Nuclear-produced hydrogen, using electrolyser technology, could have a "sizeable contribution" to make in the development of the hydrogen economy, according to a new report from the New Nuclear Watch Institute think-tank. However, it says the realisation of those benefits will depend on the adoption of technology-neutral policies, which do not discriminate against nuclear power.

The levelised costs of electricity generation of low-carbon generation technologies are falling and are increasingly below the costs of conventional fossil fuel generation, according to a report by the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency and the International Energy Agency. The cost of electricity from new nuclear power plants remains stable, yet electricity from the long-term operation of existing plants constitutes the least cost option for low-carbon generation. Nuclear electricity is expected to have lower costs in the near future, the report says.

All countries must work together in order to meet the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, speakers agreed during today's plenary session of the Global Impact Conference - Energy for Impact. However, progress on meeting those goals is said to have been put back by up to 15 years by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effective leadership has always been the key differentiator between marginal and exceptional performance. Now more than ever, those in management roles from first line to senior managers across every key function at nuclear plants and facilities worldwide, need to provide strong, inspirational leadership and a clear direction for their workforce, writes Ingemar Engkvist, CEO of the World Association of Nuclear Operators.

Innovation goes beyond gadgets to touch entire energy systems, World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y León told delegates at the General Chair’s Special Session of the American Nuclear Society's Winter Meeting yesterday. The session, titled Nuclear Science and Industry: The next transformation, featured a panel of science and industry experts discussing how innovation is transforming both the current fleet of reactors and preparing for a future with advanced reactors, integrated systems, and smarter grids. The following is the text of her speech.

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) plans to establish an association of nuclear energy regulators and organisations that provide scientific and technical support. A draft memorandum on this was approved at the 21st meeting of the CIS commission on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, which was held via video link yesterday. The meeting was chaired by the head of the commission, Belarus' Deputy Energy Minister Mikhail Mikhadyuk.

The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency and the CANDU Owners Group have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate in research and activities related to pressurised heavy water reactors. The purpose of the MoU is to advance the scientific and technical knowledge base for PHWRs and foster cooperation amongst research organisations that support PHWRs.

Education and training policy in the European Union must do more to ensure there is a sufficient number of people with the right skills in the nuclear field, according to a new position paper issued by Foratom. The European nuclear trade body suggests a number of actions that the industry and policymakers can take to avoid a skills shortage in the nuclear sector.

The European Commission has presented a plan to reduce European Union greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Foratom, the European nuclear trade body, said EU policy must recognise nuclear's potential role in meeting that target.

Nuclear energy projects should be included in post-COVID recovery plans as they provide a large number of jobs that help boost the economy, the OECD-Nuclear Energy Agency says in its newly published Policy Brief, Creating high-value jobs in the post-COVID-19 recovery with nuclear energy projects.

The International Atomic Energy Agency and the Generation IV International Forum have called for greater efforts to support the early deployment of innovative nuclear reactor systems to address climate change. The appeal came during the 14th GIF-IAEA Interface Meeting held last week.

A failure to renew France's fleet of nuclear power reactors will have consequences as soon as 2030 for not only the country's energy security but also its climate targets, according to the French nuclear energy society (SFEN). Nuclear power plants, with a combined capacity of 62 GWe, currently account for more than 70% of the country's electricity generation.