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Japanese research team accelerates muons to 0.3 MeV, taking a step toward the world's only muon accelerator

A research team comprising the J-PARC Center, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), the University of Tokyo, Tokai National Higher Education and Research System, Nagoya University, and RIKEN recently completed muon cooling and radio-frequency acceleration experiments in the newly constructed muon acceleration experimental area at the J-PARC Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility, successfully accelerating muons to a kinetic energy of 0.3 MeV, corresponding to approximately 8% of the speed of light. Conceptual diagram of cooling and accelerating positive muon beams. By cooling positive muons with non-uniform direction and velocity, efficient high-frequency acceleration can be achieved. Muons are elementary particles similar to electrons that can be artificially produced by accelerators and are widely used in materials science, particle physics research...

2026-09-07

UK Fusion Energy Company Files 50th Patent Application

UK Fusion Energy (UKFE) filed its 50th patent application this week, marking new progress in the UK's efforts to advance fusion energy commercialization and related intellectual property development. UKFE is a government-backed organization responsible for developing and protecting intellectual property arising from the STEP fusion prototype plant project and driving the transfer of related innovations to industry. Since 2025, the organization has filed 52 patent applications and published 108 technical disclosures and 2 patent applications. These achievements cover key technologies required for the construction of the STEP prototype facility, as well as some innovations applicable beyond the fusion energy sector. UKFE stated that the intellectual property portfolio reflects the breadth and pace of the project's R&D activities.

2026-08-28

TEPCO replaces faulty motor of robotic arm at Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) began replacing the faulty motor of the robotic arm used for fuel debris retrieval trials at Unit 2 of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station on August 26. The robotic arm, approximately 22 meters long, is planned for use in the third fuel debris retrieval trial. During a previous operational inspection inside the reactor building of Unit 2, TEPCO found that the motor driving the robotic arm had malfunctioned, preventing the brake from releasing and the arm from extending. As the robotic arm is already installed on site, workers will enter the "front chamber" in front of the containment vessel to perform the replacement manually. The company stated that radiation levels in the work area will be strictly controlled to prevent workers from receiving excessive exposure. After this replacement, TEPCO will...

2026-08-27

Japan's TEPCO Receives 4.8 Billion Yen in Nuclear Damage Compensation Funds

Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO Holdings) announced on August 24 that it received a fund disbursement of 4.8 billion yen from the Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation (NDF) on the same day. The disbursement was made in accordance with the revised Special Business Plan approved on March 31, 2026. TEPCO stated that, to date, it has received 188.9 billion yen in compensation under the Act on Compensation for Nuclear Damage, and a cumulative total of 11.5524 trillion yen in fund disbursements from the NDF. As the total compensation payments expected by the end of September 2026 are projected to exceed the combined amount of the above funds, the company applied for the 172nd fund disbursement. TEPCO said that while receiving institutional financial support, it will continue to advance compensation efforts for nuclear accident victims and meet related compensation demands. Information on claims and payment status, changes in cumulative total payments, and agreement amounts by category is available through the company's public channels.

2026-08-24

Fire alarm triggered for sixth time in August at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station; fire department confirms no fire occurred

At approximately 3:54 a.m. on August 21, a fire alarm was triggered on the first floor of the access control building at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) stated that no open flames or smoke were found near the site; shortly after 5:00 a.m., the fire department confirmed that the alarm was not caused by a fire. Readings from radiation monitoring stations around the plant also showed no significant fluctuations. This was the sixth fire alarm at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station since the beginning of August. Previously, the maintenance building for Units 5 and 6 triggered a fire alarm on August 8; the emergency diesel generator room for the high-pressure core spray system of Unit 6 triggered a fire alarm on August 12; the main administration building triggered a fire alarm on August 13...

2026-08-21

Major Fusion Energy Appointment in the UK: MIT Professor Dennis Whyte Named CEO of UKAEA

The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has appointed Professor Dennis Whyte, a fusion energy expert from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as its new Chief Executive Officer, with his tenure officially commencing in autumn 2026. This appointment comes at a critical stage in the UK's accelerated push toward fusion energy commercialisation, signalling the country's intent to strengthen its position in the global fusion energy race by attracting international talent with combined expertise in research, engineering, and industrialisation. The UK government previously announced an investment of £2.5 billion in fusion energy research, development, and innovation over the five-year period ending in 2030. Upon taking office, Whyte will be tasked with advancing the R&D system, accelerating technology commercialisation, expanding industrial and international collaboration, and translating scientific...

2026-08-13

TEPCO and JAPC invite eight power companies to participate in spent fuel transport

August 12 news, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and Japan Atomic Power Company (JAPC) invited eight other Japanese power companies that own nuclear power plants on the 10th to consider participating in the transport of spent fuel to the Mutsu City interim storage facility in Aomori Prefecture. Mutsu City has agreed to expand the scope of operating entities involved in the transport. The interim storage facility is operated by Recyclable-Fuel Storage Company (RFS), jointly established by TEPCO and JAPC, and is primarily used for temporary storage of spent fuel generated from nuclear power plants before reprocessing. The eight invited companies are Hokkaido Electric Power Company (Hokkai...

2026-08-13

Japan's Mutsu Spent Fuel Interim Storage Facility May Expand Participants; KEPCO and Hokuriku Electric Power Say They Are Considering

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and Japan Atomic Power Company (JAPC) began contacting eight other domestic electric power companies that own nuclear power plants on August 10, asking whether they would be interested in participating in the expansion of the entities responsible for transporting spent fuel to the interim storage facility in Mutsu City, Aomori Prefecture. Among the eight companies contacted, Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO) and Hokuriku Electric Power Company indicated in response to the inquiries that they are considering whether to participate. In December 2025, TEPCO and JAPC had submitted a proposal to Aomori Prefecture and Mutsu City regarding the expansion of operating entities, and at that time they had also sought the intentions of these eight companies...

2026-08-12

Lockheed Martin Australia Authorized to Integrate Virginia-Class Nuclear Submarine Combat Systems, Marking a Key Step in AUKUS Technology Transfer

Lockheed Martin Australia has signed a multi-year A$29.3 million contract with the Australian Submarine Agency and has been officially designated as the combat systems integration partner for Australia's Virginia-class nuclear submarines. What makes this arrangement unique is that Australia will become the first national-level partner outside the United States authorized to integrate, maintain, and upgrade the classified combat systems of Virginia-class nuclear submarines. The relevant authorization covers approximately 40 classified subsystems, including critical capabilities such as sensors, target identification, weapon control, and underwater communications, marking a deepening of technology sharing under the AUKUS framework from platform procurement to the core combat systems level. The Virginia-class nucle...

2026-08-11

Rising Seawater Temperatures Prompt New Nuclear Safety Rules: TEPCO Sets Temporary Shutdown Criteria for Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Plant

Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings announced on August 7 that it has established a set of self-determined criteria for evaluating whether to temporarily halt nuclear reactor operations at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Niigata Prefecture, in response to rising seawater temperatures in the surrounding area. These criteria are not mandatory requirements directly imposed by external regulatory authorities, but rather proactive measures voluntarily implemented by TEPCO based on safe operational needs. According to the conditions announced by TEPCO, the company will consider temporarily shutting down the relevant nuclear facilities when the 7-day average seawater temperature in the waters surrounding the plant exceeds 31 degrees Celsius, when water temperatures above 34 degrees Celsius are observed, or when water temperatures above 33 degrees Celsius persist for 12 hours. These numerical thresholds indicate that seawater temperature has been incorporated as a key variable in nuclear power plant operational risk management.

2026-08-08

TEPCO says cooling interruption of spent fuel pool at Fukushima Daini Unit 1 due to human error

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) announced on July 29 that the event in April 2026, where the spent fuel pool cooling system at Unit 1 of the Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant was shut down for approximately 32 hours, was determined to be caused by human error. At the time of the incident, the plant was in the decommissioning phase. On April 5, a fault alarm was triggered by the cooling water circulation pump of Unit 1 at Fukushima Daini. After on-site personnel confirmed smoke from the equipment, the pump was stopped, resulting in an interruption of the spent fuel pool cooling system for about 32 hours. TEPCO previously stated that the cause was damage to the cable connecting the pump motor. According to TEPCO's latest explanation, the cable melting may be related to the installation method when the cable was replaced in 2012...

2026-07-30

CEO of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited to Step Down After Term Ends in 2027

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) announced on July 28 that, after consultation with the Chair of the Board, the company's President and Chief Executive Officer, Fred Dermarkar, has informed the Board that he will not seek reappointment after his term ends on February 7, 2027. AECL stated that Dermarkar believes that as the company enters a new and important phase of development, now is the appropriate time to initiate a leadership transition. He will continue to serve until the end of his term to ensure management continuity while the company advances its key strategic priorities and to support a smooth handover to new leadership. This personnel announcement comes at a time of active development in Canada's nuclear energy industry. Previously, the Canadian government...

2026-07-29