power

If something did not need the Ukraine War it was to enliven the conflict in an occupied nuclear power plant. Russia thinks different

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The paradox of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe is that it has been closed for three years and everyone wants to “open.” Without going far, the United States was the last nation to hint that it would be delighted to restart her. The problem is that it is in Ukraine, although Taken by Russiaand in the middle of a war whose end does not stick. Moscow knows that he has an energy pressure tool, but some satellite images have revealed much more. The space betrays. The story took this week The New York Times. Through new satellite images analyzed by Greenpeace and verified by the American environment, it has been revealed that Russia is building more than 80 kilometers of electric lines in the south busy of Ukraine with the aim of connecting the Zaporiyia nuclear plant to its own energy network. Covert reopening. This maneuver, until now without Russian official confirmation, represents the clearest signal until the intention of Moscow’s intention to reactivate and exploit the largest central in Europe, forcibly in the first bars of the invasion. Although its six reactors were gradually turned off (the last in 2023) for security reasons and due to nearby fightingRussia seems determined to return it to operationchallenging the warnings of international experts that consider that operating it under these conditions would be a nuclear risk first order. The Russian Plan seeks surround the current damage In the old 750 kilowol lines that connected the central with the Ukrainian network, two of which are going through areas under Kyiv control, and two others that have been useless or deteriorated by the war. Unprecedented use. If specified, this would be the First time in history in that a power at war restarts and uses an occupied nuclear plant for its own energy benefit. Russia, through the state Rosatom, has openly shown Your ambition: its general director He said recently that the dream of reactivating Zaporiyia is still alive and that there is already a technical plan to return the plant to full capacity. The Russian intention does not seem to maintain territorial control of the complex, but to integrate it directly into the national electricity network, possibly and According to the Timesconnecting it with the Russian region of Rostov, which would require even more infrastructure. As we said at the beginning, the United States proposed a peace plan that included the return of the plant to Ukraine under international management (specifically American), In an attempt to avoid its use as a geopolitical tool. Russia He rejected sharply said option. Various risks. No doubt, we don’t talk about simply pressing the “ignition” button. In fact, the possibility of reactivating the central has awakened alarms Among nuclear experts. Since his shot, much of the Ukrainian technical staff has fled, leaving the plant No qualified operators. In addition, the Kajovka dam hole months ago (widely attributed to Russia), it eliminated the main source of water from the reactor refrigeration system and spent fuel, raising thermal and fusion risks in case of a failure. For its part, the Minister of Energy of Ukraine He warned that any Russian unilateral attempt to restart reactors could have unpredictable consequences. To all this is added The possibility of sabotage, military attacks or operational failures in a plant already located in an active combat zone. The consequences of a nuclear escape would not be limited to the region: the impact on the environment, human health and the energy stability of Europe would be unpredictable (and possibly devastating). A high voltage piece. As we have coming countingthe status of the Zaporiyia plant has become a power sheet in the peace negotiations. While Russia progresses (slowly) in her Technical reconnectionThe United States and its allies press to include their status in the terms of any future solution. The satellite images Recent, which reveal transmission lines advancing near the town of Shevchenko and towards a key substation linked to the complex, confirm that Moscow not only wants to retain control, but to turn the plant into a Active source of energy for your network. If you want also, snapshots from space reveal a deeper strategy: to consolidate the economic and energy control of the territories occupied as part of a Possible post -stroke. However, any attempt by Moscow to reactivate the plant without international consensus not only defies the rules of war law, but also brings us an unpublished threshold of nuclear insecurity. Image | Planet Labs, Via Greenpeace In Xataka | The largest nuclear power plant in Europe has been closed by the war in Ukraine. Now the United States wants to reopen In Xataka | We already know a hole that Russia has left in Ukraine: the Chernobil shield is still open and there is no money to close it

Spain has been an untouchable power of Mediterranean tourism for years. A country steps on your heels: Türkiye

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With tourism recovering (and even overcoming) the pulse I had before the pandemic, Spain is not the only country that seeks break records and crowned at the top of the podium of international destinations. About 2,500 kilometers from the Iberian Peninsula there is another country, also bathed in the Mediterranean, with a powerful offer of beaches, culture, heritage and gastronomy that struggles for Get a hole in it World top 3 of tourism, a select club now basically reserved to France, Spain and the US. Which? Türkiye. All this accompanied, of course, of a powerful flow of billions of dollars in income for the sector. A for the Top 3. Türkiye is determined to increase at the top of the world tourism ranking. He left it Of course in April his minister of the branch, Mehmet Nuri Ersoyduring a forum organized in Eruzurum, northwest of the country: “In 2024 we managed to become one of the four largest tourist economies in the world, but we will not stop there. Our goal is to be among the first three countries in tourism.” Same message He movedThese days Mehmet İşler, vice president of the Turkish Hotel Federation (Türofed), insisting that the “objective” of the sector is to turn the nation into “one of the three main” powers in the sector. “We have gone from being an affordable holiday destination to be a recognized tourist center,” He claimed in statements collected by Hürriyet Daily Newsthe oldest newspaper in Türkiye. How many tourists do they receive? According to The data Disseminated by his Ministry of Tourism and Culture, in 2024 Türkiye received 62.3 million visitors who translated into income from value of 61.1 billion of dollars. The figure however has a “but”: those 62.3 million include both the 52.6 million of international tourists who passed through the country during the year as the nearly 10 million Turks residing abroad and visited their homeland. The nuance does not mean that the trend of international tourism has been clearly positive in Türkiye. Those 52.6 million foreign visitors suppose A historical record and Improve 9% The result of 2023. The rise also moved to the money generated by the sector: the 61.1 billion dollars registered by the Turkish Statistical Institute (Tüik) reflect an year -on -year increase of 8.3%. And how is 2025? The year has also started with the occasional joy for the Turkish industry, although with nuances. The income flow grew 5.6% during the first quarter to place in 9,450 million Of dollars, but the general balance of visitors was not so good: it stayed at 6.7 million foreign tourists, 5% less than last year. The objectives for this year are ambitious, according to Hürriyet Daily: reach 65 million visitors and shoot the billing at 64,000 million dollars. Expanding the photo. To appreciate the growth of Turkish tourism, however, to take perspective and follow its evolution over the last years. He Historical record De Türsab show that in 2017 the country received around 32.4 million foreign visitors. In 2024 they were 52.6 millionso the increase was 62% in less than a decade. In cash and sound money, that boom resulted in an increase even greater of income Climbing in the ranking. Thanks to this growth Türkiye sneaked first in the Top 10 of the great international destinations and climbed positions in that table. The World Population Review website places it in The sixth place In 2024, behind France, Spain, USA, China and Italy. In other classifications (2023) occupies the fifth. It would actually be various criteria When ordering destinations, such as the flow of international travelers, the weight of the tourism sector or the volume of income. During Your intervention In Erzurum, Ersoy claimed that Turkey managed World Tourism Organizationhe trusted to be fourth in 2024. Important how much … and where. The growth of Turkish tourism does not respond only to the attractiveness of Istanbul or Capadocia, its landscape and gastronomy or the government’s commitment to boost the sector. 2024 data show that it has managed to become strong in certain key markets, such as Russian or Iranian. The first, who now see their flights to Europe for The answer From the West to the war in Ukraine, they grew 6% to add 6.7 million of travelers, almost 13% of the total. Iran received about 3.2 million tourists, 31% more than the previous year. Other key markets were the German, the second main issuing market, with 6.6 millionthe British (4.4 million) or the Bulgarians (2.9), also of course from the Turkish citizens who live outside the country and fly to visit their nation. In 2024 they touched the 10 million. In the first three months of the year the demand punctured in the Russian, German and Iranian markets, so Türsab trusts in alleviating its fall with China, Germany or the United Kingdom. The figures import (all). Turkey tourist emerge is interesting because it has not only translated into more visitors. That trend has come accompanied by greater income flow in a country that, Recognize Ersoyit has been proposed to “prioritize quality over quantity”. “The objective is not only to increase the number of visitors, but go to tourists with high expenses not related to accommodation.” For now, 2025 would have started with an increase in almost 5% In the average spending per traveler. And how does Spain affect? Spain and Türkiye may be separated by thousands of kilometers, but in a way they point to the same markets thanks to their heritage offer, Sun and beach. Although their sector drinks largely from Russian and Iranian markets, Turkish hotels have attracted an intense flow of German and British travelers, very relevant markets for Spanish tourism. Only in 2024 both countries added 20% of foreign demand. Turkish growth in those key points could threaten that of Spain, which It goes now Towards the barrier of 100 million of foreign travelers. In his favor Türkiye has another great asset: prices. Although the fees of their hotels … Read more

China is turning its roofs into power plants. He has achieved in three months what in Europe costs three years

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China has turned its roofs into solar engines, and record time. In just three months he has installed more photovoltaic on roof than Europe in years. Why is it important. China not only leads the energy transition, but is changing the usual rhythms to which it can occur. According to the latest report of Rystad Energyhas installed 36 GW of solar energy on roof only during the first quarter of 2025. That is more than some European countries reach after three years. The Energy Newspaper He summarizes it in a phrase: China does everything big. In figures: 60 GW Solares in total during the first three months of 2025. Of these, 36 GW (60%) in roofs. 130 GW of distributed lots are foreseen throughout 2025. The large facilities will even exceed that figure: 167 GW projected. The context. China is closing its XIV five -year plan. The New regulations of the National Energy Administration (NEA), in force since May, has created a counterreloj race to install before the regulatory cut. There is an emergency climate generated by … Self -consumption incentives. Network access restrictions. And the liberalization of green certificate trade. Those 36 GW are superior to what countries such as Spain or France can install for more than two years, counting all of solar facilities. The EU, together, installed 56 GW throughout 2023, and only one part was in roofs. In detail. The thrust has not been homogeneous. The provinces with greater normative flexibility, such as Jiangsu and Guangdong, have triggered the photovoltaic on roofs. Others, such as Interior Mongolia or Jilin, have restricted both the self -consumption that they have barely contributed. Behind the photo of the record there are certain strap: Some large commercial projects can no longer sell electricity to the network. It is increasing legal and contractual complexity. Promoters and investors face a more uncertain environment. And now what. China will continue to install at a speed far higher than we are accustomed to in the West. And the distributed model will grow, although foreseebly with certain adjustments. Europe lives much more slow display marked by a dense bureaucracy. If you keep the rhythm, China will end up making more facilities on roofs in a year than the sum of many countries in a decade. In Xataka | If Europe does not want to freeze this winter this winter will have to pay much more for gas. You can thank China Outstanding image | Bill Mead in Unspash

A power in nuclear energy is emerging as the best alternative to Russia and China for the West: South Korea

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Russia and China are indisputably two powers in nuclear energy. So are USA, France and other western alignment countries. Although these states have a bulky nuclear plant park which really places them at the forefront is Your ability to develop new technologiesand in this area the most promising reactors are The fourth generation. Russia and China already have at least A reactor of this type in operationand the US, France, India, Canada or Japan are some of the countries that plan to have them in the future. However, there is a power in nuclear energy that often goes unnoticed. We all know that South Korea has a lot of weight in semiconductor industries, consumer electron Nuclear energy as a strategic pillar Not only within its mix of electricity generation, but also as an engine of innovation and export. South Korea is the most consistent alternative to China and Russia Currently South Korea has 26 Nuclear reactors in operation with an approximate total capacity of 25.7 GWE. This infrastructure contributes to its Mix with 30% of electricity, although the commitment of this Asian country for nuclear energy does not end here. And it is that between 2026 and 2033 the construction of four more reactors will conclude that will have a power of 1,340 MWE each of them, so the total installed power in this country within less than a decade will exceed 30 GWE. Its APR-1400 reactors incorporate passive security systems that allow them to compete from you with the machines exported by Russia, China or the USA In any case, as I have anticipated a few lines above, which has placed South Korea to the avant -garde and has positioned this country as One of the largest exporters in the nuclear sector It is your ability to develop your own technologies. Their APR-1400 reactors incorporate passive security systems that allow them to compete from you with the machines exported by Russia, China or the US. In fact, South Korea has already exported this reactor to the United Arab Emirates and is negotiating with the Czech Republic and Poland to sell their technology. On the other hand, this Asian country has also opted for fourth generation nuclear fission. Your smart reactor (System-Integrad Modular Advanced Reactor), what is An SMR type design (Compact modular reactor) is in the process of certification to be used in desalination and electricity generation facilities. It also prepares fourth generation reactors refrigerated by sodium, such as the machine outlined in the Kalimer project, although it is not yet clear when the first South Korean commercial reactor endorsed by this technology will come into operation. South Korea has a very ambitious plan: wants to capture at least Ten international contracts until 2030. His first project abroad has been Barakah’s nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates, and It has been a success. As I mentioned a few lines above, Czech Republic and Poland are presumably will bet on South Korean reactors, but South Korea nuclear energy companies are also trying to take contracts in Egypt, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Turkey and even in the United Kingdom. If only some of them get to fruition this Asian country will become a full competitor in the international market of China, Russia, France or the US. Image | Wikierati More information | Bloomberg In Xataka | Spanish nuclear have been criticized for their role in the blackout. This was what they did before, during and after collapse

Saudi Arabia wants to become a new power in data centers. Nothing is clear that I can do it

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Donald Trump has made a unique tour of several countries in the Middle East, and among the agreements that are considered surprising: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar want to invest billions of dollars in the construction of data centers for ia. The question is whether they will do so. Chips for strategic alliances. The Biden administration had largely limited the number of advanced chips from which these countries could access, but Trump’s mandate is changing things. As they point out in The New York Times, AI chips seem now to be a useful argument to strengthen relations with countries with this Trump newspaper “has deep financial ties and business. “Qatar already plans donate a Boeing 747-8 which could end up being used as the new Air Force One. Saudi Arabia on the one hand. Nvidia and AMD have reached an agreement to sell their professional GPUS to Humain. This newly created company – it belongs to the country’s public investment fund – It has the objective to create a large data center in Saudi Arabia. The agreement with AMD raises An investment of 10,000 million dollars in infrastructure in the next five years. Humain will supervise the development of these data centers, while AMD will provide chips and software. Arab Emirates attached to the other. As indicated In Bloombergthe Trump administration is considering reaching an agreement that would allow United Arab Emirates to import a million Nvidia chips. Eau could thus buy 500,000 of those chips per year until 2027. A fifth would be reserved for the G42 firm of Abu Dhabi. Saudi data centers. Nvidia, meanwhile, will sell 18,000 Your GB300 chips To Saudi Arabia. This was announced by Jensen Huang on Tuesday, which will contribute clearly to the Humain projects, which propose with data centers with a joint “1.9 GW” power “in 2030. Those 18,000 chips will apparently be part of the” hundreds of thousands “of which the Saudi project will be nourished. Possible “resale” to China? The United States restricted the sale of advanced chips from AI to China in 2022, and there are those who fear that countries in the Middle East end up serving as intermediaries so that the chips that the US allows you to sell there ends where they should not. G42 theoretically cut ties with Huawei to reach an agreement of 1.5 billion dollars with Microsoft, but the suspicions about the situation persist. Saudi Arabia and its megaprojects. As points The analyst Ed Zitron, countries of the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia have been talking about all kinds of megaprojects for years, but one thing is their promises and another realities. It occurs with the Jeddah Tower, MUKAABhis Pharaonic airport And of course The Line and his futuristic city, Neom. All these projects still have a long way to go, and this new Saudi ambition, although more “contained” in terms of dimensions, is equally complex for a country without experience in this area. There is energy … Countries like Saudi Arabia have abundant energy resources and in fact there are A strong investment in solar energy. Its application to provide power to those data centers, yes, it is not so easy, as they are discovering In the United States. … but no (much) water. The problem is that these data centers dissipate a lot of heat and the desert environment is not exactly the idea for this type of facilities. Extraordinary cooling solutions are needed and the country has scarce water resources. Desalination plants are A pillar of its strategic plan, and innovations may also go into play in the field of refrigeration such as closed circuit systems or Direct liquid cooling. Image | Neom In Xataka | New York Bitcoin miners are buying old power plants. New Yorkers are not happy

New York Bitcoin miners are buying old power plants. New Yorkers are not happy

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Minar Bitcoins can be a very profitable business, but the growing difficulty of adding a new block and the rules of the economy of scale make, in the end, they are only earning money the mining farms that have access to huge amounts of energy at a low price. What are mining farms. They are large data centers full of ASICs, computers specialized in solving cryptographic problems. His work is to find a hash (the output of a mathematical function called SHA-256) to appear a valid block. How to buy bitcoins safely and without risk This process orders and propagates the safe transactions of the Bitcoin block chain, which has a juicy reward: every time a miner manages to add a block to the chain (once every approximately 10 minutes), receives 3,125 new bitcoins, the equivalent of 101,606 dollars. But not everything is benefit. In fact, Minar Bitcoin has a very high energy cost. This is where the price of electricity comes into play. And the north of the state of New York is especially attractive thanks to its abundant hydroelectric energy. But hydroelectric plants are not exactly the main objective of mining farms. Bitcoin gas and mining plants. In New York, the energy appetite of Bitcoin’s miners has reached a dystopian look with companies that acquire old or little used electric power plants, mainly of natural gas, to feed their operations 24/7. The old Greenidge generation coal plant, located next to Lake Senecato the north of the state, it became a combined cycle center in 2017, operating only when the energy demand was high. In 2020, the company installed a Bitcoin mining farm next to the plant. Greenidge Generation opened the ban. In 2018, the combined cycle plant supplied 203,918 MWh to the electricity network. In 2020, with mining as its main business, it began to burn much more gas, generating 215,588 MWh for the network and additional MWH for mine Bitcoin. Its emissions have multiplied by six since the Bitcoin mine is, according to a report of Inside Climate News. But in addition, he sealed a kind of symbiosis between gas plants and cryptocurrency mining. Greenidge became a proof of concept to resurrect another 49 similar plants in the state of New York. In a legal limbo. New York is not precisely a permissive state in Environment Policy. The Environmental Conservation Department denied the renewal of Greenidge permits in 2022 for violating the climate law of the State, which requires strong emission reductions. However, Greenidge continues to operate thanks to his appeals. The state law allows you to work as long as the administrative process lasts. New Yorkers are not happy. Another controversial case is that of Digi Power X. The Canadian company bought Fortistar the Combined Cycle of North Tonawanda, near the Niagara cataracts, to feed its own Bitcoins farm. The neighbors began to complain about a “persistent buzz” from the huge fans that refrigerate the data center. They ended up demanding the company, which triggered a two -year moratorium and formal studies on the noise and water consumption of the installation, estimated at 1.9 million liters to cool the servers. It is not drinking water, but exerts pressure on local wastewater infrastructure. In November 2024, the New York Supreme Court ordered the Public Services Commission to reassess the sale of Fortistar for a possible violation of the state climate law. However, as with Greenidge, the plant can continue to operate while the process lasts. The battle continues. With Trump things have changed at the federal level. In favor of miners. The new administration has raised restrictions on the use of fossil fuels and has promoted a new more lax regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies. Meanwhile, despite legal battles, Greenidge and North Tonawanda mines continue to operate, along with their associated electric power plants. According to the United States Energy Information Agency, cryptocurrency mining represents up to 2.3% of the country’s total electricity consumption. In Xataka | Bitcoin is not to blame for a glacier lake to have become a “hot jacuzzi.” Still

Ninguneada by the United States, ESA has just signed a collaboration agreement with an emerging power: India

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It seemed that the new space race had two well -defined sides, but the last turns in NASA have left faithful members such as the European Space Agency in the lunge. Now that has turned his gaze to the East. Habemus Pactum. The European Space Agency and its counterpart from India (ISRO) just signed a joint intention statement To collaborate on flights to space. The strategy includes a first phase of cooperation in the low terrestrial orbit, and a second phase on the moon. Both agencies have pledged to work on the interoperability of their respective spacecraft, so that they can be found and attached to the low orbit. The collaboration will be extended to the training of astronauts, land simulations and parabolic flights. From the orbit down to the moon. The agreement also opens the door for Europe to play experiments on Indian Poem platforms, which take advantage of the upper stages of PSLV rockets as orbital platforms. More in the long term, it will be an opportunity for European astronauts to travel to the planned space station of India, the Bharatiya Antariksh Stationwhose completion is scheduled for 2035, with a first module in 2028. They also enter the joint robotic mission bag to the moon. India is in the small list of spatial powers that have successfully alunicized. The Chandrayan-3 mission He wore the Vikram module and Rover Pragyan to the South Lunar Pole. New alliances. The agreement, signed by the CEO of ESA, Josef Aschbacher, in New Delhi, arrives at a critical moment for European projects in space. The White House presented last week A budget proposal that would involve a cut of almost 25% for NASA. This “Tijeretazo” fully impact in programs where ESA has invested significantly: the Orion ship and the Lunar Gateway station. In A statementAschbacher said he seeks a commitment between international cooperation and improve his autonomous abilities. “The complexities and costs of space missions often exceed the capacities of a single nation,” he said. “In this context, associations have allowed us to reach great milestones that would be unimaginable alone.” In March, ESA had already signed an agreement with the Japanese Space Agency Jaxa to explore joint missions to the moon and Mars. The trend is clear: before the drift of the United States towards a more nationalist approach and focused on private commercial systems (Spacex, Blue Origin …) for its lunar and Martian ambitions, ESA is diversifying its alliances. European diplomacy. While the United States prioritizes the speed and reduction of costs through the private sector, leaving aside the traditional international collaboration models, the ESA Diplomacy strip presenting textually as a “reliable partner.” Part of that diplomacy makes a close collaboration with China unlikely, at least while NASA remains its main partner. India, with its growing spatial ambitions and future manned flights, emerges as a key strategic alternative on this new space geopolitical board. Image | Isro In Xataka | The last eeuu slap to Europe has sounded up to space: NASA has just left ESA with Artemis

Nuclear power plants have a very valuable resource so as not to collapse if electricity fails: the “flex” strategy

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The refrigeration system of The reactors of nuclear centrals It has a fundamental purpose: to guarantee that Fuel bars will remain at all times within Its operating temperatures range. If this parameter increases excessively they could melt and trigger a serious accident. To avoid it Conventional nuclear reactorslike those we have in Spanish nuclear plants, have a triple cooling circuit. The primary circuit consists of the vessel that contains the fuel bars and a deposit known as heat exchanger. The hot water from the vessel circulates between both deposits thanks to the action of a pump, so that it cools in the exchanger before returning to the vessel. This circuit is closed. In addition, the heat exchanger acts as a steam generator, so a second circuit is responsible for introducing the cold water inside that, when coming into contact with the hot water of the primary circuit enters boiling. From there the necessary steam proceeds to transfer to the turbine the kinetic energy that will make it possible to obtain electricity thanks to the action of the alternator. Once the fluid crosses the turbine the water steam is cooled and condenses inside an additional tank to promote the appearance of water in the liquid state that will be introduced again in the heat exchangerthus giving rise to a second closed circuit known as secondary circuit. Again a pump is responsible for the water to circulate between the condensation tank and the heat exchanger. So far we have described two different closed circuits, the primary and the secondary, but we have left a loose end. In order for the water vapor of the secondary circuit to be condensed inside the condensation tank it is necessary to introduce in the latter cold water. And to do so it is necessary to resort to a third circuit known as external cooling circuit. The water of this last installation comes from the sea or from a river near the nuclear power plant, hence it is necessary to accommodate this type of centrals near one of these two natural resources. In modern nuclear centrals flexibility and redundancy are everything As we have just verified, so that the water that acts as a refrigerant element circulates correctly inside the primary and secondary circuits the action of at least two pumps is necessary, one for each circuit. And, of course, the pumps need electricity to function, like many other elements of the nuclear reactor, such as the pressor, the external cooling circuit pumps or the safety injection pumps. We explain everything in more detail in the article that we dedicate to The control rooms of nuclear centrals. Portable equipment allows all these functions to be performed without having to depend on exterior power supply After Fukushima The safety of all the world’s nuclear power plants was reinforced. They underwent very important stress tests during which all the central parameters were reviewed, especially those that were related to what had happened in Fukushim Baskets on the electricity grid. And once everything was reviewed, the incorporation of a series of measures to mitigate and prevent such accidents was standardized worldwide. This strategy is known as “flex”, which is the flexibility apocope. Nuclear centrals have been designed to Prevent Design Base accidents. This philosophy consists in thinking about what can happen with the purpose of implementing security measures to mitigate them in case they occur. What happens is that in practice, of course, there are accidents that you can not have planned, so in addition to the security systems prior to Fukushima, a series of portable equipment that allow all those functions from outside without having to depend on exterior power supply have been incorporated. They are totally portable and autonomous equipment that are already incorporated into all nuclear plants, and that can also be transported from one central to another in case of need via helicopter or through the military emergency unit (UME). In addition, there are also A central warehouse in Technatom Madrid where there are portable equipment that could be transferred in two or three hours to any Spanish nuclear power plant. As we have just seen, the redundancy of the equipment is also a crucial strategy in nuclear facilities. However, there is another resource that is even more important: The security culture. The training of all people who work in a nuclear power plant is individualized and permanent throughout their professional career. In Xataka | China and Russia have an extremely ambitious plan: in 2028 they will build a nuclear power plant on the moon In Xataka | This nuclear reactor is different from everyone else. It has been expressly designed for data centers

In 2028 they will build a nuclear power plant on the moon

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Yuri Ivanovich Borísov, former Vice Minister of Defense of Russia and currently at the head of Roscosmos, the Russian Space Agency, confirmed in March 2024 that China and the country led by Vladimir Putin planned to install a nuclear reactor on the surface of the moon. Russia’s long experience in the development of nuclear infrastructure is beyond doubt. And China, although it has later reached this industry, has scientific capacity and resources necessary to get airy. Its plan is to have the International Lunar Research Station (known as Ilrs for its acronym in English). Russia and China will operate it jointly, but for this installation to come to fruition it is essential to develop an energy source that guarantees a stable and sustained supply over time. This is the need that precisely aims to solve these two nations building A small nuclear power plant On the lunar surface. The starting gun will arrive in 2028 Pei Zhaoyu, the chief engineer of the Chang’e-8 mission, has confirmed This week how relevant Russia’s participation is in this project: “An important issue for the Ilrs is the energy supply. In this field Russia has a natural advantage because in regard to nuclear facilities, and especially sending them to space, leads the world even ahead of the US.” The Chang’e-8 mission will give the authentic departure gun to this very ambitious program. The International Lunar Research Station will be permanently inhabited from 2030 And it is that China plans to launch it in 2028 with a double purpose: initiate the preparation of the lunar base that will be permanently inhabited from 2030 and explore the construction of the nuclear reactor that will be responsible for the main delivery of energy to the station. As we have seen some lines up, both facilities They should be finished in 2035. Interestingly, the Chinese government has not yet officialized its approval of this plan, but the statements of Pei Zhaoyu corroborate that The collaboration of Russia and China is already underway. In any case, the country’s nuclear scientists led by Xi Jinping already have a preliminary design of their nuclear reactor ready. And it has some novel features. To elaborate it have been inspired by both NASA’s design and the old Soviet nuclear reactor Topaz-II. Your proposal will use Fuel bars Ring -shaped uranium dioxide; A double cooling system that will use liquid metal (NAK-78), and that, on paper, will be able to maintain the reactor core below 600 ºC; And finally, a moderator of Ititrio hydride neutrons that according to Chinese technicians is more efficient than conventional zirconium hydride moderators. Meanwhile the US is preparing His return to the moon through the NASA Artemis program. Its purpose is to place two astronauts on the lunar surface in 2027 and start from this milestone the construction of a sustainable lunar base. This installation will have large solar panels, but photovoltaic energy It is not enough to ensure supply Because on the moon the night endures for between fourteen and fifteen terrestrial days. For this reason The US is also developing a nuclear reactor known as FISION SURFACE POWER (FSP) that will be able to deliver 40 kW of power. Image | China National Space Administration More information | Interesting Engineering In Xataka | We are building nuclear spacecraft again. NASA believes we will need them

There is so much energy available in Spain right now that it is allowing you to become an export power

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The Spanish electrical system has achieved a milestone by covering 100% electric demand with renewable energy. However, this surplus of clean energy has led to the phenomenon Curtailment to maintain the stability of the network. Even so, it has been possible to export more than ever electricity to neighboring countries. Renewable boom. In the last three years, Spain has added more than 23,000MW new wind and photovoltaic power. According to the latest monthly renewable APPA report to which has had Pvmagazine access, this impulse has translated into record exports of 1.536GWh, which represents an increase of 84.4% compared to last year. The data has detailed a clear pattern of energy surplus. France received 1,388 GWH of Spanish electricity, while barely exported 197 GWh to our country. With Portugal the exchange was more balanced, but equally favorable: 775 GWh exported compared to 619 GWh imported. The most striking case is that of Morocco, where Spain sold seven times more energy than it bought, specifically 197 GWh against only 27 GWh received. In economic terms. The export has generated approximately 81.4 million euros in a single month, calculated on the basis of the average price of 53.09 euros per megavatio registered hour In the OMIE daily market. This figure acquires greater relevance if we consider that Spain already accumulates 41 consecutive months as a net exporter of electricity, a streak that coincides precisely with the period of greater renewable expansion in its history. Was he planned? Although there is no explicit plan to turn Spain into an energy exporter, the latest promotion policies that pass subsidies and Changing permissions They have created a structural surplus. The authorities already work to optimize surplus management, avoiding the Curtailment (cuts in renewable generation) and prioritizing export when production exceeds national demand. A lot of export … and import? The European electrical system, It is highly interconnectedbut still with improvement margin. There is an important exception: current exports do not equal energy “savings” for the future. The market operates in real time, with prices that constantly fluctuate according to the supply and demand of each moment. And another inevitable question. Why don’t the price of light fall in Spain? As mentioned above, the average price of electricity stood at € 53.09/MWh, which is 161.8% more than last year. This apparent contradiction is explained by The Marginalist Price Fixing Systemwhere the most expensive technology necessary at all times – generally the combined cycle plants that work with gas – establish the price for all. Thus, although the renewables produce at very low costs (about € 12/MWh on average), their cheaper is limited by the still necessary presence of gas in the mix, whose average time price reached € 61/MWh in the last month. There is still a long way. Although there is a great renewable capacity, you also have to think about ways of Store the surplusthink about Intelligent networks with Europe and rethink a long -term sustainable marginalist model. This commitment to Spain for a more sustainable model has positioned the country as an important actor in the European energy market. The challenge is now to convert this technical success to benefits for the national economy and the pocket of consumers. Image | Pacoqt Xataka | After roofs and balconies, railings: the solar panels have been determined to conquer every building span

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