The Washington Independent

Posts Tagged nuclear power

Fermi guard accidentally shoots his own foot

By | 10.28.11 | 2:00 pm | More from The Michigan Messenger

A security guard at DTE Energy’s Fermi 2 nuclear power plant shot himself in the foot yesterday while putting away his weapon.

In an incident report filed with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Thursday evening the utility reports:

ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE OF FIREARM

“At approximately 1715 EDT on 10/27/11, a Security Officer

More…

Los Alamos National Labs to get multi-billion-dollar plutonium facility

By | 10.14.11 | 5:53 pm | More from The New Mexico Independent

Yesterday, The National Nuclear Security Administration confirmed its plans to replace an aging Los Alamos National Labs facility, which runs across a major fault line, with an estimated $4-6 billion plutonium lab. According to the NNSA notice, the new building “would provide vitally essential technical support capabilities to NNSA’s national More…

Michigan nuke plant operator tests positve for drugs

By | 05.09.11 | 6:43 pm | More from The Michigan Messenger

An operator of DTE’s Fermi 2 nuclear plant in Monroe has been relieved of duty after testing positive for illegal drugs.

“A licensed operator had a confirmed positive for an illegal drug during a random fitness-for-duty test,” plant officials said in a report to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. More…

Markey to OMB: take a long, hard look at public funding for nuclear plants

By | 05.09.11 | 1:38 pm | More from The Michigan Messenger

The Fukushima disaster has raised new questions about the safety of U.S. nuclear plants and the Office of Management and Budget should look into whether there should be changes to the system of taxpayer-backed loans for nuclear power, U.S. Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA) said Friday.

“Wall Street banks are unwilling More…

Research group gives recommendations to limit fallout exposure

By | 04.11.11 | 3:32 pm | More from The Michigan Messenger

A French radiation research group is recommending that pregnant and nursing women and small children in Europe limit consumption of fresh milk and cheese and leafy vegetables in order to reduce exposure to radioactive fallout from the ongoing Fukushima nuclear disaster.

A report by the research group More…

New Mexico Dems introduce legislation to require uranium mining royalties

By | 04.08.11 | 10:13 pm | More from The Colorado Independent

Two New Mexico Democrats today introduced a bill that would require uranium mining companies to pay a 12.5-percent royalty on federal lands – a move Sen. Mark Udall of Colorado at least favors studying given the growing interest in uranium mining and nuclear power.

The Uranium Resources Stewardship Act introduced More…

DOT considering permit to move contaminated steam generators through Great Lakes

By | 04.01.11 | 4:06 pm | More from The Michigan Messenger

The U.S. Dept. of Transportation gave notice this week that it has begun considering whether to grant the Canadian company Bruce Power permission to move 16 radioactively contaminated steam generators through the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway.

In a notice in the March 30 Federal Register DOT’s Pipeline More…

Japan nuclear disaster sending tremors through Colorado’s uranium mining industry

By | 04.01.11 | 2:35 pm | More from The Colorado Independent

Until recently, most of the debate over nuclear power in Colorado had to do with whether to mine and mill more uranium to be shipped elsewhere for conversion into fuel rods to power nuclear plants in other states and other countries around the world.

The magnitude-9 earthquake and tsunami that More…

Michigan detects radioactive iodine in air

By | 03.31.11 | 4:58 pm | More from The Michigan Messenger

A Dept. of Environmental Quality sampling device in Lansing has detected a small amount of radioactive iodine-131 in the air, a likely result of the Fukushima nuclear emergency in Japan.

State environmental officials say that iodine-131 is a signature radioactive isotope for Japan‘s nuclear power plant emergency and More…

Water and waste determine future of nuclear power in Colorado

By | 03.28.11 | 10:09 am | More from The Colorado Independent

The future of Colorado’s dormant nuclear power industry hinges on two critical issues – water and waste – both of which could prove insurmountable for proponents of new nuclear power plants in the state.

Pueblo attorney Don Banner struck a nerve last week with his proposal for a new clean More…