On March 15, 2007, Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) received a report from Hokuriku Electric Power Company (HEPCO) on a criticality accident at Shika Nuclear Power Plant unit 1 (BWR). The accident occurred in 1999 during periodic inspection, but was not reported to NISA at that time. The fact was discovered by HEPCO during full check of data falsification being conducted according to NISA’s order issued on November 30, 2006.
The report of the accident was submitted from HEPCO to NISA on March 30 and April 6, 2007.
The report describes that the event occurred during the test of the hydraulic control rod system at the time of reactor shutdown. False steps taken in the test caused the pressure increase in the control rod withdrawal pipes and resulted in a simultaneous drops at 3 control rods that made reactor criticality for approximately fifteen minutes.
Last year, the Dutch Province of Limburg started an alliance in which, besides the local government, research institutes, small nuclear reactor (SMR) developers, utilities, industrial customers and funders cooperated. With this "Limburg SMR alliance" Limburg tried to lead the way towards an SMR in Limburg. The preferred site for a first SMR would be Chemelot, […]
From the IPFM: During a visit to the Civaux nuclear power plant on 18 March 2024, France's Minister of the Armed Forces unveiled a plan to use the plant to produce tritium for the French nuclear weapons program. Civaux is a civilian power plant that belongs to and is operated by Electricité de France. According […]
An analysis by the Norwegian NGO Bellona of transborder trade operations with the customs code 840130 (irradiated fuel assemblies or fuel elements) show a more than twofold increase of import to EU countries of fresh nuclear fuel in cash terms – from 280 million Euros in 2022 to 686 million Euros in 2023. In physical […]
The French government has said it is "seriously" studying the option of building a plant to convert and enrich reprocessed uranium to cut its reliance on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. The only plant in the world that currently converts reprocessed uranium for use in nuclear power plants is in Russia. "The option of […]
Jan vd Putte quickly changed from dressing as the pied piper at the protest during the IAEA nuclear power conference to warn for the Russian nuclear power conglomerate Rosatom and its role in Ukraine.
