Nuclear Power Industry News

NRC Takes Steps to Enhance Small Modular Reactor License Review Framework

Nuclear Street News Team — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:13:00 GMT

Acting on an initiative advanced by Commissioner George Apostolakis and Chairman Gregory B. Jaczko, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has taken steps to further improve the licensing reviews of potential applications to license small modular reactors (SMRs). Commissioners Kristine Svinicki, William Magwood and William Ostendorff concurred in the proposal that directs the NRC staff to produce a plan within six months on how to more fully integrate the use of risk insights into pre-application activities and the potential review of small modular reactor applications. There is considerable interest in SMRs. The power level of these reactors would be significantly lower than that of existing reactors. Risk insights from PRAs could help focus resources on the most risk-significant aspects of a SMR design and enhance the safety focus of review guidance in the near term said Apostolakis....(read more)

NRC Finalizes License Transfer for Zion Nuclear Power Station to ZionSolutions LLC

Nuclear Street News Team — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:58:00 GMT

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has finalized the transfer of the possession license for the Zion Nuclear Power Station from Exelon Generating Company LLC to ZionSolutions LLC. The license transfer is effective as of today. The two unit plant is located about 40 miles north of Chicago. The Zion station has been shut down since 1998. The NRC modified the original operating and possessing of radioactive materials license to a possession-only license for the purposes of storage and decommissioning activities. ...(read more)

Chinese VVER Reactors Start Using Domestically Made Fuel

Nuclear Street News Team — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:56:00 GMT

Russian nuclear fuel producer TVEL and Jiangsu Nuclear Power Corporation (JNPC) signed a contract in December 1997 for the supply of fuel for the initial core loading of Tianwan units 1 and 2, as well as three subsequent reloads for each unit. Since signing the contract, TVEL has produced 638 fuel assemblies for the two VVER-1000 pressurized water reactors (PWRs) at Tianwan. The last batch of fuel to be supplied under that contract was delivered in March....(read more)

Romania Delegation Coming to U.S. To Discuss Nuclear Power Plans – Suppliers Welcome to Attend

Nuclear Street News Team — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:44:00 GMT

Energetics Incorporated, a wholly owned subsidiary of VSE Corporation, reported today that the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is hosting a delegation from Romania on a visit to Washington, DC and other U.S. locations to encourage partnerships with U.S. businesses that can participate in and support Romania's civil nuclear power development plans. Energetics Incorporated is providing strategic and logistical support to the mission. The delegation is led by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and the Business Environment and is comprised of senior leaders from EnergoNuclear, Nucleareletrica, and the Nuclear Agency and Radioactive Waste. ...(read more)

NRC Accepts “Best place to work” Honors

Nuclear Street News Team — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:40:00 GMT

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, a 4,000-strong independent federal safety regulator dedicated to protecting people and the environment, has for the third time in succession been named the "Best Place to Work" in the federal government by the Partnership for Public Service. The selection, in cooperation with the American University Institute for the Study of Public Policy Implementation, also marked the first time since the inception of the survey of federal employees that any agency has ranked at the top in all four survey categories. The categories are: Leadership and Knowledge Management, Results-oriented Performance Culture, Talent Management, and Job Satisfaction. ...(read more)

Waste Control Specialists Selects Company to Build Low-level Radioactive Waste Facility

Nuclear Street News Team — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:24:00 GMT

Waste Control Specialists reached another milestone in Andrews County, Texas. Waste Control Specialists has selected a company to build its low-level radioactive waste disposal facility. Colorado based DelHur industries will start construction later this year after 75 million dollars in financing becomes available. DelHur was the contractor that previously expanded Waste Control Specialists' current hazardous waste landfill. ...(read more)

GSN: Nation's Nuclear Power Plants Prepare for Cyberattacks

Nuclear Street News Team — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:09:00 GMT

According to Global Security News, the threat to digital systems at the country's nuclear power plants is considerable, but the sector is better prepared to defend against potentially devastating cyberattacks than most other utilities, according to government and industry officials and experts. Cyberattacks have been an increasing source of concern in recent years but the threat was highlighted in July by the first discovery of malicious code specifically formulated to target the systems that direct the inner operations of industrial plants. To date the malware is thought to have infected more than 15,000 computers worldwide, mostly in Iran, Indonesia and India. The issue is critically important for new nuclear power facilities that would be built in the United States and throughout the world as control rooms would employ digital systems to operate the plants. Those state-of-the-art instruments and systems make them targets for hackers....(read more)

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility - Expansion Breaks Ground Today

Nuclear Street News Team — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:05:00 GMT

- Edited By Chris Reed - The U.S. Department of Energy is breaking ground on a $73.2 million expansion and renovation at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The department is holding a ceremony Wednesday to inaugurate the construction phase of the Technology and Engineering Development...(read more)

First Uranium Recovery License in 20 Years to Be Issued To Moore Ranch in Wyoming

Nuclear Street News Team — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has determined there are no major environmental impacts that would preclude licensing the Moore Ranch uranium recovery project proposed for Campbell County, Wyoming. In its final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Moore Ranch project, published Aug. 27, the NRC determined only small to moderate environmental impacts would result from the construction, operation and decommissioning of the proposed in-situ recovery facility. Most of the impacts are projected to be "small," meaning they would be undetectable or so minor that they would not noticeably alter any important attribute of the resource in question. The EIS also identifies "small to moderate" socioeconomic impacts, primarily due to the potential need for additional housing for employees at the facility. "Moderate" impacts are defined as being sufficient to alter the resource noticeably, but not destabilize its important attributes. ...(read more)

EIA –Monthly Energy Review August 2010 Release

Nuclear Street News Team — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:57:00 GMT

The MER provides monthly and annual data on total energy production, consumption, and trade; energy prices; overviews of petroleum, natural gas, coal, electricity, nuclear energy, renewable energy, and international petroleum; carbon dioxide emissions; and data unit conversions. ...(read more)

India Adopts Nuclear Liability Bill

Nuclear Street News Team — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

According to the India Times, Paving the way for India to have nuclear commerce with the world, parliament on Monday adopted a nuclear liability bill with the government insisting that the compensation package for victims matches that of the US and it was still open to accommodate some suggestions. With BJP on board after its suggestions were accepted, the Civil Liability for the Nuclear Damages Bill, 2010 was adopted by the Rajya Sabha by a voice vote after it rejected certain amendments moved by the Left parties. ...(read more)

Tyco Flow Control Opens $25M Nuclear Valve Manufacturing Facility

Nuclear Street News Team — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:56:00 GMT

Tyco Flow Control, a unit of Tyco International, opened a $25 million testing and manufacturing facility in Mansfield on July 20, one of the largest facilities of its type in the world, according to a company release. The advanced nuclear testing and development facility stretches larger than two football fields, occupying 118,000 square-feet....(read more)

First Energy Nuclear Operating Company Submits License Renewal Application for Davis-Besse

Nuclear Street News Team — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:50:00 GMT

FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. announced today that it had submitted an application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for renewal of the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station operating license. The 908-megawatt plant located in Oak Harbor, Ohio, is licensed to operate until 2017. If approved, license renewal would extend operations for an additional 20 years, until 2037....(read more)

China Valves' Subsidiary Becomes a Qualified Supplier of China Nuclear Power Engineering Co., Ltd.

Nuclear Street News Team — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:49:00 GMT

China Valves Technology, Inc. (China Valves), a leading Chinese metal valve manufacturer, today announced that one of its subsidiaries, Able Delight (Changsha) Valve Co., Ltd. ("Able Delight"), has been certified as a qualified supplier of China Nuclear Power Engineering Co., Ltd. ("CNPE"). Able Delight is China Valves' second subsidiary after Kaifeng High Pressure Valve Co., Ltd. to receive the certification....(read more)

Turkey to Sign Agreement for Korea's APR 1400 in November

Nuclear Street News Team — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Turkey and South Korea are planning in mid-November to enter into one of the most important phases of the process of building a nuclear power plant in northern Turkey worth nearly $10 billion, sources close to the project said Friday. This week's talks went well, and the target of the two countries is to sign the inter-governmental agreement during the G-20 summit in Seoul in mid-November said one source. The South Korean capital is scheduled to host the next summit of the Group of 20 countries on Nov. 11 and 12. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to represent Turkey at the gathering....(read more)