Friday, December 2, 2011

N-plants notified of concrete problem

Degradation first surfaced in Seabrook

Scrap all Fukushima nuclear reactors: governor

China to Protect Iran Even if Result Starts World War III; What's the Best Way to Deal with Iran?

Stopping a Nuclear North Korea

A Nuclear Japan's Biggest Fans: Mayors

Setback to nuclear power plans

Britain's plans for a new generation of nuclear power stations have suffered another setback after being delayed by at least a year.

Fukushima fallout: Renaissance in nuclear power generation now a long way off

Why Does Russia's Gazprom Oppose Shale Gas?

By Geoffrey Styles, December 2, 2011
I see that Russia's national gas company, Gazprom, is warning Europeans about the environmental risks of shale gas development. Aside from the hypocrisy stemming from a Russian legacy of environmental disregard that rivals the worst excesses committed anywhere, along with the likelihood of Gazprom profiting if it can deter competition from proliferating shale drilling technologies like hydraulic... » Continue...

Westinghouse signs Temelin MOU with Czech Vitkovice

Dan Ervin: Modular nuclear power units offer advantages

NRC seeks public comment on Watts Bar report

New Reactors Mean New Life For Nuclear

All N-fuel may have fallen to outer vessel / TEPCO: Up to 68 tons likely melted in No. 1 reactor, eroding concrete of containment unit

Earthquake not a factor in Fukushima accident

02 December 2011

The tsunami of 11 March was the 'direct cause' of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, concluded an official investigation report. It dismissed the idea that earthquake damage was a major factor in the accident.

VOE: Voice of Engineer - Takeshi Miyauchi (Joe Miyauchi, E-mail: miyauchijoe@gmail.com) - Research Notes and archives, and information dissemination -

Advanced Nuclear Power Reactors

(Updated October 2011)

The next two generations of nuclear reactors are currently being developed in several countries.
The first (3rd generation) advanced reactors have been operating in Japan since 1996. Late 3rd generation designs are now being built.
Newer advanced reactors have simpler designs which reduce capital cost. They are more fuel efficient and are inherently safer.

The nuclear power industry has been developing and improving reactor technology for more than five decades and is starting to build the next generation of nuclear power reactors to fill new orders.
Several generations of reactors are commonly distinguished. Generation I reactors were developed in 1950-60s, and outside the UK none are still running today. Generation II reactors are typified by the present US and French fleets and most in operation elsewhere. Generation III (and 3+) are the Advanced Reactors discussed in this paper. The first are in operation in Japan and others are under construction or ready to be ordered. Generation IV designs are still on the drawing board and will not be operational before 2020 at the earliest.
About 85% of the world's nuclear electricity is generated by reactors derived from designs originally developed for naval use. These and other second-generation nuclear power units have been found to be safe and reliable, but they are being superseded by better designs.
Reactor suppliers in North America, Japan, Europe, Russia and elsewhere have a dozen new nuclear reactor designs at advanced stages of planning, while others are at a research and development stage. Fourth-generation reactors are at concept stage.
Third-generation reactors have:

TEPCO released the interim report of Fukushima Nuclear Accidents Investigation Committee. 2nd Dec.2011

TEPCO released the interim report of Fukushima Nuclear Accidents Investigation Committee. 2nd Dec.2011
http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/11120205-e.html#top

* Fukushima Nuclear Accidents Investigation Report (Interim): Main body

(Summary)
* Fukushima Nuclear Accidents Investigation Report (Interim): Main body

* Fukushima Nuclear Accidents Investigation Report (Interim): Schedule

(Time series)
* Opinions from Nuclear Safety and Quality Assurance Meeting Accident

Investigation Verification Committee on "Fukushima Nuclear Accidents
Investigation Report" (Interim) of Tokyo Electric Power Company
* Fukushima Nuclear Accidents Investigation Report (Interim): Attachment

* Fukushima Nuclear Accidents Investigation Report (Interim): Schedule

(Individual items)
* The aforementioned attachments are only available in Japanese.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Those reports are written here.
http://epcon.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2011/05/107102201152-50.html (the last part)

Study of China's nuclear arsenal and tunnel system indicates China could have 3000 nuclear weapons

Georgetown students shed light on China’s tunnel system for nuclear weapons

The Strontium Fish and the Associated Press

Friday, December 2, 2011

The Strontium Fish and the Associated Press

Energy Secretary Chu - Visit to MIT Energy Club on Wed 30/11

Energy Secretary Chu - Visit to MIT Energy Club on Wed 30/11

Started by David Parkin

The video of Sec. Chu's address can be found on MITTechTv @ http://techtv.mit.edu/videos/15617-winning-the-clean-energy-race By David Parkin

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Our Burning Love For Hydrocarbons

On The Containment Vessel Damage at Fukushima Daiichi Unit 1 from NEI Nuclear Notes by Eric McErlain

On The Containment Vessel Damage at Fukushima Daiichi Unit 1

from NEI Nuclear Notes by Eric McErlain

NHK: “This is a very severe accident” — Nuclear fuel at Reactor No. 1 may have melted through 65 cm of concrete… Only 37 cm at thinnest point (PHOTOS)

Fukushima fuel rods eating through solid concrete

Nuclear experts back Tepco meltdown simulation findings By MINORU MATSUTANI

Israeli public supports middle east nuclear free zone: UMD poll

Israeli public supports middle east nuclear free zone: UMD poll
Nearly two-thirds of Israeli Jews, 64 percent, favor establishing a nuclear free zone in the Middle East - even when it was spelled out that this would mean both Israel and Iran would have to forego nuclear weapons - finds a new University of Maryland poll. The research is a joint project of the Anwar Sadat Chair at the University of Maryland and the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA).

NASA satellite confirms sharp decline in pollution from US coal power plants

NASA satellite confirms sharp decline in pollution from US coal power plants
A team of scientists have used the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA's Aura satellite to confirm major reductions in the levels of a key air pollutant generated by coal power plants in the eastern United States. The pollutant, sulfur dioxide, contributes to the formation of acid rain and can cause serious health problems.

Half of greenhouse gases 'emitted by five nations'

Half of greenhouse gases 'emitted by five nations'
More than half of all carbon pollution released into the atmosphere comes from five countries, according to a national ranking of greenhouse gas emissions released Thursday.

Japan nuclear meltdown 'maybe worse than thought'

Japan nuclear meltdown 'maybe worse than thought'
Molten nuclear fuel at Japan's Fukushima plant might have eaten two thirds of the way through a concrete containment base, its operator said, citing a new simulation of the extent of the March disaster.

Comments concerning the November 27th broadcast of the NHK special series titled "The Nuclear Crisis: The Safety Myth- The Truth as Spoken by Involved Eyewitnesses"

Comments concerning the November 27th broadcast of the NHK special series titled "The Nuclear Crisis: The Safety Myth- The Truth as Spoken by Involved Eyewitnesses"

'We'll give up nukes if Iran does same'

Saban Center survey shows 65% of Israeli Jews willing to give up nuclear weapons if Islamic Republic waives its own program; prefer to see nuclear-free Middle East

Reducing Nuclear Operational & Capital Costs By Improved Technology

By Rod Adams, December 1, 2011
I received a link from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to a fascinating video about their recent efforts to develop CoSecTM, a new resin technology that is more effective at capturing cobalt-60. Most of the radiation doses that nuclear workers receive come from this single isotope. One possible cost savings aspect of this technology that the video did not mention is the... » Continue...

New York asks to be heard in Vt. nuke suit

NRC ISSUES NOTICE ABOUT SIGNIFICANT HAZARDS CONSIDERATION DETERMINATION AND OPPORTUNITY FOR HEARING

New Reactors Mean New Life For Nuclear

N.Y., two river groups, file for 'friend' status in VY case

Markey, Tierney to NRC: Seabrook Seepage Should Spur Safety Steps

NRC seeks public comment on Watts Bar report

Brazil's nuclear plans stir up debate

Concrete deterioration at Seabrook Station prompts national warning

Amman extends search for nuclear plant partner

North Korea claims progress in uranium enrichment

By Alex Spillius

9:19AM GMT 30 Nov 2011

North Korea claims progress in uranium enrichment

North Korea said yesterday that uranium enrichment and construction of a nuclear power-plant was “progressing apace”, increasing concerns that the country is working to build an atomic weapon.

Initiative would end state nuclear power

Study Shows Worse Picture of Meltdown in Japan

Dan Ervin: Modular nuclear power units offer advantages

Chain reaction: How the media has misread the IAEA's report on Iran

North Korea claims progress in uranium enrichment

Tokyo Electric likely to give up new reactor-media

Study shows deeper meltdown at Japan nuke reactor

GE, Hitachi Propose Plant to Burn U.K.’s Plutonium Stockpile

Nuclear is getting past Fukushima

NRC Maps Post-Fukushima Game Plan for U.S. Plants

NRC review of MOX: No violations found

EEI Discusses Consensus Approach to Meeting Air Quality Rule, Seeks Federal Energy Regulators' Support

PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2011

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) today presented to a federal regulatory panel the consensus views of its utility members on how to achieve compliance with a major air quality rule due to be issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) next month, while assuring continued reliability of electric service. The rule, known as the "utility MACT" (maximum achievable control technology), will impact 1,350 coal- and oil-based generating units at 525 power plants across the nation. The agency has proposed that all facilities must reach compliance within three years, with a conditional fourth year, once the rule is finalized.

# # U.S. Should Play the Long Game on Energy Independence By: Matthew Hulbert and Bas Percival | World Politics Review

U.S. Should Play the Long Game on Energy Independence
By: Matthew Hulbert and Bas Percival | World Politics Review

'Blast in Iran struck uranium enrichment facility'

By JPOST.COM STAFF AND YAAKOV KATZ
11/30/2011 12:30

Satellite imagery confirms Isfahan facility rocked by blast was a nuclear facility, 'The Times' reports, citing Israeli intel officials.

A second Iranian nuclear facility has exploded, as diplomatic tensions rise between the West and Tehran

Australian and Czech consortium announce thorium joint venture

Qinshan Phase II unit 4 grid connected

30 November 2011

Unit 4 of China National Nuclear Corporation's (CNNC's) Qinshan Phase II nuclear power plant was connected to the grid on 25 November – the second Chinese reactor to be connected this year. It is expected to enter commercial operation early in 2012.

China connects another new nuclear reactor and Progress on the pebble bed reactor and other new reactors

Study: Uranium mining in Va. could bring $135 million in economic impact

The world is turning its back on nuclear power

From the NRC Blog The Near-Term Task Force Report – Readable for all?

U.S. NRC Blog

The Near-Term Task Force Report – Readable for all?

by Moderator

Many of us who work at the NRC are scientists and engineers. So as with anyone who works in a specific field, we spend our time at work thinking and speaking in jargon. Even within the NRC, different program offices use different jargon – and we may sometimes not speak each other’s language. So it’s n o wonder we may sometimes have a hard time communicating with the general public

But that doesn’t mean we’re not trying. We want to improve the way we communicate outside the agency. Our Plain Language initiative is one part of this effort.

More specifically, though, we’re trying to make sure our important report from the task force that examined what happened at Fukushima in Japan and proposed recommendations for action is easy to read and understand.

If you have read the report in full or any portion, please provide a comment here with your feedback in terms of how well you can and/or cannot understand it. Comments will be collected and provided to our Commission to be considered in terms of how we can improve the way we communicate.

The report is located here: http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML1118/ML111861807.pdf.

Thank you in advance for your input,

Lance Rakovan

Senior Communications Specialist

The Atomic States of America / U.S.A.

Hi All,
I thought you might be interested to know that the film below has been selected for competition at the next Sundance Film Festival, which announced its lineup yesterday.

The film's description in the Sundance lineup: http://www.sundance.org/press-center/release/2012-festival-program-announcement/
The Atomic States of America / U.S.A. (Directors: Don Argott, Sheena M. Joyce) — In 2010, the United States announced construction of the first new nuclear power plant in more than 32 years. A year later, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck the Fukushima Power Plant in Japan sparking a fierce debate in the U.S. over the safety and viability of nuclear power.

IMDB info: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2088919/
Storyline: In 2010, the United States announced the first new nuclear power plant construction in over 32 years. The 'Nuclear Renaissance' was born, and America's long-stalled expansion of nuclear energy was infused with new life. On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit Japan and caused chaos at the Fukushima Power Plant. That accident sent ripples all the way to the US and suddenly the fierce debate over the safety and viability of nuclear power was back in the public consciousness. Our documentary takes the viewer on a journey to reactor communities around the country. This film exposes the truths and myths of nuclear power, and poses the question of whether or not man can responsibly split the atom.

Nicole Stricker, Ph.D.
Science Press Officer
Idaho National Laboratory
208-526-5955 (o), 208-520-3230 (c)

Melted nuclear fuel eroded reactor container by up to 65 cm: TEPCO

Sellafield waste reactor proposed to convert plutonium

Plutonium is a by-product from the use of uranium fuel in reactors which can be reprocessed

Plans to build a new reactor at Sellafield in Cumbria to convert waste plutonium into electricity have been proposed by energy company GE Hitachi.

MIT nuclear fuel expert has new economic ideas to deal with it

Posted on December 1, 2011 by dyurman|

Colocating all back-end facilities will increase community acceptance because of job creation

Charles Forsberg, executive director of the MIT Nuclear Fuel Cycle Study, writes in the November 2011 issue of the Amercian Nuclear Society’s Nuclear News magazine that a new business model is needed to manage spent nuclear fuel and repositories for long-term storage of highly radioactive waste.

Fukushima residents tour German renewable village

Natural gas is absolutely crucial to America’s energy strategy By George Pataki

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/fracking-bring-good-jobs-york-harming-environment-gov-george-pataki-article-1.984773?localLinksEnabled=false

Fracking can bring good jobs to New York without harming the environment, says former Gov. George Pataki
Natural gas is absolutely crucial to America’s energy strategy

By George Pataki

Solar combined with wind power: a way to get rid of fossil fuels?

http://bravenewclimate.com/2011/11/30/solar-wind-combined/#comments

Fukushima and the inevitability of accidents

Thorium is More Abundant than Uranium, but Can It Work?

UK Considers PRISM and Thorium Reactors for converting Plutonium stockpile

New analysis of Fukushima core status

30 November 2011

A new analysis of the accident at Fukushima Daiichi indicates more extensive melting probably occurred at unit 1 than previously thought, although the predicted status of units 2 and 3 remains about the same.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Melted nuclear fuel eroded reactor container by up to 65 cm: TEPCO

Limerick Nuclear Power Plant's License Renewal Challenged

GE and Hitachi plan new reactor to burn UK plutonium stockpile

Multibillion pound plant at Sellafield would convert UK's nuclear power plant residue into fuel

Canadian firm bids to commercialize fusion reactor

NKorea claims progress in uranium enrichment, light-water reactor, raising nuclear bomb worry

Tepco Details Nuclear Fuel Damage

New York asks to file 'friend' brief in VY water quality suit

How nuclear will make oil greener

Nations Urged to Press for WMD-Free Mideast

from GSN Daily News

Global powers must act decisively to prevent nuclear weapons from proliferating across the Middle East, diplomatic officials and issue specialists said on Tuesday at a forum in Amman, Jordan (see GSN, Nov. 22).

Another Blogger for Nuclear Energy

from Idaho Samizdat: Nuke Notes by noreply@blogger.com (Dan Yurman)

A veteran of the nuclear industry provides timely updates about Fukushima and battles misconceptions about nuclear energy in general

Assessing Iran’s Nuclear Program

from The Diplomat by The Diplomat

The Diplomat's Assistant Editor Harry Kazianis speaks with Matthew Kroenig, associate professor at Georgetown University and Stanton nuclear security fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, to discuss Iran’s nuclear weapons program: Please give us your thoughts on the latest IAEA report on Iran's nuclear program. The report is significant because an independent international organization has provided detailed evidence that Iran has conducted work on nuclear weaponization. This makes it much harder for Iran to claim that it's only interested in nuclear energy, and shifts the debate from whether Iran is developing nuclear weapons to what to do about Iran’s nuclear weapons program. Do you feel there is any “smoking gun” that implicates Iran in trying to build a nuclear weapon? The report describes research and experiments conducted by Iranian scientists that are only relevant to the production of nuclear weapons. They have no other plausible rationale. In your view, is it Iran’s intention to ... Read More...

Capitol Hill's Oil Hypocrisy

from OilPrice.com Daily News Update by stevensba@oilprice.com (Barry Stevens)

Almost every U.S. politician over the last 40 years pledged unwavering support to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and imported oil for reasons of national security, energy security, economic prosperity and environmental stewardship. With all this flag waving, talk of renewable, clean and sustainable energy, and furore over foreign oil, what has actually been achieved?
The U.S. Energy Information Association (“EIA”) Short-Term Outlook Report, September 7, 2011 concludes:
U.S. Liquid Fuels Consumption.
Total consumption of liquid fuels in 2010 grew 410 thousand bbl/d, or 2.2 percent, the highest rate of growth since 2004. In contrast, projected total U.S. liquid fuels
Read more...

European Union Wants Post-Soviet Members Nuclear Reactors Permanently Offline

from OilPrice.com Daily News Update by admin@namecake.com (John Daly)

In the wake of the March Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan and Germany’s subsequent decision in June to close all of its 18 nuclear power plants between 2015 and 2022, the European Union is turning its eyes eastwards to new EU members Bulgaria, Lithuania and Slovakia, offering further funding to ensure that its Soviet-era nuclear reactors remain out of service permanently.

On 24 November the European Commission proposed to provide further EU assistance worth $662 million to support the final closure after earlier decommissioning of Bulgaria’s Kozloduy nuclear power plant (NPP), Lithuania’s Ignalina facility and Slovakia’s Bohunice nuclear station.
Read more...

DOD Recognizes Biofuels Limitations and Steps up Energy Innovation

from OilPrice.com Daily News Update by innov@oilprice.com (Innovation Policy Blog)

It’s worth noting a pair of recent developments on the Defence Department energy front. One is a useful reminder of what DOD can achieve now with the proper support, and a cause for optimism; the other, more pessimistic, illustrates the pressing need for accelerated innovation in the alternative fuels industry more broadly if DOD’s strategic energy needs are to be met.
First, the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP), which runs the Installation Energy Test Bed Initiative for the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defence for Installations and Environment, has announced 27 award recipients under its latest funding
Read more...

The IEA's Dire Warnings on Peak Oil and the Desperate Need for Energy Innovation

from OilPrice.com Daily News Update by postcarbon@oilprice.com (Post Carbon)

Last week the International Energy Agency released its annual report (600 pages) on just where energy production and consumption in the world is going over the next 25 years.
Four or five years back, producing the annual World Energy Outlook was a rather straightforward task. All the IEA had to do was to take the world's current rate of economic growth, calculate how much oil, coal and natural gas it would take to support that growth and publish the results. There was never much consideration of whether resources would start to run out or become too expensive to exploit, or what,
Read more...

Planning and Preparation Is Key for Nuclear Operators Confronting Hurricane Irene

World Energy Outlook 2011

from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace - Publications and Events by Jessica Tuchman Mathews, Adnan Vatansever, Daniel Poneman, Maria van der Hoeven, Richard Jones, Fatih Birol

The World Energy Outlook 2011, the International Energy Agency’s flagship annual report, provides analysis and insight into global energy markets for today and the next 25 years.

Solyndra, and its possible impacts on nuclear

from ANS Nuclear Cafe by lscheele

By Jim Hopf

Indonesian Officials Reiterate Interest in Nuclear Power

Despite Protests, Vitrified Waste Makes It Safely to Germany After Reprocessing at Areva’s La Hague Plant (With Video)

Guest Post: China To Embrace Fracking In An Effort To Ramp Up Energy Production

ENERGY TECH Oil and Gas Outsourcing Set to Grow in the Next Few Years

Oil and Gas Outsourcing Set to Grow in the Next Few Years

Power Generation Costs in China

from Next Big Future by noreply@blogger.com (bw)

China's renewable and nuclear energy targets have recently been updated by the NEA (National Energy Agency). They now stand at 150 gW of installed wind capacity by 2020, along with 20 gW of solar, 380 gW of hydro and 80 gW of nuclear.

Solar combined with wind power: a way to get rid of fossil fuels? from BraveNewClimate.com by Barry Brook

Solar combined with wind power: a way to get rid of fossil fuels?

from BraveNewClimate.com by Barry Brook

atomic power reviewatomic power review Details of nitrogen injection at Fukushima Daiichi

Details of nitrogen injection at Fukushima Daiichi

atomic power review TEPCO reporting on vessel failure

atomic power review

TEPCO reporting on vessel failure

First quakes, then sinkhole: Oklahomans wonder about a connection

Ahead of Frack Hearings, New Questions about Quake Danger

UPDATE 1-Tohoku Elec: earlier test run at quake-hit gas unit

UT professor takes closer look at Fukushima disaster

Japan Panel To Release Report On Nuclear Disaster Dec 26

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant operator 'ignored tsunami warning'

Tokyo Electric Power rejected report warning the nuclear plant could be at risk from 10-metre high tsunami, media claim

Want To Be Carbon-Free? Bring On The Nukes

NRC Panel Chief Urges Faster Action on Rules for Plant Blackouts

UPDATE 1-NRC denies Mass. effort to stop nuke relicensing

Swedish Know-how on Managing Spent Nuclear Fuel Being Exported

Swedish Know-how on Managing Spent Nuclear Fuel Being Exported
STOCKHOLM, November 29, 2011/PRNewswire/ --

SKB International has signed a new agreement with Canadian NWMO, Nuclear Waste Management Organization, on the issue of managing spent nuclear fuel. The agreement reinforces SKB International's strategy to continue in its role as an important international player within safe management of spent nuclear fuel.

The new agreement concerns the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company's underground rock laboratory, the "Aspo Hard Rock Laboratory". Amongst other things, the agreement allows NWMO to use specific SKB's research results and to perform research at Aspo.

South Africans Challenge Canada on Tar Sands on Occasion of Climate Conference: Full Page ad in Canada's National Newspaper Asks Canada to Restore its Reputation

South Africans Challenge Canada on Tar Sands on Occasion of Climate Conference: Full Page ad in Canada's National Newspaper Asks Canada to Restore its Reputation
DURBAN, South Africa, November 30, 2011/PRNewswire/ --

More than a dozen anti-Apartheid and climate leaders from South Africa appear today on a full page ad in Canada's national newspaper, the Globe and Mail. The ad highlights Canada's shift from a progressive country on the international stage to one now actively urging other countries to weaken climate policies on behalf of its tar sands industry. Signatories include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Laureate and former Archbishop of Cape Town, Jay Naidoo Minister of Reconstruction and Development in President Mandela's Cabinet and Zwelinzima Vavi, General Secretary of Congress of South African Trade Unions.

The ad features a two-faced maple leaf, one side proud and red and the other black and dripping with oil. The ad text reads:

"Canada, you were once considered a leader on global issues like human rights and environmental protection. Today you're home to polluting tar sands oil, speeding the dangerous effects of climate change. For us in Africa, climate change is a life and death issue. By dramatically increasing Canada's global warming pollution, tar sands mining and drilling makes the problem worse, and exposes millions of Africans to more devastating drought and famine today and in the years to come. It's time to draw the line. We call on Canada to change course and be a leader in clean energy and to support international action to reduce global warming pollution."

Status of Air Pollution Control in China

Want Australian uranium? Join the NPT Australia may begin exporting uranium to India, but proponents have hijacked what is primarily an arms control debate.

Want Australian uranium? Join the NPT

Australia may begin exporting uranium to India, but proponents have hijacked what is primarily an arms control debate.

Mideast security can only come through real, just peace, not nuclear deterrence_ Prince Ali

Tuesday, 29 November 2011 15:11 |

Written by Petra News |

Amman, Nov 29 (Petra) -- His Royal Highness Prince Ali Ibn al Hussein said on Tuesday that security based on mutually assured destruction and indiscriminate targeting is false security but real security is based on peace.

EPA Reduces Smokestack Pollution, Protecting Americans’ Health from Soot and Smog/Clean Air Act protections will cut dangerous pollution in communities that are home to 240 million Americans

Release Date: 07/07/2011
Contact Information: Enesta Jones, jones.enesta@epa.gov, 202-564-7873, 202-564-4355

WASHINGTON – Building on the Obama Administration’s strong record of protecting the public’s health through common-sense clean air standards – including proposed standards to reduce emissions of mercury and other air toxics, as well as air quality standards for sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide – the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today finalized additional Clean Air Act protections that will slash hundreds of thousands of tons of smokestack emissions that travel long distances through the air leading to soot and smog, threatening the health of hundreds of millions of Americans living downwind. The Cross-State Air Pollution Rule will protect communities that are home to 240 million Americans from smog and soot pollution, preventing up to 34,000 premature deaths, 15,000 nonfatal heart attacks, 19,000 cases of acute bronchitis, 400,000 cases of aggravated asthma, and 1.8 million sick days a year beginning in 2014 – achieving up to $280 billion in annual health benefits. Twenty seven states in the eastern half of the country will work with power plants to cut air pollution under the rule, which leverages widely available, proven and cost-effective control technologies. Ensuring flexibility, EPA will work with states to help develop the most appropriate path forward to deliver significant reductions in harmful emissions while minimizing costs for utilities and consumers.
“No community should have to bear the burden of another community's polluters, or be powerless to prevent air pollution that leads to asthma, heart attacks and other harmful illnesses. These Clean Air Act safeguards will help protect the health of millions of Americans and save lives by preventing smog and soot pollution from traveling hundreds of miles and contaminating the air they breathe,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “By maximizing flexibility and leveraging existing technology, the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule will help ensure that American families aren’t suffering the consequences of pollution generated far from home, while allowing states to decide how best to decrease dangerous air pollution in the most cost effective way.”

Carried long distances across the country by wind and weather, power plant emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxide (NO_x) continually travel across state lines. As the pollution is transported, it reacts in the atmosphere and contributes to harmful levels of smog (ground-level ozone) and soot (fine particles), which are scientifically linked to widespread illnesses and premature deaths and prevent many cities and communities from enjoying healthy air quality.
The rule will improve air quality by cutting SO₂ and NO_x emissions that contribute to pollution problems in other states. By 2014, the rule and other state and EPA actions will reduce SO₂ emissions by 73 percent from 2005 levels. NO_x emissions will drop by 54 percent. Following the Clean Air Act’s “Good Neighbor” mandate to limit interstate air pollution, the rule will help states that are struggling to protect air quality from pollution emitted outside their borders, and it uses an approach that can be applied in the future to help areas continue to meet and maintain air quality health standards.
The Cross-State Air Pollution Rule replaces and strengthens the 2005 Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR), which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ordered EPA to revise in 2008. The court allowed CAIR to remain in place temporarily while EPA worked to finalize today’s replacement rule.
The rule will protect over 240 million Americans living in the eastern half of the country, resulting in up to $280 billion in annual benefits. The benefits far outweigh the $800 million projected to be spent annually on this rule in 2014 and the roughly $1.6 billion per year in capital investments already underway as a result of CAIR. EPA expects pollution reductions to occur quickly without large expenditures by the power industry. Many power plants covered by the rule have already made substantial investments in clean air technologies to reduce SO₂and NO_x emissions. The rule will level the playing field for power plants that are already controlling these emissions by requiring more facilities to do the same. In the states where investments in control technology are required, health and environmental benefits will be substantial.
The rule will also help improve visibility in state and national parks while better protecting sensitive ecosystems, including Appalachian streams, Adirondack lakes, estuaries, coastal waters, and forests. In a supplemental rulemaking based on further review and analysis of air quality information, EPA is also proposing to require sources in Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin to reduce NO_Xemissions during the summertime ozone season. The proposal would increase the total number of states covered by the rule from 27 to 28. Five of these six states are covered for other pollutants under the rule. The proposal is open for public review and comment for 45 days after publication in the Federal Register.
More information: http://www.epa.gov/crossstaterule/

Lightbridge Signs Korean Nuclear Fuel Research Agreement

Is Thorium the energy solution the world has been waiting for?

Australian and Czech consortium announce thorium joint venture

A group of Australian and Czech companies have come together to develop a thorium fuelled molten salt reactor.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

“Nuclear plants are too inflexible… ?”

Explosion in Isfahan, Iran - location of Iran's Nuclear Facilities

Japanese Nuclear Accident Simulations Severely Underestimate Radiation Risks

Press release - November 29, 2011

Tokyo, Japan, November 29, 2011 – Greenpeace today renewed its demand for the Japanese government to keep its nuclear reactors offline as simulation maps of potential accidents at Japan’s nuclear plants - used in the development of nuclear emergency response efforts - are completely inadequate, and have not been updated since the Fukushima disaster.

Nobelist Tanaka to join nuclear crisis probe

Kyodo

The ruling and opposition parties are making final arrangements to appoint Nobel chemistry laureate Koichi Tanaka as a member of a special Diet committee investigating the causes of the triple-meltdown crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant, sources said Tuesday.

The parties also plan to name Kiyoshi Kurokawa, 75, former president of the Science Council of Japan, as head of the panel, the sources said.

Ten panel members including Tanaka, 52, and Kurokawa are expected to be chosen by a joint council made up of members of the steering committees of both the Lower and Upper houses when the council meets Thursday.

The panel will be made up of experts from various fields, including nuclear power engineering, earthquakes and tsunami, radiology, and crisis management.

Neither Tanaka nor Kurokawa are experts on nuclear power, but they were chosen by the ruling and opposition camps in the belief that their wide expertise in science and technology could help in examining the crisis at the Tokyo Electric Power Co. plant, the sources said.

Chernobyl nuclear disaster zone deemed too hot for tourists

Chinese NPP News

NPP news

Sanmen nuclear power unit 1 completed three engineering projects On November 21st, the welding of the top cover of Sanmen nuclear power unit 1 CV was completed; Core makeup tank was installed......More

Ningde nuclear power unit 1’s surge pipeline welding was completed
On November 17, Surge pipeline welding for Ningde nuclear power unit 1 installation was completed......More

311 tons reactor pressure vessel for Haiyang nuclear power unit 1 arrived at the siteOn November 9th, 311 tons reactor pressure vessel for Haiyang nuclear power unit 1 arrived at the site. The reactor pressure vessel is 4.5 meters diameter, 12.2 meters high, and 311 tons in weight......More

The first pressure vessel for Yangjiang nuclear power unit 1 was installed On November 4th, the first pressure vessel for Yangjiang nuclear power unit 1 was successfully installed......More

Reactor pressure vessel cylinder for Haiyang unit 1 was shipped out On November 4th, reactor pressure vessel cylinder, which is designed by Westinghouse and fabricated by Doosan for Haiyang unit 1, was shipped out......More

Hongyanhe NPP completed the lifting of diesel generators in 2DB workshop
On October 31st, Hongyanhe NPP phaseⅠcompleted the lifting of diesel generators in 2DB workshop......More

Haiyang nuclear power unit 2 CV was installed On October 30th, Haiyang nuclear power unit 2 CV barrel was installed. The barrel is 39.6 meters inner in diameter, 11.6 meters high, 510 tons and can lift up to 590 tons......More

Tianwan's water open channels extension project passed inspections On November 21st, Tianwan’s water open channels extension project passed inspections.The inspection was held by Jiangsu Oceanic &Fishery Administration in Nanjing......More

Ningde NPP unit 1 has completed installing three main pump motors On November 16, the main pump motor in the second loop of Ningde NPP unit 1 was successfully installed. Hence, the three main pump motors are now all successfully installed. The main pump motor is comprised of the main body and accessories (air and oil coolers)......More
Qinshan nuclear power plant realized safe and stable operation for 20 years
Qinshan nuclear power plant, the first nuclear power plant in mainland, achieved safe and stable operation for the past 20 years since it was put into operation in 1991.Qinshan nuclear power plant’s construction was approved in November, 1981......More

Chinese AP 1000 News

AP 1000 News
A review meeting on AP 1000 NPP standard modifications was held On November 9, 2011, “AP 1000 NPP standard modifications” review meeting was held in Ningbo, Zhejiang. 18 experts from National Nuclear Safety Administration, Department of Nuclear Safety Management......More
Shidaowan NPP starts the training for AP1000 operators On October 28th, Mr. Wang Yongfu, General Manager of Huaneng Shandong Shidao Bay Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. met Mr. Lu Hongzao, General Manager of CNNC Sanmen Nuclear Power Co., Ltd......More
Narrow gap auto welding technology assessment for AP1000 main pipeline has completed On October 26th, narrow gap auto welding technology for AP1000 main pipeline made by China Nuclear Industry Fifth Construction Co. Ltd was approved by the government......More
State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation signed AP1000 technology license agreement with Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation (SNPTC) signed AP1000 technology license agreement with Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center in Beijing......More

China Electric Power Research Institute will undertake large equipment installations for Shandong Haiyang nuclear power

China Electric Power Research Institute will undertake large equipment installations for Shandong Haiyang nuclear power On November 13th, China Electric Power Research Institute successfully won the bid for ......More

The ACPR1000 with Chinese IPR debuts at the international market

The ACPR1000 with Chinese IPR debuts at the international market On November 16, 2011, the ACPR1000 advanced GW EPR technology with Chinese IPR developed by CGNPC debuts at the 13th China Hi-Tech Fair in Shenzhen......More

Hubei will build the second nuclear power plant

Hubei will build the second nuclear power plant In ‘The first Wuhan Design Biennial’, Chief Engineer of Central Southern China Electric Power Design Institute, Mr. Wanghui, said Hubei intends to build the second nuclear power plant......More

CNNC starts to industrialize the spent fuel reprocessing

CNNC starts to industrialize the spent fuel reprocessing On November 17, 2011, CNNC Ruineng Technology Co., Ltd. held an opening ceremony in Beijing......More

Recovering boric acid from nuclear power plant's liquid waste

Recovering boric acid from nuclear power plant's liquid waste
LIU Jingjing, ZHANG Weijiang, XU Jiao
(School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China)
Abstract: With the progress of modern science and technology, the demand for enriched 10B is becoming greater. Particularly, nuclear power reactors require large amounts of enriched boron-10 acid. However, currently the use of enriched boron-10 acid in China depends on import, thus limiting the development of advance materials in China. In this paper, the role of boric acid in the nuclear power plant and the important significance of recovering boric acid from nuclear waste are introduced. This article studies the principles on liquid-liquid extraction, ion exchange, membrane separation and evaporation as well as their respective advantages and disadvantages in the process of boric acid, recovery boric acid, and the recycling process of boric acid. Several feasibility programs and their applications were also elaborated......More

French nuclear chief bats for EPR technology

NUCLEAR-FRANCE 2 LAST

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Salvaging Durban with Innovation

By Matthew Stepp, November 29, 2011
Looking past the possibility of any legally-binding global emission target (and U.S. involvement in any treaty), the international climate negotiations opening today in Durban, South Africa are missing the point – the only way the world is going to drastically reduce carbon emissions is through innovation. Yet, Durban is set to be weighed down by discussions of caps, targets, and... » Continue...

The Discussion Continues: Nuclear Power in Japan

By Karen Street, November 29, 2011
This began as an answer to one letter writer in Friends Journal, and grew. The information that surprised me most is the answer to this question: How does the danger from the Fukushima Daiichi reactors compare to other health dangers, such as Tokyo pollution? ************** There were a number of responses to Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Power in Japan. It is long past time for Friends to... » Continue...

EPA's Jackson: States Doing 'Good Job' Regulating Shale Gas Production

By Mark Green, November 29, 2011
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, in an interview aired Sunday by energyNOW on hydraulic fracturing regulation: "The vast majority of oil and gas production is regulated at the state level. There are issues of whether or not the federal government can add to protection and also peace of mind for citizens by looking at large issues like air pollution impacts, which can be regional. ... So... » Continue...

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From the NRC Blog: NRC and the nuclear industry to continue dialogue on Japan Task Force recommendations by Moderator

.S. NRC Blog

NRC and the nuclear industry to continue dialogue on Japan Task Force recommendations

by Moderator

The NRC has spent several weeks laying the groundwork for carrying out several recommendations of the agency’s Japan Near-Term Task Force, which looked at issues raised by the Fukushima nuclear accident in March. We’ve reached the point where we’re ready to start discussions with industry representatives and the public on how to best implement each of the recommendations.

The staff will hold its first implementation meeting this Thursday, Dec. 1, to discuss the recommendations that were subsequently categorized as “Tier 1,” or those to be implemented without unnecessary delay. The meeting will be held from 9 a.m. to noon in Room T2B3 of the Two White Flint North building at 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Md. Visitors must use the NRC’s main entrance in the One White Flint North Building at 11555 Rockville Pike.

The staff and industry representatives will discuss the general approach to implementing the “Tier 1” recommendations. The public will have the opportunity to ask the NRC staff questions about the process during the meeting, which will be webcast. You can also participate by phone -- call 888-469-1349 and use passcode 2977606.

The NRC will hold more meetings to lay out initial schedules and milestones for specific recommendations. The first few of these meetings have tentatively been scheduled at NRC Headquarters for Dec. 15; Jan. 5 and 19, 2012; and Feb. 2, 2012. Notices for these meetings will be posted on the NRC’s public meeting schedule.

The task force issued its report and recommendations on July 12. The Commission directed the staff to identify which recommendations could be implemented without unnecessary delay, and the staff responded with a proposal Sept. 9. The Commission provided direction to the staff on Oct. 18 on how to carry out the proposal.

Scott Burnell

Public Affairs Officer

IAEA Issues New Report on Climate Change and Nuclear Power

Report Highlights Role of Nuclear in Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Hans-Holger Rogner, IAEA Planning and Economic Studies Section, Department of Nuclear Energy, talks about the new report Climate Change and Nuclear Power 2011, which the IAEA has released to coincide with the COP17 climate change talks in Durban, South Africa.

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The IAEA has issued an updated report on Climate Change and Nuclear Power 2011, to coincide with the next round of global climate talks in Durban, South Africa being held under the auspices of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The IAEA is participating in the Conference and will be presenting the Report to highlight nuclear power's contribution to the global climate change agenda.
The report, which revises and updates a 2009 edition, summarizes the potential role of nuclear power in mitigating global climate change and how it contributes to other development and environmental challenges. It also examines issues such as cost, safety, waste management and non-proliferation.
"Nuclear power is good for the climate." That is the basic message that the IAEA - through the report - would like to convey in Durban, according to Mr. Hans-Holger Rogner, Section Head of the IAEA Planning and Economic Studies Section in the Department of Nuclear Energy. It is the same message that the Agency has conveyed in previous COP gatherings, as there continues to be a lack of understanding of the benefits that nuclear power can bring in mitigating climate change, Mr. Rogner added.
The 2011 report reiterates the basic benefits and competitiveness of nuclear power, particularly how it can address the twin challenges of global climate change and energy demand, with one major addition.
"We wrote the report after the Fukushima accident," clarifies Mr. Rogner, "so the implications of the effects of the accident on nuclear power are reflected in it."
This impact has resulted in a shift in the IAEA's projections, so that figures for 2011 are about 7-8% lower than those of 2010. Nevertheless, while the use of nuclear power is contested in some countries, there have been, by and large, no major retractions from nuclear power programmes of most Member States.
"The basic drivers that fueled the 'renaissance of interest' in nuclear power have not changed," Mr. Rogner explained. "Concerns about growing energy demands, environmental pressures, volatile fossil fuel prices and energy security are still here," he pointed out, "so expectations are that while there may be a major shift in projections and expected delay, no major reduction in production can be expected."
The report, Climate Change and Nuclear Power 2011, is available on the Website of the Planning and Economic Studies Section in the Department of Nuclear Energy.
-- By Rodolfo Quevenco, IAEA Division of Public Information

Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire

Friday, December 2, 2011

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