The US Department of Energy (DOE) has selected 13 projects to receive USD60 million of cost-shared R&D funding for advanced nuclear technologies, including the first awards under the US Industry Opportunities for Advanced Nuclear Technology Development initiative. Recipients include NuScale Power's small modular reactor, which has become the first SMR to complete the first phase of the US Nucl...Read More
Growth in world uranium inventories is slowing as the supply sector is responding to a gradual recovery in uranium demand, according to speakers at the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle (WNFC) conference held in Madrid on 18-19 April. Uranium resources remain plentiful, but the investment needed to bring resources into production depends heavily on the market, the conference heard.TradeTech's Treva Klingbi...Read More
Russia's floating nuclear power plant Akademik Lomonosov has left Baltiysky Zavod shipyard in Saint Petersburg, where its construction began in 2009. Housing two 35 MW KLT-40S nuclear reactors, similar to those used in Russia's nuclear-powered ice breakers, Akademik Lomonosov left the shipyard on 28 April and is now heading to its permanent base in Russia's northernmost city of Pevek.Akademik Lomo...Read More
Canada's Cameco (TSX:CCO) (NYSE:CCJ), the world's largest publicly traded uranium producer, swung back into the black in the first three months of the year thanks to improved prices for the commodity and the company's efforts to lower costs.The Saskatchewan-based miner posted Friday net earnings of $55 million, or 14 cents per share, compared with a loss of $18 million, or 5 cents per share, in t...Read More
A statement of intent to strengthen cooperation on fast neutron sodium-cooled reactors has been signed between the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). The partners have also a statement of intent to begin cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence.The documents were signed yesterday in Washington, DC, by US Energy Secretary...Read More
The government of Niger has a strong commitment to developing the infrastructure for a nuclear power programme, an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission has concluded. Niger, whose economic development is hampered by a lack of consistent electricity supply, is considering a potential role for nuclear power in its energy mix, the IAEA said. A country of about 21 million people in Wester...Read More
The Philippines Department of Energy has submitted its recommendation to the President on the country's nuclear energy policy. The policy will include a decision on the future of the mothballed Bataan nuclear power plant.The mothballed Bataan plant (Image: I Rotaru/IAEA)Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi was cited as saying by the Business World newspaper that he had "submitted the papers, the policy d...Read More
An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts yesterday completed a review of long-term operational safety at unit 3 at the South Ukraine nuclear power plant. The Pre-SALTO (Safety Aspects of Long Term Operation) team reviewed the plant's organisation and programmes related to long-term operation (LTO), including human resources and knowledge management.The South Ukraine plant (Imag...Read More
Paladin Energy has begun preparations at Langer Heinrich ahead of a potential decision to put the Namibian uranium mine under care and maintenance. A decision is expected within two months.Langer Heinrich (Image: Paladin)Langer Heinrich produced 3.4 million pounds U3O8 (1308 tU) in 2017 from the processing of stockpiled medium-grade ore: physical mining activities were curtailed at the end of 201...Read More
PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Uranium miner Paladin Energy on Thursday announced that it was unlikely to resume physical mining activities at its Langer Heinrich operation, in Namibia, and has taken preparatory steps to place the operation under care and maintenance.Paladin previously told shareholders that the medium-grade ore stockpiles currently being used as feed for the Langer Heinrich pro...Read More
SASKATCHEWAN - The recent winter drilling program by Denison Mines of Toronto at Waterbury Lake is extremely promising. The project, 64.22% owned by Denison, was the target of 9,794 metres of drilling in 19 holes in 50-metre step-outs in the Huskie zone.Drilling at the Waterbury Lake uranium discovery in the Athabasca Basin. (Image: Denison Mines)The second best result from Waterbury Lake was from...Read More
The loading of fuel assemblies into the core of unit 1 of the Sanmen nuclear power plant in China's Zhejiang province began today following the issuance of a permit by the country's nuclear regulator. The unit is later this year expected to become the first Westinghouse AP1000 to enter operation.Sanmen units 1 and 2 (Image: CNNC)Westinghouse said China's National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNS...Read More
WINDHOEK, April 24 (Reuters) - Diamond and uranium producer Namibia may scrap requirements for black ownership in the mining sector as it seeks to woo investors to an industry that is rebounding with the commodities cycle, its new mines minister said on Tuesday.Regional peers such as Angola and Zimbabwe are also trying to kickstart their mining sectors by easing investment rules at a time when oth...Read More
Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT), the world's No.1 heavy machinery maker, boosted Tuesday its 2018 profits forecast after beating estimates for first-quarter earnings on strong global demand for its equipment.For the three months ended on March 31, the Deerfield, Illinois-based firm, which is considered a reliable bellwether of global economic activity, reported a net profit of $2.74 per share, above most...Read More
Bruce Power has signed CAD914 million (USD712 million) in advanced manufacturing contracts for its major component replacement (MCR) that starts in 2020 and will allow the site to provide low-cost, carbon-free electricity to Ontario to 2064. Announcing the deals yesterday, Bruce Power said its Life-Extension Programme - which includes the MCRs on units 3-8 - remains on time and on budget.The Bruce...Read More
The European Union must ensure it retains sovereignty over energy and climate, French President Emmanuel Macron told the European Parliament last week. Reducing emissions must remain a priority for Europe, and replacing phased-out nuclear plants with coal would not achieve this, he warned.Emmanuel Macron debates the future of Europe with MEPs on 17 April (Image: European Union 2018 - European Parl...Read More
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) told congressional lawmakers last week its commissioners are investigating ways for electricity markets to value reliability, while distancing themselves from immediate reform. The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) says the discussion follows the "concrete action taken by several states, most recently New Jersey, to properly compensate nuclear power's z...Read More
Nuclear growth is at a 25-year high driven by the need for clean and reliable electricity, World Nuclear Association Director General Agneta Rising told the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle conference held in Madrid last week. While market problems persist in the USA, China's rate of nuclear approvals is picking up, other keynote speakers said. Agneta Rising addresses the WNFC (Image: WNFC)The Associatio...Read More
CENTENNIAL, Colo., April 23, 2018 - Westwater Resources, Inc. (Nasdaq: WWR) ("WWR" or the "Company"), an energy materials exploration and development company, announced today that its acquisition of Alabama Graphite Corp. ("AGC") is complete. Important actions going forward are:The Company is advancing plans to produce advanced battery materials on a pilot scale during 2019.The Company is workin...Read More
The following is an abridged version of the Atoms for Africa report published last week by the Center for Global Development and co-authored by Abigail Sah, Jessica Lovering, Omaro Maseli and Aishwarya Saxena. In the face of increasing concern about human-caused climate change, there is an urgent need for a global transition to clean energy. Yet in many parts of the world, such as sub-Saharan Afr...Read More