Our last article focused on new EPA regulations that are prompting significant research and development activities for most utilities. We’ve also written in the past regarding the expected impact of the Japanese accident at Fukushima on the Nuclear Industry and new R&D that will be performed. Here’s an update on expected areas that will require […]
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced a new proposal to spur innovation and job creation through the simplification, expansion, and make permanent the Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit. Per Sen. Gillibrand’s Press Release on January 28th, expanding the R&D Tax Credit would create more than 162,000 jobs nationwide, according to the Information Technology and Innovation […]
In Part 1 and Part 2 of this series of articles on the importance of configuration management in new plants, an argument has been made for the importance of a well developed CM program and tools to assure success in the design and construction of the next generation of nuclear plants. Also the importance of […]
An Appeals Settlement Guideline for Qualified Research Expenses – Extraordinary a for Utilities, UIL 41.51-01 was released in late March that provides guidance on whether amounts incurred by a taxpayer for utilities expenses in buildings in which qualified research was conducted (“Research Buildings”) are qualified research expenses as defined in I.R.C. Sec. 41(b). Background: Taxpayers […]
The Shuttle Challenger explosion was a configuration management issue. The bridge over the Tacoma Narrows nicknamed “Galloping Gertie” had a configuration management (CM) issue. Balconies that have collapsed and soccer stadium stands that have failed all can be tied to poor configuration control issues. In the nuclear power industry we have wrestled with configuration management […]
photo credit: striatic Nearly three-quarters of all US nuclear plants have applied for twenty year license renewals from the NRC. Fifty-four units have received approval of their applications from the NRC. An additional twenty are still awaiting decisions from the regulator. If your plant has made its license renewal application (LRA) is it time to […]
A Step in the Right Direction In a step forward, the fifth circuit has correctly interpreted the Section 41 R&E Credit Rules and applied them retroactively to void prior decisions and misinterpretations of the tax code. Case Background: McFerrin, co-founder of KMCO, Inc. a manufacturer of commodity and specialty chemicals, mainly to the petrochemical industry, […]
In the November 2008 BCP R&E Newsletter, we discussed a few areas of future growth and research & development in the energy industry – namely Distributed Energy and Carbon Management. With the current Obama-Biden Economic and Stimulus Plan likely to pass, there are several key components related to R&E that you should keep on your […]
BCP recently completed a presentation on the Research and Experimentation (R&E) Tax Credit and Deduction at the EEI Tax Committee meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana. The last discussion point was an example of how to get started with assessing the level of R&E potential investment your organization is making. In this issue of the R&E […]
It is clear that the United States’ future depends on energy self-reliance. This year’s political season has undoubtedly helped to reinforce that need. While there is much debate about the method with which energy will be produced, generated and obtained, there is no debate of the need to do so. The climate for energy solutions […]
