No Nukes News - who pays?

Fri Nov 27 15:44:57 EST 2009

No Nukes News

Nov. 27/09

To read past No Nukes News, or if this newsletter gets cut off before the
signature, go to: http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/nonukesnews.php 

 "Nuclear power is a dangerous distraction to real solutions. When you
extend a nuclear plant's life beyond what it was designed for, you make an
unsafe technology even more dangerous, create even more waste, and put off
decisions on adopting real solutions."

- Greenpeace's New Chief,  Kumi Naidoo

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Who pays if there's an accident? 

Canada's Nuclear Liability and Compensation Act - Bill C-20

The Conservative government is trying to force through Bill C-20 that would
limit the liability of nuclear power plants to just $650M. An accident could
cost far more than this and Canadian's would be on the hook for the tab.
Join this google group and help make nuclear plants pay the true costs.

http://groups.google.com/group/stop-nuclear-subsidies?hl=en
<http://groups.google.com/group/stop-nuclear-subsidies?hl=en&pli=1> &pli=1 

For background on this issue see: 

http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/campaigns/end-the-nuclear-threat/what-we
-do/nuclear_liability_compensation_act 

http://blogs.greenpeace.ca/?p=2163 

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Shhhh! Nuclear Sell-off Underway

The Harper government's secretive moves to privatize the CANDU reactor maker
that you own.

http://thetyee.ca/News/2009/11/25/NuclearSelloff/ 

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Generating Failure: How Building Nuclear Power Plants Would Set America Back
in the Race Against Global Warming

Expert evidence continues to accrue relegating nuclear energy to the
category of "yesterday's answer." There is a move afoot in Congress to
dramatically up spending for new nuclear energy projects. Bad idea. Look at
the evidence. Don't do it.

https://www.environmentmaryland.org/uploads/69/29/6929c6cbe0bb93951a6b861de8
46e64b/Generating-Failure---Environment-Maryland.pdf 

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New UK nuclear stations unlikely to be on time

A Newsnight investigation suggests that UK government plans to build a new
generation of nuclear power stations to fill the energy gap by 2020 are
wildly optimistic.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/8379274.stm

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Designs for new UK nuclear reactors are unsafe - claim

Major setback for energy plans as report finds flaws in US and French models
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/terrymacalister> 

Britain's main safety regulator threw the government's
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/energy> energy plans into chaos
tonight by damning the nuclear industry's leading designs for new plants.
The Health and Safety Executive said it could not recommend plans for new
reactors because of wide-ranging concerns about their safety.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/nov/27/nuclear-power-reactor-desi
gn

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AREVA nuclear scandal:  

Greenpeace finds radiation on the streets of Niger

Greenpeace has found high radiation contamination levels in the streets of
Akokan where children play. In one area Greenpeace tested, the radiation was
almost 500 times higher than normal levels.

This is the hidden cost of nuclear power: innocent men, women and children
exposed to radiation, exploitation and danger. This is what we must accept
if we are to continue using nuclear power for our energy needs. The uranium
from Niger is used to keep the lights on in France. Nuclear reactors must
have uranium. To obtain that uranium it seems that people must suffer. It is
a story told wherever in the world uranium is mined. Ask yourself: would you
like to live near a uranium mine?

http://weblog.greenpeace.org/nuclear-reaction/2009/11/areva_nuclear_scandal_
greenpea.html

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Radioactive waste contaminating water supply

Controlled Ottawa River leak OK, AECL says

Nuclear facilities and power plants are contaminating Canadian food and
water with radioactive waste that increases risks of cancer and birth
defects, says a new report to be released today.

The report, Tritium on Tap, produced by the Sierra Club of Canada, warned
that radioactive emissions from various nuclear plants across the country
have more than doubled over the past decade. 

"Once in our body, tritium enters our DNA, fat, proteins and carbohydrates
-- and that is where it does its damage from close range," said the report.
"It is a carcinogen and causes birth defects."

http://www.canada.com/health/Radioactive+waste+contaminating+Canadian+water+
supply+Report/2246580/story.html?utm_source=feedburner
<http://www.canada.com/health/Radioactive+waste+contaminating+Canadian+water
+supply+Report/2246580/story.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_
campaign=Feed%3a+canwest%2fF67+(canada.com+Body+and+Health)>
&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3a+canwest%2fF67+(canada.com+Body+and+Hea
lth)

Tritium on Tap: http://www.sierraclub.ca/national/tritium_report.shtml

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Releases of radioactive form of hydrogen from Lepreau spiked in 2008

While still well below the government's allowable limits, releases of
tritium from the Point Lepreau nuclear plant into the Bay of Fundy were more
than six times higher in 2008 than the previous year. The amounts spiked to
their highest level in 19 years. 

NB Power says it was because of the refurbishment underway to extend the
life of Atlantic Canada's only nuclear reactor by 25 years. 

Still, Canada's allowable limits are too high, argues Mike Buckthought of
the environmental group Sierra Club Canada. He authored the report "Tritium
on Tap <http://www.sierraclub.ca/national/tritium_report.shtml> ," released
Friday, which tallied tritium releases based on figures routinely compiled
by the CNSC. The Sierra Club report lists the Bay of Fundy, the Great Lakes
and the Ottawa and St. Lawrence rivers as polluted by "radioactive water." 

Environmentalists argue that the nuclear industry downplays the significance
of tritium releases because tritium can increase the risk of cancer and
birth defects. 

Buckthought argued the only real long-term solution to releasing more
tritium into the environment is to replace nuclear reactors with renewable
sources of electricity. 

http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/front/article/865888 

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Turkey scraps nuclear power plant tender

Turkey on Friday scrapped a 2008 tender won by a Russian-led consortium to
build the country's first nuclear power plant -- a process that had been
under threat of being invalidated by a court decision.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jq9j9w-jkSU1yUWbWIQsi8DjP
ULQ 

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<http://www.greenbang.com/nuclear-energys-impact-on-emissions-too-little-too
-late_12671.html> Nuclear energy's impact on emissions 'too little, too
late'

"New nuclear power investments would actually worsen climate change because
the money spent on nuclear reactors would not be available for solutions
that fight it faster and at lower cost," said Peter Bradford, a former US
Nuclear Regulatory Commissioner.

http://www.greenbang.com/nuclear-energys-impact-on-emissions-too-little-too-
late_12671.html

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Nuclear Power's Megafraud

The nuclear power industry can't even persuade its own investors to bet on
it, so it's going after tax dollars and captive customers to pay for its
dreamed-up expansion. Simple solution: If nuclear power can make it on its
own, fine. But it's far too dangerous, too uncertain, too costly and too
tempting to terrorists to be subsidized by taxpayers and unwilling
customers. So far, the nuclear power industry is betting equally and
exclusively on public dollars and gullibility. Don't let it get away with
it.

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/11/19-1

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The staggering cost of new nuclear power 

A new study puts the generation costs for power from new nuclear plants at
from 25 to 30 cents per kilowatt-hour -triple current U.S. electricity
rates!

This staggering price is far higher than the cost of a variety of
carbon-free renewable power sources available today-and 10 times the cost of
energy efficiency (see here
<http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/5/8/154644/4491> ).

The new study, Business
<http://climateprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/nuclear-costs-2009.pd
f>  Risks and Costs of New Nuclear Power [PDF], is one of the most detailed
cost analyses publicly available on the current generation of nuclear power
plants being considered in this country.

 <http://www.grist.org/article/Exclusive-analysis-Part-1/>
http://www.grist.org/article/Exclusive-analysis-Part-1/ 

<http://climateprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/nuclear-costs-2009.pd
f>
http://climateprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/nuclear-costs-2009.pdf

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Radiation leak investigated at Three Mile Island

Federal officials are investigating a radiation leak at Three Mile Island,
scene of the worst U.S. nuclear power accident, but said on Sunday there was
no threat to public health or safety.

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE5AM05B20091123

http://circleof13.blogspot.com/2009/11/new-leak-at-three-mile-island.html 

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Fire at nuclear power station

The Dungeness B nuclear power station in Kent has been closed down following
a fire in the boiler annexe.

http://www.hazardexonthenet.net/article.aspx?AreaID=2
<http://www.hazardexonthenet.net/article.aspx?AreaID=2&ArticleID=29804>
&ArticleID=29804

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Countdown to Copenhagen: Who in Canada is Killing the International Climate
Treaty?

Join George Monbiot, Guardian columnist and author of "Heat: How To Save The
Planet From Burning," in Toronto for a special event!

Saturday, November 28, 2pm to 4pm

J.J.R. MacLeod Auditorium, Medical Sciences Building, University of Toronto,
1 King's College Circle, Toronto

With the international climate treaty summit less than a month away, leading
experts on the science, policy and politics of climate change will lead a
forum on the role Canada is (and isn't) playing on the international stage.
Other Special Guests include Richard Littlemore, co-author of the new book
Climate Cover Up: the crusade to deny global warming.
<http://www.desmogblog.com/climate-cover-up>

Admission: Suggested donation of $10-$25. Nobody will be turned away for
lack of funds.

This event is brought to you by:   DeSmogBlog.com <http://desmogblog.com/>
e: desmogblog at gmail.com, c: 778.240.6343

Power Up Canada <http://www.powerupcanada.ca/> Climate Action Network,
Canada <http://www.climateactionnetwork.ca/>

Greenpeace Canada <http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/>

University of Toronto Student Union <http://www.utsu.ca/> Science for Peace
<http://scienceforpeace.sa.utoronto.ca/>

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Pipeline Through a Troubled Land
- Afghanistan, Canada, and the New Great Energy Game
With John Foster

Mon. Nov. 30, 7 p.m.
Steelworkers Hall, 25 Cecil St. (near Spadina and College)

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Canadian Voice of Women for Peace - UN Connection

Monday, 30 November, 7.30-9.30 p.m.   
At Friends House, 60 Lowther Avenue, Toronto (St. George subway station)

Come to an evening of news, stories, and film of our work from local to
global. Learn about our latest international delegation to a UN conference
in Mexico City.
And we'll have exciting news of more international conferences on the status
of women at the UN in New York.  This March, 2010 will be the 15 year review
following the World Conference on Women  in Beijing in 1995.

All welcome!  Contact: Janis Alton 905-274-6191 (best) or
janis.alton at sympatico.ca
<http://flymail.web.ca/src/compose.php?send_to=janis.alton%40sympatico.ca>
for further information and/or if you wish to attend a pot luck dinner
nearby 5.30 - 7.00 p.m.. 

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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

www.cleanairalliance.org 

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