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round up


PLANT OPERATION TOKYO ELECTRIC POWER Company Holdings (Tepco) told nuclear regulators that had pushed back the planned commercial operation of unit 6 of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa NPP in Niigata Prefecture following indications of an electricity leak. Unit 6, which resumed operation on 9 February following a false start on 21 January, was slated to begin commercial operation 18 March.


POLICY RWANDA PLANS TO INVEST up to $6bn in NPPs as part of its strategy to secure reliable electricity and support long-term economic growth, President Paul Kagame told the global nuclear energy summit in Paris. Rwanda intends to deploy small modular reactors (SMRs) to expand electricity generation and support industrial development, aiming to have its first NPP operational around 2030.


EDF HAS ANNOUNCED the creation of the Financing and Investing in Nuclear Advisory Board EDF (FINABe), dedicated to facilitating the financing of and investment in new nuclear projects globally. The board brings together leading experts including ABN AMRO Bank, BNP Paribas, Bpifrance Assurance Export, Crédit Agricole CIB, HSBC, La Caisse (Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec), Royal Bank of Canada and SFIL.


SAFETY AND SECURITY THE MANAGEMENT OF THE Chornobyl NPP ((ChNPP), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and French companies Bouygues and Vinci have held a working meeting to discuss the full restoration of the New Safe Confinement (NSC), which was damaged by a drone strike in February 2025. EBRD estimates that total repair costs for the NSC will exceed €100m.


ABOUT 200 GALLONS OF OIL has leaked at of the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant in southern Minnesota, according to Xcel Energy. The leak was discovered while crews were testing a motor that helps circulate cooling water through the plant. The plant was closed for scheduled maintenance.


THE UK OFFICE FOR Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has issued an improvement notice to EDF Energy following an electrical cabling incident at its Hunterston B site in Ayrshire, Scotland. The incident occurred in November 2025, when workers failed to ensure that the electrical cabling was deployed safely while undertaking work on the cooling water valves in one of the


facilities on the site. 8 | April 2026 | www.neimagazine.com Power uprates for NPPs


The US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy’s (NE’s) has launched the Utility Power Reactor Incremental Scaling Effort (UPRISE) programme to significantly expand US nuclear energy capacity by increasing the power output of existing reactors, bringing closed facilities back online, and completing stalled projects. UPRISE plans to deliver immediate results


to accelerate nuclear power growth and foster innovation by leveraging proven nuclear technologies and streamlining regulatory processes. President Trump’s Executive Order EO


14302, Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base, directs DOE to facilitate 5 GWe of power uprates and have 10 new large reactors under construction by 2030. UPRISE will focus on extending reactor


lifespans through licence renewals, boosting output through power uprates, restarting dormant facilities and optimising operating plant efficiency with modern technologies including advanced fuel technologies. The aim is to achieve 2.5 GWe of additional nuclear capacity by 2027 and 5 GWe of total additional nuclear capacity by 2029. Near-term actions will be centred on a three-pronged approach focused on


Switzerland Senate votes to lift nuclear ban Switzerland’s Council of States (the upper house of parliament) has approved the government’s proposal to amend the Nuclear Energy Act, which would repeal provisions that currently prohibit general licences for new nuclear facilities. The upper house passed the measure with 27 votes to 13, with two abstentions. The proposal now moves to the National Council (the lower house) for debate. Parliament has until August to make a final decision on both the government’s legislative amendment and a separate popular initiative known as the Stop the Blackout initiative. The popular initiative, launched in 2024, seeks to amend the Swiss Constitution to guarantee “technology neutrality”, effectively mandating that nuclear power remain an option. The Swiss Federal Council (executive branch)


prefers a legislative change to the Nuclear Energy Act rather than a constitutional one, arguing that it is a faster and more flexible route. If both chambers of Parliament approve lifting the ban on nuclear construction, opposition parties (the Greens and Social Democrats) have already indicated that they will launch a referendum to challenge the decision. A nationwide plebiscite on the issue is currently expected for 2027. For now Switzerland remains committed to a gradual nuclear phaseout, a policy approved by


establishing the business case by examining supply chain readiness, assessing plant equipment for increased power output or upgrades, and validating economic models to support project investment decisions. The initiative will support research to streamline regulatory processes, advancements in nuclear fuels, and workforce initiatives as a foundation for future nuclear deployments. “This will be a resurgence for America’s


nuclear fleet,” said DOE Deputy Assistant Secretary Rian Bahran. “Through UPRISE, the Department will work with industry to surpass the President’s goal of 5 GWe of domestic nuclear energy expansion by 2030.” Later in 2026, through the UPRISE initiative, NE and the Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF – formerly the Loan Programs Office) will convene workshops to facilitate collaborative agreements between NPP owners and end users. EDF has more than $289bn in available loan authority and could provide up to 80% financing for eligible project costs associated with nuclear uprates at attractive interest rates. DOE’s loan programme supported the deployments of Vogle units 3&4 and is currently supporting the Palisades NPP and Crane Clean Energy Center restarts. ■


voters in 2017 in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan. Switzerland still has three ageing nuclear plants which together produce about 30% of its electricity. Beznau 1&2 are 365 MWe PWRs that began


operation in 1969 and 1972. Gösgen, a 1,010 MWe PWR that began operation in 1979.Leibstadt is a 1,233 MWe BWR that began operation in 1984. Following the decommissioning of the Mühleberg NPP in 2019, these units are being managed for extended operation, potentially up to 60 or even 80 years. Switzerland aims to become climate neutral by 2050, which means replacing fossil fuel heating systems and combustion-engine cars with electric alternatives, driving up electricity demand. New nuclear plants could help to close the looming energy supply gap with a low carbon footprint. Concerns about blackouts and climate targets are increasingly outweighing the safety fears provoked by the accident. In addition, new reactor designs promise to be cheaper and safer. Financing may nevertheless be an issue. Cost


estimates for a new plant in Switzerland ae CHF15-25bn ($19.2-32bn) and state guarantees or subsidies would be needed. Even if the ban is lifted in 2026, it does not mean immediate construction. Major utilities such as Axpo have stated that while they support “technological openness,” they currently have no concrete plans or funding to build new plants due to high costs and regulatory risks.


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