nuclear-news

Highlights of the past week in nuclear news

Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs

Fukushima dominates the nuclear news. Record radiation levels in fish off the Fukushima coast. Fukushima nuclear plant still releasing radiation. Growing dissatisfaction of many Japanese as their government fails to really take action to close down the nuclear industry, and elections approach. Decontamination efforts meet intractable problems, for example, in Japan’s irradiated forest areas. Media and government silence on children’s thyroid abnormalities, and on birth statistics.

USA. As in UK, the nuclear lobby is pitching the dangerous MOX nuclear reprocessing as the solution to nuclear waste.  The San Onofre nuclear plant is likely to remain closed permanently. In Louisiana, a  sinkhole, now 400 feet wide and over 400 feet deep in spots, risks explosion and possible release of radiation. Many USA nuclear reactors are the same type and age as Belgium’s – which are now estimated to have probably thousands of cracks UK government revealed as having colluded with big nuclear companies to downplay and obscure the seriousness of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

India.  Nuclear company NTPC and Nuclear Power Corporation of India have announced the halting of India’s nuclear power project.  Meanwhile  the work of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), a global NGO, is bringing decentralised solar electricity to millions of villagers in rural India

Australia.  BHP is scrapping its big dream for the world’s biggest uranium mine, and biggest man-made hole, at Olympic Dam in South Australia. Despite Australia’s pro nuclear politicians, uranium mining remains a very minor, and failing, export industry. Australia despite its small population, leads the world in home installation of solar photovoltaic energy.

The Australian government is letting Julian Assange down badly, while he gets the support of the “Latin” nations of South America, and a strong freedom of speech movement in UK.  Assange’s case may now go to  the International Court of Justice. In Melbourne, shock jock radio gives Assange’s mother a Nazi taunt.

August 23, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes