Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire

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

Saturday, January 20, 2024

Thompson Announces Tax Bill to Exempt PG&E Fire Victims Trust Settlements from Taxes Passes Out of Ways and Means Committee | Representative Mike Thompson

Thompson Announces Tax Bill to Exempt PG&E Fire Victims Trust Settlements from Taxes Passes Out of Ways and Means Committee | Representative Mike Thompson: Today, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) released the following statement after his legislation with Rep. Doug LaMalfa (CA-01) to make PG&E Fire Victims Trust settlement payments nontaxable passed out of the Ways and Means Committee as part of the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act.

US Lawmakers Blame Biden For Failing to Modernize US Nuclear Arsenal

US Lawmakers Blame Biden For Failing to Modernize US Nuclear Arsenal

Some Quick Thoughts on SMRs for Data Centers | Neutron Bytes

Some Quick Thoughts on SMRs for Data Centers | Neutron Bytes

How the War in Gaza Revived the Axis of Resistance | Foreign Affairs

How the War in Gaza Revived the Axis of Resistance | Foreign Affairs

Decoding Iran’s missile, drone strikes - Indian Punchline

Decoding Iran’s missile, drone strikes - Indian Punchline

Supreme Court likely to discard Chevron - SCOTUSblog

Supreme Court likely to discard Chevron - SCOTUSblog

Peter Sweden: HUGE - Sweden SCRAPPING Agenda 2030 goals | The Gateway Pundit | by Guest Contributor

Peter Sweden: HUGE - Sweden SCRAPPING Agenda 2030 goals | The Gateway Pundit | by Guest Contributor: This article was written by Swedish independent journalist Peter Imanuelsen, also known as PeterSweden.

Friday, January 19, 2024

New Biden guidance makes EV charger tax credits available where most Americans live | The Hill

New Biden guidance makes EV charger tax credits available where most Americans live | The Hill

THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE SCAM IS A SYMPTOM OF WESTERN DECLINE

THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE SCAM IS A SYMPTOM OF WESTERN DECLINE: I realize there is a lot going on with rising tensions between Iran and Pakistan and the Houthis continuing to frustrate Western efforts to break the blockade of the Red Sea. I promise to address those issues in another piece. But I got to say something about the Electric Vehicle scam. It is bad for the environment. The rare earth minerals needed to produce these extravagances requires mining operations that exploit the very poorest people on the earth. And, despite all the nifty technology that adorns these electric vehicles, they can’t handle the cold.

2024: The State of Advanced Reactors -- ANS / Nuclear Newswire

2024: The State of Advanced Reactors -- ANS / Nuclear Newswire

Coastal Massachusetts homes are vulnerable; some may have to go

Coastal Massachusetts homes are vulnerable; some may have to go

Thailand says it has found world's third-largest lithium reserves - Nikkei Asia

Thailand says it has found world's third-largest lithium reserves - Nikkei Asia: BANGKOK -- Thai officials have reported the discovery of lithium deposits that they describe as the world's third-largest reserves of the key bat

Microreactors—Nuclear Power in a Small, Modular Package -- ANS / Webinars

Microreactors—Nuclear Power in a Small, Modular Package -- ANS / Webinars

'This Is Not Self-Defense... This Is Ethnic Cleansing': Israel Blows Up Gaza University

'This Is Not Self-Defense... This Is Ethnic Cleansing': Israel Blows Up Gaza University

The War in Ukraine Has Become a Peripheral Concern for the West - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

The War in Ukraine Has Become a Peripheral Concern for the West - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Membrane-Free Green Hydrogen To Chase Fossil Fuel Blues Away

Membrane-Free Green Hydrogen To Chase Fossil Fuel Blues Away: A new electrolysis system can pump green hydrogen from water without an expensive membrane, taking a giant step toward the $1-per-kg goal.

Chinese-developed nuclear-powered battery can last 50 years without recharging | South China Morning Post

Chinese-developed nuclear-powered battery can last 50 years without recharging | South China Morning Post: The BV100 is smaller than a coin and captures energy from radioactive decay of elements.

Kankakee River ice jam: Nuclear power plant opens warm water siphons to help melt ice, avoid flash flooding in Wilmington - ABC7 Chicago

Kankakee River ice jam: Nuclear power plant opens warm water siphons to help melt ice, avoid flash flooding in Wilmington - ABC7 Chicago: A Flood Warning and a Flash Flood Watch are in effect around Wilmington for a Kankakee River ice jam. A nuclear power plant is helping melt the ice.

Future Nuclear Success Requires Regulation Modernization | The National Interest

Future Nuclear Success Requires Regulation Modernization | The National Interest: Without modernization of its regulatory system, the future of nuclear power is questionable at best, with current regulations preventing innovation and increasing project costs.

Fallon: We Must Take Steps Now to Build Out America’s Nuclear Power Capacity - United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability

Fallon: We Must Take Steps Now to Build Out America’s Nuclear Power Capacity - United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability: Fallon: We Must Take Steps Now to Build Out America’s Nuclear Power Capacity

Concreting completed of Rooppur 2 outer containment shell : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News

Concreting completed of Rooppur 2 outer containment shell : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: The second unit at Bangladesh's first nuclear power plant has had concreting completed on its outer containment shell, in a process which took 122 days.

US Administration signs off on federal funding for Diablo Canyon : Corporate - World Nuclear News

US Administration signs off on federal funding for Diablo Canyon : Corporate - World Nuclear News: The US Administration has signed the credit award and payment agreement finalising the USD1.1 billion in credit payments awarded under the Civil Nuclear Credit programme to help keep the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in operation.

Global survey finds high public support for nuclear : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News

Global survey finds high public support for nuclear : Nuclear Policies - World Nuclear News: One-and-a-half times more people support the use of nuclear energy than oppose it, according to a multinational public opinion poll conducted by market research firm Savanta on behalf of energy consultancy Radiant Energy Group.

STUK requests extension to repository review deadline : Waste & Recycling - World Nuclear News

STUK requests extension to repository review deadline : Waste & Recycling - World Nuclear News: Finland's Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority has requested the deadline for its opinion on Posiva Oy's operating licence application for the world's first used fuel repository to be extended until the end of 2024. In September last year, it said it would not complete its review by the end of 2023 as originally planned.

Texas facing ANOTHER power grid collapse amid intense winter weather spell

Texas facing ANOTHER power grid collapse amid intense winter weather spell: As another bout of frigid weather hits Texas and other states throughout the South and Midwest this week, the grid managers at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) face a repeat of 2021 when Winter Storm Uri left millions of residents without power, many of them for more than three days straight, and killed […]

Update 206 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine | IAEA

Update 206 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine | IAEA

Davos 2024: Nuclear Technologies for Climate and Cancer Highlighted | IAEA

Davos 2024: Nuclear Technologies for Climate and Cancer Highlighted | IAEA: The World Economic Forum in Davos this week had nuclear technology for the clean energy transition and cancer care high on the agenda.

10 Years of ARTEMIS | IAEA

10 Years of ARTEMIS | IAEA: Nuclear technologies benefit people everywhere. Radioactive sources are used to sterilize food and medical instruments, to develop improved crops and to diagnose and treat patients.

Lessons for NuScale and Its Next Customers | Neutron Bytes

Lessons for NuScale and Its Next Customers | Neutron Bytes: Lessons Learned for NuScale and Its Next Customers The question a lot of talking heads in the mass media, the nuclear trade press, and in investor reports are asking is whether the cancellation of …

National-Load-Growth-Report-2023.pdf

National-Load-Growth-Report-2023.pdf

Next-generation nuclear feasibility gets a $10M boost with PSE investment

Next-generation nuclear feasibility gets a $10M boost with PSE investment

Kairos Power Logs 1,000 Hours of Pumped Salt Operations With its Non-Nuclear Engineering Test Unit - Kairos Power

Kairos Power Logs 1,000 Hours of Pumped Salt Operations With its Non-Nuclear Engineering Test Unit - Kairos Power: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE KAIROS POWER LOGS 1,000 HOURS OF PUMPED SALT OPERATIONS WITH ITS NON-NUCLAR ENGINEERING TEST UNIT ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., – January 10, 2024 – Kairos Power has successfully completed 1,000 hours of pumped salt operations with its non-nuclear Engineering Testing Unit (ETU) at the company’s testing and manufacturing facility in Albuquerque, N.M. This achievement arrives on the heels of operators loading 12 metric tons of a molten fluoride salt coolant known as “Flibe” into ETU, making it the largest Flibe system ever built. Flibe – a chemically stable mixture of lithium, fluorine, and beryllium – is intrinsic to Kairos Power’s advanced reactor technology. Aligned with the company’s iterative development approach, the non-nuclear ETU was built to demonstrate the design and integration of key systems, structures, and components, exercise the supply chain, and accelerate Kairos Power’s experience with large-scale Flibe operations. Lessons learned from the ETU program will inform the design and operation of the planned Hermes demonstration reactor and future deployments. As operations progress, Kairos Power is collecting an abundance of data from ETU through rigorous tes

N Korea conducts 'underwater nuclear weapons system' test - state media

N Korea conducts 'underwater nuclear weapons system' test - state media

North Korea fuels war rumblings with hypersonic missile launch - Nikkei Asia

North Korea fuels war rumblings with hypersonic missile launch - Nikkei Asia: SEOUL -- North Korea's top diplomat arrived in Moscow on Monday, state media reported, to meet her Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, who visite

Thursday, January 18, 2024

CDC Drafted Alert for Myocarditis and COVID-19 Vaccines, but Never Sent It | The Epoch Times

CDC Drafted Alert for Myocarditis and COVID-19 Vaccines, but Never Sent It | The Epoch Times

SMR completes Canadian design review milestones : Regulation & Safety - World Nuclear News

SMR completes Canadian design review milestones : Regulation & Safety - World Nuclear News: Canadian regulators have concluded that there are no fundamental barriers to licensing the Xe-100 small modular reactor, X-Energy Reactor Company has announced.

Pakistan Launches Retaliatory Airstrikes in Iran Targeting Militant Groups - News From Antiwar.com

Pakistan Launches Retaliatory Airstrikes in Iran Targeting Militant Groups - News From Antiwar.com

Russia’s Lavrov rejects US proposal to resume nuclear arms talks | Russia-Ukraine war News | Al Jazeera

Russia’s Lavrov rejects US proposal to resume nuclear arms talks | Russia-Ukraine war News | Al Jazeera: The foreign minister also warned that Ukraine must end its push to join NATO before any peace discussions can proceed.

Gaza will be the grave of the Western-led world order | Israel War on Gaza | Al Jazeera

Gaza will be the grave of the Western-led world order | Israel War on Gaza | Al Jazeera

Ernest Moniz: What it will take for the world to triple nuclear energy

Ernest Moniz: What it will take for the world to triple nuclear energy

Europe's Nuclear Power Renaissance | OilPrice.com

Europe's Nuclear Power Renaissance | OilPrice.com: Several European countries, including the U.K., France, Sweden, and Hungary, are aggressively expanding their nuclear energy sectors to enhance energy security, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and support their green transition goals.

Can the EU and US end their dependence on Russia’s nuclear energy industry? - Energy Post

Can the EU and US end their dependence on Russia’s nuclear energy industry? - Energy Post

Biden administration finalizes a $1.1 billion aid package for California's last nuclear power plant | AP News

Biden administration finalizes a $1.1 billion aid package for California's last nuclear power plant | AP News

EVs May Cost More Over Lifetime Than Gas Powered Counterparts: Study | The Epoch Times

EVs May Cost More Over Lifetime Than Gas Powered Counterparts: Study | The Epoch Times

Why we must embrace nuclear energy to fight climate change | World Economic Forum

Why we must embrace nuclear energy to fight climate change | World Economic Forum

Davos 2024: Nuclear Technologies for Climate and Cancer Highlighted | IAEA

Davos 2024: Nuclear Technologies for Climate and Cancer Highlighted | IAEA

Sam Altman at Davos: AI Needs to Go Nuclear

Sam Altman at Davos: AI Needs to Go Nuclear

World Economic Forum / Global Warming ‘A Risk Priority’ As Davos Meeting Faces Calls To Back Nuclear :: NucNet | The Independent Nuclear News Agency

World Economic Forum / Global Warming ‘A Risk Priority’ As Davos Meeting Faces Calls To Back Nuclear :: NucNet | The Independent Nuclear News Agency

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

U.S. finalizes $1.1B in aid to keep open California's last nuclear power plant (NYSE:PCG) | Seeking Alpha

U.S. finalizes $1.1B in aid to keep open California's last nuclear power plant (NYSE:PCG) | Seeking Alpha: The Biden administration finalized approval of $1.1B in aid to keep PG&E's Diablo Canyon nuclear plant operational until 2030.

Melting Greenland Has Lost 1 Trillion Tons More Ice Than Thought - Bloomberg

Melting Greenland Has Lost 1 Trillion Tons More Ice Than Thought - Bloomberg: The island’s vast ice sheet has retreated about 20% more than previous estimates, NASA scientists found.

How hot salt could transform nuclear power | MIT Technology Review

How hot salt could transform nuclear power | MIT Technology Review: Startup Kairos Power has reached two milestones recently for its molten salt-cooled reactor.

US NRC approves HALEU-TRISO transport system - Nuclear Engineering International

US NRC approves HALEU-TRISO transport system - Nuclear Engineering International

Nuclear battery: Chinese firm aiming for mass market production : Corporate - World Nuclear News

Nuclear battery: Chinese firm aiming for mass market production : Corporate - World Nuclear News

Nuclear fusion needed to power future AI, OpenAI boss says | The Independent

Nuclear fusion needed to power future AI, OpenAI boss says | The Independent: ChatGPT creator is looking towards ‘holy grail’ of clean energy

UK invests in new neutron facility : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News

UK invests in new neutron facility : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: The UK's National Physical Laboratory has announced plans for a new neutron measurement facility at its site in Teddington, south-west London. The new accelerator system will be six times as powerful as the one it is replacing.

First lead-cooled fast neutron reactor'sinstallation under way : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News

First lead-cooled fast neutron reactor'sinstallation under way : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: A steel reactor base plate and the lower tier of the containment has been installed in what is being called a landmark moment for construction of the BREST-OD-300 generation IV fast neutron reactor in Russia.

Chinese-developed nuclear battery has a 50-year lifespan — Betavolt BV100 built with Nickel-63 isotope and diamond semiconductor material | Tom's Hardware

Chinese-developed nuclear battery has a 50-year lifespan — Betavolt BV100 built with Nickel-63 isotope and diamond semiconductor material | Tom's Hardware: Chinese company Betavolt has announced an atomic energy battery for consumers, with a touted 50-year lifespan and which uses a diamond semiconductor material.

Nuclear power expansion plans highlight fuel bottlenecks | Business | Chemistry World

Nuclear power expansion plans highlight fuel bottlenecks | Business | Chemistry World: Western governments look to overcome Russian dominance of key uranium processing steps

OpenAI CEO Altman Says at Davos Future AI Depends on Energy Breakthrough

OpenAI CEO Altman Says at Davos Future AI Depends on Energy Breakthrough: US News is a recognized leader in college, grad school, hospital, mutual fund, and car rankings. Track elected officials, research health conditions, and find news you can use in politics, business, health, and education.

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Supreme Court set for pivotal cases that could claw back federal administrative power | The Hill

Supreme Court set for pivotal cases that could claw back federal administrative power | The Hill: The Supreme Court will hear a dispute this week that could lead to a decision dramatically clawing back the power of federal agencies, putting a number of consumer and environmental protections in jeopardy. At issue is whether courts should defer to interpretation by federal agencies when a law could have multiple meanings, a practice known…

Chinese Company Creates Nuclear Battery - AVweb

Chinese Company Creates Nuclear Battery - AVweb: A Chinese company says it has developed a nuclear battery that supplies power for decades without recharging. Beijing-based Betavolt also says its postage-stamp-sized cells are so safe they can be used in medical devices. “The atomic energy battery developed by Betavolt is absolutely safe, has no external radiation, and is suitable for use in medical […]

North Korea test-fires new hypersonic missile — RT World News

North Korea test-fires new hypersonic missile — RT World News

Monday, January 15, 2024

United Against Nuclear Iran, by Alan Macleod - The Unz Review

United Against Nuclear Iran, by Alan Macleod - The Unz Review

Podcast: UK SMR competition aiming for multiple reactor fleets : Perspectives - World Nuclear News

Podcast: UK SMR competition aiming for multiple reactor fleets : Perspectives - World Nuclear News: Great British Nuclear Chairman Simon Bowen sets out the ambitions and timescales of the UK's current competition to select small modular reactor technology - and also suggests there will be a wider range of nuclear energy sites in the years ahead.

Key safety component installed at Sanmen 3 : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News

Key safety component installed at Sanmen 3 : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: The first of two core makeup tanks has been successfully hoisted into place at unit 3 of the Sanmen nuclear power plant in China's Zhejiang province. The tanks are an important part of the CAP1000 reactor's passive safety system.

Why US strikes in Middle East are rekindling fears over oil and inflation

Why US strikes in Middle East are rekindling fears over oil and inflation

Nuclear Power Plants VI Expo & X. Summit | 2-3 July 2024, Ä°stanbul

Nuclear Power Plants VI Expo & X. Summit | 2-3 July 2024, Ä°stanbul: NPPES is the best way to keep up to date with the latest developments in Turkey’s booming nuclear industry. Find out about the latest NPP projects, plans, products and solutions

Sunday, January 14, 2024

Redacted on X: "💥Brink of #WW3 in 2024? 🚨 Biden's team reportedly plotting a Middle East offensive, targeting #Yemen & #Iran. Ex-UN weapons inspector @RealScottRitter warns an American strike on #Iran could spell disaster for the U.S. Are we on a collision course w/catastrophe? https://t.co/EN8hGPZBqa" / X

Redacted on X: "💥Brink of #WW3 in 2024? 🚨 Biden's team reportedly plotting a Middle East offensive, targeting #Yemen & #Iran. Ex-UN weapons inspector @RealScottRitter warns an American strike on #Iran could spell disaster for the U.S. Are we on a collision course w/catastrophe? https://t.co/EN8hGPZBqa" / X

We've been 'close' to achieving fusion power for 50 years. When will it actually happen? | Space

We've been 'close' to achieving fusion power for 50 years. When will it actually happen? | Space: The latest News,/news,,news, breaking news, comment, reviews and features from the experts at Space

Millions Of Americans Energy Supplies At Risk Due To Gas Outage | HuffPost Latest News

Millions Of Americans Energy Supplies At Risk Due To Gas Outage | HuffPost Latest News: Emergency shutdown at a natural gas storage facility in Washington state threatens mass blackouts.

A tiny radioactive battery could keep your future phone running for 50 years | TechRadar

A tiny radioactive battery could keep your future phone running for 50 years | TechRadar: A glowing horizon for phones

DLE: Transforming the $90 Billion Lithium Market | OilPrice.com

DLE: Transforming the $90 Billion Lithium Market | OilPrice.com: Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology is poised to revolutionize lithium production by enhancing efficiency, meeting rising demand, and reducing environmental impact.

(256) We'll Need Oil and Gas for a Long Time, Edens Says - YouTube

(256) We'll Need Oil and Gas for a Long Time, Edens Says - YouTube: Wes Edens, New Fortress Energy founder, talks about the impact of geopolitics on inflation. He also says the US will need oil and gas for a long time. He's o...

Hertz selling off 20,000 electric vehicles to buy more gas cars in huge U-turn as company faces $245 million loss | The US Sun

Hertz selling off 20,000 electric vehicles to buy more gas cars in huge U-turn as company faces $245 million loss | The US Sun: HERTZ has made the decision to get rid of a third of its electric vehicles in a huge U-turn for the rental car company. Hertz is planning to sell off 20,000 EVs and buy more gas-powered cars as it …

Updates On The March To The Great Green Energy Future — Manhattan Contrarian

Updates On The March To The Great Green Energy Future — Manhattan Contrarian: The cries of climate alarm get ever louder and more urgent. (E.g., New York Times, January 9 , “ It’s confirmed: 2023 was the planet’s warmest year on record and perhaps in the last 100,000 years. By far.” ). We’re all about to boil! Something must be done! OK, but then there is the proposed

The Law Firm Helping Big Oil Weaponize the First Amendment | naked capitalism

The Law Firm Helping Big Oil Weaponize the First Amendment | naked capitalism

U.S.’s Biggest Renewable Project Is Under Way, Finally - WSJ

U.S.’s Biggest Renewable Project Is Under Way, Finally - WSJ: The sluggish timeline for a New Mexico wind and power transmission project is a problem for the Biden administration as it seeks 100% clean electricity by 2035.