The World Bank has announced that it is no longer going to be excluding nuclear energy-related projects from its lending criteria. In this episode you can hear how World Bank Group President Ajay Banga and International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi outlined the logic behind the policy switch.

It came as they announced their two organisations’ agreement to work together to support countries which choose new nuclear as part of their development strategies.

Both are clear this was an important moment, and World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y León, joins us to explain the significance of the change from the global industry’s standpoint.

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News

World Bank and IAEA backing new nuclear for development

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alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

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

There are big expectations for large-scale growth in nuclear energy capacity over the coming years. That's good news for established technology providers and their partners. But new capacity in new locations means that there are going to be big opportunities (and challenges) emerging. This was the focus for World Nuclear Association’s first World Nuclear Supply Chain event, held in Poland.

There were more than 300 attendees from 27 countries, including government and industry delegations from Canada, China, Japan, Poland, South Korea and Sweden. As well as extensive networking opportunities there was a succession of high profile speakers taking part in panel sessions.

World Nuclear News's Warwick Pipe was there and reports on the event.

This episode features, in order of appearance,

• Sama Bilbao y León, World Nuclear Association
• Vakis Ramany, EDF
• Greg Thede, Aecon
• Gary Rose, AtkinsRéalis
• Jon Franke, Ontario Power Generation
• Janne Mokka, Fortum
• Hiroyuki Goto, Kansai Electric Power Co
• Gareth Vaughan, Amentum
• Pawel Gajda, Polish Ministry of Industry
• Rafal Kasprów, Orlen Synthos Green Energy
• Carl Berglof, Swedish government's National Nuclear New Build Coordinator
• Andy Fry, GE Vernova Hitachi
• Cosmin Ghita, Nuclearelectrica
• Ruth Todd, Rolls-Royce SMR
• Marc Tannenbaum, EPRI
• Shuo Kan, China Nuclear Power Engineering
• Vivek Sharma, Adani
• Nora Signor, EDF
• Gary Wolski, Curtiss-Wright
• Jeremy Harrison, Government of Saskatchewan

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News

World Nuclear Supply Chain conference

Polish supply chain gears up for country's first nuclear project

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alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

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

US President Donald Trump has signed a series of executive orders titled Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base, Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy and Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission with the goal of "re-establishing the United States as the global leader in nuclear energy".

The aim is to increase US nuclear energy capacity from 100GW to 400GW by 2050, including the Department of Energy (DOE) prioritising work "with the nuclear energy industry to facilitate 5 gigawatt of power uprates to existing nuclear reactors and have 10 new large reactors with complete designs under construction by 2030".

Explanations of each of the executive orders was given as they were presented to the president to add his signature in the Oval Office. In this episode we play pretty much the whole of that event. As well as the US President, you’ll hear from Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, who is also Chairman of the National Energy Dominance Council, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Joe Dominguez, CEO of Constellation Energy, Maria Korsnick, CEO of the Nuclear energy Institute, Jacob DeWitte, founder and CEO of Oklo and Scott Nolan of uranium enrichment company General Matter.

World Nuclear News’s Claire Maden drills into more of the detail of the announcements, and Jonathan Cobb, senior programme lead, climate, at World Nuclear Association then assesses the broader implications of the US adopting the goal of quadrupling its nuclear energy capacity.

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News

Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base

Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy

Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

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

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

In the second of a two-part special report from the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle 2025 conference held in Canada, Claire Maden reports on the opportunities and challenges facing players across the entire fuel sector.

There is the aim to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050, shared by many governments, businesses and financial institutions. But will there be the necessary fuel available if that goal is to be reached?

Among the issues covered in this episode are developments in the uranium enrichment sector and the challenges faced by transporters of nuclear materials. It also includes discussion of innovative technologies, and the outlook for nuclear fuel markets.

This episode features:

Christo Liebenberg, LIS Technologies CEO and COO
John Donelson, Centrus Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer
John-Paul Jones, Urenco Head of Commercial and Market Intelligence
Jean-Luc Palayer, Orano USA President and CEO
Eileen Supko, Energy Resources International President and World Nuclear Transport Institute North American Representative
Kurtis Hinz, TAM International President and CEO
Paul Chan, Clean Core Thorium Energy Chief Technology Officer
Iftikhar Haque, Terrestrial Energy Vice President, Nuclear Supply Chain
Micah Hackett, Kairos Power Vice President Fuels and Materials
Tom Brookmire, Dominion Energy Manager, Nuclear Fuel Procurement
Lourdes Guzmán, ENUSA Industrias Avanzadas Uranium Supply Manager
Chris Opperman, C5 Capital Operating Partner
Jonathan Hinze, UxC, LLC President
Sama Bilbao y León, World Nuclear Association Director General

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
World Nuclear Fuel Cycle 2025
'Great opportunities ahead' for fuel cycle

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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

In the first of a two-part special report from the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle 2025 conference held this month in Canada, Claire Maden reports on the opportunities and challenges facing players across the entire fuel sector.

There is the aim to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050, shared by many governments, businesses and financial institutions. But will there be the necessary fuel available if that goal is to be reached?

Among the issues raised were the impact of trade tariffs, transport issues and wider geopolitics. They will all have an impact on an industry which spans the globe.

This episode features contributions from:

Sama Bilbao y León, World Nuclear Association Director General
Nicolle Butcher, Ontario Power Generation President and CEO
Tim Gitzel, Cameco President and CEO
Sashi Davies, Boss Energy Ltd Strategic Advisor
Tammy Van Lambalgen, Orano Canada Inc Vice President, Chief Corporate Officer
Seitzhan Zhanybekov, Kazatomprom Managing Director, Sales
Lisa Aitken, Cameco Vice President, Marketing
Andrew Wong, RBC Capital Markets Equity Research Analyst
Anna Bryndza, UxC LLC Executive Vice President
Nikko Collida, WMC Energy Deputy Head of Nuclear Fuel
Brad Beatty, ConverDyn Commercial Manager
Steffen Asser, Axpo Power AG Senior Supply Chain Manager

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
World Nuclear Fuel Cycle 2025
'Great opportunities ahead' for fuel cycle

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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

Bruce Power's Chief Operating Officer James Scongack is Chairman of the Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council and, as he explains, the country aims to play a leadership role in nuclear medicine, not just for Canada's benefit, but also to provide health benefits for the rest of the world.

He outlines the life-saving diagnostics and treatments that now exist thanks to isotopes produced in Canada's Candu reactors, research reactors and cyclotrons, and talks about the new trials and treatments which are emerging.

The Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council has recently signed an agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency's Rays for Hope campaign and aims to help provide access to nuclear medicine's diagnostics and treatments to those parts of the world where people do not currently have access. This is part of what he sees as driving hugely growing demand in the years ahead.

For those who may say that producing isotopes is the equivalent of a 'side hustle' for a nuclear power plant, Scongack says it might be "1% of the cashflow, but it's 50% of our contribution" in terms of tackling some of the greatest challenges that communities and society are facing.

Scongack also talks about progress at Bruce Power, where the modernisation programme is adding extra capacity equivalent to that which would be provided by building three small modular reactors. There's also an update on Bruce C.

Scongack, who sees a bright future for nuclear energy in general, says that communicating positive stories is key. He presents the Canadian Nuclear Isotopes Council's own podcast - called Isotopes for Hope - helping to spread the news about what he calls a "real hidden gem of what our industry around the world does".

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
Canadian Nuclear Isotopes Council
Isotopes for Hope
Bruce Power
Milestones for Canada's Bruce Power units

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

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

There have been a raft of announcements from India in February relating to new nuclear energy capacity. Retired diplomat, author and distinguished fellow of the Vivekananda International Foundation, Ambassador D. P. Srivastava, is the coordinator of a foundation task force report on the energy transition in the country and he joins us to discuss the future for nuclear energy in India.

The budget goal is to increase capacity from 7 GW to 100 GW by 2047, and as he explains, there will be a need for both indigenous and international technology involved in meeting that target. To help that process, India is now in the process of allowing private sector involvement in new nuclear and proposing changes to the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act of 2010, which has been seen as a stumbling block for overseas nuclear power plant vendors. In addition, Prime Minister Modi has recently agreed new cooperation deals with French President Macron and US President Trump.

Fuel has also been loaded into the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam, technology, which he explains, is set to play a key role in India's nuclear future. Srivastava also talks about the task force report's suggestion that India would need a huge amount more than 100 GW nuclear capacity if it is to achieve net zero by 2070.

All these announcements set the mood at India Energy Week, a huge event where nuclear took a prominent role. World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y León was there and she joins us to give her impression of the event, which included Prime Minister Modi talking about new nuclear.

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
Vivekananda International Foundation
Modi, Trump commit to US-India partnership
Collaboration key to clean energy dream, India Energy Week hears
India and France sign SMR and AMR partnership letter of intent
Indian budget launches Nuclear Energy Mission
USA to end restrictions on India's nuclear entities

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

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

An agreement has been concluded to renew the Generation IV International Forum, which aims to build on its first 25 years of sharing research and development on innovative nuclear reactor designs. In this episode, William D Magwood IV, Director-General of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, which supports GIF as its Technical Secretariat, explains how the forum came about, how it works, what the key achievements have been so far and what the hopes for the future are.

He says that originally it was expected to be governments and government laboratories taking the lead, but now the private sector is doing it "which is very energising and very exciting". He says a key priority is to facilitate private sector success in the deployment of these technologies, albeit with challenges from working with IP issues across the private and public sector, and looks ahead to some lead countries demonstrating how these technologies can be regulated effectively.

All in all, he believes that the future for nuclear energy "is brighter than it's probably been in history".

In the World Nuclear News round-up Claire Maden reports on what we know so far about the impact on the nuclear sector from the return to the White House of US President Donald Trump, while Warwick Pipe has an update on the French nuclear power programme, following the Flamanville EPR's long-awaited connection to the grid.

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
Gen IV International Forum
Climate and energy in Trump's Day One executive orders
French auditor warns of challenges for EPR2 programme
France's Flamanville EPR starts supplying power

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Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-ups via our website

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

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