Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire: 3/28/21

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

New Mexico sues US over proposed nuclear waste storage plans

New Mexico sues US over proposed nuclear waste storage plans: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico sued the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Monday over concerns that the federal agency hasn’t done enough to vet plans for a multibillion-dollar facility...

Sunday, March 28, 2021

Why More and More Environmentalists Want to Go Nuclear | IE

Why More and More Environmentalists Want to Go Nuclear | IE: Nuclear power could be a big help in the fight against climate change. Learn why more environmentalists are starting to endorse it.

The Reality of the Need for More Nuclear Energy Is Hard to Ignore – Ricochet

The Reality of the Need for More Nuclear Energy Is Hard to Ignore – Ricochet: Shutting down nuclear power plants is a lot easier than generating reliable, carbon-free energy. As The New York Times reports on the tenth anniversary of the meltdown of three nuclear reactors in Fukushima, Japan, following a massive earthquake-tsunami: “As the share of nuclear energy in Japan has plummeted from about a third of total power […]

Legislation Approved To Eliminate Nuclear Plants Bailout

Legislation Approved To Eliminate Nuclear Plants Bailout: The $1 billion bailout for Ohio nuclear plants tied to a bribery investigation at the Ohio Statehouse is one step closer to being eliminated.

EU experts to decide nuclear power qualifies for green investment label -document | Reuters

EU experts to decide nuclear power qualifies for green investment label -document | Reuters: Experts tasked with assessing whether the European Union should label nuclear power as a green investment will say that the fuel qualifies as sustainable, according to a document reviewed by Reuters.

Dear Readers

After 11 years of running the Nuclear Wire, I have decided that nuclear news aggregation should pass to another, preferably someone in the industry who is willing to take an activist role in promoting nuclear energy. I originally started this wire as a tribute to my late husband, Joseph P. Kearney whom I met decades ago when he was at OMB and I at EPA. My career path brought me into OMB and to an InterAgency Review of the Federal Government's Nuclear Waste Management Program during the Carter Administration. Joe's career path took me out of Washington DC to Los Angeles, where we were married, and I went on to Loyola Law School. Joe's career then led me to Detroit, Michigan when he joined ANR Pipeline Corporation during a hostile takeover by the Coastal Corporation. From there, Joe was tapped to lead a joint venture between Bechtel Corporation and Pacific Gas & Electric Corporation to develop an independent power company outside of California. The U.S. Generating Company was established and sited in Bethesda, Maryland. At the time, the goal of this power company was the development of fossil electric generation. Its a shame that nuclear wasn't included in the portfolio, because the development of innovation in the nuclear industry could have commenced sooner with the acquisition of coal plants that were being shut down. This was in the late 1980s. More about Joe's career can be found here: Powering A Generation: Joseph Kearney Interview (main ... americanhistory.si.edu › powering › ohi › kearney1 Joe Kearney had over 25 years of financial and managerial experience in the energy business, covering a wide range of industries and technologies and Supporting NSE: Kearney Fellowship is legacy of a “Nuclear Green” https://web.mit.edu/nse/news/spotlights/2013/kearney.html The rest is industry history. Nuclear plants are being shut down to the detriment of climate and economic efficiency. New nuclear hasn't resolved the regulatory morass, financing, and proper cost estimating to rationally develop new nuclear. The industry has not managed to move the bureaucratic inertia of the federal government regulatory agencies to manage the grid, electricity supply and production, reliability, and waste disposal. On the international front, Russia and China are the primary suppliers of nuclear energy and component parts. That is a sad legacy. In certain respects, we have given away the store, and that didn't need to happen. ANS has finally started a news summary of significant nuclear newsworthy activities. Occasionally I may post on LinkedIN or Facebook, but I have decided that my grandchildren are calling, and the COVID pandemic has made manifest that life is too short. My mother used to say "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink." I'm left with that view of the nuclear industry. And I have known some of the best in the industry who have done their very best to move the industry. To no avail. It's truly a shame. One glimmer of hope. The work that has gone on at Fukushima is well done. I had the privilege to review the ANS review of the past 10 years. If you have not seen this review, you should. The work at Fukushima is indeed impressive. Then, compare that with Hanford. And we come full circle to where we were in 1979. Meanwhile, spent fuel should be reprocessed and not buried. The criteria of retrieveability of waste once buried should be changed. And consideration should be given to shooting defense wastes into space now that space exploration is being nuclearized. But I leave all that to the future. In the meantime, I wish all of you a very Happy Easter. God Speed and God Bless you all. Michele Kearney