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March 2012
New publication: Responses after Chernobyl and Fukushima. A comparative analyses of Germany and The Netherlands
The worldwide reactions on the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl (Ukraine, 26 April 1986) were quite different in different countries. So were the worldwide reactions on the nuclear disaster at Fukushima (Japan, 11 March 2011). On both governmental level as well as on a public level. This article is a comparative overview of the worldwide responses two both disasters, with (West-) Germany and the Netherlands as amplified examples.
It is clear it will take some time to analyze the precise consequences of the Fukushima nuclear disaster on a political level, as well as for the future of nuclear power in general. Nevertheless, this is a first attempt, focusing on the differences compared to Chernobyl in two neighboring countries.
Read the paper (pdf)

Solidarity with struggle against Koodankulam
In the most southern part of India, Tamil Nadu, the local population is fighting the largest nuclear complex under construction in the world: Koodankulam. The state repression increased over the months and is expecting to increase further after a large police force is send to the village of Idinthakarai, ostensibly to ensure restart of construction.
Although the protest originates from the 1980's it intensified dramatically last year after Fukushima and the announcement by the government that the first of six reactors would enter test-operation late 2011. Many thousands op people took to the streets and acted continuously against Koodankulam, resulting in postponing operation of the nuclear reactor. State repression has always been harsh, but is escalating since last year, against the non-violent activities of the People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE)
Read more and show your solidarity
With regurlar updates!

February 2012
Netherlands: new reactor postponed!
Not completely surprising came the announcement of Dutch utility Delta about postponing plans to build a second nuclear power plant in the Netherlands because of the poor investment climate and low electricity prices. Although Delta states it remains committed to the project, not many believe in its resurrection.
Delta had plans to build a nuclear power plant with a maximum capacity of 2,500 megawatts in the Zeeland province in the southwest of the country, next to an existing plant near the town of Borssele, but said on January 23, 2012 it was delaying these for two to three years. "The last half-year the investment climate has worsened due to the financial crisis. In addition, overcapacity of electricity production has increased further due to the recession," Delta said in a statement.

Chernobyl Chronology 1986-2011

In December it became clear that French EDF, the preferred partner for the project had decided not to participate and when the newly appointed CEO of German utility RWE in a January 21, interview stated that RWE would not invest in a second reactor in Borssele 'under current economical and political circumstances', it was clear that Delta would postpone or cancel the whole project.
RWE owns 30 percent of the existing Borssele plant, while Delta, which is owned by Dutch municipalities and province of Zeeland, owns the remainder. However there was no agreement on cooperation in the construction of the second reactor. Both Delta and RWE (the Dutch subsidiary company ERH Essent) had started a procedure in the past few years to obtain a license for a nuclear power plant.
Delta says it remains 'committed to nuclear power', and stated the decision had nothing to do with the accident at Fukushima or dwindling support for nuclear in Zeeland province… The decision to put the plan on hold is based solely on economic grounds (low energy prices, no investors) and uncertainty about carbon dioxide (CO2) prices, spokeswoman Mirjam van Zuilen said.
On a stakeholders meeting last December, much criticism and skepticism about the project was visible for the first time. A lot had to do with the passionate but clumsy CEO Boerma, who then left the company. Stakeholders decided not to invest 100 million in obtaining a licence but only 10 million to increase support for the project and come up with interested partners in the coming months.

April 2011
Radiating Posters
Posters from the global movement against nuclear power
In cooperation with WISE, Laka published a beautiful book with 600 posters against nuclear power from 45 countries. The book is a compilation of the large cultural heritage of 40 years of global struggle against nuclear energy. Never before such a rich collection of anti-nuclear posters was brought together, or, for that matter, of any other societal issue, of so many countries, cultures and of such a long period.
This book truly is an homage to the richness of the cultural heritage of the antinuclear power movement and could be a source of inspiration for anyone deciding to design a poster.
The price of the book is 20 euro plus postage. If you order 5 copies or more a 40% discount will be given.
Order your copy by sending a mail to posterbook@antenna.nl

22 May 2010
New Laka research report: Medical Radioisotope Production Without A Nuclear Reactor
This report is answering the key question: 'Is it possible to ban the use of research reactors for the production of medical radioisotopes?'
The answer is 'yes'.
Radioisotopes production with cyclotrons offers many advantages over a nuclear reactor: the volume of radioactive waste produced by cyclotrons is far less and much less hazardous than the radioactive waste of research reactors; the production is decentralized and there is no proliferation risk.
Read more and download the report

13 February 2009
New article published: Medical Isotope Production. Conversion from HEU to LEU based production and alternative methods
Since 1992 the US restricted its high-enriched uranium (HEU) exports to encourage other countries to convert civilian facilities to low-enriched uranium (LEU), which can't be used directly to make nuclear weapons. Instead in mid 2005 Congress passed the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which includes provisions relaxing restrictions on HEU exports for medical isotope production. The primary beneficiaries of the new law are producers of medical radioisotopes.
read more (pdf)

History of nuclear power in The Netherlands (in Dutch)

30 January 2009
The history of nuclear power
Laka Foundation launched a new website on the history of nuclear power in The Netherlands. It is the result of almost 18 months research in thousands of documents available in the Laka documentationcentre, but also in many other archives. Thanks to this project, many original documents are now available online for the first time. For instance all government nuclear energy white papers since 1952. Even all paragraphs on nuclear energy (related-issues) in the election-programms by the different political parties since the early fifties.
The site (in Dutch) already turns out to be an important source for journalists, scholars and activists to either find background information on a special issue, or as a start for historical research.

May 2008
Report of the Expert Meeting on the Risks of Depleted Uranium Use in Weapon Systems
On February 14, 2008, an Expert Meeting was held on the Risks of Depleted Uranium Use in Weapon Systems in Amersfoort, the Netherlands. The meeting was organized because of a round table conference (short hearing) organized by the standing committee of Defense from the Dutch Parliament and held the same day. Presentations were given by Henk van der Keur (Laka Foundation), John LaForge (Nukewatch), Dr. Avril McDonald (expert on legal issues), Prof. Dr. Keith Baverstock (scientist, former official and advisor of the WHO) and Krista van Velzen (MP of the Dutch Socialist Party).
The report (pdf, 640kb) includes the discussion of the round table conference held in the Dutch parliament and is bilingual (partly in Dutch). It is also available on paper (52 pages). If you want a copy please contact us.

Februari 2008
New article published: 'Thorium based nuclear power: an alternative?'
It is said that the global reserves of thorium are considerably larger than natural uranium. Therefore the call for thorium-based nuclear energy is rising. In the past 50 years basic research and development on the use of thorium-based fuel cycles has been conducted in Germany, India, Japan, Russia, the UK and the USA. Test reactor irradiation of thorium fuel to high burn-ups has also been conducted and several test reactors have either been partially or completely loaded with thorium-based fuel. But is it really an alternative?
read more (pdf)

November 2007
New article published: 'In time of hype, telling the thruth becomes a revolutionary act'
The war of words over Iran's nuclear ambitions has escalated recently, with the French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner warning the world to "prepare for the worst, and the worst is war" (although later withdrawn) and especially a spate of articles in the US print media targeting ElBaradei and the IAEA after agreeing on a time-schedule with Iran to answer outstanding questions about Iran's nuclear program.
This article examines the latest developments and analyses the role of the IAEA and ElBaradei
read more (pdf)

July 14, 2007
New article published: Emerging Nuclear States.
Thailand is one of many countries announcing to go 'the nuclear path'. It almost seems that every selfrespected government announces such plans, even unlikely candidates as Nigeria or Morocco or Myanmar. It's very unlikely that even a majority of those plans will materialise for many reasons. Not the least important reason is that it is obviously harder to built a countries' first as the second or third nuclear power plant....
read more (pdf)

March 20, 2007
New publication: Monopolizing the fuel supply: The GNEP, GNPI and Fuel Bank initiatives
One of the most urgent problems the nuclear community has to 'solve' before a relapse of nuclear energy is possible is the proliferation issue. Nuclear energy makes the nuclear bomb possible in many ways: know-how and skills, materials, technologies, processes and methods. The difference lies only in the intention.
One of the ways the nuclear society wants to 'solve' this is to monopolize the nuclear infrastructure and technology and restrict access to nuclear fuel. Internationally several initiatives are currently being developed.
But all these initiatives are undermining Article IV of the Non proliferation Treaty-- and with that the entire NPT, because Article IV is the 'carrot' in the NPT-'stick'.
Even if proposals to limit the accessibility of technology and nuclear fuel could somehow be brought into force, it would still not result in eliminating the proliferation risks associated with a (foreseen) large expansion of nuclear power.
read more (pdf)