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Brandon Munro, CEO of Bannerman Energy, joins us to consider the impact on the uranium and wider nuclear sector of the Russia-Ukraine war as it continues into a second year.

Munro sees a bright future for the uranium sector and also talks about the prospects for an expansion of nuclear in Africa and why he sees the Cameco-Westinghouse deal as a good thing, and one which gives more backing for the idea of nuclear energy being part of green taxonomies.

And what about those people who are opposed to nuclear energy? Is it possible to change minds? Munro, who has around 20,000 followers on Twitter (@brandon_munro) says that conversations are key - in his experience once people know the facts they tend to be in favour.

Never before has one country's military occupied another country's nuclear power plants. World Nuclear News's Claire Maden joins host Alex Hunt to recap a timeline of some of the key events.

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
Bannerman Energy
IAEA report on Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguards in Ukraine

Email newsletter:
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Contact info:
alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

Episode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

What can be done to improve the process of getting approval for new nuclear in different countries? If a reactor, for example a small modular reactor, is approved in one country, can that help to speed up the process in a different country? Jay Wileman is president and CEO of GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy so is well placed to outline what the issues are for companies such as his, which is currently in the process of  getting approvals from multiple countries for the BWRX-300 SMR.

Wileman is a key figure in World Nuclear Association's Cooperation in Reactor Design Evaluation and Licencing Group, better known as the CORDEL working group, which focuses on the benefits and means of achieving a worldwide convergence of reactor safety standards and approaches to licensing reactor designs. Doing so would have big cost savings and allow much faster adoption of nuclear energy in different countries. Joint CORDEL programme leader, Ronan Tanguy, joins us to explain how the group works, and sets out some specific goals. 

It has been a busy start to the year and World Nuclear News's Warwick Pipe and Claire Maden join host Alex Hunt to discuss the positive nuclear policy changes in countries stretching from Sweden to South Korea, and also outline expectations of as many as 10 reactor start-ups scheduled for 2023. There is also an update on the US strategic reserve of domestically produced uranium.

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
CORDEL: Different Interpretations of Regulatory Requirements
GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy

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Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-ups
Contact info:
alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

Episode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

Uranium is a key part of the nuclear energy sector and there has been a growing focus on it, and the entire nuclear fuel cycle, following Russia's military action in Ukraine. Claire Maden sets out the fascinating history of uranium and John Ciampaglia, CEO of Sprott Asset Management, joins us to discuss the uranium market in 2022 and how that is linked to wider nuclear sector developments.

As a new year begins, World Nuclear Association's director general Sama Bilbao y León reviews the main achievements and challenges of 2022 and sets out her hopes for the sector in 2023.
 
There is also a special focus on India, with an overview of its nuclear energy history from Shah Nawaz Ahmad, the WNA's India expert, as well as an overview of current and future developments.

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
Guide to uranium (from World Nuclear Asssociation)
Sprott
A guide to nuclear power in India


Email newsletter:
Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-ups
Contact info:
alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

Episode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

The World Association of Nuclear Operators generally keeps a low public profile, but its CEO Ingemar Engkvist joins us to explain why that low public profile is deliberate, and outlines how the organisation works and how its members support each other.  He also discusses the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war.

Watch out for Engkvist's very unusual story about how he first became involved in the nuclear field, and as he comes to the end of his three-year term he talks about the exciting prospects for nuclear energy in the decades ahead.

In the news round-up for November, the focus is on the role nuclear played at COP27. World Nuclear Association's Jonathan Cobb and Henry Preston report on the event and from some of the expert sessions staged at the #Atoms4Climate pavilion at the event in Egypt - the first time there has been such a platform at a COP.  Speakers featured included: 
Pat Dalzell from Bruce PowerOntario's environment minister David PacinniElina Teplinsky from Pillsbury LawKirsty Gogan from TerraPraxisEdward Stones from DowAlice Cunha da Silva, nuclear engineerDaniel Liu from Japan Atomic Industrial ForumTyson Culver, director of Juice: How Electricity Explains the World  
Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
World Association of Nuclear Operators
World Nuclear Association COP27 in-depth report


Email newsletter:
Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-ups
Contact info:
alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

Episode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

October saw the big news that a strategic partnership of Cameco Corporation and Brookfield Renewable Partners is to acquire Westinghouse Electric Company for a total enterprise value of approximately USD8 billion.  Brookfield Renewable, together with its institutional partners, will own a 51% interest in Westinghouse and Cameco will own 49%. Closing of the transaction is expected in the second half of 2023, subject to certain conditions, including approval from Brookfield Business Partners unit holders and regulatory approvals.
 
So who better to explain the thinking behind the deal than Cameco President and CEO Tim Gitzel, who says why he thinks the timing is right for the deal and how it fits into what he sees as the future growth of the global nuclear energy sector.   

He also outlines the current state and outlook for the uranium/fuel business,  reflects on the impact of the Russian war with Ukraine on the global nuclear industry and says that with new technological developments nuclear has an increasingly crucial role to play in efforts to combat climate change.

In the news round-up for the month Claire Maden covers the start of fuel loading at Vogtle 3, the USA's first completely new nuclear unit for more than three decades, while Warwick Pipe outlines the latest state of play in Germany and the decision to rethink the end of year shutdown plans for its final nuclear power plants. We also hear what Greta Thunberg and Bill Gates have been saying about nuclear energy.

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
Cameco
Closing nuclear in Germany while increasing coal 'a mistake', says Greta Thunberg
IAEA interview with Bill Gates
Pandora's Promise, official website

Email newsletter:
Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-ups
Contact info:
alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

Episode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

The global nuclear sector gathered in London in September for World Nuclear Symposium. Key figures from the industry took part in discussions on the challenges and opportunities for future growth. In this episode we bring you a selection of their views, as they outline the huge demand for small modular reactors, but also the regulatory harmonisation and financing changes needed if they are to meet this potential growth. During this episode we hear from, in order of appearance:
Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general International Atomic Energy AgencySama Bilbao y Leon, director general of World Nuclear Association Vakisasai Ramany, senior vice president development, EDFNawal Prinja, technology dirctor, Jacobs Engineering GroupAna Gomez Cobo, safety assessment section head, IAEAMarilyn Kray, vice president nuclear development, ConstellationTom Samson, chief executive offices, Rolls-Royce SMRSimon Irish, chief executive, Terrestrial EnergyAlexander Superfin, nuclear power president, WorleyIsidro Baschar, director, Nucleoelectrica ArgentinaGeorge Borovas, partner and head of nuclear, Hunton Andrews KurthMark Muldowney, managing director energy resource and infrastructure, BNP ParibasDarryl Murphy, managing director, Aviva InvestorsDaniel Dean, implementation organisation strategic advisory group chair, International Bank for Nuclear InfrastructureJon Ball, executive vice president market development, GE Hitachi Nuclear EnergyRick Springman, senior vice president international projects, Holtec InternationalIn the news round-up for the month Claire Maden focuses on the latest landmark at the Barakah project in the UAE, while Warwick Pipe looks at the report from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe which says that carbon neutrality is still achievable despite the energy crisis if all low carbon options, including nuclear, are deployed. There is also an update of the IAEA efforts to establish a safety zone at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine.

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
UNECE roadmap to net-zero calls for greater use of nuclear energy
World Nuclear Symposium 2022

Contact info:
alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

Episode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production