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Korean Research Team Reveals Mechanism Behind Neutron Irradiation-Induced Reliability Degradation in Ferroelectric AI Semiconductors

Jeonbuk National University announced on the 20th that a research team led by Professor Bae Hak-yeol from the Department of Electronic Engineering at its College of Engineering, in collaboration with Professor Kim Tae-wan's team at Seoul National University and Q-Beam Solution, a startup affiliated with the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, conducted a joint study analyzing the causes of performance degradation in next-generation ferroelectric memory and neuromorphic semiconductor devices under neutron irradiation. The findings have been published in the latest issue of ACS Applied Electronic Materials. Ferroelectric semiconductors, which can maintain their polarization state even after power is disconnected, are considered a key candidate for next-generation non-volatile memory and neuromorphic computing devices. Neuromorphic computing aims to simultaneously implement both memory and computation within a single device...

2026-08-20

Ukraine Approves Expansion of Buryakivka Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility

The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) has approved the construction of a new disposal facility at the Buryakivka radioactive waste disposal site for the disposal of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste generated during the cleanup of the Chernobyl nuclear accident. The Buryakivka radioactive waste disposal facility is located within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and is one of Ukraine's key facilities for managing radioactive waste associated with the Chernobyl accident. Built as part of priority emergency measures following the accident, the facility was commissioned in 1987 and primarily receives low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste from the Chernobyl region. Currently, the facility is operated by the Central...

2026-08-20

Canada Approves Bruce Power Hot Cell Facility Operations, Strengthening Lutetium-177 Medical Isotope Supply Chain

Bruce Power has recently received approval from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to operate its on-site hot cell facility for target carrier removal (TCR) work, a critical step in the production process of the medical isotope lutetium-177 (Lu-177). Lu-177 is used in the treatment of prostate cancer and is increasingly applied in targeted therapies for precision medicine. Under the approval, Bruce Power can perform the relevant processing steps on site, further streamlining the isotope production process, reducing transportation requirements, while helping to enhance operational safety, lower emissions, and strengthen Ontario's capabilities in the global medical isotope supply chain. The hot cell facility was completed earlier this year...

2026-08-20

Unit 3 of France's Gravelines Nuclear Power Plant Reconnected to Grid, Unit 4 Remains Shut Down

According to EDF on August 18, Unit 3 of the Gravelines Nuclear Power Plant in northern France was reconnected to the national grid at 3:55 a.m. local time on August 18. The unit had been automatically shut down at 7:43 p.m. on August 10 in accordance with established safety protection procedures due to a large influx of jellyfish into the seawater pump station filtration system. The Gravelines Nuclear Power Plant has a total of six units. On August 10, a large number of jellyfish entered the pump station used to draw seawater for cooling nuclear facilities, affecting equipment such as pre-filters and filter drums. In accordance with operating procedures, Units 3 and 4 were automatically shut down; the operating team also shut down Unit 2 and reduced Unit 1's power to 50% to adapt to changing site conditions. Unit 5 was...

2026-08-20

Japan's regulator says steam leak at Mihama Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 was "avoidable"

On August 19, Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) released the results of its nuclear regulatory inspections for the first quarter of the current fiscal year, determining that the steam leak incident at Mihama Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3, operated by Kansai Electric Power Co., in May this year was "foreseeable within a reasonable range" and that the associated losses "could have been avoided." The incident occurred in the high-pressure turbine area of Mihama Unit 3. A small hole approximately 8 centimeters long and 1 centimeter wide appeared in the metal cover atop the high-pressure turbine casing, causing a steam leak that forced a manual reactor shutdown. In its assessment, the NRA concluded that the event was foreseeable and could have been prevented through appropriate management or maintenance measures. However, since no pipe rupture or fire occurred between the onset of the steam leak and the reactor shutdown, the NRA rated the significance and severity of the incident at the lowest of four levels.

2026-08-20

Kansai Electric's Dry Cask Storage Project for Spent Fuel at Three Fukui Nuclear Plants Accelerates

Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO) plans to construct dry cask storage facilities for spent fuel at the sites of its three nuclear power plants in Takahama, Oi, and Mihama in Fukui Prefecture, Japan, and the local approval process for the project has recently accelerated. According to local arrangements, in addition to regulatory review, the project requires prior consent from the Fukui Prefectural Government and the towns where the nuclear plants are located. The Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) of Japan has completed safety reviews of the dry cask storage facility plans for the Takahama and Mihama nuclear power plants, while the plan for the Oi plant remains under review. Takahama Town Mayor Hisakatsu Nishijima...

2026-08-20

Trial lifting of damaged fuel assembly completed at Unit 2 of Japan's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) announced on August 18 that a trial lifting of a damaged fuel assembly in the spent fuel pool of Unit 2 at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station has been completed. The assembly was damaged in a fall 45 years ago and was subsequently repaired with wire. This trial lifting was conducted to confirm whether it can be safely handled during the subsequent removal operation. A total of 615 fuel assemblies are stored in the Unit 2 fuel pool, including 587 spent fuel assemblies and 28 unused fuel assemblies. The removal work began on June 2, and the fuel assemblies will be transferred to the shared fuel pool within the plant site. As of August 17, 35 fuel assemblies had been removed. Despite interruptions during the operation, Tokyo Electric Power Company...

2026-08-20

Eight economic organizations in Hokkaido urge early restart of Tomari Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 and electricity price reduction

On August 19, eight economic organizations in Hokkaido, including the Hokkaido Economic Federation, submitted a request to Hokkaido Electric Power Company (HEPCO), urging the company to promote the early restart of Unit 3 at the Tomari Nuclear Power Plant and to reduce electricity prices as soon as possible after restart, while ensuring that safety measures are given priority. On the same day, Hiroshi Fujii, Chairman of the Hokkaido Economic Federation and Chairman of Hokkaido Electric Power Company, and Mitsuharu Yasuda, Chairman of the Hokkaido Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Chairman of Hokuyo Bank, along with other heads of economic organizations, visited HEPCO's headquarters in Sapporo and presented the request to HEPCO President Susumu Saito. The request states that the Tomari Nuclear Power Plant is of great significance for Hokkaido's economic growth and decarbonization efforts...

2026-08-20

Summer Technical Symposium on High-Temperature Superconducting High-Field Magnets Successfully Held in Shanghai

On August 19, the Summer Technical Symposium on High-Temperature Superconducting High-Field Magnets was successfully held at the China Fusion Shanghai Headquarters. Yu Xuefeng, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Deputy General Manager of China Fusion, and Xue Lei, Deputy Director of the Fusion Engineering Design Institute, attended the meeting. Xue Lei delivered an address on behalf of the Fusion Engineering Design Institute, extending a warm welcome to the experts present for their guidance. The symposium was moderated by Hu Xinbo, Director of the High-Temperature Superconducting Magnet R&D Department of the Fusion Engineering Design Institute. The symposium invited research institutions including the Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, High Magnetic Field Science Center of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Advanced Cryogenic Technology Research Institute, and Southwestern Institute of Physics of the Nuclear Industry, as well as universities...

2026-08-20

Vattenfall plans to invest SEK 10 billion in Swedish nuclear maintenance and uprating over five years

European energy company Vattenfall plans to invest SEK 165 billion by 2030, focusing on maintenance and development of existing power assets, new fossil-free power generation projects, and grid modernization. Sweden is the core market for this investment round, with approximately SEK 10 billion allocated to nuclear maintenance and power uprating. Vattenfall currently operates five nuclear reactors in Sweden, including two at Ringhals Nuclear Power Plant and three at Forsmark Nuclear Power Plant. These units have been in operation for approximately 40 years. The company stated that routine inspections lasting several weeks are conducted annually on these units to ensure safe and stable operation of the nuclear power plants and to fulfill power generation targets as planned.

2026-08-19

Kairos Power Launches NuCAMP Collaboration Initiative in Oak Ridge

Kairos Power announced on August 18 that it has launched the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing and Prefabrication Center (NuCAMP) collaboration initiative in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA, focusing on advancing advanced reactor manufacturing, construction method validation, and local nuclear technology workforce development. Under the signed memorandum of understanding, Kairos Power will work with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), Barnard Construction Company, Roane State Community College...

2026-08-19

Urenco USA Breaks Ground on National Enrichment Facility Expansion, Plans to Add 2.1 Million SWU Capacity

On August 18, local time, Urenco USA held a groundbreaking ceremony in Eunice, New Mexico, United States, to launch the future expansion of its commercial uranium enrichment facility. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, Urenco Group Chief Executive Officer Boris Schucht, and company management attended the ceremony. Urenco USA is the only commercial-scale uranium enrichment producer in the United States, operating the National Enrichment Facility (NEF). The company announced in June this year that it would increase the facility's capacity by nearly 50%. This expansion is part of a multi-billion-dollar investment, with plans to build a new...

2026-08-19

UNESCO Expert Mission Inspects Environmental Remediation Project at Former Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill in Russia

On August 19, 2026, a monitoring mission for the Lake Baikal World Heritage Site, comprising experts from UNESCO and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, inspected the cumulative environmental damage remediation work carried out by Federal Environmental Operator, a subsidiary of Rosatom, at the former Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill site. At the former plant area, the experts were briefed on progress in sludge treatment, alkaline wastewater treatment, and nature-based remediation technologies. The relevant projects primarily target historically accumulated pollution, with the goal of reducing the risk of pollutants entering Lake Baikal. During the visit, the infrastructure at the Babushinsky landfill and the former wastewater treatment plant had been completed and entered the commissioning phase. The...

2026-08-19

Malaysian Nuclear Agency Strengthens Scientific Writing Training to Promote Dissemination of Nuclear Technology Research Outcomes

On August 18, the Malaysian Nuclear Agency stated that it will continue to enhance the scientific writing and publishing capabilities of its professionals and technical staff, driving research outcomes out of the laboratory to serve society and national development in a broader manner. Dr. Muhamad Rawi Mohamed Zin, Director General of the Malaysian Nuclear Agency, said at the opening of the 2026 Scientific Writing and Publishing Seminar and Workshop that scientific publications are a key indicator of whether research outcomes can promote knowledge advancement, solve practical problems, and create value for national development. High-quality publishing not only helps demonstrate research impact but also enables scientific outcomes to be shared, understood, and applied by a wider audience. This seminar...

2026-08-19

Akkuyu NPP Unit 2 Completes Installation of Four Main Pump Sets

The four main pump sets of the technical water supply system at the onshore pumping station of Unit 2 at Turkey's Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant have been installed. Specialists from TITAN-2 Holding completed the installation, marking new progress in the construction of the turbine island cooling system for this unit. These large centrifugal pumps will be used to deliver seawater to the condenser cooling system of the turbine units. Once the unit is in operation, the continuous and stable operation of the pump sets will directly affect the cooling efficiency of the turbine hall equipment and influence the operational stability of the turbine units. According to reports, these pump sets are among the larger pump equipment at the nuclear power plant, with each pump standing as tall as a five-story building. The equipment is arranged in a tiered layout, with the pump bodies...

2026-08-19