On Thursday, Framatome officially opened the doors to its newly upgraded facility on Mill Ridge Road in Lynchburg. The $50 million expansion is partially designed to support the development of small modular reactors (SMRs)— compact, factory-built nuclear units that industry leaders say could be faster and cheaper to build than traditional nuclear plants.

On Thursday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced that a Lynchburg nuclear company is investing $49.4 million and creating over 500 new jobs.

China's government says no abnormal radiation has been detected outside a nuclear power plant near Hong Kong following a news report of a leak, while Hong Kong's leader says her administration is closely watching the facility.

The French joint operator of a Chinese nuclear plant near Hong Kong says it is dealing with a “performance issue” but is currently operating within safety limits, following a report of a potential radioactive leak.

Macron wants to stress that nuclear energy is central to France's energy transition and says it emits less than wind or solar. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani, Pool)PARIS – France will build a new, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to replace its Charles de Gaulle carrier by 2038, French President Emmanuel Macron announced Tuesday. Macron framed the decision to use nuclear reactors to propel the future warship as part of France’s climate strategy, stressing its lower emissions compared to diesel fuel. The new French aircraft carrier will be about 70,000 tons and 300 meters long, roughly 1.5 times the size of the Charles de Gaulle, which has been deployed for international military operations in Iraq and Syria in recent years, according to French presidential advisers. Nuclear reactors provide the majority of France’s electricity, but many reactors are aging and delays have dogged new-generation reactors.