Nuclear Power Today articles from February 2005

Nuclear Power Today archives from February 2005

Progress Energy Sets New Production, Safety Records at FL Plant.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Progress Energy recently announced that its nuclear power plant in Crystal River, FL produced more than 7.3 billion kilowatt-hours of power in 2004, setting a new plant record for electricity generation. According to the company, the plant...

Constellation Energy Lays Off Employees at NY, MD Plants.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that local new york newspaper the Syracuse Post-Standard has revealed that Baltimore, MD-based Constellation Energy has eliminated 51 non-union positions at the two Nine Mile Point nuclear reactors in...

Indian Government Adviser Suggests NTPC Consider Nuclear.(Indian National Thermal Power Corporation)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The Press Trust of India (PTI) recently reported that government adviser R. Chidambaram has suggested that the Indian National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) consider the possibility of employing alternative and nuclear power sources to help...

New CA Group Established to Combat Nuclear Plant Relicensing.(Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility organisation formation to outlaw relicensing)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Local California newspaper the San Luis Obispo Tribune recently reported that San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace spokesperson Rochelle Becker has formed and will serve as executive director of a new state group, known as Alliance for Nuclear...

NRC Chairman Comments on Browns Ferry Repair Progress.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2005... Local Alabama newspaper the Decatur Daily recently reported that Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) chairman Nils Diaz commented during a visit to Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Browns Ferry Unit 1 reactor that the company is making good...

Iranian Official Says Parliament Considering 20 New Plants.(Brief Article)
February 2, 2005... The Mehr News Agency (MNA) recently reported that Majlis national security and foreign policy committee chairman Aladdin Borujerdi has revealed that the Iranian parliament is currently evaluating the development of 20 new nuclear power...

JNC Releases List of Potential Radioactive Waste Sites.(Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2005... Kyodo recently reported that the Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) has released a list of 25 potential nuclear waste sites in nine prefectures that the institute's predecessor, Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development...

NRC Report Recommends Approval for Nuclear Processing Plant.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) final environmental impact report recommends that the agency approve the construction of a new nuclear processing plant at the federal Savannah River complex...

Russia's Kursk Facility to Employ New Uranium Fuel Elements.(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... Russian Information Agency (RIA) Novosti recently reported that state nuclear energy concern Rosenergoatom revealed late last week plans to employ "a more enriched uranium-erbium fuel" at the country's Kursk nuclear power facility. ...

Proposed Utah Legislation Would Ban Certain Nuclear Waste.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2005... Local Utah newspaper the Deseret Morning News recently reported that state senator Patrice Arent (D-Salt Lake) has proposed new legislation that would forbid "any entity in the state from accepting class B or C low-level radioactive waste or...

NY Attorney General Calls for Shutdown of Indian Point Plant.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2005... Reuters recently reported that New York attorney general Eliot Spitzer commented earlier this week that he believes Entergy Corporation's Indian Point nuclear plant in Buchanan, NY should be shut down due to security concerns. "It makes no...

Russian Nuclear Exporter Looks to Sign Deal With Bulgaria.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2005... Russian Information Agency (RIA) Novosti recently reported that Atomstroiexport official Igor Klochko revealed earlier this week that the nuclear technologies and services exporter is actively pursuing a contract to finish work on Bulgaria's...

Weekly Update.(Calendar)
February 4, 2005... PLATTS NUCLEAR ENERGY CONFERENCE, February 16-17, 2005, Hamilton Crowne Plaza, Washington, DC WM '05 -- HLW, TRU, LLW/ILW, MIXED, HAZARDOUS WASTES & ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, February 27 - March 3, 2005, Tucson Convention Center, Tucson,...

NRC Seeks Comment on Plant Renewal Application Guidelines.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced it is seeking public comment on three draft documents containing guidance for nuclear power plant licensees submitting applications to the agency for renewal of plant operating...

Sweden's Centre Party Revises Anti-nuclear Stance.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Reuters recently reported that Swedish newspaper Dagens Industri (DI) has revealed that opposition Centre Party leader Maud Olfosson has commented that all of the country's nuclear power plants should remain operational, with the exception of...

NRC Finalizes 'White' Finding for Vermont Yankee.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(lack of emergency-notification radios maintenance )(Brief Article)
February 8, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) last week finalized a "white" inspection finding for Entergy's Vermont Yankee nuclear facility due to a degraded emergency notification system. According to NRC, white designation indicates an issue...

NRPA Study Finds No Link Between Radiation and Cancer Rates.(Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority)(Brief Article)
February 8, 2005... Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten recently reported that the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA), in conjunction with the Pollution Control Authority (SFT), Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) and the Cancer Registry, has...

NIRS Executive Director Comments on Bush's Nuclear Stance.(Nuclear Information and Resource Service)(Brief Article)
February 8, 2005... Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS) executive director Michael Mariotte issued a statement last week in response to President George Bush's endorsement in his State of the Union speech for "safe, clean nuclear power." "There is...

Peach Bottom Reactor Shut Down Due to Relief Valve Leak.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2005... Local Pennsylvania newspaper the York Daily Record recently reported that Exelon Corporation's Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station Unit 2 reactor located in York County, PA was shut down last week to replace a leaking safety relief valve. ...

GE Awarded Maintenance, Supply Contract for Romanian Reactor.(General Electric)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2005... Romanian news agency Rompres recently reported that General Electric (GE) has signed a $9.5-million contract with General Turbo Bucharest to supply maintenance services and spare parts for the company's Cernavoda nuclear plant Unit 1 reactor....

Iran Looks to Sign Spent Nuclear Fuel Deal With Russia.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2005... The Tehran Times recently reported that Agence France-Presse (AFP) has revealed that Iranian officials said earlier this week that the country hopes to reach an agreement with Russia on the return of spent nuclear fuel. According to Tehran...

Please Accept Our Apologies for Thursday's Missing Issue.
February 11, 2005... This past week, EIN Publishing underwent company-wide upgrades in an effort to improve the functionality of our office and the production of our daily newsletters. Yesterday, we experienced a brief system outage that prevented us from sending...

Detroit Edison Resumes Operations at Fermi II.(Brief Article)
February 11, 2005... Local Ohio newspaper the Toledo Blade recently reported that Detroit Edison restarted operations at its Fermi II nuclear power plant in Monroe County, OH last week after the reactor was shut down late last month due to a gasket leak at one of...

PSEG Says 2004 Results Reflect Impact of Nuclear Plant Outages.(Public Service Enterprise Group)(Brief Article)
February 11, 2005... Newark, NJ-based energy and energy services company Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) recently attributed a fourth-quarter 2004 decline in financial results from continuing operations of 31 cents per share from the same period of 2003...

New Nuclear Facility to Be Developed in Southern China.(China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Company, Ltd)(Brief Article)
February 11, 2005... Chinese business news service SinoCast recently reported that officials with China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Company, Ltd. have revealed plans for the development of a new nuclear power plant in Shanwei city, near the Guangdong Province...

Water Leak Causes Shutdown at KEPCO's Mihama Reactor.(Kansai Electric Power Company)(Brief Article)
February 11, 2005... The Yomiuri Shimbun recently reported that the No. 1 reactor at Kansai Electric Power Company's (KEPCO) Mihama Nuclear Power Plant in Mihamacho, Fukui Prefecture was shut down last week due to a water leak. According to Yomiuri Shimbun,...

Weekly Update.(Calendar)
February 11, 2005... PLATTS NUCLEAR ENERGY CONFERENCE, February 16-17, 2005, Hamilton Crowne Plaza, Washington, DC WM '05 -- HLW, TRU, LLW/ILW, MIXED, HAZARDOUS WASTES & ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, February 27 - March 3, 2005, Tucson Convention Center, Tucson,...

NRC Seeks Security Funding Increase for FY06.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) last week announced a $701.7-million budget request for fiscal year 2006 that includes funding increases for safety and security improvements at the nation's nuclear plants. According to NRC, the...

Russia to Fund Construction Completion of Three Reactors.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Online Russian newspaper MosNews.com recently reported that Russian information agency (RIA) Novosti has revealed that Federal Atomic Energy Agency head Alexander Rumyantsev has ordered that reactors at three of the country's nuclear power...

IBERINCO Awarded Contract for Angra II Nuclear Plant.(Iberdrola Ingenieria y Consultoria)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Iberdrola, S.A. recently announced that its subsidiary Iberdrola Ingenieria y Consultoria (IBERINCO) has been awarded a contract to make a probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) of the Angra II nuclear power plant in Brazil. According to...

NRC Considers Changes to Regulations on Safeguards Information.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
February 15, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced it is considering putting into its regulations "a variety of security-information-handling actions directed by the commission since Sept. 11, 2001." According to NRC, the...

Davis-Besse Resumes Full Power After Routine Maintenance.(Brief Article)
February 15, 2005... FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC) recently announced that its Davis-Besse nuclear power station resumed generating electricity last week after a scheduled outage to inspect major equipment and conduct routine maintenance. ...

DOE Civilian Waste Management Director Resigns.(Department of Energy)(Brief Article)
February 15, 2005... The Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced the resignation of Margaret Chu from her position as director of the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, the DOE point person on the proposed Yucca Mountain spent fuel repository....

NRC Names New Senior Inspector at Palo Verde.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) announced last week it has promoted Greg Warnick to senior resident inspector at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, located near Wintersburg, AZ. Warnick joined the NRC in 1997 and has been a...

Duratek Wins $13.5-million Increase for Big Rock Project.(Duratek Inc hand in decommissioning)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2005... Waste management interest Duratek, Inc. announced Monday it has won a $13.5-million contract value increase from Consumers Energy for decommissioning work at Consumers Energy's Big Rock Point Nuclear Plant. Duratek has been working on the...

OCRWM Official Reassesses Yucca Mountain Deadline.(Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2005... The Las Vegas Sun recently reported that Margaret Chu, who late last week turned in her resignation as Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) director, commented earlier this month that the DOE is...

NRC Testifies on Energy Policy Act of 2003.
February 17, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently reported that a top agency official commented during testimony delivered late last week before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce that the commission believes "enacting nuclear-related...

FENOC Files Beaver Valley License Renewal Application With NRC.(FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company)(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2005... FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC) recently announced it is seeking a 20-year operating license extension from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for its Beaver Valley nuclear power station in Shippingport, PA. According to...

CEC Appoints Nuclear Consultant to Diablo Canyon Committee.(California Energy Commission)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2005... The California Energy Commission (CEC) recently announced the appointment of nuclear safety veteran William Conway as its representative on the Diablo Canyon Independent Safety Committee (DCISC). According to CEC, the three-member DCISC...

Next Week's Publishing Schedule.(Brief Article)
February 18, 2005... EIN will not publish its newsletters on Monday, February 21 in observance of Presidents' Day. (EIN EDITOR: 2/17)

NRC Issues SER for ESP at Exelon's Proposed IL Nuclear Site.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(safety evaluation report)(Exelon Generation Company)(Brief Article)
February 18, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced it has issued a draft safety evaluation report (SER) for an early site permit (ESP) for Exelon Generation Company, LLC's proposed Clinton nuclear power plant near Clinton, IL. ...

China to Construct New Pebble Bed Nuclear Reactor.(Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports.)(China Nuclear Engineering and Construction.)(revelation of Financial Times)(Brief Article)
February 18, 2005... Agence France-Presse (AFP) recently reported that the Financial Times has revealed China plans to construct a new 195-megawatt pebble bed nuclear reactor in Weihai, Shandong province within five years. According to AFP, the Financial Times...

Greenpeace Stages Nuclear Waste Shipment Protest in Italy.(Brief Article)
February 18, 2005... Reuters recently reported that Greenpeace staged a protest earlier this week at a train station near Turin, Italy in an effort to block a shipment of nuclear waste to the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant in Cumbria, England. According...

Weekly Update.(Calendar)
February 18, 2005... WM '05 -- HLW, TRU, LLW/ILW, MIXED, HAZARDOUS WASTES & ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, February 27 - March 3, 2005, Tucson Convention Center, Tucson, AZ GENERATION ADEQUACY IN ONTARIO: THE LATEST STRATEGIES TO SUSTAIN A RELIABLE POWER GENERATION...

NEI Announces Appointment of New President, CEO.(Nuclear Energy Institute)(Brief Article)
February 22, 2005... The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) recently announced the appointment of retired U.S. Navy admiral Frank Bowman as its new president and CEO. According to NEI, Bowman, at the time of his retirement from the military in December 2004, was...

Framatome ANP to Supply Nuclear Island for New Finnish Plant.(Brief Article)
February 22, 2005... Areva and Siemens subsidiary Framatome ANP recently announced that the Olkiluoto 3 consortium comprising Areva and Siemens has assumed control over the construction site of a new nuclear power plant to be built in Olkiluoto, Finland. ...

NRC Announces Two New ACNW Appointments.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced the appointment of William Hinze and James Clarke to its Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste (ACNW) to provide independent technical advice on activities, programs and issues related to...

Austrian Court Orders Upgrades at Slovakian Nuclear Plant.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Reuters recently reported that a Vienna, Austria district court has ruled in favor of two plaintiffs who claimed that Slovenske Elektrarne's (SE) Mochovce nuclear power plant near Bratislava, Slovakia does not achieve international safety...

Company Petitions to Accept Radioactive Waste at CO Landfill.(Last Chance Colorado)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... The Denver Post recently reported that Braintree, MA-based environmental and hazardous waste management services provider Clean Harbors, Inc. has submitted for state approval plans to dispose of "low-level" radioactive material at its 345-acre...

Exelon Sets Company Output Record for 2004.(Brief Article)
February 24, 2005... Exelon Nuclear announced last week that it produced a company record of 129.7 million megawatt-hours of electricity in 2004. The company attributed the output increase to its acquisition in December 2003 of British Energy's 50-percent share...

Dutch Official Says Nuclear Plant Shutdown on Track.(planning for Borssele nuclear power plant shut down)(Brief Article)
February 24, 2005... Reuters recently reported that Dutch economic affairs minister Laurens Jan Brinkhorst commented late last week that the government will adhere to its original plan to shut down its 450-megawatt (MW) Borssele nuclear power plant in 2013. ...

NEI Says New Plants 'Vital' to Effective Energy Policy.(Nuclear Energy Institute)(Brief Article)
February 24, 2005... The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) recently announced that John Kane, its senior vice president of government affairs, said last week during testimony before members of the House Energy and Commerce Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee that new...

NRC Proposes Amendment to Licensing, Inspection, Fees Rule.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
February 25, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced it is proposing to amend its regulations for the licensing, inspection and annual fees it charges applicants and licensees for FY 05. According to NRC, the agency is required by...

Perry Nuclear Plant Closed for Refueling, Maintenance.(Brief Article)
February 25, 2005... FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC) recently announced it has closed Ohio's Perry Nuclear Power Plant for scheduled refueling and maintenance. During the shutdown the company will replace 288 of the plant's 748 fuel assemblies...

Ex-Im Bank Approves Request for Nuclear Construction in China.(Brief Article)
February 25, 2005... The Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank of the U.S. recently announced it has approved a preliminary commitment request form Westinghouse Electric Company of Monroeville, PA for a combination of guaranteed and/or direct loans of up to almost $5 billion...

Weekly Update.
February 25, 2005... WM '05 -- HLW, TRU, LLW/ILW, MIXED, HAZARDOUS WASTES & ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, February 27 - March 3, 2005, Tucson Convention Center, Tucson, AZ ANDRA INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM: USING NATURAL AND ENGINEERED CLAY-BASED BARRIERS FOR THE...

NRC Lifts Immediate Effectiveness of Safety Light Suspensions.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
February 28, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced it has lifted the immediate effectiveness of its staff's suspension of the licenses of Bloomsburg, PA-based Safety Light Corporation. On December 10, 2004, NRC said its staff issued...

GE Energy to Supply Control Systems to Taiwan Nuclear Plant.(Brief Article)
February 28, 2005... GE Energy's Nuclear business recently announced it has been awarded a multi-million dollar contract to upgrade monitoring and control systems at Taiwan Power Company's Chin Shan Nuclear Power Station in Taipei County, Taiwan. GE Energy...

Exposure Incident Halts West Valley Cleanup.(Brief Article)
February 28, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that two individuals were exposed to radiation last month while performing cleanup operations at the closed West Valley Demonstration Project near Buffalo, NY. According to AP, the incident, which...