In order to help the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission evaluate the safety of the next generation of nuclear power reactors, fuel cycle facilities and fuel technologies, researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have been expanding their severe accident modelling computer code, called Melcor, to work with different reactor geometries, fuel types and coolant systems.

The loading of spherical fuel elements has begun at the demonstration high-temperature gas-cooled reactor plant (HTR-PM) at Shidaowan, in China's Shandong province. The milestone came one day after the issuance of an operating licence for the twin-unit plant, which is scheduled to start operations later this year.

Regular electricity production at the Olkiluoto 3 EPR is now expected to begin in June 2022 due to extended turbine overhaul and inspection works, Finnish utility Teollisuuden Voima Oyj announced. The extension of those works has already led to a one-month delay in the plant's start-up.

An open letter to the prime minister of Belgium, Alexander De Croo, has called for the country's anti-nuclear policies to be re-evaluated and for Belgium's nuclear facilities and skills to be positively applied in an effort to avert climate change. Writing in the major newspaper La Libre, a group of young engineers called Horizon 238 appealed to De Croo: "Our country is about to make a decision that will irreversibly shape its energy landscape for decades to come, and which will undoubtedly become one of the most significant chapters of your government's legacy."

Small modular reactor developer NuScale Power has signed a memorandum of understanding with Xcel Energy Inc to explore the feasibility of Xcel Energy serving as a plant operator at NuScale plants. Portland, Oregon-based NuScale is seeking an experienced nuclear plant operator to provide potential customers with operational support.

Swiss drone developer Flyability has launched an indoor drone equipped with a radiation sensor specifically for conducting inspections at nuclear facilities. The Elios 2 RAD is designed to help maintain low radiation exposure levels to nuclear facility workers. It does this both by taking the place of personnel where possible for visual and radiation data collection, and by providing high-quality data for planning interventions that do require exposure, so that it can be kept to a minimum.

Federal-level legislation will come too late to save the Byron and Dresden power plants from early retirement this autumn, Exelon CEO Chris Crane has said. The company is still hopeful that aid at the state level will save the plants. A group of Illinois legislators has called for the state's General Assembly to reconvene as soon as possible to vote on the provisions.

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency has resumed operation of the High-Temperature Test Reactor in Oarai, Ibaraki Prefecture. The small prototype reactor becomes the first Japanese gas-cooled reactor to restart following the introduction of new safety regulations.

Unit 5 of the Hongyanhe nuclear power plant in China's Liaoning province has completed commissioning tests and met the conditions for entering commercial operation, China General Nuclear has announced. The company now has 25 power reactors in commercial operation with a combined generating capacity of 28,261 MWe.

An International Atomic Energy Agency team of experts has completed a review of the long-term operational safety of the Ascó nuclear power plant in Spain. The team reviewed implementation of recommendations made during a previous review mission and assessed the plant's preparedness, organisation and programmes related to long-term operation against IAEA safety standards.

China General Nuclear announced today it is taking unit 1 of the Taishan nuclear power plant in China's Guangdong province offline to replace damaged fuel rods. Last month, an increase in the concentration of noble gases in the primary circuit of the EPR was attributed to a few damaged fuel rods.

Exelon Generation yesterday announced the filing of Post Shutdown Decommissioning Activity Reports for its Byron and Dresden plants, due to shut later this year, with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. PSDARs set out long-term site restoration plans for the stations after they shut down, and their filing is one of the final regulatory steps before plant closure.