While the deadline for the signing of the project agreement for Bulgaria's planned Belene nuclear power plant approaches, the government continues to seek partners to help finance the project. Russia's AtomStroyExport warned that it will stop work on the project unless the agreement is signed.
Nigeria signed a cooperation accord with Russia towards the construction of its first nuclear power plant today at the AtomExpo event in Moscow. Bangladesh and South Africa also agreed to extend their nuclear cooperation with Russia. 
Construction of new nuclear power plants in Russia is advancing, with Kalinin 4 entering trial commercial operation and completion of the installation of the dome of the containment building at Novovoronezh Phase II unit 1._63x48.jpg "Novovoronezh-II 1 dome ring lifting May 2011 (Rosatom) 63x48")
The reactor building dome is being assembled and installed in stages at Novovoronezh Phase II unit 1, Russian nuclear company Rosatom has said._72x48.jpg "Engineers at Kalinin 4 (Rosenergoatom) 72x48")
Engineers bringing a new reactor into service at the Kalinin nuclear power plant have successfully completed most of their tests. The unit is slated for commercial operation in September.
The process to build a new reactor at Bulgaria's Kozloduy nuclear power plant has started with an agreement in principle to go ahead with the project from the country's cabinet. The move comes two weeks after the government scrapped plans for a new plant at Belene.
Bulgaria will not go ahead with the completion of a new nuclear power plant at Belene and instead wants the Russian-supplied reactor that was to have been installed there to become the seventh unit at the existing Kozloduy site.
Apart from programs to develop large sodium-cooled fast reactors, Russia is also pushing ahead with a small modular fast reactor cooled by lead-bismuth eutectic, the SVBR-100.