Brazilian nuclear power plant operator Eletrobras Eletronuclear says it is on track to complete all the steps required to get approval for extended operation of the Angra 1 unit.

French utility EDF has signed green bank loans for a total amount of about EUR5.8 billion (USD6.3 billion), which will be used to finance the life extension of its existing nuclear power plant fleet in France.

US company Holtec International has established a wholly-owned subsidiary aiming to "energise the presently placid business sector of modification and maintenance", with the initial project being the restart of the Palisades plant.

Georgia Power has announced the start of commercial operations at the second of the two AP1000 units built as an expansion of the existing two-unit Vogtle plant. The plant is now the largest generator of clean energy in the USA.

Work has started on a three-week, CAD190 million (USD138 million) overhaul of a crucial part of the safety systems at Bruce B in Canada. Inspections and maintenance to the vacuum building must be carried out once every decade, but can only take place when all four of the plant's operating units are offline.

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited has embarked on a first-of-its-kind endeavour for replacement of primary recirculation piping at units 1 and 2 of the Tarapur Atomic Power Plant.

Japanese utility Kansai Electric Power Company is implementing timely measures for the safe long-term operation of unit 3 at its Mihama nuclear power plant, a team of International Atomic Energy Agency experts has concluded. The team also provided recommendations and suggestions to further improve the safe operation of the unit beyond 40 years.

US utility Constellation Energy Corporation has submitted a subsequent licence renewal application with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for its two-unit Dresden nuclear power plant in Illinois. The plant's operating licence was first renewed by the NRC in 2004.

Tokyo Electric Power Company plans to begin loading fuel into unit 7 of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture following approval by Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority. It is not yet known when the reactor will be restarted.

Fangchenggang unit 4 - the second demonstration Hualong One (HPR1000) reactor at the site in China's Guangxi Autonomous Region - has been connected to the grid, China General Nuclear announced.

The construction of six Westinghouse AP1000 reactors would contribute more than PLN118.3 billion (USD30.2 billion) in GDP for Poland, while their subsequent operation would generate PLN38 billion in GDP annually, an independent study has found.

Unit 4 of the Fangchenggang nuclear power plant in China's Guangxi Autonomous Region has attained a sustained chain reaction for the first time, China General Nuclear announced. The unit is the second of two demonstration CGN-designed Hualong One (HPR1000) reactors at the site.