The International Atomic Energy Agency has concluded a five-day Site and External Events Design mission to South Korea. The SEED team reviewed methods and criteria for evaluating seismic safety at the Wolsong and Shin Wolsong nuclear power plants, which are operated by Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power.

France's nuclear safety regulator has opened a public consultation on a draft decision governing the review of manufacturing files at Areva NP's Le Creusot forge. This draft decision requires EDF to examine the manufacturing records of all components produced by the facility that are in use at its operating nuclear power plants.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a confirmatory order to Westinghouse following the May 2016 discovery of an accumulation of uranium-bearing material at a fuel fabrication facility. The regulator has said it will not issue a civil penalty or cite the company for violations because of the commitments Westinghouse has made under the order.

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission are to expand their existing cooperation. Under a recently-signed memorandum of understanding, they will enhance their exchange of technical information and cooperation in nuclear safety matters.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved further actions related to its review of the Department of Energy's application for authorisation to construct a high-level radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. Yucca Mountain has since 1987 been named in the US Nuclear Waste Policy Act as the sole initial repository for disposal of the country's used nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive wastes.

Tokyo Electric Power Company has addressed many of the recommendations made following a 2015 assessment of operational safety at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant by the International Atomic Energy Agency. However, the IAEA says work should continue in some areas.

An International Atomic Energy Agency team of experts has concluded a five-day Site and External Events Design mission to Turkey, which plans to build its first nuclear power plant at Akkuyu in Mersin Province. The first of four 1200 MWe Russian VVER units is scheduled to receive its operational licence in 2023.

The International Atomic Energy Agency celebrated its 60th anniversary on 29 July, the date in 1957 when it formally came into existence after 26 countries ratified its Statute. The Vienna-based agency now has 168 Member States.

French utility EDF has resumed operation of unit 5 at its Bugey nuclear power plant after receiving approval from the country's nuclear safety authority. The reactor had been offline for almost two years whilst tests and repairs were carried out on its containment.

All contracting parties to the international Convention on Nuclear Safety have now made their national reports on the implementation of their obligations publicly available, the first time this has happened since the convention was established in 1996.

Nigeria has a committed regulatory body that works for the continuous improvement of nuclear and radiation safety, an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) peer review mission has concluded. However, it noted challenges related to its independence in implementing regulatory decisions and activities.

Energoatom has received regulatory approval to start construction of a central used fuel storage facility at the site of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine issued a licence on 6 June.