Nuclear Costs
Letter from Pete Roche: Steuart Campbell says he doesn’t know where the 9-12p/kWh estimated cost of nuclear electricity comes from. Actually, a report from the Vermont Law School Institute for Energy and the Environment, published just last week, estimated the cost at around 12 to 20 cents per kWh, which works out at 7-12p/kWh. The author, Dr Mark Cooper, says there are numerous options available to meet the need for electricity in a carbon-constrained environment, but nuclear reactors are the worst from the point of view of the consumer and society. He says that we are seeing history repeat itself in the few years since the so-called “nuclear renaissance” began there has been a fourfold increase in projected costs.
Scotsman 23rd June 2009 more >>
Letter from Neil Craig: Pete Roche has been kind enough to say where his figures for the possible future cost of nuclear power came from – the Vermont Law School. In Britain and the US, most politicians are lawyers, whereas in China most are engineers. With this law school knowing so much more engineering than the engineers (who say that at 1.7p a unit, nuclear is far less expensive) we must all be glad to be ruled by lawyers, otherwise we might now be in a recession as bad as China’s 8 per cent growth.
Scotsman 24th June 2009 more >>
New Nukes
Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has indicated that the Government will outsource more of its nuclear energy work to the private sector as it looks to pare back its spending.
Telegraph 24th June 2009 more >>
The government’s ambitious timetable for a new wave of nuclear reactors to begin operation from 2017 could face delays as a result of a shortage of qualified safety inspectors, according to a confidential report from the government’s chief nuclear inspector.
Business Green 22nd June 2009 more >>
Hinkley
HUNDREDS of contractors at Hinkley Point B power station near Bridgwater staged a mass walkout in protest at sackings at an oil refinery in Lincolnshire last week.
This is the West Country 23rd June 2009 more >>
Proliferation
Egypt may be the focus of Russia’s attempt to sell its nuclear wares abroad. But Egypt’s neighbours are also desperate to acquire atomic energy, with the United Arab Emirates and Jordan also looking at ways of developing the technology. Despite Western calls for non-proliferation in the Middle East with fears that Iran’s acquisition of a nuclear bomb could trigger an arms race Britain, France and the US are among the countries helping to supply the know-how and material for nuclear reactors.
Times 24th June 2009 more >>
Recent days have seen diplomats from Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait strengthening their ties with established nuclear power countries as they move towards setting up their own nuclear programs.
World Nuclear News 23rd June 2009 more >>
Nigeria
Russia and Nigeria are expected to sign a series of deals including a joint venture agreement on gas exploration with Gazprom and a nuclear energy pact during the Russian president’s visit to Nigeria on Wednesday.
Interactive Investor 23rd June 2009 more >>
China
Work to build a new reactor at Fuqing, China has been officially launched – three months ahead of schedule. Construction at various stages is now ongoing for six units at the site.
World Nuclear News 23rd June 2009 more >>
France
EDF says striking employees at nuclear reactors in France are “gradually” returning to work after getting letters threatening disciplinary measures.
Bloomberg 23rd June 2009 more >>
Poland
Poland must find a strategic investor next year if it is to bring its first nuclear power plant into operation in 2020 as planned, the official in charge of the project said on Tuesday.
Guardian 23rd June 2009 more >>
Climate
A leading UK climate scientist yesterday warned MPs that the government’s policies are “dangerously optimistic”. Professor Kevin Anderson, the director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, said the government’s planned carbon cuts – if followed internationally – would have a “50-50 chance” of limiting the rise in global temperatures to 2C. This is the threshold that the EU defines as leading to dangerous climate change.
Guardian 24th June 2009 more >>
Nuclear War
New details of how Britain would have been governed in the event of a nuclear war from the 1960s into the 1990s have been disclosed with the publication of the secret War Book.
Guardian 23rd June 2009 more >>
Daily Mail 24th June 2009 more >>
Telegraph 23rd June 2009 more >>
Disarmament
The United States said Tuesday it has made progress in its negotiations with Russia toward forging a successor to a Cold War-era treaty to cut nuclear weapons arsenals.
Yahoo 23rd June 2009 more >>
