Nuclear news the week to February 6

new feature: investigative journalism of this week – *marked in green

AUSTRALIA

UN Panel Report finds in favour of Julian Assange

As usual, all seems to be quiet in this sleepy land of Oz. And yet, and yet – the nuclear lobby is manipulating away as usual, with THE AUSTRALIAN and South AUSTRALIA’s ADVERTISER as its mouthpieces.  We are now being told yet again how essential it is to have a centralised nuclear waste dump – for medical reasons, of course. Not true, as Australia’s Medical Association for the Prevention of War reminds us. Australia could have cheaper, safer, non nuclear cyclotrons, at hospitals, to produce medical radioisotopes. No need for that Lucas Heights nuclear reactor.

There’s a Parliamentary Committee Inquiry into Lucas Heights Nuclear Waste Management Facilities.

Jolly Resources Minister Josh Frydenberg says radiation anxieties are based on myth.

Queensland government rejects any nuclear waste dump plan. Queensland disused coal power site could be solar station this year.

South Australia. South Australian community in Kimba alarmed: nuclear waste site “at Minister’s discretion”.   South Australia’s Port Augusta at the crossroads: clean renewable energy, or dirty nuclear? Port Augusta Council to consider DP Energy’s big solar/wind project.  AUSTRALIAN NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION wants nuclear reactors on Spencer Gulf.

Continuing my reviews of Pro Nuclear Submissions to the Royal Commission: Australian Government Submission. That submission also recommends cyclotrons as a method to produce medical isotopes!  Charles Waite’s Submission wants tax-payer to buy Small Modular Nuclear Reactors. Christopher Camarsh touts underwater nuclear reactors 

New South Wales. Community opposition might stop Hill End nuclear waste dump plan : U-turn by MP John Cobb on nuclear policy

Western Australia. Endangered Marsupial Mole and more at Proposed Australia-Japan (Toro) Uranium Mine in Western Australia, Comment Deadline 8 Feb 2016.

ACT. Canberra’s Williamsdale Solar Farm approved

Victoria. Australia’s dirtiest coal-fired power station launches global campaign for 1,000GW of solar

Renewable energy an economic boon for Australia’s drought affected rural communities. Turnbull copying Abbott as destroyer of renewables, stripping Australian Renewable Energy Agency.  AFL Footee Chief Gillon McLachlan a neanderthal anti-wind crusader

Coal and gas.Massive Adani coal mine halted indefinitely due to poor coal market.  AGL pulls out of CSG plan in Gloucester as NSW and Queensland projects are abandoned.

INTERNATIONAL 

International Court of Justice sets March dates for Marshall Islands’ nuclear case.

 Prof. T. Mousseau explains Life after Fukushima and Chernobyl nuclear disasters .

Thyroid cancer increasing: can they continue to ignore the link with nuclear power?

Exploding the false claims of the thorium nuclear lobby.

CANADA .Will the government listen to 92,000 Petitioners against Great Lakes Nuclear Dump?

EUROPE. European Commission faces the astronomic future costs of nuclear power.  Growing concerns in Europe over restarting aging Belgium nuclear stations

UK. Hinkley Point nuclear plant project director quits. Hinkley delayed….again…best get used to hearing that! Hinkley nuclear fiasco puts the wind up Hitachi, concerning investment in UK. UK nuclear power project a bonanza for Japanese companies, Hitachi-GE and others.

GERMANY. Costly nuclear waste dump correction.   Costly, not available for decades, but Germany steps forward in nuclear fusion development.

FRANCE. Electricite De France : 6 union board members will oppose Hinkley Point nuclear project.  French waste group Veolia moving into nuclear clean-up business.   France’s plan for 1,000 kilometers of road paved with solar panels.

*SOUTH AFRICA.   CORRUPTION GOES NUCLEAR – Jacob Zuma, the Guptas and the Russians

USA.

•  Bernie Sanders calls for total phaseout of nuclear energy.
•  Crapo’s crap nuclear amendment passed by USA Senate.
• Big, fat waste of lawmakers’ time: US Congress trying to block Iran nuclear accord.
• USA govt funds “new nukes’.
• $4.7 billion the present cost [and rising] of building Watts Bar nuclear reactor.
•  Georgia State panel to do detailed probe of costs of Nuclear Plant Vogtle.
•  Strange progress of Class Action lawsuit against Brookhaven National Lab.
•  LA gas disaster – a mini Chernobyl?

JAPAN.

• Japan: secret use of consumer’s money to fund pro nuclear political campaign.
• High radiation levels, murky radioactive water, cause TEPCO to delay Fukushima robot survey.  Another new plan to try to inspect Fukushma nuclear reactor 1    Fukushima ice wall near completion.
•  Kyushu Electric Power Co. scraps plan for emergency facility at Sendai nuclear station.
• Anxieties over safety in the region, as Japan restarts 3rd nuclear reactor.   Japan’s nuclear restarts- increase of deadly MOX wastes, but nowhere to put it.

INDIA. Protest repressed in India, as government panders to France, USA’s nuclear power marketing.

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