New nukes
Mikhail Gorbachev issued a stern warning to Tony Blair yesterday to “look seven times before you leap” when deciding to build a new generation of nuclear power stations. The former Soviet president, in office at the time of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, invoked the financial, human and environmental cost of the catastrophe as a reason against building a new generation of nuclear power stations. Speaking to MPs at Westminster, Mr Gorbachev said priority should be given to finding new sources of renewable energy and improving energy efficiency rather than reviving nuclear programmes.
Herald 9th June 2006
Scotsman 9th June 2006
Energy Business Review 9th June 2006
Times 9th June 2006
The Tories have taken a significant step away from their traditional support for nuclear power by rejecting key financial demands from the industry. The party’s stance could stymie government plans to build a new generation of
nuclear power stations, because the industry wants cross-party consensus before it undertakes a programme that could take decades to complete. The Tories have been fast changing tack on the issue as David Cameron has
embraced a green agenda, including a strong role for renewables and micro-generation. Alan Duncan, the shadow industry secretary, is conducting the party’s own energy review, focusing on the future provision of electricity. He will publish his party’s views soon after the government’s energy review next month. The Tories are set to oppose giving a guaranteed price on the grid for nuclear-generated electricity, or a fixed quota for this power, two of the demands most vociferously advanced by the nuclear industry. By refusing to offer any subsidy or guarantees, the Tories will leave the industry struggling to convince investors that it has secured the long term regulatory framework to make the huge necessary capital investment.
Guardian 9th June 2006
BBC 9th June 2006
Prime Minister Tony Blair gave the strongest signal yet of his intention to green-light a new generation of nuclear power plants by signing an agreement with France to share expertise on the controversial technology. The Franco-British Nuclear Forum agreed with President Jacques Chirac at a summit in Paris will initially involve exchanges of technical know-how, but is expected to lead to contracts for French firms to take a share in the construction of the estimated 12 plants needed to replace the UK’s ageing reactors.
Ananove 9th June 2006
Reuters 9th June 2006
politics.co.uk 9th June 2006
Telegraph 9th June 2006
Leading environmental scientist Prof James Lovelock has suggested that nuclear waste could be stored at his Westcountry home if it would help kick-start the revival of the nuclear power industry in Britain.
Western Morning News 9th June 2006
Decommissioning
FORTY new staff are being recruited to help de-fuel and decommission the Chapelcross nuclear plant near Annan. British Nuclear Group executives yesterday revealed they are creating the jobs to meet the demands of shutting the former power station down safely. Positions for general workers, monitors, project managers, field construction engineers and sub-contract managers are to be advertised this month.
Carlisle News and Star 9th June 2006
Cumberland News 9th June 2006
BBC 8th June 2006
Sellafield
SELLAFIELD operators British Nuclear Group have admitted three charges brought by the Health and Safety Executive following a massive radioactive leak which went undetected at the Thorp plant for months. The company pleaded guilty to breaching the Sellafield site licence conditions when it appeared at Whitehaven Magistrates Court yesterday. It now faces an unlimited fine after magistrates decided that their sentencing powers were not enough. They could only fine BNG up to £15,000 – based on a maximum of £5,000 per charge – and have sent the case to crown court, where there is no upper limit on what the company can be fined. The charges relate to the leak of 83,000 litres of highly radioactive liquor from a fractured pipe within the Feed Clarification Cell at Thorp. It had gone undetected for nine months. The £1.8bn reprocessing plant is still shut following the incident. Lesley Latham, on behalf of the HSE, told the court that they were notified of the incident on April 20 last year, although it was discovered the previous day. The case was adjourned until July 7.
Carlisle News and Star 9th June 2006
Dow Jones 9th June 2006
Guardian 9th June 2006
Daily Mail 9th June 2006
Telegraph 9th June 2006
Times 9th June 2006
BBC 8th June 2006
UTV 8th June 2006
The European Court of Justice has ruled that Ireland was wrong to pursue a case in the UN against the UK government over the issue of Sellafield. In a judgement published on 30 May, the Court ruled that Ireland was in breach of EU law in attempting to take a case against the Sellafield nuclear power plant to a UN tribunal.
European Parliament News 8th June 2006
Iran
America has refused to give Iran guarantees that it will not use military force against Tehran’s nuclear sites, according to a leading official in the Bush Administration.
Times website 9th June 2006
A senior Iranian official warned nations to show “self-restraint” at a high-level meeting of the UN atomic agency next week and not endanger diplomacy over Iran’s nuclear program.
Interactive Investor 9th June 2006
Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, boosted hopes of a breakthrough in the international standoff over his country’s suspected nuclear weapons programme yesterday by backing talks over “mutual concerns and misunderstandings”.
Guardian 9th June 2006
BBC 8th June 2006
China
China has not yet decided which foreign technology to use for a new generation of nuclear power plants, a senior government official said. Westinghouse, Areva of France, and Russia’s AtomStroyExport are all bidders, but the jury is still out on who will win, said Zhang Guobao, vice head of the National Development and Reform Commission.
Interactive Investor 8th June 2006
