Nuclear power plants continue to perform to a high standard and growth is strong, with more than 20 new reactors scheduled to be connected before the end of 2020, World Nuclear Association Director General Agneta Rising says in the latest edition of the World Nuclear Performance Report. But for the industry to reach the Harmony goal of supplying at least 25% of electricity before 2050, Rising says much greater commitment from policymakers will be required.

The UK government's legally binding target for 'net-zero' emissions by 2050 is "undeliverable" unless clean growth policies are introduced, according to a parliamentary report published today by the cross-party science and technology committee.

UK Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom has set out the scope of the government's investigation into the power cut that affected a million homes and caused travel disruption across England and Wales on 9 August as generators cut off unexpectedly around 5.00pm. The National Grid said disconnections at the Bedfordshire-based Little Barford gas-fired power station and Hornsea offshore wind farm in Yorkshire had caused the blackout.

The establishment of an organisation responsible for the construction and operation of Ghana's first nuclear power plant has been approved by the country's cabinet, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia said this week.
 

Australia's Energy Minister Angus Taylor has asked the House Standing Committee on the Environment and Energy to investigate the nuclear fuel cycle, Committee Chairman Ted O'Brien announced today.

Units 1 and 2 of Belgium's Doel nuclear power plant can continue operating, even though a law extending their operation was adopted without the required environmental assessments or public consultation being carried out first, the European Court of Justice ruled today.

FirstEnergy Solutions Corp has rescinded deactivation notices for the Davis-Besse and Perry nuclear power plants in Ohio and resumed preparations to refuel Davis-Besse. This follows the state's passage into law of a bill providing clean energy credits to zero-emission power producers.

Boris Johnson expressed his "passionate" support for nuclear power when he addressed the House of Commons for the first time as UK prime minister yesterday. Seven of the country’s eight existing nuclear plants are set to be retired by 2030, while new-build projects have faced financial uncertainty over the last two years.

The UK obtained 19% of its primary energy from low-carbon sources last year, with 39% of this from nuclear power, but this was 7% lower than in 2017 due to outages at Dungeness B and Hunterston B towards the end of 2018, official statistics published today show. Nuclear capacity was broadly the same as in 2017, at 9.3 GW.

Ohio's House of Representatives passed House Bill 6 yesterday at a session held earlier than the 1 August date that had been expected, and it was signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine. The law will provide clean energy credits to zero-emission power producers, including nuclear power plants.

A technology-neutral discussion paper issued by Industry Super Australia, a body which represents union-backed industry superannuation funds, says nuclear must be part of the country's future energy mix.
 

Belgium will need more capacity than previously forecast to cope with its planned nuclear exit and is not yet ready for any scenario, a new report by Belgian grid operator Elia has found. Meanwhile, a team of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency has completed a review on the long-term operation of two of the country's nuclear power plants.