Sellafield
Taxpayers have been left with unlimited liability amounting to billions of pounds should there be a repeat of a nuclear accident at Sellafield under a deal signed with a US-led consortium which takes over the decommissioning of the waste facility from November 24. The indemnity even covers accidents and leaks that are the consortium’s fault.
Guardian 27th Oct 2008 more >>
One of the people advising the Government on the best places to site new nuclear reactors has branded Sellafield a “poor location”. In an extract to his book Nukenomics: The commercialisation of Britain’s nuclear industry, Ian Jackson, who helped write the siting report for the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform/Department of Trade and Industry gives his views. He writes that: “Despite its substantial nuclear workforce, the remote Sellafield complex in north west England is a poor location for a modern nuclear power station because its electricity transmission infrastructure cannot carry the energy output of a large nuclear station.
Carlisle News and Star 23rd Oct 2008 more >>
New Nukes
Letter from Steuart Campbell: Professor Stephen Salter’s latest letter (20 October) is complete nonsense, indicating that he pays little attention to detail.
Scotsman 27th Oct 2008 more >>
Test Veterans
Survivors of Britain’s nuclear test programme have finally been promised action after a six-year campaign by the Sunday Mirror. New Defence Minister Kevan Jones has pledged to set up a study into the legacy of illnesses suffered by the soldiers, sailors and airmen present at the tests. He will also order officials to look into our demands for an investigation into the welfare of the veterans’ children and grandchildren, who are 10 times more likely to suffer from birth defects.
Sunday Mirror 26th Oct 2008 more >>
Sunday Sun 26th Oct 2008 more >>
Climate
The government is to announce tomorrow that it will include rapidly growing aviation and shipping emissions in Britain’s commitment to curb its carbon footprint by 80% by 2050.
Guardian 27th Oct 2008 more >>
Renewables
There’s also a lot of talk that switching the world economy to a carbon-free future is now something that cannot be afforded. Not so. There were three important events in the past few weeks that went largely unnoticed during the financial maelstrom but whose significance cannot be overstated. Two concern renewable energy and the other a change of government structure. In Britain, the government unexpectedly announced on October 16 that it intended introducing a “feed-in tariff” guaranteeing rates for renewably produced electricity. And the United States said part of its $700bn banking system bail-out would include $16bn (£10bn) of new green tax breaks for renewable energy, cleaner fuels and energy efficiency.
Guardian 27th Oct 2008 more >>
Renewable energy and climate change targets for 2020 will be missed unless the National Grid speeds up the rate at which new generators are connected, leading industry figures have said.
Times 27th Oct 2008 more >>
Coal
Today, members of the Women’s Institute will embark on one of the environmental movements most iconic vehicles to deliver, by speedboat, a message to the front door of the controversial Kingsnorth power station in Kent calling on the Government to do more to provide Britain with clean, renewable energy. The WI’s presence on Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior II, the three-masted, globe-trotting flagship of the veteran environmental group, may appear to be an unusual addition to a ship with renowned eco-warrior credentials, but those who will be on board say environmentalism is all the rage at the WI.
Independent 27th Oct 2008 more >>
