nuclear-news

This week – Climate and Nuclear News

Again – climate change is the big one.  As UN climate chief calls for clear report on ‘feasibility’ of 1.5C climate goal, it’s looking as though this goal is not achievable, and climate change could already be irreversible.  In 2016 atmospheric carbon dioxide will pass 400 parts per million – permanently. Speed of Arctic change shocks scientists.

But nuclear disaster could be imminent, too, as we consider the consequences of a nuclear war between India and Pakistan, with Pakistan upping the ante, with belligerent threats to India.

On the so-called peaceful nuclear scene, the focus is on South Africa. South Africa’s corrupt nuclear politics is like a nasty boil that developed slowly over years, and could now be ready to burst.

Shadow Courts – The Secret Tribunals That Corporations Use to Sue Countries.

EUROPE. The 100 billion pound bill for decommissioning Europe’s old nuclear power stations.

AFRICA. Risk of war in Africa escalates with rising temperatures.

SOUTH AFRICA.  South Africa’s nuclear power programme stalled.  Handing nuclear project to Eskom will limit South Africa’s Parliament control, and increase corruption. South Africa’s renewable energy success.

RUSSIA.  For Russia, Climate Change is Already Producing Fires that are Too Big to Fight

USA.

• Obama’s opportunity to reduce America’s nuclear arsenal, and reduce international tensions.
• Hillary Clinton – less hawkish than Obama.  Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump: policies on climate change.   Clinton and Trump both dance to the nuclear lobby’s tune. Hillary Clinton, evasive, contradictory on nuclear power, changed policy 9 times.
• San Onofre’s nuclear wastes a danger to public safety.
• Opposition to South Carolina becoming a nuclear waste dumping ground.
• Community protest has stopped development of deep borehole waste disposal method .

UK.  Hinkley Pt. Nuclear Power Contract Signed Days AFTER New Warnings About Areva-Creusot Defects.  At the end of the Hinkley nuclear power story – massive radioactive clean-up costs.

CANADA Forest fire risk in Canada much greater due to climate change.

JAPAN. Japan busting to market nuclear reactors to India, and busting the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty? Japan to formally decide to decommission Monju nuclear reprocessing reactor by end of year.   Fukushima. Japan mulls legislation requiring local government approval for restarting Fukushima No. 2 nuclear plant.  Fukushima ice wall failing to deliver on promise.TEPCO Delays Replacing Tainted Water Tanks. High levels of radioactive cesium pooling at dams near Fukushima nuke plant.

UKRAINE. Ukraine joining the renewable energy revolution

GREENLAND. Climate change will expose top-secret US nuclear project in Greenland.

IRAN. Iran complains that international financial sanctions are not being lifted quickly enough.

October 2, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

This week in nuclear and climate news

Once again, I have to admit, that however terrible the nuclear industry is, the climate threat is the currently urgent global danger. That’s because the “window of opportunity” to contain it is near to closing.    Global warming will accelerate as oceans reach limits of remediation. Climate change action can be stopped by Trans Pacific Partnership.

Another secret and dangerous trade deal – the Trade In Services Agreement.

Risk of another Chernobyl or Fukushima type accident is plausible, experts say.

Practically permanent plunge for the uranium market.

EUROPE. European Court of Auditors see nuclear decommissioning funds shortfall.

UK.  A second successful nuclear convoy holdup by intrepid Scottish pensioner.   BBC and Science Media Centre (SMC UK) are pro nuclear spruikers. Liberal Democrats oppose Hinkley nuclear plan – ‘very poor value for money’. Theresa May caved in, approving Hinkley nuclear, but the nuclear debate is far from over. Major challenges ahead for Britain’s new nuclear plans – warns EDF chief.  Scotttish politicians slam the danger, secrecy, of hazardous air transport of nuclear wastes.

JAPAN. Area not far from Tokyo hit by 6.4 earthquake. Failure of Japan’s 20 year, costly, Monju nuclear reprocessing project   Fukushima. Underground Water Now Surfacing in Fukushima Daiichi.  Panel to examine options for wrecked Fukushima plant. Fukushima unveils grand plan for alternative energy transmission line networks.

USA.

• Hillary Clinton sells out to the nuclear lobby
•  Nuclear weapons cuts for USA? Obama tries, but has limited options.  USA and South Korea to conduct mock attack on nuclear facility, (with North Korea in mind).
• US taxpayers up for huge costs for accident at Waste Isolation Pilot Project (WIPP).
• Alarm, and lawsuit, over dangers of trucking nuclear waste interstate in America.
• USA could lend $billions to India – anything to sell nuclear reactors!
• New York congressman questions impact of climate change on nuclear facilities.
• Factor climate into national security policy – executive direction by President Obama.
• Wind energy getting popular with USA Republicans.

SOUTH AFRICA. High Court in South Africa to hear case against government’s nuclear power plan. . President Zuma signs secret Russian nuclear deal   South Africa’s Energy Minister is asked to release all nuclear-bid information. South Africa has no plan for dealing with nuclear waste.

CHINA. Further nuclear power development in China will require local public consent

CANADA. Canada’s SNC Lavalin marketing nuclear reactors to China.

September 24, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Climate and Nuclear news to 18th September

CLIMATE.  Approaching the First Climate Tipping Point — On Track to Hit 1.5 C Before 2035.   Low Arctic sea ice in 2016 – close to record low level. Marshall Islanders culture threatened: emigration as sea level rises.   Polar bears losing habitat as sea ice melting earlier, and refreezing later. Extreme drought: the impact of climate change and El Nino on the Amazon rainforest. Climate change endangers nuclear facilities, as water supplies heat up and evaporate.

NUCLEAR. In Britain, Prime Minister Theresa May finally gave the go-ahead for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power project. This decision, like New York’s decision to subsidise the nuclear industry, will have global effects.

The decision was probably inevitable, given the circumstances. The factors at play were:

• UK government under strong pressure
• Global nuclear lobby’s pressing need for a new ‘poster’ project to start happening. American  corporation General Electric ready for contracts.
• For France’s nuclear company EDF ,  the Hinkley project is their last chance to regain credibility, market their wares, and avoid bankruptcy.
• For China it’s an important overseas marketing coup, and a prelude to more, and lucrative, nuclear projects in Britain.
• Conflicts of interest: Costain engineering company is in Theresa May’s constituency, and is receiving contracts for work in the Hinkley C nuclear project. Top level former UK advisers and civil servants are linked with EDF, former MPs, especially, (but not only) Tories, now work as nuclear lobbyists and advisers to EDF.  May’s husband, Philip, works for investment company Capital Group. It, in turn, has a nearly 10% stake in French company Schneider Electric, which has been awarded a contract at Hinkley.

For everyone else, especially the British public, it’s  a very bad deal. –  E3G, a leading climate change think tank sets out reasons why going ahead with Hinkley is a massive mistake. It is  a megaproject which could become a “stranded asset”.  After all, Hinkley still might not ever happen.  Renewables are faster and better.

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 DNA damage, cancer caused by ionizing radiation identified.   Linear No Threshold Theory (LNT) of ionising radiation is backed by new research.

Gloom pervades The World Nuclear Association (WNA) Symposium 2016.

USA.  Hillary Clinton’s role in the Fukushima nuclear disaster cover-up. Illegal hiding of emails.  Nuclear industry will grind to a halt, if no waste disposal solution.   America giving up on the Mixed Oxide Nuclear Fuel (MOX) nuclear reprocessing boondoggle.

UK. It could have been an ISIS terrorist. Lucky it was only a peace protestor holding up nuclear weapons convoy

SOUTH AFRICA  South Africa’s economy could be destroyed by this unnecessary nuclear power build.

IRAN. West not keeping its commitment for Iran trade, in nuclear deal.

RUSSIA. Russia has not changed its nuclear weapons doctrine -Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) conference

SOUTH KOREA. Earthquakes cause South Korea to halt four nuclear reactors.

CANADA. Canadian political parties forced to reimburse illegal SNC-Lavalin donations.

September 18, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

To September 10 Climate and nuclear news this week

NUCLEAR The world was jolted into a renewed awareness of nuclear war danger, today, as North Korea conducted another nuclear bomb test. It may also be miniaturising nuclear warheads, to fit on a missile.  President Obama has stated that America will stick to the principle of being willing to make a pre-emptive nuclear strike.

However, the “Red Button” nuclear war system can be reformed: Donald Trump’s rise illustrates the need for this. Nuclear war risks lessened by Iran nuclear deal, which should continue in USA’s next administration. Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty has enduring value.

CLIMATE. The world had better pay attention NOW – to soaring ocean temperatures.  Effect of Global Warming on World’s Ocean Circulation is an unknown quantity. More frequent, more powerful Super Typhoons, with climate change. Flooding – a dire hazard to nuclear power stations.  USA and China formally ratify Paris climate agreement. Coal lobby is urged to copy tactics of the tobacco lobby!

CANADA. Nuclear company SNC-Lavalin‘s sorry history of corruption.

UK.   Britain’s national disgrace: nuclear reprocessing at Sellafield.

• UK’s Hinkley nuclear deal teetering, but PM Theresa May claims good relations with China.
• At G20, British PM Theresa May confirms that UK is reviewing Hinkley nuclear project.
• Energy chief says Hinkley Point is a deal out of date and too expensive.
• French Unionists take legal action to stop Hinkley nuclear power project.

Celtic Union of Renewable Energy Launched By Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland.

JAPAN. The end of the line for Japan’s super expensive nuclear reprocessing project?   To secure 2020 Olympics Japan’s PM Abe lied about Fukushima nuclear plant being ‘under control’. Concern as leaky ‘ice wall’ around Fukushima nuke plant resembles ‘bamboo screen’. Robot to probe nuke fuel debris in Fukushima No. 2 reactor. 10% return to Fukushima town since evacuation order lifted in ’15.

USA. As nuclear costs rise, top economist urges nuclear operators on early decommissioning of reactors. Outcry over secret trucking of weapons grade nuclear waste to South Carolina. Hypocrisy of big USA companies on climate change.

IRAN. IAEA confidential report shows Iran is Not Cheating on Nuclear Deal. Attempts to sabotage Iran nuclear deal – who stands to gain in this?

SWITZERLAND. Renewable energy heading to replace nuclear power in Switzerland.

SOUTH AFRICA. Nuclear power procurement costs for South Africa could cost triple the estimate.

SOUTH KOREA. Push for South Korea to get nuclear-powered submarines.

CHINA. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) concerned about nuclear safety in China.

UKRAINE. European financiers very worried about Ukraine’s dire nuclear industry problems.

BELARUS.  problems, secrecy, ignorance on nuclear unsafety

September 9, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Climate and Nuclear Threats – this week’s news

Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs

NUCLEAR.  It is generally acknowledged that the risk of nuclear war is greater right now than it was at the height of the Cold War, and that includes the risk of a nuclear war started by accident.  Some “nuclear umbrella” States feel trapped by their nuclear weapons protection.

CLIMATE. It is also becoming acknowledged that the tipping point is approaching, might even be upon us already. Unprecedented pace of global climate change – NASA. $8.8 Trillion Climate Tab left for next generation, if climate “business as usual”.

Governments, media, the public still see these issues in terms of “national interest”, but haven’t made that necessary leap of understanding that demands a global  collaborative approach. Pope Francis gets it. So do those most sober and deliberative of scientists – geologists. At the  International Geological Congress in Cape Town, on 29th August, an official expert group recommended that a new geological epoch be defined – the Anthropocene epoch.  Human impact on Earth is so profound that the most recent epoch, the 12,000 year Holocene, must give way to an epoch defined by nuclear tests, environmental pollution, and changing climate. The most appropriate commencement marker would be the spread of radioactive elements from the nuclear bomb tests beginning in 1950s.

CLIMATE.

• Catholic churches and other religions taking action against climate change, switching to green energy.
• 30 megacity  leaders join forces to urge for climate change action at the G20 in China.
• Polarisation on climate change is now worse than ever in America.
•  Climate change is affecting the marine ecosystem – krill disappearing from Antarctic waters.
• China’s glaciers– the “third pole” are losing ice mass.

NUCLEAR. An awful lot in the media about marketing of nuclear reactors, especially to South Asia. China’s aggressive nuclear marketing is causing it some problems.

UK. PM Theresa May to be pressured at G20, by China, to approve Hinkley nuclear power project. Chinese build nuclear project at Bradwell, Essex, UK might be postponed. Great danger in air transport of nuclear wastes: anger in Aberdeen.

JAPAN. 

Fukushima:

• Typhoons cause ‘ice wall’ to melt at Fukushima nuclear plant. Underground Ice Wall is Japan’s gamble to contain Fukushima’s irradiated water.
• Public Cost of Fukushima Cleanup Tops $628 Billion and Is Expected to Climb.  
• Problems persist at Japan’s crippled Fukushima nuclear reactors.
• Niigata prefecture governor Hirohiko Izumida not seeking re-election: new hope for restarting Fukushima nuclear plant.
•  Radioactive Boar Are Thriving And Causing Havoc Near The Fukushima Power Plant.< Japan Extends Reactor Lifetimes for First Time Since Fukushima. Japan considers scrapping fast-breeder reactor as costs mount.

USA.  Legal challenges to New York nuclear power subsidies.  Watts Bar nuclear reactors shut down indefinitely, following transformer fire. Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant to shut down permanently on October 24.

NORTH KOREA‘s  grandiose plans for ‘nuclear backpack’ squad, and giant submarine.

SOUTH KOREA  worried about North Korea, plans its own Missile Defense System

PHILIPPINES   bishop, climate movement, oppose revival of mothballed nuclear plant

ISRAEL under pressure from UN to ratify nuclear test ban treaty.

September 4, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Nuclear weapons, disarmament – nuclear and climate news this week

NUCLEAR.  Articles on weapons and disarmament dominate the nuclear news this week.On Monday 29 August,  an international conference entitled ‘Building a Nuclear Weapons Free World’ will take place in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. That day will also be the 25th anniversary of of the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site – largest in the world, where 456 weapons tests happened, leaving  a terrible legacy for the people.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calls for eradication of nuclear weapons.   The nuclear working group at the UN concluded its work in Geneva, and the majority of governments voted to recommended that the UN General Assembly set up a conference in 2017 to negotiate a new treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons, despite the Australian government’s best efforts to sabotage this. This is one of those times when I am ashamed to be Australian.

CLIMATE. A new study declares that human-caused climate change began at around 1830.  (I’ve always thought that it was 1801, because of the 1801 painting Coalbrookdale by Night – attached). Research indicates that the difference between 1.5 C and 2C  rise in global  temperatures will be significant, and in only 20 years’ time. Huge volume of Greenland Ice Sheet lost each year, due to global warming.  Again this year, Indonesia’s blanket of smoke is back.  India floods: Over 300 dead, millions affected  Louisiana National Guard Rescues 19,000 in Flood-Affected Areas.

UN Security Council warned on danger of nuclear drone terror attacks.

Global nuclear industry ponders ways to get taxpayers to pay up for Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs)

USA

• America could take a practical first step towards nuclear disarmament. Stuck in the past – America’s nuclear weapons policy. USA’s National Nuclear Security Administration approves controversial B61-12 nuclear bomb.
• USA pushes India and Pakistan to join nuclear testy ban treaty.
• Groundwater infiltrates turbine building in Vermont Yankee nuclear station. Preparing for hurricane risk to Turkey Point nuclear reactor.
• US Border Patrol Spots EnergyFuels Uranium Mine Fire in Texas. Fire at Vogtle Nuclear Power Station on the Savannah River in Georgia, USA (23 Aug. 2016)?  Three More Fires at the Savannah River Nuclear Site: August 16, 17, 18
• USA govt censoring severity of WIPP nuclear waste problem, $2 Billion Cleanup.
• 3.7 million documents now publicly available on Yucca nuclear waste dump plan.

UK. New report shows that Britain’s Hinkley Point C nuclear station is not essential. UK figuring out how to get out of the Hinkley nuclear power deal.  Britain’s nuclear industry in turmoil over botched contracts. UK Nuclear Submarine HMS Ambush: Smashing Collision With Merchant Vessel.

JAPAN.

• Anti-nuclear activists’ tents forcibly removed from economy ministry premises after years long battle .
• Halt Sendai nuclear reactors says Kagoshima Governor , following nearby earthquakes.
• 10,000 tons of toxic water pools in Fukushima nuclear plant trenches. Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s “frozen wall of earth” failing at Fukushima.   Succession of earthquakes in the Sanriku Oki area (epicenter in the ocean off Fukushima).
•  Tokyo 2020 Games prep beset with problems

NORTH KOREA ‘s submarine – launched missile. North Korea’s ‘Military First’ celebration enhanced by nuclear missile test.

SOUTH KOREA ‘s nuclear weapons advocates are now more vocal since North Korea’s missile test

CHINA. Public opposition threatens China’s grandiose nuclear power plans. China really part of the global nuclear marketing conglomerate.

TAIWAN‘s First Nuclear Decommissioning Project

SOUTH AFRICA nuclear electricity company non compliant with govt rules on advertising. Nuclear is not the cheapest source of electricity for South Africa. African countries are the least compliant in implementing global nuclear security safeguards.

FRANCE   to launch 6 tenders for solar energy projects

GERMANY ‘s green power going strong, with more renewable energy than it ever had nuclear

BULGARIA  Bulgaria seeks solution for costly blowout for Belene nuclear power plant

UKRAINE . Westinghouse puts on hold plans to build nuclear fuel plant in Ukraine

August 27, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Climate and nuclear news this week

Climate change is an emergency – NOW . While some of us have for decades campaigned against the acute and chronic danger of nuclear weapons and nuclear power, I am having to admit that the climate change issue is urgent, in an even more powerful way.  That’s because climate change has crept up on the world in an insidious way, so that now it is just about at the tipping point, just about irreversible.

One could argue that, short of a global catastrophe – a nuclear war, the world might still stop the nuclear horror “later on”. There is no “later on” for climate change.

We must fight both of these horrendous global threats.

Regions hit by world’s hottest month. Global warming brings worse wildfires – United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. Get used to extreme floods. Climate Change – a serious matter now – will threaten future Olympic Games!

Nuclear reactors, old or new designs, doomed without hefty tax-payer subsidies.

USA.

• The health impacts of wildfires in America’s West. Obama’s climate change accounting is upheld by federal appeals court.
• Nuclear war danger being ignored by USA Presidential candidates. President Reagan worked with Russia to defuse the nuclear arms race; time that President Obama did that, too.
• USA sends three strategic bombers to Pacific region, in unspoken threat to China.
• Report: U.S. Transfers Nukes From Turkish Airbase to Romania. Romania Denies Accepting US Nuclear Weapons.
• China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) is accused of stealing US nuclear secrets.
• Secretive manouvres involve tax-payer funds for Bill Gates’ small nuclear reactors.
• Environmental groups in America take legal action against transport of nuclear wastes.

UK.  UK’s Crown Estate recommends UK switching attention from nuclear power to offshore wind.  “Small Nuclear” companies keen to market their wares to UK government.

RUSSIA. International nuclear tensions: Russia builds ‘nuclear bomb proof’ underground bunkers.

JAPAN. Japan’s big ‘nuclear restart’ overtaken by conservation and renewables.   Shikoku Electric fires up Ehime plant MOX reactor amid protests.  Citizen groups organise for legal action to stop Japan’s nuclear restarts.

CANADA. Uranium Miner Cameco’s Tax Avoidance Cost Canada Over $2 Billion in Lost Revenue.

FRENCH POLYNESIA‘s Protestant church takes action against France over nuclear testing.

SOUTH AFRICA. Drone crash into Koeberg Nuclear Power Station.

August 19, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

This week’s nuclear and climate news

Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs

CLIMATE. Sahara-Like Heat Marches North, Sparks Scores of Massive Wildfires Across Portugal. An epic Middle East heat wave could be global warming’s hellish curtain-raiser. Carteret climate refugees seek home. Climate scientists’ predictions on sea level rise.  Rejection of expert knowledge – Clexit after Brexit.  Power of social media: Di Caprio on climate change.

NUCLEAR  Nagasaki Peace Declaration 2016.

English language media continues to examine the nuclear industry’s situation in Britain and USA, and this is surely a concern for the global nuclear industry. If it collapses in UK and USA – the outlook for nuclear’s global future is grim.

UK is in the most critical situation – a plethora of articles on this: EU Investigating Unfair French State Subsidies to the Nuclear Sector – Areva’s 4 Billion Euro Bailout by French Taxpayers.  France’s ruling socialist party calls for freeze on Hinkley Point nuclear development. Theresa May is advised that now is the time to get out of Hinkley nuclear project. UK government’s own projections find solar and wind ‘cheaper than new nuclear’.

USA. Much unhappiness about New York’s subsidy bailout of the nuclear industry – eg. $700 million of public money goes to New York’s FitzPatrick nuclear deal. WHY?. New York will regret hasty decision to bail out upstate nuclear facilities. Subsidizing Nuclear Will Only Make Our Grid Problems Worse. New York “s Clean Energy standard drafted with an effort to avoid legal challenges about nuclear subsidy. New Jersey won’t be following New York’s example of subsidising the nuclear industry. U.S. electricity consumers could end up paying more than $2.5 billion for nuclear plants that never get built.

CHINA. Public opposition stops nuclear waste project, perhaps permanently.

August 12, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Hiroshima Day, and why the global nuclear lobby is watching London and New York

6th August – Hiroshima Day. Rather lost in the Brazil Olympics hype, but not forgotten by the hibakusha and other survivors, and families of victims of the nuclear bombing, and of those others, world-wide, who care.

State of the Climate Report documents shattering of environmental records.

The global nuclear industry, teetering on economic collapse, is intently watching for decisions made in two cities, London and New York.

London. Prime Minister Theresa May suddenly threw a spanner in the works of the world’s largest nuclear power programme – Hinkley Point C – for Somerset, England.  Just days before, France’s State-owned company EDF had given approval to build the project. The EDF decision was fraught, too, with unions opposing it, and senior managers urging delay. Everybody, including Tories, knows that the project is, economically, a white elephant.   Why do the French and  UK governments want to go on with it?  Complicated politics, l’honneur, and like Macbeth – in too deep to get out?

And then there’s the global nuclear lobby, ever there with political campaign funding and propaganda, and desperate for Hinkley to be the flagship of a new world-wide nuclear renaissance.

There’s also, however, the “small nuclear” lobby, like an aggressive little chihuahua, snapping at the heels of Big Nuclear. They wouldn’t mind if Hinkley fizzled out – it would prove that their (still only on paper)  Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs)  and PRISMS, will fix British energy, climate change, and the global nuclear waste problem.

New York. The global nuclear industry is taking comfort from the latest decision in New York. The New York State Public Service Commission, backed by the Governor, approved a $7.6 billion bailout of aging nuclear power plants, including them in a “Clean Energy Standard”. It is hoped that this will kick off a nuclear revival.

UK – Lots about Hinkley

USA. Lots about New York . President Obama pushes for UN call to end nuclear weapons testing, by-passes Congress. Wildfires threaten nuclear disaster at Hanford site.

August 5, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

New York’s Clean Energy Standard includes nuclear as “clean “renewable”

Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs

This Clean Energy Standard is  a joke. Nuclear power masquerades as clean and green, when it is clear that nuclear power is neither. While the operating reactor produces minimal emissions, it is part of a highly carbon emitting chain of processes and transport . Uranium mining, milling, conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, reactor building, waste pool and canister building, reactor decommissioning, waste burial –   all steps producing greenhouse gases.

Adoption of Clean Energy Standard Acknowledges Nuclear as Clean, Green Energy, Oswego County Today, Aug 4, 2016,  In passing the Clean Energy Standard (CES), New York is now the groundbreaking world leader in recognizing nuclear power’s crucial role in our energy portfolio and in the protection of our environment

August 5, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

This week’s nuclear news

Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs

CLIMATE. Accuracy of climate modelling in predicting ocean and atmospheric warming. Hottest year on record – 2016 shaping up to be that. Climate Change, Drought Fan Massive Sand Fire, Forcing 20,000 Californians to Flee. USA’s African Methodist Episcopal church speaks out on climate change. Heatwave deaths linked to climate change. World’s climate endangered by Russia’s wildfires.

 Climate change will drive voter turnout in America. Climate change a focus for the USA Democrats election policy.

Costs of European wind energy dropped.: wind in Europe now cheaper than nuclear power. Solar energy on track to become the cheapest power globally.

NUCLEAR

Record 11 year low for uranium price.

USA.

• Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on nuclear weapons. Hillary Clinton selects pro nuclear advocate Tim Kaine as running mate.
•  New York Times continues to ignore the renewable energy revolution, and talk up nuclear.
• USA’s aggressive military policies in Europe increase risk of nuclear annihilation.
• Nuclear industry to get a heft subsidy from New York residents.
• NASA to send nuclear powered spacecraft to Mars (hope it doesn’t crash).
•  San Onofre nuclear waste stranded on the beach.

UK.  EDF approved UK Hinkley nuclear project, but now there’s a new delay.   Like Brexit, UK’s Hinkley nuclear plan is based on shaky politics, not on economic reality.  UK proposal to offer subsidy contracts to Russia, China and South Korea to build nuclear power stations!

Future of UK’s Bradwell and Sizewell nuclear projects now in doubt as government to review Hinkley plan. Report questions value of new nuclear projects in Wales compared with renewables.  Cost of Hitachi nuclear plant for North Wales is far too high.

 Rail transport of nuclear wastes across North Wales is opposed by residents.  Despite Brexit, Swedish energy company Vattenfall commits to £300m UK offshore windfarm.

TURKEY. B61 thermonuclear warheads in Turkey – a worry in the light of coup attempt.

JAPAN. Radioactive cesium stays for 3 years in bodies of Fukushima nuclear clean-up workers. TEPCO admits that ice wall will not stop groundwater from entering crippled Fukushima Daiichi reactor buildings.  Japan Atomic Energy Agency again fails to do safety tests at Monju fast-breeder nuclear reactor. Citizen science takes on Japan’s nuclear establishment. Japan business lobby says Abe govt can’t rely on nuclear energy.

FRANCE. EDF board member resigns, attacking Hinkley Point nuclear project as financially ‘risky’. French government propping up nuclear company EDF with a cash boost.

SOUTH AFRICA. South Africa’s nuclear company Eskom urging government to freeze renewable energy program.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. South Korea in charge of nuclear power system in United Arab Emirates.

POLAND‘s restrictive new law hampers wind energy development.

NORTH KOREA‘s nuclear weapons not able to reach Britain

July 29, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

The week that was in nuclear and climate news

Remarkable story of the week –  The deadly secret of Russia’s secret nuclear radioactive city  Ozersk, codenamed City 40

CLIMATE. Climate change threatens economies, as workers hampered by increasing heat. Montreal Protocol to be amended to phase out climate damaging hydrofluorocarbons. Global Heat Leaves 20th Century Temps ‘Far Behind’ —June Another Hottest Month on Record. If Amazon forest catches fire, world climate will be in even bigger trouble.

NUCLEAR  World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2016 launched in Tokyo.  Nuclear Risk Assessment – more dangerous than previously thought.

UK.

• Spain urgently wants explanation from Britain after nuclear submarine collision.
• Britain’s Parliament votes to renew Trident nuclear missile system. Scottish independence a sure thing, now that UK govt will renew Trident nuclear missile system? Anti Trident nuclear protests in 36 Scottish cities, towns and villages.
• Birmingham protest against the trucking of nuclear weapons through their city.
•  UK’s House of Lords’ members, UK banks – financial interests in Trident nuclear programme.
• Teresa May’s backward step in abolishing Climate Change Department.

FRANCE. Several French trade unions want “out” of EDF’s Hinkley nuclear project

USA. The dark money behind Stewart Brand‘s advocacy of nuclear power. Total cost of Pentagon’s secretive bomber program estimated at $100 billion.

SOUTH KOREA. Thousands protest against planned deployment of USA anti-missile system

RUSSIA. The deadly secret of Russia’s secret nuclear radioactive city Ozersk, codenamed City 40

JAPAN.

• Tokyo jolted by third quake in four days.
• Japan heading back to to fascism.
• Japan bribed towns at least $28.3 million per town to host dangerous nuclear facilities.
• Iodine jelly to be handed out to infants living within 30 km of nuclear plants.
• Fukushima. Radioactive “Glass”, Insoluble Cesium Particles Lodged in the Fukushima workers lungs.  Greenpeace reports jump in radioactive contamination in Fukushima waterways. In first, Tepco admits ice wall can’t stopFukushima No. 1 groundwater.

CANADA. Canada’s Federal NDP leader Tom Mulcair demands independent investigation in to nuclear unsafety allegations.  Calgary succeeds brilliantly with wind-powered Light Rail Transport.

SOUTH AFRICA. nuclear energy plans stalled: too expensive. Dirty uranium industry not a job creator for South Africa.

IRAN. Iran and West both compliant on nuclear deal – but cautious

RENEWABLE ENERGY North America looking at a Trillion Dollar Renewable Energy Market  Cochin International Airport in Kerala, India powered entirely by solar energy.

July 22, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

This week’s nuclear and climate news

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CLIMATE Record 9 hottest years in a row. Warning to Teresa May on climate threats to Brexit Britain.  Democratic Senators naming and blaming the funders of climate science denial. USA media keeps the issue of climate change off the political agenda.  Frivolous lawsuits aimed to attack climate scientists. Donald Trump’s real estate empire already suffering from climate change.

NUCLEAR.  Things are crook, very crook, for the uranium industry.

UK. Chilcot says Britain shirking its responsibilty to help clean up radioactive destruction in Iraq. British Parliament to vote on renewing Trident nuclear missile system, as Brexit problems loom. Brexit uncertainty adding to anxiety of former supporters of UK’s Hinkley nuclear project. Renewal of Trident nuclear weapons system opposed by British Labour and Scottish National Party.  Drigg Nuclear Waste Dump Menaced By Coastal Erosion: Foreign Companies Profit; UK Taxpayer Holds Liability. Britain’s nuclear submarines’ radioactive wastes will NOT be going to Scotland.

USA. Renewables beat nuclear on economics, as Wall Street now finds. “Indian Point” New Documentary Investigates Nuclear Power from New York to Fukushima.  President Obama ready to make policy changes to reduce role of nuclear weapons. Republicans trying to roll back the Iran nuclear agreement.  Workers on strike at Hanford Nuclear Reservation due to health concerns.  Department of Energy not able to meet deadline on demolishing Hanford’s Plutonium Finishing Plant. Connecticut lawmaker seeks justice over “stranded nuclear waste“. Old nuclear waste from Manhattan Project contaminating Niagara County.  “Outrageous and Reckless Endangerment of Public Health” Proposed by US EPA: Increased Radiation in Drinking Water after Nuclear Accident.   Sodium cooled nuclear reactors are not necessarily safer. Ratepayer ripoff: $19 billion nuclear plant for Virginia. Generous subsidies proposed for Upstate New York nuclear plants.

JAPAN. Again, a Japanese court blocks restart of 2 nuclear reactors. Japan could change pacifist constitution after Shinzo Abe victory. Nuclear power opponent wins governor’s race in South West Japan.

POLAND halts nuclear power plans, looks to renewable energy.

IRAN. Forces in Iran trying to torpedo nuclear deal.

AUSTRALIA. South Australia’s financially risky nuclear waste import scheme.

July 13, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

to 1 July – the week in nuclear news

World action effective against damage to ozone layer: our choices can help.

French Polynesia at UN presses case for compensation for nuclear tests.

Island states most at risk of global warming impact – Maldives want action.

UK. Brexit – the ‘coup de grace’ for Britain’s new nuclear? Brexit could result in Britain’s unilateral nuclear disarmament.  Hinkley nuclear power plan, and the costs of its radioactive wastes. Senior EDF managers want Hinkley nuclear project to be postponed.

USA.  

• An end to debating nuclear power: Diablo Canyon agreement wraps it up. A model for nuclear plant closure: Diablo Canyon co-operative plan.  Nuclear Plant Closure will be a boon for marine life.
• Nuclear weapons risk could spread if SILEX laser uranium enrichment technology is adopted.
•  Fake story from Wall Street Journal claiming environmentalists support nuclear power. Sierra Club remains categorically opposed to nuclear power.
• Mainstream media stays silent about about nuclear hazards, and rising cancer rates.
•  Nuclear Information and Resource Service: marching for clean energy, remembering Michael Mariotte.   Michael Mariotte: Counterweight to Nuclear Energy (1952 – 2016).
• South Carolina Gov Nikki Haley’s Plutonium Hypocrisy: Financial and Family Ties to Areva, Holtec, and More. South Carolina Electric and Gas wants more ratepayers’ money for building nuclear reactors.
•  Pentagon’s nuclear-powered spending: a $trillion and climbing.

JAPAN.   Nuclear watchdog finds 3 nuclear plants guilty of ‘malicious’ safety violations.  Monju nuclear reprocessing fiasco  Reuse of radioactive soil approved despite 170-year safety criteria estimate   Melted fuel may be at the bottom of Fukushima No.2 reactor. Prefecture’s subsidies for residents near Fukushima No. 1 plant to run out next year. Japan’s anti-democratic secrecy law means no accountability in the nuclear industry. Business analysts do not share the optimism of Toshiba’s new CEO, on nuclear power.  Fukushima plans point to a better energy source. Four new solar power plants in Fukushima.

RUSSIA Russia’s nuclear marketing: the ambitions and the reality. Draconian Russian Law Curbs Free Speech, Privacy, Freedom of Religion.

INDIA. India stopped by China, from joining Nuclear Suppliers Group.

RENEWABLE ENERGY. International Energy Agency favours clean energy to cut air-pollution mortality. America’s future in renewables: nuclear can’t compete on costs nor on safety. Solar powered spacecraft to arrive on Jupiter on July 4. Route 66 – America’s first public solar road. Nestle’s new deal for powering its UK and Ireland operations with wind energy

July 1, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment