The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency and the CANDU Owners Group have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate in research and activities related to pressurised heavy water reactors. The purpose of the MoU is to advance the scientific and technical knowledge base for PHWRs and foster cooperation amongst research organisations that support PHWRs.

The USA and Bulgaria recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on civil nuclear cooperation. Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov noted that nuclear energy is one of the "greenest and cleanest" energies and that is why the country wants to use "safer technology of the latest generation" and to achieve diversification of nuclear fuel.

TerraPower has announced plans to team with nuclear fuel and services provider Centrus Energy to establish commercial-scale, domestic production capabilities for high-assay, low-enriched uranium. This, it says, will be needed to fuel many next-generation reactor designs, including the recently announced Natrium Power Storage System designed by TerraPower and GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy.

The agreement reached yesterday between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran is "very, very important" for non-proliferation, peace and security and the work of the agency worldwide, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi told reporters on his return to Vienna from Tehran last night.

The International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran said today they had agreed to "further reinforce their cooperation and enhance mutual trust" to facilitate the full implementation of Iran’s Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and the Additional Protocol thereto, which has been provisionally applied by Iran since 16 January, 2016.

Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, has described his talks with International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi as "constructive". Grossi is in Tehran today and tomorrow to discuss access for IAEA inspectors to Iran's nuclear sites.

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi will travel to Tehran today, his first trip to Iran since he took office last December. During his discussions there, Grossi will address Iran's cooperation with the Vienna-headquartered agency, and "in particular Iran's provision of access to the Agency's inspectors to requested locations", the IAEA said.

Alberta is to join three other Canadian provinces to support the development of small modular reactors, its premier Jason Kenney has announced. SMRs could provide energy for on and off-grid communities as well as steam to industry, including Alberta's oil sands, he said.

Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation of the USA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with South Korea's Hyundai Engineering and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. The five-year agreement outlines goals for development of technologies that enhance the ability of the USNC Micro Modular Reactor to produce and deliver carbon-free power, heat and hydrogen.

Deep Isolation has signed a long-term cooperation and licensing agreement with NAC International to design, manufacture and supply canisters to store and/or dispose of nuclear waste in deep horizontal boreholes. The agreement follows a short-term memorandum of understanding the two companies signed last year.

Ringhals AB - operator of Sweden's Ringhals nuclear power plant - has entered into an agreement with national electricity transmission system operator Svenska Kraftnät regarding the availability of unit 1 at the plant. The agreement aims to secure the voltage stability and short-circuit power in the transmission network to handle the operating situation in southern Sweden during the summer.

The International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors today adopted a resolution calling on Iran to fully cooperate with the IAEA in implementing its NPT Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol and satisfy the IAEA's requests without further delay. The resolution, submitted by France, Germany and the UK, was adopted by a vote of 25 to 2 with 7 abstentions. The two objections were made by China and Russia.