The Hiroshima Syndrome’s Fukushima Commentary is proudly hosting this week’s edition of the Carnival of Nuclear Bloggers. Actually, it covers the past two weeks of blogs. This time, we have postings by Dr. Gail Marcus, John Dobken, Meredith Angwin, Rod Adams, and Brian Wang.
Here’s the Fact or Fiction (?) quiz for this week… United States’ nuclear power fleet set a capacity factor record in 2014.
Now…for this week’s Blogs. To read the full articles, please click on the individual links. Blog topics for this edition include… July’s nuclear energy anniversaries, Arnie Gundersen’s lack of fact with Washington’s Columbia nuke station, why Vermont’s renewable goals will only work if everyone moves to the city, the DOE advocates fossil fuels by trying to close Diablo Canyon, and Asia has plans for several new nukes.
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From Dr. Gail Marcus’ Nuke Power Talk –
Nuclear Anniversaries – July: A Busy Month
Gail continues her monthly reports on anniversaries of nuclear milestones. This month was a particularly busy one in the annals of nuclear history, with the startup of a number facilities and institutions in several countries. Included were the first power delivered to the grid in Arco, Idaho, the inauguration of the IAEA in Vienna, Austria, and over a dozen other historical events. http://nukepowertalk.blogspot.com/2015/07/nuclear-anniversaries-july.html
From Northwest Clean Energy Blog with John Dobken –
The Errorists are at it again
Arnie Gundersen was interviewed on a radio show in Portland Oregon, and made many claims about Columbia Generating Station. However, he apparently didn’t read any of the information the plant gave to the press. He made his assertions (such as that Columbia wasn’t back on line, when it was actually was) without knowing anything about the plant’s condition. The blog also includes a partial listing of Gundersen’s false claims and predictions about Fukushima and Vermont Yankee. https://northwestcleanenergy.wordpress.com/2015/07/28/the-errorists-are-at-it-again/
From Meredith Angwin’s Yes Vermont Yankee –
The green Vision for Vermont: We Can’t Be Rural
Meredith looks at the vision behind Vermont’s unworkable “90% renewables” energy plan. A local renewable energy developer described the proposed future vision, as follows…….”In Vermont, people like to live 10, 20, 30 miles from work. That’s going to disappear. The 10-acre lot way out in the middle of nowhere on a dirt road is not going to be working anymore.” Meredith opines that to meet this draconian vision, everyone living in rural Vermont will have to move. http://yesvy.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-green-vision-for-vermont-we-cant-be.html#.VboDNetmTR8
From Rod Adam’s Atomic Insights –
FOE continues promoting fossil fuel by trying to force Diablo Canyon closure
David Brower founded Friends of the Earth (FOE) in 1969 because he thought the Sierra Club wasn’t doing enough to halt construction of nuclear power plants. Robert Anderson, the CEO of Atlantic Richfield, an establishment petroleum corporation, was so enthusiastic about FOE’s stated mission that he provided at least $200,000 in initial funding. Brower’s spin was that atomic energy wasn’t good for the environment; Anderson apparently knew its commercial success would threaten the profitability of his company. http://atomicinsights.com/foe-continues-promoting-fossil-fuel-by-trying-to-force-diablo-canyon-closure/
From Brian Wang’s Next Big Future –
More Nuclear Reactors completed and planned for South Korea, China and Iran
Two new nukes are planned for Korea, government approval is sought for a Korean start-up, China plans to build two new nukes in Iran, China’s Fuging unit #2 reaches a sustained chain reaction, and construction of Hongyaghe unit #6 begins in China. http://nextbigfuture.com/2015/07/more-nuclear-reactors-completed-and.html
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Fact or Fiction (?) quiz answer – Fact.
In 2014, US nuclear power plants had an average capacity factor of 91.8%, the highest level ever recorded. Capacity factor is the ratio of its actual output over a period of time, compared to its potential output if it operated continuously at 100% of its design over the same period of time. Typically, the most reliable calculations are over a one year period. The 2014 record was higher than the 90.9% figure in 2013 and well above the 2012 capacity factor of 87%, which was the lowest in a decade. The most probable reason for the 2014 figure is a shortening of average time of shutdown for refueling. It was 46 days in 2012, but lowered to 37 days in 2014. It should be mentioned that nukes always have the highest capacity factor of all power generating sources; geothermal is #2 at ~70%, followed by coal, natural gas, hydroelectric. Wind and solar bring up the rear at less than 30% each. http://www.platts.com/latest-news/electric-power/washington/us-nuclear-plants-set-capacity-factor-record-21884126
