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... 

Beaver Valley Unit 2 Begins Refueling

FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company announced its Beaver Valley Power Station Unit 2 in Shippingport, Pa., shut down earlier today for scheduled refueling and maintenance. While the unit is off line, 64 of the 157 fuel assemblies will be replaced and numerous safety inspections will be conducted. In addition, preventative maintenance to ensure continued... 

Progress Energy CEO Johnson Urges Flexibility and Customer Protection in Implementing EPA Rules

The U.S. electric utility industry faces an “unprecedented convergence of new federal environmental rules – unprecedented in scope of change and compression of deadlines,” Progress Energy Chairman, President and CEO Bill Johnson told utility regulators Monday in Washington. And the “current fragmented approach, coupled with rapid-compliance... 

Universal Lubricants Expands to Meet Growing Demand for Cleaner, Greener Re-Refined Oil

One of the country’s oldest lubricant manufacturing and distribution companies, Wichita’s Universal Lubricants (UL) established in 1929, is poised for double-digit growth for the foreseeable future thanks to a technologically advanced and highly capable re-refinery, and efficiencies gained through its environmentally-friendly closed-loop... 

Alpha Natural Resources and Massey Energy Agree to $8.5 Billion Combination

Alpha Natural Resources, Inc. and Massey Energy Company announced today that they signed a definitive agreement under which Alpha will acquire all outstanding shares of Massey common stock, subject to customary closing conditions including stockholder approval of both companies. Under the terms of the agreement, Massey stockholders will receive, at... 

Alpha close to $7 billion Massey deal: sources

Alpha Natural Resources is close to a $7 billion deal to buy Massey Energy Co, which was rocked by a deadly coal mining accident last year, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday. One of the sources said Massey shareholders will receive slightly more than one Alpha share for each Massey share in addition to $10 per share in cash, for a value... 

Ecotech Institute Opens Its Doors to New, Progressive Facility in Aurora

Ecotech Institute, the first and only college focused entirely on preparing America’s workforce for careers in renewable energy and sustainable design, today announced that students are now taking classes in its brand new facility. Located at 1400 South Abilene Street in Aurora, the school has transformed a vacant, large-footprint building into... 

Spill panel calls for offshore drilling reform

Blaming the massive BP oil spill on government and industry complacency, a White House panel on Tuesday called for a dramatic overhaul of the way the U.S. regulates offshore drilling. The White House oil spill commission, in its final report of the BP drilling disaster, said the U.S. government needs to expand its drilling regulations, as well as set... 

THINK Delivers Its First U.S.Built Electric Cars

THINK™, the world’s leading dedicated electric vehicle maker, has delivered its first U.S.-built cars to the State of Indiana for use in its government fleet. The 15 vehicles, which were shipped from THINK’s manufacturing facility in Elkhart, Ind., will be the first electric passenger vehicles with American-made, Lithium-ion batteries... 

Unique Safety Milestone Celebrated by Colonial Pipeline

Colonial Pipeline today celebrated 10 million hours of employees working without a lost work-time injury. The safety milestone represents more than seven years of employees working safely. In congratulating employees, Colonial CEO Tim Felt reminded that working safely is a job that starts fresh every day. “We are rightfully proud of this accomplishment,...