NEI Nuclear Notes

We’re not terribly critical of energy end users, though our father certainly could be if we let out the air conditioning by leaving the front door open too long. But even we might find our limit. This caught our eye while we were working on a story about the proposed 123 agreement between the U.S. and UAE (we’ll have more on that later): Versace, the renowned fashion house, has defended its proposal to build the world’s first refrigerated beach in Dubai... Why defend the indefensible? Just plow ahead and hope for the best. The beach, next to the new Palazzo Versace hotel overlooking Dubai Creek, is expected to be artificially cooled to avoid Dubai’s searing summer temperatures. Proposals have included a cooling system under the sand and blowing in cooled air from the Versace hotel. That last part would really make Dad holler. One has to wonder how cold they’d have to keep the hotel to share its cooling with an open beach. As you might guess, this hasn’t gone ...

You may be fairly sure that if a country expresses an interest in partnering with other countries to develop or enhance its nuclear industry that the big three - France, America and Russia - will come around in one order or another. But they'll all come calling. Any thought that the 123 agreement with the United States might forestall Russian interest in a similar arrangement may now be set aside : Russia and India on Friday signed landmark accords on issues ranging from nuclear energy to space exploration, as President Dmitry Medvedev met Indian leaders in a bid to bolster ties. The accords covered the building of four new nuclear energy reactors in Kudankulam in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, a co-operation accord on a space flight manned by Indian astronauts, and a contract for Russia to supply 80 MI-17V-5 helicopters for the Indian Army. We have no particular opinion about this, except to note that India is exceptionally well positioned to grow its industrial ...

Dan Yurman has the story : It took the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) nearly three days of protracted negotiations in Vienna to reach agreement. Austria, New Zealand, and Ireland, were the last three countries holding out on approval due to reservations about granting a waiver to India since it has not signed the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty. ... Austria, New Zealand and Ireland lifted their objection to the US proposal after India made a formal pledge to not share sensitive nuclear technology or material and to uphold its moratorium on testing nuclear weapons. The breakthrough reportedly came after US President George W Bush lobbied members of the NSG. ... Bush administration must now push it through Congress before legislators break for the November elections. ... Congress, starts its next session on Sept. 8, but it may not be able to approve the U.S.-India nuclear cooperation agreement. House Foreign Affiars Committee Chairman Howard Berman, (D-Calif), who opposes the deal,...