2010 March « nuclear-news

Opposition to re-opening of Germany’s controversial nuclear waste dump

A phase-out of nuclear power has been planned for 2021, and eight of the country’s 17 reactors are currently due to cease output in 2018.

Germany’s Greens protest re-opening of nuclear waste dump, Deutsche Welle | 14.03.2010, After a ten year moratorium, exploration on the future of the Gorleben nuclear waste dump is to resume. The Green party and environmental leaders are protesting the decision.Environmentalists and member of the Green party responded with sharp criticism to reports that the German Environment Ministry would reopen talks on the future of the Gorleben nuclear waste dump. Continue reading →

March 15, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Germany, wastes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, radiation | Leave a comment

Citizens smell a rat on Entergy’s Nuclear Spin-Off

citizens seem to be saying that they “smell a rat”. Perhaps they figure that when it’s time to shut down and clean up these plants Entergy wants to be sure that their deep corporate pockets are not available to the states in question if the Enexus doesn’t have enough money to do the job. And if that happens, guess who will foot the bills.

Entergy’s Nuclear Spin-Off Hits a Snag in Vermont, Seeking Alpha, by: John Clark March 14, 2010 Entergy (ETR), has been trying to complete a stock spinoff to separate its nuclear power plants for some time. This may be a terrific deal for Entergy and may be even a good one for the owners of the new entity to be called Enexus, but states in which those power plants are situated apparently aren’t so sure. Continue reading →

March 15, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | secrets,lies and civil liberties, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin | Leave a comment

Russia doing lucrative nuclear deals with India

Big bucks, many irritants, Business Standard, 15 March 2010, The Russia-India relationship, Ajai Shukla / New Delhi, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s 5th visit to India, superficially a success, in fact highlighted the one-way structure of the Russia-India relationship.

The four pillars on which the relationship rests — strategic congruence; defence and space partnership; nuclear power generation; and hydrocarbons — remain biased in favour of Russia. Continue reading →

March 15, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, politics international | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin | Leave a comment

State law forbids depleted uranium storage in Utah

More than 5,000 drums from the Savannah River Site are in Utah awaiting disposal, and the DOE has planned on disposing nearly 10,000 more drums, too.

Report: SC depleted uranium likely unfit for Utah, Mar 3, 2010 By BROCK VERGAKIS, AP

SALT LAKE CITY (Map, News) – Nuclear waste that’s been buried in Utah’s west desert for several years likely includes some material that’s not allowed under state law, according to an environmental group’s report released Wednesday. Continue reading →

March 15, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes | antinuclear, depleted, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, radiation, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

Russia looking to sell nuclear waste services to India

India keen on Russian help in nuclear waste disposal: Putin

Indo-Asian News Service

New Delhi, March 14, 2010, Seeking to expand civil nuclear cooperation with India, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Friday said India was keen on getting Russian help to dispose of nuclear waste.

India keen on Russian help in nuclear waste disposal: Putin- Hindustan Times

March 15, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | antinuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes | Leave a comment

Uranium contracts with foreign firms exploit Niger

Uranium Major Niger Urged to Review Contracts, ABC News, NIAMEY (Reuters) 14 March 2010, – The new junta ruling in Niger, one of the world’s biggest uranium producers, should review and possibly renegotiate dozens of resource exploitation contracts, civil rights groups said on Saturday. Continue reading →

March 15, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Niger, secrets,lies and civil liberties | cancer, nuclear, nuclear costs, radiation, uranium | Leave a comment

Costs of U.S. nuclear weapons – the facts

50 Facts About U.S. Nuclear Weapons, Pak Alert Press, March 12, 2010 The U.S. Nuclear Weapons Cost Study Project was completed in August 1998 and resulted in the book Atomic Audit: The Costs and Consequences of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Since 1940 edited by Stephen I. Schwartz. These project pages should be considered historical.

This article goes on to list the projects and costs – from 1945 – 1998
No. 1. Cost of the Manhattan Project (through August 1945): $20,000,000,000
No. 50. Estimated 1998 spending on all U.S. nuclear weapons and weapons-related programs: $35,100,000,000

50 Facts About U.S. Nuclear Weapons « Pak Alert Press

March 13, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA | antinuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

Nuclear power plants employed a terrorism suspect

American terrorism suspect arrested in Yemen worked for nuclear plants- POLITICO.com, by Laura RozenMarch 11, 2010 A Somali-American terrorism suspect arrested in Yemen worked for U.S. nuclear power plants in New Jersey from 2002-2008, the Associated Press reports: A spokesman for a group of nuclear power plants in New Jersey says a U.S. man charged in Yemen with being a member of al-Qaida had previously worked at the plants. PSEG Nuclear spokesman Joe Delmar says Sharif Mobley worked as a laborer for several contractors at its three plants on Artificial Island in Lower Alloways Creek from 2002 to 2008 carrying supplies and doing maintenance work….. Nuclear reactors remain a tempting target for terrorists, requiring ever vigilant security measures.

Yemeni officials confirmed on Thursday that Mobley is in custody. AP: American terrorism suspect arrested in Yemen worked for nuclear plants – Laura Rozen – POLITICO.com

March 13, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | MIDDLE EAST, safety | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy | Leave a comment

What on Earth to do about America’s nuclear wastes piling up?

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And – why on Earth do they want to make more of them???

Debating the Nuclear Waste Problem, NYTimes.com, By MATTHEW L. WALD, March 9, 2010. With Nevada’s Yucca Mountain facility apparently out of the picture as a nuclear waste repository, government nuclear experts say interim measures might be needed for a very long time.

In a speech Tuesday delivered to about 2,700 industry executives, nuclear regulators and other experts gathered for a nuclear energy conference in Washington, Gregory B. Jaczko, the chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said that his agency needed to determine just how many centuries such fuel can be safely stored above ground, and that it should come up with a policy that would not require amendment for many years.

Debating the Nuclear Waste Problem – Green Inc. Blog – NYTimes.com

March 13, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear wastes | Leave a comment

Even USA’s Right Wing is Worried About Nuclear Loan Guarantees!

The Heritage Foundation Position on Loan Guarantees , The Foundry: Conservative Policy News. 12 March 2010, The Heritage Foundation has not opposed limited loan guarantees (those already authorized under the Energy Policy Act of 2005). ….. Expanding government intervention into capital markets beyond current authorizations would simply distort long-term market integrity. At a minimum, they create taxpayer liabilities, give recipients preferential treatment, and distort capital markets. Continue reading →

March 13, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA | antinuclear, nuclear costs, reactor | Leave a comment

Double standards in nuclear policy on Iran and Israel

Israel and Iran simply highlight the hypocrisy of a larger nuclear policy that endorses a double standard.

The Nuclear Double Standard, Antiwar.com, by Charles V. Peña, March 12, Earlier this week, Israel announced its intention to pursue nuclear power to generate electricity. According to Israeli Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau, Israel wants to achieve energy independence from coal, which it has to import in significant quantities:…..(Israel, however, practices a policy of nuclear ambiguity, neither confirming nor denying whether it has nuclear weapons – yet it is generally accepted that Israel has such weapons).. Continue reading →

March 13, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, Religion and ethics | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

Colorado becoming a leader in renewable energy jobs

Colorado is the new energy frontier, Michael Bowman, THE HUFFINGTON POST, 12 March 2010, Colorado is emerging as an international player in the next great technological and industrial revolution. The impending state renewables bill is aggressive, job-creating, and could result in as many as 100,000 homes being equipped with solar panels, small wind turbines, or other clean energy sources…. Continue reading →

March 13, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, USA | energy efficiency, renewable energy, renewables, solar | Leave a comment

Uranium One’s losses due to low uranium prices

Uranium One announces $36.5m net loss for full year 2009 , 11 Mar 2010,(Reuters) “….– Uranium One Inc (UUU.TO: Quote) posted a net loss in 2009, hurt mainly by lower realized uranium prices, ….Earnings from mine operations fell 41.2 percent to $54.6 million. The company said average realized sales prices fell 30 percent in 2009.

Shares of the Vancouver, British Columbia-based miner closed at C$2.81 Wednesday on the Toronto Stock Exchange. (Reporting by Abhiram Nandakumar in Bangalore; Editing by Maju Samuel)

March 13, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Canada | nuclear, uranium | Leave a comment

First Uranium rescued by shareholders, from financial disaster

First Uranium shareholders provide capital lifeline Winnepedg Free Press, By: THE CANADIAN PRESS 12 March 2010, TORONTO – First Uranium Corp. (TSX:FIU) is getting a much-needed infusion of capital from a major shareholder and a new chief executive.The Toronto-based gold and uranium company had warned last month that its financial condition had been “severely compromised” by problems getting government environmental approval for a future storage site in South Africa.

First Uranium shareholders provide capital lifeline – Winnipeg Free Press

March 13, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Canada | nuclear costs | Leave a comment

Many angiograms unnecessary, and carry radiation risks

Heart Angiograms Show No Disease in Almost 40% BusinessWeek, March 10, 2010, March 10 (Bloomberg) — Doctors may be sending patients too quickly for elective angiograms to detect heart disease, exposing them to radiation and driving up U.S. health-care costs, a study suggests. Continue reading →