Vol. 9, No. 45 
Trump Weighs Yucca Mountain Licensing Revival
-
Commercial Low-Level Waste
DOJ Files Lawsuit to Block EnergySolutions Acquisition of WCS
The Department of Justice on Wednesday filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in federal court in an attempt to block EnergySolutions’ $367 million acquisition of Waste Control Specialists, arguing the deal would merge the two largest competitors for low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) disposal in dozens of states. “Since opening its LLRW disposal facility in 2012, Waste […]
-
Interim Storage & Waste Disposal
Feinstein Wants Nuclear Industry to Support Multiple Waste Storage Options
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on Wednesday called on the nuclear industry to support multiple solutions for dealing with America’s commercial nuclear waste storage impasse. The Obama administration in 2011 canceled plans for a geologic repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada, eventually opting for a plan that prioritizes interim nuclear waste storage through a consent-based approach […]
-
Commercial Decommissioning
NYPSC Approves Entergy-Exelon FitzPatrick Deal
The New York Public Service Commission on Thursday approved Entergy’s $110 million sale of its James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant to Exelon, saying the deal will allow the state to achieve its 2030 carbon reduction goals. The transaction still requires approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Department of […]
-
Budget & Policy
Congressional Republicans Punt on Final 2017 Spending Bill After Trump Victory
Federal agencies including the Energy Department will remain funded at fiscal 2016 levels through at least the first two months of President-elect Donald Trump’s term, Republican congressional leaders decided this week. “To this end, my Committee will begin working immediately on a Continuing Resolution (CR) at the current rate of funding to extend the operations […]
-
Commercial Decommissioning
Illinois Weighs Nuclear Subsidies
Illinois is once again considering comprehensive energy legislation that utility Exelon claims is necessary to stave off closures of its Quad Cities Generating Station and the Clinton Power Station, despite critics’ claims that the bill is an unnecessary bailout for a profitable company. The Future Energy Jobs bill (SB 2814) was introduced in the Illinois General Assembly […]
-
Reactor Licensing & Regulation
NRC Cites Four Violations at Pilgrim
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission identified four “very low safety significance” findings at the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station during its third-quarter inspection in September, which was released publicly Monday. The green inspection findings were added to a long list of complications at the beleaguered 44-year-old Massachusetts plant. The NRC in 2015 downgraded Pilgrim to Column 4 […]
-
International
South Australia Backs Off Nuclear Waste Storage Proposal
The South Australian government is not moving ahead with a potential plan under which the state could take in about 13 percent of the world’s nuclear waste. South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill, of the Labor Party, issued an official response Tuesday to a Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission report supporting the proposed facility. In its […]
-
Commercial Low-Level Waste
International Isotopes’ Losses Pile Up
International Isotopes in the first nine months of 2016 suffered a net loss of $1.36 million, “net of non-controlling interest and net cash used in operating activities of $269,647,” according to the company’s 10-Q submitted Monday to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. That is up from a net loss of $1.26 million for the […]
-
Cleanup & Remediation
Perma-Fix Reports Rough Quarter, Sees Opportunities Ahead
Executives with radioactive waste management specialist Perma-Fix Environmental Services on Friday acknowledged rough earnings numbers for the latest quarter and entirety of 2016. But they said the outlook is improving, particularly with an opportunity to treat large amounts of waste at the Department of Energy’s Hanford Site in Washington state. “We’ve been very disappointed with […]
-
Interim Storage & Waste Disposal
NRC Seeking Public Input on Spent Fuel Storage Environmental Review
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Monday requested public input on the scope of its assessment of the potential environmental impacts of Waste Control Specialists’ proposed consolidated interim spent nuclear fuel storage facility in West Texas. The review is one of two the NRC would conduct before deciding whether to sign off on the planned 40,000-metric-ton-capacity […]
-
Cleanup & Remediation
Wrap-Up: Couple Sues West Lake Owner Over Radioactive Material
U.S. A St. Louis, Mo.-area couple is suing the owner of the West Lake Landfill, among other companiess, claiming that contamination from the controversial Superfund site has been recorded in their home. Michael and Robbin Dailey filed the lawsuit Tuesday in St. Louis County Circuit Court against nine companies, including current landfill owner Republic Services. […]
-
Interim Storage & Waste Disposal
Publication Notice
RadWaste Monitor will not be published next week in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Look for the next edition in your inbox on Friday, Dec. 2.