Scotland
SCOTLAND could lose its veto over a new generation of nuclear power stations, it emerged last night following a major report into the devolution settlement. The Calman Commission – set up to look into the powers of the Scottish Parliament – warned yesterday of “friction” between London and Holyrood over nuclear power and said the issue had to be resolved. Its report did not come up with a conclusion.
Scotsman 3rd Dec 2008 more >>
New Nukes
Today’s recommendation is a simple way to invest in the global expansion of the nuclear industry. It gives exposure to reactor builders, plant operators, fuel groups and utilities covering the whole of the nuclear supply chain – all in one investment traded on the London Stock Exchange. It is an exchange traded fund (ETF) that is listed under the code NUKP. The fund, managed by ETF Securities, tracks the performance of the World Nuclear Association (WNA) Nuclear Energy Index.
Telegraph 3rd Dec 2008 more >>
Flamanville
The cost of power produced by EDF’s Flamanville EPR nuclear reactor will be around 20 percent more than planned, Les Echos reported, citing several sources. The paper said the company will tell investors at a meeting on Wednesday that the cost of producing electricity using the reactor, in Flamanville, northwest France, will be around 55 euros a megawatt hour, instead of the 46 euros announced when the project was launched in May 2006. EDF confirmed last month that the 1,650-megawatt new-generation European Pressurised Nuclear Reactor is expected to begin operating in 2013, not 2012 as originally planned.
Money AM 2nd Dec 2008 more >>
Reuters 2nd December 2008 more >>
Terror
The odds that terrorists will attack a major city with nuclear or biological weapons are now higher than ever due to threats from rogue states, nuclear smuggling networks and the spread of weapons know-how, according to a bipartisan task force created by the US Congress, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.
AFP 2nd Dec 2008 more >>
Belfast Telegraph 3rd Dec 2008 more >>
Telegraph 3rd Dec 2008 more >>
Herald 3rd Dec 2008 more >>
Daily Mail 3rd Dec 2008 more >>
Oldbury
ANTI-NUCLEAR groups have voiced their fears after energy giant Eon said it could build a £4 billion nuclear power station on the banks of the River Severn. West Gloucestershire Green Party spokesman and Lydney district councillor James Greenwood is based across the river from the proposed site, near the existing Oldbury nuclear power plant. Eon has made no secret of its desire to construct more nuclear plants
and has already signed a deal with National Grid under which it could transmit electricity from Oldbury.
Gloucestershire Citizen 2nd Dec 2008 more >>
Which Bradwell?
REPORTS claiming a Peak District village was being earmarked for a new nuclear power station have been denied by National Park bosses. A national newspaper carried a report claiming land at Bradwell, Derbyshire, was one of three sites being auctioned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority as potential sites for new atomic power plants. The story caused outrage around the Hope Valley and among people in South Yorkshire. The newspaper was in fact referring to Bradwell in Essex, the site of a previous nuclear power station which closed six years ago.
Sheffield Star 2nd Dec 2008 more >>
Companies
Electricite de France SA offered to buy a 50 percent stake in Constellation Energy Group Inc’s nuclear business for $4.5 billion, in an attempt to scuttle a $4.7 billion takeover by Warren Buffett’s MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co.
Interactive Investor 3rd Dec 2008 more >>
Reuters 3rd Dec 2008 more >>
Times 3rd Dec 2008 more >>
Iran
Egypt will back diplomacy against Iran as long as it does not use double standards in handling nuclear issue in Mideast.
Middle East Online 3rd Dec 2008 more >>
Iran poses the greatest foreign policy challenge to Barack Obama, the President-elect, with Tehran on course to produce a nuclear bomb in the first year of an Obama administration, a coalition of top think-tanks gave warning yesterday.
Times 3rd Dec 2008 more >>
Iran is proposing to develop nuclear power plants in co-operation with neighboring Arab countries in the Persian Gulf region, in the midst of increasing international pressure to halt its nuclear program.
Energy Business Review 2nd Dec 2008 more >>
Climate
The CBI warned yesterday that government would not meet its ambitious targets for reducing carbon emissions unless it introduced bolder policies including new financial incentives, but said the global economic crisis was no reason for either side to slam the brakes on.
Guardian 3rd Dec 2008 more >>
Letter from NGOs: Tomorrow Ed Miliband, secretary of state for energy and climate change, will meet with ministers in Brussels to finalise new EU legislation on climate and energy. The week after, he goes to Poland to continue negotiations for an international climate deal. The new European legislation sets EU-wide targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 (Cut greenhouse emissions by a fifth, ministers told, December 2). A strong enough deal has the potential to drive a green industrial revolution that could help pull Europe out of recession. It would also bolster the EU’s flagging leadership on climate change and become a key step in securing an international deal. But there is a major flaw. Our own government is trying to wriggle out of its climate commitments by pushing for half of its reduction in emissions to be allowed to be met by purchasing offset credits from outside the EU. In other words, paying others so that we can carry on polluting.
Guardian 3rd Dec 2008 more >>
