New nuclear power projects

On the wires today are the following announcements:

-Brazil intends to build four nuclear plants to supplement the two it already operates, with one more in an advanced state of construction.

-South Africa intends to build six nuclear plants, to supplement the two plants it already has in operation.

According to the WNA database, Brazil has one nuclear plant site - Angra - which has two plants in operation and one under construction. The two operating plants are a Westinghouse two loop pressurized water reactor and a Kraftwerk Union PWR. The plant under construction is a KWU / Areva PWR.

South Africa's two plants are Koeberg 1 and 2, which are Framatome pressurized water plants.

Those who have decided for themselves that nuclear is a 'done deal' after the Fukushima Daiichi accident should note that many nations which have been planning nuclear construction or expansion for years are still going through with their plans.

For the record, about half of the operating commercial nuclear power plants in the United States received their operating licenses and were placed on the grid AFTER the Three Mile Island accident. Thus the news stories about other countries' plans to go ahead with nuclear power are not at all surprising to this writer.

Story notes from Energy Business Review; data from World Nuclear Association.

3:07 PM Eastern Tuesday September 20, 2011
ATOMIC POWER REVIEW