[ RadSafe ] News Distribution: Radiation found on 2 British Airway jetliners

[Sandy Perle]

Index:

Radiation found on 2 British Airway jetliners
PG&E looking at nuclear plants 
Majority of Americans opposed to nuclear deal
Russia Scraps 145 Out Of 197 Decommissioned Nuclear Submarines
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Radiation found on 2 British Airway jetliners

LONDON, England (AP) Nov 29 -- Authorities found small traces of 
radiation on two British Airways 767 jetliners Wednesday, as 
investigators widened their search for clues into the poisoning death 
of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.

Home Secretary John Reid disclosed the search following a meeting 
with COBRA, the government's emergency committee. Reid said two 
planes had been tested so far and that another would be tested.

The initial results of the forensic tests had shown very low traces 
of a radioactive substance onboard two aircraft, British Airways said 
in a statement.

The company added that the investigation is confined to the three 
planes, which will remain out of service until further notice.

High doses of polonium-210 -- a rare radioactive element usually 
manufactured in specialized nuclear facilities -- were found in 
Litvinenko's body, and traces of radiation have been found at sites 
in London connected with the investigation of his death.
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PG&E looking at nuclear plants 

PG&E Corp. is considering investments in new nuclear plants outside 
California as a way to curb greenhouse gases, Chief Executive Officer 
Peter Darbee said Tuesday at an employee meeting on energy efficiency 
and climate change. 

Other possible investments include solar power plants that use 
focused mirrors to heat water, generate steam and run electrical 
turbines. 

California law forbids building more nuclear plants within the state 
until the United States has a permanent site for storing radioactive 
waste. But Darbee, whose San Francisco company owns the Diablo Canyon 
nuclear power plant near San Luis Obispo, argues that the country 
needs nuclear power if it hopes to fight global warming. 

Nuclear reactors do not produce the greenhouse gases churned out by 
plants that burn fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas. 

Darbee's remarks Tuesday were the second time he has publicly 
embraced nuclear development. He told Wall Street analysts in August 
that the company was exploring out-of-state nuclear projects. 

He offered few new details at Tuesday's event, saying that the PG&E 
is still "evaluating those opportunities." 

Nuclear power, once treated as a pariah by the American public, has 
received renewed interest due to fears of global warming. 

Some environmentalists have been willing to give nuclear technology a 
second look. Most, however, haven't. They argue that nuclear plants 
are too expensive, potentially dangerous and produce waste that the 
nation still hasn't found a place to store. 

Ralph Cavanagh, co-director of the energy program at the Natural 
Resources Defense Council, said the United States would have built 
more nuclear plants over the years if they weren't such financial 
risks. He spoke at Tuesday's PG&E meeting and praised the company for 
its 30-year efforts to promote energy efficiency. 

Cavanagh said in an interview that he doubts the company will invest 
in more nuclear power once it has examined the alternatives. 

"I express to you absolute confidence that after Peter Darbee looks 
at this, he won't pick nuclear," Cavanagh said. "He has limited 
funds. He cannot write blank checks." 

Darbee has broken with many of his peers in the energy business on 
the climate change issue. 

Shortly after taking over as PG&E's chief executive last year, Darbee 
studied the science surrounding global warming and concluded that 
climate change poses a grave threat. Since then, he has called for a 
nationwide system to limit greenhouse gases, supported California's 
landmark global warming legislation this year and urged other energy 
companies to follow suit. 

"There are critics who might say, 'Is Peter on a crusade with this?' 
But it's smart business, too," Darbee told employees at the meeting, 
held at the company's San Francisco headquarters. 

Darbee also expressed interest in a type of solar technology that, he 
said, could prove to be more cost-effective than traditional photo-
voltaic cells. Dubbed "solar thermal," the technology uses focused 
sunlight to generate steam and power a turbine.
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Majority of Americans opposed to nuclear deal

WASHINGTON, NOV 29 (PTI) - A recent opinion poll has shown that a 
majority of Americans are opposed to the landmark Indo-US civil 
nuclear deal at a time when the Bush administration is trying to push 
legislation to facilitate the smooth implementation of the accord.  

Seventy one per cent of Americans have said that they are opposed to 
the nuclear deal because it will suggest to other countries that they 
can develop nuclear weapons and get away with it. 

Only 24 per cent of Americans endorse the argument that selling 
civilian nuclear technology to India is a good idea because it will 
strengthen US-India relations and contribute to peace and stability 
in Asia.

The findings of a 2006 Multination Survey of Public Opinion conducted 
by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs has also shown that Indians 
are equally divided in their reactions to the nuclear deal with 42 
per cent taking the view that selling New Delhi civilian nuclear 
technology is a good idea as it will strengthen Indo-US relations and 
39 per cent disagreeing. 

Quite revealing in this opinion poll is that 53 per cent of Americans 
have said that they do not trust India either at all or very much.

In the US and elsewhere in Asia, "modest majorities" have viewed the 
expansion of Indian economic power as positive with only 39 per cent 
in the United States and 26 per cent in China viewing it in negative 
terms.
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Russia Scraps 145 Out Of 197 Decommissioned Nuclear Submarines

Moscow, Russia (RIA Novosti) Nov 29 - Russia has dismantled 145 out 
of 197 decommissioned Soviet-era nuclear submarines, the head of the 
Federal Agency for Nuclear Power said Tuesday. Russia has signed 
cooperation agreements on the disposal of decommissioned nuclear 
submarines with the United States, Britain, Canada, Japan, Italy and 
Norway. The disposal program will cost an overall $2 billion, toward 
which Russia had allocated $850 million as of 2005.
"We have a joint nuclear submarine dismantlement program that 
involves a number of countries, including EU members," Sergei 
Kiriyenko said. "Out of 195 nuclear submarines decommissioned from 
the Russian Navy, we have dismantled 145."

"The disposal of another 17 is under way, and we are preparing to 
scrap 32 more in the future," he said.

During the dismantling process, spent nuclear fuel is removed from 
the submarine's reactors and sent to storage, the hull is cut into 
three sections, and the bow and stern are removed and destroyed. The 
reactor section is sealed and transferred to storage.

"We will scrap all decommissioned nuclear submarines by 2010," the 
nuclear chief said.

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Sandy Perle
Senior Vice President, Technical Operations
Global Dosimetry Solutions, Inc.
2652 McGaw Avenue
Irvine, CA 92614 

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