A continuation of a previous series here on the world of nuclear energy. These will be news only items but DKers can of course comment.
ITEM:
Vietnam Has Absolute Confidence In Japan Nuke Technology
The Vietnamese government has "absolute confidence in Japanese nuclear technology," Vietnam’s Ambassador to Japan Nguyen Phu Binh told the Mainichi during a recent interview, speaking on the selection of a Japanese group of companies to build nuclear power plants in the Southeast Asian nation.
Despite the ongoing Fukushima nuclear crisis, Nguyen also emphasized that Vietnam would proceed with discussions on the nuclear technology deal as planned, stating the disaster "does not change our cooperation with Japan." Vietnam agreed to commission two Japanese-built reactors in the southern province of Ninh Thuan during a Japan-Vietnam leaders’ summit in October 2010.
German regulator discards nuclear as reserve power
The announcement ended speculation about whether parts of Germany's nuclear capacity, about 8,800 MW of which was shut in the wake of the Japanese nuclear disaster, could be reopened after all, if power was to run short in high demand periods when renewable power output is low.
Kurth said that he had won assurances that hard-coal fired plants in Mannheim or alternatively in Mainz-Wiesbaden could ready additional capacity in such instances.
[DW: note...an INCREASE in coal usage]
China's nuclear industry to post slower growth compared to past 5 years: Report
BEIJING: China's nuclear power industry will expand at a slower rate compared with the past five years, a media report said Wednesday.
"China's nuclear industry base is still weak and we must ensure development stability and consistency," China Daily quoted Zhang Guobao, former hear of the National Energy Administration, as saying.
Xinhua reported that the country suspended approvals of new nuclear power stations and order comprehensive safety inspections at all nuclear plants, following Japan's Fukushima nuclear accident in March.
Zhang said the country should use the slowdown in construction to address weakness in the sector, including manufacturing capacity and technological innovation.
He also suggested the nation take this crisis as an opportunity to catch up as the world's leading nuclear power country.
China is expected to have 42 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2015, equal to 3 percent of total installed power capacity, Zhang said.