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JAEA Plans to Adjust Decommissioning Plan for Monju Fast Breeder Reactor

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) announced on August 21 that it plans to adjust the decommissioning plan for the Monju fast breeder reactor in Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture. Under the revised plan, the remaining neutron shielding layers and other components inside the reactor, along with 227 dummy fuel assemblies, will no longer be removed separately in the current phase as originally planned, but will instead be handled together during the subsequent reactor pressure vessel dismantling phase. Monju is currently in the decommissioning process. Previously, JAEA had planned to proceed with the removal of internal reactor components within the current fiscal year, but due to two equipment failures, the related work was temporarily suspended, and the overall schedule is expected to be delayed by approximately one year. As of May 25, 595 shielding layers and related components in the reactor...

2026-08-22

South Korea Approves Restart of Shin-Kori Unit 1

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) of South Korea announced on August 21 that it has approved the restart of Shin-Kori Unit 1, located in Ulju County, Ulsan. The unit has been under routine inspection since July 2. On the same day, the commission approved the unit to reach criticality. Criticality refers to the state in which a sustained nuclear fission chain reaction can be maintained within the reactor core, with a balanced neutron population. Once criticality is achieved, the reactor can gradually resume operation under safely controlled conditions. The NSSC stated that this routine inspection involved 98 inspection items required before the reactor could reach criticality, of which 86 have been completed, confirming that the unit meets the conditions for safely achieving criticality.

2026-08-22

Deaerator in Place for Unit 1 Conventional Island of Huaneng Shidao Bay Nuclear Power Expansion Project

Recently, the deaerator for Unit 1 conventional island of Phase I Expansion Project of Huaneng Shidao Bay Nuclear Power Station, undertaken by PowerChina Nuclear Engineering Company, was successfully hoisted and placed into position, marking a key milestone in the installation of conventional island equipment for the unit and creating conditions for subsequent turbine equipment installation, piping layout, and system commissioning. The Huaneng Shidao Bay Nuclear Power Base currently hosts a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor demonstration project, the world's first fourth-generation nuclear power plant to achieve commercial operation. The Phase I Expansion Project plans to build two Hualong One units, third-generation nuclear power units independently developed by China, each with a capacity of 1.225 million kilowatts. Upon completion, the project is expected to provide approximately 20 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually, reduce standard coal consumption by 5.78 million tons, and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 14 million tons.

2026-08-22

Qinshan Nuclear Power Receives On-Site Visit for WANO Enhanced Performance Monitoring and Achieves Highest Rating

Recently, experts from the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) Tokyo Center and Shanghai Office visited Qinshan Nuclear Power to conduct an on-site Enhanced Performance Monitoring (ePM) assessment for its nine units. Based on a comprehensive evaluation, the WANO on-site visit team unanimously concluded that Qinshan Nuclear Power has demonstrated steady overall performance improvement in recent years and currently operates at the industry's highest "benchmark" level, with expectations that performance across key areas will remain stable or continue to improve over the next six months. Additionally, WANO experts conducted follow-up evaluations on selected Areas for Improvement (AFIs) and Significant Operating Experience Report (SOER) recommendations arising from the 2025 WANO peer review of Qinshan Nuclear Power's nine units, deeming the overall results satisfactory. At a summary meeting held on August 20...

2026-08-22

ITER vacuum vessel assembly in France progresses steadily, with five European sectors at different critical stages

The vacuum vessel assembly work for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project in southern France is progressing steadily. As the core component of the ITER tokamak device, the vacuum vessel will contain the plasma confined by superconducting magnets, serving as the critical space where fusion reactions occur. This stainless steel ring-shaped structure weighs approximately 5,200 tonnes in total, measures 19.4 meters in diameter, and consists of nine sectors, five of which are manufactured by Europe. The European Fusion for Energy organization (F4E), together with the AMW consortium comprising Ansaldo Nucleare, Westinghouse Electric Italy, and Walter Tosto Company, is responsible for the related manufacturing work.

2026-08-21

Progress in Tritium Containment and Radiation Protection Materials Research at the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Recently, Associate Researcher Huo Zhipeng of the Fusion Reactor Blanket and Safety Research Center at the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with his supervised master's students Zhang Jie and Chen Zuoyang, developed a class of flexible PbWO4-B4C reinforced silicone rubber composites with dual functions of tritium safety containment and nuclear radiation protection. The related research results were published in Journal of Materials Research and Technology. Future fusion facilities require comprehensive performance from radiation protection materials in tritium safety containment systems, including airtight sealing, flexibility for easy assembly and disassembly, and radiation shielding capability, for penetration hole sealing, post-maintenance, and high-flux neutron and γ-ray radiation protection. The research...

2026-08-21

Ur-Energy Ships First Uranium from Shirley Basin Mine to Lost Creek Processing Plant

U.S. uranium producer Ur-Energy announced that on August 19, 2026, its Shirley Basin uranium mine in Wyoming shipped its first uranium to the Lost Creek processing plant in the same state. This marks the company's second in-situ recovery (ISR) uranium mine entering full production and beginning its ramp-up phase. Ur-Energy President and CEO Matt Gili stated that the shipment of first uranium signifies the full commissioning of the Shirley Basin project and represents the company's transition into a multi-asset U.S.-based uranium producer. According to him, the Shirley Basin project took approximately two and a half years from planning and construction to production. The Shirley Basin uranium mine is Ur-Energy's second in-situ uranium...

2026-08-21

UK Low-Level Waste Disposal Site STIM Project Rail Transport Completed Ahead of Schedule

The Southern Trench Interim Membrane (STIM) project at the UK's Low Level Waste Repository in Cumbria has completed its final aggregate rail deliveries, with related deliveries completed approximately one month ahead of schedule. Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) is progressing with capping works at the site, implementing long-term management of trenches and vaults used decades ago for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste. The current focus is on replacing the protective membrane above the southern trenches. This membrane reduces rainwater infiltration into the waste areas below, helping to lower environmental risks and creating conditions for the subsequent final capping of the northern trenches. The STIM project requires substantial quantities of aggregate to be placed on the trench cover. Since February 2025...

2026-08-21

German SIBAF Project Receives €9.7 Million to Support Fusion Materials Research

On August 20, 2026, with funding from the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), the SIBAF project will launch the construction of an accelerator infrastructure for fusion materials research. The project, whose full name is Superconducting Ion Accelerator as a Foundational Technology for Fusion Research, will receive €9.7 million over three years, of which €8.1 million is allocated to the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research (GSI) and its Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR), currently under construction. Goethe University Frankfurt will also participate in the project. SIBAF is part of the funding program "Fusion Foundational Technologies — Toward the Fusion Power Plant." Project objectives...

2026-08-21

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Awards OSI Systems $85 Million Contract for Mobile X-Ray Inspection Systems

On August 19, 2026, OSI Systems announced that its Security division has been awarded a five-year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with a ceiling value of approximately $85 million. Under the contract arrangement, OSI Systems will provide U.S. Customs and Border Protection with van-mounted mobile Rapiscan X-ray inspection systems for baggage and parcel screening. The company stated that the initial task order under the contract is valued at approximately $21 million, covering the delivery of mobile inspection systems and training for relevant operators. Ajay Mehra, President and CEO of OSI Systems, stated that this multi-year contract reflects the company's commitment to providing technology support for border security and demonstrates the capabilities of its mobile inspection product portfolio. The company will continue to work with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to deploy mobile screening platforms and provide customs and border officers with the necessary equipment and training.

2026-08-21

Indonesia Incorporates Nuclear Energy into Decarbonization and Power Planning

The National Energy Council (DEN) of Indonesia recently stated that nuclear energy is expected to become an important option for driving the country's energy transition and achieving its net-zero emission targets. DEN member Sripeni Inten Cahyani said at a national energy policy promotion event held at Mataram University that the positioning of nuclear energy in Indonesia's energy planning is changing, and it is no longer just a last resort. Sripeni Inten Cahyani (right), a member of the National Energy Council (DEN), accompanied by fellow member Surono (left), gave an exclusive interview to reporters after a national energy policy outreach activity at Mataram University in West Nusa Tenggara Province on Thursday, August 20, 2026...

2026-08-21

Five New Oncology Diagnostic and Treatment Devices at Bulgaria's ISUL Hospital Expected to Launch This Autumn

Queen Joanna - ISUL University Hospital in Bulgaria expects to begin operating five new devices for imaging diagnosis and treatment of oncological diseases starting early this autumn. The hospital stated that patients will be able to use these high-tech devices after the relevant licensing and approval procedures are completed. Source: Queen Joanna University Hospital - ISULThe newly added equipment is deployed in the imaging diagnostics department and the radiation oncology department. Among them, the radiation therapy department will be equipped with a TrueBeam v4.1 medical linear accelerator, primarily used for radiotherapy and radiosurgery. This device can deliver high-energy radiation to tumor tissue with greater precision, supporting high-precision dose planning to achieve the required therapeutic effect while minimizing radiation exposure to healthy tissues and organs surrounding the tumor.

2026-08-21

Kyoto University and NEDO to Build Dedicated Beamline for Hydrogen Energy Research at SPring-8-II

Kyoto University announced on August 20 that it will collaborate with the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) to construct dedicated research equipment for the hydrogen energy field at the large synchrotron radiation facility SPring-8-II, located in Sayo Town, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. SPring-8-II is scheduled to begin operation in fiscal year 2029. On the 20th, Hajime Kitagawa, Executive Director of Kyoto University (2nd from right), attended a press conference held by Kyoto City government officials. According to the plan, the two parties will install a dedicated beamline at the facility, focusing on hydrogen energy-related research such as fuel cells and hydrogen production via water electrolysis. The beamline will be used to analyze key materials including catalysts and electrolyte membranes in fuel cells and water electrolyzers, leveraging synchrotron radiation to observe material reaction processes and help researchers identify the main factors affecting performance and cost.

2026-08-21

Korea Atomic Energy Environment Corporation Earns Top Grade A in All Categories of Radioactivity Analysis Capability Evaluation for Nine Consecutive Years

The Korea Atomic Energy Environment Corporation announced on August 21 that it received an A-grade rating in all evaluation categories for the ninth consecutive year in the 2026 Radioactivity Analysis Capability Evaluation conducted by the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety. In this evaluation, the corporation achieved A-grade results across all analysis items covering 7 samples and 12 radionuclides, demonstrating high detection precision and quality control capabilities. The Radioactivity Analysis Capability Evaluation has been conducted annually since 1997, primarily to verify the testing capabilities of domestic radioactivity analysis institutions in Korea, as well as the reliability and quality management level of related analytical data. This year, a total of 58 institutions participated in the evaluation, including regional radiation monitoring...

2026-08-21

Singapore and India to Explore Cooperation on Small Modular Reactors

On August 20, the fourth India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable was held in Singapore. After reviewing progress in the six existing areas of cooperation, both sides proposed to further explore cooperation in new areas such as space and nuclear technology. Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, who led the Singapore delegation, said after the meeting that Singapore and India are satisfied with the good progress of cooperation in the six areas of sustainable development, digitalization, skills development, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, advanced manufacturing, and connectivity. Among the new areas of cooperation, nuclear technology became one of the topics discussed by both sides, with a focus on...

2026-08-21