“End Nuclear Insanity Before Nuclear Insanity Ends Humanity”

LLOYD A. WILLIAMS-PENDERGRAFT

JUL 24, 2024

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Proposing to prevent a nuclear war, promote non-proliferation, and pursue complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons

LLAW’s NUCLEAR ISSUES & COMMENTS, Wednesday, (07/24/2024)

Is China the only remaining country with nuclear war capability that is in favor of this? This article from the China Military, “proposes to prevent a nuclear war by promoting non-proliferation, and pursuing complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons, … (Read this article; it makes a lot of sense, the common kind, which is something all nations, including the USA, need to regenerate from the cobwebs of their collective minds. It should also apply ,without a second thought, to globally ridding ourselves of nuclear power plants.)

This would be a giant step in the right direction, and at least the suggestion bears international consideration. But will that ever happen? Of course not!

(But wouldn’t it be wonderful if I was wrong?) ~llaw

OPINIONS / Opinions

China proposes a way to prevent nuclear war

Source

China Military Online

Editor

Lin Congyi

Time

2024-07-24 22:53:34

A+-

By Guo Xiaobing

The second meeting of the Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) recently kicked off in Geneva, Switzerland. At the meeting, China submitted a series of working papers on nuclear arms control, no-first-use of nuclear weapons, non-nuclear security, the nuclear submarine cooperation among the US, the UK and Australia, and other issues. China also held a side event to release a report on NATO’ nuclear sharing. By offering a comprehensive solution, China was making itself heard in defending the international arms control mechanism as nuclear arms control is facing mounting challenges.

Two points in China’s proposal are worth special attention.

First, China adheres to and has elaborated on its position of no-first-use of nuclear weapons, calling on the nuclear states to conclude a treaty or release a political statement on abiding by this principle. Since China’s successful test-fire of its first atomic bomb on October 16, 1964, the country has always observed the “no-first-use” policy. In 1994, China proposed the Draft Treaty on No-First Use of Nuclear Weapons to the other four nuclear-weapon States.  The latest working paper submitted by China on the no-first-use of nuclear weapons contained the following key messages: “Each State Party undertakes not to be the first to use nuclear weapons against another State Party at any time and under any circumstances. Each State Party undertakes to support the early conclusion of a treaty on not using or threatening to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon States or nuclear-weapon-free zones”. Meanwhile, to protect the core interests of the contracting parties, the working paper also states that “Each State Party shall in exercising its national sovereignty have the right to withdraw from the Treaty if it decides that extraordinary events, related to the subject matter of this Treaty, have jeopardized the supreme interests of its country.”

Second, China advocates strengthening the security assurances for non-nuclear-weapon states and calls for concluding relevant legal papers for that purpose. The five nuclear-weapon states once issued a joint statement committing themselves to not using or threatening to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon States, but China is the only one of them to make that commitment unconditionally, whereas the other four have their reservations. China has been urging for turning the political statement on security assurance for non-nuclear-weapon states into an international legal instrument with binding force. In the recent meeting, China pointed out the negative impacts of nuclear sharing and extended deterrence on non-nuclear-weapon States, saying that relevant nuclear-weapon State should abandon the arrangement of nuclear sharing and extended deterrence, and withdraw all nuclear weapons deployed abroad back to its own territories.

Why is China stressing international nuclear arms control now? Because this matter has come to a crucial crossroads, which has never been seen in the 30-plus years after the end of the Cold War.

For one thing, the world is sliding from order to chaos with rising risks of nuclear warfare, nuclear arms race, and nuclear proliferation. Regarding the risk of nuclear war, the ghost of using or threatening to use nuclear weapons has been hovering over the world ever since the Ukraine crisis broke out; Israel threatened to use nuclear weapons too during its conflict with Palestine – something that hasn’t happened after the Cuba missile crisis in 1962.

There is a greater risk of a nuclear arms race with the mounting scale of nuclear weapons. Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said the global nuclear arsenal may rebound in the next decade, which will mark a vital turning point in the global nuclear disarmament process by putting an end to the consistent decrease in the number of nuclear warheads since the 1980s.

Meanwhile, nuclear proliferation among Western countries has become more conspicuous. The US and the UK, in the name of helping Australia develop nuclear submarines, are transferring a staggering amount of weapon-grade highly enriched uranium to Canberra; the US and its allies are spreading the geographical coverage of nuclear weapons through the so-called “nuclear sharing”; and Japanese politicians are clamoring for their own “nuclear sharing” in imitation of NATO.

For another, the institutions for nuclear arms control are partly collapsing with the bilateral nuclear disarmament mechanism between Washington and Moscow barely holding on and the multilateral nuclear arms control and international non-proliferation mechanisms severely challenged. American magazine Foreign Policy said international arms control may be walking into a “dark age”, as the pillars of the existing arms control framework – the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty), the Treaty on Open Skies, and the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START)– are either abolished or on the way to abolition. New START is the last remaining treaty in the US-Russia bilateral nuclear disarmament framework, but Moscow decided to suspend its performance of the treaty early last year and Washington stopped data exchange immediately afterward. The nuclear disarmament between the two countries has very dim prospects and may very well become non-existent by 2026.

At the same time, the international nuclear non-proliferation mechanism is being eroded constantly. Not only did the US-UK-Australia nuclear submarine deal bring tangible risks of proliferation, this double-standard practice also sabotaged the authority, integrity, and effectiveness of the international non-proliferation mechanism.

Nuclear warfare and nuclear proliferation are abhorred by the whole of humanity. Proposing to prevent a nuclear war, promote non-proliferation, and pursue complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons, the nuclear arms control proposal offered by China is a silver lining that the international community should carefully listen to and deeply reflect on as the fundamental way to take the world out of its current dilemma.

(The author is director of the Arms Control Center, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations)

Editor’s note: Originally published on china.com.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.

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ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:

There are 7 categories, with the latest (#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:

1. All Things Nuclear
2. Nuclear Power
3. Nuclear Power Emergencies
4. Nuclear War
5. Nuclear War Threats
6. Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There are three Yellowstone Caldera bonus stories available in this evening’s Post.)
7. 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.

TODAY’S NUCLEAR WORLD’S NEWS, Wednesday, (07/24/2024)

All Things Nuclear

NEWS

A new law aims to advance US nuclear power, but some fear it shortchanges safety

WDET 101.9 FM

On July 9, President Joe Biden signed a bill that among other things will change the mission statement of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Radio Interview, 6PR Perth | Defence Ministers

Defence Ministers

SUBJECTS: Indian Ocean Defence and Security Conference; Defence budget; HMAS Stirling; Australia’s contribution to the Combined Maritime Force; …

Australia news live: scientists say small nuclear reactors a ‘chimera’ – The Guardian

The Guardian

Small modular reactors won’t be fully commercially available until the late 2040s at least, a group of Australia’s top technologists says.

Nuclear Power

NEWS

First meltdown-proof nuclear reactor passes loss of cooling test in China – Tech Xplore

Tech Xplore

The new nuclear plant in China has been under construction and testing since 2016—it has two reactors, each capable of generating 105 MW of power. It …

Top 10: Nuclear Power Companies – Energy Digital Magazine

Energy Digital Magazine

Nuclear is a zero-emission clean energy source as it generates power through fission, the process of splitting uranium atoms to produce energy.

Budget 2024: Did you miss the ‘nuclear option’ in the budget? – The Economic Times

The Economic Times

How SMRs can revolutionise India’s energy sector. In certain parts of India, the construction of large nuclear power plants (NPPs) is not …

Nuclear Power Emergencies

NEWS

Emergency plans updated after nuclear risk review – Jersey Evening Post

Jersey Evening Post

Flamanville nuclear power station was among the sites looked at by the UK Health Security Agency during a review of possible “worst-case scenario …

FANR launches National Programme for Qualifying Nuclear and Radiological Emergency Workers

ZAWYA

The UAE has a robust emergency preparedness and response system that was lauded by international missions such as the International Atomic Energy …

Nuclear War

NEWS

Madness and World Politics: Risks of a Nuclear War – Modern Diplomacy

Modern Diplomacy

Madness and World Politics: Risks of a Nuclear War. Whether by design or inadvertence – by “bolt-from-the-blue” attacks or incremental aggressions …

How close is the world to nuclear war? | Battle Lines Podcast – YouTube

YouTube

On today’s special episode of Battle Lines we speak to International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi. As China rapidly expands …

China proposes a way to prevent nuclear war

China Military

Proposing to prevent a nuclear war, promote non-proliferation, and pursue complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons, …

Nuclear War Threats

NEWS

UK should prepare for threat from Iran, Russia, China, and N. Korea

iranintl.com

Iran’s possible pursuit of nuclear weapons and Russia’s ongoing militarization exemplified by its actions in Ukraine are additional threats. He …

‘We also have weapons that can hit your territory’: Putin warns West of risk of nuclear war

MSN

Everything that the West comes up with creates the real threat of a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons, and thus the destruction of civilisation …

The US Election & the Dangers of Nuclear Weapons – Global Issues

Global Issues

The US Election & the Dangers of Nuclear Weapons · Yemen: UN envoy warns of threat of return to ‘full-fledged war‘ as regional tensions escalate …

Yellowstone Caldera

NEWS

Large Steam Explosion Rocks Biscuit Basin at Yellowstone (but Don’t Panic!)

Discover Magazine

Steam explosions are likely the biggest volcanic hazard at Yellowstone Caldera today. That comes as a surprise to most people who think Yellowstone is …

‘Hydrothermal’ explosion sends visitors fleeing at Yellowstone National Park

Los Angeles Times

Lava flows last erupted from the Yellowstone Caldera, or Yellowstone Supervolcano, approximately 70,000 years ago, according to the USGS. “If it were …

Hydrothermal explosion at Biscuit Basin in Yellowstone National Park damages boardwalk

USA Today

… Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles, a Yellowstone Volcano Observatory publication. The explosions are “one of the most important and least understood …

“End Nuclear Insanity Before Nuclear Insanity Ends Humanity”

LLOYD A. WILLIAMS-PENDERGRAFT

JUL 23, 2024

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Kim’s North Korea Warns of ‘Nuclear World War’

LLAW’s NUCLEAR ISSUES & COMMENTS, Tuesday, (07/23/2024)

The tensions between the two countries, South & North Korea, have always been tense and dangerous. I was there for a year (1962, the year of the October Cuban Missile Crisis) and the intensity, even after a signed Armistice to end the long wars between the countries and resolving the last Korean War (from the summer of 1950 to the summer of 1953, but a following ‘Peace Treaty’ was never signed by either country.

The United States has been the staunch ally of South Korea during all of those years and fought the ‘50s war with American troops, and still protects the South from the North. And now the threat of nuclear weapons has arisen, and the USA has no choice but to defend South Korea should another war be declared, nuclear or not.

My job in Korea back then was to rotate American soldiers from South Korea back to duty at various military bases in the United States or its territories, although the tension was still thick between the two countries despite the Armistice a decade later, and the Cuban Missile crisis increased the tension considerably for a short time, at least for the Generals and other ranking officers, raising the alert status of the South Korean defense by the Eighth U.S. Army and its cavalry divisions occupying Korea. So it was that I was apprised during my interviews with the rotating infantry soldiers, listening to the stories by the hundreds of a never-ending ‘war’ armed only with M1 rifles while facing dangerous skirmishes during the day and a ‘hidden’ or ‘sniper’ style of conflict that was perpetually ongoing in order to defensively protect our fellow comrades. We all individually had scheduled times from sundown to sunup, assigned to guard duty, on foot, around the perimeters of several cavalry divisions of the Army. I, of course don’t know for sure, but I suspect that such guard duty has never changed 60+ years later, nor has the tension lessened, but has, most likely, increased.

And yet, after all of that elapsed time, humanity has learned nothing, and has actually regressed in our semi-humanitarian way (if such a term applies in any kind of war) that wars have been and will be fought in the future, leading to, perhaps soon, a nuclear war that, should it happen, will be the end of the global human culture, including most all of our lives as well as our totally innocent animal kingdoms. ~llaw

Kim’s North Korea Warns of ‘Nuclear World War’

Published Jul 23, 2024 at 5:56 AM EDTUpdated Jul 23, 2024 at 11:18 AM EDT

By Micah McCartney

China News Reporter

The U.S. and its allies are verging on nuclear war on a global scale, according to North Korean state media.

The official newspaper of the communist country’s Workers’ Party of Korea, the Rodong Sinmun, on Monday released a nationalistic article marking the upcoming anniversary of the July 27, 1953, armistice that ended hostilities in the Korean War.

The article credited North Korean founder Kim Il Sung, grandfather of current leader Kim Jong Un, with a victory over “the self-proclaimed ‘strongest’ U.S. imperialists and their followers” that “prevented a new world war that could have brought global disaster and catastrophe, thereby willingly safeguarding world peace.”

However, “even before the ink of the armistice agreement dried,” the U.S. and South Korea began holding regular war games with an eye toward the north, which have continued to this day, the paper wrote.

“The exercises have become increasingly blatant and cruel year by year, now boldly crossing the red line of a new nuclear world war,” it said.

The “United Nations Command,” which brought disaster to this land 70 years ago, has again revealed its dirty visage, with troops from follower countries and even NATO forces joining anti-North Korean war exercises.

The Rodong Sinmun article comes as Kim doubles down on its message that nuclear weapons are essential to his nation’s survival, with the regime last year enshrining its nuclear weapons program in its constitution.

In June, Seoul-based news agency Daily NK cited North Korean sources as saying Pyongyang has been holding mandatory lectures impressing upon citizens the program’s central role in deterring a U.S.-South Korean “war of aggression.”

READ MORE North Korea

• Russia and North Korea Sign New Agreement
• China Makes Nuclear Weapons Demands to U.S. and Allies
• U.S. B-52 Bombers in ‘Historic’ NATO Flight Near Russia
• Why China Doesn’t Trust America’s Nuclear Weapons Talks

Though the Korean Armistice Agreement suspended open conflict on the peninsula, Pyongyang and Seoul never signed a peace treaty and technically remain at war.

Inter-Korean ties are at their lowest level in decades.

Earlier this year, the North amended its constitution to define the South as its “primary foe and invariable principal enemy,” with the country carrying out a months-long series of ballistic missile tests, in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Both North and South Korea have suspended a 2018 military agreement meant to reduce tensions along their border, and the countries are increasingly engaging in a tit-for-tat using tactics reminiscent of the Cold War, from live-fire exercises near the border to balloon exchanges and loudspeakers broadcasts.

Two-thirds of South Koreans favor pursuing nuclear weapons, according to recent polling, though the government recently clarified it is not currently doing so.

Pyongyang’s more assertive posture has also driven Seoul to develop security cooperation with its ally Washington and, increasingly, Tokyo, after decades of often prickly ties stemming from the legacy of the Japanese Empire’s occupation in the early 20th century and a territorial dispute over a small group of islets.

The U.S. Department of Defense and the North Korean embassy in China did not immediately respond to written requests for comment.Subscribe

ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:

There are 7 categories, with the latest (#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:

1. All Things Nuclear
2. Nuclear Power
3. Nuclear Power Emergencies
4. Nuclear War
5. Nuclear War Threats
6. Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There are three Yellowstone Caldera bonus stories available in this evening’s Post.)
7. 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.

TODAY’S NUCLEAR WORLD’S NEWS,Tuesday, (07/23/2024)

All Things Nuclear

NEWS

Missile Defense Won’t Save Us from Growing Nuclear Arsenals – Boston University

Boston University

You can’t build the impenetrable shield,” says BU military tech expert Sanne Verschuren.

3 Army Reserve officers disciplined after reservist killed 18 people last October in Maine

WBUR

Three Army Reserve officers were disciplined for dereliction of duty in the aftermath of last October’s mass shooting in Maine, according to an …

Nuclear Power

NEWS

French-Italian cooperation to boost Italian steel sector – World Nuclear News

World Nuclear News

Through the MoU, the partners will consider co-investment opportunities in new nuclear energy and, in particular, in the construction of small modular …

TVA’s New Nuclear Program is a Warning Sign to Customers and Local Power Companies

Southern Alliance for Clean Energy

Before putting more eggs in the nuclear basket, TVA should bring their renewable energy generation to at least 40%, and let Tennessee Valley residents …

Nuclear Newswire — ANS – American Nuclear Society

Labor ‘not acknowledging’ nuclear power is used by ‘leading world economies’ – YouTube

YouTube

Shadow Resources Minister Susan McDonald has slammed Labor for “not acknowledging” nuclear power and engaging in a “scare campaign”.

Nuclear Power Emergencies

NEWS

New TMF investments support AI Safety Institute, upgrades to nuclear emergency response

FedScoop

The Departments of Energy and Commerce receive a combined $13.8 million from the funding vehicle.

Nuclear an expensive threat to Queensland’s drinking water and communities

Queensland Conservation Council

Regional towns under threat of emergency evacuation if nuclear power comes to Queensland. Map showing the 20km evacuation zone and 80km …

Lu-Ve in €27m deal to supply UK nuclear plant – Cooling Post

Cooling Post

… emergency diesel generators (EDGs) located within the nuclear island of the power plant. The generators are activated when the nuclear plant is …

Nuclear War

NEWS

Russia’s Nuclear-Armed Spacecraft Could Supercharge Space War I – Forbes

Forbes

Moscow’s race to perfect nuclear-armed spacecraft could presage a rapidly expanding new phase of Space War I – with escalating clashes between the …

Kim’s North Korea Warns of ‘Nuclear World War‘ – Newsweek

Newsweek

The U.S. and its allies are verging on nuclear war on a global scale, according to North Korean state media. The official newspaper of the …

Mike Bond’s Latest Thriller, CRUDE: Nuclear War is Coming — Can We Stop It? | Warwick Beacon

Warwick Beacon

After many years working on intelligence and war issues, I now believe we’re about to have a worldwide nuclear war. We and nearly all life will …

Nuclear War Threats

NEWS

Deterrence of non-nuclear strategic threats: the case against deterring new technologies

European Leadership Network

… risks further blurring the lines between nuclear and non-nuclear strategic threats. It opens the door to new vulnerabilities and escalation risks.

ICAN Statement to the 2024 Non-Proliferation Treaty Preparatory Committee

International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

Please find the full statement below. Distinguished Delegates,. Nuclear risks are on the rise. The chance of nuclear weapons use are higher than at …

South Korea’s Nuclear Latency: A Critical and Analytical Evaluation – The Diplomat

The Diplomat

North Korea’s advancements in nuclear weapons and missile technology have further exacerbated this threat. The regime’s successful nuclear tests and .

Yellowstone Caldera

NEWS

A small hydrothermal explosion at Norris Geyser Basin | U.S. Geological Survey – USGS.gov

USGS.gov

Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s …

8 Most Dangerous Volcanoes To Visit In The World – TheTravel

TheTravel

Yellowstone’s Caldera: How To See This National Park Volcano. Yellowstone’s Caldera has long been a topic of speculation. Let us be your guide to …

Woman Unintentionally Records The Moment Her 23-Year-Old Brother Slipped And Fell Into …

VT.co

… Yellowstone caldera, a “supervolcano” or “hotspot,” per BBC. The caldera’s activity fuels the thermal pools in the area and it also has the …

“End Nuclear Insanity Before Nuclear Insanity Ends Humanity”

LLOYD A. WILLIAMS-PENDERGRAFT

JUL 22, 2024

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LLAW’s NUCLEAR ISSUES & COMMENTS, Monday, (07/22/2024)

Following is an in-depth and sensible primer on what AI and nuclear war (and many other applications) has to do with humanity, our ability to control AI, and the thoughtless deployment of AI without proper human guidance, constant oversite, negative affects on its applications at every level, and how failing to properly control the use of it in general could make it as, or even more, dangerous to humanity and other life than it is as any software equipped tool, business, construction, or other applications — especially a nuclear power plant, and nuclear warfare.

Personally, my experiences with AI (on the Internet) have been all bad and always cause more harm from start to finish than the beneficial services sought, and the reason for that is almost always improper supervision by humans, whose brains are usually required to have some idea basic intelligence, coupled with emotions, thoughts, considerations, rights and wrongs, and even reality, that AI, of course, does not innately have at all. It does what it’s taught and does what it is told in no uncertain terms and therefore allowed to do. It is NOT a substitute nor a replacement for awakened, alert, and expert experienced human programming and yin-yang logic that involves a sense of when something is potentially wrong. An uncontrolled AI system, used in ‘all things nuclear’ is a monstrous uncontrolled weapon as lethal as the nuclear power plant or the weapons of mass destruction it is designed to control ~llaw

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Humans should teach AI how to avoid nuclear war—while they still can

By Cameron Vega, Eliana Johns | July 22, 2024

The systemic use of AI-enabled technology in nuclear strategy, threat prediction, and force planning could erode human skills and critical thinking over time—and even lure policymakers and nuclear planners into believing that a nuclear war can be won. (Image: Screenshot from the 1983 movie WarGames, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)

When considering the potentially catastrophic impacts of military applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI), a few deadly scenarios come to mind: autonomous killer robots, AI-assisted chemical or biological weapons development, and the 1983 movie WarGames.

The film features a self-aware AI-enabled supercomputer that simulates a Soviet nuclear launch and convinces US nuclear forces to prepare for a retaliatory strike. The crisis is only partly averted because the main (human) characters persuade US forces to wait for the Soviet strike to hit before retaliating. It turns out that the strike was intentionally falsified by the fully autonomous AI program. The computer then attempts to launch a nuclear strike on the Soviets without human approval until it is hastily taught about the concept of mutually assured destruction, after which the program ultimately determines that nuclear war is a no-win scenario: “Winner: none.”

US officials have stated that an AI system would never be given US nuclear launch codes or the ability to take control over US nuclear forces. However, AI-enabled technology will likely become increasingly integrated into nuclear targeting and command and control systems to support decision-making in the United States and other nuclear-armed countries. Because US policymakers and nuclear planners may use AI models in conducting analyses and anticipating scenarios that may ultimately influence the president’s decision to use nuclear weapons, the assumptions under which these AI-enabled systems operate require closer scrutiny.

Pathways for AI integration. The US Defense Department and Energy Department already employ machine learning and AI models to make calculation processes more efficient, including for analyzing and sorting satellite imagery from reconnaissance satellites and improving nuclear warhead design and maintenance processes. The military is increasingly forward-leaning on AI-enabled systems. For instance, it initiated a program in 2023 called Stormbreaker that strives to create an AI-enabled system called “Joint Operational Planning Toolkit” that will incorporate “advanced data optimization capabilities, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to support planning, war gaming, mission analysis, and execution of all-domain, operational level course of action development.” While AI-enabled technology presents many benefits for security, it also brings significant risks and vulnerabilities.

One concern is that the systemic use of AI-enabled technology and an acceptance of AI-supported analysis could become a crutch for nuclear planners, eroding human skills and critical thinking over time. This is particularly relevant when considering applications for artificial intelligence in systems and processes such as wargames that influence analysis and decision-making. For example, NATO is already testing and preparing to launch an AI system designed to assist with operational military command and control and decision-making by combining an AI wargaming tool and machine learning algorithms. Even though it is still unclear how this system will impact decision-making led by the United States, the United Kingdom, and NATO’s Nuclear Planning Group concerning US nuclear weapons stationed in Europe, this type of AI-powered analytical tool would need to consider escalation factors inherent to nuclear weapons and could be used to inform targeting and force structure analysis or to justify politically motivated strategies.

The role given to AI technology in nuclear strategy, threat prediction, and force planning can reveal more about how nuclear-armed countries view nuclear weapons and nuclear use. Any AI model is programmed under certain assumptions and trained on selected data sets. This is also true of AI-enabled wargames and decision-support systems tasked with recommending courses of action for nuclear employment in any given scenario. Based on these assumptions and data sets alone, the AI system would have to assist human decision-makers and nuclear targeters in estimating whether the benefits of nuclear employment outweigh the cost and whether a nuclear war is winnable.

Do the benefits of nuclear use outweigh the costs? Baked into the law of armed conflict is a fundamental tension between any particular military action’s gains and costs. Though fiercely debated by historians, the common understanding of the US decision to drop two atomic bombs on Japan in 1945 demonstrates this tension: an expedited victory in East Asia in exchange for hundreds of thousands of Japanese casualties.

RELATED:

Three key misconceptions in the debate about AI and existential risk

Understanding how an AI algorithm might weigh the benefits and costs of escalation depends on how it integrates the country’s nuclear policy and strategy. Several factors contribute to one’s nuclear doctrine and targeting strategy—ranging from fear of consequences of breaking the tradition of non-use of nuclear weapons to concern of radioactive contamination of a coveted territory and to sheer deterrence because of possible nuclear retaliation by an adversary. While strategy itself is derived from political priorities, military capabilities, and perceived adversarial threats, nuclear targeting incorporates these factors as well as many others, including the physical vulnerability of targets, overfly routes, and accuracy of delivery vehicles—all aspects to further consider when making decisions about force posture and nuclear use.

In the case of the United States, much remains classified about its nuclear decision-making and cost analysis. It is understood that, under guidance from the president, US nuclear war plans target the offensive nuclear capabilities of certain adversaries (both nuclear and non-nuclear armed) as well as the infrastructure, military resources, and political leadership critical to post-attack recovery. But while longstanding US policy has maintained to “not purposely threaten civilian populations or objects” and “not intentionally target civilian populations or targets in violation of [the law of armed conflict],” the United States has previously acknowledged that “substantial damage to residential structures and populations may nevertheless result from targeting that meets the above objectives.” This is in addition to the fact that the United States is the only country to have used its nuclear weapons against civilians in war.

There is limited public information with which to infer how an AI-enabled system would be trained to consider the costs of nuclear detonation. Certainly, any plans for nuclear employment are determined by a combination of mathematical targeting calculations and subjective analysis of social, economic, and military costs and benefits. An AI-enabled system could improve some of these analyses in weighing certain military costs and benefits, but it could also be used to justify existing structures and policies or further ingrain biases and risk acceptance into the system. These factors, along with the speed of operation and innate challenges in distinguishing between data sets and origins, could also increase the risks of escalation—either deliberate or inadvertent.

Is a nuclear war “winnable”? Whether a nuclear war is winnable depends on what “winning” means. Policymakers and planners may define winning as merely the benefits of nuclear use outweighing the cost when all is said and done. When balancing costs and benefits, the benefits need only be one “point” higher for an AI-enabled system to deem the scenario a “win.”

In this case, “winning” may be defined in terms of national interest without consideration of other threats. A pyrrhic victory could jeopardize national survival immediately following nuclear use and still be considered a win by the AI algorithm. Once a nuclear weapon has been used, it could either incentivize an AI system to not recommend nuclear use or, on the contrary, recommend the use of nuclear weapons on a broader scale to eliminate remaining threats or to preempt further nuclear strikes.

“Winning” a nuclear war could also be defined in much broader terms. The effects of nuclear weapons go beyond the immediate destruction within their blast radius; there would be significant societal implications from such a traumatic experience, including potential mass migration and economic catastrophe, in addition to dramatic climatic damage that could result in mass global starvation. Depending on how damage is calculated and how much weight is placed on long-term effects, an AI system may determine that a nuclear war itself is “unwinnable” or even “unbearable.”

Uncovering biases and assumptions. The question of costs and benefits is relatively uncontroversial in that all decision-making involves weighing the pros and cons of any military option. However, it is still unknown how an AI system will weigh these costs and benefits, especially given the difficulty of comprehensively modeling all the effects of nuclear weapon detonations. At the same time, the question of winning a nuclear war has long been a thorn in the side of nuclear strategists and scholars. All five nuclear-weapon states confirmed in 2022 that “a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.” For them, planning to win a nuclear war would be considered inane and, therefore, would not require any AI assistance. However, deterrence messaging and discussion of AI applications for nuclear planning and decision-making illuminate the belief that the United States must be prepared to fight—and win—a nuclear war.

RELATED:

Why a misleading “red team” study of the gene synthesis industry wrongly casts doubt on industry safety

The use of AI-assisted nuclear decision-making has the potential to reveal and exacerbate the biases and beliefs of policymakers and strategists, including the oft-disputed idea that nuclear war can be won. AI-powered analysis incorporated into nuclear planning or decision-making processes would operate on assumptions about the capabilities of nuclear weapons as well as their estimated costs and benefits, in the same way that targeters and planners have done for generations. Some of these assumptions could include missile performance, accurate delivery, radiation effects, adversary response, and whether nuclear arms control or disarmament is viable.

Not only are there risks of inherent bias in AI systems, but this technology can be purposely designed with bias. Nuclear planners have historically underestimated the damage caused by nuclear weapons in their calculations, so an AI system fed that data to make recommendations could also systemically underestimate the costs of nuclear employment and the number of weapons needed for targeting purposes. There is also a non-zero chance that nuclear planners poison the data so that an AI program recommends certain weapons systems or strategies.

During peace time, recommendations based on analysis by AI-enabled systems could also be used as part of justifying budgets, capabilities, and force structures. For example, an AI model that is trained on certain assumptions and possibly underestimates nuclear damage and casualties may recommend increasing the number of deployed warheads, which will be legally permissible after New START—the US-Russian treaty that limits their deployed long-range nuclear forces—expires in February 2026. The inherent trust placed in computers by their users is also likely to provide undue credibility to AI-supported recommendations, which policymakers and planners could use to veil their own preferences behind the supposed objectivity of a computer’s outputs.

Despite this heavy skepticism, advanced AI/machine learning models could still potentially provide a means of sober calculation in crisis scenarios, where human decision-making is often clouded, rushed, or falls victim to fallacies. However, this requires that the system has been fed accurate data, shaped with frameworks that support good faith analysis, and is used with an awareness of its limitations. Rigorous training on nuclear strategy for the “humans in the loop” as well as on methods for interpreting AI-generated outputs—that is, considering all its limitations and embedded biases—could also help mitigate some of these risks. Finally, it is essential that governments practice and promote transparency concerning the integration of AI technology into their military systems and strategic processes, as well as the structures in place to prevent deception, cyberattacks, disinformation, and bias.

Human nature is nearly impossible to predict, and escalation is difficult to control. Moreover, there is arguably little evidence to support claims that any nuclear employment could control or de-escalate a conflict. Highlighting and addressing potential bias in AI-enabled systems is critical for uncovering assumptions that may deceive users into believing that a nuclear war can be won and for maintaining the well-established ethical principle that a nuclear war should never be fought.

Editor’s note: The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the US State Department.Subscribe

ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:

There are 7 categories, with the latest (#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:

1. All Things Nuclear
2. Nuclear Power
3. Nuclear Power Emergencies
4. Nuclear War
5. Nuclear War Threats
6. Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There are no Yellowstone Caldera bonus stories available in this evening’s Post.)
7. 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.

TODAY’S NUCLEAR WORLD’S NEWS, Monday, (07/22/2024)

All Things Nuclear

NEWS

How the Democrats running for N.H. governor are campaigning | WBUR News

WBUR

The Democratic Party’s primary ballot includes two candidates who share similar policy positions and point to their political resumes as proof of …

Interview: US diplomat Adam Scheinman on nonproliferation, arms control, and the NPT

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

In this interview, Bulletin editor in chief John Mecklin talks with Ambassador Adam Scheinman, who oversees American diplomacy around the Nuclear …

Nuclear Power

NEWS

Peter Dutton visits Queensland back country in nuclear energy push

News.com.au

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has for the first time spruiked the Coalition’s controversial nuclear energy plan in an electorate earmarked for a …

The Notebook: Nuclear power continues to divide, but we need to think about the future

City A.M.

Kokou Agbo Bloua, Societe Generale’s global head of economics, takes the pen to talk nuclear, climate volatility and the economic outlook.

One nuclear plant could see 45,000 rooftop solar systems shut off each day | RenewEconomy

Renew Economy

“A [1,000MW] nuclear power station, which can only run down to 500 MW …would usually be supplying more energy than the system needs (Figure 6),” the …

Nuclear Power Emergencies

NEWS

World’s first meltdown-proof nuclear reactor unveiled in China – Interesting Engineering

Interesting Engineering

In 2011, the Fukushima nuclear reactor experienced a rare event in which the standard and emergency power supply to the cooling mechanism failed, …

Nuclear War

NEWS

Humans should teach AI how to avoid nuclear war—while they still can

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

The systemic use of AI technology in nuclear strategy, threat prediction, and force planning could erode human skills and critical thinking.

Russia’s Nuclear-Armed Spacecraft Could Supercharge Space War 1 – Forbes

Forbes

Moscow’s race to perfect spacecraft tipped with nuclear warheads could presage a rapidly expanding new phase of Space War 1, say leading American …

Missile Defense Won’t Save Us from Growing Nuclear Arsenals – Boston University

Boston University

You can’t build the impenetrable shield,” says BU military tech expert Sanne Verschuren.

Nuclear War Threats

NEWS

Russia’s Nuclear-Armed Spacecraft Could Supercharge Space War 1 – Forbes

Forbes

… nuclear war,” he adds. The U.S. began building its nuclear command … Escalating nuclear threats underscore the urgency for all the nuclear …

Humans should teach AI how to avoid nuclear war—while they still can

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

The systemic use of AI technology in nuclear strategy, threat prediction, and force planning could erode human skills and critical thinking.

Breaking the Impasse on Disarmament and Implementing Article VI Obligations

Arms Control Association

We condemn the recent threats from leaders of some nuclear-armed states underscoring their readiness to use nuclear weapons. Any threat to use nuclear 

“End Nuclear Insanity Before Nuclear Insanity Ends Humanity”

LLOYD A. WILLIAMS-PENDERGRAFT

JUL 21, 2024

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Donald Trump doesn’t have the character to be president ~ Kamala Harris

LLAW’s NUCLEAR ISSUES & COMMENTS, Sunday, (07/21/2024)

Of course the news today is all about Biden’s withdrawal from his campaign to seek another term as President, and his likely replacement candidate, Kamala Harris, so I leave my comments to wishing her well, and I do believe she can defeat Donald Trump for the job. On her behalf I offer this from my Facebook page on July 7th:

My only words were:

Maybe this is the one?

As for the nuclear world, the last person on earth to have as our American President would be Donald Trump, and I offer this interesting and well-documented story from yesterday by Lawrence S Wittner for the “Daily Kos”.

Donald Trump’s Reckless Infatuation with Nuclear Weapons

by Lawrence S Wittner

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Saturday, July 20, 2024 at 1:15:48p PDT

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Over the past decade and more, nuclear war has grown increasingly likely.  Most nuclear arms control and disarmament agreements of the past have been discarded by the nuclear powers or will expire soon.  Moreover, there are no nuclear arms control negotiations underway.  Instead, all nine nuclear nations (Russia, the United States, China, Britain, France, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea) have begun a new nuclear arms race, qualitatively improving the 12,121 nuclear weapons in existence or building new, much faster, and deadlier ones.  Furthermore, the cautious, diplomatic statements about international relations that characterized an earlier era have given way to public threats of nuclear war, issued by top officials in Russia, the United States, and North Korea. 

This June, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that, given the heightened risk of nuclear annihilation, “humanity is on a knife’s edge.”

This menacing situation owes a great deal to Donald Trump.

As President of the United States, Trump sabotaged key nuclear arms control agreements of the past and the future.  He single-handedly destroyed the INF Treaty, the Iran nuclear agreement, and the Open Skies Treaty by withdrawing the United States from them.  In addition, as the expiration date for the New START Treaty approached in February 2021, he refused to accept a simple extension of the agreement—action quickly countermanded by the incoming Biden administration.  Not surprisingly, Trump was horrified by the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons―a UN-negotiated agreement that banned nuclear weapons, thereby providing the framework for a nuclear-free world.  In 2017, when this vanguard nuclear disarmament treaty was passed by an overwhelming majority of the world’s nations, the Trump administration  proclaimed that the United States would never sign it.

In fact, Trump was far less interested in arms control and disarmament than in entering―and winning―a new nuclear arms race with other nations.  “Let it be an arms race,” he declared in December 2016, shortly after his election victory.  “We will outmatch them at every pass.”  In February 2018, he boasted that his administration was “creating a brand-new nuclear force.  We’re gonna be so far ahead of everybody else in nuclear like you’ve never seen before.”  And, indeed, Trump’s U.S. nuclear “modernization” program―involving the replacement of every Cold War era submarine, bomber, missile, and warhead with an entirely new generation of the deadliest weapons ever invented―acquired enormous momentum during his presidency, with cost estimates running as high as $2 trillion.

Eager to facilitate this nuclear buildup, the Trump administration began to explore a return to U.S. nuclear weapons testing.  Consequently, it announced in 2018 that, although the U.S. government had ended its nuclear tests in 1992 and President Bill Clinton had negotiated and signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in 1996, Trump would oppose U.S. Senate ratification of the treaty.  The administration also dramatically reduced the time necessary to prepare for nuclear weapons test explosions.  In 2020, senior Trump administration officials reportedly conducted a serious discussion of U.S. government resumption of nuclear testing, leading the House of Representatives, then under Democratic control, to block funding for it.

Though many Americans assumed that a powerful U.S. nuclear arsenal would prevent an outbreak of nuclear war, Trump undermined this wishful thinking by revealing himself perfectly ready to launch a nuclear attack.  During his 2016 presidential campaign, the Republican nominee reportedly asked a foreign policy advisor three times why, if the U.S. government possessed nuclear weapons, it should be reluctant to use them.  The following year, Trump told the governor of Puerto Rico that, “if nuclear war happens, we won’t be second in line pressing the button.”

Indeed, Trump came remarkably close to lunching a nuclear war against North Korea.  In August 2017, responding to provocative comments by Kim Jong Un, Trump warned that further North Korean threats would “be met with fire, fury and frankly power the likes of which this world has never seen before.” 

Trump’s threat of a nuclear attack triggered a rapid escalation of tensions between the two nations.  In a speech before the UN General Assembly that September, Trump vowed to “totally destroy North Korea” if Kim, whom he derisively labeled “Rocket Man,” continued his provocative rhetoric.  Meanwhile, the White House chief of staff, General John Kelly, was appalled by indications that Trump really wanted war and, especially, by the president’s suggestion of using a nuclear weapon against North Korea and, then, blaming the action on someone else.  According to Kelly, the military’s objection that the war would―in the words of Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis “incinerate a couple million people”―had no impact on Trump.  In early 2018, the U.S. president merely upped the ante by publicly boasting that he had a “Nuclear Button” that was “much bigger & more powerful” than Kim’s.

What finally headed off a nuclear war, Kelly recalled, was his appeal to Trump’s “narcissism.”  If Trump could forge a friendly diplomatic relationship with North Korea, the general suggested, the U.S. president would emerge as the “greatest salesman in the world.” And, indeed, Trump did reverse course and embark on a flamboyant campaign to pacify and denuclearize North Korea, remarking that May that “everyone” thought he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize.  Eventually, however, the U.S.-North Korean negotiations, including a much-heralded “summit” between Trump and Kim, resulted in little more than handshakes, North Korea’s continued development of nuclear weapons, and Trump’s return to public threats of nuclear war―this time against Iran.

Given this record, as well as Trump’s all-too-evident mental instability, we have been fortunate that, in a world bristling with nuclear weapons, the world survived his four years in office.

But our good fortune might not last much longer, for Trump’s return to power in 2025 or the recklessness of some other leader of a nuclear-armed nation could unleash unprecedented catastrophe upon the world.

Ultimately, the only long-term security for humanity lies in the global abolition of nuclear weapons and the development of a united world community.

Lawrence S. Wittner (

https://www.lawrenceswittner.com

) is Professor of History Emeritus at SUNY/Albany and the author of Confronting the Bomb (Stanford University Press).

This article was originally published by The Hill (https://thehill.com/opinion/4755721-trump-nuclear-arms-race/).

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ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:

There are 7 categories, with the latest (#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:

1. All Things Nuclear
2. Nuclear Power
3. Nuclear Power Emergencies
4. Nuclear War
5. Nuclear War Threats
6. Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There are no Yellowstone Caldera bonus stories available in this evening’s Post.)
7. 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.

TODAY’S NUCLEAR WORLD’S NEWS, Sunday, (07/21/2024)

All Things Nuclear

NEWS

Iran making strides on aspect of nuclear weapons, US asserts

Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

— Iran is talking more about getting a nuclear bomb and has made … all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the ..

US says Iran moving forward on a key aspect of developing a nuclear bomb

The Economic Times

Two senior Biden administration officials stated on Friday that Iran has been increasingly vocal about acquiring a nuclear bomb and has advanced …

Korea Edges Ahead of Rivals to Build Europe’s Nuclear Reactors – Bloomberg News

Bloomberg News

“Now a bridgehead has been established for us to export nuclear plants to Europe,” Korea’s Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Ahn Duk-geun declared …

Nuclear Power

NEWS

Port Augusta residents weigh in on proposed nuclear power plant | ABC News – YouTube

YouTube

Until recently, nuclear power had been off the table in Australia. However, many communities across the country are now grappling with the …

Korea Edges Ahead of Rivals to Build Europe’s Nuclear Reactors – Energy Connects

Energy Connects

Cooling towers stand at the Dukovany nuclear power plant operated by CEZ AS in Dukovany, Czech Republic, on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014. The next …

Safety warnings as cracks rise at Torness nuclear plant – The Ferret

The Ferret

The number of cracks in a nuclear reactor at Torness has risen to 46, prompting warnings that prolonging its operation would be “gambling with …

Nuclear War

NEWS

U.S. ‘Admits’ Having Nearly 2000 Less Nuclear Warheads Than Russia Amid Wars | Report

YouTube

The US declassified its nuclear stockpile data, revealing 3748 active and inactive warheads as of September 2023, slightly down from 2020.

Nato’s road to nuclear annihilation is paved with platitudes of ‘peace’ – Morning Star

Morning Star

BEYOND the fine words about “peace,” “democracy” and “shared values,” what did the recent Nato and European Political Community summits really …

Boeing ‘fighting through challenges’ in building new Air Force One planes | Reuters

Reuters

The head of Boeing’s defense unit said Sunday the planemaker is still “fighting through challenges” in building two delayed U.S. presidential …

Nuclear War Threats

NEWS

Donald Trump’s Reckless Infatuation with Nuclear Weapons – Daily Kos

Daily Kos

Trump’s threat of a nuclear attack triggered a rapid escalation of tensions between the two nations. In a speech before the UN General Assembly that …

The USA is preparing to deploy systems for jamming satellites of the Russian Federation and China

Online.ua

The Pentagon is actively expanding its space warfare capabilities due to the threat posed by Chinese and Russian satellites to American military …

Russia’s Putin orders nuclear weapons drills near Ukraine – MSN

MSN

… threat during the offensive in Ukraine, with Putin frequently invoking Russia’s nuclear doctrine. Non-strategic nuclear weapons, also known as ..

“End Nuclear Insanity Before Nuclear Insanity Ends Humanity”

LLOYD A. WILLIAMS-PENDERGRAFT

JUL 20, 2024

1

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A schematic of TerraPower’s proposed Natrium Nuclear Power Plant (TerraPower)

LLAW’s NUCLEAR ISSUES & COMMENTS, Saturday, (07/20/2024)

I am posting this local Wyoming story that well could become a national and even international tale of questions, doubts, conflicts, mistakes, failures, and impossible-to-achieve community and regulatory standards like those pointed out in the article, not to mention the never-before-built nature of the proposed nuclear power plant. I grew up in Wyoming, started my career in the uranium/nuclear business there, and visited the small town of Kemmerer many times over the years as well as other small rural communities in the State that have no way to handle sudden impact of human growth, some of which is mentioned in this article.

But there is are even larger issues, and one of them is that a Natrium nuclear power plant has never been built before, and yet TerraPower’s long range plans are to build these SMRs (Small Nuclear Reactors) all around the country and perhaps the world without even clearly knowing that they can find the specific kind of uranium fuel to feed the reactors — something they have already experienced from Russia (the only country who manufactures the fuel) who turned down TerraPower’s attempt to purchase fuel, causing at least a two-year delay in their construction plans, also preventing a timely demonstration of how the unique Natrium cooling system works.

The Kemmerer site was selected to allow instant accessibility to the extensive grid system for transmitting electricity that has long existed for the Naughton Power Plant that operates on natural gas, but will close in 2036, about the time TerraPower’s nuclear power plant would come online if all went as expected, absolutely unknown in the recent history of new nuclear power plants. And the more potent and dangerous (uranium fuel (HALEU) that borders on military grade nuclear bomb grade, will likely never be easy to come by unless American refineries begin to produce it, or military inventory passes their high-grade bomb fuel down to a lower-refined commercial use, and that would simply be adding to the absolute unplanned danger of nuclear proliferation.

Unforeseen, plans, mistakes, and never-ending other troubles, always glaringly obvious, in the nuclear industry, are never going to be ‘absolutely’ controlled simply because of the nature of the “elephant in the room” syndrome. In my own mind, all we humans are doing successfully in both ‘war’ and ‘peace’ is guarantying our own premature demise as well as that of most all other life on planet Earth. ~llaw

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FEATURED TOP STORY

Southwest Wyoming locals pepper feds on proposed Natrium nuclear plant

The deadline for public comment on Bill Gates-backed nuclear power plant in Kemmerer is Aug. 12.

by Dustin BleizefferJuly 18, 2024

KEMMERER—Residents here have dozens of questions about the potential impacts and risks related to TerraPower’s proposed nuclear power plant slated for just outside of town.

Will the plant disrupt groundwater or domestic wells? What threats does it pose to surface waters in a watershed that drains to the Colorado River Basin? What safeguards will prevent a radioactive release? How long will spent-radioactive waste be stored on location?

Others who are eager for the potential economic boost that the $4 billion construction project might bring to the area worry that it could be stopped in its tracks if a new archeological or culturally significant site is discovered in the project area.

And some — beyond a pervasive distrust of Bill Gates, the Microsoft billionaire who founded and is using his wealth to back TerraPower — see existential threats from what would be Wyoming’s first nuclear power plant.

“I just wanted to point out that the world’s most dangerous supervolcano is four hours north and, barring any accident [happening], the consequences could be world changing,” Kemmerer resident Marshal Corwin told Nuclear Regulatory Commission staffers during a Tuesday evening public meeting regarding the project. As for the project’s billionaire backer, “I’m not comfortable doing any deals with the devil,” he added.

For now, the public has only NRC standards and procedures for reference, and TerraPower’s own construction permit application that asserts the project meets all of the safety requirements with negligible impacts to the environment and local residents. The commission will begin analyzing the company’s claims this fall. But first it wants to hear from the public, and particularly from those familiar with the region, to determine whether the project should move forward.

“It’s very important for us to solicit your impact, or your input, on what the environmental [characteristics] you believe are present in the community and how the project is going to affect you,” said Joe O’Hara of the NRC’s Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Division.

O’Hara was part of a team of NRC officials that hosted the public meeting here to explain the agency’s environmental review of the project and how people can participate.

The agency is accepting public comments through Aug. 12. Comments can be submitted via this federal portal.

Natrium project and permitting

TerraPower proposes to build its pilot Natrium nuclear power plant in southwest Wyoming, co-locating the facility near the Naughton natural gas- and coal-fired power plant so it can tap into existing infrastructure. If successful, the company plans to deploy dozens of Natrium plants across the globe, including several more in Wyoming, according to the company.

Natrium is a scaled-down version of currently operating nuclear reactors, generating a consistent 345 megawatts of electricity — enough energy to power about 250,000 homes. The company promotes Natrium as an “advanced” reactor design because it will use liquid sodium for cooling, which requires less water and provides more energy efficiency, it says. The plant will also use a different type of radioactive fuel referred to as high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU), which is more potent than traditional nuclear fuels.

The project, which is also backed by the Department of Energy to the tune of $2 billion, is being fast tracked via an expedited review process at the NRC. TerraPower commenced construction on a non-nuclear portion of the plant in June and hopes the plant will be operational by 2030, according to the company.

To get there, TerraPower must gain two separate approvals from the NRC: a construction permit (that review is underway) and an operating license (TerraPower plans to submit that application by 2027). In determining whether to grant the construction permit, the NRC will consider “the environmental impacts of construction, operation, and decommissioning of the Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1, and reasonable alternatives thereto,” according to the agency’s notice published in the Federal Register. “Possible alternatives to the proposed action include the no-action alternative and alternative sites.”

Shortly after the Aug. 12 public comment deadline, the NRC will publish a “scoping report” of the public comments received. The agency plans to publish its first round of analysis via a draft Environmental Impact Statement in July 2025, and a final EIS in May 2026.

Meantime, any member of the public can file a “petition to intervene” challenging the project, according to NRC staff. The deadline for petitions is Aug. 5.

Socioeconomic impacts

TerraPower selected Kemmerer to launch its Natrium nuclear reactor line, in part, for the existing infrastructure related to the Naughton power plant, according to the company. It has found a warm reception among state officials for its claim that doing so also provides an opportunity to backfill jobs that will be lost when Naughton closes in 2036, in addition to jobs lost if the nearby Kemmerer coal mine, which feeds Naughton, closes.

The company expects the Natrium construction workforce will peak at about 1,600 workers in 2028 and anticipates about 250 permanent jobs once operations are in full swing.

Parallel to those potential economic benefits are concerns about whether Kemmerer, Diamondville and other nearby communities are prepared to provide the services necessary to support such a large industrial project. Basic services, such as water, education, housing and health care, have been in decline for years to the point that existing needs among permanent residents are not fully met, according to some locals.

“We’re about to see rapid, explosive, exponential growth here,” one public commenter said at the Tuesday meeting. “Who is responsible for determining what is required and when [necessary public services] will be installed and what standards will be met and when … in order to ensure that this community remains a community?

“All of a sudden we need more water services,” he continued. “All of the sudden we need more infrastructure in order to deliver water, to collect the used water.” 

Though the NRC does research and consider such socioeconomic impacts, according to agency officials, it’s up to state and local governments to address them. However, the NRC’s analysis, when published next year, will include a hard look at community preparedness and impacts — and those types of public concerns are particularly helpful in aiding the agency’s construction permit review, said Patricia Vokoun, senior environmental project manager in the NRC’s Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Division.

“Your comment is helpful, because it’s telling us those are things for us to look at,” Vokoun said.

How to submit a comment

Comments can also be submitted via regulations.gov under Docket ID NRC-2024-0078, via email to TerraPowerEnvironmental@nrc.gov or via mail to Office of Administration, Mail Stop TWFN-7-A60M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.

CORRECTION: This story has been updated to include the correct schematic of the Natrium power plant. — Ed

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ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:

There are 6 categories, including 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, as do ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links in each category about 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:

1. All Things Nuclear
2. Nuclear Power
3. Nuclear Power Emergencies
4. Nuclear War
5. Nuclear War Threats
6. Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There are two Yellowstone Caldera bonus stories available in this evening’s Post.)
7. 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.

TODAY’S NUCLEAR WORLD’S NEWS, Saturday, (07/20/2024)

All Things Nuclear

NEWS

U.S. says Iran moving forward on key aspect of developing nuclear bomb

The Portland Press Herald

— Iran is talking more about getting a nuclear bomb and has made … Iran’s new president vows balance with all countries but warns U.S. his country wo

Video: Antony Blinken says Iran has sped up it’s nuclear weapon breakout time | CNN

CNN

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Iran’s breakout time – the amount of time needed to produce enough weapons grade material for a …

Blinken says Iran’s nuclear weapon breakout time is probably down to 1-2 weeks – CNN

CNN

“We’re in a very different world, a lot of time has elapsed, Iran has done a lot of things … All Rights Reserved. CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable …

Nuclear Power

NEWS

High hopes and security fears for next-gen nuclear reactors – The Verge

The Verge

Nuclear reactors generate electricity without producing the greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change. And unlike solar and wind energy, which …

Enough water for nuclear reactors in NSW but scientists worry about wildlife – ABC

ABC

A nuclear power plant works much the same as a coal-fired station by using an energy source to boil water to make steam that spins a turbine. However, …

Southwest Wyoming locals pepper feds on proposed Natrium nuclear plant

The Sheridan Press

Residents have dozens of questions about the potential impacts and risks related to TerraPower’s proposed nuclear power plant slated for just …

Nuclear Power Emergencies

NEWS

FEMA Evaluators to take part in emergency response test at Brunswick Nuclear Plant

Fox Wilmington WSFX-TV

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) – State and federal officials along with Duke Energy representatives will be at a test of emergency response plans …

Grigor Lilov: Nuclear accident in Russia? – ФАКТИ.БГ

ФАКТИ.БГ

… power units of the nuclear power plant was shut down in an emergency. The agency reported that the radiation background was normal. According to …

Nuclear War

NEWS

Iran advances in nuclear bomb development, U.S. officials warn – FOX 10 Phoenix

FOX 10 Phoenix

U.S. officials have raised alarms as Iran makes significant strides in developing key components for a nuclear bomb. Secretary of State Antony …

Iran advances in nuclear bomb development, US officials warn – FOX 7 Austin

FOX 7 Austin

Iran is increasingly vocal about its nuclear ambitions and has made progress in developing key aspects of a nuclear weapon since April, …

Pentagon inspector general to put the microscope on hypersonic defenses, CJADC2 ‘strategy’

Breaking Defense

… one covering US Cyber Command’s relationship with the NSA and how well the Pentagon would maintain C2 in the event of a nuclear attack.

Nuclear War Threats

NEWS

This Week in the World: If War Is Not the Answer, What Is? | Friends Committee On National …

Friends Committee On National Legislation

… Nuclear Weapons Peacebuilding U.S. Wars and Militarism Voting and Elections … threats and promote peace in countries impacted by conflict. Next, by …

Russia’s space-based nuclear weapons threaten ‘our modern way of life’ – MSN

MSN

Russia’s potential deployment of space-based nuclear weapons would threaten ‘our entire modern way of life’ in America and Europe, top US generals …

US says Iran moving forward on a key aspect of developing a nuclear bomb – MSN

MSN

‘A very big Russia problem’ – NATO commander warns of post-Ukraine war threat to US and Europe.

Yellowstone Caldera

NEWS

Geographic and Ecological Diversity of Green Sulfur Bacteria in Hot Spring Mat Communities

the Astrobiology Web

… Volcano, Obsidian Pool, Rotorua Caldera, thermophile, Travel Lodge Spring, Yellowstone National Park. Geographic and Ecological Diversity of Green …

The Massive Volcano Scattering Ash Thousands of Miles Over America – MSN

MSN

… Yellowstone’s historical eruptions. Finally, the puzzle pieces clicked into place. <p>It turns out, Yellowstone’s explosive <a href=”https:.

“End Nuclear Insanity Before Nuclear Insanity Ends Humanity”

LLOYD A. WILLIAMS-PENDERGRAFT

JUL 19, 2024

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LLAW’s NUCLEAR ISSUES & COMMENTS, Friday, (07/19/2024)

Good news! Well, maybe not literally, but every Friday I will be adding the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) weekly news beginning this evening. The Post will follow the previous six categories every Friday as Category 7 once a week at the tail end of the Friday blog. The IAEA provides a knowledgeable current summary of all serious situations of events that affect the nuclear world of energy and war. ~llaw

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ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:

There are 6 categories, including 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, as do ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links in each category about 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:

1. All Things Nuclear
2. Nuclear Power
3. Nuclear Power Emergencies
4. Nuclear War
5. Nuclear War Threats
6. Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There is one Yellowstone Caldera bonus story available in this evening’s Post.)
7. 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.

TODAY’S NUCLEAR WORLD’S NEWS, Friday, (07/19/2024)

All Things Nuclear

NEWS

Turkey Point license is back before nuclear regulators as environmental group challenges renewal

WLRN

Regulators heard new challenges from Miami Waterkeeper over impacts stemming from extending the 1970s-era South Florida nuclear reactor operations …

Chinese nuclear reactor is completely meltdown-proof | New Scientist

New Scientist

All modern nuclear power plants rely on powered cooling mechanisms to … Targeting cookies allow us to do some of the same things as …

Russia says it may deploy nuclear missiles in response to US weapons in Germany

AOL.com

“Kaliningrad is no exception in terms of our 100% determination to do everything necessary to push back those who may harbour aggressive plans and who …

Nuclear Power

NEWS

Russia Denies Nuclear ‘Emergency’ amid Rumors of Radioactive Leak – Newsweek

Newsweek

The Rostov nuclear power plant in Southern Russia was hit by a malfunction just days earlier as the region suffers from a scorching heat wave.

Southwest Wyoming locals pepper feds on proposed Natrium nuclear plant | County 17

County 17

KEMMERER—Residents here have dozens of questions about the potential impacts and risks related to TerraPower’s proposed nuclear power plant slated for …

Millions Without Power in West Russia Thanks to Nuke Plant Failure, Record Temps … – Kyiv Post

Kyiv Post

Officials at the Russian atomic energy station say an emergency shut-down gutting power production capacity was perfectly safe and no radiation …

Nuclear Power Emergencies

NEWS

Russia Denies Nuclear ‘Emergency‘ amid Rumors of Radioactive Leak – Newsweek

Newsweek

The Rostov nuclear power plant in Southern Russia was hit by a malfunction just days earlier as the region suffers from a scorching heat wave.

Millions Without Power in West Russia Thanks to Nuke Plant Failure, Record Temps … – Kyiv Post

Kyiv Post

Officials at the Russian atomic energy station say an emergency shut-down gutting power production capacity was perfectly safe and no radiation …

Chinese nuclear reactor is completely meltdown-proof | New Scientist

New Scientist

The first ever full-scale demonstration of a nuclear reactor designed to passively cool itself in an emergency was a success, showing that it …

Nuclear War

NEWS

Russia Pulls Out Nuclear Weapons In Retaliation To U.S. Missiles In Germany | Watch

YouTube

I’ve studied nuclear war for 35 years — you should be worried. | Brian … Tsar Bomba | Will Putin Use The World’s Largest Nuclear Bomb If The Ukraine …

Chinese Public Opinion: Nuclear Taboo Isn’t as Strong as It Seems – Foreign Policy

Foreign Policy

It holds that in the wake of World War II, the prospect of using nuclear weapons became so utterly and universally opprobrious that leaders will shy …

Putin Threat Nuclear Weapons Germany Joe Biden| Zelensky|Moscow|Kiev – YouTube

YouTube

Amid the Russia-Ukraine War, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has said that in response to this move of America, Russia can also deploy its …

Nuclear War Threats

NEWS

State Department responds to Russia’s new nuclear threats | УНН

unn.ua

УНН War ✎ The US State Department responded to Russia’s new nuclear threats against Europe. The United States will continue to closely monitor …

Nuclear industry faces acute cybersecurity threats – report – Power Technology

Power Technology

However, physical threats combined with cybersecurity breaches could create far more menacing risks for plant operators that could overwhelm operating …

US State Department reacts to Russia’s new nuclear threats | Ukrainska Pravda

pravda.com.ua

The US State Department has stated that it will continue to monitor Russias actions, which once again threatened the West with possible deployment ..

Yellowstone Caldera

NEWS

Rural belts around cities can reduce urban summer temperatures by up to 0.5°C

ScienceDaily

Yellowstone Caldera · Combustion · Shield volcano · Gulf Stream · Little Ice Age. Story Source: Materials provided by University of Surrey. Note: …

IAEA Weekly News

19 July 2024

19 July 2024

Update 238-IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

Staff of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) experienced further hardships because of the military conflict this week, with yet another power outage in the nearby city of Enerhodar and a shortage of tap water also affecting their workplace, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today. Read more →

18 July 2024

Japan’s ALPS Treated Water Release Continues to Meet International Safety Standards, IAEA Task Force Confirms in New Report

The discharge of treated water from Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station continues to comply with international safety standards, the IAEA Task Force confirmed today. Read more →

17 July 2024

What are Radioactive Sources?

Radioactive sources contain radioactive material of a particular radionuclide (an unstable form of an element emitting radiation), which can vary based on the application for which the source was manufactured. Read more →

16 July 2024

Cambodia Researches Cultural Heritage with Nuclear Techniques

Cambodia is home to many unique cultural sites, four of which are recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. However, this heritage is at risk of deterioration, damage or loss due to the country’s tropical climate. See how Cambodia is conserving its cultural heritage using nuclear techniques, with support from the IAEA. Read more →

15 July 2024

World Youth Skills Day: IAEA Challenge Supports the Next Generation of STEM Workforce

In the run up to World Youth Skills Day, young science-enthusiasts came to the IAEA to share their ideas for cultivating a future nuclear workforce with the right skills to meet global challenges. Read more →

“End Nuclear Insanity Before Nuclear Insanity Ends Humanity”

LLOYD A. WILLIAMS-PENDERGRAFT

JUL 19, 2024

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The Nuclear Regulatory Commission headquarters in Rockville, MD, in May 2011.

LLAW’s NUCLEAR ISSUES & COMMENTS, Thursday, (07/18/2024)

I would not normally post an article like this, but it demonstrates how nuclear politics and greed (always in a big hurry) dislike being told what they can and cannot do. Let me just say that the Nuclear Industry (including uranium mining) has the most need of any industry on planet Earth to be scrutinized inside and out and strictly regulated.

We have no business restarting or extending the life of old and extremely dangerous nuclear power plants, e.g. this one in the news, the Palisades Nuclear Plant in Michigan, PG&E’s Diablo Canyon plant in California, and others dotted around the USA. Some of us are even in favor of restarting the 3-Mile Island in Pennsylvania that partially melted down in 1979 and nuclear cleanup is still ongoing and will be until at least 2037.

The industry looks the other way whenever nuclear regulation is mentioned, and that is why the recent “ADVANCE Act”, which Biden signed into law on July 9th, 2024, is probably the worst idea in the history of American politics. This direct order from our government tell the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) that it must, for one thing among others, do this: The Act directs the NRC to add a new element to its mission statement, stating that it will not “unnecessarily limit” the civilian use of radioactive materials, deployment of nuclear energy, or the benefits these two things bring to society.

What needs to happen to the nuclear industry and the related nuclear military be shut down now in their entirety, and removed to underground impenetrable steel caches in underground secure facilities thousands of feet down in unknown vaults with no way of gaining entry once the job is done. You say, “Well, that’s impossible.”, and your are correct given the world situations and conditions of today. But with a cooperative and fully united world doing that singular most important job ever undertaken until it’s done, and it actually can be done, but, of course, it will never happen. ~llaw

On July 9, President Joe Biden signed a bill that among other things will change the mission statement of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

It’s been over two years since the Palisades Nuclear Plant on the shores of Lake Michigan closed its doors. But decommissioning company and Palisades owner Holtec International hopes to restart it.

“We are ready to make history and we’re going to make history,” operations manager Paul Rhodes told me. He said he’s been with Palisades for 25 years. I talked to him during a tour of the plant last spring.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said the Palisades restart project is on track to be approved in August of next year, though it said this is not a hard deadline and will be moved if needed.

Much of the facility’s large equipment lay dormant in expansive open rooms as Holtec’s team worked to get the plant in operational order.

“It’s never been done before. So not only do we have people who left that want to come back because of that, they also want to come back because of the culture that we had here.”

A new mission for new times

The plan to reopen Palisades has bipartisan support, and it’s unfolding amid a push to expand nuclear energy across the country.

Advocates say nuclear could boost the economy while cutting emissions. But the U.S. nuclear industry has catching-up to do.

That’s where the ADVANCE Act comes in. U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia is behind the legislation. She spoke during a Senate vote on amendments in June.

“Not only is it necessary to continue developing and deploying more nuclear energy reactors from an energy and environmental standpoint, it is also vital to our national security, and it’s good for the economy.”  

The ADVANCE Act pertains to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the body that regulates all nuclear plants in the US, which will decide whether Palisades can reopen.

Among other things, the Act directs the NRC to add a new element to its mission statement, stating that it will not “unnecessarily limit” the civilian use of radioactive materials, deployment of nuclear energy, or the benefits these two things bring to society.

The NRC declined to comment on the new law before deadline.

Nuclear Reactions

Brendan Kochunas is an assistant professor in the University of Michigan’s Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences.

He’s okay with the ADVANCE Act. He said the new law does not change the NRC’s other commitments like protecting public health and safety.

Kochunas added that the law will help put the U.S. in line with countries that have made leaps in nuclear technology.

“One could argue that China is doing this more quickly because the regulatory agency or body is more efficient.”

Kochunas also points to provisions allowing for an increase in the NRC’s workforce. He said that will allow the NRC to become more efficient while still maintaining safety.

“I think the NRC has been one of those agencies that has seen a lot of attrition and experience loss over the last few decades to retirements, and they are having trouble replacing that workforce.”

Physicist Edwin Lyman said he supports the increased staffing of the NRC, but he said doing so to address the concerns of the private nuclear industry is a step in the wrong direction.

“Introducing this commercial and promotional consideration, that’s really harmful and really would undermine the last 50 years of nuclear safety.”

Lyman is the director of nuclear power safety for the advocacy group the Union of Concerned Scientists.

He said the nuclear industry views the regulator as a bureaucratic dinosaur that hinders more than it helps.

Lyman said the new mission statement could be used against the agency.

“My fear is that the regulated community, that is the nuclear industry, will come in and attack essentially every move the NRC tries to make to strengthen safety by asserting that that’s going to limit what they can do.”

But enthusiasm for the ADVANCE Act ran high on both sides of the aisle. Only 13 House members voted against it, along with two members of the Senate.

Democratic U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib of the Detroit-area 12^th district was the only Michigan member of Congress who did not vote for the ADVANCE Act.

Tlaib explained her decision to vote ‘present’ in an email statement to WMUK.

“I voted present in objection to the ridiculous decision to tie the reauthorization of vital firefighting programs for our communities together with poison pills that undermine nuclear safety and were strongly opposed by leading grassroots environmental organizations like Friends of the Earth and Food and Water Watch,” Tlaib wrote.

“I have very strong relationships with the fire chiefs in my district, and explained the situation to them ahead of the vote. They were as surprised as anyone that their critical funding was being tied to completely unrelated legislation to fast-track dangerous nuclear energy.”

Michael Symonds reports for WMUK through the Report for America national service program.

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ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:

There are 6 categories, including 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, as do ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links in each category about 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:

1. All Things Nuclear
2. Nuclear Power
3. Nuclear Power Emergencies
4. Nuclear War
5. Nuclear War Threats
6. Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There are no Yellowstone Caldera bonus stories available in this evening’s Post.)

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.

TODAY’S NUCLEAR WORLD’S NEWS, Thursday, (07/18/2024)

All Things Nuclear

NEWS

A new law aims to advance U.S. nuclear power, but some fear it shortchanges safety

WMUK

… all nuclear plants in the US, which will decide whether Palisades can reopen. Among other things, the Act directs the NRC to add a new element to …

Scoop: U.S. privately warned Iran over suspicious nuclear activities – Axios

Axios

… all elements of national power to ensure … Some U.S. and Israeli officials said the intelligence was a worrying signal about Iran’s nuclear …

Nuclear Must Be Part of The Solution – Foreign Affairs

Foreign Affairs

There have even been open discussions about whether nuclear … As a result, the agency cannot assure that all the activities in Iran’s growing nuclear …

Nuclear Power

NEWS

France’s EDF faces fresh setback after losing Czech nuclear bid | Reuters

Reuters

French state power giant EDF lost a bid to build at least two new nuclear reactors in the Czech Republic on Wednesday, a major blow to Europe’s …

El Dabaa project reports progress on construction of units – World Nuclear News

World Nuclear News

Egypt’s first nuclear power plant is pushing ahead – with the core catcher for unit 3 now on site, a 2000-tonne capacity crane installed and …

Czech Republic Pick Korea’s KHNP Over EDF to Build Nuclear Reactors – Bloomberg

Bloomberg

The Czech Republic picked Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. over Electricite de France SA to build two nuclear reactors, a multibillion-dollar …

Czechs pick South Korea’s KHNP over French bid in nuclear power tender | Reuters – Reuters

Full Coverage

Nuclear Power Emergencies

NEWS

Nuclear power plan puts thousands of farms in “radiation alert zone” | RenewEconomy

Renew Economy

Farmers will have to take on expensive responsibilities in the event of an emergency if the Coalition’s nuclear policy comes to fruition, …

Nuclear plan threatens food production, government report says | SBS News

SBS

US farmers in those zones must take on preventative measures in an emergency … Nuclear power if we win power: Coalition reveals planned reactor sites …

EDITORIAL: Stop politicizing nuclear energy – Taipei Times

Taipei Times

The first reactor at the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in … nuclear power” as a backup in case of emergency. However, nuclear power …

Nuclear War

NEWS

Russia says it may deploy nuclear missiles in response to US weapons in Germany

Reuters

Interfax news agency cited Ryabkov as saying that the defence of Russia’s Kaliningrad region, which is wedged between NATO members Poland and …

Nuclear Must Be Part of The Solution – Foreign Affairs

Foreign Affairs

A little more than 70 years ago, U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower gave his famous Atoms for Peace speech before the United Nations General …

What Trump Gets Right and Wrong About War – Bloomberg.com

Bloomberg.com

Andreas Kluth is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering US diplomacy, national security and geopolitics. Previously, he was editor-in-chief of …

Nuclear War Threats

NEWS

Ukraine Joining NATO = War?! | Russia’s Nuclear Threats & Donetsk Gain Explained – YouTube

YouTube

… war. His remarks, which come after NATO’s reaffirmation of support for … | Russia’s Nuclear Threats & Donetsk Gain Explained. 36 views · 16 …

Russia poses nuclear threats to Western countries | The DONG-A ILBO

donga.com

It is interpreted that Russia would not avoid a third World War using nuclear arms if it is put under threat by Ukraine’s new membership to the group.

Never let a good crisis go to waste! The impact of great power conflict on the nuclear non …

European Leadership Network

First, there is a new sense of urgency around nuclear risks. Russia’s nuclear threats in its war against Ukraine, the fear around artificial .

“End Nuclear Insanity Before Nuclear Insanity Ends Humanity”

LLOYD A. WILLIAMS-PENDERGRAFT

JUL 17, 2024

1

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Mark Zuckerberg and Joe Rogan

LLAW’s NUCLEAR ISSUES & COMMENTS, Wednesday, (07/17/2024)

This Joe Rogan article includes an extensive interview with Annie Jacobson, author of Nuclear War: A Scenario, who if you listen to it all, or at least the long discussion about nuclear war, you will know more than you need to know about what nuclear war will do to life on planet Earth, but at least you will understand that nuclear war is mass suicide, or “nuclear armageddon”. The end of our world happens in something like 72 minutes of nuclear war. Need I say more? Just one thing . . .

The only solution is nuclear disarmament, as Annie tells us, (believe me, she knows what she is talking about) and that may last for just a few generations of political agreements, cooperation and “deterrence” until it all returns. The absolute solution is to remove ‘all things nuclear’ from access by human beings forever. That can be done, but it would take years and the cooperation of every country and the entire human population on planet Earth. I urge you to listen to the full length of the video below and understand that we are just one nuclear bomb away from extinction . . . ~llaw

Joe Rogan has called out speculation that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has built a nuclear bunker to shield himself should such a war break out.

Amid international tensions over the past few decades, there have often been unverified reports of public figures having built nuclear bunkers in the hopes they would be kept safe should there ever be a nuclear strike.

Rogan said that Zuckerberg was one such figure when he spoke on his podcast last week with investigative journalist Annie Jacobsen. In her latest book, Nuclear War: A Scenario, Jacobsen interviewed a number of defense officials.(Click on the link to watch the video.)

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/EqCpT3bLgBM?rel=0&autoplay=0&showinfo=0&enablejsapi=0

Jacobsen said that, from the information she gathered, the scenario of a nuclear war “doesn’t end well. Not only does it not end well, 5 billion people are dead at the end of 72 minutes.”

The writer went on to tell Rogan that “if nuclear war begins, it doesn’t end until there is a nuclear holocaust. And it happens so fast—there is no quickly going to your secret bunker you have.”

“Yeah, all that’s nonsense,” Rogan said. “These people think, like, Zuckerberg is building a bunker in Hawaii [and] he’s going to survive. He’s building a hurricane shelter that might not work.”

Jacobsen said: “And also, unless he happened to be there in the exact moment when all of this went down…”

“Yeah, you’d have to know in advance that we’re about to launch,” Rogan said, adding that “the whole thing is terrifying.”Subscribe

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ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:

There are 6 categories, including 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, as do ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links in each category about 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:

1. All Things Nuclear
2. Nuclear Power
3. Nuclear Power Emergencies
4. Nuclear War
5. Nuclear War Threats
6. Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There is one Yellowstone Caldera bonus story available in this evening’s Post.)

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.

TODAY’S NUCLEAR WORLD’S NEWS, Wednesday, (07/17/2024)

All Things Nuclear

NEWS

One of Plant Vogtle’s two new nuclear reactors is offline. Here’s what we know

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

… Things to Do · Arts & Culture · Events in Atlanta · Georgia Entertainment … all four units are seen at Plant Vogtle, operated by Georgia Power Co …

If Iran Goes Nuclear, the U.S. Will Be Forced Out of the Middle East – Mosaic Magazine

Mosaic Magazine

… all connected. Read more at National Review. More about: Iran nuclear program, Israeli Security, Middle East, U.S. Foreign policy. 0 Comments Click …

Opinion: We can’t lose sight of nuclear nonproliferation – The Kyiv Independent

The Kyiv Independent

… things, long-held non-proliferation norms.” How much does this matter … all through the world, and available, and the strong reluctance of …

Nuclear Power

NEWS

Nuclear Reactor Malfunction Leaves Millions of Russians Without Power – Newsweek

Newsweek

Millions of Russians in the south of the country were left without electricity on Tuesday after a power unit at the Rostov nuclear power plant was …

New law sets up a nuclear power renaissance – GreenBiz

GreenBiz

The ADVANCE Act positions the US nuclear energy sector to expand at a pace not seen for decades.

Czechs pick South Korea’s KHNP over French bid in nuclear power tender | Reuters

Reuters

The Czech government on Wednesday picked South Korea’s KHNP to build two new nuclear power units, with the possibility of more, after a lengthy …

Nuclear Power Emergencies

NEWS

Nuclear Reactor Malfunction Leaves Millions of Russians Without Power – Newsweek

Newsweek

The Rostov nuclear power plant supplies power to the Russia’s entire … “At 10:00, Ukrenergo gave the order to apply emergency blackouts in …

Power Restored at Russian Nuclear Plant After Widespread Outages – The Moscow Times

The Moscow Times

… plant the day before led to sweeping outages and emergency restrictions across the region. A power unit at the Rostov nuclear plant automatically …

Hanford Uses Drill to Demonstrate Emergency Preparedness | Department of Energy

Department of Energy

Crews with U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) contractor Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS) designed a …

Nuclear War

NEWS

Why the United Nations Is Chasing Its Tail on Cybersecurity – CSIS

CSIS

James Lewis looks at the prospects for meaningful agreement on cybersecurity negotiations in the UN Open-Ended Working Group.

Joe Rogan Calls Out Mark Zuckerberg Theory – Newsweek

Newsweek

During a recent installment of his podcast, Rogan discussed speculation that Zuckerberg is building a nuclear bomb shelter.

Malfunction shuts one of four units at Russian nuclear power plant | Reuters

Reuters

One of four power units at the Rostov nuclear power plant in southern Russia has been shut down due to a malfunction, the Russian energy ministry …

Nuclear War Threats

NEWS

Russia Lists 7 Targets ‘Lined up for Russian Nuke Strikes’ That Would ‘Collapse Society’

MSN

Knewz.com has learned the allegations come amidst a string of threats following America’s announcement of its plans to deploy intermediate-range …

Why the United Nations Is Chasing Its Tail on Cybersecurity – CSIS

CSIS

Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program · All Regions · Africa … The threat of nuclear war in 1963 was the starting point of a long …

Russia’s terrifying WWIII warning with ‘special attention’ paid to prime nuclear war target

Irish Star

A close ally of Vladimir Putin has issued a chilling threat to the UK, naming seven prime targets that would be struck in the event of a third ..

Yellowstone Caldera

NEWS

5 Ways National Parks Will Kill You | Cracked.com

Cracked.com

The source of all that geothermal activity is our old friend, the Yellowstone Caldera. That’s a supervolcano lurking just beneath the surface that has …

“End Nuclear Insanity Before Nuclear Insanity Ends Humanity”

LLOYD A. WILLIAMS-PENDERGRAFT

JUL 16, 2024

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Solar Panels can be installed in hot sunny deserts, like the Gobi, all around the world. ~llaw

LLAW’s NUCLEAR ISSUES & COMMENTS, Tuesday, (07/16/2024)

So, why does the World think it needs nuclear energy at all? If solar and wind are running roughshod over nuclear at the rate China is moving with its energy programs — so much faster and cheaper without the long delays in building incredibly costly and environmentally dangerous nuclear power facilities along with seemingly infinite regulatory approvals necessary to control future radiation danger, China is obviously proving that nuclear energy is an actual white elephant, or even a Trojan Horse, that ought not to fool anyone anywhere at any time.

And there is always a whole world of geothermal steam waiting to contribute. China is rapidly showing the rest of us early on that new nuclear power will likely not be needed to reach the international agreement to eliminate fossil fuels by 2050. The rest of the nations, although some countries remain unsure about nuclear power, like Australia, are still debating, by following China’s lead, including the USA, might achieve the long term international goals. ~llaw

SCIENCEChina is installing the wind and solar equivalent of five large nuclear power stations per week

ABC Science

/

By technology reporter James Purtill

Posted Yesterday at 12:30pm

abc.net.au/news/chinas-renewable-energy-boom-breaks-records/104086640

In short:

China is installing record amounts of solar and wind, while scaling back once-ambitious plans for nuclear.

While Australia is falling behind its renewables installation targets, China may meet its end-of-2030 target by the end of this month, according to a report.

What’s next?

Energy experts are looking to China, the world’s largest emitter and once a climate villain, for lessons on how to rapidly decarbonise.

While Australia debates the merits of going nuclear and frustration grows over the slower-than-needed rollout of solar and wind power, China is going all in on renewables.

New figures show the pace of its clean energy transition is roughly the equivalent of installing five large-scale nuclear power plants worth of renewables every week.

A report by Sydney-based think tank Climate Energy Finance (CEF) said China was installing renewables so rapidly it would meet its end-of-2030 target by the end of this month — or 6.5 years early.

It’s installing at least 10 gigawatts of wind and solar generation capacity every fortnight.

By comparison, experts have said the Coalition’s plan to build seven nuclear power plants would add fewer than 10GW of generation capacity to the grid sometime after 2035.

Energy experts are looking to China, the world’s largest emitter, once seen as a climate villain, for lessons on how to go green, fast.

“We’ve seen America under President Biden throw a trillion dollars on the table [for clean energy],” CEF director Tim Buckley said.

“China’s response to that has been to double down and go twice as fast.”

Smart Energy Council CEO John Grimes, who recently returned from a Shanghai energy conference, said China has decarbonised its grid almost as quickly as Australia, despite having a much harder task due to the scale of its energy demand.

“They have clear targets and every part of their government is harnessed to deliver the plan,” he said.

China accounts for about a third of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. A recent drop in emissions (the first since relaxing COVID-19 restrictions), combined with the decarbonisation of the power grid, may mean the country’s emissions have peaked.

“With the power sector going green, emissions are set to plateau and then progressively fall towards 2030 and beyond,” CEF China energy policy analyst Xuyang Dong said.

So how is China building and connecting panels so fast, and what’s the role of nuclear in its transition?

Like building solar farms near Perth to power Sydney

Because its large cities of the eastern seaboard are dominated by apartment buildings, China hasn’t seen an uptake of rooftop solar like in Australia.

To find space for all the solar panels and wind turbines required for the nation’s energy needs, the planners of China’s energy transition have looked west, to areas like the Gobi Desert.

The world’s largest solar and wind farms are being built on the western edge of the country and connected to the east via the world’s longest high-voltage transmission lines.

These lines are so long they could span the length of our continent.

In Australian terms, it’s the equivalent of using solar panels near Perth to power homes in Sydney.

Mr Buckley said China’s approach was similar to the Australian one of developing regional “renewable energy zones” for large-scale electricity generation.

“They’re doing what Australia is doing with renewable energy zones but they’re doing it on steroids,” he said.

What about ‘firming’ the grid?

One of the issues with switching a grid to intermittent renewables is ensuring a steady supply of power.

In technical terms, this is the difference between generation capacity (measured in gigawatts) and actual energy output (measured in gigawatt-hours, or generation over time).

Renewables have a “capacity factor” (the ratio of actual output to maximum potential generation) of about 25 per cent, whereas nuclear’s is as high as 90 per cent.

So although China is installing solar and wind generation equivalent to five large nuclear power plants per week, their output is closer to one nuclear plant per week.

Renewables account for more than half of installed capacity in China, but only amount to about one-fifth of actual energy output over a year, the CEF’s Tim Buckley said.

To “firm” or stabilise the supply of power from its renewable energy zones, China is using a mix of pumped hydro and battery storage, similar to Australia.

“They’re installing 1GW per month of pumped hydro storage,” Mr Buckley said.

“We’re struggling to build the 2GW Snowy 2.0 in 10 years.”

There are some major differences between Australia’s and China’s approaches, though.

Somewhat counterintuitively, China has built dozens of coal-fired power stations alongside its renewable energy zones, to maintain the pace of its clean energy transition.

China was responsible for 95 per cent of the world’s new coal power construction activity last year.

The new plants are partly needed to meet demand for electricity, which has gone up as more energy-hungry sectors of the economy, like transport, are electrified.

The coal-fired plants are also being used, like the batteries and pumped hydro, to provide a stable supply of power down the transmission lines from renewable energy zones, balancing out the intermittent solar and wind.

Despite these new coal plants, coal’s share of total electricity generation in the country is falling.

The China Energy Council estimated renewables generation would overtake coal by the end of this year.

The CEF’s Xuyang Dong said despite the country’s reliance on coal, “having China go green at this speed and scale provides the world with a textbook to do the same”.

“China is installing every week the equivalent of what we’re doing every year.”

Despite this speed, China wasn’t installing renewables fast enough to meet its 2060 carbon neutrality target, she added.

“According to our analysis, [the current rate of installation] is not ambitious enough for China.”

What about nuclear?

China is building new nuclear plants, although nowhere near as fast as it once intended.

In 2011, Chinese authorities announced fission reactors would become the foundation of the country’s electricity generation system in the next “10 to 20 years”.

But Japan’s 2011 Fukushima disaster prompted a moratorium on inland nuclear plants, which have to use river water for cooling and are more vulnerable to frequent flooding.

Meanwhile, over the following decade, solar became the cheapest electricity in the world.

Why solar power is about to leave nuclear in the shade

Energy experts — and even Greenpeace — underestimated solar power’s rapid global growth. Now solar could become the world’s biggest power source within the next decade.

Read more

From 2010 to 2020, the installed cost of utility-scale solar PV declined by 81 per cent on a global average basis.

As well as cheap, it was safe, which made solar farms quicker to build than nuclear reactors.

Instead of nuclear, solar is now intended to be the foundation of China’s new electricity generation system.

Authorities have steadily downgraded plans for nuclear to dominate China’s energy generation. At present, the goal is 18 per cent of generation by 2060.

China installed 1GW of nuclear last year, compared to 300GW of solar and wind, Mr Buckley said.

“That says they’re all in on renewables.

“They had grand plans for nuclear to be massive but they’re behind on nuclear by a decade and five years ahead of schedule on solar and wind.”

How is China transitioning so fast?

In June of this year, on the eve of the Coalition’s nuclear policy announcement, former Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who’s now a Smart Energy Council “international ambassador”, led a delegation of Australians to the world’s largest clean energy conference in Shanghai.

The annual Smart Energy Conference hosts more than 600,000 delegates across three days.

Its scale underlines China’s increasing dominance of the global clean energy economy and, for some attendees, prompted unenviable comparisons with Australia’s progress.

Mr Buckley, who was part of the delegation, said he was “blown away”.

“China is winning this race.”

John Grimes, the Smart Energy Council CEO who also attended, said Australia could learn from the Chinese government’s ability to execute a long-term, difficult and costly transition plan, rather than relying on market forces to find a solution.

“Australia’s transition is going too slow, there was a lost decade of action,” he said.

“The world today spends about $7 trillion a year on coal, gas and oil and that money is going to find a new home.

“Who is going to be the economic winner in that global economic transition? It’s going to be China.”

He and other energy experts are frustrated with the progress of Australia’s transition, including the discussion of nuclear power and the “weaponisation of dissent” from community groups over new wind farms and transmission lines.

Stephanie Bashir, CEO of the Nexa energy advisory, said Australia’s transition was tangled in red tape.

“The key hold-up for a lot of projects is the slow planning approvals,” Ms Bashir, who also attended the conference, said.

“In China they decide they’re going to do something and then they go and do it.”

Would a nuclear power plant fit Australia’s needs?

As the shift away from fossil fuels gathers pace, the Coalition has turned to an emissions-free technology with a long and contentious history — nuclear fission. These are the numbers you should keep in mind when thinking about its place in Australia’s energy transition.

Read more

The Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) plan to decarbonise the grid and ensure the lights stay on when the coal-fired power stations close requires thousands of kilometres of new transmission lines and large-scale solar and wind farms.

Australia is installing about half the amount of renewables per year required under the plan.

Due to this shortfall, many experts say it’s unlikely to meet its 2030 target of 82 per cent renewables in the grid and 43 per cent emissions reduction.

“We need to build 6GW each year from now until each power station closes, and so far we’re only bringing online 3GW,” Ms Bashir said.

“If we identify some projects are nation-building … and we need them for transition, we just have to get on with it.”

Mr Buckley predicted China would accelerate its deployment of renewables.

“My forecast is it will lift 20 per cent per annum on current levels.”

Posted Yesterday at 12:30pmSubscribe

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ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:

There are 6 categories, including 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, as do ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links in each category about 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:

1. All Things Nuclear
2. Nuclear Power
3. Nuclear Power Emergencies
4. Nuclear War
5. Nuclear War Threats
6. Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There is one Yellowstone Caldera bonus story available in this evening’s Post.)

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.

TODAY’S NUCLEAR WORLD’S NEWS, Tuesday, (07/16/2024)

All Things Nuclear

NEWS

Former shelter dog plays Toto in Abingdon performance – WVTF

WVTF

A former shelter dog is now an actor at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, playing Toto in “The Wizard of Oz.’

This Hot Nuclear Stock Is Up 300% This Year: Where Will It Land by the End of 2024?

AOL.com

David Gardner: Thirty separate times, about every 10 weeks on this podcast over six years. I picked five stocks. I chose a theme that made sense to me …

Nuclear waste, atomic testing on tap for Nevada in Project 2025 manifesto

Nevada Current

A victory by Donald Trump in November could revive America’s long-shuttered nuclear weapons testing program in Southern Nevada, as well as the …

Nuclear Power

NEWS

Malfunction shuts one of four units at Russian nuclear power plant | Reuters

Reuters

One of four power units at the Rostov nuclear power plant in southern Russia has been shut down due to a malfunction, the Russian energy ministry …

Nuclear industry aims to triple capacity by 2050 | REUTERS – YouTube

YouTube

An agreement by 22 countries at last year’s COP summit to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050 faces several challenges.

China is installing the wind and solar equivalent of five large nuclear power stations per week – ABC

ABC

While Australia debates the merits of going nuclear and frustration grows over the slower-than-needed switch to solar and wind power, …

Nuclear Power Emergencies

NEWS

Emergency shutdown of reactor occurred at russian NPP. Power outages started in Crimea …

ukranews.com

The russian state corporation Rosatom reported the emergency shutdown of one of the power units at the Rostov nuclear power plant (NPP).

Ukraine starts emergency power cuts amid record heatwave – Reuters

Reuters

Ukrainian power grid operator Ukrenergo has started emergency shutdowns of some consumers in seven regions amid a record heatwave and after the …

Equipment fails at power facility, emergency power outages in 7 oblasts | Ukrainska Pravda

pravda.com.ua

… nuclear power plants and a change of weather. If the Russians completely stop attacking the energy sector, it is quite realistic that generation …

Nuclear War

NEWS

China’s State Media Backs North Korea as South Gets US Nuclear Support – Newsweek

Newsweek

A Chinese state news outlet warned South Korea against joining a U.S.-led “nuclear arms race” on the Korean Peninsula, echoing the North’s claim …

UK deputy PM dismisses ‘Islamist’ nuclear state jibe by Trump VP pick Vance | Reuters

Reuters

Britain’s deputy prime minister on Tuesday played down comments by U.S. vice presidential contender J.D. Vance that Britain was an Islamist …

The Future of U.S. Nuclear Arms Control Policy

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

As Russia, China, and the United States build new nuclear weapons systems, the prospects for negotiating formal arms control treaties appear dim.

Nuclear War Threats

NEWS

The Senate Drives a Nuclear Spending Spree – The Cipher Brief

The Cipher Brief

… threats from these two nuclear armed adversaries arising during the 2027-2035 timeframe. Moreover, these threats are such that the United States …

How Sane Are The Minds Whose Finger Rests On The Nuclear Button? – The Friday Times

The Friday Times

The Russian war of aggression on Ukraine, with its attendant nuclear threats, brings into sharp focus the increasing risks of nuclear war by …

US, Israeli officials meet in DC to discuss Iran threat – JNS.org

Jewish News Syndicate

… war against Hamas in Gaza. Monday’s meeting comes amid growing concern … nuclear threat. The initiative, overseen by Hanegbi, restarts six .

Yellowstone Caldera

NEWS

Yellowstone GPS stations Help Monitor Solar Storms That Cause Widespread Auroras

National Parks Traveler

Editor’s note: Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly feature written by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. For a couple nights in May an …

“End Nuclear Insanity Before Nuclear Insanity Ends Humanity”

LLOYD A. WILLIAMS-PENDERGRAFT

JUL 15, 2024

1

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INL’s Powerful New Supercomputer, Bitterroot, arrived at INL in March 2024.

LLAW’s NUCLEAR ISSUES & COMMENTS, Monday, (07/15/2024)

I often drove by the kink in the highway at the INL (Idaho National Laboratory) back in the early to mid-1980s, travelling between Salmon City and Boise, wondering what was going on at this huge facility covering thousands of acres in east-central Idaho. But I never took the time to stop and ask for a guided tour of at least their nearby buildings and facilities and learn more precisely what they did, but never took the time. But I did know they created menus for various grades of nuclear fuel, and that was about all, yet just that much was intriguing to me in a cautiously mysterious way, partly because of the remote isolation of the place coupled with the seemingly never-ending acreage of Idaho land.

The INL’s rural headquarters and their massive surrounding Idaho landscape has always remained a once-in-awhile vague curiosity to me, so today I finally learned, at least in part, what the INL is all about. It strikes me as odd that they have named their huge supercomputer suite after Idaho mountain ranges such as Bitterroot and Sawtooth, and Lemhi. I hope it is because of a local love of countryside itself and not of the divisive power of mountain ranges symbolizing ‘all things nuclear’.

The nuclear work they do, described here, is one of many fears that worry me the most about the nuclear power industry and the nuclear world’s push to radically increase new nuclear reactors in much faster timeframes in order to speed the NRC licensing and operational requirements before nuclear reactors are activated. I am sure INL’s scientific efforts, quality educational help and advice to new plant engineering and eventual operations as they are designed, engineered, constructed, and eventually fueled, tying into an expansive and very dangerous grid system, allowing new nuclear plants to function independently of most former and present day NRC control. It is the beginning of the operational stage, from startup to shutdown, that scares the hell out of me, much like my fear of nuclear war. ~llaw

A smooth ride to the future of nuclear

July 15, 2024

By Joel Hiller

If you’ve ever driven to a remote area, you may have noticed that the drive time is much longer on dirt roads. But once those roads are paved, you can get where you need to go much more quickly. The path to deploying advanced nuclear reactors isn’t a straight line, but a new supercomputer named Bitterroot being installed at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is helping to speed the journey through improved access to modeling and simulation tools.

High-performance computing allows engineers and scientists to model a wide variety of complex variables before construction begins, such as how steel or concrete degrade over time or what byproducts build up in nuclear fuel. Through advanced computer codes running on these machines, they can even model how a nuclear power plant will weather seismic events. This allows them to anticipate the reactor’s overall performance, safety and longevity.

Through the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) program provides a suite of dedicated computing resources at INL for researchers from industry, universities, national laboratories and federal agencies. Now, with the installation of Bitterroot, the NSUF High Performance Computing team at INL have another resource to help speed the journey for nuclear developers around the country. Bitterroot is the name of an Idaho mountain range and continues INL’s tradition of naming its high-performance computers after Idaho landmarks.

Bitterroot will supplement the lab’s existing supercomputers at its high-performance computing data center — the Collaborative Computing Center — by adding an additional 43,008 computer processing cores with faster chips and a new capability: high-bandwidth memory. This new memory will improve performance for memory-bandwidth-limited applications like the Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment, better known as MOOSE, framework. MOOSE is the foundation for many of the tools that aid advanced nuclear research that support the existing reactor fleet as well as the development and eventual licensing of new designs.

Supercomputing for nuclear innovation

“INL high performance computing is unique in that 80-90% of our compute cycles are dedicated to nuclear energy research,” said Matthew Anderson, manager of the High Performance Computing group. “Bitterroot brings us a new capability and additional capacity as we prepare for additional long-term investments in new computing resources.” As the lab makes ongoing investments in hardware such as Bitterroot, it increases INL’s ability to support the growing need for modeling and simulation across the nuclear industry.

In addition to access to Bitterroot and the other supercomputers at INL, NSUF provides organizations across the country access to experimental capabilities that would otherwise be unavailable or prohibitively costly, including irradiation and post-irradiation examination facilities for nuclear energy fuels and materials research and development.

“Not every company in the nuclear industry has its own gamma irradiation facility or supercomputer, but we’re all working toward the same goal of deploying more carbon-free nuclear energy,” said NSUF Director Brenden Heidrich.” “You never know who will make the next breakthrough, and partnerships like NSUF are vital to help level the playing field.”

The Collaborative Computing Center at INL

To support high performance computing capabilities and provide a dedicated home for its supercomputers, INL partnered with the state of Idaho to build the Collaborative Computing Center, known as C3, which was completed in 2019. C3 is a 67,000-square-foot facility equipped to host multiple supercomputers. In addition to Bitterroot, C3 is also home to NSUF High Performance Computing’s flagship supercomputer Sawtooth, ranked as the 37^th fastest performing supercomputer when it was installed in 2020, along with the lab’s other systems Lemhi, Hoodoo and Viz. In fiscal year 2023, INL supercomputers provided users with 939 million core hours on more than 3.7 million jobs.

Bitterroot arrived at INL in March 2024. Now, following installation and extensive testing activities, it was made available to users on June 18.

Supercomputers like Bitterroot are improving the nuclear industry’s ability to develop and qualify new reactor technologies and avoid delays on the road to commercial deployment. To learn more about how you can access Bitterroot and INL’s other supercomputers, visit the lab’s HPC website here.

About Idaho National Laboratory

Battelle Energy Alliance manages INL for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy. INL is the nation’s center for nuclear energy research and development, celebrating 75 years of scientific innovations in 2024. The laboratory performs research in each of DOE’s strategic goal areas: energy, national security, science and the environment. 

Follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

Posted July 15, 2024Subscribe

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ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:

There are 6 categories, including 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, as do ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links in each category about 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:

1. All Things Nuclear
2. Nuclear Power
3. Nuclear Power Emergencies
4. Nuclear War
5. Nuclear War Threats
6. Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There are no Yellowstone Caldera bonus stories available in this evening’s Post.)

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.

TODAY’S NUCLEAR WORLD’S NEWS, Monday, (07/15/2024)

All Things Nuclear

NEWS

Commentary: The essence of freedom is access to information – Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Sentinel

One concerned woman, right after the explosion, went to a library looking for information about nuclear radiation exposure and discovered that all of …

Readers Write: The military’s future, autism providers, nuclear power, Taste of Minnesota

Star Tribune

That number is close to the sum of funds both for defense spending and for nondefense discretionary spending, which includes everything except fixed …

Data centers, proliferating statewide, could soon be built on mined lands in Southwest Virginia

Virginia Mercury

“There is a coordinated strategy where we’re thinking about all the projects, how there is synergy. … nuclear source like a small modular …

Nuclear Power

NEWS

Meloni seeks to bring nuclear power back to Italy – The Irish Times

The Irish Times

Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government is planning to reintroduce nuclear energy 35 years after Italy shut down its last …

A Smooth Ride to the Future of Nuclear – Idaho National Laboratory

Idaho National Laboratory

Supercomputing for nuclear innovation. “INL high performance computing is unique in that 80-90% of our compute cycles are dedicated to nuclear energy …

Analysing options to finance nuclear new build

Nuclear Energy Agency

NEA event ‘Financing Nuclear New Build Today’ in Prague brought together leading experts in nuclear energy, electricity market design and …

Nuclear Power Emergencies

(No stories today)

Nuclear War

NEWS

Nuclear war never closer, CND campaigners warn as they camp outside RAF Lakenheath

Morning Star

NUCLEAR war has never been closer as Nato and Russia fight a proxy war in Ukraine and Gaza remains under siege, peace campaigners warned yesterday …

Ukraine building secret ‘robot army’; Kremlin responds to Trump assassination attempt – Sky News

Sky News

More than 45 European leaders will converge on Oxfordshire this week to discuss pressing issues, including the Ukraine-Russia war. British Prime …

North Korea threatens to boost nuke capability in reaction to US-South Korea deterrence guidelines

Jefferson City News Tribune

… nuclear war against” North Korea. The statement said its enemies’ escalating nuclear threats urgently require North Korea to further improve its …

Nuclear War Threats

NEWS

North Korea threatens to boost nuke capability in reaction to US-South Korea deterrence guidelines

Jefferson City News Tribune

… nuclear war against” North Korea. The statement said its enemies’ escalating nuclear threats urgently require North Korea to further improve its …

Three key misconceptions in the debate about AI and existential risk

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Arguing about the relative importance of existential threats ignores the fundamental truth that any credible existential threat is one too many and …

NATO moves to formalise anti-China “partnership” with Indo-Pacific nations

World Socialist Web Site

… war involving nuclear armed powers, which threatens catastrophe for all mankind. … threats of global war grow. 20 June 2024. Comment. Contact us.