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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

Russia says all countries have the right to develop peaceful uses of nuclear energy

Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia has always believed that any country should enjoy the right to develop peaceful uses of atomic energy, and Iran, Saudi Arabia, and other countries are no exception. Earlier on July 23 local time, the U.S. Department of Energy announced that it had signed a civil nuclear energy cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia. The agreement will also be submitted to the U.S. Congress for review. In response to a reporter's question, Peskov said that Russia's position on the peaceful use of atomic energy and the development of peaceful nuclear energy is "well known." He stated that Iran should have this right, and Saudi Arabia and other countries should also have this right....

2026-07-24

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

UK to Invest £8.4 Billion in Dreadnought-Class Nuclear Submarine Program

The UK Prime Minister's Office stated that the UK will announce an investment of £8.4 billion (over $11 billion) for the construction of four Dreadnought-class nuclear submarines, thereby launching the fourth phase of this submarine program. According to the relevant press release, this investment will be used to strengthen the UK's nuclear capability building and advance the continued implementation of the Dreadnought-class submarine project. Under the framework of the new phase, the first of the four nuclear submarines is expected to complete sea trials in the early 2030s and enter service with the Royal Navy. The UK Ministry of Defence previously released a long-term defense budget for the next four years at the end of June, planning to invest nearly £300 billion (approximately $400 billion) in various areas of the military-industrial complex. Data shows that £4.7 billion of this funding has yet to be secured, with specific funding sources to be determined in the autumn budget.

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

Controllable Nuclear Fusion Industry Intellectual Property Operation Center Launched in Hefei

On July 30, at the second meeting of the first member congress of the Anhui Fusion Industry Association held in Hefei, Anhui, the Controllable Nuclear Fusion Industry Intellectual Property Operation Center was launched. The center aims to focus on the creation, protection, and utilization of intellectual property in the fusion field, bridging the "last mile" of achievement transformation. It is reported that the Controllable Nuclear Fusion Industry Intellectual Property Operation Center is one of the first batch of industry intellectual property operation centers recognized by the China National Intellectual Property Administration, jointly launched by the Anhui Provincial Market Supervision Administration, the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Anhui Fusion Industry Association, and Fusion New Energy (Anhui) Co., Ltd. In the future, the center will build a patent pool...

2026-07-31

Guomai Fusion Energy Completes Angel+ Round Financing, with Zhengxuan Investment and Others Supporting aFRC Fusion Route Commercialization

Recently, Beijing Guomai Fusion Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Guomai Fusion Energy) completed its Angel+ round of financing. This round was participated by well-known institutions such as Zhengxuan Investment and Dalin Investment. By adopting a strategy of small steps and rapid iteration, Guomai Fusion Energy has continuously advanced its financing, pooling industrial and capital forces to support R&D design and engineering validation, and promoting the fast and sound development of the advanced field-reversed configuration (aFRC) route. The funds from this round will be primarily used for aFRC route R&D, including the construction of fusion experimental devices, core technology breakthroughs, and talent team building, accelerating key technology breakthroughs and experimental validation. Guomai Fusion Energy, established in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, is a company focusing on advanced field-reversed config...

2026-07-31

China Fusion Energy Co., Ltd. Holds 2026 Mid-Year Work Conference and Semi-Annual Economic Operation Analysis Meeting

On July 29, China Fusion Energy Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as China Fusion or the Company) held its 2026 mid-year work conference and semi-annual economic operation analysis meeting to thoroughly implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and all previous plenary sessions, earnestly implement the spirit of the 2026 mid-year Party Leadership Group (Enlarged) Meeting of China National Nuclear Corporation, solidly advance the study and education on establishing and practicing a correct view of political achievements, comprehensively summarize the progress and effectiveness of the Company's operations and reform and development in the first half of the year, study and deploy work for the second half of the year, continuously promote the "Pursuing Excellence · Breaking New Ground through Reform" annual special action, and strive for a high-quality start to the 15th Five-Year Plan period. The Company's Party Secretary and Chairman, and the Party Secretary of the Southwestern Institute of Physics (hereinafter referred to as SWIP)...

2026-07-31

Huaneng Nuclear Power Receives First WANO Corporate Peer Review

From July 14 to 24, 2026, Huaneng Nuclear Power received its first Corporate Peer Review (CPR) organized by the Atlanta Center of the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO), successfully achieving the set objectives. WANO CPR is a widely accepted headquarters-level peer review in the global nuclear industry and serves as an important channel for in-depth international exchange. A 14-member assessment team, consisting of 7 foreign experts from the United States and Canada, along with personnel from the WANO Shanghai Office and industry management, conducted the review in accordance with WANO peer review standards. The evaluation covered seven areas: corporate leadership, corporate governance, oversight and monitoring, independent oversight, corporate support services, human resources and leadership development, and...

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. Nuclear Power Consulting Firm EXCEL Services Officially Enters Vietnamese Market

U.S. nuclear power technology consulting firm EXCEL Services Corporation has established a subsidiary in Vietnam and is actively collaborating with domestic partners, coinciding with the restart of Vietnam's nuclear power projects. This move marks further development of bilateral cooperation in the nuclear energy sector. Currently, Vietnam is restarting its nuclear power development plans, attracting attention from numerous international partners. On July 28, EXCEL Services Corporation announced the establishment of its Vietnamese subsidiary and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Innovation Center (NIC) and Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, while actively advancing more cooperation agreements with Vietnamese government agencies and enterprises. James Voss has been appointed as...

2026-07-30