28 Aug (NucNet): The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) says it will continue to monitor the performance of the new emergency notification system (ENS) for the two-unit Indian Point nuclear power plant now that it has been placed into service.

Entergy, which operates the plant in New York state, activated the system yesterday, five days after the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued its final approval for the design of the ENS.

�Our oversight of the system will continue,� said the NRC�s Region I administrator Samuel Collins. �NRC reviews do not stop simply because the new system has been declared operational.�

Indian Point�s new ENS is equipped with 172 sirens located throughout the roughly 16-kilometre-radius emergency planning zone for the facility. Those sirens would be used to notify residents of a significant event at the plant.

In addition, Entergy is distributing tone alert radios to about 2,000 households in several areas as an enhancement to the siren sound coverage. The radios operate on AC or battery power and function like weather alert radios, providing prompt notifications to those who have them.

In January 2008 the NRC said it planned to fine Entergy 650,000 US dollars (USD) (439,000 euro) for failing to have in place the ENS at Indian Point nearly two years after the agency issued an order for the plant.

The original deadline for having the system implemented was 30 January 2007, and the NRC granted two extensions. The agency fined Entergy USD 130,000 in July 2007 after the company missed the first extension and issued a notice of violation saying it would not rule out further monetary penalties after the next deadline was missed.

Like other US commercial nuclear power plants, Indian Point is required to have an ENS within the emergency planning zone around the facility. The ENS is designed to promptly notify the public should a serious incident occur at the plant. The former system met this requirement, but unlike the new system it would not work during an electrical power outage.

>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)

Entergy Faces Fine Over Indian Point Alert System (World Nuclear Review No. 17, 27 April 2007)

NRC Proposes USD 650,000 Fine For Entergy Over Indian Point (World Nuclear Review No. 4, 25 January 2008)

Source: NucNet

Editor: david.dalton@worldnuclear.org

28 Aug (NucNet): Jordan and France are to create a joint venture company for uranium exploration in the Central Jordan province.

A memorandum of understanding to form the mining partnership was signed by France�s Areva group and the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission yesterday during a state visit to France by Jordan�s King Abdullah.

Areva said it was �delighted with the transparency and openness� shown by Jordan since it announced that it would launch a domestic nuclear power programme.

In 2007, King Abdullah called for proposals for the launch of a nuclear power programme in his country to be �speeded up�. Jordan�s minister of energy and mineral resources said in May 2007 that consideration would be given to the development of Jordan�s estimated 80,000 tonnes of uranium reserves � about 2 percent of known recoverable resources of uranium worldwide � with a further 100,000 tonnes that could be extracted from phosphates.

Earlier this month, Jordan and China signed an agreement that paves the way for cooperation in nuclear power projects including electricity generation and desalination. Jordan said both countries were also ready to cooperate in uranium mining projects in Jordan.

>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)

'Speed Up Nuclear Plans' For Jordan, Says King (News in Brief No. 22, 29 August 2007)

China And Jordan Plan Cooperation On Nuclear Power And Uranium Mining (News No. 66, 20 August 2008)

The NucNet database currently contains around 12,000 reports published since 1991. To subscribe or ask for any further information email info@worldnuclear.org

Source: NucNet

Editor: editors@worldnuclear.org