Gregorry Jaczko: Author, Confessions of a Rogue Nuclear Regulator

Costs of Nuclear Bailouts in New York, Illinois, Connecticut & New Jersey

Costs of Other State Nuclear Bailouts

State	Duration	Price	Reactors	MW	MWh	Cost/year	Total Cost
New York	12 yrs (2017-2029)	$17.48-$29.15/MWh (rises every 2 yrs.)	4	3,351 MW	27,618,000 MWh	$483M-$804M	~$7.6 billion
Illinois	10 yrs (2017-2027)	$16.50-$20.50/MWh (rises every year after yr. 7)	3	2,780 MW	22,900,000 MWh	$235M (cost capped at ~$10/MWh)	$2.35 billion
New Jersey	3 yrs., up to 12 yrs.	~$10/MWh	3	3,573 MW	29,400,000 MWh	~$300M	<$3.6 billion
Connecticut	10 yrs.	Unknown	3	~1,300 MW	~11 million MWh	unknown	Unknown
TOTAL			13	11,000 MW	81 million MWh	> $1.1 billion/yr	~$15 billion

Subsidies to New York reactors are projected to total as much as $7.6 billion over 12 years (2017-2029).

Judson, Tim. “Too Big to Bail Out: The Economic Costs of a National Nuclear Power Subsidy.”

 Nuclear Information and Resource Ser­vice.  November 2016.

https://www.nirs.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Report-TooBigToBailOut-NIRS.pdf

Illinois subsidies are projected to total $2.35 billion over 10 years (2017-2027). Daniels, Steve.

 “How Exelon will keep getting bailout money in Illinois—whether it needs it or not.” Crain’s Chicago Business. August 2, 2017. 

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/arti­cle/20170802/NEWS11/170809972/how-exelon-will-keep-getting-bailout-money-in-illinois-whether-it-needs-it-or-not

Connecticut subsidies could amount to $330 million per year, in five-year contracts.

Energyzt Advisors, LLC. “Financial Assessment: Millstone Nuclear Power Plant.” April 2017.

https://www.nirs.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/ENERGYZT_Assessment_of_Millstone_201704_FINAL.pdf

New Jersey subsidies are estimated to cost consumers $300 million per year, in extendable three-year periods. 

The Board of Public Util­ities must submit a report to the governor within ten years evaluating the costs and benefits of the program.

https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2018/Bills/S2500/2313_I1.HTM

Generic Fundamentals Examination: Written Operator Licensing

ANNOUNCEMENT OF GENERIC FUNDAMENTALS EXAMINATION SECTION OF THE WRITTEN OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATION FOR 2019

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DEP Encourages Pennsylvanians to Test Homes for Radon

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Dept. of Environmental Protection
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg PA., 17120


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

01/2/2019

CONTACT:

Deb Klenotic, DEP

717-783-9954

DEP Encourages Pennsylvanians to Test Homes for Radon

Winter is the ideal time to test for this naturally occurring radioactive gas, the second leading cause of lung cancer

Harrisburg, PA – The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) encourages Pennsylvanians to start off the new year by conducting a simple test of their homes for radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Winter is a good time to test in the commonwealth because doors and windows are closed, providing more accurate results.

“Because of our geology, nearly every county in the commonwealth has locations of high radon levels, putting Pennsylvanians at risk of exposure,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “A radon test is a great way to protect yourself and your family. Fortunately, testing your home for radon is as simple as opening a can, and inexpensive do-it-yourself tests are available at hardware and home stores.” 

“Radon is a leading cause of lung cancer in Pennsylvania,” Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said. “Since we know that radon is prevalent in homes across Pennsylvania, it is important to test your home. It is a simple step you can take to protect your family’s health.”

Radon is an odorless, colorless, radioactive gas that occurs from the breakdown of uranium in the ground. It enters homes through cracks in the foundation or other openings. As a result, high levels of radon tend to be found in basements, but the gas can be found anywhere in the home.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set 4 picocuries of radon per liter (pCi/L) of air as an Action Level. If your radon level is higher than this, EPA, DEP, and the U.S. Surgeon General recommend having a radon mitigation system professionally installed to lower it. Typically consisting of a pipe and exhaust fan, the system will vent radon to the outside. 

All radon testers, mitigators, and laboratories in Pennsylvania must be certified by DEP, which provides a public list of certified radon service providers. People can also obtain a hard copy or verify a company’s certification by calling DEP at 800-23RADON (800-237-2366).

DEP will send free follow-up test kits to Pennsylvanians who’ve tested their homes and have results higher than 100 pCi/L or who’ve installed an active mitigation system in the past year. 

Compared with the associated risk of lung cancer, a radon reduction system is very affordable, generally in the price range of other common home improvements. 

Having a system installed will also make the future sale of your home easier. If you’re building a new home, DEP recommends installing a passive radon system during construction. There is no reliable way to test the ground in advance for radon, and the cost of installing the radon system during construction is typically much less than installing one after the fact.

For people buying or selling a home, Pennsylvania’s Real Estate Seller Disclosure Act requires sellers to disclose the results of any known radon testing. The DEP website lists radon testing options for real estate transactions. 

DEP provides several downloadable radon publications and is posting radon tips on Facebook and Twitter and airing a public service announcement throughout January, National Radon Action Month. 

For more information, please contact the DEP Radon Division via phone at 800-237-2366 or 717-783-3594, or via email at ra-epbrpenvprt@pa.gov.

Peach Bottom: Use of ASME Code Case N-513-3

Subject:  Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and 3 - Issuance of Relief Request Re:  Use of ASME Code Case N-513-3 in Lieu of Specific ASME Code Requirements (EPID L-2018-LLR-0040)

ADAMS Accession:  ML18346A500

Peach Bottom: Site Inspection for License Renewal

Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station - Post-Approval Site Inspection for License Renewal (Phase 4) Inspection Report 05000277/2018011 and 05000278/2018011

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Nuclear Regulatory Commission - Press Release

No: 18-063 December 18, 2018

CONTACT: Scott Burnell, 301-415-8200

NRC Proposes $232,000 Fine to Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is proposing a $232,000 civil penalty to Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation for a Severity Level II violation related to retaliation against a contract employee who reported a safety concern at the Wolf Creek nuclear power plant near Burlington, Kansas.

The violation of NRC requirements for employee protection is related to the contract employee filing a condition report during Wolf Creek’s 2016 refueling outage, as well as raising concerns directly to plant management. The NRC’s investigation concluded that the plant retaliated against the contract employee with an adverse employment action.

NRC staff met with company representatives on Sept. 10 to discuss the violation in a pre-decisional enforcement conference. Company officials contested the violation while also providing the NRC with information about long-term corrective actions.

The company has 30 days in which to dispute the fine or request involvement of a neutral third- party mediator to resolve the issue.