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"Municipal leaders deserve a say in whether radioactive recyclables are ferried through the Welland Canal, says the mayor of St. Catharines. The Bruce Nuclear Generating Station has asked for a licence to ship "low-level" radioactive generators from Lake Huron, through the Welland Canal and the rest of the St. Lawrence Seaway to a recycling plant in Sweden. Each of the 16 bus-sized steam generators contains steel that can be decontaminated and reused, according to Bruce Power officials, but about 10% of the material is thought to be too radioactive to recycle and will be returned to the Lake Huron facility for storage. "

Bruce Power has temporarily withdrawn its application to prepare a site for a nuclear power plant near Peace River, and is now considering a second site. In a letter to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, the nuclear power company says a new site was chosen partly because concerns were raised about an aquifer near the first location. The second site is on the west bank of the Peace River, about 30 kilometres north of the town. The original site is on the northeast shore of Lac Cardinal, about 30 kilometres west of the town. It was selected by Energy Alberta, which Bruce Power bought last March.

It is not going to be smooth sailing for Bruce Power, as the Lake Huron based company tries to expand into Alberta. The NDP plans to table petitions in the Alberta legislature that bear the names of 25 hundred people opposed to nuclear power in the province. Opponents of the plant say the government should release a promised report on nuclear power to kick-start public consultations.

100-day delay not expected to affect estimated cost of overhauling Kincardine power plant, CEO says A coating of red dust found inside an old nuclear reactor being refurbished at the Bruce Power generating station must be cleaned up before crucial work on the area can continue, company chief executive Duncan Hawthorne told investors yesterday. "During the disassembly there were a few anomalies," Hawthorne said. "We found water in places we didn't expect to find, and we found evidence of corrosion ... It was unexpected." He said work in the Unit 2 reactor is likely to be delayed 100 days while the oxide dust covering the components is vacuumed away.

Pakistan's nuclear programme has been under attack right from its inception. The decade of seventies saw conspiracy theories of Pakistan's acquisition of nuclear technology clandestinely. The decades of 80s and 90s saw an orchestrated campaign to malign its programme. After being forced to cross the nuclear threshold in May 1998, Pakistan established its Nuclear Command Authority three years before India; put in place, its Strategic Plans Division (SPD) to perform functions relating to planning, coordination, and establishment of a reliable command, control, communication, and intelligence network; yet Pakistan faces a concerted campaign to instil fears regarding the security of its nuclear assets. Frederick Kagan, former West Point military historian, who devised the Bush administration's Iraq troop surge, called for the White House to consider various options for an unstable Pakistan, including the US to consider sending elite troops to Pakistan to seize its nuclear weapons if the country descends into chaos. The Washington Post carried a detailed report on war-games to take out Pakistan's nukes. Bruce Riedel, former CIA officer, senior advisor to three US presidents including President Obama on Middle East and South Asian issues came up with an Op-Ed Pakistan and the bomb: How the US can divert a crisis in WSJ (May 30, 09) based on half truths, conjectures and apparent twisting of facts in pursuit of an agenda. It has been refuted by various analysts including this scribe so let it rest at that though because of Mr Bruce Riedel's position in the US government, it may be construed that his views are reflective of the Obama administration.

Half-tonne load of steel at facility falls 20 metres from crane Nearly half a tonne of steel plummeted 20 metres to the ground from atop a Bruce Power plant crane last month, narrowly missing workers below and raising safety concerns at the nuclear facility, the Star has learned. "The fact that this was a near-miss in human terms was mere luck," says a plant safety briefing into the May 12 incident obtained by the Star. The impact shook the floor of the giant plant, says one worker.

"At least one worker contaminated with radioactivity during an accidental release at the Bruce Power nuclear power station last November may have been exposed to amounts that exceed federally accepted regulations, according to a report submitted to Canada's nuclear industry watchdog. Last month, company officials told a meeting with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) that workers who were exposed to alpha radiation in the Nov. 26 incident were only subject to "low doses" of contamination. But in a report Friday, the company says preliminary results show that one worker at the plant may have faced overexposure."

"Bruce Power is seeking a licence from the Nuclear Safety Commission to transport 1760 tonnes of radioactive steel through the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway, passing Cornwall Ontario, on its way overseas. If this plan is approved the 16 used steam generators are going to be shipped to Sweden going through both Canadian and American waters. The transportation of radioactive materials through Canadian waters has some citizens and politicians concerned. Mike Bradley (the Mayor of Sarnia) and Elizabeth May (leader of the Green Party) are both critical of the plan. If the shipment is approved it would set a precedent for transporting radioactive materials through the Great Lakes, and it could create a rubber stamp for these kinds of shipments in the future without public notice or approval. Although a disaster is unlikely, according to environmentalists, a disaster could be truly devastating. The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River represent 20% of the worlds fresh drinking water, drinking water for more than 40 million people. Supporters of Nuclear Energy claim that even if there was a disaster, the damage would be minimal."

A radioactive part at the Bruce nuclear power station on Lake Huron was missing for about two months until an employee came across it in June, the Globe and Mail of Toronto reported. Staff working for Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. lost the metal part while refurbishing the plant, which is about 250 kilometers (155 miles) northwest of Toronto. The contractor isn't required to immediately disclose when it loses track of highly radioactive materials, the newspaper said.

MPP Toby Barrett is making sure local voices are heard on the issue of nuclear power in Nanticoke. In the legislature, Barrett read a petition titled "Nuclear Nanticoke: Not So Fast". Barrett said without any formal public consultation, county councils in both Haldimand and Norfolk unanimously endorsed the first step in building two nuclear reactors. The petition cites concerns of safety and security. Barrett signed the petition but said he doesn't necessarily back the push for a province-wide moratorium. Grand Erie Energy Quest collected over one thousand signatures for the petition. Bruce Power says they hope Ontario's Energy Minister changes his mind about their nuclear proposal in Nanticoke. George Smitherman told a Standing Committee on Estimates last week it's not the province of Ontario's intention to be involved in the encouragement or purchase of any power that might theoretically be created by such a facility.

There is a buzz around northwest Saskatchewan now that Bruce Power has made its presence known. Last week, the Ontario-based nuclear power company held three public open houses in the area to update residents about plans to build a nuclear power plant along the North Saskatchewan River. The open houses, held in Prince Albert, North Battleford and Lloydminster late last week, came alongside meetings organized by grassroots organization Save Our Saskatchewan (SOS) which aimed to shed light on what nuclear power is and the effect it will have on the province. In the last month SOS has held meetings in Paradise Hill, North Battleford, Prince Albert, Shellbrook, and most recently Hillmond on Monday night. Following the latest SOS meeting, secretary Meggan Hougham said the group is making a lot of headway. "We had a really good turnout again at this meeting," she said. Continued After Advertisement Below Advertisement "There were a lot of good questions and debate. People have the same negative concerns but some people asked pro questions. We are working hard to get out and give people answers."

During their Cold War service, employees of the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant "were generally happy in the belief that their efforts were protecting the country," states Paul Becker (University of Dayton) and Alan Bruce (Quinnipiac University) in the Western Criminology Review article "State Corporate Crime and the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant" (2007). Due to the threat of missiles from Russia and China, the public supported the nuclear industry, accepted the sense of urgency and as a result "environmental concerns were less important than the pressing demands of the Cold War," a 2000 Department of Energy report stated.

During their Cold War service, employees of the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant "were generally happy in the belief that their efforts were protecting the country," states Paul Becker (University of Dayton) and Alan Bruce (Quinnipiac University) in the Western Criminology Review article "State Corporate Crime and the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant" (2007). Due to the threat of missiles from Russia and China, the public supported the nuclear industry, accepted the sense of urgency and as a result "environmental concerns were less important than the pressing demands of the Cold War," a 2000 Department of Energy report stated.

Schacherl describes the nuclear agenda for Alberta. Bruce Power, a private nuclear operator from Ontario, is proposing to build four large first-of-a-kind nuclear reactors in the Peace River region that would produce 4,000 megawatts of nuclear power. As the Pembina Institute has shown in "Greening the Grid," (http://re.pembina.org/pub/1763) all of our electrical needs can be met in Alberta over the next 20 years through energy efficiency, cogeneration and renewable energy such as wind, power and geothermal. "From wind power alone, there is 11,500 megawatts in applications waiting to be considered. The excess energy that nuclear would produce would end up being exported likely to the United States," verifies Schacherl. One of the reasons why nuclear energy is being installed in Northern Alberta is for assisting oil sands operation for the purpose of extracting bitumen. However, Schacherl explains that in March 2007, the Standing Committee on Natural Resources concluded that "classic nuclear plants are too big for oil sands development and that smaller plants would have to be considered."

Schacherl describes the nuclear agenda for Alberta. Bruce Power, a private nuclear operator from Ontario, is proposing to build four large first-of-a-kind nuclear reactors in the Peace River region that would produce 4,000 megawatts of nuclear power. As the Pembina Institute has shown in "Greening the Grid," (http://re.pembina.org/pub/1763) all of our electrical needs can be met in Alberta over the next 20 years through energy efficiency, cogeneration and renewable energy such as wind, power and geothermal. "From wind power alone, there is 11,500 megawatts in applications waiting to be considered. The excess energy that nuclear would produce would end up being exported likely to the United States," verifies Schacherl. One of the reasons why nuclear energy is being installed in Northern Alberta is for assisting oil sands operation for the purpose of extracting bitumen. However, Schacherl explains that in March 2007, the Standing Committee on Natural Resources concluded that "classic nuclear plants are too big for oil sands development and that smaller plants would have to be considered."

* Says more information and consultation needed * Bruce Power, gov't panel had urged reactor be built By Cameron French TORONTO, Dec 17 (Reuters) - The Canadian province of Saskatchewan, a top uranium producing region, said on Thursday it will not go ahead with construction of Western Canada's first nuclear power plant due to uncertainty about costs. However, the government left the door open to future development and raised the possibility of co-operation with the neighboring Prairie provinces of Alberta and Manitoba.

* Says more information and consultation needed * Bruce Power, gov't panel had urged reactor be built By Cameron French TORONTO, Dec 17 (Reuters) - The Canadian province of Saskatchewan, a top uranium producing region, said on Thursday it will not go ahead with construction of Western Canada's first nuclear power plant due to uncertainty about costs. However, the government left the door open to future development and raised the possibility of co-operation with the neighboring Prairie provinces of Alberta and Manitoba.

[Local clean-energy activist Margaret Day says the following column was rejected by Express-News Editorial Page Editor Bruce Davidson because it insinuates NRG Energy's Executive VP of Nuclear Development, Mr. Steve Winn, "is a liar." Express-News Ombudsman Bob Richter said Davidson turned it down because he "had other, better anti-nuclear commentaries" and felt Day "misstated Winn's reasoning." Whatever. We got a kick out of it. Which is why we at the second most comprehensive source on all things nuclear wanted to give it a public airing.

[Local clean-energy activist Margaret Day says the following column was rejected by Express-News Editorial Page Editor Bruce Davidson because it insinuates NRG Energy's Executive VP of Nuclear Development, Mr. Steve Winn, "is a liar." Express-News Ombudsman Bob Richter said Davidson turned it down because he "had other, better anti-nuclear commentaries" and felt Day "misstated Winn's reasoning." Whatever. We got a kick out of it. Which is why we at the second most comprehensive source on all things nuclear wanted to give it a public airing.

Anti-nuclear and pro-green energy grassroots groups came together to form the Coalition for a Nuclear Free Alberta (CNFA) in late 2008. The consolidation of concerned Albertans and organizations from across Alberta has a common goal: to keep Alberta nuclear free. The congregation of all Coalition members is to have one strong collective voice to achieve this goal. The CNFA was formed because of the rumored nuclear reactors that Bruce Power will be installing in Northern Alberta if Bill 50 is passed and the massive transmission project is completed. "Bill 50 in its present state will allow the provincial government to arbitrarily leapfrog past environment concerns and public consultations in implementing rapid expansion of the transmission system in Alberta. The legislation effectively eliminates the public's involvement in the decision making process and seriously damages landowners' ability to reject transmission towers from being constructed on their land," explains Chris Hooymans of the CNFA, representative for Calgary, Central and Southern Alberta.

Anti-nuclear and pro-green energy grassroots groups came together to form the Coalition for a Nuclear Free Alberta (CNFA) in late 2008. The consolidation of concerned Albertans and organizations from across Alberta has a common goal: to keep Alberta nuclear free. The congregation of all Coalition members is to have one strong collective voice to achieve this goal. The CNFA was formed because of the rumored nuclear reactors that Bruce Power will be installing in Northern Alberta if Bill 50 is passed and the massive transmission project is completed. "Bill 50 in its present state will allow the provincial government to arbitrarily leapfrog past environment concerns and public consultations in implementing rapid expansion of the transmission system in Alberta. The legislation effectively eliminates the public's involvement in the decision making process and seriously damages landowners' ability to reject transmission towers from being constructed on their land," explains Chris Hooymans of the CNFA, representative for Calgary, Central and Southern Alberta.

"At a briefing held yesterday to outline plans for an underground repository for high-activity nuclear waste in the United Kingdom, Bruce McKirdy of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) said the U.K. government had learned from past mistakes to be open and transparent with the public. To this end, NDA has released a new report today detailing the amount of nuclear waste that needs to be stored and how they will use a "volunteer system" to select a suitable site. The last attempt for such a facility in the United Kingdom came to a halt in 1997 when a planning application for construction at Sellafield in Cumbria was refused due to opposition by the local community. "The site selection had been done behind closed doors, as the government was worried about adversely affecting house prices," McKirdy says. "If you choose a site that would be geologically suitable and then impose these plans on a community, projects like this fail." A recent high-profile example of this is the abandoned plans for an underground nuclear waste disposal facility at YuccaMountain in the United States. "

"We are now confronting the problems of nuclear power - the waste generated and the radioactivity of the reactor generators that need to be "decommissioned." Bruce Power will pay Studsvik $1 million for each of the planned 17 generators to be "cleansed" in Sweden. Normally an intelligent country, Sweden is embarking on a process that will harm its workers and proliferate the material throughout its industries. Of course the ship may not run into trouble on its journey through the Great Lakes and across the Atlantic. Retrieving the behemoth from the bottom of the Atlantic would be difficult. It would probably be left there along with the sunken nuclear submarines corroding away."

The 1000 Islands could be at risk when radioactive nuclear waste is shipped through the region in September, says Senator Bob Runciman. In an interview Friday, Runciman said radioactive metal from the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station will be transported on aging ships on a river that this year has very low water levels. The shipment could be especially dangerous in the narrow passages of the 1000 Islands region west of Brockville, he added. "My main concern is essentially that we have had two groundings (of ships) in the past two weeks, one in our area and one in the Quebec area, and the lake fleet is an aging fleet, with an average age of 40," the senator explained. "Both of the breakdowns in the last couple of weeks have been attributed to mechanical failure." He also said St. Lawrence River water levels remain low, which creates a greater danger when the 1,800 tonnes of nuclear material from radioactive steam generators is transported through the "

The search for a successor to nuclear waste chief Bob Loux has been narrowed to three Northern Nevadans. The Nevada Commission on Nuclear Projects has selected former Sparks Mayor Bruce Breslow, former state Consumer Advocate Tim Hay and attorney Keith Tierney as the three names to submit to Gov. Jim Gibbons, who will make the final appointment.