Platts - Monday, July 19, 2004 
http://www.platts.com

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Germany OKs complete decommissioning of shut Mulheim-
Karlich nuke

London (Platts)--19Jul2004

The environment ministry of the German state of
Rheinland-Pfalz has granted the first permit to start
decommissioning the Mulheim-Karlich nuclear power plant,
the federal environment ministry said.

"Nothing is now stopping the decommissioning of Mulheim-
Karlich," said Environment Minister Jurgen Trittin. In
200, Germany signed a contract to decommission all
nuclear power plants over the next two decades, and
therefore stopped Mulheim-Karlich starting operation as
the 20th reactor of Germany. The minister said Germany
was taking another concrete step toward decommissioning
its nuclear reactors. Germany's first nuclear reactor to
come offline permanently was Stade, which shut in
November 2003. There are now 18 reactors operating in
Germany. The ministry said the first permit for the
complete decommissioning for Stade was expected in
autumn of this year. Obrigheim, Germany's oldest and
smallest reactor, is to shut in the spring of 2005.

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Pilgrim labor contract approved, averting strike

Washington (Platts)--16Jul2004

A union representing Pilgrim workers approved a four-
year labor contract with plant operator Entergy Nuclear
in a ratification vote yesterday, effectively ending the
threat of a strike with the 208-to-28 vote. Although
about 300 union members were involved in the
negotiations, the Utility Workers Union of America Local
No. 369 says it represents about 400 of the 550 plant
workers. Some union members are part of a different unit
within Local 369, and are in separate contract talks
with Entergy. Gary Sullivan, president of the local
chapter, said the agreement includes "modest" wage
increases, maintains medical benefits, and improves the
pension plan. He also said workers would be protected if
Entergy sold the plant and that Entergy agreed not to
reduce the workforce by 20%, which had been a
possibility.

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Razing begins of `most dangerous building'

Washington (Platts)--15Jul2004

Demolition of what some call "the most dangerous
building in America" got under way today at DOE's Rocky
Flats, marking a milestone in the accelerated cleanup of
DOE's former nuclear weapons sites. Building 771, a
plutonium process building, has a 50-year legacy of
plutonium leaks and spills, DOE said. It added that the
demolition of the building, which is expected to take
six to eight weeks to complete, "is the culmination of a
comprehensive nine-year cleanup process that included
safely draining and stabilizing 15,000 liters of
plutonium solutions; and removing 240 contaminated
gloveboxes, 251 tanks, more than 11 miles of aging
piping, and 40,000 liters of contaminated sludges." All
of the weapons-usable material at Rocky Flats is gone--
12 years ahead of schedule, Energy Secretary Spencer
Abraham said.

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