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South Africa gives desperate France a chance to save its nuclear business

“South Africa is an indispensable lifeline,” Yves Marignac, a French energy consultant who campaigns for renewable solutions, told FRANCE 24. “It seems to be the only country seriously willing to put out a tender [for the construction of nuclear reactors] next year, so the only one that can salvage the little credibility that France as an exporter still has.”

France creeps closer to South Africa’s nuclear jackpot, France24 by Sophie PILGRIM 3 March 11, Long-time energy partners France and South Africa signed a series of bilateral agreements Wednesday on President Jacob Zuma’s final day of his state visit to Paris. The deals, which involve energy giants Areva and EDF, come just before South Africa is set to expand its nuclear programme. Continue reading →

March 4, 2011 Posted by | France, marketing | Leave a comment

France’s Sarkozy aggressively marketing nuclear power

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been especially aggressive in leveraging the French lead in civilian nuclear technology to try to secure diplomatic, commercial and military advantages in the Middle East, in addition to parts of Africa and Asia.
Nuclear Babies and Bathwater , The Diplomat, by Manpreeth Sethi, 3 March 2011, “……..It’s no secret that with the current global nuclear renaissance, France hopes to seize a significant share of the world nuclear market—including from major Asian nuclear energy rivals such as South Korea Continue reading →

March 4, 2011 Posted by | France, marketing | Leave a comment

Lawsuits express no confidence in nuclear “Waste Confidence Rule”

For many, the separate suits by state attorneys general and environmental groups raise fresh questions over why America is pouring billions into a nuclear renaissance with no long-term strategy for handling waste from the nation’s existing facilities. ….The lawsuit targets NRC’s recently updated “Waste Confidence Rule.”


As U.S. Moves Ahead with Nuclear Power, No Solution for Radioactive Waste, Solve Climate News, By Abby LubyMar 3, 2011 A pair of legal actions against the Nuclear Regulatory Commission raises fresh questions over how and where to store the nation’s growing nuclear waste, Continue reading →

March 4, 2011 Posted by | Legal, USA, wastes | Leave a comment

“Low probability” of nuclear bombing does not equal “safety”

humans have a tendency to misunderstand the laws of probability and risk.  Don’t believe me? In a separate article on his arms control blog “Nuclearrisk.org,” Hellman  shows how easy it is to overestimate the safety of low-probability events……Environmentalists: Wake Up! Nuclear disarmament should be your most urgent green issue..

Nuclear Weapons and Climate Change: Part Two by Eben Harrell,  TIME.com, 4 March 11, “……….The problem with estimating the nuclear threat is that the risk of nuclear war is simply not known. All we know for sure is that nuclear deterrence has successfully avoided a nuclear war for 65 years. To Romm and many others, including my colleague here at TIME, David von Drehle,  this success strongly suggests that nuclear weapons are safe. This thinking is highly dangerous and is based on a fallacy. And environmentalists, of all people, should know better. Continue reading →

March 4, 2011 Posted by | 2 WORLD, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s unfounded claim that “waste disposal solution will be available”

The NRC maintains its position that a repository “will be available …. when necessary.” But the petitioning groups say that assumption is made without “foundation in the facts and history of the U.S. geologic repository program.”….

As U.S. Moves Ahead with Nuclear Power, No Solution for Radioactive Waste, Solve Climate News, By Abby LubyMar 3, 2011“…….Less than a week after the attorneys general sued, environmental organizations petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to overturn two NRC rules that say storage and disposal of radioactive waste poses no significant safety or environmental concerns. Continue reading →

March 4, 2011 Posted by | USA, wastes | Leave a comment

Water shortage halts uranium processing plant in India

Uranium processing plant lying idle for water crisis, IBN Live News, Mar 03,2011 Jamshedpur (Jharkhand), The production in the processing plant of Turamdih uranium mine, one of the mines of Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), has been suspended due to water shortage, officials said.”The processing plant of Turamdih Mines, on the outskirts of Jamshedpur, has been stopped due to water shortage,” S K Srivastav, General Manager of Processing Plant of UCIL, said.He said the processing plant, which has 3000 ton per day capacity, has been lying idle for the last four days as the water source of Kharkhai river has dried up.About 8000 to 9000 cusec water is needed to run the plant, he said.Srivastav said efforts have been underway to draw water from the nearby areas.He said UCIL has decided to transfer the mine water from Jadugora mine to run the mine for a few days. A study has been carried out in the nearby areas to identify a spot from where water could be drawn, officials said. 

March 4, 2011 Posted by | India, water | Leave a comment

China’s nuclear arsenal small – but transparency is needed

The driving force in U.S.-Russia nuclear arms reduction and control is that transparency fosters predictability and minimizes the risk of a terrible war by miscalculation. A similar pact must be in the interests of China, India, Pakistan — and the rest of Asia.

Why worry about China’s nuclear warheads?, The Japan Times Online, By MICHAEL RICHARDSON, 3 March, 11, SINGAPORE — Latest estimates by Western analysts put China’s stockpile at 240 warheads, with 175 in active mode and 65 in reserve or waiting to be dismantled because they are considered too old for use.

This is a small arsenal compared with those of the United States and Russia. Continue reading →

March 4, 2011 Posted by | China, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Renewable energy success makes Germany a magnet for green business

“With record demand every year in Germany and growing markets across Europe, it’s not surprising that many of the world’s biggest solar and wind players are located here,”

Germany Achieves 17% Renewable Energy Sourced Electricity : Renewable Energy News 3 March 11, Renewable energy sourced electricity in German homes exceeded 17 percent in 2010 and solar installations doubled reports Germany Trade & Invest. Germany’s solar market continues to be the biggest in the world, with new solar power systems installed in 2010 amounting to a staggering 7 GW and representing nearly half the world market.  Continue reading →

March 4, 2011 Posted by | Germany, renewable | Leave a comment

Navy personnel claim cancers due to radiation exposure

Veterans who served there have long suspected their cancers were related to possible radiation exposure,

Exclusive report into Navy radiation exposure reaches Obama cabinet officials WEWS News, by Ron Regan, 3 March 11, CLEVELAND – Two top level cabinet officials in the Obama administration have been asked to review an exclusive 5 On Your Side investigation into possible radiation exposure among Navy personnel. Continue reading →

March 4, 2011 Posted by | health, USA | Leave a comment

A new worldwide standard for monitoring workers for radiation exposure

New ISO standard will improve protection of workers exposed to radiation, IEWY News 3 March 11, A  new ISO standard will help optimize individual monitoring and protection of workers exposed to radiation. It will also provide the technical basis for reinforcing regulation in this field worldwide. Continue reading →

March 4, 2011 Posted by | 2 WORLD, health, technology | Leave a comment

Grudging recognition of cancers caused by radiation, among uranium workers

employees who worked outside of those dates still have to prove their cancer was caused by radiation at the plant….“They waited so long until almost everyone died,” Wytovak said.

They’re hoping for help in radiation case, Fuel Fix 3 March 2011, “…………“I thought it was a fertilizer plant,” said Wytovak, who discovered later during his 20 years at the plant that he had been part of an unwitting team extracting uranium for nuclear weapons. Continue reading →

March 4, 2011 Posted by | health, Uranium, USA | 1 Comment

Overexposure to radiation of some hospital patients

Cabell Huntington Hospital Says Some Patient May Have Been Overexposed to Radiation – WOWK-TV – , 3 March 11, HUNTINGTON — Cabell Huntington Hospital is informing former patients about possible overexposure to radiation.Hospital officials made the announcement Thursday in a news release. According to the hospital’s findings, officials believe it happened during a specific radiological procedure known as CT Angiography. The overexposure could have happened to patients who underwent the procedure between Oct. 9, 2009 and Nov. 23, 2010. Cabell Huntington believes the “a group of patients may have received an exposure to radiation that is above the recommended level.”Cabell Huntington Hospital Says Some Patient May Have Been Overexposed to Radiation – WOWK-TV – WOWKTV.com

March 4, 2011 Posted by | health, USA | Leave a comment

Uranium price to fall as USA sells its surplus

In analysis prepared for the department concluded that the average spot price for uranium could fall 4.9 to 8.9 percent during the period from the November 30, 2010

U.S. Energy Dept to sell surplus uranium Mar 3, 2011 WASHINGTON (Reuters), by Tom Doggett – The U.S. Energy Department plans to sell 2,000 tonnes of surplus uranium annually 2011-2013, which could push spot prices lower over the next three years…. Continue reading →

March 4, 2011 Posted by | business and costs, Uranium, USA | Leave a comment

Global warming agents released in uranium enrichment

The radiative properties of CFCs make them a dangerous global warming agent — 1,500 times more potent than carbon dioxide, according to EPA figures. Ozone-depleting CFCs have been banned in the U.S. except in the processing of uranium ore.

As U.S. Moves Ahead with Nuclear Power, No Solution for Radioactive Waste, Solve Climate News, By Abby LubyMar 3, 2011.”…….Some observers have challenged the sector’s clean energy claims, however, especially when considering the entire nuclear fuel cycle and its impact on global warming. Continue reading →

March 4, 2011 Posted by | climate change, Uranium, USA | Leave a comment

Stuxnet attack on Iran’s nuclear plants, by USA

the Stuxnet code was designed to trick human operators by showing them recorded readings indicating machinery is running normally while behind the scenes they are heading for destruction….it is a generic attack that would work well in factories, power plants, or other operations plentiful in the United States.

Computer expert says US behind Stuxnet worm, Google hosted news, By Glenn Chapman (AFP) – 4 March 11, LONG BEACH, California — A German computer security expert said Thursday he believes the United States and Israel’s Mossad unleashed the malicious Stuxnet worm on Iran’s nuclear program. Continue reading →

March 4, 2011 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, technology, USA | Leave a comment

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