NRC Needs Nuclear Power Regulators, Not Promoters
‘It's not often that POGO lobbies to defeat a presidential nominee. However, we have felt called to speak out as loud as we can in opposition to President Obama's nomination of William Magwood for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on the grounds that he does not have the independence from the nuclear power industry to regulate it, nor the security oversight background. Last week, POGO asked its email subscribers to contact the Committee and express opposition to Mr. Magwood's nomination. POGO does not take a stance on nuclear power, but does strongly believe that the regulatory body that licenses and inspects nuclear power reactors should be independent, active, and unconflicted. Mr. Magwood does not satisfy those key criteria. As we have outlined in a previous blog post, POGO believes Mr. Magwood's dozens of years promoting nuclear power make him unqualified to be a regulator of the industry.’

S Korean FM: Immediate resumption of six-party talks unlikely
‘South Korean top diplomat said Monday prospects of resuming the stalled six-party talks on nuclear issues on the Korean Peninsula are unclear, backing off from his earlier predictions that the talks might resume around the Lunar New Year, local media reported. Whether or when the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) would return to the negotiations is still unclear, Seoul's foreign minister Yu Myung-hwan told a meeting with ministry officials earlier Monday. "The North is taking an active position when seeking its practical interests, but it is showing contradictory attitudes by designating no-sail zones and firing artillery shells into waters near the (disputed sea border called) Northern Limit Line," Yu added, according to Yonhap News Agency.’

EnergoNuclear and AECL signs major contract on Romania Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4
‘SC EnergoNuclear S.A. (EnergoNuclear) and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) today announced the signing of a major contract to assess the technical and commercial viability, and planning of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) Units 3 and 4 investment project in Romania, currently in the pre-project phase. The scope of the contract is for AECL to provide consulting services in the nuclear safety and engineering field in order to define what is required to complete the Cernavoda NPP Units 3 and 4 project. More specifically, AECL will undertake activities such as design, authorization and assessment of the existing infrastructure and safety conditions. Cooperation between Romania and Canada in the nuclear energy field reflects a strong history based on the CANDU 6 design for Units 1 and 2, which are already in operation. Further cooperation between EnergoNuclear and AECL is confirmation of the commitment to performance and safety, as evidenced by Units 1 and 2, and of the desire to develop investments in a field of priority meeting the same criteria of safety and confidence for Units 3 and 4.’

Vermont Yankee may have found source of leak
‘Vermont Yankee officials zeroed in Friday on pipes that connect the "off-gas pit sump" - a concrete vault - to a radioactive waste building as the possible source of a tritium leak at the Vernon nuclear power plant. "It's certainly a possibility," Vermont Yankee spokesman Rob Williams said. Samples from the underground vault showed high levels of tritium - 2.7 million picocuries per liter. Williams later said in a news release that plant engineers do not believe the sump pump itself is a likely source of high levels of the radioactive material found in groundwater, but rather the source may be the piping between the sump and the "rad-waste facility." The state Health Department called the finding "significant" toward finding the source of the leak. The area will be excavated, Health Department officials said, and the sump pump has been turned off. "The team does not believe the sump itself is a likely source. However, the sump pump discharges into buried piping connected to the radwaste facility," Williams said.’

Japan Loses Vietnamese Nuclear Project to Russia, Nikkei Says
‘Heavy Industries Ltd., and Hitachi Ltd., which together bid for a nuclear plant project in Vietnam, lost the order to Russia's state-run Rosatom, Nikkei English News reported. Vietnam Electricity, which will operate what will be Southeast Asia's first nuclear power plant, has recommended Rosatom for a feasibility study for the first phase of the project, Nikkei said, citing unidentified sources.’

First inland nuclear power study completed
‘State Nuclear Power Technology Corp (SNPTC), which is responsible for the development of third-generation nuclear power technology in China, said yesterday it had completed the initial design for the country's first three inland nuclear power stations. The three projects are at Taohuajiang in Hunan province, Xianning in Hubei province, and Pengze in Jiangxi province. SNPTC said it has finished its preliminary safety analysis report on the Taohuajiang plant. The three projects will use AP1000, a third-generation technology developed by US-based Westinghouse. Future inland nuclear projects in the country would also use the technology, according to SNPTC. Preparatory work for China's first batch of inland nuclear power projects is said to be going smoothly. The three projects will meet all requirements for starting construction this year, according to SNPTC Chairman Wang Binghua. SNPTC signed an agreement with a consortium led by Westinghouse in 2007 under which China will use AP1000 technology to build four coastal nuclear power reactors in Zhejiang and Shandong provinces.’

West Cumbrian villagers in limbo over nuclear power plans
‘Residents of Braystones and Kirksanton in west Cumbria face a long wait to find out if plans for nuclear power stations there will go ahead. RWE npower has been consulting on proposals with a view to submitting planning applications. It now says there will be no early announcement on whether it will push ahead. It has also chosen to drop its National Grid connection agreements for the sites. That could be interpreted as a sign its interest is cooling, although the company argues the agreements can be renegotiated if necessary. Alison Chappell, head of nuclear development for RWE npower, said: "At the moment it's not possible to commit to specific plans. "Maintaining grid connections could mean large, and rising, extra costs. It's only sensible to avoid this risk and renegotiate connection agreements once we are in a position to confirm our plans." She added: "We can't promise any significant announcements in the near future but we certainly intend to have further meetings and discussions to understand local opinion."’