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U.S. Research Team Tracks Main Drivers of Global Methane Rise Using Stable Isotope Analysis

A research team from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Global Monitoring Laboratory and the University of Colorado has recently traced the sources of the rapid rise in global atmospheric methane since 2007 through high-precision methane concentration measurements and carbon and hydrogen stable isotope analysis. The findings show that over the past two decades, microbial emissions have been the primary factor driving the increase in methane concentrations, while fossil fuel-related methane emissions may have remained relatively stable overall. A methane molecule consists of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms, and methane from different sources differs in its carbon and hydrogen isotope composition. Researchers used this chemical fingerprint to distinguish methane sources: fossil fuel methane such as natural gas typically contains a relatively higher proportion of carbon-13, while methane produced by microbial processes in wetlands, landfills, livestock, and agricultural environments has a lower carbon-13 proportion, exhibiting a "lighter" isotopic signature. The proportion of deuterium in hydrogen isotopes also varies with the way methane is formed, providing a further basis for source identification.

2026-07-31

Masayoshi Son: Nuclear Fusion Could Become Key to Powering Future AI Data Centers

SoftBank Group founder Masayoshi Son said at the SoftBank World annual event in Tokyo on July 14 that as electricity demand from AI data centers continues to rise, nuclear fusion technology is expected to become one of the most realistic power solutions in the near future. Son believes that most of the current electricity demand from data centers will still be met by natural gas, but this landscape could change over the next 15 years. He predicted that by 2040, global data center capacity demand will reach 3 terawatts, with nuclear fusion playing a significant role. He said at the event that fusion will become a major source of a cheaper, cleaner, and safer new form of energy on Earth, and asked rhetorically: Now...

2026-07-15

ITER Organization Director-General Attends Aix Economic Forum to Discuss Complexity Management of Pioneering Strongly-Coupled Mega-Projects

From July 2 to 4, the Aix Economic Forum (Les Rencontres Économiques d’Aix) was held in Provence, France, under the annual theme "Navigating a World of Uncertainty." Pietro Barabaschi, Director-General of the ITER Organization, was invited to attend the forum, where he presented the ITER Project and its pivotal role in addressing future energy challenges. His remarks centered on two core themes—climate change and the energy crisis—covering topics such as mega-project management experience and the development of the global fusion industry. As the world's first fusion verification experimental reactor, ITER's core mission is to validate the engineering feasibility of fusion power generation, paving the way for subsequent demonstration fusion power plants...

2026-07-15

Third fuel debris retrieval test at Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2 postponed due to robotic arm malfunction

The robot used by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) for the third experimental fuel debris retrieval at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Unit 2 malfunctioned during an on-site operational test, forcing the cancellation of the plan originally scheduled to start after July 2026 if all went well. The company stated it will reassess the relevant procedures. The malfunction occurred in part of the large robotic arm equipment used to collect fuel debris. During an operational test in the reactor building of Unit 2, TEPCO found an abnormality in one of the motors driving the robotic arm, causing the brake to fail to release and the arm to be unable to extend. The company is currently studying the replacement of the faulty motor. The third experimental retrieval plan was to use a large robotic arm...

2026-07-31

Restart of Tomari Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 Delayed to After End of 2027

Hokkaido Electric Power Co. announced on July 30 that the restart of Unit 3 at the Tomari Nuclear Power Plant will be significantly delayed compared to earlier expectations, with the earliest possible date being the end of 2027 or later. Previously, the company had set a target of restarting as early as possible within 2027, but due to delays in the seawall construction project and the fact that the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has not yet completed its review of the relevant design and construction plans, the timeline for the unit's return to operation remains uncertain. Hokkaido Electric Power President Susumu Saito stated at a press conference that the seawall at the Tomari plant was originally scheduled for completion in the spring of 2027, but is now expected to be finished by mid-August 2027 due to additional work such as seismic reinforcement of the wharf and liquefaction countermeasures...

2026-07-31

Xinhua Exclusive Interview | China Makes Significant Contributions to the "Artificial Sun" Project — Interview with Alain Bécoulet, Deputy Director-General and Chief Scientist of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor Organization

On July 26, 2027, Xinhua News Agency published an exclusive interview with Alain Bécoulet, Deputy Director-General and Chief Scientist of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Organization, on China's significant contributions to the "Artificial Sun" project and its role in accelerating global fusion research. Bécoulet noted that China plays a fundamental role in supplying ITER components (superconducting technology, cables, magnet manufacturing, cryostats, etc.), and that the tokamak installation work undertaken by the Chinese consortium "exceeded expectations in terms of time and cost." He also stated that facilities such as EAST, HL-3, and BEST provide ITER with experimental predictions, component testing, and technical twin validation. He believes that through sustained investment and international cooperation, China has begun to play a leading role in the global fusion field.

2026-07-27

Guomai Fusion Energy Completes Angel+ Round Financing, with Zhengxuan Investment and Others Supporting aFRC Fusion Route Commercialization

Recently, Beijing Guomai Fusion Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Guomai Fusion Energy) completed its Angel+ round of financing. This round was participated by well-known institutions such as Zhengxuan Investment and Dalin Investment. By adopting a strategy of small steps and rapid iteration, Guomai Fusion Energy has continuously advanced its financing, pooling industrial and capital forces to support R&D design and engineering validation, and promoting the fast and sound development of the advanced field-reversed configuration (aFRC) route. The funds from this round will be primarily used for aFRC route R&D, including the construction of fusion experimental devices, core technology breakthroughs, and talent team building, accelerating key technology breakthroughs and experimental validation. Guomai Fusion Energy, established in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, is a company focusing on advanced field-reversed config...

2026-07-31

South China Regional Office of the National Nuclear Safety Administration Conducts Special Supervision and Inspection of Changjiang Units Under Construction

As the South China region enters the main flood season with concentrated typhoons and heavy rainfall, nuclear facilities face significant pressure in resisting meteorological disasters, and safety control responsibilities are critical. To rigorously prevent nuclear safety risks triggered by natural disasters during the flood season and to reinforce the primary responsibility of operating entities for safety production, the South China Regional Office of the National Nuclear Safety Administration (hereinafter referred to as the South China Regional Office) made advance deployments and carried out a special supervision and inspection of typhoon and flood prevention for the Changjiang units under construction in an unannounced manner. This inspection comprehensively verified the effectiveness of control measures, tightened the primary responsibility of the operating entity, and effectively built a safety barrier for nuclear facilities during the flood season. Inspectors went deep into the construction sites of Units 3 and 4 of the Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant and the small modular reactor demonstration project, focusing on checking nuclear...

2026-07-31

The 7th National Nuclear Regulatory Conference of Vietnam Convened: Improving the Legal Framework to Serve the National Nuclear Program and Sustainable Development

The 7th National Nuclear Regulatory Conference of Vietnam was held in Quang Ninh Province, with the theme of national management of radiation and nuclear safety serving socio-economic development. The conference brought together leaders from the government, ministries, and industry sectors, local officials, as well as over 400 delegates and experts from international organizations including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This conference aimed to comprehensively assess the achievements of national governance in the field of radiation and nuclear safety over the past period, unify directions, clarify tasks, and formulate key solutions for development from 2026 to 2035. The conference took place at an important time when Vietnam's nuclear program is being restarted, supporting the peaceful use of atomic energy, ensuring radiation and nuclear safety, and strengthening national scientific and technological capabilities...

2026-07-30

Annual outage maintenance of Loviisa Nuclear Power Plant begins on August 2

Fortum, the Finnish state-owned energy company, announced that the annual outage maintenance of the Loviisa Nuclear Power Plant will commence on August 2, starting with Unit 2 and then transitioning to Unit 1. The maintenance is scheduled to continue until October 18. During this period, the two units will be taken offline for maintenance in rotation, with the other unit remaining in operation. As planned, Unit 2 will undergo a major annual overhaul conducted every eight years. During the maintenance, staff will unload the reactor fuel, inspect and pressure test the reactor pressure vessel, replace approximately one-quarter of the fuel, and complete a series of equipment maintenance and servicing tasks. Unit 1 will undergo a shorter routine annual maintenance, primarily involving fuel replacement and related maintenance work.

2026-07-30

Installation of Spacer Dampers Begins on Offshore Section of Haiyang Xin'an Nuclear Power Transmission UHV Project

On July 28, the installation of spacer dampers was fully initiated on the offshore section of the 1000 kV Haiyang Xin'an Nuclear Power Transmission UHV Project, marking the final critical phase of the world's first UHV project dedicated to nuclear power transmission. This project is China's first UHV project involving offshore construction. It starts from Xin'an Town, Haiyang City, Yantai, and ends at Tuanwang Town, Laiyang City, Yantai, with a total length of 80.36 km. It is constructed with double-circuit lines and a total of 161 towers. The project commenced in June 2025 and is scheduled for completion and commissioning in October 2026. Prior to this, the Yanwei UHV Project had successfully achieved loop closure, connecting the nation's first provincial-level UHV double-ring network in Shandong. The Haiyang Xin'an Nuclear Power Transmission Project is a key node of this double-ring network...

2026-07-30

Taishan Nuclear Power Launches First Batch of Independent Skill Level Certification

Recently, Taishan Nuclear Power carried out its first batch of independent vocational skill level certification, with a total of 16 individuals passing the assessment and obtaining corresponding skill level certifications. This certification marks the first batch conducted by the company after the implementation of the unified vocational skill level certification system under China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN), signifying that the company's skill talent evaluation work has officially entered a new stage of standardization and systematization. The certification covered two job categories: Vocational Trainer (Level 1) and Radiation Monitoring and Protection Worker (Levels 2 and 3). A total of 20 individuals participated, with 16 passing. The certification process strictly followed three stages: written examination, practical operation, and comprehensive review, assessing the participants' professional knowledge, operational skills, and work performance...

2026-07-30

North China Regional Office of Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Conducts On-Site Supervision of Main Pump Shaft Design and Manufacturing at Shanghai Electric KSB Nuclear Pump and Valve Co., Ltd.

To continuously enhance the localization quality of active equipment such as main pumps and the effectiveness of key technology improvements, the North China Regional Office of Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision (hereinafter referred to as the North China Office) of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment recently conducted on-site supervision of the wet winding main pump shaft design and manufacturing activities at Shanghai Electric KSB Nuclear Pump and Valve Co., Ltd. This supervision focused on the quality reliability of design improvement measures for main pumps, conducting detailed inspections on the standardization of design change processes, verifying key processes such as material acceptance, heat treatment, and hot sleeve assembly, with particular attention to the correlation between improvement measures and root cause analysis, the effectiveness of improved processes, and the compliance of various inspection and test results. It also required...

2026-07-30

Shidaowan Nuclear Power Company Successfully Completes Member Support Activity for Predictive Maintenance and Equipment Condition Monitoring

On July 24, Shidaowan Nuclear Power Company successfully completed the member support activity for predictive maintenance and equipment condition monitoring, laying the foundation for further optimizing the predictive maintenance and equipment condition monitoring management and technical systems of the High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR) Demonstration Project, and promoting the transformation and upgrading of the equipment management model. The member support activity, lasting five days, was organized by the Nuclear Power Branch of the China Nuclear Energy Association, aiming to leverage the expertise of industry experts to drive the transformation of the equipment management model of the HTGR Demonstration Project from breakdown maintenance and periodic maintenance to data-driven predictive management, thereby strengthening the foundation of nuclear safety and operational economy. The expert team for this activity was led by Chen Lunshou, former Deputy Chief Engineer of Sanmen Nuclear Power Co., Ltd...

2026-07-30

SuperCritical Obtains Exclusive License for Uranium Extraction from Seawater Technology, Plans Industrial Deployment in the United States

SuperCritical Materials Corp., a U.S. developer of nuclear fuel and critical materials infrastructure, announced on July 24 that it has obtained an exclusive license from Battelle Memorial Institute for a patented uranium adsorbent technology used to extract uranium from seawater. The technology was originally developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and its research partners. Battelle Memorial Institute currently manages eight national laboratories for the U.S. federal government. SuperCritical stated that the technology has been verified to extract uranium from seawater...

2026-07-30