February, 2010

Experience varies widely What’s a state legislature to do? The President earlier this month went to Maryland, which already had two nuclear reactors and is planning a third, to announce he’s granting an $8.3 billion loan guarantee to two more new nuclear reactors in Georgia. That’s two states down, 48...

This blog post is an edited version of a column published in Fuel Cycle Week , 02/17/10 V9:N364 by International Nuclear Associates, Washington, DC. Cameco re-enters Cigar Lake mine after flood Cameco Corp ( TSX:CCO ) announced Feb 11 its crews re-entered the main working level of the Cigar Lake mine...

A view from the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee: The Effect of Climate Change on the Nuclear Energy R&D Portfolio Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) NEI Conference Agenda (Two video clips below) Full text of speech (16 min) Q&A session on federal support for next generation and small reactors...

TVA to test MOX fuel The Tennessee Valley Authority will consider using MOX fuel in its Sequoyah and Browns Ferry plants. The National Nuclear Security Administration announced today that it has signed an interagency agreement with TVA to evaluate the use of mixed oxide (MOX) fuel. TVA will have to submit...

Speech is at federal engineers award ceremony In a world consumed by fantastic fads and tenuous trends, it is worth the occasional reminder that principles matter. This month that message comes from outgoing NRC commissioner Dale Klein . He was the keynote speaker at the Federal Engineer of the Year...

PBMR to lay off 75% of staff The South African government will stop funding research and development work on the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR). About 600 of the 800 staff will be let go which is expected to trigger an exodus of nuclear expertise from the country. Public Enterprise Minister Barbara...

Shumlin thumbs his nose at the White House The New York Times reports that the Vermont Senate has voted 26-4 to deny Entergy’s ( NYSE:ETR ) Vermont Yankee nuclear power station a ‘certificate of public good.” The vote against the plant was led by State Senate leader Peter Shumlin. In effect, the legislature...

Former UN weapons inspector has new role with civilian nuclear agency The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced it hired Hans Blix (right) to head up a nine-member board of nuclear energy experts to monitor the nation’s development of a massive civilian nuclear energy program. In December the UAE awarded...

NRG makes peace with CPS President Obama's announcement ( videos ) Feb 16 of an $8.3 billion loan guarantee for twin Westinghouse 1,150 MW AP1000 reactors at Southern's Vogtle site in Georgia has snapped heads to attention in Texas. Obama also said he would ask Congress for an additional $36...

But that’s about all The citizens of Victoria, Texas , could be forgiven if they do not take kindly to questions about Exelon’s ( NYSE:EXC ) intentions to build two nuclear reactors there. After a whirlwind courtship, the nation’s largest utility backed out of the relationship and said it just wanted...

He approves $8.3 billion in the first federal loan guarantees for nuclear energy President Barack Obama finally came out in support of nuclear energy after a year of apparent indifference. This past week he approved $8.3 billion in federal loan guarantees for two new Westinghouse AP1000 1,150 MW nuclear...

This blog post is an edited version of a column published in Fuel Cycle Week 02/11/10 V9:N363 by International Nuclear Associates, Washington, DC. Colorado uranium miners may face new rules for ISR operations Two bills passed by the legislature last year aimed at uranium miners have resulted in draft...

Breaking News Feb 16, 2010 Google News USA Today Washington Post Idaho Samizdat ~ http://djysrv.blogspot.com ...read more

Public perceptions and NRC regulatory views are at odds with each other Entergy ( NYSE:ETR ) must feel that more than a few people got out of the wrong side of the bed this week as it pursues relicensing of two nuclear reactors in New York and one in Vermont. At the Indian Point plant In New York, a...

The Department of Energy wants to dispose of it by Rod Adams, Publisher, Atomic Insights Cross-posted with permission - link The US Department of Energy has a stockpile of approximately one ton of  Uranium 233 that was produced as part of several experimental programs including the Molten Salt Reactor...

U.S. and France dismiss results as “politics not physics,” but the threat is real Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (right) claimed this week in a speech marking the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution that it has the capacity to make “weapons grade” uranium which could lead to the fabrication...

Vogtle’s twin reactors are expected to enter revenue service starting in 2016 Dow Jones News Wires reports the Department of Energy will award the first conditional loan guarantee for a new nuclear power plant in the U.S. to Southern Co.'s ( NYSE:SO ) Vogtle plant in Georgia. The official announcement...

Everyone wants their badge on your blog Out with the Old In response to a comment about web page load time, I’ve removed a few widgets and badges from the left column and streamlined a few other things. The three Facebook badges seem to have been the main culprits for Javascript errors. Despite the fact...

Budapest hosts annual PIME Conference for nuclear communicators 11 Feb ( NucNet ) The annual PIME meeting ( conference website ) for nuclear communications professionals begins in Budapest, Hungary, on Sunday with three days of plenary sessions including a special showcase with presentations on recent...

Government takes next steps in shift from fossil fuels The Italian government issued a policy statement this week identifying the  site selection criteria to locate four new nuclear reactors.  The first unit will break ground by 2013 and is expected to be in revenue service by 2020.  Reuters...

Print and electronic media ads will run in multiple venues The Nuclear Energy Institute ( NEI ), based in Washington, DC, has started a new advertising campaign aimed at federal and state policymakers on the benefits of nuclear energy. The seven-month campaign includes a series of six print advertisements...

Kentucky scouts for nuclear plant sites State officials in the blue grass state, which is dominated by the coal industry, are scouting potential nuclear power plant sites around Kentucky as part of an effort to expand the state's electricity supply beyond coal-fired generators. One of the potential...

Green groups must scale back baiting the public because the fact don’t support their claims ( NucNet ) There are “no significant differences” between radioactive strontium 90 ( Sr-90 ) levels in fish caught near the Indian Point nuclear power plant compared to fish caught further upstream in the Hudson...

Progress reported on $2 billion loan guarantee and NRC license application An Areva executive says the Department of Energy has completed the due diligence on a $2 billion federal loan guarantee for the gas centrifuge Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility planned to be built 18 miles west of Idaho Falls, ID...

February 1, 2010 Dr. John P. Holdren Director, Office of Science & Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President Washington, D.C. cc. Dr. Steven Chu, Secretary, Department of Energy 24 member Committee—National Academies “America’s Energy Future” Members of Congress Dear Dr. Holdren: Peace...