Search Results

U.S. University Develops Laser De-icing Technology for Nuclear Power Plant Safety System Maintenance

An engineering team at the University of South Florida has developed a customized laser de-icing technology to address the issue of ice basket adhesion in the maintenance of critical safety systems at nuclear power plants. After four years of research, design, and testing, the technology has completed field testing at two nuclear power plants operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Developed jointly by Ahmed Vaselbehagh, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of South Florida, and postdoctoral researcher Ty Hagan, the technology is primarily aimed at ice condenser systems used in certain nuclear power plants in the United States, Japan, and Finland...

2026-08-21

South Korea Amends Nuclear Safety Act to Clarify Safety Responsibilities of Nuclear Facility Operators

The National Assembly of South Korea passed a partial amendment to the Nuclear Safety Act at its 438th special session on August 20, marking the first time that nuclear-related business operators' primary responsibility for nuclear facility safety has been explicitly established at the legal level. This move signifies that South Korea's nuclear safety management system will further transition from a licensing and regulation-centered approach to a responsibility system aligned with the safety principles of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The amendment was proposed by South Korean lawmaker Oh Se-hee. Prior to the revision, South Korea's Nuclear Safety Act primarily established safety standards and regulatory procedures around reactor construction and operating licenses, nuclear material use, and radioactive waste management facility operations, but lacked...

2026-08-21

Organizational Diagnostic Assessment Completed at Russia's Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant

Russia's Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant has recently completed an organizational diagnostic assessment under a support mission of the WANO Moscow Centre. The assessment was carried out by a team of eight experts from the WANO Moscow Centre, Rosenergoatom, Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant, and Atomflot, among other organizations. Organizational diagnostics is a type of assessment that WANO has been conducting in recent years, focusing not on a single topic but on a comprehensive review of the plant from the organizational and operational perspective. The assessment covered areas including employee...

2026-08-21

A Category IV Cobalt-60 (Co-60) radioactive source retired in Huangshi

Recently, under the coordinated deployment and on-site supervision of the Huangshi Municipal Ecological Environment Bureau in Hubei Province, a retired Category IV Cobalt-60 (Co-60) radioactive source was transported in a closed loop by a professionally qualified vehicle and safely delivered to the Hubei Provincial Urban Radioactive Waste Repository, where it was permanently sealed in a standardized manner. The collection and storage process for this waste source followed standard procedures with meticulous control, and no readings exceeding limits, equipment loosening, or other safety anomalies occurred throughout the entire transport process. It is understood that this Cobalt-60 radioactive source was originally the core component of a level gauge supporting an enterprise's kiln production line. As the production line was dismantled and scrapped, the related equipment ceased operation, increasing the safety management pressure of the idle radioactive source. Upon receiving the enterprise's disposal application, the Huangshi Municipal Ecological Environment Bureau...

2026-08-21

Investigation Underway into Cause of External Power Supply Interruption at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

On August 20, Chernichuk, the head of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, stated that the cause of the external power supply interruption at the plant is still under investigation, with relevant experts inspecting transmission lines to identify possible fault points. Chernichuk noted that the specific cause and location of the line damage remain unclear. Experts from the plant are conducting inspections along the lines to locate the fault; according to Ukrainian sources, their experts are also carrying out related inspection work. Earlier, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant reported that due to the interruption of the external power supply line, the plant switched to the backup power supply system on the morning of the 20th and activated diesel generators. The report also stated that the 330 kV high-voltage transmission line "Ferroalloy-1" was disconnected from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant due to damage...

2026-08-21

IAEA Launches Research Project on Edible Insects and Novel Foods Safety

As global demand for alternative protein sources rises, the International Atomic Energy Agency has recently launched a five-year coordinated research project focusing on assessing safety risks associated with edible insects and other novel foods during production, processing, and consumption. The project will be implemented through the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, utilizing nuclear techniques, isotope techniques, and related detection methods to analyze chemical, biological, and physical hazards in food. Currently, more than 2,000 species of edible insects are known globally, and approximately 2 billion people regularly consume insects. In Africa, Asia, the Pacific region, and Latin America, insects have long been part of the diet in some communities...

2026-08-20

Ukraine Approves Expansion of Buryakivka Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility

The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) has approved the construction of a new disposal facility at the Buryakivka radioactive waste disposal site for the disposal of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste generated during the cleanup of the Chernobyl nuclear accident. The Buryakivka radioactive waste disposal facility is located within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and is one of Ukraine's key facilities for managing radioactive waste associated with the Chernobyl accident. Built as part of priority emergency measures following the accident, the facility was commissioned in 1987 and primarily receives low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste from the Chernobyl region. Currently, the facility is operated by the Central...

2026-08-20

Automatic Shutdown of Unit 4 at South Korea's Hanul Nuclear Power Plant, Regulator Launches Investigation

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) of South Korea reported on August 19 that Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (KHNP) had reported the same day that Unit 4 of the Hanul Nuclear Power Plant, located in Uljin County, North Gyeongsang Province, automatically shut down at approximately 8:50 a.m. The NSSC stated that Unit 4 of the Hanul Nuclear Power Plant is currently in a stable condition. No abnormal alarms were triggered by on-site radiation monitors, and no leakage of radioactive materials to the outside environment has been detected. According to the notification, the NSSC's regional office for the Hanul Nuclear Power Plant is conducting inspections of on-site safety conditions. The regulatory body also plans to dispatch an investigation team comprising experts from the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) to the site to further confirm the cause of the automatic shutdown and related safety conditions.

2026-08-19

2026 Systematic Training Course on Radiation Safety Management Capability for the Irradiation Industry Successfully Held in Lanzhou

To thoroughly implement the Ecological Environment Code and continuously improve the standardized radiation safety management level of the irradiation industry, the 2026 Systematic Training Course on Radiation Safety Management Capability for the Irradiation Industry, hosted by the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (hereinafter referred to as "the Center"), was successfully held in Lanzhou, Gansu Province, from August 11 to 13. More than 80 trainees from over 60 irradiation operation, design and manufacturing, and regulatory departments across the country gathered together to study laws, regulations, and standards and share safety experience. This training closely focused on the new regulatory situation of the irradiation industry and industrial development needs, emphasizing both professionalism and practicality. The courses systematically covered the development status and trends of industrial irradiation facilities,...

2026-08-18

Bylor JV completes fire safety rectification at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station

On August 17, the UK Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) confirmed that the project team operating under the name Bylor JV, comprising Laing O'Rourke and Bouygues Travaux Publics, has completed the requirements of two enforcement notices previously issued regarding fire safety deficiencies at the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station construction site. Bylor JV is responsible for the main civil works at Hinkley Point C. ONR had previously identified significant fire safety management deficiencies at the construction site and subsequently took enforcement action. ONR stated that Bylor JV has now demonstrated that it has established appropriate systems to effectively manage fire risk on site.

2026-08-18

Egypt Clarifies Safety Concerns over Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant: Project Implemented in Accordance with International Nuclear Safety Standards

The Egyptian Cabinet Media Center recently issued a statement responding to questions regarding the application of safety standards during the implementation of the Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant project. The statement said that the circulating content failed to accurately and balancedly reflect the actual situation of the project, and directly extrapolated certain engineering observations into issues of project safety and implementation efficiency, lacking the necessary technical and regulatory context. The Egyptian Nuclear Power Plants Authority stated that the construction of the Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant is proceeding in accordance with international nuclear safety standards, with all civil, engineering, and installation works executed in compliance with international quality requirements and subject to continuous inspections by the Authority's monitoring and supervision teams. Relevant works may only proceed to the implementation phase after completing regulatory procedures and obtaining the necessary approvals from the Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority...

2026-08-18

Finland's Olkiluoto 3 unit reduces power output due to main coolant pump fault

Finnish utility Teollisuuden Voima (TVO) said on August 17 that Unit 3 of the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant (OL3) will continue to operate at a stable power output of approximately 1,300 MW, about 84% of full capacity, for the coming weeks due to technical faults in two main coolant pumps in the nuclear island. The unit's rated generating capacity is approximately 1,600 MW. TVO stated that the faults were discovered during this summer. Since then, the unit has reduced its output power and investigations have been conducted into the causes of the faults and corrective measures. Under the latest arrangement, OL3 will continue operating at a reduced power level to monitor the effectiveness of corrective actions until the unit begins its scheduled annual outage on September 10, 2026. TVO...

2026-08-18

Rostov NPP Transfers New Specialized Firefighting Vehicle to Fire Department

On August 17, local time, the Rostov Nuclear Power Plant handed over a new specialized firefighting vehicle to the 9th Special Department responsible for fire protection at the plant site. The vehicle was delivered as donated equipment to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 72nd Special Directorate of the Federal Fire Service of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry. This directorate is tasked with fire protection for Russian nuclear power plants. The professional firefighting force at the Rostov NPP has been on duty at the plant site since June 1984. At that time, the fire brigade was equipped with only four fire engines. Over the years, the relevant firefighting force has been outfitted with modern vehicles, specialized equipment, and communications gear for fire protection and emergency response at nuclear power plant facilities. The 9th Special Department...

2026-08-18

China National Nuclear Power Deeply Studies and Practices the Ecological Environment Code, Undertaking the Historic Mission of Green and Low-Carbon Energy Transition

The Ecological Environment Code of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the Ecological Environment Code) officially came into effect on August 15, 2026. The Ecological Environment Code is an important achievement in implementing Xi Jinping's Thought on Ecological Civilization and Xi Jinping's Thought on the Rule of Law. It is the second law in China named after a "Code" following the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China, providing solid legal safeguards and fundamental legal guidance for the construction of a Beautiful China. China National Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as China National Nuclear Power), as a main force in China's nuclear energy development and an important force in achieving the "dual carbon" goals, deeply implements the Ecological Environment Code, practices the concept of green development, contributes safe and clean energy, and empowers the construction of a Beautiful China...

2026-08-18

Safety measure costs after Japan's nuclear plant accident rise to at least 6.606 trillion yen

A survey of 11 Japanese electric power companies shows that the total cost of safety measures required for nuclear plants to meet new regulatory standards following the Fukushima Daiichi accident has reached at least 6.606 trillion yen. Affected by rising prices, this figure has increased slightly from the previous year. About half of the surveyed companies said that rising costs of materials, equipment, and construction have pushed up related expenses, and the total may continue to rise in the future. After the Fukushima Daiichi accident, Japan implemented new nuclear regulatory standards requiring plants to strengthen earthquake and tsunami protection and improve severe accident response measures. Related costs mainly include seawalls, emergency power supplies, filtered venting equipment, and...

2026-08-18