Archive for July, 2012
July 31, 2012
Technology:
¶ An advance in colloidal quantum dot technology has produced a record-breaking solar cell. This technology produces electric power using a thin film instead of semiconductors, and is 7% efficient, making it competitive with current semiconductor technology. [R & D Magazine]
Japan:
¶ The debate in Japan over nuclear power is bringing into the open the question of whether Japan should have nuclear bombs. [Associated Press]
¶ Japan will cooperate more closely with foreign governments, especially the US and UK, on decommissioning and decontamination. [The Denki Shimbun]
¶ Masao Yoshida had emergency surgery for a cerebral hemorrhage. He was the head of Fukushima Daiichi at the time of the disaster there, and previously had to retire because of esophageal cancer. Officially, neither medical problem was due to the exposure he had to radiation. [The Japan Times]
¶ TEPCO has now passed to government control, in exchange for a ¥1 trillion ($12.8 billion) bailout. [Bloomberg]
¶ TEPCO may use a balloon to inspect the top floor of Fukushima Daiichi Unit 1. [Asahi Shimbun]
World:
¶ Germany is now producing 25% of its electrical power from renewable sources. [GlobalPost]
US:
¶ Owners say San Onofre could have both reactors online by the end of this year, providing nothing else goes wrong. [Huffington Post]
¶ Jeff Immelt, CEO of GE, says nuclear power is so expensive it is “really hard to justify.” [Albany Times Union]
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Tags: Fukushima, Germany, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, solar power
July 30, 2012
Weird Articles:
¶ An article in Forbes states that Japan’s choice for electricity is either nuclear or fossil fuel, with no consideration for renewable energy aside from an offhanded dismissal. In the course of deciding in favor of nuclear, the author, a geologist, gives no consideration to the fact that many of the nuclear plants in Japan sit directly atop faults, and most are in danger from tsunamis, and the entire country is threatened by earthquake. While the article acknowledges the fact that the Fukushima plants were lost, there is mention of neither why this happened nor what the result was. [Forbes]
Japan:
¶ Thousands of people, including a large number of non-political citizens, protested nuclear power in Tokyo, surrounding the parliament building with a human chain. [The Japan Times]
¶ Citizens who wanted to voice their opinions on energy policy at eight public hearings overwhelmingly called for Japan to give up nuclear energy by 2030. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ The anti-nuclear candidate lost in the race for the governor’s office in Yamaguchi Prefecture, but in the process he forced his winning opponent to change his stand on nuclear power. [Bloomberg]
¶ A new Green Party has formed in Japan, motivated in part by the government’s failures both before and after the Fukushima Disaster, and its willingness to restart nuclear reactors. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ Chubu Electric Power Co. said it expects to complete a tsunami wall and complete other steps to protect its Hamaoka nuclear plant one year later than planned. [Reuters]
US:
¶ California is experiencing impressive growth in renewable electric production. Currently, 13% is produced by large hydro, and 19% by other renewables (slightly more than the 18% the state’s nuclear plants would be delivering if they worked properly). The expectation is that the share of renewables other than large hydro will increase to 33% by 2020. [Clean Technica]
¶ When asked about NRC member Bill Magwood, Senator Harry Reid, known for his soft-spoken nature, said he was “one of the most unethical, prevaricating, incompetent people I’ve ever dealt with. … I will never, ever forget what a treacherous, miserable liar he is.” [Huffington Post]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, solar power
July 29, 2012
Japan:
¶ A protest surrounded the Japanese Parliament with a human chain. In early reports, journalists present said there were at least ten thousand people participating, but the protest was just starting, and many more people were expected. [Perth Now]
World:
¶ The International Energy Agency is predicting that renewable production of electricity will increase worldwide by 40% over the next five years. The increase will bring total production to 6,400 TWh per year in 2017. This level of production is about 31% of total world electric generation in 2008, and means that world renewable electric production will exceed nuclear by roughly 50%. [IEA Press Release]
US:
¶ The NRC is sending a team of scientists to talk with local people about mining uranium in Virginia. The mine has the potential to be one of the largest in the world, and people are worried about processing uranium and maintaining mine trailings in a humid environment and a state with denser population than the drier states in the West. [Gazette-Mail]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, photovoltaic, solar power
July 28, 2012
Japan:
¶ The Japanese Science Ministry is trying to justify withholding SPEEDI fallout information about the Fukushima Disaster from the public because it was based on “assumptions.” (We might note that all precautions are based on assumptions.) [The Japan Times]
¶ Decontamination work is not going ahead in most areas evacuated after the Fukushima Disaster. [Asahi Shimbun]
US:
¶ The NRC has issued a bulletin on a potential design flaw at US nuclear power plants. It is possible no one thought to install equipment t0 detect the loss of one of three phases in three-phase offsite power, which could affect key safety equipment. (One wonders what else they might have forgotten to install.) [Reuters]
¶ The NRC says that after some study, its current position is that storing spent fuel in spent fuel pools is “adequate” to assure public safety. It will continue to study the issue for as long as five years. [Union of Concerned Scientists]
¶ A new report from the US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory provides information on potentials of various sources of energy in the US. According to the report, the potential for PVs is 280,613 TWh per year, and the potential for wind is 49,769 TWh per year; the report deals with other sources as well. By comparison, the current US production of nuclear and coal combined is 2,514 TWh per year. [REVE]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, wind power
July 27, 2012
Technology:
¶ Researchers have found technology that may make it possible to produce photovoltaic cells form virtually any semiconductor, without doping. The cells would have low cost and be highly efficient. [Electronics News]
Japan:
¶ Hokuriku Electric Power Co. has submitted plans to tunnel under a reactor at its Shika nuclear power plant to investigate a fault. Separately, it has confirmed that one of the reactors at the plant has had several tons of seawater leak into its pressure vessel, causing extensive corrosion. [The Japan Times]
World:
¶ A Malaysian project addresses poverty in a sustainable and comfortable “smart village.” The village produces both energy and food of its own. [CNN]
¶ In Zimbabwe, solar power makes it possible to cut the electric bill, lower carbon emissions, and take a bath in the cold of winter. [AllAfrica]
¶ In Germany, 26% of electricity supplied in the first half of 2012 was from renewable sources. The “alternative energy” portion of production rose from 3.8% to 22% in ten years. [Clean Technica]
US:
¶ The Vermont Public Service board has denied requests from the Windham Regional Council and the New England Coalition in the case on the Certificate of Public Good for Vermont Yankee. [Brattleboro Reformer]
¶ The US House of Representatives passed a bill that prevents the NRC from taking any “significant regulatory action” until unemployment drops below six percent. [Las Vegas Sun]
¶ Vermont Yankee accidentally drained 2500 gallons of water from its spent fuel pool into a wastewater system. [vtdigger.org]
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Tags: Germany, New England Coalition, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, Vermont Yankee
July 26, 2012
Japan:
¶ A video featuring the manager of Fukushima Daiichi at the time of the disaster will be aired on August 11. He describes the workers who stayed at the plant to cool reactors down as “saints in hell.” [The Japan Times]
¶ Three reactors are being studied as potential candidates for restarting, but it is not clear how the restarts will proceed while a new nuclear regulatory agency is being founded. [The Daily Yomiuri]
¶ The Japanese government has chosen five candidates for leadership of the new nuclear regulatory agency. [Fox]
¶ Workers hired as cleanup contractors have been exposed to four times as much radiation as utility employees. [Asahi Shimbun]
US:
¶ Areva is building a new US technical center and cooperating with Northrop Grumman to provide cybersecurity support for nuclear facilities. [World Nuclear News]
¶ The TVA is considering using MOX fuel made from old nuclear bombs. [Power Industry News]
¶ S&P is downgrading Duke Energy because of lack of transparency in the replacement of the new CEO after the recent merger of Duke with Progress Energy. [Reuters]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, nuclear waste
July 25, 2012
Japan:
¶ Investigations into the Fukushima Disaster have still not provided a complete understanding of what happened. [The Daily Yomiuri]
… The government will continue investigating, using the new nuclear regulatory agency, when it is set up. [The Japan Times]
¶ The Japanese government is having difficulty finding regulators for their new agency who are knowledgeable on the nuclear industry, but are not too close to it. Cronyism is a serious problem, and is blamed for the Fukushima Disaster. [Wall Street Journal]
¶ A group of retired nuclear engineers is seeking the assistance of the United States as they seek to replace younger workers at Fukushima Daiichi. They had made the offer to TEPCO, because as older people they were less vulnerable to the effects of radiation, but the utility rejected the offer. [Infoshop News]
¶ Fukushima cleanup workers may have been illegally recruited, and may be illegally underpaid. [The Asahi Shimbun]
¶ Now that the investigative reports have been issuing, prosecutors are beginning to accept criminal complaints relating to the Fukushima Disaster. [AsiaOne]
World:
¶ Areva, the French utility known for its nuclear power plants, is investing in biomass technology. The involvement in biomass is not new, as the company already has 5 GW of biomass generating capacity. [Platts]
US:
¶ In the middle of a court case over fish kills in the Hudson River, effecting the operation of Indian Point, the NRC has decided to change to newer data, indicating the number of fish killed is only 0.1% of what earlier studies had found. [newjerseynewsroom.com]
¶ NRC Chairman Allison Macfarlane says the matter of Yucca Mountain was not currently before the NRC, though the matter of nuclear waste storage is. She studied Yucca Mountain five years ago, and concluded, “Yucca Mountain is neither seismically nor volcanically stable.” [Bloomberg]
¶ The first commercial tidal energy project in the US was dedicated Tuesday in Eastport, Maine. [The Boston Globe]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power
July 24, 2012
Technology:
¶ Scientists are working on a way to prevent zirconium based cladding of nuclear fuel rods from reacting with steam. [Lincoln Journal Star]
Japan:
¶ A government report says the underlying cause of the Fukushima Disaster was belief in a “myth of nuclear safety.” Managers and officials simply did not believe a major accident was possible, so dangers were ignored, with both preventative measures and disaster preparations unaddressed. unaddressed[The Japan Times]
… The same report says TEPCO is still failing to ensure safety properly and is unwilling to examine the problems that caused the Fukushima Disaster. [Wall Street Journal]
… In addition, the report suggests all nuclear power plants are vulnerable to the same problems that underlay the Fukushima Disaster. [The Guardian]
¶ Many hospital patients being evacuated because of the Fukushima Disaster died because of lack of planning and preparation. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ Consumers are avoiding beef from the areas around Fukushima. [The Japan Times]
… Nevertheless, octopus from the northern coast of Fukushima prefecture have returned to market. [The Japan Times]
¶ A citizen’s group has found high levels of radioactive cesium at the side of a river 178 km (110 miles) from the Fukushima Daiichi plant. [Infoshop News]
World:
¶ Falling costs of photovoltaics and lithium batters are bringing Australia to the point that off-grid power is economically competitive with grid-based power. [Newsmaker]
US:
¶ The Oyster Creek plant was shut down yesterday because of loss of offsite power. [Star Ledger]
¶ The governor of New Jersey has signed a bill to maintain encouragement of solar power in that state. [Bloomberg Business Week]
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Tags: distributed power, electric power costs, Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power, solar power
July 23, 2012
Japan:
¶ The Japanese government is preparing a plan to abandon use of nuclear power altogether by 2025. The group drafting the plan is headed by former Prime Minister Kan, and is working at the request of the secretary general of the ruling Democratic Party. [NHK World]
¶ An official of the subcontracting company accused of faking dosimeter readings admits to the fact he did it, but claims it only happened once. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ A new government report says the Japanese nuclear industry and regulators ignored safety risks. [ABC Radio Australia]
¶ The Japanese are turning more to distributed power and renewable energy. Such power generation can be under local authority, which makes it very attractive to local and regional governments. [The Mainichi]
World:
¶ The head of public affairs at the Swiss Association of Electricity Companies says local photovoltaic panels can replace half of the nuclear generated electricity provided to Switzerland. [Swissinfo.ch]
US:
¶ The Agua Caliente solar farm in Arizona is about two-thirds finished, but is already delivering 200 MW of power to the San Diego area, lightening the load imposed by the shutdown of the San Onofre nuclear plant. [Clean Technica]
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Tags: distributed power, Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
July 22, 2012
Japan:
¶ Additional nuclear plant restarts are likely to be delayed because of political parties postponing consideration of the personnel of the new nuclear regulatory agency. The current issue is a leak of a list of names of proposed personnel to the press. [Daily Yomiuri]
¶ Ohi Unit 4 is now generating power for the grid. It is expected to be at full power on July 25. [Power Engineering]
¶ The Japan Times considers how numbers of people in demonstrations are reported differently by different media outlets. Low estimates are sometimes as small as 10% of the high estimates. [The Japan Times]
US:
¶ The California Energy Commission is planning for electricity supply without San Onofre in 2013 and 2014, perhaps. Meanwhile, the utility is considering applying to the NRC to be allowed to operated at 70% power for six months as a test. [North Country Times]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
July 21, 2012
Technology:
¶ A transparent solar cell can operate in windows with a small reduction in transmitted light. It is 4% efficient in converting sunlight to electrical power. Made from a “polymer-like” material, it is said to be of low cost to manufacture. [Science Daily]
Japan:
¶ Contract workers doing cleanup at Fukushima Daiichi have said they were instructed to cover their dosimeters with lead so they could work in highly contaminated areas longer. The government is investigating. [Deutsche Welle]
¶ The Friday protests outside the prime minister’s residence just get bigger. Though the number in Tokyo seems to have decreased from last week, the movement has spread outside the capital. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who is a member of the same political party as the current prime minister, has joined the protesters, and is encouraging the government to pay attention to the wishes of the people. [The Japan Times]
World:
¶ Testing for radiation in fish indicates that in some areas in the Pacific Ocean the majority are contaminated with radioactive cesium. [PEJ News]
US:
¶ The Union of Concerned Scientists has issued a report on renewable power generation in California. Electricity from renewable sources provided 19% of all retail electric sales in 2010, up from 4% in 2000. Nevertheless, some approaches have been shown to be better than others. [North American Windpower]
¶ GE is reorganizing its energy business into three subsidiaries. The change should be completed in 2012. One of the subsidiaries will focus on power generation, including both renewable and nuclear systems. [Solar Novus Today]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
July 20, 2012
Japan:
¶ Japanese regulators are investigating claims that the Ohi reactors stand on a geological fault. [Daily Mail]
¶ The new chief of TEPCO is baffled by criticism of his company. [The Japan Daily Press]
World:
¶ The government of the UK worked closely with the nuclear industry to soften the impact of bad news. [equities.com]
¶ Fears over safety continue in China, and continue to hamper expansion of the nuclear power industry.
[chinadialogue]
¶ Environmental groups are challenging work on nuclear plants in Canada, saying it should not be done while there is no disaster plan. [Toronto Sun]
¶ Customs officials have prevented 300 radioactive cars from entering Russia. [The Japan Daily Press]
¶ Building the new Japanese nuclear regulatory agency has hit a new snag, because of press leaks about who would be on it. [Reuters Africa]
US:
¶ Work is going on to develop fusion as a power source. [AOL]
¶ San Onofre’s owners did not mislead the NRC about design changes, according to a statement from Federal investigators. Of course, this makes us wonder what went wrong at the NRC, as the report says that there were major design changes, but they did not qualify for NRC review. [Power Engineering]
¶ More work needs to be done to understand what when wrong at San Onofre and how to fix the problem. [Power Engineering]
¶ It really is not clear what damage the Fukushima Disaster did, in terms of human health and mortality. One thing certain, however, is that a disaster at Diablo Canyon would be much worse. [New York Times]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
July 18, 2012
Japan:
¶ A Stanford study says the Fukushima Disaster may have caused up to 1300 cancer deaths. The authors of the same study applaud the Japanese government for its actions after the disaster took place. [Bloomberg]
¶ For the second time in three months, a Japanese nuclear plant has been found to be sitting on top of a geological fault. All nuclear plants are being checked, and law says they may not be constructed atop faults, so at least some will be shut down. [Reuters India]
¶ TEPCO is removing two fuel assemblies from the Fukushima Daiichi Unit 4 spent fuel pool. [Associated Press]
World:
¶ Electric buses are being equipped with PVs as a standard item in China. The PVs extend the life of lithium batteries by as much as 35%. [Global Times]
US:
¶ Entergy profits are up, and the company expects to earn $3.49 to $4.29 per share for the year. This figure includes losses of $1.36 related to Vermont Yankee. [The Advocate]
¶ Dennis Kucinch complains that the NRC is lowering standards to allow Davis-Besse to continue operation. [Huffington-Post]
Posted in nuclear power, solar | 2 Comments »
Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, solar power
July 17, 2012
Japan:
¶ Former Prime Minister Kan is charging that TEPCO is withholding vital information on the Fukushima Disaster. Specifically, he says details of his conversations with TEPCO management were missing from materials being released by TEPCO. The TEPCO response is that their hard-drive was full. [UPI]
¶ A group of 38,000 children in Fukushima were tested for abnormal growths in their thyroid glands, and 36% of t hem were found to have cysts or nodules. This compares with a result of less than 1% eleven years ago, and is considered to be much worse than the effects of the Chernobyl Disaster. [Business Insider]
¶ Equipment failures during restart of Ohi Unit 4 set off alarms repeatedly. Nevertheless, the startup is proceeding. [The Japan Times]
¶ Fukushima has had a beach reopen for recreation, including swimming. It is the first since the disaster. Officials say radiation levels are safe. It is about 40 miles south of the Fukushima Daiichi plant. [CBS]
US:
¶ An independent report on safety culture at the Palisades nuclear plant details failures of management and a lack of confidence among the staff in management. [Michigan Radio]
¶ Output of Seabrook was reduced because of solar activity. [Reuters Africa]
¶ Former Secretary of State George Shultz drives an electric car powered by solar panels. He is worried about global warming from greenhouse gasses. [EV World]
Posted in nuclear power, solar | 1 Comment »
Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, solar power
July 16, 2012
Japan:
¶ On Monday, a protest in Tokyo’s Yoyogi Park drew 170,000 people. It is described as the largest protest Tokyo has had so far. [The Japan Daily Press]
¶ Japan is allowing the first geothermal power plant to be built inside a national park. [Power Engineering]
¶ Nuclear engineers are leaving Japan for better pay elsewhere. [The Japan Times]
¶ A new report, to be released on July 23, will detail problems in the responses to problems of the earthquake and tsunami at the Fukushima Daiichi and Fukushima Daini plants. [The Daily Yomiuri]
World:
¶ Germany had very little power to spare last winter, and probably would have had blackouts at times, but its solar installations and an unusually sunny February prevented that from happening. [EurActiv.com]
US:
¶ A host of problems makes the future of new nuclear plant construction less than rosy. [Journal Gazette]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, solar power
July 15, 2012
Opinion:
¶ The fact that the NRC has exclusive authority over radiological safety violates the principle of engineering redundancy, which is vital to safety. This constitutes a threat to the safety of the people the NRC is supposed to be protecting. [Redundancy and the function of safety regulation]
Japan:
¶ Only nine people, chosen by lot, will be able to speak at a public meeting on the new Japanese nuclear regulatory agency. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ A tiny village 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the Ohi reactors, populated almost entirely by old folk, is the first in Japan to get 100% of its power from renewable sources, achieving grid independence. [The Japan Times]
World:
¶ More off grid villages are getting power by using solar panels. More than 1000 villages in Assam have been electrified by using PVs, and they may have more reliable electric power than the cities provided by the grid. [daijiworld.com]
US:
¶ The NRC has rejected a request to allow non-compliant rebar already installed in the Vogtle Unit 3 basemat. Southern Co., the owner, will request a license amendment. [equities.com]
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Tags: Fukushima, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
July 14, 2012
Technology:
¶ GE is building a factory for a new battery it says can balance grid loads. [The Green Optimistic]
Japan:
¶ The new Japanese nuclear regulatory agency will disclose documents so citizens do not need to request them. Records will be kept at meetings and made public. [The Japan Times]
¶ After calling a restart of the reactors at Niigata vital, the chairman of TEPCO has come to admit the restart faces trouble. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ Barriers and buses blocked the way, but the 16th consecutive Friday protest of nuclear power in Tokyo was well attended. [Wall Street Journal]
World:
¶ Regulatory capture of nuclear regulatory agencies is a global problem. [Huffington Post]
¶ The UK is taking title of four tonnes of German plutonium in the country for processing, and giving ownership of an equal amount to France in a title transfer. This means shipping is not needed, and security is enhanced. [World Nuclear News]
US:
¶ Entergy has developed a plan that it believes will convince Vermont the deep bedrock ground water under VY is safe, and so has agreed to resume testing of a well. [Brattleboro Reformer]
¶ The NRC is one of several US government agencies that will be offering retirement incentives to trim its workforce. [Government Executive]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Vermont Yankee
July 13, 2012
Japan:
¶ A set of 1198 census evaluations of animal populations compares the Fukushima Disaster to Chernobyl. The idea that nuclear disaster creates a sort of wildlife refuge where things can grow in abundance is a myth. [New York Times]
¶ Evacuees from Fukushima are dying of fatigue and stress. [The Japan Daily Press]
¶ Jobs lost when nuclear plants close may be more than replaced by jobs in the renewable electric sector. A combination of reports indicates that for every job lost in the japanese nuclear industry, renewable power might create ten. [Wall Street Journal]
¶ Some scientists have revised the estimates on Fukushima radiation doses from high to safe. [Asahi Shimbun]
World:
¶ In the UK, prices are going up for both nuclear plants and the electricity nuclear plants generate. [Bloomberg]
US:
¶ The NRC has released a detailed report on the steam generator tubes at San Onofre. Reports differ on the meaning of the report, and I am sure there will be updates on this. The Associated Press report indicates 3420 tubes in one generator need to be replaced, nearly five times the maximum at which the generator needs to be retired. [Associated Press]
… Another take on the same data is that things are bad, but no worse than had been previously acknowledged. [Orange County Register]
¶ US anti-nuclear groups are warning that the mindset that underlay the Fukushima Disaster also characterize the NRC. [Environment News Service]
¶ Solar Power works in the rain forest of southeastern Alaska. [Juneau Empire]
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Tags: electric power costs, Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
July 12, 2012
Technology:
¶ New amorphous silicon photovoltaic cells can capture power both as heat and electricity. [Ecoseed]
Japan:
¶ A doctor who has specialized in health of A-bomb victims is concerned about the symptoms he is seeing in Fukushima residents. [The Japan Times]
¶ The Ohi Unit 4 reactor will be restarted on July 19. [Kuwait News Agency]
¶ TEPCO says the debris in Fukushima Daiichi Unit 4 have been removed. [Power Engineering]
World:
¶ Australian group Beyond Zero Emissions has a plan to make that country 100% renewable in ten years. [REVE]
¶ Ireland plans to get 40% of its electric power from renewables by 2020. [Environmental Expert]
US:
¶ Former New York City mayor Ed Koch wants Indian Point closed. [Metrofocus]
¶ A report from the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board calls for prompt action because of deficiencies in safety and safety culture. [Huffington Post]
¶ The Palisades nuclear plant is producing power again after an unplanned shutdown to fix a leak in the safety injection refueling water tank. [Nuclear Street]
¶ Honeywell is evaluating safety upgrades at its Metropolis Works nuclear conversion facility. Completion of upgrades will take 12 to 15 months, during which time staff will be at 50%. [NASDAQ]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
July 11, 2012
Japan:
¶ Fuel rod containers were found to be broken at the Onagawa nuclear plant. [NHK]
¶ There is no prospect for restarting additional reactors after those at Ohi. The stress tests found only one of the 48 remaining reactors capable of withstanding a major catastrophe, and the new regulatory agency has to decide what to do about the rest. [The Daily Yomiuri]
World:
¶ According to the IEA, solar power will provide for 17% of heating and cooling by 2050. [EcoSeed]
US:
¶ Vermont Yankee presented its post-Fukushima safety and emergency plans. [VTDigger]
¶ Construction costs for US nuclear power plants continue to increase. [Associated Press]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, solar power
July 9, 2012
Japan:
¶ Power saving usage cuts are being relaxed in western Japan. [Reuters]
¶ Ohi Unit 3 is back to full power. [Power Engineering]
¶ The Japanese Atomic Energy Commission held undocumented closed-door meetings for over a decade. [The Japan Times]
World:
¶ Alkali-silica reaction is creating problems for Canadian nuclear plants. [National Post]
¶ The government of the UK is considering ways to clarify the risks of nuclear power to the public. Based on this article, I cannot tell whether this means the risks should be better investigated, or the public should receive better crafted assurance that nuclear power is safe. [businessGreen]
US:
¶ Union workers at Pilgrim have approved a new contract, ending the lockout. [boston.com]
¶ The State of California is considering having an independent review panel for San Onofre. It already has one, the only one in the nation, for Diablo Canyon. [inside climate news]
¶ US Solar installations are up 85% from the same quarter last year. Prices are down 17%. The business is changing rapidly. [Solar Novus Today]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, solar power
July 8, 2012
Opinion:
¶ In a regime of captive regulation of nuclear power, safety engineering is insufficient to prevent 99.5% of failures resulting in core damage. [Essay: The design basis and collusion]
Japan:
¶ More details from the parliamentary report on the Fukushima Disaster say that the TEPCO report was merely “an attempt to avoid responsibility.” [BBC News]
US:
¶ Where your utility payments go: a $44 million severance deal after three days on the job, an act The Wall Street Journal calls “an incredible act of bad faith.” [Wall Street Journal]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power
July 7, 2012
Opinion:
Was the Fukushima Disaster preventable? Not by human regulators.
Japan:
¶ «Asahi Shimbun» is calling for another review of all nuclear power plants because of the Parliamentary Report on the Fukushima Disaster. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ Protestors in Tokyo are growing in numbers, and becoming increasingly critical of Prime Minister Noda. [Asahi Shimbun]
World:
¶ I am not sure how this is done. On the same day, «Power Engineering» reports:
… (1) world nuclear production fell 4.3% because of the Fukushima Disaster [Power Engineering]
… (2) world nuclear production is at record levels, despite the Fukushima Disaster [Power Engineering]
US:
¶ Union representatives at Pilgrim agreed to bring the new Entergy contract offer back to the membership for a vote. [Boston Globe]
¶ This article, by a lawyer who has worked for the nuclear industry, discusses pros and cons of the possible NRC responses to the Appeals Court decision on waste. It concludes that restarting Yucca Mountain will restore waste confidence and public trust in the NRC. [The Foundry]
¶ Gregory Jaczko argues that the current US program is flawed because many safety improvements are made on a cost-benefit basis which do not factor in the cost of lost real estate and displacements of people. [New York Times]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, nuclear waste
July 6, 2012
Technology:
¶ Graphene added to photovoltaic cells may improve efficiency by over 50%, and double-sided cells could be 50% more efficient as well. [Home Heating Guide]
¶ A new wind turbine design is being built in the UK. It is intended to be mastless for urban installation. [Specifinder]
… The article does not have a picture, but one can be seen at the McCamley website.
Japan:
¶ This BBC article lists the main points and recommendations of the parliamentary report on the Fukushima Disaster. [BBC]
¶ The report puts safety of the entire Japanese fleet into question, by implying the other reactors are vulnerable. [Atlantic Wire]
World:
¶ Worldwide nuclear electric production dropped by 4.3% in the aftermath of the Fukushima Disaster. [Bloomberg Businessweek]
¶ A report from the Confederation of British Industry says the government can cut its deficit in half by embracing renewable energy. [Solar Power Portal]
¶ The International Energy Agency projects 40% growth in the renewable sector in the next five years, increasing from recent growth of around 20%. [Engineering News]
Palestinians are installing PVs to reduce dependence on Israel. [Al-Monitor]
US:
¶ Departing Chairman Jaczko says the agency may not be able to renew licenses for operating nuclear plants for “a few years” because of a federal court ruling, but the plants may continue to operate anyway. [Platts]
¶ The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is still divided and does not know what to do about nuclear safety, according to departing chairman Jaczko. [Wall Street Journal]
¶ We can cut the price of solar power in half by cutting the red tape. [Forbes]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
July 5, 2012
Opinion:
¶ Can a nuclear disaster happen here?
Japan:
¶ The Japanese Parliament released its report on the investigation into the Fukushima Disaster. A one sentence summary: “Japan’s Fukushima nuclear crisis was a preventable disaster resulting from ‘collusion’ among the government, regulators and the plant operator.” [Reuters]
¶ Some say TEPCO is repairing the damaged reactors at Fukushima Daini. [Associated Press]
… Another take on the situation is that they are considering decommissioning the plant. [Wall Street Journal]
¶ Because of ongoing fallout from Fukushima Daiichi, at the Fukushima Daini plant, it is safer inside the reactor buildings than outside. [Wall Street Journal]
World:
¶ The Brazilian national energy agency says electricity from home solar panels is now cheaper than power supplied by many of grid suppliers. [Clean Technica]
US:
¶ Economics may close the San Onofre power plant. [Washington Times]
¶ The Connecticut Attorney General has come out against Indian Point license renewal, based on dangers to human health and safety. [Stamford Advocate]
¶ Californian electric customers have installed over a gigawatt of solar capacity. [PV Magazine]
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Tags: electric power costs, Fukushima, nuclear, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power
July 4, 2012
Opinion:
¶ As I see it – the future of electricity generation.
Japan:
¶ The Japanese government will not allow people who have worked in the nuclear industry in the last three years to work for the new regulatory agency. [Power Engineering]
¶ Yusuhara, in Kochi Prefecture, is considered a model in use of renewable power generation. [Power Engineering]
¶ Japan is still struggling to define its energy future. Some experts see the nuclear industry as desperate, commenting, “But basically, there is very little they can do to turn the clock back.” [Reuters]
World:
¶ Grameen Schneider Electric will equip nearly 200,000 households in Bangladesh with home solar systems. [Construction Week]
US:
¶ Dominion, owner of the Millstone Nuclear Power Plant, wants to increase the number of dry casks on site. [The Day]
¶ The Marine Conservation Alliance Foundation found a lot of flotsam from Japan in a survey it conducted in Alaska. Tests were conducted and nothing was found to be radioactive. [Alaska Dispatch]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
July 3, 2012
Japan:
¶ After 15 months, 40% of the people evacuated from Okuma, in Fukushima Prefecture, have given up on the idea that they will ever return home. [Daily Yomiuri]
¶ Mitsui OSK has built a hybrid ship to use for ferrying cars. It has solar, battery, and diesel power systems. [The Japan Daily Press]
World:
¶ G24 Innovations is starting to sell photovoltaic cells built in a factory in Wales. They produce power from ambient light. [RECHARGE]
¶ GE is supplying a wind farm in Sweden with ten 2.75 megawatt wind turbines. [The FINANCIAL]
US:
¶ The Union of Concerned Scientists is requesting the NRC to rule that all spent fuel at US nuclear reactors be moved to dry cask storage, allowing only five years to cool in spent fuel pools. [San Diego Reader]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
July 2, 2012
Japan;
¶ The Unit 3 reactor has been restarted at Ohi. Demonstrators at the site are described as raucous. [CNN]
¶ As time passed, and rain fell, hundreds of protesters remained, blocking the road to the Ohi reactors. Residents of Ohi generally were not protesting, as most of the people in the town are employed or otherwise subsidized by the owner of the plant. [The Japan Times]
¶ Demand for electricity for the month of June fell 4.1% from 2011 to 2012. [Reuters Africa]
¶ KEPCO, owner of the Ohi plant, also restarted a mothballed oil powered plant this weekend. [Reuters]
¶ Masayoshi Son, CEO of SoftBank Corp., is keeping a commitment that his company would build at least 10 renewable power facilities with a combined capacity of more than 200 megawatts. He contrasts his company’s actions with those of politicians who fail to keep their commitments. [Wall Street Journal]
US:
¶ There were about three hundred protesters at the VY gate. Forty entered the grounds and were arrested. [Rutland Herald]
¶ Locked out workers at Pilgrim are losing health care benefits. [Boston Herald]
¶ As government incentives disappear, installations of solar power systems decline, but not by much. The lack of incentives has been made up for by a decline in prices. [knoxvillebiz]
¶ Public Service of New Mexico is adding geothermal generating to its power portfolio. [REVE]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, renewable power, Vermont Yankee
July 1, 2012
Japan:
¶ Reactors at Ohi are restarting. Many people are protesting. Protesters in Ohi say they are attempting to block access to the power plant. [CNN]
¶ The Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization designed the first nuclear safety drill since the Fukushima Disaster. The drill did not include dealing with meltdowns for fear that doing so would be too upsetting to citizens. [The Japan Times]
¶ Protesters are attempting to blockade roads to the Ohi reactors. [Emirates 24/7]
¶ A problem developed in the cooling system at Fukushima Daiichi’s Unit 4 spent fuel pool. [The Japan Times]
… Latest word is that a temporary cooling system has been started. [Australian Broadcast Corporation]
World:
¶ The UK has had large gains in renewable electricity production. Wind is producing 50% more than last year. At the same time, consumption of electricity has declined slightly. [Clean Technica]
¶ A new 32,000 ton metallurgical grade silicon producing plant in Iceland, which will require 52 megawatts to operate, will be entirely powered by renewable resources. [MELODICA.NET]
US:
¶ New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he is likely to sign new legislation to that will reinvigorate the state’s solar industry. [CleanEnergyAuthority]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, renewable power, wind power
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