The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has directed its staff to issue a final rule and associated regulatory guide that applies risk-informed, performance-based emergency preparedness requirements to small modular reactors  and other new technologies.

Unit 1 of the Tricastin nuclear power plant in southern France can operate for a further ten years, the country's nuclear safety regulator, the Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire, has decided. It becomes the first French power reactor licensed to operate beyond 40 years.

Sweden's Radiation Safety Authority has presented its final report to the government on how the regulatory framework for nuclear power should be developed and what other measures may be needed for nuclear power to be expanded in the country.

The Breakthrough Institute, Clean Air Task Force, ClearPath, Nuclear Innovation Alliance, and Third Way say delays in finalising a regulatory rulemaking on risk-informed emergency preparedness has already caused significant regulatory uncertainty for developers.

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has invited comments on the proposed Cameco and Brookfield Renewable Partners acquisition of Westinghouse Electric Company as it considers whether the deal "may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition" in the United Kingdom.

Public consultation and a round-table discussion involving a variety of organisations has concluded that the proposed decommissioning plans for Leningrad 1 and 2 meet Russian and International Atomic Energy Agency standards. The next stage is to finalise the materials before submitting them as part of the process of obtaining the necessary national licences and approvals.

Unit 1 of the Takahama nuclear power plant in Japan's Fukui Prefecture has been restarted after being taken offline more than 12 years ago. Kansai Electric Power Company plans to return the 780 MWe (net) pressurised water reactor to commercial operation at the end of August.

The US state of Alaska has adopted regulations to streamline the regulatory process for the siting of microreactors. The new regulations, which waive some requirements imposed on larger nuclear facilities, come into effect in August.

A framework agreement to extend the operation of the Doel 4 and Tihange 3 power reactors by 10 years has been signed between French utility Engie and the Belgian federal government. Meanwhile, Belgium's Federal Agency for Nuclear Control has set out "its expectations regarding nuclear safety" for the extended operation of the units.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Ghana's Nuclear Regulatory Authority have reaffirmed their cooperation on nuclear safety and regulation, part of wider cooperation between the two countries as Ghana aims to create a nuclear power programme.

The Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Agency said it has received an application requesting the issuance of a permit for the use of Westinghouse-manufactured VVER-1000 fuel in unit 5 of the country's Kozloduy nuclear power plant. Westinghouse has signed a decade-long contract to supply fuel for the reactor.

Georgia Power says that all 364 inspections, tests and analyses have been performed and all acceptance criteria, known as ITAACs, have been met on Vogtle unit 4 and the documentation submitted to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.