Posts Tagged ‘Nuclear Regulatory Commission’
August 14, 2012
Technology:
¶ The US National Renewable Energy Laboratory has issued a report saying fuel cell technology is advancing rapidly. [Hydrogen Fuel News]
Japan:
¶ TEPCO has removed the vessel head from Unit 4 at Fukushima Daiichi, as part of debris clearing so they can remove fuel from the spent fuel pool. [World Nuclear News]
World:
¶ Lithium-ion batteries may provide stable electric micro-grids in many parts of the world without electric service today. [Energy Harvesting Journal]
¶ German utility giant RWE increased its renewable power production by 29% year-on-year in the first half of 2012. One of its plants is a 750 MW coal plant that has been converted to run on biomass. [Recharge]
US:
¶ One of the two reactors at Millstone was shut down because the water in Long Island Sound was too warm. [Wall Street Journal]
¶ A bill before the California legislature would enable community renewable energy in that state. [KQED]
¶ Solar power in Vermont: Yes in my Back Yard! in Charlotte. [equities.com]
… A solar farm is being discussed for Bennington. [NorthJersey.com]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, nuclear waste, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
August 10, 2012
Japan:
¶ TEPCO management was reluctant to use sea water to prevent meltdown at Fukushima, because doing so would ruin the reactors. [The Japan Times]
¶ Just after Unit 3 exploded, Fukushima Governor Sato demanded that TEPCO announce “there was no concern that radiation from reactor 3 may affect human body because the wind blows from North-West.” [Infoshop News]
¶ Asahi Shimbun has an interview with anti-nuclear physicist, Yuko Fujita. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ At the anniversary of the bombing, Hibakusha, survivors of the atomic bombs, talk of the lie of nuclear safety, comparing the meltdowns to the bombs. [The Japan Times]
World:
¶ The government of India is not reconsidering nuclear power as a result of the Fukushima disaster, according to the Minister of State. [NetIndian]
¶ Belgian regulators have closed down a reactor at Doel because of possible cracks in the reactor vessel. [Financial Times]
US:
¶ Some clarity is provided on the NRC’s order to stop licensing. The hold on licensing will have no effect on anything other than the actual issuance of licenses. The processes proceed without slowing. The next license to issue will be the relicense of Indian Point (September 28, 2013). [Power Engineering]
¶ A spokesman for the nuclear industry says he is not too worried about the NRC order against issuing licenses. Work will go on unabated. [energybiz]
¶ The Sierra Club is charging that the fossil fuel industry is using underhanded tactics to discredit the growth of renewable energy. [EcoSeed]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power
August 9, 2012
Japan:
¶ In an address to people gathered for the anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki, Prime Minister Noda reiterated his government’s commitment to reducing the country’s dependence on nuclear energy. [RTT News]
World:
¶ Microgrids and solar power could be the answer to India’s power crisis. [OilPrice.com]
¶ Australians are converting to solar PVs, even after government support declines. [Energy Collective]
¶ German state development bank KfW plans to put about 100 billion euros ($123.6 billion) into financing the shift to renewable energy in Europe’s biggest power market. [Reuters Africa]
US:
¶ The Obama administration is putting seven large renewable energy projects on the fast track. [The Guardian]
¶ US wind power capacity has reached 50 GW. (Though the article does not say so, this means about 0.0001% of the potential has been developed) [EcoSeed]
¶ Today, the NRC will explain why cracks in the Davis-Besse containment building are okay. [Plain Dealer]
¶ The New York Attorney General is disputing the cost estimated by Entergy for decommissioning Indian Point, saying it is about one seventh of the actual amount, arguing that the deficiency is sufficient reason to deny relicensing. [Poughkeepsie Journal]
¶ NRG Energy, which produces enough electricity to power 20,000,000 homes in the US, is starting to make significant profit from renewable energy. Solar projects are being finished ahead of schedule, and the company is increasing investment in the field. [Recharge]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, nuclear waste, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
August 8, 2012
Japan:
¶ Radioactive cesium, presumably from the Fukushima Disaster, has been found in the sea at some distance from the plant. Places where it was found include seas off Niigata Prefecture, on the west coast, Shizuoka Prefecture, south of Tokyo, and Iwate Prefecture, to the north. [FIS]
World:
¶ Investments in renewable energy are only going in one direction – up. [OilPrice.com]
US:
¶ The NRC has frozen all licensing of nuclear reactors until the situation of its waste confidence rule is resolved. The waste confidence rule was overturned by a Federal Court of Appeals as a result of a lawsuit brought by the Attorney General of New York. [Environment News Service]
¶ Entergy will ask the Vermont Public Service Board for permission to install a new diesel backup generator at Vermont Yankee. [Power Engineering]
¶ San Onofre may lose the right to pass the cost of its new steam generators on to the public, because they failed too quickly. [North County Times]
¶ A new business partnership will bring solar trackers from AllEarthRenewables to southwestern and central Vermont. [VTdigger]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
August 7, 2012
Japan:
¶ Yukio Edano, the Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry, told reporters, “I don’t think the zero scenario is negative for Japan’s economy. On the contrary, it can create growth” by driving technological innovation in renewable energy and energy efficiency. [The Wall Street Journal]
¶ Now under state control, TEPCO has released videos showing what was going on when the Fukushima Disaster was unfolding. They show confusion. [The Washington Post]
… The videos show officials at TEPCO considered shooting holes in the sides of reactor buildings to reduce hydrogen buildup during the disaster. [Bloomberg]
World:
¶ Pakistan is trying to build 143,000 megawatts of solar electric capacity. [The Business Recorder]
US:
¶ After noncompliant rebar was found to have been installed for the foundation for a new reactor at Vogtle, owners have been trying to find a way to use it instead of removing it. The latest suggestion is that they make up for its deficiencies by pouring stronger concrete. The NRC has said they could proceed at their own risk while it evaluates the question. [The Augusta Chronicle]
¶ Walmart has put up its first megawatt wind turbine as part of a program to have its power be 100% renewable. [Forbes]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
August 5, 2012
Science:
¶ NASA scientist James Hansen writes, of extreme weather patterns discussed in a study on weather being published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, “The odds that natural variability created these extremes are minuscule, vanishingly small. To count on those odds would be like quitting your job and playing the lottery every morning to pay the bills.” [CNN]
¶ A solar superstorm could play havoc with electric power grids, and in a worst case cause millions of deaths. [Revmodo]
Japan:
¶ Radioactive cesium has been found in Japanese fish and seawater. [RT]
US:
¶ The New York Attorney General opposes the NRC’s resolution of a petition for enforcement of safety rules because it is allowing fire safety violations to continue at Indian Point. [Utility Products]
¶ US toxicologist Janette Sherman published a report linking deaths in the US with radioactivity from Fukushima. [HNN HuntingtonNews]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
August 3, 2012
Japan:
¶ Prime Minister Noda will meet with leaders of the protesters who demonstrate outside his residence every Friday. The meeting will probably take place next week. [The Japan Times]
¶ Unit 5 at Chubu Electric’s Hamaoka nuclear plant had sea water leak into the pressure vessel after the earthquake and tsunami of 2011. Now, radioactive water is leaking in the reactor building, indicating serious corrosion. A Chubu Electric spokesman says the company is considering whether the reactor should be decommissioned. [Reuters]
¶ Nuclear advocates in Japan are arguing that the presence of nuclear plants is good for the country because it shows the Japanese have the capacity to make nuclear bombs. [The Japan Times]
World:
¶ Germany installed 4,300 MW of solar capacity in the first half of 2012, bringing its total to 28,000 MW. This is an increase of slightly more than 18% over a six month period. [REVE]
¶ Nuclear power is too expensive for much of the world. The initial investment is too high to justify, low natural gas prices and recession are depressing potential markets, it takes years to get a reactor online, and wind and solar are less expensive. [Financial Times]
¶ Renault is running a sales promotion in Spain, in which purchasers of gas-powered station wagons, mini-vans, and sedans get a free electric microcar. [Green Car Reports]
US:
¶ Projected costs to repair the containment building at Crystal River, which were $900 million to $1.2 billion, are still rising, and the owners say they will probably not decide what to do with the plant until next year. [Reuters]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable 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 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 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]
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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 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 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
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 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]
Posted in nuclear power, solar | Leave a Comment »
Tags: electric power costs, Fukushima, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Pilgrim nuclear, solar 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 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]
Posted in nuclear power, renewable power, solar, technology | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, solar power, Vermont Yankee
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