National Policy Statements
The Energy and Climate Change Committee is calling for written evidence for its inquiry into the energy national policy statements (NPSs).The Committee scrutinises the work of DECC and has followed up swiftly on the release of the six statements. DECC is consulting on whether the proposals and provide a coherent and practical framework for the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC). Subject to this consultation, the Government intends to finalise and formally approve the energy NSPs in 2010. As part of the parliamentary scrutiny of the proposed NPS framework, the 14-person Committee has launched an inquiry to determine whether the energy NPSs are fit for purpose. The Committee will be receiving copies of written submissions made to the DECC’s current consultation and said it would also welcome any additional comments. Although the consultation period is open until February 22, the Committee said it is only likely to be able to take account of submissions made before Friday January 15. Oral hearings are set to take place in the New Year.
New Energy Focus 13th Nov 2009 more >>
New Nukes
We asked Gordon Brown “Why does the Government plan to further injure future generations by continuing with nuclear power and destroying valuable resources through incineration.”
Derby Telegraph 21st Nov 2009 more >>
Radwaste
The UK government’s recent announcement of a significant expansion for nuclear power generation has rekindled the debate over the safe disposal of radioactive waste. The public can be forgiven for being sceptical – the UK does not have an especially proud record in its attitude towards the treatment of waste arising from nuclear activities. Francis Livens is professor of radiochemistry at the University of Manchester. ‘Research into nuclear waste disposal has been severely neglected in this country for the past 40 years,’ he says. ‘Essentially the nuclear waste problem was ignored – people literally locked the door and walked away.’
Chemistry World 20th Nov 2009 more >>
EPR
An independent expert, commissioned by Greenpeace, has concluded that two nuclear reactors, currently under construction in Finland and France, suffer from serious safety flaws. The EPR (European Pressurised Reactor) design, which is supplied by the French company AREVA, fails to adequately separate different reactor control systems. Greenpeace is calling on the Finnish and French governments to immediately halt work at the EPR construction sites in Olkiluoto and Flamanville. According to independent nuclear safety analyst Dr. Helmut Hirsch the flaws in the reactor safety systems “in the worst case, can lead to a minor incident developing into a severe accident.”
Greenpeace 20th Nov 2009 more >>
Druridge Bay
MOVES away from using Druridge Bay for a nuclear power station have been welcomed by MP Sir Alan Beith. Campaigners have fought for years to have the area struck off a list of potential sites and last week the Government confirmed it was not being pursued as an option. Sir Alan, who represents the area, said: “Druridge Bay is the wrong site for the wrong energy policy.
Morpeth Herald 21st Nov 2009 more >>
Dungeness
Blog post by Donald Worsley, Labour Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Folkestone and Hythe. Ed Miliband’s decision to rule out a new Nuclear Power Plant for Dungeness is to be deeply regretted and one with which I fundamentally disagree. A new Plant at Dungeness would have secured more than 4000 jobs for Lydd and surrounding villages. Now their future as viable communities must be very much in doubt.
Romney Marsh Times 21st Nov 2009 more >>
Oldbury
Engineers were given the award for their innovative approach to repairing one of the stations’s turbines while the site was still operational, avoiding the need to shut down and saving £3.5 million for the UK taxpayer.
Gloucestershire Gazette 20th Nov 2009 more >>
Up to three nuclear reactors and as many as four cooling towers as high as 200 metres could be built for a new atomic power station next to the Severn estuary. Exact details are yet to be finalised by the Horizon Nuclear Power joint venture set up by power companies Eon and RWE, which wants to put the complex next to the Oldbury atomic plant near Thornbury.
Bristol Evening Post 21st Nov 2009 more >>
Kirksanton
Britain’s largest colony of natterjack toads – a rare and highly protected species – would be affected by a planned nuclear power station at Kirkstanton, on the Duddon estuary, the Cumbria Wildlife Trust revealed last week. Kirkstanton was always going to be one of the most controversial sites. It is one of only two not at an existing nuclear power station; and it would demolish Britain’s second-oldest commercial windfarm, Haverigg, six of whose eight turbines are within its proposed footprint. A vigorous local protest group has sprung up.
Telegraph 21st Nov 2009 more >>
Springfields
FYLDE’S nuclear plant has received a six-figure boost to help future workers. Bosses at Springfields will match-fund a £100,000 grant from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The cash will develop the Salwick plant’s state-of-the-art apprentice training centre.
Blackpool Gazette 20th Nov 2009 more >>
Energy Debate
Join the Telegraph & Eon debate on the evening of 3rd December 2009 at a central London location to pose your question live about the future of UK energy to a panel of leading experts.
Telegraph 21st Nov 2009 more >>
Global Problems
Handy reference guide.
Physicians for Social Responsibility Nov 2009 more >>
Ireland
The use of nuclear power should be open for debate, Minister for the Environment John Gormley told a climate change forum in Dublin today. “The technologies being developed, which people claim are 100 per cent safe, are still in their infancy,” he said. “I’ve seen presentations on chlorine fluoride reactors and on pebble bed technology but problems continue even though they say they are addressing the waste problem.” “I remain to be convinced but I’m not closing the door I do think we have to have a continued debate on those issues,” he said.
Irish Times 21st Nov 2009 more >>
US
The US should focus on energy efficiency and renewables to tackle climate change not new nuclear capacity, says a report from environmental organisation Environment California.
Energy Efficiency News 20th Nov 2009 more >>
UAE
The United Arab Emirates will award a $40 billion contract to build several nuclear reactors in the “next few weeks,” the head of GDF Suez said on Friday. A consortium bidding for it includes GDF Suez, nuclear reactor maker Areva and Total, with technical support from EDF.
Interactive Investor 20th Nov 2009 more >>
Iran
UN Security Council permanent members Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany have said they are disappointed with Iran’s apparent rejection of a deal over its nuclear programme. Can a solution be found?
BBC 20th Nov 2009 more >>
Turkey
Turkey has cancelled a tender to build the country’s first nuclear power station, despite pressure from Moscow to accept the sole bid from a consortium led by the Russian groups Inter Rao and Atomstroyexport.
FT 21st Nov 2009 more >>
Trident
Scrapping the Trident nuclear missile system could pay for almost the entire cost of the proposed new Forth road bridge, the Scottish Government has said.
Herald 19th Nov 2009 more >>
REPORT from a group commissioned by the Scottish Government on removing nuclear weapons from Scotland has been dismissed as supporting a “half-baked policy”. The paper was produced by 12 experts chaired by parliamentary business minister Bruce Crawford, and aimed in part to address how jobs would be affected by any future removal of Trident from Scotland.
Scotsman 19th Nov 2009 more >>
Submarines
The Royal Navy’s biggest and most powerful attack submarine has arrived at Faslane on the Clyde. Astute, which measures nearly 328ft (100m) from bow to stern, set sail from Barrow in Cumbria for its first sea trials on Tuesday. The vessel can be armed with 38 torpedoes and missiles – more than any previous Royal Navy submarine. It sailed into the Clyde and up the Gareloch to its new home at the Scottish naval base.
BBC 20th Nov 2009 more >>
Renewables
A hydroelectric wave-energy machine called the Oyster, which could revolutionise energy production in Scotland, was yesterday switched on to the National Grid by Alex Salmond, the First Minister. The Oyster is already billed as the biggest machine of its type in the world, but following a series of tests at the European Marine Energy Centre, near Stromness, engineers hope that it will be the precursor of even larger, linked sets of machines, capable of delivering 2MW of power enough to provide energy for about 1400 homes by 2011. Announcing £975,000 of Scottish Enterprise funding for the venture, Mr Salmond said that through such investments, the Scottish government was working to meet climate change targets and create green jobs. The Oyster, he said, was a milestone in renewable energy policy. The machine was developed by Edinburgh-based Aquamarine Power, resulting from research at Queen’s University, Belfast. The company’s chief executive, Martin McAdam, said: “We have proved that wave energy can produce sustainable, zero-emission electricity.”
Times 21st Nov 2009 more >>
Britain lacks the skills or training facilities to make the successful transition to a low-carbon economy that its international commitments require, an influential group of businesses and non-governmental organisations warns today. In a report that will dent Britain’s image ahead of the Copenhagen climate conference, the Aldersgate Group says that in spite of the UK’s pledge to meet a European Union 2020 target for carbon emissions, the government’s skills strategy is inadequate to meet those needs. Germany, in the decade since it launched its “feed-in tariff” policy has created at least 250,000 jobs in the sector – more than 10 times as many as exist in Britain.
Guardian 21st Nov 2009 more >>
