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Moorside

Plans for two nuclear power plants on the site of a previously abandoned project in Cumbria have been submitted. The previous scheme at Moorside was halted when Japanese multinational Toshiba failed to find a buyer for NuGen, its UK subsidiary running it. Copeland Council said two consortia had now submitted plans for its “clean energy hub” on the site, adjacent to the Sellafield reprocessing plant. The Unite union said the plans could lead to a “jobs bonanza”. Regional Secretary Ritchie James said Toshiba’s withdrawal from the Moorside site had been “a blow to the economic future of Cumbria”. “The fact that this consortium is looking beyond tomorrow and into a low-carbon future is good news, given that there could be a post-pandemic 25,000 jobs bonanza across the region if this takes off,” he said.

BBC 1st July 2020 read more »

Whitehaven News 1st July 2020 read more »

Sizewell

The UK Planning Inspectorate on 24 June accepted for examination the planning application for the Sizewell C nuclear power plant. The decision means the Inspectorate is satisfied that the eight years of public consultation by the project was conducted properly and that full examination of the proposals can now take place, EDF said. If approved, Sizewell C will deliver power to 6 million homes. “It will provide a vital boost to jobs, skills, education and training for decades to come while helping to tackle the climate crisis,” EDF noted. A summary of the proposals will be made available on the Sizewell C website, and a newsletter will be sent to local people outlining “all the ways we will help the public take part in the planning process”. A copy of the full planning application and supporting documents are available on the Planning Inspectorate website. “The timing is right to start the process for the public to be able to view the planning application with new guidelines in place for social distancing. We will ensure they have every opportunity to read the planning application for this project which will leave a positive legacy for years to come,” EDF said.

Nuclear Engineering International 30th June 2020 read more »

Sellafield

Many of you, who have kindly donated to my crowdfunding page, have contacted me over the previous months asking for an update on my whistleblowing case against Sellafield and the NDA. I have been encouraged and sustained by the number of current and former employees who have been in touch to offer me their support. This case has been ongoing since December 2018 and the hearing on 7th July marks a significant landmark in this litigation. In brief, I have been granted a one day hearing to consider if the defences of Sellafield and the NDA should be struck out on the basis that I consider the Respondents have behaved vexatiously and unreasonably throughout this litigation. As of February, I have been representing myself after the costs became too prohibitive (having exceeded 50k), although I have appointed a barrister, Mr Chris Milsom of Cloisters Chambers, to represent me on the 7th July. The one day strike out hearing will be held via video conferencing. In response to those who have asked it if is possible to attend this hearing remotely, I can confirm that the Manchester Employment Tribunal has advised that the hearing is public and members of the public can dial in and observe the hearing.

Crowd Justice 1st July 2020 read more »

Low Level Waste Repository

Nuclear specialist Jacobs has been selected to provide its expertise at the UK’s national disposal facility for low-level radioactive waste in Cumbria, as part of a four-year deal. Jacobs, which has operations in Cheshire and Manchester, was selected by LLW Repository as sole service provider on the Repository Infrastructure Framework. The framework, effective from June 2020, covers a wide range of services to help LLWR manage the repository, in West Cumbria, on behalf of the Government’s Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

The Business Desk 1st July 2020 read more »

Energy Policy

David Toke writes: Jonathon Porritt is, in my opinion, the most influential British green political thinker. Here I’m interviewing him about his new book ‘Hope in Hell – A decade to confront the climate emergency’, published by Simon and Shuster.

100% Renewables 1st July 2020 read more »

Green Recovery

The British government should prioritise spending on green projects to create jobs and kickstart the economic recovery from the coronavirus crisis, the International Monetary Fund’s chief economist has said. Gita Gopinath, the IMF’s economic counsellor, said that mounting unemployment triggered by the Covid-19 crisis would require swift action to prevent lasting damage, and that spending on low-carbon projects could be used in response. Speaking to MPs on the commons Treasury committee, she said countries such as the UK had an opportunity to “do public investment that also addresses the need for a greener planet, and at the same time as a jobs-rich recovery”.

Guardian 2nd July 2020 read more »

Labour Policy

Of all the bad news stories this week – and there are many such as the Prime Minister’s boneheaded brainless, bulldozer strategy of ‘Build, Build, Build’- I found this one below in the Independent, the worst. It is terribly depressing that the new Labour Party leader is not committed to arguing the case for the full Green New Deal, which is the only eco-economic strategy that can at once regenerate the economy, create millions of new jobs, and make the environment and living conditions better for tens of millions of British residents. What not to like, Sir Keir?

David Lowry’s Blog 1st July 2020 read more »

Energy Demand

The fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic is set to significantly reduce global long-term energy demand, according to new research by DNV GL. The energy risk management firm’s new Energy Transition Outlook claims the behavioural and economic ramifications of the virus will see a decline in demand of 8% worldwide. It also forecasts that CO2 emissions have “likely” already peaked in 2019 as a result of the outbreak. But the report adds that the energy transition is still “nowhere near fast enough” to meet the Paris agreement of net-zero emissions by 2050. Remi Eriksen, group president and chief executive of DNV GL, said: “We are still at a critical junction.

Energy Voice 1st July 2020 read more »

R&D

UK R&D Roadmap: Through the £93 million Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) ‘Robots for a Safer World’ programme, the UK is developing world-leading nuclear robotics technology that helps keep people out of harm’s way and could unlock significant economy opportunities both in the UK and globally. Since 2019, the expanded Oxfordshire Advance Skills (OAS) Centre trains up to 350 technical apprentices per year for UKAEA and a host of industrial partners, with 80% of apprentices going to local industry. Specialising in areas such as power engineering, AI, robotics and nuclear design, OAS apprentices routinely win local and national awards. The UK will continue to invest in our cutting-edge Nuclear Fusion science including through our ambitious Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production programme to accelerate the delivery of sustainable fusion energy. Our future success in R&D will rely on a diverse network of infrastructure: internationally competitive, high-quality and accessible facilities, resources, data and services. For example, the UK hosts the Joint European Torus (JET), the world’s most powerful nuclear fusion experiment.

BEIS 1st July 2020 read more »

CGN

Lisa Nandy (Shadow Foreign Secretary) Will he (Dominic Raab) provide an updated assessment of the implications for national security of the involvement of Huawei in the 5G network? Will he make a similar assessment in relation to the planned nuclear projects involving CGN, in particular at Bradwell? Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): The action that the Secretary of State has announced for BNO passport holders is welcome, but it does nothing to bring China to book. The reality is that global Britain is so weak with regard to China because it is reliant on CGN for nuclear and on Huawei for 5G. If he wants to prove me wrong, will he rule out any future deals with CGN for nuclear power stations? Dominic Raab: The open investment culture that we have in this country constantly needs to be kept under review. We have seen it with Huawei and we will look at it in other areas. However, the reality is that it is also a source of this country’s strength, so I do not accept for a second the hon. Gentleman’s suggestion that Britain being an open and outward-looking country, and welcoming investment, is somehow the reason for what has happened in Hong Kong.

Hansard 1st July 2020 read more »

I’ve never had any illusions about the nature of the Chinese regime, but I used to think that constructive engagement was the best policy. Not anymore. Not after the Covid cover-up, or the crushing of Hong Kong, or the aggression against India or the latest news from Xinjiang about a Uighur sterilization campaign. Our policy must now shift to one of protective disengagement. Not becoming technologically dependant on Chinese providers is the obvious place to start. Quite rightly, the British government is coming under intense pressure to u-turn on its policy of allowing Huawei to build our 5G networks. But another key concern is nuclear power. According to a Populus poll conducted for the China Research Group (an organisation of British Members of Parliament), only 12% of respondents agreed with the statement “I would be happy for a Chinese company to build a nuclear power station in Britain” — 62% disagreed. Unfortunately, it’s already happening. The Chinese company CGN is key part of the consortium building Hinkley Point C in Somerset. But while it’s too late to stop that horrendously expensive mistake, there’s still time to say no to Sizewell C in Suffolk. This nuclear new build project also involves CGN — and it too is horrendously expensive. The Financial Times reports that the latest cost estimates are “higher-than-expected”. Those of us who complained about the price tag on Hinkley were told that as the first of its kind, the project would pave the way for major cost reductions on subsequent power stations. But Sizewell C throws that into doubt and we aren’t even close to getting the final bill yet. At least with Huawei’s 5G offer, we’d be getting some advanced technology for our money. However, the same cannot be said for the EPR nuclear reactor design, which has been knocking about for years. The first such construction project, in Finland, started in 2005. Therefore, by the time that Sizewell C is meant to open in 2031, the technology will be more than a quarter of a century old.

Unherd 2nd July 2020 read more »

The UK has to stand up for democracy’: Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy tells John Pienaar China should be excluded from the UK’s nuclear construction sector and 5G network.

Times Radio (From 18.00 – important bit from 25.00) 1st July 2020 read more »

The Labour Party has taken a harsher line on China in recent weeks, offering support for Hong Kong opposition protesters and criticising the government in Beijing for its new national security law. Lisa Nandy on Wednesday said that China should be removed from involvement in UK 5G network and nuclear power projects over ongoing controversy surrounding Hong Kong. Speaking to the Times Radio, the UK shadow foreign secretary said that the commonwealth needs “far greater strategic independence” from Beijing and that national security concerns need to be reassessed. She stressed that the UK should focus on “homegrown” alternatives for energy and high-speed internet supply.

Sputnik News 1st July 2020 read more »

China should be removed from UK’s 5G and nuclear power networks amid Hong Kong row, say Labour. The UK needs to phase out Chinese involvement from its 5G and nuclear power networks amid the row over Hong Kong, according to Labour. Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said we need “far greater strategic independence” from Beijing and reassess the national security implications. Speaking to Times Radio she said Britain must find “home-grown alternatives” to implement super-fast internet amid ongoing controversy over the award of a contract to the Chinese firm Huawei. “I don’t think we should be handing over large chunks of our energy infrastructure, especially our nuclear energy infrastructure, to a country that’s behaved in such an aggressive way towards the UK and the people of Hong Kong in recent weeks,” she said.

Politics Home 1st July 2020 read more »

Huffington Post 1st July 2020 read more »

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