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SHUT DOWN SIZEWELL CAMPAIGN

Tudor House, St. James Street,

Dunwich, Saxmundham, Suffolk, IP17 3DU

Tel: Westleton (01728) 648300 & Fax.

www.shutdown-sizewell.org.uk

email: jfulcher@freenetname.co.uk

NUCLEAR POWER-

NOT WORTH THE RISK

The Japanese cabinet decided this week to transfer the country's nuclear safety agency from the trade ministry, where it nestled in a department also dedicated to the expansion of nuclear power, to the environment ministry, where, at least in theory, there is some chance that its operations will not be subverted or manipulated by Japanese energy firms. After nearly half a century of producing nuclear power, Japan has finally separated regulation from promotion, but the move may well have come too late to restore public trust.

In a country where people have to use their own detectors to check on local radiation levels which the government failed to release, where information about threats to life and health after Fukushima dribbled out so haphazardly, and where a nuclear industry apparently unabashed by that disaster has been resorting to dirty tricks to influence public debate, mere bureaucratic rearrangement will hardly suffice. The latest blow to confidence came when it was reported last month that workers at the Kyushu Electric Power Company had been asked to pose as ordinary citizens with no connection to the industry and send emails calling for the resumption of operations at two nuclear reactors in southern Japan to a televised public hearing. Investigations showed this was standard behaviour long before Fukushima, with other power companies admitting that they had sent employees to make up as many as half of the participants in similar forums as far back as 2005.

As if this were not bad enough, two of the utilities said they were urged to do so by the nuclear agency itself. It was this revelation which appears to have led to the decision to fire three top officials, including the head of the agency, and then to reorganise and move it.

Japan's polarised industrial culture, which veers between the heedless pursuit of short-term interest, on the one hand, and confessions, tears, and apparently heartfelt apologies when things go wrong, on the other, makes it an extreme case. But the same factors are at work in every country that has a nuclear industry. The impulse to minimise the inherent risks of the most dangerous technology man has ever tried to master, the tendency to conceal or downplay accidents, the assertion that each succeeding generation of plants is foolproof and super safe, and the presumption, so often proved wrong by events, that every contingency has been provided for, all these have been evident again and again. Angela Merkel, one of the few leading politicians who is also a scientist, saw the writing on the wall. Her decision to phase out nuclear power has revived a global debate which has been dormant for far too long.

The Guardian Editorial, 16 August, 2011

NUCLEAR FREE LOCAL AUTHORITIES RESPONSE TO HEAD OF THE BULL (MIKE WEIGHTMAN’S) INTERIM NUCLEAR SAFETY REVIEW. POST FUKOSHIMA

NFLA Chair Bailie George Regan says:

"The NFLA believes Mike Weightman's interim report is a real missed opportunity.The NFLA has consistently said it is disappointed with the very narrow nature of this review, which it feels is being developed to ensure little actually has to be done. This then allows no great delay to the nuclear new build timetable - the real desire of ministers which the regulator clearly does not want to significantly affect in my view. It is time for a much broader and open review before we make fundamental decisions on future energy use following this disaster. Germany, Japan and many other countries are taking this form of action to Fukoshima - it is about time we did the same. I don't want bland reassurances; I want a fundamental and critical analysis of the risks of nuclear power following Fukoshima."

THE WRITING IS ON THE WALL: IMPERATIVE TO CLOSE DOWN ALL NUCLEAR PLANTS NOW AND NOT BUILD ANY MORE

There is, of course, an alternative way forward of generating electricity: a crash programme of safe, non-polluting sources of renewable energy: wind, wave, tidal, solar, biomass, coupled with energy conservation and energy efficiency. The choice is ours, citizens: help us make it correctly.

SIZEWELL STAKEHOLDER GROUP (SSG)

FUKOSHIMA - PUBLIC MEETING 7th JULY 2011, SAXMUNDHAM

At the above well attended public meeting about the continuing Japanese Fukoshima nuclear power plant disaster concerns were voiced over the total inadequacy of the present miniscule evacuation zone around Sizewell and the ludicrous current emergency plans in the event of a disaster there, among many, many, other anxieties.

An account of the public's questions has been published by the SSG (somewhat belatedly) and forwarded to Mike Weightman, Chief Nuclear Inspector, Office for Nuclear Regulation.

It is to be hoped the Inspector will take on board the public's concerns and seriously amend (?re-write) his Interim Reportinto the Fukoshima disaster which, frankly, is a whitewash and virtually exculpates the U.K. nuclear industry from doing anything positive to lessen the dangers we all face from an incident, accident, or terrorist action.

No wonder it was immediately and warmly agreed by (with?) EDF and the whole of the nuclear industry....

The Inspector's Final Report is due out in September, 2011, after which a further public meeting will be held. Of course the only really safe action is to close down forthwith all the UK's nuclear plants and not build any more.

JUSTIFICATION: APPLICATION FOR A JUDICIAL REVIEW AGATNST THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS FOR NEW NUCLEAR REACTORS; A FURTHER UPDATE

Readers of News 174 (July, 2011) will know that we contributed £2,000 to the exorbitant requirement of £16,250 made by the Government's Legal Services Commission in order that Rory Walker's application for legal aid to proceed against the Government could continue. [Rory's action was to show that the health detriments from nuclear power outweigh any economic, social and other so-called benefits].

Rory's application was reviewed on 12 May by Mr Justice McCombe who, regrettably, rejected it as "unarguable". However, Rory's lawyers have appealed against McCombe's judgement: but the Court of Appeal has refused permission to appeal

However, we are advised that the Civil Appeals Office have subsequently agreed with Rory's lawyers that their request to renew Rory's application has been accepted. Counsel's advice on the merits and prospects of success (at an oral hearing) is awaited. The oral hearing is unlikely to be listed until October, 2011.

What obfuscation! Obviously the Government, behind the scenes, is desperate to prevent Rory's case being heard. SUBSCRIPTIONS AND DONATIONS

Annual subscriptions fell due on 1st July 2011. They are: £7 family, £4 individual, £1 (OAPs and unemployed). Donations are urgently sought, particularly in view of recent increases in postal charges, (we mail this newsletter bimonthly to several hundred different addresses). If you are on e-mail please let us know - a saving. But please continue to send subscriptions and donations by post to Tudor House.

DIARY

Thursday 1 September. Sizewell Stakeholder Group meeting, 10am, Riverside Centre, Stratford St. Andrew.

Sunday 4 September. Waveney Greenpeace Fair, Henham Estate, off the A145 Blythburgh to Beccles road. We will have a stall: please support. (Note new venue).

Monday 19 September, 11 am. Monthly meeting of the Campaign at Tiffany, 3 Wentworth Road, Aldeburgh. Monday 3 October. Non-violent blockade of Hinkley Point, Somerset, nuclear power plant as a protest against projected new nuclear build by EDF. Weekend Camp organised by Stop New Nuclear. Details: tel: 0845 2872381; website: http://stopnewnuclear.org.uk

Monday 17 October, 11 am. Monthly meeting of the Campaign at Tiffany, 3 Wentworth Road, Aldeburgh.

STOP PRESS ;

Lethal radiation levels found at Fukoshima plant

Pockets of lethal levels of radiation have been detected at Japan's crippled Fukoshima No 1 nuclear plant in a fresh reminder of the risks faced by workers battling to contain the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl. Tokyo Electric Power said radiation exceeding 10 sieverts (10,000 millisieverts) per hour has been found, but the readings would not hinder its goal of stabilising the reactors by January 2012. Experts warned that worker safety could be at risk if the operator prioritised hitting the deadline over radiation risks. Workers are only allowed to be exposed to 250 millisieverts a year.

The Guardian, 3 August, 2011

How much more do we need to know before we have the sense

To close them all down and not build any more?

"And who would run, that's moderately wise, A certain danger for a doubtful prize?"

Rev. John Pomfret (1667-1702)

SHUT DOWN SIZEWELL CAMPAIGN Tudor House,-St James Street, Dunwich, Saxmundham. Suffolk 1P17 3DU Web: www.shutdown-sizewell.org.uk Email: jfulcher@freenetname.co.uk Chairman: Charles Barnett 01728 648300 Secretary: Mary Barnett Treasurer: John Fulcher 01728 663359

"Asleep at the Geiger Counter"

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