New nukes
The private sector would foot the entire bill for the decommissioning and waste disposal costs of any new nuclear power station, Malcolm Wicks, energy minister, said in a Financial Times interview. A forthcoming energy bill is expected to set out how industry would be required to pour hundreds of millions of pounds into a funding pot for disposing of radioactive waste from the new plants. Construction and operation of power stations will also be paid for by private operators.
FT 20th August 2007 more >>
Transcript of an interview with Malcolm Wicks, energy minister, by Christopher Adams and Ed Crooks of the Financial Times.
FT 20th August 2007 more >>
Article by Struan Stevenson: OVER the next quarter of a century, global energy consumption is forecast to grow by 61 per cent, the European Union up by 30 per cent, the United States by 42 per cent and that of developing countries by around 130 per cent. By 2030, the predicted increase for China is 119 per cent and for South Asia (including India) 188 per cent.
Scotsman 20th August 2007 more >>
Drigg
The auction of one of Britain’s nuclear assets has been hit after it missed out on a key decommissioning contract, industry sources said. Bids for Project Services, the division of Britain’s nuclear empire which specialises in cleaning up spent waste, are due in within the next couple of weeks. Estimates of its value vary from £100m to £200m. However, last week’s announcement that Project Services has lost out in a competition to win the decommissioning work at the Drigg site in West Cumbria will lessen its value.
Telegraph 20th August 2007 more >>
British Energy
Some companies are failing to meet reporting requirements laid out in a key European Union directive, according to a survey that shows widespread confusion about how finance teams are meant to meet the standard. The EU Transparency Directive, which came into force in the UK last January, requires companies to issue reports, known as interim management statements, mid-way between their half-year and full-year results. UK companies that have so far had to put out IMS reports under the directive have produced efforts ranging from a bare 28 words in two lines (Severn Trent) to 13,000 words in 29 pages (British Energy).
FT 20th August 2007 more >>
Iran
Iran’s nuclear programme is continuing “non-stop”, an Iranian official said on Sunday, the eve of high-level talks with the U.N. atomic watchdog aimed at defusing Western suspicions about Tehran’s intentions.
Reuters 19th August 2007 more >>
India
Political uncertainty has deepened in India with the communist allies of the government hardening their stance against the nuclear deal with the US.
BBC 20th August 2007 more >>
