Nuclear news to 31 July – Australia and beyond

Oh it’s climate again! How can we ignore it?  This time, it’s not just the heat-waves across the Norther hemisphere, but the effects of that hot air moving to the Arctic. Greenland and the Arctic in general, are headed for a record sea ice melt.  It will be an unprecedented ice loss – ultimately rapid loss will lead to rising sea levels.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E6PazzbEoA&t=23s

Nuclear news?   There doesn’t seem to be much. Is that because the important stuff is kept secret, or at best, pretty quiet?   Russia is the best at this.  Now it is revealed, by an international team of scientists, that in September 2017 there must have been a nuclear accident at the Mayak nuclear reprocessing facility in Southern Russia. It’s the only feasible explanation for the cloud of Ruthenium-106 across Europe in late September.

New economic research discusses nuclear power’s real costs – ‘seven decades of economic ruin’. (a brief report on this is here)

Bits of good news – International kindness to Chernobyl children from radiation-contaminated areas – but more help is needed.  For First Time Ever, Scientists Identify How Many Trees to Plant and Where to Plant Them to Stop Climate Crisis

AUSTRALIA

It’s climate here, too. Except that the current Australian government doesn’t believe that climate change is a serious problem. Australia is in an unprecedented drought – long-lasting, and across wide areas. With this government, “water shortage”is becoming an unmentionable political term like “climate change”. (Officially no human -caused climate change in Australia) but Queensland towns are running out of water. And Norther Territory towns are running out of water.

• Chair of the Energy Security Board, Kerry Schott says Feds “can’t get their act together” on climate, so states will step up.
• Papua New Guinea Prime Minister urges Australia to help island nations threatened by climate change.
• Noosa the first Queensland council to declare a climate emergency – Mayor explains why.
• Adani’s Carmichael coal mine surviving on lifeline from Indian parent company.

NUCLEAR.

• Australian Senate passes motion to retain Australia’s ban on nuclear power. Australia’s legal ban on nuclear power will remain, says Environment Minister Sussan Ley.  Flynn electorate, Queensland, would be happy to host nuclear power plant, National Party MP Ken O’Dowd says.
• Restrictions on operations of Lucas Heights nuclear reactor, following a litany of safety incidents. To add to its safety problems, ANSTO has had to increase prices for nuclear medicine from the Lucas Heights reactor.
•  New Minerals Council chair Helen Coonan speaks out for nuclear power, and for Adani coal mine. Australia’s right-wing push for nuclear power is really a ruse to promote the coal industry.
• News South Wales South Coast touted as the place to site a nuclear power plant.  Labor leader Anthony Albanese asks “Where would the Liberal Coalition like nuclear reactors to be placed“?  National Party Member for Gippsland Darren Chester makes reassuring, but rather ambiguous, noises against setting up nuclear power.
• State Development Minister Cameron Dick says that nuclear power would gut Queensland.  Union opposes nuclear power because it is uneconomic and dangerous.
• Senate moved to call on Senator Canavan to explain nuclear waste dump plan – size of dump, and types of wastes.
• “Smile With Kids”- Queensland welcomes Fukushima children for a much-needed holiday.
• URANIUM. Continuing problem of radioactive waste at Hunters Hill – contamination from old uranium processing site.  Rio Tinto moves to own Ranger uranium mine remediation.

RENEWABLE ENERGY.  Energy minister Angus Taylor a no-show at clean energy summit. Wind and solar turn up ramping pressure in South Australia and Queensland. Queensland drops bidding directions, says wind and solar less than $50/MWh.   Solar dominates day-time markets, lifting share and pushing down prices. CEFC looks to energy storage, grid stability, after record spend on renewables. Victoria drafts new guidelines to smooth way for solar farms.

BHP casts doubt on renewables as it commits $US400m to cut emissions  – via including nuclear power and carbon capture, 

Senate voted on Press Freedoms – Matter of Public importance.

INTERNATIONAL

‘Thermal limits’ – extreme heat effects on the body

The horrors of nuclear weapons testing – 460,000 premature deaths.

New report: nuclear energy cannot be classified as “clean”, nor as economic.

ARCTIC.  Unprecedented wildfires in the Arctic release huge CO2 to the atmosphere.

PACIFIC ISLANDS. Bikini Atoll, site of nuclear bomb testing, still 10 times more radioactive than Chernobyl.

JAPAN.

Toxic water level at Fukushima plant still not under control. 17 years needed to send treated Fukushima water into sea: expert. Robots the only hope for highly radioactive areas in wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The ghost towns in Fukushima Prefecture.   Is Fukushima Safe for the Olympics?  Olympic Games as PR to change the image of Fukushima and its radiation problems. Anti-Olympics groups want more attention put on event’s downfalls.   Opponents want Olympic money used to rebuild Fukushima. The 2020 Olympics may become a disaster. Tokyo’s 2020 Olympics are showing the nightmare waiting for L.A. in 2028.    Asahi’s ‘Fukushima beer’ launch invites South Korea scorn.

Mothers’ group in Kyoto hosts Fukushima preschoolers, parents for retreat.  Beach in Fukushima Prefecture reopens for first time since 2011 disasters. Temporal variation of radionuclides contamination of marine plants on the Fukushima coast after the East Japan nuclear disaster. TEPCO to decommission all four reactors at Fukushima Daini.

International Symposium for Peace: The Road to Nuclear Weapons Abolition.  Nuclear-Free Forum in Japan calls for worldwide end to nuclear power. Churches aim for joint church action to end nuclear energy.

IRAN. Constructive talks between Iran and Europe, but no definite result. Iran links tanker row to nuclear deal.  Iran intends to restart activities at Arak heavy water nuclear reactor.

MIDDLE EAST. Heading for a Nuclear and Ballistic Missile Arms Race in the Middle East.

USA. Investigative journalism –  How did Ohio’s nuclear industry get a $1.1billion bailout? –dark money did the job! Ohio takes a backward leap, as Ohio Governor Signs Coal and Nuclear Bailout at Expense of Renewable Energy,

• Dear moderators of the US Presidential debates: How about raising the issue of how to avert nuclear war?   Self-regulation of nuclear power plants? What could possibly go wrong?
• Climate change’s impacts on the nuclear industry – wildfires shut down parts of Idaho nuclear research site.
• San Onofre’s nuclear waste: an intractable problem.   Nevadans say no to nuclear waste. In Texas oil town Andrews , there’s support for hosting nuclear waste dump. USA’s Sensible, Timely Relief for America’s Nuclear Districts Economic Development (STRANDED) Act.
• Push to speed up decommissioning of Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant.
• Sailors Ask 9th Circ. To Revive $1B Fukushima GE, Tepco Suit.
• Problematic issue of cremation of radioactive bodies.

UK. Surprise surprise! UK’s New Prime Minister Boris Johnson is a big fan of the nuclear industry.

UK Nuclear Finance: From No Subsidies to Nuclear Tax. A layman’s guide to the ‘Regulated Asset Base’ that will fund Sizewell C nuclear power plant. Tax-payers still on the hook for UK’s planned ‘nuclear renaissance’. UK’s love-in with “an innovative funding model” does not hide the hideous expense of nuclear power.

Yet more delay at Flamanville nuclear debacle – doesn’t bode well for UK’s Hinkley Point C project.  UK government commits to ordering mini nuclear reactors from Rolls Royce.

Boris Johnson’s secret instructions on nuclear action.

UKRAINE.  The dreadful truth of Chernobyl radiation’s health and death toll is now coming out.

RUSSIA. The often forgotten nuclear disaster in Russia’s Ural Mountains. Fears about a Soviet-era nuclear waste site, on the planned route for a Moscow expressway.

CHINA.China absolutely clear on its policy of No First Use of Nuclear Weapons.

EUROPE.  Nuclear power losing its appeal in Eastern Europe. Soaring temperatures in Europe – risk of record ice melt in Greenland.

INDIA. India’s Govt prohibits mining of thorium and other atomic minerals by private entities  .

GERMANY  Germany’s Grohnde nuclear plant headed for shutdown, due to high temperatures. Renewable energy providing more electricity than coal and nuclear power combined in Germany.

NORTH KOREA. North Korea’s new submarine.