First concrete at Tianwan 3

First concrete at Tianwan 3

by Jeremy Gordon

Construction of a new reactor was started this week in China. The Russian-designed model is the fourth to be inaugurated since China resumed approvals for new plants at the end of October.http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN_First_concrete_at_Tianwan_3_2912121.aspx

First electricity flows from Ningde nuclear plant

First electricity flows from Ningde nuclear plant

by Jeremy Gordon

A landmark was reached at Ningde 1 on 28 December as the delivery of first power took the reactor from the construction phase into commissioning. Operator China Guangdong Nuclear Power Company said it was the beginning of the nuclear power plant creating value for society.http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN_First_electricity_flows_from_Ningde_nuclear_plant_2912122.html

Asia Quickly Dominating LNG Tanker Market

Asia Quickly Dominating LNG Tanker Market

by admin@namecake.com (John Daly)

No less an authority than the U.S. Energy Information Administration is bullish on the future of natural gas, writing, “natural gas is the world's fastest-growing fossil fuel, with consumption increasing at an average rate of 1.6 percent per year from 2008 to 2035. Growth in consumption occurs in every International Economic Organization region and is most concentrated in non- Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries, where demand increases nearly three times as fast as in OECD countries. Increases in production in…Read more...http://oilprice.com/Energy/Natural-Gas/Asia-Quickly-Dominating-LNG-Tanker-Market.html

What Mattered in Energy Innovation This Year

What Mattered in Energy Innovation This Year

Notable advances in renewable energy pale compared to the impact of shale gas.
Although renewable energy made impressive advances this year, its impact has been dwarfed by the changes caused by the surplus of cheap, abundant natural gas made possible by hydrofracturing—fracking—of shale deposits. It will also be hard for renewables to equal the impact of shale gas in the coming years.http://www.technologyreview.com/news/508951/what-mattered-in-energy-innovation-this-year/

Blowing Up Now: The Transfer Of French Nuclear Technology To China

Blowing Up Now: The Transfer Of French Nuclear Technology To China

by testosteronepit

Wolf Richter   www.testosteronepit.com   www.amazon.com/author/wolfrichter
Technology transfers, whether on a contractual basis or through theft, have long bedeviled companies that want to benefit from China’s cheap labor and 1.3 billion consumers. Automakers, aerospace companies, technology outfits.... it’s the price they have to pay. But when it seeped out that the largely state-owned nuclear industry in France was trying to sell its secrets to China to make a deal, oh là là!http://www.zerohedge.com/contributed/2012-12-28/blowing-transfer-french-nuclear-technology-china

Accelerator driven sub-critical reactor could burn nuclear waste and create diesel at less than $2 per gallon

Accelerator driven sub-critical reactor could burn nuclear waste and create diesel at less than $2 per gallonhttp://nextbigfuture.com/2012/12/accelerator-driven-sub-critical-reactor.html

Energy Solutions: LFTRs in 5 minutes

Energy Solutions: LFTRs in 5 minutes – Thorium Reactors | Picnic ...
Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactors were created 50 years ago by an American, Alvin Weinberg ...
picnicsolutions.com/energy-solutions-lftrs-in-5-minutes-thoriu...

Tokyo Reconsiders Nuclear Phaseout

Tokyo Reconsiders Nuclear Phaseout

Wall Street Journal - ‎

TOKYO—Japan's new trade and industry minister said the government will consider scrapping a plan to phase out nuclear power by 2040—a promise made by the previous administration—and could reopen nuclear plants that pass stringent safety tests and ...http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323300404578207110812336482.html

On Japan rethinking it pledge to head towards a non-nuclear power future less ...

Livemint -

Less than two years after a pledge to head towards a non-nuclear power future, Japan is actively engaged in rethinking the issue. The new government, headed by Shinzo Abe, is trying to undo the nuclear freeze enforced by the previous government. http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/lR0IyzYvgBkD56rdVBCldM/Japans-Nrevival.html

Review of zero N-policy hailed / Business groups hope for reactor restarts amid ...

The Daily Yomiuri -

The Cabinet led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will pursue a realistic policy of securing a stable energy supply by reviewing the Democratic Party of Japan-led government's policy of "ending reliance on nuclear power generation in the 2030s." This represents ...http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business/T121228003031.htm

 

Zee News - ‎Dec 28, 2012‎

Japan to review plans to abandon nuclear power London: The new government in Japan has announced it will review planned nuclear power phase-out proposed by the previous administration. Trade and Industry Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said that ...http://zeenews.india.com/news/world/japan-to-review-plans-to-abandon-nuclear-power_819406.html

JRT's Top Ten Articles of 2012

Wall Street Journal (blog) - ‎Dec 28, 2012‎

From heavy doses of cute to everything iPhone 5 and jarring earthquake forecasts, JRT readers were drawn to a wide array of Japan news this year. The deep scars left by the 2011 devastating disasters and health concerns linked to the Fukushima Daiichi ...http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2012/12/28/jrts-top-ten-articles-of-2012/

Japan to Review 'Nuclear-Free by 2030s' Goal, Minister Says

Bloomberg - ‎Dec 27, 2012‎

Japan's government plans to establish a variety of sources for electricity generation within ten years, including a review of the plan to exit nuclear power set by the previous administration, Trade Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said. “We will make our decisions ...http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-28/japan-to-review-nuclear-free-by-2030s-goal-minister-says.html

 

Related articles

• Japan's new govt to review zero-nuclear policy

Motegi: Budget earmarked to decommission Fukushima nuclear reactors

Motegi: Budget earmarked to decommission Fukushima nuclear reactors

Asahi Shimbun - ‎

The Abe administration will earmark several tens of billions of yen in this fiscal year's supplementary budget as research and development costs for decommissioning reactors at the damaged Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. The decision was revealed ...http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201212290052

Toshiba Talks Highlight Nuclear Power Slow Down (CBI, SHAW)

Toshiba Talks Highlight Nuclear Power Slow Down (CBI, SHAW) Market Daily News Demand for nuclear power has slipped since the Fukushima disaster fallowing Japan's earthquake and tsunami. Power to the plant's cooling systems was cut off, resulting in the meltdown of several of the plant's nuclear reactor cores. An aggressive and ...http://marketdailynews.com/2012/12/28/toshiba-talks-highlight-nuclear-power-slow-down-cbi-shaw/

San Onofre: Edison’s Experimental Restart Scheme May Violate Terms of Plant’s Operating License

San Onofre: Edison’s Experimental Restart Scheme May Violate Terms of Plant’s Operating License

http://www.enewspf.com/latest-news/science-a-environmental/39367-san-onofre-edisons-experimental-restart-scheme-may-violate-terms-of-plants-operating-license.html

PUBLIC INPUT IS SOUGHT ON SAN ONOFRE COSTS

PUBLIC INPUT IS SOUGHT ON SAN ONOFRE COSTS
U-T San Diego
State regulators will soon hold a public hearing about the idled San Onofre nuclear plant and whether utility customers should continue to pay all its costs. On Wednesday, the California Public Utilities Commission scheduled two back-to-back hearings Feb.http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/dec/28/tp-public-input-is-sought-on-san-onofre-costs/

Active fault may close Japan nuclear plant

Active fault may close Japan nuclear plant

Tokyo (UPI) Dec 28, 2012
Japan's nuclear watchdog says it will recommend shutting down a power plant in Fukui Prefecture if a geologic fault under the facility proves to be active. The Nuclear Regulation Authority said Thursday it would require Kansai Electric Power Co., operator of the Oi nuclear plant, to close it down if the fault beneath key equipment is found to be active, Asahi Shimbun reported.http://www.nuclearpowerdaily.com/reports/Active_fault_may_close_Japan_nuclear_plant_999.html

Tokyo Almost As Irradiated As Fukushima

Tokyo Almost As Irradiated As Fukushima

by WashingtonsBlog

Tepco – and West Coast of America – Slammed with Radiationhttp://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012/12/tokyo-almost-as-irradiated-as-fukushima.html

SMR Designer NuScale Hires Fluor Exec as CEO

SMR Designer NuScale Hires Fluor Exec as CEO

by Nuclear Street News Team

Fluor executive John L. Hopkins will replace NuScale Power co-founder Paul Lorenzini as CEO of the Oregon-based company marketing a small modular reactor.
...(read more)http://nuclearstreet.com/nuclear_power_industry_news/b/nuclear_power_news/archive/2012/12/27/smr-designer-nuscale-hires-fluor-exec-as-ceo-122702.aspx

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant Weekly Review

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant Weekly Review

by Nuclear Street News Team

Japan's new prime minister has said his government will review earlier plans to phase out nuclear power, while in the U.S. two sailors have sued Tokyo Electric Power Co. alleging the company withheld information on the danger at Fukushima Daiichi during tsunami relief efforts.

Developments in the last week related to the severely damaged nuclear plant include ...
...(read more)http://nuclearstreet.com/nuclear_power_industry_news/b/nuclear_power_news/archive/2012/12/28/fukushima-daiichi-nuclear-plant-weekly-review-122802.aspx

Sandy and the Utilities by Bill Sweet

Sandy and the Utilities

by Bill Sweet

Post-Sandy, New York City's regional utilities naturally have come under a lot of heat for their performance during and after the storm, which left lower Manhattan without lights for a week or ten days.http://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise/energy/the-smarter-grid/sandy-and-the-utilities?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+IeeeSpectrumEnergywiseBlog+%28Energywise+-+IEEE+Spectrum%29

Chinese Oil Companies Apparent Victors in Post-Saddam Iraq

Chinese Oil Companies Apparent Victors in Post-Saddam Iraq

by admin@namecake.com (John Daly)

It was not supposed to be like this.After 2003’s U.S.-led Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq’s vast oil reserves, a monopoly under the Baathist government of deposed President Saddam Hussein, were opened to foreign investment. That optimistic assessment proved somewhat naïve however, as the country quickly descended into a prolonged power struggle between Sunni Arabs, who had dominated the Saddam administration, Shia Iraqis, the majority in the country, and northern Iraq’s Kurdish population, which had suffered years of repression. Nevertheless,…Read more...http://oilprice.com/Geopolitics/Middle-East/Chinese-Oil-Companies-Apparent-Victors-in-Post-Saddam-Iraq.html

US Contract Notice: Nuclear Regulatory Commission Issues Solicitation for "PBX Maintenance and Support Services"

http://www.pennenergy.com/wirenews/powernews/2012/12/28/us-contract-notice-nuclear-regulatory-commission-issues-solicitation-for-pbx-maintenance-and-support.html

Anti-Nuclear Groups to Meet with NRC Next Week re: Oyster Creek

Anti-Nuclear Groups to Meet with NRC Next Week [AUDIO] New Jersey 101.5 FM Radio Representatives from several groups will be able to offer comments directly to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Review Board, related to a petition for additional testing at the facility. Oyster Creek happens to be the nation's oldest nuclear ...http://nj1015.com/anti-nuclear-groups-to-meet-with-nrc-next-week-audio/

NRC to share oversight process for Vogtle expansion
The Augusta Chronicle
That program includes inspection, assessment, enforcement and the verification process to ensure that new nuclear power plants are built according to their approved design, their license and NRC regulations. Federal regulators will also be accepting ...http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2012-12-28/nrc-share-oversight-process-vogtle-expansion?v=1356690669

The Nuclear Waste Dump Formerly Known as San Onofre?

The Nuclear Waste Dump Formerly Known as San Onofre? CounterPunch The Nuclear Waste Dump Formerly Known as San Onofre? by RUSSELL D. HOFFMAN. Southern California Edison, the operator of the (non-operating) San Onofre Nuclear Waste Generating Station, is running out of options.http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/12/28/the-nuclear-waste-dump-formerly-known-as-san-onofre/

Could Fusion Clean Up Nuclear Waste?

Could Fusion Clean Up Nuclear Waste?
IEEE Spectrum
What if you could help solve the nuclear waste problem and at the same time give fusion research a new raison d'être? A trio of physicists at the University of Texas at Austin have dreamed up a trick to pair nuclear fusion and fission in a way they ...http://spectrum.ieee.org/energy/nuclear/could-fusion-clean-up-nuclear-waste

A Safe Plant and the Same Few Protestors: Guest Post by Steve Moriarty

A Safe Plant and the Same Few Protestors: Guest Post by Steve Moriarty

http://yesvy.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-safe-plant-and-same-few-protestors.html

Steve Moriarty has worked at Vermont Yankee for 34 years.  He moved from dirty fossil plants to this clean, organized nuclear plant.  He thinks back on anti-nuclear protests at the plant, and notes that he has been looking at the same faces of protestors for ten, twenty or thirty years. Since these protestors are also opposed to fossil fuels, he suggests that they might spend their time on encouraging new, better nuclear plants in the future.  Then everyone would win.

POWER January 2013 Issue

In the January 2013 Issue:

Slow Growth Ahead-with Unexpected Flares of Activity

The power generation industry is a long-lead-time business with long-lifecycle infrastructure, so any diversion from familiar operating parameters (shale gas, we're looking at you) can spell difficulties for generation owners, grid dispatchers, and end users. POWER editors and contributors look at the likely scenarios-and surprises-ahead for the U.S. and Europe.

Coal Battered Early, Later Rebounds

Shale gas development in the U.S. has changed the tune for power generators, leading to a game of musical chairs for coal- and gas-fired power dispatch. Gas may be leading the dance now, but don't count coal out.

Natural Gas-Fired Plants Continue Rollercoaster Ride

When combined cycle peakers reach peak capacity factors of 80%, you know market fundamentals have changed. There may be more supply now than during the previous gas bubble, but there are still factors that could burst that bubble

POWER IN RUSSIA

The Russian Power Revolution
Russia holds some of the largest fossil fuel reserves in the world and has become a major fuel exporter. Domestically, however, those resources have not guaranteed a reliable electricity infrastructure. We look at the history of the Russian power industry, previous reforms, and the latest plan to modernize a sector hobbled by Sovietera assets and operations. Will $615 billion be enough?

ASSET MANAGEMENT

The Electric Grid: Civilization's Achilles Heel?
Today's electric grid has become too essential to modern life and too vulnerable to human and natural threats. That's the argument made by several industry experts. Although they may disagree about the most likely threats, and about how to defend against those threats, they agree that if a major grid failure were to occur, the effects would be unprecedented

Guest Post: The Value of Short-term Energy Storage for Renewable Energy

Guest Post: The Value of Short-term Energy Storage for Renewable Energy
Scientific American (blog)
This is a guest post by Robert Fares, a graduate student at The University of Texas at Austin researching the benefits of grid energy storage as part of Pecan Street Inc.'s ongoing smart grid demonstration project. Robert is contributing a series of ...http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/plugged-in/2012/12/26/guest-post-the-value-of-short-term-energy-storage-for-renewable-energy/

Brazil Taps China's State Grid for Energy Project

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323300404578202911355634322.html?mod=googlenews_wsj&cid=nlc-dailybrief-daily_news_brief-link20-20121227

DOE Philippines eyes nuclear power

DOE eyes nuclear power

Dec 27 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Madelaine B. Miraflor The Manila Times, Philippines

http://www.energycentral.com/functional/news/news_detail.cfm?did=27071124

Japan's new govt to review zero-nuclear policy

Japan's new govt to review zero-nuclear policy Times of India "We need to reconsider the previous administration's policy that aimed to make zero nuclear power operation possible during the 2030s," Toshimitsu Motegi told a news conference. Shinzo Abe, who was elected as prime minister and unveiled his cabinet ...http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-12-27/rest-of-world/36021501_1_nuclear-power-fukushima-nuclear-regulation-authority Japan to review plans to abandon nuclear power Zee News - ‎ Japan to review plans to abandon nuclear power London: The new government in Japan has announced it will review planned nuclear power phase-out proposed by the previous administration. Trade and Industry Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said that ... Japan to Review 'Nuclear-Free by 2030s' Goal, Minister Says Bloomberg - ‎‎ Japan's government plans to establish a variety of sources for electricity generation within ten years, including a review of the plan to exit nuclear power set by the previous administration, Trade Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said. “We will make our decisions ... Motegi says N-policy must be reviewed The Daily Yomiuri - New industry minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the policy to reduce the nation's reliance on nuclear power to zero in the 2030s, espoused by the previous government led by the Democratic Party of Japan, needs to be reviewed. It is impossible for Japan to ... Japan To Reconsider Plans To Abandon Nuclear Power RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty - ‎Dec 27, 2012‎ The new government in Japan says it will reconsider plans by the previous administration to abandon nuclear power. The previous government had said it wanted to phase out nuclear power by 2040 following last year's disaster at the Fukushima nuclear ... New Japanese government to reconsider zero-nuclear policy RT - ‎Dec 27, 2012‎ Japanese PM Shinzo Abe's cabinet is set to unveil the new energy policy early next month by dismantling plans to eliminate nuclear power in the country by 2040. The pro-business Liberal Democratic Party-led government also plans to restart reactors. However: Japan's new government to restart nuclear reactors: Nikkei Business Times (subscription) - Japan's idled nuclear reactors will gradually be restarted under the newly-elected Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as the units receive the all-clear from the country's Nuclear Regulation Authority, the Nikkei reported. Mr Abe, in his instructions to cabinet members, ...

Subsidies for Nuclear Power: Is It Really A Tax?

Subsidies for Nuclear Power: Is It Really A Tax?
Energy Collective
This time the catalyst was a twitter reply from Chris Pragman (@ChrisPragman) who describes himself as an “Avid Podcast listener, Engineer, Nuclear Power, Fire Protection, and beer geek with a long commute!” You see, I had posted a tweet earlier in the ...http://theenergycollective.com/johnwheeler/164161/only-us-government-would-call-tax-subsidy

NRC wants more analysis at troubled Cal nuke plant - The Big Story ...

NRC wants more analysis at troubled Cal nuke plant - The Big Story ...
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Federal regulators are asking for more information as they try to determine if the damaged San Onofre nuclear power plant should be ...
bigstory.ap.org/.../nrc-wants-more-analysis-troubled-cal-nuke-... 

NRC wants more analysis at troubled Cal nuke plant
Yahoo! News (blog)
Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials Wednesday asked Southern California Edison for more analysis on how tubes would interact with each other if a reactor is running at full power. Each generator has thousands of tubes. The inquiry represents a ...

Feds do not consider San Onofre nuclear powerplant safe
RT
Federal regulators have expressed significant concern about the safety of the San Onofre nuclear power plant, asking for more analysis on its damaged steam generators and requesting the plant to be able to run safely at full capacity. The power plant ...https://rt.com/usa/news/san-plant-power-tubes-959/

Regulators ask Edison questions about San Onofre restart plan Los Angeles Times Federal regulators have sent Southern California Edison a new set of detailed questions that will help them evaluate the feasibility of a partial restart of the shuttered San Onofre nuclear plant. The plant, which once supplied enough power for about 1 ...
San Onofre: NRC Wants More Analysis At Ailing California Nuke Plant Huffington Post LOS ANGELES — Federal regulators Wednesday pressed the operator of the San Onofre nuclear power plant for more analysis on its damaged steam generators, as the government considers when, or if, one of the seaside reactors can be restarted safely.
State regulators seek public's input on San Onofre costs U-T San Diego Download: Public Participation Hearing. State regulators announced Wednesday that they will soon hold a public hearing about the idled San Onofre nuclear plant and whether utility customers should continue to pay all its costs. The California Public ...		Nuclear Regulatory Commission wants more analysis at troubled ... By AP Federal regulators Wednesday pressed the operator of the San Onofre nuclear power plant for more analysis on its damaged steam generators, as the government considers when, or if, one of the seaside reactors can be restarted safely. Latest News | 89.3 KPCC

The Numbers Behind Some of 2012’s Biggest Technology Stories

From Facebook to shale oil to MOOCs, the numbers told the tale.

http://www.technologyreview.com/news/509006/the-numbers-behind-some-of-2012s-biggest-technology-stories/?utm_campaign=newsletters&utm_source=newsletter-weekly-business&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20121228

NRC, activists to meet on San Onofre

 NRC, activists to meet on San Onofre
OCRegister
NRC, activists to meet on San Onofre. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has scheduled a public meeting for Jan. 11 with the environmental group Friends of the Earth to discuss one of the group's contentions about the San Onofre nuclear power plant.http://www.ocregister.com/news/nrc-381856-group-power.html

NREL Study covers storage capacity of concentrating solar power.

NREL Study covers storage capacity of concentrating solar power.
ThomasNet Industrial News Room (press release)
December 27, 2012 - According to report by NREL, storage capacity of concentrating solar power can add significant value to utility company's mix of energy sources. Study found that CSP with 6-hour storage capacity can lower peak net loads when sun isn ...http://news.thomasnet.com/companystory/NREL-Study-covers-storage-capacity-of-concentrating-solar-power-20001069

NREL report puts dollar value on concentrating solar power with thermal energy ...

solarserver.com - ‎

The US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL, Golden, Colorado, US) has released a new report which finds that concentrating solar power (CSP) with thermal energy storage can provide significant value for utilities.

$20 Million Funding Available for Advanced Research on Concentrating Solar ...

Targeted News Service (subscription) - ‎

WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Golden Field Office has announced that it expects to award a discretionary cooperative agreement grant to support the advancement of the hybridization of concentrating solar power technologies ...

Related articles

• NREL study shows CSP with energy storage can help utilities
• Concentrated solar power with thermal energy storage can help utilities' bottom line
• Concentrating Solar Power With Thermal Energy Storage Is Economically Useful For Utility Company Profits, Study Finds
• Concentrated Solar Power Investors in Spain Muy Agitado
• Concentrated Solar Power Could Supply 11.3% of Global Electricity by 2050
• ALC students told to concentrate on solar power

Information Campaign for N-Plant Referendum Launched in Bulgaria

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=146372

Eletrobras Gets BRL3.8 Billion Loan From Caixa for Brazil Nuclear Plant

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20121227-702996.html?mod=dist_smartbrief

Japan's new govt sticks to 3-year nuclear safety goal

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/28/japan-nuclear-idUSL4N0A208A20121228

Toshiba in Talks to Sell Part of Westinghouse Nuclear-Power Unit

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324669104578205060423492162.html?mod=dist_smartbrief

East Valley snares nuclear-safety site Official: Supplies to help avert meltdown in a disaster

East Valley snares nuclear-safety site

Official: Supplies to help avert meltdown in a disaster

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/2012/12/20/20121220valley-snares-warehouse-house-emergency-equipment.html?nclick_check=1#ixzz2GMpnUKsv

What could shale mean for UK economy and employment?

What could shale mean for UK economy and employment?

 

Despite efforts and public support to introduce renewables and other low carbon technologies, a significant portion of the electricity generation capacity that will be needed to meet the increase in UK power demand is likely to be gas-fueled.
Full Article

 http://www.pennenergy.com/index/blogs/human-capital.html?cmpid=EnlWeeklyPetroDecember282012

PennEnergy's Top Oil & Gas News 12/28

Top Oil & Gas News
	PennEnergy Video News Update   From New York's uncertain natural gas future   , to the Marcellus shale's 2012 honor   , to British Columbia's drilling ban   , all of the week's biggest headlines are in the PennEnergy Video News Update. Full Article   Share:
	Chevron & Apache announce joint venture for Kitimat LNG project   Apache Canada Ltd. has signed a broad agreement with Chevron Canada Limited to build and operate the Kitimat LNG project. Full Article   Share:

This Week's Most Popular Oil & Gas News
• Future of New York's natural gas industry uncertain

 

• Marcellus Shale most productive gas field in 2012

 

• Drilling banned in northwest B.C.

 

• China's demand for oil reached new record in November

 

• Chevron announces two discoveries offshore Western Australia

 

• Group challenges government's offshore lease plan

 

• Statoil expands its exploration portfolio in Brazil

 

• Lundin received consent for North Sea offshore drilling

 

• Gazprom signs purchase contract and transmission agreement for Uzbek gas

 

• More shale oil drilling in Argentina for Americas Petrogas

 

Energy News: 1-year-old named in Fukushima lawsuit by US Navy members

---

• 1-year-old named in Fukushima lawsuit by US Navy members
• Legal Expert in Tokyo: Fukushima perpetrators are escaping responsibility
• Top blogs feature Fukushima news reports to end 2012
• New flyover of giant sinkhole shows large area of flooding to south (VIDEO)
• Company Officials: Giant sinkhole has released debris to surface — Says new oil is being contained
• Report: Worker says Fukushima Dai-ni “might be getting ready to be restarted”
• Fukushima graveyard with radiation dose of 380 microsieverts per hour (VIDEO)
• “Lifetime of radiation poisoning” for U.S. rescue workers in Japan during 3/11 disaster

1-year-old named in Fukushima lawsuit by US Navy members Posted: 27 Dec 2012 08:11 PM PST

Legal Expert in Tokyo: Fukushima perpetrators are escaping responsibility Posted: 27 Dec 2012 04:04 PM PST

Top blogs feature Fukushima news reports to end 2012 Posted: 27 Dec 2012 01:35 PM PST

New flyover of giant sinkhole shows large area of flooding to south (VIDEO) Posted: 27 Dec 2012 12:22 PM PST

Company Officials: Giant sinkhole has released debris to surface — Says new oil is being contained Posted: 27 Dec 2012 10:38 AM PST

Report: Worker says Fukushima Dai-ni “might be getting ready to be restarted” Posted: 27 Dec 2012 09:30 AM PST

Fukushima graveyard with radiation dose of 380 microsieverts per hour (VIDEO) Posted: 27 Dec 2012 08:33 AM PST

“Lifetime of radiation poisoning” for U.S. rescue workers in Japan during 3/11 disaster Posted: 27 Dec 2012 07:06 AM PST

Japan and the Geopolitics of the Shale Revolution Taniguchi Tomohiko

Japan and the Geopolitics of the Shale Revolution

Taniguchi Tomohiko

http://www.nippon.com/en/in-depth/a01601/

CFR Update: U.S. Sailors Sue TEPCO for Post-Quake Radiation Exposure

U.S. Sailors Sue TEPCO for Post-Quake Radiation Exposure

Eight U.S. sailors have filed a lawsuit against TEPCO (JapanDailyPress)

, owner of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, in a U.S. federal court in San Diego for radiation exposure. The sailors, who were involved in relief efforts after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, claim that TEPCO misrepresented the threat posed by the leaks. They are each seeking $10 million dollars in compensatory damages and $30 million in punitive damages.

Study: Texas leads nation in unconventional oil and gas jobs…CO, ND and OK in Top 10

Study: Texas leads nation in unconventional oil and gas jobs fuelfix.com

Texas accounts for almost half the nearly 1.3 million industry jobs associated with unconventional oil and gas production

U.S. NRC Blog Update 12/18: What is a Reactor Trip and How Does it Protect the Plant?

U.S. NRC Blog

What is a Reactor Trip and How Does it Protect the Plant? by Moderator The Salem nuclear power plant’s Unit 1 “tripped” on Dec. 21st. Brown’s Ferry Unit 2 tripped the following day. In both cases, something happened that caused the reactor to automatically shut down to ensure safety. In other words, a trip means a plant is doing what it’s supposed to do. Let’s look at the term a bit more closely. Key operating parameters of a nuclear power plant, such as coolant temperature, reactor power level, and pressure are continuously monitored, to detect conditions that could lead to exceeding the plant’s known safe operating limits, and possibly, to damaging the reactor core and releasing radiation to the environment. If any of these limits is exceeded, then the reactor is automatically shut down, in order to prevent core damage. In nuclear engineering terms, the automatic shutdown of a nuclear reactor is called a reactor trip or scram . A reactor trip causes all the control rods to insert into the reactor core, and shut down the plant in a very short time (about three seconds). How do control rods do their job? The control rods are composed of chemical elements that absorb neutrons created by the fission process inside the reactor. They are placed methodically throughout the nuclear reactor as a means of control. For example, as the control rods are moved into the reactor, neutrons are absorbed by the control rods and the reactor power is decreased. Inserting them all at the same time shuts down the reactor. Control rods can also be inserted manually, if necessary. The plant operator then determines the reason for the trip, remedies it and, when it’s determined to be safe, restarts the reactor. So, while not common, a reactor trip is an important way to protect the components in a nuclear power plant from failing or becoming damaged. Samuel Miranda Senior Reactor Systems Engineer Moderator | December 28, 2012 at 10:12 am | Tags: nuclear | Categories: Operating Reactors | URL: http://wp.me/p1fSSY-V6

Fukushima Update 12/28

Here are the topic summaries for today's Fukushima commentary and updates. Please click the link for the full reports...

 

Commentary - Suggested Japanese Nuclear New Year’s Resolutions - One of the western traditions as New Year’s approaches is to make resolutions, to be kept over the course of the following 365 days. Here are a few nuclear energy resolutions I suggest for Japan's Nuclear Regulatory Authority, the new Tokyo government, the Japanese people, and the Japanese Press.

 

Fukushima update topics include - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is ready to review his predecessor’s plans to end nuclear power in Japan by 2040... Reactor restart issues have impacted PM Abe’s new cabinet in Tokyo... The NRA has postponed the decision on making Japan’s standards for evacuations from nuclear plant releases the most restrictive in the world... Eight United States sailors have filed a $210 million lawsuit against Tepco for allegedly withholding radiation information during the weeks following 3/11/11... Futaba mayor Katsutaka Idogawa has dissolved the Futaba town assembly, rather than resign in accordance with the group’s unanimous no-confidence vote... Toshiba announced it has placed 36% of its stake in Westinghouse Electric Corporation up for sale.

 

http://www.hiroshimasyndrome.com/fukushima-accident-updates.html

 

GEITHNER: US Will Hit Debt Ceiling On December 31

GEITHNER: US Will Hit Debt Ceiling On December 31

by Sam Ro

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner warns that the U.S. will reach the statutory debt limit on Monday, December 31, reports Bloomberg.
This was communicated in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
This timeline is basically in line with expectations.http://www.businessinsider.com/report-us-to-hit-debt-ceiling-dec-31-2012-12?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+businessinsider+%28Business+Insider%29

Eight U.S. sailors sue TEPCO, demand $40 million in compensation because of “dangerous” Fukushima radiation

Eight U.S. sailors sue TEPCO, demand $40 million in compensation because of “dangerous” Fukushima radiationhttp://www.japanprobe.com/2012/12/27/eight-u-s-sailors-sue-tepco-demand-40-million-in-compensation-because-of-dangerous-fukushima-radiation/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+JapanProbe+%28Japan+Probe%29