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The US Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration has entered into follow-on cooperative agreements with three projects aimed at securing a domestic supply of molybdenum-99 without using highly enriched uranium. The latest funding completes the full $25 million NNSA contribution to each project.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has selected four companies to explore the possibility of conducting a deep borehole field test. One will ultimately be chosen to test the feasibility of engineering deep boreholes that might offer an alternative to mined geologic repositories for the disposal of some forms of nuclear waste.

Professionals from academic, environmental, nuclear and other organizations have written an open letter to US President-elect Donald Trump and Rick Perry - recently named by Trump as his choice for US Energy Secretary - urging them to take action to "save and grow" the country's nuclear sector.

SONGS Decommissioning Solutions - a joint venture between Aecom and EnergySolutions - has been selected as the decommissioning general contractor by Southern California Edison for the San Onofre nuclear power plant. Units 2 and 3 at the plant were shut down in June 2013.

The CA01 'super module' has been installed at Summer unit 3 marking a construction landmark for the South Carolina AP1000.

Premature retirement of US nuclear power plants could be a major threat to efforts to reduce carbon emissions in both the short and long terms, a new report by the Brattle Group has found.

Donald TrumpÌýtoday announced his intention to nominate former Texas governor Rick Perry as US Energy Secretary when his administration takes office in January. TheÌýPresident-elect said yesterday ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson is to be nominated as Secretary of State.

Operators at the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) are aiming to restart waste emplacement by the end of December, the manager of the DOE's Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO) said on 7 December. A DOE operational readiness review team has said the facility can be authorized to restart waste emplacement after 21 identified issues have been addressed.

Entergy Corporation yesterday announced plans to close the Palisades nuclear power plant by 1 October 2018. The company has also agreed to the early termination of an agreement under which Consumers Energy was to buy almost all of the Michigan plant's output until 2022.

Illinois governor Bruce Rauner yesterday signed energy legislation that will ensure the continued operation of the Clinton and Quad Cities nuclear power plants.

The USA has asked the International Atomic Energy AgencyÌýto monitor and verify the disposition of surplus plutonium in South Carolina, US energy secretary Ernest Moniz said on 5 December. Moniz's announcement was made at an IAEA conferenceÌýwhich aims to strengthen global nuclear security.

Legislators in the USÌýstate of Illinois yesterday passed a bill recognising the contribution of nuclear energy to the state's clean energy efforts and ensuring the continued operation of the state's nuclear power plants. The Future Energy Jobs Bill will also advance renewable energy and expand energy efficiency initiatives.