The Czech Republic expects to select the reactor vendor for a new unit at the Dukovany nuclear power plant by the end of 2022 with commissioning planned for 2036, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said yesterday. His comments followed a meeting of the Standing Committee for the Construction of New Nuclear Resources, which was created in February and has now produced a schedule for expansion of the Dukovany plant.

Iran has started construction of unit 2 of its nuclear power plant at Bushehr. A ceremony to mark the pouring of first concrete was held yesterday and was attended by the president of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi, government officials and executives from Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom.

An International Atomic Energy Agency team of experts has concluded an 11-day Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review for Egypt. The mission, which was completed on 6 November, was conducted at the invitation of the Egyptian government.

Civil engineering works have been completed on the building that will house the fusion machine of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor at Cadarache in south-eastern France. The final concrete was poured yesterday for the upper part of the Tokamak Complex, meaning the metal frame of its roof can now be installed.

Commissioning of the Olkiluoto 3 EPR is now running six weeks behind schedule, the Areva-Siemens consortium has informed Finnish utility Teollisuuden Voima Oyj. The supplier is to provide TVO with a revised schedule for the start-up of the plant next month.

Nuclear has a place in Europe's energy mix, but rising costs - even if only perceived - need to be addressed to ensure future growth, speakers agreed at the New Nuclear Watch Institute's first annual forum, held in London yesterday.

The UK government should develop a Regulated Asset Base model for financing new nuclear power projects and support the deployment by 2030 of small modular reactors, the Confederation of British Industry has recommended. The recommendations are among the actions the CBI has set out for any future government to help the country achieve its target of net-zero emissions by 2050.

Unit 2 of the Novovoronezh II nuclear power plant in southwest Russia has entered commercial operation, 30 days ahead of schedule, state nuclear corporation Rosatom announced today. Commissioning of the VVER-1200 brings the number of power reactors in commercial operation in Russia to 36.

Nuclear energy in Asia is meeting the growing demand for electricity, whilst helping to tackle air pollution and climate change, according to a new report by World Nuclear Association. The World Nuclear Performance Report 2019 Asia Edition shows that last year nuclear generation in the region increased by 12% and avoided the emission of over 500 million tonnes of CO2 that would have otherwise been produced by coal-fired plants.

French utility EDF must present within one month an action plan to the French government that sets out how it will resolve issues, such as skills shortages, that have caused delays and cost increases at new nuclear power plant projects. Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said these have damaged the reputation of the nuclear industry.

The United Arab Emirates' Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation is at the final stage of its ongoing review of the operating licence application for Barakah 1 and 2, it said today.

The core catcher for the second unit at Kursk II in Russia has been delivered to the construction site in Western Russia. Kursk II will be the first nuclear power plant to use the VVER-TOI (typical optimised, with enhanced information) reactor design.