The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last week (Feb. 17) moved in new direction on a partisan issue that has dogged the agency for years: whether and how to account for greenhouse gas emissions in approving new natural gas pipelines. By a 3-2 vote, with all of the Democratic members in support and neither of the… More FERC moves to consider greenhouse issues for new gas pipelines
Atlanta-based Southern Co.’s plagued two-unit, 2,000-MW Vogtle nuclear construction project, already vastly over budget and behind schedule, has suffered another setback, one that could put the cost of the project to over $30 billion and take another six months to resolve. The announcement could add $920 million to the project’s cost. When major Vogtle construction… More More Vogtle delays, even higher costs
Corn-based ethanol alcohol mixed with gasoline, long a U.S. strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, may be wrong-headed, according to a new research report to be published March 1, 2022 in the influential journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The study by nine researchers led by Tyler J. Lark of… More Is corn-based gasoline bad for the environment?
The Biden administration last week launched a $6 billion plan to keep uneconomic nuclear power plants operating as “the nation’s largest source of clean power.” The money comes from the bipartisan infrastructure bill that passed Congress early in the administration, under a provision titled the “Civilian Nuclear Credit Program.” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said, “U.S.… More Biden DOE launches nuclear plant bailout plan
Will France, the second largest nuclear power country after the US, spark a revival in atomic energy? President Emmanuel Macron, once a nuclear skeptic, announced last week that he is committing France to build six new generation of pressurized water nuclear power plants at existing sites, beginning in 2028, with the plants operational in 2035.… More Will France spark a nuclear power renaissance?
A Federal Energy Regulatory Commission financial audit has found Ohio-based FirstEnergy improperly accounted for many expense items, including its spending on the controversial and now cancelled legislation (HB6) to bail out two uneconomical nuclear power plants and a coal plant. As a result, the company will have to refund, by its calculation, at least $9.5… More Federal audit finds serious FirstEnergy accounting problems
By Henry Sokolski and Victor Gilinski A Jan. 26 agreement to cooperate on fast nuclear reactor technology between the Japanese Atomic Energy Agency and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. with American TerraPower LLC raises worrisome international security issues. The agreement’s immediate goal is building a 350-megawatt nuclear plant, called Natrium, in the U.S. state of Wyoming,… More Guest commentary: Back away from fast reactors
West Virginia, the deposed king of U.S. coal, is moving to repeal a 1996 state law essentially banning nuclear power plants in the state. The state senate on Tuesday (Jan. 25) overwhelmingly approved a bill to repeal the nuclear prohibition. The vote was 24-7, with three senators who did not vote. The bill had both… More Will coal-rich West Virginia go nuclear?
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission today announced it has turned down Oklo Power’s application for a combined construction and operating license for its tiny (1.5-MWe) Aurora fast reactor on federal land in Idaho. The agency said Oklo has not been able to produce “information on several key topics….” The NRC said its application denial was… More NRC turns down Oklo combined license
The U.S. Department of Justice is dropping criminal charges against former Westinghouse CEO Danny Roderick in return for becoming a witness in the criminal cases involving the failed V.C. Summer two-unit, 2,000-MW nuclear construction project. The project cratered in July 2017 after spending some $10 billion and constantly lying to state regulators about the progress… More DOJ drops charges against ex-Westinghouse CEO in return for testimony in VC Summer criminal cases