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France starts EIA for lifetime extension of 900 MW reactor fleet

In France, four old reactors are submitted to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): Chinon-B, Gravelines 2 and 4 and Bugey-3. Both the Espoo Convention and the EIA Directive of the EU require the assessment of alternatives of a project. But no alternatives were assessed. This procedure neither presented energy production alternatives nor a long-term prognosis…

Nuclear Power Plant Paks II: The nuclear industry had a party today, with UN agency IAEA’s Grossi und Rosatom’s Likhachev

The occasion for the guests coming together at the construction pits of the Paks 5&6 nuclear reactors was the official construction start. At second glance this is not so much a reason for celebrations, because 2025 was the year Paks 5 was supposed to celebrate start of operations, not construction start. Also present: IAEA General…

The EC consults on its SMR Strategy

The European Commission (EC) plans to adopt in the first quarter of 2026 a strategy to frame its policies relevant for the development and deployment of the so-called Small Modular Reactors (SMR) in Europe, envisaged in the form of a Commission Communication. A consultation was open until 4 Dec 2025. The EC gives the following…

Dukovany NPP tender’s fallout on the World Nuclear Market

Dukovany NPP tender’s fallout on the World Nuclear Market: South Korea entering European Market was stopped. Westinghouse to win it all? Is EDF still out there? By Patricia Lorenz and Edvard Sequens We are in the midst of what the Friends of the Atom call Nuclear Comeback. Let’s take a look at what is really…

The EU Court strikes down state aid for Paks II

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) annulled the European Commission’s authorization allowing Hungary to grant state aid for the construction of Paks II in September 2025. For the project to continue, the Commission most likely will conduct a new state aid notification procedure;  this time round the failure of carrying out a…

Sustainability narratives in the nuclear field

Sustainability has become an important part in nuclear narratives especially over the last years. The term “sustainable” keeps appearing in names of nuclear organisations and titles of nuclear conferences. But what is meant by “sustainability” in these contexts? And, on the other hand, how is nuclear included in sustainability regimes? Do references to nuclear energy…

Two new NPP in the Netherlands?

In the course of planning for two new nuclear power plants in the Netherlands, a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is being carried out. This SEA is focussing on site selection. We demand that the SEA includes a proof of safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste, an assessment of alternative options to produce electricity,…

Sweden plans new NPP at Ringhals

Vattenfall intends to build a new NPP with two big or three to five smaller reactors (SMR), with a total output of 2,800 MWe, in Varberg at the Ringhals nuclear site. An Environmental Impact Assessment started with the scoping phase. The Joint Project submitted a statement that was signed by six European NGOs.

Ukraine wants to build a new NPP

At the nuclear site of Khmelnitsky, two new reactors are foreseen by Ukraine (KhNPP 5&6). Two reactors are already in operation at the site (KhNPP 1&2), and for two other reactors construction was stopped (KhNPP 3&4). An Environmental Impact Assessment is being conducted in spring 2025. The Joint Project participated and submitted a statement that…

NPP Paks site: risk of flooding?

Heavy rainfall brought by storm “Boris” has left devastating marks on central Europe in September 2024. The storm caused extreme flooding, and the region around the Paks nuclear power plant in central Hungary was also affected by high water levels. Expert Oda Becker reviewed the flood risk for Paks. She concluded that even though the…