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The 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency opens in Vienna

The 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency officially opened today in Vienna, Austria. The conference is expected to attract delegates from around the world, with an estimated attendance of between 2,500 and 3,000 people, reflecting the international community's emphasis on nuclear energy-related issues. As the IAEA's highest decision-making meeting held annually, this grand gathering in Vienna carries pivotal significance. The conference brings together representatives of IAEA member states, who will jointly review the agency's annual work report, budget plans, and a series of important policy issues. This is an open and transparent platform where delegates from various countries discuss global nuclear safety, nuclear non-proliferation...

2026-09-15

Rosatom Completes First Stage of Concrete Pouring for BREST Reactor Core Cavity

TVEL Fuel Company, a subsidiary of Rosatom, has announced that the future innovative nuclear power unit BREST-OD-300, located in Seversk, Tomsk Oblast, has successfully completed the first stage of concrete pouring for the reactor core inner cavity. The reactor is located at the site of the Generation IV Pilot Demonstration Energy Complex (ODEK) within the Siberian Chemical Combine (SCC) area, and is a core component of Russia's national strategic industry project Proryv (Breakthrough). The report noted that concrete pouring for the reactor body will proceed in multiple stages, with full completion expected in the winter of 2027, by which time the total amount of heat-resistant concrete used will exceed 7,000 cubic meters...

2026-09-14

Gyeongju City Council in South Korea Conducts In-Depth Inspection of Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant and Radioactive Waste Treatment Facilities

Recently, the Gyeongju City Council of South Korea organized an in-depth on-site inspection, with the focus on the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant and the Korea Atomic Energy Environment Corporation. The inspection team aimed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the operational safety of the nuclear power plant and the operation of radioactive waste treatment facilities, and to listen to feedback from relevant personnel. The purpose of this action was to conduct an in-depth investigation of core issues closely related to public safety, including the safety management status of the nuclear power plant and the operational model of radioactive waste treatment facilities. The council members hoped that through this inspection, they could gain a more intuitive understanding of the actual situation and provide reference for formulating more comprehensive policies. At the beginning of the inspection, the council members went to Wolsong...

2026-09-14

South Korea Strengthens Drone Control Around Nuclear Power Plants, Illegal Flights to Trigger Criminal Law

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) stated on September 14 that it will further strengthen its response to unauthorized drone flights within no-fly zones around nuclear power plants. It is understood that under the revised Aviation Safety Act, the penalty for unauthorized operation of ultralight flying devices (drones, etc.) within no-fly zones has been significantly raised from the previous "fine of up to 3 million won (administrative fine)" to "imprisonment of up to 1 year or a fine of up to 10 million won." According to statistics from the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission of South Korea, from 2021 to August of last year, a total of 699 illegal drone incidents were detected near nuclear power plants across South Korea, of which 284 cases could not identify the operators...

2026-09-14

Yuan Xu Appointed Vice General Manager of China Huaneng Group

The latest update to the "Group Leaders" section on the official website of China Huaneng Group Co., Ltd. shows that Yuan Xu has been appointed Vice General Manager and Member of the Party Leadership Group of China Huaneng Group. Public information shows that Yuan Xu previously served as Chairman and Party Secretary of China Zhongyuan Foreign Engineering Co., Ltd. Yuan Xu, in January 2025, was appointed Director, Party Secretary, and General Manager of China Nuclear Uranium Co., Ltd., Chairman and Party Secretary of China Uranium Co., Ltd., and Director and Party Secretary of the China Nuclear Geology Bureau. Now taking up this new post. China Huaneng Group Co., Ltd. was founded in 1985 and is a key state-owned comprehensive energy group with electricity as its core, multi-energy synergy, innovation leadership, financial support, and global layout....

2026-09-14

ITER Organization Deputy Director-General Luo Delong and his delegation visited China Fusion Energy Co., Ltd. for research and guidance

On September 11, Luo Delong, Deputy Director-General of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Organization, and his delegation visited China Fusion Energy Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "China Fusion") for research and guidance, gaining an in-depth understanding of China Fusion's overall development situation and the progress of key task implementation. Zhang Libo, General Manager of China Fusion, accompanied the research visit. During the visit, both parties held a special symposium. On behalf of China Fusion, Zhang Libo extended a warm welcome to Luo Delong and his delegation, and expressed sincere gratitude to the ITER Organization and Mr. Luo Delong for their concern, support, and guidance regarding China Fusion's development and the fulfillment of ITER Project-related tasks. At the meeting, Zhong Wulv, Chief Engineer of China Fusion, delivered an overall situation report, focusing on...

2026-09-14

Paris, France workshop explores ATHENA thermal-hydraulics nuclear safety research cooperation framework

On September 10-11, 2026, dozens of researchers, experts and related professionals gathered in Paris, France to participate in the workshop on building the ATHENA framework, discussing collaborative mechanisms for thermal-hydraulics nuclear safety research. ATHENA stands for Advanced Thermal-Hydraulics Experiments for Nuclear Analysis and Safety Applications, and aims to establish a more coordinated and more sustainable thermal-hydraulics research framework. Participants believed that clarifying the framework's flexibility, applicable boundaries and advantages requires strengthened communication among all relevant parties to ensure that different research needs are...

2026-09-13

Hualong One Version 2.0 Independent Innovation Achievements Presented in Beijing

On September 11, the "Road of Independent Innovation for Hualong One" media tour was launched in Beijing, focusing on presenting the independent innovation achievements and technical advantages of Hualong One Version 2.0. According to reports, Hualong One Version 2.0 adopts Chinese standards and has the capability for 100% domestic production of key equipment, with its safety performance indicators ranking in the first tier among large pressurized water reactors globally. Hualong One is a million-kilowatt-class Generation III pressurized water reactor nuclear power technology developed on the basis of China's more than 40 years of experience in nuclear power research and development, design, manufacturing, construction, and operation, and possesses fully independent intellectual property rights. Hualong One Version 2.0, building on the summary of engineering construction and operational experience of Hualong One, has been launched through independent innovation and overall coordination...

2026-09-12

Lower Saxony, Germany Plans to Build Europe's First Large-Scale Fusion-Grade High-Temperature Superconducting Tape Plant

Proxima Fusion and the Lower Saxony state government of Germany signed a memorandum of understanding in Hanover on September 9, planning to build Europe's first large-scale fusion-grade high-temperature superconducting tape production facility in the state, laying the foundation for large-scale industrial production of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) tape. According to the plan, the first two phases of the project involve an investment of approximately 140 million euros, with public funds and private capital each covering about half. Of this, Lower Saxony plans to contribute 21 million euros, accounting for nearly 30% of the public funding portion. The first two phases of construction are expected to be completed by the end of 2029. High-temperature superconducting tape is a type of metal tape that exhibits superconducting properties at relatively higher temperatures. In the superconducting state, it can transmit current with nearly zero resistive loss and is used to manufacture high-power, compact electromagnets. For stellarator fusion devices, magnets made from high-temperature superconducting tape can generate the magnetic fields needed to confine and control high-temperature plasma, making them an important foundational material for achieving compact fusion devices and future fusion power plants.

2026-09-12

Lower likelihood of restart for Belgium's Doel 3 and Tihange 2 reactors

According to a September 11 report by Le Soir, samples collected nearly two years ago from the reactor pressure vessels of Belgium's Doel 3 and Tihange 2 reactors indicate that the possibility of restarting these two nuclear reactors is extremely low. In the winter of 2024 to 2025, operator Engie successively took samples from the Doel 3 reactor pressure vessel and the Tihange 2 reactor pressure vessel. The sampling work was carried out at the request of the Belgian Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC) and the Belgian National Agency for Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Materials (NIRAS), which is responsible for radioactive waste management, with the aim of measuring in detail the radiation levels at different parts of the pressure vessels so as to classify and dispose of the related waste.

2026-09-13

Thailand Advances SMR Regulatory and Public Engagement Preparations, Plans to Commission First Unit by 2037

From September 9 to 11, 2026, the U.S. Department of State held the FIRST and Thailand Stakeholder Engagement Workshop in Bangkok. The workshop was co-hosted by the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (TINT) and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), aiming to support Thailand's preliminary preparations for small modular reactors (SMRs), with a focus on transparent communication, public trust, and stakeholder engagement. The FIRST program, whose full name is Foundational Infrastructure for the Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology, was initiated by the U.S. Department of State and mainly supports relevant countries in...

2026-09-12

Rosatom Director General to hold talks with Grossi during IAEA General Conference

On September 11, Alexey Likhachev, Director General of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom (Rosatom), said that he plans to hold talks with Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, during the IAEA General Conference. Likhachev said that the 70th IAEA General Conference will open in Vienna on Monday, and it is one of the important annual events in the international nuclear field. During the meeting, the Russian side plans to meet with Grossi and hopes to reach agreement on Grossi's visit to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Likhachev also said that the next rotation of IAEA experts stationed at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is expected to take place...

2026-09-13

South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea Releases SMR Development Strategy 2.0, Sets 2035 Manufacturing Market Share Target

On September 10, 2026, South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea announced the Small Modular Reactor Global Development Strategy 2.0, proposing to build the region into the world's leading small modular reactor (SMR) production hub by 2035, and striving to capture 60% of the global SMR manufacturing market and achieve 100% self-sufficiency in related technologies. South Gyeongsang Province stated that multiple tasks included in the Small Modular Reactor Global Development Strategy 1.0 formulated last year, including promoting the enactment of a special SMR law, designating SMR as a national strategic technology, designating an SMR specialized complex, establishing a full-cycle SMR support system, and relaxing relevant regulatory requirements, have already been reflected in the South Korean government's policies. Therefore...

2026-09-13

South Korea Conducts First Joint Radiation Emergency Exercise Involving Two Nuclear Power Plants Simultaneously

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) of South Korea announced on September 10 that South Korea held the 2026 National Joint Radiation Disaster Prevention Exercise, simulating a radioactive material release accident at the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, and the simultaneous entry into a radiation emergency state at the Hanul Nuclear Power Plant in Uljin County, North Gyeongsang Province. Approximately 2,000 people participated in the exercise, including relevant South Korean central government departments, local governments, specialized agencies, relevant operating organizations, local organizations, and nearby residents. This exercise set up a compound disaster scenario of simultaneous radiation emergencies at multiple nuclear power plants for the first time. The exercise assumed that...

2026-09-12

South Korea to Reconsider Accident Management Plans for Four Units at Gori and Hanbit

On September 11, 2026, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission of South Korea held its 14th meeting of 2026 to review the accident management plans and operating change license applications submitted by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) for Gori Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 and Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant Units 1 and 2. The meeting failed to reach a final conclusion and decided to refer the relevant agenda items to the next meeting for continued deliberation. The accident management plan mainly includes the scope of nuclear power plant accident management, management facilities, management strategies, and training programs. For nuclear power units with long operating lives, approval of this plan is generally regarded as an important prerequisite for subsequent discussions on continued operation licenses....

2026-09-12