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£525 million pledged to build UK small nuclear reactors, no funding package yet revealed for £20 billion Sizewell plant

Times 18th Nov 2020. A total of £525 million has been pledged “to help develop large and
smaller-scale nuclear plants, and research and develop new advanced modular
reactors”. However, there is no word as yet on a funding package to
support the proposed £20 billion new nuclear plant at Sizewell in Suffolk.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/boris-johnson-promises-revolution-in-homes-roads-and-industry-n6xzp6jld

November 19, 2020 Posted by | business and costs, politics, UK | Leave a comment

British govt’s foolhardy plan to pay up for non existent Rolls Royce small nuclear reactors

Guardian 17th Nov 2020, Boris Johnson’s £12bn plan for a “green industrial revolution” spans renewable energy, nuclear power and countryside restoration. However, some of the objectives are likely to be difficult to reach, and the plan has been criticised for a lack of ambition in key areas.
Tom Burke, chair of the E3G thinktank, said: “The only way to build another big nuclear reactor is if the government puts electricity bills up twice to pay for it – first to buy the concrete and steel to build it and then again to buy its electricity at far higher price than renewable generators will be charging.
[And] the main problem with small modular reactors is that no one has one for sale – not even Rolls-Royce. They are actually offering to design one but only if the government will guarantee a £32bn order for 16 and pays half the £400m cost of the design. One word for deciding to go ahead on this basis is ‘brave’, a more appropriate word might be ‘foolhardy’.”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/17/the-key-areas-of-boris-johnsons-green-industrial-revolution

November 19, 2020 Posted by | politics, Small Modular Nuclear Reactors, UK | Leave a comment

UK government wastes tax-payer money on small and large nuclear reactors that will never be cheap or safe

FoE Scotland 17th Nov 2020, Friends of the Earth Scotland gave a scathing reaction to the UK Government’s announcement of a 10-point plan on climate and energy, calling for much more priority on solutions which can reduce emissions and create jobs today.
Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Director, Dr RichardDixon, said: “This much-trailed 10-point plan is deeply disappointing. In this Climate Emergency, what we needed was investment in measures that would reduce emissions drastically over the next decade and create greenjobs immediately.
Instead, the UK Government is clearly living in fantasy land with far too much reliance on long-term false solutions to the climate
crisis like carbon capture and storage, hydrogen and nuclear. “While there are some crumbs from the table in terms of the welcome new target of 2030 to phase out fossil-fuelled cars, overall there is too little new money and too much funding committed to long-term, dangerous distractions.
The funding on the table is a fraction of what’s needed to bring emissions down over the next decade, and the plan lacks credible detail about how it would create decent green jobs and ensure a truly just andgreen recovery from COVID-19. “At a time when electricity from renewables is getting cheaper and cheaper it is impossible to understand why the UK Government continues to throw public money at eye-wateringly expensive large reactors and falls for the nuclear industry’s latest myth, that small modular reactors dotted around the country will ever be cheap or safe.””
Fortunately Scotland has turned its back on new reactors”

https://foe.scot/press-release/response-to-the-uk-10-point-climate-plan-for-net-zero/

November 19, 2020 Posted by | politics, Small Modular Nuclear Reactors, UK | Leave a comment

Sizewell C nuclear plant ‘not value for money’, and would sabotage the govt’s pledge for nature

November 19, 2020 Posted by | environment, UK | Leave a comment

Destruction of wildlife habitat, Coronation Wood to be felled, for Sizewell C nuclear project

TASC 16th Nov 2020, Despite every effort from lawyers representing Together Against Sizewell C
(TASC), and the invaluable financial and moral support from many concerned
citizens, TASC are devastated to learn that the Courts have refused its
application to make a final appeal to overturn the decision to allow the
destruction of Coronation Wood.
TASC member Joan Girling who brought the
case to court, said “Due to the crass decision-making of East Suffolk
Council, EDF have now been given the green light to carry out their
Sizewell B relocation plans which include taking their chain-saws to and
destroying the whole of Coronation Wood.
“It is totally premature to
allow the felling of the wood. Sizewell C may never get permission and a
100 year old wood cannot be replaced. Due to its removal there will be a
major loss of visual screening of the nuclear industrial complex causing
increased noise and light pollution, totally ignoring the site’s status
as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Destroying the wood, its badger
setts, bird and bat habitats blows EDF’s environmental credentials out of
the water. There are alternatives but EDF and the council chose not to
pursue them. EDF is not concerned in any way, shape or form for the well
being of the ecology of the area, nor that of locals who are deeply upset
by their plans”

https://tasizewellc.org.uk/latest-on-coronation-wood-judicial-revue/

November 19, 2020 Posted by | environment, UK | Leave a comment

The Irish sea – plagued by dumped munitions and radioactive trash

Belfast Telegraph 13th Nov 2020, A report highlighting the dangers of underwater explosions and radioactive
waste has cast doubt on the viability of any Irish Sea bridge. The UK and Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA) study focused on Beaufort’s Dyke, one of the deepest sections of water in Europe and a training sitefor nuclear submarines. Munitions from both world wars and radioactive waste, when it was permitted in Europe, are known to have been dumped in the stretch of sea.

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/seabed-blasts-cast-doubt-on-the-viability-of-boris-johnsons-bridge-from-northern-ireland-to-scotland-39740984.html

November 17, 2020 Posted by | oceans, UK, wastes | Leave a comment

Relentless lobbying by Small Nuclear Reactor companies still doesn’t make them economic or safe

Telegraph 14th Nov 2020  ”………Rolls-Royce, via a relentless lobbying campaign over the past few years, seems to have convinced the Government that its “mini-nukes” project is a runner. It claims billions are needed from taxpayers to underpin investment in a new production line that will reduce the costs and risks compared with bespoke new reactors such as the £22bn monster at Hinkley Point C.

There are plenty of reasons to be sceptical that even with its nuclear submarine experience, Rolls and its partners can pull it off. The technology is unproven anywhere and – as anti-nuclear campaigners argue – more reactors inevitably mean more potential points of failure. Nuclear power has a poor record of delivering its budgets too…….”

November 16, 2020 Posted by | Small Modular Nuclear Reactors, UK | Leave a comment

Guardians of UK’s precious habitat in Suffolk are fearful of government decision on Sizewell nuclear plan.

East Anglian Daily Times 12th Nov 2020, Guardians of one of Britain’s most precious habitats are waiting to see
how Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s 10-point plan for the environment will
affect their Suffolk site.

https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/rspb-minsmere-sizewell-c-damage-1-6926669

November 14, 2020 Posted by | environment, politics, UK | Leave a comment

UK’s Royal Society for the Protection of Birds condemns the Sizewell nuclear project

The Government looks set to fail in its first major domestic test over its declared commitment to the environment ahead of an upcoming speech by the Prime Minister. 

 A recent PR charm offensive by the energy company EDF extolling the green credentials of its proposals to build the Sizewell C nuclear reactor seems to be swaying government opinion, despite the fact that the project may irreversibly damage one of the UK’s most important and well protected wildlife sites. It is rumoured that the Prime Minister will announce the importance of future nuclear energy development in his upcoming 10-point speech on the environment.  

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds ’s Chief Executive, Beccy Speight, said: “The Government has committed to protect 30% of the UK’s land by 2030 to boost biodiversity, so allowing the destruction of one of the most nature rich places we already have in the UK would be a crazy decision. The Prime Minister must not let EDF pull the wool over his eyes regarding what a damaging project this would be. 

 “If EDF were to be given permission to build a brand-new twin nuclear reactor slap bang on the border of a globally important wildlife haven, then we believe that contrary to the ambition set out by this Government, nowhere in the UK is sacred anymore. The Government has stated that we are in an ecological emergency as well as a climate emergency and it simply cannot afford to waste taxpayer’s money destroying flagship reserves which mean so much to wildlife and people.” 

 The RSPB has waited for over a decade for EDF Energy to show them evidence that RSPB Minsmere won’t be irrevocably damaged if the energy giant builds the UK’s latest white elephant: Sizewell C. That evidence has never materialised and EDF continue to try and paint the development as environmentally friendly despite evidence to the contrary. 

 Home to a whopping 6000 species, Minsmere is widely acknowledged as one of Europe’s most important wildlife sites and has legal protection at both the national and international level. Protected animals that call the Suffolk coast home like otters, water voles, marsh harriers, bats and many more could all fall victim to this huge infrastructure project and legally protected land, Sizewell Marshes SSSI, could be built directly on. The concerns extend to marine life too with proposals suggesting waters off the local beaches could warm and that toxic chemicals could be pumped into the sea along with worrying numbers of dead fish. 

 Beccy Speight continued:   “We could be witnessing the horrors of HS2 all over again, wasting tax payers’ money on destroying irreplaceable homes for nature. If Sizewell C was to be built, it should come as no surprise to us all that we would once again be witnessing chainsaws and diggers decimating precious habitats which are not only important to wildlife, but to people’s health and wellbeing too.  For this to happen as we attempt to recover from a pandemic caused by a zoonotic disease only adds to the bitter irony of the situation. We urge the Government to think again.” 

November 12, 2020 Posted by | environment, opposition to nuclear, UK | Leave a comment

Suffolk County Council raised over 50 concerns about the Sizewell nuclear project, but UK govt going ahead anyway?

Anglian Daily Times 10th Nov 2020,  The Government has vowed to ensure it considers whether Sizewell C mitigation measures are stringent enough, after a Suffolk MP called for adequate scrutiny of the plans. Sources have indicated that the Government is close to giving the go ahead for the £20 billion scheme on the Suffolk coast, prompting Central Suffolk and North Ipswich MP Dr Dan Poulter to call on the Secretary of State for Business, Alok Sharma, to ensure developers EDF will be “held to account and will properly engage with theconsultation to implement the changes needed to improve road and rail infrastructure”.

Raising the issue in Parliament on Tuesday morning, Dr Poulter said that while the development would bring benefits such as  de-carbonisation and thousands of new jobs, it was “not a case of Sizewell C being built at any cost”. He said: “Many people in Suffolk have concerns about the failure of EDF to properly engage with the consultation process. “There are still over 50 outstanding concerns raised by Suffolk County Council.”

https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/government-sizewell-c-scrutiny-pledge-1-6924184

Campaign group project images on side of Government building. Stop Sizewell C, who are against the development of a nuclear plant in Suffolk, have  projected two images on the side of a Government building.

https://planetradio.co.uk/greatest-hits/suffolk/news/campaign-group-project-image-on-government-building/

November 12, 2020 Posted by | politics, UK | Leave a comment

Hunterston nuclear reactor allowed to restart, despite increasing cracks in the graphite core.

No to Nuclear Power, November 2020, On 27th August, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) announced it was giving EDF permission to restart Reactor 3 at Hunterston B for a limited period – generating up to a total of 16.425 Terawatt days, approximately six months’ operation. (1) Then on 24 September ONR gave EDF permission for Reactor 4 to return to service for a similar limited period. By the end of September both reactors were operating. (2)
 Following the Reactor 3 announcement, EDF said it is hoping to run both reactors at the site for two last six-month periods each and then begin decommissioning them “no later than 7 January 2022”. The reactors were previously scheduled to be shut down in March 2023.
  ONR has yet to give permission for either reactor to operate for a second six months, and this will require new safety cases.
The NFLA and campaigners have condemned the moves to restart Hunterston, warning that public health is being put at risk. They are calling for the plant to be permanently closed down now. “The safest thing to do is to close Hunterston B and start accelerated decommissioning of its reactors,” said the group’s Scottish convener, Glasgow SNP councillor Feargal Dalton. “We totally disagree with EDF that decommissioning should start in 2022. It should happen now for the sake of public safety.” He added: “The fact it has taken two years and much resource from EDF to provide sufficient information to the ONR to allow a restart to take place is indicative of the level of risk over the structural integrity of these reactors.” (3)
  Reactor three has an estimated 377 cracks in its graphite core and has been shut down since 9 March 2018. It will only be allowed to operate for six months before it will have to close down again so that its core can be checked for new cracks. Then EDF will need new permission to operate it for a further, final six months. Reactor four at Hunterston has an estimated 209 cracks in its core, and was shut down on 2 October 2018. It was allowed to restart for four months in 2019.
According to the Daily Business website, EDF employs approximately 580 workers (and around 200 contractors). About 125 will lose their jobs in January 2022 with others retained until 2025 for the    de-fuelling process. (4) After that, there will be the massive task on dismantling the two reactors safely.
Dr Richard Dixon, director of Friends of the Earth Scotland said “Whether it was clever press strategy or fluke, EDF managed to use the closure announcement to bury the news that their damaged reactor is starting up again. They must be laughing all the way to the bank.” (5)
  West Kilbride Tory councillor Todd Ferguson called for Hunterston to be shut immediately. He said Hunterston should not be a ‘guinea pig’ for the UK nuclear industry testing how long power stations can last. “There comes a time when the reactors should remain offline for good. The North Ayrshire Conservative Group believe the time to look at this is now.” (6)
The NFLA Scotland Forum have joined with Friends of the Earth Scotland, WWF Scotland, CND Scotland and the Nuclear Consulting Group to raise serious concerns over the decision of the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) to allow these reactors to restart. It is important to note that the majority of the Scottish population live downwind of Hunterston B and the consequences of an accident will be catastrophic. In terms of the energy generation issues by closing Hunterston B, it needs to be noted that EDF Energy has recently been asked by the National Grid to reduce output at Sizewell B in Suffolk due to a lack of energy demand, providing it with £50 million in order to do this. With the reducing cost and increasing levels of renewable energy coming on stream there is absolutely no need to restart Hunterston B. Restarting for 6 or 12 months is creating an unnecessary risk to the people of Scotland. If accelerated decommissioning of the site was to take place, many jobs can be diverted into such activity for some time to come. In addition, whilst there is fuel in the reactor, it is a criticality risk and has to be almost fully staffed until it is defueled in 2025. (7 )
The latest technical documents (8) put online by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) show:
1. EDF has predicted that the number of cracks in reactor three’s graphite core will increase from the current 570 to 781 after six months operation, and to 943 after 12 months operation. 943 cracks would bring the reactor close to EDF’s new “damage tolerance level” of 1,331 cracks, and exceeds its “intermediate damage tolerance assessment” of 905 cracks.
2. EDR has scrapped its “operational allowance” for cracks, which in 2018 was 350. It now says that the safety limit is its “Currently Established Damage Tolerance Level” of 1,331. So, the acceptable number of cracks has nearly quadrupled in two years.
3. EDF has done new analysis of “in-event cracking” to assess the damage that a one-in tenthousand-year earthquake could do if it occurred in the next six months. This predicts that “overloads” would cause an additional 500 cracks.

  The ONR report also contains some interesting remarks on EDF assessments. It says for example that the company’s estimates of the likelihood of fragments of debris broken off graphite blocks “migrating to safety significant locations” are “inherently subjective”. It also suggests that EDF’s safety case methodology is “approaching its limit of viability”.   The ONR report also contains some interesting remarks on EDF assessments. It says for example that the company’s estimates of the likelihood of fragments of debris broken off graphite blocks “migrating to safety significant locations” are “inherently subjective”. It also suggests that EDF’s safety case methodology is “approaching its limit of viability”.

 Despite all this of course, ONR bought EDF’s argument that it should be allowed to operate for another six months. But maybe getting ONR’s permission for a second six months’ operation – as EDF want – is not certain.
Jobs Nicola Sturgeon has promised to look into job fears surrounding Hunterston’s closure. Calls have been made for the Scottish Government and North Ayrshire Council to create a plan for the workforce. Nicola Sturgeon said the government is committed to creating new employment locally. Conservative MSP Jamie Greene says the impact of the decommissioning will be huge and insists local people will need extra support. Kenneth Gibson, the SNP MSP for the area, says work needs to be done quickly to support jobs and that officials must look towards a green future. He said: “The decision should encourage the Scottish and UK Governments to work in partnership with the council to deliver the economic transition of the area with a greater sense of urgency. Whilst defuelling will mean no immediate job losses, investment locally in green, clean energy is now the priority.” (9)
• EDF Energy has announced that it intends to submit new safety cases to ONR to re-open Reactors 3 and 4 at Hinkley Point B – Hunterston’s sister reactors. It currently expects reactor 4 to return to service on 26 February 2021 and reactor 3 on 12 March 2021. The Stop Hinkley Campaign is calling for both reactors to remain closed. Stop Hinkley spokesperson Roy Pumfrey said: “Nuclear engineer, the late John Large said more than a decade ago that it was gambling with public safety to allow reactors with cracks in their core to keep operating. Every minute these reactors operate that gamble become riskier. We call upon the UK Government to intervene and request the ONR to re-consider their unwise decisions at Hunterston B and to refuse to accept EDF’s safety cases for Hinkley Point B. It is EDF in Paris, France which will benefit from the restart of these reactors, but it is those of us who live in Somerset and middle England who are being exposed to these involuntary risks” (10)  http://www.no2nuclearpower.org.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/SafeEnergy_No88.pdf

November 12, 2020 Posted by | safety, UK | 1 Comment

Dismantling of Trawsfynydd nuclear power plant held back due to coronavirus outbreak

November 12, 2020 Posted by | decommission reactor, health, UK | Leave a comment

China’s ambition to build Bradwell nuclear plant in Essex will likely fail on  national security grounds.

Guardian 11th Nov 2020 , China’s ambition to build a nuclear plant in Essex will likely fail on  national security grounds. The new national security and investment bill, aiming to give the government sweeping powers to block foreign takeovers and investments, will inevitably be viewed through the lens of China and new nuclear power plants in UK.
That is, indeed, one way to look at it. Even before the Huawei 5G saga and Beijing’s introduction of draconian security laws in Hong Kong, the mood had cooled on Chinese ownership of critical UK infrastructure. David Cameron’s government in 2014 promised
“progressive entry” into UK nuclear to China General Nuclear, the state-backed firm that owns a 33% stake in Hinkley Point C in Somerset and has ambitions to build its own plant in Bradwell in Essex. That entry ticket will surely have to be cancelled.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/nils-pratley-on-finance/2020/nov/11/uk-security-bill-signals-open-door-era-for-foreign-takeovers-is-over

November 12, 2020 Posted by | politics, politics international, UK | Leave a comment

Consortium wants to take over Wylfa nuclear power project

New Civil Engineer 11th Nov 2020, A consortium led by Bechtel is reportedly in talks with the government
about acquiring the Wylfa Newydd site on Anglesey earmarked for nuclear
development. Plans for a £20bn nuclear plant were recently scrapped by
developer Horizon after 18 months of talks with government about a funding
mechanism eventually fizzled out. The site is however still safeguarded and
the project could theoretically be restarted by a third party. Led by the
Bechtel, the consortium includes Southern Company, an electricity utility,
and Westinghouse, a nuclear engineering company.

https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/bechtel-led-consortium-in-talks-about-wylfa-site-11-11-2020/

City AM 10th Nov 2020, A group of US companies has reportedly approached the government about
taking over the development of a nuclear power plant at Wylfa in north
Wales. Engineering giant Bechtel will lead the consortium, and will be
joined by utility firm Southern and nuclear engineers Westinghouse.

https://www.cityam.com/us-consortium-mulls-taking-on-abandoned-wylfa-nuclear-project/

November 12, 2020 Posted by | business and costs, politics, UK | Leave a comment

Rolls Royce and Exelon get together to market ‘small’ nuclear reactors

 

November 10, 2020 Posted by | marketing, Small Modular Nuclear Reactors, UK | Leave a comment

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