Nuclear Safety
Prague is currently hosting the European Nuclear Energy Forum (ENEF), a gathering of those involved in shaping nuclear policy across the EU. One of the hot topics at this meeting is safety standards within the nuclear industry and a very scary proposal has been floated to lower standards in many member states.
Greenpeace UK 22nd May 2008 more >>
Greenpeace activists today presented high-level government and business delegates to the European Nuclear Energy Forum with a warning against involvement in new fault-ridden French nuclear reactors, which have been portrayed as the ‘flagship’ of a so-called nuclear renaissance. Entitled “Warning: AREVA at work!”, the Greenpeace ‘EPR Survival Kit’ is aimed at those foolhardy enough to overlook the chronic problems affecting construction of the European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) compared to the benefits of investing in energy saving and renewable energy.
Greenpeace International 22nd May 2008 more >>
Scotland
The President of the Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce called for an investigation into the redevelopment of Scotland’s four nuclear sites.
Aberdeen Press and Journal 22nd May 2008 more >>
British Energy
Scottish and Southern has emerged as a surprise contender in the battle for British Energy
Telegraph 23rd May 2008 (not on the web)
Plutonium Shipment
Areva is preparing to receive a shipment of plutonium from the UK, the French group announced May 19. The plutonium oxide is being shipped from the reprocessing complex operated by Sellafield Ltd. in Cumbria to Areva’s La Hague reprocessing complex in Normandy for repackaging, Areva said. It will then be sent to Areva’s Melox plant near Avignon, where it will be fabricated into mixed-oxide fuel for customers of Sellafield Ltd., Areva said. The company said all the required transport permits had been granted and that the precise arrangements would be kept confidential.
Platts 19th May 2008 more >>
Sellafield
SPECIALIST engineering support services company Redhall Group today said it had been awarded preferred bidder status for a four year contract at the Sellafield nuclear plant. The Wakefield-based group’s specialist nuclear equipment manufacturing division, Jordan Manufacturing, would manufacture and supply specialist plant and equipment for Sellafield’s Thorp reprocessing facility under the £22m contract.
The Business Desk 22nd May 2008 more >>
France & Canada
Mycle Schneider: Areva’s recent entry into Ontario’s potential multi-billion nuclear market in competition with Japanese-owned Westinghouse Electric Co. and Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd, should be thoroughly scrutinized particularly because of its ongoing difficulties in meeting quality-control standards, deadlines and budget terms at its current building sites in Finland and France. While nuclear energy provides 78% of France’s electricity, this corresponds to only 18% of the total energy that consumers use. After 2.5 years of construction, the Franco-German European Pressurized Reactor project in Finland is two years behind schedule and US$2.3-billion, or 50%, over budget. The equivalent EPR project in France started on Dec. 3, 2007. The nuclear safety authorities carried out an inspection the same day and noted the company’s failure to meet basic technical specifications and procedures. Following inspections revealed more significant insufficiencies.
Financial Post 21st May 2008 more >>
This was a response to the French Ambassador to Canada’s letter 15th May 2008 more >>
The International Panel on Fissile Materials has just released a report by Mycle Schneider and Yves Marignac on “Spent Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing in France”. It is available at http://www.ipfmlibrary.org/rr04.pdf.
Italy
Nuclear power is back on the agenda in Italy after the new centre-right government’s rout of the Greens in last month’s elections. Claudio Scajola, development minister, yesterday declared the intention to restart building of nuclear plants by 2013, the scheduled end of its five-year term.
FT 23rd May 2008 more >>
BBC 23rd May 2008 more >>
Times 22nd May 2008 more >>
Interactive Investor 22nd May 2008 more >>
Sweden
Two men arrested on suspicion of attempting to sabotage a nuclear plant in southern Sweden have been released, police say. Both men were stopped on Wednesday at the entrance to the plant after traces of explosives were found on a bag. Police said the investigation was continuing, but there were no grounds to hold the men any longer. The Oskarshamn plant – owned by German energy giant E.On – was shut and sealed off while inspections took place.
BBC 22nd May 2008 more >>
Swedish police said Thursday that no explosives or other suspicious material had been found at a nuclear reactor at the Oskarshamn nuclear plant, majority owned by E.ON AG., which was suspected of being targeted for sabotage.
AFX 22nd May 2008 more >>
Proliferation
This week’s report by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a defence policy think tank: Nuclear Programmes in the Middle East: In the Shadow of Iran, found that between February 2006 and January 2007, at least 13 countries in the Middle East had announced new or revived plans to develop nuclear programmes, the purpose of which were, ostensibly, to meet their future civilian energy needs. However, the fact that this sudden revival of interest in nuclear energy coincided with the Iranian government’s decision to resume work on its uranium-enrichment programme is hardly unrelated.
Telegraph 23rd May 2008 more >>
Korea
South Korea hopes to import unused fuel rods stored at North Korea’s atomic complex if the communist country proceeds with its nuclear dismantlement, a South Korean official said Thursday.
The rods at North Korea’s Yongbyon atomic complex can be used at the South’s nuclear power plants, he said in a briefing for domestic reporters.
AFX 22nd May 2008 more >>
Iran
The Iranian government has proposed the creation of an international consortium to enrich uranium on its own soil as a way of defusing the tense standoff over its nuclear programme. The proposal is part of a “new and comprehensive initiative” put forward by Iran ahead of a planned visit to Tehran by Javier Solana, the EU foreign policy chief, accompanied by senior officials from Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China.
Guardian 23rd May 2008 more >>
Nuclear Weapons
More than 100 demonstrators went to RAF Lakenheath to protest against nuclear weapons they claim are stored there. Four protesters were arrested during the demonstration, organised by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) and the Lakenheath Action Group on Sunday.
Bury Free Press 23rd May 2008 more >>
Submarines
A nuclear submarine crashed into the seabed, sustaining £5million of damage, because its officers were using tracing paper to mark her course, the Ministry of Defence said on Thursday. HMS Trafalgar’s senior officers made serious lapses of judgment and their standard of chartwork was poor.
Metro 22nd May 2008 more >>
Times 23rd May 2008 more >>
Daily Record 23rd May 2008 more >>
