Nuclear news – last week in December

It would be so good to welcome in the New Year with really great news. But, at least there are some indications of better news on the way, both in the unfolding pandemic story, and in efforts to stall global heating.

As for nuclear, in a bizarre way, the pandemic has been helpful to the clean energy cause. The pandemic has caused delays in the ”supply chains”. Among other effects, this has made the push for small nuclear reactors (SMRs) even more likely to fail. For example, despite the hype, Rolls Royce’s plan for SMRs for Qatar resulted in a fall for their share price, as the transport of parts is problematic.

Pandemic. Omicron: bleak new year or beginning of the end for the pandemic?. Scientists are cautiously optimistic that the variant may be a sign the virus is losing its power, despite the high infection figures.

Climate. Earth’s Climate: Rapid and Dramatic Changes.

Julian Assange’s lawyers start process for UK Supreme Court appeal against his extradition to America.

The science-based case for excluding Nuclear Fission Technologies from the EU Taxonomy .

Spent Fuel, The risky resurgence of nuclear power.

Nuclear power has no business case and could make climate change worse.

Is the thorium-fueled “Molten Salt” reactor a proven technology?

Report: “Moving Beyond Missile Defense and Space Weapons”

Nuclear liabilities – the tax-payer is the insurer of last resort.

Some bits of good news – Costa Rica was the star at COP26 Climate Summit. The rare spots of good news on climate change.

ARCTIC. A second great nuclear ice breaker for Russia to keep the Northern Sea Route open.

EUROPE. European Commission experts call on EU not to label nuclear ‘green‘. European Commission will decide in 2022 if it considers nuclear energy as a ”climate friendly” investment. European Commission facing a backlash from Greta Thunberg and environmentalists over plans to include nuclear and gas in the EU ”green” taxonomy.

FRANCE. France short of electricity, as it shuts down 2 nuclear reactors due to safety concerns.

BELGIUM. Belgian government to close its nuclear plants by 2025 .

ASIA. Rapid shrinking of glaciers in the Himalayas.

JAPAN. Plight of Fukushima’s fishermen . USA puts pressure on Japan to not attend nuclear ban treaty meeting, not even as an observer. TEPCO files for approval of Fukushima plant water release. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear powerplant out of action for many months due to 74 instances of defective welding..

CHINA. China opposes Japanese decision to release nuclear-contaminated water into ocean.

CANADA. Canada to be the guinea pig for America’s probably unviable small nuclear reactor.

USA.

U.S. congressional delegation arrives in Ukraine to discuss threat of war with Russia — Anti-bellum . Archbishop calls for nuclear disarmament . USA is examining its ”nuclear declaratory policy’‘, while Biden considers how to reduce the role of nuclear weapons. Cyber Threats and Nuclear Weapons: Assessing Risks.
USA has 85,000 metric tons of spent fuel from nuclear power plants, 90 million gallons of weapons wastes – robots to the rescue. America’s nuclear waste problem becoming more urgent, as the nuke lobby tries to ramp up the industry.
Holtec gets approval to acquire and dismantle Palisades nuclear plant: not everyone is happy. Holtec, owner of closed Oyster Creek nuclear station faces security violation fine.
NASA seems to be struggling with the fact that ionising radiation is a greater risk to women, than to men.
Inept cover-up of faulty nuclear work – Nuclear Regulatory Commission gives no penalty.
U.S. can get to 100% clean energy with wind, water, solar and zero nuclear, Stanford professor says.
Former Westinghouse CEO Danny Roderick now a government witness in South Carolina nuclear fraud case

FRANCE. The French government asked EDF for earlier restart of nuclear reactors (now on maintenance). EDF HAS DECIDED TO CLOSE TWO NUCLEAR PLANTS AFTER FINDING CRACKS. Tricastin nuclear power station: a radioactive leak in groundwater. The Environmental Authority requires a list of all the problems encountered in building the Flamanville EPR nuclear reactor.

GERMANY. Germany steadfast in rejecting nuclear power, aims for 100% renewables.

IRAQ. Environmental Ruin in Modern Iraq – largely due to depleted uranium.

IRAN. Iran holds air defence drill near Bushehr nuclear plant. Iran Diplomat Condemns West’s ‘Psychological Warfare’ in Nuclear Deadlock. The chance for nuclear diplomacy shouldn’t be wasted. Iran Simulated Attack On Israel’s Dimona Nuclear Site In Recent Wargames.

UK.

Inspections of Britain’s ageing nuclear weapons facilities.
In Cumbria – Dangerous Nuclear Waste Dumping- Mission Creep and Obfuscation.
Changes in UK nuclear third party liability .
ROLLS ROYCE FALLS 3% ON QATARI INVESTMENT IN SMALL NUCLEAR BUSINESS.
Radiation Free Lakeland joins the call against watering down safety regulations for nuclear fusion reactors..

FINLAND. Olkiluoto EPR nuclear reactor starting up, 12 years late .

SWEDEN. Swedish environmental groups sound a warning on the government’s plans for a new radioactive waste dump.

SLOVENIA and CROATIA. Lack of transparency on radioactive waste , on intake of international nuclear waste.

RUSSIA. Depleted uranium exports to Russia are not a ”resource” – they are radioactive waste.

TANZANIA. Tanzania seeking information on ‘nuclear waste’ ship detained in Mombasa.

AUSTRALIA. Australian government and Labor opposition ignore the suffering of Julian Assange. Can they afford to, as election looms? Traditional owners lodge legal challenge to planned Kimba nuclear waste dump.