nuclear-news

Nuclear, climate, pandemic news for last week in June

Image from Together Against Sizewell C Painted by Lee Norton

We are going to need to learn to live with the virus. Scientists just beginning to grasp how bad this Coronavirus is.

Will the pandemic open up global action to halt global heating? 16th Century colonisation, slavery began the planet’s damage, 21st Century pandemic response could repair it.    Coronavirus is an SOS: Mend our broken relationship with nature, says UN and WHO.

Need for action on global heating –  It’s 38°C in Siberia.  One climate writer thinks that “it’s time to get emotional about climate”.

On the nuclear scene – same same – propagandists touting nuclear as a “cure” for climate change, and minimising the issue of costs. A European worry –  about a cloud with tiny levels of radioactivity detected, over Scandinavia and European Ar

US, Russia nuclear arms talks end with plans for second round.

How we can manage the intermittency of renewables and attain 100% renewables.

Julian Assange faces new indictment in USA.

UK.   Costing the Earth – New Nuclear is Beyond Expensive Beyond Dangerous and often Beyond Operational- so why is it touted as “Clean Energy”?  UK’s expensive problem of nuclear power’s inflexibility.

• Sizewell nuclear plant – untried, costly, environmentally damaging, and no electricity for 10 years or more!. Sizewell planning documents reveal higher-than-expected £20bn price tag. UK planning inspectorate accepts Sizewell C nuclear plans for examination.  UK’s planning inspectorate should shut down the plan for Sizewell nuclear power, vulnerable to climate change.  UNITE- urged to  unite against Sizewell C.
• Wylfa nuclear project: Donald Trump plea over site sale dismissed.
• Bradwell nuclear power station – an unwise plan.
• Nuclear developers push UK government for prompt decision on government finance for new construction.

EUROPE. European Union countries agree to exclude nuclear, fossil gas from green transition fund

RUSSIA.  Russia denies its nuclear plants are source of radiation leak .  Radiation level increase in northern Europe may ‘indicate damage’ to nuclear power plant in Russia.  Russia’s priority is to involve UK, France in future nuclear arms control talks — diplomat. 2,000 Covid-19 Cases in Severodvinsk, city that builds Russia’s nuclear submarines.

USA.

• Instead of funding health, care, U.S. Senate approves  big increase to funding nuclear weapons. Trump administration says it won’t carry out a nuclear weapons test ‘at this time’.  Outer space beginning to look like a new area of nuclear conflict, according to Pentagon.  The Shoshone people and nuclear bomb testing.  President’s nuclear fantasy threatens Nevadans’ health, national security.
• Judge orders temporary stop to decommissioning Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station.
• Resequencing of Vogtle nuclear plant expansion activities is credit negative: Moody’s.
• Crash of nuclear waste truck, fortunately the cask was empty.
• After 134 years, renewables beat coal in US – and head to 50 pct share by 2030.
• Grave concerns in New Mexico about nuclear waste plan.
• Holtec International Under Criminal Investigation.    Lawsuit alleges cover-up at nuclear weapons facility.
• U.S. Dept of Energy entrenching the nuclear industry into universities, (at tax-payers’ expense).
• USA financing nuclear projects abroad – but what if Small Nuclear Reactors are a flop?

JAPAN. Radioactive hotspots near Fukushima Olympic facilities: will Japan be ready for 2012 Games?  Testing for radiation in Fukushima – the continued anxiety.

UKRAINE.  Ukraine declassifies Chernobyl nuclear disaster documents.

CANADA. Ontario Power Generation pulls the plug on nuclear waste project.  Opposition by Saugeen-Ojibway nation brings end to plan for nuclear waste near Lake Huron.    Coalition for Responsible Energy Development wants a stop to nuclear expansion in Canada.    Small modular nuclear reactors fraught with problems.

BOSNIA. Unacceptable to build a radioactive waste repository on the BiH border, Bosnia forming an expert team to plan Croatian nuclear waste disposal .

FRANCE.  France’s old Fessenheim nuclear reactor to finally shut down- the first of many.

GERMANY. Nuclear waste from Germany to Russia.

NEW ZEALAND.  New Zealand stood up to the nuclear bullies- the Rainbow Warrior story.

POLAND. Marketing man Donald Trump trying to sell U.S. nuclear reactors to Poland.

NORTH KOREA. North Korea to ‘counter nuclear with nuclear’ against US.

IRAN. Board of IAEA issues mild rebuke to Iran.

AUSTRALIA. Labor reaches for bipartisanship on energy policy, but a DEFINITE NO TO NUCLEAR.    Julian Assange’s fiancée calls on the Australian government to secure his freedom.

June 29, 2020 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes