New Nukes
A series of significant political developments in Germany, Italy and Britain in the past week have thrown a serious spanner in the works of Europe’s attempts to revive its nuclear industry. On Sunday, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ruling coalition was defeated in a crucial regional poll in Germany’s most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia. This robs the chancellor of a majority in the country’s upper chamber and in so doing her ability to extend the lifespan of Germany’s 17 nuclear reactors.
FT 12th May 2010 more >>
Kirksanton
Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s planning officer has described the site at Kirksanton as one of the most important areas in the country for natterjack toads. The trust estimates the area is home to around 24 per cent of the UK’s natterjack population. Writing in the May edition of Cumbrian Wildlife magazine, Dr Kate Willshaw said: “It is the most damaging proposal for wildlife in Cumbria that we have seen in the last 10 years.
North West Evening Mail 11th May 2010 more >>
Hinkley
Plans to build a new nuclear power station on the Westcountry coast will not be derailed by council officials rejecting plans to carry out preparation work on the site, the developer has said. Set to be operational by 2018, Hinkley Point is one of ten sites earmarked for a huge expansion of nuclear power across the UK. EDF Energy wanted to dig 20 trenches close to the village of Shurton, near Bridgwater, Somerset, to ascertain the nature and depth of the soil above rock in the area.
South West Business 8th May 2010 more >>
Magnox
Ageing nuclear power stations in Anglesey and Goucestershire have broken records for power generation over the last year, claims plant operator Magnox North. The company operates nuclear power plants on behalf of the Nuclear Decommissioning Agency at Wylfa in Anglesey and Oldbury in Gloucestershire, which together generated 8TWh of power since April 2009 – 3TWh above the company’s expectations. The total was boosted by hydropower from Maentwrog. Oldbury is the UK’s oldest operating plant and it had been due to close at the end of 2008 but safety authorities gave it the go-ahead to remain in operation.
Utility Week 11th May 2010 more >>
Waste Transport
Details of the troubled HLW return shipment from Sellafield to Holland earlier this year were given to Barrow’s Ramsden Dock Liaison Committee meeting yesterday the 10th May. Operators of the nuclear cargo vessel fleet International Nuclear Services (INS) provided some clarification as to why the sailing from Barrow of the Atlantic Osprey – already loaded with one transport flask containing 28 canisters of vitrified HLW and scheduled to leave port on 11th March – had to be delayed by 24 hours, and why it then took the ship almost two days longer than expected to reach the Dutch port of Vlissingen with its hazardous cargo.
CORE Press Release 11th May 2010 more >>
Emergency Planning
Military personnel from both sides of the Atlantic will today join with Norfolk’s emergency services to play out their response to any future nuclear accident on the region’s soil. Two days of drills will take place, today at RAF Sculthorpe, near Fakenham, and tomorrow at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk. Residents in mid-Norfolk should be able to glimpse military helicopters and emergency service vehicles arriving at Sculthorpe this morning. A spokesman for the MoD said the county was chosen for the routine training, which takes place every two or three years, because it lies on a flight path for planes carrying nuclear weapons.
Eastern Daily Press 12th May 2010 more >>
Nuclear Research
Rolls-Royce has announced the opening of two new university centres dedicated to nuclear technology at Imperial College in London and the University of Manchester.
World Nuclear News 11th May 2010 more >>
The Engineer 11th May 2010 more >>
EDF
The French state-owned energy company, which is Europe’s biggest producer of power, put its network business up for sale late last year and bids are expected from Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-Shing, Scottish and Southern Energy and a consortium of Canadian pension funds, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Macquarie Capital.
Telegraph 12th May 2010 more >>
North Korea
The rogue state, which cannot produce enough electricity to light its streets at night, said a “successful nuclear fusion marks a great event that demonstrated the rapidly developing cutting-edge science and technology of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea”.
Telegraph 12th May 2010 more >>
Guardian 12th May 2010 more >>
BBC 12th May 2010 more >>
Syria
Syria and Russia have discussed nuclear energy co-operation as Moscow seeks to boost its position in a region dominated by the US, Israel’s principal ally.
Guardian 12th May 2010 more >>
Iran
Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili could hold talks with EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton in Turkey, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.
EU Business 11th May 2010 more >>
India
With another critical component set to join the Rs.5,600-crore ($1.25 billion) fast-breeder reactor at Kalpakkam, scientists at the 500 mw nuclear power plant said the project will be up and running, as scheduled, by September next year.
Asia Lite 11th May 2010 more >>
Israel
Israel voiced confidence on Tuesday that U.S. President Barack Obama would not challenge its long-standing policy of neither confirming nor denying it has nuclear weapons. Asked whether Israel was losing U.S. support for its policy of “nuclear ambiguity,” Defence Minister Ehud Barak told Israeli Army Radio.
STV 11th May 2010 more >>
Czech Republic
Nuclear energy company Westinghouse Electric has opened a new office in Prague, Czech Republic, to increase its capacity to support the Czech government and CEZ for the current and future expansion of the Czech nuclear program.
Energy Business Review 11th May 2010 more >>
