nuclear-news

The week that has been in climate and nuclear news

Again, there’s a collision between the twin threats of nuclear power and of climate change, as California’s wildfires ravage the once-secret Santa Susana Field Lab (Rocketdyne), site of a partial nuclear meltdown in 1959, and still radioactively polluted.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVhtygifsuE.   Physicians for Social Responsibility refute media claims that wildfire ash poses no radiation health problem. ( No monitoring , no assessment: the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence.)

California Fires Could Be The ‘New Abnormal’ If Climate Change Continues. Scientists have identified 10 ways in which climate change makes wildfires worse.

Investigative journalism. Again, journalists cover the situation of America’s sick and dying nuclear workers. This is a 2018 story, which was covered magnificently by McClatchy News in 2015.

Nuclear reactors “are a bad bet for a climate strategy” – former NRC chairman.

The digital danger to nuclear weapons.

Tell Ft.com that solar air-conditioning is the answer to air-conditioning’s greenhouse gas problem.

Within 50 years, ozone layer hole is predicted to be completely healed.

IRAN. Iran is keeping to the conditions of nuclear deal: latest U.N. report.

NORTH KOREA. North Korea: its nuclear weapons “complete”, but not planning to get rid of them (why should they?)

JAPAN. Tepco to temporarily stop injecting water at Fukushima reactor . Local opposition to restart of Tokai nuclear station, but it is cleared to start by Japan’s nuclear watchdog.

USA.

• Woolsey Fire Burns Nuclear Meltdown Site that State Toxics Agency Failed to Clean Up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVhtygifsuE&t=418s  Nuclear meltdown at Santa Susana Lab and the government cover-up.  High fire warning continues including area of Santa Susana (Rocketdyne) nuclear irradiated area.
• USA non proliferation experts, both Democrat and Republican Urge Trump to save nuclear treaty with Russia.  With Democrat majority in U.S. Congress, Trump’s plans for nuclear arsenal, space weapons, will meet with opposition. New Bill in U.S. Congress would block a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia. In USA 100 women elected to Congress– could they challenge the nuclear status quo?
• Beyond Nuclear questions Union of Concerned Scientists’ support for bailouts for “top ranked” nuclear plants.
• U.S. sailors in nuclear reactor part of USS Ronald Reagan allegedly used drug LSD.
•  Explanation of near-miss at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS).
• Holtec nuclear waste dry storage system (Hi-STORM UMAX) is a lemon and must be recalled. Radioactive groundwater found at Westingouse SC nuclear fuel factory.
• For USA the cost of not funding a nuclear waste solution is becoming greater than the cost of funding it.

UK. 

• The collapse of Britain’s Moorside project shows that nuclear power has no real future.   Doomed Moorside nuclear project might have provided 2% of UK energy needs, NOT 7%.   Consultant WYG takes £3m loss on business it bought for Moorside nuclear development.
• For Britain’s next nuclear boondoggle – Wylfa project, households might have to pay upfront for the construction.   Britain’s Wyfa nuclear power project will be one hell of a cost to the taxpayer.
• Britain’s Bradwell nuclear project under scrutiny- risks of flooding, water overuse, environmental degradation.   
• Cumbria Trust questions the independence of the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM).
•  Frazer Nash nuclear helps nuclear lobby to infiltrate academia.

RUSSIA.  Putin claims that Russia is developing an “invincible” nuclear weapon.  Russia now offering to help Norway to deal with the inappropriate storage of  radioactive waste.

TAIWAN. Hundreds of Taiwanese academics urge public to vote for nuclear power shut-down.

SOUTH AFRICA. South Africa: leaked report shows Zuma government’s secret plans for nuclear power.

CANADA.  Small Modular Reactors not commercially viable, but nuclear companies want the government handouts.   NuScale and Ontario Power Generation (OPG) trying to make Small Nuclear Reactors happen in Canada. Canada’s nuclear regulator wants Small Nuclear Reactors exempted from full Environmental Assessment.

SAUDI ARABIA. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launches nuclear project in Saudi Arabia.

November 13, 2018 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes