[en] Lifetime management activities in Czech republic are concerned with Dukovany 4 units of WWER-440 NPP in operation and Temelin 2 units of WWER-440 NPP under construction. Requirements for lifetime and integrity assessment during operation are fulfilled for reactor pressure vessel and internal components, and preparation started for steam generators. A code was prepared for lifetime evaluation of reactor components and determination of their required mechanical properties

[en] Status report on NPP life management in Slovenia is dealing with possible life extension of NPP Krsko which comprises: replacement of steam generator; power upgrade; exchange of plant process computer; snubber reduction program, additional forced ventilation cooling system. Fuel improvements are predicted as well as the problems of storing spent fuel, low and intermediate waste if the plant is to operate through 2023 and possibly beyond that date. Related research activities are concerned with radiation damage, modelling of reactor core parameters by Monte Carlo calculations and PSA and severe accidents studies. Most of the activities are performed in cooperation with foreign organisations

[en] Report of the United Kingdom deals with life extension granted to Calder Hall and Chapelcross reactors for further 10 years operation. The two well recognised life-limiting features of Magnox type reactors are graphite core ageing and materials properties of the reactor pressure circuit components. These features have been scrutinised particularly closely and the conclusion has been reached that there are no safety factors which will necessarily limit the plant life to less than 50 years. Two other life-limiting factors are hear exchanger tubes and the heat exchanger tube failures internal to boiler shells and the integrity of the main engineering structures of the plant. It was concluded that appropriate routine ageing monitoring programs are in place in respect to these features to support continuing operation beyond 40 years

No abstract available

[en] An analysis was made on the potential and cost of reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from Japan's long-term energy systems by using the MARKAL model, developed in the Energy Technology Systems Analysis Programme (ETSAP) of International Energy Agency (IEA). Assuming future growths of GDP, the demand for energy services was estimated for the analytical time horizon 1990-2050. Assumptions were made also on prices and availability of fossil fuels, and on availability of nuclear and renewable energy. CO₂ emissions and system costs were compared between energy demand and supply scenarios defined with different assumptions on nuclear energy, a CO₂ disposal option, and natural gas imports. Main results were as follows. Without nuclear energy, the CO₂ emissions will hardly be reduced because of the increases of coal utilization. CO₂ disposal will be effective in reducing the emissions, however at much higher costs than the case with nuclear energy. The expansion of natural gas imports alone will not reduce the emissions at enough low levels. (author)

[en] This small folder presents a digest of some useful information concerning the nuclear power plants worldwide and the situation of nuclear industry at the end of 1997: power production of nuclear origin, distribution of reactor types, number of installed units, evolution and prediction of reactor orders, connections to the grid and decommissioning, worldwide development of nuclear power, evolution of power production of nuclear origin, the installed power per reactor type, market shares and exports of the main nuclear engineering companies, power plants constructions and orders situation, evolution of reactors performances during the last 10 years, know-how and development of nuclear safety, the remarkable facts of 1997, the future of nuclear power and the energy policy trends. (J.S.)

[en] The paper presents and comments the policy adopted in Romania for the production of CANDU-6 nuclear fuel before and after 1990. The CANDU-6 nuclear fuel manufacturing started in Romania in December 1983. Neither AECL nor any Canadian nuclear fuel manufacturer were involved in the Romanian industrial nuclear fuel production before 1990. After January 1990, the new created Romanian Electricity Authority (RENEL) assumed the responsibility for the Romanian Nuclear Power Program. It was RENEL's decision to stop, in June 1990, the nuclear fuel production at the Institute for Nuclear Power Reactors (IRNE) Pitesti. This decision was justified by the Canadian specialists team findings, revealed during a general, but well enough technically founded analysis performed at IRNE in the spring of 1990. All fuel manufactured before June 1990 was quarantined as it was considered of suspect quality. By that time more than 31,000 fuel bundles had already been manufactured. This fuel was stored for subsequent assessment. The paper explains the reasons which provoked this decision. The paper also presents the strategy adopted by RENEL after 1990 regarding the Romanian Nuclear Fuel Program. After a complex program done by Romanian and Canadian partners, in November 1994, AECL issued a temporary certification for the Romanian nuclear fuel plant. During the demonstration manufacturing run, as an essential milestone for the qualification of the Romanian fuel supplier for CANDU-6 reactors, 202 fuel bundles were produced. Of these fuel bundles, 66 were part of the Cernavoda NGS Unit 1 first fuel load (the balance was supplied by Zircatec Precision Industries Inc. ZPI). The industrial nuclear fuel fabrication re-started in Romania in January 1995 under AECL's periodical monitoring. In December 1995, AECL issued a permanent certificate, stating the Romanian nuclear fuel plant as a qualified and authorised CANDU-6 fuel supplier. The re-loading of the Cernavoda NGS Unit 1 started in the middle of January 1997 with fuel produced by the Romanian fuel plant. The quality evaluation of the 'pre-1990' fuel started in April 1996 and was performed by the Nuclear Fuel Plant (FCN) Pitesti, under the supervision of the Nuclear Power Group (GEN) - a distinct department of RENEL. The paper presents the involvement of Romania in the activities related to the Advanced CANDU Fuel Cycle. The future prospect and trend of the Romanian Nuclear Fuel Program are also presented in this paper. (author)

[en] A brief account of activities carried out by the Nuclear power plants Mochovce in 1998 is presented. These activities are reported under the headings: (1) Director's foreword; (2) Power plant management; (3) Highlights of 1998; (4) Quality system; (5) Electricity and heat generation; Maintenance; Capital construction; (6) Radiation safety; Environmental impacts of operations; (7) List of balances; Human resources; (8) International co-operation; Public relations

[en] Business decisions relating to the electric power sector are a provincial responsibility in Canada. The federal government looks to the three nuclear utilities to manage their nuclear assets and maintain them in a way that maximizes their reliability, efficiency and overall performance. A significant development in Canada's nuclear sector in the past year was the Ontario Hydro Nuclear Asset Optimization Plan. Structural change in the North American electricity market is a major impetus for decisions regarding nuclear assets by Canada's electric power utilities. The Ontario government is now taking steps to introduce competition in the Ontario Electricity market. The province of New Brunswick, which has one reactor at Point Lepreau which supplies one-third of the province's electricity, is also taking measures to introduce competition in its electricity market. (author)

[en] The long-term nuclear policy directions are proposed with three aspects of nuclear technology development policy, nuclear regulatory policy, and tasks required for promoting pro-nuclear movement. Several nuclear technology areas, such as technology for the improvement of nuclear economics, safety enhancement technology, radwaste, treatment/disposal technology, fuel cycle technology, and proliferation-resistant nuclear technology, fuel recycle technology, and proliferation-resistant nuclear technology, appear very important in the future nuclear technology development policy. Nuclear regulation policy should be established with balancing between public safety and expansion of nuclear industry. Objective of nuclear regulation should be recognized not to collapse a nuclear industry, and the worth of nuclear regulatory regime may be also meaningful if nuclear industry can be well developed. It should be necessary to make a proper atmosphere that can resolve revealed or potential problems and issues against the harmonious implementation of nuclear policy. For the purpose, nuclear policy should contain certain policies to promote a nuclear development, such as social policy, international cooperation strategy, and national resource allocation policy. (author). 20 refs., 8 tabs., 5 figs