NukeNews No. 23 - ENGLISH

From Nuclear Heritage
Jump to navigationJump to search


NukeNews: Croatian | Czech | English | French | German | Polish | Russian | Slovenian


************************************************************
*     NukeNews #23 - Anti-Nuclear Information Service      *
************************************************************

----------------------------------------------------------------------
0.  Preface
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to the first NukeNews edition in 2017! This year several big
events will take place in Europe - the G20 meeting of the most
powerful states in the world and the COP23 Climate Change Conference
of the United Nations. In both gatherings powerful players want to
design the future of people on earth. Nuclear lobbyists will try to
use this opportunity to strengthen the position of atomic power in the
world. At the same time anti-nuclear organizations will participate in
the protests against approaches of these institutions.

Besides, a number of energy struggles related gatherings will be
organized by grassroots initiatives and NGOs during the spring and
summer. With this newsletter we share the invitations to an
international conference on nuclear energy the day before the
Chernobyl anniversary, to the international summer camp of the Nuclear
Heritage Network in July in Saxony, and to the internationalistic
anti-nuclear camp in the Wendland region in August. There are rumors
about several additional anti-nuclear gatherings, camps and
conferences upcoming this summer with an international approach. We
will hopefully be able to inform about those with the next newsletter.

If you have news and announcements for the next NukeNews edition,
please let us know! - Find the details on deadlines, email contact and
required format for these newsletter messages in the last part of this
email (no. 23).


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Outline of the current NukeNews issue #23
----------------------------------------------------------------------
0.  Preface
1.  Nuclear news from Tanzania
2.  California to close its last nuclear facility
3.  Belarus: New incident with reactor vessel confirms old problems
4.  CZ: Platform Against Deep Repository
5.  Czech Ministry of the Environment gave a one-year deadline to
    state enterprise DIAMO
6.  Austria thanks Cumbrians
7.  Radioactive Waste on the Irish Sea bed resuspended by NuGen's
    borehole drilling - no debate-no vote-no nothing
8.  UK: What will be powering your dinner this Christmas?
9.  UK: Nuclear Free Local Authorities endorse damning report
10. Hinkley?- What's the Point
11. Canada: Pickering Nuclear Station lifetime extension
12. FoE Japan: Refreshment camp still needed for families in Fukushima
13. Russia: Decommission at Novovoronezh NPP
14. Scram at Russia's new flagship reactor
15. Nuclear Energy Conference 2017 in Linz
16. Updates on Polish nuclear policy
17. International Anti-nuclear Summer Camp will take place in Germany
18. 40 years of site designation Gorleben - 40 years of resistance
19. Internationalistic Anti Nuclear Summer Camp and Free Flow Festival
    at Gedelitz, in the Wendland
20. World Climate Summit in Bonn on November 6-17, 2017
21. G20 - July 7/8, 2017 in Hamburg
22. Upcoming events
23. About NukeNews


----------------------------------------------------------------------
1.  Nuclear news from Tanzania
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Malawi Police in northern border district of Karonga on Wednesday,
21st of December 2016 arrested 8 Tanzanian nationals for entering the
country without traveling documents who were heading to Kayerekera
Uranium mine site. Karonga police deputy spokesperson George Mlewa
said the arrest comes after a tip-off from some residents. The Karonga
deputy police spokesperson said the group will appear before the court
soon to answer the charges of criminal trespass which is contrary to
section 314 of the penal code but said the case may change according
to the evidence gathered through the investigation. But on the 22nd of
December Malawian media reported the eight Tanzanians were arrested
while trying to illegally enter a uranium mine in the neighboring
country. The Malawian media recently suggested that the eight were
spies sent by the Tanzanian government to investigate if the country
"is developing nuclear weapons from uranium at Kayerekera mine site in
Karonga District".

Read the complete article:
http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Nuclear_news_from_Tanzania


----------------------------------------------------------------------
2.  California to close its last nuclear facility
----------------------------------------------------------------------
As is probably known the state's largest electric company decided to
shut down Diablo Canyon this past summer. The closure proposal went
before state regulators starting in September. A number of groups have
filed demands before the regulator to close Diablo earlier than the
proposed date of 2024. In a surprise move, the judge has agreed to
listen to our arguments. The decision won't be known until May of
2017. Another group has filed a separate lawsuit demanding that Diablo
be closed in 2018. As part of the Diablo closure aging activists that
go back to anti-nuke campaigns from the late 1950's onward came
together in late October for a brief reunion to remember and
celebrate. Many nukes were never opened thanks to dedicated
individuals and groups that got their start here. Southern California
activists are demanding that the spent fuel rods from San Onofre nuke
(near Los Angeles that was closed in 2013) be moved as soon as
possible over concerns that the dry cask units are not seismically
safe.


----------------------------------------------------------------------
3.  Belarus: New incident with reactor vessel confirms old problems
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It seems important to stress that nuclear experts were in no hurry
(or maybe they had no intention) to inform about the incident. This
time, the emergency situation was reported by the readers of the
charter97.org website. It was a bit later when the official website of
the Belarusian NPP construction informed that "in a reduced clearance,
the protecting metallic transportation cover of the oversize cargo
(the reactor vessel for the Belarusian NPP) insignificantly touched
the catenary mast." It remains unclear what they meant by "touched the
catenary mast", whether the mast is in order, and whether the reactor
vessel is in order.

Do you remember how this summer (2016) the nuclear experts of Belarus
and Russia assured us of the non-significance of the damage at first?
And then it turned out the reactor vessel needed replacement...

Read the complete article:
http://charter97.org/en/news/2016/12/27/235754/


----------------------------------------------------------------------
4.  CZ: Platform Against Deep Repository
----------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Czech Republic, there are currently 9 potential sites for a
deep geological repository since May 2016, in most of them local
residents disagree with the repository, and a "Platform Against Deep
Repository", which brings together 28 municipalities and NGOs in
December 2016, was founded on October 4, 2016. To find out more see
Calla's press releases on
http://calla.cz/index.php?lang=eng&path=e_energy


----------------------------------------------------------------------
5.  Czech Ministry of the Environment gave a one-year deadline to
    state enterprise DIAMO
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Under pressure from locals in Brzkov, the Ministry of the Environment
gave the state enterprise DIAMO the one-year deadline (by June 30,
2017) to obtain the missing documents in order to be able to apply for
the extension of the protected uranium deposit area (CHLÚ) in
Brzkov-Horní Věžnice. The CHLÚ means a step closer to the mining and
the obstacle for the development of the municipality. Based on the
original schedule, the extension of CHLÚ should have been finished by
August 2015, but it hasn't. Part of the missing documents is also the
recalculation of uranium reserves on the basis of a new geological
survey. In December 2016, DIAMO declared that it will not conduct any
new geological survey in order to find out the exact amount of uranium
reserves at the deposit Brzkov-Horní Věžnice. Instead, it will just
recalculate the reserves and then it will be able to extend the
existing CHLÚ by approximately six times. Local municipalities,
landowners and the association Our Future Without Uranium represented
by a lawyer have got a different opinion and they will continue to
defend themselves.


----------------------------------------------------------------------
6.  Austria thanks Cumbrians
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Marianne Birkby, Radiation Free Lakeland's founder says, "this
acknowledgment and moral support from Austria sends us much needed
encouragement to continue and to build on the resistance to Moorside.
As the Federal Chancellor says, Europe needs citizens who advocate the
exit from nuclear energy. Campaigning on the pylon route alone will
not cut it. It is up to groups and individuals in Cumbria to join and
to put their shoulders to the wheel in building resistance so that we
can stop the biggest nuclear development in Europe and ensure a safe
and sustainable future."

Learn more:
https://mariannewildart.wordpress.com/2016/12/08/austria-thanks-cumbrians-for-resistance-to-moorside-no-its-not-the-pylons-they-are-worried-about/


----------------------------------------------------------------------
7.  Radioactive Waste on the Irish Sea bed resuspended by NuGen's
    borehole drilling - no debate-no vote-no nothing
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Radiation Free Lakeland sent letter of objection: NuGen’s 40 (or more)
offshore “exploratory” boreholes would churn up the biggest nuclear
dump in the world. The only chance the public gets to object is in
what the Marine Management Organisation laughingly calls a "public
consultation". In contrast the wind turbines off  Walney were hugely
debated by local councillors, one of the concerns being (quite
rightly) the churning up of radioactive silts.

Read the complete story:
https://mariannewildart.wordpress.com/2016/02/06/do-not-disturb-cumbrian-nuclear-dump/


----------------------------------------------------------------------
8.  UK: What will be powering your dinner this Christmas?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
New Campaign Launched - Don’t Buy Nuclear Waste! To switch to a 100%
renewable electricity supplier start here:

https://mariannewildart.wordpress.com/2016/12/11/what-will-be-powering-your-dinner-this-christmas/


----------------------------------------------------------------------
9.  UK: Nuclear Free Local Authorities endorse damning report
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The independent report was drafted by Pete Roche, the NFLA Scotland
Policy Advisor and an independent consultant on nuclear policy.
"significant and alarming problems with this reactor design that could
lead to catastrophic damage in the event of a serious accident."

Learn more:
https://mariannewildart.wordpress.com/2016/11/30/moorside-nuclear-free-local-authorities-endorse-damning-report/


----------------------------------------------------------------------
10. Hinkley?- What's the Point
----------------------------------------------------------------------
After France made it's final decision to go ahead with Hinkley Point C
reactor the new unelected UK Prime Minister Theresa May called the
project in for review over security concerns about Chinese
involvement. However after initially stating that a decision would be
made in October, May capitulated to Nuclear & Construction industry
interests & gave the go-ahead. Sunday 18th September saw a
demonstration of anti-nuclear groups in Bristol against the decision.
representatives from SouthWest Against Nuclear & Stop Hinkley spoke
out against the deal & urged citizens to take action against the deal
which represents a very bad deal for UK electricity consumers, All of
the mainstream media and economic analysts are now against the project
& wondering why the government are hell-bent on going ahead - we know
the answer to this - weapons, nuclear is still & always has been a
military project.


----------------------------------------------------------------------
11. Canada: Pickering Nuclear Station lifetime extension
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PNS construction started in 1960s and opened in 1971. Currently it’s
once again extended license expires in 2018, but OPG (Ontario Power
Generation) is seeking extension of its license again to 2028.
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) licensing today foresees
under current licensing, the Pickering reactors will be in dormant
storage until 2050 and decommissioning will begin in 2051 and the
reactors will be released from regulatory control in 2065.

The OPG request for extension to 2028 is based on the fact that four
reactors at Darlington and Bruce will be shut down between 2020- 2024.
However risking its extension so close to the largest Canadian
Metropolis Toronto is not only risky, but costly and unnecessary; as
much cheaper Hydro power is available from Quebec at 5c/KWH, while
refurbishment costs are around 18c/KWH.

Read the complete article:
http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Canada:_Pickering_Nuclear_Station_lifetime_extension


----------------------------------------------------------------------
12. FoE Japan: Refreshment camp still needed for families in Fukushima
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Fukushima Poka Poka Project ("refreshment camp" for children from
Fukushima) has been providing a place where children affected by the
2011 Fukushima nuclear accident can freely play under the sun, and a
space where parents can freely talk about their concerns about
radiation.

In the past three and half a years, more than 700 children and parents
have participated in the weekend refreshment camp in Inawashiro in the
mountains of Fukushima Prefecture. This location is accessible for
many parents in Fukushima and is safe, with low radiation levels.

Learn more:
http://www.foejapan.org/en/energy/pk_donation_2017.html


----------------------------------------------------------------------
13. Russia: Decommission at Novovoronezh NPP
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The third unit of the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant, operating
since 1971, finally stopped. Employees of the NPP prepare it for the
process of decommissioning. The unit will be a pilot project to use
technology of decommissioning VVER-440 reactors.

More information:
https://rg.ru/2016/12/26/reg-cfo/energoblok-novovoronezhskoj-aes-ostanovlen-navsegda.html


----------------------------------------------------------------------
14. Scram at Russia's new flagship reactor
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The No 6 reactor at the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant in Russia -
the first of the country's flagship AES-2006 series - was taken off
the grid due to an electric generator failure in early November 2016.
The incident occurred on November 10, but was not reported by
Rosenergoatom, Russia's nuclear utility, until six days later. The
company indicated that the reason for the emergency shutdown of its
prize new reactor was a short circuit.

Read the whole story:
http://bellona.org/news/nuclear-issues/2016-11-scram-at-russias-new-flagship-reactor-goes-unmentioned-for-six-days-stoking-speculation


----------------------------------------------------------------------
15. Nuclear Energy Conference 2017 in Linz
----------------------------------------------------------------------
In 2017 the Nuclear Energy Conference will take place for the fourth
time - as already in 2015 it will be held in Linz. 2017 EURATOM will
celebrate the 60th year since its foundation and therefore 60 years of
promoting nuclear industry. EURATOM is an obstacle for the European
nuclear phase-out and a stumbling block for a nuclear free Europe. 60
years after its implementation the time has come to abolish EURATOM or
at least subject it to a thorough reform process which has been
demanded for years.

International experts will discuss the following topics: Myth of
EURATOM - Is safety of nuclear power plants part of EURATOM? Reforming
EURATOM - Utopia or vision? Unilateral exit of EURATOM - Legal
possibilities. Why Germay should leave EURATOM. Campaigning against
EURATOM - Historic overview of campaigns in Austria.

http://www.nec2017.eu


----------------------------------------------------------------------
16. Updates on Polish nuclear policy
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There have been little concrete developments in the nuclear energy
program for Poland (PPEJ) in 2016. Localization and environmental
studies commissioned by PGE EJ1 (state-owned investor), which have
started some months ago, progressed very little. PGE EJ1 is claiming
they will be finalized in 2017 but they may encounter active
opposition from part of the local communities.

The PPEJ was scheduled by law to be revised in mid-2016 but it was not
until October. Instead of rethinking the usefulness of the
conventional nuclear program (which nominally is valid to date), the
Polish government, through the draft national "Strategy for
development", a policy document from the Ministry of Development,
proposed additional introduction of a completely new nuclear
technology of high-temperature reactors (so called HTRs). As small
modular reactors, they would be deployed beside and operated by
petro-chemical industry's plants. But first a prototype of reactors
would need to be developed which they would like to see it by 2030. In
fact, the national nuclear research center (NCBJ) had secured an
adequate co-operation document (letter of intent) with the UK
consortium 'U-Battery' to design and construct such a prototype. The
status of those proposals of reactors in relation to the reactors,
goals, timeline etc. proposed in PPEJ is completely unclear and the
authors of the 'Strategy' do not even attempt to clarify them.


----------------------------------------------------------------------
17. International Anti-nuclear Summer Camp will take place in Germany
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Despite the first announcement last autumn the 2017 international
anti-nuclear summer camp will not take place in June in Poland, but
from July 17-23 in Döbeln, Germany. There had been organizational
changes which led to the decision to hold the gathering one month
later and in Saxony. The new constellation means that it will start
about one week after the G20 protests that will take place on the 7th
of July weekend. Thus, activists and other participants of the
demonstrations in Hamburg will have one week to recover before
possibly joining the international summer camp.

However, the week between G20 protests and summer camp will be needed
for preparation of the camp - help is very welcome! Please announce
your participation in the preparation week in advance! It will also be
possible to set up your tent already and to also relax after the big
rallies in Hamburg before participating in our camp. You should expect
the infrastructure not ready yet for bigger amounts of people - the
sanitary facilities will be limited and food supplies also will need
to be organized during the preparation week!

Please contact us at "summercamp AT nuclear-heritage DOT net"!
More information will be available at:
http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Anti-nuclear_summer_camp_2017


----------------------------------------------------------------------
18. 40 years of site designation Gorleben - 40 years of resistance
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It is so long ago that the former Prime Minister of Lower Saxony,
Ernst Albrecht, had intended to declare Gorleben as the Nuclear
Disposal Centre by just pointing a finger onto the map. Since then, a
lot has been prevented: a reprocessing plant, a pilot conditioning
plant in operation, an unsuitable final storage. The Castor hall with
a capacity to store 420 Castor casks "only" holds 113 casks. But there
is a continuous need for further information and resistance! A protest
culture has grown in the Wendland anchored as a social movement. We
celebrate the successes and gain power for future tasks, namely to
promote the final nuclear phaseout, to have the nuclear waste stored
as safe as possible and not as cheap as possible, to stop unnecessary
nuclear transports and to complete the energy transition. There will
be an action day on February 18, an event on February 22 and a
DanceNightTotal on February 25.

Read the complete article:
http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/40_years_of_site_designation_Gorleben_-_40_years_of_resistance


----------------------------------------------------------------------
19. Internationalistic Anti Nuclear Summer Camp and Free Flow Festival
    at Gedelitz, in the Wendland
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A camp will take place between August 7 and 16, 2017 on the meadow,
for which activists and interested people from all over the world are
invited. Not as a competition but as a supplement to the camp in
Döbeln, we are planning lectures, discussions, workshops and an action
day on the subject of nuclear waste, nuclear transports, uranium
mining and human rights. We hope to live the integration of the issues
and activists of the Wendland and to carry out some networking
covering all continents and issues. We will try to invite people from
Standing Rock to Gedelitz within the scope of a tour, as a symbolic
gesture of our solidarity support and as an expression for our mutual
fight. Boarding is planned with the Vokü in addition to a small-scale
menu of the Wiese Pub. The price for the Camp shall be affordable for
everybody and shall be graded. Children are free. The Free Flow
Festival will take place at the weekend. Further information soon on
our own website and on the website of the organizers, the citizens'
initiative Umweltschutz Lüchow-Dannenberg.

http://www.bi-luechow-dannenberg.de
https://www.beelzebubairlines.de/freeflow/


----------------------------------------------------------------------
20. World Climate Summit in Bonn on November 6-17, 2017
----------------------------------------------------------------------
We plan a lot of different protest actions, because the schedule for
the coming decades of nuclear industries will be fixed during this
summit. The international alliance "Don't nuke the climate!", which
successfully organized protests against the World Climate Summit 2015
in Paris, has just started a new campaign.

Soon more here: 
http://www.bi-luechow-dannenberg.de/?page_id=14456


----------------------------------------------------------------------
21. G20 - July 7/8, 2017 in Hamburg
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The G20 is an informal merger of 19 countries and the European Union.
It is designed as a forum for the cooperation and consultation about
issues of the international financial system.

We strive for a completely different climate, and there will be
large-scale and resolute protests in Hamburg against the politics of
the G20 countries aimed at economic growth, optimization of profits
and competition promoting global groups of companies, rich people and
financial markets. The global consequences of such politics are
increasing social inequality, marginalization, environmental
destruction and climate change, wars, flight and impoverishment.

We jointly want to make visible the solidary-emancipatory pole of
society at the G20 summit. The cynical "Keep it up" of the G20 shall
be contradicted by our approaches for a socially just, peaceful and
ecologically sustainable world. It will be a triad of counter-summit,
actions of civil disobedience and a large-scale demonstration on July
8!!

Read the complete article:
http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/G20_-_July_7/8,_2017_in_Hamburg


----------------------------------------------------------------------
22. Upcoming events
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Feel free to send us your local and international events for the large
upcoming events collection on Nuclear Heritage Network website, and
for this extract in the NukeNews!
http://upcoming.nuclear-heritage.net


probably 2017:     Castor transport Resistance in France and Germany
18/02/17:          40 years Gorleben resistance - action day - in
                   Wendland region (D)
25/03/17 at 10 AM: 7th Temelin conference in Munich (D)
31/03/17-02/04/17: spring conference of the German anti-nuclear
                   movement in Göttingen (D)
25/04/17 at 9 AM:  Nuclear Energy Conference in Linz (A)
25/06/17:          Tihange human chain action via Tihange - Lüttich -
                   Maastricht - Aachen (B, D, NL)
07/07/17-08/07/17: G20 meeting and protests in Hamburg (D)
17/07/17-23/07/17: International Anti-nuclear Summer Camp 2017 in
                   Döbeln (D)
07/08/17-16/08/17: Internationalistic Anti Nuclear Summer Camp and
                   Free Flow Festival in Gedelitz (D)
06/11/17-17/11/17: World Climate Summit and protests in Bonn (D)


http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Castor_Resistance_in_Germany_2017
http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/40_years_of_site_designation_Gorleben_-_40_years_of_resistance
https://www.stoppt-temelin.de/7-temelinkonferenz-2017-m%C3%BCnchen/
http://www.contratom.de/fruehjahrskonferenz-2017/
http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Nuclear_Energy_Conference_2017
http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Tihange_Humain_Chain
http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/G20_-_July_7/8,_2017_in_Hamburg
http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Anti-nuclear_summer_camp_2017


----------------------------------------------------------------------
23. About NukeNews
----------------------------------------------------------------------
NukeNews is a multilingual newsletter system of the Nuclear Heritage
Network. It reflects the activities, topics and struggles of
anti-nuclear activists connected through this international community.
The messages are written and translated by activists, additionally to
their usual anti-nuclear activities. The newsletter aims to inform and
update as well activists as the interested audience.

Your contributions to the NukeNews are welcome! Send them via email to
"newsletter AT nuclear-heritage DOT net". The text should be very
brief and in English. Please don't make it longer than one paragraph.
We need a concise headline for your article, and you can add a link to
a webpage providing more information. Deadline for the 24th issue of
the NukeNews is 26th of March, 2017.

Spread the word and learn more about the NukeNews:
http://NukeNews.Nuclear-Heritage.NET