US nuclear oversight too lax: science group

WASHINGTON — A study of safety lapses at nuclear power facilities in the United States found that owners of atomic plants too often either close an eye to problems or fail to adequately address them, a watchdog group said Tuesday.

The report by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) in its study found 15 cases of safety equipment problems and security shortcomings at 13 nuclear plants last year, calling that number "high."

Titled "The NRC and Nuclear Power Plant Safety in 2011: Living on Borrowed Time," the UCS report said no plant employees or members of the public were harmed in the incidents.

But the lapses nevertheless were deemed serious enough to warrant special inspections by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), which is tasked with oversight of the industry and which itself had a mixed record in responding to the problems.

The science group said that in some instances the NRC did an outstanding job of addressing safety problems before they could lead to a potentially dangerous situation.

But there were also times when the federal agency did a less-than-adequate job of cracking down on nuclear plant owners, who in some cases have flouted agency regulations for decades.

"Last year's record shows that the NRC is quite capable of being an effective watchdog that protects the public and saves the nuclear industry from its worst tendencies," said Dave Lochbaum, lead author of the report and the director of UCS's Nuclear Safety Project.

"But the agency too often does not live up to its potential, and we are still finding significant problems at nuclear plants that could too easily trigger a serious accident." More

 

China Should Control Pace of Reactor Construction, Outlook Says

China must avoid building too many nuclear power reactors too quickly, the research unit of the State Council, or Cabinet, wrote in Outlook Weekly. 

The country should set a 2020 ceiling on reactors in operation at 70,000 megawatts to avoid a shortfall of fuel, equipment and qualified plant workers, the government-controlled unit said in a commentary in the weekly magazine published by the official Xinhua News Agency.

China is increasing the share of non-fossils fuels in its energy mix to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The country had 9,080 megawatts of nuclear capacity in operation as of 2009 and 21,920 megawatts under construction, the China Electricity Council says.

To lower safety risks, China should focus on developing reactors based on the third-generation AP1000 design instead of older, second-generation technology, according to the commentary. The AP 1000 reactor is manufactured by Westinghouse Electric Co., a unit of Toshiba Corp. More >>>

Fast Breeder Reactors essential for India's future energy security: Prithviraj Chavan

Fast Breeder Reactors are essential for the future energy security of the country, for which the large thorium reserves will have to be utilised, minister of state for science and technology Prithviraj Chavan said today. 

"For the future energy security of the country, we are depending on utilising our large thorium reserves. Successful demonstration of thorium utilisation will enable us win the confidence of the public and policy makers in large scale deployment of nuclear energy in future," he said.

Chavan said it would take time for India to attain the third phase of the nuclear programme as envisioned by Homi Bhaba as it was still relying on other nations for proven technology. "Once India reaches the third stage of thorium utilisation it will be key to India's energy security."

He said there are plans to set up a 1,000 MW Fast Breeder Reactor using metallic fuel. "The metallic fuel will be developed by 2022. It will comprise Uranium, plutonium and Zirconium," said Chavan.

Asked about importing nuclear reactors from one or two vendors at a cheaper rate by assuring volumes instead of from multiple vendors, he said four companies would supply them to India in the first phase.

"In the second round of imports we will look at other commercial considerations (localisation of components) and reactor systems which are more fuel economical and safer like the ones having multiple redundancies. All imported reactors should get approval of national regulatory authority,"he said.

He also said the Rs5,600 crore prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR) built by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (Bhavini) at Kalpakkam would be ready by 2011-2012.

Asked about delays in the Koodankulam project, he said these have been minimised now and it was just a matter of months before the unit goes on stream. "The project has to be completed as it is in interest of everybody, both suppliers as well as NPCL," he added. More >>>

Sep 1, 2010 - Oil and gas brought many of them vast riches, but it is to nuclear power that Middle Eastern states are turning their attention in the 21st Century. 

A growing number of countries across the region want to develop civilian nuclear programmes to meet rising power demand and cut carbon emissions. Chris Webb looks at their progress so far.

This September will see the world’s nuclear industry elite converge on the Egyptian capital of Cairo, for the ‘Nuclear Power, Middle East and North Africa 2010’ event. It is a fitting venue, given Egypt’s avowed wish to press ahead at full speed with a nuclear power agenda aimed at supporting the country’s continuing economic development. Iran, Jordan and Turkey will be among others from the region discussing their future nuclear plans at the event.

The prospect of widespread development of nuclear power in the Middle East, with its political hotspots, is not to everyone’s liking. There is a palpable air of ambivalence in some quarters, fuelled on the one hand by a desire to sell nuclear technology to cash-rich nations and on the other by fears of sinister spin-offs, notably the proliferation of fissile materials for use in developing nuclear weapons. More >>>

Saudi Arabia's Nuclear Ambitions

Saudi Arabia's Nuclear Ambitions

Mark HibbsQ&A, JULY 20, 2010

There is a growing number of countries across the Middle East seeking to establish civilian nuclear energy programs. Last week, three leading nuclear industry-related firms—two from the United States and one from Japan—announced a joint initiative to build and operate nuclear power plants in Saudi Arabia. More >>>

This also speaks volumes, as far as I am concerned, about Saudi Arabia’s petroleum reserves. Editor.

New Power Generation for Pakistan

Pakistan Deal Signals China's Growing Nuclear Assertiveness
Mark Hibbs Nuclear Energy Brief, April 27, 2010

Contrary to guidelines adopted in 1992 by nuclear equipment supplier states in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), China is poised to export two power reactors to Pakistan. This transaction is about to happen at a time when China’s increasingly ambitious nuclear energy program is becoming more autonomous. Guidelines of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), representing 46 NPT states, call on parties to the NPT not to supply nuclear equipment to non–nuclear-weapon states without comprehensive IAEA safeguards, including Pakistan. China joined the NSG in 2004. More >>>

Jordan signs deal for first nuclear power plant

AMMAN, Jordan - Jordan signed a $12 million deal Saturday with a Belgium-based company as it pushes forward with a plan to build the first nuclear power plant for the oil-barren desert kingdom.

The head of Jordan's Atomic Energy Commission, Khaled Toukan, signed the deal in Amman with Georges Cornet, the head of Tractebel Engineering, a French-Belgian company.
Toukan said the company would first carry out a two-year environmental impact study to determine whether the planned location -- a desert area near the Saudi border about 15 miles (25 kilometers) south of the Red Sea port of Aqaba -- is in fact the best location for protecting "both public health and the environment."
In January 2007, the country's ruler, King Abdullah II, announced his intention to develop a peaceful nuclear program, a plan that has U.S. backing. More >>>

Monday, July 20, 2009 - Indian and U.S. officials are set tomorrow to discuss arrangements under which New Delhi could reprocess nuclear fuel purchased from the United States, the Indo-Asian News Service reported

India would use a facility within its borders to reprocess spent fuel, an effort that can generate nuclear-weapon material. The site would operate under monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency, under the terms of the U.S.-Indian nuclear trade deal.
New Delhi might also today identify locations today for two civilian nuclear facilities that the United States plans to build. Anticipated locations are in the states of Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, sources indicated (Indo-Asian News Service I/Hindustan Times, July 19). More >>>