Trump can’t end DACA, appeals court panel says, setting up Supreme Court fight - The Washington Post: The Trump administration already has asked the justices to move quickly to add it to the docket for this term.

A New Day for Nuclear Advocacy…and Environmentalism?

Union of Concerned Scientists Becomes First Major Environmental Group to Publicly Back Policy Support for Nuclear Energy

Ted Nordhaus

The Breakthrough Institute - Ted Nordhaus

Canada SMR Roadmap signals 'call to action' - World Nuclear News: Canada is well positioned to become a global leader in the development and deployment of small modular reactor technology, Minister of Natural Resources Amarjeet Sohi said yesterday at the release of a report outlining the potential applications for SMRs in the country.

KAERI, Tenex to cooperate in decommissioning and waste - World Nuclear News: Russian nuclear fuel cycle company Tenex and the Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) have agreed to cooperate on research and development in decommissioning and radioactive waste management technologies.

Toshiba decides to scrap Moorside project - World Nuclear News: Toshiba Corp is withdrawing from its nuclear new-build project in the UK and plans to wind up NuGeneration, its board of directors decided at a meeting today.

Toshiba pulls out of nuclear power plan | Article | KHL: UK’s Moorside nuclear power station plan undermined by withdrawal of Japanese firm

More Than One-Third of Nation’s Nuclear Plants at Risk of Early Closure or Slated for Retirement | Union of Concerned Scientists: More Than One-Third of Nation’s Nuclear Plants at Risk of Early Closure or Slated for Retirement

Natural Gas is Undermining Pennsylvania’s Nuclear Plants—And That’s Bad News for the Climate - Union of Concerned Scientists: What are the implications for Pennsylvania, which has five nuclear power plants that in total provide the second highest nuclear operating capacity of any state?

Environmental group: Keep open nuclear power plants - Axios: Nuclear energy is carbon-free but controversial.

Carbon Pricing is Key to Economic Viability of Xcel’s Nuclear Power Plants in Minnesota - Union of Concerned Scientists: A new UCS report released today found that more than one-third of U.S. nuclear plants--representing 22 percent of total US nuclear capacity--are uneconomic or slated to retire over the next decade under current market conditions. The UCS study, The Nuclear Power Dilemma, shows that the economic viab

China likely to more than triple nuclear power capacity by 2030 - official | Reuters: * China total nuclear capacity seen at 120-150 GW by 2030

UK nuclear power station plans scrapped as Toshiba pulls out | Business | The Guardian: Firm’s nuclear arm to wind up next year and scrap Cumbria plant leaving big hole in UK energy plans

Why We’re Taking a Hard Look at Nuclear Power Plant Closures

https://blog.ucsusa.org/ken-kimmell/ucs-nuclear-power-global-warming-report

Third China Westinghouse AP1000 reactor ready for commercial operation | Reuters: A Westinghouse-designed AP1000 nuclear reactor on China's east coast is ready to go into commercial operation after completing a test run, the China National Nuclear Power Corp (CNNP) said.

GE's Power split includes Wilmington nuclear base | WilmingtonBiz: As financially troubled General Electric looks to streamline its portfolio, observers are watching what changes to the company's power units might mean for its local nuclear energy operations.

Whether that could mean a sell off of its power businesses, including Wilmington-based GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, remains to be seen.

But the struggling company, now under new leadership, is making changes to shed costs.

Boston-headquartered GE announced Tuesday it is selling its lighting subsidiary Current to a private-equity firm. And last week, company leaders announced intentions to split GE's Power division, a division that includes the Wilmington facility.

GE Chairman and CEO Larry Culp detailed the changes in the company's third-quarter earnings call on Oct. 30. It's a move that will separate several assets in GE's Power portfolio into two units.

One unit will reign in GE’s gas life cycle business by combining its product and services groups. The other will consist of GE’s steam, grid, nuclear and power conversion segments.

Culp also said GE plans to cut dividends from 12 cents to 1 cent per share in December. And also in the third-quarter report, Culp noted an expansion of the

Geopolitics of American Energy: Perry Speaks of Bright Future at VA Event – InsideSources: Not all that long ago, avoiding gas shortages, and 1970s style gas lines, was a foreign policy goal for the U.S. Today, the development of fracking

Arizona rejects renewable initiative that spurred nuclear retirement fears | S&P Global Platts: Arizona voters on Tuesday rejected a ballot initiative to require electric utilities to get 50% of their electricity from renewables by 2030, up from the current mandate for 15% renewables by 2025.

Nuclear power generation ‘waning’ - Taipei Times: Environmentalists yesterday released a video by Mycle Schneider, a lead author of the latest World Nuclear Industry Status Report, who said that global nuclear power generation has been declining, except in China, and that costs of nuclear power generation are rising.

Aging Tokai nuclear plant outside Tokyo cleared to restart：The Asahi Shimbun: The nation's nuclear watchdog on Nov. 7 formally approved a 20-year extension of the only nuclear re

Hurricane-hit Puerto Rico to consider nuclear power - World Nuclear News: The majority New Progressive Party in Puerto Rico's House of Representatives yesterday introduced a resolution instructing the chamber’s Government Committee to investigate the possibility of building nuclear power plants.

Saudi Arabian Prince Announces Plans to Build First Nuclear Reactor: Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced his plans to build his country’s first nuclear research reactor.

Floating nuclear plant fires up for first time - Energy Live News - Energy Made Easy: One of the two 35MW reactors aboard Akademik Lomonosov has achieved a sustained chain reaction

Are Thousands of New Nuclear Generators in Canada’s Future? | The Tyee: Ottawa is pushing a new smaller, modular nuclear plant that could only pay off if mass produced.

Industry experts assemble in bid to make cutting-edge nuclear technology a reality - GOV.UK: First ever small nuclear reactor conference explores the investment opportunities of small modular reactors (SMRs).

Assystem To Support Fusion Research In Britain

International engineering company Assystem, which calls itself one of the top three nuclear engineering companies worldwide, announced a major contract Tuesday to support the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), a UK government research organisation responsible for the development of nuclear fusion power. http://nuclearstreet.com/nuclear_power_industry_news/b/nuclear_power_news/archive/2018/11/06/assystem-to-support-fusion-research-in-britain-110602#.W-MrzSdRdSx

NuScale Links With Ontario Power Generation For VDR Support

Oregon-based small modular reactor developer NuScale to announce it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Ontario Power Generation Inc. (OPG), Ontario’s public electricity generator, who has agreed to support NuScale in its vendor design review (VDR) with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). Read more and comment http://nuclearstreet.com/nuclear_power_industry_news/b/nuclear_power_news/archive/2018/11/07/nuscale-links-with-ontario-power-generation-for-vdr-support-110701#.W-MrgCdRdSx


Third AP1000 Unit In China Achieves Commercial Operation Status The Sanmen Unit 2 reactor in the Zhejiang province of China became the third AP1000 reactor to reach commercial operating status this week, achieving the feat on Nov. 5 at 9:47 p.m, according to news sources.Read more and comment >>>>

http://nuclearstreet.com/nuclear_power_industry_news/b/nuclear_power_news/archive/2018/11/07/third-ap1000-unit-in-china-achieves-commercial-operation-status-110702#.W-MrGydRdSx

November 7, 2018

Introducing Frank Pallone

As Democrats are poised to take control of the U.S. House, chairmanship of the House Energy & Commerce Committee will move to Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ-6).

As Chairman, Pallone will be responsible for setting the committee's agenda and designing oversight panels. While not a vocal nuclear supporter, he recently voted yes on passage of H.R. 3053, the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act. However, Pallone is no fan of the Trump administration's plan to support ailing coal and nuclear plants, stating he will "conduct oversight of President Trump's efforts to upend competitive electricity markets by providing preferential rates and other subsidies to coal and nuclear generation." He may also investigate DOE officials' relationships with coal executive Bob Murrary.

In other news, yesterday Arizona voters "rejected a ballot initiative to require electric utilities to get 50% of their electricity from renewables by 2030." This is good news for the Palo Verde nuclear plant, which otherwise would have faced potential early retirement.

Friday, November 9, 2018

The Weight of Being Childless Late in Life

Life events cause this author to reflect on her decision about motherhood

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Union of Concerned Scientists Becomes First Major Environmental Group to Publicly Back Policy Support for Nuclear Energy

Why We’re Taking a Hard Look at Nuclear Power Plant Closures

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

UK regulator appoints technical support providers

Russia completes hot tests at Novovoronezh II-2

Tokai 2 cleared for extended operation

Contracts signed for two more Tianwan units