Search Results

Germany's renewable energy summer generation approaches French nuclear power, may overtake it before 2030

French nuclear power has long been regarded as a key pillar of Europe's low-carbon electricity system, but the latest data shows that Germany's renewable energy generation is rapidly closing in on French nuclear power. According to the data, in January this year, Germany's combined renewable energy generation from solar, wind, and other sources totaled 22,854 GWh, while French nuclear power generated 36,838 GWh, about 61% higher. By July, however, the gap had narrowed significantly: French nuclear power generated 29,689 GWh, while Germany's renewable energy generated 26,501 GWh, with French nuclear power leading by only about 12%. This change is closely linked to summer heat. Nuclear power plants require large amounts of cooling water and are therefore typically built near coastlines or rivers. When river water levels are insufficient, or when discharged water temperatures exceed environmental limits, nuclear plants must reduce output or even shut down. The data mentions that French nuclear plants such as Golfech, Bugey, and Nogent-sur-Seine have already been affected. As heatwaves become more frequent, the cooling constraints on nuclear power in summer may become more pronounced, challenging the stability advantage of French nuclear output.

2026-08-10

Japanese research team uses PET imaging to find tau protein pathology may be involved in onset of hallucinations and delusions in middle-aged and elderly

A research team comprising the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), Keio University, Kyoto University, Tokyo University of Science, and other institutions recently announced that researchers used PET imaging to observe tau protein pathology in the living brains of middle-aged and elderly psychiatric patients, and believe that such pathology may be related to psychiatric symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions that first appear after age 40. Proportion of positive tau PET and amyloid PET results Middle-aged and elderly psychosis generally refers to diseases in which psychiatric symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions first appear after age 40. Previous epidemiological studies and postmortem brain tissue studies have suggested that such symptoms may be related to neurodegenerative changes associated with dementia, but due to limited techniques for precise visualization and quantification of abnormal proteins in living brains, relevant evidence has long been insufficient.

2026-08-10

U.S. Enhances Virginia-Class Nuclear Submarines

The recent U.S. efforts to enhance and reposition the Virginia-class nuclear submarines have focused primarily on expanding the platform's own capabilities. Certain batches of Virginia-class submarines are being reclassified from attack submarines (SSN) toward cruise missile submarines (SSGN), with the addition of the Virginia Payload Module (VPM) extending the hull and adding large-diameter vertical launch tubes, increasing the per-boat Tomahawk cruise missile payload from 12 to approximately 40, while also accommodating Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic missiles and unmanned underwater vehicles. This modification directly fills the firepower gap left by the retiring Ohio-class SSGNs, positioning this submarine class as a covert, long-range conventional precision-strike node at sea. As nuclear-powered submarines, the Virgini...

2026-08-10

Radiation Environment Monitoring Technical Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment Visits Tibet to Conduct Research and Assistance on Radiation Environment Monitoring Capacity

Recently, in accordance with the work deployment of the Nuclear Facility Safety Supervision Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), a team led by relevant officials from the Radiation Environment Monitoring Technical Center of the MEE visited the Radiation Environment Supervision Station of the Tibet Autonomous Region (hereinafter referred to as the Tibet Station) to conduct research, assistance, and technical guidance on radiation environment monitoring capacity. The working group was dispatched in batches to key cities including Lhasa, Nagqu, Shigatse, and Ngari, and systematically reviewed the current status of radiation monitoring capacity in the Tibet Autonomous Region through thematic seminars, on-site inspections, and hands-on training sessions. They conducted on-site assessments of the operation and maintenance challenges of the national-controlled radiation environment air automatic monitoring stations in Tibet, benchmarked against actual needs, identified shortcomings in capacity building, and implemented targeted measures to resolve bottlenecks in network operation. At the research symposium...

2026-08-10

Small Modular Reactors Expected to Contribute One-Quarter of Global New Nuclear Capacity by 2050

According to data compiled by the World Nuclear Association (WNA), global nuclear power installed capacity is expected to reach 1,446 GWe by 2050. This projection is based on the continued operation of existing reactors and the implementation of announced nuclear power development targets by governments. Currently, global installed nuclear capacity stands at approximately 403 GWe. To achieve the above scale, an additional approximately 1,043 GWe of nuclear capacity will need to be added. Among this, Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are expected to contribute about 260 GWe, accounting for roughly one-quarter of global new nuclear capacity. Factors driving nuclear power expansion are increasing. The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence applications has driven up electricity demand from data centers, and the accelerating electrification of transportation and industrial sectors has further elevated the importance of stable, low-carbon electricity supply. Meanwhile, energy security and net-zero emission targets are prompting more countries to reassess the role of nuclear energy in their energy mix.

2026-08-10

KHNP President Visits Kori Nuclear Power Plant, Pledges Stable Power Supply

Amid sustained heat waves driving up electricity demand, Kim Hoi-cheon, President of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), recently conducted an on-site inspection at the Kori Nuclear Power Plant headquarters, focusing on the operational status of power generation facilities and frontline working conditions under high-temperature environments. The visit came as the South Korean government issued extreme heat warnings and strengthened its response posture, reflecting heightened attention to the stability of nuclear power as a baseload source in summer electricity supply. According to KHNP, Kim inspected work areas at the Kori plant that are vulnerable to high temperatures, reviewing employee health conditions, working environments, and the implementation of heat prevention and cooling measures. He also examined the operation of...

2026-08-10

U.S. Navy Decommissions Nuclear Submarine USS San Juan; Kittery Shipyard in Maine Helped Extend Its Service Life

The U.S. Navy recently held a decommissioning ceremony for the USS San Juan, as the Los Angeles-class fast attack nuclear submarine officially departed the fleet at Naval Base Kitsap in Washington State after nearly four decades of service. Named after the capital of Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, the San Juan was commissioned on August 6, 1988, and its decommissioning coinciding with its commissioning anniversary carries notable symbolic significance. The San Juan had an important connection with Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. Approximately 15 years ago, the submarine entered the shipyard for a major engineering overhaul, completing critical overhaul work between 2010 and 2012. Photographs released by the U.S. Navy in 2011 showed shipyard workers completing the submarine's undocking one day ahead of schedule, reflecting the maintenance progress and shipyard support capabilities at the time.

2026-08-10

Sea Temperature Approaching Shutdown Threshold, Nuclear Power Belt on South Korea's East Coast Faces Load Reduction Pressure

Climate change is pushing nuclear power plants on South Korea's east coast toward new operational boundaries. South Korean nuclear plants generally rely on seawater as cooling water; after the heat generated by the reactor drives the turbine, seawater is needed to condense the steam back into water. Once the intake water temperature approaches or exceeds the design seawater temperature set by the equipment, heat exchange efficiency declines, affecting the heat dissipation capacity of key safety systems, and the plant must reduce load or even shut down in accordance with safety regulations. The area currently at greatest risk is around Uljin in North Gyeongsang Province. Data from the National Institute of Fisheries Science shows that nearshore surface seawater temperatures along parts of the east coast have approached 30°C, with multiple observation points near Uljin recording approximately 29.6°C to 30.2°C on the afternoon of August 7.

2026-08-10

Unit 2 of Romania's Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant to Operate for at Least 9 More Days

Unit 2 of Romania's Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant is expected to continue operating for at least 9 more days. Romania's Acting Minister of Defense and Transport, Radu Miruță, stated that after blasting operations and the removal of underwater obstacles in the Danube River, the water level in the Cernavoda area rose by 4 centimeters over the past 24 hours. The previous day, the water level in the area had dropped by 3 centimeters. Recently, due to persistent drought, the Danube River's water level has fallen to historic lows, putting pressure on the plant's water intake and reactor cooling. To increase water supply in the river section near the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant, Romania last week implemented unconventional engineering measures, including blasting a rock formation in the Danube and sinking barges loaded with cargo to alter...

2026-08-10

Cathode High-Voltage Power Supply for CFQS Device ECRH System Manufactured by CNNC Tongchuang Successfully Shipped

On August 3, the cathode high-voltage power supply for the Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) system of China's first Quasi-Axisymmetric Stellarator (CFQS) device, manufactured by CNNC Tongchuang (Chengdu) Technology Co., Ltd., successfully passed factory acceptance and was officially shipped. The CFQS device is a major scientific and technological infrastructure project of Sichuan Province. The device adopts an advanced quasi-axisymmetric magnetic field configuration, combining the advantages of high confinement performance and steady-state operation. Under low-parameter operating conditions, the CFQS test platform confirmed that the quasi-axisymmetric magnetic field configuration can effectively reduce neoclassical transport losses in plasma and improve plasma confinement, marking the first international experimental verification of the superiority of the quasi-axisymmetric magnetic field configuration. Next, the CFQS stellarator...

2026-08-10

Rosatom Resumes Sending Specialists to Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant

Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom, stated on August 9 that the company has resumed sending specialists to the construction site of Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, with the first batch of five engineering and technical personnel having arrived at the site and begun work. Likhachev said that with this batch in place, the total number of Russian specialists at the Bushehr project site has now increased to 25. The company plans to dispatch the next batch, numbering several dozen people, within the next two weeks, provided that the conflict between the United States and Iran does not escalate further. He indicated that under current arrangements, Rosatom plans to increase the number of personnel at the project site to 100 this autumn...

2026-08-10

Consolidating Foundations·Sichuan: Accelerated Localization of Nuclear Medical Equipment Benefits the Public

On August 9, 2026, CCTV's "Morning News" program aired a feature titled "Consolidating Foundations·Sichuan: Accelerated Localization of Nuclear Medical Equipment Benefits the Public," reporting on Jiuyiyuan Company. Founded in February 2017, Sichuan Jiuyiyuan Particle Technology Co., Ltd. is a national high-tech enterprise integrating R&D, production, and services of high-end nuclear medical equipment, committed to providing overall solutions for radiopharmaceuticals. A cyclotron is a device that uses magnetic and electric fields to drive charged particles in a circular motion, repeatedly accelerating them via high-frequency electric fields during their movement. Low- and medium-energy cyclotrons applied in the medical field are devices that produce positron-emitting radionuclides, generating a variety of radionuclides that not only meet clinical PET/CT examination needs but also support the clinical positron drug and new drug development demands of the molecular imaging and precision medicine era. The report noted that core nuclear medicine equipment has long relied on imports, which is a key bottleneck constraining the development of nuclear medicine in China. In 2021, Jiuyiyuan successfully developed the first domestically produced medical cyclotron, breaking foreign technological monopoly. In June this year, the company launched the first domestically produced 30MeV multi-particle medium-to-high-energy cyclotron with fully independent intellectual property rights, with mass production planned for September, achieving internationally advanced product performance.

2026-08-10

First Concrete Pour (FCD) Successfully Completed for the Conventional Island of Unit 2 at Guangxi Bailong Nuclear Power Plant

At 10:06 on August 9, after 38 hours and 46 minutes of continuous effort, the First Concrete Pour (FCD) for the conventional island of Unit 2 at the SPIC Guangxi Bailong Nuclear Power Plant was successfully completed, marking the full commencement of the main construction phase for the conventional island. The basement floor slab of the conventional island of Unit 2 adopts an integral raft foundation, divided into 9 construction zones using the sequence method. This concrete pour covered Zone 1, starting at 19:20 on August 7, with a cumulative pour of 1,732 cubic meters of concrete, conducted safely and orderly throughout the process. Since July, Typhoon Maysak directly struck Fangchenggang, bringing successive storms, followed by days of high temperatures at the Bailong nuclear site, posing significant challenges to on-site construction. In response...

2026-08-10

Belarus Plans Nuclear Expansion: BelAES Unit 3 and Second NPP in Mogilev Region to Advance in Parallel

Belarusian Energy Minister Denis Moroz recently stated that nuclear energy has become a strategic energy direction for Belarus, bearing on national energy security, economic growth, and technological sovereignty. Since the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant was commissioned, it has helped the country reduce its dependence on imported natural gas, cumulatively replacing approximately 14.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas and saving over $600 million in budget funds. After assessing the multiplier effect of nuclear power on the economy, Belarus has decided to continue advancing its nuclear energy development. Moroz stated that the country has made a principled decision: on the one hand, to build a third unit at the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant (BelAES) in Ostrovets, and on the other hand, to simultaneously study the plan for constructing a second nuclear power plant.

2026-08-09

Low Danube Water Level Tests Bulgaria's Nuclear Operations, Energy Minister Says Kozloduy Plant Can Sustain Operations for About a Week and a Half

Bulgarian Energy Minister Iva Petrova said on August 7 that if the Danube River water level remains at its current level, the Kozloduy nuclear power plant can continue normal operations for about a week and a half. She described the situation facing the plant as difficult and dynamically changing, while emphasizing that the plant is currently operating stably with no direct failures affecting power generation. The Kozloduy nuclear power plant is a critical facility in Bulgaria's power system, and the high attention paid to Danube water level changes is mainly related to the cooling conditions required for plant operations. Persistently low water levels may increase operational dispatch pressure and require the energy sector to more frequently assess safety margins and subsequent response measures.

2026-08-08