4 Factor Consulting is an Internationally Recognized Consulting Company helping a wide variety of clients around the world address the many challenges associated with diverse nuclear energy technology.
This opinion by Margaret was just posted on Nuclear TownHall. In August 2, 2013, DOE published a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNOPR) regarding revisions to 10 CFR Part 810, its regulation controlling nuclear exports. The SNOPR was the culmination of years of effort by DOE and industry to modernize a regulation that was based … Read more Time for DOE to Complete Its Part 810 Nuclear Export Reform
Once upon a time, a poor state named Vermont hosted a nuclear power plant called Vermont Yankee. Vermont lacked the money to do many needed things. But it wanted to spend money on luxuries, like cleaning up a lake and generating electricity as expensively as possible. The power plant, meanwhile, lacked the state’s permission to … Read more Kill the Goose That Lays Golden Eggs
I’ve just spent an interesting two days at the 10th annual Platts Nuclear conference. Once again, I met with old friends and colleagues, as well as some new folks in the nuclear industry. We are a small industry, but there are so many interesting things going on. The conference theme was “Opportunities for Growth and … Read more Report from 10th annual Platts Nuclear Conference
My blog last week got some interesting reactions regarding the larger picture of regulatory issues. I chose to look at quality as it is an area where significant changes in the broader context of quality control have occurred since those regulations were written and an update is overdue. This is also completely within the control … Read more NRC and Regulatory Capture
Last week I discussed why the Russians might be asking the NRC for a Design Certification of the VVER. I concluded it had little to do with the supposed “gold standard” of certification the NRC provides. In reality the Russians need any independent certification to participate in the international market with smaller countries that lack … Read more Russian Gold!
No, this is not a post about the upcoming Olympic Games, although we will talk about some of the countries playing in those games. This is a different set of games and one that affects the nuclear industry playing fields. The recent announcement of Rosatom’s intent to seek Design Certification for the VVER in the … Read more Russian Gold? or U.S. Gold Standard
The cruise take five full days from Vancouver to Hawaii, I’m sitting on my balcony on the 4th day of open cruising enjoying the first truly tropical feeling day of the cruise. The wind has died down to about 5-6 knots of direct head wind. We’ve been experimenting with and observing science though, as that … Read more Vacation Blog #3: Almost there!
Still on vacation, on a cruise ship somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. This cruise is called a repositioning cruise, the ship we are on the “Radiance of the Seas” does an Alaska cruise in the summer months and an Australian cruise in the winter months. So, spring and fall are an opportunity … Read more Vacation Blog #2: Smooth Sailing (finally)