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Oklahoma House Panel promoting nuclear power industry

the bill removes prohibitions in state law that specifically excluded nuclear energy as an eligible power source.

Oklahoma House Panel Greenlights Nuclear Power Bill, – Nuclear Power Industry News, Measure will permit municipalities to buy nuclear energy – Edited by April Murelio 2 April 2010, -According to a report by newsok.com, a House panel has passed a measure that would allow municipal power authorities to buy electricity from nuclear plants and to invest in a joint venture for a nuclear power plant.

The committee voted 21-4 to pass Senate Bill 1668. It now goes to the House of Representatives. Rep. Rex Duncan, House author of the bill, said that the bill removes prohibitions in state law that specifically excluded nuclear energy as an eligible power source. The exclusion was written at a time when it was feared radioactive waste from nuclear plants would threaten public health and natural resources.

Oklahoma House Panel Greenlights Nuclear Power Bill – Nuclear Power Industry News

April 3, 2010 Posted by | politics, USA | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear Regulatory Commission downplaying radiation risks

the level of cesium 137 contamination at Vermont Yankee was “three to 12 times the levels found at Chernobyl,” the 1986 nuclear accident in Ukraine.…….

Lawmakers take NRC to task: Rutland Herald, by Daniel Barlow, April 2, 2010……….several lawmakers questioned the NRC’s overall approach to dealing with aging nuclear power plants and wondered if they were downplaying the dangers associated with some of the radiological releases from the 38-year-old Vernon reactor. Continue reading

April 3, 2010 Posted by | spinbuster, USA | , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mountainous cost of nuclear wastes and still no plan

The DOE now has no place to put the waste and no plan

Seeking a ‘Plan B’ 
for nuclear waste:  With Yucca Mountain site dead, billions paid into project are in limbo By Margaret Newkirk , The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,  April 2, 2010 “…….. Georgia electric customers paid the U.S. government more than $701 million over nearly three decades, in exchange for a service now 12 years overdue.Today, the U.S. government is as far away from delivering on its part of the bargain as it has ever been. Continue reading

April 3, 2010 Posted by | USA, wastes | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The staggering and increasing costs to USA taxpayer of the “nuclear revival”

While the nuclear power loan guarantees essentially subsidize new power plants, what has not been factored in are the hidden costs of “clean” nuclear power: the financial legacy of past mining and milling operations have reached into tens of billions of dollars in the West’s “National Sacrifice Areas.”

Hot Rocks: Hidden Cost and Foreign Ownership of “Clean” Nuclear Fuel Emerging,THE HUFFINGTON POST, D.A. Barber, 1 April 2010, “…..Political Costs Critics say the new nuclear power subsidies should not come as a surprise. Over the last decade, the nuclear industry has spent more than $600 million lobbying Washington and another $63 million in campaign contributions, according to the Investigative Reporting Workshop at American University.

Critics like Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C. have questioned whether banks will back new nuclear plants – which cost nearly 35% more than coal or natural gas plants – until the nuclear waste issue is dealt with. Continue reading

April 2, 2010 Posted by | politics, USA | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cancer and birth deformities in Serbia – depleted uranium’s deadly legacy

Permanent consequences “The half-life of uranium 238 is very long – 4.5 billion years,” reminds nuclear physicist Miroslav Simic, stating that “this way of throwing away nuclear waste on civilian, but also military targets, is not human as the consequences are permanent.”

Depleted Uranium, Dirty Bombs: NATO’s Deadly Gifts To Kosovo, Serbia  Piotr Bein’s blog 29 March 2010, By Ljubica Vujadinovic, Belgrade: A leading Serbian expert in the field says NATO’s use of depleted uranium ammunition in it’s aggression against Serbia has caused an enormous increase in cancer rates and the number of newborns with genetic malformations. Continue reading

March 29, 2010 Posted by | depleted uranium, EUROPE | , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Anti Nuclear Group Seek to Intervene in Nuclear License Renewal

the group has been granted intervener status in previous proceedings and is almost sure to get that designation this time around. It gives the group legal standing in the relicensing proceedings and also gives it greater leverage to file lawsuits if the agency does not meet its demands.

San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace files protest over Diablo SanLuis Obispo Tribune Mar. 29, 2010, Anti-nuclear activists want to be declared an intervener in the license renewal process By David Sneed | The anti-nuclear group San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace has filed five formal protests over plans to extend the two operating licenses at Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant for 20 more years. Continue reading

March 29, 2010 Posted by | Legal, USA | , , , , | Leave a comment

Financial battle over the future of the nuclear power industry

As elderly nukes stumble toward oblivion, various funds allegedly set aside for decommissioning may be significantly under-funded, deeply exacerbating the financial battles that now the industry.


The Legacy of Three Mile Island: It Could Happen Again At Any Time HARVEY WASSERMAN FOR BUZZFLASH 27 March 2010,“……1) Four northeastern nukes—in Vermont, New Jersey and the two at Indian Point— are under intense public pressure to shut within the next two years. Numerous other elderly reactors are likely to go down long before any new nukes could come on line. Continue reading

March 29, 2010 Posted by | business and costs, USA | , , , , , | Leave a comment

France’s nuclear reactors – cost cutting risks safety

Revelations from an EDF insider : EPR reactor prone to major nuclear accident risk!The French Network for Nuclear Phase-out (Réseau “Sortir du nucléaire”) 6 March 2010, reveals confidential documents disclosed by an anonymous insider from EDF (Electricité de France, the main French power utility). These documents show that the design of the EPR presents a serious risk of a major nuclear accident – a risk deliberately taken by EDF to increase its profitability. Because it is potentially vulnerable to a situation which could have uncontrollable consequences, the EPR reactor is extremely dangerous.

http://www.sortirdunucleaire.org/index.php?menu=actualites&sousmenu=dossiers&soussousmenu=EPRrevelations&page=2

March 29, 2010 Posted by | France, safety | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear plants, and their final closure, will leave large radioactive legacy

after 30 years of operation their could be as many as 100 billion lethal doses of radiation sitting right here in Allegany County.

From the Archives, 1989: Radiation Danger Deepens, The Houghton Star, By Kim Kerr and Trina Van Derlip March 27, 2010, This article, entitled “Running Risks: Radiation Danger Deepens,” was printed in the October 2, 1989 edition of the Star, and was written by Kim Kerr and Trina Van Derlip, “……..The problem had its beginning in 1985, when the Federal Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act (introduced in 1980) was passed and amended. This policy shifted the responsibility of low-level waste from the federal to the state governments. Continue reading

March 27, 2010 Posted by | USA, wastes | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

UK’s nuclear plants viable only with advance levy on customers

Budget 2010: Consumers face levy on energy bills to pay for nuclear plants The Guardian UK  25 March 2010 The government has officially confirmed plans for a new carbon levy on consumer bills which it hopes will make building new nuclear plants viable, as the Guardian revealed in October last year. Continue reading

March 26, 2010 Posted by | business and costs, UK | , , , | Leave a comment

Now U.S. taxpayer funds not only nuclear loans, but even the loans application!

Energy Department investing $45M for technology for southern Ohio uranium enrichment project, The Washinton Examiner, Associated Press03/24/10 EDTPIKETON, OHIO — The Department of Energy will invest $45 million in ongoing development and demonstration of centrifuge technology for a uranium-enrichment plant in southern Ohio.The department said Tuesday that it will provide the funding by taking title to depleted uranium from USEC Inc. The Bethesda, Md.-based company can then use the $45 million it set aside for uranium disposal. USEC also will provide $45 million in matching funds.

USEC says the demonstration and development work is needed to show progress to gain a $2 billion federal loan guarantee. The company says the guarantee is crucial to obtaining private financing to complete its American Centrifuge project in Piketon.The Energy Department last year delayed its final review of USEC’s loan guarantee application.Piketon is about 65 miles south of Columbus.

Energy Department investing $45M for technology for southern Ohio uranium enrichment project | Washington Examiner

March 25, 2010 Posted by | politics, USA | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

USA to provide nuclear power plants to Pakistan?

US amenable to providing Nuclear power plants to Pakistan  Rupee News, March 21, 2010 There seems to be sea change in US attitudes towards Islamabad. According to press releases, analyst reports, Islamabad’s demands, and positive signals from US officials, Pakistan will ask for Atomic energy, and the US Administration seems to be amenable to providing Civilian Nuclear Power plants to Pakistan… Continue reading

March 22, 2010 Posted by | Pakistan, politics international | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear ‘renaissance’ threatened by the wastes ‘elephant in the room’

[U.S. government is ] naming an expert panel to find solutions for the waste. The nuclear industry argues it is ready to move ahead regardless of the panel’s deliberations….


ANALYSIS – Toxic waste weighs on revival of nuclear industry Reuters, Mar 17, 2010 By Ayesha Rascoe WASHINGTON Reviving the U.S. nuclear industry could get hung up on the political minefield of how to handle the security, legal and environmental risks posed by a growing mountain of radioactive waste. Continue reading

March 21, 2010 Posted by | USA, wastes | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

UK Conservative Party produces financially impossible nuclear power plan

“Huge amounts of private sector investment will be needed to deliver this energy infrastructure.”

Tory energy policy given lukewarm response by energy analysts,  Energy analysts have criticised Tory plans to effect the biggest shake-up of Britain’s energy policy in a generation as “verging on the impossible”. Telegraph, By Louise Armitstead 19 Mar 2010 “……….. Central to the Conservatives’ policy document, called Rebuilding Security, are plans to fast-track the building of nuclear power plants but allowing their construction to be approved directly by Parliament to avoid lengthy delays by protesters. Continue reading

March 20, 2010 Posted by | politics, UK | , , , | Leave a comment

USA anger at Russia’s support for Iran’s nuclear plant

Clinton, Lavrov Clash Over Iran Nuclear Plant   Antiwar.com by Jason Ditz, March 18, Visiting Russia today with an eye toward negotiating a nuclear arms reduction treaty, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton instead harangued Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov over Iran’s civilian nuclear program.Secretary Clinton called on Russia’s government to stall the completion of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran until further notice. Russia is constructing the plant, and expects it to be completed this summer.

Clinton, Lavrov Clash Over Iran Nuclear Plant — News from Antiwar.com

March 20, 2010 Posted by | politics international, Russia | , , , | Leave a comment