Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire

Major Energy and Environmental News and Commentary affecting the Nuclear Industry.

Friday, September 20, 2019

What cheese can tell us about US-Russia relations - The Boston Globe

What cheese can tell us about US-Russia relations - The Boston Globe: Two weeks is scant time to take the measure of any country, but I was struck by how different Russia is from our image of it. The Russia I found is vibrant, self-confident, largely free, and hardly concerned about hostility from Washington.

Wildfire victims in PG&E bankruptcy to present $24 bln reorganization plan - Reuters

Wildfire victims in PG&E bankruptcy to present $24 bln reorganization plan - Reuters: The committee for wildfire victims in the bankruptcy of PG&E Corp said in a court filing on Thursday it is prepared to present a $24 billion reorganization plan for the power provider.

PG&E fire victims, bondholders team up in attempt to reorganize the company - SFChronicle.com

PG&E fire victims, bondholders team up in attempt to reorganize the company - SFChronicle.com: The two groups told PG&E’s bankruptcy judge Thursday they are ready to offer their own proposal that would set aside $24 billion to pay everyone owed money because of fires started by the company’s power lines in recent years.

Fukushima Update 9/20/2019

Fukushima Update 9/20/2019 –

The criminal trial of three former Tepco executives ends in a not guilty verdict… Absolute zero risk is a pipe-dream… Most plaintiffs express outrage at the not guilty verdict… Fukushima Prefecture wants to lead the effort in promotion and testing of flying cars… Dr. Jim Conca says, “It’s really OK if Japan dumps radioactive water into the ocean.”… South Korea denounces Japan’s management of F. Daiichi wastewater to the IAEA… Former PM Junichiro Koizumi urges his son to rid Japan of nuclear power generation.

IAEA Releases Annual Report on Energy, Electricity and Nuclear Power to 2050 | White & Case LLP - JDSupra

IAEA Releases Annual Report on Energy, Electricity and Nuclear Power to 2050 | White & Case LLP - JDSupra: In September 2019, the International Atomic Energy Agency ("IAEA") released its annual report on "Energy, Electricity and Nuclear Power Estimates For The Period Up To 2050."1 The report...

Collective Knowledge, Experience of International Organizations Support New Nuclear Power Programmes | IAEA

Collective Knowledge, Experience of International Organizations Support New Nuclear Power Programmes | IAEA: As countries work toward Sustainable Development Goal 7 to ensure access to energy for all, many opt to include nuclear power in their energy mix.

Three Mile Island nuclear power plant to shut down | PBS NewsHour

Three Mile Island nuclear power plant to shut down | PBS NewsHour: Exelon Corp. officials said the plant will stop producing electricity around noon Friday.

Three Mile Island closes: meltdown changed nuclear energy in America

Three Mile Island closes: meltdown changed nuclear energy in America: Three Mile Island, the site of a nuclear meltdown in 1979 that forever changed America's view on nuclear energy, officially shut down at noon Friday.

Three Mile Island nuclear power station is closing: Will you miss it? - pennlive.com

Three Mile Island nuclear power station is closing: Will you miss it? - pennlive.com: Reaction are mixed to latest chapter in the midstate's twisted relationship with nuclear power.

Fukushima disaster court ruling clears Japan nuclear power company executives of criminal negligence today - CBS News

Fukushima disaster court ruling clears Japan nuclear power company executives of criminal negligence today - CBS News: Former chairman and 2 others found not guilty of criminal negligence, as judge rules they couldn't have anticipated 2011 tsunami damage

Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Trial Ends With Acquittals of 3 Executives - The New York Times

Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Trial Ends With Acquittals of 3 Executives - The New York Times

ANS Policy Updte - Advocating for you!

The American Nuclear Society

ANS Policy Update - Advocating for you!
ANS works on behalf of its members to advocate for policies that advance nuclear science and technology. In Washington, D.C. and at the state level, the Society looks for opportunities to support policies that advance nuclear science on behalf of our members. The following is an update on recent ANS public policy activities.
ANS Policy Update
International research collaboration
On September 4, ANS joined 60 other scientific and professional organizations in sending a letter to the heads of major U.S. science funding agencies. The letter highlighted the need to maintain a balance between an openly collaborative scientific environment and protecting our economic and national security.
 
The letter was also sent in response to the current Administration's actions in limiting scientific collaboration with other countries like China. 
 
The full letter can be found on the ANS Position Statement page. 

Supporting the ban lift on nuclear in Australia
ANS submitted a letter and supplemental ANS documents to the Australian Government in support of the inquiry into the prerequisites for nuclear energy in Australia. The letter affirmed the importance of nuclear technology, and that ANS is a strong champion of nuclear energy in the U.S. and globally.

New ANS position statement
The ANS Board of Directors approved a new position statement in August: Position Statement 43 – Nuclear Technology's Critical Role in the World's Future Energy Supply. The statement combines three existing position statements: PS60-The Use of Nuclear Energy for Hydrogen Generation, PS 62-The Use of Nuclear Energy for Desalination, and PS14-The Use of Nuclear Energy for the Production of Process Heat. 
 
The collective position statement presents these alternative uses of nuclear energy in the context of integrated energy systems and their positive benefits, one being overall reduction in emissions - CO2 and pollutants such as nitrogen and sulfur oxides. Much of the factual or technical content from the three statements were moved to an accompanying backgrounder for PS43.

ANS public policy members-only video webinar 
Low-dose radiation: What is the science telling us?
Tuesday, September 24 | 3:30 pm EDT
 
This video webinar is free for ANS members, however registration is required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Ready To Use Nuclear Condensate Pump Market Global Industry Analysis and Forecast Till 2026 – The Market Plan

Ready To Use Nuclear Condensate Pump Market Global Industry Analysis and Forecast Till 2026 – The Market Plan

bne IntelliNews - COMMENT: Fear mongering on nuclear power is imperilling the planet

bne IntelliNews - COMMENT: Fear mongering on nuclear power is imperilling the planet: On September 14th, the Akademik Lomonosov, a first of its kind floating nuclear plant built by Russian state nuclear energy corporation ...

No Safety Issues So Far in Vermont Nuclear Plant Demolition | Vermont News | US News

No Safety Issues So Far in Vermont Nuclear Plant Demolition | Vermont News | US News

Nuclear Power Regulators Ease Security, and Experts Sound the Alarm | The Civic Report | US News

Nuclear Power Regulators Ease Security, and Experts Sound the Alarm | The Civic Report | US News: A commando raid on a nuclear power plant seems the stuff of Hollywood. So why are nuclear security experts so worried?

Duke Energy seeks approval to run Oconee nuclear site 20 more years

Duke Energy seeks approval to run Oconee nuclear site 20 more years: The plant, 30 miles from Greenville, provides much of Upstate's power and could get approval to run for 20 years past its current 2030s expiration.

Duke Energy to seek longer licenses for NC, SC nuclear plants | Charlotte Observer

Duke Energy to seek longer licenses for NC, SC nuclear plants | Charlotte Observer: Duke Energy will apply for 20-year license renewals for all six of its nuclear power plants in the Carolinas, potentially extending their working lives to eight decades.

NUCLEAR: Duke Energy moves to keep reactors online past 2050 -- Friday, September 20, 2019 -- www.eenews.net

NUCLEAR: Duke Energy moves to keep reactors online past 2050 -- Friday, September 20, 2019 -- www.eenews.net: Duke Energy Corp., one of the nation's largest greenhouse gas emitters, said yesterday that it would ask regulators to extend permits for its 11 nuclear reactors out into the 2060s, positioning them as pillars of the company's decarbonization goals.

Public can comment Monday on alleged concrete degradation at Seabrook Station | Local News | newburyportnews.com

Public can comment Monday on alleged concrete degradation at Seabrook Station | Local News | newburyportnews.com

California sues Trump over car emissions, climate change | The Sacramento Bee

California sues Trump over car emissions, climate change | The Sacramento Bee: California and 22 other states sued the Trump administration Friday over the federal government’s revocation of the state’s power to impose stricter limits on greenhouse gas emissions from cars.

Wildfire victims in PG&E bankruptcy to present $24 bln reorganization plan - Reuters

Wildfire victims in PG&E bankruptcy to present $24 bln reorganization plan - Reuters: The committee for wildfire victims in the bankruptcy of PG&E Corp said in a court filing on Thursday it is prepared to present a $24 billion reorganization plan for the power provider.

S.Arabia, S.Korea agree on commercial nuclear reactors

S.Arabia, S.Korea agree on commercial nuclear reactors: Two countries also agree on comprehensive cooperation in nuclear research, development - Anadolu Agency

Nuclear tourism experience in Bandung to be launched in October, Lifestyle, Travel News - AsiaOne

Nuclear tourism experience in Bandung to be launched in October, Lifestyle, Travel News - AsiaOne: Lifestyle, Travel News - Read more at AsiaOne

What Are Salt Reactors? | Molten Salt Reactor News and Advantages

What Are Salt Reactors? | Molten Salt Reactor News and Advantages: Stable Salt Reactors would be safer than conventional plants because they ditch uranium fuel rods for a molten salt that can't react violently to any situation.

GE Details Radioactive Trucking Plan | New Haven Independent

GE Details Radioactive Trucking Plan | New Haven Independent: General Electric plans to demolish a former nuclear manufacturing facility in Newhallville and truck hundreds of containers of uranium-contaminated dirt through Dixwell and downtown New Haven as part of a...

Council calling on state to address SONGS, nuclear storage - The Coast News Group

Council calling on state to address SONGS, nuclear storage - The Coast News Group: CARLSBAD — Nuclear waste storage is arguably one of the hottest button issues regarding Southern California’s coastline. On Sept. 10, the City Council approved a resolution calling on the state legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom to address the concerns regarding the safe handling and storage of nuclear waste at the...

FDA OK's Mayo Clinic cyclotron

FDA OK's Mayo Clinic cyclotron: AuntMinnie.com is the largest and most comprehensive community Web site for medical imaging professionals worldwide. Radiologists, technologists, administrators, and industry professionals can find information and conduct e-commerce in MRI, mammography, ultrasound, x-ray, CT, nuclear medicine, PACS, and other imaging disciplines.

NorthStar gets good decommissioning review | The Brattleboro Reformer | Brattleboro Breaking News, Sports, Weather, Traffic

NorthStar gets good decommissioning review | The Brattleboro Reformer | Brattleboro Breaking News, Sports, Weather, Traffic

Duke Energy seeks approval to run Oconee nuclear site 20 more years

Duke Energy seeks approval to run Oconee nuclear site 20 more years

Three Mile Island’s last day as a working reactor will be Friday - pennlive.com

Three Mile Island’s last day as a working reactor will be Friday - pennlive.com: Shutdown day arrives.

FPL to install 1,000 electric-car charging stations, and you could pay for them | The Energy Collective Daily

FPL to install 1,000 electric-car charging stations, and you could pay for them | The Energy Collective Daily

Link to The Energy Collective Network

Korea, Saudi Arabia to cooperate on SMART deployment - World Nuclear News

Korea, Saudi Arabia to cooperate on SMART deployment - World Nuclear News: South Korea and Saudi Arabia have agreed to collaborate on the commercialisation of the Korean-designed SMART small modular reactor. Under the agreement, they will work together to license and construct the first such unit in Saudi Arabia.

Duke to seek second licence renewals fleetwide - World Nuclear News

Duke to seek second licence renewals fleetwide - World Nuclear News: Duke Energy has announced it will seek second 20-year renewals of the operating licences for all of its nuclear reactors, starting with the three-unit Oconee plant for which it expects to submit a renewal application in 2021. The company says the units are key to it achieving its carbon emissions goals.

Central Asia commits to affordable and clean energy - World Nuclear News

Central Asia commits to affordable and clean energy - World Nuclear News: Energy ministers from across Central Asia today committed their countries to collaborating on meeting the United Nations' seventh Sustainable Development Goal, which pledges 'affordable and clean energy' by 2030. The meeting is the first time they have come together to discuss the region's common energy challenges.

Michael Mann is feeling annoyed.

The climate strike today makes it look like we're making progress. But we're also moving backwards.
Millions of young people in hundreds of locations in 150 countries will lead an international protest—the Global Climate Strike—calling for immediate steps to stabilize the environment.
And on the same day, an event in Pennsylvania sets the drive for carbon-free energy back…way back. Unit 1 at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station (TMI), which has reliably delivered huge amounts of carbon-free energy, 6 to 7 million megawatt-hours each year for nearly 45 years, will retire early. That’s like moving the electricity supply of 800,000 households from carbon-free to fossil fuel.
At the rate that Pennsylvania is adding zero-carbon wind and solar power, it will take 687 years to make that up. Keep in mind that the goal of the climate strikers isn’t to maintain carbon output at current levels—it is to reduce it to near zero in the next few decades.
Yet the TMI reactor closure in Pennsylvania isn’t a surprise; it’s been discussed and debated for years. And more premature reactor retirements are planned.
How is this possible? How can we have a global movement to stop overloading the atmosphere with destabilizing carbon dioxide, and simultaneously allow the premature closure of nuclear plants, the top workhorses of carbon-free energy?
The essential problem is that our electricity system is intensively managed to a goal, but the goal isn’t clean air or protecting our climate. The goal is least-cost electricity. For a long time, running a reactor was inexpensive compared with the competing fossil fuels. Clean air and zero-carbon emissions were free byproducts of nuclear energy.
But then came a change in technology. With the widespread adoption of hydraulic fracturing in shale, natural gas became plentiful and cheap. In the computer-driven auctions that run the electricity markets, wholesale prices crashed. Perfectly reliable nuclear reactors found that their operating costs had in some cases become higher than the wholesale price of electricity.
The nuclear industry has responded. We have cut our operating costs by about 20 percent. from their peak. Our plants have raised their output and the number of hours a year that they run. But where electricity is viewed as a commodity, whether it comes from coal, natural gas or carbon-free nuclear, some reactors are not earning back their costs.
Around the country, we can see visible signs of progress toward an increasingly popular goal, a clean energy grid. We see more and more solar panels on roofs or wind farms on ridgelines. But a closer look at the numbers shows we are going backwards, to the point that we are negating our forward movement. Last year, Pennsylvania produced about 3.6 million megawatt-hours from wind. It’s a big number, but only just over half what Three Mile Island produced. And TMi’s production was 100 times larger than solar energy in Pennsylvania. And on Friday, it stops operating forever.
Two larger reactors in western Pennsylvania at the Beaver Valley plant are also scheduled to retire, absent action by the Pennsylvania legislature, creating even more dire circumstances for achieving our clean energy goal.
tates have recognized this contradiction and moved to protect these assets. Illinois, New York, Connecticut and New Jersey have all decided that the market isn’t set up to reach the states’ policy goals of more carbon-free energy, and have moved to give reactors a supplemental income, akin to what the federal government gives renewable energy.
In Pennsylvania, this concept is still under discussion. Meeting our climate challenge is going to take preserving all of our low-carbon assets and adding more of whatever technology can get the job done.
The climate strike grows out of the efforts of a Swedish teenager, Greta Thunberg, who has been leading a movement of students to strike and leave school every Friday for climate-related events. She’s been photographed sitting on a sidewalk outside the Parliament in Stockholm with a hand-written sign that reads, “Skolstrejk för klimatet.”
Loosely translated from the Swedish, it means, ”Let’s get our act together.” I borrowed this from Matt Wald thank you Matt Wald it needed to be said!

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Nevada is site of first-ever underground nuclear explosion - HISTORY

Nevada is site of first-ever underground nuclear explosion - HISTORY: On September 19, 1957, the United States detonates a 1.7 kiloton nuclear weapon in an underground tunnel at the Nevada Test Site (NTS), a 1,375 square mile

Will Artificial Intelligence Imperil Nuclear Deterrence? - War on the Rocks

Will Artificial Intelligence Imperil Nuclear Deterrence? - War on the Rocks: Nuclear weapons and artificial intelligence are two technologies that have scared the living daylights out of people for a long time. These fears have

Relief as PG&E restructure plan promises to honour wind deals | Windpower Monthly

Relief as PG&E restructure plan promises to honour wind deals | Windpower Monthly: Read Relief as PG&E restructure plan promises to honour wind deals and other wind energy news & analysis on Windpower Monthly

PG&E Bondholders Ally With Wildfire Victims to Propose New Bankruptcy Exit Plan - WSJ

PG&E Bondholders Ally With Wildfire Victims to Propose New Bankruptcy Exit Plan - WSJ: Court papers filed by a group of PG&E bondholders, including Elliott Management and by the official committee representing fire victims, asked for the green light to put a chapter 11 plan on the table that would compete with the company’s own restructuring framework.

Wildfire victims, bondholders make offer for PG&E | The Sacramento Bee

Wildfire victims, bondholders make offer for PG&E | The Sacramento Bee: ‘Game-changer:’ PG&E takeover fight ramps up as wildfire victims team with hedge funds

Wildfire victims, bondholders make offer for PG&E | The Sacramento Bee

Wildfire victims, bondholders make offer for PG&E | The Sacramento Bee: The takeover fight for PG&E intensified Thursday as wildfire victims teamed with a group of hedge funds trying to take over the bankrupt utility.

PG&E raises rates $4.80 a month | The Sacramento Bee

PG&E raises rates $4.80 a month | The Sacramento Bee: PG&E Corp. said Thursday its rates will climb $4.80 a month for gas and electric customers. The rate hike mainly covers costs from storms and wildfires, but not fire liabilities.

Trump's no-win situation over Iran, Opinion - THE BUSINESS TIMES

Trump's no-win situation over Iran, Opinion - THE BUSINESS TIMES: : THE BUSINESS TIMES Opinion - Hadar . Read more at The Business Times.

Senate confirms Robert Destro as new Assistant Secretary of State

Senate confirms Robert Destro as new Assistant Secretary of State: Robert Destro, a law professor at Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law, was confirmed by the Senate as the next Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.

Climate Changing for the Better

Climate Changing for the Better: Climate change and carbon emissions have overwhelmingly positive effects.�

ANS Webinar for Members Only - Low-dose Radiation: What is the science telling us?

ANS Members-Only Video Webinar
Members-Only Video Webinar
Low-dose Radiation: What is the science telling us?
Tuesday, September 24 | 3:30 pm EDT
Register today to participate in a special members-only webinar on Tuesday, September 24, at 3:30 pm EDT: Low-dose Radiation: What is the science telling us? Experts in the field will explore the health effects, research and development, and the polarizing questions surrounding the topic of low-dose radiation.
 
This video webinar is free, however registration is required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the meeting.

Moderated by ANS Washington Representative Craig Piercy, the discussion will feature three nationally recognized experts in the low-dose radiation field:
 
Dr. David J. Brenner Higgins
Professor of Radiation Biophysics; Director, Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University Irving Medical Center
 
Dr. Antone L. Brooks
Research Professor Emeritus, Washington State University;
Tri-Cities Chief Scientist for the DOE Low-Dose Radiation Program (1999 - 2008)
 
Dr. Shaheen Azim Dewji
Assistant Professor, Department of Nuclear Engineering Center for Nuclear Security Science & Policy Initiatives Faculty Fellow, Texas A&M University
ANS Members-Only Video Webinar


France: Macron Sides with Iran's Mullahs

France: Macron Sides with Iran's Mullahs

by Guy Millière  •  September 19, 2019 at 5:00 am
  • On September 14, just a few days after former National Security Advisor Ambassador John R. Bolton was comfortably disappeared from the administration, Iran inflicted major damage on a massive oil processing facility in Saudi Arabia,
  • Macron, in short, has done as much or more than any other European country to favor the Iranian regime -- more than Germany, and even more than the European Union itself. He could have chosen to act as a reliable ally of the United States, but the choice he made was a different.
  • The French officials act and speak as if the Iranian regime was totally honorable, and as if they did not discern the obvious: that the Iranian regime has destructive goals. The nuclear deal did not divert the regime from its goal of building nuclear weapons. The deal, in fact, floated the regime toward precisely that end. The American strategy of applying maximum pressure through economic sanctions seems the only non-military way to pressure this regime to change course.
During a visit to Washington in April 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron's main goal seemed to be convincing US President Donald Trump not to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. He tried seduction, hugging Trump incessantly, before turning to arrogance, saying in a speech before Congress: "France will not leave the Iranian nuclear agreement because we signed it. Your President and your country will have to face their responsibilities." (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
On August 25, in Biarritz, France, the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) reunited to discuss world problems. The situation in the Middle East was not on the agenda. French President Emmanuel Macron, the organizer of the summit this year, was about to force it in.
He had decided to invite to the summit Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif. Macron did not warn his guests of Zarif's attendance until the last minute. His goal, it seems, was to bring about a meeting between the Iranian minister and US President Donald J. Trump. President Trump declined. Zarif had an informal conversation with Macron and some French ministers, then flew back to Tehran. But Macron did not give up. At a press conference the next day, he publicly asked President Trump to meet Iranian leaders as soon as possible.

POWER Notebook: Wind Project Will Use Oyster Creek Nuclear Site; Other Solar, Wind Farms Announced

POWER Notebook: Wind Project Will Use Oyster Creek Nuclear Site; Other Solar, Wind Farms Announced: Ocean Wind Gets NJ BPU Backing for Oyster Creek Wind Project. Ocean Wind LLC this month received support from New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities (BPU)

The case for nuclear power in a Green New Deal - LabourList

The case for nuclear power in a Green New Deal - LabourList: This year’s Labour conference, starting in Brighton on Saturday, will take decisions covering key policy areas. Among the…

Nuclear power cuts the carbon

Nuclear power cuts the carbon: Thursday’s letters to the editor

Ambassador: UAE is a 'model' nuclear power - The National

Ambassador: UAE is a 'model' nuclear power - The National: Government aimed to create an industry that was an example for the region

Fukushima nuclear disaster: Japanese court finds trio not guilty of negligence over meltdown - The Washington Post

Fukushima nuclear disaster: Japanese court finds trio not guilty of negligence over meltdown - The Washington Post: Three former Tepco executives had been accused of ignoring warnings and failing to take preventive measures to protect the plant from a tsunami.

Laying The Groundwork For Next-Generation Nuclear Energy - Law360

Laying The Groundwork For Next-Generation Nuclear Energy - Law360: Nuclear energy enjoys bipartisan support, as evidenced by a range of recent and pending federal legislation that could help revive the U.S. nuclear industry, say attorneys with Morgan Lewis.

EDF Calms Trader Concern on Nuclear Fixes; Power Prices Sink - Bloomberg

EDF Calms Trader Concern on Nuclear Fixes; Power Prices Sink - Bloomberg: Electricite de France SA, the country’s largest power generator, said it doesn’t think manufacturing anomalies on nuclear-reactor equipment require immediate action. Electricity prices plunged on the news.

Progressive Left Seeks to Shut Down Earth-Friendly Nuclear Power Plants

Progressive Left Seeks to Shut Down Earth-Friendly Nuclear Power Plants: (Photo by Jeff Fusco/Getty Images)

Three Mile Island Reactor to Shut Down Friday, NRC Says - ExchangeMonitor | Page 1

Three Mile Island Reactor to Shut Down Friday, NRC Says - ExchangeMonitor | Page 1: ExchangeMonitor covers nuclear weapons, waste management, nuclear cleanup, international intelligence as well as carbon capture and storage.

NRC Staff Expects to Complete Decommissioning Rulemaking in 2021 - ExchangeMonitor | Page 1

NRC Staff Expects to Complete Decommissioning Rulemaking in 2021 - ExchangeMonitor | Page 1: ExchangeMonitor covers nuclear weapons, waste management, nuclear cleanup, international intelligence as well as carbon capture and storage.

Federal regulators look at River Bend nuclear plant | | theadvocate.com

Federal regulators look at River Bend nuclear plant | | theadvocate.com: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is double-checking the effectiveness of fixes put in place after Entergy discovered some employees weren’t following proper procedures back in 2016.

Feds fine FPL’s St. Lucie plant for terminating worker who raised safety issue - Business - The Palm Beach Post - West Palm Beach, FL

Feds fine FPL’s St. Lucie plant for terminating worker who raised safety issue - Business - The Palm Beach Post - West Palm Beach, FL: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has fined Florida Power & Light $232,000 for two violations of federal rules at its St. Lucie County plant.One infraction involved FPL’s dismissal of a part-time employee of a third-party contractor at the St. Lucie Nuclear Plant after the worker raised a safety concern in 2017. The other violation occurred when a former vice president of FPL created a phony journal to justify the firing to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.FPL, a unit of NextEra

Texas oil company facing Idaho lawsuit files for bankruptcy | The Energy Collective Daily

Texas oil company facing Idaho lawsuit files for bankruptcy | The Energy Collective Daily

Link to The Energy Collective Network

RNE25: What happened in Russia? Dr. Richard Mueller of Deep Isolation guests! | ANS Nuclear Cafe

RNE25: What happened in Russia? Dr. Richard Mueller of Deep Isolation guests! | ANS Nuclear Cafe

Ex-TEPCO Execs found Not Guilty | ANS Nuclear Cafe

Ex-TEPCO Execs found Not Guilty | ANS Nuclear Cafe

Court clears three former Tepco executives - World Nuclear News

Court clears three former Tepco executives - World Nuclear News: A Japanese court today acquitted three former Tokyo Electric Power Company executives charged with failing to prevent the March 2011 accident at the company's Fukushima Daiichi plant. The judge ruled they could not have foreseen the massive earthquake and tsunami that led to the meltdown of three of the plant's reactors.

Fuel removal completed at Wylfa - World Nuclear News

Fuel removal completed at Wylfa - World Nuclear News: The final used nuclear fuel has been shipped from the Wylfa site on Anglesey, in Wales, the UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority said today. The milestone marks the end of a programme to defuel all of the country's Magnox sites.

New nuclear countries face integrated challenges - World Nuclear News

New nuclear countries face integrated challenges - World Nuclear News: Countries embarking on nuclear energy programmes for the first time or expanding their programmes after a long period without construction face integrated challenges, representatives from emerging and expanding nuclear countries have said. These challenges include the development of human resources as well as financial and political considerations.

Uganda says Russia to help it develop nuclear energy - Reuters

Uganda says Russia to help it develop nuclear energy - Reuters: Uganda said on Wednesday it had signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with Russia to help the East African country build capacity to exploit nuclear technology for energy, medical and other peaceful purposes.

Ambassador: UAE is a 'model' nuclear power - The National

Ambassador: UAE is a 'model' nuclear power - The National: Government aimed to create an industry that was an example for the region

U.S. senators urge Trump administration to end nuclear talks with Saudis - Reuters

U.S. senators urge Trump administration to end nuclear talks with Saudis - Reuters: Two Democratic U.S. senators on Wednesday urged Trump administration officials to halt talks with Saudi Arabia on building nuclear reactors after weekend attacks that halved the country's oil output and increased instability in the Middle East.

Editorial: The governor's ambitious energy plans | Editorial | richmond.com

Editorial: The governor's ambitious energy plans | Editorial | richmond.com: Absent any realistic federal direction on climate policy, states are coming up with their own plans. On Monday, Gov. Ralph Northam signed Executive Order 43 to address the commonwealth’s energy

The Day - Millstone, utilities finalize 10-year contract - News from southeastern Connecticut

The Day - Millstone, utilities finalize 10-year contract - News from southeastern Connecticut: State regulators recently approved a 10-year contract between the owner of Millstone Power Station and utility companies, effectively ending the yearslong

Feds fine FPL’s St. Lucie plant for terminating worker who raised safety issue - Business - The Palm Beach Post - West Palm Beach, FL

Feds fine FPL’s St. Lucie plant for terminating worker who raised safety issue - Business - The Palm Beach Post - West Palm Beach, FL

Charles R. Jones: Climate striking students should be shouting ‘Nuclear Energy Now!’ - Capital Gazette

Charles R. Jones: Climate striking students should be shouting ‘Nuclear Energy Now!’ - Capital Gazette: While I am all for student involvement to “fix” what we as adults might be getting wrong, I suggest they start by carrying signs that say “Nuclear Energy Now!”

Federal regulators look at River Bend nuclear plant | | theadvocate.com

Federal regulators look at River Bend nuclear plant | | theadvocate.com: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is double-checking the effectiveness of fixes put in place after Entergy discovered some employees weren’t following proper procedures back in 2016.

For Green Energy, MIT Aims To Build 'A Star On Earth'


For Green Energy, MIT Aims To Build 'A Star On Earth'


https://www.wbur.org/earthwhile/2019/09/19/future-of-fusion-climate-change-green-energy

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

ENERGY TRANSITIONS: Anatomy of a 'bloodbath' | Energy Central

ENERGY TRANSITIONS: Anatomy of a 'bloodbath' | Energy Central

Nine Utility Companies Suing Trump Over Emissions Rule | Energy Central

Nine Utility Companies Suing Trump Over Emissions Rule | Energy Central

MIT NSE News



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Dear Friends, Alumna & Alumni,

Welcome to the Fall Semester at NSE! The excitement is palpable here in Building 24, where we are welcoming 22 new undergraduate and graduate students into the Department. I had the pleasure of addressing the incoming graduate students at their orientation, to tell some of the amazing stories I had learned since becoming Department Head. These new students are ready to embark on a journey of intellectual discovery at MIT, and I am so honored and humbled to be leading their home department.

I was appointed NSE Department Head by Dean Anantha Chandrakasan on July 1, 2019, and in these few short months since have very much enjoyed meeting with faculty, staff, students and also some of you for stimulating discussions about new directions for the department.

At the time of my transition, I appointed Prof. Ben Forget as the Associate Department Head in NSE. Ben is a leader of the MIT Computational Reactor Physics Group — which focuses on developing new ways of streamlining the complex software needed to simulate the fission nuclear reactor core, in order to better understand how to develop new generations of improved reactors. As Associate Head, Ben will focus on expanding computational science and engineering activities within NSE, including leading NSE engagement with the new Schwarzman College of Computing (SCoC).

Prof Jacopo Buongiorno who stepped down as Associate Department Head is part of a new team that will lead the MIT Nuclear Reactor Laboratory (NRL). The leadership team which includes Gordon Kohse and Lance Snead will implement a new operations model at the NRL that will allow for closer scientific research collaboration with Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering and other MIT researchers.

More broadly, NSE faculty members are starting a busy semester re-energized by our end of summer retreat, where we kicked off a new long-range strategic planning process. This process will be comprehensive, and will play out over the next year; you will undoubtedly hear from us more as we reach out to all of our community and stakeholders for input on new opportunities for NSE.

We have a great lineup of events this Fall, one of which is part of the new series — the MIT Climate Symposia — kicks off this semester. The six-symposium series will examine the urgent challenge of climate change. NSE’s Prof. Jacopo Buongiorno will lead the Dec 4th symposium on “Decarbonizing the Electricity Sector”. I invite you to come and visit us and spend some time enjoying the community in NSE and around MIT. If you find yourself on campus, please stop by NSE headquarters anytime.

Best wishes,
Anne
SPOTLIGHT


Plotting new paths to a nuclear "yes"

 
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Innovative academic-entrepreneurial paths towards fusion energy

Power Forward: Plans for a low-carbon future

Ju Li: A proven mentor and friend

Kieran Dolan: A vision of nuclear energy buoyed by molten salt
 
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Nuclear industry urges Trump to open public land, including Grand Canyon, for uranium mining • Arizona Mirror

Nuclear industry urges Trump to open public land, including Grand Canyon, for uranium mining • Arizona Mirror: The nuclear lobby last month urged President Trump to lift restrictions on uranium mining on public land, including the Grand Canyon region.

Big Plans For Small Nuclear Plants | Earthwhile

Big Plans For Small Nuclear Plants | Earthwhile: The big, complex nuclear plants of the past are enormously expensive to build and maintain. So nuclear engineers, scientists and startups are looking for smaller, faster, cheaper nuclear reactor designs.

EDF and Westinghouse in talks to develop SMR nuclear reactor - Reuters

EDF and Westinghouse in talks to develop SMR nuclear reactor - Reuters: French state-controlled utility EDF and French nuclear state agency CEA are in talks with U.S. nuclear reactor builder Westinghouse to develop a Small Modular Reactor (SMR), a group of French companies involved in the project said on Tuesday.

U.S. tells Saudi Arabia: nuclear push depends on snap inspections deal - Agricultural Commodities - Reuters

U.S. tells Saudi Arabia: nuclear push depends on snap inspections deal - Agricultural Commodities - Reuters: The United States will only provide Saudi Arabia with nuclear technology if the kingdom signs an agreement with the U.N. atomic watchdog that allows for intrusive snap inspections, U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry repeated on Tuesday.

EDF says no need to close nuclear reactors over welding problems - Reuters

EDF says no need to close nuclear reactors over welding problems - Reuters: French utility EDF said on Wednesday there was no need to halt any of its nuclear reactors for now following the discovery of problems with weldings in their steam generators last week.

Big Plans For Small Nuclear Plants | Earthwhile

Big Plans For Small Nuclear Plants | Earthwhile: The big, complex nuclear plants of the past are enormously expensive to build and maintain. So nuclear engineers, scientists and startups are looking for smaller, faster, cheaper nuclear reactor designs.

EDF and Westinghouse in talks to develop SMR nuclear reactor - Reuters

EDF and Westinghouse in talks to develop SMR nuclear reactor - Reuters: French state-controlled utility EDF and French nuclear state agency CEA are in talks with U.S. nuclear reactor builder Westinghouse to develop a Small Modular Reactor (SMR), a group of French companies involved in the project said on Tuesday.

Entergy shifting leadership at Arkansas, Waterford nuclear stations - Power Engineering

Entergy shifting leadership at Arkansas, Waterford nuclear stations - Power Engineering: (Picture of Waterford 3 nuclear station) Entergy Corp. will make senior leadership changes at two of its nuclear-power plants, the company announced Tuesday. Chris Bakken, chief operating officer of Entergy Nuclear, announced at the changes for Arkansas Nuclear One and Waterford 3 will be effective Sept. 30. Arkansas Nuclear One (ANO) site vice president Rich...

Duke Energy pledges no carbon emissions by 2050 | Charlotte Observer

Duke Energy pledges no carbon emissions by 2050 | Charlotte Observer: Charlotte-based Duke Energy pledged Tuesday to release no net carbon emissions by 2050, becoming what the company says is the largest U.S. power generator to make that commitment.