Fuel Fabrication

India, Russia To Ink Deal On Nuke Units During Putin’s Visit
20 January 2007

PTI (MOSCOW) – During President Vladimir Putin's visit to New Delhi next week, India and Russia are likely to ink an initial agreement on the construction of four additional nuclear power plants in Tamil Nadu's Kudankulam. A top government official said,"We will provide all-round support to India in its quest for the civilian nuclear technology, including joint development of new generation reactors, supply of nuclear fuel as it is the only option to satisfy the energy requirements of its rapidly expanding economy." Moscow is already building two units of 1000 MW in Kudankulam. Source: ptinews.com

Source Reliability: 7

-Kelly

Nuclear Power Reactors

Nuclear Plant Shut Down After Box Breaks Loose
17 Janurary 2007

AP (MONTICELLO, MN.) - Xcel Energy Inc. shut down its nuclear plant at Monticello indefinitely while experts investigate why a large component broke loose and triggered the plant's automatic safety systems. Jan Strasma, spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said a 35,000-pound control box fell off a steal beam inside the plant, but outside the reactor, last Wednesday, 10 January 2006. He went on to say the control box dropped about a foot onto a large steam pipe, and probably damaged the pipe and perhaps insulation on other steam lines. This incident caused the reactor's automatic shutdown, and no radiation was released, federal and company officials said. "There was no release of radioactivity, no threat to public health and safety, and all of the reactor's safety systems functioned normally," Strasma said.
Source: http://wcco.com/local/local_story_016225203.html

Source Reliability: 9

-Ryan

Nuclear Waste Storage

Order For Diablo Review Stands Up
17 January 2007

THE TRIBUNE (SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA) - The U.S. Supreme Court announced Tuesday January 16th that it will not review a lower court decision requiring an examination of how a terrorist attack on Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant's aboveground waste storage could harm the environment. That ruling will likely force the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and PG&E to redo the environmental analysis of the dry-cask storage facility, complete with more public hearings to specifically address how the environment could be harmed if terrorists attack the facility. NRC officials do not yet have a timeline for fulfilling the court ruling, said Dave McIntyre, NRC spokesman. Diablo Canyon's used but still highly radioactive nuclear waste is now stored in two pools at the plant. These pools are nearly full, and PG&E needs to transfer some of the older spent fuel to dry casks to make way for newer spent fuel.
Source: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/16478024.htm

Source Reliability: 7

-Josh