nuclear costs « nuclear-news

The world’s most dangerous project – Russia’s floating nukes

their flexibility also brings a phalanx of new risk considerations to the nuclear bargain — particularly one like this that’s designed to change locales. No surprise then that Greenpeace Russia has dubbed the Akademik Lomonosov the world’s most dangerous nuclear project in a decade…

Russia Launches Floating Nuclear Power Plant, EEE Spectrum, 2 July 2010, Russian nuclear engineering group Rosatom launched the world’s first floating nuclear power plant Wednesday, Continue reading →

July 3, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Russia, safety | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, reactors | Leave a comment

USA soldiers and depleted uranium – the problem continues

VIDEO
The Stark Raving Viking: Using Depleted Uranium Munitions, a War Crime? July 02, 2010 Radioactive, fragmenting, incendiary, radioactive munitions have been used by the US since the first Gulf War. There seems to be no official US regard for the health of US Troops and citizens of the world. Continue reading →

July 3, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | health, USA | antinuclear, cancer, depleted, nuclear, nuclear costs, radiation, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

Time to stop U.S. Congress from ’emergency’ payout to nuclear industry

Wall Street investment firms are still too burned by atomic defaults from the 1970s and 1980s — the largest managerial disaster in business history according to Forbes magazine — to risk their own funds on new reactors, despite the federal loan guarantees!

As Taxpayers for Common Sense argues, such an emergency supplemental war funding and disaster relief bill is no place for energy loan guarantees to be attached in the first place

“Declare your independence” from risky nuclear loan guarantees before the 4th of July!, Beyond Nuclear, 2 July 2010, -There is still time to act against expanded nuclear power loan guarantees before the U.S. House finalizes its supplemental war funding and disaster relief bill by its Independence Day recess.

The U.S. House Appropriations Committee, chaired by Dave Obey (Democrat-Wisconsin), is considering an emergency supplemental war funding and disaster relief bill. The Obama administration has pushed for $9 billion in additional nuclear power loan guarantees to be attached as a rider onto this bill, thus attempting to rush part of a $36 billion expansion request to the nuclear power loan guarantee program, originally requested for next year’s Fiscal Year 2011 budget, onto this fiscal year’s budget. Continue reading →

July 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

$9 billion ’emergency war” money to go to nuclear industry

Because independent investors won’t fund them, the reactor industry has spent some $645 million in the last decade lobbying Congress and the White House for taxpayer money.

(USA) Can “Emergency” New Nuke Loans Be Stopped Despite Cover of War?, THE HUFFINGTON POST, Harvey Wasserman, 2 July 2010, Amidst a grassroots uproar over funding for the military, the nuclear power industry has again forced $9 billion in loan guarantees onto an “emergency” war appropriations bill for Afghanistan and Iraq. Continue reading →

July 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Sweden’s nuclear future is very uncertain indeed

the people of Sweden voted to decommission all nuclear power plants by 2010. However, only two nuclear blocks (Barsebaeck 1+2) were actually decommissioned. The decommissioning cost three times more than it did to build the reactors in the first place. That is why it is so important for the external costs of nuclear power to be included when doing a cost analysis.

NUCLEAR: Is the battle lost?, PROJECT 90, 30 June 2010, On the 17th June 2010 Sweden’s parliament passed a Bill to overturn a 30-year-old ban on new nuclear reactors. 174 parliamentarians voted yes and 172 voted no. The Swedish Parliament attached some conditions to the building of new nuclear reactors:

Only existing plants would be replaced

No government subsidies would be granted to the nuclear developments

The owner and operator would be held financially responsible in the case of any accidents. Continue reading →

July 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, Sweden | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear decommissioning, nuclear technology | 1 Comment

Scientists warn on huge taxpayer bill for USA’s nuclear subsidies

If the industry is able to secure federal approval to build the 31 new reactors it is expected to request, UCS found that total proposed subsidies could be worth from $65 billion to as much as $147 billion.

Senate Currently Proposing $40 Billion to More Than $140 Billion in Subsidies for Nuclear Industry, New Analysis FindsNew Subsidies for Constructing Reactors Would Shift Financial Risks to Taxpayers Union of Concerned Scientists WASHINGTON (July 1, 2010) – Massive government subsidies proposed in two pending Senate climate and energy bills would shift the risk of financing and constructing new nuclear reactors from the industry to U.S. taxpayers, according to an analysis released today by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). Continue reading →

July 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology | Leave a comment

USA Congress to fund nuclear industry, cut education funding

Congress brazenly puts the interests of corporations above the needs of regular Americans, including teachers and children. This is further proof our political system has been corrupted by corporate influence and special interests.

Nuke Industry Bullies Students, Demands Lunch Money. House Democrats choose pre-emptive bailout for nuclear industry over preventing teacher layoffs. Common Dreams WASHINGTON – July 1
This week, the House of Representatives is expected to vote on supplemental appropriations for the war in Afghanistan and several domestic programs. The domestic program funding preserves $9 billion in loan guarantees for nuclear reactors, while cutting $13 billion in funds to prevent teacher layoffs. Continue reading →

July 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | AUSTRALIA, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin | Leave a comment

Malaysian MPs not impressed by nuclear hype

“The experience in Europe actually shows that there’s a major [cost] overrun. For example, they say it’s €2 billion [but] by the time it’s all done, €4 billion total,”

The talk, featured nuclear industry speakers from Korea, France and the US……

Government nuclear pitch fails to impress PR MPs « Charles Santiago The Malaysian Insider By Yow Hong Chieh July 01, 2010 KUALA LUMPUR, — A government-organised talk on the nuclear industry last night failed to convince Pakatan Rakyat (PR) MPs that nuclear power is the energy source most suited to meet Malaysia’s increasing energy demands. Continue reading →

July 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ASIA, spinbuster | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin | Leave a comment

USA taxpayers fund AREVA and other foreign nuclear companies

Groups: Foreign Companies, Workers Are Big Early Winners Under Federal Loan Guarantees For Nuclear Reactors Taxpayer-Backed Nuclear Loan Guarantees Make July 4th “Energy Non-Independence Day”; 2 of 3 Leading Loan Guarantees Candidates Have Major Foreign Ownership, Large Reactor Component Construction Jobs Are Overseas.WASHINGTON, July 1 USNewswire/ — The notion that taxpayer-backed loan guarantees for more nuclear power means energy independence in the United States is a hoax that could cost unwary U.S. taxpayers tens of billions of dollars while richly benefiting profitable foreign corporations and non-U.S. workers, according to a new report from the nonprofit Nuclear Information & Resource Service (NIRS). Continue reading →

July 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, AREVA, France, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, uranium | Leave a comment

Non existent nuclear security for USA’s railroads and coastlines

DHS Effort to Counter Nuclear Terrorism Leaves Huge Gaps, Expert Says | Security Debrief -1 July 2010, The Department of Homeland Security office responsible for protecting the nation against nuclear terrorism grew so distracted over efforts to develop next-generation radiation detectors that it failed to draft a strategic plan to coordinate interagency counterterrorism efforts, a government expert told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday.

The absence of a plan has led to a major security gap, Eugene E. Aloise, director of the GAO’s Natural Resources and Environment Division, said. Because it has focused on improving equipment to detect nuclear materials entering U.S. seaports and border stations, which already have monitors, the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) neglected to build capacity along international railroads and the coastline, where defenses don’t exist, he said.

DHS Effort to Counter Nuclear Terrorism Leaves Huge Gaps, Expert Says | Security Debrief – a blog of homeland security news and analysis

July 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

AREVA new nuclear plant an expensive pipe-dream

Province doesn’t need another reactor, telegraphjournal.com , DAVID BEAUDIN, New Brunswick, Canada, 29 June 2010, “……..the provincial government is actively negotiating with Areva to construct Lepreau II.Considering the financial, technical and power generating debacle resulting from the attempted refurbishment of the Lepreau nuclear plant, one sincerely hoped that the government would, at least be “once bitten, twice shy.” New Brunswick has no need for the power to be produced by a second nuclear plant. It’s for export, part of the political “energy hub” pipedream. Continue reading →

July 1, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Canada | antinuclear, AREVA, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, reactors | Leave a comment

Strong opposition to nuclear power in Thailand

Green group urges Thailand to shelve nuclear plans, Google hosted news, AFP) – 1 July 2010, BANGKOK — Environmental campaigners on Wednesday urged Thailand to shelve its nuclear power proposals, warning that the cost of the project could be much greater than expected.Greenpeace said the government’s provisional plans to build five nuclear plants could face “huge cost overruns” and pressed authorities to instead focus on renewable energy…….

Thailand is exploring the feasibility of tapping atomic power to help meet its growing energy needs, but it has faced strong local opposition to the siting of reactors. Continue reading →

July 1, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ASIA, politics | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Cracks at Texas nuclear waste site

No room for error at radioactive waste site Dallas Morning News, 1 july 2010 Cracked asphalt provides a stark reminder of the nonexistent margin for error at a controversial radioactive waste dump in West Texas. When state inspectors visited the site in Andrews County, they found cracks up to an inch wide in asphalt near canisters of radioactive material. While cracked asphalt is fairly inconsequential – and pretty much par for the course – when it comes to our city streets, it can be a dangerous proposition at a radioactive waste dump.

A spokesman for Dallas-based Waste Control Specialists, which operates the low-level radioactive waste site, dismissed the cracks as superficial and said they have been repaired. But as the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has noted, that asphalt pad is an important safeguard against ground contamination…..

Editorial: No room for error at radioactive waste site | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Opinion: Editorials

July 1, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radioactive | Leave a comment

Germany’s nuclear power industry not happy with uranium fuel tax

German Minister:Fuel-Rod Tax Tied To Nuclear Extension – WSJ.com By Jan Hromadko BERLIN (Dow Jones), 1 July 2010, –The German government’s proposed tax on nuclear energy will be linked to a planned extension of reactor operating lives, deputy economic minister Jochen Homann said Wednesday. Continue reading →

July 1, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Germany | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Investors pessimistic about uranium shares

Stalled price tanks stocks | The Energy Collective 29 June Uranium price likely to remain flat for next few years – falling prices”…..A review of 12 Canadian uranium mining stocks – three producers and nine juniors – show a dismaying trend since December 2009.
Every quarter FCW compiles tracking information on stock prices across a selected list of producers and juniors. The trends for these companies as of June 11, 2010, is an unmistakable dive from prior values. Of the 12 stocks on our list , seven have seen their prices drop by more than 20% and three have seen their stock prices drop by more than 10%……..

“The lack of movement of uranium price is the reason investors are not active. There is no incentive to invest if there is no movement in the underlying commodity.”

July 1, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Canada | antinuclear, nuclear costs, uranium | Leave a comment