2010 October 12 « nuclear-news

No saving prospects for nuclear industry on the cliff edge

chaotic construction fiascos in Finland and Flamanville, France, have caused “trepidation” by the reactor industry as a whole,…..However it plays out, Constellation has dealt a body blow to the nuclear renaissance…..Pro-nuclear members of Congress may gather in December to demand more money and laxer terms for loan guarantees. But the apparent death of Calvert Cliffs has no upside for an industry on the brink.

Reactor “Renaissance” Flies off Another Cliff, By Harvey Wasserman, 12 Oct 10,
Maryland’s Calvert Cliffs nuke project is on the brink of cancellation. It’s potentially one of the most critical atomic failures in decades.

But financial markets love the nuke’s demise. The stock of its American partner—Constellation Energy—has soared with the apparent death of a project widely feared as a huge money-loser. Continue reading →

October 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | antinuclear, EDF, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, reactors | Leave a comment

France’s EDF takes share loss, with cancellation of USA project

EDF shares fall on nuclear news The Daily Record, , October 11, 2010By Associated Press PARIS — Shares in Electricite de France SA slid Monday after the French state-owned utility’s U.S. partner, Constellation Energy Group, pulled out of a project to build the first of a new generation of nuclear power plants in Maryland.

The announcement dealt a serious setback to EDF’s ambitions to lead a nuclear renaissance in the United States. The company is the world’s largest electric power producer.EDF shares slipped as much as 1.5 percent in early trading and midafternoon were down 1.1 percent at $43.43 on the Paris stock exchange — and were the biggest loser on the benchmark CAC-40 index.
An EDF spokeswoman said the future of the multibillion-dollar Calvert Cliffs 3 plant project is unclear after Baltimore-based Constellation said it would drop out over risks linked to the high cost of a $7.5 billion loan guarantee… » EDF shares fall on nuclear news

October 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, France | antinuclear, nuclear costs, reactors | Leave a comment

Ratepayers, not shareholders, cop the cost of Georgia’s planned nuclear reactors

[Georgia’s nuclear] project is receiving other assistance that was not available to the Calvert Cliffs project: Construction Work in Progress financing, or CWIP. This is a scheme that allows Southern Company/Georgia Power to begin charging ratepayers for the reactors even before they’re built. Maryland law does not allow CWIP.

Nuclear project cancellation leaves Georgia standing alone, FACING SOUTH, 11 Oct 10, Apparently even billions of dollars in loan guarantees from the federal government are not enough to help the nuclear industry overcome the financial risks of building new reactors……. Continue reading →

October 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, reactors | 2 Comments

Nuclear power’s high costs make nuclear socialism essential

the all-in cost of a 2-gigawatt nuclear plant including financing running around $20 billion to $25 billion — in other words, $10 or more per watt. Financing costs are important to include because plants take years to erect: even a one percent loan on a $8 billion project adds up. As a result, the high price results in nuclear socialism, … because plants will always need state support.

How Much Does Nuclear Cost? $6,000 a Kilowatt or More, Greentech Media, 11 Oct 10, Constellation’s bid to get government backing sheds some light on the high cost of nuclear.

How much is that nuclear reactor in the window? Continue reading →

October 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, business and costs | AUSTRALIA, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, reactors | Leave a comment

Russia boosting nuclear sales – will take back radioactive wastes

Sergei Kiriyenko, a former prime minister, told reporters there that sales would triple by 2030, to $50 billion annually……Under legislation that might have been more difficult to push through a freer political system, Russia allows the importation of spent nuclear fuel from reactors elsewhere.

Russia Seeks to Build Europe’s Nuclear Plants – NYTimes.com, Rosatom, the Russian state-owned nuclear company, is competing with Westinghouse and Areva of France to build new reactors at the Temelin station in the Czech Republic.By ANDREW E. KRAMER October 11, 2010 MOSCOW — The Russian nuclear industry has profited handsomely from building reactors in developing countries, including India, China and Iran. Now it is testing the prospect of becoming a major supplier to the European Union, too…….. Continue reading →

October 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics international, Russia | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Complexity of shipping Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU)

These reactors are using highly enriched uranium fuel pure enough for a bomb. Since Sept. 11, 2001, the U.S. government has grown increasingly worried that terrorists could steal the material or buy it. ….. these reactors aren’t very well guarded.

Nuclear Road Trip: Shipping Uranium A Complex Task, NPR, by Geoff Brumfiel, 11 Oct 10, A shipment of bomb-grade uranium arrived at a secure facility in Russia on Monday, sent from a research reactor in Poland as part of a race to secure dangerous radioactive material around the world. Continue reading →

October 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, safety | antinuclear, enriched, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

India govt doing a back door deal to subvert Nuclear Liability Bill?

Desperate to push through its nuclear energy programme, it would appear that the Indian government may try to push through back-door amendments to limit the liability of foreign suppliers in case of an accident.

(India) Govt set to dilute n-liability bill thru back door? domain-b.com news 11 October 2010 Science and technology minister Prithviraj Chavan’s latest comments seem to indicate that the government is not happy about the stringent nuclear liability rules forced down its throat in the wake of the pitiful Bhopal gas disaster verdict. Continue reading →

October 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, secrets,lies and civil liberties | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, reactors | Leave a comment

New screening methods increase risk of breast cancer

both BSGI and PEM are linked with much higher breast cancer risk per screening than the risks associated with the mammography currently used and the cancer risk from the new methods is also found in other radiosensitive organs.

Be aware of radiation-induced breast cancer risk, foodconsumer.org – Pink News, 12 Oct 10, In October – the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, women are encouraged to receive annual breast cancer screening. Many women may not be aware though that mammography screening by itself can cause breast cancer. The radiation induced breast cancer risk is particularly higher from the newly approved screening instruments. Continue reading →

October 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | health, USA | antinuclear, cancer, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, radioactive | Leave a comment

USA helped Israel get nuclear weapons, says Iran

Iran, which denies Israeli and Western suspicions it is making nuclear arms, has repeatedly called for Israel to be questioned over its reported atomic arsenal

Iran to show proof of US nuclear aid to Israel: negotiator, Google hosted news, 11 Oct 10, (AFP) TEHRAN — Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili said on Monday that Tehran is to reveal proof of how nuclear material enriched by United States was delivered to the Islamic republic’s arch-foe Israel. Continue reading →

October 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear weapons | 1 Comment