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New nuclear power in Argentina, Belarus, China

Energy World; 01/08/2014

A 692 MW nuclear reactor has been connected to the grid in Argentina, adding 74% to the country’s nuclear capacity, reports World Nuclear News. The reactor, Atucha 2, is a German heavy-water design, similar to Atucha 1 but larger. Construction for the reactor began in 1981, then stopped in 1994 due to financial reasons in Argentina, and restarted in 2006.

Elsewhere, in Belarus, Ostrovets nuclear power plant Unit 2 is under construction, The plant is being built by the Russian Atomstroyexport, and will comprise two 1.2 GW reactors. Fuel will be supplied by Russia. World Nuclear News reports that Russia is now the world’s top exporter of nuclear power plants.

Russia has been exporting its expertise to China, with the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) signing an agreement with the Russian Rosatom for the construction of floating nuclear cogeneration plants for Chinese offshore islands. Under the agreement the plants would be built in China but based on Russian technology, possibly using Russian KLT-40S reactors. They plants will be used to provide power and for desalination purposes.

Finally, the French government has published an energy transition bill that outlines its intention to reduce the nuclear share in its electricity mix from 75% today to 50% by 2025. The plans, reported by NucNet, would see nuclear capacity in France capped at its existing level of 63 GW, which means that the start up of EDF’s 1.6 GWb Flamanville reactor now relies on the closure of existing units.

News Item details

Journal title: Energy World

Countries: Argentina - China - Belarus -

Subjects: Electricity from nuclear fuel, Desalination, Nuclear reactors