New Nuclear
The Government’s strategy on nuclear power must not stop with giving the go-ahead for the new site at Hinkley, ministers are being urged. The Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) said attention should now switch to the next line of new build developers. In a submission ahead of the forthcoming Autumn Statement, the NIA said there was huge potential from replacing retiring power stations with low carbon nuclear power. Chief executive Tom Greatrex said: “The burgeoning international interest in the development of small modular reactors provides not only an additional option for managing the transition to a low carbon power supply, but could also be an important export opportunity for the UK, developing a supply chain, intellectual property and high quality, skilled jobs. “As we move to reducing UK emissions further, the UK will need to look at how it can decarbonise heat and power, as well as electricity generation. “Combined with a target to move away from fossil fuel production, new nuclear and modular reactors, combined with renewables as part of a lower carbon mix, will be a vital component of the UK’s reliable and secure electricity generation future. “This means the Government’s strategy must not stop at Hinkley, but focus on the next line of new build developers, who will need to attract investment to build the new infrastructure we need.”
Energy Voice 7th Nov 2016 read more »
Nuclear R&D
The UK’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has announced its commitment of £20 million ($25 million) for an initial phase of a new nuclear research and innovation program. This covers five major themes: advanced fuels; materials and manufacture; reactor design; advanced recycling; and strategic toolkit. BEIS said on 3 November: “At Spending Review 2015, government committed to invest in an ambitious nuclear research and development program. This funding forms a part of government’s wider commitment to double the UK’s energy innovation spend, such that by 2021 it will have doubled to over £400 million per year. “As part of this commitment, over £20 million will be provided to support innovation in the civil nuclear sector across five major areas from 2016-18, building on the recommendations set out by the Nuclear Innovation Research Advisory Board (Nirab).” This funding includes: £6 million towards maintaining the UK’s leading edge work on advanced nuclear fuels which could provide greater levels of efficiency; £5 million for research that underpins the development, safety and efficiency of the next generation of nuclear reactor designs; £5 million to develop the UK’s capability in materials, advanced manufacturing and modular build for the reactors of the future; £2 million to research fuel recycling processes that may reduce future environmental and financial burdens; and £2 million to continue with the development of a suite of toolkits and underpinning data that will enhance government’s knowledge basis for future decision making in the nuclear sector, up to 2050.
World Nuclear News 7th Nov 2016 read more »
Dungeness
Divers have been sent in to the pools at the Dungeness A site as work starts to decommission the ponds at the nuclear power station. The pools were used to store nuclear fuel in skips before it was sent off site for reprocessing. The site has been free of fuel for four years but the pools still need to be removed safely. Divers were sent in to cut up the pool and package 20 tonnes of waste for disposal at the Low Level Waste Repository in West Cumbria.
Kent Live 7th Nov 2016 read more »
Nuclear Transport
Safety chiefs have moved swiftly to reassure a local businessman who has expressed fears about nuclear waste being transported by train through the borough. The company boss, who asked not to be named, raised his concerns after seeing trucks run through Wigan on weekday mornings sometimes up to four times a week depending on demand. They are carrying spent radioactive fuel rods from nuclear power stations across the country up the West Coast Main Line to British Nuclear Fuels Limited’s Sellafield nuclear power station site in Cumbria for reprocessing. Although timetable information remains classified, experts say that there are now in excess of 1,000 nuclear waste train operations across the UK annually.
Leigh Observer 7th Nov 2016 read more »
Sellafield
The company charged with cleaning up the devastated Fukushima nuclear site in Japan has taken a fact-finding trip to Copeland.
Whitehaven News 7th Nov 2016 read more »
France
French energy markets regulator CRE proposed on Tuesday tighter rules under which alternative energy providers buy power from nuclear power station managed by state-controlled utility EDF. The move is aimed at curbing potential speculation in the French power market after spot and forward electricity prices surged to record highs over the past weeks due to tight nuclear supply concerns in France. CRE said its proposal would tighten the conditions under which EDF’s smaller rivals terminate their agreements with the former monopoly – a mechanism called ARENH. EDF asked last month for the whole scheme to be suspended while the market is so tight. The government refused, but tasked the CRE with modifying it to cut out speculative behaviour.
Reuters 8th Nov 2016 read more »
Australia
The majority of a Citizens’ Jury forming part of South Australia’s community consultation in response to the state’s Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission Report feels the state should not pursue the opportunity to store and dispose of nuclear waste under any circumstances. The 350 jurors were tasked with answering the question “Under what circumstances, if any, could South Australia pursue the opportunity to store and dispose of nuclear waste from other countries?” It delivered its final report to state premier Jay Weatherill yesterday after six days of deliberations – spread over three weekends in October and November – during which jurors heard from more than 100 witnesses including environmental, economics, safety and industry experts, as well as community and Aboriginal representation. According to the jury’s final report, two-thirds of its members did not wish to pursue the nuclear waste opportunity “under any circumstances” while a third supported “a commitment to pursue” under circumstances outlined in the report. The jury’s rejection of the proposal was based on its opinion that it had insufficient information to support a “yes” vote; a lack of aboriginal consent for the proposal; and the jury’s lack of confidence in the economic case presented for such a project.
World Nuclear News 7th Nov 2016 read more »
Faced with a clear but controversial recommendation from its Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission, the South Australian government has sought to reach out to its citizens with information and consultation to test the waters on how to proceed. The objective of the Royal Commission’s recommendation is purely commercial, boldly to seize an opportunity to rescue the state from economic impoverishment. But the means is not intrinsically appealing to all, writes Ian Hore-Lacy. In South Australia, to widespread surprise, a left-of-centre state premier in March 2015 set up a major inquiry into the nuclear fuel cycle, and in particular whether the impoverished state might make some worthwhile money by importing and disposing of high-level nuclear wastes (HLW), notably used fuel. But it wasn’t just an inquiry, it was a Royal Commission, with power to rigorously test the evidence submitted. It was headed by a former state governor and Rear Admiral, Kevin Scarce.
World Nuclear News 7th Nov 2016 read more »
China
Construction of China’s first floating nuclear power plant has officially begun, China General Nuclear (CGN) announced. The demonstration unit is expected to be completed by 2020.
World Nuclear News 7th Nov 2016 read more »
India
Negotiations on a final text of the proposed Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement between India and Japan have made “significant headway”, with both sides learnt to be working overtime on the technical details ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan on November 11-12. During the last meeting between the two prime ministers in New Delhi last December, it was announced that the two sides have agreed “in principle” on inking the civil nuclear agreement. The details that the two sides are trying to forge a consensus on include the contentious issue of reprocessing of spent fuel. Officials involved in the exercise indicated that Japan is open to somewhat softening its stance on allowing the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel from Japan-made reactors, something that could have a significant bearing on the progress of the two atomic projects under discussion involving American nuclear vendors — GE-Hitachi and Toshiba-Westinghouse. If Japan were to go ahead and ink a nuclear deal with India, it could be a crucial determining factor as the two US reactor vendors, as well as a range of other global nuclear reactor manufacturers, source the most critical equipment in a reactor — the calandria or reactor vessel — from Japanese heavy forging major Japan Steel Works (JSW). Experts point to the fact that the transfer of Japanese technology to India for civilian use requires a nuclear pact, but Tokyo has so far desisted from initiating one as India has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Indian Express 7th Nov 2016 read more »
Renewables – wind
Scotland’s wind turbines provided enough electricity to the national grid to supply, on average, the needs of 87% of Scottish households last month (Oct 2016). The figures, published by Weather Energy showed that: – Wind turbines in Scotland provided 792,717MWh of electricity to the National Grid, enough to supply, on average, the electrical needs of 87% of Scottish households (2.1 million homes); This represents an increase of 27% compared to that of October 2016, when wind energy provided 625,341MWh, and Scotland’s total electricity consumption (i.e. including homes, business and industry) for October was 2,080,065 MWh. Wind power therefore generated the equivalent of 38% of Scotland’s entire electricity needs for the month.
Scottish Energy News 8th Nov 2016 read more »
Holyrood 7th Nov 2016 read more »
Daily Record 7th Nov 2016 read more »
Herald 7th Nov 2016 read more »
Thousands of bats are being killed by wind turbines but the carnage could be reduced by switching them off at night. Wind farm developers underestimated the risks to bats in pre- construction assessments and failed to put in place measures to protect them, a study found. Bats may be switching off their sonar, which they use to detect prey and obstacles, when flying at the height of turbine blades, the researchers said. They appear to be lulled into a false sense of security and save energy by ceasing to emit high frequency sounds that bounce off objects. They may also be attracted by the insects which fly around wind farms.
Times 8th Nov 2016 read more »
FT 8th Nov 2016 read more »
Herald 8th Nov 2016 read more »
Guardian 7th Nov 2016 read more »
Demand Management
A smarter, more flexible power system which takes advantage of low-carbon innovations and technologies such as battery storage and demand response could create savings for the UK to the tune of £8bn by 2030, according to new research from thinktank Policy Exchange. The Policy Exchange report calls for a complete overhaul of the current system to accommodate emerging technologies, including wind and solar power. The thinktank recommends the removal of several regulatory and policy barriers to create a level playing field and negate the UK’s reliance on dirtier forms of electricity. The report’s author Richard Howard said: “Making the power system smarter will also mean it can provide cheaper and cleaner electricity. The current set of policies is encouraging a growth in dirty diesel generators – exacerbating air pollution in UK cities and towns. “The Government needs to level the playing field to encourage the use of cleaner technologies such as demand response and storage. This approach is not only greener, but could also lead to savings worth £90 per household per year by 2030.”
Edie 7th Nov 2016 read more »
Fossil Fuels
The Scottish government is to publish the results of a series of studies into the potential impact of fracking. The government is mulling over whether to allow the controversial oil and gas extraction technique in Scotland, with a moratorium currently in force. Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse is to make a statement to MSPs at Holyrood laying out the results of the research. The government has said it will hold a public consultation before making any decision on whether to allow fracking. Nicola Sturgeon’s government commissioned a series of independent research projects when it imposed a moratorium on fracking in January 2015. Unconventional oil and gas extraction has proved a controversial topic, with some political parties and green groups arguing it causes environmental damage, while others point to economic benefits.
BBC 8th Nov 2016 read more »
STV 8th Nov 2016 read more »
Herald 8th Nov 2016 read more »
ENVIRONMENTAL groups are calling on the Scottish Government to work towards a ban on fracking “as soon as possible” as it prepares to publish its evidence on shale gas fracking and coalbed methane. It put in place a moratorium on unconventional oil and gas in January last year, which was extended in October 2015 to cover underground coal gasification (UCG). It also commissioned a Public Health Impact Assessment and studies on climate, economic and transport impacts, seismic activity and decommissioning. These will form the basis of the evidence it publishes today. FoES head of campaigns Mary Church said: “We expect the research gathered by the Scottish Government will echo the growing body of evidence that documents the negative impacts of fracking on communities.
The National 8th Nov 2016 read more »
Australian unions have thrown their weight behind a transition away from coal-generated electricity, calling for a new statutory authority to manage a “just transition”, supporting workers and communities that rely on fossil fuel-related jobs. A policy discussion paper written by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) said a planned closure of coal power stations – along with both a jobs and energy plan for the country – would “create a more prosperous and diversified economy”.
Guardian 8th Nov 2016 read more »
