The UK has the opportunity "to regain technology leadership" in the ownership and development of low-carbon generation and secure energy supplies through investment in Small Modular Reactors, according to a feasibility study published yesterday by the National Nuclear Laboratory.

Support for the construction of new nuclear power plants in the UK has grown by more than 10% over the past decade, with 45% of people now approving the building of new reactors, according to the latest Nuclear Industry Association poll.

The UK government has signed a cooperation agreement with NuGen "to promote external financing" for the Moorside nuclear power plant in Cumbria.

As the final removal of the iconic filters at the top of the remaining Windscale chimney draws to a close, the son and grandson of John Cockroft, at whose insistence the filters were built, have taken part in the work.

Horizon Nuclear Power has signed an agreement with the UK nuclear regulator which paves the way for it to begin buying long-lead components for the planned Wylfa Newydd plant.

The UK's shut down Bradwell nuclear power plant is sporting a new look as cladding work progresses in preparation for care and maintenance. Meanwhile, UK construction and engineering group Costain plans to develop novel ways to treat irradiated graphite from decommissioned reactors.

The UK nuclear regulator has given EDF Energy permission to restart two units at its Hartlepool nuclear power plant and one at its Heysham I plant. The units have been offline since August for investigations into potential cracks in boiler spines.

A novel technique using expanding polyurethane foam has been used to prevent radioactive materials escaping from storage tubes at the British Experimental Pile Zero (BEPO) at Harwell, which is being decommissioned.

Britain's Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre has taken delivery of two new machining centres capable of producing large parts for nuclear, offshore and wind power applications.

Over half the 52,060 used nuclear fuel elements at the former Magnox nuclear power plant at Oldbury in the UK have now been removed from site, two and a half years after the plant generated its last power.

The European Commission's decision that the revised UK support package for EDF's Hinkley Point C nuclear project is compatible with EU State aid rules does not necessarily provide an easy blueprint for subsequent projects. Other EU nuclear project sponsors and investors face a number of difficult issues that should be at the heart of planning for subsequent projects, write George Borovas, Nick Buckworth and James Webber.

The European Commission has found revised UK plans to subsidise the construction and operation of a new nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point to be in line with EU state aid rules.