Russian regulator Rostechnadzor has issued a 15-year operating licence extension for unit 3 of the Smolensk nuclear power plant, the last of three RBMK-1000 reactors at the site in western Russia. The move means the whole plant has permission to operate for a total of 45 years.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has completed the fourth phase of its review of the design certification application for NuScale's small modular reactor. With two final phases remaining, this marks the near-completion of the technical aspects of the review.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved Florida Power & Light's application for a 20-year subsequent licence extension for Turkey Point units 3 and 4, the first time the regulator has issued licences authorising reactors to operate for up to 80 years.

Candu Energy Inc - a subsidiary of Canada's SNC-Lavalin - has been awarded a contract by China National Nuclear Power Co Ltd for pre-project work for a proposed two-unit Advanced Heavy Water Reactor plant in China. The work relates to planning and licensing in preparation for the project, construction of which is expected to start in or around 2021.

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.

Construction licences have been issued for units 1 and 2 of the Zhangzhou nuclear power plant in China's Fujian province. The units were originally planned to be based on Westinghouse's AP1000 design, but will now feature domestically-designed Hualong One reactors.

Duke Energy has announced it will seek second 20-year renewals of the operating licences for all of its nuclear reactors, starting with the three-unit Oconee plant for which it expects to submit a renewal application in 2021. The company says the units are key to it achieving its carbon emissions goals.

Turkish regulator TAEK has granted Russian-owned JSC Akkuyu Nuklear a construction licence for unit 2 of the nuclear power plant under construction in Mersin province, in southern Turkey.

Holtec International has completed its acquisition of the shut-down Pilgrim nuclear power plant from Entergy Corporation. The plant is the second US decommissioning project to be acquired by Holtec.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a revised schedule for its review of the first subsequent licence renewal for a US nuclear power plant because it is taking more staffing hours than originally expected. It still expects to complete the process within its original 18-month timescale.
 

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has licensed the first entirely digital nuclear reactor instrumentation and control system in the USA, at a university-based research reactor originally built in 1962. The NRC licence also for the first time covers parts certified under standards laid down by a non-US regulatory body.
 

Holtec International has completed its acquisition of the shut-down Oyster Creek nuclear power plant from Exelon. Meanwhile, all nuclear fuel has been removed from the reactor at Entergy's Pilgrim nuclear power plant, which is due to be sold to Holtec later this year for accelerated decommissioning.