France's nuclear regulator has lifted the suspension of the serviceability certificate for one of the three steam generators installed at unit 2 of EDF's Fessenheim nuclear power plant. The certificate was suspended in July 2016 due to anomalies in the steel of the steam generator's lower shell.

A consortium led by Westinghouse Electric Company has completed an EU-funded project aimed at diversifying the supply of fuel to Russian-built VVER-440 reactors in Europe.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited (JNFL) have both completed their investment of some EUR250 million (USD307 million) to acquire 5% stakes in Orano, the former Areva nuclear fuel cycle activities.

Holtec International and GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy are to collaborate on accelerating the commercialisation of Holtec's SMR-160 small modular reactor (SMR). Their cooperation will initially include nuclear fuel development and control rod drive mechanisms.

China General Nuclear subsidiary China Techenergy Corp recently signed an agreement to cooperate with South Korea's Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction to promote self-developed instrumentation and control products. CTEC has also signed a contract with Doosan to supply SpeedyHold (CTEC’s logic controller), and then Doosan will supply replacement control rod systems to four Korean nuclear power reactors.

The James A Fitzpatrick nuclear power plant, which had been scheduled to close a year ago, is today driving significant investment in local businesses in New York State, Exelon said yesterday. More than $15 million was invested in 2017 in capital projects to support the plant for long-term operations.

France's Framatome has signed an asset purchase agreement with Schneider Electric to acquire its nuclear instrumentation and control (I&C) business. The asset purchase agreement outlines the terms of the sale, which is expected to close by the end of March.

The USA's two main uranium producers yesterday filed a petition with the US Department of Commerce seeking an investigation into the effects of uranium imports on US national security. Energy Fuels Inc and Ur-Energy are calling for a limit to imports that would reserve 25% of the US nuclear market for domestic uranium production.

France's Framatome and China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) have signed a protocol for the development of global strategic cooperation. They have also renewed a contract under which Framatome will supply nuclear fuel components to CNNC.

The third and final steam generator has been installed at the demonstration Hualong One reactor being constructed as unit 5 of the Fuqing nuclear power plant in China's Fujian province. The reactor is expected to start up next year.

China's first AP1000 fuel production line has now produced 64 sets of fuel assemblies ready for the first reloading of the Sanmen AP1000 units. Both Sanmen AP1000s are scheduled to begin operating later this year.

The Atmea joint venture between France's Areva and Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is to be reorganised following the sale of Areva's reactor business to EDF, MHI and Assystem. Atmea was created in 2007 to develop, market, license and sell the 1100 MWe Atmea-1 pressurised water reactor combining both companies' technologies.