NukeNews No. 18 - ENGLISH

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*     NukeNews #18 - Anti-Nuclear Information Service      *
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0.  Preface
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Currently anti-nuclear activists challenge the Fennovoima-Rosatom
enterprise in Finland with creative events, actions and protest camps,
while the operator needs to get the construction of the proposed
Hanhikivi NPP in Pyhäjoki started this summer - otherwise the
political "decision in principle" supporting the new nuclear power
plant would become invalid. Two messages in these NukeNews from
Finland inform about recent Fennovoima activities and invite you to
join the resistance.

Besides, a number of articles provides an overview on the latest
nuclear developments in specific Eastern European countries, while we
also have a look to 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
also signs for several obstacles for consequently phasing out this
energy field. It calls for a campaign to push the German government to
resign this treaty of major relevance for European policy.

We hope you will appreciate to read this 18th NukeNews edition! Your
feedback is welcome!


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Outline of the current NukeNews issue #18
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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
XX. Upcoming events
16. About NukeNews


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1.  People Power against Nuclear Power! Anti-nuclear action camp in
    Pyhäjoki/Finland
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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


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2.  Official Report: Nuclear Waste Accident Caused By Wrong Cat Litter
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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 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


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3.  Ontario remains comitted to nuclear power
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ON 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


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4.  Fennovoima already clear-cuts protected forests for planned NPP
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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: whether
there will 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 the migratory birds and nesting time.

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


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5.  Flooded proposed uranium mine in Australia points out risks
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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.


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6.  Poland: Heads of local governments urge to make decision on siting
    of the planned NPP 
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Three heads of the gminas (local governments) urged, in a letter to
the new Prime Minister, Ewa Kopacz, to take a final decision on
constructing (or not) the NPP in one of their location. 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


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7.  Polish-French intergovernmental consultations on climate and
    energy 
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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.


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8.  77 percent of Poles support renewables 
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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


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9.  Chernobyl Day in Vienna 
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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.


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10. EURATOM – Nuclear Power's Paper Fortress
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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 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


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11. Poland's nuclear plans continue dragging in the mud
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According to the original time plans, 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 has installed for Hinkley Point C - a deal that
these weeks will be put for 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


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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


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13. The accelerating decline of French nuclear power
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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, still it needs to pass through the Senate and then back again
to the assemblé nationale - all depends on what is the installed
capacity limit is. If the capacity is limited at current capacity
63.2GW 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 64.85GW 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/


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14. Austria: Nuclear Energy Conference 2015 - short report
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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


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16. About NukeNews 
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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