March, 2008

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $18.3 million to four industry teams to further develop plans for an initial nuclear fuel recycling center and advanced recycling reactor as part of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP). The awards include $5.9 million to EnergySolutions; $5.7 million...

Short takes from Canada and the U.S. Scientific American reports that the new build unfolding in the U.K. is closely watching progress in the U.S. and likes what it sees.  One of the U.K.'s top nuclear officials said that she was told the U.S. will okay plans to build the first nuclear power...

Mining uranium exploration press releases for useful stuff (A monthly column of money and mining news items) The rise of nuclear energy, a second act if ever there was one, has given the price of uranium a shot in the arm. In western states in the U.S. interest in uranium mining is growing and with it...

New reactors and new business units announced The new nuclear build in Texas is the heart of the nuclear renaissance in the U.S., and even when the players there take a step backwards it is still a form of progress.  The Dallas Morning News reports that Energy Future Holdings and NRG have both throttled...

After a few internal delays the coast is clear Turkey opened for business this week issuing a "tender" for three new nuclear plants. The country's energy ministry also said Turkey would guarantee purchase of electricity from the plants for the first 15 years of operation.  In addition...

New York is the first state to formally oppose relicensing of a nuclear power plant At a time when the rest of the world is experiencing what is called a " nuclear renaissance ," the situation in the Empire State appears to be retrograding into a dark age where all things nuclear are considered...

The country is turning on the warp drive to get a new generation of nuclear energy plants The Guardian reports that the current UK government is even more "bullish" on the advantages of building new nuclear energy plants. In 2006 Tony Blair, then prime minister, made it clear that he favored...

A commercial reactor could be in operation by 2013 After a series of fits and starts development of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) appears to be getting back on track.  According to wire service reports in South Africa the demonstration reactor design is completed, and construction is due...

Industrial revenue bonds are a key feature Efforts in New Mexico to secure Areva's $2 billion uranium enrichment plant hinge on the use of industrial revenue bonds. According to a report in the Las Cruces Sun, Lea County Commissioners have approved economic incentives that local officials hope will...

Former Greenpeace founder advocates nuclear energy as a solution to global warming ~ The Partnership for Science & Technology (PST) is sponsoring the event. Patrick Moore, co-founder of Greenpeace, is chairman and chief scientist of Greenspirit Strategies . He will speak in Idaho Falls on April 22nd...

Atomic energy will drive the country's economic  growth without  adding to greenhouse gases Japan's Atomic Energy Commission today issued a report that advocates that country take the lead in promoting nuclear energy worldwide as part of efforts to fight global warming.  Japan...

150 people turn out for her appearance Gwyneth Cravens, the author of the book "The Power to Save the World, the Truth About Nuclear Energy," spoke to a friendly audience in Idaho Falls this week.  appearing before a group composed of members of the local chapter of the American Nuclear...

Incentives are aimed at landing a $2 billion uranium enrichment facility in Idaho The Idaho Senate today passed two bills by 2:1 margins aimed at providing tax incentives designed to attract a $2 billion uranium enrichment plant. The site under consideration by French nuclear giant Areva is located west...

  An occasional survey of what other nuclear blogs are saying.  Every nuclear blog has a blog roll, which lists the blogs the publisher thinks would be interesting to readers. I'm starting a new occasional series to survey some highlights of my blog roll. Over at Atomic Insights Rod Adams...

NRC Commissioner says feds fall short Gregory Jaczko, a member of the Nuclear Regulatory  Commission ( NRC ), went to London last week to say the obvious about federal loan guarantees , something he should be saying here in the states.  What he said was that the U.S. government's $18.5...

With all the attention being paid to Areva's plans for a  new, $2 billion uranium enrichment plant in the U.S., the question becomes, how much uranium enrichment capacity is needed in North America.  The answer is "more than you think."  Where will it come from the answer...

That was the week that was The race to land a deal for a $2 billion uranium enrichment plant is coming down to the final lap. It's not NASCAR, but plenty is known about the five leaders in the pack based on reports in the news media. There are five sites that have been confirmed in the news media...

Citizens groups are fired up in opposition to the governor's endorsement Ohio Governor Ted Strickland is said to have made public statements in support of locating Areva's planned  uranium enrichment plant at Piketon, OH. According to a report on a Dayton, OH, blog, Ted Strickland has announced...

Process heat applications could drive the project South Africa’s fourth-generation nuclear power technology, the pebble-bed modular reactor ( PBMR ), has a real chance that it could be demonstrated, in a process heat application, at the Idaho National Laboratory ( INL ) near Idaho Falls, ID, according...

New customers and limits on natural gas for tar sands region may make the difference Bloomberg wire service reports that Bruce Power , the only non- government owner of a Canadian nuclear plant, filed an application to prepare a site for the first nuclear power plant in Alberta. The wire service reported...

Idaho Falls was worried the Senate might ice the puck and stop their efforts The Associated Press reports that the Idaho Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee, in a squeaker of a vote at 5-4, approved a measure that would cap the taxable value of a possible Areva uranium enrichment plant near...

Mining uranium exploration press releases for useful news The rise of the nuclear energy has given the price of uranium a shot in the arm. In western states in the U.S. interest in uranium mining is growing and with it comes another growth industry - the production of press releases about the uranium...

Energy communities across the U.S. turn to Congress for relief A critical issue for the future of the Idaho National Laboratory ( INL ) nuclear energy mission is unfolding in an area where the incumbent site contract on the R&D side of the house has little control. The issue is that advocacy for...

Jobs are going begging in the booming nuclear industry The Philadelphia Inquirer has a report this week that "a job boom is shaking the nuclear industry." In an economy that is headed south my almost every measure, one of the bright spots is nuclear energy. The newspaper says that industry...

Transition Power tells the NRC it will file a reactor license application by 2010 Utah State Rep. Aaron Tilton is jolting some neural neutrons in Utah with a letter he sent to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission ( NRC ) this week. In it Tilton, the nominal head of a shell corporation called Transition...