[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Nuclear is Back: Deregulation Powers Nuclear Industry Renaissance
Index:
Nuclear is Back: Deregulation Powers Nuclear Industry Renaissance
Japan seeks U.S. go-ahead to return MOX fuel to UK
Full text of Nagasaki's Peace Declaration
Newcastle company plays down radiation scare
Perma-Fix Opens Radioactive/Hazardous Treatment Facility
==============================================
Nuclear is Back: Deregulation Powers Nuclear Industry Renaissance
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 9, 2001--Policymakers and political
leaders, now dealing with deregulation, higher prices for fossil
fuels, and global warming, are becoming reacquainted with the virtues
of nuclear energy.
And nuclear power advocates are finding themselves in a position to
benefit from the problems slamming other parts of the energy
industry.
As reported in the August issue of Energy Competition Strategy Report
(ECSR), published by Atlanta-based NHI Publications, energy experts
say a definite revival of interest in nuclear power can be seen on
the horizon. According to experts interviewed in the report, nuclear
is enjoying a higher profile among the country's policymakers
-- and among power company executives -- for several reasons:
-- Improvements in performance and capacity, along with
reductions in operating and maintenance costs, have made
nuclear one of the lowest cost electricity sources in
deregulated wholesale markets.
-- Nuclear's forward price stability exceeds that of any other
electricity source, making it highly attractive in a market
that's been hammered by high price volatility.
-- Nuclear power plants are the nation's largest source of
emission-free generation, a fact becoming more important under
the Clean Air Act.
Several energy companies featured in the report reveal the growing
importance being on nuclear, which is accounting for an increasing
percentage of total generation.
Other highlights of August's Energy Competition Strategy Report
include:
-- Can technology help resolve the power crisis? The Electric
Power Research Institute recommends a number of actions to
help address immediate issues posed by the California power
crisis, while also providing technology solutions that would
ultimately create a power delivery system capable of meeting
the demands of the 21st century.
-- In a revealing look at Pennsylvania's deregulation, ECSR
reports on the results from The Keystone Research Center's
study, "Pennsylvania Utilities in Crisis."
-- Smart metering technology allows utilities and their customers
to manage and conserve power, thereby reducing costs for
everyone. Moreover, utilities that use the technology can
differentiate themselves in a competitive market. ECSR reveals
the benefits to both utilities and consumers from a fast-growing
Mississippi-based developer of the technology who thinks smart meters
can have an immediate impact on the energy crisis.
--------------
Japan seeks U.S. go-ahead to return MOX fuel to UK
TOKYO, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Tokyo has asked Washington for a green light
to ship to Britain a consignment of MOX nuclear fuel, part of which
originated in the United States, a Japanese power company said on
Thursday.
Under a bilateral agreement, Washington must approve the transfer of
any nuclear fuel containing U.S.-made material, in this case uranium.
The MOX -- a blend of uranium and plutonium recycled from spent
nuclear fuel -- was initially shipped in 1999 from British Nuclear
Fuels Ltd (BNFL) to Kansai Electric Power Co Inc for use at one of
its reactors.
But BNFL agreed last July to take back the fuel after Kansai Electric
discovered accompanying data had been falsified. It also agreed to
pay compensation of 40 million pounds ($56.62 million). Masahiro
Takasugi, Kansai Electric's deputy general manager, told reporters
the company hoped U.S. approval would come by the end of the year.
The utility aims to return the MOX between April and December,
although no schedule has been set, he said.
"The shipment cannot be made in winter because the sea is too rough
then," Takasugi said.
Kansai Electric could not comment on future MOX contracts until the
consignment was returned to Britain, he said.
The Japanese utility had initially planned to load the MOX fuel at
its Takahama nuclear power plant in Fukui prefecture on the Sea of
Japan coast.
The revelation that MOX data had been falsified coincided with
Japan's worst nuclear incident and the two incidents ignited
smouldering public distrust of the nuclear industry.
In September 1999, an accident at a uranium reprocessing plant
operated by JCO Co Ltd in Tokaimura, about 140 km (90 miles)
northeast of Tokyo, killed two workers and exposed hundreds of
residents to radiation.
No Japanese power plant has used MOX despite industry plans to begin
loading the fuel in 1999.
The government and nuclear industry say they will continue to seek
the public's understanding on the use of MOX, which they argue is an
important resource for energy-hungry Japan.
A third of Japan's electricity comes from nuclear power.
----------------
Full text of Nagasaki's Peace Declaration
NAGASAKI, Aug. 9 (Kyodo) - The following is the full text of the
peace declaration delivered Thursday by Nagasaki Mayor Itcho Ito at a
peace memorial ceremony marking the 56th anniversary of the atomic
bombing of the southwestern Japan city.
Having entered a new century, we offer heartfelt prayers for the
repose of the souls of those who died in the atomic bombings and for
all the victims of war in every country, calling to the world for
peace from the atom-bombed city of Nagasaki.
We the citizens of Nagasaki have continuously appealed for the
realization of the 21st century as an era free from nuclear weapons.
Notwithstanding, no fewer than 30,000 nuclear warheads remain in
existence on the surface of our planet, and the nuclear threat is now
on the verge of expanding into space.
Fifty-six years ago, it required only a single and relatively
primitive atomic bomb to instantly transform our city into hell on
Earth.
The 20th century was an age of great progress for humankind in terms
of science and technology, as well as awareness of human rights. At
the same time, however, the 20th century gave birth to nuclear
weapons, instruments capable of destroying all of humanity.
The nuclear weapons states have refused to give up these instruments,
even with the passing of the Cold War, and a nuclear superpower is
now insinuating that it may renege on international commitments in
the area of nuclear disarmament. We are vigorously opposed to these
movements, which could negate previous efforts for the elimination of
nuclear weapons.
The agreement on ''an unequivocal undertaking to accomplish the total
elimination of their nuclear arsenals...'' expressed in May of last
year at the 2000 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on
the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons should not be allowed to
become an empty promise. We shall continue to raise our voices in
unison with the peoples of the world so as to actualize this
undertaking.
We urge the Japanese government, representing a nation that has
suffered nuclear attack, to play an active and befitting role in the
elimination of nuclear weapons, and to call for the convening of an
international assembly to enact a treaty for their prohibition.
Japan must uphold the peaceful ideals of its Constitution, build
relations of trust with neighboring countries by squarely facing its
history of aggression, and work for the establishment of a Northeast
Asian nuclear weapon-free zone that will enable Japan's withdrawal
from the ''nuclear umbrella.'' Accordingly, the threefold nonnuclear
principle must be drafted into law.
We also urge greater levels of care and assistance for all of the
atomic bomb survivors, both in Japan and abroad. The passage of 56
years has not at all alleviated the physical and mental anguish of
the atomic bomb survivors, who are growing increasingly elderly. In
fact, their anxiety and discomfort are mounting year by year. At the
same time, the Japanese government must not forget those who suffer
similarly, despite residing in districts in and around Nagasaki that
have not been officially designated as being affected by the atomic
bombing.
It is heartening that young people in Nagasaki are voluntarily
devising peace-related programs, and are engaged in various efforts
and activities. For example, a group of high school students is now
undertaking a petition drive seeking 10,000 signatures in support of
the elimination of nuclear weapons, and we are proud to think that a
new generation of youth is rising up to take action and initiative.
Also, the city of Nagasaki is creating the Nagasaki Peace Education
Program, which encourages young people to discuss and learn about the
atomic bombings, peace, and human rights in a cross-generational
context. In this way, we are working to develop human resources for
the active pursuit of peace.
In November of last year, Nagasaki hosted Japan's first-ever event
linking local governments and NGOs, the Nagasaki Global Citizens'
Assembly for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. This event confirmed
our belief that the united action of ordinary citizens can indeed
move the world.
Recalling that worldwide grassroots activities brought about a treaty
for the international prohibition of antipersonnel land mines, we
shall further strengthen our links with NGOs and municipalities
around the globe, standing at the forefront of efforts to abolish
nuclear weapons.
Nagasaki must forever remain the last place ever to have suffered
nuclear attack. We, the citizens of Nagasaki, hereby pledge to exert
every possible effort to ensure that the 21st century is an age of
peace, free from nuclear weapons, and from war itself.
-----------------
Newcastle company plays down radiation scare
9 August - Australian Broadcasting Corporation - A Newcastle scrap
metal company says reports of a radiation scare at its Hexham
operation have been exaggerated.
An exclusion zone of several metres is still in place around the
offending metal.
But a spokesman for Metal Corp Recyclers says the amount of radiation
being emitted is equivalent to about half that caused by a chest X-
ray.
Earlier today, two officers from the Environment Protection Authority
who are radiation experts were brought to Newcastle from Sydney to
investigate after the alarm was raised.
The company says it is unsure exactly what the metal is but it could
be some type of guage.
-----------------
Perma-Fix Opens Radioactive/Hazardous Treatment Facility in Oak
Ridge; U.S. Department of Energy Begins Waste Shipments
OAK RIDGE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 9, 2001--Perma-Fix
Environmental Services, Inc. (Nasdaq:PESI):
-- Radioactive/Hazardous Waste Market is Est at $7.0 Billion
-- Facility Uses Proprietary Treatment Technology
-- Perma-Fix Treatment Process Addresses Leading Energy and
Environmental Issue for Treatment of Radioactive/Hazardous Waste
Safely
Perma-Fix Environmental Services, Inc. (Nasdaq:PESI) (Germany:PES.BE)
announced today that it has opened and began accepting radioactive
and hazardous waste ("mixed waste") at its recently purchased
treatment facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Perma-Fix has three subcontracts from the DOE and other federal
agencies amounting to more than $100 million for the treatment of
mixed waste stored at Oak Ridge, as well as wastes shipped in from 40
other governmental sites. Bechtel-Jacobs Company, LLC, DOE's site
manager, awarded the facility these subcontracts to treat DOE mixed
waste in 1998, which cover treatment of millions of cubic feet of
legacy, operational and remediation nuclear waste, both solids and
liquids. The cost of treating the mixed waste already produced in the
U.S. is estimated at approximately $7.0 billion.
The 125,000 square-foot facility, located on the grounds of the Oak
Ridge K-25 weapons facility of the Department of Energy ("DOE"), uses
Perma-Fix's proprietary technology to process radioactive and
hazardous materials without using incineration, greatly reducing the
impact on the environment. Output from the plant consists of
encapsulated radioactive waste ready for long-term safe disposal.
Besides servicing DOE contracts, the facility will be able to treat
other governmental, institutional and commercially generated mixed
waste now held in storage nationwide.
Dr. Louis F. Centofanti, President of Perma-Fix, said, "This new
facility takes the treatment of mixed waste to a new level, making
Perma-Fix one of the leaders in this market. The nation has been
struggling with the problem of nuclear/hazardous waste for years and
its solution is important to the expansion of the nuclear power
industry and to President Bush's energy program. Perma-Fix plans to
be part of that solution. We believe that the Oak Ridge facility will
demonstrate that the government and private industry can dispose of
nuclear/hazardous waste effectively in an environmentally friendly
process."
Dr. Centofanti explained, "Perma-Fix's proprietary processes extracts
and destroy hazardous chemicals from nuclear waste in an enclosed
system which greatly reduces the risk of air pollutants, as compared
to thermal incineration or vitrification treatment processes. The
radioactive residue can then be disposed of safely in designated
landfills without leakage. This is one of only a few facilities in
the country that operates under both a hazardous waste permit and a
nuclear materials license, enabling it to treat the most difficult
waste streams. Our proprietary processes, licensed facilities,
technical know-how and management expertise give us a competitive
advantage in solving this important problem. In addition, we have
assembled an extraordinary management team at the facility consisting
of chemists, radiation specialists and engineers."
The Oak Ridge site was built between 1943-1946 as part of the secret
Manhattan project to develop an atomic bomb. Uranium was enriched at
Oak Ridge for use in the first atomic bombs and later for use in
nuclear power reactors. As a result, it contains one of the nation's
largest single stockpiles of nuclear waste, including large amounts
of waste from various technologies used in enriching uranium.
Perma-Fix Environmental Services, Inc. is a national environmental
services company, providing unique mixed waste and industrial waste
management services. The industrial services segment provides
hazardous and nonhazardous waste treatment services for a diverse
group of customers including Fortune 500 Companies, numerous federal,
state and local agencies and thousands of smaller clients. The
nuclear services segment provides radioactive and mixed waste
treatment services to hospitals, research laboratories and
institutions, numerous federal agencies including the Department of
Energy and Defense and nuclear utilities. The Company operates ten
major waste treatment facilities across the country.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sandy Perle Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100
Director, Technical Extension 2306
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Service Fax:(714) 668-3149
ICN Pharmaceuticals, Inc. E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net
ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Avenue E-Mail: sperle@icnpharm.com
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Personal Website: http://www.geocities.com/scperle
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com
************************************************************************
You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To unsubscribe,
send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu Put the text "unsubscribe
radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail, with no subject line.