[ RadSafe ] Federal government awards contracts to clean up
Washington, Idaho
Sandy Perle
sandyfl at earthlink.net
Thu Mar 24 16:09:00 CET 2005
Index:
Federal government awards contracts to clean up Washington, Idaho
Fuel transformed from U.S. weapons-grade plutonium starts journey
Dozens of foreign states declare support for nuclear power
EU leaders want nuclear fusion agreement by July
San Diego's Radiation Medical Group Uses New Seed Therapy
Proprietary Platform for Delivering Electronic Brachytherapy
PPL Susquehanna Safely Completes its Shortest Outage Ever
==============================================
Federal government awards contracts to clean up Washington, Idaho
nuclear sites
YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) - The U.S. Department of Energy awarded two
contracts valued in the billions of dollars Wednesday to clean up
portions of two nuclear sites in Washington and Idaho.
A $1.9 billion contract was awarded to Washington Closure LLC, a team
of five companies led by Boise, Idaho-based Washington Group, to
clean up the 210-square-mile Columbia River corridor at southcentral
Washington's Hanford nuclear reservation.
A separate $2.9 billion contract was awarded to the team of CH2M Hill
and Washington Group to treat and dispose of radioactive waste at the
Idaho National Laboratory. CH2M Hill is based in Denver.
Both contracts run through 2012, the department said.
For 40 years, the Hanford reservation made plutonium for the nation's
nuclear weapons arsenal. It's the nation's most contaminated nuclear
site. Cleanup costs are expected to total $50 billion to $60 billion.
The work, under way since 1994, is supposed to be finished by 2035.
At the Idaho National Laboratory, Cold War-era radioactive waste was
dumped into unlined pits that sit over the Snake River Plain aquifer,
which supplies water to much of southern Idaho.
--------------------
Fuel transformed from U.S. weapons-grade plutonium starts journey
home
CHERBOURG, France (AP) - Two ships outfitted with naval guns set sail
for the United States early Wednesday loaded with a special
commercial nuclear fuel made from U.S. weapons-grade plutonium,
officials said.
The four rods of MOX, as the transformed fuel is known, left this
English Channel port at 3:05 a.m. (0205 GMT) for Charleston, South
Carolina, said a statement from Areva, the company that transformed
the plutonium.
The shipment was loaded aboard the Pacific Teal and the Pacific
Pintail, specially rigged for transporting nuclear materials.
Outfitted with naval guns, the vessels also are protected by
specialized armed forces for the journey home, Areva said.
The highly radioactive material, which was brought to France in
October, was transformed into MOX, a mixture of plutonium oxide and
uranium oxide, at a factory in southern France.
It was the first time that France has transformed weapons-grade
plutonium into MOX, which can be used in commercial reactors.
The U.S. Energy Department had to ship the plutonium - 125 kilograms
(275.5 pounds) - overseas for conversion because no plant in the
United States can do it.
The plutonium was taken from nuclear warheads to be transformed into
a commercial fuel to help fulfill the terms of a September 2000 U.S.-
Russia disarmament accord in which both countries promised to destroy
34 tons of military plutonium.
The environmental group Greenpeace has protested the shipment as
risky. It also objects to the overall project of transforming excess
weapons-grade plutonium into commercial fuel.
On Monday, a Cherbourg court forbid Greenpeace from getting closer
than 100 meters (yards) to the convoy as it traveled to the port on
Tuesday, under threat of a heavy fine.
The MOX is to be used at South Carolina's Catawba Nuclear Station - a
test run to confirm that the fuel works there. A MOX factory would
then be built with French help in Savannah River, near Aiken, South
Carolina, to dispose of the rest of the plutonium that the United
States agreed to destroy. Another MOX factory would be built, likely
with Areva help, in Russia.
-----------------
Dozens of states declare support for nuclear power
PARIS, March 22 (Reuters) - Nuclear power can play a key role in the
21st century in helping nations meet their energy needs and reduce
the spread of greenhouse gases, a statement backed by nearly all 74
states at a nuclear conference said.
The declaration was issued at the end of a 2-day conference called
"Nuclear power for the 21st century" organised by the U.N.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and hosted by the French
government.
"A vast majority of participants affirmed that nuclear power can make
a major contribution to meeting energy needs and sustaining the
world's development in the 21st century," the statement said.
Nuclear power "does not generate air pollution or greenhouse gas
emissions," it said, adding that nuclear power generation was a
proven technology that can deliver safe and affordable electricity.
A European expert at the conference said on condition of anonymity
that only "a handful" of states objected to the view that nuclear
energy could play a key role in this century -- among them oil-rich
Saudi Arabia.
On Monday, IAEA head Mohamed ElBaradei said atomic power was coming
back into vogue.
"All indicators show that an increased level of emphasis on subjects
such as fast growing energy demand, security of energy supply and the
risk of climate change, are driving a reconsideration in some
quarters of the need for greater investment in nuclear power,"
ElBaradei said.
The closing statement said participants agreed that the "health of
the environment ... is a serious concern that must be regarded as a
priority by all governments."
It also said states must ensure the highest possible level of nuclear
safety to avoid accidents.
SAFETY AND SECURITY
The statement also touched on the risk that terrorists might attack
atomic facilities or that nuclear material could be stolen for use in
weapons. "States must make the necessary arrangements to ensure the
highest level of security of nuclear material and facilities," it
said.
It also called on governments to ensure there were "appropriate
options for the management and disposition of nuclear fuel" to
prevent nuclear waste from becoming a burden for future generations.
ElBaradei said on Monday that despite an improved atomic energy
industry: "Nuclear power was dealt a heavy blow by the tragedy of the
1986 Chernobyl accident, a blow from which the reputation of the
nuclear industry has never fully recovered."
The explosion at the Chernobyl plant in Ukraine, the world's worst
civil nuclear accident, spewed a cloud of radioactivity across Europe
and has been blamed for thousands of deaths from radiation-linked
illness. More than 100,000 people had to be resettled.
------------------
EU leaders want nuclear fusion agreement by July
BRUSSELS, March 23 (Reuters) - European Union leaders want an
international agreement to build the world's first nuclear fusion
reactor in France by July, a document said on Wednesday, adding
pressure on Japan to give up its bid to host the site.
European Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik has said the 25-nation
bloc wants to start building the reactor in Cadarache, France, and
will do so without an international agreement if it has to.
That has irked Japan, however, which wants it built in Rokkasho, a
Japanese fishing village. Six partners are involved in the project,
including the EU, Japan, China, the United States, Russia and South
Korea.
"The European Council stresses the need to begin building the
international thermonuclear experimental reactor on the European site
by the end of 2005," the EU heads of state and government -- known as
the Council -- said in a draft statement during a meeting in
Brussels.
They called on the executive Commission "to make every effort to
achieve that aim, in particular by finalising the international
agreement by July 2005."
The EU has called for high-level political talks with Japan to
resolve the issue. But Japan refused, saying they would only lead to
deadlock.
The 10 billion euro ($13 billion) project, known as the International
Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), would use sea water as
fuel, creating a low pollution energy source.
Nuclear fusion has been touted as a long-term solution to the world's
energy problems, but years of research have so far failed to produce
a commercially viable fusion reactor.
-----------------
San Diego's Radiation Medical Group Uses New Seed Therapy
Breakthrough for Treatment of Prostate Cancer
--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- first procedure in California using IsoRay
Medical's Cesium-131 isotope
-- Beginning today, the Radiation Medical Group (RMG) is the first
medical facility California to offer patients a new treatment option
for prostate cancer. RMG is among the first facilities in the world
to use the radioactive isotope Cesium-131, developed by IsoRay
Medical, for LDR (low dose radiation) brachytherapy seed treatment.
-- Dr. Donald Fuller, a leading expert on prostate cancer treatment,
has performed the initial implants using the new isotope seed. It
represents the first major advancement in LDR seed brachytherapy in
more than 18 years.
-- IsoRay Medical's Cesium-131 seed has a significantly higher dose
rate than current treatments, allowing for the delivery of more
radiation in a shorter period of time to maximize its effectiveness
and enabling patients to return to normal activities sooner.
-- When placed inside or near a tumor, Cesium-131 seeds deliver
radiation directly to cancer cells while reducing or eliminating
damage to surrounding tissue.
-----------------
Proprietary Platform for Delivering Electronic Brachytherapy
Represents the Next Generation in Cancer Treatment
SEATTLE and FREMONT, Calif., March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The delivery of
localized radiation treatment directly to cancer sites using high
dose rate x- rays on demand has significant potential to improve
cancer treatment, according to a recent symposium on Electronic
Brachytherapy at the 15th Annual Meeting of the American College of
Radiation Oncology (ACRO).
Attended by approximately 75 leading radiation oncologists
participating in the ACRO meeting, the symposium, titled "Electronic
Brachytherapy: Early Experience and Future Potential" was led by
Vivek Mehta, MD, Director for the Center of Advanced Targeted
Radiation Therapy at Swedish Cancer Center in Seattle. "Electronic
Brachytherapy was designed to leverage all of the clinical benefits
of traditional brachytherapy and external beam radiation without the
radioactivity, without the concerns associated with handling isotopes
and without the need for a shielded bunker," said Dr. Mehta.
The symposium was sponsored by Xoft, Inc., developer of the
Axxent(TM) Electronic Brachytherapy System, a proprietary platform
designed to deliver non-radioactive, isotope-free radiation treatment
in virtually any clinical setting under radiation oncology
supervision. The symposium reviewed the results of existing clinical
trials in accelerated partial breast irradiation, the potential first
use for electronic brachytherapy. In addition, Dr. Mehta presented
results of work done in a pre-clinical setting that have demonstrated
system performance, as well as previewed future indications and
development plans.
"As electronic brachytherapy moves closer to clinical practice, all
indications are that this technology represents a leap forward in
cancer treatment," added Dr. Mehta. "And, as important as the
clinical benefits are, the true breakthrough may relate to easy and
convenient access to partial breast radiotherapy for the tens of
thousands of women who today opt for an unnecessary mastectomy or a
lumpectomy without radiation therapy."
The Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy System, which is not currently
FDA cleared, uses disposable micro-miniature x-ray radiation sources
to deliver treatment. Designed to deliver electronically generated
ionizing radiation directly to tumor beds, this localized approach
minimizes exposure of the patient's healthy tissue to toxic
radiation. A unique advantage is that it also minimizes radiation
exposure to treatment staff. With Xoft's electronic brachytherapy
technology, users can control energy level and total dose, allowing
more flexibility than isotope-based systems -- but in a non-shielded
or lightly shielded clinical environment.
In its first indication for use, the Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy
System provides both the patient and the radiation oncologist the
opportunity to reduce the time required for radiation therapy for
early stage breast cancer from seven weeks (for external beam
radiation therapy) down to five days. As a result, tens of thousands
patients will have greater access to therapy that is delivered more
easily and conveniently. This may accelerate the choice of breast-
sparing lumpectomy surgery instead of a full mastectomy (which does
not require a long course of radiation).
-------------------
PPL Susquehanna Safely Completes its Shortest Outage Ever
BERWICK, Pa., March 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- It was anything but
business as usual when PPL Corporation reconnected Unit 2 of the
Susquehanna nuclear power plant to the electrical transmission
network early this morning (3/24).
It was business better than usual.
Employees and contractors safely completed a 26-day refueling and
inspection outage - the shortest in the plant's 20-year history.
"This achievement is the result of significant improvements to
processes and planning that we have made over the past several
years," said Bob Saccone, vice president-Nuclear Operations.
"Employees thoughtfully reviewed and researched plant and industry
experience to identify improvements that would not sacrifice safety."
The improvements include better planning, earlier inspection of
equipment, performing more work simultaneously and using new
equipment to perform routine tasks more efficiently.
"A short outage, however, is worthwhile only if the unit operates
safely and reliably until its next refueling outage two years later,"
Saccone said. "Because our workers routinely perform high quality
work, Unit 2 operated continuously for 677 days from its last outage
in 2003 until we shut it down in February for this outage."
During the outage, employees replenished about 40 percent of Unit 2's
uranium fuel, conducted more than 2,000 inspections and performed
routine maintenance on key equipment to ensure the safe, reliable
operation of the plant. In addition, the plant upgraded the unit's
two moisture separators, which remove moisture from steam passing
through the turbines, to increase the plant's generating capacity.
Another outage success was the lowest level of employee exposure to
radiation in the plant's 20-year history. "The company has always
adhered to strict exposure limits that are well below federally
mandated limits," said Saccone. "The company has invested
significantly in technological improvements and training over the
past several years to reduce exposure even more."
Susquehanna's units are refueled every two years.
The dual-unit Susquehanna plant, located about seven miles north of
Berwick, Pa., is owned jointly by PPL Susquehanna LLC and Allegheny
Electric Cooperative Inc. and is operated by PPL Susquehanna.
-------------------------------------
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) 296-1902
E-Mail: sperle at dosimetry.com
E-Mail: sandyfl at earthlink.net
Global Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com/
Personal Website: http://sandy-travels.com/
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