NukeNews No. 29 - ENGLISH

************************************************************ *    NukeNews #29 - Anti-Nuclear Information Service      * ************************************************************ -- 0. Preface -- Welcome to this great new edition of the newsletter of the Nuclear Heritage Network. Anti-nuclear activists from around the world share news and updates from their struggles and topics they are working on. Thanks to them we can provide you with the longest NukeNews editions since two years! This time we cover all continents (except Antarctica). Several articles discuss Japan's atomic politics, other regional focal points are Austria, Germany and Russia. We are happy that we can announce three international anti-nuclear gatherings coming up this spring and summer. If you appreciate the value of this newsletter project, please help us by sending us your news and updates for the next edition! (see details in the last section of this edition) -- Outline of the current NukeNews issue #29 -- 0. Preface 1. Accident in German fuel elements fabrication factory 2. German anti-nuclear positions on temporary storage of nuclear waste 3. Ontario, Canada opts for nuclear rebuilds and extensions 4. CESOPE's anti-uranium struggles in Tanzania 5. Polish nuclear program developments 6. India: no remarkable nuclear developments last year 7. Latest developments in Japan's atomic policy 8. Report on a post-Fukushima visit to former evacuation areas 9. Fukushima: First contact made with melted fuel 10. Japanese NPP projects abroad canceled 11. 40 years since the successful referendum against the Austrian Zwentendorf NPP 12. NEC2019: Lifetime.extents.danger 13. Aboriginal women take Cameco to court to stop uranium mining in    Western Australia 14. Russian radioactive waste issues and challenges 15. Call for solidarity with the Russian environmental organization Ecodefense 16. Nuclear waste in Belgium 17. International Anti-nuclear Summer Camp 2019 18. English translation of Swedish court decision against final repository project available 19. Resumption of the construction of a nuclear power plant in Brazil 20. Global Anti-nuclear Social Forum in Madrid 21. Finland: Olkiluoto permitted to add electricity to the grid 22. Upcoming events 23. About NukeNews -- 1. Accident in German fuel elements fabrication factory -- On December 13, 2018 about 110 people met in Lingen in Northern Germany to protest against ANF fuel elements fabrication factory after a fire inside the facility. There had been was an explosion during the night shift. Nearly nobody was on site, it turned to be a big action for more than 100 fireman... Read the complete article: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Accident_in_German_fuel_elements_fabrication_factory -- 2. German anti-nuclear positions on temporary storage of nuclear waste -- In November 2018 German anti-nuclear groups launched a detailed paper on positions and demands in connection with the temporary storage of nuclear waste in Germany. 76 NGOs, citizen initiatives and groups signed and support these positions which shall be basis for anti-nuclear approaches in the struggles about repositories, atomic transports and new nuclear waste management facilities. Over two years a working group of the half-yearly Nuclear Waste Conference of the German anti-nuclear movement discussed and developed these positions. Read more: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/German_anti-nuclear_positions_on_temporary_storage_of_nuclear_waste -- 3. Ontario, Canada opts for nuclear rebuilds and extensions -- Ontario is at a crossroads - we could phase out our 18 aging nuclear reactors OR we could rebuild and extend them, locking us into high cost nuclear power for the next 50 years. Our government has chosen to rebuild 12 and extend the life of 6. Meanwhile, our neighbor Quebec is offering us low cost renewable hydro power at one third the price. The Ontario Clean Air Alliance continues to advocate for a deal with Quebec to replace our aging high cost nukes. More information: http://www.Close-Pickering.ca http://www.cleanairalliance.org/no-nuke-news/ -- 4. CESOPE's anti-uranium struggles in Tanzania -- Uranium mining is an activity with long term negative consequences. Since 2008 CESOPE along with other CSOs (civil society organizations) have been trying to advocate against uranium mining in Bahi-Dodoma region, Manyoni-Singida region and in Namtumbo-Songea Region, creating awareness to the communities that will be affected by uranium mining. CESOPE has also been able to influence decision making spaces and channels of influence at different levels at national and international levels. This report provides a snapshot of activity achievements that we were able to implement in the year 2018. Read more: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/CESOPE%27s_anti-uranium_struggles_in_Tanzania -- 5. Polish nuclear program developments -- Without having announced the updated nuclear power program (including the decision on whether to continue the first build plan or not), on 23 November, 2018, shortly before the UN Climate Summit (CoP24) was held in Katowice, the Polish Ministry of Energy (MoE) announced its draft 'Energy policy for PL through 2040' (PEP2040), submitting it for public consultation (which was closing on 15 January, 2019). Some of the Polish environmental NGOs noted that the draft was not accompanied by a draft SEA (strategic environmental assessment), therefore it is invalid and breeching the PL and EU law. Read the complete article: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Polish_nuclear_program_developments -- 6. India: no remarkable nuclear developments last year -- 2018 neither any exceptional acquisitions or advancements have been made by the Indian government, nor has any massive anti-nuclear people’s mobilization taken place at the grassroots compared to the immediate post-Fukushima years. On all these counts, the observable surface-reality appears less remarkable than what most observers would have expected. Nevertheless, many smaller steps happened, and the Dianuke.org editor composed a detailed report about the atomic activities of India last year. Read the article: https://www.dianuke.org/indias-immodest-nuclear-quest-in-2018-the-measured-normalization-of-a-nuclear-state/ -- 7. Latest developments in Japan's atomic policy -- In summer 2018 the Japanese cabinet had approved a new basic energy plan setting goals for the energy mix of the country until 2030 including scenarios until 2050. Nuclear power is supposed to reach a share of more than one fifth of the electricity generation again. Before the series of explosions in Fukushima in March 2011 atomic power made one third of electricity. After the explosions, which started the still ongoing nuclear catastrophe, all reactors had been turned off for several years. As of February 2019 nine units have been activated again, and 21 of Japan's pre-Fukushima fleet of 54 units have been permanently shut down, but the government aims on bringing all the remaining reactors back in operation soon. Read more in the nuclear lobby's report: http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NP-Japanese-Cabinet-approves-new-basic-energy-plan-0307184.html -- 8. Report on a post-Fukushima visit to former evacuation areas -- Friends of the Earth Japan staff recently shared a report on their visit to some regions that had been evacuated after the explosions in Fukushima 2011. Photos and impressions as well as basic information are provided - in Japanese language, but easily understandable with the help of online translation tools. Learn more: https://foejapan.wordpress.com/2018/11/16/hamadoori_visit/ -- 9. Fukushima: First contact made with melted fuel -- In early 2019 for the very first time after the beginning of the catastrophe a probe was able to touch melted nuclear fuel debris, according to Tokyo Electric Power Co. "a long-awaited milestone in the battle toward decommissioning". The probe lifted a piece of debris at the bottom of unit 2 of Fukushima Daiichi and took measurements like hardness, temperature and radioactivity of the material necessary for designing the eventual containers and equipment for the removal of the melted fuel and took photos inside the containment vessel. This seemingly low-relevant news piece illustrates the ongoing disaster in Fukushima where still little knowledge and methodology is ready to deal with the impacts of the nuclear accident while the regular public considers the catastrophe over... Read more: http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201902140041.html -- 10. Japanese NPP projects abroad canceled -- Due to rising costs reaching double the projected expenses, the Japanese constructor Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. gave up their participation in the planned new nuclear power plant in Sinop, Turkey, as announced in early December 2018. Plans of Japanese lobbyists for joining the constructing of nuclear power plants in other countries had been canceled already (Vietnam 2016, Taiwan 2014). The proposed Wylfa Newydd NPP project in Anglesey, United Kingdom, is currently the only abroad construction project left for a Japanese company, in this case for Hitachi Ltd. Even there all work was suspended. In February BBC reported Welsh secretary Alun Cairns wanted to meet Hitachi bosses in Japan to discuss financial opportunities to save the construction plans. Again, expensive construction costs were the cause. Just a few weeks before work was interrupted in Anglesey, another Japanese company, Toshiba, had winded up their UK NPP construction plans (the Moorside project in Cumbria) due to financial problems. Sources are provided with the online version of this article: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Japanese_NPP_projects_abroad_canceled -- 11. 40 years since the successful referendum against the Austrian Zwentendorf NPP -- On 5 November 2018 the Austrian Anti-Nuke-Community celebrated the 40th anniversary of the historical outcome of the referendum of the year 1978. This symbolic project was declined by a small margin of slightly over 50 % of the participating public. The preceding debates and following developments became a milestone for the history of democracy and renewable energies in Austria. In the meantime activists cooperate very well with colleagues especially in the Czech Republic and other neighboring countries. The NGO "Sonne und Freiheit" now started to organize translations of texts about that successful struggle and will step by step provide these texts online. Planned and partly realized are versions in Czech, Slovene, Croatian and Polish language. The main source is the book https://www.bibliothekderprovinz.at/buch/5573/ -- 12. NEC2019: Lifetime.extents.danger -- The NEC2019 on May 8, 2019 in Linz (A) analyses the problems of lifetime extensions of atomic reactors from several points of view: In addition to a presentation of specific plans in various countries, the risk potential is discussed from a technical point of view and the subject of economic (in)efficiency is brought up. The political strategy is highlighted, the legal framework and options for action are set out as well. Presentations of international experts should raise awareness for the imminent danger and open the discussion for appropriate counter-strategies. Read more: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Nuclear_Energy_Conference_2019 -- 13. Aboriginal women take Cameco to court to stop uranium mining in    Western Australia -- Currently in Western Australia (WA) there is a landmark court case to stop Canadian uranium company, Cameco from mining uranium at the proposed Yeelirrie uranium project. Three Aboriginal women from Yeelirrie, together with WA’s peak environmental group Conservation Council of WA, are taking the State Government and Cameco to court to uphold the rights of Traditional Owners to protect sacred lands in WA’s fragile desert country from unwanted uranium mining. Read more: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Aboriginal_women_take_Cameco_to_court_to_stop_uranium_mining_in_Western_Australia -- 14. Russian radioactive waste issues and challenges -- Russia is one of quite a few countries in the world with a full nuclear chain (incl. mining, U-enrichment, fuel fabrication, nuclear power plants, submarines, icebreakers, nuclear weapons, spent nuclear fuel [reprocessing], radwaste management [RWM], etc.). Radioactive waste is produced at each stage of the chain. Due to historical reasons (strong military connection) and due to the current political situation (lack of freedom of speech, freedom of associations, environmentalists harassment) – opportunities for civil society groups are quite limited both in information access and in public participation in decision making. Read more: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Russian_radioactive_waste_issues_and_challenges -- 15. Call for solidarity with the Russian environmental organization Ecodefense -- In July 2014, the Russian Ministry of Justice declared the environmental organization Ecodefense as so called foreign agents. In the first week of February 2019, the Ministry of Justice escalated the situation: three more personally addressed punitive orders were sent and another two million rubles (about 28,000 euros) in two fines against the NGO, and Ecodefense's account was frozen. Learn more: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Call_for_solidarity_with_the_Russian_environmental_organization_Ecodefense -- 16. Nuclear waste in Belgium -- We have probably the worst situation in Western Europe, with a French-owned nuclear park of seven reactors. Three of them have passed the 40 years limit, exploitation has been given a legal right to go to 50 years. These reactors are frequently stopped because of unplanned technical problems. Two other reactors, Tihange 2 and Doel 3 are riddled by numerous flaws and their reactor buildings are not seriously tested. The control organism, FANC, is notoriously unable to stop the security breaches committed by ENGIE. The politicians of MR and NVA, of the now ending government coalition, want to build another reactor and have all reactors exploited during 50 working years. Read more: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Nuclear_waste_in_Belgium -- 17. International Anti-nuclear Summer Camp 2019 -- We are pleased to announce that there will be another anti-nuclear camp this year, this time in Döbeln, Germany, from August 12th-18th, 2019. As previous camps in Germany (2017) and France (2018) have shown, it is a great opportunity for people from different countries and continents to come together and network, learn and share information. We have welcomed participants from the Americas and Asia and gained a more in depth insight into the anti-nuclear movement in the US, Turkey, India and Japan. We hope that this camp will bring together even more people from all over the world! Learn more: http://camp2019.nuclearheritage.net -- 18. English translation of Swedish court decision against final repository project available -- The Swedish Environmental Court's 23rd of January 2018 decision against the the installation of the KBS model for a final repository for high level radioactive waste (HAW) in Sweden is now also available in English. Although this wouldn't be the final decision about the repository it was a big setback for the nuclear industry. It is an interesting case, because the same model, but reduced by even more safety features, is applied in the Finnish Onkalo project, the final repository for HAW next to the Olkiluoto nuclear reactors. And despite the relevant decision of the court in Sweden, where the model was developed, stresses missing safety aspects neither Finnish authorities nor operators seem to be willing to reconsider the technology. Instead, they proudly propagate Onkalo to become "the first final repository (for HAW) in the world"... http://www.nonuclear.se/files/mmd20180123summary-statement-case-m1333-11spent-fuel.pdf -- 19. Resumption of the construction of a nuclear power plant in Brazil -- The current Brazilian administration and the one that is to come in 2019 are willing to re-engage into Angra 3 construction, the third Brazilian nuclear power plant, twice interrupted – in 1983 and 2016. Only they want to do it using the same obsolete project from the 1970s. To avoid this absurdity, civil society organizations have made a petition for a project audit. Read the complete article: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Resumption_of_the_construction_of_a_nuclear_power_plant_in_Brazil -- 20. Global Anti-nuclear Social Forum in Madrid -- From May 31st until June 2nd 2019 (attention: updated dates!) this forum wants to be a place of participation for the hundreds of struggles and the thousands of people fighting the nuclear threat from many different perspectives. From mining to the lethal use of nuclear energy, they will find their place. For this, we would like to hear all lecture proposals people want to let us know of. In order to organise a space for everyone, we will provide with plenaries but also with talks, workshops, parallel meetings... Learn more: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Global_Anti-nuclear_Social_Forum_in_Madrid -- 21. Finland: Olkiluoto permitted to add electricity to the grid -- The Finnish government has granted an operating license to the newly built nuclear power Plant Olkiluoto 3 (OL3) in Western Finland on 7 March 2019. The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority STUK already gave the project the green light, under the condition that the operator TVO deal with a technical problem in the primary circuit. Thus, the newly built European Pressurized Water Reactor (EPR) may be connected to the grid in January 2020. Learn more: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Finland:_Olkiluoto_permitted_to_add_electricity_to_the_grid -- 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 2019:    Nuclear Waste Transport to Ahaus (D) 26/03/19-09/08/19: action campaign "20 weeks against 20 atomic bombs" in Büchel (D) 27/04/19 at 12 PM: "Surround Springfields" against the nuclear fuel factory assembling in Salwick, Lancashire (UK) 08/05/2019:       Nuclear Energy Conference 2019 with focus on NPP lifetime extension in Linz (A) 25/05/19-02/06/19: Uranium Film Festival in Rio de Janeiro (BR) 31/05/19-02/06/19: Global Anti-nuclear Social Forum in Madrid (E) 08/07/19-16/07/19: International Action Camp against nuclear weapons in Büchel (D) 09/08/19-11/08/19: political cultural festival "Les Bure'lesques" in                   Bure (F) 12/08/19-18/08/19: International Anti-nuclear Summer Camp 2019 in                   Döbeln (D) 06/09/19-08/09/19: Uranium Film Festival in Viseu (P) http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Nuclear_Waste_Transport_to_Ahaus https://buechel-atombombenfrei.jimdo.com/kalender/ https://www.facebook.com/events/320014861963078/ http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Nuclear_Energy_Conference_2019 http://uraniumfilmfestival.org http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Global_Anti-nuclear_Social_Forum_in_Madrid http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/International_Action_Camp_against_nuclear_weapons https://burefestival.org/AU-PROGRAMME http://camp2019.nuclearheritage.net http://uraniumfilmfestival.org -- 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 30th issue of the NukeNews is 17th of May, 2019. 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