***************************************************************** 10/02/07 **** RADIATION BULLETIN(RADBULL) **** VOL 15.231 ***************************************************************** RADBULL IS PRODUCED BY THE ABALONE ALLIANCE CLEARINGHOUSE ***************************************************************** Send News Stories to news@energy-net.org with title on subject line and first line of body NUCLEAR POLICY NUCLEAR REACTORS 1 The Hindu: Peaceful use of nuclear energy needed - India 2 The Hindu: Deal should be put on hold - CPI 3 The Hindu: Why no talk on pipeline now - V.P. Singh 4 US: Arizona Daily Star: Feds conducting two-week inspection of Palo 5 Economic Times: IAEA chief's India visit to keep the nuke pot boilin 6 US: NRC: NRC Assigns New Senior Resident Inspector to Surry Nuclear 7 US: SF Chron: On U.S. Energy Policy / Nuclear power is not today's s 8 US: Free Press: Fermi 2 shuts down for maintenance work 9 US: Rutland Herald: Vt. Yankee tries to limit NRC review 10 US: Rutland Herald: Former Gov. supports Yankee license 11 US: NRC: NRC Sets Public Meeting with Exelon on Oct. 9 to Discuss Re 12 US: Foster's Online: Nuclear power may be making a comeback 13 US: Brattleboro Reformer: Entergy says collapsed tower not safety re 14 US: York Dispatch: NRC to release findings of Peach Bottom security 15 WNN: EU must face nuclear energy question, says EC president 16 Business Week: Brussels Makes the Case for Nuclear 17 US: The Advocate: Nuclear plant installs backup switches to answer c 18 Reuters: Chubu says Hitachi to bear turbine repair costs 19 US: Knoxville News Sentinel: TVA tower gets occupants 20 US: NRC: NRC Proposes Improvements to Reactor Vessel Requirements 21 DutchNews.nl: Minister rules out new nuclear power plants 22 US: Newsday.com: Nuclear plant installs backup switches to answer co 23 Regina Leader Post: Nuclear energy plant not without emissions 24 US: AFP: French-Japanese consortium to carry out US nuclear study - 25 US: NRC: Live NRC Meeting Webcast 26 US: Arizona Republic: Feds review safety at Palo Verde 27 US: Arizona Republic: SRP rates will rise to cover costs NUCLEAR SECURITY NUCLEAR SAFETY 28 US: ENS: Feds to Clean Vieques After Navy Use Since WW II 29 QU Chronicle: Atomic bomb survivors tell their story - 30 US: San Bernardino County Sun: Plan to declare crisis delayed 31 Northern Echo: Teenager Dies In Nuclear Plant Fall NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE 32 US: DOE: DOE Awards More Than $16 Million for GNEP Technology Develo 33 RIA Novosti: Russia has no plans to import spent nuclear fuel 34 London Times: Grand designs for Dounreay nuclear site - 35 US: NewsBlaze: Dept. of Energy Awards More Than $16 Million for GNEP PEACE 36 NewsRoom Finland: Finnish anti-nuclear weapons activists freed in Sc 37 US: Guardian Unlimited: Obama Urges Eliminating Nuclear Weapons 38 US: Earth Times: Experts: New nuke bomb needs more work US DEPT. OF ENERGY 39 DOE: DOE Provides $30 Million to Jump Start Bioenergy Research Cente 40 DOE: DOE Designates Southwest Area and Mid-Atlantic Area National 41 Tri-City Herald: Compactors the latest improvements at Hanford landf 42 Tri-City Herald: Register for Hanford tours at noon today 43 Oak Ridger: DOE tests siren Wednesday - ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** FULL NEWS STORIES ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** 1 The Hindu: Peaceful use of nuclear energy needed - India Tuesday, October 2, 2007 : 1905 Hrs United Nations, Oct. 2 (PTI): Strongly favouring total elimination of weapons of mass destruction, India has said its vision of "universal, non-discriminatory and comprehensive" nuclear disarmament was "more relevant" today as peaceful use of nuclear energy can help fuel development. "It is disarmament that is our agreed goal and that subsumes arms control and non proliferation," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said, adding India would bring proposal in the United Nations General Assembly to refocus on general and complete disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament. Addressing the 192-member UN General Assembly here last evening, he pointed that steps to achieve complete elimination of nuclear weapons have made "little headway" and "despite some progress, the world remains far from achieving the objective". "India's long standing commitment to universal, non discriminatory and comprehensive nuclear disarmament is embodied in the vision of late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for 'nuclear-free and non-violent world'." The vision put forward two decades ago remains "undiminished", he said, adding "it is more relevant today given the fact that peaceful uses of nuclear energy can address the inexorably growing demand for new and non-polluting sources of energy to fuel economic development. The Minister warned that the risk posed by the intersection between proliferation and terrorism "is real and serious" and called for zero tolerance towards all forms of terrorism. Copyright 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the ***************************************************************** 2 The Hindu: Deal should be put on hold - CPI Wednesday, Oct 03, 2007 Special Correspondent NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Tuesday said there was no change in the stand of the Left parties on the India-United States nuclear deal, and that differences remained between the United Progressive Alliance and the Left parties on the issue. Referring to United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhis statement in New York on Tuesday that some time a great deal is made in [the] public domain of the opinion expressed by our friends, who support our coalition, but this should not alarm you, CPI national secretary D. Raja said she was candid enough to admit the differences. But he said that she had preferred to remain silent as to how such differences should be resolved. Mr. Raja said the government should not take the next step to operationalise the deal, and it should be put on hold. Unless the UPA government puts the deal on hold, there will be no possibility of reconciliation with the Left parties. The recent statements of some Ministers, ahead of the scheduled meeting on October 5 of the 15-member UPA-Left committee on the nuclear deal, indicated that the government would go ahead with the nuclear deal, he said. If there are any India-specific negotiations at the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UPA-Left committee will be rendered meaningless. The committees findings should be considered by the government, Mr. Raja told The Hindu here. Copyright 2007, The Hindu. ***************************************************************** 3 The Hindu: Why no talk on pipeline now - V.P. Singh Wednesday, Oct 03, 2007 Staff Reporter NEW DELHI: The former Prime Minister, V.P. Singh, and Communist Party of India secretary D. Raja participated in a sit-in organised by the Jan Morcha near the Raj Ghat to protest against the Union Governments policies and the nuclear deal with the United States. Mr. Singh criticised the nuclear deal, saying that the government was buckling under U.S. pressure. The Hyde Act would be binding on the country after the deal was operationalised. While the government was earlier supporting the Iran pipeline project, now there was no talk on the issue. Mr. Singh also hit out at the government for importing wheat at higher prices than what was being paid to domestic farmers. He asked farmers to gherao godowns stocking imported commodities if the government did not agree to pay the desired minimum price for wheat procured from them. Mr. Raja pointed out that nuclear energy contributed merely 2.8 per cent of the total energy generated in the country. Energy generation could be increased through thermal and hydel projects also but no one was talking about these alternatives. Mahatma Gandhi had talked about self-reliance. Today, we should think about being self-reliant in energy generation also, Mr. Raja said. Copyright 2007, The Hindu. ***************************************************************** 4 Arizona Daily Star: Feds conducting two-week inspection of Palo Verde | www.azstarnet.com ® Associated Press Tucson, Arizona | Published: 10.02.2007 PHOENIX -- Federal regulators are inspecting the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station 50 miles west of Phoenix to assess performance problems. A 20-member team from the Nuclear Regulatory Committee began a two-week inspection Monday. An NRC news release says the team includes physicists, reactor inspectors and other specialists. The team will return to the plant for a third week of inspections on Oct. 29, write a report and make it available to the public later this year. Palo Verde, the nation's largest nuclear power plant complex, has been on the regulatory hot seat since 2004. ***************************************************************** 5 Economic Times: IAEA chief's India visit to keep the nuke pot boiling- Updated: 3 Oct, 2007, 0439 hrs IST | Powered by Indiatimes MUMBAI: It’s a visit which is going to be tracked to its minutest detail. And going by its sheer timing, it certainly couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Manmohan Singh government. As the Left’s clamour on Indo-US nuclear deal gets shriller by the day, all eyes — and ears too — will firmly be on every move and groove that International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director general Mohammed Elbaradei makes during his 3-day-long India visit starting from October 8. The IAEA chief is scheduled to arrive in Delhi on October 8 and will meet the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) officials, including its chief Anil Kakodkar, the next day. He would also call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other political dignitaries in the capital on October 10, government sources said. Mr Elbaradei is coming to India on an invitation from Mr Singh. Incidentally, this is IAEA chief’s second visit to India in the past two years. “His visit may coincide with another round of the UPA-Left committee meet to discuss contentious issues on the Indo-US nuclear deal,” a top functionary of the UPA government said. Though his meetings with Mr Singh and Mr Kakodkar are very much on, it’s unclear whether he will make it to Tarapur atomic power plant near Mumbai. As per the earlier plan, he was expected to visit the site of one of the first atomic reactors, but the prevailing political atmosphere in the country may just prevent the host from taking Mr Elbaradei to Tarapur. There is also an element of uncertainty as regards the agenda of his meetings. At present, no one is willing to stick their neck out on whether the issue of India-specific safeguards will be discussed with Mr Elbaradei or not. As per the nuclear understanding between the US and India, the latter has to negotiate its specific safeguards agreement with the nuclear watchdog and later get a waiver for international nuclear trade from the 45-member nuclear suppliers group (NSG) to operationalise the atomic deal. Earlier, during the 51st general conference last month in Vienna, Mr Kakodkar, too, avoided discussing India-specific safeguards with Mr Elbaradei. that would have taken the Indo-US deal a step closer to its operationalisation. However, due to severe opposition from the Left, Mr Kakodkar could not hold any formal talks. “Both of them will be meeting again on Indian soil, but uncertainty continues to shroud what the two will talk on,” an official said. As has been reported, India’s top nuclear scientist had hosted a lunch for Mr Elbaradei and some other prominent figures on the sidelines of the 51st general conference of the UN nuclear watchdog in Vienna. Mr Kakodkar in an one-on-one meet with the IAEA chief discussed the indigenous civilian nuclear programme, but there was no reference to Indo-US nuclear pact. “We talked about India’s partnership in several programmes of the IAEA, especially on the Innovative Nuclear Cycle Programme which has immense potential to lead to a global enhancement in the availability of safe and economical nuclear energy,” Mr Kakodkar had told reporters last month. Given the current political atmosphere in the country, nothing much can be expected from Mr Elbaradei’s visit, another official said. Copyright 2007 Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 6 NRC: NRC Assigns New Senior Resident Inspector to Surry Nuclear Power Plant News Release - Region II - 2007-048 - U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs, Region II 61 Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta, GA 30303 www.nrc.gov CONTACT: Ken Clark (404) 562-4416 Roger D. Hannah (404) 562-4417 E-mail: opa2@nrc.gov The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Region II Office in Atlanta has assigned Christopher R. Welch as the new senior resident inspector at the Surry nuclear power plant in Surry, Va. The Surry plant, which has two nuclear reactors, is operated by Dominion. “Mr. Welch has extensive technical and regulatory experience, and has demonstrated his dedication to safety in carrying out the NRC’s mission to protect people and the environment," said NRC Region II Administrator William D. Travers. “He and all our resident inspectors are our eyes and ears on site.” Most recently, Welch was the NRC’s resident inspector at the Pilgrim nuclear power plant in Plymouth, Mass. Prior to that, he was a resident inspector at the Ginna nuclear plant near Rochester, N.Y. In 1997, Welch joined the NRC’s Region I office in 1997 as a reactor engineer. Prior to joining the NRC, he worked as an assistant chief test engineer at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, N.H. Welch earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marine engineering from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Each U.S. commercial nuclear plant has at least two NRC resident inspectors. They are assigned to each facility, conducting inspections, monitoring major work projects and interacting with plant workers and the public. NRC news releases are available through a free listserv subscription at the following Web address: http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html. The NRC Home Page at www.nrc.gov also offers a Subscribe to News link in the News & Information menu. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted to NRC's Web Site. Tuesday, October 02, 2007 ***************************************************************** 7 SF Chron: On U.S. Energy Policy / Nuclear power is not today's solution for global warming Article:On U.S. Energy Policy / Nuclear power is not today's so:/c/a/2007/10/01/EDBJSHS4A.DTL Jon Block Tuesday, October 2, 2007 For the past year, former Environmental Protection Agency head Christy Todd Whitman has been working as a paid spokesperson for the nuclear power industry. As part of the industry's multimillion-dollar public-relations campaign to promote new nuclear plant construction, she recently wrote an Open Forum piece for this paper touting nuclear power as a key solution for global warming. Whitman's prescription for our nation's energy future is misguided. Her glowing description of nuclear power's benefits ignores serious issues of nuclear plant safety, security against sabotage and terrorist attack and waste disposal. To effectively address global warming, we need to deploy solutions that achieve the largest emissions reductions with the least cost and risk. Nuclear power today does not meet these criteria. Nuclear power plants are not as safe as they should - and could - be. While the United States has strong safety regulations, they are not consistently enforced by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the federal oversight agency. In 2002, for example, after several deferred inspections, operators of the Davis-Besse reactor near Toledo, Ohio, discovered that boric acid had eaten a football-size hole in the reactor vessel. If it had gone undetected for another several months, it could have caused a worse accident than the 1979 core meltdown at Three Mile Island. Unfortunately, this was not an isolated incident. Regulatory complacency for the past three decades permitted the deterioration of U.S. reactor safety systems to reach the point where, on 38 occasions, it took more than a year to restore requisite safety levels. This lack of meaningful nuclear industry oversight is potentially life-threatening. A major accident could kill thousands of people and contaminate large regions for thousands of years. Congress needs to ensure that the NRC enforces its own regulations before additional nuclear power plants are built. Whitman would do well to acknowledge this need and call for improved oversight, because a nuclear accident would derail any increase in nuclear power capacity. Nuclear plants also pose serious security risks. Nuclear plants store highly radioactive waste in fuel pools and above-ground canisters. Both are potential terrorist targets. A large aircraft flown into a fuel pool could cause a fire that would release sufficient radioactivity to contaminate tens of thousands of square miles. Above-ground canisters could be hit with grenade launchers, which are readily available. On-site storage needs to be made more secure. The waste is accumulating at U.S. reactor sites because there is no permanent underground repository for it. Highly radioactive waste must be isolated for at least tens of thousands of years, if not longer. The U.S. government already has spent billions of dollars studying the suitability of a site at Yucca Mountain, Nev. However, technical questions remain unanswered, and the facility may never be licensed. Historically, nuclear power has been plagued by cost overruns, making it a financial risk. The first round of U.S. nuclear reactor construction from 1966 to 1977 experienced 200 percent to 380 percent cost overruns. Problems included difficulties with concrete pours and welding, increased capital costs and evolving designs during construction. Today, similar issues are dogging new reactor construction in Finland, Taiwan and China. Wall Street was rightly worried about the industry's sorry track record when it pulled the plug on nuclear investments decades ago. Investors are still reluctant to back the industry's self-proclaimed renaissance, even with the subsidies in the 2005 federal energy bill for six new reactors. So now the industry is looking for federal loan guarantees to sweeten the pot. Provisions tucked into both the Senate and House versions of the new energy bill would require taxpayers to bail out nuclear plant loan defaults that could amount to as much as $50 billion in the short term. The most sensible strategy to reduce global warming is to quickly deploy the cleanest, fastest, lowest risk solutions first. Conservation and increased efficiency by energy producers and consumers are the cheapest and quickest measures by far. Likewise, a wide range of renewable energy resources, including wind, solar, geothermal and tidal power, have enormous potential and are inherently safe-and they would encourage economic development. Prudence dictates that we pursue many options to reduce global warming. As a part of that effort, nuclear power research should continue, but with a focus on enhancing safety security and waste disposal. Jon Block is the nuclear energy and climate change project manager at the Union of Concerned Scientists. This article appeared on page B - 7 of the SanFranciscoChronicle ***************************************************************** 8 Free Press: Fermi 2 shuts down for maintenance work FREEP.COM October 2, 2007 BY ALEJANDRO BODIPO-MEMBA FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER DTE Energys Fermi 2 nuclear power plant has been temporarily shut down for routine refueling and maintenance. Michigans largest power company said the facility, in Monroe County, is expected to be offline for a little more than a month. The regular refueling and maintenance outage typically takes place every 18 months, said Lorie Kessler, a spokeswoman for the Detroit-based parent company of Detroit Edison and Michigan Consolidated Gas Co. They will replace about a quarter of the plants fuel and perform about 2,300 individual tests. Fermi 2 recently set a record for continuous power generation with 425 consecutive days. While the power plant is down for maintenance, the regular workforce of about 900 workers will be supplemented by an additional 1,400 people for the refueling and testing. DTEs other power plants around the state will help meet customers' power needs. Detroit Edison has about 1.8 million electric customers in southeast Michigan and MichCon has about 1.2 million natural gas clients. Contact ALEJANDRO BODIPO-MEMBA at 313-222-5008 or abodipo@freepress.com . Copyright 2007 the Detroit Free Press. All rights reserved. Users ***************************************************************** 9 Rutland Herald: Vt. Yankee tries to limit NRC review October 02, 2007 By Susan Smallheer Herald Staff BRATTLEBORO Despite last month's dramatic collapse of a portion of one of its two cooling towers, Entergy Nuclear has repeated its claim that the cooling towers and their problems should not be part of the federal review on whether Vermont Yankee's operating license should be extended 20 years. In a brief letter and engineering report dated Thursday sent to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Entergy Nuclear said that because the cooling towers are not strictly considered "safety" equipment at the nuclear reactor, they are outside the scope of federal review and should continue to be so. The NRC had asked Entergy for additional information after the Aug. 21 collapse to justify the company's earlier claim that they were outside federal review, and had given Entergy 30 days to respond. NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan said Friday that the NRC would be studying the Entergy response and determine whether additional information was needed. The NRC had asked Entergy for any details of age-related degradation of the tower components, and the impacts of the collapse on the two safety-related cells of the affected cooling tower on the overall safety of the plant. The company has blamed the collapse on "iron salt attack" from iron-based hardware which "attacks" the lumber, which makes up the frame of the cells, and a "fungal attack" made worse by the moist environment, as well as the wetting and drying cycles inherent in the operation of the cooling towers. The towers don't operate in the cold weather months. While the cooling towers are not directly associated with the nuclear side of the plant, two of the 11 cells in the affected west cooling tower provide a backup emergency cooling system to the reactor. And below the towers are a giant reservoir of cooling water. The collapsed portion of the tower is immediately adjacent to those two safety cells. But despite the problems, Entergy maintained in Thursday's response to the NRC that the cooling towers should not be included in the NRC license renewal. "A conclusion and basis as to whether the scoping results documented in the (license renewal amendment), which initially determined that 9 of the 11 cooling tower cells were not within the scope of license renewal, are still valid," the company wrote. The claim by Entergy that the cooling towers would not be reviewed by the license renewal review, which until the Aug. 21 collapse was not challenged by the NRC, has caught the attention of the state's congressional delegation. They wrote to Wayne Leonard, the chairman and chief executive officer of the New Orleans-based Entergy, the parent company of Entergy Nuclear, a week ago, asking for additional information about the cooling towers and their inspection history. "The lack of oversight certainly raises questions about the adequacy of NRC's reactor oversight process," they wrote. "We continue to have many questions regarding the events leading up the cooling tower collapse on Aug. 21 and the Aug. 30 shutdown." The delegation had earlier written a similar letter to the NRC, seeking information about its role in the problems. The reactor was forced into an immediate shut down a week after the cooling tower collapse because of a problem with a large, motor-operated valve on a steam line which hadn't been lubricated properly. The plant, which had been at 50 percent power at the time, shut down for about two days. Entergy Nuclear had filed for a 20-year license extension for Vermont Yankee in January 2006, and originally had expected a decision by this fall. But that schedule has already been pushed back because of additional information requested by the NRC. Entergy Nuclear spokesman Robert Williams said Friday he was unaware whether the company had filed its response to the NRC, but he noted that the plant was back up to 100 percent power. It took the plant about a month to make the necessary temporary repairs to the damaged cooling tower before it could resume full energy production. Entergy has maintained ever since the cooling tower collapse that there were no nuclear safety issues involved, since the towers themselves are not involved in the nuclear side of the plant, or even with the generation of power. Because of that, the company maintains that the cooling towers are outside federal review. The towers are used by the plant to cool the reactor's cooling water during the late spring, summer and early fall. Under a state environmental discharge permit, the plant is allowed to discharge water close to 100 degrees back into the Connecticut River after being cooled in the towers. Entergy's permit to do so is being challenged by several environmental groups. Entergy wanted to increase its thermal discharge so it didn't have to use the cooling towers as much, saving energy and money. The cooling towers operate because of environmental and aesthetic concerns, not because of nuclear issues, both Entergy and the NRC have said in the past. The state doesn't want the Connecticut River to warm to the point that it is affecting the fish and other life in the river. And the Vermont Public Service Board forced the company to install heftier fans in the past two years, to dispel more of the giant clouds of steam that can erupt from the towers on a summer day. Contact Susan Smallheer at susan.smallheer@rutlandherald.com. 2007 Rutland Herald ***************************************************************** 10 Rutland Herald: Former Gov. supports Yankee license October 02, 2007 By Louis Porter Vermont Press Bureau MONTPELIER "Unaccustomed as I am to public discourse," former Gov. Thomas Salmon began. The man who once ran Vermont's state government, who was since been on the boards leading electrical utilities for a quarter-century, was joking about public speaking, but he is as familiar with the peculiarly Vermont intersection of politics and voltage as anyone in the state. Everyone knows the problem, Salmon said. The contracts for supply of two-thirds of Vermont's electricity a third from each of Vermont Yankee nuclear plant and Hydro-Quebec expire in the next decade or so. There will still be electricity to buy, of course, but the spot market price now is between twice and three times the cost of the electricity supplied under those long-term contracts. The answer, said Salmon, a Democrat who was on the board of Green Mountain Power and the Vermont Electric Power Co. after leaving office, is for the state to push for the relicensing of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant and work towards a new long-term contract with Hydro-Quebec, Salmon said. "We have got this supply gap and we need to do something about it," Salmon said. While renewable power supplies like wind and solar and conservation measures are important, they will not make up for the loss of the bulk of the state's power supply, he said. In part that is because they are not always-on, "base load" power supplies and in part because of other problems like residents' objections to wind towers, Salmon told the Montpelier Rotary Club. Wind power is "fraught with perils," he said. "It is not an easy solution." "We have got to do all we can in our power to enhance conservation," Salmon said. "We are not going to get 600 megawatts from conservation." James Moore, an energy advocate with the renewable energy advocacy Vermont Public Interest Research Group, disagreed with Salmon's assessment of the need for Vermont Yankee. "A number of studies have recently shown that Vermont's economic future would be stronger without reliance on Vermont Yankee," Moore said. "The Vermont Council on Rural Development recently outlined how relying on in-state renewable resources will generate more than enough electricity as well as 6,000 Vermont-based jobs. Then we are not relying on an aging, dirty facility." However the closure of Vermont Yankee when its current operating license expires "would not serve the long-term interests of the people of Vermont," Salmon said. The state should "put a strong shoulder behind the renewal of Vermont Yankee." And the state should seek a new contract with Hydro-Quebec, which operates a massive series of dams in Canada. "That involves, principally, our governor," said Salmon, now 75. It is not the first time electric power supply has been a major issue for the state. Salmon recalled when then-Gov. Phil Hoff tried to bring large amounts of Canadian electricity to the state, an attempt which failed by the narrowest of margins in the Statehouse and led to the construction of Vermont Yankee. Eventually Gov. Richard Snelling negotiated the first contracts with Hydro-Quebec years later. And it is probably not the last political battle over energy the state will see. "The road to a good reliable electric energy future is strewn with thorns," Salmon concluded. The former governor also praised the Vermont Department of Public Service for beginning a series of five public workshops to talk about the state's economic future. The series of hearings are part of the "public engagement process" to steer the state's energy planning, established by the department and the Legislature. The hearings will be held on Oct. 3 at St. Johnsbury Elementary School, Oct. 17 at South Burlington High School, Oct. 18 at Montpelier Elks Club, Oct. 29 at the Dean Technical Center in Springfield and on Oct. 30 at the Rutland Intermediate School. Contact Louis Porter at louis.porter@rutlandherald.com 2007 Rutland Herald ***************************************************************** 11 NRC: NRC Sets Public Meeting with Exelon on Oct. 9 to Discuss Results of Inspection into Security Issues at Peach Bottom News Release - Region I - 2007-051 - U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs, Region I 475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406 www.nrc.gov CONTACT: Diane Screnci (610) 337-5330 Neil A. Sheehan (610) 337-5331 E-mail: opa1@nrc.gov The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will discuss the results of an inspection conducted to review security issues at Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station in Delta, Pa. The plant is operated by Exelon. The meeting, which will be between NRC staff and Exelon, is scheduled to be held Oct. 9, at 6:30 p.m. at the Peach Bottom Inn, 6085 Delta Road, in Delta, Pa. It will be open to the public for observation and there will be an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions to NRC staff members before the session is adjourned. On Sept. 20, the NRC announced that it was sending an Augmented Inspection Team (AIT) to the plant. The team was made up of staff from both Region I in King of Prussia, Pa., and NRC Headquarters in Rockville, Md. It was tasked with looking into information that security officers may have been inattentive while on duty at Peach Bottom. NRC news releases are available through a free listserv subscription at the following Web address: http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html. The NRC Home Page at www.nrc.gov also offers a Subscribe to News link in the News & Information menu. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted to NRC's Web Site. October 02, 2007 ***************************************************************** 12 Foster's Online: Nuclear power may be making a comeback Dover, New Hampshire Monday, October 1, 2007 Our latest editorials @Editorial body:The first nuclear reactor permit in the United States in nearly 30 years? A plan by NRG Energy Inc. would have the first nuclear reactor in operation at its facility in Bay City, Texas, before the end of the decade. It's the first license submission to be processed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission since the accident at Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island In 1979. NRG is asking for permits for two additional reactors. Its application combines construction and operation. The Three Mile Island incident fueled a successful campaign by opponents of nuclear power to end the permitting of nuclear-powered generating plants as an alternative to fossil fuel. There were widespread protests against nuclear power through the 1970s and 1980s, most notably in opposition to the nuclear plant in Seabrook. Seabrook 1 finally went on line in 1990, but plans for a second reactor at the Seabrook site were scrapped for economic and political reasons. Delays and associated costs forced New Hampshire's largest utility to file for bankruptcy protections and it was later absorbed by Northeast Utilities, a Connecticut utility with holdings elsewhere in New England. The Seabrook Plant is now owned by Florida Power & Light. The Seabrook facility has been operated without major difficulties for 17 years, providing safe, reliable energy for ratepayers in New Hampshire and throughout this corner of the Northeast. The Seabrook Plant has been an important link in the energy chain of the Northeast. The demand for reliable energy sources continues to rise. Oil prices have topped $80 a barrel and Americans are more aware then ever of the squeeze they're suffering at the hands of producers and distributors. In addition, they are more knowledgeable than ever of the need to relieve the environment of the increasing pollution from the carbon residue of fossil fuels. When it comes to energy, the future is now. America and the rest of the industrialized world can no longer rely on oil, gas and coal as their primary energy sources. While a lot of lip service has been given to conservation over the past few decades, Americans have shown little interest beyond seeking appliances and equipment that are more energy efficient. There are other alternative energy sources. Greater attention is being given to the use of wind in driving electricity-producing generators. Solar power is still a consideration for the future but not the immediate future. The idea of using coal remains worrisome in terms of the environment. Nuclear power is a proven source of generating large amounts of energy. And it has been proven to be safe and reliable. Utility companies throughout the country see in additional nuclear reactors and plants an opportunity to affordably meet the country's demand for electricity. The Energy Information Administration forecasts the demand will grow 42 percent by 2030 not way out there somewhere, but in less than 25 years. The United States is far behind the curve in the production of electricity with nuclear power. The countries of western Europe and other developed nations have understood the realities of carefully regulated nuclear plants for decades. NRG Energy is not alone in wanting to get the nation back on track in terms of nuclear power. Constellation Energy Group has filed a partial application with the NRC, which expects up to six more requests for permits this year. It is time to take another look at nuclear power through clearer glasses than were worn in the '70s and '80s. It is time to look at nuclear power and the entire energy situation in the United States through the lenses of reality. 2007 Geo. J. Foster Company ***************************************************************** 13 Brattleboro Reformer: Entergy says collapsed tower not safety related BRATTLEBORO, VT By BOB AUDETTE, Reformer Staff Tuesday, October 2 BRATTLEBORO -- In a letter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the owner of Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant once again affirmed its contention that only two of the cooling towers used to regulate the temperature of water flowing through the plant are safety related. At the same time, wrote Ted Sullivan, site vice president at Vermont Yankee for Entergy, remote camera inspections of the cooling cells are not adequate. "Enhancement (of procedures) will entail inspections that are more involved than remote visual surface inspections," wrote Sullivan in a Sept. 27 letter to the NRC. The letter was in response to questions from the NRC, one of which asked why the cooling towers were not included in materials presented to the agency in the license extension application for the 35-year-old plant. Entergy, which owns and operates Yankee, has asked the NRC to allow it to extend the plant's operating license from 2012 to 2032. It recently received approval to increase power output by 20 percent. On Aug. 21, one of the plant's 22 cooling cells collapsed, forcing the plant to reduce power output by half. Three weeks later, with the cell repaired, the plant was back up to 100 percent. On Sept. 13, during a meeting with state officials, Entergy representatives admitted the plant's inspection procedures for the cooling towers needed to be updated. Entergy did not include the nine of the 11 cells in the west bank of cooling towers in its license renewal application because they are not considered safety related, wrote Sullivan. The first and second cells in the west bank are built to withstand natural disasters such as earthquakes. They are strengthened to keep operating even if the cooling fans in the other cells stop running. "They are constructed from high quality timber and use stainless steel hardware for all bolted connections," according to the Sept. 27 letter. Those cells receive a hardier inspection than the other cells in the bank and because a failure of the other cells -- which are part of the plant's alternate cooling system -- would not compromise safety, they were not required to be included in the license application materials, wrote Sullivan. Though the failure of cooling cell four "does not indicate a need to change the aging management programs for the circulating water piping," wrote Sullivan in his letter, "the license renewal application identifies a need for enhancing the structures monitoring program to add guidance for performing examinations of the wood cooling tower elements as appropriate to identify a loss of material, cracking or change in material properties." The change in inspection procedures will help insure "aging effects are identified and corrected prior to a loss of intended function." The NRC also wanted to know what affect a cooling tower collapse would have on the 1.45-million-gallon water basin that the west bank of cooling towers drain into. The velocity of water in the system is too low to cause debris to clog up the water flowing in the basin, wrote Sullivan. Entergy said the major reason for the collapse was inadequate inspection procedures that were recommended by the maker of the cooling fans. Bolts that were used to hold supporting timbers together rusted, creating a salt that rotted out the wood, were not found during inspections, though plant technicians were in the ongoing process of replacing carbon steel bolts with ones made of stainless steel. A fungus was also partially responsible for the wood degradation, said company representatives during the Sept. 13 meeting with the state. Bob Audette can be reached at raudette@reformer.com or 802-254-2311, ext. 273. ***************************************************************** 14 York Dispatch: NRC to release findings of Peach Bottom security check The York Dispatch Article Last Updated: 10/02/2007 10:47:57 AM EDT The public is invited to hear the findings of a weeklong inspection that was conducted after a video of guards sleeping at the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station was shown on a New York television station. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, at the Peach Bottom Inn, 6085 Delta Road in Delta, said NRC spokeswoman Diane Screnci. Members of an NRC investigative team spent a week -- from Sept. 19-30 -- at the plant and will present their findings to Exelon Corp., which owns the plant, she said. The public can observe that portion of the meeting and ask questions, Screnci said. A written report of the team's findings must be released by the end of next month, 30 days from the time the team left the plant, Screnci said. Investigators were at the plant looking to determine if guards had been sleeping and "the full scope of the issue." They wanted to make sure that security was effective at the site, she said. And though Screnci could not talk about the team's findings, she could say that NRC officials believe that the site is secure, she said. But Exelon could be issued fines if there was a violation of NRC requirements, she said. She would not say whether sleeping guards (as showed in the video) would be a violation of NRC requirements, she said. Guards fired: Exelon Corp. announced last week it will end its contract with Wackenhut Corp., the company that provided security at the power plant. The video footage, taken two to six months ago, showed the Wackenhut guards napping while sitting on chairs in a "ready room," which is used as a break room. Guards are allowed to read, study, eat or relax in the room but are required to remain alert and ready to respond throughout their shifts, company officials said. Exelon is in the process of switching to an in-house security staff, Exelon Generation Chief Operating Officer Chris Crane said. Exelon is the country's biggest producer of nuclear energy. It also owns Three Mile Island, which is just down-river from Middletown in Dauphin County. -- Reach Christina Kauff man at 505-5436 or ckauf fman@yorkdispatch.com. 2005-2007 Copyright The York Dispatch ***************************************************************** 15 WNN: EU must face nuclear energy question, says EC president NUCLEAR POLICIES 02 October 2007 European Union (EU) member states cannot avoid the question of nuclear energy, according to European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso. Meanwhile, environment ministers from some European countries have re-emphasized their opposition to nuclear. Speaking at "European Energy Challenges", a meeting of the main leaders of the European energy sector held in Madrid, Barroso called for a "total and frank debate" amongst EU member states on nuclear energy. Another speaker, EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes, said that she was personally "completely in favour of nuclear power", according to press reports. Energy executives at the Madrid conference were keen to urge EU governments to address public attitudes to nuclear. "Nuclear's not the devil any more. The devil is coal," Areva CEO Anne Lauvergeon told the conference. However, Wulf Bernotat, CEO of Germany's E.On, described nuclear as "almost a religious issue" in his country, which obtains nearly a third of its electricity from nuclear power plants but currently has a policy to phase out nuclear. "Public opinion has to be changed before it can enjoy any revival," Bernotat said. Separately, environment ministers from Austria, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia and Norway, supported by Luxembourg and Iceland, held their own meeting in Vienna "to enhance cooperation and contribute further to the discussions on the role of nuclear power in the climate change and energy efficiency debates." In a statement released by the German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety after the meeting, the ministers claimed that nuclear energy has associated "inherent safety, environmental and proliferation risks". In their view, they said, nuclear power is not compatible with the concept of sustainable development and they are convinced that it "does not provide a viable option to combat climate change", and that measures such as energy saving and efficiency plus a switch to renewable energy and concerted efforts to reduce deforestation would be a more sustainable path to meet climate and energy challenges. The European Commission recently launched a new nuclear energy research forum to bring together European researchers and industry to allow a fully integrated approach to nuclear research in Europe. It remains the sovereign right of each EU country to decide its own energy mix. Further information European Commission German's Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety WNN: European Commission launches nuclear research forum ***************************************************************** 16 Business Week: Brussels Makes the Case for Nuclear Europe October 2, 2007, 1:42PM EST by Elitsa Vucheva The European commission has called on EU states to consider greater use of nuclear energy in order to avoid increasing dependence on oil and gas imports and to improve the bloc's energy security. "Member states cannot avoid the question of nuclear energy. There needs to be a total and frank debate regarding this problem", commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said at a high-level conference on energy in Madrid. In addition, competition commissioner Neelie Kroes, who also took part in the conference, said she was personally "completely in favour of nuclear power". The use of nuclear energy has not been popular in Europe since the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 and the public opinion on the issue remains rather sceptical. The bloc's growing energy needs, however, as well as its increasing dependence on imports, notably from Russia, have prompted the EU to look towards other energy sources. Among the EU states, France is one of those where nuclear energy is most developed -- it gets over 75 percent of its electricity from it. French president Nicolas Sarkozy recently called on neighbouring Germany to follow its example, but, despite discussion, Berlin has not changed its decision to shut all its nuclear plants by 2020 This difference in positions was also reflected at the Madrid conference on Monday (1 October). The industry's representatives from the French side largely backed the call for greater nuclear energy use. "I am convinced that nuclear power is the response to European challenges", said Pierre Gadonneix, president of French electricity giant EDF which operates 58 of the nuclear power plants in France. "Everybody knows that some day we will have to tackle nuclear issue, when we discuss it in private settings, everybody agrees", he added according to AFP. But the president of German company E.ON, Wulf Bernotat, was less enthusiastic. Nuclear power is a "very religious issue in Germany", he said, adding that "public opinion has to be changed before one can consider nuclear again as a revival in the energy mix". It is generally up to member states to decide their energy sources and the commission -- notably president Barroso, had mostly refrained from intervening in this sphere so far. Provided by EUobserverFor the latest EU related news Copyright 2000-2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. All rights ***************************************************************** 17 The Advocate: Nuclear plant installs backup switches to answer concerns Associated Press Published October 2 2007 WATERFORD, Conn. -- The owner of the Millstone nuclear power complex in Waterford has installed remote backup switches that will allow operators to shut down one of the three reactors in an emergency. The switches answer concerns from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which had given energy producer Dominion a Thursday deadline to install the devices at the Unit 3 reactor. Commission spokesman Neil Sheehan says Unit 3 had shutdown switches in its control room, but if they could not be reached because of a fire or other emergency, it would be difficult to shut the reactor down and stop the fission process. Dominion spokesman Pete Hyde says the devices have now been installed. Copyright 2007, The Associated Press 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. ***************************************************************** 18 Reuters: Chubu says Hitachi to bear turbine repair costs Tue 2 Oct 2007 | 22:59 EDT TOKYO, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Japan's Chubu Electric Power Co. (9502.T: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Tuesday that Hitachi Ltd (6501.T: Quote, Profile, Research) would bear all the costs for repairing a Hitachi-made nuclear turbine at its No. 5 Hamaoka plant in western Japan. Chubu, which said last year that it had asked Hitachi to discuss damages related to problems in Hitachi-designed turbines, was not available to comment on the exact costs involved. Reuters2007All rights reserved ***************************************************************** 19 Knoxville News Sentinel: TVA tower gets occupants East building to house contractors who will complete Watts Bar 2 By Andrew Eder (Contact) Tuesday, October 2, 2007 TVA plans to move 200 to 300 contractors into its 247,000- square-foot East Tower, on Summit Hill Drive in downtown Knoxville. Hundreds of skilled contract workers will move into TVA’s largely vacant East Tower this year, making the downtown building the engineering nerve center for a nuclear construction project in nearby Spring City. TVA spokesman John Moulton said 200 to 300 contractors will move into at least one floor of the 12-story tower by the end of the year. The work force will do engineering for Unit 2 at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, a never-finished reactor unit for which construction is expected to last five years, cost $2.49 billion and employ as many as 2,600 workers. Moulton said TVA, which plans to award about $1 billion worth of contracts for engineering, construction and procurement work at the plant, is still reviewing proposals from Bechtel Corp. and The Shaw Group Inc. But the two contenders for lead contractor on the project are already gearing up to hire dozens of skilled workers in the area. Bechtel, the largest engineering company in the United States, has 27 listings on its Web site for positions in Knoxville, all for engineers except for one human resources position. Bechtel also lists 20 positions in Spring City, most in the fields of engineering, project controls and quality assurance. The listings do not mention Watts Bar by name but say that the positions are for work on a nuclear power plant in the area. The company declined to comment on the listings. “We always, as a matter of policy, defer to customers on project announcements, win or lose,” said Jonathan Marshall, a Bechtel spokesman in the company’s San Francisco headquarters. Bechtel was the lead contractor on a $20 million cost and scheduling study that TVA relied on in its decision to finish the Rhea County plant. The Shaw Group, an engineering firm based in Louisiana, lists on its Web site 11 openings in Knoxville for engineers and environmental scientists. Shaw also lists two positions in Spring City. One of those listings, posted Monday, is for a subcontract manager who “will provide ‘cradle-to-grave’ contract management support services to Shaw Stone & Webster-Nuclear Construction.” The listing says the manager will be stationed at the Watts Bar project site. A Shaw spokesman did not respond to a request for comment Monday. Another TVA nuclear contractor, Washington Group International Inc., lists 22 engineering openings in Knoxville on its Web site. Several of the postings for piping engineers list as a requirement three years of experience in the design of Watts Bar Unit 1, the plant’s operating reactor unit that was finished in 1996, 23 years after construction began. TVA itself is advertising for engineers, although the federal utility plans to rely largely on contractors for Watts Bar Unit 2 work. Moulton said TVA intends to hire 25 system engineers for pre-operational testing at Unit 2 and will need to hire additional operators at Watts Bar Unit 1 because of attrition. The nuclear industry is in hiring mode as its work force ages and utilities plan to file as many as 29 applications for new reactors in the next three years. Utility officials and federal regulators say finding qualified workers to staff all the projects will be a major challenge in coming years. The 247,000-square-foot East Tower, on Summit Hill Drive near Gay Street, has sat largely vacant since TVA finished moving most employees to the adjacent West Tower in mid-2006. Only about 100 workers with TVA’s Office of the Inspector General remain in the building. Moulton did not know how long the contractors would remain in the East Tower or whether the work force would grow beyond the current hiring target. TVA has tried unsuccessfully to sell or lease the 31-year-old building since 2003. Moulton said TVA would provide the East Tower office space as part of the contracts for Watts Bar Unit 2 work. “The fact that we have the space available will save us money, of course,” Moulton said. TVA currently employs about 1,100 workers in downtown Knoxville. At the height of TVA’s nuclear construction in the 1980s, the agency had about 2,500 employees in both towers, Moulton said. Business writer Andrew Eder may be reached at 865-342-6318. 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co. ***************************************************************** 20 NRC: NRC Proposes Improvements to Reactor Vessel Requirements News Release - 2007-125 - U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200 Washington, DC 20555-0001 E-mail: opa@nrc.gov www.nrc.gov The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is proposing improvements to its rules regarding how pressurized water reactors (PWR) account for some effects of aging on their reactor vessels. The proposal would increase the realism of calculations used to examine a PWR's susceptibility to a phenomenon known as pressurized thermal shock (PTS). PTS can occur under some scenarios that rapidly cool the reactor vessel while the vessel is pressurized. This would subject the steel to large thermal stresses, which could lead to cracking and even failure of the vessel. The other type of U.S. nuclear power plants, boiling water reactors, is not susceptible to PTS. The proposed rule would allow PWR operators to voluntarily adopt a more realistic technical approach for determining the probability of vessel failure during a PTS event. This revised approach was derived using data from research on three currently operating PWRs that indicate the overall risk of PTS-induced vessel failure after 60 years of reactor operation is much lower than previously estimated. The proposed rule would also require PWR operators to perform detailed analyses on the results of regular reactor vessel inspections. The proposed rule will be available on the NRC's Web site by entering ML070570283 at this address: http://adamswebsearch.nrc.gov/dologin.htm. Public comments on the proposed rule should be submitted within 75 days of the rule's publication, expected shortly, in the Federal Register. Comments received after that point will be considered if it is practical to do so. The comments should be addressed to the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff. Comments may also be faxed to the Secretary at 301-415-1101 or by e-mail to SECY@nrc.gov. Comments may also be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov . Please include the number RIN 3150-AI01 in the subject line of the comments. For more information on the rule, contact NRC staff members George Tartal (telephone 301-415-0016, e-mail gmt1@nrc.gov) or Barry Elliot (telephone 301-415-2709, e-mail bje@nrc.gov NRC news releases are available through a free listserv subscription at the following Web address: http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html. The NRC Home Page at www.nrc.gov also offers a Subscribe to News link in the News & Information menu. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted to NRC's Web Site. Tuesday, October 02, 2007 ***************************************************************** 21 DutchNews.nl: Minister rules out new nuclear power plants Tuesday 02 October 2007 The government will not issue a licence for a new nuclear power plant during its current four year term, says environment minister Jacqueline Cramer in today’s Financieele Dagblad. At present, the Netherlands has one nuclear power station, Borssele, which is owned jointly by energy companies Essent and Delta. According to Cramer, nuclear power is ‘not an option’ for up to 40 years because of safety concerns, the problem of nuclear waste and the risk of terrorist attacks. Cramer also dismisses nuclear power as an interim solution for renewable energy, saying that such arguments distract from moving ahead with the development of sustainable forms of power production. Meanwhile a report by the government’s highest advisory body, the SER, out today says that nuclear power in its current form cannot be considered as a renewable source of energy although it can contribute to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. Nuclear power is also cheaper (3,1 and 8 euro-cents per kilowatt hour) than on-shore wind parks (between 4.1 and 8 euro-cents), the SER says. The SER says that Borssele (west) and Eemshaven in the north of the country are the most suitable locations for a second nuclear plant in the Netherlands. DutchNews.nl ***************************************************************** 22 Newsday.com: Nuclear plant installs backup switches to answer concerns -- October 2, 2007 WATERFORD, Conn. - The owner of the Millstone nuclear power complex in Waterford has installed remote backup switches that will allow operators to shut down one of the three reactors in an emergency. The switches answer concerns from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which had given energy producer Dominion a Thursday deadline to install the devices at the Unit 3 reactor. Commission spokesman Neil Sheehan says Unit 3 had shutdown switches in its control room, but if they could not be reached because of a fire or other emergency, it would be difficult to shut the reactor down and stop the fission process. Dominion spokesman Pete Hyde says the devices have now been installed. Copyright 2007, The Associated Press ***************************************************************** 23 Regina Leader Post: Nuclear energy plant not without emissions Published: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 I write in response to the Sept. 25 science column by Ed Willett. He wrote that the reactors at Ontario's Bruce Power nuclear-generating plant produce electricity that is emission-free. I worry that Willet has been confused by the nuclear industry's relentless public relations campaign designed to convince us that nuclear power is clean, green and the solution to global warming. I hope Willet is not forgetting about the fossil fuel used to mine, ship, refine and enrich the uranium that ultimately fuels the reactor. These reactors routinely emit radioactive gases. Furthermore, millions of tonnes of radioactive waste are piling up at the mines in our north and reactor waste accumulates daily. These poisons will remain deadly for generations to come. I share Willet's awe at the engineering and construction skills that produce our huge industrial edifices. But I despair in investing our brain, brawn and resources to grow mountains of deadly radioactive waste in order to boil water. Rather than wasting any more time and effort on nuclear, we should be focusing our best minds on renewable, low-emission, energy sources like wind and solar. That really would produce a modern engineering marvel. I enjoy Willet's writing. He enthusiastically explains complex issues in clear language. I extend a friendly challenge to Willett to take another look at his statement and produce a column that examines the issues raised by opponents of the mad dash to a radioactive future. David Weir Regina © The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007 ***************************************************************** 24 AFP: French-Japanese consortium to carry out US nuclear study - Tue Oct 2, 10:29 AM ET PARIS (AFP) - An international consortium led by French nuclear group Areva and Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has won a 5.6-million-dollar contract to carry out a feasibility study for a giant nuclear fuel recycling project in the United States, Areva said Tuesday. Areva "has signed a contract today with the US Department of Energy to study the development in the United States of a treatment plant for used nuclear fuel rods and the construction of an advanced generation reactor to recycle them." The consortium, called the International Nuclear Recycling Alliance, includes Areva, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Japan Nuclear Fuel, and US partners Washington Group International, BWX Technologies Inc and Battelle. The group will outline the technologies required for the project and formulate an economic model. Construction of the two plants is expected to cost more than 15 billion dollars (10.6 billion euros) according to press reports, and Areva and Mitsubishi have already made proposals. The US adopted a law in July 2005 that paves the way for the relaunch of nuclear power in order to improve the country's energy security. USDOE Photo: An international consortium led by French nuclear group Areva and Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has... Copyright 2007 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 25 NRC: Live NRC Meeting Webcast The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission broadcasts some Commission meetings over the Internet as a means of improving communications with the public. Upcoming webcasts are: Date Subject 10/03/07 Briefing on NRC's International Programs, Performance, and Plans (PUBLIC MEETING) (Contact: Karen Henderson, 301-415-0202) 2:00 P.M. * Slides 10/24/07 Periodic Briefing on New Reactor Issues - Part 1 (PUBLIC MEETING) (Contact: Roger Rihm, 301-415-7807) 9:30 A.M. 10/24/07 Periodic Briefing on New Reactor Issues - Part 2 (PUBLIC MEETING) (Contact: Roger Rihm, 301-415-7807) 1:30 P.M. The following resources will assist you in participating: * Public Meeting Schedule - provides a complete listing of agency meetings. Live meetings shown as [webcast] * Commission Meeting Schedule - lists all Commission meetings for a six week period. Live meetings shown as [webcast] * Slides - available in advance of the meeting * Transcripts - available within 48 hours of the conclusion of the live meeting * Meeting SRM - documentation of any Commission's decisions from the meeting To view a webcast you will need to download the RealOne plugin. You may also view previous webcasts at our Webcast Archive. Comments and Feedback To help us determine the value of continuing to provide this service, the NRC would appreciate your assistance by providing comments and feedback on the usefulness, performance, and frequency with which you might use this service or any other items related to this service. * Contact Us About Webcasts * Webcast Interest Survey Friday, September 28, 2007 ***************************************************************** 26 Arizona Republic: Feds review safety at Palo Verde October 2, 2007 Ryan Randazzo Twenty federal inspectors arrived at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station on Monday to review how the plant has addressed its performance problems, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said. A variety of specialists will review operations, including engineering quality, communications and the "safety culture" of the facility, after incidents at the Arizona Public Service Co. plant 50 miles west of downtown Phoenix that date to 2004. The NRC team will spend two weeks at the facility, then take two weeks to compile its data before returning for a third week in late October before writing a final report. Those findings will be made public in December. The NRC downgraded the facility to Category 4 in February, making it the most-regulated plant in the country. "The number and significance of previous equipment problems warrants increased NRC inspection," said Elmo Collins, a regional administrator for the agency. APS brought in a new executive in January to address the safety issues. "We've restructured the organization quite a bit," APS Chief Nuclear Officer Randy Edington said. "We've spent months evaluating and understanding the plant issues and gone back years looking at records." APS has been conducting its own investigation into the plant's problems, using 30 to 40 people, Edington said. Copyright 2007, azcentral.com. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 27 Arizona Republic: SRP rates will rise to cover costs October 2, 2007 Pricier fuel, plant outages to blame; hike begins Nov. 1 Ryan Randazzo Higher fuel prices and power-plant outages this summer will cost Salt River Project residential customers about $4 to $5 a month, the utility announced Monday. The purchased-power price increase, which begins Nov. 1, averages 4.7 percent across all SRP customer categories. Residential customers' hikes will be held at 4 percent, but many non-residential customers will pay more. SRP is applying the increase unevenly on the seasons to prevent a large summer hit when customers already are paying more for electricity, said Aidan McSheffrey, manager of corporate pricing for SRP. SRP said it will empty out its $30 million rate-stabilization fund to limit the rate increase but still will need to raise the prices. Without the move, the utility's power expenses would exceed power revenue by $100 million. Power purchases are a pass-though cost that don't contribute to the utility's profits. "It's one for one," McSheffrey said. The utility blamed the increase on higher natural-gas prices and unexpected summer outages at generating facilities that required costlier energy purchases. "We've been using gas (generated electricity) a little more in our production mix," McSheffrey said. In addition to a longer-than-expected refueling outage at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, the Navajo Generating Station near Page blinked on and off in June and July, he said. SRP operates that facility, which has multiple owners. Outages cause the utility to seek backup power on the open market that is more expensive than its own generation. The utility reviews purchased-power costs every six months to determine whether it needs to raise rates. "We continue working on ways to reduce fuel costs, and we believe the steps we've taken have been very effective and helped us to minimize this increase," Chief Financial Executive Mark Bonsall said. Reach the reporter at ryan.randazzo@arizonarepublic .com or (602) 444-4331. Copyright 2007, azcentral.com. All rights reserved. Users of this ***************************************************************** 28 ENS: Feds to Clean Vieques After Navy Use Since WW II Feds to Clean Navy Ordnance Off Vieques Island NEW YORK, New York Cleanup work on the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico is moving forward after more than 60 years of U.S. Navy use of the island and surrounding waters for amphibious training exercises, air-to-ground maneuvers and a waste explosives detonation range. The island is located about seven miles southeast of mainland Puerto Rico. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, last month signed a proposed federal facility inter-agency agreement with several agencies and jurisdictions for the cleanup, which will include removal of unexploded ordnance and remnants of exploded ordnance. "Work has been proceeding at the site, but reaching an agreement with all the parties involved is a significant milestone," said EPA Regional Administrator Alan Steinberg. "The federal government agencies and the commonwealth are on the same page on how we will move forward, and that will undoubtedly help in cleaning up this site to the benefit of all involved." Various areas of the island are contaminated with solid and hazardous waste resulting from decades of military activity including training exercises, equipment maintenance, supply storage and waste disposal. The agreement requires that the environmental impacts associated with past and present activities on Vieques be investigated and that the appropriate actions are taken in order to protect the surrounding community and the environment. The agreement will facilitate cooperation, exchange of information, and participation of all the parties involved. "The Department of the Navy is committed to completing the cleanup of Vieques Island to support its intended future uses," said Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Donald Schregardus. "Completion of this Federal Facility Agreement marks a major milestone in defining the process by which the Navy will work in partnership with EPA, the Department of the Interior, and the Commonwealth to achieve our common goals." President of the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board Carlos Lopez Freytes said, "The agreement represents an achievement for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico because it guarantees the involvement of the Environmental Quality Board, as co-regulators, on the decision-making process of the cleanup. Our agency is truly committed to having an active participation in order to ensure that the concerns of the community of Vieques are addressed, the local regulations are followed and the cleanup is fair and comprehensive." Unexploded ordnance and remnants of exploded ordnance, which contain hazardous substances, have been identified in the former range areas of the eastern portion of the Vieques site, as well as in the surrounding waters. Extensive work has been performed to assess the conditions at the Vieques site as a whole, and today's proposed agreement lays out the process for further investigation and cleanup. "We are proud to be part of this team of professionals cleaning up lands in Vieques and restoring the natural environment," said Sam Hamilton, Southeast regional director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "It is our responsibility to ensure that the refuge is cleared of contaminants and hazards that could pose a threat to wildlife, residents, staff or visitors," he said. "We will continue to work with the community and our fellow agencies in this monumental effort." The U.S. Navy began using Vieques, in conjunction with Roosevelt Roads Naval Station on mainland Puerto Rico, in the early years of World War II, as a base for Allied fleets. Land was acquired in the eastern and western portions of Vieques between 1941 and 1943, with further acquisitions occurring during the late 1940s. On the western portion of Vieques, the Navy operated an ammunition facility until 1948, when the facility ceased operations. It was reactivated in 1962 until its final closure in 2001. Later in that year, the Navy transferred 3,100 acres to the Department of Interior, 4,000 acres to the Municipality of Vieques, and 800 acres to the Puerto Rico Conservation Trust. The Navy also managed approximately 14,600 acres on the eastern portion of Vieques, which were used for amphibious training exercises and air-to-ground maneuvers. This portion of the island included a waste explosive detonation range, which was operated for many years in support of its training activities. Military training on the eastern section of Vieques ceased in 2003 when the Navy transferred that portion to the Department of the Interior. In February 2005, the Vieques Island site was placed on the EPA's Superfund List of the most hazardous waste sites in the country. For a copy of the proposed agreement, to send comments to EPA about the agreement, or for more information on Vieques, visit http://www.epa.gov/region02/vieques/ Public comments on the federal facility inter-agency agreement are welcome until November 13, 2007. Send comments to Daniel Rodrguez, Remedial Project Manager U.S. EPA Vieques Field Office, rodriguez.daniel@epa.gov Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2007. All rights reserved. Change is on the Horizon: Environmental Paper Revolution Has Begun Water & Salt Consulting: the Best in Earth Friendly Chemistry for the Janitorial and Building Trades American Clean Power, Inc, Receives Investment From Solon AG Office Depot Expands Environmental Vision by Joining U.S. Green Building Council Environmental Capital Partners Secures $100 Million to Finance Companies Promoting Environmental Sustainability Targus Expands Its EcoSmart Initiative Sustainability Webinar to be Hosted by The Food Institute and The Hartman Group Holistic Management Internationals November 1-4, 2007 International Gathering in Albuquerque Rainforest, Olympic Peninsula, Washington By Cynthia Hunter ***************************************************************** 29 QU Chronicle: Atomic bomb survivors tell their story - www.quchronicle.com Rhiannon Adams Issue date: 10/3/07 Section: Campus News This past Thursday night, Quinnipiac University had the pleasure of welcoming three distinguished men to campus. Two survivors of the American nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Hirotami Yamada and Kohta Kiya and the learned and honored worker for peace, Dr. Jonathan Granoff were present in Alumni Hall to tell their stories and let their opinions be known. "I'm going to tell you the story of the impact the atomic bombs had on the [Japanese] lives," Yamada said. The emotional Yamada told his personal account of the devastating effects of the attack including the deaths of nearly all of his immediate family members. "Some bodies were so torched and broken, you could not tell if they were male or female," Yamada said. "The sky was so red…we could not get to any medicine [in the city]," Kiya explained. But both men stressed the fact that the innocent lives taken immediately by the attack only made up a portion of those deaths caused by the atomic weaponry. "I want to emphasize the fact that people are still dying today," said Yamada referring to the 8,000 lives taken each year as a result of the radiation from the bombs. "I was four years old at the time of bombing, so I may be one of the last generations to give speeches from the bombing experience…we shall never ever have any more nuclear bombings and we shall eliminate nuclear weapons," Kiya said. So, what can this generation and the American people do to stop the development of nuclear weapons? Granoff stood at the podium to discuss his research on the impossibility of peace. The knowledgeable and well-spoken Granoff spoke of the necessity to halt the use of nuclear warfare. Granoff quoted his son in saying, "To kill thousands of innocent people, you must first dehumanize them…the world cannot offer to dehumanize any more people." He also articulated the importance for the current generation to be well-versed in the facts of this evident problem as well as in the issues of poverty and global protection. Granoff believes that the people of America have a "personal responsibility for know the issues." As the young adults destined to engage in the future of the country, he expressed that students should know the aims of those running for office and ask these questions: What are your plans for fighting poverty, what are your plans for protecting the global commons, what are your plans to eliminate nuclear weapons. Kiya sums up the purpose of the three visitors well. "Thinking of Hiroshima is to refuse nuclear warfare. Thinking of Hiroshima is to take a responsibility for peace." ***************************************************************** 30 San Bernardino County Sun: Plan to declare crisis delayed Perchlorate issue unsettled Jason Pesick, Staff Writer Article Launched: 10/01/2007 11:09:58 PM PDT A plan to declare a state of emergency in Rialto because of perchlorate contamination of the water supply keeps getting pushed back, and e-mails from state officials reflect some skepticism about the idea. The drinking water in Rialto is cleaned of perchlorate, an ingredient in explosives like rocket fuel and fireworks, before it is served to residents. The chemical can interfere with the thyroid gland, which is important for metabolism and mental development. The contamination is moving south from old industrial sites on Rialto's north end. Since Dan Dunmoyer, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's deputy chief of staff, raised the idea of declaring a state of emergency at an August meeting with Rialto officials, members of the council have said the idea would move forward quickly - within a matter of weeks. The city even requested $23 million from the state in a letter to Cindy Tuck, undersecretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency to better understand the contamination and stop it from moving even more. But no action has been taken. "We're trying to make sure that we do it right," said Councilwoman Winnie Hanson, who sits on the council's perchlorate subcommittee. Members of Rialto's City Council say they're just trying to get the details worked out, but state officials may have questions about the idea. In e-mails disclosed by the State Water Resources Control Board, Frank McCarton, chief deputy director of OES, seems to be skeptical that the contamination qualifies as an emergency. He points out that it is an "ongoing problem" and that there are other sites in California "with the same problem." In another e-mail, he writes that a state of emergency is "a situation of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of persons and property, and is it beyond the control of local government ... " "This is a tough hurdle for a chronic situation like groundwater contamination, unless something new is discovered or the situation changes abruptly." The state was supposed to prepare an analysis explaining what declaring a state of emergency would entail two weeks after the initial meeting, Rialto officials said. Hanson said she hasn't seen any report. McCarton said he's not aware of any report. "I can't speculate what's going to happen here," he said in an interview. Right now, he said OES is waiting for the city to decide whether it will request a state of emergency before he can speculate on what a declaration would mean or whether Schwarzenegger would declare one. Hanson said she thinks the situation is an emergency because it eliminates the city's backup water capacity, but she said the city will examine the issue carefully before moving forward and said it would be "criminal" to declare a state of emergency on false pretenses. The city says 360 million gallons of water are contaminated a month as the perchlorate continues to move. Days before the Sept. 18 City Council meeting, Councilman Ed Scott, the other member of the perchlorate subcommittee, said the issue would be on the Sept. 18 agenda. When it wasn't, Marene Deischer, a member of the Riverside-based Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice and a Rialto resident who thinks perchlorate is responsible for her son's serious medical conditions, came to the meeting to ask why not. Scott responded that the wording needed to be worked out and more information was needed. In addition to requesting the $23 million, Rialto has been seeking other state grant money to clean up its water and better understand the contamination. Rialto officials have long said they think the polluters, not taxpayers or residents, should have to pay for the cleanup. Hanson said the city will pay back money it receives once the responsible parties have to pay to clean up the perchlorate. She compared the perchlorate to a forest fire. After all the fire agencies rush to put it out, they figure out who should pay for it, she said. Rialto, which has its own water company, is not the only local agency facing perchlorate, but it is the only one in talks to declare a state of emergency. The State Water Resources Control Board was supposed to hold hearings in August on whether to hold three corporations - Black and Decker, Goodrich and Pyro Spectaculars - responsible for some of the contamination. But a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge halted the hearings. Those hearings may be rescheduled, and officials at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are considering becoming more involved in the Rialto area. ***************************************************************** 31 Northern Echo: Teenager Dies In Nuclear Plant Fall Comment A TEENAGE labourer died after falling 35ft down a manhole on a nuclear power plant. Kevin Horner, 19, had been working in Olkiluoto, Finland, for just seven days when he plunged down the hole. The teenager from Hartlepool suffered severe head injuries and was taken to hospital 30 miles away in the city of Pori. Doctors spent five days trying to save Mr Horner as a machine kept him alive, but he died on September 23. Kevin's uncle, Paul Jarrington, 43, from Suffolk, was his foreman on the RIMEC Group building site where Kevin fell through boards that were covering a manhole. Mr Jarrington said: "I am devastated. I took him over there and I had to bring him back. "He had only been over for a week. "He was such a likeable lad and people from all over the world have been in touch to say how much they will miss him." Kevin's uncle, Paul Jarrington "He was such a likeable lad and people from all over the world have been in touch to say how much they will miss him. "I had been working with him about a year so we were very close. I had taken him to Wales to work and he was fully trained up with safety. "He had such a promising future and was on line to make good money and he wanted to see a bit of the world but now he won't get that chance." Mr Jarrington says he now has to go back to Finland to help with a Finnish police investigation. He said: "It wasn't his fault. It wasn't something he was working on." His parents, Jill and Kevin Horner, were too upset to speak about the loss of their son. Kevin was one of five children, being brother to Kirsty, Chelsea, Jason and Jade. A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said: "We are in contact with his family and we are offering as much support as possible." Olkiluoto is a small island just off the coast of Finland in the Baltic Sea in the Eurajoki region of the country. It has two nuclear power plants and a third is currently being built that will be the most powerful reactor in the world. But it has been surrounded by controversy with groups such as Greenpeace saying the site has over 700 safety violations. A funeral service of thanksgiving will be held for Kevin at 10.20am in Stranton Grange Cemetery Chapel on Friday. Friends and neighbours are asked to meet at the cemetery chapel. 10:46am Tuesday 2nd October 2007Print  Email this Comment Privacy Policy © Copyright 2001-2007 A Gannett Company ***************************************************************** 32 DOE: DOE Awards More Than $16 Million for GNEP Technology Development Plans October 1, 2007 Areva, EnergySolutions, GE-Hitachi Nuclear Americas, and General Atomics to Develop Conceptual Design WASHINGTON, DC The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) completed cooperative agreements on Friday with four industry consortia to receive $16.3 million for technical and conceptual design studies to further the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP). Todays announcement follows the selections for negotiation of terms under a Funding Opportunity Announcement in July to AREVA; Energy Solutions; GE-Hitachi Nuclear Americas, LLC; and General Atomics to develop studies for a GNEP nuclear fuel recycling center and advanced recycling reactor. Funding under the cooperative agreements awarded last week is as follows: $5.6 million to AREVA; $4.3 million to EnergySolutions, LLC; $4.8 million to GE-Hitachi Nuclear Americas, LLC; and $1.6 million to General Atomics. DOE will evaluate the information and recommendations provided by the teams, as well as other data and analyses, to explore the technical and business parameters that could support the development and deployment of GNEP technology. These studies will contribute to the analysis and inform the research that DOE is conducting to further the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership, Assistant Secretary of Nuclear Energy Dennis R. Spurgeon said. These awards enable DOE to benefit from the vast technological and business experience of the private sector as we move towards the goal of closing the nuclear fuel cycle. In July, DOE announced that four consortia led by AREVA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.; EnergySolutions, LLC; GE-Hitachi Nuclear Americas, LLC; and General Atomics were selected to receive up to $16 million. DOE has since negotiated the final terms of the cooperative agreements with the selected applicants and awards have been made for the consortia to provide conceptual design studies, technology development roadmaps, business plans, and a communications strategy in 2008 supporting decisions regarding the GNEP proposal for a nuclear fuel recycling center and advanced recycling reactor. The following outlines the funding negotiated for each applicant. AREVA AND MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD. ($5.6 MILLION) Principal Team Members: Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited; Battelle Memorial Institute; BWX Technologies, Inc.; and Washington Group International ENERGY SOLUTIONS, LLC (ENERGY SOLUTIONS) ($4.3 Million) Principal Team Members: The Shaw Group and Westinghouse Electric Company. Additional members: Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL); Booz Allen Hamilton; Nexia Solutions; Nuclear Fuel Services; and Toshiba. GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR AMERICAS, LLC (GE-HITACHI) ($4.8 Million) Team Members: Burns and Roe; Ernst & Young; Fluor Corporation; International Business Machines (IBM); and Lockheed Martin. GENERAL ATOMICS (GENERAL ATOMICS) ($1.6 Million) Team Members: CH2M Hill; United Technologies Corporation - Hamilton Sundstrand Rocketdyne Division (UTC); a Russian consortium led by OKB Mechanical Engineering (OKBM); Potomac Communications Group; LISTO; and KAERI. Todays announcement is part of $60 million in funding opportunities announced by the Deputy Secretary of Energy Clay Sell in May to engage industry experts in the conceptual designs for proposed GNEP facilities. The $60 million in funding opportunities includes the current funding announced today of $16.3 million and planned future funding of $44 million that is expected to be made available through September 2009, subject to congressional appropriations and other considerations. GNEP is part of President Bush's Advanced Energy Initiative and seeks to enable the expanded use of nuclear energy worldwide to meet growing electricity demand. GNEP seeks to close the nuclear fuel cycle in ways that reduce proliferation risks, reduce waste and increase global energy security. Read more information on the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP). Media contact(s): Angela Hill, (202) 586-4940 U.S. Department of Energy | 1000 Independence Ave., SW | Washington, DC 20585 1-800-dial-DOE | f/202-586-4403 ***************************************************************** 33 RIA Novosti: Russia has no plans to import spent nuclear fuel 15:51 | 02/ 10/ 2007 ST. PETERSBURG, October 2 (RIA Novosti) - Russia does not intend in the foreseeable future to bring in spent nuclear fuel from other countries for storage and subsequent reprocessing, a senior nuclear industry official said Tuesday. "There will be no import [of spent nuclear fuel] for storage or processing until we have resolved our own problems," said Andrei Malyshev, deputy head of the Federal Atomic Energy Agency (Rosatom). He said only spent Russian-produced nuclear fuel may be brought into Russia. "We only bring [fuel] from Ukraine and Bulgaria - fuel that we delivered earlier. Russia has never imported any foreign-made fuel," he said. The Rosatom official said that he does not exclude the import of foreign-manufactured nuclear material for research purposes, adding that Russia has a unique technological base for nuclear fuel related research. He also said that Rosatom would spend about 11 billion rubles ($400 million) in the next three years to build a "dry" storage facility for spent nuclear fuel in the town of Zheleznogorsk, in the Krasnoyarsk Territory in Siberia. Malyshev said that the first unit is due to be put into operation in 2010, and that the storage facility, to be completed by 2015, will have an aggregate capacity of 36,000 metric tons of fuel. RIA Novosti ***************************************************************** 34 London Times: Grand designs for Dounreay nuclear site - Martin Ivens October 2, 2007 David Lister, Scotland Correspondent of The Times The main entrance is a giant airlock door and the exit a radiation screening chamber. The lobby is dominated by a red crane, and the place one would expect to find the bar is a control room filled with panels of multi-coloured flashing buttons, diodes and meters. Everywhere there are valves, ventilation ducts and oxygen monitoring systems and in the middle — where any self-respecting holidaymaker would expect to find the pool — is a nuclear reactor. It may not quite be ready, but if you are already thinking of booking your summer holiday for 2030 you could do a lot worse than stay in the former Dounreay Fast Reactor (DFR) on the northern Scottish coast. For novelty factor alone, a stay at Fallouty Towers — as it has been dubbed by the Scottish Sun — will almost certainly be unrivalled. It may sound like something straight out of a science-fiction fantasy, but the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) said last week that it had drawn up a list of possible future uses for the sphere-shaped building that has become one of industrial Britain’s most recognisable landmarks. As part of the process of decommissioning the Dounreay complex and returning it to a brownfield site, it is considering whether to save the famous DFR — dubbed the “Golf Ball” by locals — and preserve it for future generations. Possible options, according to the authority, include turning it into a hotel or nightclub, a conference centre, a space observatory, a nuclear museum or a leisure centre. Although demolition is still a strong possibility, a fuller range of options will be drawn up in the spring, when industrial archaeologists will examine the issue in greater depth. Sitting on a plinth made of 10,000 tonnes of concrete and with a diameter of 41m (135ft), the DFR has become an iconic building since it was built in the 1950s, towering over Caithness. As one of Britain’s most controversy prone and contaminated pieces of land, it may not seem the most obvious choice for a tourist destination. It will take the best part of 20 years and 2.9 billion before the 140-hectare (346-acre) site, where the last functioning nuclear reactor was switched off in 1994, is fully decommissioned. Even then the legacy of some of Britain’s earliest nuclear energy experiments will still be present: unless a coherent UK-wide policy on cleaning up nuclear waste is agreed, the site is likely to contain, in a series of storage containers and underground vaults, anything up to 15,000 tonnes of hazardous nuclear waste and 175,000 tonnes of less hazardous waste — enough to fill 700 double-decker buses. However, James Gunn, a senior technical officer at UKAEA and project manager for the site’s “heritage strategy”, insisted that the idea of converting the DFR into a hotel was feasible. “All you have to do is look at the sorts of things that are being built in Dubai to see that this sort of thing is not impossible. It would be a totally unique experience,” he said. Although the idea that one of Britain’s former nuclear plants could be turned into a hotel will provoke widespread mirth, the suggestion is nonetheless part of a more serious debate about what to do with Britain’s former nuclear sites and where radioactive waste should be stored. Britain has ten functioning nuclear power stations and up to 20 described as “legacy sites” where some degree of decommissioning is taking place. Although many are obvious candidates to be turned into new-generation nuclear power plants, some, including Dounreay, are deemed unlikely to meet the criteria for this and will have to be given alternative uses. During a guided tour of the site, The Times was shown inside the DFR, a huge, echoing ball whose shell is made of mild steel nearly 2in thick and where there is a constant stench of machine oil. Special black fire extinguishers, containing a mix of salts and graphite, are on hand as a precaution against a fire involving the 57 tonnes of highly combustible liquid used to regulate the temperature inside the reactor and its surrounding “blanket” of depleted uranium. The reactor, barely the size of a dustbin, is contained in a concrete vault. It was switched off in 1977, but the process of decommissioning did not begin in earnest until the 1990s. At the time of its construction, the nuclear site at Dounreay transformed the economy of the north of Scotland, creating thousands of jobs and leading to a tripling of the population of Thurso, the nearest town, from 3,000 to 9,000. Michael Brown, decommissioning manager at the DFR, said: “It’s a tremendous icon and for 49 years I’ve seen it sitting on the horizon. I’d love to see it stay but not as a rusting hulk on the landscape. The costs of maintaining it are ferocious and they would far outweigh any gimmicky selling point of having it as a hotel. My preferred option is to take it down and have a memorial put in its place.” ***************************************************************** 35 NewsBlaze: Dept. of Energy Awards More Than $16 Million for GNEP Tech Development Areva, EnergySolutions, GE-Hitachi Nuclear Americas, and General Atomics to Develop Conceptual Design The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) completed cooperative agreements on Friday with four industry consortia to receive $16.3 million for technical and conceptual design studies to further the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP). Today's announcement follows the selections for negotiation of terms under a Funding Opportunity Announcement in July to AREVA; Energy Solutions; GE-Hitachi Nuclear Americas, LLC; and General Atomics to develop studies for a GNEP nuclear fuel recycling center and advanced recycling reactor. Funding under the cooperative agreements awarded last week is as follows: $5.6 million to AREVA; $4.3 million to EnergySolutions, LLC; $4.8 million to GE-Hitachi Nuclear Americas, LLC; and $1.6 million to General Atomics. DOE will evaluate the information and recommendations provided by the teams, as well as other data and analyses, to explore the technical and business parameters that could support the development and deployment of GNEP technology. "These studies will contribute to the analysis and inform the research that DOE is conducting to further the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership," Assistant Secretary of Nuclear Energy Dennis R. Spurgeon said. "These awards enable DOE to benefit from the vast technological and business experience of the private sector as we move towards the goal of closing the nuclear fuel cycle." In July, DOE announced that four consortia led by AREVA; EnergySolutions, LLC; GE-Hitachi Nuclear Americas, LLC; and General Atomics were selected to receive up to $16 million. DOE has since negotiated the final terms of the cooperative agreements with the selected applicants and awards have been made for the consortia to provide conceptual design studies, technology development roadmaps, business plans, and a communications strategy in 2008 supporting decisions regarding the GNEP proposal for a nuclear fuel recycling center and advanced recycling reactor. The following outlines the funding negotiated for each applicant. AREVA ($5.6 Million) Principle Team Members: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.; Battelle Memorial Institute-Columbus Operations BWX Technologies, Inc.; Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd.; and Washington Group International ENERGY SOLUTIONS, LLC (ENERGY SOLUTIONS) ($4.3 Million) Principle Team Members: The Shaw Group and Westinghouse Electric Company. Additional members: Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL); Booz Allen Hamilton; Nexia Solutions; Nuclear Fuel Services; and Toshiba. GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR AMERICAS, LLC (GE-HITACHI) ($4.8 Million) Team Members: Burns and Roe; Ernst & Young; Fluor Corporation; International Business Machines (IBM); and Lockheed Martin. Source: U.S. Department of Energy judythpiazza@newsblaze.com Copyright 2007, NewsBlaze, Daily News ***************************************************************** 36 NewsRoom Finland: Finnish anti-nuclear weapons activists freed in Scotland 2.10.2007 at 17:47 All 15 Finnish anti-nuclear weapons demonstrators held overnight by the British police have been released, the Finnish Union of Conscientious Objectors said Tuesday. Hundreds of demonstrators from across the world had gathered near Faslane Royal Navy base in Scotland, home to Britain's nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed fleet of Vanguard class submarines. Monday's demonstrations were the climax of a year-long campaign aimed at bringing pressure to bear on the British government to give up its nuclear weapons. In March, the British Parliament voted in favour of renewing the country's arsenal of Trident submarine-launched ballistic missiles, the primary weapons system of the four Vanguard class vessels. /STT/ Copyright STT 2007 1995 2005, Virtual Finland Produced by: Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland Department for Communication and Culture/Unit for Promotion and Publications ***************************************************************** 37 Guardian Unlimited: Obama Urges Eliminating Nuclear Weapons Tuesday October 2, 2007 10:46 PM By CHRISTOPHER WILLS Associated Press Writer CHICAGO (AP) - Democrat Barack Obama called for ridding the world of nuclear weapons Tuesday and offered his early opposition to the Iraq war as evidence of sound judgment that trumps his lack of Washington experience. Obama argued that U.S. policy is still focused on the defunct Soviet Union instead of combatting the nuclear threat from rogue nations and terrorists. The United States shouldn't unilaterally disarm, he said, but it must work with other nations to phase out weapons and control atomic material. ``Here's what I'll say as president: 'America seeks a world in which there are no nuclear weapons,''' Obama said. ``The best way to keep America safe is not to threaten terrorists with nuclear weapons - it's to keep nuclear weapons and nuclear materials away from terrorists,'' the Illinois senator said. Aides said the process Obama envisions would take many years, not just a a single presidency. The Republican National Committee criticized the proposal as unsafe and an example of Obama ``playing to the fringe elements of his party.'' But the concept has the backing of at least two former Republican secretaries of state, Henry Kissinger and George Shultz. Obama's address marked the fifth anniversary of an anti-war rally where he announced his opposition to invading Iraq. He predicted then that the United States would get bogged down in an unending war that would inflame world anger. Obama was an Illinois legislator contemplating a run for the U.S. Senate when Congress voted in October 2002 to give President Bush the authority to use military force to oust Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. In his speech Tuesday, Obama criticized Bush, the media and especially Congress, arguing that they failed the nation in the rush to war. ``Let's be clear: Without that vote, there would be no war,'' Obama said, taking a swipe at his Democratic rivals who were in the Senate and voted for the war - Hillary Rodham Clinton, John Edwards, Chris Dodd and Joe Biden - but never mentioning them by name. ``Some seek to rewrite history. They argue that they weren't really voting for war, they were voting for inspectors, or for diplomacy. But the Congress, the administration, the media and the American people all understood what we were debating in the fall of 2002,'' Obama said. ``And we need to ask those who voted for the war: How can you give the president a blank check and then act surprised when he cashes it?'' Obama said Congress had failed U.S. citizens on Iraq, despite a law passed after Vietnam that was meant to serve as a check on the president's ability to take the country to war. ``No law can force a Congress to stand up to the president. No law can make senators read the intelligence that showed the president was overstating the case for war. No law can give Congress a backbone,'' he said. Obama cites his early opposition to war as evidence that he has the judgment to be president despite arriving in Washington less than three years ago. He plans at least 10 stops in Iowa this week where he will try to drive home that idea. But he has sometimes acknowledged the Iraq vote wasn't a simple issue. In 2004, he wouldn't criticize presidential nominee John Kerry for the vote, saying, ``What would I have done? I don't know.'' His message was blunted Tuesday by Clinton's announcement that she had bested Obama's campaign fundraising this summer by bringing in $22 million for the primary election season. Obama's comments on Iraq and nuclear weapons were part of a broader call for an aggressive new approach to international affairs. As president, Obama said, he would: -Personally conduct negotiations with other nations, including hostile countries. -Deliver an annual ``state of the world'' speech to assess the country's foreign policy concerns. -Give the director of national intelligence a fixed term of office, so he could not be replaced by the president for political reasons. -Fight global poverty and double foreign assistance to $50 billion a year. A spokeswoman for Edwards pointed out that the former North Carolina senator called for the elimination of nuclear weapons months ago. ``If you need any more proof that John Edwards is shaping the race for the Democratic nomination, you don't need to look any further than Senator Obama, who has followed Edwards' lead on heath care, poverty, and today, eliminating nuclear weapons. Next thing you know, he``If you need any more proof that John Edwards is shaping the race for the Democratic nomination, you don't need to look any further than Senator Obama, who has followed Edwards' lead on heath care, poverty, and today, eliminating nuclear weapons. Next thing you know, he *****************************************************************