nuclear-news

The past week in nuclear news

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Japan: it’s a critical time. The Japanese government urgently wants to restart 2 nuclear reactors at Oi, in Fukui Prefecture. Adjoining prefectures oppose this, but the government can override them.    When Japan’s one functioning nuclear reactor shuts, in May, it is possible that Japan will get through the summer without needing nuclear power.  That will set a precedent that will be dangerous for the future of the global nuclear industry.  Something that the Japanese governmentt does not want!

 Europe – The nuclear renaissance looks like being finished before it ever got started.  Abandonment of UK nuclear projects by 2 major firms, and by Bulgaria and  the financial failure of the super-expensive nuclear reactors still under construction in Finland and France.

France.. With elections close, President Sarkozy is embarrassed by revelations that he tried to sell nuclear technology to Gaddafi.  (Was that why they sacked AREVA’s CEO Anne Lauvergeon? – for objecting to this sale.)

USA. continued doubts on nuclear power’s future.  Safety and cost  concerns over nuclear plants at San Onofre, Fort Calhoun, Watts Bar  and the newly licensed double-reactor Vogtle project .

UK nuclear veterans – despite losing one legal case for compensation, they have several more court cases coming up.

Climate change.  New evidence that rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere leads to rising global temperatures.

India Farmers in Haryana have stepped up their campaign against the setting up of the Gorakhpur Nuclear Power Plant . France keen to sell  nuclear technology to India, as long as they are certain that  new Rules of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damages Act gets France off the hook for any nuclear  accident damages. India’s Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), and its subsidiary, Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) trying to suppress information and bypass safety procedures. Meanwhile Sri Lanka is raising objections to IAEA against India’s Koodankulam and other reactors on the Southern coast, close to Sri Lanka.

April 11, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes