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Rosenergoatom Celebrates 34 Years: Operating 33 Nuclear Power Units

On September 7, Rosenergoatom celebrated its 34th anniversary. The company is the management company of the electric power division of Rosatom, Russia's state atomic energy corporation. In 1992, Russian nuclear power plants were consolidated into a unified nuclear power operating organization, leading to the establishment of Rosenergoatom. Currently, Rosenergoatom is Russia's largest electricity generator and one of the world's major nuclear power operators in terms of installed capacity. The company operates 11 nuclear power plants with 33 units, including the Akademik Lomonosov floating nuclear power unit comprising two reactor plants, with a total installed capacity exceeding 29.8 GW. Bilibino NPP...

2026-09-08

US Kairos Completes First Phase Testing of ETU 3 Reactor Model

Kairos Power announced on September 7 that its Engineering Test Unit 3 (ETU 3) has completed the first phase of testing. The testing, centered on the Hermes 2 reactor cavity model, validated the precast concrete shielding design as well as remote operation and maintenance capabilities, providing support for the design of the Hermes 2 demonstration plant and subsequent commercial units. Reactor cavity model (Image: Kairos Power) ETU 3, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, is part of Kairos Power's iterative development program for its fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR) technology. The unit is a scaled, non-nuclear mockup cavity consisting of a reactor pressure vessel and precast concrete shielding structures.

2026-09-08

UK Report Says Russia's Uranium Supply Share Could Rise to 36% by 2040

The UK-based non-governmental organization Center for Strategic Advantage (CSA) recently released a report stating that if countries advance uranium production according to existing plans and operate all deposits at full capacity, Russia's share of global uranium supply could rise from roughly one-quarter at present to 36% by 2040. The report argues that Western countries face issues such as insufficient investment and delays in permitting new mine development, making it difficult to meet future demand. Meanwhile, Russia's uranium mining capacity is expected to continue growing. Project director Gareth Heywood stated that by 2040, some countries' dependence on Russian uranium production could approach the level of their dependence on Russian natural gas and oil around 2022.

2026-09-08

Restart of Unit 3 at Japan's Tomari Nuclear Power Plant May Be Delayed to After End of 2027

The restart of Unit 3 at the Tomari Nuclear Power Plant, operated by Hokkaido Electric Power in Tomari Village, Hokkaido, Japan, may be delayed to after the end of 2027. The company currently maintains its stated target of a restart in early 2027, but has not yet provided a specific date. Key factors affecting the restart schedule include delays in the construction of the tsunami protection embankment, a fatal accident during construction that occurred during the review process by the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) of Japan, and certain technical matters that remain under confirmation and consultation. Hokkaido Electric Power has stated that the embankment is expected to be completed by mid-August 2027. The project was originally scheduled for completion around March 2027, but has been extended due to blizzard conditions and additional...

2026-09-08

UK's First TerraPower Natrium Reactor Could Generate Power by 2034

TerraPower, the US nuclear power company backed by Bill Gates, expects its Natrium sodium-cooled reactor could generate electricity in the UK as early as 2034. If the project progresses smoothly, the UK will become the company's first market for deploying this technology outside the United States. TerraPower CEO Chris Levesque said that given the company's first Natrium reactor project is scheduled for completion in 2031, the Natrium technology is highly likely to become a reality in the UK by 2034. The technology has already met relevant US regulatory requirements, and the first unit is under construction in Wyoming. In recent years, the UK has accelerated the development of small modular re...

2026-09-08

Japanese research team accelerates muons to 0.3 MeV, taking a step toward the world's only muon accelerator

A research team comprising the J-PARC Center, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), the University of Tokyo, Tokai National Higher Education and Research System, Nagoya University, and RIKEN recently completed muon cooling and radio-frequency acceleration experiments in the newly constructed muon acceleration experimental area at the J-PARC Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility, successfully accelerating muons to a kinetic energy of 0.3 MeV, corresponding to approximately 8% of the speed of light. Conceptual diagram of cooling and accelerating positive muon beams. By cooling positive muons with non-uniform direction and velocity, efficient high-frequency acceleration can be achieved. Muons are elementary particles similar to electrons that can be artificially produced by accelerators and are widely used in materials science, particle physics research...

2026-09-07

Kenya seeks IAEA review support to advance nuclear power project by 2034

Kenya is seeking a new round of review and expanded technical support from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to advance its long-planned nuclear power program toward construction readiness by 2034. According to relevant meeting briefings, Kenya hopes the IAEA will conduct a Phase 2 Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) mission in the fourth quarter of 2026, along with support in training nuclear engineers and nuclear scientists. Kenya also plans to leverage the IAEA's 70th General Conference, to be held in Vienna from September 14 to 18, to secure advisory services, skills training, and technical assistance for advancing its nuclear power project and nuclear research reactor construction. Kenya is expected to send a high-level delegation of approximately 30 people...

2026-09-07

South Korea Develops 3D Non-Contact Inspection System for High-Temperature Superconducting Wire

The Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) recently announced that a research team led by Ha Hong-su and Park In-sung at its Low-Temperature Device Research Center has developed a three-dimensional non-contact ultra-precision inspection system capable of continuously measuring the thickness and width of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) wire. The institute stated that this is the world's first such inspection system for HTS wire. KERI researchers Ha Hong-su and Park In-sung pose with a high-temperature superconducting wire beside the 3D non-contact ultra-precision inspection system. [Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute] HTS wire exhibits near-zero electrical resistance below a specific temperature, enabling high-current, low-loss transmission,...

2026-09-07

Unit 3 at Saeul Nuclear Power Plant in South Korea Shut Down Again During Trial Operation

Unit 3 at the Saeul Nuclear Power Plant, operated by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), was shut down again during trial operation. The unit, located in Ulju County, Ulsan, South Korea, has a generating capacity of 1,400 MW. According to the plant operator, operators manually shut down the reactor at approximately 3:01 p.m. on the 6th. The shutdown was initiated after a leak was confirmed in a pipe related to turbine steam condensate. The plant stated that the manual shutdown was carried out to ensure facility stability and facilitate maintenance. The plant also stated that the shutdown caused no radiological impact and that the unit is currently in a stable condition. Personnel are analyzing the cause of the pipe leak. This...

2026-09-07

Kairos Power Completes Phase 1 of ETU 3 Hardware Demonstration in the U.S.

On September 4, Kairos Power announced the completion of Phase 1 of the Engineering Test Unit 3 (ETU 3) hardware demonstration at its Oak Ridge, Tennessee site. The unit, a non-nuclear engineering test platform, is primarily designed to reduce technical risks in reactor construction, operation, and maintenance, and to provide validation data for the Hermes 2 demonstration plant and subsequent commercial reactor deployments. Kairos Power stated that Phase 1 of ETU 3 focused on design validation of precast concrete shielding structures and testing of remote operation and maintenance capabilities. Construction of the Hermes 2 demonstration plant began earlier this year in Oak Ridge, and ETU...

2026-09-06

Radionuclide Ward Officially Launched at Xuguan Campus of Suzhou Nuclear Industry General Hospital under CNNC Medical

On September 3, the radionuclide ward of the Nuclear Medicine Department at the Xuguan Campus of Suzhou Nuclear Industry General Hospital, affiliated with CNNC Medical, was officially inaugurated and put into operation. The ward addresses the standardized radionuclide therapy needs of patients with tumors, thyroid diseases, and endocrine disorders, providing inpatient treatment services with isolation and protection conditions. According to reports, the newly launched radionuclide ward is equipped with radiation protection facilities and intelligent monitoring systems, enabling fully enclosed ward management, treatment process monitoring, and multi-level protection. Following the ward's commissioning, the Nuclear Medicine Department will expand from its previous examination-focused service model into a closed-loop service chain integrating radionuclide diagnosis, drug therapy, isolated hospitalization, and research follow-up, enhancing its capacity to manage complex and critically ill patients...

2026-09-05

Sweden's First New Nuclear Reactor Could Be Operational by Mid-2030s

Sweden's Minister for Energy and Industry, Ebba Busch, who also leads the Christian Democrats (KD), stated at a public hearing on September 3 that the country's first newly built nuclear reactor could be operational by the mid-2030s. When asked when the new nuclear unit could be connected to the grid, Busch indicated the mid-2030s. She also noted that the new nuclear project would not rely on direct state funding. However, the Swedish government has previously prepared a support framework for new nuclear construction. The arrangements could involve financial support amounting to hundreds of billions of Swedish kronor, including loans and electricity price guarantees totaling approximately 400 billion Swedish kronor. Busch stated that this is indeed a substantial sum, but its nature is that of loans and price hedging arrangements targeting critical infrastructure.

2026-09-04

Rosatom Fuel Division Completes Assembly of 30th Industrial Metal 3D Printer

On September 3, 2026, the Moscow Additive Manufacturing Technology Center of Rosatom's Fuel Division completed the assembly of its 30th industrial metal 3D printer. The equipment is the medium-sized RusMelt 300M, a flagship model in Rosatom's metal 3D printer product line. The rollout of the 30th unit coincides with the 30th anniversary of TVEL JSC, the management company of Rosatom's Fuel Division. According to reports, the additive manufacturing technology business unit of Rosatom's Fuel Division currently produces industrial-grade 3D printers capable of meeting manufacturing needs for components of various sizes, utilizing mainstream metal additive manufacturing technologies such as selective laser melting (SLM), direct metal deposition (DMD), and electron beam additive manufacturing (EBAM)...

2026-09-04

Russia's Primorsky Krai Nuclear Power Plant Planned to Connect to Grid by 2031

Rosatom plans to connect the Primorsky Krai Nuclear Power Plant to the power grid by 2031. The company's CEO, Alexey Likhachev, stated on September 3 during the Eastern Economic Forum that the project is progressing according to established targets. Likhachev said Rosatom is working to ensure the first concrete pour for the plant's first unit is completed by the end of 2027. Under current plans, the project aims to achieve grid connection and power generation by 2031, with full commercial operation in 2032. He also noted that the Far East region, particularly Primorsky Krai, still lacks sufficient experience in nuclear energy utilization...

2026-09-04

Japan's Tomari Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 Restart Review Still Requires Additional Fire Safety Documentation

On September 3, a review meeting was held for the restart plan of Unit 3 at Japan's Tomari Nuclear Power Plant. The Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) pointed out that the explanations submitted by Hokkaido Electric Power regarding fire safety measures still contain issues requiring further confirmation, and requested the company to provide more detailed assessment materials. The equipment design and construction plan required for the restart of Tomari Unit 3 has been under review since last year. One of the current review priorities is whether relevant workers have adequate and feasible evacuation measures in the event of a fire on site. At the meeting that day, representatives of Hokkaido Electric Power explained the revised fire safety...

2026-09-04