RadioNuclear 22: HBO’s Chernobyl: A Setback or Opportunity? ANS Nuclear CafeJune 27, 2019, 2:14PM|Doug HardtmayerEpisode 22 of RadioNuclear is now available. In this episode, we discuss the recent miniseries "Chernobyl", which recently concluded on HBO. We debunk some of the more egregious articles written in the wake of the show (see links to these articles below). We also discuss good ways to engage with individuals who are captivated with the show, and not necessarily familiar with nuclear technology.Go to ArticleTags:american nuclear societyatomic energy commissionchernobyldepartment of energydoug hardtmayerenvironmental benefits of nuclearfukushimahbonuclear historynuclear newsnuclear opponentsnuclear regulatory commissionnuclear sciencenuscalepublic policyradiationreactorsregulationrussiasmall modular reactorsu.s. governmentunion of concerned scientists (ucs)Share:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
ANS Friday Nuclear Matinee 2/1: Vogtle Timeline UpdateANS Nuclear CafeFebruary 1, 2019, 3:50PM|ANS Nuclear CafeOur latest ANS Nuclear Cafe Matinee film is the latest video update by Southern Company on the progress of the Vogtle nuclear plant expansion. This video runs just over seven minutes and brings you the details of the construction as of the last quarter of 2018. Enjoy!Go to ArticleTags:american nuclear societycountries around the globedepartment of energydoenuclear energynuclear power plant constructionnuclear regulatory commissionnuclear technologypublic policyreactorsu.s. governmentunited statesvogtlewill davisShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Root cause of Vogtle and VC Summer delaysANS Nuclear CafeNovember 12, 2014, 4:21PM|Rod AdamsThis column was initially published in the October 16, 2014, issue of Fuel Cycle Week and is republished here with permission.Go to ArticleTags:nuclear regulatory commissionwestinghouseShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
"Nuclear Safety" - National Nuclear Science Week, Day 4 (October 23)ANS Nuclear CafeOctober 23, 2014, 6:00AM|Will DavisDay 4 of the annual National Nuclear Science week is all about Nuclear Safety.Go to ArticleTags:center for nuclear science & technology informationnational nuclear science weeknuclear regulatory commissionscience & engineering educationShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Another Nuclear Design Approved by the NRCANS Nuclear CafeSeptember 19, 2014, 8:29PM|Will Davis• This week the GE-Hitachi ESBWR design received its Design Certification from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.Go to ArticleTags:bwrsdcadesign certificationesbwrnuclear regulatory commissionShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Surface storage of used nuclear fuel - safe, cost-effective, and flexibleANS Nuclear CafeSeptember 16, 2014, 1:30PM|Rod AdamsIn August 2014, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved NUREG-2157, Generic Environmental Impact Statement for Continued Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel. That action was the end result of several years worth of detailed analysis of the known and uncertain impacts of storing used nuclear fuel on the earth's surface in licensed and monitored facilities.Go to ArticleTags:nuclear fuel cyclenuclear regulatory commissionradwaste solutionsspent fuelyucca mountainShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
ANS Webinar with NRC Chairman Allison MacfarlaneANS Nuclear CafeSeptember 11, 2014, 4:57PM|ANS Nuclear CafeNuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Allison Macfarlane today fielded questions from in-person and virtual attendees at a live, unscripted 60-minute webinar on nuclear energy issues. The event-"Bloggers' Roundtable"-was held in Washington, DC, and was a collaborative effort of the NRC and the American Nuclear Society. The webinar provided an opportunity for nuclear bloggers and social media personalities to discuss the NRC's perspectives on a wide range of nuclear-related issues.Go to ArticleTags:nuclear regulatory commissionShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Webinar with NRC Chairman Allison Macfarlane—Thursday, Sept. 11, 9 AM EasternANS Nuclear CafeAugust 27, 2014, 4:57PM|ANS Nuclear CafeThe American Nuclear Society will host an online webinar for nuclear bloggers-an unscripted question-&-answer session with Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Allison Macfarlane-on Thursday, September 11, 2014, from 9 AM-10 AM Eastern TimeGo to ArticleTags:allison macfarlanenuclear regulatory commissionShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Correcting History Can Be an Uphill BattleANS Nuclear CafeAugust 5, 2014, 4:57PM|Rod AdamsIn April 2014, ANS Nuclear Cafe published a valuable historical account and analysis of the Three Mile Island accident titled TMI operators did what they were trained to do.Go to ArticleTags:lessons learnednuclear historynuclear regulatory commissionShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Nuclear Matinee: The Mighty Watts Bar FLEX BuildingANS Nuclear CafeJuly 25, 2014, 5:57PM|ANS Nuclear CafeIf a tornado just happens to come through... flying steel pipes, telephone poles, or even automobiles will be no match for this building. This is the new Watts Bar FLEX building, housing emergency backup equipment like generators and pumps that could be used to replace equipment in case of damage from a natural disaster. Watts Bar will likely be the first nuclear facility in the United States to comply with all the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's post-Fukushima requirements, as the Tennessee Valley Authority works toward licensing for Watts Bar Unit 2 with a target date of beginning commercial operation in December next year.Go to ArticleTags:nuclear matineenuclear regulatory commissionShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
A reason for holiday cheer–Significant court victories on nuclear wasteANS Nuclear CafeDecember 3, 2013, 7:00AM|Jim HopfA United States appellate court recently handed down two long-awaited rulings with respect to Yucca Mountain. As most observers expected, both decisions were decidedly in nuclear's favor.Go to ArticleTags:dc perspectivedepartment of energyjim hopfnuclear regulatory commissionspent fuelyucca mountainShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
An Open Letter to The OregonianANS Nuclear CafeNovember 20, 2013, 7:00PM|Paul LorenziniOn October 23, The Oregonian newspaper ran an op-ed by Leslie March of the Sierra Club Nuclear-Free Campaign that questioned the independence of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Paul Lorenzini, co-founder of Oregon-based NuScale Power, submitted a rebuttal based on his many years of experience with regulators worldwide.Go to ArticleTags:dr. paul lorenzininuclear regulatory commissionnuscale poweru.s. nuclear regulatory commissionShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Court Finally Rules on Yucca Mountain’s NRC License ReviewANS Nuclear CafeAugust 15, 2013, 1:57PM|Robert L. FergusonShortly after the Obama administration unlawfully terminated the Yucca Mountain Project, three Washington State citizens (Robert L. Ferguson [the author], Bill Lampson, and Gary Petersen) filed suit to hold the President and his administration accountable to the law. Similar suits filed by Aiken County, South Carolina, and the states of Washington and South Carolina; the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners; and Nye County, Nevada, were combined into one lawsuit.Go to ArticleTags:nuclear regulatory commissionrobert l. fergusonspent fuelShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Don't blame NRC uncertainty for San Onofre retirementANS Nuclear CafeJuly 2, 2013, 6:00AM|Rod AdamsThe San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station never threatened public health and safety. Unit 2 could have been restarted as soon as its scheduled outage was completed in February 2012. Unit 3 could have been restarted by mid-March 2012. The total cost of the repairs, including purchased replacement power, should have been less than $50 million and been covered by the manufacturer's warranty.Go to ArticleTags:lessons learnednuclear regulatory commissionrod adamssan onofre nuclear generating stationShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Environmental Impact Evaluations – Seeing the Bigger (Nuclear vs. Fossil) PictureANS Nuclear CafeJune 11, 2013, 6:00AM|Jim HopfAs I discussed last fall, a federal appeals court ordered the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to perform more thorough evaluations in support of its new Waste Confidence Rule, particularly with respect to the potential impacts of long-term storage of spent fuel at plant sites. While those evaluations are being performed, the NRC has suspended all new plant licensing and plant license renewals.Go to ArticleTags:environmental benefits of nuclearjim hopfnuclear regulatory commissionsan onofrespent fuelShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
San Onofre debate now more public – and more technicalANS Nuclear CafeMarch 15, 2013, 6:00AM|Will DavisThe debate over the continuing investigations into steam generator U-tube problems at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) last week entered a new phase of heightened publicity and public scrutiny as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) released Mitsubishi documents which detailed that company's investigations into the root causes of the problems.Go to ArticleTags:fluid elastic instabilitynuclear regulatory commissionsan onofresan onofre nuclear generating stationsteam generatorswill davisShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
How Can Nuclear Construction Costs Be Reduced?ANS Nuclear CafeJanuary 24, 2013, 2:45PM|Jim HopfThis month's post discusses my ideas on an issue I've been thinking about for awhile. Although we have four new reactors under construction in the United States (at Vogtle and Summer), the nuclear "renaissance" has so far not been nearly as strong as many had hoped. This begs the question as to what is holding nuclear back.Go to ArticleTags:department of energyengineeringnuclear constructionnuclear construction costsnuclear regulatory commissionShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
2012 ~ The year that was in nuclear energyANS Nuclear CafeDecember 6, 2012, 7:00AM|Dan YurmanPlus a few pointers to what's in store for 2013Go to ArticleTags:chinadepartment of energyfukushimaindiairaniran uranium enrichmentlicensingmars space rovernew nuclear constructionnuclear energynuclear opponentsnuclear powernuclear regulatory commissionradiationrussiasan onofre nuclear generating stationsmall modular reactorstennessee valley authorityu.s. congressShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Post-election outlook for nuclear energyANS Nuclear CafeNovember 21, 2012, 7:00AM|Jim HopfIn my September post at the ANS Nuclear Cafe, I discussed the Democratic and Republican party platforms, along with their potential impacts on nuclear energy. With the 2012 U.S. elections now behind us, this post provides a post-election follow up, and discusses the impacts of the election results on nuclear's prospects over the near- to mid-term.Go to ArticleTags:dc perspectiveenvironmental benefits of nuclearjim hopfnuclear regulatory commissionobamareidromneyu.s. congressyucca mountainShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Spent Fuel Pool at Oyster CreekANS Nuclear CafeOctober 30, 2012, 1:01AM|Will DavisAs the Eastern half of the United States falls under siege by Hurricane Sandy and combined weather fronts-which together are being termed "Frankenstorm"-the nuclear community is targeted by nuclear opponents keen on capitalizing on this severe weather event. A recent piece quoting Arnold Gundersen asserts that Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station is facing serious problems should it lose offsite power, saying essentially that the plant will be unable to provide cooling for the spent fuel in its spent fuel pool.Go to ArticleTags:arnie gundersonbwrshurricane sandynatural disastersnuclear regulatory commissionoyster creekspent fuelspent fuel poolswill davisShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook