A former Nuclear Regulatory Commission employee was charged with trying to sell sensitive nuclear weapons information to a foreign government after he was caught by an FBI sting operation. Charles Harvey Eccleston’s attempts to glean information from government computers came to the attention of investigators after he entered an unidentified foreign embassy and offered to sell information.
Investigators said he offered to design malware that would pluck information from government computers in a method known as “spear-phishing.” He was caught in the Philippines on March 27.
More: The Hill
NRC Approves Plan to Build at Fermi — but DTE isn’t Building
While the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved plans to build a new reactor at DTE’s Fermi 2 site, the company announced that it doesn’t plan to act on that approval.
A company spokesman said the construction license was sought to preserve DTE’s options. The plan allows for a 1,560-MW facility, which would boost the site’s capacity from the 1,170 MW already in operation.
DTE plans to retire some of its coal plants in the next five years, but the company said it is eyeing natural gas-fired plants if it pursues any immediate construction plans.
More: Fierce Energy
Algonquin Pipeline Prep Work Approved by FERC
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved Spectra Energy’s plans to begin site preparation work on its Algonquin Pipeline expansion in New Jersey. Called the AIM Expansion, the project is designed to improve natural gas supply to the Northeast Region of the U.S., which experienced gas shortages during winter peaks.
More: Cortlandt Daily Voice
Delaware Urges Interior to Keep Offshore Water Survey-Free
Delaware’s top environmental official is urging the U.S. Department of the Interior to not permit any seismic surveys off the state’s coast because it is not part of the federal government’s immediate plans for oil and gas development.
“The extent of proposed surveys into waters offshore of Delaware does not correlate to the leasing program areas and we do not see the need for surveys in areas that are not currently subject to leasing,” Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary David Small said in a letter.
The Interior Department has granted seismic surveying off the coasts of other Mid-Atlantic states. Information from the surveys will be part of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management offshore lease programs.
More: Delmarva Now
NRC Investigating Incidents at Exelon’s Three Mile Island
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is looking into two recent incidents at Exelon Nuclear’s Three Mile Island generating station in Pennsylvania. Two Sundays ago, a control rod dropped inside the reactor. Four days later, a valve opened and allowed steam to be vented into the atmosphere. Low levels of radiation were in the steam, according to the NRC and Exelon officials.
NRC investigators are determining the cause of both incidents.
More: ABC 27 News
FERC Grants Initial Approval to Palmetto Pipeline Project
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has granted pricing and service conditions for Kinder Morgan’s proposed Palmetto Pipeline. The pipeline runs from South Carolina to Florida. When completed, the pipeline will have the capacity to move 167,000 barrels of oil or petroleum products daily.
Kinder Morgan said the project will cost about $1 billion.
More: GSA Business