Radwaste
Today marks the start of Nuclear Waste: The Challenge of Interim Storage and Long Term Disposal. Taking place in London and organised by the Arena International Events Group, the event will bring together industry experts to explain and assess technological and strategic developments in new build waste management, packaging options and final disposal solutions.
The Engineer 27th Sept 2010 more >>
Hinkley
Pressure is mounting on developers of the proposed Hinkley C power station to make massive improvements to the way they plan to mitigate its impact on communities. West Somerset district councillors have followed Sedgemoor District Council in raising serious objections to EDF’s proposals for two new nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point. Somerset County Council is being recommended to make a “robust” response when a special cabinet meeting convenes at Bridgwater and Albion Rugby club on Thursday to debate the proposals. Hinkley is within West Somerset, where communities believe their lives will be blighted for the foreseeable future unless the French energy giant vastly improves its mitigate plans.
This is Somerset 27th Sept 2010 more >>
A special Cabinet Meeting (open to the public) will take place at the end of September. The purpose of the meeting is to consider the council’s final response to EDF Energy’s Stage 2 consultation for a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point, west Somerset.
The meeting will take place on 30 September 2010, 2pm at the Bridgwater and Albion Rugby Football Club
Somerset County Council 27th Sept 2010 more >>
New Nukes
THE Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) South West has backed Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne’s support for nuclear power. In his speech at last week’s Liberal Democrat conference, Mr Huhne reiterated the coalition Government’s support for renewable and nuclear energy supplies. Although there will be no subsidies for nuclear power, the development of new stations is believed by the Government to be vital to ensure security of supply.
This is Devon 27th Sept 2010 more >>
Scotland
Letter: Audrey Doig & Euan Mcleod: I read with delight your poll that found only 18 per cent of Scots would support building new nuclear power stations in the country. As a cross-party organisation campaigning on the dangers of nuclear power and nuclear weapons proliferation, the Nuclear Free Local Authorities Scottish Forum is pleased the vast majority of Scots agree with us. The reasons are obvious: Scotland is a country with vast resources for promoting renewable energy, whether it be hydro-electric, wind, tidal, marine or solar. Our member councils are leading the way in promoting energy efficiency and micro-generation energy projects
Scotsman 28th Sept 2010 more >>
Letter: You report that in a recent Scotsman poll 27 per cent of those asked were opposed to nuclear power. You then use this information to suggest that the electorate is in agreement with the Scottish Government in its opposition to nuclear power. I’m not sure how a poll where 73 per cent did not support government policy can be seen as representing
Scotsman 28th Sept 2010 more >>
Scotland will meet its entire electricity needs through renewable sources by 2025, Alex Salmond has predicted.
However, coal power will still be used alongside them to produce a surplus that can be sold overseas, the First Minister added yesterday. The forecast, which will be outlined to an international conference in Edinburgh today, goes beyond the Scottish Government’s previous claims on wind and wave energy.
Herald 28th Sept 2010 more >>
Politics
Andy Atkins: The new Labour party leader was the greenest candidate, and he can now put the environment at the heart of its policies.
Guardian 28th Sept 2010 more >>
Nuclear Subsidy
Twenty feasibility studies aimed at stimulating innovation in civil nuclear power generation technology are to share £2 million of support from the government-backed Technology Strategy Board. The studies will address a wide range of challenges, from non-destructive testing, waste handling and condition monitoring to materials modelling, advanced manufacture & maintenance technologies and construction methods. All the studies – which will last between 6 and 12 months – are industry led, many having SMEs as the project leader or a major contributor. The studies will assist UK businesses in developing technologies to support the civil nuclear industry, while strengthening the supply chain.
Process & Control Today 28th Sept 2010 more >>
EDF
EDF is rethinking the future of its US business as the French electricity group seeks to defuse a mounting dispute with Constellation Energy, its partner in its US nuclear operations. While EDF remains committed to building new nuclear plants in the US, people familiar with the matter said, the partnership with Constellation could be unwound. The companies are at loggerheads over a deal struck two years ago that allowed Constellation to sell gas and coal-fired power, generating assets to EDF for up to $2bn.
FT 28th Sept 2010 more >>
IAEA
Pakistan became the new chair of the U.N. nuclear watchdog’s governing body on Monday, although it is outside a global anti-atomic arms pact and home to a smuggler who supplied nuclear secrets to Iran and North Korea.
Yahoo 28th Sept 2010 more >>
Canada
Nearly 2,400 people and 50 organizations, including aboriginal groups from across Canada, the United States and Europe, have signed an online petition urging the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to block a proposal to ship 16 aging radioactive steam generators across Ontario’s Great Lakes. Critics say the plan risks turning the waterways into a permanent corridor for the transportation of nuclear waste. The 100-tonne decommissioned generators are to be shipped from the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station near Kincardine, Ont., to Studsvik in Sweden for recycling.
National Post 29th Sept 2010 more >>
Iran
An internet virus that has damaged computer systems in Iran was designed by foreign governments to undermine the country’s nuclear ambitions, according to Tehran. As western governments continued to analyse the origins and impact of the Stuxnet malware, which has affected at least 30,000 IP addresses in Iran, an official stressed the sophisticated nature of the virus.
FT 28th Sept 2010 more >>
Independent 28th Sept 2010 more >>
Trident
New Labour leader Ed Miliband is ready to rethink the party’s policy on replacing Trident, a former defence minister has claimed. Mr Miliband has said he wants Britain’s nuclear weapons to be part of the government’s strategic defence review. But Eric Joyce said Mr Miliband had told him he was open to going further than that. The former minister was speaking at a CND fringe meeting at Labour’s annual conference in Manchester.
BBC 27th Sept 2010 more >>
THE top two Babcock Marine bosses in Plymouth have given The Herald an unprecedented look behind the wall at Devonport Dockyard. Amid growing fears that the Government’s defence review will bring swingeing cuts to the Royal Navy’s presence in Plymouth, Mike Homer and Phil Jones were at pains to avoid making any ‘political’ remarks. But they spoke in upbeat terms about the high-tech service they deliver to the Royal Navy and Ministry of Defence.
Plymouth Herald 27th Sept 2010 more >>
Nuclear Weapons
An ex-U.S. air force chief has given an astonishing account of an encounter with a UFO at an air force base in Suffolk. Charles Halt is one of a number of senior former airmen who went public today over claims that UFOs had tampered with nuclear missiles in the U.S. and the UK.
Daily Mail 28th Sept 2010 more >>
Scotsman 28th Sept 2010 more >>
Express 28th Sept 2010 more >>
Telegraph 28th Sept 2010 more >>
Renewables
Letter: I view with dismay the apparent lack of urgency that government is displaying over support for major commercial developments of clean-energy technology. One might suspect that delaying tactics are being used to ensure that atomic energy will be the only feasible solution to reducing the output of greenhouse gases and ensuring energy security. One answer may be closer to home, with the people willing to implement more modest schemes within their own localities. In co-operation, each area/district should be expected to take audit of what natural resources are available to produce clean power. It might be wind-power, water-power or anaerobic digestion and, of course, solar power. It is widely claimed that with feed-in tariffs there is an 8 per cent return on investment in solar power using photovoltaic technology. The drawback for many households is the initial capital cost, between £10,000 and £20,000. Using the income from generated electricity to cover the costs of a loan could overcome this obstacle. The first national installer to broker such a deal with a financial institution should do very well indeed.
Independent 28th Sept 2010 more >>
The UK government should build a home-grown wind power industry if it wants to meet EU targets on renewable energy, a report concludes. The UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) says this would significantly bring down the costs of offshore wind power. The price of building offshore wind farms in has doubled in five years.
BBC 27th Sept 2010 more >>
Flatulent cows have long been blamed for being big producers of greenhouse gases, but the founder of Spice, which was snapped up by Cinven yesterday for £251 million, is set to use his £20 million windfall to turn this vice into a virtue. Simon Rigby’s new company Farmgen will mimic a cow’s digestive process to create energy from methane.
Times 28th Sept 2010 more >>
