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Slovenia's Krško Nuclear Power Plant Returns to Full Power Operation

On the evening of August 18, 2026, as meteorological conditions further improved, temperatures dropped, and river water temperatures declined, the Krško Nuclear Power Plant (NEK) increased reactor power to 100%, resuming full-load operation. During full-power operation, the plant will keep the entire cooling tower system in service to ensure compliance with relevant environmental limits and reduce the need for water withdrawal from the Sava River for cooling the plant's tertiary circuit. Previously, due to environmental restrictions related to the Sava River, the Krško Nuclear Power Plant reduced unit power to 80% on August 6, 2026. On August 14, following preliminary improvements in meteorological conditions, plant power was increased to 90%. Under the special operating conditions of this summer, when...

2026-08-20

Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant Fully Shut Down Due to Falling Danube River Water Levels

Due to the continuous decline of the Danube River water level, the two units of Romania's only nuclear power plant, the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant, have been successively shut down. To alleviate the pressure on electricity supply, Unit 4 of the Rovinari coal-fired cogeneration plant has been put into operation, adding approximately 330 megawatts of generating capacity to Romania's power system. Romania's nuclear power company (Nuclearelectrica) previously reported that due to the sharp decline in the Danube River water level, which affected the assurance of cooling water for the reactor, Unit 2 of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant was shut down in a controlled manner on the morning of August 13. The company stated that the shutdown process was carried out in accordance with procedures. At the end of July this year, Unit 1 of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant had already been shut down for the same reason...

2026-08-19

Rosatom Plans to Send Additional Experts to Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in September

Alexey Likhachev, CEO of Rosatom, said on August 18 that the company plans to send dozens of additional experts to Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in September. At that time, the total number of Rosatom staff on site at the nuclear power plant will exceed 100. Likhachev stated that the company plans to dispatch several dozen more personnel in September, bringing its on-site workforce at the Bushehr plant to nearly 100. He also noted that this does not mean the project has fully resumed construction, but it will create conditions for the continued construction of the project and avoid work stoppages. According to reports, the Russian experts currently working at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant...

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

Repeated Power Outages at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Raise Concerns over Equipment Aging and Safety Risks

August 13 news, the issue of repeated interruptions to the external power supply at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant continues to draw attention. Relevant data shows that since February 2022, the plant has experienced 26 power outages, 14 of which occurred in the first 8 months of 2026. The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. Once the external power supply is interrupted, the plant must switch to backup power to maintain the operation of essential safety systems. Frequent switching of power supply modes not only increases operational pressure but also poses additional risks to nuclear safety and radiation safety. Relevant parties have stated that signs of equipment aging at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant are intensifying, with the condition of diesel generator sets being particularly concerning. The backup diesel generator sets are generally...

2026-08-15

Energoatom and the E.O. Paton Electric Welding Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Sign Scientific and Technical Cooperation Agreement

On August 13, Pavlo Kovtoniuk, head of Ukraine's national nuclear energy company Energoatom, and Ihor Kryvtsun, director of the E.O. Paton Electric Welding Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, signed a scientific and technical cooperation agreement. Under the agreement, the two parties will integrate scientific research and engineering technical resources to provide technical support for the safe operation of nuclear power units and other nuclear energy facilities, and will cooperate in areas such as extending the service life of reactor installations and the feasibility study and implementation of new nuclear power unit projects...

2026-08-15

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

Unit 2 of Romania's Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant shut down for at least 10 days due to falling Danube River water levels

Romeo Urjan, head of Romania's Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant, said that due to the continuous decline of Danube River water levels, Unit 2 of the plant has been shut down since August 13 for at least 10 days. Romania's Ministry of Energy stated on August 12 that Unit 2 of the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant required a temporary shutdown. As planned, the shutdown operation began on the morning of August 13 and was completed before noon that day. Urjan stated that Danube River water levels are expected to continue declining over the next 10 days, so the plant currently has no plans to restart Unit 2. He emphasized that this shutdown is unrelated to nuclear safety issues or emergencies, with the main reason being...

2026-08-14

Energoatom and IAEA Strengthen Cooperation on Nuclear Power Emergency Preparedness

Acting CEO of Energoatom, Pavlo Kovtoniuk, recently held a working meeting with representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) coordination and technical team at the company's subsidiary, the Emergency Technical Center. During the meeting, Kovtoniuk briefed the IAEA representatives on the operational status of Energoatom under the current circumstances and the main challenges facing Ukraine's nuclear power operator. He stated that the safe operation of nuclear power plants and emergency response preparedness remain among the company's top priorities, and enhancing the capabilities of the Emergency Technical Center is a key component of these efforts. Uk...

2026-08-13

Nuclear Technology Aids Pest Control: Sterile Insect Technique Achieves Results in Multiple Countries

The application of nuclear technology is not limited to power generation and heating. In areas such as agricultural pest control, animal health, and disease vector management, the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) based on cobalt-60 gamma rays is playing an important role. The core approach of SIT involves mass-rearing target pests in specialized facilities, separating males, and then irradiating them with a cobalt-60 gamma ray source. The radiation causes DNA breaks in the reproductive cells of male insects, leaving them able to fly and mate with wild females but unable to produce viable offspring. As large numbers of sterile males are continuously released, the proportion of ineffective matings in the wild population increases, pest numbers decline generation after generation, and under certain conditions...

2026-08-13

Azerbaijan Says It Can Supply Electricity to Armenia, Focus on Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Replacement

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on August 12 that Azerbaijan could supply electricity to Armenia. He also stated that Armenia cannot indefinitely extend the operating lifetime of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant. The Armenian government has not yet responded to this proposal, nor has it indicated whether it would consider importing electricity from Azerbaijan. As signs of easing relations between the two countries emerge, the possibility of cross-border transportation and energy infrastructure development is being revisited. Armenia has long relied on Russia and Iran for its energy security. Currently, the country is studying proposals from companies in the United States, Russia, China...

2026-08-13

Romania's Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant to Shut Down Due to Falling Danube River Levels

Romania's Ministry of Energy announced on the 12th local time that, due to current hydrological conditions, Unit 2 of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant will undergo a controlled shutdown starting on the 13th. Cernavoda is Romania's only nuclear power plant, and this shutdown will mark the first time the plant has been completely taken offline since 2003. The Cernavoda plant has two units, with Unit 1 already shut down at the end of last month. The plant accounts for approximately one-fifth of Romania's electricity generation. Romanian authorities had previously taken engineering measures to delay the shutdown of Unit 2, including dredging relevant sections of the Danube River, blasting and removing underwater rock obstacles, clearing the riverbed, and sinking barges loaded with crushed stone into the river channel to adjust water flow conditions. These operations involved an investment of over 2 million euros.

2026-08-13

California Governor Says He Will Not Push for Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant Life Extension During His Term

California Governor Gavin Newsom said he will not push to extend the operating life of the state's only commercial nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon, during his final months in office. This means the plant's fate after 2030 will be left at least to the next state administration to decide. Located in San Luis Obispo County, California, the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant has two units and is owned and operated by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). Under an arrangement PG&E reached in 2016, the two units were originally scheduled for phased retirement. However, after California's high temperatures in 2022 triggered power supply strain and blackouts...

2026-08-12

IAEA Trains Ukrainian Experts in Non-Destructive Testing Techniques to Assess Damaged Infrastructure

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently conducted non-destructive testing (NDT) training for Ukrainian civil engineering experts through the International Atomic Energy Agency Support and Assistance Mission to Kherson State (ISAMKO), to support infrastructure safety assessment and recovery efforts following the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam. The training was held in July 2026 at the IAEA Non-Destructive Testing Service Center in Seibersdorf, Austria, over a five-day period, with nine Ukrainian experts participating. This was also the first training program held at the center since its inauguration in 2024. The course focused on the application of NDT techniques in civil engineering for infrastructure inspection, structural diagnostics, safety assessment, and asset integrity evaluation, helping participants...

2026-08-12

Ukraine and IAEA to Strengthen Nuclear Safety Coordination

Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi held an online meeting, focusing on further strengthening nuclear and radiation safety cooperation amid the war. Ukraine hopes to achieve independent assessments of risks and operational status of critical energy infrastructure and develop more protective measures through closer international coordination. The talks come against the backdrop of sustained security pressures on Ukraine's energy facilities. The Ukrainian side emphasized that a stably operating power system is not only vital to public electricity supply but also directly affects the safety assurance of nuclear power plants and related facilities. The IAEA has previously conducted expert work at multiple energy facilities in Ukraine...

2026-08-12