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World's first laser plasma accelerator-driven high-resolution muon imaging experiment to launch in Romania

Ideon Technologies, a global subsurface detection muon tomography company, is participating in an international research consortium to conduct the world's first high-resolution muon imaging experiment driven entirely by a laser plasma accelerator. The experiment aims to use a compact accelerator to produce muon beams on demand for non-destructive high-resolution imaging, with applications targeting mineral production, critical infrastructure, cargo inspection, medical imaging, semiconductors, nuclear security, and space radiation testing. Consortium members include the University of Texas at Austin, the Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) facility team, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, ELI-Beamlines, and Tau Systems.

2026-08-18

USTC Achieves Cold-Atom Comagnetometer

Recently, researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), in collaboration with Lu Zhengtian and Xia Tian from the Hefei National Laboratory, realized a cold-atom comagnetometer using optical quantum control methods. The research team co-trapped two ytterbium isotopes in the same optical trap and synchronously measured their spin precession, achieving a magnetic field noise suppression factor exceeding 30,000. This achievement establishes a spin sensing platform with micron-scale spatial resolution, providing a new avenue for studying spin-dependent short-range interactions. The related research, titled "Cold-atom comagnetometry via optical control of spin states," was published in Nature Photonics on August 17.

2026-08-18

Fuel Loading Completed for Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant Unit 7, Entering Commissioning Phase with Nuclear Fuel

On August 18, with the completion of core loading correctness verification and the commencement of protective tube assembly reinstallation, the first nuclear fuel loading work for Unit 7 of the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant in Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, was successfully concluded, marking the entry into the commissioning phase with nuclear fuel. This laid a solid foundation for subsequent reactor criticality, grid connection, and commercial operation of the unit. Fuel loading is a key milestone in the entire lifecycle of nuclear power plant construction and a critical starting point for the unit's operation with nuclear fuel. Unit 7 of the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant is the first VVER-1200 Generation III nuclear power unit to be constructed in China, and this fuel loading also marks the first-ever fuel loading for a VVER-1200 type nuclear power unit in China. The loading process commenced on the 12th and was fully completed by the 18th, with a total of 163 nuclear fuel assemblies loaded.

2026-08-18

Russian Team Proposes Compact "Siberian Snake" Design for NICA Collider to Control Proton Polarization

Experts from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research have proposed a compact Siberian snake magnetic field device design for Russia's NICA collider. The device employs a transverse magnetic field, aiming to maintain proton spin direction during acceleration to a maximum of 13.5 GeV and control polarization orientation during experiments. Related numerical simulations of proton polarization show that this design can effectively suppress beam depolarization. Russia's NICA accelerator complex — Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology press office In an accelerator, proton beams travel along a closed orbit, and particle spins precess around a specific rotation axis. When the beam reaches certain energies, spin may resonate with periodic perturbations in the ring structure, causing beam depolarization; without dedicated control measures, the beam polarization state required for experiments would be difficult to maintain.

2026-08-18

China and Singapore Sign Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Technology

Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry and the China Atomic Energy Authority recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear technology, with cooperation priorities including capacity building for assessing potential nuclear energy deployment, safety assessment of nuclear reactor technology, personnel training, and nuclear technology applications. The signing ceremony was held on August 17. Singapore's Permanent Secretary for Energy and Trade at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Augustin Lee, and Liu Jing, Deputy Director of the China Atomic Energy Authority, signed the document on behalf of their respective sides. Singapore's Minister for Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry), Tan See Leng, and Shan Zhongde, Director of the China Atomic Energy Authority, witnessed the signing...

2026-08-18

St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 Returns to Full Power After Control Rods Unexpectedly Dropped into Reactor Core

Florida Power & Light (FPL) stated that St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 has returned to 100% generating capacity after being manually shut down last week due to equipment issues. The unit was manually shut down by operators on Wednesday to facilitate inspections and repairs. According to information from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the incident was caused by three control rods dropping into the reactor core. FPL stated that the event posed no threat to the public or plant employees and caused no customer power outages. The cause of the equipment malfunction remains under investigation. St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant is located near St. Lucie County, Florida. Forrest Brandon, a local resident living along the Indian River Lagoon with a view of the plant buildings...

2026-08-18

Gyeongju City, South Korea, Promotes Cooperation with Uzbekistan in Nuclear Power and Water Resources

Gyeongju City, South Korea, is pushing to expand exchange and cooperation with Uzbekistan in areas such as nuclear power and water resource management. Gyeongju City stated on August 13 that Mayor Joo Nak-young met with an economic delegation from Kashkadarya Province, Uzbekistan, at the external cooperation office in the city hall that day. The delegation included Deputy Mayor of Bukak City Karimov Bakhtiyor Ismoilovich, as well as business figures from major industrial sectors in Kashkadarya Province. Prior to visiting the Gyeongju City government, the delegation toured the Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant operated by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), as well as Gyeongju City's public sewage treatment plant and water quality research building. The delegation gained on-site insights into...

2026-08-18

South Korea's Gyeongbuk East Coast Nuclear Power Belt Proposed as National AI Training Center

On August 17, the Gyeongbuk Research Institute proposed developing the nuclear power-concentrated region on the east coast of North Gyeongsang Province into a national artificial intelligence (AI) training center to accommodate high-energy computing demands such as large-scale model training and retraining. The research suggests that if the South Korean government expands AI data centers to 18.4 gigawatts in the long term, power supply and grid connection capacity in the capital area and metropolitan regions could approach their limits. To alleviate power and network load pressures, real-time inference and user-facing services could be deployed in the capital area and major cities, while large-scale training and retraining facilities could be located in developing regions with access to power sources. The east coast of North Gyeongsang Province is home to Hanul...

2026-08-18

Rostov NPP Transfers New Specialized Firefighting Vehicle to Fire Department

On August 17, local time, the Rostov Nuclear Power Plant handed over a new specialized firefighting vehicle to the 9th Special Department responsible for fire protection at the plant site. The vehicle was delivered as donated equipment to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 72nd Special Directorate of the Federal Fire Service of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry. This directorate is tasked with fire protection for Russian nuclear power plants. The professional firefighting force at the Rostov NPP has been on duty at the plant site since June 1984. At that time, the fire brigade was equipped with only four fire engines. Over the years, the relevant firefighting force has been outfitted with modern vehicles, specialized equipment, and communications gear for fire protection and emergency response at nuclear power plant facilities. The 9th Special Department...

2026-08-18

South Korea's Nuclear Expansion Faces Fuel Supply Pressure as Enriched Uranium Costs Surge Nearly Sixfold in Seven Years

Against the backdrop of accelerating global nuclear power construction and surging electricity demand from AI data centers, the nuclear fuel supply chain is facing new tensions. Due to limited uranium enrichment capacity and sanctions affecting Russian-related supplies, international uranium enrichment prices have risen sharply over the past seven years. South Korea's nuclear expansion plans are consequently facing fuel procurement pressure, with industry experts concerned that if mid- to long-term nuclear fuel security proves insufficient, newly built nuclear units could face operational risks in the future. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) recently disclosed that South Korea's domestic annual enriched uranium consumption is expected to increase from approximately 460 tons currently to about 540 tons next year. The rising demand mainly stems from the overlap between life-extension operations of some older nuclear units and the commissioning of new units...

2026-08-18

Rosatom Public Council holds expanded meeting in Novovoronezh

The Public Council of Rosatom recently held an expanded field meeting in Novovoronezh and organized a technical tour of the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) for its delegation. The event was timed to coincide with commemorative activities related to Unit 6 of the Novovoronezh NPP. The unit features a VVER-1200 reactor and is one of Russia's flagship Generation III+ nuclear power projects. The meeting was held online and chaired by Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev. Participants included representatives of Rosenergoatom, Russia's nuclear power operator, Rosatom, the Voronezh Region government, the city of Novovoronezh, as well as public, environmental, and research organizations. Representatives from the scientific community of Primorsky Krai also took part in the visit, as the region plans to develop nuclear energy projects in the coming years.

2026-08-18

First Power Transmission Line Commissioned at Smolensk NPP-2 Construction Site

The first power transmission line has been commissioned at the construction site of Russia's Smolensk NPP-2. The line will provide stable power supply and round-the-clock lighting for the construction and installation base, freeing on-site work from natural daylight constraints. According to the project schedule, the construction site is currently connected to the 10 kV grid via a temporary scheme, with a switch to the permanent power supply system planned after the 110/10 kV permanent substation is put into operation. During construction, the contractor laid over 3 kilometers of cable and installed more than 60 transmission line towers under challenging weather conditions. During the construction phase of the installation base, stable power supply plays a fundamental role in project progress. The site needs to complete the construction of rebar module and rebar cage fabrication workshops on schedule, establishing a complete preparation flow from metal processing to finished component delivery. These components will be used directly in the subsequent construction of the main structures of the nuclear power units.

2026-08-18

What "Hardcore" Technologies Lie Behind the Nuclear Power Plants Inspected by the Minister of Ecology and Environment?

From August 14 to 15, Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment, conducted a research tour on ecological and environmental protection work in Lishui, Taizhou, and Ningbo cities of Zhejiang Province. Actively, safely, and orderly developing nuclear power is an important measure for building a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient energy system and for achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality. Huang Runqiu visited the Sanmen Nuclear Power Plant in Taizhou, going deep into the main control room of the operating unit and the nuclear island building of the unit under construction, to learn in detail about the operating status and construction progress of the nuclear power units, and to express gratitude to the on-site supervision personnel of the East China Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision Station. Ensuring the construction quality of nuclear power units is crucial to enhancing the safety level of nuclear power plants. Huang Runqiu then visited the Jinqimen Nuclear Power Plant in Ningbo, where he inspected the nuclear island foundation area to review the construction progress of the plant and engaged in on-site exchanges with nuclear safety supervision personnel.

2026-08-18

China National Nuclear Power Deeply Studies and Practices the Ecological Environment Code, Undertaking the Historic Mission of Green and Low-Carbon Energy Transition

The Ecological Environment Code of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the Ecological Environment Code) officially came into effect on August 15, 2026. The Ecological Environment Code is an important achievement in implementing Xi Jinping's Thought on Ecological Civilization and Xi Jinping's Thought on the Rule of Law. It is the second law in China named after a "Code" following the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China, providing solid legal safeguards and fundamental legal guidance for the construction of a Beautiful China. China National Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as China National Nuclear Power), as a main force in China's nuclear energy development and an important force in achieving the "dual carbon" goals, deeply implements the Ecological Environment Code, practices the concept of green development, contributes safe and clean energy, and empowers the construction of a Beautiful China...

2026-08-18

US FRIB Research Reveals Low-Energy Gamma-Ray Enhancement Originates from Nuclear Magnetic Transitions

An international research team led by the US Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB), with participation from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and other institutions, recently published findings in Nature that explain a long-standing question in nuclear physics: why some atomic nuclei emit anomalously high numbers of low-energy gamma rays. Image: FRIB Gamma rays are a type of electromagnetic radiation. Excited atomic nuclei release gamma rays during radioactive decay, gradually returning to lower, more stable energy levels. Over the past few decades, scientists have discovered that certain nuclei exhibit a low-energy enhancement phenomenon, where the number of low-energy gamma rays emitted exceeds expectations. However, this phenomenon is not universal, and its occurrence is theoretically difficult to predict.

2026-08-18