nuclear « nuclear-news

Iran defies West and cranks up uranium work

Iran defies West and cranks up uranium work Sydney Morning Herald February 10, 2010
The US has begun circulating ideas for possible sanctions among its closest allies on the UN Security Council and is hoping Tehran’s announcement will convince China that its real purpose is to create a weapon, not the civilian use of nuclear energy.

Calling Iran’s move provocative, a senior US official said the decision to enrich to 20 per cent, if carried out, would suggest that Iran’s ”intentions are not as they stated”………….

Iran uranium enrichment program|Mahmoud Ahmedinejad

February 9, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Iran, weapons and war | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

AREVA’s nuclear reactor safety features now too costly to compete with Korea’s nukes

It was speculated that those expensive features may have cost the company the UAE contract, and Areva has considered scaling back some of those additions for future designs.

Where Is Nuclear Power Really Heading?A Look at Obama’s Call for New Nuclear and the Reactors that Might Be Built by solveclimate Dave Levitan – Feb 5th, 2010

“…….The cost issues surrounding safety have already come up internationally. The United Arab Emirates awarded a high-profile contract for a new plant to a South Korean company late in 2009, after the French company Areva had been positioned as the front-runner.

The Areva EPR reactor has some advanced safety features including a “core catcher” room that could help prevent compromised nuclear fuel from escaping the reactor, as well as an enforced shell that could theoretically withstand an airplane impact. Continue reading →

February 6, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, France | antinuclear, AREVA, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, reactor, reactors | Leave a comment

“Nuclear Renaissance” just not happening

there have actually been very few new reactors started in recent years, and that nuclear energy as a percentage of global energy production has actually retreated since 2001.

NUCLEAR RENAISSANCE? Nuclear second coming could run out of steam – A Canadian think tank has challenged the idea that a nuclear renaissance is in full swing stating that new reactor construction is likely to be held back by a variety of issues : MineWeb Cameron French (Reuters) 05 Feb 2010TORONTO (Reuters) – Expectations of a sharp rise in nuclear generating capacity over the next two decades are likely overblown, a Canadian think tank said on Thursday, disputing conventional wisdom that a nuclear renaissance is in full swing. Continue reading →

February 6, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Canada | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear renaissance | Leave a comment

Medical Use of Ionizing Radiation Needs Better Regulation

Medical Group Urges New Rules on Radiation

The New York Times By WALT BOGDANICH

February 4, 2010

The leading professional organization dedicated to radiation oncology has called for enhanced safety measures in administering medical radiation, Continue reading →

February 6, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | health, USA | antinuclear, cancer, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

U.S. Energy Department carefully helping private uranium producers

the additional government supplies in the market could have depressed prices, making it difficult for producers to expand operations……….

Energy Dept cancels surplus uranium transfers

By Tom Doggett

WASHINGTON, Feb 4 (Reuters) – The U.S. Energy Department has canceled plans to put into the market during 2011 extra government-owned surplus uranium supplies, Energy Secretary Steven Chu told Congress on Thursday, Continue reading →

February 6, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, uranium | Leave a comment

Future for U.S. Nuclear power industry really is doubtful

Problematically, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has a policy that does not require newer designs to be substantially safer than old designs,

Where Is Nuclear Power Really Heading?A Look at Obama’s Call for New Nuclear and the Reactors that Might Be Built by solveclimate Dave Levitan – Feb 5th, 2010 “…..Energy Secretary Steven Chu and the president are making it clear that they intend to move forward. Thus, the question arises: After more than a decade without any new nuclear plants being built in the U.S., what exactly would new nuclear power look like?

Slowed Momentum, Escalating Costs…. Continue reading →

February 6, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, reactor, reactors | Leave a comment

Protest growing against uranium storage plant at Aldermaston

(UK) Anti-nuclear protestors dressed as Romans visit council offices to object to proposed development at AWE Green Reading 5 Feb 2010 A Group of ‘Romans’ visited the West Berkshire Council offices bearing ‘gifts’ of radio-active waste. The Romans were, infact, members of the Nuclear Information Service (NIS), a pressure group, who are protesting against the latest development at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE). Continue reading →

February 6, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, UK | antinuclear, enriched, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

Baltic sea: a Radioactive Nuclear Waste Dump?

Sweden wants explanation on Baltic nuclear ‘dumping’ By Damien McGuinness BBC News, Riga 5 Feb 2010
The Russian military allegedly dumped nuclear waste into the Baltic Sea in the early 1990s, according to a report on Swedish television. Continue reading →

February 6, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, secrets,lies and civil liberties | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, wastes | Leave a comment

Misleading headlines on nuclear power plants

This week’s Economist/YouGov poll

SOME highlights from this week’s Economist/YouGov poll 5 Feb 2010

“Nearly half of Americans (47%) think nuclear power plants are safe.”

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Now that could more logically be headed “More than half of Americans do not think that nuclear power plants are safe”

February 6, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | spinbuster, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear wastes | Leave a comment

Wind industry thriving in Europe, Nuclear declining

“in Europe, more nuclear and coal capacity were decommissioned than installed in 2009,”

Wind beating nuclear and coal in europe CleanTech February 4, 2010 – by Dallas Kachan More signs of the ascendancy of renewables and the waning of conventional energy, at least in Europe, according to two new reports:

Wind installations were up dramatically in 2009 despite the recession, driven by China, and accounted for the largest proportion of new power installations in the world, says one report, and
In Europe, more nuclear and coal capacity were decommissioned than installed in 2009, according to the other Continue reading →

February 5, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable | antinuclear, energy efficiency, nuclear | Leave a comment

Cameco, Exelon, USEC, – Nuclear and Uranium Stocks are Losers

Top Nuclear Stocks Losers (NYSE: CCJ,EXC,USU) Trak In, Business and Finance News by EIN, 2010/02/05 Dallas, Tx – Cameco Corporation (USA) (NYSE:CCJ) went down 2.94% to $27.37 on 2.29 million shares. The stock hit an intraday high and an intraday low of $28.30 and $27.34 respectively. In the last six months the stock went down over 6%. Cameco Corporation is a Canada-based company. The Company, along with its subsidiaries, is engaged in the exploration, development, mining, refining, conversion and fabrication of uranium for sale as fuel for generating electricity in nuclear power reactors in Canada and other countries. Continue reading →

February 5, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, business and costs | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, reactor, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Stephen Chu’s religious faith that a nuclear waste solution will be found

(Despite 60 years of fruitless search ) “Chu, testifying to the panel members on the budget proposal, maintained that “we’re going to have a solution to nuclear, the backend fuel issue…”

GOP: Chu Sending Mixed Signals on NuclearEnergy and Environment National Journal Amy Harder
February 4, 2010

Republican senators today accused Energy Secretary Steven Chu of sending mixed signals to the nuclear industry. Continue reading →

February 5, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Activists get deep inside U.S. Nuclear Weapons Site in Europe

U.S. Nuclear Weapons Site in Europe Breached By Hans M. Kristensen FAS Stategic Security 4 Feb 2010

A group of people last week managed to penetrate deep onto Kleine Brogel Air Base in Belgium where the U.S. Air Force currently deploys 10-20 nuclear bombs. Continue reading →

February 5, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, safety | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons | 1 Comment

Tax-payers giving a blank check to the U.S. nuclear industry?

“With hundreds of billions in bailouts already on the shoulders of US taxpayers, the country cannot afford to move forward with a program that could easily become the black hole for hundreds of billions more,” …The Senate energy bill approved by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee last June would create a Clean Energy Deployment Administration (CEDA) within the DOE that could distribute a virtually unlimited number of loan guarantees without any congressional oversight.

Obama’s Nuclear Giveaway, Buried in the budget is a plan to underwrite the nuclear industry’s revival.

Mother Jones 4 Feb 2010 By Kate Sheppard

“… the Obama administration’s 2011 budget proposes tripling the loan guarantee program—from the $18.5 billion that Congress has already approved to $54.5 billion. The program’s expansion is just one of several signs that the Obama administration is throwing its muscle behind the nuclear industry’s push for a massive expansion. Continue reading →

February 5, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin | Leave a comment

$Billions for Nuclear Power Sneaked into the U.S Climate Bill

Nuclear’s Slice of the Climate Pie— Mother Jones, Feb. 3, 2010 By Kate Sheppard

Senators hoping to pass a climate and energy bill this year have listed increased support for nuclear power as one of the major enticements for Republicans and apprehensive Democrats to back the legislation. Continue reading →

February 5, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | climate change, USA | antinuclear, climate change, energy efficiency, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin | Leave a comment