New Nukes
Tom Burke highlights the 5 key claims being made in support of the Government’s position, and sets out the real economic, political and environmental evidence against each one.
E3G 7th Jan 2008 more >>
Environmental campaigners are furious over Government plans to make the UK one of the world’s leading nuclear energy users.
Sky News 10th Jan 2008 more >>
A fresh row about the cost and safety of nuclear power is likely to flare because of a decision by the Government to give the go-ahead for a new generation of nuclear power stations.
Yorkshire Evening Post 10th Jan 2008 more >>
The return of nuclear power is not going to be smooth. Governments in the UK and US are bracing themselves for legal battles that could hamper their plans to generate more electricity from nuclear reactors.
New Scientist 9th Jan 2008 more >>
robedwards.com, 9th Jan 2008 more >>
A new generation of nuclear power stations is expected to get the formal go-ahead from the government later. The cabinet backs the move in principle, and Business Secretary John Hutton is to make a statement to MPs.
BBC 10th Jan 2008 more >>
The government is expected to give the go-ahead to a new generation of nuclear power stations on Thursday, ending years of uncertainty over its energy plans.
Reuters 10th Jan 2008 more >>
Christian Today 10th Jan 2008 more >>
Essex Gazette 10th Jan 2008 more >>
The government expects the cost of handling the waste and decommissioning of a new generation of nuclear reactors to add about one percent to the cost of power produced, a source familiar with government thinking said.
Reuters 10th Jan 2008 more >>
ATOMIC Energy of Canada (AECL) looks likely to be dumped from the British government’s nuclear programme when a three-strong list of reactor technologies is selected later this year. The news comes as the government unveils plans for a new generation of nuclear power plants, funded by private industry, with the publication on 10 January of the results of a second consultation into the energy white paper. The Business can reveal that reactor designs by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse and Areva, the services giants, will be approved by the Nuclear Installation Inspectorate (NII), part of the Health & Safety Executive. While no formal decision has been made – the final shortlist will be drawn up in March – it is understood that of the four technologies that have made the current shortlist, AECL’s are “the least popular among the prospective plant operators” such as E.on and EDF, according to a source familiar with the situation. All four technologies are in the middle of a so-called generic design assessment to see if they qualify for the licences that will allow operators to use the reactors.
The Business 9th Jan 2008 more >>
A look at nuclear energy production and policies around the world, as the UK government announces its long-term nuclear energy plans.
BBC 9th Jan 2008 more >>
Reuters Factbox on nuclear power around the world.
Reuters 10th Jan 2008 more >>
The Government will formally give the green light for a new generation of nuclear power stations and announce that it will underwrite private companies’ liabilities for disposing of nuclear waste. It is expected to sugar the announcement, which is expected to spark a fresh row about cost and safety and risk fresh legal action from environmental campaigners, by making clear that by 2020 up to 40 per cent of electricity generation will come from renewables. The most controversial part of today’s decision is expected to be that the Government will set in train a process of fixing the liabililties which would mean they had to pick up any risk beyond that – in the eventuality that the estimates were exceeded. Also likely to be announced is a year-long strategic assessment of the best available sites, though these are all expected to be on the sites of existing or recently closed nuclear stations. Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary, is also expected to announce the latest stops towards burying nuclear waste in a new rock disposal facility, expected to be underneath the sea, off the coast of Cumbria.
Telegraph 10th Jan 2008 more >>
With the Government expected to give the go-ahead for a new generation of nuclear power stations tomorrow, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg explains why he opposes the building of a new nuclear power station at Hinkley in Somerset.
Western Daily Press 9th Jan 2008 more >>
At the end of this century, historians will wonder why we did not use all the technologies available to us. Our debates about nuclear will come to look petty in the extreme. And coal is the vast, dark shadow that hangs over us all. The Government has today taken a step in the right direction, by standing up for nuclear. If it intends to give guarantees over pricing, it may actually generate some action. But the really tough decisions that Mr Brown must take are on coal. The green lobby should be pressing him on that, not losing credibility with its futile fight against fission.
Times 10th Jan 2008 more >>
The Conservative party will on Thursday give its backing to plans for a new generation of nuclear reactors in the UK, Alan Duncan, shadow business secretary, said on Wednesday night ahead of a government announcement. “Our policy is for investors to be able to go ahead but without subsidy. There should be a carbon regime, approval for reactor design and for their location and a clear regime for handling the waste,” Mr Duncan told the FT.
FT 10th Jan 2008 more >>
Peter Tatchell: The government’s decision to give the go-ahead for a new generation of nuclear power stations sums up New Labour’s fundamental ignorance, short-sightedness and lack of imagination. When the prime minister says expanded nuclear power is essential to meet an expected energy deficit, and cut carbon emissions and global warming, he is badly misinformed and seriously mistaken. There are other – cheaper, faster and safer – ways to remedy these problems, such as energy conservation and renewable sources like wind, wave, tidal, hydro, geo-thermal and solar power.
Guardian 9th Jan 2008 more >>
“Regarding the option of nuclear power, there remain key questions on safety and security that need to be openly addressed. The government needs to maintain an open discussion with the public, that is informed by the best science and engineering, on issues such as the safe disposal of nuclear waste.”
Royal Society Press Release 9th Jan 2008 more >>
Unite, Britain’s biggest union, will today call on the government to set out a bold vision for new nuclear reactors generating electricity by 2018.
Unite 9th Jan 2008 more >>
The reality is that nuclear power is not just unsafe and unsustainable, it’s entirely unnecessary. Green MEP for South-East England Caroline Lucas has attacked New Labour’s “love affair with nuclear” as “a dangerous, irresponsible and costly distraction from the real challenge of tackling climate change”, on the eve of a Government decision which will spark a new generation of nuclear facilities in the UK.
Green Party Press Release 9th Jan 2008 more >>
If you didn’t see Newsnight last night it is well worth watching online. Following leaks from yesterday’s cabinet meeting, the media is reporting that the government is going to give the green light for new nuclear power stations in a Commons statement tomorrow. The panel stand off that followed the news report ripped holes in the government’s rationale for new nuclear power and was perhaps the only news on nuclear I’ve seen recently that has put a smile on my face.
Greenpeace blog 9th Jan 2008 more >>
Nuclear Spin
Two senior ex-ministers who will earn tens of thousands of pounds on top of their parliamentary salaries by working for the nuclear industry look set to be summoned before an inquiry into lobbying. As John Hutton, the Business Secretary, prepares to announce today that new nuclear power stations are to be built, the relationship between Parliament and the industry, which is bidding for billions of pounds of contracts, will come under scrutiny from the Public Administration Committee. Ian McCartney, the former chairman of the Labour Party and former Trade Minister, and Richard Caborn, the former Sports Minister and former chairman of the Trade and Industry Select Committee, have each taken the roles since standing down from the Government in the summer. They could appear before the committee in little over a fortnight.
Times 10th Jan 2008 more >>
Radhealth
Leukaemia risk “doubled” for children who live near nuclear power stations – new German research. Just as Britain decides to build new nuclear power stations, new research, commissioned by the German government, reveals that children under five who live within 5 km of a nuclear power plant, have twice the risk of suffering from the blood cancer leukaemia.
Channel 4 News 10th Jan 2008 more >>
Renewables – China
China will leap to be the top wind turbine producer in 2009, transforming an already fast-growing renewable energy sector, a leading wind power industry official said. Steve Sawyer, secretary general of the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), said wind could supply 12 percent of world electricity needs by 2020 against just over one percent in 2007 in a shift that would help curb climate change.
Guardian website 8th Jan 2008 more >>
Scotland
The Scottish Government is in line for a clash with Westminster over nuclear power. A new generation of plants is expected to be given the go-ahead by the UK Government in an announcement in the House of the Commons. The move is at odds with the SNP administration’s long-held opposition to new nuclear plants, which was reiterated at a meeting of Alex Salmond’s cabinet on Tuesday.
ICScotland 10th Jan 2008 more >>
Letter from Mike Weir MP: John Robertson MP (Letters, January 9) has been a consistent and vocal advocate of nuclear power, but his attempt to link it with recent rises in fuel prices and attack the SNP is really a step too far.
Herald 10th Jan 2008 more >>
Labour’s energy spokesman at Holyrood, Lewis Macdonald, said the SNP’s opposition to nuclear was “cheap political posturing”, but Nationalists pointed to other members of Wendy Alexander’s front-bench team who have publicly opposed a new era for nuclear, including Sarah Boyack and Pauline McNeill.
Herald 10th Jan 2008 more >>
Korea
A top U.S. nuclear envoy, who met South Korea’s president-elect on Thursday, said it was possible to end North Korea’s nuclear arms programme this year despite Pyongyang missing a deadline in a disarmament deal.
Reuters 10th Jan 2008 more >>
US
AmerGen Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of electricity utility Exelon Generation, submitted an application to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to extend the operating license of its 852MW Three Mile Island Unit One generating station by 20 years.
Energy Business Review 9th Jan 2008 more >>
Pakistan
Pakistan has strongly criticised remarks by the head of the UN nuclear watchdog that its nuclear weapons could fall into the hands of Islamist groups.
BBC 9th Jan 2008 more >>
Bulgaria
Czech power group CEZ and RWE AG submitted an updated indicative bids to win a strategic role in the construction of a 2,000 MW nuclear power plant in Bulgaria.
AFX 9th Jan 2008 more >>
