Daily Digest for

The IAEA published a TECDOC, developed by the Nuclear Harmonization and Standardization Initiative Regulatory Track, that provides approaches for cooperation among regulatory bodies in reviewing advanced reactors, particularly SMRs. It focuses on reusing other regulators’ reviews while maintaining independent national assessments and is intended for regulatory bodies, technical support organizations and industry involved in pre-licensing and licensing.

Mercuria Energy Group formed a 50:50 joint venture, Industrial Resources, with Zambia’s Industrial Development Corporation to trade copper concentrate and enable direct state participation in copper marketing; concentrate volumes are secured and the first shipment is underway. Mercuria also joined African Energy Week (AEW) 2025 as a Bronze Partner and recently secured a $200 million pre-payment agreement from Mopani Mine and a marketing deal with Gécamines.

The UK government has allocated £154 million to the NDA group to develop specialist capabilities and laboratory facilities at Sellafield to immobilise the UK’s civil plutonium, supporting 100 jobs mainly in Cumbria over five years. An additional £2.5 million will establish a £5 million Plutonium Ceramics Academic Hub with the Universities of Manchester and Sheffield to develop technical expertise for the programme.

The Bündnis 90/Die Grünen Bundestagsfraktion urges that €100 billion from the federal infrastructure and climate-neutrality special fund be allocated to states and municipalities to address an acute local investment backlog. The group highlights a nearly €25 billion municipal deficit and a KfW-estimated €216 billion investment gap, and calls for tax distribution changes, strengthened Gewerbesteuer, and comprehensive old-debt relief.