New Nukes
British Gas owner Centrica will be forced to spend billions of pounds on new gas-fired power stations to keep the lights on if it does not secure consent for the Hinkley nuclear reactor by early 2012. Delays in the planning system could also spark a dash for gas among other energy providers. Centrica chief executive Sam Laidlaw warned that would jeopardise the security of energy supply as Britain would need to import about 75 per cent of its gas needs.
Daily Mail 19th Sept 2010 more >>
PERSHORE Town Council has pledged to support an early day motion calling for an inquiry into whether or not nuclear power stations are needed. With energy resources coming under increased scrutiny, an organisation called No Need for Nuclear approached the council and asked whether it might be willing to assist its objectives by writing to the local Member of Parliament in support of the motion.
Evesham Journal 19th Sept 2010 more >>
Germany
Anti-nuclear prostest in pictures
BBC 18th Sept 2010 more >>
Tens of thousands of Germans marched through Berlin at the weekend to protest against their government’s recent decision to extend the life of the nation’s nuclear power plants by about 12 years.
Morning Star 19th Sept 2010 more >>
US
There’s plenty of uranium in the world to power a massive increase in new, efficient nuclear reactors of the traditional type, says a new report out today. That supply gives the United States sufficient time to study new types of reactors that could reduce the need for long-term storage of nuclear waste by burning up more of their fuel.
Science Insider 16th Sept 2010 more >>
US President Barack Obama appeared to deal a decisive blow to America’s nuclear power industry earlier this year, when he pulled the funding for a nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain.
Telegraph 20th Sept 2010 more >>
Middle East
Zalman Shoval, a former Israel ambassador to the US who is close to power circles in Jerusalem, remarked that “the Obama administration felt that progress on the peace process would set the stage for an effective regional coalition against Tehran. The Israeli approach was the exact opposite, stressing that if Iran’s nuclear programme were neutralised, then that would set the stage for a real peace process, since that would weaken the most radicalised elements in the Arab world who sought to actively undermine any prospects for peace, especially Hamas, Hezbollah and Syria.”
Guardian 20th Sept 2010 more >>
China
No TV. No internet. No air conditioning. Traffic lights off. Hospitals deprived of electricity. Tens of thousands of household fridges and freezers without power. Milk curdling. Vegetables rotting. The risks of delaying energy-saving measures have been all too apparent in a Chinese region where the authorities initiated draconian rationing last month to achieve the state’s efficiency targets.Anping County, in Hebei Province, cut electricity to homes, factories and public buildings for 22 hours every three days in a radical move that has highlighted both the serious last-minute effort that China is making to achieve environmental goals and the immense long-term difficulty of shifting away from a dirty, wasteful model of economic growth.
Guardian 20th Sept 2010 more >>
Trident
Liam Fox, the defence secretary, is refusing to accept anything other than a minor delay in replacing Britain’s Trident nuclear deterrent, say government sources. In a move which threatens a row with Nick Clegg and the Treasury, Fox is telling cabinet colleagues that replacing the four Vanguard nuclear submarines can only be delayed by four to six months.
Guardian 20th Sept 2010 more >>
Energy Efficiency
The Government is preparing a radical multi-billion pound fund to finance the rapid “greening” of more than 4m small businesses.
Telegraph 20th Sept 2010 more >>
