nuclear regulatory commission (nrc)

Kewaunee nuclear power station

Shortly after 11 AM on Tuesday, May 8, 2013, the operators at Dominion Resources’ Kewaunee Nuclear Power Station opened the plant’s output breaker, disconnecting the turbine generator from the grid for the last time.[read more]

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is considering a plan to burn mixed oxide fuel in two of its power reactors starting in 2018. While the utility hasn’t formally made up its mind, the decision process reached a new stage this week. The MOX fuel is proposed to be used in commercial nuclear reactors owned and operated by TVA.[read more]

Reports of a late Fall return to service are pro-forma Image Source: Smart Animation by Real IllusionBreathless news media reports last week that Units 2 &  3 at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) would restart in late Fall are off the mark. The dates, Nov 18 for Unit 2, and Dec 31, for Unit 3, are fill in the...[read more]

Regulation Image via Shutterstock

Many have looked at what happened at Fukushima and concluded that the regulator was “captured” by the industry and was no longer an effective independent regulator. Some have accused the NRC of the same problem. Regulatory capture is a real and legitimate concern for all regulators and industry. What are the causes of such “capture”?[read more]

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The current set of nuclear regulations were written when few quality standards existed in the industry. The NRC’s Appendix B program was a pioneer in demanding quality control, record-keeping, and training of the people performing the work. However, the criteria as written is poorly organized .[read more]

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Last week I discussed why the Russians might be asking the NRC for a Design Certification of the VVER. I concluded it had little to do with the supposed “gold standard” of certification the NRC provides. In reality the Russians need any independent certification to participate in the international market with smaller countries that lack...[read more]

 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a brief press release late in the afternoon of June 9, 2012 titled ALLISON M. MACFARLANE BECOMES 15TH NRC CHAIRMAN. Here is the text of that press release: Dr. Allison M. Macfarlane, designated by President Obama as chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, was sworn in today as the...[read more]

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It Bolsters Nuclear Opponents’ CauseTwo recent decisions by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia show just how much time, money, and political capital have been wasted on developing a rational solution to the political problem of managing the nation’s spent fuel.The first ruling, handed down by the Court of Appeals on...[read more]

The Vermont Department of Public Service sued the NRC, claiming that the NRC should not have issued a license extension to Vermont Yankee because the plant's water quality permits were not in order.  Today, a federal court in Washington ruled for the NRC and for Vermont Yankee...the license extension was upheld.I am still at the ANS...[read more]

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Faulty computer analysis, design flaws, and manufacturing changes are among the reasons there is excessive tube wear in the steam generator at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station Unit 3 California Song BirdIn a presentation at an NRC public meeting held in San Juan Capistrano, CA, on Monday June 18, Southern California Edison VP for...[read more]

The nomination of Allison MacFarlane has drawn a considerably mixed reaction among the nuclear community. Given that MacFarlane's hearing is scheduled for today, here are some questions that can inform the discussion both of whether MacFarlane is a good candidate to lead the NRC and what her leadership might entail.[read more]

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There have been a significant number of questions raised about Allison Macfarlane’s nomination to the NRC commission with the stated intent to make her chair of the same as soon as she is sworn in as a commissioner. I'd take a different approach.[read more]

Four consortiums line up but only two can win This is an updated version of my coverage in Fuel Cycle Week, V11, N474 May 24, 2012, published by International Nuclear Associates, Washington, DCAn overflow crowd at the Platts Third Annual Small Modular Reactor conference held last week in suburban Washington, D.C., got an up-close and...[read more]

In the past week, two of Vermont Yankee's sort-of-sister plants were granted 20-year license extensions by the NRC.  These plants are Pilgrim Station in Massachusetts and Columbia Generating Station in Washington State.Vermont Yankee, Pilgrim and Columbia Generating Station are all GE boiling water reactors.  Vermont Yankee and...[read more]

Image via C-SPAN.

Gregory Jaczko, the current chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, resigned this morning, ending the Republican-led witch-hunt against him in Congress.[read more]