nuclear-news

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

Nuclear energy heading for a shutdown?

Is nuclear energy heading for a Golden Age or a shutdown? Earth Times 30 Nov 2009 “…..incidents at France’s nuclear power stations are increasing, and the industry is currently going through a bad patch, just as it appeared poised to enter a Golden Age. Continue reading

December 3, 2009 Posted by | 1, business and costs, France | , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

US bill to ban importing nuclear wastes

House passes bill to ban foreign nuclear waste By Thomas Burr The Salt Lake Tribune : 12/02/2009 Washington » The U.S. House passed legislation Wednesday that would ban the importation of foreign radioactive waste into the United States.
The measure, which passed 309-112, would curtail plans by Salt Lake City-based EnergySolutions to bring in 20,000 tons of low-level radioactive waste from Italy to Tennessee for processing and to dispose of 1,600 tons of leftovers in the company’s Tooele County facility.

House passes bill to ban foreign nuclear waste – Salt Lake Tribune

December 3, 2009 Posted by | 1, politics, USA | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Australia – endangered by Climate Change, and by Deniers

Why do climate deniers hold sway in Australia? The Guardian 1 Dec 09 If Australia does not silence its sceptics and reduce its emissions there is a real risk of the nation becoming uninhabitable  Continue reading

December 3, 2009 Posted by | 1, climate change | , , , , | Leave a comment

Japanese workers exposed to radiation leak

Workers exposed to radiation after liquid leak at Shizuoka nuke pant The Mainichi Daily News 2 Dec 09 Nearly 30 workers were exposed to radiation after liquid waste leaked at a nuclear plant in Shizuoka Prefecture, Chubu Electric Power Co. has announced.The accident occurred at the No. 3 reactor at the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station in Omaezaki, Shizuoka, when 53 liters of highly-concentrated nuclear waste solution leaked inside the plant’s auxiliary building on Tuesday afternoon………………..A massive amount of radioactivity at 1.2 billion becquerels — 324 times higher than the government-set standard of 3.7 million becquerels — was detected in the waste solution, the company said.

Workers exposed to radiation after liquid leak at Shizuoka nuke pant – The Mainichi Daily News

December 3, 2009 Posted by | 1, Japan, safety | , , , | Leave a comment

Mammography cancer risk for young women

Radiation Exposure From Annual Mammography Increases Breast Cancer Risk in Young High-Risk Women Medscape Today Fran Lowry 3 Dec 09

December 2, 2009 (Chicago, Illinois) — The low doses of radiation associated with annual screening mammography could be placing high-risk women in even more jeopardy of developing breast cancer, Continue reading

December 3, 2009 Posted by | 1, 2 WORLD, health | , , , , | Leave a comment

Cooling problem shuts French nuclear reactor

French Cruas nuclear plant shut down on cooling problemwww.chinaview.cn 2009-12-03 PARIS, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) — One nuclear reactor in south France was forced to shut down around Tuesday midnight due to problems with the cooling system. An emergency plan has been taken on Wednesday.
The troubled Cruas nuclear power station in Ardeche, southern France situates by the Rhone river, which provides cooling water for the four reactors on the site. Before dawn an intake was shuttered automatically, stopping cooling capability of the nuclear power station, so that the parent company EDF ordered to close down the facility and reported the incident.

French Cruas nuclear plant shut down on cooling problem_English_Xinhua

December 3, 2009 Posted by | 1, France, safety | , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear regulators give ‘slap on the hand’ for problems

Nuclear regulators tippy-toe around problems Southtown Star

December 2, 2009

“……………Most of the code violations identified by NRC inspectors at nuclear power plants, I’ve found, are not immediately dangerous to workers or to the public. The many minor incidents and “findings” – for which the plants are rarely cited – earn labels “of very low safety significance.” Continue reading

December 3, 2009 Posted by | 1, safety, USA | , , , , , | Leave a comment

French nuclear plant shutdown

French reactor shut down following loss of cooling Nuclear Reaction 3 Dec 09 ‘PARIS – One of four reactors at the Cruas nuclear power station in southern France was shut down late on Tuesday following a lapse in the cooling system, France’s nuclear safety agency said. French energy company EDF reported the incident at 2250 GMT and followed its emergency procedures to shut down the reactor, it added.

The agency said it was still evaluating the seriousness of the incident. The cooling system for the reactors use water from the Rhone River and the incident was due to a high level of plant debris in the river blocking intake, it added.’

Nuclear News: Another French reactor shut down following loss of cooling – Nuclear Reaction – A Greenpeace blog about nuclear power

December 3, 2009 Posted by | 1, France, safety | , , , , , | Leave a comment

True conservatives recommend renewable energy

Renewable Energy – A Conservative Approach L.A. Progressive by Tracy Emblem  1 December 2009 No new nuclear power plants have been built in the United States since the late 1970s……

Thirty years later, we have not solved the dilemma of storing nuclear waste or the problem of what to do with the weapons-grade plutonium. It only takes about 18 pounds of plutonium to build a nuclear weapon.

In the United States, more than 60,000 metric tons of nuclear waste is stored in temporary storage facilities at 131 civilian and military sites around the country. The current storage solutions are only expected to last 100 years, while nuclear waste can remain lethal for 100,000 years or more. We must also consider the weapons proliferation risk in an age of transnational terrorism in addition to the risk of an environmental accident. These are just some reasons why we must adopt alternative renewable energy standards and use renewable energy sources rather than build 100 more nuclear power plants.

A conservative solution is to invest in clean energy sources that do not pose risks inherent in nuclear energy production and storage…..In the United States , we can rebuild our manufacturing base by investing in renewable energy sources while creating good paying jobs that provide clean energy production. While those in favor of building nuclear power plants claim nuclear energy is inexpensive and cost effective, they have not factored in the costs and risks associated with the building and maintenance of storage facilities for nuclear waste.
The United States should lead the world away from the dangerous expansion of nuclear power plants. We should phase out our nuclear energy plants over the next generation and continue to invest in other renewable energy sources which make energy costs more predictable in the future.

Renewable Energy – A Conservative Approach | The LA Progressive

December 1, 2009 Posted by | 1, renewable, USA | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Depleted uranium causing child cancers

Iraq sees alarming rise in cancers, deformed babies

The Washington Post By Suadad al-Salhy

Reuters
December 1, 2009
Incidences of cancer, deformed babies and other health problems have risen sharply, Iraqi officials say, and many suspect contamination from weapons used in years of war and accompanying unchecked pollution as a cause. Continue reading

December 1, 2009 Posted by | 1, health, Iraq | , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Doomed Dubai seeking nuclear power plant

Dubai: Trouble in Paradise Socialist Workers Party  1 Dec 09 Dubai’s debts amounted to €80 billion – not the same scale of Lehman’s Brothers $613 billion crash – but serious enough to scare the markets. Continue reading

December 1, 2009 Posted by | 1, business and costs, MIDDLE EAST | , , , | Leave a comment

Indian tribe documents nuclear radiation issues

Kichesipirini Documents Nuclear Industry Contaminant Exposure Concerns – The Dialogue Denied Us The Dominion December 1, 2009 Paula LaPierre
Principal Sachem
Kichesipirini Algonquin First Nation The leadership of the Kichesipirini Algonquin First Nation continue final edits on document that raises serious questions concerning chronic public exposures to dangerous environmental contaminants Continue reading

December 1, 2009 Posted by | 1, indigenous issues, USA | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear plant safety problem

NRC to probe switch problem at Diablo Canyon nuclear plant Mercury News.com Associated PressP 12/01/2009  SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Federal regulators are inspecting the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant to determine why a pair of reactor safety switches were misaligned. Continue reading

December 1, 2009 Posted by | 1, safety, USA | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cancer danger in abdominal CT scans

Abdominal CT scans overused – U.S. study  By Julie Steenhuysen C HICAGO, Nov 30 (Reuters) – More than half of patients receiving abdominal CT scans, an advanced type of X-ray, got them for tests they did not need, exposing them to excess radiation that could raise the long-term risk of cancer, U.S. researchers said on Monday. Continue reading

December 1, 2009 Posted by | 1, health, USA | , , , , | 1 Comment

Australian political party run by climate change denialists

Climate change skeptic seizes control of Australian opposition The National Business Review 24/7 NBR staff   December 1 2009 – The Australian Liberal party has a new leader with Tony Abbott ousting Malcolm Turnball in a ballot this morning by one vote.Mr Abbott won the final ballot 42-41 to take control of the Australian opposition party……………..

During the debate over the leadership, Mr Turnbull warned the Liberals could not be seen as a party of climate sceptics who would do nothing.

Climate change skeptic seizes control of Australian opposition | The National Business Review – New Zealand – business, markets, finance, politics, property, technology and more

December 1, 2009 Posted by | 1, climate change | , , , | Leave a comment