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China Launches Global Network for Small Modular Reactor Innovation

On Tuesday, September 15, during the 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held in Vienna, the China Atomic Energy Authority officially launched the Global Network for SMR Innovation (GNSI). The network aims to promote technological progress, standard-setting, and deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs), helping to improve the safety, economics, and accessibility of nuclear energy in support of climate action and sustainable development. At the launch and promotion event held in Vienna, participants stated that small modular reactors are expected to play a key role in the global expansion of nuclear energy, with applications far beyond conventional power generation, including offshore power supply, high-temperature hydrogen production, district heating, and seawater desalination.

2026-09-16

European Investment Bank to invest €40 million in Finnish small modular reactor company Steady Energy

The European Investment Bank will invest up to €40 million (about $46 million) in Finnish small modular reactor company Steady Energy. The company's LDR-50 reactor is specifically designed for district heating networks, and this is also the European Investment Bank's first investment in small modular reactor technology. The European Investment Bank is jointly owned by the 27 EU member states, and these member states do not have a consistent attitude toward nuclear energy. In the past, the bank usually avoided new nuclear power projects and invested only in projects related to nuclear safety, such as Chernobyl-related projects. However, over the past year or so, the European Investment Bank has provided loans for the refurbishment project of a reactor in Romania, as well as for the Tricastin...

2026-09-16

Canada's CSMC Releases Three Advanced Nuclear Reactor Designs

On September 10, 2026, Canadian aerospace and defense company Canadian Strategic Missions Corporation (CSMC) released three advanced nuclear reactor platforms, namely Polar-1, Jay-1, and Orca-1. The company said these three reactors target different application scenarios including remote communities, military operations, space infrastructure, scientific research, testing, and personnel training. CSMC was founded in 2020. The company stated that the three platforms constitute its advanced nuclear technology portfolio, aiming to provide reliable and deployment-flexible nuclear energy solutions in environments where conventional energy solutions struggle to meet demand, with application areas including Arctic communities...

2026-09-13

UK Nuclear Industry Association and Ukrainian Nuclear Forum Sign Nuclear Energy Cooperation Memorandum

On September 10, 2026, the UK Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) and the Ukrainian Nuclear Forum signed a memorandum of understanding to expand cooperation in areas including decommissioning of complex nuclear facilities, deployment of small modular reactors, and securing "trusted partner" status under the EU's Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA). Nuclear energy is an important source of Ukraine's wartime electricity supply, accounting for approximately 55% of the country's electricity supply. This cooperation builds on existing UK-Ukraine nuclear fuel cooperation. Urenco, one-third owned by the UK government, has supplied Ukraine with...

2026-09-12

Thailand Advances SMR Regulatory and Public Engagement Preparations, Plans to Commission First Unit by 2037

From September 9 to 11, 2026, the U.S. Department of State held the FIRST and Thailand Stakeholder Engagement Workshop in Bangkok. The workshop was co-hosted by the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (TINT) and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), aiming to support Thailand's preliminary preparations for small modular reactors (SMRs), with a focus on transparent communication, public trust, and stakeholder engagement. The FIRST program, whose full name is Foundational Infrastructure for the Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology, was initiated by the U.S. Department of State and mainly supports relevant countries in...

2026-09-12

South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea Releases SMR Development Strategy 2.0, Sets 2035 Manufacturing Market Share Target

On September 10, 2026, South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea announced the Small Modular Reactor Global Development Strategy 2.0, proposing to build the region into the world's leading small modular reactor (SMR) production hub by 2035, and striving to capture 60% of the global SMR manufacturing market and achieve 100% self-sufficiency in related technologies. South Gyeongsang Province stated that multiple tasks included in the Small Modular Reactor Global Development Strategy 1.0 formulated last year, including promoting the enactment of a special SMR law, designating SMR as a national strategic technology, designating an SMR specialized complex, establishing a full-cycle SMR support system, and relaxing relevant regulatory requirements, have already been reflected in the South Korean government's policies. Therefore...

2026-09-13

South Korea's SMR Special Act Takes Effect, Aiming to Commercialize Light Water SMRs by 2035

On September 11, 2026, the South Korean Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) announced that the Special Act on the Promotion of and Support for the Development of Small Modular Reactors, along with its enforcement decree, which aims to promote the research and development, demonstration, and commercialization of small modular reactors (SMRs), took effect on that day. Against the backdrop of growing electricity demand driven by the rapid spread of artificial intelligence and data centers, the South Korean government plans to increase support for the SMR sector through measures such as seven SEED projects. Under the Special Act and its enforcement decree, MSIT will formulate a basic plan for small modular reactor system development every five years, and prepare annual implementation...

2026-09-12

US-based Terrestrial Energy Submits IMSR Graphite Topical Report to Advance Molten Salt Reactor Licensing Preparation

US fourth-generation molten salt nuclear power plant developer Terrestrial Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: IMSR) recently announced that it has submitted a graphite topical report to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The report is intended to provide a regulatory basis for the use of graphite, a key core component of the Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR), in commercial power plant operation. Terrestrial Energy CEO Simon Irish stated that this is the second of at least three IMSR topical reports the company plans to submit to the NRC in 2026, and is part of its structured regulatory engagement plan, ultimately...

2026-09-11

US ONE Nuclear Plans Up to 1 GW Small Modular Reactor Project in Louisiana

ONE Nuclear Energy LLC (ONE Nuclear) announced the launch of its Louisiana project portfolio, with a planned total installed capacity of 5 GW, covering dispatchable generation, grid-scale battery energy storage, data center infrastructure, and advanced nuclear development pathways. The portfolio includes the Cayman Project, the Amberjack Project, and the Barracuda Project. Among them, the one directly related to nuclear power is the Amberjack Project, which aims to build a multi-unit small modular reactor station fleet with an installed capacity of up to 1 GW. ONE Nuclear CEO Richard Taylor stated that the Louisiana project portfolio is designed to meet the growing US electricity demand in different but complementary ways...

2026-09-11

Canada's Nuclear Laboratories Adjusts Clean Energy Program to Support Deployment of New Nuclear Projects in Canada

On September 10, 2026, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) announced an adjustment to its clean energy research program arrangements in order to direct more resources toward new nuclear projects currently under way and planned in Canada. CNL stated that, as of July 2026, it had terminated the Clean Energy Program Invitation and the Canadian Nuclear Research Initiative (CNRI). These two programs had previously been intended to leverage facilities and technical capabilities managed by CNL to support research, development, and demonstration of clean energy-related projects. CNL said the adjustment was made to optimize program priorities and concentrate efforts on supporting Canada's current and anticipated...

2026-09-11

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries to Invest KRW 238.6 Billion in Dedicated Plant for Manufacturing Major SMR Equipment

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries announced on September 10 that it will invest KRW 238.6 billion to build a dedicated plant for manufacturing major equipment for small modular reactors (SMRs). The plant will be built on the site of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' Ulsan Shipyard, with the goal of commencing operations in 2029. SMRs are regarded as one of the next-generation nuclear power technologies. Compared with conventional nuclear power units, SMRs have lower output power, and their major equipment can be configured in a modular manner, combining features such as stable power supply and reduced carbon emissions. As AI data centers requiring round-the-clock, large-scale power supply increase rapidly, SMRs are attracting more attention. According to projections by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), by 2050, the global SMR market is expected to grow to 150G...

2026-09-10

Turkey and Danish Developer Sign Memorandum of Understanding on Thorium-Based Molten Salt Reactor Research

On September 9, 2026, the Turkish Ministry of Energy stated that the Turkish Energy, Nuclear and Mining Research Institute (TENMAK) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Danish advanced reactor developer Copenhagen Atomics (CA), under which the two parties will conduct collaborative research on the application of thorium as a potential nuclear fuel for molten salt reactors. Tenmak and Copenhagen Atomics signed the memorandum of understanding on September 7. Photo courtesy of the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. The Turkish Ministry of Energy stated that the cooperation aims to advance research in areas related to thorium as a potential fuel for nuclear reactors, with a focus on assessing...

2026-09-10

Greece Establishes Committee to Study Inclusion of Nuclear Energy in Long-Term Energy Planning

On September 9, 2026, the Greek government published a decision in the Official Gazette establishing a government committee to study the possibility of including nuclear energy in the country's long-term energy planning. According to the document, the committee will work in accordance with relevant guidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as Greece's Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organisation (NEPIO), responsible for organizing and managing the first phase of the IAEA Milestones Approach. This phase is the exploratory stage set by the IAEA for countries considering the development of nuclear power. The IAEA Milestones Approach is a framework guideline for countries interested in developing nuclear power, divided into three phases and covering 19 infrastructure issues, with the related work to be completed before the commissioning of the first nuclear power plant.

2026-09-10

U.S. Plans to Deploy Navy's First Shore-Based Advanced Microreactor in Indiana by 2028

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced on September 9, 2026, that it plans to install an advanced nuclear Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) at Naval Weapons Station Crane (NWS Crane) in Indiana no later than September 2028. This is Indiana's first nuclear reactor project for power generation and an early project of the U.S. Department of Defense to advance advanced nuclear energy deployment at military installations. According to the announcement, the project is jointly advanced by the U.S. Army's Janus Program, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, and Indiana...

2026-09-10

US Centrus and Radiant Sign Long-Term HALEU Supply Agreement

On September 9, 2026, US nuclear fuel and services supplier Centrus Energy Corp. (Centrus) and mobile nuclear microreactor developer Radiant announced that the two parties have signed a multi-year definitive contract. Under the agreement, Centrus will supply high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel for Radiant's Kaleidos microreactor to support the deployment of multiple reactors. The agreement stipulates that Centrus will begin delivering HALEU by the end of this decade. The arrangement will add a domestic US fuel source for Radiant as it advances the commercial expansion of the Kaleidos reactor, and will also add a new HALEU customer for Centrus. The agreement also includes Ra...

2026-09-10