A Common Approach To Nuclear Waste

http://nuclearstreet.com/blogs/nuclear_power_news/archive/2009/12/23/a-common-approach-to-the-nuclear-waste-issue-12235.aspx

IAEA Workshop Looks at Regulatory Needs for Waste Disposal Solutions
Whether of the extremely radioactive high-level, long-lived kind or the short-lived, low-level type, the issue of nuclear waste and methods of its disposal remain one of the most pressing problems facing the nuclear sector.
"Technical solutions for waste disposal do exist and they are certainly safe," explains Didier Louvat, who heads the IAEA´s Waste and Environmental Safety Section.
"However, what has been missing so far is a uniform, international approach to this issue at a normative level."
More than 90 international experts participated in the one-day workshop in which aspects and approaches to the licensing of radioactive waste disposal were discussed.
In particular, as a number of countries are moving towards the licensing of geological disposal facilities, the potential benefit of having an internationally harmonized approach to the safety demonstration and licensing process is clearly emerging.
As part of its effort to tackle this issue, the IAEA held this week in Cape Town, South Africa, an international workshop on the safety and licensing of radioactive waste disposal. More than 90 international experts participated in the one-day event.
The workshop follows on the heels of the development of a revised and consolidated international Safety Requirements standard for radioactive waste disposal compiled by the IAEA.
"With this workshop we intended to create awareness of the developments taking place in the international safety standards for radioactive waste disposal, and the work aimed at the harmonization of the of approaches to demonstrating the safety of geological disposal," says the IAEA's Louvat.
"We also wanted to identify the related implications for the licensing process."
According to the IAEA's Phil Metcalf, who heads the Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Management Unit, participants had the opportunity to hear the fact that geological disposal is a doable solution, although one that requires considerable effort on the part of operators developing safety arguments and evidence, and the regulatory authority who have to evaluate them.
"But above all, the message was that plans for disposing of radioactive waste need to be done as soon as a decision to go nuclear is taken," he says.
The workshop also explored the benefits of cooperating with the mining industry for information exchange on the issue of conventional mining safety in respect of geological disposal facilities in particular, and radioactive waste disposal in general.
A revised and consolidated international Safety Requirements standard for radioactive waste disposal has been developed over the past three years and its approval and adoption is anticipated by year-end 2009.
The standard covers disposal in near surface facilities of all type, including those for very low-level waste and mining and minerals processing waste, to disposal at depth, from tens to hundreds of metres, for intermediate and high-level waste.
A supporting Safety Guide is under development within the safety standards series the safety case and supporting safety assessment for radioactive waste disposal is under development.

Tender for the construction of the new nuclear power plant project at Visaginas - TED

http://ted.europa.eu/Exec?DataFlow=N_list_results.dfl&Template=TED/N_result_details_curr_tree.htm&Page=1&docnumber=340935%202009&docId=340935-2009&StatLang=EN
The Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Lithuania (the Contracting Authority), is seeking to attract and identify one or more Strategic Investor(s) which subject to the document setting out the tender conditions (the Invitation to Invest) will be offered a controlling interest in the new nuclear power plant project company (the Project Company).

Government and NDX energija sign buy-out deal

http://www.alfa.lt/straipsnis/10302956/?Government.and.NDX.energija.sign.buy.out.deal=2009-12-04_13-52
NDX energija has agreed to sell its stake in the ill-fated Leo LT energy company to the Lithuanian government, paving the way for the dissolution of the public-private venture.

Lithuania to issue tender for nuclear plant

http://www.iii.co.uk/news/?type=afxnews&articleid=7639853&action=article
Lithuania will issue a tender next month [in December 2009] to find a strategic investor in a nuclear power plant and aims to sign a deal in the second half of 2010, the government said on Monday.
The investor will be offered a more than 50 percent stake in the new plant (…)
The country has said it is planning to build a plant by 2018-2020, but wanted a private strategic investor to finance most of the project.(…)
The government aimed to sign an agreement with the investor in the second half of 2010, Sekmokas told journalists.
The government will approve the final tender conditions by April 2010, and will accept non-binding bids in the first three months.
Sekmokas said the government had not indicated the capacity of the new plant saying that should be established in negotiations with potential investors. Utility companies such as E.ON, EDF, Iberdrola, RWE , Fortum and Vatenfall were expected to take part in the tender, he added.

Seimas rejects resolution on prolonging of IAE work

http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/energy/?doc=20453
On Thursday, the Lithuanian Seimas rejected the resolution regarding the prolonging the work of Ignalina nuclear power plant (IAE). Having opposed the draft resolution, the parliamentarians voted on whether to reject the resolution or to improve it.
During the first voting both proposals received equal number of votes – 43 votes each. During the second voting, 44 members of parliament approved of the rejection of the resolution, while 42 members voted for its improvement, informs ELTA/LETA.
On Thursday, the Seimas failed to adopt the law on prolonging the work of the second IAE block. Although the law had been voted on twice, due to the absence of Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats member, there was not enough voices to adopt the it.

Sweco to bring Lithuania closer to Europe’s grid

http://www.ecoseed.org/en/general-green-news/green-business-news/green-business-news/5041
Swedish sustainable engineering and design company Sweco has been given a key role in the effort to connect Lithuania to the European power grid.

Baltic government heads meet in Vilnius
http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/23838/
Nov 06, 2009
VILNIUS - The three Baltic Prime Ministers have concluded a meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania [...]
One of the key topics on the table was the construction of a new nuclear power plant at Visaginas.  [...]
The three countries have argued over how large a share each player would receive in the project and which other countries shouls take part - the squabbling has already imposed numerous delays on the project. [...]
They also commented on the work that has gone into creating the Open Baltic Energy Market that has made the construction of the plant politically viable.
The leaders also expressed concerns over the NordStream gas pipeline that is planned to run under the Baltic Sea.
During the meeting, Kubilius threw his support behind an objection lodged by Estonia earlier this week over the possible environmental impact of the pipeline.