U.S. nuclear plant says shielded against Japan emergency

A U.S. nuclear plant in Alabama similar in design to the earthquake-hit Fukushima facility in Japan has multiple defenses to prevent and tackle the same kind of emergency, its operator said. Safety features at the Browns Ferry plant in northern Alabama are so superior to those at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi plant that even in the event of massive... 

U.S. nuclear agency plans safety review of reactors

The top U.S. nuclear regulator on Wednesday approved the launch of a safety review of U.S. nuclear reactors sought by President Barack Obama in response to the ongoing crisis at Japan’s Fukushima plant. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission voted to create an agency task force made up of current and former commission experts that will review the information... 

As oil muddies outlook, Fed policy less certain

Surging oil prices are deepening a split inside the Federal Reserve, blurring the likely direction of U.S. monetary policy and making next week’s policy meeting all the more contentious. The sharp rise in energy costs, precipitated by a wave of pro-democracy uprisings across the Arab world, could affect the economy in different ways, by retarding... 

Egypt unrest may push oil above $110: Kuwait official

Global oil prices could exceed $110 a barrel if political unrest in Egypt continues, a member of Kuwait’s Supreme Petroleum Council said on Sunday. Oil prices have spiked due to tension in Egypt. Brent crude hit $100 per barrel for the first time since 2008 on fears instability could spread through the Middle East, which together with North Africa... 

Wall Street set to open higher on earnings, M&A

U.S. stocks were set for a higher open on Monday as merger activity and solid earnings, including Exxon Mobil, overshadowed concerns about the possible spread of unrest in Egypt to other parts of the Middle East. Alpha Natural Resources said on Saturday it agreed to a $7.1 billion deal to buy Massey Energy Co, which would create the second largest... 

Market flat, pares losses from jobless claims

U.S. stocks were little changed on Thursday, paring losses after weaker-than-expected jobless claims and helped by a rise in Marathon Oil. Contributing to the weakness was a sharp drop in shares of Merck on disappointing drug trial news. The drugmaker was the biggest percentage decliner on the S&P 500. Weekly initial claims for unemployment benefits... 

Russian 2010 oil output hits post-Soviet record

Russian oil output rose by 2.2 percent in 2010 to a record 10.1 million barrels per day (505.193 million tonnes) as higher prices prompted the world’s top oil exporter to ramp up production at its greenfield sites. The growth in crude production surprised many analysts, who had expected 1.1 percent on average, when polled just before the start... 

Hydrogen milestone moves energy independence one step forward

Big things often come in small packages. That’s certainly the case with the potential created by recent successes in hydrogen research at Idaho National Laboratory. Steve Herring, technical director of the High Temperature Electrolysis Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative, holds in his hand a solid-oxide electrolysis cell no larger than a standard CD.... 

Can CA Economy Afford Climate Policies?

As political pressure mounts to delay California’s ambitious global warming policies, a new report from University of California researchers examines the economic impacts of putting the Governor’s climate program on hold. Energy Prices and California’s Economic Security, a project sponsored by Next 10, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization,... 

Offshore wind power to contribute to Europe’s economic recovery

The European Commission recognised offshore wind energy as a key technology in Europe’s attempt to stimulate the Union’s economies. The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) considers that the €500mn in “smart investment” to specific offshore projects that the EC has earmarked is money well spent. All projects are in an advanced stage of...