MIT researchers published a paper this week where they explain that thin layers of solid oxide protective coating for metals can deform as if they were liquid, filling any cracks and gaps as they form.In a press release, the scientists explain that the coating layer should be especially useful to prevent the leakage of tiny molecules such as the hydrogen gas used to power fuel-cell cars or tritium...Read More
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has approved the issuance of combined construction and operating licences (COLs) for the two proposed AP1000 reactors at Florida Power and Light's (FPL's) Turkey Point plant in Florida. The utility has yet to make a final decision on whether to proceed with building the units.How Turkey Point 6 and 7 could appear adjacent to the existing plant (Image: FPL...Read More
Peninsula Energy Ltd (ASX:PEN) produced 43,638 pounds of uranium from its Wyoming-based Lance Project during the three months to March 31, 2018.This represented a quarter-on-quarter increase of 12% and was a catalyst for an increase of almost 10% in Peninsula Energy's shares to an intra-day high of 24 cents.Managing director Wayne Heili said: "The most recent quarter continues our precedent of ach...Read More
Solar power last year attracted far more investment than any other technology, reaching almost $161 billion, a 18% increase when compared to 2016, a new study backed by the United Nations shows.According to the report, released Tuesday by the UN Environment's Economy Division, the Frankfurt School-UNEP Collaborating Centre, and Bloomberg New Energy Finance, solar made up 57% of last year's to...Read More
World's number one miner BHP (ASX:BHP) confirmed Thursday it has decided to leave the World Coal Association (WCA) over differences on climate change, but said it will keep its affiliation to the US Chamber of Commerce, which was also under review.The miner, which publicly supports the Paris climate accord, first signalled its intent to potentially leave the global coal-lobbying group last year, a...Read More
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has renewed its contract with Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) to operate the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA). The five-year contract is valued at up to USD52 million.The contract - which includes a one-year base period and four one-year option periods - provides continuing technical assistance and research support to NRC activitie...Read More
Weekly Reports |Apr 04 2018The spot uranium market saw its second highest monthly turnover in March, but still prices slip away.-Volumes up-Prices down By Greg PeelThis week's report is relatively brief given last week's Good Friday holiday.In the week prior, the US Department of Energy announced it would suspend periodic sales of government held uranium which were being used to fund the clean-up...Read More
The same construction milestone - installation of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) - has been reached at unit 4 of the Vogtle nuclear power plant in the US state of Georgia and at unit 5 of the Hongyanhe plant in China's Liaoning province.The RPV of Vogtle 4 is lowered into the unit's containment building (Image: Georgia Power)The RPV was lifted into its permanent location in Vogtle 4's nuclear i...Read More
Canada's National Research Universal (NRU) - one of the largest and most versatile research reactors in the world - has been permanently shut down. The reactor at the Chalk River site ceased production in October 2016, but had since remained on standby.NRU (Image: CNL)Operator Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) announced yesterday that the reactor had been "quietly shut down for the last time" at...Read More
Kazakhstan and Mongolia are expanding their cooperation in the mining sector. The two countries on 30 March signed a Memorandum of Understanding focusing on geology and development of mineral resources and civil aviation during the 7th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission between Mongolia and Kazakhstan on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation in Almaty. The intergovernmenta...Read More
Energy Fuels Inc (TSE:EFR, NYSE:UUUU) has marked a major milestone and moved its Alta Mesa uranium project in Texas one step further towards resuming production, it told investors.Alta Mesa is a fully permitted and constructed ISR (solution mining) uranium project in the south of the state, currently on standby status ready to resume operations.READ THE BIG PIC - Energy Fuels nudges higher as it o...Read More
It's been an eventful past couple of weeks in the uranium subsector, even if the spot price for uranium oxide has shown little positive response.In the U.S., the Trump administration's Department of Energy (DOE) has suspended sales from its uranium oxide stockpiles for the rest of the government's fiscal year (until Sept. 30, 2018).The Portsmouth gaseous-diffusion uranium enrichment facility in Pi...Read More
The Japanese nuclear regulator has approved the Japan Atomic Energy Agency's (JAEA's) plans for decommissioning the Monju prototype fast breeder reactor (FBR). JAEA submitted the plan - which had earlier been approved by a government-appointed team - to the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) in December last year.The Monju FBR (Image: JAEA)A key part of Japan's nuclear energy program, the 280 MWe...Read More
Westinghouse Electric Company's reorganisation plan - including its sale to Brookfield - has been approved by the US Bankruptcy Court. Westinghouse said the court's approval of the plan is a "significant milestone in the company's strategic restructuring".Westinghouse filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with US courts in March 2017 to enable it to undergo strategic restructuring. The compan...Read More
France has demonstrated a strong commitment to nuclear security, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The Vienna-based agency carried out a two-week International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) follow-up mission at the French government's request.The team completed the mission on 23 March to review the legislative and regulatory framework for nuclear security i...Read More
The Czech government is expected to reach a decision on the best way to finance new nuclear projects by the middle of the year, after a Ministry of Industry and Trade committee agreed yesterday to finalise its recommendations to government.Dukovany (Image: ?OEEZ)The Standing Committee on Nuclear Energy met to consider investor models and financing for the construction of new nuclear reactors. Mini...Read More
Weekly Reports |Mar 27 2018The Trump administration has suspended government sales of uranium in FY18, previously undertaken to fund an environmental clean-up.-DoE suspends US government uranium sales-Global price gap begins to close-Japan restarts number sevenBy Greg PeelThe US Department of Energy announced last week it would suspend government sales of uranium from excess inventories, which had...Read More
Toronto, Ontario (March 27, 2018) - Mega Uranium Ltd. (TSX: MGA) announces the results of its annual shareholder meeting held earlier today. Each of the nominees listed below was elected as a director by a show of hands of the majority of shareholders. The results of the shares voted in person or by proxy in respect of the election of each director are:NomineeShares Voted ForShares WithheldAlb...Read More
The operator of the Loviisa nuclear power plant in Finland has demonstrated a strong commitment to safety, an expert team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has concluded. However, the mission made recommendations to Fortum to reinforce some safety measures.Loviisa units 1 and 2 (Image: Fortum)An Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) on 22 March completed an 18-day mission to the...Read More
Barakah Unit 1 to load fuel in May: Korean energy ministryReactor is Arab world's first; Saudis also want atomic plantsUnits 1 and 2 of the Barakah nuclear energy plant site.Source: Arun Girija/ENECThe United Arab Emirates, with help from Korea Electric Power Corp., finished building the Arab world’s first commercial nuclear reactor, a milestone in the oil-rich U.A.E.’s effort to cur...Read More