nuclear-news

Dennis Matthews 8 May 15

NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE (sic) ROYAL COMMISSION

ISSUES PAPER TWO

FURTHER PROCESSING OF (uranium and thorium) MINERALS AND MANUFACTURE OF MATERIALS CONTAINING RADIOACTIVE AND NUCLEAR SUBSTANCES

Two things stand out in this the second Issues Paper for the Scarce Nuclear Industry Commission.

One is the consistent use of pro-nuclear jargon/spin, the other is the frequency with which statements are accompanied by provisos.

The pro-nuclear jargon/spin started right from the beginning of this whole process with the name of the Commission. Instead of using the neutral, straight forward term “nuclear industry”, the value –laden, scientifically incorrect, misleading phrase “nuclear fuel cycle” was chosen. This was accompanied by similarly misleading, nuclear industry, feel-good phrases such as “value adding” and “enrichment”.

The most obvious nuclear industry ploy used in this discussion paper is to refer to “radiation” rather than “ionising radiation”. This is unscientific, misleading…

The US NRC has another laundry list of things to comment upon: http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NRC-2015-0088-0001 ID: NRC-2015-0088-0001, Deadline 14 May

They appear written by a 1960s cartoon computer – the one that the characters ultimately hit from frustration until the springs pop out. They are the epitome of bureaucratic stereotype. It seems impossible that they were written by a human. If something changes a rule which enhances safety, it is treated the same as something which weakens safety. In both instances they are called “no significant hazards”. Written in a way that no one can fathom, it breaks the clear writing law.

Examining the Rosetta Stone in 19th Century London

They even refer to the wrong document in a least one instance. The only way to understand is to do research on the topic, read between the lines, and assume that they are up to no good unless proven otherwise. The vast…

Multiple/Repetitive Degraded, so says the nuclear industry’s lap-dog the US NRC. Couldn’t make it up. There was a death and a fire. Don’t get fooled, however. While “watching” they are also allowing safety margins to be further reduced: http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NRC-2015-0088-0001 ID: NRC-2015-0088-0001

Hot Shutdown-Degrading Safety at Degraded Arkansas Nuclear & elsewhere: Comment Deadline May 14th

Wonder what the expensive homes north of Little Rock will be worth in the even of a major accident? Price Anderson protects the nuclear industry and insurance won’t pay. The government will just tell you radiation is good for you.
http://www.psr.org/resources/evacuation-zone-nuclear-reactors.html
The 10 mile evac plan for Arkansas Nuclear: http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1919-25045-1433/communicating_during_and_after__npp_incident___june_2013__secure_.pdf



ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER FOR ARKANSAS NUCLEAR ONE, UNITS 1 AND 2 (REPORT 05000313/2014001 AND 05000368/2014001)

Click to access ano_2014q4.pdf

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NRC-2015-0088-0001 ID: NRC-2015-0088-0001 “Biweekly Notice; Applications and Amendments to Facility Operating Licenses and Combined Licenses Involving No Significant Hazards Considerations
May 14 Deadline
May 12 Hearing

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Opinion:

¶ “Tesla Powerwall Price vs Battery Storage Competitor Prices (Residential & Utility-Scale)” – Tesla Powerwall competes on price, while offering numerous benefits (it’s much smaller per kWh, requires much less maintenance, is much prettier, can be hung on the wall, can discharge deeper, and more.) [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Oil Prices Are Rising Again, But Will They Keep Going Up?” – Oil prices hit a new high for the year Wednesday, closing at just under $61 a barrel. They’ve been rallying for a month, but nobody’s predicting $4-per-gallon gasoline anytime soon. Some analysts say weak demand will send oil prices down again. [North Country Public Radio]

World:

¶ A recent report shows that renewable energy adoption is growing in the world’s emerging economies nearly twice as fast as in industrialized nations. Not only can renewable energy technologies now compete with fossil fuels on cost, they are often…