WASHINGTON – U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz today announced up to $40 million in awards for four new Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) to accelerate the scientific breakthroughs needed to support the Department of Energy (DOE)’s environmental management and nuclear cleanup mission. The four centers will be led respectively by Florida State University, Ohio State… Keep reading →
The Asahi Shimbun reported in March on the decision of four big Japanese electric utilities to decommission a total of five nuclear reactors that have been in operation for more than 40 years. Respective plans have been submitted to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). “This is the first application of the regulation… Keep reading →
Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant owner Pacific Gas & Electric has issued a couple of seismic studies in the past year – one last September and then another last month. The latest conclusion from the utility: “New Analyses Show Diablo Canyon Safe From Extreme Natural Events.” But Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer is skeptical of PG&E… Keep reading →
Four years ago, on March 11, 2011, a powerful earthquake triggered a massive tsunami that struck Japan’s northeastern Fukushima prefecture and led to a nuclear disaster – multiple reactor core meltdowns – at the Fukushima Daichi nuclear power plant. Unsurprisingly, that event prompted numerous national governments to reevaluate existing nuclear power plant safety regulations, with differing… Keep reading →
Department of Energy Cites Fluor B&W Portsmouth, LLC for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Violations WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today issued a Preliminary Notice of Violation (PNOV) to Fluor B&W Portsmouth (FBP) for violations of the DOE’s nuclear safety and radiation protection regulations, and has proposed a $243,750 civil penalty. … Keep reading →
“The nation that harnesses the power of clean, renewable energy will be the nation that leads the 21st century”… President Obama, 2010 By 2050 fusion will be the source of most of the world’s energy. This is not wishful thinking, it is simply a way of stating that all other forms of energy that… Keep reading →
Three years ago, Beijing residents started hoarding iodine salt. Stores sold out of the commodity within days and those with extra supplies jacked up prices to take advantage of the frantic demand. China had not developed a sudden taste for salty foods. Instead, a frightened populace was trying to protect itself against any radiation blown… Keep reading →
The Japanese government has softened its anti-nuclear power strategy, which could open the way to existing reactor restarts and possibly even new plant construction. The post-Fukushima shutdown of the country’s nuclear fleet has led to increased electricity prices, eroded the trade balance and spiked fossil fuel imports, which are unsustainable conditions according to a new… Keep reading →
On December 12, 2013, the US Department of Energy awarded $226 million to an Oregon company, NuScale, to design, develop, and prepare for licensing review its first small-scale nuclear reactor. A grant for a similar invention was made in 2012 to Babcock & Wilcox, a company with long experience building reactors for nuclear submarines. A… Keep reading →
In October of this year, Jordan announced it had chosen Russia to build its first two nuclear-power reactors. Historically, Jordan has lacked access to energy resources. It depends on imports for more than 96 percent of power consumption. This means that a whopping 20 to 25 percent of Jordan’s national expenditures go to importing energy.… Keep reading →
