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formulating President Bush’s $1.35 trillion tax cut plan, was fired after he
estimated the cost of the Iraq war could reach $200 billion.
Environment:
Entergy Watch:
NRC approves reduced inspections on troubled Vermont Yankee
steam dryer
The Bathtub Curve (referring to the graph's shape) for Nuclear Accidents, by David
Lochbaum of Union of Concerned Scientists
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), which is supposed
to protect public health, safety, and the environment, instead often
prioritizes nuclear utility profits. As reported by the Rutland Herald, NRC
has now approved Entergy inspecting its troubled Vermont Yankee (VY)
steam dryer not once every 1.5 years, but rather once every 4.5 years.
This, despite the fact that the steam dryer at VY has developed 65 cracks
in the past 7 years alone, likely related to the 20% "power uprate" NRC
has also rubberstamped there (this means that VY is being run at 120%
hotter and harder than it was originally designed for, with consequently
damaging vibrations).
A decade ago at Exelon's Quad Cities nuclear power plant in Illinois,
another NRC-approved power uprate's vibrations led to a steam dryer's
failure, sending chunks of metal hurtling down steam lines -- some of