Nuclear Power Today articles from January 2005

Nuclear Power Today archives from January 2005

NRC to Issue Renewal Exemption for Oyster Creek.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced that it has completed an environmental assessment of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station near Toms River, NJ and plans to issue an exemption allowing the plant to retain its...

Korea to Construct Low, Intermediate Radioactive Waste Facility.(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... The Korea Times recently reported that Commerce, Industry and Energy minister Lee Hee-beom has revealed the government plans to construct a low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste site in the country by 2008. According to the...

Russia to Complete Iranian Nuclear Reactor by 2006.(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... Agence France-Presse (AFP) recently reported that Russia plans to complete construction of the new nuclear reactor in Bushehr, Iran by early 2006. According to AFP, the news service Interfax reported that Russian Atomic Energy minister...

NRC Renews License for Spent Fuel Storage Installation in IL.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced it has renewed the license for the General Electric Company (GE) to continue operating its Morris independent spent nuclear fuel storage installation located in Grundy County, IL, for...

TVA to Plug Radioactive Water Leak at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant.(Tennessee Valley Authority)(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) plans to shut down its Watts Bar nuclear power plant later this winter in order to plug a radioactive water leak inside one of the plant's four steam...

Local Alaska Town Approves Small Nuclear Demonstration Project.(Brief Article)
January 5, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that the city of Galena, AK has approved the construction of a 10-megawatt nuclear power facility in the Yukon River area as a means to help supply affordable power for nearby rural communities. ...

Rosenergoatom to Consider Plant Safety, Upgrades in 2005.(Brief Article)
January 5, 2005... Russian Information Agency (RIA) Novosti recently reported that Russian state concern for generation of electric and thermal power at nuclear power plants Rosenergoatom has informed the press that it plans to sharpen its focus in the new year...

Lithuania Commences Nuclear Reactor Shutdown.(Brief Article)
January 5, 2005... Interfax recently reported that the Ignalina nuclear power plant in Lithuania has initiated the shutdown of its unit No. 1. "The load has been reduced from 1,100 megawatts...down to less than 1,000 megawatts," said Ignalina plant general...

NRC Restores Documents on LES, USES, New Reactors.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced it has re-established public availability of documents regarding the proposed LES and USEC, Inc. uranium enrichment facilities and new reactors. According to NRC, public access to...

Indian Nuclear Plant Reopens Following Tsunami-related Shutdown.(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... The Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) recently reported that the MAPS II nuclear power plant in Kalpakkam, India has been brought back online after being shut down late last month in an effort to protect the facility from tsunami waves hitting the...

Russia Reports Annual Production of Kola Nuclear Power Plant.(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Russian Information Agency (RIA) Novosti recently reported that the Nuclear Energy Industry has revealed that the Kola power plant in the Murmansk Region produced more than 10 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of power in 2004. According to RIA...

NRC Ruling on Utah Waste Facility Postposed Until February.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... Dow Jones recently reported that a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) decision on the safety of Private Fuel Storage, LLC's proposed nuclear waste storage facility in Utah has been postponed until February due to a claim filed last month by...

Accenture, Indus Sign Agreement with Paks Nuclear Power Plant.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... Accenture and Indus International, Inc. recently announced they have signed a multi-year agreement with Paks Nuclear Power Plant, which generates 40 percent of Hungary's electric energy, to help the company improve its core asset-management...

IAEA Inspectors to Investigate Iranian Nuclear Development.(International Atomic Energy Agency)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... BBC News recently reported that International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Mohammed ElBaradei has revealed that agency inspectors are scheduled to visit Iran's military site in Parchin to investigate whether or not the country is developing...

Weekly Update.(Calendar)
January 7, 2005... NUCLEAR FUEL SUPPLY FORUM, January 26, 2005, Willard Inter-Continental Washington, Washington, DC PLATTS NUCLEAR ENERGY CONFERENCE, February 16-17, 2005, Hamilton Crowne Plaza, Washington, DC WM '05 -- HLW, TRU, LLW/ILW, MIXED,...

Harry Reid Science Aide Renominated for NRC Board Spot.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... The Las Vegas Review-Journal recently reported that Gregory Jaczko, a physicist and science aide to U.S. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), has been nominated by President Bush to be a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for a five-year...

Alliant to Sell Stake in Iowa Nuclear Facility.(Alliant Energy Corp)
January 10, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that Alliant Energy subsidiary Interstate Power and Light's president Tom Aller has revealed the company plans to sell its 70-percent stake in the Duane Arnold Energy Center nuclear facility in Palo,...

Survey Finds Problems With Nuclear Plant Communication Systems.(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... Japan Today recently reported that a new Kyodo News survey reveals that 13 of the country's 17 commercial nuclear power plants have problems with their communications systems. According to the newspaper, in the case of a nighttime or...

NRC Revises Shutdown Circuit Inspection Procedure.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
January 11, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) announced last week it has revised its procedures for inspecting electrical circuits used in shutting down reactors following a fire. According to NRC, the changes concentrate inspections on circuits...

PSEG, Exelon Begin Work on Nuclear Operating Services Contract.(Public Service Enterprise Group)(Brief Article)
January 11, 2005... PSEG Power, LLC, the parent company of PSEG Nuclear, recently announced the initial steps in the process of implementing a Nuclear Operating Services Contract signed late last month between the company and Exelon Corporation that calls for...

Contamination Found on Duke Power Reactor Repair Equipment.(Duke Power Co)(Brief Article)
January 11, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that low-level contamination has been discovered on equipment used to replace the steam generator at Duke Power's Oconee Nuclear Station Unit 3 reactor. According to AP, the contamination occurred...

NRC Begins Implementing New National Response Plan.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)
January 12, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) announced it has begun implementing the new National Response Plan, which standardizes the federal response to man-made and natural disasters. The plan enhances the NRC role in responding to...

Israeli Television Station Broadcasts Images of Dimona Reactor.(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Arab News recently reported that Israeli television station Channel 10 broadcast a segment earlier this month that included military-approved footage of the country's Dimona nuclear plant from a new documentary on the facility. According...

Bulgarian Advisor Suggests Russian Reactors for New Plant.(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Reuters recently reported that a Bulgarian government advisor for the proposed 2,000-megawatt (MW) nuclear power plant in Belene has recommended that the country purchase Russian reactors for the project. According to Reuters, advisor...

NRC Withdraws Proposed Rule on DP Spent Fuel Casks.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Dual-Purpose)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced it has withdrawn a proposed rule that would have allowed certificate holders for dual-purpose (DP) spent fuel casks to make certain design changes to the casks without prior NRC...

PAEC Announces Plans to Build More Plants.(Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported earlier this week that the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) announced at a recent joint International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)/PAEC meeting in Islamabad that it plans to build more nuclear power...

Czech Reactor Shuts Down Due to Cooling Failure.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Agence France-Presse (AFP) recently reported that one of the 1,000-megawatt reactors at the Temelin nuclear power station in the Czech Republic has been shut down due to a cooling failure in a secondary generator. According to AFP, the...

NRC Realigns Office of Executive Director for Operations.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2005... Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) executive director for operations Luis Reyes recently realigned the Office of the Executive Director for Operations (OEDO) in an effort to better position the agency to carry out its strategic management...

Exelon Nuclear to Purchase ASDs from GE Energy.(adjustable speed drive units)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2005... Exelon Nuclear recently announced it has awarded GE Energy's Nuclear business a commitment to purchase adjustable speed drive units (ASDs) for its fleet of boiling water reactors (BWRs). According to Exelon, GE will supply "dual bank" ASD...

EPA Denies NJ Request for Radiation Monitoring Funds.(Environmental Protection Agency)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2005... The Associated Press reported this week that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has denied a request from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) seeking $100,000 to replace radiation monitors near the nuclear-powered...

EDITOR'S NOTE:.
January 14, 2005... EIN will not publish its newsletters on Monday, January 17 in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Weekly Update.(Calendar)
January 14, 2005... NUCLEAR FUEL SUPPLY FORUM, January 26, 2005, Willard Inter-Continental Washington, Washington, DC PLATTS NUCLEAR ENERGY CONFERENCE, February 16-17, 2005, Hamilton Crowne Plaza, Washington, DC WM '05 -- HLW, TRU, LLW/ILW, MIXED,...

NRC Revokes License of MO Company to Use Nuclear Material.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(KTL Roudebush Testing license to nuclear material usage)(Brief Article)
January 18, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced its issuance of an order late last month to Kansas City, MO-based KTL Roudebush Testing, revoking its license to use nuclear material. Additionally, NRC said an order was issued the...

Bruce Power Shuts Down Unit 3 Reactor for Planned Inspection.(Brief Article)
January 18, 2005... Bruce Power recently announced that the 750-megawatt (MW) Unit 3 reactor its Bruce A generating station in Ontario, Canada has been safely shut down for its first planned inspection. According to Bruce Power, during the approximately...

NRC Begins Three-part Inspections at Perry Nuclear Plant.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced it has begun a new, more stringent oversight scheme for the Perry Nuclear Power Plant following a series of problems with safety system equipment at the facility. The first step,...

Pickering Nuclear Retrofit More Than Halfway Complete.(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... The Canadian Press (CP) recently reported that Ontario Power Generation (OPG) officials have revealed that the $1-billion retrofit project at the company's Pickering A nuclear plant is now 70-percent complete. "We're quite pleased with the...

Coolant System Water Leak Discovered at TEPCO Nuclear Plant.(Tokyo Electric Power Company Inc)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... Reuters recently reported that a coolant system water leak was discovered last week at Tokyo Electric Power Company's (TEPCO) Fukushima-Daiichi plant No. 3 unit. According to Reuters, approximately 3,800 liters of radioactive water leaked...

PSB Takes Comments on VT Yankee NRC Team Inspection.(Public Service Board)(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)
January 20, 2005... Brattleboro, VT-based nonprofit educational organization the New England Coalition (NEC) recently announced that the Vermont Public Service Board (PSB), acting on a request from NEC, accepted written comments earlier this month about a December...

Chubu Electric Begins Production at New Nuclear Reactor.(Brief Article)
January 20, 2005... Japanese news service Kyodo recently reported that production has begun at Chubu Electric Power Company's Hamaoka nuclear power plant No. 5 reactor. According to Kyodo, the reactor, which is located in Omaezaki, Shizuoka Prefecture, was...

KEPCO Begins Reactor Shutdown at Ohi Nuclear Power Plant.(Kansai Electric Power Company)(Brief Article)
January 20, 2005... Reuters recently reported that Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO) began last week a shutdown of its Ohi nuclear power plant No. 1 reactor due to overheating problems. According to Reuters, the 1.2-million-kilowatt reactor is expected to...

USEC Proposes New Recycled Uranium-fueled Power Plants.(USEC, Inc)
January 21, 2005... USEC, Inc., a leading supplier of enriched uranium fuel for commercial nuclear power plants, recently called on the U.S. government and the nuclear power industry to work together to construct a new generation of power plants fueled by recycled...

Residents, Advocacy Groups Concerned Over SC Nuclear Waste.(Brief Article)
January 21, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that nuclear power plants in South Carolina have been awarded operating license extensions, spurring concern among local residents and advocacy groups. According to AP, much of the concern is...

Weekly Update.(Calendar)
January 21, 2005... NUCLEAR FUEL SUPPLY FORUM, January 26, 2005, Willard Inter-Continental Washington, Washington, DC PLATTS NUCLEAR ENERGY CONFERENCE, February 16-17, 2005, Hamilton Crowne Plaza, Washington, DC WM '05 -- HLW, TRU, LLW/ILW, MIXED,...

AmerGen Mails Radiation Pamphlets to Oyster Creek Neighbors.(Brief Article)
January 24, 2005... Local New Jersey newspaper the Asbury Park Press (APP) recently reported that AmerGen Energy has distributed approximately 100,000 pamphlets to homes located within the 10-mile "emergency preparedness zone" of the Oyster Creek nuclear power...

Nigeria Requests Help From IAEA on New Nuclear Facilities.(International Atomic Energy Agency)(Brief Article)
January 24, 2005... Chinese news agency Xinhua recently reported that the News Agency of Nigeria has revealed that Nigerian minister of science and technology Turner Isoun has requested help from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the development of...

AECL, SNERDI Partner to Develop CANDU Reactor Technology.(Atomic Energy of Canada, Ltd)(Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute)(Canada Deuterium Uranium)(Brief Article)
January 24, 2005... Atomic Energy of Canada, Ltd. (AECL) recently announced it has signed an agreement with Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute (SNERDI) to undertake joint programs in the development of advanced Canada Deuterium Uranium...

Hope Creek to Resume Operations After Three-month Shutdown.(Public Service Energy and Gas)(Brief Article)
January 25, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that Public Service Energy Group's (PSEG) Hope Creek nuclear power plant in Salem County, NJ is expected to resume operations this week after a radioactive steam leak in October caused the reactor to...

Ukrainian Legislator Expresses Concern Over Chernobyl Waste.(Brief Article)
January 25, 2005... The Moscow News recently reported that Ukrainian parliament member Vladimir Yavorivsky has released a letter of inquiry to the government expressing concern over the possibility of another radioactive accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power...

NRC Rejects Racial Discrimination Concerns Over MS Reactor.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
January 25, 2005... The Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS) recently announced that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) last week rejected concerns over racial discrimination around a proposal to build a nuclear reactor in Claiborne, MS, an...

NRC Announces New ACRS Appointments.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards)
January 26, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) last week announced the election of new officers to its Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS). Dartmouth College engineering professor Graham Wallis, an ACRS member since 1998, was elected...

Activists Urge Reconsideration of VT Yankee Evacuation Plan.(Brief Article)
January 26, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that an activist group known as Nuclear-Free Vermont has launched a letter-writing campaign calling for Vermont governor James Douglas to consider its list of recommendations prior to approving an...

Italian Prime Minister Recommends Nuclear Energy Consideration.(Brief Article)
January 26, 2005... Reuters recently reported that Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi commented last week that the country should consider the possible use of nuclear energy, hinting that he would explore Italian nuclear options if reelected for another...

NRC Announces New Commissioners.(Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
January 27, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) announced recently that Gregory Jaczko and Peter Lyons have been sworn in as the agency's newest commissioners. According to NRC, the additions mark the first time since March 2003 that the...

Australia to Store Nuclear Waste in U.S.(Brief Article)
January 27, 2005... The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) recently reported that Australia plans to transport and store spent nuclear fuel rods from the Lucas Heights reactor in Sydney in the U.S. under a newly signed 10-year contract between the two...

IAEA Officials Evaluate Slovakian Nuclear Facility Safety.(International Atomic Energy Agency)(Brief Article)
January 27, 2005... The Slovakia Daily Surveyor recently reported that officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) commenced a two-week meeting earlier this week at the headquarters of Slovakia's Nuclear Regulatory Authority to discuss the risks...

State Attorneys General Call for Enhanced Nuclear Security.(seven states filed a petition to enhance nuclear plants safety)
January 28, 2005... The San Francisco Chronicle recently reported that attorneys general from seven states filed a petition earlier this week with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) calling for the agency to require enhanced security for U.S. nuclear power...

Detroit Edison Says Fermi 2 Water Leak Non-radioactive.(Detroit Edison Co cooling system leakage)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... Detroit Edison recently announced that a water leak which shut down its Fermi 2 Nuclear Power Plant earlier this week emanated from a non-radioactive cooling system and released no radioactive material. According to the company, the...

South African Court Delays PBMR Construction.(pebble bed modular reactor)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... Reuters recently reported that South Africa Cape High Court has delayed government approval of electricity company Eskom's proposed pilot pebble bed modular reactor (PBMR) development project near Cape Town, SA. According to Reuters, the...

Weekly Update.(Calendar)
January 28, 2005... CLEAN-TECH INVESTORS SUMMIT: CAPITALIZING ON THE NEXT WAVE OF INNOVATION IN ENERGY TECH, WATER TECH AND MATERIALS SCIENCE, February 2-3, 2005, The Lodge at Rancho Mirage, Rancho Mirage, CA PLATTS NUCLEAR ENERGY CONFERENCE, February 16-17,...

Lithuania Unveils Plans to Shut Down Nuclear Plant.(Brief Article)
January 31, 2005... The BBC Monitoring news service reported last week that the Lithuanian government has approved plans to shut down the No.1 and 2 power units at its Ignalina nuclear power plant by 2009. The news service said the shuttering of the two power...

Tohoku Electric Reveals Plans for New Nuclear Generator.(Brief Article)
January 31, 2005... Reuters recently reported that Japanese utility Tohoku Electric Power Company revealed last week that operations are expected to begin in October at the country's 54th nuclear power generator. According to Reuters, the country's 53rd...

Groups Dispute Bush Claim That Nuclear Power is Renewable.(Sustainable Energy Coalition)(Brief Article)
January 31, 2005... The Sustainable Energy Coalition (SEC) recently announced 48 environmental, business, anti-nuclear, sustainable energy and energy policy organizations have signed off on a letter to U.S. President George Bush disputing his comment in an...