(Govt of Saskatchewan in collaboration with Govt of Canada)
The August 2011 news report below from the Minister Responsible spells out: “funding . . . that will facilitate and support research collaborations in . . . small reactor design.”
Connect the dots:
Earlier we circulated information about “Small” nuclear reactors – – Hyperion in the U.S., motivated by the need for energy supply for tar sands expansion ( 2009-11-29 Panel decision – more Govt funding for the industry. Hyperion. Small reactors. UDP. University of Saskatchewan.)
Premier Brad Wall spelt out in March 2008:
“Premier Brad Wall said Thursday he envisions an ambitious project involving the federal government, SaskPower and one of the uranium companies located in the province that would see Saskatchewan playing a lead role in the research and development of nuclear power.
Speaking to reporters, Wall said he had a lengthy discussion with Stephen Harper when the prime minister was in Saskatchewan this week about a federal investment in the province involving the nuclear industry.
The premier said it’s linked to the Conservative government’s recent budget commitment of $300 million to the federal Crown Corporation Atomic Energy Canada Ltd., in part for its development of the next generation Canadian nuclear reactor.
“What we’ve simply said to the federal government is that if they’re looking to develop a new generation of reactor technology and are prepared to invest in that as a federal government, perhaps there is a P3 (public-private partnership) opportunity here between two levels of government. We have a Crown-owned electrical utility, the federal government and uranium companies that might be interested that are located here,” said Wall.”
It’s a concern for all Canadians because you (we) are the enablers, the funders. We will be funding more than an “isotope” project and will continue paying in more than one way. Do you want to do that? Make a conscious decision because it’s critical to our longterm well-being.
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Jan 5, 2009, EXCERPT:
Hyperion Power Generation Inc. has developed a garden shed-sized nuclear reactor . . .
Hyperion, which calls its reactor as a “nuclear battery,” licensed the technology from the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. It plans to sell the reactor for about $30 million (U.S.) and says there’s potential to sell 4,000 of them around the world by 2025. . . .
The idea is that oil-sands developers, which rely heavily on electricity and steam to mine and upgrade bitumen, could purchase and operate their own Hyperion nuclear reactors as a way to virtually eliminate their controversial dependence on natural gas – that is, the use of a relatively “clean” fossil fuel as a way to extract and process one of the dirtiest fossil fuels.
“It was really created for the Alberta (INSERT: and Saskatchewan) tar sands… we have strong interest there,” says Deborah Blackwell, vice-president of licensing and public affairs at Hyperion. “
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SASKATCHEWAN AND HITACHI SIGN NUCLEAR R&D AGREEMENTS
http://www.gov.sk.ca/adx/aspx/adxGetMedia.aspx?mediaId=1525&PN=Shared
News Release – August 25, 2011
Innovation Minister Rob Norris today joined with Mr. Hiroto Uozumi, President of Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. and Mr. Taiji Yoshida General Manger of Hitachi, Ltd. to announce $10 million in funding for two Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) that will facilitate and support research collaborations in nuclear medicine, materials science, nuclear safety and small reactor design.
“Almost six months ago Premier Wall announced our new research centre for nuclear medicine and materials science at the University of Saskatchewan and today I’m pleased to announce a new partnership with Hitachi Ltd, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. (Hitachi-GE), GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC (GEH) and Global Nuclear Fuel – Americas LLC, (GNF-A) to further establish Saskatchewan as a leader in nuclear science and medicine,” Norris said.
Innovation Saskatchewan will provide $5 million over the next five years to support R&D activities pursuant to the MOUs in collaboration with Saskatchewan-based research institutions including the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Regina, the Saskatchewan Research Council and the Canadian Light Source Synchrotron. The Hitachi Group, including its alliance with General Electric will match Saskatchewan’s contribution.
The new research partnership will leverage Hitachi’s successful development and commercialization of proton beam therapy technologies and Saskatchewan’s world class research facilities such as the Canadian Light Source Synchrotron to investigate the development of new nuclear medicines and nuclear imaging technologies.
Nuclear safety will be another major research priority as Hitachi and Innovation Saskatchewan consider research proposals pursuant to the MOUs.
Another area of interest to both Saskatchewan, Hitachi-GE, GEH and GNF-A is research into the reclamation of unused uranium fuel rods.
Under the MOUs, Innovation Saskatchewan will also work with Hitachi-GE, GEH and GNF-A on research into the design and feasibility of small reactor technologies although any decision on whether to pursue nuclear power in Saskatchewan is still many years away.
Today’s $10 million investment in nuclear R&D builds on announcements by the Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan this year to invest $30 million for the establishment of a new centre for research in nuclear medicine and materials science, $17 million for the establishment of a Centre for Innovation in Cyclotron Science, $12 million to support innovative research in the production of life saving medical isotopes and $10.1 million for the development of Saskatchewan’s first PET/CT facility for diagnosis and treatment of cancer and heart disease at the University of Saskatchewan.
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For more information, contact:
Yuichi Izumisawa
Hitachi, Ltd.
Phone: 81-3-5208-9324
Email: yuichi.izumisawa.by@hitachi.com
Mickey Takeuchi
Hitachi America, Ltd.
Phone: 914-352-5800
Email: masayuki.takeuchi@hal.hitachi.com
Rebecca Rogoschewsky
Executive Council
Regina
Phone: 306-787-0980
Email: Rebecca.Rogoschewsky@gov.sk.ca
Related Documents
Hitachi Backgrounder.pdf (23.3 KB)
http://www.gov.sk.ca/adx/aspx/adxGetMedia.aspx?mediaId=1525&PN=Shared
Backgrounder
The Government of Saskatchewan and Hitachi Ltd. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on and support nuclear research and development in areas including nuclear medicine and medical imaging.
The Government of Saskatchewan has also signed an MOU between Innovation Saskatchewan and Hitachi-General Electric Nuclear Energy Ltd (Hitachi-GE), General Electric-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC (GEH) and Global Nuclear Fuel – Americas LLC (GNF-A) to collaborate on and support nuclear R&D in nuclear safety, materials science, nuclear fuels and feasibility of small reactor technologies.
Hitachi and Saskatchewan
Hitachi and the Province of Saskatchewan have built a strong and cooperative working relationship over 40 years in the power generation field including work on coal, hydro, natural gas and wind generation technologies. Hitachi has provided generation facilities to Saskatchewan Power Corporation (“SaskPower”). In 1988, Hitachi established Hitachi Canadian Industries Ltd. as a manufacturing base for power generation equipment in Saskatchewan province thereby deepening its relationship with SaskPower and Saskatchewan. In February 2010, SaskPower and Hitachi agreed to collaborate on the advancement and implementation of technology in the fields of low-carbon energy technologies, including Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS). In May 2010, Saskatchewan and Hitachi reached a landmark agreement with the signing of a joint declaration to work together and share information for developing energy and environmental technologies, including CCS for thermal power plants, renewable energy and smart grid technologies. Hitachi is also providing an innovative, first-of-its-kind turbine for SaskPower’s world leading Boundary Dam Integrated Carbon Capture and Storage project.
About Innovation Saskatchewan
Innovation Saskatchewan is a special operating agency established by the Government of Saskatchewan to coordinate the Province’s support for research and development and science and technology. Innovation Saskatchewan works to encourage and facilitate the development and commercialization of new ideas, products and processes with the goal of ensuring the long-term sustainable growth of an innovation-driven economy in Saskatchewan.
About Hitachi Ltd.
Hitachi, Ltd., (NYSE: HIT / TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company with approximately 360,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2010 (ended March 31, 2011) consolidated revenues totaled 9,315 billion yen ($112.2 billion). Hitachi will focus more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes information and telecommunication systems, power systems, environmental, industrial and transportation systems, and social and urban systems, as well as the sophisticated materials and key devices that support them. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company’s website at http://www.hitachi.com.
About Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd
Hitachi-GE, a joint venture established by Hitachi, Ltd. and General Electric Company in July 2007, as one of the world’s leading comprehensive plant manufacturers, engages in the development, planning, design, manufacture, inspection, installation, pre-operation, and maintenance of nuclear reactor-related equipment and is able to execute integrated project management. Hitachi-GE has been involved with 23 reactors in Japan to date, including those currently under construction. Among them, it has participated in all of Japan’s Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) projects-four ABWRs are already operational and three are under construction. Overseas, it has supplied major nuclear reactor equipment for the Lungmen Nuclear Power Plant in Taiwan.
About GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy
Based in Wilmington, N.C., GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) is a world-leading provider of advanced reactors and nuclear services. Established in June 2007, GEH is a global nuclear alliance created by GE and Hitachi to serve the global nuclear industry. The nuclear alliance executes a single, strategic vision to create a broader portfolio of solutions, expanding its capabilities for new reactor and service opportunities. The alliance offers customers around the world the technological leadership required to effectively enhance reactor performance, power output and safety.
About Global Nuclear Fuel – Americas, LLC
GNF is a joint venture of General Electric (NYSE:GE), Toshiba Corporation and Hitachi, Ltd. Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF) is a world-leading supplier of boiling water reactor fuel, including uranium dioxide and MOX fuel and fuel-related engineering services. GNF operates primarily through Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas, LLC in Wilmington, N.C., and Global Nuclear Fuel- Japan Co. Ltd. in Kurihama, Japan.
About Hitachi’s cooperative relationship with GE in the nuclear power field
Hitachi and GE established joint venture companies in 2007 to construct, maintain, and provide related services for nuclear power plants in Japan and the United States, and are proactively pursuing international business activities. The Japanese joint venture, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd., is roughly 80% owned by Hitachi and 20% owned by GE, and in the United States, GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy is 40% owned by Hitachi and 60% owned by GE. Both companies are utilizing their accumulated know-how and experience to further expand their nuclear power businesses in global markets.
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