New Nukes
RWE npower has an option to buy two sites in the North-west that could be suitable for a new nuclear power station, one of which already has an offer of a grid connection. Both locations, currently farmland, are on the coast of Copeland, in Cumbria. One of the pieces of land, which is near the Sellafield nuclear decommissioning centre, has received the go-ahead from the National Grid for a 3.6 gigawatt connection, sufficient to power five million homes. No firm plans will be made before consultation with local residents, but both spots will be nominated for the government review of potential sites for new atomic plants, which closes at the end of March.
Independent 26th Feb 2009 more >>
New reactor sites have been earmarked on farmland in the Egremont and Millom areas. Both are isolated on the coast and a major energy production company has reached agreement over the sale of the land.
Whitehaven News 25th Feb 2009 more >>
FT 26th Feb 2009 more >>
nPower Press Release 25th Feb 2009 more >>
Join Britain’s leading environmental commentator tomorrow to discuss one of the most divisive of green issues: nuclear power. At 12pm this Thursday, George Monbiot will be online for a live web chat to answer your questions on the subject.
Guardian 25th Feb 2009 more >>
What more is there to say about the exciting new group of greens for nuclear power unveiled this week by the Independent? Stephen Tindale, the former boss of Greenpeace and former spokesman for the renewables arm of a firm with nuclear interests, we addressed on Tuesday, and he had his day in the Sun yesterday; but what of the heaviest hitter, Lord Smith? Well, we can say that when the wind changes, he changes his mind, for in the dim and distant days of Blairism, before the future was determinedly nuclear, he was one of the main voices advising against such a path. So, under the stewardship of Dame Barbara Young was the Environment Agency. Now that Gordon sees things differently, so does Lord Smith; and at the Environment Agency, those who don’t follow suit are having to buck up their ideas.
Guardian 25th Feb 2009 more >>
Letter from Cllr Euan McLeod, Convenor of NFLA Scotland: There is a consensus on nuclear power in Scotland – overwhelmingly against it. Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA) Scotland notes attempts to accuse the Scottish Government of being negligent in opposing nuclear power and promoting a huge rise in renewables. NFLA Scotland agrees we need a balanced energy mix, but does not see nuclear as a part of that. The latest Scottish Energy Trends paper notes renewable energy accounted for 20 per cent of Scottish gross consumption in 2007 (up from 16.9 per cent in 2006) while nuclear energy fell to 13 per cent due to unplanned outages. This is a higher use of renewable energy than anywhere else in the UK or Ireland and is predicted to rise to 31 per cent by 2011. A mix of renewable power sources energy efficiency projects will be more than enough to ensure Scotland’s future energy supply.
Scotsman 26th Feb 2009 more >>
Letter: A further reason for the delay in next-generation nuclear fission is the sustained and irrational campaign against nuclear power which has held back development of the technology. This is a position many environmental commentators and, indeed, national governments are now realising has been deeply flawed. The question which does need to be asked is why others in the environmental movement are still so ideologically opposed to next-generation nuclear power (and even nuclear fusion) which can generate copious clean energy with small volumes of short-lived waste products.
Herald 26th Feb 2009 more >>
Letter from Steuart Campbell: Professor Jan Bebbington claims the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) Scotland is “not an advocate for or against nuclear power” (Platform, 24 February). That’s not the position of the SDC (UK?), which declares on its website: “Nuclear power is not the answer to tackling climate change or security of supply” and “there is no justification for bringing forward a new nuclear programme.”
Scotsman 26th Feb 2009 more >>
Global warming has led to a change in his views on nuclear energy, Ed Miliband has revealed. The Energy and Climate Change Secretary also said he believed the industry was on track for a new generation of nuclear power stations in less than a decade. The son of Marxist political theorist Ralph Miliband told the Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee he had not grown up with a traditionally pro-nuclear background. But he said: “I do think climate change changes one’s view about nuclear and the role it plays in our energy mix.” He was speaking after four leading environmentalists said they were in favour of nuclear power, including former Greenpeace director Stephen Tindale and Environment Agency chairman Lord Smith.
Public Servant Online 25th Feb 2009 more >>
Letter from (1) Stephen Tindale: The UK has immense renewables potential, particularly wind, wave and tidal. But only 1.5 per cent of our total energy (electricity, heat and transport) is currently from renewables, and even if we meet the EU target of 15 per cent by 2020, there will still be 85 per cent from fossil fuels or nuclear. (2) Chris Davies MEP: Like many in my party I have long been opposed to nuclear power, but the imperative of reducing global warming emissions has changed my view.
Independent 26th Feb 2009 more >>
Nuclear Waste
BNS Nuclear Services has created the Versatile Encapsulation Plant (VEP), originally for nuclear power stations producing both solid and sludge waste. BNS believes that VEP will prove to be cost effective when compared with the current methodology and was encouraged by the results from its test programme. VEP has the ability to process high solids content sludges, ion exchange media and solid waste, whether it is low level or intermediate level. The system is currently being proof of scale trialled against competing technologies as part of a Sellafield project risk reduction initiative.
Engineering Talk 26th Feb 2009 more >>
Hartlepool
PLANS for a new nuclear power station in Hartlepool will be put on public show next month. An exhibition and public meeting takes place at the Grand Hotel on Wednesday, March 11. Bosses at EDF Energy have hailed the town as “a good candidate” for a new plant. But they want to hear the public’s view on the proposals before any further steps are made.
Hartlepool Mail 24th Feb 2009 more >>
Ireland
FEARS ABOUT greenhouse-gas emissions from burning fossil fuels to generate electricity and about security of supply in an insecure world are slowly propelling Ireland towards nuclear power.
Irish Times 26th Feb 2009 more >>
NUCLEAR POWER can help halve CO2 emissions and double energy production by 2050, an expert in nuclear energy has said on a visit to Northern Ireland.
Irish Times 26th Feb 2009 more >>
Iran
Letter: Gideon Rachman does not even mention the possible advantages of a nuclear Iran. It would contribute to a balance of power in the region and introduce an element of mutual deterrence. Experience shows that this situation encourages resolution of conflicts through peaceful means. We must at least consider the possibility in an even-handed way.
FT 26th Feb 2009 more >>
Iran yesterday denied having slowed down its nuclear activities and said it planned to install 50,000 centrifuges to enrich uranium over the next five years after staging a dummy run of its Bushehr reactor, built with Russian help.
Guardian 26th Feb 2009 more >>
Scotsman 26th Feb 2009 more >>
Telegraph 26th Feb 2009 more >>
Daily Mail 25th Feb 2009 more >>
Italy
Italy has spoken to companies other than Enel and EDF about developing nuclear power reactors as it seeks to diversify energy supplies and analysts said there could be a range of players interested.
Interactive Investor 25th Feb 2009 more >>
Disarmament
As any rationale for maintaining an oversized nuclear arsenal – including 450 long-range missiles on hair-trigger alert – further erodes, the goal of nuclear disarmament has spread within the US from a narrow sliver of left-leaning arms-control activists to a broader bipartisan consensus. One crucially important community, however, has yet to offer its expert judgment: the uniformed military.
Guardian 25th Feb 2009 more >>
Concerns have been raised over the safety of people living near a Berkshire site earmarked for a new nuclear warhead facility.
BBC 25th Feb 2009 more >>
Coal
The climate change secretary confirmed yesterday that he was “hopeful” more than one “clean coal” power station would be piloted, despite the government running a competition to fund only a single demonstration plant.
Guardian 26th Feb 2009 more >>
