News archive
Nuclear-industry articles and summaries, with original dates and attribution.
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AP1000 Nuclear Plant Construction Still On Schedule in China
Source: NewsDespite delays brought on by regulatory changes in the wake of Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi crisis, Chinese authorities say they still expect to complete the world’s first Westinghouse AP1000 reactor next year. On Saturday, State Nuclear…
USEC’s American Centrifuge R&D May Be Funded Through March as DOE Negotiations Continue
Source: NewsOn Friday USEC announced a “path to provide interim funding” through March for research at the company’s American Centrifuge Plant as it continues to pursue government support for the uranium enrichment venture. USEC did not…
NRC Staff Amenable to Post-Fukushima Safety Enhancements Proposed by Nuclear Industry
Source: NewsAt a meeting Friday, officials from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission expressed tentative support for an industry-proposed strategy to improve emergency preparedness at nuclear plants following the Fukushima Daiichi crisis in Japan. Last month the Nuclear…
European Researchers Successfully Operate Particle Accelerator-Driven Reactor, Highlighting The Technology’s Potential for Nuclear Waste Treatment
Source: NewsScientists from the Belgian Nuclear Research Center, along with France’s National Research Council and Atomic Energy Commission, have developed a reactor that relies on a particle accelerator to sustain fission – a technology with the…
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant Weekly Review
Source: NewsA fourth worker at Fukushima Daiichi has died following a heart condition this week deemed unrelated to radiation. Other recent news from the plant damaged by last March’s tsunami and power blackout include a small…
Interview with National Museum of Nuclear Science & History Director Jim Walther On The Upcoming National Nuclear Science Week
Source: NewsJan. 23 marks the start of National Nuclear Science Week. For this year’s highlights, we spoke with Jim Walther – director of the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History. This is the third year…
Livermore Scientists Discover Plastic With The Potential to Detect Neutrons for Nuclear Research or Security Applications
Source: NewsScientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have developed a plastic that can detect neutrons and distinguish them from gamma rays. The safe and inexpensive material could foster a range of new technologies in nuclear security…
Utilities Sue Over Costs Related to Cooling Tower Failures at Vermont Yankee
Source: NewsVermont’s two largest utilities have filed suit against Entergy to recover costs associated with the partial collapse of cooling structures at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant in 2007 and 2008. Filings in a state court…
Internet Surfing By Reactor Operators At River Bend Nuclear Plant Could Draw $140,000 Fine
Source: NewsNo browsing in the control room: On Monday the Nuclear Regulatory Commission proposed a steep fine for Entergy after investigating Internet use by reactor operators at its River Bend nuclear plant. In a release, the…
Japanese Scientists Will Try to Map Damaged Fukushima Fuel By Observing Muons
Source: NewsWithin ten years, Tokyo Electric Power Co. hopes to begin removing the damaged fuel from three reactors at its tsunami-hammered Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Determining exactly where melted fuel came to rest is among the…
Palisades Nuclear Plant Shuts Down for Maintenance Unrelated to Recent NRC Findings
Source: NewsOperators shut down the reactor at the Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan Thursday to replace a seal on a control rod. An Entergy spokesman noted the preventative maintenance is unrelated to increased regulatory scrutiny following…
France Tightens Nuclear Plant Security After Greenpeace Fence-Jumping
Source: NewsIn an interview published Friday, the French interior minister said security would be tightened at the country’s nuclear plants after Greenpeace activists jumped fences at the Nogent and Cruas plants last month. Claude Gueant told…
Alert Ended, Chemical Leak Contained at Prairie Island Nuclear Plant
Source: NewsThe Prairie Island nuclear plant near Minneapolis spent much of Thursday under alert status following a leak of chlorine bleach from a system used to purify cooling water. In a release, Xcel Energy said plant…
Areva to Supply Fuel to Monticello Nuclear Plant In $500 Million Deal
Source: NewsAreva will supply a decade’s worth of fuel to Minnesota’s Monticello nuclear plant under a contract announced Wednesday. Starting in 2015, Areva will deliver its ATRIUM 10XM fuel to the Xcel Energy plant. The $500…
France Stands By Nuclear Power, Will Spend $13 Billion For Safety Upgrades
Source: NewsAs France’s nuclear regulatory body outlined requirements for substantial post-Fukushima plant upgrades, the head of state-controlled utility EDF said the country remains committed to its reactor fleet. In contrast to Germany or Switzerland, whose governments…
Man Jumps Fence, Prompts Unusual Event Notification at McGuire Nuclear Plant
Source: NewsAn 18 year old quickly found himself in the custody of police after climbing over the fence at a North Carolina nuclear plant. According to a Nuclear Regulatory Commission event report released Tuesday, plant security…
Korea Electric Power Co. CEO Aims for Significant Growth in Exports, Including Nuclear
Source: NewsKorea’s largest power company plans to ramp up exports to as much as half of its business, from 3 percent now. Korean Electric Power Co. CEO Kim Joong-kyum announced the move in a statement Monday,…
Flaunting Its Nuclear Technology, Iran Claims Production of First Uranium Fuel Rod
Source: NewsIran has reportedly demonstrated its ability to produce uranium reactor fuel using only its own facilities. The announcement by the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency Sunday comes as sanctions against Iran’s central bank by the…
Pilgrim Nuclear Plant Restarts After Relief Valve Repaired
Source: NewsMassachusetts’ Pilgrim nuclear plant powered back up over the weekend after a leaking valve in its pressure relief system prompted a shutdown last week. Early on Dec. 26 operators manually shut down the reactor from…
Suit Over Columbia Nuclear Plant Steam Condenser Replacement Goes to Mediation
Source: NewsLitigation between Energy Northwest and Babcock & Wilcox over costly delays during a steam generator replacement has been put on hold as the companies mediate the case. A district court judge suspended proceedings in the…