NukeNews No. 29 - ENGLISH

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*     NukeNews #29 - Anti-Nuclear Information Service      *
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0.  Preface
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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)


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Outline of the current NukeNews issue #29
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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


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1.  Accident in German fuel elements fabrication factory
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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


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2.  German anti-nuclear positions on temporary storage of nuclear
    waste
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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


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3.  Ontario, Canada opts for nuclear rebuilds and extensions
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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/


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4.  CESOPE's anti-uranium struggles in Tanzania
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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


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5.  Polish nuclear program developments
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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


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6.  India: no remarkable nuclear developments last year
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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/


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7.  Latest developments in Japan's atomic policy
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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


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8.  Report on a post-Fukushima visit to former evacuation areas
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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/


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9.  Fukushima: First contact made with melted fuel
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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


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10. Japanese NPP projects abroad canceled
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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


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11. 40 years since the successful referendum against the Austrian
    Zwentendorf NPP
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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/


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12. NEC2019: Lifetime.extents.danger
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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


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13. Aboriginal women take Cameco to court to stop uranium mining in
    Western Australia
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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


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14. Russian radioactive waste issues and challenges
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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


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15. Call for solidarity with the Russian environmental organization
    Ecodefense
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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


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16. Nuclear waste in Belgium
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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


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17. International Anti-nuclear Summer Camp 2019
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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


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18. English translation of Swedish court decision against final
    repository project available
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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


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19. Resumption of the construction of a nuclear power plant in Brazil
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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


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20. Global Anti-nuclear Social Forum in Madrid
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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


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21. Finland: Olkiluoto permitted to add electricity to the grid
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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


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22. Upcoming events
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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


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23. 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
"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.

Spread the word and learn more about the NukeNews:
http://NukeNews.Nuclear-Heritage.NET

Learn what data we receive from our readers and how it is processed as
well as about your rights concerning in our Privacy Policy:
http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Nuclear_Heritage:Privacy_policy