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Russia Approves Chinese Academy of Sciences' Accession to International Research Organization at PIK Reactor

Mikhail Kovalchuk, Director of the Kurchatov Institute National Research Centre in Russia, recently stated that Russia has approved the Chinese Academy of Sciences' accession to the International Centre for Synchrotron Radiation, Neutron and Laser Research, which is being established around the PIK high-flux research reactor. Speaking at a meeting of the Science and Education Committee held in Novosibirsk, Kovalchuk said that three Chinese institutions have successively submitted applications to join the international organization, with the application from the Chinese Academy of Sciences having completed review and received approval. In June of this year, he had indicated that the Chinese side was interested in participating in this international research cooperation mechanism. The PIK high-flux research reactor is located in Gatchina, Russia, and was developed by the Konstantinov Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute...

2026-08-12

Latin American Energy Experts Learn About Russia's Nuclear Industry Development and Peaceful Use Prospects in Russia

Energy experts from several Latin American countries recently visited the ATOM Museum at VDNKh in Moscow to gain a systematic understanding of the history of Russia's nuclear industry, key technological solutions, and future directions for the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The visit spanned from early scientific research to modern nuclear technology applications, with a focus on the operating principles of nuclear power plants, the structure of water-water power reactors, and the fundamentals of how nuclear energy is converted into electricity. The exchange not only focused on traditional nuclear power but also showcased future-oriented technologies such as small nuclear power plants. A power transmission network planning expert from Peru noted that he had previously been unfamiliar with the development path of Russia's nuclear industry, and this...

2026-08-12

RITVERTS Multiple Radionuclide Solution Specific Activity Reference Standards Added to Register

RITVERTS JSC has added multiple radionuclide solution specific activity reference standards to the register, covering nuclides such as americium-241, europium-152, cesium-137, barium-133, cobalt-60, cobalt-57, strontium-90 + yttrium-90, tritium, plutonium-239, uranium-238, and plutonium-238. The reference standards added to the register this time include GSO 13340-2026 (americium-241), GSO 13339-2026 (europium-152), GSO 13338-2026 (cesium-137), GSO 13337-2026 (barium-133), GSO 13336-2026 (cobalt-60), GSO 13335-2026 (cobalt-57) from the SO UAR-G-RT dataset; GSO 13334-2026 (strontium-90 + yttrium-90), GSO...

2026-08-12

Russia's MEPhI Receives Over 1 Billion Rubles in Funding for Two Domestic Scientific Instrument Projects

The Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education will allocate 2.81 billion rubles to support the development of eight types of domestically produced scientific research equipment. According to the results of an additional competitive selection, the funds are planned to be disbursed from 2026 to 2028, with six universities and research institutions set to receive support. Among them, the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute) will receive the largest share, with two projects totaling slightly over 1 billion rubles in funding. Under the arrangement, MEPhI will receive 591 million rubles for the development of a tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (QTOF MS), and an additional 433 million rubles for the atom probe tomography project. Both projects have previously been approved by the Russian Academy of Sciences and included in...

2026-08-12

Rosatom Technical Academy Launches Development of Training Programs for Uzbekistan NPP Personnel

Rosatom Technical Academy has launched the development of training programs for personnel of the planned nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan. The foundation ceremony for this project was held in June this year, and training preparations will be aligned with the NPP construction schedule and subsequent operational requirements. Currently, Academy experts are developing teaching materials, refining training methodologies, and formulating course plans coordinated with the NPP construction phases for this new project. The training content will also be adapted to the characteristics of the small modular reactor technology adopted for the project to meet new technical requirements. At the Novovoronezh branch alone, about 50 experts are already involved in developing training programs for Uzbek personnel...

2026-08-12

Rosatom emphasizes computational infrastructure to support nuclear research facilities

On August 11, Alexey Likhachev, CEO of Rosatom, stated at a meeting of the Science and Education Council in Novosibirsk that Russia needs to develop a dedicated program to advance high-performance computing, artificial intelligence technologies, and supercomputer infrastructure to support the operation of large scientific facilities and related research tasks. Likhachev noted that Rosatom has developed a mathematical modeling system since the 1990s and built its own supercomputer network. He believes that a unified digital platform integrating artificial intelligence, computing based on new physical principles, and quantum technologies should be systematically developed as a key component of the nation's scientific and technological advancement...

2026-08-12

Novovoronezh NPP Transfers New Equipment to On-Site Fire and Rescue Unit

A ceremony was held in Novovoronezh, Russia, marking the 40th anniversary of the Federal Fire Service Special Directorate No. 72 of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry (EMERCOM of Russia), which is responsible for fire protection at multiple Russian nuclear power plants. During the event, Novovoronezh NPP Director Vladimir Povarov (Владимир Поваров) presented certificates for a new minibus and a batch of firefighting technical equipment to Fire and Rescue Unit No. 14, which provides fire protection for the plant. The NPP stated that this equipment will further strengthen the unit's material and technical base. Novo...

2026-08-12

Balakovo NPP Completes Pre-Audit of Quality Management System

Balakovo Nuclear Power Plant in Russia recently completed a pre-audit of its quality management system, confirming its readiness to undergo the official certification audit within the year. The audit covered multiple international quality standards, including ISO 9001, ISO 9004, and ISO 19443. Balakovo NPP has previously conducted several audits in accordance with ISO 9001 with favorable results. This time, the plant will undergo audits against the ISO 9004 and ISO 19443 standards for the first time, making it one of the earlier nuclear power plants to be audited against these standards. The pre-audit is a key stage before the official certification audit, primarily aimed at assessing the plant's preparedness, checking the effectiveness of existing processes, documentation status, and staff understanding of the standard requirements...

2026-08-12

Scheduled Maintenance Launched for Units 3 and 4 of Kursk Nuclear Power Plant

Starting August 11, 2026, Russia's Kursk Nuclear Power Plant launched scheduled routine maintenance on Units 3 and 4. On the same day, the plant also commenced annual maintenance and preventive upkeep of the heat network at the standby boiler house. The operations are scheduled to continue until August 22. Due to the maintenance schedule, hot water supply in the city of Kurchatov has been temporarily interrupted. The Kursk Nuclear Power Plant stated that this is the first time in nearly 50 years of plant operation that local hot water supply has been temporarily suspended due to related maintenance. Hot water supply to Kurchatov will be restored after the maintenance is completed. Alexey Leonov, Deputy Chief Engineer for Operations of the main building at Kursk NPP, said that the plant is currently undergoing significant changes, including the decommissioning of units that have reached their design service life and the commissioning of new units. These changes are transforming the ways thermal energy is produced and delivered to consumers, and also require modernization of the plant and related city infrastructure. He noted that this maintenance cycle is relatively short, and the schedule has been arranged to minimize impact on residents' daily lives. In recent years, the plant has taken measures to avoid scheduling maintenance on Units 3 and 4 during the winter season.

2026-08-12

First batch of experimental stations at Russia's Siberian Circular Photon Source expected to be operational by end of 2026

On August 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at a meeting of the Council for Science and Education that the first research stations of the Siberian Circular Photon Source (SKIF) synchrotron are expected to be commissioned by the end of 2026. At the meeting, Putin noted that the Siberian Circular Photon Source is currently one of the world's most powerful particle accelerators, with some parameters being unique, capable of helping researchers conduct in-depth studies of the structure of matter at the atomic and molecular levels. He also stated that Russia needs to accelerate the development of future technologies, concentrate efforts on priority tasks, and make more efficient use of national strategic scientific resources, including research institutions, advanced digital computing resources, and unique biological resources. The Siberian Circular Photon...

2026-08-12

Russian RADON Discusses Technical Solutions for Recovering Disused Sealed Radiation Sources

The Federal State Unitary Enterprise RADON recently held a meeting of its Scientific and Technical Council to discuss technical solutions for recovering disused sealed ionizing radiation sources (DSIRS) from container-free storage facilities. The meeting was chaired by Artyom Ivanov, Deputy Director General for Science and Development, Doctor of Economics, and was attended by company experts as well as representatives from the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Russian State Agrarian University, and ODC UGR Joint-Stock Company. The meeting focused on reviewing a project proposal submitted by RADON's Volgograd branch in the southern region. The project was presented by Dmitry Semenko, General Director of the Volgograd branch, and aims to dismantle the...

2026-08-11

Russian Scientists Propose Fast Calculation Method to Simulate Plasma Ion Parameters in Seconds

Researchers from the HSE University and the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) have developed an analytical method for calculating the behavior of heavy ions in helium under strong electric fields, which can accelerate the computation of ion mobility and ion–molecule reaction rates by thousands of times. The findings have been published in Physica Scripta. Plasma, composed of charged particles such as electrons, negative ions, and positive ions, is typically quasi-neutral and highly conductive. It exists not only in fluorescent lamps and welding arcs but is also used in controlled nuclear fusion devices such as tokamaks. Atmospheric plasma jets can also be applied to wound disinfection, work surface cleaning...

2026-08-11

Russia's Atommash Commissions Ultrasonic Weld Inspection Robot to Boost NPP Equipment Testing Efficiency

Atommash, a plant under the mechanical engineering division of Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom), has recently commissioned a new ultrasonic inspection robot for welded joints, used for weld quality checks on large nuclear power equipment such as nuclear reactors and steam generators. The plant is located in Rostov Oblast, Russia. The new equipment employs two scanning modes and can identify weld defect types and locate defect coordinates. Compared with traditional inspection methods involving manual probe movement, the robot can automatically perform scanning on components with complex geometries, increasing inspection speed by approximately 30% while reducing the need for manual work in hard-to-reach areas. At present, Atommash already operates...

2026-08-11

First Heavy Ion Beam Obtained at DC-140 Accelerator of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia

The Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna, Russia, has completed the construction of the DC-140 accelerator complex and obtained an accelerated heavy ion beam for the first time during commissioning on August 4. This achievement marks significant progress in the JINR applied technology development program and signifies that a new ion beam platform designed to meet scientific and industrial needs for decades to come has entered its critical commissioning phase. The DC-140 project was launched in 2020 to replace the existing U-200 and IC-100 cyclotron complex. The new facility is designed to address a wide range of fundamental and applied research needs, including solid-state physics, radiation materials science, material surface modification, and track membrane production...

2026-08-11

Long-term overhaul of heating networks launched in satellite town of Smolensk NPP

A large-scale modernization of the municipal heating system has been launched in Desnogorsk, the satellite town of Russia's Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant. The project is planned to last 15 years and is expected to replace more than 30 kilometers of main heating pipelines, accounting for about one-third of the city's heating network infrastructure. The work is being carried out by AtomTeploElektroSet, a company affiliated with Rosenergoatom, which operates public utility services including heating, water supply, and drainage in cities hosting nuclear power plants. Currently, renovation work has begun in the first and third residential districts of Desnogorsk. The project's progress is linked to Desnogorsk being included in...

2026-08-11