Nuclear Plans Around the World

1. Nuclear power plans in Africa, Middle East

* Algeria aims to build its first commercial nuclear power station by around 2020 and to build another every five years after that, energy minister Chakib Khelil
* Egypt announced plans to build several nuclear reactors to meet rising power demand in 2007
* Russia plans to start up Iran’s first nuclear power station in March 2010 to coincide with the Iranian New Year.
* Jordan plans to build a nuclear power plant by 2017
* Kenya’s energy minister said in September 2008 the country was seeking investors to build a small nuclear plant to meet growing electricity needs
* Kuwait is considering developing nuclear power to meet demand for electricity and water desalination.
* Moscow and Libya said in November 2008 they were negotiating a deal for Russia to build nuclear research reactors for the North African state and supply fuel.
* Namibia plans to build a nuclear plant to supply the domestic market and the region
* Niger plans to build a nuclear power station to help solve an energy shortage in the region, an advisor to the minister of energy said in February (asking South Africa for help)
* France and Saudi Arabia said earlier this year they were close to finalising a civilian nuclear energy cooperation agreement, while the United States and Russia are also interested in helping the world’s top oil exporter to develop nuclear energy.
* South African government expects the country’s next nuclear power plant to be up and running by 2020
* United Arab Emirates on Sunday awarded a South Korean consortium the contract to build four power plants with total capacity of 5,600 megawatts. The contract calls for the first plant to come on line in 2017 and for all four reactors to be completed by 2020

2. A landmark plan by the UAE to build its first nuclear facilities for power generation will allow it to save its oil wealth, boost crude exports and cut electricity costs in the long term

The construction agreement could grow to $40 billion if Seoul provides nuclear fuel, helps manage the plants and conducts maintenance over the next 60 years. The UAE contract with South Korea calls for the first plant to come on line in 2017 and for all four reactors to be completed by 2020.

The $20 billion agreement between a consortium led by the state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) and Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp. calls for the building of four 1,400-megawatt light water nuclear reactors by 2020 near Sila on the Persian Gulf 330 kilometers west of Abu Dhabi. With post-construction maintainance and management contracts the deal could reach $40 billion, officials said.

The reactors are to be the indigenously developed APR-1400 units currently being built in South Korea.

In the past, only the United States, France, Canada, Russia and Japan have won overseas deals to build nuclear reactors, with South Korea only managing to sell components used for reactors and nuclear facilities.

South Korea is the fifth largest operator of nuclear power in the world with 20 commercial reactors accounting for 36 percent of all electricity generated in the country. It plans to build 12 new reactors by 2022 with eight to be in operation by 2016.

South Korea has been able to construct a reactor in about 52 months in the past, while in the United States it took 57 months (fastest – most take longer) and 60 months for France.

3. Australia debates plan to build 10 nuclear reactors by 2030