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The Columbia Generating Station is a boiling-water nuclear reactor. The plant is located 12 miles northwest of Richland, Washington - Source NRC - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has announced an opportunity to request a hearing on an application to renew the operating license for the Columbia Generating Station nuclear power plant. ...(read more)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has guaranteed an $80 million loan to Range Fuels, Inc., which is building a biorefinery in Georgia to convert wood chips to biofuels using a two-step thermochemical process. The guarantee is the agency's first to a commercial-scale cellulosic biofuel plant.

Vice President Joe Biden has announced more than $600 million in Recovery Act funding for 191 new transit projects in 42 states and Puerto Rico. Recipients are spending the funds on improvements such as hybrid electric buses and conversions of vehicles to hybrids.

The U.S. Navy recently awarded a $200 million contract for a total of 40 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic power systems on Navy and Marine Corps bases throughout the Southwest. The National Park Service is also installing solar power at many of its facilities, using Recovery Act funds.

The Geneva International Motor Show in Switzerland is highlighting electrified vehicles, including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, electric vehicles, and a range of new hybrids. The debuts include entries from such sports car leaders as Porsche, Ferrari, and Lotus.

An attempt to account for the energy security costs of domestic and imported oil finds higher security costs for imported oil. However, the costs are low compared to the direct cost of oil, implying that U.S. energy security efforts should focus on lower petroleum use, regardless of its source.

If successful, the NGNP Demonstration Project will demonstrate high-temperature gas-cooled reactor technology that will be capable of producing electricity as well as process heat for industrial applications and will be configured for low technical and safety risk with highly reliable operations - By Stephen Heiser - U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu has announced selections for the award of approximately $40 million in total to two teams led by Pittsburgh-based Westinghouse Electric Co. and San Diego-based General Atomics for conceptual design and planning work for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP). ...(read more)

Following the contract signed in 2006 between AREVA* and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI), a fuel assemblies delivery took place on May 2009 - By Linton Levy - The Ikata nuclear plant, operated by Japanese electric power company SHIKOKU Epco on the Shikoku Island (Ehime Prefecture) has started power generation with AREVA’s* MOX fuel. ...(read more)

International conference on civilian nuclear energy in Paris will reveal the plant as a joint project between Israel and Jordan, with France supervising and providing technology - Edited by April Murelio - According to a report by the AFP ,Israel will officially announce on today that it is seeking French help to construct a nuclear power plant, the infrastructure ministry spokesman said on Monday. ...(read more)

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this RIS to obtain new or updated information on the scheduling of ESP, COL, DC, DA, or ML application submissions related to advanced reactor designs - Source NRC - ADDRESSEES Those companies who have an interest in applying for an early site permit (ESP), combined license (COL), standard design certification (DC), standard design approval (DA), or manufacturing license (ML) for a nuclear power plant referencing a small modular reactor (SMR) design under the provisions of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 52, “Licenses, Certifications, and Approvals for Nuclear Power Plants.” For the purpose of this Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS), SMRs are defined using the International Atomic Energy Agency definition of small and medium-sized reactors with an electrical output of less than 700 megawatts. ...(read more)

The mineral removes radioactive isotopes from water by exchanging them in the mineral lattice where they are held and are no longer water-soluble. The use of zeolites for nuclear remediation has long been recognized - By Stephen Heiser - United States Antimony Corporation announced that Bear River Zeolite Co., Inc (“BRZ”), a wholly owned subsidiary, was issued a purchase order by West Valley Environmental Services, LLC, a contractor to the Department of Energy, to supply a minimum of 1,500 metric tons of BRZ zeolite for remediation of radioactive isotopes from the former Western New York Nuclear Service Center (WNYNSC). ...(read more)

2010 Federal Engineer of the Year Award Ceremony: Prepared Comments by NRC Commissioner Dale E. Klein National Press Club, Washington, DC - Edited by April Murelio - Thank you. I am very pleased to be here, and honored to be asked to deliver the keynote address. ...(read more)

Exploration For Africa

GEH Technology Considered to Help Poland Generate Safe, Next-Generation Nuclear Energy - By Stephen Heiser - GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) and Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA (PGE), Poland’s largest power company, have announced a new agreement to collaborate on Poland’s initiative to build next-generation commercial nuclear power plants. ...(read more)

Since 1983 ratepayers have placed more than $33 billion into the Nuclear Waste Fund and Energy Northwest represents one of more than 60 such cases filed by nuclear utilities - By Stephen Heiser - A federal court has ruled to award Energy Northwest nearly $56.9 million in damages from the Energy Department for breach of contract involving the Yucca Mountain nuclear repository project. This decision by the U.S. Court of Federal Claims addressed the sole issue of the amount of damages. ...(read more)

Over the course of the outage, more than 850 contracted workers will supplement the regular 1,300-person plant staff - By Linton Levy - American Electric Power’s Cook Nuclear Plant’s Unit 1 has shut down as is scheduled to begin its 23rd refueling outage cycle. The 1,030-megawatt (MW) Unit 1 has been safely operating online since Dec. 20, 2009, following 15 months of extensive repair to its turbine. ...(read more)

If approved, the requested license amendment would give PSEG permission to generate and transfer Cobalt-60 under the NRC’s regulations for “byproduct” material. The Cobalt-60, as a radioactive material licensed by the NRC and Agreement States, is used in applications such as cancer treatment and for irradiation sterilization of foods and medical devices - Source NRC - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff is seeking public comment and offering the opportunity to request a hearing regarding a request from PSEG Nuclear for a pilot program to explore the production of Cobalt-60 at the Hope Creek Generating Station, located about 18 miles south of Wilmington, Del. ...(read more)

In First Congressional Budget Hearing, Administrator D’Agostino Says Modern, Sustainable Infrastructure Supports Full Range of NNSA Missions - By April Murelio - In testimony before the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee of the House Committee on Appropriations, National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Administrator Thomas P. D’Agostino said the FY2011 Budget Request is an important investment in the modern, sustainable infrastructure required to support the full range of NNSA’s nuclear security missions. ...(read more)

Opening Statement As Prepared, for Senator George V. Voinovich; SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE ON CLEAN AIR AND NUCLEAR SAFETY JOINT HEARING: “LEGISLATIVE HEARING: S. 2995, THE CLEAN AIR ACT AMENDMENTS OF 2010” - Edited by Mark McFadden - I have long sought a national policy that implements a comprehensive air quality strategy that helps attain our nation’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), achieve reductions in mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants and stream lines Clean Air Act requirements. ...(read more)

AREVA expanded its backlog and increased its revenues compared with 2008, on strong installed base business and dynamic major projects, fostering growth in operating income of 240 million euros - Edited by Stephen Heiser - AREVA's Annual results 2009 Highlights: • For the group as a whole, including Transmission & Distribution o Backlog: €49.4bn (+2.5%) o Revenues: €14bn (+6.4%) o Operating income: €501m (+20.1%) • Nuclear and Renewable Energies perimeter: o Backlog: €43.3bn (+1.8%) o Strong revenue growth: +5.4% to €8.5bn o Operating income before provision for the Finnish project in the first half of 2009: €647m o Operating income: €97m, for a €240m increase from 2008 • Net income attributable to equity holders of the parent: €552m, i.e. €15.59 per share • Net debt: €6,193m • Pro forma net debt, including net cash to be received from the sale of T&D in 2010: €3,022m • Dividend of €7.06 per share to be proposed during the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of April 29, 2010...(read more)