Thrifty Nuclear Terrorism Nanodetectors Delayed by Funding Uncertainty
“No timeline for deployment has been set,” National Security Technologies spokesman Jeff Donaldson told Nextgov. “It will be based on funding availability, at the discretion of the National Nuclear Security Administration.” The agency, part of Energy, is subject to the “sequester” — default funding reductions mandated by a 2011 debt ceiling deal that took effect Friday.
By Aliya Sternstein Government Executive
5 March 2013
The Energy Department this month announced plans to prop up nanotechnology sensors at airports and other U.S. entry points for detecting nuclear substances, but there is no rollout timetable because of budget uncertainty, according to operators of the counterterrorism program.
The new nanotech sensors can be produced for less than .17 percent of the price of existing sensor technology, with the equivalent of $300 worth of current materials now costing 50 cents, scientists reported to Congress in 2010. The screening tools were created to elucidate concealed nuclear substances in border stations, cities and various ports of entry, said officials with National Security Technologies, which runs the department’s Nevada National Security Site. Many Energy laboratories and facilities are government-owned and contractor-operated.
“No timeline for deployment has been set,” National Security Technologies spokesman Jeff Donaldson told Nextgov. “It will be based on funding availability, at the discretion of the National Nuclear Security Administration.” The agency, part of Energy, is subject to the “sequester” — default funding reductions mandated by a 2011 debt ceiling deal that took effect Friday.
Traditional sensor-making that requires growing big, fragile crystals to visibly illuminate nuclear radiation is more expensive than manufacturing bulk nanocrystals that fit into plastic, the 2010 report stated. The nanosensors are rugged enough to be embedded into large sheets of material for screening wide areas.
Since these detectors can be produced at industrial scale, many departments, including, for example, Homeland Security and Defense, could deploy them across high-population or vulnerable locations, scientists at the site said. The agencies’ ability to field the tools, again, would depend on future year budgets, they added.
Site officials said that, during the past year, they proved the sensors work at Nellis Air Force Base and now they are shifting to the production phase.
The Indian Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage has evoked interest in Japan
“Japan must follow India’s example, make all nuclear companies fully accountable for the damage they cause, and put its people before industry profit,”
Greenpeace is calling on the Stephen Harper government to stop protecting nuclear companies. Sign the petition here
Greenpeace Nuclear Analyst Shawn-Patrick Stensil explains the Nuclear Liability Act, the special federal law that protects the nuclear industry.
Because of a similar law in Japan, the nuclear companies that helped cause the Fukushima disaster have been allowed to walk away from the disaster without compensating the hundreds of thousands of victims who have lost their homes and livelihoods. That’s wrong.
Greenpeace report here:
The Indian Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage has evoked interest in Japan
5 March 2013
Indian Defence
Is Japan looking to take a leaf out of the Indian nuclear liability law that is considered an obstacle to business by equipment suppliers and welcomed by civil society activists?
The Indian Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act 2010 has evoked interest in Japan as it sets about amending its Act on Compensation for Nuclear Damage, 1961.
One of the reasons for revising the Japanese law is the absence of supplier liability provisions for compensation in case of an accident.
Civil society activists claim that after the Fukushima disaster, Japan realised it could not nail General Electric, the suppliers of the nuclear reactor, because of a weak supplier liability law.
While high-ranking Indian government officials and anti-nuclear activists are on the same page in defending the Indian law, the handful of civil nuclear equipment suppliers and leaders from their countries of origin have expressed their distaste for the liability provisions which Japanese lawmakers are interested in.
Following renewed pressure from leaders of Russia, the U.S. and France, senior Indian officials reiterated that New Delhi had no intention of altering the Indian law which also holds equipment suppliers responsible for a nuclear accident. Washington, in particular, has gone on record to say the Indian law must be changed because it is not compatible with the Convention on Supplementary Compensation.
Leading Nuclear Energy Company (AREVA) to Expand in Mecklenburg County, N.C.
“AREVA has taken the lead in the U.S. nuclear sector by investing millions to create domestic industrial capacity, which provides a tremendous boost to American energy infrastructure and the U.S. economy,” said Michael W. Rencheck, CEO of AREVA. “North Carolina is a great place to do business because of its quality of life, extensive business infrastructure, investments in workforce development and commitment to forming partnerships with industry.”
Compensation will vary by job function, but the average compensation for the new positions is expected to be more than $130,000 plus benefits. The average annual wage in Mecklenburg County is $57,144.
March 5, 2013
RALEIGH — Today, Governor Pat McCrory and North Carolina Commerce Secretary Sharon Decker announced that AREVA, the largest technical resource for the nation’s nuclear energy sector, will expand its operations in Charlotte to include its North American headquarters. The company plans to create 130 jobs in North Carolina by the end of 2016 and invest $404,000 into its Mecklenburg County location.
“We are working to make our state the very best place to live and do business,” said Governor McCrory. “Businesses have choices, and we are proud that AREVA has chosen North Carolina for its headquarters.”
With a Charlotte presence established in 2002, AREVA provides its customers with solutions for low-carbon power generation in North America and around the world. With global headquarters in France, AREVA is a leader in nuclear energy and a significant, growing player in the renewable energies sector. AREVA combines U.S. and Canadian leadership, access to worldwide expertise and a proven track record of performance.
“The North Carolina Department of Commerce is committed to working with existing companies to spur job creation and growth,” said Sharon Decker, North Carolina Secretary of Commerce. “We congratulate AREVA for its success and for investing in North Carolina once again.”
AREVA currently employs 562 people in Charlotte and another 78 at its Columbiana Hi Tech subsidiary located in Greensboro. The company plans to expand its current operations in Charlotte to include its North American headquarters. AREVA will use the headquarters location as a platform for hiring additional engineers and other staff who will provide services to support key projects and initiatives.
Pirate Bay claims ‘virtual asylum’ in North Korea
Published time: March 05, 2013 06:13
After being forced out of Sweden, the file-sharing website Pirate Bay has announced a new and rather surprising location for its servers: North Korea. Pyongyang has not confirmed the report.
The website claimed in a statement published on its blog that Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un invited it to North Korea.
“This is truly an ironic situation. We have been fighting for a free world, and our opponents are mostly huge corporations from the United States of America, a place where freedom and freedom of speech is said to be held high,” the Pirate Bay said. “And to our help comes a government famous in our part of the world for locking people up for their thoughts and forbidding access to information.”
A Pirate Bay insider told website TorrentFreak that they had been working for a while to get connectivity in North Korea. “We’ve been in talks with them for about two weeks, since they opened access for foreigners to use 3G in the country,” the source said.
Last week anti-piracy groups forced the Swedish Pirate Party to deny service to The Pirate Bay. It was then offered refuge by the pirate parties of Norway and Catalonia, but the Norwegian party apparently dropped the site earlier on Monday.
Despite TorrentFreak confirming “the site does indeed route through North Korea at the moment,” many experts have expressed doubts the report is true.
The Guardian quoted analysis conducted by The Next Web suggesting that The Pirate Bay was most likely still being routed through Europe. “The individuals behind the Pirate Bay are unlikely to trade speed for the chance to say the site is hosted in North Korea. They are more likely to hack around and can claim it regardless of whether it’s true.”
MOX, A National Priority – Areva – or MOX, a national scam?
http://www.moxproject.com/about/Official%20MOX%20Video%202012%20web.wmv
MOX, A National Priority
Guest post by James Yu, Director of International and Federal Affairs, AREVA Inc.
Last week, Kelly Trice, President and Chief Operating Officer of Shaw AREVA MOX Services, presented the following video during the Annual Nuclear Deterrence Summit in Arlington, VA.
The conversation underscored the importance of the national nuclear security mission of the MOX Project, through which the United States will fulfill its international commitment to dispose of at least 34 metric tons of nuclear weapons material initiated under the U.S.-Russia Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement of 2000. In turn, Russia is obligated to permanently dispose of at least 34 metric tons of its weapons plutonium.
During the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington in April 2010, President Obama announced:
“After many years of effort, I’m pleased that the United States and Russia agreed today to eliminate 68 tons of plutonium for our weapons programs—plutonium that would have been enough for about 17,000 nuclear weapons. Instead, we will use this material to help generate electricity for our people… We’ve made real progress in building a safer world.”
The MOX fuel that will be generated from the MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF) at the DOE Savannah River Site in South Carolina is estimated to produce $50 billion worth of electricity for American consumers while enabling the U.S. to eliminate the expense of storage, surveillance and other mandatory safeguards of nuclear weapons material. Already, the U.S. is benefitting from the consolidation at the Savannah River Site of much of the 34 metric tons destined for the MFFF from across the nation’s weapons complex.
Last Tuesday, Neile Miller, Acting Administrator for the National Nuclear Security Administration, testified before the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and reiterated the Administration’s commitment to fulfilling its obligations under the U.S.-Russia agreement, stating that “the United States government remains completely committed to the agreement that we signed with Russia for the disposition of that excess weapons plutonium.”
Let’s fulfill our nonproliferation obligation, generate clean energy, and optimize nuclear safeguards costs by continuing to fund the MOX Project.
And for context, at this sudden rush of “feel good” MOX promotion, I give you this
And this strange story of MOX fuel being sent to Japan when the Japanese are saying that they have no use for it? Are the finances being manipulated before the end of the year? or has Japan done a secret deal in the last couple of days? It would appear that Areva have to keep sending the MOX fuel it is making anyway to sustain the business model.
“…The forecast is much more optimistic than a report published “yesterday” forecasting no new reactors put into operation before the end of the year….” Luc Oursel Head of Areva
IAEA Reports On Fukushima Nuclear Meltdown- “The worst is behind us” “post-accident phase,” – Amano
‘It has been a challenging two years, especially for the people and Government of Japan, but also for the IAEA. However, the worst elements of the accident are behind us and we are now in the post-accident phase,’ Amano told the IAEA board members gathered to discuss the agency’s work on nuclear verification, safety, security and the peaceful use of nuclear technologies.
AFX News · Mehr Nachrichten von AFX News
05.03.2013
TOKYO (dpa-AFX) – The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Monday tabled its report on the aftermath of the meltdown at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant as well as issues related to the controversial nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea.
IAEA Director-General Yukiya Amano told the Agency’s 35-member Board of Governors during their first meeting of the year in Vienna that the UN nuclear watchdog is working hard to help Japan deal with the consequences of the March 2011 nuclear power plant accident.
‘It has been a challenging two years, especially for the people and Government of Japan, but also for the IAEA. However, the worst elements of the accident are behind us and we are now in the post-accident phase,’ Amano told the IAEA board members gathered to discuss the agency’s work on nuclear verification, safety, security and the peaceful use of nuclear technologies.
Incidentally, March 11, 2011 marks the second anniversary of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident, which was damaged after an earthquake and tsunami struck Japan. The incident was reported to be the worst nuclear accident since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
‘The Agency continues to work hard to help Japan deal with the consequences of the accident. Member States are also making serious efforts to implement the lessons learned from this and from previous accidents,’ Amano added.
IAEA says not yet contacted by Syria rebels about ex-nuclear site
The U.N. investigation appears to have died down since the national revolt against President Bashar al-Assad broke out in 2011, with the armed opposition increasingly capturing military sites in rural areas and on the edges of cities
VIENNA | Mon Mar 4, 2013 11:06am EST
(Reuters) – Syrian rebels who have reportedly captured a suspected nuclear reactor site – destroyed by Israel six years ago – have not been in contact with U.N. inspectors about visiting it, IAEA chief Yukiya Amano said on Monday.
The U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has long sought access to a site in Syria’s desert Deir al-Zor region that U.S. intelligence reports say was a nascent, North Korean-designed reactor geared to producing plutonium for nuclear weapons before Israel bombed it in 2007.
On February 24, opposition sources in eastern Syria said rebels had captured the destroyed site near the Euphrates River.
“Certainly we are aware of the report on (the) rebel group’s offer to invite us to the site of Deir al-Zor but we are not aware of any communication to that effect,” Amano, IAEA director general, told a news conference, referring to a media report last month.
The Vienna-based watchdog has also been requesting information about three other sites that may have been linked to Deir al-Zor.
Syria says Deir al-Zor was a conventional military facility but the IAEA concluded in May 2011 it was “very likely” to have been a reactor that should have been declared to its anti-proliferation inspectors.
The U.N. investigation appears to have died down since the national revolt against President Bashar al-Assad broke out in 2011, with the armed opposition increasingly capturing military sites in rural areas and on the edges of cities.
U.N. inspectors examined the site in June 2008 but Syrian authorities have barred them access since.
“I renew my call to Syria to fully cooperate with us in connection with unresolved issued related to the Deir al-Zor site and other locations,” Amano earlier on Monday told the IAEA’s 35-nation governing board, according to a copy of his speech.
(Reporting by Fredrik Dahl; editing by Andrew Roche)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/04/us-syria-nuclear-iaea-idUSBRE9230QN20130304
Deal at Czech nuclear power plant fuels US-Russia economic rivalry
“The Czech Republic simply does not need another 2.5 gigawatts of power and with demand falling all round Europe and not likely to bounce back soon, the export market is risky,” says Steve Thomas, a professor of energy policy at Greenwich University in England.
[…]
Companies with ties to the US and Russia are battling for a contract to expand a Czech nuclear power plant, which analysts say may be the gateway to kickstarting other nuclear power projects in Eastern Europe.
Prague, Czech Republic
The nuclear power plant that towers over the green fields outside the small Czech village of Temelin is quickly becoming a frontline in the economic rivalry between the United States and Russia.
Image ; Czech Republic’s Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, left, and US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, right, arrive for their press conference in Prague, Czech Republic, Monday, Dec. 3, 2012. Secretary of State Clinton is lobbying the Czech Republic authorities to approve an American contract bid for an expansion of a nuclear power plant. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Companies with ties to both countries are vying for a contract to build two new reactors at the site, a move that analysts say could open new nuclear energy markets across the region.
“The energy equation has changed…. [Globally] nuclear energy is in decline,” says Michal Snobr, an energy analyst at the Czech J&T Bank. “The Temelin contract is not about nuclear energy in the Czech Republic, but about breaking into the European market.”
Competing for the tender are two energy companies: Russia’s Rosatom, and Westinghouse, which is owned by the Japanese Toshiba Group but based in the United States.
Google starts digitally mapping Japan’s Nuclear Exclusion Zone
Google starts to digitally map Japan’s Nuclear Exclusion Zone
Two years after the Great East Japan Earthquake and the nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Plant, Google has begun trying to bring the displaced residents of the Nuclear Exclusion Zone virtually back to their homes by starting the digital mapping of the area using its street view technology.
For the first time since the disaster, Google’s street view car, with a camera mounted on top, drove around Namie, which is still basically a ghost town. The car is attempting to capture a 360 view of the damaged town through its collapsed houses and cracked roads. The Google crew wasn’t wearing any protective gear, but they had to be out of the zone within three hours. Google product manager Kei Kawai is estimating that the mapping process will take several weeks and that the Namie street view map can be unveiled in a few months. They will also continue following the progress of the rebuilding process through the “Memories for the Future” site, that includes a digital archive project that will give a virtual tour of the devastated buildings.
The idea for mapping the desolated town came from the residents themselves. They want to show the world what the real situation is, that they still cannot return home two years after the disaster. Namie Mayor Tamotsu Baba said that they still have not started the process of decontamination and that recovery is still a long way ahead for their town. He works out of a temporary town hall in Nihonmatsu, which is around 40 miles away from Namie. More than half of the residents have already relocated to other cities in the prefecture, and he’s finding it harder and harder to keep the community together. He even released a phone book with the contact details of the displaced residents, even those living outside the region, but he is still very much frustrated that it might take a decade for residents to be allowed to come home. “That ‘smell’ of life, the smell of the kitchen, the smell of gasoline in the streets, all of that is gone now. There is just silence,” he adds.
[ via ABC News ]
http://japandailypress.com/google-starts-to-digitally-map-japans-nuclear-exclusion-zone-0524511
Areva says Japan to relaunch six reactors in 2013 – The Big MOX Sale
“…The forecast is much more optimistic than a report published “yesterday” forecasting no new reactors put into operation before the end of the year….”
The head of French nuclear group Areva, a major supplier to Japan, said today six reactors would reopen in the country before the end of the year and that most of the country’s nuclear plants would eventually be put back on line.
Once a major consumer of nuclear power, the 2010 Fukushima disaster brought the archipelago’s nuclear industry to a standstill, but Areva and many Japanese companies hope the situation will soon be reversed.
“We think that there could be a half dozen reactors that will restart by the end of the year”, in addition to two reactors already put back into operation, Luc Oursel said at a news conference.
He said the company projection was based on what they expected Japan to decide in new regulation set for July and on the preparedness of Japanese engineers.
The forecast is much more optimistic than a report published yesterday forecasting no new reactors put into operation before the end of the year.
The Kyodo press agency said Japan’s major electricity providers believed that nuclear power would remain frozen in 2013.
Orsel said a newly created nuclear agency would “take years” to greenlight all of Japan’s reactors for activity, and that some, including those in Fukushima, would remain shut.
Areva plans first nuclear fuel shipment to Japan since Fukushima
Last updated Monday, Mar. 04 2013, 3:44 PM EST
French energy group Areva said it was preparing to send nuclear fuel to Japan for the first time since the Fukushima disaster of March, 2011, a sign of possible restarts of idled Japanese reactors.
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