May 2005

Nuclear Energy Update
Weeks of May 9th and May 16th, 2005

Welcome to Nuclear Energy Update. This is a weekly update compiled by The Eisenhower Institute of the most significant news items in international, domestic, and scientific nuclear energy news.

International

India Bans Proliferation of Nuclear Technology
India's upper house of Parliament passed legislation banning the proliferation of nuclear technology, although Foreign Minister Natwar Singh has assured his country that the new legislation would not hinder India's defense capabilities or its nuclear power industries. All of this comes seven years after India shocked the world with a series of nuclear tests. According to Singh, the bill does "not seek to check development of missile technology but prevent leakage of this technology." He also suggested that India is a responsible nation and has never sought to pass on its proven technological capabilities to any one. The law stipulates that if a person is caught engaging in nuclear commerce or passing on atomic technology, they will be subject to a sentence of five years to life in prison, as well as a fine. The law covers Indians abroad as well as foreigners residing in India.
(Yahoo News, http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20050513/wl__050513181352, 5/13/05).

South Korea Bringing the North Back to the Table
South Korea, this week, promised to offer the North a "substantial proposal" if they returned to the six-nation nuclear weapons talks. The offer comes a day after the United States and Japan warned of action to be taken against the North if it carried out a nuclear test. The South Korean delegation leader, Minister Rhee Bong-jo said, "If the six-party talks resume, it should not be talks for the sake of talks, but substantial progress is necessary." The talks have recently been under heavy tension due to North Korean claims that they had completed the removal of spent fuel rods from a nuclear reactor and also due to recent spy satellite imagery that indicates the digging of an underground tunnel - a possible indication of an upcoming nuclear test. South Korea has consistently downplayed the prospects of a nuclear test over the past several weeks.
(Soo-Jeong Lee, AP, http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=//koreas_nuclear_7, 5/16/05).

New Poll Indicates Half ‘Opposed to Nuclear Power'
According to a recent BBC2 Poll, nearly 50% of British people questioned suggested that it was wrong for the government to consider nuclear energy as a future source of power, while approximately 39% said that they thought it was right. The poll questioned nearly 1,000 people. Nearly 57% of the polled people thought that the best way to meet energy demands cleanly was through the use of renewable energy and 21% thought nuclear power was the best way. 12% backed coal or gas stations as the most feasible way to supply energy demands. Energy expert Professor Ian Fells, however, suggests that without nuclear energy's contribution to cutting CO2 emissions, Great Britain would soon be seeing blackouts and power cuts. He suggested that both nuclear power and renewable energy was required to meet Britain's future energy demands.
(BBC, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4552051.stm, 5/16/05).

British Considering New Nuclear Plants
In order to alleviate its greenhouse gas reductions in the next decade, Britain is currently looking into investing in a new generation of nuclear power plants. Alan Johnson, the newly appointed trade and industry secretary, has stated that a decision on the country's new energy policy would be made by the end of the year. Nuclear proponents have suggested that with Tony Blair's recent re-election, the path has been paved for a new generation of plants. The industry is calling for 10 new plants to replace old ones that are closing. However, Blair has stated that no new plants would be built unless a feasible solution to the storing of nuclear waste is considered and dealt with. The industry, environmentalists and local authorities are currently attempting to negotiate a solution to the waste issue.
(Greenwire, Britain Considering Building New Plants, Energy Policy and Markets: Volume 10, Number 9, 5/16/05).

North Korea Asks China for Visit by Rice
North Korea has reportedly asked that China attempt to arrange a visit by the U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in order reach a break-through on the looming nuclear crisis. According to a Japanese source, the North Koreans are looking for a way out of the stand-off that has accompanied the six-party nuclear talks and is asking for one-on-one discussion with Secretary Rice. The U.S. State Department and China have denied the story and continue to push the six-party talks as the best way of resolving this issue.
(AFP, http://www.spacewar.com/2005/050517101637.2gq766rs.html, 5/17/05).

Iran Pessimistic About Nuclear Deal
Iran has indicated that they see little hope in reaching any sort of agreement this week in the emergency nuclear talks with Britain, France, and Germany. Iran has blamed the lack of progress on the hardline position being taken by the United States. Chief nuclear negotiator Cyrus Nasseri told the AFP that, "the Europeans are not capable of acting independently from the extremists in the American administration. We don't have a problem with the Europeans themselves, but when it comes to making a decision they want to coordinate with the Americans." Talks between the two sides are scheduled for May 23rd. Reportedly, the European Union has offered a strong package of incentives in return for guarantees that Iran will not develop nuclear weapons. Iran insists on developing the full nuclear fuel cycle as its right under the NPT.
(AFP, http://www.spacewar.com/2005/050517105916.73urfucn.html, 5/17/05).

 

Domestic

Bunker Busters Effectively Blocked in House
A compromise reached by members of a House Armed Services subcommittee has effectively blocked the development of the "bunker buster" nuclear weapon technology that was being pushed by the Bush administration. This comes on the heels of a National Academy of Sciences warning that the use of such a weapon, even if detonated below 820 feet of ground, could cause up to a million deaths in a populated area. The White House had proposed $4 million to the DOE for research and development of the penetrator weapon. Linton Brooks, director of the National Nuclear Security Administration, had suggested that the development of this particular weapon would give the U.S. more flexibility in dealing with enemy threats.
(Kilian, Michael. http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/, 5/13/05).

Greenpeace Founder Supports Nuclear Energy
Dr. Patrick Moore, the founder of Greenpeace, testified before a Congressional Subcommittee on Energy and Resources last week. At the hearing, Dr. Moore supported the development of nuclear energy as the "only non-greenhouse gas-emitting energy source that can effectively replace fossil fuels and satisfy global demands." According to Moore, the environmental community cannot hope to base all their policy actions purely on environmental values. They must seek solutions that are capable of being incorporated into the traditional social and economic values that govern daily social behavior. Moore suggested that environmental extremism has led to an eroding of the environmental movement and has pushed us further towards fossil fuels. Purporting that a dramatic increase in energy demands over the next decade will lead to a drastic gap in available energy, Moore suggests that nuclear power may be the only source capable of making up that difference.
(Statement to the Congressional Subcommittee on Energy and Resources, http://www.nei.org/documents/Testimony_Moore_04-28-05.pdf, 4/28/05).

McCain Supports Nuclear Energy and Hydrogen
Senator John McCain recently made an appearance on MSNBC's "Imus in the Morning" in support of nuclear energy as an answer to rising oil prices. McCain suggested that the price of oil is not going to go down significantly any time soon because of booming industries like in India and China. He purported that the U.S. must begin to look to alternative forms of energy including nuclear power and hydrogen.
("Imus in the Morning," http://www.eisenhowerinstitute.org/.msnbc.com, 5/13/05).

McCain-Lieberman Amendment Supports Nuclear Incentives
According to sources, Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Joe Lieberman (D-CN) may add incentives for the construction of nuclear power plants in order to gain more support for their climate change bill. The amendment is currently being circulated in draft form and would stand as a compromise solution between conservatives and liberals. In the proposal, conservatives would support emission controls while liberals would support incentives for the development of a new generation of nuclear power plants. No final decision has yet to be made on the draft report, however.
(Barringer, Felicity. "Old Foes Soften to New Reactors," NY Times, 5/15/05).

 

Op-Ed

Op-Ed: ‘No Nukes,' No More
In his op-ed, John Tierney argues that the great taboo against nuclear power seems to be over in Washington and the days of the anti-nuke movement have finally subsided. He cites the recent changes of heart by members of the environmentalist communities and how even Congress is looking into proposals that would reinvigorate the industry. He also, suggests, however, that there are certain pitfalls with a new drive towards nuclear energy, including the use of subsidies to support new energy sources. He argues that the environmentalist lobby has "backed one loser after another for the past half-century" and that to combat this, they should attempt to impose taxes, not subsidies. A tax on carbon emissions, he suggests, would make investors take into account the negative risks of global warming.
(Tierney, John. http://www.eisenhowerinstitute.org/programs//www.nytimes.com.html?hp, 5/17/05).

 

Credits

Compiled by: Joe Schultheis
Edited by: Suzanne Vogel

 

Nuclear Energy Update
Week of May 23 -27, 2005

Welcome to Nuclear Energy Update. This is a weekly update compiled by The Eisenhower Institute of the most significant news items in international, domestic, and scientific nuclear energy news.

International

A Stay On Iran's Nuclear Execution
Finally, the long awaited, highly anticipated, talks between Iran, represented by Hassan Rowhani, and the foreign ministers of Britain, France, Germany, as well as the European Union's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, where conducted on Wednesday. The talks marked a crucial breaking point between Iran and the West in which, according to Iran, if negotiations resulted in a deadlock would have perpetuated with them moving forward with the enrichment of uranium, regardless of impending sanctions. Fortunately, negotiations averted the crisis resulting in Iran's continued deferment from its enrichment program, pending Europe's proposed concessions that are to be issued and then reviewed at the end of July. (Higgins, Alexander, http://abcnews.go.com/International/print?id=790824 5/25/05)

Iranian Dissident Reports Nuclear Nefariousness
According to an Iranian dissident, Iran has been circumventing export bans on "dual-use" material by smuggling graphite and a graphite compound that is suitable for making both conventional and nuclear weapons. Graphite can function as a housing for weapons-grade uranium or to shield conventional missiles. The contact also reports possible Iranian interest in "nuclear-grade graphite", which can moderate the fission speed in reactors, and of a plant for mastering graphite technology being built in Aredkan whose front is to be steel manufacturing. All of this comes just as Iran and the West attempt to reconcile the future of its nuclear program.
(Jahn, George, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050520/ap_on_re_mi_ea/nuclear_iran_5, 5/20/2005)

Chavez Declares Nascent Nuclear Initiative
Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, declared his government's intent to pursue nuclear energy under Iranian tutelage. Chavez asserts that his nuclear pursuit is simply for "development, life, peace and energy". Venezuela is the world's fifth largest oil exporter, making it a fundamental supplier of oil to the United States. However, despite their economic exchange, relations between Washington and Chavez are hardly amicable. Chavez has backed Iran's nuclear initiative and has sought ties with China, India, and Russia, replacing traditional ties with the United States. Likewise, Chavez asserts that nuclear ascendance is another means by which to extricate himself further from what he has identified as American "imperialism," while encouraging other Latin American countries to do the same.
(Reuters, http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/international/-nuclear.html?pagewanted=print,
5/22/2005)

Nuclear Talk in Chile
Chilean President Ricardo Lagos in response to natural gas shortages, and record oil prices this past year has identified the need for Chile to consider nuclear power as a supplemental energy source. Although Lagos' nuclear directive is to be discussed by the next administration, he advised that there is a necessity to "think about nuclear energy [and to] study all its possibilities, advantages, disadvantages, costs and benefits, risks and uncertainties". Chile's natural gas shortages have been generated by Argentina's cutback of natural gas exportation to cope with its own shortages. Consequently, the substitution of more expensive fuel has caused slower production in factories and increased electricity prices. Also, an increase in oil prices has exacerbated Chile's already sizeable dependence on oil importation. Although a nuclear program, at present, may seem an advantageous supplement, it is not so clear considering Chile is one of the most seismically active nations in the world, having incurred the largest earthquake in history in 1960.
(Bloomberg.com, http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000086&sid=aZvIQqKprJnM#, 5/22/2005)

Vietnam and Russia, Prospective Nuclear Bedfellows
After concluding their second session of the Joint Coordinator on Cooperation in the Field of Nuclear Energy, Russia and Vietnam have agreed to escalate their nuclear bilateral cooperation. In reviewing last years cooperative activities, they have planned out a two year strategy of cooperative measures, which will consist of aiding in the safety and efficiency of the Da Lat reactor, while increasing collaboration with both personnel training and the utilization of radiation in health care facilities.
(People's Daily, http://english.people.com.cn/200505/23/eng20050523_186295.html 5/24/05)

Russian Nuclear Fuel Production Company Cuts Out United States Middlemen
Russian nuclear materials production company, TENEX, has secured a deal with Japan that will make it the supplier of up to 30% of the nuclear fuel for Japanese nuclear power plants. Although most of the fuel currently received by Japanese plants is marked as "Made in USA," in reality this nuclear fuel originated in Russia, Canada, or Australia and was resold by United States middlemen to Japan, thereby becoming "American." Subsequently, TENEX in delivering the nuclear fuel directly to Japan, succeeds in cutting out the American middlemen. TENEX's intention is to further infiltrate the East-Asian Market, seeking to establish commerce with both South Korea and China.
(NOVOSTI, http://en.rian.ru/business/20050524/40404587.html 5/24/2005)

China Due to Announce Nuclear Contract Beneficiary in October
Secretary General of the Chinese Nuclear Society Fu Manchang, announced that the frontrunner for the $8 billion dollar contract to build four nuclear plants in Zhejiang and Guangdong will be disclosed this October. The three companies vying for the contract Areva, the French nuclear group, which earlier this week signed contracts with Ling Ao power plant worth $500 million, Westinghouse Electric Co., and Russia's AtomStroyExport. The pending contracts would surmount to the largest account for international nuclear equipment makers in years.
(Associated Press, http://biz.thestar.com.&sec=business, 5/23/05)

India Makes Inquiry for Nuclear Imports With NSG
India is attempting the import of enriched uranium, as well as other nuclear material, in an effort to increase the productivity of their plants, which have been plagued by shortages. However, before India can proceed with the acquisition of nuclear material, they need the go ahead from the 30-nation Nuclear Supplier Group, which functions as a medium through which to control exports of nuclear materials, equipment, and technology. At present the U.S., France, and Russia are only willing to allow a regulated supply of uranium, which, in time, could lead to the sale of the nuclear technology and equipment that India needs. (Gilani, Iftikhar, http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_20-5-2005_pg7_38, 5/20/05)

Projected Political Realignment Gives Rebirth to German Reactors
Estimating a change in German party control from the incumbent Social Democrats (SPD) to the opposing conservative Christian Democrats has investors speculating on nuclear stocks, whose fate seemed all but doomed by an initiative led by SPDs to phase out Germany's nuclear power plants in 2001. The subsequent switch, according to the head of utility Vattenfall's European operations, Klaus Rauscher, will cause "economic aspects of the power industry to take precedence over the environmental". Accordingly, shares of nuclear energy firms such E.ON and RWE have risen. Although a full return towards nuclear power is still widely contested and uncertain, there is a clear initiative to prolong Germany's remaining reactors.
(http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1595105,00.html 5/25/05)

Conference Called to Enhance Protection of Nuclear Material
IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei convened a conference that is set to take place in July to discuss proposed amendments to the international Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. The proposed amendments seek to widen and strengthen the scope of the Convention, specifically to further the protection against sabotage of nuclear material during storage and transport, as well as nuclear facilities themselves.
(IAEA, http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2005/cppnm_conference.html 5/20/05)

Russia To Build Bouyant Nuclear Power Plant
RosAtom, Russia's Atomic Energy Agency, intends to build a nuclear power plant that floats on water. The project is estimated to cost $180 million, which, according to RosAtom, will pay for itself in eight years. With regard to the safety of a floating reactor, Alexander Rumyantsev, head of RosAtom, says that it will be absolutely safe, being fashioned after "those that are used by our submarines and nuclear ice-breakers." However, many critics are hesitant to embrace the idea, calling it a "floating Chernobyl." The plant is projected to be constructed in five years and is estimated to provide enough heating and electrical energy for 50,000 people with the alternative function of desalinating water. (MosNews, http://www.mosnews.com/news/2005/05/26/floatingpowerplant.shtml, 5/25/05)

 

 

Domestic

House Approves Temporary Housing of Nuclear Waste
The House passed an initiative which will temporarily store commercial nuclear waste, in response to possible continued delays on the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in Nevada. The Yucca Mountain project has been hindered by allegations of falsified data and uncertain radiation protection plans. The bill relegated responsibility for the interim nuclear waste placement to the Energy Department, which identified a facilities in Idaho, the Savannah River weapons facility in South Carolina, and the Hanford complex in Washington. Representatives from these states objected, fearing the interim housing assignment may become permanent.
(Taylor, Andrew, http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/_nuclear_waste_storage?mode=PF, 5/25/05)

NuStart Announces Six Prospective Nuclear Plant Sites
The nuclear power consortium, NuStart Energy, has identified the following six sites, of which two will be selected, to apply for nuclear power plants licenses: The Bellefonte Nuclear Plant in Scottsboro, Ala. which is an unfinished site owned by the Tennessee Valley Authority, Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Port Gibson, Miss. and The River Bend Station St. Francisville, La, both owned by Entergy, The Savannah River Site, a U.S. Department of Energy nuclear weapons lab in Aiken, S.C., The Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Plant in Lusby, Md., and the Nine Mile Point plant in Oswego, N.Y., both owned by Constellation Energy. The final decision, according to NuStart's President, Marilyn Kray, will be issued after evaluating each site based upon 75 factors which include seismic activity, availability of water, and emergency preparedness issues.
(MSNBC, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7921287/, 5/23/05)

NRC Identifies Community Siren Failure in 28 Nuclear Plants
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has identified 28 nuclear power plants that are incapable of issuing warning sirens to the surrounding community in cases where there is a power failure. The investigation was instigated by elected officials and 17 activist groups that petitioned the NRC in February for information about siren systems. Warning sirens, according to the petitioners, become essential during a power failure where plants are more susceptible to core-melting accidents and impede the plant's safety shutdown systems. Plant affiliates are reluctant to consider backup power for sirens, asserting the sufficiency of disseminating warnings via radio, and police car loudspeakers. (http://www.onnnews.com/global/story.asp?s=3394275&ClientType=Printable 5/25/05)

University California to Bid on Los Alamos
The University of California Board Of Regents voted unanimously to place a bid to continue control of the Los Alamos nuclear lab. The university has been in control of the lab since its inception in 1943, but, after financial and security lapses, the government announced it would put it up for bid. Bidders have until July 19 to place their bid. The government is schedule to award the contract sometime by December first.
(Locke, Michelle, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050526/ap_on_re_us/los_alamos_lab_9 5/26/05)

 

Scientific

Dr. Todreas Awarded for Peaceful Employment of Nuclear Energy
The 2005 Smythe Statesman Award, which recognizes outstanding service in developing and guiding peaceful uses of nuclear energy was awarded to Dr. Neil Todreas. Dr. Todreas is both a KEPCO Professor of Nuclear Engineering and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT, where he has researched advanced nuclear reactors and fuel cycle concepts, as well as thermal and hydraulic analysis of safety systems in operating nuclear reactors and waste management facilities. Dr. Todreas currently sits as a fellow on both the American Nuclear Society and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Throughout his career Dr. Todreas has emphasized safety and economic operation of reactors, which has perpetuated the consolidation of an international consensus for the future of the nuclear industry. (American Nuclear Society, http://www.ans.org/pi/media/releases/r-1116441630 5/23/05)

Op-Ed

Nuclear Option Lesser of Other Evils
According to 924 peer-reviewed articles on the climate in the journal of Science between 1997-2003, human activity is the cause for global warming. In the past 150 years, the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has reached 380 ppm and is rising 2ppm every year. According to the report done by the Center for American Progress in the United States, Britain's Institute for Public Policy Research, and the Australia Institute, entitled "Meeting the Climate Change," it was concluded that carbon dioxide amounts beyond 400 ppm would cause a temperature increase of 3.5 degrees Fahrenheit, which runs "the risks of abrupt, accelerated or runaway climate change also increase. The risks include reaching climatic tipping points leading, for example, to the loss of the West Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets, . . . the shutdown of . . . the Gulf Stream and the transformation of the planet's forests and soils from a net sink of carbon to a net source of carbon." Accordingly, James Lovelock, originator of the Gaia Hypothesis, argues that "We must stop gaining energy from fossil fuels, and although clean renewable energy sounds appealing, in practice it is ruinously expensive [subsequently] there is no sensible alternative to nuclear energy"
(Dyer, Gwynne, http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_2754455, 5/23/05)

 

Credits

Compiled by: Joe Schultheis
Edited by: Suzanne Vogel

 

Nuclear Energy Update
Week of May 27th - June 3, 2005

Welcome to Nuclear Energy Update. This is a weekly update compiled by The Eisenhower Institute of the most significant news items in international, domestic, and scientific nuclear energy news.

International

Iran Compelled by Guardian Council to Develop Nuclear Technology
The Iranian Guardian Council cemented Iran's commitment to the development of its nuclear program by making the enrichment of uranium a legislative mandate. Although, the new law requires the government to develop a nuclear fuel cycle it does not obligate them to do so immediately. According to Nayereh Akhavan, a conservative lawmaker, "Approval of the parliamentary legislation into law by the Guardian Council means Europeans should forget the idea of asking Iran to permanently freeze its nuclear activities forever." Subsequently, the legislation renders the enrichment issue as non-negotiable, which had been the hope of the European delegation in two months.
(AKBAR DAREIN ALI, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050528/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iran_nuclear_5, 5/28/05)

Saudi Arabia Constrains Itself to Inspections, while Discarding Nuclear Impediments
The International Atomic Energy Agency has negotiated a deal with Saudi Arabia, which would allow for the inspections of the Saudi nuclear facility. At present Saudi Arabia is believed to only have a nuclear research program, and as such is not perceived as a direct proliferation threat. However, it is because their nuclear program is infantile that their apparent willingness to cooperate with the IAEA may be suspect. Although the safeguard agreement authorizes the IAEA to inspect a countries' nuclear facilities, its small quantities protocol allows those participating states to be exempt from notifying the IAEA of the acquisition of design information and of stocks of natural uranium up to 10 tons, which, although "small," produces enough enriched uranium to make at least one bomb. Subsequently, nations have petitioned Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the IAEA, to rescind the small quantities protocol. Nevertheless, any action to revoke the protocol would be moot in regards to the previously petitioned Saudi agreement.
(Yahoo News, http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050531/wl_mideast_afp/unnuclear_050531192244,
5/31/05)

Libya Procures Parisian Partnership
Libyan Foreign Minister, Abdelrahman Shalgham, was presented with an official lbetter of intent from France to cooperate with Tripoli on its nuclear power development, making good on Chirac's vow to create a "true partnership" with Libya. When and the extent to which France will aid Libya is still yet to be determined. The overture , which embraces the diplomatic reversal of a country that developed weapons of mass destruction, and was implicated for the Lockerbie and French UTA plane bombings, is in part a message to Iran, exemplifying how "states which respect their international commitments on non-proliferation...can legitimately benefit from civilian nuclear technologies necessary to their development".
(http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=43327, 5/31/05)

Sweden Shifts to Wind
In accordance with the nuclear phase-out referendum of 1980, the Barseback-2 nuclear reactor was shut down. The Barseback-2, Sweden's oldest reactor, constituted 3 percent of the country's total electricity output, of which 40 percent is currently nuclear power. The closing of the reactor is indicative of Sweden's intention to switch from nuclear power to wind. Accordingly, Sweden has procured $1 billion dollar wind investment in Vattenfall, a state owned company, as well as the former operator of the Barseback reactor. Vattenfall plans to construct between 100 and 150 wind power turbines, generating more than 2 terawatt hours in 2010, about half of Barseback's 4 terawatt hours in 2004. However, due to the inconsistency of wind and fear of global warming, public support for the Barsebacj closure is waning. According to estimations, to compensate for the loss in power, Sweden will have to utilize fossil fuel power stations that exacerbate global warming.
(MSNBC, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8058171/ 6/01/05)

Officials Fear Foreign Nuclear Negligence
According to Paul Longsworth, deputy administrator at the National Nuclear Security Administration, "Russia is to weapons-usable material what Saudi Arabia is to oil," estimating that Russia has 600 metric tons of nuclear material, enough to make 10,000 crude nuclear weapons. So far only 75 percent of the 600 metric tons have been stored and secured, and Longsworth wary because it is those unsecured sites that are most sensitive. At present, officials are not allowed access to inspect these remaining sites, and there is no way to determine if those sites are even secure. Although unsecured Russian material may be troublesome, according to Joan Rohlfing, a nuclear expert, it may just be the tip of the iceberg. According to Rohlfing, areas such as Pakistan, the Middle East, Asia, and Eastern Europe, also unsecured regardless of the amount housed there, are more dangerous due to the degree of their vulnerability. Rolfing's assertions become sobering when put in perspective; one only needs 90 lbs. of highly enriched uranium to make a crude nuclear weapon with the dimensions of a two-liter soda bottle.
(Angela Woodall, http://www.spacewar.com/news/nuclear-doctrine-05u.html 5/26/05)

Moscow Means to Fuel Iranian Nuclear Power Industry
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared that Russia "is ready to guarantee fuel supplies for the Iranian nuclear power industry in such a way that all this will be done under IAEA control". Lavrov went on to explain that Russian aid comes under the assumption that Tehran will operate under the moratorium of uranium enrichment. Subsequently, the Russian overture affirms Iran's right to peacefully develop their nuclear power industry in the interest to develop its economy. The minister also added that Russia is working simultaneously with Iran and Europe while they are in the midst of negotiations wanting to "achieve one and the same goal: to bar a threat to non-proliferation and to remove suspicions that the Iranian peaceful nuclear program (part of it) is used to implement military ends".
(http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=2084651&PageNum=0, 5/30/05).

Carr Concedes on Coal and Considers Nuclear Power
New South Wales premier Bob Carr is perpetuating a national debate concerning the use of nuclear energy as a substitute to fossil fuels in order to combat global warming. Carr's promotion of the nuclear debate comes amid the government's ongoing deliberation on whether to build another coal-fired power station. According to Carr, "Coal is looking very dangerous - there ought to be a debate." After citing various environmental calamities ensuing from global warming, Carr conveys the pure impracticality of other non-nuclear options: "The Planet is warming up and we need some new energy source until wind and solar and hydrogen become available [...] You could have a wind farm across all of outback New South Wales that would kill every kookaburra, but it wouldn't provide the baseload power we need."
(Davies, Anne, http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Carr-calls-for-nuclear-discussion/2005/06/02/1117568321780.html?from=moreStories, 6/3/05)

 

 

Domestic

New Nevada Nuclear Test Site To Decide Among Nuclear Detection Devices
Nuclear detection devices are to be tested at the new Radiological-Nuclear Countermeasures Test and Evaluation Complex before they are to be installed at the nation's border and airport checkpoints. The Nevada site will test various detection devices from 10 bidding international companies. The company awarded the bid will supply over 2,000 of the detection devices to 350 ports across the United States. The systems are capable of detecting plutonium, uranium, and other radiological materials that terrorists may try to smuggle into the United States. According to Michael Carter, chief scientist of the Domestic Nuclear Detection office, the New Test Site, which will be fully operational in 2007, will "provide definitive ground truth" enabling the U.S. to gauge nuclear threats and terrorist capabilities.
(Donaldson, Jeff, http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/lv-gov/2005/jun/02/518848239.html, 6/2/05)

Schulte Shoe-In to Represent the United States in the IAEA
Gregory Schulte has been named as Bush's prospective candidate to represent the United States in the International Atomic Energy Agency. Schulte will replace Ken Brill, who left in the summer of 2004. Schulte is currently works at the Department of Defense as chief of staff of the roles, missions, and organizations team for the Quadrennial Review. He also acted as executive secretary of the White House National Security Council, and worked closely with the Dayton Peace Accords, as well as functioning as the director of the Secretary General's Bosnia. (Reuters,http://www.boston.com/news/politics/_schulte_to_nuclear_watchdog_iaea/, 5/26/05)

 

Science

Conference Convenes on How to Convert Nuclear Waste Into Power
Researchers from both the United States and Europe are gathering at Idaho State University in hopes to come up with a process that can convert the destruction process of nuclear waste into the producing energy. This will mark the third annual workshop on Accelerator-Drive Subcritical Systems experiments. According to Denis Beller, IAC visiting research professor and director of the Race Project, they are attempting to develop a "prototype that can demonstrate the capabilities of the kind of reactor that could reduce the volume and radiotoxicity of nuclear waste and create energy". Although the studies are still in their preliminary stages, Beller, maintains confident that given the time and resources their endeavor will brought to fruition.
(Yahoo News, http://www.journalnet.com/articles/2005/06/02/news/local/news05.txt6/2/05)

 

 

Op-Ed

Hastings Hastens Nuclear Initiative
Max Hastings, in his opinion piece "Forget about wind Farms. Nuclear Power is the Future", lauds Prime Minister Blair for bringing nuclear power back onto the docket. According to Hastings, there is no other "credible alternative energy source," economically or environmentally. Hastings goes on to assert the impracticality of energy alternatives such as wind farms and fossil fuels due to their incapability to cope logistically and economically with current, let alone impending, energy demands, which are projected to increase 85% by 2020. However, as recognized by Hastings, despite nuclear power's obvious advantages, many remain leery, fearing nuclear melt downs and terrorist hijackings and sabotage. In opposition, Hastings dismisses Power Plant Paranoia, retorting that after: "Almost 50 years of worldwide nuclear power generation has killed far fewer people than the oil or mining industries in the same period." Thus, according to Hastings, the real challenge is to "measure risk intelligently, rather than emotionally [...] because there will be nothing else that is clean, affordable, and works."
(Hastings, Max. http://politics.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,9115,1495405,00.html 5/30/05)

Credits

Compiled by: Joe Schultheis
Edited by: Suzanne Vogel