Today climate change is the most heard argument for the so-called nuclear "renaissance". However, if one looks closer, there is something fishy about the industry using climate change protection as its most prominent feature... » Read more
More then thirty years of debate, and the controversy remains as polarised as ever. This website (to be fair - whose maintainer is anti-nuclear) collects news about nuclear power in Europe, sorted by nuclear power plant, type of power plant, country etc.
By presenting different (media) angles on current nuclear issues, we hope to be able to cut out some spin, either pro or against, and to allow the reader to make up his or her own mind about today's pro's and con's of nuclear power.
In the menu on the right you can select your country, the nuclear power plant in your neighbourhood, or your favourite company and read latest (most English) news about it.
Latest nuclear news
RWE AG : Dutch Utility Delta Shelves Plan To Build 2nd Nuclear Plant
Monday, January 23, 2012AMSTERDAM -(Dow Jones)- Dutch utility Delta NV said Monday it has shelved its plan to build a second nuclear plant in the Netherlands, in the latest example of waning appetite for atomic power in Europe.
Delta NV, which aimed to build the plant together with Germany's RWE AG, said the current market climate makes it no longer viable to move ahead with the project and that it will shelve its plans for two to three years.
UK 'subsidising nuclear power unlawfully'
Sunday, January 22, 2012Green energy campaigners are attempting to block new nuclear power stations in the UK by complaining to the European Commission that government plans contravene EU competition regulations.
They say financial rules for nuclear operators include subsidies that have not been approved by the commission.
Areva confirms private investigator was hired
Saturday, January 21, 2012A senior director at Areva, France’s state-owned nuclear champion, has confirmed that he did hire a Swiss intelligence firm to examine its disastrous €1.8bn purchase of a uranium miner but denied that it was part of a plot against Anne Lauvergeon, the company’s former chief executive.
Ms Lauvergeon, known as “Atomic Anne” after 10 years at the helm of one of the world’s leading nuclear manufacturers, shocked the French business and political elite this week when she accused her former employers of spying on her and claimed that she had been victim to a long-running “plot” to destabilise her, directed from the “highest levels of the state”.
 INES 3 |
Accident in industrial radiography |
A radiographer was taking several radiographic films to a pipes by the night. In order to be sure that the guide tube was correctly the radiographer went to the tube guide an collimator to fix them. This operation was made by 40 times. Eventually the radiographer touched with his left hand, at least 10 times, the tube guide where the source was unnoticed. Also, two auxiliar staff went to the radiographer position carrying the films to be checked at least by 40 and 20 times. The radioactive source was 3199,5 GBq Ir-192. The event was detected at the end of job.
Garoña awaits a new decision
Friday, January 6, 2012Spain's new government will ask nuclear regulators for advice on the continued operation of the Garoña nuclear power plant, which was dealt an arbitrarily short operating licence by the previous administration.
Yesterday the Spanish cabinet revoked an order from 2009 that set July 2013 as the latest time that Garoña may be used for power generation. The next step is for the Nuclear Safety Council (Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear, CSN) to consider the technical possibilities for longer operation and what technical improvements it may require. The Spanish government is expected to order this work imminently.
EDF Pegs Nuclear Upgrade Cost at $13 Billion
Tuesday, January 3, 2012PARIS—France's nuclear-safety watchdog ordered immediate upgrades to nuclear reactors to guard against natural disasters, which Électricité de France SA said could require €10 billion, or roughly $13 billion, in additional costs.
In a review following last year's Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, the Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire concluded that no plants needed to be shut down immediately but that steps should be taken as "soon as possible" to improve safety at France's 58 reactors.
INES 1 |
Start of a fire in decontamination machine |
On December 22nd 2011 Sogin S.p.A, which operates the former plant Fabbricazioni Nucleari of Bosco Marengo (AL) currently under decommissioning, communicated to ISPRA (Institute for Environmental Protection and Research)-which perform the functions of Nuclear Safety Authority- an anomalous event related to the decontamination machine by 'shot blasting' located inside the plant occurred at 9:25 am local time. The machine is used to treat solid materials with very low contamination, resulting from the dismantling activities, in order to be cleared from the plant.
France's Areva to announce big losses-minister
Sunday, December 11, 2011Dec 11 (Reuters) - French nuclear reactor maker Areva will announce large losses on Tuesday when the group unveils its strategy, French Industry Minister Eric Besson said on Sunday.
"I can confirm that Areva will announce losses," Besson told Radio J. "In all likelihood, they will be big."
Nuclear power 'gets little public support worldwide'
Friday, November 25, 2011There is little public appetite across the world for building new nuclear reactors, a poll for the BBC indicates.
In countries with nuclear programmes, people are significantly more opposed than they were in 2005, with only the UK and US bucking the trend.
INES 1 |
Hazardous manipulation of a lightning rod with Ra-226 |
On April 7 ITN (the Nuclear and Technological Institute), the institution responsible for the interim storage of radioactive waste in Portugal, was contacted by a private company that requested instructions on how to dismantle, handle and transport a radioactive lightning rod (containing a category 5 radioactive source). Detailed instructions were provided by ITN to the company.
On October 4, the lightning rod was finally delivered at ITN. Prompt inspection and measurements revealed that it contained a Ra-226 source; the measured dose rate at contact was 590 µSv/h and at 1 meter 12 µSv/h.