Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire

Major Energy and Environmental News and Commentary affecting the Nuclear Industry.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Japan Steel to Sell Parts for 26 Nuclear Reactors

Japan Steel Works sees growth in nuclear-plant components
Japan Steel Works is seeking to sell parts for 26 nuclear reactors over the next three years as demand grows in the U.S. and China. Component sales will increase -- from a projected six units for this fiscal year to 11 units annually for the fiscal year that closes March 2013 -- through an expansion, said President Ikuo Sato. Bloomberg Businessweek

Brazilian Nuke Plant Gets Construction License

* Angra III nuclear project secures construction license
Brazil's National Nuclear Energy Commission has approved the construction license for the Angra III nuclear power plant. The $4.94 billion facility, which will have a generating capacity of 1,405 megawatts, will lead to about 24,000 jobs during the construction period. Latin American Herald Tribune (Venezuela)

Gov't audits NRC, Yankee

Feds to examine failures leading to radioactive leak
The discovery in January of a radioactive leak from an underground pipe at the Vermont Yankee plant has led to twin investigations into the plant and the national authority that oversees it. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will audit the plant's systems and procedures for buried or below-grade pipes, especially in light of a pending license-renewal application. In turn, the agency will be audited by the Government Accountability Office on its oversight process for underground pipes. Brattleboro Reformer (Vt.)

Atomic Waste Gets 'Temporary' Home

Temporary waste containers now used for the long haul
The government's failure to find a permanent repository for the country's nuclear waste means that temporary storage solutions -- such as 17-foot-tall steel and concrete containers -- will remain in use at nuclear sites for the foreseeable future. The government is giving up on plans to create a permanent storage facility in Nevada after spending 30 years and $10 billion on research. The Wall Street Journal

GE: We value nuclear energy partnership with Hitachi

GE: We value nuclear energy partnership with Hitachi
General Electric said it has had no discussions about altering the structure of its nuclear energy joint venture with Japan-based Hitachi. This comes after Hitachi said it is considering changing its investment in the partnership as it seeks to secure more deals worldwide. "We value our alliance and look forward to continuing to work together to respond to our customers' needs worldwide," GE spokesman Daniel Nelson said. Reuters

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Nuclear Power Plant Security Unveiled Haneen Dajani and Kareem Shaheen, The National

Nuclear Power Plant Security Unveiled
Haneen Dajani and Kareem Shaheen, The National
First details of the massive security cordon that will protect the UAE's nuclear power plants were unveiled yesterday.
Full Article
http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100531/NATIONAL/705309863/1133/FOREIGN

Sinking Strategy Leon V. Sigal, The Boston Globe


Sinking Strategy
Leon V. Sigal, The Boston Globe

For the past year, the Obama administration pursued a policy of "strategic patience" toward North Korea in the erroneous belief that sanctions would make Pyongyang more pliable.
Full Article

Syria Reports Past Nuclear Work, Blocks Access: IAEA Sylvia Westall, Reuters


Syria Reports Past Nuclear Work, Blocks Access: IAEA
Sylvia Westall, Reuters

Syria has revealed some details of past nuclear experiments to U.N. inspectors but is still blocking access to a desert site where secret atomic activity may have taken place, a confidential IAEA report said.
Full Article

* May 2010 IAEA Report on Syria (PDF)
http://www.carnegieendowment.org/static/npp/reports/gov2010-29.pdf

U.N. Says Iran Has Fuel for 2 Nuclear Weapons David E. Sanger and William J. Broad, The New York Times


U.N. Says Iran Has Fuel for 2 Nuclear Weapons
David E. Sanger and William J. Broad, The New York Times

In their last report before the United Nations Security Council votes on sanctions against Iran, international nuclear inspectors declared Monday that Iran has now produced a stockpile of nuclear fuel that experts say would be enough, with further enrichment, to make two nuclear weapons.
Full Article

* ISIS Report: IAEA Iran Report: Enrichment Increases Slightly; Lack of Adequate Safeguards
http://isis-online.org/isis-reports/detail/iaea-iran-report-enrichment-increases-slightly-lack-of-adequate-safeguards/
* May 2010 IAEA Report on Iran (PDF)
http://www.carnegieendowment.org/static/npp/reports/gov2010-28.pdf

At Nuclear Conference, U.S. Expects Little, Gains Little Mary Beth Sheridan, The Washington Post

At Nuclear Conference, U.S. Expects Little, Gains Little
Mary Beth Sheridan, The Washington Post
NPT Review ConferenceIt didn't end in failure. That was perhaps the best the U.S. government could boast about a month-long conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which ended Friday in New York.

President Obama has made a priority of strengthening the treaty, which is in danger of unraveling after decades of curtailing the spread of nuclear weapons. Much of his ambitious nuclear agenda has been undertaken with an eye toward demonstrating U.S. compliance with the pact.
Full Article
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/30/AR2010053003422.html

Algeria, South Africa sign nuclear energy MOU

Algeria forges nuclear-cooperation deal with South Africa
Algeria and South Africa signed a memorandum of understanding for the peaceful development of nuclear energy. "We have identified common areas as well as the mechanism for cooperation," said South African Deputy Technology Minister Hanekom Derek. WorldTribune.com

Bill includes money for studies on Yucca Mountain project

Bill includes money for studies on Yucca Mountain project
The House on Friday approved a defense bill that includes a provision calling for studies on reviving the Yucca Mountain repository project in Nevada, as well as the potential effects of the project's termination. "Before the administration irresponsibly considers walking away from a $10 billion investment and a 23-year bipartisan agreement, we need to provide America's taxpayers and decision-makers with adequate information," said Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., one of two lawmakers behind the proposal. Las Vegas Review-Journal/Stephens Washington News Bureau

http://www.lvrj.com/news/defense-bill-seeks-studies-on-yucca-mountain-95158334.html

GE Hitachi Wants to Build Nuclear Plants in Polish Shipyards

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* GE Hitachi may make nuclear-plant parts in Poland
GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy is considering constructing nuclear-plant components in Poland's inactive shipyards as part of efforts to secure a deal for the country's first nuclear facility. The company plans to hold discussions with shipbuilders through October to study the plan, said GE Hitachi executive Daniel L. Roderick. Bloomberg

Israel’s Nuclear Weapons Policy: From South Africa to Iran

Israel’s Nuclear Weapons Policy: From South Africa to Iran
by Prof. James Petras
http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=19459

Iran producing higher-enriched uranium: IAEA

NUKEWARS
Iran producing higher-enriched uranium: IAEA
Vienna (AFP) May 31, 2010 - Iran is pressing ahead with its controversial atomic programme, producing enriched uranium at higher levels of purification and installing more machinery, a restricted UN report revealed on Monday. The UN atomic watchdog said Iran had produced at least 5.7 kilos (12.5 pounds) of higher-enriched uranium, adding that it remained concerned about the true nature of the nuclear activities, which ... more

http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Iran_producing_higher-enriched_uranium_IAEA_999.html

Monday, May 31, 2010

Report: Israel To Station Nuclear Missile Subs Off Iranfrom War News Updates by Bookyards

Report: Israel To Station Nuclear Missile Subs Off Iranfrom War News Updates by Bookyards

Israel Stations Nuclear Missile Subs Off Iran -- Times Online

Three German-built Israeli submarines equipped with nuclear cruise missiles are to be deployed in the Gulf near the Iranian coastline.

The first has been sent in response to Israeli fears that ballistic missiles developed by Iran, Syria and Hezbollah, a political and military organisation in Lebanon, could hit sites in Israel, including air bases and missile launchers.

The submarines of Flotilla 7 — Dolphin, Tekuma and Leviathan — have visited the Gulf before. But the decision has now been taken to ensure a permanent presence of at least one of the vessels.

Read more ....

More News On Israeli Subs off Iran's Coast

Report: Israel to station nuclear missile subs off Iran -- Ynet News
'Israeli subs with nukes in Gulf' -- Jerusalem Post
Israel Submarines Headed for Persian Gulf -- Arutz Sheva
Israeli nuclear subs 'to set sail for Iran' -- Press TV (Iran)
Israel sending nuclear subs to Iran coast -- UPI
How Disinformation Works -- American Conservative

Israel denounces NPT 'hypocrisy' as Iran hails accord

Israel denounces NPT 'hypocrisy' as Iran hails accord
Toronto (AFP) May 29, 2010 - Israel Saturday denounced as "hypocritical" a resolution adopted by the Non-Proliferation Treaty's 189 nations and said it would refuse to take part in a conference on a nuclear-weapons-free Middle East. Israel said the resolution adopted at the United Nations on Friday singles out the Jewish state and fails to mention arch-foe Iran's nuclear ambitions. "This resolution is deeply flawed ... more

S.Korea, Japan fail to persuade China to censure N.Korea

S.Korea, Japan fail to persuade China to censure N.Korea
Seogwipo, South Korea (AFP) May 31, 2010 - China resisted pressure Sunday from South Korea and Japan to censure North Korea publicly for the sinking of a warship, calling only for regional tensions over the incident to be defused. Host President Lee Myung-Bak and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama teamed up at the two-day summit to nudge China's Premier Wen Jiabao to declare Pyongyang responsible for the March sinking of the Sout ... more

Turkish PM says West unfair, insincere in Iran row: report

Turkish PM says West unfair, insincere in Iran row: report
Ankara (AFP) May 29, 2010 - Turkey's prime minister Saturday accused Western powers of lacking a "fair and sincere" approach on Iran in a mounting row over a nuclear swap deal with Tehran, Anatolia news agency reported. Speaking to Turkish journalists during a visit to Brazil, Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated criticism of the West for staying mum on Israel, widely believed to be the Middle East's sole if undeclared nucl ... more

North Korea threatens naval action

North Korea threatens naval action
Seoul (UPI) May 28, 2010 - North Korea reacted angrily to South Korean naval exercises close to its border by scrapping a maritime agreement designed to prevent accidental naval clashes. North Korea will "completely nullify" an agreement that has both navies using a common communication wavelength for some messages, a statement in the government-owned Korean Central News Agency said. The government in Pyon ... more

US reassured Netanyahu ahead of NPT deal: Israeli official

US reassured Netanyahu ahead of NPT deal: Israeli official
Toronto (AFP) May 30, 2010 - Israel's prime minister was given "unequivocal assurances" from US President Barack Obama that a UN accord agreeing to talks on a nuclear weapons-free Mideast would not endanger the Jewish state, a senior Israeli official said Sunday. "Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received unequivocal assurances that included significant upgrade of Israel's strategic and deterrent capabil ... more