Bradwell
A fire has broken out at a disused nuclear power station in Essex. Twelve fire crews were called to the blaze in a condenser unit, measuring four by six metres, at Bradwell Power Station at about 1230 GMT. Assistant Divisional Officer Neil Fenwick, of the Essex Fire and Rescue Service, said titanium rods were being broken down and caught fire. An Essex fire service spokesman said the blaze was brought under control by 1430 GMT. A spokeswoman from Bradwell Power Station said: “The immediate vicinity was made safe and evacuated and the emergency services called who then promptly extinguished the fire.
BBC 21st Jan 2011 more >>
Hinkley
A bid to build a jetty to help speed the construction of the proposed Hinkley C nuclear power station in Somerset received a formal objection from the local port authority yesterday. Sedgemoor district council is the port authority for the site which falls within West Somerset district council’s area for planning consideration. Sedgemoor accepts the principle of a jetty to allow thousands of tons of construction material to be brought in by sea, but councillors have lodged an objection because they do not believe the developer, French energy giant EDF, has provided enough information. It is concerned that there is little reference made to the risks associated with operating a temporary jetty in close proximity to Bridgwater Harbour – and the specific risk and impact associated with maintaining the operation of Dunball Wharf and local leisure trips.
This is Somerset 21st Jan 2011 more >>
Oldbury
Shepperdine Against Nuclear Energy has responded to the reconsultation on Nationalo Policy Statements. We were very surprised that Oldbury remained on the list of potential sites, when Braystones, Kirksanton and Dungeness were all removed for reasons that included (and, in the case of Dungeness, was exclusively) the adverse impact on the environment and landscape. Oldbury/ Shepperdine is an estuarine site with limited access to water for cooling the reactor. Accordingly, it is the only one of the nominated sites which must have cooling towers, and is therefore by far the largest and most intrusive of all the planned developments. The Severn Estuary and the countryside which overlooks it are both naturally beautiful and internationally important for their biodiversity. It is indefensible to put the largest and ugliest of the new nuclear builds in one of the most attractive and sensitive localities on the list, especially when the generating capacity can be provided at alternative sites that are less significant and less vulnerable, and that do not need cooling towers. Our detailed concerns, and the evidence to support them, are laid out below. The numbers in parentheses refer to paragraphs in the revised Draft NPS for Nuclear Power Generation (EN-6). These concerns amplify the views which we expressed in our initial response to the original Draft NPS, and take account of the revisions made by the Government. We remain deeply concerned about several generic issues which we highlighted in our earlier response. These include the uncertain risks of storing radioactive waste on site (potentially for up to 160 years); the destruction of local communities; and the disruption caused by building and the influx of the construction workforce. However, these arguments apply to all of the nominated sites. Instead, we focus here on the specific factors that make Oldbury uniquely unsuitable for a new nuclear development based around either of the reactors that were recently approved in the Generic Design Assessment process.
SANE 21st Jan 2011 more >>
New Nukes
Letter: Mr Ingham claimed that I “objected to taxing coal, gas and oil.” Quite the opposite, I am strongly in favour – even if the nuclear industry will benefit from it – as this is the most effective way of avoiding dangerous climate change. However, luckily we can avoid climate change without using nuclear power.
Hebden Bridge Times 22nd Jan 2011 more >>
Supply Chain
Nuclear Power Delivery UK (the team established to deliver the Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear power plant in the UK) reports that it has “strengthened” its supply chain to enable construction of the facility. The company announced that Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) have been signed with three UK nuclear industry supply chain giants – BAE Systems, Doosan Power Systems and Rolls-Royce.
Procurement Leaders 21st Jan 2011 more >>
France
FRENCH naval defence company DCNS has unveiled its new Flexblue offshore nuclear power plant, small units based on designs for its nuclear submarines. The cylindrical Flexblue would be 100 m long and 12–15 m in diameter, and would have a generating capacity of 50–250 MW. It would weigh 12,000 t once built and is designed to be anchored several kilometres offshore in water 60–100 m deep.
Chemical Engineer 21st Jan 2011 more >>
Available nuclear power capacity in France is expected to fall in the medium term from its current high level as more plants go off line for maintenance, according to forecasts from French grid operator RTE. Capacity will remain at a high 95pc of installed plant capacity in weeks five and six, but begin to fall in the second half of February and March. The available units are expected to decrease to 83pc of installed capacity by week 15.
Argus Media 21st Jan 2011 more >>
Iran
Iran said differences were narrowing at talks yesterday with six world powers looking to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. But others said it was too early to speak of progress.
Belfast Telegraph 22nd Jan 2011 more >>
Eight prominent senators have warned Barack Obama against making concessions to Iran, in a move highlighting the obstacles to the latest round of negotiations with the Islamic republic. The senators include John McCain, Mr Obama’s former presidential rival, Joe Lieberman, the former vice-presidential nominee, and Chuck Schumer, the Democrats’ number three in the chamber
FT 22nd Jan 2011 more >>
Iran yesterday refused to discuss suspending its uranium enrichment programme at talks in Istanbul, despite western powers pressing it to curb its nuclear ambitions.
Scotsman 22nd Jan 2011 more >>
Guardian 22nd Jan 2011 more >>
Iran has been offered access to peaceful nuclear technology and an end to UN sanctions in return for surrendering its enriched uranium stockpile, which can be used to make nuclear weapons.
Telegraph 22nd Jan 2011 more >>
Iran says it has narrowed the differences with the United States and other leading powers over its nuclear enrichment programme. Tehran is currently in talks in Turkey with the six powers, China, Britain, France, Russia and the United States, amid fears the country is trying to make nuclear weapons. Tehran currently denies any such aspiration, insisting that it is only interested in producing nuclear fuel – warning it is in no mood to compromise over the issue.
ITN 21st Jan 2011 more >>
Morning Star 21st Jan 2011 more >>
The Stuxnet computer virus, created to sabotage Iran’s nuclear programme, was the result of collaboration between at least one Western power and the Israeli secret service, a British cyber security expert has found. Tom Parker, a US-based security researcher who specialises in tracing cyber attacks, has spent months analysing the Stuxnet code and has found evidence that the virus was created by two separate organisations. The hard forensic evidence supports the reported claims of intelligence sources that it was a joint, two step operation.
Telegraph 22nd Jan 2011 more >>
US
Nuclear power status report.
IEER 19th Jan 2011 more >>
Test Veterans
In 1957 the British military began carrying out atmospheric tests of nuclear weapons around the former colony of Christmas Island. After the initial tests in 1957-58, independent UK experiments ceased, however “Operation Grapple” as the series of tests was known, continued as a joint US/UK exercise until 1962. Of the 20,000 servicemen involved, 2,500 were British. One servicemen, a sapper in the Royal Engineers, Ken McGinley, was chairman of the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association (BNTVA) from 1982 to 2000. I spoke with him following the Appeal Court’s Decision last year to reject nine out of ten test cases seeking compensation from the MoD.
Caledonian Mercury 21st Jan 2011 more >>
Microgeneration
This week’s Micro Power News includes news of further possible delays to the start of the Renewable Heat Incentive; South Yorkshire Housing Association’s plan for 650 solar homes by next year; how Birmingham is fast becoming the UK’s solar hub; and a £200m solar investment in Scotland; Alex Salmond opens a hydrogen research facility in Fife; residents in Oxford and Plymouth enthusiastic about solar farm proposals; another £71k given by EDF Energy to microgeneration projects in schools; how PepsiCo plans to be carbon-free by 2023 – reducing the carbon footprint of a bag of crisps.
Microgen Scotland 21st Jan 2011 more >>
