nuclear-news

The News That Matters about the Nuclear Industry Fukushima Chernobyl Mayak Three Mile Island Atomic Testing Radiation Isotope

Democrats bashing Trump, Putin summit ensuring continued destruction of Ukraine.

Walt Zlotow, West Suburban Peace Coalition, Glen Ellyn IL, 18 Aug 25

Democrats are horrified that Trump and Putin are actively seeking an end to the 3 year, 6 month US proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. They avoid entirely the imminent collapse of Ukraine’s military in Ukraine’s lost cause to enter NATO and conquer the Donbas Ukrainian separatists. Neither will ever happen as the war is lost with 4 eastern Ukrainian oblasts gone forever. NATO will never include the rump state that is left of Ukraine once they capitulate.

While Democrats have good reason to lambast Trump’s deranged domestic policies, they should be wishing him success, indeed cheering him on as he tries to extricate America for possibly the worst foreign policy blunder in its 250 years.

All 6 US administrations preceding Trump 2.0, including 3 Republicans (H.W. Bush, W. Bush and Trump 1.0),  and 3 Democrats (Clinton, Obama, Biden) endlessly provoked the Russian invasion of February 22, 2022. But it was the third Democrat, virulent Russophobe Joe Biden, who made that invasion inevitable. He greenlighted Ukraine’s massing troops on the Donbas border to finish off the Ukrainian separatists in late 2021. Then he dismissed Russia’s entreaties in December to grant the separatists independence and rule out Ukraine NATO membership.

But the August 15 summit has changed the US, Russia trajectory from endless war to seeking an off ramp to peace. Alas, Democratic congresspersons and their sycophant Democratic media had their hair on fire over the summit. ‘Trump was cozying up to a war criminal dictator.’ Trump got rolled.’ ‘Trump betrayed the brave Ukrainian people.’ ‘Trump disgraced America and himself by not including Ukraine President Zelensky ‘

Democrats adhere to the party platform that forbids any support of Trump even it could alleviate Ukrainian suffering and lead to peace. Their endless rant against the Trump summit avoided any mention Ukraine is on US/NATO life support and will likely be finished on the battlefield by summer’s end.

Democrats offer nary an idea to reverse Ukraine’s imminent defeat. Nuke Russia? Nope. Offer up American cannon fodder? Nope. All they offer is ‘Tell Putin to get the hell out of Ukraine.’

Democratic leadership remains oblivious several million of the 6 million 2020 Biden voters who abandoned Harris in 2024 did so over their failed proxy war against Russia and support of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, both getting hundreds of thousands killed for nothing.

Democrats checked all the boxes demonizing Trump for attempting to end the lost US proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. They left unchecked all the boxes that offer any hope for the 70% of Ukrainians who look to America to end forthwith this nightmare war America provoked.

Whether in the White House or out, Democrats’ support of endless war is destroying their party along with the millions in Ukraine and Gaza. Their reaction to the Trump, Putin summit is Exhibit A.

August 18, 2025 Posted by | politics, USA | Leave a comment

Review of the Alaska meeting – The goal is always domination.

Organizing Notes, Bruce Gagnon, coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space, 16 Aug 25, https://space4peace.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-goal-is-always-domination.html?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

The Washington post reports in their top headline this morning the following: Trump reverses on Ukraine war ceasefire demand, aligning with Putin, splitting with allies: An immediate ceasefire to the war in Ukraine had long been a bedrock demand by the U.S., Ukraine and their European allies.

One can easily imagine that most neocons in Washington, London and the EU are pulling their hair out. Zelensky as well. His cash cow is wandering off the farm.

No immediate ceasefire was agreed upon. That was the chief demand of Zelensky, Starmer, Macon and Merz. They wanted to use that time to re-stock Ukraine with more weapons (especially drones) that could keep attacking civilians in the Donbass and inside of Russia. 

Give Trump a nod (what ever his real motivations might be) he has now angered the ‘allies’ and they know that if they want the proxy war on Russia to continue (and they surely do) they are going to have to pay for it. 

In one interview on Fox, Trump said the US funded Ukraine at the tune of $350 billion while the EU gave $100 billion.  

Actually the US can’t afford to keep pissing money down the rat hole – especially when they want to spend that money getting ready for war with China. (And maybe still with Russia and Iran too.)

The Ukraine gamble is lost.

The oligarchic owned media in the US ensured that the Obama-Biden-Hillary Clinton orchestrated coup in Kiev in 2014 was swallowed by the people across the ‘democratic’ west. The public was firmly brainwashed to believe that Ukraine was the white hat team and Russia was the black hat bad guys. 

Few know that the US-NATO started the war in 2014 and killed/wounded tens of thousands of Russian-ethnics in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine – the place where the war is centered today.

In early 2022 Russian went into the Donbass after years of fruitless negotiations with the west to end their attacks on the Donbass. The US-NATO always wanted the war. They dreamed of  breaking Russia up into pieces.  

But don’t think the US has given up on its ill-fated quest to break up Russia. Alaska was just a ‘strategic retreat’. Just look at how Washington is fiddling with Armenia and Azerbaijan to destabilize another border land of both Russia and Iran. 

The US is also working with Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland to militarize the Arctic in order to challenge Russia’s large border with that vast resource rich region.

The US-NATO only know war. Their economies are driven by military spending. Their so-called leaders are virtually all corporate apparatchiks.  

And don’t forget that many of these EU-NATO leaders are related to former high level Nazi operatives during WW2. 

Europe appears stuck in the quicksand of their disappearing ‘unipolar’ control. They just can’t accept that they must get along with the Global South that is rising after 500 years of colonial domination.

The US and EU got rich off the treasure they stole from the Global South. Museums across the west are loaded with treasures taken from these nations.

Trump is still about America First. That has not changed. The public in the US must campaign against the Pentagon’s trillion dollar a year offensive war machine.  

That is the only way we will get true peace. 

August 18, 2025 Posted by | politics international, Russia, Ukraine, USA | Leave a comment

US flies nuclear bombs to Britain.

“The new nuclear bombs which are now based at Lakenheath are entirely under the control of Donald Trump and could be used without the UK having any say at all in the matter.

    by beyondnuclearinternational

Nukewatch UK reveals how US nuclear gravity bombs were deployed on US soil for the first time in 17 years

By Peter Burt

US nuclear bombs were delivered to Lakenheath air base on Thursday 17 July as part of NATO plans to deploy new battlefield nuclear nuclear weapons intended for war-fighting in Europe. The following is an examination of how we know this, with an update also below.

The flight

The arrival of a special flight transporting the bombs was observed by Nukewatch UK, who judge that the evidence publicly available from our observations and flight-tracking data now supports the conclusion that nuclear weapons are based at the Lakenheath US air base in Suffolk. This article explains how the weapons were brought to Lakenheath by the US Air Force and sets out the evidence which indicates they are now stationed at the British base.

Shortly after 7 am local time on Tuesday 15 July a giant C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft, flight number RCH4574 (‘Reach 4574’), assigned to the US Air Force’s 62nd Airlift Wing left Joint Base Lewis–McChord, its home base in Washington state. The 62nd Airlift Wing is an elite, highly trained transport unit which serves as the US Air Force’s Prime Nuclear Airlift Force: the only Air Force section tasked with the role of supporting the US Department of Defence and Department of Energy with their nuclear airlift operations. The aircraft undertaking the flight was a C-17 with the serial number 08-8200, flying on high priority mission with the air force mission number PAM112271196.

The aircraft flew across the continental United States to Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico – the hub of the US Air Force’s nuclear operations, where the largest nuclear weapons storage facility in the world is located: the Kirtland Underground Munitions Maintenance and Storage Complex(KUMMSC). KUMMSC stores a significant portion of the US nuclear arsenal, including gravity bombs and warheads.

At Kirtland the aircraft almost certainly loaded up with a cargo of anything up to 20 newly manufactured B61-12 nuclear weapons – a new, modernised version of the US Air Force’s principal nuclear gravity bomb with greater accuracy than older variants of the weapon. Manufacturing of the B61-12 variant was completed in December 2024 and the weapon is currently being rolled out on deployment. Whilst at Kirtland the aircraft was parked on Pad 5 – the section of the airbase designated for handling hazardous cargoes. Other aircraft at the airport were given a warning not to overfly the aircraft on Pad 5 for a period of over five hours, which ended only once the C-17 had departed.

Mid evening local time on Wednesday 16 July Reach 4574 took off, with the pilot reminding the ground controller that the aircraft has “haz cargo” on board. The aircraft flew through the night across the Atlantic Ocean, rendezvousing with two KC-46 tanker aircraft from Pease Air National Guard Base and McGuire Air Force Base to refuel over the ocean east of New York.

In a co-ordinated operation, a second C-17 aircraft (aircraft number 09-9211, flight number RCH4205, mission number PAM112472196) also left Lewis-McChord on 15 July and flew to Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany (stopping briefly at Lakenheath) to be on standby in the event of a failure or emergency involving the primary aircraft. This standby aircraft may have been loaded with nuclear emergency response equipment for dealing with an accident involving the primary aircraft.

Reach 4574 approached the UK flying south of Ireland, then flew up the Bristol Channel, cut across north Devon, and flew north west along a corridor taking it close to Oxford and Milton Keynes, but avoiding overflying major centres of population. The plane landed at Lakenheath air base at 12.50 local time.

Unloading the bombs

Nukewatch UK was able to observe the aircraft landing and unloading from outside the Lakenheath base. During the unloading operation base security was at an unusually high level, with USAF security patrols and police cars undertaking patrols inside the base’s security fence and plain-clothed (but badged) personnel from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations patrolling outside the base……………………………………………………………………………………………..

 Nukewatch UK believes that this C-17 aircraft was transporting a batch of B61-12 nuclear weapons to Lakenheath. Our reasons for arriving at this conclusion are given below.

US nuclear weapons in Europe

The 62nd Airlift Wing regularly conducts Prime Nuclear Airlift Force missions across the Atlantic to transport materials and equipment to air bases in Europe which support NATO’s nuclear mission in Europe, under which B61 bombs are stored at US bases in Europe and bases of European nations which take part in NATO nuclear-sharing arrangements with the US. Nukewatch has been actively tracking these flights for three years, and has used archived tracking data to analyse flights since the beginning of 2020. Over this period missions have included occasional operations which have been unusually complex, involving up to seven aircraft as stand-bys and for in-flight refuelling. In addition to operations involving nuclear weapons, the unit also conducts missions transporting special nuclear materials which visit several NATO nuclear bases in Europe in sequence, and also conducts missions involving training with ground personnel at several nuclear bases.  

It is possible that the earliest of these missions were training and rehearsal flights for the delivery of new B61-12 nuclear bombs to Europe, with more recent flights actually transporting the nuclear bombs across the Atlantic for deployment at bases in Europe. Nukewatch has observed that Lakenheath has been involved in many of these missions, initially as a location for basing a stand-by aircraft in Europe – possibly for use by a nuclear emergency response team. More recently Lakenheath appears to have been involved in a series of ‘work up’ exercises and security drills involving aircraft from 62 Airlift Wing to prepare the base for the arrival of nuclear weapons, culminating in a large-scale exercise over two days on 10 – 11 June 2025 which may have been a dress rehearsal for the nuclear delivery operation. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

What we think

Speaking on the delivery of US B61-12 nuclear weapons to Lakenheath, Juliet McBride of Nukewatch UK said:

“The new nuclear bombs which are now based at Lakenheath are entirely under the control of Donald Trump and could be used without the UK having any say at all in the matter. In fact, we wonder whether the UK government has even been notified by the US Air Force that the weapons are now stationed at Lakenheath.

“The nuclear weapons now stored at Lakenheath have an explosive power of up to 50 kilotons. For comparison, the atom bomb that devastated Hiroshima in 1945 had an explosive yield of 15 kilotons. Far from protecting Europeans during wartime, these nuclear weapons would contribute to turning Europe into a radioactive wasteland.

“Despite the significant issues and risks involved in basing these weapons of mass destruction in Europe, neither the US nor the UK government have bothered to inform citizens or Parliament that they have been deployed here. Nukewatch UK believes that UK citizens have a right to know that these preparations for fighting a nuclear war are under way, and we will continue to report on nuclear movements to Lakenheath and other European nuclear bases”.

Update: Second nuclear flight arrives at Lakenheath

Following a delivery of nuclear weapons to Lakenheath US air base in Suffolk on 17-18 July 2025, a second Prime Nuclear Airlift force flew to Lakenheath on 24-25 July to delivery a high priority hazardous cargo……………………………………………………………………….

Nukewatch concludes the following:

  • A high security unloading operation for hazardous materials took place at Lakenheath.
  • The operation seemed to follow slightly different procedures to the one observed the previous week.
  • Nevertheless, the degree of security and general circumstances of the flight seem to indicate that a nuclear-related load was probably delivered in the aircraft. This may have been components and equipment related to nuclear weapons, or possibly weapons themselves.
  • Between four to six loads seemed to be transported away from the aircraft in small convoys to a location on the airbase nearby.
  • Assuming two or three transporting vehicles in each convoy, and each convoy carried one nuclear bomb, this suggests that between around 8 and 18 ‘units’ of cargo were delivered by this flight. https://beyondnuclearinternational.org/2025/08/17/us-flies-nuclear-bombs-to-britain/

August 18, 2025 Posted by | UK, USA, weapons and war | Leave a comment

  Russia says it prevented a Ukrainian drone attack on the Smolensk nuclear power plant.

 Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said that it had prevented a
Ukrainian drone attack on the Smolensk nuclear power plant in western
Russia on Sunday. The Soviet-era Smolensk nuclear power station, about 330
km (200 miles) southwest of Moscow near the border with Belarus, has three
RBMK reactors – the same basic design as the reactors at the Chernobyl
nuclear power station. The FSB, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB,
said that Russian radio-electronic warfare systems intercepted a Ukrainian
drone over the territory of the Smolensk nuclear power station.

 Reuters 17th Aug 2025, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-says-it-prevented-ukrainian-drone-attack-smolensk-nuclear-power-plant-2025-08-17/

August 18, 2025 Posted by | Russia, Ukraine, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Trump Declares Victory After Putin Summit: The Spin Begins.

17 August 2025,  Roswell, https://theaimn.net/trump-declares-victory-after-putin-summit-the-spin-begins/

The Trump-Putin summit concluded with no ceasefire or formal deal on Ukraine after nearly three hours of talks. Yet, President Trump and his supporters are framing it as a resounding success, turning a diplomatically thin outcome into a narrative of triumph.

If you listened to Trump and his loyalists, you’d think history had just been made. Trump hailed the meeting as “very productive,” rating it a “10” in a Fox News interview with Sean Hannity. He emphasised “great progress” and “many points agreed to,” though specifics remain elusive. The White House, through Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, praised it was a restoration of dialogue benefiting U.S. interests – a claim critics argue overlooks the lack of enforceable commitments. Trump leveraged Putin’s remark that the Ukraine invasion “might not have happened” under his watch, spinning it as proof of his foreign policy prowess and a fix for “Democrat mess-ups.” The summit’s optics – red carpets, a joint press conference, and Putin’s ride in “The Beast” limo – were highlighted as symbols of American dominance, though skeptics dismissed them as stagecraft masking substantive failures.

MAGA’s Victory Lap

MAGA supporters amplified the victory lap, flooding social media with memes of Trump as a peacemaker, insisting that the world had witnessed leadership in action. Posts celebrated Putin’s praise as a global endorsement, with one user calling it a “clear winner for America” due to the “USA dominance narrative.” Others blamed Democrats for the war, framing the no-deal outcome as a deliberate dump of the “forever war” on Europe, setting the stage for future deals. The grandeur of flyovers and applause was touted as evidence of Trump’s negotiation mastery, dismissing critics as panicked. Yet, foreign policy analysts noted that without tangible concessions from Russia – such as troop withdrawals or guarantees on Ukrainian sovereignty – the summit risked being remembered as a photo op rather than a turning point.

The Spin vs. Reality

With no concrete outcomes, the summit’s legacy hinges on whose narrative sticks. Trump’s camp bets on spectacle overshadowing substance, while opponents warn that legitimising Putin without concessions undermines international law. As details emerge – and if Russian attacks continue – the “success” narrative may face harder scrutiny. For now, the world is left parsing theatrics from geopolitics, with Ukraine’s fate hanging in the balance.

August 18, 2025 Posted by | spinbuster, USA | Leave a comment

The nuclear-powered submarine crisis

Tim Deere-Jones , 11th August 2025 

 The full Report “The British experience with nuclear-powered submarines: lessons for Australia” has been written for Friends of the Earth Australia by British scientist Tim Deere-Jones here.

Dr. Jim Green, national nuclear campaigner with Friends of the Earth Australia, said:

“The report reveals disturbing patterns of unacceptable safety risks, an appalling lack of transparency, cost-blowouts and delays.

“None of the issues raised in Tim Deere-Jones’ report have been adequately addressed in the Australian context. Indeed a federal EPBC Act assessment absurdly precluded nuclear accident impact assessments as ‘out of scope’. If those vital issues are addressed at all, it will be by a new, non-independent military regulator ‒ a blatant, deliberate breach of the fundamental principle of regulatory independence.

“The Australian government must immediately initiate a thorough, independent review of the AUKUS submarine project and this report should be an important input into that inquiry.”

The Report author Mr. Deere-Jones said:

“The British experience with nuclear submarines reveals a litany of safety risks, cost blowouts and delays. It can confidently be predicted that these problems will beset the AUKUS submarine programme.”

“Operational risks include radiological pollution of marine and coastal environments and wildlife; risks of radioactivity doses to coastal populations; and the serious risk of dangerous collisions between civilian vessels and nuclear submarines, especially in the approaches to busy naval and civilian sea ways and fishing grounds.

“Ominously, the problems seem to be worsening.”

August 18, 2025 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Taiwan set to hold referendum on restarting last nuclear reactor.

Aug. 23 vote could reverse island’s nuclear phase-out amid fierce debate over energy security, safety, and politics

Girard Lopez  |17.08.2025, https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/taiwan-set-to-hold-referendum-on-restarting-last-nuclear-reactor/3661615

TAIPEI, Taiwan

Taiwan will vote next week on whether to restart its last nuclear reactor, a move that could reverse the island’s “nuclear-free homeland” policy adopted in 2016.

The Aug. 23 referendum will ask voters if they agree to restart the Maanshan nuclear power plant’s second reactor in southern Taiwan if authorities find no safety concerns.

The unit was shut down in May under Taiwan’s nuclear phase-out plan.

The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) proposed the measure on April 18 with support from the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT).

Opposition-dominated local legislature approved it on May 20, and the Central Election Commission scheduled the vote for Aug. 23.

Both pro- and anti-nuclear energy advocates have held rallies and campaigns ahead of the vote.

To pass, the referendum needs support from over 25% of Taiwan’s 5 million eligible voters and more “yes” than “no” ballots.

Nuclear power supplied over half of Taiwan’s electricity in the 1980s but fell to about 6% in 2023 as reactors were decommissioned.

Taiwan had three nuclear reactor plants, all of which have been decommissioned gradually since 2018. The island’s fourth plant was never completed, and a 2021 referendum rejected restarting construction.

Supporters say nuclear energy is crucial for an island reliant on imported fossil fuels, especially amid geopolitical risks.

They cite its low carbon footprint and note that countries like Japan and some EU members have extended reactor lifespans.

TPP chairperson Huang Kuo-Chang criticized the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for missing its renewable energy target in a televised debate, saying: “Instead, coal plants are running at full capacity, worsening southern Taiwan’s air quality and harming public health, causing allergies from birth for many children as well as rising cardiovascular disease cases.”

Opponents warn of seismic risks, unresolved nuclear waste issues, and delays to renewable energy adoption.

They also contend that shifting to renewables should be gradual, much like phasing out coal, and argue the TPP and KMT’s preference for nuclear power is politically driven.

“Energy transition doesn’t mean shutting something down overnight. For example, if we shut all coal plants today, we’d instantly lose 40% of our power—unrealistic. Instead, we gradually reduce reliance on polluting or risky sources while scaling up cleaner ones,” said Lin Zheng Yuan of the Green Citizens Action Alliance.

August 18, 2025 Posted by | politics, Taiwan | Leave a comment

Rachel Reeves to cut ‘bats and newts’ in boost to developers

Developers would also no longer have to prove that projects would have no impact on protected natural sites, under plans that would abolish the “precautionary principle” enshrined in
European rules.

Chancellor considers making it harder for concerns about nature to stand in
the way of infrastructure projects, in an effort to boost the economy.

Rachel Reeves is preparing to strip back environmental protections in an
effort to boost the economy by speeding up infrastructure projects. The
chancellor is considering reforms that would make it far harder for
concerns about nature to stop development, which she insists is crucial to
restoring growth and improving living standards.

The Treasury has begun
preparing for another planning reform bill and is thinking about tearing up
key parts of European environmental rules that developers say are making it
harder to build key projects. Labour ministers have repeatedly insisted
that their current planning overhaul will not come at the expense of
nature, promising a “win-win” system where developers will pay to
offset environmental damage.

But Reeves is understood to believe that the
government must go significantly further, after expressing frustration that
the interests of “bats and newts” are being allowed to stymie critical
infrastructure. She has tasked officials with looking at much more
contentious reforms, which are likely to provoke a furious backlash from
environmentalists and cause unease for some Labour MPs.

A smaller, UK-only
list of protected species is being planned, which would place less weight
on wildlife — including types of newt — that is rare elsewhere in
Europe but more common in Britain. Developers would also no longer have to
prove that projects would have no impact on protected natural sites, under
plans that would abolish the “precautionary principle” enshrined in
European rules. Instead, a new test would look at risks and benefits of
potential projects. Further curbs to judicial review are also being
considered by Reeves to stop key projects being delayed by legal challenges
from environmentalists.

 Times 17th Aug 2025, https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/rachel-reeves-strip-back-environmental-protections-planning-projects-xjxn02crs

August 18, 2025 Posted by | environment, UK | Leave a comment

Ministry of Defence urged to publish full details of Faslane incident.

The Ministry of Defence is being urged to publish full details of
a nuclear incident which took place at Faslane earlier this year. As
revealed by The Herald, the most serious grade of Nuclear Site Event Report
(NSER), Category A, took place at HMNB Clyde between January 1 and April
22.

The facility on Gare Loch is home to all of the Royal Navy’s
submarines, including the Vanguard class which are armed with Trident
missiles and the nuclear-powered Astute class hunter-killer vessels.

A Category A NSER carries an “actual or high potential for radioactive
release to the environment”. Approached for comment, the Ministry of
Defence said there had been “no unsafe releases of radioactive material” in
the Category A incident at Faslane but that it could not disclose details
of individual incidents for reasons of national security.

The MoD had previously admitted that radioactive material had been released into Loch
Long from RNAD Coulport after the Royal Navy failed to adequately maintain
the network of 1,500 water pipes on the base. Now SNP MSP Bill Kidd is
calling for the Ministry of Defence to publish full details of the Category
A incident, provide a complete contamination report for Loch Long, and set
out a clear plan for clean-up and prevention.

 Herald 18th Aug 2025,
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25394175.mod-urged-publish-full-details-faslane-incident/

August 18, 2025 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, UK | Leave a comment

Unproven and costly: Nuclear Waste Dump ‘Red’ Rated as Unachievable.


 NFLA 18th Aug 2025, https://www.nuclearpolicy.info/news/unproven-and-costly-nuclear-waste-dump-red-rated-as-unachievable/

A leading Government body charged with responsibility for monitoring the delivery of major taxpayer funded infrastructure projects has just published a report in which the plan to develop a subterranean Geological Disposal Facility to hold Britain’s legacy and future high-level radioactive waste has been ‘Red’ rated as ‘unachievable’.

The GDF was previously rated ‘Amber’ in an assessment by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority published in January of this year[i], signifying that: ‘Successful delivery appears feasible, but significant issues already exist, requiring management attention. These appear resolvable at this stage and, if addressed promptly, should not present a cost/schedule overrun.’

But in a report just published by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA), a new body formed by the Labour Government[ii], the GDF is now instead ‘Red’ rated indicating that: ‘Successful delivery of the project appears to be unachievable. There are major issues with project definition, schedule, budget, quality and/or benefits delivery, which at this stage do not appear to be manageable or resolvable. The project may need re-scoping and/or its overall viability reassessed.’

The UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities were unsurprised to hear the news. When contacted by New Civil Engineer for a quote, NFLA Secretary Richard Outram said:

“The NISTA Red rating is hardly surprising. The GDF process is fraught with uncertainties and the GDF ‘solution’ remains unproven and costly. A single facility, as estimated by government sources, could cost the taxpayer between £20-54 billion, but this being a nuclear project it is much more likely to be the latter and beyond.’

Government policy for the Geological Disposal Facility is predicated upon finding a project development site that is publicly acceptable, geologically ‘suitable’ and affordable.

So far, the first two of these hurdles have proven problematic to jump for the taxpayer funded body charged with finding a site and developing the facility. Nuclear Waste Services has being forced to retreat from South Holderness and Theddlethorpe in the face of steadfast public opposition and obliged to withdraw from Allerdale citing a lack of suitable geology.

Consequently, NWS is once more now limited to the pursuit of a site in Mid and South Copeland in West Cumbria. Both areas adjoin the beautiful Lake District National Park. They were previously the focus of failed attempts to impose a GDF, but the geology was found unsuitable, and the opposition of Cumbria County Council ended the process.

Resistance is growing to a GDF in South Copeland. Local people have formed an opposition group; two local Councils have condemned the plan and withdrawn their support from the process; and a review of the Community Partnership found it to be in disarray with factional infighting.

It is therefore not inconceivable that plans for a GDF in South Copeland could also soon be shelved.

Now Radiation Free Lakeland / Lakes against the Dump is gathering signatures from Cumbrians on a petition calling on Cumberland County Councillors to debate and vote upon their continued engagement with the GDF process.  Once 1,000 County residents have signed the petition, the Council’s constitution provides for such a debate to be held in response.

Here are links to the petition:  www.change.org/CumbriaNuclearDump https://www.change.org/p/massive-mine-shafts-and-nuclear-dump-for-cumbria-coast-tell-cumberland-council-vote-now

August 18, 2025 Posted by | UK, wastes | Leave a comment

Judicial review sought at High Court into flood barriers.

16th August, By Dominic Bareham, Geographic Specialist Reporter, https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/25391172.judicial-review-sought-high-court-flood-barriers/

Campaigners fighting the new Sizewell C nuclear power station have been granted a hearing in the High Court.

Together Against Sizewell C (TASC) is seeking a judicial review into plans for additional sea defences as part of the project.

The action group is calling for Sizewell C’s development consent order, granted in 2022, to be revoked or varied.

A judge at the High Court will hear TASC’s representatives claim project developer, power firm EDF, kept plans for the flood barriers secret in order to avoid scrutiny.

A decision would then be made on whether to grant a judicial review hearing, which would take place at a later date.

A TASC spokesperson said: “Sizewell C’s attempt to avoid scrutiny of these additional sea defences now means the project is proceeding without its full environmental impact having been assessed, this being in contravention of the UK Habitat Regulations.

“Sizewell C clearly believe they can do as they see fit with our heritage coast, national landscape and designated wildlife sites irrespective of the damage they will cause – this government, the largest shareholder in Sizewell C, must be challenged on this.”

TASC believe that the barriers were omitted from the original planning application that was granted development consent and fear that their construction could disrupt nearby wildlife habitats.

The campaigners would like less invasive flood barrier options to be pursued.

TASC has lost previous judicial reviews into the new station, which is set to cost £38 billion, including in June 2023 when the High Court rejected a legal challenge over the disposal of nuclear waste and the provision of a water supply.

In 2022, a similar legal challenge claiming the development was unlawful because of concerns about the maintenance of a water supply, was also rejected.

August 18, 2025 Posted by | Legal, UK | Leave a comment