Boris Johnson set to reveal plan for reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to announce fresh backing for electric vehicles, hydrogen, and nuclear power as part of a 10-point plan to put the country on course for net zero emissions by 2050. Mr Johnson is expected to unveil his strategy in the coming week, as he sets out his vision for transforming the UK into a low-carbon leader with thriving green …

Japan now has 16 reactors that meet requirements

Japan now has 16 reactors at nine nuclear power plants that have cleared government requirements adopted after the 2011 Fukushima accident. The No.2 reactor at Tohoku Electric Power Company’s Onagawa plant in Miyagi Prefecture, and the reactor at Japan Atomic Power Company’s Tokai No.2 plant in Ibaraki Prefecture were affected by the 2011 earthquake and …

Nuclear power stations will create 6,000 UK ‘levelling up’ jobs by 2025 and 40,000 in 15 years in a boost to green economic recovery

The UK SMR consortium, led by Rolls-Royce, has announced it expects to create 6,000 regional UK jobs within the next five years, if the UK Government makes a clear commitment that enables a fleet of 16 small modular reactor (SMR) power stations to be built over the next 20 years. The power stations will help …

Russia retires Leningrad 2 RBMK

The Leningrad 2 nuclear power unit in in Sosnovy Bor in Western Russia was shut down permanently today. The RBMK, which has been in operation for 45 years, is to be replaced by Leningrad II-2, a VVER-1200, which on 6 November received regulatory approval to start pilot operation. Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom said Leningrad 2 …

Senate proposes spending increase at environmental agencies

The Republican-led Senate is proposing modest spending increases for environmental agencies compared to last year’s budget, diverging from proposed cuts that the Trump White House put forward earlier this year. In its $38 billion Interior-environment spending bill for fiscal 2021, the Senate Appropriations Committee proposed giving about $13.6 billion to the Interior Department and about $9.09 billion to the Environmental …

Horizon eyes transfer of nuclear sites

Horizon Nuclear Power is in discussions about transferring its Wylfa Newydd and Oldbury nuclear-build sites to another developer. Horizon confirmed in September that it was scrapping its work at the sites after parent company Hitachi failed to agree a funding deal with the UK Government. It later asked Whitehall to delay a decision on a …

Japan, world’s third largest economy, vows to become carbon neutral by 2050

TOKYO — Japan’s new prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, committed his country on Monday to reaching a target of zero emissions of greenhouse gases and achieving a carbon-neutral society by 2050, with a “fundamental shift” in policy on coal use. Suga outlined the major move in his country’s attitude toward climate change in his first policy …