Posts Tagged ‘Fukushima’
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 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
June 30, 2012
A quote for today:
“A lot of people think that Fukushima is behind us, in fact it’s ahead of us.” Jean-Christophe Niel, head of ASN, the French nuclear safety authority. [quoted in RFI]
Japan:
¶ The weekly protest at the Prime Minister’s residence has grown from 300, in April, to a huge number, yesterday. Police claim there were 17,000 people in the crowd, organizers say 150,000, and various media put the number at between 20,000 and 200,000. [Japan Daily Press]
¶ The Japanese government is presenting three plans for the future of energy production, so they can be debated publicly. [Reuters]
¶ The Anglican Church in Japan is calling for the abolition of nuclear power. [Anglican Communion News Service]
US:
¶ A rally to shut down VY is scheduled for July 1. [OpEdNews]
¶ The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is making new rules for wind, solar, and energy storage. A projection used as a basis, dating from 2010, is that 60% of new energy resources will be solar and wind by 2019. [Forbes]
¶ The US Senate confirmed Kristine Svinicki and Allison Macfarlane to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. [The Hill]
¶ Decommissioning Zion is costing upwards of $100 million more than anticipated. [Chicago Tribune]
¶ The DOE gave Southern Company a sweetheart deal to finance building two reactors at Vogtle. Critics say the deal is excessive. [Inter Press Service]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power, solar power, wind power
June 28, 2012
Japan:
¶ TEPCO denies its report on the Fukushima Disaster is a cover-up. [Australian Broadcast Company]
¶ Individual Japanese stockholders are starting to hold corporate managements accountable. [New York Times]
… Nevertheless, all nine Japanese utilities decided to continue with nuclear power. [Asahi Shimbun]
… And in particular, TEPCO shareholders voted in favor of a return to producing nuclear power, despite protests at the shareholders meeting. [euronews]
¶ Radiation readings in a drain under Fukushima Daiichi Unit 1 are the highest yet recorded there, at 10,300 millisieverts per hour. [the Telegraph]
¶ The volume in loans for green power generation and other environmentally friendly projects in Japan has been increased by a multiple. [Utility Products]
¶ TEPCO is pulling out of a scheme to supply and run two reactors in Vietnam and ending its export of nuclear expertise. [The Japan Daily Press]
US:
¶ NRC attorneys are agreeing with environmental groups, including the New England Coalition, along with over twenty others, that the Seabrook relicense has to be delayed. [Seacoastonline.com]
¶ The NRC says a new study on the environmental impact of Indian Point on Hudson River wildlife shows older studies overestimate the actual damage by 1000 times. The data supporting the new study was supplied by Entergy, the plant’s owner. [Bloomberg]
Posted in nuclear power, solar | 1 Comment »
Tags: Fukushima, New England Coalition, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power
June 27, 2012
Japan:
¶ Two prominent seismologists are warning against restarting the reactors at Ohi. [news24]
¶ TEPCO is being accused of lying and covering up its own incompetence in its report on its internal investigation of the Fukushima Disaster. [Radio Australia]
… There have been protests at the stockholders’ meeting over the report. [Australian Network News]
¶ Shareholders have voted to allow TEPCO to be nationalized. [RTT News]
World:
¶ European Desertec, a consortium including such companies Siemens, E.ON, Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, Enel, and Shell, says it will use wind and solar energy from northern Africa and southern Europe to eliminate 95% of the emissions from generating electricity by 2050. [REneweconomy]
US:
¶ The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has ruled in favor of the US NRC in its suit with the State of Vermont on the issue of the water quality permit. The state contended that since Entergy never applied for a water quality permit, as required by the law, the NRC issued the license renewal illegally. [Reuters UK]
¶ The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled unanimously that the EPA has the authority to limit carbon dioxide emissions. [ieee spectrum]
¶ One take on the news says the investigation into Chairman Jaczko faults him because he was not supportive of his colleagues, and his actions were inconsistent with policy. [Wall Street Journal]
… Another take says he committed no violations. [New York Times]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, solar power, wind power
June 26, 2012
Japan:
¶ Experts say the spent fuel pool of Unit 4 at Fukushima Daiichi is a disaster waiting to happen. [Radio Australia]
¶ TEPCO is finally admitting a slight lean in the Unit 4 building. [NHK World]
… (This has been reported without confirmation for over a year at ENENEWS, whom we thank for bringing the report to our attention.)
¶ According to NHK, a 92 hectare (227 acre) park in Tokyo is to be decontaminated because of radioactive fallout from Fukushima Daiichi. [NHK World].
… (Again, thanks to ENENEWS.)
¶ Another earthquake at Fukushima could lead to a disaster ten times worse than Chernobyl. [Australian Broadcast Corporation]
¶ The number 3 reactor at Ohi will be restarted on July 1, and is expected to be producing at full power on about July 8-11. The number 4 reactor at the same plant is expected to be started on July 17-21, and to produce full power on July 24-31. [Reuters]
¶ Protesters say the restart at Ohi was rushed, and the plant was declared safe without considering difficulties evacuation would pose, or even infrastructure, which needs upgrades. [The Japan Times]
World:
¶ The government of Korea is getting proactive about construction of wind turbines. [REVE]
¶ The city of Beijing is considering a sister-city relationship with Copenhagen, partly because it may facilitate installation of 100 wind turbines. [REVE]
US:
¶ A shipment of two dry casks arrived by barge for Seabrook. They are in parts that will be assembled at the plant. Transporting them from the port to the plant requires use of two trucks, each with 100 tires on the trailer, which will move on the roads at 5 miles per hour. [Seacoastonline]
¶ The New Jersey legislature is considering a bill intended to avert collapse of the solar market in that state. New Jersey has seen a decline in the price of solar credits for owners of solar arrays earn for their investment, resulting from rapid expansion of solar production. [NJSPOTLIGHT]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, nuclear waste, photovoltaic, solar power, wind power
June 25, 2012
Japan:
¶ Japanese based Taiwanese journalist Liu Li-erh says the Fukushima disaster caused her property, 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the plant to lose half its value. She gives this message to the people of Taiwan, “Now is the time to go nuclear free.” [Taipei Times]
¶ After testing for radioactive substances, seafood caught off the coast of Fukushima has gone on sale at a reduced price to test the market. [China Daily]
… A different fishing expedition off Fukushima returned with a radioactive haul. [Radio Australia]
¶ TEPCO has installed another cover for the Unit 4 spent fuel pool. [Break Bulk]
World:
¶ British green utility Good Energy is growing at over 12% and now has over 30,000 customers. [NewsNet]
¶ Solaria, a German solar company, is planning to build an unsubsidized 60 MW solar generating station in Spain, and projects the cost at $1.25 per watt, with an opening date in 2013. [REneweconomy]
… Solaria says costs of electricity from the plant should be $68 to $75 per MWh. By comparison, the US DOE’s projected cost for power from nuclear plants is at $113.80 per MWh, excluding costs of managing nuclear waste and potential taxpayer liabilities for loan guarantees and disaster insurance. [US DOE projected costs]
US:
¶ Workers at the Pilgrim nuclear plant are now picketing the plant. A contract negotiation had failed, and the workers had been locked out by Entergy. [Nuclear Street]
¶ War games scheduled to test security at Indian Point have been delayed. The issue is that during such practice at Seabrook, a participant nearly passed out because of carbon monoxide produced by the fake ammunition. [Journal News- lohud.com]
¶ Physicians for Social Responsibility have endorsed Allison MacFarlane to chair the NRC. [IBTimes]
¶ Contrary to claims by the NRC that seismic studies were done at Limerick before it was constructed, they were not completed until two years after the first reactor was delivered. Now we know the plant sits on top of a fault. [The Mercury]
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Tags: electric power costs, Fukushima, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Pilgrim nuclear, solar power
June 24, 2012
Japan:
¶ The size of the crowd protesting restarting nuclear reactors at the prime minister’s residence was larger than previously reported in mainstream media. According to organizers, there were 45,000 people involved. There were also protests elsewhere, in Japan, in the US, and in Brazil. [The Japan Times]
World:
¶ Amid the oil and gas wells of British Columbia, Dawson Creek (pop. 11,583) provides more electricity than it needs from wind and solar power. [Leader-Post]
US:
¶ In Michigan, debate is starting over a ballot initiative to put green energy requirements into the constitution. [Battle Creek Enquirer]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, renewable power
June 23, 2012
Japan:
¶ About 20,000 people gathered at the official residence of Prime Minister Noda to protest the restart of the Ohi reactors. One of the leaders of the protest was well-known journalist Satoshi Kamata. Another was a Nobel Prize winning author Kenzaburo Oe, whose anti-nuclear petition has gathered 7,500,000 signatures. Also present was famous composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, who told listeners, “The battle has only just begun.” More protests are planned. [MSN Philippines]
US:
¶ The Sierra Club of Iowa has filed a petition with the NRC to revoke the operating license of Fort Calhoun because of its history of safety violations. [MSN]
¶ California is having to make plans for a future without the San Onofre nuclear power plant. [Los Angeles Times]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
June 22, 2012
Japan:
¶ Efforts will begin to remove spent fuel assemblies from the Unit 4 spent fuel pool this year, instead of waiting until late 2013, as had been planned. The reason given for this appears to be public concern. [Reuters]
¶ TEPCO’s report on the Fukushima Disaster is being called sloppy, and its contents falsified, by many people, both in and out of government. [The Mainichi]
World:
¶ Transmission lines may connect solar and wind generating stations in Germany with pumped storage in Norway by 2018. [The Local]
US:
¶ The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved the nomination of Allison Macfarlane to chair the NRC and re-nomination of Kristine Svinicki as a commissioner. [Power Engineering]
¶ The State of California will conduct an investigation into problems at San Onofre. [Bloomberg Businessweek]
¶ Cracks in the containment building at Crystal River are not currently getting worse, but no one knows whether the reactor will be brought back online. [Tampa Bay Times]
¶ Officials at Browns Ferry say that plant is not ready for an inspection needed to clear a reactor’s “red” safety status. [Chattanooga Times]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, solar power, wind power
June 21, 2012
Japan:
¶ After a lengthy self-investigation, TEPCO has proclaimed itself exonerated on the Fukushima Disaster. In reporting the event, this article notes that the utility “has worked vigilantly to shut out close scrutiny of the ravaged plant’s condition.” [New York Times]
¶ TEPCO does, however, admit it underestimated the risk of tsunami. [The Province]
¶ The Japanese Diet has approved a bill to produce an independent nuclear regulatory agency. [Power Engineering]
¶ Toshiba is planning the largest solar farm in Japan so far. It will be sited in Minamisoma and will cost ¥30 billion ($380 million). [Tokyo Times]
World:
¶ Nuclear plant operators must be prepared for flaws in the design basis, according to officials of the European Nuclear Security Regulators Group. This means that nuclear plants have to incorporate safety features to deal with problems that cannot be anticipated. [Platts]
¶ The French government is calling for tougher sanctions against Iran after nuclear talks in Moscow broke down. [Press TV]
US:
¶ Union workers at the Pilgrim nuclear power plant have rejected the contract offered them, extending the lock-out. [Boston Herald]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, Pilgrim nuclear, solar power
June 20, 2012
A quote for today:
“By telling the naked emperor to go get dressed, the Court has delivered an overdue rebuke to the NRC’s bad habit of pushing for the nuclear power plants while postponing the problems, as we now know the Japanese to have done at Fukushima. It’s hard to see how federal and state officials can justify putting more taxpayer or customer money at risk on new reactor projects until this situation is resolved.” Former NRC Commissioner, Peter Bradford [International Business Times]
Technology:
¶ Scientists and regulators are trying to figure out what to do about the potential for solar storms to disrupt nuclear plants, the electric grid, communications, and so on. [AOL Energy]
Japan:
¶ TEPCO’s report on the disaster has been announced by the chairman of the committee drafting it. According to CNN, it draws the stunningly obvious conclusion that TEPCO was not prepared for what happened. [CNN]
¶ Industry minister Edano has apologized for the fact that the Japanese government failed to use radiation maps supplied by the US during the disaster, with the result that evacuees were put in the path of fallout. [Business Recorder]
World:
¶ Solar panels are reducing Australia’s mains electricity consumption. [Eco-Business]
US:
¶ According to the US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, current renewable technology could supply 80% of the electrical power in the United States by 2050, but government agencies grossly underestimate the apparently exponential growth in renewables. [Washington Post]
¶ A protest is planned for July 1, in which anti-nuclear activists plan to swarm the gates at Vermont Yankee. [Valley Advocate]
¶ Workers at the Pilgrim plant will vote on a new contract. [Boston Globe]
¶ A total of 174 MW of solar panels were installed in New Jersey during the first three months of 2012. [NJ Spotlight]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, solar power, Vermont Yankee
June 19, 2012
Japan:
¶ Closing down all fifty nuclear plants in Japan would result in a loss to Japanes utilities of ¥4.4 trillion ($55 billion). [The Japan Times]
¶ The Japanese Nuclear and Industrial Safety Administration has admitted it was negligent and is apologizing for shoddy management. [The Asahi Shimbun]
US:
¶ The Vermont Yankee nuclear plant is running at 36% of permitted power because of a problem that produced smoke in the reactor building. An Entergy spokesman said they did not know what the cause was, but they did know it had nothing to do with safety. [Keene Sentinel]
¶ The Massachusetts Attorney General is appealing the Pilgrim license renewal, saying the NRC abused its discretion in issuing the license without considering the Fukushima Disaster. [Fox News Boston]
¶ The NRC has determined that the problem at San Onofre stems from design flaws and says it is not possible to know whether one or more of the steam generators needs to be replaced. The flaws are said to have resulted from bad computer modeling. [Newser]
¶ The 24 groups and individuals, including the New England Coalition on Nuclear Pollution, have joined to file a petition to stop the NRC from licensing or relicensing plants until the waste issue is resolved. [Clean Energy News]
¶ San Diego Gas & Electric has completed a 500 kV transmission line to link a solar farm in the Imperial Valley to San Diego. [Utilities Network]
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Tags: Fukushima, New England Coalition, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, solar power, Vermont Yankee
June 18, 2012
Technology:
¶ The price of solar power has fallen to the point that it is becoming competitive with fossil fuels. [The Conversation]
¶ Energy storage is becoming increasingly important as the world switches to renewable power. [The Motley Fool]
Japan:
¶ In a press conference, the Japanese trade minister said the new regulatory agency, which is set to begin operations in August, will make its own decisions on the 48 reactors that remain idle, independently of the cabinet. If this is true, then it could be that no additional reactors will be started before fall. [The Daily Yomiuri Online]
¶ In the days following the Fukushima Disaster, the Japanese government received accurate radiation maps from the US Energy Department, but chose not to use them as people evacuated. Some went into areas with high radiation. [The Asahi Shimbun]
¶ The Japanese government approved billions of dollars of subsidies for renewable power. [Eco-Business]
¶ There is a building boom for solar electric installations in Japan. [Bloomberg BusinessWeek]
¶ Those who wish to return to widespread use of nuclear power in Japan do not have a clear path ahead. [Wall Street Journal]
World:
¶ Worldwide wind generating capacity increased by 40 GW in 2011. [REVE]
¶ German utility company RWE AG has decided not to replace its German reactors with new reactors outside the country, but is thinking about cooperating with communities to build solar farms. It may enter the private consumer solar business, as well. [Wall Street Journal]
US:
¶ The US is now producing more renewable energy than nuclear. [geoharvey page]
¶ A former nuclear waste dump in Pennsylvania is being closely guarded by Homeland Security after nuclear materials there were found to include materials that should were more “complex” than expected. [Centre Daily Times]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power, solar power, wind power
June 13, 2012
Technology:
Scientists at the University of Utah believe they have found a way to protect electronic devices in highly radioactive areas. [Article in e! Science News]
Japan:
Experts warn of more pending disaster at Fukushima. [Article in the Hindu]
It will take at least five weeks to restart the Ohi reactors, which means the period of summer heat will be half over by the time they are online. [Article in the Japan Daily Press]
The sea walls at Ohi may be too short. [Article at Wall Street Journal Japan Realtime]
World:
Nuclear power is more costly than renewables. [Article from xinhuanet]
German utilities are suing the government for billions of Euros over the decision to abandon nuclear power. [Article in The Local]
US:
The senate will begin a hearing on nominations of Allison Macfarlane to chair, and Kristine Svinicki to serve on, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. [Article in the Hill News Alerts]
The Palisades nuclear plant has gone offline for a small leak in the plant’s safety injection and refueling water tank. [Report from WSJM]
An NRC report indicates seven problems need to be addressed for Seabrook to be relicensed. [Article in the Newburyport Daily News]
Citizens of two small communities in Iowa pooled their resources and are now generating more electricity from wind than they consume. [Article in R&D]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power, solar power
June 11, 2012
Technology:
Alta Devices has provided details on new solar film technology allowing for flexible, highly efficient photovoltaic cells. [Article in Compound Semiconductor]
Japan:
Inpex, the largest oil and gas company in Japan, is increasing its purchases of overseas assets. [Article in Financial Times]
The Japanese government expects that 18% of Fukushima evacuees will be unable to return home for at least another ten years. [Article in the Japan Times.]
A group of 1800 people have filed a criminal complaint against 33 TEPCO executives, saying they should be held responsible for the Fukushima Disaster. [Article in the Japan Daily Press]
A panel of scientists appointed by the governor of Fukui Provence has approved restart of the Oi reactors. [Article in the Business Week]
World:
Cuban officials say they will increase the share of renewable power in their electric production from 3.8% to 16.5% within the next eight years. [Article in Fox News Latino]
GE will be investing $900 million in wind generators in Turkey, over the next three years. [Article in REVE]
US:
Workers at the Pilgrim nuclear power plant, who have been locked out during labor negotiations, say the plant is not safely run by people temporarily assigned to replace them. [Article at socialistworker.org]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, wind power
June 8, 2012
Technology:
A new study shows increases of probability of cancer for children who have CT scans. [Article at CNN]
Japan:
Prime Minister Noda says it is necessary to restart the two reactors at Oi, a decision expected to be confirmed by the cabinet, but opposed by the Governor of Fukui Prefecture, who has some say in the matter. [Article in the Climate Spectator]
A former Japanese ambassador said in an interview on the situation at Fukushima that the situation there is gravely dangerous. [Article at PanOrient News]
The Japanese Prime Minister will have extraordinary authority during any nuclear crisis in the future. [Article at Daily Yomiuri Online]
An executive at Tokyo Gas is predicting a 50% cut in the use of nuclear power for the future. [Article in The Japan Times]
Crews entered the rooms housing the suppression chambers of units 2 and 3 for the first time since the disaster, looking for the sources of leaks, but were unable to find any. [Article in RTT News]
World:
The International Renewable Energy Agency has released two reports, one dealing with the socio-economic impact of renewable energy, and the other dealing with employment prospects of the renewable sector.
US:
Engineers found a coolant leak at Davis-Besse as the reactor was being readied to start up after refuelling. [Article at Cleveland.com]
San Onofre will probably be offline until at least the end of summer. [Article in the Los Angeles Times]
The NRC will hold public meetings on San Onofre. [Article in the Los Angeles Times]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power, solar power, Vermont Yankee
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