[en] During the year 1995 the 438 reactors in service worldwide produced about 2260 TWh gross. During the same period 6 new reactors were connected to the power network, 48 were under construction in 14 countries (12 in the Russian Federation), 17 were commissioned and 2 were definitely closed down. Nuclear power represents a third of the power consumption in 11 countries, from which 3 countries are supplied by nuclear power for more than a half of their consumption (Lithuania, France and Belgium). (J.S.)

[en] For the first time in ten years, the uranium production has shown a 5% increase in 1995 with a 34218 tons of worldwide production. Western countries have increased their production of 14%, while China, CIS countries and central Europe countries have reduced their production of 15%. 24 countries are involved in the worldwide uranium production, from which 16 belong to the western world. Canada is in the first position (10515 tons), followed by Australia (3694 t) and Niger (2975 t). The USA have doubled their production and reach the forth position. The Cameco Canadian group is responsible for 17% of the worldwide production, while Cogema produces 16.3% thanks to its participations in Gabon, Niger, Canada (Cluff Lake) and in the USA. The German group Uranerz Mining Corporation occupies the third position thanks to its Canadian mines. (J.S.)

[en] It has been shown that the chromosomal breakage frequency which are induced by radiations is lower when cells have been irradiated by low doses before, especially if the two irradiations are separated by only some hours. Efficient mediators, as cytokines are produced. It seems that ionizing radiations induce the synthesis of enzymes able to eliminate toxic agents. If the existence of beneficial effects have been proved, the beneficial effects induced by low doses irradiations have not been proved in a statistically manner. (N.C.)

[en] The situation of the radioactive waste management in Usa is related here. Some nuclear power plants has no more possibilities to storage their spent fuels and the Yucca mountain which was the selected site for radioactive disposal is not operating. 27 reactors with problems of spent fuel storage have begun to extend their storage capacities and 55 among the 110 Us reactors will have the same problem at the year 2005. If the American energy policy relative to the spent fuel reprocessing is not changed, it could be possible for Us electricians to make their spent fuels reprocessed if they did not have any other possibility. (N.C.)

[en] The turnover of Areva has increased between the first trimester 2005 and the first trimester 2006 with a rate of 5.7%. This article gives the details of the growth in each sector and explains why the result decreases. (N.C.)

[en] The Swiss electorate has rejected 2 anti-nuclear initiatives. The first scheduled the decommission of all nuclear power plants by 2014 and the second proposed to continue for 10 years more the moratorium that froze in 1991 the construction of new nuclear plant and to impose a limit of 40 years to the operating life of a nuclear power plant. 66,3 % of the voters voted against the first initiative and 58,4 % against the second. The practical consequence of this voting is that the 5 nuclear units operating in Switzerland will continue to do so. The Swiss parliament has passed a new law about energy but this law has not yet been implemented. This law will allow the construction of new nuclear power plants, will frame the management of radioactive wastes, will organize a clear view on the production means of electricity, and will deny to any canton the right to veto the implantation of radioactive waste storage site on its territory. (A.C.)

[en] The Nuclear Industry Association - NIA is the professional organisation of the British nuclear industry, it is the counterpart of the French Society of Nuclear Energy - SFEN. NIA represents 260 enterprises among which the operators of the 43 commissioned or decommissioned nuclear reactors on UK soil. In UK nuclear industry employs 64.000 people. Despite the recent Brexit an agreement has been signed between NIA and SFEN, this agreement reinforces the cooperation between both countries in the nuclear sector: - the enterprises of the nuclear sector will be helped to find business opportunities in both countries, and - the share of knowledge between nuclear-issue experts of both countries will be encouraged. (A.C.)

[en] Nuclear research is necessary to improve safety and competitiveness and to design tomorrow's reactors. The main figures of nuclear research in France prove is high-level and efficiency: 900 patterns issued in 2014 and 1500 PhD students work in its laboratories and nuclear industry is the 4. most innovative industrial sector in France. 75% of the budget allocated to CEA for nuclear research leaves CEA to go to the industrial sector, that is composed of about 2500 enterprises. French nuclear research is broadly open to international cooperation: ITER and the ASTRID project are the most relevant examples.

[en] The Soulaines disposal center received in April 2007 its 200 thousandth cubic meter of low-level radioactive wastes. Soulaines, since its commissioning 15 years ago, has used 20% of its total capacity (1000.000 m³). Now, 265.000 packages coming mainly from nuclear power plants, cea centers and Areva company, have been dealt with. The service life of Soulaines center was assessed to be 30 years at its opening but today it will be much more because of the drastic policy of waste volume reduction led in the nuclear industry. The Soulaines center has a staff of 158 people. (A.C.)

[en] The British government has launched a new procedure for selecting and implementing a geological disposal. This procedure is based on long-term cooperation with municipalities that wish to home this facility. In a preliminary 2 year long step, a national geological survey will be performed in order to determine regions that are suitable to home a geological disposal. Then discussions between municipalities that are voluntary and the enterprise in charge of developing the project will begin. Municipalities will receive an investment up to 1 million pounds a year in the first years of the selecting procedure and then 2.5 million pounds a year when discussions become more formal. British authorities consider that the procedure for selecting a site may last up to 20 years. A previous attempt to find a site failed in 2013 when 2 regions that had been interested in the project since 2008, were finally rebuffed by the regional council that opposed the project. Scotland and Wales have their own strategy for the management of radioactive waste. (A.C.)