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Britain’s nuclear facilities are vulnerable to terrorist attacks via drone aircraft

UK nuclear sites warned over drone terror attack,  By CAROLINE WHEELER Sunday Express 22 Feb 15

BRITAIN’S nuclear plants are at risk from a terrorist strike by unmanned drone aircraft, writes Caroline Wheeler.Such an attack could kill tens of thousands of people, a Government adviser has warned. But authorities are “burying their heads in the sand,” according to John Large.

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His call for an urgent security overhaul comes as fi gures showed nuclear power plants suffered 37 security breaches last year – the highest numberalso been breached a dozen times since 2011, including by at least one drone.

Islamic State terrorists have already recruited chemical weapons specialists and counterterrorism experts say they are intent on building a “dirty bomb”.

Last night Mr Large, a nuclear engineer who has carried out work for Britain’s Atomic Energy Authority, demanded a major exercise to test the resilience of the nation’s power stations against acts of terrorism.

Mr Large, who has advised the French government after a growing number of mysterious unmanned flights over that country’s nuclear plants, said drones also pose a risk to the UK’s 16 operational reactors.“On application to UK nuclear power plants, I believe that much the same security and vulnerability issues apply,” he told the Sunday Express.

“The accessibility of the UK plants to small UAV’s [unmanned airborne vehicles] is relatively unimpeded.”

Asked whether a security review was needed in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Denmark and France, Mr Large said: “Absolutely yes.” Too much focus is placed on the risk assessment surrounding accidents at nuclear power stations, rather than terrorist threats, Mr Large said.

The consequences of the attack scenarios he examined would range from one casualty to tens of thousands of deaths, he added.

The last nuclear power plant built in the UK was completed in the 1990s but the Government is planning a new generation of reactors, starting with Hinkley Point C in Somerset.  Last night Tory MP Mark Pritchard, a member of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, said Mr Large’s recommendations would be taken “very seriously”…….http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/559718/Nclear-plants-are-at-risk-from-a-terrorist-strike-by-unmanned-drones

February 23, 2015 Posted by | safety, UK | Leave a comment

Abe government “irresponsible” about nuclear wastes – Science Council of Japan

flag-japanNuclear waste disposal problem, Japan Times, FEB 22, 2015  Even as the Abe administration pushes for reactivating idled nuclear power reactors after they have cleared the Nuclear Regulation Authority’s safety screening, an open question remains: How will Japan dispose of highly radioactive waste produced by the nuclear reactors.

The trade and industry ministry has drafted a new policy on the waste scheme that paves the way for changing the disposal method in the future when policies change or new technologies become available, but it is far from clear if the move will facilitate the long-stalled process of finding a site for radioactive waste disposal.

Due to the lack of an established scheme for final disposal of the waste that would be generated after spent fuel is reprocessed, Japan’s nuclear power generation has long been likened to a condominium without a toilet. The absence of a solution was highlighted two years ago when former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi vocally expressed opposition to restarting nuclear power reactors that had been idled in the wake of the 2011 meltdowns at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

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The government in 2000 adopted a policy of disposing of highly radioactive waste by burying it deep underground. A power industry organization has solicited municipalities across the country that would be ready to host the final disposal site. A financially strapped town in Kochi Prefecture came forward in 2007 to apply for a documentary review in the selection process. But the bid was eventually withdrawn when its mayor faced strong opposition from local residents. He was forced out of office in a subsequent election. No progress has since been made on the issue.

Meanwhile, doubts have been raised about the safety and technical viability of vitrifying and burying the radioactive waste — which would need to be managed for tens of thousands of years before its radioactivity declined to levels considered safe — in a country prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. …….

The government may be trying to win public support for restarting the idled reactors by demonstrating flexibility on moving the waste-disposal issue forward. But in its policy proposal now being prepared, the Science Council of Japan criticizes the government for being “irresponsible toward future generations” by seeking to restart the reactors without a decision on the waste-disposal site.

The council says it will be difficult to decide on the waste- disposal site “given that public trust in the government, power companies and scientists has been lost”………http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2015/02/22/editorials/nuclear-waste-disposal-problem/#.VOpJPXyUcnk

February 23, 2015 Posted by | Japan, wastes | 1 Comment

Yet another leak of highly radioactive water at Fukushima nuclear power plant

water-radiationFresh leak of highly radioactive water detected at Fukushima nuclear power plant, ABC News 23 Feb 15 

Sensors at the Fukushima nuclear plant have detected a fresh leak of highly radioactive water into the sea.

Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) said the sensors, which were rigged to a gutter that pours rain and ground water at the Fukushima Daiichi plant to a nearby bay, detected contamination levels up to 70 times greater than the already-high radioactive status seen at the plant campus.

TEPCO said its emergency inspections of tanks storing nuclear waste water did not find any additional abnormalities, but the firm said it shut the gutter to prevent radioactive water from going into the Pacific Ocean.

The higher-than-normal levels of contamination were detected on Sunday, with sensors showing radiation levels 50 to 70 times greater than usual…….http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-22/fresh-nuclear-leak-detected-at-fukushima-plant/6200746

February 23, 2015 Posted by | Fukushima 2015 | Leave a comment

Terms of Reference for South Australia’s ill-conceived rush into Royal Commission on Nuclear Power

nukefools-dayflag-Australia
People can contribute ideas to this farce at http://yoursay.sa.gov.au/blogs/draft-terms-of-reference
So far only one person mentioned – the head of this inquiry – Kevin Scarse , a pro nuclear former Governor of S.A. So much for independence and expertise!
The draft terms of reference direct the Royal Commission to inquire into and report on:
  • whether there is any potential for the expansion of the current level of exploration, extraction or milling of minerals containing radioactive materials in South Australia, any circumstances necessary for such an increase to occur and to be viable, any risks and opportunities created by expanding the level of exploration, extraction and milling, and the measures that might be required to facilitate and regulate that increase in activity.
  • the feasibility of the further processing of minerals and processing and manufacture of materials containing radioactive and nuclear substances (but not for, or from, military uses) including conversion, enrichment, fabrication or re-processing in South Australia, any circumstances necessary for that further processing or manufacture to be viable, any risks and opportunities associated with establishing and undertaking that further processing or manufacture, and any measures that might need to be taken to facilitate and regulate the establishment and carrying out of further processing or manufacture
  • the feasibility of establishing and operating facilities to generate electricity from nuclear fuels in South Australia, any circumstances necessary for that to occur and to be viable, the relative advantages and disadvantages of generating electricity from nuclear fuels as opposed to other sources, including with regard to greenhouse gas emissions, any risks and opportunities associated with that activity (including its impact on renewable sources and the electricity market), and any measures that might need to be taken to facilitate and regulate their establishment and operation.
  • the feasibility of establishing facilities in South Australia for the management, storage and disposal of nuclear and radioactive waste from the use of nuclear and radioactive materials in power generation, industry, research and medicine (but not for, or from, military uses), any circumstances necessary for those facilities to be established and to be viable, the risks and opportunities associated with establishing and operating those facilities, and any measures that might need to be taken to facilitate and regulate their establishment and operation.
The draft Terms of Reference specifically require the Royal Commission, when inquiring into the risks and opportunities associated with the above matters, to consider, where appropriate, their impact upon the economy the environment and the community (including regional, remote and aboriginal communities).

February 23, 2015 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, politics | Leave a comment

The 50 year cover-up of nuclear meltdowns: governments colluded with the nuclear industry

“It’s disappointing,” said Bill Magavern, director of Sierra Club California. “I have a strong suspicion that EPA is being silenced by those in the federal government who don’t want anything to stand in the way of a nuclear power expansion in this country, heavily subsidized by taxpayer money.”

secret-agentGovernments Have Been Covering Up Nuclear Meltdowns for Fifty Years to Protect the Nuclear Power Industry http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2011/03/governments-have-been-covering-up-nuclear-meltdowns-for-fifty-years-to-protect-the-nuclear-power-industry.html by WashingtonsBlog

 Santa Susana  As a History Chanel special notes, a nuclear meltdown occurred at the world’s first commercial reactoronly 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles, and only 7 miles from the community of Canoga Park and the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. Specifically, in 1959, there was a meltdown of one-third of the nuclear reactors at the Santa Susana field laboratory operated by Rocketdyne, releasing – according to some scientists’ estimates – 240 times as much radiation as Three Mile Island.

But the Atomic Energy Commission lied and said only there was only 1 partially damaged rod, and no real problems. In fact, the AEC kept the meltdown a state secret for 20 years.

There were other major accidents at that reactor facility, which the AEC and Nuclear Regulatory Commission covered up as well. See this.

Kyshtm

Two years earlier, a Russian government reactor at Kyshtm melted down in an accident which some claim was even worse than Chernobyl. Continue reading →

February 23, 2015 Posted by | 2 WORLD, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

Examining 3 shaky arguments for nuclear energy

nuke-bubbleNuclear Energy Is Dirty, Unsafe And Uneconomic: Environmental Scientist https://newmatilda.com/2015/02/21/nuclear-energy-dirty-unsafe-and-uneconomic-environmental-scientist  by Dr Dr Mark Diesendorf , Associate Professor and Deputy Director within the Institute of Environmental Studies at the University of NSW………there seem to be three shaky legs upon which proponents attempt to stand their campaign to expand nuclear energy:

1. Nuclear energy has allegedly no or low greenhouse gas emissions.
2. New nuclear reactor technologies are allegedly safer than the present generation of reactors.
3. New and existing reactors are allegedly cheaper than other low-carbon technologies, notably renewable energy.

Let’s examine these claims.

1. Green House Gas emissions

Neither nuclear energy nor most renewable technologies emit carbon dioxide during operation. However, to do a meaningful comparison, we must compare the whole life-cycles from mining the raw materials to managing the wastes. In a peer-reviewed journal paper published in 2008, nuclear physicist and nuclear energy supporter Manfred Lenzen compared life-cycle emissions from nuclear, wind and natural gas power stations.

For nuclear energy based on mining high-grade uranium ore, he found average emissions of 60 grams of carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour (g/kWh) of electricity generation, for wind 10–20 g/kWh and for gas 500–600 g/kWh. Now comes the part that most nuclear proponents try to ignore or misrepresent.

The world has only a few decades of high-grade uranium ore reserves left. As the ore-grade inevitably declines, the fossil fuel used to mine and mill uranium increases and so do the resulting greenhouse gas emissions.

Lenzen calculates the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions when low-grade uranium ore is used to be 131 g/kWh. This is unacceptable in terms of climate science, especially taking into account that Lenzen’s analysis favoured nuclear energy by assuming that mountains of radioactive uranium mine waste are left to blow in the wind for thousands of years.

2. New reactor technologies Continue reading →

February 23, 2015 Posted by | 2 WORLD, spinbuster | Leave a comment

Geneva nuclear talks between USA and Iran – arouse the ire of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

diplomacy-not-bombsFlag-USAflag-IranU.S., Iran Hold Nuclear Talks in Geneva Discussions come amid criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu WSJ, By LAURENCE NORMAN Feb. 22, 2015 GENEVA—U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Geneva on Sunday to hold fresh nuclear talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stepped up criticism of the diplomacy, saying it was “astonishing” that talks were continuing over what would be a “dangerous” deal.

Mr. Netanyahu’s comments are the latest salvo in growing tensions between his government and the Obama administration over the Iranian nuclear talks. They come ahead of Israeli elections next month and the prime minister’s visit to Washington to addressCongress at the request of Republican leaders.

U.S. and Iranian officials have been meeting in this lakeside Swiss city since Friday as they try to agree at least the outline of a final nuclear agreement by late March. The self-imposed deadline for a comprehensive accord is June 30……..http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-iran-prepare-for-nuclear-talks-in-geneva-1424615118

February 23, 2015 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

FANC update on Belgium nuclear reactor cracks

Doel 3/Tihange 2: new update After a large number of flaw indications was discovered in the walls of the reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) of Doel 3 and Tihange 2 during a scheduled maintenance in the summer of 2012, the Belgian nuclear safety authorities (FANC and Bel V) decided that Electrabel had to submit a Safety Case to justify the restart of both reactors. Electrabel had to demonstrate specifically and convincingly in its Safety Case that the flaw indications in the walls of the RPVs do not compromise its structural integrity….

In carrying out tests related to theme 2 during the spring of 2014, a fracture toughness test revealed unexpected results, which suggested that the mechanical properties of the material were more strongly influenced by radiation than experts had expected. As a precaution both reactors were immediately shut down again. Electrabel launched a test campaign to find an explanation for the unexpected test results. …

Electrabel provides the FANC and Bel V with results of ongoing tests and analyses on a regular basis. The Belgian security authorities need time to look into this new information and will continue their analysis during the first months of 2015. …

In April 2015, the FANC will organize a new meeting of the international panel of experts to obtain their advice on the results of the new material tests and on the new data provided by Electrabel.

http://www.fanc.be/nl/news/doel-3/tihange-2-new-update/745.aspx  (Update published 13/2/15)

February 23, 2015 Posted by | EUROPE, safety | Leave a comment

Look out – Nuclear Lobby ! – Christians are turning to Solar Energy

Roberta Combs, president of the group, titled her post “For God and Country, Indiana and America Need Better Energy Policies,” writing,

Indiana’s utilities are interested in keeping us reliant on traditional fuel sources that hurt our national security and weaken our economy. We must allow homes, businesses, public organizations, and churches to create local, American power by installing solar.

As conservatives, we stand up for our country’s national security and the health of our economy. And, as Christians, we recognize the biblical mandate to care for God’s creation and protect our children’s future

solar-on-churchFlag-USASolar energy’s new best friend is … the Christian Coalition WP By Chris Mooney February 20 The politics of solar power keeps getting more and more interesting.

In Indiana, a fight over net metering — basically, whether people with rooftop solar can return their excess power to the grid and thereby lower their utility bills — has drawn out groups ranging from the state chapter of the NAACP to the conservative TUSK (Tell Utilities Solar won’t be Killed) in favor of the practice.

Arrayed on the other side of the issue, meanwhile, are the Indiana Energy Association, a group of utilities, and Republican Rep. Eric Koch, sponsor of a bill that would potentially change how net metering works in the state. The legislation, in its current form, would let utility companies ask the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to include various “tariffs, rates and charges, and credits” for those customers generating their own energy at home. Continue reading →

February 23, 2015 Posted by | decentralised, USA | Leave a comment

Even the nuclear industry itself takes a bleak view of its future

IEA/NEA Technology Roadmap: Nuclear Energy – Nuclear Energy Agency  2015 Edition The 2015 edition of the Technology Roadmap: Nuclear Energy jointly prepared by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), has just been published.

fearThe nuclear energy landscape has changed since the previous edition of the roadmap in 2010, with a number of events affecting its development: the Fukushima Daiichi accident, which heightened public concern over the safety of nuclear energy in many countries, and the subsequent safety reviews and development of new safety requirements to ensure even higher levels of safety for existing and future nuclear power plants; the shift towards Generation III reactors for nuclear new build; and the economic and financial crises that have both lowered energy demand and made the financing of capital-intensive infrastructure projects more challenging, especially in liberalised electricity markets

February 23, 2015 Posted by | 2 WORLD, politics | Leave a comment

Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Shut Down Over Condenser Issue

Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Shut Down Over Condenser Issue, By: Kelsey Bagwell, 22 Feb 15

Operators at the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant have shut down the reactor over a problem in the non-nuclear part of the power plant.  http://www.newschannel9.com/news/top-stories/stories/watts-bar-nuclear-plant-shut-down-over-condenser-issue-15411.shtml

February 23, 2015 Posted by | general | Leave a comment