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19 - 25 January 2010
| NEW NUCLEAR: |
| First criticality for RAPP 6 reactor |
| 25 January 2010 |
| The new sixth nuclear reactor at India's Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (RAPP) has achieved first criticality, just two months after the fifth unit at the site reached the same milestone. |
| The ball gets rolling in Sweden |
| 25 January 2010 |
| New nuclear is on the Swedish agenda with moves towards revised legislation and regulatory support for new build applications. Hans Blix told a seminar he was 'absolutely convinced' of the need for new reactors. |
| South Korea to train Egyptian nuclear engineers |
| 21 January 2010 |
| The Egyptian government has asked South Korea to help train Egyptian nuclear energy technicians, according to the Korea International Cooperation Agency. The state-led aid agency said that training could begin within a year. |
| Capacity expansion planned for Taiwan |
| 19 January 2010 |
| Taipower is considering uprating the six reactors on Taiwan as well as completing three new ones by 2025. |
| Fusion projects building for the future |
| 19 January 2010 |
| Work is set to begin on the first building to be constructed at the Iter platform in France after a contract for the Coil Winding Facility was signed. Meanwhile, test facilities to help prepare for the next stages in the international pursuit of nuclear fusion are progressing. |
| WASTE & RECYCLING: |
| 22 January 2010 |
| The first consignment of solid highly active waste belonging to Sellafield's Japanese customers has started its journey back to Japan from the UK. The waste arose from the reprocessing of those customers' used nuclear fuel at Sellafield. |
| NUCLEAR POLICIES: |
| 22 January 2010 |
| Nearly three-quarters of Lithuanians believe that it is possible to operate nuclear power plants in safety, a survey carried out on behalf of the state nuclear regulatory authority has found. |
| REGULATION & SAFETY: |
| Clinton's cobalt campaign |
| 20 January 2010 |
| The Clinton nuclear power plant in the USA will begin producing cobalt-60 for medical and industrial use, according to plant owner Exelon and GE-Hitachi. |
| Final HEU return from Turkey |
| 20 January 2010 |
| The last 'significant' amount of highly enriched uranium (HEU) research reactor fuel in Turkey has now been returned to the USA for secure storage, the US National Nuclear Security Administration has announced. |
| Second quake-hit unit back in operation |
| 19 January 2010 |
| A second reactor has resumed commercial operation at Tokyo Electric Power Co's (Tepco's) Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant. All seven units at the plant were shut down following a powerful earthquake in July 2007. |
| CORPORATE: |
| Westinghouse expands European service capabilities |
| 22 January 2010 |
| Westinghouse has opened a pump and motor maintenance and repair centre to serve European nuclear power plant operators. The facility has an annual repair and refurbishment capacity of more than 20 large motors and ten pumps. |
| Quebec-New Brunswick reach energy conclusion |
| 21 January 2010 |
| The Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick have concluded negotiations on an energy agreement that will see Hydro-Quebec acquire most of NB Power's generation assets including the Point Lepreau nuclear power station. |
| Plant opened for nuclear turbine blades |
| 20 January 2010 |
| Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has today begun operations at its new plant specifically for the production of forged turbine blades for nuclear power plants. |
| EXPLORATION & NUCLEAR FUEL: |
| Nuclear fuel to boost Leningrad |
| 25 January 2010 |
| A major uprate program is planned for the Leningrad power plant that should result in an extra 200 MWe of nuclear generating capacity. |
| Miners face permitting highs and lows |
| 21 January 2010 |
| Environmental authorization for the Tailings Storage Facility at First Uranium's Mine Waste Solutions tailings recovery project in South Africa has "unexpectedly" been withdrawn. Meanwhile, Uranium Energy has now received all the necessary permits needed to proceed with development of its Palangana project in Texas. |
| INDUSTRY TALK: |
| Power-ups and power-downs in Finland |
| 20 January 2010 |
| Power consumption dropped 7% across Finland during 2009 as a result of the global recession, with industrial electricity use down 16% and industrial combined heat and power down 20.7%. However, 2009 was a record year for nuclear power, which reached 27.8% of supply. |
