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America's First "Large Reactor in a Chemical Plant" Clears the Hurdle: X-energy Xe-100 Ushers in the Conclusion of Safety Review and a Key Springboard to Commercialization

In the global race to industrialize advanced nuclear energy technologies, the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor is reaching a milestone. In late October 2026, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) formally issued the Final Safety Evaluation Report (FSER) for the construction permit application of the Long Mott Generating Station, proposed to be built at Dow Chemical's Seadrift site along the Texas Gulf Coast. This means that the Xe-100 high-temperature gas-cooled reactor, developed by X-energy with an installed capacity of 320 megawatts electric, has successfully passed the most central safety examination at the U.S. nuclear regulatory level, clearing...

2026-11-03

Hainan Nuclear Power, CNNC Jianzhong, and CNNC Precision Sign Special Cooperation Agreement to Jointly Tackle the Full Process of Core Components for Nuclear Fuel Assemblies

To implement the relevant special deployments of CNNC and strengthen the independent controllability of the nuclear fuel industry chain and supply chain, Hainan Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., CNNC Jianzhong Nuclear Fuel Element Co., Ltd., and CNNC (Yibin) Precision Manufacturing Co., Ltd. officially signed a special cooperation agreement on nuclear fuel assembly grid strips and springs on October 22 in Yibin, Sichuan. This move marks substantive progress by CNNC in advancing the coordinated strengthening and consolidation of the two major sectors of the nuclear fuel cycle and nuclear power generation. Grid strips and springs are the core supporting and positioning structural components of nuclear reactor fuel assemblies, and their manufacturing precision and mechanical durability directly determine the operational stability of fuel elements under extreme in-core neutron irradiation and strong scouring...

2026-10-25

Installation of key components of the core catcher for Unit 4 of Leningrad NPP Phase II completed

The under-construction Unit 4 of Leningrad NPP Phase II has recently reached a key engineering milestone: the engineering team of the general contractor TITAN-2 successfully positioned and secured the maintenance platform and cantilever truss of the core catcher (the core passive safety system molten core retention device) precisely in the reactor shaft. The two large components weigh 78 tonnes and 148 tonnes respectively. Following the installation of the first batch of components (the catcher vessel and internal filler materials) in the summer of this year, another breakthrough has been achieved in the assembly of large structures for this core safety facility. As the core barrier of the defense-in-depth system of the Generation III+ pressurized water reactor (VVER-1200), the core catcher is mainly used under severe accident conditions...

2026-10-25

Uzbekistan and Russia Discuss Establishing a Nuclear Power Plant Construction Joint Venture and Localized Production of Multiple Core Supporting Materials

At a dedicated industry matchmaking seminar held in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, representatives of the Uzbekistan Atomic Energy Development Agency and Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation, along with experts from leading industrial enterprises of both Uzbekistan and Russia, gathered to conduct in-depth consultations on establishing a joint venture in Uzbekistan to advance the comprehensive national nuclear power plant development project. The meeting focused on expanding the participation share of Uzbekistan's domestic industrial enterprises throughout the entire nuclear power plant construction process and deepening bilateral industrial chain and engineering collaboration. Participants discussed introducing advanced engineering technologies into modern nuclear power plant construction systems, optimizing construction methods, and establishing in Uzbekistan key engineering materials and...

2026-10-25

Bluecore Energy Completes $50 Million Financing and Secures Nuclear Fuel Supply, Accelerating Its First Floating Nuclear Power Plant Project

Recently, Bluecore Energy, a nuclear energy startup headquartered in California, USA, completed a $50 million seed round of financing to advance its compact water-cooled nuclear reactor project designed specifically for marine environments. The company has procured Low-Enriched Uranium Hexafluoride from nuclear fuel trader WMC Group. The batch of raw material is currently stored at a facility in California and will subsequently be converted into Uranium Dioxide and fabricated into fuel pellets for future hardware and system testing. It is understood that Bluecore Energy is conducting fuel-free...

2026-10-15

"Major National Heavy Equipment · Industrial Answer Sheet" In-Depth Analysis of Independent Supporting of Core Parts of China's Hualong One

According to reports, on October 3, the News Center of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council of China and the Finance Channel of China Central Radio and Television Station jointly launched "Major National Heavy Equipment · Industrial Answer Sheet," with the first episode focusing on China's nuclear industry. Zhang Tao, General Manager of China National Nuclear Corporation, explained the key components of the Hualong One. The program disclosed that the steam generator support buffer block is the size of an eraser and weighs less than 80 grams, yet it can withstand an impact force of 45 tons, equivalent to the crushing weight of 10 adult elephants. This detail brings China's nuclear power independence from the narrative of complete units back to the component level. The following analyzes the significance of this breakthrough from several aspects. Why a small part is the key to the safety chain. This component needs to achieve large-deformation energy absorption under extreme conditions such as earthquakes and pipe rupture...

2026-10-04

MOST Sets the Pathway for Hard-Core Science and Technology Breakthroughs in the "15th Five-Year Plan": Comprehensive and Systematic Deployment of Major Basic Research on Controlled Nuclear Fusion to Solidify the Foundation of Future Strategic Energy

At the series-themed press conference on "Getting Off to a Good Start in the '15th Five-Year Plan'" held by the State Council Information Office, the Ministry of Science and Technology officially released the top-level design and core breakthrough roadmap for building a science and technology powerhouse over the next five years. When outlining the layout for major science and technology breakthroughs and original innovation, Minister of Science and Technology Yin Hejun explicitly emphasized that, in strengthening the strategic depth of basic research, China will closely anchor itself to the frontiers of the global energy revolution and, centering on underlying scientific bottlenecks in key fields such as energy and materials, comprehensively and systematically deploy major basic research tasks including controlled nuclear fusion (Controlled Nuclear Fusion), so as to seize the future...

2026-09-30

Saskatchewan, Canada Releases Long-Term Nuclear Energy Strategy: Plans to Build 2,600 MW of Nuclear Power by 2050

Scott Moe, Premier of Saskatchewan, Canada, officially announced the province's long-term nuclear energy development plan in Saskatoon on September 29, establishing a strategic goal of building at least 2,600 megawatts (MW) of nuclear power capacity by 2050. Moe emphasized that nuclear energy is not only a zero-carbon clean baseload power source, but also a "nation-building opportunity" that empowers economic growth for generations, will create high-end jobs across the province, attract multinational capital, and ensure long-term electricity stability for households and industry. According to the plan, four core pillars have been established: 1. Build a highly resilient power foundation supporting long-term economic growth: Rely on non-intermittent zero-carbon nuclear energy to address the electricity load gap brought about by society-wide electrification...

2026-09-30

Core Makeup Tank for Xudabao Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2 Arrives at Project Site

On September 14, the core makeup tank for Xudabao Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2 arrived at the Xudabao Nuclear Power Project site. The core makeup tank is an important passive engineered safety feature of the reactor coolant system and a major large-scale equipment on the construction path of the reactor building. During the manufacturing of this equipment, Liaoning Nuclear Power cooperated with China Nuclear Power Engineering Co., Ltd. by stationing personnel at the factory for full-process coordination, implementing dynamic control of equipment quality and manufacturing progress through "daily tracking and weekly assessment," and ensuring the smooth completion and on-schedule delivery of the core makeup tank for Unit 2 to the project site through measures such as optimizing production processes and implementing continuous operations, thus creating favorable conditions for the orderly commencement of main construction of the reactor building. Subsequently, the Equipment Procurement Department of Liaoning Nuclear Power...

2026-09-16

BlueCore Energy showcases small modular nuclear reactor port deployment plan

Recently, people from various sectors gathered at the Port of Long Beach in southern California, USA, to discuss the application prospects of nuclear energy. The event was hosted by BlueCore Energy and aimed to present to potential investors, partners, and local government the company's plan to deploy small modular nuclear reactors at the Port of Long Beach. Kofi Asante, founder and CEO of BlueCore Energy, provided a detailed introduction to the project's feasibility and safety during a one-hour symposium. He emphasized that the company is committed to advancing the project in a safe, pragmatic, and inclusive manner. The Port of Long Beach is located in southern California, USA...

2026-09-16

Rosatom Completes First Stage of Concrete Pouring for BREST Reactor Core Cavity

TVEL Fuel Company, a subsidiary of Rosatom, has announced that the future innovative nuclear power unit BREST-OD-300, located in Seversk, Tomsk Oblast, has successfully completed the first stage of concrete pouring for the reactor core inner cavity. The reactor is located at the site of the Generation IV Pilot Demonstration Energy Complex (ODEK) within the Siberian Chemical Combine (SCC) area, and is a core component of Russia's national strategic industry project Proryv (Breakthrough). The report noted that concrete pouring for the reactor body will proceed in multiple stages, with full completion expected in the winter of 2027, by which time the total amount of heat-resistant concrete used will exceed 7,000 cubic meters...

2026-09-14

Iron-60 Found Again in Antarctic Ice Core Samples from 40,000 to 80,000 Years Ago

An international research team recently analyzed trace radioactive elements in ancient Antarctic ice layers and discovered an important clue recording the solar system's cosmic journey over the past 80,000 years. The researchers believe that the stardust buried deep in the ice proves that Earth has long been receiving material from interstellar space, and that this material may help scientists unveil the mystery of the formation history of the interstellar environment surrounding the solar system. At the core of the research is a rare radioactive isotope called iron-60. Iron-60 is not produced in large quantities in Earth's natural environment; it is typically born inside massive stars and ejected into cosmic space when those stars undergo supernova explosions. Therefore, iron-60 has long been...

2026-09-14

Toshiba Energy Systems Selected for Next-Generation Innovative Reactor Core Structure R&D and Demonstration Project

On September 9, 2026, Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation (Toshiba ESS) announced that it has been selected for the second round of public solicitation under the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's FY2025 supplementary budget project "Support Program for Technology Development and Supply Chain Construction for Next-Generation Innovative Reactor Development and Construction," undertaking the "Next-Generation Innovative Reactor Core Structure R&D and Manufacturing Demonstration Project (Phase 2)." Figure: Image of iBR internal structure Following this selection, Toshiba Energy Systems will further expand its R&D efforts in reactor internal structures, building on the six projects previously selected in the first round. The company plans to collaborate with suppliers to...

2026-09-09

U.S. Bluecore Energy Raises $50 Million to Advance Floating Small Modular Reactors

On September 8, 2026, U.S.-based Bluecore Energy announced the completion of a $50 million seed financing round to accelerate the development, testing, and deployment of its floating nuclear energy systems. Bluecore Energy is developing small modular water-cooled reactors that can operate on floating barges, with target applications including ports, utilities, data centers, offshore infrastructure, and communities facing energy shortages. The round was led by Silverton Partners, with existing investor Slauson & Co continuing its participation, alongside Harlem Capital, Precursor Ventures, LMNT, Visible Hands VC, Karman Ventures, and others. Bluecore ...

2026-09-09

NuScale Completes First Manufacturing of Boron Carbide Pellets for SMR Safety Component in the U.S.

NuScale Power and MillenniTEK recently announced that they have successfully manufactured the first batch of boron carbide pellets for NuScale's passive emergency core cooling system (ECCS). This component will be used in NuScale's small modular reactor (SMR) technology and is one of the dedicated components in its reactor safety system. According to reports, in nuclear power plants employing NuScale technology, when the emergency core cooling system is activated, the boron carbide pellets dissolve into the reactor coolant, helping to control and maintain core reactivity at safe levels without operator intervention. This manufacturing effort is considered a key advancement in NuScale's preparation for commercial deployment, involving the validation of dedicated safety components and associated manufacturing processes.

2026-09-02