The last of eight replacement steam generators has been lifted into place at Bruce unit 6, marking an important milestone in the ongoing Major Component Replacement project which will add 30-35 years to the Candu unit's operational life.

Nuclear fuel is being loaded into the second reactor at Belarus's Ostrovets nuclear power plant. The plant's first reactor has already taken a significant role in the country's energy mix, said Minister of Energy Viktor Karankevich.

After 45 years of power generation, the first reactor at Russia's Kursk nuclear power plant was permanently shut down on 19 December. Plant owner and operator Rosenergoatom celebrated its achievements and looked forward to new units under construction to replace it.

Finnish utility Teollisuuden Voima Oyj has today received permission from the country's Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority to bring the Olkiluoto 3 EPR to first criticality and conduct low-power tests. The unit is expected to begin generating electricity at the end of January, with regular electricity production starting in June 2022.

CORRECTED The High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor-Pebble-bed Module at the Shidaowan plant in China's Shandong province is preparing to be connected to the grid for the first time, China National Nuclear Corporation has announced. The unit's twin reactors achieved first criticality in September and November, respectively.

The long-term operation of the existing fleet of nuclear power reactors will help the European Union achieve its emission reduction targets at an affordable cost, according to European nuclear trade body Foratom. In an updated position paper, it says the LTO of existing units will help achieve the interim 2030 targets, reduce the EU's energy import dependency and support the integration of a higher share of renewables.

Unit 6 of the Fuqing nuclear power plant has attained a sustained chain reaction for the first time. The unit - the second of two demonstration Hualong One reactors at the site in China's Fujian province - will now undergo a series of tests before being connected to the grid and entering commercial operation.

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power has signed an agreement with US cooperative the Utilities Service Alliance - also known as USA - to cooperate in the development of innovative solutions to enhance nuclear power plant safety and performance within the Alliance's fleet and in the broader international commercial nuclear power industry.

Teollisuuden Voima Oyj has today applied to Finland's Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority for permission to bring the Olkiluoto 3 EPR to first criticality and conduct low-power tests. The Finnish utility noted the start up of the unit may be brought forward from the previously announced date of January 2022.

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy is using immersive virtual reality to help nuclear power plant operators train personnel for outage, operations and maintenance work ahead of the spring 2022 outage season. The Nuclear Virtual Reality Solution at the company's Wilmington, North Carolina, headquarters is also being used to provide plant-specific technical training.

Shikoku Electric Power Company restarted unit 3 of its Ikata nuclear power plant in Japan's Ehime Prefecture yesterday. The reactor - one of the few to have been restarted since the March 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant - had been offline since December 2019 due to a periodic inspection and a subsequent court injunction.

EDF has demonstrated commitment to safety at its Belleville nuclear power plant in central France by introducing additional methods to prepare for accident management and using innovative approaches in the training of plant staff, an expert team from the International Atomic Energy Agency has concluded. The team also identified areas for further enhancement, for example in operation, maintenance and operating experience.