NukeNews No. 15 - ENGLISH

************************************************************ *    NukeNews #15 - Anti-Nuclear Information Service      * ************************************************************ -- 0. Preface -- Welcome to this 15th release of the multilingual newsletter system of the Nuclear Heritage Network! In this issue activists connected through our community report on the topics they are struggling with in France, Ukraine, Poland, United Kingdom, Russia, Canada and other regions. Topics include uranium, new reactors, extension of reactors and nuclear waste. In August we held the NukeNews minicamp in Kaplice, Czech Republic. We discussed the NukeNews project, opportunities to extend and develop it. If you are interested in the discussions and some results, check the minutes: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Anti-nuclear_mini_camp_in_the_Czech_Republic Your contributions to the next issue of the NukeNews are welcome! Find more information at the end of the newsletter. We also appreciate support with translations and proofreading, and if someone wants to start new language editions of the NukeNews, we would be very happy! -- Outline of the current NukeNews issue #15 -- 0. Preface 1. Join the campaign Bure365! 2. Ukraine: Updates on Khmelnitskiy NPP reactor construction plans 3. Photo Exhibition "Faces of Uranium" in Polná 4. March against uranium in Brzkov 5. Campaigning for independent radiation monitoring in the North West 6. UK: Stop Moorside – Petition 7. UK: Not So Brief Encounter - Nuclear Trains at Carnforth 8. Estonian energy company says "No" to investing in Visaginas NPP 9. Russia: International campaign to support Russian Anti-Nuke-Movement 10. Czech Republic-Slowakia-Hungary: New developments 11. Europe: Japanese expert in Europe informing about Fukushima 12. New World Nuclear Industry Status Report online 13. Updates on Polish NPP construction 14. Canada: OPG says Darlington risks are contained 15. On the Yellowcake Trail 16. Smolensk Russian nuclear industry lies in official documents 17. Contract for Polish NPP construction 18. News from hearings in Russia 19. Lifetime extension of Kola NPP 4th reactor: an unnecessary risk 20. Rosatom's activities in Finland granted by Finnish government 21. EU approves subsidies for Hinkley Point NPP 22. Leaked Photographs of Sellafield 23. A wake up call for Capenhurst 24. Upcoming events 25. About NukeNews -- 1. Join the campaign Bure365! -- The campaign Bure365 was launched in June 2014 in order to oppose "Cigéo", this highly radioactive waste repository project supposed to be built in the small village of Bure (East of France). Antinuclear groups from France and all over Europe are invited to join this campaign over and to organize as many actions as possible. All kinds of solidarity actions are welcome: civil disobedience, actions in public, direct actions, legal actions... Read the call: http://nocigeo.noblogs.org/post/category/translation-en/ -- 2. Ukraine: Updates on Khmelnitskiy NPP reactor construction plans -- Good news: Officials say that the Ukraine is no longer going to cooperate with Russia in construction of new units at Khmelnitskiy NPP. Bad news: They are still considering options for construction of new reactors, but with involvement of another partner. Moreover, in early September a Ukrainian PM said the government should decide about the possible site and partner before the end of the year. There are also talks about partial (up to 40%) privatization of Energoatom, which is completely new, because previously they were talking mostly about corporatization (first step to privatization). They think privatization will help to involve private investors in projects. Another way of fund involvement, they say, is an agreement of electricity export to EU. Among possible technical partners so far they mentioned Czech companies. But there are still big uncertainties and a lack of information. Anyway, they say that it is not possible to use the existing infrastructure at Khmelnitskiy. -- 3. Photo Exhibition "Faces of Uranium" in Polná -- From 24 September to 31 October 2014 the photo exhibition "Faces of Uranium" of photographs by Václav Vašků took place in the passageway of a bookstore "Kuba and Pařízek" in Husovo náměstí 44, Polná. The photo exhibition ran concurrently with the processing of a feasibility study for opening Brzkov and Horní Věžnice uranium deposits (the government commissioned the state enterprise DIAMO to finish this study by 30 September 2014). The opening of the photo exhibition took place on Wednesday 24 September at 3pm and Václav Vašků was present, too. Read the complete article: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Photo_Exhibition_%22Faces_of_Uranium%22_in_Poln%C3%A1 -- 4. March against uranium in Brzkov -- The march against planned uranium mining on September 7, 2014 was attended by approximately 200 people with children, mostly locals, but some participants also arrived from surrounding villages and towns. The march was organized by the association "Our Future Without Uranium", which expresses disapproval of the Brzkov population with the government’s intention to restore the local mining uranium in the future, which would be contrary to The Raw Material Policy of the Czech Republic from 1999. During the day citizens could sign the petition by the civic association called "NO to Uranium Mining in the Highlands" (about 1200 signatures since July), which is addressed to the Prime Minister Sobotka. Read the complete article: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/March_against_uranium_in_Brzkov -- 5. Campaigning for independent radiation monitoring in the North West -- Radiation Free Lakeland are lobbying for independent radiation monitoring in the North West of the UK. This used to be carried out by Radiation Monitoring in Lancashire – RADMIL - which was disbanded a few years ago due to council cuts. http://mariannewildart.wordpress.com/2014/09/07/independent-radiation-monitoring-in-nw-what/ -- 6. UK: Stop Moorside – Petition -- A petition has been set up to STOP MOORSIDE, described by the industry as "the biggest nuclear development in Europe". Despite having no solution to the problem of nuclear waste our government is hell bent on trashing a large swathe of Cumbria in order to build new nuclear reactors. To quote Michael Meacher MP: "We need new nuclear like we need a hole in the head!"... Please sign the petition and share widely. https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-moorside-biggest-nuclear-development-in-europe -- 7. UK: Not So Brief Encounter - Nuclear Trains at Carnforth -- Trains pulling containers of highly-radioactive nuclear fuel rods ("Nuclear Trains") regularly go through Carnforth. These waste trains carrying spent fuel are operated by DRS, [Direct Rail Services owned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority) which transports this highly radioactive waste through some of most highly populated area in the UK. http://mariannewildart.wordpress.com/2014/07/19/not-so-brief-encounter-nuclear-trains-at-carnforth/ -- 8. Estonian energy company says "No" to investing in Visaginas NPP -- Lithuania and "Hitachi, Ltd." are preparing a plan to establish an interim project company to move forward Visaginas NPP project. However, it seems the project does not have many chances, since it cannot be implemented without regional partners – Estonia and Latvia. Estonia is especially reluctant about investing in the new power plant. Sandor Liive from "Eesti Energia" said that cheap nuclear energy does not exist anymore, and if Lithuanians would approach Estonia with the offer to invest in Visaginas NPP now (quote from August 2014), the answer will be "No". Read more: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Estonian_energy_company_about_investing_in_Visaginas_NPP:_%22No,_thanks%22 -- 9. Russia: International campaign to support Russian     Anti-Nuke-Movement -- That Russia has a specific understanding of what is in the national interest and what not, is nothing new. But discriminating against Anti-nuke-activists especially from the NGO Ecodefense reached a level, which demands an international outcry. Below you find a broad platform to do so - in many languages. Please support our friends in Russia, it will help the Anti-Nuke-Movement as a whole: http://www.dianuke.org/international-appeal-in-solidarity-with-russian-anti-nuke-group-ecodefense-declared-foreign-agent/ -- 10. Czech Republic-Slowakia-Hungary: New developments -- On the one hand the plans to build two more units in the Southern Czech Temelín NPP were cancelled - due to economical arguments. But there are still attempts to extend Temelín NPP - and also at Dukovany NPP, the second atomic power station in the Czech Republic - for at least one more reactor each. On the other hand the Czech state dominated power-utility CEZ seems to be planning taking over large parts of the Slovak SE utility currently owned by the Italian company ENEL, which is trying to get rid of some possibly not so profitable investments outside Italy. The result could be a new push in Slovakia as well as in the Czech Republic to invest in further NPPs with own resources. Or maybe also with Russian help, which seems the case especially in Hungary, where the whole foreign political strategy of former dissident Viktor Orban seems to increasingly become a simple copy of Vladimir Putin's Russian drive for new land, no matter where and of course with a strong interest in more Russian nuclear technology and generally a still greater energy-dependency of other countries on Russia. But there were also already rumours about Chinese support in the respective countries, which is definitively the case with Romania. See more: http://spravy.pravda.sk/ekonomika/clanok/328081-stratove-mochovce-zavisi-to-aj-od-kupca/ http://hungarianwatch.wordpress.com/2014/05/05/rosatom/ -- 11. Europe: Japanese expert in Europe informing about Fukushima -- Mr. Kazuhiuko Kobayashi from Japan, who spent many years in Germany, is known to be a fierce critic of the nuclear lobby. This autumn he is again visiting Europe to talk about the current situation around Fukushima and the plans of the Japanese Nuclear Lobby. He is visiting Germany, Poland, Austria, Turkey and Slovenia and besides informing the public he also supports, with the donations received, a children's project in Japan. See also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyfbEPCNgnY http://nuclear-news.net/2012/12/04/fukushima-medical-university-hospital-cover-up-an-interview-with-kazihiko-kobayashi/ -- 12. New World Nuclear Industry Status Report online -- One of the best reports with information concerning worldwide nuclear industry developments, the 2014 edition of the World Nuclear Industry Status Report is now available. The 2014 edition (and previous editions) are posted at: http://www.worldnuclearreport.org -- 13. Updates on Polish NPP construction -- Drilling works of the dunes in Lubiatowo - one of the NPPs candidate sites at Wejherowo, Pomerania - by Worley Parsons under the complex siting and environmental studies have been - thanks to local opponents supported by GP - successfully postponed for past week and months. There are some chances for the consortium to miss the deadline with finishing of the EIA report by January 2015. This should be submitted to public consultations soon after that, maybe during Spring 2015. The so called environmental decision has been expected by them for late 2016. The final siting decision is scheduled at the moment for the turn of 2017 and 2018. The biggest problem remains - of course - the "model of financing". PGE has managed to gain four "partner-shareholders" among Polish state-owned companies (energy and copper mining): ENEA, KGHM Polska Miedź and TAURON Polska Energia. The agreement among them should still be approved by the UOKiK, the state public watchdog for consumers. -- 14. Canada: OPG says Darlington risks are contained -- Nuclear project costs in Ontario and elsewhere have been notorious for escalating. Since the turn of the century, the overhauls of both OPG’s Pickering A nuclear station and Bruce Power’s Bruce A nuclear station blew far past their original cost estimates. http://www.thestar.com/business/2014/08/18/opg_says_darlington_risks_are_contained.html -- 15. On the Yellowcake Trail -- Canada's uranium history. Elliot Lake, Ontario was once the "Uranium Capital" of the world. Within 20 years of operation, more than 30 dams built to contain uranium tailings failed, dump­ing nuclear waste and chemical toxins into the Serpent River watershed which flows into Lake Huron. By 1996 when the mine finally closed, over 170,000,000 tonnes of radioactive tailings were left behind. http://www.uranium-network.org/images/Canada/Yellowcake%20Series%20WS%2020092010.pdf -- 16. Smolensk Russian nuclear industry lies in official documents -- In the course of public hearings on equipping the new Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) with the experimental VVER-TOI reactor, the Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom continues to perpetuate the illusion of environmental safety and the economic feasibility of building the new station by continually referring to non-existent prohibitions to alternatives and dreams of "safe" radioactive waste. Learn more: http://bellona.org/news/nuclear-issues/radioactive-waste-and-spent-nuclear-fuel/2014-09-russian-nuke-industry-lies-official-documents-build-new-reactors-smolensk -- 17. Contract for Polish NPP construction -- The special purpose vehicle company of the PGE conglomerate to build the first NPP in Poland, PGE EJ1, on 12 September signed a contract as a result of a tender with the AMEC Nuclear UK Ltd corporation for carrying out the tasks of the so called owner's engineer. The contract amounts to a record on the PGE's nuclear spending list so far high level of PLN 1,3 bn (ca. EUR 300m). The media report it as a net amount, so at least VAT taxes might be to be added. -- 18. News from hearings in Russia -- Nearly 30 questions posed to a roundtable discussion held in the middle of October on boosting the engineered power capacity of the Kalinin Nuclear Power Plant's No 1 reactor by Bellona remained unanswered by the meeting's adjournment, raising stark concerns over whether Rosenergoatom, Russia's nuclear utility, knows what it's getting itself into. Details: http://bellona.org/news/russian-human-rights-issues/access-to-information/2014-10-silence-greets-questions-posed-bellona-public-hearing-kalinin-nuclear-reactor-experiment -- 19. Lifetime extension of Kola NPP 4th reactor: an unnecessary risk -- Since October 11th all of four reactors of Kola Nuclear Power Plant are running over the allotted lifetime. Friday, October 10th the lifetime of the 4th reactor was finished. Kola Environmental Center considers that lifetime prolongation of nuclear reactors over the project period carried additional risks without real needs. Read the complete article: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Lifetime_extension_of_Kola_NPP_4th_reactor:_an_unnecessary_risk -- 20. Rosatom's activities in Finland granted by Finnish government -- In the dispute whether or not the involvement of the Russian atomic giant Rosatom in the Fennovoima project to construct a new NPP in Pyhäjoki required a new "decision in principle", the Finnish government approved Rosatom's activities. The government voted in the middle of September ten in favour and seven against it. As a consequence the Green Party left the government. In 2010 the Finnish parliament made the so-called Hanhikivi NPP possible, when they issued a decision in principle for Fennovoima's plans. However, at that time the German E.on energy giant held some 34% of the shares of this company; Russia was not involved. When E.on left the nuclear project, the construction plans almost failed. Then Rosatom took over E.on's part and now owns one third of Fennovoima. Besides that, the reactor design was changed as well as the dimensions of the project. The latest official viewpoint was that this requires a completely new decision in principle for the NPP - a major delay of the project. Latest news from Pyhäjoki was the construction start of the roads to the proposed NPP site on 16th of September. -- 21. EU approves subsidies for Hinkley Point NPP -- Initially, the EU commission raised serious doubts about the planned strike price deal for French atomic giant EDF's two new reactors at Hinkley Point in the United Kingdom. The proposed 17.6 Billion Pound deal were suspected to be potentially wasteful and illegal public subsidies. Eventually, the proposed British state aid for nuclear power on October 8, 2014 was approved by the European commission. The 35-year contract for difference guarantees a minimum revenue for the reactor. The British government agreed to pay EDF 92.50 Pounds per MWh from Hinkley Point C, which is twice the current wholesale price of power. The Austrian government announced a challenge to the European Court of Justice against the Commission's decision. Learn more: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/PR:Stop_Hinkley_Comment_on_European_Commission_Go-ahead_for_%C2%A317.6bn_Hinkley_Deal -- 22. Leaked Photographs of Sellafield -- Photographs leaked by a whistleblower showing decades of neglect of dangerous wastes at the Sellafield site have been sent by Radiation Free Lakeland to the Austrian Chancellor. The photographs were published in The Ecologist on 27th October under the headline: "Leaked Sellafield photos reveal ‘massive radioactive release threat.’" Read the complete article: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Leaked_Photographs_Sellafield -- 23. A wake up call for Capenhurst -- American radioactive Uranium Hexaflouride (UF6) leak signals major concern for North West residents. Sunday (October 26, 2014) night's leak of Uranium Hexaflouride from the Honeywell Uranium enrichment plant at Metropolis, Illinois, clearly illustrates the kind of dangers that are inherent in such plants. Various reports show a cloud of Uranium Hexaflouride drifting away from the plant. Uranium hexafluoride is highly toxic, reacts violently with water and is corrosive to most metals. Read the complete article: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/A_wake_up_call_for_Capenhurst -- 24. Upcoming events -- (just an extract, tell us your events for the next newsletter) more events: http://upcoming.nuclear-heritage.net Please feel free to send us your local and international events for this website and the NukeNews! 01/06/14-June '15: "Bure 365" - decentralized actions against nuclear waste repository in Bure (F) 06/10/14-03/11/14: Uranium Filmfestival at Scharfrichter Kino, Milchgasse 2, in Passau (D) autumn/winter 2014:Jülich atomic research center's high level radioactive waste exports to the USA & protests (D) 01/11/14-02/11/14: Berliner Energietisch's energy conference (D) 03/11/14-09/11/14: working meeting of ATOMIC BALTIC network/project at                   project house, Am Bärental 6, in Döbeln (D) 07/11/14:	   remembrance events in many regions on Sébastien Briat - an activist 2004 killed by the Castor train 08/11/14 at 11 AM: seminar "Verteilung von Radioaktivität in die/der                   Umwelt - tolerierbares Strahlenrisiko?" at Harald- Koch-Haus, Steinstr. 48, in Dortmund (D) 14/11/14-17/11/14: National Summit for a Nuclear Free Future at                   National 4-H Youth Conference Center, 7100 Connecticut Ave., in MD 20815, Chevy Chase (USA) 15/11/14:         nationwide action day on nuclear waste (D) 15/11/14 at 2 PM: rally against Fessenheim NPP at Rathausplatz in                    Neuenburg (D) 15/11/14 at 6 PM: workshop "Radioaktivität in unserer Umwelt" at                    "Nacht der Wissenschaft" at Herrenhäuser Str. 2,                   building 4113, room A101, in Hannover (D) 17/11/14:         Conference on EU Energy Union - "How to shape Energy                    Policy so as to boost European competitiveness?" at                   Charlemagne Building, European Commission, Brussels (B) 26/11/14 at 1 PM: Nuclear Waste Council's seminar on organizational issues surrounding construction & operation of a                   spent nuclear fuel repository at Näringslivets hus, Storgatan 19, in Stockholm (S) 27/11/14 8 PM CET: ATOMIC BALTIC network/project's updating Skype conference 28/11/14-30/11/14: international uranium transports meeting at                   Paul-Gerhardt-Haus, Friedrichstr. 10, in Münster (D) 29/11/14-30/11/14: uranium symposium in Niamey (RN) 30/11/14:         "YES or NO, Trident still has to go – NOW!" rally at Faslane nuclear submarines site (UK) 01/12/14-05/12/14: International Conference on Occupational Radiation Protection: Enhancing the Protection of Workers - Gaps, Challenges and Developments in Vienna (A) 24/01/15 at 1 PM: "Wrap Up Trident!" Mass Demo at TBC in London (UK) 01/02/15-04/02/15: Health Physics Society 48th Midyear Topical Meeting in Norfolk/Virginia Beach, VA (USA) 21/03/15 at 11 AM: nuclear waste conference at Volkshochschule, Wilhelmshöher Allee 19-21, in Kassel (D) 14/04/15-16/04/15: World Uranium Summit in Québec City (CDN) 25/04/15-01/05/15: European Action Weeks For A Future After Chernobyl And Fukushima 12/05/15-15/05/15: "Innovation in the Third Millennium" nuclear conference at Delta Winnipeg hotel, 350 St Mary Ave, in Winnipeg, Manitoba (CDN) 22/05/15 at 2 PM: cultural resistance party with citizens' initiative & Kulturelle Landpartie organizers at atomic facilities in Gorleben (D) summer 2015:      Walk For A Nuclear Free Future from Nuclear Facility Oakridge, TN to Hiroshima 2015 (USA & J) 12/07/15-16/07/15: Health Physics Society 60th Annual Meeting in                   Indianapolis, Indiana (USA) 2015:             Probably Castor transport of high level radioactive waste from Sellafield (UK) and of intermediate level radioactive waste from La Hague (F) to                   Gorleben (D) and protests 01/09/15-30/11/15: (estimated) main hearing on the Environmental Court on SKB's application to build KBS3 final nuclear waste repository at District Court in Nacka (S) 10/10/15 at 11 AM: nuclear waste conference at Volkshochschule, Wilhelmshöher Allee 19-21, in Kassel (D) 25/04/16-01/05/16: European Action Weeks For A Future After Chernobyl And Fukushima http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Bure_365 http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/de/programm/passau-2014 http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Nuclear_Waste_Transport_to_Ahaus http://berliner-energietisch.net/images/Flyer_HO_final.pdf http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Atomic_Threats_In_The_Baltic_Sea_Region/Working_meetings/Sixth_meeting http://www.lagatom.de/?p=3809 http://atommuell-alarm.info/home/termine/ https://content.sierraclub.org/grassrootsnetwork/sites/content.sierraclub.org.activistnetwork/files/teams/documents/Nuclear%20Summit%20Nov%202014.pdf http://ag-schacht-konrad.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=769&Itemid=189 http://vorort.bund.net/suedlicher-oberrhein/termine.php?year=2014&month=11 http://www.dienachtdiewissenschafft.de/themenfelder/alle-veranstaltungen/veranstaltung-details/title/80.html http://www.energyconference.eu http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Atomic_Threats_In_The_Baltic_Sea_Region http://ag-schacht-konrad.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=769&Itemid=189 http://www-pub.iaea.org/iaeameetings/46139/orpconf2014 http://hps.org/meetings/meeting41.html http://ag-schacht-konrad.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=61&Itemid=273/ http://www.uranium2015.com http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/European_Action_Weeks_For_A_Future_After_Chernobyl_And_Fukushima_2015 http://crpa-acrp.org/conference/ http://www.bi-luechow-dannenberg.de/?page_id=9162 http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Walk_For_A_Nuclear_Free_Future_2011-2015/Y-12_Nuclear_Facility_Oakridge-Hiroshima http://hps.org/meetings/meeting37.html http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Gorleben_Castor_Resistance_in_Germany_2015 http://www.nonuclear.se/en/kalender/kbshuvudforhandling2012 http://ag-schacht-konrad.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=61&Itemid=273/ http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/European_Action_Weeks_For_A_Future_After_Chernobyl_And_Fukushima_2016 -- 25. 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 "news AT NukeNews DOT 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 16th issue of the NukeNews is 7th of December, 2014. Spread the word and learn more about the NukeNews: http://NukeNews.Nuclear-Heritage.NET