Electricity cooperative Oglethorpe Power is reviewing whether it will support going forward with the Vogtle nuclear plant expansion in Georgia following an increase in costs, CEO Mike Smith said Thursday. He said the company thinks costs may climb further. All three main partners in the $22 billion Vogtle nuclear plant expansion must agree this fall to complete the project or it will be halted, officials said last week when they announced a revised cost estimate.
S&P Global 16th Aug 2018 read more »
World Nuclear News 17th Aug 2018 read more »
Federal regulators say Westinghouse Electric Co. has no plans to clean a plume of uranium under its nuclear fuel factory despite evidence it could reach South Carolina’s water supply. Instead, Westinghouse wants a new 40-year extension from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, even though there’s nearly a decade left on its current license. The nuclear plume is under the plant south of Columbia and can’t be cleaned until the factory closes. A new license would delay cleanup until 2058 or later. “The contaminated material will likely be a source of future groundwater and/or surface water contamination if the material leaches into the shallow water-table aquifer,” the NRC wrote in a June assessment of the plant, which makes fuel rods for the nation’s nuclear power plants. A cleanup would involve removing 10 feet of soil under the building.
Daily Mail 17th Aug 2018 read more »