1. Forbes James Conca – A Nuclear Bolivia? Why Not?
Bolivia recently declared its intention to develop nuclear energy, part of a new concerted effort to expand nuclear energy throughout the developing world being led, not by America, but by the BRICS coalition of nations – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
2. Neutron Bytes – Dan Yurman – Seven at one blow: Japan whacks the 40 plus club
Despite the approval of restart for two reactors at Sendai, Japan is planning to decommission at least seven reactors in its nuclear fleet that are approaching the 40 year mark
3. ANS Nuclear Cafe: ANS Webinar with NRC Chairman Allison Macfarlane
This week, the American Nuclear Society hosted a live webinar in Washington D.C. with the Chairman of the NRC. Bloggers asked Allison Macfarlane a wide variety of questions both online and in person at the event; the event is available in its entirety to the public via link at the ANS Nuclear Cafe blog.
It’s long-past time for the Tokyo Electric Company (Tepco) and the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) to broadcast the truth – there is no groundwater contamination being released to the Pacific Ocean at F. Daiichi. There are several reasons why this claim can be made with the highest possible confidence.
5. Yes Vermont Yankee – Decommissioning Panel and Appointments: Good, Bad and Ugly
As Vermont Yankee decommissioning approaches, local politicians are busily appointing members to the new “Decommissioning Citizen Advisory Panel.” To nobody’s surprise, plant opponents are the people being appointed (the bad). However, Vermont state appointed a “nuclear engineer” who is actually a real nuclear engineer this time (the good).
And what’s “ugly”? The old “Vermont Nuclear Safety Advisory Panel” meetings were ugly and chaotic. That panel has morphed into the new Decommissioning Panel. Angwin thinks the new panel’s meetings are likely to be equally unpleasant.
6. Environmentalists for a nuclear canada – Nuclear power does not equal nuclear weapons!
While the last 40 years have clearly demonstrated that a civilian nuclear power program doesn’t lead to a nuclear weapons program, those fears have been raised over the last year as Iran looks to add more nuclear power to their energy mix.
The CAP1400 is an enlarged version of the AP1000 pressurized water reactor developed from the Westinghouse original by SNPTC with consulting input from the Toshiba-owned company. As one of China’s 16 strategic projects under its National Science and Technology Development Plan, the CAP1400 is intended to be deployed in large numbers across the country. The reactor design may also be exported.
8. Nextbigfuture – Japan’s nuclear regulator has approved changes in the reactor installations of units 1 and 2 of the Sendai nuclear power plant, moving the units one step closer to restarting. The restarts should begin in 2015.
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Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
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