nuclear technology « nuclear-news

Australia’s hypocritical and unsafe uranium deal with Russia

“Australia cannot hope to be a leader on nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament while spreading nuclear risks by trying to become the world’s largest uranium supplier,”

Activists Blast Russian-Australian Uranium Deal, NTI: Global Security Newswire , Nov. 12, 2010 * Activists have sharply criticized a new Russian-Australian uranium export agreement, partly over concerns that nuclear material sent to Russia under the deal could be diverted for weapons production, the Australian Associated Press reported today (see GSN, Nov. 11). Continue reading →

November 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, politics international, Uranium | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, uranium | 1 Comment

Obama pleases his corporate nuclear backers, but safety troubles won’t go away

The problems all occurred within days of President Obama’s post-election press conference in which he promoted restarting the U.S. nuclear power industry. His remarks came after heavy spending by the nuclear power industry during the recent election cycle .

As Obama pushes nuclear industry’s expansion, its safety troubles mount, FACING SOUTH, By Sue Sturgis on November 8, 2010, Two nuclear power plants owned by New Orleans-based Entergy were forced to shut down over the weekend following serious operating problems, including a radioactive leak at one plant in Vermont. Continue reading →

November 10, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear renaissance, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Hanford’s super hot radioactive waste needs a robot for cleanup

The Tank C-107 holds 247,000 gallons of radioactive and chemical sludge

Robotic arm to clean out Hanford waste tank, Seattle Times Newspaper, 9 Nov 10, Workers at the Hanford nuclear reservation are cutting a bigger hole in a high-level radioactive waste tank so a robotic arm can be inserted for cleanup work Continue reading →

November 10, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, nuclear weapons, plutonium, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Mystery of USA Republicans supporting socialised nuclear industry

I can’t understand why they’re pushing an energy agenda that calls for building new nuclear power plants. Those facilities are super-expensive and are virtually impossible to build without a big helping hand from the government.

GOP’s nuclear option – Rochester City Newspaper, November 8, 2010 By Jeremy Moule. Republicans just took back control of Congress in an electoral wave, Continue reading →

November 9, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

USA misled workers on health risks from nuclear weapons plant

General Services Administration gave wrong or misleading responses to employee questions about environmental conditions, lacked a clear understanding of its responsibilities and failed to document possible health hazards.

U.S. faulted on nuclear parts plant health threat, KANSAS CITY Nov 8 (Reuters) – Federal workers were kept in the dark about possible health risks from a plant making parts for nuclear weapons next door to their Kansas City offices, Continue reading →

November 9, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | secrets,lies and civil liberties, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

No, Mr President, we can’t ‘restart’ the nuclear industry

A “commercial” nuclear reactor would cost upwards of 15 billion dollars to build in America today and require massive government subsidies which could be invested in, for example, offshore wind power and transmission lines instead.

A response to President Obama on nuclear industry, Media With Conscience , By Ace Hoffman, 8 Nov 10, During a press conference after the elections this week, President Obama made a short reference in vague support of nuclear energy. He said:”There’s been discussion about how we can restart our nuclear industry as a means of reducing our dependence on foreign oil and reducing greenhouse gases. Is that an area where we can move forward?” Continue reading →

November 8, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive, reactors, renewable energy, renewables, uranium | Leave a comment

UK military knew of dangers to soldiers in Australia’s nuclear bomb tests

Lawyers believe the papers could be the “smoking gun” that proves military chiefs knew they were sending servicemen to their deaths when they made them watch atomic blasts 50 years ago.

Release of secret documents that could bring justice to nuclear bomb veterans ordered – mirror.co.uk, By Susie Boniface 7/11/2010 A judge has ordered the release of top secret documents that could bring justice to Britain’s nuclear bomb veterans. Continue reading →

November 8, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | secrets,lies and civil liberties, UK | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, cancer, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Time running out for Vermont nuclear plant

An Uncertain Nuclear Countdown, November 5, 2010, NYTimes.com, By MATTHEW L. WALD If the clock is ticking on the lifetime of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant, when will it actually close? Continue reading →

November 6, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, radiation, radioactive, reactor | Leave a comment

Obama and 200 corporate heavies to India to sell nuclear technology

Over 200 US corporate chiefs are accompanying Mr Obama, including Jeffrey Inmelt of GE, seeking to sell to India civil nuclear equipment worth billions of dollars.

US trade drive in India includes arms and civil nuclear material – The Irish Times – Sat, Nov 06, 2010, RAHUL BEDI in New Delhi US PRESIDENT Barack Obama arrives in India today on a three-day official trip that promises to be high on ceremony and sentiment but somewhat low on tangible “deliverables”…. Continue reading →

November 6, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, politics international, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

BNP Paribas banking group to fund a dangerous obsolete nuclear reactor

This reactor fails to meet international safety standards, in addition its outdated, decades old technology would never be permitted in France itself. It is a dangerous nuclear project that should not go ahead – yet BNP Paribas wants to finance it. This money would come partially from customers’ savings – which make up 45% of the banking group’s global revenue.

Why isn’t BNP Paribas ‘sharing’ its nuclear projects on Facebook? Greenpeace International, by Laura K. – November 4, 2010 Two weeks ago we revealed banking group BNP Paribas, the world’s leading investor in the nuclear industry, is planning to fund an obsolete, dangerous nuclear reactor in Brazil – Angra 3. Continue reading →

November 6, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, business and costs | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, radiation, reactor | Leave a comment

Dirty tricks in the nuclear industry, using Stuxnet computer worm?

if Areva wanted to harm Siemens reputation or make it less attractive to Rosatom, what better way than to demonstrate the unreliability of its control system software?

British Nuclear Power Plant Goes Dark. Stuxnet Worm To Blame?, Forbes, The Firewall , Nov. 1 2010 – by Jeffrey Carr, British Energy, owned by France’s EDF Energy PLC, has reported an “unplanned outage” at its Heysham 1 nuclear power plant yesterday. A company spokesperson told the Associated Press that repairs to one of the reactors are ongoing but didn’t say when the plant was expected to resume operations.
According to Siemens’ website, EDF Energy is a customer of the German technology giant, whose infrastructure software has suffered from a global infection of the sophisticated Stuxnet worm……. Continue reading →

November 4, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | secrets,lies and civil liberties, UK | antinuclear, AREVA, EDF, France, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology, reactor | Leave a comment

EU struggles with nuclear waste problem, plans to ban exports of waste

no final repositories exist for the roughly 7,000 cubic meters of high-level waste produced each year….the majority of the toxic substance is kept in interim storages..

EU nuclear waste proposals include export ban EUobserver, ANDREW WILLIS 03.11.2010 BRUSSELS – New European Commission proposals will require EU member states to bury their radioactive waste deep underground, with overseas exports of the toxic byproduct also set to be banned. Continue reading →

November 4, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, wastes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, reactors, uranium | 1 Comment

Nuclear power plants just not getting built in USA, despite govt loans

President Obama even proposed another $36 billion in federal loan guarantees for the industry in February of this year.

Yet last year, only one application was filed. And none at all this year…

Obstacles to Nuclear Construction in the United States, by Tony D’Altorio, Investment U Research November 2, 2010 Electricite de France or EDF ADR (PINK: ECIFY) just got dumped by Constellation Energy (NYSE: CEG). And that could spell some big changes to its plans. Continue reading →

November 3, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA | antinuclear, AREVA, EDF, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear renaissance, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, reactors | Leave a comment

No money for nuclear!

If the nuclear industry is not covering its costs then the government will be left with a shortfall which they will have no choice either to write off the debt or to pass that cost onto the consumer.

Nuclear Power : Not cheap, Not safe, Not Wanted No Money for Nuclear, Nov 2010, Welcome to No Money for Nuclear The No Money for Nuclear movement was formed to concentrate on one issue. Whether the level of support that the nuclear industry will receive for building new nuclear power stations is justified, especially when contrasted with the severity of public expenditure cuts already announced. Continue reading →

November 3, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, UK | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, reactors | Leave a comment

More anti-nuclear protestors face court in UK

The protest was organised by the campaign group Trident Ploughshares which said it was opposed to the UK’s Trident nuclear weapons’ system.

More charges over anti-nuclear protest at Devon base, BBC News, November 2010 Eight more people have been charged with public order offences following an anti-nuclear protest outside Plymouth’s Devonport naval base.More than 100 people took part in the demonstration on Monday morning.
The charges include aggravated trespass and wilful obstruction of a public highway other than with a car. Continue reading →

November 3, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | opposition to nuclear, UK | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear technology, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment