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Japan's JT-60SA Experimental Team Advances Preparations for Next Operation Phase

Preparations for the next phase of JT-60SA experimental activities are underway. The technical team is carrying out integrated commissioning as planned, while the experimental team is simultaneously refining related tools and software to enhance scientific output capabilities for the next operation phase. During a training course organized by QST, EUROfusion participants are learning how to configure discharge settings using the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) in preparation for the next JT-60SA campaign. Image credit: QST. The Third JT-60SA Experimental Team Workshop was held from July 27 to 31, 2026, at the Naka Institute of the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) in Japan. Approximately 50 experts attended, including 20 representatives from Europe...

2026-08-26

UK's InHealth Deploys Europe's First Mobile Biograph Trinion PET/CT System

InHealth, a UK independent diagnostic service provider, has recently completed the first patient scan using Europe's first mobile Biograph Trinion PET/CT system. The system, supplied by Siemens Healthineers, is now in clinical use at Wrexham Maelor Hospital in northeast Wales to support cancer-related molecular imaging examinations. PET/CT is an important imaging technology in oncology diagnosis and treatment, applicable to the diagnosis, staging, treatment planning, and therapy response monitoring of various cancer types. Deploying the Biograph Trinion PET/CT system on a mobile platform means that advanced molecular imaging services can be delivered into clinical settings with greater flexibility, helping to improve patient access to...

2026-08-26

U.S. Research Reveals Diamond Melting Mechanism at High Pressure, Potentially Enhancing Inertial Confinement Fusion Performance

A research team at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in the U.S. recently published a study in Nature Physics reporting that the latest dynamic compression experiments have, for the first time, directly recorded atomic structural changes during diamond melting under extreme high pressure. The experiments showed that under high-pressure conditions, solid diamond can float in liquid metallic carbon, similar to ice floating on water. Diamond is not only a high-hardness carbon material but is also used as the fuel target capsule shell in inertial confinement fusion experiments. When intense lasers drive the capsule implosion, the compression and melting behavior of the diamond shell can affect whether the fusion fuel reaches the required high-temperature, high-pressure state. Meanwhile, the planetary science community has long focused on the high-pressure behavior of carbon in the deep interiors of ice giant planets...

2026-08-26

Bitumen Solidification Facility at Unit 2 of Japan's Ikata Nuclear Power Plant Returns to Normal

Shikoku Electric Power Co. reported on August 25, 2026, that the bitumen solidification facility at Unit 2 of Japan's Ikata Nuclear Power Plant, currently in a decommissioned state, had returned to normal operation at 10:45 a.m. that day. The gasket at the joint of the mixer top cover, where the earlier abnormality had been detected, had been replaced, and trial operation results showed no abnormalities. The incident occurred on April 28. On that day, when operators started the bitumen solidification facility in the controlled area of the reactor auxiliary building, they observed a steam-like phenomenon near the mixer thermometer, which subsequently disappeared on its own. Maintenance personnel later inspected and confirmed at 3:05 p.m. that the steam-like gas originated from inside the mixer and had escaped through the joint of the mixer top cover; at 5:06 p.m., the bitumen solidification facility was shut down.

2026-08-26

Four Units of Egypt's Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant Under Simultaneous Construction

Alexey Likhachev, President of Rosatom, and Mahmoud Esmat, Egypt's Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, recently discussed the construction progress of the Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant. As Egypt's first nuclear power plant, the Dabaa project is planned to feature four VVER-1200 reactor units, which are expected to provide electricity for approximately 20 million people once completed. Likhachev stated that the project has entered a critical construction phase, with all four units progressing simultaneously. Among them, Unit 1 serves as the pilot unit for the project and is scheduled to be connected to the grid in 2028. To achieve this goal, the project team still needs to complete several tasks, including the delivery of nuclear fuel in 2027.

2026-08-26

Why Swedish Nuclear Power Plants Are Less Affected by European Heatwaves

This summer, persistent high temperatures across much of Europe forced some nuclear power plants to reduce output or even temporarily shut down due to rising cooling water temperatures and falling river levels. In comparison, Sweden's Vattenfall-operated nuclear plants at Forsmark and Ringhals were less affected, mainly because both facilities are located in coastal areas and use seawater for cooling. Many nuclear plants in continental Europe rely on river water as their cooling source. During heatwaves, river levels and water temperatures can change rapidly, easily impacting cooling efficiency. Anna Collin, Communications Officer at Ringhals, stated that Swedish nuclear plants use seawater cooling, which differs in operating conditions from many...

2026-08-26

Lancaster University in the UK receives EPSRC funding to study antimatter production in intense laser pulses

Christopher Arran, a lecturer at Lancaster University and the Cockcroft Institute in the UK, has recently been awarded a three-year New Investigator Award from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to study electron-positron pair production in the extremely intense electromagnetic fields of high-power lasers. The research focuses on matter-antimatter production processes under intense laser pulse conditions. Similar interactions are believed to exist in extreme cosmic environments, such as near pulsars and black hole accretion disks. Previously, such interactions had only been measured at large particle accelerator facilities such as Stanford University and the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), but the electric and magnetic field strengths used in those experiments were far weaker than the strong-field conditions achievable with current high-power lasers.

2026-08-26

IsoEnergy Signs Agreement with Kineepik Métis Local to Advance Uranium Exploration in Saskatchewan, Canada

On August 24, 2026, IsoEnergy Ltd. announced that it has signed an exploration agreement with Kineepik Métis Local Inc. to support its responsible uranium exploration activities in Saskatchewan, Canada. Under the agreement, the two parties will establish mechanisms for ongoing communication, information sharing, and collaboration around IsoEnergy's exploration activities in the relevant region. The agreement also provides that Kineepik community members and local businesses may participate in exploration-related work through business partnerships, employment opportunities, and training programs. Kineepik Métis Local Inc. represents Métis rights holders residing within the Kineepik use and occupancy area, including...

2026-08-26

U.S. Develops Hybrid Process Combining Electroforming and 3D Printing for Critical Component Manufacturing in Advanced Nuclear Reactors

On August 24, local time, the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) announced that its scientists are collaborating with AJ Tuck Company (AJ Tuck) to develop a hybrid manufacturing process that combines 3D printing and electroforming to produce complex, leak-tight hot isostatic pressing canisters for powder metallurgy hot isostatic pressing processes. The process targets the manufacturing of critical metal components for advanced nuclear reactors and other energy and defense applications, with the goal of shortening production workflows and reducing reliance on traditional large-scale forging and casting supply chains. A hot isostatic pressing canister is a type of sealed container used to compact metal powders into high-performance metal components under high temperature and high pressure. Traditional hot...

2026-08-26

IAEA Director General Unveils Upcoming New Initiative on Maritime Nuclear Energy

Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), recently stated that the Agency is preparing to launch a new initiative to promote the application of civilian nuclear technology in maritime settings. The initiative, named Atomic Technology Licensing for Maritime Applications (ATLAS), will be officially unveiled at an IAEA ministerial event scheduled for August 26-27 in Washington, D.C., United States. The initiative aims to support the deployment of maritime civilian nuclear applications such as nuclear-powered ships and floating nuclear power plants, while facilitating alignment in licensing and regulatory efforts. Grossi stated that the ATLAS initiative could support global trade and help provide energy to remote communities and industrial users...

2026-08-26

Japan's Helical Fusion Publishes Research Results on High-Temperature Superconducting Magnets

Helical Fusion recently announced that its joint research on high-temperature superconducting magnets with the National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS) has passed peer review and been published in the Journal of Physics: Conference Series. The results, previously disclosed in a preliminary report, primarily validate the performance of high-temperature superconducting conductors for fusion reactor applications under strong magnetic fields and high currents. This study tested the UROCOIC high-temperature superconducting conductor independently developed by Helical Fusion. The research team fabricated the conductor into a double-pancake coil sample and used existing test equipment to simulate, as closely as possible, the magnetic field and current environment expected in future fusion reactors.

2026-08-26

South Korea launches next-generation nuclear energy research talent training program

South Korea's talent training program for postdoctoral researchers in the nuclear energy field has officially been launched, which will be based on university laboratories to promote future nuclear technology research, industry-academia-research cooperation, and employment linkage. On August 25, during the 2026 Climate and Energy Job Fair, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP), and the Korea Radiation Promotion Association held the next-generation energy leader training program in the nuclear energy field...

2026-08-26

Korea's Gil Medical Center Expands Application of Markerless Surface-Guided Radiation Therapy

Gachon University Gil Medical Center in South Korea announced on August 26 that it is expanding the clinical application of markerless surface-guided radiation therapy (SGRT) to enhance the precision and comfort of radiation therapy for cancer patients. According to the hospital, the proportion of markerless SGRT in its radiation therapy procedures has increased from 28% in the first half of 2025 to 37% in the first half of 2026. This change indicates that this treatment-assistive technology, which reduces the burden of skin marking on patients, is gaining broader clinical adoption. Markerless SGRT is an advanced technique used for patient positioning and monitoring during radiation therapy. Unlike conventional methods, patients do not need to retain target line markings on their skin; the treatment system can assist in confirming patient positioning through surface guidance, enabling radiation to be delivered more accurately to the target area.

2026-08-26

South Korean lawmaker calls for heavy ion therapy center in Daejeon to ease regional cancer treatment disparities

South Korean lawmaker Park Yong-gap recently called on the government to support the construction of a heavy ion therapy center in the central region of Daejeon, aiming to improve access to advanced radiation therapy for cancer patients outside the capital area and promote a balanced distribution of regional medical resources. Park stated that heavy ion therapy centers are often referred to as "dream cancer treatment centers." Compared with conventional radiation therapy, heavy ion therapy and proton therapy can target cancer cells more precisely while minimizing impact on surrounding normal tissues, making them advanced particle therapy technologies drawing attention in the current cancer treatment field. According to him, the relevant treatment centers currently in operation in South Korea are mainly concentrated in the capital area, including the heavy ion therapy center at Sinchon Severance Hospital of Yonsei University...

2026-08-26

Ontario Allocates Funding for Community Consultation on Lambton Nuclear Power Proposal

The Government of Ontario will invest CAD 500,000 to conduct further consultation with the Corunna community in Lambton County, southwestern Ontario, regarding a new power generation project. The project is proposed for the site of the decommissioned Lambton coal-fired power station, where future energy options will be compared and discussed between nuclear and natural gas. Under the arrangement, these funds will support local municipalities, Indigenous communities, and affected residents in participating in the consultation. Ontario Energy Minister Stephen Lecce stated that the province favors the development of clean energy and high-output power generation...

2026-08-26