The VC Summer nuclear construction project is now over 64% complete, South Carolina Electricity & Gas (SCG&E) said in its latest progress report to the state's Public Service Commission. The substantial completion dates for the two AP1000 units are currently unchanged from previous timelines but are to be re-evaluated in light of Westinghouse's recent bankruptcy filing.

Replacing Washington State's only operating nuclear power plant, the Columbia Generating Station, with wind and solar resources would lead to annual costs of $271 million, a new analysis by the Oregon-based Public Power Council (PPC) has found. The findings directly contradict those of a study circulated earlier this year by the anti-nuclear Physicians for Social Responsibility group.

As the US Congress begins hearings on proposals to amend 35-year-old legislation on nuclear waste policy, the US Nuclear Energy Institute has called on the administration to facilitate the licensing of the Yucca Mountain repository and private interim storage facilities.

The owners of the VC Summer and Vogtle nuclear new-build projects have announced extensions to interim assessment agreements with Westinghouse. The extensions will allow work to continue at the AP1000 construction site at Summer until 26 June and Vogtle until 12 May.

The "30-day window which ends imminently" on the fate of Westinghouse's US nuclear power plant projects is "critical" to the national interest and to the interest of the industry as a whole, Dan Lipman of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) has told the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle (WNFC) conference in Toronto, Canada. Westinghouse said it would no longer spend money on the Summer and Vogtle projects, but reached an agreement with the utilities involved to allow them to pay costs during a 30-day interim period.

A plate-type uranium-molybdenum fuel for research reactors has completed performance tests in the USA. The fuel could be used to replace highly-enriched uranium fuel, which can pose a proliferation risk.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission is seeking public comment on a draft regulatory basis for new emergency preparedness requirements for small modular reactors and new technologies such as non-light water reactor facilities. A regulatory basis is an early stage in the NRC's rulemaking process.

Westinghouse Electric Company has informed South Carolina Electric & Gas that it estimates the additional cost of completing the two VC Summer AP1000 reactors to be about $1.5 billion.

An organisation representing the USA's uranium producers has called on the US Department of Energy to halt transfers of federal excess uranium inventory until the uranium market recovers. The Uranium Producers of America said the domestic industry is currently in a fragile state after the transfer of large quantities of price-insensitive material over a long period.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a Confirmatory Order to Homestake Mining Co of California outlining actions to be taken as part of an ongoing groundwater cleanup program at the site of a former uranium mill in New Mexico.

The US Department of Energy's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant yesterday received its first shipment of transuranic waste since reopening after almost three years out of action.

Entergy Corporation has completed the sale of the James A Fitzpatrick nuclear power plant in New York State to Exelon Generation. Exelon agreed to buy the single-unit plant last year after the state adopted a Clean Energy Standard supporting the continued operation of nuclear capacity.