National Policy Statements
The Energy and Climate Change Select Committee of the House of Commons is due to publish its report on its view of the revised six energy National Policy Statements (NPSs) next Wednesday, 26 January. There was a debate in the Grand Committee of the House of Lords on the revised draft Nuclear Power NPS. Lord Marland, under-secretary of state at DECC. In opening, he said that although the NPS identified eight sites for new nuclear power stations, it was not the last chance to have a say about whether the sites should be taken forward, as there would be a further opportunity once individual applications came forward. I would give qualified agreement to that: once an NPS is finalised, one cannot question the policy it contains during a subsequent application. It will therefore not be open to objectors to applications to question the suitability of the eight sites, since that will have been established in the NPS.
Bircham Dyson Bell 20th Jan 2011 more >>
Scottish Waste Policy
Policy Statement on Radioactive Waste in Scotland made in the Scottish Parliament on January 20, 2011 by Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment in response to a question from Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands, SNP)
Scottish Government 20th Jan 2011 more >>
Oldbury
PEOPLE living near Oldbury Nuclear Power Station have been reassured there is a plan should anything ever go wrong. According to Magnox, which runs the 40-year-old plant, and South Gloucestershire Council’s emergency planning unit, there is a detailed plan of co-ordinated action for all the local emergency services. Speaking at a recent Oldbury Site Stakeholder meeting, where members of the public get to talk to representatives from the nuclear industry, Guy Astley-Jones, from the local authority’s emergency planning unit, said all worst case scenarios had been thought of and rehearsed for.
Gloucestershire Gazette 20th Jan 2011 more >>
Hinkley
Cecily Collingridge confronts Hergen Haye, Head of new nuclear, with the fact that the land at Hinkley C is contaminated with 10 tonnes of enriched uranium. This problem is likely to apply to all existing nuclear power stations.
You Tube 18th Jan 2011 more >>
Companies
Toshiba Corp. and Westinghouse Electric Co. signed agreements with Rolls-Royce Group Plc and other companies to cooperate on a bid to win a nuclear power plant contract in the U.K. Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems Plc and Doosan Power Systems Ltd. will join Toshiba, Westinghouse, Shaw Group Inc. and Laing O’Rourke Plc in their bid for a reactor order for the Wylfa site, Toshiba said in a statement on its website.
Bloomberg 20th Jan 2011 more >>
Powergen Worldwide 20th Jan 2011 more >>
Energy Business Review 20th Jan 2011 more >>
Energy Costs
Electricity generated from solar energy will be cheaper than electricity generated from the proposed new nuclear plants according to UK Market leaders – mO3 Power. The generation game has changed so much over the last decade that electricity generated from solar energy will be cheaper than electricity generated from the proposed new nuclear plants according to UK Market leaders – mO3 Power. “The cost of generating power from solar photovoltaic (PV) systems has steadily fallen over the last ten years while the projected costs of constructing the new nuclear plants have ballooned,” said Ken Moss, CEO of mO3.
Energy Tribune 20th Jan 2011 more >>
Green Investment Bank
Energy executives have welcomed proposals that could see the planned Green Investment Bank back nuclear power projects, suggesting the bank could offer customers “nuclear-free” bonds to appease those investors opposed to nuclear energy. The Environmental Audit Committee yesterday heard evidence from executives from EDF and Scottish Power, the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association, and Environmental Industries Commission as part of its investigation on how the GIB should be formed.
Business Green 20th Jan 2011 more >>
Romania
GDF Suez SA will pull out of an agreement to build two nuclear reactors in Romania, a person with knowledge of the matter said. The company is withdrawing from the venture because it’s been unable to agree a regulatory framework for the project, the person said, declining to be identified before an official announcement. The EnergoNuclear venture planned for the first reactor to start in 2017, according to its website. The government currently owns 60 percent of the venture, which also includes Italy’s Enel SpA, Iberdrola SA of Spain, GDF Suez, Germany’s RWE AG and steelmaker ArcelorMittal.
Bloomberg 20th Jan 2011 more >>
While three engineering contractors have declared their intention to bid to complete Cernavoda units 3 and 4 in Romania, three utilities have withdrawn from the project.GdF Suez, RWE and Iberdola “have decided not to continue to participate in the Cernavoda project.” The companies said they worked on the completion of Cernavoda 3 and 4 from 2008 but, “Economic and market uncertainties surrounding this project, related for the most part to the present financial crisis, are not reconcilable now with the capital requirements of a new nuclear power project.”
World Nuclear News 20th Jan 2011 more >>
Argus Media 20th Jan 2011 more >>
France
France already gets a large majority of its power from nuclear reactors, and the country clearly isn’t shy about continuing to innovate in the field. The state naval company, DCNS, announced plans to develop and build nuclear reactors designed to sit on the sea floor and send power back to shore.
IEEE Spectrum 20th Jan 2011 more >>
France relied on power imports for more days last year than in 2009 amid colder weather and increased industrial activity, according to the country’s electric grid operator. France was a net importer for 72 days last year compared with 57 in 2009, said Reseau de Transport d’Electricite, the grid operator owned by Electricite de France SA. French power demand rose 5.5 percent last year because of the coldest temperatures since 1987, increased economic activity and greater use of power-using devices.
Bloomberg 20th Jan 2011 more >>
Iran
Six world powers will try to persuade Iran to rein in its nuclear programme at talks on Friday, with little expectation of a major breakthrough but hope they can at least agree on a process that will bring more talks.
ITN 21st Jan 2011 more >>
BBC 21st Jan 2011 more >>
Sky News 21st Jan 2011 more >>
Iran gained the technicaly capability to produce highly enriched uranium in sufficient quantities to make nuclear weapons in March 2009, according to US officals.
Telegraph 21st Jan 2011 more >>
Guardian 21st Jan 2011 more >>
Amid reports that Iran wants to revive a proposal to export some of its enriched uranium, a leaked US cable suggests an earlier compromise may have been scuppered by mixed messages from Washington
Guardian Blog 20th Jan 2011 more >>
China
The USA and China have signed an intergovernmental agreement to establish a centre of excellence in China to promote effective nuclear security and safeguards. They have also agreed to set up a radiation detection training centre in the country.
World Nuclear News 20th Jan 2011 more >>
Submarines
On 21 January 1954 the world’s first nuclear submarine, America’s USS Nautilus, was launched, sparking a revolution in underwater reconnaissance.
Independent 21st Jan 2011 more >>
Renewables
Energy ministers working on plans for an offshore grid linking wind farms and energy sources in the North Sea will collaborate with counterparts in the Baltics working on a similar scheme, said Prime Minister David Cameron. The move will be seen as a step closer to a joined-up European supergrid , in which undersea cables supply renewable energy produced in one country to meet needs elsewhere. The hope is that it would solve some of the problems surrounding wind energy, which is intermittent.
Telegraph 21st Jan 2011 more >>
Up to 130 green jobs are to be created in Scotland after Gamesa, the Spanish wind energy giant, disclosed plans to build a new technology centre in Glasgow.
The group, which plans to invest €150 million (£127 million) in Britain by 2014, also signed a preliminary agreement to build a manufacturing plant for its two new offshore wind turbines in Dundee.
Times 21st Jan 2011 more >>
Scotsman 21st Jan 2011 more >>
SCOTLAND’S damp, gloomy climate would not immediately appear to be the ideal spot for a 200 million investment in solar energy. But now thousands of Scottish homes and businesses are to be fitted with photovoltaic panels, paid for through a green energy scheme. The project, led by Stirling renewable energy firm Emotion Energy, will benefit only structures with south-facing roofs – in a bid to harness as much of the sun’s power as possible. The project will also generate cash for community-funded charities over the next 25 years. “People believe solar panels need a lot of sun and that is just not the case,” said Mike Cox of Heriot-Watt University, which is today hosting a conference on the risk to businesses caused by climate change. Daniel Borisewitz, Scottish Renewables policy manager for bioenergy and heat, said 12 businesses and householders a week had installed their own solar panel systems.
Scotsman 21st Jan 2011 more >>
