CND Press Roundup Monday 20th September 2022

• A Russian missile exploded 300 metres from the Pivdennoukrainsk nuclear plant on Monday – damaging power lines linked to the plant as well as auxiliary buildings. Ukraine denounced the move as nuclear terrorism. Footage of the blast can be viewed here.

• Ukraine’s nuclear agency Energoatom said that the three reactors at Pivdennoukrainsk were undamaged in the strike and confirmed that none of the plant’s staff had been injured.

• Simon Tisdall asks in The Guardian what the response will be if Russia’s Vladimir Putin decides to go nuclear and the choice facing US President Joe Biden if he does.

• The Times looks at the nuclear options open to Vladimir Putin.

• And with Russian TV pundits in disarray over the recent military setbacks in Ukraine – one suggested that Putin should have nuked Queen Elizabeth’s funeral as guests included US President Joe Biden, France’s Emmanuel Macron, and Canada’s Justin Trudeau – “the best people”

QEII

• To mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II, The Bulletin has a short video with some highlights of her atomic interactions caught on film over seven decades.

UK Nuclear Energy

• French nuclear firm EDF is considering turning land near the Hinkley Point C nuclear plant into a caravan site. If the plan gets approved, 103 caravan pitches for use by workers will be in place until the end of 2025.

• The Guardian reports on the problem rising sea levels pose to siting nuclear plants in coastal regions.

• Meanwhile, The Times does little to address the issue of rising sea levels at nuclear sites – briefly citing some experts who have warned of flood risks – in this article speculating about a new atomic age for Britain.

• The Telegraph reports on plans unveiled by levelling Up Secretary Greg Clark to slash planning rules to fast-track the building of nuclear power stations. Clark said the new rules would help speed up the approval of large projects. “Particularly in a time of high inflation, things need to be done more quickly or costs of major infrastructure projects will rise,” he said.“These changes will help deliver new infrastructure more quickly by speeding up the planning process, which often moves too slowly.”

Nuclear Energy

• The operators of the Isar II nuclear plant in southern Germany has informed the government of a leak at the site – which will require repair work but at this time does not pose a security threat.

• The FT looks at France’s plan to increase its reliance on nuclear power amid energy shortages and the climate crisis – but notes that the about-turn after years of moving away from nuclear has caused problems. “We’d been told for years: please, prepare yourselves to shut reactors,” Jean-Bernard Lévy, EDF’s out-going boss said in August. “Clearly, we didn’t hire people to build 12 reactors, we hired people to dismantle them.”

• The EU is facing a legal challenge from Greenpeace, and a coalition including the World Wildlife Fund – over the bloc’s plan to label gas and nuclear energy as “green” – as part of its fund for climate-friendly energy projects.

Iran Nuclear Deal

• France’s Foreign Minister has urged Iran to take up the final offer to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal – amid fears the opportunity is about to close.

• That’s as Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani suggested on Monday that Tehran was willing to hold a meeting at the UN assembly this week with the aim to revive the 2015 agreement.

CND

• A freedom of information request by the US right-wing libertarian think tank, the Cato Institute – which found that the FBI had an interest in peace groups like CND.