Power grid and stations

Top 7 alternative technologies to fossil fuel
Energy expert says that an “all of the above” approach to the world’s energy problem is wrong; study shows wind and solar to be the most promising alternative technologies to fossil fuel; biofuel, clean coal, and nuclear power are do not hold such promise
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Utilities plan to stay the course with spending plans for infrastructure
Despite the economic slowdown, utilities around the world plan to press ahead with investments in both their infrastructure and “smart grid” automation program; investments will be in the range of $90-$105 billion
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Alps laboratory tests methods of storing nuclear waste
Two test tunnels in Switzerland are used to study methods of storing nuclear waste; many scientists from around the world take part in the research
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"Small is beautiful" comes to the nuclear power industry
The main problem facing nuclear power is not the fear of accidents or terrorism, or anxiety about nuclear waste disposal; it is cost (it takes about $4,000/kilowatt to build a nuclear power station); there is a growing interest in small, tub-size nuclear power units
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Uranium is good investment
Many analysts, disoriented by the fall of uranium prices from $130+ to about $45 a pound, fail to notice that the fundamentals of the uranium market have not changed
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More secure European electrical grid
Several European Transmission System Operators (TSOs) launch a new initiative designed to improve electrical systems security throughout Europe
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Radioactive-waste tracking software deployed at U.K. nuclear sites
The radioactive-waste tracking software developed by Tennessee-based AttentionIT will be deployed in decommissioned U.K. nuclear facilities; the waste tracking software provides electronic storage of information related to “cradle to grave” treatment of radioactive and mixed waste
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Day of smart grid nears
Major blackouts may be a thing of the past: the world’s first high-voltage Li-ion system can connect to the grid, without a transformer, and immediately turn on if there is a disruption in power
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New CFIUS regulations
CFIUS issues final regulations governing national security reviews of foreign investment in the United States
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Energy industry likely prime cyber attack target
Critical infrastructure insiders say the energy industry is also the most vulnerable to cyber attacks and would have the most detrimental breach
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New reactor design lessens risk of weapon proliferation
Nuclear materials for power reactors cannot be stolen by those interested in using it for nuclear weapons while the material is in the reactor — it is too hot to handle; the risks of diversion are during the enrichment process, and while the material is being transported; to lessen the risk, researchers offer innovative reactor design
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Russia to build IAEA-supervised nuclear fuel bank
The nuclear fueled bank would allow countries, including Iran, to develop civilian nuclear power without having to enrich their own uranium, thus allaying fears over nuclear weapons proliferation
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DSRL in £13 million Dounreay decommissioning contract
Britain’s Dounreay fast reactor was proclaimed as “the system of the next century”; this was in the 1960s; the last 15 years have seen the site develop into a nuclear reactor decommissioning project
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Breakthrough: Radioactive waste may no longer be dangerous to store
Aussie researchers have created a material which has the potential to filter and safely lock away radioactive ions from waste water; nanofibers which are millionths of a millimeter in size could permanently lock away radioactive cations by displacing the existing sodium ions in the fiber
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FSU joins coalition working to improve U.S. power grid
Seminoles center joins the other sixty-nine member companies and organizations of the GridWise Alliance to push for modernizing the U.S. power grid
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