NDA
Chaos at the heart of Britain’s nuclear clean-up industry has been laid bare by an internal government audit after embarrassing cost overruns and bureaucratic bungling. The Department for Business admits there are “inherent risks” associated with the financial affairs of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) that forced the department to find £400m from other budgets to balance the books. It also admits that budgetary problems were exacerbated by misunderstandings, unminuted meetings and lack of sufficiently trained staff. The government has switched money meant for low-carbon and renewable technologies to clean up the waste from nuclear power stations. Figures released by BERR in February showed that at least £15m that was meant to be used on “sustainable energy capital grants” had been switched to the NDA.
Guardian 24th July 2008 more >>
MPs recently criticised the government for the uncertain future costs of clearing up the UK’s atomic energy plants. The Guardian has learned more about the chaos inside the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Podcast with the details.
Guardian 24th July 2008 more >>
Nuclear Skills
A national nuclear laboratory is to be based near Preston as part of a £2bn energy masterplan, creating hundreds of new jobs in Lancashire. The Government’s ambitious West Cumbria energy plans, which will transform the coastline into a “energy coast” and provide a new nuclear reactor at Sellafield, will create 16,000 jobs in total.
Lancashire Evening Post 24th July 2008 more >>
Minister John Hutton yesterday confirmed the Government will establish a National Nuclear Laboratory, and launch a competition to appoint a commercial operator to run the organisation.
Public Technology 24th July 2008 more >>
Letter: Reports this week suggesting the construction of new UK nuclear power stations could be delayed because of a shortage of properly qualified engineers comes as little surprise to the chemical engineering community. We have long been warning that a looming skills shortage threatens to undermine the implementation and operation of new nuclear build, as well as many other well-intentioned initiatives designed to combat the effects of climate change.
FT 24th July 2008 more >>
A national nuclear laboratory will be established as part of a £2bn regeneration scheme to transform west Cumbria into Britain’s “energy coast”, John Hutton, the business secretary, announced yesterday. The government-owned centre will be run by a commercial operator and focus on research and development, including more secure and sustainable methods of waste disposal. The announcement was made as Mr Hutton visited Sellafield to launch a “West Cumbria Masterplan” to create 16,000 jobs and inject £800m into the local economy. The scheme encompasses onshore and offshore wind farms but the government hopes the centrepiece will be a new nuclear reactor at Sellafield. No companies have yet come forward with plans to build a plant.
FT 24th July 2008 more >>
BERR Press Release 23rd July 2008 more >>
Building 23rd July 2008 more >>
The UK government has written up a long-term business plan for the development of a national Nuclear Development Laboratory and will appoint a commercial operator to run it, the Department for Business said in a statement.
AFX 23rd July 2008 more >>
Professor Tim Abram has been appointed to the University of Manchester’s new chair in nuclear fuel technology. The new post is being supported financially by Westinghouse Electric Company, which makes nuclear reactors. The university said the appointment fitted with plans for the Centre in Nuclear Energy Technology, an anticipated investment of £25m over the next five years to “build the skills and capabilities that will be needed in the UK to support the nuclear renaissance”.
Crain’s Manchester Business 23rd July 2008 more >>
New Nukes
Letter from Hunterston B Station Director: The popular misconception that nuclear power is expensive was evident in the first two letters. This is not true. An extensive report, The future of nuclear power – The role of nuclear power in a low carbon UK economy, published by the UK Government in May 2007 concluded that nuclear power, with the inclusion of waste management and decommissioning costs, was considerably less expensive than wind power, The report also stated that nuclear is comparable in cost to fossil fuels once the cost of carbon emissions are included, but that was before the huge rise in the costs of fossil fuels this year.
Largs & Millport News 23rd July 2008 more >>
The government has set out the criteria for deciding where nuclear power stations can be built. The consultation on the Strategic Siting Assessment, outlines the process the government will use for choosing new nuclear sites.
Society of Procurement Officers 23rd July 2008 more >>
Builder & Engineer 22nd July 2008 more >>
Contract journal 23rd July 2008 more >>
British Energy has welcomed the announcement by the British government for consultation on the strategic siting assessment process and siting criteria for new nuclear power stations in the UK.
Datamonitor 23rd July 2008 more >>
Proliferation
THE world is facing a “new era of nuclear insecurity” which requires a concerted drive to counter proliferation, Tory Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague warned yesterday.
Yorkshire Post 24th July 2008 more >>
View London 24th July 2008 more >>
BBC 23rd July 2008 more >>
Conservative Party Press Release 23rd July 2008 more >>
North Korea
The US today urged North Korea to prove it had given up its nuclear ambitions in the highest-level discussions between the two countries for years. The US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, sounded upbeat after six-party talks in Singapore, but said the world could not afford more delays on the issue.
Guardian 23rd July 2008 more >>
FT 24th July 2008 more >>
Telegraph 23rd July 2008 more >>
Iran
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today claimed that US participation in the latest round of talks was recognition of Iran’s right to acquire nuclear technology. And he added that Iran would not “retreat one iota” over its disputed nuclear ambitions.
Guardian 23rd July 2008 more >>
The world must stop Iran obtaining nuclear weapons says Obama.
Press & Journal 24th July 2008 more >>
FT 24th July 2008 more >>
Express 23rd July 2008 more >>
Talks were dominated by Israeli concern about the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions, although the Democratic presidential candidate spoke also of his hope for a Middle East peace agreement that would see the creation of a “viable and peaceful Palestinian state” alongside a secure Israel.
Guardian 24th July 2008 more >>
The Guardian has revealed that the United States plans to establish a low-level diplomatic mission in Tehran, for the first time in nearly three decades. “We will receive favourably any action which will help to reinforce relations between the peoples,” a conciliatory Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told reporters.
Guardian 23rd July 2008 more >>
France
Radioactive particles spewed from a pipe at a French nuclear reactor on Wednesday, slightly contaminating 100 employees, a spokeswoman for Electricite de France said. It was the fourth incident at a French nuclear site in recent weeks and the second in five days. It is run by Areva unit Socatri. Spokeswoman Caroline Muller said 100 EDF employees were “slightly contaminated” by radioactive particles that escaped from the pipe at a reactor complex in Tricastin, in southern France.
AFX 24th July 2008 more >>
BBC 24th July 2008 more >>
India
A deal for nuclear cooperation between the United States and India is back on track after a crucial vote yesterday in India’s parliament. Nature News takes a look at the controversial agreement and what it might mean for the globe’s fragile non-proliferation regime.
Nature 23rd July 2008 more >>
Renewables
Britain is trying to water down tough new European legislation to boost the uptake of renewable energy, despite a pledge by Gordon Brown last month to launch a “green revolution” based on clean technology. Documents obtained by the Guardian show the UK wants to block attempts to give renewable electricity sources such as wind farms priority access to the national grid. The European official who drafted the legislation accused Britain of “obstructing” EU efforts on renewables and said UK officials wanted to protect traditional energy suppliers and their coal, gas and nuclear power stations.
Guardian 24th July 2008 more >>
Telegraph 24th July 2008 more >>
