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Polish President Signs Key Nuclear Power Bill, Allowing Early Construction Works to Start Ahead of Schedule

Polish President Karol Nawrocki signed an amendment to the Act on the Preparation and Implementation of Nuclear Energy Facilities and Associated Investments on August 14, aiming to accelerate the construction of nuclear power plants in the country. According to information released by the Presidential Chancellery, the core of this legal adjustment is to allow certain preliminary construction and preparation works to proceed before the final construction permit for the entire project is granted, thereby shortening the timeline for large-scale nuclear projects. The amendment concerns Polish laws related to the preparation and implementation of nuclear energy facilities and associated investments. The new regulations introduce a new type of permit, namely the permit for preliminary construction works of nuclear energy facilities. Once this permit is obtained, the investor can carry out some early-stage construction and preparation works before all complete project investment documents have been fully approved.

2026-08-14

USTC Team Participates in STAR Experiment, Discovering Possible "Y"-Shaped Gluon Junction Inside Nucleons

The University of Science and Technology of China, together with Kent State University and Brookhaven National Laboratory, played a leading role in the STAR international collaboration. Through precise measurements of net baryon number and net charge in high-energy nucleus-nucleus collision experiments, they discovered an exotic structure inside nucleons that may overturn fundamental understanding of nucleon internal structure. In the early morning of August 14, the results were published online in the journal Science under the title "Tracking the baryon number with nuclear collisions." Nucleons are the fundamental particles that make up the material world, carrying more than 99% of the mass of the visible matter in the universe. Understanding the internal structure of nucleons is of paramount importance for understanding the fundamental constituents and fundamental interactions of the material world.

2026-08-14

Armenia Responds to Claims of Metsamor NPP Closure: Operating License Valid Until 2036

In response to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's claims that the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant is outdated and could pose a potential threat to the region, Arman Yeghoyan, a lawmaker from Armenia's ruling Civil Contract party, stated that the operating lifetime of a nuclear power plant is not unilaterally determined by the governments of neighboring countries. Yeghoyan noted that every nuclear power plant has an established operating period, and the Metsamor NPP is currently authorized to operate for a maximum term extending to 2036, information that has long been public. He also stated that the Armenian side has announced it is studying options for building a new nuclear power plant...

2026-08-14

Russian Scientists Develop Bioluminescent Bacterial Bioassay for Screening Safe Low-Dose Radiation Levels in Animals

Russian researchers have developed a rapid bioassay method based on bioluminescent bacteria that can be used to assess safe dose ranges of ionizing radiation for animals, providing an early screening tool for low-dose radiation applications in livestock farming. The study involved researchers from the Institute of Biophysics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Federal University, and Krasnoyarsk State Agrarian University. The research team noted that low-dose ionizing radiation ranging from tens to hundreds of milligrays (mGy) may activate a series of physiological processes in animals, including metabolism, growth, and biomass accumulation; however, if the dose exceeds the safe range, it may cause physiological...

2026-08-14

Russian Researchers Find Low-Energy Electron Beam and X-Ray Treatment of Wheat Seeds Can Increase Yields

Researchers from the D.V. Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics at Lomonosov Moscow State University, in collaboration with the Faculty of Physics and the Faculty of Chemistry of Lomonosov Moscow State University, as well as the Siberian Federal Scientific Centre of Agro-BioTechnologies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, have found that pre-sowing treatment of wheat seeds with low-energy electron beams and X-rays can help increase crop yields and enhance plant resistance to diseases. The study focused on the wheat variety Novosibirskaya 29 and included laboratory experiments, two consecutive years of field trials, and computer modeling. The results showed that a dose range of 5 to 15 Gy is suitable as a pre-sowing irradiation treatment parameter for wheat seeds. According to Moscow State University...

2026-08-14

Russia's Bion-M 3 spacecraft planned for launch in 2030 to study effects of cosmic radiation on living organisms

Russia plans to launch the new Bion-M 3 spacecraft in 2030 to study the effects of cosmic radiation on living organisms under conditions similar to deep space. Vladimir Sychev, a senior official at the Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, presented the plan at a meeting of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Space Council on August 4. Sychev stated that cosmic rays, solar proton events, and their effects on the human body are critical issues that must be understood when planning long-term interplanetary crewed missions. Participants have endorsed the draft scientific research program for the spacecraft's flight testing. According to the plan, Bion-M 3 will be placed into a polar orbit at an altitude of approximately 800 kilometers...

2026-08-14

Radioactivity Levels in Arctic Archipelagos Within Background Range, Russian Research Team Reports No Anomalies

On August 13, Andrei Puchkov, senior researcher at the Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory of the N.P. Laverov Federal Arctic Integrated Research Center, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, stated that measurements taken during the 2026 Arctic Floating University expedition's landings on Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land showed very low radioactivity levels, with no anomalies detected. Puchkov noted that the expedition measured radon concentrations at all landing sites, with radon flux densities ranging from below 1 millibecquerel per square meter per second to 200 millibecquerels per square meter per second, all recorded values remaining within background levels. He indicated that permafrost acts as a barrier and shield in the region, preventing radioactive gases from reaching the surface; relatively higher radon fluxes in some areas may be associated with geological features such as fault zones and fracture zones.

2026-08-14

U.S. Poll Shows Majority of Respondents Support Prioritizing Permanent Disposal of High-Level Waste

A recent survey conducted by market research and data analysis company YouGov shows that more than 80 percent of U.S. respondents believe finding a permanent disposal solution for high-level radioactive waste should be a national priority; after learning about relevant technical information, a significant number of respondents viewed deep geological disposal as a credible option. Prototype canister for borehole disposal (Image: Deep Isolation) The survey was commissioned by nuclear waste disposal technology company Deep Isolation Inc. and conducted in April this year among 1,000 U.S. adults with a nationally representative sample. The survey covered public attitudes toward nuclear energy, concerns about radioactive waste management...

2026-08-14

Finland's Onkalo Spent Nuclear Fuel Final Disposal Facility Expected to Receive Operating License by Year-End

Finland's spent nuclear fuel final disposal project has entered the critical stage of operating license review. The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority of Finland (STUK) issued a statement saying that the design and emergency response procedures of the Onkalo final disposal facility meet the safety requirements for granting an operating license. The Finnish government is expected to decide whether to approve the facility's operation before the end of the year. Onkalo is located on Olkiluoto Island in southwestern Finland. "Onkalo" means "cave" in Finnish. If licensed and operational, the facility will become the world's first deep geological final disposal facility for spent nuclear fuel from nuclear power plants, serving as a reference for other countries considering similar facilities...

2026-08-14

CGN Dasheng Launches BV Cable X-Ray Thickness Gauge for Full Online Inspection of Cable Insulation Layers

CGN Dasheng Accelerator Technology Co., Ltd. recently announced that its BV cable X-ray thickness gauge can be used for online inspection of insulation layers during cable production. The system employs X-ray technology to perform real-time measurement of key parameters such as cable outer diameter, inner diameter, wall thickness, eccentricity, and concentricity, replacing the potential detection blind spots inherent in traditional sampling inspection methods. In cable production, insulation layer thickness directly affects product safety and material utilization. Traditional inspection typically relies on sample cutting, manual measurement, and recording, with limited inspection frequency. If issues such as uneven wall thickness or eccentricity occur during production, they are often difficult to detect in a timely manner, which also hinders subsequent quality traceability and process adjustment. According to the company, the equipment...

2026-08-14

China Isotope & Radiation's National Headquarters for Irradiation Application Industry Settles in Guangzhou

On August 11, the national headquarters of China Isotope & Radiation's irradiation application industry — CNNC Irradiation (Guangdong) Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "CNNC Irradiation") — officially settled in Tianhe District, Guangzhou, and entered the Pearl River New City. This marks an important milestone in the development of China Isotope & Radiation's irradiation application industry. The relocation of the national headquarters for irradiation application to Guangzhou is a key step for China Isotope & Radiation in implementing the central-local cooperation deployment between CNNC and Guangdong Province, and in strategically positioning for the "15th Five-Year Plan." As the nuclear technology application industry platform of CNNC, China Isotope & Radiation possesses a complete industrial chain and core technological advantages in the irradiation application field. It is a leading domestic provider of irradiation facility design, manufacturing, installation, and operation & maintenance services, and has accumulated extensive industrialization experience in high-end medical device sterilization, green irradiation processing of food and traditional Chinese medicinal materials, and material modification.

2026-08-14

Shimane Nuclear Power Station Unit 2 restarted and reached criticality

Chugoku Electric Power Co. announced on August 13 that it started up the reactor of Unit 2 at the Shimane Nuclear Power Station at 10:00 that day, and the unit reached a critical state at 12:14. Unit 2 of the Shimane Nuclear Power Station is a boiling water reactor with a rated electrical output of 820,000 kilowatts. Criticality refers to the state in which nuclear fission reactions in the reactor core can be sustained, and is one of the key milestones in the unit restart process. According to the plan, the unit will resume power generation, i.e., synchronize the generator to the grid, on August 18, 2026, and is expected to resume commercial operation on September 16, 2026. Chugoku Electric Power Co. stated that it will continue to prioritize safety and steadily advance all subsequent procedures.

2026-08-13

Russian and South African energy company representatives exchange nuclear emergency response cooperation

On August 11, the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry held an off-site information briefing. The event was organized by ATC JSC, a subsidiary of Rosatom, and attended by senior management representatives from Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd (ESKOM) of South Africa. The meeting aimed to establish professional contacts and exchange experience on topics including nuclear energy utilization, nuclear and radiation safety, and emergency response operations. During the event, a representative delivered a report titled "Current Status and Capabilities of the Rosatom Nuclear Emergency Response System in Conducting Emergency Response Operations at Fire Stations," presenting the operational framework and technical capabilities of the Rosatom nuclear emergency response system. Radiation monitoring equipment used by the emergency response system was also demonstrated during the event.

2026-08-13

Idaho National Laboratory's Hot Fuel Examination Facility Named U.S. Nuclear Historic Landmark

The American Nuclear Society (ANS) recently designated the Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) as a Nuclear Historic Landmark. Since becoming operational in 1975, the facility has conducted post-irradiation examination of nuclear fuel and materials, and continues to support research on advanced reactors, commercial nuclear fuel, and related energy security. HFEF is located within the Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) at Idaho National Laboratory and houses the largest inert-atmosphere hot cell in the United States dedicated to nuclear materials research. The hot cell operates in an argon environment and features approximately 4-foot-thick shielding walls, enabling remote, non-destructive, and high-precision examination of highly irradiated fuel and material samples while reducing worker radiation exposure.

2026-08-13

Heat Exchangers and Mechanical Filters for Russian Nuclear-Powered Icebreakers Complete Testing

On August 11, 2026, the manufacturing project for equipment supporting Russian nuclear-powered icebreakers achieved a milestone. InterPolaris has completed testing of multiple key equipment items, including two shell-and-tube heat exchangers and two mechanical filters. The shell-and-tube heat exchangers that completed testing this time are primarily used to heat water containing purification solutions using heating steam. Compared with conventional heat exchange equipment, the operating environment of marine nuclear power platforms is more complex, imposing higher requirements on structural strength, sealing performance, and operational stability. The horizontal heat exchanger is designed to accommodate prolonged vessel inclination conditions, with mounting brackets capable of withstanding loads from different directions and maintaining stable equipment parameters under complex operating conditions.

2026-08-13