International
Crashed nuclear plant in the US will reopen to supply energy to Microsoft
The Three Mile Island nuclear plant, in the state of Pennsylvania, which in 1979 was the scene of the worst nuclear accident in the history of the United States, will reopen in 2028 in order to provide energy to Microsoft in the face of the growing needs posed by its Artificial Intelligence (AI) division.
The company Constellation Energy, specialized in the production of energy from non-combustible sources (solar, wind, hydroelectric and especially nuclear) announced today the signing of an agreement with Microsoft to reopen the nuclear plant and supply the technology for 20 years, with the prior authorization of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on environmental safety.
The president of Constellation Energy, Joe Domínguez, explained it in a corporate statement: “Giving energy to critical industries so that our country is globally and technologically competitive, including data centers, requires a reliable amount of carbon-free and energy at every moment of the day, and nuclear energy is the only source that could respond to this need.”
Microsoft’s vice president of the Energy section, Bobby Hollis, presented the agreement as a milestone within his strategy of developing carbon-free energy sources.
TM1, which is only one of the two reactors of the Three Mile plant – and which was not affected by the 1979 accident – will provide 835 megawatts and, to mitigate possible local opposition, Constellation Energy has promised that the new plant will create 3,400 jobs and generate 16 billion dollars for the local GDP, plus another 3,000 in taxes. In addition, one million will be allocated to “philanthropic activities”.
Pennsylvania, one of the states hardest hit by the decline of US heavy industry and its relocation to America or Asia, may have consequences that are reflected in the next elections, since it is the impoverished white classes that in recent years have turned into the republican orbit.
The Three Mile Island accident in 1979 left no fatalities but released a huge amount of radioactive gases into the atmosphere, and created a great distrust of nuclear energy that was then aggravated seven years later by the Chernobyl disaster.
But the need to decarbonize energy to fight climate change has contributed to stop demonizing nuclear power in recent times and, in fact, it was striking that in 2022 the European Union would consider it a green energy.
International
Erin brings strong winds and storm surge despite weakening offshore
Hurricane Erin weakened to a Category 2 storm on Tuesday but continues to pose a threat to parts of the U.S. East Coast with potentially dangerous flooding, according to meteorologists.
Although the hurricane’s eye is expected to remain offshore, experts are concerned about Erin’s size, as strong winds extend hundreds of kilometers beyond the storm’s center.
In its 18:00 GMT bulletin, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) lifted tropical storm warnings for the Bahamasand Turks and Caicos Islands, but kept them in effect for parts of North Carolina.
Erin was located several hundred kilometers southeast of North Carolina and was moving northwestward.
“This means there is a risk of potentially life-threatening flooding of 60 to 120 centimeters above ground level,” said NHC Director Michael Brennan.
He also warned of the possibility of destructive waves, combined with storm surge, that could cause severe damage to beaches and coastal areas, making roads impassable.
International
Three U.S. Warships deploy near Venezuela to combat drug trafficking
Three U.S. naval vessels are moving toward the coasts of Venezuela, according to international media reports on Tuesday, after White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed that President Donald Trump is ready to combat and curb international drug trafficking.
Reports indicate that the ships will reach Venezuelan waters within the next 36 hours as part of a recent U.S. deployment aimed at countering international narcotics operations.
The announcement coincides with Leavitt’s statement that Trump is prepared to “use the full extent of his power” to halt drug flows into the United States. The naval deployment involves approximately 4,000 military personnel.
“The President has been clear and consistent. He is ready to use every element of U.S. power to prevent drugs from flooding our country and to bring those responsible to justice. The Maduro regime is not the legitimate government of Venezuela—it is a narco-terror cartel,” the spokesperson said during a press conference.
International
Cuban authorities free salvadoran convicted in 1997 hotel bombing
Salvadoran national Otto René Rodríguez Llerena was released after serving a 30-year prison sentence for his involvement in a terrorist attack at a hotel in Cuba in 1997, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.
During his trial, Rodríguez Llerena admitted to placing an explosive device at the Meliá Cohiba Hotel under the orders of anti-Castro exile leaders. He was arrested the following year when he returned to Havana with another load of explosives that failed to detonate.
“The Cuban government reiterates its commitment to combating terrorism, respecting human rights, and the need for the international community to hold accountable those who promote such acts,” the statement read.
He was released on August 15 and is the second Salvadoran to complete his sentence. In December of last year, another Salvadoran, Ernesto Cruz León, was released after planting bombs at tourist centers, one of which killed an Italian tourist identified as Fabio Di Celmo.
A third Salvadoran, Francisco Chávez Abarca, also received a 30-year sentence from Cuban courts in 2010 after being extradited from Venezuela through Interpol for actions against Cuba.
Rodríguez Llerena had requested conditional release in 2016, arguing that his actions had not caused any direct fatalities, but no further information was released about his situation until now.
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