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UK's MAST Upgrade sets plasma pressure record in fifth experimental campaign

The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has completed the fifth experimental campaign of its flagship fusion experiment, MAST Upgrade. The campaign, conducted between 2025 and 2026 at the Culham Campus in Oxfordshire, UK, produced over 1,100 plasma pulses and achieved the device's highest-ever plasma pressure while overcoming plasma instability issues. In fusion devices, hydrogen isotopes must be heated, compressed, and confined under extremely high temperatures and pressures. The higher the plasma density and temperature, the stronger the fusion reaction, and high-pressure plasmas are also closer to the operating conditions required for future commercial fusion power plants. UKAEA stated that this...

2026-08-07

IAEA Publishes Technical Document on Emergency Planning Zones for Small Modular Reactors

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has published TECDOC Series No. 2134, "Technical Basis for the Emergency Planning Zone for Small Modular Reactors." The document was published in Vienna in 2026, comprising 132 pages with 11 illustrations, in English. This document marks the first time the IAEA has published the results of a Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on the technical basis for emergency planning zones for Small Modular Reactor (SMR) deployment. The research project was conducted from 2018 to 2021, focusing on how to determine the technical basis for off-site emergency preparedness and response (EPR) arrangements in SMR deployment scenarios, particularly the requirements and scope for establishing emergency planning zones (EPZ).

2026-08-07

Sevmash Advances Production of Main Thrust Bearings for Icebreaker "Stalingrad"

Sevmash, a subsidiary of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), is continuing production of the main thrust bearings for the Stalingrad, the sixth serial universal icebreaker of Project 22220. One set of bearings for this vessel comprises three bearing units. Currently, two of these units have been delivered to Workshop 16 for bearing housing machining; the bearing raceways are also being machined and assembled in this workshop. The housing of the third unit is being assembled in the plant's hull welding shop. Meanwhile, in a dedicated area of Sevmash Workshop 4, bearing internal filling operations are underway, including the manufacture of bushings and bearing housings with anti-friction layers and filling with hot Babbitt metal. Each unit requires the installation of 24 bearing housings. This stage is one of the most labor-intensive processes in bearing manufacturing.

2026-08-07

Rosatom Completes First Batch of Certification for Energy Critical Information Infrastructure Products

Rosatom has recently completed the first batch of product certification for critical information infrastructure in the fuel and energy sector under the KII-Sert voluntary certification system. The certification system has been operating in Russia's nuclear energy and aerospace industries since 2024, primarily used to assess the reliability, technological independence, and sustainability of solutions related to critical information infrastructure. The certification was carried out by Atomenergoproekt JSC, part of Rosatom's engineering division. As an authorized certification body for trusted products and processes within the KII-Sert system, the company, in cooperation with the industrial testing laboratory Avtomatika-Servis LLC, certified a software and hardware system used in the oil and gas industry.

2026-08-07

Notice of the National Energy Administration on Issuing the "15th Five-Year" Action Plan for Electric Power Safety Production

Notice of the National Energy Administration on Issuing the "15th Five-Year" Action Plan for Electric Power Safety Production To the energy administrations of all provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government), the development and reform commissions of relevant provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government) and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, the Beijing Municipal Urban Management Commission, the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Liaoning Province, the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, all dispatched agencies, and enterprise member units of the National Electric Power Safety Production Committee: In order to implement the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council on strengthening safety production, coordinate development and safety, deeply practice the new energy security strategy of "Four Revolutions and One Cooperation," consolidate the safety foundation for building a strong energy country, continuously improve the level of electric power safety production, and ensure the safe and stable operation of the power system and reliable power supply, the "15th Five-Year" Action Plan for Electric Power Safety Production is hereby formulated. It is now issued for your implementation.

2026-08-07

Chinese Nuclear Safety and Nuclear Industry Delegation Visits Russian Floating Nuclear Thermal Power Plant

From July 28 to 30, representatives from China's National Nuclear Safety Administration, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), and the Chinese Embassy in Russia, together with officials from the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision of the Russian Federation (Rostechnadzor), jointly visited the floating nuclear thermal power plant located in Pevek, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. The plant is operated by Rosenergoatom, the power generation division of Rosatom. During the visit, the delegation inspected the floating power unit and onshore facilities, and learned about the operation of key equipment. Chinese experts focused on spent fuel storage, refueling procedures, and related equipment configurations...

2026-08-07

Seoul National University NEXFO Workshop: Exploring Sustainable Solutions for SMR and MMR

On August 7, the Nuclear Policy Center at Seoul National University's Institute for Future Nuclear Energy Policy announced that it will host the Nuclear Energy Sustainability NEXFO Workshop on the afternoon of September 16 at the Seoul National University Global Engineering Education Center. The event, coinciding with the center's 10th anniversary, is themed "Embracing the Era of Full-Scale SMR and MMR Deployment" and will discuss the policy, industrial, and technological conditions for the commercialization of small modular reactors and micro modular reactors. The workshop will first revisit the public discourse framework on nuclear energy sustainability, and analyze global nuclear fuel cycle trends as well as the domestic challenges facing South Korea. As SMRs and MMRs transition from technology demonstration to practical application, nuclear fuel...

2026-08-07

Taiyuan Jinyuan District Conducts Special Inspection on Radiation Safety

To effectively prevent and mitigate radiation safety risks, the Jinyuan Branch of the Taiyuan Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau in Shanxi Province recently conducted special on-site inspections of radiation-related units within its jurisdiction, with the goals of comprehensive screening, consolidating responsibilities, improving mechanisms, and eliminating hazards, fully reinforcing corporate primary responsibilities and enhancing the standardized management of the radiation environment. The inspection team successively visited Shanxi International Travel Healthcare Center (Taiyuan Customs Port Outpatient Department) and Taiyuan Qimei Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital Co., Ltd., strictly adhering to relevant laws and regulations, focusing on verifying the operating conditions of radiation devices, protective conditions in operational areas, safety interlock devices, and warning sign placement, while also conducting detailed reviews of radiation safety management systems, daily protection records, staff training files, emergency plans, and self-inspection assessment materials.

2026-08-07

KHNP's "Integrated Nuclear Power Plant Maintenance Personnel Qualification System" Receives Official Government Recognition

On August 7, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) announced that its integrated nuclear power plant maintenance personnel qualification system has officially received government recognition from the Korea Human Resource Development Service for Emerging Industries, an affiliate of the Ministry of Employment and Labor. This recognition signifies that the qualification system, used internally by the company to enhance employee job competencies, has received official confirmation in terms of evaluation standards, operational frameworks, and management mechanisms, providing a more credible institutional foundation for nuclear power plant equipment operation and maintenance capability building. The core of this recognized system lies in integrating the qualification frameworks previously operated separately by various nuclear maintenance partner companies into unified standards. This marks the first time such a standardized model has been established in Korea's nuclear maintenance sector...

2026-08-07

New Decommissioning Plan for Fukushima Daiichi: Priority on Internal Investigation of Unit 3 Before Fuel Debris Retrieval

The Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation of Japan released on August 6 an outline of the 2026 edition of the "Decommissioning Strategic Plan," proposing technical approaches for the decommissioning of Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The plan highlights that, for the large-scale retrieval of melted fuel debris at Unit 3, expected to commence in or after fiscal year 2037, priority should currently be given to internal investigations of the reactor building to provide a more reliable basis for subsequent engineering plans. The plan states that the fuel debris retrieval method being studied by TEPCO still requires further improvement in certainty, with the key prerequisite being an understanding of the actual internal conditions of the reactor. Due to the high radiation levels of the water inside the unit following the accident...

2026-08-07

Radiation detector malfunction at Unit 2 of Japan's Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant causes hundreds of abnormal reading fluctuations

Tohoku Electric Power Company of Japan announced on August 6 that a detection equipment malfunction occurred at Unit 2 of the Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant, located in Onagawa Town and Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture. The issue involved detectors used to measure radiation levels in the main steam lines, which transport steam generated by the reactor to the turbine. Among the four detectors, one displayed readings in the central control room that surged and dropped sharply, repeating hundreds of times. Based on publicly available information, Tohoku Electric has classified this incident as a detector malfunction rather than an abnormal release of radioactive materials or a sudden change in reactor operating conditions. The company stated that the situation does not constitute a problem under security regulations, meaning that from...

2026-08-07

U.S. Environmental Groups Sue, Claiming Turkey Point Nuclear Plant License Renewal Requires Additional Environmental Review

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) faces a legal challenge over its renewal of operating licenses for Units 3 and 4 at the Turkey Point nuclear power plant near Miami, Florida. Florida environmental group Miami Waterkeeper Inc. has petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, arguing that the agency failed to follow proper procedures during the license renewal process and overlooked significant environmental concerns. At the heart of the lawsuit is Miami Waterkeeper's assertion that the NRC should not have proceeded with the license renewal after denying the group's hearing request. The organization had participated in the related administrative proceedings and raised objections concerning the plant's environmental impact review, but the NRC concluded those proceedings in March of this year...

2026-08-07

US Tennessee Valley Authority Accelerates Negotiations to Deploy Small Modular Reactors at Alabama Bellefonte Site

The US Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) confirmed it is in active negotiations with industry partners to develop a new nuclear power generation project at the long-idle Bellefonte Nuclear Plant site in North Alabama. TVA Interim CEO Mike Skaggs stated at a nuclear industry conference in Knoxville, Tennessee, that the negotiations are progressing at a rapid pace, with a focus on partnering with GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy to build small modular reactors at Bellefonte in Alabama and the Clinch River nuclear site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. TVA emphasized in a statement that no final investment or construction decisions have been made yet, but multiple potential sites are being evaluated...

2026-08-07

Curio, NuScale and Framatome Sign MOU to Advance Next-Generation Nuclear Fuel Cycle Solutions

Curio, NuScale Power and Framatome Inc. recently signed a strategic memorandum of understanding to jointly evaluate integrated nuclear fuel solutions aimed at strengthening the U.S. nuclear fuel supply chain and supporting the international nuclear energy market and the deployment of next-generation nuclear technologies. Under the agreement, the three parties will conduct evaluations centered on Curio's proprietary NuCycle recycling technology, focusing on the conversion pathways of recyclable nuclear materials from "source to product" and from "source to fuel." The collaboration also encompasses future engineering coordination, fuel development, fuel qualification, manufacturing and commercialization, as well as advancing the integration of nuclear supply chain-related segments...

2026-08-07

Three U.S. Nuclear Energy Companies Explore Manufacturing Next-Generation Reactor Fuel from Recycled Nuclear Materials

U.S. nuclear energy companies Curio, NuScale Power, and Framatome have signed a memorandum of understanding to evaluate the feasibility of converting recycled nuclear materials into next-generation reactor fuel and related products. The tri-party collaboration is not focused on immediate commercial production, but rather on research into technical feasibility, fuel development, manufacturing capabilities, supply chain integration, and future commercial deployment, seeking to connect spent fuel recycling, fuel fabrication, and advanced reactor applications into a more complete industrial chain. Under this collaboration, Curio will provide its NuCycle nuclear fuel recycling technology, aiming to recover reusable strategic nuclear materials from spent fuel, with claims of reducing residual waste volume by up to 97%.

2026-08-07