Friday, May 21, 2010

N.M. labs may see $40 million

The Obama administration wants to spend an extra $40 million this year at Los Alamos and Sandia to get a head start refurbishing the B61, a 1960s- and '70s-era nuclear weapon that is the most common bomb type in the U.S. arsenal.

The money, if approved by Congress, would allow the labs to expand a study aimed at determining what upgrades the aging bomb might need. Administration officials say the money is needed now to meet a Pentagon deadline to deliver the first refurbished B61 to the military by 2017. (full story)

Also from the Albuquerque Journal this week:

N.M. labs work to plug oil leak

Scientists from Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories are helping with efforts to plug the gushing oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.

"The Department of Energy's Sandia labs, Livermore and Los Alamos have been on the scene helping ... so when the trigger is pulled for the ultimate kill we will have the maximum chance of success," said Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. "It's something we very much appreciate." (full story)

Small nuclear power module receives Federal Lab Consortium 2010 Award

The annual awards recognize successful efforts by federal laboratory employees to transfer government-developed technology to commercial industry. A panel of experts from industry, state and local government, academia, and the federal laboratory system judge the nominations. (full story)






Small nuclear reactors are becoming big business

When most people think of nuclear power plants, visions of huge complexes like Three Mile Island come to mind. Now companies are rushing to develop a new generation of refrigerator-size nuclear reactors to help meet the world’s growing demand for electricity. (full story)



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