In January news:
Why nuclear power's future looks grimmer than ever, a new EU proposal to categorise nuclear energy and gas as ‘green’ sparks fierce opposition, 3 out of 4 WA Uranium mine licenses expired, and a new ICAN report on implications AUKUS deal.
Nuclear Energy
In 2022, nuclear power's future looks grimmer than ever
Despite the abundance of evidence that nuclear power is hopelessly un-competitive compared to renewables, the nuclear industry and some of its supporters continue to claim otherwise. Enthusiasts hope that nuclear power's cost competitiveness will improve, but in all likelihood it will continue to worsen. Alone among energy sources, nuclear power becomes more expensive over time.
New EU Rules Spark Fight Over What Is ‘Green’ Energy
Proposal to include some natural gas and nuclear power investments as relatively climate-friendly draws fierce response in Germany.
Uranium Mining
Toro Energy misses deadline to start work at Wiluna uranium mine
In Western Australia, after Cameco's Kintyre uranium project was disallowed, now Toro's uranium project has also been rejected.
Traditional Owners welcome expiry of uranium mine approval, but the fight isn’t over
Yeelirrie area Traditional Owners have welcomed the expiry of the environmental approval to mine uranium on their land. However, Cameco has applied to the Minister for an extension on the Yeelirrie uranium project and the Minister is waiting to receive a briefing.
Olympic Dam to ramp up after major smelter works
BHP has completed a $500 million revamp of its Olympic Dam smelter and is starting to ramp up copper processing again after one of the lowest quarters of production since it took over South Australia’s largest mine in 2005.
Nuclear Waste Dump
This flooding is in the area where the above ground nuclear waste dump is planned. This raises grave concerns for the safety of this hazardous waste, on top of all the other concerns.
AUKUS/Nuclear Submarines
New ICAN report on implcations AUKUS deal: Troubled Waters
The new report considers the implications of the AUKUS nuclear submarine proposal for global efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation and eliminate nuclear weapons. Concluding that the Australian nuclear submarines would increase nuclear dangers and are an unnecessary, precedent-setting and retrograde step. The report will be of use in your consideration and efforts to resist Australian nuclearisation and conflict escalation in our region.
137 officials on taskforce exploring nuclear sub options
The taskforce does not appear to include representatives from the South Australian state government, where the boat building project is “intended” to be based. The defence minister did not directly answer some of the questions, which came from government Senator James Patterson, including what the taskforce has delivered and to who, saying only that it is “still active”.
A mutual suicide pact: Australia’s undeclared nuclear weapons strategy
Michael McKinley
As the world’s nuclear arsenals build even more killing power, the need for Australia to abandon this perilous defence arrangement only increases.
AUKUS an unwelcome guest at the table of nuclear disarmament
AUKUS is emblematic of a belligerence that is at odds with moral and ethical demands for the future. It posits a vision of military aggression and confrontation that increase the risk of war and war turning nuclear; and concedes authoritarianism and lack of debate as defining principles for the present.
International
New Czech government sees coal exit by 2033, backs nuclear power
The Czech Republic's new centre-right government will seek to lay the ground for a possible phasing out of coal by 2033, it said on Friday when it released its programme, while also supporting nuclear power as part of its energy future.
Jack Heinemann
In less than 24 hours the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists will update the Doomsday Clock. It’s currently at 100 seconds from midnight – the metaphorical time when the human race could destroy the world with technologies of its own making.
In Georgia, Bloated Costs Take Over a Nuclear Power Plant and a Fight Looms Over Who Pays
The threat of nuclear winter hangs over our warming planet
While the inhabitants of the planet are preoccupied with the 24-hour news cycle, media hype, a deadly virus, economic issues and sports games, the hair-trigger nuclear gun loaded by the powers-that-be, east and west, is threatening all life on earth.