CND Press Digest: Monday 29th July 2024

Nukes in Britain

• New blog post on the CND website: Congratulations, Lakenheath Peace Camp!
• North West Evening Mail: Anti-nuclear protesters to gather near Barrow shipyard.

Global Nukes

• RTÉ: Putin threatens to restart production of intermediate-range nuclear weapons.
• Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Rose Gottemoeller on the precarious future of arms control.

Hiroshima & Nagasaki

• BBC: ‘Atomic bomb hell must never be repeated’ say Japan’s last survivors.

Gaza

• The Guardian: UK should stop arming Israel after ICJ advisory ruling, top lawyer says.

UK Nuclear Power

• BBC: Eight buildings once used to generate power at a nuclear plant are due to be demolished. Sellafield has been given permission by Cumberland Council to knock down the Calder Hall Blower Houses at its Seascale site.
• BBC: The project to build a nuclear fusion reactor in Nottinghamshire has been described as the “UK’s Nasa moment”. But beyond the optimism of an event showcasing the scheme, how close is it to becoming a reality? Is the promise of clean, cheap and secure energy still obscured by huge scientific, engineering and economic hurdles? And is it safe?
• EDF and become part of the Sizewell B nuclear site. This will facilitate the development of new nuclear at the Sizewell C nuclear site.
• Nucnet: The new UK Labour minister in charge of energy has underlined his “absolute support” for the small modular reactor (SMR) programme set in motion by the previous government, but expressed less certainty on plans for new build at Wylfa, saying only it is “something that we will certainly be looking at”.
• The National: Labour’s new flagship energy company will be an important test of the relationship between the new regime in Westminster and the devolved governments, according to Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie. He told the Sunday National there was “huge potential” for the governments to work together but warned the state-owned GB Energy must not be used to further undermine devolution.

Nuclear Power

• Reuters: French energy giant EDF aims to meet its schedule for future nuclear reactor projects, its CEO said on Friday, with final tests ahead of the start-up of its newest French reactor imminent after years of delays. The group earlier reported a jump in first-half profit on higher electricity production, but said regional market prices had fallen and warned core earnings in the second half would decline year-on-year. In Britain, EDF is continuing talks with the newly elected Labour government over its Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C nuclear projects, Remont told reporters, adding it is “a bit early” to give a date for a final investment decision on Sizewell.
• Interesting Engineering: China to launch world’s first thorium molten salt nuclear power station in 2025.
• Bloomberg: Taiwan shuts second-to-last nuclear plant in controversial shift. Decision could make island more dependent on energy imports. Taiwan aims to decommission last reactor by May next year.

NATO / Europe

• Should Ukraine join NATO? An open letter published by the Guardian from academics who believe Ukraine joining NATO would not provoke a conflict with Russia.
• Calls for condemnation, removal from NATO after Erdogan threat. https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/calls-for-condemnation-removal-from-nato-after-erdogan-...
•  Polish Foreign Ministry suggests Hungary leave EU, NATO after Orban’s controversial statements. https://kyivindependent.com/polish-foreign-ministry-suggests-hungary-leave-eu-nato-after-orbans-cont…

AUKUS / Asia

• Op-Ed: South Korea’s Navy is too good to leave out of AUKUS.

Best,

Pádraig McCarrick

Press and Communications Officer

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament