2009 World Nuclear Industry Status Report

Abstract

The average construction time of the 34 units that started up in the world between 2003 and July 2013 was 9.4 years. Reactor Status and Nuclear Programs • Startups and Shutdowns. Only three reactors started up in 2012, while six were shut down 10 and in 2013 up to 1 July, only one started up, while four shutdown decisions-all in the U.S.-were taken in the first half of 2013. 11 Three of those four units faced costly repairs, but one, Kewaunee, Wisconsin, was running well and had received a license renewal just two years ago to operate up to a total of 60 years; it simply became uneconomic to run. As of 1 July 2013, there were only two reactors operating in Japan and how many others will receive permission to restart and over what timeframe remains highly uncertain. • Newcomer Program Delays. Engagement in nuclear programs has been delayed by most of the potential newcomer countries, including Bangladesh,

Knowledge Cartography

“…The World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2013 (WNISR) (Schneider and Froggatt 2013 ) presents an industry in great diffi culties, recording a record drop of 7 % of income in 2012. Moreover several health indicators have been published following the triple meltdown in Fukushima (the last reported in 2011).…”

A nuclear power renaissance?

“…This is just an apparent contradiction; it may be interpreted as the consequence of the process known as "uprating", that is the extension of operating licenses of several plants. For instance, in [13] it is There is a wide perception that these technical alterations at existing plants will apply in other countries, which may justify the locally growing trend in uranium extraction observed in the most recent years. Such interpretation of results may be confirmed through the analysis of the reactor shutdowns series, produced in Table 5, Table 6, and Figure 4.…”

“…Incidentally, this may support our choice to model the process of uranium production, rather than trying to provide direct estimates of reserves; the case of France suggests that resource assessment is related to production dynamics. As far as reactors are concerned, according to [13], due to existing overcapacities and the average age of about 25 years of its power plants, France does not need to build any new units for a long time. The only unit under construction is Flamanville-3, started in 2007, which has encountered several problems of quality control; this has caused delays to its commercial start, which still remains unspecified.…”

“…The World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2009 [13] claims that for practically all of the potential newcomers it remains unlikely that fission power programs can be soon implemented within the required technical, political, and economic framework. In particular, the lack of trained workforce and loss of competence are among the most difficult challenges to overcome.…”

“…In particular, the lack of trained workforce and loss of competence are among the most difficult challenges to overcome. Even France, the country with the strongest base of civilian nuclear competence, is suffering from shortage of skilled labour: the two Generation III reactors, managed by the French AREVA, currently under construction in Finland (Olkiluoto) and France (Flamanville), have experienced cost explosions, delays, and many design problems (see [13] and [6]). Moreover, in 2009 the number of produced electric energy from nuclear fission was 1.6% smaller than in 2008.…”