Nuclear Energy Institute

A Boy and His Nuclear Reactor

2013-05-17T19:08:00Z

Taylor Wilson built a fusion reactor at age 14 and remains interested in nuclear technology. So, at 19, he has presented his idea for a small reactor concept that uses molten salt to make the smaller reactor both more powerful and more efficient than their cousins. Wilson's fission reactor operates at 600 to 700 degrees Celsius. And because the ...read more...(read more)

Guest Post: College Champions Debate Nuclear Energy

2013-05-17T14:44:00Z

Bob Bishop The following guest post comes from Bob Bishop, nuclear guru and former general counsel at NEI: Each year, hundreds of university students from around the country participate in local, regional and national debate tournaments. In addition to their regular studies, they spend countless hours researching the topic and how best they can argue ...read more...(read more)

Can You Make an Ethical Case for Nuclear Energy?

2013-05-16T12:51:00Z

Over the course of the history of NEI Nuclear Notes, I've assiduously avoided sharing coverage from the financial press for a variety of reasons, foremost of which is the fact that we shouldn't be in the business of providing investment advice. But this morning I'm compelled to share a clip from a U.K. publication called Financial Reporter ...read more...(read more)

Low Carbon Emissions? Look to Nuclear, Hydro

2013-05-15T20:27:00Z

Ceres has produced a new report called Benchmarking Air Emissions, which shows that the electric generating business has done a significant job in reducing a variety of greenhouse gases, notably nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide. Nuclear energy does not weigh heavily into the report because new nuclear power is still a few years away ...read more...(read more)

Leveling the Board for Nuclear Trade

2013-05-13T21:13:00Z

A letter in the Baltimore Sun suggests the paper had featured an interesting op-ed recently. First, the letter : Dan Ervin's commentary on lifting restrictions on U.S. companies supplying nuclear power equipment abroad is completely misleading ("A nuclear opportunity," May 6). Nuclear energy is not, as Mr. Ervin says, pollutant free ...read more...(read more)

Experts Weigh In: Joseph Mangano Study Hopelessly Flawed

2013-05-10T20:48:00Z

For the nuclear industry, safety is the top priority, and it goes to great lengths to minimize radiation exposure to the public and employees. So exhaustive are these measures that nuclear power plants only account for .1% of the annual radiation that a typical American is exposed to. Nearly half come from medical exposures . Yet Joseph Mangano seems ...read more...(read more)

The State-of-Play of Nuclear Safety After Fukushima

2013-05-10T20:29:00Z

If anything set the table for the American nuclear industry’s response to the accident at Fukushima Daiichi, it was the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. After that event, all essential infrastructure and its security was put on the menu for a rethink. For all kinds of power plants, an important issue was keeping them functional in the face of a ...read more...(read more)

“So many mothers against nuclear energy!”–And For It, Too.

2013-05-09T17:27:00Z

A photographer named Nonoko Kameyama decided to take pictures of mothers (with their children) who are against reopening the nuclear facilities in Japan. Kameyama is unquestionably moved to use her craft to support her views. In 2006 I took a break and travelled to Nepal. That was a turning point for me - my passion came back right away. I was ...read more...(read more)

Sensible Nuclear Outcomes in Florida and India

2013-05-07T20:40:00Z

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 built for years — if ever. The unanimous ruling, in ...read more...(read more)

Guest Post: Mom Responds To Nuclear Emergency

2013-05-07T13:30:00Z

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 organization (ERO). "I hold the position ...read more...(read more)

***, Soviets and Chatham House

2013-05-03T20:29:00Z

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 up Hitler, you lose, because your arguments have ...read more...(read more)

Fair and Unfair Nuclear Editorials

2013-05-02T20:27:00Z

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 held spent fuel from both of our local nuke plants ...read more...(read more)

Right Side Up Down Under

2013-04-29T20:55:00Z

Something we always like to hear : Nuclear energy has received the thumbs up from a former anti-nuclear environmentalist who co-authored an independent report pitting the advantages of nuclear energy against renewable energy for electricity generation. Ben Heard told a uranium conference in Adelaide today that nuclear power presented lower start-up ...read more...(read more)

The Traction of Small Reactors

2013-04-26T21:04:00Z

The New York Times’ Matt Wald provides a nicely reported history and the state-of-play in the small reactor world. Just as the first domestic nuclear reactors were scaled up versions of small reactors, current versions of the tiny titans are scaled down versions of full-scale reactors (actually, some of them are – some are based on new ideas entirely ...read more...(read more)

This Navy Gridiron Great Has a Pretty Bright Future

2013-04-25T19:50:00Z

Our service academies aren't really much known for developing NFL talent, but Navy linebacker Keegan Wetzel could hear his name called during the NFL Draft, which starts tonight and concludes on Saturday. Wetzel is profiled today in the Annapolis, Md., Capital Gazette , and his inspiring story deserves broad commendation. Navy competes admirably ...read more...(read more)