Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire

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

Monday, September 15, 2014

PennEnergy's Daily Power Update 9/15

Energy News & Insights

Floating power generation holds promise for post-Fukushima Japan

As a post-Fukushima Japan mulls a proposed 700 MW floating gas power plant the nation is moving ahead with utility-scale floating renewable energy projects. …more>>
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Fight erupts over New England natural gas plan

Plans to shift New England from oil and coal to natural gas have drawn fights in the past year among energy companies, environmentalists and local and state officials. …more>>
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Balancing South Africa's Energy Poverty, Climate Change Commitments

While the world's developing countries need access to low-cost energy, they are also the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and its associated policies. …more>>
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North America's largest fully biomass power plant opens

North America's largest 100 percent biomass-fueled power plant opens in Ontario, Canada. …more>>
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Broader Horizons for Data Services

The “cloud” isn’t simply a virtual place in which we can store data; it’s also a force that will change industrial processes and services. …more>>
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sPower, Camborne partner on UK utility-scale solar power

sPower and Camborne Capital announce formal collaboration agreement to develop and acquire uk utility-scale solar projects. …more>>
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New report features states pioneering effective renewable energy policies

New report out of Stanford University features U.S. states pioneering effective renewable energy and energy-efficiency policies. …more>>
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AREVA to supply nuclear fuel to Browns Ferry

AREVA has been awarded a contract to supply nuclear fuel to the Browns Ferry Power Plant in Alabama. …more>>
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Energy Strategy in an Uncertain World Susan Eisenhower

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Energy Strategy in an Uncertain World

Susan Eisenhower
CEO & Chairman

The Eisenhower Group, Inc. (EGI)

Tuesday, September 30th

4:30 PM

E-51, Wong Auditorium
MIT Campus

Abstract

In a rapidly changing-- and increasingly dangerous-- geopolitical environment, the United States has developed a strategy for meeting the twin challenges of energy reliability and climate change—with an “all of the above” approach. But does this nation’s energy objectives reflect and address what is actually unfolding outside of Washington DC, as we become increasingly reliant on natural gas, while nuclear plants are being shuttered? Are we adequately preparing ourselves for a green future?

Susan Eisenhower will discuss the political realities in the nation’s capital, and offer some thoughts about what should be done to bring about a more coherent national approach to one of the country’s most important sectors.

About the speaker

Susan Eisenhower is the CEO and Chairman of The Eisenhower Group, Inc. (EGI), a Washington D.C. based consulting company founded in 1986. For more than twenty-five years the company has provided strategic counsel on business development, public affairs and communications projects. EGI has advised Fortune 500 companies, not just in the United States, but also abroad—in China, Russia, Central Asia and Western Europe for such companies as American Express, IBM, Coca Cola, AES, Alcoa, and General Electric.
In addition to her work through EGI, Susan Eisenhower has also had a distinguished career as a policy analyst. She is Chairman Emeritus at the Eisenhower Institute of Gettysburg College, where she served as president twice. She has also been a Fellow at Harvard’s Institute of Politics and a Distinguished Fellow at the Nixon Center, now called the Center for National Interest.
Over the years, she has served as a member of three blue ribbon commissions for the Department of Energy for three different secretaries: The Baker-Cutler Commission on U.S. Funded Non-Proliferation Programs in Russia; The Sununu-Meserve Commission on Nuclear Energy; and the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future, which released its findings on a comprehensive program for the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle in the winter of 2012. She was also appointed to the National Academy of Sciences Standing Committee on International Security and Arms Control, where she served eight years. After as many years on the NASA Advisory Council, she served as a commissioner on the International Space Station Management and Cost Evaluation Task Force. She is currently a member of MIT Energy Initiative's Advisory Board and co-chairman of NEAC, the Secretary of Energy’s Nuclear Energy Advisory Board.
In addition, Ms. Eisenhower has done extensive work in executive training on strategic leadership. She has spoken on this subject in many corporate venues, as well as at such distinguished institutions as the United States Military Academy at West Point; the Foreign Policy Association in New York; the Army War College, Carlisle; Sandia National Laboratory, MIT and Australia’s Science and Technology Organization, which is part of the Australian Ministry of Defence. Eisenhower holds a year-long seminar on strategy for competitively selected students at the Eisenhower Institute of Gettysburg College.
Eisenhower has authored hundreds of op-eds for newspapers such as the Washington Post and the LA Times, appeared frequently on national television and radio, and her articles have appeared in such journals as the National Academy of Sciences’ Issues in Science and Technology and the Naval Institutes’ Proceedings. She has written four trade press books, two of which were on regional best seller lists, and she co-authored or co-edited four other books on international security issues.

Hydrogen production breakthrough could herald cheap green energy

Hydrogen production breakthrough could herald cheap green energy

(Phys.org) —Scientists have taken a major step forward in the production of hydrogen from water which could lead to a new era of cheap, clean and renewable energy.http://phys.org/news/2014-09-hydrogen-production-breakthrough-herald-cheap.html#nwlt

High Flux Isotope Reactor named Nuclear Historic Landmark

High Flux Isotope Reactor named Nuclear Historic Landmark


High Flux Isotope Reactor named Nuclear Historic Landmark

Sep 12, 2014
High Flux Isotope Reactor named Nuclear Historic Landmark
The High Flux Isotope Reactor vessel at Oak Ridge National Laboratory resides in a pool of water illuminated by the blue glow of the Cherenkov radiation effect.


Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-09-high-flux-isotope-reactor-nuclear.html#jCp

http://phys.org/news/2014-09-high-flux-isotope-reactor-nuclear.html

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Ending nuke fuel recycling was a mistake we must fix K. PAUL STEINMEYER


Ending nuke fuel recycling was a mistake we must fix


K. PAUL STEINMEYER

http://www.theday.com/article/20140914/OP05/309149969/1044

Indai: Nuclear liability: Centre asks GIC to work on insurance plan for reactors

Nuclear liability: Centre asks GIC to work on insurance plan for reactors
the operator, which is the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), has to pay Rs 1,500 crore to affected parties in case of an accident.http://ibnlive.in.com/news/nuclear-liability-centre-asks-gic-to-work-on-insurance-plan-for-reactors/498960-3.html

Economic realities of old reactors

Economic realities of old reactors
Reported moves by power companies to consider decommissioning their older nuclear power reactors indicate that they are beginning to selectively ...http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2014/09/14/editorials/economic-realities-of-old-reactors/#.VBX-cxm5I7A

China plans to be world leader in nuclear power by 2020

China plans to be world leader in nuclear power by 2020
China aims to become a world leader in nuclear power by 2020 under an ambitious scheme to be finalised by April. http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1591984/china-plans-be-world-leader-nuclear-power-2020

"ANS Webinar with NRC Chairman Allison Macfarlane"

"ANS Webinar with NRC Chairman Allison Macfarlane"
 
 
This week, the American Nuclear Society hosted a live webinar in Washington D.C. with the Chairman of the NRC.  Bloggers asked Allison Macfarlane a wide variety of questions both online and in person at the event; the event is available in its entirety to the public via link at the ANS Nuclear Cafe blog.

Decommissioning Panel and Appointments: Good, Bad and Ugly


Decommissioning Panel and Appointments: Good, Bad and Ugly


As Vermont Yankee decommissioning approaches, local politicians are busily appointing members to the new "Decommissioning Citizen Advisory Panel."  To nobody's surprise, plant opponents are the people being appointed (the bad).  However, Vermont state appointed a "nuclear engineer" who is actually a real nuclear engineer this time
(the good). 

And what's "ugly"?  The old "Vermont Nuclear Safety Advisory Panel" meetings were ugly and chaotic. That panel has morphed into the new Decommissioning Panel. Angwin thinks the new panel's meetings are likely to be equally unpleasant.

A Petition to the NRC

 The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has received a supplement to a petition for rulemaking filed with the NRC by Diane Curran and Mindy Goldstein on behalf of 34 Environmental Organizations (the petitioner). The NRC docketed the original petition, dated February 18, 2014, as PRM-51-31. The supplement adds information to the record and is noticed for information only. The NRC is not requesting public comment.

https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/07/24/2014-17447/environmental-impacts-of-spent-fuel-storage-during-reactor-operation?utm_campaign=subscription+mailing+list&utm_medium=email&utm_source=federalregister.gov

Please note and comment: NRC proposed changes to current radiation protection regulations

For those who want to make changes to the radiation rules, here’s a another prime opportunity to make your voice heard to the people making these decisions.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to obtain input from stakeholders on the development of a draft regulatory basis. The draft regulatory basis would support potential changes to the NRC's current radiation protection regulations. The goal of this effort is to achieve greater alignment between the NRC's radiation protection regulations and the 2007 recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) contained in ICRP Publication 103 (2007). Through this ANPR, the NRC has identified specific questions and issues with respect to a possible revision of the NRC's radiation protection requirements. Stakeholder comments, including responses to the specific questions, will be considered by the NRC staff when it develops the draft regulatory basis. In a separate and related activity, the NRC staff will be preparing an ANPR concerning the NRC's design objectives governing dose assessments for radioactive effluents from light-water-cooled nuclear power reactors, which should be published for public comment during the public comment period for this ANPR. The NRC plans to hold a series of public meetings to promote full understanding of the contemplated action and facilitate public comment.

https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/07/25/2014-17252/radiation-protection?utm_campaign=subscription+mailing+list&utm_medium=email&utm_source=federalregister.gov