New nukes
The renewable energy sector has questioned the Government fast-tracking its nuclear programme while failing to promote sustainable alternatives. Philip Wolfe, Renewable Energy Association (REA) executive director, said: “There seems to be a mismatch in the sense of urgency the Government attaches to developing nuclear and renewables. “The Government has an excessive concentration on electricity and an inadequate realisation that there needs to be a much more coherent energy policy. Heating and ventilation are often completely neglected in policy-making.
Heating and Ventilation News 28th March 2008 more >>
Nuclear reactors of the kind France wants to sell to Britain suffer from “potentially catastrophic” problems, it was claimed yesterday. A letter from France’s nuclear safety watchdog, ASN, leaked on a website yesterday, highlighted weaknesses that could undermine the £2.8billion project. Pointing out “numerous malfunctions” in the building of the reactor at Flamanville, it calls for them to be corrected in a month. These include weaknesses in steel grids reinforcing the concrete base supporting the reactor. Such damage could lead to nuclear accidents, threatening the population of northern France, the Isle of Wight and possibly the coast of England.
Telegraph 31st March 2008 more >>
Dounreay
A MAJOR shake-up in the running of Dounreay comes into effect on Monday in a move which will pave the way for the privatisation of the site. Since the experimental fast reactor complex was built over 50 years ago, it has been run by Government quango, the UK Atomic Energy Authority. But from Monday, the UKAEA is being sidelined to make way for a commercial concern, which will make profits from the £3 billion clean-up of the defunct plant. Industry regulators have cleared the way for the site operating licences to be transferred on Monday to Dounreay Site Restoration Limited (DSRL). It will be the new employer of the 970-strong UKAEA workforce and the body charged with observing the raft of heath and safety and radioactive substances legislation. DSRL is a wholly owned subsidiary of UKAEA Ltd, a newly-formed offshoot of the UKAEA. UKAEA Ltd will employ between 12 and 17 managers, drawn from the UKAEA and its two joint venture partners at Dounreay, Amec and CH2M Hill. UKAEA Ltd is being formed to submit a bid when the management of Dounreay is put out to contract.
John O Groat Journal 28th March 2008 more >>
North Korea
An escalating war of words across the world’s last Cold War, nuclear-armed border spiraled dramatically yesterday when North Korea threatened to wreak total destruction on its neighbour to the south.
Times 31st March 2008 more >>
Guardian website 30th March 2008 more >>
Terror
Graham Allison of Harvard University assesses the threat of a nuclear terrorist attackj on the US.
Washington Times 30th March 2008 more >>
Clean coal
The government comes under renewed pressure today to step up backing for the use of clean coal as part of future electricity generation. The call to speed up decision-making comes from the TUC’s clean coal task group, which includes representatives from unions and companies within the coal and power industries. It said delays in backing emerging technologies behind clean coal and carbon capture and storage “are causing uncertainty and delaying vital investment, increasing risks to the UK’s security of electricity supplies”.
Guardian 31st March 2008 more >>
Times 31st March 2008 more >>
Microgeneration
New rules designed to help homeowners, schools and hospitals to install climate-friendly generators will be announced today by the Energy Minister. Malcom Wicks will give details of the funding as part of changes to the Low Carbon Buildings Programme in which the cap on grants will be raised to 50 per cent of the costs. The scheme is to be extended from tomorrow to give households more time to obtain grants. It takes effect just a few days before planning rules change to cut red tape surrounding the installation of solar panels and other forms of microgeneration.
Times 31st March 2008 more >>
