Unit 1 of the first nuclear power plant to be built in Belarus has been connected to the grid and is supplying electricity, Rosatom announced today. The Russian state nuclear corporation describes the VVER-1200 design, of which the Ostrovets unit is the first to be built outside Russia, as "the backbone" of its export portfolio that comprises 36 units across 12 markets.

Japan's Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) today approved the operational safety programme submitted by Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) for its seven-unit Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant. Tepco is working towards restarting units 6 and 7 at the site in Niigata prefecture.

Unit 2 of the Leningrad II nuclear power plant in Sosnovy Bor, in Western Russia, was connected to the national grid today for the first time. Following this trial operation, the unit will be shut down for an additional equipment inspection by a state commission, Rosatom said, before being put into commercial operation, which is scheduled for 2021. The new unit will replace Leningrad unit 2, which is an RBMK-1000 reactor.

Unit 5 at the Fuqing nuclear power plant in China's Fujian province attained a sustained chain reaction for the first time yesterday, China National Nuclear Corporation has announced. The unit - the first of two demonstration Hualong One reactors at the site - is scheduled to begin commercial operation by the end of this year, with unit 6 following by the end of next year. Unit 5 will be the world's first Hualong One reactor to be commissioned.

Japan's Nuclear Regulatory Authority yesterday approved safety measures submitted by Tokyo Electric Power Company for unit 7 of its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata prefecture. The approval brings the unit one step closer to restart, pending local consent.

Russian regulator Rostekhnadzor has issued a permit for the next stage of commissioning at unit 2 of the Leningrad II nuclear power plant in Sosnovy Bor, in Western Russia. The VVER-1200 reactor has since started a gradual increase in capacity, from 1% to 35-40%.

Unit 1 of the nuclear power plant under construction in Belarus has achieved first criticality, Russia's Rosatom announced today. The milestone was reached at 2.26am (local time) on 11 October. First criticality, also referred to as the minimum controlled power level, is reached when neutron flux is recorded in a reactor at a level sufficient to sustain a fission chain reaction. It is considered to be the final stage of the physical start-up procedure, and enables personnel to verify whether the physical characteristics of the reactor core comply with the design requirements.

Cold functional testing has been completed at unit 6 of the Tianwan nuclear power plant in China's Jiangsu province, China National Nuclear Corporation has announced. The ACPR1000 reactor is scheduled to enter commercial operation by the end of 2021.

The first of six replacement steam generators for South Africa's only operating nuclear power plant have arrived at the Koeberg site, plant owner and operator Eskom has announced. Steam generator replacement is part of a ZAR20 billion (USD1.2 billion) programme to extend by 20 years the operating life of the two-unit plant.

A ceremony has been held to mark the final official acceptance of unit 4 at the Chashma nuclear power plant in Pakistan's Punjab province. Constructed by China National Nuclear Corporation, the unit is China's fourth overseas nuclear power unit.

Digital twins of every unit in France's fleet of nuclear power reactors are to be developed under a four-year project involving partners from academia and industry. These cloned reactors will serve as a training simulator for the new generation of operators and a simulation environment for engineering studies.

An International Atomic Energy Agency team of experts today completed a review of the long-term operational safety of unit 3 of the Ringhals nuclear power plant in Sweden. The team assessed the plant's preparedness, organisation and programmes related to long-term operation against IAEA safety standards.