Christina's notes « nuclear-news

The week’s nuke news

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Medical Nuclear reactor not needed to produce top medical isotope . New breast cancers, in certain circumstances promoted by radiation treatment for breast cancer.

Canada refuses asylum to Japanese nuclear refugee

Thorium nuclear reactors not all they’re cracked up to be, especially, uneconomic.

USA. Vermont Attorney General appeals court, in move to retain Vermont’s power to shut down a nuclear reactor. In Georgia, USA Energy Secretary Steven Chu on a mission to sell nuclear power to the public, as USA approves $14 billion expansion of Vogtle nuclear plant. Meanwhile Vogtle’s nuclear waste continues to pile up. Obama putting the brakes on nuclear loan guarantee program.

UK and French leaders get together, to bolster France’s flagging nuclear export industry, by promoting French nukes in Britain. Protestors occupy Hinkley nuclear site.

France – all sorts of spy stuff and dodgy doings going on with AREVA nuclear corporation and its treatment of its former CEO Anne Lauvergeon

Russia to get new nuclear submarines, thanks to money from oil billionaires.

February 21, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

The week’s nuclear news in brief

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Nuclear “decommissioning” United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) is concerned about the global unsolved problem of dealing with dying and dead nuclear reactors

Japan – Fukushima nuclear reactor heating up again. Anti nuclear protests by thousands, in Japan. Japanese nuclear companies are happy, as they are getting lucrative contracts to do radiation cleanup work.

Poland: a refrendum in Baltic Sea resort Mielno results in 94% rejection of nuclear power plant.

USA: NRC approves 2 new nuclear reactors, and within aweek, it’s expected that an $8.3 billion tax-payer funded loan guarantee will be provided for them. Not everyone in Washington is happy about this.

Britain: Sellafield nuclear reprocessing project in trouble, especially financial.

Russia: government deception over the true danger of athe fire on a nuclear submarine. Medical science showing that exposure to ionising radiation to male foetuses increases the risk of cancer of the testicles.

France – Government is to pressing on with expensive safety upgrades of existing nuclear reactors, because that’s cheaper than new ones. Nuclear power becoming an election issue in France.

February 14, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Wrap up of week’s nuclear news to Feb 8th

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

In the USA – where the greatest number of nuclear reactors are sited, nuclear secrecy is becoming an ever greater concern. The Department of Energy resists any disclosure of the costs to tax-payers of commitments in the loans guarantees proposed for the controversial Vogtle nuclear project, and resists any monitoring of the radiation hazard at Savannah River nuclear site. Revelations of the cosy insider arrangements between former U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham and French nuclear corporation AREVA, concerning that same failed nuclear project. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission getting more worried about earthquakes and floods.

The Iran nuclear question bubbles on. And Iran gets an earthquake rather near to its nuclear reactor.

In Asia – anti-nuclear public opinion rises. The nuclear lobby watches anxiously the Malaysian public opposition to Lynas rare earths company and its plans regarding radioactive wastes.

Russia to privatise its nuclear corporation, Rosatom. Safety anxieties in Russia, following a fire at its Moscow nuclear institute.

February 7, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Highlights of the week’s nuclear news

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

International: Drama continues as USA and Israeli hawks want war with Iran, while other opinions advise the difficult path of diplomacy.

More revelations of the secrecy and ineptitude of Japanese government following the Fukushima nuclear crisis.

USA’s “Blue Ribbon Panel on Nuclear Future” comes out with its Final Report – with no solution to nuclear wastes, but no suggestion of stopping producing them!

USA’s Nuclear Regulatory Commission gets anxious about a new report on earthquake possibilities near nuclear power plants.

France in somewhat of a financial pickle over its nuclear reactors – can’t afford new ones, can’t afford to shut down existing ones, can’t afford to upgrade their safety – but forced to do the latter, by the European Union’s new safety rules.

February 1, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Wrap up of the week’s nuclear news

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Iran. Fears of a USA/Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities escalate in the context of the USA’s Republican Party’s contest for presidential candidacy. Fears that Iran will cut off oil routes and plunge USA (?and the world) into an economic recession.

Climate change. USA’s National Center for Science Education starts a timely new campaign to defend climate education in schools. Report on the world’s warming atmosphere. The chance that Europe will experience colder weather, due to huge pool of fresh water in Arctic ocean.

Japan’s nuclear crisis is far from over. Revelations that the government kept vital information from the public, on radioactive plumes, while informing the USA military. Inadequate monitoring of radiation fallout, especially regarding the Pacific Ocean. Much debate, and Japanese media subservient to nuclear industry and government. TEPCO to be effectively nationalised to save it from bankruptcy.

UK government panic as Scotland moves for independence. That would mean a super-expensive move of Trident nuclear base from Scotland to England.

Lots of issues in USA’s nuclear industry. Federal court rules in favour of nuclear company against State of Vermont – but it’s early days in this legal battle. Public opposition hardening against uranium mining in Virginia.

France’s government debating a Bill to return two Pacific atomic bomb test island to the indigenous people.

January 24, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Wrap up of the week’s nuclear news

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

The Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission (NAIIC) held its first public hearing. It will probe whether the earthquake first damaged the nuclear reactors. Media output from Japan might be constrained,as media operates therei n the subservient “press club”.

Revelations that Japan supplied radiation data to USA military 9 days before alerting Japanese public.

A Hanford nuclear safety manager blows the whistle on plutonium and other safety dangers at the nuclear waste facility.

India revealed to have done deals with Pakistani nuclear smuggler, A.Q. Khan.

Against a background of tensions over Iran’s nuclear development, a poll finds that most Israelis want Middle East to be a nuclear free zone, want transparency about Israel’s nukes, and to avoid war with Iran.

France worried about the soaring costs of nuclear safety measures.

January 18, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Misguided and unjust murders of Iran’s nuclear scientists

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

After World War 2, Simon Weisenthal and other Jewish and non-Jewish Nazi hunters went to enormous trouble not only to track down Nazi criminals, but also to ensure that they had a fair trial. Those Nazis who were executed first had a proper judicial process, with evidence, witnesses and defense counsel.

How justice is now failing! Are we expected to believe that it is OK for the Israeli government to assassinate Iranian civilians, for Israel’s political reasons. How the “Jewish State” has abandoned true Jewish principles!

Over recent times, the world has seen the killing of Osama Bin Laden, and the very horrible killing of Gaddafi. Not a public complaint about the lack of fair process, the lack of evidence even, in the bin Laden killing. I’m not saying that these were good people.

But where is justice, in these arbitrary murders? And what is the purpose of murdering Iranian scientists? Is it inflame the Muslim world with hatred for the West, and so bring about nuclear war?

January 12, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Wrap up of the week’s nuclear news

In a week when we are concentrating on the topic of Nuclear Lies, up comes a film that really sets out the history of nuclear lies, with extraordinary archival footage. A IS FOR ATOM -a film not to be missed. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/adamcurtis/2011/03/a_is_for_atom.html

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

India’s nuclear power stalemate continues, with the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) showing their determination to stop the Koodankulam nuclear project, and the Jaitapur one. As the Russian engineers leave Koodankulam, India’s nuclear corporation turns to Russia to borrow money for that project. And to France, to borrow money to buy France’s nuclear reactors.

A more dangerous stalemate and standoff, as the West threatens more sanctions on Iran, and Iran threatens to stop the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz. Israel to close its vulnerable Dimona nuclear reactor, in fear of (?preparation for) war with Iran.

January 10, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

America’s faith based doctrine on nuclear waste disposal

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

The United States of America has a touching religiosity – quite heartwarming, in this cynical age.

So it is not surprising that the USA is the one country in the world that has expressed its religious faith in nuclear power in a government regulation – the Waste Confidence Rule

The Waste Confidence Rule contains a “predictive” safety “finding” that simply stipulates spent reactor fuel can be disposed of safely at some unspecified time in the future, whenever it becomes “necessary” to dispose of it.

Warms the cockles of your heart, don’t it?

January 6, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | 1 Comment

Wrap-up of nuclear news 2011

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

The year started with a renewed push by the nuclear lobby, for a “nuclear renaissance”. But already costs and safety problems were slowing this ambition. The “poster boys” for nuclear power Olkiluoto and Flamanville reactors became increasingly costly, and fraught with safety problems, and still not built.
No nuclear plants built in USA since the 1970s. Worldwide 16 new ones were under construction in 2010, but only 2 in 2011. Meanwhile 13 closed, and many of the existing 433 reactors are nearing their use-by date. Global nuclear energy generation fell in 2011, due to increasing costs, weaker electricity demand, and falling costs of gas.
In March the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe had a sudden impact on the nuclear industry. As a continuing human, environmental, and economic disaster, it continues to accelerate the decline of the nuclear industry.
USA, France, Russia, and South Korea continued a frantic competition to sell nuclear power to developing countries, seeing they meet strong opposition to selling them to their own people, (except for South Korea)
The worldwide nuclear waste problem escalates, yet even in desperate straights because of this, USA and others are happy to continue producing this toxic stuff !
Nuclear weapons problems continue, with a little progress towards nuclear disarmament. At the end of the year, the world is at a nuclear standoff between the Western world and Iran.
The global nuclear lobby is resuming its push to market its product as clean, healthy, cheap etc. It continues to tout “new nuclear” – “Generation 4 reactors, and also Thorium reactors – desperate side issues to promote the industry even as it fails. Christina Macpherson, 3 Jan 2012

January 3, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

The hypocrisy and lies of the global nuclear lobby

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Has anyone noticed that Japan well and truly stuffed up in its planning and setting up of the Fukushima nuclear power plant – and yet is now preaching to India on the unsafety of India’s nuclear plants?

That strikes me as a dazzling bit of arrogance and hypocrisy. Yet Japan’s Prime Minister has the gall to tell India that because of Japan’s nuclear disaster, Japan is now an expert on nuclear safety!

And anyway, as if the Japanese government cared about India’s safety, anyway! What they care about is making money selling their nuclear. technology.

But now – I’m here getting a bit ahead of the worldwide nuclear lobby. The comprehensive international report on the Fukushima nuclear disaster will not be completed until about June 2012. However, the initial part of the report recounts all the errors made by the Japanese regarding the planning and setting up of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, and in dealing with the catastrophe.

I’m predicting that the nuclear lobby will come out with a whole lot of guff about how much safer nuclear technology is now. How much they’ve learned from the disaster, so we can all rest assured that the nuclear industry is now safe! – Christina Macpherson, 27 Dec 11

December 27, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Parallels between Wall St and Fukushima

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Have you seen the film “Inside Job”?

I was amazed at how the top guys responsible for the global financial crash in 2008 continued to prosper. They’re still in charge, in financial institutions, in universities, advising government, – nothing’s changed.

Similarly, in Japan, apart from 3 token (and generously rewarded retirements) the same complex of nuclear industry, government, academia are still in charge of nuclear policy.

September 27, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | 1 Comment

What if the West has misjudged Ahmadinejad about nuclear weapons?

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has certainly come out with some powerful statements against Israel, and he has sounded very threatening.

Yet Ahmadinejad also comes out with some powerful statements against nuclear weapons., and arguing that Iran is not developing them and would never use them, especially as a “first strike”.

We need to remember that Ahmadinejad is a popular leader, trying to function in an Islamic State, – where supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei and the Mullahs wield extraordinary power and influence. Ahmadinejad has to “keep them on side” – has to come out with fiery nationalistic statements. But perhaps he really does believe that nuclear weapons are dangerous, immoral, and unnecessary. Perhaps the world could do worse than Ahmadinejad for an Iranian leader. – Christina Macpherson

August 15, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes, Iran | Leave a comment

Despite pro nuclear hype, the industry is in big trouble

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

While the captains of the nuclear and uranium industries continue to sing the praises of new nuclear reactors, new types of reactors, and the long term glowing outlook for the industries – the facts tell something else.

In Germany, the peak association of utility industries now states a clear wish to have all nuclear power cswiftly closed down – all finished by 2020.

USA has had the longest and biggest association with commercial nuclear power. USA now appears to be leading the way in seriously questioning the viability of the industry.

The Fukushima disaster is not ending any time soon. Nobody dares to estimate the financial cost. The human and environmental costs are not fully known, but already are extensive. Japanese survivors of the tsunami and earthquake can now start to rebuild their lives. Japamese affected by the Fukushima nuclear accident struggle on with uncertainty.

April 9, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | Leave a comment

Wobbly nuclear words – how reassuring they are!

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

There are just so many of these wobbly words, pouring out of the pro nuclear lobby, as the lobby develops its current strategy, in response to the Japanese nuclear disaster, and with the anniversary of Chernobyl coming up. The two strategy themes are as follows:

1. Nuclear radiation “low level” radiation is not so bad, quite good really. Don’t mention the cancers and birth deformities from Chernobyl – or just gloss over the (relatively treatable) thyroid cancers.

2. Safety. New nuclear designs will be so safe – Fukushima just shows us how safe they are. And anyway, action is now taken to strengthen safety at old plants – Fukushima’s been a good reminder really.

Nuclear doublespeak has crept into the mainstream media. And – note even a 7.1 earthquake is now labelled an “aftershock” – sounds better, doesn’t it? And – of course, any nuclear incident is “no immediate danger”