Russian regulator Rostechnadzor has issued operating licence extensions to two more nuclear power units, bringing the total number to 27 since 2001. Unit 2 of Bilibino NPP and unit 4 of Novovoronezh NPP are now licensed to operate until the end of 2025 and 2032, respectively, which is six and 13 years longer than their previous licences.

Ukraine has this week held public hearings on plans to extend by 15 years the operation of unit 3 of the South Ukraine nuclear power plant, which entered commercial operation in 1989. Another topic for discussion is the fact the unit's reactor core is fully loaded with Westinghouse fuel, and the country's nuclear regulator, SNRC, told participants in the hearings it expected to approve commercial operation using this fuel by the turn of the year.

The loading of fuel into the core of the Olkiluoto 3 has been delayed until June next year because of the slow progress of system tests and shortcomings in spare part deliveries, the Areva-Siemens consortium has informed Finnish utility Teollisuuden Voima Oyj. Grid connection of the EPR is now scheduled for November, with the start of regular electricity production expected in March 2021.

The floating nuclear power plant Akademik Lomonosov was today connected to the grid, generating electricity for the first time in the remote Chaun-Bilibino network in Pevek, in Russia’s Far East. The achievement followed Russian regulator Rostekhnadzor's provision of an operating licence, as well as permission to connect to the northern electricity grid maintained by Chukotenergo JSC. Connecting the plant to Pevek's heat networks will be completed next year.

Russian regulator Rostechnadzor has issued a 15-year operating licence extension for unit 3 of the Smolensk nuclear power plant, the last of three RBMK-1000 reactors at the site in western Russia. The move means the whole plant has permission to operate for a total of 45 years.

Slovenske Elektrarne, the owner and operator of unit 3 of the Mochovce nuclear power plant in Slovakia, has shown a commitment to safety, an expert team from the International Atomic Energy Agency has concluded. The team also identified areas for further enhancements at the 471 MWe VVER unit, which is due to start up next year.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved Florida Power & Light's application for a 20-year subsequent licence extension for Turkey Point units 3 and 4, the first time the regulator has issued licences authorising reactors to operate for up to 80 years.

Tohoku Electric Power Company has received initial regulatory approval to resume operation of unit 2 at its Onagawa plant in Japan's Miyagi Prefecture. The plant was the closest nuclear power plant to the epicentre of the earthquake and tsunami of 11 March 2011, but sustained far less damage than expected.

Framatome earlier this year applied its ultra-high pressure cavitation peening process on reactor vessel primary nozzles at Dominion Energy's Millstone nuclear power plant in Waterford, Connecticut. This marked the first underwater application of this maintenance technique on reactor pressure vessel nozzles to primary pipe welds.

Fuel loading has begun at Darlington 2, Ontario Power Generation has announced. The refurbishment of Darlington 3 is now expected to start in the second quarter of 2020 as the company applies lessons learned during the refurbishment of unit 2.

Commissioning of the Olkiluoto 3 EPR is now running six weeks behind schedule, the Areva-Siemens consortium has informed Finnish utility Teollisuuden Voima Oyj. The supplier is to provide TVO with a revised schedule for the start-up of the plant next month.

Unit 2 of the Novovoronezh II nuclear power plant in southwest Russia has entered commercial operation, 30 days ahead of schedule, state nuclear corporation Rosatom announced today. Commissioning of the VVER-1200 brings the number of power reactors in commercial operation in Russia to 36.