New Nukes
The troubled French nuclear giant EDF has postponed its decision on whether to build a new power station at Hinkley Point in Somerset. The delay puts the nuclear renaissance at the heart of the UK government’s energy plans into further doubt after a difficult week in which EDF was hit by cost overruns and the exit of its partner from a key French project. The new reactors at Hinkley were to be the first of a new generation of atomic plants in the UK and EDF had repeatedly pledged to make a final investment decision by the end of 2012. But the decision to plough billions of pounds into the project is now unlikely to be taken before April 2013, according to sources close to the project, although EDF declined to comment.
Guardian 7th Dec 2012 more »
EDF is leading the push to build new nuclear reactors in the UK to replace old units built by the state that are nearing retirement. Speaking at the Nuclear Industry Association’s Energy Choices event today, EDF’s Humphrey Cadoux-Hudson said the company was “on the verge of a momentous decision” – the final investment decision to built an Areva EPR at Hinkley Point C, which would come at the earliest possible date after EDF makes “a compelling case for investors.” Shareholders in the project would be EDF with 75% and Centrica with 25%. “Let me assure you of this: Nuclear will be delivered” Michael Fallon (UK Business and Enterprise Minister).
Energy & Nuclear News 7th Dec 2012 more »
Public Opinion
While it’s certainly true that the nuclear industry doesn’t inspire the fear and distrust that it did, the public in general still views it with some suspicion, said Nick Pidgeon, Professor of environmental psychology at the University of Cardiff. ‘There’s what you might call reluctant acceptance,’ he said. ‘People recognise the need for nuclear, because they accept that renewables can’t meet the need for electricity, but they don’t necessarily want it.’
The Engineer 7th Dec 2012 more »
Supply Chain
UK Energy Minister John Hayes and Business and Enterprise Minister Michael Fallon have launched a new plan to revitalize the country’s nuclear industry. The Nuclear Supply Chain Action Plan, which the government developed in partnership with the industry, lays out initiatives to help ensure that the country’s supply chain is competitive and ready to deliver a new generation of reactors. The key actions of the plan include the creation of the Nuclear Industry Council, which will start meeting next year, and the establishment of working groups made up of members from major companies in each sub-sector of the industry. The Nuclear Manufacturing Research Centre will also provide advice to small to medium sized businesses on how to secure big contracts in the nuclear industry, while action on skills will aim to attract new entrants to the sector. “Our Action Plan for the nuclear supply chain will set out how the UK can make the most of future opportunities presented by around £60 billion of new investment,” explains Hayes.
Energy Efficiency News 7th Dec 2012 more »
“Other ministers have been pro-nuclear; I think I can say with confidence that none have been more pro-nuclear than me,” he told the Nuclear Industry Association conference this week. Mr Hayes was speaking at the launch of the Nuclear Supply Chain Action plan, and said there was a “profound” opportunity emerging for SMEs in nuclear. “Investors need to be sure that the political class are sure of the way forward,” he said, admitting that there have been “a few false dawns in the nuclear renaissance”. But Mr Hayes said the government was now determined to “invigorate, regenerate and re-energise the UK nuclear supply chain”.
Construction News 7th Dec 2012 more »
Small and medium sized construction companies are to get state support to help enter the nuclear market under a new initiative from the government.
Construction Index 7th Dec 2012 more »
Radwaste
Jamie Reed MP has claimed that plans to bury nuclear waste in Cumbria would actually improve brand Cumbria.
Keswick Reminder 7th Dec 2012 more »
Sizewell
A report says British companies need to invest now to help them win contracts for the construction of Sizewell C nuclear power station in Suffolk. EDF Energy hopes work on the site could begin in 2018 if planning is approved. The Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) said the UK does not currently have the capacity to build parts such as reactor pressure vessels.
BBC 6th Dec 2012 more »
An important issue around nuclear new build is the amount and what happens to the spent fuel. The proposed EPR reactors at Sizewell and Hinkley are designed to run oh ‘high burnup’ fuel. This post has a basic look at what the implications are.
Peter Lux Blog 7th Dec 2012 more »
Scotland
Letter Paul Younger: STRONGLY back the Scottish Government’s position on extending the life of Hunterston and Torness, when that point comes (“Concerns over wind power policy”, The Herald, December 7, and Letters, December 7) and commend the vision of 100% equivalent renewables. The devil is very much in the economic detail, and I believe the no-new-nuclear stance may need to be reconsidered eventually: not because we have solved all questions about nuclear power (for instance, only 50 years’ worth of uranium reserves, and a persistent lack of political will to finally stow radioactive waste safely deep underground), but rather because of the current lack of baseload generation options from renewable sources.
Herald 8th Dec 2012 more »
ENEL
Italian energy company Enel has dropped out of its plans to work with EDF on six nuclear power plants as costs at the Flamanville project in Normandy soar. Earlier this week, EDF confirmed that construction costs on its new European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) nuclear power station at Flamanville have increased €2 billion since the company’s latest cost revision in July 2011, when it made an estimation of €6 billion.
Energy Efficiency News 7th Dec 2012 more »
Japan
Tokyo Electric Power has ordered its workers to evacuate the Fukushima nuclear power plants following tsunami warnings, Reuters reported.
ITV News 7th Dec 2012 more »
Japan escaped largely unscathed on Friday after a magnitude 7.3 earthquake shook the north-east coast. It was, however, a chilling reminder of the 9.0 quake that struck the area in March 2011, triggering a tsunami that killed almost 20,000 people and a triple meltdown at the nearby Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Guardian 7th Dec 2012 more »
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that nuclear plants near the region that was hit by a 7.3 magnitude earthquake off the eastern coast of Japan on Friday appear to be operating normally, and that no emergency measures have been put into place so far. In a statement, a spokesperson for IAEA said it had been in contact with Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) to collect information about the status of nuclear power plants that could be affected.
RTT News 7th Dec 2012 more »
Fukushima Crisis Update 4th to 6th Dec.
Greenpeace 7th Dec 2012 more »
Pakistan
Asia’s triangular arms race has traditionally reflected the rivalries between India and China and India and Pakistan, but according to an influential former adviser to Manmohan Singh, the Indian prime minister, Pakistan now regards the United States as a potential threat.
Telegraph 7th Dec 2012 more »
Iran
The United Nations’ chief nuclear official urged Iran on Thursday to allow inspection of a military base where Iranian scientists are suspected of conducting secret nuclear-weapons research, although he acknowledged that any traces of illicit activity have probably been removed.
Independent 7th Dec 2012 more »
China
China and Russia have inked a deal to construct two new nuclear reactors at the Tianwan nuclear power plant in the Chinese province of Jiangsu. The new reactors at the nuclear station in Lianyungang will be built under the inter-governmental agreement signed on 06 December 2012.
Energy Business Review 7th Dec 2012 more »
Nuclear Ships
Russian nuclear-powered icebreakers have enabled the first ever LNG delivery via the Northern Sea Route from Norway to Japan, where it will go towards replacing generation lost from shut down nuclear reactors.
World Nuclear News 7th Dec 2012 more »
Gas
Letter: Although burning a tonne of natural gas produces about half the CO2 compared with a tonne of coal or oil, this is only part of the story. A recent paper in Nature Climate Change shows that CO2 from burning the world’s reserves of fracked gas is enough on its own to warm the planet by 3C. A further recent report from the highly respected Tyndall Centre for Climate Change has concluded that the reduction in CO2 emissions resulting from the switch from coal to gas in the US has been entirely offset by the export of the coal saved. When the life cycle emissions of greenhouse gases from producing fracked gas are taken into consideration, four recent papers in highly respected peer-reviewed journals show that a switch to gas from coal or oil for electricity generation, or from petrol and diesel for transport, is unlikely to mitigate global warming. Science tells us fracked gas is not better than coal or oil to keep climate change in check. Money spent on gas only delays the urgent and inevitable need to switch to renewables, and to invest in a smart grid and energy storage to meet UK targets for lower greenhouse gas emissions. Renewable energy will give us energy independence, cheaper energy production and underpin future economic prosperity.
Guardian 7th Dec 2012 more »
The British Geological Survey (BGS) is currently carrying out a review of the UK’s shale gas reserves, which will be published in the new year. The Times newspaper reported on Friday night that the BGS will conclude that the the 1,000 square kilometres covered by the Bowland Basin to the east of Blackpool contains 300 trillion cubic feet of gas. This is roughly 17 times more than the known reserves in the North Sea.
Telegraph 7th Dec 2012 more »
Times 7th Dec 2012 more »
