China and the UK yesterday signed a Heads of Terms Agreement and held an unveiling ceremony for their Joint Research and Innovation Centre to be opened soon in Manchester, England. The event is the latest milestone since the JRIC was first announced during former Chancellor George Osborne's visit to Beijing in September 2015.

The decommissioning of the shut down Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant will be significantly accelerated through its sale to dismantling and remediation firm NorthStar Group Services, plant owner Entergy announced yesterday.

Ukrainian nuclear power plant operator Energoatom has agreed to enhance its cooperation with Chinese, Argentinian and Spanish companies - respectively, China National Nuclear Power, Nucleoeléctrica Argentina SA and IDOM Nuclear Services.

Dmitry Medvedev, the prime minister of Russia, and Li Keqiang, premier of China's State Council, today made a joint statement on the development of strategic cooperation between the two countries in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom said the statement "is intended to facilitate implementation" of its major projects in China.

The International Atomic Energy Agency and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers announced yesterday they had signed an agreement establishing practical arrangements to cooperate in sharing of best practices and documents and standards development in the area of nuclear safety and energy.

Lightbridge Corporation and Areva NP announced they have agreed key terms for the creation of a 50-50 joint venture to develop, manufacture and commercialize fuel assemblies based on Lightbridge's "next generation" metallic nuclear fuel technology.

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) and Southern Nuclear are to collaborate on the development and licensing of fast reactors including GEH's Prism sodium-cooled fast reactor, the companies announced yesterday.

State-owned nuclear companies Nucleoelétrica Argentina SA and Energoatom of Ukraine have signed a memorandum of understanding aiming to promote bilateral nuclear power development efforts.

Work to upgrade unit 5 of the Kozloduy nuclear plant in Bulgaria has been completed, extending its operations by 30 years to 2047, Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom and Bulgaria's Energy Ministry both announced yesterday. Meanwhile, Bulgaria today committed itself to fast-tracking payment of the debt it incurred to Russian companies for scrapping the Belene nuclear power plant project.

Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan have signed an agreement to cooperate in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The agreement was signed in Riyadh yesterday during a visit by Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power and Westinghouse have signed a memorandum of understanding on bilateral technical cooperation. The companies hope their collaboration will boost their overseas revenues.

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation and the Korea Electric Power Corporation have today signed a joint venture agreement for "long-term partnership and cooperation in the UAE's peaceful nuclear energy program". The two companies also announced establishment of Barakah One PJSC, an independent subsidiary they jointly own, which will "represent the commercial and financial interests" of the Barakah project.