Iran
IRAN will continue to enrich uranium regardless of whether a Republican or a Democrat is the US president. At the same time, the United States will oppose any Iranian nuclear programme – even a civilian programme – because this will contribute to the stability of the regime in Tehran. As a result, nuclear tensions are likely to bedevil US-Iranian relations. But a nuclear Iran could bring benefits to the world.
Scotsman 7th July 2007 more >>
Baltic
The Baltic states and Poland failed on Friday to sign a formal agreement to proceed with a joint $9 billion nuclear power plant in Lithuania and instead charged their energy companies to negotiate a shareholder deal. The plant will replace Lithuania’s ageing Ignalina facility, which has to be shut for safety reasons under a deal with the European Union, and is seen as a key instrument in helping the participating countries reduce their reliance on Russian gas.
Reuters 6th July 2007 more >>
The Lithuanian President signed a new law allowing the construction of a nuclear power plant.
World Nuclear News 6th July 2007 more >>
US
Secrecy at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is coming under attack from Congress.
Mathaba 7th July 2007 more >>
New nukes
The UK government has confirmed that all four of the applications received regarding nuclear reactor designs for generic design assessment, or pre-licensing, have met its eligibility criteria. The designs were received from AECL, Areva, GE-Hitachi and Toshiba-Westinghouse.
Energy Business Review 7th July 2007 more >>
Letter from Keith Parker of Nuclear Industries Association: The Oxford Research Group’s paper on the future of nuclear power that was the subject of your article (Nuclear expansion is a pipedream, says report, 4 July) is inaccurate on a number of counts. According to IAEA statistics, at the height of new nuclear build in the mid-1980s, 65 reactors were commissioned in two years, and the average number built between 1977 and 1993 was 16.6 a year, not 3.4 as claimed by the Oxford Research Group.
Guardian 7th July 2007 more >>
Greenpeace review of ORG paper “Too hot to Handle”.
Greenpeace website 6th July 2007 more >>
“We have made the decision to continue with nuclear power.” With those ten words, Gordon Brown managed to break the law, sabotage an ongoing public consultation and do a U-turn on his promise to listen to the people – all during his first Prime Minister’s Question Time. As head of government, Brown’s meant to be abiding by a high court ruling that says the government can’t legally make a decision on whether to build new nuclear power stations before a proper public consultation has been carried out. Greenpeace lawyers have written to the Prime Minister.
Greenpeace UK website 6th July 2007 more >>
Greenpeace UK Press Release 6th July 2007 more >>
NDA
A man who sent a white powder to a nuclear agency, sparking a security alert will not face any charges. The 75-year-old from Suffolk sent the package to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) in Whitehaven on 28 June and the area was cordoned off. Cumbria Police suspected the powder was toxic, but laboratory tests proved it was harmless. The sender was traced and police have now decided there was “no criminal intent” and concluded their probe.
BBC 6th July 2007 more >>
Germany
Germany — It’s been a bad few weeks for the nuclear industry, especially in Germany. While the nuclear companies were lobbying to reverse the German nukes phase out, two German nuclear plants suffered a fire and emergency shut down. With the nuclear industry’s false assurances of safety and reliability exposed, German chancellor Merkel announced Germany would not revise nor abandon the plan for nuclear-phase out by 2021.
Greenpeace International website 6th July 2007 more >>
Swedish energy giant Vattenfall Europe AG was forced to defend itself against criticism of its public handling of a fire last week at a German nuclear power plant. Responding to criticism that the company did not made public the full extent of the blaze at the Kruemmel power plant in Geesthacht, 30 kilometres southeast of Hamburg, a spokesman for Vattenfall Europe told Agence France Presse news agency: ‘We kept the public and the authorities fully informed from the very beginning.’
Forbes 6th July 2007 more >>
Dounreay
Fears that there had been a nuclear spill of plutonium at the Dounreay nuclear plant may be a false alarm, according to an update from the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA).
Edie 6th July 2007 more >>
Trident
University of Nottingham students were arrested during a blockade at a nuclear base. The six – outside the Faslane base in Scotland – were demonstrating during a week of action against the decision to spend billions renewing Britain’s nuclear weapons.
Nottingham Evening Post 6th July 2007 more >>
Proliferation
A third Liberal Democrat peer is to become an adviser to Gordon Brown. Baroness Williams said she would accept a role – with conditions. She said she was prepared to help steer the Government’s nuclear non-proliferation policy so long as she was left free to criticise Labour policy.
Telegraph 7th July 2007 more >>
North Korea
South Korea’s chief nuclear negotiator said Friday that long-stalled talks on disarming North Korea’s nuclear arsenal are to resume this month as Seoul prepared to ship a first batch of promised energy aid to the North next week.
Guardian website 6th July 2007 more >>
