Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has formally decided to invest in Areva's reactor operations and signed investment agreements with both Areva Group and EDF to take a 19.5% stake in New NP.

EDF recorded a 3.7% year-on-year fall in net income and a 2.6% dip in sales in the first half of this year - to €2 billion and €35.7 billion - with its nuclear power generation impacted by unplanned outages. The French state-owned group said the results were in line with expectations, despite the launch earlier this year of a €4 billion capital increase.

French utility EDF has resumed operation of unit 5 at its Bugey nuclear power plant after receiving approval from the country's nuclear safety authority. The reactor had been offline for almost two years whilst tests and repairs were carried out on its containment.

The restructuring of France's Areva group has taken a step forward with the implementation of a €2.0 billion ($2.3 billion) capital injection from the French state. NewCo - Areva's separated nuclear fuel cycle activities - is also to receive a €2.5 billion capital increase from the state by the end of this month.

French utility EDF has said the EPR unit under construction at its Flamanville site in France will be connected to the grid in May 2019 and reach full power in November 2019. The dates are in line with the timetable for Flamanville 3 it gave in September 2015.

Mistubishi Heavy Industries and Assystem have today signed binding agreements with EDF to take equity stakes in New Areva NP. Subject to approval by its board, MHI will take a stake of 15% - and potentially up to 19.5% - in New NP, while Assystem will take a 5% stake.

The project to construct an underground radioactive waste repository in France has achieved "satisfactory technical maturity", the country's Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety has said. However, it identified a number of issues that could potentially impact the design concept and timeline for the project.

Two ships carrying mixed oxide (MOX) fuel yesterday departed from the French port of Cherbourg en route to Japan. It is the sixth such shipment of MOX fuel from Europe to Japan.

An open letter to French president Emmanuel Macron warned him that closing nuclear power plants would be a step backward for France. If the country wants to build renewables, let the new capacity support faster electrification of transport, said Energy for Humanity.

EDF has "taken note" of the French nuclear regulator's position indicating that the Flamanville 3 reactor pressure vessel (RPV) is fit for service, but aims to prove that regular maintenance would avoid the need to change the closure head of the RPV in 2024.

The French nuclear regulator has provisionally ruled that EDF's Flamanville 3 can start up safely, but that the head of its reactor pressure vessel will need to be replaced by the end of 2024. The Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire said yesterday the unit, which is under construction in northwest France, is fit for operation despite issues with its steel.

More cooperation agreements and contracts have been signed by Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom and its subsidiaries during the IX AtomExpo International Forum it is hosting this week in Moscow. The latest agreements, with Asian and European companies, cover collaboration in a wide range of nuclear-related areas and beyond.