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Small modular nuclear reactors not likely before mid-2020s

Posted at 12:22 pm April 13, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

TVA-SMRs-at-NRC-Meeting-April-12-2016

The Tennessee Valley Authority plans to apply by May 12 for an early site permit that could allow small modular nuclear reactors at the Clinch River Site in west Oak Ridge, possibly as soon as the mid-2020s. Pictured above at a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission meeting to discuss the early site permit on Tuesday, April 12, 2016, is Dan Stout, TVA senior manager for small modular reactors. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The small modular nuclear reactors being evaluated for the Clinch River Site in west Oak Ridge could provide an emissions-free fuel source, but it could be a decade or so before they start operating. And that’s assuming all goes according to plan, officials said Tuesday.

The Tennessee Valley Authority is evaluating the possibility of building the small modular reactors, or SMRs, at the 1,200-acre Clinch River Site. To help prepare for the project, TVA plans to apply for what is known as an early site permit, or ESP, for the Oak Ridge project from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission by May 12.

The NRC had two public meetings at Oak Ridge Associated Universities on Tuesday to discuss the safety and environmental review process related to the TVA permit application.

The early site permit application will allow the NRC to evaluate site safety, the environment, and emergency preparedness for future SMRs at the Clinch River Site. That site is in west Oak Ridge just north of the Clinch River and Interstate 40, south of Heritage Center (the former K-25 site), and between Highway 95 and Highway 58 in a bend of the Clinch River.

The review of TVA’s application for an early site permit could take about three years, and maybe longer if any groups raise legal challenges, said Scott Burnell, NRC public affairs officer. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Front Page News, Government, Government, Slider Tagged With: B&W, Babcock and Wilcox, Bechtel, Clinch River, Clinch River Breeder Reactor, Clinch River Site, Dan Stout, early site permit, ESP, Heritage Center, Idaho National Laboratory, Jim Hopson, Mary Olson, mPower, NRC, Nuclear Information and Resource Service, NuScale, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Scott Burnell, small modular nuclear reactors, small modular reactors, SMR, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Taylor Allred, Tennessee Valley Authority, TVA, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Westinghouse

Small nuclear reactors on Clinch River could power several cities the size of Oak Ridge

Posted at 12:43 pm March 26, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Clinch-River-Site-Bear-Creek-Road-Entrance-March-27-2016

The small nuclear reactors that could be built along the Clinch River could provide enough electricity to power several cities the size of Oak Ridge. The Bear Creek Road entrance to the Clinch River Site, where the reactors could be built by the Tennessee Valley Authority, is pictured above on Sunday, March 27, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The small nuclear reactors that could be built along the Clinch River could provide enough electricity to power several cities the size of Oak Ridge. They could also be, depending upon the timing, the first commercial reactors of their type in the United States.

They’re known as small modular reactors, or SMRs. They could generate 80 to 200 megawatts each. One hundred megawatts is enough to power about 60,000 homes. Oak Ridge has about 12,000 homes.

Several companies are working on SMR designs, but so far none have been certified by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said Jim Hopson, public relations manager for the Tennessee Valley Authority.

By May 12, TVA plans to submit an application to the NRC for what is known as an early site permit to build SMRs on the Clinch River Site in west Oak Ridge. Hopson likened an early site permit, or ESP, to a pre-approval for a home loan, although he said that is an oversimplification.

“It’s similar to pre-approving yourself for a loan,” Hopson said Friday. “You get the preliminaries out of the way.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Front Page News, Government, Government, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: B&W, Babcock and Wilcox, carbon-free sources, Clinch River Breeder Reactor, Clinch River Site, DOE, early site permit, electricity, energy generation portfolio, ESP, generation portfolio, Jim Hopson, mPower, NRC, nuclear power, nuclear reactor, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, small modular reactors, small nuclear reactors, SMR, Tennessee Valley Authority, TVA, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Watt Bar 2 nuclear plant

Oneida man gets three-month prison sentence for plot to extort B&W Y-12

Posted at 4:06 pm November 17, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Y-12 Aerial Photo June 2012

The Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge is pictured above in June 2012. (Photo courtesy NNSA)

 

A 25-year-old Scott County man was sentenced to serve three months in prison on Monday after he pleaded guilty in July to charges that he tried to extort Babcock and Wilcox Y-12 LLC, the former managing and operating contractor at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge.

Adam Winters, 25, of Oneida received the sentence in U.S. District Court in Knoxville on Monday, U.S. Attorney William C. Killian said in a press release. After he is released from prison, Winters will be supervised for one year by U.S. Probation.

Killian said Winters, who had appeared on the television reality show “The Millionaire Matchmaker” in February, pleaded guilty in July to transmitting communications containing threats to injure the reputation of B&W Y-12 in interstate and foreign commerce, with intent to extort money and other things of value from the corporation. Winters admitted that he emailed Babcock and Wilcox and attempted to email the vice president of the United States regarding copies of slides that he possessed that contained information he believed would injure the reputation of Babcock and Wilcox. That May 8 email reportedly referred to slides of evidence from nuclear testing. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Government, National Nuclear Security Administration, Police and Fire, Slider, Top Stories, U.S., U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: Adam Winters, B&W Y-12, Babcock and Wilcox, Babcock and Wilcox Y-12 LLC, Brooklyn Sawyers, extortion, law enforcement, nuclear testing, Office of Inspector General, reputation, sentence, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. District Court, William C. Killian, Y-12 National Security Complex

Tennessee man pleads guilty in $2.5 million Y-12 extortion case

Posted at 4:16 pm July 10, 2014
By John Huotari 2 Comments

Y-12 Aerial Photo June 2012

The Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge is pictured above in June 2012. (Photo courtesy NNSA)

KNOXVILLE—A Tennessee man who appeared on the television reality show “The Millionaire Matchmaker” has pleaded guilty in a $2.5 million extortion case involving the former managing contractor at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge.

Adam Winters, 26, of Robbins, Tenn., said he had copies of slides that would injure the reputation of the contractor, Babcock and Wilcox Y-12 LLC, and he met with undercover officers on May 23 to exchange the slides for the money he demanded, U.S. Attorney William C. Killian said in a Thursday afternoon press release. Law enforcement officers revealed their identity during that May 23 meeting and arrested Winters.

Earlier, on May 8, Winters had e-mailed Babcock and Wilcox and attempted to email Vice President Joe Biden about the slides, Killian said. After he sent the email, Winters used the Internet and telephone to communicate his threat to injure their reputation through the use of the slides, according to the plea agreement on file with the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Tennessee. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Government, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: Adam Winters, Babcock and Wilcox, Babcock and Wilcox Y-12 LLC, Brooklyn Sawyers, extortion, Office of Inspector General, Pamela L. Reeves, slides, The Millionaire Matchmaker, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. District Court, William C. Killian, Y-12 National Security Complex

URS names new UCOR president, project manager

Posted at 1:41 am June 26, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Ken Rueter

Ken Rueter

URS Corporation has named new leaders at UCOR in Oak Ridge and SRR at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina.

Ken Rueter has been named president and project manager of UCOR, a partnership between URS and CH2M Oak Ridge LLC. The URS-led consortium is responsible for the cleanup of the U.S. Department of Energy’s East Tennessee Technology Park, the former K-25 site, in Oak Ridge.

Rueter will become president and project manager on Aug. 1. He will replace Leo Sain, who will lead the URS Decontamination and Decommissioning and Waste Management Strategic Business Group, which is based in Oak Ridge.

“Ken’s prior leadership in UCOR’s successful deactivation and decommissioning of the K-25 facility will be invaluable as we continue the D&D of the K-27 and K-31 gaseous diffusion facilities,” said Randall A. Wotring, president of federal services for URS. “I am confident he will build on the UCOR team’s recent accomplishments as well as his previous experiences at the East Tennessee Technology Park to ensure we continue to make safe progress for our DOE client.”

In a press release, URS said Rueter has 26 years of experience in the nuclear industry focusing on high-hazard nuclear operations, project management and integration, construction, and risk management. In his new assignment, he will be the senior executive for UCOR responsible for all deactivation and decommissioning (D&D) activities at the East Tennessee Technology Park. He was previously president and project manager of Savannah River Remediation LLC, or SRR, and prior to his role there, he was the chief operating officer for UCOR. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, East Tennessee Technology Park, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge Office, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: AREVA, Babcock and Wilcox, Bechtel National, CH2M Oak Ridge LLC, D&D, Deactivation and Decommissioning, Defense Waste Processing Facility, DOE, East Tennessee Technology Park, Energy Solutions, gaseous diffusion, K-25, K-27, K-31, Ken Rueter, Leo Sain, nuclear industry, president, project manager, Randall A. Wotring, Restoration Services Inc., Savannah River Remediation LLC, Savannah River Site, SRR, Stuart MacVean, U.S. Department of Energy, UCOR, URS, URS Corporation, URS Decontamination and Decommissioning and Waste Management Strategic Business Group, URS Professional Solutions

Local graduate receives B&W four-year scholarship

Posted at 10:38 am September 8, 2013
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Sheri Cunningham and B&W Scholarship

Deputy General Manager of Operations Dave Richardson, left, meets Bearden High School graduate Sheri Cunningham, center, at Y-12’s New Hope Center to congratulate her on her receipt of a Babcock and Wilcox scholarship. Cunningham is the daughter of B&W Y-12 engineer Penny Cunningham, right. (Photo courtesy B&W Y-12)

Babcock and Wilcox recently announced the winners of the 2013 B&W Scholarship, and one recipient is the daughter of an engineer at the Y-12 National Security Complex.

Sheri Cunningham is a Bearden High School graduate and the daughter of B&W Y-12 engineer Penny Cunningham. She will receive $1,500 per year for up to four years of college-level study. [Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Education, K-12, Top Stories, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: B&W, B&W Scholarship, Babcock and Wilcox, Bearden High School, Penny Cunningham, scholarship, Sheri Cunningham, Y-12 National Security Complex

Parts of Y-12, Pantex contract protests upheld; GAO says procurement should be re-opened

Posted at 1:48 pm April 29, 2013
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Y-12 National Security Complex

The U.S. Government Accountability Office has upheld parts of two protests filed over the January award of a five-year contract to manage and operate the Y-12 National Security Complex, pictured above, and Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas. (Submitted photo)

A federal agency has upheld parts of two protests challenging a five-year contract to manage two nuclear weapons plants in Tennessee and Texas.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office also recommended re-opening the contract procurement, raising questions about the status of the $22.8 billion contract awarded to Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC, or CNS, in January. CNS was one of three bidding teams who competed for the contract to manage and operate the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas.

At the heart of the GAO decision, announced Monday, were questions about proposed savings. In particular, the agency seemed to question whether the National Nuclear Security Administration, which awarded the consolidated contract to CNS on Jan. 8, had properly evaluated the expected savings.

“NNSA failed to follow the publicly stated solicitation criteria, which provided that the agency would evaluate the feasibility and size of each offeror’s proposed cost savings resulting from the consolidation of the management and operation of these sites,” Ralph O. White, GAO managing associate general counsel for procurement law, said in a statement released Monday afternoon. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Government, National Nuclear Security Administration, Top Stories, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: B&W Y-12, Babcock and Wilcox, Bechtel National Inc., CNS, consolidated contract, Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC, cost savings, Fluor, GAO, Integrated Nuclear Production Solutions LLC, Jacobs, Josh McConaha, Lockheed Martin Services Inc., National Nuclear Security Administration, NNSA, Nuclear Production Partners LLC, Pantex Plant, Ralph O. White, U.S. Court of Federal Claims, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Government Accountability Office, Y-12 National Security Complex

TVA, B&W sign agreement for small nuclear reactor at Clinch River Site

Posted at 2:16 pm February 20, 2013
By Tennessee Valley Authority Leave a Comment

The Tennessee Valley Authority and Babcock and Wilcox announced Wednesday a major step in their joint effort to build and test the nation’s first small modular reactor at TVA’s Clinch River Site in Oak Ridge.

TVA and B&W signed a contract Feb. 7 that formalizes the process toward the eventual submittal and Nuclear Regulatory Commission review of a licensing application for a B&W mPower small modular reactor, or SMR, nuclear plant at Clinch River.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Federal, Government, Roane County, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: B&W, Babcock and Wilcox, Clinch River Site, DOE, Joe Hoagland, licensing, mPower, NRC, nuclear plant, nuclear reactor, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, small modular nuclear reactor, SMR, SMR Licensing Technical Support Program, Tennessee Valley Authority, TVA, U.S. Department of Energy

Second protest challenges Y-12, Pantex contract award

Posted at 11:09 pm January 29, 2013
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Y-12 National Security Complex

Y-12 National Security Complex (Submitted photo)

A second protest has been filed challenging the federal decision to award a five-year contract to Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC to manage and operate the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas.

The second protest was filed Jan. 25 by Integrated Nuclear Production Solutions LLC.

The first was filed Jan. 17 by Nuclear Production Partners LLC, a team led by Babcock and Wilcox.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Government, National Nuclear Security Administration, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: Babcock and Wilcox, Bechtel National Inc., CNS, Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC, contract, Fluor, Integrated Nuclear Production Solutions LLC, Jacobs, Josh McConaha, Lockheed Martin Services Inc., National Nuclear Security Administration, NNSA, Nuclear Production Partners LLC, Pantex Plant, protest, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Government Accountability Office, Y-12 National Security Complex

Debriefings today on Y-12/Pantex consolidated contract

Posted at 4:20 pm January 16, 2013
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Debriefings scheduled for today were offered to the teams that bid unsuccessfully on a consolidated contract to manage the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas.

The unsuccessful bidders have up to 10 days to protest the decision to award the five-year contract to Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC, or CNS, a team that includes Bechtel National Inc. and Lockheed Martin Services Inc. The contract award was announced Tuesday, Jan. 8.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: National Nuclear Security Administration, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: B&W, Babcock and Wilcox, Bechtel National Inc., bidders, CNS, consolidated contract, Lockheed Martin Services Inc., National Nuclear Security Administration, NNSA, Pantex Plant, Savannah River Site, tritium operations, uranium processing facility, Y-12 National Security Complex

B&W awards college scholarship to local student

Posted at 2:56 pm August 24, 2012
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Rob Jones

Rob Jones

The Babcock and Wilcox Company has awarded Knoxville student Rob Jones a college scholarship worth $1,500 per year for up to four years, a press release said.

The scholarship is one of 12 awarded each year to students whose parents work in B&W’s offices, including sites in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Ontario, Canada, the release said.

Jones is the son of Kelley and Steve Jones. Steve is a geologist in the Environmental Compliance organization at the Y-12 National Security Complex. B&W is one of the parent companies of B&W Y-12, the company that operates Y-12.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: Babcock and Wilcox, Rob Jones, scholarship, Y-12 National Security Complex

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Classifieds

Availability of the draft environmental assessment for off-site depleted uranium manufacturing (DOE/EA-2252)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the … [Read More...]

Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

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