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AUSTRALIA
While there is nothing dramatic to report - that doesn't mean that nothing is happening.
Uranium. The Australian Uranium Association's annual Paydirt Conference, in Adelaide, was sad little affair this year. Poor attendances, schedule cut down from 3 days to one, venue changed from The Hilton to The Intercontinental Hotel. The star address was by the New Minister for Energy and Resources, Gary Gray. Mr Gray has just discovered that climate change is real. Gray has been an enthusiastic climate denier until now. But he has renounced his previous position that climate science was “pop science” and a “middle-class conspiracy to frighten schoolchildren”. Why? I hear your cry?
Well that's simple. Australia's nuclear lobby is pitching nuclear power as the cure for climate change. Well, it wouldn't be very convincing to promote a cure for a disease that you denied existed, now would it?
Uranium economics. The Australian Conservation Foundation has produced a terrific analysis Exposing the Uranium Industry’s Economic Myth shttp://www.acfonline.org.au/sites/default/files/resources/ACF_Yellowcake... (More below in "International" about the uranium market). Tony Abbott promises to reinvigorate BHP's massive Olympic Dam project, although BHP has rejected it, and the South Australia government admits that it was over- hyped.
Climate Change and Renewable Energy. Liberal Ministers of Energy in Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria unite in a chorus of climate scepticism, and downgrading of renewable energy . Labor's Gary Gray joins in dismissing renewables. So you see - obeying the fossil fuel/nuclear lobby agenda is not really a party political thing. They are all equally illiterate about energy's future trends.
Maralinga veterans. Although the UK government has rejected any claim for compensation for Australia's nuclear veterans, the veterans, many suffering from cancer, are making an appeal to the Australian Human Rights Commission, on the illegality of their exposure to atomic radiation in the 1950s and 60s.
Lucas Heights nuclear wastes. Sutherland Council doesn't want it stored there. Strange that they haven't thought of the idea of just shutting it down, and not making any more radioactive wastes.
INTERNATIONAL
Japan: Fukushima is top of the news, unfortunately. Groundwater is flooding into the plant’s reactor buildings at the astonishing rate of 285 litres a minute. The highly radioactive water has to be stored in in tanks which cover 17 hectares of the plant’s grounds. Tepco is now clearing a nearby forest to make space for more tanks.
Japan is starting up the Rokkasho nuclear reprocessing plant, which has had a chequered career of huge costs and safety failures. It will produce 9 tons of plutonium each year, (enough for 2000 bombs), and they don't know what to do with this radioactive trash. Prime Minister Abe is in Dubai, trying to sell Japan's nuclear technology to United Arab Emirates. On May 2nd, the Monju reprocessing plant issued black smoke, and there was a fire alarm, but Japanese officials say it is OK.
Uranium: Cameco's earnings went down 93% so far this year. Their shares were 33 cents last year. Now they're 2 cents. Uranium price for immediate delivery has slumped 40 percent over the past 2 years.
USA continues to angst over its radioactive trash problem. Duke Energy pulls out of plan to build 2 new nuclear reactors. San Onofre nuclear plant might be shut down. Los Angeles City Council demands thorough safety investigations before any question of restarting it. Experts consider it dangerous, and there are doubts that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's special investigation team is impartial - the NRC is seen as too cosy with the nuclear industry.