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US Utility Xcel Energy's Nuclear Plant Life Extension Boosts Q2 Earnings Significantly

Xcel Energy, a multi-state regulated electric and gas utility headquartered in Minneapolis, USA, achieved significant earnings growth in the second quarter, primarily driven by reduced depreciation expenses resulting from extended operating lives of its nuclear power plants. The company extended the expected operating lives of its nuclear plants to 2050 and beyond, thereby lowering quarterly depreciation costs and positively impacting its financial performance. Despite a decline in operating revenues, net income still grew by 32% to $586 million, with diluted earnings per share rising from $0.75 to $0.93. The extension of nuclear plant operating lives does not imply an immediate increase in cash flow or power generation...

2026-08-03

Fuse Signs Five-Year Cooperative R&D Agreement with Nevada National Security Sites

U.S. fusion energy company Fuse Energy Technologies Corporation (Fuse) announced on August 2 that it has signed a five-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Mission Support and Test Services (MSTS) at the Nevada National Security Sites (NNSS). MSTS manages and operates NNSS. The agreement establishes a long-term collaboration framework between Fuse and NNSS. The initial research projects will focus on next-generation fusion technology validation, tritium-related capability enhancement, increasing neutron yield from pulsed fusion generators, and U.S. domestic...

2026-08-03

Danube Water Levels Continue to Drop, Putting Pressure on Romania's Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant Operations

Romanian official Sorin Lindasu said on August 1 that if the Danube River water level continues to decline, the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant in Constanța County, southeastern Romania, may only be able to continue operating for 4 to 5 days. To ensure the water level required for continuous plant operation, relevant parties have begun implementing hydraulic engineering works on the Danube. Lindasu stated that the Danube water level is currently dropping at a rate of about 2 to 3 centimeters per day. A flow rate of 1,590 cubic meters per second has been recorded at the Baziaș inlet where the Danube enters Romanian territory, and this figure is expected to continue declining, potentially falling to about 1,450 cubic meters per second by August 7. Under these conditions, Cernavodă...

2026-08-03

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant currently relies on only one external power line for electricity supply

Alexey Likhachev, President of Rosatom, stated that the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant currently obtains electricity through only one 330 kV external transmission line—Ferrosplavnaya-1—and that the instability of external power supply remains one of the main safety hazards facing the facility. According to the company's press office, Likhachev noted that the lack of a second operational external transmission line at the Zaporizhzhia NPP increases the risk to the safe operation of the plant's units. Although the plant is in a shutdown state, its safety-critical systems still require a stable power supply to ensure the continued operation of equipment related to nuclear safety...

2026-08-03

Nitrogen Supply Unit at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Resumes Operation After Malfunction

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) reported on August 1 that a reactor nitrogen supply unit at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station malfunctioned that day, but was subsequently repaired and resumed gas supply. The company stated that during the malfunction, no significant fluctuations were observed in hydrogen concentrations inside the reactors of Units 1 to 3 or in surrounding radiation monitoring data, and no risk of hydrogen explosion was confirmed. The reactor containments and pressure vessels of Units 1 to 3 at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station require continuous nitrogen injection to suppress hydrogen accumulation resulting from radiolysis of water. If hydrogen concentrations exceed a certain level, the risk of hydrogen explosion may increase. According to TEPCO, at 11:14 a.m. on August 1, a worker...

2026-08-03

Danube at Record Low, Hungary's Paks Nuclear Plant Faces First Full Shutdown in 44 Years

On August 2, Hungarian authorities stated that the Paks Nuclear Power Plant may halt electricity generation due to the Danube River dropping to a historic low. This is the country's only nuclear power plant, with an installed capacity of approximately 2 gigawatts, generating nearly half of Hungary's total electricity output. The Paks Nuclear Power Plant draws water from the Danube for cooling. Due to persistent high temperatures and insufficient rainfall, the Danube's water level has been continuously declining recently. Hungarian water authorities predict that the river, which flows from Germany to the Black Sea, will see further drops in water levels in the coming days. As of 18:37 GMT on August 2, the Paks Nuclear Power Plant's output was only slightly above 10% of its installed capacity. Péter M...

2026-08-03

Xinjiang's First Domestically Developed SPECT/CT Put into Operation at the First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University

Recently, the mid-term summary meeting of the National Key R&D Program project "Research on Application Solutions for Domestically Developed Dual-Head Single-Photon Imaging Equipment (SPECT)" under the 14th Five-Year Plan, along with the SPECT/CT commissioning ceremony and academic seminar, was held at the First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University. The Insight four-dimensional quantitative SPECT/CT from永新医疗 (Yongxin Medical) was officially installed in Xinjiang, becoming the first domestically developed SPECT/CT system put into clinical use in the region. A representative from the First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University stated that the commissioning of the domestically developed SPECT/CT will help the hospital improve its precision diagnosis and treatment system in northern Xinjiang and enhance regional nuclear medicine service capabilities. Experts attending the meeting noted that the deployment of this system in clinical practice will help explore the standardized application pathways of SPECT/CT in primary hospitals and accumulate clinical experience in the use of nuclear medicine imaging equipment in western China.

2026-08-03

Wuke Superconducting Completes Tens of Millions in Angel Round Financing, Accelerating the Industrialization of High-Temperature Superconducting Tapes

In late July 2026, Beijing Wuke Superconducting Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Wuke Superconducting") completed an angel round financing of tens of millions of RMB. This round was jointly invested by CASSTAR, Zhongguancun Capital, and Huairou Hard Technology Fund. The joint backing of several renowned venture capital institutions fully confirms the capital market's high recognition of Wuke Superconducting's core team, technical strength, and industry development prospects. Wuke Superconducting was initiated by the technical team of the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, focusing on the R&D, preparation, and industrial application of a new generation of high-temperature superconducting tapes. The company is dedicated to overcoming the key bottlenecks in transitioning high-temperature superconducting materials from laboratory to large-scale application, building an integrated platform covering superconducting target development, core equipment R&D, high-performance tape preparation, and ultimate performance characterization of wires and tapes.

2026-08-03

The 14th "Charm of Nuclear" Nuclear Science Summer Camp Opens at Shanghai Jiao Tong University

On July 31, the 14th "Charm of Nuclear" National Nuclear Science Summer Camp, co-hosted by the Chinese Nuclear Society and China National Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., organized by the Nuclear Power Operation Research Institute and co-organized by Qinshan Nuclear Power, opened at the Gaotian Hall on the Minhang Campus of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The opening ceremony also featured lectures by academicians and experts, providing a high-quality platform for young people to explore nuclear science and technology through diverse and enriching science communication formats. Chai Zhifang, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and honorary director of the State Key Laboratory of Radiological Medicine and Radiation Protection at Soochow University, Gao Keli, deputy secretary-general of the Chinese Nuclear Society, and relevant officials from the CNNC Shanghai Market Development Department, the Nuclear Power Operation Research Institute, and the School of Mechanical Engineering at Shanghai Jiao Tong University...

2026-08-03

Unit 3 of the Huaneng Changjiang Nuclear Power Phase II project—Hainan Province's first "Hualong One" nuclear power project—has been connected to the grid and is generating electricity

On August 1, Unit 3 of the Huaneng Changjiang Nuclear Power Phase II Project, the first large-scale pressurized water reactor nuclear power project under controlling construction by China Huaneng Group Co., Ltd. and the first "Hualong One" nuclear power project in Hainan Province, was connected to the grid, generating Huaneng's first kilowatt-hour of pressurized water reactor nuclear power. This marks that the unit has officially gained the capability to transmit power to the grid, taking a key step toward the goal of commercial operation. The project plans to build two 1.2-million-kilowatt nuclear power units, equipped with China's independently developed third-generation pressurized water reactor nuclear power technology, the "Hualong One." It vigorously promotes the independent design of nuclear power and the localization of equipment manufacturing, and adopts a safety design concept combining active and passive systems, which can significantly improve the reliability and safety of the nuclear power plant. ...

2026-08-03

Anambra State, Nigeria Strengthens Cooperation with Nuclear Regulatory Authority to Enhance Safety Management of Medical Radioactive Materials

The Anambra State Government of Nigeria recently stated that it will strengthen cooperation with the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) to enhance radiation safety across the state and ensure the safe and compliant use of radioactive materials in medical institutions. At a meeting held in Awka, the capital of Anambra State, Dr. Afam Obidike, the State Commissioner for Health, exchanged views on relevant cooperation with a delegation from the NNRA. The delegation was led by Ekene Efenemoku, the NNRA's Southeast Zonal Coordinator. Efenemoku stated that the visit aimed to deepen bilateral cooperation and brief the state government on the NNRA's statutory responsibilities. According to his introduction, the...

2026-08-01

Wachtebeke Municipal Council Reintroduces Nuclear Power Plant Motion

The municipal council of Wachtebeke, Belgium, has once again seen a motion regarding the construction of a nuclear power plant in Paulina Polder, but this time, unlike before, the motion has gained the support of the far-right PVV party. Previously, the plan had been highly controversial, with local residents and environmental organizations strongly opposing the construction of a new nuclear power plant in this sensitive wetland area. They fear irreversible environmental impacts and question the necessity of building new nuclear plants during the energy transition. The introduction of this motion marks a further strengthening of opposition to the project. The PVV's support increases the likelihood of the motion passing and places greater pressure on local authorities. More...

2026-08-01

Buried Cesium-137 Sealed Source Discovered by Texas Patrol Officer Near Roadside in Midland County

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, a corporal with the department recently discovered a buried cesium-137 sealed radioactive source with an activity of 100 millicuries during a routine patrol near a roadway in Midland County. The incident resulted in no injuries or radiation contamination, and public safety was not threatened. On July 24 local time, the corporal, assigned to the department's Radioactive/Nuclear Threat Detection Section, was patrolling near South County Road 1210 when the vehicle-mounted radiation detection system activated. He then used other detection equipment to survey the surrounding area and traced the radiation signal to an underground location. To ensure safe disposal, he requested assistance from local, state, and federal...

2026-08-02

Six Polish companies enter final stage of supplier qualification for Westinghouse AP1000 first reactor

Poland's Mostostal Kielce, along with five other Polish companies, has entered the final stage of qualification jointly organized by Westinghouse and Polish Nuclear Power Company (PEJ), with the potential to participate in the construction of Poland's first nuclear power plant. The plant will be located in the Choczewo municipality and will use AP1000 technology. The six companies entering the final stage include Mostostal Kielce, FAMAK, Ferrum Welded Structures Plant, Mostostal Siedlce, Mostostal Kraków, and Energomontaż-Północ Gdynia. In the final round, they will produce structural mock-ups to verify compliance with ASME NQA-1, the international quality standard for the nuclear sector. Prior to this...

2026-08-01

Units 3 and 4 of Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant to Undergo Joint Maintenance of Shared Systems

Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant staff will initiate a planned extended outage for Unit 4 on the evening of August 1, while Unit 3 will remain in its outage state. Both units will be offline simultaneously in August, and the plant will use this window to conduct comprehensive inspections, maintenance, and modernization of the shared facilities of Units 3 and 4. Bohdan Zronek, member of the Board of Directors of ČEZ Group and head of the nuclear energy division, stated that the simultaneous shutdown of Units 3 and 4 at Dukovany will place the plant under an intensive work schedule over the coming weeks. Experts from ČEZ and its suppliers will handle hundreds of tasks, and the effectiveness of the outage work depends on precise coordination across all stages. According to...

2026-08-01