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.
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.
1 This Month
26 September – International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
PLEASE OPPOSE HR 8255 AND S.3639 – bills would accelerate satellite deployment, with no environmental review or safeguards – https://ncstd5li.quorum.us/campaign/169331/
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