Russian regulator Rostechnadzor has issued a licence for the final stage of the start-up procedure - pilot operation - at unit 4 of the Rostov nuclear power plant, which is near the city of Volgodonsk.

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission is to conduct pre-licensing vendor design reviews (VDR) of small modular reactor designs from NuScale Power and Westinghouse Electric Company. The reviews of the NuScale SMR and Westinghouse's eVinci micro reactor will incorporate the first two phases of the VDR process.

Kyushu Electric Power Company today began loading fuel into the core of unit 3 at its Genkai nuclear power plant in Japan's Saga prefecture. The reactor, together with unit 4, is expected to be restarted later this year.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's proposed budget for fiscal 2019 includes nearly $50 million for work related to the proposed Yucca Mountain repository. President Donald Trump's FY2019 budget request for the Department of Energy includes $120 million for Yucca Mountain and an interim storage programme for used nuclear fuel.

Richard Harrington, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the UK's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, has given notice of the department's intention to seek an advance from the Contingencies Fund to provide financial cover to the Office for Nuclear Regulation.

France has demonstrated a comprehensive commitment to safety with a responsible approach to the management of used nuclear fuel and radioactive waste, a mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency has concluded. Preparations are under way for missions to Spain later this year.

The loading of fuel assemblies into the core of unit 3 at the Ohi nuclear power plant in Japan's Fukui Prefecture will begin tomorrow, Kansai Electric Power Company announced. The utility plans to return both units 3 and 4 at the plant to commercial operation by mid-2018.

The nuclear power industry presents "particular challenges" in the context of Brexit, the House of Lords EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee says in a report published today.

Framatome said yesterday it had received approval from the French Nuclear Safety Authority and EDF to resume the manufacture of forgings for the French nuclear fleet at its Le Creusot site. The approval reflects the improvement plan launched at the site at the beginning of 2016, which Framatome said is now 90% complete and will be fully closed out in the first half of this year.

US industry groups have submitted a white paper setting out recommendations on how the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission can streamline licensing of advanced reactors. Meanwhile, the US Nuclear Energy Institute has hailed an NRC decision that a voluntary industry initiative can effectively address an electrical system vulnerability as a "win" for regulatory streamlining.

The UK government has published initial pre-consultation draft versions of the Nuclear Safeguards Regulations to enable early engagement with Parliament, industry and other stakeholders. The draft regulations, which the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy published on 19 January, set out the nuclear safeguards regime for the UK and the powers of the BEIS secretary of state to make regulations under the Nuclear Safeguards Bill.

Spain's Nuclear Safety Council and the Moroccan Nuclear and Radiological Safety and Security Agency have signed a memorandum of understanding on increased collaboration.