NEI Nuclear Notes

Generosity, American style: The world's largest concrete pump, deployed at the construction site of the U.S. government's $4.86 billion mixed oxide fuel plant at Savannah River Site, is being moved to Japan in a series of emergency measures to help stabilize the Fukushima reactors. Why?: “The bottom line is, the Japanese need this particular unit worse than we do, so we're giving it up," said Jerry Ashmore, whose company, Augusta-based Ashmore Concrete Contractors, Inc., is the concrete supplier for the MOX facility. Apparently, only two of these pumps exist – the other is in California – and both are going to Japan. "Our understanding is, they are preparing to go to next phase and it will require a lot of concrete," Ashmore said, noting that the 70-meter pump can move 210 cubic yards of concrete per hour. I hadn’t read this anywhere else – the pumps can be used for water, too – so Ashmore may be guessing, but that’s okay. He’s allowe...