Japan:
¶ Recovery efforts in northern Japan are suffering from a labor shortage. In some places only less than 50% of positions are filled. [The Japan Times]
¶ The study of the fault at Ohi may foreshadow similar problems at other nuclear power plants. One of the government panelists considering the fault maintains it is active, and all others say they believe it could be active. [The Japan Times]
World:
¶ German utility RWE has increased its financial outlook. [Irish Times]
¶ The new energy policies that have Germans paying $5 per month more for electricity give the people something for which they are willing to pay more, which is clean energy. [Businessweek]
… In Germany, anybody can be a utility. The system is decentralized and democratic, which is why it is moving so fast toward renewable power. Germans are baffled about why the US is not following the same democratic path. [Truthdig]
¶ Political controversy about onshore wind continues in the UK. [Businessweek]
US:
¶ An Atomic Safety and Licensing Board has rejected a contention by the Friends of the Coast and the New England Coalition opposing relicensing at Seabrook. The contention dealt with issues of degradation of concrete, but the board said it was filed too late. [The Union Leader]
¶ Cracks have been found in the head of the reactor at the Summer nuclear plant. The head is being repaired. [Equities.com]
¶ California regulators rejected a proposal by owners of the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant to map earthquake faults near it by firing air cannons offshore. [KPBS]
¶ The NRC postponed indefinitely a public meeting on restarting a reactor at the San Onofre nuclear plant. [U-T San Diego]
¶ A new US report debunks the idea that fracking can lead to energy security. [PR Watch]
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