National Ignition Facility – No Closer to Useful Fusion Power Than Before

The New York Times recently published an article titled So Far Unfruitful, Fusion Project Faces a Frugal Congress that made me feel just a little prescient. It is no surprise to me to read that the $5 billion dollar facility is no closer to producing useful nuclear fusion today than it was when it was…

Atomic Show #188 – Wheeler and Harding discuss ANS Utility Working Conference

During the first week of August each year, the American Nuclear Society hosts a conference called the Utility Working Conference (ANS-UWC). It is one of my favorite ANS meetings because it draws a crowd of professionals whose daily employment is focused on safely operating electricity production facilities powered by atomic fission. Those facilities produce 20%…

Atomic Show #172 – Decarbonise South Australia

On August 13, 2011, I spoke with Ben Heard of Decarbonise SA and Barry Brook of Brave New Climate. These two Australians are both working hard to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in a land where the idea of reducing the consumption of carbon and hydrocarbon fuels trends on the interests of some very powerful…

Atomic Show #168 – Tom Popik, Foundation for Resilient Societies

I received an email from Tom Popik, the founder of the Foundation for Resilient Societies a few days ago. The email was addressed to a selection of people who blog favorably about nuclear energy. For some odd reason, Tom thought that we might be interested in supporting the petition for rulemaking that his organization has…

The Atomic Show #166 – Nuclear Energy Advertising

PopAtomic Studios has taken a conversation regarding a lack of nuclear energy advertising that occurred on a private email list frequented by both amateur and professional nuclear energy communicators and decided to run with the inspiration. The Nuclear Literacy Project was approved by the PopAtomic Studios board yesterday. The new web site is not yet…

The Atomic Show #165 – Nuclear Exceptionalism

Inspired by Steve Aplin’s excellent post titled Nuclear exceptionalism: why is a nuclear fatality more noteworthy than a non-nuclear one? show # 165 focuses on the reasons why nuclear exceptionalism exists. We also talk about ways to change the tone of the discussion and actions that are already being done. Guests on this episode of…

The Atomic Show #162 – New Year Chat With Pro-Nuclear Bloggers

A group of pro-nuclear bloggers discusses industry events from 2010 and predictions for 2011. It has been far too long since the last episode of The Atomic Show. Life got in the way with a career transition and a move to a new home. However, there is always a bit of motivation to use the…

The Atomic Show #159 – Nuclear Engineering Student Delegation 2010

The Washington Nuclear Engineering Student Delegation makes an annual trip to Washington DC. The trip provides students in nuclear engineering programs around the country the opportunity to talk with leaders in DC based organizations important to nuclear technology like the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Department of Energy and the Nuclear Energy Institute. The trip also…

The Atomic Show #158 – Loan guarantee politics, fuel recycling, small reactors prospects

Margaret Harding, Lisa Stiles, Dan Yurman and Rod Adams talk about the political maneuverings related to nuclear plant loan guarantees, the politics related to nuclear fuel recycling, and the prospects for significant deployment of smaller nuclear power plants in the United States. Rod discusses the evidence that he documented on Atomic Insights with regard to…

Atomic Show #157 – Lisa Stiles interview with Joe Colvin, President of the American Nuclear Society

On June 15, 2010 during the American Nuclear Society annual meeting, Lisa Stiles interviewed Joe Colvin, the new President of the American Nuclear Society. Joe talked about the opportunities and challenges facing the ANS and discussed his priorities for the upcoming year. Look for some technological improvements, new opportunities for the ANS to provide independent…