During radiographic operations performed by two radiographers the guide tube was squashed so the Ir-192 source could not be retracted to the gamma projector. Operations were being performed at 6 m height. The operator tried to correct this situation using a plier to strainghten out the guide tube but unsuccesfully . Then the guide tube was cut and the Ir-192 source was recovered using tongs and shieldings. The workers took personnel dosimeters, alarm dosimeters and detectors but radiation protection officer was absent. The recovery operation lasts 30 minutes and was not well planned and any record was completed of the event. The estimated doses received by operators were 29,65 mSv and 44,6 mSv. The company did not report in time this event as required by regulation. Currently the company sancioned by regulatory body.
A vast subsea nuclear graveyard planned to hold Britain’s burgeoning piles of radioactive waste is set to become the biggest, longest-lasting and most expensive infrastructure project ever undertaken in the UK. The project [UK's nuclear waste dump] is now predicted to take more than 150yrs to complete with lifetime costs of £66bn in today’s money...The […]
Last year, the Dutch Province of Limburg started an alliance in which, besides the local government, research institutes, small nuclear reactor (SMR) developers, utilities, industrial customers and funders cooperated. With this "Limburg SMR alliance" Limburg tried to lead the way towards an SMR in Limburg. The preferred site for a first SMR would be Chemelot, […]
From the IPFM: During a visit to the Civaux nuclear power plant on 18 March 2024, France's Minister of the Armed Forces unveiled a plan to use the plant to produce tritium for the French nuclear weapons program. Civaux is a civilian power plant that belongs to and is operated by Electricité de France. According […]
An analysis by the Norwegian NGO Bellona of transborder trade operations with the customs code 840130 (irradiated fuel assemblies or fuel elements) show a more than twofold increase of import to EU countries of fresh nuclear fuel in cash terms – from 280 million Euros in 2022 to 686 million Euros in 2023. In physical […]
The French government has said it is "seriously" studying the option of building a plant to convert and enrich reprocessed uranium to cut its reliance on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. The only plant in the world that currently converts reprocessed uranium for use in nuclear power plants is in Russia. "The option of […]