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French state utility EDF has increased the maximum estimated cost for building six new nuclear reactors to €72.8 billion ($85.29 billion), representing a 40% rise over the original figure.
The government has postponed the release of the new Multiannual Energy Programme to early 2026, delayed by political tensions over the balance between nuclear and renewables.

France: the Council of State bans coalbed methane exploitation in Lorraine

The Council of State has cancelled the authorisation to exploit coalbed methane in Lorraine, citing risks to the region's main aquifer and bringing an end to a legal battle that began over a decade ago.
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Technique Solaire has secured €40mn ($43.5mn) in junior debt from BNP Paribas Asset Management to structure two solar portfolios totalling 392 MWp across France, Spain and the Netherlands.
EDF Power Solutions UK has appointed METLEN to lead engineering and construction for the 400MW Longfield solar farm in Essex, with commissioning scheduled for 2030.

Neoen wins 124 MWp in solar projects in latest French government tender

Independent power producer Neoen has secured six agrivoltaic projects totalling 124 MWp, reinforcing its position as the leading winner in French solar tenders since 2021.
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Plug Power has completed the installation of a 5 MW PEM electrolyzer for Cleanergy Solutions Namibia, marking the launch of Africa’s first fully integrated green hydrogen production and distribution site.
Solar Energy Corporation of India signed a strategic agreement with Global Energy Alliance to strengthen grid resilience and support the expansion of storage and smart management technologies.

JERA signs seven-year LNG supply deal with Hokkaido Gas

Japanese power producer JERA will deliver up to 200,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas annually to Hokkaido Gas starting in 2027 under a newly signed long-term sale agreement.
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Ocean Winds has deployed a LiDAR buoy off Gippsland to collect accurate data on wind and currents, a key step in its 1.3 GW offshore wind project in Australia.
Indian group AM Green has signed a memorandum of understanding with Japanese conglomerate Mitsui to co-finance a one million tonne per year integrated low-carbon aluminium production platform.

California Resources finalises asset transfer with Berry Corporation for $253mn

California Resources Corporation completed an all-stock asset transfer with Berry Corporation, strengthening its oil portfolio in California and adding strategic exposure in the Uinta Basin.
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Gevo receives high-quality assessment for its carbon capture credits in North Dakota, strengthening the commercial value of its certificates in the voluntary carbon markets.
esVolta finalises investment tax credit transfer for its Black Walnut storage project to Computacenter, marking a first-of-its-kind operation within its California energy portfolio.

TOPCon 4.0 vs HJT: the financial trade-off in the solar sector in 2026

As the photovoltaic industry enters a phase of deep restructuring, the duel between TOPCon 4.0 and heterojunction technologies is redefining manufacturers’ margins. In 2026, reducing production costs becomes the primary strategic lever for global market leaders.
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JA Solar and Trinasolar top Wood Mackenzie’s latest semiannual ranking despite a sector-wide net loss of $2.2 billion. Industrial leaders are strengthening their grip on global photovoltaic module supply through rigorous financial discipline.
Next Hydrogen completes a $20.7mn private placement led by Smoothwater Capital, boosting its ability to commercialise alkaline electrolysers at scale and altering the company’s control structure.

Peregrine launches 500 MWh storage project near Dallas with Wärtsilä and WHC

Peregrine Energy Solutions has begun construction on a 500 MWh storage project in Texas, relying on Wärtsilä's technology and WHC's engineering expertise to enhance ERCOT grid flexibility.
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The world's largest battery energy storage system enters service in Saudi Arabia, with an annual capacity of 2.2 billion kWh spread across three strategic sites in the southwest of the country.
Primary Hydrogen plans to launch its initial drilling programme at the Wicheeda North site upon receiving its permit in early 2026, while restructuring its internal exploration functions.
Driven by off-grid industrial heat demand and decarbonisation mandates, the global small modular reactor market is set to grow 24% annually through 2030, with installed capacity expected to triple within five years.
US fusion energy leaders have called on the federal government to redirect public funding towards their projects, arguing that large-scale investment is needed to stay competitive with China.

Santee Cooper signs $2.7 billion agreement with Brookfield to revive two nuclear reactors

Santee Cooper has approved a memorandum of understanding with Brookfield Asset Management to assess the feasibility of restarting two unfinished nuclear reactors, with a potential $2.7 billion payment and 550 MW capacity stake.
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Helical Fusion has signed a landmark agreement with Aoki Super to supply electricity from fusion, marking a first in Japan’s energy sector and a commercial step forward for the helical stellarator technology.
India’s nuclear capacity is expected to grow by more than 13,000 MW by 2032, driven by ongoing heavy water reactor construction, new regional projects and small modular reactor development by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.

NextEra Energy raises outlook driven by AI data centre demand

NextEra Energy has lifted its earnings estimates for 2025 and 2026, supported by power demand linked to long‑term contracts previously signed with Google and Meta to supply their artificial intelligence data centres with low‑carbon electricity.
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London launches a complete regulatory overhaul of its nuclear industry to shorten authorisation timelines, expand eligible sites, and lower construction and financing costs.
Finland's Ministry of Economic Affairs extends the deadline to June 2026 for the regulator to complete its review of the operating licence for the Olkiluoto spent nuclear fuel repository.

Framatome to upgrade critical systems at Columbia nuclear power plant

Framatome will replace several digital control systems at the Columbia plant in the United States under a contract awarded by Energy Northwest.
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The conditional green light from the nuclear regulator moves Cigéo into its final regulatory stage, while shifting the risks towards financing, territorial negotiations and industrial execution.
The drone strike confirmed by the IAEA on the Chernobyl site vault exposes Ukraine to a nuclear risk under armed conflict, forcing the EBRD to finance partial restoration while industry standards must now account for drone threats.

Deep Fission installs a 15 MWe underground nuclear reactor on a former military site in Kansas

Deep Fission is installing a 15 MWe pressurised reactor 1.6 km underground at Great Plains Industrial Park, under the Department of Energy’s accelerated pilot programme, targeting criticality by July 4, 2026.
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EDF commits to supply 33 MW of nuclear electricity to Verkor over 12 years, enabling the battery manufacturer to stabilise energy costs ahead of launching its first Gigafactory.
The full-scope simulator for the Lianjiang nuclear project has successfully passed factory acceptance testing, paving the way for its installation at the construction site in China's Guangdong province.

Denmark forms industrial alliance to prepare for a civil nuclear comeback

A coalition of Danish industry groups, unions and investors launches a platform in support of modular nuclear power, aiming to develop firm low-carbon capacity to sustain industrial competitiveness.
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The United Kingdom and TAE Technologies create a joint venture in Culham to produce neutral beams, a key component of fusion, with strategic backing from Google.
Texas-based developer Natura Resources receives new federal funding to test key components of its 100-megawatt modular reactor in partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Japan set to vote on partial restart of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant

The Niigata regional assembly is deliberating on restarting unit 6 of the world’s largest nuclear plant, thirteen years after operations ceased following the Fukushima disaster.
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Reactor Doel 2 was taken offline, becoming the fifth Belgian reactor to cease operations under the country’s gradual nuclear phase-out policy.
Rolls-Royce SMR has expanded its partnership with ÚJV Řež to accelerate the deployment of small modular reactors, targeting the construction of several units in the Czech Republic and abroad.