In the news: November 1995

ByRod Adams

Russian Delegation Visits Cuba

(October 10, 1995) Russian scientists and businessmen visited Cuba to discuss the future of the VVER-440 pressurized water reactor at Juragua. According to an official at Cuba’s National Center for Nuclear Security, construction was halted when the reactor was 90 percent complete. Cuba’s government is investigating the possibility of completing the reactor to help relieve the severe energy shortage caused by loss of subsidized Russian oil shipments.

In contrast to the reports from disgruntled former employees who have defected to the United States, International Atomic Energy Agency Director Hans Blix toured Juragua in January and was impressed by the effectiveness of the efforts to preserve what has been already constructed. According to an IAEA spokesman, “It is in good condition, given that it is still in a formative stage of development.”

San Onofre Wins in Court

(October 12, 1995) After two months of testimony and three days worth of deliberation, a jury in San Diego Federal District Court ruled that occupational radiation exposure did not cause Glen James’ chronic myelogenous leukemia. Mr. James, a former contract worker at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station filed the suit against Southern California Edison, the plant’s owner, claiming that he had been injured by excessive radiation exposure.

According to SCE’s defense attorney, “Federal regulations provide the standard of care necessary to protect employees and the communities surrounding nuclear facilities. That standard was upheld in this case.”

Westinghouse Settles Philippine Dispute

(October 14, 1995) Westinghouse Electric Company will take a third-quarter 1995 charge of $45 million to settle a long standing dispute over the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant. The company completed the plant in 1985, but the Philippine government decided not to operate it, citing concerns over the plant’s quality and safety.

Westinghouse cited a desire to move forward with new business as part of the reason for the settlement. Because of the dispute, the Philippine government had banned Westinghouse from selling any equipment in the country.

Rod Adams
Rod Adams

Rod Adams is Managing Partner of Nucleation Capital, a venture fund that invests in advanced nuclear, which provides affordable access to this clean energy sector to pronuclear and impact investors. Rod, a former submarine Engineer Officer and founder of Adams Atomic Engines, Inc., which was one of the earliest advanced nuclear ventures, is an atomic energy expert with small nuclear plant operating and design experience. He has engaged in technical, strategic, political, historic and financial analysis of the nuclear industry, its technology, regulation, and policies for several decades through Atomic Insights, both as its primary blogger and as host of The Atomic Show Podcast. Please click here to subscribe to the Atomic Show RSS feed. To join Rod's pronuclear network and receive his occasional newsletter, click here.

Similar Posts

  • Army Nuclear Power Plants

    ByRod Adams

    Designation Description of Reactors SM-1 This stationary military reactor was the Army’s prototype and training facility. It began operation in April 1957 at Fort Belvoir, VA, several months before the Shippingport reactor. SM-1 has the distinction of having been the first nuclear power plant to be hooked to an electrical grid. 2,000 kw. SM-1A Built…

  • Prefab Reactors For Off-Grid Users

    ByRod Adams

    At the top of Mt. Washington, New Hampshire, for example, electricity for the weather station is provided by a diesel generator using fuel that must be moved by small tanker trucks struggling up a very steep grade. The Army Nuclear Power Program was established as part of the Atomic Energy Commission in 1954. It was…

  • Letter from the Editor: Portable Nuclear Reactors

    ByRod Adams

    The United States Army ran an innovative nuclear power program for more than 20 years. The men involved operated a series of small, nuclear heated generating plants in some of the world’s least hospitable environments. The story of what those diligent heros did has been all but lost. Though the Army was the lead service…

  • ML-1 Mobile Power System: Reactor in a Box

    ByRod Adams

    This is an August 2022 update of an article first published in November 1996 and updated in February 2019. The first update was stimulated by discussions associated with DOD’s issuance of an RFI for mobile, modest power output atomic power systems. That RFI resulted in Project Pele, which has now selected BWXT to build a…