Just as momentum is building to encourage and finance the building of new U.S. nuclear power plants, a rash of mostly bad news for existing nuclear plants and plant operators—including recent small fires—has tempered industry excitement. The incidents are minor in magnitude, yet the timing is bad for those hoping for a revival of nuclear power.

Vietnam and the United States have signed an agreement that will allow U.S. companies to work in Vietnam to develop atomic power for energy.

By Kennedy Maize Washington, March 25, 2010 — Hype in the energy world has long history, going back to many generations of perpetual motion machines and the like (cold fusion for example). Nuclear hype is one of the most presistent forms, from electricity “too cheap to meter,” to atomic-powered bombers, to cars with nuclear-powered engines, […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) inspection team that was sent last week to investigate crack indications at Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station completed ultrasonic tests on Sunday night that show 12 of the 69 nozzles on top of the plant’s reactor head developed some sort of cracks.

New Jersey’s Gov. Chris Christie decided last week to move $65 million in Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) money to the state’s general fund to help cover budget deficits.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued on Thursday a proposal to standardize the definition of transmission facilities subject to mandatory reliability standards. The commission’s intent is to protect the reliability of the nation’s bulk power system.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released a report on Friday that highlights examples of small businesses throughout the clean, renewable energy and environmental management sectors that have received funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which was enacted in February 2009.

Oracle announced on Tuesday the results of a research report that surveyed 150 North American C-level utility executives to understand their vision for the next 10 years concerning how the smart grid will evolve in our communities and homes and what challenges and opportunities lie ahead.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Thursday that it will conduct a comprehensive research study to investigate the potential adverse impact that hydraulic fracturing may have on water quality and public health.

The U.S. Departments of Energy (DOE) and Agriculture (USDA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced on Monday the launch of a joint research program to produce high-resolution models for predicting climate change and its resulting impacts.