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AREVA in trouble, and who will buy their nuclear reactors?

French nuclear energy Under pressure France wants to export nuclear reactors. Who will buy them? The Economist Dec 17th 2011 | PARIS On December 12th Areva, France’s
state-owned nuclear champion, said it would take a €2.4 billion ($3.1 billion) charge against profits. This will give the firm its first ever operating loss, of perhaps €1.6 billion for 2011.

That hurts. Areva is the world’s only one-stop nuclear shop, selling everything from uranium to fuel recycling. Continue reading →

December 16, 2011 Posted by | business and costs, France | Leave a comment

Shrinking nuclear and uranium markets add to AREVA’s woes

The company has lost contracts worth hundreds of millions of euros….The company says its earnings will be
hit by a reduction in the number of new reactors being built, which will also depress the price of uranium…

.. the market is now shrinking. Areva said it expects to make an operating loss of between 1.4 and 1.6 billion euros (1.9 and 2.1 billion dollars) in 2011 mainly due to the depreciation of African mining assets…..

 all activities in Namibia are to be suspended….

Fukushima hits French nuclear giant hard, Monsters and Critics, By Ralf E Krueger Dec 13, 2011“……….Areva’s new chief executive Luc Oursel  announced the suspension of a planned nuclear enrichment plant project in Idaho in the United States, as well as several projects in Africa. Areva has also suspended plans to expand capacity at its reprocessing plant in La Hague, northern France. Continue reading →

December 14, 2011 Posted by | business and costs, France, Uranium | Leave a comment

Security breaches, costs, politics – France’s nuclear industry in trouble

activists remained inside the Cruas site for 14 hours before being caught

Electricite de France (EDF) shares have slumped (EDF) 37 percent since the Fukushima disaster, on concern about the amount of investment needed to keep French reactors running safely in the coming years. 

At the same time, the opposition Socialist and Green parties are campaigning to close 24 reactors by 2025 to cut dependence on atomic power.

France’s Biggest Nuclear Breach Raises Alarm as Support for Reactors Wanes Bloomberg By Tara Patel – Dec 13, 2011 Just after 6 a.m. on Dec. 5,under cover of darkness, nine Greenpeace  activists cut through a fence at the Nogent-sur-Seine atomic plant 95 kilometers (59 miles) southeast of Paris and headed for a domed reactor building.
They scaled the roof and unfurled a “Safe Nuclear Doesn’t Exist” banner before attracting the attention of security guards. Two remained at large for four hours.

On the same day, two more campaigners breached the perimeter of the Cruas-Meysse plant on the Rhone, escaping detection for more than 14 hours while posting videos of their sit-in on the Internet. Continue reading →

December 14, 2011 Posted by | business and costs, France, safety | Leave a comment

France’s nuclear corporation AREVA facing big losses

Areva was already facing problems before that incident. Its Olkiluoto nuclear project in Finland was delayed and uranium mines it bought in 2007 were performing below expectations.

The Socialist presidential candidate has promised to shut almost half os France’s nuclear reactors if he is elected. Last week demonstrators protested outside Areva’s headquarters in Paris ahead of this week’s meeting.

France nuclear giant to announce big loss – minister France’s state-owned nuclear reactor maker Areva is set to announce large losses, the French industry minister says.BBC News 11 December 2011 In an interview with a radio station, Eric Besson said: “I can confirm that Areva will announce losses. In all likelihood they will be big.”  Continue reading →

December 12, 2011 Posted by | business and costs, France | Leave a comment

The good ole nuclear industry remains optimistic

Security breaches, radiation leaks, disasters; Nothing worries the nuclear industry, Greenpeace,  by Justin McKeating – December 5, 2011  One of the many odd qualities of the nuclear industry is its seemingly boundless optimism: “everything’s going to be just fine, folks.”
Apparently, there’s no need to worry about terrorists attacking nuclear reactors. Which is why Greenpeace campaigners could peacefully walk into three French nuclear power plants  – Nogent-sur-Seine, Chinon and Blayais – this morning without being challenged by any
security measures whatsoever should be absolutely no cause for alarm, according to the authorities.

Our team that entered the Nogent-sur-Seine power plant, just 95 kilometres from Paris, were even able to scale the dome of one of the reactors and paint a pretty picture on it.
EDF, the operator of these three plants, happily announced that Greenpeace’s visit to Nogent-sur-Seine “had no impact on the safety of the plant, or the safety of employees at the site.” Of course not: Greenpeace aren’t terrorists.

Would EDF be so positive if terrorists had come calling today? With the nuclear industry able to see the good in everything, we can say: yes, probably. Everything’s going to be
just fine, folks.
Another example of boundless optimism in the nuclear industry is the recent stress tests conducted by European Union countries on their nuclear reactors in the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster.
Supposedly designed to identify safety concerns at the reactors, most operators felt there was no need to test the vulnerability of reactors to being struck by a large aircraft or to review evacuation plans in the event of an accident. And why would there be? It’s not as if
anybody has ever flown large aircraft into buildings or people have had to be evacuated from a nuclear disaster.
We’re seeing much the same attitude right now with the Fukushima nuclear disaster site in Japan. Continue reading →

December 6, 2011 Posted by | France, spinbuster | Leave a comment

Anti nuclear activists break into two French nuclear power plants

Greenpeace said the incidents proved the sites aren’t safe. “With this nonviolent action, Greenpeace shows that French nuclear installations are vulnerable,” Greenpeace France activist Sophia Majnoni d’Intignano said. “It’s the patent proof that existing security systems aren’t sufficient.”…..
The opposition Green party, which wants France to completely exit nuclear power, said the incident proved again that nuclear energy was inherently unsafe.

Activists Enter French Nuclear Facilities WSJ, By GÉRALDINE AMIEL And INTI LANDAURO, 5 Dec 11   PARIS—French police on Monday arrested eleven activists with environmental group Greenpeace who broke into two French nuclear-power plants in an attempt to raise questions about reactor security.

Nine people broke into the compound of the Nogent-sur-Seine nuclear plant, south of Paris, at about 6 a.m. on Monday. Two of the protesters climbed onto the roof of one the two reactors before they were apprehended by police, said the plant’s owner, state-controlled power behemoth Électricité de France SA. All nine were arrested.

Late Monday, the police arrested two men who had hidden all day at EDF’s Cruas plant, in southern France, EDF said. Continue reading →

December 6, 2011 Posted by | France, opposition to nuclear, safety | Leave a comment

A warning from credit rating agency on doubtful future for France’s nuclear industry

In our view, the pact could have significant adverse credit implications for both EDF and AREVA over the longer term.

TEXT-S&P comments on French Green-Socialist Electoral Pact, Reuters Nov 28- The French Green and Socialist parties’ announced an electoral pact to reduce France’s dependence on nuclear power on Nov. 15, 2011.

Based on its reading of the pact, Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services understands that:– 24 out the 58 nuclear reactors operated by Electricite de France S.A. (EDF; AA-/Stable/A-1+) in France would close by 2025, of which two reactors in Fessenheim would be immediately shut down. The pact aims to reduce France’s dependence on nuclear power to 50% from 75% currently.

– No new nuclear projects would be initiated. Continue reading →

November 30, 2011 Posted by | business and costs, France, politics | Leave a comment

France stops nuclear plant due to hot dry weather

Dry weather starts to bite French nuclear output

 * French 2011 autumn: 2nd hottest since 1900

* Nuclear plants use water to cool their reactors

* Chooz plant already forced to stop in July due to weather

PARIS, Nov 29 (Reuters) – Dry weather conditions are starting to hit output at France’s nuclear reactors with EDF forced to stop one reactor in northern France to protect river flows, EDF said on Monday.France, the European Union’s biggest power exporter, this year experienced its driest March-May spring period in 50 years and its hottest since 1900. While rain fell over the summer, France experienced another dry bout this autumn. Autumn 2011 was the second hottest since the start of the 20th century and rainfall in October was 45 percent lower than average, according to French weather forecaster Meteo France.

Nuclear plants use water to cool their reactors. French power producer EDF, which operates the country’s 58 reactors, is not allowed to keep reactors operating if water temperatures rise beyond a set level or if flows fall below authorised limits.

A spokesman at EDF’s Chooz nuclear plant, located close to the Belgian border, said the utility had not restarted the 1,450-megawatt reactor 1 as planned on November 28 to safeguard minimum river flows.”There is an agreement between France and Belgium whereby France owes Belgium a minimum of 20 cubic metre per second on a 12-day average,” the spokesman said…….http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL5E7MT5UE20111129.

November 30, 2011 Posted by | climate change, France | Leave a comment

Police violence does not deter huge anti nuclear protests in France and Germany

After 126 hours en route the 13th CASTOR delivery arrived for storage in Gorleben. The longest and most expensive delivery trip ever was caused by blockades of anti-nuclear activists, starting in France, continuing throughout Germany and culminating in the Gorleben area itself. 

After a trip of nearly five and a half days from Normandy in France the 13th delivery of processed German nuclear waste reached the “temporary” storage hall in Gorleben, a village in northwest Germany at about 10 pm on Monday   +++  Police perpetrated massive violence and breaches of the law against demonstrators, injuring at least 355 with truncheons, gas, dogs, horses and water cannons  +++   The 25,000 activists in the county were the second largest number ever   +++   Resistance against the shipment began in France where activists reported police violence against them but also an upsurge of anti-nuclear sentiment in the country   +++   In the Gorleben area resistance took the form of rail and road squats, chain-ons (one caused a 14-hour delay in the train journey) and massive road traffic disruptions, notably by farmers with tractors and agricultural machinery +++(See German Source here)

The activists’ first aid team of doctors and other health professionals report treating at least 355 injured by police, including serious head wounds and a suspected vertebral fracture from truncheoning. About a third of the injuries were caused by gas, the others mainly by truncheons. One person was run down by a horse, another had a tooth bashed out. Some police who’d been affected by their own mace or who were totally exhausted (10 cases) were also treated. In some cases the first aiders were denied access, especially during the trucking phase. Nine were ordered away from places. A doctor was not allowed to examine an arrested injured person. In another case first aiders were kettled while washing out people’s eyes. There were several cases of police violence against first aiders, e.g. one was injured by gas, another by several blows with a truncheon. A first aid camp in Laase was overrun linkby police, who threatened and insulted first aiders. The group is shocked by the high number of injured which will probably rise because not all the numbers are in yet. http://linksunten.indymedia.org/en/node/50895

November 30, 2011 Posted by | civil liberties, France, Germany, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Nuclear industry getting anxious about anti nuclear politics in France

Uranium and the French threat [to the nuclear and uranium  industries] 9 News, 30 Nov 11 France will hold presidential elections in two rounds in April and May followed by parliamentary elections in June. Polls currently suggest Socialist Party candidate Francois Hollande would knock off incumbent president Nicholas Sarkozy if elections were held today.

Assuming presidential polls also reflect parliamentary preferences, Deutsche suggests the nuclear industry should be rather concerned about a policy agreement between the Socialist Party and the French version of the Greens. The agreement, which is yet to be formerly signed, is to undertake to close 24 of France’s 58 nuclear reactors by 2025. Two would be closed immediately and a moratorium would be placed on any new construction outside of the one plant currently being built.

In the scheme of things, suggests Deutsche, such a move would be a lot more significant than Germany’s decision to wind down nuclear power made earlier this year after the Fukushima disaster. It would likely also prompt a nuclear rethink across all of the European Union, with Belgium an obvious first candidate for change…..

Deutsche will watch political developments closely given the potentially “profound” implications for uranium prices on the one hand and gas prices on the other, …. http://finance.ninemsn.com.au/newscolumnists/greg/8381663/uranium-and-the-french-threat

November 30, 2011 Posted by | France, politics | Leave a comment

Jaitapur nuclear plant delayed in haggles over Nuclear Liability Law, and Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty

Jaitapur nuclear plant work may not start before 2014 France, says Bernard Bigot, remains committed to fulfil all its obligations LiveMint.com 28 Nov 11Makarand Gadgil Mumbai: French Atomic Energy Commission chairman Bernard Bigot said on Monday that work on the Jaitapur nuclear power project in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra was unlikely to start before 2014 due to regulatory hurdles
He referred to the delay in concluding the commercial contract between Areva and the government-owned Nuclear Power Corp. of India Ltd (NPCIL) Continue reading →

November 29, 2011 Posted by | France, India, politics international | Leave a comment

French company AREVA finding wind energy a better bet than nuclear?

Areva has looked to diversify away from nuclear energy and build up solar, wind and biomassbusinesses. …..Areva has teamed up with energy group GDF Suez SA and concessions company Vinci SA to bid for a part of the French government’s wind turbine project…The French government aims for a total of 1,200 wind turbines to be eventually built, costing a total of €10 billion.

In mid-December Areva is set to detail the financial impact of the nuclear disaster at Fukushima this March.

Areva Diversifies Further Into Wind, WSJ, 28 Nov, By MAX COLCHESTER And NOÉMIE BISSERBE, PARIS—Areva SA said Monday it is in advanced talks to build about 120 wind turbines at two offshore wind farms in Germany, as theengineering group continues to diversify away from nuclear energy…. Continue reading →

November 29, 2011 Posted by | business and costs, France, renewable | Leave a comment

Nuclear waste train meets strong protest in France

Nuclear waste train spurs protests in France, Nov 23 (Reuters) – French anti-nuclear activists scuffled with police in Normandy on Wednesday as they tried to hold up a train transporting radioactive waste processed by nuclear producer Areva to a storage site in Germany.

Several hundred protesters tried to occupy the train tracks near the town of Valognes in northwestern France before being repelled by police in riot gear. Police said they had detained five people. Before the train eventually departed around mid-afternoon, the activists played a cat-and-mouse game with police officers, who launched canisters of tear gas to disperse them before charging the crowd with batons.

“This movement is about the indignation of people who are aware of the dangers of nuclear power and who reject politics geared only toward the profit of certain businesses,” said a 60-year-old activist, who did not want to give his name……

The train carried 11 tubular containers of highly radioactive nuclear waste processed by Areva at its treatment plant at La Hague, northwest France. The treated waste, which originates from German nuclear plants, was en route to the nuclear waste facility of Gorleben in northeastern Germany for storage. Wednesday’s train marked the last of 12 shipments of treated nuclear waste sent in recent years from France to Gorleben. An expired contract between the two countries is not expected to be renewed.  http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/23/france-nuclear-protests-idUSL5E7MN30R20111123

November 24, 2011 Posted by | France, opposition to nuclear, wastes | Leave a comment

French activists try to stop nuclear waste train

French riot police battle protesters over nuclear train BBC News 23 Nov 11 Riot police in north-western France have made 12 arrests while battling protesters trying to stop a trainload of nuclear waste bound for Germany. They sprayed tear gas and wielded truncheons at protesters in gas masks, who had tried to block railway tracks near Valognes with debris…..

 The shipment from the French nuclear giant Areva’s reprocessing plant at La Hague is the last planned to Germany. Germany has stopped sending nuclear waste for reprocessing in France, as it winds down its nuclear power plants. Chancellor Angela Merkel said this year that all plants would be shut down by 2022.Wednesday’s train left more than an hour late as a result of the disturbances, which were frequently violent, correspondents report…. The demonstrators managed to remove a rail and destroy electric junction boxes before the train left, according to France’s AFP news agency.

‘Radical opposition’ Further protests are expected when the train enters Germany on its way to the nuclear waste facility at Gorleben. Protesters say the shipment presents an environmental hazard but Areva insists the rail shipment is perfectly safe.”Beyond the danger that this waste poses, we’re demonstrating our radical opposition to a means of production that means we’ll always need more power,” said one Parisian protester, Anna, 24. “We’re against endless growth.” http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15861761

November 24, 2011 Posted by | France, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Danger of AREVA’s nuclear waste convoy from France to Germany

If the radioactivity from the transport was dispersed in an accident or an attack, Areva would be discharged from almost all liability. 

Last Minute information – high-risk transport from France to Germany leaving one day early, 21 Nov 11  Transport of highly radioactive nuclear waste will again cross France from west to east, and part of Germany, exposing people and the SNCF agents to  nuclear risks.  Originally scheduled this Thursday, 24 November, the train from Valognes railway terminal has been advanced one day by AREVA and SNCF to try to avoid the huge mobilisation that is being prepared. The convoy should leave Valognes on Wednesday 23 at 14:36.The two routes planned by the authorities from Amiens remain unchanged, the convoy could head north towards Arras or south to Reims. Eleven containers carrying 301 barrels of high activity waste “re-treated” at the Areva plant in La Hague (Manche).

A rolling Chernobyl : Europe again under the threat of a nuclear convoy at high risk The official inventory of radioactivity in the transport amounted to 3756.5 peta becquerel (PBq) or 3.75 billion billion Becquerel of Becquerel. For comparison, the convoy will transport many times the radioactivity released during the Chernobyl disaster [i]. Scattered in the environment, the radio-toxicity potential [ii] this convoy would be enough to poison the whole human race [iii]. Continue reading →

November 21, 2011 Posted by | France, Reference, safety | Leave a comment

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