***************************************************************** 08/02/02 **** RADIATION BULLETIN(RADBULL) **** VOL 10.196 ***************************************************************** RADBULL IS PRODUCED BY THE ABALONE ALLIANCE CLEARINGHOUSE ***************************************************************** NUCLEAR POLICY 1 U.S. wary of nuclear aid to Iran -- 2 UK: Greens doubt nuclear plant design 3 Japan: METI vice minister apologizes for bribery scandal 4 Hiroshima to urge Bush to reconsider nuclear policy 5 Russian nuclear ministry says plan to build more nuclear reactors 6 US: State gets windfall from sale of nuclear plant NUCLEAR REACTORS 7 US: 'Indian Point plan burns Pataki rivals' - timesunion.com 8 Open arms: Shoals welcomes Chernobyl children 9 US: Indian Point plan burns Pataki rivals 10 Afterglow:Tearing down a nuclear power plant means having to deal NUCLEAR SAFETY 11 US: NRC Proposes $6,000 Fine Against V.A. Medical Center in St. Loui 12 US: Putnam stands firm on refusing to rush into KI distribution* NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE 13 US: Nuclear plant shipment violates federal code 14 Plutonium, proliferation and profits 15 US: Authorities Probing Unauthorized Shipment of Radioactive Materia 16 US: Yucca Mountain fight will be Sandoval's priority - NUCLEAR WEAPONS 17 US: FCNL: InfoLine (8/2/02) Local Hiroshima Day events, August 6 18 Hiroshima atomic bomb memorial hall opens 19 Memories of Hiroshima 20 US: Bush Wants Spending Bill Next Month 21 Iraq Invites U.N. Weapons Inspector 22 U.S.-RUSSIA PACT: Use of test site not part of disarmament plan US DEPT. OF ENERGY 23 Bechtel's Hanford contract extended 24 U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham speaks to the media in Moscow. 25 Panel presents shutdown proposal 26 Hanford group reviews safety policies OTHER NUCLEAR ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** FULL NEWS STORIES ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** 1 U.S. wary of nuclear aid to Iran -- The Washington Times August 2, 2002 By Vladimir Isachenkov ASSOCIATED PRESS MOSCOW — Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham yesterday said Russia's nuclear cooperation with Iran is a matter of "utmost" concern for the Bush administration, which believes the project helps advance Iran's weapons program. Mr. Abraham's comments came just days after Russia announced an ambitious 10-year plan for cooperation with Iran that envisages building five nuclear reactors there in addition to the one already under construction. "The expansion of Russian nuclear cooperation with Iran remains an issue of utmost concern to us," Mr. Abraham said at a news conference, wrapping up talks this week in Moscow. "It has been raised to the highest levels. We are in the middle of sensitive discussions on this matter." Mr. Abraham and Undersecretary of State John Bolton, who handles arms-control issues, met Wednesday with Russian Nuclear Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev. Mr. Abraham yesterday would not comment on the details of discussions on Iran, but he reaffirmed the administration's strong belief that Russia's cooperation with Iran was helping advance its nuclear weapons program. "We have long been concerned that Iran's only interest in nuclear civil power, given its vast domestic energy resources, is to support its nuclear weapons program," Mr. Abraham said. "For that reason, we have consistently urged Russia to cease all nuclear cooperation with Iran, including its assistance to the reactor in Bushehr." The $800 million deal to build the 1,000-megawatt reactor in Bushehr has been a thorny issue in U.S.-Russian relations since it was signed in 1995. Russia has scoffed at the U.S. concerns, saying that the nuclear plant would serve purely civilian purposes and remain under international supervision. Russian nuclear officials have pledged to sign an agreement later this year to bring the spent nuclear fuel from Bushehr back to Russia for reprocessing to avoid any proliferation risks. The Interfax news agency, citing unnamed diplomatic sources, reported that Russian officials would brief their Iranian counterparts about the Abraham and Bolton visit in talks late this month. Russia also is expected to inform Iran about "its new moves toward control over the export of goods and dual-purpose technologies," the agency quoted the sources as saying. ***************************************************************** 2 UK: Greens doubt nuclear plant design BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Friday, 2 August, 2002, 11:34 GMT 12:34 UK BNFL defended the AP1000's safety system Safety concerns have been expressed over a new nuclear power station which is being considered to replace a plant in Scotland. Hunterston B in Ayrshire is scheduled to close within the next decade. The Scottish Green Party and Greenpeace have raised concerns about the simplified pressurised water reactor (PWR) which is among the options being considered as a replacement. Environmental groups say the Westinghouse AP1000 is the front runner to replace the current station because detailed costings have been drawn up. I actually find this quite terrifying, the idea of America exporting kit form reactors designed to be as cheap as possible Robin Harper, Scottish Greens However, British Energy, which runs Hunterston, said it was looking at a number of proposals and would make its decision in the spring. It is considering a new reactor being developed by the American subsidiary of British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL). The Westinghouse AP1000's selling point is that it requires far fewer valves, pumps and piping than existing reactors and is cheaper and quicker to build. It can be made in modular form and shipped for on-site assembly. Scottish Green Party MSP Robin Harper said: "I actually find this quite terrifying, the idea of America exporting kit form reactors designed to be as cheap as possible. Passive safety system "That means, not necessarily cutting corners but taking it as close to the line as possible in terms of all the safety factors that you have to build into them. I find this deeply worrying." The party has also questioned the design, which depends on giant water tanks on the roof to douse the reactor if it overheats, known as a "passive safety system". The concern was shared by nuclear consultant John Large who said: "If you have an entirely passive system, it means you have no or very limited opportunity to manage events, post the incident. You won't be able to turn valves off remotely. [Nuclear worker] A number of plant designs are being considered "Whereas on the present generation of PWRs, you have a potential to intervene on the system to do some post-accident management." However, BNFL said the design was robust and relying on gravity was safer than pumps and valves. Richard Mayson, director of reactor systems, said: "It is actually safer. If you think about it, what would you rely on gravity, or on electrically driven pumps and valves? "I know I'd be inclined to trust gravity more than pumps and valves but there are back-up systems available so it's not as if we're totally reliant on them." Elements analysis Mr Harper expressed concern about US certification of the AP1000, which is an upgrade of the smaller and never-introduced AP600. He said: "Materials that might be appropriate for a smaller design may not be appropriate for a larger design. "I would have thought they should really start the design, particularly with a nuclear power station, from the beginning again. "You can't play about with these things, just scaling something that's been made to fit for one design into a bigger design." That was disputed by Mr Mayson, who said: "For example the building structure is exactly the same as for the AP600. "So all the analysis that we've done that proves that it's safe against earthquakes, that it's safe against tornados, is all still valid." ***************************************************************** 3 Japan: METI vice minister apologizes for bribery scandal Friday, August 2, 2002 at 08:15 JST TOKYO ? Economy, Trade and Industry Vice Minister Seiji Murata apologized Thursday for the arrest of an official of a ministry-affiliated agency on suspicion of taking 10.05 million yen in bribes. "I would like to render a sincere apology to the people for our poor supervision," Murata said following the arrest Wednesday of Toshiyuki Takahashi, 45, a deputy division chief at the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency. Takahashi allegedly received 10.05 million yen from August 1999 through August last year in exchange for nuclear plant designs he had stolen from the government. (Kyodo News) Japan Today Discussion ***************************************************************** 4 Hiroshima to urge Bush to reconsider nuclear policy asahi.com : ENGLISH Asahi Shimbun www.asahi.com [http://www.asahi.com/] By MASATO TAINAKA, The Asahi Shimbun HIROSHIMA-City officials plan to urge George W. Bush to reconsider what they say is an aggressive U.S. nuclear policy in the city's Peace Declaration during the annual Aug. 6 Peace Memorial Ceremony, sources said Thursday. In the declaration, Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba will also invite the U.S. president to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki to witness firsthand the atomic bombs' devastating impact. No incumbent U.S. president has ever visited Hiroshima during his tenure. The draft of the peace declaration notes the threat of a U.S.-led nuclear strike has intensified following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and calls on Washington to ``sever the chain of retaliation'' by recalling ``the memory of mankind''-the experience of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 57 years ago. The declaration also rebukes Washington for taking the world's fate into its own hands by attempting to impose what it calls ``Pax Americana.'' The decision to invite Bush to Hiroshima and Nagasaki comes in response to recent U.S. nuclear policy changes, such as the U.S. Nuclear Posture Review, which reportedly endorses a U.S. nuclear strike against certain nations, including Iraq, the sources said. The review also sanctions a first-strike nuclear attack against non-nuclear nations. The declaration also plans to demand that Tokyo respect Japan's war-renouncing Constitution and pass on the memory of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to the world to prevent war. (08/02) [Copyright Asahi Shimbun. All rights reserved. No reproduction or ***************************************************************** 5 Russian nuclear ministry says plan to build more nuclear reactors in Iran could be revised Fri Aug 2,10:08 AM ET MOSCOW - In an apparent bid to soothe U.S. concern about Moscow's cooperation with Iran, Russia's nuclear ministry said Friday that an ambitious proposal to build six nuclear reactors in Iran was a blueprint that could be subject to change. The government 10-year plan, which was released a week ago, proposed building another five reactors in Iran in addition to the one Russia is building at the Iranian port of Bushehr — a deal that has drawn strong U.S. criticism. U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham reaffirmed Thursday that Russia's nuclear cooperation with Iran remains an "utmost" concern for the U.S. administration. "It has been raised to the highest levels, we are in the middle of sensitive discussions on this matter," said Abraham, who together with Undersecretary of State John Bolton met with Russian Nuclear Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev on Wednesday. Rumyantsev was scheduled to hold a news conference Friday to speak about his talks with U.S. officials, but it was abruptly cancelled. Instead, Rumyantsev's ministry released a terse statement saying that the program of cooperation with Iran wasn't carved in stone. The government program "merely talks about the existing technical possibilities," the statement read. "Their implementation will depend on many factors, including political." In response to the U.S. accusations that Russia's ties with Iran was helping advance its nuclear weapons program, the ministry reaffirmed that the nuclear cooperation with Iran was limited to building the reactor in Bushehr. Since it was signed in 1995, the dlrs 800 million deal to build the 1,000 megawatt pressurized water reactor in Bushehr has remained a top U.S. concern. Russia has shrugged off U.S. protests, saying that the nuclear plant would only serve civilian purposes and remain under international control. The controversy over Russia's links with Iran remains a major irritant in otherwise warm U.S.-Russian ties, ushered in by Russian President Vladimir Putin 's steadfast support for the U.S. war in Afghanistan and other global action against terror following the Sept. 11 attacks. Copyright © 2002 The Associated Press. ***************************************************************** 6 State gets windfall from sale of nuclear plant Boston Globe Online: Print it! By Christopher Graff, Associated Press, 8/1/2002 18:16 MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) This week's sale of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant provided a $550,169.76 windfall to the state. That was the amount generated in state property transfer taxes by the sale of Vermont Yankee to Entergy Nuclear. The new owners paid $504,375.85 in property transfer taxes on the value of the property in Vernon and $45,793.91 in taxes on the value of the corporate headquarters in Brattleboro. ''Wow,'' said state economist Jeffrey Carr. ''That's a big chunk.'' Susan Miller, the assistant town clerk in Vernon, said the check she received for $504,375.85 was made payable to the state of Vermont and will be mailed to the state Tax Department. ''We get to look at it, record it and send it on,'' she said. ''The only unusual thing about this transaction is the amount,'' she said. The town of Brattleboro received the check for $45,793.91 to send on to the state. Carr, who is in charge of estimating how much state taxes will generate in a year, said he had not included proceeds from the sale of Vermont Yankee in this year's forecast. The property transfer tax is paid by purchasers: The rate for non-residential property is 1.25 percent on the value of the property - not on the total sale price. Kathy Hoyt, the secretary of administration, said the windfall is welcome news as the state looks to ways to cut an estimated $39 million from the month-old fiscal year 2003 state budget. Hoyt is in charge of preparing the Dean administration's budget-balancing proposals, which are expected to be released as early as next week. The budget cuts are necessary because updated forecasts show a continuing shortfall in tax revenues, primarily in the state income tax. The state won't be able to use the entire $550,169 to balance its General Fund budget, though, because the proceeds of the property transfer tax are earmarked, with two-thirds going into the Housing and Conservation Trust Fund and the Act 200 planning fund for communities. Carr estimated that roughly $180,000 of the Vermont Yankee windfall would go into the state General Fund. Entergy bought Vermont Yankee for $180 million in a deal that was sealed on Wednesday. The property transfer tax was assessed against an appraised property value of $40.3 million on the 143 acres owned in Vernon and the roughly $3 million value of the company's corporate headquarters and training center in Brattleboro. ***************************************************************** 7 'Indian Point plan burns Pataki rivals' - timesunion.com [timesunion.com] Albany -- McCall, Cuomo say call for review of nuclear plant is political By ELIZABETH BENJAMIN [ebenjamin@timesunion.com] , August 2, 2002 In a move his Democratic opponents called politically motivated, Gov. George Pataki on Thursday announced he has hired a consultant to review the emergency evacuation plans at New York's six nuclear power plants, starting with the controversial Indian Point plant in Westchester County. Pataki said former Federal Emergency Management Agency Director James Lee Witt would immediately begin a "public, independent review" of plans to evacuate communities surrounding Indian Point in the event of a radioactive release from its two nuclear reactors. The governor said he has repeatedly asked the federal government to examine safety standards at the state's nuclear plants to ensure they are adequate in the post-Sept. 11 era, but has not received a satisfactory response. "It is clear that we must move forward on our own to ensure that our residents are protected," Pataki said. "Safety must be our top priority and we cannot wait for the federal government to act." According to his contract, Witt, a Democrat who was a member of former President Clinton's administration, will be paid up to $800,554 by the state. Pataki's Democratic rivals in the gubernatorial race, former federal housing secretary Andrew Cuomo and state Comptroller H. Carl McCall, have repeatedly called for the immediate closure of Indian Point, which is located about 40 miles north of midtown Manhattan. More than 20 million people live within 50 miles of the plant owned by the Entergy putting it near more people than any other nuclear plant in the country. As cries of opposition to Indian Point by residents of the affluent Westchester County suburbs have mounted, both McCall and Cuomo have loudly criticized Pataki for what they see as a lack of decisive action on the issue. Following Pataki's announcement Thursday, McCall issued a statement characterizing Pataki's decision to hire Witt as a delay tactic. "We do not need another study, survey or commission to tell us that closing Indian Point is the only way to protect New Yorkers," McCall said. Cuomo, who was in Albany Thursday, called Witt's hiring "a tad politically expeditious" given that the report on Indian Point is due no later than Dec. 30 -- almost two months after the November general election. Cuomo accused the governor of "a cynical effort to try to ensure that this issue is shelved until after the election." Cuomo also said Pataki had made "a turnaround" from February when the state approved the plant's existing evacuation plan -- a move that sparked outrage among Westchester residents and activists in favor of immediately closing Indian Point. McCall made a similar statement, saying: "If Gov. Pataki had withdrawn his letter of certification, as I have urged him to do for the past eight months, the decommissioning process would already have begun." Pataki spokesman Michael McKeon on Thursday confirmed that the State Emergency Management Office did send FEMA a letter in February certifying the emergency plans of the four counties around Indian Point. But the state's only responsibility was to confirm that the counties had met existing federal requirements for their safety plans -- like holding public hearings and having a certain number of buses available for evacuation, McKeon said. The certification letter was not an indication of the governor's approval of the plans, he said. The governor has repeatedly appealed to the federal government to reassess its guidelines for dealing with an emergency at Indian Point, McKeon said, including through a letter he sent along with the state's certification in February and a second missive in July. McKeon said the governor has not ruled out closing the Indian Point plant, adding: "Everything is on the table." Opponents to closing Indian Point say doing so would put a significant dent in New York's already overextended power supply, causing energy prices to skyrocket. They also point out that some 1,500 plant employees would be out of work if Indian Point is taken off-line and local municipal governments would lose several hundred thousand dollars in property, sales and payroll tax revenue. "Indian Point is vital to New York's overall reliability for energy," said Gavin Donohue, executive director of the Independent Power Producers of New York, an Albany trade group. "This is not an issue to take lightly, and politics should stay out of it." Indian Point has the potential to generate 2,000 megawatts of electricity a day -- enough to power about 1.6 million single family homes, Donohue said. It supplies roughly 6.5 percent of the state's peak demand of about 31,000 megawatts. Energy rates would increase between 28 percent and 40 percent if the plant is shut down, Donohue estimated. In addition, closing the plant would not immediately improve the safety of nearby residents because its radioactive fuel rods would have to remain on-site for several years before they are cool enough to relocate. A harmful leak could still occur even if the plant is not operative, experts say. ***************************************************************** 8 Open arms: Shoals welcomes Chernobyl children [http://www.storyandlee.com] By Russ Corey Staff Writer August 2, 2002 FLORENCE - For Lydia Nolen, the hardest part of being host to a Belarusian child will be saying goodbye. After the initial trauma of being separated from her parents and flying halfway around the world, Nolen said, 8-year-old Karina has fared very well. "She was homesick at first, but she's been wonderful since then," Nolen said. Karina is one of nine Belarusian children staying with eight local families as part of the United Methodist Church's Children of Chernobyl project. Despite being born years after the 1984 disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Ukraine, the children have grown up in a country that has been contaminated by radioactive fallout. The Children of Chernobyl project was started by United Methodist Missionary Patrick Friday and allows groups of children to come to America and stay with American families. While they are here, they are provided with much-needed medical, dental and eye care. Since 1998, 180 youths from the area affected by nuclear fallout have visited Alabama as guests of United Methodist families. Belarus is bordered by Russia and Latvia to the east and north, Lithuania and Poland to the west and Ukraine to the south. Shoals families have played host to the children since 2000. Optometrist Dr. Robert B. Campbell provided eye exams for the children. Their eyes, he said, were fine. Campbell said God gave him the ability to help the children and it's something that needs to be done. "It's more of a blessing for me than for them," Campbell said. Rather than becoming apprehensive during the exam, Campbell said the children were laughing and having a good time. "I asked them if they were having a good time and the interpreter would translate, and there would be a big grin from ear to ear," Campbell said. On Wednesday, the children and their host parents were treated to a Southern-style fish fry at Florence Fire Station No. 1. The highlight of the visit, no doubt, was a ride in the department's tower ladder truck. Small groups of children were lifted high above the station and treated to a birds-eye view of the city. They smiled and waved to their friends below. Until they spoke, the children were hardly distinguishable from the American children who accompanied them on their visit. The only thing that gave them away was their Children of Chernobyl T-shirts. Nolen said her two daughters have had no trouble communicating with Karina. "She loves to play with our other children," her husband, Brown Nolen, said. "I treat her just like I treat my own," Lydia Nolen said. "The hard part will be seeing her leave Tuesday." Martha and John McDonald are hosting two children, 10-year-olds, Mila and Sveta. She, too, said she has had no problem communicating with the children. "They're teaching me words," Martha McDonald said. Through interpreter Anastasia Maneshina, Mila said she is enjoying her visit to Alabama. "We go to different places and have (received) a lot of presents," the young girl said. "She likes the family she is staying with and the house they live in," Maneshina translated for the child. "We like the swimming pool," Sveta said of the YMCA swimming pool. In addition to visits to doctors and dentists, the children were also treated to a visit to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. Marina, another 10-year-old from Belarus, said she likes everything about her visit. The child has also become accustomed to American foods, especially McDonald's, and Snickers candy bars, Coca-Cola and french fries. Tim Corley said 9-year-old Roman is no different from any American boy his age. "He seems to be happy," Corley said as the child examined a British sports car brought to the fire department by some members of the North Alabama Sports Car Club. "He loves to eat." Debbie Mudler, who hosted a child two years ago, said a group of local United Methodist Church members will travel to Belarus this fall and in the spring to help the families there. The group will bring much-needed medical supplies and help the Belarusians in clinics and schools. David Dison was one of seven people who spent 10 days in Belarus. Much of the time was spent remodeling a school in a small, rural village. "It was a beautiful experience," Dison said. "We stayed in the homes of the host families. We got to see their family life. We lived with them, ate with them. They couldn't have been more hospitable and nice." Dison said people still occupy small villages where radiation rained down after the Chernobyl disaster. The radiation contaminates food the villagers consume and eventually finds its way into their bodies. It affects the children's immune systems and places them at a high risk of developing thyroid cancer. "You just don't wash away radiation with soap and water," Dison said. Mudler said the local community opens its arms to the church during their stay. "We get so much support from churches in the area and individuals," she said. "The community has been so supportive in helping us with these children." The children will leave the Shoals for Birmingham on Monday and begin their trip home Tuesday. Russ Corey can be reached at 740-5738 or russ.corey@timesdaily.com [russ.corey@timesdaily.com] . TimesDaily ***************************************************************** 9 Indian Point plan burns Pataki rivals timesunion.com Albany -- McCall, Cuomo say call for review of nuclear plant is political By *ELIZABETH BENJAMIN* , Capitol bureau First published: Friday, August 2, 2002 In a move his Democratic opponents called politically motivated, Gov. George Pataki on Thursday announced he has hired a consultant to review the emergency evacuation plans at New York's six nuclear power plants, starting with the controversial Indian Point plant in Westchester County. Pataki said former Federal Emergency Management Agency Director James Lee Witt would immediately begin a "public, independent review" of plans to evacuate communities surrounding Indian Point in the event of a radioactive release from its two nuclear reactors. The governor said he has repeatedly asked the federal government to examine safety standards at the state's nuclear plants to ensure they are adequate in the post-Sept. 11 era, but has not received a satisfactory response. "It is clear that we must move forward on our own to ensure that our residents are protected," Pataki said. "Safety must be our top priority and we cannot wait for the federal government to act." According to his contract, Witt, a Democrat who was a member of former President Clinton's administration, will be paid up to $800,554 by the state. Pataki's Democratic rivals in the gubernatorial race, former federal housing secretary Andrew Cuomo and state Comptroller H. Carl McCall, have repeatedly called for the immediate closure of Indian Point, which is located about 40 miles north of midtown Manhattan. More than 20 million people live within 50 miles of the plant owned by the Entergy putting it near more people than any other nuclear plant in the country. As cries of opposition to Indian Point by residents of the affluent Westchester County suburbs have mounted, both McCall and Cuomo have loudly criticized Pataki for what they see as a lack of decisive action on the issue. Following Pataki's announcement Thursday, McCall issued a statement characterizing Pataki's decision to hire Witt as a delay tactic. "We do not need another study, survey or commission to tell us that closing Indian Point is the only way to protect New Yorkers," McCall said. Cuomo, who was in Albany Thursday, called Witt's hiring "a tad politically expeditious" given that the report on Indian Point is due no later than Dec. 30 -- almost two months after the November general election. Cuomo accused the governor of "a cynical effort to try to ensure that this issue is shelved until after the election." Cuomo also said Pataki had made "a turnaround" from February when the state approved the plant's existing evacuation plan -- a move that sparked outrage among Westchester residents and activists in favor of immediately closing Indian Point. McCall made a similar statement, saying: "If Gov. Pataki had withdrawn his letter of certification, as I have urged him to do for the past eight months, the decommissioning process would already have begun." Pataki spokesman Michael McKeon on Thursday confirmed that the State Emergency Management Office did send FEMA a letter in February certifying the emergency plans of the four counties around Indian Point. But the state's only responsibility was to confirm that the counties had met existing federal requirements for their safety plans -- like holding public hearings and having a certain number of buses available for evacuation, McKeon said. The certification letter was not an indication of the governor's approval of the plans, he said. The governor has repeatedly appealed to the federal government to reassess its guidelines for dealing with an emergency at Indian Point, McKeon said, including through a letter he sent along with the state's certification in February and a second missive in July. McKeon said the governor has not ruled out closing the Indian Point plant, adding: "Everything is on the table." Opponents to closing Indian Point say doing so would put a significant dent in New York's already overextended power supply, causing energy prices to skyrocket. They also point out that some 1,500 plant employees would be out of work if Indian Point is taken off-line and local municipal governments would lose several hundred thousand dollars in property, sales and payroll tax revenue. "Indian Point is vital to New York's overall reliability for energy," said Gavin Donohue, executive director of the Independent Power Producers of New York, an Albany trade group. "This is not an issue to take lightly, and politics should stay out of it." Indian Point has the potential to generate 2,000 megawatts of electricity a day -- enough to power about 1.6 million single family homes, Donohue said. It supplies roughly 6.5 percent of the state's peak demand of about 31,000 megawatts. Energy rates would increase between 28 percent and 40 percent if the plant is shut down, Donohue estimated. In addition, closing the plant would not immediately improve the safety of nearby residents because its radioactive fuel rods would have to remain on-site for several years before they are cool enough to relocate. A harmful leak could still occur even if the plant is not operative, experts say. . This past year we have seen increased talk by government officials in Washington about "usable" nuclear weapons, pre-emptive nuclear strikes against Iraq, and the possibility of resuming nuclear testing. Public opinion polling indicates that the American public does not support those policies. August 6 is an good opportunity to demonstrate local support for nuclear disarmament. We encourage you to attend a Hiroshima Day event in your area. Check out FCNL's online resources: Nuclear weapons Iraq Afghanistan War on Terror . Would you like to send a message to your senators and representative about nuclear disarmament? Use FCNL's web site to make letter-writing easier. Click here to see sample letters . Start with the sample letter, personalize the language, then send your message as an email or a free fax directly from our site. You can also print it out and mail it. -------------------------------------------- If you have comments or questions regarding this message or other issues, please contact FCNL. 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The message should read "unsubscribe fcnl-news." -------------------------------------------- We seek a world free of war and the threat of war We seek a society with equity and justice for all We seek a community where every person's potential may be fulfilled We seek an earth restored... -------------------------------------------- ***************************************************************** 18 Hiroshima atomic bomb memorial hall opens Friday, August 2, 2002 at 08:15 JST HIROSHIMA ? A state-run memorial hall for victims of the 1945 atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima opened Thursday in the western Japan city with the aim of reminding later generations of the terror of atomic bombs. The Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims houses more than 4,700 photographs of victims and a database of around 100,000 testimonies about survivors' experiences. Veteran Japanese actress Sayuri Yoshinaga recorded an audio guidance for the museum. She is also appealing for the eradication of nuclear weapons by holding meetings to read poems about the atomic bombing. Yoshinaga held a news conference in the museum and criticized comments made regarding the possible use of nuclear weapons after the Sept 11 terror attacks on the United States, as well as Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda's remarks on May 31 hinting at a review of Japan's non-nuclear policies. Regarding U.S. President George W. Bush, Yoshinaga said, "U.S. President Bush is the very person I want to visit the museum." "If he see articles (left by A-bomb victims) and photographs, he will not think of using nuclear weapons," she said. Yoshinaga also criticized the recent cancellation of an atomic bomb exhibition which survivors planned to hold at the United Nations headquarters in New York from September. "I heard it was canceled as the A-bomb photos were too miserable to be seen. It is strange because the exhibition is meant to convey misery," she said. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the facility on the 57th anniversary of the bombing next Tuesday. The hall, built in the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima's Naka Ward, recreates on a small scale the devastated city by using about 140,000 tiles, which was the death toll by the end of 1945 from the U.S. bombing and its aftereffects. An explanatory passage says people were victimized due to erroneous state policy and includes condolence remarks for them. The hall opened a special exhibition Thursday on the experiences of students mobilized to work at military plants in the city during World War II. The exhibition will run through the end of next March. A similar facility is expected to open next year in Nagasaki, which was attacked with an atomic bomb three days after Hiroshima. Meanwhile, about 30 supporters for Shunji Mukai, a survivor of the bombing who now lives in Brazil, gathered in Hiroshima on Thursday and criticized the government's policy toward overseas A-bomb survivors. Kazuyuki Tamura, a professor at Hiroshima University and a representative of the support group, slammed the policy requiring overseas A-bomb survivors to travel to Japan for medical treatment. The government started a new policy in June to assist overseas A-bomb survivors by shouldering travel expenses to Japan, but the plan came under fire as it forced aging survivors to make a long trip. He and six other A-bomb survivors living in Brazil on Wednesday filed a joint lawsuit with the Hiroshima District Court against the government's refusal to provide them with health-care allowances. (Kyodo News) Japan Today Discussion ***************************************************************** 19 Memories of Hiroshima (washingtonpost.com) Friday, August 2, 2002; Page A22 Ken Ringle's July 27 Style piece "Gone Fission: The 'Nuclear' Worm" gives me a chance to share a little memory that colored my visit to Hiroshima in mid-1946. As we wandered about in our U.S. Army jeep through the still-devastated city, we came to the shattered but functioning railroad station. Across the street, little shops offered wares believed by the local merchants to be popular with the U.S. servicemen who were constantly coming to Hiroshima to see it for themselves. One shop displayed an assortment of bamboo poles, flies and hooks under a rough but carefully drawn sign advertising "Fision Tackle Here." We all bought something, struck by this unintended display of Japan's extraordinary resilience, acceptance of life as it is and highly developed sense of entrepreneurship. ALFONSO ARENALES Bethesda © 2002 The Washington Post Company ***************************************************************** 20 Bush Wants Spending Bill Next Month Las Vegas SUN August 01, 2002 By ALAN FRAM ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON- Trying to keep pressure on Congress, President Bush says lawmakers should send him a final defense bill soon after returning from their summer recess in early September. The Senate voted 95-3 on Thursday to approve a $355.4 billion military package for next year. The measure would provide a $34.4 billion boost over this year's total, underlining the bipartisan support for strengthening the military following the Sept. 11 attacks. The Democratic-led Senate acted after repeated calls by Bush for it to finish its work before leaving at week's end for the August break. The House passed a similar measure in late June, setting up negotiations between the chambers when they return after Labor Day. "With our nation at war, it is imperative that we address the important priority of ensuring that our troops have the resources they need," Bush said in a written statement after the Senate vote. September will be just when campaigns are heating up for this November's elections, in which control of the Senate and House are at stake. Congress will also tackle the 12 other spending bills for the federal budget year that starts Oct. 1, but Democrats don't want to give Republicans a target by moving slowly on the defense package. "The defense of our nation is too important to be a matter of partisan politics," said Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, a chief author of the measure. The bill sprinkles extra money for counterterrorism throughout its research, procurement and operations programs. Money was included to prepare for attacks against Army bases and for software to help troops in the field translate foreign languages. The measure looks to the future by providing $6.9 billion for Bush's plans for developing a national system for shooting down incoming missiles. In a provision the president opposes, it would let him devote another $814 million to either missile defense - bringing the total to his full request - or fighting terrorism. But it also looks backward. It contains $12 million for the Defense Department's legacy program, which includes efforts to recover sunken vessels including the ironclad Monitor and the Confederate sloop Alabama. Like the House's companion bill, the legislation denies Bush the $10 billion contingency fund he proposed for the battle against terrorism. The president wants to spend the money on his own, but members of both parties are reluctant to forfeit their input. Congress may decide to provide the money later, probably with some strings attached. As always, the bill is filled with projects destined for the home states of various lawmakers. Inouye said the measure would steer at least $537 million to Hawaii, including more than $30 million for the Navy's Pearl Harbor shipyard and $3 million for corrosion research at the University of Hawaii. Sen. Thomas Carper, D-Del., won $8 million for work by Quantum Leap Innovations, a company in Newark, Del., on equipment for the Navy to detect biological and chemical threats. Lawmakers asserted themselves by approving more than Bush sought for C-17 cargo aircraft for the Air Force, KC-130J refueling planes for the Navy and UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters for the Army. Purchases of 23 F-22 stealth fighters for the Air Force and 11 V-22 tilt rotor Ospreys for the Air Force and Marines would also continue. The bill provides $417 million Bush requested to help the former Soviet states dismantle and protect their nuclear weapons. And it would shift funds from the now discontinued Crusader artillery system to other programs where long-range weapons are being designed. There also would be funds for a 4.1 percent military pay raise, which Bush proposed. Opposing the bill were Sens. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., John McCain, R-Ariz., and George Voinovich, R-Ohio. All contents copyright 2002 Las Vegas SUN, Inc. ***************************************************************** 21 Iraq Invites U.N. Weapons Inspector Las Vegas SUN August 02, 2002 By EDITH M. LEDERER ASSOCIATED PRESS UNITED NATIONS- Facing an increasing possibility of U.S. military action, Iraq gave the first solid indication in nearly four years that it will allow U.N. weapons inspectors to return and invited the chief inspector to Baghdad for talks. The return of inspectors is a key demand of the U.N. Security Council and especially of the United States, which has accused Iraq of trying to rebuild its banned weapons programs and of supporting terrorism. In a surprise move, Iraq's Foreign Minister Naji Sabri sent a letter to Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday referring twice to the return of inspectors - and hinting that talks with chief inspector Hans Blix could lead to an agreement for a resumption of inspections. There was no immediate comment on the Iraqi proposal from U.N. or U.S. officials. The letter arrived four weeks after Annan failed for the third time since March to persuade Sabri to allow the inspectors back. Unlike many Iraqi letters to the United Nations, this one was moderate in tone and did not contain political rhetoric. It was sent on a day the Senate Foreign Relations Committee wrapped up hearings on whether the United States should force Iraqi President Saddam Hussein from power. It was generally agreed at the Senate hearings that Saddam's development of weapons of mass destruction pose a serious risk - though there have been differences about whether the threat could be ended only by military action. While President Bush called for Saddam to be removed, citing the threat posed by Iraq's development of chemical and biological weapons and its pursuit of nuclear weapons, administration officials insist no decision has been made on whether to invade Iraq. Nonetheless, there has been an increasing spate of media reports that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is examining military options. The letter also arrived on the day the United States assumed the rotating presidency of the Security Council. Under U.N. Security Council resolutions, sanctions imposed after the invasion can be lifted only when inspectors certify that Iraq's nuclear, chemical and biological weapons have been destroyed, along with the long-range missiles that could deliver them. Russia on Friday hailed Iraq's decison to invite the chief U.N. inspector for talks and also claimed credit for the move, saying that it has offered a peaceful way out of the crisis. The Russian Foreign Ministry said Iraq's decision to invite Blix came right after a Russian delegation visited Baghdad for talks on "deblocking the Iraqi problem." The United States has warned Saddam he faces unspecified consequences if he does not allow the return of the inspectors, who left ahead of 1998 allied airstrikes meant to punish Iraq for blocking inspections. In the letter, Sabri invited Blix and experts from the U.N. weapons inspection agency to visit Baghdad for technical talks "at the earliest agreed upon time." Sabri said his government wants the talks between Blix and Iraqi experts to review the remaining questions about Iraq's weapons programs and decide measures to resolve them "when the inspection regime returns to Iraq." The Iraqi minister said the meeting would follow-up on Annan's suggestion in August 1998 "to conduct a comprehensive review ... and assess the degree of Iraq's implementation of its obligations." "We believe that this review will be an important step towards the appropriate legal and technical assessment and treatment of the issues of disarmament and to establish a solid base for the next stage of monitoring and inspection activities...," he said. In a report in January 1999, a month after inspectors were withdrawn, the U.N. inspection agency issued a report on the status of disarmament. That report mentioned priority issues that Iraq had not satisfactorily resolved such as its development of VX, a deadly chemical weapons nerve agent, its missile production capabilities and many remaining question marks about its biological weapons program. Iraq insists that all its weapons programs have been dismantled and it is fully disarmed. The letter, which Sabri asked to be conveyed to the Security Council, said Iraq hopes the review of the outstanding issues will lead to agreement on "practical arrangements to resume cooperation." Sabri also expressed hope it will lead to a solution and implementation of requirements that Iraq must fulfill under Security Council resolutions. At their first meeting in March, Sabri gave Annan a list of questions Iraq wanted answered - some technical and some political. Blix addressed the technical questions at the second meeting in May. Annan sent the political questions to the Security Council. These questions focused on lifting sanctions, U.S. threats against Iraq, the "no-fly" zones in northern and southern Iraq enforced by U.S. and British aircraft and the creation of a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East. The Security Council chose not to respond to these questions. But Thursday's letter made no mention of any political issues, referring only to the remaining disarmament issues. All contents copyright 2002 Las Vegas SUN, Inc. ***************************************************************** 22 U.S.-RUSSIA PACT: Use of test site not part of disarmament plan [Las Vegas Review-Journal] Friday, August 02, 2002 Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal Official says time, cost roadblocks to using Nevada location By TONY BATT STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU WASHINGTON -- The Nevada Test Site is unlikely to be used to disassemble nuclear weapons resulting from the latest U.S.-Russia arms control agreement, a top nuclear agency official said Thursday. Everet Beckner, deputy administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, said the underused Device Assembly Facility at the test site could be utilized for weapons dismantlement, "but it is not in our plans at present to use it that way." U.S. nuclear weapons are more likely to be dismantled at the government's Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, he said. Beckner also said it is far from a done deal that the NNSA will move an advanced nuclear laboratory from New Mexico to the test site. He said a decision is not due for another year on the TA-18 Critical Experiments Facility now located at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Beckner made his comments in an interview after testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the arms reduction treaty with Russia. The treaty, completed in May, requires a two-thirds cut in the U.S. nuclear arsenal by Dec. 31, 2012. In the wake of the proposed new arms reductions, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., suggested the device assembly facility could be used to dismantle weapons. In his prepared testimony, Beckner said that wasn't in the plans. "While warhead dismantlement at the device assembly facility is a possibility, the time and cost of starting up nuclear explosive operations at what is essentially a new facility are not easily predicted and would be substantial," he said. The device assembly facility is a 100,000-square-foot bunker including about 20 buildings designed to contain the release of nuclear materials during experiments. Located about 85 miles northwest of Las Vegas, the facility was completed in 1998 at a cost of $180 million, said test site spokesman Darwin Morgan. Originally planned for underground nuclear tests, the facility instead is being used to assemble subcritical or non-nuclear tests. A moratorium halted underground nuclear tests at the test site in September 1992. On the Los Alamos laboratory, Beckner told senators the NNSA plans to issue an environmental impact statement on the move in the next few weeks. Reports last month indicated the Energy Department plans to relocate the TA-18 lab from Los Alamos to Nevada, where it would be relocated at the Device Assembly Facility. After the hearing, Beckner said a final decision might be a year away. "We are assessing the cost for modifications to the DAF (device assembly facility) as well as the cost of moving that entire program out (of Los Alamos)," Beckner said. "Until we know more about those costs, it's premature for us to assume that that's definitely going to happen," he said. The TA-18 Critical Experiments Facility has an annual budget of $23 million, and moving it to the test site is the preferred alternative, Beckner said. "But there are other options available to us if it turns out that it's not practical to make that transition," he said. On another matter, Beckner said he does not know when the NNSA will complete a report recommending the amount of time needed to prepare the test site for a resumption of underground nuclear blasts if needed. In May, the House Armed Services Committee recommended a preparation time of one year. Currently, the test site would need two to three years to resume underground testing. While the National Nuclear Security Administration agrees that two to three years is too long, Beckner said one year would not be enough time to prepare the test site for another underground nuclear explosion. He declined to say how much time would be needed. This story is located at: http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2002/Aug-02-Fri-2002/news/19326044.html [http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2002/Aug-02-Fri-2002/news/19326044.html] ***************************************************************** 23 Bechtel's Hanford contract extended This story was published Wed, Jul 31, 2002 By the Herald staff The Department of Energy has extended the conclusion of Bechtel Hanford Inc.'s environmental restoration contract from Sept. 30 to Dec. 31. This is the second time Bechtel's contract has been extended to reflect DOE preparing to award a new long-range Columbia River corridor cleanup contract to replace the current agreement. Bechtel Hanford is in charge of removing contaminated soil from along the Columbia River, demolishing and sealing up the site's old reactor complexes, managing a huge specialized landfill for contaminated rubble and some other duties. Originally, Bechtel's contract was supposed to expire June 30. That was extended to Sept. 30 before this latest extension. DOE is trying to set up a contract to last through 2011 or 2012 that will clean up most of the rivershore soil and finish most of the demolition and sealing of the old reactors. Originally, DOE hoped to award the river corridor contract in August but delayed that decision earlier this month to November. At least three corporate teams have bid on the project. DOE has declined to confirm the number and members of those teams. However, the Herald confirmed independently that Fluor Corp. and Washington Group International are one team, Bechtel National and CH2M Hill are a second team, and Foster Wheeler Environmental Co. is on a third team. Copyright 2002 Tri-City Herald. All rights reserved. This ***************************************************************** 24 U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham speaks to the media in Moscow. /Alexander Zemlianichenko, AP/ U.S. demands Russia end all nuclear cooperation with Iran Dmitry Zaks, AFP - 8/2/2002 MOSCOW - The United States demanded Thursday that Russia halt all nuclear cooperation with Iran, expressing "utmost concern" at Moscow's decision to deepen ties with a state Washington has branded part of an "axis of evil." U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said he was holding delicate talks sparked by Russia's announcement that it plans to build a second Iranian nuclear power and broaden economic ties with Tehran in other spheres. The top official stressed that Washington's recent diplomatic silence on Moscow's decision did not mean that it was either ignoring the issue or somehow softening its line on Russia's controversial Iranian ties. "Iran is aggressively pursuing nuclear weapons as well as other weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles," Abraham told reporters one day after holding closed-door talks with Russian Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev. "For that reason we consistently urge Russia to cease all nuclear cooperation with Iran including its assistance to the reactor at Bushehr," he added. "No one should be under any impression that there is anything but the utmost concern on this question on our part and those concerns have been frankly and directly conveyed during our meetings here." Abraham's message was reaffirmed by John Bolton, the visiting U.S. under secretary of state for arms control, who also met Rumyantsev and senior defense officials before leaving Moscow Wednesday without addressing the press. Russia appeared to stun Washington last Friday with its announcement that it intended to strengthen ties with Tehran, after having emerged as one of the key US allies in the post-September 11 anti-terror campaign. The new Moscow program was particularly surprising having come less than a month after agreeing to a confidence-building 20-billion-dollar aid package for dismantling Russia's weapons of mass destruction. Yet Abraham noted that Washington was far too concerned about Russia's ability to safe-keep its vast nuclear and chemical weapon arsenal to let the Iranian dispute get in the way of the G8-brokered assistance deal. "My assumption is that those dollars will be spent," Abraham said when asked about the G8 program for Russia, whose details have not yet been made public. "These problems have to be addressed regardless of the circumstances and I expect this to be a successful program." Together with Israel, the United States has voiced repeated fears over Russian-Iranian cooperation in the construction of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran, where only one reactor of four has been completed. Abraham said the issue had been raised "at the highest levels," with U.S. officials saying Washington was also anxious that Iran may be developing other weapons as well as long-range missiles with Russia's help. "We do have concerns about assistance Iran is getting from Russia, as it concerns chemical and biological weapons, and transfers of advanced conventional weapons," said the U.S. ambassador to Moscow, Alexander Vershbow. Iran for its part welcomed Russia's decision to approve the 10-year nuclear program, denying that such cooperation could help the Islamic republic develop nuclear weapons, the official agency IRNA said. "The development of bilateral relations in all domains between Iran and Russia is aimed at promoting peace, stability, and regional economic development," foreign ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi said. Russian officials kept their silence over Abraham's tough message Thursday, although diplomatic sources said Moscow and Tehran had scheduled a round of consultations over non-proliferation issues for August 20-22. Moscow would inform Tehran over its desire to tighten "control over the export of goods and dual-purpose technologies," one Russian source told the Interfax news agency. The two sides have so far failed to finalize an agreement on returning spent nuclear fuel from Bushehr to Russia -- an issue that in part has prompted Israel to warn it may bomb the plant before it goes on stream within two years. © Copyright 2002 AFP ***************************************************************** 25 Panel presents shutdown proposal This story was published Wed, Jul 31, 2002 By John Stang Herald staff writer The Fast Flux Test Facility can be shut down faster and cheaper than current estimates, an independent panel of experts believes. Last Friday, the panel submitted recommendations to Fluor Hanford, which oversees the dormant research reactor. Fluor set up the panel to help plan the closure. "We are currently evaluating the recommendations in the report,' said Fluor spokesman Michael Turner. Fluor is to deliver its own proposal on closing FFTF to the Department of Energy on Sept. 30. In broad strokes, the panel told Fluor it is possible: -- To drain FFTF's liquid sodium coolant, wash and remove its fuel, and to take certain safety precautions by 2007 for $320 million. DOE's current preliminary estimate is that work would take until 2011 and cost $363 million. -- To finish sodium draining, fuel removal, safety work, remaining cleanup and "entombment" of the reactor by 2011 at a total cost of $670 million. Hanford's current estimate is that work would take until 2019 and cost $810 million. The panel consisted of experts involved with dismantling reactors in Maine, Oregon and France. One member, Clegg Crawford, vice president of S.A. Robotics, which provides nuclear decommissioning technology, will be the new FFTF manager, Fluor announced Tuesday. Crawford worked at Hanford from 1981-87. He replaces Bruce Klos, who will stay as the project's senior technical director. The change reflects preparations for shutdown, the company said. Last December, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham ordered FFTF shut down -- making him the second energy secretary in a year to do so. Some Mid-Columbians are trying persuade DOE to commercialize the reactor to make medical isotopes. The closure plan is divided into two segments. Deactivation covers removing 352 irradiated and 24 never-irradiated nuclear fuel assemblies, washing liquid sodium from them and storing them until final disposition is determined. This stage also covers draining 260,000 gallons of super-hot liquid sodium from the coolant pipes. Also, some long-term safety precautions will be taken. Draining the sodium is considered the point of no return because the longer the sodium is gone, the more likely irreparable flaws will show up in the drastically cooled pipes. Decommissioning covers demolishing buildings and either tearing apart or entombing the reactor. The panel recommends entombment. The panel recommends starting shutdown quickly because FFTF workers -- averaging 47 years in age -- will retire in greater numbers as time passes, losing institutional knowledge. The report said the FFTF staff is extremely good. But it added that a sense of urgency needs to be emphasized to make accelerated deadlines. DOE needs to renegotiate its contract with Fluor so performance fees can be tied to proper shutdown on time, the report said. DOE is in final stages of working out a timetable with the state and the Environmental Protection Agency. The panel recommends Fluor send the best long-term shutdown plan to DOE, without being constrained by DOE funding plans. "Fluor Hanford should take the lead in convincing DOE and other stakeholders that (this) plan is the best way to deactivate and decommission the FFTF," the report said. DOE currently plans to allocate $36.1 million to FFTF in 2003 and $46.1 million annually for the next few years, with the total cost reaching $363 million by 2011. Although the panel's approach would be cheaper through 2019, its proposal averages $74.4 million annually through 2011. To speed the work, the panel recommends simultaneous deactivation and decommissioning, eliminating potential bottlenecks, adopting some French technology, going to 24-hour-7-day-a-week operation and lining up more fuel storage casks and spare parts. Copyright 2002 Tri-City Herald. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 26 Hanford group reviews safety policies This story was published Thu, Aug 1, 2002 By John Stang Herald staff writer A July 15 Hanford electrical accident led to CH2M Hill Hanford Group having its employees and subcontractors review safety and work procedures this month. The review came after an electrician received mild burns to his neck and forearm after tackling some unplanned work two weeks ago at Hanford's mockup of a waste tank. The electrician was treated and released at a clinic that same day, according to a Hanford accident report. The accident "was the result of unplanned and unauthorized work at the Cold Test Facility," said Rick Raymond, CH2M Hill Hanford Group's director of technology integration. Raymond said the accident was designated a "near miss," meaning it was one step away from causing a death or a significant injury. Thompson Mechanical is a subcontractor of CH2M Hill, and is one of the companies that designed and built the Cold Test Facility, which is an above-ground life-size mockup for one of Hanford's huge underground radioactive waste tanks. This training mockup is in southern Hanford just east of the HAMMER training facility. The electrician who was burned works for Sun River Electric, a subcontractor of Thompson Mechanical. The company suspended Sun River's work at the test site until an investigation is complete, said Karl Rickenbach, Thompson's vice president and general manager. "Sun River has been very cooperative in the investigation," Rickenbach said. Thompson is working on a corrective action plan for CH2M Hill.The Sun River employee was working on an outdoors electrical box and short-circuited a breaker that caused an electrical arc to jump across several other breakers, giving the worker mild burns, according to the Hanford accident documents. The electrician erred in tackling a job that was not in the work schedule for that day, and was not authorized by the foreman. Also, the worker attempted to install the breaker with it in a closed position, the report said. Copyright 2002 Tri-City Herald. All rights reserved. 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