US NRC approves Yucca Mountain nuclear waste site
- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Tuesday signed off on a plan to build an underground dump in Nevada's Yucca Mountain to hold radioactive spent fuel from nuclear power plants.
Yet another step in a long approval process, NRC approved a site suitability study submitted by the Department of Energy. The Bush administration must still submit that plan for congressional approval.
The Energy Department in August gave a favorable safety assessment to the proposed project, which would face an uphill battle on Capitol Hill. It is heavily opposed by Democrat Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, the new Senate assistant majority leader.
The site in the Nevada desert would store thousands of tons of radioactive materials from nuclear power plants for an estimated 10,000 years.
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Duke Energy seeks changes in how solar owners are paid for electricity
CHARLOTTE - Duke Energy has proposed new rules for how owners of rooftop solar panels are paid for electricity they send to the electric grid. It could mean more complexity and lower payments, but the utility says rates would be fairer.
State legislators have called for changes in the payment rules — known as "net metering."
Right now, solar panel owners who produce more electricity than they need get credits on their bills, equal to whatever they pay for electricity. Under the proposed changes, the credit would be lower and would vary according to electricity demand, said Duke spokesperson Randy Wheeless.
"So in…
