2016 February 22 « nuclear-news

69 safety incidents and “near misses” on UK nuclear submarines

Reactor incidents on new nuclear subs double in one year, Herald Scotland, 21 Feb 16 The Royal Navy’s new nuclear-powered submarines have been plagued by 69 safety incidents and “near misses” over the last four years.

The Astute class of submarines based at Faslane on the Clyde has seen reported reactor incidents at sea or on shore almost double from 12 in 2014 to 21 in 2015. Though the MoD insists that the incidents are all minor, critics warn that they undermine the boats’ reliability and safety………

According to the independent nuclear engineer John Large, the submarines were suffering serious problems. “This continuing experience of the Astute class reactor problems not only imperils the boats when at sea but is likely to result in cutbacks to the number of patrols, voyage durations and the extent of roaming of the high seas,” he said.

John Ainslie, coordinator of the Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, pointed out that Astute submarines had been involved in a series of mishaps, including running aground on the Isle of Skye. “It is only a matter of time before one of these incidents results in a serious nuclear accident,” he said……..http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14291467.Reactor_incidents_on_new_nuclear_subs_double_in_one_year/

February 22, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, UK | Leave a comment

USA govt’s position: its nuclear companies should be exempt from civil or criminal liability

How American Penalties Dwarf the Liability US Nuclear Firms Will Face in India, The Wire BY AMIT BHANDARI, INDIASPEND.ORG ON 21/02/2016 A $48-billion (Rs 3.26 lakh crore) penalty claimed by the US government from Volkswagen for cheating on diesel-car emissions is about 200 times as large as the $225 million (Rs 1,500 crore) insurance pool set up by Indian insurance companies to compensate US nuclear companies for mishaps in India.

If a US nuclear company were to build a reactor in India that suffered a catastrophe, and people were to die in India, the US government’s position seems to be that American suppliers shouldn’t face. The US believes the Indian civil nuclear liability law, which calls for both penalties, is unduly harsh. Rather than say so directly, US officials keep repeating that the “Indian law is inconsistent with the international liability regime.”

The Indian civil nuclear liability law holds the equipment supplier responsible for any incident caused by the supplier or its employees. The Indian liability law differs from those of other countries because it was drafted keeping in mind the 1984 Bhopal tragedy – where despite 5,000 deaths and effects across generations, no one was held criminally liable.

The penalty demanded in the Volkswagen case is about 100 times the compensation of $470 million – ($907 million in 2014 dollars) – paid by US firm Union Carbide after the Bhopal Gas tragedy, which also left 70,000 people maimed or injured. Volkswagen’s cover-up caused no injuries or deaths.

Although the Indian government wants to protect US nuclear companies against the Indian liability law, critics argued that these companies are using India’s eagerness to avoid any liability, if something goes wrong…….

Indian firms also fined in the US

While the US nuclear industry wants to avoid any liability in India for acts of omission or commission, Indian companies have often been slapped with large fines for violations of US law.

February 22, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Legal, marketing, politics international | Leave a comment

Russia is offering bribes for Egypt to buy its nuclear reactors

Negotiations over establishment of Dabaa nuclear plant ongoing: Minister of Electricity, Daily News, Egypt, 21 Feb 16 Egyptian minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Mohamed Shaker, said the ministry is still negotiating with Russia’s Rosatom over technical, financial, and technological agreements to establish the first Egyptian nuclear power plant in the Dabaa area.

He told Daily News Egypt the Russian offer has better features than other offers from French, Chinese, and Korean companies. The offer includes providing nuclear fuel supply to the nuclear power plant throughout its operating period, which is estimated to be 60 years. In addition, it will be responsible for the management of spent nuclear fuel, operation and maintenance, and training human resources……http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2016/02/21/negotiations-over-establishment-of-dabaa-nuclear-plant-ongoing-minister-of-electricity/

February 22, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Egypt, marketing, Russia | Leave a comment

Stolen Radioactive Material: What Is Iridium-192?

Live Science, by Tia Ghose, Senior Writer | February 18, 2016 Some security experts are worried that a cache of radioactive material reportedly stolen from an oil field in Iraq could be used by organizations such as the Islamic State group to produce a dirty bomb.

A laptop-size case with about 0.35 ounces (10 grams) of the material, called iridium-192, allegedly went missing from an oil field storage facility in Basra that is run by the American company Weatherford,Reuters reported. Both the company and the Iraqi government declined to confirm the report.

“We are afraid the radioactive element will fall into the hands of Daesh,” a senior security official with the Iraqi government, told Reuters, using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group, also called ISIS. “They could simply attach it to explosives to make a dirty bomb.” [Doomsday: 9 Real Ways Earth Could End]……..http://www.livescience.com/53773-what-is-radioactive-iridium-192.html

February 22, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, Iraq | Leave a comment

New Hampshire shopping complex site has buried radioactive material

Radioactive material to stay put as factory becomes retail center By MARK HAYWARD
New Hampshire Union Leader, 21 Feb 16, MANCHESTER — Before developers go ahead with the conversion of the former Osram Sylvania light-bulb factory into a $60 million shopping center, they have to address one little problem — a buried vault of radioactive material on the property.

Earlier this month, developer Dick Anagnost disclosed the only containment of its kind in New Hampshire of radioactive contaminated soil.

Reportedly safe, it will be located beneath a portion of the parking lot of the would-be shopping center. But for financing purposes, Anagnost and his partner, Brady-Sullivan Properties, need to carve off a half-acre lot that contains the vault. He has asked the Manchester Planning Board to approve the subdivision.

The concrete vault contains thorium, a radioactive element used at the plant from the mid-1960s to mid-1980s, according to state health officials.

When decommissioning the plant, Sylvania discovered that thorium had contaminated some soil. The contaminated material was encapsulated following guidelines set by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Anagnost told the New Hampshire Union Leader……

the Sylvania factory was licensed by the then-Atomic Energy Commission in 1965 to use thorium-dioxide to coat electrodes in high-intensity light bulbs. The process was discontinued in February 1986……. – See more at:http://www.unionleader.com/Radioactive-material-to-stay-put-as-factory-becomes-retail-center#sthash.5NGL8Sk5.dpuf

– See more at: http://www.unionleader.com/Radioactive-material-to-stay-put-as-factory-becomes-retail-center#sthash.5NGL8Sk5.dpuf

February 22, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, USA | Leave a comment

Japanese govt Environment Minister’s blunder over nuclear radiation

Sex, Graft, Racism and Radiation: Japan’s Political Year of Scandals Isabel Reynolds IsabelRTokyo Takashi Hirokawa February 19, 2016 —For three years, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration has seemed immune to the scandals and gaffes that helped cut short his first term as premier in 2007 after less than a year. That may have changed with a recent spate of blunders……..

Environment minister withdraws radiation remarks Tamayo Marukawa came under fire for saying the government’s radiation decontamination target for the area around the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant had no grounding in scientific evidence. The government is seeking to reduce additional radiation near the plant to a level recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection.

Minister says ‘biased’ broadcasters can be shut down

Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Sanae Takaichi told a parliamentary committee this month that the government could order broadcasters to suspend operations if they ignore official warnings to ensure political neutrality.

Opposition Democratic Party lawmaker Soichiro Okuno said in a blog entry that such pressure would prevent freedom of reporting, and local media also criticized her comments. Government spokesman Suga defended Takaichi, saying her remarks were “a matter of course.” http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-18/sex-graft-slaves-and-radiation-abe-hit-by-slew-of-scandals

Former television news anchor Marukawa, 45, apologized and withdrew the comments, but has rejected calls for her resignation…… http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-18/sex-graft-slaves-and-radiation-abe-hit-by-slew-of-scandals

February 22, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, politics | Leave a comment

Zuma Son Said to Be Top Shareholder in Firm Buying Optimum

Franz Wild and Paul Burkhardt

Tegeta agreed to purchase Optimum for 2.15 billion rand
Deal agreed after mines minister Zwane met Glencore CEO
South African President Jacob Zuma’s son Duduzane is the biggest individual shareholder in a group that’s acquiring Glencore Plc’s Optimum colliery, a person familiar with the shareholding said. The group includes the Gupta family, whose links with the Zuma family have been criticized by opposition parties…….. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-18/zuma-son-said-to-be-top-shareholder-in-firm-that-bought-optimum

February 22, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

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