Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire

Palisades - some general comments. from ATOMIC POWER REVIEW by Will Davis

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 04:11:00 +0000

Palisades - some general comments.

Weapons labs and the inconvenient truth

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 04:10:00 +0000

Weapons labs and the inconvenient truth

from Web Edition | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists by Hugh Gusterson

On February 16, the strategic forces subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee held a hearing on the oversight of the nuclear weapons laboratories. The nine out of 16 committee members who skipped the hearing -- including the congressman who represents the district encompassing the Livermore Laboratory -- missed a fine show.

Levelized Current and Future Costs of Nuclear, Solar and Fossil Fuels

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 04:06:00 +0000

Levelized Current and Future Costs of Nuclear, Solar and Fossil Fuels

from Next Big Future by noreply@blogger.com (bw)

There is a lengthy analysis at solar cell central of how projected costs of solar power could get to the range of costs for coal and natural gas.

Nextbigfuture has looked at detailed comparisons of energy costs many times.

In South Korea and China with 5% financing costs, nuclear power can get down to a price of $29-32 per MWh or 2.9 to 3.2 cents per KWh.

China, India, and other countries with high GDP growth and development are where the vast majority of new power is being built. For solar or any new power to displace an established power plant then the cost would have be below the operating costs.

Coal and natural gas can get to about $40 per MWh or 4.0 cents per KWh.

Small modular reactors meet "Iowa stubborn"

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:58:00 +0000

Small modular reactors meet "Iowa stubborn"

from The Neutron Economy by Steve Skutnik

The land of Iowa - home of hogs, corn, windmills, and... SMRs (i.e., small modular reactors). Or at the least, that last part may be true pending a proposal before the Iowa Legislature (HF 561) is passed, allowing for among other things, recovery of costs while construction is in progress on nuclear projects (known as "CWIP" or "construction work in progress" financing). Iowa's electricity market is a regulated market - which means rates are ultimately set by the Iowa Utilities Board.

The Natural Nuclear Reactors At Oklo, and Fundamental "Constants."

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:56:00 +0000

The Natural Nuclear Reactors At Oklo, and Fundamental "Constants."

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/02/19/1064173/-The-Natural-Nuclear-Reactors-At-Oklo-and-Fundamental-Constants-?via=blog_658234#comments

Oak Ridge Maps Every Potential Nuclear Plant Site in Contiguous US

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:51:00 +0000

Blog Post: Oak Ridge Maps Every Potential Nuclear Plant Site in Contiguous US

from Nuclear Power Industry News by Nuclear Street News Team

Ever wondered how much power nuclear plants could generate if one were built at every suitable location in the country? According to a project researched by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the answer turns out to be about 515 gigawatts.

To help power providers evaluate potential sites for new reactors, advanced coal plants and concentrated solar facilities, the lab created the Oak Ridge Siting Analysis for power Generation Expansion (OR-SAGE). Drawing from GIS data covering the entire contiguous U.S., it maps potential plant locations that meet a range of criteria.

For large scale nuclear plants, those include the availability of cooling water and land. OR-SAGE also takes into account population density, protected lands, seismic activity, military bases, airports, oil pipelines, refineries, future population growth, potential changes to water availability and, to a limited extent, the potential for the use of shoreline cooling and municipal wastewater. While the report emphasizes that plant siting is generally a regional process affected by proximity to load demand and many other factors, the data will make it easier to compare and contrast different generation options in the future.

"OR-SAGE plant capacity estimate indicates that states in a significant portion of the country can support siting at least 10 GW(e) in large reactor facilities with no siting challenges," the report read.

It is available for download in its entirety from ORNL.

Entergy Appeals Ruling Preventing State Shutdown of Vermont Yankee

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:48:00 +0000

Blog Post: Entergy Appeals Ruling Preventing State Shutdown of Vermont Yankee

from Nuclear Power Industry News by Nuclear Street News

Entergy is appealing a federal court ruling preventing state shutdown of its Vernon-based Vermont Yankee after the Vermont Public Service Board said in a memo that the state can still deny a license based on the amount of spent nuclear fuel stored.

The Vernon-based nuclear plant has been fighting to stay open after state lawmakers opted to let their license expire. Last month, they appeared to have succeeded in securing that extension last month when U.S. District Judge J. Garvin Murtha ruled that federal law in this case pre-empts state law when it comes to matters of nuclear power regulations and safety concerns. Then, last week, Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell appealed the decision, putting the future of the plant back into question.
Entergy is now looking to get the original decision amended, which did not previously include the stored nuclear fuel factor, to again prevent possible state shutdown.

New Video on Radiation Protection and Fukushima

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:46:00 +0000

New Video on Radiation Protection and Fukushima

from Nuclear Energy Institute by vbarq

Dr. Robert Emery, vice president for safety, health, environment and risk management at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston, talks about the role of the radiation protection community played in the wake of the incident at Fukushima Daiichi.

Popout

Visit NEI’s YouTube channel to see part II and part III to the video.

Science Group's Second Annual Review Finds NRC Inconsistent in Maintaining Nuclear Plant Safety

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:38:00 +0000

Science Group's Second Annual Review Finds NRC Inconsistent in Maintaining Nuclear Plant Safety

from Union of Concerned Scientists

Many of the significant safety lapses at U.S. nuclear power plants in 2011 happened because plant owners—and often the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)—either tolerated known problems or failed to address them adequately, according to a report released today by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).

Playing Politics with the SPR

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:30:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 28, 2012

CONTACT: Press Office

(202) 226-4972

Playing Politics with the SPR

WASHINGTON, DC –As gasoline prices continue to climb, anxiety levels among American families and small businesses are rising as well. In response to the potential for panic at the pump, some Democrats are calling on the president to tap into the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Obama’s Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner suggested the administration is considering a possible release, telling CNBC on Friday, "There's a case for the use of the reserve in some circumstances, and we'll continue to look at those and evaluate that carefully.”

While the SPR presents an easy target to score political points, tapping our nations energy reserves will do little to combat rising prices and will threaten our national and energy security.

For Emergencies Only

Congress created the SPR after the 1970’s Arab oil embargo to mitigate major supply disruptions. The 727 million barrel reserve is intended for national security emergencies, major supply shutdowns, and natural disasters—not political expediency. Desert Storm and Hurricane Katrina were real energy emergencies that warranted sales from the SPR. While political tensions with Iran have caused prices to climb in recent weeks, the situation has not yet escalated to an emergency where supplies are shut-in. The SPR is vital in the event of a serious supply disruption. If Iran does close the Strait of Hormuz, as it has threatened, it is critical to our national and economic security that we have ample energy reserves on hand.

SPR is a Not a Financial Tool

The last time President Obama decided to tap into the SPR—in response to the Libyan conflict last summer—it had no lasting effect on gas prices. While the announcement did cause crude prices to fall slightly, prices returned to the pre-release levels within one week. Rather than increasing market certainty, tapping the SPR would only distort the market for a short period. In order for prices to stabilize, the market needs a strong signal that we will have sufficient and secure supplies over the long term. This is why the SPR is not meant to be a financial tool. It is only meant to supplant oil supplies that are actively being denied from reaching market.

Furthermore, President Obama’s SPR release amounted to 30 million barrels—that’s less oil than Americans consume within two days. Every barrel that is taken out of the SPR needs to be replaced—and there is no guarantee of when and at what price. To date, the administration has not replaced the oil withdrawn during last summer’s release and has no plans for doing so.

Shortsighted Politics over Policy Solutions

Tapping the SPR would be shortsighted politics when what we need are lasting policy solutions. President Obama has said there are no “quick fixes” to gas prices, yet this is exactly the story some Democrats are trying to sell with the SPR. House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) has opposed those within his party who want to open up the reserve, stating, “The higher [the price of gas] gets the more pressure there will be … whether that will lower prices, I personally am not confident it will do that.”

House Republicans believe we need solutions that will help stabilize prices in the short term while securing our energy future for the long term. That's where the American Energy Initiative comes in. The House has passed numerous bills to expand to American energy production and increase access to stable supplies, but these bills still languish in the Senate. Instead of tapping into our emergency reserves, we need develop our natural resources, and instead of relying on imports from unstable regimes overseas, we need to increase our imports from Canada with approval of the Keystone XL pipeline.

###

Energy & Commerce Online | Press Release Permalink

No nuclear energy, no India

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:25:00 +0000

No nuclear energy, no India
The man behind India’s nuclear energy program said the country cannot renounce the use of nuclear energy.

Heads will roll at Tepco

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:25:00 +0000

Heads will roll at Tepco
The Japanese government will seek the resignation of Tepco's board of directors in return for injecting $13 billion of public funds.

Floating wind farms to be moored off ill-fated Fukushima

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:23:00 +0000

Floating wind farms to be moored off ill-fated Fukushima
It’s also about replacing a symbol of catastrophic failure with a symbol of hope.

India stokes its nuclear power plants

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:22:00 +0000

Indian nuclear power plant

India stokes its nuclear power plants

The government moves to ensure the supply of uranium for India’s nuclear power plants.
India will open the new Mouldih uranium mine at Jharkhand in March. The mine is expected to produce some 150 tonnes of uranium ore per day.
Its ore will go to the Turamdih mill that has the capacity to process 3,000 tonnes per day. This mill’s processing capacity is being increased to 4,500 tonnes per d
http://asian-power.com/environment/in-focus/india-stokes-its-nuclear-power-plants

Fire, Oil….Thorium | The Rio Times | Brazil News

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:19:00 +0000

Fire, Oil….Thorium | The Rio Times | Brazil News
Opinion, by Antônio Brassil RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Thor, the Norse God of Thunder, is known for striking both fear and punishment against his enemies.
riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/opinion.../fire-oil-thorium/

Clean Energy Options and Nuclear Safety

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:17:00 +0000

Clean Energy Options and Nuclear Safety
Press Information Bureau (press release)
It is also estimated that Thorium can generate (through uranium-233 producible from it) 8 times the amount of energy per unit mass compared to (natural) Uranium. The Fukushima accident has shaken given rise to safety concerns in respect of nuclear ...

PBS to Air Second Fukushima Documentary Tonight

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:50:00 +0000

PBS to Air Second Fukushima Documentary Tonight

Tonight at 10:00 p.m. EST, PBS will be airing another FRONTLINE documentary about the incident at Fukushima Daiichi entitled, "Inside Japan's Nuclear Meltdown." Unlike the "Nuclear Aftershocks" report that aired in January, tonight's program will focus exclusively on brave TEPCO employees and first responders who worked to contain the damage at the stricken reactor.

During the program, PBS will be offering live commentary from the FRONTLINE Twitter feed (@frontlinepbs). We'll be watching the program in real time as well, tweeting from our own feed, @N_E_I. To participate in the conversation, please be sure to use the #frontline and #fukushima hash tags so others can follow along.

Feb. 28, 2012, Don Kreis: Vermont Yankee and the Rule of Law

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:50:00 +0000

Feb. 28, 2012, Don Kreis: Vermont Yankee and the Rule of Law

Posted on February 28, 2012 by admin

It is time for Vermonters of goodwill, from Gov. Shumlin to the SAGE Alliance, to inure themselves to the reality that Vermont Yankee will not be shutting down on March 21, 2012.
The latest flurry of federal court pleadings from Vermont Yankee’s owners at Entergy suggest that, in a sense, the whole notion of civil society has become somewhat frayed in the wake of January’s decision by U.S. District Judge J. Garvan Murtha that federal law precludes the Vermont Legislature from ordering the nuclear plant closed on March 21. Attorney General Sorrell has appealed Judge Murtha’s decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and, thus, by all rights the action should now shift to that New York City-based court.

/http://vtyankeelawsuit.vermontlaw.edu/feb-28-2012-don-kreis-vermont-yankee-and-the-rule-of-law/

Plant chief: Fukushima nuke plant still vulnerable

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:48:00 +0000

Plant chief: Fukushima nuke plant still vulnerable
Atlanta Journal Constitution
Stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant buildings of Tokyo Electric Power Co., are seen in Okuma town, Fukushima prefecture, northeastern Japan Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012. Japan next month marks one year since the March 11 tsunami and earthquake, ...

Water Central to Control of Japan Nuclear Plant

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:45:00 +0000

Water Central to Control of Japan Nuclear Plant
Wall Street Journal
A journalist measured radiation levels at stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear-power plant, Okuma town, on Tuesday tour. Foreign journalists on a tour of the Fukushima Daiichi compound Tuesday saw fields of squat, gray water-storage tanks; ...

New Energy Magazine: Gas Power

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 20:39:00 +0000

From the Editor
Welcome to GAS POWER
Whatever your role in gas-fired power, there's one constant these days: You probably aren't bored. Read More »

Features
The End of the Line for Pipe Cleaning with Natural Gas?
Turbine Suppliers Pursue a Different Niche: Steel Mills
Gas Glut Remains, Prices Keep Falling
American Electric Power Finally Flips the Switch on Beleaguered Ohio Plant
Gas Power Leads Both New Capacity and Retirements
Fracking: With the Gas, a Flow of Litigation
Shale Gas Is Not a Fracking Mess
Fracking Cracks the Public Consciousness in 2011

Fluor Increases Stake in Nuclear Power

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 20:37:00 +0000

Fluor Increases Stake in Nuclear Power
Power Engineering Magazine (blog)
By BrianW In October 2011, Fluor Corp. announced that the engineering, procurement, construction and maintenance company had invested $30 million in NuScale Power, an Oregon-based small modular reactor technology company. NuScale will continue to ...

Small modular reactors in Iowa?

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 20:36:00 +0000

Small modular reactors in Iowa?
Energy Collective
SMRs (ie, small modular reactors). Or at the least, that last part may be true pending a proposal before the Iowa Legislature (HF 561) is passed, allowing for among other things, recovery of costs while construction is in progress on nuclear projects ...

NRC releases inside look at U.S. response to Japan nuclear ...

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 20:35:00 +0000

NRC releases inside look at U.S. response to Japan nuclear ...
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission released Tuesday about 3000 pages of transcripts of conversations recorded in its operations center after the Fukushima ...
articles.cnn.com/.../us_nrc-fukushima_1_fukushima-daiichi-nr...

The Corbett Report | Marks to Market: America's Nuclear Time Bombs

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Kearney) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 20:35:00 +0000

The Corbett Report | Marks to Market: America's Nuclear Time Bombs
By Corbett
At the time, soon-to-be-chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Joseph Hendrie said acceptance of the Mark I technology was so widespread that “reversal of this hallowed policy, particularly at this time, could well be the end of ...
The Corbett Report