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Legal challenge to India’s nuclear liability law

 “The Act channels all the liability to the nuclear operator [now the government itself], and the victims are not allowed to sue companies supplying reactors and other materials.” 

the Act was passed because the U.S., France and Russia, with which India had signed nuclear deals, pressured the government to buy expensive reactors from their suppliers.

Supreme Court to examine constitutional validity of nuclear civil liability law  THE HINDU, 17 March 12, J. VENKATESAN The Supreme Court will examine the constitutional validity of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, which limits the liability of an operator in the event of a nuclear disaster to Rs. 1,500 crore. Continue reading →

March 17, 2012 Posted by | India, Legal | Leave a comment

South Koreans becoming unsure of nuclear power safety

 SK Sees Nuclear Plant Jitters Ahead Of Summit, WSJ, March 16, 2012,  A little over a week before South Korea hosts the 50-nation Nuclear Security Summit, the government is trying to reassure the public over the safety of nuclear power following a blackout at a nuclear plant on the south coast and a public backlash about alleged cover-up attempts by officials. Continue reading →

March 17, 2012 Posted by | politics, South Korea | Leave a comment

Former UK Prime Minister Brown wants full cleanup of radioactivity on Scotland’s coast

Bay radiation clean-up plan agreed Google News, (UKPA) – 17 March 12, A plan has been agreed to deal with radioactive particles found on an area of Scottish coastline. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) have agreed a plan to treat Dalgety Bay in Fife. “Significant” sources of radiation were discovered at the bay on the Firth of Forth coast earlier this year.

The contamination is thought to stem from residue of radium-coated instrument panels used on military aircraft which were incinerated and land-filled in the area at the end of the Second World War….

. Former prime minister Gordon Brown, who has campaigned for the bay to be cleaned up, welcomed the statement but said a timetable of action should be drawn up. Mr Brown said: “I and the community council are clear that we need a full statement of the discovery of radiation particles in the area and we need not only a plan for continuous monitoring but a plan for the removal of radioactive particles and either a sea wall or other remedial work to prevent particles causing safety fears again.
“When I meet the Secretary of State for Defence next Monday on 26th March I will be asking for a timetable for a clean-up plan for the area that can be implemented as soon as possible. This, and this alone, can lift the threat of a designation order that would label
Dalgety Bay a radiation contaminated area. None of us want this to happen and it is up to the Ministry of Defence to take action to prevent this misfortune.” http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hvuc1afMQN0gtJUmg2Ng3wNH02TA?docId=N1157191331927522285A

March 17, 2012 Posted by | environment, UK | Leave a comment

Costly cleanup of old uranium residue

VIDEO http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/70-Years-Later-Concerns-of-Uranium-at-Fort-Wayne-Plant-142990795.html 70 Years Later, Concerns of Uranium at Fort Wayne Plant By Stephanie Parkinson March 16, 2012 FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Indiana’s NewsCenter) – A Fort Wayne steel mill is still seeing the effects of uranium used there in the 1940s.

It’s been 70 years since World War II and now the government is investigating the former Joslyn site. In 1945 the site was used to make parts for the government atomic weapons. We’ll be looking at the production facilities that were in place at the time, and trying to
find where the uranium operations took place, see if there is any obvious ground disturbances, or movement, where they disposed of uranium shavings or dust,” said William Kowalewski, Army Corps of Engineers.

The former Joslyn Plant is now Valbruna Slater Steel. Employees that work on the site now tell INC News there is a building still standing there that they are told not to go into because it was an area where they had uranium in 1940s…. Although Valbruna has told
employees the radiation from the uranium is not measurable, Kowalewski says there could be long term effects and there could also be areas that were overlooked.
“We’ve seen in the past where we might have thought that all the operations took place in a defined fence line, but when we look at the old photographs, we see impacts of some activity outside the fence line,” said Kowalewski.
The Army Corps study is being done right now. Kowalewski says once that’s done any contaminated areas will be treated or removed from the site, but that won’t happen for at least another three years because of funding and the time it takes to finish their study….

March 17, 2012 Posted by | Resources -audiovicual | 1 Comment

Bulgaria considers abandoning expensive nuclear project

Bulgaria delays Belene nuclear project, Daily Times, 17 March 12

* PM says Belene project cannot go ahead without Western investors

* Final decision on 2,000MW project likely to be delayed

SOFIA: Bulgaria will abandon plans to build a 2,000 megawatt nuclear power plant on the Danube River if it cannot attract sufficient Western funding for the 8 billion euros ($10.5 billion) project, Prime Minister Boiko Borisov said on Friday. Continue reading →

March 17, 2012 Posted by | business and costs, EUROPE | Leave a comment

Czech Republic’s nuclear power plans unraveling, unaffordable

Stalemate Hits $10 Billion Czech Nuclear Plan on Funding, By Ladka Bauerova on March 15, 2012  The Czech Republic’s $10 billion plan to build two atomic reactors near the German border that could supply electricity to the Bavarian industrial heartland is unraveling over financial and pricing disputes.

CEZ AS (CEZ), Europe’s only utility with an atomic project out to bid, is beset by falling power prices and predictions that its financial muscle is too weak to safeguard investors. Continue reading →

March 17, 2012 Posted by | business and costs, EUROPE | Leave a comment

140 nuclear reactors now dead, but only 17 buried!

Intermediate-level waste, contrary to its name, is even more of a problem because it may require deep ground burial alongside the high-level spent fuel

In 1976, a British Royal Commission said no more nuclear power plants should be built until the waste disposal problems were resolved. Thirty-five years on, nothing much has changed.

How to dismantle a nuclear reactor, New Scientist, 15 March 2012 by Fred Pearce  By the start of 2012, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, 138 commercial power reactors had been permanently shut down. At least 80 are expected to join the queue for decommissioning in the coming decade – more if other governments join Germany in deciding to phase out nuclear power following the Fukushima disaster in Japan last year.

And yet, so far, only 17 of these have been dismantled and made permanently safe. That’s because decommissioning is difficult, time-consuming and expensive. Continue reading →

March 16, 2012 Posted by | 2 WORLD, decommission reactor, Reference | Leave a comment

The damaging impact of Indian Point Nuclear Plant on river fish

NRC Finds New Environmental Data on Indian Point, Scarsdale, by Jessica Glenza   BUCHANAN, N.Y. 15 March 12,  – New environmental impact data of Indian Point Nuclear Power Plants’ effect on Hudson River aquatic organisms prompted the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to begin a supplemental environmental impact statement. The supplement is in addition to the impact statement already required for the two reactors’ license renewal proceedings.

The NRC cited three reasons for the supplemental statement; new data provided by Entergy regarding how many fish are killed or trapped against cooling water intakes, the thermal plume created by warm water ejected from the plant into the Hudson River and new developments with regard to endangered species.

“It’s not that uncommon for us to do a supplemental environmental impact statement, these reviews can take years,” said Neil Sheehan, spokesperson for the NRC about reviews for license renewal. “The listing of the Atlantic sturgeon is obviously a very new piece of information.”

In January, the National Marine Fisheries listed Hudson River Atlantic sturgeon populations as endangered.  Data provided by Entergy refers to “impingement” and “entrainment” of fish in the once-through cooling water intakes. “Impingment” refers to the trapping of fish against intake screens, “entrainment” refers to smaller fish that go through the intake’s traveling screens and are killed in the plants’ cooling systems, which use up to 2.5 billion gallons of river water per day….. http://www.thedailyscarsdale.com/news/nrc-finds-new-environmental-data-indian-point

March 16, 2012 Posted by | environment, USA, water | 1 Comment

Increasing danger of nuclear terrorism

Nuclear Terrorism: A Clear Danger, NYT, By KENNETH C. BRILL and KENNETH N. LUONGO, March 15, 2012 Terrorists exploit gaps in security. The current global regime for
protecting the nuclear materials that terrorists desire for their ultimate weapon is far from seamless. It is based largely on unaccountable, voluntary arrangements that are inconsistent across borders. Its weak links make it dangerous and inadequate to prevent nuclear terrorism. Continue reading →

March 16, 2012 Posted by | 2 WORLD, safety | Leave a comment

Warning to rare earths company about its radioactive wastes problem

“Where exactly is ‘abroad’? Identify and prove to us which country outside of Malaysia is willing to accept this massive [volume of] toxic waste.

AELB says will close Lynas plant if waste agreement broken http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/aelb-says-will-close-lynas-plant-if-waste-agreement-broken The Malaysian Insider, March 15, 2012  KUALA LUMPUR,   The Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) assured Malaysians today it will shutter Lynas Corporation’s rare earth plant in Kuantan if the Australian mining firm violates conditions on the disposal of radioactive material.

According to Star Online, the regulator reminded at its weekly media briefing today that that firm had already struck an agreement with local authorities here for it to return any radioactive waste to Australia if it fails to set up a permanent disposal facility here. Continue reading →

March 16, 2012 Posted by | Malaysia, politics, Uranium | Leave a comment

Bullying of whistleblowers at Australia’s nuclear reactor

In their statement to Comcare’s investigator, Mr Howe and Mr Bourke said that while they had been reinstated, they were still being harassed.
The case follows that of David Reid, a former staff-elected health and safety officer who was suspended in June 2009 and sacked last June. He had also raised concerns about contamination in the ARI.

Lucas Heights nuclear reactor bullying exposed, BY: LEIGH DAYTON,  The Australian March 16, 2012   ADMINISTRATORS at Australia’s only nuclear reactor facility used findings of an inaccurate, biased and partially fabricated in-house report as the pretext to suspend – and recommend the dismissal of – two employees who raised health and safety concerns over the mishandling of radioactive materials. Continue reading →

March 16, 2012 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, civil liberties | Leave a comment

Iran offers full transparency in return for nuclear power assistance

VIDEO Iran Official Offers ‘Permanent Human Monitoring’ of Nuclear Sites    http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/iran-official-offers-human-monitoring-nuclear-sites/story?id=15930677#.T2Ow4cWPX_M  abc News,   15 March 12, A high-level advisor to Iran’s supreme leader said his country is ready to allow “permanent human monitoring” of its nuclear program in exchange for Western cooperation but also warned Iran is prepared to defend itself against military strikes.

Mohammad Javad Larijani, who serves as Secretary-General of Iran’s Human Rights Council and key foreign policy advisor to Ayatollah Khamenei, said the West should sell Iran 20 percent enriched uranium and provide all the help that nuclear nations are supposed to provide to countries building civilian nuclear power plants. He also said the U.S. and the West should accept his country’s right to continue what Iran calls its peaceful nuclear program.

In return for cooperation from the West, he said, Iran would offer “full transparency.”…..
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/iran-official-offers-human-monitoring-nuclear-sites/story?id=15930677#.T2Ow4cWPX_M

March 16, 2012 Posted by | Iran, politics international, Resources -audiovicual | Leave a comment

USA’s nuclear safety regulations inadequate

Chief Nuclear Regulator Admits Safety Goals Are ‘Insufficient’, Aol Energy, By Margaret Ryan, March 15, 2012  US nuclear safety goals are insufficient, and don’t address effects like those seen after the Fukushima disaster in Japan, the head of the US nuclear regulator says. Continue reading →

March 16, 2012 Posted by | safety, USA | Leave a comment

Malaysians not impressed by Australian rare earths company Lynas

Four government ministries have been roped in to help Lynas find a suitable storage site in the country is not only amusing but downright deploring. The statement by the international trade and industry minister that the radio active wastes will be disposed of overseas, even though it may break international laws is really not very assuring.

Lynas cannot continue to hide behind the Malaysian government’s skirt in its operations

Lynas Corp’s absurd publicity stunts — The Malaysian Insider, Iskandar Dzulkarnain March 14, 2012 ”….what can the Penang CM do to alleviate the current controversy surrounding the Lynas rare earth plant? Would his personal opinion or intervention buy over the thousands of critics who are against the existence of the Rare Earth Plant in Pahang State?

Isn’t it more appropriate to meet with Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of Pakatan Rakyat who is against the controversial project based on allegations that the Australian miner has not given enough assurances on how it will handle the low-level radioactive waste that will be produced at the refinery? Continue reading →

March 16, 2012 Posted by | Malaysia, opposition to nuclear, Uranium | Leave a comment

India’s planned new nuclear power program stalled

Nuclear power capacity failed to rise: Report , Mar 15, 2012,   Chenna : IANS Even though the generation of nuclear power increased by 33 percent this fiscal, no capacity was added against a target of 2,000 MW, the Economic Survey said Thursday…. The anti-Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) agitation has spooked the addition of 2,000 MW new atomic power capacity addition this year.

Atomic power plant operator Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) is building two 1,000 MW reactors with Russian technology at Kudankulam in Tirunelveli district, around 650 km from here. Villagers who have safety concerns have been protesting against the
plant. They are also concerned about the long-term impact of the nuclear plant on the population. Their agitation, spearheaded by People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy, has put a stop to the project work, delaying the commissioning of the first unit by several months.

In September, the Tamil Nadu cabinet passed a resolution asking the central government to stop all project related work till the fears of the locals about the plant were allayed….
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_nuclear-power-capacity-failed-to-rise-report_1662875

March 16, 2012 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

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