#diablo-canyon — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #diablo-canyon, aggregated by home.social.
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#CAISO started exporting power around 9 am, and at since 11 am has been exporting a #DiabloCanyon's worth of energy to neighboring balancing authorities. At the same time rn we're charging 6GWs of batteries. CAISO currently using 85% #renewables. https://www.caiso.com/todays-outlook/supply#section-current #Energy #CAEnergy
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#KQED:
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The View Inside California’s Last Nuclear Power Plant
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".. danger posed by spent nuclear waste at a site near several seismic faultlines."".. cooling system kills almost two billion larval fish annually, plus other organisms that aren’t measured."
https://www.kqed.org/science/2000835/the-view-inside-californias-last-nuclear-power-plant
28.4.2026
#AKW #Atomkraftwerk #Atommüll #California #DiabloCanyon #HosgriFault #Kalifornien #Kernenergie #NPP #NuclearPower #NuclearWaste #PGandE #SeismicFaultline #ShorelineFault #SpentFuel #USA
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LA Times: PG&E is overcharging Californians to keep Diablo Canyon open, report alleges
"...A new report alleges Pacific Gas & Electric inflated costs when it requested a loan for Diablo Canyon, potentially creating a $685.6-million cost to taxpayers if lawmakers don’t intervene.
If ratepayer fees for Diablo Canyon were eliminated from 2027-30, experts say, California utility customers could save an estimated $1.84 billion in controversial subsidies...."(PAYWALL)
https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-04-07/pge-overcharging-diablo-canyon-report -
NCPA Calls on California Legislature to Act in Wake of NRC #DiabloCanyon License Renewals | American Public Power Association https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/ncpa-calls-california-legislature-act-wake-nrc-diablo-canyon-license-renewals
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PG&E Corporation - U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Approves License Renewal Application for Extended Operations of Diablo Canyon for additional 20 years https://investor.pgecorp.com/news-events/press-releases/press-release-details/2026/U-S--Nuclear-Regulatory-Commission-Approves-License-Renewal-Application-for-Extended-Operations-of-Diablo-Canyon/default.aspx #DiabloCanyon #PCG #Energy #NuclearEnergy #CAEnergy
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SLO City Council's concerns on Diablo Canyon extension - Mustang News https://mustangnews.net/slo-council-letter-diablo-extension/ #DiabloCanyon #CAEnergy #Nuclear
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California's last #nuclear plant clears key hurdle to stay open https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/12/california-diablo-canyon-permit-approved/ #DiabloCanyon
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Atomkraft? Nein Danke!
#Quallen als AKW-Albtraum und Nutznießer menschengemachter Katastrophen.
Sie legen #AKW-#Reaktoren lahm und sind ein Erfolgsmodell der #Evolution. Der #Klimawandel lässt ihre Anzahl steigen, was sie teils in tödliche Bedrängnis bringt.
Mehr über die Aktivitäten der (un-)freiwilligen Anti-Atom Aktivisten.
#Torness #Oskarshamn #DiabloCanyon #Kalifornien #CapitalismIsADeathCult
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From #earthquakes to #jellyfish: See 8 emergency alerts at #DiabloCanyon #NuclearPowerPlant
By Stephanie Zappelli
Updated August 14, 2024Read more at: https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/environment/article290996800.html#storylink=cpy
#DiabloCanyon #NoNukes #NoNukesForAI #RethinkNotRestart #OceansAreLife
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#Jellyfish Keep Attacking #NuclearPowerPlants
By Gabriel Geiger
November 2, 2021"Jellyfish are continuing to clog the cooling intake pipes of a nuclear power plant in Scotland, which has previously prompted a temporary shutdowns of the plant.
"The #TornessNuclearPowerPlant has reported concerns regarding jellyfish as far back as 2011, when it was forced to shut down for nearly a week—at an estimated cost of $1.5 million a day—because of the free-swimming marine animals.
"In a short comment to Motherboard, #EDFEnergy, which runs the Torness plant, said that 'jellyfish blooms are an occasional issue for our power stations,' but also said that media reports claiming the plant had recently been taken offline because of jellyfish are 'inaccurate.' '[There were] no emergency procedures this or last week related to jellyfish or otherwise,' a spokesperson said. [Um, did they previously work for #TEPCOLies?]
" 'Like many other seaside power plants, the Torness plant uses seawater to prevent overheating. While there are measures in place to prevent aquatic life from entering the intake pipes, according to the #BulletinOfTheAtomicScientists, they are no match for the sheer number of jellyfish that come during so-called 'jellyfish blooms.'
" 'Usually, screens prevent aquatic life and similar debris from being drawn into the power plants’ cooling system,' the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists wrote in a 2015 blog post. 'But when sufficiently large volumes of jellyfish or other aquatic life are pulled in, they block the screens, reducing the volume of water coming in and forcing the reactor to shut down.'
"While the case in Scotland has once again spotlighted concerns regarding the jellyfish and potential power plant shutdowns, these concerns are far from new. In 2008, a swarm of jellyfish shut down a nuclear power plant [#DiabloCanyon -- which had another incident in 2024] in #California, and three years later the same occurred at a plant in Japan [#Shimane]. In 2017, jellyfish clogged a power plant in Israel [#Hadera]."
Source:
https://www.vice.com/en/article/jellyfish-keep-attacking-nuclear-power-plants/#GlobalWarming #WarmingOceans
#ChangingOceans #OceansAreLife #OceanTemperatures #ClimateCrisis #Overfishing #NoDeepSeaMining #NoNewNukes #NoNukes #NoNukesForAI #Oskarshamn #Torness #RethinkNotRestart -
CA #wildfires: a warning to #NRC on #ClimateChange
January 16, 2025
"The NRC’s actions to address the risks from natural hazards do not fully consider potential climate change effects on severe nuclear accident risks. 'For example, NRC primarily uses historical data in its licensing and oversight processes rather than climate projections data,' the GAO report said.
"Beyond Nuclear has uncovered similar findings during our challenges to the NRC’s extreme relicensing process for extending reactor operating licenses, now out to the extreme of 60 to 80 years and talk of 100 years. We found that the agency’s staff believes and stubbornly insists that an #environmental review for climate change impacts (#SeaLevelRise, increasingly severe #hurricanes, extreme #flooding, etc.) on reactor safety and reliability is 'out of scope' for the license extensions hearing process.
"The GAO report points out to the NRC that wildfires, specifically, can dangerously impact US nuclear power stations operations and public safety with potential consequences that extend far beyond the initiating natural disaster. These consequences can include loss of life, large scale and indefinite population dislocation and uninsurable economic damage from the radiological
consequences:" 'Wildfire. According to the NCA (National Climate Assessment), increased heat and drought contribute to increases in wildfire frequency, and climate change has contributed to unprecedented wildfire events in the Southwest. The NCA projects increased heatwaves, drought risk, and more frequent and larger wildfires. Wildfires pose several risks to nuclear power plants, including increasing the potential for onsite fires that could damage plant infrastructure, damaging transmission lines that deliver electricity to plants, and causing a loss of power that could require plants to shut down. Wildfires and the smoke they produce could also hinder or prevent nuclear power plant personnel and supplies from getting to a plant.'
"Loss of offsite electrical power (#LOOP) to nuclear power stations is a leading contributor to increasing the risk of a severe nuclear power accident. The availability of alternating current (AC) power is essential for safe operation and accident recovery at commercial nuclear power plants. Offsite fires destroying electrical power transmission lines to commercial reactors therefore increase the probability and severity of nuclear accidents.
"For US nuclear power plants, 100% of the electrical power supply to all reactor safety systems is initially provided through the offsite power grid. If the offsite electrical grid is disturbed or destroyed, the reactors are designed to automatically shut down or 'SCRAM'. Onsite emergency backup power generators are then expected to automatically or manually start up to provide power to designated high priority reactor safety systems needed to safely shut the reactors down and provide continuous reactor cooling, pressure monitoring, but to a diminished number of the reactors’ credited safety systems. Reliable offsite power is therefore a key factor to minimizing the probability of severe nuclear accidents.
"The GAO identifies a number of US nuclear power plant sites that are vulnerable to the possible outbreak of wildfires where they are located. 'According to our analysis of U.S. Forest Service and NRC data, about 20 percent of nuclear power plants (16 of 75) are located in areas with a high or very high potential for wildfire,' the GAO report states. 'More specifically, more than
one-third of nuclear power plants in the South (nine of 25) and West (three of eight) are located in areas with a high or very high potential for wildfire.' The GAO goes on to identify 'Of the 16 plants with high or very high potential for wildfire, 12 are operating and four are shutdown.'"To analyze exposure to the wildfire hazard potential, the GAO used 2023 data from the U.S. Forest Service’s Wildfire Hazard Potential Map. 'High/very high' refers to plants in areas with high or very high wildfire hazard potential. Those #NuclearPower stations described by GAO as 'high / very high' exposure to wildfires and their locations are excerpted from GAO Appendix III: Nuclear Power Plant Exposure to Selected Natural Hazards.
Table 1: Potential High Exposure to “Wildfires” at Operating Nuclear Power Plants
–AZ / #SAFER, one of two mobile nuclear emergency equipment supply units in the nation, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–CA / #DiabloCanyon Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–FL / #TurkeyPoint Units 3 & 4 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–GA / #EdwinI. Hatch Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–GA / $Vogtle Units Units 1, 2, 3 & 4, nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–NC / #BrunswickNPP Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–NC / #McGuire Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–NC / #ShearonHarris Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH /VERY HIGH”
–NB / #Cooper nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–SC / #Catawba Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–SC / #HBRobinson Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–WA / #ColumbiaNuclearPower station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”Table 2: Potential High Exposure to “Wildfires” at Shutdown Nuclear Power Plants
–CA / #SanOnofre Units 1 & 2, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–FL / #CrystalRiver, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–NJ / #OysterCreek, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–NY / #IndianPoint Units 1, 2 & 3, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
"Wildfires can transport radioactive contamination from nuclear facilities
"A historical review of wildfires that occur around nuclear facilities (research, military and commercial power) identifies that these events are also a very effective transport mechanism of radioactivity previously generated at these sites and subsequently released into the environment by accident, spills and leaks, and careless dumping. The radioactivity is resuspended by wildfires that occur years, even decades later. The fires carry the radioactivity on smoke particles downwind, thus expanding the zone of contamination further and further with each succeeding fire. The dispersed radionuclides can have very long half-lives meaning they remain biologically hazardous in the environment for decades, centuries and longer."
cc: @Cyclist @stfn @collectifission
Read more:
https://beyondnuclear.org/ca-wildfires-are-a-warning-to-nrc-on-climate-change/#NoNukes #NoNukesForAI #RethinkNotRestart #NuclearPlants #NuclearPowerPlants #ClimateCrisis #Radiation
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Pacific Gas & Electric, which runs Diablo Canyon, announced a deal with artificial intelligence startup Atomic Canyon— heralding it in a press release as “the first on-site generative #AI deployment at a U.S. #nuclear power plant.” #DiabloCanyon https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2025/04/first-nuclear-plant-ai-at-diablo-canyon/
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Pacific Gas & Electric, which runs Diablo Canyon, announced a deal with artificial intelligence startup Atomic Canyon— heralding it in a press release as “the first on-site generative #AI deployment at a U.S. #nuclear power plant.” #DiabloCanyon https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2025/04/first-nuclear-plant-ai-at-diablo-canyon/
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#Wildfire risks high at #US #NuclearPlants
Posted on January 19, 2025 by beyondnuclearinternational
The GAO identifies a number of US nuclear power plant sites that are vulnerable to the possible outbreak of #wildfires where they are located.
"'According to our analysis of U.S. Forest Service and NRC data, about 20 percent of nuclear power plants (16 of 75) are located in areas with a high or very high potential for wildfire,' the GAO report states. 'More specifically, more than one-third of nuclear power plants in the South (nine of 25) and West (three of eight) are located in areas with a high or very high potential for wildfire.' The GAO goes on to identify 'Of the 16 plants with high or very high potential for wildfire, 12 are operating and four are shut down.'
"To analyze exposure to the wildfire hazard potential, the GAO used 2023 data from the U.S. Forest Service’s Wildfire Hazard Potential Map. 'High / very high refers to plants in areas with high or very high wildfire hazard potential. Those nuclear power stations described by GAO as 'high / very high' exposure to wildfires and their locations are excerpted from GAO Appendix III: Nuclear Power Plant Exposure to Selected Natural Hazards.
Table 1: Potential High Exposure to 'Wildfires' at Operating Nuclear Power Plants
–AZ / #SAFER, one of two mobile nuclear emergency equipment supply units in the nation, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–CA / #DiabloCanyon Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–FL / #TurkeyPoint Units 3 & 4 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–GA / #EdwinIHatch Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–GA / #Vogtle Units Units 1, 2, 3 & 4, nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–NC / #BrunswickNC Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–NC / #McGuireNC Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–NC / #ShearonHarris Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH /VERY HIGH”
–NB / #CooperNuclearPowerStation, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–SC / #Catawba Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–SC / #HBRobinson Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–WA / #ColumbiaNuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”Table 2: Potential High Exposure to “Wildfires” at Shutdown Nuclear Power Plants
–CA / #SanOnofre Units 1 & 2, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–FL / #CrystalRiver, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–NJ / #OysterCreek, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–NY / #IndianPoint Units 1, 2 & 3, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”"Wildfires can transport #radioactive contamination from nuclear facilities
"A historical review of wildfires that occur around nuclear facilities (research, military and commercial power) identifies that these events are also a very effective transport mechanism of radioactivity previously generated at these sites and subsequently released into the environment by accident, spills and leaks, and careless dumping. The radioactivity is #resuspended by wildfires that occur years, even decades later.
"The fires carry the radioactivity on smoke particles #downwind, thus expanding the zone of #contamination further and further with each succeeding fire. The dispersed #radionuclides can have very long half-lives meaning they remain biologically hazardous in the environment for decades, centuries and longer."
Read more:
https://beyondnuclearinternational.org/2025/01/19/wildfire-risks-high-at-nuclear-plants/
#Downwinders #NoNukes #RethinkNotRestart #NoNukesForAI #NuclearSafety #ClimateCrisis -
Critics say #DiabloCanyon #NuclearPlant produces too much power at too high a price
By Thomas Fudge, December 11, 2024
"#SolarPower has become a plentiful #CleanEnergy source that the state [of #California] may have underestimated when it chose to extend Diablo Canyon.
"Some people who run California’s statewide power grid say nuclear is clean power. It generates no greenhouse emissions. But it does create #NuclearWaste and it has to run 24-7, making it very inflexible.
"'With the lack of flexibility, and the growth of flexible resources that we have coming on to our system, I just don’t know if there’s going to be value in retaining those resources,' said Brian Murray, director of real time operation with the California Independent System Operator (ISO).
"McCann said nuclear power from Diablo Canyon is also getting expensive. PG&E is applying to raise its rates in order to keep the plant open.
"That cost will affect San Diego customers of SDG&E also, and it’s something lawmakers didn’t anticipate when they voted to extend the life of the nuclear plant."
#NoNukes #DiabloCanyonNuclearPlant #SeismicRisk #CascadianSubduction #RethinkNotRestart #NuclearIsNotCarbonFree
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Diablo Canyon Manages Nuclear Reactor Paperwork with AI
- Diablo Canyon Manages Nuclear Reactor Paperwork with AI
- Oklo to Acquire Atomic Alchemy to Expand into Radioisotope Market
- Oklo Sets Plans to Power Data Centers with 750 MW
- Radiant Marks Milestone in Development of Its Kaleidos Microreactor Experiment
- Radiant Secures $100 Million in Series C Funding
- Clean Core Hits Fuel Burnup Milestone in Test of its Thorium Fuel at INL
Diablo Canyon Manages Nuclear Reactor Paperwork with AI
- PG&E Launches First Commercial Deployment of On-Site Generative AI Solution for the Nuclear Energy Sector at Diablo Canyon
- Atomic Canyon’s ‘Neutron Enterprise’ AI solution aims to revolutionize PG&E’s approach to managing vast regulatory and operations datasets at the Diablo Canyon Power Plant.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is deploying Atomic Canyon’s artificial intelligence-powered solutions for the nuclear energy sector at PG&E’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant.
Atomic Canyon’s Neutron Enterprise generative AI solution, built and running on NVIDIA’s full-stack AI platform, is being deployed at Diablo Canyon to transform document search and retrieval, and deliver significant cost savings and improved operational efficiency.
Federal and state regulations require utilities that operate nuclear power plants to manage billions of pages of technical documentation, which are spread across multiple systems. Power plant personnel must spend both time and resources to retrieve this essential data accurately and reliably.
Having access to Atomic Canyon’s pioneering Neutron Enterprise solution means Diablo Canyon will revolutionize its approach to managing these vast datasets. Neutron Enterprise will integrate seamlessly with Diablo Canyon’s systems, using the latest optical character recognition (OCR), retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and AI-powered search technology to cut search times in local and external sources from hours to seconds. Teams will be able to access critical information faster and more reliably, allowing them to focus on high-value tasks and decision-making.
The Neutron Enterprise solution is powered by Atomic Canyon’s FERMI family of AI models, developed in collaboration with the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and specifically designed for the nuclear energy sector. With FERMI’s domain expertise, Neutron Enterprise leverages generative AI and RAG to revolutionize how nuclear facilities access, draft, and collaborate on critical documentation.
This deployment uses NVIDIA’s full-stack AI computing platform, including NVIDIA AI Enterprise software, NVIDIA Triton Inference Server software and NVIDIA Hopper architecture GPUs, which accelerate Atomic’s Neutron Enterprise solution. With billions of data points to process across multiple data repositories in structured and unstructured formats, the nuclear industry can tap into NVIDIA AI and accelerated computing for more efficient workflows.
As California’s only remaining nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon provides nearly 9% of the state’s electricity and generates 17% of its zero-carbon energy. With the California Energy Commission estimating that power demand across the state will rise roughly 43% in the next 15 years, Diablo Canyon will only become a more critical clean, reliable energy asset.
How the AI System Works
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) is a tribute to the proverb that for an agency that has procedures for just about everything it does with regulated organizations, you can never have too many documents.
In all the NRC has an estimated 50 million plus documents that are online and available to the public via a text based search system. Everything that a nuclear utility applying for a license, or modifying one, or doing the countless other things that require the agency’s approval, winds up being documented and stored in ADAMS.
While some topical technical reports are not available, due to their containing propriety technical information, the vast majority of submissions can be found but often only after multiple rounds of searching and sifting results from the massive DBMS.
Finding things in ADAMS is both a science and an art. Knowing whether you got the right document, or all of the right documents, is a critical success factor when any entity regulated by the NRC is working on a compliance project.
Atomic Canyon CEO Trey Lauderdale told Neutron Bytes in a phone interview last March “its all about unlocking workflow efficiency. Our AI is a knowledgeable navigator, making data more accessible and promoting industry knowledge-sharing.”
According to Lauderdale, the firm trained the AI search engine on 52 million pages of documents from publicly accessible data at the NRC.
“What we are doing is knocking the fire hose down to size,” says Lauderdale.
Atomic Canyon Partnership with ORNL
Atomic Canyon partnered with the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), home of the , to build a safe, open-source AI model for the nuclear sector. Atomic Canyon used Frontier – the world’s fastest supercomputer – to train the company’s AI model to understand complex nuclear terminology.
The AI software uses sentence-embedding models. These algorithms convert written sentences into numerical representations to allow AI to grasp nuclear terminology and accurately discern information. According to the company, this deeper understanding makes their AI application more effective and helps prevent AI “hallucinations” and biases during search and data analysis.
The model will not be trained on sensitive information on the design or operation of nuclear technologies, but will be able to assist with analyzing a vast array of public regulatory guides, inspection reports, and other documents, with the goal of increasing safety and public accountability.
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Oklo to Acquire Atomic Alchemy to Expand into Radioisotope Market
- The proposed acquisition leverages Oklo’s fast reactor and fuel recycling technologies to integrate radioisotope production to support critical needs in cancer treatment, diagnostic imaging, and clean energy applications.
- Oklo proposes to acquire Atomic Alchemy for $25 million in an all-stock transaction.
Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) has signed a letter of intent to acquire Atomic Alchemy Inc., a U.S.-based company specializing in the production of radioisotopes. Oklo’s fast reactor and fuel recycling technologies produce valuable coproducts, such as radioisotopes, through their respective processes.
The proposed acquisition builds upon the strategic partnership announced earlier this year between Oklo and Atomic Alchemy earlier this year, demonstrating the opportunity to combine Oklo’s power generation and fuel recycling capabilities with Atomic Alchemy’s radioisotope production expertise to accelerate fuel production for Oklo’s powerhouses, and to create new revenue streams from radioisotopes.
Atomic Alchemy’s technologies also include capabilities to perform Neutron Transmutation Doping of Silicon, or “NTD.” NTD is considered a “gold-standard” process that utilizes the neutrons produced in a nuclear reactor to convert some of the silicon atoms into phosphorus via nuclear transmutation.
The firm said NTD offers a superior method for semiconductor doping because an entire ingot can be doped prior to wafering; the dopant is distributed uniformly throughout the ingot; large volumes of semiconductor material can be irradiated in batches; the process can be used on more than one type of semiconductor; and NTD allows for fine-tuning the amount of dopant added. Given the current high level of demand for state-of-the-art semiconductors, the firm assert that NTD capabilities may be transformative to the semiconductor industry.
“The proposed acquisition is expected to enable Oklo to significantly broaden its impact, as our fast reactor and fuel recycling technologies allow us to produce radioisotopes as a coproduct,” said Jacob DeWitte, co-founder and CEO of Oklo.
“By incorporating radioisotope production into our fuel recycling process, Oklo is establishing a complementary revenue stream and contributing to a more resilient radioisotope supply chain.”
Sam Altman, Chairman and Board Member of Oklo, said, “Oklo’s proposed acquisition of Atomic Alchemy opens the door for nuclear technology to play an even greater role in solving critical energy, medical, and industrial challenges.”
Key highlights of the Proposed Acquisition
Radioisotopes can enhance the economics of nuclear fuel recycling and accelerate fuel availability for Oklo’s powerhouses through the sales of high-value radioisotopes. This proposed acquisition diversifies Oklo’s business and market reach into new sectors such as biotech, pharmaceuticals, space, defense, and semiconductors.
Oklo and Atomic Alchemy intend to develop specialized radioisotope production capabilities with Oklo’s fast reactor technologies and Atomic Alchemy’s versatile irradiation reactor technologies to address urgent supply shortages in life-saving medical radioisotopes and advanced industrial applications.
Oklo expects to begin generating revenue from radioisotope production following the proposed acquisition, with initial revenues anticipated prior to completing the first radioisotope production reactors. This potential additional revenue stream is expected to diversify Oklo’s income sources.
Radioisotopes are essential for applications across healthcare, energy, industry, and technology and are expected to represent a $55.7 billion market opportunity by 2026, according to Research Nester, with demand expected to increase significantly over the next decade.
According to the British Institute of Radiology, as the need for radioisotopes continues to rise, supply has struggled to keep pace due to aging reactor infrastructure and a fragmented global supply chain, which at present is dominated by Russia. Oklo aims to address this gap through reliable, U.S.-based radioisotope production facilities that leverage its core clean energy and fuel recycling technologies.
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Oklo Sets Plans to Power Data Centers with 750 MW
Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) has received Letters of Intent (LOIs) and is partnering with two major data center providers to deliver up to 750 MWe of low carbon power for data centers across the U.S.
Under these LOIs, Oklo will work to deploy its powerhouses in select markets, addressing the provider’s critical need for sustainable, reliable power. This collaboration supports Oklo’s expanding footprint, including its announced sites, with letters of intent, in Idaho, Ohio, Texas, and Wyoming, reinforcing the company’s commitment to advancing clean, resilient power options nationwide.
Oklo’s Aurora powerhouse design provides power directly on-site or nearby, with flexible 15 MW and 50 MW units that can be deployed in phases. This approach aims to minimize project risks, reduce financing costs, and deliver efficient, resilient energy to meet the evolving needs of industrial and commercial clients.
Oklo did not name the customers nor the sites of the planned data centers nor a timeline for delivering its nuclear reactors to power them. The value of the deals won’t be determined until terms sheets are signed with data center customers.
Oklo is currently offering an advanced microreactor with power ratings that start at 15 MWe. The company claims that the design can scale to 50 MWe. A contract to deliver 750 MWe of power would require 15 of the 50 MWe units. Assuming Oklo completes its licensing trajectory with the NRC for its 50 MW design by 2028, the buildout of a fleet of 15 of the 50 MWe units would extend into the mid-2030s. The good news for customers is that Oklo’s business model to build and operate the reactors to provide power for customers comes with a 20-year operating cycle between fuel outages. Also, the real money for Oklo is in operating the reactors it will build to power data center customers and selling them the power.
This timeframe is too far in the future to support a reliable cost estimate. However, taking the hypothetical case of $5,000/kw or $5 million/MW, a single unit 50 MW unit would cost $250 million and a fleet of 15 of them would cost $3.75 billion. Given the firm’s growing list of expected orders for the reactor, building a factory to produce them to achieve economies of scale would seem to be a prudent course of action.
“The strong customer response reflects confidence in Oklo’s clean, reliable, and affordable power solutions,” said Jacob DeWitte, Co-Founder and CEO of Oklo.
“Our approach helps enable customers to scale sustainably with reliable power aligned to their long-term goals.” By building, owning, and operating each powerhouse, Oklo makes it easier for customers to adopt nuclear power generation while creating a steady revenue stream for Oklo by selling power, not power plants.
Oklo’s deployment model helps industries reduce reliance on traditional grids, preserving grid stability and potentially avoiding additional costs to local ratepayers. With a growing order book, we believe Oklo is positioned to transform critical infrastructure and support sustainable growth.
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Radiant Marks Milestone in Development of Its Kaleidos Microreactor Experiment
Radiant Industries has completed the front-end engineering and experiment design (FEEED) phase to test a prototype of its Kaleidos microreactor at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The Kaleidos microreactor is one of the designs on track to potentially test at the lab in the world’s first microreactor test bed as early as mid-2026.
The Kaleidos micro-reactor is a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) using TRISO fuel, helium gas coolant, and prismatic graphite blocks. Each micro-reactor will be fully contained in a single shipping container.
The FEEED process supports developers in designing and planning for the fabrication, construction, and potential testing of fueled reactor experiments at the DOME microreactor test bed.
Radiant was competitively selected last year to complete the FEEED process, which includes developing a detailed schedule, budget, design, and test plan for the experiment, as well as a detailed preliminary safety report on its design to ensure safe operations during testing. Radiant received $3.9 million in funding from DOE/INL to complete the project.
“Completing the FEEED phase is a major milestone leading to Radiant’s fueled reactor test at INL’s DOME facility,” said Tori Shivanandan, Radiant’s Chief Operating Officer.
“Radiant was added to the lab’s qualified supplier list, completed numerous design reviews, and submitted our Conceptual Safety Design Report, all while staying on-time and under-budget. We are excited to continue partnering with the lab going forward.”
Radiant will continue to work with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) to complete the design and planning for the Kaleidos experiment. The company plans to also start securing long-lead procurement items in preparation for potential installation at DOME.
The high-temperature gas-cooled reactor is designed to produce 1.2 MW of electricity. The Kaleidos microreactor is expected to support broad applications ranging from replacing diesel generators in remote areas, to providing backup power to hospitals, military installations, and data centers.
After delivery, Kaleidos can be installed overnight with no heavy infrastructure and lasts 20 years. The core is refueled back at a Radiant factory every 5 years. The fleet is autonomously operated by a fault-tolerant control system with 24/7 remote monitoring by trained staff, adding fleet-level intelligence and modernizing safety through data science.
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Radiant Secures $100 Million in Series C Funding
Radiant Industries, Incorporated, a leader in advanced nuclear technology, announced a $100 million Series C funding round led by DCVC, a tech venture capital firm. The round included participation from a16z’s American Dynamism team, which led the Series B, and Union Square Ventures.
The firm welcomed new investors Felicis, Washington Harbour Partners LP, and Chevron Technology Ventures. Additional participation in this funding round came from Founders Fund, Decisive Point, McKinley Alaska, Boost VC, and Also Capital. This investment brings the company’s total venture funding to $160 million.
The funding will primarily be used to complete Radiant’s Kaleidos Development Unit, the same reactor design that will be manufactured and sold to customers. At INL, the unit will undergo a comprehensive testing program including evaluations of the reactor’s failsafe mechanisms and proprietary semi-automated control system, providing validation cases for regulatory analyses.
The new investor funding will also be used for factory siting and early construction efforts, breaking ground on the facilities that are expected to produce up to 50 microreactors per year. The El Segundo, Calif.-based company is evaluating two sites for a planned factory.
The funding round marks an important step towards Radiant’s goal of bringing one of the world’s first factory-constructed microreactors to market. Radiant has advanced through the U.S. Department of Energy’s microreactor experiment design process and plans to deliver the Kaleidos Development Unit prototype microreactor to Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL) DOME facility for testing in 2026, ushering in a new era for the advanced nuclear industry.
Radiant’s Kaleidos microreactor is a 1MW nuclear power plant in a box that replaces diesel generators, providing power for military installations, remote industry, data centers, EV charging, and more. It can be shipped by land, sea or air and installed in a matter of days. By providing reliable, portable, and environmentally friendly nuclear power, Kaleidos represents a major step forward for global energy production.
“Our major safety test is complete and nuclear materials are on order for fueled test readiness in 2026,” said Doug Bernauer, CEO and co-founder of Radiant.
“We now have the staff, hardware, and runway to deliver at the DOME, and with production commitments of more than 10 reactors through 2030, we need to move as quickly as possible. Radiant’s success over the next two years will not only benefit our customers but will be a win for advanced reactor developers and the industry as a whole. New nuclear is around the corner, and it’s arriving on a semi-truck.”
“Radiant is developing a product that brings clean, reliable, affordable energy to locations that couldn’t access it otherwise,” said Rachel Slaybaugh, partner at DCVC and Radiant board member.
In an interview with Axios, Slaybaugh said the firm hasn’t yet completed licensing with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission but expects its demonstration reactor will help accelerate the process.
“We expect commercial deployment in 2028,” says, which would make Radiant Industries potentially the first new small advanced reactor in North America.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is currently engaged in pre-application activities with Radiant Industries, Inc. (Radiant), starting in October 2022.
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Clean Core Hits Fuel Burnup Milestone with its Thorium Fuel at INL
Clean Core Thorium Energy (Clean Core) announced that its patented ANEEL fuel (Advanced Nuclear Energy for Enriched Life) has reached a burnup milestone in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL).
This achievement represents a major leap forward in nuclear fuel technology, showcasing the potential of ANEEL fuel, a unique blend of thorium and high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), to provide safer, more efficient, and sustainable fuel for pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs) and Canada Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) reactors.
Twelve ANEEL fuel rodlets were tested under high neutron flux accelerated burnup conditions, achieving burnup levels 3.5 to 4 times higher than those of traditional natural uranium. Four rodlets will now undergo post-irradiation examination, while the remaining eight will continue accelerated irradiation to over 60 gigawatt-days per metric ton burnup.
The successful irradiation to over 20 GWd/MTU — more than 3.5 times the capacity of current PHWR/CANDU fuels — bodes well for ANEEL fuel’s durability and performance under extreme conditions. Initial inspections are expected to reveal that the fuel pellets remain fully intact, highlighting the superior thermo-physical properties of thorium.
Key Highlights of the Test
First-of-its-kind irradiation in a unique reactor: ANEEL fuel rodlets were irradiated in the ATR, renowned for its ability to replicate extreme reactor conditions for fuel qualification.
Achievement of over 20 GWd/MTU burnup: The rodlets reached a burnup of over 20 GWd/MTU, proving ANEEL™ fuel’s ability to sustain higher energy production for longer durations.
Enhanced safety and efficiency: ANEEL fuel combines thorium’s safety features with HALEU’s high energy density, promising greater reactor safety and efficiency. It also requires no modifications to the existing CANDU fuel geometry or dimensions, enabling rapid deployment.
The successful irradiation of the first batch of ANEEL fuel rodlets marks a critical step in the commercialization of this fuel. The rodlets will now undergo post-irradiation analysis at INL’s Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC). Data from this test will help bring ANEEL fuel closer to deployment in commercial PHWR/CANDU reactors worldwide.
Mehul Shah, Founder and CEO of Clean Core Thorium Energy, said “Reaching this milestone is a monumental achievement for Clean Core and the future of nuclear energy in realizing potential of thorium. ANEEL™ fuel has the potential to revolutionize the nuclear industry by providing a safer, more sustainable fuel that aligns with the global push for clean energy. This accomplishment at INL is a major validation of our technology and our mission to help meet the world’s growing energy needs.”
Dr. Koroush Shirvan, Clean Core’s Head of Fuel Design and Faculty of Nuclear Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said “The speed at which Clean Core has transitioned from the conceptual design of their innovative fuel to actual irradiation is truly remarkable. Incorporating thorium is the most practical method to enhance the burnup of CANDU/PHWR reactors, leading to a proportional reduction in the volume of generated spent fuel and the frequency of online refueling activities.”
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#DiabloCanyon #NuclearPowerPlant brings #profits for PG&E, deadly risk for residents [and the #environment]
Tina Landis
August 19, 2024"Despite opposition from residents and #environmental organizations, California legislators passed #SenateBill846 in 2022 to extend the life of the dangerous, aging Diablo Canyon #nuclear facility.
"Located on the Central Coast surrounded by several #fault lines, one has to question why a nuclear facility was placed in an #earthquake zone to begin with, much less allowing it to continue to operate well past its retirement date. The world witnessed what can happen to a coastal nuclear facility in an earthquake zone when the 2011 #Fukushima disaster triggered a meltdown that displaced nearly half a million residents, with vast amounts of #RadioactiveWater still being released into the ocean today.
"As long as Diablo Canyon remains open, Californians live with the constant risk of suffering the same type of disaster.
"From its inception, Diablo Canyon had little public support. Protests occurred regularly during its construction, and thousands were arrested for #CivilDisobedience actions in 1981.
"In the 1970s and 1980s, California’s three largest utilities spent billions of dollars building dangerous and costly nuclear plants like Diablo Canyon, which resulted in skyrocketing rates for customers. Big industry fought back against these increased energy costs, which resulted in deregulation bills consisting of multi-billion dollar #bailouts to the state’s utility companies to cover their costly investments in nuclear.
"Today, the last remaining nuclear plant operating in the state is still draining billions in funds that could be used for safe, #renewable energy development. To keep Diablo Canyon running 5 years past its retirement date is expected to cost $8 billion to $12 billion. A federal aid package of $1.1 billion will contribute to some of those costs – meaning federal #taxpayers’ money – while the remaining billions will be passed on to #California #ratepayers.
"Despite being run by PG&E and only generating power for its territory, customers of #SouthernCaliforniaEdison and #SanDiegoGasAndElectric will help cover the remaining costs of the Diablo extension. Edison bills will increase by around $1.25 a month and SDG&E by 87 cents a month, while PG&E customers are expected to chip in $2.07 a month – and that’s just for the first year. Critics warn that costs are likely to increase in coming years to keep the plant running, and that’s on top of already skyrocketing PG&E rates that have doubled over the last decade. And if PG&E collects more funds than are needed for Diablo’s operations, they get to keep it!
"In 2022, when legislators pushed this through #SB846, the excuse of energy shortages was used due to pandemic-related supply chain issues and massive #wildfires. But today, there is plenty of energy being produced with increased #solar and #battery storage capacity that has kept the lights on even during this summer’s unprecedented heat waves driving up demand. The California Public Utility Commission’s own reporting shows that an additional 18,500 megawatts of new resources were added to the grid between 2020 and 2024, which is enough to power around 14 million homes. Another 11,000 megawatts will be added by 2028.
"Nuclear has the third highest lifecycle emissions of all energy sources after scrubbed #coal fired plants and natural gas – meaning it is far from being zero-emission. It also creates the unresolved issue of the #RadioactiveWaste which remains dangerous for tens of thousands to millions of years.
"Keeping the Diablo facility running will only hold back further development of safe and truly low-carbon, low cost renewable sources like solar and #wind energy.
"So why isn’t Diablo Canyon being decommissioned? The short answer is that #capitalism must ensure continued profits for the #InvestorClass.
"SB 846 authorized Diablo’s extension through 2030, and gave PG&E a $1.4 billion loan for the for-profit utility to facilitate the plant’s extension. #GovernorNewsom facilitated another transfer of taxpayer dollars to PG&E through an additional $400 million loan from the state’s general fund, included in the recent budget deal. Critics warn that these 'loans' will never be repaid, meaning residents will be fully subsidizing the Diablo extension – from federal and state tax dollars to our utility fees.
"But there is a way out. SB 846 allows the #CPUC to retire the plant earlier than 2030 if sufficient levels of new renewable zero-carbon energy resources exist, are interconnected, and meet demand, which is the case.
"CPUC has a long track record of serving PG&E’s interests, so intervention by the commission is unlikely. One example of many that demonstrates their close relationship: CPUC is not requiring PG&E to show how much of our utility bill actually goes to the Diablo extension, but instead lumps the cost in with 'public purpose programs,' making it impossible to determine.
"While communities are demanding an early shutdown of Diablo, PG&E is currently applying for a 20-year license renewal from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission [#NRC] for the facility, which is expected to be approved. This would mean customers will foot the bill to keep this dangerous nuclear facility running through 2045, far beyond the original expiration dates of 2024 and 2025.
"CPUC has proven their unwavering support time and again for PG&E’s monopoly control over the state’s energy system at the expense of residents’ safety and affordable rates. The Diablo Canyon nuclear plant is just another mechanism to squeeze ratepayers and line the pockets of shareholders who live far away from the dangers posed by this aging facility. Only a public takeover of this #corrupt utility can win clean, safe and affordable energy for all."
#PGAndE #RethinkNotRestart #NuclearCorruption #NuclearBailouts #RenewablesNow #NoNukes
#DiabloCanyonNuclearPlant
#NuclearPowerCorruptionAndLies #California #WaterIsLife #OceansAreLife -
#Biden’s $1.5 Billion Deal To Resurrect A #NuclearPlant Is Facing Fresh Drama
Story by Alexander C. Kaufman
August 9, 2024"The United States’ effort to reverse the permanent shutdown of a nuclear station for the first time hit a potential snag this week when an ex-employee at the facility went public with safety concerns about reopening the 53-year-old power plant.
"Now the company that owns the Palisades Nuclear Generating Station on Michigan’s southwest coast is hitting back at what it called a series of “assumptions” and “inaccurate statements” from Alan Blind, a former engineering director.
"Blind’s seven-year tenure overlapped with “a period when the plant performed poorly and required significant improvements” and ended nearly a decade before its closure two years ago, according to Florida-based #Holtec International, which bought the station from utility giant #Entergy following its shutdown in May 2022.
"In an unusually pointed 1,000-word rebuttal, Holtec said “significant investments, upgrades, and modifications were made by the prior owner to dramatically and measurably improve plant reliability” in the nine years after Blind’s departure. The company said the process is “on schedule” and announced at a public meeting this month that the plant is on track to reopen in October 2025.
"But Blind cast doubt on Holtec’s proposed budget and timeline for restoring #Palisades given that no U.S. reactor has ever come back online after ceasing operations ahead of a planned demolition.
[...]
"The money is going out. In January, the Biden administration put up $1.1 billion to keep California’s last nuclear power station [#DiabloCanyon] from closing. Two months later, the Department of Energy offered Holtec a loan worth $1.5 billion to make Palisades the first U.S. nuclear plant to ever come back online after shutting down in preparation for decommissioning.
"At least two other utilities are now considering restarting shuttered nuclear reactors, including the unit at the #ThreeMileIsland facility in Pennsylvania that did not melt down in 1979.
"On Monday, Reuters cited Blind saying the Palisades plant received waivers from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission that exempted the facility from modern safety standards that prevent insulation on pipes from breaking down and clogging cooling systems, guard against #earthquakes and curb risks from #fires."
#RethinkNotRestart #RenewablesNow #NoNukes #PalisadesNuclearPlant #NuclearPowerCorruptionAndLies #Michigan #WaterIsLife
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“It feels like we’re being taken advantage of here". #DiabloCanyon, CA's #nuclear plant on an earthquake fault remains open although its contributions to the grid and the real cost to taxpayers for keeping it open past its scheduled closing date are still muddled. https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article290239429.html
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What's a billion ratepayer dollars between shareholders??
"What comes next for Diablo Canyon after a budget debacle and over $1B loaned to PG&E?"
https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article290239429.html
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#DataCenters could set back #climate progress
#AI, #cryptocurrency ‘mining’ and our #digital lifestyles imperil the #energy transition — and the planet.
Jonathan Thompson
June 27, 2024"In 2018, California utility regulators approved a plan to shutter #DiabloCanyon’s two nuclear reactors in 2024 and 2025. Doing so would deprive the state’s grid of 2,323 megawatts of generating capacity, but Pacific Gas & Electric, the plant’s operator, and a coalition of labor and environmental groups proposed replacing the lost power with renewables. The plant kicked out enough juice to light up about 1.7 million homes, but replacing that power seemed feasible, especially since PG&E predicted that demand would steadily decline over time, as more folks put solar on their roofs and slashed their energy consumption.
"#ProNnuclear eco-modernists, who see atomic fission as a primary way to avoid the climate catastrophe, mourned the imminent loss of so much carbon-free power. But clean energy advocates hailed it as a sign of the impending energy transition — a move away from gluttonous power consumption into a system where we use much less electricity and generate more of it from solar panels.
"Now, however, the whole scenario has been turned on its head: Diablo Canyon’s reactors are poised to continue fissioning atoms for the foreseeable future. Contrary to #PG&E’s optimistic projections, society, in general, is growing even hungrier for power.
"Diablo Canyon remains a symbol of the energy transition, no doubt, but not in the way people once hoped. Now its continued existence represents a transition gone awry.
"If you look at the supply side alone, you could be fooled into thinking that the energy transition is still going strong. #Solar-generating capacity in California has doubled in the last six years. On multiple occasions this spring, #renewable energy sources supplied more than 100% of the total electricity demand on California’s grid in the afternoon, when solar output peaks. Even more notable is the growth of grid-scale battery storage in the state, jumping from 770 megawatts in 2019 to more than 10,000 now. On one day in April, battery storage discharge became the largest energy source on California’s grid.
"On the demand side, however, things have gone haywire. Earlier this month, PG&E CEO Patti Poppe predicted that the utility’s load — or the amount of power consumed — would double by 2040. Poppe is not exaggerating; #Texas grid operators expect demand to double there in just six years. Some of this added load was foreseeable. Human-caused #ClimateChange is increasing temperatures, transforming energy-intensive air conditioning from a luxury to a life-or-death necessity. And all those #Teslas and other electric vehicles [#EVs] you see cruising on the highway? They need to be charged, even as more folks are switching out their dirty natural gas appliances for electric ones.
"But back in 2018, few anticipated the incredibly rapid buildup of all the electricity-sucking data centers that we would need to process our credit card payments, all the computing we do, our constant #GoogleSearches and the endless movies we stream. Those demands, meanwhile, pale in comparison to the huge power consumption required to mine a single bitcoin or process a generative AI operation. And together they are threatening to overwhelm power supplies altogether, straining the grid and throwing a digital wrench into the energy transition."
Read more:
https://www.hcn.org/articles/do-data-centers-mean-doomsville-for-renewable-energy/#ArtificialIntelligence #EnergyConsumption #Bitcoin #NuclearPlants
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California putting $400 million more into #DiabloCanyon - the nuclear reactor on an earthquake fault. https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article289421164.html
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The SLO County Board of Supervisors recommended a 20-year extension of Diablo Canyon operations | News | San Luis Obispo | New Times San Luis Obispo
#news #SanLuisObispoCounty #DiabloCanyon #nuclear #california #cleanEnergy #greenEnergy