Meteor strike in Urals
Nuclear facilities in the Urals region of Russia - including the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant and the Mayak reprocessing complex - were reportedly unaffected when a meteor exploded above the area. The shock wave damaged buildings in the area and resulted in over 700 people visiting hospital. The Emergencies Ministry said that radiation levels in the area are normal and that energy, communications and transportation infrastructure and services are functioning normally.
Turbine upgrade for Kozloduy 6
The turbine generator stator will be replaced and the rotor refurbished at unit 6 of Bulgaria’s Kozloduy nuclear power plant under a contract signed between the plant and Rusatom Service. The work will raise the turbine generator capacity by 100 MWe to 1100 MWe when implemented in 2014. It is part of a project to uprate and extend the operating lives of Kozloduy units 5 and 6, both Russian-designed VVER-1000 reactors.
Melbye to head US uranium group
The Uranium Producers of America (UPA) has elected Scott Melbye, executive vice president of marketing for Uranium One, as its new president. Wayne Heili, president and CEO of Ur-Energy, has been elected vice-president of the organisation, which works to promote the viability of the USA's domestic uranium and conversion industries.