United Kingdom

Mixed views on new nuclear build

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Residents living near existing nuclear reactors only have "qualified support" for new power stations, a study shows.

While most locals trusted the operators of their nearby power station, some had a strong distrust of the UK Government and the nuclear industry, it added.

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Britain's family uranium is safe in French hands

Monday, September 29, 2008

Vincent de Rivaz, the chief executive of France's EDF Energy, which is now in control of the UK's nuclear energy programme, doesn't laugh when I ask if he has succeeded where Napoleon failed.

"It's not a war," he says, very seriously. "This is an amicable agreement between two companies which will bring good news to everyone involved. Will it bring stability to customers for electricity bills? Yes. Will it bring new jobs? Yes. Will it improve climate change? Yes."

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Fear of power blackouts dismissed

Monday, September 29, 2008

The National Grid says fears of winter power blackouts are unfounded, and denied that surplus capacity is low.

The energy trader Inenco says the UK could face power blackouts "within weeks" if a sudden cold snap or unplanned power outage occurs.

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EDF completes UK nuclear line-up

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Less than two months after British Energy shareholders walked away from an earlier deal, EDF has bagged the UK nuclear power generator in a £12.4bn deal.

Selling British Energy to EDF is about more than just a handover of physical assets.

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French 'seal nuclear firm takeover'

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Nuclear power firm British Energy looks poised to fall into foreign hands after it was reported French power giant EDF has agreed a £12.4 billion takeover of the firm.

The deal is worth 774p a share, the Wall Street Journal said, 9p higher than a rebuffed offer made in July.

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Jobs bonanza in £30bn nuclear plan

Monday, September 22, 2008

The UK economy could receive a £30 billion boost, creating thousands of highly skilled new jobs, through the building of new nuclear power stations, according to a report.

US engineering giant Westinghouse published new research showing that construction and supply firms across the country would win valuable work if new reactors were given the go-ahead.

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Nuclear fire hazard kept secret for fear of aiding terrorists

Sunday, September 21, 2008

DETAILS OF a serious fire hazard at the Hunterston nuclear power station in North Ayrshire have been kept secret because they could aid a terrorist attack.

The government's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has refused to release information about a "specific fire scenario" at the reactors because to do so could "threaten national security".

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'Nuclear option' key to meeting CO2 targets

Friday, September 19, 2008

IRELAND WILL not be able to achieve a 50 per cent cut in carbon emissions by 2050 if the Government continues to rule out the "nuclear option", according to the executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Nobuo Tanaka, who will address an Asia-Europe Foundation forum on energy sustainability in Dublin today, told The Irish Times he realised that nuclear power was "taboo" here - mainly because of Sellafield.

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Nuclear firm calls for help

Friday, September 19, 2008

International Nuclear Services (INS) has issued a big-money brief for world-wide PR support.

INS was created out of the 'spent fuel services' business of Sellafield to provide a service to more than 20 global utility firms. It manages the transportation of their nuclear waste and subsequent reprocessing at Sellafield.

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Britain 'faces power cuts threat'

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

A looming "energy gap" could leave thousands of homes without electricity

The UK will experience prolonged power cuts in about five years unless urgent action is taken now, a report warns.

It said a third of generation capacity was due to be decommissioned by 2020, but was not being replaced fast enough.

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