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The News That Matters about the Nuclear Industry Fukushima Chernobyl Mayak Three Mile Island Atomic Testing Radiation Isotope

Greenhouse emissions by nuclear industry – the facts are obscured

Most studies,.. obscure the complexity and variation inherent in the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the nuclear lifecycle rather than explaining it…..

Nuclear Industry Must Be Transparent on Uranium Mining, Carbon Output Before New Plants, The Energy Collective, by David Thorpe,  July 19, 2011 ”….significant grounds for concern.  In this piece I will discuss firstly uranium mining and then the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the nuclear power life cycle before asking – if this industry has nothing to hide – why isn’t it more transparent?… Continue reading →

July 19, 2011 Posted by | 2 WORLD, climate change | Leave a comment

Japan acts to ban Fukushima cattle sales, as radiation problems continue

Japan Bans Radioactive Cattle 4 Months After Nuclear Disaster, Bloomberg, By Aya Takada – Jul 19, 2011  19 July 11    Japan’s government, struggling to contain radiation contamination among beef cattle, is being blamed by consumers and lawmakers for negligence over its handling of the food safety crisis, even as it moved to ban shipments Continue reading →

July 19, 2011 Posted by | - Fukushima 2011 | Leave a comment

Vermont Nuclear Plant to close while lawsuit continues

Judge denies Entergy’s injunction request; trial set to begin on Sept. 12, By Randolph T. Holhut/The Commons,18 july 11,BRATTLEBORO—Entergy Corp. has lost its bid for a preliminary injunction to keep the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant open while a lawsuit about its long-term future winds its way through the federal court system. Continue reading →

July 19, 2011 Posted by | Legal, USA | Leave a comment

Deterioration in Seabrook nuclear plant stalls licence renewal

Nuclear plant concerns stall license renewal, By Shir Haberman,Issues raised over deterioration of concrete .seacoastonline.com July19, 2011NRC inspectors reviewing Seabrook Station for its fitness to have its license extended noted the deterioration, which was discovered by the plant’s staff, and noted it in an inspection report dated May 23.

SEABROOK — The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission confirmed Friday that the discovery of deteriorating concrete in below-ground-level structures at the Seabrook Station nuclear power plant made public earlier this year could delay the granting of a license extension that would allow the plant to operate until 20     ….

“The walk-down inspections discovered the following plant material conditions; (a) large amount of groundwater infiltration, (b) large amount of calcium carbonate deposits, (c) corroded steel supports, base plates and piping, (d) corroded anchor bolts, (e) pooling of water and (f) cracking and spalling of concrete,” the NRC report indicated. “The inspection further noted that the below-grade, exterior walls in the Control Building B Electrical Tunnel … have random cracking and for several years have been saturated by groundwater infiltration……

typically, the license extension approval process takes 30 months when opponents call for a public hearing on the merits of that extension. Several nuclear safety organizations, including the Portsmouth-based Seacoast Anti-Pollution League, have been granted intervener status in the Seabrook license extension process creating the need for such a hearing.

“This ongoing groundwater infiltration and weakening of the plant foundations doesn’t sound good, considering that it is only about one-third of the way through its prospective life,” said Doug Bogen, executive director of SAPL after the May 23 report was issued. “This is exactly the kind of problem we’re concerned about as the plant enters its middle and old age, and it doesn’t bode well for future safety and reliability if the problem worsens in coming years.”…

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20110719-NEWS-107190336

July 19, 2011 Posted by | safety, USA | Leave a comment

USA keen to market nuclear technology to India

Clinton presses India for nuclear business, Google News,(AFP) – 19 July 11 NEW DELHI — US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pressed Tuesday for easier access to the Indian market , for US nuclear energy firms, who are trailing their French and Russian competitors.

Former president George W. Bush concluded a landmark energy pact with India in 2008 that lifted an embargo on selling atomic technology to New Delhi imposed after the country’s first nuclear test in 1974.

Despite the diplomatic efforts of Washington to push through the deal, privately run US firms such as Westinghouse and GE-Hitachi have so far lost out in the race to land contracts to build new reactors…..

The main problem for US operators is a clause in India’s new nuclear liability bill that makes the suppliers of reactors liable for 80 years for any accident at a plant.

While state-run groups have been happy to take on such risks, private companies are unwilling to sign up and are unable to find insurance to cover them for potentially crippling claims for damages…..

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hUyhAGJ4JtO6jQehZLOd9qLOmcgg?docId=CNG.d6302f5fdf47380d57e991a1d3bf4851.c1
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July 19, 2011 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

USA govt backs big solar and wind projects

Big Solar, Wind Projects Backed By U.S.  Earth Techling, by Pete Danko, July 18th, 2011 @…All told, the projects will provide 550 megawatts (MW) of new electrical generation capacity, enough juice to power 185,000 to 380,000 homes, DOI said. The deparment also promoted the job-creating benefits the projects will yield: more than 1,300 construction jobs.

Continuing the Obama administration’s push for big renewable energy development, U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Ken Salazar has approved a batch of projects on public lands –  two utility-scale solar power plants in California, a wind energy plant in Oregon, and a transmission line in Southern California that’s needed to tie nine planned solar plants to the grid…..http://www.earthtechling.com/2011/07/big-solar-wind-projects-backed-by-u-s/

 


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July 19, 2011 Posted by | renewable, USA | Leave a comment

Collusion between nuclear regulators and nuclear industry in Japan

Perverse Power in Japan, WSJ 17 July 11, “……..The main incentive in Japan was to continue to build more power plants, especially sprawling multibillion-dollar nuclear facilities, because higher costs meant more profits for the utilities and large budgets for the trade and industry ministry, which both regulates and actively promotes nuclear power. For politicians, it produced fat payouts to rural coastal areas hosting nuclear plants and the electoral support of electric utilities in the hinterlands, where they carry much clout.

Regulators theoretically could force utilities to pay more attention to costs because they vet electricity rates, but they haven’t because the status quo suits the nuclear family just fine….http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304521304576448471896943828.html

July 19, 2011 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

Fukushima Prefecture will abandon nuclear power

Fukushima to scrap nuclear plants, Japan Times, 17 July 11, Prefecture vows to shift from atomic to renewable energy, The about-face came after Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s declaration Wednesday of pursuing a society free from dependence on nuclear energy and is expected to affect the policies of other prefectures that host atomic plants. Kyodo

On June 27, Fukushima Gov. Yuhei Sato specified his change in policy from tolerance of nuclear plants before the disaster, saying he concluded that Fukushima should pursue a society that does not depend on nuclear energy.

Fukushima may be the first prefecture with nuclear plants to vow to eliminate them, an official at the Natural Resources and Energy Agency said…..

The vision calls for promoting renewable energy sources instead of nuclear energy, overcoming the present nuclear crisis and building a society invulnerable to disasters.

The prefecture will officially adopt the reconstruction vision in early August

FUKUSHIMA — Fukushima Prefecture vowed to shift away from nuclear power plants in its vision compiled Friday for reconstruction after the March 11 quake and tsunami….http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110716a4.html

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July 19, 2011 Posted by | - Fukushima 2011, Japan, politics | Leave a comment

India’s ambitious nuclear energy program might fall apart

N-deal with Japan in limbo, Ashok Tuteja/TNS, The Tribune, New Delhi, July 17

….Setback for India

n Tokyo has decided to suspend talks with India and four other countries concerning the sale of N-power equipment and technology after Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s recent declaration that he wants to phase out the use of nuclear energy.

n If the deal is called off, it will be a major jolt to India’s ambitious civil nuclear energy programme. India and Japan have been negotiating a nuclear agreement since June last year. Top officials of the two countries have so far held two rounds of talks.

n If Japan pulls out, American and French nuclear majors too would find it difficult to enter the Indian nuclear market. They can’t sell N-plant technology to India without the approval of the Japanese industry.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110718/main5.htm

 

July 19, 2011 Posted by | India, politics international | Leave a comment

Quiet dismantling of USA – North Korea nuclear project

Reactor parts secretly scrappedd, By Charles McMahon, seacoastonline.com, July 17, 2011,PORTSMOUTH — Behind a gated work area in the Pease International Tradeport, a project to dismantle key components of a nuclear reactor belonging to North Korea has been kept quiet over the past month. Continue reading →

July 19, 2011 Posted by | North Korea, politics international | Leave a comment

Nuclear submarines for Brazil

Brazil to build nuclear submarines which will dramatically alter balance of power in South America, By DAILY MAIL REPORTER 17th July 2011,  The Brazilian government has started work on a submarine programme which will include the construction of South America’s first nuclear subs.

The move will boost Brazil’s claim to be the strongest force in the region, and strengthen the country’s military assertiveness….http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2015731/Brazil-build-nuclear-submarines-dramatically-alter-balance-power-South-America.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

July 19, 2011 Posted by | Brazil, weapons and war | 1 Comment

India wants, with Canada, to export nuclear reactors

India courting Canada for partnership to sell nuclear reactors, The Star, 17 July 11 OTTAWA — India is pursuing a potentially lucrative partnership with Canada to sell nuclear reactors in new markets, The Canadian Press has learned.

India’s ambitious aspiration, if realized, would represent a dramatic new phase in a landmark agreement it signed last year with Canada on civilian nuclear co-operation…..

A key technical aspect of the civil nuclear deal still has to be worked out before it is formally ratified by Canada. An independent monitoring system must be put in place that would prevent India from diverting the uranium to its nuclear weapons program.

Last year, Singh pledged that India would not exploit this new deal to repeat what it did in the early 1970s: use technology from a Candu reactor it purchased from Canada to develop a nuclear weapons program.

July 19, 2011 Posted by | India, politics international | Leave a comment