Nuclear Power Today articles from April 2005

Nuclear Power Today archives from April 2005

OPG Commences Darlington Unit 2 Outage.(Ontario Power Generation)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Ontario Power Generation (OPG) recently announced the beginning of a planned maintenance outage for the 935-megawatt Unit 2 reactor of its Darlington nuclear power plant. According to OPG, the outage, expected to last until early May,...

Majlis Approves Development of New Nuclear Plants in Iran.(Majlis energy commission)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Russian Information Agency (RIA) Novosti recently reported that Majlis energy commission head Kamal Daneshyar informed reporters last week that Iran's Parliament has ratified the parliamentary energy commission's proposal for the development of...

UF to Downgrade Uranium Fuel in Research Reactor.(University of Florida)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that the Department of Energy (DOE) plans to replace the highly enriched uranium currently employed in the University of Florida's research reactor with a low-enriched fuel. According to AP, the...

Weekly Update.
April 1, 2005... NUCLEAR NONOPERATING OWNERS' GROUP (NNOG) SPRING CONFERENCE, April 5-8, 2005, Embassy Suites, Chicago, IL MONTE CARLO 2005 TOPICAL MEETING, April 17-21, 2005, Chattanooga Marriott and Convention Center, Chattanooga, TN 37TH ANNUAL...

NRC Issues Final Determination on Perry Emergency Violation.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced that its staff has issued its final determination that an emergency plan violation on July 20, 2004, at the Perry Nuclear Power Plant in Perry, OH, which is operated by FirstEnergy...

Beaver Valley Meets NRC Performance Objectives.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC) recently announced that the Beaver Valley Power Station in Shippingport, PA has earned Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approval in its annual safety and performance assessment. According to...

Germany Allocates Funding for Nuclear Waste Site Decommissioning.(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Platts recently reported that Germany's nuclear protection agency (BfS) has revealed that the federal environment ministry has allocated 56 million euros (approximately $73 million) for the Morsleben nuclear waste storage facility...

NRC Authorizes Construction of MOX Fabrication Facility in SC.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Mixed-oxide)
April 5, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced it has authorized Duke, Cogema, Stone & Webster (DCS) to construct a facility at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina to manufacture mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel for eventual use in...

CMS Applies for Palisades Plant License Renewal.(CMS Energy Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2005... CMS Energy announced last week it has filed paperwork with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) seeking a 20-year license renewal for its 789-megawatt Palisades nuclear power plant, near South Haven, MI. The plant, which is licensed...

NCPA Estimates Nuclear Energy Industry to Likely Increase.(National Center for Policy Analysis)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2005... The National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) recently announced that the Energy Information Administration's forecast of a 50-percent increase in electricity demand by 2025, combined with positive changes in the nuclear power industry, rising...

ASLBP Dismisses Sierra Club Petition Against NFS Uranium Project.(Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel)(Nuclear Fuel Services Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel (ASLBP) judges Alan Rosenthal and Richard Cole have dismissed the Sierra Club's petition that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) conduct a full...

Public Citizen Calls on NRC to Withdraw Safeguards Proposal.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2005... Washington, DC-based consumer advocacy group Public Citizen recently called on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to withdraw a proposed rule that it maintains would "unduly and perhaps illegally broaden the scope of nuclear industry...

PSEG Nuclear Determines Source of Leak at Hope Creek Reactor.(Public Service Enterprise Group)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2005... Local New Jersey newspaper the Bridgeton News recently reported that Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) Nuclear spokesperson Chick Cannon revealed last week that the company has identified the source of a water leak at its Hope Creek...

NCPA Says Nuclear Power Safer Than Commonly Thought.(National Center for Policy Analysis)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2005... The National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) recently announced that an analysis conducted by scholars from its E-Team project suggests that nuclear energy is safer than commonly thought. According to NCPA, the public is primarily...

Ameren Nuclear Power Plant Resumes Operations After Water Leak.(Ameren Corporation)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... The St. Louis Business Journal recently reported that Ameren Corporation's nuclear power plant in Fulton, MO has resumed operations after being shut down last week due to a water leak. According to the newspaper, Ameren said approximately...

CoRWM Lists Options for Managing U.K. Nuclear Waste.(Committee on Radioactive Waste Management)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... The Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM), an independent body appointed by government ministers in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales to review strategies for managing the United Kingdom's (U.K.) radioactive waste,...

Public Interest Groups, Tribes Urge NRC to Consider PFS Concerns.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Private Fuel Storage)(nuclear waste disposals)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Washington, DC-based consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, the Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS) and spokespersons from indigenous tribes accused the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) earlier this week of "exacerbating the...

NRC Renews License for Dry-cask Installation at H.B. Robinson.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(spent fuel storage installation)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently issued a new 40-year license to Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc. for the dry-cask independent spent fuel storage installation at its H.B. Robinson nuclear power plant near Florence, SC. ...

Point Lepreau Nuclear Power Station Resumes Operations.(New Brunswick Power)(Lepreau nuclear plant)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Canada's Broadcast News recently reported that New Brunswick Power's Point Lepreau nuclear plant has resumed operations after being shut down last week due to a malfunctioning back up generator. According to Broadcast News, NB power...

Weekly Update.(Calendar)
April 8, 2005... MONTE CARLO 2005 TOPICAL MEETING, April 17-21, 2005, Chattanooga Marriott and Convention Center, Chattanooga, TN 37TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RADIATION CONTROL, April 25-28, 2005, Marriott Kansas City Downtown, Kansas City, OK ...

DOE Announces Preferred Alternatives for Moab Remediation.(Department of Energy)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... The Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced its preferred alternatives for remediation of the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project Site in Moab, UT. According to the DOE, the preferred alternatives -- active groundwater...

NRC Approves Texas Genco's Acquisition of STP Nuclear Project.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(South Texas Project)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Texas Genco, LLC recently announced it has received Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approval to acquire, through its Texas Genco Holdings, Inc. subsidiary, a 44-percent share of the South Texas Project Nuclear Generation Facility (STP). ...

Progress Energy Completes Power Uprate at Brunswick Plant.(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Progress Energy recently announced that its Brunswick Nuclear Plant located near Southport, NC has completed a scheduled refueling and maintenance outage of one of the plant's two power-generating units. According to Progress, the...

EIN Requests Your Participation in Subscriber Poll.
April 12, 2005... The EIN Publishing team is seeking your valuable feedback in an effort to help better tailor our newsletters to your specific needs. Please take a moment to participate in our brief customer survey, located online at...

Bulgaria Okays New Belene Nuclear Facility.(Brief Article)
April 12, 2005... BBC recently reported that the Bulgarian government has approved plans to revive the mothballed Belene nuclear power plant and build two new 1,000-megawatt reactors. According to BBC, the project will replace lost capacity from the...

Construction Begins on New Nuclear Power Plant in Pakistan.(Brief Article)
April 12, 2005... Pakistani newspaper Kashar News recently reported that construction has begun on the 325-megawatt (MW) Chashma Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2, the country's third nuclear facility. According to the paper, China is providing both technical and...

NAS Calls for Independent Assessment of Nuclear Security Force.(National Academy of Sciences)(Brief Article)
April 12, 2005... The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the nation's largest security officers' union, recently announced that the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has issued a new report which concludes that the ability of the nation's nuclear...

EIN Requests Your Participation in Subscriber Poll.
April 13, 2005... The EIN Publishing team is seeking your valuable feedback in an effort to help better tailor our newsletters to your specific needs. Please take a moment to participate in our brief customer survey, located online at...

Duratek Awarded Naval Shipyard Waste Disposal Contract.(Brief Article)
April 13, 2005... Nuclear waste disposal interest Duratek, Inc. recently announced it has been awarded a one-year, $5.2-million contract by the Norfolk Naval Shipyard's Fleet and Industrial Supply Center. According to Duratek, the contract covers the...

Yankee Rowe Nuclear Plant Demolition on Schedule for June.(Brief Article)
April 13, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that plant officials have revealed that subsurface demolition of the Yankee Rowe nuclear power plant in Rowe, MA is on schedule for completion in June. According to AP, officials said...

India Ratifies Convention on Nuclear Safety.(Brief Article)
April 13, 2005... United Press International (UPI) recently reported that India has ratified the Convention on Nuclear Safety, with the Indian Foreign Ministry submitting the instrument of ratification to the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA)...

Source Says Russia to Provide Nuclear Fuel to Iran This Year.(Brief Article)
April 13, 2005... Reuters recently reported that a source with the Russian Atomic Energy Agency has revealed that the country will not likely begin delivering enriched uranium fuel to Iran's new Bushehr nuclear power plant until the fall of this year. ...

EIN Requests Your Participation in Subscriber Poll.
April 14, 2005... The EIN Publishing team is seeking your valuable feedback in an effort to help better tailor our newsletters to your specific needs. Please take a moment to participate in our brief customer survey, located online at...

NRC Issues 'Yellow' Finding at Palo Verde Nuclear Plant.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently determined that an inspection finding at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station regarding air trapped in portions of its emergency core cooling systems is of "yellow," or substantial, safety...

PPL Susquehanna Shuts Down Unit 2 Reactor for Charger Repair.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... PPL Corporation recently announced that operators shut down earlier this week the Susquehanna nuclear power plant's Unit 2 reactor located near Berwick, PA to repair a battery charger that is part of the plant's electrical system. ...

USEC, Constellation Sign New Fuel Supply Contract.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... USEC, Inc., a leading supplier of enriched uranium fuel for commercial nuclear power plants, recently announced it has signed a $200-million contract with Constellation Generation Group, the wholly owned subsidiary of Constellation Energy...

GAO Report Says Plants Not Accounting for Spent Fuel.(Government Accountability Office)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a new report which warns that U.S. nuclear power plants are not adequately accounting for their spent nuclear fuel. According to AP,...

EIN Requests Your Participation in Subscriber Poll.
April 15, 2005... The EIN Publishing team is seeking your valuable feedback in an effort to help better tailor our newsletters to your specific needs. Please take a moment to participate in our brief customer survey, located online at...

R.E. Ginna Nuclear Plant Completes Outage.(Constellation Energy Group Inc. refuelling achievement)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2005... Constellation Energy recently announced that the refueling shutdown at its 515-megawatt R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant in Ontario, NY, which was completed earlier this week, lasted only 21 days, a record for the facility. According to...

Russian Plant Officials Accused of Dumping Radioactive Waste.(Brief Article)
April 15, 2005... Reuters recently reported that officials at the Mayak nuclear power plant in Urals, Russia have been charged with dumping liquid radioactive waste into the Techa river. According to Reuters, deputy prosecutor general for the Urals region...

Japanese Activists Urge Government to Abandon Rokkasho Plan.(Brief Article)
April 15, 2005... The Canadian Press (AP) recently reported that a group of anti-nuclear activists gathered together earlier this month at the proposed site of a new nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture, urging government officials to...

Weekly Update.
April 15, 2005... MONTE CARLO 2005 TOPICAL MEETING, April 17-21, 2005, Chattanooga Marriott and Convention Center, Chattanooga, TN 37TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RADIATION CONTROL, April 25-28, 2005, Marriott Kansas City Downtown, Kansas City, OK ...

EIN Requests Your Participation in Subscriber Poll.
April 18, 2005... The EIN Publishing team is seeking your valuable feedback in an effort to help better tailor our newsletters to your specific needs. Please take a moment to participate in our brief customer survey, located online at...

Bruce Power Nuclear Plant Resumes Operations.(Brief Article)
April 18, 2005... Reuters recently reported that Bruce Power's Bruce nuclear power plant in Tiverton, Ontario resumed operations last week after three shutdown reactors were brought back online. According to Reuters, the 840-megawatt (MW) unit 6 at Bruce B...

Perry Nuclear Power Plant Refueling Nears Completion.(Brief Article)
April 18, 2005... FirstEnergy Corporation subsidiary FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC) recently announced that additional improvements made during the Perry Nuclear Power Plant's current refueling outage are expected to result in a mid- to late-April...

BE Denies Plans to Build New Nuclear Plants in U.K.(British Energy )(Brief Article)
April 18, 2005... Dow Jones reported last week that U.K. electricity supplier British Energy (BE) officially denied reports that the company was planning to build new nuclear power plants in the U.K. Dow Jones said BE chairman Adrian Montague told attendees...

Japan, EU Agree to Settle ITER Stalemate by July.(European Union)(International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor)(Brief Article)
April 19, 2005... Agence France-Presse (AFP) recently reported that Japanese science and technology minister Nariaki Nakayama revealed last week following meetings with European Union (EU) research commissioner Janez Potocnik that Japan and the EU have committed...

South Africa to Move Forward With Plans for PBMR Construction.(pebble bed modular reactor)(Brief Article)
April 19, 2005... Reuters recently reported that South African public enterprises minister Alec Erwin has revealed that the government has decided to proceed with its plans to construct a new pebble bed modular reactor (PBMR) within 10 years to help increase...

British Nuclear Looks to Expand in Eastern Europe.(British Nuclear Group)(Brief Article)
April 19, 2005... Bulgaria's Sofia News Agency reported last week that officials with the British Nuclear Group (BNG) have revealed the company plans to "significantly expand" its nuclear decommissioning and clean-up operations in eastern Europe, specifically...

NRC Approves Extended Power Uprate for Waterford Plant.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Waterford Generating Station)(Brief Article)
April 20, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently approved a request by Entergy Nuclear South to increase the generating capacity of the Waterford nuclear power plant located outside of New Orleans by approximately eight percent. The NRC...

Indonesia Approves Construction of Nuclear Plant on Java.(Brief Article)
April 20, 2005... The Australian reported earlier this week that Atomic and Nuclear Energy Agency spokesperson Deddy Harsono recently informed Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the Indonesian government has approved the construction of the country's first nuclear...

NRC Adopts Model Milestones for Adjudicatory Hearings.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulation amendments)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced amendments to its regulations on the conduct of adjudicatory hearings to establish "model milestones" for presiding officers to use in scheduling and managing hearings. According...

Westinghouse to Break Ground on Waltz Mill Expansion Project.(Westinghouse Electric Company)(Waltz Mill Facility)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2005... Westinghouse Electric Company recently announced plans to break ground on a $7-million expansion project at its Waltz Mill Facility in Madison, PA later this week. According to the company, the expansion will provide an additional 26,000...

Court Rules Cogema Illegally Storing Australian Waste.(Brief Article)
April 21, 2005... Greenpeace recently announced that a French Court of Appeals ruled last week that a shipment of 360 spent nuclear fuel rods from Australia's Lucas Heights reactor in Sydney is considered "radioactive nuclear waste" and being illegally stored in...

NRC Finds No Significant Impacts From Extended ANO-2 Operation.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
April 22, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently issued its final environmental impact statement on the proposed renewal of the operating license for Entergy Nuclear's Arkansas Nuclear One power plant Unit 2 reactor (ANO-2) located in Pope...

WPLC Allowed to Defer Incremental Fuel Costs.(Wisconsin Power and Light Company)(Brief Article)
April 22, 2005... Alliant Energy Corporation subsidiary Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPLC) recently announced has received approval from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PWSC) to defer $13.2 million in fuel-related incremental costs associated...

Bruce B Unit 6 Taken Offline Following Transformer Fire.(Brief Article)
April 22, 2005... Bruce Power recently announced that Unit 6 at the Bruce B nuclear power plant in Tiverton, Ontario was safely shut down late last week following a transfer fire outside of the generating station. According to Bruce Power, no one was injured...

Weekly Update.
April 22, 2005... 37TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RADIATION CONTROL, April 25-28, 2005, Marriott Kansas City Downtown, Kansas City, OK WASTE MANAGEMENT, DECOMMISSIONING AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION FOR CANADA'S NUCLEAR ACTIVITIES, May 8-11, 2005, Crowne...

NRC Begins Special Inspection at Millstone Unit 3.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
April 25, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced it has commenced a special inspection into an April 17 shutdown of the Millstone Unit 3 nuclear power plant in Waterford, CT, that led to the declaration of an "alert," the second...

Westinghouse Awarded Contract to Replace MSR Bundles at Salem.(Westinghouse Electric Company)(moisture separator reheater)(Brief Article)
April 25, 2005... Westinghouse Electric Company recently announced that its subsidiary PCI Energy Services has won a contract with PSEG Nuclear to replace equipment on Unit 2 at the Salem Nuclear Generating Station in New Jersey. Under the contract, PCI...

DOE Receives MOX Fuel Shipment From France.(Department of Energy)(mixed-oxide fuel )(Brief Article)
April 25, 2005... The Associated Press recently reported that the Department of Energy (DOE) has received a shipment of mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel from France to be delivered to Duke Power's Catawba Nuclear Station in York, SC. According to AP, the fuel was...

NRC Proposes $5.5-million Fine for Davis-Besse Violation.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Plant)(Brief Article)
April 26, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently proposed a $5.5-million fine against FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC) for violations of NRC regulations associated with the "significant" reactor vessel head damage discovered in...

SCE&G's Summer Nuclear Station Begins Refueling Outage.(South Carolina Electric & Gas Company)(Brief Article)
April 26, 2005... SCANA Corporation subsidiary South Carolina Electric & Gas Company (SCE&G) recently announced that its V.C. Summer Nuclear Station has been taken offline to begin the plant's 15th refueling outage. According to SCE&G, approximately...

NEC Announces New Board of Trustees Appointment.(New England Coalition)(Brief Article)
April 26, 2005... The Brattleboro, VT-based New England Coalition (NEC), a nonprofit group advocating "safe energy alternatives to nuclear power," recently announced that Jon Fishman, drummer for the now disbanded rock group Phish, has joined the organization's...

GE Energy to Upgrade Monitoring System at PPL Susquehanna.(PPL Susquehanna L.L.C.)(Brief Article)
April 27, 2005... GE Energy recently announced that its nuclear business has been awarded a multi million dollar contract to upgrade monitoring and control systems at PPL Susquehanna, LLC's 2,352-megawatt boiling water reactor (BWR) nuclear power plant located...

ASME Honors Westinghouse With President's Award.(American Society of Mechanical Engineers)(Brief Article)
April 27, 2005... Nuclear power interest Westinghouse Electric Company recently announced that the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) earlier this month presented Westinghouse with its President's Award, honoring the company for "more than 100 years...

AECL Announces Appointment of New Nuclear CRO.(Atomic Energy of Canada, Ltd.)(Chief regulatory officer)(Appointment)(Brief Article)
April 27, 2005... Atomic Energy of Canada, Ltd. (AECL) recently announced the appointment of nuclear safety consultant Glenn Archinoff as the new chief regulatory officer (CRO) for its Nuclear Laboratories Business Unit. According to AECL, Archinoff served...

NRC Issues RIS on Fire Protection Measures for Nuclear Plants.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Regulatory Issue Summary)(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently issued a Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) informing nuclear power plant operators about the proper method for altering their fire protection program to use alternate compensatory measures. ...

ANS Awards 'Nuclear Historic Landmark Award' to AREVA Plant.(American Nuclear Society)(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... AREVA recently announced that the American Nuclear Society (ANS) has awarded its "Nuclear Historic Landmark Award" to the COGEMA La Hague nuclear fuel processing plant located on the Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy. According to AREVA, the...

Canada Invests in Research Program to Modernize Nuclear Plants.(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... Canadian member of parliament Andrew Telegdi (Kitchener-Waterloo) recently announced, on behalf of Canada's minister of industry David Emerson, a $1-million commitment over five years toward a new research chair that will investigate the...

Progress Energy CEO Says Company Considering Nuclear Plan.(Chief Executive Officer)(Brief Article)
April 29, 2005... Local North Carolina newspaper the News & Observer recently reported that Progress Energy CEO Robert McGehee revealed late last week in an interview with the paper that the Raleigh, NC-based utility is considering the development of a new...

Japanese Government Approves Construction of 57th Reactor.(Brief Article)
April 29, 2005... Reuters recently reported that the Japanese government has approved the construction of Chugoku Electric Power Company's proposed No. 3 reactor, the country's 57th nuclear power unit. According to Reuters, a company spokesperson said...

DOE Announces Personnel Changes in Waste Management Office.(Department of Energy)(Brief Article)
April 29, 2005... The Department of Energy (DOE) announced this week the retirement of Theodore Garrish, deputy director for Strategy and Program Development in the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (RW), effective May 13. Garrish, an 18-year...

Weekly Update.
April 29, 2005... WASTE MANAGEMENT, DECOMMISSIONING AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION FOR CANADA'S NUCLEAR ACTIVITIES, May 8-11, 2005, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Ottawa, Ontario ANNUAL MEETING ON NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY 2005, May 10-12, 2005, German Atomic Forum,...