State Republicans move to overturn new reactor ban in Minnesota

House and Senate Republicans in Minnesota are introducing bills to over-turn the lifelong ban - already in place for 17 years - against new reactors in Minnesota. Newly-elected Democratic governor, Mark Dayton, opposes lifting the ban because there is still no solution to the radioactive waste problem produced by nuclear power plants. The push by Republicans is out of synch, however, with the owners of the two existing nuclear plants in Minnesota. Xcel Energy, which owns the Prairie Island and Monticello nuclear plants, has said it has no plans for another nuclear plant.

Two Wisconsin groups oppose uprate at Point Beach reactors

Wisconsin Citizens' Utility Board and Clean Wisconsin habe filed their opposition with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to an uprate at the Point Beach nuclear power plant in Wisconsin. The groups argue that the reactors don't need expanded power output because the state has more than enough electricity to meet its needs. Reactor owner, NextEra Energy Resources Inc. has proposed expanding the total power output from the two-reactor plant by 17%.



Environmental coalition challenges "20 MORE years of radioactive Russian roulette" at Davis-Besse

Rust-boric acid "lava" flows from Davis-Besse lid leading up to the 2002 hole in the head accident.An environmental coalition including Beyond Nuclear, Citizens Environment Alliance of Southwestern Ontario, Don't Waste Michigan, and the Green Party of Ohio has filed a petition to intervene and a request for hearings on First Energy Nuclear Operating Company's application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a 20 year license extension (any of the 75 exhibits listed are available in PDF format from Kevin Kamps at Beyond Nuclear upon request -- kevin@beyondnuclear.org). The four contentions filed allege that Davis-Besse's nuclear electricity could readily be replaced by wind power, by solar photovoltaics (PV), and by a combination of wind and solar PV. Alvin Compaan, Distinguished University Professor of Physics, Emeritus, at the University of Toledo, and former Chair of UT’s Physics and Astronomy Department, is serving as the environmental coalition's expert witness on renewables' potential to replace the dangerously deteriorated atomic reactor. The coalition issued a media release about its official intervention. Beyond Nuclear recently prepared a comprehensive summary of near-disasters which have occurred at Davis-Besse since 1977, entitled "Radioactive Russian Roulette on the Great Lakes Shore: 20 MORE Years at Davis-Besse?!"