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Unit 2 of Romania's Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant not to shut down temporarily due to low Danube water level

Romania's National Nuclear Power Company (Nuclearelectrica) stated on July 30 that Unit 2 of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant will continue to operate connected to the grid. Previously, the company had warned that the unit, located in Constanța County in southeastern Romania, might need to shut down due to the low water level of the Danube River. The company said that based on an operational analysis completed the previous night, experts believe the currently obtained relevant parameters allow Unit 2 to continue operating under safe conditions. Therefore, the unit will remain connected to Romania's national power system. Nuclearelectrica also stated that technical personnel will continuously monitor and analyze the plant's operating parameters. Given the subsequent hydrological forecasts for the Danube water level...

2026-07-31

Third fuel debris retrieval test at Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2 postponed due to robotic arm malfunction

The robot used by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) for the third experimental fuel debris retrieval at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Unit 2 malfunctioned during an on-site operational test, forcing the cancellation of the plan originally scheduled to start after July 2026 if all went well. The company stated it will reassess the relevant procedures. The malfunction occurred in part of the large robotic arm equipment used to collect fuel debris. During an operational test in the reactor building of Unit 2, TEPCO found an abnormality in one of the motors driving the robotic arm, causing the brake to fail to release and the arm to be unable to extend. The company is currently studying the replacement of the faulty motor. The third experimental retrieval plan was to use a large robotic arm...

2026-07-31

Restart of Tomari Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 Delayed to After End of 2027

Hokkaido Electric Power Co. announced on July 30 that the restart of Unit 3 at the Tomari Nuclear Power Plant will be significantly delayed compared to earlier expectations, with the earliest possible date being the end of 2027 or later. Previously, the company had set a target of restarting as early as possible within 2027, but due to delays in the seawall construction project and the fact that the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has not yet completed its review of the relevant design and construction plans, the timeline for the unit's return to operation remains uncertain. Hokkaido Electric Power President Susumu Saito stated at a press conference that the seawall at the Tomari plant was originally scheduled for completion in the spring of 2027, but is now expected to be finished by mid-August 2027 due to additional work such as seismic reinforcement of the wharf and liquefaction countermeasures...

2026-07-31

Bulgarian Expert Says Belene NPP Restart Technically Feasible

Bulgarian energy expert Bogomil Manchev recently stated that the long-dormant Belene NPP project remains technically viable for restart. If Bulgaria and Ukraine jointly participate in financing and establish a co-ownership mechanism, the project could become a new nuclear power project built through bilateral cooperation. Manchev believes that Ukraine will still face significant electricity demand for a long period in the future. If funding can be secured for the project, Bulgaria could proceed with nuclear power plant construction at the original Belene site. His proposed options include joint financing and co-ownership by both countries, or Ukraine signing a long-term power purchase agreement to support project financing...

2026-07-23

Xinhua Exclusive Interview | China Makes Significant Contributions to the "Artificial Sun" Project — Interview with Alain Bécoulet, Deputy Director-General and Chief Scientist of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor Organization

On July 26, 2027, Xinhua News Agency published an exclusive interview with Alain Bécoulet, Deputy Director-General and Chief Scientist of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Organization, on China's significant contributions to the "Artificial Sun" project and its role in accelerating global fusion research. Bécoulet noted that China plays a fundamental role in supplying ITER components (superconducting technology, cables, magnet manufacturing, cryostats, etc.), and that the tokamak installation work undertaken by the Chinese consortium "exceeded expectations in terms of time and cost." He also stated that facilities such as EAST, HL-3, and BEST provide ITER with experimental predictions, component testing, and technical twin validation. He believes that through sustained investment and international cooperation, China has begun to play a leading role in the global fusion field.

2026-07-27

Nuclear power companies in Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, selected for SMR advanced manufacturing technology project

Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, announced on the 30th that local nuclear power companies and research institutions have all been selected in a government project solicitation, and will participate in developing three key technologies to shorten the manufacturing cycle of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). This project is organized and solicited by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment of South Korea and the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP), with a focus on innovative SMR manufacturing technologies. These technologies are considered helpful in improving the manufacturing efficiency of key reactor components and compressing production cycles. According to the arrangement, Doosan Enerbility...

2026-07-31

U.S. Confirms Order for Nine Virginia-Class Block VI Nuclear Submarines

The U.S. Department of Defense has confirmed that it has signed a contract modification agreement with General Dynamics Electric Boat to order nine Virginia-class Block VI multi-purpose nuclear-powered submarines. The statement said the contract is an incentive-based modification, and the submarines will be used by the U.S. Navy. Despite delays in General Dynamics' previous orders, both parties have moved forward with this new contract. On July 15, U.S. President Donald Trump had asked the company's management to accelerate the construction progress of U.S. Navy submarines. In addition to the Virginia-class submarines, the U.S. Department of Defense has also ordered five Columbia-class Type II ballistic missile nuclear submarines from Newport News Shipbuilding. Under the contract arrangement, related work is expected to be completed before July 2038...

2026-07-31

Lufeng Nuclear Power Unit 5 PMC Installation Task Successfully Completed

On July 6, 2026, with the successful installation, handover, and commissioning of the PMC02 and PMC03 systems for Lufeng Nuclear Power Unit 5, the PMC system installation work for the unit was successfully completed, marking the full achievement of the core tasks of the 5PMC Installation Joint Party Member Task Force. The smooth realization of this key milestone fully demonstrated the robust capability of the integrated engineering and production joint team in collaborative construction, driving a phased breakthrough in the construction of Unit 5. This laid a solid foundation for subsequent on-site inspections for the nuclear material license and the smooth receipt of new fuel. Collaborative Breakthrough to Ensure Milestones As the core specialized key equipment for receiving, storing, and transferring nuclear fuel in a nuclear power plant, the PMC system is a critical carrier ensuring the stable operation of the fuel handling system and an indispensable prerequisite for on-site nuclear material license inspections. Its installation quality and construction schedule directly impact the overall construction pace of the unit and the broader fuel loading and commissioning timeline. During this PMC installation phase, the on-site construction conditions were complex, and the pressure to overcome challenges was unprecedented. The team faced multiple difficulties, including intensive cross-disciplinary operations, intricate construction interfaces, severely limited workspace, and tight availability of lifting and scaffolding resources. Project progress faced significant resistance, coordination was highly challenging, and the task was extremely arduous. To fundamentally reverse the passive situation and ensure the achievement of construction goals, the Lufeng Nuclear Power Production Service Department, under the overall guidance of the company's Party Committee, took the initiative. It adopted a model where leaders personally oversaw the campaign and tackled problems directly on-site. By coordinating the construction efforts of the Safety Protection Department, Technical Department, Project Department, supervision units, and various participating construction entities, the PMC Installation Joint Party Member Task Force was formally established. The team consistently adhered to Party-building leadership in project breakthroughs, firmly upholding the value orientation of "Three Focuses." They solidified a normalized multi-party coordination mechanism involving daily meetings and on-the-spot problem-solving, effectively breaking down construction barriers and interface bottlenecks between the work teams of the two construction companies, CNNC Huaxing and China Nuclear Industry 23. By dynamically coordinating construction plans, on-site safety management, manpower organization, and resource allocation, they achieved on-site problem identification, assessment, and resolution. This efficiently resolved various issues such as cross-construction conflicts, material transport obstructions, and resource allocation tensions. Through meticulous coordination and integrated collaborative operations, they provided solid organizational support for achieving the construction goals. Innovation and Pragmatism to Set Benchmarks Throughout the entire campaign, all Party member core members took the lead, shouldered heavy responsibilities, targeted efforts precisely, and broke through difficulties, comprehensively solidifying on-site construction conditions. The team scientifically coordinated the erection, dismantling, and optimization of scaffolding in the fuel building, streamlined the construction logic for civil and installation cross-operations, and systematically completed the defect rectification and power-on work for the spent fuel crane, auxiliary crane, and 130t overhead crane, thoroughly clearing pre-installation obstacles for key equipment introduction. All personnel adhered to the principle of "taking one step forward, being proactive," ensuring that on-site conditions did not wait for procedures and that progress was not stalled by interfaces. They continuously optimized process connections and operational logic, focused on key areas in phases, assigned responsibilities by module, and dynamically optimized resource allocation. By balancing safety with progress and upholding both bottom lines and efficiency, they efficiently and successfully completed the introduction, positioning, and installation of key equipment for the PMC02 system. Concurrently, leveraging experience from previous multi-unit construction projects, the team boldly broke away from traditional fixed procedures and innovatively optimized the construction organization logic. They adopted an interleaved parallel construction approach, simultaneously carrying out multiple key specialized tasks for the first time within the group, including preliminary nuclear cleaning of the spent fuel pool hall, pressure testing of the spent fuel pool, pipe installation and flushing, and comprehensive foreign material search and removal from the fuel racks. Through innovation and pragmatic action, they created a benchmark case for efficient PMC system installation in Hualong One units. Successful Completion, Setting Off Again The successful completion of the PMC installation campaign for Unit 5 is a landmark achievement demonstrating the deep integration of Party-building and production at Lufeng Nuclear Power, efficient multi-disciplinary coordination, and the effective implementation of refined on-site management. It fully showcases the excellent spirit of the Party member team in daring to fight tough battles, being capable of winning them, charging forward, and sustaining continuous operations. The journey does not end; the campaign continues. Next, the PMC Installation Joint Party Member Task Force will persistently maintain its fighting posture, firmly anchor on the overall goal of unit fuel loading, steadily advance the commissioning and various functional tests of the PMC02 and PMC03 systems, and efficiently complete key tasks such as system commissioning and the interconnection of the four pools. They will strive to ensure the smooth passage of the on-site nuclear material license inspection, injecting strong momentum into the high-quality and safe commissioning and operation of the unit.

2026-07-31

Joint Safety Inspection of Directly Managed Nuclear Technology Utilization Units in Shandong by East China and North China Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision Stations

To thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important directive on the Quanzhou shoe factory fire accident, which calls for "in-depth investigation and rectification of various risk hazards, meticulous implementation of safety production measures, and resolute prevention of major and catastrophic accidents," the Ministry of Ecology and Environment's East China Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision Station (hereinafter referred to as the East China Station) recently joined forces with the North China Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision Station (hereinafter referred to as the North China Station) to take swift action. Together, they formed a joint inspection team to conduct safety inspections on some of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment's directly managed nuclear technology utilization units in Shandong Province. Shandong currently has 19 such units directly managed by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, making it a major province in nuclear technology utilization. To ensure that this joint inspection achieves the goal of identifying...

2026-07-31

South China Regional Office of the National Nuclear Safety Administration Conducts Special Supervision and Inspection of Changjiang Units Under Construction

As the South China region enters the main flood season with concentrated typhoons and heavy rainfall, nuclear facilities face significant pressure in resisting meteorological disasters, and safety control responsibilities are critical. To rigorously prevent nuclear safety risks triggered by natural disasters during the flood season and to reinforce the primary responsibility of operating entities for safety production, the South China Regional Office of the National Nuclear Safety Administration (hereinafter referred to as the South China Regional Office) made advance deployments and carried out a special supervision and inspection of typhoon and flood prevention for the Changjiang units under construction in an unannounced manner. This inspection comprehensively verified the effectiveness of control measures, tightened the primary responsibility of the operating entity, and effectively built a safety barrier for nuclear facilities during the flood season. Inspectors went deep into the construction sites of Units 3 and 4 of the Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant and the small modular reactor demonstration project, focusing on checking nuclear...

2026-07-31

U.S. Brookhaven National Laboratory Achieves Milestones in High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider Upgrade

On July 29, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN concluded its recent run and entered a four-year shutdown for maintenance. During this shutdown, some LHC components will be dismantled and rebuilt for the High-Luminosity LHC (HiLumi LHC) upgrade project. The U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory has recently achieved important production milestones in both accelerator and detector-related work. The LHC helps scientists study the fundamental structure of matter by accelerating and colliding two beams of protons traveling in opposite directions in a nearly 17-mile circular ring. The core goal of the HiLumi LHC upgrade is to significantly increase the number of particle collisions per unit time, i.e., enhance "luminosity," thereby increasing the chance of recording rare interactions.

2026-07-30

Fuel unloading completed for Unit 3 of Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant

On July 30, Unit 3 of the Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant completed the unloading of reactor fuel assemblies, and the planned refueling outage has now entered its next phase. During this outage, the plant will replace part of the nuclear fuel and carry out hundreds of inspections, tests, and maintenance activities to enhance nuclear safety levels and ensure the long-term stable operation of the unit. In this outage, although the actual number of fuel assemblies to be replaced accounts for about one-fifth of the total, operators must first remove all fuel assemblies from the entire core and transfer them to the spent fuel pool. Subsequently, the reactor water level will be lowered to create conditions for maintenance of core cooling system components and inspection of some primary circuit equipment...

2026-07-30

Kazakhstan Atomic Energy Agency Holds Meeting on Uranium Mining Enterprise Regulation Implementation in Shymkent

On July 29, 2026, Deputy Director of the Atomic Energy Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan G.E. Sergazin conducted a working visit to Shymkent and held a meeting with heads and representatives of uranium mining enterprises to discuss the recently adopted amendments to national regulatory documents in the field of atomic energy use. The meeting focused on interpreting key changes in the new regulations, including modernized approaches to radioactive waste treatment, strengthened requirements for atomic energy use and radioactive waste management, and enhanced efficiency of the national regulatory mechanism. Participants also discussed the practical implementation of the new norms in the daily operations and compliance management of uranium mining enterprises. The meeting was conducted in an open dialogue format. ...

2026-07-30

Annual outage maintenance of Loviisa Nuclear Power Plant begins on August 2

Fortum, the Finnish state-owned energy company, announced that the annual outage maintenance of the Loviisa Nuclear Power Plant will commence on August 2, starting with Unit 2 and then transitioning to Unit 1. The maintenance is scheduled to continue until October 18. During this period, the two units will be taken offline for maintenance in rotation, with the other unit remaining in operation. As planned, Unit 2 will undergo a major annual overhaul conducted every eight years. During the maintenance, staff will unload the reactor fuel, inspect and pressure test the reactor pressure vessel, replace approximately one-quarter of the fuel, and complete a series of equipment maintenance and servicing tasks. Unit 1 will undergo a shorter routine annual maintenance, primarily involving fuel replacement and related maintenance work.

2026-07-30

Curium Advances Second Cyclotron Investment Plan in Romania to Expand PET Imaging Supply

On July 30, Curium announced that it is advancing its second cyclotron investment plan in Romania to expand access to advanced nuclear medicine services locally and further strengthen healthcare infrastructure. According to the introduction, after completing assessments of market opportunities, technical requirements, and regional infrastructure, Curium has identified the Cluj-Napoca region as the preferred site for the project and selected a preferred local partner. Preparatory work is currently underway to support the project's progression to the next phase. This expansion plan aims to increase relevant production capacity, enhance PET imaging equipment and service supply capabilities, improve patient access to advanced diagnostic procedures, and support the...

2026-07-30