Costs are killing American nuclear power plants
A pattern is developing. It may take a few years, but it appears small nuclear plants will face increasing pressure to retire early. They cannot compete, particularly in soft markets. Some plants will find their costs consistently exceed any benefits they earn and their owners will be forced to retire and dismember plants.
The Nation’s Nuclear Plants Are Nuked, AOL Energy By Glenn S. K. Williams December 18, 2012 While the nation has been focused on new sources of natural gas and shale oil, few noticed the slow decline of an older energy source, nuclear power. Today, commercial nuclear power is struggling to stay in the game. Continue reading
VIDEO: USA’s harmful overuse of medical radiation
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/775659 Topol: Runaway Use of Radiation Harming Patients Eric J. Topol, MD Hello. I’m Dr. Eric Topol, Director of the Scripps Translational Science Institute and Editor-in-Chief of Medscape Genomic Medicine and theheart.org. In this series, The Creative Destruction of Medicine, named for the book I wrote, I’m trying to zoom in on critical aspects of how the digital world can create better healthcare.
The topic here is radiation and how we’re not doing the right things for patients. We have a serious problem with overcooking radiation in the United States. It’s by far worse here than anywhere else in the world. We have runaway uses of nuclear scans, CT scans, and PET
scanning, and we don’t even warn our patients; we don’t give patients any data on the dangers. Continue reading
Mitsubishi faulted by nuclear watchdog, over San Onofre equipment tests
Nuclear watchdog faults Mitsubishi over San Onofre equipment tests
LA Times, December 17, 2012 Federal regulators found flaws in the process followed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in building and testing mock-up replacement parts for the troubled San Onofre nuclear plant.
The plant has been out of service for more than 10 months because of excessive wear on tubes carrying radioactive water, one of which leaked a small amount of radioactive steam in January, prompting the plant’s shutdown.
The tubes are part of the four massive replacement steam generator assemblies manufactured by Mitsubishi for plant operator Southern California Edison.
The replacement project cost Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric, which co-owns the plant, a combined $771 million, a cost passed on to ratepayers. A warranty on the equipment is capped at $137 million. Continue reading
Vogtle nuclear plant loan guarantee negotiations drag on slowly
Nuclear Energy Institute chief finds Vogtle loan guarantee delays troubling December 12, 2012 By Matthew Bandyk The U.S. nuclear industry is hoping the Vogtle nuclear plant project in Georgia will spur the construction of other nuclear reactors this decade.
But continued delays in negotiations between Southern Co. subsidiary Georgia Power Co., the lead developer of the Vogtle project, and the U.S. Department of Energy over the final terms of a federal loan guarantee are creating troubling implications for the program, Nuclear Energy Institute President and CEO Marvin Fertel said Dec. 12….. Continue reading
USA bombing of nuclear waste dumps – an experiment on Hawaiian population
” In effect, the NRC is licensing Hawaii nuclear waste dumps and allowing those dumps to be bombed, spreading the nuclear dump debris wherever the wind takes it
Of course, this isn’t an act of stupidity, but rather cunning. How else to test the response of a healthy population to scattered toxic debris? The people of Iraq aren’t good subjects cause they get hit directly, and soldiers are always in the proximity of DU. But to test the effects of a limited attack by an enemy, say, the U.S. Air Force, what better subjects than the people of Hawaii, which is far enough away from the “mainland” to avoid contaminating the integrity of the test?
We Had to Bomb the Nuclear Waste Dump in order to Save It Dissident Voice, by The Phantom / December 15th, 2012 “….. It seems the All-knowing U.S. Military has been using depleted uranium weapons to take out…depleted uranium…
According to the Malu’aina, the “Center for Non-violent Education and Action” in Ola’a (Kurtistown) Hawai’i (http://malu-aina.org/), the U.S. has been expoding DU rounds and other ordnance near populated areas in Hawaii.
“The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will be issuing a license for the mongoose to guard the hen house in Hawaii. The Army will be issued an NRC license to possess Depleted uranium (DU) in Hawaii at Schofield Barracks and the Pohakuloa Training Area
(PTA),” wrote Jim Albertini on malu-aina.org. Continue reading
South Carolina’s radiation pollution increasing, but no action taken
Rising radiation at SC nuclear dump prompts cleanup talk but no action The State, 16 Dec 12, By SAMMY FRETWELL – sfretwell@thestate.com COLUMBIA, SC — Radioactive pollution is getting worse on parts of South Carolina’s nuclear-waste dump near Barnwell, but state regulators say cleaning up the contaminated groundwater isn’t in their plan.
Tritium continues to exceed federal safe drinking-water standards in and around the 41-year-old burial ground that has come to symbolize South Carolina’s historic willingness to accept the nation’s garbage. In some spots tritium levels are higher today than they were fiveyears ago…….
Read more here:
http://www.thestate.com/2012/12/16/2557919/rising-radiation-at-sc-nuclear.html#.UM9tJuR9JLs#storylink=cpy
Connecticut’s Solar City creating jobs and reducing greenhouse gases
SolarCity announces expansion day after successful IPOREM, Renewable Energy magazine, 14 December 2012 Just a day after its successful IPO on the Nasdaq exchange, Elon Musk-backed SolarCity has announced the expansion of its operations center in the US state of Connecticut and plans to hire 15 additional employees.
With Connecticut Governor Daniel P. Malloy and CEO Lyndon Rive in attendance for the grand opening of SolarCity’s Hartford operations center, the company – which has grown its Connecticut workforce from zero to 45 in the last year – announced that it is now seeking hires for an additional 15 open positions in the state. Open positions include electricians, installers, sales staff, auditors, and project managers.
SolarCity officials said the expansion is due in large part due to the efforts of the state, through programs at Connecticut Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA) and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to promote, develop and invest in clean energy and energy efficiency projects Continue reading
City Council wants public hearings before San Onofre nuclear power plant permitted to re-open
LA wants public hearings on nuke plant LOS ANGELES, Dec. 14 (UPI) — Los Angles says it wants the San Onofre nuclear power plant kept out of commission unless its operator agrees to public hearings before it reopens.
The City Council will consider a resolution calling for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to keep the plant closed unless Southern California Edison agrees to a license amendment process that would include a public hearing process in which groups opposed to restarting
the plant could introduce evidence, the Los Angeles Times reported
Thursday…….. http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2012/12/14/LA-wants-public-hearings-on-nuke-plant/UPI-24381355521194/#ixzz2F9JvlDuI
Democratic and Republican lawmakers seek better tax code for renewable energy
US lawmakers to push tax code change for renewable energy in 2013 Climate Spectator, 13 Dec 2012 Reuters WASHINGTON, A group of U.S. lawmakers said on Wednesday that they plan to push ahead in the new year to change the tax code so renewable energy projects could qualify for beneficial tax structures commonly used by pipelines and other energy-related companies.
Democratic and Republican sponsors of proposed legislation said they think momentum is growing for their idea to allow wind, solar, biofuel and other renewable projects to structure as “master limited partnerships” (MLPs).
The structures allow companies to raise money in the stock market, while having income taxed only at the unit holder level, thus avoiding corporate income taxes.
“Small tweaks to the tax code could attract billions of dollars in private sector investment to renewable energy deployment,” the 29 lawmakers said in a letter to President Barack Obama, asking for the administration’s support…… http://www.climatespectator.com.au/news/us-lawmakers-push-tax-code-change-renewable-energy-2013
USA’s inadequate radiation detection in overseas megaports
NUCLEAR SMUGGLING MONITORS CUT BACK Program intended to detect potential threats aimed at U.S. WND, by F. MICHAEL MALOOF WASHINGTON 14 Dec 12– The federal government is dramatically cutting back on funds to install nuclear and radiation detection equipment in overseas megaports to scan the contents of shipping containers destined for the United States, according to a report from Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin. Continue reading
Danville/Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce oppose uranium mining
Chamber of Commerce Takes Stance on Uranium Mining http://www.wset.com/story/20340605/danville Dec 13, 201 By Tola Adamson Danville, VA– The Danville/Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce has now taken their stance on uranium mining.
They released a statement on Tuesday saying they believe the moratorium on uranium mining and milling should not be lifted.Their decision came after the board of directors read studies and went to the public forums.
The Chamber said they did consider the possible economic benefits. However, the board said there are still unanswered questions about safety. They are also concerned it could negatively effect businesses.
“The Chamber is a pro-business, pro- economic development organization,” Chamber president Laurie Moran said. “We wanted to make sure we protected the jobs that were here as well as the future jobs that might come here.” In the statement the Chamber also said they
oppose the development of a uranium permitting program and anything that would help end the ban.
Vogtle Nuclear Plant costing $14 billion, and more costs each year
Monitor: Ga. nuclear plant delayed at least 1 year http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/20328554/monitor-ga-nuclear-plant-delayed-at-least-1-year Dec 12, 2012 By RAY HENRY ATLANTA (AP) – Building the first in a new generation of nuclear power plants could take at least a year longer than expected and involve hundreds of millions of dollars in extra costs.
Atlanta-based Southern Co. planned to have the first of its new reactors at Plant Vogtle (VOH’-gohl) built by April 1, 2016. A second reactor in eastern Georgia was supposed to start operating the following year.
A nuclear engineer hired by Georgia’s Public Service Commission, William Jacobs Jr., says he believes the first plant will not be completed earlier than June 2017. He says longer delays are possible.
Building the new power plant costs an estimated $14 billion. Jacobs
says delaying construction by a single year adds hundreds of millions
of dollars in construction and financing cost
Free interactive map of U.S. nuclear weapons complex
U.S. Nuclear Weapons Complex in Google Earth http://allthingsnuclear.org/u-s-nuclear-weapons-complex-in-google-earth/ emacdonald, analyst December 12, 2012
Today we released a free, interactive web map of the U.S. nuclear weapons complex, the collection of facilities that produce, maintain and dismantle U.S. nuclear weapons. The map is part of a larger UCS project evaluating and making recommendations for the future of the complex in light of the fact that the U.S. nuclear arsenal is shrinking.
The map is designed to be used with Google Earth, and shows the locations of hundreds of facilities, with detailed information about many of the major buildings. Users can move around the map and click on facilities to display information about them. The sites on the map include the nuclear weapons design labs at Los Alamos, New Mexico, and Livermore, California, the production and storage site at Pantex in Texas, and others. All the information is from public sources.
The map is a work in progress. We will continue to expand, update, and correct the map, which is designed to load the most recent data to your computer from the UCS website each time Google Earth is opened. We have set up an email address, NuclearComplexMap@ucsusa.org, where users can send us corrections or additional information.
To use the Complex Map, you must have Google Earth on your computer. This is free to download and install from Google. More information about the map, including a user’s manual and an installation program, is available on the UCS website.
USA could get 99.9% of its energy from renewable sources
Renewables Could Provide 99.9% Of Power By 2030
http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3509 by Energy Matters, 13 Dec 12, Scientists state a well-designed combination of wind energy, solar power, battery and fuel cell storage could almost always provide more electricity than required at a cost comparable to today’s electricity expenses.
Research carried out by the University of Delaware and Delaware Technical Community College determined renewables could economically fully power a utility scale electric grid 99.9 percent of the time by 2030 – and without government subsidies. Continue reading
India standing firm against USA pressure to weaken its Nuclear Liability Law
Won’t bow to US on nuclear liability law: Salman Khurshid Jayanth Jacob,Hindustan Times New Delhi, December 10, 2012 India has strongly rejected mounting US pressure to tweak its nuclear liability law — including suggestions that the legislation be interpreted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and revisited by Parliament.
Washington, DC, says the Indian law with stringent supplier international regimes on nuclear liability. If the IAEA says it is not compliant with the international system — as the Americans believe — they want India to “rework the law”, passed by Parliament. “The law (the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010) has to be interpreted by our courts. Our courts are not subservient to any international organisation. They take into account our international obligations,” external affairs minister Salman Khurshid told HT in an exclusive interview……
The tough negotiations between India and the US also implies that commercial agreements for American companies to sell reactors to India are not likely any time soon, making operationalisation of the historic nuclear deal stuck in the last lap…..
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Won-t-bow-to-US-on-nuclear-liability-law-Salman-Khurshid/Article1-970731.aspx
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23-25 October – on Zoom – World BEYOND War’s annual global conferenc
Shut down the radiation-damaged Heysham nuclear reactors now
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Say No to NASA’s Reckless Nuclear Reactor on the Moon
Say No to NASA’s Reckless Nuclear Reactor on the Moon
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