45th Annual WNFM: Are the Tides Turning?

摘要

The World Nuclear Fuel Market (WNFM) held its 45th annual meeting in the picturesque seaside town of Monterey, California on June 3-5. Although the official theme was “In Search of Eureka,” the coastal nature of the setting helped to mirror the general sentiment in the room that perhaps the tides are finally turning in the nuclear fuel market. WNFM Board of Governors Chair and Southern Nuclear Consulting Engineering Susan Hoxie-Key welcomed keynote speaker Westinghouse Electric Co. Chief Operating Officer Mark Marano who presented the company’s ongoing endeavor to emerge from bankruptcy a leaner, more innovationfocused company while simultaneously retaining its status as a leading global nuclear fuel supplier. Marano said that the company’s large nuclear fuel footprint is largely unchanged following bankruptcy, currently responsible for fueling 148 LWR plants worldwide. But, Marano said there will be a noted shift in Westinghouse’s operational focus towards innovation in the future. “In this market, you can’t rely on what you have,” said Marano. “More than 35% of our innovation dollars go to our fuel product line because we recognize we want to advance our fuel products.” Marano said that Westinghouse is changing its budget and mindset regarding new technology to save the customers money, including its En- Core accident-tolerant fuel design. Marano added that Westinghouse has the full support of its current board of directors and its future owners (Brookfield Partners) to increase focus on R&D and innovation.