#renewablesnow — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #renewablesnow, aggregated by home.social.
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#Aotearoa / #NewZealand - #MakerFestival
12 - 13 Sept 2026
10:00 am – 6:00 pm148 Durham Street, #Tauranga 3110, New Zealand
"Innovate. Create. Electrify the Future.
#STEM #WanaTrust proudly presents our first ever #MakerFest ! A #SustainableTech event that aims to inspire #innovation and #EnvironmentalResponsibility by developing and showcasing #RenewableEnergy and electrification projects to a broad audience.
Maker Festival will also have a dedicated #RepairCafé over the 2 event days.
Registration: Register for this event and find out more by heading to the learn more button or here
Audience: While the festival is about hands-on learn by doing, #MakerFest is suited to older rangatahi and young adults. We welcome all ages, but some activities will be unsuitable to those under 12 years of age. Please check our programme for the day for more info on what to expect to avoid disappointment.
Accessibility: Public transport, #WhānauFriendly and #Mobility #accessible
Cost: Free entry
Venue: 148 Durham Street, Tauranga 3110
Maximum Capacity: 1600"FMI and to register:
https://www.repairnetworkaotearoa.org.nz/repair-festival-2026/maker-festival-tauranga-repair-caf%C3%A9#SolarPunkSunday #RepairCafes #RepairNetworkAotearoa
#RepairReuseRestore #STEMWanaTrust #ZeroWaste #FixIt #RepairFestival #RenewablesNow #SolarPunk #RepairFestival2026 #BuildingCommunity #SustainableTechnology -
Boo hiss...
Controversial #JackdawGasField set to be approved in weeks, sources say
Simon Jack, 3 September 2026
"The #UK government is set to give the go-ahead for a controversial new #GasField off the coast of #Aberdeen, the BBC understands.
"Approval for the Jackdaw project could come in mid-September, just before #Parliament breaks for party conference season, according to government and industry sources.
"The gas field was approved by the former #ConservativeGovernment in 2022 but was delayed by a legal ruling from a #ScottishCourt, after #EnvironmentalGroups argued consent was given without fully considering the #ClimateImpact.
"Jackdaw's owner says it will account for 6% of UK gas output when at peak production but environmental groups say it will provide only 2% of UK use when imports are included.
"Campaigners launched legal challenges after Jackdaw was approved in 2022 and when the #RosebankOilField off #Shetland was given the green light in 2023.
"The Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled last year that #Rosebank and Jackdaw had been unlawfully approved because the government had failed to take into account the climate impact of burning extracted #OilAndGas from the sites.
"A judge ruled that more detailed climate assessments had to be published, and further estimates were put out for consultation in July.
"Both Jackdaw and Rosebank are operated by #Adura, a joint venture between energy giants #ShellOil and Norway's #Equinor. Aberdeen-based firm Ithaca also owns 20% of Rosebank.
"Adura has estimated that Jackdaw could produce 35.8m tonnes of carbon over its 11-year lifetime, the equivalent of 90% of Scotland's emissions for 2023. But it said a more likely estimate was about 23.6m tonnes - equivalent to 60% of the 2023 figure.
" #Environmentalists insist that more #drilling would be unconscionable, hampering efforts to cut planet-warming carbon emissions as deadly #heatwaves and #ExtremeWeather affect billions across the globe.
"They also say starting production would not protect energy security and that transitioning sooner to #GreenerTechnologies would be better for supporting jobs."
Read more:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj9xe09jz4eo#RenewablesNow #NoDrilling #NorthSea #ScottishCoast #UKNews #UKPol #Scotland #BigOilAndGas #ShellLies #Oiligarchy
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Double harvest: #raspberries and #RenewableEnergy - #FruitLogistica
Excerpts: "Based on current findings, strawberries do not thrive under #SolarPanels, so this combination of crops does not have a promising future. This was the conclusion of a Wageningen University study on fruit cultivation beneath #photovoltaic systems.
Strawberries grown beneath solar panels with 25 to 50 per cent light transmission experienced a significant drop in yield – by 25 to 30 per cent.
The situation was quite different for raspberries, however: under solar panels with 40 per cent light transmission, the harvest yield fell by only five per cent, and the quality of the fruit remained unchanged. At the same time, the panels reduced evaporation and water consumption, protecting the berries from burns and heat peaks.
The scientists also expect positive effects on #WaterConsumption and protection against #ExtremeWeather conditions.
[...]
One clear advantage is that raspberries are currently grown under rain protection films that have to be replaced every five to seven years. This equates to a significant amount of plastic that would no longer be required if solar modules were used instead. And they last at least ten years."
Full article:
https://www.fruitlogistica.com/en/blog/double-harvest-raspberries-and-renewable-energy.html#SolarPunkSunday #SolarFarms #Solar #RenewableEnergy #RenewablesNow #Agrosolar #Agrovoltaics #SolarPanelAgriculture #SolarOnFarms #SolarEnergy
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#Trump has undermined the agency tasked with making sure America never has another #nuclear meltdown
By Ella Nilsen, Updated Mar 10, 2026
"The federal regulatory agency tasked with keeping America’s #NuclearPower plants safe and running smoothly is set to make huge cuts to the amount of time its staffers spend on #safety and emergency #inspections, opening the door to more self-policing from the industry.
"As it embarks on a reorganization to fulfill executive orders from President Donald Trump, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission [#NRC] is proposing to dramatically reduce its inspection hours for existing #NuclearPowerPlants, cutting back on the amount of time independent inspectors look for plants’ security procedures, #radiation protection for staff, #maintenance and safety.
"The NRC has been a crucial part of keeping America’s nuclear energy operating for the past 40 years — and experts say its authority is only more necessary than ever as the Trump administration seeks to usher in a new golden age of nuclear energy. But Trump wants to streamline the agency, and staff cuts combined with executive orders are troubling signs that Trump is undoing the NRC’s independence, experts said."
Read more:
https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/10/climate/trump-nuclear-regulation-safety-energy-future#NoNewNukes #NoNukes #USPol #TEPCOLied #HoltecLies #TrumpLies #NoMoreChernobyls #NoMoreFukushimas #SMRs
#NRCFail #RenewablesNow #MakeAmericaRadioactiveAgain -
Alas, starting to wind down this #SolarPunkSunday... TY to @MaQuest , @jblue , @BrambleBearGrrrauwling and everyone who used the hashtag and/or boosted the posts! I'll re-post a few articles from yesterday before returning to the "Doom and Gloom" posts. Please join us next week for the 1 year anniversary of SPS! We hope you'll share your stories, art, helpful hints, and tales of hope and community! #InformationIsPower!
#ABetterWorld is possible!
#SolarPunk #SolarPunkArt #SolarPunkMusings #StabilizedWorld #LtG #BuildingCommunity #Decolonize #DeGrowth #SolarPunkSunday
#HopePunk #DeCapitalize
#RightToRepair #NatureRocks #ClimateChange #RenewablesNow
#GrowYourOwnFood #ClimateAdaptation -
So, for the upcoming one year anniversary of #SolarPunkSunday on December 21st, we invite writers, artists and makers to share their works! I'll be focusing on #SolarPunk and #Resiliency around the world, as we are all in this TOGETHER! #AnotherWorldIsPossible!
#SolarPunk #SolarPunkArt #SolarPunkMusings #ABetterWorld #StabilizedWorld #LtG #BuildingCommunity #Decolonize #DeGrowth #SolarPunkSunday
#HopePunk #DeCapitalize
#RightToRepair #NatureRocks #ClimateChange #RenewablesNow
#GrowYourOwnFood #ClimateAdaptation -
Essay - How the climate conversation went punk
From #SlowFashion to #GuerrillaGardening, the internet has transformed solarpunk, a literary movement, into an alternative lifestyle trend.
Written by Sonal Gupta
Mumbai | Updated: November 20, 2025Excerpt: "In 2020, #SolarPunkFarms cropped up in California as a #communal living space whose inhabitants grow and share their own food. The leftovers are sent to local markets. They have designed their #greenhouse after the animations of #HayaoMiyazaki. In fact, the works of the #StudioGhibli founder have found resonance among solarpunks, as he places nature as a character in his plots. In his visions, nature is at its most beautiful—lush greenery, rays of light, the dew on leaves, and the wind blowing life into trees.
"Though these changes are encouraging, it’s ironic that as we move past dystopian visions, the #capitalists of the world, running in the #AI race, threaten to steer us to the very future. The use of AI itself depletes water resources and generates immense amounts of greenhouse gases and electronic waste. If we are to live in a world where technology exists in harmony with #nature, #activists, stakeholders, and individuals must actively call for more #SustainableSolutions, #AffirmativeAction, and policy changes.
"If cyberpunk warned us of what happens when technology consumes humanity, solarpunk invites us to imagine what is possible when humanity reclaims technology. It reminds us that hope, like sunlight, is a renewable resource too."
Read more:
https://indianexpress.com/article/fresh-take/what-is-solarpunk-climate-change-10334376/Archived version:
https://archive.ph/8loNL#SolarPunkSunday #SolarPunk #HopePunk #DeGrowth #DeCapitalize #RightToRepair #NatureRocks #AISucks #ClimateChange #RenewablesNow #GrowYourOwnFood #ABetterWorld #StabilizedWorld #ClimateAdaptation
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The perfect place for a #SolarPlant -- where there is LOTS of sun!
#Iraq inaugurates first phase of largest solar plant to date
The first phase of the #Karbala #SolarPowerPlant, totaling 22 MW, is now online. Its capacity is expected to reach 75 MW within the next two moves, ahead of a final 300 MW target.
September 22, 2025 Patrick Jowett
Read more:
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/09/22/iraq-inaugurates-first-phase-of-largest-solar-plant-to-date/ -
#French #NuclearPower production expected to be reduced on Wednesday
By Reuters
August 12, 2025PARIS, Aug 12 (Reuters) - "Power production at France's #Bugey3 #nuclear reactor in the east of the country is expected to be reduced by 500 megawatts (MW) on Wednesday, data from operator #EDF showed on Tuesday, as high river temperatures reduce the plant's ability to intake cooling water.
"A #heatwave throughout #France has led to multiple warnings of power reductions at a number of #NuclearPlants, particularly on the #RhoneRiver in the east and the #GaronneRiver in the west."The #Bugey 3 reactor has a maximum capacity of 910 MW, which will be reduced to 410 MW from 2:30 p.m. (1230 GMT) to midnight on Wednesday as the reactor is required to meet environmental safety measures, EDF's data showed.
"The high water temperature warnings for the #SaintAlban plant - down river of the Bugey site - and the #Golfech site in the west were moved to August 14, but restrictions have not yet been issued.
Average temperatures in the country are expected to continue to peak throughout the week, reaching a high of 28.5 degrees Celsius (83.3°F) on Saturday, LSEG data showed."#NuclearPower accounts for about 70% of total French power consumption annually, but August is the main holiday season throughout the country and electricity demand is often limited."
#EuropeHeatWaves #France #RethinkNotRestart #NoNukes #NoNukesForAI #NuclearPowerNoThanks #NuclearWasteIsForever #NuclearPowerPlants #ExtremeHeat #RenewablesNow #RenewableEnergy #RethinkNotRestart
#LeNucléaireNonMerci -
#Jellyfish Shut Four French #NuclearReactors as #HeatWave Builds
By Eamon Farhat
August 11, 2025"#Electricite de France SA [#EDF] was forced to shut four #AtomicReactors after a swarm of jellyfish clogged up filter drums at its #Gravelines power plant.
"The 'massive and unforeseen' [um, not if you read my posts -- very much FORESEEN] presence of jellyfish in the filter drums of pumping stations closed four out of six reactors at Gravelines on the north coast of France, EDF said in a statement on Monday. Pumping stations for coastal #NuclearPlants usually draw in sea water for cooling, sometimes exposing them to marine life.
"A #MarineHeatWave is intensifying off the west coast of France, with unusually warm waters in the English Channel near Gravelines, data from #Copernicus Marine Service show. Jellyfish populations can 'bloom' at such times, and France has closed several beaches in recent weeks due to invasions of the eight-legged molluscs, according reports compiled by the beach information app Meduseo."
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/bahil#EuropeHeatWaves #France #Jellyfish #RethinkNotRestart #NoNukes #NoNukesForAI #NuclearPowerNoThanks #NuclearWasteIsForever #NuclearPowerPlants #ExtremeHeat #RenewablesNow #RenewableEnergy #RethinkNotRestart
#LeNucléaireNonMerci -
The #HeatWave of late June threatens French #nuclear production
Written by Justine Dumont, Energy Renovation Expert Editor on 24 June 2025 at 08:00
"#EDF plans to reduce the production of its nuclear fleet, in particular that of the #Bugey power plant in Ain, as of Wednesday 25 June, due to the expected high temperatures. This decision comes at a time when Météo-France has placed 16 departments in orange-heat-wave vigilance since Friday 20 June."
Read more (en Français):
https://france3-regions.franceinfo.fr/normandie/manche/nucleaire-la-pleine-puissance-de-l-epr-de-flamanville-repoussee-d-ici-a-la-fin-de-l-automne-3196599.html#EuropeHeatWaves #NuclearPowerPlants #NuclearPlants #NoNukes #NuclearPowerNoThanks #NuclearWasteIsForever #NuclearPlants #Heatwaves #ExtremeHeat #RenewablesNow #RenewableEnergy #RethinkNotRestart
#NoNukes #NoNukesForAI #LeNucléaireNonMerci -
Invasion of #jellyfish, heat, water too hot: #GlobalWarming threatens the functioning of #NuclearPowerPlants
Several reactors are regularly forced to stop to protect river #biodiversity. While cuts in periods of high heat still have a very limited impact on supply, electrification of uses and #ClimateChange could make a difference.
Marie Toulgoat , Published 11 August 2025
"When nature paralyses the French nuclear park. Four units of the Gravelines nuclear power plant (northern) are at a standstill on Monday 11 August due to the 'mass and unforeseeable presence of jellyfish; at the water pumping stations used for the cooling of the reactors, EDF announced.
"These automatic stops of units 2, 3, 4 and 6 'have had no consequences on the safety of the installations, the safety of personnel or on the environment', #EDF assures on its site. The plant is thus temporarily completely shut down, as its other two production units 1 and 5 are currently under maintenance.
"On Sunday, 29 June, no steam volutes escaped from the chimneys of the Gulf nuclear power plant (Tarn-et-Garonne). Due to the intense #HeatWave in #France, the reactor in operation at the site was shut down. In the middle of the summer of 2024, the nuclear power plant had already been forced to reduce its production."
Read more (en Français):
https://www.humanite.fr/environnement/canicule/meduses-canicule-eau-trop-chaude-quand-le-rechauffement-climatique-menace-le-fonctionnement-des-centrales-nucleairesArchived version (en Français):
https://archive.ph/zNGD2#NoNukes #NoNukesForAI #NuclearPowerNoThanks #NuclearWasteIsForever #NuclearPowerPlants
#NuclearPowerNoThanks
#NuclearPlants #Heatwaves
#ExtremeHeat #RenewablesNow #RenewableEnergy #RethinkNotRestart
#NoNukes #NoNukesForAI #Atomkraft #AtomkraftNeinDanke #LeNucléaireNonMerci -
[Paywall] From 2021: Increase in frequency of nuclear power outages due to changing climate
by Ali Ahmad
Nature Energy volume 6, pages 755–762 (2021)
Abstract:
"Climate-related changes have already affected operating conditions for different types of energy system, in particular power plants. With more than three decades of data on changing climate, we are now in a position to empirically assess the impact of #ClimateChange on power plant operations. Such empirical assessments can provide an additional measure of the resilience of power plants going forward. Here I analyse climate-linked outages in #NuclearPowerPlants over the past three decades. My assessment shows that the average frequency of climate-induced disruptions has dramatically increased from 0.2 outage per reactor-year in the 1990s to 1.5 in the past decade. Based on the projections for adopted climate scenarios, the average annual energy loss of the global nuclear fleet is estimated to range between 0.8% and 1.4% in the mid-term (2046–2065) and 1.4% and 2.4% in the long term (2081–2100)."
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-021-00849-y
#NuclearPlants #NuclearPowerNoThanks #ClimateChange #Heatwaves #ExtremeHeat #RenewablesNow #RenewableEnergy #RethinkNotRestart #NoNukes #NoNukesForAI
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We’re having a #heatwave...
And #NuclearPower can’t cope. Worse still, it’s actually a liability under ever more extreme climate conditions, write Karl Grossman and Harvey Wasserman
Posted on July 27, 2025, by #BeyondNuclear
"At the core of the latest attempted 'renaissance' of nuclear power is the big lie that #AtomicReactors are an answer to #GlobalWarming. In fact, they are significant sources of heat.
"There are more than 400 nuclear power plants in the world today that fission atoms at 300 degrees Centigrade, (572 degrees Fahrenheit). More are under construction or proposed. As the International Atomic Energy Agency states, 'water-cooled reactors offer heat up to 300 degrees Celsius. These types of reactors include pressurized water reactors (PWRs), boiling-water reactors (BWRs), pressurized heavy-water reactors, and light-water-cooled graphite-moderated reactors (LWGRs).'
"Some heat is absorbed in the water—drawn from water bodies—used to cool these nuclear power plants and then returned, still with considerable heat, to #rivers or #seas.
"The heatwave going on in recent weeks in Europe, in combination with this discharge of heated water from nuclear plants, has caused #NuclearPlants there to shut down.
"Consider these headlines from recent days:
" '#France and #Switzerland shut down nuclear power plants amid scorching heatwave,' was the July 3rd headline on Euronews. As the piece explained: “To cool down, nuclear power plants pump water from local rivers or the sea, which they then release back into water bodies at a high temperature. However, Europe’s ongoing heatwave means that the water pumped by nuclear sites is already very hot, impacting the ability of nuclear plants to use it to cool down. On top of this, nuclear sites run the risk of posing a dangerous threat to local #biodiversity, by releasing water which is too hot into rivers and seas.'
"A New York Times article, also dated July 3rd, related how in Europe, 'operators shut down one of the two reactors at the #Golfech nuclear power plant in southern #France after forecasts that the #GaronneRiver, from which it draws water and then discharges it after it is used in the plant as coolant, 'could top…82 degrees Fahrenheit.' The Times continued: 'The #Beznau Nuclear Power Plant in #Switzerland, built along the #AareRiver followed suit, shutting down one of its reactors on Tuesday and the other on Wednesday.' "
Source:
https://beyondnuclearinternational.org/blog/#ExtremeHeat #ClimateChange #NuclearPowerPlants #NuclearPowerNoThanks #RenewablesNow! #WaterIsLife #NoNukes #RethinkNotRestart #NoNukesForAI
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#Carbon14: Another underestimated danger from #nuclear reactors
"There are a number of radionuclides released from nuclear energy facilities. This paper highlights carbon-14 for a number of reasons:
- Carbon-14 is radioactive and is released into air as #methane and #CO2
- Before 2010, carbon-14 releases from nuclear reactors were virtually ignored in the United States. Today only estimates are required and only under certain restrictive circumstances.
- There is no good accounting of releases to date, so its impact on our health, our children’s health, and that of our
#environment remains unknown, yet environmental measurement is possible, but can be challenging under certain
conditions.- Carbon-14 has a half-life of over 5700 years and the element carbon is a basic building block for life on earth. Therefore, “it constitutes a potential health hazard, whose additional production by #anthropogenic sources of today will result in an increased #radiation exposure to many future generations.”
- Like #tritium, it can collect in the tissues of the fetus at twice the concentration of the tissues in the mother, pointing to its
disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable human lifecycle: the developing child.The element carbon is found in all organic substances. Carbon is also a primary constituent of #GreenhouseGases that are responsible for #ClimateChange, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (#CH4). Carbon-14 (c-14) is a radioactive form of
carbon that occurs in nature and is also newly formed in nuclear power processes.
"Carbon-14 is a health concern because it is released from #NuclearPower facilities as radioactive carbon dioxide and methane, traveling readily in the local and global environment."Over time, carbon-14 becomes part of organic material including food, and has a half-life of approximately 5,730 years, decaying by a type of radioactive particle called a beta. Its hazardous life is 10-20 times its half-life, meaning that harmful exposure to man-made carbon-14 can last for hundreds of generations. The radioactive carbon forms as a byproduct of fissioning of uranium fuel, through a process called activation. The final step is a chemical reaction between carbon-14 and oxygen or hydrogen, which forms methane or carbon dioxide. The radioactive carbon-14 formed by this process is brand new and would not exist without nuclear fission.
"During its long hazardous life, carbon-14 could be responsible for gross physical or
mental defects, stillbirths and childhood deaths, embryonic and neonatal deaths into the many millions over the life of the isotope."These millions could be underestimated five times or more. Carbon-14 could also be responsible for #leukemia, bone and other #cancers."
https://beyondnuclear.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/carbon14FINAL.pdf
#NoNukes #RethinkNotRestart #NoNukesForAI #RenewablesNow! #BeyondNuclear #NuclearIsNotCarbonFree
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HT @btschumy
And this is why we need to #RethinkNotRestart and #ShutDownAllNuclearPlants -- especially the aging ones! This article outlines a very possible #Doomsday scenario -- but it could be a number of things, including a large #SolarFlare...2030 Doomsday Scenario: The Great #Nuclear Collapse
A timeline of the #EndGame for human civilization
"Humanity has constructed a doomsday Deadman switch that threatens civilization. Climate destruction will make it increasingly difficult to avoid the looming global nuclear catastrophe we've created.
"Here's how our future might unravel:
Late 2020s: Climate Red Alert and Infrastructure Strain"By the late 2020s, Earth’s climate is in unprecedented turmoil. Global average temperatures are consistently 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. Each year brings record-breaking heatwaves, “freak” floods, and droughts that batter infrastructure. Coastal cities flood more frequently, roads buckle in extreme heat, and power grids strain under surging demand for cooling.
"This cascade of climate disasters sets the stage for a systemic collapse: as societies grapple with runaway warming, the resilience of #Criticalnfrastructure (power, water, transit) erodes.
"Energy systems enter a crisis even before 2030. Nuclear power, which in 2025 still provided about 9% of the world’s electricity from ~440 reactors, becomes increasingly unreliable. Many nuclear plants struggle with climate stresses: cooling water sources heat up in summer, forcing reactors to reduce output or shut down to avoid unsafe temperatures. For example, a 2028 European #heatwave pushes river and sea temperatures above 25 °C, triggering emergency shutdowns at multiple reactors that cannot be cooled effectively.
"At the same time, stronger storms and floods threaten reactor safety. Dozens of reactors worldwide are unprepared for #ExtremeFlooding, meaning a dam failure or #StormSurge could lead to a Fukushima-scale accident. Worrisome reports emerge of power plants in #floodplains and #coasts where defenses are overtopped by #RisingSeas and torrential rains.
"By 2029, global carbon output remains high, and natural feedback loops are kicking in. In the Arctic, permafrost thaws and releases methane creating a vicious warming cycle where initial warming triggers more emissions, leading to even more warming. Scientists caution that a tipping point is near, beyond which climate change becomes self-perpetuating (a true “runaway” scenario).
"Society approaches 2030 in a precarious state: aware of looming catastrophe yet unprepared for its speed. The stage is set for the coming collapse, with power grids and nuclear facilities - the backbone of the industrial world - already under severe strain.
Early 2030s: Blackouts and the First Reactor Crises
"2030 marks the breaking point.
"A confluence of climate catastrophes collapses power grids across multiple continents. A severe global heatwave in the summer of 2030 brings record electricity demand while many power plants (nuclear and coal alike) are derated or offline due to overheating coolant water.
"Then powerful Category 5 storms strike in succession: one hurricane inundates the U.S. Eastern seaboard, while an unprecedented typhoon swamps Southeast Asia. These #disasters knock out transmission lines and flood key substations, leading to prolonged blackouts in dozens of major cities. Emergency systems are overwhelmed. With communications down and transportation paralyzed, manpower shortages become acute - many operators and engineers cannot reach their stations.
"Nuclear power plants are among the first to feel the emergency. Grid failure triggers automatic reactor SCRAMs (rapid shutdowns) at plants from Florida to France. Control rods halt the fission reactions, but decay heat in reactor cores still needs cooling for days to prevent meltdown.
"Normally, backup diesel generators would power the cooling pumps, but the scale of the #blackout means diesel resupply is uncertain and some generators fail in flooded facilities. In a grim reflection of 2011’s Fukushima disaster, several coastal reactors lose all power as storm surges drown their backup generators.
"Within hours to days, the first meltdowns occur.
"In 2031, a reactor in South Asia becomes a flashpoint: its cooling pumps falter after the grid collapse, leading the core to overheat. The reactor’s heart melts through containment in a matter of days, releasing a plume of radioactive steam and debris.
"Nearby, an even greater danger unfolds: the plant’s spent fuel pool, packed with years of highly radioactive spent rods, boils dry without cooling. Exposed to air, the zirconium cladding of the fuel ignites, triggering a fire that belches long-lived radioisotopes directly into the atmosphere. This nightmare scenario - once narrowly avoided at #Fukushima by heroic ad-hoc measures - now plays out in full."
Read more:
https://www.collapse2050.com/2030-doomsday-scenario-the-great-nuclear-collapse/#NoNukes #RenewablesNow #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #Radiation #NuclearMeltdowns #Polycrisis #NoMoreFukushimas #NoNukesForAI #CivilizationCollapse #NuclearFuture #ARadioactiveWorld
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Perhaps the Biggest Winner in #GermanElections: #NuclearPower
The victorious #conservatives and the surging #FarRight both are big fans.
Alexander C. Kaufman, February 27, 2025
"Nuclear energy may be the big winner.
"Europe’s largest economy shuttered its last reactors two years ago in what was meant to be an irreversible exit from atomic energy. But surging energy prices and electricity demand are driving calls to revive Germany’s nuclear power industry.
"As the victorious Christian Democratic Union (#CDU) and its sister party in Bavaria, the Christian Social Union, wrote in their party manifesto, 'We are resolved to stick with the nuclear energy option, counting on research on nuclear energy in its 4th and 5th generation, small modular reactors, and fusion reactors. We are assessing the resumption of operation of the recently-shut-down nuclear power plants.'"
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/02/germany-election-afd-conservatives-far-right-klaus-wiener-cdu-nuclear-powerthe-biggest-winner-in-germanys-election-may-be-nuclear-power/
#RethinkNotRestart #NoNukes #WaterIsLife #NuclearWaste #NuclearTerrorism #Renewables #RenewablesNow #GermanPol #NuclearPowerNoThanks #Atomkraft #AtomkraftNeinDanke -
#Palisades power plant will restart. Here's where on the #GreatLakes #NuclearPlants operate
Story by Sarah Moore, Lansing State Journal, 2/27/2025
"Owners of Michigan's Palisades nuclear energy plant this week announced a new five-year program aimed at restarting the power station while adding two smaller, modular reactors to the existing facility.
"Holtec has launched 'Mission 2030,' a program to build America’s first small modular reactors — Holtec’s SMR-300 — at the Palisades site in Covert Township, Michigan, with a target of 2030 for first commercial operation.' Holtec International said in a release. "The new SMR-300s will be co-located with the existing 800-megawatt Palisades plant, which is on track to restart after an extended outage following shutdown in 2022.'
"The program was discussed at a ceremony Feb. 25, at which #Holtec said it has joined forces with #Hyundai Engineering & Construction to build a 10-gigawatt fleet of SMR-300s in North America, the release said.
"Nuclear energy production is seeing growing interest for power generation because it requires no fossil fuels and can help reduce greenhouse gases. The systems, however, generate tons of highly #RadioactiveWaste that has to be stored. In #Michigan, waste is stored within a short distance of the #GreatLakes in some locations."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/palisades-power-plant-will-restart-heres-where-on-the-great-lakes-nuclear-plants-operate/ar-AA1zUV7D
#RethinkNotRestart #NoNukes #Renewables #RenewablesNow #WaterIsLife #RadioactivePollution #HoltecLies -
A tale of two #NuclearPowerPlants along #LakeMichigan: Extended life and a revival?
WUWM 89.7 FM | By Chuck Quirmbach
Published January 10, 2025"This year could be a big year for the status of two nuclear power plants around Lake Michigan.
"That includes a shutdown plant just 120 miles east of Kenosha that is seeking a first-of-its-kind restart.
"The year could also be significant for extending the life of #Wisconsin's only working commercial plant, located 95 miles north of #Milwaukee.
"On the west shore of Lake Michigan, #NextEraEnergy says it still wants a 20-year extension for the two reactors at the #PointBeachNuclearPowerPlant, located north of #TwoRivers, which would keep the site operating until the early 2050s.
"If that plan sounds familiar, it’s because #WUWM has been reporting on the proposal for about four years. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (#NRC) approval is still pending.
"In a written statement this month, Florida-based #NextEra said it has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Point Beach, 'ensuring it’s ready to produce energy for decades to come.' The company says the plant powers nearly 1 million homes and businesses and provides about 14% of Wisconsin’s electricity.
"But nuclear power critics, like #KevinKamps of #BeyondNuclear, say there are concerns that key parts of the power production units are too #brittle to last another 20-plus years. He says there’s an alternative.
"'Point Beach’s electricity could easily be replaced through the expansion of #RenewableEnergy in Wisconsin. It’s ready to go. It would be more effective for the people of Wisconsin. It would certainly be much safer,' Kamps says.
"On the east shore of the lake, the #PalisadesNuclearPlant in #CovertTownship, Michigan, shut down nearly three years ago. But at the urging of some federal, state, and local officials, the Biden administration has provided a $1.5 billion loan to Holtec International, which bought the mothballed plant from the utility Entergy, so Holtec can try to restart Palisades.
[...]
"A key concern appears to be the damaged steam generator tubes at Palisades, which are likely to need repair or replacement. On Jan. 14, Holtec and the NRC are scheduled to discuss the matter.
"The NRC says Holtec will have to prove the plant is safe.
"Incoming President Donald Trump has made conflicting statements about nuclear power, so it’s unclear if he will try to get the NRC to favor either of the Lake Michigan plants."
https://www.wuwm.com/environment/2025-01-10/a-tale-of-two-nuclear-power-plants-along-lake-michigan-extended-life-and-a-revival
#NoNukes #NoNukesForAI #RethinkNotRestart #HoltecLies #RenewablesNow #WaterIsLife #AgingNuclearPlants #NuclearSafety #NuclearWaste #NuclearIsNotCarbonFree -
Risky Revival: How #Michigan’s #Palisades #NuclearPlant could impact agriculture
While state leaders champion the Palisades reopening as an energy solution, local farmers remain divided over the potential threats to their land and water.
by S. Nicole Lane, for Investigate Midwest December 10, 2024COVERT, Michigan — "The Palisades Nuclear Generating Station, long synonymous with safety lapses and regulatory oversight, is poised for an unprecedented comeback under Michigan Gov. #GretchenWhitmer’s plan to reopen the shuttered plant by 2025 — the first attempt of its kind in U.S. history.
"However, in this robust agricultural region, there are fears about how reopening a problematic plant could impact area farmers and the food they produce.
"Approximately 6,362 farms are within 50 miles of Palisades. In Van Buren County alone, where the plant is located, there are 838 farms. Michigan’s southwestern corner, home to 80% of the state’s farms, is often called the 'blueberry capital of the world.'
"'A leak (and) this 150-year-old farm is done,' said Bill Adams, who runs Adams Blueberry Farms in Hartford, Michigan, 16 miles south of the plant. 'Why would they restart something that old and sitting this long?'
"Opened in 1971, Palisades, which is located along #LakeMichigan, once generated 5% of Michigan’s electricity, enough to power 800,000 homes. But a litany of mechanical issues plagued its operations for decades.
"In 2013, the plant leaked 79 gallons of diluted #RadioactiveWater into Lake Michigan, forcing a five-week shutdown — its ninth closure in just two years.
"Federal regulators repeatedly flagged the plant for safety concerns, from undetected #RadiationExposure among employees in 2008 to persistent cracks in its 300,000-gallon storage tank that leaked for over a decade. In 2012, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) described Palisades as having some of the worst cases of nuclear fuel container weakening in the nation.
"The plant was permanently shut down on May 31, 2022, with its owners citing financial and safety concerns. But just months later, Whitmer announced a plan to revive Palisades, reigniting debates over the risks and benefits of #NuclearEnergy in a state still grappling with its troubled legacy.
"Typically, after 40 years, a nuclear power plant is closed and undergoes a complex decommissioning process that can take up to 30 years to complete. Globally, the only plants that have reopened are in Japan.
"#Holtec Decommissioning International bought Palisades in 2022 with the goal of dismantling it. Now, with Whitmer’s support, they have since decided to reopen the plant, something Holtec has never done.
"Neither Holtec nor Whitmer’s office responded to multiple requests for comment. "
#NoNukes #WaterIsLife #LandIsLife #RethinkNotRestart #RenewablesNow #Holtec #HoltecLies #USPol #NuclearPowerCorruptionAndLies #NuclearPowerPlants
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Scientists test #agriculture and #SolarEnergy on #Illinois #farms
Two experiments in the state are measuring which crops could grow well under these panels.
By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco
Jul 18, 2024, 2:58pm EDT"Thousands of #wildflowers are blooming under rows of solar panels in eastern Illinois. #Milkweeds, #BlackEyedSusans and native #PrairieGrasses catch the sunlight that streams past solar panels on one end of this 54-acre property near Champaign.
"'Obviously, this setting is not perfect for the farming system,' D.K. Lee, a professor of crop sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said about the narrow space between solar panel arrays.
"But this experimental station called #SolarFarm 2.0 could help UIUC scientists determine whether the marriage between Midwestern agriculture and solar power will be a happy one. Researchers are piloting how crops such as grains and #soybeans used primarily to feed livestock grow with solar panels obstructing their full view of the sun. The counterintuitive practice is called #agrivoltaics, a nascent industry that partners solar developers looking for large plots of land and farmers looking to make additional income.
"That’s why two parallel experiments are underway here to find out what can grow and thrive under solar panels. To hit the ambitious clean energy targets set by state and federal officials, solar power will have to increase close to seven times over current capacity by 2035. That will mean millions of acres devoted to solar power — many of which could be in America’s #farmlands. But to make sure that agricultural communities aren’t left behind by the clean energy transition, scientists want to know what it will take for life to persist beneath solar panels — potentially a first step for farmers and solar power to co-exist.
"'We can only farm about 70% of the land here,' said Bruce E. Branham, professor of horticulture at UIUC. 'So we’ve got 30% of the land that would be farmed in full sun that is just vacant.'
"But in just two years and despite physical constraints, initial findings suggest that the #sorghum grain could be a promising crop to grow alongside solar panels. Branham said that so far it appears that combining sorghum with solar panels has resulted in a 59% increase in efficiency. And wildlife, including #birds and #bees, are flocking to the improved habitat. It’s a good start, but there’s still ways to go before solar farms like these are generating serious energy.
"'This is a 54-acre site, and we’re getting 12 megawatts,' Banham said. 'A lot of power plants are much, much greater than that.'
"In all, Solar Farm 2.0 produces close to 1% of the generating power of the #ClintonPowerStation, a #NuclearPowerPlant just a 45 minute drive east. But for Banham and others, this presents an opportunity to combine Midwestern row crops with solar power to generate enough energy to compete with #FossilFuels and other clean energy alternatives."
#SolarPunkSunday #SolarFarms #RenewablesNow #RenewableEnergy #LocalEnergy #NoNewNukes #NoNukes #SolarFarm #SaveTheFarms #IllinoisFarms #MidwestFarms #SolarSundays #Agrivoltaic
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North Texans want more say as nuclear plant seeks to continue operating through 2053
By Haley Samsel
December 11, 2023"Crossing the dark parking lot outside the Somervell County Expo Center, Susybelle Gosslee barely could see the ground in front of her. The experience left her feeling 'vulnerable' — and concerned about why the Nuclear Regulatory Commission [#NRC] didn’t turn on outdoor lights for its Dec. 7 public meeting about the #ComanchePeak #nuclear power plant in #GlenRoseTexas.
"That wasn’t her only critique. Earlier in the day, Gosslee and other #environmental advocates struggled to log on to a virtual meeting hosted by the commission. Officials apologized for the challenges and vowed to host another online session the week of Dec. 18.
"'That is not transparency, and it’s not good government,' Gosslee, the Dallas-based chair of #HazardousWaste issues for the League of Women Voters of Texas, said. 'I’m concerned because of the lack of access to meetings, and you can see that it wasn’t well-publicized because there is nobody here. That’s an indicator that the job did not get done.'
"Gosslee’s criticism comes as #Vistra, the owner of the Comanche Peak nuclear power plant in Glen Rose, seeks to keep its reactors online through at least 2053. The plant began operation in 1990.
"The company’s current licenses for two nuclear units, which have the capacity to power 1.2 million homes under normal electricity conditions, expire in 2030 and 2033. Vistra announced its license renewal application in October 2022, citing a desire to bring more 'carbon-free electricity' to the electric grid.
"'Renewing the licenses of this plant is critical for grid reliability and our environment and is a benefit to the economy, the local community and our company,' Jim Burke, president and CEO of Vistra, said at the time.
As part of the license renewal process, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has already heard from dozens of residents living in the plant’s 50-mile radius, including parts of Tarrant, Hood and Somervell counties.
"Many are supportive of Comanche Peak’s continued operation, citing its economic contributions as Somervell County’s largest taxpayer and an employer of more than 600 full-time staff. At a January public meeting, Glen Rose ISD Superintendent Trig Overbo and Somervell County Judge Danny Chambers were among the plant’s most vocal supporters. Others, including Gosslee, expressed concerns over how the aging plant would handle higher risk of #drought, #wildfires and #earthquake activity.
"Since then, Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff have evaluated the environmental impact of running the plant for 20 years after the current licenses expire in 2030 and 2033. The agency issued its draft environmental impact statement in early November, outlining considerations like air quality, land use, water resources, human health and waste management.
"Commission staff determined that Comanche Peak’s continued operation would have only small impacts on the surrounding environment, said Tam Tran, who led the environmental review. The agency defines small impacts as being either undetectable or so minor that they will neither destabilize nor noticeably alter natural resources. [Apparently, these people either believe in #hormesis or don't believe in #bioaccumulation!]
"The review also found that the plant’s operations may affect, but are not likely to negatively impact, protected species such as the #GoldenCheekedWarbler, #TricoloredBat and #MonarchButterfly. Fish habitats are not expected to be affected, Tran said."
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And the #BidenAdministration should give #Holtec more money to restart #PalisadesNuclearPlant? Ummmm...
#NRC Fines #Holtec Once Again - Red Flags for #OysterCreek
January 28, 2022
Media Contact: [email protected]
"Holtec Decommission International was fined again by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Holtec agreed to pay a $50,000 fine after the plant’s armorer #falsified documents at the #OysterCreekNuclearPlant in #LaceyTownship. According to the NRC investigation, the agency found that the plant’s armorer failed to perform mandatory firearms inspections and falsified related records. This is the second fine in two months for Holtec. In December, the company agreed to pay a $150,000 penalty for security related violations, however this time neither NRC nor Holtec disclosed the details of the violation due to the sensitivity of it.
“This is the second time in two months that Holtec has been fined for security related violations for the former Oyster Creek #NuclearPlant. It's the latest red flag in a series of red flags when it comes to Holtec. These violations should be an alarm bell going off for NRC not just to hold Holtec accountable, but to intervene in Holtec’s security and management of the site. It’s good that NRC conducted investigations and penalized Holtec, however that is clearly not enough, as this continues to happen,' said Anjuli Ramos-Busot, New Jersey Director of the Sierra Club.
"The public is concerned about Holtec’s plan to move still-hot nuclear waste out of water pools and into dry cask storage in half the usual time, typically 5 years. They claim their casts are proprietary and have not disclosed details about their design to the public. Until the rods are out of the spent-fuel pools and put into dry cask storage, the plant is extremely vulnerable. If there is a power outage, storm surge, or flood, the rods could melt down and create serious public health and environmental damage.
“The NRC and New Jersey must make sure there is proper oversight and to ensure Holtec is following safety protocols. This area is impacted by sea-level rise and climate change. During Sandy, the floodwaters came up onto the site at Oyster Creek. Storing nuclear waste in a site that already presents safety flaws is incredibly dangerous. If Holtec isn’t storing nuclear rods correctly, it could lead to major public health and environmental problems. That is why we need to make sure Holtec is not cutting corners [because as we all know, Holtec gets to keep what it doesn't spend] and will ensure transparency,' said Anjuli Ramos-Busot, New Jersey Director of the Sierra Club."
https://www.sierraclub.org/new-jersey/blog/2022/01/nrc-fines-holtec-once-again-red-flags-for-oyster-creek
#NuclearPlants #Holtec #NRCViolations #RethinkNotRestart #HoltecLies #RenewablesNow -
A timeline of incidents at #Palisades #Nuclear Power Plant since 2007
Published: May. 12, 2013
"COVERT TOWNSHIP, MI -- The leak that shut down Palisades Nuclear Power Plant May 5 is one of a series of incidents that have bedeviled the nuclear reactor in recent years.
"#Entergy Corp. bought Palisades from Consumers Energy in 2007 for $380 million. The one-reactor plant, which is located along #LakeMichigan in #CovertTownship, supplies about 20 percent of the utility's power. The facility came online in 1971 and its license runs until 2031 [it was decommissioned in 2022].
"Below is a timeline of incidents at Palisades since 2007, based on NRC reports and previous MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette articles.
2007 -- Palisades' head of security resigned amid revelations he had fabricated some of his credentials.
2008 -- An NRC safety assessment found Palisades failed "to recognize and assess the impact of radiological hazards in the workplace." The NRC found that Palisades failed to determine how much radiation employees were exposed to after radiation monitors worn by the workers warned of an exposure.
August 2008 -- Five workers were trapped for 90 minutes inside a high-temperature area when a hatch malfunctioned. The NRC launched a probe and found the plant did not take proper precautions to prevent such occurrences.
2009 -- During an inspection, the NRC found that workers failed to notice a problem in the pool where spent fuel rods are kept. The finding, labeled a "low to moderate safety" risk that did not endanger the public, kept Palisades on the NRC's list of plants that required additional regulatory oversight for a second year. The plant's 2009 safety assessment also found problems with human performance regarding "error-prevention techniques."
May 2010
-- A Palisades manager left the control room without following protocol and the event was not reported within 24 hours, the NRC found.January 2011
-- Palisades operated at 55 percent power for eight days after a cooling-water pump lost power when an electrical bus failed. The event did not represent a threat to health and safety, the NRC said.May 2011
-- While NRC inspectors were conducting a routine test of the plant’s auxiliary feed water system, a turbine-driven pump was tripped. Investigators found a component of the pump that was greased and should not have been. The NRC classified the event as a "low to moderate" safety significance.August 2011
-- The NRC launched a special inspection after the failure of a coupling that holds pipes together. It found Palisades did not follow industry standards when choosing the coupling and the cracking was preventable. Palisades replaced all couplings.September 2011
-- Palisades shut down between Sept. 16 and Sept. 20 for repairs, after workers discovered a leaking valve in the system that cools the reactor.September 2011
-- Palisades shut down for a week after a breaker fault in the plant's electrical system Sept. 25, when a worker performing maintenance on an electrical panel when a piece of metal came into contact with another metal piece and caused an arc. There were no injuries reported. The NRC launched a special investigation, the second in two months. The investigation found that during the incident, which it named of "substantial significance to safety," Palisades did not follow proper safety protocols before the shutdown.November 2011
-- The NRC bumped Palisades down a level to the Regulatory Response column as a result of the May 2011 incident.January 2012
-- Palisades shut down for 3-1/2 days to repair a wearing seal on a control rod mechanism.February 2012
-- The NRC downgraded Palisades to the third regulatory column, making it among the four-worst performing reactors in the U.S. The downgrade came as a result of the two special investigations launched in 2011.June 2012
-- Palisades shut down for a month to repair a leak in its safety injection refueling water tank. Numerous cracks were found within the 300,000-gallon storage tank, according to reports. When the plant returned to service, the tank was still leaking, but due to its size, it did not pose a safety risk, the NRC found.July 2012
-- An independent review of Palisades found "examples of a lack of accountability at all levels."
The study, conducted by Conger & Elsea Inc. in January and February 2012, looked at plant operations related to human performance, safety-conscious work environment, problem identification and resolution.August 2012
-- Palisades shut down for 18 days to repair a leak in the control rod mechanism drive in the containment building. The NRC sent a three-inspector team and launched a special inspection of the pressure-boundary leak. During the 30 days before the location of the leak was discovered, up to 10,000 gallons of radioactive water leaked from the containment vessel. The water was contained and did not pose a safety risk to the public, the NRC found.September 2012
-- An NRC inspector found what it characterized as a small leak in a valve in the service water system. The water was not radioactive and did not represent a health or safety risk, the NRC said.November 2012
-- Palisades shuts down for three days to repair a steam leak inside the plant's auxiliary building.November 2012
-- The NRC upgraded Palisades after an 11-day inspection in September found that Entergy had made improvements and addressed deficiencies. The NRC ordered an additional 1,000 hours of inspections in 2013, on top of the standard 2,000 hours.February 2013
-- Palisades shut down for six days to repair a leak in the component cooling water system. It was leaking 35 gallons of non-radioactive water an hour before the shutdown, the NRC said. The leak did not represent a threat to the public or the plant, the NRC said.March 2013
-- Palisades was one of three U.S. plants with significant safety events, or "near-misses" in the past three years, according to a report by the independent Union of Concerned Scientists. The near-misses at Palisades resulted from long-standing problems, the UCS said, and it charged the NRC with failing to enforce violations.May 2013
-- On May 5, Palisades shut down after the leak in the safety injection refueling water tank accelerated from one a day to 90 gallons within a 24-hour period, the NRC said. On May 4, before the shutdown, some 79 gallons of radioactive water from the tank went down a drain into a capture basin, where it was extremely diluted, according to the NRC, and ended up in Lake Michigan. The NRC has sent an additional inspector to Palisades, and one of its health physicists is also investigating the incident. As of May 10, Palisades was still offline while workers and inspectors search for the source of the leak and make repairs."Source:
https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/2013/05/palisades_nuclear_power_plant_14.html#Michigan #NuclearPlants #PalisadesNuclearPlant #Holtec #Entergy #NRC #Violations #HoltecLies #RethinkNotRestart #RenewablesNow
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#PalisadesNuclearPlant has a long history of problems. And #Holtec a long list of violations. They were made for each other [sarc]
#Palisades #nuclear plant gets $150 million in #Michigan budget
By Sheri McWhirter, Jul. 03, 2023
"Michigan lawmakers included $150 million toward the effort to restart the Palisades nuclear plant as part of a record $81.7 billion state budget passed last week.
"State officials contributed the millions in taxpayer dollars toward #Holtec International’s effort to get the nuclear plant upgraded and fired back up to provide 800 megawatts of carbon-free, base load power as the energy sector transitions away from fossil fuels. If it happens, it would be the first nuclear plant nationwide to return to generating power after being decommissioned.
"The plant was closed last year when its fuel ran out and the owner sold the facility to Holtec. The new owner has now twice applied for federal money to help get the plant operational again.
"The Biden administration has a $6 billion fund within the U.S. Department of Energy intended to preserve the U.S. nuclear reactor fleet and energy sector jobs.
"[...] Power generation at nuclear plants does not generate greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change, like burning fossil fuels does. However, some #environmental advocates remain concerned about ecological #degradation from needed #uranium #mining and #radiation risk from #ToxicWaste nuclear plants produce."
https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2023/07/palisades-nuclear-plant-gets-150-million-in-michigan-budget.html
#UraniumMining #NuclearPlants #NuclearWaste #HoltecLies #RethinkNotRestart #RenewablesNow