NukeNews No. 23 - ENGLISH

************************************************************ *    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