World Nuclear Review – week ending 16th December 2011 / WNR N°50/11


Prime Minister Says Fukushima Reactors Are In Cold Shutdown

16 Dec (NucNet): Three reactor units damaged by the earthquake and tsunami at Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan have reached a stable state of cold shutdown, prime minister Yoshihiko Noda said today.

An official statement on the prime minister’s website said Mr Noda had confirmed the news at a meeting earlier today Tokyo time.

According to plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), gauges inside units 1, 2 and 3 at Fukushima-Daiichi show temperatures of around 70 degrees Celsius.

Cold shutdown is defined in Tepco’s restoration roadmap as keeping the temperature in the lower areas of the reactor pressure vessels stable at below 100 degrees Celsius.

The government also said the amount of radiation at the periphery of the plant is at or below one millisievert per year – equivalent to the annual legal exposure limit for ordinary citizens before the crisis began.

According to the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum, nuclear crisis minister Goshi Hosono plans to review the no-go zones and evacuation advisory areas around the plant.

JAIF said there might still be areas where radiation levels are too high for residents to return home.

>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)

Fukushima-Daiichi Units 1-3 Are ‘Close To Cold Shutdown’ (News No. 214, 17 October 2011)

Japan Hopeful Of Fukushima-Daiichi Cold Shutdown By End Of Year (World Nuclear Review No. 46, 18 November 2011)

Source: NucNet

Editor: eva.donelli@worldnuclear.org





Nuclear Will Remain Part Of EU Energy Mix, Says Roadmap

16 Dec (NucNet): Nuclear energy contributes to lower system costs and electricity prices, and as a large scale low-carbon energy option will remain in the EU power generation mix, the European Commission says in an energy policy roadmap.

In its ‘Energy Roadmap 2050’ the commission says it will continue to “further the nuclear safety and security framework”, helping to set a level playing field for investments in member states willing to keep the nuclear option in their energy mix.

The roadmap says: “The highest (nuclear) safety and security standards need to be further ensured in the EU and globally, which can only happen if competence and technology leadership is maintained within the EU.

“Furthermore, on a 2050 perspective, it will become clearer which role fusion power will be able to play.”

The roadmap uses various scenarios to describe the consequences of a carbon-free energy system and the policy framework needed. The idea is that the roadmap will allow member states to make energy choices and create “a stable business climate for private investment”.

Full report in database: NucNet News in Brief No. 249, 15 December 2011.

>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)

EU To Continue Investment In Renewables And Low-Carbon Technologies (News in Brief No. 24, 7 February 2011)

European Commission Adopts 2050 Low-Carbon Roadmap (News in Brief No. 47, 9 March 2011)

Source: NucNet

Editor: david.dalton@worldnuclear.org





Areva Aims For Financial Recovery By 2016

16 Dec (NucNet): Areva has put eight major investment projects on hold and will cut operating expenses by 1 billion euro (EUR) (1.3 billion US dollars) by 2015 under a plan intended to reverse losses and allow it to fund capital expenditure with in-house cash by 2014, the company said this week.

The state-owned nuclear vendor said it will also dispose of more than EUR 1.2 billion in non-strategic assets over the next two years and implement “payroll reductions” in Germany and France.

The changes are part of a strategic plan to bring the group back to profitability within five years.

Areva chief executive officer Luc Oursel said the group still believes in nuclear energy and aims to sell 10 units of its flagship EPR (European Pressurised Water Reactor) design over the next five years and capture 35 percent of the global market for post-Fukushima nuclear installation safety work, which it estimates at EUR 3.5 billion.

Mr Oursel and chief financial officer Philippe Aubouin said Areva aims for three percent to six percent annual growth in sales in its nuclear business in 2012 and 2013, increasing to five percent to eight percent annual growth in 2015 and 2016 as projects resume worldwide, particularly in Asia.

Areva expects to reach break-even point at the end of a “transition period” covering 2012-2013 and see higher growth from 2014-2016 when it should generate more cash.

Areva said this week it was going to take a 2.4 billion euro (EUR) (3.1 billion US dollars) writedown, lose up to EUR 1.6 billion on an operating basis this year and make at least 1,500 workers redundant.

Full report in database: NucNet News in Brief No. 247, 13 December 2011.

>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)

Areva Remains Optimistic On Nuclear, Says New CEO (News in Brief No. 165, 28 July 2011)

Areva Issues Statement Warning Of Big Losses For 2011 (News in Brief No. 246, 12 December 2011)

Source: NucNet

Editor: david.dalton@worldnuclear.org





UK Gives ‘Interim Approval’ To EPR And AP1000 Designs

16 Dec (NucNet): UK nuclear regulators have granted “interim design acceptance” to generic designs for two nuclear reactors proposed for construction in the country.

The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and the Environment Agency confirmed this week they are satisfied with how the designers of both EDF and Areva’s UK European Pressurised Water Reactor (EPR), and Westinghouse’s AP1000 reactor, plan to resolve a number of remaining issues.

But they said in a statement neither reactor can be built in the UK until these issues are resolved.

The ONR said the interim acceptance confirms that all the plans on how the industry will resolve the outstanding issues are in place. This includes how they will address matters raised in the chief nuclear inspector’s report, published in October 2011, on lessons from the Fukushima- Daiichi accident in Japan.

Full report in database: NucNet News in Brief No. 248, 14 December 2011.

>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)

UK Raises ‘Regulatory Issue’ Over Westinghouse AP1000 Design (News in Brief No. 33, 16 February 2010)

EDF Energy Applies To Build Two Units At Hinkley Point (News in Brief No. 223, 1 November 2011)

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Source: NucNet

Editor: david.dalton@worldnuclear.org



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