I keep reading that one of the reasons why the UK must build more nukiller reactors is that it guarantees fuel security.
Well that’s very funny as there are no uranium mines in the country.
While I have seen these news stories of late: –
Uranium One sees short supply doubling prices in 1-3 years.
&
Uranium shortfall may threaten national nuclear strategies.
Both of which make for some very self apparent arguments.
It has just been revieled that Toshiba wants to have a majority stack in the UK nuclear consortium NuGen.
Well here is a funny thing the about the company, and its contribution to Fukushima reactors Nos 3 & 5 –
Reactor Supplier:-
Toshiba.
Steam Generator Supplier:-
Toshiba
Architecture:-
Toshiba
While over at Fukushima reactor No 4 we find –
Reactor Supplier:
Hitachi
Steam Generator Supplier:
Hitachi
Architecture:
Hitachi
A full list of all the companies which built the six Fukushima
reactors is to be found at: – http://nuctrans.org/Nuc_Trans/locations/daiichi/daiichi.htm
In 2012 Hitachi acquired Horizon Nuclear Power and plan to develop new nuclear reactors at Wylfa in Anglesey and Oldbury in Gloucestershire.
Hitachi favours building an advanced Boiling Water Reactor.
So now you know.
I have just compiled a set of lists for all the 9 routes which are
used by DRS to transport high level nukiller waste.
Many of these routes start or end at the DRS rail depots at Crewe
or Carlisle, from which the waste is moved on to the nukiller
plant at Sellafield ( Windscale ).
These lists note both stations and railway junctions.
Please feel free to use these lists,
and let others know about any of the trains which pass through
your locality.
Here are the full 8 lists: –
Continue reading DRS Nukiller Waste Train Routes & Stations.
As I write the Atlantic Cartier is back in the port of Liverpool.
The Nuclear Free Local Authorities have just issued a press statement about the ship.
‘ NFLA alarmed about docking of Atlantic Cartier in Liverpool less than four months after it was involved in a major fire involving radioactive materials.’
A key feature of this statement is a list of 20 deficiencies which have been recorded on International Port State Control Inspections.
This in turn raises yet more interesting questions, but more on them anon.
The Atlantic Cartier is now in European waters and sailing towards Antwerp.
Last week the ship stopped off in Liverpool,
and the following press release was issued by Merseyside CND.
Explosives and Uranium hexafluoride fire ship arrives back in Liverpool.
Steaming towards the Port of Liverpool at this very moment is the Swedish owned Ro-ro/container carrier, the Atlantic Cartier. Questions hang over this ship as to just how safe it is bearing in mind that on May 1st while in the Port of Hamburg it was seriously damaged when it went up in flames.
The ship’s cargo included 9 tons uranium hexafluoride ( UF6 ), destined for the Areva owned uranium-enriching plant at Lingen, Lower Saxony. Also included in the cargo were four tonnes of explosives, and 180 tons of flammable ethanol. When UF6 is exposed to moist air, it reacts with the water in the air to produce UO2F2 (uranyl fluoride) and HF (hydrogen fluoride) both of which are highly corrosive and toxic.
If the ship had exploded, then a cloud of the uranium hexafluoride might have been released into the atmosphere with all sorts of damaging consequencies for the Port workers and surrounding neighbourhood.
Following on from the fire the ship was repaired, and went to the Port of Liverpool and then onto
Halifax,Nova Scotia, New York, Baltimore, and Norfolk, Virginia.
It is due back in Liverpool at approximately 3am tomorrow morning.
We wonder if the Port of Liverpool authorities are aware of the Atlantic Cartier’s potentially dangerous cargo and what measures have they put in place to inform and protect the workforce and nearby population.’
The last few days.
On the weekend the ship stopped over in Hamburg were it was welcomed with a demonstration.
When the ship left port it was under ‘police protection’.
Unanswered Questions.
There are still a lot of unanswered questions about just what has happened with the ship.
They include: –
– Just what kind of repairs took place on the ship?
– What kind of safety inspection & safety certification has it now been given?
– Have any modifications been made to just what the ship is allowed to carry on board?
– Just what kind of cargo does the ship now have on board?
– Will there be any need for the ship to be isolated from the main harbour when it arrives in port?
– What kind of fire inspection has there been since May ?
&
– What kind of extra security is given to the ship if it carries such an deadly cargo on a regular basis?
What needs to be done.
Of course we only know about such dangerously mixed cargoes sailing around the globe because of the fire on the Atlantic Cartier. We just don’t know how any others there may be.
What we really need is a ban on Uranium and explosive materials being carried on the same ships.
It’s time to tighten up the shipping regulations.
The latest news about the TEPCO [ Tokyo Electric Power Company ] owned Fukushima plant does make for some very very scary reading.
The company has at long lost admitted that it has known for the last two years about the water flowing under the plant and in to the sea .
Now there is speculation that because of the water flowing under the reactor buildings, that it has caused the soil to resemble quicksand, and they might well “topple”.
It is currently estimated that some 600 tons of groundwater
enters the Pacific ocean from the plant each day.
Just do the maths on that,
or
Pump and pray.
Safe Jobs for the Directors.
Meanwhile: –
A number of TEPCO directors have recently secured new directorships at TEPCO related organisations, and are now living overseas.
They are: –
– Shimizu, Arai, Takei – Directors of ARABIAN OIL Company’s umbrella companies.
– Katsumata – External Director, the Japan Atomic Power Company.
– Hirose – Part-time Director, the Japan Atomic Power Company.
– Miyamoto – CEO, Nippon Field Engineering.
– Kimura – Vice President, The Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan.
&
– Fujiwara – External Auditor, Kandenko.
Lucky them!
They have been able to get out of the county,
but most of the population is staying put.
Is it any wonder that the Japanese have become very worried about what’s happening at the plant?
Following on from the fire upon the Atlantic Cartier in May.
Since then she has sailed to Antwerp, Halifax, Nova Scotia, and New York.
It recently put in to the port of Liverpool, but no one was aware about this until after the ship had moved on.
The ship is currently sailing back towards Halifax, Nova Scotia, and will then continue to New York, Baltimore, and Norfolk, Virginia.
The Atlantic Cartier is owned by the Atlantic Container Line, and is classed as being a: ‘ Roll On Roll Off With Container Capacity.’
There are still many open questions about just what kind of goods the ship has carried in the past, or will be carrying in the future?
SIPRI ( The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute )
has just published a article entitled: –
Combating Blackbeard:
how to reduce maritime piracy in Somalia.
This article looks at some of the reasons as to why piracy exists off
the coast of Somalia, and just what might be done about it.
While Taylor & Francis have just published the following works:-
The Price of Modern Maritime Piracy.
&
Privatizing the struggle against Somali piracy.
Both of these are expensive publications, and so best accessed via your local library.
Fire!
The ATLANTIC CARTIER is a Swedish owned Ro-ro/container carrier which was built during 1985.
At present it is in port at Hamburg, and was scheduled to be sailing on to Antwerp.
But . . . .
On May 1st the ship became seriously damaged as it went up in flames.
The ships cargo included 9 tons uranium hexafluoride ( UF6 ),
which was destined for the Areva owned uranium-enriching plant at Lingen, Lower Saxony.
Also included in the cargo were four tonnes of explosives, and 180 tons of flammable ethanol.
Explosions and Toxic Clouds.
If the ship had exploded, then a cloud of the uranium hexafluoride might of been released in to the atmosphere.
Here is a quote from wikipedia which will give you some idea as to what would of happen next:-
‘ When UF6 is exposed to moist air, it reacts with the water in the air to produce UO2F2 (uranyl fluoride) and HF (hydrogen fluoride) both of which are highly corrosive and toxic. ’
One can only speculate about just what else might of happened next – ? ? ?
As you might imagine there has been a lot of concerns about this issue both within Hamburg, and throughout the world.
It will be very interesting to read the inquiry report as to just how this accident came about, and just why the boat was allowed to carry such a mixture of dangerous materials.
On the High Seas – – –
In the meanwhile: –
Here is a link to the International Maritime Organisation ( IMO ) resolution upon INTERNATIONAL MARITIME DANGEROUS GOODS.
While I’m left wondering just how many ships with such a dangerous mixture of highly dangerous cargoes are currently to be found sailing upon the high seas, and just which ports they visit on a regular basis ?
Now that the Civil Nukiller Constabulary is no longer going to
be looking after the Sprigfields Nukiller facility,
a new contract to guard the plant has been placed with the Mitie Group.
This decision follows on from a recent review of the security arrangements at the plant.