Climate change is an often heard argument for the once called nuclear "renaissance". However, if one looks closer, there was 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
Mitsui signs accord to explore Uzbekistan uranium
Thursday, July 17, 2008TOKYO, July 17 (Reuters) - Mitsui & Co, Japan's second-largest trading firm, and Uzbekistan agreed on Thursday to look at forming a joint venture for the exploration of uranium in the Central Asian country.
Securing new exploration projects in Central Asia is key to Japan, which relies on nuclear power for over 25 percent of its electricity. It currently imports some 60 percent of its uranium from Australia and Canada.
France orders probe at all nuclear sites
Thursday, July 17, 2008The French government on Thursday ordered an investigation into the water table around all of France’s 58 nuclear reactors in an effort to dispel fears raised by a leak from a treatment plant run by Areva in southern France.
Jean-Louis Borloo, ecology minister, has asked an independent committee to carry out the probe to stem mounting public concern over nuclear waste management after a low-grade leak at the Socatri treatment plant at Tricastin focused public attention on a still unexplained, older contamination of the water table.
Russian Company Retains Contract to Supply Nuclear Fuel to Slovakia
Wednesday, July 16, 2008Bratislava, 16 July: Russian open joint-stock company TVEL has maintained its position in Slovakia, having won the tender for the supply of nuclear fuel for five power-generating units of the local Mochovce and Bohunice nuclear power plants until 2015, management company Slovenskie Elektrarne has reported.
These plants were built to Russian design and equipped with VVER-440 reactors.
US, Armenia to upgrade Armenian capabilities against nuclear smuggling
Wednesday, July 16, 2008The United States and Armenia have agreed to cooperate against the smuggling of nuclear and radioactive materials.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian signed the agreement in what is called a "joint action plan" that makes the cooperation activities official.
Germany's Nuclear Opposition Fading as Energy Prices Soar
Wednesday, July 16, 2008Skyrocketing fuel prices are leading more and more Germans -- including one prominent member of the Green Party -- to challenge the country's cherished plan of mothballing its 17 nuclear power plants.
A few years ago, it would have been unthinkable for a Green party member to resign over the party's inflexibility about decommissioning atomic power plants.
EU urges Slovakia to beef up nuclear plant safety
Tuesday, July 15, 2008BRUSSELS, July 15 (Reuters) - The European Commission recommended on Tuesday that Slovakia improve the safety of two planned new units at its Mochovce nuclear power plant.
"Even though the project shows compliance with current national regulations as well as international recommendations ... the Commission recommended a set of additional measures," Commission spokesman Ferran Tarradellas Espuny told a briefing.
Areva mishandled uranium leak: safety body
Monday, July 14, 2008PARIS (Reuters) - France's nuclear safety authority (ASN) said on Friday that Areva-subsidiary Socatri had poorly managed a leak of liquid containing uranium that occurred in southeastern France this week.
The nuclear watchdog inspected the site on Thursday.
"The management of the crisis by the company involved has shown omissions in terms of communication to the authorities," the ASN said in a statement.
NPP Employee Suspects Nuclear Fuel Fraud
Monday, July 14, 2008There is a possibility that a corruption scheme for the supply of nuclear fuel was created at the Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) "Kozloduy", according to statements made before Darik radio by Georgi Kotev.
Kotev is an employee of the NPP and had initially made his accusations through a popular video clips Internet site.
According to the NPP employee beginning in 2004, "Kozloduy" might have been importing recycled fuel instead of new one and the NPP's top management has been personally profiting from the price difference.The NPP Director Ivan Genov firmly denied Kotov's allegations.
Brown calls for eight new nuclear plants
Monday, July 14, 2008Britain must build "at least" eight new nuclear power stations during the next 15 years to replace its ageing plants and contribute to a "post-oil economy" that is cleaner and much more efficient than in the era of "cheap energy and careless pollution", Gordon Brown signalled last night. The first new reactors could feed electricity into the national grid by 2017.
Ministers want the private sector to make the running, but fear that the parallel contraction of the UK's coal and oil-fired generating capacity, on environmental grounds, will trigger a serious energy gap unless the government moves decisively.
Spain's nuclear watchdog reports power surge at nuclear power station
Monday, July 14, 2008MADRID, Spain: A Spanish nuclear power plant reported an unexpected power surge Sunday, the fourth safety alert there in 12 days, the country's nuclear authority said.
Safety systems prevented any radiation leak at the Cofrentes reactor when power surged by more than 20 percent just before 5 a.m. Sunday (0300 GMT), the Nuclear Security Council said in a statement.