NukeNews No. 18 - ENGLISH

************************************************************ *    NukeNews #18 - Anti-Nuclear Information Service      * ************************************************************ -- 0. Preface -- Fennovia-Rosatom needs to begin construction of the proposed Hanhikivi NPP in Pyhäjoki, Finland, this summer - otherwise the political "decision in principle" supporting the new nuclear power plant will become invalid. Currently anti-nuclear activists are challenging the enterprise in Finland with creative events, actions and protest camps. Two messages in this NukeNews inform about recent Fennovoima activities and invite you to join the resistance. A number of articles provide an overview on the latest nuclear developments in specific Eastern European countries, while we also have a look at regions like Australia, United States and Canada. An important topic for European citizens and anti-nuclear organizers is a message about the EURATOM treaty which has great relevance for the development of atomic power within the European Union, and which signals several obstacles for consistently phasing out nuclear power. It calls for a campaign to push the German government to pull out of this treaty of major relevance for European policy. We hope you will appreciate to read this 18th NukeNews edition! Your feedback is welcome! -- Outline of the current NukeNews issue #18 -- 0. Preface 1. People Power against Nuclear Power! Anti-nuclear action camp in    Pyhäjoki/Finland 2. Official Report: Nuclear Waste Accident Caused By Wrong Cat Litter 3. Ontario remains comitted to nuclear power 4. Fennovoima already clear-cuts protected forests for planned NPP 5. Flooded proposed uranium mine in Australia points out risks 6. Poland: Heads of local governments urge to make decision on siting of the planned NPP 7. Polish-French intergovernmental consultations on climate and energy 8. 77 percent of Poles support renewables 9. Chernobyl Day in Vienna 10. EURATOM – Nuclear Power's Paper Fortress 11. Poland's nuclear plans continue dragging in the mud 12. What is currently happening in the Czech Republic 13. The accelerating decline of French nuclear power 14. Austria: Nuclear Energy Conference 2015 - short report 15. Anti-Nuclear Activists go on trial for opposing Trident 16. Joining the dots on fossil fuels, nukes and climate change 17. Upcoming events 18. About NukeNews -- 1. People Power against Nuclear Power! Anti-nuclear action camp in    Pyhäjoki/Finland -- Fennovoima nuclear power company plans to start building a new nuclear power plant on the ecologically valuable Hanhikivi Cape in Pyhäjoki, northwest of Finland. Let's stop this irresponsible and dangerous project!People power against nuclear power! Anti-nuclear action camp is organized near Hanhikivi Cape June 8-21 by Hyökyaalto, a grassroots action network (Rising Tide Finland). During the camp we aim to learn and share skills and ideas on different forms of direct resistance. Participants are encouraged to provide programme related to the topics. Consensus decision making is preferred. Any kind of discrimination based on gender, sexuality, ethnicity etc. is strictly forbidden. Party political or nationalist signs do not belong to the camp. Read the complete article: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/People_Power_agains_Nuclear_Power!_Anti-nuclear_action_camp_in_Pyh%C3%A4joki/Finland -- 2. Official Report: Nuclear Waste Accident Caused By Wrong Cat Litter -- A yearlong investigation by the US Dept. of Energy, in a 277 page report, has concluded that a major accident at a nuclear waste dump in New Mexico in Feb. 2014 was caused by the wrong brand of cat litter. This is the same nuclear waste dump that the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) has held up as a model for their own nuke dump proposed for the shore of Lake Huron, Ontario. http://cleanairalliance.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9e0d2b5aacdacc8f6d679bba2&id=998fedf8a7&e=2ece43c12c -- 3. Ontario remains comitted to nuclear power -- Ontario is in the midst of an energy revolution, but remains stubbornly committed to nuclear. While most of Ontario's nuclear power plants are entering the end phase of their design life, the Ontario government continues to sink billions of dollars into extending their life, when there are much more economically viable and renewable options. http://cleanairalliance.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9e0d2b5aacdacc8f6d679bba2&id=8b90a4eda8&e=2ece43c12c -- 4. Fennovoima already clear-cuts protected forests for planned NPP -- In the Hanhikivi cape in Pyhäjoki, Finland, Fennovoima is cutting forests and destroying delicate nature to build a road for the nuclear plant. Now they have permits from the local municipality to cut down about 100 hectares of ecologically valuable area by the end of April, which is one fifth of the whole Hanhikivi cape. The Finnish decision in principal was given for the plant conditionally, and there are many important questions open: Will there be enough Finnish or European stakeholders in the project? Or what will be the plan for the nuclear waste. If the plant is never built, the area is spoilt for nothing. The Hanhikivi natural habitats of the land uplift coast and the threatened and protected plant and bird species are too valuable to waste. The springtime is especially bad timing because of migratory birds and nesting season. Read the complete article: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/PR:People_in_Pyh%C3%A4joki_have_been_disregarded_because_of_the_Fennovoima_nuclear_plans -- 5. Flooded proposed uranium mine in Australia points out risks -- Lake Way, the site of the proposed Toro Energy uranium mine has flooded causing deep concerns about the future of proposed uranium mining on the lake bed. Toro Energy Ltd plans to store radioactive tailings from the proposed Wiluna uranium mine - up to 100 million tonnes - in the mined-out Centipede and Millipede pits, which will also reside on the lake bed and are currently underwater. -- 6. Poland: Heads of local governments urge to make decision on siting of the planned NPP -- Three heads of the gminas (local governments), in a letter to the new Prime Minister, Ewa Kopacz, urged to take a final decision on constructing (or not) the NPP in one of their locations. They claim the lack of a firm decision and constant delays lead to tangible losses in their budgets (PLN 6 m for each gmina so far, with the total budget of PLN 40 m of a single one) as well as to hindering their development. They point at the need to have it decided against the EU projects to be applied for. They also claim the local populations are welcoming and are ready for the possibile construction of the NPP. Source: http://www.portalsamorzadowy.pl/gospodarka-komunalna/energetyka-jadrowa-pomorze-samorzadowcy-chca-decyzji-o-elektrowni-atomowej,67183.html -- 7. Polish-French intergovernmental consultations on climate and energy -- A Polish-French meeting (labelled as intergovernmental consultations) was held on 2nd February, 2015, concerning climate and energy issues such as: the concept of the energy union and the climate and energy policy framework. Nuclear energy development was discussed as well but no further details were reported in the media. -- 8. 77 percent of Poles support renewables -- A new poll by The Public Opinion Research Center (CBOS) revealed in the beginning of February, 2015 that 77 percent of Poles think that Poland should increase the use of renewable energy sources. Renewables are supported mainly by females, young Poles, as well as wealthier individuals. Source: http://www.thenews.pl/1/12/Artykul/196595,Poles-believe-in-green-energy -- 9. Chernobyl Day in Vienna -- On 24th April 2015 the Viennese Platform Nuclear-Free commemorated the catastrophe of Chernobyl, which occurred 29 years ago. Activists - dressed in wasp-like yellow - gathered in front of the Austrian Federal Chancellor's office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to warn about the radioactivity that might threaten Austria due to the construction of new nuclear reactors and their radioactive waste. Once more the activists urged the Austrian government to prevent the construction of new nuclear plants in our neighbouring countries Hungary and Czech Republic. -- 10. EURATOM – Nuclear Power's Paper Fortress -- Unchanged since 1957 – even despite Chernobyl and Fukushima! – those letters on paper that make up the EURATOM Treaty are much more powerful and influential than many are aware of, even within the antinuclear movement. Through tremendous privileges for the nuclear industry and research laid down in the Treaty itself and in secondary EU legislation (binding regulations, guidelines, recommendations), EURATOM is the fertile ground on which grow new nuclear installations and, subsequently, ever more uranium mining, radioactive waste and weapons material proliferation. Ultimately, this means increased risks on the one hand, and more work, never-ending work for citizens. Lately (2014), the British government and the European Commission (EC) have referred to the EURATOM Treaty (ET) in order to justify the approval of big subsidies for the planned nuclear power station HINKLEY POINT C. Probably because they know full well that the 1957 nuclear-euphoric preamble and introductory articles of the ET provide the only chance for the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to reject the forthcoming Austrian complaint against these subsidies, while EU competition rules would entail legal victory for Austria. Read the complete article: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Manifesto_for_the_termination_of_Germany%27s_EURATOM_membership -- 11. Poland's nuclear plans continue dragging in the mud -- According to the original schedule, the construction of Poland's first nuclear power plant should already have started in 2013. It is now clear that the final go-ahead will not be given before 2017, if ever. Just before his departure to the EU, former Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk forced three other state owned companies, ENEA, Tauron and the copper miner KGHM to take 10% of PGE EJ1. Financing is now foreseen to be organised with a corporate set-up like TVO and Fennovoima in Finland (the Mankala model, whereby no VAT needs to be paid by the first consumers because the owners get electricity to the rate of shares they have in the project "for their own use" and then are responsible for selling it) combined with financial support like the United Kingdom created for Hinkley Point C - a deal that in the coming weeks will be put before the European Court by Austria and Luxembourg, because of alleged illegal state aid and market distortion. Read the complete article: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Poland%27s_nuclear_plans_continue_dragging_in_the_mud -- 12. What is currently happening in the Czech Republic -- The Czech government approved the State Energy Policy (ASEK) on 18 May 2015. Calla, along with other associations – the Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace - issued a joint press release for it. One of the most contentious issues, which the policy promotes, is the high proportion of nuclear energy and coal. When looking into the study called Smart Energy (2009), you will find that the policy resembles the first and the worst-case scenario called "No Active Policy" because the Czech Republic does virtually nothing for the transformation of Czech energy towards renewable energy (renewables' share in electricity production should be max. 25%, and it is unclear whether the state intends to help households in achieving energy autonomy). On the contrary, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO) wants to re-enforce its plans for new nuclear reactors. And the National Action Plan for the Development of Nuclear Energy in the Czech Republic (NAP JE ČR) aims at pushing these through. NAP ČR is to be adopted in the coming weeks. The MPO Minister, Jan Mládek, and Finance Minister, Andrej Babiš, collaborated on it. The plan's formation could be classified as “top secret”. The plan promotes four nuclear reactors, two at Dukovany NPP and two at Temelín NPP. It is expected, however, that eventually "only" two reactors will go ahead (the Dukovany dating from 1985 to 1987 should outstrip the Temelín from 2000-02). Mládek applies his model: we shall decide now, begin the licensing process, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), urban planning, vendor selection, spend up to 1.2 billion EUR by 2025 and then decide where to build the nuclear reactors and how the State will support the decision financially. Read the complete article: http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/What_currently_happens_in_Czech_Republic -- 13. The accelerating decline of French nuclear power -- France is at a crossroads and is having a national energy debate. A draft bill before the French Parliament calls for reducing French reliance on nuclear to 50 % by 2025. Fossil fuels would be cut by 30 % by 2030. Renewables would increase by 32% and overall energy use would drop by 20 % (and drop by 50 % by mid-century), achieved primarily by increasing energy efficiency. The Parliament is expected to approve the policy next month. However, it still needs to pass through the Senate and then back again to the assemblé nationale - it all depends on what the installed capacity limit is. If the capacity is limited at current capacity 63.2 GW it means only one nuclear plant has to close to compensate for the EPR being built at Flamanville. 50 % reduction in nuclear by 2025 sounds good in theory but if overall electricity consumption increases no NPP's will close. The French Senate on the first reading of the law increased the installed capacity limit to 64.85 GW and didn't have a date for the 50 % reduction in nuclear. The proposed law will now go to the French Senate for a second reading before going back again to the assemblé nationale to be adopted definitely so still time for changes. More information: http://safeenergy.org/2015/05/14/the-accelerating-decline-of-french-nuclear-power/ -- 14. Austria: Nuclear Energy Conference 2015 - short report -- Linz was the venue, where around 150 activists from 12 countries met on the 19th of May 2015 to listen to interesting talks about the current situation in Germany, Austria, Poland, France, the Czech Republic and England. In each country the work of the anti-nuclear network is quite different, the complications with which the nuclear lobby is battling seem similar however: where to find investors in a field, that is increasingly a financial pain in the neck, while the renewables get cheaper and cheaper? And at the same time how to explain to the public, that they should not worry about their money, .... which will be especially interesting in the British case. The organizers of the conference, atomstopp_atomkraftfrei leben!, Mütter gegen Atomgefahr and Anti Atom Komitee, supported by the Upper Austrian regional government also arranged possibilities for networking before and after the conference. An online presentation of the conference can be found here: http://www.nec2015.eu/en/presentations.php -- 15. Anti-Nuclear Activists go on trial for opposing Trident -- 2 Anti-Nuclear Activists from Somerset in the UK, Nikki Clark & Theo Simon, are due to go on trial to defend themselves against allegations of aggravated trespass, at HMP Devonport - a port where Britain's Nuclear Submarines that carry the UK Trident missile system is berthed for major upgrades. The Trial date had originally been set for May 19th, however this date was adjourned on the day before the trial date, the same day as a big Trident Scandal story broke in the UK. A Trident Submariner William McNeilly, published a dossier about Trident safety & security breaches on wiki-leaks after going absent without leave. For more information about the trial see here: http://tinyurl.com/qfndg7q as soon as a date is set it will be published here: https://southwestagainstnuclear.wordpress.com/ and about the dossier on safety & security breaches on Trident: https://wikileaks.org/trident-safety/ -- 16. Joining the dots on fossil fuels, nukes and climate change -- Climate and Energy Activists in the UK joined up the dots on fossil fuels, nukes and climate change at the Reclaim Power camp in Oxford at the last weekend of May which culminated in a day of direct action on Monday 1st June, which targeted Public Relations firms involved, with fossil fuels, fracking and nuclear power. Actions involved, office occupations with lock-on tubes and street theatre turning Camargue into a Nuclear Contamination Zone... for more info see here: http://www.nodashforgas.org.uk/press-releases/media-zoo-and-camargue-targeted/ -- 17. Upcoming events -- Feel free to send us your local and international events for the big upcoming events collection on Nuclear Heritage Network website, and for this extract in the NukeNews! http://upcoming.nuclear-heritage.net 01/06/14-June '15: "Bure 365" - decentralized actions against nuclear waste repository in Bure (F) 07/06/15 8.30 AM: mass rally in Bure (F) 08/06/15-21/06/15: anti-nuclear Better Power! camp in Pyhäjoki (FIN) 08/06/15-26/06/15: photo exhibition "Was wäre, wenn ... Brokdorf |                   Tschernobyl. Eine Gegenüberstellung" at                    Kreisvolkshochschule, Landhausstr. 4, in                   Freudenstadt (D) 08/06/15 1.30 PM: trial against 2013 energy transition rally climbing activists at Local Court, room 862, Turmstr. 91, in                   Berlin (D) 14/06/15 2 PM:    rally against Tihange NPP at Dreiländereck, Dreiländereckweg, in Aachen (D) 20/06/15 11 AM:   conference "Atommüll ohne Ende (Teil 2)" at                    Tagungszentrum Pfefferberg, Schönhauser Allee 176, in Berlin (D) 20/06/15 12 PM:   Scrap Trident bloc at End Austerity Now demo at                    Bank of England, Queen Victoria St, in London (UK) 23/06/15 9 AM:    trial against 2011 Castor activists at Local Court, room 1.120, in Fulda (D) 09/07/15-19/07/15: International Uranium Film Festival in Rio de                   Janeiro (BR) 04/08/15-06/08/15: Peace Walk from Walnut Creek (Mt. Diablo Unitarian                   Universalist Church, 55 Eckley Lane, WC) to                    Livermore (USA) 06/08/15-09/08/15: Hiroshima-Nagasaki International Fast at Livermore Lab, East Gate, Greenville Road, in Livermore (USA) 06/08/15-09/08/15: Hiroshima and Nagasaki Commemoration Fast in                   central London (UK) 15/08/15-31/08/15: West Australia Nuclear Free Alliance WANFA Art exhibition at Moores Gallery, 46 Henry St, in                   Fremantle (AU) 16/08/15-19/09/15: Walkatjurra Walkabout - Walking for Country from Wiluna to Leonora (AU) 09/09/15-11/09/15: World Nuclear Symposium 2015 in London (UK) 09/09/15 10 AM:   trial against activists' 2012 protests at Lingen nuclear fuel fabrication plant at Local Court in                   Lingen (D) after 12/09/15:   decentralized atomic transport actions nationwide on the route of the first recognized shipment of                   uranium ore concentrate from Hamburg harbour (D) 19/09/15 11 AM:   nuclear waste conference at Volkshochschule, Wilhelmshöher Allee 19-21, in Kassel (D) 03/10/15 2 PM:    annual Internationales Aktionsbündnis gegen Cattenom mass rally against Cattenom NPP at Place Saint-Louis in Metz (F) 05/10/15-16/10/15: International Uranium Film Festival in                   Florianopolis (BR) 23/10/15:         nuclear waste law symposium (D) 25/04/16-01/05/16: European Action Weeks For A Future After Chernobyl And Fukushima 09/05/16-13/05/16: pro-nuclear 14th Congress of the International Radiation Protection Association: "Practising                   Radiation Protection: Sharing the Experience and                    New Challenges" at International Convention Centre, in Cape Town (South Africa) 01/09/16-30/11/16: main hearing on the Environmental Court on SKB's                   application to build KBS3 final nuclear waste repository at District Court in Nacka (S) 2017:             (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 http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Bure_365 https://www.facebook.com/events/1586277508277465/ http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Better_Power!_camp https://www.ausgestrahlt.de/mitmachen/termine.html http://nirgendwo.info/blog/2015/05/02/berlin-zweiter-prozess-wegen-energiewendedemo/ http://www.anti-akw-ac.de/events/5/14-06-2015_demo_dreilaendereck/ https://www.ausgestrahlt.de/fileadmin/user_upload/atommuell/Aufruf_Veranstaltung_20.6._Berlin.pdf http://www.cnduk.org/get-involved/events/item/2125-scrap-trident-bloc-at-end-austerity-now-demo http://nirgendwo.info/blog/2015/05/02/farbe-am-castor-prozess-in-fulda-am-23-6/ http://uraniumfilmfestival.org/en/ https://nuclearfree.wordpress.com/art/ http://walkingforcountry.com http://www.wna-symposium.org/ehome/index.php?eventid=108035& http://nirgendwo.info/lingen/ http://www.urantransport.de/aktionstage.html http://ag-schacht-konrad.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=61&Itemid=273/ https://www.ausgestrahlt.de/mitmachen/termine.html http://uraniumfilmfestival.org/en/ http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/European_Action_Weeks_For_A_Future_After_Chernobyl_And_Fukushima_2016 http://www.irpa2016capetown.org.za/ http://www.nonuclear.se/en/kalender/kbshuvudforhandling-md http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Gorleben_Castor_Resistance_in_Germany_2017 -- 18. 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 19th issue of the NukeNews is 16th of August, 2015. Spread the word and learn more about the NukeNews: http://NukeNews.Nuclear-Heritage.NET