uranium « nuclear-news

Continuing issue of smuggling of Highly Enriched Uranium

The Georgian ministry of interior has foiled eight attempts of illicit trafficking of enriched uranium during the last ten years, including several cases of weapons-grade enrichment.”

Nuclear Smuggling in the Former Soviet Union, THE HUFFINGTON POST, Rizwan Ladha , 4 Aug 2010, “……..In 2006, a North Ossetian man named Oleg Khintsagov (sometimes spelled Khinsagov) was arrested for selling 100 grams of highly enriched uranium (HEU) to an undercover Georgian official. He was sentenced to 7 years in prison. An excellent detailed report of the entire episode (in PDF format) is available from the Belfer Center here, and is covered briefly in the new feature film, Countdown to Zero. Continue reading →

August 5, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, secrets,lies and civil liberties, Uranium | antinuclear, enriched, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

Time for a positive step with Iran nuclear deal?

The perhaps best indicator would be Iran’s willingness to allow full, open, and unrestricted IAEA inspections of its confirmed and suspected nuclear facilities. That would be the first step toward what could be a watershed deal in engaging Iran with the outside world and scaling back the nuclear program threatening Middle Eastern and global security.

Why Iran Might Finally Be Ready for a Nuclear Deal – International – The Atlantic, Max Fisher, 28 July, 2010, It’s difficult to know how seriously to take Iran’s offer to halt its program of enriching medical-grade uranium in exchange for a nuclear fuel swap. Continue reading →

August 5, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Iran, politics international | antinuclear, enriched, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, reactor, uranium | Leave a comment

lingering radioactivity affects worker

The site south of Buffalo housed a nuclear fuel reprocessing operation from 1966 to 1972. Uranium and plutonium were extracted from spent fuel. Cleanup has been ongoing since the 1980s.

NY nuke site worker had slight radiation exposure – BusinessWeek, WEST VALLEY, N.Y., 4 Aug 2010, A worker at a New York nuclear cleanup site had to be decontaminated after moisture seeped through her protective clothing while she was cleaning a floor, exposing her to a slight amount of radiation. Continue reading →

August 5, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, plutonium, radiation, radioactive, reprocessing, uranium | 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

France desperate to sell nuclear technology, even to Pakistan

The thorny nuclear issue was also expected to be on the agenda at Sarkozy and Zardari’s meeting. France is a major exporter of civil nuclear technology

Pakistani president says France considers his country ‘responsible partner’, The Canadian Press, By Jenny Barchfield (CP) –3 Aug 2010, PARIS — Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari, facing questions about his country’s role in Afghanistan, turned to France for support in talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy that covered fighting terrorism and nuclear co-operation… Continue reading →

August 3, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Pakistan, politics international | antinuclear, AREVA, France, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, nuclear wastes, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Court action to stop uranium drilling

The groups say the government improperly excluded the vent project from federal regulations, deeming it a “special use” rather than a traditional mining operation.
“The agency thus illegally bypassed the strict permitting and environmental protection requirements of its special use regulations,” the groups claim.

Groups Sue to Block Uranium Drilling in Utah, Courthouse News Service,By SUZANNE ASHE 2 Aug 2010, SALT LAKE CITY (CN) – Three conservation groups want to stop the U.S. Forest Service from allowing a private mining company to drill 16 uranium exploration holes and two 6-foot-diameter vent holes on national forest land in southeast Utah. Continue reading →

August 3, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Legal, Uranium, USA | antinuclear, radiation, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Nuclear company cutting back on spending on new reactors

He loves nukes, he really wants to build a couple of new ones, but he still thinks it’s too risky to spend money on them…….

NRG Cuts Nuclear Spending, Says It’s Not Giving Up « The Energy Source – Forbes.com, Jonathon Fahey, 2 Aug 2010, NRG Energy chief executive David Crane’s words couldn’t be more different from his actions. In a conference call with investors this morning he announced the company was cutting spending on the new nuclear reactors he hopes to build down to a trickle. Continue reading →

August 3, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Uranium Resources share price plunges

NASDAQ downward movements in review: Penny Stock Live. 2 Aug 2010, Uranium Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ: URRE) plunged by 0.19% to close at $0.52 whereas overall traded volume stood at 1.73 million shares. Uranium Resources, Inc. (URI) is a uranium exploration, mine development and production company.

NASDAQ downward movements in review: (URRE, ALTH, CHINA, SONS, HERO) | Penny Stock Live

August 3, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Uranium, USA | antinuclear, uranium | Leave a comment

Nuclear industry resuscitation in trouble in USA

Nuclear Projects Looking for a Savior : CleanTechnica, by Zachary Shahan August 1st, 2010 “….two nuclear reactors that are an urgent matter to some (in the nuclear industry and politics) and also, potentially, the source of a very big bill for U.S. taxpayers….. Continue reading →

August 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

French nuclear firm EDF’s financial woes

“The U.S. provision is bad news,”…… Results were also hurt by “poor availability” of nuclear reactors in France and the U.K……EDF has expanded in Europe, China and the U.S., driving up debt,

EDF Net Income Tumbles 47% After Outlook Dims for Nuclear Project in U.S. – Bloomberg, By Tara Patel – Jul 30, 2010 Electricite de France SA, Europe’s biggest power generator, reported a 47 percent drop in first- half profit on a charge linked to the development of a nuclear reactor in the U.S. and the outlook for low power prices there. Continue reading →

July 31, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, France | antinuclear, EDF, France, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology, nuclear wastes, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

China has no national strategy for nuclear wastes

the IAEA panel said the government should set up a comprehensive national strategy for dealing with nuclear waste

Chinese nuclear safety bodies need more money, IAEA experts say | Earth Times News, 30 July 2010, Vienna – China’s nuclear safety authorities need more funds and staff to keep pace with the country’s rapidly expanding nuclear energy sector, a panel of experts appointed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Friday. Continue reading →

July 31, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | China, safety | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons, radiation, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Nuclear power industry resuscitation continues to falter

The U.S., which hasn’t licensed any new reactors since the 1979 accident at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, is trying to revive nuclear-power construction…….The last new plant to be licensed opened in 1987.

U.S. Nuclear Projects Tied Up Awaiting Federal Loan Guarantees – Bloomberg, By : Katarzyna Klimasinska – Jul 30, 201// <![CDATA[// 0 The so-called nuclear renaissance that was supposed to boost U.S. capacity to generate emissions- free power may stall as developers await decisions from the Obama administration on federal aid…. Continue reading →

July 31, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear renaissance, nuclear spin, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Russia insisting that India be liable for any nuclear plant accident

“The Indian Side …shall be …. fully responsible for any damage both within and outside the territory of the Republic of India caused to any person and property as a result of a nuclear incident occurring at the NPP.”……

India-Russia nuclear talks hit liability snag, The Hindu, 30 July 2010, Siddharth Varadarajan Russian firms not to have liability for any accident that may occur in reactors sold to India It’s not just American suppliers, Russia too is now insisting all liability for any accident that may occur in reactors sold to India must rest solely with the Indian operator and not with Russian companies involved in supplying components and knowhow. Continue reading →

July 31, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, politics international | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, radiation, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Legal action against uranium exploration

Conservation groups sue to block uranium exploration | The Salt Lake Tribune, 31 July 2010, A trio of Moab conservation groups has filed suit challenging a decision by the U.S. Forest Service to allow uranium exploration in the Manti-La Sal National Forest.The organizations — Uranium Watch, Center for Water Advocacy and Living Rivers — say the Forest Service gave Denison Mines Corp. permission to drill 16 exploration holes and two radon vent holes as part of an expansion of the Pandora Uranium Mine without doing a full environmental analysis.Their suit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City, seeks to overturn the decision to allow the drilling.The U.S. Attorney’s Office had no comment on the lawsuit.Pamela Manson

Conservation groups sue to block uranium exploration | The Salt Lake Tribune

July 31, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Legal, Uranium, USA | antinuclear, nuclear wastes, uranium | Leave a comment