Can We Afford More Subsidies for Nuclear Power?
’WASHINGTON - October 20 - The Senate may finally start debating climate and energy legislation now that Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) have introduced the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. But the addition of a nuclear provision to the bill raises some questions. What will be the fate of the so-called nuclear power renaissance, and to what extent will taxpayers be asked to underwrite it? Expanding nuclear power capacity in the United States beyond the current fleet of 104 reactors -- which do not emit global warming pollution when operating -- has the potential to help combat climate change. Nuclear power currently generates about 20 percent of U.S. electricity, and building more reactors could reduce the 50 percent market share held by coal-fired power plants, the nation's primary source of global warming emissions. But is nuclear power a climate solution we can afford? The short answer, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), is no. As UCS Nuclear Energy and Climate Change Project Manager Ellen Vancko notes, "Even if you discount nuclear power's current security and safety problems, the skyrocketing cost of construction could be the industry's Achilles' heel."’

Alarm as Taiwan wants to extend life of oldest nuclear plant
’TAIPEI - Taiwan wants to extend the life of its oldest nuclear power plant for another 20 years, the government said Tuesday, triggering alarm among activists who fear it could put public safety at risk. State-owned Taiwan Power Company has asked to keep using the Chinshan plant, operational since 1978 in a coastal area of north Taiwan, after the licenses of its two reactors expire in 2018 and 2019, the Atomic Energy Council said. "The application is for extending the life of the plant's two generators from 40 to 60 years," the cabinet-level council said in a statement. Conservation activists Tuesday voiced severe concerns about what they called a risky plan, also citing a shortage of space to store the nuclear waste. "We strongly oppose the measure... We cannot afford taking such as risk," Gloria Hsu, a National Taiwan University professor, told AFP. "Imagine a car originally designed for use for 10 years or so. Now people hope to use it for 30 years. Wouldn't you have safety concerns while driving such a car?" said Hsu, former chief of the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union.’

Iran nuclear talks with US, other powers stall in Vienna
- Iranian negotiators played it tough on the second day of "brass tacks" talks on their nuclear program Tuesday. Some diplomats had been hoping for a breakthrough, with a deal sealed to send a large portion of Iran's nuclear fuel abroad for further processing. Instead, Iran appeared to shift the playing field. In particular, the Iranian delegation objected to French participation in the plan to ship nuclear fuel out of the country -- something that Iran had appeared to agree to at the start of October -- and delayed the formal meeting all day. Finally in the evening, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohammed Elbaradi managed to coax Iranian officials to a set of intensive talks with the US, and later on they met with all of the delegations for a round of negotiations that remained inconclusive by 10 pm. Mr. Elbaradi, who leaves office next month, is thought to see the historic talks as part of his legacy. On Tuesday he said only that nuclear negotiations were "making progress" and that a deal is still "possible." He didn't elaborate further.’

Nuclear industry: Crumbling stores, leaky plants and the dangers of old age
’Dealing with the problems of old age lies at the heart of the nuclear industry's challenge to convince the public of its safety: leaky power plants, crumbling waste stores nearing the end of their lives and overworked inspectors who do not have the time to assess properly the next generation of power stations. Even with billions of pounds a year being poured into clean-up operations, it is a toxic legacy going back to the cold war that continually threatens to undermine the facelift given by the new private sector companies. The companies, mainly from France and Germany, have joined the government to try to convince the public it is time for a nuclear renaissance, on both energy security and climate change grounds. In recent days the industry watchdog, the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII), has admitted that the possibility of a serious accident at Britain's biggest nuclear complex, Sellafield in Cumbria, is still "far too high", while questioning the safety designs of new reactors being submitted for approval. The private sector managers who took over at Sellafield less than a year ago have been told in a letter that they should reduce the risks at the radioactive storage pond dubbed "Dirty 30" and elsewhere as soon as possible. The harsh assessment by the NII was revealed by one of its inspectors, Mark Foy, at a meeting of local stakeholders who live around the area of the plant. "We are concerned that the risk of a major event caused by further degradation of legacy plants, or increased time at risk due to deferrals, is far too high," said Foy. "We have written to Sellafield Ltd to advise that every effort should be given to addressing and reducing the risks at the earliest possibility."’

Secret files reveal covert network run by nuclear police
‘The nuclear industry funds the special armed police force which guards its installations across the UK, and secret documents, seen by the Guardian, show the 750-strong force is authorised to carry out covert intelligence operations against anti-nuclear protesters, one of its main targets. The nuclear industry will pay £57m this year to finance the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC). The funding comes from the companies which run 17 nuclear plants, including Dounreay in Caithness, Sellafield in Cumbria and Dungeness in Kent.’

Finland - The Namibian Minister of Mines and Energy to visit Finland
’Erkki Nghimtina, the Minister of Mines and Energy of Namibia, will visit Finland on 21-23 October at the invitation of Minister of Economic Affairs Mauri Pekkarinen. Finland and Namibia will enhance their cooperation in the mining and energy sector. A project between the Geological Survey of Finland and the Namibian Ministry of Mines and Energy is currently under preparation. During the visit, Minister Nghimtina will get acquainted with Finnish technology within the fields of energy efficiency, renewable sources of energy and mining technology and meet executives of Finnish companies representing these sectors. In addition to Minister Pekkarinen, during his visit Minister Nghimtina will meet Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen. Furthermore, he will visit VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the Geological Survey of Finland, where he will also be introduced to the activities of the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority Finland. The programme also includes a visit in the Rauma region, where Minister Nghimtina will get acquainted with the activities of the Chamber of Commerce of Rauma and its member companies and visit Teollisuuden Voima Oyj's Olkiluoto nuclear power plant.’

Jordan looking to export uranium by 2011
- Jordan is coming up with 'strong results' indicating the country would emerge as a key exporter of uranium by the end of 2011, Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) President Khalid Touqan said Tuesday. He said that a number of countries that use nuclear energy have 'approached Jordan for importing the yellow cake, which represents the raw material for nuclear fuel.' 'At the end of the first phase of the economic feasibility study, we are getting strong and encouraging results that pave the ground for moving to the second stage and obtaining the necessary financing from banks,' Touqan was quoted by the official Petra new agency as saying. He made the remarks during a tour of the uranium exploration operations, which are being carried out in central Jordan by the French atomic energy conglomerate, Areva, which is overwhelmingly owned by the French government. 'Areva represents an element of strength for the Jordanian uranium project, given its political weight, guarantees and its long international experience in the field of nuclear security and safety,' Touqan said.’