Don't count out nuclear just yet

As harrowing as the Fukushima debacle has been, it hasn't dimmed the hopes of nuclear technologists, suppliers and manufacturers. In fact, it may even have helped them.

 

Concerns Grow Over Risk of US Nuclear Projects Post-Fukushima

Concerns Grow Over Risk of US Nuclear Projects Post-Fukushima
Sue Sturgis, Facing South: "The disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan is still unfolding five months later, with multiple meltdowns and significant radiation releases contaminating communities and farms downwind from the facility. Some nuclear experts are calling it 'the biggest industrial catastrophe in the history of mankind.' The Fukushima accident is also raising questions about the U.S. nuclear industry's current plans to build new reactors and re-license old ones."
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Blog Post: Westinghouse Signs Agreement For I & C Energo Controls in Anticipation of Czech AP1000 Bid

Blog Post: Westinghouse Signs Agreement For I & C Energo Controls in Anticipation of Czech AP1000 Bid

I & C Energo recently reached an agreement to provide instrumentation and control systems for new reactors in the Czech Republic if the Westinghouse AP1000 design wins a bid for the expansion of the Temelin nuclear plant.

Hungarian Plant’s Good Grade May Boost Nuclear Outlook

U.N. atom body wants wider nuclear safety checks

NRC sets hearing for new nuclear plant in Georgia

NRC sets hearing for new nuclear plant in Georgia

IRSC receives $3.1 million grant for nuclear energy education program

Entergy: Grand Gulf upgrade will energize economy

$2B loan for Piketon plant not settled

Investors now giving U.S. until Sept. 30 to guarantee loan.

Limerick nuclear power station close to securing another 20 years of business

Status of nuclear power 2010

Status of nuclear power 2010
Copenhagen, Denmark (SPX) Aug 17, 2011 - Riso DTU has made its eighth report in the series: 'Nuclear power and Nuclear Safety', which gives a global overview of nuclear energy with a focus on safety and preparedness. This year's report is a bit delayed because of the accident in Fukushima, which is also mentioned in the report that would normally cover only the year 2010. The Radiation Research Division at Riso DTU was suddenly v ... more

Westinghouse: NRC Issues Final Safety Evaluation Report for AP1000® PWR

• NRC Issues Final Safety Evaluation Report for AP1000® PWR

NRC Issues Final Safety Evaluation Report for AP1000® PWR

Monday, Aug 15, 2011

Westinghouse Electric Company received notification from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) that it is issuing its Final Safety Evaluation Report on the AP1000 pressurized water reactor (PWR) design in the current design certification amendment proceeding.   The report, which is slated for public issuance later this week, comes after Westinghouse submitted design changes in Revision 18 of the AP1000 Design Control Document (DCD), a public review and comment period, and a confirmatory Revision 19 of the DCD that resolved all remaining confirmatory items and technical issues.  The AP1000 FSER includes the NRC Staff's evaluation and ultimate concurrence with all AP1000 design changes included in the latest DCD and now the amended design moves into the final rulemaking stage for granting of Design Certification.
"We're in the home stretch to receive final approval of the amended AP1000 design," said Aris Candris, president and CEO of Westinghouse Electric Company.  "It's been a long and highly transparent process that has included much public participation, as well as additional scrutiny of the design by the NRC staff and others.  We're happy that the NRC technical staff has approved the amended design and confident that the NRC Commissioners will do the same so construction of AP1000 units can begin here in the U.S."
This is the second time through the Design Certification process for the AP1000 PWR design.  The NRC officially granted Design Certification to the AP1000 in 2006.  Since then, the AP1000 design has been modified to meet new and additional NRC requirements, including those that require the design to withstand the impact of an aircraft crash on its shield building.  The shield building, a steel reinforced concrete structure that's approximately 3-foot thick, protects the steel containment vessel that houses the reactor vessel.  Both the shield building and the containment vessel play significant roles in the passive safety systems of the AP1000 design, which allow it to safely shutdown with no, or minimal operator action and no AC power.
Utilities in Georgia, South Carolina and Florida have chosen the AP1000 design in their combined construction and operating license (COL) applications to construct six AP1000 units.  Once each utility is granted a COL by the NRC, each new plant will create approximately 2,000 to 3,000 onsite jobs and hundreds of support jobs during construction.  The positive impact on America's manufacturing and construction industries will be significant, with materials and labor expected to be provided from more than 20 states.  New or expanded American manufacturing centers geared to support these projects have opened recently in Louisiana, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, New Hampshire and Minnesota.
Westinghouse Electric Company, a group company of Toshiba Corporation (TKY: 6502), is the world's pioneering nuclear energy company and is a leading supplier of nuclear plant products and technologies to utilities throughout the world. Westinghouse supplied the world's first pressurized water reactor in 1957 in Shippingport, Pa. Today, Westinghouse technology is the basis for approximately one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants, including 60 percent of those in the United States.

Nuclear Weapons Budget and the Budget Control Act

Nuclear Weapons Budget and the Budget Control Act All Things Nuclear The administration requested almost $11.8 billion for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), which includes both nuclear weapons and nonproliferation funding. The House called for $10.6 billion in NNSA funding, $1.2 billion less than the ...

Replacing Gasoline With Thorium

Replacing Gasoline With Thorium

August 15, 2011 by Angela Shupe

Tiny block of thorium could run your car forever

Tiny block of thorium could run your car forever
Tecca
It's a heavy-metal element called thorium. And according to the company, eight grams of the silvery metal is enough to power a car throughout its lifespan. Included in the set-up needed to run the car is a laser that heats the thorium. ...

What’s the best hope for Arizona’s energy future?

What’s the best hope for Arizona’s energy future?

from AREVA North America: Next Energy Blog by AREVA North America Blog

The Battle For The Zion Nuclear Power Station Heads To Court

It has been several months since I last reported on the efforts of Nancy Thorner, the Illinois resident who has been working diligently for several years to encourage Exelon to reconsider its 1998 decision to shut down the 22 year old (at the time) Zion nuclear power station. You can find links to previous articles about this situation below, but the basic story is as follows:

 

How a Cleantech Failure Can Be More Valuable Than Success

Toward an Honest Debate on Fukushima

Toward an Honest Debate on Fukushima

from Nuclear Energy Institute by vbarq

In the aftermath of the Fukushima accident in Japan, there has been renewed interest in nuclear energy safety. Some of the debate and observations online have led to a healthy, robust discussion—regardless of your position on nuclear energy. Other sources have exaggerated or distorted facts or have been just plain wrong. An example of the latter is a new video posted by Brian Rich at examiner.com called “Dial ‘M’ for Meltdown.” In the interest of getting things right, we examined some of the claims in the video.

U.N. atom body wants wider nuclear safety checks