Wylfa
Wylfa Newydd developer Horizon Nuclear Power has hit back at criticism of a “lack of ambition” in their estimates for the number of local people that will join the workforce. In its latest consultation, Horizon said it only expects around 45% of the 850 permanent staff needed to work at the site to come from the region. This came under fire from Anglesey council who believe they should be aiming higher. But Horizon have responded, saying the 45% figure is not a target and that they hoped to replicate the success of Wylfa A – where more than 80% of workers are from the region.
Daily Post 21st Oct 2016 read more »
Moorside
Parish councils have been teaming up to fight the pylons. Cumbrians are increasingly concerned about all the impacts from Moorside. The online poll in the North West Evening Mail under the article “Councils Present United Front Against Pylon Plans” reflects this concern. The Poll asked “What would you prefer?” 6% Said Yes to Pylons; 17% Said Yes to Underground Cables; 7% Said Yes to Offshore Cables and 70% Said No to Moorside. This is remarkable given that media coverage has focussed narrowly on the impacts of the pylons rather than the wider impacts from Moorside itself. We support the councils in opposing the pylons but would suggest that as with all the many damaging impacts from the proposed “biggest nuclear development in Europe”, the pylons are being heavily underestimated.
Radiation Free Lakeland 21st Oct 2016 read more »
John Woodcock, MP for Barrow and Furness, and members of the Power Without Pylons group are jointly hosting a public meeting in Broughton Victory Hall on Friday October 28 from 6.30pm.
NW Evening Mail 19th Oct 2016 read more »
PARISH councils across the area have come together in a groundbreaking move to speak out in a united voice against plans to build pylons along the coast of Cumbria. Twelve parish councils from Seascale to Kirkby and Ireleth have joined forces in an attempt to highlight their concerns about plans to connect power generated from Moorside to the National Grid. Councillors have been fighting long and hard to protect their beloved environment from plans to build 50-metre high pylons across the landscape and have finally joined together to create a powerful alliance.
NW Evening Mail 16th Aug 2016 read more »
Sellafield
The Duke of Edinburgh visited Sellafield today, to see the size and scale of the clean-up challenge facing workers at the nuclear plant. Prince Philip met with a range of workers on site including those who play vital voluntary roles in emergency services and flood recovery. This was Prince Philip’s third visit to Sellafield, having previously visited Windscale and Calder Hall in 1955, and opening the Sellafield Visitors Centre in 1988.
ITV 21st Oct 2016 read more »
Capenhurst
FIREFIGHTERS at a nuclear enrichment site in Cheshire have voted to strike next week over job losses and an attack on their terms and conditions. GMB members at the Urenco UK site at Capenhurst voted, on a full turnout, for strike action by a resounding 88 per cent. The strike will start on Wednesday at 6am and continue until 7am the following day. The 25 hours that the action will last symbolises the number of workers who have been told they are surplus to requirements. Employees have been told they are to be made redundant and asked to reapply for a new position, which the union says will come with inferior terms.
Morning Star 22nd Oct 2016 read more »
EDF
If we are to believe what its chief executives are saying, EDF’s (Électricité de France) business outlook is good. The energy giant, which plans to build two nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point in Somerset, is supposedly a rock-solid company, a market leader in both France and UK, and one that offers great opportunities of investment. The reality, however, may be somewhat different; the French group faces a seemingly impossible financial equation. EDF has colossal debt of €37 billion euros; it must deal with the complex €2.5 billion takeover of its sister company, Areva; as well as find the resources to maintain and operate its 58 French nuclear reactors at costs estimated between €60 and €100 billion until 2030. Is EDF truly as stable as it makes out to be or could the building pressure be about to blow?
Affairs Today 21st Oct 2016 read more »
Energy Supplies
A comment piece in the Times earlier this week appeared to make a troubling prediction for the UK wind industry this winter. It warned the arrival of a weather phenomenon known as La Niña, “could cause real problems” for electricity supplies because of the likelihood of it being accompanied by an “unusually cold and windless winter” in the UK. But, according to Met Office experts and Carbon Brief’s analysis of past La Niña events, there is little ground for such fears. As just one of a host of factors that can affect UK weather, La Niña is unlikely to dominate enough to warrant forecasts of “emergency” supply shortages. This is especially true this time round since the impending event is expected to be weak, if it materialises at all.
Carbon Brief 21st Oct 2016 read more »
France
ASN has asked EDF to carry out additional inspections within three months on certain channel heads of the steam generators on 5 of its reactors, in which the steel is affected by a high carbon concentration. The performance of these inspections will require shutdown of the reactors concerned. EDF has provided ASN with data aiming to demonstrate the operating safety of the 12 reactors concerned. Further to the analysis carried out with the support of IRSN and after technical discussions with EDF, ASN has concluded that additional inspections should be carried out within three months, without waiting for the scheduled refuelling outage of these reactors. The purpose of these inspections will be to verify whether each of the channel heads concerned is in conformity with the file transmitted by EDF.
ASN 19th Oct 2016 read more »
India
India wants to provide its entire population with electricity and lift millions out of poverty, but in order to prevent the world overheating it also needs to switch away from fossil fuels. Although India is blessed with ample sunshine and wind, its main source of energy is coal, followed by oil and gas. Together, they provide around 90% of the total energy demand of the subcontinent – India, Pakistan and Bangladesh – with coal enjoying the highest share, at more than 70%. The 2016 BP Energy Outlook report assumes that India will depend increasingly on imports for its energy. Domestic production can be increased, but the increase will be overtaken by growing demand. BP says that by 2035 gas imports to India will rise by 573%, oil imports by 169% and coal by 85%. But that assumes that renewables will not take off in India. Others think differently. Bloomberg New Energy Finance reckons that by as early as 2020 large photovoltaic ground-mounted systems will be more economical in India than plants powered by imported coal.
Climate News Network 21st Oct 2016 read more »
Japan
A proposal to change decommissioning rules in Japan could mean that operators will contribute to funds only during operation, and not, as previously, for a decade after final shutdown. The changes were proposed by a subcommittee of the country’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry on 19 October, according to a report by Atoms in Japan. In common with most countries, Japan’s nuclear operators build up a fund for decommissioning and disposal of radioactive waste by gradually putting money aside during the operating life of the reactor. In Japan this had been defined as the licensed operating period, which is nominally 40 years, plus ten further years.
World Nuclear News 21st Oct 2016 read more »
The wall of ice being built around the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan is so far failing prevent contaminated groundwater flowing into the sea. Fast groundwater flow caused by heavy rains is thought to be preventing the complete freezing of the unprecedented 1.5km barrier of ice, the Nikkei Asian Review reports today. Experts hoped the wall, which they began freezing in March, would cut the amount of newly contaminated water pooling in a test well outside the barrier to 70 tonnes a day, but heavy rain during the September typhoons increased that to more than 1,000 tonnes on some days.
Global Construction Review 21st Oct 2016 read more »
Ukraine
From next year Ukraine is not going to pay Russia $200 million annually to remove spent nuclear fuel from the country, according to Ukrainian Energy Minister Igor Nasalik. The country will build its own spent nuclear fuel storage facility, the minister announced. The storage site chosen is in the exclusion zone of the Chernobyl nuclear power, but it is not designed to store nuclear waste for a long time. The exclusion zone is a 30-kilometer radius from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant established by the USSR soon after the 1986 accident.
Russia Today 21st Oct 2016 read more »
Switzerland
A proposal to decommission Switzerland’s nuclear power plants by 2029 has the backing of a majority of citizens, according to a survey conducted seven weeks ahead of a nationwide vote. Despite this, pollsters believe the initiative is likely to be defeated on November 27.
Swiss Info 21st Oct 2016 read more »
US
Solar power capacity in the US will have nearly tripled in size in less than three years by 2017 amid an energy shakeup that has seen natural gas solidify its position as the country’s chief source of electricity and coal power continue to fade, according to monthly data published by the US Department of Energy. Cutting carbon dioxide emissions from electric power plants is a major part of the US strategy for tackling climate change as the country seeks to meet its obligations under the Paris climate agreement and keep global warming from exceeding more than 2C (3.6°F).
Guardian 21st Oct 2016 read more »
Local Energy
Seventeen projects across Scotland have been offered a share in grant funding of over £600k of funds from the Scottish Government. These projects will investigate and develop approaches which link local energy generation with local energy demand, using innovative distribution and storage solutions. “It is encouraging to see communities, academia, companies and the public sector working together to ensure a sustainable energy future for local areas across the country – from the Western Isles, Moray and the Highlands in the north to North Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway in the south west of Scotland. “Scotland is making great progress in renewable energy with the equivalent of 56.7% of gross electricity consumption coming from renewables in 2015. From energy storage to renewable heat and smart grids, this funding will help to unlock new forms of renewable energy at a local level.
Local energy Scotland 21st Oct 2016 read more »
Microgeneration
This week’s Micro Power News: includes news plan to make a Western Isles district the first LED community in the UK; Small Wind Co-op launches second share offer.
Microgen Scotland 21st Oct 2016 read more »
Energy Efficiency
The overnight low in West Kirby on the Wirrall was around 5C last night. Yet in Colin Usher’s home the temperature is a comfy 20c-21C – despite the fact he has not turned on the heating once this autumn. Even in the depths of winter, the house uses a fraction of the energy that most British homes consume trying to keep warm. On average, the Ushers’ home energy bills since 2014 have been £530 a year, and that for a house that is nearly twice the size of a standard British semi. It means the family is saving at least £1,000 a year, and possibly much more. Throw in the fact that their rooftop solar panels generate an income of £500 a year and their net energy bills are actually close to zero. Usher is a fan of “Passivhaus” eco-standards for building, he is critical of some in the insulation industry. “I have a jaundiced view of installing insulation without warning about the condensation risks. People go to great efforts to put in insulation, then get condensation and mildew in the corner of their rooms. It’s almost bound to happen.” He recommends that anyone making their home airtight should also consider systems such as the Nuaire Drimaster, which costs around £250 and gently forces moist air out of the house.
Guardian 22nd Oct 2016 read more »
