Chernobyl
Calls have been made for comprehensive studies into the continuing health effects of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster after a rise in birth defects was identified in one of the regions most affected by the catastrophe. A study by Wladimir Wertelecki of the University of Southern Alabama, AL, USA, found above average rates of a number of birth defects in one province in Ukraine where the devastated nuclear power plant remains encased in concrete. Wertelecki says that the rise could be linked to continuing exposure to low-level radiation doses. The findings, published in Pediatrics, are in stark contrast with a major, but highly criticised, 2005 study by WHO and other groups, which suggested that there was no evidence of an increased risk of birth defects in areas contaminated by the accident. Wertelecki says that the results of his study show claims that birth defects are not linked to the disaster need to be re-evaluated. He told The Lancet: “The official position is that Chernobyl and birth defects are not connected. That position needs to be reconsidered at the very least.”
The Lancet 24th April 2010 more >>
Oldbury
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg would scrap planned nuclear power station near Bristol.
Shepperdine Against Nuclear Energy 6th May 2010 more >>
Hinkley
A planning application by EdF to dig some twenty trenches close to the village of Shurton has been turned down by West Somerset District Council. Permission for the trenches was requested by EdF in order to ascertain the nature and depth of the soil above rock in an area as close as 100 metres from nearby houses in Shurton. The planning committee threw out the application saying that there was no justification for so many trenches especially so near to the village. They were puzzled by the request for trenches so far away from the main part of the proposed nuclear power station and EdF did not send a representative to the planning meeting to offer any further details.
Bristol Indymdia 6th May 2010 more >>
Stop Hinkley Press Release 6th May 2010 more >>
Cumbria
Letter from Gerry Wolff: The Lib Dems nationally are right that we don’t need nuclear power (“Candidate at odds with party over nuke power”, April 21). Frank Hollowell should be aware that there are more than enough alternatives that are cheaper, quicker to build, providing greater security, and with none of the headaches of nuclear power. And those alternatives will provide many opportunities for people throughout the UK, including the Lake District.
Whitehaven News 5th May 2010 more >>
Wylfa
An office and distribution centre on 120 acres at Parc Cybi, in Holyhead, could help counter the effect of job losses at Anglesey Aluminium, and when the Wylfa nuclear power station closes.
BBC 6th May 2010 more >>
Heysham
Renewables are the best hope for the local economy, Cllr John Whitelegg explained to a thoughtful audience last night at the Heysham Anti-Nuclear Alliance (HANA) public meeting to discuss the government’s proposals for a new wave of nuclear power stations, which include building a third reactor at Heysham. Dr Stuart Parkinson, Executive Director of Scientists for Global Responsibility, Dr Noel Cass of Lancaster University Environment Centre and Maurice Pennance from the Heysham Anti-Nuclear Alliance spoke and took questions and contributions from the audience about current proposals for meeting the UK’s future energy needs, the DECC consultation process and how the HANA campaign was meeting these challenges.
Virtual Lancaster 29th April 2010 more >>
Dounreay
A LABOUR dispute at Dounreay involving 16 workers is set to go to an industrial tribunal after they were turned away when they reported for work on Monday. They have been told their jobs with contractors Nuvia have gone while the site licence company DSRL has refused to take them on. The group is in limbo in not being able to seek other employment while the workers have not received any redundancy payouts and are not entitled to any benefits.
John O Groat Journal 5th May 2010 more >>
NPT
As he was leaving his post as director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last year, Mohamed ElBaradei warned the world about ‘virtual nuclear weapons states’, countries that will develop weapons technology but stop just short of producing an actual bomb. This would, ElBaradei said, allow countries to ‘remain technically compliant with the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty while being within a couple of months of deploying and using a nuclear weapon’ It was clear from ElBaradei’s successor Yukiya Amano, in his opening speech to the nuclear Non_proliferation Treaty review at the United Nations, that ElBaradei’s warning is not being heeded.
Greenpeace Nuclear Reaction 5th May 2010 more >>
For the members of a World Council of Churches (WCC) delegation pursuing peace and human security goals at the conference the event started with a constructive air. The US secretary of state, Hilary Clinton, for example, promised that the US would reveal how many nuclear weapons it has. Clinton also said the US would provide legal assurances against nuclear attack to members of a new treaty that protects Africa. WCC member churches also helped put the new treaty protecting Africa in place recently. The US made the same promise to the countries of the South Pacific. The South Pacific Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone is another achievement churches helped which had not been fully recognized by the nuclear powers. The actions meet requests the WCC representatives would have made when they meet with the US delegation in New York. With the addition of Africa in 2009, such zones now cover all of the Southern Hemisphere and virtually all of the Global South.
Ekklesia 7th May 2010 more >>
Bulgaria
Prime Minister Boyko Borisov says Bulgaria has put on hold construction of its second nuclear power plant until it finds a new investor and funds to complete the project. Last week, Borisov turned down a 2 billion-euro offer from Moscow for a stake in the plant. Bulgaria’s Economy and Energy Minister Traicho Traikov made it clear in March that Moscow’s offer for funding was not enough and that his country would angle for a European investor.
Press TV 4th May 2010 more >>
Canada
According to two recent studies by Queen’s University, solar power production in southeastern Ontario could potentially yield as much energy as all US nuclear reactors combined. That’s right, just a portion of a province in Canada has the potential to use a renewable energy source in a way that could change the way we all look at our power grid.
Green Living 5th May 2010 more >>
Finland
Greenpeace activists have scaled the walls of the government office in Helsinki to protest plans for the construction of two more nuclear power stations in Finland. The demonstrators hung a banner on the wall of the office criticizing the government’s decision earlier Thursday to grant the permits.
Business Week 6th May 2010 more >>
North Korea
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has promised to work towards a resumption of stalled nuclear disarmament talks hours after returning to Pyongyang from an unofficial three-day visit to China.
Telegraph 7th May 2010 more >>
BBC 7th May 2010 more >>
Israel
Israel has refused to join the nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty in a snub to the international community’s efforts to rid the Middle East of nuclear weapons. In a speech delivered at the NPT review conference at UN headquarters in New York, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit called on Tel Aviv to finally officially declare its arsenal and then join the NPT, which would oblige it to throw its nuclear facilities open to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) oversight.
Morning Star 6th May 2010 more >>
Middle East
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said on Thursday that his government was in talks with the five veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council on proposals for a nuclear-free Middle East.
Middle East Online 6th May 2010 more >>
Iran
Iran faces a “stark choice,” US Vice President Joe Biden told EU lawmakers Thursday, to scrap its nuclear programme or face “further consequences” and increased isolation.
EU Bisiness 6th May 2010 more >>
BBC 6th May 2010 more >>
Russia
Plans for Russia’s power generation network (the Unified Energy System) for the 2010-2016 period have been published. A total of 9.87GW of nuclear power will be commissioned (out of a total of 42.85GW). This includes the startup of four reactors at existing sites: the Rostov (Volgodonsk) 2 VVER-1000 in 2010, the Rostov 3 VVER-1100 in 2014, Kalinin 4 VVER-1000 in 2012 and Beloyarsk 4 BN-800 FBR in 2014. It also includes new-build nuclear: Baltic VVER-1150 in 2016, Leningrad II 1 VVER-1170 in 2013, and 2 in 2016, and the Novovoronezh II 1 VVER-1199 in 2013 and 2015.
Nuclear Engineering International 6th May 2010 more >>
Fusion
The Commission has adopted a Communication to the European Parliament and the Council which concludes that in view of substantial overall cost increases for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), which have more than doubled the costs for Europe (to around 7.2 billion instead of an initial expected 2.7 billion), a sustainable financial framework should be established. Member States should provide a clear financial commitment throughout the life of the project and a mechanism for dealing with any further overruns should be agreed, subject to an overall cap. In particular, a total of around 1.4 billion is needed to meet the estimated cost increases in the EURATOM Community contribution to ITER in 2012 and 2013. This funding should be found either by raising the ceiling in the EU budget or through additional finance directly from the Member States.
Europa 5th May 2010 more >>
