Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

France’s nuclear tests: radioactive experiments on soldiers

French soldiers used as ‘nuclear guinea pigs’ The Age MICHEL MOUTOT February 17, 2010 – France used soldiers as guinea pigs in nuclear tests in the 1960s, deliberately exposing them to radiation from atomic blasts to test the effects, according to a report revealed on Tuesday. Continue reading

February 17, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , , , , | Leave a comment

Review: Renewables, USA, Areva’s deals

Review: Australia: Practical renewable energy plan suggested, while govt pursues ETS policy. AREVA buys up solar company. Govt ignores calls for compensation for Maralinga vets. Ranger uranium mine still leaking radioactivity.

International: Obama about to announce loans to nuclear industry, while Wall St. avoiding the nuclear financial bottomless pit. Big antinuclear protest in UK. Germany Environment Minister firm on closing nuke plants. Areva buying up solar plants, but also joining South Korea in nuclear push – the week that has been

February 16, 2010 Posted by | Christina reviews, solar | , , , , , | Leave a comment

International walks against nuclear weapons and nuclear power

Participants said similar walks have taken place or are planned in Europe and Australia — and they denounced the financial, environmental and societal costs of nuclear weapons and power.

Walk for nuclear free world

By John Huotari | john.huotari@oakridger.com
The Oak Ridger
Feb 15, 2010

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. —

Calling for an end to nuclear weapons and power, about 30 activists began a three-month peace walk on Saturday from the Y-12 National Security Complex to the United Nations in New York City. Continue reading

February 16, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bill Gates believes Nuclear Power problems will be solved

Gates outlined his belief that if you can deal with the radiation and safety issues – ““We need energy miracles,” Gates said

Bill Gates Goes Nuclear    BusinessWeek by: Helen Walters February 15….. Continue reading

February 16, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear power not financially viable

”the risks faced by developers  are so large and variable that individually they could each bring even the largest utility company to its knees financially.”.

ENERGY: Nuclear Does Not Make Economic Sense Say Studies Australia.to 14 February 2010   by Julio Godoy

BERLIN,   (IPS)  – The enormous technical and financial risks involved in the construction and operation of new nuclear power plants make them prohibitive for private investors, rebutting the thesis of a renaissance in nuclear energy, say several independent European studies. Continue reading

February 15, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , , | Leave a comment

Northern Territory Intervention all about Uranium and Nuclear Waste Dumping

Stop the Intervention – Neil E Gillespie, Chief Executive Officer, Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement Inc – 9 February 2010 “I find the continuation of the racist NT Intervention by the Rudd Government disappointing.

I remind everyone that the Intervention is about access to Aboriginal land by business interests (mining) and the location of a dump for uranium waste.

SA, WA and Qld will not accept uranium waste so we are deluding ourselves the Intervention is anything but accessing Aboriginal land in the NT.

It has NOTHING to do with children.If it was about children, then the Intervention would have occurred elsewhere due to the undeniable fact that child abuse per capita is not as significant in the NT as it is in another State. NT is well down the pecking order.My question is why not have an Intervention in that State rather than the NT? The answer is simple. The Federal Govt does not have the Constitutional power to invade a State like it has in the NT.

Stop the Intervention – Neil E Gillespie, CEO, ALRM 9-2-10

February 12, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, uranium | , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Columbia River endangered for thousands of years, by nuclear radioactive wastes

(USA) Despite billions spent on cleanup, Hanford won’t be clean for thousands of years By Scott Learn, The Oregonian February 09, 2010, Some radioactive contaminants at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation will threaten the Columbia River for thousands of years, a new analysis projects, despite the multibillion-dollar cleanup efforts by the federal government. Continue reading

February 12, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , , , , | Leave a comment

Australia’s Maralinga Nuclear Veterans dying out, while they wait for justice

Nuclear veterans want better compo deal Sydney Morning Herald MAX BLENKIN 11 Feb 2010

“Australian veterans are dying. The longer the government waits, the less of us they will end up having to compensate.”

Britain exploded seven atomic bombs in the South Australian outback in 1956-57 but continued the nuclear test program through to May 1963 with a large number of minor trials of items such as nuclear initiators. Continue reading

February 12, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, legal, uranium | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What a Damn Yankee Nuclear Nuisance!

(USA) Just as the nuclear idustry pushes for massive public money, for  extending the life of its aging reactors and setting up new ones, along comes a pesky little bit of democracy!

Alone in the nuclear power world, the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant actually has to rely on the State Legislature to say yea or nay to extended its miserable radioactively leaking life. (Other U.S. States don’t have this “luxury” of controlling their ancient or new nuclear reactors.)

Oh dear, this leaky old ship could bring about the sinking of the whole nuclear power fleet in America. (Meanwhile government-run nuclear industries – France, China – etc – they don’t have this pesky problem of being financially or in any other way, accountable to the people.)

February 12, 2010 Posted by | Christina reviews | , , , , | Leave a comment

Vermont Yankee – just one of many aging, leaking nuclear power plants

Indeed, a desperate national industry now pushing for massive federal subsidies to build new reactors may not survive a flood of elderly clunkers being forced to close by the weight of their own contamination….

Vermont’s radioactive nightmare FDL The Seminal Harvey Wasserman
February 10, 2010

Like a decayed flotilla of rickety steamers, at least 27 of America’s 104 aging atomic reactors are known to be leaking radioactive tritium, which is linked to cancer if inhaled or ingested through the throat or skin. Continue reading

February 12, 2010 Posted by | 1, water | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Highly radioactive leaking water continues from Ranger uranium mine

Uranium mine leak ‘5400 times normal level’ – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) By Emma Masters  Feb 9, 2010 Contaminated water seeping from a mine in Kakadu National Park has a uranium concentration more than 5,000 times the normal level, a Senate estimates committee has heard.

The Office of the Supervising Scientist is the environmental regulator of the Ranger uranium mine, which is owned by Energy Resources of Australia. Continue reading

February 11, 2010 Posted by | environment, Northern Territory, uranium, water | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Radioactivity found in wells near nuclear power plant

(USA) Elevated levels of radioactive chemical found in wells at SC nuclear power plant site CB ONLINE  The Associated Press, February 10, 2010
SENECA, S.C. (AP) – Officials say they’ve found elevated levels of a radioactive form of hydrogen in water in two wells at a South Carolina nuclear reactor site.

Duke Energy said Tuesday that samples from two wells at Oconee Nuclear Station near Seneca showed tritium levels above the nuclear industry’s voluntary reporting level.

Elevated levels of radioactive chemical found in wells at SC nuclear power plant site | Markets | Market News | Canadian Business Online

February 11, 2010 Posted by | 1, water | , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear engineer advises shutdown of Yankee Nuclear Plant

Nuclear Expert Says Yankee Should Shut Down VPR News: 02/10/1 John Dillon – Montpelier, Vt. An expert on nuclear power hired by the Legislature says Vermont Yankee should shut down voluntarily to stop its radiation leaks. Continue reading

February 11, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , , , | Leave a comment

Olympic Dam uranium mine’s very costly accident

Olympic Dam accident may cost $228m Matt Chambers  The Australian  February 11, 2010 THE failure of a hoist at BHP Billiton’s Olympic Dam copper and uranium mine last October that sent a full skip of ore plummeting hundreds of metres was caused by a computer braking system fault and could cost the company more than $US200 million ($228.6m) in lost profit………
The October 2009 incident has rendered the Clark shaft unusable and sliced 75 per cent of capacity from the big mine at Roxby Downs in South Australia.

Olympic Dam accident may cost $228m | The Australian

February 11, 2010 Posted by | business, South Australia, uranium | , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

W.A’s Chamber of Minerals and Energy doesn’t want public inquiry on uranium mining

Chamber snubs uranium inquiry call ABC News  February 4, 2010 The Chamber of Minerals and Energy has rejected the call for a public inquiry into proposed uranium projects in Western Australia.The Government yesterday upheld a decision by the Environmental Protection Authority to use an environmental and management review program to assess Toro Energy’s uranium project near Wiluna.

The Conservation Council of Western Australia wants a public inquiry, the highest level of assessment, and says it should be applied to all proposed uranium projects.

Chamber snubs uranium inquiry call – ABC North West WA – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

February 6, 2010 Posted by | politics, uranium, water, Western Australia | , , , , , | Leave a comment