2010 December « nuclear-news

Some conservatives in USA now opposing nuclear loan gurantees

The National Taxpayers Union, Taxpayers for Common Sense, the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the Non-proliferation Policy Education Center all signed a letter to Congress on Dec. 8 that called for halting any increase in the amount allocated to the loan guarantees for nuclear plants.

Budget Hawks Oppose Nuclear Loan Guarantees – International Business Times, By Jesse Emspak | December 15, 2010 Fiscal conservatives have started questioning a government program that guarantees billions in loans for new nuclear power plant construction. Continue reading →

December 16, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | Leave a comment

Utah shows the way to develop 100% renewable energy

careful development of Utah’s abundant renewable energy resources along with utility-scale energy storage can provide a technically sound, economically feasible and reliable long-term strategy to meet Utah’s growing energy needs through the middle of the this century…..

A Green Energy Plan for the Red Heart of the American West, THE HUFFINGTON POST, Christopher Thomas, 15 Dec 10, Yesterday, HEAL UTAH released a study that could change the way the West thinks about energy.The new report, as reported on by the New York Times today, shows that smart renewable energy development with storage can meet 100 percent of Utah’s growing need for electricity by mid-century, using only technologies that are commercially available today……. Continue reading →

December 16, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, USA | Leave a comment

International Atomic Energy Agency to weak to prevent nuclear weapons proliferation

“The uranium-mining assistance appears to have assisted Pakistan in furthering its nuclear-weapons program,”..“What occurred was a lack of effective oversight.”…The IAEA’s failure to prevent the use of its aid for prohibited military purposes raises questions about its ability to police the nuclear material that it helps countries produce.

Pakistani Nuclear Weapons Program’s Aid From UN Shows Weakness of Watchdog, Bloomberg, By Jonathan Tirone – Dec 16, 2010 The United Nations agency tasked with curbing nuclear proliferation may have unwittingly helped Pakistan develop its atomic-weapons program because of weak internal oversight, according to documents and interviews with three former UN scientists. Continue reading →

December 16, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Pakistan, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Huge job losses to follow Britain’s cut-back in renewable energy investment

Given the announcement today that unemployment has now reached 2.5 million, the potential loss of such a large number of jobs from the economy is likely to further weaken Britain’s ability to withstand a double-dip recession.

Scaled-down green investment bank is a disaster, guardian.co.uk, Nicholas Milton, 14 Dec 10, Chris Huhne’s admission that the green investment bank is likely to be no more than a “green bonds” fund not only jeopardises the future of Britain’s renewable energy industry and climate change targets, it will also finally lay to rest any pretence that this will be “the greenest government ever”. The announcement will also be a disaster for jobs,…… Continue reading →

December 16, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, UK | Leave a comment

$20 billion for Turkey’s nuclear reactor, wastes to go to Russia

Turkey’s first nuclear power plant to cost about $20 bln, WORLD BULLETIN- TURKEY NEWS, 16 Dec 10, On a question about nuclear waste disposal, Lokshin said that nuclear waste would be returned to Russia to be buried. Turkey’s first nuclear power plant, planned to be built by Russian state nuclear company on the southern coast of the country, would cost around $20 billion, a Russian official said on Wednesday…..Turkey’s first nuclear power plant to cost about $20 bln [ WORLD BULLETIN- TURKEY NEWS, WORLD NEWS ]

December 16, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Turkey | 1 Comment

South African nuclear reactor shut down due to radioactivity levels

Eskom Says High Radioactivity Level Prompts Shutdown Of Nuclear Unit, NASDAQ, By Robb M. Stewart, 16 Dec 10, JOHANNESBURG -(Dow Jones)- South Africa’s state-owned power company said Tuesday it will suspend a unit at its nuclear power station near Cape Town because of higher-than-normal levels of radioactivity.The radioactivity level in Koeberg Unit 1’s primary coolant circuit is the result of one or more defective fuel rods in the reactor, Eskom Holdings Ltd. said in a statement………Eskom Says High Radioactivity Level Prompts Shutdown Of Nuclear Unit

December 16, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, South Africa | Leave a comment

Gaol terms loom for elderly religious anti nuclear activists

Anne Montgomery, 83, a Sacred Heart sister from New York; Bill Bischel, SJ, 81, a Jesuit priest from Tacoma Washington; ….Steve Kelly, SJ, 60, a Jesuit priest from Oakland California.

Jury Reaches Verdict in Disarm Now Plowshares Trial, CommonDreams.org, WASHINGTON – December 13 – The federal criminal trial of five veteran peace activists that began December 7 ended today after the jury found them guilty on all counts. Continue reading →

December 14, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Religion and ethics, USA | Leave a comment

UK youth panel want renewable energy, and action on the existing nuclear wastes

“We are very concerned that short-term reasoning is being used to justify building a technology with substantial long-term impacts and responsibilities. The risks associated with nuclear cannot be ignored. Dangerous nuclear waste is a legacy we would rather not leave to future generations, and the heavy investment that will be required threatens to distract us from pursuing safer, cleaner and more future-friendly energy solutions.”…..

Youth wants renewables- not coal, or nuclear environmentalresearchweb, 13 Dec 10, DECC’s new report on ‘young people and energy’, based on participative surveys, shows massive support for renewable energy among young people. Continue reading →

December 14, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, UK | Leave a comment

AREVA nuclear company in the economic doldrums

Drumming up investor interest in such a politically sensitive business has proved tough……………..there are good industrial reasons why even long-term investors are wary of Areva. ….. growth in new nuclear capacity is sluggish.

Areva Capital Raise Is Just a Stopgap – WSJ.com,

By MATTHEW CURTIN

14 Dec 10, Selling 15% of Areva to strategic investors was supposed to herald a fresh start for France’s state-owned nuclear-technology champion after years of dithering. Instead, the government has come up with a temporary fix Continue reading →

December 14, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, France | Leave a comment

Political uproar in India over planned Jaitapur nuclear plant

Opposition benches accused the government of imposing the nuclear power plant against the will of the people, and risking human lives and fisheries.

Sena leads Oppn walkout over ”imposition” of Jaitapur plant, MSN India, Nagpur, Dec 13 (PTI) Shiv Sena members today led an Opposition walkout in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly over alleged imposition of nuclear power plant in Jaitapur in the Konkan belt of the state. Continue reading →

December 14, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, politics | Leave a comment

Costly new attempt to make Chernobyl nuclear reactor safer

New shelter over Chernobyl nuclear reactor to be built in 2015, ITAR-TASS, KIEV, December 13 — A new shelter over the fourth power unit of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant will be commissioned in 2015, Ukrainian Minister of Emergency Situations Viktor Baloga said during a visit to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant with Administrator of the U.N. Development Programme Helen Clark on Sunday……Under the project a new arch-shaped shelter 108 meters high and 150 meters long will be built over the current sarcophagus. The facility will be equipped with modern radiation security control systems. The new Chernobyl shelter will have 100 years of service life… ITAR-TASS

December 14, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | decommission reactor, Ukraine | Leave a comment

Nuclear reactor problems add to Sweden’s electricity costs

Vattenfall ….reduced capacity at one of its four reactors…OKG AB,……..technical problems with its third and largest reactor.

Swedish Electricity Prices Hike As Nuclear Problems Remain – WSJ.com, By Sven Grundberg, 14 Dec 10, STOCKHOLM (Dow Jones)–Swedish electricity prices remain at unusually high levels due to extraordinary cold and dry weather and continued problems at two nuclear power plants… Continue reading →

December 14, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Sweden | Leave a comment

Radioactive water leaked yet again from nuclear plant

leaks like the one at Brunswick reflect a wider issue in the industry.

Brunswick nuclear plant leaks contaminated water | The American Independent, By Ned Barnett | 12.13.10, Progress Energy is working to repair a leak that released water with elevated levels of radioactive tritium onto the basement of the plant’s emergency generator building, the utility said Monday.T Continue reading →

December 14, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, water | Leave a comment

“NO” to Germany as a “toilet for nuclear wastes”

They warned against Germany becoming a “nuclear toilet” or dumping ground for atomic waste.

Anti-nuclear protesters call Germany ‘nuclear toilet’ Deutsche Welle by Joanna Impey 11.12.2010 Demonstrators have gathered in the north-eastern German town of Greifswald to protest against the government’s nuclear policy ahead of another transport of nuclear waste from German and French research facilities.

Around 2,000 demonstrators gathered in the German town of Greifswald on Saturday ahead of next week’s planned nuclear-waste transport to the nearby storage facility in Lubmin. Continue reading →

December 13, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Germany, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Transmission and storage – progress towards national renewable energy

Transmission capacity isn’t the only thing needed for clean energy to come into wider use, though. Also critical is energy-storage technology, as renewable-power sources like wind and solar can produce electricity intermittently.

Renewable-Energy Infrastructure Gets a Boost, GetSolar, December 12th 2010 Crucial to the wider adoption of solar power and other renewable-energy technologies is an improvement in the nation’s electric infrastructure – and it looks like progress is being made. Continue reading →

December 13, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, USA | Leave a comment

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