Russia's Second Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride Processing Plant Officially Commissioned, Uranium Conversion Capacity Expected to Double

The depleted uranium processing facility at the Zelenogorsk Electrochemical Plant in Krasnoyarsk Krai has been officially commissioned recently. According to a statement by Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom, the commissioning of this new facility has doubled Russia's capacity for depleted uranium hexafluoride (DUHF) processing. This is also the second such DUHF processing plant built in Russia, with an annual capacity of 10,000 tonnes, while the first plant of the same type previously operating at the same site had already been commissioned earlier. In his statement, Likhachev said that the commissioning of the new depleted uranium hexafluoride processing facility is of great significance for the Electrochemical Plant, Rosatom's fuel division...

2026-09-14

Rosatom Completes First Stage of Concrete Pouring for BREST Reactor Core Cavity

TVEL Fuel Company, a subsidiary of Rosatom, has announced that the future innovative nuclear power unit BREST-OD-300, located in Seversk, Tomsk Oblast, has successfully completed the first stage of concrete pouring for the reactor core inner cavity. The reactor is located at the site of the Generation IV Pilot Demonstration Energy Complex (ODEK) within the Siberian Chemical Combine (SCC) area, and is a core component of Russia's national strategic industry project Proryv (Breakthrough). The report noted that concrete pouring for the reactor body will proceed in multiple stages, with full completion expected in the winter of 2027, by which time the total amount of heat-resistant concrete used will exceed 7,000 cubic meters...

2026-09-14

Gyeongju City Council in South Korea Conducts In-Depth Inspection of Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant and Radioactive Waste Treatment Facilities

Recently, the Gyeongju City Council of South Korea organized an in-depth on-site inspection, with the focus on the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant and the Korea Atomic Energy Environment Corporation. The inspection team aimed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the operational safety of the nuclear power plant and the operation of radioactive waste treatment facilities, and to listen to feedback from relevant personnel. The purpose of this action was to conduct an in-depth investigation of core issues closely related to public safety, including the safety management status of the nuclear power plant and the operational model of radioactive waste treatment facilities. The council members hoped that through this inspection, they could gain a more intuitive understanding of the actual situation and provide reference for formulating more comprehensive policies. At the beginning of the inspection, the council members went to Wolsong...

2026-09-14

KHNP Hanul Nuclear Power Plant Conducts High-Intensity Comprehensive Drill to Address Safety Threats Including Earthquakes, Wildfires, and Drones

On the 14th, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) Hanul Nuclear Power Plant conducted a high-intensity comprehensive emergency drill aimed at responding to compound disasters such as earthquakes, wildfires, and radioactive material leaks, as well as new safety challenges including information system failures and drone threats. The Hanul Nuclear Power Plant announced that it jointly held the "2026 Disaster Response Safety Korea Drill" with multiple relevant departments at Hanul Unit 1. The Safety Korea Drill is a nationwide comprehensive emergency exercise designed to establish a disaster management system and cross-departmental coordination mechanism involving South Korea's central ministries, local governments, and public institutions, ensuring efficient joint response capabilities during major emergencies. This drill was...

2026-09-14

South Korea Strengthens Drone Control Around Nuclear Power Plants, Illegal Flights to Trigger Criminal Law

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) stated on September 14 that it will further strengthen its response to unauthorized drone flights within no-fly zones around nuclear power plants. It is understood that under the revised Aviation Safety Act, the penalty for unauthorized operation of ultralight flying devices (drones, etc.) within no-fly zones has been significantly raised from the previous "fine of up to 3 million won (administrative fine)" to "imprisonment of up to 1 year or a fine of up to 10 million won." According to statistics from the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission of South Korea, from 2021 to August of last year, a total of 699 illegal drone incidents were detected near nuclear power plants across South Korea, of which 284 cases could not identify the operators...

2026-09-14

Chubu Electric Power Company withdraws regulatory review application for Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant reactors

Chubu Electric Power Company said on Monday that it will withdraw its regulatory review application to restart reactors at the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant in Shizuoka Prefecture in central Japan. The company also announced the resignation of President Kingo Hayashi and Chairman Satoru Katsuno, who will take responsibility for the company's tampering with seismic data during the restart screening of the plant's Units 3 and 4 reactors.

2026-09-14

Korea Nuclear Safety Foundation Signs MRA with IEEE of the United States to Enhance International Credibility of Nuclear Power Equipment Performance Verification

The Korea Nuclear Safety Foundation (Chairman Kim Sung-jin) formally signed a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) in the field of nuclear power equipment performance verification with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Incorporated (IEEE) on the 14th in Seongnam City, Gyeonggi Province. The core of this MRA lies in: both parties mutually recognizing that their respective performance verification certification systems possess equivalent levels of professional competence and quality management capability. Under the agreement, the Korea Nuclear Safety Foundation and IEEE will mutually confirm that each other's performance verification systems continuously maintain the same...

2026-09-14

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung Meets with Asian Development Bank President, Plans to Expand Cooperation in Critical Minerals, AI, and Nuclear Power

Recently, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung met with Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda, and the two sides reached multiple consensus points on deepening cooperation. This meeting was prompted by diplomatic interactions between South Korea and Central Asian leaders, and both sides proposed combining South Korea's technological strengths with the ADB's financial instruments to jointly expand cooperation space in the Asia-Pacific region. On the day of the meeting, President Lee Jae-myung received President Kanda at his office at 11 a.m. This visit coincided with Kanda's attendance at the South Korea-Uzbekistan summit and the first South Korea-Central Asia summit. Kang Yoo-jung, Chief Spokesperson of the Blue House, stated in a written briefing that this meeting served as an important exchange between South Korea and the ADB in the fields of energy and technology.

2026-09-14

Kairos Power Establishes Advanced Nuclear Manufacturing and Prefabrication Center in Tennessee

Recently, Kairos Power announced in Oak Ridge, Tennessee the launch of an initiative called the "Advanced Manufacturing and Prefabrication Nuclear Center" (abbreviated as NuCAMP), aimed at advancing new manufacturing processes and construction technologies toward maturity in the nuclear power sector, while also cultivating a skilled industrial workforce in East Tennessee. The core goal of NuCAMP is to support the future large-scale deployment of advanced nuclear reactors. According to a signed memorandum of understanding, Kairos Power will lead this initiative and collaborate with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), Barnard Construction...

2026-09-14

Canada Promotes Uranium Resources and Nuclear Industry to the UK

Recently, Scott Moe, Premier of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, led a trade and investment delegation to the United Kingdom, focusing on promoting the province's abundant uranium resources and its expertise and experience in the nuclear energy sector. The visit aimed to demonstrate to the UK side that Saskatchewan possesses the resource reserves, research and development infrastructure, and complete industrial chain conditions to advance nuclear energy development, and to create opportunities for local enterprises to expand into overseas markets. Scott Moe stated in an official statement that the province has abundant uranium resources, well-established nuclear energy research infrastructure, and mature supply chain capabilities, and is fully equipped to become a world leader in nuclear energy development....

2026-09-14

US Fusion Company Commonwealth Fusion Systems Secures $1 Billion Investment from South Korea's Hyundai

Recently, the US nuclear fusion company Commonwealth Fusion Systems, backed by Bill Gates, has secured a $1 billion investment from South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group to build its commercial fusion power plant. Chung Ho-eun, Executive Vice President of Hyundai Motor Group, stated that the plan will enable both parties to explore engineering collaboration on a commercial fusion power plant project called ARC. Fusion energy is expected to play an important role in meeting growing global energy demand while supporting a more sustainable future. As of June this year, this hardware solution has received formal academic confirmation of its physical feasibility. Following a peer-reviewed study, CFS validated the ARC des...

2026-09-14

Russia to Increase Number of Technical Personnel at Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant

Russia's state nuclear power company Rosatom is about to significantly strengthen its technical force at Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. According to reports, the company plans to expand the scale of specialized technical personnel stationed at the facility to 150 within the next few months. The Bushehr power plant is an important component of Iran's national energy strategy and can supply electricity to the regional power grid. For many years, cooperation with Rosatom has been indispensable to the normal operation of the nuclear power plant, with the Russian side responsible for overseeing various technical upgrades and safety assessment work. This planned increase in personnel comes after a period of continued reliance on Russian nuclear experts, with the aim of...

2026-09-14

BWXT Awarded $4 Million Conceptual Design Contract for Y-12 Lithium Processing Facility

Recently, BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT), a nuclear technology, nuclear components, and nuclear fuel manufacturing company headquartered in Lynchburg, Virginia, USA, announced that it has been awarded the conceptual design contract for the first module of the first lithium processing facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex by the U.S. Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA). It is understood that the Y-12 National Security Complex, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA, is managed by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) under the U.S. Department of Energy. Its core business...

2026-09-14

U.S. Department of Energy Plans to Invest Up to $2 Billion in Iowa Nuclear Energy Facility

The U.S. Department of Energy stated that it plans to provide up to $2 billion in funding support to nuclear facilities in the Palo area of Iowa to formally launch the nuclear energy project. This commitment was formally proposed after the nuclear energy research working group led by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds completed its related work, marking a substantive step forward for the state in advancing nuclear energy development. It is understood that the main nuclear facility in the Palo area is the Palo Verde Generating Station located in Arizona, United States, situated in Maricopa County, Arizona, approximately 5...

2026-09-14

Paris, France workshop explores ATHENA thermal-hydraulics nuclear safety research cooperation framework

On September 10-11, 2026, dozens of researchers, experts and related professionals gathered in Paris, France to participate in the workshop on building the ATHENA framework, discussing collaborative mechanisms for thermal-hydraulics nuclear safety research. ATHENA stands for Advanced Thermal-Hydraulics Experiments for Nuclear Analysis and Safety Applications, and aims to establish a more coordinated and more sustainable thermal-hydraulics research framework. Participants believed that clarifying the framework's flexibility, applicable boundaries and advantages requires strengthened communication among all relevant parties to ensure that different research needs are...

2026-09-13

Canada's CSMC Releases Three Advanced Nuclear Reactor Designs

On September 10, 2026, Canadian aerospace and defense company Canadian Strategic Missions Corporation (CSMC) released three advanced nuclear reactor platforms, namely Polar-1, Jay-1, and Orca-1. The company said these three reactors target different application scenarios including remote communities, military operations, space infrastructure, scientific research, testing, and personnel training. CSMC was founded in 2020. The company stated that the three platforms constitute its advanced nuclear technology portfolio, aiming to provide reliable and deployment-flexible nuclear energy solutions in environments where conventional energy solutions struggle to meet demand, with application areas including Arctic communities...

2026-09-13

Lower likelihood of restart for Belgium's Doel 3 and Tihange 2 reactors

According to a September 11 report by Le Soir, samples collected nearly two years ago from the reactor pressure vessels of Belgium's Doel 3 and Tihange 2 reactors indicate that the possibility of restarting these two nuclear reactors is extremely low. In the winter of 2024 to 2025, operator Engie successively took samples from the Doel 3 reactor pressure vessel and the Tihange 2 reactor pressure vessel. The sampling work was carried out at the request of the Belgian Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC) and the Belgian National Agency for Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Materials (NIRAS), which is responsible for radioactive waste management, with the aim of measuring in detail the radiation levels at different parts of the pressure vessels so as to classify and dispose of the related waste.

2026-09-13

Rosatom Director General to hold talks with Grossi during IAEA General Conference

On September 11, Alexey Likhachev, Director General of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom (Rosatom), said that he plans to hold talks with Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, during the IAEA General Conference. Likhachev said that the 70th IAEA General Conference will open in Vienna on Monday, and it is one of the important annual events in the international nuclear field. During the meeting, the Russian side plans to meet with Grossi and hopes to reach agreement on Grossi's visit to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Likhachev also said that the next rotation of IAEA experts stationed at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is expected to take place...

2026-09-13

South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea Releases SMR Development Strategy 2.0, Sets 2035 Manufacturing Market Share Target

On September 10, 2026, South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea announced the Small Modular Reactor Global Development Strategy 2.0, proposing to build the region into the world's leading small modular reactor (SMR) production hub by 2035, and striving to capture 60% of the global SMR manufacturing market and achieve 100% self-sufficiency in related technologies. South Gyeongsang Province stated that multiple tasks included in the Small Modular Reactor Global Development Strategy 1.0 formulated last year, including promoting the enactment of a special SMR law, designating SMR as a national strategic technology, designating an SMR specialized complex, establishing a full-cycle SMR support system, and relaxing relevant regulatory requirements, have already been reflected in the South Korean government's policies. Therefore...

2026-09-13

Daejeon, South Korea Ranks Second Nationwide in Low- and Intermediate-Level Radioactive Waste Storage, Spent Fuel Transfer Plan Still Not Implemented

According to data released on September 12 by South Korea's Integrated Radioactive Waste Safety Management Information System, two nuclear-related facilities in Daejeon——the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power's Nuclear Fuel Company——currently store a total of 29,587 drums of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste, with each drum having a capacity of 200 liters. This storage volume ranks second in South Korea, surpassed only by the Gori Nuclear Power Plant's 40,087 drums. Transportation of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste Daejeon provides The low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste stored by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute mainly comes from the operation of the Hanaro research reactor, as well as waste generated during the decommissioning of an experimental reactor in Seoul in the mid-2000s. Nuclear-related facilities in Daejeon...

2026-09-13

Vietnam Seeks French CEA Support to Restart Nuclear Power Program

On the morning of September 11 local time, To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of Vietnam, who is on an official visit to France, led a high-level Vietnamese delegation to visit the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, CEA). During the visit, the CEA briefed To Lam and the high-level Vietnamese delegation on France's core technology development. The CEA focuses on research in strategic fields such as nuclear energy, semiconductors, quantum technology, and artificial intelligence. To Lam stated that Vietnam is restarting its national nuclear power program, including the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project and the nuclear science and technology research center...

2026-09-12