In This Issue
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Supply Chains
Uranium Prices: Up, Up, and Away?
Industry experts say raw uranium will face increased demand, reduced supply, and higher prices. Will the market bear out those predictions?
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Legal & RegulatoryWill Plug-in Hybrids Cause Blackouts?
Could demand from plug-in hybrid cars crash the grid? A DOE national lab addresses the issue.
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Legal & RegulatoryThe Best and Worst of U.S. Government Employers
Working for Uncle Sam can be worthwhile or a life-sapping grind, depending on which agency employs you, according to a new survey by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Guess which agency ranked best. (Hint: It’s related to power.)
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Commentary
Enjoy the Battle
Climate change legislation, despite its environmental focus, will raise vast sums of money. The Washington turf wars over how to spend the money will dwarf the skirmishes we’ve seen so far.
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Commentary
The Supreme Court and Best Environmental Practices
Did a recent Supreme Court decision give a license to firms to use “best practices” concepts to gut effective environmental standards?
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Commentary
Go Ahead, Close Oyster Creek
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in early April granted Entergy Nuclear an extended license for the Oyster Creek nuclear plant in New Jersey, the oldest operating nuke in the U.S. The plant will now be able to operate until 2029, unless the NRC at some point in the future grants a further license extension. Nuclear power advocate William Tucker, with tongue in cheek, advocated closing the plant and other elderly units in the Northeast, in a commentary in the National Review. Tucker’s comments are reprinted with permission.
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Legal & RegulatoryUtility Customer Satisfaction: A Faith-Based Initiative?
Does customer satisfaction play a meaningful role in guiding utility operations? Many utilities think it does, as do many regulators. The market apparently doesn’t. Data suggest that the jury is out on the question, and the intuitive answer may not match the empirical evidence.
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Legal & Regulatory
TREND: Coal Industry’s Future Faces Challenges
What role will coal play as the nation moves toward trying to reduce greenhouse gases? The picture is mixed, as these news stories from around the country demonstrate.
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Legal & Regulatory
Supremes Back Cost Reviews on Cooling Water
The Supreme Court backs restrictions on “once-through” cooling for new plants, while giving a pass to existing plants.
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Commentary
Planet Earth: Too Big to Fail <!
The Obama administration is giving mixed signals on global warming: claiming the right to regulate greenhouse gases but also expecting Congress to rewrite climate change regulations.