Ambient office = 74 nanosieverts per hour

Ambient outside = 82 nanosieverts per hour

Soil exposed to rain water = 85 nanosieverts per hour

Avocado from Central Market = 64 nanosieverts per hour

Tap water = 80 nanosieverts per hour

Filter water = 69 nanosieverts per hour

Ambient office = 66 nanosieverts per hour

Ambient outside = 106 nanosieverts per hour

Soil exposed to rain water = 108 nanosieverts per hour

Tomato from Central Market = 83 nanosieverts per hour

Tap water = 80 nanosieverts per hour

Filter water = 67 nanosieverts per hour

Ambient office = 81 nanosieverts per hour

Ambient outside = 106 nanosieverts per hour

Soil exposed to rain water = 99 nanosieverts per hour

Seranos pepper from Central Market = 55 nanosieverts per hour

Tap water = 100 nanosieverts per hour

Filter water = 94 nanosieverts per hour

Dover Sole from Central = 113 nanosieverts per hour

     French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced on March 18 that production of tritium, which is essential for the manufacture of thermonuclear weapons, will be resumed in France. Two civilian reactors owned by the EDF conglomerate will be used to produce the tritium. 
     A press release by the French Ministry of Defence reported that the production of tritium will not affect the electricity generation by the Civaux nuclear power plant located in southwestern France. The production of tritium will take place on the premises of the Commissariat à l’énergie atomique (CEA). This is a French scientific and industrial facility specializing in nuclear research.
     This project is the culmination of over twenty-five years of discussions between the French Ministry of Defence and the EDF conglomerate. The agreement is meant to fill the gap in tritium production left by the closure in 2009 of two reactors dedicated to tritium production located in Marcoule in southeastern France.
     Tritium is a radioactive hydrogen isotope consisting of one proton and two neutrons. It is very rare in the atmosphere of the Earth.  The only practical means of production is to expose lithium to the high level of radiation present in a nuclear reactor core. Following the irradiation, tritium can be recovered from the exposed lithium. It is very difficult to store tritium because hydrogen can leak through most types of seals.
     Tritium is highly unstable with a half-life of twelve years. This means that a constant source of production is necessary. Tritium has many applications, from fluorescent surfaces on watches, keyrings, or firearm sights, to its most important role as fuel in nuclear fusion.
     Tritium is currently used in nuclear weapons which are based on thermonuclear warheads. These warheads allow for tremendous destructive power in a very small size. In the detonation of a nuclear warhead, energy is not produced in a chain reaction of fission of uranium and/or plutonium nuclei but in a thermonuclear fusion reaction. In such a reaction, where hydrogen isotopes combine under very high temperature and pressure to form helium, a huge amount of energy is released.
     An initial nuclear explosion is required to create the conditions necessary to start the reaction that will lead to nuclear fusion, but its power is a small percentage of the total. The largest thermonuclear bomb ever constructed and detonated, Tsar Bomba, had a yield of fifty megatons but was impractical for military use. Normally, much weaker warheads are used, but in larger numbers.
     According to estimates, France has two hundred and ninety nuclear warheads, divided into two categories. Strategic nuclear weapons include TN 75 warheads with a yield of around one hundred and fifty kilotons and tactical TN-81 with an adjustable yield of one hundred to three hundred kilotons. The former warheads are carried by Le Triomphant class submarines launching intercontinental ballistic missiles with a range of five thousand to six thousand miles from the M45 or M51 families carrying up to ten MIRV sub-warheads targeting different objectives.
     The latter type is installed in ASMP-A cruise missiles with a range of up to three hundred and ten miles carried by multirole Rafale aircraft.

Ambient office = 132 nanosieverts per hour

Ambient outside = 73 nanosieverts per hour

Soil exposed to rain water = 80 nanosieverts per hour

Shallot from Central Market = 104 nanosieverts per hour

Tap water = 84 nanosieverts per hour

Filter water = 77 nanosieverts per hour

     Recently, in a major step toward Indigenous Economic Reconciliation, Prodigy Clean Energy and Des Nëdhé Group announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop opportunities to supply power to remote mines and communities in Canada utilizing Prodigy microreactor Transportable Nuclear Power Plants (TNPPs). Under the MOU, Prodigy and Des Nëdhé will explore potential TNPP projects. They will engage with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis across Canada, identifying ways in which Indigenous Peoples could have ownership in TNPP new builds. They will also be considering how an Indigenous workforce could take a leading role in TNPP commercialization and strategic infrastructure development.
     The Prodigy Microreactor Power Station™ TNPP, can be integrate different types of microreactors. It would be manufactured, outfitted, and partially commissioned in a shipyard, then transported to a site for installation either on land or in a marine (shoreside) setting. The facility would require minimal site preparation when compared to the time and effort required for an onsite-constructed Small Modular Reactor (SMR). The TNPP would arrive at site more ready for final commissioning and power generation could start in a matter of weeks. At the end of the reactor’s lifespan, the TNPP would be removed for decommissioning, eliminating legacy waste.
     Off-grid diesel replacement in Canada is a huge opportunity. The majority of remote communities each require up to five megawatts, and remote mines from fifteen to forty-five megawatts. Prodigy will be able to deploy microreactors safely and economically, even in hard-to-access locations. Prodigy TNPPs could accelerate achievement of Canada’s Northern energy security goals. The power they generate would facilitate infrastructure improvements across the North, drive increased production of critical minerals and increase opportunities for the long-term economic reconciliation of Indigenous Peoples. Prodigy is collaborating with Westinghouse to develop a TNPP outfitted with the Westinghouse eVinci™ microreactor, that would be especially suitable for these applications.
     Mathias Trojer is President and CEO, Prodigy Clean Energy. He said, “Prodigy’s microreactor TNPP offers a near-term solution to transition remote locations off of diesel. Meeting Indigenous Peoples’ requirements for TNPP design and energy delivery and ensuring maximal participation of Indigenous groups as part of our technology development and commercialization programs, are cornerstone to our success. We are privileged to partner with Des Nëdhé to put these objectives into action.”
     Des Nëdhé is an Indigenous Economic Development Corporation with more than twenty-five years of experience across the nuclear, remote power, construction, mining, and Indigenous and stakeholder communications sectors. Des Nëdhé has a strong history of forging strategic partnerships to facilitate development of critical infrastructure and services needed in remote areas. With respect to SMRs, Des Nëdhé is championing Indigenous leadership and engagement to support the technology’s deployment across Canada.
     Sean Willy is the President and CEO of the Des Nëdhé Group. He said, “Ensuring a secure, carbon-free, and affordable electricity and heat supply for all of Canada is crucial, and SMRs will play a significant role. Des Nëdhé is proud to partner with Prodigy, as their TNPP technologies address many of the upfront concerns that Indigenous groups have when considering a potential SMR project. This includes minimizing the environmental impact and reducing the project life cycle complexity and cost, when compared to a traditional site-constructed SMR. The end use opportunity for TNPPs across remote industrial and residential power in Canada is very significant.”