New Nukes
The Nuclear Consultation Group aims to provide clear and independent information and analysis of the range of nuclear new build consultations in the UK, and ask questions that need to be answered, including: how will significant ‘what if’ issues such as nuclear fuel supply and manufacture, vulnerability to attack, waste, radiation risk, decommissioning, reactor siting, costs of electricity-generating technologies, true renewable and energy efficiency modelling be taken into account?
Nuclear Consultation Group (Updated) October 2010 more >>
Nuclear Waste
Several sites were proposed in the past for the storage of nuclear waste, the latest being Zarra, in the province of Valencia, near Albacete. About 1,500 people took part in the a protest against this. According to one report, the police arrested 16 activists, including the mayor and 15 local citizens of the town/village of Ayora today.
Stop Oldbury 1st October 2010 more >>
The Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB) is today submitting its latest RD&D programme to the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority. Based on the programme SKB now has the knowledge to submit the applications to build a final repository for spent nuclear fuel in Forsmark. SKB plans to submit the applications in March 2011. According to the Swedish Nuclear Activities Act, SKB and its owners are required to present the knowledge and research status within the nuclear fuel area every third year.
PR Newswire 1st Oct 2010 more >>
Hinkley
EDF Energy says despite widespread criticism, there will be no need for further consultation on its plans for a new nuclear reactor at Hinkley Point. The energy company said it had already held more than 20 weeks of consultation which was “much more than is normal”. Three Somerset councils have criticised the proposals, saying there was a lack of information and that the plan was “inadequate” in its current form.
BBC 1st Oct 2010 more >>
Sizewell
EDF Energy’s Sizewell B nuclear power plant in the UK is back online bring after the utility took the Suffolk power station offline in March following the failure of some heaters in the pressurizer. Using bespoke designed equipment, video footage was taken of the pressurizer which enabled engineers to examine it in the smallest detail. A repair strategy was then tested on a 16 metres x 2 metres replica of the equipment before being successfully completed on the pressurizer.
Power Genb Worldwide 30th Sept 2010 more >>
EDF Energy 30th Sept 2010 more >>
Lowestoft Journal 30th Sept 2010 more >>
Dounreay
ALMOST 300 radioactive particles have been collected from the seabed off Dounreay since an underwater robot started an intensive search two months ago. The remotely operated vehicle (ROV), the size of a small bulldozer, was lowered from a barge anchored 550 yards off the Caithness complex at the beginning of August. By yesterday it had recovered 279 particles, or hotspots, including 40 regarded as a “significant” risk to health. The 24-hour operation, involving 22 workers, has covered almost all the 31 acres – an area the size of 17 football pitches – it targeted it the first of three summer campaigns. The search, which will continue this month, has so far cost 1.5 million on top of the 800,000 cost of the ROV.
Scotsman 1st October 2010 more >>
BBC 1st Oct 2010 more >>
Wylfa
The licensee, Magnox North Limited, has requested Consent to start-up Reactor 2 at Wylfa Nuclear Power Station from HSE Nuclear Directorate (ND) following the completion of its 2010 statutory outage.
HSE 1st Oct 2010 more >>
US/Japan
The Japan Bank for International Cooperation may lend as much as $4 billion for a nuclear plant project in Texas that would be the country’s first state financing for an atomic power station abroad. Government-run JBIC will probably offer a loan provided that the project is guaranteed by the U.S. government.
Bloomberg 1st Oct 2010 more >>
North Korea
New construction is under way at North Korea’s main nuclear reactor, near the site of a cooling tower destroyed in 2008, a private US research institute has said, citing a satellite photo.
Telegraph 2nd Oct 2010 more >>
Trident
Letter David Lowry: Your report, “Britain and France may share nuclear deterrent” overlooks a serious impediment to an entente nucl aire. We are regularly told by ministers that Iran has to live up to its obligations under the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty. So too must France and the UK: indeed, the UK negotiated the treaty text, and is thus a so-called depositary state for the treaty. Article 1 puts very important obligations on member states, including all nuclear weapons states parties to the treaty, these being, in addition to France and UK, the United States, Russia and China. Article 1 reads: “Each nuclear-weapon State Party to the Treaty undertakes not to transfer to any recipient whatsoever nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices or control over such weapons or explosive devices directly, or indirectly; and not in any way to assist, encourage, or induce any non-nuclear weapon State to manufacture or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, or control over such weapons or explosive devices.”
Independent 1st Oct 2010 more >>
This week’s confirmation that David Cameron and Nicolas Sarkozy are to discuss the possibility of a shared UK-French nuclear deterrent. Yes, you might have assumed that this country’s most lovingly nurtured delusion was that the French were never to be trusted, but it turns out even that sacred cow is trumped by the specious belief that we require a nuclear deterrent.
Guardian 2nd Oct 2010 more >>
Economic Voice 1st Oct 2010 more >>
Nuclear War
A Soviet map of military and industrial buildings in Leicester during the Cold War has been revealed. The map, dated 1974, highlights all the city’s significant structures, such as colleges, a Territorial Army base and numerous factories.
Leicester Mercury 1st Oct 2010 more >>
Defence
The defence secretary, who is embroiled in a bitter Whitehall battle over cuts to his procurement budget, has received backing from Liberal Democrat cabinet colleagues. Fox is bidding to retain funding for the navy’s two new planned aircraft carriers, costing £5.2bn, amid concern about the scale of the cuts planned for the Ministry of Defence, around 20%. The leader of the Scottish Lib Dems, Tavish Scott, said both Vince Cable, the business secretary, and Michael Moore, the Scottish secretary, had warned against the loss of jobs and skills if either of the carriers is cancelled.
Guardian 2nd Oct 2010 more >>
Energy Efficiency
The European Commission (EC) has published new TV energy consumption regulations, which could come into effect as early as 2012, saving several nuclear power reactors’ worth of energy if the measures are adopted throughout Europe according to display research firm Meko. Meko revealed that if every TV sold in a year in Europe improved its energy efficiency by one level it would result in an energy saving equivalent to 1.66 nuclear power plants. With trends estimating a seven to eight year period before old TVs are fully replaced with the next generation, that saving skyrockets to a staggering 14 power stations, revealing just how glued to the set we really are.
Tech Eye 1st Oct 2010 more >>
Renewables
Letter: Along with other CEOs in the UK renewable energy business, I am very concerned about rumours that the spending review could retrospectively alter legislation which came into effect in April on feed-in tariffs. I am the original CEO of the Renewable Energy Association. Since February I have been developing a business based on the FIT legislation. This involves a property group, investors, lawyers, planners, energy consultants, supply-chain specialists, landowners, surveyors and an engineering firm. All of these companies are British, many household names. The business is ready for launch, with all plans made with an assumption that this primary legislation cannot be changed before 2013. As CEO of this consortium, I have insisted to members that it would be unprecedented for a UK government to alter law having announced it to the business community and passed legislation. Were the coalition to abandon or negatively alter the basis upon which eight months of intensive research and development have been undertaken, then 1m of entrepreneurial effort would have been wasted. With plans to develop 100MW of renewable energy in 30 months, further capital sums are committed. Should the government cut feed-in tariff rates, confidence would be severely damaged, steering investment abroad. Doubt would be cast on a reliable energy policy framework aimed at carbon reduction and renewable energy targets, leading to the loss of much-needed investment and of confidence among banks. In the event of any negative impact, the consortium I represent would consider legal action for recovery of costs, forgone future profits and punitive damages.
Herald 2nd Oct 2010 more >>
Your article, “Going green will push Scots’ fuel bills up 100”, fails to recognise that all energy policy options will lead to higher bills for consumers over the medium and longer term. The government and Ofgem agree that a growing proportion of renewable energy as part of a mixed energy portfolio is the best option for the economy, consumers, the environment and energy security. The consistent message from both Scottish and UK ministers at the Low Carbon Investment Conference in Edinburgh this week was that Scotland must play to its strengths and harness its incredible renewables resources.
By doing so we will power progress towards the UK and Europe’s renewable energy targets, create thousands of highly-paid and highly-skilled jobs, and ensure a balanced energy mix for the UK.
Scotsman 2nd Oct 2010 more >>
