Radwaste
Geologists of 15 years ago used cutting edge techniques such as 3D seismic surveying to look at the WHOLE of West Cumbria (and some of Furness -stretching to Ulverston). Now the NDA says Nirex did not look in detail at the whole of west Cumbria, and because of deficiencies in its application, the Government says that the area near Sellafield should not be excluded from the current screening process
Radiation Free Lakeland 7th Jan 2011 more >>
Sellafield (New Nuke)
CUMBRIA is powering up its efforts to make sure it has the right grid connections to support any new electricity-producing reactors at Sellafield. Subject to parliamentary approval next spring, building a Sellafield power station could start in 2015 and be operating in 2023 but it is vital that grid connections are in place. Local authorities in Lancashire and Cumbria, including the Lake District National Park Authority, will be working closely with the National Grid on proposals to boost the grid infrastructure. It follows talks between Cumbria County Council, Copeland Borough Council, the Lake District National Park Authority, Lancashire County Council and Lancaster City Council.
Whitehaven News 6th Jan 2011 more >>
Heysham
U.K. power rose after a nuclear reactor halted, ending the first time in seven years when all the nation’s atomic plants were online. All of Britain’s 19 operating nuclear reactors were generating earlier today, according to National Grid Plc, the network manager. An atomic unit at Electricite de France SA’s Heysham halted at about 3 p.m., grid data show. The halt was unplanned, Martyn Butlin, a spokesman based at the power plant in Lancashire, said by telephone. About 8,359 megawatts was being produced by atomic stations, accounting for 15 percent of all generation, grid data on Bloomberg show.
Bloomberg 7th Jan 2011 more >>
Wylfa
WELSH Conservative AM for North Wales, Mark Isherwood, was pleased to join local community councillors, community groups and residents at the Horizon Nuclear Power Wylfa New Build workshop on Thursday to discuss setting up a Project Liaison Group (PLG). Horizon Nuclear Power wants to build strong relationships with local community groups and local residents and they want to understand local views before the PLG is formally established.
Mark Isherwood AM 7th Jan 2011 more >>
Sizewell
Letter from DV: Thank you for your article about the trial of the Sizewell protesters. However, I notice a bit of pro-nuclear bias in your report: “After the case both men pledged to continue their fight against a government drive to build nuclear power plants to help combat climate change and provide low carbon energy.” But more worringly, I notice a total lack of any discussion about the problems with nuclear power and the reasons for the blockade.
Media Lens 5th Jan 2011 more >>
EDF
Merlin has signed a three-year deal – rumoured to be worth about £8m – with EDF Energy that will give the French-owned company naming rights of the famous tourist attraction. The EDF Energy London Eye will mark the attraction’s latest incarnation after British Airways, the previous sponsor, gave up the naming rights in February 2008.
The South Bank wheel, visited by 3.5m people every year, will have its fourth name in its 11-year history. As part of the deal, the London Eye has agreed to take its electricity from EDF, which is likely to link the contract with its sponsorship of the 2012 Olympic Games.
Telegraph 8th Jan 2011 more >>
India
The Indian state of Maharashtra has a vast coastline, home to many fishing villages and farming communities. Approximately 100 kilometres of this coastline has now been earmarked for major power generating projects by the government, including a nuclear power plant.
BBC 7th Jan 2011 more >>
Iran
The European Union’s foreign policy chief appeared to signal a rejection of Iran’s invitation to visit its nuclear sites when she said the job should be done by the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency.
Express 8th Jan 2011 more >>
Independent 8th Jan 2011 more >>
BBC 7th Jan 2011 more >>
Iran’s plans to build a nuclear bomb have been delayed by at least four years, it was claimed last night. Ex-Mossad spy chief Meir Dagan told an Israeli newspaper “unspecified measures” were the cause. Iran has blamed Israel for disrupting its project, which it insists will produce electricity. Three Iranian scientists have been killed in recent years and a computer worm has caused problems.
Mirror 8th Jan 2011 more >>
Germany
2010 was the year of the anti-nuclear movement in Germany. Not since the catastrophic Chernobyl meltdown 25 years ago were there as many people on German streets protesting against nuclear power production as in 2010. More than 360,000 objected to the government’s extending the operating lives of atomic power stations. But they went ahead regardless against the will of a majority of the population. Clapped out reactors will be allowed to run for years more, while the nuclear waste mountain grows constantly with no solution in sight.
Indymedia 6th Jan 2011 more >>
Peak Oil
If oil is in short supply, what should we do? One idea is to add nuclear, but this doesn’t work as well as one would like. The big issue I see is that nuclear power plants have a very long life. They are now being planned for a lifetime of 60 years. When one adds time for building and decommissioning, plants under consideration today may be finally wrapping up operations in 2080. The problem is that with peak oil, we really don’t know what the world will be like in 2080. There is a possibility that even with less oil, everything will work together fine in the next 70 years. If this happens, the securities set aside for decommissioning will have their intended value, and international trade will still be operating at close to today’s level, making repairs during the 60-year lifetime and decommissioning relatively easy. But there is also a possibility that things won’t be working together so well by then. It seems to me that we need to be thinking through this possibility and making plans accordingly.
Oil Price 7th Jan 2011 more >>
Microgeneration
This week Micro Power News has news of 57MW of new capacity installed between April and December last year since the introduction of the government’s feed-in tariff incentive scheme; a plan by Colchester Borough Council to install solar panels on 2,000 council homes and offices; recommendations delivered to the Government on the definition of zero carbon homes.
Microgen Scotland 7th Jan 2011 more >>
