nrc

On Friday, July 29, 2011, Matt Wald of the New York Times published an article titled N.R.C. Lowers Estimate of How Many Would Die in Meltdown that describes a US Nuclear Regulatory Commission project whose results to be widely understood and repeated.The project was a multi-year modeling effort at the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission...[read more]

The utility places a $100 million bet despite a hostile political environment The future of the Vermont Yankee nuclear reactor got a bit brighter this week as its owner and operator the Entergy Corp. (NYSE:ETR) announced its board of directors had approved the fabrication of fuel and the refueling of the Vermont Yankee reactor in October...[read more]

Meltdowns in Japan drive an ambitious agenda in the U.S.The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has released a "Near Term Report" ( full text ) this week that calls for a wide range of safety improvements for the U.S. fleet of 104 nuclear reactors.The report ominously calls for "redefining the level of protection that is regarded as...[read more]

New U.S. reactor projects could languish if anti-nuclear groups succeed in pushing ’ Fukushima “Concerns” to stall the AP1000 Certification This is my updated coverage in Fuel Cycle Week for June 23, 2011, V10:N430 published by International Nuclear Associates, Washington, DC The four nuclear reactors most likely to be built in the U.S...[read more]

Several months ago, I signed up to receive press releases from Representative Ed Markey, mainly so you don’t have to endure the pain yourself. On June 21, 2011, I received one titled Markey, Welch to GAO: No Way to Assess Integrity of Buried Pipes at Nuclear Reactors that offers some food for thought about the coordinated effort to...[read more]

On June 15, 2011, the professional staff at the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission provided a brief to the commission. It was the second of three planned status updates on the Task Force Review of NRC Processes and Regulations Following Events in Japan. The briefing started with a report by Bill Borchardt the NRC’s Executive Director for...[read more]

Circumstances sometimes create some rather strange alliances. This week, despite being a proud liberal who proudly supports public education, comes from a family of union school teachers, appreciates the value of being covered by a single payer medical plan and voted for President Obama, I find myself cheering for a group of...[read more]

Computer predictions of failure at Fukushima World Nuclear News has a report that computer analysis of reactor damage at Fukushima has indicated more serious fuel melting has probably occurred than previously thought at units 2 and 3. Two simulations show the water levels in the reactor pressure vessels far below where battered...[read more]

Chairman Gregory Jaczko testified recently that the NRC decided to begin closing down the agency’s effort to review the Yucca Mountain license application in early October, 2010. Some of his fellow commissioners testified that they did not agree with the decision and they do not agree that the commission has made the policy decision to...[read more]

Nuclear regulator is roasted on a spit turned by its critics It’s a springtime Sunday afternoon in America. With warmer temperatures and more sunlight later into the evening, the great American tradition of holding a BBQ is being upheld for yet another year. A BBQ is normally a time to set aside the cares of the world, with its multiple...[read more]

In two previous posts, " Does Nuclear Grade Graphite Burn?," and "Did the Graphite in the Windscale Reactor Burn?" I reviewed a number of reports and other information sources on Nuclear Graphite Flamibility. Although I did not come to a firm conclusion, i did find strong evidence that Nuclear Graphite does not burn under many...[read more]

Bloomberg.com and other news outlets reported yesterday that NY Governor Andrew Cuomo is meeting with the NRC today in Washington DC to discuss the risk of earthquake damage at the Indian Point Nuclear Plant.  According to Bloomberg, the Governor’s concern was sparked by an MSNBC.com report that concluded Indian Point is the most...[read more]

After Fukushima, it seems obvious that the nuclear industry needs to get a better handle on what can happen in these "unlikely" scenarios.  The tactic of professing to have confidence that something is so unlikely you might as well say it can't happen loses its credibility the instant all hell breaks loose.  Human credibility...[read more]

 Authors Note: Although it goes without saying, the earthquake/tsunami catastrophe in Japan is a grave humanitarian crisis that must be dealt with immediately and collectively and I’m thankful to see that the international community is readily helping Japan’s people in every way it can.  My comments below focus on the domestic...[read more]

Rock blunts scissor ~ the federal agency concludes the reactor is safe to operate for another 20 years. In the classic strategy game of rock, scissors, paper, as it has played out in the dispute over the relicensing of the 600 MW Vermont Yankee nuclear reactor, the governor and the legislature have done everything possible to cut the...[read more]