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Finland's Posiva Authorized to Operate the World's First Deep Geological Repository for Spent Fuel

Finnish radioactive waste management company Posiva has officially received an operating license from the Finnish government to operate the spent fuel encapsulation and final disposal facility at Olkiluoto. The facility thus becomes the world's first spent nuclear fuel repository to receive such an operating license. On December 30, 2021, Posiva submitted an operating license application to the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment for the spent fuel encapsulation plant and the Onkalo final disposal facility, with the requested operating period running from March 2024 through the end of 2070. The encapsulation plant and final disposal facility...

2026-10-24

South Africa's Nuclear Power Project Achieves Substantive Progress: 5,200 MW Nuclear Power Project Enters Full EIA Phase

Babalwa Lobishe, Mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa, publicly stated on October 23 that she highly welcomes the approval of the final scoping report for Eskom's proposed 5,200 MW Thyspunt large-scale nuclear power project. The project site is located in Kouga Local Municipality, Eastern Cape, and the approval of the report by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) marks that this major clean baseload project has officially been approved to enter the comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) phase, taking a key step toward final statutory approval.

2026-10-24

China Institute of Atomic Energy Successfully Completes Full-Process Experimental Verification of Post-Irradiation Fuel Assembly Reassembly Technology for Integrated Fast Reactor

Recently, the China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE) under China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) successfully completed the full-process experimental verification of post-irradiation fuel assembly reassembly technology for the integrated closed fuel cycle fast reactor nuclear energy system (referred to as the integrated fast reactor), and successfully developed a reassembly prototype, comprehensively verifying the technical feasibility. This achievement marks that CIAE has independently mastered the core technology of post-irradiation fuel assembly reassembly for fast reactors, laying a solid foundation for subsequent engineering applications and material and fuel research under higher irradiation dose conditions, and is of great significance for enhancing China's advanced nuclear fuel R&D level and promoting the development of the closed fuel cycle. The full-process experimental verification platform for post-irradiation fuel assembly reassembly technology...

2026-10-23

CNNC Qintong Innovatively Builds a Digital-Intelligent Operation and Maintenance Management System for Its Isotope Base

Recently, Chinatom Qinshan Isotope Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "CNNC Qintong"), centering on the isotope production base construction project, successfully built a digital-intelligent operation and maintenance (O&M) management system with the Integrated Intelligent Production Information Management Platform (IMS) as its core. By empowering full-lifecycle equipment control and intelligent decision-making, the system effectively addresses O&M management pain points in nuclear technology application scenarios with high safety requirements and high complexity. It is understood that the system, with the Integrated Intelligent Production Information Management Platform (IMS) as its management hub, has achieved unified coding and labeling of 6,799 pieces of equipment across the entire plant and "one file per unit" full-lifecycle traceability. By deeply linking equipment ledgers with maintenance plans, repair work orders and spare parts management, CNNC Qintong has not only driven the upgrade of its maintenance model toward condition monitoring and predictive maintenance, but also achieved significant cost reduction, efficiency improvement and energy consumption optimization through HVAC variable-frequency renovation and self-developed automatic calibration platforms.

2026-10-22

ASEAN countries are comprehensively assessing nuclear energy development and deployment options

On October 21, 2026, at the World Nuclear Supply Chain Conference held in Manila, participating delegates pointed out that with the substantial growth in electricity demand and deepening energy security considerations, Southeast Asian countries are assessing nuclear energy options with a pragmatic attitude to diversify their power generation mix and safeguard regional energy supply. It is understood that data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows that since 2015, Southeast Asia's electricity demand has grown at an average annual rate of about 6%, and this trend is expected to continue until 2035. Rajib Dawood, Executive Director of the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), stated that the geopolitical situation...

2026-10-22

Canada's Terrestrial Energy Plans to Split IMSR Licensing to Accelerate Conventional Facility Construction and Financing

Recently, Canadian nuclear innovation company Terrestrial Energy announced that it has submitted a key topical report to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The company plans to license its Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) power plant as two separate parts—the nuclear facility and the Thermal and Electric Facility (TEF)—allowing the non-nuclear portion to be built and operated as a conventional industrial project before obtaining nuclear licensing. It is understood that the IMSR, as a Generation IV small modular reactor, uses molten salt as both fuel and coolant, and can directly supply heat to industrial facilities or be used for power generation. If the topical report is approved, the site-customizable TEF facilities will not be classified as nuclear facilities, thereby allowing developers to...

2026-10-22

CNNC Technology Delivers Nearly 1,000 Ultra-Low-Temperature Ball Valves, Achieving Breakthrough in New Processes

Recently, the Ball and Butterfly Valve Factory under CNNC Sufa Technology Industry Co., Ltd. successfully completed the delivery of an order for nearly 1,000 cast steel ultra-low-temperature metal-seated ball valves. The products for this project are required to meet the stringent ultra-low-temperature operating conditions of -196°C and are characterized by a large batch size, a tight schedule, and the adoption of entirely new processes. It is understood that this project involved 33 sets of entirely new designs. The technical team completed the pre-investment of blanks and product design in advance, and through tiered special technical briefings, clarified the quality standards for casting, machining, assembly, and inspection positions, ensuring that the products succeeded in pump installation testing on the first attempt and laying a solid foundation for subsequent mass production. Facing extremely high requirements for assembly and pressure testing precision, the factory established a special task force and coordinated continuous efforts across multiple departments including testing, production, procurement, and sales. The team closely monitored key processes throughout the entire process, including blank microstructure, non-destructive testing, and pump installation pressure testing, cleared production bottlenecks, and strictly controlled quality. Ultimately, the products successfully passed acceptance under both ambient and ultra-low-temperature operating conditions.

2026-10-20

Sichuan Energy Nuclear Industry Company Unveiled in Chengdu, Accelerating Layout in the Microreactor New Track

On October 20, 2026, the Microreactor Industry Co-construction Conference and the Unveiling Ceremony of Sichuan Energy Nuclear Industry Co., Ltd. were held in Chengdu. The nuclear industry company was jointly established by Sichuan Energy Development Group and China Nuclear Power Research and Design Institute, with initial registered capital of 1 billion yuan. Positioned as a tier-2 platform of the group, it focuses on three major segments—advanced microreactors, green energy technologies, and nuclear technology applications—to build a comprehensive nuclear energy industry platform. It is understood that the newly established company adopts a central-local collaborative model of "technology sourcing + industrial undertaking." The Nuclear Power Institute, as one of the few organizations globally that possesses uranium-zirconium hydride fuel design and manufacturing technology, has achieved comprehensive breakthroughs in key technologies for lead-bismuth reactors after more than a decade of research; Sichuan Energy Development...

2026-10-21

South Africa Advances High-Purity Low-Enriched Uranium Cooperation as Quantum Leap Energy Partners with Necsa to Build Facility

On October 19, 2026, Quantum Leap Energy, a subsidiary of U.S. advanced isotope technology company ASP Isotopes, and South Africa's state-owned nuclear energy company (Necsa) formally signed a binding letter of intent to establish a joint venture at the Pelindaba site in South Africa to jointly develop, finance, build and operate a test bench and commercial facility for high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU). It is understood that in the joint venture, Quantum Leap Energy will hold approximately 80% equity and be responsible for overall operations and fundraising, while Necsa will hold approximately 20% equity and provide site access, nuclear safety and regulatory support. The two parties also plan to sign an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC)...

2026-10-20

NASA's SR-1 Freedom deep-space nuclear reactor progresses smoothly, planned to set sail in 2028

Recently, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that its Space Reactor-1 (SR-1) Freedom has achieved a key breakthrough in the development of nuclear power modules and has reached an important contract consensus with partners. The reactor will become the first spacecraft to demonstrate nuclear fission power beyond Earth orbit, with launch planned for late 2028 en route to Mars. It is understood that Sierra Lobo will provide the closed Brayton cycle power conversion system for SR-1 Freedom, responsible for converting the thermal energy generated by the fission reactor into electricity to drive the nuclear electric propulsion system. The power conversion system will be deeply integrated with the fission reactor designed and developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Idaho National Laboratory (Idaho National Lab...

2026-10-21

US SMR Developers Deepen EPC Partnerships to Reduce FOAK and Scaled Deployment Risks

Recently, US small modular reactor (SMR) developers have been accelerating the establishment of strategic partnerships with large engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firms to address first-of-a-kind (FOAK) construction challenges and reduce deployment risks, thereby meeting the surging electricity demand from data centers. It is understood that, as most SMR startups lack civil construction and site management experience for large industrial facilities, institutions such as the Breakthrough Institute recommend that developers partner with EPC giants possessing decades of nuclear power experience to compensate for shortcomings in concrete pouring, site grading, and on-site construction management. For example, Holtec selected Korea's Hyundai Engineering & Construction (HDEC) as its SM...

2026-10-21

From "Three Nuclear Projects Advancing in Parallel" to a Closed Green Power Loop: Yantai's "Smelting Furnace" of New Quality Productive Forces

In October 2026, tides surge along the coast of the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea. While many cities across the country are still struggling fiercely in the red ocean of new energy investment promotion, competing over production capacity, Yantai—a major northern city with a GDP in the trillions—has quietly unveiled an energy report card that has stunned the nation: as of the first half of 2026, the city's clean energy installed capacity exceeded 20.5 million kilowatts, accounting for more than 60% of the city's total installed capacity, ranking first in Shandong Province for five consecutive years. Even more remarkable is its deep-rooted industrial foundation—home to Shandong's first nuclear power plant and first offshore wind farm, and the site of China's first commercial nuclear heating demonstration project. Entering the window period of the 15th Five-Year Plan, the development logic of Yantai's clean energy industry is undergoing profound iteration...

2026-10-19

MIT Startup Develops "Desktop" Dual-Laser Fusion Device, Targeting Tritium Fuel Gap

Recently, Cambridge Heavy Industries, a startup based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) laboratory in the United States, has emerged from stealth, publicly disclosing for the first time its previously confidential micro "desktop" inertial confinement fusion (ICF) technology scheme. It is understood that, unlike the National Ignition Facility (NIF), which employs a massive third-generation spatial array of 192 laser beams, Cambridge Heavy Industries has developed a unique two-dimensional dual-laser ignition device. The first laser irradiates the fuel pellet in a concentric ring pattern to generate an inwardly propagating shock wave, while the second laser precisely irradiates the shock wave...

2026-10-19

NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Accelerate Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion Technologies

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) formally signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) during a summit hosted by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), establishing a comprehensive framework for cooperation between the two parties in the fields of space nuclear power and nuclear propulsion systems, aimed at replacing and revising two previously reached related agreements. The memorandum is titled "Accelerating American Leadership in Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion,"...

2026-10-18

Malaysia's Worldwide Holdings Bhd Plans Investment Decision on Nuclear Power Project Within Five Years

Worldwide Holdings Bhd, a state-owned conglomerate of Selangor, Malaysia, is actively planning to play a role in Malaysia's future nuclear power development, closely aligning its strategic planning with Selangor's needs for stable electricity supply, enhanced local industrial capabilities, and expanded investment opportunities. The group's Chief Executive Officer Ahmad Zaki Ahmad Zainuddin stated that the preparatory work covers nuclear power plant site assessment, technology selection, and financing scheme evaluation, while simultaneously building professional capabilities spanning the entire project lifecycle from planning and construction to operation. Ahmad Zaki, at the Selangor International Business...

2026-10-18