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Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire - Major Energy and Environmental News and Commentary affecting the Nuclear Industry. Nuclear Activities
Tuesday, November 10, 2020
Energy Communities Alliance ECA Update Manhattan Project National Historical Park
Victims of Nuclear Bomb Tests on U.S. Soil 75 Years Ago Continue to Seek Justice | naked capitalism
Victims of Nuclear Bomb Tests on U.S. Soil 75 Years Ago Continue to Seek Justice | naked capitalism: The US conducted nuclear tests that damaged the health of generations of New Mexico residents—who remain uncompensated.
IAEA – Key to the Future of Nuclear Energy is Cogeneration | Neutron Bytes
IAEA – Key to the Future of Nuclear Energy is Cogeneration | Neutron Bytes: IAEA – Key to the Future of Nuclear Energy is Cogeneration and Renewables Royal Society / UK Report Highlights the Potential Of Nuclear Cogeneration DOE Inks New Deal with NASA for Nuclear En…
Vogtle nuclear expansion project on track despite COVID-19 - Power Engineering International
Vogtle nuclear expansion project on track despite COVID-19 - Power Engineering International: COVID-19 is impacting the cost and workforce schedule for the Vogtle Units 3 and 4 expansion, but Georgia Power reported that it’s still planning to put the nuclear energy project into service by November 2021.
Why Biden Can Unite America With Nuclear Power — Or Divide It With Renewables
Why Biden Can Unite America With Nuclear Power — Or Divide It With Renewables: Renewables are increasingly divisive, particularly with Republicans. For Biden to bring Americans together he should pursue a Green Nuclear Deal.
Monday, November 9, 2020
On What Foundation is the University Built? - The Catholic Thing
On What Foundation is the University Built? - The Catholic Thing: Randall Smith: When Christ is at the center of the university’s mission, then all truth, no matter its source, is welcome and important.
Private, centralized storage for spent nuclear fuel: A dead end or path forward? - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Private, centralized storage for spent nuclear fuel: A dead end or path forward? - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: US nuclear waste policy has been at a standstill for 40 years. Licensing privately-run, centralized, “interim” storage facilities for spent fuel could break the gridlock.
Energy Communities Alliance ECA Update November 9, 2020
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Shipping industry should consider nuclear option for decarbonizing: experts | S&P Global Platts
Shipping industry should consider nuclear option for decarbonizing: experts | S&P Global Platts: Stakeholders in the maritime industry are consider increased uptake of nuclear power as one of its choices as it strives to meet decarbonization targets mandated by the International Maritime Industry
Bill Gates Launches A Nuclear Ship Battery Partnership
Bill Gates Launches A Nuclear Ship Battery Partnership: It’s been over sixty years since the first (and last) US-flagged nuclear-powered cargo ship set sail but, if Bill Gates has his way, the ocean may soon be filled with commercial nuclear ships…
Regulator Notifies Fuel Supply Countries Of Final Disposal Plans :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency
Regulator Notifies Fuel Supply Countries Of Final Disposal Plans :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency: Nuclear regulator Stuk has notified authorities in other countries that Finland intends to begin the final disposal of used nuclear fuel in the mid-2020s.
Stuk said it had notified countries that have supplied Finland with uranium for its nuclear power plants.
Stuk said normal verification inspections of nuclear materials cannot be performed once the materials have been finally disposed of, and so procedures related to inspections must be specified before final disposal begins.
Stuk said it had notified countries that have supplied Finland with uranium for its nuclear power plants.
Stuk said normal verification inspections of nuclear materials cannot be performed once the materials have been finally disposed of, and so procedures related to inspections must be specified before final disposal begins.
General Atomics wins $3.3M contract to assist in nuclear fusion project in France - The San Diego Union-Tribune
General Atomics wins $3.3M contract to assist in nuclear fusion project in France - The San Diego Union-Tribune: ITER hopes to unlock fusion's vast potential for commercial power
New US Company To Develop Los Alamos’ Kilopower Reactor :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency
New US Company To Develop Los Alamos’ Kilopower Reactor :: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency: The US government’s Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico has signed an agreement to licence its Kilopower space reactor technology to Space Nuclear Power Corporation (SpaceNukes), a move it says will speed up a nuclear reactor technology that could be used to fuel deep-space exploration and possibly power human habitats on the Moon or Mars.
The Kilopower technology was developed at the laboratory in partnership with NASA and the National Nuclear Security Administration. Patrick McClure, who served as project lead for Kilopower at Los Alamos and is now a partner in SpaceNukes, said that by creating a new company, Kilopower’s founders are hoping to be able to reach potential new sponsors “who will want to take this technology to the next level and put it into space”.
The Kilopower technology was developed at the laboratory in partnership with NASA and the National Nuclear Security Administration. Patrick McClure, who served as project lead for Kilopower at Los Alamos and is now a partner in SpaceNukes, said that by creating a new company, Kilopower’s founders are hoping to be able to reach potential new sponsors “who will want to take this technology to the next level and put it into space”.
UPDATE 3-Head of U.S. agency overseeing nuclear weapons stockpile resigns | Reuters
UPDATE 3-Head of U.S. agency overseeing nuclear weapons stockpile resigns | Reuters: The head of the agency that oversees the U.S. stockpile of nuclear weapons has resigned, the U.S. Energy Department's National Nuclear Security Administration said on Friday, without providing a reason.
4 more workers test positive for COVID-19 at WIPP
4 more workers test positive for COVID-19 at WIPP: The recent infections brought WIPP’s caseload to 84 positive tests for the virus with 41 patients recovered, per a WIPP news release.
A Uranium Mill Near Blanding May Begin Processing Ore For Elements Used In iPhones And Military Weapons | KUER
A Uranium Mill Near Blanding May Begin Processing Ore For Elements Used In iPhones And Military Weapons | KUER: Engineers at a uranium mill in San Juan County have figured out how to produce a concentrate of rare earth elements from domestic ore. But environmentalists say the development could further delay reclamation of the mill, which has outlived its purpose.
WNN Daily World Nuclear News 9 November 2020
Belarusian
President Alexander Lukashenko has inaugurated the country's first nuclear power
reactor. Lukashenko visited the site in Ostrovets on 7 November, where he witnessed
the increase in the generating capacity of unit 1 to 400 MW. The unit, which was
connected to the grid five days ago, is the first of the VVER-1200 design to be built outside Russia. "Is the area of the construction and maintenance
site larger than the plant itself? I had the impression that it is almost twice
as large," Lukashenko said, according to a statement on the president's website. Energy Minister Viktor Karankevich told him
that 130 different buildings and structures had been constructed and covered an
area of more than 100 hectares. "With the launch of the first unit, 88 facilities
will be commissioned, with the launch of the second one - 42," he added. At the BelNPP training centre, where the President
was briefed on work to commission the plant and its integration into the country's
economy, he said the plant's start-up was "a historic moment" for the country. Karankevich said the plant will produce about
18 TWh annually and enable Belarus to replace about 4.5 billion cubic meters of
natural gas per year, save more than USD500 million and reduce greenhouse gas
emissions by more than 7 million tonnes per year. “The lifespan of the plant is 60 years with the possibility of extension
to 100 years," the minister added. In total, more than 2500 specialists will work
at the Belarusian nuclear power plant, about 60 of them from Russia and Ukraine
with experience in working at nuclear power plants. Lukashenko discussed the prospects of cooperation with Russia in nuclear
energy with Aleksey Likhachov, the director general of Rosatom, who also attended
the president's visit to the plant. Likhachov proposed the creation of a Rosatom
subsidiary in Belarus. The possible construction of additional units at the plant
and the launch of an energy-intensive manufacturing base in the region were also
touched upon. In addition, Rosatom, together with the Kurchatov Institute, offered
the Belarusian National Academy of Sciences to build a research reactor. "The launch of the nuclear power plant will
open up new opportunities for the national economy and will allow Belarus to develop
other sectors such as electric transport. However, it is important to create our
own battery," Lukashenko said. "As soon as we design our own battery for electric
vehicles we will fully switch to electric [transport], ahead of other countries,"
he added. Another priority, he said, is converting residential heating to electricity. Speaking to reporters during the visit, Lukashenko
said opposition to the Belrusian plant by neighbouring countries was "just envy
and competition". He added: "These neighbours are 10 years behind us in NPP construction.
We're ahead of them, and they should admit it." Construction of the Ostrovets plant has spurred the development of other
sectors, especially the construction industry and the building materials sector,
he said. It will also boost the development of environmentally friendly transport,
and give the country an opportunity to reduce its consumption of natural gas. "Many large sectors of the economy are moving
forward. We have invested almost USD7 billion in our economy. If we decide to
build the second plant, this will be a good stimulus for the development of the
economy; a locomotive that will create momentum for many sectors of the economy," he said. In a separate statement, Rosatom said the
unit will enter the trial operation stage in late November-early December. Commercial
operation is scheduled for the first quarter of 2021. Rosatom subsidiary Atomenergomash is the supplier of key equipment for
the nuclear island for the Belarusian NPP. Its fuel assemblies were manufactured
by TVEL at the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant, with enrichment level of between 1.3% and 4.4%. The
US Navy has awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a USD9.5 billion contract modification
option for construction and testing of the first two Columbia class nuclear-powered
submarines, as well as associated design and engineering support. Electric Boat
- a wholly owned subsidiary of aerospace and defence firm General Dynamics - is
the prime contractor on the Columbia programme, which will replace the
aging Ohio class of ballistic missile submarines. The US Department of Defense said the modification
to the integrated product and process development contract supports the fiscal
2021 construction start of the lead ship (SSBN 826) and advance procurement, advance
construction, coordinated material buys and full construction of the follow hull
(SSBN 827) in fiscal 2024. Work is expected to be completed by April 2030. Electric Boat will perform about 78% of the
construction of the Columbia class and recently shifted the programme
to full-scale construction at the company's manufacturing complex in Quonset Point,
Rhode Island. Construction of four of the six 'supermodules' will take place at
Electric Boat's Quonset Point facility. The supermodules will then be transported
by barge to the company's Final Test and Assembly facility in Groton, Connecticut,
where the components will be assembled into a complete submarine in a facility
now under construction specifically for the Columbia class. At 170 metres long, with a displacement of
nearly 21,000 tonnes, the submarines of the Columbia class will be the
largest ever built by the USA. It will be constructed with a life-of-ship reactor
resulting in a shorter mid-life maintenance period. As a result, strategic nuclear
deterrence requirements can be met with a smaller overall force structure of 12 Columbia class
submarines, compared to fourteen Ohio class submarines, saving over
USD40 billion in acquisition and operational costs, the US Navy said. General Dynamics recently reported that the
design maturity for Columbia was almost 90% complete, nearly twice the
level of design completion of the lead Virginia class submarine
when it started construction. A
new EU-funded project aims to improve confidence in nuclear safety by advancing
the approach to seismic safety assessments for nuclear power plants. The 'methods
and tools innovations for seismic risk assessment' (METIS) Horizon 2020 project
is being led by France's EDF Group. The
METIS project was officially launched after a virtual kick off meeting on 29-30
September. The project will run from September 2020 until 2024. It has a total
budget of EUR5 million (USD6 million), of which EUR4 million is funded from the
European Commission under its Safety margins determination for design basis-exceeding external hazards programme. The METIS project will be delivered by an
international consortium consisting of 13 European partners from France, Germany,
Italy, Greece, Slovenia, the UK and Ukraine, together with three organisations
from Japan and the USA. The consortium brings together universities, research
organisations and industrial companies. The research will develop methods to improve the ability to define safety
limits for extremely rare events, which go beyond current design analyses. The
refined seismic probabilistic safety assessment is expected to provide meaningful
support in defining regulations for safe design of nuclear power plants, as well
as for assessing plant safety in real-time in case of temporary unavailability
of relevant safety equipment or structures. EDF said the outcome of the project will allow for "risk-informed decision-making
in the European context and METIS will help to optimise the use of existing and
future reactors and will contribute to competitiveness of the European nuclear industry." Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU Research and
Innovation programme ever with nearly EUR80 billion of funding available over
seven years (2014 to 2020). It is the financial instrument for Innovation Union,
a Europe 2020 flagship initiative aimed at securing Europe's global competitiveness. British
engineering company Rolls-Royce and Czech utility ČEZ have signed a Memorandum
of Understanding to explore the potential for small modular reactors in the Czech
Republic. Rolls-Royce is leading the UK SMR Consortium, which also includes Assystem,
Atkins, BAM Nuttall, Jacobs, Laing O’Rourke, National Nuclear Laboratory, Nuclear
Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and TWI. ČEZ has already entered into
similar agreements with NuScale and GE Hitachi. The UK SMR concept is a standard small pressure water reactor, with a
planned operating time of 60 years and installed power of 440 MWe. The construction
period of the entire facility should not exceed five years, ČEZ noted. Daniel Beneš, chairman of ČEZ added: "New
energy solutions and technologies play an important role in our business and we
have been focusing on small modular reactors for quite some time now, especially
in our top research company UJV Řež. In the future, they can be an important
alternative that we cannot ignore." ČEZ
operates six units at its Dukovany and Temelín nuclear power plants, which produce
more than a third of all electricity in the Czech Republic. ČEZ subsidiary Elektrárna
Dukovany II is currently working on the construction of a new unit at the Dukovany
site. It intends to operate the existing units for 60 years. Bohdan Zronek, a director of ČEZ's Nuclear Energy
Division, said: "Although we are working intensively on a new reactor unit at
Dukovany, we are involved in these projects with a view to further development
of nuclear energy, whose position in the energy mix of our company will continue to grow."
NEW NUCLEAR: Belarusian President celebrates start-up of new reactor
NEW NUCLEAR: Contract for first two Columbia class submarines for US Navy
REGULATION & SAFETY: European project to bolster earthquake protection
NEW NUCLEAR: Rolls-Royce and ČEZ to explore SMR deployment
Tom
Samson, interim CEO of the UK SMR Consortium, said: “The affordability and speed
with which we can assemble the entire power station will no doubt make it a very
attractive option for ČEZ as it looks to its future reliable low-carbon energy supply."
IN OTHER NEWS:
| • | US president-elect Joe Biden has
published his priorities on climate
change, including investment in the power sector and innovation. His future administration
would "move ambitiously to generate clean, American-made electricity to achieve
a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035" and "drive dramatic cost reductions
in critical clean energy technologies, including battery storage, negative emissions
technologies, the next generation of building materials, renewable hydrogen, and
advanced nuclear - and rapidly commercialise them, ensuring that those new technologies
are made in America". |
| • | China National Nuclear Corporation
on 5 November inaugurated a new business unit - Zhongyuan Operation and Maintenance
Overseas Engineering Company Limited - to provide overseas operation and maintenance
services. Based in Shanghai, Zhongyuan O&M was jointly funded and established
by CNNC subsidiaries China Zhongyuan Engineering Company, China Nuclear Power
Company, China Nuclear Environmental Protection Company and China Nuclear Maintenance
Company. CNNC said this marks an important achievement its integration of its
internal operation and maintenance advantages and building the group's international
brand for overseas operation and maintenance. |
| • | An amendment has been signed to
the Practical Arrangements between the International Atomic Energy Agency and
the Asian Regional Office of the Regional Cooperative Agreement, formally extending
their collaboration by an additional three years until September 2023. Organised
under the auspices of the IAEA, RCARO provides an intergovernmental framework
through which member countries in the region can promote and coordinate research,
development and training projects in nuclear science and technology. |
| • | On behalf of the French Alternative
Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, Orano TN is organising the return of three
isotopic generators containing strontium 90 to the USA. These were used to generate
electricity to supply beacons at sea for research purposes. The three generators
were transported from CEA Saclay to Cherbourg where they were loaded on a vessel
chartered by International Nuclear Services Limited before setting out for Charleston,
South Carolina, in order to reach their final destination in a storage site in Nevada. |
|
| 9 November 2020 |
Trump fires Defense chief Mark Esper | TheHill
Trump fires Defense chief Mark Esper | TheHill: President Trump on Monday announced he had fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper, a move that comes days after Joe Biden was projected to have won the presidential race. "I am pleased to
The Reason Renewables Can't Power Modern Civilization Is Because They Were Never Meant To | Energy Central
The Reason Renewables Can't Power Modern Civilization Is Because They Were Never Meant To | Energy Central: Policy makers in the United States (and the rest of the world) should learn from Germany's experiment in banning nuclear power in preference of unreliable solar and wind. It has increase energy insecurity and costs while decreasing reliability.https://www.wired.com/story/germany-rejected-nuclear-power-and-deadly-emissions-spiked/
ZNF's First Look: What to expect now that Biden is President-Elect | The Energy Collective Daily
ZNF's First Look: What to expect now that Biden is President-Elect | The Energy Collective Daily |
|
- ZNF's First Look: What to expect now that Biden is President-Elect
- REV2020: Resilience | Hopin
- The Reason Renewables Can't Power Modern Civilization Is Because They Were Never Meant To
- Four Facts about Covid and U.S. Electricity Consumption
- Power prices volatility in Brazil
- You say old coal plant, I say green hydrogen
- Questions about Forward Clean Energy Markets and Resource Adequacy for New England
- HyNet: Demonstrating an Integrated Hydrogen Economy
- Lessons for the energy transition from the golden age of steam!
- The foul-smelling fuel that could power big ships
Biden unveils COVID-19 task force | TheHill
Biden unveils COVID-19 task force | TheHill: President-elect Joe Biden on Monday named a number of health experts who will serve on his coronavirus task force.
Factbox: How a Biden presidency would transform the U.S. energy landscape | Reuters
Factbox: How a Biden presidency would transform the U.S. energy landscape | Reuters: Democrat Joe Biden has won the November U.S. presidential election, according to several major networks. Here are some of the changes that could occur in U.S. energy policy under his administration:
Iran hopes for a change in 'destructive U.S. policies' after Biden win | Reuters
Iran hopes for a change in 'destructive U.S. policies' after Biden win | Reuters: Iran's first vice president said he hoped for a change in "destructive U.S. policies" after Democrat Joe Biden captured the U.S. presidency on Saturday, adding that the era of Donald Trump and his "adventurous and belligerent" administration was over.
How China Is Racing To Expand Its Global Energy Influence | OilPrice.com
How China Is Racing To Expand Its Global Energy Influence | OilPrice.com: As the world races towards a green energy future, China is leveraging its position to expand its influence in global energy markets
KEPCO: Arab world’s first nuclear energy plant utilises Korean nuclear technology | Uae – Gulf News
KEPCO: Arab world’s first nuclear energy plant utilises Korean nuclear technology | Uae – Gulf News: How KEPCO helped set up the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant
UK and US groups partner on small modular nuclear reactors
UK and US groups partner on small modular nuclear reactors: UK-based global major industrial technology group Rolls-Royce and giant US private-sector electricity utility Exelon have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding the development and operation of small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear power plants (NPPs). Rolls-Royce is leading a consortium, supported by both industry and the British government, to develop an SMR NPP (being referred to as the UKSMR). Exelon currently operates 21 conventional (pressurised water) nuclear reactors in the ...
First major modular nuclear project having difficulty retaining backers | Ars Technica
First major modular nuclear project having difficulty retaining backers | Ars Technica: The complicated finances of the first major test of small modular nuclear reactors.
How Biden’s Presidency Could (Further) Transform the Power Sector
How Biden’s Presidency Could (Further) Transform the Power Sector: Joe Biden on Nov. 7 clinched the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency, barring Donald Trump’s prospects for a second-term. Almost immediately,
New Biden-Harris transition website lists plans for 4 key issues - Axios
New Biden-Harris transition website lists plans for 4 key issues - Axios: They include COVID-19, economic recovery, racial equity and climate change.
UK’s Core Power supports molten salt reactor development - Nuclear Engineering International
UK’s Core Power supports molten salt reactor development - Nuclear Engineering International: UK-based Core Power said that it has joined an international team to develop Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) technology that could be used to power ships.The international team includes US utility Southern Company, TerraPower, chaired by Microsoft...
Nuclear energy policy represents a bipartisan path forward on climate for the Biden Administration - Atlantic Council
Nuclear energy policy represents a bipartisan path forward on climate for the Biden Administration - Atlantic Council: With former Vice President Joe Biden now the President-elect of the United States, enthusiasm on the left is tempered by the likelihood that Republicans will keep the Senate. However, while the full scope of Democratic policies may not be realized by the next Congress, legislation that encourages the rapid deployment of nuclear energy technology represents an area where Democrats and Republicans can continue to work together—as they have over the last four years—on advancing technologies with the potential to decarbonize power systems at home and abroad.
Rolls-Royce-led consortium seals nuclear deal | This is Money
Rolls-Royce-led consortium seals nuclear deal | This is Money: CEZ is keen to assess if it could roll out a fleet of the consortium's reactors in the Czech Republic. The 'rapid assembly' power stations are about one-sixteenth of the size of a normal station.
Sunday, November 8, 2020
The future of nuclear: power stations could make hydrogen, heat homes and decarbonise industry | Watts Up With That?
The future of nuclear: power stations could make hydrogen, heat homes and decarbonise industry | Watts Up With That?: Nuclear power has provided low-carbon electricity to the UK for over 60 years and today it generates 17% of the country’s electricity. Until mid-2018, 15 nuclear reactors were the country’s largest…
Japan plans to dump a million tonnes of radioactive water into the Pacific. But Australia has nuclear waste problems, too
Japan plans to dump a million tonnes of radioactive water into the Pacific. But Australia has nuclear waste problems, too: Japan's plan is a terrible idea, but so is our government's plan to send nuclear waste to South Australia temporarily.
President Biden, Nuclear Weapons, and US Security: The First 100 Days - Union of Concerned Scientists
President Biden, Nuclear Weapons, and US Security: The First 100 Days - Union of Concerned Scientists: As President-elect Biden prepares for the enormous responsibility of becoming president of the United States, there is one question I want to ask him: Sir, are you a fan of a nuclear arms race? Because you are being handed one, a burgeoning nuclear and technology arms race waged by Russia, China, an
Iran's president calls on Biden to return to nuclear deal
Iran's president calls on Biden to return to nuclear deal: Iran's president called on President-elect Joe Biden to “compensate for past mistakes” and return the U.S. to Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, a state-run news agency reported Sunday. Hassan Rouhani's comments mark the highest-level response from Iran to Biden and Vice President-elect
California ISO Sees Problems When Diablo Canyon Retires | Clearing It Up | newsdata.com
California ISO Sees Problems When Diablo Canyon Retires | Clearing It Up | newsdata.com: California's grid operator and a private group supporting nuclear power are pointing to what they say will be reliability problems after the retirement of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant's
Complaint seeks FERC review of 2025 retirement of Diablo Canyon nuclear plant | S&P Global Platts | Energy Central
Complaint seeks FERC review of 2025 retirement of Diablo Canyon nuclear plant | S&P Global Platts | Energy Central: Instead of selling Diablo Canyon for an estimated $5 billion to help pay wildfire liability claims, owner PG&E has been allowed to abandon the plant and charge $5 billion to ratepayers (apparently, that's what PG&E's $108,000 donation to Gov. Newsom's gubernatorial campaign buys).From the article:"Californians for Green Nuclear Power filed a complaint with FERC against several
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