This is very much an update edition of Countering Capenhurst as we are very overstretched with having to deal with a number of other important issues at present.
That said we could do with a few more activists to help out with the work – Especially to join us leafleting the various stations with the DRS nukiller waste trains go through. If you can help out that way then do email us.
DRS Flask Movements
On August 21st two flasks were taken from Sellafield to crewe, with one more on the same route upon the 22nd.
On saturday September 28th an single flask was observed going north from Sellafield towards Carlisle.
On October 8th two flasks from Hinkley left Bridgewater going north towards Crewe.
While on October 23rd four flasks were taken from Crewe to Sellafield.
Then on november 16th two flasks were taken from Sellafield to Crewe.
These are just a few of the nukiller waste train movemens which are regularly conducted by DRS.
News Summary
Civil Nukiller Police update.
Labour party politician Ed Miliband orders armed police to guard gas terminals.
Chester MP visits site of £196m nuclear power investment
‘ THE MP for Chester South and Eddisbury has visited Urenco UK’s nuclear facility at Capenhurst following the announcement in May that £196m would be spent on a new uranium enrichment facility.
While so many people are just concentratng upon what is happening within one area of the world, we comtinue to focus upon the nukiller issue which has global consequences.
DRS Flask Movements
On April 17th two flasks and on May Day [ May 1st ] two more from windscale [ Sellafield ] to Crewe. We do not know their final destinations.
While on May 20th a single flask was moved from Sellafield to Crewe,and exactly the same happened on july 30th.
There were also flasks moved from Windscale [ Sellafield ] to Crewe on June 1st & July 2nd, with flasks were taken in the opposite on June 20th.
The Last DRS Open Day at Carlisle ?
On July 6th we went and handed out leaflets at the DRS open day at Carlisle.
What was very obvious to us is that far fewer people attended the event than in previous years. This was confirmed to us having viewed the 4 your tube videos of the event. In past years there was always a lot more your tube videos to view.
Having previously being an annual event, it is now a biannual event, with the next one being scheduled to take place at Crewe.
Given the above we wonder if all future events will only be held at Crewe.
Americium-241
Americium-241 has been found in the harbour at Whitehaven.
It is is produced when plutonium absorbs neutrons in nukiller reactors and nukiller weapons tests.
‘ Toxic acid leak at nuclear site ‘put workers at risk’
A watchdog said no workers were harmed but it had the potential to cause more serious consequences
Companies on a nuclear site were served improvement notices following an acid leak and a risk assessment shortfall. Watchdog, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), told a tenant and contractor on the Urenco UK site they must improve the safety of its operations.’
IAEA Centre of Excellence(sic) launched at Capenhurst
‘ An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Centre of Excellence for Safeguards and Non-Proliferation has been launched at uranium enrichment services provider Urenco’s Capenhurst site in the UK. The centre will be fully operational in 2025.’
That is not how we would ever describe just what goes on at any URENCO site.
To mark the anniversary of the 1957 Windscale [ Sellafield ] fire in Cumbria, the Close Capenhurst Campaign and Radiation Free Lakeland will soon be announcing who has won the fourth George Monbiot Award.
The Febrary 21st to March 5 issue of the Rail magazine has an article about some of the Class 68 train engines which are used by DRS. It includes a photo of a waste flask in transite to Heysham.
Flask Movements
On Febrary 28th a single flask was taken from Crewe to Sellafield Windscale. While on March 3rd three flasks were transported from the plant via Crewe,
Derailment
Furness Line track was damaged two days before derailment
This derailment was on a part of the route which is used by DRS to move Nukiller waste flasks.
We were planning to mark Fukushima Day outside the Heysham Nukiller plant. That is another reactor which will be subject to rising tides in the next few years.
However, give the current situation we will be marking it at Whitehaven this year.
This will be a CCC and Radiation Free Lakelands event starting at Noon.
More details very soon.
DRS
Flask Movements
On November 14th there was another flask taken to Sellafield, while on the 15th one was taken from Sellafield to the Barrow Marine terminal.
Renaming the DRS Engines.
DRS, just like all of the railway companies, delights in giving names to its various train engines. Such as Promethius, Titan, Astute [ Which is also the name of a class of nukiller submarines which are being built at Barrow ] , Achilles, etc. In fact they make a feature of having a naming event at each of their open day events. Yet if they were to be much more honest about what they do then the engines would be renamed again. Here are some of the names which they might more reasonably become: – Calder Hall, Windscale, Crockfords Folly, Dante, or Drigg. You might like to make a few suggestions of your own.
One of the most important long term reasons why we need to stop nukiller power is just what it will cost us all.
What has been of note for a while is just how the price of uranium has been increasing. Though the clean up cost of mining it is never mentioned by those who promote it.
‘ In the midst of geopolitical tensions and energy security concerns, the head of Urenco, the largest western supplier of enriched uranium for nuclear plants in the US, asserts that his company stands ready to replace Russian supplies if Washington enacts a ban on imports from Russia. ‘ https://thedeepdive.ca/western-nuclear-supplier-prepared-to-replace-russian-uranium-says-urenco-ceo/
Flood Danger Warning
Cumbria emergency services on major incident alert as Storm Isha hits. Operations at the Sellafield nuclear site were suspended as a precautionary measure amid the weather warnings.’
At present there are a number of issues and projects which we are working upon.
These include noting the anniversary of the Widscale fire which took place on October 10th 1957. On that anniversary we will be announing the 2023 winners of the George Monbiet Nukiller Greenwash award.
While we will soon be printing an update to the Beware nukiller waste trains leaflet. This is the one which is handed out at the various stations they go though. It has been writen in such a way that it can very easily be monified to include your local information.
Current Issues List
While there are a lot of individuals focused upon the continuous disaster at Fukushima, and the situation with regards the nukiller reactors in the Ukraine, we do have to focus our attention upon the following crisis Issues.
They are as follows –
– The treat of New Build, which includes Bradwell, Hinkley, Sizewell, and Wylfa.
– The transport of High level Nukiller waste by DRS though our towns and cities.
– The road transport of Uranium Hex.
– Springfield.
– Capenhurst and Urenco.
– Drigg.
– Windscale / Sellafield.
– The proposed long term nukiller waste dumps in Cumbria and other locations.
– All the Radioactive waste which is and has been discharged into the sea.
– The movement of highly radioactive materials via Barrow Docks.
– Both the mining and processing Uranium.
While we need to keep showing the links between Nukiller Weapons and Nukiller Power.
How nukiller power is a major cause of global warming.
&
Campaign to stop more Astute Class Nukiller submarines being built at Barrow.
To do all of the above we need many more activists, and many more donations to help us continue with our campaigning work.
Short News Items
‘ Uranium spells out nuclear future’.
Of Particular note is the following: –
‘ — recently, political instability in Niger has also prompted a price increase in uranium. According to Reuters a military coup in Niger saw prices rise even though mining operations have continued in what is a top 10 uranium producer.’
&
‘ Uranium supply giant Kazatomprom also issued its second quarter trading update, noting that average realized price for the first half of 2023 was higher compared to the same period in 2022. ‘
‘ The Warrington-based firm’s client roster, which includes Urenco, Sellafield, and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, will complement Hydrock’s existing relationships in the sector. ‘
This issue of Countering Capenhurst follows on from the meeting we had with the DRS management in April, and covers some of the other campaigns which we support.
On May 16th three flasks were taken from Windsale / Sellafield to Crewe. Eight days later there were more flasks being moved along this route. Then on May 18th flasks were observed being moved from Torness to the DRS depot at Carlisle.
We have recently learnt that there are on average 8 flask movements to Windscale / Sellafield each week.
So here are just a few of the recent ones which we are aware about taking place.
– On June 3rd June 10, June 24th and July 1st
– To & from Heysham on May 25th , June 1st.
Last Four Flasks Photo
The cover of the August 2023 issue of Today’s Railways UK shows two DRS engines taking the last four flasks being taken from Hunterston to Windscale / Sellafield on November 9th 2021.
Waste Flask Concerns
At 17.50 on June 8th Four flasks were spotted being transported south just outside of Carlisle on the way to Sellafield / Windscale.
These flasks passed a Northern Rail passenger train which was going north at the time.
Upon arriving at Carlisle it was possible to have a word with the Northern Rail driver who confirmed that they are given no special instructions about just what to do should they encounter a DRS derailment, etc.
This confirms exactly what we have always suspected to be the case.
From another source it has be confirmed that eight waste flask trains travel along the West Coast [ Sellafield / Windscale ] each week.
World Ocean Day Event.
On June 8th we were in Whitehaven. This was to hand over following letter and petition opposing any further “investigations” into a deep nukiller dump under the Lake District Coast is to be delivered to the Marine Management Organisation.
Anyone who is interested in campaigning about what goes on along the west Cumbrian coast should examine the historic Godfrey edition ordinance survey maps.
After the meeting DRS offered to pay our travel expenses which we refused to take. This is so we can both be, and be seen to be, completley independent of them. Thus we will continue to maintain our independent critical stance.
We will now be going through the answers which we received to our various questions, and consider just how we will follow up on our campaign.
Flask Movements
Youtube Video clips.
One aspect of our work is to view various videos of nukiller flask movements. Here are a few from which you can clearly see some of the issues which concern us about what happens at both Bridgewater and Dungeness.
As many of you might know, DRS transport Castor Nukiller flasks between the Barrow docks and Windscale/Sellafield.
We know something about the various tests that have been made on the standard ones which are transported between Windscale / Sellafield the various Brexitland reactor sites.
What we don’t have is any information about the crash, heat resistance, and fall tests which the Castor flasks have been subjected to.
We need this information in order to do a comparison between the two flask types.
If any of you help us with any information on this, then we would be extremely grateful !
German Celebrations and Continuing Our Campaigning
Now that we can celebrate the closure of the last 3 working Nukiller reactors in Germany, it should not be forgotten that the radiative waste they generated is still a major problem which will take many centuries to clean up.
While we still have the ongoing waste issue at Drigg and Windscale / Sellafield and the used fuel rods being transported by DRS to campaign about,
Plus the campaigns to Stop New Build.
So it is a good time to remind activists in Germany that our struggles continue, and we can still use some help from them all.
Open consultations
As a part of our campaigning we do need to work at every level of society, and undertake a wide range of activities. That includes participation on various consultations.
Here are links to two current open open consultations.
This issue of Countering Capenhurst comes at a time when there are a number of ongoing changes which we need to focus upon, especially as new build seems to be back on the agenda, while a lot of crazy proposals are being made about just where to bury nukiller waste.
We are also very concerned about the current & future construction of Astute Class Nukiller submarines at Barrow, especially as it will produce yet more radioactive waste over the coming decades.
DRS
Flask Movements
On December 22nd two flasks were taken from Crewe to Sellafield, while on February 4th a single flask was taken from Sellafield via Barrow to Crewe.
Direct Rail Services open day to become biennial event
Energoatom Agrees With Britain’s Urenco To Supply Enriched Uranium From 2026
‘ “On December 19, Energoatom President Petro Kotin and Urenco Chief Executive Officer Boris Schucht met online. They discussed the issue of increasing the supply of enriched uranium to Westinghouse for the production of nuclear fuel for Ukrainian nuclear power plants over 2024-2025 years. In addition, the heads of companies agreed on long-term cooperation in the supply of enriched uranium for Energoatom from 2026,”
EDF Energy ‘protests too much’ over impact of Windfall Tax on ageing reactors
‘ EDF has complained that the British Government’s windfall tax, introduced on 1 January, may mean an early end for operations at Hartlepool & Heysham 1, but the Nuclear Free Local Authorities believe that these could be ‘crocodile tears.’
The latest issue of the Stop Hinkley newsletter contains a update upon the continuing problem of building of the Hinkley C plant, and the road movement of the nukiller flasks to Bridgewater for transporting to Windscale / Sellafield by DRS.
‘ London Mining Network (LMN) is an alliance of human rights, development, environmental and solidarity groups.
We work for
· human rights, including the rights of Indigenous Peoples and workers, and
· sustainable development (development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs) in communities around the world affected by the activities of mining companies based in or funded from London.’
On special interest is the campaigning work which LMN focuses upon is Uranium mining.
On Saturday March 11th we held an event outside of the Springfields plant.
While Kick Nuclear held a Vigil to mark the 12th anniversary of the Nukiller Disaster ar Fukushima.
The Springfields event was organised in conjunction with Radiation Free Lacklands, and attracted activists from .
The following statement was read outside of both the Japanese Embassy and Springfields plant.
Dear Supporters, Activists and Friends ,
This year is the 12th anniversary since the worst nuclear power accidents in the world happened at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant on 11 th March 2011. 3 reactors are still melting down and radioactive wastewater is generated everyday. Over 1.3 million tonnes contaminated/treated water is going to be discharged into the Pacific from spring/summer this year.
On top of this unwelcome decision by Government/TEPCO, the Japanese government announced recently that they are changing the energy policy to encourage the restart of the idled nuclear power plants and build more new Small Module Reactors to secure the energy supply. This is very sad news for us who had been campaigning to promote more renewable source of energy.
Another terrible policy change by the Japanese government is the sudden increase of military budget from 1% of GDP to 2% during 2023 to 2027. The government is overriding the article 9 of Constitution.
We must stand in front of the Japanese Embassy and show our strong opposition to these changes in its policies.
In Peace and Solidarity,
Shigeo Kobayashi
Ann Kobayashi
David Polden
Ann Garrett
on behalf of Japanese Against Nuclear – UK and Kicknuclear