81 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 15 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
Diary   

Hobbs conference focuses on nuclear energy issues: ABQJournal

Message Rob Finn

N.M. Tech News Service
HOBBS -- Nuclear energy, small-scale reactors and safety in the industry will take center stage next month at the 2011 national energy conference in Hobbs.
The Uranium Fuel Cycle Conference on Wednesday and Thursday, April 27 and 28, will focus on potential developments and implementation of small-scale reactors.
The conference features top leaders in nuclear technology, including Babcock & Wilcox, New Mexico Tech, URENCO USA, Washington TRU Solutions, Uranium Resources Inc., Energy Solutions and the U.S. Department of Energy.
The "uranium fuel cycle" begins with mining, continues with enrichment, followed by use in a reactor, and ends with processing and storage. Hobbs is in the center of the developing Eastern New Mexico Energy Corridor, which is involved in all aspects of the nuclear energy fuel cycle.
"Almost the entire cycle is contained in New Mexico, from mining to waste storage. This conference is an important step in bringing together key players in the area and continuing a dialogue about energy and our national policies," said Van Romero, Ph.D. and vice president of research at New Mexico Tech.
A new enrichment facility is now operational near Eunice, N.M. A deconversion plant is in the licensing stage in Lea County. Also located in the region are Waste Control Specialist LLC and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, near Carlsbad, which is a long-term storage facility funded by the Department of Energy. While not currently being mined, vast deposits of raw uranium ore exist in west-central New Mexico.
What's missing? The small-scale nuclear power plants.
"Communities in southeast New Mexico have expressed an interest in nuclear power," Romero said.
One area the conference will focus on is the commercial deployment of small nuclear reactors in eastern New Mexico. Representatives of Babcock & Wilcox will present their strategy to how to deploy a light-water reactor system to provide energy to communities in New Mexico.
Babcock & Wilcox is the leading international company in development and deployment of small-scale nuclear reactors. The company unveiled the B&W mPower reactor in 2009. The mPower reactor, with its scalable, modular design, has the capacity to provide 125 megawatts to 750 megawatts of electricity for a five-year operating cycle without refueling. The reactor is designed to produce clean, near-zero emission operations, according to the company website.
Following the Babcock & Wilcox presentation, Romero will lead a discussion on "Small Reactor Research and Readiness." Then, a representative from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy will talk on the status and outlook for nuclear energy development.
The two-day conference is hosted by the New Mexico Center for Energy Policy, a division of New Mexico Tech, the Economic Development Corp. of Lea County and New Mexico Junior College.
Online registration is under way at www.energyplexnm.com or by calling 575-397-2039.

Read more:ABQJOURNAL BIZ: Hobbs conference focuses on nuclear energy issueshttp://www.abqjournal.com/biz/212143529029biz03-21-11.htm#ixzz1JEyq2Q79
Subscribe Now Albuquerque Journal
Rate It | View Ratings

Rob Finn Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Interest in creating the best Polirasss through grassroots and grasstops outreach. Cleaning up politics in general is my goal!
Related Topic(s): American Clean Energy And Security Act; American Foreign Policy; Bloomberg News; Business Small; Campaign Resources; Carbon Emissions; Conference; Congressional Conference; Congressional Research Office; Coroporations Energy; (more...) Corporations Energy; Corporations Nuclear Commercial; Corporations Transnational; Dept Of Energy DOE; Domestic Policy; Economic; Energy; Energy; Energy; Energy; Energy Alternate Funding; Energy Brokers; Energy Conservation; Energy Consumption Rest Of World; Energy Consumption US; Energy Cost $$; Energy Costs Prices; Energy Exploration - Public Lands; Energy Innovations; Energy Nuclear; Energy Policy; Energy Research; Energy Secretarty; Energy Secretary; Energy Wars; Energy- Alternative Non-Fossil Fuel; Energy-renewable; Environment Policy; Explotation Of Mineral Resources; Explotation Of Natural Resources; Federal Reserve System; House Energy And Commerce Committee; International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA; International Monetary Fund - IMF; International Monetary Fund IMF; International Policy; International Politics; International Trade Agreements; International Treaty; Internet E-Resources; Internet Specialty Stat Websites; Judicial Conference; Low-energy Nuclear Reactions; Media Washington Post; Media Washington Times; NAIS National Animal ID System; National Debt -Trade Deficit; National Debt Interest; National Intelligence Command; National Press Club; National Public Radio NPR; National Public Radio NPR; National Security; National Security Briefings; National Security Clearances; National Security Council; Nationalism; New Mexico; New Mexico Legislators; New Mexico Legislature; New Mexico Sun News; Nuclear Energy Plants; Nuclear Energy Scare Tactics; Nuclear Fission; Nuclear Fusion; Nuclear Reactor; Nuclear Technology Sales; Nuclear Waste; Nuclear- Waste; Obama Energy Policy; Obama Middle East Policy; Oil Policy; Policy; Policy Analysis; President Obama; President-elect Barack Obama; Presidential Daily Briefing PDB; Press Conference; Press Conference; Public Information Research; Sandia National Laboratories; Senate Comm On Energy And National Resources; Small Business; Special Operations; Sustainable Localized Small Business; Technology; Technology; Tim Jennings New Mexico Senate President; Treaties- Accords- International Agreeme; US Foreign Oil Policy; USAID; Us Foreign Policy; Wall Street Journal; Washington Examiner; Websites, Add Tags  (less...)
Add to My Group(s)
Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend