A critical assessment of the LNT model, as discussed in SONE Newsletter 296, April 2024
An analogy with bridges and ferries — Radiological protection: science confronts the LNT Model — Stories of nuclear plant closures in New York and elsewhere in USA — Europe’s Energy Blunders: Lessons from IEA Chief — Current enthusiasm for new nuclear going critical — Nuclear news from a number of countries that caught my eye — “New Nuclear is HOT”, a new book by Robert Hargraves.
The simple quantitative description of chemical energy as waves hidden in matter is 100 years old. The record of 70 years confirms that the nuclear power is safer than burning fossil fuels, but unwarranted caution has inflated its costs and denied society its benefits – this is not sustainable.
This document is a summary of my conversations and observations, plus announcements and news events associated with COP 28, which took place from November 30th to December 12th 2023 in the Emirate of Dubai. I was sponsored by the American Nuclear Society, so there is a nuclear focus to this report.
Early news of policy changes at COP28 — Opportunities abroad — US Nuclear Regulatory Commission dragging its feet — Learning to live with a Million — Report from The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Nuclear Energy — Heating as well as electricity — Oil and gas executives — Germany realises it needs nuclear.
SONE Silver Jubilee Celebrations, House of Lords, 27th October — The Health Physics Society Tells Truth to Power in the USA — October 2, UK Government announces six competitors for first SMR — Another UK competitor, Newcleo — Green light for Molten Chloride Reactor Experiment — Donald Avery (1926-2023) — Minutes of the SONE AGM 2023.
Winning entries in the essay competitions held to mark SONE's 25th anniversary of its foundation on 1 June 1998. Both prizes, for those up to 38 and up to 18, attracted strong fields. Entries showed evidence of significant reading and productive imagination. All were reviewed and discussed by a small committee of SONE who were unanimous in selecting the two winners.
Prize Giving and AGM — House of Lords — Major Change in US Nuclear Regulations — Admiral Rickover — It should never have been allowed! — Select Committee on Science and Technology — Renewables in trouble — Copenhagen Atomics — Long life in evacuation zones — A new podcast.
An essay on ‘Energy Resources and Our Future’ by Admiral Hyman G Rickover in 1957. This is not a submission for our essay competition today because it was written more than 66 years ago. It contains many misunderstandings, but many more truths that have since been ignored and now deserve to be re-embraced. We may hope that the SONE Jubilee Competition will succeed in encouraging young people today to entertain a suitably modernised version of such a vision of the future – and then, like Rickover, follow their vision through.