Platts - Tuesday, June 15, 2004 http://www.platts.com ------------ Delay in adopting EU nuclear safety laws would be "disaster": EC Brussels (Platts)--15Jun2004 A long delay in adopting the European Commission's proposed nuclear safety laws would be a 'disaster', the EC's nuclear advisor Derek Taylor told Platts in an interview. The council of member state ministers last month could not agree whether to adopt or reject the EC's 'nuclear package'- - a safety directive and a waste directive. What happens next is a political decision, said Taylor. EU energy commissioner Loyolo de Palacio is a strong supporter of nuclear and it is up to her to decide whether to push it back into the debate straight away. There is no fixed timetable for the next step. The biggest debate in the council of ministers' Atomic Questions Group--which works on the technical aspects of the directives--is whether to take a break. The UK and Germany want to leave it for a couple of years, while others, such as Belgium, want a shorter pause. The council's Irish presidency is to produce some compromise non-binding conclusions to be adopted without debate before end-June. ------------ Energy bill unlikely to pass before November election Washington (Platts)--14Jun2004 Congress will pass a comprehensive energy policy, but it might not happen before the November general election, Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) said today. Speaking to the American Nuclear Society's annual conference in Pittsburgh via a pre- recorded video message, Craig said the rise of gasoline prices has added to the mounting pressure that legislators need to act. Craig had been one of the featured speakers at the conference but had to cancel due to changes in the legislative agenda due to the recent death of former President Ronald Reagan. The Idaho senator said he needed to be on the Senate floor today to work on the fiscal 2005 Department of Defense authorization bill, which contains a provision affecting DOE waste disposal. He said there would be initiatives in the energy policy benefiting nuclear and that a centerpiece would be his proposal to build an advanced reactor in Idaho capable of cogenerating hydrogen. ------------ Record summer power demand forecast for Taiwan Bonn (Platts)--14Jun2004 Power demand this summer is heading for record levels in Taiwan, Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) officials said. During the period January-May, demand for electricity increased 7.8% above the level recorded during the same five months in 2003, according to utility data. Based on official forecasts from Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs that the Taiwan economy will expand by more than 5% this year, compared to just over 3% last year, Taipower is anticipating that Taiwan will see record peak power demand in July and August this year. Two years ago, politicians in the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) began planning to organize a nuclear power phase-out in Taiwan, on the basis of low-growth expectations during the next decade of about 3% or less, opposition lawmakers said. Thus far the phase-out drive has been unsuccessful ------------ Areva agrees to help build reactors in China Washington (Platts)--11Jun2004 Areva signed "agreements of intent" to cooperate in the construction of reactors in China, the company announced today. In Paris today, Anne Lauvergeon, the chairman of Areva's executive board, signed an agreement with Wang Yumin, the president of China Guangdong Nuclear Power Co. Under the agreement, Areva will "share its expertise and provide assistance" for the construction of two reactors at Ling Ao, Areva said in its announcement. Lauvergeon also signed an agreement with Kang Rixin, the president of the China National Nuclear Corp. on assistance in the construction of two reactors for Qinshan-II, Areva said. ------------ Ginna sale to Constellation Energy closed today Washington (Platts)--10Jun2004 Constellation Energy paid $408-million to buy Ginna from Rochester Gas & Electric Corp. (RGE), plus $21-million for fuel and $21-million for pension assets. The closing took place today, about three weeks ahead of the initial target date. Constellation operates four other nuclear units-- Calvert Cliffs-1 and -2 and Nine Mile Point-1 and -2--and has coal, natural gas, hydro, geothermal, solar, and biomass generation within its fleet. The company says its generating capacity, with the addition of the 517-MW Ginna, is more than 12,500 megawatts. Under terms of the Ginna deal, 90% of the plant's output will be resold to RGE and the remaining 10% will be sold on the open market. Maria Korsnick, Ginna's new site vice president, said the sale will not disrupt operations, calling it "business as usual for the nearly 450 nuclear professionals at Ginna." ------------ Diablo Canyon-1 returning from extended outage Washington (Platts)--9Jun2004 Diablo Canyon-1 is expected to reach full power on Sunday after ending a 77-day refueling and maintenance outage on June 7. The outage, which was originally scheduled for 48 days, was prolonged by a main electrical generator rewind project, said a spokesman for Pacific Gas & Electric. The 1,164-MW PWR was at 48% power this afternoon. ------------