GOP senators rip NRC on nukes in Vt., Mass.

Two of the U.S. Senate's strongest backers of a national nuclear renaissance are accusing federal regulators of applying differing standards in reviewing nuclear plants' applications for relicensing -- one for when they draw strong opposition and another for when they don't. The two leading examples of the problem seen by Republican Sens.

[Bob Stannard]

First, the NRC has never denied a license renewal. The former NRC Chair stated he was on a mission to relicense all 104 plants; apparently notwithstanding the fact that most of them are old, 34 of them have or are leaking radiation into the ground, and no nuclear power plant has ever run for more than 42 years.

Next, the two US Senators in question are generously supported by Entergy and are glad to do its bidding. They expect the NRC to rubber stamp these two plants in the same fashion they have rubber stamped other plants. Unfortunately for the NRC, groups like the NEC have pointed out serious flaws in the plant and the process, which has resulted in the NRC having to address these real concerns.

Unfortunately for these two US Senators, Vermont is not a corrupt state and plays by the rules.

[Max Rockatansky]

Bob Stannard wrote:

First, the NRC has never denied a license renewal. The former NRC Chair stated he was on a mission to relicense all 104 plants; apparently notwithstanding the fact that most of them are old, 34 of them have or are leaking radiation into the ground, and no nuclear power plant has ever run for more than 42 years.
Next, the two US Senators in question are generously supported by Entergy and are glad to do its bidding. They expect the NRC to rubber stamp these two plants in the same fashion they have rubber stamped other plants. Unfortunately for the NRC, groups like the NEC have pointed out serious flaws in the plant and the process, which has resulted in the NRC having to address these real concerns.
Unfortunately for these two US Senators, Vermont is not a corrupt state and plays by the rules.

"Most" of them are old? Bob, wouldn't they ALL be old by your standards (an oxymoron, I know) if they are going for renewal?

The USS Enterprise has several reactors that have operated for 50 years. There are a number of Navy research reactors that have operated more than 42 years. Several reactors in the UK operated for longer than that as well.

MIT's research reactor has been in operation since 1958, in that right wing mecca of Cambridge, Mass., within yards of thousands of Birkenstock wearing friends of yours. Get out your abacus for that one, but it is longer than 42 years. Oh, and Bob, get real scared now, because that reactor *doesn't have a secondary containment*.

[TIRED OF FLATTYS]

HA, HA, HA!...VT not a corrupt state...good one!

86% of Leahy's campaign funds came from out of state. I wonder if Entergy was one.

VT has more lawyers per thousand people than any other state. Not corrupt? HA, HA, HA!!!

[tjostemj]

President Obama wants to increase R & D funds for the DOE. This is needed to develop replacement energy sources for the fading fossil fuels. We need to develop small breeder reactors, closed cycle reactors, electric vehicle technology, mass transit, synthetic liquid fuels to replace petroleum,and funds to make the NRC responsive in a timely way to approving all of these initiatives. Governments need to meet the responsibilities for basic research. Private industry has greatly increased its investment in R & D, which is good, but the private sector can not afford take on a responsibility that has traditionally been the role for government.
We have good reason to fear that Chairman Gregory Jaczko is a fox in the hen house as he was appointed to repay a political debt. Specifically he was put in place to kill Yucca Mtn. fuel storage facility. He seems to only be interested in maintaining the status quo. We are losing out to other countries in energy source development.

[Concerned]

tjostemj wrote:

President Obama wants to increase R & D funds for the DOE. This is needed to develop replacement energy sources for the fading fossil fuels. We need to develop small breeder reactors, closed cycle reactors, electric vehicle technology, mass transit, synthetic liquid fuels to replace petroleum,and funds to make the NRC responsive in a timely way to approving all of these initiatives. Governments need to meet the responsibilities for basic research. Private industry has greatly increased its investment in R & D, which is good, but the private sector can not afford take on a responsibility that has traditionally been the role for government.
We have good reason to fear that Chairman Gregory Jaczko is a fox in the hen house as he was appointed to repay a political debt. Specifically he was put in place to kill Yucca Mtn. fuel storage facility. He seems to only be interested in maintaining the status quo. We are losing out to other countries in energy source development.

Breeder reactors will solve the "waste"problem.