Biden to set up new gun violence office at White House

President Joe Biden signs a document in the Oval Office of the White House

Reuters, Washington
Published: 22 September ,2023: 

US President Joe Biden is establishing a new office of gun violence prevention at the White House to implement existing laws and work with local authorities to pass gun safety legislation at the state level, officials said on Thursday.

The new office will be overseen by Vice President Kamala Harris and run with the help of gun safety advocates who are joining the administration, officials told reporters on a conference call.

“I’ll continue to urge Congress to take common sense actions that the majority of Americans support like enacting universal background checks and banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines,” Biden, a Democrat, said in a statement released by the White House.

“But in the absence of that sorely-needed action, the Office of Gun Violence Prevention along with the rest of my Administration will continue to do everything it can to combat the epidemic of gun violence that is tearing our families, our communities, and our country apart,” he said.

Democrats largely favor stricter gun laws as a way to reduce deaths from gun violence at schools and in cities across the country, and the issue is likely to feature prominently in Biden’s re-election campaign next year.

People attend March for Our Lives rally, one of a series of nationwide protests against gun violence, in New York City, U.S.

Republicans, with the support of the National Rifle Association, a gun rights group, largely oppose stricter laws, citing the right to bear arms established in the US Constitution’s Second Amendment.

In a rare show of bipartisanship on the issue, Republicans and Democrats passed a package of modest gun safety measures last year, known as the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and Biden has taken executive action on the issue as well.

Establishing a new office of gun violence prevention has long been on the wish list of anti-violence advocacy groups that were pleased with Biden’s record pushing for reforms but wanted the White House to do more.

Putting it under Harris’ purview also gives the vice president, who has struggled to win over some Democrats in her role as Biden’s No. 2, a meaty policy area that is important and popular with their party’s base.

Students from Miguel Contreras Learning Center high school in Los Angeles demonstrate in front of City Hall after walking out of school to protest US gun violence, California, US, May 31, 2022.

Harris said in a statement that the office would work to be “engaging and encouraging Congressional leaders, state and local leaders, and advocates to come together to build upon the meaningful progress that we have made.”

White House adviser Stefanie Feldman, Biden’s staff secretary, will serve as the director of the office, and gun safety advocates Greg Jackson and Rob Wilcox will join the White House as her deputies.

“(Biden) believes that now is the moment to accelerate our work ... which is why he is establishing this office,” Feldman told reporters.

She said the office would expedite implementation of the bipartisan federal gun reform law that Biden signed last year, “dig deeper” to find additional actions the administration can take, coordinate support for communities affected by gun violence, and expand partnerships with cities and states.

Gun safety groups welcomed the move.

“We are so pleased that the Biden administration has officially created an Office of Gun Violence Prevention,” said Kris Brown, president of Brady, an advocacy group.

“Just as FEMA responds to hurricanes and earthquakes, we have desperately needed a federal agency dedicated to responding to this growing public health crisis,” she said, referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

UK
MIRROR EXCLUSIVE:
Rishi Sunak reported over 'very clear breach' of ministerial code in climate speech

Ministers aren't allowed to use publicly-funded resources to spread political messages - like the slogan that appears both on the PM's lectern and the Tory party conference guide

Rishi Sunak used the Tories' conference slogan at the official press conference

By Mikey Smith

Whitehall Correspondent
21 SEP 2023

Rishi Sunak has been accused of breaking the ministerial code during his speech tearing up the UK’s climate policies.

There have been calls for a probe into the event, amid claims he used an official government building for political campaign purposes, in breach of the rules. Ministers are allowed to use government buildings to communicate government policy - but not party political messages.

The Mirror understands Tom Brake, Director of the campaign group Unlock Democracy, has written to Sir Laurie Magnus, the PM’s ethics advisor, calling for an investigation. When the Prime Minister gave his speech, widely seen as launching of the Tory election campaign, he did so from behind a podium emblazoned with the slogan “Long-Term Decisions for a Brighter Future”.

How the same slogan appears on the Tories' Conference Agenda

The same phrase was used on TV screens around the briefing room at Number 9 Downing Street - the official government building where the speech took place. But it’s also the Conservative Party is using for its annual conference next week - and it’s written in large letters across the cover of the Conference guide.

Mr Brake told the Mirror: "The Ministerial Code is clear, there can be no blurring of the lines between Government publicity and party political material and the PM's actions appear to be a very clear breach."

Alastair Campbell, who was No10's Director of Communications under Tony Blair, said: "If Sunak knowingly used a Tory Party conference slogan in a government building it is a clear breach of the ministerial code and a clear breach of the civil service code by any officials involved."

Sections 6.2 and 6.3 of the Code bans Ministers - including the Prime Minister - from using official facilities and resources for the “dissemination of material which is essentially party political.” And it says government property should not be used for “party political activities.”

Section 8 of the code refers to the Civil Service guidance on the use of government resources - which states it is not “proper” for official communications to “use political slogans.” It also states: “Government [press officers] or other resources cannot be used for image-making, or building ministers’ personal brands, which is the province of the party political machine.”

There is an exception for Number 10, allowing the PM to host political events there as it is his official residence - as long as the party covers the cost itself. But no such exemption applies to No 9, where the Government’s media centre is.

"It is noticeable that taxpayer-funded Government publicity material often bears a striking resemblance to Conservative party publicity material. Here it is a straightforward copy," Mr Brake wrote in his letter to Sir Laurie.


"The PM’s actions, in speaking from a podium emblazoned with a slogan that is so strongly associated with the Conservative Party, appears to have breached the code a number of times, including sections 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 and 8.1.

"I believe this particular example, and a wider pattern of behaviour, should be investigated.

Armenia PM signals foreign policy shift away from Russia

Mariam Harutyunyan
Sun, 24 September 2023 

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signalled a shift away from Russia in a national television address (Handout)

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Sunday signalled a major foreign policy shift away from Russia, following Moscow's refusal to enter the latest conflict with Azerbaijani over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Pashinyan told the nation in a televised address that his former Soviet republic's current foreign security alliances were "ineffective" and "insufficient".

He added that Armenia should join the International Criminal Court (ICC) -- a tribunal which has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin over his actions in Ukraine.

"The systems of external security in which Armenia is involved are ineffective when it comes to the protection of our security and Armenia's national interests," Pashinyan said.

His address aired just days after Azerbaijan claimed full control over Nagorno-Karabakh after a lightning offensive that forced rebels in the ethnic Armenian territory to agree to disarm.

The separatists' apparent capitulation could mark the end of a conflict between the Christian and Muslim Caucasus rivals that has raged -- off and on -- through the three decades since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Armenia is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) -- a Russian-dominated group comprised of six post-Soviet states.

The group pledges to protect other members that come under attack.

But Russia is bogged down in a war in Ukraine and has grown more isolated on the international stage.

It argued that Yerevan itself had recognised the disputed region as part of Azerbaijan, and refused to come to Armenia's aid.

"It has become evident to all of us that the CSTO instruments and the instruments of the Armenian-Russian military-political cooperation are insufficient for protecting the external security of Armenia," he said.

"We must transform and supplement the instruments of Armenia's external and domestic security, in cooperation with all the partners who are ready for mutually beneficial steps," Pashinyan said.

- 'Respect our sovereignty' -

Pashinyan's address came after days of increasingly strong criticism in Moscow of what has been Russia's main ally in the volatile Caucasus.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday accused Armenia of "adding fuel to the fire" with its public rhetoric.

Moscow had earlier this month summoned Armenia's ambassador following its decision to host US forces for small peacekeeping drills.

Russian state television commentators have been attacking Pashinyan and other Armenian leaders for their criticism of Moscow.

Pashinyan's comments about the ICC threaten to generate particular anger in the Kremlin.

ICC judge Tomoko Akane issued an arrest warrant for Putin in March for the war crime of allegedly unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children.

Putin has avoided visiting other ICC member nations to avoid the possibility of arrest.

Pashinyan sent the Rome Statute -- a founding document of the ICC -- for parliamentary ratification earlier this month.

The Armenian leader said the ICC could help "ensure our security".

"The decision is not directed against CSTO and the Russian Federation," Pashinyan said of his desire to join the tribunal.

He concluded his address by calling "on our colleagues to respect out sovereignty".

- 'Aggravating tensions' -

Independent Armenia analyst Beniamin Matevosyan said Pashinyan was "deliberately aggravating tensions with Russia".

"He is openly telling Russia: if you don't help keep Armenians in Karabakh, I'll quit CSTO," he said.

Matevosyan said the Nagorno-Karabakh supporters and people with roots in the region were leading the protests that have been simmering across Armenia in the past few days.

"He is afraid of the 120,000-strong mass of people (from Karabakh). He is seeing that so many Karabakhis are taking part in the street protests these days," Matevosyan told AFP.

Pashinyan's new diplomatic line is also running up against the hard reality that Russia still has a military base in the Armenian city of Gyumri that offers Moscow important geopolitical influence.

The base is believed to house 3,000 soldiers and has existed since World War II.

Armenia analyst Hakob Badalyan added that, in view of the war in Ukraine, Western powers may be unwilling to become more involved in the region.

"The West doesn't want to assume the responsiblity," Badalyan said. "It is telling Armenia: negotiate and make peace with (rivals) Turkey and Azerbaijan."

Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of mostly Muslim Azerbaijan.

But its status has been under dispute for centuries.

FASCIST Hungary vetoed EU's anti-Azerbaijani statement on Karabakh

Laman Zeynalova

Politics Materials 22 September 2023

BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 22. 

Hungary has exercised its veto to prevent the EU from issuing a collective statement regarding the situation in Karabakh, Trend reports.

According to sources within European diplomatic circles, this veto came in response to what is described as a prejudiced and anti-Azerbaijani statement by Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, regarding counter-terrorism measures in Karabakh. Originally, this statement was intended to be a joint declaration involving all 27 EU member states, but Hungary blocked its adoption.

Azerbaijan launched anti-terrorist measures in Karabakh on September 19 in order to completely expel Armenian illegal armed formations from its territory.

As a result, in less than 24 hours, the Azerbaijani Army managed to take control of more than 90 combat positions of the Armenian armed forces units. At the same time, seven combat vehicles, one tank, four mortars, and two infantry fighting vehicles were captured as trophies by the Armenian Armed Forces units.

Thus, an agreement on the cessation of anti-terrorist activities was reached at 13:00 (GMT+4) on September 20.

SEE

https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2023/09/turkiyes-client-state-azerbaijan.html

https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2023/09/azerbaijan-announces-anti-terrorist.html

https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2023/09/conflicts-azerbaijan-lets-aid-into.html

https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2023/09/fears-of-second-war-in-europe-as.html

​Satellite Images Showing a Well-aimed Attack by Storm Shadow on Russia’s Fleet Command Post Have Been Released

Defense Express

ukr.defense.news@gmail.com

September 22, 2023

 

Storm Shadow​ cruise missile under the wing of the Ukrainian Su-24M / Open source illustrative photo

Ukrainian Su-24 pilots hit the the 744th Communication Center under the Command of the russian Black Sea Fleet of with a Storm Shadow/SCALP EG cruise missile

On Wednesday, September 20, the Armed Forces of Ukraine hit the backup command post of the russian Black Sea Fleet in Verkhnyosadove in temporarily occupied Crimea - the work of Ukrainian long-range weapons on this object was confirmed by the Department of Strategic Communications of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU StratCom).

The strike was made by long-range Storm Shadow/SCALP EG cruise missiles - the missile in the sky over the temporarily occupied Crimea was filmed by locals. In addition, the fact that the affected 744th Communication Center under the Command of the russian Black Sea Fleet consists of a number of ground buildings and an underground part also hints at the use of this type of weapon. To strike underground object is exactly the purpose for which these cruise missiles were created.

Read more: ​Ukraine’s Air Force Showed the Missiles Used to Hit russian Fleet in Sevastopol (Video)

Storm Shadow Medium Range stealth cruise missile with BROACH warhead /

 Image: https://world-defense.com/

The Storm Shadow's BROACH warhead features an initial penetrating charge to clear soil or enter a bunker, then a variable delay fuze to control detonation of the main warhead. Intended targets are command, control and communications centres; airfields; ports and power stations; ammunition management and storage facilities; surface ships and submarines in port; bridges and other high value strategic targets.

At the same time, Radio Liberty has already published the first satellite images of the russian communication center, which confirm the successful strike of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the enemy's military facility.

The destroyed building on the territory of the 744th Communication Center under the Command  of the Russian Black Sea Fleet

 Photo: Planet Labs, via Radio Liberty

In the released satellite images, it can be seen that the cruise missile very accurately hit one of the buildings located on the territory of the facility, almost half of which was completely destroyed as a result of the impact.

The 744th Communication Center under the Command of the russian Black Sea Fleet /  Satellite image

Apparently, as a result of this attack, the occupiers were not without casualties - yesterday there were a number of reports on social networks that after the attack, a whole convoy of fire trucks and ambulances was heading from Sevastopol to Verkhnyosadove.

In view of the above, it can be stated that in this case it is another carefully prepared and implemented operation by the Defense Forces of Ukraine to destroy enemy facilities. Such operations have recently become quite common. For example, after the successful attack on the command post on Wednesday, September 20, already on the night of September 21, a massive long-range weapon attack was carried out on other military facilities in Crimea.

The launch of the Neptune missile / Open source illustrative photo

Thus, the Security Service of Ukraine confirmed in a media comment about a large-scale combined attack on the Saki russian military airfield, where the Ukrainian Neptun missile arrived

MONOPOLY CAPITALI$M

Activision Blizzard: Biggest gaming deal 

in history set to be cleared by UK regulator

Progress follows months-long battle between Competition

 and Markets Authority and Microsoft

Activision Blizzard is behind the Call of Duty video game series. 

Photo: Activision Publishing

Gillian Duncan
Sep 22, 2023

Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the company behind the Call of Duty video game series, is set to be cleared by UK authorities after a months-long battle with the US tech company.

The biggest gaming deal in history was announced in early 2022, but it was quickly blocked by the UK's competition regulator amid concerns Microsoft would gain too much control of the cloud gaming market.

But in August, Activision Blizzard agreed to sell its streaming rights to French gaming company Ubisoft Entertainment, clearing the way for the deal being cleared, the Competition and Markets Authority said.

READ MORE

Microsoft's battle to secure Activision Blizzard is huge commitment to future of gaming

"While the CMA has identified limited residual concerns with the new deal, Microsoft has put forward remedies which the CMA has provisionally concluded should address these issues," it said.

Microsoft said it was "encouraged by this positive development in the CMA's review process".

"We presented solutions that we believe fully address the CMA’s remaining concerns related to cloud game streaming, and we will continue to work towards earning approval to close prior to the October 18 deadline," Microsoft vice chairman and president Brad Smith said.

The regulator halted the deal in April, while the US Federal Trade Commission also called for an investigation over competition concerns.

The companies have worked hard to push the deal through since then.

It would give Microsoft access to Activision Blizzard's most popular titles, including Crash Bandicoot, Diablo, Guitar Hero, World of Warcraft and Candy Crush Saga.

While cloud gaming is still a nascent industry, analysts say it could eventually make consoles less relevant. The $69 billion deal would put Microsoft in a strong position to lead the sector.

Updated: September 22, 2023, 2:15 AM

Grossi stresses positive role of nuclear at IAEA General Conference

25 September 2023

Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi opened the 67th International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference by saying that opinion polls show the "tide is turning" on public attitudes to nuclear energy, but countries "still need to engage stakeholders openly and proactively" in their nuclear power programmes.

Director General Grossi speaking at General Conference (Image: IAEA)In his opening address to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) event at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria, Grossi highlighted the positive progress of the organisation's initiatives using nuclear technology in areas of tackling climate change as well as cancer care, zoonotic disease, food safety and plastic pollution.

He said: "Our work in widening the access to life-affirming nuclear science and technology is happening against a background of seismic shifts in our climate. The horrifying consequences of global warming are becoming ever more apparent, from wildfires in North America, to heat domes, droughts and floods across Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Africa. Our climate emergency is undeniable, but so is our ability to do something about it.

"Four years ago, nuclear power was struggling to gain a place at the table in major global conversations and events on energy and climate change. Today, nuclear power not only has a place at the table but is increasingly recognised as part of the solution."

Speaking 70 years after the then US President Dwight D Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace speech to the United Nations which paved the way for the creation of the IAEA, he said that it continues to implement its safeguards and security work. He said that there was an "ever-learning mindset when it comes to building a culture of nuclear safety and security - nuclear energy is safer than it has ever been, safer than almost any other source of energy".

And he said: "In the past few years we have not been vocal enough about the benefits of nuclear power, but that page has been turned. Even as public opinion polls around the world show the tide turning in favour of nuclear energy, countries still need to engage stakeholders openly, and proactively, in their nuclear power programmes. Concerted effort and action are warranted."

Representatives of the IAEA's 177 Member States are attending the event, at which delegates will discuss a range of topics, from the 2024 budget to strengthening activities related to nuclear science, technology and applications, as well as the IAEA’s nuclear safety and security activities and strengthening the effectiveness and improving the efficiency of Agency safeguards. They will also specifically discuss nuclear safety, security and safeguards in Ukraine and safeguards in the Middle East and in North Korea. Thailand’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vilawan Mangklatanakul, was elected as the president of the General Conference.

The opening session saw Grossi taking the oath of office for a second four-year term as director general. He said that since taking the job there had been the COVID-19 pandemic and then war in Europe: "These two events are tragic in and of themselves, but they also make it more difficult - and urgent - to tackle the ever-more-present calamity of climate change and the very serious challenges of poverty, disease, hunger and food, water and energy insecurity. I feel humbled and privileged to lead an institution with a unique mandate that allows us - everyone in this building today - to play a role in tackling these challenges."

The director general highlighted the work of the agency's staff in Ukraine, where experts are stationed at all the country's nuclear power plants, and there have been 10 rotations of staff at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which has been under the control of the Russian military since early March 2022.

Grossi said the situation there remains "fragile". In an update published on Friday, the IAEA reported that there had now been 10 groundwater wells drilled "bringing the plant close to having a longer-term solution for the provision of cooling water" since the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in June. It said that an 11th well is due to be drilled after which the plant's operators hope they will have "the approximately 250 cubic metres of water per hour to maintain the cooling of the reactors and spent fuel pools in the current shutdown state".

The agency also said that staffing levels at the plant "continue to be a concern with a significant number of staff having left the ZNPP since the start of the armed conflict, including licensed operators from the main control rooms". The IAEA experts at the site, which is on the frontline between Russian and Ukrainian forces, also reported hearing "numerous explosions some distance away".

Successful nuclear projects key for future investments

25 September 2023

Being able to refer to success stories of nuclear power projects being completed on time and on budget, whether refurbishments or new build, will be key to securing finance for future projects, panelists in a session of the recent World Nuclear Symposium 2023 agreed.

White & Case LLC's Julien Bocobza addressing the Symposium (Image: World Nuclear Association)

"Nuclear energy could and should play an important role in ensuring the rapid and secure energy transitions, and investments in nuclear must step up fast," said Keisuke Sadamori, Director of Energy Markets and Security at the International Energy Agency (IEA). "Existing nuclear power plants need to be extended."

However, he noted: "While increasing year-on-year at the rate of nearly 15% from about USD37 billion in 2019 - before COVID - to USD65 billion in 2023, nuclear investments remain a small part of overall clean energy investments, around a 4% share."

Speaking during a session on Investing in Nuclear on 8 September, Sadamori said the IEA released its Nuclear Power and the Secure Energy Transitions report more than a year ago. Under the report's net-zero scenario, nuclear power needs to double from around 400 GW now to more than 800 GW in 2050. "Less nuclear power would make the net-zero transition harder, more expensive and riskier," he added.

"The resurgence of nuclear power in the net-zero scenario entails a massive increase in investments in the coming decades," Sadamori said. "Global investments in nuclear surges over USD100 billion in the first half of the 2030s in the net-zero scenario, and that's over three times the average of the 2010s."

Innovative funding models

Nuclear projects have for many years relied on state ownership or the regulated monopoly structure to guarantee revenues and reduce risks to investors, Sadamori noted. However, there are private sector investors willing to finance such projects but innovative financing mechanisms are needed to secure this funding.

"The key concern that investors see is the duration that it takes to put a project up to connection, up to operation," said Julien Bocobza, partner in the Japan office of White & Case LLC. "You've got naturally the development phase, the planning stage, which is borne by investors, by equity providers, by developers. But even once the project is approved and starts construction, the typical duration, because everything has to be customised, is around seven years.

"The impact on the financing is tremendous, in particular because it means you need to have the amount of cash available to pay interest during construction. So you are really paying lenders for seven years before you start getting any revenue, which creates issues. But also given that scale, you need a very long period to repay that loan, which then is often an issue with commercial lenders who cannot go beyond 15, 18 years typically for repayment periods."

Details about the UK's Regulated Assets Base (RAB) funding model, which is being used for financing the Sizewell C project, were outlined by Iain Smedley, chairman of power and utilities banking at Barclays. Under this model, a company receives a licence from an economic regulator to charge a regulated price to consumers in exchange for providing the infrastructure in question. He said the model "from an investor perspective, is structured to produce attractive, stable, low-risk and inflation-linked returns at scale".

Smedley added: "The RAB model is designed to set up a structure that provides a high level of certainty and confidence and predictability for investors, whilst also making sure that there are appropriate incentives in place."

Showcasing successful projects

All the speakers on the panel agreed on the need for the nuclear industry to deliver projects on time and on budget in order to attract funding from investors.

"What the financial sector sees ... is delays and cost overruns," Bocobza said. "And how will each project deal with that? Clearly for lenders, it is what they are going to look at in the first instance. They will not take that risk or they will be very reluctant to take that risk until it's clearly mitigated."

He added: "Having very successful stories about being on time and on budget will really, really help. And that's why I agree it was fantastic to hear those stories because it gives confidence. Lessons learned I think is absolutely key in the construction space, of course, but also for governments to make sure that if you're putting together a new programme you understand what worked, what didn't work, and you actually implement gateways to ensure that you make it work."

"The key here is being able to showcase to the world that we can deliver large-scale projects on time and on budget," added Kevin Kelly, executive VP, finance and CFO, Bruce Power. "And, you know, whether it's a multiple billion dollar refurbishment or new build, you got to stick to the basic principles of having your engineering done, getting your long-lead parts, having an established supply chain."

Sadamori said it should not just come down to the industry to attract the necessary finance for nuclear projects. "Governments need to have a very strong policy to ensure public awareness of the possible important contributions from nuclear for both energy security and climate change mitigation, and also, as presented, the needed financial mechanisms to ensure the needed investments in nuclear, because the current competitive unbundled electricity power systems in mostly the advanced economies are not good enough to ensure the necessary investments into assets like nuclear."

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

Nuclear groups propose ‘stepwise’ approach to increased regulatory efficiency

22 September 2023

A new joint report from World Nuclear Association, the Nuclear Energy Institute and the Canadian Nuclear Association proposes regulatory steps which can be taken to minimise the time and cost for large-scale deployment of a fleet of standardised reactor designs that are acceptable in multiple countries around the world.

(Image: World Nuclear Association)

The report, A Framework for International Regulatory Efficiency to Accelerate Nuclear Deployment, says changes are required if there is going to be the scale of new nuclear required to tackle climate change and energy security concerns.

It proposes a step-by-step approach "given the complexity of the differences in regulations and standards, including technical, human and cultural challenges and how difficult this makes convergence" of regulatory requirements in different countries.

Its model is for "gradually increasing collaboration between key stakeholders that is supported by multilateral agreements between technology vendors, regulators, and operators", and proposes to "build upon the efforts of small groups of regulators and industry jointly working on the review of specific reactor designs to increase efficiency in the design reviews to facilitate the ability of one regulator to leverage all, or part, of the outcomes from reviews undertaken by other regulators to support their own regulatory process".

Its three key recommendations for action are:  

• Increased support from governments, regulators and industry "to facilitate collaborative regulatory design review activities, including the enabling of groups of regulators working on specific designs"
• Stakeholders to facilitate "increased collaborative regulatory design reviews" through a stepwise phased approach, which would allow near-term benefits through “low risk activities" while building a foundation for greater benefits that need a longer timeframe
• Increased coordination of existing harmonisation activities "to accelerate progress through the stepwise phased approach and make most effective use of the resources available".

The report, produced by World Nuclear Association's Cooperation in Reactor Design Evaluation and Licensing (CORDEL) working group in cooperation with the Canadian Nuclear Association (CNA) and the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), builds on existing work such as the Multinational Design Evaluation Programme and the International Atomic Energy Agency's Nuclear Harmonization and Standardization Initiative which was launched last year.

"These initiatives and others, including from other industries, have demonstrated that there is much that can be, and has been, achieved through collaborative efforts between different regulators and with industry. What is clear from other industries and ongoing harmonisation activities is that support from governments and early alignment among key stakeholders are important prerequisites for success," the report says.

It also says that "working with large groups of stakeholders makes alignment of requirements increasingly difficult, and that working generically on design safety issues makes it difficult to identify the real challenges to joint design reviews".

It concludes that to meet the targets for new nuclear by 2050, there needs to be an "innovative approach" and says "the collaboration efforts will require additional resources above and beyond what each national regulator already needs to support short-term regulatory activities in their own countries".

"The aim of committing resources and efforts to these international collaborative efforts now is to support increased export markets and facilitate national regulators being able in future to carry out more reviews more efficiently."

World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y León said the report "highlights how increased government support for multi-lateral regulatory review activities, and greater coordination between international organisations are essential to accelerate the global deployment of fleets of standardised reactor designs. To be successful, we must come together as a nuclear sector, set common goals, define ambitious yet realistic targets, and collaborate to deliver the benefits of nuclear energy for all".

John Gorman, President and CEO of the CNA, said: "This report paves the way for the nuclear industry and regulators across the world as a blueprint towards a common objective and will prove to be a building block of initiatives such as the recently launched Net Zero Nuclear."

Maria Korsnick, President and CEO at NEI, said: "The demand for new nuclear is real, and there's a clear consensus on the world stage that nuclear plays a crucial role in our global clean energy transition. We cannot tackle the climate threat and bolster energy security without the versatility, reliability, and affordability that clean nuclear power ensures. But the challenge before us isn’t demand - it is meeting demand. Now is the time to rise to the occasion. Together, with our global allies, we can face the challenge before us through modernised and globally streamlined regulatory approaches, while maintaining our high standards of safety."

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

 

Funding announced for Pallas research reactor

22 September 2023

Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport Ernst Kuipers has confirmed full funding has been allocated for the EUR1.68 billion (USD1.79 billion) estimated public investment required for the Pallas research reactor in Petten, the Netherlands.

How the completed site could look (Image: NRG-Pallas)

He said last September that the ministry was to spend EUR129 million per year, and has announced this week that an outstanding EUR320 million was now also covered in the budget. He also said that the process of getting approval under European Union state aid rules, was also under way.

Bertholt Leeftink, CEO of NRG-Pallas, said: "This decision is confirmation that the Pallas reactor is of strategic importance for the Netherlands and Europe. It will strengthen the security of medical isotopes supply for nuclear medicine. For patients, it means faster access to innovative (cancer) treatments."

He said it would help the Netherlands to expand its position in the world market for medical isotopes and nuclear technological research and "will preserve high-quality knowledge and employment in the North Holland headland".

Peter Dijk, Pallas programme director, called it "tremendous news ... with this decision we can proceed with the preparatory works and attract a contractor for realisation of the new build".

The Pallas research reactor is to be built at Petten to replace the existing High Flux Reactor (HFR). The 45 MW HFR started operating in September 1960, since when its use has largely been shifted from nuclear materials testing to fundamental research and the production of medical radioisotopes. The reactor - operated by NRG on behalf of the European Union's Joint Research Centre - has for a long time supplied about 60% of Europe's and 30% of the world's use of medical radioactive sources.

Pallas will be of the "tank-in-pool" type, with a thermal power of around 55 MW, and able to deploy its neutron flux more efficiently and effectively than the HFR.

In May this year work began on the foundations after the Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection  granted a construction licence for the reactor in February.

NRG-Pallas say the reactor "will guarantee large-scale diagnostic and therapeutic isotopes for millions of patients worldwide over the next 60 years". It says that around 200,000 patient treatments with therapeutic isotopes take place annually in Europe and this number is expected to increase by 8% a year and says "targeted and personalised therapies are very promising because they can be used much more precisely than traditional treatments - this innovative approach has fewer harmful side effects, is more effective and less stressful for the patient".

Construction of the reactor, which will be located at the Energy & Health Campus in Petten, will be able to go ahead if the country's parliament does not object to the creation of a new state-owned company and if the European Commission approves the public investment.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

 

Milestone in restoration of Zorita plant site

22 September 2023

Work to fill in the hole left following the demolition of the containment building of the José Cabrera nuclear power plant has been completed, Spanish decommissioning and waste management firm Enresa announced. The plant - also known as Zorita - is the first to be fully dismantled in Spain.

The site of the plant's former containment building (Image: Enresa)

The single-loop pressurised water reactor at the José Cabrera nuclear power plant, in the central municipality of Guadalajara, operated from 1968 until 2006 when it was closed by ministerial order. Although small by today's standards at 142 MWe, the plant nevertheless supplied more than 75% of Guadalajara's power requirements.

Pre-dismantling activities - carried out between 2006 and 2009 under the responsibility of the facility's operator, Union Fenosa - consisted mainly of the management of used fuel and the conditioning of operational waste.

Soil being placed within the pit (Image: Enresa)

After the completion of pre-dismantling activities and the corresponding ministerial authorisation of 11 February 2010, ownership of the José Cabrera nuclear power plant was transferred to Enresa for decommissioning.

In 2010 Westinghouse - which originally supplied the reactor - won a contract from Enresa to dismantle the reactor vessel internals. This was followed by another contract in 2013 to dismantle the reactor pressure vessel.

The dismantling of the plant's containment building began in November 2019 with the first section of the containment dome - measuring 8 metres in diameter, 16 millimetres thick and weighing 5.2 tonnes - being cut and removed.

Working nearing completion to level the ground (Image: Enresa)

Enresa said a total of 9500 cubic metres of selected soil has now been used to fill the void that remained following the complete dismantling of the containment building. This, it said, involved the loading and unloading of 850 trucks. During the process, the corresponding humidity, density and degree of compaction tests were carried out, with satisfactory results.

The demolition of the last remaining large building at the plant, the turbine building - 30 metres in height and made of reinforced concrete - was completed in June last year.

In order to restore the site to its initial state, the Restoration Plan - which was approved by Spain's Nuclear Safety Council - will ensure that the land to be released is free of residual radioactivity. During this final phase, site clean-up and final characterisation will be carried out before application is made for the declaration of decommissioning, with the aim of returning the site to its owner.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News