Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire - Major Energy and Environmental News and Commentary affecting the Nuclear Industry. Nuclear Activities
Saturday, July 11, 2020
COVID-19 devastated one Northern CA nursing home. Here’s how | The Sacramento Bee
COVID-19 devastated one Northern CA nursing home. Here’s how | The Sacramento Bee: Here are the stories of the lives lost during the worst coronavirus outbreak at a senior home in Northern California.
COVID-19 devastated one Northern CA nursing home. Here’s how | The Sacramento Bee
COVID-19 devastated one Northern CA nursing home. Here’s how | The Sacramento Bee: Here are the stories of the lives lost during the worst coronavirus outbreak at a senior home in Northern California.
12 Films perfect for mother-daughter movie night
12 Films perfect for mother-daughter movie night: Mothers and daughters are getting a lot of extra time together, since the pandemic is keeping so many high school and college students home. If you’re in that boat, you might need some new id…
Can’t make it to Rome? Art expert provides up-close and personal view by video
Can’t make it to Rome? Art expert provides up-close and personal view by video: Website lets disrupted travelers experience Rome.
Notre Dame will be restored to exactly the way it was before fire, says French government
Notre Dame will be restored to exactly the way it was before fire, says French government: Notre Dame Cathedral will be restored to its exact state before a 2019 fire destroyed its roof and spire, the French government announced on Thursday, according to a
Walk through Jerusalem’s holy sites from the comfort of your home
Walk through Jerusalem’s holy sites from the comfort of your home: The city of Jerusalem is home to some of many of the Catholic Church’s sacred sites, reflecting its history as the birthplace of Christianity. Known as the “Holy City,” it is a must-visit des…
Education interrupted. Years lost. Students face 'cruelty' of new visa policy
Education interrupted. Years lost. Students face 'cruelty' of new visa policy: The new rule was designed “without regard to concerns for the health and safety of students, instructors, and others,” says Harvard University President Larry Bacow.
Repurposing and Science — the Way to Go With COVID-19
Repurposing and Science — the Way to Go With COVID-19: The good news is that if you get COVID-19, you stand a better chance of getting better sooner, without having a long, if any, stay in the ICU, and you may not have to suffer on a ventilator. The ba…
To My Black Brothers and Sisters - The Catholic Thing
To My Black Brothers and Sisters - The Catholic Thing: Fr. R. G. Cipolla: Beware of those toppling statues in the name of Black Lives Matter. They erase history to achieve goals antithetical to Christianity.
Boston to join rest of Mass. in Phase 3 of pandemic reopening on Monday - The Boston Globe
Boston to join rest of Mass. in Phase 3 of pandemic reopening on Monday - The Boston Globe: Boston will move into the third phase of its reopening Monday with “both caution and confidence,” Mayor Walsh said Friday, as gyms, museums, and other venues shuttered during the pandemic prepared to welcome patrons again.
Mass. businesses say Trump’s ban on foreign-worker visas is making it difficult to fill jobs - The Boston Globe
Mass. businesses say Trump’s ban on foreign-worker visas is making it difficult to fill jobs - The Boston Globe: Employers say many of the jobs affected by the freeze — ranging from seasonal labor to highly skilled tech jobs — can’t necessarily be filled by Americans.
'The Little Sisters will be back in court': Religious liberty advocates fear Supreme Court win is not final
'The Little Sisters will be back in court': Religious liberty advocates fear Supreme Court win is not final: Conservatives scored two victories at the Supreme Court on Wednesday, but some religious liberty advocates say that the cases open new questions for future litigation.
Joe Biden plans to end contraception exemption for Little Sisters of the Poor
Joe Biden plans to end contraception exemption for Little Sisters of the Poor: Former vice president Joe Biden pledged on Wednesday to reinstate Obama-era policies that would require the Little Sisters of the Poor to provide birth control and abortifacients to employees in violation of their religious beliefs.
Doctors didn't try to save black COVID-19 patient who was paralyzed
Doctors didn't try to save black COVID-19 patient who was paralyzed: Last month, disabled, 46-year-old African American Michael Hickson was euthanized without his consent or that of his wife. But rather than exploding amid our racial-justice moment, the story hardly yielded a peep from those who control our national discourse.
The art of the anti-annexation protests – Mondoweiss
The art of the anti-annexation protests – Mondoweiss: Artists are responding to Israel’s annexation threat by producing posters in solidarity with Palestine. Here is a collection from protests around the world.
For first time, U.S. records more than 70,000 new coronavirus cases in single day
For first time, U.S. records more than 70,000 new coronavirus cases in single day: The United States experienced its highest daily total for coronavirus cases, surpassing 70,000 for the first time.
Friday, July 10, 2020
Rusatom Service, MVM Group create European Power Services JV : Corporate - World Nuclear News
Rusatom Service, MVM Group create European Power Services JV : Corporate - World Nuclear News: Rusatom Service and MVM Group have formed a joint venture in Hungary to provide service and maintenance to nuclear industry facilities, conventional sources of power generation, renewable energy and oil and gas in Europe, they announced yesteday. The new company, European Power Services Ltd, will start work at the Paks nuclear power plant.
Candu unit sets North American operating record : Corporate - World Nuclear News
Candu unit sets North American operating record : Corporate - World Nuclear News: Darlington unit 1 has set a new Canadian and North American nuclear record with 895 consecutive days of unbroken operation. Ontario Power Generation's Candu reactor has now been online since 26 January 2018 without needing to be taken out of service for maintenance or repair.
Innovation is key to clean energy future, says Brouillette : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News
Innovation is key to clean energy future, says Brouillette : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News: US Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette yesterday called for the world to take a dynamic, rather than static, approach to energy policy to facilitate the innovation necessary to secure a clean energy future. Speaking at the International Energy Agency's Clean Energy Transitions Summit 2020, he cautioned against "static" policies that could stifle innovation and limit fuel choices.
Speech: The resilience of nuclear power : Perspectives - World Nuclear News
Speech: The resilience of nuclear power : Perspectives - World Nuclear News: Sama Bilbao y Leon of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency describes how resilience - the capacity to withstand and bounce back from major disruptions - takes many forms at nuclear power plants. The following is an abridged version of the presentation she gave during the webinar the Paris-based organisation held today to discuss its newly published Policy Brief, Building low-carbon resilient electricity infrastructures with nuclear energy in the post-COVID-19 era.
French Auditor Says EDF Must Ensure Financing to Build New Nuclear - The New York Times
French Auditor Says EDF Must Ensure Financing to Build New Nuclear - The New York Times: France's public auditor said on Thursday EDF must establish the financing and profitability of nuclear reactors before launching projects, dealing a blow to the state-owned utility's ambitions to build new units.
South Africa revives idea of new civilian nuclear power programme, Energy News, ET EnergyWorld
South Africa revives idea of new civilian nuclear power programme, Energy News, ET EnergyWorld: The government had decided to seek information on a nuclear-build programme "at a pace and sale that the country can afford"
Reducing Radioactive Waste From Nuclear Facility Decommissioning | Technology Networks
Reducing Radioactive Waste From Nuclear Facility Decommissioning | Technology Networks: Scientists have produced a methodological guide of in situ measurements for the purpose of optimizing waste management in the nuclear dismantling processes.
Romania's Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant Looking For New Investors As Partnership With China General Nuclear Power Corporation Terminated - Energy and Natural Resources - Romania
Romania's Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant Looking For New Investors As Partnership With China General Nuclear Power Corporation Terminated - Energy and Natural Resources - Romania: Romanian authorities unceremoniously ended the partnership with the previously selected state-owned Chinese company, China General Nuclear Power Corporation, ...
Speech: The resilience of nuclear power : Perspectives - World Nuclear News
Speech: The resilience of nuclear power : Perspectives - World Nuclear News: Sama Bilbao y Leon of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency describes how resilience - the capacity to withstand and bounce back from major disruptions - takes many forms at nuclear power plants. The following is an abridged version of the presentation she gave during the webinar the Paris-based organisation held today to discuss its newly published Policy Brief, Building low-carbon resilient electricity infrastructures with nuclear energy in the post-COVID-19 era.
Duke Energy’s Crystal River deal needs more customer protections, advocates say
Duke Energy’s Crystal River deal needs more customer protections, advocates say: Regulators vote on the proposed plan in mid-August.
EDF’s Ability to Make Nuclear Power Affordable Still in Doubt - Bloomberg
EDF’s Ability to Make Nuclear Power Affordable Still in Doubt - Bloomberg: Electricite de France SA’s ability to build new nuclear plants at an acceptable cost and within a reasonable time frame remains in doubt despite the French industry’s efforts to avoid past mistakes.
Newsom Details Changes Coming To PG&E | myMotherLode.com
Newsom Details Changes Coming To PG&E | myMotherLode.com: Governor Gavin Newsom stated that positive changes are coming to PG&E as it emerges from bankruptcy, but there is also a "Plan B" if the company fails to make
FERC, PG&E Clash On How To End Ch. 11 Power Deal Fight - Law360
FERC, PG&E Clash On How To End Ch. 11 Power Deal Fight - Law360: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Pacific Gas & Electric Co. on Wednesday agreed that the utility's recent Chapter 11 exit moots a turf war over power contract rejection in bankruptcy, but split over whether the Ninth Circuit should toss FERC's original claim that it had jurisdiction.
Fukushima Update, July 10, 2020
Fukushima Update, July 10, 2020-
Fanning the fires of fear, a UN rapporteur says the F. Daiichi waste
water disposal question is a human rights issue… 17 Fukushima assemblies call
Tokyo’s response to the wastewater disposal issue “inadequate” and “insufficient”…
Japan’s NRA demands Tepco must clarify the nuke safety duties of the company president.
https://www.hiroshimasyndrome.Heat waves and Covid-19 are a dangerous combo in Texas and Arizona - Vox
Heat waves and Covid-19 are a dangerous combo in Texas and Arizona - Vox: "I’m actually really worried about indoor transmission."
The Clear Flaws in Trump’s Mount Rushmore Speech | The National Interest
The Clear Flaws in Trump’s Mount Rushmore Speech | The National Interest: Donald Trump’s Mount Rushmore speech was another example of the inconsistency of his presidency.
Long-Planned and Bigger Than Thought: Strike on Iran’s Nuclear Program - The New York Times
Long-Planned and Bigger Than Thought: Strike on Iran’s Nuclear Program - The New York Times: Some officials say that a joint American-Israeli strategy is evolving — some might argue regressing — to a series of short-of-war clandestine strikes.
IAEA's Grossi Says Nuclear Power Contributes a Great Deal to Clean Energy Transition | IAEA
IAEA's Grossi Says Nuclear Power Contributes a Great Deal to Clean Energy Transition | IAEA: IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said nuclear power is playing an important role in the world’s production of clean energy, “contributing massively” to avoiding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in many countries and providing innovative solutions that could be very useful to emerging economies.
Nuclear Power Emerges As Divisive Topic at IEA Energy Summit
Nuclear Power Emerges As Divisive Topic at IEA Energy Summit: Participants at the clean energy meeting sparred over whether the world should use nuclear power to reach zero-carbon emissions.
Webinar Registration - Zoom
Webinar Registration - Zoom: We invite you to this multi-country series spotlighting successful youth outreach initiatives. The webinar is sponsored by the American Nuclear Society (ANS), the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) Nuclear Innovation: Clean Energy Future (NICE Future) initiative, the CEM Clean Energy Education and Empowerment (C3E) initiative, and the International Youth Nuclear Congress (IYNC). The webinar series showcases educational activities that inspire the next generation to explore diverse energy solutions, including nuclear energy technology, for clean, reliable, resilient, and integrated systems.
Vietnam mulls return to nuclear energy after 2035 - VnExpress International
Vietnam mulls return to nuclear energy after 2035 - VnExpress International: Vietnam is seeking a return to nuclear power after 2035 amid warnings that dwindling natural resources could lead to electricity shortages. - VnExpress International
China to build 6-8 nuclear reactors a year from 2020-2025 - report - Reuters
China to build 6-8 nuclear reactors a year from 2020-2025 - report - Reuters: China will build six to eight nuclear reactors a year between 2020 and 2025 and raise total capacity to 70 gigawatts (GW), up 43.5% compared to the end of May, the official China Daily said on Thursday, citing the country's nuclear association.
Public comment sought on Canon City area uranium mill reports - News - The Pueblo Chieftain - Pueblo, CO
Public comment sought on Canon City area uranium mill reports - News - The Pueblo Chieftain - Pueblo, CO: CANON CITY — State health officials are seeking public comment on two proposals connected with the now-defunct Cotter Uranium Mill located 2 miles south of here.The Cotter Uranium Mill processed ''yellowcake'' uranium from 1958 to 1987 before going into sporadic operations. The mill has not processed uranium since 2006 and Colorado Legacy Land officials, who own the mill, are working along with state and federal health officials toward decommissioning the site which has been on the
US DOE awards decommissioning contracts for legacy sites - Nuclear Engineering International
US DOE awards decommissioning contracts for legacy sites - Nuclear Engineering International: The US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) has awarded a set of Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contracts to provide US-wide Deactivation, Decommissioning and Removal (DD&R) services...
Shareholder lawsuit against SCANA settled for $192.5 million | Charlotte Observer
Shareholder lawsuit against SCANA settled for $192.5 million | Charlotte Observer: Lawyers who brought the lawsuit will get some $29 million in attorneys’ fees.
Duke Energy’s Crystal River deal needs more customer protections, advocates say
Duke Energy’s Crystal River deal needs more customer protections, advocates say: Regulators vote on the proposed plan in mid-August.
G.E.-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas Assigned Patent for Very Simplified Boiling Water Reactors
G.E.-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas Assigned Patent for Very Simplified Boiling Water Reactors
https://energycentral.com/news/ge-hitachi-nuclear-energy-americas-assigned-patent-very-simplified-boiling-water-reactors
Thursday, July 9, 2020
Federal Register :: Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation; Yankee Atomic Electric Company
Federal Register :: Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation; Yankee Atomic Electric Company: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an exemption, in response to an May 2, 2019, request from Yankee Atomic Electric Company (YAEC or licensee), from NRC's requirement to comply with the terms, conditions, and specifications in Amendment No. 8 of the NAC International, Inc....
NRC Approves New Approach to Streamline Advanced Reactor Licensing Process | Department of Energy
NRC Approves New Approach to Streamline Advanced Reactor Licensing Process | Department of Energy: NRC Approves New Approach to Streamline Advanced Reactor Licensing Process
At home with fusion research | MIT News
At home with fusion research | MIT News: Hundreds of miles from campus, MIT student Sreya Vangara recalibrates her approach to plasma science and fusion research and other MIT commitments.
NRC Issues Report on Decommissioning Community Advisory Boards - ExchangeMonitor | Page 1
NRC Issues Report on Decommissioning Community Advisory Boards - ExchangeMonitor | Page 1: ExchangeMonitor covers nuclear weapons, waste management, nuclear cleanup, international intelligence as well as carbon capture and storage.
China to build 6-8 nuclear reactors a year from 2020-2025
China to build 6-8 nuclear reactors a year from 2020-2025: China Nuclear Energy Association says the country's total installed nuclear capacity is expected to stand at 52 GW by the end of 2020, falling short of a 58 GW target
Biden-Sanders unity task force calls for eliminating carbon from power plants by 2035
Biden-Sanders unity task force calls for eliminating carbon from power plants by 2035: A climate change task force convened by Joe Biden in a partnership with his former rival Bernie Sanders has recommended Biden commit to eliminating carbon emissions from power plants by 2035.
Head of House Democrats' climate panel defends nuclear inclusion - Axios
Head of House Democrats' climate panel defends nuclear inclusion - Axios: “That’s what the scientists advised as we listened across the spectrum, that’s where we landed."
Building a stronger tomorrow - Nuclear power in the post-pandemic world - World Nuclear Association
Building a stronger tomorrow - Nuclear power in the post-pandemic world - World Nuclear Association: Nuclear energy can play a central role in post-COVID recovery efforts by boosting economic growth in the short-term, whilst also supporting, in a cost-effective manner, the development of a low-carbon, resilient and affordable electricity infrastructure.
ENERGY TRANSITIONS: Gas to nuclear? Dominion looks beyond pipeline's demise -- Tuesday, July 7, 2020 -- www.eenews.net
ENERGY TRANSITIONS: Gas to nuclear? Dominion looks beyond pipeline's demise -- Tuesday, July 7, 2020 -- www.eenews.net: In killing the stalled $8 billion Atlantic Coast pipeline proposal and selling its existing gas pipe and storage business for $9.7 billion to Berkshire Hathaway, Dominion Energy Inc. has positioned itself for the big move into renewable power that the state's Democratic leadership has demanded.
Lifting the DFC Nuclear Finance Ban Supports US National Security Interests | RealClearEnergy
Lifting the DFC Nuclear Finance Ban Supports US National Security Interests | RealClearEnergy: On June 10th, the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) announced a 30-day notice and comment period on a proposed change to the agency’s Environmental and Social Policy and Pro
Astravyets nuclear plant needing supplementary safety assessment - Estonian economics minister
Astravyets nuclear plant needing supplementary safety assessment - Estonian economics minister: TALLINN - According to the European Commission's compromise proposal to the Baltic states, which are currently engaged in a dispute over the...
Drilling Specialist To Explore South Bruce For Potential Canadian Repository - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers
Drilling Specialist To Explore South Bruce For Potential Canadian Repository - 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.
Spent Nuclear Reactor Passes On Its Way To Disposal
Spent Nuclear Reactor Passes On Its Way To Disposal: A nuclear reactor vessel from southern California’s decommissioned San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station
Nuclear watchdog group continues fight against WIPP utility shaft
Nuclear watchdog group continues fight against WIPP utility shaft: Nuclear Waste Program Director at the Center Don Hancock said he hoped the motions would force the court to re-analyze NMED’s approval process.
Plutonium mishap at Los Alamos National Lab accentuates pit production worries | News | aikenstandard.com
Plutonium mishap at Los Alamos National Lab accentuates pit production worries | News | aikenstandard.com: Fifteen workers at Los Alamos National Laboratory might have been exposed to plutonium, a potentially grave mishap that some industry observers and critics say portends trouble for plutonium pit production,
Savannah River COVID-19 Case Count Stands at 70 - ExchangeMonitor | Page 1
Savannah River COVID-19 Case Count Stands at 70 - ExchangeMonitor | Page 1: ExchangeMonitor covers nuclear weapons, waste management, nuclear cleanup, international intelligence as well as carbon capture and storage.
Trump Plan to Build Nuclear Bombs Divides a Scarred Factory Town - BNN Bloomberg
Trump Plan to Build Nuclear Bombs Divides a Scarred Factory Town - BNN Bloomberg: A factory along South Carolina’s Savannah River produced tritium and plutonium for U.S. nuclear weapons during the Cold War, employing thousands of workers but leaving behind a toxic legacy of radioactive waste.
California regulators consider proposal to incorporate climate planning into utility rate cases
California regulators consider proposal to incorporate climate planning into utility rate cases
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/cpuc-proposal-climate-planning-utility-rate-case/581273/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202020-07-09%20Utility%20Dive%20Newsletter%20%5Bissue:28383%5D&utm_term=Utility%20Dive
As COVID-19 surges, federal regulators worry about energy sector supply chain
As COVID-19 surges, federal regulators worry about energy sector supply chain
The U.S. electric grid has held up reliably during the pandemic. But if the economic shutdown stretches on, regulators are worried about potential supply chain and reliability issues.https://www.utilitydive.com/news/as-covid-19-surges-federal-regulators-worry-about-energy-sector-supply-cha/581285/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202020-07-09%20Utility%20Dive%20Newsletter%20%5Bissue:28383%5D&utm_term=Utility%20Dive
IEA conference hears plea for fact-based energy choices : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News
IEA conference hears plea for fact-based energy choices : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News: High-level speakers from government, industry and international organisations at an International Energy Agency summit today underlined the need for nuclear energy to play a role in the post-COVID economic recovery at the same time as meeting the climate challenge.
EU green strategies pay 'insufficient attention' to nuclear, says Foratom : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News
EU green strategies pay 'insufficient attention' to nuclear, says Foratom : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News: Foratom says it "remains concerned" that the European Commission is paying "insufficient attention" to low-carbon, non-fossil fuel sources of hydrogen, such as nuclear. The EU nuclear trade association was responding to two strategies the Commission released on 8 July for energy sector integration and hydrogen. Foratom said it welcomed the addition of a 'low-carbon hydrogen' category but said its usage should not be limited to the short and medium term.
Recovery plans are an opportunity to invest in nuclear : Covid-19 - World Nuclear News
Recovery plans are an opportunity to invest in nuclear : Covid-19 - World Nuclear News: The COVID-19 pandemic recovery has presented a window of opportunity for governments, according to a White Paper published today by World Nuclear Association. It says recovery plans that include investment in nuclear energy could not only boost economic growth and jobs, but also fulfil climate change commitments and build a clean and resilient energy system.
Sportlight on National Labs ANS Webinars
| ||
We invite you to participate in the sixth installment of the ANS
Young Members Group "Spotlight on National Labs" series, featuring
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Learn about the lab's history
and current ongoing research related to nuclear sciences and
engineering.
Taking place next Thursday, July 16, 12:00 - 1:30 pm EDT, the webinar is free and open to all. Register today.
LLNL was created in 1952 as a “new ideas” laboratory to augment the
efforts of Los Alamos in accelerating the U.S.’s hydrogen bomb program.
Beginning with the vision of Nobel Prize winner and LLNL namesake E.O.
Lawrence, the laboratory established a matrix organization that allows
experts in various disciplines to assemble as a team and work together
to understand and solve complex problems, a distinguishing feature of
LLNL that is still in use today. The unique LLNL environment has allowed
for advances
in many disparate fields, including high performance computing, laser
technology, element discovery, and nuclear weapons science and
technology.
Panelists
Moderator
Patrick Snouffer, ANS Young Members Group Executive Committee Member Check out the five previous Spotlight on National Labs webinars and others on demand. | ||
PG&E announces new risk and safety leadership structure - Daily Energy Insider
PG&E announces new risk and safety leadership structure - Daily Energy Insider: © ShutterstockPG&E — the union of PG&E Corporation and Pacific Gas and Electric Company — announced changes to its risk and safety leadership this week to improve safety culture at the California company. Currently, PG&E ... Read More »
PG&E makes organizational changes to risk, audit, and safety | Article | Compliance Week
PG&E makes organizational changes to risk, audit, and safety | Article | Compliance Week: A month after admitting guilt in the wildfire deaths of 84 Californians, PG&E announced organizational changes to its risk, audit, and safety leadership teams.
Reducing radioactive waste in processes to dismantle nuclear facilities | EurekAlert! Science News
Reducing radioactive waste in processes to dismantle nuclear facilities | EurekAlert! Science News: Margarita Herranz, professor of nuclear engineering at the UPV/EHU, leads one of the working groups in the Europe H2020 INSIDER project. The project aims to improve the management of contaminated materials by designing a methodology which allows the best scenarios in the dismantling, closing down and remediation of nuclear facilities to be specified and selected; the ultimate aim is for the waste to be properly characterised and for its storage and disposal routes to be clearly identified.
Modular nuclear energy is next big thing for SaskPower: MLA Duncan | Weyburn Review
Modular nuclear energy is next big thing for SaskPower: MLA Duncan | Weyburn Review: The future of Saskatchewan’s power supply will include modular nuclear energy, along with solar and wind energy, said Weyburn-Big Muddy MLA Dustin Duncan, who is also the Environment minister and . . .
Germany to phase out coal and nuclear power
Germany to phase out coal and nuclear power: Germany’s plan to end coal-fired power generation in the country is now official, as both houses of the German parliament approved the plan to shut down the last coal units by 2038.
Lifting the DFC Nuclear Finance Ban Supports US National Security Interests | RealClearEnergy
Lifting the DFC Nuclear Finance Ban Supports US National Security Interests | RealClearEnergy: On June 10th, the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) announced a 30-day notice and comment period on a proposed change to the agency’s Environmental and Social Policy and Pro
IAEA's Grossi Says Nuclear Power Contributes a Great Deal to Clean Energy Transition | IAEA
IAEA's Grossi Says Nuclear Power Contributes a Great Deal to Clean Energy Transition | IAEA: IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said nuclear power is playing an important role in the world’s production of clean energy, “contributing massively” to avoiding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in many countries and providing innovative solutions that could be very useful to emerging economies.
EDF’s Ability to Make Nuclear Power Affordable Still in Doubt | Financial Post
EDF’s Ability to Make Nuclear Power Affordable Still in Doubt | Financial Post: By Francois de Beaupuy(Bloomberg) —Electricite de France SA’s ability to build new nuclear plants at an acceptable cost and within a reasonable time frame remains in doubt despite the French industry’s efforts to avoid past mistakes.
U.S. Bank Set to Lift Ban on Supporting Nuclear Power
U.S. Bank Set to Lift Ban on Supporting Nuclear Power: A government-run development bank is expected to end its ban on investment in nuclear energy, a move that could allow U.S. companies to take a greater
Why should the power bill be fixed? | The Energy Collective Daily
Why should the power bill be fixed? | The Energy Collective Daily |
|
- Why should the power bill be fixed?
- Michael Shellenberger: Environmental Alarmism Is Wrong and Harmful
- It’s the Economy Stupid, and It Needs A Green New Deal
- Coal Exit: Different Approaches To Determining Costs, Benefits, And Justice Implications Of A Rapid Coal Phase-Out
- How Do We Improve Fuel Efficiency For Global Shipping?
Wednesday, July 8, 2020
Proposed Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects in England and Wales, Sizewell C Nuclear Power Station - GOV.UK
Proposed Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects in England and Wales, Sizewell C Nuclear Power Station - GOV.UK: Information about possible Transboundary Environmental Impacts (UNECE Espoo Convention and UNECE Aarhus Convention)
Pull the plug on Chinese nuclear power
Pull the plug on Chinese nuclear power: A new network of generators is needed, but such a major strategic infrastructure project should have been taken on by us
Fessenheim nuclear power plant: EDF shuts down Fessenheim, France's oldest nuclear plant, Energy News, ET EnergyWorld
Fessenheim nuclear power plant: EDF shuts down Fessenheim, France's oldest nuclear plant, Energy News, ET EnergyWorld: The closure, some 43 years after Fessenheim started operations, took place at 2100 GMT on Monday, EDF said
Britain’s Nuclear Future Uncertain as Relations With China Fray | Financial Post
Britain’s Nuclear Future Uncertain as Relations With China Fray | Financial Post: (Bloomberg) — Britain’s fraying relationship with China has the potential to undo a decade of mixed efforts to keep nuclear power flowing as an aging generation of plants drop out of service.Once the heart of the U.K.
No business need at all now for a Chinese nuclear plant in the UK | Business | The Guardian
No business need at all now for a Chinese nuclear plant in the UK | Business | The Guardian: Halting Huawei hurts 5G rollout and Sino-British ties, but stopping a Chinese nuclear power plant in Essex has virtually no fallout
Ray Ward: Utah cities should beware of nuclear plant costs
Ray Ward: Utah cities should beware of nuclear plant costs
https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2020/07/07/ray-ward-utah-cities/The Next Energy Battle: Nat Gas vs. Renewables | RealClearEnergy
The Next Energy Battle: Nat Gas vs. Renewables | RealClearEnergy: As coal continues to fade, gas vs. renewables is the emerging energy battle.
Lawmakers urge Pentagon to stop buying F-35 parts from Turkey
Lawmakers urge Pentagon to stop buying F-35 parts from Turkey: Washington DC (UPI) Jul 07, 2020 -
A bipartisan group of lawmakers sent a letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper this week asking the Pentagon to more quickly end its F-35 partnership with Turkey.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers sent a letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper this week asking the Pentagon to more quickly end its F-35 partnership with Turkey.
Iran says accord under negotiation with China 'not secret'
Iran says accord under negotiation with China 'not secret': Tehran (AFP) July 5, 2020 - Iran has been negotiating a 25-year accord with China and the terms will be announced once a deal is struck, the foreign minister told a stormy session of parliament Sunday.
US has not sought meeting with North Korea: envoy
US has not sought meeting with North Korea: envoy: Seoul (AFP) July 8, 2020 - US Deputy Secretary of State and North Korea envoy Stephen Biegun on Wednesday poured cold water on reports Washington had sought a meeting with Pyongyang officials, with nuclear discussions at a standstill.
Coronavirus and climate change: How to deal with converging crises - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Coronavirus and climate change: How to deal with converging crises - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: July is turning into a witch’s brew of coronavirus, extreme heat, economic recession, and civil unrest. One expert calls it a “syndemic.”
Atomic Show #279 - Michael Shellenberger talks about Apocalypse Never - Atomic Insights
Atomic Show #279 - Michael Shellenberger talks about Apocalypse Never - Atomic Insights: Michael Shellenberger's new book, Apocalypse Never: Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us All has provoked numerous reactions and conversations. It is a
Russia Completes Welding Of Upper Half Of Rooppur-2 RPV :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency
Russia Completes Welding Of Upper Half Of Rooppur-2 RPV :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency: Welding has been completed of the upper half of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) for the second unit of Rooppur nuclear power station under construction in Bangladesh, Russian equipment manufacturer Atomenergomash said in a statement.
According to Atomenergomash, the operation was completed by its subsidiary Atommash in 25 days and involved continuous heating at temperatures between 150C and 300C. The 250-tonne RPV component was then placed in a special furnace for four days to finalise the welding process.
According to Atomenergomash, the operation was completed by its subsidiary Atommash in 25 days and involved continuous heating at temperatures between 150C and 300C. The 250-tonne RPV component was then placed in a special furnace for four days to finalise the welding process.
Jobs boost as Hinkley Point C construction enters next phase : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News
Jobs boost as Hinkley Point C construction enters next phase : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: EDF Energy expects 1200 new jobs and 300 apprentices to be created in the next phase of construction of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in Somerset, England. They will become part of the 4000 strong workforce who will fit electrical systems, cables and pipes at the plant.
Russia plans first dedicated medical isotope facility : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News
Russia plans first dedicated medical isotope facility : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: The Central Design and Technological Institute has started work on plans to build Russia's first radiopharmaceuticals manufacturing facility. Moscow-headquartered TISC is part of Russian nuclear fuel manufacturer TVEL, which is a subsidiary of state nuclear corporation Rosatom.
Canada’s Oil Patch Is Bringing Production Back Online | OilPrice.com
Canada’s Oil Patch Is Bringing Production Back Online | OilPrice.com: Encouraged by higher oil prices, Canadian oil companies are bringing back some of the crude oil production they had curtailed
Coronavirus topples 2020 energy and climate predictions - Axios
Coronavirus topples 2020 energy and climate predictions - Axios: Most topics are on the back burner now with the pandemic raging.
Signs increasingly point to sabotage in fiery explosion at Iranian nuclear complex - The Washington Post
Signs increasingly point to sabotage in fiery explosion at Iranian nuclear complex - The Washington Post: Experts say they believe a bomb caused last week’s mysterious explosion at Iran’s main uranium facility, but it is unclear how badly the country’s nuclear program has been set back.
U.S. power use to drop by record amount in 2020 due coronavirus: EIA - Reuters
U.S. power use to drop by record amount in 2020 due coronavirus: EIA - Reuters: U.S. electricity consumption will collapse by a record 4.3% in 2020 due to business closures for coronavirus-linked lockdowns, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Tuesday in its Short Term Energy Outlook (STEO).
ENERGY TRANSITIONS: Gas to nuclear? Dominion looks beyond pipeline's demise -- Tuesday, July 7, 2020 -- www.eenews.net
ENERGY TRANSITIONS: Gas to nuclear? Dominion looks beyond pipeline's demise -- Tuesday, July 7, 2020 -- www.eenews.net: In killing the stalled $8 billion Atlantic Coast pipeline proposal and selling its existing gas pipe and storage business for $9.7 billion to Berkshire Hathaway, Dominion Energy Inc. has positioned itself for the big move into renewable power that the state's Democratic leadership has demanded.
15 years of Indo-US nuclear deal: Benefits transcend nuclear - The Sunday Guardian Live
15 years of Indo-US nuclear deal: Benefits transcend nuclear - The Sunday Guardian Live: The deal laid the foundation for greater trust and friendship. This month marks the 15th anniversary of the start of the journey that led to the civilian nuclear cooperation agreement between India and the United States, popularly called the Indo-US nuclear deal. A landmark Joint Statement of 18 July 2005 was the origin of …
Expect A Coronavirus Spike In Home Energy Bills This Summer
Expect A Coronavirus Spike In Home Energy Bills This Summer: Expect an increase in energy consumption at your home this summer as a result of Covid-19, resulting in higher costs for Americans who are already financially strained. Cities like Philadelphia, New York, and Boston will see at-home energy bills increasing by about $30/month.
Editorial: Santee Cooper still needs reforming, regardless of who's running the utility | Editorials | postandcourier.com
Editorial: Santee Cooper still needs reforming, regardless of who's running the utility | Editorials | postandcourier.com: Santee Cooper's onoe-year-old management have streamlined the utility, worked out a lawsuit settlement that will keep SC power bills down and made plenty of enemies in the Legislature. But state
Russia’s AECC wins contract to decommission mothballed installations at VNIINM - Nuclear Engineering International
Russia’s AECC wins contract to decommission mothballed installations at VNIINM - Nuclear Engineering International: Russia’s Angarsk Electrolysis Chemical Plant (AECC) in Irkutsk has signed a state contract for the decommissioning of the U-5 installation at the AA Bochvar Research Institute of Inorganic Materials (VNIINM) in Moscow. Both...
Russia develops robot linked with virtual reality for high radiation environments - Nuclear Engineering International
Russia develops robot linked with virtual reality for high radiation environments - Nuclear Engineering International: Avtomatika Concern, an affiliate of the Russian state-run corporation Rostec, has developed the Gipnoz (Hypnosis) robotic equipment control system to perform extreme tasks in the environment of radiation, high and low temperatures and poor...
Department of Energy renews funding for NMSU-administered Carlsbad environmental monitoring facility | Article | NMSU News Center
Department of Energy renews funding for NMSU-administered Carlsbad environmental monitoring facility | Article | NMSU News Center: NMSU receives grant renewal from the U.S. Department of Energy.
Regulatory commission rejects activist group's challenge of Fermi 2 license extension | Toledo Blade
Regulatory commission rejects activist group's challenge of Fermi 2 license extension | Toledo Blade: NEWPORT, Mich. — A Monroe County activist group’s attempt to reopen negotiations for DTE Energy’s Fermi 2 license extension has been rejected by a federal ...
LLNL Director William Goldstein Announces Retirement | News | independentnews.com
LLNL Director William Goldstein Announces Retirement | News | independentnews.com: Bill Goldstein announced his retirement as director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) on Tuesday.
General Atomics to deliver radiation monitoring systems to Millstone 3 - Nuclear Engineering International
General Atomics to deliver radiation monitoring systems to Millstone 3 - Nuclear Engineering International: General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) has been awarded a contract from Dominion Energy to deliver radiation monitoring systems for unit 3 of the Millstone Power Station in Connecticut, USA. GA-EMS will manufacture and...
Tuesday, July 7, 2020
Seven Years After the Shutdown of the San Onofre Nuke Plant, the Scandals Continue
Seven Years After the Shutdown of the San Onofre Nuke Plant, the Scandals Continue: Nuclear Shutdown News chronicles the decline and fall of the nuclear power industry in the US and beyond, and highlights the efforts of those working for a nuclear free world. By Michael Steinberg / Black Rain Press On June 30
EM Update July 7, 2020
A view of the former K-832 Basin at Oak Ridge before workers removed it.
A view of the former K-832 Basin area after workers removed the basin and backfilled and seeded the site.
Crews finished taking down the last of the 11 main buildings
in the Poplar Creek area in September 2019. That effort, which began in
2017, eliminated the most contaminated facilities remaining at the ETTP
and removed the last of the buildings associated with the site’s
gaseous diffusion uranium enrichment operations.
“Completion
of the K-832 basin project wraps up a significant soil remediation
effort in the Poplar Creek area, and it greatly enhances the aesthetics
to the surrounding economic development parcels,” Daffron said.
The
Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) and UCOR are
working together to transform ETTP into a multi-use industrial park,
national park, and conservation area for the community. That vision has
already started to become a reality. OREM has transferred almost 1,300
acres at ETTP for economic development, with another 600 acres slated
for transfer in the years ahead. OREM has also set aside more than 100
acres for historic preservation and placed more than 3,000 acres in
conservation for community recreational use.
-Contributor: Wayne McKinney
Mock-up to Support Stabilization of Three At-Risk Structures on Hanford Site
The
EM Richland Operations Office and its contractor CH2M HILL Plateau
Remediation Company are building an off-site mock-up of a conveyance
system that will be used to move engineered grout from trucks into three at-risk underground structures on the Hanford Site.
RICHLAND, Wash. – As the Hanford Site continues a phased remobilization of site operations, EM Richland Operations Office
(RL) and its contractor CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC)
recently began designing and constructing a full-scale off-site mock-up
to support the stabilization of three underground structures with engineered grout.
The three structures, located near the former Plutonium Finishing Plant,
received liquid waste during Hanford’s plutonium production operations
and contain residual radioactive and chemical contamination. A 2019
report indicates the structures are at risk of age-related failure.
“We
are making good progress on the mock-up for the stabilization project
following appropriate health and safety protocols as we continue our
phased remobilization,” said Al Farabee, RL assistant manager for the
river and plateau. “This work is critical to Hanford’s mission to reduce
risk to workers, the public, and the environment.”
Nuclear
Waste Partnership (NWP) President and Project Manager Sean Dunagan,
center, helps unfurl the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star site
flag during a brief ceremony at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)
in late June. Also pictured, from left, are Paulette Henry, WIPP VPP
Committee member; Rick Fuentes, United Steel Workers Union president;
Tim Taulbee, NWP environment, safety and health manager; and Frank
Methola, United Government Security Officers Union president.
EM contractors at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and Savannah River Site (SRS) were recently awarded Star status for safety and health advances through the DOE’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).
“This
is a very significant milestone,” DOE Carlsbad Field Office Acting
Manager Greg Sosson said of Nuclear Waste Partnership (NWP), the WIPP
management and operations contractor. “I’m looking forward to the
continued success at WIPP that is enabled by the behaviors needed to
attain this recognition.”
Working
through cooperative efforts among labor, management, and government at
DOE contractor sites, the VPP promotes improved health and safety
performance. The Star status is for DOE contractors whose injury rates
meet the DOE standard of 50 percent below industry average, who perform
mentoring and outreach activities, and exemplify management leadership,
employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control,
and safety and health training.
After
separate fire and radiological events in 2014, WIPP implemented a
variety of safety improvements and received VPP Merit status in 2015.
Last year, a DOE VPP team spoke highly of the changes that had been
made, noting that it would return to WIPP in 2020 to ensure their
permanence. The team visited again in January and recommended Star
status for the site.
“Safety
improvements that began in 2018 have matured, and Nuclear Waste
Partnership has demonstrated its commitment to making those improvements
permanent and earned the workers’ trust,” the team’s report states.
“We
stand ready to assist you as you continue in your pursuit of
excellence,” DOE Associate Under Secretary for Environment, Health,
Safety and Security Matthew Moury wrote in the Star status notification
letter to the WIPP contractor.
“This
is an impressive accomplishment and milestone,” NWP President and
Project Manager Sean Dunagan said. “I would like to thank our employees
for making this achievement possible through their dedication to
ensuring that safety is No. 1 at WIPP.”
The
Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) flag continues to fly in front of
the Savannah River Site’s Defense Waste Processing Facility, operated by
Savannah River Remediation.
In
the announcement to Savannah River Remediation (SRR), EM’s liquid waste
contractor at SRS, Moury congratulated employees ”for your pursuit of
excellence in health and safety and your efforts to retain Star status
in the Department of Energy’s Voluntary Protection Program.”
The DOE-VPP team completed its two-week onsite review of SRR in February.
“After
reviewing our programs, talking to our personnel, and watching work
being completed, the VPP team reached the conclusion that SRR should be
recertified as a Star site,” said Mark Schmitz, SRR chief operating
officer and deputy project manager. “Every team member takes our core
value of safety to heart and contributes to that success.”
For more information on DOE’s VPP Program, click here.
-Contributors: Colleen Hart, Victoria Parker
Spent Nuclear Fuel Transfers Allow INL to Continue Mission-Critical Work
A
shipment of spent nuclear fuel travels from the Advanced Test Reactor
Complex to the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center.
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – EM
and cleanup contractor Fluor Idaho recently partnered with Battelle
Energy Alliance (BEA) to perform transfers of spent nuclear fuel at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site.
The shipments from the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) Complex to the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) allow BEA, which manages INL, to prepare for mission-critical work at the ATR.
Russ
Cottam, Fluor Idaho spent nuclear fuel projects manager, said the
shipments have been conducted safely and with a minimum staff to ensure
social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fuel was transferred
from wet storage at the ATR canal to the Chemical Processing Plant
(CPP)-603 spent nuclear fuel storage facility, where it was placed in
dry storage.
“We exceeded our goal of 10 shipments this calendar year and completed the scope ahead of schedule," Cottam said.
Fluor
Idaho’s spent nuclear fuel program maximized CPP-603’s unused space so
the program can transfer the remaining fuel from the CPP-666 basin to
dry storage by 2023 to comply with an Idaho Settlement Agreement
milestone.
New
fuel buckets, fabricated by Fluor Idaho, allow 50 percent more ATR fuel
elements to be stacked in fuel canisters at CPP-603. The new buckets
are segmented differently than the previous ones, allowing fuel handlers
to stack fuel assemblies in different configurations, resulting in more
assemblies being loaded in the same amount of space.
With the new fuel buckets, CPP-603 can continue to accept the ATR fuel directly into dry storage for at least 10 more years.
-Contributor: Erik Simpson
SRS Workers Safely Demolish Two Contaminated Structures
Workers prepare
equipment removed from a recently demolished contaminated structure at
the Savannah River Site to be permanently encapsulated within
cement-like grout.
AIKEN, S.C. – EM
crews have demolished two small structures formerly used to measure the
flow of hazardous wastewater and obtain sample data within a process
sewer line at the Savannah River Site (SRS).
Not
much larger than a walk-in closet, each unit was built over an eight-
to 12-foot-deep concrete pit, providing a sample point to the sewer
line.
The
closure task team placed contaminated equipment and non-contaminated
process sampling equipment, such as piping, tanks, and pumps, into each
pit prior to permanently encapsulating them in cement-like grout.
Workers used 40 cubic yards of grout to fill the two pits and placed 16
cubic yards of concrete as a permanent barrier atop the grouted
structure, completing the closure process.
“Though
the first phase of the closure project was not large in size, it was
definitely important in that the two primary access points to the
contaminated sewer line have now been safely and permanently closed,”
said Andrew MacMillan, the project lead with EM contractor Savannah
River Nuclear Solutions.
The
remediation plan for this project was approved by the South Carolina
Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC). The 4,050-foot
sewer line, which runs under a high-traffic roadway at SRS, will be
closed to comply with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
The
sewer line once carried contaminated process waste from F Canyon
operations to the F Area Seepage Basin, which is now closed. Sampling
wastewater from the sewer line ensured optimal flow of effluent leaving
the canyon and provided accurate measurement of the level of
radioactivity and other hazardous materials. Sampling of the F Canyon
wastewater began in the 1950s and ceased in 1988 when the sewer line was
taken out of service.
“This
SRS project represents the success that happens when different
organizations work together as a team with the common goal of protecting
human health and the environment, especially the employees and
surrounding communities,” said Keehna Frasier, project manager, SCDHEC
Division of Waste Management.
-Contributor: DT Townsend
Training, Planning Lead to Successful Sensor Removal from Hanford Tanks
Washington
River Protection Solutions workers use shielding to remove a highly
contaminated thermocouple from a Hanford tank farm. Planning and
mock-ups significantly reduced potential exposure risks while removing
thermocouples.
RICHLAND, Wash. – EM Hanford
tank operations contractor Washington River Protection Solutions is
preparing to retrieve radioactive and chemical waste from storage tanks
in the site’s A Tank Farm.
Removing
obstructions in the tanks that would interfere with retrieval
operations, such as old thermocouples, presents several hazards that can
be mitigated with specialized tools, techniques, and training and the
use of mock-ups.
Thermocouples
are temperature-sensing devices that help Hanford technicians monitor
conditions inside tanks. In addition to the radiological and industrial
hazards involved in removing contaminated equipment from tanks,
corrosion of the 50-foot-long thermocouples creates a risk they could
break apart during removal.
Earlier
this spring, workers removed damaged thermocouples used to measure
waste temperatures in Tanks A-101 and A-103. In these tanks, the lower
sections of the thermocouples were damaged, requiring the use of cutting
and clamping techniques to safely remove them.
“Various
shield designs and clamping techniques were tested during planning
mock-ups, which significantly mitigated the radiation hazards,” said
Christine Lobos, EM tank farm facility representative. “Our overall site
cleanup strategy is to focus consistently on safety of the workforce,
the public, and the environment while progressing our cleanup mission.”
To
protect workers, many weeks of planning and training in mock-up
conditions helped before crews retrieve the contaminated equipment from
the underground tanks.
“Each
tank presents its own set of challenges,” said Diego Arteaga,
contractor fieldwork supervisor. “The removal of the first thermocouple
at Tank A-103 required a complete design of clamps due to the
deterioration. Because of the training, we knew what to do and how to do
it safely.”
The
workers used high-pressure spray washes on the thermocouples at Tanks
A-101 and A-103 to reduce some of the radiation levels. The team then
cut the thermocouples into segments and lowered the corroded lower
segments to the tank floor. The remaining sections were removed from the
tanks, placed in shielded containers, and shipped to Hanford’s
Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility for disposal.
“Multiple
layers of safety were integrated into the retrieval work on the tanks,”
said Arteaga. “The team showed the value of preparation when doing
dangerous work and our work paid off.”
-Contributor: Peter Bengtson
West Valley Encases Building Slab With Fixative After Removing Asbestos
A
worker at the West Valley Demonstration Project applies a fixative to
the concrete slab of the former Main Plant Office Building to protect
employees from potential asbestos.
WEST VALLEY, N.Y. – An EM deactivation and demolition crew at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) recently encapsulated a concrete slab with a fixative after removing asbestos from it.
The concrete slab was the foundation for the former Main Plant Office Building, which workers demolished late last year, bringing EM’s total number of structures removed at WVDP to 66.
Workers
had safely removed asbestos-containing material from inside that
building prior to tearing it down. Built in 1964, the three-story,
3,760-square-foot facility was part of the original commercial nuclear
fuel reprocessing plant at the site.
“Our
team continues to leverage their combined knowledge and expertise to
safely complete the demolition, disposition, and restoration of
facilities no longer needed,” EM WVDP Director Bryan Bower said. “This
work will enhance safety efforts in preparation for the future
demolition of the Main Plant Process Building.”
Demolition of the Main Plant Process Building is an EM priority for 2020.
The
Main Plant Office Building was one of several Main Plant Process
Building support structures. The next ancillary building set for
demolition is a utility building. That teardown will occur after the
site transitions to Phase 2 of its COVID-19 Work Resumption Plan.
-Contributor: Joseph Pillittere
Workers Use Skill, Ingenuity to Install New Manipulators at Oak Ridge
Isotek
employees Shane Miles, left, and Ryan Souza stand behind a cutting tool
used to help install new remote manipulators in hot cells at Oak Ridge.
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – Upgrades and construction are progressing at Building 2026 to prepare the facility to begin processing a high-dose portion of Oak Ridge’s uranium-233 inventory. That work will enable EM to convert the material into a disposal-ready form after extracting an unprecedented amount of thorium for next generation cancer research.
Oak
Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) and contractor Isotek
are performing the work to support EM’s highest priority project at DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory — to eliminate the inventory of uranium-233.
The
high-dose portion of the inventory must be processed in hot cells that
provide protective shielding and remote mechanical arms, known as
manipulators, to handle the material. First, however, those hot cells
require upgrades, including new remote manipulators. View a video
explaining the upgrades here.
Isotek employees Wes McCloud, Shane Miles, and Ryan Souza developed a tool to install the new hot cell manipulators.
Manipulators
must be installed without anyone entering the hot cells due to
contamination inside the cells. To accomplish this, the manipulators are
slid through a tube on the hot cell outer wall and clamped against that
wall.
The
Isotek employees learned that the tube needed to be shortened because
it extended beyond the wall on the inside of the hot cell. They planned
to insert a circular cutting tool from the non-contaminated side of the
tube to shorten it inside the hot cell.
Despite that challenge, the task became even more difficult.
“After about 30 minutes, the cutter would quit spinning,” Miles said. “If the cutter isn’t spinning, then it’s not cutting.”
Heat
generated from the rapid spinning of the cutter and the friction
against the tube caused part of the cutter to expand and jam itself
against the interior of the tube.
The
employees shaved down the expanding piece of the cutter to keep it from
making contact with the tube interior and attached shock-absorbing ball
bearings to it. These changes helped stabilize the cutter and reduce
friction while cutting.
The hot cells are scheduled to be ready for processing high-dose canisters later this year.
Isotek was processing low-dose canisters of uranium-233 in gloveboxes
before Oak Ridge entered essential mission-critical operations in
April. That work is scheduled to resume as operations ramp up in future
phases.
-Contributor: John Gray
Advance Agenda Available for 2020 National Cleanup Workshop
|
EM Update | Vol. 12, Issue 16 | July 7, 2020
|
|
Crews Remove Basin as Oak Ridge Heads Toward ETTP Cleanup Completion
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – A basin that once held cooling water used in Oak Ridge’s former uranium enrichment operations has been removed from the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP), and now the site where it was located has been restored.
Workers
recently completed removal of the K-832 Basin in the Poplar Creek area
at ETTP. It was used in conjunction with a pumphouse and cooling tower,
both of which were demolished by EM crews in 2017.
The
below-ground basin contained more than 2 million gallons of
nonradioactive water that had to be pumped and treated. After Oak Ridge
cleanup contractor UCOR completed water and sludge removal and
demolished the basin, workers backfilled and seeded the site.
“The
K-832 Basin area now joins numerous other projects where we transformed
areas with old, contaminated, and dilapidated facilities or subsurface
structures into grassy fields for the site’s next chapter,” said James
Daffron, acting ETTP portfolio federal project director for Oak Ridge’s
EM program. “The landscape changes happening across ETTP are a testament
to how close we are to achieving Vision 2020.”
Among EM’s 2020 priorities, Vision 2020
is the cleanup program’s goal to complete all demolitions and major
cleanup at ETTP by the end of 2020. It will mark the first time in the
world an enrichment complex is cleaned and removed.
 |
The
EM Richland Operations Office and its contractor CH2M HILL Plateau
Remediation Company are testing a conveyance system that will pump
engineered grout through more than 1,500 feet of pipe to three
underground at-risk structures at the Hanford Site, helping to keep
workers out of high-contamination areas.
Construction
of the mock-up includes a conveyance system that will be used to move
more than 4,500 cubic yards of engineered grout from trucks into the
structures. The grout will be pumped through more than 1,500 feet of
pipe, helping to keep workers out of high-contamination areas. Mock-ups
are used extensively at Hanford to allow crews to troubleshoot processes
and safely train on tools and equipment in a clean environment before
work begins in the field.
“The
conveyance system is going to help us tremendously because all three
structures are in high radiological areas,” said Delise Savior, CHPRC
project manager. “This will minimize our time in these areas while
allowing us to safely and efficiently stabilize the structures. Crews
will also monitor radiological conditions before and during work to
further ensure our workers and the environment are protected.”
The stabilization project is expected to be completed by the end of 2020.
Check out this video to see more about the engineering walk-down on the project.
Grout has been used to safely stabilize other structures
at Hanford, including a combined 44,000 cubic yards to stabilize two
waste storage tunnels next to the Plutonium Uranium Extraction Plant, or
PUREX, in 2017 and 2019.
-Contributor: Joan Lucas
|
WIPP, SRS Contractors Achieve Voluntary Protection Program Star Status |
An
advance agenda is now available for the 2020 National Cleanup Workshop
that will bring together top Department of Energy officials as well as
industry and state, tribal, and local government leaders to discuss
progress and opportunities in the EM cleanup mission.
The
sixth-annual workshop will be held Sept. 16-17 at the Hilton Alexandria
Mark Center in Alexandria, Virginia. The workshop is hosted by the
Energy Communities Alliance with the cooperation of EM and the Energy
Facility Contractors Group.
Confirmed
speakers so far include EM Senior Advisor William “Ike” White, EM
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Todd Shrader, and other EM
headquarters and site leaders.
Scheduled sessions will include:
The advance agenda for the 2020 National Cleanup Workshop can be found here.
More
than 800 attendees, including senior DOE executives, congressional
leaders, DOE contractors, and state, tribal, and local government
leaders, participated in the 2019 workshop — the largest EM-focused
gathering in the D.C. area last year. More information on past workshops
can be found here.
|
Like EM on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/
|
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)