World Nuclear News

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May 2026

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About the show

Bringing you the news from the worldwide nuclear energy sector, interviews with key players and easy-to-follow guides to the nuclear essentials each month. The World Nuclear News team has been reporting about nuclear power since 2007 at: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/ WNN is supported by the World Nuclear Association and draws on its global network of contacts across the industry, academia and international agencies.

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55 recent

May 22, 2026Episode 5537 min

Sustainability and the UK's low level waste repository

The UK’s Low Level Waste Repository in Cumbria in the North West of England has been operating for nearly seven decades, so probably for longer than any other such facility anywhere. During that time things have changed from a "tip and tumble" typical landfill disposal system, to today's approach with containerised waste and engineered vaults.Nuclear Waste Services' Director of Sites and Operations, Mike Pigott, and Head of Waste Services Howard Falconer, explain the history of the site, how its operations have changed and its plans for the future - including an update on the prospects for a deep geological disposal facility.The Low Level Waste Repository's role is to ensure that low-level waste generated in the UK is disposed of in a way that protects people and the environment. The repository site receives low-level solid waste from a range of customers, such as the nuclear industry, the Ministry of Defence, non-nuclear industries, educational, medical and research establishments. Legacy disposal trenches and vaults are now full and ready for permanent closure.Pigott outlines progress on the capping of the original parts of the giant site, which aims to make what began as initially a temporary disposal facility, a permanent - and environmentally safe - place for the low level waste. Falconer outlines the sustainability steps taken to reduce the amount of low level radioactive waste. For instance, reusing material from decommissioning projects in new-build constructions. The result is that there are still many decades-worth of capacity at the site.Key links to find out more:World Nuclear NewsNuclear Waste ServicesCapping of UK repository progressesEmail newsletter:Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-upsContact info:alex.hunt@world-nuclear.orgEpisode credit: Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

May 6, 2026Episode 5422 min

Will Spain rethink nuclear energy phase-out plan?

A decision is expected later this year by the Spanish government on whether to award a three-year reprieve to Almaraz nuclear power plant's units 1 and 2. They are currently scheduled to be shut down in 2027 as part of the country's 2019 nuclear phase-out policy.In this episode we hear from Marta Ugalde, President of Spanish Nuclear Industry Forum, Foro Nuclear, about the current situation with nuclear energy in Spain, and what the future might hold for an industry which has a rich history stretching back more than 60 years in the country.Ugalde says that the three-year operating extension would allow time for consideration of whether there should be a more fundamental change to the phase-out plan, noting that similar reactors in the US are now licensed to operate for 80 years. She also talks about what impact last year's blackout has had on the case for nuclear energy.Spain's seven operating nuclear power reactors - Almaraz I and II, Ascó I and II, Cofrentes, Trillo and Vandellós II - generate about 20% of its electricity. Under the country's nuclear phase-out plans, agreed in 2019, four reactors are scheduled to close by the end of 2030 - including the two Almaraz ones - while the remaining three reactors will shut by 2035.The Almaraz plant currently supplies more than 7% of the electricity consumed in Spain, equivalent to 4 million homes, and employs about 4,000 people. Almaraz units I and II are pressurised water reactors with a net capacity of 1011 MWe and 1006 MWe, respectively. Unit I entered commercial operation in 1983 with unit II following the next year. The plant is owned by Iberdrola (53%), Endesa (36%), and Naturgy (11%).Key links to find out more:World Nuclear NewsForoNuclearRegulator requested to report on Almaraz licence extensionNuclear Power in SpainForoNuclear highlights role of nuclear in Spanish energy mix Email newsletter:Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-upsContact info:alex.hunt@world-nuclear.orgEpisode credit: Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

April 13, 2026Episode 5348 min

China's nuclear energy ambitions

China has been racing ahead in terms of new nuclear capacity and new nuclear developments in recent years, and there are big plans ahead, most recently set out in the country's latest five-year plan. In this episode we take an extended look at the nuclear energy sector in China, with François Morin, Country Director for World Nuclear Association.China currently has 62 GW of generating capacity plus 38 new units under construction which will add 44 GW. There are another 17 units approved with 20 GW capacity. This means that by 2033 China will likely have 120 GW of capacity. That number looks set to continue increasing at a similar - or faster - rate over the next two decades if the aim is to be achieved of a 15% share for nuclear in the future energy mix.Morin discusses the different reactor technologies being used, as well as innovative developments in district heating, and industrial heating with reactor combinations at power plants including high temperature gas-cooled reactors. There is also the latest news about China's landmark small modular reactor, its molten salt reactor developments, nuclear fusion plans, and much more.Key links to find out more:World Nuclear NewsFirst San'ao unit connected to the gridChina starts construction of innovative nuclear projectChinese SMR completes non-nuclear steam start up testConstruction milestone at Chinese underground laboratoryChinese molten salt reactor achieves conversion of thorium-uranium fuelEmail newsletter:Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-upsContact info:alex.hunt@world-nuclear.orgEpisode credit: Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

February 10, 2026Episode 5236 min

What should be the target time to build a new nuclear plant?

How long should it take from signing a contract to first concrete, to completion, for a new nuclear power plant? And what needs to be done to ensure the funding can be unlocked for new units? Those are just two of the topics covered by Assystem's Stéphane Aubarbier.In addition to discussing progress on France's EPR2 new nuclear programme - and the lessons from EPR projects - the deputy CEO talks about Assystem's work in a variety of different countries, including the UK and Kazakhstan. He sees a positive trend towards regulatory similarities across borders, especially with newcomer countries - who he also notes can benefit from devising efficient licensing and permitting systems.Aubarbier also covers the company's involvement with the ITER multinational fusion project and other fusion projects. His advice to young people considering their future career options is to find a subject and work that they find fun, adding: "If you have studied physics, are an engineer or a scientist, nuclear is a dream world."Key links to find out more:AssystemWorld Nuclear NewsWNE panel discusses adding value to the supply chainEmail newsletter:Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-upsContact info:alex.hunt@world-nuclear.orgEpisode credit: Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

December 23, 2025Episode 5147 min

What were the big nuclear energy stories of 2025? What to watch out for in 2026...

The World Nuclear News team looks back over the most read articles in 2025 - with topics including Canada's ground-breaking SMR project, the 50th World Nuclear Symposium, the eventual signing of a contract for the Czech new nuclear project, China's SMR completing cold testing, and the drone damage to Chernobyl's New Safe Confinement.Then World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y León picks out the key themes of the year, noting the fast-growing interest from the financial sector in investment opportunities in nuclear, plus the declaration from energy users such as Google, Meta and Dow Chemicals to support the goal of at least tripling nuclear energy capacity by 2050.With a number of projects making progress in countries without recent experience of nuclear construction there has also been a lot of focus on developing supply chains, reflected in the success of the World Nuclear Supply Chain conference held in Poland.Looking ahead to 2026 there are big set-piece events to look forward to - such as World Nuclear Symposium in London, World Nuclear Supply Chain conference in the Philippines and World Nuclear Fuel Cycle conference in Monaco - with big moments also expected for the first units in Bangladesh and Turkey, a restart for Palisades as well as first concrete due to be poured for Hungary's Paks II project.Bilbao y León says the "stars are definitely aligned" for nuclear and the coming year "is the moment where the global nuclear industry really needs to be proactive and active and make the most of this opportunity". She says: "We really need to work together with our governments. We need to work together with the nuclear regulators, with the finance community, with large energy users. And we cannot leave behind civil society. We have seen major improvements in acceptance and interest in nuclear, but we need to continue to be very proactive to engage with civil society, to make sure that no question is left unanswered."Key links to find out more:World Nuclear NewsCanada's first SMR project: How is CAD20.9 billion cost calculated?World Nuclear AssociationEmail newsletter:Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-upsContact info:alex.hunt@world-nuclear.orgEpisode credit: Presenter Alex Hunt. Reporters Claire Maden and Warwick Pipe. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

December 12, 2025Episode 5030 min

What happened with nuclear energy at COP30? Plus Myriad Uranium's Thomas Lamb

Nuclear energy is now widely seen as one part of the solution to reducing carbon emissions. But how much of a profile did it get at COP30 - the 30th UN Climate Change Conference, held in Belém, Brazil?Jonathan Cobb, Senior Programme Lead, Climate, for World Nuclear Association, was in Brazil for the event and in this edition he outlines what was achieved, and not achieved, at COP30 and what the significant moments were for nuclear energy.He looks ahead to the next editions of COP - in Turkey and Ethiopia - before COP33, which will be held somewhere in Southeast Asia in 2028, and which is due to be when all the National Determined Constributions will have to have been submitted, with a new global stocktake document to be agreed.Also in this edition we hear from Thomas Lamb, CEO of Myriad Uranium, who talks about the history of, and his hopes for, their Copper Mountain project in Wyoming in the USA. He also considers the impact of AI on uranium exploration.Key links to find out more:World Nuclear NewsEmail newsletter:Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-upsContact info:alex.hunt@world-nuclear.orgEpisode credit: Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

December 1, 2025Episode 4924 min

Johan Svenningsson on Sweden's ‘Nuclear 2.0’, and his World Nuclear Association role

Johan Svenningsson is Country Chairman and CEO of Uniper Sweden as well as being vice chairman and chairman-elect of World Nuclear Association.In this edition, Svenningsson talks about what has been an eventful few years for the nuclear energy sector in Sweden, and the current positive mood towards nuclear and plans for new nuclear - "it's fantastic, we're basically talking about nuclear 2.0 in Sweden", is how he puts it.We also hear about: lessons on modular construction from his previous roles in the oil and gas and the pharmaceuticals industry; life-extension work; decommissioning programmes; and how the construction of a deep geological repository is progressing.Regarding his role with World Nuclear Association, Svenningsson says nuclear is a unique global industry where people learn from each other and share knowledge: "I don't see any other industry which is that global and which is that integrated - we're all competitors, suppliers, customers but we really focus on, and want, nuclear to be a strong part of the future, greener society."His priorities for the association are the industry's need to deliver, now that the political and financial conditions are increasingly in place. He says that on the political and regulatory front "we've come a long way. I think nuclear is starting to be more on par with other technologies, but there is still a way to go. People are still talking about renewables or nuclear ... we should look at all these technologies to be fossil free".Other priorities include the need to attract and train a diverse selection of young talented people to the nuclear industry, and also to develop the supply chain as new nuclear projects begin in emerging nuclear countries, or in established countries restarting their nuclear construction programmes after decades. Key links to find out more:World Nuclear NewsDismantling of Swedish reactors reaches milestoneSweden looks to protect nuclear investors from political U-turnsExtended operation of Oskarshamn 3 to be assessedWNA Board membersEmail newsletter:Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-upsContact info:alex.hunt@world-nuclear.orgEpisode credit: Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

November 12, 2025Episode 4843 min

Financing new nuclear energy projects

If global nuclear energy capacity is to at least triple by 2050 it is going to need huge, huge investment - estimates suggest $250billion a year for 25 years. So how will it be financed and what are the opportunities and challenges for financiers wanting to get involved? To find out more, host Alex Hunt is joined by World Nuclear Association's Lola Infante, Senior Programme Lead Economics and Finance, and David Stearns, nuclear finance advisor and consultant.They consider why nuclear projects have generally been state-financed in the past, and what the industry needs to do to ensure that it attracts private finance for future schemes, including "financing by design" where, as David puts it, "you embed and you write the financial coding at the same time that you're doing your site assessment, at the same time that you're checking your early stage regulatory approvals".There is discussion of the growing appetite by global investment banks and multilateral banks to invest in new nuclear and the challenges of structuring financing to ensure it is attractive despite the long timescales involved in planning, building and then operating a new nuclear power plant.They also provide insights into what has been learned so far from the Financing Nuclear Briefing series, which brings the nuclear industry and financiers together to discuss financing issues under Chatham House rules.Key links to find out more:World Nuclear NewsInvestment decisions needed to avoid fuel cycle supply gaps'Difficult to overstate demand from institutional investors' for nuclearEmail newsletter:Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-upsContact info:alex.hunt@world-nuclear.orgEpisode credit: Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

September 23, 2025Episode 4742 min

World Nuclear Fuel Report and World Nuclear Symposium

More than 1,100 people gathered in London for the 50th World Nuclear Symposium, taking part in a packed programme of discussions, panels and networking. In addition to the usual broad range of topics there were also two special full day programmes - one focused on end energy users and one on finance.The event also saw the publication of 2025's World Nuclear Fuel Report, which warned that gaps could be opening up in the supply-demand picture over the coming years and investment decisions need to be taken now to fuel the forecast increase in nuclear power capacity.The World Nuclear News team were there and have put together a series of reports on the symposium's proceedings, and the fuel report's findings.People featured, in order of appearance:Cecile Gregoire-David, Head of Uranium, Conversion and Enrichment Services, EDFMalcolm Critchley, CEO, ConverDynMeirzhan Yussupov, CEO, KazatompromMichael Huebel, Director General, Euratom Supply AgencySama Bilbao y León, Director General, World Nuclear AssociationTomass Ehler, Director General for Nuclear Energy, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Czech RepublicLauren Culver, Senior Energy Specialist, World BankLoyiso Tyabashe, CEO, South African Nuclear Energy CorporationMatt Firla-Cuchra, Global Lead Nuclear Energy, KPMGVictoria Kalb, Global Head ESG & Sustainability Research, UBSMark Muldowney, Energy, Resources and Infrastructure, BNP ParibasLee McDonough, Director General, Net Zero, Nuclear and International, UK Department for Energy Security and Net ZeroMichelle Catts, Senior Vice President Nuclear Programmes, GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear EnergyPete Bryant, CEO, World Nuclear Transport InstituteBernard Fontana, Chairman and CEO, EDFVakis Ramany, Senior Vice President International Nuclear Development, EDFLeon Flexman, Corporate Affairs Director, X-energyMesut Uzman, Chief Nuclear Officer, Fermi AmericaRita Baranwal, Chief Nuclear Officer, RadiantRaquel Heredia Silva, World Nuclear AssociationKey links to find out more:World Nuclear NewsInvestment decisions needed to avoid fuel cycle supply gaps'Difficult to overstate demand from institutional investors' for nuclearWorld Nuclear Fuel ReportWorld Nuclear SymposiumEmail newsletter:Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-upsContact info:alex.hunt@world-nuclear.orgEpisode credit: Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

September 1, 2025Episode 4624 min

Nuclear energy sets new record for electricity generation

Nuclear reactors worldwide generated 2667 TWh of electricity in 2024, beating the previous record high of 2660 TWh which was set back in 2006, according to World Nuclear Performance Report 2025. In this edition Jonathan Cobb, author of the report, outlines the key findings of the latest edition of the annual World Nuclear Association publication, which include the dominance of Asia in terms of new reactor capacity over the past decade.There is also clear evidence that reactor performance does not decline with age - the reverse can be true with modernisation, uprates and long-term operation programmes helping capacity factors reach an average of 83% across the global fleet (the capacity factor is a percentage of what the output would have been if a reactor had operated at full capacity for every moment of a year).Jonathan, who is senior programme lead, climate, at World Nuclear Association, also considers how likely it is that the record is going to be broken again in the next few years.Key links to find out more:World Nuclear NewsWorld Nuclear Performance ReportEmail newsletter:Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-upsContact info:alex.hunt@world-nuclear.orgEpisode credit: Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production