nuclear costs « nuclear-news

Overexposure to medical radiation brings 100s of lawsuits

Hundreds Of Lawsuits Are Filed As CT_Scan Radiation Overdoses Continue, – Santa Clarita Radio, KHTS News, 6 August 2010 Lawyers representing more than 100 clients suffering from radiation overexposure are having their lawsuits against two Los Angeles hospitals and General Electric Co. consolidated in a California courtroom. A Los Angeles Times report on Wednesday added Los Angeles-USC Medical Center and Bakersfield Memorial Hospital to the list of hospitals where overdoses occurred – this time with scanners manufactured by Toshiba.

Hometown Station AM 1220 – Santa Clarita Radio – Hundreds Of Lawsuits Are Filed As Radiation Overdoses Continue

August 9, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Legal, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, radiation | Leave a comment

Anti-radiation pills for those living near nuclear power plants

State offering anti-radiation pills for those near nuke plants, York Dispatch, EYANA ADAH MCMILLAN , 08/07/2010 York County residents living near nuclear power plants can receive free potassium iodide tablets from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Potassium iodide helps protect the thyroid gland against the harmful effects of radioactive iodine that may be released during a radiological emergency.The tablets will be distributed Thursday, Aug. 12, at 12 locations around the state, the department said……… State offering anti-radiation pills for those near nuke plants – York Dispatch

August 9, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | health, USA | antinuclear, cancer, nuclear, nuclear costs, radiation, radioactive, reactors | 1 Comment

Move to help nuclear workers exposed to radiation

John thought he was manufacturing laundry detergents during his 23 years at Blockson. He wore only a paper mask while handling tanks that, unknown to him, were filled with uranium and radium to be used in the production of nuclear weapons.

Workers exposed to radiation may soon benefit from fund, The Washington Post, By Gerry SmithSunday, August 8, 2010; CHICAGO — Four years ago, then-U.S. Sen. Barack Obama called them “veterans of the Cold War” and pledged to help them receive compensation.But today, many former workers at Blockson Chemical in Joliet, Ill., and their survivors still have not been paid from a fund created in 2000 to make amends for exposing workers to high levels of radiation without telling them or providing adequate protection. Continue reading →

August 9, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Legal, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Russian efforts to save nuclear weapons plant from wildfires

Russian troops have dug a eight kilometre long canal to keep wildfires away from a nuclear arms site. Radio New Zealand News, 2010 : 08 : 08 Forest and peat fires in Russia, caused by a heatwave, have killed at least 52 people and destroyed thousands of homes.Smoke from the wildfires has blanketed the capital, Moscow, forcing people to wear surgical masks to filter out the smog.

A Russian radio station says army troops have excavated a canal around the Sarov nuclear arms facility, 350km east of Moscow, which is ringed by forest……..Radio New Zealand News : Stories : 2010 : 08 : 08 : Russian troops dig canal to protect nuclear site

August 7, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Russia, safety | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, plutonium, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Pont Lepreau nuclear plant – yet another setback

N.B. nuclear plant another year behind schedule, August 6, 2010 CBC News Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. has informed the New Brunswick government and NB Power that the $1.4-billion refurbishment of the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station is another year behind schedule…….

Election hot potato

The new delay comes just as the campaign for the Sept. 27 provincial election starts up. The Liberals were quick to point out that the contract with AECL for the refurbishment of Point Lepreau was signed by the Progressive Conservative government of Bernard Lord in 2005. CBC News – New Brunswick – N.B. nuclear plant another year behind schedule

August 7, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Canada, politics | antinuclear, nuclear costs, reactor | Leave a comment

Nuclear weapons do not make a country safer

Most European countries do not have nuclear weapons, and nor does Canada, Australia or New Zealand. Are these therefore in greater danger? On the contrary, the London bombings of 7th July 2005 were attacks on a country with nuclear weapons, while the attacks of 11th September 2001 were against the country with by far the largest nuclear arsenal in the world…..

The English Church is, actually, against the replacement of Trident | CatholicHerald.co.uk David Lindsay, 6 August 2010, ” ……….Like radiological, chemical and biological weapons, nuclear weapons are morally repugnant simply in themselves. They offer not the slightest defence against a range of loosely knit, if at all connected, terrorist organisations pursuing a range of loosely knit, if at all connected, aims in relation to a range of countries while actually governing no state. Continue reading →

August 6, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

USA keen to sell nukes to Vietnam – drops non-proliferation standards

An agreement would allow US companies such as General Electric and Bechtel to sell nuclear reactors and other equipment to Vietnam.

US and Vietnam in controversial nuclear negotiations | World news | The Guardian, Chris McGreal, 5 Aug 2010, Nuclear agreement would be without usual restrictions on enriching uranium imposed on other nations …….. Continue reading →

August 6, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics international, USA | antinuclear, enriched, General Electric, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

University of California designs technologies for nuclear holocaust

should the University of California be managing laboratories that design the latest technologies for nuclear holocaust?

Higher Learning: How to Blow Up the World, THE HUFFINGTON POST, Norman Solomon:, 6 August 2010, On my way to the Los Alamos National Laboratory a few years ago, I found it listed in a New Mexico phone book–under “University of California.”

Since the early 1940s, UC has managed the nation’s top laboratories for designing nuclear bombs. Today, California’s public university system is still immersed in the nuclear weapons business. Continue reading →

August 6, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Religion and ethics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

The end of USA’s nuclear resuscitation dream?

Constellation has even stated it could completely shut down operations in Maryland by the end of the year if it hadn’t received a federal guarantee……

The U.S. nuclear renaissance coming to an end already ? POWER GEN, by Brian Wheeler. August, 4 2010 – While the United States nuclear industry is continuing on its path to expand, there seems to be a roadblock for some companies. Cost. The capital cost for nuclear power plants is not cheap and this had led to some companies cutting back spending and even looking at canceling planned new nuclear development. Continue reading →

August 5, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA | antinuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear renaissance, nuclear spin, reactors | Leave a comment

Medical scanners’radiation overdoses, but Toshiba still wants nuclear taxpayer funds

the overdoses were larger and more widespread than previously known, with patients reporting serious health problems. They face long-term risks of cancer and brain damage…..Given the information emerging about Toshiba’s safety record, is that [funding] a risk U.S. taxpayers want to take?

Company seeking nuclear subsidies under investigation for radiation overdoses to stroke patients, FACING SOUTH, By Sue Sturgis August 4, 2010 The U.S. Senate could vote as soon as next month on a proposal to give $9 billion in taxpayer-backed loan guarantees to companies planning to build new nuclear reactors — and one of the companies seeking the aid for a project in Texas is currently under federal investigation for its role in the radiation overdoses of patients who received CT scans on its equipment. Continue reading →

August 5, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, radiation, radioactive, reactors | Leave a comment

USA Dept of Energy wants to offload weapons plutonium onto commercial reactors

The Department of Energy is looking for ways to dispose of plutonium from nuclear weapons….Ed Lyman, senior staff scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the mixed-oxide fuel is “too dirty, dangerous and expensive.”

TVA hears public worries over Ala. plant plutonium – BusinessWeek, 4 Aug 2010, TANNER, Ala. A public hearing on the Tennessee Valley Authority possibly using reprocessed weapons plutonium to power some reactors in north Alabama and Tennessee attracted about 70 people, many with questions about safety. Continue reading →

August 5, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | technology, USA | AUSTRALIA, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, plutonium, reactors, reprocessing | Leave a comment

France’s dubious dream of global nuclear power empire

France’s recent nuclear record is so ragged, it may struggle to win orders whatever the ownership structure. A new generation nuclear-power station being build by French state-owned reactor maker Areva in Finland is years behind schedule and nearly 80% over budget. A new EDF plant in France using the same Areva technology is also behind schedule……

France’s Tricky Nuclear Fusion, – WSJ.com, Matthew Curtin, AUGUST 3, 2010 “…..President Nicolas Sarkozy wants to create a French nuclear powerhouse. France believes 250 nuclear power stations will be built worldwide over the next 20 years, requiring total investment of $1 trillion or more. But dominating this market may be harder than Mr. Sarkozy thinks. Continue reading →

August 4, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, France | antinuclear, AREVA, nuclear, nuclear costs, reactors | Leave a comment

USA wants UN inspections for Syria’s possible nuclear sites

IAEA should look at mandatory Syria inspection: U.S. By Adrian Croft, LONDON Aug 3, 2010 LONDON (Reuters) – The U.S. envoy to the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday it should consider pressing for a mandatory special inspection in Syria to resolve allegations of covert atomic activity.A confidential International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report, obtained by Reuters in May, said Syria had revealed some details of past nuclear experiments to U.N. inspectors. But it was still blocking access to a desert site where secret atomic activity may have taken place.

U.S. intelligence reports said the desert site, bombed to rubble by Israel in 2007, had been a North Korean-designed nuclear reactor under construction, geared for atomic bomb fuel.

Syria allowed the IAEA to inspect the site, known as either al-Kibar or Dair Alzour, in June 2008 but has not allowed the agency to revisit it since then…….The IAEA lacks legal means to get Syria to open up because the country’s basic safeguards treaty covers only its one declared atomic facility, an old research reactor IAEA should look at mandatory Syria inspection: U.S. | Reuters

August 4, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Syria, weapons and war | nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

France shows the way to nuclear financial meltdown

Last week, AREVA posted a massive operating loss of 485 million euros for the first half of 2010…..Electricite de France (EDF) finds itself in a similar predicament. In the first half of 2010, the company saw its profits slashed by almost half.

France leads the way in the nuclear debacle Greenpeace International, by jmckeati – August 2, 2010 If you want to know why the so-called nuclear ‘renaissance’ is never going to happen, you need only look at the news that’s been coming out of France in the last few days. Continue reading →

August 3, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, France | antinuclear, AREVA, EDF, France, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

USA to allow South Korea to reprocess nuclear fuel?

Washington has so far been reluctant to permit it since the process results in the production of weapons-grade plutonium.

Korea, U.S. to Discuss Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing This Fall, The Chosun Ilbo, 3 Aug 2010, Korea and the United States have agreed to start talks about the revision of a bilateral atomic energy agreement this fall, it emerged on Monday. Seoul is keen to reprocess its own spent fuel rods, which it is barred from doing under the agreement, Continue reading →

August 3, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | South Korea, technology | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, reactors, recycling, reprocessing, uranium | Leave a comment