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”.

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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

Paraguay summons Brazilian ambassador over Itaipú espionage scandal

Paraguay summoned the Brazilian ambassador in Asunción on Tuesday to demand “explanations” and called its own representative in Brasília for consultations following Brazil’s acknowledgment of an espionage operation. The Brazilian government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, attributed the operation to the previous administration.

The surveillance effort aimed to uncover Paraguay’s position in now-suspended negotiations with Brazil regarding the pricing of electricity from the binational Itaipú hydroelectric plant, according to reports in the Brazilian press.

The Brazilian government “categorically denied any involvement in the intelligence operation,” stating in a Foreign Ministry communiqué on Monday that the espionage was carried out under former President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration (2019-2023).

“The operation was authorized by the previous government in June 2022 and was annulled by the interim director of the (state intelligence agency) ABIN on March 27, 2023, as soon as the current administration became aware of it,” Brazil’s government asserted.

Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez announced that Brazilian Ambassador José Antonio Marcondes de Carvalho was summoned “to provide detailed explanations” regarding the operation. Additionally, Paraguay recalled its diplomatic representative in Brasília “to report on aspects related to the intelligence activity conducted by Brazil regarding Paraguay’s government affairs.”

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International

Elon Musk to step down as government advisor, per Trump insiders

President Donald Trump has informed his inner circle that Elon Musk will be stepping down from his role as a government advisor, according to a report by Politico today.

Citing three individuals close to Trump, Politico states that the president is pleased with Musk’s leadership at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he has implemented significant budget cuts. However, both have agreed that it is time for Musk to return to his businesses and support Trump from a different position outside the government.

A senior administration official told Politico that Musk will likely maintain an informal advisory role and continue to be an occasional visitor to the White House. Another source warned that anyone thinking Musk will completely disappear from Trump’s circle is “deluding themselves.”

According to the sources, this transition is expected to coincide with the end of Musk’s tenure as a “special government employee,” a temporary status that exempts him from certain ethics and conflict-of-interest regulations. This 130-day period is set to expire in late May or early June.

International

Milei vows to make Argentina so strong that Falkland Islanders “choose” to join

Argentine President Javier Milei reaffirmed his country’s claim over the Falkland Islands (known as the Islas Malvinas in Argentina) and praised the role of the nation’s armed forces during a ceremony marking the “Veterans and Fallen Soldiers of the Malvinas War Day,” commemorating 43 years since the 1982 conflict with the United Kingdom.

Argentina continues to assert sovereignty over the islands, arguing that Britain unlawfully seized them in 1833.

“If sovereignty over the Malvinas is the issue, we have always made it clear that the most important vote is the one cast with one’s feet. We hope that one day, the Malvinas residents will choose to vote with their feet and join us,” Milei stated.

“That is why we aim to become a global power—so much so that they would prefer to be Argentine, making deterrence or persuasion unnecessary. This is why we have embarked on a path of liberation, working to make Argentina the freest country in the world and once again the nation with the highest GDP per capita on the planet,” he added.