Nuclear Power Today articles from September 2005

Nuclear Power Today archives from September 2005

Progress Energy Plans to Submit COL for New Nuclear Plant.
September 1, 2005... Progress Energy recently informed the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) that the company is making plans that could lead to submitting a combined construction and operating license (COL) for a new nuclear power plant. According to...

Duratek to Remove Radioactive Material From Lacrosse Plant.
September 1, 2005... Duratek, Inc. recently announced the award of a contract from Dairyland Power Cooperative for the removal and disposition of a 175-ton reactor pressure vessel and other low-level radioactive material from the Lacrosse nuclear power plant in...

OSHA Recognizes PPL's Susquehanna Nuclear Facility.
September 1, 2005... PPL Corporation recently announced that the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has recertified the company's Susquehanna nuclear power plant near Berwick, PA as a "Star" facility under the federal Voluntary Protection...

Next Week's Publishing Schedule.
September 2, 2005... EIN will not publish its newsletters on Monday, September 5, in observance of Labor Day. We will resume our regular production schedule on Tuesday, September 6. (EIN EDITOR: 9/1)

NRC Revises Procedures for 'Generic' Safety Issues.
September 2, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced it is simplifying its procedures for considering if a potential safety issue is "generic," in that it applies to a wide range of licensees such as nuclear power plant operators. ...

U.S. to Continue Seeking Extradition of Russian Nuclear Official.
September 2, 2005... Russian Information Agency (RIA) Novosti recently reported that U.S. attorney for the western district of Pennsylvania Mary Beth Buchanan has revealed that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) does not plan to abandon its request for the...

Iran Reinstates Aghazadeh to Top Nuclear Post.
September 2, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has reappointed Gholamreza Aghazadeh as head of the nation's nuclear program. According to AP, the move is seen as a sign that the new Ahmadinejad...

Weekly Update.
September 2, 2005... INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NUCLEAR ENERGY FOR NEW EUROPE 2005, September 12-15, 2005, TBA, Ljubljana, Slovenia 2005 NCSD: INTEGRATING CRITICALITY SAFETY INTO THE RESURGENCE OF NUCLEAR POWER, September 18-22, 2005, Knoxville Marriott Hotel,...

NRC Renews Cook Plant Licenses for Additional 20 Years.
September 5, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently renewed the operating licenses of the Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2, for an additional 20 years, with the license for Unit 1 extended to October 25, 2034, and the license for Unit 2...

GE Energy Submits ESBWR Design Certification App to NRC.
September 5, 2005... GE Energy's nuclear business recently announced the formal submission to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) of the design certification application for its new economic simplified boiling water reactor (ESBWR) design. According to GE...

CSC Signs IT Outsourcing Agreement With British Nuclear Group.
September 5, 2005... Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) recently signed a five-year, $135-million information technology (IT) outsourcing agreement with British Nuclear Group. Under the terms of the agreement, CSC will manage and support British Nuclear...

Holiday Publishing Schedule Correction.
September 7, 2005... Although EIN was not open for business on Monday, September 5, in observance of Labor Day, we mistakenly printed the date of the holiday on the newsletters intended for Tuesday delivery. We resume our regular production schedule with today's...

NRC Reorganizes Nuclear Reactor Regulation Office.
September 7, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced it is reorganizing its Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) in an effort to better position the office to address changes in the commercial nuclear power industry as utilities...

EU Threatens Iran With UN Security Council Action.
September 7, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that the European Union (EU) has threatened to ask the United Nations (UN) Security Council to take action if Iran refuses to return to negotiations on its nuclear program. According to AP, the...

NRC Issues Mid-Cycle Assessments for All Nuclear Plants.
September 8, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently issued mid-cycle assessment letters for 103 operating nuclear power plants and posted them on its website. NRC noted that the assessment letters, which demonstrate the continued operation...

Ukranian Official Predicts Cost of New Chernobyl Shelter.
September 8, 2005... AFX News recently reported that Ukrainian emergencies minister David Zhania has revealed that a new steel shelter designed to cover the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine will cost an estimated $2 billion. According to AFX, the...

Russian Nuclear Agency Shuts Down Plant Unit Near Moscow.
September 8, 2005... Russian Information Agency (RIA) Novosti recently reported that the Federal Agency for Nuclear Power has revealed that the second power unit of the Kalininskaya nuclear plant near Moscow was shut down late last week as the result of a safety...

NRC to Hire 350 New Employees in 2006.
September 9, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced plans to hire approximately 350 entry-level and experienced personnel by the end of 2006. According to NRC, the hiring push is in response to an anticipated loss of personnel...

Novastar Resources Acquires Rights to AL Thorium Property.
September 9, 2005... Novastar Resources recently announced the acquisition of Thorium mineral rights from Alabama-based American Graphite Holdings, Ltd. (AGH). Under the terms of the agreement, Novastar has been granted mineral rights to both stockpiles and...

Swedish Nuclear Producer to Utilize SMARTEAM Solution.
September 9, 2005... Forsmarks Kraftgrupp AB, Dassault Systemes and SolidEngineer AB recently announced that Forsmark will be implementing SMARTEAM product lifestyle management (PLM) at its site in Roslagen. According to the companies, the solution will enable...

Weekly Update.
September 9, 2005... INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NUCLEAR ENERGY FOR NEW EUROPE 2005, September 12-15, 2005, TBA, Ljubljana, Slovenia 2005 NCSD: INTEGRATING CRITICALITY SAFETY INTO THE RESURGENCE OF NUCLEAR POWER, September 18-22, 2005, Knoxville Marriott Hotel,...

NRC, States to Increase Controls Over Radioactive Materials.
September 12, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and 33 agreement states are coordinating efforts to increase the control of radioactive materials that could potentially be of use to terrorists. Under the Atomic Energy Act, NRC has signed agreements...

U.S. Envoy to India Urges Quicker Action on Nuclear Pledge.
September 12, 2005... United Press International (UPI) recently reported that U.S. envoy to India David Mulford called on the Indian government last week to speed up action on work committed to last month under a nuclear power agreement between the two countries....

Local Russian Nuclear Plant Shuts Down Reactor for Repairs.
September 12, 2005... Russian Information Agency (RIA) Novosti recently reported that an official with the country's Novovoronezh nuclear power plant noted the shutdown last week of the facility's fifth reactor. According to RIA Novosti, the reactor was...

NRC Authorizes Issuance of License for PFS Facility.
September 13, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced it has denied the state of Utah's final appeals in the adjudication on an application by Private Fuel Storage (PFS) to construct and operate an independent spent nuclear fuel storage...

New Waste Processing Facility Under Construction in Russia.
September 13, 2005... Russian Information Agency (RIA) Novosti recently reported that a new nuclear waste processing facility is anticipated to be completed at northern Russia's Kola nuclear power plant later this year. According to RIA Novosti, the technology...

AECL, CNNC Sign Agreement on Nuclear Energy Cooperation.
September 13, 2005... Atomic Energy of Canada, Ltd. (AECL) and the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) signed an agreement late last week on nuclear energy cooperation that specifies a number of nuclear-related projects on which they will collaborate,...

NRC Authorizes Restart of Waterford Nuclear Power Plant.
September 14, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently authorized the restart of the Waterford nuclear plant near Taft, LA. According to NRC, workers are performing maintenance prior to initiating the procedures leading to restart of the reactor....

Russian Nuclear Official Confirms 2006 Date for Bushehr Plant.
September 14, 2005... Russian Information Agency (RIA) Novosti recently reported that an official with the Federal Agency for Nuclear Power revealed earlier this week that Russia and Iran have confirmed their plan to commission the Bushehr nuclear power plant by the...

Congressional Panel Seeks Additional Yucca Documents.
September 15, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) reported last week that a congressional panel led by U.S. Representative Jon Porter (R-NV) which is investigating allegations of fraud against the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository project in Nevada has requested...

British Nuclear Considers New Landfill for Bird Carcasses.
September 15, 2005... U.K. newspaper The Independent recently reported that British Nuclear Fuels, Ltd. (BNFL) subsidiary British Nuclear Group is considering what to do with the bodies of "hundreds" of birds killed by hired sharpshooters at the Sellafield nuclear...

Letter to Senate Urges Investigation of Yucca Mountain Data.
September 16, 2005... Public Citizen, along with 21 other groups, recently sent a letter to the U.S. Senate highlighting falsified data on the Yucca Mountain Project and calling for all work on the project to be halted. According to Public Citizen, the falsified...

NRC Proposes Amending Yucca Mountain Regulations.
September 16, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently proposed the amendment of its regulations governing the Department of Energy's (DOE) proposed high-level radioactive waste disposal facility at Yucca Mountain to adopt the Environmental...

New Report Assesses Full Scale of Chernobyl Nuclear Accident.
September 16, 2005... The World Health Organization (WHO), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recently announced the release of a new report, titled "Chernobyl's Legacy: Health, Environmental and...

Weekly Update.
September 16, 2005... 2005 NCSD: INTEGRATING CRITICALITY SAFETY INTO THE RESURGENCE OF NUCLEAR POWER, September 18-22, 2005, Knoxville Marriott Hotel, Knoxville, TN THE INSTITUTION OF NUCLEAR ENGINEERS (INE) RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS TRANSPORT 2005, September...

FENOC to Pay NRC Fine Related to Davis-Besse Reactor Head.
September 19, 2005... FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC) recently announced it will pay a $5.5-million fine proposed in April by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) related to the reactor head issue at the Davis-Besse nuclear power station. In a...

U.S., North Korea Continue to Debate Nuclear Needs.
September 19, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that U.S. assistant secretary of state Christopher Hill revealed a lack of any substantial developments following a meeting late last week with North Korean officials concerning the country's desire...

IAEA Chief Favors More Time for Iran, Not Sanctions.
September 19, 2005... Reuters recently reported that Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has argued against referring Iran to the United Nations (UN) Security Council for sanctions, saying he instead favors giving the country...

USEC Issues Statement on Ruling in LEU Trade Case.
September 20, 2005... Global energy company USEC, Inc. recently announced that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has decided not to reconsider its decision on a key issue in the trade case involving low-enriched uranium (LEU) imports from France. ...

Iran Announces Willingness to Share Nuclear Technology.
September 20, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) reported last week that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that Iran is willing to transfer its nuclear knowledge to other Islamic countries. AP said Ahmadinejad made the announcement following a meeting...

AREVA Announces Groundbreaking for Finnish Nuclear Facility.
September 20, 2005... AREVA recently announced that Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO), an AREVA/Siemens consortium, has celebrated the laying of the foundation stone for its new nuclear power plant in Olkiluoto, Finland. According to AREVA, the event took place a year...

North Korea Agrees to Dismantle Nuclear Power Program.
September 21, 2005... CNN recently reported that North Korea agreed on Monday during talks with the U.S., China, Japan, Russia and South Korea to cease all of its nuclear efforts, as well as abide by the terms of the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear...

ITER Partners Ask Japan to Appoint Construction Chief.
September 21, 2005... Chinese news agency Xinhua recently reported that the six partners in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) have requested that Japan nominate a chief to lead the project and construction as soon as possible. ...

British Energy to Extend Dungeness B Station for 10 Years.
September 21, 2005... British Energy recently announced it has completed the technical and economic evaluations, as well as the requisite external reviews, required to allow the Dungeness B nuclear power station in Kent to continue operations until 2018. ...

North Korea Demands New Light-water Reactor From U.S.
September 22, 2005... CNN recently reported that a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson has released a statement through the official news agency of the city of Pyongyang declaring that the country does not intend to cease all nuclear operations under a plan...

Israel Says Iran 6 Months From Weapons Capabilities.
September 22, 2005... Reuters recently reported that Israeli government officials believe Iran will have the full knowledge to build nuclear weapons in six months or less. However, the news service noted that the U.K.-based International Institute for Strategic...

AREVA, Constellation Energy Announce New Joint Enterprise.
September 23, 2005... AREVA, Inc. and Constellation Energy recently announced the formation of UniStar Nuclear, a joint enterprise that will offer a business framework enabling the development of joint ventures with Constellation Energy, other energy companies and...

Russia Plans to Build New Floating Nuclear Facility.
September 23, 2005... Russian Information Agency (RIA) Novosti reported earlier this month that the country's Federal Nuclear Energy Agency plans to move forward with plans to build a low-capacity nuclear power plant that will float in the White Sea, off the coast...

Survey Ranks NRC Third Best Federal Employer.
September 23, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced it was ranked third among federal agencies in an employee rating the best places in government to work. NRC noted that the survey was conducted earlier this year among 150,000...

Weekly Update.
September 23, 2005... THE INSTITUTION OF NUCLEAR ENGINEERS (INE) RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS TRANSPORT 2005, September 27-29, 2005, Cambridge University's Churchill College, Cambridge, England CANADIAN NUCLEAR SOCIETY 7TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CANDU...

NRC Modifies Advanced Nuclear Plant Regulatory Approach.
September 26, 2005... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced it is modifying its approach to regulating advanced nuclear power plants to encourage consideration of security earlier in reactor designs and license applications. NRC said it is...

Finland Considers Investment in Russian Reactor Shutdown.
September 26, 2005... Finnish news agency STT recently reported that the country is considering investing 500,000 euros (about $602,400) in the shutting down by 2010 of the plutonium reactor at Russia's nuclear facility in Zheleznogorsk, Siberia, under the G8 Global...

Iran to Offer International Tender for New Nuclear Plants.
September 26, 2005... The Mehr News Agency (MNA) recently reported that Mohammad Saeedi, deputy director of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, has announced that the country will issue an international tender for the construction of two new nuclear power...

EIN Offers New Option for Raising Awareness of Your Company.
September 27, 2005... Many EIN subscribers have expressed interest in reaching other industry leaders and decision makers through our daily publications. While our subscribers already enjoy the benefit of a complementary link to their company on the EIN website, we...

NuStart Selects Grand Gulf, Bellefonte for Plant Licenses.
September 27, 2005... NuStart Energy Development, LLC, the nation's largest consortium of nuclear power companies, recently announced its selection of Grand Gulf Nuclear Station and Bellefonte Nuclear Plant as the sites it will use on applications for combined...

Entergy to Prepare Application for COL at Site Near River Bend.
September 27, 2005... Entergy Corporation recently announced plans to prepare an application for a combined construction and operating license (COL) from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) at a site adjacent to its existing River Bend Station near St....

India Announces Plans to Build Four Nuclear Power Plants.
September 27, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that India's cabinet has approved sites for the construction of four new nuclear power plants. According to AP, plants will be constructed in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil and...

EIN Offers New Option for Raising Awareness of Your Company.
September 28, 2005... Many EIN subscribers have expressed interest in reaching other industry leaders and decision makers through our daily publications. While our subscribers already enjoy the benefit of a complementary link to their company on the EIN website, we...

Greenpeace Denounces Atomic Agency's Nuclear Stance.
September 28, 2005... Greenpeace recently denounced, at the opening of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) general meeting, the role of the Atomic Agency in promoting nuclear power and "thereby aiding the spread of nuclear weapons," calling on the world's...

SEPA Takes Enforcement Action Against Dounreay.
September 28, 2005... The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) recently announced it has served an enforcement notice on the U.K. Atomic Energy Authority's (UKAEA) Dounreay nuclear facility in Caithness, Scotland after it breached conditions in its...

NEI Announces Organizational Restructuring.
September 29, 2005... The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) recently announced an organizational restructuring, effective October 1, which is designed to provide greater focus on issues of key policy development. NEI noted that a task force comprised of members of...

ElBaradei Elected to Third Term as IAEA Director General.
September 29, 2005... AFX News recently reported that Mohamed ElBaradei has been reelected director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). According to AFX, ElBaradei was appointed by acclamation to his third term at a recent IAEA meeting in...

U.K. Official Says Nuclear Development May Prove Too Costly.
September 29, 2005... Bloomberg News Service recently reported that U.K. environment minister Elliott Morley commented earlier this month in an interview in London that Britain prefers the pursuit of "clean" fossil fuel plants to an investment in nuclear facilities...

U.K. Energy Minister Says Government 'Open' on Nuclear.
September 30, 2005... The Independent recently reported that U.K. energy minister Malcolm Wicks commented earlier this week during a nuclear industry-hosted fringe meeting that Britain remains "open" to the possibility of pursuing new nuclear projects in an effort...

U.K. Official Insists Military Action Not an Option in Iran.
September 30, 2005... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that British foreign secretary Jack Straw has ruled out military action against Iran over the country's controversial nuclear program. According to AP, Straw insisted that the best way to address...

Poll Reveals Russian Support for New Nuclear Projects.
September 30, 2005... Russian Information Agency (RIA) Novosti recently reported that the results of a new survey conducted by Russian polling agency VTsIOM reveal that almost two-thirds of the participating urban and rural respondents support advancement of the...

Weekly Update.
September 30, 2005... CANADIAN NUCLEAR SOCIETY 7TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CANDU MAINTENANCE: November 20-22, 2005, Holiday-Inn-on-King, Toronto, Ontario EUROPEAN NUCLEAR CONFERENCE (ENC) 2005, December 11-14, 2005, Palais des Congres of Versailles,...