and build some nuclear power plants. This would be a good thing for Saskatchewan’s economy. The position of the province for the last few decades would be like Saudi Arabia being against oil development and the building of refineries.

Note: the author, Brian Wang, lived in Saskatchewan for 20 years and felt that the lack of development of the massive uranium resource and the lack of support for nuclear power was a massive mistake.