Latest news on matters nuclear
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
War in Africa over resources, especially uranium. French troops protect AREVA’s uranium mines in Niger. 3500 French troops fight in Mali, which is rich in uranium, and Mali provides access to Niger.
USA
- – a nuclear domino effect? Another nuclear power plant bites the dust as Florida shuts its Chrystal River plant. It will take at least 60 years to dismantle and decontaminate it. Duke Energy largest U.S. electricity company, hopes its investments will gradually cover the costs, but also hopes to pass on the costs to its customers.
- San Onofre nuclear plant teeters on the brink of permanent closure, as questions asked by a USA Senator about the Edison company’s possible prior knowledge of its safety defects.
- Nuclear weapons: new USA Defence Secretary Hagel (a Republican!) favours a reduction in nuclear weapons
- USA servicemen involved in radiation areas after Fukushima disaster. the govt has closed the medical registry of their illnesses – that’s one way to prevent trouble – don’t collect the data!
- In Virginia – a win for the environment as the State will keep its ban on uranium mining.
UK – new nuclear power stalled – as Cumbria refuses to host a radioactive waste dump – despite the incentives offered.
North Korea causing international angst as it plans new nuclear bomb tests – even China unhappy about this.
Japan. mainstream media keeps its deafening silence on Fukushima nuclear plant, which is still critically dangersous. News seeps out from bloggers, such as Fukushima Diary- whose author translates many items into English
Australia: Some good news. That rare event – all parties in the Australian Parliament support the Bill to include the beautiful World Heritage area of Koongarra into Kakadu National Park. JeffreyLees, traditional owner of Koongarra resolutely knocked back AREVA’s millions to mine uranium there. Lees donated his land to the National Park – “Money comes and goes, but the land is always here”.
Nuclear News of the past week, in brief
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
Fukushima is always in the news, if only in the alternative media. Tepco’s plan to empty tomnnes of radioactive water into the Pacific. Fish caught with high levels of cesium. Nuclear top officials “descended for Heaven” into high paying jobs.
Africa France is sending troops into Niger, specifically to protect AREVA’ uranium mines. Also to send 2500 troops (for a start) into mali, which has huge deposits of uranium.
Russia making efforts to get out the uranium, and do a bit of cleaning up of its radioactive waste dump in the Arctic Kara Sea – preliminary to oil drilling there. Climate Change and nuclear issues converge in the Arctic. As sea ice dwindles, oil companies move into the Arctic.
Germany shows that shutting down nuclear power is no handicap, as its power supply thrives, with renewable energy.
There’s really lots more – but I’m running out of steam. E.g USA angsting about how to relicense aging reactors. Will San Onofre nuclear plant be closed down permanently? Virginia at critical stage about whether or not to lift its ban on uranium mining.
The nuclear week that was
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
There’s a lot going on. Most critically – it looks as if the Iraq invasion (for oil), is now being repeated with the Mali invasion (for uranium). Forbes declares nuclear reactors to be not a good investment. However, at the same time,there’s a media rash of propaganda for thorium nuclear reactors.
State of the nuclear industry: IAEA reports a drop in operating reactors worldwide – now down from 437 to 390, as it declares 47 Japanese reactors to be in “Long-term Shutdown” (LTS).
USA: very discreetly, the USA government rejects nuclear reprocessing. San Onofre nuclear power plant looks like setting the pattern for the shutdown of USA’s rustbucket nuclear reactors. USA govt considers melting down radioactive metals and putting them into consumer goods, such as kitchen cutlery.
UK. NIMBYism. In Cumbria, some local councils want continued nuclear operations at Sellafield, but at the same time, they just don’t want any waste disposal in their area.
South Korea: another nuclear reactor shut down due to malfunction.
Fukushima: revelations continue – radioactive groundwater leaking back into reactors.
As 2013 begins, nuclear lobby active, but not winning hearts and minds
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
Unless a new nuclear disaster occurs, the global nuclear lobby is set for a pretty successful 2013. Japan is to re-invigorate its nuclear industry, China is going ahead with a big nuclear plant, Fukushima is off the media radar, and the world is being subtly conned into loving low level radiation, and new gee-whiz nuclear reactors.
And yet – “If You Don’t Fight, You Lose” – so we antinukes press on, both against nuclear energy/nuclear weapons, and for real action on climate change. I, for one, want my grandchildren to know that I tried.
- Japan ‘s government planning not only to restart nuclear reactors, but to import spent nuclear fuel rods from Asian countries, and get a nuclear reprocessing industry going. Also hoping to get nuclear weapons. Many business and civic leaders on side with the government, but the public not happy. Fukushima news fades from the media, except for reassuring bland statements on how safe the people are , radiation no real problem.
- China- the great hope of the global nuclear industry – to build a big nuclear power plant, and forge ahead with new nuclear technology and sales. A pity that Chinese cyberbugs are turning up in other countries’ computer system, and are now suspected in USA’s Los Angeles nuclear weapons laboratory. China’s nuclear industry must be just fine, because that we don’t hear of anti-nuclear dissidents in China/ (Oh, I forgot, because totalitarian China does not tolerate dissidents)
- France – what a pickle! Their civil nuclear energy is so entwined with their nuclear weapons, and they can’t afford to make their aging nuclear reactors safe, and they can’t afford to shut them down, either.
- India does nuclear deal with Russia (very lucrative for Russia), and determinedly represses protests. yet still, people are protesting in their thousands, against Kudankulam and Jaitapur nuclear plants.
- UK’s Cumbria agonises over plan to host nuclear waste burial. UK govt agonises over Scotland not wanting to keep Trident nuclear weapons base, and agonisies even more over the financing problems for their new nuclear reactors – Chinese money to the rescue?
- Iran – the usual back and forth of Israeli brinkmanship, and international efforts to negotiate with Iran.
- USA agonising as usual over its nuclear wastes and paralysis of its “new nuclear” industry. Meanwhile a star-studded array of scientists prepares for the most informative symposium March 11-12 in New York – The Medical and Ecological Impacts of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident nuclearfreeplanet.org
Coal mining’s radiation hazard should be recognised, too
The nuclear lobby is out to convince us that ionising radiation is not harmful .
This is a lie.
However, if we are seriously concerned about ionising radiation, we need to recognise that it is a serious threat from sources other than the nuclear industry, as well.
Two other serous sources of ionising radiation are medical radiation, and mining operations, especially coal.
There is an argument for medical radiation. Used judicially, medical radiation is beneficial in diagnosis, treatment, and pain relief in illness.
There really is no longer an argument for coal mining, given it’s role in global warming. But also, attention should be paid to the menace of ionising radiation in coal ash. – Christina Macpherson 7 Jan 13
EPA agrees to look into town’s radiation concerns SF Gate, January 6, 2013 TOWN OF PINES, Ind. (AP) — Federal environmental officials will investigate concerns about radiation levels in a northwestern Indiana community after residents and activists raised concern. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notified local officials late last month that the EPA would study the levels in The Pines early this year, The Times reported (http://bit.ly/UmBcgA ).
Matthew Ohl, the EPA’s project remedial manager, said NIPSCO, Brown, Inc., Ddalt Cop. and Bulk Transport Corp. proposed sampling in “certain residential yards in the Town of Pines.” The study was requested by a local environmental panel, which heard a presentation in November by Paul Kysel and Larry Jensen of PINES, or People in Need of Environmental Safety.
Jensen, a former EPA employee, conducted his own study of radiation levels and concluded that levels in the town are elevated. The PINES group believes coal ash, which was used as fill in roads, could be the cause of elevated radiation levels. The Pines is home to a landfill operated by Brown Inc. and holds about 1 million tons of fly ash created by NIPSCO’s burning of coal in its power plants. The facility was cited in 2000 by the EPA for contaminating drinkingwater …..http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/EPA-agrees-to-look-into-town-s-radiation-concerns-4170911.php#ixzz2HJy2xPxC
The week in nuclear news
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
Japan – A pro nuclear government was elected, but resuscitation of the global nuclear industry is unlikely, and Japan’s nuclear reactors will not be restarting any time soon. Fukushima plant situation is still critical, with a makeshift cooling system, a year after “cold shutdown” was declared. Information leaks out: 100% of Fukushima white rockfish have radioactive caesium levels: trouble with nuclear fuel rods in Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant: subsiding of land, since 2011 earthquake.
UK. Now I really liked this one – reported as “happy evidence” – (and it is good, I suppose). UK has found that although environmental radiocaesium from Chernobyl still persists in Welsh and Cumbrian farms, levels found in sheep have gradually declined over time. Radiation levels are still high in Scandinavia. So – 3000 km away, and nearly 30 years later Chernobyl radiation persists in UK, as well as in Europe.
USA – following the gun massacre of little schoolchildren, gun sales have soared. What can I say? USA needs Australia’s gun buy-back scheme, and to ban assault weapons.
Germany going ahead with 88 km of power line, to facilitate wind energy. Berlin city is buying back the grid, and going for 100% renewable energy
Roundup of the week’s nuclear news
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
USA is not looking good in the nuclear non proliferation stakes. First of all, it has justed exploded another nuclear bomb test. Secondly USA cancelled the Middle East nuclear weapons-free zone conference that was scheduled mid this month in Helsinki, Finland.
The USA military came out with an extraordinary attitude to drone killing of Afghan children – “it was thought that the children had hostile intent” http://antiwar.com/blog/2012/12/04/us-military-says-killing-afghan-children-is-fair-game/
USA nuclear companies are spending a lot of money on all kinds of equipment that will prepare them for a nuclear accident – the FLEX program – costs are not yet known.
UK has a secret plan to move its Trident nuclear submarines out of Scotland, in the event that Scotland chooses independence from UK – Scotland opposes the nuclear weapons presence on its land
India is still holding fast to it Nuclear Liability Law – despite USA pressure -( the law would make make USA nuclear companies accountable for accidents involving their technology)
Renewable energy – Saudi Arabia (and Qatar) will become the” Saudi Arabia of solar energy “- with their massive initiatives in Concentrated Thermal Solar Power.
European Economic and Social Committee at a nuclear safety conference on the Aarhus Convention in the field of nuclear safety found that the public is not being informed about the safety tests of Europe’s nuclear reactors.
The past week in nuclear news
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
Climate Change news is very worrying, with latest research showing that the Arctic permafrost is thawing, and that this is likely to cause runaway releases of Co2, and irreversible global warming.
Japan is again the focus, as campaigning heats up for their December 16th elections. Nuclear power is the major issue, and Prime Minister Noda reaffirmed his plan to phase out nuclear power. Smaller political parties are uniting to form a stronger no-nuclear campaign.
Egypt is quite a worry at the moment, President Mohamed Morsi decided to give himself dictatorial power. In a volatile Middle Eastern country, with a nuclear power program, this is not a good look, not a safe look.
Investigation of remains of Yassa Arafat should shed light on whether or not he was murdered by use of radioactive polonium.
South Korea. To add to their worries about their planned nuclear export industry, and domestic safety, nearly 1000 more nuclear quality certificates have been found to be fakes.
UK govt boasts that it will not subsdise new nuclear power. But they craftily got around this, by promising electricity suppliers a definite price that consumers must pay for what they call “Low Carbon” energy. That lovely phrase, “Low Carbon” is code for nuclear power, with a bit of renewable energy chucked in, too.
USA. 60,000 homes near nuclear reactors in Illinois to be given Potassium Iodide pills, just in case of radiation exposure. Federal government casting around to find communities willing to host nuclear waste dump
India. Confusion and uproar over reported plan to dump Kudakulam nuclear waste into Kolar old gold mines.
Computer hackers got into International Atomic Energy Agency’s server, demanding an open investigation into Israel’s nuclear program.
Julian Assange’s book “Wikileaks” is published, with its warning on Internet surveillance
Rupert Murdoch might get big control of media in USA, as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering changes to media cross-ownership rules. He is likely start by taking over the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times, if the rules are weakened.
The nuclear week that was
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
Japan remains the centre of concern. The news coming out of Japan is not good. As they approach elections, the major parties waver, and now support continuing nuclear power. But the public and minor parties are not convinced. Emigration from Japan is increasing, particularly among young adults, with the news of continuing radiation from Fukushima – both on land , (in the soil at Tokyo) and in the sea, and in seafoods. The government and Tepco deny this, but the evidence is provided by Tokyo University, and U.S.’s Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, a respected research group, among other reputable sources. More than 42% of 57,000 tested Fukushima children have thyroid nodules or cysts.
South Korea‘s nuclear waste storage is nearly full. They do not know what to do with it, but like all the nuclear proponents, it doesn’t occur to them to stop making the stuff.
Iran continues to enrich uranium, regardless of the economic sanctions against it. Meanwhile fears of an Israeli attack on Iran are rising, to add to the Middle East’s tension, with the conflict going on between Israel and Palestine.
Egypt‘s nuclear power plans are hampered by a determined and growing anti nuclear protest movement.
Europe. Concern is growing over the need to get rid of aging nuclear reactors, and the realisation that this “decommissioning” (lovely euphemism, isn’t it?) will be hugely expensive. Shut-down nuclear reactors are just another facet of the looming nuclear waste problem for UK, Jap, USA, – everybody really, who has the toxic monsters.
Recent nuclear news
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
Germany: in its first post-nuclear year – exported more energy than ever before
Japan. Huge sea wall being erected around biggest nuclear plant, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa. Fish off Fukushima showing high levels. USA right wing pressuring Japan to keep nuclear power. Continuing battle with radiation. Fukushima nuclear plant: Worsening worker conditions. Tons of radioactive water lying around. Tokyo anti nuclear protest continue,but minimised by mainstream media.
UK. Continuing angst over who will pay for ever more expensive new nuclear plan.
USA. Congress to grapple with intractable problem of nuclear waste, or more likely, to put it in the too hard basket. High rates of systemic lupus erythematosus have been linked to living in proximity to a former uranium ore processing facility in Ohio.
South Korea’s nuclear export plans threatened, as nuclear scandals revealed forged safety documents.
France. 12 organisations join to help Niger, in its disastrous environmental legacy from AREVA’s uranum mining there.
India: The Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP) and People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL) questioned the impartiality of IAEA investigation of a nuclear reactor, where 36 workers were exposed to radioactive leaks
Pakistan. “Nuclear rogue” A Q Khan enters politics.
Nuclear news for the past week
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
USA. The hurricane and storm surge has shut 3 nuclear plants. At least 10 nuclear reactors along the East coast experienced problems, with the “Sandy” hurricane. Gas fires are raging 10 miles away from Oyster Creek nuclear plant. Oyster Creek’s reactor was offline for fueling and maintenance. What regulators don’t add, however, is that the reactor still needs cooling for residual decay heat, and that the fuel pool likely contains more fuel and hotter fuel as a result of this procedure, which means it is even more at risk for overheating. And, perhaps most notably, with the reactor shutdown, it is not producing the electricity that could be used to keep water circulating through the spent fuel pool. At the Salem nuclear plant a wave also took out 5 of the 6 critical water pumps. Salem is still operating on emergency cooling systems.
USA elections: “Sandy” hurricane has had a devastating effect on USA’s East coast ,. It has prompted Americans to think about climate change. New York’s Mayor Bloomberg has announced his support for Obama, in view of Obama’s efforts to act on global warming, and in promotion of renewable energy, in contrast to Romney’s climate denialism.
UK. Energy Minister John Hayes announced that new nuclear reactors may get government subsidy, (despite Govt’s promises to the contrary). Japanese company Hitachi desperate for sale of nuclear technology, so will take over the UK’s nuclear project. Meanwhile trade association Renewable UK. reported on new research, showing rapid rise in renewable energy, with wind set to outdo nuclear energy by 2015.
UK will not take part in pre-emptive strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Europe. Nuclear energy on the downward slide, with Finland’s Fennovoima project the latest nuclear project likely to go down the drain.
India. Arrests of anti nuclear activists continue. Despite repression, and the barring of activists, including Australian film-maker David Bradbury) entering Tamil Nadu area, still 1000 protested again against Kudankulam nuclera power plant. India is going to waive its Nuclear Liability law, for the purchase of nuclear technology from Russia. Attorney General G E Vahanvati not happy with this decision.
Japan. Things are not getting any better for communities still living in radiation contaminated areas of Fukushima. A former Tepco worker is taking legal action against the company, for its negligence in not warning Fukushima emergency workers of their radiation danger. TEPCO to make all its employees work for periods at Fukushima each year.
Taiwan: Economics committee wants Taipei’s Nuclear Power Plant in Gongliao District transformed into a gas power plant
New books launched – www.freshcurrents.org ‘Fresh Currents’ charts the way to, and from, Fukushima, for Japan and the world Nuclear Roulette: The Truth about the Most Dangerous Energy Source on Earth i
Nuclear news for the past week
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
Uranium prices continue to plummet – with no indication of a recovery any time soon. Nuclear industry in decline, with more reactors closing than new ones starting.
Japan. A hoax story on new Fukushima explosion was quickly exposed. But Japan’s nuclear regulator warned that all the same, Fukushima nuclear plant remains precarious. Ground is sinking under Fukushima reactor No 4. Nuclear regulator requires wider evacuation area plans for nuclear reactors, adding further problems to the industry. Japan going ahead with construction of some new nuclear reactors, but in a climate of political and cost uncertainty.
Information on Fukushima radiation continues to come out, with warnings on the uptake of radiation in the ocean food chain, high radiation doses still in Fukushima areas, and Japan’s authorities fudging monitoring, to make it look better.
UK govt now considering “underwriting” construction costs of new nuclear reactors – if they have “cost overruns. This despite the govt’s promise not to subsidise new nuclear.
India still sort of stuck on its nuclear plans, with wrangle with Russia over nuclear liability law. Meanwhile Asia’s largest solar power plant in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan will be up and running in 2014
USA. Has its almost certainly hottest year on record, Obama and Romney still not talking about nuclear issues, nor climate change. Well, what did we expect? They are still both dependent on nuclear and fossil interests for their financial support. Nuclear Regulatory Commission considers giving nuclear companies 80 year licenses! for reactors. Radiation scanners to be phased out of USA’s major airports.
Russia: President Putin flexes his muscles as Russia conducts huge show of its nuclear arsenal “triad”—land and sea—launched long-range nuclear missiles and strategic bombers. Poor progress on the USA-Russia START disarmament agreement, but USA is still way ahead in nuclear weapons numbers.
Nuclear news – snippets from the past week
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
Iraq a University of Michigan study (<-warning: not for faint of heart) funded by the World Health Organization has uncovered “staggering” increases in sometimes bizarre birth defects.
Russia’s government decided last week to end its participation in the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program. Russia planning to salvage two sunken nuclear submarines in the northern Barents and Kara seas in order to prevent potential radioactive pollution of the area.
UK : govt promises mandatory low electricity prices, upsetting the nuclear industry.
Lithuanian referendum – a resounding “NO” to nuclear power
Bahrain backs away from nuclear energy.
Romania urges power companies to go wind and solar, not nuclear
China slows down its nuclear power program, in view of safety concerns.
Namibia: AREVA puts the brakes on its $1 billion Trekkopje uranium mine in Namibia due to lousy economic outlook for uranium market.
Canada sent back some radioactive kitchenware to India
The week that was, in nuclear news
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
Japan: the planned nuclear phaseout is a tortuous political matter. Nobody wants to take responsibility for the decision on how (or whether) to do it, and on restarting the idle nuclear reactors.. The government wants the new regulatory agency to be the decider – along with local authorities. The regulator wants the government to decide. The public opposes nuclear power. Large manufacturers and business organisations want nuclear power to get going again. And Japan’s notorious “Nuclear Village” (nuclear industry cosy with government) is still intact.
UK government in turmoil on how to pay for new nuclear reactors, as AREVA and Chinese companies pull out. Russia looking to get a slice of the action. And France’s EDF wanting far too much money – and it’s all supposed to be funded by private investment! Continuing angst over the location of UK’s desperately needed nuclear waste burial site. Police arrest anti nuclear activists at Hinkley nuclear site.
India‘ s brave People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) continued their 420-day agitation against Kudankulam atomic power plant in Tamil Nadu by laying siege of the plant. India’s democratic principles gone, in its repression of anti-nuclear action.
South Korea following India’s lead in banning visitors who take an anti nuclear stand. But still, the unsafety of South Korea’s nuclear reactors is becoming known.
Sweden. 70 anti nuclear activists “storm” 2 nuclear power plants, showing how poor is their security.
USA . Climate change – hot weather affecting nuclear reactors – but topics like nuclear power and climate change don’t rate amention in the Presidential debate between Obama and Romney, (though they do rate, in the campaigns of the USGreen Party and others.
The nuclear week that was
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
Europe; a leaked draft report from European Commission reveals that all of Europe’s 143 nuclear reactors have safety problems.
UK in somewhat of a mess in its new nuclear power project. AREVA, China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group, and China National Nuclear Power Corporation have all pulled out of the project, and Iberdrola, the Spanish group is rumoured to be about to pull out. It’s all supposed to be “private enterprise” but clearly needs buckets of Government money to have any hope of ever getting going.
India leaving its democratic principles behind, as it labels anti-nuclear activists as psychiatric cases, and as police terrorise those participating in the anti nuclear movement at Kudankulam. Serious criminal charges have been slapped against more than 150,000 villagers protesting against the Kudankulam nuclear power plant.
France now developing plans for its phaseout of nuclear power.
Japan. the Fukushima cleanup facing very difficult challenges – it requires new technologies that have not yet even been invented. Tokyo continues to get radioactive fallout – measuring more than the level in Fukushima.
USA: the current election campaigning does mention the word “nuclear” – but only in reference to who’s going to be toughest on Iran. Nary a word about USA’s massive nuclear waste crisis.
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