Planning
On 1 March, the committee of MPs considering the Localism Bill reached the clauses that amend the Planning Act regime.Labour MPs on the committee argued bravely for the retention of the IPC, saying that infrastructure would be further deterred, or at least delayed, if decisions were returned to ministers.
Bircham Dyson Bell 7th March 2011 more >>
Sizewell
Many villagers believe the best chance of securing money for the A12 project is through energy giant EDF, which is hoping to build a new nuclear power station at Sizewell. If it gets the go-ahead, it will be expected to contribute to local transport schemes to the expected rise in traffic and campaigners are keen to ensure the four villages bypass is a priority. EDF has said it will listen to the concerns of local people.
East Anglian Daily Times 7th March 2011 more >>
Hinkley
Energy giant EDF’s bid to build a temporary jetty for the reception of materials to build a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point will go before Sedgemoor District Council later this month. It needs to get a land acquisition order under the terms of the Transport and Works Act 1992. Concerns have been raised about possible disruption to Bridgwater Harbour. EDF says it will prevent 80 per cent of materials being delivered by road.
This is Somerset 7th March 2011 more >>
Sellafield
Each tide that washes into the beautiful “Energy Coast” of Cumbria brings toxic gifts that will reverberate down through the generations. These gifts are courtesy of Sellafield and the latest “discovery” of measurable radioactive particles was found on Harrington Beach near Workington. Hidden in the latest Allerdale Borough Council agenda notes is a very brief report filed under “Other.” The report describes the discovery of alpha-rich particles, around 2mm wide, on December 12. This follows the reporting of similar finds on Allerdale beaches of beta-rich particles in late 2008 – one found in Workington in October and one in Allonby in November. Councillor Joe Sandwith who has previously urged Allerdale to withdraw its “expression of interest” in an underground high level nuclear dump, flagged up the risk of radiation linked diseases such as cancer to the public from these radioactive particles.
Northern Indymedia 7th March 2011 more >>
Wylfa
Notice of application for an electricity generation licence on behalf of Horizon Nuclear Power Wylfa Limited.
Ofgem 7th March 2011 more >>
Radwaste
VETERANS of nuclear bomb tests carried out during the Cold War have spoken of their shock at discovering radioactive waste from the mission was dumped on Teesside 50 years later. The ex-servicemen witnessed the blasts at Christmas Island in the South Pacific first hand, and believe many veterans’ lives have been ruined by the after effects of exposure to the fallout. As revealed in the Evening Gazette last week, pictured, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) cleared tonnes of hazardous and radioactive material left over after bomb blasts and transported it back to the UK, where it was dumped at Port Clarence landfill, Stockton, in 2008. Test veteran Denis Shaw, who comes from Billingham but now lives at Grosmont, said he could not believe the MoD had brought the waste to Teesside without telling the public. His daughter, born after he returned from Christmas Island in 1959, had to have an operation on her back after sections of her spine became fused, and when her son was born he developed two sets of teeth on his bottom jaw
Middlesbrough Evening Gazette 7th March 2011 more >>
THE Evening Gazette today calls for the authorities to tell the full story about the radioactive waste from nuclear bomb tests that was secretly dumped on Teesside. As we reported yesterday, toxic material left behind after military explosions over Christmas Island in the South Pacific in the 1950s was transported back to the UK and consigned to landfill on a site next to the Tees within a mile of Middlesbrough town centre. The Environment Agency approved the dumping at Port Clarence, Stockton, and said the only radioactive materials included in the load were luminous painted dials found in abandoned military vehicles. But site operators Augean have admitted that they received 30 tonnes of radioactive sand from the Ministry of Defence.
Middlesbrough Gazette 5th March 2011 more >>
History
On 17 October 1956, Calder Hall, the world’s first nuclear power station, began generating electricity. Switched on by Queen Elizabeth II, the facility at Seascale in Cumbria generated enough electricity to power only a small city, but more stations were built on the successful Calder Hall template, and many are in operation to this day. Watch original footage from the plant’s construction and operation in this British Path video.
Independent 7th March 2011 more >>
Uranium
Kalahari Minerals said this evening it will back a £756 million conditional takeover bid by a subsidiary of China Guangdong Nuclear Power once the offer is formally lodged.
Proactive Investors 7th March 2011 more >>
Reuters 7th March 2011 more >>
FT Blog 8th March 2011 more >>
Nuclear Research
Software previously designed to streamline pharmaceutical packaging production is being used to help dismantle nuclear reactors more efficiently using 3D structural diagrams. Dr David Knight, Managing Director of Structure Vision, a spin-out from the University of Leeds, UK that has launched the software, said it would help decommissioning engineers and project managers see how odd shaped objects containing radioactive materials best fit together and how they behave when they are placed into a container.
Materials World 2nd March 2011 more >>
Companies
A precision fabrication and welding firm based in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, is eyeing work in the nuclear and renewable energy markets following a £1.5 million investment.
Professional Engineering 7th March 2011 more >>
Iran
A shattered cooling pump at Iran’s only civilian nuclear-power reactor, forcing a shutdown during its initial start-up phase, has renewed safety concerns about the hybrid Russian-German power plant on the Persian Gulf coast. The 1000-megawatt power plant at Bushehr combines a German- designed plant begun under the rule of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi in the 1970’s and Russian technology installed over the last decade. Safety questions have raised concern among some nuclear-power experts and in neighboring countries such as Kuwait, which is vulnerable in the event of a radiation leak since it is downwind about 170 miles (275 kilometers).
Bloomberg 7th March 2011 more >>
Japan
Tokyo’s outspoken Governor says his country, which suffered history’s only nuclear attack, should build nuclear weapons to counter the threat from fast-rising China. In an interview with The Independent, Shintaro Ishihara said Japan could develop nuclear weapons within a year and send a strong message to the world. “All our enemies: China, North Korea and Russia – all close neighbours – have nuclear weapons. Is there another country in the world in a similar situation?
Independent 8th March 2011 more >>
US
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) may idle up to 4,700MW of coal-fired capacity by 2017, with increased nuclear energy, efficiency and renewables eventually surpassing its use of fossil fuels, according to its 20-year resource plan released last week. Coal made up 52pc of TVA’s electricity output last year, while 32pc came from nuclear, 12pc from its hydroelectric facilities and 3.5pc from natural gas. Along with needing to replace any idled coal capacity, the federal energy agency found it will need about an additional 9,600MW of capacity in 2019 and 15,500MW by 2029 to meet projected demand growth.
Argus Media 7th March 2011 more >>
World Nuclear News 7th March 2011 more >>
Test Veterans
“THE most mesmerising but terrifying thing I have ever seen in my life.” Witnessing the explosion of a thermonuclear bomb over Christmas Island in 1958 would burn itself forever into the memory of John Michael Smith. Standing on the deck of the Royal Navy landing craft HMS Messina, staring in awe as the giant mushroom cloud climbed into the sky before him, the 24-year-old naval steward was joining an elite club. But more than half a century later it is a club the Eaglescliffe pensioner would gladly relinquish his membership of to avoid the decades of pain and anguish he and his family have suffered.
Middlesbrough Evening Gazette 7th March 2011 more >>
A NORTH Lincolnshire British nuclear test veteran who is seeking compensation from the Government has lodged an official complaint, claiming a defence minister misled Parliament about his court case. The case of ex-Army corporal David McIntyre, pictured, has been taken up in the House of Commons by Scunthorpe MP Nic Dakin, who said the Veterans Minister Andrew Robathan should correct a statement he made on January 31. At the time, Mr Robathan said: “I am afraid the courts have found there is no causal link whatever between many of the disabilities suffered and exposure to any radiation.” Mr Dakin said: “The truth is that the courts have made no such finding and all attempts to get the minister to correct the record in the House have so far proved unsuccessful.”
Scunthorpe Telegraph 7th March 2011 more >>
Green Deal
At least 1,000 Green Deal apprentices could receive Government funding towards their training, as part of plans to insulate the UK’s homes and businesses against rising energy prices and reduce carbon emissions. Funding for the apprenticeships is part of a package of measures announced by the Government today to create a skilled workforce for its flagship Green Deal programme. A cross-Government action plan on climate change is also published today, backed by the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, which sets strict actions and deadlines for Whitehall. Today’s announcement, made during a visit by the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne to B&Q’s flagship energy saving store in Sutton, has received the backing of leading companies including B&Q, Carillion, E.ON, British Gas and InstaGroup.
DECC 8th March 2011 more >>
Carbon
The government is planning to force every public sector body, including Whitehall departments, to cut greenhouse gas emissions by a quarter over the course of the current parliament in an attempt to burnish the prime minister’s environmental credentials, the Guardian has learned.
Guardian 8th March 2011 more >>
Transport
The Government’s plan says it wants to have developed a “nationwide strategy to promote the installation of electric vehicle infrastructure” by June this year. The 83 page plan commits the Government to overseeing “up to 8,500 charging points installed across the UK by 2013”, costing up to £30million, It says: “If we are to see large-scale take-up of electric vehicles as a major form of road transport, developing charging infrastructure will be vital”.
The money will pay for charging points in “streets, homes and sites such as car parks and commercial retail and leisure facilities”, the plan says.
Telegraph 8th March 2011 more >>
