British Energy
Plus Markets, the rival to the London Stock Exchange, has pulled off something of a coup, the sole trading rights for “Nuclear Power Notes”. These are the little-publicised option being given to shareholders in British Energy to be able to keep some exposure to the British nuclear industry once the business is bought by EDF, of France.
Times 14th Jan 2009 more >>
Nuclear Waste
Cumbria county council was upset at last week’s Eco Soundings suggesting that the US state of Nevada was going to send a letter to councillors saying how awful was the prospect of a high-level radiation depository like the one they are having dumped on them. It does indeed appear that no letter is on its way, but Bob Loux, the state’s former director of the Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects, went on the radio to tell Cumbrians in no uncertain terms what he thought.
Guardian 14th Jan 2009 more >>
Politics
Lord Mandelson and Ed Miliband, two of the biggest beasts in Gordon Brown’s cabinet, are locked in a battle over the staffing of their ministries which has led to “blood on the carpet” in Whitehall. The battle between Miliband, a member of Brown’s kitchen cabinet, and Peter Mandelson, the returning outsider who is now one of the most influential voices in the prime minister’s inner circle, could have consequences beyond the pressing dispute about the new Department of Energy and Climate Change. One MP has characterised the differences between the two men as a “clash of the generations”. The two men are cooperating on a green jobs package due this month. But there are tensions between the younger Miliband and the older operator Mandelson over the emphasis of the climate change and energy briefs. Miliband is determined to move away from the pro-industry bias of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBERR) towards a greener agenda. One recent example was his inclusion of shipping and aviation emissions in plans to curb Britain’s carbon footprint. This key demand of environmental campaigners, unpopular with airlines, would have been unlikely to have been put forward by the business department.
Guardian 14th Jan 2009 more >>
Nuclear Research
The National Nuclear Laboratory and the University of Central Lancashire have joined forces to work on nuclear research projects.
The Engineer 13th Jan 2009 more >>
Finland
The AREVA-Siemens Consortium, the turn-key supplier of the Olkiluoto 3 nuclear power plant unit, has now confirmed Teollisuuden Voima Oyj s earlier estimation that the Olkiluoto 3 unit will not be completed until 2012. AREVA-Siemens has projected completion in June 2012. TVO is extremely disappointed that the Consortium has not, regardless of its responsibility as turnkey supplier and its earlier promises, been able to complete the works on time or to mitigate its delays through effective acceleration measures. TVO totally rejects the Consortium’s accusations that TVO has any responsibility for the delay.
TVO Press Release 13th Jan 2009 more >>
Korea
South Korean officials will make a rare visit to North Korea this week to check its progress on nuclear disarmament, despite the deterioration in relations between the two countries.
Guardian 13th Jan 2009 more >>
Wales Online 13th Jan 2009 more >>
Disarmament
Top-level German political figures, including a former German chancellor, have taken up a UK initiative to restart international nuclear disarmament. The initiative began when a collection of former foreign and defence secretaries, including Malcolm Rifkind, Douglas Hurd, David Owen and George Robertson, wrote an article arguing “there is a powerful case for a dramatic reduction in the stockpile of nuclear weapons”.
View London 14th Jan 2009 more >>
Politics.co.uk 14th Jan 2009 more >>
