Bulgaria’s nuclear referendum
Bulgaria: a nuclear referendum Ft.com October 26, 2012 by Andrew MacDowall High Pre-election machinations may be behind a decision by Bulgaria’s parliament this week to hold a referendum on a nuclear power plant .
The referendum, to be held in January, follows the government’s March decision to cancel the development of the Danube-side Belene nuclear power plant (NPP), in which Bulgaria had already invested 1.4bn levs ($925m), with one reactor already completed.
The Belene project has been one of the longest-running sagas in Bulgarian politics, first proposed in the 1970s under communism. Construction started in the 1980s but was then halted until 2008, when the government, then dominated by the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), awarded the construction contract for the 2000MW plant to Atomstroyexport, a subsidiary of Russia’s Rosatom.
As several energy analysts told beyondbrics at the time of the cancellation, the project had become economically unfeasible, given pressures on the national budget, the spiralling costs (variously estimated at between €4bn and €10bn-plus) and the outlook for power demand, with Bulgaria’s population shrinking and power prices on the rise. Concerns had also been raised about the baleful influence of Russia, which already supplies almost all Bulgaria’s gas…….
In any case, it seems likely that the referendum is declared void. For the vote to be considered valid, the turnout must match the 60 per cent turnout of the last general election, setting a high hurdle of more than 4m voters bothering to cast their ballots. A recent poll suggested that more than 40 per cent of the electorate is unaware that the vote is happening at all. And even if the referendum is in favour, and is validated by turnout, the government is not bound to any timeline for further NPP development.
So: a rather open-ended question on a topic that is hardly constitutionally vital, and indeed regards a project widely seen by experts as dead in the water, put to a referendum which may well be invalid anyway….. http://blogs.ft.com/beyond-brics/2012/10/26/bulgaria-a-nuclear-referendum/#axzz2AWxym4na
Nuclear power obstacle in Japan: new evacuation plans
under the new radiation forecast, many more local governments will have to compile disaster management plans for areas that could require evacuation.
Radiation forecast creates hurdle in resuming nuclear plant operations UPDATE: Forecast predicts wider evacuations needed if nuclear disaster repeated October 25, 2012 THE ASAHI SHIMBUN Municipalities are demanding a greater say in whether utilities can restart their reactors after the new industry watchdog placed more communities in the danger zone of possible nuclear accidents. Continue reading
China puts the brakes on nuclear power
China Slows Development of Nuclear Power Plants, NYT By KEITH BRADSHER, October 24, 2012 HONG KONG — Still responding to the partial meltdowns last year at nuclear reactors in Fukushima, Japan, the Chinese government has lowered its target for the construction of nuclear power plants by 2015, notably by not building more nuclear reactors at inland locations.
A white paper on energy policy released after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday said that the government planned to have 40 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity installed by 2015, and pledged strict safety standards. While the white paper and state-controlled media did not
describe this as a reduction in the target, the country’s current Five-Year Plan sets a target of 50 gigawatts….. Nuclear power generates only 1.8 percent of China’s electricity, far below the global average of 14 percent. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/25/business/global/china-reduces-target-for-construction-nuclear-power-plants.html?_r=2&
Wider evacuation area plans needed, says Japan’s nuclear regulator
the wide area of forecasted contamination means local governments will face a greater burden in compiling effective disaster management plans.
Shunichi Tanaka, chairman of the Nuclear Regulation Authority, has called such plans a minimum requirement before nuclear plants can be cleared for a restart.
If local governments cannot compile effective disaster management plans, it means the security of local residents is not assured. In such circumstances, not only would it be difficult to resume operations at such plants, but the very existence of those plants could be called into question.
Forecast predicts wider evacuations needed if nuclear disaster repeated Nuclear watchdog may broaden definition of active fault lines October 24, 2012 THE ASAHI SHIMBUN A forecast of the radiation released in another nuclear accident shows that at four plants, a 30-kilometer evacuation zone would be insufficient for public safety, and that more distant residents would need to flee their homes too. Continue reading
Price Anderson Nuclear Industries Indemnity Act – a whopper government subsidy
It is worth noting that Exelon, as an owner and operator of more nuclear power plants than any other American company, benefits to a considerable degree from what is potentially one of the largest government subsidies of energy production in world history, the Price Anderson Nuclear Industries Indemnity Act.
Nuclear Company Blasts Wind Industry Tax Incentive 
KCET, by Chris Clarke
on October 23, 2012 The largest operator of nuclear power plants in the United States has blasted the Wind Production Tax Credit in a commissioned study…… Continue reading
Amid political and cost uncertainties, Japan to continue building some nuclear reactors
uncertainties about the future cost of operating nuclear plants in Japan weaken the economic case for more atomic power. “There will be more costs for safety upgrades, and no one knows what kind of insurance system is going to be put in place. These things will make a big difference to generating costs.”….
Japanese plan to complete reactors raises doubts about 
nuclear phase-out WP, By Jonathan Soble | Financial Times, October 23 TOKYO — It has been only a month since Japan declared that it would close down its nuclear industry by the end of the 2030s, but already a contentious plan to complete several partially built reactors is sowing doubts about the government’s commitment to the radical policy shift…..
In the weeks since the nuclear phase-out was announced, Yukio Edano, industry minister, has said three approved but unfinished reactors are exempt from a central provision of the phase-out policy, under which no new plants will be built. Continue reading
West Bengal government puts another fly in India-Russia’s nuclear ointment
The West Bengal government’s decision means that the hunt for a new site will begin afresh, at a time when anti-nuclear activists are protesting against nuclear power…
Haripur site cancellation is one more wrinkle in India-Russia ties THE HINDU, 23 Oct 12 SANDEEP DIKSHIT Search on for another location for the proposed nuclear electricity park
There is another wrinkle in India-Russia relations, besides the known differences over Sistema’s telecom investments, the delays in the commissioning of aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov and the applicability of the nuclear liability legislation to units 3 and 4 of
the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project.
India and Russia are scouting for another site for a nuclear electricity park after the West Bengal government decided to cancel the allotment of a site in Haripur. Continue reading
Fukushima Diary reveals – Japan to restart another nuclear plant
[Express] Another nuclear plant will be restarted http://fukushima-diary.com/2012/10/express-another-nuclear-plant-will-be-restarted/ by Mochizuki October 22, 2012
民主党の細野豪志政調会長は２１日、薩摩川内(さつませんだい）市内の街頭演説で、九州電力川内原発の再稼働を明言しました。詳しくは明日の「しんぶん赤旗」で。
― 赤旗政治記者さん (@akahataseiji) 10月 21, 2012
<Translate>
On 10/21/2012, Hosono, the policy chief of Democratic Party of Japan had a soapbox oratory, then stated they are going to restart Sendai nuclear plant of Kyushu electric power. (Sendai nuclear plant is in Kagoshima prefecture, Kyushu)
Independent Scotland would demand removal of Trident nuclear base
Nuclear weapons ‘outlawed’ in an independent Scotland, says Salmond, BBC News 21 Oct 12, The leader of the SNP has said that if his party won power in an independent government it would make nuclear weapons illegal.
Alex Salmond told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show that Trident, which currently resides at Faslane Naval base on the Clyde, would have to go.
He also said a go-alone Scotland would remain a member of the European Union….. He said: “The UK government has two choices – they either relocate Trident to another part of the rest of the UK or alternatively they could use nuclear facilities in America or France.”
Mr Salmond made a further point that it was possible for a UK government to decide a “much better policy” and decommission its weapons system….. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-20020839
UK government to betray its promise on subsidising nuclear power
The Independent : Who pays the nuclear power bill?
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/letters/letters-who-pays-the-nuclear-power-bill-8219862.html by Dr Paul Dorfman and 8 other UK University dignitaries 21 October 2012 The Government have promised that they would never, under any circumstances, subsidise nuclear power. Ed Davey, the Coalition Secretary of State for the Department of Energy and Climate Change, has stated that “There will be no blank cheque for nuclear – unless
they are price competitive, nuclear projects will not go ahead.”
However, the Coalition Energy Minister John Hayes, is now considering a major U-turn in energy policy by giving a blank cheque to nuclear by “underwriting” construction cost over-runs. This is despite the fact that the key to nuclear is its spiralling cost over-runs. Continue reading
Singapore minister: Nuclear technology ‘not yet suitable’ Asahi Shimbun October 17, 2012
By DAISUKE FURUTA/ Correspondent SINGAPORE–Tiny Singapore will not introduce nuclear power in the foreseeable future, a Cabinet minister said.
Bahrain backs away from nuclear energy
“The price of nuclear energy is going up and at the same time the price of renewable energy is going down.”
“It makes more sense to move towards solar or wind energy,”
Bahrain postpones nuclear energy plans http://www.tradearabia.com/news/OGN_224008.html Manama,18 Oct 12 Bahrain has postponed its plans to adopt nuclear energy as a source of power by 2017, according to sources familiar with the matter. Continue reading
UK govt’s promotion of nuclear power becoming more chaotic
U.K. Energy Rules to Include Measures Spurring Nuclear By Alex Morales Bloomberg News October 18, 2012 U.K. Energy Secretary Ed Davey promised to give industry more clarity about power market reforms due next month, seeking to allay the concerns of renewable and nuclear power developers that ministers are bogged down in analysis of the problem….. Cameron’s Plan Prime Minister David Cameron said yesterday the government will put
into the legislation a measure forcing energy suppliers to charge each customer at the lowest available rate. The surprise proposal was not included in the May 22 draft, which focused on energy supply rather than demand.
Cameron’s statement caused “chaos in the energy industry,” Caroline Flint, the shadow energy minister for the opposition Labour Party, said in Parliament today. Neil Bentley, deputy director general of the Confederation of British Industry, said the pace of reform is
“frustrating” and risks falling victim to “paralysis by analysis.”….
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-10-18/u-dot-k-dot-energy-law-will-include-measures-spurring-nuclear-power
Bulgaria’s nuclear referendum farce
The Belene nuclear project, Bulgaria’s radioactive political issue The Sofia Globe, OCT 19 2012 by CLIVE LEVIEV-SAWYER The farce into which Bulgaria’s planned national referendum on whether to proceed with the Belene nuclear power station has rapidly descended is an illustration of just how radioactive the issue has proved for every government and political party that has touched it. Continue reading
Australian Prime Minister unwise to support India’s dodgy nuclear power program
India is pursuing an unreliable technology. The DAE’s plans involve constructing hundreds of fast breeder reactors.
there are reasons to be worried about the risk of severe accidents at Indian nuclear facilities.
there are ongoing protests at all new sites selected for nuclear plants. The protracted and intense protests over commissioning of the Koodankulam reactors in Tamil Nadu is just the most spectacular of these.
India’s nuclear power failures warn against uranium exports, The Conversation, MV Ramana 16 October 2012, Selling Australian uranium is reportedly at the top of Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s priorities as she travels to India this week. Before she decides to do that, there are three facts she may want to consider. Continue reading
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