China's Nuclear Expansion to Exceed Forecast, Japan Steel Says
’Sept. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Japan Steel Works Ltd., which makes reactor parts for Areva SA, Toshiba Corp. and rivals, more than doubled its forecast for China's nuclear plant construction because of stimulus spending and environmental pressures. The country may build about 22 reactors in the five years ending 2010 and 132 units thereafter, compared with a company estimate last year for a total 60 reactors, President Ikuo Sato said in an interview. Japan Steel Works has the only plant that makes the central part of a large-size nuclear reactor's containment vessel in a single piece, reducing radiation risk. China, the world's largest energy consumer after the U.S., is increasing spending on atomic energy as part of a 4 trillion yuan ($586 billion) economic stimulus and as it curbs greenhouse gas emissions. Japan Steel Works is counting on the rising reactor demand as the global recession curbs sales to customers such as carmakers and electronics companies.’

Olkiluoto 3: EPR dome installed
’Construction by AREVA of the Olkiluoto 3 EPRT reactor in Finland reached a major milestone today with the installation of the reactor building dome. The steel component weighing 210 tons and measuring almost 47 meters across was hoisted by two of the most powerful cranes in the world and lowered into place 44 meters above the ground. The inner section of the reactor building is now completely covered and to seal it, the dome will be welded around its circumference and covered with 7,000 tons of concrete. The erection of the dome required several months of preparatory work inside the reactor building during which the polar crane was installed and the 8.3-meter wide heavy equipment hatch created in the inside wall.’

U.S. envoy: U.S.-DPRK dialogue possible but only within six-party talks framework
’SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Stephen Bosworth, U.S. special envoy for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) policies, said on Sunday that his country is prepared for bilateral talks with Pyongyang but such direct dialogue should come only in the context of the six-party process, stressing the necessary of enhancing multilateral cooperation to deal with the nuclear issue on Korean Peninsula. "We are prepared to engage bilaterally with North Koreans (DPRK) but only within the context of six-party talks," Bosworth told local media after meeting with several South Korean senior officials in Seoul. The U.S. envoy said that Pyongyang which recently took so-called "two-track" tactics failed to show any fundamental change in its attitude on nuclear issue. "We are very gratified that young American journalists have been released, but our primary interest remains the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and we continue to (support) opportunities to reinitiate this process," Bosworth was quoted by Yonhap News Agency as saying.’

Exposing Israel's nuclear ambiguity
’Iran's enrichment programme, which potentially could be used to develop nuclear weapons, and Washington's and Israel's response to it, have been front page news for some time. Meetings of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) usually pitted Israel, backed by the US and European countries, against Iran, backed by Muslim nations and non-aligned countries. Israel and its backers usually demand firmer actions against Iran, portrayed by the influential media in the US and Europe as intransigent and unwilling to cooperate by opening up its nuclear facilities for inspection. An unusual diplomatic confrontation, however, between Israel and Iran promises to make the forthcoming September 14 meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) more lively than ever.’

Edison sees 4 bln euros for Italy nuclear-report
’MILAN, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Italian power company Edison SpA (EDN.MI) is willing to spend up to 4 billion euros ($5.7 billion) on domestic nuclear plants, Chief Executive Umberto Quadrino said in an interview published on Saturday. Nuclear power is a priority for Edison and when "the first stone for the first plant is laid, we will be there", he told business daily Il Sole 24 Ore. "And, between 2015 and 2025, we are ready to commit up to 4 billion euros," he said. Quadrino added that Edison, Italy's number two power utility, was willing to take part in an operating company for nuclear power when it was set up by France's EDF (EDF.PA) and Enel SpA (ENEI.MI).’

Brazil has the tools to make a nuclear bomb
’According to Sunday's Jornal do Brasil, Brazil has the necessary knowledge to build an atomic bomb, based on a doctoral thesis presented recently at the Military Institute of Engineering (IME). The original article declares that it is not necessary to make a bomb, but just to show that one knows how to make one. In this thesis, entitled "Numerical simulation of detonations in thermonuclear fusion environments hybrid fission-operated with radiation," physicist Darron succeeded in decoding the mathematical models of the W-87 warhead, developed by the United States. A Foreign Ministry spokesman told Agence France Presse that there was 'no secret' around this thesis, as it has 'apparently already been published in a book. But Brazil is a signatory to the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty and it respects the agreement,' he said.’