Nuclear fusion – International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor not likely to succeed
Nuclear power – a very dangerous idea for Nigeria
Is Nigeria ready for nuclear power? Greg Odogwu, Punch, 5 May 16 For more than one year now, the Nigerian government has been playing around with the idea of acquiring nuclear technology for electricity generation. It started at the twilight of the past administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, when it was reported that his government signed an agreement with a Russian company, Rosatom, to cooperate on the design, construction, operation and decommissioning of an atomic power facility.
Then, two months ago, President Muhammadu Buhari received the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mr Yukiya Amano, at the Presidential Villa with the Vice President, Yemi Osibanjo and some key ministers, where it was reported that the President told the IAEA boss that Nigeria welcomed the support of the agency for our country’s aspiration to generate electricity using nuclear energy……
How could one even start to imagine that our dear country, with all the infrastructural lapses, zero maintenance culture and poor leadership could handle a nuclear project of whatever size? Nuclear power is not tea party, it is not a try-fail-and-repair project, and, seriously, it is not a matter of my-government-is-better-than-yours!……
The Nigerian government must be reminded that no matter the size or purpose of a nuclear plant, accidents do happen with radioactives and the effects of uncontrolled radioactive contamination are reported around the world, with many unreported. We can never be prepared enough.
Secondly, ours is a country in a serial battle against insurgents and anti-government elements. These individuals over the years have used all sorts of weapons to fight both the government and the people. We have seen cases of improvised bombs made in people’s bedrooms. We have also seen sophisticated shoulder-launched anti-aircraft guns wielded by these insurgents. We have seen them poison water reserves to kill civilians as a maximum impact strategy.
Now, what prevents insurgents from invading Nigeria’s nuclear facilities to acquire materials for dirty bombs? Even on the Internet, one could learn how to string together radioactive elements with conventional explosives for terror purposes……..
if Nigeria starts a nuclear plant, where shall we dispose our nuclear waste? As the plant begins operation, enormous quantities of radioactive waste are created during nuclear fuel process, including high-level radioactive waste, and low-level radioactive waste. Even a country as sophisticated as the United States finds it excruciatingly hard to dispose of its nuclear waste. Official and carefully groomed repositories are commissioned and decommissioned accordingly.
These are no waste products you throw away like we throw away our hazardous hospital waste in poor people’s neighbourhoods. Once you throw away nuclear waste carelessly, be sure that both the poor and the rich will suffer immensely………
Nigeria has so much sun that could readily give us 4,000 mega watts with less money than we would spend setting up a hazardous nuclear plant to generate same quantum of power………http://www.punchng.com/54529-2/
Germany to get right out of coal power, well before 2050
Germany to exit coal power ‘well before 2050’ : draft document, Reuters 4 May 16 BERLIN | BY MARKUS WACKET Coal-fired power production in Germany should come to an end “well before 2050”, according to a draft environment ministry document seen by Reuters on Tuesday on how Europe’s biggest economy can achieve its climate goals.
Calls have grown for Berlin to set out a timetable to withdraw from coal in power production, after global leaders clinched a climate-protection deal in Paris last December to transform the world’s fossil-fuel driven economy.
The government is due to decide on a national climate action plan for 2050 by mid-2016 which will lay out how it plans to move away from fossil fuels and achieve
its goal of cutting CO2 emissions by up to 95 percent compared to 1990 levels by the middle of the century…….
Germany generated more than a quarter of its electricity from renewable sources – such as wind and solar power – in 2014. The document said the amount of energy produced by green sources should increase by around 75 percent by 2030.
Support for research into energy-storage technologies should be doubled over the next 10 years, the paper says.
The government will also push for a stricter European emissions trading system and is considering whether an additional levy on petrol, heating oil and gas would increase demand for green technologies. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-environment-coal-idUSKCN0XU1R1
Michigan Utility, German Nuclear Plant Infected with Malware
E Security Planet The system used to monitor fuel rods at the nuclear plant was infected with several viruses, and the utility was hit by a ransomware attack. By Jeff Goldman May 05, 2016 A nuclear power plant in Germany and an electric utility in Michigan were both recently hit with malware infections.
The system used to monitor fuel rods at the Gundremmingen nuclear power plant, about 75 miles from Munich, was recently found to be infected with several viruses including W32.Ramnit and Conficker. However, the infected system wasn’t connected to the Internet, Ars Technica reports.
Still, Carl Wright, executive vice president and general manager atTrapX Security, told eSecurity Planet by email that a system that isn’t connected to the Internet may still be at risk. “TrapX Labs has found malware in several client sites that has jumped the gap into isolated or secure environments, which is often the case with complex process control systems and SCADA networks,” he said…….http://www.esecurityplanet.com/malware/michigan-utility-german-nuclear-plant-infected-with-malware.html
US NRC Commission Requires Re-Analysis of Severe Accidents at Nuclear Power Station Near NYC; A NY AG Win on Indian Point?
Chernobyl exclusion zone size superimposed on Indian Point Nuclear Power Station. Interactive Model from Greenpeace: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/code/2016/chernobyl/index.html
Press release from the New York AG followed by our commentary:
“Media Center » Press Releases » May 4th 2016
A.G. Schneiderman Applauds Major Decision By Federal NRC Commissioners To Require Re-Analysis Of Severe Accident Prevention Measures At Indian Point
Commissioners Of Federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission Find Prior Analysis To Be In Violation Of National Environmental Policy Act
Schneiderman: Millions Who Live And Work Near Indian Point Deserve A Fair Assessment Of Upgrades Needed To Protect Them From Severe Accidents
NEW YORK – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today applauded a decision by Commissioners of the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to require NRC staff to conduct a re-analysis of the impacts caused by severe accidents at the Indian Point nuclear power facility and potential upgrades needed to protect the public against such…
View original post 1,727 more words
May 5 Energy News
World:
¶ A fire has forced evacuation of all 88,000 residents of Fort McMurray, Alberta. The fire, which broke out on Sunday in the heart on the country’s oil sands region, has already gutted 1,600 buildings, including a new school. High temperatures and wind are driving the fire. [BBC]
Fort McMurray fire. AP photo. According to
The Weather Channel, high temperatures were at 90° F,
or 32° C, breaking the old record of 82° F.
¶ According to the fourth edition of the Asset Owners Disclosure Project’s Global Climate 500 Index, 246 of the world’s 500 biggest investors, with $14.3 trillion in funds, are ignoring climate risks completely, 97 are taking tangible action to mitigate the risk, and 147 are taking first steps. [CleanTechnica]
¶ Offshore wind can fill the low-carbon gap left by the potential non-delivery of the delayed Hinkley Point C nuclear…
View original post 451 more words
Nearby Communities Sunk Deeper into Poverty Since the Arrival of Grand Gulf Nuclear; Lack Emergency Resources; Nearby Jefferson Co. Need to Participate in Evacuation Planning Ignored
Today, in Washington DC, is a relicensing hearing for Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Station in Claiborne County Mississippi, 1000 miles away.
Staircase from the Windsor Plantation Ruins. The staircase is now at Alcorn State University, the first black land grant college in the USA. Both are near Grand Gulf Nuclear Reactor. Clearly the Grand Gulf Nuclear Reactor is a blight on the landscape in every sense of the word.
Hurricane Evacuation map shows Grand Gulf, Port Gibson, Alcorn (ASU), Fayette, etc. and County Names: http://mdot.ms.gov/hurricanes/prepare/pdf/hurricane-evacuation-guide-2015.pdf While a hurricane would require evacuation to the north, a nuclear accident may require evacuation through Jefferson Co. Below is the size of the Chernobyl exclusion zone overlaid with Port Gibson in Claiborne County and Fayette in Jefferson County. Jefferson Co. clearly may be seriously impacted by a nuclear accident.
Greenpeace interactive map found here: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/code/2016/chernobyl/index.html
Things appear to only have gotten worse since 2004…
View original post 2,886 more words
Another goodbye to democracy if Transatlantic Partnership is passed
Corporate control on both sides of the Atlantic will be solidified should the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership be passed. Any doubt about that was removed when Greenpeace Netherlands released 13 chapters of the TTIP text, although the secrecy of the text and that only corporate representatives have regular access to negotiators had already made intentions clear.
Health, safety, environmental and food laws will all be at risk, with United States negotiators continuing to seek the elimination of European safeguards against genetically modified organisms. But European Union negotiators, although as yet unable to find sufficient common ground with their U.S. counterparts on some issues, are offering plenty of dubious language at the behest of European multi-national corporations.
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership is very much similar to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and although negotiations over it are apparently far from complete it is firmly in the TPP’s anti-democratic…
View original post 1,883 more words
Just the mere $2000 for every single Australian – the cost of submarines purchase from France
4. BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE So we spend $2,000 each. That just gets us the big lumps of steel. If you actually want to use them, you’re paying more. It could be another $2,000 to $4,000 per Australian….
OPTIONS The great thing about the way the acquisition will work is there should be the opportunity to cut back from 12 when the inevitable delays and cost blowouts happen. From here we can’t save the whole $2000 but maybe we can save some, for better uses.
Sub standard: why the $2,000 we are each spending on submarines will probably be a terrible waste http://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/design/sub-standard-why-the-2000-we-are-each-spending-on-submarines-will-probably-be-a-terrible-waste/news-story/6922de6f6a72657c669fdc1a1248916f APRIL 30, 2016, Jason Murphy news.com.au@jasemurphy AUSTRALIA is spending $50 billion to buy submarines. The biggest whack of money we’ve ever spent on a Defence project. It comes out at $2000 per person. And it’s probably a shocking idea.
View original post 674 more words
Australia’s submarine choice made in collusion with the sham Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission?
And here was I, thinking that I was paranoid, for imagining that the Federal government’s choice of a submarine provider had anything to do with South Australia’s shonky Nuclear Royal Commission.
Yes, I did wonder why, after Tony Abbott promising Japan that they would supply the subs at $40 billion, the govt chose a $50 billion deal. (I thought that Turnbull must have been happy to spend the extra $10 billion just to nark Abbott)
I did wonder why the Royal Commission spent several days in France, conferring with officials and nuclear corporation AREVA, the very days when AREVA went broke, and had to be taken over by the also nearly broke EDF.
I did wonder why they chose a nuclear-powered design (to be fuelled by diesel) when better and cheaper non nuclear designs were available from Germany and Japan.
But now we know. The whole deal was done in collusion…
View original post 21 more words
Australia buying submarines from notoriously corrupt French firm
“DCNS’s operations face questions across almost the entire globe, including in Pakistan, Malaysia, India, Saudi Arabia and Chile, with bribes and kickbacks reportedly comprising 8 per cent to 12 per cent of DCNS’s entire budget.”
French subs builder’s record of corruption, The Saturday Paper, HAMISH MCDONALD, 30 Apr 16 “…….The Defence Department has been dazzled by promises from shipbuilder DCNS of ultra-quiet pulse-jet propulsion, a powerful sonar array from Thales, a comfortable space for the crew, and a very long range. Now all that has to be done is design the new boat, replacing the nuclear reactor in the Barracuda with diesels, batteries and fuel cells, and fitting in fuel tanks.
View original post 301 more words
Aboriginal people Adnyamathanha to fight federal government’s nuclear dump plan
Adnyamathanha to fight federal government’s nuclear dump planned Barndioota location.Transcontinental, Port Augusta,30 Apr 16 ADNYAMATHANHA traditional owners are vowing to fight the federal government’s plans to house a nuclear waste facility Wallerberdina Station near Barndioota in the Flinders Ranges.
The call comes as the site was shortlisted by the federal government as the possible location of Australia’s first facility of its kind on Friday morning
Adnyamathanha Traditional Owner Regina McKenzie, who lives at Yappala Station near the proposed dump site said the Adnyamathanha were not consulted about the nomination.
‘Even Traditional Owners who live next to the proposed dump site at Yappala Station weren’t consulted,” Ms McKenzie said.
“The proposed dump site is adjacent to the Yappala Indigenous Protected Area. On the land with the proposed dump site, we have been working for many years to register heritage sites with the SA government.”
Ms McKenzie said the Arngurla Yarta (spiritual land) holds special significance to her…
View original post 174 more words
May 4 Energy News
Opinion and Action:
¶ “Largest Civil Disobedience in History of the Environmental Movement Begins Today” • Starting today, a global wave of peaceful direct actions lasting for 12 days will take place across six continents targeting the world’s most dangerous fossil fuel projects, under the banner of Break Free. [EcoWatch]
World:
¶ While Tesla may have the lock on electric vehicles for personal use, BYD has its sights set on the commercial side of things. BYD is bringing a full array of electric trucks to market which are aimed directly at one of the key sources of PM2.5 and PM10 pollution in our cities – diesel trucks. [CleanTechnica]
¶ In the UK, farmers and landowners built 209 new projects in 2015 with a combined capacity of 56 MW, providing valuable new revenue streams, often on low-quality land. Together they account for 28% of all independent…
View original post 521 more words
Let Japanese Officials Eat Isotopes To Atone For Fukushima
Despite the Fukushima and Chernobyl disasters, nuclear energy continues to thrive. Pictured: Fukushima shortly after the disaster.
How Japanese Officials Can Atone for Fukushima
Let them eat isotopes.
The meltdowns and release of radiation from the Fukushima Daaichi nuclear power plant has been an ongoing crisis for five years. Nuclear engineer Koide Hiroaki has been one of the most trenchant critics of how the Japanese government and power company TEPCO (mis)handled the disaster. In a wide-ranging interview at Counterpunch, he offered a way for officials, who have gone unpunished, to atone.
Right now the people of Fukushima have been abandoned in the areas of the highest levels of radiation. And abandoned people have to find a way to live. Farmers produce agricultural goods, dairy farmers produce dairy products, and ranchers produce meat; these people must do so in order to live. They are not the ones to be blamed at all.
As the Japanese state is absolutely unreliable in this matter, these people have no choice but to go on producing food in that place, all the while suffering further exposure. So I don’t think we can throw out the food they produce there under those conditions. Inevitably someone has to consume that food.
Certainly not the residents of the Fukushima area. Hiroaki has a better idea.
We should serve all of the most heavily contaminated food at say the employee cafeteria at TEPCO or in the cafeteria for Diet members [Japanese parliament] in the Diet building. But that isn’t nearly enough. We must carefully inspect the food, and once we’ve determined what foods have what levels of contamination, once that is fully measured and delineated, then those who have the corresponding levels of responsibility should eat it, should be given it.
He’s serious.
I am aware that this is a controversial proposal, but each one of us, especially those who built post-war Japan, bears responsibility for allowing our society to heavily dependent on nuclear energy without carefully reflecting on the risks and consequences of it. And more importantly, we have the responsibility for protecting children.
Even after Chernobyl and Fukushima, nuclear energy thrives. Especially in Russia and China, where they are planning to build floating nuclear energy plants. Huh? From CNN on April 28:
China is planning to build nuclear reactors that will take to the sea to provide power in remote locations. … These small power plants will be built in Chinese shipyards, mounted on large sea-going barges, towed to a remote place where power is needed and connected to the local power grid, or perhaps oil rig.
China has 20 planned; Russia seven. Never mind how much the costs would cascade if another disaster occurs. In January 2014, at Warscapes magazine, I wrote that it was difficult to understand how the advocates of nuclear power can continue to block out the risk of major accidents, especially when they are fresh in our memory.:
Fukushima has just occurred before the world has gotten over the last one, Chernobyl. What if another accident occurs while we’re still knee-deep in cleaning up and bearing the costs of Fukushima, and maybe even still Chernobyl? Casualties and damage to the environment aside for the moment, how can nations afford this? Come to think of it, how do nuclear-power companies afford it, yet continue to forge ahead?
To answer the last question: state subsidies to build nuclear energy plants. Also, of course, much of the cost of cleaning up after an accident is, as you would expect, offloaded to the state and its citizens. Bailing out the nuclear energy is of a piece with bailing out the banks.
http://fpif.org/japanese-officials-can-atone-fukushima/
Mount Sakura is just 50km from the NPP Sendai
The Sakurajima volcano in Japan erupted again on April 30, 2016.
Japanese media do not talk about it…
Mount Sakura is just 50km from the NPP Sendai (Kagoshima, Japan)!
3 subsequent explosions sent a column of ash 3800, 1800, and 1200 meters over the crater.
Nowlook at this awesome video:
This new eruptive phase at Sakurajima volcano, Japan, began back on April 29, 2016:
鹿児島県：桜島
4月28日23時16分（爆発的噴火） 火山雷あり。瀬戸空振計：19.3Pa 弾道を描いて飛散する大きな噴石：4合目。今年40回目（気象庁火山観測報：https://t.co/tA1AEDEzT3） pic.twitter.com/KmosoHMCkn— T.HIRANO (@TOHRU_HIRANO) April 28, 2016
Explosions also occurred on April 30, 2016:
鹿児島県：桜島
4月29日17時17分（爆発的噴火） 噴煙：火口上3500m 瀬戸空振計：21.2Pa：弾道を描いて飛散する大きな噴石：6合目。今年41回目 （気象庁火山観測報：https://t.co/UYFKIKSDz4） pic.twitter.com/4SSdN7fpLx— T.HIRANO (@TOHRU_HIRANO) April 29, 2016
Before exploding again on April 30 2016.
鹿児島県：桜島
4月30日09時25分（爆発的噴火） 噴煙：火口上3600m 瀬戸空振計：22.6Pa：弾道を描いて飛散する大きな噴石：5合目。今年42回目 （気象庁：https://t.co/7CnC8fMEfq） pic.twitter.com/3Z6SOlCeG1— T.HIRANO (@TOHRU_HIRANO) April 30, 2016
The volcanic unrest continues… And nobody knows when it is going to stop!
1 This Month
Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes – A good documentary on Chernobyl on SBS available On Demand for the next 3 weeks– https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-program/chernobyl-the-lost-tapes/2352741955560
of the week–London Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Tell the Ukrainian Government to Drop Prosecution of Peace Activist Yurii Sheliazhenko
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity – go to https://nuclearinformation.wordpress.com
-
Archives
- April 2026 (152)
- March 2026 (251)
- February 2026 (268)
- January 2026 (308)
- December 2025 (358)
- November 2025 (359)
- October 2025 (376)
- September 2025 (257)
- August 2025 (319)
- July 2025 (230)
- June 2025 (348)
- May 2025 (261)
-
Categories
- 1
- 1 NUCLEAR ISSUES
- business and costs
- climate change
- culture and arts
- ENERGY
- environment
- health
- history
- indigenous issues
- Legal
- marketing of nuclear
- media
- opposition to nuclear
- PERSONAL STORIES
- politics
- politics international
- Religion and ethics
- safety
- secrets,lies and civil liberties
- spinbuster
- technology
- Uranium
- wastes
- weapons and war
- Women
- 2 WORLD
- ACTION
- AFRICA
- Atrocities
- AUSTRALIA
- Christina's notes
- Christina's themes
- culture and arts
- Events
- Fuk 2022
- Fuk 2023
- Fukushima 2017
- Fukushima 2018
- fukushima 2019
- Fukushima 2020
- Fukushima 2021
- general
- global warming
- Humour (God we need it)
- Nuclear
- RARE EARTHS
- Reference
- resources – print
- Resources -audiovicual
- Weekly Newsletter
- World
- World Nuclear
- YouTube
-
RSS
Entries RSS
Comments RSS
nuclear-news 