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Tough Conditions Change Prospects for New Reactors This is my updated coverage of the outlook for construction of new nuclear reactors in Texas as published in Fuel Cycle Week , V10:N443, 09/29/11, by International Nuclear Associates, Washington, DC. In 2007, Texas was the place to be for working on...

There are no tsunamis in Texas but that’s where the impact could be felt first This is my coverage for Fuel Cycle Week for March 17, 2011, V10:N416 published by International Nuclear Associates, Washington, DC. It has been updated to reflect breaking news. The nuclear crisis in Japan has sparked questions...

Progress noted in Texas and Virginia The nuclear renaissance in the U.S. had some tough going in 2010. The low point of the year was Constellation's decision to walk away from the Calvert Cliffs III reactor project over a dispute with the federal government about loan guarantees. The project may...

Congress fails to add $9 billion in coverage The effort by the Obama administration’s ship of state to provide federal loan guarantees to three more nuclear reactor projects hit the rocks this week. The House passed the Senate version of a supplemental appropriations bill which dropped them from the...

Costs, risks, and lack of a price on carbon all play in their decisions Two of the nation’s largest nuclear utilities are sounding a retreat from building new nuclear reactors in the near-term. In separate speeches Entergy ( NYSE:ETR ) CEO J. Wayne Leonard and Exelon ( NYSE:EXC ) CEO John Rowe said they...

Japanese utility will take an 18% share and provide technical support for construction of two 1,350 MW ABWR reactors NRG ( NYSE:NRG ) announced May 10 a far ranging and ground-breaking deal with Tokyo Electric Power Company ( TEPCO ) which will become a partner in the construction and operation of two...

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...

Exelon to NRG: I have you in my clutches my dear Chicago-based Exelon ( NYSE:EXC ), which exemplifies the spirit of a  city that will not take “no” for an answer, claims it now has 51%or a controlling interest in New Jersey-based NRG Energy ( NYSE:NRG ).  Although, most of what Exelon wants...

Got loan guarantees?  Five do most don’t. Two are in Texas. Two nuclear energy utilities in Texas are rejoicing this week as they learned they are on the short list of projects likely to get a piece of $18.5 billion in federal loan guarantees for new nuclear power plants.  NRG Energy , which...

A big NRG shareholder says the all-stock deal isn’t worth it A major shareholder of NRG ( NYSE:NRG ), Solus Alternative Asset  Management LP, based in New York, has balked at selling its stake in NRG to Exelon ( NYSE:EXC ) as part of that firm’s all-stock effort to take over the utility. It will...

Exelon and NRG face uncertainties for new nuclear builds in the lone star state No one outside of NRG ( NYSE:NRG ) really knows what it will cost to  build the 3rd and 4th units at the South Texas Project ( STP ), but that hasn’t stopped NRG, the New Jersey utility that is building them, from seeking...

Hostile takeover effort is extended to Feb 25 The Wall Street Journal reports that Exelon Corp. ( NYSE:EXC ) will  extend its offer for NRG Energy Inc. ( NYSE:NRG ) by seven weeks to Feb 25 as a result of having acquired 45.6% or 106.5 million shares since November. NRG's stock closed at $28...

All stock offer for $6.2 billion is rejected in a heated exchange of letters After making an unsolicited $6.2 billion all stock offer for NRG  ( NYSE:NRG ), Chicago-based Exelon ( NYSE:EXC ) got a strong and unequivocal "no" from Princeton-based NRG.  The Wall Street Journal reports...

Holds out for a better deal. Will it get one? The Wall Street Journal reports NRG Energy Inc. ( NYSE:NRG ) has  rejected a $6 billion unsolicited takeover bid from Exelon Corp., ( NYSE:EXC ) saying that the offer "grossly undervalues" the firm. NRG said that despite its decision, it was...

That's a really big deal The Wall Street Journal reports that Exelon Corp. ( NYSE:EXC ) said it made a $6.2 billion all-stock offer to buy power generator NRG Energy Inc., ( NYSE:NRG ) an indication that falling stock prices in the power sector are creating demand for deals like this one. An acquisition...

San Antonio may take 50% share The Dallas Morning News reports the Austin City Council voted Thursday not to invest in two new nuclear reactors that NRG Energy plans to build at the South Texas Project nuclear plant. The city is part owner of the nuclear plant, along with NRG and San Antonio. NRG had...

Municipal energy utility must step up to the plate or walk away A minority investor in NRG's South Texas Project has received a consultant's report that recommends against investing in two new reactors there. The City of Austin, TX, hired Worley Parsons Resources & Energy of Houston. The...

Federal loan guarantees and risk insurance are expect to help by: Dan Yurman, Contributing Reporter Fuel Cycle Week 10/23/07 V6 N251 NRG Energy ( NYSE:NRG ) and the South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company said Sept 24 it will file a Combined Construction and Operating License Application (COLA...

You can't tell the players without a scorecard In 2001 Michael Shermer, a columnist for Scientific American, introduced the concept of baloney detection , which is the fine art of detecting fraud in the scientific and engineering realms. Schermer asks five questions which are appropriate for assessing...