antinuclear « nuclear-news

Conflict of interest in regulation of Atomic Energy in India

the provisions of the Bill will unduly favour the foreign suppliers of nuclear equipment…..Like IAEA, Indian the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) is dependent on the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) whose mandate is charged with promoting nuclear power in India……

India’s Sham Nuclear Liability Bill, By Toxic Watch, 22 August, 2010, Countercurrents.org “….Srikumar Banerjee, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission and ex-officio Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy, one of the drafters of the Bill is guilty of ignoring the consequences of possible nuclear disaster because his text has privatized profits and made liabilities public. Continue reading →

August 23, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, secrets,lies and civil liberties | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, reactors | Leave a comment

Safety dangers in Taiwan nuclear power plant

The nuclear plant, in Kungliao, Taipei County, on the country’s north coast, has a decades-long history of problems.

Taipower faces fine over fourth nuclear plant: AEC – Taiwan News Online, 23 Aug 2010, Taiwan Power Corporation was facing a fine over its fourth nuclear plant even before it had started official operations, the Atomic Energy Council said yesterday. Continue reading →

August 23, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, Taiwan | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, radiation, reactor | Leave a comment

Iran nuclear power plant no “proliferation risk” says U.S.

U.S. Says Iran Nuclear Plant No Proliferation Threat – Radio Free Europe, 23 Aug 2010, Washington says it sees no “proliferation risk” from the launch of Iran’s first nuclear power plant.Russia, which built the plant, began loading nuclear fuel into the facility in the Gulf city of Bushehr on August 21.U.S. State Department spokesman Darby Holladay told news agencies that Moscow’s agreement to supply nuclear fuel and remove spent fuel rods minimized the risk they would be used to make nuclear weapons.”Russia’s support for Bushehr underscores that Iran does not need an indigenous enrichment capability if its intentions are purely peaceful,” Holladay told the Reuters news agency…….U.S. Says Iran Nuclear Plant No Proliferation Threat – Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty © 2010

August 23, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Iran, politics international | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

Germany to keep nuclear fuel tax, phase out nuclear power

At the weekend Peter Müller, the leader of the small state of Saarland and a member of Ms Merkel’s CDU party, said in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper that his regional government did not support any move to extend the life of the plants and would vote against any law change [that would allow nuclear plants to continue]

Merkel stands firm on nuclear tax plan, FT.com, By James Wilson August 22 2010 Angela Merkel on Sunday stood by plans for a tax on nuclear power as debate intensified over her government’s energy policy following public criticism by leading business people. Continue reading →

August 23, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Germany, politics | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, reactors | Leave a comment

Grave risks of earthquakes and floods in a nuclear powered India

the disaster management structure in the country, as per his opinion, is not well tailored in meeting radiological fall out and more unfortunate to mention that even educated section of the people is not well aware about the implications of a serious nuclear disaster.

India’s Sham Nuclear Liability Bill, By Toxic Watch, 22 August, 2010, Countercurrents.org “…….The Bill remains silent on the grave issues raised by Prabeer Kumar Basu, Secretary, Agriculture who mentioned before the Committee that the disaster management structure in the country is oriented in such a manner that emergencies arising out of floods, earthquakes and droughts could be managed in an efficient manner.

However, on the other hand, unfortunately the disaster management structure in the country, as per his opinion, is not well tailored in meeting radiological fall out and more unfortunate to mention that even educated section of the people is not well aware about the implications of a serious nuclear disaster.

He therefore, felt that more public awareness needs to be built in respect of nuclear disaster and its hair-raising impact on biological population. He further pointed out that as a consequence of a nuclear disaster of the Chernobyl type, it is quite possible that agricultural crops around 30 to 100 kms. from the site of the incident could be wiped out total………

Further revealing the criminal negligence of the drafters of the Bill, Prabhat C Chatirvedi, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment while referring to Clause 5 (1)(i) which provides for non-liability of operator for any nuclear damage arising out of a grave natural disaster of an exceptional character pointed out that grave natural disaster should not include earthquakes or floods. He advised the Committee that if nuclear plant is placed in a seismic zone, it should be properly designed to withstand earthquake of severe character.
India’s Sham Nuclear Liability Bill By Toxic Watch

August 23, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, safety | antinuclear, climate change, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Russia’s collapsing nuclear industry saved by selling nuclear plant to Iran

The launch is something of a turning point for the Russian nuclear industry, which was near collapse before getting the Iranian contract for Bushehr.

Bushehr Launch Boosts Rosatom, The Moscow Times, 23 August 2010, By Olga Razumovskaya Russia and Iran on Saturday jointly launched the Bushehr atomic power plant, the first in the Middle East, bringing the Islamic republic into the ranks of the world’s 29 nuclear power generating nations. Both sides hailed the startup as a landmark……… Continue reading →

August 23, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Russia | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, reactor | Leave a comment

Documents reveal poor safety history of Britain’s nuclear arsenal

A Freedom of Information request has revealed that the Defence Environment and Safety Board believes budget cuts will make it “increasingly difficult to maintain that the defence nuclear programmes are being managed with due regard for the protection of the workforce, the public and the environment.

Nuclear arsenals under scrutiny for safety lapses, fires and floodGroup calls for planners to think twice about a major new facility at Trident warhead base at Aldermaston in Berkshire Jamie Doward * The Observer, Sunday 22 August 2010

Health and safety practices at the UK’s main nuclear weapons base are under intense scrutiny just weeks before it is expected to be granted permission for a multibillion-pound facility to conduct a new generation of radioactive tests. Continue reading →

August 23, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, UK | antinuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

How low doses of ionising radiation can cause cancer

Apoptosis is the study of programmed cell death….the body’s natural cell-suicide program can fuel tumour development.”….this could happen if cellular DNA was damaged, say, by repeated exposure to low doses of radiation

Cells’ demise provides clues about cancer | The Australian, 21 Aug 2010, Research into apoptosis is taking place worldwide, with several large drug companies pouring money into the area, but critical work is being undertaken in Australia. Continue reading →

August 21, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, health | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, cancer, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, radiation, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

Radioactive impact of Chernobyl still affecting Europe

24 Years After Chernobyl, Radioactive Boars Still Roam Germany | Discover Magazine, 21 Aug 2010, A quarter-century after the catastrophe, Chernobyl can’t stay out of the news.When fires broke out in Russia this month, people worried that the flames would spread to areas still affected by the radiation, with unknown consequences. And this week, we learned that Chernobyl-related radiation is actually on the rise somewhere else: in German boars. Continue reading →

August 21, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Renewable energy growth outpaces coal, gas and nuclear

Both the US and Europe added more renewable power capacity in 2009 than they added coal, gas, and nuclear capacity. Globally, 80,000 megawatts of renewable capacity was added, with China adding nearly half the total

Renewable Energy Investment is Growing – 24/7 Wall St., Paul Ausick, 21 Aug 2010, An international policy network called the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century, or REN21, has released its global status report for 2010. Continue reading →

August 21, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, renewable | antinuclear, climate change, energy efficiency, global warming, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear renaissance, renewable energy, renewables, solar, wind | Leave a comment

Nuclear waste problem has not been solved

the problem of radioactive waste storage has not been solved. Today, some 60,000 tons of high-level waste has accumulated in the United States without a successful waste-disposal program.

U.S. Nuclear Waste Panel Slammed for Ignoring Public Fears, Environment News Service, WASHINGTON, DC, August 20, 2010 (ENS) – The Obama administration’s effort to fix the nation’s stalled nuclear waste program is focusing so much on technological issues that it fails to address the public mistrust hampering storage and disposal efforts, say 16 social science researchers from across the country. Continue reading →

August 21, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | antinuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

AREVA postpones USA nuclear component making to unspecified date

Areva nuclear component manufacturing facility delayed to 2013, Washington (Platts) Steven Dolley, -20Aug 2010 Areva will delay until 2013 the start of manufacturing nuclear power reactor components at a facility being built in Virginia, a company spokesman said Friday…..Areva spokesman Jarret Adams said Friday in an interview that the start-up date for the Newport News facility was postponed because of reduced economic growth and other factors that have “caused some of our customers to slow plans” to build new power reactors. Adams would not name those customers and declined to provide more specific expected dates for completion of construction or the start of manufacturing. Platts: RSS Feed Detailed News

August 21, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA | antinuclear, AREVA, France, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, reactors | Leave a comment

Nuclear Waste – Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future

Globally, each year, nuclear power reactors create enough spent fuel to fill a football field to a depth of 1.5 meters (4.9 feet), with a weight of about 10,500 tons.

U.S. Nuclear Waste Panel Slammed for Ignoring Public Fears, Environment News Service, WASHINGTON, DC, August 20, 2010 (ENS) “…….The Commission is made up of 15 members who have a range of expertise and experience in nuclear issues, including scientists, industry representatives, and respected former elected officials. Continue reading →

August 21, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Chewonki meeting – stop nuclear power development until waste problem solved

If there could be said to be a consensus that emerged from the public comments that were made at Chewonki, it was that Congress should and must forbid any further development of nuclear power unless or until this intractable problem has been resolved.

Not at any price, The Times Record, Mid-Coast Maine, Betty King, August 20, 2010, “…..the meeting at Chewonki with the President’s Blue Ribbon Commission on the Storage and Transportation of Nuclear Waste… Continue reading →

August 21, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear renaissance, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive, reactors | Leave a comment

USA political problem – no State wants nuclear wastes

The timeline for removing Hanford’s nuclear waste could be extended by decades if Obama’s decision to terminate the Yucca Mountain project stands

Nuke waste dump influences races outside Nevada, Google hosted news, By KEVIN FREKING (AP) – 21 Aug 2010, WASHINGTON — The Obama administration’s decision to bypass Nevada’s Yucca Mountain as a nuclear waste repository should give Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid a boost in his bid for a fifth term…….

Washington and South Carolina are plaintiffs in a lawsuit designed to keep Yucca Mountain as an option for stockpiling the nation’s nuclear waste. Continue reading →

August 21, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment