nuclear-news

Obama’s “Nuclear Security Summits” have been a deadly hoax for America. It is wonderful for those many countries who literally get shot of their nuclear waste by sending it to be buried in America. And for those, such as Russia, who have benefitted from US taxpayer largesse in the upgrade of over 200 Russian nuclear sites. As of this week, it is official that foreign plutonium is to be buried in New Mexico at the WIPP site, which is still closed after a radiological accident due to exploding plutonium waste. http://www.wipp.energy.gov/Special/WIPP%20Update%203_17_16.pdf The import of more foreign waste may be negotiated today and tomorrow under pretense of nuclear security. The real security risk is the transport of dangerous radioactive waste from facilities in safe countries (e.g. vaults in a Swiss Nuclear Research Center) to be dumped and buried on America’s shores. In short, treasonous Obama is terrorizing America with foreign nuclear…

Monju Sodium leak fire via Wikileaks https://wikileaks.org/wiki/The_Monju_nuclear_reactor_leak

Press Release from Greenpeace.org:
“2016/03/18 NGO Joint Statement Against Secret Plutonium Shipment in Tokai-mura
プレスリリース – 2016-03-18
Tokyo, March 18 2016 – A shipment of weapons-grade plutonium scheduled to depart the port of Tokai, Ibaraki prefecture this coming weekend highlights the failure, but also the proliferation risks, of the current Japanese nuclear policy, a coalition of five non-governmental organizations warned today. A cargo of 331kg of plutonium will be loaded on to the Pacific Egret, an armed British nuclear transport ship, prior to departure under armed escort to the United States. It will be the largest shipment of separated plutonium since 1.8 tons of plutonium was delivered to Japan by controversial Akatsuki-maru in 1992. The two month voyage to the Joint Base Charleston-Weapons Station will then see the plutonium dumped at the Department of Energy Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina.(1)…

According to the US NRC, during planned inspection of Indian Point Nuclear Power Station “Entergy identified baffle/former bolts with either visual anomalies or ultrasonic indications. All vessel internal examinations have been successfully completed with no anomalies other than the baffle/former bolts.” http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/event-status/event/2016/20160330en.html

Entergy offered more details in a Press Release: “Engineers identified missing bolts, and bars meant to hold them in place, and other degradation requiring replacement of the bolts. Each bolt, about two inches long and made of stainless steel, holds plate inserts together inside the reactor.” http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hundreds-of-inspections-completed-on-indian-point-unit-2-replacement-of-reactor-liner-bolts-planned-300242845.html

There are many bolts because there are many plates. Although there were “only” 11% damaged, the damage maybe concentrated because loss of one bolt could increase stresses in the surrounding areas. Thus, one suspects that there may have been plate failure or almost failure. [1] Apparently, even without total failure it can cause serious damage to the…

Opinion:

¶ This chart shows the United States’ mind-blowing clean energy potential • The United States uses about 3.7 million GWh of electricity each year. The next time someone tries to make the argument that 100 percent renewable energy is out of reach for the U.S., show them this image: [Grist]

From the Environment America Research & Policy Center

¶ Wake up call for oil companies: electric vehicles will deflate oil demand • Major oil companies greatly underestimate the impact electric vehicles will have on their market. Trends currently underway in the auto industry are likely to have a substantial impact on oil demand. [CleanTechnica]

¶ Clear Skies From Wind Power • Over 17 million Americans have asthma. Every year it is responsible for more than 10 million doctor visits and 1.8 million trips to the emergency room. Health professionals tell us one of the biggest…

Science and Technology:

¶ The National Snow and Ice Data Center reported that the spread of Arctic sea ice set a new record low for the second straight year, stopping last week at 5.607 million square miles. That’s 5,000 square miles less than last year’s record low and 431,000 square miles less than the average. [CNN]

The consequences of climate change go
far beyond warming temperatures.

¶ MIT researchers demonstrated a calcium-metal-based liquid battery intended for grid-scale storage and a long cycle life. Calcium was blended with magnesium to make it usable. Use of earth-abundant materials and a scalable kind of construction are among the battery’s advantages. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ There are renewed calls to re-examine Alberta’s deregulated power market after the announced closure of a coal-fired electrical generator. Maxim Power Corp announced the temporary shut down of the 44-year-old plant, saying it is losing money…

There is such a thing as too late. The world stands at the precipice of too late. Spain would have until mid August 2017 to address failings in the cooling system of Almaraz nuclear power station, with the loophole of “reasonably practical” and claims that it is safe, anyway. While this appears prompt compared to the US NRC, which has given US nuclear power stations from 2012 to 2019 to repair serious electrical defects, it may not be prompt enough. Notice that the question, below, was raised by someone in neighboring Portugal. There can be very serious transboundary impacts. Belarus was, and remains, more badly hit than the Ukraine by the Chernobyl nuclear accident. Authoritarian States may be required in these countries to keep a lid on knowledge of health impacts and the concomitant dissent:
“Belarus, Ukraine and Russia were the most highly contaminated countries. About 5 million people…