Recent events in Japan and Germany indicate nuclear energy technology is no match for the capricousness of Mother Nature, time, and human frailties. Portrayed until recently by politicians and industry advocates as a safe way to meet rising energy demands. Indeed, the frequency of problems occurring at Germany's aging reactors is on the rise. Just as old cars succumb to rust, nuclear power plants built in the 1970s and '80s are undergoing a natural aging process. ( CS Monitor)
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Enrique Gili is a freelance writer covering Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS), issues for regional magazines in the Southland and beyond. I live in Ocean Beach, San Diego the coolest beach town around.
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Hopes Dim for 'Green' Nuclear Energy
Category: Environment • Technology
Posted on: July 19, 2007 11:36 AM, by EJGili
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This last sentence from the Times article caught my eye;
[i]Three years ago, Japan’s deadliest nuclear accident killed four workers at a nuclear plant when a steam pipe burst.[/i]
Considering the amount of nuclear power used in Japan and the frequency of environmental risks towards those plants, I would say this is very impressive. Leaks and accidents are rare, and, as you pointed out, more common in older reactors, many of which are running beyond their expected lifespans due to replacements being delayed or canceled. I personally am worried about British plants which have no replacements lined up before their decomishoning date, due in no small part to anti-nuclear efforts. There is likely to be a gap and there is nothing lined up to fill it.
Posted by: Paul Schofield | July 19, 2007 12:55 PM
Also mentioned in the CS Monitor article linked above was Stewart Brand, founder of The Whole Earth Catalog. Mr. Brand has been kind enough to endorse my novel “Rad Decision”, an insider’s fictional account of the US nuclear industry and what an accident might be like. I’ve worked in the nuclear industry over twenty years. The book is available at no cost to readers at http://RadDecision.blogspot.com and is also in paperback (from which I recieve no royalties). Both the good and bad of the industry are portrayed. I think we'll make better choices about our energy future if we first understand our energy present.
“I’d like to see Rad Decision widely read.” - Stewart Brand
Posted by: James Aach | July 20, 2007 12:18 AM
I thought you may find interest in the latest international nuclear news:
US to increase funding to secure Russian military materials
The US government has almost doubled the amount of money it is investing in programmes to improve security at Russia nuclear weapons complexes. The US have been working at sites of Russia's Federal Atomic Energy Agency to help secure nuclear materials from the cold war.
Collaboration in the past between Russia and the US has resulted in Russian uranium from military programmes being downblended and sent to be used in US nuclear power stations. Recently, around 10% of the electricity in the US was generated from uranium sent from Russia.
click here for more information
Group set up to study nuclear safety
A high level group has been set up by the European Commission to look at radioactive waste management and nuclear safety. The group will be made up of representatives of European countries with nuclear facilities and those which don't use nuclear power. This way, the Commission say, there wil be confidence in the conclusions of the group. The EC Energy Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs, said the group will reinforce the safety of nuclear installations.
click here for more information
Posted by: professor matt | July 20, 2007 06:24 AM