Hinkley
Austria is to launch a legal challenge to the price deal for electricity generated by the planned Hinkley C nuclear power station meaning a final investment decision on the plant could be delayed by up to two years. Molly Scott Cato Green MEP for the South West welcomed news of the planned challenge.”Greens vowed to support any legal action so I welcome this announcement by the Austrian government. We simply cannot leave unchallenged the European Commission’s clear breach of its own rules on state aid. This deal would waste vast sums of public money on a dated and dangerous technology, when we should instead be promoting a safe and sustainable energy future for Europe.”
Western Daily Press 22nd Jan 2015 read more »
The Stop Hinkley Campaign has today welcomed the Austrian Government’s announcement that it will go-ahead with a legal challenge against the European Union’s (EU) decision to allow billions of pounds of subsidies for Hinkley Point C. The group also welcomed the opinion expressed by Dr Dörte Fouquet, a lawyer for the Brussels-based law firm Becker Büttner, which specialises in energy and competition law, that Austria’s chances of success were “pretty high.” Roy Pumfrey said: “Should Austria win this legal action we foresee considerable benefits to the local community. The traffic chaos, already growing, which would have descended on Bridgwater from Junctions 23 and 24 of the M5 through the town and all the way to Hinkley will have been averted. The influx of temporary workers putting huge strains on local health, housing and education provision will not happen. The demise of HPC would be a blessing, freeing local communities from a tie to a project that promises not only immense disruption in the short term but also the long term headache of storing highly radioactive nuclear waste for many years to come.’
Stop Hinkley 22nd Jan 2015 read more »
The European Commission has today published its decision document. Originally announced in October last year, to allow the UK Government to subsidise Hinkley Point C.
European Commission 22nd Jan 2015 read more »
Austria has decided to sue the European Commission (EC) over its 2014 decision to approve the £17.6bn subsidy deal between the UK government and EDF for the $24bn Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in Somerset. A spokeswoman for the chancellor told Reuters that EDF will develop the project at Hinkley Point in southwest England to replace a fifth of its ageing nuclear power and coal plants over the coming decade while reducing carbon emissions. Under the terms of the deal, EDF Energy and project partners will be guaranteed a price of £92.50 ($151.25), representing double the current market price of electricity, over a period of 35 years.
Energy Business Review 23rd Jan 2015 read more »
Sellafield
A hapless consortium led by URS (now part of US rival Aecom) was finally axed from leading the clean-up of Cumbria’s Sellafield last week. Over-budget and behind schedule on numerous projects on what is, admittedly, one of the most hazardous nuclear detoxifications in history, this consortium had been remarkably fortunate to see its contract renewed in 2013. After it had regained its contract, Nuclear Management Partners (NMP) even apologised to MPs for its dismal performance. I’m told that Energy Secretary Ed Davey finally had enough just before Christmas, which makes a document from November that I have just been passed all the more amusing. Sellafield’s top brass told the West Cumbria Sites Stakeholders Group – or the WCSSG if over-long acronyms are your bag – that there was “increasing confidence that we can achieve what we promised to do, on time and to budget”, while also praising the support of Davey’s department. As Dr David Lowry, the independent nuclear research and policy consultant who has worked tirelessly to expose Sellafield’s many problems, puts it, this was “Panglossian” and shows that they “never let the facts get in the way of their rosy-eyed vision”. The GMB union is no less furious. In a letter to Davey, 150 shop stewards have warned him that they are effectively working for a “zombie management team”, which would be quite cool if it was literally the case. What they mean, though, is that under the terms of the contract termination, NMP will remain involved in Sellafield while transitioning to a fresh leadership team by April next year. Davey must ask himself why he did not block the contract extension in 2013. It was a poor call from a minister who has otherwise earned the compliment of being a safe pair of hands. While he should be congratulated for finally getting this right, the GMB is equally correct that NMP should not stay in place any longer. Time, on this project in particular, is money – and we cannot allow taxpayer funds to be mishandled for another 15 months.
Independent 23rd Jan 2015 read more »
THERE are few engineering challenges more difficult than decommissioning nuclear infrastructure. And there are few decommissioning challenges more difficult than Sellafield. Cradle of the UK’s nuclear programme – and site of the 1957 Windscale fire, the world’s first major nuclear power accident – it is a cramped old site inhabited by 10,000 workers. The UK government is doing some things right in its bid to clean up Sellafield. Not least, it is finally funding research into the site’s unique and complex problems. Inevitably, that turns up new problems, increasing the bill and setting back the timetable. The temptation then is to sack the managers and install a new lot: in 2008, a Labour government privatised the clean-up; last week, the Coalition renationalised it. But changes at the top won’t fix the basic problem. Half a century ago, the UK was rushing to build its nuclear deterrent and generate electricity. Short-termism then means we are in for the long haul now: the clean-up plan runs all the way to 2120. And you shouldn’t bet against that slipping further as unwelcome surprises inevitably crop up. Despite the assurances of whoever is at its helm, this one will run and run. And run
New Scientist 22nd Jan 2015 read more »
THE emergency evacuation zone around the Sellafield site will be trebled in size. The Office for Nuclear Regulations (ONR) – which oversees the nuclear industry – has ruled that the evacuation zone in the event of a radiation emergency must be increased from 2km to between 6km and 7km. The existing 2km Detailed Emergency Planning Zone (DEPZ) takes in only around 50 homes. The revised area includes Seascale, Gosforth, Thornhill, Beckermet and other smaller towns and villages. It also goes out to sea, which could have fishing implications. If an area falls into a DEPZ, an off-site emergency plan must be adopted on how this area can be evacuated following a hazardous incident. In addition, housing developments, businesses and other planning applications that fall in a DEPZ are subject to strict regulations.
Whitehaven News 22nd Jan 2015 read more »
Letter: In my not too distant time at Sellafield, BNFL owned Westinghouse, the internationally-connected builder of nuclear reactors. We then sold that company and now intend to pay for foreign companies to build our new phase of reactors – including Westinghouse technology. In my time, we also sent our experienced physicists to the US to help the American nuclear industry understand how best to clean up its nuclear legacy at places such as Rocky Flats. Now our site is managed and run by American companies cleaning up our nuclear legacy, and less than efficiently decommissioning large parts of Sellafield. In my opinion, and that of many others, it’s all been a government scam to move much of the visible cost of decommissioning off the government’s annual bill… but we the taxpayer still cough up in reality.
Whitehaven News 22nd Jan 2015 read more »
Plutonium
Letter: Now that the NDA has a conscience with regard to how taxpayers’ money is being wasted at Sellafield, it is time it looked at some of its own decisions. In August 2011 the Mox plant was closed, and the reason given was due to the Japanese government mothballing its nuclear plants because of the catastrophe at the Fukushima plant and an earthquake. In April 2014 Japan approved an energy plan reinstating nuclear power. The Japanese government has now approved the restart of a nuclear plant in south western Japan, and the nuclear regulator has received applications to restart 20 reactors. In 2014 our MP gave his support for the Moorside project and the supply of fuel for the reactors from Springfield in Lancashire, which is on a par with taking coals to Newcastle. The three reactors for the Moorside plant are the Westinghouse AP1000 which can run fully loaded on Mox fuel. The plant at Sellafield is within spitting distance from Moorside and is not being considered. They preach about major benefits for West Cumbria, this would create 600 jobs but far more important it would give hope to future generations of West Cumbrians that one day Copeland could be returned to a safe haven with the stockpile of plutonium used to produce Mox fuel instead of being one of the most dangerous places in the world to live.
Whitehaven News 22nd Jan 2015 read more »
New Nuclear
The nuclear renaissance-that-never-was is over. As a brazen propaganda campaign — “if we say there is a nuclear renaissance then there is one” was pretty much all there was to it — it has belly-flopped into an empty swimming pool. Even the mainstream media is dismissing the notion now as a never-was-and-never-will-be mirage (although it meekly bought in for a long time before the evidence of the sham was incontrovertible.) But like the old man in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the nuclear industry continues to claim that it is “not dead” yet and actually “getting better.” Old style centralized generation, represented by nuclear and fossil fuel energy, will be “the dinosaur of the future energy system,” says UBS. “Too big, too inflexible, not even relevant for backup power in the long run.” The green revolution that UBS foresees, will be driven by true energy independence, a revolution led by you and me.
Counter Punch 22nd Jan 2015 read more »
Nuclear Transport
Residents of Braystones, near Sellafield, have for some years been trying to get some remedy for the awful state of the railway crossing and line, not all of them are anti nuclear but all are worried. I can vouch for the Heath Robinson nature of the crossing at Braystones. Last time I was there a chap shouted across to me to ring the telephone and see if he could cross with his car as he was: a. deaf b. too slow to get back from the phone to the car in time to open the gates and cross No one, it seems in this age of nuclear cheerleading in the UK, is willing to take responsibility and do something about this dangerous situation.
Radiation Free Lakeland 22nd Jan 2015 read more »
Radwaste – Wales
Friends of the Earth has called on the Welsh Government to adopt a policy where Wales only deals with Welsh nuclear waste. The Welsh Government has rejected claims that Wales could be set for a nuclear rubbish dump raised by Friends of the Earth Cymru. The environmentalist group has raised concerns over a consultation, which closed this week, reviewing the Welsh Government’s policy on the management and disposal of “Higher Activity Radioactive Waste”. In the consultation the Welsh Government indicates it would support burying the waste on the basis of the willing participation of a potential volunteer host community or communities.Gareth Clubb, director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, said: “The Scottish Government has decided to deal with its own nuclear waste and not take on the burden of England’s radioactive legacy. The Welsh Government should follow Scotland’s lead and take responsibility solely for Wales’ nuclear waste.
Wales Online 22nd Jan 2015 read more »
The Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA) Welsh Forum responds today to the Welsh Government’s updated consultation finalising the review of its policy on higher activity radioactive waste (HAW) management. NFLA reiterates its call on the Welsh Government to reverse its position on supporting new nuclear build at Wylfa. It also argues that the Welsh Government should choose a policy similar to the Scottish Government policy of „near site, near surface‟ on radioactive waste management, rather than the „deep disposal‟ policy of the UK Government.
Nuclear Free Local Authorities 20th Jan 2015 read more »
Toshiba
Toshiba Corp is in negotiations to supply equipment for several nuclear reactors in China and is also discussing a contract for plants in Kazakhstan, the chairman of the Japanese conglomerate said on Thursday.Toshiba already has a leading position in the Chinese nuclear power market and is looking to build on this through its Westinghouse Electric unit.
Reuters 22nd Jan 2015 read more »
Scotland
The UK Government has published its Draft Scotland Act – which will devolve more powers to Holyrood from Westminster after the British general election in May 2015. The Draft Bill contains key clauses on income taxes, employment and welfare rights, fuel poverty and energy planning, onshore fracking. These are all almost identical to the proposals published last year in the Smith Commission following Scotland’s Independence referendum.
Scottish Energy News 23rd Jan 2015 read more »
Proliferation
Russia has ended two decades of cooperation with America designed to safeguard the Kremlin’s nuclear sites and protect the world’s biggest stockpile of weapons-grade uranium. Experts believe that the security of enough fissile material to make 25,000 nuclear bombs is now on a “downward trend”. America established the “Cooperative Threat Reduction Programme” in 1991 to help secure nuclear weapons and materials scattered across the Soviet Union, then in the throes of collapse. For the next 24 years, Russian and American experts worked together to dismantle thousands of warheads and install tight security measures at scores of nuclear installations. But the Kremlin confirmed this week that Russia had withdrawn from this programme.
Telegraph 22nd Jan 2015 read more »
Utilities
It may come as little surprise to their beleaguered customers, but Npower has officially been ranked the worst energy company in the UK by consumer group Which?. The German-owned supplier, which has struggled to overcome major billing problems in recent years, came bottom of Which?’s customer satisfaction survey for the fourth year running, with an overall satisfaction score of just 35 per cent. Spanish-owned ScottishPower, which has also been plagued by billing errors recently, was ranked second worst, on 41 per cent. Green energy supplier Ecotricity ranked top for the second year running with an approval rating of 85 per cent.
Telegraph 22nd Jan 2015 read more »
Iran
Top European diplomats on Thursday waded into the political fray in Washington over Iran, urging US lawmakers to hold off on new sanctions and pleading for time to allow nuclear talks to succeed.
Middle East Online 22nd Jan 2015 read more »
Trident
NUCLEAR power and warheads have long been the subject of fierce political debate. And as a county where nuclear excellence is a part of the industrial fabric, Cumbria can often find itself at the centre of heated battles between opposing groups. There are few hotter topics at the moment than the Successor submarine programme, a final decision on which is due to be made in 2016. And while the two main political parties in the UK – the Conservatives and Labour – have signalled their intent to push ahead with a replacement nuclear deterrent after the general election, there is plenty of noise from others to the contrary.
Whitehaven News 22nd Jan 2015 read more »
Nuclear Weapons
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS) has announced that the minute hand of the Doomsday Clock will be adjusted from five to three minutes to midnight, and that urgent action is required to prevent an imminent global catastrophe. In particular, the BAS cited the continued global nuclear weapons modernisation, halting of nuclear reduction and unchecked climate change as key reasons why the clock has been moved forward.
IB Times 22nd Jan 2015 read more »
Guardian 22nd Jan 2015 read more »
Independent 22nd Jan 2015 read more »
Local Energy
Stornoway-based Western Isles Council is looking for tenders from the private sector for a partner to develop and deliver an operating electricity supply company – the Outer Hebrides Energy Co. The council seeks is looking to appoint a partner with which to set up and constitute a separate electricity supply company by June this year. In other words, the council seeks to set up a partnership/ joint venture with an established licensed UK energy supply company/ retailer (such as – for instance – Scottish & Southern Energy plc in Perth) to to develop a ‘durable, competitive electricity tariff’ which could be offered to residents/ householders in the Western Isles.
Scottish Energy News 23rd Jan 2015 read more »
Demand Management
Getting up early just to boil the kettle or switch on the washing machine might seem strange behaviour but such disruptions to daily routines will become the norm under plans to vary the price of electricity by the hour. Families paid up to 17 times more for each unit of electricity depending on when they switched on, in the first big trial of “time-of-use” pricing. The electricity industry is planning to introduce the new way of charging customers to cope with the peaks and troughs in output from wind farms, which form a rapidly increasing share of Britain’s generating capacity. Electricity demand tends to peak on cold, windless days when wind turbines contribute very little to the grid. On Monday, between 5pm and 5.30pm, demand was the highest this winter but wind farm output was at its lowest, meeting only 1 per cent of demand.
Times 23rd Jan 2015 read more »
Fossil Fuel
The former Tory environment secretary, Caroline Spelman, has called for a ban on fracking in the UK ahead of a report by an influential committee of MPs that is expected to conclude fracking could derail efforts to tackle climate change. The intervention by Spelman, a member of the Environmental Audit Committee, comes as the government’s drive for fracking came under heavy political attack on Thursday.
Guardian 22nd Jan 2015 read more »
Telegraph 23rd Jan 2015 read more »
