Wednesday, December 17, 2014

PennEnergy's Daily Power Update 12/17

Energy News & Insights
13 killed in collapse at hydropower plant site in Ecuador Thirteen workers were killed in a collapse over the weekend at the construction site of the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric power plant in Ecuador …more>>

The Energy Frontier of Combining Coal and Renewable Energy Systems In many countries, coal and renewable energy systems are being deployed at greater percentages and, thus, there is increased interest in how to optimally integrate these systems …more>>

New 1,329 MW Warren County gas-fired power station The new 1,329 MW, natural gas-fired Warren County Power Station joins Dominion Virginia Power's generation fleet …more>>

SunEdison to develop 350 MW of solar power in Chile SunEdison to invest more than US$700 million to develop 350 megawatts of utility scale solar photovoltaic power plants throughout Chile …more>>


111 MW Cross Winds Energy Park begins commercial operation With completion of the 111 MW Cross Winds Energy Park , Consumers Energy now meets Michigan's renewable energy standard of 10 percent …more>>

Nuclear News: Continued funding confirmed for MOX project Congress' 2015 omnibus bill calls for $345 million for continued construction of the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MOX) project in South Carolina …more>>

AfDB promotes renewable energy investment in Swaziland The African Development Bank (AfDB) to issue grant for three studies under an energy sector support program in Swaziland …more>>

ABB boosts power transmission capacity in Texas Four Static Var Compensators (SVCs), part of ABB’s family of FACTS technologies, will contribute to the increased use of renewable energy in Texas …more>>

PennEnergy's Daily Petroleum Update 12/17


Today's Headlines
Oil pipeline to top US Senate agenda next year Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell says approving the Keystone XL pipeline will top the Senate agenda in January. …more>>

Enterprise begins open season for gas pipeline expansion The Panola expansion project would be designed to accommodate approximately 50,000 barrels per day of incremental capacity. …more>>

GE to acquire to enhance subsea production with Oceaneering product line acquisition GE has signed an agreement to acquire the Subsea Electric Actuator product line of Oceaneering. …more>>

Statoil announces development plan for Gullfaks Rimfaks offshore development The development will extend the lifetime of the Gullfaks A platform. …more>>


Small leak reported from natural gas pipeline in Michigan Officials say a small volume of liquid natural gas escaped into the atmosphere this month from a "pinhole" opening in a pipeline in the Upper Peninsula. …more>>

Woodside purchases Apache interests in key oil and gas projects Woodside has entered into a binding transaction to acquire Apache’s Australian Wheatstone LNG and Balnaves oil interests and Kitimat LNG project interests. …more>>

Spain's Repsol buys Canada's Talisman for $8.3 billion Repsol S.A. said Talisman's incorporation will increase Repsol's output by 76 percent to 680,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. …more>>

TAG Oil updates progress on Cheal oil and gas exploration wells TAG believes these new wells continue to demonstrate the prospectivity and the potential for further success in the Cheal acreage. …more>>

← Back Peninsula secures funding for Lance construction

← Back

Peninsula secures funding for Lance construction

http://www.miningweekly.com/article/peninsula-secures-funding-for-lance-construction-2014-12-16

Under Construction: Thoughts on New Nuclear Plant Design and Construction, Part I

Under Construction: Thoughts on New Nuclear Plant Design and Construction, Part I

By Mike Walker - Given that I am a journalist with a background in architecture, and given my work on nuclear power, one of the most-fascinating things for me is learning how new nuclear plants are designed and built. This focus is also crucial to understanding nuclear power in the United States because for a very long period of time, from the late 1970s to the middle of the 2000s, new nuclear power plants simply were not being built. Plans were shelved, NRC applications were left in file cabinets and not sent into One White Flint North. In some instances, blueprints were quite literally frozen in time, with some reactor and containment structure designs being hand-draught on paper or mylar in the early 1980s and never converted to a CADD file. Giant Mayline drafting tables saw scores of plans created on their sleek surfaces only to be stored away in some obscure basement as the regulatory—and more importantly—popular climate of opinion shifted from optimism over nuclear towards fear and the unfounded yet common belief that "nuclear isn't safe". Read More
http://nuclearstreet.com/pro_nuclear_power_blogs/b/science-history-nuclear/archive/2014/12/17/under-construction-thoughts-on-new-nuclear-plant-design-and-construction-part-i.aspx

Video Shows Progress On Massive Chernobyl New Safe Confinement Structure

Video Shows Progress On Massive Chernobyl New Safe Confinement Structure

Construction firms in Ukraine under the umbrella of the Novarka consortium are seen in a freshly released two-minute video showing progress on the unprecedented New Safe Confinement structure for the site of the world's worst nuclear power accident.

The massive project, led by French companies Bouygues and Vinci, involves construction of an arch-shaped shell that towers to 360 meters (110 feet) high and stretches to 165 meters (541 feet) long with a span measuring 260 meters or 853 feet. It has been constructed nearby and moved into place in two halves to minimize risk of radiation to workers. To date, none of the workers has been exposed to radiation beyond permissible levels, said EBRD, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which is funding the work.View Video http://nuclearstreet.com/nuclear_power_industry_news/b/nuclear_power_news/archive/2014/12/17/video-shows-progress-on-massive-chernobyl-new-safe-confinement-structure-121703.aspx#.VJH9EydGwTR

South Africa reports reactor vendor progress

South Africa reports reactor vendor progress
South Africa "continues to make significant progress" in its engagements with various prospective nuclear vendor countries, according to a statement from President Jacob Zuma's office today.http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN-South-Africa-reports-reactor-vendor-progress-17121401.html

UK government urged to look at SMR costs

UK government urged to look at SMR costs
The UK government should encourage the development and deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), a parliamentary committee has recommended. However, it says the costs need to be fully understood beforehand.http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN-UK-government-urged-to-look-at-SMR-costs-1712145.html

Regulator approves restart of Takahama reactors

Regulator approves restart of Takahama reactors Units 3 and 4 of Kansai Electric Power Company's Takahama nuclear power plant meet new safety standards, according to Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority.

'Biggest Fracking Victory Ever!' as New York Bans Dangerous Drilling in State

'Fracking has no place in New York or anywhere,' says prominent activist after announcement by Gov. Andrew Cuomohttp://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/12/17/biggest-fracking-victory-ever-new-york-bans-dangerous-drilling-state

NARUC Addresses the Marriage of Gas and Renewables

http://www.powermag.com/naruc-addresses-the-marriage-of-gas-and-renewables/?hq_e=el&hq_m=2999564&hq_l=16&hq_v=30108e0773

Bechtel and Siemens Team to Build Virginia Combined Cycle Power Plant

http://www.powermag.com/bechtel-and-siemens-team-to-build-virginia-combined-cycle-power-plant/?hq_e=el&hq_m=2999564&hq_l=22&hq_v=30108e0773

Winter Gas Crunch Again Threatens New England

http://www.powermag.com/winter-gas-crunch-again-threatens-new-england/?hq_e=el&hq_m=2999564&hq_l=20&hq_v=30108e0773

ERCOT: EPA Clean Power Plan Will Further Complicate Reliability in Texas

http://www.powermag.com/ercot-epa-clean-power-plan-will-further-complicate-reliability-in-texas/?hq_e=el&hq_m=2999564&hq_l=18&hq_v=30108e0773

Oil Price Collapse Poses Threats to U.S. Shale Gas Boom

http://www.powermag.com/oil-price-collapse-poses-threats-to-u-s-shale-gas-boom/?hq_e=el&hq_m=2999564&hq_l=9&hq_v=30108e0773

China ready to boost Czech nuclear power development -

China ready to boost Czech nuclear power development - See more at: http://news.asiaone.com/news/world/china-ready-boost-czech-nuclear-power-development#sthash.SdJfJqR0.dpuf

http://news.asiaone.com/news/world/china-ready-boost-czech-nuclear-power-development

GN goes more international with Kazakhstan nuclear deal

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20141217000011&cid=1205&MainCatID=12

China plans nuclear-powered aircraft carriers: US expert

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?cid=1101&MainCatID=11&id=20141217000096

Government concerned over China-Pakistan nuclear deal: Sushma Swaraj

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-government-concerned-over-china-pakistan-nuclear-deal-sushma-swaraj-2044736

Top 6 Things You Didn’t Know About Nuclear Power

http://breakingenergy.com/2014/12/16/top-6-things-you-didnt-know-about-nuclear-power/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Utility%20Dive&utm_campaign=Issue%3A%202014-12-17%20Utility%20Dive%20Newsletter

Coal gasification: American coal power's last, best chance?

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/coal-gasification-american-coal-powers-last-best-chance/344911/

The One Chart That Shows Why 2014 Was a Breakthrough Year for Utility-Scale Solar in America

http://theenergycollective.com/stephenlacey/2170786/one-chart-shows-why-2014-was-breakthrough-year-utility-scale-solar-america?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=The+Energy+Collective+%28all+posts%29

Natural Gas Overwhelmingly Replaces Coal

http://theenergycollective.com/alextrembath/2172401/natural-gas-overwhelmingly-replaces-coal?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=The+Energy+Collective+%28all+posts%29

DoE Announces $12.5B in Loans for Advanced Nuclear

http://theenergycollective.com/katherinetweed/2170051/doe-announces-125b-loans-advanced-nuclear?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=The+Energy+Collective+%28all+posts%29

U.S. Uranium Supplies, Part 2: Mitigating Future Energy Security Risks from Large Imports Disruptions

http://theenergycollective.com/jemillerep/2172701/us-uranium-supplies-part-2-mitigating-future-energy-security-risks-large-imports-?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=The+Energy+Collective+%28all+posts%29

Brazil raises nuclear power prices

http://www.bnamericas.com/news/electricpower/brazil-raises-nuclear-power-prices

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions Begins Spent Fuel Campaign

http://nuclearstreet.com/nuclear_power_industry_news/b/nuclear_power_news/archive/2014/12/16/savannah-river-nuclear-solutions-begins-spent-fuel-campaign-121602.aspx#.VJHgeidGwTQ

72% of Indonesian people agree with nuclear power plants

72% of Indonesian people
agree with nuclear power
plants

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/16/72-indonesian-people-agree-with-nuclear-power-plants.html

S.Africa says to launch nuclear power tender process

http://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFKBN0JV10X20141217

Nuclear seeds

http://www.telegram.com/article/20141217/NEWS/312179987/1020

Heller Pledges Yucca Mountain Will Stay Dead Despite Leaving Energy Committee

http://blogs.rollcall.com/wgdb/yucca-mountain-dean-heller-energy-committee/?dcz=

NEA Approves Fangchenggang Phase II to adopt Hualong No.1

Arnaud Lefevre-Baril Chief Executive Officer at Dynatom International GmbH

The National Energy Administration (NEA) recently replied the request report of Guangxi Autonomous Region Development and Research Commission and China General Nuclear Group. NEA has agreed two units of Guangxi Fangchenggang phase II to adopt the technology proposal of Hualong No. 1.

According to the reply, Fangchenggang nuclear power program has been listed in Nuclear Power Medium and Long-term Development Plan (2011-2020, modified).

Source: http://np.chinapower.com.cn/201412/17/0043458.html

能源局批复：“华龙一号”落地中广核防城港二期 np.chinapower.com.cn

中国核电网 | 发表于：2014-12-17 | 来源：中广核　　近日，国家能源局对广西自治区发改委、中国广核集团公司的请示报告发出复函，同意广西防城港核电二期工程按2台机组论证，采用“华龙一号”技术方案。　　复函中说，广西防城港红沙核电项目厂址已被列入《核电中长期发展规划（2011-2020，调整）的厂址保护目录。要求按照国家有关规定，对后续工程按照4台机组的容量，统筹规划，分布实施，抓紧开展各项前期准备工作，并对厂址实施保护。...

NRC Blog Update: Keeping Tabs on Diablo Canyon’s Evolving Seismic Situation

Keeping Tabs on Diablo Canyon’s Evolving Seismic Situation

by Moderator

Lara Uselding
Public Affairs Officer
Region IV

The NRC has added two items to the growing list of documents on seismic issues related to the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, near San Luis Obispo, Calif. Our Region IV office in Arlington, Texas, sent the plant operator, PG&E, an inspection report and our headquarters Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation in Rockville, Md. sent PG&E a letter about the plant’s seismic hazard reevaluation due in March 2015.

The Region IV inspection report discusses the agency’s independent assessment of the operability determination completed by PG&E associated with its September report on the Shoreline and other faults near the plant. PG&E provided the report to the state under California Assembly Bill 1632. That bill required the report so the California Energy Commission could assess if California’s largest baseload power plants are vulnerable to a seismic event as those plants age.

The NRC did not request this analysis, but PG&E committed to keep us updated on any new information that would indicate the Shoreline fault is more energetic or capable than was presented in the January 2011 Shoreline Fault Report. PG&E further committed to provide the NRC with an interim analysis of any new Shoreline-related information before the post-Fukushima evaluations are due in March 2015.

Our regional review of PG&E’s operability determination indicates there is considerable design margin for the plant’s systems, structure, and components. The staff did not identify any concerns with PG&E’s determination that the plant is operable. The analysis adds to the evidence that the plant’s systems, structures, and components would function properly after an earthquake and not pose undue risk to public health and safety.

Our letter from headquarters confirms PG&E will incorporate the September report’s findings into its ongoing, post-Fukushima, full seismic re-analysis due in March 2015. The NRC believes this more rigorous analysis will provide the most accurate assessment of faults affecting the site.

The bottom line is that the effect of earthquakes has been extensively evaluated during the construction, licensing, and operation of the plant. Diablo Canyon’s systems, structures, and components are designed to withstand the area’s earthquakes and perform their safety functions.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Why radiation is safe & all nations should embrace nuclear technology - Professor Wade Allison

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ6aL3wv4v0&feature=youtu.be

Third Way's Freed says government support essential to commercializing advanced nuclear technology

What role could advanced nuclear technology play as part of the solution to climate change? During today's OnPoint, Joshua Freed, director of Third Way's Clean Energy Program, discusses private-sector funding and progress on advanced nuclear and the role the federal government could play in helping to commercialize these technologies. He also discusses the potential for nuclear legislation during the 114th Congress.
http://www.eenews.net/tv/videos/1912/transcript

Why climate change is forcing some environmentalists to back nuclear power

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/12/16/why-climate-change-is-forcing-some-environmentalists-to-back-nuclear-power/

U.S. Congress OKs $345mn for MOX fabrication facility

http://www.power-eng.com/articles/2014/12/u-s-congress-oks-345mn-for-mox-fabrication-facility.html

Oil Trains: Unsafe (and Unnecessary) at Any Speed by RALPH NADER

Oil Trains: Unsafe (and Unnecessary) at Any Speed

by RALPH NADER

http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/12/16/oil-trains-unsafe-and-unnecessary-at-any-speed/?utm_source=feedly&utm_reader=feedly&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=oil-trains-unsafe-and-unnecessary-at-any-speed

Desalination out of Desperation

Severe droughts are forcing researchers to rethink how technology can increase the supply of fresh water.

http://www.technologyreview.com/featuredstory/533446/desalination-out-of-desperation/

France's Areva to equip four Chinese nuclear reactors

France's Areva to equip four Chinese nuclear reactors
Paris (AFP) Dec 15, 2014 - French nuclear firm Areva said Monday its consortium with a Chinese energy company will supply safety systems for four new nuclear reactors in China. Areva and the China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute, which make up the BRIC consortium created in 2011, clinched the deal, worth an undisclosed amount, with China Nuclear Power Engineering, the French firm said. The deal concern ... morehttp://www.nuclearpowerdaily.com/reports/Frances_Areva_to_equip_four_Chinese_nuclear_reactors_999.html

Poroshenko vows to complete Chernobyl sarcophagus

Poroshenko vows to complete Chernobyl sarcophagus
Moscow (Sputnik) Dec 16, 2014 - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has promised to complete the stalled construction of a protective cover over the Chernobyl nuclear reactor that went into meltdown in 1986, the presidential press service said Sunday. "Under the present complicated circumstances we have to take care of those who suffered, to ensure safety at the site and complete construction of a new secure cover over ... morehttp://www.terradaily.com/reports/Poroshenko_Vows_to_Complete_Delayed_Construction_of_Chernobyl_Sarcophagus_999.html

Conservation Scientists Say Nuclear Energy Is Necessary For Biodiversity

Conservation Scientists Say Nuclear Energy Is Necessary For Biodiversity
http://www.science20.com/news_articles/conservation_scientists_say_nuclear_energy_is_necessary_for_biodiversity-151240

Admiral Hyman Rickover, Godfather of Nuclear Navy, Gets Due in New Film

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/12/15/Admiral-Hyman-Rickover-Godfather-of-Nuclear-Navy-Gets-Due-in-New-Film

Even Before Long Winter Begins, Energy Bills Send Shivers in New England

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/14/us/even-before-long-winter-begins-energy-bills-send-shivers-in-new-england.html

Betting on the Need, Scientists Work on Lighter, Cleaner Nuclear Energy

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/16/business/energy-environment/betting-on-the-need-scientists-work-on-lighter-cleaner-nuclear-energy.html?_r=0

WHATLEY: Nuclear a key player in clean energy mix

http://www.app.com/story/opinion/columnists/2014/12/15/whatley-nuclear-key-player-clean-energy-mix/20432117/

Huaneng Shidaowan HTR-PM Digital Protection System Prototype Passed Review

Arnaud Lefevre-Baril Chief Executive Officer at Dynatom International GmbH Top Contributor

Appraising meeting on digital protection system engineering prototype of Huaneng Shidaowan high temperature gas cooled reactor nuclear power plant (HTR-PM) kicked off in Beijing on December 9th. Huaneng Shandong Shidaowan Nuclear Power Co., Ltd and Chinergy Co., Ltd witnessed the whole process as the owner and contractor separately. The experts agreed that the research, V&V, test and identification of the system meet the requirements of relevant regulations and standards. Equipment manufacture and production could be carried out on this basis.

Source: http://www.heneng.net.cn/index.php?mod=news&action=show&article_id=33143&category_id=9

华能山东石岛湾(HTR-PM)数字化保护系统工程样机通过专家鉴定 heneng.net.cn

12月9日，华能山东石岛湾核电厂高温气冷堆核电站示范工程（HTR-PM）数字化保护系统工程样机鉴定会在北京召开。华能山东石岛湾核电有限公司、中核能源科技有限公司分别作为业主和工程总包方见证了整个评审过程。经过评审，与会专家认为：HTR-PM数字化保护系统工程样机的研制、V&V、测试和鉴定符合相关法规、标准的要求，设备的功能和性能满足示范工程保护系统技术规格书的要求，工程样机通过鉴定，可以在此基础上开展实际使用设备的生产、制造。...

Energoatom mulling use of Westinghouse fuel at 13 power units of Ukraine's NPPs

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/240250.html

$470m of Russian loan spent on Belarusian nuclear station construction in 2014

http://eng.belta.by/all_news/economics/470m-of-Russian-loan-spent-on-Belarusian-nuclear-station-construction-in-2014_i_78144.html

TABLE-S.Korea to restart Hanul No.2 nuclear reactor after shutdown

http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL3N0U02G320141216

South Korea cancer victims bring class action against nuclear operator

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/16/us-southkorea-nuclear-cancer-idUSKBN0JU0OZ20141216

Evaluating Fifteen Years of IEA Energy Forecasts

http://theenergycollective.com/schalk-cloete/2172041/evaluating-fifteen-years-iea-energy-forecasts?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=The+Energy+Collective+%28all+posts%29

Putting Excitement Back into Nuclear Technology Development [VIDEO]

http://theenergycollective.com/rodadams/2171531/putting-excitement-back-nuclear-technology-development?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=The+Energy+Collective+%28all+posts%29

Fukushima Commentary 12/16/14

Fukushima Commentary 12/16/14 –

Is the Japan election a nuclear restart mandate?

Despite a few Japanese news reports to the contrary, there is no reason to think the timetable for restarts will speed up or the number of nukes allowed to come on line will swell because of a Lower House election that did nothing more than maintain the status quo on nuke restarts.

http://www.hiroshimasyndrome.com/fukushima-commentary.html

Telangana, Andhra Pradesh must turn to nuclear power, say experts

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/141216/nation-current-affairs/article/telangana-andhra-pradesh-must-turn-nuclear-power-say-experts

'Turn to nuclear power to save planetary ecology from renewable BLIGHT'

Boffins plead against 'perceptions of what is green'

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/16/turn_to_nuclear_power_to_save_planetary_ecology_from_renewable_blight/

Richland nuclear power plant turns 30 years old

http://www.king5.com/story/news/local/2014/12/15/columbia-generating-station-30-years-old/20426829/

GAO faults nuke regulator’s cost-benefit analysis

http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/227208-gao-faults-nuke-regulators-cost-benefit-analysis

Government Watchdog Criticizes NRC For Unreliable Cost-Benefit Analysis

http://nuclearstreet.com/nuclear_power_industry_news/b/nuclear_power_news/archive/2014/12/16/government-watchdog-criticizes-nrc-for-unreliable-cost_2d00_benefit-analysis-121601.aspx#.VJCczydGxFU

FOE Statement: Did the NRC and PG&E collude to hide danger?

Did the NRC and PG&E collude to hide danger?

December 16, 2014

Statement by Friends of the Earth
Internal emails show that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Pacific Gas & Electric Co. may have worked together to counteract widespread news coverage. Numerous outlets reported that the former chief inspector of the Diablo Canyon power plant had warned superiors of new seismic data suggesting that the aging nuclear plant on the California coast is operating with an invalid license and may not be safe from previously unknown earthquake faults.
Friends of the Earth obtained more than 100 pages of NRC emails through a Freedom of Information Act request. Many emails were heavily redacted, but nonetheless show that the NRC knew the exact date and time PG&E would release a long-awaited report on the plant’s Diablo Canyon’s seismic safety, and the NRC responded by simultaneously releasing its verdict rejecting the former inspector’s dissent. The documents also show that while the NRC denied collaborating on release of the reports, they had worked for weeks on a media strategy based on prior knowledge of the PG&E report.
Friends of the Earth and its FOIA request partners, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, Mothers for Peace and the Santa Lucia chapter of the Sierra Club, have filed an appeal with the NRC demanding release of the redacted emails and their attachments.
“These emails leave little doubt that the NRC and PG&E colluded to spin the story against mounting evidence that Diablo Canyon may not be able to withstand the powerful shaking possible on these previously unknown faults,” said Damon Moglen of Friends of the Earth. “We know from the San Bruno pipeline scandal that PG&E is not above backdoor tactics to try to influence a government regulator, but this is a new and shocking example of such collusion on an issue that could affect the safety of hundreds of thousands of lives.”
On Aug. 25, a news report revealed the existence of a report by former Diablo chief inspector Michael Peck (known as a Differing Professional Opinion or DPO) and that the NRC had kept it secret for more than a year. The dissent called for shutdown of the plant unless it could be proven that the plant had a valid license and could withstand shaking on several faults that were unknown at the time it was designed and built.
On Sept. 10, the NRC announced it had ruled against Peck. Within hours, PG&E released a lengthy and long-overdue seismic safety study to the State of California. It contained the startling admission that faults near the plant are much longer than previously known and interconnected, making possible a quake that could produce much more shaking than Diablo was built to withstand. But those admissions, buried in the avalanche of material released that day, went mostly unmentioned in news coverage.
The emails show that as early as Aug. 21 — with the news story imminent — NRC public affairs staffers were working on a “Communications Strategy on State Report.” Attached to a message with that subject was a document entitled “State Report Messaging,” which likewise related to PG&E’s as yet unreleased seismic report. In the emails released to Friends of the Earth, the messaging memo was redacted except for the heading “Draft Talking Points: State Report.”
Subsequent emails show that PG&E told the NRC exactly when the state report would be released, and that in response, the NRC’s public affairs staff scrambled to make sure that the rejection of Peck’s dissent would be made public the same day.
The original FOIA request was filed Sept. 18. Asked that day by journalists about the allegations, NRC spokesperson Lara Uselding repeatedly denied any collusion, stating: “We know of no collaboration between the NRC and PG&E regarding the individual timing of releases.”
“Rather than acting to address the fact that PG&E is operating Diablo Canyon without a valid license and in a place where no reactors belong, the NRC has sought to protect PG&E’s financial interests rather than public safety,” said Moglen. “This is a replay of what happened with the San Onofre reactors where the NRC also downplayed safety problems. Yet that plant eventually closed despite repeated assurances that things were okay.”
Documents requested under the FOIA can be viewed on the Friends of the Earth website.

http://calcoastnews.com/2014/12/nrc-pge-collude-hide-danger/

Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire