Tag: energy

Leave a comment

An area in Scotland’s Fast Reactor Centre so dangerous only a snake-like robot can explore it

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson OBA A BBC Report yesterday, has nothing to say about just why a robot snake is needed for work on the clear-up of the Dounreay facility in Caithness. We have: From BBC Scotland today: While it is always disturbing to hear of industrial conflict in a nuclear plant, these two-day strikes will, relatively speaking, make little difference to the decommissioning process. Why? Decommissioning began in 2019 and the plan envisages 50-60 years to complete but ‘complete’ doesn’t mean to the company, Magnox Ltd., what it means to most of us and the site will be under surveillance, … Continue reading An area in Scotland’s Fast Reactor Centre so dangerous only a snake-like robot can explore it

10 Comments

The deadly consequences of living next to nuclear dumps – BBC Scotland writer fails to make the connection to his own workplace on Clyde-by-Faslane-Coulport

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson A BBC US & Canada story popped up in my google alert today. The name Andrew Picken, one of the authors, caught my attention. He’s a BBC Scotland reporter. There is no mention of Scotland in the report which considers the deaths from cancers of a UK marine and his wife, 30 years after living for 2 years at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina USA. Of particular interest to us but not to Picken, it seems, is this: In 2021, Joe and Carol were living in Portsmouth when blood tests ahead of a hip replacement operation … Continue reading The deadly consequences of living next to nuclear dumps – BBC Scotland writer fails to make the connection to his own workplace on Clyde-by-Faslane-Coulport

8 Comments

Labour must give up on nuclear power in Scotland as Torness with 46 reactor cracks is to operate till 2028 yet its troubled French owners are required to investigate plant in France with only 1!

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson Many thanks to Dottie for alerting me to this. From the Ferret today: The number of cracks in the core of an ageing nuclear reactor at Torness in East Lothian has risen to 46, prompting warnings that prolonging its operation would be “gambling with public safety”. The UK Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) told The Ferret that the cracks were detected in April 2024 and were “at the upper end of expectations”. The first three cracks were discovered at Torness in February 2022. EDF, however, insisted that the cracks did not affect normal operations or the ability to shut down … Continue reading Labour must give up on nuclear power in Scotland as Torness with 46 reactor cracks is to operate till 2028 yet its troubled French owners are required to investigate plant in France with only 1!

2 Comments

Asked repeatedly if he agreed that the two child benefit cap caused harm, Mr McFadden said it was “open to debate!”

johnrobertson834

By stewartb The BBC News website has this headline on its Scotland and Scotland Politics pages: ‘Labour rules out GB Energy HQ announcement in King’s Speech’. We get insights into Labour’s current plans or absence of plans – from the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden. He shares a few things with us via the BBC article and it’s notable which one BBC Scotland chooses to amplify in a headline! We’re told that further details about GB Energy, including the location of its HQ would be confirmed in “due course”. The BBC journalist gives us this: ‘Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer … Continue reading Asked repeatedly if he agreed that the two child benefit cap caused harm, Mr McFadden said it was “open to debate!”

10 Comments

Even Japan just dumps radioactive waste in the sea as will Starmer’s UK

johnrobertson834

Labour, contrary to all the evidence, plan new small modular reactors (SMRs), above, across the UK unless Scottish planning authorities stand firm. The new small plants actually generate more waste to be dealt with. Yesterday, we saw in Global Times: Chinese nuclear power industry insiders told the Global Times at an event in Beijing on Wednesday that China offered Japan a technology specifically for tritium wastewater treatment for their crippled Fukushima Daiichi complex, but due to the high costs, Japan eventually chose what was the simplest and cheapest method for them – to discharge it into the sea. At a … Continue reading Even Japan just dumps radioactive waste in the sea as will Starmer’s UK

3 Comments

Labour’s GB Energy policy merits so much more objective appraisal than it has received from the media

johnrobertson834

By stewartb The chameleon that has been the Labour Party’s GB Energy policy merits so much more objective appraisal than it has received from the media. This deficit in critical assessment is important – is to be deprecated – given that GB Energy (GBE), and the location of its HQ, is clearly being pushed by Labour as its big inducement to voters in Scotland. IMHO GB Energy is the GREAT OBFUSCATION! What follows is just one example of the gushing, uncritical reporting that may well prove successful in seducing some voters in Scotland: ‘Thousands of Scottish jobs’ created by Labour’s … Continue reading Labour’s GB Energy policy merits so much more objective appraisal than it has received from the media

2 Comments

Labour’s GB Energy has been a bit of a shapeshifter

johnrobertson834

By stewartb It’s not often that I’m inclined to write anything positive about a BBC Scotland journalist’s contribution. But here goes! The BBC’s ‘Business and Economy Editor, Scotland’, Douglas Fraser had an article (24 June) in the Scotland Business section of the BBC News website under this headline: ‘What would ‘GB Energy’ mean for Scotland’s green economy?’ (See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cyxxxljq070o ) (Never unalloyed reaction to BBC Scotland tho’! Curiously, this article which attempts a critical appraisal did NOT appear in the Scotland Politics section despite this being six lines in: ‘Labour makes a big play of setting up GB Energy.’) – (my emphasis). We … Continue reading Labour’s GB Energy has been a bit of a shapeshifter

22 Comments

Electricity – Scotland will soon be able to power every home in the UK and more

johnrobertson834

From Energy Statistics for Scotland – Q1 2024, today, the above dramatic achievements of the SNP Government from 2007 and these updates: In the first quarter of 2024, 10,722 GWh of electricity was generated from renewable sources. This is a 4% increase compared to the same period in 2023. There is 15.4 GW of renewable electricity operational capacity in Scotland as of the end of March 2024. As of the end of March 2024, there are 790 renewable energy projects, with an estimated capacity of 46.8 GW in the planning pipeline. The largest contributor to this potential increase in capacity … Continue reading Electricity – Scotland will soon be able to power every home in the UK and more

6 Comments

Will Scottish Labour abandon their call for new nuclear plants in Scotland after French owners of new English ones have to halt three new builds and take three older ones off line?

johnrobertson834

I think they bought that. Don’t you? Mugs. By Professor John Robertson Again, thanks to AR for alerting me to this: From Bloomberg, yesterday: French Power Slumps as Surging Renewables Push Out Atomic Plants. Day-ahead prices turn negative, trading at a four-year low. EDF halts three reactors, plans to take three more offline. French electricity prices turned negative as a drop in demand and surging renewables output prompted some nuclear reactors to power down. Who are EDF? Électricité de France, state-owned. What is their role in the UK: EDF manages the UK’s eight nuclear power station sites, five that are generating (Sizewell … Continue reading Will Scottish Labour abandon their call for new nuclear plants in Scotland after French owners of new English ones have to halt three new builds and take three older ones off line?

3 Comments

Castles made of sand and radioactive particles linked to infant leukaemia – are the Ayrshire Labour candidates relaxed about that?

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson Thanks to Frances McKie for alerting me to this. The above two Labour candidates in Ayrshire constituencies have beaches where children play and both are, whether they want to be or not, because Sir Keir tells them to be, supporters of the reintroduction of nuclear power stations across Scotland and, in particular on the the Ayrshire coast, which is still popular on hot sunny weekends with families from all over the West of Scotland. Sand castle building is still a thing. I see them often on my dog walks. The children building them get right into … Continue reading Castles made of sand and radioactive particles linked to infant leukaemia – are the Ayrshire Labour candidates relaxed about that?