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The Democratic establishment made Trump’s victory an inevitability – Jeremy Corbyn’s Peace & Justice Project

 

7th November 2024Leave a Commenton The Democratic establishment made Trump’s victory an inevitability – Jeremy Corbyn’s Peace & Justice Project

“The Democrats chose to focus on their candidate’s personal differences to Trump rather than build a progressive set of policies to meet the concerns of the American working class.”

The election of Donald Trump to the office of President of the United States for a second non-consecutive term should come as a surprise to no one, writes Jeremy Corbyn’s Peace and Justice Project

From the lack of cohesive policy platform to deliver change to the American people, to their arrogant refusal to budge from their unconditional support of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, the Democrats sealed Donald Trump’s victory before a single vote was even cast.

The Democrats have once again proven themselves incapable of learning the lessons of previous defeats. As was the case in 2016, where Hillary Clinton lost to Trump, the Democrats chose to focus on their candidate’s personal differences to Trump rather than build a progressive set of policies to meet the concerns of the American working class. This soap opera style of election only benefits characters like Trump and his now Vice President-elect JD Vance, who are set to take office in January 2025.

The decision to install Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democrat candidate following Joe Biden’s late withdrawal from running for a second term was a failure in itself. The lack of democratic process in implementing Harris meant that her obvious weaknesses to a wider electorate only bubbled under the surface and therefore avoided the mainstream examination that would have showed clearly that her major involvement in the Biden administration caused irreparable damage to her credibility as an instigator of the change demanded by millions of American citizens.

With only a modest economic recovery for very few under Biden, along with his unwavering and unapologetic support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza, Kamala Harris’ campaign failed to promise any sort of break away from the status quo. Trump on the other hand, whilst completely vague and light on policy, once again focused his campaign on this message – and that is what sealed his victory.

Make no mistake though, Trump is no friend to the working class or the people suffering under Israeli ethnic cleaning. In the hours following his victory, the 10 world’s richest people, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, added around $64bn to their wealth.

The defeat of Harris, an establishment centrist politician in the US, is something that must also be taken seriously by the Labour government in Britain too. 14 years of Conservative austerity and cuts to our communities gifted Keir Starmer victory in July. However, Labour must engage with the reality that wages in the UK have stagnated and public services such as the NHS are crumbling whilst the rich have never been richer. Any failure to address these issues with a significant national wage increase and huge investment in public services, paid for by a wealth tax on billionaires and corporations, puts Britain at risk of the election of another Conservative government.

This US presidential election result is a grave concern for the planet, marginalised communities, refugees and Palestinians trying to survive Israel’s genocide. Trump’s abhorrent rhetoric must be resisted at every opportunity and our movement must succeed where the arrogant Democratic establishment failed.

We must organise globally, stand in solidarity with those targeted by the awful politics of fear and division and build an alternative of hope and unity.

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• You can follow Jeremy Corbyn’s Peace and Justice Project (PJP) on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X and TikTok. 
• This article was originally published by the PJP on 7 November 2024.

Liam Byrne says Labour must tackle inequality or suffer same fate as Democrats in the US

Chris Jarvis 

7 November, 2024 

Left Foot Forward

"It must be a project that not only raises real incomes but actually helps improve the wealth levels of voters who have simply been left behind by the surge in the wealth of the top 1%."

The Labour MP Liam Byrne has said that Labour must tackle inequality or Britain could see the rise of populism as the USA has. He made the comments in an article he wrote for LabourList in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s victory in the US Presidential election.

In the article, Byrne gave his views on the lessons the Labour government should draw from the Democrats’ defeat in the election.

Beginning with his assessment of the dynamics at play in the US election, Byrne wrote: “The places that were left behind by American growth, the places at the sharp end of growing inequality, were far more likely to vote for Trump.

“But guess what?

“The same dynamics hold true for the UK, France, and Scandinavia. Those places where the growth in wealth did nor keep pace with the national average were the places that voted for Brexit, Le Pen in France and the Far Right in Scandinavia.”

Later in the piece, Byrne concluded that in order to prevent the same conditions leading to similar results as those in the USA, Labour needs to address inequality and raise living standards quickly. He wrote: “Investment in our economy to grow our economy is mission critical. But just as important is a project that connects rising prosperity to those families and places that feel they have been left behind.

“It must be a project that not only raises real incomes but actually helps improve the wealth levels of voters who have simply been left behind by the surge in the wealth of the top 1%.”

Byrne is the Labour MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North. He stood unsuccessfully as the Labour candidate in the 2021 West Midlands mayoral election.

Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward

‘Five lessons for Starmer’s Labour government from Trump’s victory over Kamala Harris’

Casey Calista   

8th November, 2024,

Credit: DT phots1/Shutterstock.com

:

You might have noticed that the progressive party lost a recent election.

Being a proud dual citizen of the US and UK, and one from the swing state of Pennsylvania, what does the US show us about current political movements?

The next leader matters now

Firstly, the Democrats lost. There was time to prepare a better succession plan, be strategic, and start earlier. This clearly didn’t happen.

Progressives need to be thinking long-term, and this includes giving a platform to bright ambitious younger talent to setup the next generation of leaders.

Growth is emotional

The economy was doing well under Biden, but people didn’t feel it. Again and again, the cost of living and high prices were sighted as key election concerns.

So while objective metrics looked positive, that didn’t matter on the ground.

With the Labour government’s key growth mission, ensuring this ties back to be felt in a real way throughout the UK will be critical to its success. Groups like the new Good Growth Foundation set up by former Labour candidate Praful Nargund have the potential to play a massive role here.

Trust comes from plain talking

A video to start to dig into this topic (shout-out to Matthew McGregor who first brought this to my attention) is this where a group of Pennsylvanian Trump-leaning voters speak with VP candidate Tim Walz. By holding a personal discussion, he changes their minds. This is down to trust not politics.

A reason often cited about Trump’s appeal is that he’s not a normal politician. That he speaks differently – not in double talk or seeming to evade questions.

When politicians repeat key messages, this is understood by politicos as down to needing to get these into sound bites. But sticking to the same rigid message isn’t a strength to the general public.

As my partner explained to me, Trump can ‘talk a glass eye to sleep’. Even supporters would slip out the back of his rallies – not, I believe, because they stopped supporting him, as some commentators claimed, but because they can be hours-long events. Yet because he’s perceived as saying what he thinks, this leads people to trust him which, ultimately, plays better.

Democracy matters

One of the most cited issues coming out of exit polls (not exactly like the ones we have in the UK) was democracy.

Democracy isn’t a uniquely American issue, even if we do like to put it on a t-shirt more than is common in the UK. During the EU referendum, we saw similar sentiments argued about the role of Britain and concerns around the UK’s decision-making being subsumed into the EU.

We shouldn’t shy away from discussing democracy and actively seeking to protect it.

As Chair of Labour Digital, I’m deeply concerned about the interplay between disinformation and disenfranchisement. Dealing with these issues will set up the future for our democracy. Yes, they are difficult subjects to get right, but ones that are critical to tackle.

The culture war is becoming the gender war

Globally, there is a trend of women and men growing further apart on their political opinions particularly the younger generations. Ahead of yesterday, pollsters discussed the potential for the election decision to hinge on the turnout of young men versus young women.

It turns out this was partially right. Obviously, a lot of factors are at play, though in virtually every demograpic women voted for Harris by a larger percentage than men did – but often by a smaller proportion than voted Democrat in previous elections.

Meanwhile, Trump won a higher percentage of votes from black and Latino men than in the previous election against Biden. In key swing states, even a small shift makes this a much larger difference.

With this election showing that issues of identity and political decision-making are complex, this gender divide will need to be tackled by politicians who will need to navigate perceived trade-offs in a way that brings people together.

‘We get the politicians we deserve.’ Both the Electoral College and the popular vote issued Trump a victory in the US election. The Labour government should pay attention so we can drive positive change now and into the future.

Casey Calista

Casey Calista is the Industry Chair of Labour Digital and tech policy expert. She is also the co-founder of the Women in Tech Policy Network and the Head of Policy and Public Affairs at UK Scale-up Vorboss.

Campaigners stage ‘die-in’ in Westminster over Rosebank oil field

Chris Jarvis 

Yesterday
Left Foot Forward

“In the wake of hundreds of dead in Valencia and the devastation caused by Hurricane Milton, this UK government must stop this egregious, massive oil field or it has totally lost touch with reality."

Campaigners today (November 8) staged a ‘die-in’ outside the Houses of Parliament in protest over the proposed licensing of Rosebank oil field. Placards at the protest read “Dying for Labour to Stop Rosebank” and ”Stop new North Sea oil”.

Rosebank is the largest undeveloped oil and gas field in the UK. Campaigners have claimed that extracting from the field would mean the UK would fail to meet its climate targets and that it would produce more CO2 than the 28 poorest countries do in a year.

The protest came ahead of of a court case, brought by Greenpeace and Uplift, to challenge the approval of the proposed oil field being heard at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, 12 – 15 November.

Joanna Warrington, a campaigner with Fossil Free London said: “In the wake of hundreds of dead in Valencia and the devastation caused by Hurricane Milton, this UK government must stop this egregious, massive oil field or it has totally lost touch with reality.

“Allowing Equinor to exploit this field would not only ignite more fossil fuels, but set ablaze every person’s basic hope of a secure future. If this government allows Rosebank to be drilled, it would leave an oily black stain on the UK’s environmental legacy; one that could never be erased.”

Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward

The privatised water industry shows how the British economy is rife with predatory practices

Prem Sikka 

Yesterday

LEFT FOOT FORWARD
Columnist
Opinion


'With the full approval of the state, too many industries are dominated by organisations of dubious practices, if not downright criminal activities.'

The UK’s regulatory structures provide a window for assessing power, politics, and public accountability. With the full approval of the state, too many industries are dominated by organisations of dubious practices, if not downright criminal activities. The privatised water industry in England provides such a window.

Since privatisation in 1989, water company shareholders have extracted at least £85bn in dividends and unknown billions in returns through intragroup transactions. Customer bills have been hiked and investment in infrastructure has been neglected. Last year over a trillion litres of water was lost to leaks. Raw sewage was dumped into rivers, lakes and seas for 3.6m hours. Meaningless, star ratings are awarded by regulators to promote and protect industry. Last year, United Utilities and Severn Trent Water secured four-star rating from the Environment Agency even though the companies were responsible for 1,374 illegal sewage spills. United Utilities didn’t report that between 2021 and 2023 it dumped 140m litres of waste, mostly illegally, into Lake Windemere, a major tourist attraction. Such practices boost corporate profits, dividends and executive pay, and neglect people’s welfare. The UN special rapporteur on the human right to clean water said that behind a wall of secrecy England’s water companies put the interests of shareholders ahead of the public’s right to clean water.

Puny fines by regulators are just another cost of doing business, and failed to check predatory practices. The state guaranteed monopoly of water and wastewater disposal in England and Wales is controlled by ten companies with criminal convictions. Since 1989, water companies have had 1,109 criminal convictions for dumping sewage. The roll-call of abusive practices is led by United Utilities with 205 separate convictions. Thames Water has 187 convictions; South West Water 174; Anglia Water, 128; Yorkshire Water, 125; and Southern Water has 119 convictions. Their abusive practices have created health hazards and harmed biodiversity and marine life. Yet their licence to operate has not been cancelled. Ofwat, the water regulator for England and Wales, is considering lower or no financial penalties on companies for unplugged leaks and sewage dumping in case it increases financial pressures on them. Ofwat can’t protect customers because it is simultaneously responsible for promoting growth of the industry.

On 4th November 2024, during the parliamentary passage of the Water (Special Measures) Bill, I proposed that any water company with more than two criminal convictions in a five-year period should be placed under “special administration” giving them a chance to mend their ways or lose licence to operate. The government and the Conservative party opposed the amendment. Criminals will continue to control the vital water industry.

Imagine what might have happened to a manufacturer of aircrafts, auto, food and medicines for identical number of criminal convictions. Their licence to operate may have been cancelled and customers would sue them. But such things do not happen to the water industry. Ofwat has authorised water companies to hike prices by 44% for the period 2025-2030. Companies are pushing for rises of up to 84%. Companies say that they may be able to invest in infrastructure and remove dangerous lead pipes by the year 3273 (yes, you read that right), despite a previous commitment to replace them by 2050.

In crony capitalism, regulators are too close to companies and there is regulatory merry-round. Conflicts of interest abound and cognitive capture is normalised. At least 27 former Ofwat directors, managers and consultants have taken-up senior positions in water companies. Individuals from regulatory bodies are in demand by water companies because they can open doors and help to secure favours, and enable water companies to game the regulatory system. Due to never-ending austerity and cuts in public spending, many regulatory staff are poorly paid. Whilst in regulatory positions they begin to look for greener pastures or are targeted by water companies. Every interaction with a water company becomes a potential job interview. There is always a temptation to go easy and be extra helpful to a potential employer as that can help to land a better paid job. No one wants to sour the potential for a better paid job by being tough or awkward with a potential employer. Despite questions in parliament, Ministers are content with the current state of affairs.

Ofwat director Seema Kennedy, former Conservative Minister, is campaigning to make it harder for consumers to sue water companies that breach legal sewage limits. She is also a paid senior adviser to the lobbying firm which works for the industry body that represents big water companies. The current Environment Secretary has accepted donations from a water company convicted of illegally dumping sewage. Ministers have been having secret meetings with water companies and declared that “some stricter options that had been proposed were now off the table”. These include bringing the water industry into public ownership. Strangely, in response to my question in parliament, the government defended privatisation of water by citing a 2018 report funded and commissioned by the water companies, and published by right-wing Social Market Foundation. A former government adviser said that the report had “virtually no intellectual substance” and was “wrong”. He added that renationalisation would be “relatively easy, as with the revenues from the water bills, the government would have sufficient income to pay for the assets it acquired”.

Predatory practices can be checked by having customer and employee representations on their boards with power to vote on executive pay. Such amendments have been tabled during the parliamentary passage of the Water (Special Measures) Bill by myself and Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb. Stakeholder representation would empower people whose daily life is affected by water companies. More than 90% of water companies are owned by overseas investors. We also want the normal laws of capitalism to apply to water companies i.e. no bailout of shareholders and debtholders. They have all been opposed by the Labour government and Conservative opposition. They are content for the industry to be controlled by organisations with criminal convictions.

The Water (Special Measures) Bill enables the government to restructure failing water companies and push them back into the private sector, with customers and the public purse bearing the cost of restructuring. The government has launched what it claims is an Independent Commission to examine the water sector and its regulation. The Commission’s terms of reference require it to “focus on reforms that improve the privatised regulated model”. So it cannot consider alternatives to private ownership. Issues such profiteering, exploitation and democratisation of the water industry are beyond its remit.

Water isn’t the only industry controlled by organisations of dubious practices. The finance industry has a long history of mis-selling numerous financial products, including car loans, pensions, endowment mortgages, precipice bonds, split capital investment trusts, interest-rate swaps, mini-bonds and payment protection insurance and more. The aim is always to rip-off customers. The eventual compensation, when caught, is paid by levying higher charges on other customers. Banks have a long history of money laundering, sanctions busting and tax dodges. UK governments and regulators cover-up their predatory practices. The City of London Police fraud investigation unit is funded by Lloyds Bank. There is little urgency about investigating frauds by banks.

Consider the case of frauds by HBOS officials which go back to 2002. The victims were the taxpayers, small business customers of the bank, and HBOS shareholders. HBOS was acquired by Lloyds Banking Group in 2008. Despite the overwhelming evidence, Lloyds Banking Group, the Serious Fraud Office, regulators and the Treasury refused to investigate. In 2017, Anthony Stansfeld, Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner, prosecuted and secured six criminal convictions. There has been no investigation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) or compensation for the victims of fraud. The government and the regulators deemed it to be a matter for Lloyds Bank. Eventually in 2017, it appointed former high court judge Dame Linda Dobbs to investigate and publish a report by 2018. To date, no report has been published into the £1bn scandal, and it may never see the light of the day.

This article has only referred to the water and finance industry but predatory practices are prevalent all across the UK economy. Too many sectors are dominated by companies with dubious reputations. It is hard to name any major company that is pristine. Predatory practices flourish because governments are disconnected from the people and thereby erode confidence in institutions of governance.

Prem Sikka is an Emeritus Professor of Accounting at the University of Essex and the University of Sheffield, a Labour member of the House of Lords, and Contributing Editor at Left Foot Forward.

UK

A thousand workers participate in four-day working week trial without loss of pay

Gabrielle Pickard-Whitehead 

Today

LEFT FOOT FORWARD

‘We look forward to presenting the results of this latest trial to the new Labour government next summer.’

A thousand employees in Britain are getting extra time off without a reduction in pay in part of the Four-Day Week Campaign.

The trial launched on November 4 and will run until April.

It follows a successful similar trial in 2022, which, after reports of improved staff morale, and a reduction in stress without negative repercussions on performance, 56 out of the 61 participating companies permanently adopted a four-day working week.

17 businesses are involved in the current trial. Most are running a four-day work week model, but some are implementing a nine-day fortnight, in which workers get an extra day off every two weeks.

Georgia Pearson, manager at Crate Brewery, one of the participating businesses, described the pilot as “groundbreaking.” She believes that pioneering such a progressive model could provide a strong competitive advantage in the recruitment landscape.

“For operational teams, physically demanding service shifts can mean that off days are spent recuperating, rather than enjoying personal time off,” she said.

The 4 Day Week Campaign launched in 2022. It says almost 200 businesses in Britain have permanently switched to a four-day week.

Joe Ryle, director of the 4 Day Week Campaign said that we don’t have to just imagine a four-day week anymore. “It’s already a reality for hundreds of businesses and tens of thousands of workers in the UK.”

Labour has shown interest in flexible work options, with several senior politicians supporting the model. The deputy prime minister Angela Rayner said it poses “no threat to the economy.”

“If you can deliver within a four-day working week, then why not?” Rayner said in 2023.

But the new government has yet to commit to a four-day working week. Following a petition calling for a shorter working week signed by over 500 civil servants represented by the PCS union, a spokesperson at the department for Housing, Communities and Local Government said it “is not government policy or something we are considering.”

However, businesses do not need approval from the government to go ahead with the new working model.

“We look forward to presenting the results of this latest trial to the new Labour government next summer,” said Joe Ryle.

Bruce Power looks to expand radioisotope offering

Thursday, 7 November 2024

World Nuclear News

Bruce Power has set out its plans to expand production of medical radioisotopes in its Candu reactors. As well as increasing long-term lutetium-177 production capacity, the company also wants to explore the production of other isotopes using its proprietary system.

(Image: Bruce Power)

Following on from the completion of two years' commercial production of lutetium-177 (Lu-177) using the Isotope Production System (IPS) at Bruce 7, the company set out its intentions in a 31 October letter to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). The system has proven its safety and reliability, the company said, with no missed shipments since launch. A second production line on Bruce 7's IPS is now in service, doubling production capacity. Lu-177 is used to treat certain tumours and prostate cancer.

Bruce Power said it now plans to add an additional Isotope Production System on unit 6 in 2027 to increase long-term capacity and also maintain production when Bruce 7 is taken offline for its Major Component Replacement (MCR) outage which is scheduled for 2028-2031. The company will also evaluate the feasibility of a third Isotope Production System (IPS) at the Bruce A plant (Bruce units 1-4), to be installed in 2029.

Units 5-8 - known as the Bruce B reactors - also produce cobalt-60 which is used for sterilisation and the treatment of brain tumours and breast cancer. The MCR and outage programme at Bruce B "is both securing the supply of cobalt-60 through 2064, and installed modifications have increased production", the company told the CNSC.

Bruce Power said it is "committed to exploring additional isotope production using our system and plans to propose an amendment to its operating licence to add multiple new isotopes in a bounding approach for the IPS". It intends to submit a licence amendment for multiple new isotopes in 2025.

Investing locally

Bruce Power partnered with Isogen (a jointly owned company of Kinectrics Inc and Framatome Canada) to install the Isotope Production System on Bruce 7. Lu-177 produced at Bruce 7 is transported to ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE (ITM)'s facilities in Germany for processing. Its Gamzook'aamin aakoziwin partnership with the Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON), was set up in 2019 to jointly market new medical isotopes while creating new economic opportunities within the SON territory by establishing new isotope infrastructure.

In collaboration with the Southwestern Ontario Isotope Coalition, IsoGen and SON, the company said it was committed to advocating for processing facilities to be built locally to enhance the supply chain of isotopes in Ontario and improve the logistical impacts of handling short-lived medical isotopes. "In 2025, we will be investing CAD3 million (USD2.2 million) into greater localisation and will be proposing to the CNSC changes to existing licensed facilities to safely accommodate this important work," it said.

"Southwestern Ontario, the rest of the province and the country have become global superpowers in the production of medical isotopes through innovation, partnerships, investment and stakeholder support," said Bruce Power Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice-President James Scongack, adding that maximising isotope production and exploring the production of other medical isotopes "is the socially responsible thing to do for patients around the world."

Bruce Power Is Expanding Its Medical Isotope Program

Claire McCormack

Nov 8, 2024 | 

Energy Minister Stephen Lecce. Image courtesy of Bruce Power

Ontario Energy Minister Stephen Lecce was at Bruce Power in Tiverton today for the announcement of an expansion of the nuclear operator’s medical isotope program.

A new hot cell will be constructed to process the cancer-fighting medical isotope lutetium-177 which is used as a targeted therapy, including for prostate cancer and neuroendocrine tumours.

The Ontario government says, “By repatriating medical isotope processing to the province and building provincial capacity to process the isotopes produced at our nuclear stations, Ontario is cementing its position as a leader in this cutting-edge medical field.” Right now, they’re processed in Germany.

The hot cell at Bruce Power will support the initial processing of lutetium-177 that involves removing the aluminum carriers to extract the lutetium, known as ‘decladding.’ Bruce Power has commissioned a second production line in its Unit 7 Isotope Production System, which will double lutetium-177 production capacity on Unit 7.

Bruce Power will partner with Isogen to construct this new hot cell and will also work with the Saugeen Ojibway Nation to build upon the existing Gamzook’aamin aakoziwin isotope partnership.

In addition, Bruce Power will begin the refurbishment of Unit 4 on February 1, 2025, while refurbishment of Unit 3 is already underway.

In total, Ontario is planning to refurbish a total of six Bruce units (Units 3 to 8) by 2033, which will extend their operating lives for at least another 30 years.

Progressive Conservative Member of Provincial Parliament for Huron-Bruce Lisa Thompson says in a statement, “Today’s announcements demonstrate that communities in Bruce, Grey and Huron Counties are proving that rural Ontario has the capacity, the talent and genuine desire to support the development of global-leading, cancer-fighting technologies, in addition to growing the production of clean, affordable energy that will position the province to confidently build for future growth and prosperity.”

Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation Chief Greg Nadjiwon, says in a statement, “We’re proud to be part of this unique partnership that is not only helping to fight cancer on a global scale, but is a step forward in economic participation in meaningful projects in our Territory that will support us in implementing our vision for our communities.”

Medical isotopes created in Bruce County 

will no longer be shipped overseas for 

processing

Scott Miller
CTV News London 
Published Nov. 8, 2024

Bruce Power is quickly becoming one of the world’s largest producers of medical isotopes that fight and detect cancer around the globe – but on Friday the government and nuclear operator announced that they are working together to start processing those medical isotopes within Bruce County instead of shipping them overseas for processing.

“We're going to add some facilities either on site or very close to site to process these isotopes, which are coming outside of the reactor. [That means] we can get them into the drug much much faster, and go to the patient as fast as possible,” said Bruce Power CEO and President, Eric Chassard.


The new medical isotope processing facility will be located either right on the Bruce Power site, or in the Bruce Energy Centre near the nuclear plant. This means that instead of shipping the medical isotopes all the way to Germany for processing like they were previously, they’ll be processed within a few hundred metres of where they’re produced.

Medical isotope production at Bruce Power nuclear station near Kincardine (Source: Bruce Power)
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“What this means is that we're saving time - and when you're producing these medical isotopes, that time is money. And the closer we can get these medical isotopes to people, the more lives we're going to save. So, this is about economic development for sure, it's about health care too. It's about improving the quality of life of tens of thousands of families that are affected by cancer every week,” said Ontario’s Energy Minister, Stephen Lecce, who was at Bruce Power for Friday’s announcement.

Ontario’s Energy Minister, Stephen Lecce announces plans for a medical isotope processing facility in Bruce County, Friday, November 8 (Scott Miller/CTV News London)

Not only will Bruce Power soon start processing their medical isotopes closer to home, but they’ll also be producing a lot more of them. The nuclear power generator plans to more than double their production, of isotope lutetium-177, used primarily to detect and kill prostate cancer cells.

“Before it was very expensive, like $55,000 to $60,000 for one dose, and it was very hard to get. Now with our new production, we are going to produce 400,000 of doses every year - so the cost of the doses will come down to a couple of thousand dollars,” said Chassard.

Canada used to import most of their medical isotopes from Europe, before Bruce Power started producing them in earnest in 2022. The new processing facility announced today, and production lines expands on a partnership Bruce Power has with the Saugeen Ojibway Nation to share in isotope proceeds.

Medical isotope production at Bruce Power nuclear station near Kincardine (Source: Bruce Power)

“We will work with anybody that is willing to hear our voice and allow us a seat at the table and allow us a share of the dividends, which is only right,” said Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation Chief, Greg Nadjiwon.

Minister Lecce said Ontario will be leaning heavily on nuclear as it aims to meet a rise in energy demand, which the government expects to more than double between now and 2050.

“We become a one stop integrated nuclear ecosystem where we're doing everything from generation to production to medical isotopes to refining. We're doing it all here in Ontario, and the world is turning to Ontario as a source of leadership for clean energy and for life saving medical isotopes,” said Minister Lecce.

Chassard said Bruce Power is ready for the challenge ahead.

Medical isotope production at Bruce Power nuclear station near Kincardine (Source: Bruce Power)

US support for nuclear higher in 2024 than year earlier, survey finds

Friday, 8 November 2024

More than half of the respondents to a US survey believe nuclear energy is an essential part of the solution to climate disruption and energy security. The ecoAmerica Climate Perspectives Survey, from the Anthropocene Institute, has seen US citizens' concerns about nuclear energy decrease over its seven-year series.

ecoAmerica says support for nuclear has risen over seven years of surveys (Image: ecoAmerica)

The poll found 55% of Americans to be either “strongly” or “somewhat" supportive of nuclear power - a 3-point rise from 2023 and a 6-point rise from 2018, but down from 2022's peak of 61%.

The most important reasons cited for supporting nuclear energy included economic benefits, pollution reduction, reliability and energy independence. The majority of respondents also believed that US nuclear power plants should be kept running until "lower-cost renewable energy" becomes available (70%) or as long as they are cost-effective in the long term (68%). And although the majority of respondents express some concerns about nuclear energy - for example, about health and safety, waste disposal and weaponisation - the number of respondents expressing such concerns has fallen since the first survey in 2018. The exception to this is concern over costs of nuclear power plants: the percentage of respondents citing cost as a concern has risen slightly, from 65% in 2018 to 68% in 2024.

Support for nuclear was not divided along party political lines, with those identifying themselves as Republicans and Democrats less divided on support for nuclear R&D than for other energy sources: 56% of Democrats and 62% of Republicans said that the USA should spend more on next-generation nuclear R&D, a 6-point difference, whereas the poll found much wider point differences between the parties on R&D spending on oil, coal and gas, ranging from a 12-point difference for gas to a 21-point difference for oil.

"Nuclear energy is increasingly being adopted worldwide to solve climate disruption, with 25 countries signing the Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy Capacity by 2050 and 14 major banks and financial institutions committing to finance the expansion," said Guido Nuñez-Mujica, director of data science for Anthropocene Institute. "It is no wonder, since nuclear energy protects air quality, consumes only a small land footprint, and produces minimal waste that can be reused. In addition, the existing spent fuel could power the United States for a whole century. Nuclear energy offers a path of hope, especially for nations trying to increase their quality of life without worsening our climate crisis."

The survey was designed by ecoAmerica and conducted online from 24 July-9 August. A total of 1011 complete adult responses were received, and the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey was used to weigh the national general population and reflect the demographic composition of the USA. The margin of error for the sample is +/-3%.

Fuel debris sample extracted from Fukushima Daiichi reactor

Thursday, 7 November 2024

Tokyo Electric Power Company announced it has successfully completed the trial removal of a sample of fuel debris from the primary containment vessel of unit 2 at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The grasped fuel debris sample (Image: Tepco)

On 19 August, Tepco announced that it planned to remove a few grams of melted fuel debris from the unit on 22 August. The operation was expected to last about two weeks using a telescopic device equipped with a gripper tool. The device can extend up to 22 metres and access the debris through a penetration point in the primary containment vessel (PCV). However, as Tepco was carrying out the operation, workers noticed during the final checking process that the order of the first section of the push pipe was different from the planned order, which meant other sections could not be connected correctly. This led to a delay in the collection of a sample of fuel debris.

As preparations were being made for another attempt, on 17 September it was discovered that cameras on the end of the telescopic device were not functioning correctly. The replacement of these cameras led to a further delay.

On 30 October, Tepco announced that it had managed to grasp a sample of fuel debris using the gripper tool.

Unit 2 internal investigation/trial retrieval plan overview (Image: Tepco)

On 6 November, it confirmed that the dose rate of the sampled fuel debris is less than 24 mSv/h (at a distance of 20cm), which is the criteria for proceeding with debris retrieval, thus the grasped sample was inserted into a transportation box.

On Thursday 7 November, the side hatch of the enclosure (a metal box that contains the telescopic device and the robotic arm) was opened and the transportation box was removed from inside the enclosure. The box was then placed within a DPTE (Double Porte pour Transfert Etanche) container. "The fuel debris trial retrieval work is deemed to have been completed when the transportation box is inserted into the DPTE container," Tepco said.

The company plans to transport the fuel sample within the DPTE off-site to be analysed in detail at off-site analysis facilities. The findings are expected to assist in the full-scale removal of fuel debris.

In Fukushima Daiichi units 1 to 3, the fuel and the metal cladding that formed the outer jacket of the fuel rods melted, then re-solidified as fuel debris. There is an estimated total of 880 tonnes of fuel debris in units 1-3. To reduce the risk from this fuel debris, preparations are under way for retrieving it from the reactors. The current aim is to begin retrieval from unit 2 and to gradually enlarge the scale of the retrieval. The retrieved fuel debris will be stored in the new storage facility that will be constructed within the site.

The removal technique, which is being used for the first time in unit 2, will be gradually extended to unit 3, where a large-scale recovery is expected in the early 2030s

Three Mile Island's Clean Energy Comeback Fueled by Tech Giant Demand

By Felicity Bradstock 

- Nov 08, 2024,

Three Mile Island's Unit 1, dormant since 2019, is being reopened and refurbished in a $1.6 billion project backed by Microsoft.

The project highlights a growing trend of tech companies seeking nuclear power to meet their ambitious carbon neutrality goals and increasing energy demands.

The reopening of Three Mile Island could mark a turning point in the perception and utilization of nuclear power in the U.S.


Three Mile Island, the site of one of the world’s most famous nuclear accidents, is set to reopen several years after its closure. On September 20th, Baltimore-based Constellation Energy and Microsoft announced that they had reached a deal that would mean the reopening of the 835 MW Three Mile Island Unit 1 nuclear plant in Pennsylvania. Unit 2 has been shut down since its partial core meltdown in 1979 and is currently being decommissioned. However, as Unit 1 was not damaged during the accident, it continued operating until 2019, when it eventually closed for financial reasons.

At 4 am on March 28, 1979, an automatically operated valve in the Unit 2 reactor mistakenly closed, which shut off the water supply to the main feedwater system – the system that transfers heat from the water circulating in the reactor core. This prompted the reactor core to shut down automatically. However, a series of equipment and instrument malfunctions, human errors in operating procedures, and mistaken decisions over several hours led to major water coolant loss from the reactor core, which resulted in a partial core meltdown.

Constellation expects the refurbishment of the plant to cost around $1.6 billion. When operational, Three Mile Island is capable of powering over 700,000 homes and employs around 700 or more people. Microsoft has signed an agreement to buy the facility’s entire output for twenty years, for $800 million a year. Following the announcement, Constellation’s stock rose 22 percent.

The nuclear company hopes the plant will be ready to relaunch in 2028. To achieve this, the firm must gain approvals from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the PJM grid manager for transmission access. The site’s name will be changed to the Crane Energy Centre, and it is expected to receive a license to extend operations to 2053.

For decades, following three prominent nuclear disasters – Three Mile Island, Chornobyl, and Fukushima, the public perception of nuclear plants was extremely poor. People worried that the accidents of the past could happen again, and they might be even worse next time. However, thanks to improvements to nuclear safety and the strengthening of international industry regulations in recent years, people are once again seeing the potential for nuclear power, particularly as part of a green transition.

Joseph Dominguez, the CEO of Constellation Energy, is confident that the company will get Three Mile Island back up and running. Dominguez stated, “Twelve months from now, Constellation will have started on the path towards building new reactors.” This move has the potential to wave in a new nuclear era, as no reactor that was set to close permanently has been brought back online in the U.S. before. In addition, only three new reactors have been developed in the past 25 years.

Nuclear power continues to contribute around 19 percent of the U.S. electricity mix, and it is increasingly being viewed as the best clean energy source for meeting the rising electricity demand spurred by the rollout of complex technologies, such as artificial intelligence. Just like Microsoft, other tech giants are looking to work with nuclear energy companies to ensure their access to abundant clean energy to power operations. Google and Amazon recently struck deals with start-ups developing smaller nuclear reactors, in the hope that they will provide them with clean power by the 2030s.

Microsoft committed to being “carbon negative” by 2030, but its emissions rose by 29 percent between 2020 and 2023. The growing demand for electricity to power data centres is making it increasingly difficult for tech companies to stick to their ambitious climate pledges. While many are increasingly using renewable energy sources to power operations, they require such vast amounts of energy that nuclear power would make a much bigger dent in the demands of these companies.

In mid-October, Constellation ordered a $100-million main power transformer to support the reopening of Three Mile Island. The transformer is expected to be the largest single piece of equipment needed to be replaced to restart the plant. Other major renovation investments include the reactor's turbine, generator, and cooling systems.

Despite being mainly untouched since it shut down in 2019, the plant is said to be well-maintained. Constellation’s Vice President of Generation, Bryan Hanson, stated, “I have walked the facility top to bottom, every floor… The plant is in great condition.” The company believes that the reactor vessel does not require any repairs, and the steam generators, which can be very costly, were replaced about 15 years ago.

The renovation and planned reopening of Three Mile Island could wave in a new nuclear era in the U.S., encouraged largely by the increase in electricity demand brought about by the commercial deployment of advanced technologies. As U.S. companies aim to decarbonise operations, they are looking for innovative ways to ensure a steady supply of clean electricity to support data centre operations, and nuclear energy companies are more than happy to support the reinvigoration of the nuclear power sector.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

Poland to cooperate with Japan and the Netherlands on nuclear

Friday, 8 November 2024

Poland's Ministry of Industry and Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry have signed a memorandum to promote Polish-Japanese cooperation in the nuclear sector. Meanwhile, the Polish and Dutch nuclear regulators have agreed to cooperate.

(Image: Polish Ministry of Industry)

A memorandum of understanding on cooperation on nuclear energy was signed by Marzena Czarnecka, Poland's Minister of Industry, and Shinji Takeuchi, Japan's Deputy Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry in Warsaw on 7 November.

"The signed memorandum confirms the interest in bilateral cooperation between both countries for the development of nuclear energy as a technology that allows achieving the goals of energy transformation and has a positive impact on energy security," the Polish ministry said. "The signed agreement also encourages cooperation at the level of economic entities and industrial technologies. Leading companies in the Japanese nuclear sector show interest in developing cooperation with European companies."  

It noted the agreement includes cooperation with the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum International Cooperation Centre (JICC), which operates under Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). JICC carries out activities supporting the development of competencies of countries implementing nuclear energy through the exchange of information, expert missions and the organisation of workshops, conferences and seminars in areas such as: human resources development, social communication, nuclear safety and preparation of the necessary infrastructure for nuclear projects.

"This cooperation allows Poland to build nuclear skills and competencies, which is crucial for the implementation of the Polish Nuclear Power Programme," the Polish ministry said.

Polish, Dutch regulators to cooperate
 

On the same day, a cooperation agreement was signed between Poland's National Atomic Energy Agency (PAA) and the Dutch Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ANVS).

(Image: PAA)

The agreement - signed by PAA President Andrzej Głowacki and ANVS Chairperson Annemiek van Bolhuis - opens up the possibility of exchanging information on best practices in the field of supervision of the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes between the regulators.

It assumes joint activities in the organisation of technical meetings, training and exchange of documentation necessary to prepare the nuclear regulator for activities related to the licensing process of new nuclear technologies.

"In Poland and the Netherlands, interest in the use of new nuclear technologies is growing, causing increased challenges for national institutions supervising their safe use," PAA said.

Polish nuclear plans
 

Poland currently has large-scale plans to develop nuclear energy capacity. In September 2021, it was announced that six large pressurised water reactors with a combined installed capacity of 6-9 GWe could be built by 2040 as part of the country's plan to reduce its reliance on coal. According to the adopted schedule, the construction of the first nuclear power plant will start in 2026, with the first reactor - with a capacity of 1.0-1.6 GWe - being commissioned in 2033. Subsequent units will be implemented every 2-3 years. The coastal towns of Lubiatowo and Kopalino in Poland's Choczewo municipality in the province of Pomerania were named as the preferred location for the country's first large nuclear power plant.

In November 2022, the Polish government announced the first plant, with a capacity of 3750 MWe, will be built in Pomerania using AP1000 technology from the US company Westinghouse. An agreement setting a plan for the delivery of the plant was signed in May last year by Westinghouse, Bechtel and Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe.

In November last year, Poland's Ministry of Climate and Environment issued a decision-in-principle for the country's second large nuclear power plant. Two South Korean-supplied APR1400 reactors are planned in the Patnów-Konin region

TVEL and AllWeld cooperation agreement

 on decommissioning and waste

 management

Friday, 8 November 2024

Russia's TVEL and South Africa's AllWeld Nuclear and Industrial have signed a memorandum of cooperation in the field of decommissioning and radioactive waste management

.

Image: African Energy Week)

The agreement was signed at African Energy Week 2024 in Cape Town by Eduard Nikitin, director for decommissioning of nuclear facilities and radioactive waste management at TVEL, which is part of Rosatom, and Mervyn Fisher, director general of AllWeld Nuclear and Industrial.

The proposed cooperation areas include the development of infrastructure for radioactive waste management - storage and disposal - as well as the design and creation of equipment needed in this area in South Africa.

Nikitin said: "Rosatom has enormous experience and expertise in the field of decommissioning nuclear facilities and radioactive waste management, including ... proprietary technologies and a broad scientific research programme. This experience is certainly in demand in all countries of the world that have nuclear energy, uranium mining industry or experience in operating research reactors. The signing of the memorandum with South African partners opens up new opportunities for the implementation of joint projects both in South Africa and beyond."

Allweld describes itself as "one of the oldest established, and longest-running engineering solutions companies in South Africa" serving nuclear and other energy industries in the country since 1962.

South Africa has two nuclear reactors at the Koeberg nuclear power plant generating about 5% of its electricity - the first reactor began operating in 1984 - and the country is planning to launch a bidding process for 2.5 GWe of new nuclear capacity. The 2008 National Radioactive Waste Disposal Institute Act led to the establishment in 2014 of the National Radioactive Waste Disposal Institute, which is responsible for radioactive waste disposal in South Africa. There is a national repository for low and intermediate-level waste at Vaalputs in the Northern Cape province and used fuel is stored at Koeberg.

Oklo cleared to begin site characterisation for first-of-a-kind plant

Friday, 8 November 2024

The completion of the environmental compliance process means Oklo Inc can now begin site characterisation for its first commercial advanced fission power plant in Idaho.

Oklo's preferred site for its first Aurora powerhouse at INL (Image: Oklo)

Completion by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) of the process addressing DOE requirements for the site and the resulting Environmental Compliance Permit, following on from the recent finalisation of a Memorandum of Agreement with the DOE, initiates site characterisation activities, Oklo said.

"These approvals represent pivotal steps forward as we advance toward deploying the first commercial advanced fission plant," Oklo CEO and co-founder Jacob DeWitte said. "With this process complete, we can begin site characterisation."

California-based Oklo received a site use permit from the DOE in 2019 to build and operate a prototype of its Aurora reactor - which will be a commercial power plant selling power to customers - at INL: according to company information, it intends to deploy its first commercial unit before the end of the decade. It also intends to build a facility to fabricate fuel for the liquid metal-cooled fast reactor plant at the same site. The DOE approved the Conceptual Safety Design Report for the Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility in September.

The memorandum of agreement finalised with DOE's Idaho Operations Office in September grants Oklo access to conduct site investigations at its preferred site, focusing on geotechnical assessments, environmental surveys and infrastructure planning.

The Aurora powerhouse is a fast neutron reactor that uses heat pipes to transport heat from the reactor core to a supercritical carbon dioxide power conversion system to generate electricity. It uses metallic fuel to produce about 15 MWe as well as producing usable heat, and can operate on fuel made from fresh HALEU or used nuclear fuel.

World Nuclear News

Suriname's Offshore Oil Discoveries Spark Global Interest

By Felicity Bradstock - Nov 07, 2024

Suriname's recent offshore oil discoveries have attracted significant investment from major international oil companies.

TotalEnergies is leading the development of Suriname's Block 58, with a focus on low-carbon oil production.

Suriname's government is committed to responsible fiscal management of its oil resources, ensuring long-term economic benefits for the country.




The small Caribbean country of Guyana has caught most of the world’s attention for the rapid development of its oil and gas resources, but its lesser-known neighbour – Suriname, is also a rising star in the world of oil and gas. Several oil majors have signed agreements to expand exploration in Suriname and expect to see huge oil and gas output as early as the 2030s. The fossil fuel development in Guyana and Suriname is expected to propel the Caribbean region to become a world leader in oil and gas in the coming decades.

Suriname is South America’s smallest country in terms of both size and population, however, it has significant potential to become a major international energy power and grow its economy substantially in the coming years. Until recently, Suriname’s oil production was dominated by state-owned Staatsolie’s onshore activities, with an output of around 17,000 bpd. However, offshore oil discoveries made in late 2019 and 2020 have helped garner the interest of several oil majors.

In 2021, Suriname’s government licensed offshore blocks for the first time, which resulted in the signing of production sharing contracts (PSC) with Chevron and QatarEnergy. In May 2023, Suriname finalised a 30-year PSC between Staatsolie, TotalEnergies, and QatarEnergy for the two neighbouring blocks 6 and 8. Staatsolie holds a 40 percent share in the blocks through its subsidiary Paradise Oil Company. The first phase of exploration is expected to take around six years.

As seen in the case of Guyana, most international oil majors are looking to solidify the future of their oil and gas activities. Several of the world’s most famous oilfields are gradually being depleted, following decades of production. In addition, many existing oil operations are extremely carbon-intensive, at a time when governments are putting pressure on companies to decarbonise. Numerous oil and gas companies are, therefore, pursuing oil projects in emerging oil regions, such as Africa and the Caribbean. Developing operations in these regions could ensure the longevity of their crude production, as multiple countries have been found to hold massive untapped oil reserves. It also provides them with an opportunity to develop lower-carbon oil operations.

In October, France’s TotalEnergies announced $10.5 million in investment to develop a giant oil project in Block 58 around 140 km off the coast of Suriname. The construction and installation phases are expected to take around four years, with the potential for the oilfield to open around 2028. Suriname’s offshore Gran Morgu field has estimated recoverable resources of 700 million barrels of oil equivalent. The field is adjacent to Exxon Mobil's giant 11-billion-barrel discovery in neighbouring Guyana.

TotalEnergies aims to decarbonise operations in Block 58 by incorporating new technologies into its activities. For example, it will use an all-electric floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) unit, optimised power usage with a waste heat recovery unit, and optimised water cooling for improved efficiency. The firm has also stated it will not flare gas and will reinject associated gas into the reservoirs. In addition, it will install a permanent methane detection and monitoring system to spot leaks.

Suriname and neighbouring Guyana could provide competitive LNG supplies from early next decade, according to a recent report from Wood Mackenzie. The report states that two countries could deliver up to 12 million metric tonnes per annum of LNG by the 2030s. Guyana's Haimara cluster and Suriname's Block 52 (Sloanea) are estimated together to hold 13 trillion cubic feet of discovered non-associated gas.

In September, Staatsolie signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Brazilian state-owned oil and gas giant Petrobras to deepen their energy cooperation. The two powers are expected to work together in the exploration and production of hydrocarbons, carbon capture and storage, renewable energy, the exchange of knowledge and expertise, and contingency response planning and execution. Meanwhile, this November, Norway’s subsea services provider Argeo announced it had entered into an eight-year data agreement with Staatsolie, for the acquisition, processing, and sales of multi-client data in Suriname.

Suriname expects its oil and gas industry to grow rapidly thanks to impressive discoveries in recent years and several new deals with international oil majors. Staatsolie believes Suriname’s new oil activities could bring in as much as $26 billion once developed. However, in October, Suriname’s Minister of Finance and Planning of Suriname, Stanley Raghoebarsing, stated that the country would not be borrowing more money against future oil production. Raghoebarsing said the country is not considering loans that are guaranteed by those revenues. He stated, “In no way do we want to pre-sell oil that we still have to lift, and collateralise that for easy money that will burden the next generation.”

Although Guyana may have attracted more attention in recent years, Suriname has been steadily expanding its oil and gas operations, with great optimism for new exploration projects in collaboration with international oil majors. The development of its offshore reserves could see the small South American country quickly become a major international oil producer, supported by huge investments from the likes of TotalEnergies and QatarEnergy.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

Suriname is located in northern South America. Suriname is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, and Brazil to the south.