Reactor Plumbing Gets Drilled in Florida

Anyone else have a problem with the "logic" of the NRC on this one? 

FBI: Hole Deliberately Drilled into Pipe at Nuclear Reactor - Bradenton.com - 12 Nov 07

"An FBI investigation has found that someone deliberately drilled a hole into a pipe that is part of a nuclear reactor's cooling system at the Turkey Point power plant.

The defect was discovered in March 2006 during a routine inspection. Officials said they don't plan to file charges because they don't have enough evidence to prove criminal intent.  'No one is being charged unless more evidence becomes available,' said FBI spokeswoman Judy Orihuela.

An out-of-state contractor worker hired to do routine maintenance is suspected of drilling the 1/8-inch hole, Orihuela added, describing the incident as an act of vandalism. More than 700 utility workers were interviewed as part of the investigation.  The public's heath and safety were not at risk, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said, so the act was not deemed to be sabotage."

Reactor Plumbing Gets Drilled in Florida

Anyone else have a problem with the "logic" of the NRC on this one? 

FBI: Hole Deliberately Drilled into Pipe at Nuclear Reactor - Bradenton.com - 12 Nov 07

"An FBI investigation has found that someone deliberately drilled a hole into a pipe that is part of a nuclear reactor's cooling system at the Turkey Point power plant.

The defect was discovered in March 2006 during a routine inspection. Officials said they don't plan to file charges because they don't have enough evidence to prove criminal intent.  'No one is being charged unless more evidence becomes available,' said FBI spokeswoman Judy Orihuela.

An out-of-state contractor worker hired to do routine maintenance is suspected of drilling the 1/8-inch hole, Orihuela added, describing the incident as an act of vandalism. More than 700 utility workers were interviewed as part of the investigation.  The public's heath and safety were not at risk, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said, so the act was not deemed to be sabotage."

You Can't Make Them for Cheap Even in India

Interesting opinion piece on new nukes from India.  Massive cost overruns continue.  All the more reason to subsidize them, right?

Govindraj Ethiraj: The Staggering Cost of Nuclear Power - Business Standard (India) - 13 Nov 07

"...I also argued that if we already generate more renewable energy in India than nuclear power (6,190 Mw versus 4,120 Mw), than what sense does it make to pursue the latter?"

"A Greenpeace report titled 'The Cost of Nuclear Power', released in May this year, highlights the considerable delays in constructing nuclear power plants all over the world. It quotes, for instance, US Department of Energy (DoE) data to show that while the estimated cost of 75 reactors in operation in the US was $45 billion, the final bill was $145 billion.
 
The report also points out that the average construction time for nuclear plants has increased from 66 months for completions in the mid 70s to 116 months or almost 10 years between 1995 and 2000. Greenpeace says the longer construction times are symptomatic of a range of problems including managing the construction of increasingly complex reactor designs.
 
In India’s Tarapur III & IV, for example, the cost went from Rs 2,427 crore at start to a final figure of Rs 6,200 crore. Greenpeace figures also show that all nuclear plants in India have run massively over time even as capital costs ballooned. Greenpeace has also compiled, interestingly, details of some 14 nuclear power projects the world over where work has stalled. These are mostly in former Soviet Russia but also include Argentina and Brazil."

You Can't Make Them for Cheap Even in India

Interesting opinion piece on new nukes from India.  Massive cost overruns continue.  All the more reason to subsidize them, right?

Govindraj Ethiraj: The Staggering Cost of Nuclear Power - Business Standard (India) - 13 Nov 07

"...I also argued that if we already generate more renewable energy in India than nuclear power (6,190 Mw versus 4,120 Mw), than what sense does it make to pursue the latter?"

"A Greenpeace report titled 'The Cost of Nuclear Power', released in May this year, highlights the considerable delays in constructing nuclear power plants all over the world. It quotes, for instance, US Department of Energy (DoE) data to show that while the estimated cost of 75 reactors in operation in the US was $45 billion, the final bill was $145 billion.
 
The report also points out that the average construction time for nuclear plants has increased from 66 months for completions in the mid 70s to 116 months or almost 10 years between 1995 and 2000. Greenpeace says the longer construction times are symptomatic of a range of problems including managing the construction of increasingly complex reactor designs.
 
In India’s Tarapur III & IV, for example, the cost went from Rs 2,427 crore at start to a final figure of Rs 6,200 crore. Greenpeace figures also show that all nuclear plants in India have run massively over time even as capital costs ballooned. Greenpeace has also compiled, interestingly, details of some 14 nuclear power projects the world over where work has stalled. These are mostly in former Soviet Russia but also include Argentina and Brazil."

Democrats Dip and Dodge on Dump

The political contortions at this time of year are almost comical.  One of these artful dodgers will likely end up running the country.  <shudder>

Democrats Oppose Nuclear Waste Dump - AP - 13 Nov 07

"The leading Democratic presidential candidates are united on the government's Yucca Mountain nuclear waste storage plan: They'd scrap it.  Their vigorous opposition to the project reflects Nevada's importance as one of a handful of states that will lead off voting in January for the Democratic and Republican nominations. Few local issues are as unpopular with Nevadans as the waste dump.

The Democrats have just one problem — their records keep getting in the way."

Democrats Dip and Dodge on Dump

The political contortions at this time of year are almost comical.  One of these artful dodgers will likely end up running the country.  <shudder>

Democrats Oppose Nuclear Waste Dump - AP - 13 Nov 07

"The leading Democratic presidential candidates are united on the government's Yucca Mountain nuclear waste storage plan: They'd scrap it.  Their vigorous opposition to the project reflects Nevada's importance as one of a handful of states that will lead off voting in January for the Democratic and Republican nominations. Few local issues are as unpopular with Nevadans as the waste dump.

The Democrats have just one problem — their records keep getting in the way."

Sellafield Clean Up a Mess

The gift that just keeps on giving across the pond.

Clean-up of Nuclear Power Stations in Disarray - The Guardian (UK) - 8 Nov 07

"Plans to speed up the dismantling of Britain's atomic power stations were in disarray last night after the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority admitted it was slowing down the clean-up process owing to soaring costs and fuel reprocessing problems at Sellafield.  One private clean-up company has already switched staff to a four-day week."

Sellafield Clean Up a Mess

The gift that just keeps on giving across the pond.

Clean-up of Nuclear Power Stations in Disarray - The Guardian (UK) - 8 Nov 07

"Plans to speed up the dismantling of Britain's atomic power stations were in disarray last night after the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority admitted it was slowing down the clean-up process owing to soaring costs and fuel reprocessing problems at Sellafield.  One private clean-up company has already switched staff to a four-day week."

"Clean and Safe" Uranium Contamination

Nuff said.

Town's Residents Test Positive for Uranium Contamination - Globe and Mail - 13 Nov 07

"The result of testing conducted on a small group of residents of Port Hope has found contamination by uranium of military or industrial origin.  Four of nine people tested had unusual types of uranium in their bodies, including one who carried measurable quantities of depleted uranium, which is used to make armour-piercing weapons, and another who had uranium at levels about three times higher than average concentrations of the element."

"Of those tested, three had a type of uranium normally found in spent reactor fuel. Five of those tested didn't have measurable amounts of uranium from military or industrial sources.

'The study calls into question the federal guidelines and standards used by Natural Resources Canada, Health Canada, the [Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission] and Cameco to monitor radiation exposure and protect workers and the community,' the health concerns committee contended in a statement issued yesterday."

"Clean and Safe" Uranium Contamination

Nuff said.

Town's Residents Test Positive for Uranium Contamination - Globe and Mail - 13 Nov 07

"The result of testing conducted on a small group of residents of Port Hope has found contamination by uranium of military or industrial origin.  Four of nine people tested had unusual types of uranium in their bodies, including one who carried measurable quantities of depleted uranium, which is used to make armour-piercing weapons, and another who had uranium at levels about three times higher than average concentrations of the element."

"Of those tested, three had a type of uranium normally found in spent reactor fuel. Five of those tested didn't have measurable amounts of uranium from military or industrial sources.

'The study calls into question the federal guidelines and standards used by Natural Resources Canada, Health Canada, the [Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission] and Cameco to monitor radiation exposure and protect workers and the community,' the health concerns committee contended in a statement issued yesterday."

"Electric Shag" Ultracapacitors to Replace Batteries?

This is some cool news.  Energy storage is the main problem for intermittent energy sources.  Once that gets solved, so long baseload plants.

Honda to Put Ultracapacitors on the Road in '08 - The Register - 5 Nov 07

"But Schindall reckons his team has a solution [for low energy capacity]. 'We believe that within a few months we'll be able to demonstrate results that outperform today's designs by a wide margin,' he says.  The lab boys and girls reckon they can do this by covering the surfaces of their ultracapacitor electrodes with a forest of - you guessed it - carbon nanotubes, creating a seventies-carpet style structure dubbed 'electric shag'.  This greatly increases the electrode surface area for a given bulk and weight. As capacitors store all their energy on their electrode surfaces, this is a good thing.

'We think... we can create a device that can hold up to 50 per cent as much electrical energy as a comparably sized battery,"' says Schindall."

"Electric Shag" Ultracapacitors to Replace Batteries?

This is some cool news.  Energy storage is the main problem for intermittent energy sources.  Once that gets solved, so long baseload plants.

Honda to Put Ultracapacitors on the Road in '08 - The Register - 5 Nov 07

"But Schindall reckons his team has a solution [for low energy capacity]. 'We believe that within a few months we'll be able to demonstrate results that outperform today's designs by a wide margin,' he says.  The lab boys and girls reckon they can do this by covering the surfaces of their ultracapacitor electrodes with a forest of - you guessed it - carbon nanotubes, creating a seventies-carpet style structure dubbed 'electric shag'.  This greatly increases the electrode surface area for a given bulk and weight. As capacitors store all their energy on their electrode surfaces, this is a good thing.

'We think... we can create a device that can hold up to 50 per cent as much electrical energy as a comparably sized battery,"' says Schindall."