Toshiba Corporation today announced that it has signed a general framework agreement with Atomenergoprom (Joint Stock Company "Atomic Energy Power Corporation"), the Russia's state-owned nuclear energy company, to explore collaboration in the civilian nuclear power business field.

GE (NYSE: GE) and Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT)(TOKYO: 6501) have signed a formation agreement to proceed with previously announced plans to create a global alliance of their nuclear businesses.

Congress is now considering whether to approve or zero out the $405 million that President Bush is proposing to spend in fiscal year 2008 on the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP)-a program aimed at rendering plutonium inert in nuclear weapons but still useful in nuclear power plants.