The Prague Post January 30th, 2008
Reactors at the Dukovany nuclear power plant attracted almost 29,000 visitors in 2007.
Nuclear power is in vogue. Not only have soaring energy prices and rising energy demand put atomic power on the public agenda, but it seems they have boosted the curiosity of tourists, as well.
(AP) VILNIUS, Lithuania — Lithuania's parliament on Friday narrowly approved the creation of a state-controlled company to lead a nuclear power plant project aimed at easing regional dependence on Russian energy and replacing an aging Soviet-era reactor.
The new company, to be called Lithuanian Electricity Organization AB, would be 61.7 percent government-owned, with the rest held privately. It would be authorized to negotiate with governments and private companies in Poland, Latvia and Estonia on a proposed joint nuclear power project. The bill still requires the approval of Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus, who has veto powers.
London, 31 January: Dutch bank ING has said it will not finance a nuclear power project in Slovakia, which the country’s own nuclear regulator has said does not comply with modern safety standards.
Canada's decision to restart the nuclear reactor at Chalk River, Ont., has prompted stinging criticism in Britain that Ottawa is setting a poor example for other countries.
The British magazine "New Scientist" says Canada is "sending out a dangerous message over nuclear safeguards."
Jan. 28 (Bloomberg) -- RWE AG, Germany's second-largest utility, said its Biblis A nuclear reactor will remain stopped longer than previously planned.
The 1,167-megawatt plant is now expected to start between Feb. 6 and Feb. 8, the Essen-based utility said today on its Web site. The facility had been scheduled to come on line between Jan. 29 and Jan. 31.
London (Platts)--28Jan2008
India's DAE will take a 3% stake in France's Jules Horowitz reactor project under a scientific cooperation agreement signed January 25 in New Delhi. The agreement was signed by Anil Kakodkar, head of the Department of Atomic Energy, and by Alain Bugat, chairman of the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, which is responsible for the project to build a 100-MW (thermal) materials test reactor at the Cadarache site in southern France.
By Richard Black
Environment correspondent, BBC News website
Britain is likely to face a shortfall in electricity generation within five to seven years, a report concludes. Energy and environment consultancy firm Inenco says that the number of nuclear and coal plants coming out of service over the period makes shortages likely.
By Galina Stolyarova, the St. Petersburg Times
As 2,000 tons of radioactive cargo arrived at St. Petersburg’s port from Germany on Thursday, environmental groups took to the streets to inform city residents about the growing imports of nuclear materials and the dangers the trade imposes.
The MV Schouwenbank cargo ship, carrying containers with a total of 2,000 tons of depleted uranium hexafluoride, came from the Gronau uranium enrichment facility that belongs to Urenco Deutschland. The radioactive load on board the ship is due to be sent by rail to the town of Novouralsk in Siberia for reprocessing and storage.
By Gustavo Capdevila - BERN, Jan 17 (IPS) - Civil society is in Davos, Switzerland once again to keep a watchful eye on events at the World Economic Forum (WEF). The social and environmental behaviour of 1,000 of the world’s most powerful companies will be scutinised at this annual meeting of business leaders, presidents and prime ministers, and free-market economics experts.
LONDON, Jan 24 (Reuters) - British Energy's Torness-2 nuclear reactor restarted early on Thursday after tripping on Tuesday due to a faulty reading, a spokeswoman for the company said.
The 625-megawatt power plant stopped unexpectedly on Tuesday after an apparent problem in the boiler area of the power station in Scotland.
"There wasn't actually anything wrong with the plant," the spokeswoman said. "It was a spurious reading."
British Energy's nuclear plants can produce up to one fifth of Britain's power when they are all fully operational. (Reporting by Daniel Fineren)
