This is a brief update published by the Journal of Geology and Geoscience and produced by I2M’s Michael D. Campbell, P.G., P.H., Henry M. Wise, P.G. (of SWS Environmental Services, LLC), and I2M’s M. David Campbell, P.G. based on the  2017 Mid-Year Report from the Chair, Uranium (Nuclear and Rare Earth) Committee of the Energy Mineral Division (AAPG) was released November 26, 2017. Some 99 nuclear power plants in the U.S. remain in operation, a few are scheduled for retirement, two new reactors are being built in Georgia. Japan is slowly upgrading and re-starting its fleet of nuclear power plants after Fukushima. China is rapidly building some 25 new plants and hundreds more are planned, along with financially underwriting the construction of more than 40 projects in joint ventures with other countries.

Russia too is building new nuclear plants at home, and they are testing a “fast breeder” design that consumes most waste. Russia is building nuclear plants on behalf of other countries as well, and providing financing in competition with China. India has turned to nuclear to ramp up electricity production to match population growth rates and is also working on “fast breeder” designs. Other countries are also building nuclear plants funded from a variety of sources. For the details on the above topics and more, see: (more).

The discussions on the above topics are based on information gained from search results (by date or relevance) contained within the improved I2M Web Portal. This provides the reader with historical backgrounds of topics based on media articles and reports from a variety of generally reliable sources. New technology is also being monitored by I2M personnel (e.g., for SMRs), as well as for off-world activities (e.g., Space).

See new input on “What’s New” on the I2M Web Portal.