The UK's Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy is to launch a GBP75 million (USD90 million) Nuclear Fuel Fund to boost domestic production of fuel for nuclear power reactors.

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has called for up to nine of the ten reactors that have already been restarted to be in operation over the winter to avoid electricity shortages. There are currently five reactors in operation in the country.

South Korea's new President Yoon Suk-yeol has encouraged a speedy restoration of the country's "nuclear power plant ecosystem" - after Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Chang-yang set out plans, including the aim for work on the Shin Hanul 3 and 4 reactors to resume as early as 2024.

The proposed inclusion of certain nuclear and gas activities within the European Union's list of officially approved "green" investments is set to become law after an attempt to block it fails in the European Parliament.

South Korea's government has laid out a new energy policy which aims to maintain nuclear's share of the country's energy mix at a minimum of 30% by 2030. It also calls for the construction of units 3 and 4 at the Shin Hanul nuclear power plant to resume after design work was suspended in 2017 due to uncertainties about government policy on the construction of new reactors.

The US Department of Energy has amended eligibility criteria for the current award cycle under its USD6 billion programme to support the continued operation of US nuclear reactors under threat of premature closure, and extended the deadline for submissions. The revision was one of those requested by California Governor Gavin Newsom as the state considers delaying the planned closure of its only nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon.

In a special report the International Energy Agency says that nuclear is set to make a "comeback" and sees capacity doubling between 2020 and 2050 in its global pathway to hit zero emissions.

The leaders of the Group of Seven large industrialised nations should incentivise the extension of the operating life of existing nuclear reactors and support the restart of others to help achieve the goal of achieving a low-carbon and secure energy supply, the nuclear industry has said.

In a recent position paper, the Belgian Nuclear Society welcomed the political decision to keep two reactors - Doel 4 and Tihange 3 - in operation beyond 2025 because of security of electricity supply concerns. However, it questions why the operation of the units has been limited to just ten years.

The European Parliament's environment and economy committees have voted against the inclusion of gas and nuclear in the EU's list of environmentally sustainable investments. The vote, which was indicative of mood rather than having a direct impact, comes three weeks before all MEPs hold their vote to accept, or oppose, the European Commission's plan.