North America

Spain's windfarms set new national record for electricity generation

Friday, November 13, 2009

High winds over the weekend supplied 53% of Spain's electricity – equivalent to the power output of 11 nuclear plants

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In Finland, Nuclear Renaissance Runs Into Trouble

Friday, May 29, 2009

OLKILUOTO, Finland — As the Obama administration tries to steer America toward cleaner sources of energy, it would do well to consider the cautionary tale of this new-generation nuclear reactor site.

The massive power plant under construction on muddy terrain on this Finnish island was supposed to be the showpiece of a nuclear renaissance. The most powerful reactor ever built, its modular design was supposed to make it faster and cheaper to build. And it was supposed to be safer, too.

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NRC says new reactors must resist aircraft

Friday, February 20, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Tuesday required makers of new nuclear power plants to design the reactors so they can withstand the impact from a commercial jetliner.

The commission's approval of the regulation concludes more than two years of deliberations over the potential threat of a large aircraft crashing into a nuclear power plant, an issue that gained attention after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

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US working with allies to change global rules for nuclear financing

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Platts - The US, France and Japan are working to put international mechanisms into place to help finance construction of nuclear power plants in the US and elsewhere, government officials and financial analysts said this month.

Two principal targets are international financial institutions, such as the World Bank, and national export credit agencies, the sources said.

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Dangerous spent fuel returned to US

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

WASHINGTON: Germany has returned more than 20 pounds (9 kilograms) of highly enriched uranium fuel to the U.S. for safeguarding from terrorists or potential misuse, the government said Tuesday.

The National Nuclear Security Administration said the spent fuel shipment was transported by ship and rail under secret and secure conditions. Spokeswoman Casey Ruberg said the material was secured at a site in the southern state of South Carolina on Sept. 23.

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No Italian nuclear waste coming to Utah, for now

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Nuclear waste from Italy won't be rolling into Utah anytime soon.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Monday it is postponing a decision on whether low-level radioactive waste from Italy can be buried in Tooele County. In order to grant a license, federal regulators must be sure that the waste has somewhere suitable to go, and they won't have that assurance unless a federal court ruling clears the way, the NRC said.

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U.S. and Romania agree to equip border crossings to help prevent nuclear smugglins

Monday, September 15, 2008

WASHINGTON DC – The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and Romanian Frontier Police (FP) today announced an agreement to coordinate efforts to prevent nuclear smuggling by installing radiation detection equipment at multiple border crossings in Romania. The agreement signed today provides the framework for the two countries to work together to detect illicit shipments of nuclear and other radioactive material.

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Weapons-grade allegations

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Expert accuses US Nuclear Regulatory Commission of shunning safe practice and hushing-up his independent guidance

THE accusation: "They refused to forward my questions to the applicant. They want[ed] me to water things down [and didn't] want me to criticise. I was not allowed to provide independent review." In this case 'they' is the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the 'applicant' is Shaw Areva Mox Services (SAMS), and the disgruntled tce quotee is Daniel Tedder, professor emeritus of chemical engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, US.

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Duke halts use of test fuel at plant

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

CHARLOTTE - Duke Energy has removed test bundles of mixed-oxide or MOX fuel from its Catawba nuclear plant on Lake Wylie as it investigates unusual physical changes in the assemblies.

Anti-MOX groups say the halt means the testing should start all over again, delaying by years a billion-dollar federal program to use surplus weapons plutonium at Catawba.

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Canada sets bad example with Chalk River reactor: British magazine, expert

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Canada's decision to restart the nuclear reactor at Chalk River, Ont., has prompted stinging criticism in Britain that Ottawa is setting a poor example for other countries.

The British magazine "New Scientist" says Canada is "sending out a dangerous message over nuclear safeguards."

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