The modernisation of existing nuclear power units in the Czech Republic has added extra capacity equivalent to the output of a large coal-fired power plant, operator ČEZ has said.

Tohoku Electric Power Company now expects to reconnect unit 2 of its Onagawa nuclear power plant in Japan's northeastern Miyagi Prefecture to the grid in September. In January, the utility said additional safety construction works had delayed the previously planned restart in May.

Three new steam generators were delivered last month to the Cruas-Meysse nuclear power plant in south-eastern France. The components will be replaced at unit 3 later this year in order to enable the 900 MWe pressurised water reactor to continue operating beyond 40 years.

The provincial government is supporting Ontario Power Generation to go ahead with the refurbishment of units 5-8 at the Pickering nuclear power plant. OPG will now begin the initiation phase of the project.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd has marked the completion at its Kobe works of three of the nine replacement steam generators ordered by the French reactor operator.

Safety upgrade work at unit 2 of the Onagawa nuclear power plant in Japan's northeastern Miyagi Prefecture will not be completed next month, as previously planned, Tohoku Electric Power Company announced. The utility had earlier expected to resume commercial operation of the reactor around May.

EDF Energy has announced it will invest a further GBP1.3 billion (USD1.7 billion) in the UK's five operating nuclear power plants over the next two years and plans to further extend the lives of the four operating Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor plants.

The environmental impact assessment programme for a possible operating licence extension and power uprating of units 1 and 2 at the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant has been submitted by Teollisuuden Voima Oyj to Finland's Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

Uranium enrichment services provider Urenco has announced plans to increase capacity at its plant in Almelo in the Netherlands by 15% in response to new commitments from customers.

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power announced it has signed an agreement with Canada's Candu Energy and Italy's Ansaldo Nucleare to jointly carry out a refurbishment of unit 1 at the Cernavoda nuclear power plant in Romania.

Finnish utility Teollisuuden Voima Oyj announced it has initiated an environmental impact assessment procedure for a possible operating licence extension and potential power uprating of units 1 and 2 at its Olkiluoto nuclear power plant.

The unit has been reconnected to Ontario's grid following a successful Major Component Replacement that was completed ahead of schedule and on budget.