LLAW’s All Things Nuclear #630, Tuesday, (05/14/2024)

“End Nuclear Insanity Before Nuclear Insanity Ends Humanity”

LLOYD A. WILLIAMS-PENDERGRAFT

MAY 15, 2024

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U.S. President Biden delivers remarks at reception celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, at the White House

President Joe Biden speaking in the Rose Garden . . .

LLAW’s NUCLEAR ISSUES & COMMENTS, Tuesday, (05/14/2024)

Now that President Joe Biden has made it illegal to buy nuclear uranium fuel from Russia, which controls the market with about 83% of global control (about a quarter of even our nuclear fuel comes from Russia today), I can’t help but wonder why we would begin a tainted rabid hunger to keep the dangerous current nuclear power plants operating, build new dangerous nuclear power plants and activate dangerous old nuclear power plants based on a blind international ambition proposed by the U.S. to triple nuclear power by 2050. Even I know that automobiles don’t run without their own special kinds of fuel. In my view we are wasting our time and money as well as putting the population of human and other life on planet Earth at risk at the same time. It is the story of the “Emperor’s New Clothes” all over yet again.

Obviously, the nuclear corporate industry uranium miners and nuclear plant operators have assured our ignorant federal government that they will have plenty of nuclear fuel by the time new nuclear plants are ready to produce electricity. If I was in government I wouldn’t believe that for a New York minute. I am surprised that the nuclear governmental watchdogs such as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) or the Department of Energy (DOE) and others have not warned the U.S. against passing this law. There is that old saying, never put the cart before the horse, and this is a perfect example. But for me, personally I would rather see all nuclear power plants become ‘white elephants’, never to be functional, that to see them fire up. ~llaw

Following is a story from Reuters about the new law against buying Russian formula nuclear fuel, which is already not available, because Russia says it isn’t, for at least one of the new SMR plants for at least a year (and probably never), so that a new SMR under construction nuclear plant in Wyoming cannot even be demonstrated . . .

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Biden signs into law ban on Russian nuclear reactor fuel imports

By Timothy Gardner

May 14, 20249:19 AM PDT Updated 7 hours ago

WASHINGTON, May 13 (Reuters) – President Joe Biden signed into law a ban on Russian enriched uranium on Monday, the White House said, in the latest effort by Washington to disrupt President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

The ban on imports of the fuel for nuclear power plants begins in about 90 days, although it allows the Department of Energy to issue waivers in case of supply concerns.

Russia is the world’s top supplier of enriched uranium, and about 24% of the enriched uranium used by U.S. nuclear power plants come from the country.

The law also unlocks about $2.7 billion in funding in previous legislation to build out the U.S. uranium fuel industry.

“Today, President Biden signed into law a historic series of actions that will strengthen our nation’s energy and economic security by reducing, and ultimately eliminating, our reliance on Russia for civilian nuclear power,” Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, said in a statement.

Sullivan said the law “delivers on multilateral goals we have set with our allies and partners,” including a pledge last December with Canada, France, Japan and the United Kingdom to collectively invest $4.2 billion to expand enrichment and conversion capacity of uranium.

The waivers, if implemented by the Energy Department, allow all the Russian uranium imports the U.S. normally imports through 2027.

Anatoly Antonov, Russia’s ambassador to the United States, said that Washington’s decision is leading to shocks in global economic relations, but will not bring the desired results.

“The delicate balance between exporters and importers of uranium products is being disrupted,” the Russian embassy in Washington cited Antonov as saying in a post on its Telegram messaging channel.

“Life has confirmed that the Russian economy is ready for any challenges and quickly responds to emerging difficulties, even extracting dividends from the situation. It will be so this time too.”

Coming soon: Get the latest news and expert analysis about the state of the global economy with Reuters Econ World. Sign up here.

Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Additional reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Leslie Adler and Jacqueline Wong

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Timothy Gardner

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Timothy reports on energy and environment policy and is based in Washington, D.C. His coverage ranges from the latest in nuclear power, to environment regulations, to U.S. sanctions and geopolitics. He has been a member of three teams in the past two years that have won Reuters best journalism of the year awards. As a cyclist he is happiest outside.


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 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, Tuesday, (05/14/2024)

All Things Nuclear

NEWS

House defense bill retains spending caps, creates DoD talent officer – Federal Times

Federal Times

… nuclear arsenal reductions … “I think we balance all the risk – near-term and long-term risks – and developed a bill that meets all those things.

Politics latest: Court ruling ‘blows PM’s claims about Rwanda plan out of the water’

Sky News

And so it all becomes very difficult for the Labour leaders. Ultimately it was his call. Maybe it seemed too good a political win to ignore past …

Video: Nuclear will help but fossil fuels aren’t leaving, mining investor Gilchrist says

The Northern Miner

Global copper production was about 21 million tonnes last year, but the energy transition requires 4 billion tonnes a year, Gilchrist said at the …

Nuclear Power

NEWS

Small Modular Reactors Are Paving the Way for Nuclear Energy’s Renaissance

International Banker

As efforts to tackle climate change take centre stage, nuclear energy, viewed as a clean energy source, is enjoying a revival, with nations …

Biden signs ban on imports of Russian nuclear reactor fuel into law – Reuters

Reuters

Russia is the world’s top supplier of enriched uranium, and about 24% of the enriched uranium used by U.S. nuclear power plants come from the country.

Biden signs into law ban on Russian nuclear reactor fuel imports – Deccan Herald

Deccan Herald

Russia is the world’s top supplier of enriched uranium, and about 24 per cent of the enriched uranium used by US nuclear power plants come from the …

Nuclear Power Emergencies

NEWS

Simulated drill planned for Prairie Island Nuclear Plant on Tuesday – KSTP

KSTP

DPS advises residents in the area not to be alarmed and allow the emergency responders to carry out their duties during the drill.

Simulated nuclear incident drill at the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant – KTTC

KTTC

Mycle Schneider: Nuclear power is not an option – Right Livelihood

Right Livelihood

It’s precisely this timeline that makes nuclear energy an unfeasible solution to the climate emergency—a crisis on which we cannot afford to wait.

Nuclear War

NEWS

What is behind Russia’s nuclear escalation threat? | Opinions – Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera

Last week, tensions between Russia and the West appeared to escalate to a dangerous new level when President Vladimir Putin ordered military …

Rishi Sunak news today: PM warns of nuclear war threat as he faces grim election prediction

The Independent

In a speech on Monday, the prime minister told voters the world is ‘closer to nuclear war since the Cuban missile crisis’. While continuing to refuse …

What Happens the Day After Iran Gets a Nuclear Weapon – Foreign Policy

Foreign Policy

The United States backed Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq War (even though Baghdad had started the conflict), and then-U.S. President George W.

Nuclear War Threats

NEWS

What is behind Russia’s nuclear escalation threat? – Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera

Russia announces nuclear weapon drills after ‘provocative’ Western threats … This was the first direct threat of an attack … war, the sides are trying …

Rishi Sunak news today: PM warns of nuclear war threat as he faces grim election prediction

The Independent

In his long-waited speech, Rishi Sunak has highlighted the UK’s threats from authoritarian states including Russia, Iran, North Korea and China. He …

Rishi Sunak speech – live: PM warns of nuclear war threat as he faces grim election prediction

Yahoo

Paradox of our age: ‘We hold an opportunity despite threats‘. 11:10 , Salma Ouaguira. He says AI is an opportunity not a threat. The PM says the high- …

Yellowstone Caldera

NEWS

100 years ago at Kīlauea: The 1924 explosive eruption described by Thomas Jaggar

YouTube

4:34 · Go to channel · Ship Wrecked in Yellowstone Lake? (Yellowstone Volcano Monthly Update – April 2024). USGS•11K views · 1:42 · Go to channel …

Mag. 1.8 quake – 4 km S of Pāhala, Hawaii, on Monday, May 13, 2024, at 08:00 am …

Volcano Discovery

Worldwide reports, updates on significant seismic events and more. … List and interactive map of current and past earthquakes near Yellowstone volcano …

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