Bulgaria has signed a €72 million ($80 million) agreement with a consortium to build a radioactive waste repository for its Kozloduy nuclear power plant that is expected start operations in 2021, the country’s energy ministry said yesterday. The consortium consists of German Nukem Technologies, which is owned by Russia’s AtomStroyExport, and four Bulgarian companies. world-nuclear-news.org

The total lifetime cost of the planned Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant could be as high as £37bn, according to an assessment published by the UK government. theguardian.com

Germany’s domestic intelligence agency said in its annual report Thursday that Iran continues to seek illicit missile technology, which Western governments have long feared can be used for the delivery of nuclear weapons. jpost.com

The contractor that operates radioactive waste storage tanks on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation has proposed that employees who move tank farm waste perform their shifts on nights and weekends to reduce exposure to chemical vapors, after dozens of employees said they were sickened from vapors associated with the tanks. bellinghamherald.com