No Nukes News - wanna buy a Candu reactor?

Fri Dec 18 16:42:40 EST 2009

No Nukes News

Dec. 18/09

"There is no credible firewall between the peaceful uses of nuclear energy
and the development of nuclear weapons."

- Jayantha Dhanapala, President of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and
World Affairs

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Canada puts its nuclear pride on the block

Under weight of record deficit, Tories seek bids on AECL's reactor wing.

AECL hasn't sold a new reactor in years and its maintenance costs are
spiking. In each of the last two years, Ottawa was forced to spend hundreds
of millions in extra funding on AECL to cover costs that were not forecast
in its main spending estimates.

The Saskatchewan government announced yesterday that it will not get into
the nuclear business until at least 2020. The Alberta government also said
this week that it won't pump any money into nuclear projects. And last June,
the Ontario government put its plans to build new reactors on hold
indefinitely, citing concerns about pricing and uncertainty about AECL's
future. 

"The nuclear renaissance is dead on arrival," said Shawn-Patrick Stensil, an
anti-nuclear campaigner with Greenpeace who welcomed news of the sale. 

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canada-puts-its-nuclear-pride-o
n-the-block/article1404807/ 

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Canada to Sell Reactor Unit of Energy Firm 

New York Times

The operation emerged from Canada's participation in the Manhattan Project
of World War II but ultimately proved to be one of the government's
longest-running financial drains.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/18/business/global/18power.html?_r=1 

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Ottawa seeks bidders for Candu business 

Without public subsidies, "it is extremely unlikely that private-sector
developers will be willing or able to take on the construction, power price
and operational risks of new nuclear stations," bank giant Citigroup
reported last month. 

http://www.thestar.com/business/article/740407--ottawa-seeks-bidders-for-can
du-business  

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<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/evelyn-leopold/nuclear-energy---answer-t_b_38
8868.html> Nuclear Energy - Answer to Global Warming or Status Symbol? 

Does the relatively cheap electricity and low carbon footprint justify
construction costs, radioactive waste and proliferation dangers? 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/evelyn-leopold/nuclear-energy---answer-t_b_388
868.html 

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Nuclear waste: Canada asks its towns if they'll give it a home

Canada's volunteer approach to finding a place to store spent nuclear waste,
which is radioactive for 10,000 years, contrasts the US.

If they were to take out a classified ad, it would read something like this:
"Wanted: safe, willing home for 40,000 metric tons of nuclear waste. Must be
Canadian. Phone for details."

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2009/1210/p12s01-woam.html

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Saskatchewan says no to nuclear power - for now

"We carefully evaluated the company's initial plans - however, uncertainty
around long-term costs to consumers remains a lingering concern," provincial
Energy and Resources Minister Bill Boyd said in a news release.

Several provinces, including British Columbia, Manitoba and Nova Scotia,
have banned nuclear power plants. 

http://www.calgaryherald.com/technology/Saskatchewan+says+nuclear+energy/235
2285/story.html 

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskatchewan/story/2009/12/17/sk-nuclear-power-912.
html

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Economic risks of nuclear power plants

The 25-year-old reactor at Point Lepreau, NB is in the midst of a troubled
$1.4 billion refurbishment. The plant was to open in September at a cost of
$1 billion, plus $400million in replacement power. But delays, cost
overruns, and technical issues have pushed that to 2011, forcing the
province to spend an extra$400 million on alternate power and spurring calls
to abandon the plant.

The problems with Atomic Energy of Canada's refurbishment of the plant have
raised questions here about the soundness of large nuclear power plant
investments.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2009/1210/p12s01-woam.html 

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Nuclear power protested from Copenhagen to Washington

The nuclear power industry's efforts to promote new reactors as a solution
to climate change is inspiring creative protests by environmentalists.

http://www.southernstudies.org/2009/12/nuclear-power-protested-from-copenhag
en-to-washington.html

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Nuclear Energy:

The answer to Climate Change or a recipe for weapons proliferation?

by Dr Herman Scheer

http://www.nuclearfiles.org/menu/key-issues/nuclear-energy/issues/climate-ch
ange/scheer_gsi_2008.pdf

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Censored News Special Edition: Indigenous at Climate Summit Copenhagen

The Legacy of Nuclear Energy, Nuclear and Chemical Weapons Upon US
Indigenous & Communities of Color

http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2009/12/ruling-out-nuclear-option-not-clea
n-or.html 

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Alberta won't fund nuclear power, Energy Minister says

Alberta is open to the nuclear power generation business, but it will not
pump one penny into any project that is brought forward, the government
says.

"I think nuclear in Alberta is dead in the water if the government keeps
their promise on that," said Shawn-Patrick Stensil of Greenpeace Canada.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/alberta-wont-fund-nuclear-power
-energy-minister-says/article1400389/?utm_source=feedburner
<http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/alberta-wont-fund-nuclear-powe
r-energy-minister-says/article1400389/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed
&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheGlobeAndMail-National+%28The+Globe+and+Mail+-+Natio
nal+News%29>
&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheGlobeAndMail-National+%28The+Globe+
and+Mail+-+National+News%29 

Just say no to nuclear

Editorial, CALGARY HERALD, Dec. 13 

The public generally opposes nuclear, especially residents who live anywhere
near a potential reactor. Energy Minister Mel Knight should respond by
saying no to nuclear.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/opinion/Just+nuclear/2335805/story.html

Nuclear option risky business

Governments, including Alberta's, would be stuck paying for the storage of
radioactive waste "for perpetuity," he adds. Edwards notes private insurers
are chronically loathe to underwrite nuclear plants; "Wall Street ... wants
taxpayers to be the risk-taker." And the industry is alone, he says, in
having legislation drafted to drastically limit its liability in case of
catastrophe.

http://www.calgarysun.com/news/columnists/bill_kaufmann/2009/12/18/12199631-
sun.html 

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Removal of Peace River-area anti-nuke signs sets off atomic rage from
residents

<http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Removal+Peace+River+area+anti+nuke+sign
s+sets+atomic+rage+from+residents/2355926/story.html>
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Removal+Peace+River+area+anti+nuke+signs
+sets+atomic+rage+from+residents/2355926/story.html  

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What's price for Lepreau?

Critics of NB Power sale say nuclear facility unknowns make deal hard to
judge

http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/news/article/887696 

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Protesters seek debate on uranium mining

Health and safety concerns prompt push for referendum in Quebec, where
exploration has spiked since 2004

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-r
esources/protesters-seek-debate-on-uranium-mining/article1393708/ 

Sept-Iles residents want Quebec to halt uranium mining

Sept-Iles residents continue to pressure Quebec to slap a moratorium on
uranium exploration in the province, despite the government's promise to
open a debate on health and safety concerns surrounding the industry.

http://www.570news.com/news/national/more.jsp?content=n113852425  

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Environment Canada hit by 'damn clever' climate stunt 

Canada is red-faced at the Copenhagen climate-change conference as a result
of a spoof news release <http://www.enviro-canada.ca/agenda2020>  purporting
to be from Environment Canada announcing Canada was bringing in bold new
emissions reduction targets. 

The authentic-looking release, which was announced on a fake Jim Prentice
<http://twitter.com/MPJimPrentice/statuses/6661355506>  Twitter account,
caught many observers off guard and a fake story about it landed on a fake
<http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/bureau-blog/environment-canada-hit-by-
damn-clever-climate-stunt/article1399474/Copenhagen%20Kerfuffle>  Wall
Street Journal website - all an elaborate ruse to embarrass Canada, which is
being considered the "dirty-old
<http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/climate-change/dirty-image-puts-c
anada-in-climate-doghouse-at-copenhagen/article1390657/>  man" of the
conference for its intransigence on negotiating better targets. 

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/bureau-blog/environment-canada-hit-by-d
amn-clever-climate-stunt/article1399474/

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Helen Caldicott denounces nuclear power and nuclear weapons at COP 15 rally

Video plus text:

http://envirobeat.com/?p=1761 

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Nuclear Power: No Solution to Climate Change 

http://www.nuclearfiles.org/menu/key-issues/nuclear-energy/issues/climate-ch
ange/wise_nirs_2005.pdf

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French Nuclear Power Struggles in a Cold Snap

RTE, the state-controlled electricity distribution network, is warning of
possible blackouts in some regions because of unseasonably cold
temperatures. "The electrical system is strained," the group said in a
release on Dec. 16. Although France frequently exports surplus power to
neighboring countries, in recent days it has had to import from Germany.

http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/blog/europeinsight/archives/2009/12/fr
ench_nuclear.html

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If you haven't already done so, sign the petition and watch the videos:

Don't Nuke the Climate!

http://www.dont-nuke-the-climate.org/index.php?lang=en

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<http://www.beyondnuclear.org/home/2009/12/15/beyond-nuclear-slams-ge-hitach
i-esbwr-design-for-qa-violatio.html> Beyond Nuclear slams GE-Hitachi ESBWR
design for QA violations at Fermi 3 

Beyond Nuclear -- in coalition with Citizens for Alternatives to Chemical
Contamination, Citizens Environmental Alliance of Southwestern Ontario,
Don't Waste Michigan, and the Michigan Chapter of the Sierra Club -- has
<http://www.beyondnuclear.org/storage/fermi_3_qa_petition_on_esbwr_design_12
_14_2009.pdf>  filed its 16th contention in the Fermi 3 new reactor
proceeding before an NRC licensing board challenging the quality assurance
violations associated with General Electric-Hitachi's "Economic Simplified
Boiling Water Reactor" design. The coalition has called for the new reactor
licensing proceeding to be suspended until QA on the ESBWR design can be
assured. 

http://www.beyondnuclear.org/home/2009/12/15/beyond-nuclear-slams-ge-hitachi
-esbwr-design-for-qa-violatio.html

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Canadian Solar Plans 500-Job Plant In Ontario 

Canadian Solar Inc said on Thursday it plans to build a C$24 million ($22.9
million) plant to manufacture solar panels in the province of Ontario,
taking advantage of rich incentives for renewable power projects. The
Chinese company said it has begun site selection for a facility to make 200
megawatt modules. The plant is expected to create 500 manufacturing jobs and
turn out enough capacity to power 60,000 homes per year.

http://planetark.org/wen/55794 

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Boy's dream to build windmill transforms lives in Malawi

The villagers thought he was crazy, but when the lights went on, the world
noticed

http://www.thestar.com/News/ScienceTech/Environment/article/738151

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Green power to the people

Green power entrepreneurialism in Ontario is bursting out of the gates. A
program designed to get more solar panels on rooftops and wind turbines in
the ground has surpassed all expectations since its Oct. 1 launch, the Star
has learned.

More than 2,400 budding power generators - a mix of homeowners, farmers,
community cooperatives and aboriginal groups - have applied to the Ontario
Power Authority's feed-in-tariff (FIT) program. A first in North America,
the program pays green power producers a generous rate for the renewable
electricity they sell onto the grid. It is modelled on similar programs in
Germany and Spain. 

http://www.thestar.com/printarticle/739319

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What if?

A Copenhagen cartoon.

http://politicalirony.com/2009/12/10/what-if-2/ 

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Wind gets clean bill of health

Turbines do not make people sick, industry-funded study of impacts concludes

http://www.thestar.com/business/article/738734--wind-gets-clean-bill-of-heal
th

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Happy Holidays everyone! Peace of the season.

-angela

Angela Bischoff

Outreach Director

Ontario Clean Air Alliance

Tel: 416 926 1907 x 246

625 Church Street, #402

Toronto, ON M4Y 2G1

angela at cleanairalliance.org

www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca <http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/> 

www.cleanairalliance.org <http://www.cleanairalliance.org/>  

 <http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=48852021264&ref=ts> Our Facebook
Group

 <http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/petition.php> Sign Our Petition

 <http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/nonukesnews.php> No Nukes News

  <http://cleanairalliance.org/get_involved_donate> 

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