In a first for the country, China has uprated its oldest power reactor, Qinshan 1, to 350 MWe (net) from its original 300 MWe. China National Nuclear Corporation said the engineering work "has important reference significance for the power enhancement of subsequent power stations, and plays an exemplary role in the life management of domestic nuclear power plants".

The reactor core of Darlington 2 in Canada has now been rebuilt, owner and operator Ontario Power Generation has announced, celebrating the installation of all its fuel channels. It is the first in a programme of ten reactor refurbishments.

Exelon Generation has filed its detailed plan for decommissioning unit 1 at Three Mile Island in Pennsyvlania, but says the plant will remain in operation if the state enacts a policy solution to preserve nuclear capacity.

Unit 1 of the Leningrad Phase II nuclear power plant in northwest Russia has produced 5.7 terawatt hours of electricity since it was connected to the grid on 9 March 2018, state nuclear corporation Rosatom said yesterday. The unit became the second VVER-1200 reactor to start up, following the launch in 2016 of Novovoronezh unit 6.

Ongoing excellent nuclear performance throughout long operating lives is contributing to meeting global energy and climate goals, World Nuclear Association Director General Agneta Rising told the World Nuclear Spotlight Brazil conference in Rio de Janeiro yesterday. During the event, Brazilian Minister of Mines and Energy Bento Albuquerque said the country was committed to resuming the Angra 3 project.

The 13-year Major Component Replacement project being undertaken as part of Bruce Power's life-extension programme will inject billions of dollars into Ontario's economy, a new report has found. Meanwhile, the major project to refurbish Darlington unit 2 remains on track for completion in 2020, Ontario Power Generation has announced.

US nuclear power plants achieved their highest level of generation ever in 2018, despite the closure of several plants since the previous peak, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

Long-term irradiation testing of China National Nuclear Corporation's CF3 pressurised water reactor fuel has been completed.

Mexican state utility CFE has a good basis to manage the long-term operation of the Laguna Verde nuclear power plant, an International Atomic Energy Agency team of experts has found.

Canadian company Kinectrics has been awarded contracts for projects related to safety at the Cernavoda nuclear power plant in Romania and lifetime asset management at the Bruce plant in Canada.

One of three new replacement steam generators has arrived at the port of Dunkerque in northern France ahead of their installation at unit 5 of the nearby Gravelines nuclear power plant. Installation of the original replacement components was delayed from 2016 after discrepancies were found in their manufacturing files.

An agreement to jointly participate in overseas nuclear digital instrumentation and control projects has recently been signed between Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power and Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction. Both companies were involved in the development of the Korean Digital I&C system.