Cumbria
FEELINGS ran high when people from Braystones and Beckermet packed Whitehaven Civic Hall on Saturday to largely oppose plans to build new nuclear reactors locally. RWE npower have bought land for potential new power stations on the coast at Braystones and Kirksanton, near Millom. But although government officials stressed that final decisions had still to be taken they left a resounding message: ‘No to nuclear reactors at Beckermet and No to RWE.”
Whitehaven News 18th Jan 2010 more >>
Electric 18th Jan 2010 more >>
Wylfa
Wylfa nuclear power station on Anglesey, which may get an extension to 2012, can with its 0.98 GW capacity potentially generate around 37% of electricity demand in Wales. This demand has actually fallen recently due to the closure of the largest consumer of electricity in Wales, Anglesey Aluminium Metal at Holyhead, which used around 12% of annual consumption in Wales. The new Wylfa B power station which will be built on Anglesey by Horizon Nuclear Power (RWE and E.ON) is expected to have a capacity of around 5GW, which when fully operational in aroud 10 to 12 years time could meet a demand of up to 42 TWh, 175% the current demand in Wales. So the future is likely to see Wales making a significant contribution to low carbon power generation in the UK, using both nuclear as a baseload supply and a range of exciting new renewable technologies such as wind, tidal and even wave, alongside hydro and pump storage.
Wales Home 18th Jan 2010 more >>
Bristol
A protest against the building of new nuclear power stations near Bristol will take place outside the Council House on 19th Jan, in advance of a debate to decide if the city will officially oppose the development.
Bristol 24/7 18th Jan 2010 more >>
Cllr Mark Wright has submitted an anti-nuclear Motion to Council for the meeting on 19th Jan, and there will be a small protest outside the Council House beforehand, 1.40-2pm. You are welcome to join the protest if you too are sceptical of more nuclear power!
Bristol Indymedia 18th Jan 2010 more >>
Companies
James Fisher Nuclear Services (JFNS) has awarded Carlisle-based Kier Construction a £1.5 million contract to design and build a test centre in Egremont. It will be created on the Bridge End Industrial estate, near the company’s current operation at Ennerdale Mill, and is due for completion in August. Thirty people will be employed on the site during construction. Supporters hope the expanded operation will play a part in the £2bn Britain’s Energy Coast vision for west Cumbria. The project will include building a 1,000sq metre , 21-metre-high rig hall, including a 20-tonne overhead travelling crane and 600sq metres of office space.
Cumberland News 18th Jan 2010 more >>
International Power and GDF-Suez yesterday called off talks about a deal that would have seen the French giant take a majority holding in the blue-chip energy provider.
Telegraph 19th Jan 2010 more >>
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) was examining dramatic movements in International Power’s share price last night after the FTSE 100 energy company abruptly broke off talks with GDF Suez about a possible tie-up. More than £650 million was wiped off the value of International Power after the two companies were forced to issue statements confirming speculation that they had been in talks about a possible partnership deal, but that those discussions had now ended.
Times 19th Jan 2010 more >>
France
The French nuclear industry is in turmoil as uranium supplies have dried up and the treatment of spent fuel has been blocked amid an increasingly bitter row between the heads of its two main state operators. EDF, the electricity group that runs 58 reactors in France, said that Areva, the nuclear energy group, had stopped uranium deliveries on January 4 and was refusing to take away spent fuel for reprocessing. ‘‘The transport of combustibles isn’t working at the moment,’’ Anne Lauvergeon, the chairwoman of Areva, said. As a result, used fuel is remaining at EDF sites instead of being reprocessed at La Hague treatment plant in northern France.
Times 19th Jan 2010 more >>
Germany
Thousands of barrels are to be removed from Germany’s Asse radioactive waste disposal facility, a salt dome which has proven unstable. The decision has come from the country’s Federal Office for Radiation Protection (Bundesamt f r Strahlenshutz, BfS), which described the job as a “major scientific and technological challenge”. Some 126,000 barrels are to be removed to the surface for alternative storage. They contain low-level radioactive waste such as lightly contaminated clothes, paper and equipment. In most countries these are disposed of permanently in purpose-built landfills, carefully lined to protect surrounding land. Asse, by contrast, is within a network of tunnels and caverns left by salt mining research operations.
World Nuclear News 18th Jan 2010 more >>
Slovenia
Radioactive waste will be stored forever at Vrbina, Slovenia after a decree that took effect on 15th Jan and the storage facility for low and intermediate level waste should operate in 2013. A range of sites were considered with the voluntary participation of local people and narrowed down to two, Vrbina and Brezice, in 2008. Both potential sites were near the country’s only nuclear power plant, Krsko, and only about 1.5 kilometers apart. Compensation to the community will be 5.1 million ($7.3 million) per year, which is to be distributed under certain agreed criteria.
New Europe 18th Jan 2010 more >>
North Korea
North Korea has said it will not return to stalled international talks on its nuclear disarmament until sanctions against it are lifted.
BBC 18th Jan 2010 more >>
China
Foreigners should be deeply envious of China’s “green” revolution; a commitment with a magnitude far greater than any other country in the world with respect to solar, wind, and nuclear energy sources for the future. Remarkable! In demonstrating this commitment, they are also sending an amazing message on the future of energy in our world. We won’t need much oil.
Market Oracle 19th Jan 2010 more >>
Submarines
A ROYAL Navy commander admitted responsibility for a nuclear submarine running aground in the Red Sea.
Daily Star 19th Jan 2010 more >>
Daily Mail 19th Jan 2010 more >>
Nuclear Ship
The USS Carl Vinson has arrived at Port-au-Prince as part of the American contribution to earthquake recovery in Haiti. As well as supplies, helicopters and a field hospital, the twin-reactor vessel features seawater desalination capability to produce 1.5 million litres of potable water per day.
World Nuclear News 18th Jan 2010 more >>
Energy Supplies
Ageing coal-fired power stations should be exempted from environmental regulations and kept open to stop the lights from going out, the chief executive of E.ON UK has urged the government. Paul Golby told the Guardian that some of the coal and oil-fired plants due to close this decade because of European pollution regulations should remain operational and ready to come online during periods of peak demand such as those experienced in recent weeks. The Guardian revealed this month that almost 100 large power users had to switch to alternative sources when National Grid triggered clauses in their interruptible supply contracts.
Guardian 19th Jan 2010 more >>
Renewables
Householders will soon have to keep food waste in the modern equivalent of a slop bucket, the Government said yesterday. Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary, said that instead of being thrown away on landfill sites, food waste would be used for composting or turned into energy.
Times 19th Jan 2010 more >>
