2014 August 20 « nuclear-news

USA Nuclear Regulatory Commission the victim of cyber attacks

U.S. government’s nuclear watchdog victim of cyber attacks -report, Yahoo7 News
August 20, 2014, By Jim Finkle BOSTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission was “successfully hacked” three times in recent years in attacks involving tainted emails, according to an internal investigation on cyber attacks at the agency, Nextgov.com reported on Tuesday.

At least two of the attacks originated overseas, according to the report obtained by Nextgov, a rare public report with details of a cyber attack on the energy sector.

The publication said it obtained a copy of a report by the NRC’s Office of the Inspector General, which reviewed 17 suspected breaches from 2010 to 2013.

The report did not name the countries where the attacks originated or say if data had been stolen from the regulatory agency, which holds sensitive data on the nuclear power industry.

Reuters was not immediately able to access the report, which Nextgov said it obtained through a Freedom of Information request……..https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/24757967/u-s-governments-nuclear-watchdog-victim-of-cyber-attacks-report/

August 20, 2014 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, USA | 1 Comment

Lax security at Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant

7News Investigates: Security at Seabrook Nuclear Plant 7 News Aug 19, 2014 by Cheryl Fiandaca SEABROOK, N.H. (WHDH) – Seabrook Station Nuclear Power Plant is one of the 107 nuclear facilities in the country considered to be a potential terrorist target by Homeland Security. Now a long time Seabrook employee has come forward telling 7News he thinks the plant is vulnerable.

“We’re not checking who’s coming on and off the property,” the employee, who asked to not be identified, said.

It seemed like no one was checking on three different days this summer when 7News videotaped cars coming and going through an unmanned employee gate at Seabrook Station.

No one approached the crews and security patrols never passed the area, even with the cameras no one questioned the 7News photographers and reporters.

The employee said it has been nearly a year since there was a person manning the employee entry.

“You’d be able to see where upgrades have been placed in, where defensive positions are, where alarmed fences are at.”………

“It doesn’t take a security expert to know that a nuclear power plant is a place that would be an attractive target and would cause unimaginable mayhem and injury,” Amore said…….An unmanned gate may not be the only concern: a recent study initiated by the defense department claims significant security gaps exist at the nation’s nuclear power plants. http://www.whdh.com/story/26311206/7news-investigates-security-concerns-at-seabrook-power-plant

August 20, 2014 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, USA | 1 Comment

Call to write to Russian government – support Ecodefense against government crackdown

Google Chrome has blocked access towww.ecodefense.ru for now. How convenient for Russia and the nuclear industry!

Organisations are asked to endorse the solidarity statement immediately below.

Individuals and organisations are asked to write to the Russian government – see Vladimir’s article below.

Solidarity Statement for Ecodefense

Organisations willing to endorse the following statement are asked to contact Friends of the Earth France (lucie.pinson@amisdelaterre.org) or WISE Amsterdam (info@wiseinternational.org) as soon as possible.

On July 21st, the Russian government included one the oldest environmental non-governmental organization Ecodefense on the Ministry of Justice “foreign agent” roster. As national and international organizations from many countries, we strongly condemn this decision that criminalizes environmental defenders and supporters of social and environmental justice.

We strongly condemn this decision of the Russian authorities that was taken while proceedings to determine their status have either not yet concluded or even started and that leaves some these organizations without any recourse to contest this labelling.

We are very concerned about the adoption of the “foreign agent” law in November 2012 and the motivations for this adoption as only this environmental organization – Ecodefense − and several more human rights groups are listed in the “foreign agents” roster right now.

While the Russian authorities should protect human rights and support the organizations that help it to do so by bringing human rights violations in Russia to light, this decision illustrates threaten even more democratic rights and leave Russian citizens under the threat of arbitrary choices.

We also particularly condemn the listing of the environmental association Ecodefense for the campaign against Baltic nuclear plant construction near Kaliningrad. Protesting nuclear power cannot be considered as a crime and discussing risks of nuclear is a democratic right. We have been working with Ecodefense for many years and acknowledged the quality of its work as an organization that works independently from any other political power for the people and the environment in Russia and elsewhere.

We urge you to stop repression and let Ecodefense as other environmental and human rights organizations work free in Russia. We called the Russian authorities to reverse their decision to include Ecodefense on the “foreign agent” roster and repeal the November 2012 “foreign agent” law, which brings under threat civil and democratic rights.
Background information: Continue reading →

August 20, 2014 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ACTION | Leave a comment

South Korea – getting “full up” with nuclear radioactive trash

they must just stop making this trash!

South Korea running out of space for nuclear waste http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-18/south-korea-running-out-of-space-for-nuclear-waste/5679626 South Korea is running out of space to store its spent nuclear fuel, with some of its storage facilities set to reach capacity by 2016, according to an independent body that advises the government on nuclear issues.

A Public Engagement Commission, consisting of nuclear experts, professors, and officials, was set up in October 2013 to take account of public opinion on spent nuclear fuel issues and feed into policy decisions.

Commission chairman Hong Doo-seung says it is urgent to find more storage sites for spent fuel.

“We will have to stop nuclear power generation if we fail to find additional temporary space, Continue reading →

August 20, 2014 Posted by Christina Macpherson | South Korea, wastes | 2 Comments

High radiation levels 60 km from Fukushima nuclear plant

Gov’t: Radiation level 60 km from Fukushima plant is as high as the most contaminated areas in Chernobyl — “Fukushima far exceeded any crisis previously encountered” — “A risk of destruction of the society” — Expert: “It’s unprecedented in scale and duration” (VIDEOS)http://enenews.com/govt-radiation-level-60-km-fukushima-plant-high-contaminated-areas-chernobyl-fukushima-exceeded-crisis-previo

Interview with Dr. Brad Sample, ecotoxicologist and Hazard/Risk Assessment Editor for ‘Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry’(at 8:10 in): “The event [at Fukushima Daiichi] is unprecedented in scale and duration.” >> Full interview here

IRSN News Magazine – Fukushima special report (pdf): “The Fukushima disaster far exceeded any crisis previously encountered”

Fukushima Accident — Contamination of People and the Environment, IRSN (emphasis added):

6:45 in — Didier Champion, IRSN: “Japanese authorities… measured… 15 million Bq/m2 for Cs-137 for example. This isquite comparable to that we see in the most contaminated areas around the Chernobyl accident.”
7:00 in — Researchers have mapped the contamination of soil… It goes far beyond the evacuation zone, and extends to more than 80 miles away — agricultural and urban areas inhabited by hundreds of thousands of people.
Watch video here

Jacques Repussard, IRSN Director General (at 5:15 in): “These are such serious accidents covering so many aspects of life in a country… The ability of associations, of local elected officials, to act in an intelligent and in an efficient manner, is a great resource. And also a factor in social cohesion in a disuniting situation, wherethere is a risk of destruction of the society.” >> Watch video here

Fukushima Accident — Response of the Japanese Society, IRSN (at 1:30 in): 60 kilometers from the power plant, farmers organized themselves collectively [and] turned to a researcher in bioscience from Dokkyu Medical University [Dr. Shingo Kimura]… They travel the region to measure contamination on roadsides, in fields, and even within homes… Along this road the dosimeter shows a gamma wave radiation level at more than 50 microsieverts per hour — a tremendous level akin to the highest contamination from Chernobyl. [0.03 microsieverts per hourbefore 3/11] >> Watch video here

August 20, 2014 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Fukushima 2014 | Leave a comment

Nuclear industry’s survival hangs on tax-payer funding – World Nuclear News

Banking on nuclear, World Nuclear News, 18 August 2014The nuclear industry needs to satisfy the multi-criteria approach to risk that banks take when they decide whether to invest in a large infrastructure project. Only then, can it expect to attract this form of financing to nuclear new build projects, writes Ron Cameron.

Specifically, banks look for long-term certainty on price, stable government policy, industry reputation, regulatory certainty, the process for addressing planning and environmental issues and public acceptance, in addition to the economics of the project.

European wholesale electricity markets are currently not favourable to nuclear power,……..

there is a real difficulty in seeing where nuclear new build is going to come from in Europe, without government action. ……the UK is trying to do something about the market disadvantage which is keeping investors away from nuclear. ……

Other countries, too, are making clear that the State is behind nuclear new build. For example, in the US, new nuclear power plants are being built with loan guarantees and tax credits. …….http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/E-Banking-on-nuclear-1808201401.html

August 20, 2014 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, business and costs | Leave a comment

South Korea’s preparation for pre-emptive nuclear strike against North Korea

FROM THE POPE TO WAR GAMES IN SOUTH KOREA ORGANISING NOTES, BRUCE GAGNON , AUGUST 19, 2014

Global Network board member Sung-hee Choi, long time activist on Jeju Island, wrote today:

Recently, Pope Francis has visited Korea from Aug. 14 to 18. He left us many moving messages of peace and justice, but the South Korean (ROK) conservative Park Geun-Hye government started the World-biggest war exercise Ulji Freedom Guardian (In government drill, about 480,000 personnel join. In military drill, about 50,000 Korean soldiers and 30,000 US soldiers) started along with the United States on his leaving day. It ends on Aug. 21.

The exercise targets North Korea and the strategy includes preemptive nuclear strike against her. The exercise will be a passage for the US to push for the US-Japan-ROK trilateral military alliance and Missile Defense system. http://space4peace.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/from-pope-to-war-games-in-south-korea.html

August 20, 2014 Posted by Christina Macpherson | South Korea, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Safety problems, toxic spill, in Canada’s uranium industry

Nuclear watchdog requests safety checks after B.C. mine breach CTV News, Dene Moore, The Canadian Press August 19, 2014 VANCOUVER –– A toxic spill from a British Columbia mine has prompted the country’s nuclear watchdog to request a series of checks at uranium facilities.

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission will discuss the failure of the tailings pond at the Mount Polley gold and copper mine during a meeting Wednesday.

In the interim, the commission has asked the uranium mining and milling operations it oversees to ensure that all necessary inspections and monitoring are in compliance with licence conditions……..

The breach sent 10 million cubic metres of waste water and 4.5 million cubic metres of silt into a network of salmon-bearing lakes and rivers near Likely, 600 kilometres northeast of Vancouver.

The reason for the failure at Mount Polley is not yet known: http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/nuclear-watchdog-requests-safety-checks-after-b-c-mine-breach-1.1966932#ixzz3AzIudlBn

August 20, 2014 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Canada, incidents, Uranium | 1 Comment

Finland’s government in angst over nuclear power plant and Ukraine crisis

Ukraine divides MPs over Fennovoima nuclear plant ownership Yle uutiset 19 Aug 14 According to an Yle poll, two Finnish party leaders say they could back the construction of the Fennovoima nuclear plant in Pyhäjärvi if Finnish ownership were at 50-53 percent. Four leaders declined to comment and four stand against the plant on principle. The uncertainty is partly due to the Ukrainian crisis.

Minister of Economic Affairs Jan Vapaavuori of the National Coalition Party said that the proposed Fennovoima nuclear plant would have to be under “clear domestic ownership”.

Neither Vapaavuori nor the Ministry of Economic Affairs have announced how much of the plant should specifically be owned by Finnish interest groups.

One reason behind the uneasiness of some MPs is the escalating situation in Ukraine, and the repercussions on Finnish-Russian ties. Russia enforced EU-wide sanctions as a countermeasure to EU and US sanctions in early August……..

Ownership figures misleading

The Russian national nuclear power company Rosatom currently owns 34 percent of the Pyhäjoki plant. According to Fennovoima, the Finnish stake is at 52 percent.

However, the company fails to discount two companies – Rautaruukki and Kestra – in their calculations. Kestra announced in March that it washes its hands of the power plant issue, while Rautaruukki was acquired by the Swedish SSAB in July.

As Kestra owns 4.5 percent of Fennovoima and SSAB owns 3.3 percent, a simple equation will show that the Finnish ownership of the power plant is actually only at 44.2 percent. http://yle.fi/uutiset/ukraine_divides_mps_over_fennovoima_nuclear_plant_ownership/7420930

August 20, 2014 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Finland, politics | Leave a comment

Banks won’t lend for new nuclear projects. Industry wants tax-payers to fund them

Banking on nuclear, World Nuclear News, 18 August 2014 “……..Banks are reluctant to become involved with first-of-a-kind projects, whether that concerns a new reactor technology or a country embarking on nuclear power for the first time.

Our focus then should perhaps be on trying to get banks into new projects at existing sites, such as plant life extensions. The latter is a lower risk process because the banks would be funding the cost of upgrades needed for plants whose construction costs have been essentially amortized and yet which could run for another 20 years.

And there are usually no great public concerns attached to life extensions, since the plant has already operated for some time. If the banks got involved with those and became familiar with nuclear industry issues, then they could one day be willing to join a consortium in new build projects. Banks look particularly at the track record of the industries that they are working with. And of course there is always the concern of delays for them. So some certainty that the government is behind these projects and prepared to support them with some form of guarantee is important………

Banks also monitor public opinion, but even more importantly, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and the European Investment Bank are driven by the appetite from their member countries for financing nuclear power projects. It is up to the consortia of countries that are in favour of nuclear power to have more of a say on the banks’ boards. http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/E-Banking-on-nuclear-1808201401.html

August 20, 2014 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, business and costs | Leave a comment

Mississippi Public Service Commission refusing to take nuclear wastes

Presley to Obama: Mississippi doesn’t want nuclear waste POLITICAL LEDGER Geoff Pender, The Clarion-Ledger10 August 19, 2014 Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley has forwarded to President Obama resolutions passed by the PSC in opposition to storing nuclear waste in Mississippi.

Last year, federal officials considering alternatives to plans to store the nation’s nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, mentioned Mississippi’s salt domes as a possible option. At the time, the Mississippi Energy Institute issued a report that said creating a nuclear waste center in Mississippi would “serve as a platform for significant opportunities … to develop a massive nuclear energy industry center in the state of Mississippi.”

Presley said that more recently, Assistant Secretary of Nuclear Energy Peter Lyons was quoted as calling Mississippi one of “the most public of potential hosts to express interest in taking high-level waste.”

Presley, Northern District commissioner with the three-member PSC, this week sent Obama recent unanimously-passed PSC resolutions opposing permanent nuclear waste storage in Mississippi, …….http://www.clarionledger.com/story/politicalledger/2014/08/19/nuclear-waste-presley-psc/14283689/

August 20, 2014 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes | Leave a comment

Hearings on uranium mining now going on in Rapid City

Uranium mine hearings begin in Rapid City, Argus Leader, Associated Press August 19, 2014 RAPID CITY — A licensing board of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission will begin the first of three days of hearings in Rapid City on Tuesday for a proposed uranium mine in western South Dakota.

The Atomic Safety and Licensing Board will hold its hearings on challenges to the proposed Dewey-Burdock uranium mine at the Alex Johnson Hotel. The mine is being proposed by Powertech Uranium Corp.

Environmental opponents say the mine could pollute or drain the region’s aquifers. Native American opponents say it could hurt cultural and historical sites in the Black Hills………http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/politics/2014/08/19/uranium-mine-hearings-begin-rapid-city/14274939/

August 20, 2014 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment