Armenia expands Western involvement at Metsamor NPP, cuts Rosatom out

Armenian authorities have acknowledged working with Western contractors on the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant, bypassing specialists from Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom, which is involved in extending the plant’s operational life, according to TASS, citing the plant’s press service. The report states that the EU supports Armenia’s nuclear safety efforts by introducing additional measures, including stress …

Georgia’s Plant Hatch receives 20-year license renewal from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Georgia Power announced today that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has approved the subsequent license renewal for the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant near Baxley. The approval authorizes continued operation of the facility for an additional 20 years by extending the operating license for Plant Hatch Unit 1 through 2054 and Unit 2 through …

Will French companies now enter India’s nuclear market? Key takeaways from Modi-Macron talks

The two leaders agreed to deepen defence cooperation, with greater emphasis on jointly designing, developing and producing platforms and advanced technologies. Civil nuclear energy, defence and emerging technologies dominated talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron in Nice on Sunday. The two leaders sought to expand the scope of the India-France partnership. Alongside discussions on …

Regulator streamline approvals process for Hinkley Point C Unit 2 reactor installation

The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has approved the installation of the Unit 2 Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) at Hinkley Point C (HPC) in a much quicker time through its flexible permissioning approach. The RPV is one of the most critical components in a nuclear power station, serving as the high-strength steel container that houses …

Minnesota lawmakers consider lifting ban on new nuclear power plants

Nuclear power could help the state fully transition to zero-carbon electricity, but the plants can be slow and expensive to build. In 1994, Minnesota banned new nuclear power plant construction in the state. Now lawmakers are considering whether to end that ban. Minnesota aims to fully transition to zero-carbon electricity by 2040. To meet that …

NRC Finds No Significant Environmental Impact from Proposed Crane Clean Energy Center Restart

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has determined that restarting Crane Clean Energy Center in Middletown, Pennsylvania would have no significant environmental impacts. The action marks a key milestone in the federal review of the plant’s proposed return to service. The draft environmental assessment, now open for public comment, clears an important hurdle for Constellation Energy Generation’s …

NRC Modernizes Reactor Licensing Hearings, Moves Public Input Earlier in Process

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is changing when and how it conducts mandatory hearings in reactor licensing reviews, moving them to the beginning of the licensing process and refocusing them on public engagement and information exchange. The revised policy implements requirements of Executive Order 14300 and the ADVANCE Act and represents a significant modernization of a …

Japan Sets Nuclear Reactor Replacement Targets

METI proposes replacing up to 5 reactors in the 2040s and 11–14 in the 2050s, but rising global costs cast doubt on the plan. Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Ryosei Akazawa on June 9 stressed the importance of METI’s proposed targets for replacing decommissioned nuclear reactors, saying they would “increase long-term predictability for nuclear power …

Ontario touts made-in-Canada nuclear project as Ford pitches trade ties in U.S.

Province says Bruce Power project was completed ahead of schedule with 95 per cent of spending staying in Canada. Ontario has rebuilt one of the reactors at southwestern Ontario’s giant Bruce nuclear plant ahead of schedule using a near-total Canadian supply chain. Meanwhile, Premier Doug Ford is in Washington, D.C., this week trying to drum …

Orano starts construction at Mongolia uranium project

A ceremony at the Zuuvch Ovoo site marked the start of the construction phase for implementation of the project in Mongolia. “Yesterday, in the presence of Mr Batjargal Ochirpurev, Governor of the Dornogobi province, Mr Ganburen Gansukh, Governor of the Ulaanbadrakh sum and Mr Manlaijav Gun-Aajav, Secretary of the Nuclear Energy Commission, we celebrated a …