President Elect Hillary Clinton and the USA's Electric Utility Nuclear Industry Establishment.

Update This was the first US and Russian uranium fraud before the Clinton uranium fraud. The whole uranium business is riddle with fraud

Originally published on Apr 25 2015

Clinton Cash: Hillary’s Spin Machine Can’t Shrug Off Uranium Scandal

Breitbart 

• The big issue out of this...more than 80% of the electricity produced by US nuclear power plants comes from foreign sources and most of it comes from Russia. What are the repercussion of this? 

• Why isn't it in our common lexicon that we know what powers up our national fleet of nuclear power plants…where do we get our uranium from?  

• The idea the utilities and the nuclear establishment dominates our news media, our political system…can keep the information secret where our plant uranium comes from because it reflects badly about the domestic nuclear plant industry. 

• The electric utility establishment, because of their size and it is a vital national security industry to the public and business, it totally dominates our news media cycle and our political system. They define what truth is in our society!

Fox/National review:

VIDEO:Sen John Barrasso: I Warned Pres. Obama about Uranium Deal with Russia Back in 2010 
Van Susteren: Is the Nuclear Regulatory [Commission] now giving the license for these particular exports to this Russian company? 

Barrasso: They have not given the — they were supposed to contact me immediately if there was even a request for a license to export — 

Van Susteren: Has there been a request?

Barrasso: Not that I know, but I know that uranium has left the country. They have a number of different companies and shell organizations . . .

Van Susteren: But not this — this Russian company hasn’t been able to take out the uranium, take it out of the country?

Barrasso: When you talk to people on the ground, uranium has left the United States. It has gone to Canada, has gone overseas and our concern is that it’s . . . at the fundamental of American uranium, 20 percent of our capacity here in the United States, and for nuclear power we need to import uranium. We continue to do that. 

Nuclear power provides about 20 percent of the electricity for our country. I think there’s an issue of national security as well as energy security, and I worry about Iran getting this uranium.

Mindless Gods Of Nuclear Nonproliferation

Ultimately what is going one here, these guys are saying we are saving the world from the ultimate destruction through many multiple detonations of giant hydrogen bombs …we are saving the world from the deaths of 5 billion people or more people. If you scrutinize us, it will drive the planet back to the Stone Age. It is altruism corruption on a giant hydrogen bomb level, many nuclear weapon explosions size. A full exchange of nuclear bombs by many big countries. 

If outsiders scrutinize this international uranium trading scheme and who really benefits disproportionally…the cost will be a nuclear bomb holocaust a trillion times the size of WWII Germany.

Ultimately what you are saying, the consequences are so dire to billions people… some special people and institutional priest people are so important, these guys are going to stop this unspeakable planetary catastrophe…these special people and organization are so important to the history of the planet, these guys have to remain unscrutinizable. Everyone dies in a hydrogen bomb planetary wide catastrophe if you see the sins of one of these god proliferation people doing the uranium bomb material trading. 

It is the ultimate unscrutinizable corruption scheme the planet has ever seen. 

You know what the problems are with the humongous powerful black box or stellar black hole USA, Russian governments and USA Electric Utility institutions are: the institution themselves are totally in control of the light shining out of the their institutions. We are talking big money to secret elites. It is only a tiny bit of light that escapes, it highly controlled weak light coming from these corrupt institutions. Who controls the institutions, it is the rich and elites. Nobody can contest these giant institutions.

• NY Senator Clinton: January 3, 2001 – January 21, 2009

• Obama elected on 2009

• Secretary Of State Clinton: January 21, 2009 – February 1, 2013

• So this money to the foundation was all taking place beginning in around 2004 and 2005.

• In the lead up to the spectacular 2008-2009 worldwide economic collapse, generally the stock price of our electricity utilities was in a historic bubble. Unimaginable increase in the price of the big utility stocks signaling a massive future increase in the price of electricity. Gasoline prices were going through the roof. We were in a dire shortage of natural gas and the price of this was just out of the world. We were seeing price spikes of natural gas that would choke a elephant. The high price of natural gas and its shortages, at that time, the price of natural gas set the price of electricity is the USA. 

• Everyone could see with the air pollution in China…China had to go big time for survive into nuclear power.

• Thirty USA nuclear plants were getting ready for “batters up”…in the spectacular new Nuclear Renaissance program.

• Everyone worldwide was thinking about building nuclear power plants until Fukushima

• We are talking about a huge demand of new uranium…

• The Megawatt to Megaton was in full swing…

• Was everyone was afraid the Chinese would consume all the uranium in the near future? 

• The price of electricity is skyrocketing unabated today and heading much higher...

• The problem with nuclear power today is its always been too speculative.

You get a whiff these giant institutions are rotting inside, but you never get enough evidence such that the elite institutionally controlled and privately owned 4th estate and news media never have enough triplicate proof (wink wink) to publish these highly secret stories. 

Are we really a transparent and modern democracy???    

The big questions my Clinton article ask: 

• The big issue: In 2013 greater than 90% of our domestic nuclear power plant electricity came from cheap Russian uranium. Have we switched over post "Megaton to Megawatt" program from (wink, wink) Russian nuclear weapons USA's electricity into Russian internal uranium mining, refining and centrifuging electricity?

• The big story behind all the Russian monies going to the Clinton Foundation is where do we get the uranium that power's up all of our domestic nuclear power plants? 

• Does Russia really got the USA by the "balls" now? The problem with Russia is this nation has always been a black hole to the world…basically transparency has always been controlled by the Russian thug mafia. They only allow you to see what they want you to see. It is not a fully developed institutional democracy government that serves it people. Well then, does the USA fully serve it people? When was the last time you had a raise? 

• Was the Megaton to Megawatt" program really international sized hydrogen bomb corruption... 

• So we are embargoing petroleum out of Russia over Ukraine...we doing the same for Uranium going to the USA?

• What is the price of Russian uranium doing with the high value of the USA dollar?

• Was Russian fuel to going the USA plants subsidized by the USA government?

• Where did all the utility uranium money go to in the Russia. 

• What is the total US money over uranium that going to Russia. Bet, you will run into a grave National Security issues over this.

• This was always a solely domestic story of what source of energy powers up our electric system and thus our economy, but wrapped on in the enigma of extremely secret national security information. This makes the system extremely sensitive to corruption.


• Where does Japan get their uranium?

• What would have happened to our domestic nuclear industry and the utilities, if we were prohibited from using extremely inexpensive Russian gulag uranium electricity post Soviet breakup? 

• I contend the NYT's knows the outline of this story, but they are too chicken to publish it. Or these giant black hole institutions who totally control the information don't give the NYT's sufficient evidence so the giant newspaper feels safe in publishing it. Then again, the public doesn't care about anything electricity.

• I have always had issues with Russian gulag and slave labor electricity!!! 

• Did the American electric utilities illegally kick back through the Russian...monies to the Clinton Foundation as political payoff? 

Did the benefits of USA's cheap Russian uranium electricity ostensibly go to the utility executive 1%ers…or did it make our lives better and support all of our businesses better since the soviet breakup? 

The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force interviewed me in 2010, I always wondered what they thought of me over my blog.

NYT: Cash Flowed to Clinton Foundation Amid Russian Uranium Deal

excerpts: 

…"The national security issue at stake in the Uranium One deal was not primarily about nuclear weapons proliferation; the United States and Russia had for years cooperated on that front, with Russia sending enriched fuel from decommissioned warheads to be used in American

I believe this is the first time it was admitted  the USA gave the Russians raw US uranium in return for diluted weapon grade uranium. The money stream worries me. What did the Russians do with our uranium? Obviously it is cheaper to refine and centrifuge uranium in Russia and any of the third world than it is in the USA.     

nuclear power plants in return for raw uranium. Instead, it concerned American dependence on foreign uranium sources. While the United States gets one-fifth of its electrical power from nuclear plants, it produces

So the NYT's admits 80% of the electricity going to our nuclear fleet comes from the Russian uranium. You see really how difficult it is to know where yellow cake or uranium comes from? Christ, American uranium could be supplying Iran or north Korea? I think the 80% for the nukes is much higher. The Times got it wrong. You can never can trust these nukies to tell all of the truth. It goes more like this, 80% comes from the Russians, a least 15% comes from other foreign sources and way less than 5% comes from US sources. How much comes from Canada...why doesn't the US have a list where we get our uranium.  

only around 20 percent of the uranium it needs, and most plants have only 18 to 36 months of reserves, according to Marin Katusa, author of “The Colder War: How the Global Energy Trade Slipped From America’s Grasp.”

Does anyone wonder why it is not a requirement that a utility discloses where they get their uranium from? It is probably half the reason we can't be tougher on the Ukraine issue because we are so indebted to the Russians. Make no mistake, if Russia immediately shuts off the valve on Russian uranium, there would be huge repercussions. Basically we off-shored all our expensive uranium refining and centrifuging to countries with little employee safety laws. Again, the 80% numberhas been banging around in the internet for many decades. It is disclosed be the nuclear industry itself. Does 80% seem plausible...why isn't 83.5%. I doubt this number is truthful and up to date.         

“The Russians are easily winning the uranium war, and nobody’s talking about it,” said Mr. Katusa, who explores the implications of the Uranium One deal in his book. “It’s not just a domestic issue but a foreign policy issue, too.” 

…American nuclear officials, too, seemed eager to assuage fears. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission wrote to Mr. Barrasso assuring him that American uranium would be preserved for domestic use, regardless of who owned it.

“In order to export uranium from the United States, Uranium One Inc. or ARMZ would need to apply for and obtain a specific NRC license authorizing the export of uranium for use as reactor fuel,” the letter said. 

…Two months later, the deal giving ARMZ a controlling stake in Uranium One was submitted to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States for review. Because of the secrecy surrounding the process, it is hard to know whether the participants weighed the desire to improve bilateral relations against the potential risks of allowing the Russian government control over the biggest uranium producer in the United States. The deal was ultimately approved in October, following what two people involved in securing the approval said had been a relatively smooth process. 

…Mr. Christensen, 65, noted that despite assurances by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that uranium could not leave the country without Uranium One or ARMZ obtaining an export license — which they do not have — yellowcake from his property was routinely packed into drums and trucked off to a processing plant in Canada. 

…Asked about that, the commission confirmed that Uranium One has, in fact, shipped yellowcake to Canada even though it does not have an export license. Instead, the transport company doing the shipping, RSB Logistic Services, has the license. A commission spokesman said that “to the best of our knowledge” most of the uranium sent to Canada for processing was returned for use in the United States. A Uranium One spokeswoman, Donna Wichers, said 25 percent had gone to Western Europe and Japan. At the moment, with the uranium market in a downturn, nothing is being shipped from the Wyoming mines."

We are all worked up about Hillary as Secretary of State OKing the purchasing of one-fifth of American Uranium mining capabilities by the Russians. Then the Russian's giving the Clinton Foundation some $4 million dollars and another $32 million dollars worth of uranium money getting to the Clinton Foundation.

Now we getting into one of deepest national security and American electric utility secrets we ever have.

You know, from Exelon or Entergy, why can’t you go up to them asking where do they get their uranium from that fuels yours nuclear plants. I want the cheapest source? List your sources and their percentages? Why has this become so secret and politicized? 

Why don’t we get a choice, I want USA uranium or I want Soviet uranium? I want uranium source who treats their employees the best?  Where is out vaulted American choice. 

So I wrote “A Message From the Future” in 2004. Why was I all worked up. The big questions  today is over the Russian Uranium and USA electric utility monies going into the Clinton foundation. Nobody has the balls to get it. Do you really get it? "You sure." The American news media establishment bases all its reporting on having absolute triplicate proof on reporting negatively on our elite establishments. Our deepest national security secret the American electric utilities won't tell the the news establishment is where do we get and at what percentage... do we get the uranium that powers up 20% of our electricity?

Almost none of it came from the USA. Some 90% and as high as 99% of the uranium came from Russia. Nuclear electricity has the highest concentration of  foreign source energy than  any source of energy in the USA. If the Russians stopped providing their Uranium to us, this could created a enormus shortage of uranium for our domestic nuclear plants. 

Who destroyed the USA's domestic production of mined uranium, put great numbers of Americans out of work, extremely cheap Russian Uranium. The Russian's subsidized the great American electric utilities. Our electric utilities are one of our most formidable political forces in the USA. 

In the Sundays morning TV news programs these are the big questions:  

The Russian took over one fifth of the USA uranium mining capabilities.  

Nuclear power makes up 20% of the USA's electricity

I tried to express the system as the "Mindless Gods of Nuclear Nonproliferation". Coming out of the great fall of the "Soviet Empire" came the Mega Tons to Megawatt Program. Most of the soviet uranium, refining and centrifuging came for slave labor and little human health rules and laws. Lots of it came from the soviet gulags. The soviet's said they were decommissioning tens of thousandth obsolete nuclear weapons and very high concentration of U235 was made into 4% of so uranium oxide sold to our American domestic nuclear industry at very cheap prices. So tons of electricity was made from soviet era slave labor and come also from their gulags. There was rumors the Russian were spiking this weapons uranium with new mining, refining and centrifuging...anticipating the end of the megaton to megawatt(MTM) problem. The MTM totally destroyed our domestic uranium mining and totally captured our uranium used in our domestic nuclear plant markets?  

If the news media and our USA government really worked in our interest...they would do a exposé of where we got the uranium that powered up 20% of electricity...all  nuclear plants for the last 25 years?  If I was the coal industry, I'd be bragging at least coal electricity is all  a American product, but they know the guys with the humongous political balls is the electric utilities.  

Mindless Gods Of Nuclear Nonproliferation

“A Message From the Future”  

(I wrote this in 2004. It was then that I realized 90% of electricity from all of our domestic nuclear plants was sourced from Russian uranium.)

I am speaking from the year 2106. Our planet has just begun to recover from the modern dark ages. They say truth is stranger than fiction –who would have thought airplanes could be used as political guided missile messages that destroyed two skyscrapers, witness the Twin Towers in New York City in 2001. These are the astonishing events that led to depopulating of half the planet. Modernity dropped back a century in time on average to 1900 throughout the world by 2020. 

Ironically, this modern Dark Age holocaust saved the planet. We were heading over the unrecoverable cliff if we kept going the way we were. Human life would have ended on this planet earth without this nuclear exchange. What did we say about that life and evolution always protects itself? All of a sudden , the planet wide political pressures of global warming, energy and resource shortages were drastically reduced because of the planet wide human and industrial die-off. 

As we sit in 2106 on a global level -all of our political and educational processes have been drastically changed.We have developed a planet wide ethical and moral code. This came through a catastrophe of enormous proportions and the death and sufferings of billions of people. The way we look at our children today is so different than in the year 2004. 

We know that any child born on this planet has the potential and the requirement –to change the course of history of this planet. We give our poorest and disadvantaged children the finest educational tools that money can buy in the hopes that one child will change the course of our future history. Every child on this planet gets educated like this –and every child is our own child! 

The extremist Islamic Iranian wilayat al-faqih eventually got a series of nuclear bombs in 2006. They detonated two bombs in Israel, one each over downtown Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The Israelis never knew if it came by missile or was sneaked in through the boarders of a destabilized Iraq. Israel within hours immediately retaliated. They devastated Iran through a series of atomic detonation. The Israeli military destroyed the capitals of China, Syria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia (and Holy City of Makkah (Mecca) and Russia. You have no idea what this did to the price of oil –this was devastating to the global economic system. 

The majority of the financing of the Iranian nuclear bombs came from a surprising source. There is evidence today that there was an Al-Qaeda plot involved with the Russians and Iranians. It also seems that a few Russians generals held a grudge with the American involvement in the Afghanistan Vietnam. This led to the downfall of the old Soviet Empire. At the 2004 time frame Russia didn't have a real government –it was ruled by mafia don like figures.

The majority of the financing of the Iranian nuclear program came from the American electric utility rate payers. By 2004, the electricity in one out of ten households (update in 2013: one in five homes) was being supplied from the Russian weapons grade nuclear material through the "Megaton to Megawatt program". We were purchasing HEU grade Uranium from the Russian nuclear bomb building program and fueling up American nuclear power plants in the hopes of reducing the nuclear proliferation problems to the tune of one half a billion dollars a year. There was just too much money to be made at all levels of the production and manufacturing with this Russian nuclear material for anyone to have any moral qualms with this. 

A large proportion of the American monies got diverted into the Russian covert nuclear proliferation program that created the Iranian nuclear weapons. There was a theory that it was Chinese rocket technology that propelled the bomb to Jerusalem. It was common knowledge throughout the American political and intelligence establishment that the American nuclear electric monies were disappearing in the Putin regime. We knew the Russians would sell weapon technology without a hint of morality –likewise most of the countries on this planet would sell weapons without a hint of morality, including and especially the Americans. 

To this day, we wonder why the American CIA and intelligence community didn't inform the American public of this impending catastrophe. It is recognized that the American intelligence community was going under historic reorganizations because of the intelligence failures of 9/11 and the WMD failures in Iraq. It was discovered the American intelligence community had gotten even more blinded than the lead up to 9/11 because of the failure of the American public's responsibility to manage their political system by 2006. This became another item on a long list of American institutional political failures of recent. 

We wonder to this day did the American intelligence community work for the particular political regime or did they work for the people at large? Why wasn't the American intelligence community working for the peoples of the planet. What it discovered, was a common relationship throughout the planet is the elites had transcended into competing for wealth and power among themselves –special access to markets and capital. They had forgotten that they were given this privilege in order to create stability and progress for the whole planet 

It was a huge planet wide educational failure of theirs! 

Thank You, 
mike mulligan 
Hinsdale, NH

(The year 2020 isn't here yet, you still got time to care???)

Heroin Problem

Update Oct 28, 2017

Really, how can we help and developed these guys? Our foreign aid is upwards to $500 million dollars. Will a billion fix them? Two billion dollar? I don't trust them a bit in spending our money. I think the Mexican military actions are only protecting the elites. Probably to protect the vacation and us corporate industrial zone. Screw the rest of the nation. 

Why isn't this a death spiral? You know the La Familia Michoacána cartel is paying off the elites. Their billions are dwarfing our foreign aid. What is our corporation begin fleeing Mexico based on the trump miracle wink).

They are polluting our nation with a assortment of dangerous drugs and crimes. Then there is a humanity thing...how can we support the majority of Mexicans to make there lives better and stop all this illegal immigration. A nation they can be proud of and stay home. Why are our political tolerating this status quo. There is a component of national security. 

We just need tough medicine. 
 

Mexico’s Record Violence Is a Crisis 20 Years in the Making

MEXICO CITY — The forces driving violence in Mexico, which is now on track for its worst year in decades, were first set in motion 20 years ago by two events that were, at the time, celebrated as triumphs.

First, Colombia defeated its major drug cartels in the 1990s, driving the center of the drug trade from the country into Mexico.

Then, in 2000, Mexico transitioned to a multiparty democracy.

This meant that the drug trade moved to Mexico just as its politics and institutions were in flux, leaving them unable to address a problem they have often made worse.

Since then, a series of bad breaks, missteps and self-imposed crises have led to an explosion of violence. Last year there were more than 20,000 killings. This year is on track to be worse, exceeding the 2011 record, which was thought to be the drug war’s apex.

“Drug trafficking is not this violent in other countries,” Guillermo Valdés, a former leader of CISEN, the civil national security intelligence service, said in an interview in Mexico City…

I am surprised we haven't done a broad study on the personality characteristics and history of those who get addicted to heroin???

Oct 26 2017 Trump Update

Blah, blah, blah typical politician!!!

Trump says 90% of our heroin comes from south of our boarder. Our narco counties!!!

***Treatment and incarceration does not work. We got severely go after the producer and distribution countries. Cut off foreign aid and ever blockade the countries. Go to war over it to disrupt cartels and drug king pins. China is the main producers fentanyl. Mexica is a gigantic distributor and  producer. Columbia and Mexico are producer of the hard drugs. I would legalized pot.

If we stopped all hard drug from South America we would crater the economy. There would be riots and rebellion all over the place flooding America with illegal immigrants.

NRC All Hands Meeting: Mass Firings and More To come

All Hands Meeting

This has been another year of significant change for NRC. 16
In a few weeks, the Agency will end the fiscal year with around 3200 17
employees. That's about the level we were at in 2006, when NRC was 18
starting to ramp up for the anticipated wave of new reactor applications. 19
In just two years, our workforce declined by more than 12%, 20
mostly as a result of the Project Aim efforts. That is a lot of change in a short 21
period of time, and I know that major changes can be challenging. 22
Unfortunately, for the first time in many years, NRC is preparing for a potential 23
reduction in force, affecting a number of corporate office positions.

The magnitude of it according to the bureaucrats:

NRC 2.0

Pathetic all about downs sizing, statues (art) and employee issues. Nothing about operating reactors, or their financial issues. I am beginning to wonder if downsizing really is NRC employee intimidation.

Worker:Paper Plant Closed

Update

Reposted from 2/26/05

Saturday, February 26, 2005

Worker: paper plant closed

Nika CarlsonSentinel Staff

WINCHESTER — In a strikingly familiar story, Atlantic Paper and Foil, a Winchester tissue plant, temporarily closed its doors Friday, leaving more than 70 people without a job, a worker said.
Company officials could not be reached for comment, but the worker said officials announced they plan on reopening the plant in two to six months.

The closure was news to Winchester Selectman Gustave A. Ruth, who said the company informed Winchester officials several weeks ago that the company was going through bankruptcy proceedings.
According to the worker, who didn’t want his name used, company officials want to upgrade the more than half-century old equipment and improve production at the mill.

Atlantic Paper and Foil is a family-owned company based out of Hauppauge, N.Y., with other locations in New York and Georgia. The Winchester plant was one of its smaller locations.
The situation at Atlantic Paper and Foil closely mirrors that of the plant’s former owners.
Atlantic Paper bought the plant in 2003, after it had lain dormant for several years.

The mill last closed in July 2001. Then-owners American Tissue Inc., said they were

(Fixed)This lagoon issues was me. NH is very weak regulator wise. I hounded the NHDES and politicians (Gov Shaheen) beginning in around 1999. The NHDES totally ignored my first complaint. I kept documenting huge plumbs of pollution heading towards my town and reported it. Got the Keene Sentinel to write an an article on it. Got them on falsified pollution reports and severe EPA poor oversight of the state regular. Identified shortcoming in the regs with  the EPA in small and medium size polluters like this. It was all political fraud in the Clinton era and it was systemic in the NH for decades. Eventually though my hounding, the NH governor, she tasked our Attorney General to take a deep look into this corrupt company. Because of the investigation, then a bank (BOA) made a fraud complaint. We then were off to the races. Put about ten thousand employees out of work and put severe hardship on towns laying off employees and cops.

(Actually BOA later bought out the bankrupt first bank who made the loans and they made the complaint to AG and feds. I believe the loan bank made complaint, then went bankrupt. The NHDES told me in veiled way in the beginning, these are really bad guys. I said bs, make them stop polluting right now)  

going to fix leaky lagoons where wastewater from the plant was leaking into the Ashuelot River.

The mill was never reopened, and American Tissue Inc. declared bankruptcy that same year.
Like Atlantic Paper, the company was based out of Hauppauge, N.Y., though the two firms are unconnected, said Atlantic’s executive vice president in 2003. However, the company was founded by a former partner in American Tissue.

In 2003, four former American Tissue executives were charged with defrauding banks and investors of nearly $300 million, leading to the company’s collapse. At that time, the company owed at least $100,000 in back taxes to the town of Winchester.

When Atlantic Paper bought the mill, officials promised to repay those back taxes.
Town records show the company currently owes unrelated back taxes. The town says Atlantic Paper owes $419 for a piece of property, though the company denies owning the land, Ruth said.

Town officials lobbied hard to bring Atlantic Paper to town, even winning a $700,000 federal grant to help the company buy the mill.

That grant was funneled to Atlantic Paper as a loan through the Monadnock Economic Development Corp. Winchester is not responsible if the company defaults on the loan, Monadnock Economic Development President John G. Dugan said in 2002.

The worker said company officials informed the plant manager just a few days ago that the plant would close. Plans were finalized Thursday, he said.

The worker said management said nothing about severance packages, but said the company promised to pay out any leftover vacation days. They also had unemployment papers readied for workers to fill out, he said.

Many workers were still shocked and angered by the closure, he said.

“There’s a lot of people there that make pretty good money,” he said. “In a week of overtime, I can make $1,000. How are we going to get by that sort of thing? A lot of people got bills to pay, rent to pay, car payments to pay, and kids to take care of. Unemployment might help you get by, but it’s a far cry from what we make.”

Junk Plant Salem/Hoping Going Down The Tubes

The NRC is back stopping from collapse. They would quickly collapse if the NRC stood back. This second latest nuclear facility in the USA is not sufficiently self directed.  

SALEM GENERATING STATION UNIT 2:  SUPPLEMENTAL INSPECTION REPORT 05000311/2017011 AND ASSESSMENT FOLLOW-UP LETTER 

What Isn't There 500 Niger and Chad ISIS Members Dead By Now In A Public Military Operation

Update: Seems 12 Niger troops were killed in the same area as our green berets. It looks like the same people.

***Remember the tuff guy military wise Trump was in the election. Now he is nothing but a pussy with North Korea and African ISIS. I guess the Russia meddling thing have turned him weak.

I'll tell you what those grieving wifes, children and families secretly want.  They want and deserve vengeance. Last week, they wanted the ISIS attack group, all the rest of them and their leaders dead. They wanted a big show of it publically!!!   

It is time right now to make the final stand, wipe out all ISIS in Niger and Chad. The lessens  of Vietnam is crush our enemies early and visously!!! It really doesn't matter what Chad or Niger thinks. Lets backstop our French friends...

Use the full force of the military to crush the terrorist at the incipient stage.  

Utility Big Southern Infrastructure Projects: Clean Coal Plants and Nukes

First Published on 2/8/17

Doesn't this look like the Vogtle plants in George. Why are these utilities having so much difficulties with these huge construction projects. You get it, basically the conservative republican dominating the political scene. Regulated utilities and crooked republicans and graft. A guaranty the plant's cost would get passed onto the rate payers no matter how over budget the project becomes. Remember the high cost producers set the price of electricity for everyone else and boost corporate profits.  

I wouldn't let this guys on the rate base...

Really, this indicates something dysfunction is going on with the electric utilities and the construction industry. I see Intel is building a $8 billion dollar giant computer factory in Arizona. It will be the third one built there. Why aren't they having gigantic problems with cost overruns and constant delays in construction. like Vogtle. 

I think it's the least cost bidding that causes this...

Dive Insight:

Moody’s cut Mississippi Power’s rating to near junk status in 2015. Since then, the utility has announced several more delays to its beleaguered Kemper integrated gasification combined-cycle project, most recently in early February when it delayed the expected online date for the project by one more month. 

The 582 MW project is designed to convert coal into a synthetic gas to burn in a combined cycle generator, and is now slated to begin operation by the end of February. Updated costs are just over $7 billion, more than double the original, $2.9 billion cost estimate. 

In all, Mississippi Power has extended the project’s online date nine times. Each delay can add tens of millions of dollars to the project’s cost. The most recent delay added $51 million to the cost estimate. 

Moody’s says the rising costs increase the risk that Mississippi Power will not receive full regulatory recovery of $2.88 billion of plant costs subject to a cost cap established by the Mississippi Public Service Commission, $1.5 billion of costs not subject to the cap, and higher operating costs once the plant is placed into service.
Moody’s also noted that Mississippi Power and Southern have said that their 2017 fuel system costs completed last year reflect significantly lower natural gas costs than previously estimated. Those lower costs will factor into the economic viability analysis the utility is now conducting on the project. 

That analysis may affect the prospects of the project’s ability to recovery costs and the “standalone financial condition” of the plant when it is fully operational, including whether the plant “will exhibit financial metrics consistent with an investment grade rating.” 

While Moody’s did not take action on Southern Co., Mississippi Power's parent, the rating agency said Southern’s rating could be negatively affected if, among other things, there are additional, material debt financed acquisitions at the parent company or further delays or cost increases at Georgia Power's Vogtle nuclear construction project.

The Southern Company's Stock Price Tanking on Scana Subpoena

Least the other Southern nuke plants are operating at 100%.

Scana Gets SEC Subpoena Related to Canceled Nuclear Project

Bloomberg: Scana Corp. has been served by a document subpoena issued by the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the commission’s investigation of Scana’s V.C. Summer nuclear project, the company said in a statement.

Scana said it intends to fully cooperate with the investigation. In late September, shares of the company fell to the lowest in more than two years as state utility regulators weighed a request to suspend previously approved rate increases for its abandoned nuclear power plant expansion...

Junk Plant Grand Gulf: Huge Down Power Event Already

update Oct 18

They have screamed up to 100%. Can they do 100% for a week one wonders.

*I wonder if they ever got up to 100%? 99% percent yesterday. 89% today.

Junk Plant Grand Gulf: Holy Smokes Up 99% Power Today

Based on their history, I give them a week at full power before a big down power event or scram.

Isn't time for another southern fleet plant to big a down power or trip?

Junk Plant Grand Gulf-That Capacity Factor Thing

So they took a shutdown in the midst of the summer. Had feedwater pump troubles. Now upon startup, they been stuck at around 60% straight for three days.

Looks like they started up with one feedwater pump missing?

Grand Gulf Gets Screwed By FERC?

If only they could stay up to 100% power. 

FERC Opens Proceeding over Entergy Nuclear Power Sales

October 2, 2017

By Amanda Durish Cook

FERC last week opened settlement proceedings to address a two-state complaint against an Entergy subsidiary’s proposed return on equity for nuclear power sales to four other company affiliates.

Utility commissions in Arkansas and Mississippi earlier this year filed a protest claiming that the ROE used by System Energy Resources Inc. (SERI) in its current formula rate for energy sales from the Grand Gulf nuclear plant is excessive and outdated. They’ve asked FERC to open an investigation to determine the fairness of the return.

SERI owns 90% of the 1,400-MW facility in Port Gibson, Miss., and sells the plant’s output under a FERC-regulated wholesale rate to Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy Louisiana and Entergy New Orleans under a power sales agreement.

The commission said it will forward the matter to a still-unnamed administrative law judge who will oversee settlement discussions and report whether parties can negotiate a fair ROE. Barring a settlement, the issue would move to a trial-type evidentiary hearing (EL17-41).

Regulators from the two states contend that Grand Gulf should sell its energy to Entergy affiliates at cost-based rates “to avoid overcharging retail customers.” They point out that SERI’s current ROE of 10.94% was calculated using an average of three discounted cash flow analyses produced in 1996 and seek to reduce the figure to 8.5%, in part reflecting a reduction in income tax from $125 million to $97 million.

A “re-examination of [the] current cost of equity is more than due,” the two states argued, especially considering that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission last year extended Grand Gulf’s license another 20 years, until 2044.

In opening the proceeding, FERC brushed aside SERI’s argument that its existing ROE falls into the “zone of reasonableness” and does not require adjustment. The commission said it “has repeatedly rejected the assertion that every ROE within the zone of reasonableness must be treated as an equally just and reasonable ROE.”

Depreciation Rates also Under Review

The proceeding will also include an examination of SERI’s depreciation rates for Grand Gulf.

In a separate August FERC filing prompted by the license extension, SERI sought to revise Grand Gulf’s depreciation rates to an average 2.66% under the same power sales agreement for the four Entergy utilities (ER17-2219). The current 2.85% depreciation rate was based on the assumption that plant would operate only until Nov. 1, 2024. The Arkansas and Mississippi commissions, along with 10% plant owner Cooperative Energy, argue that SERI has not provided enough support for the new rates.

While FERC has for now accepted SERI’s proposed rates effective Oct. 1, it said its own review “indicates that a further decrease may be warranted” and consolidated the matter into the larger ROE settlement procedures.

Solar Versus Nukes

I think solar is more expensive than state and the cost of Vogtle is downplayed. But it give you a idea. 

The cost of wholesale electricity in NE today is $15 bucks per megawatts-hr. 

Who’sSmarter, Duke Energy or Georgia Power?

October 2, 2017 by Robert Hemphill Leave a Comment

The cost of utility scale PV plants has fallen dramatically over the last several years.  One analytical publication had data for H1 of 2016, indicating that utility scale solar plants cost from 1250 to 1350 per KW at that time. More recent reports tout the arrival of one dollar per watt ($1000 per KW) plants.  This would translate into five to six cents per KWh electricity, although the sun regime at the plant site can affect this number up or down. It seems likely that if Duke aggressively pursues a competitive third-party approach to their solar construction program, it should do even better than these numbers.  And they can use multiple suppliers to compete against each other for the key component, the solar panels.   A January 2015 Wikipedia article listed nine US and 48 non-US providers of this technology, and there are no doubt now many more, especially in China.

The Vogtle cost is unclear.  Most estimates have it at $25 billion, although some argue it could go as high as $29 billion.  The truth is that no one knows.  Georgia Power did originally try to cap the costs by signing a fixed price contract with Westinghouse, the reactor provider and constructor, and a subsidiary of Toshiba, but that has worked out badly, for all parties.

Cost to customers is perhaps the single most important variable in this analysis.  Since the capital cost is unknown for Vogtle, we have to use estimates.  Assuming that 25 billion is the final number, and using even very simple assumptions (30-year debt at 4.5%, mortgage amortization, a 50/50 debt to equity financial structure, 10% return on equity, and 85% capacity factor) then the cost to customers of the capital alone comes out at 12+ cents per kwh.  And nuclear plants have non-trivial operating costs which are generally acknowledged to add four to six cents per kwh to the cost of making electricity.  So the Vogtle electricity leaves the bus bar at north of sixteen cents per KWh.

Grand Gulf Starting Up And At 18%

??

$3.7 Billion Dollars: Vogtle's Nuclear Plant Last Stand

One wonders what the per kilowatt price will be on this dog. I didn't think it will have a great capacity factor. I think this is inconsequential, but it will provide cover to the administration when it fails.   

Trump Hands $3.7b Lifeline to Last US Nuclear Power Project

The administration of US President Donald trump has thrown a lifeline to the last hope for a US nuclear power revival, offering $3.7 billion in additional loan guarantees for Southern Co.’s troubled reactor project in Georgia.

The conditional guarantees announced on Friday by the US Energy Department come at a critical time for Southern. Georgia regulators are weighing whether to allow the company and its partners to continue building two new reactors at Plant Vogtle after costs soared above $25 billion amid construction delays, caused in part by the bankruptcy of contractor Westinghouse Electric Company, Bloomberg reported.

“This is great news,” said Stan Wise, chairman of the Georgia Public Service Commission. “It gives us an important piece for continuing the project and it’s important in lessening the impact on rate payers.”

The project represents the last, best chance for a much-hyped nuclear renaissance that has failed to materialize in the US following Japan’s Fukushima accident in 2011 and amid weak wholesale power prices. Scana Corp. this year canceled its plans to build two new reactors in South Carolina after expenses spiraled above $20 billion. Loan guarantees alone, though, won’t save the Vogtle expansion: Regulators also want to see a promised payment from Westinghouse parent Toshiba Corp. and federal tax credits for new nuclear generation…

NRC Answers Me About Concerns With Hope Creeks SRVs, AGAIN

Update

Mike Mulligan <steamshovel2002@gmail.com>	Sep 29 (1 day ago)
to R1ALLEGATION

Nicole,

So my comment about insulation revolves around how cavalier the NRC treats the insulation issue in this sentence. I have no information about SRV insulation issues at Hope Creek. It's not safety related, but some vague consideration is given.

"Some parts are classified as PC3 (e.g. piping and valve insulation), which means they are not safety-related, but quality consideration is given."

The big picture is, why are there so many recent issues with Target Rock SRV valves? Why can't the NRC and the licensees get a handle on these performance issue? The Industry are notorious with flip flopping between stage 2 and stage 3 valves. A plant may have issues with performance and leakage with the stage 2. They go to the stage 3. The problems are worst in the stage 3. Then they go back to the  stage 2. And on and on and on. This constitutes really experimentation.

The road blocks to fixing this so call performance issues are notorious. The example with HC is they finally publically admit the plant has set point drift performance issues. Actually it is drastically worsening in the last decade. One half ass fix after another, after the new fix, the performance issues just worsens. They begin discussions with Areva for replacements. Nothing comes out of it. Now HC decides to save their ass by going with the questionable stage 3, but a new quality issues shows up delaying the replacements. Why is the supply chain for SRVs and their component so brittle?          

Why is there one excuse after another, but it never gets fixed. I get you guys are blindly following the rules. So following the rules is solely the objective here, not getting things fixed.  

These guys are cycled extremely infrequently and no environmental stress around them. One only wonders what would happen in a accident. God help us all if you are treating the millions of components and parts like this in the plant

Excepts with Most recent LER

Supplemental Licensee Event Report (LER) Number 2016-003-01,"As-Found Values for Safety Relief Valve Lift Set Points Exceed Technical Specification Allowable Limit."

On October 22, 2016, Hope Creek Generating Station (HCGS) received results that the 'as-found' set-point tests for safety relief valve (SRV) pilot stage assemblies had exceeded the lift setting tolerance prescribed in Technical Specification (TS) 3.4.2.1. The TS requires the SRV lift settings to be within +/- 3% of the nominal set-point value. During the twentieth refueling outage (H1 R20), all fourteen SRV pilot stage assemblies were removed for testing at an offsite facility. Between October 22 and October 28, 2016, HCGS received the test results for all fourteen of the SRV pilot valve assemblies. A total of ten of the fourteen SRV pilot stage assemblies experienced set-point drift outside of the TS 3.4.2.1 specified values. All of the valves failing to meet the limits were Target Rock Model 7567F two-stage SRVs. This is a condition reportable under 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(i)(B) as an Operation or Condition Prohibited by Technical Specifications.

The cause of the set-point drift for the ten SRV pilot stage assemblies is attributed to corrosion bonding between the pilot disc and seating surfaces, which is consistent with industry experience. This conclusion is based on previous cause evaluations and the repetitive nature of this condition at HCGS and within the BWR industry.

Two technical evaluations were performed to assess the aggregate safety-significance of the 10 SRVs with out of tolerance initial lift set-points and determine whether the condition would have had an adverse effect on the safety function of the valves or other affected systems, structures and components (SSCs). One technical evaluation looked at 1) the Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) over-pressure design function of the valves; 2) the impact of higher relief setpoints on other safety systems (i.e., HPCI, RCIC, and SLC); and 3) fuels considerations. The second technical evaluation looked at stress related issues (down-comer piping, supports, spargers, and torus loads).

The evaluations concluded that the as-found condition was bounded by margins which exist in current Hope Creek design analyses; thus, the aggregate effect of this condition has no Safety Significance. In all cases, the RCS would have remained within allowable limits, and safety-related systems relied upon during high-pressure events (HPCI, RCIC and SLC) would have functioned sufficiently in accordance with the station's design bases had an accident or limiting transient occurred during Cycle 20. Fuel limits were no adversely affected by this condition.

***You see the historic trajectory going on here with these defective valves. The pressure setpoint drift was originally plus or minus 1%. The design commitment reliability was never met in these defective valves. The fix with the excessive pressure setpoint drift was to jack the inaccuracy to plus or minus 3%. As with a bunch of electro plating coatings on the pilot disc and seat that never fixed the problem. The rate of drift went up to unbelievable levels. Cooper is required to have 7 of 8 SRV operable if within plus or minus 3%. They are trying to reduce it to be 5 of 8 SRV operable or be shutdown. You got to know this is a test case. The rest of the industry wants to get this way. 

I was led to believe the PI&G inspection was a result of me.

Sept 27 R1ALLIGATION RESOURCE  To me

 Mr. Mulligan, the attached letter responds to three concerns you raised to the NRC regarding the Hope Creek SRVs. As discussed in the letter, the NRC recently conducted a PI&R inspection at Hope Creek that addressed various aspects of SRV maintenance and operation, in addition to your three concerns. The results of the PI&R sample will be

The NRC is signaling me pretty seriously they want me to see this this next PI&R documented in an upcoming inspection report.

Please confirm receipt. Sincerely, Nicole Warnek Sr. Allegation Coordinator 610-337-5222 (Region I Safety Hotline) 800-432-1156 x5222 (Hotline, Toll Free) U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Region I 2100 Renaissance Blvd, Suite 100 King of Prussia, PA 19406 I will pass your question about insulation along to Steve Pindale (who as you know conducted the most recent SRV inspection.) As for your second request, the text is below. Sincerely, Nicole Warnek Sr. Allegation Coordinator 610-337-5222 (Region I Safety Hotline) 800-432-1156 x5222 (Hotline, Toll Free) RI-2017-A-0028 Mike Mulligan                                                                                              steamshovel2002@gmail.com    SUBJECT:  Concerns You Raised to the NRC Regarding Hope Creek Dear Mr. Mulligan: The NRC Region I Office has completed its follow up in response to the concerns that you brought to our attention on May 2 and 3, 2017, regarding Hope Creek.  Your concerns were related to the safety relief valves.  Enclosure 1 to this letter restates your concerns and describes our review and conclusions regarding each concern.  Thank you for informing us of your concerns.  Allegations are an important source of information in support of the NRC’s safety mission, and we take our safety responsibility to the public seriously within the bounds of our lawful authority.  If you have any questions or if the NRC can be of further assistance in this matter, please call us toll-free via the NRC Region I Safety Hotline at 1-800-432-1156, extension 5222, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday, or contact me in writing at 2100 Renaissance Blvd, Suite 100, King of Prussia, PA, 19406. Sincerely, Nicole S. Warnek Senior Allegation Coordinator Enclosure:  As stated Concern 1: You asserted that there are commercial grade dedication problems concerning the Safety Relief Valves (SRVs) at Hope Creek. Response to Concern 1: NRC Assessment In July 2017 the NRC conducted a problem identification and resolution (PI&R) inspection sample focused on the SRVs at Hope Creek.  As part of this inspection, the inspector questioned Hope Creek staff regarding the use of non-Target Rock parts in the SRVs and associated solenoid valves and if any commercial grade dedicated parts were used.  PSEG staff indicated that they do not do commercial grade dedications (purchase class 2, or PC2) for SRV parts.  SRV parts that are safety-related are I am not sure what having commercial grade dedicated parts mean. It seem to me Target Rock basically doesn't make safety grade SRVs. A vender then upgrades the valves into safety related grade. They then sell it to HC. It the old days Target Rock would make safety grade. Accountability here is balkanized. You know, too many safety grades really translates into no safety grade. procured as PC1, which means they come qualified from an approved vendor.  Some parts are classified as PC3 (e.g. piping and valve insulation), which means they are not safety-related, but quality consideration is given.  The PC3 parts have augmented quality requirements, which are primarily vendor supplied and documentation is typically a certificate of conformance.  Finally, there are some items that are procured as non-safety related (PC4), such as gaskets, washers, and lubricants. The NRC inspectors reviewed the list of Hope Creek’s SRV PC4 parts and independently verified that these parts do not perform a safety function.  They are non-pressure retaining, non-load bearing, and do not have an active function.  Once they are properly installed, they have no credible failure mode that would impact the ability of the SRV to perform its safety function to maintain and relieve pressure.  Therefore, they are not required to undergo a commercial grade dedication process. NRC Conclusion Based on the results of our inspection, the NRC could not substantiate your concern that there are commercial grade dedication problems concerning the SRVs at Hope Creek. Concern 2: You asserted that there are Part 21 problems with the SRVs at Hope Creek. Response to Concern 2: NRC Assessment During the NRC PI&R inspection conducted in July 2017, the inspector noted that the Hope Creek staff were aware of the Part 21 issue associated with the 3-stage Target Rock SRVs.  As a result of the Part 21, PSEG had postponed the installation of a planned modification to use one or more 3-stage Target Rock SRVs at Hope Creek, pending resolution of the issues documented in the Part 21 report (i.e., Curtiss Wright Flow Control Co. – Target Rock Division; EN 50900, dated 3/17/15, and updated on 5/1/15, 6/30/15 and 2/3/17). These Part 21 Curtiss Wright reports and updates are associated with the Pilgrim 2015 SRV failures. Can you even believe how long it takes to understand and correct SRV failures. So the 2015 pilgrim SRV failure are preventing Hope Creek from installing their 3 stage SRVs.   NRC Conclusion Based on the results of our inspection, the NRC confirmed that a Part 21 report regarding 3-stage Target Rock valves (EN 50900) was evaluated for applicability at Hope Creek.  The NRC did not identify any inadequacy or impropriety associated with Hope Creek’s handling of this Part 21; therefore, your concern was not substantiated. Concern 3: You asserted that the SRVs at Hope Creek are in worse shape than the NRC knows.  Response to Concern 3: NRC Assessment The NRC maintains awareness of plant operating and equipment issues through NRC resident inspectors who report each work day to the Hope Creek station.  Additionally, specialist inspectors from the NRC’s Region I Office have conducted periodic focused inspections of PSEG’s performance to test and maintain SRVs over the years.  The last inspection report that documented NRC’s reviews and conclusions in this regard was NRC inspection report 05000354/2016001, Section 4OA2, dated May 10, 2016 (ML16131A095).  We expect that the results of our most recent inspection on this topic (the July 2017 PI&R sample) will be documented in an NRC integrated inspection report 05000354/2017003, due to be issued no later than November 14, 2017.  This report will be publicly available on the NRC website once it is issued, at https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/oversight/listofrpts-body.html. NRC Conclusion Based on the results of our July 2017 onsite inspection, as well as previous inspections performed in this area, the NRC concluded that we are knowledgeable of the condition of the SRVs installed at Hope Creek, including the challenges the station has faced with maintaining the SRVs.  As such, we did not substantiate your concern that the SRVs at Hope Creek are in worse shape than the NRC knows. From: Mike Mulligan [mailto:steamshovel2002@gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2017 10:06 AM To: R1ALLEGATION RESOURCE <R1ALLEGATION.RESOURCE@nrc.gov> Subject: [External_Sender] Re: Concerns You Raised to the NRC Regarding Hope Creek (RI-2017-A-0028) Nicole, I no longer communicate with the individual who gave me this information. I don't trust him. I see the NRC says the SRV insulation isn't safety related. I find this assertion ridiculous. So insulation has never been involved in the deterioration with the operability of the SRVS? I remember seeing many insulation issues with SRV LERs and inspection reports effecting component reliability. I remember my 2.206 concerning VY's actuator seals. Basically the valves weren't qualified for their environment. I believe the type I, type II component environmental mixup is in a VY inspection report.  Anyway, I thank the NRC for this report Could you send me a non photocopy copy of this document. I just want to copy and paste this document to my blog.  Mike On Wed, Sep 27, 2017 at 9:35 AM, R1ALLEGATION RESOURCE < R1ALLEGATION.RESOURCE@nrc.gov> wrote: Mr. Mulligan, the attached letter responds to three concerns you raised to the NRC regarding the Hope Creek SRVs. As discussed in the letter, the NRC recently conducted a PI&R inspection at Hope Creek that addressed various aspects of SRV maintenance and operation, in addition to your three concerns. The results of the PI&R sample will be documented in an upcoming inspection report. Please confirm receipt. Sincerely, Nicole Warnek Sr. Allegation Coordinator 610-337-5222 (Region I Safety Hotline) 800-432-1156 x5222 (Hotline, Toll Free) U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Region I 2100 Renaissance Blvd, Suite 100 King of Prussia, PA 19406 Mike Mulligan <steamshovel2002@gmail.com> 1:35 PM (1 hour ago) Nicole,  Thank you for everything you do. Just saying, I hope the PI&R inspection is congruent with SRV inspection report answering my concerns of a few years ago. I could get you the IR number if the NRC needs it.

Palisades: Dumb Idea

For a nuclear plant to operate properly they need a secure and reliable source of funding. These guys are throttling money to this plant thinking within a few years it will be shutdown. They were never designed for this kind of funding. I think Entergy is prioritizing resources going into their plants. This guy would be on the bottom of the list with prioritization.

Do you think this was a result of the Trump election.  

Entergy to continue operating Palisades nuclear power plant until Spring 2022

September 28, 2017

By PennEnergy Editorial Staff

Source: Entergy

 Entergy Corporation plans to operate Palisades nuclear power plant in Covert, Michigan, until the spring of 2022, under the existing Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Consumers Energy.

“In light of the Michigan Public Service Commission’s order issued September 22, which granted Consumers Energy recovery of only $136.6 million of the $172 million it requested for the buyout of the PPA, the parties have agreed to terminate the buyout transaction,” said Charlie Arnone, site vice president and Entergy’s top official at Palisades.

[Native Advertisement]

This announcement reverses Entergy’s December 2016 decision to close Palisades on October 1, 2018, but Entergy remains committed to its strategy of exiting the merchant nuclear power business.

The impact of the decision on free cash flow is expected to be positive $100 million to $150 million compared to the PPA amendment with Consumers Energy. In addition, due to the change in operating assumptions, under applicable accounting rules we no longer expect fuel, refueling outage costs and capital expenditures to be expensed as incurred. Instead, these expenditures will be amortized or depreciated over their useful lives and the expense will be included in operational results.

This is the Southern Company and Voglte 3 and 4 in a year

So basically the licensees have total control of site information as long as the money keeps flowing. Then the truth comes out when the money stops. These are basically very complication business, political and public events. This reminds of cascaded event. It eventually totally overwhelms the executives and regulators of  all styles. This will be Vogtle in a year. Remember how the Southern company has handled their clean coal plant failure. I just think the whole lot of them is riddled with corruption. Nobody is ethical and the laws have been weakened over the decades, they just enforce even the weak laws.

The failure of Summer is drawing massive attention and transparency forces into these unprecedented event. The times that we live under is highly unstable. There is just too much black and white thinking. Forces will turn on you in a dime when the money stops flowing. It is going to upend the politics in Southern Carolina and seriously threaten the business theology in the south.  

This will be the Vogtle and Southern Company in a year. The cascading event will shock you for years on end.

The theme here across the nation are the utilities are trying to put on the grid the most expensive electricity they can think of to mitigate the depressionary forces of cheap natural gas.

SCANA’s future cloudy as furor over failed nuclear plant intensifies

By SAMMY FRETWELL

September 27, 2017 8:19 PM

Reeling from its failure to complete two nuclear reactors, Cayce-based SCANA is on the ropes, struggling to survive as the only major investor-owned power company headquartered in South Carolina.

Angry ratepayers are filing lawsuits, federal and state agencies are investigating, and politicians are promising to bar the utility from getting any more money from customers to pay for the bungled V.C. Summer reactor project, northwest of Columbia.

The state Office of Regulatory Staff also took steps Tuesday that could force SCANA to repay up to $1.7 billion that it has collected from customers for the project. The agency takes its case Thursday to the state Public Service Commission.

Once a pillar of Columbia’s business community, questions now are being raised about whether SCANA will be forced to file for bankruptcy or if a larger, out-of-state utility will seek to acquire SCE&G’s parent company.

SCANA’s troubles have sent its stock price plummeting to its lowest point in months — closing at $51.22 a share Wednesday, down from $75 in early summer.

Some state lawmakers say they want to see SCANA remain a S.C.-headquartered business. But they also are incensed over the nuclear reactor project’s failure.

“There has been a lot of concern about this and does it hurt South Carolina to lose its only investor-owned utility,’’ said state Rep. James, Smith, D-Richland. “However, the utility is reaping what they have sown.’’

Smith, a member of a House committee investigating the nuclear project’s failure, said “accountability is essential.’’

‘A much harsher stand’

SCANA and its junior partner, the state-owned Santee Cooper utility, shut down the two-reactor project they were building July 31.

The bankruptcy of chief contractor Westinghouse was a major reason the project could not be finished, the utilities said, adding the project had become too expensive and was not needed, as energy demand leveled off.

By then, however, the companies had spent $9 billion on the project and raised their customers’ rates 14 times to pay for the work.

Securities analysts interviewed by The State said they doubt SCANA, a relatively small utility, would be an attractive target for a bigger utility to buy — at least now. There is too much uncertainty surrounding the company, they said.

Neil Kalton, with Wells Fargo Securities, said a key drawback for SCANA is the lack of clarity over whether the company will be able to recoup its costs associated with the nuclear plant. The company previously had said it wanted up to $2.2 billion from ratepayers to help offset the costs of the failed plant.

“Really, this whole cost-recovery issue needs to be resolved before (other) parties might come in,’’ Kalton said of SCANA’s attractiveness as a takeover target.

Bankruptcy would grant SCANA relief from lawsuits by ratepayers and stockholders seeking damages, while giving it time to reorganize, said Elliott, who represents the S.C. Energy Users Committee, a group of industries that use large amounts of electricity.

Should a larger utility acquire SCANA and stabilize electricity rates, it could be a win for customers, some legislators say.

North Carolina’s Duke Energy, Dominion Energy of Virginia and the Southern Co. of Georgia have been mentioned as possible suitors.

“Duke has been a good operator in South Carolina,’’ said state Sen. Greg Gregory, R-Lancaster. “They would be capable of taking over SCE&G and running it.’’

State Rep. Kirkman Finlay, R-Richland, said providing customers with more affordable power rates and less devotion to stockholders would cure a lot of SCANA’s ills.

“Their lineman are getting screamed at, their employees are getting screamed at, and they had nothing to do with this,’’ Finlay said. “We need somebody who can come in there, cut costs, save the company and restore its credibility.’’

Attorney says Gov. McMaster considering him to help run Santee Cooper

Columbia attorney Steve Hamm said Wednesday that Gov. Henry McMaster contacted him several weeks ago about whether Hamm would help out with Santee Cooper’s leadership.

Hamm, executive director of the S.C. Ethics Commission, said the governor has not extended a formal offer. But Hamm said he would consider an offer.

“This is not something that I have sought,” said Hamm, who once was the state’s longtime consumer advocate, sometimes arguing electric rate cases.

Santee Cooper’s current chief executive, Lonnie Carter, announced last month he will retire early next year.

The state-owned Santee Cooper utility was the junior partner with SCANA in the aborted attempt to build two nuclear power plants in Fairfield County.

Santee Cooper is managed by a board of directors whose members are appointed by the governor — who has said he wants to sell the utility — with the consent of the state Senate. The board chooses the CEO.

Hamm said he would take the job without any preconditions. “I don’t have any marching orders.”

Before recommending any action, Hamm said, he would want to work with experts to study Santee Cooper’s obligations and debt.

Junk Plant River Bend: Power Has Been Jumping Around Like A Grasshopper For Last 6 Days

Where did Grand Gulf go?