Radwaste
The NDA’s presentation on the Waste Inventory to the West Cumbria Managing Radioactive Waste Partnership is finally available on the Partnership website
WCMRWC Dec 2010 more >>
along with the Critique by Pete Roche
WCMRWC Dec 2010 more >>
Tuesday night’s earth tremor in Cumbria has increased the size of the question marks against the area’s potential for burying highly radioactive nuclear waste. Serious concerns about the unsuitability of Cumbria’s underground rock formation for any nuclear dumping below the surface have been voiced strongly over the last few weeks. Marianne Birkby said “Following last night’s earthquake in Cumbria – just one of the increasingly frequent quakes to hit this area – our Cumbrian councillors should think again about their support for new nuclear build and the geological disposal of high level nuclear wastes.Even if this region had experienced no earthquakes at all, the Nirex inquiry of 1995 found the whole region to be too geologically unpredictable for the ‘disposal’ of high level nuclear wastes. “The following is an extract from an email sent by Professor David Smythe (employed by Nirex in 1995) to Allerdale and Copeland Borough Council which describes Nirex’s remit- which was to explore the whole of West Cumbria. “It reads ‘The REGION studied extends from north of Workington to south of Barrow, inland to Ulverston and halfway to Keswick, and offshore northwest and southwest for between 15 and 50 km. ‘The DISTRICT is defined as Whitehaven down to Ravenglass, inland about 10 km, and offshore about the same distance. ‘The SITE is a rectangle of about 55 sq km centred on Longlands Farm, including the Sellafield Works, Seascale and Gosforth. ‘The POTENTIAL REPOSITORY ZONE comprises the 2 sq km or so of Longlands Farm.
‘So when the Planning Inspector deems the REGION to be unsuitable, he evidently means, using Nirex’s own definition, the whole of West Cumbria, not just the PRZ. ‘Since Longlands Farm was presented as the best site within the whole REGION, and £400M was spent in support, the bad science is in seeking to return to the REGION and waste yet more public money’”. Martin Forwood of Cumbrians Opposed to a Radioactive Environment told The Whitehaven News: “Our own house (at Broughton Mills) shook with the explosion. It was a real tremor and as soon as we heard it our first thought was: ‘This has put paid to the nuclear waste dump.’
Get Noticed Online 22nd Dec 2010 more >>
Martin Forwood of Cumbrians Opposed to a Radioactive Environment said it would be “dangerous folly” to consider anywhere in West Cumbria for a repository. He told The Whitehaven News: “Our own house (at Broughton Mills) shook with the explosion. It was a real tremor and as soon as we heard it our first thought was: ‘This has put paid to the nuclear waste dump.’ “It would be stupidity to bury high levels of radioactive material underground in areas which can be affected by earthquakes.
Whitehaven News 22 Dec 2010 more >>
Companies
A LUTON pump company has won three orders valued at nearly $5 million to provide equipment to three nuclear power stations in the US.
Luton Today 23rd Dec 2010 more >>
AP1000 – China
Construction of AP1000 units in China has seen three milestones this month: on-site, at a new module factory and in fuel fabrication. Building work on the first of the Westinghouse-designed units at Sanmen moved on with the lifting in of the fourth ring of the reactor’s containment vessel. Meanwhile, in central Hubei province an inauguration ceremony was held for the country’s second factory for the modules that make AP1000 major structures.
World Nuclear News 22nd Dec 2010 more >>
Low Level Waste
LAST week’s Whitehaven News published an article on page 11 which claimed that contaminated metal from Sellafield was to be sent to the Studsvik Metals Recycling Facility (MRF) near Workington for smelting. The MRF does not use a smelter but decontaminates metals using a standard industrial dry-blasting process. The Whitehaven News is happy to correct the report.
Whitehaven News 22nd Dec 2010 more >>
Dounreay
Dounreay’s site closure programme is changing shape as the site falls into line with a cap on funding and prepares for the appointment of a new parent body organisation for the site licence company. Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd has spent the last 10 months making adjustments to the long-range forward plan.
DSRL 16th Dec 2010 more >>
Experts are getting to look inside a concrete vault used to store liquid metal from the cooling system of the Dounreay Fast Reactor. It’s the latest phase of a major programme of work to dismantle one of the country’s biggest environmental hazards – Britain’s experimental fast breeder. The tanks contained primary and secondary sodium-potassium liquid metal coolant, known as NaK. Now empty, they still contain residual matter. The primary coolant is radioactive, so their decommissioning will be strictly monitored to maintain a safe working environment.
DSRL 21st Dec 2010 more >>
Aldermaston
The Nuclear Infortmation Service December Update is now available. It includes articles on (1) Parliament closes for 2010 without announcement on Trident Initial Gate (2) AWE waste treatment facility two years behind schedule (3) Radioactive spill at AWE Aldermaston (4) AWE pay dispute settled (5) Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator enforcement record released (6) Green Paper published on Defence and Security Technology and Equipment
NIS 22nd December 2010 more >>
Wylfa
WYLFA B has moved a step closer as the power consortium behind the development welcomes Government reform in the electricity market. The changes are designed to support the generation of low-carbon power. Horizon Nuclear Power, which hopes to build two or three reactors at land around the existing Wylfa site, said they welcomed the changes. Up to now nuclear firms had concerns about making money from the new generation of plants. Alan Raymant, Chief Operating Officer of Horizon, said: “We welcome the Government’s commitment to reform the electricity market.” “The country needs to replace closing power stations, and the focus must be on low carbon power generation. “Nuclear is the most cost effective of the serious, large scale, low carbon electricity sources. “It doesn’t need a subsidy, just a level playing field which isn’t currently provided by a market designed in another era.”
Daily Post 18th Dec 2010 more >>
Waste Transport
A shipment of nuclear fuel has arrived in Russia after a top-secret international operation to remove it from Serbia, where it was feared terrorists could seize it to make a nuclear or dirty bomb. In the dead of night, armed men in balaclavas surround a long convoy of trucks in the woods just outside Belgrade. Radios crackle as they prepare for a long journey.
Their mission is to escort a dangerous cargo, the kind terrorists would dearly like to get their hands on.
BBC 22nd Dec 2010 more >>
Reuters 22nd Dec 2010 more >>
On its return voyage around Norway’s Finnmark coast, a leakage happened and the vessel had to seek emergency assistance. The vessel is currently portside in Hammerfest in Northern Norway, reports the local newspaper Finnmark Dagblad.
Barents Observer 20th Dec 2010 more >>
France
French nuclear generation was running at over 58GW at midday today, after EdF restarted two nuclear reactors.
Operators at Cruas’ 910MW unit 4 and Chinon’s 905MW unit 3 confirmed that both reactors had returned to full capacity today. Cruas 4 had been off line for repairs following the discovery of a technical fault on 10 December, while Chinon 3 had been taken out of service for routine maintenance.
Argus Media 22nd Dec 2010 more >>
Iran
Iran is operating a worldwide recruitment network for nuclear scientists to lure them to the country to work on its nuclear weapons programme. The country is particularly reliant on North Korean scientists but also recruits people with expertise from African countries to work on developing missiles and nuclear production activities.
Telegraph 23rd Dec 2010 more >>
Malaysia
MALAYSIA’S energy minister has confirmed that the country is hoping to build two nuclear power plants with a capacity of 1000 MW each by 2022. The plants would be the first nuclear power stations to be constructed in Malaysia.
Chemical Engineer 20th Dec 2010 more >>
Thailand
Thailand’s energy minister said that he may not be able to submit the nuclear power development plan to government in January as planned, according to a report in The Nation newspaper. Wannarat Charnnukul cited several obstacles, including the legal amendments to enhance safety measures. The cabinet was due to consider in January whether Thailand should proceed with the nuclear power plan as part of the national energy security.
World Nuclear News 22nd Dec 2010 more >>
Disarmament
The U.S. Senate ratified a nuclear arms reduction pact with Russia on Wednesday by a strong bipartisan vote of 71 to 26. The New START treaty was one of the last measures approved during a busy post-election, end-of-year session.
Voice of America 22nd Dec 2010 more >>
Wales Online 23rd Dec 2010 more >>
Press & Journal 23rd Dec 2010 more >>
ITN 23rd Dec 2010 more >>
Independent 23rd Dec 2010 more >>
Scotsman 23rd Dec 2010 more >>
Guardian 23rd Dec 2010 more >>
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament strongly welcomes the anticipated passage of the new START-replacement treaty, expected to be voted upon by the US Senate later today. Britain’s leading anti-nuclear campaigners expressed hope that its successful ratification will “re-open the space for further disarmament measures by the US, Russia and other states – measures we desperately need to reduce and ultimately rid the world of the most deadly of weapons”.
CND Press Release 22nd Dec 2010 more >>
Submarines
Plymouth council leader Vivien Pengelly is being urged to start a public debate on plans to dismantle nuclear-powered submarines in the city. The Ministry of Defence is set to open a public consultation next year on how to dispose of 27 decommissioned submarines. The MoD is considering two sites for the work – Devonport Dockyard and Rosyth in Scotland. In the wake of the Government’s defence review, which will see the number of surface ships based in Plymouth dramatically slashed, Liberal Democrats say they fear that Plymouth has already been chosen as the dismantling site.
This is Devon 22nd Dec 2010 more >>
