Dalton Nuclear Institute

We must allow nuclear power to play its part in tackling climate change

By Melissa Denecke Filed Under: All posts, Energy and Environment, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted: November 28, 2016

This month, the twenty-second session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 22) took place in Marrakech, Morocco. Here, Prof Melissa Denecke reflects on the letter that Women in Nuclear Global wrote on the occasion of COP21 last year and argues that investing in Nuclear Energy is vital to tackling climate change. Decision-makers across the […]

Chernobyl anniversary: dealing with the fallout

By Francis Livens Filed Under: All posts, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted: April 26, 2016

Today marks the 30-year anniversary of the nuclear accident at Chernobyl. There are important lessons for governments to learn from the nuclear incidents of the past. The implications of their actions have significant and far-reaching consequences, says Francis Livens, as he reflects on his own experiences of the events during spring 1986. I find it […]

Radiation and risk – why policymakers and the public need facts not fears

By Laura Leay Filed Under: All posts Posted: March 11, 2016

Today marks the fifth anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that caused nearly 20,000 deaths and triggered a major emergency at Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station, Japan. In the days that followed, Japanese authorities evacuated around 100,000 people from the area as radiation was released into the atmosphere. But, asks Laura Leay, are policies around radiation […]

Plugging the energy gap: keeping our reactors running, to keep the lights on

By Barry Marsden Filed Under: Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted: March 3, 2016

Demand for power continues to increase, and without enabling sufficient access to it, we run into serious economic, social and health problems, argues Prof Barry Marsden. EDF Energy has recently announced the plant life extension of four of their Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactors – in Hartlepool, Heysham and Torness. Extending the operating lifetime of these reactors […]

Radioactive waste: legacy versus new build

By Hollie Ashworth Filed Under: All posts, Featured, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted: January 20, 2016

Radioactive waste is a controversial topic. But understanding the difference between historic and new wastes would produce a more informed debate, explains Hollie Ashworth. Whenever there is talk about new-build nuclear power stations, there is also talk about the cost of cleaning-up radioactive waste. People often correctly quote figures for the cost of cleaning-up radioactive […]

(Honesty about) Nuclear Power – No Thanks! (Part two)

By Francis Livens Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted: December 2, 2015

Professor Francis Livens continues his search for objectivity in the nuclear debate. As I explained in my previous blog, I recently debated nuclear energy with some opponents. I was concerned about whether their arguments were honest and true, so took time out to investigate them. I have already looked at nuclear waste, here I will […]

(Honesty about) Nuclear power – No Thanks! (Part one)

By Francis Livens Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted: December 1, 2015

The case against nuclear power is weakened by simplistic arguments that don’t stand up to scrutiny, argues Professor Francis Livens. I was recently involved in a public debate on nuclear energy. One of my opponent’s arguments against nuclear power was that the UK has no way of dealing with its huge quantities of radioactive waste. […]

Small modular reactors – the real nuclear renaissance?

By Juan Matthews Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted: November 18, 2015

The future of the nuclear industry could lie with small reactors, argues Professor Juan Matthews. In the beginning, all reactors in nuclear power stations were small. Calder Hall, Britain’s first power station which went on-line in 1956, consisted of four reactors each generating just 50 MW of electricity. The next generation of Magnox reactors averaged […]

Managing new nuclear – What’s new?

By Stephen Wearne Filed Under: All posts, Featured, Science and Technology Posted: August 19, 2015

Stephen Wearne explores lessons to be learnt from the similarities and the differences between the start of the nuclear power era in the 1950’s and now. The structure of utilities, suppliers and contractors for engineering and constructing new nuclear power stations in the UK today is very different to the structure at the start of […]

Mind the (nuclear skills) gap

By Andrew Gale and Nawal Prinja Filed Under: All posts Posted: August 18, 2015

Many workers in the nuclear industry are poised to retire – just as a major new nuclear building programme gets underway. Professor Andrew Gale and Professor Nawal Prinja consider the implications. The nuclear industry is facing a severe skills and technology management shortfall. Five new stations – Oldbury, Sizewell, Moorside, Wylfa and Hinkley – are […]