[ RadSafe ] [Nuclear News] TVA restarts nuclear reactor in Alabama
Sandy Perle
sandyfl at cox.net
Wed May 23 10:27:16 CDT 2007
Note: My 3 week hiatus from Radsafe should not imply that my posts
have been moderated. I have been on business travel as well as a week
touring the Southern Utah National Parks and Monuments. I have not
included website links in my posts for more than a year now, but if
anyone is interested in viewing, you can follow the website link in
the signature line below:
Index:
TVA restarts nuclear reactor in Alabama
Govt launches energy blueprint, stresses importance of nuclear
Blair argues for nuclear power as govt publishes proposals
'No showdown' over UK nuclear power
'Nuclear energy is panacea for India's energy needs'
European Think-Tank Says "Iran May Hit European Nuclear Plants"
New Jersey Meeting tonight on nuclear plant safety
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TVA restarts nuclear reactor in Alabama
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Tennessee Valley Authority restarted the third
and final reactor at its Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant early Tuesday,
ending a 22-year shutdown prompted by safety concerns at what was
once America's largest nuclear plant.
TVA, the nation's largest public utility, said the restart capped an
exhaustive program that brought the reactor up to modern standards. A
watchdog group, however, pointed to the plant's history of problems
and questioned whether the reactor should be operating at all.
The Unit 1 reactor began a self-sustaining nuclear reaction at 12:28
a.m. CST, capping a five-year, $1.8 billion renovation.
Browns Ferry is on the banks of the Tennessee River about 110 miles
south of Nashville.
Plant spokesman Craig Beasley said there were no reports of problems,
and the other two reactors at Browns Ferry remained at full power.
"Returning Browns Ferry Unit 1 to our nuclear fleet gives TVA another
dependable, safe and emissions-free source of generation to help meet
the growing demand for power in the Tennessee Valley," TVA chief
executive Tom Kilgore said in a statement.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission gave final approval for the restart
last week. Beasley said extensive testing remained to be done before
electricity from Unit 1 began flowing on transmission lines.
Sara Barczak, safe energy director for the Southern Alliance for
Clean Energy, said Browns Ferry has an "infamous history" that poses
concerns even after the refurbishment. Reactors are most likely to
have problems during and shortly after startups or as they age, she
said, and Unit 1 falls into both categories because of its history,
which includes a 1975 fire that was then the nation's worst nuclear
power accident.
----------------
Govt launches energy blueprint, stresses importance of nuclear
LONDON (AFP) - The government has outlined a plan for how to meet the
country's future energy needs Wednesday, stressing nuclear power will
likely play a key role.
The Energy White Paper, which aims to tackle looming problems of
climate change and energy security, was launched alongside a five-
month public consultation on the use of nuclear power.
Ministers want to increase the amount of energy from low carbon
sources by encouraging more nuclear power and overseeing a threefold
increase in energy generated from renewable sources -- from five to
15 percent -- by 2015.
"It is right that we consider how nuclear power can help to underpin
the security of our energy supply without increasing our reliance on
fossil fuels," Prime Minister Tony Blair said in an article
for Wednesday's edition of The Times.
Britain currently has 12 nuclear sites, many built in the 1960s and
1970s, which generate about 25 percent of the country's electricity.
Ministers plan to allow the private sector to initiate, fund,
construct and operate new nuclear power stations but it is not yet
clear how many there would be or how much energy they would generate.
Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling told lawmakers in the
House of Commons that a final decision on future nuclear power plants
would be taken later this year.
"We have reached the preliminary view that it would be in the public
interest to allow energy companies to invest in nuclear power," he
said.
"But before we make our decision we are consulting further."
The government gave the go-ahead for new nuclear power stations last
July but in February, London's High Court ordered it back to the
drawing board after ruling that its consultation on the issue had
been "seriously flawed."
Final plans will be approved when current finance minister Gordon
Brown, who also reportedly backs building more nuclear power
stations, is prime minister -- he is due to take over from Blair on
June 27.
------------------
Blair argues for nuclear power as govt publishes proposals
LONDON (AFP) - Departing Prime Minister Tony Blair has put forth the
case for a new generation of nuclear power stations as his government
is set to publish Wednesday proposals to secure the country's energy
supplies.
The proposals come after the government suffered a political blow in
February when the High Court ruled that a decision last year to
approve plans for new nuclear power plants was illegal because public
consultations were flawed.
Writing in The Times, Blair said that "it is right that we consider
how nuclear power can help to underpin the security of our energy
supply without increasing our reliance on fossil fuels."
"We can meet our carbon dioxide emissions targets, but only if we are
willing to think ahead and take tough decisions over new wind farms --
and give serious consideration to nuclear power."
His comments were set to kick off a debate on Britain's energy
security and how the government would also meet its legally-binding
targets of reducing carbon emissions by 60 percent by 2050, against a
1990 baseline.
Britain has about a dozen nuclear power stations, most of them built
in the 1960s and 1970s, providing about 25 percent of the country's
electricity, compared with natural gas which provides about 40
percent.
Advocates of new reactors -- which emit virtually no carbon dioxide --
argue they would help Britain meet its pledge to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions.
Blair, who will be succeeded by Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon
Brown on June 27, wrote that Britain faces "a serious challenge in
securing our energy supplies ... we will be required to look at
importing energy from less stable parts of the world."
He added that Britain will be exposed to international energy markets
"at precisely the same time that emerging economies, such as China
and India, are increasing their energy consumption.
"As if that were not enough, we are now faced with countries such as
Russia, who are prepared to use their energy resources as an
instrument of policy."
Blair continued: "We need a policy that conforms to the rising
concern about climate change and gives Britain the secure, safe and
politically acceptable supplies of energy that our livelihood
demands."
-----------------
'No showdown' over UK nuclear power
Torness is expected to run for at least another 10 years
The UK Government has played down suggestions of a showdown between
Westminster and Holyrood over the generation of nuclear power.
First Minister Alex Salmond has said there was "no chance" of any
more being nuclear plants being built in Scotland.
However, a UK Government's white paper includes nuclear power as part
of a mix of energy sources, alongside energy-saving measures across
the UK.
The SNP, Liberal Democrats and Greens are opposed to nuclear new-
build.
Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling outlined his plans for
the future of Britain's energy.
Alongside the energy white paper Mr Darling launched a new
consultation on the principle of including nuclear power as part of
Britain's energy mix.
He told the House of Commons that a decision on nuclear power would
have to be taken this year.
He said that the consultation period would run until October after
which there would have to be a decision on whether the UK should
build new nuclear power stations.
The government was forced to re-run the consultation process after
anti-nuclear campaigners Greenpeace won a High Court ruling which
said that the previous consultation had been "seriously flawed".
There is already something approaching a deal on the table
Earlier, Mr Darling told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme
that the devolution settlement allowed Scotland to decide on its
energy needs.
He said: "The Scottish Executive has the planning authority, it also
has the right to veto connections to the grid - so they have always
had that double lock.
"Nothing has changed in that respect."
He said that more than a third of Scotland's electricity came from
the Torness and Hunterston nuclear stations.
"Torness has got probably another 10 to 20 years life in it, so there
is going to be nuclear power in Scotland for the foreseeable future,"
he said.
He warned that blanket opposition to nuclear power and to windfarms
was not an answer to meeting future energy needs.
"Given the problems we face with climate change, given the fact that
we cannot go on belching carbon into the atmosphere, given the fact
that we are going to become more dependent on importing gas from
countries like Russia and the Middle East, we have to have a sensible
mix of generation," he said.
Although energy policy is not devolved, Scottish ministers have
control of the planning system and also have to give consent under
the Electricity Act to the construction of new power stations above a
certain size.
Labour in power in Scotland favoured keeping nuclear as part of the
energy mix.
A guide to nuclear power
But Green MSP Patrick Harvie said: "There is no need for
confrontation between Holyrood and Westminster here - just different
opinions and options being taken by two governments acting within
their competencies.
"In Scotland we are awash with renewable resources and we will aim to
take advantage of them.
"The rest of the UK can do the same but it is a shame there appears
to be a willingness in Westminster to cling to the dirty technology
of the past."
Liberal Democrat leader Nicol Stephen said: "Directing government
investment away from wind, wave and tidal power into nuclear would
fatally damage Scotland's opportunity to become the renewables power
house of Europe.
"Nuclear power has a history of hidden costs and is fraught with
potential dangers."
Scottish Energy Secretary John Swinney said he agreed with Mr Darling
on the need for more energy efficiency and the development of
renewable power sources.
'Exciting developments'
However he told BBC Radio Scotland: "The Scottish government has made
its position very, very clear, that we will not support the
development of new nuclear power stations."
He said it was "more likely" any new nuclear power stations would be
sited in the south of England.
He added: "I think there's a number of very interesting proposals
coming forward in Scotland about how we can develop low carbon energy
sources for our power stations.
"I think we're on the cusp of some very exciting developments in
Scotland."
Friends of the Earth Scotland, said Scotland has the capacity to be
self-sufficient from renewables and that new nuclear reactors were
not needed to tackle climate change.
Energy efficiency
Chief Executive, Duncan McLaren, said: "Instead of wasting any more
time and money on trying to revive polluting nuclear power, the
government should be pushing ahead with measures to improve energy
efficiency and tap into the whole range of renewable energy resources
available to us."
As well looking for an increase in renewable energy, Alistair
Darling's energy white paper includes measures to encourage
householders and businesses to save power.
The government want power companies to increase their efforts to
promote energy efficiency measures for their customers, and they are
calling for businesses such as banks and supermarkets to trade carbon
emmissions.
----------------
'Nuclear energy is panacea for India's energy needs'
Ranchi, May 23 (IANS) Nuclear energy has the potential to meet
India's energy needs and keep carbon dioxide emissions at the lowest
possible level, Anil Kakodkar, chairman of the Atomic Energy
Commission, said here Wednesday.
Addressing the Birla Institute of Technology's (BIT) Mesra
convocation, Kakodkar said: 'Carbon dioxide (CO2) emission is
threatening serious consequences (to the environment) and nuclear
energy will be able to keep it at lowest level'.
Kakodkar expressed concern over the changing climate due to emission
of carbon dioxide. 'Nuclear energy will be inevitable when global
search for ways to reduce CO2 emission take place,' he said.
'India is working for nuclear renaissance. We have succeeded in
translating nuclear programme through Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor
(PHWR) which is on par or better than global benchmarks,' he added.
Talking about the Indian nuclear programme, he said, 'Our modest
resources and best energy potential of Thorium deposits have
necessitated our adoption of three-stage nuclear power programme.
First stage is on commercial domain, that is PHWR and we will
similarly translate research and development to commercial scale
exploitation for the second and third stage as well.'
'As a matter of fact, a beginning of commercial activity with the
second stage has already been made as the construction of the 500
megawatt energy prototype fast breeder reactor is already in
progress. The fast breeder reactor does not need further mining of
uranium and enables recycle of uranium that has already been used in
PHWR,' Kakodkar added.
He also defended the uranium mining taking place in Jadugoda town of
Jamshedpur district, pointing out that it does not pose any health
problems for the residents. There have been allegations in the past
that that uranium mining adversely affected the health of Jadugoda
residents.
-------------------
European Think-Tank Says "Iran May Hit European Nuclear Plants"
(RTTNews) - Tehran may be in the process of drawing up plans to
strike targets in Europe and is believed to have conducted
reconnaissance of European nuclear power stations, a European
security analyst told a meeting of British lawmakers and analysts in
London's House of Commons on Tuesday.
Claude Moniquet, president of the European Strategic Intelligence and
Security Center, a private think-tank based in Brussels, said that
his organization also had "evidence" Tehran has increased numbers of
intelligence operatives across Europe.
"We have serious signals that something is under preparation in
Europe," Moniquet said adding "Iranian intelligence is working
extremely hard to prepare its people and to prepare actions."
However, Moniquet could not present even a shred of his so called
"evidence" to support his claims at the meeting.
The think-tank, which he said deals directly with European
intelligence agencies, believes Iranian agents have also carried out
"reconnaissance of targets in European cities, including nuclear
power stations," said Moniquet without mentioning any specific
targets.
-----------------
New Jersey Meeting tonight on nuclear plant safety
TOMS RIVER: The public will have an opportunity to hear how the
Oyster Creek nuclear power plant performed last year in terms of
safety during a meeting 7 p.m. tonight between officials from the
plant and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Regulators will hold an open house starting at 5:30 p.m. for any
member of the public who would like to speak one-on-one with the
individuals responsible for making sure that the Lacey plant runs
safely.
The open house and the meeting will be held at the plant's emergency
operations facility, 1268 Route 37 West in Toms River.
------------------
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
E-Mail: sandyfl at cox.net
Global Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com/
Personal Website: http://sandy-travels.com/
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