Energy

Artist rendering of NuScale Power's nuclear power plant design, which would use small modular reactors.

This Company Says The Future Of Nuclear Energy Is Smaller, Cheaper And Safer

2:24pm May 08, 2019

by Jeff Brady

An Oregon company plans a new kind of nuclear power plant that many consider the future of the industry. It's smaller and cheaper and could work well with renewable energy.

Satellite imagery from the company Planet shows construction of a small research reactor at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Riyadh.

As Saudi Arabia Builds A Nuclear Reactor, Some Worry About Its Motives

10:58pm May 06, 2019

by Geoff Brumfiel

Saudi Arabia is building a small civilian nuclear reactor, the nation's first. Nuclear power is an important part of its energy plans. Arms control experts ask if its intention is entirely peaceful.

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The Deepwater Horizon oil rig is seen here in July 2010, shortly before the Macondo well was capped after spilling oil for 87 days. The Trump administration has proposed revisions to Obama-era rules that aimed to prevent similar disasters.

Trump Administration Moves To Roll Back Offshore Drilling Safety Regulations

3:48pm May 03, 2019

by Laurel Wamsley

The Interior secretary touted the revised rules as eliminating "unnecessary regulatory burdens while maintaining safety." But environmental groups said the move demonstrates oil industry influence.

Emissions rise from three large smokestacks at a coal-fired power plant in Castle Dale, Utah, in 2017. Democratic presidential candidates are releasing plans to reduce U.S. emissions in order to head off the most dangerous consequences of global warming.

2020 Democrats Aim High With Climate Change Proposals

11:36am May 03, 2019

by Scott Detrow

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is centering his presidential campaign on combating climate change. On Friday, he rolled out his plan to shift the country to carbon-free energy.

National

Nuclear Regulators Search For Temporary Storage Facility In New Mexico

6:24pm April 30, 2019

by Nathan Rott

Private companies are proposing solutions to store the nation's nuclear waste. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering one storage site in New Mexico's desert.

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Once it is safe to remove the spent fuel from the pool, it's stored outside in metal casks. They are lined up on a concrete base, behind razor wire and against a hillside near the power plant.

As Nuclear Waste Piles Up, Private Companies Pitch New Ways To Store It

11:48am April 30, 2019

by Jeff Brady

Nuclear power plants around the country are running out of room to store spent fuel. Federal plans for a permanent disposal site are stalled, so private companies come up with their own solutions.

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A Chinese-backed power plant under construction in 2018 in the desert in the Tharparkar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province.

Why Is China Placing A Global Bet On Coal?

7:01pm April 29, 2019

China has taken dramatic steps to fight climate change, including shutting major coal power plants. But now it plans to build hundreds of coal plants abroad.

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The offshore oil drilling platform 'Gail,' operated by Venoco, Inc., is shown off the coast of Santa Barbara, Calif. in 2009. A Trump administration plan to greatly expand offshore drilling is on hold after a setback in court.

Trump Administration Puts Offshore Drilling Plan On Hold After Setback In Court

9:39pm April 25, 2019

by Nathan Rott

The Trump administration is delaying efforts to boost offshore oil and gas drilling in the wake of a recent court setback. The plans have been controversial, even in Republican-held states.

Pedestrians walk in Brooklyn on an unseasonably warm afternoon in February 2017, when temperatures reached near 60 degrees. To take action against climate change, New York City is requiring large buildings to retrofit their structures to improve energy ef

To Fight Climate Change, New York City Will Push Skyscrapers To Slash Emissions

7:04pm April 23, 2019

by Camila Domonoske

A law — the first in the world — will require retrofits of large buildings, with a price tag in the billions. Buildings are responsible for about 70% of the city's greenhouse gas emissions.

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U.S. Won't Renew Sanction Exemptions For Countries Buying Iran's Oil

2:53pm April 22, 2019

by Bill Chappell

Japan, China, India, Turkey and South Korea have been benefiting from temporary waivers since President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions on Iran last year.

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