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Unit 4 of Leningrad NPP Phase II completes installation of first major equipment

Unit 4 of Russia's Leningrad NPP Phase II recently completed the installation of the core melt catcher vessel. This is the first major equipment of the unit to enter the installation stage, and also the first passive safety system equipment to be installed. The steel structure weighs 157 tonnes, and the installation was carried out using a heavy crawler crane, taking about one work shift of approximately 8 hours, nearly 3 months ahead of the original schedule. Valery Zhemchugov, Acting Director of Leningrad NPP, stated that the installation of the core melt catcher vessel is a key milestone in the construction of Unit 4, a VVER-1200 pressurized water reactor unit, and that the relevant work was completed in accordance with quality requirements, providing more time for subsequent reactor building civil and installation works.

2026-07-31

U.S. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Develops New Vacuum Attachment for Nuclear Fallout Collection

Nuclear nonproliferation researchers at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) have invented a specialized attachment compatible with commercial handheld vacuum cleaners, designed to safely and efficiently collect radioactive fallout generated after a nuclear explosion. The intense heat from a nuclear blast lifts ground debris into the atmosphere, where it melts and cools into radioactive glass beads less than 1 millimeter in diameter that fall back to the ground. In the past, nuclear experts undergoing training could only collect samples using brooms, dustpans, and ordinary household battery-powered vacuum cleaners, making manual containment difficult and posing extremely high radiation exposure risks. The INL team began producing prototypes with a thermoplastic 3D printer in 2017, and after multiple rounds of iteration, has now commissioned a company in American Falls, Idaho, to mass-produce the attachment using industrial-grade 3D printing, significantly improving durability.

2026-07-31

Progress in Russia's Khilonduevskoye Uranium Deposit Development: 3 Kilometers of Mine Workings Completed Ahead of Schedule

The mining division of Russia's Rosatom recently announced that underground mining crews completed three kilometers of mine workings ahead of schedule during the development of the Khilonduevskoye deposit. This milestone, originally planned for completion on August 10, was achieved by a team of workers from the Priargunsky Industrial Mining and Chemical Union (PIMCU), which is part of Rosatom Nedra. According to PIMCU, this mine connection will significantly optimize the ventilation system at the fourth level of the Khilonduevskoye deposit and improve the efficiency of rock block loading, laying the foundation for subsequent development work. The company's CEO, Ivan Kiselev, stated that this connection is of critical importance to the company, as it not only links two sections of the mine but also fundamentally transforms the logistics and safety of fourth-level operations.

2026-07-31

Japan Atomic Industrial Forum Chairman: Overseas SMR Projects Help Sustain Supply Chain, but Japan Still Needs to Build New Nuclear Plants

Hideki Masui, Chairman of the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum (JAIF), stated on May 31 that Japanese companies are playing a significant role in global small modular reactor (SMR) projects through design and equipment supply, but the long-term maintenance and development of Japan's nuclear technology base ultimately requires the construction of new nuclear power plants domestically. At a regular press conference, Masui reviewed international developments in the SMR field. He noted that approximately 30 countries currently use nuclear energy, and about 20 countries are studying the deployment of SMRs in some form. Projects involving Japanese companies include GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy's BWRX-300 and NuScale Power's VOYGR SMR, whi...

2026-06-06

Rosatom Says Small Nuclear Power Development Requires Regulatory Reform

Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev said on July 5 that if Russia hopes to maintain its global leadership in the small nuclear power market, nuclear regulations and standards also need to keep pace with technological changes, particularly by revisiting the licensing and approval process for small nuclear power plants. In an article published in the Rosatom Corporate Newspaper, Likhachev stated that small nuclear power plants are expected to become a significant new form of energy in the coming decades, but their deployment still faces considerable regulatory challenges. Due to the relative novelty of such facilities to regulators, approval approaches tend to be cautious. He believes that accelerating the licensing and construction process while ensuring safety has become a task of national importance.

2026-07-06

Unit 2 of Romania's Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant not to shut down temporarily due to low Danube water level

Romania's National Nuclear Power Company (Nuclearelectrica) stated on July 30 that Unit 2 of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant will continue to operate connected to the grid. Previously, the company had warned that the unit, located in Constanța County in southeastern Romania, might need to shut down due to the low water level of the Danube River. The company said that based on an operational analysis completed the previous night, experts believe the currently obtained relevant parameters allow Unit 2 to continue operating under safe conditions. Therefore, the unit will remain connected to Romania's national power system. Nuclearelectrica also stated that technical personnel will continuously monitor and analyze the plant's operating parameters. Given the subsequent hydrological forecasts for the Danube water level...

2026-07-31

Third fuel debris retrieval test at Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2 postponed due to robotic arm malfunction

The robot used by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) for the third experimental fuel debris retrieval at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Unit 2 malfunctioned during an on-site operational test, forcing the cancellation of the plan originally scheduled to start after July 2026 if all went well. The company stated it will reassess the relevant procedures. The malfunction occurred in part of the large robotic arm equipment used to collect fuel debris. During an operational test in the reactor building of Unit 2, TEPCO found an abnormality in one of the motors driving the robotic arm, causing the brake to fail to release and the arm to be unable to extend. The company is currently studying the replacement of the faulty motor. The third experimental retrieval plan was to use a large robotic arm...

2026-07-31

Restart of Tomari Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 Delayed to After End of 2027

Hokkaido Electric Power Co. announced on July 30 that the restart of Unit 3 at the Tomari Nuclear Power Plant will be significantly delayed compared to earlier expectations, with the earliest possible date being the end of 2027 or later. Previously, the company had set a target of restarting as early as possible within 2027, but due to delays in the seawall construction project and the fact that the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has not yet completed its review of the relevant design and construction plans, the timeline for the unit's return to operation remains uncertain. Hokkaido Electric Power President Susumu Saito stated at a press conference that the seawall at the Tomari plant was originally scheduled for completion in the spring of 2027, but is now expected to be finished by mid-August 2027 due to additional work such as seismic reinforcement of the wharf and liquefaction countermeasures...

2026-07-31

Bulgarian Expert Says Belene NPP Restart Technically Feasible

Bulgarian energy expert Bogomil Manchev recently stated that the long-dormant Belene NPP project remains technically viable for restart. If Bulgaria and Ukraine jointly participate in financing and establish a co-ownership mechanism, the project could become a new nuclear power project built through bilateral cooperation. Manchev believes that Ukraine will still face significant electricity demand for a long period in the future. If funding can be secured for the project, Bulgaria could proceed with nuclear power plant construction at the original Belene site. His proposed options include joint financing and co-ownership by both countries, or Ukraine signing a long-term power purchase agreement to support project financing...

2026-07-23

Russia says all countries have the right to develop peaceful uses of nuclear energy

Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia has always believed that any country should enjoy the right to develop peaceful uses of atomic energy, and Iran, Saudi Arabia, and other countries are no exception. Earlier on July 23 local time, the U.S. Department of Energy announced that it had signed a civil nuclear energy cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia. The agreement will also be submitted to the U.S. Congress for review. In response to a reporter's question, Peskov said that Russia's position on the peaceful use of atomic energy and the development of peaceful nuclear energy is "well known." He stated that Iran should have this right, and Saudi Arabia and other countries should also have this right....

2026-07-24

Nuclear power companies in Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, selected for SMR advanced manufacturing technology project

Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, announced on the 30th that local nuclear power companies and research institutions have all been selected in a government project solicitation, and will participate in developing three key technologies to shorten the manufacturing cycle of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). This project is organized and solicited by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment of South Korea and the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP), with a focus on innovative SMR manufacturing technologies. These technologies are considered helpful in improving the manufacturing efficiency of key reactor components and compressing production cycles. According to the arrangement, Doosan Enerbility...

2026-07-31

Controllable Nuclear Fusion Industry Intellectual Property Operation Center Launched in Hefei

On July 30, at the second meeting of the first member congress of the Anhui Fusion Industry Association held in Hefei, Anhui, the Controllable Nuclear Fusion Industry Intellectual Property Operation Center was launched. The center aims to focus on the creation, protection, and utilization of intellectual property in the fusion field, bridging the "last mile" of achievement transformation. It is reported that the Controllable Nuclear Fusion Industry Intellectual Property Operation Center is one of the first batch of industry intellectual property operation centers recognized by the China National Intellectual Property Administration, jointly launched by the Anhui Provincial Market Supervision Administration, the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Anhui Fusion Industry Association, and Fusion New Energy (Anhui) Co., Ltd. In the future, the center will build a patent pool...

2026-07-31

Guomai Fusion Energy Completes Angel+ Round Financing, with Zhengxuan Investment and Others Supporting aFRC Fusion Route Commercialization

Recently, Beijing Guomai Fusion Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Guomai Fusion Energy) completed its Angel+ round of financing. This round was participated by well-known institutions such as Zhengxuan Investment and Dalin Investment. By adopting a strategy of small steps and rapid iteration, Guomai Fusion Energy has continuously advanced its financing, pooling industrial and capital forces to support R&D design and engineering validation, and promoting the fast and sound development of the advanced field-reversed configuration (aFRC) route. The funds from this round will be primarily used for aFRC route R&D, including the construction of fusion experimental devices, core technology breakthroughs, and talent team building, accelerating key technology breakthroughs and experimental validation. Guomai Fusion Energy, established in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, is a company focusing on advanced field-reversed config...

2026-07-31

Factory Acceptance Test Completed for TM020 RF Cavity of Super Tau-Charm Facility

The 500MHz TM020 normal-conducting RF cavity, a key component of the STCF accelerator constructed by Lanzhou Taiji, passed its factory acceptance test on July 28, 2026. This marks a significant milestone in the key technology research project for the Super Tau-Charm Facility (STCF), a new-generation electron-positron collider led by the University of Science and Technology of China. The review meeting brought together experts from the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing University, Tsinghua University, the University of Science and Technology of China, and Dongsheng Fusion (Shanghai) Technology Co., Ltd. The expert panel conducted a comprehensive and rigorous review of the RF cavity (a 1200mm large-diameter cavity), including its structural design, secondary vacuum brazing, precision machining methods, vacuum performance, and cold test results, and unanimously agreed that all indicators met the design requirements. The measured unloaded quality factor (Q₀) reached 56900 (design value 61500), placing its performance at a leading level among similar high-performance normal-conducting RF cavities in China.

2026-07-31

U.S. Nuclear Power Consulting Firm EXCEL Services Officially Enters Vietnamese Market

U.S. nuclear power technology consulting firm EXCEL Services Corporation has established a subsidiary in Vietnam and is actively collaborating with domestic partners, coinciding with the restart of Vietnam's nuclear power projects. This move marks further development of bilateral cooperation in the nuclear energy sector. Currently, Vietnam is restarting its nuclear power development plans, attracting attention from numerous international partners. On July 28, EXCEL Services Corporation announced the establishment of its Vietnamese subsidiary and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Innovation Center (NIC) and Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, while actively advancing more cooperation agreements with Vietnamese government agencies and enterprises. James Voss has been appointed as...

2026-07-30