Nigeria considers nuclear power plant
’In a move considered ambitious for a country fraught with a myriad of developmental challenges the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) has commenced a public sensitization programme advocating the establishment of a nuclear power plant to generate electricity to meet the country's power supply requirements. Professor Shamsideen Elegba, the Director General of the NNRA made the case for use of nuclear energy while speaking at a one day workshop organised by his agency for journalists in Abuja recently. He noted that Nigerians get scared when they hear anything about nuclear energy, adding that even though nuclear projects are fraught with risk, similar risks exists in other sectors such as aviation and energy. When reminded that the Nigerian government has not been capable of rising up to minimal challenges, not to mention one such as nuclear power, Elegba and some of his directors defended the integrity and professionalism of the NNRA. Elegba said the NNRA has in the last few years successfully supervised the operation of a nuclear research reactor at the Centre for Energy Research and Training in Zaria , Kaduna State, adding that the nuclear reactor is wholly manned by Nigerians. As part of its efforts to grow capacity, the NNRA representatives at the workshop disclosed that12 Nigerian scientists are being sent to Korea this year for training while many more are currently undergoing specialized training in various institutions around the country.’

Mongolia state head receives Areva's chairwoman
’Ulaanbaatar, /MONTSAME/ On Monday, the President of Mongolia Ts.Elbegdorj received a chairwoman of Areva Group, France, Anne Lauvergeon. Beginning the meeting, the State Head congratulated Mrs Lauvergeon for signing a memorandum of understanding between Mongolia's Nuclear Energy Department (NED) and the Areva Group. He said Mongolia is attaching a great importance to the nuclear energy sector. Ts.Elbegdorj emphasized an importance of
introducing the latest friendly-environmentally and safe technologies, and expressed a willingness to cooperate with France in the sector. In turn, Mrs Lauvergeon expressed her satisfaction with a successful development of the bilateral cooperation, said she would like to raise investments in Mongolia and to develop mutually beneficial cooperation. She also approved of a recently adopted law on nuclear energy, and said the Areva Group is ready to help Mongolia reduce unemployment rate, to contribute to the local development, make extractions, and to render a support for Mongolia in preparing specialists for the mining sector.’

ENEL sees 1st nuclear plant in 2020
’(ANSA) - Flamanville, October 5 - National electricity utility ENEL said on Monday that it expected to have its first new nuclear power plant up and running by July 2020. ENEL explained that this target date was a ''realistic objective'' and that the other plants it planned to build with French partner EdF would open after intervals of 18 months from July 2020 for a total of four reactors in three plants. The Italian government has promised to adopt the guidelines and criteria for choosing reactor sites by July 2010 and ENEL believes this will allow it to pick its first site by October 2010 with actual construction beginning in July 2015. Italy abandoned nuclear power in 1987 after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and is now the only leading western power without it. This summer the Italian parliament gave its green light to a return to nuclear power through which Italy hopes to cover 25% of its energy needs in the future.’

U.S.-India Second Round N-Fuel Talks In Vienna
’(RTTNews) - A second round of talks in Vienna between the United States and India is expected sometime in the coming days to complete negotiations over the much-awaited "Arrangements and Procedures" agreement on reprocessing spent nuclear fuel of American origin, reports say. Officials from both sides hope to wrap-up the negotiations much before the one year time limit under the historic Indo-U.S. civilian nuclear deal that was signed October 8 last year. Under the 123 Agreement, named after Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act, New Delhi has to establish a new national facility dedicated to reprocessing nuclear spent fuel under the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)--the U.N. nuclear watchdog. Concluding the "Arrangements and Procedures" agreement is critical to begin commercial negotiations in the nuclear arena besides operationalization of the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal.’

North Korea almost finished rebuilding nuclear facility
’Seoul - North Korea appears to be in the final stage of restoring a previously disabled nuclear facility, South Korean media reported Tuesday. 'There are signs that the restoration of the Yongbyon facility is in its final stage,' the Yonhap news agency quoted a government source as saying. Pyongyang announced plans to restart work at the Yongbyon facility, which was disabled following a 2007 multilateral disarmament deal, early this year after the United Nations Security Council levied sanctions against the Stalinist state for conducting a long-range missile test. In May, North Korea abandoned the six-party talks, also involving the United States, Russia, China, South Korea and Japan, following its second nuclear test and later announced plans to build more nuclear weapons. Yongbyon's rebuilding casts doubt on recent statements by North Korean leader Kim Jong Il with high-ranking Chinese officials, where he said the regime was willing to return to bilateral as well as multilateral negotiations.’

Oyster Creek has faulty fasteners
’LACEY - Fasteners made for spent fuel storage devices at Oyster Creek Generation Station and several other power plants did not meet standards, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The NRC Web site lists information by Transnuclear Inc. that reported "a potential Part 21 violation and has reason to believe that Hwa Shin Bolt Ind. Co. provided unsubstantiated certified material." Transnuclear is performing an evaluation and does not believe the issue has safety significance. However, the company is reporting this issue because Hwa Shin may have supplied parts that may have safety significance, the report stated. The firm also reported that in addition to Oyster Creek, affected plants include Millstone Power Station in Connecticut, Susquehanna in Pennsylvania, Ginna in New York, Brunswick in North Carolina and Cooper Nuclear Station in Nebraska.’