Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire - Major Energy and Environmental News and Commentary affecting the Nuclear Industry. Nuclear Activities
Saturday, August 1, 2020
ThorCon Inks MOU to Develop a 50MW Thorium Reactor for Indonesia | Neutron Bytes
ThorCon Inks MOU to Develop a 50MW Thorium Reactor for Indonesia | Neutron Bytes: ThorCon to Develop 50MW Thorium Fueled Reactor in Indonesia Leading to 500MW Units Built in Shipyards. Rosatom Pitches Indonesia for Conventional Light Water Reactors USNC Collaborates with South K…
We already fought a cold war with Beijing and it went very badly – Responsible Statecraft
We already fought a cold war with Beijing and it went very badly – Responsible Statecraft: With the Trump administration and hawks in Washington clamoring for confrontation with China, it's probably worth revisiting how that worked out for the US in the past.
The Man Who Made Stephen Miller - POLITICO
The Man Who Made Stephen Miller - POLITICO: Almost 20 years ago, anti-immigration activist David Horowitz cultivated an angry high-school student. Now his ideas are coming to life in the Trump administration.
How Jared Kushner’s Secret Testing Plan “Went Poof Into Thin Air” | Vanity Fair
How Jared Kushner’s Secret Testing Plan “Went Poof Into Thin Air” | Vanity Fair: This spring, a team working under the president's son-in-law produced a plan for an aggressive, coordinated national COVID-19 response that could have brought the pandemic under control. So why did the White House spike it in favor of a shambolic 50-state response?
Congress forced Silicon Valley to answer for its misdeeds. It was a glorious sight | Matt Stoller | Opinion | The Guardian
Congress forced Silicon Valley to answer for its misdeeds. It was a glorious sight | Matt Stoller | Opinion | The Guardian: The five and a half hour long hearing on Capitol Hill offered a stunning illustration of the extent of misdeeds by big tech
Opinion | Alexander Vindman: Coming forward ended my career. I still believe doing what’s right matters. - The Washington Post
Opinion | Alexander Vindman: Coming forward ended my career. I still believe doing what’s right matters. - The Washington Post: Alexander Vindman, now in civilian life, reflects on his impeachment testimony.
COVID-19 Patient Management with Dr. Paul Marik (Author of MATH+ Protocol) - YouTube
COVID-19 Patient Management with Dr. Paul Marik (Author of MATH+ Protocol) - YouTube: More lectures on DrBeen.com Looking to support my work? Donate here: https://paypal.me/mobeensyed?locale.x=en_US Dr. Paul is the Chief of Pulmonary and Criti...
MIT’s machine learning designed a COVID-19 vaccine that could cover a lot more people | ZDNet
MIT’s machine learning designed a COVID-19 vaccine that could cover a lot more people | ZDNet: Not all vaccines for COVID-19 will cover everyone, in fact many may have large gaps. A novel, large-scale machine learning project at MIT designed one that might protect many more people.
3 years later: How the fallout from SC's $9 billion nuclear fiasco continues | Business | postandcourier.com
3 years later: How the fallout from SC's $9 billion nuclear fiasco continues | Business | postandcourier.com: The scuttled V.C. Summer expansion in Fairfield County is widely considered one of the biggest business failures in the state’s history.
OPINION: WCS has nation’s safest nuclear waste site - Midland Reporter-Telegram
OPINION: WCS has nation’s safest nuclear waste site - Midland Reporter-Telegram: This year marks my 20th anniversary with Waste Control Specialists. When I started with WCS in May 2000, it was still a startup company.
What Happens When A Drone Comes For A Nuclear Reactor?
What Happens When A Drone Comes For A Nuclear Reactor?: This question sits at the center of a long investigation by The War Zone, built upon a trove of documents about a curious pair of incidents in September 2019.
PG&E, Tesla Break Ground on Landmark Battery Energy Storage System - Oil & Gas 360
PG&E, Tesla Break Ground on Landmark Battery Energy Storage System - Oil & Gas 360: The latest oil and gas news, dedicated to all things oil and gas: people, technologies, transactions, trends, and macro-economic analysis that impact commodity prices.
UAE begins start up operations at its first nuclear power plant - Agricultural Commodities - Reuters
UAE begins start up operations at its first nuclear power plant - Agricultural Commodities - Reuters: The United Arab Emirates has begun start up operations in the first unit of the Barakah nuclear power plant, Dubai's ruler said on Twitter on Saturday.
Drones flew over Palo Verde nuclear plant in Arizona — pilots unknown
Drones flew over Palo Verde nuclear plant in Arizona — pilots unknown: Nobody except the drones' pilots knows whether this was a case of hobbyists touring the plant out of curiosity, or something much more nefarious
Emirati nuclear plant successfully starts up first reactor | Us World News | fox5vegas.com
Emirati nuclear plant successfully starts up first reactor | Us World News | fox5vegas.com: DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates successfully started up its first reactor, authorities said Saturday.
Barakah: UAE starts up Arab world's first nuclear plant - BBC News
Barakah: UAE starts up Arab world's first nuclear plant - BBC News: The plant's name means "blessing" in Arabic - but the UAE's rivals call it a threat to peace.
UAE's first power reactor achieves criticality : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News
UAE's first power reactor achieves criticality : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: Nawah Energy Company has started up unit 1 of the Barakah nuclear power plant, located in the Al Dhafrah region of Abu Dhabi. Nawah is the joint venture nuclear operations and maintenance subsidiary of Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation and the Korea Electric Power Corporation. The APR1400 attained a sustained chain reaction for the first time early yesterday morning and is expected to enter commercial operation later this year.
US Ramps Up Planning for Space Nuclear Technology | American Institute of Physics
US Ramps Up Planning for Space Nuclear Technology | American Institute of Physics: NASA and the Department of Energy are expanding their collaboration as part of a broader White House push to develop nuclear power systems for space applications. The initiative comes as NASA faces key decisions on what fuel sources and technology development paths to pursue.
Philippines sets up committee to consider nuclear power - Nuclear Engineering International
Philippines sets up committee to consider nuclear power - Nuclear Engineering International: Philippines Energy Ministry said on 29 July that President Rodrigo Duterte had created an inter-agency panel to study the adoption of a national nuclear energy policy. Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi has long advocated the use of nuclear...
Oil-rich UAE opens the Arab world's first nuclear power plant - CNN
Oil-rich UAE opens the Arab world's first nuclear power plant - CNN: The United Arab Emirates has launched a nuclear energy plant on Saturday, the first such project in the oil-rich Arab world.
Nuclear Regulators Consider New Safety Rules For Smaller Plants : NPR
Nuclear Regulators Consider New Safety Rules For Smaller Plants : NPR: Proposed new emergency preparedness rules would allow nuclear plants closer to where people live. Companies say the plants are safer, but they need the rule changes for a viable business model.
Colossal Fossil Total Declares $9.3B in Stranded Assets in Alberta Tar Sands/Oil Sands | The Energy Collective Daily
Colossal Fossil Total Declares $9.3B in Stranded Assets in Alberta Tar Sands/Oil Sands | The Energy Collective Daily |
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- Colossal Fossil Total Declares $9.3B in Stranded Assets in Alberta Tar Sands/Oil Sands
- The Myth of the “Just Transition”
- Zero routine flaring by 2025 and the Texas policy needed to get there
- Recording – State of Play: A Clean Energy Powered Recovery
- The U.S. Clean Energy Economy: A Decade of Growth, a First Quarter Disrupted Copy
- Seven Senate Republicans join growing momentum to support struggling clean energy industry
- President Underscores Need for New Infrastructure During Permian Visit
- As Fracking Fight Fizzles in Colorado, Activists Say There is Always Next Campaign Season
- VW settlement funds spark string of North Carolina electrification projects
Friday, July 31, 2020
Why Aren't We Talking More About Ventilation? - The Atlantic
Why Aren't We Talking More About Ventilation? - The Atlantic: How is it that six months into a respiratory pandemic, we are still doing so little to mitigate airborne transmission?
Georgia Power forecasts increased costs for Vogtle nuclear expansion
Georgia Power forecasts increased costs for Vogtle nuclear expansion: Georgia Power's parent, Southern Company, sees costs and challenges increasing in the construction of its long-troubled nuclear power expansion at Plant Vogtle.
This Government Agency Is A Surprising Powerhouse In AI
This Government Agency Is A Surprising Powerhouse In AI: The US Department of Energy has been at the forefront of most of the groundbreaking and world-changing revolutions in science and technology including nuclear energy, genomics, and high-performance computing. It shouldn't be surprising that they're spearheading efforts in AI research & development.
OPINION: WCS has nation’s safest nuclear waste site - Midland Reporter-Telegram
OPINION: WCS has nation’s safest nuclear waste site - Midland Reporter-Telegram: This year marks my 20th anniversary with Waste Control Specialists. When I started with WCS in May 2000, it was still a startup company.
Peace at Last for Yemen? by Thomas R. Pickering, et al - Project Syndicate
Peace at Last for Yemen? by Thomas R. Pickering, et al - Project Syndicate: Ending Yemen's bloody civil war is critical first and foremost for the country's long-suffering people. But a peace deal would also serve as a confidence-building step toward stability in the Middle East, and would send a positive signal at a time of increasing international friction and polarization.
Man-made Israel [Book Review]. Erasure of Palestinian history has… | by Sam Bahour | Jul, 2020 | Medium
Man-made Israel [Book Review]. Erasure of Palestinian history has… | by Sam Bahour | Jul, 2020 | Medium: What do you get when you mix ten decades of biblical studies, an Old Testament, the ideology of Zionism, and a tablespoon of politically motivated archaeology, all mixed in a bowl of historical…
What’s at stake if Catholic schools don’t open in the fall
What’s at stake if Catholic schools don’t open in the fall: Catholic schools in America comprise the largest parochial school system in the world. They have been in existence even before our nation’s founding. They have built an unparalleled legacy of academic excellence, promoted racial and ethnic integration, and made the American dream possible for so many whose opportunities were otherwise limited. These cherished institutions are facing extinction very soon.
EDF’S Hinkley Nuclear Plant To Miss Key Deadlines This Year - BNN Bloomberg
EDF’S Hinkley Nuclear Plant To Miss Key Deadlines This Year - BNN Bloomberg: Electricite de France SA said it’s facing delays at the Hinkley Point C nuclear plant as the coronavirus pandemic hampered work on-site and hit supply chains.
Trawsfynydd: Nuclear reactors to go under new decommissioning plan - BBC News
Trawsfynydd: Nuclear reactors to go under new decommissioning plan - BBC News: Nuclear reactors at a former plant in Snowdonia will be the first in the UK to be decommissioned.
Judge upholds Virginia's uranium ban in property rights case - Virginia Mercury
Judge upholds Virginia's uranium ban in property rights case - Virginia Mercury: A Wise County and City of Norton Circuit Court judge on Thursday upheld the constitutionality of Virginia’s 38-year-old uranium mining moratorium on the grounds that while the ban does deprive its owners of property rights, the state has a compelling interest to do so. “Even the highest rights cannot be used in a vacuum; we […]
Waste Isolation Pilot Plant reports rock fall underground
Waste Isolation Pilot Plant reports rock fall underground: Rock falls are typical of areas in the WIPP underground closed off to personnel when ground control is discontinued, said WIPP spokesman Donavan Mager.
Sen. Murray, Rep. Smith seek expanded benefits for Hanford workers provided faulty respirators | News | union-bulletin.com
Sen. Murray, Rep. Smith seek expanded benefits for Hanford workers provided faulty respirators | News | union-bulletin.com: A group of cleanup workers at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation who were provided faulty respirators and potentially exposed to harmful vapors would gain a pathway to federal benefits if they
JEA Settles Litigation Over Nuclear Plant Vogtle | WJCT NEWS
JEA Settles Litigation Over Nuclear Plant Vogtle | WJCT NEWS: JEA has ended its attempt to get out of a deal it made to buy electricity from a Georgia nuclear power plant that has seen billions of dollars in cost
Report Sees Possible Nuclear Export Revenues Of Up To $1.9 Trillion :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency
Report Sees Possible Nuclear Export Revenues Of Up To $1.9 Trillion :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency: If the US supplies nuclear energy equipment and technology to support a share of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projected requirement for new nuclear power, US export revenues could range between $1.3 trillion and $1.9 trillion, a report prepared by consulting firm UxC for the Washington-based Nuclear Energy Institute concludes.
UxC analysed global and regional nuclear power outlooks to 2050 based on scenarios presented in the United Nations’ IPCC October 2018 report, Global Warming of 1.5°C.
UxC analysed global and regional nuclear power outlooks to 2050 based on scenarios presented in the United Nations’ IPCC October 2018 report, Global Warming of 1.5°C.
Still Charging: Energy Storage Commercialization in Massachusetts | The Energy Collective Daily
- Still Charging: Energy Storage Commercialization in Massachusetts
- NIST: Keeping the Lights On
- How a dedicated hydrogen infrastructure can be created
- What are time of use rates for?
- California Can’t Wait on All-Electric New Building Code - Rocky Mountain Institute
- Breaking trust: Shades of crisis across an insecure software supply chain - Atlantic Council
- Scottish Government invests in hydrogen accelerator
- Congress, states can enable carbon emissions cuts from freight with better planning
- US DOE announces $68m fund for bioenergy crops research
- A Billion Dollar Milestone for the Western Grid
- Deutsche Bank Dumps Tar Sands/Oil Sands, Arctic Oil and Gas, Falls Short on Coal Divestment
- Plummeting Wind Costs Could Make ‘Green’ Hydrogen Cost-Competitive by 2023
- Taxpayer Funds Could Trigger Pandemic Recovery Loans Above $100 Million Per Fossil Company, EDC Says
- Canadian Energy Weekly Round-Up: July 27, 2020
- Time for FERC to Step Up in Support of Key LNG Project in Puerto Rico
Still Charging: Energy Storage Commercialization in Massachusetts | The Energy Collective Daily |
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US report highlights nuclear export opportunities : Corporate - World Nuclear News
US report highlights nuclear export opportunities : Corporate - World Nuclear News: Exports of nuclear energy equipment and technology to meet the needs projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change could be worth USD1.3-1.9 trillion to the USA over the period to 2050, a new report by consulting firm UxC has concluded.
Spotlight on National Labs Oak Ridge National Laboratory August 12, 2020
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The
ANS Young Members Group invites you to participate in the next
installment of the Spotlight on the National Labs webinar series,
featuring Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
Taking place Wednesday, August 12, 1:30 - 3:00 pm EDT, the webinar is free and open to all. Register now.
Why spotlight ORNL?
Its very beginnings laid the foundation for world-leading science
in multiple disciplines. Established in 1943 as part of the Manhattan
Project, ORNL is now the largest U.S. Department of Energy science and
energy laboratory, employing more than 5,200. Every day, ORNL delivers
scientific discoveries and technical breakthroughs needed to realize
solutions in energy and national security and provide economic benefit
to the nation.
Historical inspiration comes from the lab’s Graphite Reactor, the
world’s first continuously operated nuclear reactor. ORNL’s nuclear
scientists and engineers draw from the lab’s rich history to help them
address compelling challenges in nuclear science and technology—from
pursuing economical nuclear energy and groundbreaking fusion energy
advances to identifying new applications for radioisotopes.
Panelists will offer insights into the unique nuclear science
occurring at ORNL, highlighting how the lab is pursuing the
Transformational Challenge Reactor, the world’s first additively
manufactured nuclear reactor, as well developing leading modeling and
simulation tools, moving reactor technologies forward, discovering new
elements, and advancing the long-term vision of viable fusion energy.
Panelists
Moderator
Sarah Camba Lynn,
ANS Young Members Group Secretary
Check out previous Spotlight on National Labs webinars and others on demand. | ||
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Thursday, July 30, 2020
Summer of Cultural Suicide: Sports, Movies, and Schools Go Woke | National Review
Summer of Cultural Suicide: Sports, Movies, and Schools Go Woke | National Review: Professional sports, universities, and the motion-picture industry all know that what they are doing is bad for business. They also are ignorant of history and cannot be persuaded that they are destroying themselves.
UPDATE 2-French utility EDF plans cost cuts, more asset sales - Reuters
UPDATE 2-French utility EDF plans cost cuts, more asset sales - Reuters: French utility EDF plans to cut operating costs by 500 million euros up to 2022 and aims to generate 3 billion from asset sales after reporting a fall in net profit in the first half of 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak.
NASA seeks to expand their nuclear energy systems - SpaceWatch.Global
NASA seeks to expand their nuclear energy systems - SpaceWatch.Global: Working in technology, it is easy to forget the importance of power. Electricity is like water, in t
Why NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover Uses Nuclear Energy - Scientific American
Why NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover Uses Nuclear Energy - Scientific American: Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.
PG&E Sees Familiar Face Become Post-Bankruptcy Legal Chief
PG&E Sees Familiar Face Become Post-Bankruptcy Legal Chief: Pacific Gas & Electric Co. has appointed its former interim CEO John Simon as its new top lawyer, just weeks after the utility emerged from bankruptcy and pleaded guilty to its role in a California wildfire that killed 84 people.
Tesla, PG&E break ground on 'landmark' energy storage facility - MarketWatch
Tesla, PG&E break ground on 'landmark' energy storage facility - MarketWatch: Tesla Inc. undefined and PG&Electric Corp. undefined broke ground last week on a lithium-ion battery energy storage system at a PG&E electric substation in...
We're heartbroken, and the world is poorer: Herman Cain has gone to be with the Lord
We're heartbroken, and the world is poorer: Herman Cain has gone to be with the Lord: You’re never ready for the kind of news we are grappling with this morning. But we have no choice but to seek and find God’s strength and comfort to deal with it. Herman Cain – our boss, our friend, like a father to so many of us – has passed away. He’s entering the presence…
GE Steam Power To Service Two Ukrainian Plants - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers
GE Steam Power To Service Two Ukrainian Plants - 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.
SNC-Lavalin To Design Inspection Tool For Darlington NPP - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers
SNC-Lavalin To Design Inspection Tool For Darlington 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.
New Mexico approves 100% renewable replacement for San Juan coal capacity
Brief
New Mexico approves 100% renewable replacement for San Juan coal capacity
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/new-mexico-approves-100-renewable-replacement-for-san-juan-coal-capacity/582557/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202020-07-30%20Utility%20Dive%20Newsletter%20%5Bissue:28794%5D&utm_term=Utility%20Dive
A blow to small solar, a win for states and utilities? Regulators, analysts assess FERC's PURPA rule
Deep Dive
A blow to small solar, a win for states and utilities? Regulators, analysts assess FERC's PURPA rule
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/a-blow-to-small-solar-a-win-for-states-and-utilities-regulators-analysts/582467/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202020-07-30%20Utility%20Dive%20Newsletter%20%5Bissue:28794%5D&utm_term=Utility%20Dive
ComEd CEO says no ratepayer funds involved in alleged bribery, misconduct
Brief
ComEd CEO says no ratepayer funds involved in alleged bribery, misconduct
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/comed-ceo-says-no-ratepayer-funds-involved-in-alleged-bribery-misconduct/582590/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202020-07-30%20Utility%20Dive%20Newsletter%20%5Bissue:28794%5D&utm_term=Utility%20Dive
EDF warns heatwave may force brief outage for 2.6 GW Golfech reactors | S&P Global Platts
EDF warns heatwave may force brief outage for 2.6 GW Golfech reactors | S&P Global Platts: Rising temperatures may lead to output restrictions at France's 2.6 GW Golfech nuclear power plant from July 31, operator EDF warned.
President Sets Up Committee To Study Nuclear Energy :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency
President Sets Up Committee To Study Nuclear Energy :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency: The Philippines has taken a step towards introducing nuclear power, its energy minister said on Wednesday, after president Rodrigo Duterte created an inter-agency committee to study the adoption of a national nuclear energy policy.
In a July 24 executive order made public on Wednesday, Mr Duterte created a committee to conduct the study, indicating openness to reviving the country’s nuclear energy ambitions.
As power demand soars in what has for years been among the world’s fastest-growing economies, energy minister Alfonso Cusi has been advocating the use of nuclear power.
In a July 24 executive order made public on Wednesday, Mr Duterte created a committee to conduct the study, indicating openness to reviving the country’s nuclear energy ambitions.
As power demand soars in what has for years been among the world’s fastest-growing economies, energy minister Alfonso Cusi has been advocating the use of nuclear power.
Government And ČEZ Sign Agreements For Planned New Unit At Dukovany :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency
Government And ČEZ Sign Agreements For Planned New Unit At Dukovany :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency: The Czech government signed agreements with ČEZ on Tuesday for a planned expansion of the majority state-owned utility’s Dukovany nuclear power station.
The agreements cover the overall general framework of the project and its initial phase, including a tender in which ČEZ will have a preferred list of reactor technology suppliers by 2022. The signing of a contract with a supplier is expected in 2024. Construction of the new plant could begin in 2029 and trial operation in 2036.
The state, which holds a 70% stake in ČEZ, last week approved plans to give an interest-free loan for the new plant.
It has also approved a model to buy electricity from the new unit at a determined price, with consumers making up the difference if that price is higher than wholesale market prices.
The agreements cover the overall general framework of the project and its initial phase, including a tender in which ČEZ will have a preferred list of reactor technology suppliers by 2022. The signing of a contract with a supplier is expected in 2024. Construction of the new plant could begin in 2029 and trial operation in 2036.
The state, which holds a 70% stake in ČEZ, last week approved plans to give an interest-free loan for the new plant.
It has also approved a model to buy electricity from the new unit at a determined price, with consumers making up the difference if that price is higher than wholesale market prices.
Barrasso nuclear bill latest GOP effort to boost uranium mining | TheHill
Barrasso nuclear bill latest GOP effort to boost uranium mining | TheHill: Legislation from Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) would cement a number of Trump administration recommendations to bolster nuclear energy, and, in turn, uranium mining.
City Council legislation seeks repeal of nuke plant bailout, investigation of First Energy tactics in Cleveland - cleveland.com
City Council legislation seeks repeal of nuke plant bailout, investigation of First Energy tactics in Cleveland - cleveland.com: The resolution, introduced Wednesday, calls on the Ohio General Assembly to repeal a $1.3-billion bailout approved last year with passage of House Bill 6.
Why NASA's Mars rover Perseverance will use nuclear power to keep itself warm | Space
Why NASA's Mars rover Perseverance will use nuclear power to keep itself warm | Space: NASA's Mars-bound Perseverance rover will run on nuclear power, including some of the first plutonium processed in the U.S. in decades.
The Night A Mysterious Drone Swarm Descended On Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant - The Drive
The Night A Mysterious Drone Swarm Descended On Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant - The Drive: The mysterious case of mass drone incursions over America's most powerful nuclear power plant that only resulted in more questions and no changes.
Invest in nuclear to galvanise growth, says OECD-NEA : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News
Invest in nuclear to galvanise growth, says OECD-NEA : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News: The sheer size of nuclear projects might be a barrier in some markets where private investors are looking for short‑term paybacks. However, during a period of economic recovery, large‑scale and long‑term energy infrastructure projects, such as nuclear power plants, can galvanise the social cohesion and economic spill‑overs required to re-launch general economic activity.
Philippines takes 'major step' toward using nuclear power - Reuters
Philippines takes 'major step' toward using nuclear power - Reuters: The Philippines has taken a big step towards tapping nuclear power, its energy minister said on Wednesday, after President Rodrigo Duterte created an inter-agency panel to study the adoption of a national nuclear energy policy.
Chinese President Xi Jinping praises ITER nuclear fusion experiment | South China Morning Post
Chinese President Xi Jinping praises ITER nuclear fusion experiment | South China Morning Post: nation ‘willing to continue to increase scientific exchange and cooperation with all parties to jointly make key breakthroughs’, leader says as assembly of experimental facility starts in France.
Mining lobby pushes young people to embrace nuclear power
Mining lobby pushes young people to embrace nuclear power: Based on feedback from political experts, the Minerals Council has begun a campaign to make nuclear look safe and clean.
TECHNOLOGY: Can a hydrogen makeover save nuclear power? -- Wednesday, July 29, 2020 -- www.eenews.net
TECHNOLOGY: Can a hydrogen makeover save nuclear power? -- Wednesday, July 29, 2020 -- www.eenews.net: A radically new script is being written for the future of U.S. nuclear reactors that keep losing ground to wind, solar and natural gas competitors: Manufacture hydrogen.
Barrasso nuclear bill latest GOP effort to boost uranium mining | TheHill
Barrasso nuclear bill latest GOP effort to boost uranium mining | TheHill: Legislation from Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) would cement a number of Trump administration recommendations to bolster nuclear energy, and, in turn, uranium mining.
Gov. argues against Holtec nuclear storage site » Albuquerque Journal
Gov. argues against Holtec nuclear storage site » Albuquerque Journal: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Tuesday, arguin ...
The US Department Of Energy Is A Surprising Powerhouse In AI: An Interview With Cheryl Ingstad, Director, AI And Technology Office At U.S. Department Of Energy (DOE)
The US Department Of Energy Is A Surprising Powerhouse In AI: An Interview With Cheryl Ingstad, Director, AI And Technology Office At U.S. Department Of Energy (DOE): The US Department of Energy has been at the forefront of most of the groundbreaking and world-changing revolutions in science and technology including nuclear energy, genomics, and high-performance computing. It shouldn't be surprising that they're spearheading efforts in AI research & development.
OPINION: WCS has nation’s safest nuclear waste site - Midland Reporter-Telegram
OPINION: WCS has nation’s safest nuclear waste site - Midland Reporter-Telegram: This year marks my 20th anniversary with Waste Control Specialists. When I started with WCS in May 2000, it was still a startup company.
Visualizing Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Production (Through May 2020) | The Energy Collective Daily
Visualizing Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Production (Through May 2020) | The Energy Collective Daily |
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- Visualizing Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Production (Through May 2020)
- Activists Convinced Minnesota Attorney General To File Climate Lawsuit
- In Ironic Twist, Mass. AG Shoots Down Municipal Fossil Fuel Ban
- What Year Is It? BBC Rehashes #ExxonKnew Using the Same Old Sources
- Data underscores need to strengthen Pennsylvania’s methane rule proposal
- There are 2 "E"s in Pipeline
EDF counts the cost of coronavirus to new build projects : Covid-19 - World Nuclear News
EDF counts the cost of coronavirus to new build projects : Covid-19 - World Nuclear News: EDF has said the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a slowdown in construction and maintenance of its nuclear power plant fleet in both France and the UK. It has warned of further delays to the schedules for completing both the Flamanville and Hinkley Point C projects.
Canadian uranium production set for September restart : Uranium & Fuel - World Nuclear News
Canadian uranium production set for September restart : Uranium & Fuel - World Nuclear News: Cameco and Orano Canada have announced plans to restart operations at the Cigar Lake uranium mine and the McClean Lake mill. Cameco will restart mine operations at the beginning of September, and Orano expects to be processing uranium by the middle of the month.
Nuclear-powered rover takes off for Mars : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News
Nuclear-powered rover takes off for Mars : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: NASA's Perseverance Mars rover successfully launched today from Cape Canaveral in Florida. The rover, which will be powered by a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator developed at the US Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory, will land on Mars to begin exploration in February 2021.
Tianwan 5 achieves criticality
Tianwan 5 achieves criticality
30 July 2020
Unit 5 of the Tianwan nuclear power plant in China's Jiangsu province has attained a sustained chain reaction for the first time. The 1080 MWe domestically-designed ACPR1000 pressurised water reactor is expected to be connected to the grid later this year, after which it will enter commercial operation.
https://world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Tianwan-5-achieves-criticality
Tuesday, July 28, 2020
OpenSAFELY: factors associated with COVID-19 death in 17 million patients | Nature
OpenSAFELY: factors associated with COVID-19 death in 17 million patients | Nature: COVID-19 has rapidly affected mortality worldwide1. There is unprecedented urgency to understand who is most at risk of severe outcomes, requiring new approaches for timely analysis of large datasets. Working on behalf of NHS England, here we created OpenSAFELY: a secure health analytics platform covering 40% of all patients in England, holding patient data within the existing data centre of a major primary care electronic health records vendor. Primary care records of 17,278,392 adults were pseudonymously linked to 10,926 COVID-19-related deaths. COVID-19-related death was associated with: being male (hazard ratio (HR) 1.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.53–1.65); older age and deprivation (both with a strong gradient); diabetes; severe asthma; and various other medical conditions. Compared with people with white ethnicity, Black and South Asian people were at higher risk even after adjustment for other factors (HR 1.48, 1.30–1.69 and 1.44, 1.32–1.58, respectively). We have quantified a range of clinical risk factors for COVID-19-related death in the largest cohort study conducted by any country to date. OpenSAFELY is rapidly adding further patients’ records; we will update and e
These are the factors that put you at higher risk of dying from covid-19 | MIT Technology Review
These are the factors that put you at higher risk of dying from covid-19 | MIT Technology Review: A study of more than 17 million people in England has confirmed the various factors that increase a person’s risk of dying from covid-19.
Mounting evidence suggests coronavirus is airborne — but health advice has not caught up
Mounting evidence suggests coronavirus is airborne — but health advice has not caught up: Governments are starting to change policies amid concerns that tiny droplets can carry SARS-CoV-2. And after months of denying the importance of this, the World Health Organization is reconsidering its stance.
Japan has long accepted COVID's airborne spread, and scientists say ventilation is key - CBS News
Japan has long accepted COVID's airborne spread, and scientists say ventilation is key - CBS News: It took pressure from 239 scientists for the WHO to even admit the new coronavirus may spread via aerosols, but in Japan, they're focusing on solutions.
Survey suggests aerosol is significant form of COVID-19 transmission
Survey suggests aerosol is significant form of COVID-19 transmission: Early results from a survey of 2000 people in the UK and US has suggested that the COVID-19 transmitted through aerosol transmission is materially significant.
Regulatory front for July 27, 2020 | 2020-07-27 | BioWorld
Regulatory front for July 27, 2020 | 2020-07-27 | BioWorld: The U.S. Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) said in its annual data book on health care spending that enrollment in Medicare is expected to rise steadily throughout most of the 21st Century to more than 109 million by 2090. Enrollment in 2060, when most of the baby boom generation will have expired or reached 100 years of age, will amount to roughly 90 million. Total Medicare spending in 2010 was $517 billion, a figure that spiked to $787 billion in 2019, although the share of . . .
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Uranium Week: Potential Export Of US Nuclear Technology - FNArena
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EM Update July 28,2020
Demolition
begins on Building K-1600. The 42,000-square-foot structure was
formerly used as a test and demonstration facility for uranium
enrichment centrifuges.
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – DOE’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) and contractor UCOR have begun demolishing Building K-1600 at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP), marking the final teardown to end a decades-long effort to remove a shuttered uranium enrichment complex.
ETTP,
formerly known as the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, once contained
five massive uranium enrichment buildings, including the world’s
largest building at the time of its construction, along with hundreds of
support facilities. The site dates back to the Manhattan Project and
continued to expand its operations during the Cold War. Those operations
ended in 1987, and the site was permanently closed in 1989.
OREM and UCOR are working to complete major cleanup at ETTP later this year — a goal known as Vision 2020.
It will mark the first time in the world a former uranium enrichment
complex has been cleaned and removed. UCOR accelerated cleanup by four
years, saving taxpayers nearly $500 million.
“We
are in the process of making history as this building starts coming
down,” OREM Manager Jay Mullis said. “Getting to this point is the
culmination of nearly 15 years of large-scale demolition with countless
more hours preparing, planning, and ensuring each project was conducted
safely. It’s extremely rewarding to see how all of these efforts have
transformed the site, and how our work has removed barriers and created
new economic opportunities for the community.”
This
graphic shows all facilities that have been demolished to date at the
East Tennessee Technology Park in Oak Ridge. Demolition of the only
remaining building, K-1600, is advancing.
The
42,000-square-foot Building K-1600 is a recognizable facility due to
its height and location, sitting in the middle of the Building K-25
footprint. Building K-1600 was used as a former test and demonstration
facility for uranium enrichment centrifuges. Centrus Energy Corp. leased
the government-owned facility from 2002 until 2019. The company no
longer needed the lease after consolidating its centrifuge testing and
demonstration activities into a location in Oak Ridge.
Demolition
and environmental cleanup at ETTP is part of an effort to transform the
former government-owned enrichment complex into a privately-owned
multi-use industrial park. OREM has taken down facilities spanning
nearly 13 million square feet, transferred more than 1,200 acres of land
for economic development, and placed more than 3,000 acres in a
conservation easement for community recreational use.
Additionally,
more than 100 acres will be used for historic preservation efforts at
the site. Since the K-25 footprint is part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, the demolition of Building K-1600 will increase accessibility and remove risks in the area for future use.
As demolition ends at ETTP, UCOR is transitioning crews to new deactivation and demolition projects at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex.
These projects will eliminate deteriorating, high-risk facilities,
enhance safety, and clear land for future national security and
scientific research missions.
-Contributor: Ben Williams
Crews Tear Down Four Buildings at ETEC Since Active Cleanup Resumed Last Week
A
crew tears down an instrumentation laboratory at the Radioactive
Materials Handling Facility complex at the Energy Technology Engineering
Center.
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. – EM has marked the successful demolition of four buildings at the Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC) since July 21, making continued progress in the active cleanup at the former nuclear and liquid metals research site in Ventura County, California.
Those
demolished structures include an office building, instrumentation
laboratory, ancillary guard station, and storage shed at the Radioactive
Materials Handling Facility (RMHF) complex. Cleanup activities resumed
on July 21.
“I
am excited at the progress the team has accomplished in the first few
weeks at ETEC. The team is working hard to anticipate challenges and
keep this cleanup moving safely and efficiently,” said ETEC Federal
Project Director John Jones.
Removing
the RMHF facilities, a set of 10 buildings constructed in 1959 and used
for the processing, packaging, and shipment of radioactive and mixed
hazardous wastes during site operations that ended in 1988, will reduce
potential risk of release of hazardous substances due to wildfires or
erosion from severe storms.
Site
demolition and removal of debris is on track and expected to take
approximately six months. Activities are being conducted under a
recently signed agreement between the DOE and the State of California,
and in adherence to safety practices recommended to protect workers from
exposure to the coronavirus. Debris from the cleanup is being
transported outside the State of California for disposal at licensed
commercial disposal facilities.
ETEC,
located in Area IV of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, served as a
premier research facility from the 1950s until the end of active
operations. Since the 1980s, more than 200 structures on the site have
been demolished and removed; after completing RMHF demolition, only
eight DOE structures will remain.
-Contributor: Stephanie Shewmon
EM Names Brian Vance as Permanent Manager of Hanford Offices
RICHLAND, Wash. – EM has named Brian Vance as manager, on a permanent basis, of the two offices that supervise cleanup of the Hanford Site, a move to cement coordination at the site that is preparing to initiate landmark tank waste treatment.
Since February 2019, Vance has been serving on a limited appointment as the manager for both the Richland Operations Office (RL) and Office of River Protection (ORP). In that post, he has aligned operations as Hanford gears up to begin treating tank waste through the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) approach, and concentrates cleanup work on the site’s central plateau.
Last fall, the site marked the removal of the radioactive sludge from Hanford’s K Basins away from the Columbia River for safer longer-term storage; safely resumed removal of demolition debris at the Plutonium Finishing Plant; and most recently completed startup testing at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant’s Analytical Laboratory, a key component of the DFLAW system.
“Brian
has guided Hanford operations with a steady hand,” said William “Ike”
White, Senior Advisor for Environmental Management to the Under
Secretary for Science. “The men and women on the ground continue making
great progress, and I have full confidence that Brian will continue to
lead this team into the next phase, as we move towards actual tank waste
treatment and cleanup completion in many areas.”
Vance
has more than 30 years of nuclear industry experience, including
project director for RL contractor CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation
Company’s 300-296 Soil Removal Project at Hanford. He is a retired Navy
nuclear submarine officer with a Bachelor of Science in meteorology from
Penn State University, and a Master of Business Administration from the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Joe
Franco will continue as the RL deputy manager, and Ben Harp will
continue as the ORP deputy manager, with both responsible for the
day-to-day operations of each of the offices.
An EM 2020 Priority: West Valley Moves Closer to Demolishing Main Plant
WEST VALLEY, N.Y. – Workers at the EM West Valley Demonstration Project
began demolishing a former utility building this month. The
6,955-square-foot building is an ancillary structure to the Main Plant
Process Building, the last remaining major facility at the West Valley
site. Five other ancillary structures associated with the Main Plant
Process Building have been safely torn down, bringing EM’s total number
of structures removed at the site to 67. Demolition of the Main Plant
Process Building is among EM’s 2020 priorities.
“The start of this work will change the landscape and footprint of the
WVDP site, and is a reminder of the ongoing progress here,” EM WVDP
Director Bryan Bower said.
-Contributor: Joseph Pillittere
Hanford WTP Holds Drill for Emergency Preparedness
RICHLAND, Wash. – Before and after views: the landscape around EM’s Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant
(WTP) continues to show signs of progress. Inland Asphalt, part of CRH
Group, a subcontractor to WTP contractor Bechtel National Inc., is
paving roads and parking lots around the future operational area of the
plant, which supports one of EM’s 2020 priorities: complete Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste
construction and turn-over to commissioning. While taking advantage of
the warm summer weather and using COVID-19 safety protocols, this work
will continue over the next several weeks to establish nearly 620,000
square feet of permanent walkways and roadways.Click here to watch a video about this project.
-Contributor: Bechtel National Inc.
WIPP Upgrades Fire Protection System
Concrete bases are in place for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant's new fire water system tanks.
CARLSBAD, N.M. – Millions of dollars in new and old infrastructure needs protecting at the EM Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
That’s
the goal of WIPP’s $24-million fire protection infrastructure project,
which is required to meet DOE and other federal nuclear safety
requirements. When the work is complete, a 10,000-foot loop and its
connectors that carry water to fight fires will replace an aging system
installed more than 30 years ago when the waste repository was being
developed.
WIPP
is also adding a massive new ventilation system, known as the Safety
Significant Confinement Ventilation System, as well as a new utility
shaft that reaches 2,275 feet underground, providing increased air as
part of the ventilation system. The fire protection loop will encompass
all of it.
“This
is an important project; parts of it are safety significant for nuclear
safety,” said Steve Smith, capital infrastructure project manager with
Nuclear Waste Partnership, the WIPP management and operations
contractor. “The system we currently have is old, and it’s directly
buried into the ground. This will give us a system we can rely on.”
The
fire protection infrastructure project, slated for completion in 2022,
is being done in phases. The first two phases include large underground
fire mains, a new pumping system with a pumphouse, and large water
tanks. The third phase will connect buildings to the loop. The fourth
phase includes installation of electrical panels, smoke and heat
detectors, and pull boxes in more than two dozen buildings. The site’s
central monitoring room, which will accept all system inputs, is being
remodeled with state-of-the-art computers and monitors.
The
loop design includes numerous crossover points, allowing water to flow
where it’s needed if part of the system is blocked or disabled.
Backup
systems are central to the project. The pumphouse will have an
alternate electric pump, which will in turn be backed up by diesel
power. The system can also be hooked up to the site fire department’s
pumper truck to maintain pressure.
The pumphouse will be constructed of reinforced concrete, designed to withstand a severe tornado.
A
pair of 200,000-gallon tanks are being fabricated and painted this
month for installation in August. They will sit atop concrete bases on
the northeast corner of the site. Those tanks will replace a single
180,000-gallon tank located near the site’s guard and security building.
That tank and an adjacent tank will be used for potable water once the
new system comes online.
The
fire protection loop will extend across the WIPP access road to the
area of the new utility shaft, as well as the new ventilation system.
The
new fire loop will provide an increased volume of water through new
fire hydrants, and the supply line from the hydrant to the pumper will
be replaced with an expanded line, allowing for an increase in volume of
66 percent.
“The
WIPP Fire Department is very excited about the new fire loop,” WIPP
Fire Chief Nick Perrone said. “This is a game changer for the WIPP Fire
Department and how we can and will handle any fire-type events.”
-Contributor: Roy Neese
SRS Performs Remote Testing on New Waste Characterization Equipment
Characterization equipment operators Tim Carlton, left, and Todd Shepley perform a virtual equipment test.
AIKEN, S.C. – In a first for the Solid Waste Management Facility (SWMF) at the Savannah River Site (SRS), employees completed equipment tests virtually, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The
tests were designed to ensure proper installation and operation of two
pieces of equipment used to characterize transuranic (TRU) waste at the
facility. TRU waste consists of solid materials, such as clothing,
tools, rags, residue, debris, and other items contaminated with trace
amounts of plutonium. All TRU waste at SRS is characterized before it
can be shipped to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) for permanent disposal. This ensures the waste is allowed by WIPP.
“Due
to the COVID-19 travel restrictions in place at the time, acceptance
tests were performed using video calls for the first time ever,” Solid
Waste Programs Manager Kerri Crawford said. “An initial test was
performed to ensure the video call could accurately meet requirements
with both onsite and offsite personnel, and SRS subject-matter experts.
The initial test was successful, and we completed the required
acceptance testing while the travel restrictions were still in place.”
Following the successful testing, the equipment was calibrated. It will be certified for use in TRU waste characterization.
After TRU waste characterization efforts at SWMF are complete, the equipment will be used elsewhere at SRS.
“For
example, criticality control overpack storage and shipping containers
storing plutonium down-blend will be characterized, stored, and shipped
from the Site’s K Area Complex storage and production facility instead
of from SWMF,” Crawford said.
“Doing
site acceptance testing through video is an inventive and effective way
to ensure continued work during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Sonitza
Blanco, director of the DOE-Savannah River Waste Disposition Programs
Division. “This is something we will evaluate for future use as a cost
savings.”
-Contributor: Lindsey MonBarren
2020 National Cleanup Workshop To Be Hosted Virtually
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EM Update | Vol. 12, Issue 19 | July 28, 2020
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Demolition Underway on Final Building at ETTP in Oak Ridge | |
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EM
has named Brian Vance as permanent manager of the Richland Operations
Office and Office of River Protection at the Hanford Site.
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The
emergency preparedness team at the EM Hanford Waste Treatment and
Immobilization Plant held its first Hazardous Facility Emergency
Response Organization tabletop drill recently.
RICHLAND, Wash. – A team at the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant
(WTP) recently held a drill considered an important first step in
building an emergency preparedness program to ready the plant for
commissioning and eventual full operations.
“We
plan, train, and work hard for normal and successful operations,” said
Tim Haddick, EM supervisor of security and emergency services. “We also
work just as hard to be ready if something doesn’t go as planned so we
can protect workers and the public, and get back to normal operations as
quickly as possible. This adds an additional layer of safety to
operations.”
The
training is called the Facility Emergency Response Organization (FERO)
tabletop drill. Tabletop drills are a common DOE emergency preparedness
tool, in which a facilitator presents a scenario for FERO members, who
then discuss their roles and responsibilities during an unlikely
emergency. The drill also provided the members an opportunity to
incorporate lessons learned for continuous improvement in the emergency
preparedness program.
“The
team did an outstanding job to make the drill a success,” said Eric
Kinnunen, emergency preparedness manager for WTP subcontractor Waste
Treatment Completion Company. “We are using a crawl-walk-run philosophy,
and it was our first time ‘crawling.’ As we move through the process,
we will introduce new scenarios, and they will get increasingly
complex.”
The
drill was conducted using COVID-19 social-distancing controls and
attended by personnel from the WTP FERO, EM Office of River Protection,
Hanford support services contractor Mission Support Alliance, Hanford
Fire Department, and Hanford Patrol Operations Center.
-Contributor: George Rangel
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Paving Around Hanford’s WTP Reshapes Landscape | |
The 2020 National Cleanup Workshop
is being revamped to be a virtual workshop on Sept. 16, 2020. The
half-day event will feature remarks from Under Secretary for Science
Paul Dabbar and senior DOE officials, state and local government
officials, and industry leaders. They will discuss key issues facing the
DOE complex in the year ahead and celebrate important progress made
this year.
Last year we celebrated 30 years of EM’s cleanup program. This year’s agenda will focus on continuing success and overcoming adversity with moderated discussions about the path forward for EM’s strategic vision, contracting updates, and regulatory successes. A revised agenda is in development. For more information, please click here. |
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