Sustainable Civil Nuclear Power: Decommissioning and Waste Management

Tuesday 17 September 2019, 09:30 - 17:00

Venue: LG06, The Old Gym, Y1 on the Campus Map 

China has been seeking to move from heavily relying on fossil fuels for energy. In 2015, 73% of China’s electricity was produced from coal and the resultant heavy pollution has been worsened by the rapid growth in demand.

The plan for changing this has involved the active pursuit of civil nuclear development. China aims to reach a nuclear capacity of 58 GWe by 2020, and around 120 to 150 GW (roughly 8% to 10% of its electricity power), by 2030. Many of China’s 45 nuclear reactors in operation are newly built, with 15 under construction and more that are in preparation for new build.

In comparison, the UK currently has 15 reactors generating about 20% of its electricity. This capability is in decline because our reactors comprise of largely older systems, with most due to be retired by around late 2020s. Some new build is currently ongoing, however, mostly in collaboration with France and with China itself. Likewise, there are plans for possible further new build.

There therefore exists a mutually recognised complementary synergy between the two countries in this important area, particularly in terms of trying to strengthen new capacity, extend the working lifetime, and ultimately decommission our operating reactors in both countries.

Workshop 

This workshop will explore the current status and the challenges of the regulation and management of nuclear decommissioning in the UK and China. It also aims to identify areas and opportunities for all participants to explore developing collaborations.

Participants from the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Centre (NSC), Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China include:

  1. Professor Xinhua Liu, Director of Nuclear Fuel Recycle and Rad-Waste Management Department, NSC
  2. Dr Xiaoming Wang,  Director of Human Resources Division, NSC
  3. Ms Chunyan Xu, Deputy Director, Nuclear Fuel Recycle and Rad-Waste Management Department, NSC
  4. Ms Yi Feng, Head of the Unit for Interpretation & General Management of International Activities, Dept. of International Cooperation. Project officer for international cooperation with UK, Spain and South American countries, NSC
  5. Dr Fangxin Wei, Head, Section of Joint Convention and Waste Disposal, NSC
  6. Mr Yu Zhang, Project officer and Engineer, Division of Radiation waste management, NSC

Key Participants from the UK include:

  1. Professor Cherry Tweed, Chief Scientific Advisor to Radioactive Waste Management, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA);  Honorary Professor of  the University of Birmingham
  2. Representative from Office for Nuclear Regulation  
  3. Mr Ge TAN, 1st Secretary of Sci &Tech,  Chinese Embassy in the UK
  4. Mr Juanyao TAN, 2nd Secretary of Sci &Tech, Chinese Embassy in the UK

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