Clean Energy Insight - Moving Energy Forward

[Approx. Read/Watch Time: 3 minutes] Below, various NA-YGN members offered their thoughts and opinions on why nuclear energy is important to them during this year’s annual NA-YGN Conference that was held in San Francisco, CA. If you are an NA-YGN member, a member of the nuclear industry, or a member of the general public, why is nuclear energy important to you? Comment and let us know. You can also view the videos from NA-YGN’s Youtube homepage: http://www.youtube.com/user/NAYGN Enjoy. It... more

(Approx. Read Time: 3 minutes) On September 15th and 16th, 2010, sixteen (16) NA-YGN members from AREVA offices in Charlotte, NC, Bethesda, MD, Fort Worth, TX, Lynchburg, VA and Marlborough, MA attended an NA-YGN “Hill Day” Event on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Prior to the trip, our NA-YGN sponsors and governmental affairs officials at AREVA, hosted several presentations that shared perspectives and prepared our NA-YGN members on effective ways to communicate with legislators on nuclear... more

[Approx. Read Time: < 1 minute] The NA-YGN Speaker’s Bureau stepped into the classroom on Monday. A sustainable energy class at CPCC in Charlotte, NC welcomed the group for their first presentation. The group spoke to the class about growing energy demands, how nuclear works, and our current and future energy portfolios. The group’s goal is to dispel myths and arm the public with unbiased facts about nuclear energy. The class was receptive to the presentation and asked some great questions.... more

[Approx. Read Time: 2 minutes] Harvard MBAs get Straight Answers on Nuclear Power Entergy’s John Herron addresses Harvard Business School Energy Symposium               (Cambridge, Mass.) - One of the nation’s nuclear leaders, Entergy Chief Nuclear Officer John Herron, encouraged future business leaders to seriously consider the nuclear energy in terms of career opportunities and future energy policy. Eager to access industry CEOs, Harvard students heard a simple and memorable... more

[Approx. Read Time: 3 minutes] President’s Corner with Elizabeth McAndrew-Benavides Elizabeth McAndrew-Benavides, NA-YGN President From our inception, NA-YGN has been a leader in efforts to inform the public about nuclear science and technology.  When NA-YGN was established, many utility companies did not even publicly acknowledge their nuclear facilities. The public was of the mindset that the industry was shut down, and many government officials did not support the operating facilities,... more

[Approx. Read Time: 1 min]  If only the Justin Bieber fans who stand in the freezing cold, pouring rain or sweltering heat for hours on end just to catch a glimpse of the 16 year-old pop star felt the same passion to cast an election ballot on November 2, that would really rock the vote! Even though most of those fans are not able to cast their ballot yet, nor Bieber himself (plus he’s Canadian), there are quite a few fans with Bieber Fever, including yours truly, that are able, willing and have... more

[Approx. Read Time: 1 minute] Many manufacturing companies are looking for ways to diversify their clientele in these hard economic times. With American companies building new reactors around the world and preparing to build here in the United States, the global nuclear renaissance presents an opportunity many U.S. manufacturers are trying to access, seize and leverage. (NEI's Nuclear Supplier Database) I have friends and family that work in different sectors of manufacturing and used to find... more

[Approx. Read Time: 1 minute] Perusing through the internet a week ago, I came across an interesting article from Popular Mechanics titled “Debunking the Top 10 Energy Myths“.  Knowing the misunderstandings that frequently arise from nuclear power, it had to be on the list.  Here’s a link to the article: http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/debunking-myths-about-nuclear-fuel-coal-wind-solar The article is well written overall but tends to need clarification on some... more

[Approx. Read Time: 2 minutes] Southern Company's Buzz Miller (Forbes.com) Harnessing the Power of the Atom Southern Company’s new nuclear units in Georgia will create 3,500 construction jobs and 800 high-paying permanent jobs Despite the economic downturn, the population of the southeastern United States continues to increase. Moreover, that growth is expected to hasten as the economy rebounds. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 40 percent of the U.S. population will live in... more

[Approx. Read Time: 3 minutes] Reactor parts start arriving at proposed Ga. plant The first major parts have begun arriving in eastern Georgia for what could become the country’s first nuclear reactor in a generation, although uncertainty remains over when safety regulators might grant it final approval. Flatbed trucks started delivering metal plates Tuesday to Plant Vogtle, where they will eventually be welded together to form two cylinders more than 200 feet tall. Each cylinder would contain... more

[Approx. Read Time: 8 minutes] Nuclear energy’s advantage in job creation continues to be its most attractive asset.  The new generation of nuclear professionals that is now entering the revitalized nuclear industry is the direct beneficiary of this fact, and organizations like the North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NA-YGN) showcase its success. According to the Department of Energy, nuclear power creates 500 jobs per 1,000 MW of electricity generating capacity versus 220 jobs... more

[Approx. Read Time: 8 minutes] I recently gave a presentation at the International Youth in Nuclear Conference (IYNC) in Cape Town, South Africa, on the key aspects of a successful young generation in nuclear organization.  Being that one of the new goals of Clean Energy Insight is to share information with the entire NA-YGN Organization, I’d like to share an abridged version of the presentation with you here. Presenting at IYNC in Cape Town, South Africa                         First... more

[Approx. Read Time: 2 minutes] In what is being viewed as a landmark demonstration of public support among the scientific community, the President of the Virginia Health Physics Society officially endorsed efforts to mine uranium in Virginia in an Op Ed in the Chatham Star Tribune.   The Health Physics Society is an organization of nearly 6,000 scientific professionals from across the country that strives to promote best practices in radiation safety. Carter Ficklen, the President of the organization’s... more

[Approx. Read Time: 2.5 minutes] “Powering the Network” was the goal of the 2010 WIN Conference and it couldn’t have been better achieved with 381 Women in Nuclear joining hands to share the energy industry knowledge and promote mutual growth.   Describing my experience at the meeting this year in one word, I would say that it was “Empowering”! WiN Seattle 2010 The conference kicked off with a welcome address by Carol Berrigan, Senior Director, Industry Infrastructure,... more

[Approx. Read Time: 3 minutes] There has been a strong push in recent years to reduce or regulate greenhouse gas emissions with fossil fueled power plants being the biggest contributors of carbon dioxide in the US. Pending US legislation and public desire to be more eco-friendly, renewables have become the hot ticket item to address this issue. While it would be a wonderful world if all of our electric demands could be met by renewables alone, that is not the case. The wind doesn’t always blow... more