July, 2009

• Overall performance in the first half of 2009 • Backlog of orders as of June 30, 2009: 48.9 billion euro, a 28% increase compared to June 30, 2008 • First half 2009 sales revenue: 6.5 billion euro, up 6% - By Stephen Heiser - In Nuclear, the levels of activity among the various divisions and their contribution to revenues can vary significantly from one half of the year to the...

Second Quarter 2009 Financial Highlights $722 million of cash from operations, a 66% increase compared to the second quarter of 2008 $747 million of adjusted EBITDA, excluding mark-to-market (MtM), versus $683 million in the second quarter of 2008 $230 million of adjusted EBITDA produced by Reliant Energy in its first two months of NRG ownership $2,500 million adjusted EBITDA guidance for 2009,...

Poll finds only one in five are very interested in keeping up to date on energy issues - By Abby Gessner - While Congress debates the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, much education is needed to enhance public knowledge, understanding and interest in various sources of electrical power, their associated benefits and risks and the value of becoming more energy efficient. These...

Flowserve valves will be used at two sites in the Southeastern United States - By Stephen Heiser - Flowserve Corporation, a leading provider of flow control products and services for the global infrastructure markets, has announced it has received more than $45 million (USD) in orders from Westinghouse Electric Co. for four AP1000 units at two new nuclear power plant sites under construction...

New Online Media Kit Highlights Progress Made on Important Nuclear Nonproliferation Project - By Mark McFadden - The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has marked the second full year of successful construction of the Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel Fabrication Facility at the Savannah River Site (SRS) near Aiken, South Carolina, by launching a new online multimedia kit on NNSA’s website...

PSC Decision will Delay Review of the Company’s Proposed Nuclear Joint Venture with EDF Group - By Abby Gessner - Constellation Energy has released the following statement regarding the decision by the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) to delay its review of the proposed nuclear joint venture between Constellation Energy and EDF Group. “We are disappointed that the PSC has...

In the meantime, demobilization will proceed - By Stephen Heiser - USEC Inc. has announced that it is requesting that the Obama administration review further the economic recovery and national and energy security benefits of providing a loan guarantee for the American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon, Ohio. This announcement comes in response to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) request...

It is time for US nuclear power plant projects with a first-wave build strategy to consider moving to the second wave - By Edward Kee - Most new nuclear power plant projects in the US seem to be pursuing a first-wave build strategy. This strategy involves a significant early commitment of resources, while deferring the investment decision and retaining the option to defer or cancel the actual...

For the six months ended June 30, Southern Company's earnings were $604.3 million - By Linton Levy - Southern Company has reported second quarter earnings of $478.6 million, or 61 cents a share, compared with $416.4 million for the second quarter of 2008, or 54 cents a share, in the same period a year ago. For the six months ended June 30, Southern Company's earnings were $604.3 million...

Competition calls for technical papers authored by students covering all areas relevant to the activities of the ASME’s Pressure Vessel and Piping Division - By Abby Gessner - At the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Pressure Vessels and Piping conference in Prague, six prizes were today awarded to engineering and physical sciences graduate and under-graduate students who...

Laser knocks out a core electron from every aluminium atom in a sample without disrupting the metal's crystalline structure - By Abby Gessner - Oxford scientists have created a real, transparent form of aluminium by bombarding the metal with the world's most powerful soft X-ray laser. 'Transparent aluminium' previously existed only in science fiction, featured in the movie Star...

Universities across the United States will receive roughly $6 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to buoy their nuclear energy research and education programs - B y Kortny Rolston , INL Communications - Infrastructure grants will go to 29 U.S. universities in 23 states through Nuclear Energy University Programs, a DOE Office of Nuclear Energy initiative administered by Idaho National Laboratory's...

Contract is extension of the relationship established by Shaw and Westinghouse to provide engineering, procurement and construction services - By Stephen Heiser - The Shaw Group Inc. has announced the Maintenance and Fossil & Nuclear segments of its Power Group and Westinghouse Electric Company have been awarded a new long-term alliance contract with South Carolina Electric & Gas Company...

Wind meets reality and the people who need the electricity get stuck between the crosshairs - By Randy Brich - As a windsurfer I’m intimately aware of the power of the wind, especially while sailing the legendary winds of the Columbia River Gorge. As a windsurfer I’m also mindful of the diurnal nature of thermal wind: low in the morning, building during the day to a peak then decreasing...

NextEra Energy Resources reports solid results - By Linton Levy - FPL Group, Inc. has reported 2009 second quarter net income on a GAAP basis of $370 million, or $0.91 per share, compared with $209 million, or $0.52 per share, in the second quarter of 2008. Compared to the prior-year quarter, NextEra Energy Resources’ net income increased by $183 million while Florida Power & Light’s...

Company begins demobilization of American Centrifuge Plant - By Stephen Heiser - USEC Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer John K. Welch issued the following statement today after being advised that the U.S. Department of Energy would not proceed with USEC’s application for a loan guarantee to complete construction of the American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon Ohio: “We are...

800 MW Unit 8 at the Bruce B generating station has returned to service - By Linton Levy - Bruce Power's 800 MW Unit 8 at the Bruce B generating station has returned to service following an outage that began on July 14 due to a surplus of baseload generation in Ontario. Unit 3,4,5, 6 and 7 all remain online. On June 20, 2009 Unit 8 at the Bruce B generating station was returned to service...

Membership surpasses the 2,000 mark reflecting a growing consensus on the benefits of nuclear power - By Abby Gessner - The Clean and Safe Energy Coalition (CASEnergy) is proud to announce that its membership has exceeded 2,000 with the addition of its newest members - Miami-Dade County Commissioner Joe Martinez and the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SAHCC). “We welcome the...

A little competition is a healthy thing for BOTH sides, so let’s start competing - Stephen Heiser - Russian energy engineers looked out at the ocean and said, “Hey, that would be a great place to put a reactor. There are no other generation assets close by and it could supply power right where it is needed. It would be surrounded by the world’s best moderator and it could float...

Georgia Power parent could initiate licensing requests as early as 2011 - Edited by April Murelio - According to a report by the Augusta Chronicle, Southern Company, which operates Plant Vogtle near Augusta, might build another nuclear generating plant and could initiate licensing requests as early as 2011. “The forecast date is 2011, but that is an early estimate to support some long...

Wins order from Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) to replace the Gentilly-2 Nuclear Generating Station’s Digital Control Computers - By Stephen Heiser - L-3 MAPPS has won an order from Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) to replace the Gentilly-2 Nuclear Generating Station’s Digital Control Computers (DCCs). DCC systems are used to monitor and control the major reactor and...

Sustainable Energy, Sustainable Developments - By April Murelio - The availability of sustainable energy in developing countries is key to efforts to reduce poverty and improve living standards. Through its technical cooperation activities, the IAEA is helping Member States to plan for and achieve the development of a sustainable nuclear power sector that can help meet countries´ rising...

The three new nuclear stations would each be able to deliver twice as much electricity as Koeberg - Edited by Abby Gessner - According to a report in the Mail & Guardian, South Africa is considering three nuclear power stations on its coastline despite objections from environmentalists. The country currently has Africa's sole nuclear plant, Koeberg, near Cape Town, which began generating...

Entergy gets 6-month extension from the NRC for spinoff - By Linton Levy - According to an AP report, The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has given Entergy Corp. an extra six months to try to win state approvals and get financing to spin off five nuclear plants in New England, New York and Michigan. Enexus hopes to spin off Enexus Energy Corp. as a new company to own the plants: Pilgrim in Plymouth...

AECL wants to build first skatchewan nuclear plant - By Abby Gessner - According to a Canadian News report, the day after Bruce Power announced plans to study the potential for nuclear power in Saskatchewan, “Canada’s nuclear energy company” made a pitch to build the province’s first reactor. “If Saskatchewan decides to adopt nuclear, it is very well-positioned and...