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CERN measures niobium-94 neutron capture for the first time, shedding new light on the mystery of molybdenum abundance in ancient stardust

The n_TOF collaboration at CERN recently reported that researchers have for the first time measured the probability of neutron capture by niobium-94. The results, published in Physical Review Letters, provide new experimental evidence for explaining the anomalous abundance of molybdenum-94 in presolar grains. The EAR2 facility in the n_TOF experiment at CERN produces intense neutron beams, opening new possibilities for nuclear research. Credit: CERN Niobium-94 is a niobium isotope containing 41 protons and 53 neutrons, occupying a critical juncture in the nuclear reaction chain that produces heavy elements in dying stars. Researchers are interested in it because niobium-94 is very close to molybdenum-94, differing by just one fewer proton and one more neutron. Under the high-temperature, high-pressure conditions inside stars, niobium-94 may either transform into molybdenum-94 through beta decay or form niobium-95 through neutron capture. The competition between these two reaction pathways directly affects scientists' understanding of the origin of molybdenum-94.

2026-08-20

First Concrete Pour Launched for Conventional Island of Jinqimen Nuclear Power Unit 2

At 22:16 on August 18, Zhejiang Jinqimen Nuclear Power construction reached another key milestone as the first concrete pour (FCD) for the raft foundation slab of the turbine generator building in the conventional island of Unit 2 was officially launched, marking the full commencement of the main construction of the conventional island of Jinqimen Nuclear Power Unit 2 and the project's official entry into the civil construction phase. The raft foundation slab being poured, as the core load-bearing structure of the conventional island, is a variable-cross-section, super-large-volume, waterproof and impermeable special concrete structure, and is the core section with the largest volume, most critical working conditions, and highest precision requirements among the conventional island raft foundation structures. This construction involves long continuous operation hours, stringent temperature control and crack prevention requirements, and significant construction organization challenges. To ensure the safe and high-quality completion of the project, CNNC Zheneng fully demonstrated the "owner" spirit, played the "backbone" role, and shouldered the "main force" responsibility, jointly establishing a dedicated technical task force with construction and supervision units, building on the mature FCD construction experience of Conventional Island Unit 1 to comprehensively optimize the raft construction process for Conventional Island Unit 2, strictly adhering to the highest quality standards and safety regulations for nuclear power construction.

2026-08-20

Rajasthan Atomic Power Station Unit 2 Achieves First Full Year of Continuous Operation

Rajasthan Atomic Power Station Unit 2 (RAPS-2) achieved one full year of continuous operation on August 15, 2026. This marks the first time the unit has completed a full year of uninterrupted operation since it was commissioned, coinciding with India's 80th Independence Day. RAPS-2 is operated by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and is one of the oldest pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) units still in operation by the company. This milestone of one full year of continuous operation is regarded as a significant reflection of the unit's operational management and equipment maintenance standards. Relevant information indicates that this operational record reflects the sustained commitment of Units 1 and 2 at the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station in safety culture, aging management, technical support, and operational organization, and also demonstrates the collaborative efforts of the on-site operations, maintenance, engineering, and support teams in ensuring stable unit operation.

2026-08-19

IAEA Lise Meitner Programme Concludes First Visit to Russia

The first visit to Russia under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Lise Meitner Programme recently concluded in Moscow. The two-week visit brought together 14 female nuclear industry professionals from 14 countries, focusing on Russia's nuclear technology, nuclear facilities, and research platform operations, along with training and exchanges on professional competence and leadership. During the visit, the delegation toured the Kalinin Nuclear Power Plant, the Rosatom Technical Academy in Obninsk, the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR), and the Machine-Building Plant under Rosatom's fuel division. Participants also learned virtually about...

2026-08-19

Vivos Ships First Batches from U.S. IsoPet Production Facility, Receives AERB Approval to Build International Manufacturing Center in India

KENNEWICK, Wash. — Vivos Inc. recently announced two operational milestones: its in-house production facility in Richland, Washington, has begun delivering IsoPet® products to certified veterinary clinics in the United States; simultaneously, the company has received authorization from India's Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) to establish an international manufacturing center in India. This means Vivos will have a two-site production footprint spanning the U.S. and India. According to the company, the U.S. production facility, housed at the Applied Process Engineering Laboratory (APEL), will manufacture IsoPet® veterinary oncology products and RadioGel® human oncology products, and will serve as the center for subsequent process improvements and regulatory...

2026-08-19

First PCS Heat Exchanger Pre-Introduction Successfully Completed at Zhejiang Jinqimen Nuclear Power Project

On August 16, the pre-introduction of the first PCS heat exchanger at the Zhejiang Jinqimen Nuclear Power Project, undertaken by China Nuclear Industry Fifth Construction Co., Ltd. (CNFC), was successfully completed. The entire introduction process was smooth and orderly, with safety and quality fully under control. The smooth pre-introduction of this PCS heat exchanger has laid a solid foundation for the subsequent modular dome lifting and overall project construction. As a core key equipment in the reactor building, the PCS heat exchanger features heavy weight, high installation precision, and significant difficulty. To ensure lifting safety, the project team organized 7 special discussions and 5 on-site surveys, sorted out preconditions, fabricated dedicated angle tooling, and clarified operation procedures and safety control points. During the lifting, management personnel provided full-time on-site supervision, with commanders and operators working in close coordination to strictly control equipment positioning. After 3 hours of continuous operation, a series of processes including equipment lifting, flipping to vertical, fine angle adjustment, and equipment pre-introduction were precisely completed, and the equipment was finally placed smoothly, marking the successful completion of the pre-introduction work.

2026-08-19

World's first laser plasma accelerator-driven high-resolution muon imaging experiment to launch in Romania

Ideon Technologies, a global subsurface detection muon tomography company, is participating in an international research consortium to conduct the world's first high-resolution muon imaging experiment driven entirely by a laser plasma accelerator. The experiment aims to use a compact accelerator to produce muon beams on demand for non-destructive high-resolution imaging, with applications targeting mineral production, critical infrastructure, cargo inspection, medical imaging, semiconductors, nuclear security, and space radiation testing. Consortium members include the University of Texas at Austin, the Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) facility team, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, ELI-Beamlines, and Tau Systems.

2026-08-18

First Power Transmission Line Commissioned at Smolensk NPP-2 Construction Site

The first power transmission line has been commissioned at the construction site of Russia's Smolensk NPP-2. The line will provide stable power supply and round-the-clock lighting for the construction and installation base, freeing on-site work from natural daylight constraints. According to the project schedule, the construction site is currently connected to the 10 kV grid via a temporary scheme, with a switch to the permanent power supply system planned after the 110/10 kV permanent substation is put into operation. During construction, the contractor laid over 3 kilometers of cable and installed more than 60 transmission line towers under challenging weather conditions. During the construction phase of the installation base, stable power supply plays a fundamental role in project progress. The site needs to complete the construction of rebar module and rebar cage fabrication workshops on schedule, establishing a complete preparation flow from metal processing to finished component delivery. These components will be used directly in the subsequent construction of the main structures of the nuclear power units.

2026-08-18

First American Nuclear Company's Regulatory Engagement Plan for Proposed HALEU Fuel Facility Accepted for Docketing by NRC

First American Nuclear Co. (FANCO) announced on August 17 that its regulatory engagement plan for the proposed Class II high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) conversion and fuel fabrication facility has been accepted for docketing by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The facility will serve the company's EAGL-1 small modular reactor project currently under development. According to the company's disclosure, the NRC ADAMS accession number for the letter of intent is ML26222A181, and the NRC ADAMS accession number for the regulatory engagement plan is ML26222A177. This submission advances the pre-application regulatory engagement between FANCO and the NRC regarding the proposed ceramic fuel fabrication facility. The facility is planned to support the EAGL-1 lead-bismuth...

2026-08-18

Huaneng Nuclear Energy Research Institute Conducts First Specialized Training on Hualong One System Principles

To enhance the Institute's technical support services and scientific research capabilities regarding Hualong One technology, and to strengthen employees' systematic understanding of Hualong One, Huaneng Nuclear Energy Research Institute organized training on Hualong One system principles, completing the first specialized session on August 12. A total of 101 company leaders and employees participated in the training through a combination of online and offline methods. The first training session reviewed China's path toward independent development of pressurized water reactor technology from an industry development perspective, systematically outlining the global evolution of nuclear power technology and the safety design criteria for Generation III nuclear power. By benchmarking against mainstream Generation III reactor designs such as the US AP1000 and European EPR, the session provided in-depth explanations of Hualong One's dual safety architecture combining active and passive safety systems...

2026-08-18

First Concrete Pour Initiated for ECCS Sump of Units 1 & 2 at Gorakhpur Nuclear Power Plant, India

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) announced on August 14 that the first concrete pour was initiated on the same day for the Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) sump of Nuclear Building-01 (NB-01) of Units 1 & 2 at the Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojana (GHAVP) — the Gorakhpur Nuclear Power Plant, marking a phased milestone in the project's construction. Units 1 & 2 of the Gorakhpur Nuclear Power Plant are located in Gorakhpur Village, Fatehabad District, Haryana State, India, with two 700 MWe units planned, totaling 1,400 MWe in installed capacity. The pouring operation was carried out after addressing geotechnical and foundation-related challenges, pile foundation qualification, and obtaining necessary regulatory approvals.

2026-08-17

Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety to Host First Advanced Reactor Safety Technology Symposium

The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) announced that it will host the 1st Symposium on Advanced Reactor Safety Technology (SARST 2026) on September 1-2, 2026, at the Grand Ballroom on the first floor of the Commodore Hotel Busan. The event aims to facilitate exchanges on domestic and international advanced reactor technology trends and safety regulation issues, promoting technical communication and cooperation among regulatory bodies, developers, and research institutions. As the inaugural symposium, SARST is planned to be held annually thereafter. This year's conference will be divided into a plenary session and two technical sessions, covering topics such as the development of regulatory frameworks for advanced reactors, regulatory research progress, responses to standard design certification for innovative small modular reactors (i-SMR), and verification plans for related design features, among other subjects.

2026-08-16

Polish Energy Ministry Moves PLN 3 Billion in First Nuclear Power Plant Construction Spending Out of 2026 Budget

The Polish Energy Ministry has deferred PLN 3 billion in spending earmarked for the construction of the country's first nuclear power plant. This change indicates that while the Polish nuclear power project remains a key component of the national energy strategy, it is facing adjustment pressures in budget execution, engineering preparation, and project milestone alignment during actual implementation. The core context behind Poland's construction of its first nuclear power plant is its long-standing reliance on coal-fired power generation, coupled with the dual constraints of EU emission reduction targets and energy security needs. Developing nuclear power is seen as an important pathway for Poland to reduce its share of fossil fuels, stabilize electricity supply, and decrease dependence on external energy sources. Therefore, changes to the relevant budget are not merely a fiscal arrangement...

2026-08-14

First unit of Türkiye's Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant expected to generate power within months

Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar stated on August 13 at the Bosphorus Diplomatic Forum held in Istanbul that the first reactor at Türkiye's Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant is expected to begin generating electricity within the coming months. Bayraktar said that four reactors are currently being constructed simultaneously at the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, and Türkiye hopes to achieve power generation from the plant's first unit in the coming months. He noted that developing nuclear power has been a long-term goal for Türkiye, and the Akkuyu project will bring Türkiye into the ranks of countries utilizing nuclear energy. Previously, Bayraktar had stated that Türkiye plans to launch the first power unit of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant by the end of this year...

2026-08-14

Dong Baotong, Director of the National Nuclear Safety Administration: China's nuclear safety level remains among the top internationally, and during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the number of operating nuclear power units in China will rank first in the world

The State Council Information Office held a series of press conferences on August 13 themed "Starting the '15th Five-Year Plan' with a Strong Beginning," introducing the progress of comprehensively advancing the construction of a Beautiful China. Dong Baotong, Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment and Director of the National Nuclear Safety Administration, stated at the conference that ecological environment safety encompasses several key aspects, including ecological security, nuclear safety, and environmental risk prevention and control. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment serves as the lead coordinating body for both the national ecological security work coordination mechanism and the nuclear safety work coordination mechanism. Over the years, together with relevant departments, we have actively responded to various risks and challenges, effectively safeguarding the bottom line of ecological environment safety. Among these, in the area of nuclear safety, we have consolidated the primary responsibility of nuclear facility operators...

2026-08-13