Page 2 - Nuclear Projects

US, South Korea urge i'ntl push to curb North Korean nuclear programme

The national security advisers of the United States, South Korea and Japan called on Saturday for a stronger international push to suppress North Korea's development of nuclear weapons and missiles and its military cooperation with other countries amid concerns about its alleged arms transfers to Russia. The meeting in Seoul came as tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at their highest in years, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un accelerating the expansion of his nuclear and missile program and flaunting an escalatory nuclear doctrine that authorizes the preemptive use of nuclear weapons. The United States and its Asian allies have responded by increasing the visibility of their trilateral security cooperation in the region and strengthening their combined military exercises, which Kim condemns as invasion rehearsals. In a joint news conference after the meeting, Cho said the three security advisers reaffirmed North Korea's obligations under multiple U.N. Security Council ...

UN watchdog slams Iran for barring inspectors from monitoring programme

The UN nuclear watchdog harshly criticised Iran on Saturday for effectively barring several of its most experienced inspectors from monitoring the country's disputed programme. The strongly worded statement came amid longstanding tensions between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is tasked with monitoring a nuclear programme that Western nations have long suspected is aimed at eventually developing a nuclear weapon. Iran insists the program is peaceful. Rafael Mariano Grossi, the head of the IAEA, said Iran had withdrawn the designation of "several experienced Agency inspectors," barring them from taking part in the monitoring of its programme. "Iran has effectively removed about one third of the core group of the Agency's most experienced inspectors designated for Iran, he said. Grossi went on to strongly condemn this disproportionate and unprecedented unilateral measure, saying it constitutes an unnecessary blow to an already strained relationship between the

Japan enacts law to extend operating period of nuclear plants beyond 60 yrs

Japanese parliament has enacted legislation to allow nuclear reactors in the country to be operated beyond the current limit of 60 years in a push to cut carbon emissions

Iran's media claims UN watchdog closes line of inquiry on nuclear programme

Iran's state-run news agency claimed Tuesday that international inspectors had closed off two lines of inquiry they had over Tehran's nuclear programme ahead of a scheduled quarterly report by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog. The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, however, did not respond to questions over the report published by Iran's state-run IRNA news agency. Citing knowledgeable sources, IRNA said that the IAEA had closed off its inquiry over the recent discovery of traces of uranium enriched up to 83.7 per cent purity. A quarterly IAEA report in March said inspectors found the particles in Iran's underground Fordo nuclear site, further raising nonproliferation concerns as weapons-grade material is enriched to 90 per cent. Iran had blamed unintended fluctuations for the discovery at Fordo nuclear site. The Islamic Republic has been producing uranium enriched to 60% purity a level which nonproliferation experts say Tehran does not need for civilian ...

BHEL, Nuclear Power Corp ink pact for nuclear power project opportunities

State-owned engineering firm Bharat Heavy Electricals and Nuclear Power Corporation have inked an initial pact to jointly pursue business opportunities in nuclear power based on pressurised heavy water reactor technology. Under the pact, BHEL and NPCIL will jointly explore opportunities for the development of nuclear power projects to reduce project gestation time. "State-run PSUs Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) have entered into an MoU (memorandum of understanding) to jointly pursue business opportunities in the area of Nuclear Power Plants based on Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) technology," a statement said on Wednesday. In the presence of VK Saraswat (Member NITI Aayog), KN Vyas (Secretary Department of Atomic Energy & Chairman Atomic Energy Commission) and Kamran Rizvi (Secretary Ministry of Heavy Industries), the MoU was signed by BHEL CMD Nalin Shinghal and Bhuwan Chandra Pathak, CMD NPCIL at Niti ...

No compromise on Nuke program, says Pak's Finance Minister amid cash crunch

Amid the hike in prices of commodities and cash crunch, Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar asserted that they won't compromise on the nuclear and missile programmes, Dawn reported

Nuclear power: All that you need to know about small modular reactors

Small modular reactors are advanced reactors that have a power generation capacity of up to 300 megawatts (MW) per unit

Iran does not seek to develop nuclear weapons, says President Ebrahim Raisi

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has said his country did not seek to develop nuclear weapons but would employ nuclear technology for civilian purposes

Satellite images suggest Iran preparing for rocket launch amid tensions

Iran appeared to be readying for a space launch Tuesday as satellite images showed a rocket on a rural desert launch pad, just as tensions remain high over Tehran's nuclear program

Ukraine conflict to hit Kudankulam nuclear project schedules: Centre

The construction of upcoming units of the Kudankulam nuclear power project is likely to be delayed due to the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, the government told Rajya Sabha on Thursday. "The components and equipment to be imported from Ukraine and Russia may be delayed due to the logistical and ocean freight problems arising out of the conflict," Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh said in a written reply to a question by Rajya Sabha member Abir Ranjan Biswas. The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) is being undertaken in cooperation with Russia, which is supplying 1,000 MW VVER type nuclear reactors. Two units of 1,000 MW each are already operational, while units 3&4 and 5&6 are currently under construction. "KKNPP 3&4 and KKNPP 5&6 have achieved an overall physical progress of 58.22 per cent and 8.12 per cent respectively as of February 2022," Singh said. Russian state-owned Rosatom is developing the nuclear power project at Kudankulam. KKNPP-1 ...

India accounts for 1% of world's nuclear warheads, shows SIPRI data

Russia, US hold 90% of total nukes. At 156, India has fewer than Pakistan's 165

Russian seizure of Ukraine nuclear plant sparks worries about radiation

Russian forces captured the Zaporizhzhia plant - Europe's largest - after attacking it in the early hours of Friday, setting an adjacent five-storey training facility on fire

US, allies urge North Korea to abandon nuclear, ballistic missile programs

The United States and five allies urged North Korea on Monday to abandon its prohibited nuclear and ballistic missile programs

India urges Iran to continue to cooperate with IAEA for verification

India has asked Iran to continue to cooperate with International Atomic Energy Agency in performance of verification activities related to its nuclear programme and addressing all outstanding issues

Iran won't deliver nuclear activities' record to IAEA: Parliament speaker

Iran will not deliver records of its nuclear activities to the International Atomic Energy Agency after a temporary understanding reached in January expired, Parliament Speaker said

Imran Khan brought to power to roll back Pak nuclear programme: Opposition

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) alleged that Imran Khan was brought to power to fulfil the 'foreign agenda' of rolling back the nuclear programme

New Mexico sues US over proposed nuclear waste storage plans citing danger

New Mexico sued the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission over concerns that it hasn't done enough to vet plans for a facility to store spent nuclear fuel, arguing it would endanger residents

BHEL gains 7% on emerging lowest bidder for NPCIL's Rs 10,800 cr tender

The company has emerged as lowest bidder for tender worth Rs 10,800 crore for fleet mode tender floated by Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) for the 6x700 MW Turbine Island Package Projects.

US to end sanctions waivers on Iranian civilian nuclear projects: Pompeo

"The sanctions waiver covering these activities will end following a final, 60-day wind-down period allowing companies and entities involved in these activities to cease their operations," Pompeo says

How to communicate in a crisis

Nuclear projects carry an element of risk from both equipment and human failure