South Africa's only nuclear power station has an important role to play in the country's economy now and in the future, a study by KPMG has found. Through investments and operations, economic activity supported or stimulated by Eskom's Koeberg plant is currently worth an estimated ZAR53.3 billion ($3.9 billion).

Hydraulic pressure testing has been completed on the reactor pressure vessel for the demonstration CAP1400 unit to be built at Shidaowan in China's Shandong province.

The Coega Development Corporation has agreed to cooperate with utility Eskom in supporting the South African government's plans to build local capacity for its nuclear new build program through supplier development and localisation.

The US Department of Energy has asked for public comment on the effects of potential transfers of its excess uranium inventory on the country's uranium mining, conversion and enrichment industries. The DOE's request was issued the day after the US Government Accountability Office raised issues related to excess uranium transfers over the past decade including questions on the DOE's assessment of market impact studies; the valuation of depleted uranium tails; and the legality of some transfers.

Germany's KSB Group has been awarded a contract to supply six reactor coolant pumps for use in the first two units of the new Zhangzhou nuclear power plant in Fujian province. Construction of the two Hualong One units is expected to begin next year.

Corporate and political challenges facing the UK's nuclear industry must not be allowed to derail new build projects, the GMB trade union said today. The government must step in, GMB said, to ensure NuGeneration's project to build a nuclear power plant at Moorside in West Cumbria remains on track despite the financial difficulties faced by its majority owner.

The UK intends to leave the European Atomic Energy Community, according to explanatory notes to a bill the government published yesterday authorising Brexit. The notes state the bill empowers the prime minister to leave both the European Union and Euratom.

The UK government has highlighted the role of nuclear power among its responses to a report by the Energy and Climate Change Committee. The parliamentary committee published its Third Report of Session 2016–17, The energy revolution and future challenges for UK energy and climate change policy, last October.

A list of large reactor components supplied to US nuclear power plants by Areva's Creusot Forge in France has been released by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. However, the regulator said it has no immediate safety concerns regarding the parts supplied to 17 US reactors.

No inadequate or counterfeited documentation related to the manufacture of forged steel parts used in Finnish nuclear power plants has so far been identified by the plant operators. However, the country's regulator has requested detailed investigations be completed by the end of April.

South African utility Eskom has released a request for information for the country's nuclear new build program. It stressed the exercise will not create any financial commitments or obligations to Eskom or the government.

The Swiss nuclear safety regulator has requested a review of documentation to check the design and quality of the forgings of the steam generators at the Beznau and Gösgen nuclear power plants. The regulator said it was "reacting to information from France".