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It looks like the end for new nuclear industry in France

“In a way, the last 24 hours have killed French nuclear finally because the cost makes it totally impossible to export and now you have one of the few partners actively withdrawing; it looks really bad,”

Last 24 hours have ‘killed’ French nuclear – analyst http://enformable.com/2012/12/last-24-hours-have-killed-french-nuclear-analyst/ 6 Dec 12, French power utility EDF received a fresh blow on Tuesday after Italy’s biggest utility Enel announced it has pulled out from a project to build a next-generation nuclear reactor in northern France, and five other power plants to be built in France using EPR technology, following last year’s referendum in Italy to prevent nuclear energy from returning into the nation. Continue reading →

December 8, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, France | Leave a comment

Data on Fukushima workers’ radiation exposure

TEPCO releases worker radiation exposure data to WHO, Enformable.com. 6 Dec 12 TEPCO released data related to the radiation exposure doses documented for Fukushima Daiichi emergency workers which it had submitted to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The data showed the youngest workers were in their teens, while the oldest was 84 years old. One of the teenagers was exposed to 56.89 mSv. Most of the workers are in their 40s. 26 workers are over the age of 70.
TEPCO Worker Ages……
The highest radiation dose recorded was 678.8 mSv. The highest dose recorded by a worker in their 20s was 477.01 mSv…..
Distribution of Thyroid Doses based on measured value of I-131 (Thyroid equivalent dose from Cs not included in data)……
There are still over 600 workers unaccounted for in the most recent data, TEPCO did not release any details as to why they were unable to track down the missing workers……..

Source: TEPCO

Source: JiJi Press

December 8, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | employment, Fukushima 2012, Japan | Leave a comment

Even France can’t build a nuclear reactor economically, and in the planned time

The spiralling costs at Flamanville, and at another EPR being built by French engineering company Areva in Finland, have raised questions about the viability of nuclear power.

“If there’s anywhere that the EPR should be built on time and on budget it surely must be France,” said Dr Paul Dorfman, founder of the Nuclear Consulting Group. “The fact that it hasn’t been has profound implications for nuclear new build in the UK.”

EDF plant cost rises damp nuclear hopes Ft.com, By Guy Chazan and James Boxell, 3 Dec 12 EDF, the French utility, said the cost of its new nuclear power station in northern France had increased by a third, raising fears that its planned UK plant may also be vulnerable to a similar budget blowout. But EDF Energy, the company’s UK subsidiary, insisted that the cost issues in Flamanville, Normandy, would have no bearing on its plans for Hinkley Point in Somerset. Continue reading →

December 4, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, France | 1 Comment

The cost of cleaning up after uranium mining and milling

The Curse of the Yellow Powder, Bacon’s Rebellion, by Rose Jenkins December 2, 2012 Is it possible to restore a landscape damaged by uranium? Ask the Navajo in New Mexico. “…….The Navajo Nation was the fourth uranium clean-up site I visited in the West.

In Cañon City, Colo., where a uranium mill shut down last year, the state of Colorado has estimated that a clean-up will cost $43 million, but it allowed the Cotter Corporation, which is responsible, to put up less than half of that amount in surety bonds, according to the Denver Post. Unless plans change, groundwater below the site will stay contaminated, leaving many private wells unusable.

Elsewhere in Colorado, the clean-up of uranium mills after the companies went bankrupt has cost taxpayers $950 million, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. At one of these sites, in Uravan, Colo., both the mill and the town around it were dismantled, buried, and permanently fenced off. That clean-up, or eradication, cost taxpayers $120 million.

The Atlas Mill, in Moab, Utah, which closed in 1984, is one of a few sites where tailings are being relocated, because contamination from them was leaching into the Colorado River, the source of drinking water for Los Angeles and other cities. A suitable repository was located just 30 miles away—but the clean-up will still cost taxpayers a solid $1 billion…….” http://www.baconsrebellion.com/2012/12/the-curse-of-the-yellow-powder.html

December 3, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Uranium, USA | Leave a comment

Hinkley nuclear project needs to get more permissions

The granting of the licence does not provide full permission for the construction of the power station.

New nuclear clears licence hurdle for EDF-Centrica link2 David Thorpe, News Editor, 27 Nov 12, EDF, the French power company, and Centrica are closer to building the first new nuclear power station in Britain, following the granting of a Nuclear Site Licence (NSL) for Hinkley Point C by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR). Continue reading →

November 28, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, politics, UK | Leave a comment

Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) sides with nuclear company: ratepayers to pay up

Florida PSC screws over ratepayers again, approves more rate hikes for new nukes that aren’t being built 26 Nov 12 http://www.cleanenergy.org/index.php?/Press-Update.html?form_id=8&item_id=335#.ULUkZuR9JLv In spite of another year of significant cost increases and scheduling delays, it was business-as-usual at the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) today with the Commission once again siding with the big power companies over the interests of Florida customers. The PSC approved nearly $300 million in advanced cost recovery charges for new nuclear power generation projects. The PSC accepted all of the PSC staff recommendations issued earlier this month—an unfortunate trend of rubber-stamping that we have seen year after year in spite of major obstacles and pitfalls that have made new reactor proposals in Florida less and less feasible.

Progress Energy Florida (PEF), which recently merged with Duke Energy, was approved to recover over $142 million and Florida Power and Light (FPL) for over $150 million from their customers for new nuclear generation via a “nuclear tax,” including significant costs for four proposed, yet-to-be-licensed, nuclear reactors that neither utility has even committed to actually build and whose estimated combined costs exceed $40 billion.

The Commission granted all the utilities requests on top of the more than $1 billion in cost recovery that was already approved over the past several years. This is an extremely unfortunate situation for utility customers in Florida who are being forced to pay this “nuclear tax” up front for electricity that will very likely never be produced from proposed new reactors.
Today’s vote again underscores the unfairness of the nuclear cost recovery statute that was passed by the Florida legislature back in 2006. Because the Florida State Legislature, the Governor and the PSC have failed to protect Florida’s families and businesses from this “nuclear tax” scheme, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy challenged the statute’s constitutionality before the Florida Supreme Court. Oral argument occurred in early October and we await the Court’s decision. We remain hopeful that the Court will rule in favor of better protections for Florida’s utility ratepayers.

November 27, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA | 1 Comment

Renewable Energy – a job provider for millions of Indians

Indian Renewable Energy Sector to Create 2.4 Million Jobs by 2020 http://theenergycollective.com/energyjobline/147291/indian-renewable-energy-sector-create-24-million-jobs-2020 by C. Dominguez November 24, 2012 India’s renewable energy sector is to create up to 2.4 million jobs by 2020, according to a report jointly commissioned by environmental group Greenpeace, the Global Wind Energy Council and the European Renewable Energy Council.
To date, the sector employs 200,000 people, but this could jump 14 times by 2030 with the right policies and investments in place, stated India Energy [R]evolution report.
By 2050, about 92 percent of India’s energy infrastructure will be based on renewable energy sources. Renewables such as wind, solar thermal energy and photovoltaic, will comprise 74 percent of electricity generation. Continue reading →

November 27, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | employment, India, renewable | Leave a comment

Sellafield – a financial as well as environmental disaster

Sellafield inspection after ‘intolerable risk’ report, BBC News 26 Nov 12 Sellafield is the UK’s largest and most hazardous nuclear site Sellafield nuclear plant is to undergo a value-for-money inspection after a report found it posed a “risk”.

Earlier this month the National Audit Office (NAO) found decommissioning projects were over budget and that storage buildings were “run-down”.

Now members of the Public Accounts Committee will visit the site to ask “tough questions” on how taxpayers’ money is being spent….. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-20495334

November 27, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, UK | Leave a comment

South Korea’s ambitions for a nuclear reactor export industry

Lee: Nuclear power plants ‘core staple’ for S. Korea SEOUL, Nov. 26 (Yonhap) — President Lee Myung-bak said Monday atomic power plants are a key export industry that will help lift South Korea’s growth in the years to come, just as auto, shipbuilding and
electronics industries have powered the country’s economy so far.

Lee also said his latest trip to the United Arab Emirates was aimed at laying the groundwork for South Korea to win another massive nuclear power plant construction order from the oil-rich MiddleEastern nation after the first deal in 2009 to build and operate four reactors……

November 26, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, South Korea | Leave a comment

Desperate uranium mining companies squabble as price falls

Did rivals try to scupper BHP’s uranium sale to Cameco?Mining.com, Frik Els | November 23, 2012 The West Australian reports rumours have been circulating in the state’s mining community that Rio Tinto (NYSE:RIO) and Paladin Energy
(TSX:PDN) attempted to sabotage BHP Billiton’s (LON:BHP) $448 million sale of uranium property Yeelirrie to Canada’s Cameco (TSX:CCO)….. The paper said Rio denied the rumours while none of the other parties commented, and that the deal is likely to be OK’d in any event.

Spot uranium prices have been drifting towards the $40 per pound level this year – well below the $66.50 prior to Fukushima disaster in Japan and down from historic high levels above $130 in 2007.

Last year nuclear power consumption declined 4.3%, the largest drop-off on record, said BP in its annual study of global energy use. Japan cut back nuclear power by 44.3%, and Germany reduced nuclear consumption by 23.2%.
http://www.mining.com/did-rivals-try-to-scupper-bhps-uranium-sale-to-cameco-87504/

November 25, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, business and costs | Leave a comment

Gloomy times: Australia’s uranium companies, like Paladin

Given a downturn in nuclear reactors globally, the oversupply and stockpiling of uranium in Japan and the launch of new uranium mining projects in Canada, there is little evidence to indicate any meaningful revival in the uranium price.

Paladin’s continuing failings a warning for small uranium miners http://ccwa.org.au/blogs/paladin%E2%80%99s-continuing-failings-warning-small-uranium-miners#.UK-2DuR9JLt November 22nd 2012 by Mia.Pepper The Conservation Council of WA has been following the activities of Perth based uranium miner Paladin in collaboration with a number of other environmental NGO’s and social justice groups globally. In consultation with local groups in Malawi and Namibia, where Paladin have operating mines, we have prepared a number of questions that we will be asking at their Annual General Meeting on the 22nd November 2012.

CCWA are concerned that Paladin’s proposed cost cuts will exacerbate existing problems at the company’s mines in Africa. Given the poor economic climate for uranium mining and with some indication from the board that the company is in trouble – we are concerned that the company may abandon projects in the future with no compensation or effective clean up of their existing mine sites.

Background information on Paladin’s operations: Continue reading →

November 23, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, business and costs | Leave a comment

US Dept of Energy losing enthusiasm for Small Modular Nuclear reactors (SMRs)

ultimately, the decision may have come down to the commercial prospects for the technologies. The fact remains that the economics of all of these designs remains murky.

Based on economies of scale, small reactors will produce more expensive electricity than large reactors, all other factors being equal.

Does DOE’s Funding Announcement Mark the End of its Irrational Exuberance for SMRs? http://allthingsnuclear.org/does-does-funding-announcement-mark-the-end-of-its-irrational-exuberance-for-smrs/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AllThingsNuclear+%28All+Things+Nuclear%29 Ed Lyman, senior scientist
November 21, 2012
On November 20 DOE finally announced that the Babcock and Wilcox Company (B&W) and its “mPower” reactor were the lucky winners of its Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for a cost-sharing program with industry for the design and licensing of “small modular reactors,” or SMRs. Although DOE had originally said the announcement would come in July or August, it decided instead to bury it on Thanksgiving week – not usually a time the agency releases news of which it is particularly proud.

And in fact, the real news is not that a grant was awarded to B&W – this was a near-certainty – but that there was only one winner instead of two. Continue reading →

November 22, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Reference, technology, USA | Leave a comment

Corporate investors asking hard questions about economics of nuclear power

hard questions have to be put about new nuclear units.

Challenging Ontario’s new nuclear plants By Staff Torstar News Service, 20 Nov 12, A new nuclear debate is starting to percolate in Ontario. At industry conferences and in the corridors of Queen’s Park, energy activists are questioning whether Ontario should invest billions in new nuclear energy units.

But these activists aren’t the long-time foes of the nuclear industry, who based their arguments on moral and environmental grounds.

They’re working for corporate clients, and asking hard questions about the economics of nuclear power, given the alternatives like plentiful natural gas. Continue reading →

November 22, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Canada | Leave a comment

United Arab Emirates raising loans for $30 billion nuclear power plant program

UAE Nuclear Power Corp. to raise $2 bln in loans http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Business/Middle-East/2012/Nov-20/195569-uae-nuclear-power-corp-to-raise-$2-bln-in-loans.ashx#axzz2CsdUajHi November 20, 2012 Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp., which is building the Gulf Arab region’s first nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi, is raising $2 billion from bank loans to finance construction, according to two bankers familiar with the plan.

The 20-year facility being raised by the government-owned company pays interest of 175 basis points, or 1.75 percentage points, above the London interbank offered rate, according to the bankers, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. The interest rate will rise over the loan’s life to 260 basis points above the benchmark, the bankers said. Continue reading →

November 21, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, United Arab Emirates | Leave a comment

Safety risks – early shutdown for Oyster Creek nuclear reactor?

Newspaper: “Disturbing risks” have emerged at NJ’s Oyster Creek nuke plant after Sandy — Reactor may be decommissioned early November 16th, 2012 By ENENews
Title: Reactor requires objective review
Source: The Asbury Park Press
Date: Nov 15, 2012
Largely lost amid people’s concerns about the loss of electrical power, flooding and worse during and after superstorm Sandy was the potential for another even worse disaster at the Oyster Creek nuclear reactor in Lacey.

[…] Now, two new disturbing risks have surfaced in recent days: the plant’s vulnerability to a possible Fukushima-like meltdown and fatigue cracks that have been detected in the reactor vessel.

[…] the state should conduct its own independent analysis of the response and the newly discovered cracks in the reactor […]

[…] The chairman of Exelon told Bloomberg News Wednesday that the company may speed the timetable for shutting down the plant if it faces unexpected new capital costs. Then so be it. […]… http://enenews.com/newspaper-disturbing-risks-have-emerged-at-njs-oyster-creek-nuke-plant-after-sandy-reactor-may-be-decommissioned-early

November 17, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, safety, USA | Leave a comment

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