Nuclear Waste
Letter from Chris McDonald: As the lead inspector (now retired) of the 1995-96 public inquiry into the proposed nuclear waste facility in west Cumbria, I was concerned by a couple of points in your piece on the new site search (Report, June 26). The relevant geology in west Cumbria is apparently now claimed to be “stable, although imperfect”. But 10 years ago the nuclear industry had not found a way of maintaining the stability of that geology when physically exploring the underground site. This difficulty was linked to the second issue of “imperfection”, because the imperfection consists of simply failing to meet the internationally agreed criteria on the suitability of rocks for nuclear waste deposit. The site should be in a region of low groundwater flow, and the geology should be readily characterisable and predictable, whereas the rocks there are actually of a complex volcanic nature, with significant faulting! Also, the industry was relying on an overlying layer of sedimentary strata to dilute and disperse any groundwater leakage, when the international criteria require such a layer to act instead as a barrier. The comprehensive assessment that reports the deficiencies in detail is available on the internet. The site is not suitable and investigations should be moved elsewhere. The site selection process was flawed, not treating safety as the most important factor, and irrationally affected by a strong desire to locate close to Sellafield. A final point – the sketch design for the repository has not been newly revealed. It was submitted to the 1995-96 inquiry, and has subsequently been discussed in technical journals.
Guardian 28th June 2007 more >>
Finland
THE much-touted resurgence of the European nuclear industry, promoted as a local solution to climate change, is already running into trouble. Construction of Europe’s first new nuclear power station since 1991 – the European Pressurized Water Reactor (EPR) at Olkiluoto, Finland – started in August 2005. Now the Finnish nuclear regulator, STUK, has uncovered a series of safety “deficiencies” in the new-style plant’s manufacture and design. This setback has already caused it to fall 18 months behind schedule and about €700 million over budget.
New Scientist 30th June 2007 more >>
RobEdwards.com 28th June 2007 more >>
New nukes
The world must start building nuclear power plants at the unprecedented rate of four a month from now on if nuclear energy is to play a serious part in fighting global warming, a leading think-tank said on Wednesday. Not only is this impossible for logistical reasons, but it has major implications for world security because of nuclear weapons proliferation, the Oxford Research Group said in its report “Too Hot To Handle – The future of civil nuclear power”. The report fired a series of broadsides against the growing momentum for more nuclear-generated electricity to help cut climate-warming carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels.
Reuters 27th June 2007 more >>
Energy companies should have the option of investing in new nuclear power stations, a prominent government figure said yesterday.Speaking at the Nuclear New Build Second Annual Summit in London on Tuesday, Parliamentary under secretary for energy Lord Truscott said that nuclear power played a central role in the government’s strategy for securing UK energy supply and fighting climate change.
New Civil Engineer 27th June 2007 more >>
Nuclear Weapons
As prime minister, with ultimate responsibility for Britain’s nuclear deterrent, Mr Brown has to write a letter, in his own hand, giving instructions detailing what the UK’s response should be in the event of a pre-emptive nuclear attack.
Guardian 28th June 2007 more >>
Companies
Mr Clarke was all revved up to talk about the 18pc growth in design and engineering solutions, where Atkins is well-placed for the UK’s next wave of nuclear power stations. Or the 61pc jump in sales from the Middle East and China to £108m, boosted by the Dubai Metro contract. Or the 20pc hike in the full-year dividend. Anything, in fact, except flaming Metronet, the Tube refurbishment company in which Atkins has a 20pc stake.
Telegraph 27th June 2007 more >>
Climate Change
Jonathan Porritt: So what is the UK government actually doing to make the most of this changing mood in business? The energy white paper is the latest in a long line of government strategies seeking to shed light on the direction of travel. This one is a pretty mixed bag, with quite a bit of old stuff refreshed or accelerated (for instance, a revised banding system to spread support for renewable energy more equitably), a little bit of fresh stuff (new commitments on energy efficiency), and a lot of stuff about nuclear power (further indications that the government wants the private sector to make proposals for a new generation of nuclear reactors, but should not expect any public funding even to deal with waste disposal or decommissioning), all underpinned by a growing note of urgency regarding climate change.
Guardian 27th June 2007 more >>
Carbon Capture
Some environmentalists see CCS as preferable to going down the “new nuclear” road. Friends of the Earth “would like to see some carbon capture and storage demonstration schemes in the UK”, says energy campaigner Neil Crumpton, preferably on industrial sites near the coast where sub-sea burial won’t require long overland pipelines. But critics see CCS as a red herring, diverting both focus and funding from better solutions, and fraught with shortcomings. “CCS should be way down anybody’s list of priorities,” says Greenpeace UK’s climate campaign manager Charlie Kronick. “CCS wastes even more energy than our current incredibly wasteful centralised electricity, adds around 50% to the retail cost of electricity and is still at demonstration stage.”
Guardian 27th June 2007 more >>
Iran
Comment by AF Alhajji – an energy economist and professor at Ohio Northern University. Iran will continue to enrich uranium regardless of whether a Republican or a Democrat is America’s president. At the same time, the United States will oppose any Iranian nuclear program – even a civilian program – because this will contribute to the stability of the regime in Tehran. As a result, nuclear tensions are likely to bedevil US-Iranian relations for years to come.
Guardian 27th June 2007 more >>
North Korea
U.N. nuclear watchdog officials visiting North Korea travelled on Thursday to a reactor complex that the secretive state has promised to mothball under an aid-for-disarmament deal, Kyodo news agency reported.
Reuters 28th June 2007 more >>
Terror
OWNERS of Felixstowe port have given their backing to a worldwide project to combat nuclear terrorism. Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) says it wants to do all it can by working with other port operators and government to deter the shipment of nuclear materials and weapons through the global transportation supply chain, especially the maritime shipping network. It has signed up to the new Global Initiative, co-chaired by the governments of the United States and Russia.
Suffolk Evening Star 27th June 2007 more >>
A security alert was sparked at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) headquarters in Cumbria with the discovery of a suspect package. Three mailroom workers at the West Lakes Business Park site in Whitehaven were isolated when unidentified grains were found in a package on Wednesday. A cordon was set up by the emergency services while police officers took the substance away for laboratory tests.
BBC 27th June 2007 more >>
Whitehaven News 27th June 2007 more >>
Proliferation
Illegal networks selling nuclear technology to the highest bidder on the black market are posing a greater threat than ever, an expert has warned. A speaker at non-proliferation talks in Washington said technology essential for enriching uranium was now freely available on the black market.
BBC 27th June 2007 more >>
South Korea
A memorandum of understanding dealing with issues related to nuclear power and uranium mining has been signed by South Korea and Ukraine.
World Nuclear News 27th June 2007 more >>
France
After raising €2.65bn (£1.8bn) by selling off a further 5% chunk of France Télécom, Sarko is s now looking to dispose of a sizeable slice of Areva, the nuclear plant manufacturer. Executives at the group, applying to build a next-generation evolutionary power reactor (EPR) in Britain, expect the former finance minister to revive his 2004 plans to dispose of 35-40% of the state’s holding (now 87%). His scheme, offering some shares to employees, was scuppered by arch-enemy Dominique de Villepin, ex-premier now gone back to writing poetry.
Guardian 27th June 2007 more >>
Emergency Planning
A massive nuclear safety exercise to test the city’s response in the event of a reactor accident at Devonport Dockyard is planned for October.Exercise Short Sermon will simulate a nuclear meltdown to test how the armed forces, emergency services and other key agencies in Plymouth would tackle a disaster at the Naval Base.
Plymouth Evening Herald 27th June 2007 more >>
Dounreay
SCIENTISTS at Dounreay are working overtime following the discovery of plutonium in the manhole of a groundwater drain at the site. The UK Atomic Energy Authority has been wrong-footed by the chance find during a routine scan of the lowest-lying part of the former fast-reactor complex. It is the first discovery of plutonium outwith the controlled area of the plant, where special measures are taken to protect workers. Three of the survey team and seven other workers are undergoing biological checks to establish if they accidentally absorbed any of the potentially lethal substance. Scientists have still to establish how much plutonium was present down the manhole, which has been cordoned off.
John O Groat Journal 27th June 2007 more >>
Tidal Power
TIDAL energy in the Pentland Firth could be converted to supply Scotland’s power needs twice over, according to a leading scientist. Professor Stephen Salter, of Edinburgh University, claims tidal energy potential in the Far North may have been significantly underestimated and has urged the new Scottish government and industry leaders to invest more resources in research.
John O Groat Journal 27th June 2007 more >>
