The THTR Circulars from 2010

***

***

THTR Circular No. 130, March 2010

Content:

Still 1-0 in South Africa against the nuclear industry

Soon another THTR barrack (s) in the USA?

United Arab Emirates oil nuclear power - aid comes from the FRG and South Korea

Chimney collapse next to the THTR

April 24.04.10th, XNUMX - Chernobyl demonstration in Ahaus

Laurenz Meyer, part 21

Still 1-0 in South Africa against the nuclear industry

The South African state has already spent 2,5 billion euros in tax money on preparations for the 2010 soccer World Cup. As an organizer, FIFA benefits from this. And the tourism sector is getting a big boost. But the money does not help to overcome the hair-raising inequality between black and white, as well as between the black elite and black majority. How dramatic the situation is is shown by the fact that the average life expectancy in 1990 has fallen from 62 years to 50 years today (1).

The international economic and financial crisis did not spare South Africa. "The raw material boom turned out to be limited in time and reinforced existing structures that are not compatible with locally anchored sustainable development. Exceptionally high annual growth rates did not lead to poverty reduction, employment, local self-responsibility or the creation of value. Instead, South Africa experienced massive deinstrialization "(2). Bankruptcy reactor in the bankrupt state Loan guarantees are the most popular form of cost containment for nuclear power plant operators. ESKOM's credit rating was rated worse in August 2008 on a certain scale (3). ESKOM's budget for 2017 was for the construction of new coal and nuclear power plants of 34 billion US dollars. In the longer term, 20 GW of nuclear power plant capacity were planned by 2025. The money is currently only enough for 7 GW of nuclear power capacity. "In November 2008, ESKOM finally gave up and withdrew its tender because of the immense amount of investment" (4).

South Africa spent a total of $ 2008 billion on the development of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) by 3,25. "The expenses for this technology have already devoured half of the amount that is needed to - as planned - connect all apartments to the power grid ..." (5).

National pride versus sustainability

Because the misery is so great, an overarching idea has to be found that obscures critical consciousness and pushes all problems into the background: "The promotion of national identity and national pride does not only happen through the trilingual national anthem. (...) In the re -branding of South Africa, to which the soccer World Cup 2010 should make an important contribution, refers the South African government to space projects, to modern nuclear technology (Pebble Bed Reactor), to high-performance means of transport (Gautrain) and to Nobel Prize winners in literature (Doris Lessing, John M. Coetzee) . " (6)

In February 2009 it became known that the planned 165 MW PBMR in Koeberg near Cape Town was not going to be built, although the fuel element factory, in which several German companies were involved, had already been completed. A reorientation towards nuclear process heat was brought into play - in cooperation with the USA (7). After the election on April 22nd, 2009 in South Africa, the PBMR group started considering whether the money might be enough for a mini PBMR with 80 MW. According to her, it would take another 9 years until its completion. With an electricity price increase of 31,8 percent, poor customers now have to pay for ESKOM's failed energy policy (8).

Significantly, on July 30, 7, the PBMR boss Jacko Kriek was the first to announce more details about the changed design of the new planned PBMR in the journal of the obscure political sect BÜSO "EIR Science & Technology" (2009). Accordingly, the useful temperature of the reactor would be reduced from 9o C to 900o C, which could bring about a certain gain in safety. However, similar to the German concepts, water ingress would add a dangerous potential for accidents. Above all, the new concept offers no advantages over conventional reactors and is far too expensive. The old PBMR concept was advertised with hydrogen generation by splitting water, which has interested many. This possibility is now no longer available.

Soft exit from PBMR technology

The United Arab Emirates (VAR), to which the PBMR was offered, refused in 2009 and preferred light water reactors from South Korea (see detailed article on this website).

By the end of 2009, doubts about the PBMR were growing in politics. The main points of criticism are: too expensive, too immature, too little tested. The new state secretary of the ANC government, Thebe Mabanga, rowed back and in November 2009 canceled existing nuclear programs. However, since huge sums of money have already been invested in the PBMR, in their opinion at least the know-how should be preserved and maintained (10). John Walmsley from the "Nuclear industry association of South Africa" ​​(NIASA) is in the same direction by introducing a kind of "nuclear university" to secure know-how and training (11). For this, however, various nuclear companies would have to make money loose because the state has already been tapped often enough. Just to be able to play as a cooperation partner on the international stage in the future, you still have to come up with a lot.

If the South African government were to seriously believe in the future of the PBMR in their country, it would make funds available for PBMR training courses. - In any case, it is an exciting question whether and how much money will be approved for the further development of the PBMR when the previous funding expires in April 2010.

Stupidity impact assessment among the elites

Despite all the problems, the old, ongoing process of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the PBMR at the Koeberg site, which has been running since September 5th, 9 (!), Should not be forgotten. At that time a 2008 MW reactor was applied for. On December 400, 23 the EIA was approved! - That doesn't have to mean anything, however, if the actors of the PBMR are up to their necks and the atomic friends cry out on the web, wringing their hands: "Save the PBMR!"

In January 2010, Rob Adam, a leading atomic manager of the NECSA, openly admitted that the future of the PBMR was no longer so bright (12) because no one wanted to put a lot of money into the project. At most a cooperation with the USA or the Chinese would be conceivable. Otherwise one would drive much better with "conventional" light water reactors. There are many indications that Obama should now save the PBMR. His party friend Al Gore in his latest book "We Have the Choice" distanced the PBMR a little, but not entirely unfriendly.

Light water reactor?

The greatest competition arises for the PBMR in South Africa from the light water reactor that has come increasingly into focus. This is to be built in Bantamsklip near Hermanus, about 100 kilometers southeast of Cape Town. It is a unique nature reserve and a destination for numerous ecotourists! The whales calve on the coast. On December 19, 12, 2009 people protested against ESKOM's nuclear plans. Environmentalists have organized themselves well here (300) and shout determinedly: "Save Bantamsklip!" Big trouble is inevitable. This utility company really steps into every faux pas.

The enthusiasm for football for the World Cup will wane again at some point, the problems with poverty and the energy supply will remain. Proposals from non-governmental organizations to solve these problems have long been on the table. Henning Melber, Director of the Dag Hammerskjöld Foundation in Uppsala / Sweden, emphasizes: "Social change in the interests of the majority of people is hardly ever (if at all) initiated voluntarily. This was almost certainly in almost all cases through public pressure and Demands enforced from below "(14). I think he put it very politely.

The latest development

On February 17, 2010, the government of South Africa announced that it would drastically cut subsidies for the PBMR for the next three years up to 2013. While a remarkable 700 million euros have been made available by the state in the past three years, it will only be around one million euros in total for the next three years! That would only be 350.000 euros per year. Of the 800 employees of the PBMR company, 600 will now be laid off, 200 can still remain (15). Environmentalists welcomed the decision and hope that more will now be done for renewable energies. The debate in the letters to the editor of some newspapers about the amount of money wasted on the development of the reactor is well underway.

As with the THTR in Hamm 25 years ago, the travel activity of potential buyers for the bankruptcy reactor continues even during the last convulsions of PBMR. The chairman of Algeria's Atomic Energy Agency, Comena, Dr. M. Derdour, visited South Africa these days and saw the whole mess right away.

The letter of intent (!) Of the Japanese company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Lrd should be taken a little more seriously. (MHI) to want to further develop the pebble bed reactor together with South Africa. The Japanese company had already carried out design work for the PBMR in previous years. But first of all, the South Africans have no money of their own for further nuclear experiments. This would have to come from abroad, perhaps also from the USA. Obama wants to invest there in the long term in the development of new generations of reactors. The managers of PBMR may still be able to afford a plane ticket to Washington ...

Notes:

1. "afrika süd" 5/2009, page 4, short messages
2. "south africa" ​​5/2009; Henning Melber: "Socio-economic development in southern Africa", page 32
3. "The World Status Report for the Nuclear Industry 2009" on behalf of the Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, August 2009, page 62
4. See under 3.
5. "south africa" ​​6/2008; Trusha Reddy: "Entry into climate protection?" Page 35
6. "From Politics and Contemporary History" 1/2010, supplement to "Das Parlament"; Norbert Kersting: "Social participation, identity and xenophobia in South Africa"
7. THTR Circular No. 126
8. THTR Circular No. 127
9. "EIR Science & Technology", 2009, page 68. See also BÜSO: THTR Circular No. 128
10. Financial Mail, December 11, 12
11. "ee publishers", December 17, 12
12. "ee publishers", December 20, 1
13. www.savebantamsklip.org
14. See note 2, page 33
15. Cape Times, February 19, 2

Three decades after the Harrisburg nuclear disaster, US President Obama announced on February 16, 2010 that he would provide around eight billion dollars in government loans for the construction of two reactors in the state of Georgia.

Deutsche Welle added on the same day: "Because of the high costs of building new nuclear facilities, state loan commitments to private nuclear companies are an important factor. Obama's commitments are based on a law from the time in office of his predecessor George W. Bush - this allows state loans for projects private energy companies, provided they reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to government figures, this fund currently has around 18 billion dollars. Obama wants to triple it. "

Particularly interesting is the comment quoted by Deutsche Welle: "'We have to build a new generation of safe and clean nuclear facilities in America.' He described atomic energy as a "clean source of energy" that his government, like wind and solar energy, wanted to promote as much as possible. " The USA is a member of the "Generation IV International Forum" (GIF) and one of the driving forces behind the further development of the HTR reactor line. Obviously, a lot of money will be made available by the state for this in the future. Due to the lag in HTR development, the construction of HTRs can at best only have a medium-term perspective from 2020 onwards.

Al Gore: "THTR: Elegant Principle"

Even the allegedly progressive former US Vice President and self-proclaimed climate protection guru Al Gore did not express himself unfriendly to the THTR in his latest book "We have the choice":

"For some experts, the most promising innovation is the 'pebble bed reactor', which is based on a German type of construction from the 1960s. , i.e. combined inert gas, could significantly increase the safety of nuclear power plants. (...) A hoped-for advantage of this principle is that the reactor can continue to run while it is being loaded with new fuel elements. (...) A core meltdown seems to be ruled out. . "

We have documented the rather inelegant belly landing of this reactor line in Germany including the really impressive series of accidents in detail in many other places. The advocacy of Al Gore (or his ghostwriter) for a bankruptcy reactor clearly shows how much he too has to take into account powerful industrial interests.

Hiding one's own experiences

Obviously, Obama and Al Gore are not stupid. Of course they know about the energy policy flops of the past in their own country. But they too have to satisfy the corporations' energy policy wishes. Already 20 years before (!) The failure of the THTR in Hamm-Uentrop, the catastrophic failure of the entire reactor line was already exercised in a striking way through the construction of the high-temperature reactors! With the research reactor Peach Bottom-1 and the HTR prototype Fort St. Vrain.

"Following the second Geneva UN conference on the peaceful use of atomic energy, the USAEC asked American industry in September 1958 to make proposals for the development of a gas-cooled high-temperature reactor. General Atomic complied with this request. The customer for the first American HTR was the Philadelphia Electric Company. "(1) Peach Bottom: Considerable Problems The Ökoinstitut Darmstadt described the further development in 1990:" Peach Bottom-1 with an electrical output of 42 MW was the first and only HTR research reactor in the USA in operation. (...)

However, considerable problems arose during commissioning. The first fuel element loading with simply coated fuel particles had to be completely replaced due to damage to the graphite cladding tubes of the fuel elements. The operation of the plant was stopped in 1974 due to technical difficulties. "(2) The author Bendig added:" There were also difficulties here with the steam generators. "(3) Fort St. Vrain: mostly standstill

Similar to the THTR in Hamm, the construction time for the Fort St. Vrain (FSV) reactor was very long. No spherical fuel elements were used in it, but block elements. The Ökoinstitut Freiburg reported in 1986: "The FSV-HTR was put into operation in 1976 after 11 years of construction and has not been operated continuously at full load since Once again, serious errors occurred, e.g. 1985 shut-off rods were not retracted for 'unknown' reasons. In addition, stress corrosion cracks were found in the control rod cables, etc. " (6)

The scientists from Darmstadt added: "Almost from the beginning, the FSV was not allowed to run more than 70% of the full capacity due to gas fluctuations in the reactor core and problems with the cooling fan as well as uncertainties with the guaranteed residual heat removal capacity. In addition, there was a leak in the steam generator as well a whole series of additional problems. For example, from the start of operation until 1981, the system only achieved an average work availability of 1988%. " (14,5)

Even Werner von Lensa (Vice President of the European High Temperature Reactor Technology Network) cannot avoid admitting the problems in Fort St. Vrain in his presentation under "Experiences" today:

- Cavitation ("hollowing out", HB) of the water pumps = one year delay
- Leaks in He fan bearings = further delays
- Error on (reserve) shut-off rods
- Bypass of hot helium and corrosion on shut-off rod drives
- Fluctuation of the core flow = 70% performance
- Liner leaks on core support "(6)

250 employees evacuated ...

All of this is nothing compared to what Holger Strohm researched in his bestseller "Peaceful in the Catastrophe": "The Americans had high hopes and a lot of money in the development of high-temperature reactors. With the construction of the Fort St. Vrain demonstration reactor The Americans also got a head start of 300 MWel in 1973. However, several tons of water penetrated the core at the beginning of 1975, so that the reactor stood still for several years It named a major or medium leak in the reheater and a failure of the external power supply as possible main causes of major accidents.

In January 1978 another accident occurred with the American high-temperature reactor. At the request of MP Zywietz (FDP), the federal government informed the Bundestag: "In the Fort St. Vrain nuclear power plant, the Public Service of Colorado, which is equipped with a helium-cooled high-temperature reactor, was opened on January 23, 1978 around 11.30 a.m. (US East Coast Time) Failure of the spindle seal of a valve Helium, which was permeated with radioactive iodine, was released into the reactor building ... As a result of emergency plans, 250 employees were evacuated to the information center opposite the facility and the surrounding streets were cordoned off in Jülich ... "(7)

Greenpeace also reported another incident on October 3, 1987: "Fort St. Vrain nuclear power plant in Colorado: Leaking oil triggers a fire in the turbine area. Control room lines, valves and instruments are severely damaged." (8)

Decline of a reactor line

Ulrich Kirchner describes the decline of this reactor line in the USA in his standard work "The High Temperature Reactor" as follows: "In 1974 and 1975 the energy supply companies in the USA withdrew all options for high-temperature reactors for various reasons. Technical decisions played a special role in these decisions Problems and incidents with the Fort St. Vrain reactor, the successful commissioning of which was considered a 'conditio sine qua non' (condition, HB) for the American market launch.In the summer of 1989, the operating company decided that the reactor should not continue to operate, although an operating time up to the year 2008 was planned. " (9)

Fort St. Vrain was demolished by 1992 and thus came to an inglorious end. The American nuclear industry struggled and embarrassed itself with Peach Bottom-1 and FSV for a full 1962 years between 1992 and 30. But none of that counts. Industry has its wishes and the government officials who depend on it have them to fulfill. That is why Barack Obama is now spending billions of dollars on the continuation of a nuclear adventure, the outcome of which is foreseeable.

Notes:

1. Dieter Bendig "Gas-cooled high-temperature reactors", 1972, page 10
2. "Assessment of domestic and foreign concepts for small high-temperature reactors", Ökoinstitut Darmstadt (Hahn and Nockenberg), March 1990, pages 2 - 3
3. Bendig, page 168
4. Ökoinstitut Freiburg (Frey, Fritsche, Herbert, Kohler): "The thorium high-temperature reactor in Hamm and the planned high-temperature reactor variants", page 19
5. Ökoinstitut Darmstadt, see under 2, pages 2 - 4
6. Werner Lensa, "International Development Programs for High-Temperature Reactors", sheet 33
7. Holger Strohm: "Peaceful in the catastrophe", 1981, page 789; Small correction to the book entry: The water ingress took place in 1975, not 1973.
8. Greenpeace: http://www.greenpeace.de/themen/atomkraft/atomunfaelle/artikel/der_jahreskalender_oktober/
9. Ulrich Kirchner: "The high-temperature reactor. Conflicts, interests, decisions", 1991, page 120

When the spectacular report was spread in numerous media on December 28, 12 that a South Korean consortium of companies was commissioned to build four 2009 megawatt nuclear reactors in the United Arab Emirates, the focus was on the embarrassment of the losing bidder France. Significantly, the special situations and accompanying circumstances in South Korea and the United Emirates as well as the role of the FRG were not questioned.

Only a few newspapers expressed a certain astonishment that the third largest oil producing country in the world with many additional opportunities for solar energy production is choosing nuclear energy of all things as an energy option. The fact that the desire to own nuclear weapons could ultimately also be behind this strategic orientation was not discussed on a broad level.

South Korean corporations shine: major order for nuclear reactor construction

The order for the construction of four APR 1400 MW Generation III reactors is worth 20 billion euros. Follow-up orders worth 14 billion euros are in prospect. The first Advanced Power Reactor is supposed to go online in 2017, with more to follow by 2020. "The South Korean bidding consortium around KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation) includes Hyundai Engineering and Construction, Samsung C&T and Doosan Heavy Industries, as well as the US-based company Westinghouse Electric, which belongs to the Japanese company Toshiba. According to industry circles, the South Korean bid was around 16 Billion dollars lower than that of the French competition "(1).

In South Korea there are currently 20 nuclear power plants in operation and five under construction. This country, together with Japan and Taiwan, has the highest density of nuclear power plants in the world in terms of population. Of the APR 1400 reactors, however, only one was under construction in July 2009 and three were "about to start" (2). So South Korea has so far had no operating experience with this type of reactor and the emirs' full-bodied claims about the excellent safety properties of these purchased reactors still have to be proven in practice. In the past, however, South Korea has not been too strict with either the security or the truth about nuclear power.

South Korea ignored global security regulations

"In a report from mid-November, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), al-Baradei, also summarized the situation in South Korea. He notes that the country carried out various experiments and activities between 1982 and 2000, which it made the IAEA not reported, as would have been required under the Safeguard Agreement, which includes the conversion of uranium and its enrichment as well as the separation of plutonium.

In the last few years the inspectors in Vienna had obviously been fobbed off with false information. For example, at the end of 2002 and in April 2003 the atomic authority wanted to visit the center for laser research at the Korean atomic energy research institute Kaeri in Daejeon, but was not given permission to do so. In March of this year, the inspectors were admitted, but were not allowed to take samples. It was stated that the research program did not include nuclear materials. On August 23, however, the declaration was made that uranium had actually been separated. "(3)" In a report from mid-November, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), al-Baradei, also summarized the situation in South Korea. It states that the country carried out various experiments and activities between 1982 and 2000 which it did not report to the IAEA, as it would have been obliged to do under the Safeguard Agreement. This includes the conversion of uranium and its enrichment as well as the separation of plutonium. (4)

Radioactive material, construction plans and help from the FRG

The FRG is directly involved in these processes. Because on April 11, 4, Genscher and Riesenhuber signed a ten-year and later extended cooperation agreement (1986) with South Korea: "... recognizing the numerous advantages of working together in the peaceful use of nuclear energy ...". This cooperation in the use of nuclear power includes an exchange of scientists and research staff as well as the "delivery of plans, drawings and specifications". Particularly interesting: "Transfer of material, nuclear material (!), Equipment, systems and technology for planning, setting up and operating nuclear power plants and other nuclear systems and research facilities" (page 5). The treaty even allows "nuclear material" to be passed on to third countries if the security measures provided for within the IAEA are observed (page 323).

When, in 2005, Federal Environment Minister Trittin urged the red-green coalition to repeal or amend the cooperation agreement in a non-nuclear manner, the then Minister of Economics, Clement, staged a guerrilla war against the green coalition partner. He saw the termination of the contract as "a wrong signal for the export industry" (6). In the red-green coalition agreement of 2002, however, it was said: "Contracts with other states that serve to promote nuclear energy are examined with the aim of determining whether they should be repealed or adapted". Nuclear lobbyist Clement prefers to disregard such contractual clauses; anyway about the will of the majority of the population for a nuclear phase-out.

In the meantime, the former junior partner South Korea is sending its own export signals after having obtained the relevant know-how and material from the FRG. The spread of nuclear weapons-grade material throughout the world is increasing as a result.

Authoritarian feudal regime uses the appropriate form of energy

The United Arab Emirates, as large as Austria in terms of area, consist of a total of seven emirates, two of which are particularly important. Dubai, which got into real estate in 2009 and is in financial difficulties, and wealthy Abu Dhabi, which ordered the nuclear power plants in South Korea.

"According to their own estimates, the Emirates must double the output of their power plant portfolio to 2020 megawatts by 40.000. The reasons are the entry into energy-intensive industries such as chemicals and aluminum production as well as strong population growth. The lavish lifestyle of the affluent residents, for the air conditioning or their own pool, of course So far, the Emirates have met the growing demand for electricity mainly with new gas-fired power plants. But the relatively low-emission fuel can be marketed far more lucratively abroad instead of burning it at subsidized prices in domestic power plants. The Arabs do not trust renewable energies - despite the preferred geographical location of the desert region. Individual showcase projects such as the emission-free city of Masdar, which is currently being built near Dubai, do not change anything "(7).

The geostrategic location of the United Emirates is extremely explosive. Located on the shipping route on the Gulf of Oman, there are disputes with powerful Iran over some smaller islands. If a nuclear power is added in the Middle East with the crisis areas of Iraq, Israel / Palestine and Iran, this will have far-reaching consequences.

Dubai: Base of the Khan network for nuclear weapons accessories

In addition, the emirate of Dubai has played an extremely dubious role as a hub for nuclear weapon components for decades: "According to the Cologne Customs Criminal Police Office (ZHA), the 'hot deals' are also processed via the United Emirates. The Jebel Ali Freezone plays a prominent role in this 'In Dubai, it was reported, over 2000 companies are based there, which forward all goods delivered to them from the area of' dual-use goods' to Iran, but also to Libya, North Korea, Pakistan and Syria "(8).

A free trade zone (JAFZ), in which both military and civil usable nuclear components are pushed back and forth, in the immediate vicinity of gigantic new nuclear power units. A lot comes together. The "father of the Pakistani atomic bomb" Abdul Quadeer Khan (9) always had some of his network's business partners stationed in Dubai. In the United Emirates, in which almost 80 (!) Percent of the population consists of (mostly exploited and rightsless) Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Iranians, etc., this was not noticed.

The American company Meridium, whose branch in Walldorf (Germany) has tried to optimize the South African building preparations for the PBMR with its software, of course has a branch in Dubai.

The United Emirates is a constitutional monarchy in which the old ruling houses of the emirs are in charge. And they think nothing of freedom of the press and democratic control: "On the list of press freedom, the United Arab Emirates are only 69th. Now the monarchical country shows again what it thinks of freedom of expression: The country's most famous newspaper is not allowed to be for three weeks appear - for insulting the ruling family "(10).

"Last year, German exports to the Emirates rose by 40 percent to 8,1 billion euros, despite the global trade slump. The sales volume there exceeded the value of German goods sold in Canada, South Africa and even India, among other places." (11) Abu Dhabi bought shares in Daimler in March 2009 and became the largest single shareholder with 9,1 percent of the company's shares. According to "Konkret", the small state has also massively entered the German armaments industry (Thyssen-Krupp); joint air force maneuvers have been taking place in Abu Dhabi together with the German armed forces since 2005. Soon, however, the fighter pilots will have to be a little more careful when turning around because of the new nuclear power plants ... And ex-Chancellor Gerhard Schröder is enthroned above everything. He is the chairman of the German-Emirati Friendship Society. In the past, however, the UAE cultivated completely different friendships: When it was still a matter of driving the old Soviet Union out of Afghanistan, only three countries recognized Osama bin Laden's Taliban regime: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Alternative energy agency as a fig leaf

The unbelievable mendacity and audacity behind the United Arab Emirates' nuclear energy option is demonstrated by the fact that on January 16 and 17, 2010, the world’s leading event, the World Future Energy Summit, will take place in Abu Dhabi. Also from January 16 to 23, 2010 the "Young Future Energy Leaders Program" (program for leading young people in the field of energies of the future), as well as the award of the "Zayed Future Energy Prize" (Zayed Prize for energies of the future) on January 19, 2010 and the UN Secretary-General's Climate Change Advisory Group meeting on January 22 and 23.

One reason for these activities can be traced back to the fact that Abu Dhabi has been the seat of the International Renewable Energy Agency, the IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency), since 2009. Last year the emirate prevailed over Bonn as a competitor. The state "Germany Trade & Invest", economic development agency of the Federal Republic of Germany, defines the task of IRENA as follows: "The main task of Irena will be to support industrialized and developing countries with the administrative framework for strengthening renewable energies and developing skills." (12) - To underline the seriousness of this concern, the host country Abu Dhabi orders four new nuclear power plants just a few months after the installation of this famous alternative energy agency and on top of that commits itself to additional medium-term nuclear follow-up orders!

How well the alternative energies are in the United Arab Emirates, the BRD business development agency "Germany Trade & Invest" openly admits: "It is unlikely that the GCC states (13) will develop into a top market for renewable energies After all, it is not in the interests of oil producers to spoil the oil price by becoming too involved in renewable energies. In this context, the Organization of Arab Oil Exporting States (OAPEC) warns of the dangers of destabilizing the oil price in a study an excessive development of biofuels, but also of renewable energies. "

As if in mockery, the "Emirates News Agency, WAM" wrote about the absurd theater production of the international alternative energy congresses in the nuclear wonderland: "... and thus confirms the solid position of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi as an up-and-coming center for renewable energies" (14). These loudspeakers of the emirs are not allowed to write anything else: In the medieval feudal regime, there is press censorship, including the use of the Internet. What paradisiacal conditions for the nuclear industry!

Masdar: A mirage

The UAE are trying to improve their oil and nuclear image with another fig leaf. The allegedly CO2-neutral city of Masdar is to be completed by 22 for 2018 billion euros. Despite the planned economical energy consumption and integrated sun protection through shading construction, the concept remains one-dimensional and inflexible. The planned separate areas for living, working and recreation are viewed by urban planners today as failed models of yesterday. The planned 50.000 commuters who have to drive to work in cars and buses from around 100 kilometers away are a bad joke! All of this is far too technocratic and not planned in a humane manner (15).

As early as 1975, the eco-anarchist Murray Bookchin stated that "alternative technology" in the hands of capitalist corporations would degenerate into technocratic manipulation while at the same time abandoning emancipatory goals:

"Already now the landscape of alternative technology has been polluted by this drift, especially by mega-projects to 'harness' the sun and wind Such projects are nothing more than a mockery of 'alternative technology'.

Due to their dimensions, they are conventional in an almost classic way. This is true both in terms of their gigantic nature and the extent to which they aggravate a bureaucratically centralized national division of labor that has already begun. "(16)

Alternative energy is not a technology that can be arbitrarily exchanged for other forms of energy, but is to be seen in its relationship to the social and political system within which it exists. Bookchin said: "'Alternative energy' - if it is to lay the foundation for a new eco-technology - would have to be tailored to human dimensions. Put more simply, this means that the gigantism of corporations with their huge, unmanageable industrial plants would have to be replaced by small industrial units, that would be manageable for people and could be directly managed by them. " (17)

Geostrategic location

The worsening situation in Yemen, a few hundred kilometers to the south, will cause further problems in the future. "In its unstable social and political structure, Yemen is very similar to Afghanistan. It is therefore not surprising that the al-Qaeda fighters set up their base here after severe setbacks in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Yemen offers al-Qaeda -Fighters a quasi-natural location on the Arabian Peninsula. (...) The USA reacts to this real threat with the armament of the Yemeni central power and a - still limited - direct participation in the military fight against the Islamists Yemen will be more successful than in the Hindu Kush, one can at least cast doubt on it. " (18). With so much explosives in the region, the situation for the nuclear industry may even be paradisiacal in two senses ...

Without democratic control options (as limited as they are) and with a dictatorial government, there is an increased risk that security issues will be sloppy in nuclear facilities and that atomic bomb-grade material will fall into the hands of criminals. Everything that has been warned about for years is now happening. It is no longer just the exclusive circle of the original great and medium-sized powers that rely on nuclear power, but now also risk-taking small states, tribal princes and authoritarian rulers in crisis areas, as well as emerging economies willing to move up, handle atomic bomb-compatible material. The genie is finally out of the bottle!

Notes:

1. 1. ntv from December 27, 12
2. 2. "Fact sheet" August 2009, Nuclear Forum Switzerland
3. 3. Neue Züricher Zeitung of November 26, 11
4. 4. atw, February 2004, page 119
5. 5. http://untreaty.un.org/unts/60001_120000/23/24/00045154.pdf
6. 6th TAZ of March 16, 3
7. 7. Finacial Times Deutschland from September 8, 9
8. 8. Saar-Echo from August 26, 8
9. 9. See THTR Circular No. 111 and THTR Circular No. 118
10. 10. Financial Times Deutschland from July 6, 7
11. 11. Jörg Kronauer in "Konkret", January 2010
12. 12. http://www.gtai.de/DE/Content/SharedDocs/Links-Einzeldokumente-Datenbanken/fachdokument.html?fIdent=MKT200908258011
13. 13. GCC countries: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates
14. 14, 23 December 12: http://www.uaeinteract.com/german/
15. 15. See: Vesta Nele Zareh in "Freitag" from January 21, 1
16. 16. Murray Bookchin "The Forms of Freedom", Verlag Büchse der Pandora, 1977, page 53
17. 17. See (1), page 56
18. 18th TAZ of March 4, 1

The construction site of the two coal blocks C and D right next to the THTR in Uentrop will remain with us for some time, as there were not inconsiderable delays in completion. As the WA reported on February 19, 2, the coal-fired power plant will not go into operation until mid-2010. Cracks in weld seams were discovered. Now existing structures have to be demolished again and replaced with new constructions.

The collapse of a 60 meter high chimney in the pyrolysis plant of the old (!) Coal-fired power plant in December 2009 raises the question of the security of the decommissioned THTR. After all, the immediate vicinity is teeming with tall construction cranes, structures and soon two 165-meter-high cooling towers. What if these fell on the reactor?

Let's stay with the chimney that collapsed on December 10th, 12, which broke into three parts and caused considerable damage. The WA of December 2009, 11 wrote: "The top piece fell on a transformer, the middle piece hit the roof of Block C. Why the lower part of the chimney snapped off around 12 p.m. was still unclear on Friday. An RWE - Spokesman did not support the initial assumption that there was a deflagration after overheating. (...) Switching the system on and off resulted in voltage fluctuations in the public network for a short time. In terms of safety, this had no relevance, says RWE. Effects on the environment can be ruled out as things stand. "

The news agency DDP wrote on December 11th, 12: "For reasons unknown so far, the fire had broken out in the pyrolysis system of the power plant. There it had overheated. As a result, a fire started in the chimney. The chimney collapsed and fell on the power station building, which was badly damaged. "

The damage was in the six-digit euro range. The chimney tilted toward THTR. How badly would the THTR building have been damaged if it had been hit? During the next two years, due to the delays, there will be a lot of construction site activity in the immediate vicinity of the THTR and even after that there is no all-clear: "Falling over" can also do a lot in normal operation.

On April 24th at 12.30 p.m., the central NRW demo to the Ahaus interim storage facility begins at Ahaus train station. We want to remember the Chernobyl disaster and demand an immediate nuclear phase-out.

NRW is a center of the nuclear industry, which is why we consider it necessary to set an example here in the Münsterland.

• The interim storage facility is located in Ahaus. We expect 1800 containers with low- and medium-level radioactive nuclear waste, 152 Castor-like containers from Jülch and 150 atomic containers from La Hague.
• In Gronau, 20 km away, there is Urenco's uranium enrichment plant, where an employee was recently radioactively contaminated.
• Uranium transports are already regularly traveling on the motorways and railways through North Rhine-Westphalia.
• In Duisburg there is a nuclear waste conditioning plant from GNS (Society for Nuclear Service).
• At the Jülich research center, research is still being carried out on the high-temperature reactor. Nobody knows what to do with the contaminated AVR ruins.

After our Laurenz lost his parliamentary mandate with only 32,8% last year, he then had to go into hostile professional life. In his report to his "case manager" WA he wrote on February 4, 2 about his professional integration as a management consultant: "My clients are medium-sized companies with technical innovations. I advise on everything from strategic advice to communication." But what happened to his old compulsive act of doing something indecent? Where does it go with its destructive energy, splitting atoms no longer? - As the managing director of a real estate company, he is now giving a new home in an almost equally exposed location to a weapons shop, against whose busy location in the city center half of Hamm protested. So he stays true to himself: every year a good bad deed.

You can find more episodes of this popular series in the older editions: 

THTR Circular No. 126

THTR Circular No. 103

THTR Circular No. 96

THTR Circular No. 95

THTR Circular No. 87

***

Top

***

***

Top

***