Nuclear news in brief – week to 18th February

A thaw in North Korea’s attitude, with the Winter Olympics. Cynics dismiss this as propaganda, but it has obviously brought some calm to the situation in the two Koreas, and perhaps even changed the equation North Korea v USA.

The nuclear news this week has been dominated by the global problem of nuclear waste – what to do with it? France’s EDF proposes a gigantic nuclear garbage pool. Japan has a glut of plutonium wastes. America’s Hanford wastes cleanup will cost $111 billion. The Swedish version of UK’s Radioactive Waste Management was rejected by Swedish Environment Court. Only now after 32 years, is Ukraine starting to remove the liquid nuclear wastes from the shattered Chernobyl reactor. Cumbrians are rejecting UK’s nuclear waste. The Australian government is quietly trying to bribe outback communities into hosting nuclear waste, with a deceptive tale about “medical needs” . As for Fukushima – don’t get me started.

Of course – none of the authorities in any of these countries has suggested the idea of stopping making radioactive trash!

2017 – 2018 The trends in nuclear power construction.

Research into low dose radiation – a very complex issue.

SOUTH KOREA. Quiet diplomacy brought South and North Korean athletes together for the Winter Olympics.

NORTH KOREA. North Korea wants to mend relations with South Korea – but also to continue nuclear military development.

UK.

UK’s “Central Government Supply Estimates 2017-18” promises a massive future bailout for the nuclear industry. Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA) report on UK National Policy Statement – nuclear is not needed. Nuclear corporation EDF ‘s profits fall in UK,- low prices, and rising energy efficiency – lower consumption.
UK’s nuclear veterans to be DNA tested.
A new report on Sellafield highlights the likely nuclear damage to Ireland.
Jeremy Corbyn commits to green energy, wants the national grid in public hands.
How a nuclear submarine crashed into a tanker.
‘Men only’ attitude in decision-making is slowing Britain’s transition to clean energy.

JAPAN. Japan’s problem of no place to put low-level waste from nuclear reactors. (They haven’t got anywhere for high level wastes either) . Japan has enough plutonium for 5,000 nuclear warheads, and its Constitution does not rule them out. 2020 Japan Olympics and the threat of nuclear terrorism. Kobe steel firm might have falsified data on nuclear waste container safety. Drone to probe Fukushima N-plant interior.

USA.

Soaring deficit for USA in Trump’s $4.4 Trillions Budget with huge weapons expenditure. Hanford nuclear clean-up will cost $111 billion, but Trump is slashing its budget, anyway. USA’s Energy Dept ‘s $30.6 billion budget request beefs up nuclear weapons, downgrades renewables. Trump budget contains $120M to restart licensing of Yucca Mountain for waste dump.
“It was complete chaos” says Hanford worker who inhaled plutonium. Progress in getting compensation for sick Hanford nuclear workers and ex-workers.
NASA’s expensive nuclear space race.
Mystery of particle of enriched uranium floating above Alaska.
The uneconomic Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility to be closed– Dept of Energy seeks funding for this.
America now producing medical radioisotopes without use of a nuclear reactor.

FRANCE. EDF and the director of the Cruas-Meysse nuclear power plant (Ardèche) fined over nuclear waste mismanagement. France’s energy giant EDF now making a revolutionary change – from nuclear to renewables?

SOUTH AFRICA. Hopes that South Africa’s new president will scrap nuclear deal.

RUSSIA. Mayak area- Radiation levels last fall 1,000 times above normal. Residents of Russia’s Yaroslavl region got a “false’ radiation alert scare. Blow to Russia’s nuclear marketing ambitions – other investors back out of Turkey nuclear build.

ALGERIA. The untold story of Algeria’s victims of French nuclear bomb tests.

CHINA. China again delays building Westinghouse-designed AP1000 nuclear reactor, because of safety worries.

PAKISTAN. New types of nuclear weapons being developed by Pakistan.