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Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Unit 4 Completes Hoisting of Four Internal Structure Modules

From August 18 to 27, CNNC 24 completed the hoisting of four concrete modules for the internal structure of Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Unit 4 within 10 consecutive days, covering the evaporator compartments of Loops 3, 2, and 1 as well as the pressurizer compartment, creating conditions for subsequent loop installation and commissioning work. The evaporator and pressurizer are key equipment in the nuclear island loops. The corresponding compartment concrete modules serve both load-bearing fixation and protection functions, representing an important embodiment of the "Hualong One" defense-in-depth safety philosophy at the civil construction stage. The four modules hoisted this time are all irregularly shaped structures, all adopting the "off-site prefabrication + integral modular hoisting" process, with a total hoisting weight of approximately 2,400 tons. Compared with Unit 3, Unit 4 achieved 3...

2026-08-28

Argonne National Laboratory Measures Dust Resuspension Behavior in Radioactive Contamination Scenarios

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory recently conducted field experiments to simulate the movement of dust particles on concrete surfaces under radioactive contamination scenarios, measuring the effects of pedestrian activity and vehicle traffic on dust dispersion. The study was published in the journal Health Physics and received support from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate and the Radiological/Nuclear Emergency Response and Recovery Research and Development Program. To control humidity and temperature and prevent dust generation, pedestrian tests were conducted inside a tent. In the image, researchers can be seen entering the tent on the left. Particle counters are placed on a white table, with their hoses extending into the tent to collect air samples. (Image courtesy of Ar...

2026-08-27

NNSA Administrator Brandon Williams Visits Kairos Power to Review SMR Technology

Kairos Power, a U.S. small modular reactor developer, recently announced that Brandon Williams, Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), has visited the company's Manufacturing Development Campus in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to review its readiness for advanced reactor deployment. According to Kairos Power, Williams and his delegation toured the campus's advanced manufacturing, fuel development, molten salt production, modular systems, and large-scale hardware verification facilities. The campus serves as a key base for the company's advancement of fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor technology and also supports the engineering validation and manufacturing capability development required for future reactor deployment.

2026-08-27

Czech nuclear power plants largely unaffected by summer heat and drought

The Czech State Office for Nuclear Safety (SÚJB) stated on August 26 that this summer's heat waves and drought only caused a slight decline in electricity generation at the Temelín and Dukovany nuclear power plants, without leading to reactor power reduction or raising nuclear safety concerns. Currently, both plants meet the conditions for safe operation, including adequate cooling and water supply guarantees. SÚJB noted that some European nuclear power plants reduced output or temporarily shut down during high-temperature periods, mainly due to their cooling methods. Some plants use once-through cooling, making their operation directly affected by river water temperature and flow rate. When water temperatures rise and river flows are low, plants may reduce output due to environmental discharge limits...

2026-08-27

Kansai Electric Power Revises Nuclear Emergency Disaster Prevention Business Plans for Three Nuclear Power Plants

Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. announced on August 27 that it has revised the nuclear operator disaster prevention business plans for the Mihama, Takahama, and Oi nuclear power plants in accordance with Japan's Act on Special Measures Concerning Nuclear Emergency Preparedness, and filed them with the Prime Minister and the Nuclear Regulation Authority on the same day. The revisions pertain to nuclear emergency disaster prevention arrangements at the three nuclear power plants. Kansai Electric Power stated that it will continue to ensure the safety of the nuclear power plants and enhance nuclear emergency disaster prevention measures in accordance with the relevant plans. According to the documents, the consultation period prior to the revisions was from May 13 to July 30, 2026, totaling 79 days. The consultation parties included the local governments where the nuclear power plants are located and related neighboring local governments.

2026-08-27

France's Gravelines Nuclear Power Plant Reports Multiple INES Level 0 Events

France's Gravelines nuclear power plant recently disclosed significant events reported to the French Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority (ASNR). The events cover safety, operations, and radiation protection, and were all rated as Level 0 on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES), i.e., below the scale threshold, with no actual impact on facility safety, personnel health, or the environment. In a generic safety event involving EDF's 900 MWe-class nuclear reactor units, EDF discovered during inspections at the Cruas nuclear power plant that certain commercially supplied electric servomechanisms had been installed in functional positions requiring higher qualification levels, K3 or K3ad. K3 corresponds to seismic requirements, while K3ad involves both seismic and harsh environmental conditions, including radiation environments. Subsequently, EDF conducted checks on related equipment at the Blayais, Chinon, Cruas, Dampierre, Gravelines, Saint-Laurent, and Tricastin nuclear power plants and confirmed that a batch of equipment had model suitability issues.

2026-08-27

Ikata Nuclear Power Station Unit 3 in Japan briefly deviated from operational limits due to abnormal signals in protection system instrumentation

Shikoku Electric Power Co. reported on August 27 that abnormal signals from safety protection system instrumentation appeared in the central control room of Ikata Nuclear Power Station Unit 3, which was in normal operation, indicating that one channel of the overtemperature ΔT related instrumentation was unreliable. The operator determined at 22:10 on August 26 that the unit had deviated from the operational limits stipulated in the Reactor Facility Security Regulations. On-site confirmation showed that the unreliable signal originated from 1 of the 4 channels of the overtemperature ΔT protection function. Overtemperature ΔT is one of the reactor automatic trip elements, used to protect in-core fuel; its limit value is calculated based on parameters such as reactor power, pressurizer pressure, and...

2026-08-27

Canada's Nuclear Energy Strategy Focuses on Project Financing and Risk Sharing

The Canadian federal government recently unveiled a new nuclear energy strategy, explicitly committing to advancing new nuclear power projects nationwide, strengthening domestic supply chains, expanding uranium resources and nuclear fuel supply, and continuing to support nuclear technology innovation in fission and fusion. The strategy also states that nuclear deployment requires more modern financing tools, more efficient regulatory processes, and closer collaboration among governments, Indigenous communities, and industry. The goal of this strategy is to serve Canada's economic, social, and climate objectives through nuclear energy projects, enhancing national energy security while creating jobs and fostering innovation. As the strategic direction becomes clearer, how to translate policy goals into projects that are financeable and ready for construction has become the key question for the next phase.

2026-08-27

Ukraine's Nurecab Nuclear Capacity Building Project Completes First Implementation Cycle

On August 20, 2026, the final seminar of the international project Nurecab (Nuclear Capacity Building in Ukraine through European Cooperation) was held in Kyiv. The project is funded by the European Union through the Euratom Research and Training Programme and is incorporated into the Horizon Europe framework. The seminar was held in a hybrid format, with a total of 76 experts, researchers, educators, and representatives of national institutions participating, of whom 26 attended in person in Kyiv and 50 joined via video link. The meeting showcased the project's implementation results and facilitated discussions on nuclear energy education in Ukraine, the development of nuclear science, and...

2026-08-27

Europe Advances Space Nuclear Power Research, Targeting Lunar and Mars Missions

The European Space Agency (ESA) is accelerating its assessment of nuclear energy applications in deep-space missions, focusing on using small nuclear reactors to power spacecraft electric propulsion systems, as well as providing stable energy for future fixed lunar surface facilities and subsequent Mars missions. Existing space missions primarily rely on chemical fuels and solar panels. The former is limited by the amount of propellant that can be carried, while the latter suffers from declining power generation efficiency as spacecraft move farther from the Sun. ESA believes that nuclear power systems could compensate for the shortcomings of both approaches, particularly in long-duration lunar operations and deeper space exploration. ESA completed a nuclear thermal propulsion study last year. In March this year, the agency...

2026-08-27

Huzhou, Zhejiang Launches Phase I "Drug-Device Combination" Clinical Trial for the Province's First BNCT System

Recently, the Boron Neutron Tumor Treatment Center at Huzhou Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang University School of Medicine has drawn attention with the introduction of the province's first Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) system. Previously, the system had already initiated a Phase I BNCT drug-device combination clinical trial. According to the system developer, Huapeng Neutron Technology (Hangzhou) Co., Ltd., BNCT is a radiotherapy technique combining drugs and devices, with its core lying in the coordinated use of boron-containing drugs and neutron irradiation. After entering the human body, the boron-containing drug can be absorbed by tumor cells; subsequent neutron beam irradiation triggers a localized reaction to achieve targeted radiotherapy against tumor cells. Unlike conventional radiotherapy, which typically employs fractionated irradiation over a longer treatment course, BNCT emphasizes selective targeting of tumor cells, aiming to reduce damage to surrounding healthy tissues and lower radiotherapy-related side effects such as hair loss and immunosuppression.

2026-08-27

NSF Funds $30 Million Turbulence Research Center Focused on Predictive Modeling for Fusion Energy

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has established a new Science and Technology Center with a total funding of $30 million, focusing on the understanding and prediction of turbulence. The project targets application scenarios such as fusion energy, astrophysics, and hypersonic flight, aiming to tackle the challenges of cross-scale turbulence modeling and prediction in complex physical systems. Researchers and students from San José State University (SJSU) will participate in the related research. This is a three-dimensional simulated turbulent velocity field at the core collapse point of a massive star before a supernova explosion. Image credit: S. Couch, based on research by Fields and Couch published in The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 921, Page 28.

2026-08-27

Gujarat Plans Large Nuclear Power Project at Dhuvaran

The Gujarat state government is in discussions with the central government of India to build a large nuclear power project at Dhuvaran in Anand district. The project is proposed to be developed through a joint venture with 50% equity participation from each side, with a planned installed capacity of either 4,200 MW or 7,000 MW, with the final configuration still under high-level deliberation. Based on an estimated investment of approximately 35 million rupees per MW, the total project investment could range between 1.25 trillion rupees and 2.25 trillion rupees. If approved and implemented, the project would become one of the larger investments in Gujarat's power sector. Local government officials stated that approximately 1,100 hectares of land have been secured for the project, and a central government team has conducted a site visit, including...

2026-08-27

Iran Says Nuclear Fusion to Become Priority in Nuclear Industry Development

At a national Government Week celebration ceremony held in Tehran, Mohammad Eslami stated that developing nuclear fusion is a priority direction for the future of Iran's nuclear industry. Iran needs to rely on its domestic capabilities, knowledge-based enterprises, and universities to drive progress in related fields. Eslami said that the innovation network of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) is providing support for nuclear fusion activities, shifting related work from the technology demonstration stage further toward system development and capacity building. He also stated that the establishment of the Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) training center is an initiative to enhance industrial quality, promote technological advancement, and cultivate domestic professional expertise...

2026-08-27

Bangladesh Highlights Potential of Nuclear Technology for Maritime Applications at ATLAS Ministerial Meeting

On August 26, local time, Bangladesh's Minister of Science and Technology, Faqrul Mahbub Anam, stated at the 2026 Ministerial Launch of the Licensing of Atomic Technology for Marine Applications (ATLAS) held in Washington, D.C., USA, that Bangladesh is committed to responsible participation in the global nuclear dialogue and believes that emerging nuclear technologies hold significant potential in the field of maritime applications. Anam stated that in the face of challenges such as climate change, energy security, and growing energy demand, the importance of nuclear energy in reducing emissions and ensuring reliable energy supply is rising. Advanced nuclear technologies, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), can provide stable low-carbon electricity and support economic growth, poverty reduction...

2026-08-27