Slovenia's Ministry of the Environment says it has approved Krško's operations for a further 20 years, following the completion of an environmental impact assessment, a process which included input from neighbouring countries Croatia, Austria, Italy and Hungary, plus Germany.

Researchers have developed a method for assessing degradation of stainless steel components using laser beams that could reduce the time and expense needed for conducting safety checks of ageing nuclear power reactors.

Unit 3 of the Fangchenggang nuclear power plant in China's Guangxi Autonomous Region has been connected to the grid for the first time, China General Nuclear announced. The unit - the first of two demonstration Hualong One (HPR1000) reactors at the site - is scheduled to enter commercial operation in the second half of 2023.

French utility Engie and the Belgian federal government have signed an agreement with a view to restarting the Doel 4 and Tihange 3 nuclear power reactors in 2026 and operating them for a further ten years. Both units are currently scheduled to be shut down in 2025.

Preconditioning wellfield flows are already under way at Peninsula Energy's Lance uranium project in Wyoming, and it is on track to resume uranium production in the first quarter of this year.

The initial carbon plan adopted by the North Carolina Utilities Commission sets out a path to achieve a 70% reduction in CO2 emissions from publicly owned electric generating facilities by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050 via "reasonable steps" including licence extensions for nuclear power plants and the consideration of new nuclear capacity.
 

Bruce Power and its partners have completed the bulk of the construction phase of the major component replacement outage at Bruce unit 6 and are transitioning to activities to bring the unit back online in the fourth quarter of 2023. Meanwhile, Ontario Power Generation is preparing to start work on its third reactor refurbishment and is on track to complete all four by 2026.

The Japanese government has adopted a plan to extend the operation of existing nuclear power reactors and replace aging facilities with new advanced ones. The move is part of a policy that addresses global fuel shortages following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and seeks to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority has approved a draft of a new rule that would allow the country's nuclear power reactors to be operated for more than the current limit of 60 years. The amendment will require parliamentary approval.

Holtec International has announced its intention to reapply for federal funding to allow it to restart the Palisades nuclear power plant in Michigan, which closed down in May after more than 50 years in operation. An application earlier this year was unsuccessful.

The second unit at the nuclear power plant in Belarus is now expected to be connected to the country's power system in the first three months of 2023, according to Energy Minister Victor Karankevich.

The International Atomic Energy Agency is going to establish a permanent presence at all operating nuclear power plants in Ukraine, as well as at Chernobyl, with the move seen as particularly important "at a time when Ukraine’s energy infrastructure is facing unprecedented challenges as a result of the war and in the middle of winter".