Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire - Major Energy and Environmental News and Commentary affecting the Nuclear Industry. Nuclear Activities
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Vermont Yankee FAQs
Vermont Yankee FAQs
You can read the FAQs at the Energy Education Project website.
http://www.energyeai.org/vy_
You can read the FAQs at the Energy Education Project website.
http://www.energyeai.org/vy_
Pakistani pleads guilty in US on nuclear charges
Pakistani pleads guilty in US on nuclear charges
Washington (AFP) Sept 9, 2011
A Pakistani citizen on Friday plead guilty to illegally attempting to export nuclear material to organizations in his homeland that are classed "of concern" to US national security, justice officials said. Nadeem Akhtar, 46, faces up to five years in jail and a $250,000 fine, for conducting a scheme to provide restricted items to clients in Pakistan, including agencies of the government in I
A Pakistani citizen on Friday plead guilty to illegally attempting to export nuclear material to organizations in his homeland that are classed "of concern" to US national security, justice officials said. Nadeem Akhtar, 46, faces up to five years in jail and a $250,000 fine, for conducting a scheme to provide restricted items to clients in Pakistan, including agencies of the government in IRadioactive waste disposal conundrum slowing recovery efforts
Radioactive waste disposal conundrum slowing recovery efforts
Nuclear Fission Superior to Other Energy Sources
Nuclear Fission Superior to Other Energy Sources
Guest article by Charles Forsberg.The below originally appeared on April 28, 2011 in a Bulletin of Atomic Scientists roundtable discussion titled “Is nuclear energy different from other energy sources?” Charles’s contribution was titled “Mutually assured energy independence.” It was so good that I contacted Charles and obtained his permission to share his thoughts with a different audience.
NRC Commissioners Deny Groups’ Petition to Suspend New Reactor Licensing Industry/Regulatory/Political Issues
Friday Update
From NEI’s Japan micro-site:NRC Commissioners Deny Groups’ Petition to Suspend New Reactor Licensing
Industry/Regulatory/Political Issues
Fukushima Crisis: Can Japan be at the forefront of an authentic paradigm shift?
Fukushima Crisis: Can Japan be at the forefront of an authentic paradigm shift?
The catastrophe now referenced by a single word -- Fukushima -- is not merely a major natural disaster. The events of 3/11 sent shockwaves through the nuclear industry and governments around the world and constitute the end of a certain economic development model and the industrial risk calculation that underlies it. Giant, centralized electricity production sites that rain kilowatt-hours onto consumers who are constantly increasing their consumption -- while accepting risk that can potentially harm millions -- are now outdated.
Why nuclear energy is not the answer
Why nuclear energy is not the answer
Roundtable Topic: Is nuclear energy different than other energy sources?
Nuclear power proponents claim:
Nuclear power proponents claim:
- It has low carbon emissions.
- It is the peaceful face of the atom and proliferation problems are manageable.
- It is compact -- so little uranium, so much energy.
- Unlike solar and wind, it is 24/7 electricity.
- It reduces dependence on oil.
A multinational fuel consortium: Obstacles, options, and ways forward
A multinational fuel consortium: Obstacles, options, and ways forward
The harnessing of the atom to develop a nuclear bomb 70 years ago unleashed a magnitude of terrifying destruction the world had never witnessed before. The same atomic power also resulted in an "atoms for peace" program, which gave the world nuclear power as a clean source of energy and benefited humanity in the development of nuclear medicine, agriculture, and sciences.
2010–2011 world nuclear industry status report
2010–2011 world nuclear industry status report
Bushehr went critical. According to industry news outlets, the Iranian nuclear reactor project was finally completed on May 8, 2011 -- 36 years after the first shovel hit the ground. The historic event closely followed the first grid connection, on May 3, of the second unit of the Chinese Ling Ao II nuclear plant. And on March 14, only three days after the Fukushima crisis began, and without any publicity, the Pakistani Chasnupp-2 reactor generated its first power.
The human element
The human element
The discussions about the safety of nuclear reactors in the new post-Fukushima world have focused on technical questions: Is it possible to make reactors earthquake-proof? What is the best way to ensure that spent fuel remains safe? What is the optimal design for coolant systems? Can reactors be made "inherently safe"?
Nature and malice: Confronting multiple hazards to nuclear power infrastructure
Nature and malice: Confronting multiple hazards to nuclear power infrastructure
Over the past six months, two geological events in Japan and the United States had similar characteristics but very different outcomes. At Fukushima, 40-plus-year-old reactors shut down as designed on March 11 following a magnitude 9.0 earthquake, but the combination of ruptured offsite power supply lines and generators flooded by the ensuing tsunami led to a massive meltdown.
A Black Hole in the Global Nonproliferation Regime: The Case of Taiwan
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Power Consultant Offers Explanation For San Diego Blackout
Power Consultant Offers Explanation For San Diego Blackout
September 9, 2011
A Preview of Things to Come? The Great San Diego Blackout
A Preview of Things to Come?
The Great San Diego Blackout
It looks like everyone survived the Great San Diego Black-Out of 2011.Research on US nuclear levels after Fukushima could aid in future nuclear detection
Research on US nuclear levels after Fukushima could aid in future nuclear detection
The amount of radiation released during the Fukushima nuclear disaster was so great that the level of atmospheric radioactive aerosols in Washington state was 10,000 to 100,000 times greater than normal levels in the week following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that triggered the disaster.Despite the increase, the levels were still well below the amount considered harmful to humans and they posed no health risks to residents at the time, according to researchers at The University of Texas at Austin.
The findings, published by a mechanical engineering professor at the Cockrell School of Engineering and researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), provide important insight into the magnitude of the disaster. They also demonstrate huge advancements in the technology that's used for monitoring nuclear material and detecting covert nuclear operations around the world.
"I think the conclusion was that this was a really major event here," Cockrell School of Engineering Associate Professor Steven Biegalski said of the Fukushima disaster.
Fukushima disaster: it's not over yet
Fukushima disaster: it's not over yet
Six months after the multiple meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, the streets have been cleared but the psychological damage remains
Friday, September 9, 2011
Quake-rattled nuclear plant puts NRC in unprecedented spot
Quake-rattled nuclear plant puts NRC in unprecedented spot
atomic power review 69th Carnival of Nuclear Bloggers
atomic power review
69th Carnival of Nuclear Bloggers
Drive to Build Thorium Reactor Prototype Launched in UK
| Drive to Build Thorium Reactor Prototype Launched In UK Energy Collective 8 Sept (NucNet): A new London-based lobbying organization aimed at promoting nuclear technologies fuelled by thorium is calling for the UK's Sellafield site to be used as a research centre into next-generation reactors. |
Nuclear Nonproliferation: U.S. Agencies Have Limited Ability to Account for, Monitor, and Evaluate the Security of U.S. Nuclear Material Overseas
Nuclear Nonproliferation: U.S. Agencies Have Limited Ability to Account for, Monitor, and Evaluate the Security of U.S. Nuclear Material Overseas
GAO-11-920 September 8, 2011Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 68 pages) Accessible Text Recommendations (HTML)
Summary
The United States has exported special nuclear material, including enriched uranium, and source material such as natural uranium under nuclear cooperation agreements. The United States has 27 nuclear cooperation agreements for peaceful civilian cooperation. Under the U.S. Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (AEA), as amended, partners are required to guarantee the physical protection of U.S. nuclear material. GAO was asked to (1) assess U.S. agency efforts to account for U.S. nuclear material overseas, (2) assess the Department of Energy's (DOE) and U.S. agencies' efforts to evaluate the security of U.S. material overseas, and (3) describe DOE's activities to secure or remove potentially vulnerable U.S. nuclear material at partner facilities. GAO analyzed agency records and interviewed DOE, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Department of State (State), and partner country officials. This report summarizes GAO's classified report issued in June 2011.DOE, NRC, and State are not able to fully account for U.S. nuclear material overseas that is subject to nuclear cooperation agreement terms because the agreements do not stipulate systematic reporting of such information, and there is no U.S. policy to pursue or obtain such information. U.S. nuclear cooperation agreements generally require that partners report inventory information upon request, however, DOE and NRC have not systematically sought such data. DOE and NRC do not have a comprehensive, detailed, current inventory of U.S. nuclear material--including weapon-usable material such as highly enriched uranium (HEU) and separated plutonium--overseas that includes the country, facility, and quantity of material. In addition, NRC and DOE could not fully account for the current location and disposition of U.S. HEU overseas in response to a 1992 congressional mandate. U.S. agencies, in a 1993 report produced in response to the mandate, were able to verify the location of 1,160 kilograms out of 17,500 kilograms of U.S. HEU estimated to have been exported. DOE, NRC, and State have established annual inventory reconciliations with five U.S. partners, but not the others it has transferred material to or trades with. Nuclear cooperation agreements do not contain specific access rights that enable DOE, NRC, or State to monitor and evaluate the physical security of U.S. nuclear material overseas, and the United States relies on its partners to maintain adequate security. In the absence of access rights, DOE's Office of Nonproliferation and International Security, NRC, and State have conducted physical protection visits to monitor and evaluate the physical security of U.S. nuclear material at facilities overseas when permitted. However, the agencies have not systematically visited countries believed to be holding the highest proliferation risk quantities of U.S. nuclear material, or systematically revisited facilities not meeting international physical security guidelines in a timely manner. Of the 55 visits made from 1994 through 2010, U.S. teams found that countries met international security guidelines approximately 50 percent of the time. DOE has taken steps to improve security at a number of facilities overseas that hold U.S. nuclear material but faces constraints. DOE's Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) removes U.S. nuclear material from vulnerable facilities overseas but can only bring back materials that have an approved disposition pathway and meet the program's eligibility criteria. GTRI officials told GAO that, of the approximately 17,500 kilograms of HEU exported from the United States, 12,400 kilograms are currently not eligible for return to the United States. Specifically, GTRI reported that over 10,000 kilograms of U.S. HEU are believed to be in fuels from reactors in Germany, France, and Japan that have no disposition pathways in the United States and are adequately protected. In addition, according to GTRI, 2,000 kilograms of transferred U.S. HEU are located primarily in European Atomic Energy Community countries and are currently in use or adequately protected. GAO suggests, among other things, that Congress consider directing DOE and NRC to compile an inventory of U.S. nuclear material overseas. DOE, NRC, and State generally disagreed with GAO's recommendations, including that they conduct annual inventory reconciliations with all partners, stating they were unnecessary. GAO continues to believe that its recommendations could help improve the accountability of U.S. nuclear material in foreign countries.
Idaho Samizdat: Nuke Notes China restarts progress on its nuclear energy program
Idaho Samizdat: Nuke Notes
China restarts progress on its nuclear energy program
Post-Fukushima safety checks are done, but the size of the new build will be smaller
Japan hopes IAEA report will dispel distrust abroad
Japan hopes IAEA report will dispel distrust abroad
After 9/11, Westinghouse redesigned reactor to withstand plane crash
After 9/11, Westinghouse redesigned reactor to withstand plane crash
"Atomic Ivan" film set in Russia
http://world-nuclear-news.org/
"In a unique public communication project, Rosatom has lent its support to a feature film set at a nuclear power plant.
"In a unique public communication project, Rosatom has lent its support to a feature film set at a nuclear power plant.
Pennsylvania nuclear plants prepare for possible flooding
Pennsylvania nuclear plants prepare for possible flooding Washington (Platts)--8Sep2011/329 pm EDT/1929 GMT
Nuclear power plants in Pennsylvania are preparing to cope with flooding, but none has declared a state of emergency, US Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesman Neil Sheehan said Thursday.
Nuclear power plants in Pennsylvania are preparing to cope with flooding, but none has declared a state of emergency, US Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesman Neil Sheehan said Thursday.
Quake Shook U.S. Nuclear Plant Twice as Hard as Design Allowed ...
Quake Shook U.S. Nuclear Plant Twice as Hard as Design Allowed ...
Last month's record earthquake in the eastern United States may have shaken a Virginia nuclear plant twice as hard as it was designed to withstand, ...
www.scientificamerican.com/
Last month's record earthquake in the eastern United States may have shaken a Virginia nuclear plant twice as hard as it was designed to withstand, ...
www.scientificamerican.com/
North Anna Nuclear Plant: East Coast Earthquake Shake Exceeded ...
North Anna Nuclear Plant: East Coast Earthquake Shake Exceeded ...
By The Huffington Post News Editors
ROCKVILLE, Md. -- A 5.8-magnitude earthquake in the eastern U.S. caused the ground to shake much more than a Virginia nuclear plant was designed to withstand, federal officials said Thursday. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said ...
The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com
By The Huffington Post News Editors
ROCKVILLE, Md. -- A 5.8-magnitude earthquake in the eastern U.S. caused the ground to shake much more than a Virginia nuclear plant was designed to withstand, federal officials said Thursday. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said ...
The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com
Disaster losses top $70bn in first half
Disaster losses top $70bn in first half
CITY A.M.
Swiss Re estimates that total direct losses from the earthquake and reactor collapse at Fukushima are already $210bn and will rise once all the costs of the nuclear disaster have been assessed. The total economic cost to society of all catastrophes in ...
CITY A.M.
Swiss Re estimates that total direct losses from the earthquake and reactor collapse at Fukushima are already $210bn and will rise once all the costs of the nuclear disaster have been assessed. The total economic cost to society of all catastrophes in ...
Va. nuclear plant experienced ‘strong’ shaking in Aug. 23 quake
Va. nuclear plant experienced ‘strong’ shaking in Aug. 23 quake
GAO Seeks Closer Tracking of U.S. Atomic Assets in Other Nations
GAO Seeks Closer Tracking of U.S. Atomic Assets in Other Nations
NRC rejects quick restart at Virginia nuclear plant
NRC rejects quick restart at Virginia nuclear plant
US nuclear regulator says split on Yucca waste dump
US nuclear regulator says split on Yucca waste dump
WASHINGTON, Sept 9 |
WASHINGTON, Sept 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. nuclear regulator on Friday said it "finds itself evenly divided" on the contentious issue of what to do with its work on licensing the proposed Yucca Mountain waste dump.Nuke regulators bring Yucca Mountain waste plan closer to death
Nuke regulators bring Yucca Mountain waste plan closer to death
- 09/09/11 03:14 PM ET
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) acted Friday to end review of the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump, handing a victory to the Obama administration in its ongoing effort to kill the project.The NRC split 2-2 in failing to decide whether to uphold or reject a decision by its Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB), which last year rejected the Energy Department’s attempt to withdraw the license application for the Nevada project.
But the NRC, citing funding constraints, instructed the ASLB to close out its work on the project by the end of this fiscal year, which is the end of the month.
Here’s their rather wordy statement:
Consistent with budgetary limitations, the Board has taken action to preserve information associated with this adjudication. In furtherance of this, we hereby exercise our inherent supervisory authority to direct the Board to, by the close of the current fiscal year, complete all necessary and appropriate case management activities, including disposal of all matters currently pending before it and comprehensively documenting the full history of the adjudicatory proceeding.
Virginia Reactors Could Provide Lessons on Nuclear Safety in a Quake
Virginia Reactors Could Provide Lessons on Nuclear Safety in a Quake
For decades no U.S. nuclear reactor had ever experienced a earthquake that exceeded what the plant was designed to withstand. That changed on Aug. 23 with the 5.8-magnitude quake that rattled much of the East Coast. Its epicenter was no more than 12 miles south of the North Anna nuclear power station on the shores of Lake Anna in central Virginia.“Earthquakes aren’t supposed to happen here,” said Jorge Bermudez, a control room supervisor who was on duty when the quake struck.
Yet North Anna became the first nuclear plant to shut down after an earthquake in the 53-year history of commercial nuclear power in the U.S.
Single workman causes mass power outage affecting millions and shuts two nuclear reactors
Single workman causes mass power outage affecting millions and shuts two nuclear reactors
A single maintenance worker caused a massive power blackout that left up to six million people without electricity, caused two nuclear reactors to be shut down and grounded flights at airports.
Post-Fukushima, some remain steadfast advocates of nuclear power ...
Post-Fukushima, some remain steadfast advocates of nuclear power ...
Creamer Media's Mining Weekly
The modern small modular reactors being built today, which provide about 150 MW of power at a cost of about $60-million, are self-contained. ...
Creamer Media's Mining Weekly
The modern small modular reactors being built today, which provide about 150 MW of power at a cost of about $60-million, are self-contained. ...
Q&A with NRC Chairman Jaczko
The American Nuclear Society (ANS), in coordination with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), announces a live online webinar for nuclear bloggers on Tuesday, October 4, 2011, from 11 AM - 12 Noon Eastern Time. The webinar will be an unscripted question and answer session with NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko.
NRC Chairman Jaczko is participating in the session in order to broaden NRC outreach with the nuclear social media community. A similar one-hour session will be held October 6 with representatives of organizations who are critical of and/or oppose nuclear energy.
Participants in the October 4 session will be able to submit questions ahead of time using a designated NRC email address: BlogMtg1.Resource@nrc.gov . While Chairman Jaczko will likely be unable to answer all of the questions submitted in the time available, Eliot Brenner, Chief of NRC Public Affairs, said, "The agency will endeavor to address them online after the webinar via its blog at: http://public-blog.nrc-
.
Time will also be allocated to answering questions submitted by participants via an online form on the webinar website. Those without web access will be able to dial in to listen to the webinar via a toll free telephone line, but will not be able to submit questions by phone.
The focus of the session will be on policy issues and the broad regulatory and safety objectives of the NRC. Questions which are most likely to be selected for the live session will be those that have broad public interest in terms of the NRC's mission.
"The NRC will answer any detailed technical questions about specific nuclear plant systems on its blog. Also, if we see a similar question submitted by several participants, we’ll ask a composite question," Brenner said.
Laura Scheele, ANS Manager for Communications & Policy, said that the NRC session will be facilitated by Dan Yurman, a nuclear blogger, on behalf of ANS. He is a member of the American Nuclear Society and serves on the organization's Public Information Committee. Yurman will be on site at NRC headquarters for the session.
Brenner added that the webinar would be archived as a podcast and available for download or online listening via the NRC website.
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The announcement above is also available via the ANS website here:
http://www.ans.org/misc/NRC_
NRC Chairman Jaczko is participating in the session in order to broaden NRC outreach with the nuclear social media community. A similar one-hour session will be held October 6 with representatives of organizations who are critical of and/or oppose nuclear energy.
Participants in the October 4 session will be able to submit questions ahead of time using a designated NRC email address: BlogMtg1.Resource@nrc.gov . While Chairman Jaczko will likely be unable to answer all of the questions submitted in the time available, Eliot Brenner, Chief of NRC Public Affairs, said, "The agency will endeavor to address them online after the webinar via its blog at: http://public-blog.nrc-
Time will also be allocated to answering questions submitted by participants via an online form on the webinar website. Those without web access will be able to dial in to listen to the webinar via a toll free telephone line, but will not be able to submit questions by phone.
The focus of the session will be on policy issues and the broad regulatory and safety objectives of the NRC. Questions which are most likely to be selected for the live session will be those that have broad public interest in terms of the NRC's mission.
"The NRC will answer any detailed technical questions about specific nuclear plant systems on its blog. Also, if we see a similar question submitted by several participants, we’ll ask a composite question," Brenner said.
Laura Scheele, ANS Manager for Communications & Policy, said that the NRC session will be facilitated by Dan Yurman, a nuclear blogger, on behalf of ANS. He is a member of the American Nuclear Society and serves on the organization's Public Information Committee. Yurman will be on site at NRC headquarters for the session.
Brenner added that the webinar would be archived as a podcast and available for download or online listening via the NRC website.
##
The announcement above is also available via the ANS website here:
http://www.ans.org/misc/NRC_
PEST(EL) in the Nuclear Industry – The Economic (part 5)
PEST(EL) in the Nuclear Industry – The Economic (part 5)
5.3 Million People Lose Power Due to Routine Maintenance
5.3 Million People Lose Power Due to Routine Maintenance
Room for nuclear energy in the future: new IEA chief
Room for nuclear energy in the future: new IEA chief
South Carolina nuclear officials learn from Japan crisis
South Carolina nuclear officials learn from Japan crisis
Department of Defense Ready to Generate Clean Energy from Landfill Methane Using FlexEnergy Technology
Department of Defense Ready to Generate Clean Energy from Landfill Methane Using FlexEnergy Technology
Remembering "3/11": Six Months After the Fukushima Reactor Disaster, Key Lessons Appear To Be Going Unlearned
Remembering "3/11": Six Months After the Fukushima Reactor Disaster, Key Lessons Appear To Be Going Unlearned
PR Newswire
WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2011
WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Regulatory, scientific and health experts agree: The "3/11" Fukushima reactor disaster is still ongoing six month later … and some major lessons are in danger of going unheeded.
Ukraine Expects to Raise USD 12 Billion From Privatization of Naftogaz
Ukraine Expects to Raise USD 12 Billion From Privatization of Naftogaz
President Obama's New Infrastructure Plan Demands Expanded Use of Clean Diesel Power
President Obama's New Infrastructure Plan Demands Expanded Use of Clean Diesel Power
New Reactor Construction Experience Program -- Learning from the Past
 | New Reactor Construction Experience Program -- Learning from the PastModerator | September 9, 2011 at 10:39 am | Tags: nuclear | Categories: New Reactors | URL: http://wp.me/p1fSSY-rf |
Construction of these reactors cannot begin unless and until the NRC completes its technical reviews and the license application is approved.
There are currently 104 operating reactors in the U.S. Many of them were constructed in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Both the industry and the NRC faced many challenges in building and licensing and regulating these reactors. One major challenge was ineffective control and management of the overall projects.
In 1984, at the direction of Congress, the NRC studied the causes of major quality-related problems in the construction of some nuclear power plants. At the conclusion of the study, the NRC published NUREG-1055, “Improving Quality and the Assurance of Quality in the Design and Construction of Nuclear Power Plants,” to document its findings and recommendations.
Some examples of the recommendations include: the industry should put higher standards on their own actions, work harder to identify how and why quality problems occurred, and to enlist the help of third-party auditors to identify issues objectively and early.
To improve NRC programs, the study suggested a stronger emphasis on team inspections and the role of resident inspectors, and better data and trending analysis to diagnose problems earlier in the process. In addition, the study recommended that higher attention and quality assurance measures should be placed on systems and structures that have the most impact on overall nuclear safety.
To make sure we’d learned the lessons from past construction projects, the NRC created the Construction Experience Program in 2007. It has grown from one to four staff in the past four years. Its purpose is to review and evaluate problems at domestic and international construction projects, and to propose ways to enhance NRC technical reviews and inspection procedures.
Since its inception, the program has evaluated more than 300 domestic and international operating and construction experience reports dating from the 1980s to present. As a result of these evaluations, the staff has published 10 information notices to share lessons learned and insights from the evaluations with internal and external NRC stakeholders and the public. These information notices raised the awareness of utilities about particular construction and operational experiences to ensure they did not reoccur.
Omid TabatabaiSenior Reactors Systems Engineer
Senate Panel Led by Democrats Cuts Obama’s Clean-Energy Programs
Senate Panel Led by Democrats Cuts Obama’s Clean-Energy Programs
Memory Lane - Feinstein and Solyndra
September 4, 2009
Senator Feinstein Applauds U.S. Energy Department’s Decision to Provide $535 Million Energy Loan Guarantee to California-Based Solar Company, Solyndra
- Solar manufacturing facility is expected to generate up to 3,000 clean energy jobs in Fremont, CA -
San Francisco, CA – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today applauded the U.S. Department of Energy’s decision to finalize a $535 million loan guarantee to a California-based solar company, Solyndra. The Department of Energy announced the initial selection of Solyndra as a conditional loan guarantee recipient in March and formalized the decision today at a ground-breaking ceremony in Fremont, California.
“This is a major milestone for California’s solar industry,” Senator Feinstein said. “This federal loan guarantee of $535 million will enable Solyndra to secure affordable financing – at a time when credit is extremely tight – in order to build and operate a commercial-scale facility to manufacture the next generation of rooftop solar systems. The operation is expected to generate at least 3,000 clean energy jobs in an area whose largest employer – NUMMI – may soon shut down. And it will ultimately help make it more affordable for more Americans to power their homes and buildings through solar energy. So it’s a win-win for the economy and the environment.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu has pledged that his department will act as an engine for innovation – and this loan guarantee program is an important part of that effort. So, I’d like to extend my thanks to Secretary Chu for his leadership.”
Solyndra is building the next generation of rooftop systems to collect and convert solar energy, and is expected to employee up to 3,000 workers in clean energy jobs. The company’s proprietary design transforms cylindrical glass tubes into a low-cost and efficient solar photovoltaic rooftop system. The new plant is expected to produce enough panels to generate 15 gigawatts of renewable energy, thereby reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 300 million metric tons.
The company was selected by the Department of Energy through a competitive bidding process in which at least 60 companies applied., Before the Department of Energy could finalize the loan guarantee, Solyndra was required to secure 20 percent of the project's loan financing from other sources.
The federal loan guarantee program was designed to support innovative technologies and was established by Congress in Title 17 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Congress expanded this program in the stimulus bill, or the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, in order to infuse additional credit into the burgeoning U.S. clean energy economy.
Solyndra will be the first-ever recipient of the Title 17 energy loan guarantee program.
“This is a major milestone for California’s solar industry,” Senator Feinstein said. “This federal loan guarantee of $535 million will enable Solyndra to secure affordable financing – at a time when credit is extremely tight – in order to build and operate a commercial-scale facility to manufacture the next generation of rooftop solar systems. The operation is expected to generate at least 3,000 clean energy jobs in an area whose largest employer – NUMMI – may soon shut down. And it will ultimately help make it more affordable for more Americans to power their homes and buildings through solar energy. So it’s a win-win for the economy and the environment.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu has pledged that his department will act as an engine for innovation – and this loan guarantee program is an important part of that effort. So, I’d like to extend my thanks to Secretary Chu for his leadership.”
Solyndra is building the next generation of rooftop systems to collect and convert solar energy, and is expected to employee up to 3,000 workers in clean energy jobs. The company’s proprietary design transforms cylindrical glass tubes into a low-cost and efficient solar photovoltaic rooftop system. The new plant is expected to produce enough panels to generate 15 gigawatts of renewable energy, thereby reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 300 million metric tons.
The company was selected by the Department of Energy through a competitive bidding process in which at least 60 companies applied., Before the Department of Energy could finalize the loan guarantee, Solyndra was required to secure 20 percent of the project's loan financing from other sources.
The federal loan guarantee program was designed to support innovative technologies and was established by Congress in Title 17 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Congress expanded this program in the stimulus bill, or the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, in order to infuse additional credit into the burgeoning U.S. clean energy economy.
Solyndra will be the first-ever recipient of the Title 17 energy loan guarantee program.
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Dear President Obama
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Power out for millions in Calif., Ariz., Mexico
http://news.yahoo.com/power-
Too much heat, too many air conditioners, too many outages
Too much heat, too many air conditioners, too many outages
Wind & solar are not “intermittent”; they are unreliable, unpredictable, uncontrollable and worthless
Wind & solar are not “intermittent”; they are unreliable, unpredictable, uncontrollable and worthless
Quake shook nuclear plant twice as hard as design allowed
Quake shook nuclear plant twice as hard as design allowed
Thursday, September 8, 2011
The NRC Joins YouTube
| | The NRC Joins YouTube Moderator | September 8, 2011 at 11:01 am | Tags: nuclear | Categories: General | URL: http://wp.me/p1fSSY-r3 |
The official NRC YouTube channel went live this morning at www.youtube/nrc.gov. The first posted videos feature NRC employees talking about their personal 9/11 experiences and the effects of that day on their lives. (You can also get there by going to the agency website at http://www.nrc.gov and clicking on the YouTube icon.)Look for future videos that include portions of important Commission meetings and information on the history and role of the NRC.
YouTube joins Twitter and this blog as social media tools we’re using to communicate with the public in new and meaningful ways. We hope the videos will enhance the public’s understanding of the agency and its mission, and give a face to the people who work hard to protect people and the environment.
We won’t be taking comments on YouTube, but have created a special location on this blog for comments on videos.
Happy viewing!
Eliot BrennerPublic Affairs Director
Disagreements Persist on Mideast WMD-Free Zone Talks
Disagreements Persist on Mideast WMD-Free Zone Talks
Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011Live chat: nuclear thorium technologist Kirk Sorensen
Live chat: nuclear thorium technologist Kirk Sorensen
Post your questions on nuclear energy for the thorium expert and former Nasa engineer
Two responses to the U.S. BRC on the nuclear fuel cycle
 | Two responses to the U.S. BRC on the nuclear fuel cycle Barry Brook | 8 September 2011 at 12:34 PM | Categories: Nuclear, Policy | URL: http://wp.me/piCIJ-1iL |
------------By: William Hannum, PhD. (reactor physics and safety, former Deputy Director General of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, Paris, France)
Gentlemen,
As someone who has spent his entire professional career in peaceful nuclear power development, and who has been involved in many of the key aspects of this development, I have followed the work of the Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC) with considerable interest. The July 2011 Draft Report appears to be thoughtful and carefully prepared. While it includes useful recommendations, I believe the priorities are misplaced. The result is a report focused on managing the problem, rather than on resolving it.
The first key recommendation in the report addresses the process for identifying an acceptable repository site, without focusing on why it is currently unreasonable to that expect a new, more gentile effort will be more successful than Yucca Mountain. The problem is not lack of consultation and discussion. As long as the basic criteria are based on a Linear-no-threshold (LNT) approach, applied over a period of 100,000 or 1,000,000 years, there will never be an adequate technical approach for nuclear waste disposal. As an aside, I don’t know what the population is assumed to be 100,000 years from now, but some assumption for that is implicit in the EPA criteria. Until there is agreement on more credible criteria than those applied to Yucca Mountain, it is a waste of time, money and credibility to discuss disposal. Extended storage should be assumed.Second, the report gives passing reference to “game-changing” technologies. There is one technology, the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR), which is sufficiently advanced that it is ready for a make-or-break demonstration. Not the least of the potential features of fast reactor recycle (as with IFR) is that it eliminates, essentially forever, the need for a second repository. Yet, this is among the lowest of DOE priorities. The draft report implicitly states that DOE has proven itself incompetent to manage the nuclear waste program. Your report fails to recommend that DOE, or some other agency, should realign reactor development priorities and pursue immediate game-changers that will resolve the spent-fuel dilemma. This should be a primary recommendation, not an incidental afterthought.
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NEI Weekly Intelligence Brief Nuclear Energy Policy and Commission Update 1-8 September 2011
Weekly Intelligence Brief
Nuclear Energy Policy and Commission Update 1-8 September 2011
NEI Executive Viewpoint Jim Sharkey, EPRI: "a vibration analyst may be overcome with questions"
Executive Viewpoint
Jim Sharkey, EPRI: "a vibration analyst may be overcome with questions"
NEI Industry Insight EDF to increase nuclear fleet re-investment to €3.6bn by 2015
Industry Insight
EDF to increase nuclear fleet re-investment to €3.6bn by 2015
New NGO to fuel interest in safe thorium nuclear reactors
New NGO to fuel interest in safe thorium nuclear reactors
Idaho Samizdat: Nuke Notes Drive to build thorium reactor prototype launched in U.K. Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz The Weinberg Foundation says success with thorium-based reactors could lead to rapid deployment
Idaho Samizdat: Nuke Notes
Drive to build thorium reactor prototype launched in U.K.The WeinbergFoundation says success with thorium-based reactors could lead to rapid deployment
When an Earthquake Shuts a Reactor By MATTHEW L. WALD
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Safeguards for the Next 40 Years
Safeguards for the Next 40 Years
The new Safeguards Clean Laboratory Extension, which provides the Department of Safeguards with vastly improved analytical capabilities to support the IAEA’s verification activities, was officially opened by Director General Yukiya Amano.
Directly comparing Fukushima to Chernobyl - September 07, 2011
Directly comparing Fukushima to Chernobyl - September 07, 2011
"This Sunday (11 September) marks the six-month anniversary of the triple meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. The accident has slipped from the headlines, but new data is coming out all the time. Some of the most recent findings are allowing the best comparison yet of Fukushima with Chernobyl.
A lot of media outlets (ourselves included) first made the Fukushima-Chernobyl comparison back in April, when the Japanese revised their estimate of the Fukushima accident—rating it a seven on the seven-point international INES scale. The conclusion most reached at the time was that, although the rating was the same, Fukushima was a much smaller accident.
A couple of things have changed since those first reports. First, the Japanese doubled their estimate of the radiation released by Fukushima in June to 7.7x1017 Becquerels (Bq). Then, on 30 August, they released the first maps of radioactive caesium-137 (Cs-137) contamination from the plant. Cs-137 has a half-life of 30 years, and it's considered the major long-term contaminate for both accidents.
With the new Cs-137 data, we can now directly compare the fallout from Chernobyl to Fukushima. Check out the Google Earth mashup above (zoom out to see Chernobyl on top of Fukushima, and rotate over to the Ukraine to see Chernobyl in context)."
First-phase nuclear safety check completed: official
First-phase nuclear safety check completed: official
Policy focuses on natural disasters IAEA to call for nuclear crisis team Kyodo
Policy focuses on natural disasters
IAEA to call for nuclear crisis team
Kyodo
NRC Increases Oversight At Neb. Nuke Plant
NRC Increases Oversight At Neb. Nuke Plant
Fort Calhoun To Receive Additional Inspections
Read more: http://www.ketv.com/missouri-river-flooding-extended-coverage/29094544/detail.html#ixzz1XJvePq1B
Toshiba to Buy Shaw’s Stake in Westinghouse for $1.6 Billion
Toshiba to Buy Shaw’s Stake in Westinghouse for $1.6 Billion
Entergy v. Vermont trial begins Monday in federal court in Brattleboro
Entergy v. Vermont trial begins Monday in federal court in Brattleboro
Never asked to compromise safety standards at Vermont Yankee
Never asked to compromise safety standards at Vermont Yankee
Six Months After "3/11": Experts to Discuss Where Nuclear Power Stands After Fukushima Disaster
WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Sunday marks two important anniversaries – but the one that will get less attention is "3/11" – the six-month anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear reactor crisis. In anticipation of that anniversary, three leading U.S. experts will hold a phone-based briefing to discuss where things stand now and where they are going for nuclear reactors.
The news event will be held at 11 a.m. EDT/1500 GMT Thursday (September 8, 2011).
Representing a broad range of regulatory, health and engineering expertise, the experts will examine what is now known about the Fukushima disaster, what the implications are for U.S. reactors oversight and design, and what the post-Fukushima implications are since the recent earthquake and Hurricane Irene events in the U.S.
News event speakers will be:
- Peter Bradford, former member of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, former chair of the New York and Maine utility regulatory commissions, and currently adjunct professor at Vermont Law School on "Nuclear Power and Public Policy";
- Ed Lyman, senior scientist, Global Security Program, Union of Concerned Scientists; and
- Dr. Andy Kanter, national board president elect (2012), Physicians for Social Responsibility, and director of Medical Informatics / Health Info Services, Millennium Villages Project, Earth Institute, Columbia University.
TO PARTICIPATE: You can join this live, phone-based news conference (with full, two-way Q&A) at 11 a.m. EDT/1500 GMT on September 8, 2011 by dialing 1 (800) 860-2442 in the U.S., 080-823-89064 in the United Kingdom or +1-412-858-4600 for callers outside the U.S./United Kingdom. Ask for the "Fukushima 6-month anniversary" telenews event.
CAN'T PARTICIPATE?: A streaming audio replay of the news event will be available on the Web at http://www.nuclearbailout.org as of 3 p.m. EDT/1900 GMT on September 8, 2011.
SOURCE Physicians for Social Responsibility, Washington, D.C.
St. Lucie reactors on NRC list with increased earthquake risk
St. Lucie reactors on NRC list with increased earthquake risk
Fort Pierce Tribune - -
HUTCHINSON ISLAND — The two units at the St. Lucie Nuclear Plant are among 27 reactors identified by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as possibly needing upgrades to better withstand earthquakes. The NRC flagged the plants by ...
TVA's Browns Ferry reactor needs 'highest level of attention,' NRC says
TVA's Browns Ferry reactor needs 'highest level of attention,' NRC says
al.com (blog) - -
By Budd McLaughlin, The Huntsville Times The top floor of the reactor building at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant shows the cover of Unit 1 and the spent fuel storage tank wth water covering the rods 29 feet deep. (The Huntsville Times/Michael Mercier) ...
Pa. nuclear plant marked down in NRC safety check
Pa. nuclear plant marked down in NRC safety check
Associated Press, 09.07.11, 10:57 AM EDT
HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Pennsylvania's Susquehanna nuclear power plant faces tougher scrutiny from federal regulators following a national review of plant safety.
Russia Says No Plans to Build New Atomic Stations in Iran
Russia Says No Plans to Build New Atomic Stations in Iran
AEG Power Solutions Signs Outstanding Frame Agreement with GT Advanced Technologies
AEG Power Solutions Signs Outstanding Frame Agreement with GT Advanced Technologies for the Supply of Its Thyrobox M(TM)Power Supply Systems Used in the Polysilicon Manufacturing Process
Global warming could put Turkey Point nuclear reactors under water
Global warming could put Turkey Point nuclear reactors under water
Miami New Times - -
Warning: Global warming is a fact, and the results are already visible. Hurricanes are getting stronger; droughts and floods are more frequent. In South Florida, waters rose roughly six inches between 1930 and 1981. That might not sound like much, ...
Fifth Annual GridWeek: Best Forum for Smart Grid Dialogue Yet
Fifth Annual GridWeek: Best Forum for Smart Grid Dialogue Yet
The Energy Collective cordially invites you to attend GridWeek, the only conference focused on The Way Forward for smart energy. The Energy Collective is providing you with a special discounted registration.
Described as the “best overall subject matter conference,” providing “an extraordinary range of perspectives,” gathering “all key Smart Grid stakeholders,” and having “the best speakers and forward-looking content,” the fifth annual GridWeek conference commences Sept. 12 in Washington, D.C., and promises the most internationally focused, utility-rich content to date.
See what Smart Grid leaders have said about GridWeek for the past five years>
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Leading speakers: Painting a comprehensive picture of the global Smart Grid, keynote speakers include:
Described as the “best overall subject matter conference,” providing “an extraordinary range of perspectives,” gathering “all key Smart Grid stakeholders,” and having “the best speakers and forward-looking content,” the fifth annual GridWeek conference commences Sept. 12 in Washington, D.C., and promises the most internationally focused, utility-rich content to date.
See what Smart Grid leaders have said about GridWeek for the past five years>
More than 40 unique sessions and 200+ industry leading speakers
An incredible collection of industry leaders and experts will help define “The Way Forward” for Smart Grid in a venue that’s played a historic role in defining Smart Grid’s agenda.- Aneesh Chopra, Chief Technology Officer, United States of America;
- K.C. Venugopal, Minister of State for Power, Government of India;
- P. Uma Shankar, Secretary of Power, Ministry of Power, Government of India;
- Daniel Poneman, Deputy Secretary of Energy, U.S. Department of Energy;
- Patricia Hoffman, Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy;
- Nicole Y Lamb-Hale, Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing, U.S. Department of Commerce; and
- 60+ utility panelists.
- See complete speaker list>
NEI 9/11 Web Page
With the ten year anniversary of 9/11 coming up, we wanted to share with you the link on our website dedicated to security enhancements since 9/11: http://www.nei.org/keyissues/
The page includes a new timeline graphic that outlines the major security initiatives that have been made at U.S. nuclear energy facilities, as well as a new video with Exelon Nuclear’s President and Chief Nuclear Officer Mike Pacilio. The page also includes links to our security video from last year, some graphics, and our security and emergency preparedness fact sheets.
Please feel free to share this with your audiences. Hope you enjoy.
David Bradish
NEI
Nuclear D&D Supply Chain Conference (Nov 17-18, Hotel Sierra, Charlotte – NC)
I wanted to share more information on the Nuclear D&D Supply Chain Conference (Nov 17-18, Hotel Sierra, Charlotte – NC) which will help you reduce D&D costs, drive efficiencies and win contracts by implementing a successful business strategy
You can download the brochure now at http://www.
With the Office of Environmental Management’s FY 2012 budget request at $6.13bn for DOE sites alone, can you afford to miss out on the opportunity to meet:
If you are serious about securing work within this $multi-billion industry you need to be at this unmissable two day business critical event. The super early bird discount expires on Friday so secure your place now to save $400 off the full ticket price https://secure.
You can also register by
Tel: +44 (0)207 375 7565 2.
Email: Reply directly to me today to secure the super early bird price
You can download the brochure now at http://www.
With the Office of Environmental Management’s FY 2012 budget request at $6.13bn for DOE sites alone, can you afford to miss out on the opportunity to meet:
- All 5 D&D site managers from Hanford, Oak Ridge, Savannah River, Portsmouth Paducah and West Valley
- D&D managers from UK, Canada, Germany and Asia
- 150+ leading contractors … all under one roof?
- All 5 key Department of Energy decommissioning site updates from Hanford, Oakridge, Savannah River, Portsmouth Paducah and West Valley sites – a must for any contractor wanting to take a slice of the estimated $11.6 billion worth of DOE decommissioning work remaining
- Go Global! Identify international commercial opportunities available in Canada, Asia, UK and Germany and listen to the latest clean up progress at Fukushima – learn lessons to apply to your decommissioning project
- Stay ahead of your competitors by gaining business critical supply chain advice from the leading D&D companies including Shaw Global Services, Kurion, Babcock International, Fluor-B&W, CH2M Plateau Remediation, Amec and Westinghouse
If you are serious about securing work within this $multi-billion industry you need to be at this unmissable two day business critical event. The super early bird discount expires on Friday so secure your place now to save $400 off the full ticket price https://secure.
You can also register by
Tel: +44 (0)207 375 7565 2.
Email: Reply directly to me today to secure the super early bird price
Updates from ANS Nuclear Cafe
Updates from ANS Nuclear Cafe |
An Interesting Summer!By rmichal on Sep 07, 2011 01:00 amBy Howard Shaffer Entergy, the owner of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant (VY), has sued the state of Vermont in federal court. At the same time, VY is the subject of a suit against the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, in … Continue reading → Read in browser » In Defense of EyesoresBy lscheele on Sep 07, 2011 01:00 amby A. Priori Have you ever heard the joke about the football player who was so ugly that, whenever he stepped onto the field, he was penalized 15 yards for illegal use of face? Okay, you probably haven’t heard that … Continue reading → Read in browser » |
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