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U.S. Department of Energy Extends Princeton University Contract to Operate PPPL

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Princeton University have extended the contract under which Princeton University manages and operates the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). The laboratory is located on Princeton University's Forrestal Campus in Plainsboro, New Jersey. Under the new extension, the contract will be renewed for five years starting April 1, 2027. Princeton University expects to strengthen collaboration with faculty and research teams on campus during the contract period, explore next-generation fusion energy research facilities, and enhance laboratory infrastructure and safety to support ongoing operational needs. Princeton University's office for research affairs...

2026-08-25

Russian team develops machine learning model to predict stability of rare earth and actinide complexes

Researchers from the Interdisciplinary Laboratory for Intelligent Chemical Design at the Department of Chemistry of Lomonosov Moscow State University, in collaboration with colleagues from the Department of Mechanics and Mathematics, have developed a new machine learning model for evaluating the stability of complexes of rare earth elements and trivalent actinides. The results have been published in the Journal of Chemical Physics. The research team stated that machine learning can reduce time and material costs in chemical research, which is particularly important for rare, expensive, or hazardous lanthanides and actinides. Lanthanides, along with scandium and yttrium, are commonly classified as rare earth elements and are widely used in permanent magnets, batteries, electronic components, lasers, and other applications. Since rare earth elements in nature...

2026-08-25

CFHI Dalian Nuclear Power Evaporator Clean Room Project Advances Preliminary Preparations

Recently, preliminary preparations are advancing for the clean room project under the evaporator batch manufacturing capacity building initiative of CFHI Dalian Nuclear Power & Petrochemical. Located in the Dalian Bay coastal equipment manufacturing cluster, the project will improve the clean operating conditions for nuclear power evaporator production and address the shortcomings in supporting processes for batch manufacturing. The project has a total investment of 18.81 million yuan, covering an area of approximately 2,600 square meters, with a new building area of approximately 2,600 square meters. The construction centers on the evaporator tube bundle assembly clean room, supplemented by installation workstations, channel head storage areas, packaging transport track systems, and air purification systems. Since the project launch, relevant departments in Dalian Bay have been providing service support for preliminary work including land planning, engineering scheme preparation, and approval coordination, while liaising with municipal and district-level industry authorities to resolve bottlenecks in project advancement and improve the efficiency of preliminary preparations.

2026-08-22

Texas Department of Public Safety Advances Airborne Radiation Detection Capabilities

The Texas Department of Public Safety recently highlighted an airborne radiation detection capability being advanced by its Aviation Operations Division. The program integrates specialized radiation detection sensors and real-time data transmission systems onto helicopters, enabling crew members to rapidly survey large areas from the air and relay relevant information to ground personnel in a timely manner, supporting homeland security and security operations for major public events. According to reports, this capability is implemented jointly by the Aviation Operations Division and the Radiation/Nuclear Unit of the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division. The equipment has already been used to support security operations for major events, including FIFA-related venues in Houston and Dallas, and will continue to serve...

2026-08-23

U.S. Department of Energy Selects Fermilab to Lead AI Project to Enhance Superconducting Radio-Frequency Cavity Control in Particle Accelerators

The U.S. Department of Energy's Genesis Program recently selected an artificial intelligence project led by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, supporting its collaboration with national laboratories, universities, and industry to use AI and machine learning technologies to improve resonance control in particle accelerators. The project aims to enhance accelerator operational performance and beam stability while reducing energy consumption and operating costs. Superconducting radio-frequency cavities are being assembled and tested, ready for installation on the Proton Improvement Plan-II at the Fermilab Accelerator Complex. By finely tuning the resonant frequency of the cavities, scientists can optimize acc...

2026-08-21

Uzbekistan Prepares for Second Nuclear Power Plant Project

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said on August 17 at a ceremony launching investment projects in the Khorezm region that Uzbekistan is carrying out large-scale preparatory work for the construction of a second nuclear power plant. This marks the first time the country has publicly mentioned the second NPP project. Mirziyoyev said Uzbekistan has advanced a number of energy and infrastructure projects in recent years, with the nuclear power plant under construction in the Jizzakh region being one of them. He noted that the second NPP is still in the preparation stage, with the project site, installed capacity, construction timeline, and potential contractors yet to be announced. At the same event, U...

2026-08-21

US Inertia Fusion Fuel Preparation Time Significantly Reduced

US fusion startup Inertia Enterprises said it has made progress in inertial fusion energy fuel preparation in collaboration with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), reducing the time required for the critical step of forming a cryogenic deuterium-tritium fuel layer from potentially several days in the past to tens of minutes. The company said this achievement completes a key task in the first phase of its commercial fusion power plant development goals. The fundamental approach of inertial fusion energy involves using high-energy lasers to compress and heat small targets containing deuterium-tritium fuel, bringing the fuel to ignition conditions and releasing energy. The National Ignition Facility (NIF) has already...

2026-08-21

US LIS Technologies Initiates Site Preparation for Oak Ridge Laser Uranium Enrichment Project

LIS Technologies Inc. (LIST) announced on August 20 that it has initiated preliminary site preparation work on the "LIST Island" parcel at the Heritage Center of the East Tennessee Technology Park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The 206-acre parcel is located within the former K-25 gaseous diffusion plant site. This phase of work includes environmental characterization, environmental assessment, and technical feasibility studies tailored to site conditions. These efforts will provide the preliminary basis for the company's planned commercial laser uranium enrichment headquarters and technology campus, LEU-3. Under current plans, the LEU-3 facility will host the company's FUEL project, namely the Future Uranium Enrichment by Laser project, and support its long-term operations and research...

2026-08-21

Fire alarm triggered for sixth time in August at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station; fire department confirms no fire occurred

At approximately 3:54 a.m. on August 21, a fire alarm was triggered on the first floor of the access control building at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) stated that no open flames or smoke were found near the site; shortly after 5:00 a.m., the fire department confirmed that the alarm was not caused by a fire. Readings from radiation monitoring stations around the plant also showed no significant fluctuations. This was the sixth fire alarm at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station since the beginning of August. Previously, the maintenance building for Units 5 and 6 triggered a fire alarm on August 8; the emergency diesel generator room for the high-pressure core spray system of Unit 6 triggered a fire alarm on August 12; the main administration building triggered a fire alarm on August 13...

2026-08-21

Energy Fuels' Utah Plant's Terbium Oxide Certified by Japanese Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Manufacturer

On August 19, U.S. critical materials producer Energy Fuels Inc. announced that the terbium oxide produced at its White Mesa plant in Utah has passed all certifications from a Japanese rare earth permanent magnet manufacturer, enabling its use in commercial rare earth permanent magnet production without further qualification or verification. According to the company, this Japanese manufacturer is one of the world's largest rare earth permanent magnet producers outside China. Energy Fuels stated that the certification of its terbium oxide demonstrates that its heavy rare earth product quality and rare earth processing capabilities have been recognized by downstream users. The company's previously produced neodymium-praseodymium oxide and dysprosium oxide have also obtained qualification certifications for use in rare earth permanent magnet manufacturing. Terbium is one of the important heavy rare earth elements, primarily used to enhance the heat resistance and performance of high-strength neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnets. Neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnets are widely used in automotive, advanced electronics, robotics, aerospace, and other sectors. According to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence's European CIF price data, the current market price of terbium oxide is approximately $5.5 million per metric ton.

2026-08-20

SHINE to Advance Spent Fuel Recycling Separation Technology with Argonne National Laboratory and Others

On August 18, fusion energy company SHINE announced that it will collaborate with the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and Case Western Reserve University to apply high-throughput chemical separation technology to the nuclear fuel recycling process it is currently developing. The collaboration is carried out under the CURIE program of the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), with additional funding led by Case Western Reserve University, and SHINE participates as a subcontractor. Spent fuel is often referred to as nuclear waste, but it retains approximately 90% of its energy potential while containing multiple reusable byproducts. In recent years, federal programs and private investment in the United States have driven renewed interest in spent fuel recycling. Argonne National Laboratory is developing a new chemical processing device called "Packed Centrifugal Equipment for Radiochemical Separation," abbreviated as PaCERS. The device generates centrifugal force exceeding normal gravity conditions through high-speed rotation to improve chemical separation efficiency, and reduces costs across multiple stages of nuclear fuel recycling through higher throughput and lower solvent usage.

2026-08-19

Germany pledges assistance in repairing the damaged reactor containment at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant

German Environment Minister Carsten Schneider stated during his visit to Kyiv on August 18 that Germany will assist in repairing the containment structure above the damaged reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Schneider said the containment above the damaged reactor must be repaired. He also noted that this work involves high technical difficulty and complex organizational processes, requiring joint participation and coordinated efforts from the international community. According to the itinerary, Schneider plans to visit the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone during his trip to assess the current status of the relevant facilities and subsequent repair needs. The containment repair work at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant involves multiple aspects including nuclear safety, radiation protection, and engineering construction, with further specific implementation arrangements still requiring additional consultation among all parties.

2026-08-19

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

Vietnam Electricity Advances Preparatory Work for Ninh Thuan 1 Nuclear Power Plant

Vietnam Electricity (EVN) is advancing preparatory work for the Ninh Thuan 1 Nuclear Power Plant project, focusing on supporting measures in legal framework, financial arrangements, project management, human resource development, and public communication. The project is regarded as Vietnam's first nuclear power plant project and holds significant importance for ensuring energy security, promoting energy structure transition, and reducing carbon emissions. During the 7th National Nuclear Regulatory Conference, EVN Deputy General Director Nguyen Thai Anh stated that the Ninh Thuan 1 Nuclear Power Plant project must meet the highest technical, engineering, and safety requirements currently applicable in Vietnam. In the preparatory phase, EVN is focusing on addressing three categories of challenges while simultaneously advancing five groups of solutions to ensure the project proceeds in accordance with...

2026-08-17

U.S. Department of Energy Awards $271 Million to Support Extended Operation of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently awarded $271 million to Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to support the continued operation of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. The funding will be used to ensure the plant maintains safe and reliable power generation during the license extension period and to support workforce stability. In April of this year, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved a 20-year extension of the operating licenses for both units at Diablo Canyon. Under the previous schedule, the plant's two units were originally slated to cease commercial operation in 2025. Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Ted Garrish stated that keeping Diablo Canyon operational is of great significance in meeting California's growing demand for affordable, reliable, and safe electricity. The Civil Nuclear Credit Program is helping protect this critical baseload power source and prevent premature retirement of reliable generation facilities from the grid.

2026-08-15