While other shortlisted vendors have submitted bids for their respective small modular reactor designs, EDF has withdrawn its Nuward model from Great British Nuclear's SMR selection contest.

Decision-makers in Finland's largest cities have a positive attitude towards the construction of small modular reactors in their municipalities, a survey commissioned by Finnish SMR developer Steady Energy has shown.

A second municipality in southern Norway's Agder county, Lyngdal, has entered into a cooperation agreement with Norsk Kjernekraft regarding the investigation of a possible future nuclear power plant in the area.

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute and South Korean electronic component manufacturing firm LG Innotek have agreed to cooperate in the development of thermoelectric technology for nuclear batteries used in the space and defence sectors.

South Korea's Mokpo National University has opened the world's first SMR Ship Research Institute, aiming to develop a global hub for SMR ship research and education. The move comes as Lloyd's Register says the rise of small modular reactors points to a step change for nuclear applications in shipping if regulatory hurdles can be overcome.

Farsund in Agder county, on the southern tip of Norway, has become the latest municipality to enter into an agreement with Norsk Kjernekraft to jointly carry out initial investigation work on the possible construction of a nuclear power plant.

The European Commission has issued a positive opinion on the technical and nuclear safety aspects of the construction of units 3 and 4 at Cernavoda nuclear power plant in Romania. Unit 3 is scheduled to start commercial operation in 2030 and unit 4 the following year.

France's EDF plans to optimise the design of its Nuward small modular reactor design, focusing on existing and proven technologies. The move follows feedback from potential European customers in order to guarantee that project deadlines and budgets are met.

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power has signed a memorandum of understanding with Daegu Metropolitan City for the construction of a small modular reactor power plant at a high-tech industrial complex near Daegu-Gyeongbuk New Airport.

The first iteration of an engineering test system for Kairos Power's Hermes low-power reactor, is now being decommissioned after more than 2,000 hours of pumped salt operations. Construction of the next iteration - which will demonstrate the modular design of the reactor - is already under way.