Blog
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Text of NRC order granting a Construction/Operating license to two reactors at Plant Vogtle in Georgia, the first construction license granted by NRC since 1978. Includes strong dissenting opinion from NRC Chairman Greg Jaczko, who voted against the license.
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88 organizations, 5400+ individuals tell Energy Secretary Steven Chu to reject Blue Ribbon Commission recommendations and act to prevent "interim" storage of radioactive waste and resultant widespread transportation of waste across U.S. Press release. Text of letter with organizational signers.
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Too Close to Home: Nuclear Power and the Threat to Drinking Water. New report from PIRG/Environment America.
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Meanwhile, Tepco says it has achieved “stable cooling” of all of the reactors at the site. This might sound like good news until it is realized that Tepco does not mean the reactors are at cold shutdown. In fact, all 3 reactors with fuel in them remain above the boiling point of 100 degrees Centigrade, meaning that water continues to boil off and radiation continues to be released. Cold shutdown—bringing the temperatures below 100 degrees—is still not expected before What Tepco really means is that it has more or less successfully set up a system for water to be recirculated through the reactors, so that constant water from outside is no longer needed. However, the recirculation system has been plagued with problems from the beginning and continues to not work at desired capacity.
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New paper from Marc Cooper of Vermont Law School predicts major impacts for U.S. nuclear industry from Fukushima during 2012: nuclear costs will rise and there will be significant regulatory delays.
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Rep. Markey blasts NRC vote to approve AP1000 reactor design and notes NRC overruled Chairman Jaczko on accelerating reactor construction: "Today, the NRC has presented its holiday gifts to the nuclear industry."
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New study published by National Bureau of Economic Research concludes that construction costs for new reactors make nuclear power too expensive to be competitive.
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Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) releases important new report that charges the four NRC Commissioners currently attacking Chair Greg Jaczko with conspiracy to undermine needed post-Fukushima safety regulations.
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