New Nukes
Oil-rich states should use the trillions of dollars they are making from soaring prices to finance new nuclear power plants in Britain, said Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Speaking after a fractious summit of EU leaders in Brussels, the Prime Minister insisted that huge sums of cash needed to be “recycled” from regions such as the Middle East for the sake of the world economy.
Yorkshire Post 21st June 2008 more >>
Aberdeen Press & Journal 21st June 2008 more >>
Telegraph 21st June 2008 more >>
Gordon Brown is firmly rooted in the past. Especially outdated, dangerous and dirty energy production. He’s even thinking about giving the go-ahead to new coal-fired powered stations, the worst thing he could for global warming. Perhaps worse than his aviation expansion plans. Then there’s nuclear power, an old favorite and regularly touted as a solution to global warming. In short, nuclear power will deliver too little too late.
EnoughsEnough.org have partnered with Greenpeace on today’s full-page ad in The Times.
Anita Roddick.com 20th June 2008 more >>
See the Ad: Enough is enough.org 20th June 2008 more >>
British Energy
Shares in British Energy rose yesterday after a report that the Centrica would take a minority stake if the French power company EDF buys the nuclear generator. UK-based Centrica and EDF have reached agreement on BE partly to calm government fears that it would be sold to a single owner, the news agency Reuters reported, citing unnamed sources. EDF and Centrica declined to comment. Industry sources suggested last night that the two are still considering options. Other alternatives are for Centrica, which is known to want to boost its own generating capacity, to strike a long-term deal with EDF to take future BE output, or join a programme to build nuclear plants.
Guardian 21st June 2008 more >>
British Energy saw its share price surge by more than 2% yesterday on speculation that Centrica will take a minority stake in the Scottish-based nuclear generator if it is bought by Electricit de France.
Herald 21st June 2008 more >>
Planning
Gordon Brown, Alistair Darling and other cabinet ministers have been calling wavering MPs as Labour whips prepare for a close vote next week over moves to streamline the planning system. The prime minister and chancellor are concerned about a fresh backbench rebellion just days after the government pushed through its anti-terror bill with a majority of only nine, aided by the Ulster Unionists.
FT 21st June 2008 more >>
Nuclear Waste
YOU may be forgiven for thinking Cheshire is the capital of dumping grounds. There are proposals for three incinerators, three underground gas storage plants and a bio energy plant which has already had the go-ahead. Now communities are being asked to volunteer themselves to host an underground burial site for radioactive waste.
This is Cheshire 20th June 2008 more >>
DOUNREAY’S owners have been accused of paying “sweeteners” to two tenants of land adjoining the site being earmarked for an underground waste dump. According to resident Deirdre Henderson, the payments are out of order given that the £110 million project is still at the planning stage.
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John O Groat 20th June 2008 more >>
BILLIONS of pounds will be pumped into Copeland if the area is eventually chosen to locate the UK’s first underground nuclear waste repository, it has been claimed. Informed sources inside the nuclear industry told The Whitehaven News that the district could expect “an economic bonanza” in return for what the government describes as “a service to the nation.” One source said: “Thorp was a huge development at Sellafield which had knock-on benefits, but only a tea party compared to a repository project.”
Whitehaven News 18th June 2008 more >>
THE first steps on a long road to a future nuclear repository for the UK started last week as environment secretary Hilary Benn announced the government’s White Paper. (with photo)
Whitehaven News 18th June 2008 more >>
Companies
Jacobs Engineering Group could be involved in the plan by nine schools to link up with businesses to run affairs outside local authority control. But trust opponents are furious that the firm is a ‘strategic partner’ at Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), based in Aldermaston, Berkshire, which manufactures atomic warheads for the Ministry of Defence.
Wakefield Express 20th June 2008 more >>
Renewables
One in four British homes could be fitted with solar heating equipment and 3,500 wind turbines could be erected across Britain within 12 years as part of a green energy revolution to be proposed by the government next week. The long-awaited renewable energy strategy, a copy of which has been seen by the Guardian, will say Britain needs to make a £100bn dash to build up its clean power supply if it is to reach its EU-imposed target of producing 15% of the country’s energy from renewable sources by 2020.
Guardian 21st June 2008 more >>
George Monbiot: The past two years have been thrilling and frustrating in equal measure. We have begun to glimpse the green holy grail: reliable renewable electricity. Studies by people as diverse as the German government and the Centre for Alternative Technology have shown how, by diversifying the sources of green energy, by managing demand and using some cunning methods of storage, renewables could supply 80% or even 100% of our electricity without any loss in the continuity of power supplies. But while this work has been causing ripples among scientists and green campaigners, the government has appeared stuck in the fossil century. As recently as October last year, the business secretary, John Hutton, was secretly lobbying to abandon Britain’s target for renewable power supplies. I have not yet been allowed to see the consultation paper, but the details obtained by the Guardian suggest that the government has at last begun to take renewables seriously. Some of its proposals appear to be radical, innovative and bold. It shows how its target of producing 35% of electricity from green power by 2020 might be met by greatly boosting wind, biomass and solar energy. The document will propose a synergy between large-scale renewables and electric cars, which can be charged at night when wind power might otherwise be wasted.
Guardian 21st June 2008 more >>
The government is considering forcing people to insulate their homes, and fit renewable energy when they build extensions in order to reach its target of producing 15% of all primary energy from renewables by 2020. It is also considering phasing out all high carbon appliances, such as oil-fired central heating boilers, and making councils collect and separate waste food from households and businesses to make biogas.
Guardian 21st June 2008 more >>
Until a few months ago it was thought impossible for Britain to approach generating 15% of its energy from renewables by 2020 as required by the EU. But next week the government will lay out an ambitious blueprint for what it says is an achievable energy revolution. It will affect everyone in Britain and raise electricity costs, the government concedes, but may also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide long-term energy security.
Guardian 21st June 2008 more >>
The lives of Shetland’s inhabitants are inextricably linked to the natural resources on their doorstep, but a groundbreaking new hydrogen power scheme, harnessing the wind, could help provide the solution to the world’s oil crisis.
Telegraph 21st June 2008 more >>
Iran
Iran is pressing on with nuclear enrichment “non-stop,” its envoy to the U.N. nuclear agency was quoted as saying on Saturday, despite a world powers’ offer of economic incentives if it halts such work.
Reuters 21st June 2008 more >>
Israel carried out a large-scale military exercise in the Mediterranean earlier this month as a warning to Iran that it has the capacity to make an air strike on its nuclear facilities, Pentagon sources confirmed yesterday. More than 100 Israeli F-16s and F-15s flew more than 900 miles, roughly the distance from Israel to Iran’s Natanz nuclear plant. They were accompanied by refuelling planes and helicopters for rescuing any downed crews.
Guardian 21st June 2008 more >>
Daily Mail 21st June 2008 more >>
India
The leadership of the Congress Party, the dominant partner in the UPA coalition, or at least a section of the Congress Party leadership gathered around Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has signaled that it is ready to risk losing the government’s parliamentary majority and precipitating early elections to advance the nuclear deal.
World Socialist Web 21st June 2008 more >>
Submarines
The 25-year-old Prince was taking part in a clandestine Royal Navy exercise based on hunting down an enemy submarine and sinking it. He submerged on HMS Talent, a T-Class hunter-killer submarine off the coast near Plymouth, and spent a night on board earlier this week.
Telegraph 20th June 2008 more >>
