A US business consortium has called for "decisive, swift and tangible" action on used nuclear fuel and high-level waste storage, including the re-establishment of the Office for Civilian Radioactive Waste Management and re-engagement with the Yucca Mountain review process. The US Nuclear Infrastructure Council says the current "impasse" is costing US taxpayers billions of dollars. 

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy and Advanced Reactor Concepts have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on the development and licensing of a small modular reactor. Each company has so far been developing its own sodium-cooled fast reactor models.

The US Department of Energy has asked for public comment on the effects of potential transfers of its excess uranium inventory on the country's uranium mining, conversion and enrichment industries. The DOE's request was issued the day after the US Government Accountability Office raised issues related to excess uranium transfers over the past decade including questions on the DOE's assessment of market impact studies; the valuation of depleted uranium tails; and the legality of some transfers.

Cameco has confirmed it is evaluating the possibility of divesting its US uranium facilities, although no decision has yet been made to sell any assets. The company's combined operations at Smith Ranch-Highland in Wyoming is the largest uranium production facility in the USA.

CORRECTED: The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued an operating licence to AUC LLC for the Reno Creek in-situ leach uranium project in Campbell County, Wyoming.

FirstEnergy Corporation is advocating for Ohio to pass legislation recognising the zero-emission benefits of nuclear power, while acknowledging that it does not expect to remain the long-term owner of the state's only operating nuclear power plants. The company has confirmed it will withdraw from the competitive electricity market.

Commercial operation dates for Vogtle units 3 and 4 have been put back to December 2019 and September 2020 respectively, Southern Company said on 22 February. These dates are six and three months later than previously expected.

A consortium of small modular reactor developers and customers has issued a policy statement setting out the benefits of public-private partnerships to facilitate the commercialisation and export of US-designed SMRs.

The shipment of transuranic wastes from generator sites to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico is set to resume in April. The US Department of Energy expects a total of 128 shipments to be made to WIPP over the next 12 months.

Westinghouse Electric Company and its "parent guarantor" Toshiba Corp are committed to completing the two new Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear power units under construction in Jenkinsville, South Carolina. SCANA Corp said yesterday its main subsidiary, South Carolina Electric & Gas Company, and VC Summer Nuclear Station co-owner, Santee Cooper, had received this "reaffirmation".

The US Nuclear Energy Institute has identified nearly $650 million of potential savings through its initiative to ensure nuclear energy's long-term viability through improved efficiency. At the institute's annual briefing to Wall Street analysts on 9 February, its CEO Maria Korsnick highlighted the Delivering the Nuclear Promise program's achievements since its launch about a year ago.

US policymakers understand the potential impact of losing nuclear plants and states are increasingly recognising the benefits of nuclear power to consumers, the economy and the environment, Nuclear Energy Institute CEO Maria Korsnick said yesterday at its annual briefing to Wall Street analysts.