Energy

Fermi 2 plant closed after vibrations were detected

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(MI) The News-Herald – DTE Energy shut down its Fermi 2 reactor plant in Monroe County on March 28 after an unexpected vibration in plant equipment was detected. John Austerberry, spokesman for DTE, said the nuclear power plant was scheduled to be shut down at 3 a.m. that day for a refuel outage plan. The vibration in the bearings for the turbine was noted at 1:48 a.m., so operators decided to shut the plant down to protect the equipment, Austerberry said. “It was not a safety concern,” he said, adding that the operators responded appropriately. More

Energy

Michigan companies see “green chemistry” blossoming

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By Joe Vaillancourt

LANSING — Twenty years from now, petroleum gasoline may be obsolete. As you pump bio-diesel fuel into your brand-new Ford-GM roadster, you probably won’t think about where the fuel came from. That’s all right — because Michigan government and business are already thinking about bio-diesel fuel, one aspect of green chemistry. Green chemistry could bring vast economic benefits to Michigan while reducing waste and harmful exposure and developing better materials in everyday products, experts say. Green chemistry, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate hazardous substances.