New nukes
Ruling out building a new generation of nuclear power stations in Britain would be “irresponsible”, Environment Secretary David Miliband said today.
24Dash.com 2nd July 2006
Ananova 2nd July 2006
The government has been dropping broad hints of its new enthusiasm for privately funded nuclear power plants. The latest one was implicit in last week’s announcement of unexpectedly tough caps on carbon dioxide emissions from 2008-12. The government is steadily restricting the supply of tradeable permits to emit carbon. This is the most cost-effective way of reaching any given emissions target because it means that those who can easily clean up their act will do so while those who are producing valuable products will instead buy permits.
FT 3rd July 2006
Scotland
Labour will promise not to block new nuclear power stations when it fights the Scottish election next May, one of the party’s MSPs has said. Dr Elaine Murray is campaigning for a new plant to be built on the site of the old one at Chapelcross, near Annan.
BBC 2nd July 2006
Russia
Russia is planning to expand the share of nuclear energy in its total energy consumption to up to 24 pct in the coming decade from the current 16 pct, Minister for Energy and Industry Viktor Khristenko said.
AFX 3rd July 2006
Iran
The government here again rejected Sunday a deadline to respond to an international offer aimed at resolving a nuclear standoff, saying it would answer during the next Iranian month, which begins July 23.
AFX 2nd July 2006
BNFL
British Nuclear Fuels, the government-owned nuclear group, will today confirm that it has swung back into profit, in what is likely to be one of its last statements before it is broken up. The group is expected to say that it generated revenues of almost £3.5bn and pre-tax profits of just over £200m. Westinghouse, the US-based nuclear reactor manufacturer, and Urenco, the uranium enrichment group, have been BNFL’s best performing businesses. Their healthy finances reflect a revival in interest in nuclear power round the world as governments focus on energy security and lowering carbon emissions.
FT 3rd July 2006
Plans by BNFL to sell its stake in Urenco are being blocked by German and Dutch partners.
Times 3rd July 2006