A crucial project at the site of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant can now proceed to its final stages thanks to additional pledges by the international donor community at a conference in Kiev yesterday. On the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and President of the European Council Donald Tusk held talks by telephone during which Tusk underlined the EU's "comprehensive support" to Ukraine in overcoming the consequences of the disaster.

French utility EDF has signed an agreement to extend its cooperation with Rosenergoatom, the operator of Russia's civil nuclear power plants. The companies will cooperate in reactor operations, decommissioning and waste management.

Sweden's Studsvik and Kobe Steel of Japan have agreed to extend their existing cooperation by forming a joint venture to provide radioactive waste management solutions to the Japanese nuclear industry.

The European Commission today pledged to the Nuclear Safety Account fund the largest part of the €45 million ($51 million) expected from the G7 and the Commission in addition to the existing support. This fund supports in particular the safe decommissioning of units 1 to 3 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

Four electric power companies in western Japan - Chugoku, Kansai, Kyushu and Shikoku - have agreed to extend their existing cooperation in responding to nuclear emergencies as well as cooperating in the decommissioning of reactors.

A cooperation agreement has been signed between EnergySolutions and Japan Atomic Power Company through which the US nuclear commercial services company will share its know-how in decommissioning light water nuclear power plants with JAPC.

The final piece of process gas equipment has been removed from one of three former process buildings at the former Portsmouth gaseous diffusion uranium enrichment plant in Ohio, USA.

Sweden's Studsvik has agreed to sell its low-level radioactive waste operations in Sweden and the UK to EDF of France. At the same time, the two companies have agreed to collaborate in decommissioning and waste management.

The Pilgrim nuclear power plant will be refuelled for the final time in 2017 and will cease operations on 31 May 2019, Entergy announced yesterday.

Atkins has completed its acquisition of EnergySolutions' Projects, Products and Technology business, strengthening the UK-based engineering company's international multidisciplinary nuclear services capacity.

Sellafield Limited and Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) have drawn up plans to assist each other with communications related to their respective decommissioning activities. These plans follow the signing of a cooperation agreement in 2014.

Lithuania should plan for potential project risks in the decommissioning of the Ignalina nuclear power plant, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said. Such planning should ensure that future costs and scheduling "remain realistic".