Japan is shutting down its last functioning nuclear reactor, with no timetable for a restart. Reactor 4 at Ohi in western Japan will stop generating electricity in the early hours of Monday. Analysts say Japan will be without nuclear power until December at the earliest, the longest shut-down since the 1960s. The Japanese public turned … Continue reading Japan halts last nuclear reactor at Ohi
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Brazil cools on nuclear energy plans; favors wind power
Brazil will probably scale down its plans for new nuclear plants due to safety concerns following the 2011 radiation leak in Japan and pick up some of the slack with a revolution in wind energy, the head of the government’s energy planning agency said. Mauricio Tolmasquim, chief of the Energy Research Company, told Reuters it … Continue reading Brazil cools on nuclear energy plans; favors wind power
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U.S. Nuclear Power in Decline
Nuclear power generation in the United States is falling. After increasing rapidly since the 1970s, electricity generation at U.S. nuclear plants began to grow more slowly in the early 2000s. It then plateaued between 2007 and 2010
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Radiation in Fukushima hit new high
Radiation readings around tanks holding contaminated water at the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant have spiked by more than a fifth to their highest levels, Japan’s nuclear regulator said, heightening concerns about the clean-up of the worst atomic disaster in three decades. Radiation hotspots have spread to three holding areas for hundreds of hastily built … Continue reading Radiation in Fukushima hit new high
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Fukushima much worse than reported
It is leaking out from the basements, it is leaking out from the cracks all over the place”, Mycle Schneider, Nuclear consultant. A nuclear expert has told the BBC that he believes the current water leaks at Fukushima are much worse than the authorities have stated. Mycle Schneider is an independent consultant who has previously … Continue reading Fukushima much worse than reported
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Radioactive water leak at Fukushima
Highly radioactive water leaks from a temporary storage tank into the ground at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant, its operator says. Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) said the leak of at least 300 tonnes of the highly radioactive water was discovered on Monday. The plant, crippled by the earthquake and tsunami in 2011, has seen … Continue reading Radioactive water leak at Fukushima
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Solar photovoltaic can replace nuclear power in Japan
A recent study by researchers at the University of Texas (Austin, Texas, US) indicates that Tokyo could use solar photovoltaic (PV) generation as “baseload” power, due to Japan’s large amount of pumped hydro storage. “Potential for rooftop photovoltaics in Tokyo to replace nuclear capacity” states that PV could help meet peak requirements as well as … Continue reading Solar photovoltaic can replace nuclear power in Japan
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Wind power could be part of the UK government
An interesting story was posted on the Guardian yesterday, saying that the UK government needs a “plan B” on nuclear power because of the danger that new reactors will not be built in time to avoid energy shortages. Many of the UK’s ageing reactors will be decommissioned and there is no clear strategy for their … Continue reading Wind power could be part of the UK government
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China
Wind power generated more electricity than nuclear power in China last year and will likely continue to do so in the future, according to a new report by the influential Earth Policy Institute (EPI). The report, released last Tuesday, added nuclear power generation in China has risen by 10% annually since 2007 but wind power … Continue reading China
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Nuclear power revives… in Iran
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) announced Saturday that the Islamic republic plans to construct 16 nuclear power plants in different parts of the country, Press TV reported. “Following months of efforts, 16 new sites for nuclear power plants have been designated in coastal areas of the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Sea … Continue reading Nuclear power revives… in Iran
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Wind Energy Surpasses Nuclear Power in China
Wind energy has overtaken nuclear as an electricity source in China. In 2012, wind farms generated 2 percent more electricity than nuclear power plants did, a gap that will likely widen dramatically over the next few years as wind surges ahead. Since 2007, nuclear power generation has risen by 10 percent annually, compared with wind
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Bulgarian referendum reflects uncertainty of nuclear power development
Bulgarians have postponed construction of a new nuclear power plant for an indefinite future, according to unofficial data released on Sunday evening after a low-turnout referendum held on this issue. According to parallel vote tabulation conducted by Alpha Research agency, although 61 percent of the voters said “yes” on whether the country should build a … Continue reading Bulgarian referendum reflects uncertainty of nuclear power development
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Belgian and German electricity systems keep lights on despite nuclear turn-off
Freezing temperatures in both Belgium and Germany have put both countries’ power systems to the test this week, but neither country has experienced electricity blackouts despite the lack of nuclear power. Two of Belgium’s seven nuclear reactors – Doel 3 and Tihange 2 – were switched off this summer, following the discovery of cracks, cutting … Continue reading Belgian and German electricity systems keep lights on despite nuclear turn-off
Continue readingRenewable Energy on the way up while Western Europe’s nuclear power share depletes
To meet carbon emissions targets and reduce dependency on depleting fossil fuel reserves, the nations of Western Europe are beefing up their renewable energy generation, but significantly limiting growth within their nuclear power industries in the face of widespread public opposition, says business intelligence providers GBI Research. According to the firm’s latest report*, the top … Continue reading Renewable Energy on the way up while Western Europe’s nuclear power share depletes
Continue readingWorld Nuclear Electricity Generation Down 5 Percent Since 2006
World nuclear electricity-generating capacity has been essentially flat since 2007 and is likely to fall as plants retire faster than new ones are built. In fact, the actual electricity generated at nuclear power plants fell 5 percent between 2006 and 2011. In 2011, following Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, 13 nuclear reactors in Japan, Germany, … Continue reading World Nuclear Electricity Generation Down 5 Percent Since 2006
Continue readingNuclear Power Much More Expensive Than Offshore Wind Energy
The cost of nuclear power is at least £200 per MWh, much more than the cost of offshore wind power at £140 per MWh. This is according to new calculations by the Energy Fair group, stripping out all subsidies. ‘This confirms that nuclear power is entirely uneconomic,’ said Dr Gerry Wolff of Energy Fair. ‘There … Continue reading Nuclear Power Much More Expensive Than Offshore Wind Energy
Continue readingNuclear decommissioning costs amount to €66 billion in UK alone
The nuclear industry’s ‘Foratom’ blog recently criticised EWEA’s argument in a recent report that “massive subsidies to fossil fuels and nuclear energy…. remain the rule”. Foratom instead claimed that “it is renewable energies, especially wind and solar energy that are the most systematically subsidised forms of energy, not nuclear energy.” Foratom then set out some … Continue reading Nuclear decommissioning costs amount to €66 billion in UK alone
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€10-25 billion needed to secure Europe’s nuclear power stations
Hundreds of defects have been detected in nuclear power stations across Europe, according to a European Commission report leaked to German and French media. Fixing these faults could run up a bill of €10-25 billion, the report says. Die Welt, a German daily newspaper, says that the European Commission investigation into the continent’s nuclear fleet – originally … Continue reading €10-25 billion needed to secure Europe’s nuclear power stations
Continue readingNuclear power is the Betamax of the energy world
We need to stop being distracted by this techology and focus on promoting and investing in renewables. In my first month as the new Green party leader, I’ve spent lots of time talking about pressing economic and social issues – the need for the minimum wage to be a living wage, how benefits should be … Continue reading Nuclear power is the Betamax of the energy world
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Nuclear power champions Japan and France turn away
In the wake of floods and earthquakes in Japan back in 2011, the worst disaster that ensued was that of the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Since then, there has been a mounting pressure on the Japanese government to cut down its reliance on nuclear power plants and look to alternate modes of power production. Although … Continue reading Nuclear power champions Japan and France turn away
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