Opinion Archive

Opinion By Date

March 2024

Top

Re-thinking thorium
14 March 2024 Thorium advocates have not always helped the nuclear cause, but despite...

February 2024

Top

Flexible power: No stretch for nuclear
28 February 2024 A prevailing narrative that nuclear plants can’t operate flexibly and...

Tripling nuclear while dividing it equally
13 February 2024 Achieving a tripling of nuclear energy in order to meet climate...

All signals point to major growth
13 February 2024 With rising concerns about energy security, climate change, and...

Pulling the levers on nuclear build out
08 February 2024 If nuclear is to build on its current momentum multiple levers must be...

January 2024

Top

2024: A year to savour for nuclear?
25 January 2024 Last year proved to be one of the most noteworthy 12 months for nuclear...

December 2023

Top

COP28 backs global nuclear future
12 December 2023 Backing sustained growth in global nuclear capacity, COP28 reflects...

November 2023

Top

SMR and the mistakes of the past
29 November 2023 SMRs offer a great opportunity for new nuclear development, but the...

One giant leap for mankind
29 November 2023 Nuclear is not only taking on some of mankind’s biggest challenges...

Time to get smart on decarbonisation
08 November 2023 Micro modular reactors are among several nuclear options that...

October 2023

Top

The true scale of nuclear ambition
18 October 2023 Extraordinarily ambitious plans to triple global nuclear capacity by 2050...

September 2023

Top

Re-energising a nuclear supply chain that’s fit for the future
07 September 2023 Decades of stagnation in the nuclear development pipeline have led to...

August 2023

Top

Uranium spells out nuclear future
16 August 2023 A positive outlook for the nuclear sector is reflected in strong...

July 2023

Top

Making a move on molten salt reactors
20 July 2023 Interest in novel reactor designs is surging but the real tell is...

June 2023

Top

Micro size but big ambitions for new reactors
15 June 2023 Much of the buzz around small and microreactors concerns...

May 2023

Top

The great break-up
24 May 2023 Antinuclear politics finally got its big victory with the German shutdown...

Russia’s nuclear business: Out in the cold?
10 May 2023 Measures to squeeze Russia out of the nuclear business are inevitably...

April 2023

Top

Alliances or rivalries?
26 April 2023 In an industry like nuclear, which is so different to its competitors, it...

Building up speed for the SMR roll out
12 April 2023 We’re a long way short of a fully commercial SMR roll out, but recent...

March 2023

Top

Don’t double down on sitting down
29 March 2023 The nuclear industry likes to chart its development by its problems and...

Nuclear: taking the heat out of carbon
16 March 2023 Nuclear has clear benefits in terms of net zero electricity options. But...

February 2023

Top

Riding the wave
22 February 2023 The nuclear sector needs to strike now and make the most of the window...

Nuclear - a must have for net zero
16 February 2023 Nuclear power is a key mover in meeting Net Zero ambitions but has...

Veganism: the nuclear option
01 February 2023 Changing to a vegan diet is one of the most effective things you can do...

January 2023

Top

Lighting up the future with fusion
19 January 2023 Fusion breakthroughs are amplifying the drive to see nuclear power in...

December 2022

Top

Keep the ball rolling
21 December 2022 Nuclear has a key role to play in the clean energy transition but...

Energy policy for the long haul
07 December 2022 While news of nuclear new build is welcome, will it also finally...

November 2022

Top

A fresh start on an old problem
23 November 2022 Learning to communicate properly seems to be a perennial challenge for...

Land of confusion
09 November 2022 Just when it seemed Germany had moved beyond dogma to produce a...

October 2022

Top

Keeping it clean
26 October 2022 Nuclear has long been the bogeyman of the environmental lobby, but the...

The Atom in Red, White and Blue
12 October 2022 Learning the often painful lessons from the development of the UK’s...

September 2022

Top

The human face of nuclear
29 September 2022 Germany’s recognition that nuclear has a role to play in a clean and...

Carbon and a new nuclear lifeline
21 September 2022 Signing the Inflation Reduction Act into US law marks a...

Playing the long game at TMI
08 September 2022 In 1979 the Pennsylvanian town of Harrisburg became a household name when...

August 2022

Top

Keep young and beautiful
31 August 2022 The drive to maximise reactor lifespans may be doing the industry...

A new sense of urgency for new nuclear
25 August 2022 With the evidence of the catastrophic impact of global warming mounting...

Burn Baby Burn
24 August 2022 After 40 years of progress in improving efficiency burn-up is firmly back...

Nuclear power? Yes, please!
04 August 2022 Facing a looming energy crisis, Germany is still pressing ahead with...

July 2022

Top

An energy democracy or energy chaos?
13 July 2022 Going off-grid used to be a lifestyle choice, but mismanagement of some...

June 2022

Top

A new chapter for nuclear power
30 June 2022 Since the very start of the nuclear power industry, Nuclear...

Being a political heavyweight
22 June 2022 Nuclear is now gathering political and financial support as it serves...

End of an era
09 June 2022 Caroline Peachey reflects on the change in the nuclear industry during...

A big gap to fill
08 June 2022 Russia has been a major international player in the nuclear sector and...

April 2022

Top

France: exporting the atom
20 April 2022 Forty years ago, France was gearing up to export its nuclear...

Creating a sun on Earth
05 April 2022 The Joint European Torus (JET) generated its first power...

March 2022

Top

Nuclear energy: caught in the crossfire
09 March 2022 The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has taken the nuclear industry...

Addressing the nuclear skills shortage
09 March 2022 A Cumbria-based engineering company which specialises in decommissioning...

February 2022

Top

More haste, less speed
28 February 2022 Countries looking to invest heavily in new nuclear capacity –...

January 2022

Top

New year, new nuclear industry
27 January 2022 Jeremy Gordon looks ahead to some of the industry milestones expected...

The end of shyness
11 January 2022 The COP26 meeting in Glasgow could completely change the debate...

Sudie, Ignalina!
06 January 2022 The final closure of Lithuania’s Ignalina nuclear power plant 12 years...

December 2021

Top

Paradigm shift
02 December 2021 Jeremy Gordon says the definition of energy security is changing....

November 2021

Top

To wait, or not to wait: the question of Safestore
24 November 2021 In the 1990s, the most cost-effective strategy for decommissioning the...

Playing leapfrog
10 November 2021 Developments powered by small reactors could leapfrog fossil fuels and...

The role of nuclear in achieving net zero
02 November 2021 Boris Schucht discusses how nuclear can support the energy transition...

October 2021

Top

Return to the norm?
14 October 2021 Ten years on from the Fukushima disaster, Jeremy Gordon asks whether...

September 2021

Top

Straight to voicemail
02 September 2021 Jeremy Gordon says China’s slow response to questions about fuel leakage...

August 2021

Top

Bill Gates has entered the chat
04 August 2021 Nuclear power and now the nuclear industry have attracted the attention...

June 2021

Top

Exorcise the cult of bad faith
23 June 2021 The clean energy debate is dividing into two groups — the serious and...

May 2021

Top

Blown away by the competition
26 May 2021 Jeremy Gordon asks whether the nuclear industry could improve...

April 2021

Top

Energy demand rising a bit
29 April 2021 The vision of blockchain as the route to a distributed low energy utopia...

Towards more reasoned debate about nuclear and renewables
29 April 2021 Letter to the editor from Andy Stirling, Science Policy Research...

March 2021

Top

Pass the mic
30 March 2021 Japanese leaders insist that nuclear must have a role in the country’s...

February 2021

Top

Propelling decarbonisation
18 February 2021 Proposals for nuclear powered container ships have returned after a decade...

Macron steers nuclear policy
03 February 2021 France remains committed to reducing its nuclear share, but for...

January 2021

Top

Bringing radiation down to earth
19 January 2021 If I had a dollar for every time I had heard ‘We need to educate the...

December 2020

Top

Nuclear: rivalling renewables?
10 December 2020 A recent study suggests that nuclear might ‘crowd out’ renewables and...

November 2020

Top

Critical moment for China
05 November 2020 China has been building the world’s biggest nuclear power plants, but...

October 2020

Top

How tragedy plays out
01 October 2020 Jeremy Gordon looks at the recent disaster in Beirut and the reaction of...

August 2020

Top

Real resilience
12 August 2020 Is the nuclear industry resilient? The true test will be seeing whether...

July 2020

Top

Rethinking nuclear
22 July 2020 Jeremy Gordon explains how more data on nuclear energy, and...

Fuelling positivity
01 July 2020 The coronavirus pandemic has hit most markets hard, but uranium is...

June 2020

Top

A question of reinvention
18 June 2020 Nuclear energy needs to reinvent itself so that its benefits, risks and...

May 2020

Top

Double espresso?
20 May 2020 Jeremy Gordon considers the legacies we have inherited from...

April 2020

Top

Why nuclear energy needs a reinvention
23 April 2020 Nuclear energy needs to reinvent itself so that its benefits, risks and...

Use it or lose it
08 April 2020 Jeremy Gordon looks at the closure of Fessenheim, France’s oldest...

March 2020

Top

Keep on keeping on
18 March 2020 Even if climate targets seem insurmountable, every single reactor means...

February 2020

Top

Just to sell soap
27 February 2020 UK-based consumer soap brand Lush always carries one product line from...

What’s in a name?
06 February 2020 Jeremy Gordon, suggests why the nuclear industry should pay more attention...

January 2020

Top

Needs must when the devil drives
15 January 2020 Climate change calls for drastic measures. Jeremy Gordon looks to...

November 2019

Top

Back to nature
20 November 2019 Nuclear power is already helping to reduce the burden we place on the...

October 2019

Top

Welcome rebellion
07 October 2019 New types of technology-neutral climate activism offer new opportunities...

September 2019

Top

Value proposition
24 September 2019 There is a limit to fact-based communication, so industry should connect...

August 2019

Top

Chernobyl chance
14 August 2019 Watched by millions, HBO’s Chernobyl mini-series offered a golden...

July 2019

Top

Strategy for submarines
30 July 2019 Nick Higginson explains how an integrated waste management approach...

Entering a closing situation
10 July 2019 A recent international report says nuclear energy is part of the solution...

June 2019

Top

The white heat of optimism
06 June 2019 Jeremy Gordon calls for the industry to embrace the optimism generated...

May 2019

Top

Time to diversify?
02 May 2019 As the current nuclear fleet struggles to maintain its competitiveness...

April 2019

Top

A big deal
02 April 2019 As operation of the Finnish EPR approaches, Jeremy Gordon reflects on...

March 2019

Top

Renaissance 2.0
06 March 2019 Increased public and political interest in the use of nuclear power as...

February 2019

Top

Waiting to exhale
12 February 2019 Nuclear waste is typically treated as a sovereign responsibility. Does...

January 2019

Top

Four potential threats to physical data security
23 January 2019 Douglas Miorandi discusses the importance of pairing physical security...

Bill Gates on climate change and nuclear
03 January 2019 Microsoft Corp co-founder Bill Gates has written in his 29 December...

November 2018

Top

Nuclear power – is there another blueprint?
29 November 2018 There is a sharp increase in the number of reactors entering operation...

Nuclear power – what are the barriers to expansion?
01 November 2018 Fundamental change is needed to secure the future of nuclear energy....

September 2018

Top

Radiation awareness - why must this be tackled?
26 September 2018 Steve Kidd explains how improving perception of radiation is a crucial...

testopinionNEI
14 September 2018

Nuclear power - can it avoid oblivion?
13 September 2018 MANY OF MY ARTICLES SEEM to start with the statement that “nuclear...

August 2018

Top

Nuclear in China – where is it heading now?
01 August 2018 Completion of the first EPR and AP1000 reactors in China marks a...

July 2018

Top

Japan – is there a future in nuclear?
04 July 2018 It is now more than seven years since the Fukushima accident in March...

June 2018

Top

The renaissance – what happened?
06 June 2018 Ten years ago, there were huge aspirations in the industry for a...

May 2018

Top

Climate change – should nuclear steer clear?
10 May 2018 With fossil fuel use increasing and carbon emissions growing, Steve Kidd...

March 2018

Top

How to ensure a future for nuclear – Stage 1
28 March 2018 A new strategy is urgently needed to promote the future of commercial...

Operating reactors - can they still compete?
07 March 2018 Nuclear reactors currently account for around 10% of global...

January 2018

Top

Nuclear new build – where does it stand today?
30 January 2018 Countries around the world are embracing new reactor construction, but...

Beyond 2017 – where does nuclear stand?
30 January 2018 The energy news from 2017 provided the usual mix of positive and...

Nuclear economics – a perpetual challenge?
09 January 2018 Rising construction costs, low gas prices and increasing renewable...

November 2017

Top

Renewable power – progress or not?
07 November 2017 The growth of renewables over the last few years suggests the...

October 2017

Top

Nuclear proliferation – is it a problem for the civil sector?
04 October 2017 Two recent news items may not seem closely related, but on closer...

September 2017

Top

Uranium – what are the dynamics between China and Kazakhstan?
13 September 2017 China has relied heavily on Kazahstan for uranium needs. However as...

August 2017

Top

Nuclear in China – why the slowdown?
10 August 2017 China’s targets for 58GW of installed nuclear capacity and 30GW...

July 2017

Top

The era of nuclear power – can we prevent it coming to an end?
04 July 2017 With the rise of renewables and the slow shift away from fossil...

June 2017

Top

South Korea – could domestic issues hurt reactor export ambitions?
08 June 2017 Korea is now a serious contender in the reactor export business after...

May 2017

Top

The UK nuclear programme – does it make any sense?
09 May 2017 Not at all, says Steve Kidd*

April 2017

Top

The future of the nuclear sector – is innovation the answer?
07 April 2017 The recent buzz around small reactors and Generation IV designs has...

March 2017

Top

Nuclear power – how to reboot and drain the swamp
08 March 2017 The nuclear industry needs to embrace this period of rapid political...

February 2017

Top

The nuclear establishment – what lies within?
08 February 2017 In the last edition of NEI Steve Kidd called for significant change in...

January 2017

Top

Achieving progress in nuclear – throw out the establishment?
29 January 2017 In a year that has seen significant political change, the rise of...

December 2016

Top

Uranium enrichment – why are prices now much lower and what is the impact?
08 December 2016 Falling uranium and enrichment prices have, for a while now, been a...

November 2016

Top

Transforming nuclear economics – why and how?
11 November 2016 With the environment now occupying our thoughts in almost every aspect...

October 2016

Top

Nuclear power in the world – pessimism or optimism?
13 October 2016 Two major industry reports have recently been published, from...

September 2016

Top

Uranium – the market, lower prices and production costs
01 September 2016 The global uranium market is heavily over-supplied. How this has come...

August 2016

Top

China – what are today’s issues influencing the reactor plans?
04 August 2016 China is enjoying a nuclear boom as the government and state-owned...

July 2016

Top

May 2016

Top

Renewable power – can it push nuclear out of the picture?
21 May 2016 There has been much debate about the global energy mix in recent years;...

April 2016

Top

Five years post Fukushima – what still needs to be done?
29 April 2016 The Fukushima disaster sent shock waves through the global nuclear...

March 2016

Top

Achieving better nuclear economics – new designs and industry structure?
30 March 2016 Investment in innovation should eventually bring the possibility...

February 2016

Top

Nuclear and its role in climate change
24 February 2016 My impression of what COP 21 means, both for the global environment and...

After COP-21 – what is the opportunity for nuclear?
10 February 2016 The international agreement on climate change achieved in December has...

Can high nuclear construction costs be overcome?
03 February 2016 The difficulty of reaching the Final Investment Decision at the Hinkley...

January 2016

Top

After COP-21 - where does nuclear stand?
08 January 2016 It was entirely predictable that the nuclear industry achieved...

December 2015

Top

India – could it yet replicate China in nuclear power?
23 December 2015 With India expected to account for a quarter of the expected global growth...

Nuclear’s environmental impact – is it trivial?
09 December 2015 A strong element of the argument for nuclear power playing an increasing...

India - could it achieve similar nuclear power growth to China?
01 December 2015 As economic growth in China has slowed sharply and the population begun...

November 2015

Top

Environmental impact of nuclear – is it really trivial?
16 November 2015 Steve Kidd looks at the environmental impact of nuclear power and how...

The level playing field – what about the auto industry?
11 November 2015 Nuclear power often faces unfair treatment compared to other sectors....

Promoting competence in nuclear security
04 November 2015 The World Institute of Nuclear Security is calling on countries to...

October 2015

Top

Shaping the future for operators
19 October 2015 In October, over 500 delegates from members of the World Association...

Does the auto industry avoid the level playing field?
15 October 2015 Advocates of nuclear power frequently complain that it faces...

September 2015

Top

Overcoming the paradigm of fear – Part 2
28 September 2015 Myths surrounding radiation, backed by a perverse regulatory regime, are...

Overcoming the paradigm of fear – Part 1
28 September 2015 The entire history of nuclear power from the 1950s to today has...

Towards a new safety promise - reflections on the IAEA Fukushima report
15 September 2015 The World Nuclear Association considers the lessons from Fukushima. There...

August 2015

Top

East Asia – what do nuclear countries have in common?
18 August 2015 The centre of gravity of the nuclear world has moved to East Asia....

The paradigm of fear - how can this be overcome?
11 August 2015 Steve Kidd looks at how fear, a key problem killing the prospects of...

How to prevent a nuclear project from failing
05 August 2015 Al Maiorino, outlines the grassroots strategies that are most effective...

July 2015

Top

East Asia - what are the special features of nuclear there?
02 July 2015 In the August issue of Nuclear Engineering International Steve Kidd will...

June 2015

Top

Japan – what is the future for nuclear power?
24 June 2015 With the prolonged shutdown of reactors, Japan is facing economic,...

Does Japan have a future in nuclear?
19 June 2015 It is now over four years since the Fukushima accident in March 2011 but...

Nuclear myths – is the industry also guilty?
11 June 2015 The nuclear industry often suggests that the development of new nuclear...

Commissioning nuclear in Australia? A call to action
05 June 2015 The World Nuclear Association calls on the global nuclear community to...

Changes in power systems – are they bad for nuclear?
02 June 2015 With the advent of renewable power and the rise of small,...

May 2015

Top

Is the industry guilty of spreading nuclear myths?
21 May 2015 The nuclear industry complains that its opponents are guilty of...

IEA and OECD-NEA – rapid roads to nowhere?
06 May 2015 A new report that aims to speed up the deployment of nuclear power could...

April 2015

Top

Why the environmental movement is important for nuclear power
22 April 2015 The documentary film Pandora’s Promise provided a platform for...

Will changes in power systems be detrimental for nuclear?
15 April 2015 Within the developed world, we may not reach a fully distributed...

March 2015

Top

China’s nuclear programme – how serious are the delays?
24 March 2015 A slowdown in approvals for new reactors, along with delays to...

Nuclear roadmap - a rapid route to nowhere?
03 March 2015 The International Energy Agency (IEA) and the OECD Nuclear Energy...

February 2015

Top

How serious are the delays in China's nuclear programme?
23 February 2015 It has become apparent that there are some new "growing pains" in the...

Nuclear power – how can public opinion be won over?
18 February 2015 Changing the image of the nuclear industry is not going to be an easy...

January 2015

Top

Radiation – can allies be found in nuclear medicine?
30 January 2015 It is the responsibility of the nuclear industry, not regulators, to...

Is climate change the worst argument for nuclear?
21 January 2015 Jumping on the environmental bandwagon may not be the best choice for...

December 2014

Top

Radiation – how can the industry begin to deal with its biggest challenge?
15 December 2014 Antipathy to nuclear power is partly based on fear of radiation....

November 2014

Top

The TRU future
18 November 2014 US researchers are teaming up with those in other countries to...

Public acceptance – is there any progress?
03 November 2014 Over the last few years the nuclear industry has had some success in...

October 2014

Top

Get real!
17 October 2014 Despite decades of experience, modern tools and technology, and the...

The world nuclear industry – is it in terminal decline?
06 October 2014 Despite low prices for uranium, poor new-build market in the USA and...

September 2014

Top

UK energy policy – where did liberalization go?
02 September 2014 The UK’s intervention in the energy markets in favour of low-carbon...

August 2014

Top

Russia and Germany – new opportunities today?
06 August 2014 The costs of and legal challenges to Germany’s ‘Energiewende’, and...

July 2014

Top

Danger of small print
08 July 2014 The new revision of the European directive for nuclear safety has...

Uranium enrichment – what’s happening today?
04 July 2014 Although the outlook for enrichment prices is weak-to-stable in the...

June 2014

Top

Say it right
26 June 2014 Safety starts and ends with clear communication. By Will Dalrymple

The future of nuclear – are the majors lagging?
12 June 2014 Recent economic and social factors in Japan, the USA and France,...

Oh No: Regulator!
03 June 2014 My challenge to the new and improved Office of Nuclear Regulation. By...

May 2014

Top

The future of uranium – higher prices to come?
06 May 2014 Predictions of the rise in price of uranium are unjustified; they do...

April 2014

Top

European energy policy — will doors open for nuclear?
08 April 2014 New low-carbon EU targets are both a threat and an opportunity to the...

March 2014

Top

Ukraine: stuck in civil nuclear Cold War
26 March 2014 There are nuclear power antecedents to the crisis in Ukraine; they may...

Financing nuclear projects — new options?
12 March 2014 The lack of financing has held back nuclear new-build in recent years,...

January 2014

Top

Hinkley Point C - model or exception
14 January 2014 Hinkley Point C may eventually prove to be a good model of risk-sharing...

Hinkley Point C - the commercial case
06 January 2014 The commercial case for two new reactors at Hinkley Point C remains...

December 2013

Top

South Africa: can it go further in nuclear?
04 December 2013 What happens in the historically pro-nuclear market of South Africa may be...

October 2013

Top

China and the UK - arbiters of the future of nuclear?
22 October 2013 Both China and the UK share pro-nuclear government policies,...

Argentina – a possible return to new nuclear?
15 October 2013 Despite its high level of nuclear expertise, Argentina’s ambitious plans...

Being good citizens
03 October 2013 As usual, there was lots of talk at the annual World Nuclear...

Upstairs, downstairs
01 October 2013 Holes need to be plugged in tanks and inspection plans at the...

September 2013

Top

Brazil – where is it going in nuclear?
16 September 2013 Despite a relatively small operational reactor fleet of two, Brazil has...

Thanks Mrs Baker
02 September 2013 Education and training can help us make the best of our natural...

August 2013

Top

Nuclear slowdown – why did it happen?
05 August 2013 A variety of social and economic factors—including, but not limited to,...

July 2013

Top

Power supply in Singapore – where does nuclear stand?
04 July 2013 Like Hong Kong, Singapore is a highly-urbanized southeast Asian...

June 2013

Top

The more things change...
21 June 2013 The UK: same as it ever was. By David Henderson

Hong Kong power – where does nuclear stand?
10 June 2013 Not many people know it, but a quarter of Hong Kong’s electricity...

Research records
03 June 2013 The job of government is to support long-term nuclear power research.

May 2013

Top

The messy truth
24 May 2013 A read of the WHO Fukushima report reassures by its disclosure of the...

Nuclear in China - now back on track?
01 May 2013 Although China's recent pause in nuclear construction has slowed down...

April 2013

Top

Climate change – is it still a good argument for nuclear?
15 April 2013 Post-Fukushima and post-recession, nuclear power’s low carbon...

Reasons for waiting
01 April 2013 In February, Centrica announced it would not take a 20% share in the...

March 2013

Top

Ukrainian Will
01 March 2013 Chernobyl is rightly held up as the global civil nuclear power industry's...

Nuclear proliferation - what should we do now
01 March 2013 Despite widespread fears of material leaking from civil to...

January 2013

Top

Nuclear security - is it a big issue?
30 January 2013 The large amount of international attention focused on nuclear security...

Beat the cheats
30 January 2013 What a buyer can do to cut the risks of receiving counterfeit parts. By...

Internationalization of supply – how can it grow?
01 January 2013 Although supply chains for a new nuclear reactor can stretch all the...

A write-off
01 January 2013 Why are North American plants dying? By Caroline Peachey

December 2012

Top

Renewables-is the honeymoon over?
03 December 2012 A year after Germany’s knee-jerk reaction to terminate its nuclear...

Now and then
03 December 2012 This issue is full of articles about new computer-based technology,...

November 2012

Top

Localisation of supply – how can it work?
01 November 2012 New nuclear reactors require the supply of thousands of components, and...

IAEA: what for?
01 November 2012 The IAEA is taking on more and more responsibility; should others help?...

October 2012

Top

Why subs matter
01 October 2012 A new report endorses open access journals. But is it right? By Will Dalrymple

September 2012

Top

Uranium supply-how has Fukushima changed the market
28 September 2012 Although the long-term picture has not changed—both supply and demand...

Heading towards failure
28 September 2012 On 15 July, the construction site of Jordan’s research reactor was...

Why subs matter
28 September 2012 A UK committee has suggested changing the economics of...

Nuclear programmes – do only ‘odd’ countries succeed?
03 September 2012 South Korea’s dramatic success story since the Korean War 60 years ago...

Reporting security
03 September 2012 Will Dalrymple, editor of Nuclear Engineering International gets...

August 2012

Top

I heart technicians
01 August 2012 A UK project to improve the lot of technicians needs to focus on its...

National programmes – where do they stand now?
01 August 2012 In the dark times immediately after Fukushima, there were grave...

July 2012

Top

No to spent fuel 'disposal'
03 July 2012

Public acceptance – what do we need to do now?
01 July 2012 Following several articles about various aspects of the issues of...

June 2012

Top

Post-Fukushima medicine
01 June 2012 A UK statistical group talks good sense about interpreting Fukushima. By...

Public acceptance – what holds back the nuclear industry?
01 June 2012 Multiple structural barriers inside the nuclear industry tend to prevent...

May 2012

Top

Nuclear waste disposal - what's the problem?
01 May 2012 Bob Burton argues that countries, particularly the UK, should consider...

April 2012

Top

Public acceptance-do we need a new approach?
20 April 2012 In the war to win the hearts and minds of the general public, facts are...

The next steps
20 April 2012

Public acceptance-is it causing nuclear cost escalation?
20 April 2012 The consultative planning process employed in many Western countries may...

Four Fukushima questions
20 April 2012

March 2012

Top

Renewable energy – what are the problems?
13 March 2012 While the environmental benefits of renewables such as wind and solar...

Topping the ‘worst company’ list
13 March 2012 Will Dalrymple comments on the risks faced by Iranian nuclear engineers.

February 2012

Top

Sticker shock – explaining rising nuclear construction costs
14 February 2012 The largest factor in rising nuclear new-build costs is uncertainty caused...

January 2012

Top

Nuclear as the last resort – why and how?
19 January 2012 Even pro-nuclear politicians have called nuclear power a technology of...

December 2011

Top

My view of cooling towers
13 December 2011 Sometimes objects engineered to perform a particular function can...

A new authority
07 December 2011 After 50 years of experience siting, building, operating, maintaining...

How regulators grow up
07 December 2011 Calls for national regulatory independence overlook the formative years...

Nuclear in east Asia – the hotbed?
06 December 2011 Of the 65 reactors currently under construction, over half are located...

October 2011

Top

‘Old’ is the new ‘new’
17 October 2011 TVA's decision to restart construction at Bellefonte follows a...

Construction vs communication
06 October 2011 The delays at Flamanville 3 nead to be learned from for to avoid...

Uranium – what are the prospects post-Fukushima?
06 October 2011 Falling uranium demand in the short-term is likely to delay some...

Managing risk in UK construction
04 October 2011

Reprocessing used fuel – what is the future?
04 October 2011 With the USA’s cancellation of the Yucca Mountain project, it seems to...

September 2011

Top

Fukushima-what have we learned so far?
14 September 2011 Despite the many investigations currently under way, most of the...

The burden of truth
14 September 2011 International observers need two standards for judging the Japanese...

Why bother?
13 September 2011 Editor's view: Comment

China and India-now even more important to nuclear?
13 September 2011 Although the Fukushima crisis will probably not put off committed...

Fukushima exposes the risks of LWRs
13 September 2011

Planning and partnership
07 September 2011

August 2011

Top

Used nuclear fuel-what happens after Fukushima?
22 August 2011 Storage options for used nuclear fuel are likely to be...

A proportional response
22 August 2011 Almost 70 days after the Fukushima incident, we are starting to see...

Nuclear in Southeast Asia – where and when?
12 August 2011 Although not necessarily well-known for their civil nuclear expertise,...

Nuclear power in the Middle East-where and when?
12 August 2011 This region hosts some of the brightest hopes for nuclear new-build...

June 2011

Top

Security of supply – how does nuclear enhance it?
20 June 2011 A recent NEA/OECD report qualifies the concept of security of supply....

May 2011

Top

Smarter uses for plutonium
27 May 2011

United Nuclear Emirates
09 May 2011 A new-build project that might seem hopelessly ambitious from the...

Nuclear power plants – how have they become like ATMs?
09 May 2011 The low cost of nuclear electricity today can be traced back to...

March 2011

Top

Long way around
27 March 2011 Is the UK making progress in finding a long term solution for higher...

Liability for nuclear accidents - how is it handled?
27 March 2011 National and international liability arrangements establish rules...

SMRs-what are their prospects?
04 March 2011 Although small reactors overcome one of the biggest hurdles of...

Leaning on loan guarantees
04 March 2011

First impression
04 March 2011

January 2011

Top

New reactors—more or less?
21 January 2011 In North America and western Europe, shale gas discoveries and...

Replace the RPV
19 January 2011

December 2010

Top

Energy to 2050 – can it fit in with environmental objectives?
21 December 2010 IEA’s recent report, ‘Energy Technology Perspectives’, concludes that a...

Uranium – is it set to fuel the nuclear renaissance?
08 December 2010 The economic advantage of commercial nuclear power relies on the low price...

November 2010

Top

Lessons from BP
06 November 2010 As a case of institutional failure, the Deepwater Horizon incident in...

Energy to 2050 – can it fit in with environmental objectives?
06 November 2010 IEA’s recent report, ‘Energy Technology Perspectives’, concludes that a...

October 2010

Top

The UK skills shortage
18 October 2010

September 2010

Top

Public opinion doesn’t matter
30 September 2010 Some companies have launched advertising campaigns to highlight...

Uranium – is it set to fuel the nuclear renaissance?
30 September 2010 The economic advantage of commercial nuclear power relies on the low price...

Enterprise management systems at Krsko
10 September 2010

August 2010

Top

Nuclear power – is it too big and remote to be accepted?
24 August 2010 The nuclear industry’s excellent safety performance and caution may...

Nuclear Decommissioning: the £2.8 billion a year opportunity. Is your company ready to take a slice?
05 August 2010

July 2010

Top

Nuclear proliferation risk – is it vastly overrated?
23 July 2010 The recent well-publicised outpourings of anxiety about the...

Engineering is the key for nuclear waste disposal
16 July 2010 Bob Burton discusses a possible engineering approach for the disposal of...

Loan guarantees win in June poll
14 July 2010

The nuclear renaissance-will it always be delayed?
02 July 2010 Many of the age-old arguments being used to renounce the nuclear...

June 2010

Top

Sustainable energy – how does it add up?
01 June 2010 By looking at the numbers, David MacKay’s book "Sustainable Energy –...

May 2010

Top

Security since March
20 May 2010

Kaiga’s tritium lesson
17 May 2010 After last year’s tritium contamination incident at Kaiga in India,...

The UAE reactor order – why is it so significant?
17 May 2010 The purchase of Korean reactor technology in the UAE is a sign of things...

March 2010

Top

Putting on a brave face
19 March 2010

A direction for disposal
09 March 2010 Even though we are looking to have repositories in operation by 2020,...

Nuclear today – how much better than a decade ago?
09 March 2010 We have seen a positive shift towards nuclear over the last ten years....

January 2010

Top

The USA’s nuclear future
15 January 2010 Dan Yurman outlines his key priorities for the USA in 2010

Fuel fabrication – outside of the fuel cycle?
14 January 2010 Fuel suppliers started out making fuel for just their own reactor...

Supplier turns consumer
08 January 2010 Kairat Kadyrzhanov argues why Kazakhstan would be a good candidate for...

Coal - is it a competitor to new nuclear?
08 January 2010 With the development of ‘clean’ technologies, coal could continue to play...

December 2009

Top

‘Sustainable’ fission?
11 December 2009 Scientist David Mackay evaluates how much uranium we would need to to...

Nuclear industry status – better than claimed?
11 December 2009 The antinuclear ‘World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2009’ underrates...

November 2009

Top

DOE loan: chicken or egg?
03 November 2009

October 2009

Top

Store ILW as toxic waste
27 October 2009 Nuclear veteran Bob Burton argues that industry should re-evaluate...

Uranium mining – what method works best?
27 October 2009 The expense and environmental effects of conventional open-pit...

September 2009

Top

WNA report – what is the future of fuel?
29 September 2009 Fuel cycle services must expand to meet the increasing demand for...

Loan guarantees: investments, not subsidies
01 September 2009 Budd Shaffer, David Rode and Steve Dean consider a simple loan...

August 2009

Top

What France got wrong
26 August 2009 Contrary to Steve Kidd's July column, the legacy of France is not so...

Nuclear in the UK – where did it go wrong?
26 August 2009 The UK nuclear industry’s problems can’t all be put down to the wrong...

July 2009

Top

Maple fall
21 July 2009 Reactor Accidents author David Mosey considers the sad tale of AECL's...

Fuel – nuclear power’s trump card?
07 July 2009 Compared with coal or gas, nuclear fuel is inexpensive and constant in...

June 2009

Top

Ditch the DOE
25 June 2009 Despite a massive budget, the US DOE has achieved few of its objectives;...

Nuclear in France - what did they get right?
22 June 2009 With its fleet of standardised, load-following nuclear reactors and range...

May 2009

Top

A green light for nuclear
29 May 2009 Stephen Tindale former director of Greenpeace UK has changed is mind...

Iran: the next Japan?
27 May 2009 Clinton Bastin argues that Iran is a nation with sophisticated nuclear...

Kazakhstan and China – leaders until 2020?
26 May 2009 With few domestic uranium resources, China will likely turn to...

March 2009

Top

New nuclear power plants – are they insurable risks?
23 March 2009 The impact of a severe nuclear accident, should it occur, would not...

New nuclear build – sufficient supply capability?
03 March 2009 Firms are building new manufacturing facilities and upgrading equipment...

February 2009

Top

Global financial meltdown – what impact on nuclear?
04 February 2009 The financial crisis isn’t necessarily bad news for nuclear. Lower...

January 2009

Top

Uranium trading – will good sense ever prevail?
30 January 2009 The extent of the recent uranium price decline could lead to supply...

Nuclear: is it a heavily subsidised technology?
19 January 2009 Nuclear power has received significant public funding in the past, but...

October 2008

Top

Nuclear projects: how should they be structured?
28 October 2008 New nuclear build projects carry substantial risks. Several factors...

September 2008

Top

Renewables: can they fit in a modern power grid?
25 September 2008 Having solved many problems involved in harnessing renewable sources...

August 2008

Top

Energy policy: political courage or hypocrisy?
22 August 2008 Energy policy is back as a key area for debate. The question is...

Escalating costs of new build: what does it mean?
22 August 2008 How much has the cost of new nuclear construction increased in recent...

New nuclear countries: how can they do it?
22 August 2008 Creating the right environment to support a nuclear power programme may...

Who’s voting for GNEP?
01 August 2008 The fate of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership may be settled by...

July 2008

Top

Cooling of plants: a constraint on growth?
02 July 2008 An important economic and environmental consideration that needs to be...

May 2008

Top

Australia: more than just a uranium producer?
01 May 2008 Australia has a long history of involvement in nuclear, but its...

March 2008

Top

Recycling uranium and plutonium: where's it heading?
22 March 2008 The availability of recyclable fissile and fertile materials able to...

February 2008

Top

Reprocessing used fuel: devil or saint?
25 February 2008 Reprocessing advocates claim that the closed fuel cycle is the...

January 2008

Top

Public opinion: how do we get it on our side?
21 January 2008 There are several ways in which the nuclear industry can achieve a...

December 2007

Top

Nuclear fuel: some positive changes?
19 December 2007 After years of being rather stuck in a time warp, it now seems there are...

Where and when will new nuclear be built?
19 December 2007 If the ‘nuclear renaissance’ is to be a reality and not evaporate in a...

Supply and demand: who’s calling the shots?
19 December 2007 This year’s World Nuclear Association market report comes at a...

November 2007

Top

Leading America
21 November 2007 NRG Energy’s Steve Winn spoke to NEI about his company’s decision to...

Nuclear commerce: do restrictions hinder growth?
20 November 2007 Provided that nations fit in with the obligations imposed by the...

September 2007

Top

Evolving international pacts for tomorrow
14 September 2007 The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership may be controversial but...

Japan's PR aftershock
14 September 2007 The reputation of the Japanese nuclear industry has been dragged through...

July 2007

Top

Nuclear proliferation and the terrorist threat
12 July 2007 Are the risks associated with the possible proliferation of nuclear...

June 2007

Top

The serious opposition to nuclear: can it be handled?
01 June 2007 Nuclear power has always been opposed by the familiar Green pressure...

May 2007

Top

Russia: where's it heading in nuclear?
14 May 2007 The civil nuclear industry of post-Soviet Russia has been beset with...

April 2007

Top

Nuclear in Eastern Europe: a lively bright spot?
04 April 2007 In contrast to the older member states of the European Union, the new...

March 2007

Top

Germany: is nuclear seriously facing a phaseout?
26 March 2007 If the German nuclear phaseout law is not changed before the next...

February 2007

Top

Nuclear and renewables: can they be partners?
27 February 2007 Given that both nuclear and renewables emit zero or very little carbon,...

January 2007

Top

Junior uranium companies: at last something new!
16 January 2007 With the uranium spot price passing the $75/lb mark – and rising –...

Balancing the market
01 January 2007 The future for the uranium market could be to strike a balance that...

November 2006

Top

Coming in from the cold
28 November 2006 Many years have passed without nuclear power playing a significant role...

October 2006

Top

Rushing ahead
06 October 2006 Rosatom head Sergei Kiriyenko has outlined ambitious plans for the...

How is the uranium market affecting enrichment?
02 October 2006 As a result of the enlivened uranium market, momentum has in turn picked...

South Korea: has it got nuclear right?
01 October 2006 With few indigenous energy resources, South Korean energy policy has...

August 2006

Top

Uranium: more production needed post 2013?
16 August 2006 There is enough uranium to fuel reactors over the next few decades, but...

Where next for Nexia?
08 August 2006 Peter Bleasdale, managing director of Nexia Solutions believes the...

July 2006

Top

New nuclear build: is there sufficient supply capability?
31 July 2006 Nuclear power is back on the agenda in the UK. But does the country have...

June 2006

Top

GNEP: the right way forward?
01 June 2006 American nuclear policy produces a lot of initiatives. Does the latest...

May 2006

Top

New nuclear plants: What are the issues?
22 May 2006 Despite the resurgence of interest in nuclear power, there are...

April 2006

Top

View over the Baltic
18 April 2006 The Chernobyl accident was first identified outside the Soviet Union...

More uranium: when and from where?
18 April 2006 With uranium prices at their current level, can we expect to see...

March 2006

Top

What is Japan's atomic ambition?
07 March 2006 Japan has held nuclear as a cornerstone of energy policy since the...

February 2006

Top

A bad year for science
17 February 2006 A solution for the final disposal of the UK’s radioactive waste must...

Hearts and minds
16 February 2006 The best representation of the Chernobyl accident’s legacy is the...

January 2006

Top

A Latin nuclear revival?
26 January 2006 South America once looked a promising market for nuclear technology....

Arrested development
23 January 2006 Waiting in the wings for its cue, nuclear power could be set to deliver...

December 2005

Top

Mighty mice
21 December 2005 The most powerful force resisting new nuclear may be a legion of small,...

Is proliferation a real barrier to new build?
14 December 2005 Serious questions can still be asked of fuel cycle security and...

November 2005

Top

Why isn't nuclear (more) popular?
20 November 2005 Nuclear’s military origins and early public relations did not help...

How to replace coal
07 November 2005 The government of the province of Ontario has announced its plan to...

October 2005

Top

Will there be enough uranium to fuel nuclear growth?
13 October 2005 When more reactors are discussed as part of a global nuclear resurgence,...

September 2005

Top

A fine old mess to sort out
20 September 2005 The UK’s Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has been charged with the...

How can new nuclear power plants be financed?
01 September 2005 If it makes financial sense to invest in nuclear power plants, why...

August 2005

Top

Fabrication: is it different?
31 August 2005 Why do nuclear operators need to go through the whole process of...

Helping the UK clean up
15 August 2005 American nuclear site cleanup methods will succeed in the United Kingdom,...

July 2005

Top

Nuclear: an odd business?
28 July 2005 Uranium gets special treatment from the media and inspires special...

Nuclear giant for sale
27 July 2005 Following BNFL’s decision to commence a sales process for Westinghouse,...

No stopping now
27 July 2005

June 2005

Top

The drama of plutonium
14 June 2005 Sixty years ago the Manhattan Project carried out its first test of a...

Can enrichment substitute for uranium?
14 June 2005 With uranium prices now touching $30/lb after a long period at around...

May 2005

Top

Through the 21st century: how much nuclear?
09 May 2005 We spend much of our time worrying about the present and the immediate...

Do low external costs justify support?
01 May 2005 Nuclear’s skeptics claim that it has always been heavily subsidised...

April 2005

Top

This year, next year, sometime, never
12 April 2005 When might the UK government go nuclear? By Chris Lambert

How can we build a case for new build?
01 April 2005 A report from the World Nuclear Association has drawn together common...

March 2005

Top

Introducing the US EPR
03 March 2005 The head of Areva’s New Plants Deployment business unit Ray Ganthner spoke...

February 2005

Top

Is there really a strong nuclear industry out there?
08 February 2005 The spectre of an all-powerful 'nuclear industry' is often raised...

January 2005

Top

Decommissioning: a new nuclear dawn — or sunset?
18 January 2005 Those opposed to nuclear power have seized on the current extent...

December 2004

Top

Nuclear musings
22 December 2004 Terry Price will be best-known to readers of NEI as founding...

Nuclear fuel demand – will it carry on rising?
20 December 2004 The accuracy of fuel demand forecasts is dependent on projections of...

November 2004

Top

Creative clean-up
12 November 2004 The UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority needs breakthrough solutions –...

Can new units start up in liberalised markets?
10 November 2004 Liberalisation has generally been good for existing nuclear plants but it...

UKAEA's first 50 years
05 November 2004 This year UKAEA has been celebrating its golden jubilee. By Andy Munn

October 2004

Top

India: tomorrow's giant?
27 October 2004 While much of the longer-established nuclear world is finding it hard...

Thirty years of radiation
20 October 2004 American radiation biologist Dr Robert Ricks has spent nearly 30...

September 2004

Top

Nuclear: is there any net energy addition?
15 September 2004 Lifecycle analysis attempts to look at the entire energy input and output...

July 2004

Top

What have we learned of life in the no-go area?
30 July 2004 The world was stunned by the Chernobyl accident 18 years ago. Since...

Public enemy number one
27 July 2004 We understand the public’s concern over nuclear’s waste issue, but what is...

Are uranium prices in a spot of bother?
27 July 2004 Uranium spot prices remain high as the market struggles to adjust. But...

Enriching - or proliferating?
22 July 2004 The construction of new centrifuge enrichment plants is long overdue....

China: a drop in the ocean?
22 July 2004 Although nuclear only accounts for some 2% of installed capacity in...

An unassailable position
22 July 2004 French authorities have decided that regulated electricity tariffs...

Non-Participation Treaty?
16 July 2004 The issue of Iran’s nuclear programme has highlighted the problems facing...

Are we approaching the end of the uranium glut?
13 July 2004 Uranium prices are higher than they have been for years. Is the depletion...

June 2004

Top

The view from here
25 June 2004 Finland has an advanced culture of renewable generation as well as a...

May 2004

Top

Achilles heel or own goal?
11 May 2004 Nuclear power is proving to be a safe, reliable, economic and,...

March 2004

Top

Can we ever build lots of new nuclear plants?
17 March 2004 The achievement of an order for a new nuclear reactor in Finland...

Too busy to talk
16 March 2004 The recent ‘PIME’ meeting showed there are many highly skilled...

February 2003

Top

European Nuclear Society, the platform for our future
10 February 2003 The European Nuclear Society (ENS) is still a unique forum to debate...

May 2002

Top

A century defined
23 May 2002 In his Memoirs, Edward Teller looks back at some of the defining moments...

March 2001

Top

Doomed
23 March 2001



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