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Japan to Use Fukushima Decontaminated Soil at Government Office Buildings in Sendai and Saitama

At a Cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister's Office on August 25, the Japanese government decided to use decontaminated soil generated from the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident for flower beds and other areas at joint government office buildings in Sendai City and Saitama City. This will mark the first use of such recycled soil outside Tokyo. According to the plan, the relevant office buildings will use a total of approximately 2 cubic meters of low-radioactivity "reconstruction recycled soil," with the specific construction schedule still being coordinated. The usage site in Saitama City is located at the government joint office building in the Saitama New Urban Center area, and Sendai City will also implement similar arrangements at its joint government office building. Under Japanese law, soil decontaminated after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident must be transported outside Fukushima Prefecture for final disposal by March 2045. The Japanese government hopes that by first using such soil in public facilities, it can promote the final disposal work outside Fukushima Prefecture and enhance public understanding of the safety and necessity of such soil.

2026-08-25

Huaneng Hainan Changjiang Nuclear Power Unit 4 Standardized Demonstration Zone Construction Achieves Phased Progress

To thoroughly implement the safety production directives from higher authorities and effectively enhance the visual management level of safe and civilized construction at Changjiang Nuclear Power Unit 4, on August 16, 2026, the special working group for the safe and civilized construction standardization demonstration zone of Huaneng Hainan Changjiang Nuclear Power Unit 4 went deep into the construction site to conduct a comprehensive inspection and guidance on the creation of the standardized demonstration zone for Unit 4. The inspection was led by company leaders, with the participation of relevant responsible persons from the Engineering Management Department, Safety and Quality Assurance Department, as well as major construction participating units including CNNC 22 and CNNC 5. The working group strictly followed the implementation plan, verifying item by item the setting of signage and labels in the demonstration zone, material fixed-position management, safety protection facilities, environmental sanitation...

2026-08-22

Vietnam's National Assembly Agrees to Include Splitting Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Project into Independent Items on Meeting Agenda

On the morning of August 21, Vietnam's National Assembly voted to approve the arrangement for supplementing the agenda of the first extraordinary session of the 16th National Assembly, including the splitting of the Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Project into independent items. Phan Chi Hieu, Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Law and Justice, stated while presenting the report on behalf of the National Assembly Standing Committee that, based on the government's proposal, the Standing Committee recommended that the National Assembly supplement three agenda items: first, splitting the Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Project into independent items; second, incorporating mechanisms and policies related to the construction of land-reclamation urban area projects into the draft Law on Urban Development; third, reviewing the draft National Assembly resolution on reducing personal income tax and corporate income tax for individuals and enterprises. In supplementing the relevant ag...

2026-08-22

US Standard Nuclear and Radiant Sign TRISO Fuel Supply Agreement

Standard Nuclear announced on August 20 that it has signed a binding TRISO nuclear fuel supply agreement with Radiant Industries, Inc. of the United States. Under the agreement, Radiant will receive a multi-ton supply of TRISO fuel, with deliveries continuing through 2031, to support its microreactor deployment plans. Standard Nuclear, headquartered in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, states that it is currently the only company in the United States with an industrial-scale TRISO fuel manufacturing facility. The agreement is aimed at Radiant's Kaleidos microreactor currently under development. The reactor has a power output of 1 megawatt and is designed to be transportable...

2026-08-21

Kyushu Electric Power explains holding company transition to Kagoshima Prefecture; Sendai Nuclear Power Plant business to continue

On August 20, Kyushu Electric Power President Masaru Nishiyama and two others visited the Kagoshima Prefectural Government to explain to Governor Koichi Shiota the company's plan to transition to a holding company structure in October this year. Under the plan, Kyushu Electric Power will establish a new holding company, Kyuden Holdings, as the group's parent company to improve overall group management efficiency. Following the restructuring, relevant subsidiaries under Kyushu Electric Power will continue to undertake nuclear power operations, including the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant. During the meeting, Governor Shiota specifically highlighted the dry storage facility for spent nuclear fuel that Kyushu Electric Power plans to adopt at the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant...

2026-08-21

Construction of the conventional island raft foundation slab for Unit 2 of Zhejiang Jinqimen Nuclear Power Plant completed

At 3:36 on August 20, the raft foundation slab pouring for the conventional island of Unit 2 at Zhejiang Jinqimen Nuclear Power Plant was successfully completed. With the final batch of concrete precisely placed into the formwork, the main structure construction of the conventional island for this unit was officially initiated. The concrete supply for this pouring operation was provided by CNNC Concrete Xiangshan Branch. The operation lasted 29 hours and 20 minutes, with a cumulative supply of over 4,000 cubic meters of concrete, achieving continuous and stable material delivery. The maximum pouring thickness at this section was 3 meters, with a height difference of 7 meters at the variable cross-section locations, and the structural design service life is 60 years. The project features large-volume, high-intensity construction characteristics, compounded by the rainy climate conditions on site, imposing stringent requirements on concrete supply continuity, delivery stability, and temperature control precision.

2026-08-21

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

Egypt Clarifies Safety Concerns over Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant: Project Implemented in Accordance with International Nuclear Safety Standards

The Egyptian Cabinet Media Center recently issued a statement responding to questions regarding the application of safety standards during the implementation of the Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant project. The statement said that the circulating content failed to accurately and balancedly reflect the actual situation of the project, and directly extrapolated certain engineering observations into issues of project safety and implementation efficiency, lacking the necessary technical and regulatory context. The Egyptian Nuclear Power Plants Authority stated that the construction of the Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant is proceeding in accordance with international nuclear safety standards, with all civil, engineering, and installation works executed in compliance with international quality requirements and subject to continuous inspections by the Authority's monitoring and supervision teams. Relevant works may only proceed to the implementation phase after completing regulatory procedures and obtaining the necessary approvals from the Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority...

2026-08-18

Hyundai E&C Signs Framework Agreement with TerraPower for Natrium Nuclear Power Plant Project

Hyundai Engineering & Construction announced on the 18th that it has signed a framework agreement with U.S. nuclear energy company TerraPower for the execution of the Natrium next-generation nuclear power plant project. Under the agreement, Hyundai E&C has been granted priority status to serve as the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) general contractor for up to eight additional Natrium nuclear units developed by TerraPower. The signing ceremony was attended by senior executives from both companies, including Hyundai E&C CEO Lee Han-woo and TerraPower CEO Chris Levesque. The two parties plan to expand cooperation in the nuclear energy sector and jointly explore new business opportunities...

2026-08-18

Multiple regions in Japan demand nuclear power operators strengthen safety management and information disclosure

On August 17, Keisuke Yokoo, the new chairman of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), visited the Niigata Prefectural Government and met with Niigata Governor Hideyo Hanazumi. Yokoo assumed his post in June, becoming the first chairman of TEPCO to come from a financial institution. The meeting is seen as an arrangement for the new TEPCO management, following its official launch, to communicate with local governments on nuclear safety and trust rebuilding. Yokoo stated that, as the party responsible for the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, TEPCO will always bear in mind that there is no end to safety and will continuously improve the safety level of its nuclear power plants. He also expressed his commitment to ensuring the safe operation of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant. Hanazumi said at the meeting...

2026-08-18

4.4-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Fukuoka Area; Kyushu Electric Says No Abnormalities at Genkai and Sendai Nuclear Plants

At around 6:37 a.m. on August 17, an earthquake struck the Fukuoka area of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, with a maximum seismic intensity of 4, a focal depth of approximately 10 kilometers, and a magnitude of 4.4. Kyushu Electric Power Co. (KEPCO) subsequently announced that the operational status of its Genkai and Sendai nuclear power plants was unaffected, with no abnormalities detected in the relevant units. According to Kyushu Electric Power, Unit 4 of the Genkai Nuclear Power Plant in Saga Prefecture continued normal operation, while Unit 3 was undergoing periodic inspection; Units 1 and 2 of the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant in Kagoshima Prefecture continued normal operation. The company stated that no impact on power supply had been confirmed. During the earthquake, Itoshima City in Fukuoka Prefecture...

2026-08-17

Survey of Japanese 18-year-olds: Nearly 60% support restarting or replacing nuclear reactors that meet safety standards

A survey of young people around age 18 in Japan shows that nearly 60% of respondents support restarting nuclear power plants that meet safety standards or replacing existing reactors with new units; meanwhile, over 70% of respondents have expectations or some expectations for advanced innovative reactors. The 18-year-old awareness survey conducted by the Nippon Foundation asked respondents to choose which of two statements was closer to their own view: one being that nuclear power plants meeting safety standards should be restarted or replaced with new units; the other being that nuclear power should not be relied upon due to accident risks and radioactive waste issues. The results showed that 28.5% of respondents said their view was "close" to the first statement, and 29.8...

2026-08-16

American Society for Radiation Oncology Foundation to Award $2.4 Million in Grants to 14 Researchers

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Foundation will award a total of $2.4 million in research grants to 14 scientists dedicated to advancing patient care in radiation medicine. ASTRO stated that the 2026 awards are the first annual grants issued since the society renamed its foundation to LightSpeed—ASTRO Foundation earlier this year. The rebranded foundation will focus on accelerating relevant research and strengthening workforce development in the field of radiation oncology. This round of funding is co-sponsored by the American Cancer Society, the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the LUNGevity Foundation, and the Prostate Cancer Foundation. ASTRO CEO Vive...

2026-08-13

HD Hyundai Chairman to Meet Bill Gates to Advance SMR Cooperation

HD Hyundai Chairman Chung Ki-sun will meet Bill Gates, who is visiting South Korea, on August 14, with the two sides planning discussions on cooperation in small modular reactors (SMRs). Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, also serves as chairman of TerraPower, a U.S. small modular reactor company. This will be the latest round of communication between Chung and Gates on related cooperation, following their meeting earlier this year at the Davos Forum in Switzerland. HD Hyundai and TerraPower have been steadily strengthening cooperation in SMR and advanced reactor manufacturing in recent years. In November 2022, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering invested $30 million in TerraPower. In December 2024, HD Hyundai secured an order to manufacture the reactor vessel for TerraPower's 345 MW sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) to be built in Wyoming, U.S.

2026-08-13

New National Standard GB/T 18525.1-2026 — The Red Beans and Mung Beans You Eat May Have Been

Starting December 1, 2026, a new national standard concerning food safety on your dining table will officially take effect — Recently, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration of China issued the 2026 No. 23 National Standard Announcement, among which the "Irradiation Technology for Agricultural Products — Part 1: Legumes and Their Products" (GB/T 18525.1-2026) is particularly noteworthy. This standard, led by the Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, will officially take effect on December 1, 2026, replacing the old standard (GB/T 18525.1-2001) that has been in use for over 20 years. When hearing the word "irradiation," many people's first reaction is: "Is it safe?" "Will food become radioactive after being irradiated..."

2026-08-13