Experts warn Biden’s agreement with China to shut down fossil fuels will harm Americans | Fox News

Experts warn Biden’s agreement with China to shut down fossil fuels will harm Americans | Fox News: Energy experts are raising the alarm on the Biden administration's agreement with China to shut down fossil fuel power in favor of green energy in the coming years.

Plausible Denial - by Jeff Stein - SpyTalk

Plausible Denial - by Jeff Stein - SpyTalk: The CIA made sure there were no US fingerprints on the Nordstream-2 pipeline sabotage, according to new Washington Post reporting

Lebanon's Offshore Auction Proceeds Despite Gaza War | Energy Intelligence

Lebanon's Offshore Auction Proceeds Despite Gaza War | Energy Intelligence: Geopolitical risk and heightened tensions at the Lebanese border are unlikely to impact investor sentiment, a source tells Energy Intelligence.

Friday, November 17, 2023

Many corporations promote ‘net zero’ while lobbying for weaker climate action: Report | The Hill

Many corporations promote ‘net zero’ while lobbying for weaker climate action: Report | The Hill: Many of America’s leading corporations are quietly lobbying against policies to slow planetary heating — even as they tout their own environmental policies, according to a new report by the nonpartisan research group InfluenceMap. The report found that 93 percent of American companies make the claim that they aim to achieve “net zero” climate effects, but they are…

A Massive U.S.-Led Pledge Could Be A Global Gamechanger

A Massive U.S.-Led Pledge Could Be A Global Gamechanger: The new White House push to triple nuclear energy has been joined by more than 10 nations so far.

History of Three Mile Island, The worst U.S. commercial nuclear accident

History of Three Mile Island, The worst U.S. commercial nuclear accident: Three Mile Island was the home of a nuclear power plant and was located in Londonderry Township, just south of Harrisburg on the Susquehanna River.

Early Site Permitting for Advanced Nuclear Facilities Gets You Ahead of the Game

Early Site Permitting for Advanced Nuclear Facilities Gets You Ahead of the Game: As advanced and small modular nuclear technologies near commercial operation, it is time for utilities and developers to begin the early site permitting process.

Daily on Energy: NRC pressured to speed up, oil drops, and US tightens sanctions | Washington Examiner

Daily on Energy: NRC pressured to speed up, oil drops, and US tightens sanctions | Washington Examiner: Subscribe today to the Washington Examiner magazine and get Washington Briefing: politics and policy stories that will keep you up to date with what's going on in Washington. SUBSCRIBE NOW: Just $1.00 an issue!

BTI’s Innovative Vision for NRC… | The Breakthrough Institute

BTI’s Innovative Vision for NRC… | The Breakthrough Institute: The Breakthrough Institute is an environmental research center based in Berkeley, California. Our research focuses on identifying and promoting…

UK 'should emulate South Korea' on new nuclear : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News

UK 'should emulate South Korea' on new nuclear : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Nuclear Energy report, Made in Britain: The Pathway to a Nuclear Renaissance, says multiple small modular reactor units should be ordered to justify firms' investment in UK production facilities - and calls for Wylfa in North Wales to be backed within the next year as the next large-scale plant.

Studsvik, Fortum study prospects for new nuclear at Nyköping : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News

Studsvik, Fortum study prospects for new nuclear at Nyköping : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: Swedish nuclear technical services provider Studsvik has signed a memorandum of understanding with Finnish utility Fortum to explore the conditions for new nuclear at the Studsvik industrial site near Nyköping in Sweden.

Sweden plans 'massive' expansion of nuclear energy : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News

Sweden plans 'massive' expansion of nuclear energy : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News: The Swedish government unveils a roadmap which envisages the construction of new nuclear generating capacity equivalent to at least two large-scale reactors by 2035, with up to ten new large-scale reactors coming online by 2045.

NEA/OECD to Lead Talks on Financing Nuclear at COP28 | Neutron Bytes

NEA/OECD to Lead Talks on Financing Nuclear at COP28 | Neutron Bytes: Note to readers: this is the first of an ongoing series of reports on how nuclear energy is being addressed at the COP28 Climate Conference which gets going later this month. Posts will appear as i…

IAEA Looks Ahead to the Future of Nuclear Law | IAEA

IAEA Looks Ahead to the Future of Nuclear Law | IAEA: The importance of national and international nuclear law was underscored in recent remarks by the IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, as countries increasingly plan to adopt or expand nuclear energy to their energy grids to meet the growing challenges of climate change and energy security.

Enhancing Computer Security for Nuclear Safety and Security | IAEA

Enhancing Computer Security for Nuclear Safety and Security | IAEA: The interface between nuclear safety and nuclear security is crucial, and policymakers need to consider both aspects when formulating regulations on computer security.

Thursday, November 16, 2023

Skyrocketing PG&E bills to hop higher within weeks after state ruling

Skyrocketing PG&E bills to hop higher within weeks after state ruling: PG&E bills -- already soaring to record heights -- are set to hop higher within weeks following a decision Thursday by state regulators to approve a general spending plan for the utility behemoth.

Sweden plans new nuclear reactors by 2035, will share costs | Reuters

Sweden plans new nuclear reactors by 2035, will share costs | Reuters: Sweden's government said it aimed to build the equivalent of two new conventional nuclear reactors by 2035 on Thursday to meet surging demand for clean power from industry and transport and was prepared to take on some of the costs.

PH, US to ink pact easing investments in nuke energy | Global News

PH, US to ink pact easing investments in nuke energy | Global News: SAN FRANCISCO — The Philippines and the United States will sign on Friday (Manila time)the so-called 123 agreement on nuclear energy cooperation, as part of several deals to be sealed during the

Wind power industry in moment of reckoning as stocks fall

Wind power industry in moment of reckoning as stocks fall: Renewable energy firms suffered a dire third-quarter earnings season as struggling supply chains, manufacturing faults and rising production costs ate into profits.

Where countries put energy R&D money | Financial Post

Where countries put energy R&D money | Financial Post: The International Energy Agency compiles data on government R&ampamp;D budgets for energy in its member countries. Find out where the money goes.

NuScale CEO defends modular nuclear plants after project cancellation

NuScale CEO defends modular nuclear plants after project cancellation: The CEO of NuScale defended his small, modular nuclear reactor business on Tuesday, saying work continues in the U.S. and two other countries after the company canceled its first plant, set to be built at an American government lab, due to rising costs. NuScale said last week it had agreed with a Utah municipal power group to cancel the six-reactor, 462-megawatt project, which was to have begun running at the U.S. Idaho National Laboratory by 2030. The cancellation was a blow to U.S. ambitions for a wave of new nuclear energy to help fight climate change.

Uncharted waters: Navy navigating first-ever dismantling of nuclear-powered carrier - Breaking Defense

Uncharted waters: Navy navigating first-ever dismantling of nuclear-powered carrier - Breaking Defense: The challenges for the Navy to dispose of the former USS Enterprise have driven the service to stand up a new office to deal both with “The Big E” and the pipeline of Nimitz-class carriers to come.

Poland Nuclear Project: Tusk May Want US Firms to Take Equity Stake - Bloomberg

Poland Nuclear Project: Tusk May Want US Firms to Take Equity Stake - Bloomberg: Poland’s incoming administration is set to pile pressure on foreign companies in the country’s nascent nuclear energy program to buy an equity stake in the venture.

US, UK Lead Pledge to Triple Nuclear Power by 2050 at COP28

US, UK Lead Pledge to Triple Nuclear Power by 2050 at COP28: (Bloomberg) -- The US will lead a push at the COP28 climate summit to triple the amount of installed nuclear power capacity globally by 2050, marking a major turnaround for the controversial technology at the climate negotiations.Most Read from BloombergRolex, Patek Prices Hit Fresh Two-Year Lows: Subdial IndexThailand Takes $28 Billion Malacca Strait Bypass Plan to USUS Frustration With Israel Grows as Gaza Civilian Deaths MountWorld’s Best Performing Office Market Has Occupancy of Over 98%S&P

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

House votes to avert government shutdown | The Hill

House votes to avert government shutdown | The Hill: The House on Tuesday passed a stopgap bill to prevent a government shutdown, sending the unconventional two-step continuing resolution to the Senate and marking the first major hurdle Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has cleared since winning the gavel. The chamber approved the short-term funding measure in a 336-95 vote, days before Friday night’s shutdown deadline. Two…

US, China advance climate cooperation following California talks | Reuters

US, China advance climate cooperation following California talks | Reuters: The United States and China will back a new global renewables target and work together on methane and plastic pollution, they said in a joint statement on Wednesday after a meeting to find common ground ahead of COP28 talks in Dubai later this month.

Small-Scale Nuclear Power Dealt Major Setback | Planetizen News

Small-Scale Nuclear Power Dealt Major Setback | Planetizen News: The company that made history in January when its 'small modular nuclear reactor' became the first in the nation to receive certification from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has canceled it due to financial reasons.

Webinar Registration - Zoom

Webinar Registration - Zoom: The U.S. faces a dilemma about the production of fossil fuels: Should the nation restrict this activity as it heads toward a renewables future, or would that throw the baby out with the bathwater? Is the perfect the enemy of the good, which is the gradual electrification of everything? The big rub is whether utilities will be able to use natural gas to support growing electricity demand, as coal is phased out, or whether public policy — both national and local — will force them to curtail gas use too? The International Energy Agency says fossil fuel use will peak in 2030, but the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries says it will peak 15 years later. What will that mean to the fossil fuels industry? Interestingly, the desire to end dependence on fossil fuels comes 50 years after the Arab oil embargo, which plunged the world into chaos. Then the pressure was to find more hydrocarbons, and oil became the new gold. Russia’s war in Ukraine showed the diplomatic leverage implicit in the United States as a gas exporter. Will this be encouraged or hindered as we drive toward net zero by 2050? This is against the backdrop of war in the Middle East and the pressure which will com

IAEA team completes Romanian regulatory review : Regulation & Safety - World Nuclear News

IAEA team completes Romanian regulatory review : Regulation & Safety - World Nuclear News: Romania is committed to maintaining and strengthening its regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety, an International Atomic Energy Agency team of experts has concluded. However, the Integrated Regulatory Review Service mission team recommended improving the coordination among government agencies concerned with radiation source facilities and activities.

Agreement to spur US production of iridium isotope : Corporate - World Nuclear News

Agreement to spur US production of iridium isotope : Corporate - World Nuclear News: A joint product agreement between the US Department of Energy Isotope Program and QSA Global Inc is intended to lead to the re-establishment of domestic production of iridium-192. The USA has been dependent on imports of the isotope for the last 20 years.

Sixth NuScale SMR simulator opens, in Korea : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News

Sixth NuScale SMR simulator opens, in Korea : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: NuScale Power Corporation has announced the opening of the first privately-funded NuScale Energy Exploration Centre at Seoul National University in partnership with GS Energy Corporation, Doosan Enerbility and Samsung C&T Corporation.

US, UK Lead Pledge to Triple Nuclear Power by 2050 at COP28 - Bloomberg

US, UK Lead Pledge to Triple Nuclear Power by 2050 at COP28 - Bloomberg: The US will lead a push at the COP28 climate summit to triple the amount of installed nuclear power capacity globally by 2050, marking a major turnaround for the controversial technology at the climate negotiations.

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Poland’s answer to the climate crisis: one hundred nuclear reactors | Energy Transition

Poland’s answer to the climate crisis: one hundred nuclear reactors | Energy Transition: The good news is that Poland is no longer denying or ignoring the climate crisis. The bad news is that it believes the solution to eradicating its 80 percent…

Feds Insist They Can Approve Temp Nuke Waste Storage Sites - Law360

Feds Insist They Can Approve Temp Nuke Waste Storage Sites - Law360: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Thursday told the D.C. Circuit that it had the authority to issue a license for a proposed temporary nuclear waste site in New Mexico, doubling down on its disagreement with a recent Fifth Circuit ruling.

Fueling Tomorrow's Bright Minds: A… | The Breakthrough Institute

Fueling Tomorrow's Bright Minds: A… | The Breakthrough Institute: The Breakthrough Institute is an environmental research center based in Berkeley, California. Our research focuses on identifying and promoting…

Keep the lights on? WRAL Investigates new nuclear power coming to N.C.

Keep the lights on? WRAL Investigates new nuclear power coming to N.C.: North Carolina's No. 1 power provider wants to add to its nuclear portfolio. However, WRAL found the future of nuclear has a much different look.

Switzerland to Use Nuclear Energy Longer Than Expected - Bloomberg

Switzerland to Use Nuclear Energy Longer Than Expected - Bloomberg: Switzerland plans keeping nuclear plants in use longer than previously expected over fears of electricity shortages, mirroring a broader trend of European countries revisiting the potential of atomic energy.

Disputes over safety, cost swirl a year after California OK'd plan to keep last nuke plant running

Disputes over safety, cost swirl a year after California OK'd plan to keep last nuke plant running: Late last month, a state judge tentatively approved the blueprint to keep the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant operating for an additional five years, until 2030.

Nuclear’s Backers Defend Its Future Despite Scrapped Project

Nuclear’s Backers Defend Its Future Despite Scrapped Project: Last week’s cancellation of America’s leading advanced reactor project shouldn’t kill nuclear energy’s momentum as a climate and power grid reliability solution, US officials, lawmakers and industry leaders insisted Monday during a conference in Washington.

Smaller Utah towns were banking on the promise of nuclear replacing coal. Now what? | KUER

Smaller Utah towns were banking on the promise of nuclear replacing coal. Now what? | KUER: NuScale and Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems have called off their project to provide a new kind of nuclear power to many Utah communities.

Hopes of US Nuclear Renaissance Sink With NuScale - Bloomberg

Hopes of US Nuclear Renaissance Sink With NuScale - Bloomberg: The company, a bellwether for the move toward small modular reactors, has foundered on the most familiar of obstacles: time and money. But renewables didn’t do it any favors.

Is climate change inevitable? How nuclear power can save our planet

Is climate change inevitable? How nuclear power can save our planet: If America doubled per capita electricity use, we could transform our health and happiness, while far more effectively fighting climate change.

Chinese Company Replaces Exxon At Major Iraqi Oil Field | OilPrice.com

Chinese Company Replaces Exxon At Major Iraqi Oil Field | OilPrice.com: After having made clear its intention to exit Iraq’s oil industry, Exxon has now been replaced by PetroChina as the operator of the West Qurna 1 oil field in Iraq.

Wind Power: Blowing Cash | National Review

Wind Power: Blowing Cash | National Review: Wind power has been widely promoted as a “cheap” energy source. What was never the most convincing pitch is looking increasingly threadbare.

Electricity Use Booms in Texas, a Harbinger for the Country - WSJ

Electricity Use Booms in Texas, a Harbinger for the Country - WSJ: Power demand is climbing as industrial users connect to the grid, populations grow and weather gets more extreme.

Monday, November 13, 2023

Exxon makes foray into electric vehicle battery minerals | The Hill

Exxon makes foray into electric vehicle battery minerals | The Hill: Oil giant ExxonMobil is making a foray into electric vehicle batteries, saying it will extract lithium from water in Arkansas. The $100 million Exxon reportedly put into leasing the area where it plans to get the lithium is miniscule, however, compared to its recent $60 billion acquisition of oil company Pioneer Natural Resources. The company isn’t straying…

Regional greenhouse gas trading program faces political challenges - POLITICO

Regional greenhouse gas trading program faces political challenges - POLITICO: Construction on the line to carry Canadian hydropower into New York City continues, assuaging concerns about the viability of the fully permitted project that’s expected to come online in 2026.

Atomic Renaissance Takes a Hit as NuScale Cancels Small-Reactor Project - Bloomberg

Atomic Renaissance Takes a Hit as NuScale Cancels Small-Reactor Project - Bloomberg: The promise offered by SMRs couldn’t overcome the delays, rising prices for steel and higher interest rates that also plague bigger nuclear plants.

Feds field questions about #Wyoming’s first #nuclear power plant — @WyoFile #ActOnClimate – Coyote Gulch

Feds field questions about #Wyoming’s first #nuclear power plant — @WyoFile #ActOnClimate – Coyote Gulch: More than 100 people attended the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's public information sessions Nov. 7, 2023, in Kemmerer. (Dustin Bleizeffer/WyoFile) Click the link to read the article on the WyoFile website (Dustin Bleizeffer): KEMMERER—TerraPower, backed by billionaire Bill Gates and the U.S. Department of Energy, plans to build the pilot “Natrium” liquid-sodium-cooled nuclear energy plant here,…

Boston pulls out of a pilot program to ban fossil fuels in buildings

Boston pulls out of a pilot program to ban fossil fuels in buildings: More than three years after filing her Green New Deal plan for Boston as a mayoral candidate, Mayor Michelle Wu now says that the city will not be participating in a state program that allows 10 communities to ban fossil fuels in new buildings.

SMR project in Romania under scrutiny after NuScale drops similar one in US | Romania Insider

SMR project in Romania under scrutiny after NuScale drops similar one in US | Romania Insider: The small nuclear reactor (SMR) technology and the SMR project in Romania came under scrutiny after NuScale dropped one of his projects in the US because of the excessive costs that increased by 53% and made it economically inefficient. The price at which NuScale intended to sell power produced...

Study to consider SMR deployment at Halden : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News

Study to consider SMR deployment at Halden : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: A new company, Halden Kjernekraft AS, has been founded by Norsk Kjernekraft, Østfold Energi and the municipality of Halden to investigate the construction of a nuclear power plant based on small modular reactors at Halden. A research reactor once operated in Halden, in Norway.

Johnson reintroduces nuclear energy competitiveness act | News, Sports, Jobs - The Review

Johnson reintroduces nuclear energy competitiveness act | News, Sports, Jobs - The Review: U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, whose district includes all of Mahoning and Columbiana counties, reintroduced legislation that he says will strengthen the nation’s nuclear energy competitiveness. The legislation would require the secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy to develop and submit a report to Congress on the nation’s nuclear commerce within 180 days of its […]