Blogs

A couple of days ago, Andrew, an Atomic Insights contributor pointed me to Dr. Peter Sandman, a man who built a career out of helping large organizations improve their ability to communicate about risk. I want to thank Andrew for helping me to put a name to a topic that I’ve been wanting to study...

8 May (NucNet): Priority objectives in UK nuclear regulation include reducing hazards at Sellafield and making “lasting improvements” in the country’s preparedness to respond to a nuclear emergency, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has said. ....

The processes may have been a little sloppy, but if the outcomes are good, so be it. First, in Florida : The Florida Supreme Court rejected on Thursday the challenge to a controversial law that allows electric utilities to collect money from their customers for nuclear-power plants that won't be...

7 May (NucNet): The first shipment of components from China to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in Cadarache, France, has left the Institute of Plasma Physics in Hefei and is scheduled to arrive on the ITER site on 5 June 2013...

Electricity generation at Dominion's Kewaunee nuclear power plant in Wisconsin ended today after almost 40 years of operation. ...read more

Support for the ailing European carbon market has continued with a joint letter from nine EU member states urging another attempt to put through 'backloading' measures as well as structural reform by the middle of this year. ...read more

The following guest post comes from Elizabeth McAndrew-Benavides, senior manager of workforce policy and programs at NEI: Anne Shatara is a single, working mother who in addition to her regular job at a nuclear energy facility has an intriguing third job. She is part of the facility’s emergency response...

About a week ago, ANS Nuclear Cafe shared the below video from Ontario Power Generation as part of their Friday Matinee series of videos. It’s pretty good and worth sharing here. If you wonder why I am taking the easy road out today and not writing very much, I suggest that you visit ANS Nuclear...

Glenn Ellmers Senior Communications Specialist   The NRC’s technical experts are highly educated individuals with a lot of expertise in their fields. But getting them to speak in plain English can be a challenge. That can be a problem because the public...

6 May (NucNet): Japan and Turkey have signed an agreement that could lead to the construction of Turkey’s second nuclear power station with four Atmea1 reactor units, a design developed by Areva-Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) joint venture Atmea. ...

We are going to return to the Moon. No question. And long-term human settlement will follow at some point, mainly to develop mineral and energy resources available on the Moon, but also to emplace protective systems aimed at avoiding large asteroid impacts...

If I lived in New York City, I would be campaigning against the installation of large, high pressure gas pipelines and for the continued operation of the well-built and well-maintained Indian Point Nuclear Power Station. I would also campaign for the construction of additional nuclear plants. In my opinion...

Generally, you know you’ve lost an argument, especially one with a political dimension,  when you bring in Nazism to bolster your point. What Nazism means is up to the ears of the listener as long as it boils down to “really bad.” It’s an effective argument killer, but unfortunately, if you bring...

Turkey stands to be the first country to use the Atmea1 reactor design by Areva and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. An accord signed today could see four of the units deployed at Sinop in the early 2020s. ...read more

3 May (NucNet): The UK has joined a new 1.6 billion euros (2 billion US dollars) international project whose aims include the development of nuclear fusion energy as “a long-term solution to dealing with climate change”, it was announced today. ...read...

London watchmaker Hoptroff has produced the world's first watch true atomic-clock accuracy. ...read more

Duke Energy has suspended plans to construct two new reactors at its existing Shearon Harris plant in North Carolina due to slower growth in electricity demand than previously expected. ...read more

3 May (NucNet): Foreign ownership could keep Nuclear Innovation North America (NINA) from pursuing a licence to build two 1,350-megawatt advanced boiling water reactors at the existing South Texas nuclear power plant site, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission...

One of the primary reasons I am sharing the above video is that it has an analog in the multi-decade effort to restrict the growth of nuclear technology. Though not the topic of this talk, Mark pointed out the similarity between the anti GMO and antinuclear movements. At minute 15:30 he said: Indeed...

3 May (NucNet): The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) has awarded more than one billion US dollars (760 million euros) in contracts to more than 180 companies in the United Arab Emirates since it was established to oversee the construction of...

Two recent editorials grapple with nuclear energy issues relevant to their states. The York (Penn.) Record becomes disturbed about some corrosion discovered on used fuel containers. A Nuclear Regulatory Commission report said that some of those casks could leak. It cited water-damaged containers that...

Canada's Cameco expects the restart of Japanese reactors and the signing of long-term supply contracts to kick-start the stagnant uranium market. The company saw income drop 93% in the first quarter of 2013. ...read more

2 May (NucNet): Poland has made significant progress in the development of its regulatory framework in preparation for the challenge of regulating nuclear power, a mission of nuclear safety experts has said. ...read more

A cooperation agreement on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy signed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Japan clears the way for the transfer of nuclear materials, technology and related items between the two countries. ...read more

Belgium's BR2 reactor is to run an additional production cycle to guarantee supplies of vital medical isotopes while the Netherlands' HFR reactor remains out of action due to unforeseen problems. ...read more