LLAW’s All Things Nuclear #591, Friday, (04/05/2024)

“End Nuclear Insanity Before Nuclear Insanity Ends Humanity.”

LLOYD A. WILLIAMS-PENDERGRAFT

APR 05, 2024

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PG&E’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant just north of Los Angeles on the Map, the only nuclear power plant left on the entire Pacific Coast from Alaska to Tierra Del Fuego

LLAW’s COMMENTARY, Friday, (04/05/2024)

For the following article, I have decided to Post the article itself instead of the link to it. You can see more similar propagandized nuclear power articles by clicking the link in the “Nuclear Power” Category in the nightly nuclear news section of this Post.

This particular article is short and to the point about telling us how well-run and ‘clean’ power is provided by ‘nuclear’ power plants, which is a definition that annoys me beyond belief. The article also mentions the multi-billion dollar resurgence of other nuclear plants, including (a gift provided by the Federal and California taxpayers) of PG&E’s Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in California, which is the lone commercial power plant left in all of California or on the Pacific Coast from the Aleutian Islands to the tip of Terra del Fuego. The plant and its owner (PG&E) are also the subject of scorn that I and hundreds of thousands of others have been publicly complaining about along with other PG&E power plants and operations that have created years of grief for customers and the general public in California and other bordering states for years. I have posted governmental documents of their incredibly poor and dangerous record over the years elsewhere in this Blog. But suffice to say that they ‘blew up San Bruno’ and ‘burned down the small city of Paradise’ in California among literal dozens of other huge operational errors, mistakes, and perhaps sabotage, yet the author of this article to infer that the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant is in the category of “well run”, mentioned in the same paragraph.

The PG&E nuclear power planet was scheduled, because of its infirm old age, to be decommissioned, shut down and mothballed next year (2025), but was given new life by potential power demands in California recognized by both state and federal governments.

Nuclear power is not only not clean, it is the dirtiest and most dangerous power providing substance on the planet, and yet our governments and the nuclear industry want nuclear power to become the world’s dominant source of commercial electricity, when, if we knew what we were talking about, ‘all things nuclear’ would not exist now or in the future. And here we are ignorantly pumping billions and trillions of dollars into something that will likely create the 6th Extinction the Earth, over it’s 4+ billions of years of existence is, but is now facing for the 1st time an extinction caused by its own inhabitants called human beings.

I am one of them, and I spent a good part of three decades working in the nuclear industry, and, though it took me several years to figure out what I was happily supporting, ‘all things nuclear’ is what financiers would call a ‘scam’ if they understood the background of the industry. As for the rest of us, if we were properly informed, we would be furiously protesting, demanding that ‘all things nuclear’ be forever removed from any and all associated existence with humanity and all other life on our beautiful green, blue, and brown planet that has sustained life for millions of years. ~llaw

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News & Technologyfor the Global Energy Industry

Nuclear Energy Seeing a Resurgence Unlike Any Other

Nuclear energy is surging back in a big way. Case in point: Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm’s comments last week on plans to restart the Palisades nuclear power plant in Michigan. To bolster the effort, she announced a $1.5 billion conditional loan guarantee to cover work required to restart the plant after a two-year shutdown. And this is just the latest example of the nuclear energy industry’s re-emergence as policymakers and energy industry leaders again recognize its value in supplying reliable, scalable carbon-free energy.

COMMENTARY

Only a few years ago, well-run nuclear plants were shutting down across the U.S. Now, plants like Diablo Canyon in California that were headed toward shutdown have gotten a reprieve, and Palisades has been granted a chance for new life.

Meanwhile, the first new American nuclear plant in decades, Vogtle 3, came online last year, and Vogtle 4 is being finalized to come online this year. Apart from that, a plethora of advanced small reactor designs are in the offing, promising new ways to site plants and provide clean energy to power everything from server farms to steel plants.

Nuclear energy’s comeback is the result of several factors. There is rising demand for reliable clean energy and a desire to move away from fossil fuels. Nuclear energy checks all the boxes—nuclear power plants are carbon-free, they operate 24/7, and they form the backbone of a reliable electricity grid.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine caused spikes in natural gas prices and prompted countries, especially in Europe, to stop relying on imported fossil fuels, especially Russian gas. Countries looked again at their energy policies, recognizing nuclear power’s value to overall energy security. Suddenly, France’s reliance on nuclear looked prescient, compared to Germany’s shunning nuclear in favor of coal and gas.

All of this has led to greater support for nuclear energy worldwide. The most recent UN climate conference, COP28, held in December in Dubai, has become known as the “Nuclear COP.” While nuclear has traditionally gotten the cold shoulder at international events such as COP, today, nuclear has gone mainstream as a generally accepted way to address climate change.

The U.S. government has been more supportive offering incentives to nuclear energy in the Inflation Reduction Act, Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, and other recent legislation. Amid political polarization, there is bipartisan support in the U.S., perhaps the only topic gaining strong support among both Democrats and Republicans.

Over its more than 60-year commercial history, nuclear energy has seen its fortunes rise and fall, but what is different this time is the wave of innovative ideas aimed at overcoming some of nuclear energy’s most vexing challenges. Small modular reactors are designed to be built faster and easier to finance. New nuclear plant designs may be used to meet applications beyond power generation, such as industrial heat for producing chemicals, hydrogen, and steel, helping to decarbonize new sectors.

New advanced fuels are being developed to improve the economics of existing as well as new reactors, introducing major innovation to gain greater efficiencies. Companies are also developing new approaches for effectively managing waste.

The nuclear energy sector has always focused on constant improvement. This focus led the U.S. fleet from capacity factors in the 50% to 60% range in the 1970s and early 1980s to above 90% today. Improved operations have made existing reactors more economical with vast efficiency improvements, with plants routinely safely exceeding their original design capacity.

There are examples of improving costs and timelines for building new plants when multiple units are built in a series. Now, with innovative new designs, approaches, and technologies, together with government support, we will begin to see improvements in the U.S.

The U.S. has long provided world leadership in nuclear energy technology, and now it is positioning itself to reassert that legacy. And next-generation nuclear technologies are in a good position to capitalize on the growth in demand we are seeing worldwide. Nuclear energy’s proven track record together with fresh thinking and rapidly growing demand has cleared the way for an era of unprecedented growth.

Seth Grae chairs the International Council of the American Nuclear Society, serves on the board of directors of the Nuclear Energy Institute, and is CEO of Lightbridge Corp., a company focused on developing advanced nuclear fuel technology.


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 tonight’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, Friday,(04/05/2024):

All Things Nuclear

NEWS

Kentucky governor vetoes nuclear energy legislation – Spectrum News

Spectrum News

Beshear said he supports an “all-of-the-above” energy policy that includes nuclear energy. For generations, coal fueled the state’s economy, but its …

Kentucky governor vetoes nuclear energy legislation due to the method of selecting board members

Washington Post

Beshear said he supports an “all-of-the-above” energy policy that includes nuclear energy. … The debate about attracting nuclear energy … Analysis|The …

The Chief Chemist’s journey into the world of nuclear power – TVO

TVO

As an added bonus, working at Olkiluoto has taught him about the boiling water reactor (BWR) systems at the OL1 and OL2 plant units; he works for all …

Nuclear Power

NEWS

DOE releases community guide on coal-to-nuclear conversion

World Nuclear News

The US Department of Energy has released an information guide for communities considering replacing their retired or retiring coal power plants …

Report calls for nuclear power plant safety measures to consider future weather threats

KRMG

A massive tsunami flooded the power plant, making it unable to cool the nuclear fuel. “That caused some damage that released some radioactivity,” said …

Nuclear Energy Seeing a Resurgence Unlike Any Other – POWER Magazine

POWER Magazine

There is rising demand for reliable clean energy and a desire to move away from fossil fuels. Nuclear energy checks all the boxes—nuclear power plants …

Nuclear Power Emergencies

NEWS

Emergency declared in Russia’s Khabarovsk after radiation detected, TASS says – Reuters

Reuters

EuropecategoryRussia alleges Ukrainian drone attack on Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, no serious damage 14 hours ago. Europecategory · Rights lawyers go …

State of emergency due to NUCLEAR CONTAMINATION is declared in Russian city

Daily Mail

The Russian authorities have not explained what is causing the alarming radiation in the Khabarovsk specialised plant ‘Radon’, southeast Russia. A …

Emergency declared in Russia’s Khabarovsk after radiation detected, TASS says

Yahoo News UK

Earlier, Russian officials accused Ukraine of attacking the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is located southwest of the city of Zaporizhzhia …

Nuclear War

NEWS

Denis Villeneuve Eyes ‘Nuclear War: A Scenario’ Movie With Legendary – Deadline

Deadline

Legendary Entertainment has optioned Annie Jacobsen’s Nuclear War: A Scenario as a potential reteam with Dune: Part Two director Denis Villeneuve.

Next Big Idea Club

Author Annie Jacobsen shares 5 key insights from her new book, Nuclear War: A Scenario.

Around 20 airfield personnel ‘killed or injured’ and warplanes destroyed in Ukrainian strike …

Sky News

Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant ‘on verge of blackout’ after ‘Russian attack‘. An update on our 8.40am post now. A nuclear power plant in Ukraine is “on …

Nuclear War Threats

NEW

Report calls for nuclear power plant safety measures to consider future weather threats

WHIO-TV

… War Election 2024 7 Circle Of Kindness Steals … Israel At War · Making a Difference … nuclear power plants against potential future weather threats.

NATO Defies Putin’s WW3 Threats: Poland Announces Joint Mission To Train Ukrainian Troops

YouTube

In a significant defiance of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s World War threat … ‘Pre-war era … Putin threatens nuclear war if the West sends …

Kim Jong-un faces annihilation in most war scenarios – Taipei Times

Taipei Times

… threats to attack South Korea: HOW IT BEGINS … nuclear attack if they tried. The … A nuclear exchange on the peninsula, or a conventional war …

Yellowstone Caldera

NEWS

1959 Madison Slide required quick, coordinated effort to avoid devastating flood – Billings Gazette

Billings Gazette

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

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