9 Mar (NucNet): Israel is proposing that its first commercial nuclear power plant start operations within the next 10 to 15 years, the country’s infrastructure minister told NucNet today.
Uzi Landau, who earlier addressed the International Conference on Access to Civil Nuclear Energy in Paris, told NucNet that his country was ideally seeking Generation III+ nuclear technology.
Mr Landau said that Israel would prefer to “go one step further” than Generation III technology, but a final decision could not be taken at this time.
“The issue is of course when it would be suitable to start this project. We believe that in about 10 to 15 years from today, we would already like this power plant to be operational. Of course we would like to have the most advanced technology. We have the will, the know-how and the scientific and engineering infrastructure. We just want to build it.”
Earlier, Mr Landau told the Paris conference that Israel was “an energy island” that had to rely on imports to meet virtually all of its domestic energy needs.
“We are in fact in the final stages of a large tender for the construction of two big thermal solar-powered plants in the northern parts of the Negev (desert region). But even with the most ambitious solar energy plant, we will contribute just a fraction of our energy needs… For the purpose of the diversification of resources and to ensure energy security and energy independence, Israel has always considered nuclear power to partially replace its dependence on coal.”
Mr Landau said that a nuclear power programme could also be “an area for regional cooperation with the objective of promoting peace”. There are no existing grid connections between Israel and neighbouring Arab countries, he added.
Previous feasibility studies have been conducted and a potential nuclear plant site identified at Shivta in the Negev. Mr Landau said Israel has “kept the site and the necessary scientific and technical infrastructures in place for the safe and reliable operation of a possible nuclear plant”. “Naturally, all nuclear power reactors to be built in Israel will be subject to international safeguards as well as appropriate physical protection measures,” he added.
Israel also hopes to take part in international collaborative programmes such as Generation IV.
The Israel Atomic Energy Commission currently operates two research reactors, one each at the Soreq Nuclear Research Center and the Nuclear Research Center Negev.
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