Nuclear News: US intel chief says no Iran nukes possible before 2013
Today's big stories from the nuclear industry:
Christian Science Monitor: US intel chief says no Iran nukes possible before 2013
’Iran will probably not have the technical ability to produce enough fuel to make a nuclear bomb before 2013, US Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair told a senate intelligence committee earlier this year. He also said that he’s seen no evidence Iran is seeking to make fuel for a bomb, and that international scrutiny appears to be deterring such efforts. The American intelligence community’s views on Iran’s nuclear program, progress in Afghanistan, and the extent of Al Qaeda’s operational abilities were all addressed in a 40- page series of answers that Mr. Blair delivered to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on February 12. But only now has it become public. The document was released to Steven Aftergood, who runs the Project on Government Secrecy for the Federation of American Scientists following a Freedom of Information Act request. (A PDF to the full document can be found at this link.)
Reuters: Breaking up Areva's T&D not taboo says VP -report
’PARIS, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Breaking up the Transmission and Distribution (T&D) unit of Areva currently on sale is not a taboo, Bernard Bigot, vice-president of the supervisory board of the French nuclear power group said. His comments, published on Monday in an interview with French daily Les Echos, came after Areva Chief Executive Anne Lauvergeon ruled out dismantling T&D at the end of June. Asked about a potential dismantlement of T&D, Bigot, also head of the state Commission on Nuclear Energy (CEA), which owns 79 percent of Areva, told the French daily: "There is no taboo for me." French engineering groups Alstom and Schneider have made a joint bid for the unit and aim to split the assets between themselves.’
World Nuclear News: TVA reconsiders Bellefonte plans
’The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), which had earlier said it was considering the construction of up to four reactors at its Bellefonte site in Alabama, is now looking into building just one unit at the site. The company had been considering finishing two partly built reactors at the Bellefonte plant or constructing two new units at the site. The option of constructing all four units had also been considered. However, the company has now said it is preparing a supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) to update the original 1974 environmental statement for Bellefonte Units 1 and 2 and to evaluate the new alternative of a new reactor. The SEIS will evaluate three alternatives: completing and operating one of the partially completed reactors; constructing and operating a new Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear unit; and taking no action to operate a nuclear unit at the site.’
World Nuclear News: UK authority clears Centrica-EdF deal
’Plans by gas and electricity supplier Centrica to acquire a minority stake in nuclear utility British Energy (BE) from Electricité de France (EdF) have been approved by the UK's consumer and competition authority, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). Under the joint venture arrangements with EdF announced in May, Centrica will acquire a 20% interest in BE, the operator of eight existing nuclear power stations of which EdF acquired control in January 2009, and will offtake 20% of the uncontracted power from the BE fleet. EdF and Centrica will also form a separate 80/20 joint venture through which they will undertake the pre-development activities for a planned nuclear new build programme, with the intention of constructing, operating and decommissioning four European Pressurised Reactors (EPRs). EdF will also provide Centrica with an additional 18TWh of power at market prices over five years from 2011.’
People’s Daily Online: Pakistan tries for civil nuclear accord with U.S.: official
’Pakistan is struggling for a civil nuclear accord with the United States to meet its energy needs, a senior Pakistani official said Monday. After attending a seminar organized by Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), deputy Chairman of Planning Commission, Sardar Asif Ahmad Ali, said that the government is in efforts for a civil nuclear accord with the U.S. to overcome its energy crisis, the local news agency News Network International reported.’
NEI: Turkish government offers to take stake of Mersin project
’The Turkish government has offered to take a 15-25% share in the proposed Mersin nuclear power plant construction project, according to a Financial Times report. But it remains unclear whether the project will go ahead. A Russian-led consortium of Atomstroyexport, Inter RAO UES and Turkish firm Park Teknik was the only bidder of six to return a final price for a nuclear power station in September 2008. The entire deal appears to depend on that price, which has now changed publicly three times. In January, the consortium lowered its offer price from $0.2116/kWh to $0.2079/kWh. In the run-up to the meeting, the Turkish ministry of energy complained that the latter price was about three times too high, according to a report in the Russian daily newspaper Gudok. Press reports of the current figure vary between $0.15/kWh -$0.12/kWh with the additional Turkish capital.’
Power Engineering: Iberdrola hunts for sites for new build nuclear in Europe
’Spanish utility and renewables company Iberdrola is in talks with Russian firms to supply engineering and construction services for new nuclear sites, the company has announced. Iberdrola is in talks with Russian companies over Kaliningrad and is also believed to be involved in the Sellafield land sale. Iberdrola has undertaken a range of power projects outside Spain including steam generator replacement in Mexico and construction in Romania.’
