Kazatomprom Signs Nuclear Fuel Agreement With Japanese Companies
Written by NucNet
Wednesday, 26 December 2007
NucNet News No. 263
26 Dec (NucNet): Kazakhstan's national nuclear energy company
Kazatomprom has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with three
Japanese companies to cooperate in nuclear fuel fabrication for nuclear
units operated by the Kansai Electric Power Company.
The MoU was signed in Almaty today with Kansai Electric Power Company, Nuclear Fuel Industries and Sumitomo Corporation.
The fuel assemblies will be produced by the Ulba Metallurgical Plant, an affiliated Kazatomprom enterprise.
Kazatomprom head Mukhtar Dzhakishev said the signing of the MoU was an important step in strengthening nuclear energy cooperation between Kazakhstan and Japan.
"The advantage is obvious for Kazakhstan because this means a huge market is opening up for us in Japan," Mr Dzhakishev said.
He said Kazakhstan would start shipping nuclear fuel components to Japan in 2009.
Last week, Russia and Kazakhstan reached an agreement in principal to consider the construction of a new nuclear power plant at Aktau on the Caspian Sea in western Kazakhstan.
Meanwhile, Kansai Electric said today it had cut its 2007-2008 group operating outlook by 20 percent, hit by the prolonged shutdown of a nuclear power unit and higher fuel prices.
The Osaka-based company now expects an operating profit of 160 billion yen (1.4 billion US dollars, 960 million euro) for the year to March.
The company said its 780-megawatt Takahama-2 nuclear unit at the four-unit Takahama plant is expected to remain shut until the end of March because of an "extended inspection period".
Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)
Kazatomprom Signs Agreement With Toshiba For Stake in Westinghouse (News No. 188, 13 August 2007)
Japan Plans Increased Assistance To Countries Considering Nuclear (News in Brief No. 33, 17 October 2007)
Russia And Kazakhstan Sign Agreement On Possible New Aktau Unit (World Nuclear Review No. 51, 21 December 2007)
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