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
Nuclear plant asks for 20-year extension
Wednesday, November 26, 2008Hungary's only nuclear power plant, south of Budapest on the Danube in Paks, last Friday applied to the National Atomic Energy Office (OAH) for a 20-year extension to the working life of its four reactors. Spokesman István Mittler told state news agency MTI that the 30-year lifespan of the four reactors is due to expire between 2012 and 2017. The plan to extend the lifespan of Soviet-era pressurised water reactors was drawn up with the help of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the OAH. The power plant provides over 40 per cent of Hungary's electricity generating capacity.
Czech Temelin nuke plant's Unit 2 off for two days
Wednesday, November 26, 2008PRAGUE, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Czech power group CEZ said on Tuesday it had disconnected Unit 2 at its nuclear power plant Temelin from the grid in the morning due to a fault in a non-nuclear part of the unit and it would be down for two days.
Temelin has two 1,000 megawatt units. The other unit is also out of order, undergoing repair work that is expected to continue until the middle of December.
Ukraine's government approves draft agreement about participation in international enrichment center
Wednesday, November 26, 2008Kyiv, November 26 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has approved a draft agreement with the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan about the joint participation in the International uranium enrichment center in Angarsk, Irkutsk region, Russia.
The Cabinet of Ministers passed a respective resolution on November 19 2008.
EU proposes legislation on nuclear safety
Wednesday, November 26, 2008BRUSSELS, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission on Wednesday adopted a revised proposal for legislation setting up a European Union (EU) framework for nuclear safety.
The proposed legislation, in the form of a directive, defines basic obligations and general principles for the safety of nuclear installations in the EU while enhancing the role of national regulatory bodies.
Rosatom presents nuclear development scenarios
Wednesday, November 26, 2008Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation has presented to the Energy Ministry its vision of the scenarios of Russia's nuclear development depending on how the financial crisis unfolds, the state corporation's deputy chief Alexander Lokshin told RBC today. He explained that the move had been made at the request of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, adding that other ministries and agencies were also required to submit their forecasts. The information is to be reviewed at a meeting of a commission headed by Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov.
Planned EU-wide rules on nuclear energy unveiled
Wednesday, November 26, 2008Two previous proposals failed; European Commission seeks greater interest in nuclear energy.
All nuclear activity in the EU will be subject to common safety rules, if a draft directive adopted by the European Commission wins the backing of member states.
Under the plans, published on 26 November, international nuclear safety standards – the 1996 Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS), and the 2006 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Fundamentals – would form the backbone of legislation that would be mandatory for all EU member states.
EU faces energy market woes if investment is delayed: Capgemini
Wednesday, November 26, 2008European energy markets are likely to have a difficult wake-up once the recession is over if essential infrastructure investments are delayed, consultancy firm Capgemini said Monday.
"The credit crunch should short-circuit the investment cycle, leading to a lack of generation capacities and infrastructures," it said in its tenth European Energy Markets Observatory report.
New NPP in Lithuania will not cover demands for energy in all Baltic countries – Estonian expert
Tuesday, November 25, 2008Andres Mäe, researcher of the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute, Estonia, answered questions about prospects of energy security and nuclear industry of the Baltic region.
French strike cuts 5,000 MW of power capacity-union
Tuesday, November 25, 2008PARIS, Nov 25 (Reuters) - French energy strikers cut a total of 4,000 megawatts of nuclear capacity and 1,000 MW of thermal capacity since Monday night, an official at the CGT union told Reuters on Tuesday.
French strikers are holding a 24-hour strike to protest against salaries and pensions.
"The strike has cut a total of 5,000 MW, this is a very positive outcome for us," the union official said, adding that strikers had been warned by EDF not to cut more capacity to avoid endangering the supply/demand balance.
Going green saves money, spins profits in coal-addicted Poland
Tuesday, November 25, 2008KISIELICE, Poland (AFP) — Standing in the shadow of a massive windmill, Mayor Tomasz Koprowiak thinks part of the answer to Poland kicking its coal habit is blowing in the wind and growing in farmers' fields.
"Our new straw-fired heating plant serves 80 percent of the community and is saving everyone money," Koprowiak says of Kisielice, a poor north-eastern rural municipality of 6,500.