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KEPCO Nuclear Fuel and On-Site Partners Advance Full-Cycle Resource Circulation

On September 9, 2026, KEPCO Nuclear Fuel (KNF) announced that it has signed a business agreement on the practice of full-scope resource circulation with its on-site partner companies, jointly promoting waste reduction initiatives and the implementation of a resource circulation culture across relevant business processes. The agreement aims to support the Korean government's plan to promote the transition to a plastic-free circular economy, strengthen the management of the entire waste process from generation, sorting, to recycling, and establish a resource circulation system covering both employees and on-site partner companies. Under the agreement, all parties will focus on three areas: source reduction, recycling, and the conversion to reusable products, including reducing packaging materials and single-use items...

2026-09-09

ITM and SpiroChem Announce Strategic Collaboration to Advance Novel Radiopharmaceutical Development

Garching/Munich, Germany and Basel, Switzerland, September 8, 2026 – Radiopharmaceutical biotechnology company ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE and Swiss collaborative research organization SpiroChem AG today announced a strategic drug discovery partnership focused on a novel radiopharmaceutical candidate within ITM's pipeline. The specific target and financial terms of the collaboration were not disclosed. Under the agreement, the parties will combine their respective capabilities to advance candidate discovery and optimization. SpiroChem will leverage its drug discovery platform, macrocycle library, and screening engine to lead hit identification and optimization, while ITM will provide...

2026-09-09

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

Estonia expects to identify preliminary nuclear power plant site by spring

Estonia's Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications expects that by spring, the site selection analysis for a nuclear power plant will have progressed sufficiently to identify preliminary candidate sites. Currently, authorities are evaluating six potential locations in the coastal areas of Kunda and Lüganuse-Toila, with three candidate sites in each area. Agnes Lihtsa, adviser to the ministry's Land and Spatial Policy Department, stated that relevant authorities have developed a site evaluation framework containing 40 indicators, drawing on recommendations from the International Atomic Energy Agency. The evaluation covers nuclear safety requirements, geological and hydrological conditions, cooling water availability, potential impacts on the natural environment, and socio-economic factors. Lihtsa said that cooling water conditions are a key factor in site selection.

2026-09-09

United States and Colombia Sign Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding

On September 8, 2026, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, and Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Blas Escobar attended the signing ceremony of two memoranda of understanding in Barranquilla, Colombia. The related report was published and updated on September 9, 2026. Under the signing arrangement, the first document is a framework memorandum of understanding between the U.S. government and the Colombian government on securing the mining and processing supply of critical minerals and rare earth elements; the second document is a memorandum of understanding between the U.S. government and the Government of the Republic of Colombia on strategic civil nuclear cooperation. Following the signing ceremony, Rubio stated that the United States and Colombia...

2026-09-09

West Virginia Joins Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Center Program

On September 9, 2026, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey announced that the state has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to join the Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Center (NLIC) program, becoming the sixth participating state. Earlier this year, the DOE had identified Idaho, Tennessee, Utah, Oklahoma, and Louisiana as potential host states. With West Virginia's addition, the state will work with the DOE to evaluate potential sites and advance possible host agreements. According to reports, the NLIC program aims to support activities across the full nuclear fuel lifecycle...

2026-09-09

Penza State University in Russia Develops Training Simulator for X-ray Image Defect Recognition

Researchers at Penza State University in Russia have developed an interactive training simulator for identifying defects in X-ray images, aimed at helping medical students and residents more accurately assess abnormalities in medical images and understand the physical causes behind different image defects. X-ray image quality directly affects the efficiency of pathological change detection and clinical diagnostic judgment. Factors such as equipment condition, exposure parameters, radiation dose, and quantum noise levels can all lead to degraded image quality. Therefore, radiologic technologists and radiologists need not only to identify lesions in images, but also to assess image quality and determine whether defects such as low contrast, noise, blur, and artifacts may affect diagnosis...

2026-09-09

South Korea Reassesses New Nuclear Power Plant Construction Amid Rising AI Electricity Demand

On September 8, South Korea's Minister of Climate and Energy Environment, Kim Sung-hwan, stated in an interview that due to the expansion of the artificial intelligence industry, South Korea's future electricity demand is expected to increase by 25 to 30 gigawatts. The government is reassessing the possibility of constructing new nuclear power plants and plans to announce the 12th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand next month. Kim Sung-hwan said the aforementioned additional demand mainly stems from Samsung Electronics and SK hynix expanding semiconductor production, as well as the construction of new AI data centers. As internal combustion engine vehicles transition to electric vehicles and the scope of electric heating replacing gas heating expands, South Korea's overall electricity demand will continue to grow. The South Korean government...

2026-09-09

UK think tank calls for clear nuclear reactor technology roadmap to support nuclear expansion

On September 8, 2026, UK think tank Policy Exchange released a white paper stating that the UK government needs to more clearly articulate which nuclear reactor technologies it will rely on to advance the so-called nuclear golden age, and to strengthen the supply chain and achieve economies of scale through batch construction. Policy Exchange's Nuclear Enterprise Committee is composed of experts from government, industry, and academia. The committee believes that the UK's civil nuclear strategy is at a critical stage, and related decisions will affect the country's energy system for decades to come. The white paper points out that given that new small modular reactor technologies are still in the early stages of development, the UK government should retain the option of building another large-scale nuclear...

2026-09-09

Vietnam's Petrovietnam and Korea Electric Power Corporation Advance Cooperation on Ninh Thuan 2 Nuclear Power Project

On September 7, 2026, Vietnam's National Industry and Energy Group (Petrovietnam) and Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) are accelerating cooperation in nuclear power research and development. On September 8, a delegation led by Petrovietnam General Director Le Manh Cuong held a working meeting in Seoul, South Korea with a delegation led by KEPCO Chairman and CEO Kim Dong-cheol, with both sides focusing on the implementation of the cooperation agreement in the nuclear power sector. Le Manh Cuong stated that Vietnam is taking measures to create conditions for the implementation of nuclear power projects. Previously, Petrovietnam and KEPCO signed a cooperation agreement witnessed by high-level leaders of both countries, demonstrating that nuclear power has become a key area of Vietnam-Korea cooperation...

2026-09-09

National Major Science and Technology Infrastructure Project "High-Intensity Heavy-Ion Accelerator Facility" Passes Special Financial and Asset Acceptance

From September 6 to 7, the Bureau of Finance and Assets and the Bureau of Science and Technology Basic Capacity of the Chinese Academy of Sciences organized a financial expert group and an asset expert group to carry out special financial and asset acceptance work on the National Major Science and Technology Infrastructure—the High-Intensity Heavy-Ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF) project. The expert group consisted of 13 experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, research institutes, and universities. Figure: Acceptance meeting site. The expert group listened to reports on the project's construction, financial asset management, and investment completion. The financial acceptance expert group reviewed materials such as the financial summary report and the completion financial final accounts audit report, conducted on-site inspections of final account statements and account books, and spot-checked contracts and accounting vouchers, followed by on-site inquiries and discussions on the financial investment completion status. The asset acceptance expert group reviewed materials including the asset summary report and procurement ledgers, conducted on-site spot checks of process equipment for the High-Intensity Heavy-Ion Accelerator, experimental terminal systems, facility auxiliary equipment, and public supporting systems, and held on-site inquiries and discussions on asset delivery status.

2026-09-09

Thailand Advances SMR Regulatory Preparedness to Strengthen Energy Security

On September 8, 2026, Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Yodchanan Wongsawat, chaired the second meeting of the Nuclear Energy for Peace Committee in 2026 at Government House. The meeting discussed Thailand's long-term nuclear energy strategy and preparatory work on the regulatory framework, talent development, and industrial supply chain for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). The Thai government emphasized that these efforts constitute preliminary capacity building and do not imply a decision to construct nuclear power plants. The meeting approved an SMR regulatory policy framework, which draws on relevant standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)...

2026-09-09

UK Rolls-Royce SMR Signs Memorandum of Understanding with ABB on Small Modular Reactors

On September 8, 2026, ABB and Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactors (Rolls-Royce SMR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore collaboration on small modular reactor projects. Under the MoU, ABB will study how its automation, electrification, instrumentation, and communications solutions can be applied to the scaled deployment of related projects. Rolls-Royce SMR is developing standardized, factory-prefabricated small modular reactor technology aimed at reducing nuclear project risks, improving delivery certainty, and providing low-carbon electricity in global markets. The company plans to develop a fleet of units, each with an electrical output of 470 megawatts, capable of meeting the electricity needs of one million UK households...

2026-09-09

Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant says restoring second external power line is critical to nuclear safety

On September 7, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant stated that restoring and commissioning the second external power transmission line—the 750 kV Dniprovska line—is critical to improving the reliability of the plant's power supply and enhancing nuclear and radiation safety levels. The plant also proposed that a systematic supply of fuel for backup diesel generators needs to be ensured. The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant stated that after the 330 kV Ferrospravnaya-1 transmission line restored external power supply, the radiation conditions at the plant and surrounding areas remained stable, within the range of natural background levels. The plant also stated that following the restoration of external power supply, the backup diesel generators have been switched to standby mode. In its statement, the plant said that the Ferrospravnaya-1...

2026-09-09

Romania's Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant to Remain Offline Until at Least September 18 Due to Low Danube River Levels

On September 8, Romania's Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant was expected to remain offline until at least September 18 due to low water levels in the Danube River. Emil Macovei, Technical Director of Nuclearelectrica, the operator of the Cernavoda plant, stated that over the next 10 days, the Danube's water volume would still be insufficient to support the restart of either of the plant's two units. Romania's Antena 3 television channel quoted him as saying that current hydrological conditions do not yet meet the requirements for unit operation. Cristian Busoi, Secretary of State at Romania's Ministry of Energy, said that predictions regarding the plant's restart timeline were "rather optimistic," and the ministry is currently unable to provide a definitive date for resuming operations. He confirmed that...

2026-09-09