The US government should hold "a structured conversation" with the country's nuclear industry on ways to restore and develop the sector, according to an essay from Mark Hibbs, senior fellow of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's nuclear policy program.

The long-term potential of nuclear power remains high, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency's latest high case projection, which sees global nuclear generating capacity increasing 123% by 2050 compared with its current level.

Egypt and Russia have completed their talks on contracts to build a nuclear power plant at Daba'a, according to a report from Cairo by Russian news agency TASS that cites Egypt's electricity and energy minister, Mohamed Shaker. The four draft agreements - which cover technical support, operation, maintenance, and fuel supply - require approval by the State Council, or the Supreme Administrative Court, it added.

The US Nuclear Energy Institute has called for the US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit to reject a state of Texas request for payments from a fund intended for the disposal of used nuclear fuel. The request was made in a lawsuit filed in March by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton against federal agencies, including the Department of Energy and Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

A total of ten Japanese nuclear power reactors are likely to have been restarted by the end of March 2019, according to the latest estimate by the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ). These restarts will help improve the country's economy, energy security and environment, it says.

The Spanish government has denied the renewal of Nuclenor's operating licence for the Garoña nuclear power plant. The decision means the reactor - which has been offline for more than four years - will now enter the decommissioning phase.

A "scientific characteristic map" for the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste has today been published by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The map does not identify potential repository sites, but indicates areas that have suitable geological conditions to host such a facility.

Nuclear power's share of the UK's electricity generation mix was stable at 21% last year, according to statistics released by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy yesterday. Nuclear generation rose 2% from 70 terawatt hours to 72 TWh in 2016 as nuclear plants had fewer planned and unplanned outages than in 2015.

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the State of New York's zero emission credit (ZEC) program. Earlier this month, a similar lawsuit against Illinois' ZEC program was also dismissed.

Japan's cabinet last week approved the draft Basic Concept on Nuclear Energy Use developed by the Japan Atomic Energy Commission. The concept - which will guide the country's future nuclear energy policy - calls for the promotion of the benefits of nuclear energy while minimising the risks of its use.

Further details have been given about India's planned construction of ten indigenously designed pressurised heavy water reactors, which the cabinet approved in May. The reactors are to be built at four plant locations - including two new sites - by 2031.

A federal judge has dismissed two lawsuits seeking an invalidation of the State of Illinois' zero emission credit program. Introduced last year as part of the states' Future Energy Jobs bill, the program provides financial support to Exelon's Quad Cities and Clinton nuclear power plants.