Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

Uranium mining’s threats to Tanzania’s water, & economy

One environmental consequence of uranium mining is that the process uses enormous amounts of water…Water is already scarce there and it would be imprudent to let one company consume huge amounts of water at the expense of area inhabitants…..If global demand for uranium were to decrease, the estimated value of these deposits would also drop. Therefore, it is unclear how much revenue uranium mining would really bring to Tanzania.

Take care that uranium mining turns into blessing, not curse, for Tanzania, Daily Nation  By SHAABAN FUNDI, October 20 2010 Continue reading

October 20, 2010 Posted by | uranium, water | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear power obsolete and unnecessary – Victorian Labor and Liberal agree

Nuclear power is not needed in Victoria because it is expensive, dangerous and obsolete given the state’s abundance of energy options, say Premier John Brumby and Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu.

Parties agree Victoria will remain nuclear-free state, The Age, RICHARD WILLINGHAM, October 20, 2010 VICTORIA will remain a nuclear-free state, regardless of who wins next month’s state election. Continue reading

October 19, 2010 Posted by | politics, uranium, Victoria | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Powerful union rubbishes Committee of Melbourne’s push for nuclear energy

One of the state’s most powerful unions, the Electrical Trades Union (ETU), on Tuesday slammed a push from the Committee of Melbourne for nuclear energy to be on the agenda.

Nuclear too risky and costly: Brumby, Sydney Morning Herald, Melissa Jenkins and Catherine Best, October 19, 2010 –  Nuclear power is too risky and expensive to be an energy option for Victoria, Premier John Brumby says Continue reading

October 19, 2010 Posted by | energy, politics, uranium, Victoria | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

No decision on UK’s ‘irrelevant’ nuclear submarines until after next election

“Pushing this decision back to after the next election will hopefully allow politicians to catch up with what the majority of the public and a growing number of military voices acknowledge – that nuclear weapons are a costly irrelevance to the threats Britain faces.”

Trident decision delayed until after the election – UK Politics,  – The Independent, 20 Oct 10, Arguments about the need to replace the Trident nuclear weapons system will continue to rage until the next general election after the Prime Minister announced a delay of at least six years. Continue reading

October 19, 2010 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , | Leave a comment

Ziggy Switkowski’s nuclear push just does not stack up economically

‘‘Nuclear has had its day,’’ Mr Wakeham said. ‘‘Ziggy Switkowski has been trying to drum up support for nuclear power for five years, but there is not a single company that is interested, and that’s because the economics don’t stack up, particularly in a country like Australia that has really good renewable energy resources.’’

Business in push for Victoria to go nuclear, The Age, Clay Lucas October 19, 2010 “…………Environment Victoria campaigns director Mark Wakeham said nuclear power was currently illegal in Victoria, and should remain so. He said the Committee for Melbourne was trying to ‘‘grab some headlines’’ by including it in its plan. ‘‘But a plan for Melbourne’s future that’s reliant on nuclear energy is seriously lacking in credibility,’’ he said. Continue reading

October 18, 2010 Posted by | General News, uranium | , , , , , | Leave a comment

NSW govt second thoughts on radioactive waste to Western Sydney

A protest by local residents, and attended by Liberal candidate for Mulgoa, Tanya Davis, was due to take place today outside the Sita facility.

Radioactive site waste ‘options’ sought | Herald Sun October 17, 2010 THE New South Wales government will look at other ways to dispose of hazardous material from a radioactive site on Sydney’s north shore, with a community backlash over fears it would be dumped west of the city. Continue reading

October 18, 2010 Posted by | New South Wales, uranium, wastes | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

$Billions of Western aid later, Russia’s arctic nuclear dumps still polluted

Although Russian authorities pledged transparency about the region’s nuclear issues, foreign journalists are denied access to a number of sites.

Russian Arctic’s ‘nuclear dump’ gets a faceliftBy Pierre-Henry Deshayes , Google hosted news, (AFP) –18 Oct 10, MURMANSK, Russia — An electronic sign along a busy street posts the outside temperature, the wind strength — and the radioactivity level.Welcome to Russia’s Kola Peninsula, Continue reading

October 18, 2010 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , , | Leave a comment

BHP Billiton’s carbon tax policy aimed to promote its uranium mine

BHP has an interesting little asset called Olympic Dam in South Australia where it is considering a major series of upgrades. Expanded Olympic Dam output would exceed one quarter of global mined uranium. …..Olympic Dam is the world’s largest known uranium deposit,

BHP: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing? The Star, by Mark Taylor | 15 Oct 10 Why would BHP BHP CEO Marius Kloppers express support for a carbon tax? The mining industry has its fair share of climate skeptics. Geologists and model-based climatologists have very different views of the world. Does BHP stand to gain or lose from a carbon tax? Continue reading

October 16, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, business, climate change - global warming, energy, uranium | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Crushing disappointment for USA nuclear indusrty

For the second time in a generation, the nuclear industry is undergoing a breathtaking transit from overblown hope to crushing disappointment. Once again this cycle is taking place in the context of claims that we must have many more new reactors than we are likely to get to avert an overwhelming existential threat – oil imports in the 1970s, and climate change today.

Honey, I Shrunk the Renaissance: Nuclear Revival, Climate Change and Reality, CleanEnergy Footprints, by Peter Bradford, 15 Oct 10, The “nuclear renaissance” has proven to be a promotion that cannot pass economic muster. Continue reading

October 16, 2010 Posted by | uranium | , , , | Leave a comment

20 USA nuclear plants leaking radioactive tritium

Unfortunately, rather than hold nuclear plant owners to the terms of their licenses, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has failed to exercise its authority and instead has handed the problem of radioactive tritium leaks over to the industry lobbyists’ in a voluntary program.

Nuclear Power’s Threat to Clean Water | Greenpeace USA, by Jim Riccio – October 15, 2010 , Today is blog action day, an annual event held every October 15 that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day, and this year the topic is water. Continue reading

October 16, 2010 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , , | Leave a comment

Pacific radiation survivors lobbying U.S. Congress for compensation

The program would make those suffering from illnesses resulting from radiation exposure eligible for compensation and medical care. “Guam did receive measurable fallout from atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons in the Pacific

Pacific radiation survivors to hold meeting Sunday Pacific Daily News • news@guampdn.com • October 15, 2010  Continue reading

October 15, 2010 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , | Leave a comment

ERA’s uranium profit fell 82% !

ERA in July reported an 82% plunge in first-half net profit to 22.7 million Australian dollars (about US$22.4 million), largely thanks to the lower ore grades.

Uranium Miner Expects Profit Hit – WSJ.com, By ROSS KELLY, 14 Oct 10, SYDNEY—Energy Resources of Australia Ltd., the uranium arm of mining giant Rio Tinto, on Wednesday downgraded its annual production guidance for the second time this year, ….The production shortfall means ERA will have to cover some supply requirements with purchases, further eroding its earnings. Continue reading

October 15, 2010 Posted by | business, Northern Territory, uranium | , , , | Leave a comment

Uranium miner ERA: costs high, profits low

This is expected to adversely impact ERA’s 2010 earnings, as the small price margin associated with the sale of the purchased material is more than offset by the ongoing costs of operation,’’ the company said.

ERA shares fall on production downgrade, Sydney Morning Herald, October 13, 2010 – 1 Uranium miner Energy Resources of Australia has downgraded its 2010 production guidance, saying ore grade in the September quarter was lower than expected. Continue reading

October 14, 2010 Posted by | business, Northern Territory, uranium | , , , , | Leave a comment

“Nuclear Renaissance” dream becoming a financial nightmare

There’s no gainsaying that nuclear construction projects are looking riskier all the time, especially in the United States, where many factors have conspired to spoil dreams of a big nuclear renaissance: declining energy demand since the onset of the global economic crisis (down 4 percent since 2007 in the States); plummeting natural gas prices (down almost half from what they were a few years ago); collapsing prospects for enactment of a U.S. climate bill (which would have raised the costs of fossil-fuel-generated electricity); and soaring reactor construction costs (with EDF’s current reactor 40 or 50 percent more expensive than originally billed).

Cancellation of Maryland Plant Delivers Double Whammy IEEE Spectrum:    Bill Sweet, October 13, 2010 Continue reading

October 14, 2010 Posted by | uranium | , , , | Leave a comment

Huge anti-nuclear protest in Munich

Tens of thousands take part in Munich anti-nuclear protest | Germany | Deutsche Welle | 09.10.2010Richard Connor (dpa/AFP) Opponents of the German government’s plans for nuclear power claim success after a major demonstration in Munich. The event was the largest of its kind in Bavaria for more than two decades. Tens of thousands of people turned out on the streets of Munich on Saturday against the nuclear power policy of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition government.A focus of the protest was the formation of a human chain, about 10 kilometers long, through the center of the city……..

Tens of thousands take part in Munich anti-nuclear protest | Germany | Deutsche Welle | 09.10.2010

October 11, 2010 Posted by | uranium | , , , | Leave a comment