tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60194805426903954212024-03-12T16:02:10.321-07:00Nuclear Fuels Reprocessing CoalitionNorris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.comBlogger124125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-34265038899233189032018-05-12T17:17:00.001-07:002018-05-12T17:22:25.491-07:00House Passes Nuclear Waste Bill To Revive Yucca Mountain<div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-64d3afaa8032cd3ef83a" style="background-color: #fbfbfb; box-shadow: rgba(128, 128, 128, 0) 0px 0px 0px 1px inset; clear: none; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; height: auto; letter-spacing: 0.5px; outline: none; padding: 17px; position: relative; transition: box-shadow 0.2s ease-in-out;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norris McDonald at Yucca Mountain</td></tr>
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Norris McDonald at Yucca Mountain</div>
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On May 10, 2018, the House approved a bill (<a href="http://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/3053" style="color: #222222; text-decoration-line: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">H.R. 3053</a> - <strong style="color: #212121; word-wrap: break-word;">Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2017</strong>) to revive the mothballed nuclear waste dump at Nevada’s Yucca Mountain. The bill would help solve a nuclear-waste storage problem that has festered for more than three decades. The House approved the bill, 340-72, sending the measure to the Senate, where Nevada’s two senators have vowed to block it.</div>
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More than 80,000 metric tons of spent fuel from commercial nuclear power plants sit idle in 121 communities across 39 states. </div>
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The bill directs the Energy Department to continue a licensing process for Yucca Mountain while also moving forward with a separate plan for a temporary storage site in New Mexico or Texas.</div>
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This bill amends the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to direct the Department of Energy (DOE) to initiate a program to consolidate and temporarily store commercial spent nuclear fuel during the development, construction, and operation of a permanent nuclear waste repository.</div>
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The bill addresses federal land withdrawal and related management issues, including the permanent withdrawal of specific federal land for repository use by DOE, updating the Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing process and conditions for the repository, and limiting activities relating to developing a separate defense waste repository used for storing high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel derived from the atomic energy defense activities of DOE.</div>
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DOE may enter into agreements to provide benefits to state, local, and Tribal governments that might host or be affected by facilities related to storing nuclear waste.</div>
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The bill revises the method by which DOE funds its nuclear waste management activities though the collection and usage of the Nuclear Waste Fund.</div>
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Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-44237091751750965582017-10-13T15:18:00.002-07:002017-10-13T15:18:53.701-07:00Coal To Liquids<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clint Crackel</td></tr>
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Coal Can Eliminate Our Need for Foreign Oil <br />
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By <br />
Clinton E. Crackel <br />
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The Fischer-Tropsch process was developed in Germany in 1925 as means to convert coal into synthetic fuel for use in motorized vehicles. During World War II this process accounted for approximately 9% of the total German war production of fuel and 25% for automobiles. <br />
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In 2012, Princeton University researchers found the United States could eliminate the need for crude oil by substituting it with synthetic fuels (Sullivan, John. "Synthetic fuels could eliminate entire U.S. need for crude oil, create 'new economy'." News at Princeton. N.p., 27 Nov. 2012. Web.). At least we could eliminate our dependence on foreign oil by substituting it with the Fischer-Tropsch coal-to-liquid (CTL) synthetic fuel process in order to create jobs and revive the American coal industry that has been stymied by harsh environmental and political constraints. <br />
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According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, coal is our most abundant natural resource. The recoverable U.S. coal reserve is equivalent in energy to 900 billion barrels of oil. <br />
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The current price of a barrel of oil is roughly $52. However, the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) maximum price per barrel of oil is predicted by The Economy Forecast Agency to be $86.40 by August 2019. Also, WTI spot prices for oil have exceeded $100 per barrel in 24 monthly periods since March, 2008. <br />
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The Princeton University researchers estimated the cost of producing the synthetic equivalent of a barrel of crude oil was $83.58 to $95.11. However, from the date of the article to now, the price of coal in two of our coal regions has dropped from approximately $60 per short ton to $40 per short ton. Therefore, a reduced cost of coal should decrease the cost of producing synthetic fuel. <br />
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Many environmental advocates have recognized that synthetic fuels have a much lower or even zero content of sulfur, heavy metals and other toxic and environmentally damaging impurities. Also, unlike many biofuels, synthetic fuels can be used in gasoline and diesel engines with no need for modifications. <br />
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Although there has been an interest in the Fischer-Tropsch CTL process in the U.S. in the past, it doesn’t appear to be in use in this country at this time. As far as I know, the only commercial Fischer-Tropsch CTL synthetic fuel production facility in the world is owned and operated by the South African company Susol. However, China recognizes the advantages of the process and is now constructing several large CTL synthetic fuel production projects. <br />
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Environmental and political constraints, in addition to high construction costs, have prevented the construction of Fischer-Tropsch CTL synthetic fuel production facilities in our country. However, it is conceivable public and private funding could be available to offset construction costs of such facilities if our political leaders favor the use of coal in synthetic fuel production. <br />
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Since the Fischer-Tropsch CTL process requires heat in the range of a few hundred degrees Celsius, perhaps emission-free small modular reactors could serve as the heat source for future Fischer-Tropsch CTL synthetic fuel processing facilities. <br />
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Since even before the American Industrial Revolution coal has played a vital role in fulfilling the energy needs of our nation. It deserves the chance to continue to prove its worth to our nation by serving as the principal feedstock for synthetic fuel production. <br />
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The Center for Environment, Commerce & Energy also promotes a similar approach via its Energy Defense Reservations (<b><a href="https://www.centerforenvironment.org/energy-defense-reservations/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc3300;">EDR</span></a></b>) and <a href="https://www.centerforenvironment.org/converting-co2-into-gasoline/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc3300;">Converting CO2 Into Gasoline</span></a><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-75979917765219899152017-10-13T11:35:00.003-07:002017-10-13T15:19:34.094-07:00Fischer-Tropsch Coal to Liquid <h2 style="text-align: center;">
Coal Can Offset Fuel Losses Caused by Hurricanes </h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7uUS00TOiM8/WeE7SMA-yjI/AAAAAAAAVxI/lkg_cU0UStIPw4kyKSMws3Wi0tSjyqi8QCEwYBhgL/s1600/ClintonCrackel1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7uUS00TOiM8/WeE7SMA-yjI/AAAAAAAAVxI/lkg_cU0UStIPw4kyKSMws3Wi0tSjyqi8QCEwYBhgL/s1600/ClintonCrackel1.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clint Crackel</td></tr>
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By <br />
<br />
Clinton E. Crackel <br />
Co-founder and Co-chairman <br />
Nuclear Fuels Reprocessing Coalition <br />
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According to the Energy Information Administration, over 45% of our refinery capacity, 51% of our natural gas processing and 17% of our crude oil production are in the Gulf of Mexico region. <br />
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Hurricane Harvey's impact on the Gulf of Mexico rendered approximately 25% of our refineries inoperable for a short period of time. This equates to a loss of approximately 2.2 million barrels of crude oil being refined per day. In addition, Hurricane Nate caused a curtailment of 92% of our oil output and 77% of natural gas production operations in the Gulf. <br />
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The loss of so much refining capacity and oil extraction, even for a short period of time, can lead to a dramatic shortage in our nation’s petroleum fuel supply. Such shortages can and will lead to considerable price spikes in jet fuel, gasoline and diesel fuel. In one instance, due to Hurricane Harvey, the price of a gallon of gasoline was reported to be $6.99 at one gas station in Arlington, Texas. <br />
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The refineries and drilling operations are highly susceptible to damage and prolonged shutdown due to hurricanes. Yet we have no source of alternative fuel for internal combustion engines available unless vehicles are modified to run on such fuels as hydrogen, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the form of propane, compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG). <br />
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It costs approximately $10,000 for a simple conversion of a light vehicle to burn hydrogen, and from $6,500 for a basic system to $12,000 for a top-of-the line system to convert a light vehicle to burn CNG, LNG or LPG (Propane): $6,500 for a basic system to $12,000 for a top-of-the-line system. I'm sure the costs are inherently more for larger vehicles. <br />
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The Fischer-Tropsch coal to liquid (CTL) synthetic fuel process converts coal to a liquid form similar to crude oil, and it can be refined to produce jet fuel, gasoline and diesel fuel. This synthetic fuel can be used in internal combustion engines without having to pay the exorbitant costs to modify a vehicle to burn other types of fuel. <br />
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Adopting the Fischer-Tropsch CTL synthetic fuel process on a wide scale in the United States would generate thousands of jobs in the coal mining and fuel production industries, including new plant construction. It would also ensure an uninterruptible supply of fuel for use in internal combustion engines is available because the Fischer-Tropsch CTL synthetic fuel plants would be located further inland, away from areas most susceptible to the destructive effects of hurricanes. <br />
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Due to its inherent compatibility with petroleum based fuels and relative safety of processing locations, the Fischer-Tropsch CTL synthetic fuel process should be incorporated as a vital <br />
component of our national energy mix.<br />
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The Center for Environment, Commerce & Energy also promotes a similar approach via its Energy Defense Reservations (<b><a href="https://www.centerforenvironment.org/energy-defense-reservations/" target="_blank">EDR</a></b>) and <a href="https://www.centerforenvironment.org/converting-co2-into-gasoline/" target="_blank">Converting CO2 Into Gasoline</a><br />
<br />Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-4340583300345066402015-12-08T18:54:00.000-08:002015-12-08T18:55:37.126-08:00Data On Spent Nuclear Fuel in the USA<h1 style="border-bottom-color: rgb(218, 218, 218); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 26px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 16px 0px 6px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<img alt="graph of spent nuclear fuel discharged and stored at U.S. nuclear reactors since 1968, as explained in the article text" border="0" src="http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/images/2015.12.08/main.png" height="205" style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8013px; line-height: 19.2019px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="400" /></h1>
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<span style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 12.1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong>Source: </strong>U.S. Energy Information Administration, <a href="http://www.eia.gov/survey/#gc-859" style="background-attachment: inherit; background-clip: inherit; background-image: inherit; background-origin: inherit; background-position: inherit; background-repeat: inherit; background-size: inherit; border: 0px; color: #189bd7; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Form GC-859</a>, <a href="http://www.eia.gov/nuclear/spent_fuel/" style="background-attachment: inherit; background-clip: inherit; background-image: inherit; background-origin: inherit; background-position: inherit; background-repeat: inherit; background-size: inherit; border: 0px; color: #189bd7; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nuclear Fuel Data Survey</em></a></span></div>
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The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently released data from its <a href="http://www.eia.gov/nuclear/spent_fuel/" style="background-attachment: inherit; background-clip: inherit; background-image: inherit; background-origin: inherit; background-position: inherit; background-repeat: inherit; background-size: inherit; border: 0px; color: #189bd7; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nuclear Fuel Data Survey</em></a> on the amount, type, and characteristics of spent nuclear fuel once it is discharged from a reactor. As nuclear electricity generation <a href="http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=23592" style="background-attachment: inherit; background-clip: inherit; background-image: inherit; background-origin: inherit; background-position: inherit; background-repeat: inherit; background-size: inherit; border: 0px; color: #189bd7; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">has continued to increase</a>, the inventory of discharged spent fuel from nuclear reactors has grown steadily since the 1970s.</div>
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The latest <a href="http://www.eia.gov/nuclear/spent_fuel/" style="background-attachment: inherit; background-clip: inherit; background-image: inherit; background-origin: inherit; background-position: inherit; background-repeat: inherit; background-size: inherit; border: 0px; color: #189bd7; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nuclear Fuel Data Survey</em></a> data show that a total of 241,468 fuel assemblies, with an initial loading weight of about 70,000 metric tons of uranium (MTU), were discharged from and stored at 118 commercial nuclear reactors operating in the United States from 1968 through June 2013. Illinois, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina have the highest amount of stored nuclear material, with more than 4,000 MTU in each state.</div>
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Nuclear reactors are fueled by fissionable material, most commonly uranium, that has been enriched and formed into fuel rods. These rods are bundled together to form fuel assemblies, which are loaded into the reactor core and irradiated. These assemblies are used in the reactors for multiple cycles, with each cycle typically lasting between 18 and 24 months. After being irradiated, the spent fuel assemblies are highly radioactive and must be properly stored.</div>
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There are two storage methods used for spent fuel: spent fuel pools and dry cask storage. The spent-fuel-pool approach involves storing spent fuel assemblies in large pools of water that cool the assemblies and provide<a href="http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/shielding.html" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-image: url("/global/images/icons/external_link.png"); background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #189bd7; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 1px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shielding</a> from the radiation. Dry cask storage allows spent fuel already cooled in a spent fuel pool for several years to be stored inside a container, called a cask, filled with inert gas. Each cask is surrounded by steel, concrete, or other material to provide shielding from radiation. All spent fuel storage is regulated by the <a href="http://www.nrc.gov/" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-image: url("/global/images/icons/external_link.png"); background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #189bd7; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 1px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission</a>.</div>
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Approximately two-thirds of total spent nuclear fuel is from <a href="http://www.eia.gov/tools/glossary/index.cfm?id=P#pres_water_r" style="background-attachment: inherit; background-clip: inherit; background-image: inherit; background-origin: inherit; background-position: inherit; background-repeat: inherit; background-size: inherit; border: 0px; color: #189bd7; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pressurized-water reactors</a>, and about one-third is from<a href="http://www.eia.gov/tools/glossary/index.cfm?id=B#boil_water_react" style="background-attachment: inherit; background-clip: inherit; background-image: inherit; background-origin: inherit; background-position: inherit; background-repeat: inherit; background-size: inherit; border: 0px; color: #189bd7; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">boiling-water reactors</a>. In the United States, nearly all spent nuclear fuel is currently stored on-site at commercial nuclear power plants. A very small amount, less than 1%, has been shipped to away-from-reactor, off-site facilities.</div>
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<img alt="map of commercial spent nuclear fuel in storage by state, as explained in the article text" border="0" src="http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/images/2015.12.08/chart2.png" height="281" style="border: 0px; font-size: 12.8013px; line-height: 19.2019px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="400" /></div>
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(<a href="http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=24052" target="_blank">DOE-EIA</a>)</div>
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<span style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 12.1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong>Source: </strong>U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form GC-859, <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nuclear Fuel Data Survey</em><br /><strong>Note: </strong>Includes discharges stored at commercial sites only</span></div>
Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-73295112668023690432015-12-04T12:55:00.002-08:002015-12-04T12:55:48.612-08:00Senator Obama Wrote to NFRC Co-Chair in 2007 Re Nuclear PowerFrom: senator_obama@obama.senate.gov<br />
<br />
To: ClintonCrackel@aol.com<br />
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Sent: 4/7/2007 7:05:55 P.M. Central Daylight Time<br />
<br />
Subj: Message from Senator Barack Obama<br />
<br />
Dear Clinton:<br />
<br />
Thank you for your letter regarding your support of greater utilization of nuclear power. I was interested in your perspective.<br />
<br />
I appreciate the environmental argument you make for nuclear energy. While the threat of nuclear accidents and the dumping of spent nuclear material have serious environmental implications, nuclear power is one of the few emissions-free energy sources available to us. I also noted your concern that any of our more common energy sources do not have the longevity of alternative fuels and will eventually run out, and agree that this consideration should weigh heavily in our debate over energy policy.<br />
<br />
I am open to the use of nuclear power production as a transition to new energy technologies, but I think answers to a variety of safety questions, such as how we are going to transport and dispose of nuclear waste safely, are required before we seriously consider initiating an expansion of nuclear power capacity. Also, I am concerned about national security concerns when it comes to nuclear power, particularly in regards to spent nuclear fuel rods, which are periodically removed from reactors and can be used to produce weapons. These concerns led me to pass a provision in the Environment and Public Works Committee in the 109th Congress that requires the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to track unaccounted-for spent nuclear fuel rods used at power plants in the United States.<br />
<br />
Again, thank you for relaying your views on national energy policy. Please stay in touch in the days ahead.<br />
<br />
Sincerely,<br />
<br />
Barack Obama<br />
United States SenatorNorris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-33609985585841627312015-08-26T16:02:00.001-07:002015-08-26T16:02:08.884-07:00Fitch Report Says Hazy Future for Nuclear Power<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aFErRdnAIM0/Vd5Ew86FkbI/AAAAAAAAVT4/yVGyqqiZqvw/s1600/NuclearPlant3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aFErRdnAIM0/Vd5Ew86FkbI/AAAAAAAAVT4/yVGyqqiZqvw/s320/NuclearPlant3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: ff-dagny-web-pro, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25.6000003814697px;">According to <a href="https://www.fitchratings.com/" target="_blank">Fitch Ratings</a>, cost and retirement of some plants will likely keep a cap on U.S. nuclear development into the mid term. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: ff-dagny-web-pro, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25.6000003814697px;">Last year, the U.S. Energy Information Administration forecast that nuclear generation will drop by approximately 10,800 MWe by 2020 on the low cost of natural gas and an expected lack of growth in electricity demand. Fitch believes this number could grow if more plant operators find upgrades and local political pressure too costly to continue operations.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: ff-dagny-web-pro, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25.6000003814697px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: ff-dagny-web-pro, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25.6000003814697px;">The total cost to complete the Vogtle nuclear power plant expansion has risen to approximately $17 billion. Similarly, construction costs for the new units at the V.C. Summer plant have risen to approximately $12.4 billion. Both projects are approximately three years behind schedule. They are using a modular construction technique and technology developed by Westinghouse, the AP1000 PWR, which was designed to be less costly and faster. Four AP 1,000 reactors under construction in China have also experienced cost overruns and delays. In our view, the change in expectations about this technique could join other forces in keeping expansion down. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: ff-dagny-web-pro, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25.6000003814697px;">These pressures shut Dominion Resources' Kewaunee plant, Duke Energy Corp.'s Crystal River plant, Edison International's San Onofre plant, and Entergy's Vermont Yankee plant. Exelon's Oyster Creek is scheduled for retirement in 2019. Approximately eight additional merchant units, with an aggregate capacity of 6,334 MW, are also at risk of early retirement. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: ff-dagny-web-pro, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25.6000003814697px;">By comparison only five new units are currently under construction and a license has been issued for one other, according to a report published last month by the Nuclear Energy Institute. Although a further 10 units are under active Nuclear Regulatory Commission review, their status remains uncertain. Plant age could also play a role in preserving current generation. Of the 99 nuclear units in operation, 73 have received 20-year license extensions beyond their original 40-year operating licenses. An additional 19 applications for license extension are pending and the remaining units are likely to be filed over the next several years. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: ff-dagny-web-pro, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25.6000003814697px;">(<a href="https://www.fitchratings.com/site/fitch-home/pressrelease?id=989719" target="_blank">Fitch Ratings</a>, 8/20/2015)</span>Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-25385702176603561572015-05-20T14:26:00.001-07:002015-06-08T14:09:14.894-07:00Letter from NFRC Co-Chair to Chair of NARUC<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clinton Crackle</td></tr>
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NOTE: The California Energy Commission also published the letter:</div>
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<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
Dear Clinton Crackel,</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
The following Comment that you submitted to the California Energy Commission (Docket Number <strong style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">15-IEPR-12</strong>) has now been approved:</div>
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<li style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px; margin: 0px 0px 3px;">Title: <a href="http://docketpublic.energy.ca.gov/PublicDocuments/15-IEPR-12/TN204932_20150606T111333_Clinton_Crackel_Comments_HoltecUS_NRC_Pushing_for_More_Safety_R.pdf" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">Clinton Crackel Comments: Holtec-US NRC Pushing for More Safety Related Exemptions for Nuclear Dry Cask Storage.</a><br style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" />10 page(s)<br style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" />Subject(s): IEPR Public Comments <br style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" />Document Type: Document</li>
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<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Dear Commissioner White:</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX136299881" paraeid="{abe8d716-6264-4f9d-874e-8f7baf781fc2}{150}" paraid="1050048165" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Having read your May 14, 2015 article in </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">The Hill</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> web site “Our nuclear waste program does need reform,” I agree with you that our nuclear waste program does need reform. I even posted the article in the </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">d</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">iscussions page of the Nuclear Fuels Reprocessing Coalition’s LinkedIn group because the coalition</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">,</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> formed in 2002</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">,</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> promote</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">s</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> spent nuclear fuel reprocessing and the creation of an autonomous federal agency to manage our civilian nuclear waste program.</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">T</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">hroughout</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> my</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> nearly 10 years </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">in the commercial nuclear power industry, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) utilized a stringent regulatory compliance and inspection program known as the Systematic Assessment of Licensee Performance (SALP) program.</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX136299881" paraeid="{abe8d716-6264-4f9d-874e-8f7baf781fc2}{169}" paraid="1617931094" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">In 1994, the Nuclear Energy Institute was formed as the principal industry voice for nuclear utility deregulation. In 1998, the SALP program was replaced by a more industry-friendly inspection and enforcement program</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> because it was seen as too costly</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">to allow commercial nuclear power plants to compete in a deregulated electric utility environment</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">.</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX136299881" paraeid="{abe8d716-6264-4f9d-874e-8f7baf781fc2}{176}" paraid="1694923095" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">“The electric industry's move away from traditional rate-based regulation toward increased competition in a deregulated marketplace could have adverse impacts on the long-term ability of some utilities to adequately finance safe operation and decommissioning of their nuclear power plants.” </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">(NRC Fact Sheet on the Effects of Electric Utility Deregulation, November 2004)</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX136299881" paraeid="{abe8d716-6264-4f9d-874e-8f7baf781fc2}{199}" paraid="636480439" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">T</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">he State of California is </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">currently </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">involved with the </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">interim, on-site </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">dry cask</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">storage of </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">spent nuclear fuel </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">(SNF) </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">and decommissioning of </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Southern California Edison’s</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">’s</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> Units 2 and 3. Other states </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">are </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">cop</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">ing</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> with the same issues affecting nuclear power plants within their borders that are now shut down for decommissioning or will soon be shut down.</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">T</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">he owners </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">of these plants </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">will likely </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">seek </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">financial incentives</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">from </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">the host state</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">s</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> in order to finance decommissioning</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> activities</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">;</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> not to mention </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">financial incentive</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">s for </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">making the</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> nuclear power plants </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">more competitive with </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">natural gas.</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">T</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">he considerable additional financial burden to support </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">these </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">requests will </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">most likely </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">come at the expense of the utility ratepayers and taxpayers.</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Regardless of the source(s) of funding for decommissioning</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> activities</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">, we still don’t have a federal-level program available for the receipt and centralized storage of </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">commercial </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">SNF</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">.</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX136299881" paraeid="{490d9564-1358-4bab-925e-b0ad826a693c}{5}" paraid="1955235881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">I </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">read</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> the </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Nuclear Waste Administration Act of 2015</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">, </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">S. 854, </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">114</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> Cong</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">. (2015)</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">. The bill is based in great part on the recommendations made by the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future, and is intended to finally insure federal-level SNF management is implemented in a timely manner.</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX136299881" paraeid="{490d9564-1358-4bab-925e-b0ad826a693c}{21}" paraid="1713986707" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">The </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Senate </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">bill creates</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> an independent federal agency called </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">the Nuclear Waste Administration, headed by an Administrator appointed by the President </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">of the United States </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">and subject to Senate confirmation. </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">The bill </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">creates a five-member Nuclear Waste Oversight Board </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">to meet at least </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">every 90 days to review the</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> status of the Administration. The bill also creates the Nuclear Waste Administration Working Capital Fund which is separate from the Nuclear Waste Fund, with the Nuclear Waste Administration Working Capital Fund directly financing the operations of the Administration while the Nuclear Waste Fund is still under the jurisdiction of Congress.</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX136299881" paraeid="{490d9564-1358-4bab-925e-b0ad826a693c}{42}" paraid="1479459324" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">I have attached the </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">latest </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">ve</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">rsion of the </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Nuclear Waste Management Agency Act</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> that I wrote </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">in 2013 </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">to create the United States Nuclear Waste Management Agency, a concept that I have been proposing since 1997</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">.</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> The bill is also posted in the Nuclear Fuels Reprocessing Coalition’s </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">b</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">log</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> s</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">pot at </span><a class="Hyperlink SCX136299881" href="http://nfrcoalition.blogspot.com/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; cursor: text; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="TextRun Underlined SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">http://nfrcoalition.blogspot.com/</span></span></a><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">.</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX136299881" paraeid="{490d9564-1358-4bab-925e-b0ad826a693c}{57}" paraid="596813204" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Besides</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">naming </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">the </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">agency</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">, my bill </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">create</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">s</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> a Board of Governors comprised of representatives of various nuclear energy stakeholders appointed by the President</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> of the United States</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">.</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX136299881" paraeid="{490d9564-1358-4bab-925e-b0ad826a693c}{71}" paraid="1230754776" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">The </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">title of </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">chief executive of the new agency would be Executive Director, with this individual being selected by the Board of Governors</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> and with Senate concurrence</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">. </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">My proposal </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">establish</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">es</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> greater stability </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">in the executive ranks by insulating the chief executive from changing political views of nuclear power and waste by succeeding administrations.</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX136299881" paraeid="{490d9564-1358-4bab-925e-b0ad826a693c}{90}" paraid="1179397178" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">I hope </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">that </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">you and the other members of the Subcommittee on Nuclear Issues-Waste Disposal will review my bill and submit </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">any </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">comments on </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">it </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">to me. </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">T</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">he subcommittee </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">is also</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> welcome to discuss </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">other </span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">nuclear waste issues with me</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">. Further, my resume is attached to give you a better understanding of my background in the nuclear industry</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">.</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX136299881" paraeid="{490d9564-1358-4bab-925e-b0ad826a693c}{97}" paraid="1693263511" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Thank you</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> and my best wishes for your continued success as Chair of NARUC’s Subcommittee on Nuclear Issues-Waste Disposal</span><span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">.</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX136299881" paraeid="{490d9564-1358-4bab-925e-b0ad826a693c}{102}" paraid="1255578090" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Very respectfully,</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX136299881" paraeid="{490d9564-1358-4bab-925e-b0ad826a693c}{107}" paraid="654255289" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Clinton E. Crackel, MEP, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX136299881" paraeid="{490d9564-1358-4bab-925e-b0ad826a693c}{110}" paraid="1821610769" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Nuclear Fuels Reprocessing Coalition</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">603 Graham Road</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">North Aurora, IL 60542-9119</span><span class="EOP SCX136299881" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-31966799064644695392015-05-11T12:33:00.002-07:002015-05-11T13:05:33.339-07:00Obama To Renew Nuclear Power Plant Cooperation Agreement With China<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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President Obama has <span style="line-height: 1.8em;">notified Congress that he intends to</span><span style="line-height: 1.8em;"> </span><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/04/21/message-congress-agreement-cooperation-between-government-united-states-" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #2e6d9d; line-height: 1.8em; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;">renew a nuclear cooperation agreement with China</a><span style="line-height: 1.8em;">. The deal would allow Beijing to buy more U.S.-designed reactors and pursue a facility or the technology to reprocess plutonium from spent fuel. China would also be able to buy reactor coolant technology that experts say could be adapted to make its submarines quieter and harder to detect.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.8em;">The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is set to hear from five Obama officials in a closed-door meeting today to weigh the commercial, political and security implications of extending the accord. The private session will permit discussion of a classified addendum from the director of national intelligence analyzing China’s nuclear export control system and what Obama’s notification called its “interactions with other countries of proliferation concern.”</span><br />
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The new agreement should clear the way for U.S. companies to sell dozens of nuclear reactors to China, the biggest nuclear power market in the world.</div>
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Yet the new version of the nuclear accord — known as a 123 agreement under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 — would give China leeway to buy U.S. nuclear energy technology at a sensitive moment: The Obama administration has been <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-launches-its-sales-pitch-for-iran-nuclear-deal/2015/04/05/adec8fbc-dbac-11e4-a500-1c5bb1d8ff6a_story.html" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #2e6d9d; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" title="www.washingtonpost.com">trying to rally support</a> among lawmakers and the public for a deal that would restrict Iran’s nuclear program — a deal negotiated with China’s support.</div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.8em;">Congress can vote to block the agreement, but if it takes no action during a review period, the agreement goes into effect. </span><span style="line-height: 1.8em;">If Congress rejects the deal, “that would allow another country with lower levels of proliferation controls to step in and fill that void,</span></div>
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Although the current nuclear agreement with China does not expire until the end of the year, the administration had to give Congress notice with 90 legislative days left on the clock. Obama also hopes to seal a global climate deal in December featuring China — less than three weeks before the current nuclear accord expires.</div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.8em;">The United States has bilateral 123 agreements</span><span style="line-height: 1.8em;"> </span><a href="http://www.nei.org/Issues-Policy/Exports-Trade/Nuclear-Cooperation-Agreements" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #2e6d9d; line-height: 1.8em; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" title="www.nei.org">with 22 countries, plus Taiwan</a><span style="line-height: 1.8em;">, for the peaceful use of nuclear power. Some countries that do not have such agreements, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Malaysia, have expressed interest in clearing obstacles to building nuclear reactors.</span></div>
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China and the United States reached a nuclear cooperation pact in 1985, before China agreed to safeguards with the International Atomic Energy Agency. IAEA safeguards went into force in 1989, but Congress imposed new restrictions after the Chinese government’s June 1989 crackdown on protesters in Tiananmen Square. The 123 agreement finally went into effect in March 1998; President Bill Clinton waived the 1989 sanctions after China pledged to end assistance to Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program and nuclear cooperation with Iran.</div>
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In December 2006, Westinghouse Electric — majority-owned by Toshiba — signed an agreement to sell its AP1000 reactors to China. Four are under construction, six more are planned, and the company hopes to sell 30 others, according to<a href="http://www.nei.org/CorporateSite/media/filefolder/Policy/Trade/CRS-China-123-Report.pdf?ext=.pdf" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #2e6d9d; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" title="www.nei.org"> an April report</a> from the Congressional Research Service (CRS).</div>
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China has a pilot plant engaged in reprocessing in Jiu Quan, a remote desert town in Gansu province. Satellite photos show that it is next to a former military reprocessing plant. There is not even any fencing between the sites. (<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/obamas-quiet-nuclear-deal-with-china-raises-proliferation-concerns/2015/05/10/549e18de-ece3-11e4-8666-a1d756d0218e_story.html" target="_blank">Wash Post</a>, 5/10/2015)</div>
Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-46496651179081989612015-05-01T07:31:00.002-07:002015-05-01T07:31:51.498-07:00Consent Agreement To Store Nuclear Waste in New Mexico<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3c3c3c; font-family: OpenSansRegular, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em; padding: 0px;">
A consent-based approach is being utilized in New Mexico to manage used nuclear fuel from U.S. commercial reactors. <b><a href="http://www.holtecinternational.com/">Holtec International</a></b> announced a memorandum of agreement with two New Mexico counties to establish a consolidated interim storage facility in southeastern New Mexico.</div>
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The announcement took place in Albuquerque and included support from New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez. Earlier this year, Texas-based <b><a href="http://www.wcstexas.com/">Waste Control Specialists</a></b> announced its intent to design and license an interim consolidated storage facility that could be used by the federal government to store commercial used nuclear fuel until a federal disposal facility becomes operational.</div>
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Holtec’s agreement with the Eddy and Lea counties in New Mexico will include the design, licensing, construction, and operation of an interim used fuel storage facility modeled on Holtec’s HI-STORM UMAX storage system, which stores high-level radioactive waste in steel and concrete containers below ground. The agreement would develop an interim site “to store all of the used nuclear fuel produced in the United States and all canisters currently licensed in dry storage in the country.”</div>
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The U.S. Department of Energy estimates the total liability for the federal government for its failure to manage used nuclear fuel at $27.1 billion, including $4.5 billion already paid out of the U.S. Treasury’s Judgment Fund. This estimate assumes that the DOE begins accepting used nuclear fuel in 2021. The agency has contracts with energy companies to take uranium fuel from nuclear energy facilities for disposal. (<a href="http://www.nei.org/News-Media/Media-Room/News-Releases/NEI-Congratulates-Holtec%2c-NM-Counties-on-Consent-B?utm_source=MagnetMail&utm_medium=email&utm_term=norrismcdonald%40msn.com&utm_content=NR:%20Holtec%2c%20042915&utm_campaign=NEI%20Congratulates%20Holtec%2c%20ELEA%20on%20Used%20Nuclear%20Fuel%20Storage%20Plan">NEI</a>)</div>
Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-44472880428556484922015-03-25T07:57:00.003-07:002015-03-25T07:57:32.383-07:00Nuclear Matters & NFRC Support Nuclear Power Plants<div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: proxima-nova, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 1.1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Nuclear Matters announced today that 15 organizations have joined the campaign as Partners, coalescing in their support for existing nuclear energy plants and the need to ensure they are preserved. The diverse cross-section of voices includes environmental, consumer and academic groups, among others. They will work alongside Nuclear Matters’ Leadership Council to raise awareness around the value of the existing nuclear fleet for their benefits in terms of reliability, carbon-free generation, and economic impact.</div>
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“In my role as co-chair of Nuclear Matters, I’ve heard first-hand from a range of organizations and individuals who are in strong support of our existing nuclear fleet,” said former Senator Evan Bayh. “The fact that many of these organizations have joined Nuclear Matters as Partners is representative of the serious and growing desire that exists across the country to do everything we can to ensure that these plants are preserved.”</div>
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“As an organization whose mission it is to apply practical environmental solutions to ensure a cleaner energy future, our partnership with Nuclear Matters is well-suited,” said Norris McDonald, President of the African American Environmentalist Association. “Given that our existing nuclear energy fleet provides 63 percent of the nation’s carbon-free energy, it plays a key role in helping to address environmental challenges, including meeting proposed rules laid out by the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce carbon emissions.”</div>
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Below is a complete list of the organizations that have partnered with Nuclear Matters and will join the campaign in various events and initiatives across the country:</div>
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<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">African American Environmentalist Association</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Carolinas Nuclear Cluster (CNC)</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Center for Environment, Commerce and Energy</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Citizens for Nuclear Technology Awareness</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA)</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Energy for Carolinas (E4C)</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Energy Information Center</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Environmentalists for Nuclear Energy - USA</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Go Nuclear</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Illinois Clean Energy Coalition</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">National Museum of Nuclear Science and History</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NAYGN)</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nuclear Advocacy Network</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nuclear Fuels Reprocessing Coalition</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">U.S. Women in Nuclear</li>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">About Nuclear Matters</strong></div>
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The mission of Nuclear Matters is to inform the public about the clear benefits that nuclear energy provides to our nation, to raise awareness of the economic challenges to nuclear energy that threaten those benefits, and to work with stakeholders to explore possible policy solutions that properly value nuclear energy as a reliable, affordable and carbon-free electricity resource that is essential to America’s energy future.</div>
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Supporters of Nuclear Matters include a range of companies and organizations in the energy industry, including Ameren Missouri, American Nuclear Insurers, Arizona Public Service Company, AREVA, Black & Veatch, POWER Burns and Roe, Centrus Energy Corp. Dominion, Duke Energy, Energy Future Holdings Corporation, Energy Northwest, Entergy Corporation, Exelon Corporation, FirstEnergy Corporation, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Lightbridge Corporation, Nebraska Public Power District, NextEra Energy Inc., Omaha Public Power District, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company, Southern Company, Tennessee Valley Authority, and Westinghouse Electric Corporation.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Media Contacts</span></strong></div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">For Nuclear Matters:</strong><br />Alexandra Meredith<br />(212) 446-1887<br /><a href="mailto:AMeredith@SloanePR.com" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.3s ease-in-out; background: transparent; color: #0290c0; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.3s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;">AMeredith@SloanePR.com</a></div>
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Joe Germani<br />(212) 446-1899<br /><a href="mailto:JGermani@SloanePR.com" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.3s ease-in-out; background: transparent; color: #0290c0; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.3s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;">JGermani@SloanePR.com</a></div>
Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-87552868954333462062015-03-16T09:45:00.003-07:002015-03-16T09:47:54.025-07:00Entergy Borrows to Pay for Transfer of Nuclear Waste<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-size: 15.576000213623px; line-height: 24.9216003417969px; text-align: justify;">Entergy Nuclear is taking out lines of credit totaling $145 million to help pay for the transfer and storage of radioactive spent nuclear fuel rods at the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. The move will decrease its request to pay for the work from the plant’s $642 million decommissioning trust fund.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-size: 15.576000213623px; line-height: 24.9216003417969px; text-align: justify;">Vermont public service commissioner </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-size: 15.576000213623px; line-height: 24.9216003417969px; text-align: justify;">Christopher Recchia praised the decision d</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-size: 15.576000213623px; line-height: 24.9216003417969px; text-align: justify;">uring a hearing at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland. , Barrett Green is the chief financial officer of Entergy Wholesale Commodities and head of the Vermont Yankee decommissioning project for Entergy</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-size: 15.576000213623px; line-height: 24.9216003417969px; text-align: justify;">. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-size: 15.576000213623px; line-height: 24.9216003417969px; text-align: justify;">Recchia participated in the meeting from Montpelier via conference call.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-size: 15.576000213623px; line-height: 24.9216003417969px; text-align: justify;">Entergy is preparing a formal request to the NRC to use a portion of the $642 million for moving, storing and handling its 42 years of accumulated nuclear waste, largely highly radioactive spent fuel rods. It needs an exemption from NRC regulations to do that.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-size: 15.576000213623px; line-height: 24.9216003417969px; text-align: justify;">In October, Entergy released its latest estimate of how much it will cost to decommission the Vernon reactor, which shut down permanentlyon December 29, 2014. Of the total estimated cost of $1.24 billion, $817 million will be needed to “terminate” its license and dismantle the plant, and $368 million will be needed to handle the spent nuclear fuel. Entergy plans to mothball the plant for decades, waiting for the radioactivity in the plant to abate and the trust fund to grow.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-size: 15.576000213623px; line-height: 24.9216003417969px; text-align: justify;">That $368 million breaks down to $143 million to transfer the fuel out of the reactor and spent fuel pool to an expanded dry cask storage facility, and $225 million for operating such a facility.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-size: 15.576000213623px; line-height: 24.9216003417969px; text-align: justify;">Despite its decision to seek the two lines of credit totaling $145 million, Entergy still wants an exemption from NRC regulations to tap the decommissioning trust fund to help pay for the remaining cost of transfering the spent fuel out of the reactor and the spent fuel pool, and its handling.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-size: 15.576000213623px; line-height: 24.9216003417969px; text-align: justify;">NRC staff members have said federal law prohibits the use of the decommissioning trust fund for any spent fuel activity. The fund is supposed to be just for the decommissioning of the plant.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-size: 15.576000213623px; line-height: 24.9216003417969px; text-align: justify;">The NRC has granted exemptions to two nuclear power plants to do just that, and Vermont Yankee and Crystal River in Florida are seeking similar exemptions.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-size: 15.576000213623px; line-height: 24.9216003417969px; text-align: justify;">The issue goes back to the fact that the federal Department of Energy has not taken ownership of the spent fuel at the country’s 100 commercial reactors and has not built a national depository for spent nuclear fuel.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-size: 15.576000213623px; line-height: 24.9216003417969px; text-align: justify;">While a federal court decision earlier this fall has renewed the NRC’s study of the abandoned Yucca Mountain site in Nevada, Congress still has to come up with money for the renewed study, Sheehan said.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-size: 15.576000213623px; line-height: 24.9216003417969px; text-align: justify;">Recchia told NRC staff members that the $642 million fund had been funded entirely by ratepayer money, and the state of Vermont was making sure there was a “ratepayer benefit” to the use of the fund.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-size: 15.576000213623px; line-height: 24.9216003417969px; text-align: justify;">Since Entergy bought Vermont Yankee in 2002 from a group of New England utilities led by Central Vermont Public Service Corp. and Green Mountain Power, Entergy has not contributed a penny to the trust fund, instead allowing it to grow via investments.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-size: 15.576000213623px; line-height: 24.9216003417969px; text-align: justify;">Recchia said the Vermont Yankee trust fund documents “need to be looked at” to determine what is allowable and not allowable. He said the state of Vermont would not be making a comment yet on Entergy’s request for the exemption. (<a href="http://www.timesargus.com/article/20141209/NEWS03/712099888">Times Argus</a>, 12/9/2014)</span>Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-22146074153929220842014-09-08T13:59:00.002-07:002014-09-08T13:59:51.872-07:00Zoning Board Challenges Pilgrim Dry Cask Storage<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wb49HY6B9sU/VA4YoYu4_mI/AAAAAAAAUXA/EOIlcZAohYM/s1600/PilgrimNuclearPowerStation.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wb49HY6B9sU/VA4YoYu4_mI/AAAAAAAAUXA/EOIlcZAohYM/s1600/PilgrimNuclearPowerStation.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pilgrim</td></tr>
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When the Zoning Board of Appeals ruled last year that Entergy – the owners of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station – didn’t need a special permit to begin construction of a dry cask storage facility on the plant’s Manomet grounds, 18 residents appealed that decision to the state’s Land Court.<br />
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More than a year later, after a series of motions, the case is proceeding.
Most recently, the court issued an order "allowing in part and denying in part" Entergy’s motion to dismiss the entire case by summary judgment "for lack of standing."
The court determined that 11 of the 18 plaintiffs originally named in the case – those residing within two miles of the plant – had standing based on the loss of property value that will result from the construction of the storage facility and the continued operation of the plant. <br />
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Because of that ruling, the court is now expected to hear arguments on the merits of the case – whether existing regulations require that Entergy should have obtained a special permit in the first place. Meanwhile, Entergy has moved ahead at its own risk. It has spent a considerable sum on construction of the dry cask storage project. In the past few weeks Entergy has even notified the presiding judge – as part of the court’s conditions – that it could begin transferring nuclear waste from the spent fuel pool to dry cask storage units within the next 90 days.<br />
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If Entergy were to lose the case and the conditions originally under discussion by the plaintiffs and others were made part of a special permit, it could face very expensive modifications to its dry cask storage project. The initial cost estimate for the site work and concrete pad required for dry cask storage is estimated at $140 million. Entergy officials expressed confidence in the ultimate decision of the courts. (<a href="http://plymouth.wickedlocal.com/article/20140905/NEWS/309059999/0/SEARCH">Wicked Local Plymouth</a>, 9/5/2014)Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-1861367147544177522014-09-02T07:57:00.005-07:002014-09-05T05:29:11.232-07:00NRC Continued Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel RuleOn Tuesday, August 26, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved a generic environmental impact statement that clears the way for storing spent nuclear fuel for a hundred years or more (<a href="http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2014/14-055.pdf">NRC Ruling</a>). New nuclear power plants can now be built without waiting for a final nuclear waste repository to be built (<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/30/us/spent-nuclear-fuel-is-allowed-to-be-stored-above-ground.html?src=me&_r=1">NYTimes</a>). NFRC supported the rule.<br />
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The rulemaking was in response to a 2012 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals that struck down the NRC <i>Waste Confidence Decision</i>, which stated:<br />
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- “<i>reasonable assurance exists that sufficient geologic repository capacity will be available for disposal of…spent nuclear fuel when necessary</i>”, and<br />
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- “<i>reasonable assurance exists that…spent fuel can be stored safely without significant environmental impacts…in spent fuel pools and…dry cask storage systems</i>.”<br />
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As a result of this court ruling, the NRC decided to stop all nuclear licensing activities (<a href="http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML1222/ML12220A100.pdf">CLI-12-016</a>) while it developed a Waste Confidence Generic Environmental Impact Statement that would address these issues, even the possibility that a permanent geologic repository might never be built. This generic EIS would not have to be redone over and over for every site or every license.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fgAyX816aCU/VAXXEkOB1FI/AAAAAAAAUV4/UGq-GiBfZ2s/s1600/NorrisLaHague800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fgAyX816aCU/VAXXEkOB1FI/AAAAAAAAUV4/UGq-GiBfZ2s/s1600/NorrisLaHague800.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norris McDonald at spent fuel reprocessing facility in France</td></tr>
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The French reprocess and reuse their spent nuclear fuel. America should do the same. This should be done at Yucca Mountain in Nevada.<br />
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Nuclear power plants in the United States have safely stored spent nuclear fuel for decades in spent fuel pools of water and, later, in concrete dry casks. There has never been a problem. But the centerpiece of our nuclear waste program has always been the idea of a deep geologic repository as the final resting place for nuclear waste.<br />
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Therefore, when the Yucca Mountain deep geologic repository project was essentially canned in 2009 (killed for similar political reasons it was born from), it was a blow to the country’s <i>confidence</i> in our ability to handle our spent nuclear fuel. We had never thought about storing this stuff forever.<br />
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<img alt="Dry cask storage behind secure fencing." class=" size-full wp-image-3830" src="http://blogs-images.forbes.com/jamesconca/files/2014/09/dry-storage_19022.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></div>
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The GEIS examined land use, air and water quality, historic and cultural resources over three timeframes: 60 years (short-term), 100 years after the short-term scenario (long-term) and indefinitely. It also analyzed spent fuel pool leaks and fires.<br />
So Tuesday’s approval by the NRC of this new rule on the environmental effects of long-term storage of spent nuclear fuel was enormously important. It restores the confidence that was called into question and let’s new nuclear builds and activities to go forward, once the final rule becomes effective, 30 days after publication in the <i><a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/">Federal Register</a>.</i><br />
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The <i>waste confidence</i> issue has practical and economic ramifications. If the NRC, the agency that regulates the commercial nuclear industry, does not feel <i>confident</i> that the industry can take care of its waste, then they will not issue any new licenses to build any new nuclear power plants, disposal sites or any other nuclear facilities, and will not extend licenses for existing power plants.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ELYpLcZzsIA/VAXYDTunwKI/AAAAAAAAUWA/5MoveMdNmDM/s1600/IndianPointTour4%2B004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ELYpLcZzsIA/VAXYDTunwKI/AAAAAAAAUWA/5MoveMdNmDM/s1600/IndianPointTour4%2B004.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norris McDonald (right) at Spent Fuel Pool</td></tr>
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Wet storage of spent nuclear fuel in pools of water. When spent fuel is removed from the reactor it requires about five years in water to cool off and allow the short-lived really hot radionuclides to decay away completely. It can then transferred to dry cask storage (below) until needed, e.g., burned in Generation IV or V fast reactors in the near-future, or just disposed of in a deep geologic repository. It is safe in Dry Cask for over a hundred years while the fuel cools off. <br />
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This ruling recognizes storing spent fuel for long periods in dry casks is safe and cheap. Dry casks completely contain all radiation. They effortlessly manage the heat. And they prevent nuclear fission (see figure). The casks resist earthquakes, projectiles, tornadoes, floods, temperature extremes and any other event we can think of, including tsunamis (<a href="http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/dry-cask-storage.html">NRC Casks</a>).<br />
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Cooling in the casks is passive, and the heat coming off of a loaded spent fuel cask is less than that given off by the average home-heating system. The heat and radioactivity simply decrease over time without the need of fans or pumps, or any action on our part. The only operational cost is the constant monitoring on the casks.<br />
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The United States has about 80,000 tons each of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from commercial nuclear power plants making electricity, and high-level nuclear waste (HLW) from making nuclear weapons. SNF from reactors is in a solid form that is easily handled and easily stored in dry casks once it is removed from the cooling pools after about five years. HLW is in different liquid, sludge and solid forms in various containments at Department of Energy facilities and has nothing to do with commercial SNF.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jD5OBm7oiGo/VAXZBvFvr4I/AAAAAAAAUWI/X5qMmVDuIDo/s1600/NorrisMcDonaldYuccaMountain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jD5OBm7oiGo/VAXZBvFvr4I/AAAAAAAAUWI/X5qMmVDuIDo/s1600/NorrisMcDonaldYuccaMountain.jpg" height="320" width="229" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norris McDonald at Yucca Mountain</td></tr>
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The best things you can do with spent nuclear fuel is let it sit for a hundred years. A hundred years is a few half-lives of the two bad players – the uranium fission products cesium-137 and strontium-90. Each of these nuclides has a 30-year half-life, so after 100 years, 90% of each will have decayed away, and the waste will be much, much cooler and easier to handle, no matter what you end up doing with it.<br />
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If you end up burning old spent fuel in new GenIV fast reactors, like General Atomics’ <a href="http://www.ga.com/energy-multiplier-module">EM2 reactor</a>, or the reactor <a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.forbes.com/profile/bill-gates/">Bill Gates</a> is building (<a class="exit_trigger_set" href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2014/08/29/confidence-what-does-it-mean-for-nuclear-waste/terrapower.com">TerraPower</a>), you get ten times more energy out of the fuel as you get from the first round of burning. And the new waste is radioactive for a much shorter time. If you end up just throwing the spent fuel away, it’s still relatively cool and the disposal is easier and cheaper.<br />
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This new rule does not itself license or permit nuclear power plants to store spent fuel for any length of time, but it was necessary to allow these licenses to go forward under separate actions.<br />
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Ironically, this final rule was renamed, from W<i>aste Confidence</i> to C<i>ontinued Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel</i>. This name that more accurately reflects the nature of the ruling and is more understandable. (<a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2014/08/29/confidence-what-does-it-mean-for-nuclear-waste/" target="_blank">Forbes</a>, 8/29/2014)Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-73501773418845905182014-05-05T05:51:00.000-07:002014-05-05T05:51:02.307-07:00UN Report on Fukushima<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Increase in Cancer Unlikely following Fukushima Exposure - says UN Report</h3>
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Low Risk of Thyroid Cancer Among Children Most Exposed</h4>
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Cancer levels are likely to remain stable in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power accident, according to a new UN report released today. The <a href="http://www.unscear.org/docs/GAreports/A-68-46_e_V1385727.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>report</strong></a> is titled <em>Levels and Effects of Radiation Exposure Due to the Nuclear Accident After the 2011 Great East-Japan Earthquake and Tsunami</em>, by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (<a href="http://www.unscear.org/unscear/en/fukushima.html" target="_blank">UNSCEAR</a>).</div>
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It finds that no discernible changes in future cancer rates and hereditary diseases are expected due to exposure to radiation as a result of the Fukushima nuclear accident; and, that no increases in the rates of birth defects are expected.</div>
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Nevertheless, it notes a theoretical possibility that the risk of thyroid cancer among the group of children most exposed to radiation could increase and concludes that the situation needs to be followed closely and further assessed in the future. Thyroid cancer is a rare disease among young children, and their normal risk is very low.</div>
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The findings are based on estimates of the exposure of various population groups - including children - as well as scientific knowledge of health impacts following radiation exposure.</div>
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According to the study, the expected low impact on cancer rates of the population is largely due to prompt protective actions on the part of the Japanese authorities following the accident.</div>
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The Committee analyzed reported worker doses and also independently assessed doses for some of the workers. The Committee's assessments are broadly consistent with reported doses, but uncertainties remain for exposures during the early phase of the accident. The Committee concluded that no discernible increase in cancer or other diseases is expected; however, the most exposed workers will receive regular health checks.</div>
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The Committee also evaluated the effects of radiation exposure on both terrestrial and marine ecosystems, finding that any effects would have been transient.</div>
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For marine ecosystems, the possibility of effects on flora and fauna was limited to the shoreline area adjacent to the power station and the potential for effects over the long term was considered insignificant.</div>
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According to the report, drafted last year but only recently finalized by the U.N.,<br />
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“<i>The doses to the general public, both those incurred during the first year and estimated for their lifetimes, are generally low or very low. No discernible increased incidence of radiation-related health effects are expected among exposed members of the public or their descendants. The most important health effect is on mental and social well-being, related to the enormous impact of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident, and the fear and stigma related to the perceived risk of exposure to ionizing radiation. Effects such as depression and post-traumatic stress symptoms have already been reported</i>.”</blockquote>
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“<i>Increased rates of detection of [thyroid] nodules, cysts and cancers have been observed during the first round of screening; however, these are to be expected in view of the high detection efficiency [using modern high-efficiency ultrasonography]. Data from similar screening protocols in areas not affected by the accident imply that the apparent increased rates of detection among children in Fukushima Prefecture are unrelated to radiation exposure</i>.”</blockquote>
As to environmental effects, the U.N. report goes on to say,<br />
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“<i>Exposures of selected non-human biota in the natural environment were also estimated. The doses and associated effects of radiation on non-human biota following the accident were evaluated against the Committee’s previous evaluations of such effects. Exposures of both marine and terrestrial non-human biota following the accident were, in general, too low for acute effects to be observed, though there may have been some exceptions because of local variability… Any radiation effects would be restricted to a limited area where the deposition of radioactive material was greatest; beyond that area, the potential for effects on biota is insignificant.</i>”</blockquote>
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(<a href="http://www.unis.unvienna.org/unis/en/pressrels/2014/unisous237.html" target="_blank">UN Press Release</a>)</div>
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<strong>About UNSCEAR</strong></div>
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The <a href="http://www.unscear.org/" target="_blank">United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR)</a>, established in 1955, is mandated to undertake broad reviews of the sources of ionizing radiation and the effects on human health and the environment. Its assessments provide a scientific foundation for governments and UN agencies to formulate standards and programmes for protection against ionizing radiation.</div>
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More than 80 leading scientists worked on the study analyzing the effects of radiation exposure following the accident at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power station. Material they prepared was reviewed for technical and scientific quality by its 27 Member States at their annual session in May 2013. All scientists had to declare any conflict of interest related to their participation in the assessment.</div>
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The UNSCEAR secretariat is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).<br />
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<strong>For more information, contact:</strong></div>
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<strong> </strong>Jaya <strong>Mohan</strong><br />
Communications, UNSCEAR<br />
Tel: +43 1 26060-4122<br />
Mobile: +43 699 1459 4122<br />
Email: jaya.mohan[at]unscear.org</div>
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<a href="http://www.unscear.org/" target="_blank">http://www.unscear.org/</a></div>
Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-17268461603150317482014-04-30T06:13:00.003-07:002014-04-30T06:13:58.675-07:00Obama Administration Ends Construction of MOX Facility<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mQ0jcjZGpJ0/U2D2pgwJtrI/AAAAAAAAUIc/OUUQl9w_Vq8/s1600/MegatonsToMegawatts.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mQ0jcjZGpJ0/U2D2pgwJtrI/AAAAAAAAUIc/OUUQl9w_Vq8/s1600/MegatonsToMegawatts.gif" /></a></div>
In 2000, the United States and Russia agreed to each dispose of 34 tons of plutonium that was produced for use in nuclear weapons, with most of it being turned into fuel for civilian power reactors. Now, 14 years after deciding to build a plant near Aiken, S.C., that would have converted the plutonium into reactor fuel, the Obama administration has proposed to stop work on the site, which has already cost the government $3.9 billion. But South Carolina, eager to keep 1,600 construction jobs at the site, where much of the plutonium was made in the first place, is suing to keep the work going.<br />
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MOX is 'mixed oxide, mixing plutonium with uranium oxide.<br />
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Some speculate that the project could cost $10 billion and cost a billion dollars a year in operating costs. The price of decommissioning could push the total bill to $35 billion. That would be over $1 billion a ton.</div>
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If the project is, in fact, abandoned, it will join the Superconducting Super Collider, a particle accelerator in Texas canceled in 1993 after $2 billion had been spent, and the Clinch River Breeder Reactor, in Oak Ridge, Tenn., canceled in 1984 after $1.5 billion. </div>
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The senators from Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, along with Senator Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana, chairwoman of the Senate energy committee, denounced the shutdown in a letter to President Obama, emphasizing that the plant was “the only congressionally authorized disposition path for weapons-grade plutonium.”</div>
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On Tuesday, the department said it would continue work until the end of the fiscal year, Sept. 30. But it said that unless it could get a promise from Congress of continued construction funding at a level of $500 million to $600 million a year until 2027, and an understanding that annual operating costs would be in that range once construction was completed, it would proceed with shutting the work down. </div>
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South Carolina sued in March in Federal District Court in Aiken, insisting that the administration had no right to stop work on a project that was carrying out the plan approved by Congress for disposing of the plutonium. (<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/30/us/south-carolina-plutonium-disposal-site.html?emc=edit_th_20140430&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=28146904&_r=0">NYT</a>, 4/29/2014)</div>
Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-90242065226392057912014-03-19T15:10:00.002-07:002014-03-19T15:11:28.745-07:00NFRC Opposes Retreat on Savannah River MOX Facility<span style="font-size: small;"><b>NFRC and the state of South Carolina are outraged by the suspension of the Savannah River MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility construction</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>State of SC filing a lawsuit against the Department of Energy</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>NFRC supports the lawsuit</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">South Carolina is home to the US Department of Energy's (DoE's) Savannah River Site, which provides storage for military weapons material. Some of this - classified as 'surplus' plutonium - has long been earmarked for destruction as fuel in civilian nuclear power reactors. The chosen method for this was manufacture into mixed oxide fuel assemblies via the dedicated plant under construction at the site - but the funding to build this plant was reduced to zero in the DoE's budget request for FY2015. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The state's attorney general Alan Wilson has stated: </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">"Through the unilateral indefinite suspension... without any plutonium disposition alternative - without Congressional authorization or approval - and without any legal authority, the federal government has failed to not only honor its commitment to South Carolina but has breached its obligation to responsibly address the disposal of surplus plutonium."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The origin of the project was a bilateral deal made with Russia to remove equal amounts of weapons-usable material from both countries' stockpiles. The two nations agreed to dispose of 34 tonnes of plutonium. America opted for MOX, while Russia decided to use its plutonium as fuel for fast reactors and continues with this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">After around $4 billion appropriated from US budgets over the years, the US MOX plant stands at 60% complete, according to South Carolina's legal complaint. The state said the construction had been employing 1800 people, with another 4500 jobs supported in the local Aiken county. Furthermore, South Carolina is unhappy about remaining the custodian of the unwanted plutonium which now has no disposal strategy. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Savannah River MOX Facility</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The DoE's stated reason for cutting funding for the MOX plant is that "it has become apparent that [the plant] will be significantly more expensive than anticipated, and therefore, the budget request places the MOX facility in cold stand-by while the department evaluates plutonium disposition options."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">A report from the General Accounting Office last month said the cost of the MOX plant had risen from an original approved estimate of $4.8 billion to some $7.7 billion as of 2012. At the same time the scheduled start of operation had moved back three years to late 2019.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Wilson called the decision to 'close-up' the MOX plant and stop work on it a "violation of the constitution." The state's lawsuit, filed against the DoE, contests its use of Congressionally authorized funds for close-out rather than construction.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />The move to halt the MOX project echoes the 2009 decision by the DoE and President Barack Obama to declare the Yucca Mountain project to be 'not an option' and zero its funding. Appointed by Obama, then-chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Gregory Jaczko caused it to abandon its review of Yucca Mountain's license application. Four years of legal fights saw this declared illegal by the US Court of Appeals and the US is now beginning to launch a new strategy for disposal of its used nuclear fuel. However, the lack of a recognized disposal route has had ongoing knock-on effects for industry, with the NRC currently having taken around 18 months to rewrite the 'waste confidence' rule without which it cannot issue a license for a new nuclear plant. (<a href="http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/WR-Unconstitutional-for-US-to-back-out-of-MOX-plan-1903141.html">World Nuclear News</a>, 3/19/2014)</span>Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-50293384073049159172014-03-10T09:50:00.002-07:002014-03-10T09:51:42.789-07:00Workers To Enter WIPP Post Radiation Detection<strong>A recovery process has started </strong><strong>at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) </strong><strong>with the aim of resuming operations. Seventeen workers have so far tested positive for extremely low levels of contamination following a radiological event at the facility last month.</strong><br />
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<tr><td><em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">DoE officials recently visited WIPP to observe site recovery activities (Image: DoE)</span></em></td></tr>
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The WIPP plant in New Mexico is owned by the US Department of Energy (DoE) and operated by Nuclear Waste Partnership LLC (NWP). The facility disposes of transuranic waste packages from the US military in an underground salt formation. An underground monitor detected airborne radiation within the plant on 14 February.<br />
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The DoE and NWP have lowered radiological and air quality instruments down the salt handling and air intake shafts at WIPP. Preliminary findings show no detectable radioactive contamination in the air or on the equipment lowered and returned to the surface. Air quality results were also found to be normal. <br />
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A team of workers may be sent into the underground facility as soon as the end of the week to characterize the mine's stability and attempt to identify the source of the release. Once identified, the team will isolate the source and implement a plan to remove the contamination hazard.<br />
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There were no workers underground at the time but, as a precautionary measure, all those at the surface were checked for external contamination. Filters on the underground plant's vents removed at least 99.87% of contaminants from the air, but trace amounts of americium and plutonium were subsequently detected by an above-ground sampling station near the plant. <br />
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Since the event, only essential staff have been allowed on site and no shipments of waste have been delivered to the plant.<br />
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So far, tests on 17 workers have indicated "extremely low" contamination. As no detectable contamination has been found in urine samples, it is assumed that the contamination was not inhaled into the lungs.<br />
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The DoE and NWP stressed that as the levels of exposure are so low - just above background levels - none of the workers is expected to experience any health effects.<br />
Air sampling data continues to show that no significant contamination has been found offsite. (<a href="http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/RS-Workers-to-re-enter-WIPP-1003144.html">World Nuclear News</a>, 4/10/2014)Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-34135970208548425672014-03-06T10:29:00.002-08:002014-03-06T10:29:14.932-08:00USEC Files Bankrptcy Protection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Bethesda-based nuclear energy provider USEC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Wednesday after delays to a major centrifuge project and shifts in the global market made it impossible for the company to repay debt due later this year. The company expects to receive court approval and emerge from bankruptcy by this summer.<br />
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The bankruptcy filing will allow the company to pursue its ongoing business objectives with greater certainty by strengthening its balance sheet. The deal calls for the note holders to receive $200 million of new debt and 79 percent of the restructured company’s common stock. Existing shareholders would receive 5 percent of the new common stock as part of the deal. <br />
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Toshiba Corp. and the Babcock & Wilcox Co. will each take on $20.2 million in debt and 8 percent of new common stock as part of the arrangement. <br />
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The company’s management will remain in place following the bankruptcy, though its board of directors will be replaced. <br />
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<a data-xslt="_http" href="http://www.usec.com/company">USEC</a> issued $530 million worth of notes in 2007 with the expectation it would repay that money by October of this year. In that time, an economic downturn and natural disaster have dramatically changed the global market for nuclear power, Jacobson said.<br />
The company has been unable to secure a $2 billion loan guarantee and other funding necessary to complete its <a data-xslt="_http" href="http://www.usec.com/american-centrifuge">American Centrifuge Plant</a>. The company had expected the uranium enrichment facility in Piketon, Ohio would be yielding revenue by this point.<br />
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The earthquake and tsunami that took out a major nuclear reactor in Fukushima, Japan in March 2011 raised troubling questions about the safety of nuclear power and caused global prices for nuclear fuel to drop. USEC ended last year with $314 million in cash on its balance sheet. (<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/usec-files-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy-protection-in-investor-approved-plan/2014/03/05/611ef94a-a471-11e3-84d4-e59b1709222c_story.html">Wash Post</a>, 3/5/2014)Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-15505400088040710302014-02-20T10:23:00.002-08:002014-02-20T10:23:45.148-08:00DOE To Approve Loan Guarantees For Georgia Nuclear Reactors<h4 class="page-title">
Sec. Moniz to Georgia, Energy Department Scheduled to Close on Loan Guarantees to Construct New Nuclear Power Plant Reactors</h4>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ernest Moniz</td></tr>
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U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz today announced at the National Press Club that he will be traveling to Waynesboro, Georgia tomorrow, February 20, to mark the issuance of approximately $6.5 billion in loan guarantees for the construction of two new nuclear reactors at the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant. The project represents the first new nuclear facilities in the U.S. to begin construction and receive NRC license in nearly three decades. In addition, the deployment of two new 1,100 megawatt Westinghouse AP1000® nuclear reactors is a first-mover for a new generation of advanced nuclear reactors. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vogtle Plant Construction Area</td></tr>
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The two new 1,100 megawatt Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear reactors at the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant will supplement the two existing reactor units at the facility. According to industry projections, the project will create approximately 3,500 onsite construction jobs and approximately 800 permanent jobs once the units begin operation. When the new nuclear reactors come on line, they will provide enough reliable electricity to power nearly 1.5 million American homes.<br />
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Project partners include Georgia Power Company (GPC), Oglethorpe Power Corporation (OPC), the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG), and the City of Dalton, Georgia (Dalton).<br />
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Department made conditional commitments for a total of $8.33 billion in loan guarantees. Tomorrow, the Department is scheduled to issue loan guarantees to GPC and OPC for a total of approximately $6.5 billion. The Department continues to work on the remaining conditional commitment for a $1.8 billion loan guarantee to MEAG.<br />
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The Energy Policy Act of 2005 authorized the Department to issue loan guarantees for projects that avoid, reduce or sequester greenhouse gases and employ new or significantly-improved technologies as compared to technologies in service in the United States at the time the guarantee is issued.<br />
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The nuclear facility is eligible for loan guarantees since it is expected to avoid nearly 10 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, which is the equivalent of removing more than two million vehicles from the roads. In addition, the Westinghouse AP1000<sup>®</sup> reactor has incorporated numerous innovations resulting in significant operational and safety improvements.<br />
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Currently, the Department’s Loan Programs Office (LPO) supports a large, diverse portfolio of more than $30 billion in loans, loan guarantees, and commitments, supporting more than 30 closed and committed projects. The projects that LPO has supported include one of the world’s largest wind farms; several of the world’s largest solar generation and thermal energy storage systems; and more than a dozen new or retooled auto manufacturing plants across the country. (<a href="http://www.energy.gov/articles/sec-moniz-georgia-energy-department-scheduled-close-loan-guarantees-construct-new-nuclear">DOE</a>)</div>
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Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-1524032996911070902014-02-20T10:13:00.001-08:002014-02-20T10:13:34.858-08:00Areva, EDF Team Up With Saudis<strong>A series of agreements aimed at supporting Saudi Arabia's nuclear energy program have been signed by France's EDF and Areva with Saudi organizations. </strong><br />
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<strong>The agreements will help develop the country's supply chain and workforce.</strong><br />
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Two sets of agreements were signed by Areva and EDF with Saudi companies and universities during a visit to Riyadh on 30 December by French president Francois Hollande.<br />
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The French companies signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with five Saudi manufacturers: Zamil Steel, Bahra Cables, Riyadh Cables, Saudi Pumps and Descon Olayan. These MoUs aim to develop the industrial and technical skills of local companies to form a domestic supply chain.<br />
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Areva and EDF also signed agreements with four Saudi universities: King Saud University in Riyadh; Prince Mohammed bin Fahd University in Al-Khobar; and Dar Al Hekma College and Effat University, both in Jeddah. These agreements are intended to contribute to the development of Saudi Arabia's nuclear expertise.<br />
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Separately, EDF signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia's Global Energy Holding Company (GEHC) for the creation of a joint venture whose first task will be to carry out feasibility studies for an EPR reactor in the country. GEHC was established in 2011 to invest in the development of energy-related businesses.<br />
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Areva, with the support of EDF, recently launched a training program to provide Saudi companies with an understanding of the safety and quality requirements specific to the nuclear industry. The first session of this program was hosted on 17-18 December by the National Institute of Technology in Bahra, near Jeddah.<br />
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Although Saudi Arabia's nuclear program is in its infancy, the kingdom has plans to construct 16 nuclear power reactors over the next twenty years. A 2010 royal decree identified nuclear power as essential to help meet growing energy demand for both electricity generation and water desalination while reducing reliance on depleting hydrocarbon resources.<br />
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The country has bilateral nuclear cooperation agreements with countries including China, Argentina, France and South Korea. Recent months have seen reactor vendors including Toshiba, Westinghouse, Exelon Nuclear Partners (ENP) and GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy forge various agreements to work together on proposals for future Saudi nuclear plants. (<a href="http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/C-Areva-EDF-team-up-with-Saudis-0601144.html">World Nuclear News</a>, 1/6/2014)Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-39167518796095015862014-02-18T09:43:00.002-08:002014-02-18T09:43:21.631-08:00Babcock & Wilcox To Support Terrapower's Travelling Wave Reactor<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A cutaway of the travelling wave reactor (Image: TerraPower)</em></td></tr>
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Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) will provide TerraPower with services and program support, such as: design and fabrication of components; fuel fabrication process development, prototype fabrication and fuel services; reactor design engineering; reactor operations support; engineering services; flow loop testing; licensing support; and materials testing. <br />
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Initially developed in the 1950s, the TWR design resurfaced in the early 1990s, and was later patented by Intellectual Ventures, the company from which TerraPower was spun out of. The TWR is a liquid sodium-cooled fast reactor that uses depleted or natural uranium as fuel.<br />
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The core design of the original TWR concept envisages a moving region, or 'wave', in which the uranium is bred progressively into plutonium, which is the actual fuel that undergoes fission. However, in mid-2011 TerraPower announced a change of design to a standing wave reactor in order to address the problem of cooling a moving region. The current design would start the fission reaction at the centre of the reactor core, where the breeding stays, while fresh fuel from the outer edge of the core is progressively moved to the central region, as used fuel is moved out of the centre to the periphery.<br />
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TerraPower plans to build a 600 MWe demonstration plant, known as the TWR-P, by 2018-2022 followed by larger commercial plants of 1150 MWe from the late 2020s.<br />
B&W is also actively marketing a new reactor design of its own - the 180 MWe mPower. The company pointed out that its own mPower reactor is based on pressurized water reactor technology using standard enriched uranium as fuel, whereas TerraPower's TWR "is a larger reactor based on Generation IV technology and designed to use depleted uranium as fuel."
(<a href="http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN-TerraPower-brings-BandW-on-board-180214ST.html">World Nuclear News</a>, 2/18/2014)Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-18183093273953166692014-02-12T17:35:00.005-08:002014-02-12T17:35:53.686-08:00Ron Kirk is the new CASEnergy Coalition Co-ChairNFRC is delighted about this appointment.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ron Kirk</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ambassador Ron Kirk, former U.S. Trade Representative and mayor of Dallas, has been named co-chair of the Clean and Safe Energy (CASEnergy) Coalition. Kirk joins former EPA administrator Christine Todd Whitman, who has served as the coalition’s co-chair since its 2006 launch.</span></div>
In his role as the CASEnergy Coalition Co-Chair, Kirk will provide perspectives on how electricity choices <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">impact</span> local communities, and how investments in advanced energy technologies today will better prepare America to compete in the global marketplace.<br />
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Kirk is currently Senior of Counsel for Dallas-based Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher with a focus on strategic advice pertaining to global interests.<br />
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His leadership as U.S. Trade Representative under President Obama will help provide policy leaders and other audiences a broader understanding of the role nuclear energy plays in creating and sustaining American jobs. The global market for nuclear energy trade is estimated at $500 billion to $750 billion over the next decade.<br />
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Kirk served as the mayor of Dallas from 1995 to 2001. He was the city’s first African American mayor, and he led the city to garner more than $3.5 billion in new investment and created 45,000 new jobs. (<a href="http://casenergy.org/">CASEnergy Coalition</a>)<br />
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<strong>About Clean and Safe Energy Coalition</strong><br />
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The Clean and Safe Energy Coalition is a national grassroots coalition that promotes the economic and environmental benefits of nuclear energy as part of a clean energy portfolio. The coalition is comprised of more than 3,400 members across the business, environmental, academic, consumer, minority, and labor communities. To learn more about the coalition, please visit <a href="http://www.cleansafeenergy.org/">www.CleanSafeEnergy.org</a>, follow us on Twitter @CASEnergy, and checkout theirr blog, <a href="http://blog.casenergy.org/">Clean Energy Buzz</a>.<br />
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For more information please contact:<br />
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<a href="mailto:Media@CASEnergy.org">Media@CASEnergy.org</a>Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-38033405520565266382014-01-22T11:21:00.000-08:002014-01-22T11:21:24.874-08:00Waste Control Specialists Specialize in Storage of Low-Level Nuclear Waste<a href="http://www.wcstexas.com/" title="website">Waste Control Specialists</a> (WCS) runs a very lucrative low level nuclear waste repository in Andrews, Texas. Space inside goes for $10,000 a cubic foot in some cases. Three-quarters of the money goes to WCS and the rest to the surrounding Andrews County and the state of Texas. WCS is owned by Valhi Inc and began disposing of nuclear waste in April 2012. <br />
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As aging nuclear reactors retire, their most radioactive steel, concrete and other components must be shipped for burial somewhere. Last year alone, utilities announced that they would retire five reactors. For instance, the owner of Vermont Yankee, a 41-year-old reactor that is scheduled to close soon, will probably ship thousands of tons to Texas.<br />
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So far, WCS has a monopoly. For 95 reactors in 29 states, WCS is the only place that will take some categories of low-level waste. WCS looks likely to collect a substantial part of the disposal fees paid for nuclear waste nationally, which the industry puts overall at $30 billion. <br />
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The site itself has a base layer of nearly waterproof clay, then a layer of concrete reinforced with steel and then three layers of plastic. When the waste, loaded into concrete containers, fills the pit, it will be topped by a 40-foot-thick covering cap that includes more concrete, then more clay and finally a “bio-intrusion cap” to keep out burrowing prairie dogs.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">David Tudor, a radiological safety technician, stands by with a Geiger counter.</span></td></tr>
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Disposing of low-level nuclear waste is not quite as hard as storing used nuclear fuel, which for some years looked likely to go to Yucca Mountain, Nevada, but is now in a state of uncertainty, with no program to find a repository and no decision by Congress on who should even attempt that task.</div>
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But the tale of low-level waste — items as diverse as contaminated tools, protective clothing, used-up filters for radioactive water, plus a smattering of hospital and laboratory wastes, and, soon, a flood of demolition debris — is a government misadventure similar to the high-level waste problem. In the early 1980s, Congress told the states that the federal government would find a place for the fuel, and that the states should unite in <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/1985/02/24/us/a-time-of-decision-nears-on-nuclear-waste.html">multistate compacts</a> to establish shared waste dumps.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">A small front-end loader spreads aggregate between containers holding radioactive waste</span></td></tr>
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Many organizations have tried for years under the compact system to establish low-level waste disposal sites, but the Texas site is the first and only one to open.</div>
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Mr. Baltzer said 10 attempts had been made, with a total expenditure of $1 billion. There’s an incredibly high barrier to entry. WCS succeeded in part by making a virtue of the region’s salient characteristic, drought. Intrusion by water, which would spread the waste, will be minimal. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">A sample of the impermeable Triasic Red Bed Clay</span><br />
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WCS is more sophisticated than other waste sites for spent nuclear fuel used by the multistate compacts. The <a href="http://www.atlanticcompact.org/,">Atlantic Compact</a>, comprising South Carolina, New Jersey and Connecticut, uses a long-established dump near Aiken, S.C., called Barnwell<a href="http://www.ecy.wa.gov/nwic/index.asp">, while the Northwest Interstate Compact</a> covers a region with just one operating commercial reactor, in Washington State. Utah licensed a site near Clive, about 70 miles west of Salt Lake City, operated by <a href="http://www.energysolutions.com/customer-portal/clive">EnergySolutions</a>, and it is open to all, but it takes only the least-contaminated material.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Rodney A. Baltzer, president of Waste Control Specialists,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> showing a model of the engineered bed that containers</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> with steel and three layers of plastic.</span></td></tr>
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<button class="button comments-button theme-speech-bubble" style="display: none;"><i class="icon"></i><span class="button-text no-comments"><span class="default">Write A Comment</span></span></button>WCS charges waste generators from within its compact — that is, Texas and Vermont — a base price of $1,000 a cubic foot, plus surcharges depending on radioactivity. Out-of-compact waste generators pay far more, to compensate Texas, which hosts the site, and Vermont, which helped pay for it. (<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/21/business/energy-environment/texas-company-alone-in-us-cashes-in-on-nuclear-waste.html?_r=0#!">NYT</a>, 1/20/2014, photos: <span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">Michael Stravato for The New York Times</span> )Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-37160007152282383862013-11-27T13:15:00.003-08:002013-11-27T13:15:50.828-08:00New Pakistan and China Nuclear Power Plant Deal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday ceremonially broke ground on a $9.59 billion 2,200-megawatt nuclear power complex to be built in Karachi with China’s help. Pakistan is seeking to ease it’s long-running energy crisis and is signaling that China will be its top nuclear supplier. <br />
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The deal dwarfs previous reactor projects built along with China at Chashma, in Pakistan’s interior. And it establishes a growing counterpoint to a nuclear axis between the United States and India in recent years that Pakistani officials have seen as an irritant and Chinese officials have seen as a geopolitical challenge. </div>
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Construction is to be completed in six years according to the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, Sun Weidong, and officials from <a href="http://www.paec.gov.pk/" title="The commission s website">the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission</a> attended. </div>
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Officials said the new project is to be built around two new-model Chinese ACP-1000 nuclear reactors, with China also providing enriched uranium for fuel. </div>
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In September, the International Monetary Fund approved a $6.6 billion loan to help stabilize Pakistan’s struggling economy and tackle the energy crisis. </div>
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The new project is not without potential controversy. In the years since China and Pakistan agreed to build the first reactor at Chashma, China has joined both the <a href="http://www.state.gov/t/isn/npt/" title="About the treaty">Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty</a> and the <a href="http://www.nuclearsuppliersgroup.org/A_test/01-eng/index.php" title="About the group">Nuclear Suppliers Group</a>, an agreement by 47 countries to limit exports of nuclear technology and materials. China is almost certain to deem the new projects as a “grandfathered” extension of the countries’ earlier nuclear deals signed before China joined the Nuclear Suppliers Group. (<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/27/world/asia/pakistan-breaks-ground-on-nuclear-power-plant-project-with-china.html?_r=0">NYTimes</a>, 11/26/2013)<noscript>mg src="http://meter-svc.nytimes.com/meter.gif"/> </noscript></div>
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Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6019480542690395421.post-27544610869899528712013-10-04T11:29:00.003-07:002013-10-04T11:29:49.058-07:00Government Shutdown Delays Nuclear Power Plant Approvals<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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Nuclear power plant licensing decisions -- already delayed by a 2012 court ruling -- could be pushed back further by the federal government shutdown. The NRC will have to reschedule a series of meetings that kicked off this week on a proposed new “waste confidence” rule that is meant to address the ruling. <br />
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Most of the federal government shut down on Oct. 1, the start of fiscal 2014, because Democrats and Republicans in Congress cannot agree on a temporary funding bill. Democrats are rejecting GOP attempts include in the budget a repeal of the health-care reform law Congress approved in 2010.<br />
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Last year, a federal appeals court sided with the states of New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont, which argued the Nuclear Regulatory Commission wrongly assumed spent reactor fuel eventually would move to a permanent waste repository, even though the Obama administration canceled the Yucca Mountain project in Nevada.<br />
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The court ruled in New York v. NRC that the commission must examine the potential consequences of fires in spent fuel pools -- where much of the waste currently is stored. Critics have argued the pools are vulnerable to terrorist attacks given that they are located outside reactors’ containment structures, and in some cases in an elevated area they claim is more susceptible to air attacks.<br />
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In response to the ruling, the commission on Sept. 13 proposed a new “waste confidence” rule that it claims addresses the court’s concerns. Between now and Nov. 27, NRC staff planned to collect public comments on the new proposal, including by hosting a series of public meetings throughout the country.<br />
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Many of the meetings will have to be rescheduled. As a result, the public-comment deadline, and consequently the commission’s final decision on the matter, also could be pushed back. Prior to the shutdown, the decision was expected by September 2014.<br />
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The commission has already directed its staff not to issue any final decisions pertaining to the relicensing of existing plants or approval of proposed new facilities until the waste-confidence issue is resolved. <br />
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Meanwhile, the commission’s approach to addressing the 2012 court ruling is under fire. In May, the same group of states that prevailed in the case filed a petition with the commission arguing that the scope of the new review of the impacts of leaving the waste at plant sites is not as broad as the court mandated.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.nti.org/gsn/article/states-file-legal-challenge-nuclear-waste-security-review/">petition</a> said NRC staff refused to consider the possibility of forbidding the creation of more waste until a repository is constructed -- an option the states said the court “explicitly recognized to be reasonable.” Commission staff also declined to look at the potential for requiring plant operators to move spent fuel that has already been cooling in pools for more than five years into dry cask storage units that the states argue are more secure.<br />
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The commission in July decided to continue the rulemaking proceedings and not respond to the states’ petition in a separate forum.<br />
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Opponents are not questioning whether a permanent repository was technically feasible, but are arguing the commission in the proposed rule does not address whether it is politically realistic given the history of the Yucca Mountain project. (<a href="http://www.nextgov.com/defense/2013/10/shutdown-may-further-delay-nuclear-power-plant-approvals/71238/">NextGov</a>)Norris McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14564345494443383507noreply@blogger.com0