USA « nuclear-news

Nuclear “renaissance” looking riskier than ever, with cancellation of Maryland plant

There’s no gainsaying that nuclear construction projects are looking riskier all the time, especially in the United States, where many factors have conspired to spoil dreams of a big nuclear renaissance: declining energy demand since the onset of the global economic crisis (down 4 percent since 2007 in the States); plummeting natural gas prices (down almost half from what they were a few years ago); collapsing prospects for enactment of a U.S. climate bill (which would have raised the costs of fossil-fuel-generated electricity); and soaring reactor construction costs (with EDF’s current reactor 40 or 50 percent more expensive than originally billed).

Cancellation of Maryland Plant Delivers Double Whammy IEEE Spectrum: Bill Sweet , October 13, 2010 Continue reading →

October 14, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA | antinuclear, EDF, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

USA nuclear test comes as a shock to Hiroshima mayor

The subcritical nuclear test, which took place in Nevada on Sept. 15, according to the U.S. Energy Department, clearly came as a shock to the mayor, who has supported Obama and initiated an antinuclear campaign using the president’s name.

Hiroshima mayor hits U.S. subcritical nuke test, The Japan Times Online, Kyodo News, Oct. 14, 2010 The first U.S. subcritical atomic test under President Barack Obama, who has called for a world without nuclear arms, drew harsh fire from Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba. Continue reading →

October 14, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, weapons and war | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear technology, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

American public opposes war on Iran

Americans against war on Iran: PressTV , 14 Oct 10, PollA new survey has shown that most Americans would not support US-lead attack on Iran, even if the country “tested a nuclear bomb or attacked Israel.”A quarter of respondents in 60 Minutes-Vanity Fair poll have said that “nothing” could make them “support a war with Iran.”The phone survey of 906 randomly selected participants in September showed that 25% of respondent would consent to an attack “only if Iran attacks US soil” or “if Iran attacks the US fleet in the Persian Gulf”.Around 24% of respondents said they would never support a war with Iran.Only 11 percent of respondents said they would support war if Iran tested a nuclear bomb.The US accuses Iran of following a military agenda under the guise of its civilian nuclear program, refusing to rule out military action on the country of more than 70 million people.Tehran rejects the charges, arguing that as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran has a right to the peaceful applications of nuclear technology.

PressTV – Americans against war on Iran: Poll

October 14, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, weapons and war | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

Nuclear regulators cutting corners on safety, just as oil regulators did

another case of regulators cutting corners to accommodate industry’s needs, just as the now-renamed and revamped Minerals and Management Service did for the oil and gas industry before the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Nuclear watchdog groups say corners cut on fire safety, Politics AP – MiamiHerald.com, By RENEE SCHOOF 14 Oct 10, WASHINGTON — Nuclear watchdog groups say that an internal report by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on fire safety at nuclear plants shows that regulators don’t have enough information to know whether its new fire rules will ensure safety…… Continue reading →

October 14, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology, reactors | Leave a comment

Just how much is President Obama beholden to the nuclear industry?

President Barack Obama has called for an increase to $54 billion in loan guarantees. The U.S. needs a “new generation of clean, safe nuclear power plants,” Obama said in his State of the Union address Jan. 27. …
The administration must weigh its support for nuclear power against limiting the risk that taxpayers will be stuck with the bill should a nuclear utility default,

Constellation Nuclear-Loan Pullout Tests Obama Resolve to Revive Industry, Bloomberg, By Jim Snyder and Katarzyna Klimasinska – Oct 13, 2010 A U.S. loan-guarantee program is testing how much risk the Obama administration is willing to take to revive the nuclear-power industry. Continue reading →

October 13, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, reactors | Leave a comment

Wind energy project to provide more power than 5 nuclear plants could

The transmission line is planned to have enough capacity to carry the energy of five nuclear power plants (6,000 megawatts, which could power almost 2 million homes)–energy that eventually will come from offshore wind farms. These wind farms will be situated in federal waters more than 10 miles from the shore, where the huge towers would barely be visible.

Offshore Wind Farming Gets a Giant Google Boost Discover Magazine, 13 Oct 10, A huge offshore wind energy project took a leap forward today with the announcement that Google and the investment firm Good Energies are backing the mammoth underwater transmission lines that would carry clean electricity up and down the East Coast. The $5 billion dollar project would allow for wind farms to spring up all along the mid-Atlantic continental shelf. Continue reading →

October 13, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, USA | antinuclear, climate change, global warming, nuclear costs, reactors, renewable energy, renewables, wind | 1 Comment

Fossil fuel lobby’s tactics to discredit Climate Change

As scientists uncovered more and more environmental problems, the skeptics “began to see science as the enemy.” ……… only a handful of scientists and lobbyists, and yet they have managed to convince many ordinary people — and even some US presidents — that science is deeply divided over the causes of climate change.

‘Science as the Enemy’The Traveling Salesmen of Climate Skepticism, SPIEGEL ONLINE -13 Oct 10, By Cordula Meyer A handful of US scientists have made names for themselves by casting doubt on global warming research. In the past, the same people have also downplayed the dangers of passive smoking, acid rain and the ozone hole. In all cases, the tactics are the same: Spread doubt and claim it’s too soon to take action. Continue reading →

October 13, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | climate change, USA | climate change, global warming | Leave a comment

Ratepayers, not shareholders, cop the cost of Georgia’s planned nuclear reactors

[Georgia’s nuclear] project is receiving other assistance that was not available to the Calvert Cliffs project: Construction Work in Progress financing, or CWIP. This is a scheme that allows Southern Company/Georgia Power to begin charging ratepayers for the reactors even before they’re built. Maryland law does not allow CWIP.

Nuclear project cancellation leaves Georgia standing alone, FACING SOUTH, 11 Oct 10, Apparently even billions of dollars in loan guarantees from the federal government are not enough to help the nuclear industry overcome the financial risks of building new reactors……. Continue reading →

October 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, reactors | 2 Comments

New screening methods increase risk of breast cancer

both BSGI and PEM are linked with much higher breast cancer risk per screening than the risks associated with the mammography currently used and the cancer risk from the new methods is also found in other radiosensitive organs.

Be aware of radiation-induced breast cancer risk, foodconsumer.org – Pink News, 12 Oct 10, In October – the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, women are encouraged to receive annual breast cancer screening. Many women may not be aware though that mammography screening by itself can cause breast cancer. The radiation induced breast cancer risk is particularly higher from the newly approved screening instruments. Continue reading →

October 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | health, USA | antinuclear, cancer, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, radioactive | Leave a comment

USA still ready for nuclear strike against North Korea

United States can use nuclear weapons against North Korea?4press 10 October 2010 tNorth Korea and United States of America are definitely not the best of friends and this sour relationship is not something new. From the 1950s to 2010, it’s been sixty years but things have not changed a bit. Now, if the declassified and several of the United States Government papers are to be believed, United States always thought of using nuclear weapons as an option.Robert Gates, the United States Defense secretary made a statement that he believes every possible options can be undertaken to deal with North Korea just last April; something that many think of as a sign of possible future usage of atomic weapons over North Korea.Under such circumstances, North Korea is describing its own Nuclear weapon program as a safety measure to deal with the rising threats being imposed by United States of America. Incidentally, these documents were released on the occasion of 60th anniversary of Korean War…… 4press » Blog Archive » United States can use nuclear weapons against North Korea?

October 11, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, weapons and war | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

Constellation Energy about to kill nuclear reactor project

Constellation Energy says loan backstop too costly, MontereyHerald.com :By DANIEL WAGNER 10/10/2010 WASHINGTON—Constellation Energy Group Inc. says it won’t tap a government program necessary to build a new nuclear plant in Maryland, in a move likely to kill the project, according to a published report on Sunday.The U.S. Department of Energy’s loan guarantee came with “unworkable” terms and an “unreasonably burdensome” cost, Constellation said Saturday, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal……..The government guarantee was necessary for Constellation to finance the planned Calvert Cliffs 3 plant in Calvert County, Md. Lenders require developers of nuclear sites to obtain the guarantee. The projects are too costly and high-risk to qualify for regular loans…….. Constellation Energy says loan backstop too costly – MontereyHerald.com :

October 11, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology, reactor, uranium | Leave a comment

Foreign countries taking over USA uranium industry

the disintegration of boundaries in the uranium-mining industry, a trend that has picked up in uranium-rich Utah……..
foreign companies with claims to U.S. minerals pay no royalties under the 1872 Mining Act…….

Russian company may get Utah town and uranium | The Salt Lake Tribune, By JUDY FAHYS Oct 10, 2010 “…..the town itself, the Shootaring Canyon uranium mill a few miles up the highway, more than 10,000 acres of uranium claims in Utah and holdings in South Dakota, Wyoming and Texas — all of it will be in the portfolio of ARMZ’s parent company, Rosatom, the Russian nuclear agency, which last month provided fuel for Iran’s nuclear power plant….. Continue reading →

October 11, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics international, Uranium, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

USA: S3322 legislation to promote nuclear industry

Senator George Voinovich (R-OH) called for a “nuclear renaissance” and introduced S. 3322 to establish the United States Nuclear Fuel Management Corporation. …..The legislation has transparent ties to the nuclear industry….are they truly nonpartisan representatives of the public or are they already in the pockets of the nuclear industry?.

The Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future: Doing Important Work or Already Irrelevant?, DC Bureau, 08 October 2010, by Hannah Karns President Barrack Obama established the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future (BRC) by presidential memorandum on January 20, 2010 to review and recommend solutions to a problem that has plagued the nuclear weapons and power industry for generations: how to safely dispose of radioactive waste. Continue reading →

October 8, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Canadian advertising regulator rules against “emission free” nuclear power

Finally, someone in authority has caught up with the nuclear industry and its propaganda. The Advertising Standards Canada, the organisation which regulates the Canadian advertising industry, ruled earlier this year that claims of nuclear power being ‘emission free’ made in adverts by the Power Workers’ Union ‘were inaccurate, unsupported, and misleading’. The Union was told to remove its ads.

‘Emission free’ nuclear power is more greenwash Greenpeace International, 7 Oct 10, We’ve discussed before on Nuclear Reactio the nuclear industry’s attempts to greenwash nuclear power by rebranding it ‘clean’. It’s a description of this most contaminating of energy sources that nuclear boosters are pushing more and more in the debate about the future of nuclear power. Another term we’re starting to see more and more of is ‘emission free’, as in ‘nuclear power is an emission free energy source’. ……. Even institutions like the BBC have bought the industry spin. Continue reading →

October 7, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | spinbuster, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, reactors | Leave a comment

Safety and costs – the top concerns about keeping aging nuclear reactors

two questions — safety and economics — lie at the heart of the research agenda now under way on plant aging…..the environment inside nuclear plants is like nothing else, subjecting reactor components to intense heat, stress, vibration and neutron bombardment that could potentially cause hidden weaknesses in reactors, pipes, joints, wiring and other components…if one were to have a seismic event — an earthquake — would the structures withstand the forces?”.

Experts Weigh Extending the Lives of Nuclear Power Plants to 80 Years- NC WARN , September 22nd, 2010 By PETER BEHR of ClimateWire Next year, when two nuclear reactors near Syracuse, N.Y., are shut down for normal refueling operations, technicians will enter their cavernous containment structures looking for signs of aging in the thick steel walls surrounding shrouds of concrete. Continue reading →

October 7, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, reactors | Leave a comment