EDF has again revised the schedule and budget for the commissioning of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant under construction in Somerset, England. The start of electricity generation from unit 1 is now expected in June 2026, compared with end-2025 as initially announced in 2016. Delays arising from the pandemic will also increase the cost of the project by GBP500 million (USD684 million) to GBP23 billion.

The Bulgarian Council of Ministers, at a meeting on 20 January, approved plans presented by the Minister of Energy to construct a seventh unit at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant using Russian-supplied equipment purchased for the Belene project. The minister noted discussions have been held with Westinghouse of the USA to construct the unit.

The UK government must continue to support nuclear power generation if the country is to meet an expected doubling of electricity demand by 2050 while meeting its Net Zero ambitions, according to a new report from the Centre for Policy Studies. The think tank recommends the government explore innovative financing methods for the construction of new nuclear power plants.

Shearwater Energy, which describes itself as a UK-based hybrid clean energy company, is developing a wind-small modular reactor and hydrogen production hybrid energy project in North Wales. Shearwater says it has selected the SMR technology being developed by NuScale and has signed a memorandum of understanding with the US company to further collaboration in advancing the proposed project.

Unit 2 of the Leningrad II nuclear power plant in western Russia passed 1 terawatt hours of electricity production on 15 January, a milestone in its four months of pilot operation that started in November last year.

The challenges the nuclear industry faces are largely external and must be overcome if it is to help tackle the existential threat of climate change, panellists in the Nuclear Energy and its Future session of the Reuters Next conference on 11 January said. These challenges include: the notion nuclear is an out-dated technology; the cost of finance; market design; political changes; perceived competition with renewable energy; and the public's misconceptions about radioactive waste.

Romanian national nuclear company Societatea Nationala Nuclearelectrica has been awarded a non-refundable grant of USD1.28 million by the US Trade and Development Agency for use in the identification of potential sites in Romania to host small modular reactors. The USTDA is an independent federal government agency focused on connecting US companies with export opportunities in emerging markets.

Unit 1 of the nuclear power plant under construction in Belarus reached 100% of its capacity on 12 January, Russia's Rosatom said yesterday. The reactor, near Ostrovets in the Grodno region of Belarus, is of the AES-2006 design, which is the latest version of the VVER-1200 and the first of its kind built outside Russia.

GE Steam Power has delivered the first Arabelle steam turbine module for the Akkuyu nuclear power plant under construction in Turkey. Manufactured at its factory in Belfort, France, the turbine module is the first equipment delivered by GE for the project and was delivered four months ahead of schedule.

The ITER Organisation has selected the contractors to carry out assembly and installation activities inside the Tokamak Complex at the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (Iter), under construction in Cadarache, France. These contracts are the last major assembly and installation contracts planned for first-phase Iter assembly.

Cold functional testing has been completed at unit 6 of the Fuqing nuclear power plant in China's Fujian province, the second of two demonstration Hualong One reactors at the site. The tests mark the first time the reactor systems are operated together with the auxiliary systems.

The UK's Environment Agency has published its assessment so far of the UK Hualong One pressurised water reactor (UK HPR1000) as it invites public comment on this proposed new reactor design. The UK HPR1000 is the Hualong One design that General Nuclear Services - a subsidiary of EDF and China General Nuclear - proposes to use at a prospective new nuclear power plant in Bradwell, England.