Yemen: Deadly attack on Aden airport after new government flies in | Middle East Eye

Yemen: Deadly attack on Aden airport after new government flies in | Middle East Eye: At least 22 people reported dead and dozens wounded in attack shortly after ministers arrived from Saudi Arabia

Cold War With China Is Avoidable - WSJ

Cold War With China Is Avoidable - WSJ: Today’s challenge is different. Beijing has economic power Moscow could only dream of.

Opinion | Execution Will Mark MLK’s Birthday

Opinion | Execution Will Mark MLK’s Birthday: Shakespeare got it right. Something is definitely rotten, but not in Denmark. The decay is made in America and engulfs the fortress at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Just before Christmas and with true holiday spirit, the master of the White House manor pardoned 41 convicted criminals (aka friends and relatives) and commuted the sentences of eight others. When added to earlier ones,

ECA Update December 31, 2020 Premature Nuclear Reactor Retirements Could Effect Nuclear Waste Disposal

Image View this email in your browser ECA UPDATE Dec 31, 2020 FEATURED NUCLEAR WASTE Premature Nuclear Reactor Retirements Could Effect Nuclear Waste Disposal Forbes | 12/29/2020 Nuclear power has accounted for 20% of electricity generated in the U.S. each year since 1990. But even with climate concerns and a worldwide movement to reduce CO2 emissions, the market is not rewarding nuclear power’s zero-carbon generation nor its unrivaled reliability. More than a quarter of U.S. nuclear power plants don’t make enough money to cover their operating costs, raising the threat of more early retirements. Continue reading >> Follow the latest DOE budget updates with ECA's budget tracker Image Monitor DOE spending bills, detailed site budgets, and more. Find everything you need to know about the DOE budget here! HAPPY NEW YEARS FROM ECA Image NATIONAL LABS Los Alamos National Laboratory may get boost in nuclear funding Santa Fe New Mexican | 12/29/2020 Los Alamos National Laboratory will get a hefty funding boost — including for its work on plutonium pit production — in the military spending bill held up by a presidential veto. Many predict the veto will be overridden, and if it is, the lab’s budget will increase to $3.3 billion from the $2.3 billion allocated last year. The bill puts $837 million into the lab’s plutonium operations, more than double the previous year’s $308 million, as Los Alamos pursues production of 30 nuclear bomb cores by 2026 — a goal critics have questioned. Plans call for the Savannah River Site in South Carolina to make an additional 50 plutonium pits by 2030, so the two facilities will produce a combined 80 pits per year as stated in the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review. Continue reading >> TRANSPORTATION New Mexico Spent Nuclear Fuel Transportation Symposium NEI | 12/31/2020 Join NEI’s free webinar, "New Mexico Spent Nuclear Fuel Transportation Symposium," where you will have the opportunity to engage industry experts regarding spent fuel transportation in New Mexico. The U.S. nuclear industry is anticipating the completion of consolidated interim storage facilities in New Mexico and Texas with the ability to receive spent nuclear fuel as early as 2024. As the U.S. prepares for the transportation of the spent fuel, this symposium provides an opportunity for New Mexico elected officials, state and local first responders, emergency management, as well as state regional and tribal organizations to engage industry experts and join the ongoing conversation. Continue reading >> Image IN OTHER NEWS NUCLEAR IAEA Highlights and Achievements in 2020 – a Year in Review (IAEA, 12/30/2020) LEGISLATION Rep. Burgess introduces American Nuclear Leadership Commission Act (Daily Energy Insider, 12/29) NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT Dems delay defense bill over stimulus check fight with McConnell (Politico, 12/30) LEGISLATION McConnell and GOP reject House's $2,000 stimulus checks (Politico, 12/30) UPCOMING EVENTS Sept. 8-10, 2021 National Cleanup Workshop; Alexandria, VA ECA PUBLICATIONS Read about DOE's High Level Waste Interpretation Have questions about DOE’s recent high-level waste (HLW) interpretation? Download ECA’s Key Points and FAQs on the issue to better understand what ECA believes are the potential benefits of implementation. ECA's Key Points on DOE HLW Interpretation ECA's FAQs on DOE HLW Interpretation Interested in learning more? Read the ECA report “Making Informed Decisions on DOE's Proposed High Level Waste Definition” at www.energyca.org/publications ECA BULLETIN Stay Current on Activities in the DOE World Read the latest edition of the ECA Bulletin, a regular newsletter providing a detailed brief of ECA activities, legislative news, and major events from across the DOE complex. Have suggestions for future editions? Email bulletin@energyca.org. View current and previous editions of the ECA Bulletin at www.energyca.org/bulletin DOE SITE PROFILES Learn More about Cleanup Sites with ECA's DOE Site Profiles ECA's new site profiles detail DOE's 13 active Environmental Management cleanup sites and national laboratories, highlighting their history, missions, and priorities. The profiles are a key source for media, stakeholders, and the public to learn more about DOE site activities, contractors, advisory boards, and their surrounding local governments. Access your community's profile by visiting: www.energyca.org/site-profiles DOE Site Proflies Energy Communities Alliance 1625 Eye St., NW Suite 800 Washington DC 20006 U

China starts building second CFR-600 fast reactor : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News

China starts building second CFR-600 fast reactor : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: Construction work has started on the second CFR-600 sodium-cooled pool-type fast-neutron nuclear reactor in Xiapu County, in China's Fujian province. Also known as the Xiapu fast reactor demonstration project, the CFR-600 is part of China's plan to achieve a closed nuclear fuel cycle.

IAEA Informed by Slovenian Authority that Krško Nuclear Power Plant in Safe Shutdown Following Earthquake | IAEA

IAEA Informed by Slovenian Authority that Krško Nuclear Power Plant in Safe Shutdown Following Earthquake | IAEA

Review Begins To Possibly Extend Operation Of Wisconsin Nuclear Plant To 2050 | WUWM

Review Begins To Possibly Extend Operation Of Wisconsin Nuclear Plant To 2050 | WUWM: A federal agency announced it has started to review an application to keep Wisconsin's only nuclear power plant open until about 2050. That's roughly two

IAEA Highlights and Achievements in 2020 – a Year in Review | IAEA

IAEA Highlights and Achievements in 2020 – a Year in Review | IAEA: In a year marked by COVID-19, the IAEA provided support to its Member States related to the pandemic while also delivering its planned services – some of them online.

Utility CEOs, analysts wary of Biden's timeline for carbon-free power sector | S&P Global Market Intelligence

Utility CEOs, analysts wary of Biden's timeline for carbon-free power sector | S&P Global Market Intelligence

Feds allocate $75 million to national uranium reserve | Energy Journal | trib.com

Feds allocate $75 million to national uranium reserve | Energy Journal | trib.com: Sen. John Barrasso called the uranium reserve a big win for Wyoming's struggling industry. But operators here had hoped for more.

The Green Fantasy and Messy Reality of Nuclear Power | The New Republic

The Green Fantasy and Messy Reality of Nuclear Power | The New Republic: Biden is flirting with the idea of rejuvenating the industry to help decarbonize the economy—and there are skeptics in spades.

Premature Nuclear Reactor Retirements Could Effect Nuclear Waste Disposal

Premature Nuclear Reactor Retirements Could Effect Nuclear Waste Disposal: Since 2012, 12 commercial reactors have shut down in the U.S., with 27 more planned by 2026, a loss of at least 37,000 MW of capacity and about 5 trillion kWhs from their expected life. The effects may be profound, from a loss of $8 billion in NWFund revenues to the orphaning of their nuclear waste.

EU and China agree new investment treaty | Financial Times - SinoEUTreaty.pdf

EU and China agree new investment treaty | Financial Times - SinoEUTreaty.pdf

Congress Updates US Energy Policy, Incorporates Energy-Related Tax Provisions Through Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 - Lexology

Congress Updates US Energy Policy, Incorporates Energy-Related Tax Provisions Through Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 - Lexology: The US Congress has adopted the first extensive update to US federal energy policies in over a decade in the Energy Act of 2020 (Energy Act), which…

IAEA Highlights and Achievements in 2020 – a Year in Review | IAEA

IAEA Highlights and Achievements in 2020 – a Year in Review | IAEA: In a year marked by COVID-19, the IAEA provided support to its Member States related to the pandemic while also delivering its planned services – some of them online.

Entergy and Holtec Submit Application To Decommission Palisades Plant - ExchangeMonitor | Page 1

Entergy and Holtec Submit Application To Decommission Palisades Plant - ExchangeMonitor | Page 1: ExchangeMonitor covers nuclear weapons, waste management, nuclear cleanup, international intelligence as well as carbon capture and storage.

EIG Article : Brexit: What Does the Deal Mean for Energy?

EIG Article : Brexit: What Does the Deal Mean for Energy?

Fission accomplished: El-Sisi hails progress of Egypt’s first nuclear plant | Arab News

Fission accomplished: El-Sisi hails progress of Egypt’s first nuclear plant | Arab News: CAIRO: The historic development of Egypt’s first nuclear power plant has been discussed in a Cairo meeting between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Director-General of ROSATOM Alexey Likhachev. ROSATOM, the Russian state’s nuclear energy agency, is working with Cairo to construct the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant. Spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency Bassam Rady

Sisi, Russian Energy Agency Head Meet About First Egyptian Nuclear Power Plant - The Media Line

Sisi, Russian Energy Agency Head Meet About First Egyptian Nuclear Power Plant - The Media Line: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met in Cairo […]

President Macron backs nuclear power

President Macron backs nuclear power: President Macron backs nuclear power

Nuclear Power

Nuclear Power: The Ninth Circuit upheld the dismissal of Public Watchdogs’ complaint against the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and other defendants relating to the decommissioning of two units at the San Ono…

COVID-19, Prison and Another Pandemic Clare Grady Made Me Remember - CounterPunch.org

COVID-19, Prison and Another Pandemic Clare Grady Made Me Remember - CounterPunch.org: Clare Grady is going to prison. On February 10, this nice Irish Catholic lady of 62, who lives with her family in Ithaca, New York will enter Alderson Prison, West Virginia, to begin a one-year-and-one-day sentence. That’s because, on April 4, 2018, Clare and six cohorts, also white and Catholic, broke into the world’s largest More

Inviting Nuclear Disaster - CounterPunch.org

Inviting Nuclear Disaster - CounterPunch.org: Nuclear power plants when they began being constructed were not seen as running for more than 40 years because of radioactivity embrittling metal parts and otherwise causing safety problems. But in recent decades, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has extended the operating licenses of nuclear power plants from 40 years to 60 years and then More

Shutdown Planned for Palisades Nuclear Plant on West Side of State - DBusiness Magazine

Shutdown Planned for Palisades Nuclear Plant on West Side of State - DBusiness Magazine: The Palisades Nuclear Plant in Covert, Mich. (south of South Haven) is slated for shutdown following an acquisition by Holtec International.

Is nuclear fusion the answer to the climate crisis? | Environment | The Guardian

Is nuclear fusion the answer to the climate crisis? | Environment | The Guardian: Promising new studies suggest the long elusive technology may be capable of producing electricity for the grid by the end of the decade

Premature Nuclear Reactor Retirements Could Effect Nuclear Waste Disposal

Premature Nuclear Reactor Retirements Could Effect Nuclear Waste Disposal: Since 2012, 12 commercial reactors have shut down in the U.S., with 27 more planned by 2026, a loss of at least 37,000 MW of capacity and about 5 trillion kWhs from their expected life. The effects may be profound, from a loss of $8 billion in NWFund revenues to the orphaning of their nuclear waste.

Energy Act of 2020—Variety of Provisions for Fission and Fusion | Hogan Lovells - JDSupra

Energy Act of 2020—Variety of Provisions for Fission and Fusion | Hogan Lovells - JDSupra: Last week, Congress passed a $900B omnibus spending bill, which contains, most importantly, relief measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic, but also various authorizations and...

Mini-nuclear companies are looking for buyers who think small | Scienceline

Mini-nuclear companies are looking for buyers who think small | Scienceline: The latest generation of small modular reactors, or SMRs, are designed to be put together in a factory and shipped out to build a power plant, unit by unit.

The Coalition That Will Realign California - California Globe

The Coalition That Will Realign California - California Globe: Poor governance, beginning long before the bungled response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has led to a recall campaign that may very well put California

New York can’t buy its way out of blackouts | Energy Central

New York can’t buy its way out of blackouts | Energy Central: New York City will soon be home to the world’s biggest utility-scale battery system, designed to back up its growing reliance on intermittent renewables. At 400 MWh this batch of batteries will be more than triple the 129 MWh world leader in Australia.The City of New York’s director of sustainability (I am not making this title up), Mark Chambers, is ecstatic, bragging:

New York can’t buy its way out of blackouts | The Energy Collective Daily

New York can’t buy its way out of blackouts | The Energy Collective Daily Link to The Energy Collective Network New York can’t buy its way out of blackouts Spain Increases Zero Carbon Sources on its Grid Do you need an Energy Advisor? Energy Progress- the best of 2020 leads to a great 2021 Lloyd's market to quit fossil fuel insurance by 2030 What is the point of nuclear innovation? Japan Struggles to Make Progress with MOX Fuel Program Despite Ambitious Goals

China's Threat to the Bible | RealClearReligion

China's Threat to the Bible | RealClearReligion: The Bible is America's best-selling book, annually outpacing the top 20 best sellers combined. Yet a single Chinese company has a near monopoly on Bible printing, meaning that any rupture in the suppl

The National Security Implications of Opioids | RealClearHealth

The National Security Implications of Opioids | RealClearHealth: The National Security Implications of Opioids | RealClearHealth

New Treasury Rule Subsidizes High-Tax States | RealClearPolicy

New Treasury Rule Subsidizes High-Tax States | RealClearPolicy: It is no secret the federal tax code is unbalanced and unfair. A byzantine network of deductions and carveouts favor some, while the remaining taxpayers foot the bill. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 201

BREAKING: WHO chief scientist says not enough evidence that COVID vaccine prevents infection | The Post Millennial

BREAKING: WHO chief scientist says not enough evidence that COVID vaccine prevents infection | The Post Millennial: Dr. Swaminathan said "I don't believe we have the evidence on any of the vaccines to be confident that it's going to prevent people from actually getting the infection and therefore passing it on."

US Department of Energy backs five advanced nuclear reactor concepts

US Department of Energy backs five advanced nuclear reactor concepts: The US Department of Energy (DOE) is backing five projects to develop advanced nuclear reactor designs to be built in the United States by private industry. Under the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP), the DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy's US$30 million initial funding is expected to…

Ohio Supreme Court stops collection of nuclear plant subsidy - SFChronicle.com

Ohio Supreme Court stops collection of nuclear plant subsidy - SFChronicle.com: CLEVELAND (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court on Monday issued a temporary stay to stop collection of a fee from nearly every electric customer in the state starting Jan. 1 to subsidize two nuclear power plants, a provision included in a scandal-tainted bill approved by the state Legislature in July 2019. The order signed by Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor comes a week after a judge in Franklin County issued a preliminary injunction to stop collection of the fees. Common Pleas Judge Chris Brown in his ruling from the bench last Monday said, “To not impose an injunction would be to allow certain parties to prevail. It would give the OK that bribery is allowed in the state of Ohio and that any ill-gotten gains can be received. The Ohio Manufacturers' Association appealed to the Supreme Court earlier this month after the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio in August cited the legislation known as HB6 in issuing an order approving collection of the fees and then refused to reconsider the group's request for a new hearing. The law calls for the plant's new owner, Energy Harbor, to receive as much as $150 million a year and nearly $1 billion in total. Another $20 million a year from the fees a

Why Is Solar Energy Getting 250 Times More In Federal Tax Credits Than Nuclear?

Why Is Solar Energy Getting 250 Times More In Federal Tax Credits Than Nuclear?: In 2018, the American solar industry got roughly 250 times as much in federal tax incentives as the nuclear sector, when compared by the amount of energy produced. Coming in a close second is the wind sector, which got about 160 times as much as nuclear.

5 Reactors Connected to the Grid, 5 Removed in 2020

5 Reactors Connected to the Grid, 5 Removed in 2020: Nuclear power capacity continues to grow worldwide, as larger reactors are added to the grid while smaller units are retired. Furthermore, uprates to some

AWED Energy& Environmental Newsletter

AWED Logo Energy & Environmental Newsletter - 12/28/20 Guaranteed interesting & informative or double your money back. AWED Friends: Welcome to our latest Energy & Environmental Newsletter... (For all 2020 Newsletters, go here.) To review the current issue's highlights, see below… Note: If you are getting this Newsletter from a friend, please email physicist John Droz for your own free periodic copy… Hope you had a good Christmas/ Hanukkah, and have an enjoyable, profitable and rewarding 2021 — with a LOT less stress! Climbing out of a cellar? ——————————————————————————————————— — This Newsletter's Articles, by Topic — US National Elections: General — Donald Trump's Stealthy Road to Victory Fighting On Video: Trump has three options The Etiology of Executive Order 13848 Why I Will Not Give Up Biden is not “President-elect” until after January 6th, at the earliest List of Trump’s Accomplishments 2020 Election Screaming Red Flags That Deserved Criminal Inquiry US National Elections: Malfeasance — How to Steal an Election in Four Steps Navarro Report: The Immaculate Deception ASOG Dominion Report Review: Part 1 & Part 2 Video: The Plot to Steal America Yes, It Was a Stolen Election Video: Patrick Byrne - What Really Happened In The Oval Office US National Elections: Lawsuits — A Running Compendium of Challenges to Election 2020 Georgia Sued Over Administration of Senate Runoff Elections US National Elections: State Issues — Election Fraud in Antrim County (MI) – Dominion Forensic Audit Results Georgia's Not Prosecuting Its Unprecedented Number of Double Voters Amazing short video: Testimony re Nevada voting fraud (the words) NY-22 Errors And Challenges Could Undermine Voter Rights Electors in 7 States Cast Dueling Votes for Trump Other US Politics and Socialism — It’s Time to Find Our Common Ground and Fight the Real Deep State Western greens are China’s useful idiots China: The Conquest of Hollywood China using green agenda to gain advantage over America COVID-19: Prevention — New COVID-19 Vaccines, Same Sluggish FDA FDA Investigates Allergic Reactions to Pfizer COVID Vaccine Video: Vaccines by Ex Merck rep Brandy Vaughan Study: Flu Vaccine Raises Risk of COVID Death WHO Deletes Naturally Acquired Immunity from Its Website Fauci tells Americans not to see their kids for Christmas Evidence Shows Lockdowns Do Not Control Coronavirus COVID-19: Models and Data — HCQ is effective for COVID-19 when used early: meta analysis of 180 studies The COVID-19 Data is a "Travesty" How Technocrats Intentionally Weaponized Bad Scientists There are thousands of COVID strains, so this new scare is NOT a big deal COVID-19: Misc — Here are the 10 top COVID questions which the media is ignoring The Grinch Who Stole Christmas And Other Villains Medical Tyranny Sent 8 Million Americans Into Poverty Since Summer 2020 Short video: Price Transparency - How to Fix Healthcare Wind & Solar Energy — Thousands of new French turbines — but no reduction in carbon emissions NIMBY’s are making more noise than wind turbines Big Stimulus For Renewable Energy in Covid Relief Bill Congress Passes Solar, Wind Tax Credit Extensions, etc. Reality Check on a Batteries during a one-day Wind/Solar lull Over 100 Eagles Could Be Killed By NY Bluestone Wind Turbines Vineyard Wind Withdraws From Federal Permitting Process Turbines in Lake Erie are Irresponsible Nuclear Energy — An Upbeat Look at Nuclear with Rod Adams States Can Resolve Nuclear Dilemma With a Modest Investment Successfully de-fueling an Ontario nuclear reactor Fossil Fuel Energy — Gas Ban Economics 101 This Natural Gas Plant Has Achieved Zero Emissions Vaccines to Fight COVID-19 Impossible Without Fossil Fuels Misc Energy — Solarwinds Hack Infected Power Industry Critical Infrastructure Washington Post Trashes EPA Benefit Cost Analysis Rule New York Times Trashes EPA’s Particulate Matter Rule Radicals Back in Charge Will Undermine State’s Resource Economy Biden's About to Floor It to a Green Future WSJ “News” on Green Energy Is Pure Puffery Biden to tap former Michigan Gov. Granholm to lead DOE Manmade Global Warming, Some Deceptions — China Debuts ‘Ambitious’ Environmental Plan Increasing CO2 for a Decade China’s green NGO climate propaganda enablers Climate activists' have new plan to 'double-count' emissions The Climate Scam: What We Are Up Against Study finds most of the CO2 increase is natural LinkedIn Shuts Out Diverse Views Boris Johnson: Climate crisis ‘far more destructive than coronavirus’ Newly discovered Greenland plume drives thermal activities in the Arctic Misc Manmade Global Warming — Biden Is a Climate Dead End Biden Climate Plan Risks Putting China Before The American People Study: 6000 years ago it was warmer than today How Russia Could Dominate a Warming World

An Upbeat Look at Nuclear with Rod Adams | Climate Scepticism

An Upbeat Look at Nuclear with Rod Adams | Climate Scepticism: Robert Bryce’s Power Hungry podcast has a excellent interview with longtime nuclear energy blogger and podcaster Rod Adams. It’s almost two hours and has rather few views so I thought I…

ECA Update December 28, 2020

Image View this email in your browser ECA UPDATE Dec 28, 2020 FEATURED NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT House poised to override Trump veto for first time The Hill | 12/28/2020 The House appears poised to override President Trump’s veto of the must-pass annual defense policy bill, a dramatic rebuke of Trump in the final days of his presidency. House lawmakers will vote Monday on overriding Trump’s rejection of the fiscal 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed both chambers of Congress with more than the two-thirds majority needed to overcome a veto. Some Republicans have said they would sustain Trump’s veto despite supporting the bill earlier this month. Still, dozens would need to flip their vote for the override to fail, and some Democrats who previously voted against the measure could switch their votes to override Trump. Continue reading >> Follow the latest DOE budget updates with ECA's budget tracker Image Monitor DOE spending bills, detailed site budgets, and more. Find everything you need to know about the DOE budget here! NATIONAL LABS Congress approves record Office of Science funding for DOE national labs Federal Labs | 12/22/2020 Congress this week passed legislation sponsored by subcommittee Chairman Lamar Alexander and Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein that includes the sixth consecutive year of record funding for the Office of Science – the U.S. Department of Energy program that supports work at 17 national laboratories. The Senate bill also prioritizes funding for supercomputing and advanced nuclear programs and provides the seventh consecutive year of record funding in a regular appropriations bill for the Corps of Engineers. “I proposed a New Manhattan Project for Clean Energy last March – a five year project with Ten Grand Challenges that will use American research and technology to put our country and the world firmly on a path toward cleaner, cheaper energy," Alexander said. "To provide the tools to create these breakthroughs, the federal government should double its funding for energy research and reinstate the United States as number one in the world in advanced computing. That is why setting a new record funding level for the Office of Science – the nation’s largest supporter of research in the physical sciences – is one of my top priorities." Continue reading >> Image IN OTHER NEWS NATIONAL LABS 15 Ways LANL Made An Impact In 2020 — COVID-19 And Beyond (Los Alamos Reporter, 12/28) Battelle Energy Alliance and NASA take next step in search for industry partners to design nuclear power system for moon (INL, 12/22) BUDGET & APPROPRIATIONS Trump backs down, signs stimulus package (Politico, 12/28) UPCOMING EVENTS Sept. 8-10, 2021 National Cleanup Workshop; Alexandria, VA ECA PUBLICATIONS Read about DOE's High Level Waste Interpretation Have questions about DOE’s recent high-level waste (HLW) interpretation? Download ECA’s Key Points and FAQs on the issue to better understand what ECA believes are the potential benefits of implementation. ECA's Key Points on DOE HLW Interpretation ECA's FAQs on DOE HLW Interpretation Interested in learning more? Read the ECA report “Making Informed Decisions on DOE's Proposed High Level Waste Definition” at www.energyca.org/publications ECA BULLETIN Stay Current on Activities in the DOE World Read the latest edition of the ECA Bulletin, a regular newsletter providing a detailed brief of ECA activities, legislative news, and major events from across the DOE complex. Have suggestions for future editions? Email bulletin@energyca.org. View current and previous editions of the ECA Bulletin at www.energyca.org/bulletin DOE SITE PROFILES Learn More about Cleanup Sites with ECA's DOE Site Profiles ECA's new site profiles detail DOE's 13 active Environmental Management cleanup sites and national laboratories, highlighting their history, missions, and priorities. The profiles are a key source for media, stakeholders, and the public to learn more about DOE site activities, contractors, advisory boards, and their surrounding local governments. Access your community's profile by visiting: www.energyca.org/site-profiles DOE Site Proflies Energy Communities Alliance 1625 Eye St., NW Suite 800 Washington DC 20006 USA © 2019 Energy Communities Alliance, Inc. All rights reserved.

Trump signs stimulus bill into law and averts shutdown - The Washington Post

Trump signs stimulus bill into law and averts shutdown - The Washington Post: Trump's change of plans came after he had the whole country on edge for nearly a week.

Japan’s MOX Fuel Plan Gets a Green Light, but Reprocessing Start Delayed for Two Years | Neutron Bytes

Japan’s MOX Fuel Plan Gets a Green Light, but Reprocessing Start Delayed for Two Years | Neutron Bytes: Japan Struggles to Make Progress with MOX Fuel Program Despite Ambitious Goals DOE ARDP Program Awards $20 million for Advanced Reactor Concepts BWXT to Start $106.6 Million Microreactor Design Pro…

Boston doctor says he almost had to be INTUBATED after suffering severe allergic reaction from Moderna Covid vaccine — RT USA News

Boston doctor says he almost had to be INTUBATED after suffering severe allergic reaction from Moderna Covid vaccine — RT USA News: A physician in Boston said he suffered one of the worst allergic reactions he’s ever experienced after receiving Moderna’s Covid-19 jab, following a string of similar cases resulting from Pfizer’s vaccine.

RED FILES: Secret Victories of the KGB - George Blake Interview

RED FILES: Secret Victories of the KGB - George Blake Interview

In Nashville, 'Listen to the bomb.' - SpyTalk

In Nashville, 'Listen to the bomb.' - SpyTalk: An ATF bomb expert's advice in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics bombing should be followed in the Nashville case

Yes, Hallmark Christmas movies are cheesy. Here’s why we still love them. | America Magazine

Yes, Hallmark Christmas movies are cheesy. Here’s why we still love them. | America Magazine: So what is it about these cheesy, mass-produced films that make them so irresistible?

Israel’s plan to dismantle Turkish influence in Jerusalem for the benefit of Gulf states – Middle East Monitor

Israel’s plan to dismantle Turkish influence in Jerusalem for the benefit of Gulf states – Middle East Monitor: In light of the ongoing wave of normalisation agreements between Arab states and the occupation, Israel is trying to lure Gulf countries, especially the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, wi...

No simple solution to China's dominance in Cambodia | East Asia Forum

No simple solution to China's dominance in Cambodia | East Asia Forum: China's dominance in Cambodia is contentious, but there is no simple solution

The Energy To Light Christmas

The Energy To Light Christmas: Lighting our Christmas Spirit in the month of December takes 3.5 billion kWh emitting 3 billion pounds of CO2 and costing $645 million, a pretty good price for some happiness at the end of a very long year. But we could decrease that by 75% if we used only LED lights.

COMMENTARY: Time to rebuild America's infrastructure and industrial base | Opinion | fredericksburg.com

COMMENTARY: Time to rebuild America's infrastructure and industrial base | Opinion | fredericksburg.com: It’s past time to modernize America’s infrastructure and reprioritize America's industrial base.

FERC Expands Cogeneration QFs for Certain Fuel Cell Systems

FERC Expands Cogeneration QFs for Certain Fuel Cell Systems: On December 17, 2020, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) adopted a final rule (“Final Rule”)[1] regarding the potential for certain fuel cell syst

Canada’s SMR Action Plan: regulatory change at the CNSC in action - Lexology

Canada’s SMR Action Plan: regulatory change at the CNSC in action - Lexology: On December 18, 2020, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources released the Federal Government’s Small Modular Reactors (SMR) Action Plan (the Action…

Nuclear waste storage: Holtec might build Carlsbad manufacturing plant

Nuclear waste storage: Holtec might build Carlsbad manufacturing plant: The casks would need to be fabricated near the site, said Program Director Ed Mayer, and New Mexico was the best place to do it.

China plans clean energy future : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News

China plans clean energy future : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News: While still primarily relying on coal to meet its energy needs, China says it is committed to playing its part in the global fight against climate change. A white paper published yesterday by the State Council says the country will increase the share of clean energy sources, including nuclear, in its energy mix.

Ohio Ratepayers Spared From Paying Into $1B Nuclear Bailout - Law360

Ohio Ratepayers Spared From Paying Into $1B Nuclear Bailout - Law360: An Ohio state court judge has ruled that ratepayers cannot be forced to pay into a $1.3 billion bailout fund for struggling nuclear power plants, which is at the center of a $60 million bribery probe involving utility company FirstEnergy.

Local Judge Bans State From Collecting Fees In Nuclear Power Plant Bailout Law | WCBE 90.5 FM

Local Judge Bans State From Collecting Fees In Nuclear Power Plant Bailout Law | WCBE 90.5 FM: A Franklin County judge has blocked the collection of electric bill fees expected to be added next year under the 1 billion dollar nuclear power plant

Judge grants injunction blocking Ohio's two nuclear power plants from collecting fees as part of HB 6 - The Highland County Press

Judge grants injunction blocking Ohio's two nuclear power plants from collecting fees as part of HB 6 - The Highland County Press: Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Chris Brown has granted a preliminary injunction blocking the owner of Ohio's two nuclear power plants from collecti

Kinzinger Introduces New Legislation To Save Nuclear Power Plants | WNIJ and WNIU

Kinzinger Introduces New Legislation To Save Nuclear Power Plants | WNIJ and WNIU: An Illinois congressman recently introduced legislation to help keep two nuclear power plants in his district from closing. Power company Exelon announced

Brunswick Nuclear Plant Sirens to be Tested | Coastal Review Online

Brunswick Nuclear Plant Sirens to be Tested | Coastal Review Online: The outdoor warning sirens around the Brunswick Nuclear Plant will be tested on the morning of Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021.

Polish group calls on Germany to reverse nuclear phaseout : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News

Polish group calls on Germany to reverse nuclear phaseout : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News: Polish climate and environmental activists are asking Germany to reconsider its 2011 decision to phase out nuclear power. On 18 December, activists from the FOTA4Climate initiative submitted to the German embassy in Warsaw an open letter signed by Polish scientists, intellectuals, activists and citizens.

Chinese demands on nuclear power investment complicate EU talks - WiWo | Reuters

Chinese demands on nuclear power investment complicate EU talks - WiWo | Reuters: Negotiations between the European Union and China on an investment agreement have stalled at the last stretch because China is raising additional demands on nuclear energy, German magazine WirtschaftsWoche reported on Wednesday.

Armenia’s Nuclear Power Plant: A Delicate Solution to the ‘Dark and Cold Days’ | Asbarez.com

Armenia’s Nuclear Power Plant: A Delicate Solution to the ‘Dark and Cold Days’ | Asbarez.com: In view of the snowy peaks of Mount Ararat—believed to be the resting place of Noah's Ark—stands the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant.

China Releases New Energy Security Strategy to Diversify, Conserve Power - Sputnik International

China Releases New Energy Security Strategy to Diversify, Conserve Power - Sputnik International: The new policy outline comes on the heels of news about China’s first indigenously-designed nuclear reactor coming online and a successful test of an experimental...

Belarus unit starts pilot operation : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News

Belarus unit starts pilot operation : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: Unit 1 of the first nuclear power plant to be built in Belarus started pilot operation yesterday, Russia's Rosatom has announced. Pilot operation is the final and longest check of a power unit before commissioning. The unit is be the first of the VVER-1200 design to be built outside Russia.

DOE selects advanced reactor concepts for funding : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News

DOE selects advanced reactor concepts for funding : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: The US Department of Energy has announced USD20 million in awards for the third of three programmes under its new Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy has selected three teams to receive FY2020 funding for the ARDP's Advanced Reactor Concepts-20 programme.

Congress approves nuclear energy funding for FY2021 : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News

Congress approves nuclear energy funding for FY2021 : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News: The US Congress voted to approve appropriations for fiscal year 2021 that includes USD1.5 billion for the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy. The appropriations also include USD150 million to initiate the uranium reserve programme to address challenges to the production of domestic uranium.

To build a zero-carbon grid, we first need to model it accurately | The Energy Collective Daily

To build a zero-carbon grid, we first need to model it accurately | The Energy Collective Daily Link to The Energy Collective Network To build a zero-carbon grid, we first need to model it accurately Visualizing Haynesville Oil & Gas Production (Through September 2020) 2020, A Biggly Bad Year: At Least EVs as a Grid Resource Made Headway Electrification Backers, the Refrigerant Revolution Needs Your Support ME-TECH Virtual 2021 - Middle East Technology Forum for Refining & Petrochemicals

Alex Padilla becomes California's first Latino U.S. senator - Los Angeles Times

Alex Padilla becomes California's first Latino U.S. senator - Los Angeles Times: Alex Padilla will be the first Latino to represent California in the U.S. Senate. He will succeed Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

Pete Buttigieg wants to put 'millions' of electric cars on US roads - Electrek

Pete Buttigieg wants to put 'millions' of electric cars on US roads - Electrek: Pete Buttigieg, nominated by Joe Biden to be secretary of transportation, reiterated his stance on the future of EVs in the US yesterday.

White supremacists plotted attack on US power grid, FBI says

White supremacists plotted attack on US power grid, FBI says: White supremacists plotted to attack power stations in the southeastern U.S., the FBI alleges in an affidavit.

Japanese power companies promote use of mox fuel - Nuclear Engineering International

Japanese power companies promote use of mox fuel - Nuclear Engineering International:        The Federation of Electric Power Companies (FEPC) of Japan, which includes 11 operators comprising nine utilities along with Japan Atomic Power Company, and Electric Power...

TEPCO to postpone removal of radioactive debris | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

TEPCO to postpone removal of radioactive debris | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News: NHK has learned that the operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant plans to postpone removing radioactive debris from inside a reactor because preparatory tests have been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.

DOE issues Versatile Test Reactor draft EIS, confirms INL as its “preferred alternative” -- ANS / Newswire

DOE issues Versatile Test Reactor draft EIS, confirms INL as its “preferred alternative” -- ANS / Newswire

$2.6 billion budget passed for Hanford, plus money for PNNL | Tri-City Herald

$2.6 billion budget passed for Hanford, plus money for PNNL | Tri-City Herald: There’s also money for construction projects at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland.

Department of Energy awards new SRNL management and operating contract

Department of Energy awards new SRNL management and operating contract: The Department of Energy has announced the new Savannah River National Laboratory management and operating contract.

New stimulus bill includes $35.2 billion for new energy initiatives | TechCrunch

New stimulus bill includes $35.2 billion for new energy initiatives | TechCrunch

ECA Alliance Update December 23, 2020

Image View this email in your browser ECA UPDATE Dec 23, 2020 FEATURED ADVANCED REACTORS Energy Department’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program Awards $20 million for Advanced Reactor Concepts DOE-NE | 12/22/2020 The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $20 million in awards for the third of three programs under its new Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP). DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) has selected three teams to receive FY20 funding for the ARDP’s Advanced Reactor Concepts-20 (ARC-20) program. ARDP is designed to help domestic private industry demonstrate advanced nuclear reactors in the United States. DOE issued an ARDP funding opportunity announcement in May 2020 which included the ARC-20 awards, the Advanced Reactor Demonstration awards, and the Risk Reduction for Future Demonstration awards. For the ARC-20 projects, DOE expects to invest a total of approximately $56 million over four years with our industry partners providing at least 20 percent in matching funds. Continue reading >> Follow the latest DOE budget updates with ECA's budget tracker Image Monitor DOE spending bills, detailed site budgets, and more. Find everything you need to know about the DOE budget here! TEST REACTOR U.S. Department of Energy Releases Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Versatile Test Reactor DOE-NE | 12/21/2020 The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) invites the public to review and comment on a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for construction of the Versatile Test Reactor (VTR). The proposed VTR would be a sodium-cooled fast-neutron-spectrum test reactor that will enhance and accelerate research, development, and demonstration of innovative nuclear energy technologies. Continue reading >> LEGISLATION Congress passes massive energy package Politico | 12/22/2020 After a frantic final week of negotiations, Congress passed a sprawling Covid-19 and government funding package, delivering the most significant energy legislation in more than a dozen years and authorizing approximately $35 billion toward new energy technologies, Pro's Anthony Adragna reports. The energy legislation — lengthy in its own right — was tucked into a sprawling 5,593-page omnibus spending and coronavirus relief package, H.R. 133 (116), released Monday. Both the House and Senate passed the $900 billion pandemic relief bill and $1.4 trillion spending package to fund the government through September on Monday night. Continue reading >> CONTRACT DOE Awards Savannah River National Laboratory Management and Operating Contract DOE-EM | 12/22/2020 Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) awarded the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) Management and Operating (M&O) contract to Battelle Savannah River Alliance, LLC (BSRA) of Columbus, OH. The Cost-Plus-Award-Fee contract will include a 5-year base period (inclusive of 120 day transition period) and potential award terms of up to 5 more years, for a total period of up to 10 years. The anticipated contract value is approximately $3.8 billion over the potential 10-year period of performance. The procurement was competed as a full-and-open competition, and EM received three proposals. The Department determined the BSRA proposal provided the best value to the Government considering Laboratory Vision, Key Personnel, Management and Operations, Past Performance, Transition Plan, and Cost and Fee. Continue reading >> IN OTHER NEWS LEGISLATIVE Trump Blasts COVID Relief Package, Demands Revisions Risking a Shutdown (Government Executive, 12/22) NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT House plans Dec. 28 vote to override Trump's possible defense bill veto (The Hill, 12/21) TEST REACTOR Energy Department: Idaho Top Choice for New Test Reactor (U.S. News & World Report, 12/21) TECHNOLOGY Memorandum on the National Strategy for Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion (White House, 12/16) UPCOMING EVENTS Sept. 8-10, 2021 National Cleanup Workshop; Alexandria, VA ECA PUBLICATIONS Read about DOE's High Level Waste Interpretation Have questions about DOE’s recent high-level waste (HLW) interpretation? Download ECA’s Key Points and FAQs on the issue to better understand what ECA believes are the potential benefits of implementation. ECA's Key Points on DOE HLW Interpretation ECA's FAQs on DOE HLW Interpretation Interested in learning more? Read the ECA report “Making Informed Decisions on DOE's Proposed High Level Waste Definition” at www.energyca.org/publications ECA BULLETIN Stay Current on Activities in the DOE World Read the latest edition of the ECA Bulletin, a regular newsletter providing a detailed brief of ECA activities, legislative news, and major events from across the DOE complex. Have suggestions for future editions? Email bulletin@energyca.org. View current and previous editions of the ECA Bulletin at www.energyca.org/bulletin DOE SITE PROFILES Learn More about Cleanup Sites with ECA's DOE Site Profiles ECA's new site profiles detail DOE's 13 active Environmental Management cleanup sites and national laboratories, highlighting their history, missions, and priorities. The profiles are a key source for media, stakeholders, and the public to learn more about DOE site activities, contractors, advisory boards, and their surrounding local governments. Access your community's profile by visiting: www.energyca.org/site-profiles DOE Site Proflies Energy Communities Alliance 1625 Eye St., NW Suite 800 Washington DC 20006 USA © 2019 Energy Communities Alliance, Inc. All rights reserved.

China to open energy sector to foreign investment as it seeks to balance energy security with carbon neutral pledge _ South China Morning Post.pdf

China to open energy sector to foreign investment as it seeks to balance energy security with carbon neutral pledge _ South China Morning Post.pdf

EM Update December 22, 2020

banner EM Update | Vol. 12, Issue 39 | Dec. 22, 2020 GreenBar DOE Successfully Transfers SPRU Site, Achieving EM 2020 Priority ‘2020 Year in Review’ Highlights EM Accomplishments, Cleanup Priorities Crews Begin Pre-Demolition Work for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Reactor Oak Ridge's UCOR Earns 98% of Fee for Second Half of Fiscal 2020 EM Leaders Focus on Engaging Communities During STGWG Meeting DOE, FIU Welcome New Fellows Into Program Shaping Cleanup Workforce Hanford Workers Complete Construction of Capsule Transfer Mock-Up Idaho Site Crews Inspect 1970s-Era Vaults, Spent Nuclear Fuel Assemblies 2020 a Year of Completions and Beginnings at Oak Ridge The Art and Science of Welding at Hanford’s WTP New Cranes Ready to Support Cleanup at Hanford Site Paducah Site Contractor Receives Environmental Leadership Award Next EM Update Scheduled Jan. 12 DOE Successfully Transfers SPRU Site, Achieving EM 2020 Priority NISKAYUNA, N.Y. – DOE officials approved the transfer of the former Separations Process Research Unit (SPRU) areas to the Office of Naval Reactors (NR) on Dec. 16, capping a successful remediation and completing an EM 2020 priority. The milestone resulted from a joint effort between DOE, NR, and the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, and advanced EM’s legacy cleanup mission. The former SPRU nuclear facilities were located at the laboratory. “Completing the SPRU project removes the longstanding liability of a Cold War-era nuclear facility and enables returning the former SPRU areas to the Naval Reactors landlord for future site operations. Significant credit is due to the government-contractor team that completed this project,” said Hugh Davis, program manager for SPRU. p This 1948 photo shows construction of tank vaults at the former Separations Process Research Unit. p A view of the restored site of the former Building H2 at the former Separations Process Research Unit. Prior to the transfer, the joint team restored and revegetated the former building grounds, issued final radiological and chemical cleanup reports, and constructed a temporary storage area for 24 containers of waste that will be treated and disposed offsite. The SPRU nuclear facilities consisted of a main processing facility known as Building G2, a waste processing facility called Building H2, underground tank vaults, and an underground pipe tunnel connecting the two buildings. Buildings G2 and H2 housed process cells with thick concrete shield walls and contained more than 8 miles of process piping and 85 process vessels with capacities ranging from 5 to 10,000 gallons. SPRU operated from 1949 to 1951 as a pilot plant for researching plutonium production methods. The SPRU facilities were decommissioned in 1953. That work included flushing the process equipment and placing the facilities in safe caretaking status. The deactivation, decontamination, and demolition work began in 2007 and was completed last year. -Contributor: Stephanie Shewmon ‘2020 Year in Review’ Highlights EM Accomplishments, Cleanup Priorities p WASHINGTON, D.C. – EM has published its 2020 Year in Review, summarizing the accomplishments of cleanup work across the DOE complex over the course of the year, including numerous major program priorities. The Year in Review highlights achievements at each EM site and at EM headquarters, including: Completing the East Tennessee Technology Park Vision 2020 at Oak Ridge, which became the first site in the world to remove an entire uranium enrichment complex. Starting operations at the first-of-a-kind Salt Waste Processing Facility at the Savannah River Site (SRS) — the last major piece of the site’s liquid waste treatment system — with the potential to process as much as 9 million gallons of liquid waste per year. Achieving significant advancement of two other key components of DOE’s tank waste treatment mission: Increasing progress in construction, startup, and commissioning critical to the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste system at the Hanford Site. Continuing modifications at the Integrated Waste Treatment Unit, which will turn about 900,000 gallons of liquid radioactive waste into a granular solid at DOE’s Idaho National Laboratory Site. Completing demolition of the Plutonium Finishing Plant, which was once the highest-risk building at the Hanford Site. Breaking ground on a 2,275-foot deep utility shaft at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, a key infrastructure piece to support future operations at the site. Resuming cleanup at the Energy Technology Engineering Center after more than a decade, including demolition of a dozen buildings and setting a path to completing demolition of all DOE-owned buildings at the site in 2021. Reaching a milestone 11 million tons of mill tailings shipped from a former uranium ore processing site in Moab, Utah, to a disposal cell near Crescent Junction, Utah. Completing remediation activities on and around the historic Tonopah Test Range in Nevada, and conveying 70 sites to the DOE Office of Legacy Management (LM) for long-term stewardship — the first EM-to-LM transfer in more than a decade. Completing site restoration at the Separations Process Research Unit in New York state and turning the site back to the DOE Office of Naval Reactors. Implementing the full Interim Measure for addressing the chromium plume at Los Alamos to hold the spread of chromium contamination within the site boundaries as a final solution is developed and put in place. Successfully implementing the Department’s first application of its science-based high-level radioactive waste interpretation through the shipment of a small quantity of waste from SRS for safe off-site treatment and disposal. Putting in place the first end-state style contracts at the Hanford and Nevada sites, with several others progressing across the EM complex. Click here to read EM’s complete 2020 Year in Review report. Crews Begin Pre-Demolition Work for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Reactor p Crews from the U.S. Army Corp Engineers perform pre-demolition activities at the Livermore Pool Type Reactor at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. LIVERMORE, Calif. – Workers have begun activities to prepare for the demolition of a nuclear reactor at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), accomplishing one of EM’s 2020 priorities. A team from EM, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and the U.S. Army Corp Engineers (USACE) performed core drilling, surveying, sampling, and a study of potential demolition impacts this month. “Hitting this significant cleanup milestone took a lot of cooperation between the NNSA, EM, and USACE teams, particularly given the challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic,” EM LLNL Federal Project Director Kevin Bazzell said. “But everyone came together with a commitment to safety, and to ensure we met EM’s commitment to start pre-work for demolition by the end of 2020.” p A view of the Livermore Pool Type Reactor, which was deactivated and decommissioned in 1981. p U.S. Army Corp Engineers crews conduct surveys within Building 280, which houses the Livermore Pool Type Reactor. p Workers conduct a simulated demolition as part of a study to determine potential impacts from the Livermore Pool Type Reactor demolition scheduled to begin in spring next year. The Livermore Pool Type Reactor operated for more than 20 years, supporting radiation research at what was then known as the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory. The reactor was cooled and moderated with light water, and its power came from a uranium chain reaction. The reactor was defueled and decommissioned in 1981. The remaining reactor vessel sits within a concrete-and-steel shielding structure inside Building 280. Removal of the reactor from Building 280 is scheduled to begin in spring next year, with completion of the demolition expected in fall 2021. “We will be removing a significant risk from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory by demolishing the Livermore Pool Type Reactor,” Bazzell said. Following the demolition, EM will focus on tearing down Building 280 and other high-risk excess facilities at the site. -Contributor: Stephanie Shewmon Oak Ridge's UCOR Earns 98% of Fee for Second Half of Fiscal 2020 p UCOR completed demolition on the final structures at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) during the performance evaluation period of April 2020 through September 2020. Pictured is Building K-1600, the final structure to fall at ETTP. It was previously used for centrifuge technology research and development. OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – EM recently awarded Oak Ridge cleanup contractor UCOR $28 million for its performance from April 2020 through September 2020, amounting to 98% of the available fee for the evaluation period. The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) issued its fee determination scorecard for UCOR for the second six-month period of fiscal 2020 after completing its evaluation of the contractor. EM releases information relating to contractor fee payments — earned by completing work called for in the contracts — to further transparency in its cleanup program. The contractor received “excellent” ratings for project management and business systems, quality and safety culture, and regulatory and stakeholder activity; a “good” rating for operations management; and “high confidence” for cost and schedule incentive, according to the scorecard. Among UCOR’s significant accomplishments: Achieved all performance-based incentives designed to complete Vision 2020, resulting in the world’s first demolition of a former uranium enrichment complex at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP). The project finished ahead of schedule and under budget. Seamlessly transitioned to limited operations and implemented the Phase 1 resumption-of-work plan during the COVID-19 pandemic, with effective safety protocols and no confirmed workplace COVID-19 cases. Successfully transitioned approximately 250 workers from ETTP to perform cleanup work at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex upon achieving Vision 2020. Implemented effective safety and health programs, and received the DOE “Legacy of Stars Award,” which is provided to sites that have earned the DOE Voluntary Protection Program Star of Excellence for three consecutive years. Maintained regulatory compliance. UCOR had no regulatory permit infractions, non-compliances, reportable spills, or notices of violation. The contractor also met all enforceable regulatory milestones or supported renegotiation of them. UCOR hosted numerous visits and formal regulatory inspections by Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency personnel with no violations identified. Provided excellent support as part of the Regulatory Partnership initiative, enabling the Executive Leadership and Emerging Issues Teams to proceed more quickly to address longstanding issues, fostering improved relationships between OREM and regulators. OREM also noted areas for improvement. UCOR experienced several issues with work planning and controls, including conducting a task without an approved work plan. Additionally, there were several transportation collision incidents. In response, the contractor promptly established a collision taskforce to evaluate options for improving the transportation program’s performance. View the fee determination letter and UCOR's scorecard here. -Contributor: Ben Williams EM Leaders Focus on Engaging Communities During STGWG Meeting EM Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Todd Shrader emphasized the importance DOE places on input from communities in determining the end state for cleanup sites in remarks to the recent fall meeting of the State and Tribal Government Working Group (STGWG). Shrader said communication among DOE, state and local governments, and tribes is critical to moving forward with EM’s mission. “We all have the same shared goal ultimately, and that is the safe cleanup of our sites,” Shrader said. “We of course want to do it as soon as possible and as efficiently as possible. So working with stakeholders and working together to do things like define end states and understand where you are going from Day One is critical. “Probably the number one feedback we can get from stakeholders is what do you want the end state of the site to be,” Shrader said. Mark Gilbertson, EM Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regulatory and Policy Affairs, and Mary Kruger, EM Office of Regulatory, Intergovernmental, and Stakeholder Engagement Director, joined Shrader in underscoring the importance of EM’s engagement with stakeholders. Kruger emphasized the need to continue EM’s dialogue with STGWG. “Since we have been working together for over three decades, both EM and STGWG have grown up together, helping each other navigate the complex world that is the nuclear weapons cleanup,” Gilbertson said. “I value and appreciate the partnership that has grown with time. We are dealing with one of the most sophisticated challenges in history.” STGWG brings together representatives from states and tribes. The working group is focused on three priorities: long-term stewardship, natural resource damage assessment and restoration, and tribal issues related to the cleanup and closure of DOE sites. STGWG provides a forum for communication among states and tribes affected by EM sites and activities. Shrader noted significant accomplishments in EM’s cleanup mission this past year, including the start of operations of the Salt Waste Processing Facility at the Savannah River Site, continued progress on the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste system at the Hanford Site, and advancements in demolition work at the Energy Technology Engineering Center and the Brookhaven National Laboratory. Shrader noted in particular the progress of the Long-Term Stewardship Working Group. That group is a cross-program team established by EM, the DOE Office of Legacy Management, and the National Nuclear Security Administration to address national and cross-cutting site-level long-term stewardship activities and issues. “We have a real chance to continue a lot of good momentum here,” Shrader said. The coming year expects to see the initiation of tank waste treatment at the Integrated Waste Treatment Unit at the Idaho Site, and continuing progress at Hanford that will soon lead to the treatment of tank waste there as well. “Those are really big achievements and really moves us down the line to addressing our needs across the complex,” he said. -Contributor: Elizabeth Lisann DOE, FIU Welcome New Fellows Into Program Shaping Cleanup Workforce p DOE and Florida International University (FIU) officials recently introduced FIU science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students as the new DOE Fellows Class of 2020 in a virtual ceremony. Top row, from left, Fellows Brendon Cintas, Eduardo Rojas, Stevens Charles, and Sebastian Story; second row, from left, Fellows Christian Dau, Joel Adams, Ryan Ocampo, Phuong Pham, and Christian Gonzalez Lopez; third row, from left, Fellows Josue Estrada, Alicia Maratos, Adrian Muino, and Lorryn Andrade, and FIU Applied Research Center Executive Director Inés Triay; fourth row, from left, EM Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Program Manager Genia McKinley, Fellow Thi Tran, FIU DOE Fellows Program Director and Director of Research Dr. Leonel Lagos, DOE Fellows Program Manager Ravi Gudavalli, and DOE Office of Legacy Management (LM) Site Manager Jalena Dayvault; and fifth row, from left, LM Director Carmelo Melendez, Fellow Olivia Bustillo, Class of 2019, Fellow Aurelien Meray, and Fellow Gisselle Gutierrez-Zuniga, Class of 2019. MIAMI – DOE and Florida International University (FIU) officials recently introduced the EM Fellows Class of 2020 — 15 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students inducted into a program intended to shape future candidates for the cleanup workforce. The FIU students join current fellows in the university’s Science & Technology Workforce Development Program, also known as the DOE Fellows program. An additional FIU STEM student was inducted as a DOE Office of Legacy Management (LM) Fellow. Undergraduate and graduate minority STEM students at FIU are usually welcomed into the program annually in a ceremony hosted at FIU’s Modesto Maidique campus. This year, due to health and safety concerns in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was held virtually. The Fellows program strives to attract, train, and retain the next-generation workforce in nuclear, engineering, science, and construction fields to assist in addressing EM's many long-term scientific and basic research needs, and complex cleanup challenges. Students in the Fellows program work with DOE scientists and researchers at FIU’s Applied Research Center (ARC) — which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year — to learn about EM and LM technical areas of need. In an address during the ceremony, EM Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Field Operations Nicole Nelson-Jean reflected on her experience in a similar mentorship program, which helped steer her on the path to a successful federal government career. Nelson-Jean stressed the importance of such programs to the environmental missions of EM and LM. She commended the DOE Fellows program’s success stories, highlighting former DOE Fellows hired by DOE and its national laboratories, including EM’s Savannah River National Laboratory. Gisselle Gutierrez-Zuniga, who was inducted into the program last year as an undergraduate student, delivered a message to the new Fellows highlighting her personal experience, which she found fulfilling academically and professionally. Also participating was LM Director Carmelo Melendez, who delivered a keynote address to the new DOE Fellows. Since its inception in 2007, the Fellows program has inducted 179 STEM students mentored in research, development, and deployment of new cleanup technologies. The Fellows program has resulted in a 95% hiring rate for students who complete the program, including three Fellows hired by DOE, nine by DOE contractors or national laboratories, 19 hired by other government agencies, and 74 hired by the STEM industry. “FIU continues to train and mentor future leaders,” said DOE Fellows Director Dr. Leonel Lagos, the DOE-FIU Cooperative Agreement’s principal investigator. “This program provides the opportunity for many first-generation students to complete their degrees at FIU, obtain hands-on research and work experience, and participate in internships across the DOE complex.” -Contributors: Ravi Gudavalli, Angelique Lawrence, Genia McKinley Hanford Workers Complete Construction of Capsule Transfer Mock-Up p Workers with EM Richland Operations Office contractor CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company recently finished building a replica of areas of a Hanford Site facility where workers will use specialized equipment to remove highly radioactive capsules of cesium and strontium from a water-filled basin, load the capsules into stainless steel and concrete casks, and transport the casks to a nearby concrete pad for safe, dry storage. RICHLAND, Wash. – EM Richland Operations Office (RL) and contractor CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC) recently completed construction of a full-scale mock-up of the system that will be used to transfer nearly 2,000 radioactive capsules from an underwater basin to safer, dry storage on the Hanford Site. The mock-up, which was built at Hanford’s Maintenance and Storage Facility (MASF), replicates the areas of the Waste Encapsulation Storage Facility (WESF) where the capsules of cesium and strontium will be loaded into dry storage casks, sealed inside, and loaded onto trucks for transportation to a nearby concrete storage pad. Check out this time-lapse video of construction of the mock-up in MASF. Transferring the capsules from the water-filled basin in WESF to dry storage in stainless steel and concrete casks reduces the risk of a radioactive release in the unlikely event of loss of water from the basin. ”Finishing the mock-up is another important step toward transferring the capsules to dry storage,” said Gary Pyles, RL project director for the WESF project. “Moving the capsules will enable the planned deactivation of WESF and will reduce the risk and costs for the storage of the capsules.” p Hanford Site electrician Fonzie Lopez looks inside a simulated radiation containment chamber called a hot cell during construction of a mock-up to prepare workers to safely move nearly 2,000 capsules of highly radioactive cesium and strontium from a water-filled basin into dry storage casks in Hanford’s Waste Encapsulation Storage Facility. p A view of the hot cell inside Hanford’s Waste Encapsulation Storage Facility through which workers will safely move nearly 2,000 capsules of highly radioactive cesium and strontium from a water-filled basin into dry storage casks. Over the past several months, workers followed strict COVID-19 protocols as they built the 1,400-square-foot mock-up, where they will test and train on the actual equipment that will be used for the transfer from WESF. Over the next year, workers will install hot-cell manipulator arms, capsule transfer equipment, and welding systems in the mock-up, and they will develop procedures to work with the radioactive material. “I am so proud of the employees and the hard work that brought this mock-up to life,” said Marie Gillespie, CHPRC project manager. “The mock-up allows employees to train in a safe environment to gain confidence in using the equipment before they perform work in the radiological environment at WESF.” Mock-ups have been used successfully at Hanford to prepare workers, equipment, and procedures to work safely and efficiently with radioactive materials in hazardous facilities. The most recent example is a mock-up constructed at MASF to prepare to safely retrieve 35 cubic yards of radioactive sludge from an underwater storage basin near the Columbia River, package the sludge in shielded containers, and transfer the containers from the K West Reactor to interim storage at Hanford’s T Plant. The cesium and strontium in the capsules were removed from Hanford tank waste in the 1970s to reduce the temperature of that waste. -Contributor: Joan Lucas Idaho Site Crews Inspect 1970s-Era Vaults, Spent Nuclear Fuel Assemblies IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – EM’s spent nuclear fuel program at DOE’s Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site recently determined that fuel canisters identified as high risk continue to be safely stored in five underground vaults following inspections to characterize the integrity of the fuel packages. No water was present, hydrogen levels remain acceptable, and minimal fuel canister degradation due to corrosion was observed in the inspections inside the vaults at the Idaho Nuclear Engineering and Technology Center (INTEC). “The results were very encouraging,” said Robert Gentry, the INTEC nuclear operations director for Fluor Idaho, EM’s cleanup contractor at the INL Site. “Our teams were able to gain valuable video information that showed the integrity of the vaults and fuel canisters remains satisfactory.” p A shield plug is removed to gain access to a Peach Bottom spent nuclear fuel basket. The fuel canisters were shipped from Pennsylvania to the INL Site following the closure of the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Unit 1 in 1974. Due to concerns of corrosion to fuel canisters in long-term pool storage, the canisters were placed in underground carbon-steel vaults at INTEC. During the inspection, a mobile boom crane was used to lift the fuel baskets up to 12 inches, allowing a remote camera to capture video footage of the bottom of the baskets. Inspectors also obtained video footage of the fuel package tops and accessible surfaces, along with the interior surfaces of the vaults. Gentry said long-term plans call for moving all Peach Bottom spent nuclear fuel canisters to new vaults that have welded, drainable steel-plate bottoms unlike the grouted bottoms of the current vaults. The steel plates prevent fuel packages from being in contact with pooled water, thereby mitigating elevated hydrogen concentrations and corrosion concerns. The new vaults are lined with steel and have purge and water removal capabilities. -Contributor: Erik Simpson 2020 a Year of Completions and Beginnings at Oak Ridge p In October, Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette was joined by congressional, state, and local leaders to celebrate the completion of Vision 2020 at Oak Ridge. It marked the first time in the world an entire enrichment complex was removed. OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – While 2020 was an unusual and challenging year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was also one of the most notable and accomplished for DOE’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) and its contractors. Together, they competed the Department’s largest-ever cleanup effort and began a new chapter of work at Oak Ridge’s research and national security sites. Check out this video on Oak Ridge's 2020 accomplishments. “I’m very proud of what our incredible workforce was able to accomplish despite all of the challenges and adjustments required to perform their jobs this year,” OREM Manager Jay Mullis said. “They made history and positioned us for another year of success and transformation in 2021.” This year, Oak Ridge became the first site in the world to remove an entire uranium enrichment complex. This milestone was the culmination of two decades of decontamination, demolition, and soil remediation at the

Accelerating Sea Level Rise | The Energy Collective Daily

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DOE Awards Savannah River National Laboratory Management and Operating Contract | Department of Energy

DOE Awards Savannah River National Laboratory Management and Operating Contract | Department of Energy: DOE Awards Savannah River National Laboratory Management and Operating Contract

Polish group calls on Germany to reverse nuclear phaseout : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News

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Czech Republic shortlists geological repository sites : Waste & Recycling - World Nuclear News

Czech Republic shortlists geological repository sites : Waste & Recycling - World Nuclear News: The Czech Cabinet has approved a shortlist of four potential sites for a deep geological repository for used nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive nuclear waste. The government also approved a new schedule calling for the site to be selected by 2030, five years later than originally planned. The repository is expected to be operational by 2065.

US DOE issues draft Environmental Impact Statement for new test reactor : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News

US DOE issues draft Environmental Impact Statement for new test reactor : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: The US Department of Energy has released the draft Environmental Impact Statement for construction of the Versatile Test Reactor, a sodium-cooled reactor that will provide a source of fast neutrons needed to test advanced reactor technology, fuels and related materials. The draft EIS will be open for a 45-day public comment period.

China plans clean energy future : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News

China plans clean energy future : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News: While still primarily relying on coal to meet its energy needs, China says it is committed to playing its part in the global fight against climate change. A white paper published yesterday by the State Council says the country will increase the share of clean energy sources, including nuclear, in its energy mix.

Nuclear plant bailout fee blocked from going on Ohioans’ electric bills | NBC4 WCMH-TV

Nuclear plant bailout fee blocked from going on Ohioans’ electric bills | NBC4 WCMH-TV: COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Ohioans’ electric bills will not be going up in January because of a surcharge related to the bailout of two nuclear power plants that is at the center of a $60 million bribery scandal. Judge Chris Brown of Franklin County Common Pleas Court issued a preliminary injunction Monday blocking collection of the […]

Belarus starts pilot operation of nuclear power plant’s first power unit - World - TASS

Belarus starts pilot operation of nuclear power plant’s first power unit - World - TASS: Equipment tests have started at the first power unit at the level of the reactor unit capacity as 75% from the rated one

Belarus nuclear plant: right of reply

Belarus nuclear plant: right of reply: The debate around the plant in Belarus is not about safety. Ensuring safety is paramount. The real choice is whether to let antinuclear bigotry, scaremongering and spin shape policymaking agenda or secure the supply of low-carbon energy into the future.

Energy Department: Idaho top choice for new test reactor - WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & Sports

Energy Department: Idaho top choice for new test reactor - WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & Sports: By KEITH RIDLER Associated Press

Westinghouse to dismantle Ågesta reactor : Waste & Recycling - World Nuclear News

Westinghouse to dismantle Ågesta reactor : Waste & Recycling - World Nuclear News: Westinghouse will segment the reactor at the Ågesta nuclear power plant near Stockholm, Sweden, under a contract signed with Vattenfall. The country's first commercial power reactor - it operated between 1964 and 1974 - the R3 heavy water reactor supplied electricity and district heating to the Stockholm suburb of Farsta.

Post-COVID, a nuclear energy future would boost NC

Post-COVID, a nuclear energy future would boost NC: The U.S. has proven it’s possible to grow the economy and reduce carbon emissions at the same time. Nuclear energy should be part of the solution.

Canada forges ahead with nuclear small modular reactor action plan | Power Engineering

Canada forges ahead with nuclear small modular reactor action plan | Power Engineering: Canada is stepping full-square into advancing small modular reactor technologies in the near future. Noting carbon-free nuclear’s role in future emissions reduction goals, Natural Resources Canada announced its action plan which would facilitate teamwork including governmental, provincial, indigenous, local, power utilities, industrial, research laboratories and more in making more affordable, smaller footprint nuclear energy possible. […]

Trump Signs Directive to Bolster Nuclear Power in Space Exploration - Scientific American

Trump Signs Directive to Bolster Nuclear Power in Space Exploration - Scientific American: Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

New radionuclide enables PET imaging of targeted alpha cancer therapies

New radionuclide enables PET imaging of targeted alpha cancer therapies: Cerium-134 enables imaging of alpha emitters that can treat cancer and spare patients negative side effects

Security experts warn of long-term risk tied to Energy Department breach | SC Media

Security experts warn of long-term risk tied to Energy Department breach | SC Media: The department formally confirmed the hackers' tentacles had reached into the agency, but that the malware injected had been isolated to its business networks. Some security experts argue, however, that visibility into the IT network may give hackers a path to the OT network.

Biden needs massive funds for climate plans. Where will he find them? - The Washington Post

Biden needs massive funds for climate plans. Where will he find them? - The Washington Post: President-electt Biden said in his position platform that he would marshal $2 trillion over four years for climate related programs/activities. This story will look at where he might get that money. Most likely it will come from a combination of places: infrastructure, science and research, loan guarantees, and tax credits such as the 45Q carbon capture provision that has bipartisan support already. Other possibilities are things like cash for clunker programs to reward people who buy high fuel efficiency vehicles. There might be a cap-and-trade for utilities. And perhaps a cap-and-dividend program that would tax carbon and refund the tax in a way people would be rewarded for reducing carbon dioxide output.

Congress Approves Record Funding For National Laboratories And For Locks, Dams And Harbors - Chattanoogan.com

Congress Approves Record Funding For National Laboratories And For Locks, Dams And Harbors - Chattanoogan.com

Energy Technology Export Controls - AAF

Energy Technology Export Controls - AAF: Executive Summary Dual-use products and materials, those with both military and civilian applications, are subject to export controls. These export controls make U.S. clean energy technologies less competitive in the global market just as governments and consumers are prioritizing efforts to combat climate change. Trade barriers to the export of U.S. clean energy technologies, such …

“Wet” vs “dry”: the pros and cons of two storage methods for nuclear waste

“Wet” vs “dry”: the pros and cons of two storage methods for nuclear waste: We explore the benefits of dry storage with Orano’s storage casks and canister-based systems and compare the two interim methods

East Coast nuke plants to send waste to NM » Albuquerque Journal

East Coast nuke plants to send waste to NM » Albuquerque Journal: Holtec is undergoing an ongoing licensing process to build and operate a temporary nuclear fuel rod storage facility

Advice for red states that want to secede to escape Biden presidency

Advice for red states that want to secede to escape Biden presidency: The irony is the states that are the most vociferous proponents of secession are the ones that get the most federal aid. They should count the costs.

Global Nuclear Imaging Devices and Equipment Market Report 2020: Market to Decline at a CAGR of 21.2% Before Recovering in 2023 - Forecast to 2030

Global Nuclear Imaging Devices and Equipment Market Report 2020: Market to Decline at a CAGR of 21.2% Before Recovering in 2023 - Forecast to 2030: Dublin, Dec. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Nuclear Imaging Devices and Equipment Global Market Report 2020-30: COVID-19 Impact and Recovery" report...

FERC proposes incentives for voluntary cybersecurity investments, in race to secure nation's electric grid | Utility Dive

FERC proposes incentives for voluntary cybersecurity investments, in race to secure nation's electric grid | Utility Dive: Utility industry news and analysis for energy professionals.

Federal stimulus includes wind, solar tax credit extensions, adds first US offshore wind tax credit | Utility Dive

Federal stimulus includes wind, solar tax credit extensions, adds first US offshore wind tax credit | Utility Dive: Utility industry news and analysis for energy professionals.

Hot tests completed at Ukraine’s ISF-2 storage facility - Nuclear Engineering International

Hot tests completed at Ukraine’s ISF-2 storage facility - Nuclear Engineering International: Hot tests have been completed at Ukraine’s ISF-2 dry used nuclear fuel storage facility constructed by Holtec International at the Chernobyl NPP site.In April 2021, it is expected that the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine...

Swedish NPPs meet independent core cooling requirements - Nuclear Engineering International

Swedish NPPs meet independent core cooling requirements - Nuclear Engineering International: Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM- Strålsäkerhetsmyndigheten) said on 18 December that Forsmark and Ringhals nuclear power plants and OKG predominantly meet the conditions and requirements it had set in 2014 for the...

American Bureau of Shipping assesses Seaborg’s Compact Molten Salt Reactor - Nuclear Engineering International

American Bureau of Shipping assesses Seaborg’s Compact Molten Salt Reactor - Nuclear Engineering International: The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) said on 17 December that it had issued a Feasibility Statement for the Compact Molten Salt Reactor (CMSR) developed by Danish nuclear company Seaborg Technologies.The Feasibility Statement is the first...

Westinghouse Signs Contract For Reactor Segmentation At Agesta :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency

Westinghouse Signs Contract For Reactor Segmentation At Agesta :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency: US-based Westinghouse Electric Company has signed a contract with Swedish utility Vattenfall to segment the nuclear reactor at its Agesta nuclear power plant near Stockholm.

Under the terms of the contract, Westinghouse will plan, design and manufacture the tools for segmentation and perform the site work. This includes the underwater mechanical cutting of the reactor vessel and its internal components and packing the pieces in containers for Vattenfall to remove from site.

Oyster Creek settlement allows Holtec to store more nuclear waste

Oyster Creek settlement allows Holtec to store more nuclear waste: A new Oyster Creek settlement means more nuclear waste will be removed from the plant and placed into concrete and steel storage in Lacey.

NRC withdraws LLW rule interpretation -- ANS / Newswire

NRC withdraws LLW rule interpretation -- ANS / Newswire

Judge blocks fees set by tainted Ohio nuclear bailout law

Judge blocks fees set by tainted Ohio nuclear bailout law: COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A central Ohio judge on Monday blocked the subsidies from a $1 billion nuclear bailout law at the center of a $60 million bribery probe, as state lawmakers scrambled to...

Guest Post from NeutronBytes - Energy Department’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program Awards $20 million for Advanced Reactor Concepts

News Media Contact: (202) 586-4940 For Immediate Release: December 22, 2020 Energy Department’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program Awards $20 million for Advanced Reactor Concepts WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $20 million in awards for the third of three programs under its new Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP). DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) has selected three teams to receive FY20 funding for the ARDP’s Advanced Reactor Concepts-20 (ARC-20) program. ARDP is designed to help domestic private industry demonstrate advanced nuclear reactors in the United States. DOE issued an ARDP funding opportunity announcement in May 2020 which included the ARC-20 awards, the Advanced Reactor Demonstration awards, and the Risk Reduction for Future Demonstration awards. For the ARC-20 projects, DOE expects to invest a total of approximately $56 million over four years with our industry partners providing at least 20 percent in matching funds. Advanced Reactor Concepts-20 (ARC-20) Projects The goal of the ARC-20 program is to assist the progression of advanced reactor designs in their earliest phases. DOE has selected three U.S.-based teams to receive ARC-20 funding: Inherently Safe Advanced SMR for American Nuclear Leadership - Advanced Reactor Concepts, LLC (Herndon, VA) will deliver a conceptual design of a seismically isolated advanced sodium-cooled reactor facility that builds upon the initial pre-conceptual design of a 100 MWe reactor facility. Total award value over three and a half years: $34.4 million (DOE share is $27.5 million) Fast Modular Reactor Conceptual Design - General Atomics (San Diego, CA) will develop a fast modular reactor conceptual design with verifications of key metrics in fuel, safety, and operational performance. The design will be for a 50-megawatt electric (MWe) fast modular reactor (FMR). Total award value over three years: $31.1 million (DOE share is $24.8 million) Horizontal Compact High Temperature Gas Reactor – Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (Cambridge, MA) will mature the Modular Integrated Gas-Cooled High Temperature Reactor (MIGHTR) concept from a pre-conceptual stage to a conceptual stage to support commercialization. Total award value over three years: $4.9 million (DOE cost share is $3.9 million) “ARDP is significant because it will enable a market for commercial reactors that are safe and affordable to both construct and operate in the near- and mid-term.” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette. “All three programs under ARDP pave the way for the United States to be highly competitive globally.” Risk Reduction for Future Demonstration Projects On December 16, 2020, DOE announced the selections of five teams to receive $30 million in initial funding under ARDP’s Risk Reduction for Future Demonstration program. Advanced Reactor Demonstration Projects In October 2020, DOE announced the selections of TerraPower LLC (Bellevue, WA) and X-energy (Rockville, MD) to receive $160 million in initial funding for ARDP Demonstration projects to build two advanced nuclear reactors that can be operational within seven years. Funding for ARDP beyond the near-term is contingent on additional future appropriations, evaluations of satisfactory progress, and DOE approval of continuation applications.

ENERGY COMMUNITIES ALLIANCE ECA Update December 22, 2020 Roadmap for DOE to Successfully Engage with Local Communities

Image Dec 22, 2020 FEATURED ENERGY COMMUNITIES ALLIANCE ECA Transition Paper: Roadmap for DOE to Successfully Engage with Local Communities ECA Staff | 12/21/2020 ECA released its transition priorities and recommendations for the incoming Biden Administration in the following paper. The paper includes key priorities, each with their own set of recommendations, for the next Administration to adopt as they engage in discussions regarding ongoing DOE operations and performance, budget and appropriations, and environmental cleanup prioritization. Continue reading >> Follow the latest DOE budget updates with ECA's budget tracker Image Monitor DOE spending bills, detailed site budgets, and more. Find everything you need to know about the DOE budget here! ECA Transition Paper: Executive Summary Energy Communities Alliance’s (ECA) goal is to promote a collaborative working relationship with the Department of Energy, including the National Nuclear Security Administration (collectively “DOE”), that benefits the communities and DOE. ECA works with DOE to achieve solutions that protect and contribute to the health, safety, and economies of the communities that host DOE’s federal facilities. This collaboration can facilitate opportunities around DOE sites and further the success of the DOE mission. While DOE missions bring jobs and economic benefits to a region, many ECA communities suffer from environmental contamination, making economic diversification extremely challenging. In addition, tax exemptions related to the federal facilities place a special burden on local citizens to fund services that the federal government utilizes. Local communities are partners, customers, and advocates of DOE’s ongoing operations and performance, budgeting, cleanup prioritization, and mission integration. Although DOE and the community may not always agree on the approaches to achieving success, ECA aims to identify common goals, to bridge the gap, and to bring local and federal officials together to create viable solutions. Over many years working with DOE and communities directly impacted by DOE activities, ECA recognizes that the greatest successes have been achieved when DOE actively pursues meaningful engagement with host communities. To that end, ECA developed the following priorities for working with DOE to foster collaboration and to best address future challenges and opportunities: I. Success of DOE missions can be accomplished through local government involvement in DOE (including NNSA) decision making Engage communities in planning for both short-term and long-term site goals; Engage communities in the contracting process; Engage local governments in nuclear waste management and disposal policies; and Engage DOE host communities as potential champions for advanced nuclear development. II. Fund environmental cleanup and ensure local government input into cleanup decision-making and resource allotment Ensure adequate mission funding as communities are the customer in the EM mission; Engage with communities using better risk communication practices and tools; and Where conflict exists on cleanup remedies try to resolve through early and regular engagement. III. Support the current and future workforce at DOE facilities and economic development of host communities Invest in workforce development, education and apprenticeship programs; Identify opportunities to work with the community on economic activities that facilitate the DOE/NNSA mission; and Support real and personal property transfers that support community reinvestment. IV. Create a high-level waste and spent nuclear fuel storage and disposal program ECA desires to work with the incoming Administration to find solutions for the storage and disposal of high-level waste and spent nuclear fuel; Analyze risk of inaction to communities; Continue evaluating alternative disposal options if waste is classified by radiological content rather than origin; Recognize that the absence of a solution could impact development and deployment of new nuclear technologies that are key to a low-carbon energy future; Engage local governments and others on the siting process; and Pursue interim storage in parallel with siting a permanent geologic repository. V. Support the development of new nuclear technologies Support development of nuclear missions and projects in communities that are willing to host the facilities. Collaborate with local communities, colleges/universities, and trade schools to bolster education and STEM programs. VI. Integrate ECA’s DOE contracting (acquisition) reform recommendations and principles VII. Promote intra-agency cooperation and communication across DOE program offices, headquarters, and sites to avoid delays, confusion and inconsistent decision-making VIII. Invest in host communities and the DOE complex Resolve the DOE maintenance and infrastructure backlog; Utilize national laboratories for project development and workforce development opportunities; and Support the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. ECA encourages the Administration and DOE leadership to support strong relationships with partner organizations, particularly local governments and their elected officials. Strong communication and relationships built on trust can endure transitory moments of disagreement or difficulty. More importantly, these relationships provide all interested parties with the information needed to make educated decisions that can ensure progress toward our shared goals. ECA members and staff are available as expert resources to all involved in the Administration transition. Questions and requests for appointments may be directed to MacKenzie Kerr, ECA Program Manager, by phone 202-828-2410 or email mackenziek@energyca.org. UPCOMING EVENTS Sept. 8-10, 2021 National Cleanup Workshop; Alexandria, VA ECA PUBLICATIONS Read about DOE's High Level Waste Interpretation Have questions about DOE’s recent high-level waste (HLW) interpretation? Download ECA’s Key Points and FAQs on the issue to better understand what ECA believes are the potential benefits of implementation. ECA's Key Points on DOE HLW Interpretation ECA's FAQs on DOE HLW Interpretation Interested in learning more? Read the ECA report “Making Informed Decisions on DOE's Proposed High Level Waste Definition” at www.energyca.org/publications ECA BULLETIN Stay Current on Activities in the DOE World Read the latest edition of the ECA Bulletin, a regular newsletter providing a detailed brief of ECA activities, legislative news, and major events from across the DOE complex. Have suggestions for future editions? Email bulletin@energyca.org. View current and previous editions of the ECA Bulletin at www.energyca.org/bulletin DOE SITE PROFILES Learn More about Cleanup Sites with ECA's DOE Site Profiles ECA's new site profiles detail DOE's 13 active Environmental Management cleanup sites and national laboratories, highlighting their history, missions, and priorities. The profiles are a key source for media, stakeholders, and the public to learn more about DOE site activities, contractors, advisory boards, and their surrounding local governments. Access your community's profile by visiting: www.energyca.org/site-profiles DOE Site Proflies Energy Communities Alliance 1625 Eye St., NW Suite 800 Washington DC 20006 USA

EU foreign ministers pave way for revival of Iran nuclear deal | Iran nuclear deal | The Guardian

EU foreign ministers pave way for revival of Iran nuclear deal | Iran nuclear deal | The Guardian: Step would allow Tehran to come back into compliance with deal, so long as US sanctions were lifted