A SCIENTIST based in Birchwood has been honoured to lead a national nuclear power project. Professor John Stairmand, who works for Jacobs at Birchwood Park, will lead UK research into materials for new nuclear reactors capable of powering a carbon net-zero economy. The technical director of technology and cyber solutions will co-chair the Technical Advisory Board of SINDRI – Synergistic Utilization of Informatics and Data Centric Integrity Engineering. This is a government and private sector-funded partnership of academic and industrial experts.

Warrington Guardian 24th July 2021 read more »

Is The Fear Of Nuclear Energy Justified? It’s easy to understand why wind and solar power, appear on the surface, to be more attractive as a source of energy than nuclear power but wind and solar power are inherently unreliable since the wind does not always blow nor the sunshine. They certainly won’t work without significant battery backup. Today’s battery technology is not up to the task simply because there are not enough minerals on this planet to make enough of them and we could not afford them even if there were. Our country has been blessed with a reliable and affordable electricity generation and distribution system. If people are really serious about fighting climate change and achieving the goal of net-zero emissions, I don’t understand how this will be possible without them also embracing zero CO2 nuclear energy.

Oil Price 24th July 2021 read more »

A POLICE presence has been seen at Sellafield this week to provide security and reassurance to a vital part of the nation’s infrastructure. Police Superintendent with CNC Tim Needham she some light on the work to protect the Sellafield Decommissioning site. Superintendent Needham said: “Our officers are patrolling at Sellafield this evening, supported by control room officers, to provide an immediate armed response.” Their presence on Monday was supplemented by Authorise Firearm Officers and specialist dogs patrolling the surrounding area.

Whitehaven News 21st July 2021 read more »

In 1958, when it was announced that Kent had been selected to site one of the nation’s first atomic power stations, a senior figure in the planning process described nuclear power as “as safe as stairs”. In retrospect, it was probably an odd analogy to make. After all, a catastrophe on a flight of steps wouldn’t spread radiation on a scale which would decimate much of the south coast. It was announced in June of this year that Dungeness B was entering the defuelling stage – the first part of its decommissioning process. Dungeness A is way ahead in the process having stopped producing electricity back in 2006.

Kent Messenger 14th July 2021 read more »

Decommissioning Dungeness: Nuclear power station will need ‘hundreds of staff for decades’. Hundreds of staff will continue to work at the South East’s only nuclear power plant ‘for decades’, according to the station’s director. That’s despite a decision not to resume electricity generation at Dungeness B, which has been undergoing maintenance since 2018. Local MP for Folkestone and Hythe, Damian Collins, is optimistic there could be a new nuclear future for Dungeness and is pinning his hopes on a new generation of small modular reactors. “This is a technology that already exists. The consortium of companies, led by Rolls-Royce, which have developed them is looking to get them licenced by the government and I believe the first reactors could be deployed by 2031. They’re most likely to be used at existing nuclear sites where the infrastructure is there to support them.”

ITV 12th July 2021 read more »

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has launched a consultation on the role and responsibilities of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC). CNC Chief Constable Simon Chesterman said: “As a part of the wider policing family, our core role at the CNC remains the security and protection of the nation’s civil nuclear infrastructure and failure to deliver this is not an option. The CNC and Civil Nuclear Police Authority’s core objective in the project is to maintain our core Mission and to remain effective, efficient and relevant through a period of change in the civil nuclear sector. “Our ambition is to be recognised nationally and internationally as the United Kingdom’s leading organisation for the provision of protective policing for the civil nuclear industry and other critical national infrastructure. “This consultation will investigate whether changing the legislation will allow us to utilise our expertise in deterrence and armed response, either to support other critical infrastructure sites or to assist other police forces in an emergency.” The consultation runs until August 5.

Police Professional 12th July 2021 read more »