11 June 2010

Nuclear Subsidies

Denying public subsidies to the nuclear industry could leave the Liberal Democrats in a “win-win situation” on nuclear power, the party’s former environment spokesman has suggested.

Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood suggested his party’s decision to abstain on a nuclear vote in the Commons, allowing the Conservatives’ support for new power stations to go ahead without undermining the coalition government’s unity, could prove academic. “If you look at the economics of nuclear power and the commitment the coalition has made not to subsidise it, and then you reflect on the fact not a single nuclear power station has been built anywhere in the world without public subsidy, maybe, just maybe the issue won’t arise,” he said. Green groups argue the need for indirect public subsidies blurs the line as to what does and what does not represent government assistance, however.

The nuclear industry does not pay for insurance, for example, meaning the taxpayer would have to foot the bill in the event of a major disaster. And under a recent consultation document EDF would only have to pay around a fifth of the eventual cost for dealing with waste, leaving the government and the taxpayer facing the liability after the power station shuts down.

“It artificially incentivises new nuclear and transfers the risk of cost escalations,” Greenpeace nuclear campaigner Ben Aylifse said.

Politics.co.uk 11th June 2010 more >>

Companies

Lend Lease has banned Bovis from the £40bn nuclear sector. Contractor backs out of EDF deal at last minute as Australian parent decides to shun ’unethical’ work.

Building 11th June 2010 more >>

Radiation & Health

As an activist concerned about the dangers of nuclear power plants, she can knowledgeably cite facts and figures about the issue. “Christie cares, but it’s more than that,” says Joseph Mangano, the executive director of the Radiation and Public Health Project, of which Brinkley is a board member. “The issues we deal with are very sophisticated. Christie is very fluent in discussing Strontium 90 and children’s cancer rates.” Even with the stresses of recent years, she has remained committed to that cause and pragmatic about using her celebrity to gain media attention. “I know when I go someplace that they’re going to want to find out about what I’m wearing instead of what I’m saying,” Brinkley says. “But to be able to get something about a nuclear power plant on Extra or Access Hollywood is incredible.”

Ladies Home Journal June 2010 more >>

Ukraine

Ukraine and Russia signed Wednesday an agreement on cooperation in construction of two nuclear power reactors at Ukraine’s Khmelnytskiy Nuclear Power Plant, the government reported. The agreement was signed in Kiev by Yuriy Boyko, the Ukrainian energy and fuel minister, and Sergei Kiriyenko, the general director of Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear power corporation.

Platts 10th June 2010 more >>

Iran

With Wednesday’s passage of new United Nations Security Council sanctions against Iran, the Obama administration achieved an important milestone in its efforts to put pressure on Tehran to abandon its nuclear ambitions. What is less clear, however, is whether this achievement makes the prospect of a nuclear Iran more or less likely.

FT 11th June 2010 more >>

IRAN warned yesterday that it would review relations with the UN nuclear watchdog, a day after the Security Council approved a fourth round of sanctions against Tehran over its disputed nuclear programme. Iran’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed the sanctions as “annoying flies”.

Scotsman 11th June 2010 more >>

Iran could throw United Nations weapons inspectors out of the country in retaliation for the latest round of sanctions imposed by the Security Council.

Telegraph 11th June 2010 more >>

Burma

RUMOURS that Myanmar is the next recruit to a shady nuclear and missile network that seems to link North Korea, Iran, Pakistan, Syria and possibly others swirl intermittently. The missile link is clearest: in all these cases, including Myanmar’s, North Korea has either sold missiles or helped them build their own. But aside from an agreement in principle in 2007 for Russia to build a small research reactor for Myanmar, there has been little hard evidence of its junta’s nuclear ambitions. The recent defection of a former major in the Burmese army, Sai Thein Win, however, and the documents and photographs he brought with him, appear to confirm Myanmar’s intent, if not yet capacity, to enrich uranium and eventually build a bomb.

Economist 10th June 2010 more >>

China

A nuclear technology base is to be established near Nanjing in eastern China featuring as its centrepiece a $146 million factory for pre-assembled power plant modules.

World Nuclear News 10th June 2010 more >>

Nuclear disarmament

The latest video interview from Nuclear Information Service shows an interview with the Right Reverend Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Reading, discussing his views on nuclear weapons and the prospects for arms control under the new Coalition government.

Nuclear Information Service 10th June 2010 more >>

Trident

The Atomic Weapons Establishment, which supplies nuclear warheads to the controversial Trident submarine, has signed a £45 million, ten-year infrastructure services renewal deal with HP.

Computer World 10th June 2010 more >>