THE ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING BRANCH
PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY THE
EESA VIC/TAS CHAPTER
PRESENTS
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THE ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING BRANCH
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Monday 21st of August 2006 |
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To register for this free event, please follow this link.
"Engineers Australia has determined to sponsor and engage in a full debate on the issue of nuclear energy in Australia. This seminar presents the views of this speaker and is one of many expected throughout Engineers Australia that will explore the subject from all points of view."
Nuclear power generates 16% of the world’s electricity. It is a mature, proven technology, competitive in many regions worldwide. Contrary to commonly accepted beliefs it ranks among the safest and least environmentally intrusive generation technologies. The speaker will address pertinent aspects of the existing technology and new designs.
Nuclear power has been effectively proscribed by Governments in Australia ( which paradoxically has 40% of the world's proven uranium reserves and 20% of the world market). Nuclear power would not currently be competitive with our low cost fossil generation but should be cheaper than wind and solar and more easily integrated to the grid.
The new cheaper nuclear systems and increased fossil generation costs could alter the situation in the longer term. Waste management and safety regulation issues have technical solutions but require political and industrial leadership for their resolution. Nuclear power should now be objectively assessed in foreward energy supply planning.
The presentation will contribute as a technical input to the debate that is now under way.The Speaker
Dr Neil Mc Donald retired in October 2001 after 45 years with Australia’s nuclear agencies. His last major task was as Safety and Licensing Manager for ANSTO’s Replacement Research Reactor Project.
His career commenced as an Atomic Energy Commission Undergraduate Scholar in Metallurgy at the UNSW in 1956 and has since worked on many aspects of nuclear technology including reactor materials, reactor engineering, the nuclear fuel cycle, nuclear safety and regulation and non-proliferation safeguards.
Assignments to the UKAEA; as Counsellor (Atomic Energy) in Australia delegation to the IAEA in Vienna; the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency in Paris have provided him with a broad international involvement with the nuclear industry. He’s participated in nuclear safety activities in Asia, international conferences and in Australian Government delegations to international nuclear safety fora.
He serves on the Nuclear committees of two EAUST bodies, the Nuclear Safety Committee of ARPANSA and Chairman of the International Program Committee for the 15th Pacific Basin Nuclear Conference to be held in Sydney in October 2006.
Program
6.00pm - 7.00pm - Seminar Presentation
7.00pm - 7.15pm - Discussion and Q&A
7.15pm - 8.00pm - Networking
Networking - Following this presentation, the EESA and the Electrical College Branch will be providing an opportunity to catch up with other seminar attendees with refreshments.
Venue
Engineering House, Ground Level Auditorium, 21 Bedford Street, North Melbourne, 3051