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Argonne National Laboratory develops new monitoring system that can accurately diagnose hidden faults inside nuclear reactors

U.S. researchers have developed a new monitoring system that combines fiber-optic temperature sensors with artificial intelligence (AI) to identify hidden internal channel blockage risks before they cause costly reactor shutdowns. The technology was developed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and is specifically designed for key heat exchanger components in molten-salt-cooled reactors (MSCRs). Heat exchangers ser...

2026-09-24

U.S. Team Advances Offshore Engineering System for Uranium Extraction from Seawater, Accelerating Toward Industrial-Scale Application

Nuclear fuel startup SuperCritical Materials and the University of Michigan (U-M) have formally established a research collaboration to jointly design and test an offshore mechanical system for uranium-from-seawater extraction, aiming to advance this cutting-edge technology toward industrial-scale engineering application. SuperCritical Materials had previously obtained an exclusive commercial license for a patented adsorbent manufacturing process that captures dissolved uranium in seawater. This joint research and development effort shifts the focus to the field of engineering machinery, primarily developing the capability to support high-frequency deployment and long-duration...

2026-09-24

US Department of Energy Study Shows: Deep Borehole Disposal Option Can Significantly Reduce Nuclear Fuel Cycle Back-End Waste Disposal Costs

Results from a three-year US Department of Energy (DOE)-funded project show that Deep Boreholes technology can provide a safe and low-cost permanent disposal pathway for radioactive waste remaining after Nuclear Fuel Recycling. Deep Isolation Nuclear conducted a systematic assessment of multiple recycling waste disposal scenarios, and the results showed that the estimated costs for all tested scenarios were below the project's control target of "0.1 cents per kilowatt-hour of electricity generation." Long-term safety modeling also confirmed that under normal expected conditions, all options meet...

2026-09-24

Ethiopia Plans to Join Forces with Russia to Accelerate the Construction of Its Nuclear Power Project

Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation (Госкорпорация «Росатом» / Rosatom), stated that Ethiopia (Эфиопия / Ethiopia) is actively seeking to accelerate the development of its nuclear power industry. Likhachev noted that the two sides had previously reached a preliminary cooperation agreement, but before formally launching the construction of the nuclear power plant project, multiple statutory and technical preparatory procedures in the early preparation stage still need to be completed. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali (Абий Ах...

2026-09-24

Afrikantov Experimental Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering Completes Manufacture and Delivery of MBIR Fast Reactor Primary Coolant Circulation Pumps

The machine-building division of Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation (Госкорпорация «Росатом» / Rosatom), Afrikantov Experimental Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering (АО «ОКБМ Африкантов» / OKBM Afrikantov), has completed the manufacture and delivery of the primary coolant circulation pumps (Главные циркуляционные насосы, ГЦН) for the multi-purpose fast neutron research reactor (МБИР / MBIR). As core equipment of the reactor facility, these circulation pumps will be responsible for driving the coolant to circulate within the reactor core...

2026-09-24

Bechtel Exits TerraPower's Sodium-Cooled Reactor Project

U.S. engineering, procurement, construction (EPC) and project management company Bechtel has decided to withdraw from TerraPower's Natrium nuclear reactor project. TerraPower stated that both parties have decided to develop independently and will re-tender the project's engineering, procurement and construction contract for building the first Natrium nuclear reactor in Kemmerer, Wyoming, USA.

2026-09-23

Framatome of France Secures First U.S. High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium Nuclear Fuel Contract

French nuclear company Framatome announced that it has signed a commercial contract to supply one operating nuclear reactor in the United States with the world's first nuclear fuel with uranium-235 concentration higher than the industry standard of 5%, for use in replacing reactor fuel. Under the agreement, as part of the Advanced Fuel Management (AFM) program, Framatome will use AFM technology to supply higher-concentration fuel in batches starting in early 2028. The agreement includes the supply of a range of fuels to support long-term use of AFM fuel in the reactor, and includes additional fuel supply options for the future. The company did not disclose the name of the reactor that will use the fuel. Uranium-235...

2026-09-23

Palisades Nuclear Power Plant Restart Suspended Due to Fuel Assembly Issue

The Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in Covert Township, Michigan, encountered a problem during fuel loading operations, causing its ongoing restart process to be suspended. The 50-year-old nuclear power plant, located along the shore of Lake Michigan, had previously been planned to become the first decommissioned nuclear power plant in the United States to be restarted. Holtec, the operator of the nuclear power plant, confirmed that while loading radioactive fuel rods into the reactor, a fuel assembly unexpectedly tilted after being released by the handling device and became stuck in a non-vertical position. Due to this situation, the reactor is currently...

2026-09-23

Weilan Stellar Completes China's First Stellarator Magnet Cryogenic Comprehensive Test Platform in Three Months, First Round of Magnet Testing Launched

Weilan Stellar recently completed the construction of China's first stellarator magnet cryogenic comprehensive test platform, and the first round of magnet testing has been launched. Qiu Lilong, a review expert for the cryogenic system, stated that from independent design and system integration to domestically sourced supporting equipment, Weilan Stellar took only three and a half months to integrate vacuum, cryogenics, power supply, measurement, and protection into a comprehensive test platform. The test platform fully demonstrates the team's outstanding capabilities in scientific research, engineering, and project management. As the foundation for stable operation of a stellarator, the cryogenic system's vacuum level, sealing performance, and cooling capacity are all crucial. Unlike conventional paced R&D models, Weilan Stellar has always adhered to a pragmatic,...

2026-09-23

Turkey's National Nuclear Energy Agency (TUNAS) and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) Launch New Nuclear Energy Cooperation

Turkey and the United States will cooperate on a technical study aimed at assessing the potential application of U.S. small modular reactors (SMRs) and Generation IV nuclear technologies. This project, funded by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), is being implemented by Turkey's state-owned nuclear energy company (Turkiye Nuclear Energy, or TUNAS) in cooperation with the United States. During the United Nations General Assembly in New York, TUNAS and USTDA reached an agreement on the project. The study will evaluate SMR designs from four U.S. companies and five Generation IV reactor technologies from multiple perspectives, including technical, economic, legislative, and licensing aspects, to determine their potential application in Turkey...

2026-09-23

Vietnam Holds Scientific Seminar on "Developing Nuclear Energy for Green Growth and National Energy Security"

On September 21, the Central Propaganda Department, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Khanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee of Vietnam jointly held a scientific seminar on "Developing Nuclear Energy for Green Growth and National Energy Security," aiming to explore the role of nuclear energy in addressing challenges such as climate change, meeting electricity demand, and promoting clean energy transition. The seminar emphasized that nuclear energy, as an energy source with large power generation capacity, stable operation, and low carbon emissions, can serve as baseload energy and effectively complement renewable energy that depends on natural conditions. For Vietnam, nuclear power is regarded as an important strategy for achieving sustainable socio-economic development and is expected to bring opportunities for scientific and technological development, industrial upgrading, and the cultivation of high-quality talent. At the seminar,...

2026-09-22

New Generation "Harmony System" and Other Technological Achievements Debut at the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo

At the five-day 23rd China-ASEAN Expo and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, CGN showcased its innovative achievements in nuclear power, new energy, and digitalization under the theme "Smart Nuclear Powers Free Trade, Green Electricity Connects ASEAN." At the exhibition, CGN Digital Technology highlighted its independently developed Harmony System series products and their applications in the new energy sector, and used virtual reality technology to give visitors the opportunity to tour nuclear power plants. The Harmony System is hailed as the "nerve center" and "brain" of nuclear power plants. It is China's independently developed nuclear safety-class digital instrumentation and control system, and has now been widely applied to 34 nuclear power units nationwide, covering second- to fourth-generation nuclear power reactor types and technologies. Through the comprehensive iterative upgrading of the Harmony System, CGN Digital Technology has equipped it with a smarter, safer, and more economical "super intelligent brain," aiming to provide digital and intelligent empowerment for the full-cycle production and operation of nuclear power plants.

2026-09-22

Israel's nT-TaO Signs Memorandum of Understanding with US-based Orion to Explore Deployment of Compact Fusion Systems for Data Center Power Supply

Israeli fusion company nT-TaO and US nuclear energy development company Orion Nuclear Energy Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on September 21, 2026, to explore the deployment of nT-TaO's Compact Fusion systems at data centers and industrial facilities in the United States. The move is seen as a collaborative step forward in the commercialization of fusion technology. According to the memorandum, the cooperation will center on the commercialization of nT-TaO's compact fusion system, with key focuses including: identifying potential customers, evaluating site selection, and developing specific commercial projects. The system is designed to provide up to 20 ...

2026-09-22

Fuel loading begins at Unit 8 of Rajasthan Nuclear Power Station

At 3:18 PM on September 19, 2026, initial fuel loading (IFL) began at Unit 8 of the Rajasthan Atomic Power Project Units 7 & 8 (RAPP-7&8) of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), located at Rawatbhata in Rajasthan. It is understood that the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) 7&8 consists of two indigenous 700 MW Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) units. The initial fuel loading of Unit 8 marks an important step toward first criticality and subsequent start of power generation. The unit is expected to begin commercial operation in the current financial year...

2026-09-22

The first international severe accident melt pool standard problem led by China Nuclear Power Engineering Co., Ltd. has been officially approved

Recently, the annual meeting of the Working Group on Accident Analysis and Management (WGAMA) of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA) reviewed and approved the International Standard Problem (ISP) in the field of severe accident research, which was led and submitted by China Nuclear Power Engineering Co., Ltd. This approval marks the 54th International Standard Problem since the OECD established the ISP program half a century ago, the first International Standard Problem in the field of in-vessel melt pool research for reactor severe accidents, and the second International Standard Problem led by China. The project entered the international promotion stage in 2024. The project team collaborated with multiple top research...

2026-09-21