NEI Nuclear Notes

Here’s an odd one. Edward Luce writes in The Financial Times that the drive for natural gas is pushing other energy types out of the way, risk be damned. So far, so good, if a bit overstated. Then, this : America has likewise turned away from nuclear power. In his first term Mr. Obama announced plans to revive a sector that had essentially been frozen since the Three Mile Island leakage of 1978. Nothing has come of it. Only one new US nuclear power plant is planned and that is years away. When did he write this? The mention of Obama suggests it was more recently than 1995, but the content is bizarrely off. Five reactors are in progress and FPL is at least giving some thought to two more. That’s not nothing and it’s more than “only one new” plant. Major fail – weird for this outlet.

Earlier today, the Financial Times published a story concerning how computer hackers might be able to attack America's electric infrastructure . While the story didn't mention the nuclear energy industry specifically, we thought it would be a good idea to remind everyone that NEI's in-house expert on cyber security, Bill Gross, recently tackled the issue of how the nuclear industry has been responding to these potential threats : The nuclear sector is a leader in the area cyber security. The Nuclear Energy Institute established a Cyber Security Task Force in 2002 to begin developing recommendations and guidance for nuclear facilities to address cyber security threats. In 2006, in the absence of regulations, the nuclear power plants adopted and, by May of 2008, implemented a robust cyber security program. This program was recognized by both NRC and NERC as adequate for the protection of critical systems. In March of 2009, the NRC issued mandatory and comprehensive perfor...