Radwaste – Scotland
Consultation paper seeking views on a proposed Implementation Strategy to support Scotland’s Higher Activity Radioactive Waste Policy. The proposed Strategy has been prepared to support Scotland’s Higher Activity Radioactive Waste Policy that was publsihed in 2011. The Policy is that long-term managment of higher activity radioactive waste should be in near surface facilities. Facilities should be located as near to the site where the waste is produced as possible. Developers will need to demonstrate how the facilities will be monitored and how waste packages, or waste could be retrieved. The Strategy does not address site-specific issues. It is recognised that appropriate waste management solutions at one site may be different from those at another site. As such, the proposed Strategy is not prescriptive about which management solutions should be used in specific circumstances. The Strategy sets out the key stages for the effective implementation of the 2011 Policy and outlines key actions that are required from the NDA and the Scottish Government during those phases. The consultation closes on 7th August.
Scottish Government 15th May 2015 read more »
Scotland defers big nuclear waste storage decisions.
ENDS 18th May 2015 read more »
New Nuclear
Nuclear power has had a makeover. What was once seen as a futuristic source of limitless energy has been reframed as a response to global warming, an ideal solution for countries looking for a continuous source of low-carbon power. But who are these countries? At the moment 31 different nations operate nuclear power plants (see page 14 here, with a total of 388 reactors, and before Fukushima, most planned nuclear power plant projects were in Asia and Eastern Europe, extending a trend from earlier years. Industry lobbyists the World Nuclear Association suggests that nuclear power capacity worldwide is increasing steadily, with more than 60 reactors under construction in 13 countries. They say that eight countries are either planning to build for the first time (Belarus and United Arab Emirates), have signed contracts (Lithuania and Turkey), or have some plans to build (Bangladesh, Jordan, Poland, and Vietnam). In contrast, the more independent World Nuclear Industry Status Report describes a declining trend, with annual nuclear electricity generation reaching a maximum of 266 GW in 2006 and dropping to 235 GW in 2013 – with 50 fewer operating reactors than the peak in 2002, and total installed capacity comparable to levels last seen two decades ago. This decline is also confirmed in BP’s recent Energy Outlook.
The Conversation 18th May 2015 read more »
Radhealth
The link between nuclear power and cancer is real, writes Chris Busby, and revealed in the UK’s cancer statistics – if only you look for it. Previous approaches have focused on rare cancers over large, poorly selected populations. But look at common cancers among those most exposed to nuclear radiation, and the statistical evidence is overwhelming.
Ecologist 18th May 2015 read more »
Nuclear Police
A contract for the command and control centre of Britain’s heavily armed nuclear police is being outsourced to the private company Capita. The outsourcing giant is to play a support role at the command centre of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, a heavily-armed special police service that protects nuclear power plants, waste dumps, and nuclear material in transit.
Independent 18th May 2015 read more »
Energy Supplies
Last week’s decision by the UK’s new energy secretary, Amber Rudd, to approve Centrica’s plans for a dramatic increase in gas imports from Gazprom has cast a cloud of uncertainty over Britain’s policy on sanctions against Russia. In recent months the UK, along with the US, has been one of the strongest advocates of tough sanctions. In Europe, opinion has been more equivocal and divided. The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, called the Russian occupation of Ukraine “a criminal act” when she was in Moscow last weekend. Many in Germany and France, however, see sanctions as pointless. To them, Russia is a neighbour, difficult at times certainly, but a presence to be lived with. Ukraine on this view is of no strategic importance and its multiple problems stem from its own corruption. Now it seems that the UK has switched sides in this debate.
FT 18th May 2015 read more »
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia intends to buy an “off the shelf” nuclear weapon from Pakistan, according to US officials quoted in The Sunday Times. The report comes amid ongoing negotiations between Iran and other world powers over its nuclear programme, and a potential thawing of relations between the US and Iran.
Independent 18th May 2015 read more »
North Korea
The US is talking to China about imposing further sanctions against North Korea as the reclusive country is “not even close” to taking steps to rein in its nuclear weapons programme, the US secretary of state, John Kerry, has said.
Guardian 18th May 2015 read more »
Trident
In July last year, I was arrested for blocking the gate of Devonport Docks, where the Trident nuclear weapons fleet is serviced. This was part of my long-running commitment to raise awareness about the proposed Trident renewal and to challenge it’s legality through peaceful protest. There is due to be a one or two day trial with me and my co-defendant Nikki Clarke at Plymouth Magistrates Court on Tuesday May 19th.
Theo Simon’s Blog 19th May 2015 read more »
The DUP’s defence spokesman believes a Westminster inquiry could be launched after an Ulster submariner published a raft of claims about alleged failings in the Trident programme.
Belfast Newsletter 18th May 2015 read more »
The defence secretary, Michael Fallon, has been urged to investigate a catalogue of alleged security failings around the Trident nuclear programme exposed by a Royal Navy whistleblower. Brendan O’Hara, the Scottish National party MP for Argyll and Bute, which includes the Faslane submarine base, said that the security lapses described by Able Seaman William McNeilly appeared to be “extremely worrying” and merited further investigation.
Guardian 18th May 2015 read more »
Unless David Cameron has a sudden change of mind before the Queen’s Speech next week, Trident should be renewed, allowing Britain to remain – albeit, some say, in name only – an independent nuclear power. Yesterday, however, out of left field in more senses than one, a small Scottish voice made itself heard. This was not the SNP leader, Nicola Sturgeon, insisting that her party’s policy and her deep personal conviction were that Trident had no place in an independent Scotland. Nor was it one of the SNP contingent in the new Parliament announcing that they would vote to a man and woman against its renewal. No, it was someone rather closer to the action. Able Seaman William McNeilly, a Royal Navy submariner, went public on the internet with his view that Trident was “a disaster waiting to happen”. He subsequently admitted in a radio interview that his views had an ideological aspect: despite earning his bread and butter from the Navy, he believed that nuclear weapons were no longer the answer to national security and had no place in any modern defence. But the precise criticisms he made about Trident were not ideological. They were entirely practical and based on his experience of being on patrol as a technician on HMS Victorious, one of the four submarines that comprise the Trident deterrent, and this is why they deserve to be taken seriously.
Independent 18th May 2015 read more »
Trident nuclear accidents and terrorism are the greatest threats we face – conclusion by Able Seaman William McNeilly.
Ecologist 18th May 2015 read more »
The Royal Navy and police are hunting a sailor who has gone missing after claiming there are serious security issues surrounding Britain’s nuclear submarine fleet. William McNeilly, 25, has published an 18-page letter online filled with claims the Trident submarine programme is a ‘disaster waiting to happen’. McNeilly claims missiles on the vessels are vulnerable to a terrorist attack. The report published last Tuesday claims terrorists could launch nuclear missiles from a submarine into UK cities. McNeilly is believed to have fled the UK.
Plymouth Herald 18th May 2015 read more »
Independent 18th May 2015 read more »
The nuclear weapons technician on the run since he blew the whistle on 30 alleged safety and security flaws on Trident submarines has said that he is going to give himself up to police today. In a new public post on Facebook just after 1pm, William McNeilly (25) said that had achieved what he wanted. “I set out to gather as much information as possible, as fast as possible, inform you and the government before getting caught, then hand myself into the police,” he said. “I will be handing myself into the police today.” Trident was “a broken system”, he claimed. “If you continue to defend it sooner or later more truth will come out or a catastrophe will happen.” The Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has this afternoon launched a petition to pardon McNeilly. “He should be commended for exposing the poor safety standards on nuclear submarines and not persecuted,” it says.
RobEdwards 18th May 2015 read more »
Renewables – solar
One solar developer has estimated that fitting solar panels above car parks could provide enough energy across the UK to power 1.7m homes. By building a car port-style shelter above the car par with panels orientated for maximum solar capture this could provide a new source of energy for hospitals, shopping centres, business parks, offices, airports etc.
Business Green 18th May 2015 read more »
Renewables – onshore wind
The upcoming Queen’s Speech is expected to confirm Conservative plans to end support for new onshore wind farms, the new Energy and Climate Change Secretary has revealed. In an interview with the Sunday Times, Amber Rudd said she “personally quite” enjoyed seeing wind farms, but their siting could be deeply divisive when some local people campaign against them.
Business Green 18th May 2015 read more »
Newly appointed energy secretary Amber Rudd will enforce the Conservative Party’s manifesto pledge to curb the spread of onshore wind through new legislation set to take effect from May next year. Rudd intends to push forward with plans enforce the Tory policy as a matter of priority in her first weeks as head of the Department of Energy and Climate Change by amending current planning rules to give greater power to local communities, while subsidies for new wind farms will be banned altogether. In her first major interview since taking up the post Rudd told the Sunday Times: “I’ve already got my team working on it. That’s going to be one of the first things we’re going to do.” The cuts are not expected to affect onshore wind projects already in planning which is estimated at almost 7GW according to analysts at RBC Capital.
Utility Week 18th May 2015 read more »
Renewables – offshore wind
Construction of the first off-shore wind farm in the Channel is due to begin next month after confirmation of £1.3 billion funding from its backers. The Rampion wind farm will consist of 116 turbines off the Sussex coast, each nearly 700ft tall. They will be visible from Beachy Head to the Isle of Wight and in the right winds will produce 400 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 300,000 homes. The first stage of the project will be on shore at Twineham, near Haywards Heath in West Sussex, where construction of a substation is due to start in June. This will be followed by cabling across the South Downs National Park.
Times 19th May 2015 read more »
Telegraph 18th May 2015 read more »
Fossil Fuels
Environmentalists are demanding that the EU close a research fund which they claim offers coal companies tens of millions of pounds of public money in grants. The European commission’s Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) has awarded €144m (£107m) to companies such as E.On UK, RWE Npower and UK Coal Production Ltd, according to research by Greenpeace Energydesk. Most of the the money is spent on mining infrastructure, management and unconventional use of deposits, and on coal preparation and upgrading. Doug Parr, Greenpeace’s chief scientist, said that the fund made little environmental, economic or scientific sense.
Guardian 15th May 2015 read more »
Fossil fuel companies are benefitting from global subsidies of $5.3tn (£3.4tn) a year, equivalent to $10m a minute every day, according to a startling new estimate by the International Monetary Fund. The IMF calls the revelation “shocking” and says the figure is an “extremely robust” estimate of the true cost of fossil fuels. The $5.3tn subsidy estimated for 2015 is greater than the total health spending of all the world’s governments. The vast sum is largely due to polluters not paying the costs imposed on governments by the burning of coal, oil and gas. These include the harm caused to local populations by air pollution as well as to people across the globe affected by the floods, droughts and storms being driven by climate change. Nicholas Stern, an eminent climate economist at the London School of Economics, said: “This very important analysis shatters the myth that fossil fuels are cheap by showing just how huge their real costs are. There is no justification for these enormous subsidies for fossil fuels, which distort markets and damages economies, particularly in poorer countries.”
Guardian 18th May 2015 read more »
The University of Oxford has ruled out future investments in coal and tar sands from its multi-billion pound endowment, but said it would not divest from all fossil fuels as demanded by thousands of students, academics and alumni. Campaigners welcomed the move as a victory for the fast-growing fossil fuel divestment campaign, as it was the first time the university had made clear its position on the issue.
Guardian 18th May 2015 read more »
FT 18th May 2015 read more »
PRESSURE is mounting on Edinburgh University to pull investments from fossil fuel companies after Oxford University took a first step towards disinvestment. Protestors at Edinburgh University are holding a sit-in over its refusal to divest from fossil fuels.
Herald 18th May 2015 read more »
