Search Results

Russia's SKIF Synchrotron Radiation Facility Hailed as a Milestone for Russian Science

On August 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Koltsovo Science City in Novosibirsk to learn about the operating principles of the Siberian Circular Photon Source (SKIF), a shared-use center. This center is the first facility in a network of modern synchrotron radiation sources being built in Russia, with construction efforts incorporated into the national development program for synchrotron and neutron research and related research infrastructure, covering the period through 2030 and beyond. It was reported that SKIF, with its high-brightness, high-intensity X-ray beams, can serve high-level research in fields such as chemistry, physics, materials science, biology, geology, archaeology, and paleontology. Officials also noted that...

2026-08-14

French heatwave to cut nuclear output by about 15% on Friday

Data from Electricite de France (EDF) shows that due to the fifth heatwave of the European summer, French nuclear power output is expected to fall by about 15% this Friday. At that time, nine reactors are expected to be affected, with total nuclear output reductions reaching 9.4 gigawatts during peak hours, of which six reactors will be completely shut down. This summer, many parts of Europe have experienced sustained high temperatures, with some regions seeing temperatures rise to abnormal levels, triggering issues such as water shortages and wildfires. French meteorological authorities predict that this heatwave will peak on Thursday, with temperatures across most of the country ranging between 35 and 40 degrees Celsius. From Friday, cold air from the west will first affect the Atlantic coast and the English Channel region...

2026-08-14

U.S. Poll Shows Majority of Respondents Support Prioritizing Permanent Disposal of High-Level Waste

A recent survey conducted by market research and data analysis company YouGov shows that more than 80 percent of U.S. respondents believe finding a permanent disposal solution for high-level radioactive waste should be a national priority; after learning about relevant technical information, a significant number of respondents viewed deep geological disposal as a credible option. Prototype canister for borehole disposal (Image: Deep Isolation) The survey was commissioned by nuclear waste disposal technology company Deep Isolation Inc. and conducted in April this year among 1,000 U.S. adults with a nationally representative sample. The survey covered public attitudes toward nuclear energy, concerns about radioactive waste management...

2026-08-14

Doosan Enerbility Secures Manufacturing Contract for Key Equipment for TerraPower's Small Modular Reactor

Doosan Enerbility announced on August 14 that it has signed a manufacturing contract with TerraPower to produce key equipment for the latter's Natrium advanced reactor project. TerraPower, founded by Bill Gates, is one of the advanced nuclear energy technology companies in the United States. Under the contract, Doosan Enerbility will be responsible for manufacturing key components required for the Natrium reactor, including the reactor protection vessel, reactor support structures, and reactor internal structures. The two parties have previously collaborated. In December 2024, Doosan Enerbility and TerraPower signed a manufacturability review contract for key equipment for the first unit of the initial small modular reactor, and...

2026-08-14

Rosatom Says Paks Nuclear Power Plant Expansion Project Progressing as Planned

Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom, stated that the construction of the Paks nuclear power plant expansion project in Hungary, with Russian participation, is progressing well, and Rosatom is carrying out related work in accordance with the plan agreed upon with the Hungarian owner. Likhachev noted that Russia is fully organizing equipment production for the two new units at the Paks nuclear power plant. Currently, enterprises under Rosatom have initiated manufacturing work related to the reactors for both units. Among these, the forging blanks for the reactor of Unit 5 at the Paks nuclear power plant have been completed, and the shell assembly stage will begin shortly. He also stated that the casting of the reactor blank for Unit 6 at the Paks nuclear power plant is progressing as planned.

2026-08-14

Danube Water Level Drop May Affect Operation of Paks Nuclear Power Plant

Hungarian Prime Minister Magyar stated after inspecting the Paks Nuclear Power Plant that the Danube water level has dropped again, which may lead to a further reduction in the plant's power output next week, or even pose a risk of shutdown. At a press conference, Magyar said that about a week ago, heavy rainfall occurred in the Austrian catchment area, temporarily alleviating the low water level of the Danube, but the positive effects of the rainfall have since diminished. According to forecasts, the Danube water level may drop to -132 cm on August 16 or 17, a level approaching the critical operating conditions of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant. If this level is reached, one of the two currently operating turbines may need to be shut down again. He noted that existing forecasts cover the next 6 to 7 days,...

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

CGN Dasheng Launches BV Cable X-Ray Thickness Gauge for Full Online Inspection of Cable Insulation Layers

CGN Dasheng Accelerator Technology Co., Ltd. recently announced that its BV cable X-ray thickness gauge can be used for online inspection of insulation layers during cable production. The system employs X-ray technology to perform real-time measurement of key parameters such as cable outer diameter, inner diameter, wall thickness, eccentricity, and concentricity, replacing the potential detection blind spots inherent in traditional sampling inspection methods. In cable production, insulation layer thickness directly affects product safety and material utilization. Traditional inspection typically relies on sample cutting, manual measurement, and recording, with limited inspection frequency. If issues such as uneven wall thickness or eccentricity occur during production, they are often difficult to detect in a timely manner, which also hinders subsequent quality traceability and process adjustment. According to the company, the equipment...

2026-08-14

China Isotope & Radiation's National Headquarters for Irradiation Application Industry Settles in Guangzhou

On August 11, the national headquarters of China Isotope & Radiation's irradiation application industry — CNNC Irradiation (Guangdong) Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "CNNC Irradiation") — officially settled in Tianhe District, Guangzhou, and entered the Pearl River New City. This marks an important milestone in the development of China Isotope & Radiation's irradiation application industry. The relocation of the national headquarters for irradiation application to Guangzhou is a key step for China Isotope & Radiation in implementing the central-local cooperation deployment between CNNC and Guangdong Province, and in strategically positioning for the "15th Five-Year Plan." As the nuclear technology application industry platform of CNNC, China Isotope & Radiation possesses a complete industrial chain and core technological advantages in the irradiation application field. It is a leading domestic provider of irradiation facility design, manufacturing, installation, and operation & maintenance services, and has accumulated extensive industrialization experience in high-end medical device sterilization, green irradiation processing of food and traditional Chinese medicinal materials, and material modification.

2026-08-14

Shimane Nuclear Power Station Unit 2 restarted and reached criticality

Chugoku Electric Power Co. announced on August 13 that it started up the reactor of Unit 2 at the Shimane Nuclear Power Station at 10:00 that day, and the unit reached a critical state at 12:14. Unit 2 of the Shimane Nuclear Power Station is a boiling water reactor with a rated electrical output of 820,000 kilowatts. Criticality refers to the state in which nuclear fission reactions in the reactor core can be sustained, and is one of the key milestones in the unit restart process. According to the plan, the unit will resume power generation, i.e., synchronize the generator to the grid, on August 18, 2026, and is expected to resume commercial operation on September 16, 2026. Chugoku Electric Power Co. stated that it will continue to prioritize safety and steadily advance all subsequent procedures.

2026-08-13

Russian and South African energy company representatives exchange nuclear emergency response cooperation

On August 11, the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry held an off-site information briefing. The event was organized by ATC JSC, a subsidiary of Rosatom, and attended by senior management representatives from Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd (ESKOM) of South Africa. The meeting aimed to establish professional contacts and exchange experience on topics including nuclear energy utilization, nuclear and radiation safety, and emergency response operations. During the event, a representative delivered a report titled "Current Status and Capabilities of the Rosatom Nuclear Emergency Response System in Conducting Emergency Response Operations at Fire Stations," presenting the operational framework and technical capabilities of the Rosatom nuclear emergency response system. Radiation monitoring equipment used by the emergency response system was also demonstrated during the event.

2026-08-13

Idaho National Laboratory's Hot Fuel Examination Facility Named U.S. Nuclear Historic Landmark

The American Nuclear Society (ANS) recently designated the Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) as a Nuclear Historic Landmark. Since becoming operational in 1975, the facility has conducted post-irradiation examination of nuclear fuel and materials, and continues to support research on advanced reactors, commercial nuclear fuel, and related energy security. HFEF is located within the Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) at Idaho National Laboratory and houses the largest inert-atmosphere hot cell in the United States dedicated to nuclear materials research. The hot cell operates in an argon environment and features approximately 4-foot-thick shielding walls, enabling remote, non-destructive, and high-precision examination of highly irradiated fuel and material samples while reducing worker radiation exposure.

2026-08-13

Heat Exchangers and Mechanical Filters for Russian Nuclear-Powered Icebreakers Complete Testing

On August 11, 2026, the manufacturing project for equipment supporting Russian nuclear-powered icebreakers achieved a milestone. InterPolaris has completed testing of multiple key equipment items, including two shell-and-tube heat exchangers and two mechanical filters. The shell-and-tube heat exchangers that completed testing this time are primarily used to heat water containing purification solutions using heating steam. Compared with conventional heat exchange equipment, the operating environment of marine nuclear power platforms is more complex, imposing higher requirements on structural strength, sealing performance, and operational stability. The horizontal heat exchanger is designed to accommodate prolonged vessel inclination conditions, with mounting brackets capable of withstanding loads from different directions and maintaining stable equipment parameters under complex operating conditions.

2026-08-13

Marvel Fusion, Colorado, and Siemens Energy Sign Letter of Intent to Advance Laser-Driven Fusion Energy Cooperation

Marvel Fusion, the U.S. State of Colorado, and Siemens Energy announced on August 12 the signing of a Letter of Intent aimed at strengthening transatlantic cooperation to advance the research, development, and commercialization of laser-driven fusion energy technology. Under the Letter of Intent, the tripartite cooperation will focus on four areas: advancing joint research and development projects, including work utilizing leading fusion research facilities; strengthening the ecosystem connection between the RISE center in Colorado and the VEGA center in Bavaria; promoting transatlantic fusion energy industry and supply chain partnerships; and conducting talent development cooperation. The parties will also establish a joint working group to identify priority projects and plan to organize delegation visits, expert workshops, and initial cooperative activities within the next 12 months.

2026-08-13

Kazakhstan Advances Nuclear Fuel Cycle from Resource Development to High-Value-Added Manufacturing

Kazakhstan is advancing its nuclear fuel cycle industry from natural uranium mining toward deep processing and high-tech product manufacturing. As one of the world's major natural uranium producers, Kazakhstan has in recent years not only maintained its advantage in resource development but also continued to build capacity in uranium conversion, nuclear fuel component manufacturing, scientific research capabilities, and professional workforce training. The nuclear fuel cycle encompasses the entire process of nuclear materials, from uranium ore mining and processing, to fuel use in reactors, and to the management of spent fuel and radioactive waste. Depending on the technical route, relevant stages may include uranium mining and processing, conversion, isotope enrichment, fuel pellet fabrication, fuel assembly production, and spent fuel storage...

2026-08-13