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Greece to Set Up Cross-Ministerial Group to Study Nuclear Energy Deployment, with Focus on Small Modular Reactors

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced that Greece will establish a cross-ministerial group to study the scientific basis and legal framework required for the potential deployment of nuclear energy. The Greek government has approved the establishment of the relevant cross-ministerial body, laying the institutional foundation for subsequent assessment work. At a cabinet meeting held on July 30, Mitsotakis stated that an increasing number of countries are considering generating electricity using small modular reactors, and Greece cannot ignore this trend. He said Greece should at least conduct research and obtain complete data before making any decisions. The effort aims to keep Greece abreast of international nuclear technology developments and build a professional...

2026-08-04

Serbia Launches Nuclear Program: Experts to Train in France for 17 Months, First Nuclear Power Plant Expected by 2040

The nuclear cooperation agreement signed between Serbia and France officially launched the first phase of the country's nuclear energy program on July 29. Under the agreement, Serbian experts will travel to France over the next 17 months for training, seminars, and professional visits to acquire the new knowledge and experience needed to advance the nuclear program. Radoš Popadić, Assistant Minister at Serbia's Ministry of Mining and Energy, stated that nuclear energy could become a realistic and viable solution within Serbia's energy mix. The primary task of the first phase is to assess existing capabilities and identify what additional resources are needed as the process moves forward. According to the plan, Serbia needs to strategically...

2026-08-03

Dutch ULC-Energy and US McDermott sign cooperation agreement to advance Rolls-Royce SMR deployment in the Netherlands

Dutch nuclear development company ULC-Energy and US engineering and construction firm McDermott announced on August 2 the signing of a cooperation agreement to support the project development of Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactors (SMR) in the Netherlands. The cooperation includes integrating SMR energy supply solutions with energy-intensive industrial processes, leveraging McDermott's experience in energy transition and industrial decarbonization (low-carbon hydrogen, ammonia, sustainable aviation fuel, carbon capture and utilization), combined with ULC-Energy's nuclear project development capabilities. The two parties previously collaborated in 2023 to study industrial hydrogen production using "Rolls-Royce SMR + solid oxide electrolyzer," with ULC coordinating and McDermott providing engineering design and cost information for thermal integration/plant layout systems. McDermott's Senior Vice President of Low Carbon Solutions, Rob Shaul, stated that the agreement consolidates the existing relationship and reflects a shared commitment to advancing low-carbon energy in the Netherlands; the company has a long-standing presence in the country with its Hague center supporting projects across Europe. ULC-Energy CEO Dirk Rabelink noted that nuclear energy is effective when integrated into the energy system, and that SMRs flexibly supply electricity, heat, and hydrogen, with earlier cooperation having demonstrated this pathway, expressing hope to expand to other applications.

2026-08-03

Portuguese Parliament Advised to Assess Feasibility of Small Modular Reactors in the Country

On July 30, the Portuguese Parliament received a draft resolution recommending that the government adopt a pro-nuclear stance and conduct an assessment of the feasibility of using small modular reactors in the country. The draft emphasizes that, against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, successive wars in the Middle East, and the increasing fragility of international supply routes, energy security is no longer merely an economic or environmental issue but a core element of national sovereignty and strategic autonomy. Portugal should not ideologically exclude any low-carbon technology without objective research. The draft resolution points out that Portugal's current energy policy should balance supply security, economic competitiveness, consumer protection, and emission reduction goals, without preemptively rejecting any technology that could contribute to these...

2026-08-01

Changwon National University and Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute Join Forces to Promote Korea-Vietnam Nuclear Power Industry Synergy

Changwon National University announced that a delegation from the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute recently visited the university for in-depth discussions on the development of Vietnam's nuclear power industry and cooperation plans in the field of small modular reactors (SMRs). The delegation was led by Dr. Phan Viet Cuong, Deputy Director of VINATOM, among others. The visit came at a time when the Vietnamese government has been comprehensively promoting the introduction of SMRs as a core national energy strategy since 2024. Through the consultations, both sides reached a consensus on close cooperation to strengthen Vietnam's nuclear power technology competitiveness and foster the next-generation SMR industry. In particular, centered on Changwon National University's "SMR² Platform National Research Institute," customized educational programs will be operated for Vietnamese researchers and students...

2026-08-01

Illinois Restarts Nuclear Power in Bid to Address Energy Challenges

Illinois is actively exploring nuclear energy to address potential electricity shortages. Governor Pritzker signed an executive order requiring agencies to study adding at least 2 gigawatts of energy supply, enough to power 2 million homes or 20 large data centers. Earlier, in January of this year, the state passed the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordable Act, lifting a nearly four-decade ban on building new large-scale nuclear plants. This move aims to ensure stability of power supply and affordability of prices, especially amid growing energy demand. Illinois's nuclear development is not without challenges. For a long time, the United States has lacked a solution for safely storing nuclear waste...

2026-08-02

Romania Stands by NuScale SMR Project Amid Growing Controversy

The Romanian government and state-owned nuclear operator Nuclearelectrica have been progressively advancing plans since 2021 to deploy small modular reactors (SMRs) developed by the U.S. company NuScale, with the site located at Doicesti. Following the failure of NuScale's first U.S. project and an increase in cost estimates for the Doicesti project, doubts have emerged over Romania's choice, which would involve six 77 MW SMRs. Earlier this month, Romania's Ministry of Energy—the largest shareholder of Nuclearelectrica—reaffirmed its partnership with NuScale and rejected Nuclearelectrica's request to reassess the supplier selection. Nevertheless, the project still...

2026-08-02

Russia-Brazil Uranium Conversion Cooperation Upgraded, Uranium Processing at Angra NPP Increased by 25%

In June 2026, Russia and Brazil signed an agreement to increase uranium conversion volumes for the Angra nuclear power plant in the South American country by 25%. This move is of strategic significance, as Russian fuel fully guarantees the operation of the country's only nuclear power plant. Russia is a key economic partner of Brazil, a Latin American nation, and one of the five historical founding members of the BRICS group. Brazil accounts for more than 50% of Russia's trade with the region, with bilateral trade volume reaching $10.9 billion by the end of 2025. The two countries are developing technical cooperation, particularly in the nuclear field. In December 2022, they signed a five-year contract to supply...

2026-08-01

US NRC Approves Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant License Termination Plan

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has approved the license termination plan for the Oyster Creek Generating Station. Located in Lacey Township, New Jersey, the plant is now more than halfway through its decommissioning and dismantlement work. With this approval, the project will proceed with the final phases of decommissioning and site restoration in accordance with the approved document. Before dismantlement of the Oyster Creek Generating Station in Lacey Township, New Jersey, Holtec International stated that the approval of the license termination plan involved coordinated efforts across multiple departments, including engineering, radiation protection, environmental services, work management, project controls, licensing, communications, and security, led by the regulatory affairs department. The Vice President of Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant...

2026-07-31

Vietnam and Russia Join Forces to Accelerate Nuclear Science and Technology Research Center Project

On the afternoon of July 30, Vietnamese Minister of Science and Technology Vu Hai Quan received a delegation led by Ilja Vergizajev, General Director of Rosatom Construction Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom), in Hanoi. During the meeting, the Vietnamese side put forward three specific requests: accelerating the construction of the Vietnam Nuclear Science and Technology Research Center (CNST); supporting Vietnam in gradually mastering small modular reactor (SMR) technologies; and training human resources for Vietnam in the fields of atomic energy, radiation, and nuclear safety. Both sides confirmed that nuclear cooperation holds strategic significance and has long been a focus of high-level attention between the two countries. The CNST has been defined by the Vietnamese side as a...

2026-07-31

Japan Atomic Industrial Forum Chairman: Overseas SMR Projects Help Sustain Supply Chain, but Japan Still Needs to Build New Nuclear Plants

Hideki Masui, Chairman of the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum (JAIF), stated on May 31 that Japanese companies are playing a significant role in global small modular reactor (SMR) projects through design and equipment supply, but the long-term maintenance and development of Japan's nuclear technology base ultimately requires the construction of new nuclear power plants domestically. At a regular press conference, Masui reviewed international developments in the SMR field. He noted that approximately 30 countries currently use nuclear energy, and about 20 countries are studying the deployment of SMRs in some form. Projects involving Japanese companies include GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy's BWRX-300 and NuScale Power's VOYGR SMR, whi...

2026-06-06

South Korean Presidential Office: Expanding Renewable Energy Does Not Mean Abandoning Nuclear Power; New Nuclear and SMR Projects Already Decided

On July 3, Kim Woo-chang, Secretary for National AI Policy at the South Korean Presidential Office, responded on a program to external concerns over the power supply capacity of the semiconductor cluster in the Honam region, stating that the southwestern region of South Korea already possesses sufficient renewable energy conditions, with further room for expansion in the future. Kim Woo-chang said that South Korea's power generation resources are generally concentrated in the southwestern region, the Busan–Ulsan–Gyeongnam area, and the vicinity of nuclear power plants in Gangwon-do; the Seoul metropolitan area and central regions such as Chungcheong-do rely primarily on transmission networks for electricity. Therefore, locating large-scale power-consuming projects near power sources is one of the realistic options. In response to whether renewable energy alone is sufficient to support the semiconductor industry...

2026-07-03

EDF plans to bring in investors for Nuward small modular reactor project by end of 2026

French utility EDF said on July 30 that it plans to bring in investors for its Nuward small modular reactor project by the end of 2026. The company stated that the related financing arrangements will be centered around European customers and industrial partners to support the development of a batch of initial reactors better aligned with user needs. Small modular reactors have not yet entered large-scale commercial production, but multiple companies worldwide are advancing the deployment of related technologies. Supporters believe that compared with traditional large nuclear power units, small modular reactors offer greater flexibility in deployment methods, application scenarios, and low-carbon energy supply. EDF is a state-owned French power company operating 57...

2026-07-31

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

McDermott Signs Agreement with ULC-Energy to Support Rolls-Royce SMR Development in the Netherlands

McDermott and ULC-Energy announced on July 29 that they have signed a cooperation agreement to jointly support the development of the Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactor (Rolls-Royce SMR) project, with a primary focus on the Dutch market. Under the agreement, the collaboration will center on the coupling of small modular reactors with energy-intensive industrial processes, exploring the application of nuclear energy in industrial energy systems. McDermott will leverage its engineering experience in energy transition and industrial decarbonization, covering areas such as low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and carbon capture and utilization (CCU); ULC-Energy will provide capabilities in nuclear project development.

2026-07-30