Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power and the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate on research & development and technology exchange related to the operation of Korean-designed APR1400 reactors. South Korea's first APR1400 unit entered commercial operation in December 2015, while four such reactors are due to start up in the UAE by 2023.

Ontario Power Generation's Centre for Canadian Nuclear Sustainability and Moltex Energy are to collaborate on a project to demonstrate the technical viability of recycling used fuel from Candu reactors. OPG is providing CAD1 million (USD800,000) in funding for the project.

The first project of the Chinese Helium-Cooled Ceramic Breeder Test Blanket System for the Iter fusion reactor project was launched on 15 March at China National Nuclear Corporation's Southwestern Institute of Physics in Chengdu, Sichuan province. It marks the start of China's implementation phase of tritium breeding technology in Iter.

The US National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine has called for urgent investment by the government and private sector to enable a pilot fusion plant to be operational in the 2035-2040 timeframe.

A near doubling in annual federal appropriated funding levels for core nuclear research and development activities is needed to ensure the commercial deployment of US advanced reactors in the 2030s, a task force commissioned by the American Nuclear Society has concluded. The group said the additional funding will help meet the Biden Administration's climate goals.

The Nuclear Innovation Alliance and Partnership for Global Security, two US think tanks, today released a joint report defining a comprehensive strategy for the USA to become the global leader in advanced nuclear power. They said the strategy outlines the domestic and international activities that will be required to ensure the USA can lead in the development and deployment of next generation nuclear technologies through collaboration between government, industry, civil society, and other nations.

The US Administration has launched its innovation effort to create American jobs while tackling the climate crisis with the creation of a new working group of the National Climate Task Force and the announcement of a new USD100 million federal funding opportunity to support transformational low-carbon energy technologies.

There are no fundamental geologic limitations to disposing of radioactive waste in deep horizontal boreholes in Estonia, a study conducted by US nuclear waste disposal company Deep Isolation on behalf of Fermi Energia has concluded. Such a repository could be used for the disposal of used fuel from small modular reactors proposed for deployment by the Estonian company. Fermi Energia is the first European company to contract with Deep Isolation on a preliminary geologic study to manage advanced reactor waste.

A virtual meeting was held on 13-14 January to launch the new Studsvik Material Integrity Life Extension project. The five-year project, supported by the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, aims to investigate and improve the understanding of materials ageing and degradation in metallic components during the operation of a nuclear power plant.

The UK and Japan have signed a research and technology deployment collaboration agreement to help automate nuclear decommissioning and aspects of fusion energy production. The collaboration is expected to lead to new robotics and automation techniques used in Japan and the UK.

The Office of Nuclear Energy, part of the US Department of Energy, has outlined its plan to support the existing US nuclear generation fleet, demonstrate the latest innovations in nuclear energy technologies and explore new market opportunities. The Strategic Vision is a blueprint for NE to achieve its mission of advancing nuclear energy science and technology to meet US energy, environmental and economic needs.

Nuclear science and non-power nuclear applications have never been more important, writes Dr. Yuri Seleznev, rector of Rosatom Technical Academy (Rosatom Tech).