New nukes
When Tony Blair launched a review of energy needs last autumn, his support for nuclear power was never in doubt. The big question was how, after rejecting nuclear energy as uneconomic three years ago, the government could justify investment in a new generation of plants and make it a reality. In an interview yesterday with the Financial Times, Alistair Darling, trade and industry secretary, explained that soaring oil and gas prices and the need to tackle climate change had tilted the argument in nuclear power’s favour.
FT 6th July 2006
New powers to make it easier for government to drive through the building of the next generation of nuclear power stations and other contentious energy projects are to be made under plans to be outlined by Tony Blair, the prime minister, in the next week. The government’s energy review, due to be published next week, will include proposals to force local planning authorities to accept plants that are decreed to be essential. The measures, if carried through, knock years off the time taken to build new atomic power plants.
FT 6th July 2006
David Cameron will signal the end of the Tories’ long love affair with nuclear power today by telling Conservative councillors to put themselves at the forefront of “a new green energy revolution”. The Conservative leader will say: “The future of energy is not top-down, it’s not centralised – it’s bottom-up and decentralised.” His remarks will disappoint environmentalists who had hoped the Conservatives would completely oppose the construction of any new nuclear power stations. But Mr Cameron’s comments mean he has come out as more of a sceptic on nuclear power than Tony Blair, who admitted this week he has changed his mind and become convinced that the UK will still need nuclear energy after the present batch of ageing power stations have come to the end of their active life.
Independent 6th July 2006
The Conservatives look set to rule nuclear energy in but only as a last resort and without “special favours”.
BBC 6th July 2006
FT 6th July 2006
Letter from various people including Allan Jones of London Climate Change Agency and Prof Susan Roaf: all are involved in working towards the realisation of a sustainable energy system in the UK. The use of nuclear power is one of the options that the Government is proposing in order to address climate change and security of supply in the UK. However, we share a grave concern that in order to create the framework that will enable the building of new nuclear power stations, the Government is considering bringing in measures that could distort the energy market, or undermine the democratic process by taking decisions about the location of new power stations away from locally elected representatives. Any decisions about the role of nuclear power in the UK’s long-term energy strategy should only be taken on the basis of a national referendum.
Times 6th July 2006
Nuclear Waste
A wider adoption of nuclear energy will not succeed without greater effort to convince the public that radioactive waste will be safely disposed of, peers have warned. The House of Lords EU committee, publishing a report today on proposed EU legislation outlining timetables for waste disposal, argues that nuclear power cannot be justified without improving public perceptions of its environmental implications.
View London 6th July 2006
Trident
An accident involving Trident nuclear warheads being moved on Britain’s roads could lead to a partial nuclear blast, an internal Ministry of Defence report admits. The document, obtained by New Scientist magazine, says such an explosion could potentially deliver a lethal radiation dose to the surrounding area. The MoD describes the risk as significant enough for drawing up contingency plans to deal with such an event.
Guardian 6th July 2006
New Scientist story with links to MOD Documents
RobEdwards.com
AGRs
PLANS to extend the lifespan of Scotland’s nuclear stations were thrown into doubt yesterday, after it emerged that cracks had appeared in at least one reactor north of the Border. The government’s nuclear safety watchdog has warned that a radioactive leak could be “inevitable” if action was not taken after cracks emerged in up to six UK reactors, including the one at Hunterston B in Ayrshire. Opposition politicians said the cracks could scupper plans to extend the life of Hunterston B and other plants across the UK – a claim rejected by British Energy, the plant’s owner.
Scotsman 6th July 2006
Unexplained cracks in the reactor cores of Britain’s atomic power stations have been uncovered by nuclear inspectors, it was reported today. The safety assessments, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, show the Nuclear Safety Directorate (NSD) has issued warnings over the state of the reactor cores at Hinkley Point B in Somerset and other UK nuclear plants.
Somerset Standard 5th July 2006
The government’s nuclear inspectors have played down reports of “major cracks” in the reactor cores of some UK atomic power stations.
BBC 5th July 2006
With links to the documents obtained under FoI and comment by John Large
Greenpeace release 5th July 2006
The government’s nuclear watchdog has demanded that British Energy carry out more frequent checks on its nuclear power stations amid concerns over cracks in the reactors’ cores, it emerged yesterday.
Guardian 6th July 2006
India
Two key US congressional committees have given overwhelming support to the Bush administration’s nuclear accord with India. This means it is highly probable that by mid-August the US Congress will have made virtually all the requisite legal changes for the nuclear accord to come into force.
WSWS 6th July 2006
Iran
The international outcry over North Korea’s missile tests yesterday came as attempts continued to find a diplomatic solution to the dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme. The day began with news that Ali Larijani, Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, had postponed a trip to Brussels. The move may make it more difficult to forge an international consensus should Tehran reject an offer to scale down its nuclear programme.
FT 6th July 2006
North Korea
CHINA and Russia moved yesterday to block attempts to impose UN sanctions on North Korea as the reclusive communist nation fired a seventh ballistic missile.
Times 6th July 2006
