AFRICA « nuclear-news

Nuclear industry in South Africa – secretive and poorly regulated

Activists in South Africa maintain that …. the regulation, monitoring and standards practised by the nuclear industry remain among the most secretive and fatally flawed in the world.

New liability law “could end civil nuclear growth in India” – little wonder South African nuclear industry refuses to discuss the issue | Coalition Against Nuclear Energy, 7 Sept 10, “………….In South Africa, the nuclear industry has for years been trying to establish whether changes will be brought about to a virtually non-existent nuclear liabilities law. Continue reading →

September 9, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | secrets,lies and civil liberties, South Africa | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, radiation, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

Shutdown of South African nuclear plant

Ezulwini uranium plant closes for repairs, World Nuclear News, 1 Sept 10, Toronto-based First Uranium has temporarily closed its Ezulwini uranium plant in South Africa to replace two columns in the ion exchange section following a structural failure on a loading column. The company said that the plant will remain offline while two replacement columns are designed, manufactured, installed and commissioned. The work is expected to be completed by the end of 2010. The company said that the anticipated impact of the temporary shut down on its cash flow, loss in uranium sales and rescheduled capital is some $1.2 million….the ramping up of gold and uranium production from the Ezulwini mine has been slower than expected.

September 3, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, South Africa | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, reactor | Leave a comment

Push for renewable energy, not nuclear, in South Africa

Greenpeace pushes for renewable energy in SAfrica, Google hosted news, By MIA SNYMAN (AP) – 19 Aug, 2010, JOHANNESBURG — South Africa has renewable resources that can provide solutions to the country’s energy problems and create jobs — while fighting global warming, Greenpeace officials said Wednesday.”Greenpeace’s estimate that 78,000 green jobs could be created is conservative,” Glen Mpufane, who heads a development group, who joined a Greenpeace forum on green jobs on Wednesday…..
Environmental groups in South Africa are campaigning for a major move toward renewable energy rather than nuclear and coal energy……

The Associated Press: Greenpeace pushes for renewable energy in SAfrica

August 19, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, South Africa | antinuclear, energy efficiency, renewable energy, renewables, solar | Leave a comment

France steps up security in its uranium colony, Niger

Areva extracts almost half its uranium from Niger, where it has been active for 40 years.

French nuclear giant steps up security after hostage killing, Expatica France, 27 July, 2010, French nuclear power giant Areva said Tuesday it had stepped up security around its sites in the West African country of Niger after Al-Qaeda murdered a French hostage captured in the region…… Continue reading →

July 28, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Niger, safety | antinuclear, AREVA, France, nuclear, nuclear spin, uranium | Leave a comment

Dim future for nuclear energy in South Africa

with the global economic slowdown, things have not improved much. Investments are not forthcoming from international lending banks.

South Africa still in pursuit of its nuclear future | The Energy Collective July 27, 2010 Pebble Bed project is shut down. Future reactor investments up in the air.This is not a good time to be looking to invest in nuclear energy in South Africa. Continue reading →

July 28, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, South Africa, technology | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, reactor, uranium | Leave a comment

South Africa’s Pelindaba nuclear plant and theft of nuclear material

Pelindaba was involved in another mysterious incident in 2007, when its highly guarded operations center was broken into by two armed gangs. One official was shot during the attack, which some believe was aimed at stealing highly enriched uranium. The case remains unsolved…….

South Africa’s ‘dirty bomb’ mystery, The Washington Post, Jeff Stein, 20 July 2010, If dirty bombs are such an overblown threat, and radioactive material so easily available, why are people still trying to steal it?South African police are investigating what the five mokes busted with a Cesium-137 device at a Pretoria gas station last week were up to.All of them are South African citizens, but not much else is known about them, police said Continue reading →

July 20, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | secrets,lies and civil liberties, South Africa | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons, radiation, reactors | Leave a comment

Surfers rally to save beaches from nuclear power

Surfers in South Africa to march against nuclear project, Outdoors, action and adventure, Pete Thomas Jul 16, 2010 Some of the world’s top pro surfers will participate in a protest march Saturday against the proposed construction in South Africa of a nuclear power station that threatens to jeopardize some of the region’s premier surf spots. Continue reading →

July 17, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | opposition to nuclear, South Africa | antinuclear, nuclear, reactors | Leave a comment

Arrest of men trying to sell radiation device

(South Africa) Four nabbed with ‘radiation device’, News – Crime & Courts:, 9 July 2010, Four men were arrested on Friday afternoon in Pretoria for allegedly possessing and trying to sell an “industrial radiation device,” police said.The four, all South Africans, were caught in Garsfontein in Pretoria East….trying to sell the device for about R45 million……The four would appear in court soon on charges of theft and possession of a radioactive device, as well as charges relating to violating health legislation for handling such material in public. – Sapa News – Crime & Courts: Four nabbed with ‘radiation device’

July 10, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, South Africa | nuclear, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Decentralised renewable energy – the doorway to Africa’s prosperity

decentralised energy production through solar systems and wind farms could bring power to many remote regions, thus allowing development, creating jobs and benefitting health. Kappiah: “Solar power is reliable and can be installed easily and without the need to connect to the national electricity grid.”

Harvesting The Sun And Wind “Key For African Development” Voxy.co.nz, 28 June 2010, “The solar radiation Africa receives could make this continent the Saudi-Arabia of the future”. With this bold statement, Hafsat Abiola, daughter of Nigeria’s late President Elect Moshood Abiola, summarized the results of “Power Kick for Africa”, a two-day strategy workshop on renewable energy policies. Continue reading →

June 29, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AFRICA, decentralised | climate change, energy efficiency, renewable energy, renewables, solar, wind | Leave a comment

International Surfers’ Day – an International Anti-Nuclear Event

The message is clear from the surf community in Jeffreys Bay and is supported by surfers from all over the world. Don’t build a Nuke at Thuyspunt.

23 June 2010, The Jeffreys Bay surf community came out in full support of the Supertubes Surfing Foundation’s call to prevent the building of a nuclear power station at nearby Thuyspunt.200 – 250 people donned either black or yellow T-shirts and formed a human NO nuke sign on the Supertubes beach, the venue of the annual Billabong Pro surf event.

The protest formed part of International Surfing Day, a worldwide event where surfers from beaches across the planet unite to celebrate the Sport of Kings and highlight issues facing the environment.The biggest concerns the Jeffreys Bay surf community have regarding the unpalatable prospect of having a nuclear power station on their doorstep are not hard to understand. Continue reading →

June 23, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, South Africa | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, reactor | Leave a comment

Nuclear terrorism’s close shave: plutonium store still at risk

Pelindaba was also the site of an incredible break-in in the end of 2007.

Palindaba Uranium Facility Assult Was Nearly Successful OverTheLimit June 21, 2010 Pelindaba is a nuclear power plant tucked back in the bush of South Africa. While it may seem like an ordinary plant, Pelinadaba was used as a secret weapons facility by the previous Apartheid government. Here they created weapons grade uranium, and it is here that that same plutonium is stored now that the new government has control and the weapons manufacturing has stopped. Continue reading →

June 23, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, South Africa | antinuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, plutonium, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

South Africa’s pebble bed reactor project doomed

Solidarity union reports last rites for the PBMR Engineering News Keith Campbell

21st June 2010 South African trade union Solidarity affirmed on Monday that the country’s pebble-bed modular reactor (PBMR) nuclear energy project has probably gone beyond the point of no return, despite suggestions that the government may resume funding for it in August.

June 22, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | South Africa, technology | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, reactor | Leave a comment

Terrorist danger in enriched uranium storage

VIDEO
Nuke Facility Raid An Inside Job? – 60 Minutes – CBS News Eyewitness Talks To 60 Minutes About Brazen Assault On South African Nuclear Facility CBS) This story was first published on Nov. 28, 2008. It was updated on June 15, 2010.

When President Obama invited 47 world leaders to Washington for a nuclear security summit in April, the assault on Pelindaba was exactly the kind of scenario they were working to prevent. Continue reading →

June 21, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, South Africa | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, radiation | Leave a comment

Namibian people will not benefit fron uranium mining

What does all this uranium rush mean to the average Namibian?
If the overall socio-economic impact of the Namibian diamond industry is anything to go by, the upsurge in activity in the local uranium industry is likely to be an economic non-event for the majority of the citizens as no significant economic gains and individual development is to be expected..

Uranium: the future of Namibia mining, but who is benefiting? Informante, by Mathew Nyaungwa , 17 June 2010 “….it is not surprising at all that there has been a strong appetite for uranium… Continue reading →

June 18, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Namibia, politics | antinuclear, indigenous, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear wastes, uranium | Leave a comment

Niger radio station, critical of AREVA uranium company, re-opens

….who announced in January 2008 a campaign against uranium mining, including by French state-controlled nuclear company Areva, in the north..

Niger radio in rebel area back on air after 2 years , Google hosted news 15 June 2010, NIAMEY — The main private radio station in uranium-rich northern Niger was on air again on Monday after being closed two years earlier by the deposed president following broadcasts linked to the Tuareg rebellion. Continue reading →

June 15, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | media, Niger | antinuclear, AREVA, France, nuclear secrecy, radiation, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment