New Nukes
Gordon Brown is to fast-track the building of at least eight nuclear power stations to cut Britain’s dependence on oil following the dramatic rise in its price. The Prime Minister will set “no upper limit” on the number of nuclear plants that will be built by private companies. That would mean nuclear, which provides about 20 per cent of Britain’s electricity, could meet a bigger share after the new generation of nuclear stations come on stream over the next 15 years.
Independent 14th July 2008 more >>
Daily Mail 14th July 2008 more >>
FT 14th July 2008 more >>
Britain must build “at least” eight new nuclear power stations during the next 15 years to replace its ageing plants and contribute to a “post-oil economy” that is cleaner and much more efficient than in the era of “cheap energy and careless pollution”, Gordon Brown signalled last night. The first new reactors could feed electricity into the national grid by 2017.
Guardian 14th July 2008 more >>
At least eight new nuclear power stations are to be approved within the next two years and built swiftly under fast-track planning procedures, The Times has learnt. Gordon Brown believes that they will be needed to avoid an energy crisis in the next decade, and more will follow as the world tries to reduce its dependence on oil for power. Some are likely to be built on sites that are already generating nuclear power – for example at Hinkley in Somerset, Sizewell in Suffolk, Bradwell in Essex and Dungeness in Kent – but people in other areas will be faced with a nuclear plant on their doorsteps for the first time.
Times 14th July 2008 more >>
The locations of the new nuclear reactors are expected to include Sizewell, Hartlepool, Heysham and Dungeness. There are currently eight nuclear sites across England which may house all the proposed new reactors.
Telegraph 14th July 2008 more >>
Gordon Brown is to give the go-ahead for eight new nuclear power stations to be built across the UK, it was revealed last night.
Mirror 14th July 2008 more >>
British Energy
Shareholders in British Energy will meet in Scotland this week with the future of the nuclear generator hanging on a battle of wills between the board and EDF over the French company’s bid for BE. The nuclear company’s directors are understood to have told the electricity generator that the price it has indicated it could be prepared to pay is not enough. However, the state-owned French utility is said to be determined to maintain what one source described as “price discipline”. On Friday night, BE’s share price closed at 697p – though some analysts have calculated that the combination of its existing nuclear generation and its prospects for a new generation of power plants make it worth more than £11. EDF is believed to have indicated it could be prepared to offer more than 680p a share but less than 735p.
Guardian 14th July 2008 more >>
Planning
The lights will go out across the UK in seven years if the Planning Bill coming up for review this week is rejected in the House of Lords, according to a leading business trade body. It estimates the country needs £100bn of investment in major energy plants by 2020. The CBI has urged the House of Lords to pass the Planning Bill, under consideration tomorrow, to help secure the nation’s energy and infrastructure needs.
Independent 14th July 2008 more >>
Radhealth
Information concerning the incidence of childhood leukaemia in a particular postal area should not be disclosed unless either it could be anonymised so that it was not personal data or could be released in a form which did not contravene one of the data protection principles under the Data Protection Act 1998.
Times 14th July 2008 more >>
Italy
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said on Sunday oil-consuming countries should meet to fix a maximum price they were prepared to pay for oil or they would have to invest heavily in nuclear power.
Reuters 14th July 2008 more >>
France
French state nuclear company Areva sponsored a ring of golden European Union stars for the Eiffel Tower, to mark France’s term as EU president. Today, we added a nuclear hazard symbol.
Greenpeace International 13th July 2008 more >>
Iran
A dangerous tit for tat looms as negotiations stall on Iran’s refusal to climb down on the nuclear issue, yet the positions of Washington and Tehran are not that far apart. The US president should agree to hold talks without pre-conditions.
Independent 13th July 2008 more >>
Sunday Herald 13th July 2008 more >>
Sunday Times 13th July 2008 more >>
President George W Bush has told the Israeli government that he may be prepared to approve a future military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities if negotiations with Tehran break down, according to a senior Pentagon official.
Sunday Times 13th July 2008 more >>
India
Left parties in India are set to launch a country-wide campaign against the controversial India-US nuclear deal. The communists, former allies of the government, withdrew support last week in protest against the government’s decision to push ahead with the deal. The governing coalition, which has now been reduced to a minority, will seek a vote of confidence on 22 July.
BBC 14th July 2008 more >>
Germany
Conservative politicians and Germany’s big power companies have started work on an agreement to reverse the country’s planned phasing-out of nuclear power. The deal, which negotiators describe as little more than a sketch so far, would see nuclear plant operators setting up a fund using some of the extra profits derived from letting their plants run past the current deadline for the last plant closure in 2022.
FT 14th July 2008 more >>
Chancellor Angela Merkel issued a contentious call Sunday to slow Germany’s planned phase-out of nuclear energy, amid growing fears it will be impossible to slash greenhouse gas emissions without it.
AFX 13th July 2008 more >>
Climate
The government is “lagging far behind” in its efforts to curb carbon emissions from its buildings and activities, according to a report from a committee of MPs. The report from the environmental audit committee (EAC) said that emissions from government departments had dropped by just 0.7% over the period 1999-2000 to 2006-07, much less than the 8% necessary to hit its target of a 12.5% reduction by 2010/11.
Guardian 14th July 2008 more >>
Telegraph 14th July 2008 more >>
