Opinion Archive

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...

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...

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...

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...

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

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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

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...

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...

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...

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

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...

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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...

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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....

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...

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

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

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

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

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...

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...

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

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...

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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...

Renewable power – what about the hype?
05 July 2016

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;...

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

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

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...

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

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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

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

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...

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...

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

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...

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,...

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...

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

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...

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...

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

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

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.

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...

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...

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...

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

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,...

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?...

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

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...

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...

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...

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...

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

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

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.

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

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

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...

‘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...

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

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...

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

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...

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

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

Replace the RPV
19 January 2011

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...

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...

The UK skills shortage
18 October 2010

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

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

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...

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

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...

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....

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...

‘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...

DOE loan: chicken or egg?
03 November 2009

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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

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...

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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...

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...

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...

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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

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...

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...

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...

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

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

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...

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

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...

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...

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...

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...

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

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...

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,...

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

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...

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...

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...

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

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

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

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...

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

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...

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

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...

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

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

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...

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

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

Doomed
23 March 2001