8 June 2010

Nuclear Subsidies

The coalition will fracture on nuclear power. Already the facts are embarrassing the rhetoric. I have tabled the following EDM. It lists an impressive number of fat subsidies that the taxpayer is already shelling out for New Nuclear. The latest on how the only New Nuclear plant is doing should sober up the coalition from their wild infatuation with an energy source that has never managed without huge subsidies.

Paul Flynn MP Blog 6th June 2010 more >>

It’s been a lonely thankless task trying to persuade parliament that New Nuclear is an expensive unaffordable mistake. I had had a debate exposing the vast insurance liability that has been dumped on taxpayers. The world’s only New Nuclear station is three years late and 2 billion over budget. Few were persuaded – until today. Liberal Democrat Chris Huhne, the new energy and climate change secretary of state, admitted to the Guardian this week that the government already faces a £4bn funding black hole over existing radioactive waste.

Paul Flynn MP Blog 2nd June 2010 more >>

NDA

IT IS hard to escape from history. Just as Britain is about to embark on an ambitious programme to build a new generation of nuclear power stations, an old atomic relic offers a timely reminder of the risks. On June 1st Chris Huhne, the newly installed Liberal Democrat energy secretary, revealed that the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, the publicly funded outfit charged with cleaning up Britain’s old nuclear power stations, is facing a £4 billion funding shortfall over the coming four years. For a department with an annual budget of just £3 billion, that is, as Mr Huhne puts it, an “existential” problem.

Economist 3rd June 2010 more >>

Uranium

Experts estimate that the oceans contain billions of tons of uranium that could be used in nuclear power stations. So far, however, it has proved too difficult to extract. A US team is now developing special chemicals that can ‘‘grab’’ uranium ions - electrically charged molecules - from seawater.

Telegraph 7th June 2010 more >>

Finland

Finnish utility TVO says the completion the country’s fifth nuclear reactor will be further delayed and the company does not expect it to go online until 2013. TVO says the Areva-Siemens consortium responsible for its construction has said that “most of the work will be completed in 2012” and the plant could begin to produce electricity the following year.

Monday’s announcement marks the fifth delay at the site in Olkiluoto, which has been plagued by faulty materials and planning problems since construction began in 2005.

Bloomberg 7th June 2010 more >>

Germany

The German government will extend the running times of its nuclear power plants by no more than 10 years. The decision is the product of lengthy government consultations over the weekend, the Berliner Zeitung newspaper reports. It would be a victory for Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen, who has campaigned for no or moderate running time extensions. A host of pro-nuclear state governors had lobbied to extend the running times by as much as 28 years.

UPI 7th June 2010 more >>

Drastic spending cuts of more than 80bn (£66bn) were unveiled by Angela Merkel, German chancellor. New taxes will be imposed on air travel and the nuclear power industry.

FT 8th JUne 2010 more >>

Iran

THE head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has singled out Iran as a “special case” due to suspicions it may be trying to make nuclear weapons. Yesterday’s statement by IAEA chief Yukiya Amano, at the start of the agency’s 35-nation board meeting, reflected international concern about Iran’s nuclear agenda, days before the UN Security Council is expected to punish Tehran for its refusal to heed demands to curb its activities.

Scotsman 8th June 2010 more >>

Morning Star 7th June 2010 more >>

Iran will not agree to talks on its nuclear programme if the UN Security Council adopts fresh sanctions, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday.

Africasia 8th June 2010 more >>

Italy

German utility E.ON and French peer GDF Suez have agreed to jointly explore opportunities in Italy’s nuclear sector, expected to grow as the government wants it to provide a quarter of the country’s energy needs.

Interactive Investor 7th June 2010 more >>

US

FirstEnergy’s Davis-Besse nuclear power plant will be ready to restart in July now modifications to reactor head control rod drive mechanism nozzles have been completed, but it will have to work at a lower core temperature and on a shorter operating cycle.

World Nuclear News 7th June 2010 more >>

Trident

PLAID CYMRU has joined forces with the Greens and the SNP to call for the future of the Trident nuclear missile system to be debated as part of the Strategic Defence Review. The party wants to force supporters of the multi-billion-pound weapons system to fight its case at a time when public spending cuts will be made across Government departments.

Western Mail 7th June 2010 more >>

Letter from Kate Hudson, various MPs and others: We welcome the recent agreement at the nuclear non-proliferation treaty review conference in New York calling on the nuclear weapon states to “undertake further efforts to reduce and ultimately eliminate all types of nuclear weapons “ and to “accelerate concrete progress on the steps leading to nuclear disarmament”. The British government cannot stand aside and ignore these commitments. It must now ensure that the forthcoming strategic defence and security review includes the Trident weapons system and considers the non-nuclear option.

Guardian 8th June 2010 more >>