Method in Obama’s madness- nuclear power just not viable?
Though the President’s critics on the left do not recognize a strategic move in the loan guarantees to new nuclear, there is very likely method in what seems madness. The nuclear industry proved in the 1970s and 1980s, to those who were paying attention, that it is not viable.
New Nuclear to be Hoist on its own Petard, RENEWABLE ENERGY WORLD, February 23, 2010“…the phrase hoist with one’s own petard…means ‘to be harmed by one’s own plan to harm someone else’ or ‘to fall into one’s own trap’…” (Wikipedia)Announcements from the Obama administration of new financial support for the nuclear industry were met by declarations that the long-anticipated nuclear renaissance is finally at hand but the reality is quite different. There is a very real possibility that the President has just caught the nuclear industry in a trap of its own making. Continue reading
Nuclear news- last week and the coming weeks
Today, as I write this, Martin Ferguson is speaking on ABC Radio, Darwin. He’s explaining how the Federal Government will put a nuclear waste dump at Muckaty Station, while at the same time will repeal the Howard Government’s Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act.
So the Muckaty nuclear waste dump will be 1. voluntary (i.e. asked for by some aborigines), and 2. will be for returning Australia’s “own” wastes,
originating from Sydney’s Lucas Heights nuclear reactor. (No question of radioactive wastes going to any of the States, or on Commonwealth or “whiteys'” land)
Sounds fine, doesn’t it? Let’s wait and see what happens when Obama gets to Australia in March, to talk about uranium sales to USA, under the GNEP, whereby wastes are to go back to the uranium’s place of origin.
100% electricity from renewables technically possible
Australia Group Rolls Out Plan for 100% Renewable Energy by 2020’There Are No Technological Impediments’ solve climate, by Stacy Feldman – Feb 22nd, 2010
A report to be released in the first half of this year finds that Australia can use solar and wind power to produce 100 percent of its electricity in 10 years using technologies that are available now. Continue reading
U.S. State resists dumping of radioactive depleted uranium
(USA) Utah gov: 2 trains of SC waste won’t come to Utah, THE HUFFINGTON POST, Brock Bergakis, February 22, 2010. SALT LAKE CITY — About 6,500 tons of low-level radioactive waste from South Carolina won’t be coming to Utah as originally planned, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert said Monday in announcing a verbal agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy.
How the nuclear lobby has bought politicians and media
nothing about atomic energy has really changed.Except this: $645 million spent on lobbying and media manipulation.
(USA)$600 Million Lipstick for a Dead Radioactive Pig THE HUFFINGTON POST, Harvey Wasserman February 22, 2010 The mystery has been solved.Where is this “new reactor renaissance” coming from?There has been no deep, thoughtful re-making or re-evaluation of atomic technology. No solution to the nuke waste problem. No making reactors economically sound. No private insurance against radioactive disasters by terror or error. Continue reading
Reactor Sales to China Might Save Failing Nuclear Industry
Here’s how the shell game could work. If the coal industry could sell outdated, pollution-spewing, coal-fired power plants to China, could the nuclear power industry do the same thing? Could they get rid of their unresolved and unfunded decommissioning headache with the same trick?
(USA) How Do You Say “Oh Crap!” in Chinese?, THE HUFFINGTON POST, Alexia Parks, February 22, 2010 China is picking up the worst of American technology along with its best. For example, to keep up with U.S. consumer demand, China has bought and imported the worst of our outdated, pollution-spewing, coal-fired power plants. Continue reading
U.S. nuclear energy future depends on solving waste problem
U.S govt ‘s $96 billion project on nuclear waste, and still no solution
the federal government continues to search for suitable sites for storage of high-level wastes from nuclear power plants and for very long-lived radioactive materials from weapons production.
For the time being high-level waste remain on the sites where they were generated…….
Where to dump nuclear waste? Manila Bulletin By ATTY. ROMEO V. PEFIANCO February 17, 2010, Dumping nuclear waste has been a serious problem in the US since 1970 Continue reading
Renewable energy is viable for South Africa and the world
“Contrary to what Eskom says, South African winds are constant and predictable. South Africa has an almost perfect wind regime,” he said.
‘Renewable energy is viable’ Times LIVE (Africa) Feb 21, 2010 By ZWELI MOKGATA Eddie O’Connor is adamant that 90% of the world’s electricity could easily come from renewable sources by 2050 if only world governments would commit to key energy policies in time. Continue reading
Vermont’s leaking nuclear plant casts doubt on nuclear industry’s future
just one of dozens across the country that have seen similar leaks in recent years
VT Nuclear Plant Leaking- Industry Faces Concern Nationwide Fox News February 19, 2010 , by: Molly Line As President Obama advocates expansion of America’s nuclear power industry, pushing for billions of dollars in federal incentives and announcing plans to build the first nuclear plant in decades, a long-running facility in Vermont is leaking a cancer causing carcinogen. Continue reading
Over 65 per cent of U.S. energy budget goes to nuclear military facilities
Nukes Aren’t the Answer, OpEdNews, Robert Alvarez 19 Feb 2010 “…………..- More than 65 percent of our energy budget covers military nuclear activities and the cleanup of weapons sites. It’s single largest expenditure maintains some 9,200 intact nuclear warheads. Continue reading
Violent political upheaval in uranium-rich Niger
Armed soldiers storm Niger presidential palace – in the uranium-rich al-Qaeda haven, West African country Islamization watch 18 Feb 2010
Armed soldiers storm Niger presidential palace ~ in the uranium-rich, al-Qaeda haven, West African country
http://islamizationwatch.blogspot.com/2010/02/armed-soldiers-storm-niger-presidential.html
Bill Gates pushing ‘4th Generation’ nukes, but they’re dodgy
there are also some nuclear experts who warn that the promise is a snare and a delusion.
Fourth generation nuclear power may not be the clean energy silver bullet, FinancialTimes, by Ed Crooks, 18 Feb 2010 Continue reading
Nuclear workers scared to speak out
(USA) Workers at San Onofre nuclear plant fear retaliation for reporting problems, memo says | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times 19 Feb 2010 –-Shelby Grad Workers at the San Onofre nuclear power plant fear retaliation if they report problems at the facility operated by Southern California Edison, according to an internal memo released by an Orange County environmental group.The memo, written by a plant engineer, said 25 workers who reported problems at the plant said they feared retaliation from management after they made complaints…..
San Onofre has been the subject of several investigations by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission over the last few years for various safety issues
Nuclear industry would not exist without tax-payer liability
The Other Nuclear Power Subsidy – A Liability Cap ThePopTort 20 Feb 2010 : “……loan guarantees aren’t the only potential subsidy from which this industry benefits. Since the 1950s, when it passed the Price Anderson Act, Congress put a cap on the liability of the nuclear industry in the event of a major accident. Continue reading
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 