The week that was in nuclear news

AUSTRALIA

Can’t help it – I’ve had to go mostly for renewable energy news – so much more is really happening – world-wide – and on the brink in Australia. It’s happening at the grassroots – with solar panels popping up on more and more houses , and with campaigners like the Australian Youth Climate Coalition. New survey shows that 94% of Australians want big solar power development.

Threat to unique Australian species – the beautiful GIANT CUTTLEFISH. Olympic Damn uranium mine and its associated desalination plant will almost certainly mean the extinction of this animal, as it requires exquisitely balanced salt/freshwater content in its breeding ground in North Spencer Gulf. Martin Ferguson lobbied successfully, on behalf of BHP, for weakening of environmental protection there

Airport scanners. Australia is getting the non radiation “millimetre radio wave” type, not the radiation “backscatter” type. (as wrongly reported recently in Herald Sun)

Uranium sales to India - new survey shows that a whopping majority of Austtralians oppose this.

Julian Assange. PRIME Minister Julia Gillard, Attorney-General Nicola Roxon and Foreign Minister Bob Carr all mouth a few platitudes about supporting Assange. But in reality Gillard and the Australian government have been hand in glove with the USA in its plans to convict him of espionage.

Olympic Dam – massive proposed new uranium mine is in doubt. It’s the dream baby of Marius Kloppers, CEO of BHP Billiton, who is now having to back-pedal about this development. Analysts are betting on Olympic Dam being the least likely to go ahead, out of of BHP’s $80 billion expansion plans .

Victoria and New South Wales Wind energy development being stalled , due to government policies designed to do exactly that.

South Australia. Wind power is powering ahead here., and providing “baseload” power. Despite the propaganda from this State’s Nuclear enthusiast Barry Brook, Premier Jay Weatherill stated that nuclear power is not a viable option.

Queensland. Tony Abbott joins forces with Premier Campbell Newman is his campaign to remove federal environmental safeguards on new projects, while the State’s Minister for Environment, Andrew Powell announces his scepticism about climate change

INTERNATIONAL

Renewable energy is where it’s all happening – from IRENA’s report on rapidly falling costs, and increasing investment – to the solar-powered plane that made a transcontinental journey. In recent hot days, solar power delivering high levels of electricity in Germany, UK, and USA (Massachusets)

Climate change is affecting nuclear reactors – due to heating of river waters . A problem which is likely to get worse, and cause frequent shutdowns

Nuclear power’s financial crisis. Nuclear companies scrambling to compete for overseas sales are now offering prices below their costs. Nuclear ‘dumping’ going on in the market? European countries – some abandoning nuclear power, others – England struggling with finance. France has huge problem as so many aging reactors near to closing

Japan‘s government mulling over 4 future energy options – 3 of which contain little or even no, nuclear power. Government wants to restart 2 nuclear reactors, but public opposition to that is growing, including opposition from MP’s in Japan’s ruling party. Japanese govt planning controversial “wide area incineration” of radioactive debris.

USA. New Vogtle nuclear power plant is turning out to be a money pit, cost overruns about $1 billion already, and they’ve only just started the build. NRC considering relicensing nuclear reactors so that they can run for 80 years!

China. With an organised anti nuclear group campaigning, and concerns over costs, China’s new nuclear build is not yet happening – and the global nuclear lobby is watching China, anxiously.

Spain. Antinuclear activists fly over a nuclear reactor, drop smoke bombs on it – to demonstrate security risks.

Christina Macpherson
Antinuclear Australia
www.antinuclear.net
www.nuclear-news.net