The UK's Office for Nuclear Regulation has 53 research projects and proposals amounting to about £1.2 million ($1.5 million) in its Regulatory Research Register for 2016-17, which it published last week.

A cross-party committee has called on the Canadian government to reaffirm its long-standing support for the nuclear sector, including the commercialisation of small modular reactors. The House of Commons Standing Committee on Natural Resources made its recommendations in a report, The nuclear sector at a crossroads: Fostering innovation and energy security for Canada and the world, which it tabled before the government on 9 June.

An underwater robot has been developed to inspect the flooded primary containment vessel of unit 3 at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. The robot is expected to be deployed in the coming months, following the training of operators.

Westinghouse Electric Company yesterday announced the formal launch of its "accident-tolerant fuel solution", EnCore Fuel, during the company's Fuel Users' Group Meeting. EnCore Fuel is intended to offer "design-basis-altering safety, greater uranium efficiency and estimated economic benefits up to hundreds of millions of dollars" to Westinghouse's nuclear fuel customers.

The OECD-Nuclear Energy Agency and the US-based Electric Power Research Institute have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to exchange global nuclear research experience. The MOU outlines the scope and objectives of a five-year agreement to establish dialogue between them. Representatives of each organisation will now be invited to participate in each other's committee meetings and they may also organise joint events, seminars, workshops and training activities.

Small modular reactors (SMRs) offer the UK socio-economic benefits that would last 100 years, said John Molyneux of Rolls-Royce, but today's government must make its mind up how it wants to proceed.

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories yesterday launched a request for expressions of interest in small modular reactors (SMRs). The nuclear science and technology organisation aims to demonstrate the commercial viability of SMR technology by 2026.

Canada's General Fusion is collaborating with US computing giant Microsoft to analyse its fusion energy experimental results using cloud-based big data techniques. This, the company says, will enable it to explore experimental plasma data in greater depth than previously possible.

Russia's Federal Centre for Nuclear and Radiation Safety plans to start using TUK-1410 casks for the transport of used nuclear fuel from September. The cask will replace the 13th series of transport containers and is licensed to move used fuel assemblies from VVER-1000 reactors.

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) has begun dialogue with potential participants after unveiling its vision for the organisation's future. The long-term strategy foresees infrastructure investments of more than CAD1.2 billion ($873 million) over ten years and includes the development of a new small modular reactor (SMR) at Chalk River by 2026.

The USA's NuScale Power has commissioned a second small modular reactor control room simulator to model the operation of its nuclear power plant design. The Portland, Oregon-headquartered company said yesterday the new simulator will be used to develop plant operating procedures and training material as well as a training platform for future nuclear plant operators at a NuScale power plant.

A plate-type uranium-molybdenum fuel for research reactors has completed performance tests in the USA. The fuel could be used to replace highly-enriched uranium fuel, which can pose a proliferation risk.