Cumberland’s Springhill Mines Ignite New Geothermal Energy Investment Race By: Robert Buluma Deep beneath the historic coal town of Springhill, Nova Scotia, an energy revolution is quietly simmering. What was once the beating heart of Canada’s coal mining era is now emerging as one of the country’s most fascinating geothermal success stories. Flooded abandoned mines that once symbolized industrial decline are being reimagined as a renewable energy treasure capable of powering greenhouses, businesses, institutions, and perhaps an entirely new economic future. The Municipality of Cumberland is now intensifying efforts to attract investors and developers interested in harnessing geothermal energy from the former Springhill coal mines after a provincially funded geothermal research initiative reached its conclusion in April 2026. The story unfolding in this small Nova Scotian community is not just about renewable energy. It is about reinvention, resilience, and the transformation of old i...
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The Nuclear Regulatory Authority of Slovakia has granted approval for the next phase of the Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant, the energy start-up phase, which will see the reactor's power increased to 5%. The phase will involve a series of rigorous tests, including simulations of scenarios that are unlikely to occur during normal operation. The power of the reactor will be gradually increased, with tests conducted at each stage, and when the reactor reaches 20% power and sufficient steam is produced, the first turbine-generator will be connected to the electricity system of the Slovak Republic, marking the beginning of low-carbon electricity flowing into the grid.
Construction on the first two units of the 471 MWe VVER began in 1982, and units 3 and 4 were slated to begin construction in 1986, but were put on hold in 1992. The first two units were completed and began operation in 1998 and 1999, with the completion of units 3 and 4 beginning a decade later. Each unit is expected to provide 13% of Slovakia's electricity needs when operating at full capacity.
The final design of the Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant includes numerous upgrades to safety and security, such as increased protection against aircraft impact, and emergency management measures informed by the lessons of the Fukushima accident. The service life of the new unit is planned to be 60 years, and the final stage of the commissioning process will be a 144-hour trial run at full power.
Source: World Nuclear News
#NewPlant #Nuclear #Slovakia
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