[ RadSafe ] U.S. Approves License for Palisades Nuclear Plan

[Sandy Perle]

Index:

U.S. Approves License for Palisades Nuclear Plan
GE Energy to oversee and update Monticello nuclear plant
Plans for 2nd Hungarian nuclear plant
Rats caused wildfire near Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant
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U.S. Approves License for Palisades Nuclear Plant

WASHINGTON (AP) Jan 17 -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said 
Wednesday that it has renewed the operating license of the Palisades 
Nuclear plant in South Haven, Mich., for an additional 20 years.
The environmental and safety reviews of the plant did not uncover any 
reasons to preclude the renewal of the license, the agency said. 
Public meetings to discuss the environmental review were held in July 
2005 and April 2006.

The plant is owned by Nuclear Management Company, a joint venture of 
three electric utilities, including We Energies, a Wisconsin company, 
XCel Energy Inc. and Consumers Energy, a subsidiary of CMS Energy 
Corp. Consumers Energy owns the Palisades plant.
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GE Energy to oversee and update Monticello nuclear plant

Bizjournal Jan 17 - GE Energy's nuclear business has been awarded the 
contract to oversee and implement an extended power update of the 
Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant.The contract is valued at more 
than $100 million.  

The deal will boost the plant's output to 120 percent of its original 
licensed thermal power.

The EPU contract was awarded by the plant's operator, Nuclear 
Management Company of Hudson, Wisc., and represents GE's (NYSE: GE - 
News) largest extended power upgrade order to date. The plant's owner 
is Northern States Power Company, a subsidiary of Minneapolis-based 
Xcel Energy Inc. (NYSE: XEL - News)

Monticello, a one-unit, boiling water reactor, began commercial 
operation in 1971 and generates enough electricity to meet the needs 
of more than 500,000 customers.

On Wednesday, media reports indicated that the plant was shut down 
indefinitely, after a large metal component broke loose inside the 
plant. Investigation into the matter is underway. The incident was 
outside the reactor, and no radiation was released.
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Plans for 2nd Hungarian nuclear plant

Budapest Sun Jan 18 - The government has plans to build either a 
second nuclear power station or to expand the existing Paks plant 
"with the aim of cutting carbon emissions," national daily Magyar 
Hírlap reported on Tuesday, Jan 16.  

Experts are said to discussing whether the current use of the Paks 
nuclear power plant should be extended beyond its current lifecycle, 
or whether to build a new nuclear plant, the paper said, quoting 
unnamed sources. To build a new plant would cost the government an 
estimated e3 billion. 

Last year the existing Paks plant worked on expanding the capacity at 
the second of its four blocks by 8% from the current 467 megawatts 
(MW) - the target figures to be reached by February or March of this 
year. The plant is already under going a Ft5bn ($23.2m) capacity 
expansion, due to be completed by 2009. 

The Economy ministry is said to have drawn up a medium-term energy 
policy based on energy needs and investment potential. Green 
organization have already protested the plans for a second nuclear 
power plant, citing the dangers seen in 2003 when Paks´ fuel rods 
were damaged. The rods over-heated in a cleaning tank located close 
to the plant´s second reactor. 
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Rats caused wildfire near Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant

LOS ANGELES (AP) Jan 18 - Rats chewing on electrical wire inside a 
mobile home likely caused a wildfire near the Diablo Canyon nuclear 
plant, authorities said.

"The most probable cause of the fire is related to rodents and the 
electrical system," Andy Anderson of the California Department of 
Fire and Forestry said in a statement.

The 332-acre blaze, which burned within two miles of the nuclear 
plant, was surrounded Wednesday, forestry spokeswoman Laura Brown 
said. It is expected to be fully extinguished Saturday.

The blaze began Sunday on land owned by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. 
when a mobile home ignited and flames spread to brush, including 
parts of Montana de Oro State Park, she said.

All trails in the park have been reopened.

Sandy Perle
Senior Vice President, Technical Operations
Global Dosimetry Solutions, Inc.
2652 McGaw Avenue
Irvine, CA 92614 

Tel: (949) 296-2306 / (888) 437-1714  Extension 2306
Fax:(949) 296-1144

E-Mail: sperle at dosimetry.com
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