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.
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?
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Shut down the radiation-damaged Heysham nuclear reactors now
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Say No to NASA’s Reckless Nuclear Reactor on the Moon
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