Robert Gates tours China nuclear warfare headquarters

Robert Gates in China

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has visited China's nuclear warfare headquarters, at the end of a four-day visit to try to mend relations between the two militaries. 

"There was a discussion of nuclear strategy," including China's policy of not using nuclear weapons pre-emptively, Mr Gates said.

Officials from both countries praised the visit as a success. Beijing froze military ties last year because of a US arms sales to Taiwan.

The rare view of China's nuclear and missile arsenal was given on a trip to the Second Artillery Corps of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) headquarters.

Both the US and China have long-range missiles capable of reaching each other's shores, but both have said they do not intend to use them. More >>>

China Should Control Pace of Reactor Construction, Outlook Says

China must avoid building too many nuclear power reactors too quickly, the research unit of the State Council, or Cabinet, wrote in Outlook Weekly. 

The country should set a 2020 ceiling on reactors in operation at 70,000 megawatts to avoid a shortfall of fuel, equipment and qualified plant workers, the government-controlled unit said in a commentary in the weekly magazine published by the official Xinhua News Agency.

China is increasing the share of non-fossils fuels in its energy mix to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The country had 9,080 megawatts of nuclear capacity in operation as of 2009 and 21,920 megawatts under construction, the China Electricity Council says.

To lower safety risks, China should focus on developing reactors based on the third-generation AP1000 design instead of older, second-generation technology, according to the commentary. The AP 1000 reactor is manufactured by Westinghouse Electric Co., a unit of Toshiba Corp. More >>>

Geothermal Energy Gathers Steam in India

Geothermal energy is getting popular among the Indian energy companies and government policymakers. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had commissioned a research, development and demonstration program involving geothermal energy. The program aimed at locating the potential geothermal energy exploration sites in several states across the country.

The program covered states like Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Many of these states have confirmed the identification of geothermal potential sites. Some of the most active geothermal sites are believed to be located in Jammu & Kashmir with significant resources potentially present in Himachal Pradesh and in central India.Geothermal energy is getting popular among the Indian energy companies and government policymakers. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had commissioned a research, development and demonstration program involving geothermal energy. The program aimed at locating the potential geothermal energy exploration sites in several states across the country. More >>>

France signs deal with India to supply nuclear power stations

$9.2bn contract with Areva to equip site south of Mumbai 

Two years after reaching agreement with India on the supply of six European pressurised reactors (EPRs), Areva has signed a series of contracts with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) for the construction of two 1,650-MW reactors.

"India has little experience in the field of civilian nuclear power, which entails a large amount of technical preparation and lengthy negotiations," an Areva engineer said. The power stations should be in operation by 2020, at a cost of $9.2bn.

Until 2008 there was an embargo on sales of civilian nuclear technology to India, but it is now the fourth country to purchase Areva EPRs, after France, Finland and China. 

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Climate Change and ‘Balanced’ Coverage

In an article this week on the relentless rise of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, I outlined one of the canonical projections of climate science: if the amount of carbon dioxide doubles, the average surface temperature of the earth is likely to increase by 5 or 6 degrees Fahrenheit, a whopping change. I contrasted that with a prediction from skeptics of climate change who contend that the increase is likely to be less than 2 degrees.

One major voice on climate science, Richard B. Alley of the Pennsylvania State University, told me he gets annoyed by the way this contrast is often presented in news accounts. The higher estimate is often put forward as a worst case, he pointed out, while the skeptic number is presented as the best case.

In fact, as Dr. Alley reminds anyone who will listen, and as he recently told aCongressional committee, the estimate of 5 or 6 degrees is actually mildly optimistic. Computer programs used to forecast future climate show it as the most likely outcome from a doubling of carbon dioxide, but those programs also show substantial probabilities that the warming will be much greater. More >>>

Water Insecurity In Himalayas: Emerging Tensions And Lessons For ASEAN

Climate Change is triggering water insecurity in the Greater Himalayan region, raising new sources of tension that may embroil India and China in future conflict. These emerging tensions need to be  managed. There are also lessons for ASEAN.

GLOBAL WARMING is melting glaciers in the Himalayan mountains — the “Water Tower of Asia”. The region is the common source of major rivers that flow into at least four countries — China, India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Climate change is also causing drought and disruption to the flows of these rivers, leading to the displacement of people downstream and triggering migration from Bangladesh into India. Indeed, India has even built a border fence to stem the flow of the “climate refugees”. More >>>

BP Sells Pakistan Operations

LONDON— Dec 14 2010 - BP PLC's total asset sales this year rose to almost $22 billion as the company agreed to sell its oil and natural-gas assets in Pakistan to United Energy Group for $775 million in cash. BP will use the proceeds of the sales to cover the estimated $40-billion cost of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

"Today's agreement is further evidence of the rapid progress BP has made toward the divestment target we set out last summer," of $25 billion to $30 billion, BP Chief Executive Bob Dudley said in a written statement. "We are continuing to identify further assets More >>>