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11 Aug 08:
Anti-terror patrols secretly stepped up at power stations: Massive expansion of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary is being secretly planned to protect Britain 's most vulnerable terrorist targets. The Mail on Sunday has learned that it will be transformed into the Critical National Infrastructure Police and mount armed patrols around all key installations nationwide, including power stations, phone and computer networks, oil and gas pipelines, ports and airports. More >>>
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24 Jul 08: British Energy close to sale deal: French energy firm EDF and British Gas owner Centrica are set to announce that they have bought UK nuclear firm British Energy, the BBC has learned. EDF and Centrica will probably announce they are paying more than £12bn for the company. British Energy, which owns eight UK nuclear power stations, has been on the auction block for months. More >>> |
11 Jul 08:
Site earmarked for nuclear plants: The company which runs the nuclear power station at Hinkley Point in Somerset says that it wants to build two new plants. British Energy has earmarked land, next to the existing power station, and wants to build two new reactors there. More >>>
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12 Jun 08:
Row erupts over nuclear waste plans: The Government has faced anger from anti-nuclear campaigners after offering to pay communities to provide burial sites for waste, and making clear that it will press ahead with plans to build new nuclear power stations. More >>> |
12 Jun 08: BARRAGE IS A WASTE OF TIME, MONEY AND ENERGY: Building a barrage across the Severn to help Britain go green does not make economic sense, says a report out today. Consultants say electricity produced by the massive £15 billion dam across the Bristol Channel would be about twice as expensive as using other alternative sources of energy. More>>>
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11 Jun 08: Immigrant rules to be relaxed for nuclear workers: The UK Government is to relax immigration rules in order to fill jobs in the nuclear power industry. The Home Office claimed that adding the jobs to the so-called "national shortage list" would help the country get the "right skills". It will mean some 27 employment categories can be filled by workers from anywhere in the world. More >>> |
10 Jun 08:
2,000 jobs: A NEW nuclear power station at Hinkley Point could bring up to 2,000 jobs to the area during construction. The Government is currently carrying out a strategic siting process for nuclear power stations, and if, as expected, EDF is given the go-ahead to build at Hinkley, Bridgwater can look forward to a massive jobs boom. More >>>
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09 Jun 08:
LAND SECURED FOR NEW NUCLEAR REACTOR: The first of a new wave of controversial nuclear reactors could be built in the West Country, after the world's largest nuclear energy provider bought land for the purpose. EdF Energy says it is too early to comment on whether a plot near the existing nuclear power station could host the first of the next generation of reactors in the UK . But, as one of only two sites the company has purchased so far, there is a chance that it could be up and running by 2017.
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06 Jun 08:
HINKLEY'S NEW POWER PLANT: Energy giant EDF has announced plans to build a new nuclear power station in Somerset within the next 10 years, which would create thousands of jobs. EDF confirmed it has already begun the process of building a third nuclear power station alongside the existing facility. More>>> |
28 May 08: Nuclear costs 'to rise by billions: Campaign groups have warned that the cost of decommissioning nuclear power stations was "spiralling out of control" after an official admission that an estimate of £73 billion was set to rise. This figure, published in January, was an increase of £12 billion on the previous estimate made in 2003, but a senior official at the NDA said he believed the cost would continue to escalate. More>>>
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20 May 08:
IN DENIAL ON DANGERS OF RADIATION: In the light of the Government's new proposals to sanction more nuclear power stations and a newer, more deadly generation of "Trident" submarines, one can see that admitting the truth about radioactivity would cause such public outrage that both these proposals would be voted out of court. More>>>
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19 May 08:
N-POWER PLANT FUTURE IN DOUBT?: The Westcountry's nuclear power station is still operating well below capacity because of cracked pipes. It emerged in December 2006 that Hinkley Point B in Somerset needed urgent repairs to boiler pipes. Confirmation that the faults will continue to drastically impinge on the output of the station until the plant is expected to close in 2016 could have implications for the promised future expansion of nuclear energy in the region, warn campaigners. More>>>
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16 May 08:
Wind farm death knell fears: FEARS that the death knell has been sounded for West Hinkley wind farm were raised this week, with the sale of its rights to Electricite de France (EDF). The energy firm has already announced its interest in investing in nuclear energy and bought the rights for the wind farm from Your Energy. More>>>
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15 May 08: KEPT IN DARK ABOUT POWER STATION SAFETY: As a local resident, I have always been assured that a meltdown accident could never happen at Hinkley Point because of the built-in safety systems in the British AGR reactors. I am therefore dismayed to hear that the important last resort safety system is missing at Hinkley Point B power station. More>>>
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15 May 08: ENERGY GIANT TAKES RIGHTS TO WIND FARM: A French energy company has drastically reduced the chances of wind turbines being built at West Hinkley and is instead expected to build more nuclear reactors. EDF Energy has purchased the rights to the proposed windfarm at West Hinkley from Your Energy, with the aim of developing a new nuclear site nearby, expected to have one or two 1,600MW nuclear reactors. More>>>
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14 May 08: CAMPAIGNERS CONDEMN HINKLEY LAND SALE: Environmental campaigners condemned the sale of a proposed wind farm site to a French company planning to build a nuclear power plant on the plot. The site at West Hinkley, Somerset , has been bought by Electricite de France (EDF), one of the world's largest nuclear power generators. More>>>
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14 May 08: EDF BUYS HINKLEY SITE: Environmental campaigners condemned the sale of a proposed windfarm site to a French company planning to build a nuclear reactor on the plot. The site at West Hinkley, in Somerset , has been bought by Electricite de France, one of the world's largest nuclear power generators. More>>>
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10 May 08: EDF IN HINKLEY LAND DEAL: Europe's biggest power company has confirmed it is buying land around Somerset 's Hinkley Point nuclear site so it will be best-placed to build a new generation of power stations. More> |
10 May 08: ANGER AT NUKE PLANS: A Japanese-US consortium is bidding to construct a £2.8 billion Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear reactor at Oldbury, a village near the mouth of the River Severn in South Gloucestershire, as well as a site in Essex. More>>> |
10 May 08: FRENCH PLANNING A NUCLEAR INVASION?: French power giant EDF has been quietly buying land around Hinkley Point with the aim of building Europe's biggest nuclear power plant in Somerset. The move is being seen as key part of the race to win control of Britain's nuclear power industry and would put EDF ahead of the pack to build two reactors in Somerset. The company is the favourite to take control of British Energy. More>>>
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09 May 08: EDF snaps up 'nuclear' land: EDF, Europe's biggest power company, has been quietly buying land around nuclear sites in England and Wales. The stealthy purchases in Somerset and Anglesey could make it possible for EDF to build up to three power stations. But they are likely to raise concerns among local residents and green campaigners about the possible expansion of the nuclear sites.
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09 May 08: NUCLEAR STATION FACES SHUTDOWN OVER SAFETY: SCOTLAND 'S oldest nuclear power station is at the centre of fresh safety fears after it was revealed it may be impossible to shut down its reactors in an emergency. Nuclear inspectors admit that a vital shut-down mechanism at Hunterston B in Ayrshire is not in place. It is estimated the cost of making the shut-down systems safe at Hunterston B and its sister plant, Hinkley Point B in Somerset, could be upwards of £100million. More>>>>
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01 May 08: American-Japanese consortium considers Oldbury site: A NEW generation nuclear power station could be built at Oldbury to replace the current Magnox reactor. The American and Japanese consortium of Toshiba-Westinghouse is bidding to construct two nuclear power plants in Britain. Energy Solutions, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, is developing plans for the Oldbury site with the consortium which will supply the nuclear technology. More>>>>>
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29 Apr 08: FEARS OVER NEW REACTOR FOR NUCLEAR PLANT: Campaigners are furious to learn of plans for an unproven nuclear reactor. If given the go-ahead, the proposals would mean a Westinghouse AP1000 model is used at the Oldbury site, South Gloucestershire , which is home to a corroded reactor.
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12 Apr 08: Nuclear super-fuel too hot to handle: The energy we can get from uranium is set to rocket, but safety fears and waste disposal problems loom. IT SEEMS like a no-brainer. Make uranium burn stronger, hotter and longer in nuclear reactors, and you'll need less fuel, and there'll be less waste to deal with when it has been exhausted.
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11 Apr 08: Negative reaction to nuclear power plan: A NEW generation of nuclear power stations would be more dangerous and carry greater financial risks than their predecessors in Britain, according to a report published today. Spent fuel produced by the Government's preferred kind of pressurised water reactors would have higher levels of radiation and could not be buried in a single deep underground repository. More>>>>>
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19 Mar 08: FEAR OF POWER STATIONS GOING TO FOREIGN OWNER: Nuclear power stations including Hinkley Point could fall under foreign ownership after British Energy admitted it was looking at plans which could lead to it selling off some reactors. The firm has confirmed it is looking for a partner company to buy into it or to take it over completely. More>>>>> |
Mar 08: NUCLEAR PLANS INVITED BY GOVT: Sites of decommissioned reactors put up for grabs for new nuclear plants before consultation is over. A new nuclear reactor in the West looked even more certain yesterday as developers were invited to submit plans at existing sites.
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06 Mar 08: HEALTH EXPERTS REJECT INFANT DEATH STUDY BY GREEN GROUP: Claims there has been a threefold rise in the number of infant deaths downwind of Hinkley Point nuclear power station have been dismissed by the region's health experts. Results of a study by anti-nuclear group Green Audit have been branded "misleading" by Dr Julia Verne, director of the South West Public Health Observatory in Bristol. More>>>>>
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06 Mar 08: Row erupts over Hinkley Point infant mortality figures: A report by health officials disputing high infant death rates in the Burnham-On-Sea area around Hinkley Point may have diluted the statistics by examining populations less likely to be affected, nuclear campaigners claimed. The 'Stop Hinkley' group has this week called for fresh research into the risk of breast cancer, leukaemia and infant mortality concentrated in the same affected populations. More>>>>>
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04 Mar 08: MORTALITY HOTSPOT IS DISPUTED: Claims that infant mortality rates are three times higher downwind of Hinkley Power station in Somerset. Towns such as Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge were identified in a study as having infant death rates three times higher than the norm. The figures were revealed by Dr Chris Busby of Green Audit, who was commissioned to carry out the study by protest group Stop Hinkley. More>>>>> |
02 Mar 08: Health experts slam Hinkley claims: NEW claims by anti-nuclear campaigners that towns downwind of Hinkley Point Power Station show a three-fold rise in infant mortality rates have this week been attacked by health experts. Brean, Berrow, Burnham, Highbridge, Huntspill, Combwich and Pawlett were identified in a new study as having infant death rates three times higher than the norm. More>>>(Including Readers' comments)
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01 Mar 08:
N-PLANT CANCER FEARS HIGHLIGHTED: Infant mortality is almost three times more likely to occur in Severn Estuary towns and villages downwind of Hinkley Point power station than inland parts of Somerset. Details of the study by Dr Chris Busby, of Green Audit, which was supported by a former director of the South West Cancer Registry, were aired last night on the BBC's Inside Out West programme. More>>>>> |
25 Feb 08: Atomic waste clean-up plan comes under fire: Two government agencies at the heart of the nuclear industry are at war over safety concerns at some of the country's most sensitive sites. The Environment Agency believes insufficient funds have been made available by ministers for the clean-up of some sites, and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is accused of making things worse. More>>>>> |
04 Feb 08:
British Energy plans more nuclear plant stoppages: British Energy will inspect three more reactors at its Hunterston B and Hinkley Point nuclear power stations later this year after stopping one unit over the weekend for boiler checks. Hunterston and Hinkley Point were shut down all last winter for boiler repairs and have been running at just 60-70 percent of their capacity since being reopened last spring. More>>>>>
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30 Jan 08:
£73BN - THE TRUE COST OF CLOSING DOWN NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS: Anti-nuclear energy campaigners and MPs have hit out after a report shows the cost of decommissioning Britain 's ageing nuclear power sites, including three in the West, has risen to a staggering £73 billion. The National Audit Office report said the cost of decommissioning 19 sites, including Hinkley Point A in Somerset , and Oldbury and Berkeley in Gloucestershire, had rocketed by £12 billion in the past four years. More>>>>>
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16 Jan 08: Power failure: What Britain should learn from Finland 's nuclear saga: It was hailed as the template for all future reactors - but then they tried to build it. Olkiluoto 3 was meant to be the power plant for the 21st century. It would remain safe even in the case of a core meltdown and its steel shell would withstand an aeroplane crashing straight into it. But was not long before Olkiluoto 3 was hit by a slew of safety concerns, building blunders, spiralling costs and chronic delays. More>>>>> |
09 Jan 08:
CABINET GIVES FULL SUPPORT FOR NEW ATOMIC ERA: The Cabinet yesterday rubber-stamped plans for a new generation of nuclear power stations, with one almost certain to be built in the West. The move came two days before an official announcement was due to be made and was revealed by the Prime Minster's official spokesman. More>>>>>
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07 Jan 08:
Consumers may foot nuclear bill: Consumers may face higher electricity bills to cover the future decommissioning costs of a new generation of nuclear power stations to be announced this week, the Guardian has learned. Ministers have met several electricity firms known to be interested in building up to 10 new stations and they are understood to have demanded long term commitments to guarantee their investments - expected to be about £10bn a station. More>>>>>
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07 Jan 08:
D-DAY FOR HINKLEY: Nuclear protesters in the West are gearing up for a battle with the Government as D-Day looms over a plan to launch a new age of atomic energy that would see a new power plant at Hinkley Point. Ministers are expected to formally back proposals for a renewed nuclear campaign in Britain tomorrow, with Somerset 's Hinkley Point playing a major part in the programme. More>>>>> |
| 05 Jan 08:
SCIENTISTS WILL TEST NUCLEAR PLAN IN COURT: A group of leading scientists yesterday warned the Government's plans for a new generation of nuclear power stations will end up in court. The independent group published an 87-page document criticising Labour's approach to the controversial issue, ahead of a major announcement on Tuesday. More>> |
| 04 Jan 08: Scientists take on Brown over nuclear plans: A group of scientists and academics condemn as undemocratic and possibly illegal the government's plans to force through a new generation of nuclear power stations. They warn that questions about the risks from radiation, disposal of nuclear waste and vulnerability to a terrorist attack have not been addressed. More>>>>> |
| 01 Jan 08: FURY AS NUCLEAR CORE CHECKS ARE 'SKIPPED': Outraged campaigners have hit out at proposals to delay maintenance at a blighted South Gloucestershire power station. Members of the Shut Oldbury Campaign are furious an inspection shut-down date scheduled for November will now take place after the reactor's permanent closure at the end of 2008. More>>>>> |
| 31 Dec 07: NUCLEAR REACTOR SET TO BE APPROVED: Ministers are expected to back plans for a nuclear reactor to be built in Somerset , despite a fresh legal challenge from environmentalists. Secretary of State for Business and Enterprise John Hutton is predicted to confirm the decision to the House of Commons on January 7, following a five- month public consultation. More>>>>> |
| 29 Dec 07:
CLOSE NUCLEAR STATION DOWN FOR GOOD NOW: Campaigners have made further calls for a reactor at Oldbury nuclear power station to be shut down for good - a year before the entire plant is decommissioned. The site started supplying electricity again in the summer after a series of problems meant it could not generate power for a long period. More>>>>> |
| 12 Dec 07: MIXED FEELINGS AS HINKLEY GETS FIVE MORE YEARS: Nuclear firm British Energy has sparked jubilation and outrage by extending the life of Somerset 's Hinkley B power station for at least five years. Unions yesterday joined the company in celebrating the news as being good for jobs at the plant, which is one of the county's biggest employers. But anti-nuclear campaigners said they still had concerns about the site, which had been due to close in 2011 but would now continue until at least 2016. More>>>>> |
| 11 Dec 07: Hinkley power until 2016: NEWS that Hinkley Point B will now be able to generate electricity until 2016 has been both welcomed and criticised this week. The announcement was made after owners British Energy confirmed it had completed the necessary technical and economic evaluation to see the plant extend its lifespan. More>>>>> |
| 01 Dec 07: THIRD REACTOR PLAN IS MET WITH ANGER: The prospect of a third nuclear power station at Hinkley Point has been met with anger by anti-nuclear campaigners. In readiness for a Government decision on the future of nuclear power early next year, British Energy this week named four possible sites for rectors. But campaigners against nuclear power reacted angrily to the likelihood of Hinkley C becoming a reality. More>>>>> |
| 28 Nov 07: New power station for Hinkley?: SIGNS another nuclear plant could be powering its way to Hinkley Point were revealed this week - and slammed by protest groups within hours. On November 27 British Energy announced news of how it was continuing preparation of potential sites before the Government's expected decision on the future of nuclear energy in 2008. But protest group Stop Hinkley reacted with horror to the possibility a new station could be coming to Somerset. More>>>>> |
| 28 Nov 07: FURY AT HINKLEY'S NUCLEAR FUTURE: Protest groups have condemned British Energy's announcement that Hinkley Point power station in Somerset is one of four favoured sites for a new nuclear reactor. Stop Hinkley and Parents Concerned About Hinkley restated their opposition to the plant near Bridgwater when the energy giant's preferred options were announced yesterday. Stop Hinkley co-ordinator Jim Duffy said it would be "dreadful" for the local communities and the environment if it was allowed to go ahead. More>>>>> |
| 03 Nov 07: CASH CRISIS SPARKS JOB FEARS AT HINKLEY: Jobs at Hinkley Point A nuclear power station could be under threat if cash is funnelled away to clean up other more dangerous sites. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, which is responsible for cleaning up sites owned by Magnox, including Hinkley A, has received extra cash from the Government but is likely to channel money into dealing with high-level risk waste at Sellafield in Cumbria. If this happens, jobs at Hinkley A could be lost. More>>>>> |
| 02 Nov 07: Sellafield 'not fit' for nuclear waste disposal: The government has been warned that it would be "wrong" and possibly illegal to use Sellafield in West Cumbria for long term nuclear waste disposal as consultation on where to store the UK 's atomic legacy ends today. David Smythe, emeritus professor of geophysics at the University of Glasgow and a nuclear waste expert, said ministers should have ruled out Sellafield long ago after spending millions over previous decades on research that proved the area was unsuitable because of its rock formations. More>>>>> |
| 25 Oct 07: NUCLEAR POWER STATION PLANS IN JEOPARDY: Plans for a new generation of nuclear power stations have been hit by a series of obstacles, according to leaked reports. The Government has signalled its backing for new reactors - almost certain to include one at Hinkley Point i. But the documents said the proposals may have to be put on hold because of a shortage of experts to carry out design assessments. More>>>>> |
22 Oct 07: NUCLEAR WASTE DISPOSAL MEETING: Campaigners are hosting a meeting near Hinkley Point nuclear site about the long-term disposal of the UK 's nuclear waste stockpile. The Government has backed the idea of a single deep depository to contain the country's high level nuclear waste. Next year CoRWM, is expected to write to local authorities across the country asking if a community will volunteer to house the atomic store.
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FIGHT THESE PLANS TO BURY TOXIC WASTE: A former Government adviser on nuclear waste is to voice his concerns over the possibility of a dump for long-living nuclear waste at Hinkley Point at a public meeting. Pete Wilkinson will be speaking at a meeting organised by Stop Hinkley, the campaign group against nuclear power. More >>>>> |
04 Oct 07: Stop Hinkley pack a punch: Campaign's prominent show in Energy Review. Supporters of the local campaign group Stop Hinkley were the third most significant group after Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace in a national consultation, it was announced this week. More >>>>> |
05 Sep 07: Handouts for nuclear 'risk': COMMUNITY projects in West Somerset look set to get cash handouts to compensate for the risk of having a radioactive waste site on their doorstep. At a meeting of West Somerset Council's cabinet committee, members were due to examine a proposal to gain community benefits' from a proposal by Magnox Electric to create a low-level radioactive waste site at Hinkley Point. More >>>>> |
23 July 07: DUMPING GROUND FOR NUCLEAR WASTE: A new permanent nuclear waste disposal site at Hinkley Point in Somerset will soon be moving one step closer to reality. In the next few weeks, Magnox Electric Ltd is submitting a planning application to Somerset County Council to build a permanent disposal facility on the Somerset site for low-level radioactive waste coming from the decommissioning and clean-up of the defunct Hinkley Point A. More >>>>> |
20 July 07: Hinkley child cancer claims rubbished: CLAIMS made by anti-nuclear campaigners that an increase in youth cancer cases has been found near Hinkley Point have been rubbished by the power plant. Protest group Stop Hinkley says a new compilation of international studies into childhood leukaemia shows a 23% rise above average in the disease near more than 200 nuclear sites. More >>>>>
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13 July 07: £1 MILLION A WEEK: Oldbury nuclear power station, which was closed in May after a fire in an electricity transformer, is losing £1 million per week, it has been revealed. The 39-year-old nuclear power station was forced to shut down on May 30 after a fire broke out in a non-nuclear part of the plant. More >>>>> |
19 Jun 07: NUCLEAR BOSSES DEFEND REOPENING: Bosses of Oldbury nuclear power station have defended last month's decision to restart the station's No 2 nuclear reactor and resume generating electricity after a two-year break. But the station was forced to shut down again just 10 days later when there was a fire in a generator away from the nuclear side of the station. More> |
18 Jun 07: FRESH FEARS OVER AGEING REACTOR: Vital safety equipment that would automatically shut down an ageing nuclear reactor in the event of a fire was not being applied, experts have warned. Oldbury nuclear power station, built nearly 40 years ago, should have a safety system that closes down its reactor if fire broke out. |
17 Jun 07: Revealed: faulty nuclear reactor was allowed to operate without safety alarm: Britain 's nuclear watchdog last month allowed a faulty nuclear reactor to start up even though it had not been fitted with an important safety system, startling internal documents seen by The Independent on Sunday reveal. The documents also show that the Nuclear Installation Inspectorate (NII) judged that the reactor, at Oldbury nuclear power station in Gloucestershire, was not safe enough to operate for the next 18 months, but allowed it to go onstream until November anyway. |
05 Jun 07: Probe into nuclear station fire: BOSSES at Oldbury nuclear power station have launched a top level inquiry into last week's blaze which has once again put the "dinosaur" atom plant out of action. People out and about near the plant reported a loud bang and an alarming release of steam as the fire tripped automatic mechanisms and the reactor was deactivated as a precautionary measure. |
31 May 07: SAFETY FEARS AFTER BLAZE AT N-PLANT: A Fire at a nuclear power station just days after it restarted generating electricity has led to renewed calls for it to be shut down for good. A generator burst into flames at the Oldbury plant in South Gloucestershire yesterday morning. |
31 May 07: BLAZE SPARKS SAFETY FEARS AT NUCLEAR POWER PLANT: A blaze broke out at an ageing nuclear power station, just days after it was given permission to start up again amid safety fears. A generator burst into flames at the plant in Oldbury, which restarted producing electricity only on Sunday. It had been shut down for the past two years because of government inspectors' concerns about corrosion of the graphite core. Angry campaigners branded the decision to allow the reactor to be switched on again as "Russian roulette". |
31 May 07: NUCLEAR IS STILL A WORRY: NUCLEAR power is supposed to be the answer to many of our future energy problems. But despite its many virtues, the nuclear industry has always been blighted with fears over safety.
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26 May 07: BOFFINS' FURY AT NUKE CASH CUTS: Scientists at a former nuclear power station have staged a protest against Government plans to slash the budget for the plant's decommission which they fear will cost up to 100 jobs. More than 200 staff at the site in Winfrith turned out for the lunchtime protest yesterday after it was revealed the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority's planned to cut the plant's funding by 40 per cent. |
24 May 07: Power station to switch on: OLDBURY nuclear power station has been given the go ahead to resume generating electricity. The announcement that reactor two is at last fit for duty has been greeted with dismay by anti nuclear campaigners who have warned of safety risks in bring the plant back into use. |
24 May 07: MP to keep an eye on Hinkley: A NEW Government White Paper announced this week could have implications for Hinkley Point nuclear power station, according to West Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger. His comments come after the Government announced that planning regulations that have held up the building of major infrastructure projects are to be simplified, in a move that could pave the way for a new generation of nuclear power stations
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08 May 07: Hinkley B given clean bill of health: HINKLEY Point B power station has been given a clean bill of health and licensed for the next ten years, despite the continuing safety concerns of anti-nuclear campaigners and the NII's criticisms of Hinkley over an apparent shortage of some of the information. |
| 05 May 07: 10 MORE YEARS OF POWER IS PLANNED FOR NUCLEAR STATION: Hinkley Point nuclear power station could continue in operation for another 10 years, it was revealed this week - and Stop Hinkley campaigners are furious. They have branded the life extension from industry regulator the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate as 'outrageous' and questioned if political motives were at play. |
| 04 May 07: CAMPAIGNERS' HINKLEY SHOCK: Anti-nuclear campaigners have condemned a new bill of health for Hinkley Point power station as "outrageous". The Western Daily Press revealed how the plant has been passed a safety review valid until 2017, providing a programme of works is carried out. This has opened the door to the power station having a life extension beyond its scheduled closing date of 2011. |
| 26 Apr 07: HINKLEY BREAST CANCER CLAIMS SPARKS NEW ROW: A furious row has broken out over claims that an unexpected cluster of cancer cases has been found near Hinkley Point nuclear power station. Anti-nuclear campaigners yesterday claimed the death rate from breast cancer in one part of Burnham-on-Sea was 70 per cent above the national average for the 10 years to 2005. |
| 14 Mar 07: NUCLEAR PLANT 'FACES DANGER OF FLOODING' A plan to dump hundreds of tonnes of radioactive waste at Hinkley Point on the Somerset coast emerged yesterday just as experts on flooding warned the station was at risk from sea level rises and storm surges. |
| 07 Mar 07: Campaigners slam Hinkley reopening ANTI-NUCLEAR campaigners have condemned proposals to reopen Hinkley B nuclear power station after repairs taking six months. Operators British Energy closed the power station in September after cracks were discovered in pipes in the boiler system of one of Hinkley B's two reactors. |
| 20 Feb 07: Hinkley in doubt? THE likelihood of a new power station being built at Hinkley Point has changed course this week, after a High Court judge slammed the Government's push for nuclear power. Co-ordinator of Somerset anti-nuclear group, Stop Hinkley welcomed news of the High Court's decision. He said: "This knocks back any credibility the nuclear project ever had. |
| 16 Feb 07: BLAIR'S NUCLEAR BID IN MELTDOWN The Government's push for new nuclear power stations in the UK is today in turmoil after a judge ruled its handling of the matter was unlawful. Mr Justice Sullivan yesterday said consultation was seriously flawed before Ministers announced support for atomic energy last July. |
| 16 Feb 07 : IMPLICATIONS OF NUCLEAR PLANT RULING Comment in the Western Daily Press: A High Court ruling declaring the Government's nuclear power policy as unlawful is a major embarrassment for Ministers. Lack of public consultation led to Mr Justice Sullivan labelling it as unfair and misleading. |
| 30 Dec 06: HINKLEY B TO STAY SHUT UNTIL MARCH Hinkley Point B nuclear power station will remain shut down until March. One reactor was shut down in September for maintenance and when cracks were found in boiler tubes the second one was also shut down so checks could be made. |
| 21 Dec 06: More outages at British Energy's nuclear plants. Just as the market was beginning to think that British Energy was finally turning the corner, the company has come out and dashed everyone's hopes again after admitting yesterday that it faced a "worst case scenario" at two of its ageing nuclear power stations that will wipe £100m from its profits. |
| 16 Dec 06: HINKLEY POWER PROBLEMS. The Westcountry's only nuclear power station will not be running at full power until at least March 2008, it emerged last night. Two reactors at Hinkley Point B have been out of action for two months after cracks were found in reactor pipes. |
| 05 Dec 06: Heading for a nuclear blackout? (BBC File on 4) The shut down of six nuclear reactors has dealt a massive blow to British Energy. Twenty-four percent was knocked off the company's shares when it emerged earlier this year cracks had been found in the pipes at Hinkley Point power station in Somerset. |
| 23 Nov 06: War of words on Hinkley restart. HINKLEY Point B has "no restart date", according to its parent company British Energy this week, in response to criticism levelled at the plant. Protest group Stop Hinkley released a statement on Monday commenting on the announcement made by British Energy about when it hoped the station would be up and running again. |
| 26 Oct 06: Time running out fast for oldest nuclear plants, warn inspectors. Watchdog raises safety fear over core cracks and Minister starts search for deep waste bunker. The future of some of Britain's ageing nuclear power stations was yesterday thrown into doubt as government inspectors claimed cracks in the graphite cores of the oldest plants were so serious that a safety case for the stations operating much longer could not be made. In a separate development, the government yesterday announced that it was looking for a site for a deep bunker to store Britain's mountain of high-level nuclear waste. |
| 26 Oct 06: Two nuclear reactors are closed
Questions are being raised about the future of Hinkley Point B nuclear power station in Somerset.
Both its advanced gas-cooled reactors are currently shut down and a campaign group has said it may never open again. Problems at the plant include cracks in a reactor's graphite core, and cracks in boiler pipes, which are currently being repaired by engineers. |
| 24 Oct 06: Calls to close Hinkley Point. SOMERSET'S troubled Hinkley Point power station must never open again, anti-nuclear protestors warned this week. Both the station's advanced gas-cooled reactors are currently shut down due to cracks in a reactor's graphite core and deterioration of boiler pipes. |
| 21 Oct 06: REACTOR SHUTDOWNS SPARK NEW CALLS TO CLOSE HINKLEY POINT Calls for Hinkley Point B nuclear power station to be closed for good were renewed after the announcement that the second of its reactor is to be shut down temporarily for safety checks. When the other of the stations two reactors was shut down in September for maintenance, cracks were found in boiler tubes in the reactor. |
| 19 Oct 06: Slow death for nuclear plant? HINKLEY Point B nuclear power station is to shut down after cracks in one of the reactors were found to be worse than first thought. Jubilant anti-nuclear campaigners have claimed the move could signal the end of Hinkley Point. |
| 18 Oct 06: SHUTDOWN AT HINKLEY B AS REACTOR PIPES CRACK Anti-nuclear campaigners have called for the Westcountry's only nuclear power station to be closed for good - after serious cracks were discovered in reactor pipes. They warned that the cracks were a sign that the ageing plant, which is due to be decommissioned in five years, had come to the end of its useful life. |
| 04 Sep 06: REACTOR IS A DANGER TO PUBLIC Campaigners are calling for Oldbury nuclear power station to shut down. The Stroud District Green party says the Magnox facility is dangerous after 38 years of generating electricity. Party spokesman Philip Booth said the station's second reactor has been out of use since June last year and the first reactor is due to come off-line this year for statutory inspections. "Why waste any more millions on propping up this dinosaur?" |
| 01 Sep 06: Power station work on hold ENGINEERS at Oldbury atomic power station are still awaiting the go ahead to restart an allegedly clapped out nuclear reactor. But the approval has so far failed to materialise, prompting further claims that the ageing power station is too worn out to make it even to its scheduled final shut down in December 2008. |
| 01 Sep 06: Love it or loathe it, power station must be safe Thornbury Gazette, Editorial, THE AFFABLE and confidence-inspiring manager of Oldbury nuclear power station assured a public meeting that all was well at the atomic pile (or should that be heap?) down on the banks of the Severn. That was getting on for a month ago and the dear old thing hasn't been cranked into life yet. There has, it seems, been a degree of "slippage". |
| 01 Sep 06: OLDBURY SHOULD GIVE UP NOW FOR SAFETY'S SAKE Safety regulators have yet to give permission for Oldbury nuclear power station to return to full power because it is unsafe, campaigners have claimed. A report in the Nuclear Safety Newsletter says tests on Reactor Two at the ageing station were continuing as planned but they had yet to give final approval for it to be restarted. |
| 20 Jul 06: N-PLANT REACTOR SHUTDOWN WORRIES More safety concerns have been raised over the Hinkley B nuclear power station after a malfunction in one of its control rods forced it to shut down for more than 72 hours. |
| 17 Jul 06: G-8 leaders back nuclear power In an otherwise upbeat joint statement -- which delegates privately suggested was out of synch with reality -- the leaders acknowledged differences over the question of nuclear power. |
07 Jul 06: WE WON'T ACCEPT A FAST-TRACK HINKLEY
Anti-nuclear campaigners have condemned high-level moves to make it easier for new atomic plants to be built in the West. The Government's long-awaited energy review is due next week and is expected to say new nuclear power stations are the answer to future energy needs. |
| 05 Jul 06: Documents reveal hidden fears over Britain's nuclear plants Unexplained cracks in reactor cores increase likelihood of accident, say government inspectors. Government nuclear inspectors have raised serious questions over the safety of Britain's ageing atomic power stations, some of which have developed major cracks in their reactor cores, documents reveal today. |
| 05 Jul 06: Hinkley 'close to cracking up' Shock report by safety watchdogs. Unexplained cracks in reactor cores increase likelihood of accident, say government nuclear inspectors who have raised serious questions over the safety of Britain's ageing atomic power stations, some of which have developed major cracks in their reactor cores. Wear and tear on the reactors' graphite blocks is highlighted in previously unseen documents. |
| 05 Jul 06: Cracks found at nuclear stations Unexplained cracks in the reactor cores of Britain's atomic power stations have been uncovered by nuclear inspectors. The safety assessments, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, show the Nuclear Safety Directorate has issued warnings over the state of the reactor cores at Hinkley Point B and other UK nuclear plants. |
| 13 Jun 06: Breast cancer rates higher near nuclear plant Cancer levels in women living close to a former nuclear power station are more than 15 times higher than the national average, claims a TV documentary. The documentary reveals the shocking results of a survey carried out in the vicinity of Trawsfynydd nuclear power station in north Wales. |
| 18 May 06: Hinkley fears rise. Comments by Prime Minister Tony Blair this week in favour of nuclear power made a new atomic power station at Hinkley Point more likely, anti nuclear campaigners fear. |
| 26 Apr 06: Barrage option for energy needs. A £10bn Severn barrage is among options for future energy provision recommended by the Welsh Assembly Government. The UK Government is conducting an energy review looking at how the UK can meet its future energy needs. |
| 26 Apr 06:
MAPPING THREAT TO CITY FROM A NUCLEAR ACCIDENT.
A CHERNOBYL-style explosion at Oldbury nuclear reactor would have terrible consequences for Bristol and the rest of the country, say campaigners. Millions of people from the Bristol and London areas might have to be evacuated from their homes if the nuclear reactor exploded. |
| 25 Apr 06: N-BLAST WOULD MEAN MILLIONS BEING MOVED. Millions of people from Bristol to London might have to be evacuated if a Chernobyl-style explosion occurred at Oldbury. Anti-nuclear campaigners have released a map based on the radiation hotspots map for Chernobyl produced for the CIA. |
| 30 Mar 06: NUCLEAR WASTE TRAINS IN WEST TERROR ALERT. Train loads of nuclear waste carried through a Somerset town could be a prime target for terrorists. The transport of radioactive material through Bridgwater has been highlighted as Britain's "weak link" by eminent nuclear engineer John Large. Spent fuel rods from Hinkley Point B nuclear power station are transferred to the rail network at a station in the town. "The loading point at Bridgwater stands out like a sore thumb as the weak link" said Mr Large. |
| 23 Mar 06: Burnham told nuclear no answer to climate change. A BURNHAM meeting has been told that nuclear power would do little to help climate change during a discussion on the possibility of more power stations being commissioned in the country. Parents Concerned About Hinkley, Families for Clean Energy and Stop Hinkley organised the gathering. |
| 04 Mar 06: CIVIL NUCLEAR POLICE UNAWARE OF OLDBURY PROTEST. The Civil Nuclear Police at Oldbury were unaware of a Greenpeace protest. Even though they knew Greenpeace was going to carry out a demonstration at the site, police failed to spot members of the group - or the giant letters on the side of the building. |
| 03 Mar 06: Wind-farms popular except with vocal few. Wind-farms are still very much in the frame as far as all the major environmental groups are concerned and, according to the World Wildlife Fund, are part of an energy mix which is cheaper once nuclear power is phased out. |
| 07 Feb 06: AN UNHAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR HINKLEY. Anti-nuclear campaigners staged an alternative birthday party to "commiserate" over the 30th birthday of Hinkley B nuclear power station. As they gathered around a mock-up of the power station, they said their dearest birthday wish was to see the plant closed down. |
| 16 Jan 06: GREENS FEAR TERROR ATTACK ON NUCLEAR SITE. Gloucester Green Party claims a shocking new report confirms fears that nuclear power stations are and will be terrorist targets. A Gloucester Green Party spokesperson said the sites at Berkeley and Oldbury could be at risk. |
| 04 Jan 06: ERODING THE POWER OF NUCLEAR FUEL. Nearly all of the UK's nuclear power stations have been built on the coast but a recent study by Nirex, the UK's nuclear waste agency, has shown many of these sites are vulnerable to coastal erosion and rising sea levels resulting from climate change. |
| 04 Jan 06: £70BN COST OF CLEANING UP NUCLEAR PLANTS. Anti-nuclear campaigners in the Westcountry urged Tony Blair to rethink his enthusiasm for a new wave of nuclear power stations - after it emerged that the cost of cleaning up existing sites could top £1,000 for every man, woman and child in the country. |
| 03 Dec 05: "Britain, like Ontario, must soon decide whether to invest billions in more atomic energy" Jim Duffy, a local resident who for almost two decades has campaigned against nuclear power, strikes a weary note when considering the tough campaign ahead. His worst fear is a third nuclear power station on what is now a vacant field. The spot is a candidate if the government backs the building of new nuclear stations. |
| 25 Nov 05: "PROTESTERS GET READY TO BLOCK REACTOR BID" Protesters are drawing up plans to stop a third station being built at Hinkley Point. Stop Hinkley members will be meeting to discuss tactics which could include a leaflet campaign in the area to gain support. |
| 23 Nov 05: "FIGHT TO STOP NEW NUCLEAR STATION" In a foretaste of the looming battle over the future of nuclear power, campaigners opposed to the Hinkley Point power station said they would exploit every possible avenue to prevent the construction of a third nuclear reactor at the site. |
| 22 Nov 05: "BATTLE LINES DRAWN OVER NUCLEAR POWER" The Government will face fierce opposition to a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point. It was reported that Mr Blair has been urged to give the go-ahead to a new civil nuclear programme. Stop Hinkley is convinced the public will fight any plans. |
| 15 Nov 05: "Nuclear the answer to the energy crisis? No thanks!" Letter from a Stop Hinkley member to Wells Journal in response to an article 'Self Sufficient in Energy'.The article was based on a survey carried out by Electricite de France, a totally nuclear utility which has already gained a toehold in this country and is obviously thirsting for more. |
| 14 Nov 05: "TOXIC SHIP SAILS OUR WAY" Nuclear alert sounded as deadly fuel is set to sail on secondhand ship through west waters. Experts say the aging vessel, complete with a payload of radioactive fuel, would be a sitting target for terrorists. |
| 01 Nov 05: "Death of pet dogs leads to radiation fear at Hinkley" An inquiry has been launched into a claim that high radiation levels were found near Hinkley Point. The Geiger counter readings were taken by a man whose two dogs died from stomach cancer after regularly being walked in the area. |
| 30 Oct 05: "SCHOOLKIDS PLAY IN NUKE TRAIN YARD" A DEADLY cargo of radioactive nuclear waste sat in a railway siding for hours, surrounded by houses and less than 100 metres from a school.
Locals, including children, were able to walk unchallenged to within feet of it. |
| 13 Oct 05: "Third nuclear power station at Hinkley?" Hinkley Point C could be coming ever closer to reality following reports Prime Minister Tony Blair has privately disclosed he is in favour of more nuclear reactors. |
| 10 Oct 05: "N-Power stations move is welcome." Campaigners have welcomed moves to speed up decommissioning of the nuclear power stations in Oldbury and Berkeley. But they were worried it could lead to a new generation of nuclear power plants being built on the sites. |
| 05 Oct 05: "British Gas produces most nuclear waste, Powergen most CO2." British Gas comes out as the biggest producer of radioactive waste because it relies on British Energy's nuclear plants to generate 16% of its electricity. |
| 22 Sep 05: "Nuclear station could get reprieve." Nuclear power bosses confirmed this week that there was a possibility Hinkley B nuclear power station could get a stay of execution. |
| 17 Sep 05: "Nuke waste to be buried in the West." The document seems innocuous enough. It is a list which includes beautiful islands like Lundy and some stunning protected forests. But it is a secret list of 537 sites deemed as suitable dumping grounds for nuclear waste. |
| 16 Sep 05: "Blight of the Nuclear Oldies." A nuclear disaster could hit Somerset if the life of Hinkley Point power station is extended, campaigners warned yesterday. |
| 08 Sep 05: "Oldbury reactor core integrity." A report by Jim Duffy based on correspondence between Oldbury and the nuclear regulator, followed by two TV documentaries. |
| 05 Sep 05: "Is Nuke plant safe?" A new investigation raises questions over the state of the Oldbury reactor's graphite core. |
| 12 Aug 05: "We can clean up Oldbury Quicker." The time required to decommission Oldbury nuclear power station could be cut. Current plans involve stopping generating in 2008 and the final site clearance being completed more than a century later, but the NDA wants to accelerate decommissioning. |
| 11 Jul 05: "Worker blames plant for cancer." A former Berkeley power station worker is in despair after losing a three-year battle for compensation for the cancer he claims he contracted while working at the atom plant. |
| 29 Jun 05: "Workers in N plants risk cancer." The biggest study ever among nuclear power workers has established that the low doses of radiation they receive can increase their cancer risk. |
| 29 Apr 01:
Young lives blighted in a nuclear wasteland: Today's shocking revelation about a child leukaemia cluster in the Severn Valley sounds a radiation health alert for all who live near nuclear plants. It was a home video that first made the family realise something might be wrong. As Sue and Allen Langford looked back at the footage of their 18-month-old son Stephen, they noticed he seemed lethargic. He usually raced up and down his favourite climbing frame, but the video showed he now had little interest. |
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