nuclear-news

Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp named Official Patron of WEC

posted on 16/10/2013

http://www.uaeinteract.com/docs/Emirates-Nuclear-Energy-Corp-named-Official-Patron-of-WEC/57710.htm

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, ENEC, today announced its official Patronage of the World Energy Council (WEC), the world’s principal network of energy leaders and practitioners.

As Patron, ENEC joins an exclusive group of leading energy companies that work alongside energy policy makers and key stakeholders who seek to engage the WEC network to help catalyse new thinking on energy policy and strategy. Patrons actively support WEC Global and Regional Agendas, and can provide in depth involvement through specific project partnerships.

“Energy is one of the most pressing issues of our time,” said Mohamed Al Hammadi, Chief Executive Officer of ENEC. “Through our collaboration with WEC, we enter a unique platform of global energy thought leaders and look forward to our active role in promoting the energy policy of the UAE.” Christoph Frei, Secretary General of the World Energy Council, added: “We are delighted that ENEC has decided to become a Patron of the World Energy Council. ENEC joins a select group of companies at a key time for the energy sector. We look forward to working with ENEC in the coming years. I am sure their support will enhance our work.

The WEC represents the entire energy spectrum, with more than 3,000 member organizations located in over 90 countries and drawn from governments, private and state corporations, academia, NGOs and energy-related stakeholders.

“Working with our fellow Patrons and alongside the UAE national committee, we endeavor to encourage and support better understanding of the role that safe and peaceful nuclear energy can play in helping nations tackle climate change,” added Mr. Al Hammadi. “Over the next decade, our nation will effectively transform its energy and water generation portfolio to achieve greater energy security and sustainability. Nuclear energy is an important part of this transformation, providing a safe and sustainable contribution to our future energy portfolio.” The WEC’s Patron Programme was established in 1998 and is comprised of companies or institutions which are members of a WEC Member Committee and through their contributions to the WEC Foundation, are committed to play a fundamental role in helping the World Energy Council achieve its mission to promote the sustainable supply and use of energy, for the greatest benefit of all.

ENEC is building four nuclear energy plants in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi. Units 1 and 2 are currently under construction and are expected to enter commercial operations in 2017 and 2018 respectively. With all four plants grid-connected by 2020, the UAE will receive up to a quarter of its electricity needs from nuclear energy, whilst saving up to 12 million tons of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions every year.

ENEC’s Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Al Hammadi, is also the Chairman of the Global Agenda Council on Energy Security of the World Economic Forum (WEF), an advisory committee that identifies and discusses energy security challenges across the world and recommends achievable solutions for governments to compose more robust energy policies. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

October 16, 2013 Posted by arclight2011part2 | Uncategorized | 1 Comment

USA – Uneven enforcement suspected at nuclear plants

By Jeff Donn, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

http://www.telegram.com/article/20131016/NEWS/310169969/1116/mobile&TEMPLATE=MOBILE

BOSTON — The number of safety violations at U.S. nuclear power plants varies dramatically from region to region, pointing to inconsistent enforcement in an industry now operating mostly beyond its original 40-year licenses, according to a congressional study awaiting release.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission figures cited in the Government Accountability Office report show that while the West has the fewest reactors, it had the most lower-level violations from 2000 to 2012 — more than 2½ times the Southeast’s rate per reactor.

The Southeast, with the most reactors of the NRC’s four regions, had the fewest such violations, according to the report, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press.

The striking variations do not appear to reflect real differences in reactor performance. Instead, the report says, the differences suggest that regulators interpret rules and guidelines differently among regions, perhaps because lower-level violations get limited review.

The study also says that the NRC’s West region may enforce the rules more aggressively and that common corporate ownership of multiple plants may help bolster maintenance in the Southeast.

However, the reasons aren’t fully understood because the NRC has never fully studied them, the report says. Right now, its authors wrote, the ”NRC cannot ensure that oversight efforts are objective and consistent.”

Told of the findings, safety critics said enforcement is too arbitrary and regulators may be missing violations. The nuclear industry has also voiced concern about the inconsistencies, the report said.

The analysis was written by the GAO, the investigative arm of Congress, at the request of four senators. Before the government shutdown, the report had been set for public release later this month.

Steven Kerekes, a spokesman for the industry group Nuclear Energy Institute, declined to comment pending release of the report. The NRC’s public affairs office had no comment, citing the government shutdown.

The GAO analysis focuses on lower-level safety violations known as ”nonescalated.” They represent 98 percent of all violations identified by the NRC, which regulates safety at the country’s commercial reactors.

Lower-level violations are those considered to pose very low risk, such as improper upkeep of an electrical transformer or failure to analyze a problem with no impact on a system’s operation, such as the effect of a pipe break. Higher-level violations range from low to high safety significance, such as an improperly maintained electrical system that caused a fire and affected a plant’s ability to shut down safely.

The GAO’s analysis shows 3,225 of these violations from 2000 through the end of 2012 across 21 reactors in the West. By contrast, there were 1,885 such violations in the Southeast. Yet that region is home to 33 reactors — 12 more than in the West. The West registered 153.6 violations per reactor, while the Southeast saw just 57.1.

The Midwest, with 24 reactors, had 3,148 violations, for a rate of 131.2 per reactor. The 26-reactor Northeast also fared worse than the Southeast, with 2,518 violations, or 96.8 per reactor.

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October 16, 2013 Posted by arclight2011part2 | Uncategorized | Leave a comment