2010 December 30 « nuclear-news

Jan 4 the day for critical nuclear waste dump vote, Vermont and Texas

A Last-Minute Choice by Texas and Vermont, NYTimes.com, December 30, 2010, By MATTHEW L. WALD Vermont and Texas, the odd couple of nuclear waste disposal, are proceeding with a plan to allow 36 other states to use a dump site under development in west Texas, despite the misgivings of Vermont’s incoming governor, Peter Shumlin, about the move. Continue reading →

December 30, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

Don’t let Pittsylvania County become ‘sacrifice zone’ for uranium

Don’t let county become ‘sacrifice zone’ for uranium Star Tribune, ,December 29, 2010, Bill Winn“……Now that it has been suggested that the only economic, viable location in Virginia for mining is at nearby Coles Hill, it becomes relatively easy for representatives of other areas to allow such mining here – especially when uranium supporters and their many lobbyists have essentially unlimited funds to give away to the General Assembly. Continue reading →

December 30, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

Long term effects of uranium mining not worth the few jobs

the long-term damage and ill effects, which inevitably result from uranium mining and milling, are not worth the few local jobs, if any, and the temporary boom-bust economy that would result.

Davis opposes uranium mining in Pittsylvania, Alta Vista Journal, Jesse Pyrant Andrews, December 29, 2010 It is most important that Henry Davis be elected to the Senate seat recently vacated by Mr. Hurt. Hank Davis is the only politician who has had the courage and good sense to say that uranium mining would not be a viable course of action for Pittsylvania County or for the commonwealth. Continue reading →

December 30, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

Iran’s nuclear program- Stuxnet sabotage by Mossad, UK, USA

‘Mossad, UK, US teamed up to sabotage Iran nuclear program’, Jerusalem Post, 30 Dec 10, US and UK intelligence forces are cooperating with Mossad to sabotage Teheran’s nuclear program in exchange for Israel agreeing not to launch a military strike on Iran, reported the French weekly Le Canard Enchaine on Thursday, quoting French intelligence sources.According to the sources, acts of sabotage carried out in the past year in Iran were conducted by Israel with the assistance of the CIA and MI6. Among the sabotage acts, according to the report, was the introduction of the Stuxnet computer virus into 30,000 computers in Iran’s nuclear reactors. ‘Mossad, UK, US teamed up to sabotage Iran nuclear program’

December 30, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Iran, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

Iran in fact nowhere near acquiring nuclear weapon

An Israeli minister estimates that Iran is three years away from developing a nuclear weapon, a more long-term estimate than recent Israeli claims that an Iranian bomb was imminent.

Iran nuclear program delayed, says Israeli minister, CSMonitor.com, 31 Dec 10, Contrasting with recent Israeli claims that the Iran nuclear threat was imminent, a top minister says that setbacks have put Iran three years away from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Continue reading →

December 30, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Iran, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Fears of Iran- North Korea collaboration on nuclear bomb

It is no secret that Iran and North Korea are collaborating in a ballistic missile program.

Is Iran About to Test a Nuclear Bomb In North Korea? By Reza Kahlili December 30, 2010| FoxNews.com On December 24, a research report from the South Korean Foreign Ministry Institute indicated that North Korea would carry out another nuclear bomb test after the beginning of the year. — South Korean media reported earlier this month that the North was digging a tunnel in preparation for such a nuclear test. Continue reading →

December 30, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | North Korea, weapons and war | Leave a comment

2010 year of big potential for renewable energy

other countries have amazing potential as well. One report demonstrated how Australia could be completely powered by renewables — yes, 100 percent — by 2020…….It remains to be seen if 2011 will feature significant progress toward renewable energy goals, or just another year’s worth of reporting on its potential.

2010 Renewable Energy Recap: Big Potential, Slow Progress, IEEE Spectrum, 31 Dec 10, This year started with good news on the renewable energy front, with reports on impressive 2009 growth in wind power installations. 2010, though, wasn’t quite as great a year in terms of the number of turbines and solar panels installed in the US and around the world. Instead, it was the year of potential: report after report showing just how much power the world really could get if all our renewable energy dreams are realized. Continue reading →

December 30, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, USA | Leave a comment

Israel was ready in 1980 to use nuclear bomb

UK cable in 1980 said Israel ready to use bomb, Former Ambassador Robinson told Foreign Office ‘if Israelis are to be destroyed, they will go down fighting this time’, Reuters 12.30.10, Israel News A British ambassador to Israel warned as early as 1980 that Israel would detonate a nuclear bomb in case of a new war with the Arabs, according to previously secret state documents released on Thursday. “If they (Israelis) are to be destroyed, they will go down fighting this time. They will be ready to use their atomic weapon,” ambassador John Robinson wrote in a cable to the Foreign Office on May 4, 1980.

Israel has never confirmed or denied having atom bombs under a policy of ambiguity to deter numerically superior foes. UK cable in 1980 said Israel ready to use bomb – Israel News, Ynetnews

December 30, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | history, Israel, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Dim outlook in USA for French nuclear company EDF

EDF faces an uphill struggle………. the longer the EDF process draws out, the more it is likely to be tied up by political and economic constraints, beyond the overarching debate about the future of US nuclear energy….

EDF’s role in US nuclear market is clouded, Google hosted news, By Marc Jourdier (AFP) –30 Dec 10, WASHINGTON — Time may be running out for French energy giant EDF to gain a stronger foothold in the US nuclear sector, Continue reading →

December 30, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, France | Leave a comment

The nuclear fuel bank – an attempt to secure plutonium and weapons grade uranium

“there is a large universe of nuclear material sites around the world and there are many unknowns and uncertainties…”

The nuclear clean-out, FP, David Hoffman, 30 Dec 10, “………On Dec. 3, the IAEA’s 35-nation board approved plans for a new nuclear fuel repository. The idea is to encourage nations which want low-enriched fuel for civilian reactors to acquire it from the international fuel bank rather than build a domestic capability which can raise concerns about proliferation and making nuclear weapons. Continue reading →

December 30, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, safety, Uranium | Leave a comment

Anti Nuclear Movement Successes in 2010

Sometimes victories can be defined as things that didn’t happen. Nuclear Information and Referral Service 30 Dec 10, And, looking back, 2010 was full of such victories. Think about it:
*Once again, the nuclear industry failed to obtain any new taxpayer loans for new nuclear reactor construction–despite, this year, gaining the support of the President of the United States.
*Once again, no new reactors were licensed, and no new reactor designs were certified. The nuclear “renaissance” continues to be a mere mirage in the minds of its backers.
*Once again, no states lifted their existing moratoria against new reactor construction, despite heavy industry lobbying.

Of course, a few things did happen, such as:

*The Vermont legislature voted to close the Vermont Yankee reactor when its license expires in 2012, and Vermont voters added an exclamation point to that when it elected the legislative leader of that fight, Peter Shumlin, to be the state’s new Governor. Continue reading →

December 30, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | opposition to nuclear, USA | Leave a comment

Trouble looming for AREVA’s planned nuclear plant in India

the TISS report indicating that facts have been suppressed and twisted to get clearance, …The Jaitapur nuclear power complex is located in the ecologically sensitive coastal Maharashtra region which includes Raigad, Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts…..

Indo-French Nuclear plant in trouble, TruthDive, By Ayyappa Prasad December 29, 2010 Earlier this month, the Nuclear Power Corporation of India inked deals with the French nuclear designing firm Areva to set up the nuclear plant in Jaitapur in the Konkan region of Maharashtra. The plant site would render population in five villages homeless. The Nuclear plant which would produce 9,900 megawatt power has now come into focus with the Tata backed TISS report stating that the plant would be a social disaster. Continue reading →

December 30, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

More jobs for Maryland with new Solar Energy law

New law increases use of solar energy in Maryland – Bloomberg, 30 Dec 10, ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Power suppliers that sell electricity in Maryland will have to buy more energy from solar sources under a law taking effect Saturday.The law moves up the timetable for making solar energy part of the state’s renewables portfolio standard. It also aims to create jobs in the solar power industry while boosting the state’s use of renewable energy to protect the environment….. New law increases use of solar energy in Maryland – Bloomberg

December 30, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, USA | Leave a comment

1,000 of Iran’s uranium plant centrifuges knocked out by Stuxnet worm?

Stuxnet might have damaged 1,000 centrifuges in Natanz, 30 Dec 10, “………The Stuxnet virus which has contaminated Iran’s nuclear setting up might have been at the back of the decommissioning of the 1,000 centrifuges in the Natanz uranium fortification facility earlier the year, according to the new study of the malevolent software. Continue reading →

December 30, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Iraq, technology, Uranium | Leave a comment

Nuclear energy a bad idea for Kenya

“The government can explore alternative sources of energy but the last place we want to go as Kenyans is towards nuclear energy,”

Kenya not ready for nuclear energy project: lobby, Daily Nation, 29 Dec 10, An environmental lobby has faulted the quest for nuclear energy. We do not have the capacity to secure nuclear energy plants… Our country does not even have the capacity to secure its borders leave alone engaging in such a toxic and a lethal enterprise,” said Prof Karanja Njoroge, the executive director of the Green Belt Movement.