Nuclear news highlights of the week
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
Uranium industry – keeps getting hyped by lobbyists, but the gloomy future market outlook remains.
Oil companies plan to drill in the Arctic Kara sea – exactly where the Soviet Union dumped 25 years’ worth of radioactive wastes, including a nuclear reactor.
Japan. Under pressure from nuclear lobby, Japan contemplates reviving their very dangerous Monju nuclear reprocessing plant.
USA‘s new nuclear industry grinds to a halt, as there’s nowhere to put their accumulating piles of nuclear wastes.
UK. Military chiefs not happy with super expensive, but useless Trident nuclear missile ‘deterrent’
India; Kudankulam nuclear plant project before the Supreme Court – it could halt the project.
The nuclear week that was
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
Japan Business prioritised above safety: Japan caves in to global nuclear Establishment, and backs away from its zero nuclear power commitment. Japan sets up a new Nuclear Regulation Authority which has a daunting, years long, task to develop safety rules. News on the environmental/health effects of Fukushima continue to filter out. Japan to renew building of two new nuclear reactors.
India’s Kudankulam anti nuclear movement widens to a national movement, despite the government’s continued repression of anti nuclear activists.
NIMBY in Britain – Not in My Backyard, say UK Councils about nuclear waste burial, (even if it is the least worst way to deal with UK’s pile of plutonium.) New nuclear looking pretty much impossible in UK, as even the Supporters of Nuclear Energy are rejecting the government’s plan.
France shutting down Fessenheim, its oldest nuclear reactor- to cries of rage from EDF.
Choruses of pro nuclear hype from vested interests around the world – promoting continuance of nuclear power in Japan, exalting all the nuclear dream factory’s latest illusions – especially thorium as a nuclear fuel. Meanwhile many sources explain the flaws in thorium reactors – not least of which is their lack of economic viability.
Climate change – reaching a crisis point, with summer sea ice at its lowest level ever. Nuclear reactors in USA continue to be affected by heat – e.g Vermont Yankee causing heat pollution in the Connecticut River .
Quick wrap of the week’s nuclear news
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
India. Police used tear gas, and opened fire on some of the 20,000 anti nuclear protestors opposing Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) – one man killed and many injured.
Japan. So much news seeping out of Japan: the difficulties in removing highly radioactive debris from around Fukushima reactor No.3: the coming shortage of cleanup workers, as radiation monitors eliminate many workers due to dosage level received: it will take at least 40 years to decommission Fukushima reactors:increasing levels of cesium in subsea mud along Japan’s West coast. Worst of all – news that fukushima schoolkids lunches continue to contain radioactive food, and the Authorities don’t take this seriously!
USA. Nuclear Regulatory Commission produces a new proposal that will ease the safety regulations for new nuclear reactors. USA gets a Green Party!
Russia forging on with new nuclear plans – huge nuclear-powered ice-breaker – so they can control Arctic areas, and very hasty development of a dangerous MOX nuclear reprocessing plant at Beloyarsk
Canada: As Quebec shuts down its nuclear reactor, Canada joins the unseemly frenzy of nuclear countries keen to flog off their nuclear technology to India.
The past week in nuclear news
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
Japan’s government wrestles with its future energy policy, not yet decided. Very worrying reports keep coming out about the still dangerous state of the Fukushima nuclear reactors, and the anxious plight of Fukushima area residents.
Pakistan – a scare, as police report on afoiled (this time) attempt by suicide bombers to attack a nuclear facility.
India. Kudankulam anti nuclear movement continues their struggle, with legal cases to come.
USA. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to develop a new “Waste Confidence Rule” – (means they think that nuclear power could go ahead, because they believe that a waste disposal solution will be found, one day, ). Obama and Romney have different policies on renewable energy promotion – Obama basicall FOR, Romney AGAINST.
France – had a minor nuclear reactor incident – but not inspiring public confidence in the industry.
Touching faith of Steve Kidd that our grandchildren will solve the nuclear waste problem
“SOMEHOW the waste issue will UNDOUBTEDLY be taken care of”
In Today’s issue of Nuclear Engineering I found a fascinating article by Steve Kidd, deputy director-general of the World Nuclear Association. I was fascinated because of the insight this article gives into the thinking of the nuclear lobby.
It’s all about South Korea, and Mr Kidd is full of praise for the culture there. You see, they’re not only hard-working, – but Mr Kidd seems to be rejoicing that the South Koreans have none of that pesky individualism, that slows things up in other countries. In South Korea, he says, there’s ” a feeling of national unity, initially fostered by strong state control and somewhat repressive policies, which it carries through to today. Critics would argue that there is a lack of individualism, and it is certainly true that South Koreans all seem to think and speak with one voice…. every Korean is part of ‘Korea Inc’ and the economy drives forward with only the odd bump on the way”
This is awfully handy for the nuclear industry, – South Korea sounds like one place where the populace will believe their government. Mr Kidd seems agrees with all the economists, that nuclear energy needs government backing to survive “A strong national consensus that a nuclear programme is both necessary and do-able is also important, as is the guarantee that support won’t suddenly be withdrawn by political change.”
But my favourite part is that wonderfully religious bit, in which the nuclear advocate shows complacent faith that somehow, in the future, somebody’s grandchild will fix the problems that the nuclear industry has created – no doubt long after Mr Kidd and the rest of them have made their money, retired, and died.
“The major difficulty may turn out to be obtaining sites for the additional reactors in the 2020s, as the current four sites will run out of space for extra units by then. But somehow this will undoubtedly be taken care of, as will the waste issue, which is rising in significance as the volume of stored used fuel grows rapidly.”
Touching faith, isn’t it? – Christina Macpherson
Republican Convention – are Americans really THAT stupid?
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
I have never been to America. But I have a picture of Americans as warm
and friendly. I think that’s great. I understand that the USA culture is a bit more “folkish” and sentimental, than other cultures. And I guess that’s OK, too.
But “foolish” and sentimental is something else.
I listened to Mitt Romney’s speech, and to Paul Ryan’s speech – with amazement, as I watched all those thousands of (white) Americans lapping up all that stuff about family, and roses, and how great America is etc.
Bu where are the policies? And – nary a word about climate change, about renewable energy.
Are Americans really so interested to watch politicians busting their guts to appear as “a nice guy, if not terribly bright”? Or was it just that huge white crowd at the Convention, that didn’t care about policies?
Highlights of the past week in nuclear news
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
Fukushima dominates the nuclear news. Record radiation levels in fish off the Fukushima coast. Fukushima nuclear plant still releasing radiation. Growing dissatisfaction of many Japanese as their government fails to really take action to close down the nuclear industry, and elections approach. Decontamination efforts meet intractable problems, for example, in Japan’s irradiated forest areas. Media and government silence on children’s thyroid abnormalities, and on birth statistics.
USA. As in UK, the nuclear lobby is pitching the dangerous MOX nuclear reprocessing as the solution to nuclear waste. The San Onofre nuclear plant is likely to remain closed permanently. In Louisiana, a sinkhole, now 400 feet wide and over 400 feet deep in spots, risks explosion and possible release of radiation. Many USA nuclear reactors are the same type and age as Belgium’s – which are now estimated to have probably thousands of cracks UK government revealed as having colluded with big nuclear companies to downplay and obscure the seriousness of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
India. Nuclear company NTPC and Nuclear Power Corporation of India have announced the halting of India’s nuclear power project. Meanwhile the work of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), a global NGO, is bringing decentralised solar electricity to millions of villagers in rural India
Australia. BHP is scrapping its big dream for the world’s biggest uranium mine, and biggest man-made hole, at Olympic Dam in South Australia. Despite Australia’s pro nuclear politicians, uranium mining remains a very minor, and failing, export industry. Australia despite its small population, leads the world in home installation of solar photovoltaic energy.
The Australian government is letting Julian Assange down badly, while he gets the support of the “Latin” nations of South America, and a strong freedom of speech movement in UK. Assange’s case may now go to the International Court of Justice. In Melbourne, shock jock radio gives Assange’s mother a Nazi taunt.
Ahmadinejad on Israel and the Middle East
nuclear facilities. Continue reading
A week of hypocrisy – Japan, USA, Australia
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
Japan is very quiet on the health effects of Fukushima radiation. Nuclear lobby writers are out in force – attempting to discredit ionising radiation “low levl” as a cause of cancers and genetic malformations. Indeed they’re still pushing the “hormesis” idea – (“low level” radiation is good for you) meanwhile scientific findings on butterflies in Japan reveal the harmful effects of low level radiation, that are passed down through generations.
In USA the mainstream media are putting a calm face on the decision by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to halt licensing of nuclear reactors, because – well, a court has ruled that there’s no confidence in the NRC’s Waste Confidence Rule. That rule has allowed nuclear reactors to be licensed, even though nobody knows what to do with the radioactive wastes. There is also a calm face on the USA’s current extreme heat wave, which is causing one nuclear reactor after another to slow down , or shut down – due to problems of hot cooling water.
The Australian government is pretty disgustingly hypocritical over the fate of Australian citizen Julian Assange. Their two-faced Foreign Minister, Bob Carr, pretends that USA has no intention of extraditing Assange from Sweden, to be tried for espionage. Prime Minister Julia Gillard is now shutting up about it, bust has previously backed USA’s view that Assange (of Wikileaks fame) has been some sort of traitor.
The Australian uranium industry – very much in the doldrums, is to embark on a “community education” campaign. Not likely to persuade investors, with Paladin Uranium losing $39 billion in 9 months, recently.
Reflections on the past week in nuclear news
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
The nuclear ‘ renaissance’ really looks like a stillbirth today, as the USA Nuclear Regulatory Commission is forced, by an Appeals Court ruling, to suspend all new licensing of nuclear reactors. That applies to both new reactors, and old ones that seek relicensing.
The appeals court struck down the NRC’s Waste Confidence Rule, which stated that there was “reasonable assurance” a permanent waste site would be created “when needed, and also the Temporary Storage Rule , which allowed he storage of nuclear waste at nuclear power facilities for an indefinite period.
This has effectively frozen at least 19 final reactor licensing decisions – and must have repercussions for the global nuclear industry – and for Australia’s uranium industry.
Japan – many revelations of deception in the struggle to come to terms with the continuing nuclear disaster. TEPCO cheating by radiation doses being doctored, videos being doctored. Failure of the “Balloon Survey” to try to find out what’s going on inside Fukushima reactor No 1. Management of Fukushima area population is inept – “worse than in Chernobyl”.
India: Prime Minister Singh not happy with Russia’s immunity from accountability, regarding the nuclear reactors they are selling for Kudankulam nuclear power plant – Russia would get off scot free of costs, in the event of a nuclear accident.
Tanzania: Does anybody care? UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee caved in to commercial and government lobbyists – allowing a boundary change that will permit uranium mining at the magnificent Tanzania Selous Game Reserve. Environmental groups urging WHC to rethink this.
Australia: the gloom for uranium miners continues, with the spot price uranium market “at a standstill” ,and no improvement in sight. BHP’s massive Olympic Dam uranium mine might not go ahead – shareholders jittery.
USA. That naughty 82 year old Catholic anti nuclear nun – described as “violent’ and a “danger to the community” – now facing court felony charges that call for 10 years in prison! And she’s out on bail – heavens, we’re all in danger.
Significant nuclear news of the week
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
Australia’s nuclear news coincides with global news – in that Australia’s uranium industry is looking sick, and so is the world’s nuclear industry. BHP will not make a decision on expanding Olympic Dam uranium mine until 2014, and has lost interest in its previously planned Yeelirrie uranium project in WA. Cameco has shelved its Kyntire uranium project. ERA and Cameco not making enough money, (ERA a big loss) .Meanwhile General Electric’s chief Jeff Immelt, stunned the nuclear industry by stating that it was ’hard to justify’ costly nuclear energy, and that the future energy would be gas, wind, solar.
In UK, French nuclear company EDF is trying to get funding partners for UK’s super expensive nuclear power plan.
Climate change news – a top scientist for a USA conservative think tank has embarassed his funding body by announcing that climate change is real, and is human caused. But that doesn’t bother Queensland’s Liberal Party – who voted for a policy of banning climate change education in schools.
But – that didn’t stop Australia’s Foreign Minister, Bob Carr, flogging uranium sales to that very unstable part of the world – the Middle East, – (and we might take back their radioactive wastes later on, as UAE hopes)
USA Militarism is in the air again, with nuclear expenditure rising to dizzying heights – for 
naval nuclear submarines $350 billion. USA Congress looking at a plan to base naval nuclear ships in Australia. Australia rejecting this plan, (but for how long, rejecting?) Both Obama and Romney going hawkish. The military -industrial complex getting enthused about drone weapons. To get some insight into the thinking of these people,check out the official logo of the USA company Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons . No, it is not a spoof. It is their real business logo.
In USA – a top secret nuclear weapons complex has closed temporarily, for security reasons. Yes, a naughty 82 year old anti nuclear nun got in there, and threw red paint on equipment, and offered the security staff coffee and prayers!. This dangerous terrorist is now in gaol, of course.
In Japan – a huge anti nuclear rally. Also – revelations coming out about how TEPCO has been ‘cooking’ the books and minimising the extent and seriousness of the radiation from Fukushima. Japanese Greens party formed.
Reflections on the past week in nuclear news
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
It has been a week of protests – so intense that the mainstream media has felt obliged to actually cover them. In Australia, the Lizards Revenge http://lizardsrevenge.net/ brought hundreds of protestors travelling hundreds, even thousands of miles. for a festival of music, entertainment and information – to the very heart of the uranium industry – BHP’s Olympic Dam mine in South Australia. A massive police and security presence did not bring about the violence (that the media might have enjoyed).
The Anti-Nuclear Alliance of Western Australia led the protest in Fremantle, targeting the Australian uranium conference, and particularly, Toro Energy.
In Japan, in the sweltering heat, 170,000 people rallied outside Prime Minister Noda’s residence peacefully voicing their protest at the restart of one nuclear reactor. As in Australia, this protest was peaceful.
In other developments, the rise of thyroid abnormalities in Fukushima children indicates the continuing seriousness of the health effects of Fukushima. The nuclear lobby continues to push the completely unproven and scientifically unaccepted theories of low doses of radiation being “good for you”, or at least harmless. The USA’s nuclear revival well and truly stalled, due to the growing recognition that “new nuclear” can’t go ahead without a real plan for waste disposal. Meanwhile Britain struggles with the unacceptable costs of its planned nuclear expansion, and even more, with its dilemma over what to do with its huge plutonium waste pile at Sellafield.
Study on cancer from Fukushima, but they didn’t count internal emitters of radiation
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
Note that this study – like so many touted in the media – counts only “external emitters” – not the cancers caused by “internal emitters” . Internal emitters are the sources of radioactive material that lodge inside a person’s body – the lungs or the gut – and will cause cancer later on – perhaps years after they have been taken in by the body, through eating or breathing. They can be taken in long after the actual radioactive release, as they are the particles that have settled somewhere – on the ground, on plants, in water.
Japan’s Fukushima nuclear disaster may cause 1,300 deaths: report Radio Australia 18 July 2012 US researchers have released a study warning that radiation from the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan may eventually cause up to 1,300 deaths….. And they forecast anywhere between 24 and 2,500 thousand cases of cancer.
While the estimates have a large range, they do contrast with a UN prediction that the meltdowns would cause no severe health effects…. The study relied on a 3-D atmospheric model to predict the spread of radioactive material, and then calculated the estimated exposure to people in the path of the contamination…
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2012-07-18/japans-fukushima-nuclear-disaster-may-cause-1300-deaths-report/981808
The past week in nuclear news
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
USA. Nuclear Regulatory Commission “streamlines” nuclear licensing procedures, eliminating public participation. Safety conscious Gregory Jaczko cleared of any wrongdoing, (but he had been forced to resign from Nuclear Regulatory Commission). Southern California might go permanently nuclear free, as future of closed San Onofre nuclear plant in doubt.
France. Nuclear reactors ordered to present safety plans by June 30. Serious safety problems found in 8 French nuclear reactors. EDF must spend $10 billion on safety measures. French company GDF Suez moves out of nuclear technology export industry.
Japan: Fukushima nuclear plant directors and auditors move to lucrative jobs elsewhere. Japan’s seafood products banned in South Korea, due to radiation. Japan’s govt trying to save TEPCO from bankruptcy by a big restart of the nuclear industry. TEPCO now nationalised, plans to restart another nuclear plant. Japan’s utilities shareholders’ meetings demand an end to nuclear power. Group for Zero Nuclear Power is a new force in Japan’s Parliament.
New nuclear reactors. Integral Fast Reactors (IFRs) – expensive and dangerous. Thorium reactors not possible for decades to come. Fast nuclear reactors not succeeding either financially, nor as a solution to plutonium wastes. Anxiety oover Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) planned for South Carolina.
Rare earths. Lynas Corporation might have to send its radioactive wastes back from Malaysia to Australia
Renewable energy. Solar energy getting a big boost from USA govt. Scotland’s success. Huge solar centre opens in Japan.
Radioactive murder? Was Yassa Arafat, like Litvinenko, poisoned by radioactive polonium?
Nuclear news for the past week
Christina Macpherson’s websites & blogs
Renewable energy. Lots happening. Desertec’s grand plan to renewably power Europe. Solar plant for Fukushima area. A second long distance solar-powered flight. Rio conference – UN’s Sustainable Energy For
All” initiative, with private sector committing over $50 billion. Clean energy pledges, especially from Pacific Island nations.
India – the power generating arm of India’s largest conglomerate, the Tata Group, announced that it was shifting its investment strategy from coal-fired thermal plants to wind and solar renewable projects. Solar-powered scheme for in Obulapuram and surrounding villages.
Japan Fukushima nuclear plant – in danger of a new catastrophe. Thousands protest against restarting of Oi nuclear reactors. Seismologists warn of earthquake danger if nuclear reactors restarted in Japan. Radiation hotspots in Tokyo park.Little chance for Fukushima nuclear victims to get legal redress. High levels of radiation in Fukushima area’s fish.
USA. conflict of interest as DOE researches radiation effects. Hanford nuclear waste site – more costs, more safety problems. Vermont State loses court case to stop relicensing of Vermont Yankee nuclear plant. San Onofre nuclear plant closed for months, might never re-open.
Uranium price stays on its downward slide. In Central Africa, rebels attack AREVA’s uranium site.
Iran. USA hawks and Israel want military approach to Iran. Russia warns against attacking Iran.
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