| NEW NUCLEAR: |
| Criticality for fast reactor |
| 22 July 2010 |
| China has achieved criticality at its first fast neutron reactor, a small unit near Beijing, while plans are developing for a full scale fast reactor power plant. |
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| WASTE & RECYCLING: |
| EdF seeks to bolster decommissioning fund |
| 22 July 2010 |
| Electricite de France (EdF) is considering allocating half of its Reseau de Transport d'Electricite (RTE) power grid to a portfolio of assets set up to fund the decommissioning of its nuclear power reactors. Meanwhile, RTE said that the security of France's power supply should be guaranteed until 2013. |
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| NUCLEAR POLICIES: |
| Indian liability debate returns |
| 23 July 2010 |
| The Indian parliamentary committee studying the implications of Nuclear Civil Liability Bill will submit its report to the upper house of the parliament in the monsoon session starting next week. |
| EU moves to shore up Iter budget |
| 21 July 2010 |
| The European Commission proposed yesterday a major additional cash injection of over Eur860 million ($1100 million) in funds for nuclear fusion demonstration as Europe's share of the cost of Iter doubles. |
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| REGULATION & SAFETY: |
| EPR design: NRC not happy yet |
| Areva still needs to convince the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) that some aspects of the digital instrumentation and control systems for its EPR reactor design meet the regulator's requirements. |
| 'Unknown' welds went unchecked at Japanese plant |
| Japan Atomic Power Co (Japco) reported that it had never inspected a welded part in a pump within the reactor containment vessel of Tsuruga 1 - the country's oldest operating unit - because it was unaware the weld existed. |
| Undersea robot for Dounreay |
| 23 July 2010 |
| Efforts to clean up radioactive particles discharged to sea from Dounreay will be bolstered this month by the addition of a large crawler robot. |
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| CORPORATE: |
| Turboatom to supply equipment for Rostov 3 |
| 21 July 2010 |
| Ukrainian turbine manufacturer Turboatom will supply the condenser and turbines for unit 3 of the Rostov nuclear power plant, under construction in Russia. |
| GE partners with Doosan for turbines |
| 20 July 2010 |
| Doosan Heavy Industries will work with General Electric of the USA for the 1560 MWe turbine and generator set for Korea's forthcoming APR+ reactor design. |
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| EXPLORATION & NUCLEAR FUEL: |
| Olympic Dam back on track |
| 21 July 2010 |
| One of the world's biggest uranium mines returned to full operation in recent weeks after lengthy repairs. |
| Uranium resources for at least a century |
| 20 July 2010 |
| Worldwide uranium resources, production and demand are all increasing, according to the latest edition of the Red Book. However, total identified uranium resources will last for over 100 years at current consumption rates. |
| Fuel for Russia's first floating plant |
| 20 July 2010 |
| Russian nuclear fuel fabricator TVEL announced that a subsidiary will produce the first batch of nuclear fuel in 2011 for Russia's first floating nuclear power plant. Siting studies for the second such plant have also started. |
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| INDUSTRY TALK: |
| Toshiba, IHI agree on turbine joint venture |
| Japan's Toshiba Corp and IHI Corp have signed a definitive agreement on forming a joint venture to manufacture steam turbine components for nuclear power plants at home and abroad. |
| New Russian route for Kazakh uranium? |
| Uranium could in future be shipped from Kazakhstan to Japan via ports along Russia's Pacific coast rather than through western Russian ports, according to press reports. |
| Government grants Vandellos ten more years |
| 22 July 2010 |
| Unit 2 of the Vandellos power plant near Tarragona in north-eastern Spain has been given approval by the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce to continue operating for a further ten years after the recommendations of safety regulators. |
