Beyond Nuclear warns of accidents waiting to happen at Palisades atomic reactor on Lake Michigan shore

In light of the forced shut downs of two Entergy Nuclear reactors -- Indian Point 2 near New York City, and Vermont Yankee -- in the space of one hour on Sunday evening due to a transformer explosion and yet another radioactive water leak, respectively, Beyond Nuclear issued a media release warning that Entergy Nuclear's indefinitely postponed major safety repairs -- replacement of steam generators, replacement of the reactor lid, upgrade on the sump, and addressing the highly embrittled reactor pressure vessel -- risk radioactive Russian roulette on the Great Lakes shoreline.

Ohio Sierra Club speaks out against 20 year license extension at risky Davis-Besse atomic reactor near Toledo

At a recent environmental scoping public meeting, Patricia Marida, Chair of the Nuclear Issues Committee of the Ohio Sierra Club, made a powerful statement against FirstEnergy's application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a 20 year license extension at its problem-plagued Davis-Besse atomic reactor near Toledo.

Trouble-plagued nuclear industry shuts down two reactors on same day

The Vermont Yankee nuclear plant, up for sale and scheduled to close in 2012, was shut down Sunday evening after radioactive water escaped from a pipe leading to the reactor. Meanwhile, half an hour earlier, at Unit 2 of the Indian Point nuclear power plant in Buchanan, NY, a transformer exploded causing the shutdown of that reactor. Both plants are owned by Entergy and have been plagued by leaks, mainly of tritium. Vermont Yankee has also endured a fire and the collapse of its cooling towers (pictured). Newly-elected Vermont Governor, Peter Shumlin, a former State Senator, led the charge to get the plant closed on schedule in March 2012, a move the State Senate approved last February. The State of Vermont's Public Oversight Panel on Vermont Yankee warned of Entergy Nuclear's neglect of maintenance last July. View more coverage from TIME; Wall Street Journal; Bloomberg; Los Angeles Times; Mid Hudson News; Reuters UK; AP Google; Brattleboro Reformer; Maine Public Broadcasting Network; Vermont Public Radio (1); Vermont Public Radio (2); Vermont Public Radio (3). The Diane Rehm Show on National Public Radio will air a live nationwide call-in show on the subject of nuclear power's future in light of these two Entergy shutdowns on Tuesday morning, Nov. 9th at 10 am Eastern; you can call into the Diane Rehm Show at (800) 433-8850, or email a question or comment to drshow@wamu.org.

Vermont Yankee reactor rocked by election day results!

Less than two weeks after Vermont Yankee (VY) sprung yet another radioactive leak from aged, degraded systems, the headlines in the "hometown paper" of the nuclear power plant, the Brattleboro Reformer, hold huge implications for the future -- or lack thereof -- of the highly controversial, nearly 40 year old reactor: "Dubie Concedes to Shumlin," that is, Democrat Peter Shumlin, who led last February's 26 to 4 victory in the Vermont State Senate to block VY's 20 year license extension, defeated pro-nuclear Republican Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie in Vermont's gubernatorial race on Nov. 2nd; and "VY eminent domain issue gets nod," that is, VY even lost a referendum in its hometown when Brattleboro voters approved a measure urging the state to study the potential to take over and shut down VY. Entergy Nuclear's response to all this bad news about VY's future prospects? "Entergy to put Vermont Yankee on market"!

Radioactive groundwater found at North Anna

Dominion Virginia Power has notified federal authorities about the discovery of low levels of radioactive groundwater at the utility's North Anna nuclear power station in Louisa County. A recent groundwater monitoring sample point at the plant recorded a level of 16,500 picoCuries of tritium per liter, according to a report that Dominion filed Friday with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Normal tritrium levels at the particular sample point are 4,000 picoCuries per liter or less. Times-Dispatch.

Beyond Nuclear's take: Levels of 4000 picocuries per liter in water are nowhere near normal since tritium is created and occurs naturally in surface waters at 10 to 30 picoCuries per liter. And although the Environmental Protection Agency standard for tritium concentration is 20,000 picocuries, this level is not safe since tritium crosses the placental barrier in pregnant women. This exposes the fetus, whose enhanced sensitivity to radiation damage is well-known. Studies show tritium exposure is associated with a host of health problems including cancer.