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Below is from our rapid response team . Yesterday, regional anti-nuclear organizations asked federal nuclear energy regulators to launch an investigation into what it claims are “newly identified flaws” in Westinghouse’s advanced reactor design, the AP1000. During a teleconference releasing a report on the subject, participants urged the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to suspend license reviews of proposed AP1000 reactors. In its news release, even the groups making these allegations provide conflicting information on its findings. In one instance, the groups cite “dozens of corrosion holes” at reactor vessels and in another says that eight holes have been documented. In all cases, there is another containment mechanism that would provide a barrier to radiation release. Below, we examine why these claims are unwarranted and why the AP1000 design certification process should continue as designated by the NRC. Myth: In the AP1000 reactor design, the gap between the shield bu...
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Seems to me that Dr. Diaz is clean on this. As a former chairman and professor emeritus of nuclear engineering (he was my faculty advisor), he can certainly advise potential licensees about the process and the engineering. He can even be a principal at this stage.
A potential conflict MIGHT arise years down the road if he lobbied the NRC during the license application process or during operation. However, the project is certainly YEARS from that stage and I believe there is a temporal limitation of such restrictions.
Transition Power is talking about a new industry structure for nuclear where project developers get the ball rolling then sell the project to bigger money at some stage when the political risks are clearer and the economics can pass due diligence.
This business model happens all the time with independent power producers and especially with renewables. The guys in Fresno California and Boise Idaho are trying something similar with their nuclear projects.
I'll let Utahans judge the ethics of their own politicians!