Hinkley
The reported costs of the proposed Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant rose from an expensive £10bn in 2012 to an eye-watering £16bn within the space of a year. Why so much? During a 21 October investor conference call, the CEO of the French state-owned utility EDF, Henri Proglio, estimated the construction cost of the 3260 MW, twin EPR reactor project at £14bn, “in line with the amounts committed to the EPR at Flamanville,” i.e. £7bn each. EDF estimates a further £2bn will be necessary due to the specifics of the UK regulatory regime and site specifics of Hinkley Point C. The total estimated project cost, therefore, is £16bn.
Millicent Media 4th Jan 2014 read more »
EDF’s Conference Call 21st Oct 2013. Transcipt.
Millicent Media 4th Jan 2014 read more »
Nuclear Liability
British nuclear operators face being sued for billions of pounds by the Irish government and Irish victims of any radioactive damage they cause under legal changes to be introduced this year. Politicians and campaigners in Dublin have long complained about the impact, both historical and potential, of the UK’s civil nuclear programme close to its shores, with particular focus on the safety record of Sellafield. The Cumbria site is located less than 100 miles from Ireland’s east coast. Legal experts say that Ireland’s case will be radically strengthened when amendments to the Paris Convention on Third Party Liability in the Field of Nuclear Energy finally come into force this year, having been originally proposed in 2004. The UK is a signatory to this treaty and the changes will allow anyone in Ireland affected by a nuclear accident that originates at a British site to seek up to £1bn in damages from the plant’s operator in the High Court. Previously, only governments and victims from signatory nations to the treaty could sue each other, and even then claims were capped at £140m per incident. From this year, countries such as Ireland that are not part of the convention will be able to seek damages under its terms, while British victims will be able to claim nine times more than they were previously allowed.
Independent 5th Jan 2014 read more »
Energy Costs
Energy giant ScottishPower is preparing to cut household bills by 3.3pc, becoming the fourth major supplier to pass on savings from the Government’s deal to cut green levies, The Telegraph has learnt. The electricity and gas provider is expected to cut just over £40 from a typical dual fuel bill for its 2.2m customers on variable-price tariffs, taking their annual bills down to about £1,235. The 3.3pc reduction will provide only a partial reversal of the 8.8pc rise it announced in October, which came into effect a month ago.
Telegraph 4th Jan 2014 read more »
Uranium
French state-controlled nuclear group Areva has closed its two uranium mines in Niger for a month of maintenance while it negotiates with the government over the renewal of its licences, a company spokesman said on Friday.Niger, the world’s fourth-largest uranium producer, is trying to extract increased royalties from the French group, with the mines operating in legal limbo after the expiry of their licences.
Reuters 3rd Jan 2013 read more »
Plutonium
Nuclear policy experts from around the world discussed a broad array of issues concerning the use of plutonium in nuclear power generation at a recent symposium in Tokyo. The symposium, titled “Managing Spent Fuel: To Reprocess or Store,” was jointly sponsored by The Asahi Shimbun Co. and Princeton University. Discussions revolved around the wisdom of Japan’s energy policy of utilizing plutonium for power generation under the government’s nuclear fuel recycling program.
Asahi Shimbun 5th Jan 2013 read more »
Nuclear Weapons
NIS January Update: Nuclear warhead factory police under investigation for failing to conduct key security duties; Defence Secretary publishes update on progress with Trident replacement; New analysis reveals full impact of Trident replacement on defence budgets; Standards of accountability and openness at Atomic Weapons Establishment rated “poor” in annual review; Regulator extends timescale for completion of AWE structural improvements; Go-ahead given for construction of Pegasus uranium store at Atomic Weapons Establishment; Serco group to repay £68 million to government following tagging fraud; Devonport workers receive accidental radiation dose during submarine maintenance operation.
NIS 4th Jan 2014 read more »
A FORMER council leader has become the latest Labour party stalwart to pledge his support for independence. John Mulvey, the ex-leader of Lothian Regional Council, is now urging Labour supporters to vote Yes in the referendum in September. Mulvey said a Yes vote on 18 September would create a more equal country for future generations. “I don’t see it as me personally benefitting from independence at my age but I honestly believe it is for my grandchildren,” he added. “It is an opportunity for them to live in a more egalitarian country that will have done away with nuclear weapons and living in a more green-related approach to the economy.
Scotsman 4th Jan 2014 read more »
Energy Efficiency
One million homes in the private rented sector fail to meet basic standards of safety, warmth and repair, a report reveals today. Billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money is being spent on housing benefit for rent given to private landlords who fail to keep the properties in good condition, the research by the IPPR North think-tank says in a report entitled “Back to Rising Damp?”. The IPPR North report says that privately rented properties are the most expensive yet are in the worst condition, and that taxpayers’ money would be better spent on improving conditions for tenants. The Decent Homes Standard states that all social housing should be free of health and safety hazards, be in a “reasonable state of repair”, have “reasonably modern kitchens, bathrooms and boilers”, and be “reasonably insulated”. Private landlords do not have to meet the Decent Homes Standard, but must meet minimum legal requirements on safety. However, many private rented homes remain in appalling states of repair, with mould and damp on the walls, poor central heating or insulation and cramped conditions.
Independent 5th Jan 2014 read more »
Renewables
Argentine farmers have long raised cows for meat, but now the country’s cattle may soon be hailed for their contribution to saving the environment. A team of scientists from the National Institute for Farming Technology in Buenos Aires has found a way of harnessing the methane gas which builds up in the animals’ stomachs and converting it into an alternative energy source.
BBC 5th Jan 2014 read more »
Fossil Fuels
British shale gas production will cut energy bills, according to a major survey of leading City fund managers. In a boost for shale explorers and consumers alike, a poll of 200 fund managers with a collective $10 trillion (£6 trillion) in assets under management reveals widespread confidence in the potential of UK shale gas. George Osborne, the Chancellor, has introduced generous tax breaks for shale explorers, saying he does not want Britain to be left behind as gas prices tumble from the shale gas boom in the US. But opinion is divided over whether even major UK shale production could lower prices, with Ed Davey, the Energy Secretary, suggesting it is unlikely to do so given the size of the European gas market.
Telegraph 4th Jan 2013 read more »
He lambasted the banks for the financial crisis and now Andrew Tyrie, the chairman of the Treasury select committee, is holding a fracking company in his West Sussex constituency to account. Mr Tyrie, the MP for Chichester, wrote to the energy minister Michael Fallon shortly before Christmas to warn about a “conflict of interest” relating to Celtique Energie’s plans to prospect for shale oil and gas near the village of Fernhurst. Mr Tyrie fears the proposed compensation for communities affected by the fracking – £100,000 for each well site fracked and 1pc of revenues if gas is produced – will incentivise councils to give shale gas companies the green light.
Telegraph 4th Jan 2013 read more »
Climate
The UK seems to be backing away from leadership on climate change. Instead Cameron has entrusted the floods to the fogeyish Tory MP Paterson for whom the IPCC report came as “really some relief” that there have been “really quite modest increases” in global temperatures. Paterson seems rather less inclined to consult Sir Ian Boyd, the government’s chief scientific adviser, on climate change than to listen to his sceptical brother-in-law Matt Ridley, the science writer and land-owning viscount. Inside the Conservative party, climate change sceptics, including old guards such as Peter Lilley and Lawson, are gaining ground with the patronage of the chancellor. At least two leading Tory environmentalists, Laura Sandys and Tim Yeo, seem to be heading out of Westminster.
Times 5th Jan 2014 read more »
