Belgium's nuclear power plant operator Electrabel has revised the timetable for scheduled maintenance outages at three of its reactors to check for degradation of concrete in the ceilings of buildings housing back-up safety-related equipment. The extended outages will cost the company some EUR250 million (USD290 million).

The International Atomic Energy Agency and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency are to work together to enhance radiation protection of workers in the uranium mining and processing industries under a new cooperation agreement.

The French nuclear safety regulator has introduced stricter measures for monitoring the production of components, as a response to irregularities found in paperwork at the Creusot Forge. Licensees and manufacturers have until 1 September to implement them.

The UK last week completed two more milestones in its preparations to leave the European Atomic Energy Community. On 7 June, Parliament passed the Nuclear Safeguards Bill and government officials signed new international safeguards agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Investigations into the causes and nature of quality deviations detected on certain welds in the main secondary system of the EPR reactor under construction at Flamanville, northern France, will continue for "several more weeks", EDF said yesterday. The utility warned that the start-up of the reactor could possibly be delayed by "several months".

The US Department of Justice and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission have submitted a statement to a court of appeal saying federal rules do not pre-empt Illinois' zero emission credit programme. The court is hearing an appeal against an earlier ruling that dismissed a lawsuit aimed at invalidating the programme, which provides financial support to Exelon's Quad Cities and Clinton nuclear power plants.

The UK's Office for Nuclear Regulation has provided an update on its compliance with the Regulators' Code, which came into effect in April 2014 and aims to provide a framework for how regulators should engage with those they regulate.

Chugoku Electric Power Company has today requested permission from local governments to apply for pre-startup inspections of unit 3 at the Shimane nuclear power plant in Japan's Shimane prefecture. Construction of the 1373 MWe advanced boiling water reactor is nearing completion.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has completed a three-year project to revamp its safeguards information technology system to be more effective in its work to ensure the peaceful uses of nuclear technology. IAEA safeguards are a set of technical measures to help prevent the non-peaceful use of nuclear material and technology.

Unit 4 of the Ohi nuclear power plant in Japan's Fukui Prefecture began supplying electricity to the grid again on 11 May, Kansai Electric Power Company has announced. The reactor is expected to re-enter commercial operation early next month.

The UK's Office for Nuclear Regulation has laid its latest Corporate Plan before Parliament in which it lists its ten priorities for 2018-2019. These include developing a new regime to meet safeguarding obligations following Parliament's decision to exit Euratom, along with measures to support the implementation of new emergency planning arrangements as a result of the Basic Standards Directive.

The UK government has launched an open consultation on the future regulation of nuclear sites in the final stages of decommissioning and clean-up. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said the consultation seeks to enable a "more flexible approach that can optimise waste management, thereby realising environmental benefits and reducing costs".