New Nukes
Various letters: Neither wood-burning nor nuclear power generation is as terrible as your correspondents aver (letters, 21 and 27 October). But both massively underestimate the impact of climate change, by far humanity’s greatest man-made threat. To take our eye off that ball for the sake of well-meaning concerns over carcinogens in woodsmoke or the “dangers” of nuclear waste is to fiddle with purist hobby-horses while civilisation burns.
Independent 29th Oct 2010 more >>
KPMG: The need for infrastructure development is one of the great global challenges of our time. In fact there is probably no bigger question for public policy worldwide.
BBC 29th Oct 2010 more >>
A study by engineering alliance Engineering the Future (EtF) has brought together lessons learnt from past and current nuclear projects to help ensure the success of the future UK nuclear new build programme, given the green light by government last week.
Construction Index 29th Oct 2010 more >>
Emergency Planning
Large Associates has reviewed information obtained view Freedom of Information Requests relating to the Berthing of nuclear powered submarines in Southampton.
Large Associates October 2010 more >>
FOI disclosed information.
Large Associates October 2010 more >>
Radwaste
A NUMBER of West Cumbrian sites have been deemed ‘unsuitable’ for a future disposal facility for nuclear waste.
The report, published yesterday, does not show where a facility would eventually be located, but has been produced to avoid unnecessary work in areas which are clearly unsuitable based on high-level geological exclusion criteria.
NW Evening Mail 29th Oct 2010 more >>
Campaigners and scientists express concern over the inclusion of a site near Sellafield in latest list of locations considered for deep underground disposal of nuclear waste. The UK government is considering disposing nuclear waste in a site previously rejected because of concerns over the contamination of water supplies, The Ecologist has learnt. ‘It raises questions about the integrity of the whole process if areas that were previously rejected are now back under consideration,’ said Greenpeace nuclear campaigner Jean McSorley. She said the nuclear industry claims knowledge has improved since the mid-1990s and that engineers can now overcome the previous concerns, ‘‘‘what nature can’t provide with the geology, we can engineer round it’’, is what nuclear engineers say,’ explained McSorley. In a letter to a local Cumbrian newspaper, Professor David Smythe, of University of Glasgow, who worked for Nirex, said the planning inquiry had ‘effectively ruled out the whole of West Cumbria as a suitable location for nuclear waste disposal’. He said fears of groundwater contamination were obvious and that the BGS survey was ‘irrelevant’.
Ecologist 29th Oct 2010 more >>
A study conducted by the British Geological Survey ruled out a tract of land alongside the coast, ranging from St Bees Head to Maryport.
Top News 29th Oct 2010 more >>
Wales
Letter from NFLA Wales Forum: We read with real concern the decision of the Secretary of State for Energy to put forward Wylfa in Anglesey as a new nuclear reactor site while on the same day ditching any real hope of the Severn Tidal Barrage scheme coming to fruition (“’Real cost’ of barrage is too high at £34bn”, Oct 19) . This sends a very negative message to the people of Wales. Despite the Welsh Energy Secretary calling for a public inquiry on “justifying” new nuclear reactors, she, like many other groups, has been ignored as economic benefits seemingly matter much more than health and safety concerns.
Western Mail 21st Oct 2010 more >>
Wylfa
Horizon Nuclear Power has announced it will host a series of exhibitions across Anglesey and North Wales in November, setting out its latest plans for a new nuclear power station at Wylfa.
Anglesey Council 26th Oct 2010 more >>
Hinkley
It is now exactly one year since Save Our Valley was set up by people living in Backwell, Nailsea and Wraxall to fight plans by the National Grid to build high voltage power lines around our town. But with the coalition government announcing the go-ahead for a new nuclear power station at Hinkley one-way or another the energy has to get from Bridgwater to the sub-station at Avonmouth.
Nailsea People 28th Oct 2010 more >>
Capenhurst
The UK’s Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is considering transferring management and operation of its Capenhurst operations to Urenco, which already owns and operates a centrifuge uranium enrichment plant on part of the site. The Capenhurst site is currently split into two parts. One part – a former diffusion uranium enrichment plant that shut down in 1982 – is owned by the NDA and operated by contractor Sellafield Ltd. While most of the plant has now been decommissioned, uranic material (primarily depleted uranium and uranium hexafluoride) is expected to be stored on the site until 2120. The other part of the Capenhurst site comprises Urenco’s operating 1.1 million SWU per year enrichment plant.
World Nuclear News 29th Oct 2010 more >>
Uranium
Russias largest steelmaker has made a bid for Berkeley Resources, one of Western Europes few uranium miners.
The company, listed in London and Sydney, said yesterday that it had received an approach from Severstal that would value it at about A$304 million (186 million). Severstal is seeking to diversify its steel business and is understood to have targeted several miners. It wants to take advantage of rising demand for nuclear power. Berkeley has a number of exploration and development projects in Spain, with total resources estimated at more than 37 tonnes of uranium.
Times 30th Oct 2010 more >>
India
World’s largest nuclear park is planned in Jaitapur, in Ratnagiri district on the coast of southern Maharashtra. The park would comprise up to six large nuclear reactors bought from the French nuclear giant- Areva. In addition to the inherent hazards of nuclear power, the project threatens the livelihoods of about 10 000 farmers and fishermen and their families. Today, more than a thousand local people have taken action against the project, voluntarily risking lengthy arrest and further legal consequences. The message is clear – they want their land and their fisheries, not paltry compensation offered by the nuclear company. 600 people have already been loaded into police buses and hauled into jails. About 700 more still continue the peaceful protest, risking arrest. A joint report by Greenpeace and European solar panel manufacturers showed earlier this week that solar power can deliver electricity at a competitive cost by 2015. This is 3 years before the first planned reactor could be in operation in Jaitapur. Wind power and biomass can do that already now. There is no need to import dangerous and destructive nuclear reactors.
Greenpeace India 29th Oct 2010 more >>
MADBAN VILLAGE (RATNAGIRI): This tiny village took on the might of the state on Friday and by the evening, victory clearly belonged to it. Despite preventive arrests, prohibitory orders and road blocks more than 3000 villagers’ courted arrests, as part of their ‘Jail Bharo’ agitation. By 6 pm, the police requested the leaders of the agitation to stop the flow of people. The agitation was primarily in response to the government claim that the villagers were quiet and only a handful of outsiders were leading the agitation against the proposed 10000 MW nuclear power project in the village.
Times of India 29th Oct 2010 more >>
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has completed into a memorandum of understanding with government owned finance company Power Finance Corporation (PFC) to “facilitate NPCIL’s large capacity addition program.” Under the 28 October agreement PFC intends to provide a combination of debt financing, equity financing and consultancy services to NPCIL, India’s sole nuclear operator. Formed in 1985, NPCIL manages the country’s nuclear fleet of 19 reactors with a generating capacity of 4560 MWe. This is expected to reach 9580 MWe by 2017 as reactors are brought on line and the company’s vision is for 20,000 MWe by 2020, and 60,000 MWe by 2032 based mainly on imports.
World Nuclear News 29th Oct 2010 more >>
Iran
Iran is ready to hold its first talks with world powers in more than a year about its disputed nuclear programme at any time after 10 November, Baroness Ashton, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said yesterday.
Independent 30th Oct 2010 more >>
Guardian 30th Oct 2010 more >>
Telegraph 30th Oct 2010 more >>
BBC 29th Oct 2010 more >>
Germany
Germany’s nuclear power plants were assured extra operation by a vote yesterday in the Bundestag that completes a year-long change in the country’s nuclear policy.
World Nuclear News 29th Oct 2010 more >>
Disarmament
On 1 November, a team of more than 35 experts will launch an exercise to inspect a simulated nuclear test site near the Dead Sea in Jordan – a step forward in completing the global verification system of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
Then on 12 November, the world’s Nobel Peace Laureates will hold a summit in Hiroshima to stress the priority of nuclear disarmament and affirm their commitment to promoting it.
Scotsman 30th Oct 2010 more >>
