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The outer dome of the containment building at unit 1 of China’s Zhangzhou NPP in Fujian province has been completed. China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) said the operation to pour the concrete over the outer containment shell took almost 17.5 hours.

Date: Friday, 27 January 2023
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsouter-dome-completed-at-zhangzhou-1-10546237

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France’s Framatome has asked for more time to change the nuclear vessel closure head at the EPR nuclear reactor under construction at unit 3 of the Flamanville NPP. Flamanville 3, which is already some 10 years behind schedule, is expected to start operations in the first quarter of 2024. However, the Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire (ASN - Nuclear Safety Authority) had requested replacement of the reactor's vessel closure head by the end of 2024. This would mean the reactor would only operate for a few months before having to shut again for the work to be done. Framatome has now asked ASN to delay replacement of the vessel cover so it will coincide with the first fuel reloading rather than replacing it at the end of 2024.

Date: Friday, 27 January 2023
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsframatome-requests-more-time-for-safety-upgrades-at-flamanville-3-10546257

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NASA and the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are to collaborate on development of advanced nuclear thermal propulsion technology for rocket engines. NASA and DARPA will partner on the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) programme with a view to enabling NASA crewed missions to Mars.

Date: Friday, 27 January 2023
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsnasa-and-darpa-to-develop-nuclear-rocket-engines-10546261

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Operator says it will resubmit application by end of year Diablo Canyon is California’s only operating commercial nuclear power station. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has turned down a request from operator Pacific Gas & Electric to reopen its 2009 application to extend the operating licences of the Diablo Canyon nuclear station’s two reactors, which are to shut down in 2024 and 2025.

In October 2022, PG&E asked the NRC to resume consideration of an application initially submitted in 2009 to extend the station’s life. That application was later was withdrawn after PG&E announced plans in 2016 to shut down the reactors.

In September 2022, California legislators had voted to extend the life of the station by five years as protection against possible blackouts – provided the federal government pays much of the cost. That effectively meant the utility’s 2016 deal to close the facility could be cancelled.

The legislation said PG&E will receive a $1.4bn (€1.2bn) loan to keep Diablo Canyon operational until October 2030, but the loan is contingent upon the company receiving money from the US Department of Energy to pay the state back under a $6bn federal programme to help struggling nuclear plants.

Date: Friday, 27 January 2023
Original article: nucnet.org/news/nrc-rejects-review-of-2009-nuclear-station-operating-extension-1-4-2023

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Major equipment for India's Kudankulam 5 is complete at the factory of the Russian supplier, Atommash. The reactor pressure vessel was assembled in a trial and the pressuriser passed crucial tests.

Date: Friday, 27 January 2023
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Components-ready-for-fifth-Kudankulam-unit

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The memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) and the TRIUMF particle accelerator centre aims to foster closer ties between the two nuclear research organisations and leverage their complementary activities as they explore and pursue collaboration opportunities in nuclear and materials science and technology.

Date: Friday, 27 January 2023
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/MoU-strengthens-Canadian-nuclear-research

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The French Financial Markets Authority (AMF) has suspended the state's full takeover of EDF until the Paris Court of Appeal rules on a lawsuit brought by minority shareholders in EDF challenging the deal.

Date: Friday, 27 January 2023
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/French-market-watchdog-puts-EDF-takeover-on-hold

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Fortum is capable of continuing to safely operate the Loviisa nuclear power plant until 2050, Finland's Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) has told the country's Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (TEM). The government is expected to issue a decision on extending the two-unit plant's operating licence in the coming months.

Date: Friday, 27 January 2023
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Regulator-endorses-continued-operation-of-Loviisa

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Slovenia's Environmental Protection & Spatial Planning has issued a permit to extend the operating life of the Krsko NPP until 2043. The Krsko plant is co-owned by Croatia’s Hrvatska elektroprivreda (HEP) and Slovenia's GEN Energija. Krsko NPP, located in Slovenia near the border with Croatia, generates some 40% of Slovenia's electricity output. The 696 MWe Westinghouse pressurised water reactor, which is some 100 kilometres from the Austrian border, is Slovenia's only NPP.

Date: Thursday, 26 January 2023
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newskrsko-npp-gets-environmental-permit-for-life-extension-10541271

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Rosatom is studying sites in Kyrgyzstan for the possible construction of a 110 MWe two-unit small NPP with a RITM-200N reactor, according to Rusatom Overseas. Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Energy Taalaibek Ibraev told parliament: "We are studying the possibility of building a low-capacity nuclear power plant with Rosatom, which will consist of two power units of 55 MWe each," he said.

Date: Thursday, 26 January 2023
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsrosatom-studies-sites-in-kyrgyzstan-for-small-npp-10541341

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