I hope you are enjoying a peaceful and quiet three-day weekend! A couple days off has been comforting for my tired old mind and body. But I will pretend Monday is a work-day and restart the engines again because so much can happen in the “nuclear” world in 3 days, meaning that a tomorrow is nothing at all close to today, yesterday, or the day before in this world’s run-amok age of “All Things Nuclear” . . . ~llaw
TODAY’S NUCLEAR WORLD’S NEWS for Sunday, (09/01/2024) is listed below for your perusal to the best articles of the day . . .
There are a couple articles in Today’s stories that are interesting to me that you might be interested in as well. In my case they are both of a very personal interest: One because of my old Wyoming home where I was born and raised and the other where I live now, (just 12 miles from the California border in Nevada) and 300 miles downwind from Diablo Canyon, California’s last operating nuclear power plant owned by PG&E that was supposed to be shut down forever next year, but has been given a 5 year extension by the federal government’s Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
Here are the links to the two stories:
A potential first-time operating nuclear power plant with an experimental cooling system in Wyoming, partially underwritten by philanthropist Bill Gates:
The links are also available in the world news nuclear media roundup below . . .
~llaw
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ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:
There are 7 categories, with the latest addition, (#7) being a Friday weekly roundup of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) global nuclear news stories. Also included is a bonus non-nuclear category for news about the Yellowstone caldera and other volcanic and caldera activity around the world that play an important role in humanity’s lives. The feature categories provide articles and information about ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links with headlines concerning the most important media stories in each category, but sometimes fewer and occasionally even none (especially so with the Yellowstone Caldera). The Categories are listed below in their usual order:
All Things Nuclear
Nuclear Power
Nuclear Power Emergencies
Nuclear War
Nuclear War Threats
Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There is one Yellowstone Caldera bonus story available in this evening’s Post.)
IAEA Weekly News (Friday’s only)
Whenever there is an underlined link to a Category media news story, if you press or click on the link provided, you no longer have to cut and paste to your web browser, since this Post’s link will take you directly to the article in your browser.
A current Digest of major nuclear media headlines with automated links is listed below by nuclear Category (in the above listed order). If a Category heading does not appear in the daily news Digest, it means there was no news reported from this Category today. Generally, the three best articles in each Category from around the nuclear world(s) are Posted. Occasionally, if a Post is important enough, it may be listed in multiple Categories.
It’s not really that bad a word, but how can you top that word for what I’m talking about? Right? What word? “Every place she touches wouldn’t be nice …
In testing Putin’s red lines, Kyiv is sparking a rediscovery of Cold War-era ideas about nuclear escalation. … All Things with Kim Strassel · Potomac …
Russia’s existing nuclear doctrine, set out in a decree by President Vladimir Putin in 2020, says it may use nuclear weapons in the event of a nuclear …
Have a wonderful three-day weekend! I will pretend Monday is work-day because so much can happen in the “nuclear” world in 3 days, meaning that tomorrow is nothing at all close to today, yesterday, or the day before . . . ~llaw
TODAY’S NUCLEAR WORLD’S NEWS for Saturday, (08/31/2024) is listed below for your perusal to the best articles of the day . . .
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ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:
There are 7 categories, with the latest addition, (#7) being a Friday weekly roundup of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) global nuclear news stories. Also included is a bonus non-nuclear category for news about the Yellowstone caldera and other volcanic and caldera activity around the world that play an important role in humanity’s lives. The feature categories provide articles and information about ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links with headlines concerning the most important media stories in each category, but sometimes fewer and occasionally even none (especially so with the Yellowstone Caldera). The Categories are listed below in their usual order:
All Things Nuclear
Nuclear Power
Nuclear Power Emergencies
Nuclear War
Nuclear War Threats
Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There are no Yellowstone Caldera bonus stories available in this evening’s Post.)
IAEA Weekly News (Friday’s only)
Whenever there is an underlined link to a Category media news story, if you press or click on the link provided, you no longer have to cut and paste to your web browser, since this Post’s link will take you directly to the article in your browser.
A current Digest of major nuclear media headlines with automated links is listed below by nuclear Category (in the above listed order). If a Category heading does not appear in the daily news Digest, it means there was no news reported from this Category today. Generally, the three best articles in each Category from around the nuclear world(s) are Posted. Occasionally, if a Post is important enough, it may be listed in multiple Categories.
Of course, such US understandings with Iran won’t remove Iranian nuclear or hegemonic threats, but rather kick the can down the road – leaving Iran as ..
I hesitated to highlight this New York Post article concerning Trump and his so-called “Platform” on nuclear energy because it scares me half to death should he actually be elected. So I am relying on my absolute belief that Trump will go the way of the Dodo bird, losing by a landslide to Kamala Harris.
I have to laugh that right out of the box the headline says Trump says he will make electricity cheap, llolloll! He says he will do it by making electricity cheap with ‘hundreds of new power plants’ and modular nuclear reactors. That remark is pure insanity, and Trump will be long deceased before a single new plant ever comes online, and if ever happens the cost of electricity will continue to skyrocket because the price of uranium fuel alone will be just one of many mind-boggling expenses. As usual, Trump simply spouts noise and untruths every time he opens his mouth. I believe he is menace to the future of the world . . .
But I must say ‘all things nuclear’ have nothing to do with preventing global warming/climate change, and nuclear issues are nothing to be fibbing about nor playing political games with. Yet the deceitful promises of ‘clean’ energy, along with “threats” of nuclear war are delivered from the 9 nuclear armed countries to the media all around the globe every day, but it will only take one truth behind the lie to create nuclear war, aka World War III, which will end all wars — as well as virtually all life on a dying Mother Earth. ~llaw
Trump vows to make electricity cheap with ‘hundreds of new power plants’ and modular nuclear reactors
WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump touted plans Thursday to reduce electricity costs by quickly approving the construction of new power plants and spurring the deployment of small modular reactors for nuclear energy — saying it would unleash an economic boom.
Trump, 78, said that more electricity would tame inflation and meet the future energy needs of artificial intelligence.
“To achieve this rapid reduction in energy costs, I will declare a national emergency to allow us to dramatically increase energy production, generation and supply, which Comrade Kamala has destroyed,” the Republican presidential nominee said at a rally in Potterville, Mich.
“Starting on day one, I will approve new drilling, new pipelines, new refineries, new power plants, new reactors and we will slash the red tape. We will get the job done. We will create more electricity, also for these new industries that can only function with massive electricity.”
Former Interior Secretary David Bernhardt previewed the plans on a morning press call, saying, “In the future, every manufacturing plant, every data center, every semiconductor facility and assembly line will want to be built in America — because America will be the place where the cost of energy is lower than anywhere else on Earth.”
President Trump will address his energy policies during a Thursday afternoon visit to swing-state Pennsylvania, where he has frequently campaigned.Bonnie Cash/UPI/Shutterstock
The 45th president laid out his energy vision — including tapping domestic reserves of oil and gas and easing regulation of vehicle efficiency — in a swing-state area where cars are made while slamming Democratic nominee Kamala Harris’ record as vice president.
“Between soaring demand and retiring coal, we are facing a great capacity shortfall of at least 30% by 2032,” Bernhardt said. “You should ask Harris [and Tim] Walz how they are going to make up for that shortfall under their net zero vision. I submit to you they can’t.”
One new aspect of the Trump energy plan is the boost to nuclear energy, which currently makes up 18.6% of US electricity production — far behind natural gas (43.1%), and only narrowly ahead of coal (16.2%) and wind (10.2%).
Billionaire-led nuclear boom
Small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) are not currently in commercial use in the United States and none are scheduled to open before 2030 — though advocates of the technology, including billionaire Bill Gates, whose company TerraPower is behind that inaugural facility in Wyoming, think they can reshape the industry.
The current timeline means that — at least as of now — no small modular reactors would be in commercial use until after a second Trump term, said Daniel Kammen, a professor of nuclear engineering at the University of California at Berkeley.
“Nuclear SMR proponents will say this is the brave, bright new wave for nuclear power and these private sector operators are going to essentially do for nuclear what they seem to have done for space launches,” Kammen said.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is working to open the first commercial small modular reactor for nuclear power.via REUTERS
Still, “the number of barriers in design to protect public safety that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission runs means even a massively pro-nuclear president would have a hugely difficult time stepping through those,” the prof said.
Advocates believe modular technology could pave the way to faster and cheaper deployment of nuclear power as an environmentally friendly alternative to high-emissions sources — and outgoing President Biden also has supported research into SMR use.
The major differences between conventional nuclear power plants and SMRs is the power-production capacity — with “small” facilities with cores roughly the size of an 18-wheeler truck generating less electricity.
“There are effectively SMRs operating around the world. Russia delivers nuclear-powered icebreakers to its Arctic cities and then they take the power directly off of that boat. We have nuclear aircraft carriers,” Kammen said.
“If someone really cut away legislation and regulation, you certainly could” deploy them commercially, he added — warning, however, that nuclear technology comes with significant potential risks including human operator-caused disasters.
“The technology of this size has existed for decades,” Kammen said. “These are just machines that are tailored for commercial use.”
Smaller-scale reactors would in theory allow for greater adoption — as has been the case with solar energy, which has grown to produce 3.9% of US electricity thanks in part to increased affordability of solar panels associated with higher production volume, Kammen said.
Steve Milloy, a senior fellow at the Energy & Environment Institute who previously served on Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) transition team, said the 45th president seems to be putting “more emphasis now on nuclear” than during his term of office.
“More work is going to be needed than just that [with] the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He’s also going to have to change how EPA regulates radiation exposures. So I think all that stuff is doable,” he told The Post.
Milloy posited that Republicans have warmed up to nuclear power because it could help counter Democrats on the issue of climate change.
“They want to dodge talking about climate, which I think is ridiculous,” he said. “I mean, they should beat Harris-Walz over the head with climate, especially in Pennsylvania. So they talk about energy solutions [instead],” he said.
Reversing green policies
The former president’s campaign also restated a raft of familiar pro-fossil fuel policies — including easing domestic production of oil, natural gas and coal while trashing policies intended to phase out vehicles that use gasoline and diesel fuel.
Milloy contended that one of Trump’s most significant energy proposals is his mantra of “drill baby, drill,” which he argued would “unleash the US oil and gas industry.” He also cautioned that Trump could run into roadblocks with the EPA.
“EPA is famous for its resistance that developed during the Trump administration — the first one. Those guys slow up things, sabotage them, and Trump’s going to have to appoint strong agency leaders that understand the resistance, and know how to combat the resistance,” he said.
Under the Harris-Biden administration, the federal government imposed a moratorium on new oil and gas leases on federal land, axed construction of the KeyStone XL oil pipeline from Canada and forbade drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Trump had criticized Harris’ past support for a fracking ban.
Harris, 59, has not laid out her energy policies in detail but previously supported bans on fracking and a complete phase-out of new gas-powered cars by 2035. Her aides have distanced her from both of those pledges, though the veep has yet to do so herself.
Trump has vowed to claw back at least some of the $369 billion in environmental funding included in Biden’s 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which Republicans argue has contributed to inflation — which has surged 20% since Biden took office in January 2021.
“Energy isn’t part of the economy, it’s the heart of the economy, and if the energy costs increase, everything increases,” American Energy Institute CEO Jason Isaac told The Post.
Democrats have defended themselves from blame over energy prices by pointing out that domestic crude oil production hit an all-time high last year.
“Go back and look at [Energy Information Administration] projections well before the Biden administration took office,” Bernhardt said in pushing back. “What you would see is that the projections far exceeded today’s current production. And so, while production has increased, the reality is that’s actually below what would have occurred under the policies of President Trump.
“So they can take credit for missing the mark.”
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ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:
There are 7 categories, with the latest addition, (#7) being a Friday weekly roundup of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) global nuclear news stories. Also included is a bonus non-nuclear category for news about the Yellowstone caldera and other volcanic and caldera activity around the world that play an important role in humanity’s lives. The feature categories provide articles and information about ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links with headlines concerning the most important media stories in each category, but sometimes fewer and occasionally even none (especially so with the Yellowstone Caldera). The Categories are listed below in their usual order:
All Things Nuclear
Nuclear Power
Nuclear Power Emergencies
Nuclear War
Nuclear War Threats
Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There are no Yellowstone Caldera bonus stories available in this evening’s Post.)
IAEA Weekly News (Friday’s only)
Whenever there is an underlined link to a Category media news story, if you press or click on the link provided, you no longer have to cut and paste to your web browser, since this Post’s link will take you directly to the article in your browser.
A current Digest of major nuclear media headlines with automated links is listed below by nuclear Category (in the above listed order). If a Category heading does not appear in the daily news Digest, it means there was no news reported from this Category today. Generally, the three best articles in each Category from around the nuclear world(s) are Posted. Occasionally, if a Post is important enough, it may be listed in multiple Categories.
… nuclear power plant KKW Leibstadt behind the hydropower plant Eglisau in Rheinsfelden,. Steam rises from the cooling tower of the nuclear power plant …
… war, but also to fundamental principles of the safety of nuclear facilities. … In order to avoid risks and threats to nuclear safety, it is necessary …
Farmers in six Asian countries have used nuclear derived climate-smart agricultural practices and significantly increased their rice yields with the help of the IAEA and the FAO. Read more →
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi will next week travel to Ukraine to hold high-level talks and assess developments at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), where nuclear safety and security remains precarious. Read more →
For the first time the IAEA is to help United Nations nutrition experts reevaluate human energy requirements: a key input for assessing global hunger that was last evaluated in 2001. Read more →
The sub-Saharan African country of Mozambique is currently experiencing a high burden of infectious disease coupled with a growing burden of non-communicable diseases including cancer. Read more →
Given the serious situation, I am personally leading the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in the Russian Federation. The safety and security of all nuclear power plants is of central and fundamental concern to the IAEA. Read more →
Today is a day of infamy concerning “All Things Nuclear”, thankfully and thoughtfully forwarded to me by my dear friend and occasional advisor, Michelle UluOla. “International Day Against Nuclear Tests” harks back to the very beginning, but especially following the US bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan that seemed only to whet the appetites of developing even more powerful weapons of mass destruction, and is an annual vivid reminder that ‘all things nuclear’ must be eliminated from any and all forms of use, including nuclear power plants, in order for humanity to survive.
As I mentioned to Michele, what we have done relevant to our years of nuclear testing has created a hideous travesty of an unfinished monster story that went something like this, excluding the Manhattan Project details and the bombing of Japan:
”What we did to the Marshall Islands over the years as well as southeast Nevada and western Utah with nuclear testing is a crime against nature as well as humanity. The general public has no idea what has gone on and still goes on in the entire nuclear industry, from the birth of the the Manhattan Project right up until today and tomorrow.
”We are clearly seeing now that nuclear power plants are rapidly becoming the spoils of war in order to be used as Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) to essentially double the threats and control the masses with airborne nuclear radiation. The Russian/Ukraine war has clearly demonstrated that probability. We, as a people, are now the potential victims everywhere of nuclear genocide along with innocent other life forms. The ugliest story ever told is just beginning “. . . ~llaw
International Day Against Nuclear Tests
Thu Aug 29th, 2024
Quick facts When is it? Every August 29thTagged as:
What’s the hashtag? #InternationalDayAgainstNuclearTestsWe first published this page on: Aug 18th, 2024. We last updated this page: Aug 18th, 2024
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The International Day against Nuclear Tests is a powerful reminder of the urgent need to eliminate nuclear testing worldwide. This observance indicates the devastating effects of nuclear explosions on people and the environment.
It is a call to action for global leaders and citizens alike to work toward a world free from the threat of nuclear devastation.
By focusing on the dangers and long-term consequences of nuclear tests, the day encourages a united effort to ensure that such testing never occurs again.
Reasons for Celebrating International Day Against Nuclear Tests
The day is celebrated to highlight the catastrophic impact of nuclear tests on human health and the environment.
More than 2,000 nuclear tests have caused severe suffering, contaminating air, water, and soil and leading to long-term health issues for those near test sites.
The day also aims to promote global peace and security by advocating for the enforcement of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). By commemorating this day, the international community hopes to strengthen the global commitment to a future without nuclear weapons.
History of International Day Against Nuclear Tests
The International Day against Nuclear Tests raises awareness about the severe consequences of nuclear testing and promotes global efforts to ban such practices. This observance started in 2009 after Kazakhstan proposed a resolution to the United Nations General Assembly.
Kazakhstan’s tragic experience with nuclear testing, particularly at the Semipalatinsk Test Site, motivated this action. The Semipalatinsk site, one of the largest nuclear test sites in the world, was used by the Soviet Union to conduct over 450 nuclear tests, causing widespread environmental and health damage.
The resolution, known as 64/35, was adopted unanimously by the General Assembly, and the first observance of the day took place in 2010. The chosen date, August 29, commemorates the closure of the Semipalatinsk site in 1991, a significant step toward ending nuclear testing.
Since its beginnings, the day has served as a platform for advocating the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which seeks to ban all nuclear explosions globally.
Each year, various activities, such as conferences, educational events, and public discussions, highlight the ongoing risks of nuclear testing and to push for a future free of nuclear weapons.
How to Celebrate International Day Against Nuclear Tests
Host a Nuclear-Free Movie Night
Celebrate the day with a movie marathon featuring films and documentaries about the dangers of nuclear weapons. Invite friends, pop some popcorn, and discuss how these films highlight the importance of a nuclear-free world.
Mixing education with entertainment makes for a memorable and meaningful evening.
Organize a Creative Protest
Why not channel your inner artist? Gather some friends, grab some paint, and create posters or murals that express your anti-nuclear message.
Hang them in your neighborhood or share them online. It’s a colorful way to spread awareness and make your voice heard without saying a word.
Write a Letter to Your Leader
Got something to say? Write a letter to a government official or local representative urging them to support nuclear disarmament. It might feel old-school, but it’s a powerful way to show that you care about this critical issue.
Plus, who doesn’t love a good, heartfelt letter?
Host a Themed Quiz Night
Everyone loves a good quiz night! Create a trivia game with questions about nuclear testing, disarmament efforts, and peace treaties.
Invite friends and family over or host it online. You’ll be surprised at how much everyone learns while having a blast!
Share on Social Media
Give your thumbs a workout by posting about the day on social media. Share facts, stories, or your own thoughts on why ending nuclear tests is crucial.
Use hashtags like #EndNuclearTesting and #PeaceNotWeapons to join the global conversation and reach more people.
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ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:
There are 7 categories, with the latest addition, (#7) being a Friday weekly roundup of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) global nuclear news stories. Also included is a bonus non-nuclear category for news about the Yellowstone caldera and other volcanic and caldera activity around the world that play an important role in humanity’s lives. The feature categories provide articles and information about ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links with headlines concerning the most important media stories in each category, but sometimes fewer and occasionally even none (especially so with the Yellowstone Caldera). The Categories are listed below in their usual order:
All Things Nuclear
Nuclear Power
Nuclear Power Emergencies
Nuclear War
Nuclear War Threats
Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There are no Yellowstone Caldera bonus stories available in this evening’s Post.)
IAEA Weekly News (Friday’s only)
Whenever there is an underlined link to a Category media news story, if you press or click on the link provided, you no longer have to cut and paste to your web browser, since this Post’s link will take you directly to the article in your browser.
A current Digest of major nuclear media headlines with automated links is listed below by nuclear Category (in the above listed order). If a Category heading does not appear in the daily news Digest, it means there was no news reported from this Category today. Generally, the three best articles in each Category from around the nuclear world(s) are Posted. Occasionally, if a Post is important enough, it may be listed in multiple Categories.
“I mean, winning Wimbledon is amazing. It’s a great, great, great result, I’m very proud about it and how I was able to handle everything there,” said …
It is not governmental abuse and interference (other than potential military control demands and practices) with AI that I fear; it is the use of AI by the greedy money-worshipping corporations who will use (and already have) AI in negative ways, especially Social Media, that will eventually use AI against free speech and freedom of choice by unabated one-sided control or humanitarian methods of consideration of their social beliefs, ambitions, and their so-called “Standards” that require their users to absolutely dictatorially obey without due consideration of any kind of human emotions such as empathy, tolerance, understanding, and weighing judicially the decisions that are made while using social media, unfortunately ignoring an emerging source of the possibility for a world of peace, cooperation and unification rather than our present world of war, hatred and division.
I am personally already feeling the intolerance and misunderstandings over an ongoing ‘absolute battle’ with Facebook’s AI that is accusing me of such such things as “SPAM, Cyber Security Violations, and other nefarious violations of Facebook’s “Community Standards”, (of course I have heard many horror stories from other users about being thrown in Facebook jail over the years) for the very humanitarian ‘all things nuclear’ information (all derived from the public media with, generally, one single evaluation of a single article each day).
My daily message carefully, sensibly, and honestly promotes the absolute danger and potential annihilation of human and other life on planet Earth. But AI’s Facebook police, evidently entirely unconsidered by human interpretation or review of my “All Things Nuclear” blog, with a daily roundup of the most important nuclear news posts, that appear on my Facebook page with two of the links to other platforms that are automatically posted to Substack, Email, Linked In, and, yes, X (formerly Twitter), and others waiting in the wings until I am able to include them. So far Facebook has deleted 9 of my previous 735 posts; but I have found ways to post them to Facebook anyway by different posting methods than Facebook uses. And, as AI expands, I have also had a lot of disturbing situations with Windows 10 updates from Microsoft that are totally controlled by AI. One of them is still unresolved after 3 years of trying . . . ~llaw (Read on; the following article is important to our future.)
California’s Draft AI Law Would Protect More than Just People
Hendrycks is the director of the Center for AI Safety
Few places in the world have more to gain from a flourishing AI industry than California. Few also have more to lose if the public’s trust in the industry were suddenly shattered.
In May, the California Senate passed SB 1047, a piece of AI safety legislation, in a vote of 32 to one, helping ensure the safe development of large-scale AI systems through clear, predictable, common-sense safety standards.The bill is now slated for a state assembly vote this week and, if signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, would represent a significant step in protecting California citizens and the state’s burgeoning AI industry from malicious use.
Late Monday, Elon Musk shocked many by announcing his support for the bill in a post on X. “This is a tough call and will make some people upset, but, all things considered, I think California should probably pass the SB 1047 AI safety bill,” he wrote. “For over 20 years, I have been an advocate for AI regulation, just as we regulate any product/technology that is a potential risk to the public.”
The post came days after I spoke with Musk about SB 1047. Unlike other corporate leaders who often waver, consulting their PR teams and lawyers before taking a stance on safety legislation, Musk was different. After I outlined the importance of the bill, he requested to review its text to ensure its fairness and lack of potential for abuse. The next day he came out in support. This quick decision-making process is a testament to Musk’s long-standing advocacy for responsible AI regulation.
Last winter, Senator Scott Weiner, the bill’s creator, reached out to the Center for AI Safety (CAIS) Action Fund for technical suggestions and cosponsorship. As CAIS’s founder, my commitment to transformative technologies impacting public safety is our mission’s cornerstone. To preserve innovation, we must anticipate potential pitfalls, because an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Recognizing SB 1047’s groundbreaking nature, we were thrilled to help and have advocated for its adoption ever since.
Targeted at the most advanced AI models, it will require large companies to test for hazards, implement safeguards, ensure shutdown capabilities, protect whistleblowers, and manage risks. These measures aim to prevent cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, bioengineering of viruses, or other malicious activities with the potential to cause widespread destruction and mass casualties
Anthropic recently warned that AI risks could emerge in “as little as 1-3 years,” disputing critics who view safety concerns as imaginary. Of course, if these risks are indeed fictitious, developers shouldn’t fear liability. Moreover, developers have pledged to tackle these issues, aligning with President Joe Biden’s recent executive order, reaffirmed at the 2024 AI Seoul Summit.
Enforcement is lean by design, allowing California’s Attorney General to act only in extreme cases. There are no licensing requirements for new models, nor does it punish honest mistakes or criminalize open sourcing—the practice of making software source code freely available. It wasn’t drafted by Big Tech or those focused on distant future scenarios. The bill aims to prevent frontier labs from neglecting caution and critical safeguards in their rush to release the most capable models.
Like most AI safety researchers, I am in large part driven by a belief in its immense potential to benefit society, and deeply concerned about preserving that potential. As a global leader in AI, California is too. This shared concern is why state politicians and AI safety researchers are enthusiastic about SB 1047, as history tells us that a major disaster, like the nuclear one at Three Mile Island on March 28, 1979, could set a burgeoning industry back decades.
Regulatory bodies responded to the partial nuclear meltdown by overhauling nuclear safety standards and protocols. These changes increased the operational costs and complexity of running nuclear plants, as operators invested in new safety systems and complied with rigorous oversight. The regulatory challenges made nuclear energy less appealing, halting its expansion over the next 30 years.
Three Mile Island led to a greater dependence on coal, oil, and natural gas. It is often argued that this was a significant lost opportunity to advance toward a more sustainable and efficient global energy infrastructure. While it remains uncertain whether stricter regulations could have averted the incident, it is clear that a single event can profoundly impact public perception, stifling the long-term potential of an entire industry.
Some people will view any government action on industry with suspicion, considering it inherently detrimental to business, innovation, and a state or country’s competitive edge. Three Mile Island demonstrates this perspective is short-sighted, as measures to reduce the chances of a disaster are often in the long-term interest of emerging industries. It is also not the only cautionary tale for the AI industry.
When social media platforms first emerged, they were largely met with enthusiasm and optimism. A 2010 Pew Research Center survey found that 67% of American adults who used social media believed it had a mostly positive impact. Futurist Brian Solis captured this ethos when he proclaimed, “Social media is the new way to communicate, the new way to build relationships, the new way to build businesses, and the new way to build a better world.”
He was three-fourths correct.
Driven by concerns over privacy breaches, misinformation, and mental health impacts, public perception of social media has flipped, with 64% of Americans viewing it negatively. Scandals like Cambridge Analytica eroded trust, while fake news and polarizing content highlighted social media’s role in societal division. A Royal Society for Public Health study showed 70% of young people experienced cyberbullying, with 91% of 16-24-year-olds stating social media harms their mental wellbeing. Users and policymakers around the globe are increasingly vocal about needing stricter regulations and greater accountability from social media companies.
This did not happen because social media companies are uniquely evil. Like other emerging industries, the early days were a “wild west” where companies rushed to dominate a burgeoning market and government regulation was lacking. Platforms with addictive, often harmful content thrived, and we are now all paying the price. The companies—increasingly mistrusted by consumers and in the crosshairs of regulators, legislators, and courts—included.
The optimism surrounding social media wasn’t misplaced. The technology did have the potential to break down geographical barriers and foster a sense of global community, democratize information, and facilitate positive social movements. As the author Erik Qualman warned, “We don’t have a choice on whether we do social media, the question is how well we do it.”
The lost potential of social media and nuclear energy was tragic, but it’s nothing compared to squandering AI’s potential. Smart legislation like SB 1047 is our best tool for preventing this while protecting innovation and competition.
The history of technological regulation showcases our capacity for foresight and adaptability. When railroads transformed 19th-century transportation, governments standardized track gauges, signaling, and safety protocols. The advent of electricity led to codes and standards preventing fires and electrocutions. The automobile revolution necessitated traffic laws and safety measures like seat belts and airbags. In aviation, bodies like the FAA established rigorous safety standards, making flying the safest form of transportation.
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ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:
There are 7 categories, with the latest addition, (#7) being a Friday weekly roundup of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) global nuclear news stories. Also included is a bonus non-nuclear category for news about the Yellowstone caldera and other volcanic and caldera activity around the world that play an important role in humanity’s lives. The feature categories provide articles and information about ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links with headlines concerning the most important media stories in each category, but sometimes fewer and occasionally even none (especially so with the Yellowstone Caldera). The Categories are listed below in their usual order:
All Things Nuclear
Nuclear Power
Nuclear Power Emergencies
Nuclear War
Nuclear War Threats
Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There is one Yellowstone Caldera bonus story available in this evening’s Post.)
IAEA Weekly News (Friday’s only)
Whenever there is an underlined link to a Category media news story, if you press or click on the link provided, you no longer have to cut and paste to your web browser, since this Post’s link will take you directly to the article in your browser.
A current Digest of major nuclear media headlines with automated links is listed below by nuclear Category (in the above listed order). If a Category heading does not appear in the daily news Digest, it means there was no news reported from this Category today. Generally, the three best articles in each Category from around the nuclear world(s) are Posted. Occasionally, if a Post is important enough, it may be listed in multiple Categories.
Massive Russian attack: an expert identifies the threats of the coming days … Following the massive attack on August 26, when Putin’s army launched a …
This Post about an International outreach to all proponents of Nuclear Arms Disarmament on a global basis at an ICAN meeting in Kazakhstan demonstrates that the 9 countries with nuclear arms are threatening the future of the a living world, pointing out that they are just 9 of almost 200 countries globally, and that Kazakhstan, a country “having suffered the devastating consequences of decades of Soviet nuclear testing – understand all too well why disarmament is a humanitarian necessity,” will preside over the third meeting of states parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, or TPNW, in March 2025.
I have chosen this brief, but challenging, article for this evening because it demonstrates that, by far, the larger world population wants nothing to do with nuclear arms, and for obvious good reasons.
But do the nuclear-armed countries give a damn? Frankly, I don’t think so. And “therein lies the rub.” The points made here by Melissa Parke, Executive Director of ICAN, dramatically speak to the reasons that eventual world disarmament is necessary if Earth is to continue its ability to sustain life.
But the nuclear powers will never listen for reasons that are barely understandable by these peace-loving nations. And the hell of it all is that we who live in these 9 nations are so enamored of ‘all things nuclear’ that we are not only building bigger and more powerful nuclear weapons to manage an artificial resistance to nuclear war called ‘deterrence’, but are also adding untold more danger to all kinds of living populations, of the world by expanding and adding something called nuclear power to the mix, and that addition is potentially just as dangerous and life-threatening as their nuclear arms cousins. ~llaw
August 27, 2024Updates
Measures to Strengthen Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones: ICAN remarks to Astana Workshop
On 27-28 August, Kazakhstan is hosting a meeting for all Nuclear Weapons Free Zones (NWFZ), to foster cooperation, enhance consultation mechanisms and explore how NWFZ can contribute to efforts to respond to existing and emerging security threats related to nuclear weapons. Hon. Melissa Parke, Executive Director of ICAN, delivered the following remarks:
Measures to Strengthen Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones
Excellencies, distinguished colleagues,
It is my honour to deliver some brief remarks today on behalf of ICAN, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.
Let me begin by thanking our host, Kazakhstan, for its tremendous leadership over many years in advancing the cause of nuclear disarmament. It has demonstrated, through its actions, that a country is better off without these horrific, earth-endangering weapons. That disarmament can be done, and must be done.
Of course, the people of Kazakhstan – having suffered the devastating consequences of decades of Soviet nuclear testing – understand all too well why disarmament is a humanitarian necessity.
Like the hibakusha of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, nuclear test survivors here and in other parts of the world have courageously shared their personal testimonies time and again, in the hope that no one else will ever suffer as they have. It is time to heed their warnings.
ICAN is delighted that Kazakhstan will preside over the third meeting of states parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, or TPNW, in March 2025 – continuing its leadership in this field. Your country has an important message to share with the world, especially in these deeply troubling times, with the nuclear arms race gaining speed and the threat of nuclear war looming large over us all.
Let me also extend my thanks to each and every country here belonging to a nuclear-weapon-free zone – for having rejected nuclear weapons in your region. Many of you have also rejected them globally, by joining the TPNW. You have shown that security is achieved through cooperation, not the development and stockpiling of horrifically destructive weapons.
One of our greatest challenges, as advocates for nuclear disarmament, is to keep expectations high, even in gloomy times like these. To raise the bar even as others try to lower it.
It is easy to become despondent and pessimistic when one considers the current state of affairs. Not only are nuclear-armed states failing to fulfil their legal obligation to disarm; they are instead moving in the opposite direction by enhancing and, in some cases, expanding their nuclear forces. An affront to humanity.
But the stakes are too high to give in to despair. And nuclear-weapon-free zones can be a source of hope and inspiration. They show that a different way is possible. If large geographic regions such as Latin America and Africa and Southeast Asia can be kept free of nuclear weapons, why not, one day, the entire world?
I sometimes hear members of the public say, ignorantly, that we need nuclear weapons because everyone else has them. They seem to believe that possessing nuclear weapons is the norm, when in fact just nine out of almost 200 countries in the world have them. Being a part of a nuclear-weapon-free zone is the norm.
This workshop is an important opportunity to foster greater cooperation among the various zones, and to continue the crucial work of reinforcing the nuclear taboo and building the institutional framework needed to eliminate nuclear weapons completely.
I wish to make two specific appeals to you today:
The first is to incorporate the perspectives of civil society in your work to the greatest degree possible. ICAN has been delighted to participate in the general conferences of OPANAL and meetings of states parties to the Treaty of Pelindaba, for example, and we would warmly welcome the opportunity for further cooperation.
It is important for the public to be aware that such discussions are taking place, and for public opinion to influence decision-making. We can help to ensure both.
My second appeal is for all members of nuclear-weapon-free zones to sign and ratify the TPNW if they have not yet done so. The TPNW complements and reinforces the nuclear-weapon-free zone treaties, as well as the Non-Proliferation Treaty and Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. It is an opportunity to transform your strong regional norms into global norms.
Moreover, joining the TPNW should be a relatively straightforward process for zone members, given that the zone treaties and the TPNW have similar core obligations and objectives. Many of your countries would no doubt already have in place the necessary domestic legislation and procedures to fulfil your obligations under the TPNW.
Despite the many challenges that we face, it is essential that we continue the serious, practical work of laying the foundations for nuclear disarmament.
We must continue, with determination and urgency, the transition from nuclear-weapon-free zones to a nuclear-weapon-free world.
ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:
There are 7 categories, with the latest addition, (#7) being a Friday weekly roundup of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) global nuclear news stories. Also included is a bonus non-nuclear category for news about the Yellowstone caldera and other volcanic and caldera activity around the world that play an important role in humanity’s lives. The feature categories provide articles and information about ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links with headlines concerning the most important media stories in each category, but sometimes fewer and occasionally even none (especially so with the Yellowstone Caldera). The Categories are listed below in their usual order:
All Things Nuclear
Nuclear Power
Nuclear Power Emergencies
Nuclear War
Nuclear War Threats
Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There are two Yellowstone Caldera bonus stories available in this evening’s Post.)
IAEA Weekly News (Friday’s only)
Whenever there is an underlined link to a Category media news story, if you press or click on the link provided, you no longer have to cut and paste to your web browser, since this Post’s link will take you directly to the article in your browser.
A current Digest of major nuclear media headlines with automated links is listed below by nuclear Category (in the above listed order). If a Category heading does not appear in the daily news Digest, it means there was no news reported from this Category today. Generally, the three best articles in each Category from around the nuclear world(s) are Posted. Occasionally, if a Post is important enough, it may be listed in multiple Categories.
IAEA’s Grossi visits Kursk nuclear plant · Kursk plant is 40 km (25 miles) from fighting · Russia says Ukraine has attacked the site · Ukraine has yet to …
Well, here we are again, reporting another round of negativity about the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in California at Avila Beach just over 10 miles southwest of San Luis Obispo. The plant is owned by PG&E, which, given the company’s seemingly eternal accident-prone and error-filled existence, definitely adds to why the plant should have been beginning preparing for its permanent shutdown and dismantling beginning in 2025 rather than a new lease on life through 2030 proffered up by billions of taxpayer dollars from California and the United States governments.
The plant, as the Los Angeles Times article below states, is risky, not the least of which are potential major radiation leaks from old age as well as the risk of a severe earthquake that could demolish the plant causing widespread damage similar to Japan’s Fukushima accident created by “acts of god” including an earthquake that created a tsunami in 2011. That plant is, of course, totally inoperable forever, but the parent company is being allowed to dump millions of tons of ‘safety-treated’ nuclear waste into the nearby Pacific Ocean, which of course has the fishing industry in a well-justified uproar.
And there are other risks, which are always prevalent during the operation of all nuclear power plants everywhere, including fires, terrorism or war, control of nuclear waste, which is already a growing problem for California at the 2013 shutdown of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station near San Clemente.
All nuclear power plants, as well as other nuclear facilities and products, like nuclear bombs, are also ‘risky business’, but we don’t seem to care enough to “bite the bullet” and rid ourselves of the most dangerous product ever known on planet Earth. Instead, we lie to ourselves, hide our heads in the sand, and continue on playing against the odds on the very future of life on planet Earth. That is the ‘real’ risk . . . ~llaw
California’s last nuclear plant is a risky, costly business
Twin containment domes, shrouded in fog, house the nuclear reactors at Diablo Canyon nuclear plant.
When you watch TV, run your AC or charge your phone overnight, a portion of the energy you’re using may have come from the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant.
The PG&E-run facility — perched on the edge of the Central California coast — runs around the clock, generating electricity thanks to massive copper coils spun rapidly by steam generated by nuclear fission.
The plant is central in an ongoing debate over California’s energy future, Noah Haggerty, a mass media fellow at The Times, explained this week. Key arguments center on the skyrocketing cost of nuclear energy and the risks of an earthquake leading to nuclear disaster.
“As Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration looks to the aging reactor to help ease the state’s transition to renewable energy, Diablo Canyon is drawing renewed criticism from those who say the facility is too expensive and too dangerous to continue operating,” he wrote.
Nuclear energy has become a costly power source.
It used to be that wind and solar power cost orders of magnitude more than producing electricity at a nuclear plant.
But the high demand for renewable energy spurred technological advances that have drastically reduced those costs. The state has been ramping up its power storage capacity, which cuts against one argument for nuclear power — that it’s needed to keep the lights on when there’s no sun or wind.
Nuclear energy now costs about double what those other sources do, Noah reported.
In recent years, nuclear plants have racked up costs because of more outages and equipment being replaced. MIT researchers in one study also pointed to higher costs from research and development. They also cited decreased worker productivity, possibly due to low morale.
Another reason for rising costs are safety requirements, many of which were put in place after the Fukushima disaster in Japan in 2011, when a powerful earthquake and tsunami led to a nuclear meltdown.
Earthquakes remain the key risk for the plant.
They make up about 65% of the assessed risk for the worst possible meltdown, Noah noted, because of nearby fault lines.
If an earthquake were to occur and critically damage the plant before operators could shut down the nuclear fission happening inside, the unchecked reaction would create a meltdown.
If that were to happen, the clean energy source could essentially become a giant dirty bomb, spewing radioactive material into the atmosphere faster than nearby communities could evacuate.
If you’re one for probabilities, here are a couple for you:
“Every year, nearby residents have roughly the same chance of seeing a nuclear meltdown as dying in a car crash,” Noah wrote. “Also, in any given year, they’re about 50 times more likely to face a mass-casualty radioactive catastrophe than get struck by lightning.”
Officials at the PG&E plant point to their many earthquake precautions, including reinforced infrastructure designed to prevent collapses, plus immersive simulations to train operators for the worst-case scenario.
Critics have voiced concerns that regulators have overlooked and lowballed some of the seismic safety risks.
A massive generator runs at Diablo Canyon, the only operational nuclear plant in California.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Diablo Canyon was slated to start closing this year. Then Gov. Gavin Newsom stepped in.
Back in 2016, PG&E agreed to close its plant when the operating licenses expire in November 2024 and August 2025.
In recent years, Californians’ attitudes on nuclear power have shifted.
A 2022 poll from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, co-sponsored by The Times, found that 44% of state voters supported building more nuclear reactors in California, while 37% of those polled were opposed. Another 19% were undecided.
ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:
There are 7 categories, with the latest addition, (#7) being a Friday weekly roundup of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) global nuclear news stories. Also included is a bonus non-nuclear category for news about the Yellowstone caldera and other volcanic and caldera activity around the world that play an important role in humanity’s lives. The feature categories provide articles and information about ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links with headlines concerning the most important media stories in each category, but sometimes fewer and occasionally even none (especially so with the Yellowstone Caldera). The Categories are listed below in their usual order:
All Things Nuclear
Nuclear Power
Nuclear Power Emergencies
Nuclear War
Nuclear War Threats
Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There are no Yellowstone Caldera bonus stories available in this evening’s Post.)
IAEA Weekly News (Friday’s only)
Whenever there is an underlined link to a Category media news story, if you press or click on the link provided, you no longer have to cut and paste to your web browser, since this Post’s link will take you directly to the article in your browser.
A current Digest of major nuclear media headlines with automated links is listed below by nuclear Category (in the above listed order). If a Category heading does not appear in the daily news Digest, it means there was no news reported from this Category today. Generally, the three best articles in each Category from around the nuclear world(s) are Posted. Occasionally, if a Post is important enough, it may be listed in multiple Categories.
Given the serious situation, I am personally leading the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in …
Nuclear power plants are essential for reducing carbon emissions and providing stable power to high-tech industries, including artificial intelligence …
Nuclear power plants are essential for reducing carbon emissions and supplying stable power to high-tech industries, including artificial intelligence …
It can be predicted with reasonable confidence that Russia will not threaten, much less use, nuclear weapons against Ukraine … nuclear war was at its …
Sundays are now a day off for me, too, but I will, recognizing that “All Things Nuclear” don’t stop on weekends, continue to take the time to format the TODAY’S NUCLEAR WORLD’S NEWS section of this daily blog for you on both Saturday and Sunday to allow you to read the “best” information AI can find on a daily basis from all around the world, with nuclear news outlets from news organizations that you’ve never heard of, not just American sources, that are worthy of your attention.
Among the several really interesting headlines over the weekends, I will provide a link just below as the one I think may be the most important to you. This is the one for today:
ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:
There are 7 categories, with the latest addition, (#7) being a Friday weekly roundup of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) global nuclear news stories. Also included is a bonus non-nuclear category for news about the Yellowstone caldera and other volcanic and caldera activity around the world that play an important role in humanity’s lives. The feature categories provide articles and information about ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links with headlines concerning the most important media stories in each category, but sometimes fewer and occasionally even none (especially so with the Yellowstone Caldera). The Categories are listed below in their usual order:
All Things Nuclear
Nuclear Power
Nuclear Power Emergencies
Nuclear War
Nuclear War Threats
Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There is one Yellowstone Caldera bonus story available in this evening’s Post.)
IAEA Weekly News (Friday’s only)
Whenever there is an underlined link to a Category media news story, if you press or click on the link provided, you no longer have to cut and paste to your web browser, since this Post’s link will take you directly to the article in your browser.
A current Digest of major nuclear media headlines with automated links is listed below by nuclear Category (in the above listed order). If a Category heading does not appear in the daily news Digest, it means there was no news reported from this Category today. Generally, the three best articles in each Category from around the nuclear world(s) are Posted. Occasionally, if a Post is important enough, it may be listed in multiple Categories.
Successive Netanyahu-led governments have portrayed Iran’s nuclear program as an existential threat to Israel. For Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, …
It is Saturday, the 1st weekend day I will not be looking hard at evaluating and making “Issues & Comments”, usually concerning the most dangerous, worthy, or sensitive of the Google AI articles I receive from my “Daily Digest” that I created on Google two years ago.
Sundays will be a day off for me, too, but I will, recognizing that “All Things Nuclear” don’t stop on weekends, continue to take the time to format the TODAY’S NUCLEAR WORLD’S NEWS section of this daily blog for you on both days to allow you to read the “best” information AI can find on a daily basis from all around the world, with nuclear news outlets from news organizations that you’ve never heard of, not just American sources, that bear your attention.
Among several really interesting headlines over the weekends, I will provide a link just below as the one I think may be the most important to you. This is the one for today:
ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:
There are 7 categories, with the latest addition, (#7) being a Friday weekly roundup of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) global nuclear news stories. Also included is a bonus non-nuclear category for news about the Yellowstone caldera and other volcanic and caldera activity around the world that play an important role in humanity’s lives. The feature categories provide articles and information about ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links with headlines concerning the most important media stories in each category, but sometimes fewer and occasionally even none (especially so with the Yellowstone Caldera). The Categories are listed below in their usual order:
All Things Nuclear
Nuclear Power
Nuclear Power Emergencies
Nuclear War
Nuclear War Threats
Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There is one Yellowstone Caldera bonus story available in this evening’s Post.)
IAEA Weekly News (Friday’s only)
Whenever there is an underlined link to a Category media news story, if you press or click on the link provided, you no longer have to cut and paste to your web browser, since this Post’s link will take you directly to the article in your browser.
A current Digest of major nuclear media headlines with automated links is listed below by nuclear Category (in the above listed order). If a Category heading does not appear in the daily news Digest, it means there was no news reported from this Category today. Generally, the three best articles in each Category from around the nuclear world(s) are Posted. Occasionally, if a Post is important enough, it may be listed in multiple Categories.
Not everything was easy, of course. I was intimidated, harassed by motorbikes and, twice, treated to the cycling-in-traffic hallmark of being shouted …
“We’ve innovated beyond other reactor designs and engaged early and often with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to make atomic energy a viable option …
Vladimir Putin’s ‘Iron Doll’ makes WW3 threat – ‘we are a nuclear power’ … Fears of World War 3 have ramped up as a top Russian pundit, often dubbed ..
This all sounds like double standards to me. Putin’s anger or indignant attitude seems to be based on some mystical rule that turnabout is not fair, even in a long, drawn out war that is taking a heavy toll on both countries.
Is it any different than when Russia attacked the Ukraine more than three years ago and took over the Ukraine’s largest nuclear power plant, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in southeast Ukraine? Russian military personnel also are in charge of the plant’s operations, although the plant is currently primarily shut down due to the nearby Russia/Ukraine ground war that has threatened the safety of the plant many time over, and has also insanely disabled the electrical grid system that feeds the plant with its operational electrical power, resulting in diesel generators saving the day, creating a situation that could have caused a meltdown, threatening the lives of millions of citizens in Ukraine and parts of Europe.
Putin must not believe in the old adage, “All is fair in love and war.” ~llaw
Kursk nuclear plant is one of Russia’s top atomic power stations
By Reuters
August 22, 2024 6:10 AM PDT Updated a day ago
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on situation in Belgorod, Kursk and Bryansk regions following an incursion of Ukrainian troops in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict, via video link at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, Russia August 22, 2024. Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov/Pool via REUTERS
MOSCOW, Aug 22 (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine on Thursday of trying to strike Russia’s Kursk nuclear power station in an overnight attack.
He provided no documentary evidence to back up his assertion and there was no immediate comment from Ukraine.
Here are some details about the plant.
* The Kursk plant is one of Russia’s top nuclear power stations. It supplies about half of the electricity used in the Black Earth region of southern Russia.
* It is located on the Seym River near the town of Kurchatov, named after Soviet nuclear physicist Igor Kurchatov, in Russia’s western region of Kursk. Ukrainian forces launched a cross-border incursion in the Kursk region on Aug. 6.
* The plant has four Soviet graphite-moderated RBMK-1000 reactors – the same design as those at the Chernobyl nuclear plant which in 1986, when part of the Soviet Union, became the scene of the world’s worst nuclear disaster.
* Reactor Number 1, which dates from 1976, was shut down at the Kursk plant in 2021 to operate in non-generation mode. Reactor Number 2, which dates from 1979, was shut down in 2024. Reactor Number 3, from 1983, and Reactor Number 4, from 1985, are both operational.
* Construction of Kursk-2, essentially new reactors of the VVER-TOI type, was begun in 2018. The two reactors are not operational yet.
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ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:
There are 7 categories, with the latest addition, (#7) being a Friday weekly roundup of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) global nuclear news stories. Also included is a bonus non-nuclear category for news about the Yellowstone caldera and other volcanic and caldera activity around the world that play an important role in humanity’s lives. The feature categories provide articles and information about ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links with headlines concerning the most important media stories in each category, but sometimes fewer and occasionally even none (especially so with the Yellowstone Caldera). The Categories are listed below in their usual order:
All Things Nuclear
Nuclear Power
Nuclear Power Emergencies
Nuclear War
Nuclear War Threats
Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There is one Yellowstone Caldera bonus story available in this evening’s Post.)
IAEA Weekly News (Friday’s only)
Whenever there is an underlined link to a Category media news story, if you press or click on the link provided, you no longer have to cut and paste to your web browser, since this Post’s link will take you directly to the article in your browser.
A current Digest of major nuclear media headlines with automated links is listed below by nuclear Category (in the above listed order). If a Category heading does not appear in the daily news Digest, it means there was no news reported from this Category today. Generally, the three best articles in each Category from around the nuclear world(s) are Posted. Occasionally, if a Post is important enough, it may be listed in multiple Categories.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been informed by the Russian Federation today that the remains of a drone were found within the territory of the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant. The drone fragments were reported to have been located roughly 100 metres from the plant’s spent fuel nuclear storage facility. The IAEA was informed that the drone was suppressed in the early morning of 22 August. In this context, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi confirmed his intention to personally assess the situation at the site during his visit next week. Read more →
With women significantly underrepresented in the field of nuclear security, the IAEA actively promotes gender equality through various initiatives to foster a more diverse and sustainable workforce. Read more →
The IAEA, Kenya and South Africa have been working together to apply a more environmentally friendly method of tracing ocean sediments, in order to keep East Africa’s largest international seaport open for trade. Read more →
Newly released nuclear power data for 2023 collected by the IAEA, paint a picture of a clean energy technology at a crossroads amid the emergence of a new global consensus to accelerate its deployment. Read more →
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