Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire

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

Friday, June 26, 2020

'A critical milestone': PG&E first gas-electric IOU to publicly support California's all-electric construction | Utility Dive

'A critical milestone': PG&E first gas-electric IOU to publicly support California's all-electric construction | Utility Dive: Utility industry news and analysis for energy professionals.

Orano completes dismantling of France’s Ulysse research reactor - Nuclear Engineering International

Orano completes dismantling of France’s Ulysse research reactor - Nuclear Engineering International:       After five years of works, the project to completely dismantle the experimental nuclear reactor Ulysse has been completed on schedule by teams from France’s Orano jointly with...

EU countries agree their green transition fund will not pay for move to nuclear or fossil gas - Reuters

EU countries agree their green transition fund will not pay for move to nuclear or fossil gas - Reuters: European Union countries agreed on Wednesday that the bloc's flagship fund to wean regions off fossil fuels should not finance nuclear or natural gas projects, despite calls from some Eastern countries for gas to be eligible for EU funding.

Duda, Trump announce nuclear energy deal – The First News

Duda, Trump announce nuclear energy deal – The First News: Presidents Andrzej Duda and Donald Trump announced on Wednesday the signing of a deal on development of nuclear energy in Poland, which Duda said would be signed as soon as possible.

Code breakthrough could greatly improve design of nuclear fusion reactors

Code breakthrough could greatly improve design of nuclear fusion reactors: New code called XGC-S is opening ‘a big window’ for nuclear fusion reactor research by helping train simulators.

Xcel Energy elects Chip Pardee, nuclear energy expert, to board - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal

Xcel Energy elects Chip Pardee, nuclear energy expert, to board - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal: Chip Pardee has over 38 years in the energy industry, and has held leadership roles in both nuclear and non-nuclear operations.

Extinction Rebellion spokeswoman now lobbies for nuclear power | Daily Mail Online

Extinction Rebellion spokeswoman now lobbies for nuclear power | Daily Mail Online: Zion Lights, 36 has switched from Extinction Rebellion to pro-nuclear cause Environment Progress, telling supporters 'The facts didn't really change, but once I understood them, I did'

Physicists spot a new class of neutrinos from the sun | Science News

Physicists spot a new class of neutrinos from the sun | Science News: Researchers with the Borexino experiment in Italy have detected neutrinos produced in the secondary fusion process taking place in the sun’s core.

Wolf Creek among list of nuclear power plants to be discussed by Nuclear Regulatory Commission Tuesday

Wolf Creek among list of nuclear power plants to be discussed by Nuclear Regulatory Commission Tuesday: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will have a virtual meeting next week to discuss the safety performance of 12 nuclear power plants across the countr...

Russia begins preparatory work for four new reactors : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News

Russia begins preparatory work for four new reactors : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: Rosenergoatom, the operator subsidiary of Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom, announced today that preparatory work for the construction of four new reactors has commenced. Two VVER-TOI units are to be built at a new plant near the existing Smolensk site, while two VVER-1200 units will be built as units 3 and 4 of the Leningrad II plant.

Europe needs all energy sources for recovery, says Birol : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News

Europe needs all energy sources for recovery, says Birol : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News: The European Union cannot afford to reduce its energy diversity and will need stronger policies than those currently in place to help it meet its 2030 targets for greenhouse gas emissions, renewables and energy efficiency as well as its long-term climate goals, according to a new review of EU energy policy from the International Energy Agency.

A new lockdown? Yes, but...For fossil fuels! | Energy Central

A new lockdown? Yes, but...For fossil fuels! | Energy Central

A new lockdown? Yes, but...For fossil fuels! | The Energy Collective Daily

A new lockdown? Yes, but...For fossil fuels! | The Energy Collective Daily

Link to The Energy Collective Network

Iconoclasm – and Us - The Catholic Thing

Iconoclasm – and Us - The Catholic Thing: Eduardo Echeverria: If “white” equates to “racist,” our institutions, though democratic, reflect determinism, and empty our actions of moral responsibility.

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Judge Orders Decommissioning Temporarily Halted at Former Nuclear Plant | The SandPaper

Judge Orders Decommissioning Temporarily Halted at Former Nuclear Plant | The SandPaper: Ocean County Superior Court Judge Francis R. Hodgson issued an order of temporary restraint to the owners of the shuttered Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating

Incentives For New Nuclear Will Help Recovery, Says NEA :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency

Incentives For New Nuclear Will Help Recovery, Says NEA :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency: Governments should incentivise investments in low carbon energy infrastructure such as nuclear energy in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, the Nuclear Energy Agency said in a series of policy briefs published on Wednesday.



The Paris-based agency said “proper policy and market frameworks” are needed to incentivise investment in essential infrastructure that supports low-carbon electricity security and economic development.



It called for “targeted government support for nuclear energy projects” and said there is “a window of opportunity” for governments to support sustained cost reductions in nuclear energy through new-build decisions. This would reinforce the process of “learning by doing” and lead to reductions in construction costs.

Resequencing of Vogtle nuclear plant expansion activities is credit negative: Moody's | S&P Global Platts

Resequencing of Vogtle nuclear plant expansion activities is credit negative: Moody's | S&P Global Platts: Georgia Power s resequencing of construction activities for the Vogtle nuclear plant expansion project is credit negative, Moody s said June 24.

Federal action vital to get nuclear waste off San Onofre’s beach, report says – Orange County Register

Federal action vital to get nuclear waste off San Onofre’s beach, report says – Orange County Register: But task force led by U.S. Rep. Mike Levin made recommendations that some members refused to endorse

Sizewell C planning application accepted for review : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News

Sizewell C planning application accepted for review : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: Plans submitted by EDF Energy for a Development Consent Order for the construction of the Sizewell C nuclear power plant in Suffolk have been accepted for examination by the UK's Planning Inspectorate.

Secretariat set up for Saskatchewan SMR deployment : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News

Secretariat set up for Saskatchewan SMR deployment : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: The government of Saskatchewan has announced the establishment of an office to help in the planning and development of small modular reactors (SMR) in the Canadian province. It said the new office will "coordinate nuclear policy and programme work" within the Climate Change and Adaptation Division in the Ministry of Environment.

World Nuclear Association launches fuel report summary : Uranium & Fuel - World Nuclear News

World Nuclear Association launches fuel report summary : Uranium & Fuel - World Nuclear News: World Nuclear Association has published a first-of-a-kind Expanded Summary of the latest edition of its biennial nuclear fuel report. The Association is making the summary, which describes the major conclusions of the 2019 edition of the report, freely available.

The Energy Department’s Dangerous Plutonium Dream - The American Interest

The Energy Department’s Dangerous Plutonium Dream - The American Interest: The Trump Administration wants to reprocess spent nuclear fuel to extract plutonium. It's a dream that won't die—but it's never made economic, environmental, or strategic sense.

Report: Company Decommissioning Pilgrim Nuclear Plant Under Criminal Investigation | Earthwhile

Report: Company Decommissioning Pilgrim Nuclear Plant Under Criminal Investigation | Earthwhile: According to a Politico New Jersey report, Holtec International sued the New Jersey Economic Development Authority in March over the payment of $26 million of a $260 million New Jersey tax incentive, which the agency held up because Holtec allegedy gave a false answer on its 2014 tax credit application.

Federal action vital to get nuclear waste off San Onofre’s beach, report says – Orange County Register

Federal action vital to get nuclear waste off San Onofre’s beach, report says – Orange County Register: But task force led by U.S. Rep. Mike Levin made recommendations that some members refused to endorse

State of New Mexico says nuclear waste project poses too much risk

State of New Mexico says nuclear waste project poses too much risk: The draft environmental impact statement issued in March, found the project would have "minimal" impact on the environment.

Three Big Players Work Together on Bulgarian Nuclear Plant

Three Big Players Work Together on Bulgarian Nuclear Plant: Framatome, Rosatom State Corp., and GE Steam Power signed memorandums of understanding (MOU) to work together on the Belene nuclear power plant in Bulgaria.

Wolf Creek among list of nuclear power plants to be discussed by Nuclear Regulatory Commission Tuesday

Wolf Creek among list of nuclear power plants to be discussed by Nuclear Regulatory Commission Tuesday: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will have a virtual meeting next week to discuss the safety performance of 12 nuclear power plants across the countr...

Sask. government continues push for small modular nuclear power | CBC News

Sask. government continues push for small modular nuclear power | CBC News: The Saskatchewan government is continuing its push for nuclear power, announcing Wednesday the establishment of an office to aid in the planning and development of small modular reactors in the province.

New IAEA Webinar Series to Support Countries in Developing Nuclear Power Infrastructure | IAEA

New IAEA Webinar Series to Support Countries in Developing Nuclear Power Infrastructure | IAEA: How should countries go about developing the necessary infrastructure for introducing or expanding a nuclear power programme?

World Nuclear Power Market 2020 - The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Nuclear Power Markets of the US, France, China, Japan and Russia

World Nuclear Power Market 2020 - The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Nuclear Power Markets of the US, France, China, Japan and Russia

Fierce competition or not, industry exec sees bright future for nuclear power | Toledo Blade

Fierce competition or not, industry exec sees bright future for nuclear power | Toledo Blade: Despite massive bailouts from Ohio and other states to keep noncompetitive nuclear plants such as Davis-Besse in operation, the leader of the nuclear ...

Hydrogen Project Wins Prestigious International Award | The Energy Collective Daily

Hydrogen Project Wins Prestigious International Award | The Energy Collective Daily

Link to The Energy Collective Network

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Underground radioactive waste storage plan near Lake Huron dropped

Underground radioactive waste storage plan near Lake Huron dropped: Ontario Power Generation must now find another long-term solution for the radioactive wastes from its 20 nuclear reactors

Georgia Power Announces Resequencing of Vogtle Units 3 & 4 Planned Activities

Georgia Power Announces Resequencing of Vogtle Units 3 & 4 Planned Activities: Georgia Power today announced a resequencing of certain planned activities at Plant Vogtle Units 3 & 4.

Viewpoint: Nuclear's stand-out resilience in an energy crisis : Perspectives - World Nuclear News

Viewpoint: Nuclear's stand-out resilience in an energy crisis : Perspectives - World Nuclear News: When it comes to energy, global market shocks are good at turning assets into liabilities. Except, that is, when the energy is nuclear, writes Alexander Uvarov, editor-in-chief of AtomInfo.ru."The current oil crisis, which erupted against the backdrop of COVID-19, has, according to Scott Lauerman, a spokesman for the American Petroleum Institute, reduced global oil demand from around 100 million barrels per day (prior to the pandemic) to about 30 million barrels a day. It is no wonder then, that such a stark and sudden loss of demand would reduce oil tankers to simple storage containers."

Amazon $2B climate pledge draws praise, skepticism as total carbon footprint rises


 

Amazon $2B climate pledge draws praise, skepticism as total carbon footprint rises

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/amazon-2b-climate-pledge-draws-praise-skepticism-as-total-carbon-footprin/580424/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202020-06-24%20Utility%20Dive%20Newsletter%20%5Bissue:28106%5D&utm_term=Utility%20Dive

Nuclear waste shipment leaves Germany for Russia - BBC News

Nuclear waste shipment leaves Germany for Russia - BBC News: The dispatch of a trainload of waste raises new fears that Russia may become a "dumping ground".

Minerals Council Calls For Research Into Advanced Nuclear Solutions :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency

Minerals Council Calls For Research Into Advanced Nuclear Solutions :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency: The Minerals Council of Australia has called for research into advanced nuclear solutions and accelerated development of the minerals required for a low emissions future, including uranium for nuclear power plants.



In a plan to tackle climate change across the industry, the council endorsed a goal of reaching net-zero emissions “as fast as possible” but without setting a target date.



It said it wanted to see faster development of minerals including uranium, aluminium, copper, nickel, zinc, iron, uranium, base metals, lithium, minerals sands, and rare earths.

Puerto Rico work to update grid, make the territory more energy independent - Daily Energy Insider

Puerto Rico work to update grid, make the territory more energy independent - Daily Energy Insider: © ShutterstockA new report from the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) outlines how Puerto Rico is working to meet the challenges of updating its grid and becoming energy independent. Part of the solution could be microreactors. ... Read More »

Debris from demolished nuke plants is coming to Utah, where EnergySolutions is proposing a new landfill - The Salt Lake Tribune

Debris from demolished nuke plants is coming to Utah, where EnergySolutions is proposing a new landfill - The Salt Lake Tribune

LLNL Breaks Ground on Exascale Computing Facility Modernization Project | SIGNAL Magazine

LLNL Breaks Ground on Exascale Computing Facility Modernization Project | SIGNAL Magazine: The upgrades will enable the facility to provide exascale-class service to the NNSA laboratories.

US poll shows broad support for renewables, climate measures | Ars Technica

US poll shows broad support for renewables, climate measures | Ars Technica: Latest Pew poll of 11,000 US adults shows (almost) everybody wants more solar.

Energoatom makes plea for fairer market rules : Corporate - World Nuclear News

Energoatom makes plea for fairer market rules : Corporate - World Nuclear News: Ukraine's electricity market discriminates against nuclear power and recent reforms do little to help Energoatom's mounting debts, Petro Kotin, acting president of the state-owned nuclear power plant operator has said. Recent amendments to electricity market regulations enable Energoatom to sell just 5% of its generation through bilateral contracts, but the company wants this to be increased to 50%.

Help coal-dependent countries switch to nuclear, ministers tell EU : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News

Help coal-dependent countries switch to nuclear, ministers tell EU : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News: If the European Commission is serious about its efforts to support the post-virus economic recovery and to achieving a clean energy transition, then it will correct the omission of nuclear energy in its Green Deal package and in the EU Taxonomy, Czech and Polish ministers have written in letters to Frans Timmermans and Kadri Simons, respectively the first vice president of the European Commission and the European commissioner for energy.

UK industry presents nuclear roadmap to net-zero : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News

UK industry presents nuclear roadmap to net-zero : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News: Plans for a clean economic recovery and the goal of 'Net Zero by 2050' need commitment to new nuclear power plants, the UK’'s Nuclear Industry Association said today. Ahead of the Climate Change Committee's annual progress update due this week, the NIA has released Forty by ’50: A Nuclear Roadmap, an assessment produced for the government and industry body, the Nuclear Industry Council.

Nuclear Energy Agency unveils plans for post-pandemic recovery : Covid-19 - World Nuclear News

Nuclear Energy Agency unveils plans for post-pandemic recovery : Covid-19 - World Nuclear News: The OECD/Nuclear Energy Agency has today launched a series of policy briefs that examine nuclear energy's role in the post-COVID economic recovery. The policy briefs, to which World Nuclear Association contributed, have four themes: building resilience; job creation; cost-effective decarbonisation; and unlocking finance.

Nuclear's post-pandemic role discussed in NEA webinar : Covid-19 - World Nuclear News

Nuclear's post-pandemic role discussed in NEA webinar : Covid-19 - World Nuclear News

What's next for nuclear? | Engineer Live

What's next for nuclear? | Engineer Live: The EU: out of the race for civil nuclear geopolitics?

COMMENTARY: Nuclear jobs: How personnel for the Belarusian nuclear power plant are trained

COMMENTARY: Nuclear jobs: How personnel for the Belarusian nuclear power plant are trained: At present specialists are trained for nuclear industry jobs in the Belarusian State University, the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics, and the Belarusian National Technical University.

Iran completes overhauling Bushehr nuclear plant for 1st time - Xinhua | English.news.cn

Iran completes overhauling Bushehr nuclear plant for 1st time - Xinhua | English.news.cn

Nuclear Energy Agency unveils plans for post-pandemic recovery : Covid-19 - World Nuclear News

Nuclear Energy Agency unveils plans for post-pandemic recovery : Covid-19 - World Nuclear News: The OECD/Nuclear Energy Agency has today launched a series of policy briefs that examine nuclear energy's role in the post-COVID economic recovery. The policy briefs, to which World Nuclear Association contributed, have four themes: building resilience; job creation; cost-effective decarbonisation; and unlocking finance.

Nuclear Power Plant Market To Grow Significantly From 2020 To 2026, North America To Be Major Revenue Contributor – Medic Report

Nuclear Power Plant Market To Grow Significantly From 2020 To 2026, North America To Be Major Revenue Contributor – Medic Report

Is the Green Deal compatible with the Lisbon Treaty and the Energy Charter?

Is the Green Deal compatible with the Lisbon Treaty and the Energy Charter?: Despite COVID-19, many in Brussels – including a green recovery alliance in the EU Parliament and 13 EU Environment Ministers – are pressuring the European Commission (EC) to pursue the rapid implementation of its Green Deal strategy. The EC’s vice-president is insisting in various international newspapers that the COVID-19 crisis demonstrates the necessity to change […]

Help coal-dependent countries switch to nuclear, ministers tell EU : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News

Help coal-dependent countries switch to nuclear, ministers tell EU : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News: If the European Commission is serious about its efforts to support the post-virus economic recovery and to achieving a clean energy transition, then it will correct the omission of nuclear energy in its Green Deal package and in the EU Taxonomy, Czech and Polish ministers have written in letters to Frans Timmermans and Kadri Simons, respectively the first vice president of the European Commission and the European commissioner for energy.

'UK net zero target at risk without nuclear power' - Energy Live News

'UK net zero target at risk without nuclear power' - Energy Live News: A new nuclear power programme with the help of hydrogen, clean fuels and district heating could provide up to 40% of clean energy by 2050, according to a report

SFPUC could be accepting PG&E's nuclear energy | 48 hills

SFPUC could be accepting PG&E's nuclear energy | 48 hills: It's free. It's worth $1.4 million a year. But it's by no means 'clean energy' -- so why is CleanPowerSF considering it?

NRC To Streamline Advanced Non-Light-Water Licensing - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers

NRC To Streamline Advanced Non-Light-Water Licensing - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers: The latest nuclear news in Nuclear Power Industry about utilities, companies, suppliers in the nuclear energy market.

Canadian Joint Project To Develop Micro Modular Reactor - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers

Canadian Joint Project To Develop Micro Modular Reactor - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers: The latest nuclear news in Nuclear Power Industry about utilities, companies, suppliers in the nuclear energy market.

NRC Accepts Oklo Power's Application - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers

NRC Accepts Oklo Power's Application - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers: The latest nuclear news in Nuclear Power Industry about utilities, companies, suppliers in the nuclear energy market.

Rosatom Notes Construction Milestone At Kursk NPP-2 - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers

Rosatom Notes Construction Milestone At Kursk NPP-2 - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers: The latest nuclear news in Nuclear Power Industry about utilities, companies, suppliers in the nuclear energy market.

Digital I&C System Installed At Doel NPP - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers

Digital I&C System Installed At Doel NPP - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers: The latest nuclear news in Nuclear Power Industry about utilities, companies, suppliers in the nuclear energy market.

Flushing Begun At Belarus NPP Unit 2 - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers

Flushing Begun At Belarus NPP Unit 2 - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers: The latest nuclear news in Nuclear Power Industry about utilities, companies, suppliers in the nuclear energy market.

Rosatom, GE And Framatome Sign MOU - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers

Rosatom, GE And Framatome Sign MOU - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers: The latest nuclear news in Nuclear Power Industry about utilities, companies, suppliers in the nuclear energy market.

DOE Awards $65 Million In Research Prizes - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers

DOE Awards $65 Million In Research Prizes - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers: The latest nuclear news in Nuclear Power Industry about utilities, companies, suppliers in the nuclear energy market.

Federal Register :: Holtec International HI-STORE Consolidated Interim Storage Facility Project

Federal Register :: Holtec International HI-STORE Consolidated Interim Storage Facility Project: On March 20, 2020, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued for public comment a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Holtec International's (Holtec's) application to construct and operate a consolidated interim storage facility (CISF) for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and...

NNSA to host virtual job fair | Federal News Network

NNSA to host virtual job fair | Federal News Network: The National Nuclear Security Administration, which has had success with in-person job hiring fairs, is going virtual.

Dangerous And Uncertain: Coronavirus And The Nuclear Industry - OpEd - Eurasia Review

Dangerous And Uncertain: Coronavirus And The Nuclear Industry - OpEd - Eurasia Review: Accountability has always been a problem in the nuclear industry, despite praises to the contrary.  Constantly keeping its muddled head above water

Georgia Power Announces Resequencing of Vogtle Units 3 & 4 Planned Activities - Oil & Gas 360

Georgia Power Announces Resequencing of Vogtle Units 3 & 4 Planned Activities - Oil & Gas 360

The U.S. is considering revamping its nuclear weapons program. What does this mean for WIPP? | The NM Political Report

The U.S. is considering revamping its nuclear weapons program. What does this mean for WIPP? | The NM Political Report: All systems, no matter how efficient, produce some amount of waste.  “Wherever people are doing something, there are trash cans around,” Dr. Robert Hayes joked to NM Political Report. Hayes is an associate professor of nuclear engineering at North Carolina State University and a former principal engineer at New Mexico’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). […]

Centrus Energy gets a nod from NRC (NYSEMKT:LEU) | Seeking Alpha

Centrus Energy gets a nod from NRC (NYSEMKT:LEU) | Seeking Alpha: Centrus Energy's (LEU -3.0%) application to produce High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium, or HALEU, at its Piketon, Ohio facility is accepted by the Nuclear Reg

Citizens' Panel Reviews Pilgrim Nuclear Settlement | WCAI

Citizens' Panel Reviews Pilgrim Nuclear Settlement | WCAI: The citizens’ panel overseeing the decommissioning of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station met Monday for the first time since the state reached a settlement with

NRC Accepts Centrus Energy Application for License Expansion | State | heraldmailmedia.com

NRC Accepts Centrus Energy Application for License Expansion | State | heraldmailmedia.com

Visualizing Permian Oil & Gas Production (Through March 2020)

Visualizing Permian Oil & Gas Production (Through March 2020)

https://energycentral.com/c/og/visualizing-permian-oil-gas-production-through-march-2020?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Energy+%26+Sustainability+Network+%28all+posts%29

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Engineers take jobs at Turkey’s first nuclear plant after trainings in Russia - Latest News

Engineers take jobs at Turkey’s first nuclear plant after trainings in Russia - Latest News: Turkey’s first nuclear power plant’s new Turkish staff members, who were trained in Russia for more than 6 years, have said that “zero-defect policy” was at the heart of the challenging training program.

Russian Tests Confirm Safety Of Next-Generation Nuclear Fuel Mix - UrduPoint

Russian Tests Confirm Safety Of Next-Generation Nuclear Fuel Mix - UrduPoint: A new type of mixed uranium-plutonium fuel has cleared safety tests in Russia, the special representative of the countrys atomic energy giant Rosatom said in an interview out Monday

DOE: Trump called for killing advisory panels. What happened? -- Monday, June 22, 2020 -- www.eenews.net

DOE: Trump called for killing advisory panels. What happened? -- Monday, June 22, 2020 -- www.eenews.net: A year after President Trump signed an order for federal agencies to cut a third of federal advisory committees, it appears that the Department of Energy has eliminated two of 15 such panels.

Holtec reaches agreement on decommissioning of Pilgrim nuclear plant - Nuclear Engineering International

Holtec reaches agreement on decommissioning of Pilgrim nuclear plant - Nuclear Engineering International: Officials in Massachusetts have dropped a lawsuit against US-based Holtec International, which allows the $1.13 billion-decontamination and decommissioning of the 670MWe Pilgrim nuclear plant to move forward.Holtec owns the site after the US...

Russian-US-French team angles for Bulgaria’s Belene nuclear power plant - News - GCR

Russian-US-French team angles for Bulgaria’s Belene nuclear power plant - News - GCR: Rosatom, Russia’s state-owned nuclear engineer, has agreed in principle to form a consortium with Framatome ......

Viewpoint: Nuclear's stand-out resilience in an energy crisis : Perspectives - World Nuclear News

Viewpoint: Nuclear's stand-out resilience in an energy crisis : Perspectives - World Nuclear News: When it comes to energy, global market shocks are good at turning assets into liabilities. Except, that is, when the energy is nuclear, writes Alexander Uvarov, editor-in-chief of AtomInfo.ru."The current oil crisis, which erupted against the backdrop of COVID-19, has, according to Scott Lauerman, a spokesman for the American Petroleum Institute, reduced global oil demand from around 100 million barrels per day (prior to the pandemic) to about 30 million barrels a day. It is no wonder then, that such a stark and sudden loss of demand would reduce oil tankers to simple storage containers."

IN OTHER NEWS

IN OTHER NEWS:
Nuclear engineering company Assystem has acquired WhiteQuest SAS, a French company specialising in the development of virtual simulation tools for industry. Assystem said the acquisition "plays a key part in Assystem's digital engineering strategy, enhancing its ability to help its customers in their digital transformations." It added, "Combining digital twin concepts with virtual reality techniques makes it easier to solve the problems faced by multiple companies on the same building site. This is particularly useful for nuclear unit shutdowns, during decommissioning preparation stages or industrial transfers."
Ghana has completed the first of three phases for the development of a national infrastructure for nuclear power in line with IAEA requirements, as it works towards a project to generate 1 GW of nuclear electricity by 2030, Pulse Nigeria has reported. Coordinator of the Ghana Nuclear Power Programme Robert Sogbadjie said the government had already identified four sites for the project but did not name any locations.
Marenica Energy Limited has restarted uranium exploration in Namibia following the lifting of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, with a drilling programme at the previously undrilled Hirabeb tenement. A second drilling programme will be undertaken at Koppies, the company said.
The United Nations has announced that the 52nd session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 52) and of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 52), already postponed until October this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will now be held next year. The meetings of these bodies are "between meetings", often held in June or July in Bonn, Germany, which are used to make progress on negotiation texts ahead of the Conference of the Parties. COP26, which was scheduled to take place in the UK in November, has already been postponed by 12 months.

Canada, USA build critical minerals cooperation : Uranium & Fuel - World Nuclear News

Canada, USA build critical minerals cooperation : Uranium & Fuel - World Nuclear News: Canada and the USA last week reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening supply chains for critical minerals including uranium in their first working group meetings since finalising a bilateral collaboration agreement earlier this year.

Dismantling of French research reactor completed : Waste & Recycling - World Nuclear News

Dismantling of French research reactor completed : Waste & Recycling - World Nuclear News: The dismantling of the Ulysse experimental reactor at the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission's Saclay site near Paris has been completed. The low-power reactor, which was shut down in 2007, was mainly operated for teaching and continuing education purposes by the National Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology.
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Shrader said most EM sites are in the first phase of reopening operations. The decision to resume operations is based on many factors, such as health data, remaining state and local restrictions, and facility preparedness, he said.
EM is carefully evaluating projects as sites ramp back up to full operations. Potential impacts from the pandemic “will be different from site to site as we move forward,” Shrader said.
He said EM remains on track to complete a number of its stated priorities for 2020. For instance, there is confidence the Salt Waste Processing Facility will start up this year. Similarly, EM is hopeful for completion of demolition at the East Tennessee Technology Park at Oak Ridge, he said.
Shrader said EM appreciates its interactions with local communities that have stakes in its progress.
“We have shared goals and shared interests in the sites being successful and cleanups being successful,” Shrader said. “We always appreciate the support that comes from the communities and we want to continue to build on that and move forward the best we can.”
-Contributor: Beth Lisann


Oak Ridge Workers Successfully Bring Down ETTP’s Tallest Building

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Crews use large winches to tear down a 180-foot tower of the Centrifuge Complex at Oak Ridge.

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – Workers accomplished a major feat during one of the largest and final demolition projects at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) last week. They used powerful mechanical devices known as winches to pull over the 180-foot tower portion of the Centrifuge Complex. Click here to view a video of this project.
The task was part of a larger effort to take down the Centrifuge Complex — a series of structures originally built to develop, test, and demonstrate the capability of centrifuge technology for uranium enrichment. The last of these facilities ceased operation in the mid-1980s.
The Centrifuge Complex is one of the final major demolition projects remaining at ETTP as the Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) and its cleanup contractor UCOR strive toward one of EM’s 2020 priorities known as Vision 2020 — the goal to complete demolition and major cleanup at ETTP by the end of the year.
“With a constant focus on safety, our workforce has done an exemplary job throughout this project and especially with the challenge of the tower,” said Ken Rueter, UCOR president and CEO. “As one of the final major facilities to be demolished at ETTP, this project is taking us a big leap forward to achieving ETTP cleanup — a historic, first-ever complete cleanup of a uranium enrichment complex.”

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A view of the last remaining portions of Oak Ridge’s once sprawling Centrifuge Complex are shown here before crews pulled down the 180-foot tower, at left. Workers will now focus on removing the debris and finalizing demolition on the K-1210 complex, at right. The entire project is scheduled for completion later this summer.

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Workers used powerful winches to pull down the steel beams of the 180-foot tower of Building K-1220 at Oak Ridge.

The tallest structure at ETTP, the Centrifuge Complex spanned 235,000 square feet and reached 180 feet in height in some locations. The challenge involved identifying the best way to take the tower down safely when conventional demolition equipment is intended for structures only measuring approximately 100 feet in height.
Engineers from OREM and UCOR evaluated a variety of methods to demolish the tower based on safety, complexity, risk, and equipment availability. The alternatives included winches, bulldozers, explosives, and a high-reach processor to cripple the tower.
They determined winches met all of the qualifications and were the best choice. While the approach was a success, it involved a great deal of preparation, including specialized training to operate the giant winches capable of pulling down massive steel beams.
The Centrifuge Complex was comprised of four sections. Crews are in the final phases of taking down the last two sections of the complex. Those include the K-1210 Complex, which served as a pilot plant for testing feed, withdrawal, and depleted uranium hexafluoride transfer systems, and the K-1220 Complex, which was used primarily to test production centrifuges, and contained the 180-foot tower.
With the tower down, workers will now focus on removing the debris and finalizing demolition on the K-1210 complex. The entire project is scheduled for completion later this summer.
Workers already brought down the K-1004-J laboratory section, an original Manhattan Project facility built for research and development. They also finished tearing down the fourth section, the K-1200 facility, known as the Advanced Machine Development Laboratory and Component Preparation Laboratory.
-Contributor: Wayne McKinney


SRS Facility's Safe Shutdown Leads to $40 Million in Annual Cost Avoidance

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Workers install a new hoist in the Main Plant Process Building to be used for moving waste boxes and drums and other work when the West Valley Demonstration Project returns to full operations.

WEST VALLEY, N.Y. – An EM facility disposition crew recently replaced a hoist in the Main Plant Process Building, marking the West Valley Demonstration Project’s (WVDP) first work activity in which workers donned personal protective equipment while following safety protocols due to COVID-19.
Replacing the hoist in the Equipment Decontamination Room, as WVDP operated in an essential mission-critical posture, also signified progress toward a broader project — the future demolition of the Main Plant Process Building — included in EM’s priorities for 2020.
The new equipment will be used to shift an aerial lift into a chemical process cell and move boxes and drums filled with waste when the site returns to full operations and crews resume deactivation work inside a former reprocessing cell in the building.
Before replacing the hoist, employees discussed questions and concerns with supervisors and senior staff in a collaborative, inclusive manner. The discussions focused on how to maintain social distancing while helping one another don and doff personal protective equipment, including respirators.
The team agreed to a safe approach in which employees maintain six feet of distance when possible and wear face masks. Only one worker at a time is allowed to exit an area to avoid clustering, and they must cover the respirator exhalation ports with towels to reduce exhaled vapor droplets from escaping while the workers help each other put on equipment, among other things.
EM WVDP Safety and Site Programs Team Leader Jennifer Dundas commended the team members for their pre-job briefing and work.
“Encouraging employees to speak freely when confronting an issue or challenge is the best way to solve a problem,” Dundas said. “It fosters the sharing of ideas and allows everyone an opportunity to be part of the solution. In the end, their agreed-upon solution helped them to safely complete this work activity.”
Lessons learned from the project will be applied to future cleanup work at the site. The lessons include the importance of refocusing on safety, being aware of changing conditions and new protocols, and getting reacquainted with procedures, work packages, and radiation work permits.
-Contributor: Joseph Pillittere


WIPP’s Nuclear Waste Partnership Earns 83 Percent of Available Award Fee in FY19

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A worker operates a continuous mining machine 2,150 feet underground at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant to create additional disposal rooms for transuranic waste. The rooms are carved out of 250-million-year-old bedded salt formation and measure 33 feet wide by 13 feet high, and are as long as a football field minus the end zone.

CARLSBAD, N.M.EM’s Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO) recently released the fiscal 2019 fee determination for Nuclear Waste Partnership (NWP), the management-and-operations contractor for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. In total, NWP earned approximately $14.3 million, representing 83 percent of the total fee available in fiscal 2019. NWP’s fee determination included approximately $3.3 million in subjective award fee, or 76.1 percent of the available award fee. The contractor also earned approximately $11 million in fee tied to a set of performance-based incentives (PBIs), or 85.2 percent of the total available.
“I carefully considered the contractor’s performance in five areas of the fiscal year 2019 performance evaluation measurement plan in determining the fee award,” said Kirk Lachman, who served as the CBFO deputy manager and fee determination official.
The award fee determination for NWP’s performance in fiscal 2019 was based on the following five subjective criteria:
  • Mission performance
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Management performance
  • Safety and health performance
  • Cost control
Some of NWP’s accomplishments in fiscal 2019 were:
  • Implemented significant improvements to the transuranic (TRU) waste emplacement processes and procedures that allowed the contractor to maintain shipping rates at eight to 10 shipments per week in fiscal 2019.
  • Initiated the first use of a battery electric load haul dump truck in the underground, improving the underground air quality.
  • Developed and implemented a plan for recovery of a breached cesium source for another federal organization.
EM also noted several areas for improvement, including the need to address longstanding issues to prevent them from developing into more significant problems; compliance with nuclear safety requirements; untimely resolution of issues; and subcontractor oversight.
NWP also had the ability to earn fee tied to PBIs, which represented specific milestones or metrics. The PBIs available for NWP in fiscal 2019 included improved safety in underground operations; additional WIPP underground air supply ventilation flow rate; WIPP line item capital asset projects; general plant projects, infrastructure projects, and major maintenance activities; radiological protection improvements; and TRU waste emplacement.
More information on WIPP’s fiscal 2019 fee determination, including NWP’s fee scorecard, can be found here.


Outage Accomplishments Improve Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Operations

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The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant’s most recent maintenance outage included work on ventilation fan motors and systems, shown here.

CARLSBAD, N.M.EM Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) workers completed an immense amount of work during a two-day planned power outage that occurred while the site operated in an essential mission-critical posture due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The WIPP engineering, maintenance, and operations departments completed a lengthy to-do list during the outage that uncoupled power from the WIPP core, including the waste handling. It was the culmination of a two-week push to complete projects during the mission-critical period.
“Each individual involved with this work scope showed several core values like ownership, respect, continuous improvement, and teamwork,” WIPP operations manager Don McBride said. “While we did have some hurdles to clear, each individual pushed through these challenges and we accomplished this work as a team.”

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Substations in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant underground power everything from computers to giant mining machines.

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Bulkheads such as this one being installed in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) underground help control airflow in different loops, or circuits. During the recent maintenance outage, remote controls connected to WIPP’s Central Monitoring Room were added to some bulkheads.

Completed work included extensive transformer and substation maintenance. Substations in the WIPP underground power everything from desktop computers to giant mining machines. Substations take a 13,800-volt feed from a commercial provider and “step down” the high voltage into usable voltages at the site. Workers also finished preventive maintenance on waste hoist circuit breakers, and preventive maintenance, testing, and other work on ventilation fans.
Crews also performed work on three bulkheads, which help control airflow in different loops in the WIPP underground, and added remote-control capability to a louvered bulkhead, known as a regulator, that can redirect air from one circuit to another. A large rollup door between a processing bay and the waste hoist was repaired, and a longstanding connectivity issue between a fire alarm panel and the underground evacuation lights system was fixed.
An audible alarm was added to the shutdown process for the Supplemental Ventilation System, alerting the Central Monitoring Room in the event the system shuts down. Workers also completed updates to the central monitoring system, which monitors all critical systems at the site and funnels information to the Central Monitoring Room, which is staffed around the clock.
-Contributor: Roy Neese


Savannah River Site Completes Significant Computer System Upgrades

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EM Update | Vol. 12, Issue 14 | June 23, 2020
GreenBar

EM Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Todd Shrader

West Valley Prepares for Future D&D Under New Safety Protocols

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Janice Sandford, forefront, and other operators are shown in the Defense Waste Processing Facility control room. Savannah River Remediation recently upgraded its control system hardware and software.

AIKEN, S.C. – The EM program at the Savannah River Site (SRS) has completed a significant and extensive upgrade to modernize computer systems across the site's liquid waste facilities and maintain cybersecurity industry standards.
In a two-and-a-half-year process, SRS liquid waste contractor Savannah River Remediation (SRR) upgraded the distributed control system (DCS) to a newer platform and completed an entire computer hardware refresh. The DCS is a specially designed automated control system software with physical control elements located throughout SRS liquid waste facilities, including the Defense Waste Processing Facility, Saltstone, and the Tank Farms. These facilities use processing equipment and instrumentation monitored and controlled by operator personnel via the DCS.
More than 100 physical DCS controllers throughout the facilities were replaced to be compatible with the new, modern software and its processor requirements. The control system software consists of these controllers within each facility, all connected by a communications network. The controllers are used to interface with the facility equipment and instrumentation.
This upgrade was a multimillion-dollar infrastructure improvement effort and a key part in the overall push for upgrading liquid waste systems, according to SRR Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Project Manager Mark Schmitz.
“Planning for and executing infrastructure improvements is key to ensuring reliable operations, all with an eye toward our core value of continuous improvement,” Schmitz said. “This project is one on the many infrastructure projects happening at SRR to ensure liquid waste operations continue to be robust and efficient well into the future.”
Detailed planning went into this project, including use of offline development and test systems beforehand, and involved people from numerous groups within SRR. The upgrade was successfully implemented with minimal facility operational impacts.
The DCS upgrade was an effort included in SRR’s strategic plans to position the liquid waste system to safely operate at higher throughput rates necessary to support the near-term start of operations of the Salt Waste Processing Facility.
-Contributor: Colleen Hart

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