CND Press Roundup Wednesday 8th June 2022

War in Ukraine

• Ukraine’s nuclear operator Energoatom has denounced a request by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. In a post on the social media app Telegram, Energoratom accused the watchdog’s head, Anotnio Grossi, of “lying” adding that a visit would only legitimise the Russian occupation. “The Ukrainian side did not invite Grossi to visit ZNPP [Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant] and had previously denied him such a visit, emphasising that a visit to the power plant will be possible only when our country regains control over it,” the statement read.

• While the turmoil to global coal, oil and gas supplies caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has received much media attention, Foreign Affairs has an article looking at Moscow’s dominance in the nuclear energy market and what this means for Western nations looking for alternatives to fossil fuels. On the alternatives it notes: “To free itself from dependence on Russian energy, the world will need to be more proactive in ensuring that its energy supply chains are sustainable and ethical. But that doesn’t mean a return to energy isolationism. Modern energy production systems are complex and interconnected, especially those that depend on critical minerals not evenly distributed across the globe. They indicate that true energy independence—where states create power entirely by themselves—is no longer practical. Instead, democracies should focus on strengthening their energy interdependence with trusted partners.”

AUKUS

• The Guardian reports on concerns expressed by analysts that Australia’s plan to procure nuclear-powered submarines will be more costly than previously anticipated. A report on the country’s defence budget, released by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, found that the deal to purchase the subs as part of the AUKUS pact will be “significantly more” than the cancelled AUS$90 billion contract Canberra had initially agreed with France. On big “mega-projects”, the report’s author Dr Marcus Hellyer said: “Such projects take years or decades to design and deliver, while spending huge sums for little benefit in the short term…When they encounter problems, those problems are big.”

Nuclear Energy

• Two more items in The Guardian looking at the change of government in Australia and how the Liberal-National Coalition – now in federal opposition – are starting to talk about nuclear energy despite not advocating for it during its 9 years in power. This article gives a handy explainer while this looks at the differences of opinion between the Liberal and National factions – with one Liberal minister in New South Wales likening such a project to “chasing elephants.”

• Joe Biden’s administration is seeking congressional support for a multi-billion dollar plan to buy enriched uranium directly from US producers – as part of efforts to ease reliance on Russian imports. The package, valued at $4.3 billion, would help to spur domestic enrichment of uranium into reactor fuel and would see the government purchase directly from producers. However, the US currently just has one commercial enrichment facility still operating in New Mexico – ran by a European consortium, Urenco.

UK Nuclear Energy

• Electricity generated from British wind farms and nuclear facilities could be exempt from a UK government plan for a windfall tax on energy firms, according to The Telegraph. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is reportedly considering taxing profits on just North Sea oil and gas amid fears a wider levy could receive push back from backbench MPs and even cabinet ministers.

Trident

• Glasgow Live picks up on the travelling giant CND logo making its way from Bristol to the Faslane peace camp with XR Peace and Trident Ploughshares. The logo will arrive in Glasgow on Thursday.

Iran Nuclear Deal

• Iranian state television stated that it had turned off two surveillance cameras set up by the UN’s nuclear watchdog at one of its atomic sites. While the site was not specified, Iran’s facilities at Fordo and Natanz currently enrich uranium. It’s believed the announcement is part of a ratcheting up of pressure by Tehran as Western nations seek to censure Iran at a meeting with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Nuclear Korea

• The US special envoy to North Korea warned Tuesday that Pyongyang could conduct its seventh nuclear test at “any time,” in the latest anticipatory statement from Washington that a further escalation in the North’s ballistic missile and nuclear programme is imminent. Meanwhile, The Times reports on a “display of strength” made by South Korea and US air forces – who flew some twenty military planes – including the nuclear-capable F-35A stealth fighter – in sorties over the Yellow Sea on Monday. The flights were in response to ballistic missile launches made by North Korea over the weekend.

• The FT looks at the fraught historical relationship between Japan and South Korea – and the recent efforts for a “relationship reset” as tensions continue to rise in the Eastern Pacific. “Historically, the general approach of South Korean conservative administrations has been to try to separate contemporary issues [such as regional security] from historical and territorial questions,” said Rachel Minyoung Lee, a non-resident fellow at the Stimson Center think-tank in Washington. “[South Korean President] Yoon will continue in that tradition.”

Fukushima

• Engineering firm Jacobs has designed a robot that will be able to safely collect radioactive debris from the defunct Fukushima nuclear power plant. Jacobs is assisting the plant’s operator Tepco in assessing the plant’s readiness for decommissioning. The robot will collect debris that gathered at the bottom of the destroyed reactor containment vessel at the time of the 2011 meltdown. The debris is made up of fuel and metal cladding that re-solidified after the accident.