New nukes
Jonathan Porritt says: The government’s determination to press ahead with nuclear power is seriously diverting attention from the hard decisions required to solve the UK’s energy challenges. Despite the prime minister’s attempt to position nuclear as a kind of “tough but necessary” solution, it may simply be an easy way out of these tough decisions – and one that will make only a small contribution to reducing emissions of CO2 and achieving greater energy security.
Guardian 5th July 2006
Britain is in a nuclear bind, environmentalists say, with the government keen to promote atomic energy but hard pressed to find funding after it said it will not use public money.
Scotsman 4th July 2006
Reuters 4th July 2006
Tony Blair admitted yesterday he had changed his mind about the benefits of nuclear power since the Government ruled out a new generation of nuclear stations three years ago. The Prime Minister denied he had pre-empted the findings of the Government’s energy review to be published this month – by signalling his personal support for an extension of nuclear power.
Independent 5th July 2006
TONY Blair yesterday admitted that he had already concluded Britain needs new nuclear power stations even before his government’s review of energy policy began.
Scotsman 5th July 2006
View London 4th July 2006
Guardian website 4th July 2006
BBC 4th July 2006
Transcript of Blair at HoC Liaison Cttee
Reacting to Tony Blair’s comments this morning in support of new nuclear power stations, Greenpeace executive director Stephen Tindale said: “Tony Blair wants his legacy to be new nuclear power stations, but his obsession threatens to scupper this country’s renewable energy industry. He wants to tie the country into a centralised energy generation system that relies on huge, inefficient, polluting power stations instead of pushing money towards clean cutting edge technologies.”
Greenpeace Press Release 4th July 2006
AGRs
Documents reveal hidden fears over Britain’s nuclear plants. Unexplained cracks in reactor cores increase likelihood of accident, say government inspectors. Government nuclear inspectors have raised serious questions over the safety of Britain’s ageing atomic power stations, some of which have developed major cracks in their reactor cores, documents reveal today. The safety assessments, obtained under Freedom of Information legislation, show the Nuclear Safety Directorate (NSD) has issued warnings over the deterioration of reactor cores at Hinkley Point B in Somerset and other British nuclear plants. The directorate also criticises British Energy, which operates 13 advanced gas-cooled nuclear reactors including Hinkley. According to the papers, the company does not know the extent of the damage to the reactor cores, cannot monitor their deterioration and does not fully understand why cracking has occurred. They reveal that in June last year, the NSD said it was faced with “significant regulatory issues … for all operating AGR reactors”. British Energy is keen to extend the life of its AGR reactors but the papers, obtained by Greenpeace via Stop Hinkley, a local nuclear watchdog group, suggest that unless British Energy improves safety checks, the plants might have to be closed.
Guardian 5th July 2006
Original New Scientist Article 26th March 2006
RobEdwards.com
No one knows when the cracks first started to appear, but as long ago as 2004, British Energy voiced concerns about fractures in the cores of its 14 reactors. The cracks were spotted in graphite bricks in the cores of all the company’s advanced gas-cooled reactors, or AGRs. Collectively, they provide the country with nearly one fifth of its electricity. But the extent of the potential damage, and the consequences that might flow from it, were uncertain. However, the latest report by the government’s Nuclear Safety Directorate (NSD), obtained via the Freedom of Information Act, makes clear that nuclear inspectors have raised repeated concerns about the dangers of continuing to operate Hinkley Point B nuclear power station in Somerset and other nuclear plants weakened by cracks. British Energy, they say, knows too little about the cracks to be confident they can operate without incident. According to the NSD report, British Energy does not fully understand why the bricks are cracking; how many are damaged; and the number of cracks that would make the reactor unsafe.
Guardian 5th July 2006
Safety scares at British nuclear sites could not come at a worse time for an industry which believes that the government is poised to give the green light to a new generation of atomic plants. The energy review – to be published as early as next week – will endorse a new era for an energy sector that was written off by critics as environmentally dirty, obsessively secretive, and financially suspect. But the twin fears of global warming and foreign energy dependency have convinced policymakers that the public is willing to give another chance to an atomic industry that has only just escaped its military heritage. What Tony Blair does not need at this moment are revelations that suggest conflict at the heart of the nuclear industry about the safety of the country’s ageing fleet of reactors.
Guardian 5th July 2006
Iran
The EU will pressure Iran at talks on Wednesday to reply fast to a major powers’ package of incentives designed to end a standoff over its nuclear programme but Tehran says it must have more time.
Reuters 4th July 2006
The West has no choice but to wait as Tehran plays for time and considers an offer of incentives from six major powers aimed at resolving its nuclear standoff, Western diplomats and analysts said.
Reuters 5th July 2006
India
London-based metals and mining group Vedanta Resources Plc has invited preliminary bids for setting up a 2,400 MW nuclear power plant in India, Business Standard reported.
Interactive Investor 5th July 2006
Yemen
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh said Tuesday he would seek to produce nuclear energy for civilian use in the impoverished Arabian peninsula republic as he registered his candidacy for a new term.
Middle East Online 4th July 2006
Berkeley
Residents have been invited to join talks over the future of the Berkeley nuclear site. The next Site Stakeholder Group Meeting will be an open session, at the Berkeley Nuclear Sports and Social Club tomorrow.
Gloucester Citizen 4th July 2006
