Nuclear Roundup – India talks 470 GWe of Nuclear Power by 2050, US Chu Talks More Nuclear Loan Guarantees

1. India could have 470 GWe of nuclear capacity by 2050 if it thinks big and manages its program correctly, said the country’s prime minister, Manmohan Singh.

Singh’s prediction of a future Indian reactor fleet bigger than the current global total came at the opening of the International Conference on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy in New Delhi today.

India is pursuing a three-stage closed nuclear fuel cycle. The first stage is based on pressurized heavy-water reactors using natural uranium and producing plutonium; the second on fast-neutron reactors using plutonium and breeding uranium-233 from thorium; the third sees more heavy-water reactors fuelled by uranium-233.

2. US U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu said Thursday he will push for billions of dollars in new loan guarantee authority to help rejuvenate a domestic industry and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Although companies have submitted 18 new nuclear power plant license applications to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Department of Energy only has authority for $18.5 billion, enough for four to five plants.

“If you really want to restart the American nuclear energy industry in a serious way…we (need to) send signals to the industry that the U.S. is serious about investing in nuclear power plants,” Chu said in an interview on the sidelines of a conference here.

3. RWE AG Chief Executive Officer Juergen Grossmann said Germany should talk about extending the lifespan of all its nuclear reactors beyond planned early retirement dates.

4. Zhang Guobao, head of the National Energy Administration, warned of signs of “improper” and “too fast” development of nuclear power in some regions.

Nuclear Roundup – India talks 470 GWe of Nuclear Power by 2050, US Chu Talks More Nuclear Loan Guarantees

1. India could have 470 GWe of nuclear capacity by 2050 if it thinks big and manages its program correctly, said the country’s prime minister, Manmohan Singh.

Singh’s prediction of a future Indian reactor fleet bigger than the current global total came at the opening of the International Conference on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy in New Delhi today.

India is pursuing a three-stage closed nuclear fuel cycle. The first stage is based on pressurized heavy-water reactors using natural uranium and producing plutonium; the second on fast-neutron reactors using plutonium and breeding uranium-233 from thorium; the third sees more heavy-water reactors fuelled by uranium-233.

2. US U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu said Thursday he will push for billions of dollars in new loan guarantee authority to help rejuvenate a domestic industry and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Although companies have submitted 18 new nuclear power plant license applications to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Department of Energy only has authority for $18.5 billion, enough for four to five plants.

“If you really want to restart the American nuclear energy industry in a serious way…we (need to) send signals to the industry that the U.S. is serious about investing in nuclear power plants,” Chu said in an interview on the sidelines of a conference here.

3. RWE AG Chief Executive Officer Juergen Grossmann said Germany should talk about extending the lifespan of all its nuclear reactors beyond planned early retirement dates.

4. Zhang Guobao, head of the National Energy Administration, warned of signs of “improper” and “too fast” development of nuclear power in some regions.