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US Study Shows Inertial Fusion Implosions Can Tolerate Certain Asymmetries

Researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in the US have recently found that implosion designs for inertial fusion energy (IFE) can withstand considerable imperfections before performance degrades sharply. This result aids in the design of fuel targets for future fusion power plants, particularly in assessing the tolerance of target capsules to errors under high-frequency injection and laser-driven conditions. The study's simulation results show the density (top) and temperature (bottom) at the instant just before fusion reactions peak in an asymmetric implosion. The hottest spot coincides with the point of highest fuel density, indicating direct ignition of high-density fuel jets driven by asymmetry. The image was recently selected for the cover of Physics of Plasmas...

2026-08-25

U.S. Department of Energy Extends Princeton University Contract to Operate PPPL

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Princeton University have extended the contract under which Princeton University manages and operates the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). The laboratory is located on Princeton University's Forrestal Campus in Plainsboro, New Jersey. Under the new extension, the contract will be renewed for five years starting April 1, 2027. Princeton University expects to strengthen collaboration with faculty and research teams on campus during the contract period, explore next-generation fusion energy research facilities, and enhance laboratory infrastructure and safety to support ongoing operational needs. Princeton University's office for research affairs...

2026-08-25

South Korea denies rumors of joint investment with U.S. in Westinghouse Electric

In response to external claims that the United States proposed South Korea jointly invest in Westinghouse Electric Company, the South Korean government recently responded, stating that such claims are not true. According to a South Korean government source revealed on August 24, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) were reportedly evaluating a plan to jointly acquire a partial stake in Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC) with the U.S. government. The related claims stated that the investment scale and shareholding ratio had not yet been determined, and the plan might involve establishing a special purpose vehicle through joint South Korea-U.S. funding to acquire shares and participate in subsequent U.S. nuclear power plant construction projects.

2026-08-25

US TRISO-X TX-1 Advanced Nuclear Fuel Facility Enters Next Construction Phase

TRISO-X, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of X-energy, announced on August 24 that its TX-1 advanced nuclear fuel manufacturing facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, has entered the next construction phase. With the vertical structure of the facility nearing completion, the project will transition to auxiliary building construction, interior finishing, and equipment installation. The facility is positioned as the first commercial facility in the United States dedicated to producing tristructural isotropic fuel for advanced reactors, and will provide fuel support for X-energy's Xe-100 high-temperature gas-cooled reactor in the future. X-energy is collaborating with Dow to advance the first deployment of the Xe-100 reactor...

2026-08-25

U.S. NANO Nuclear Plans to Deploy Advanced Nuclear Energy for AI Industrial Parks

NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. recently announced that it has signed a non-binding strategic commercial framework agreement with Tillman Global Holdings and its global data center platform Tillman Digital Gateway, aiming to promote the future use of its KRONOS MMR energy system in artificial intelligence industrial parks that Tillman plans to build in the United States. Figure 1 - NANO Nuclear and Tillman Digital Gateway sign strategic commercial framework to advance nuclear power for gigawatt-scale AI industrial parks in the U.S. Under the agreement, NANO Nuclear will become...

2026-08-25

American Fusion's Fusion Platform Patent Applications Reach 100

American Fusion announced on August 24 that the total number of patent applications it has filed around its Texatron Fusion Engine platform has reached 100, including 17 newly filed U.S. patent applications. The company stated that these applications primarily cover the structural design, fuel injection, electromagnetic configuration, and system architecture of the Texatron platform. According to the company's disclosure, the 17 newly filed applications were submitted between August 16 and 22, 2026, covering aluminum fusion confinement structures, clamshell and monobloc housings, hollow annular inner cavities, rifled inner wall geometries, electromagnetic field structures, helium-3 and deuterium...

2026-08-25

Expansion Project Advances at Centrus Energy's Uranium Enrichment Facility in Piketon, Ohio

Centrus Energy said on August 24 that Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel, JobsOhio CEO J.P. Nauseef, along with state, federal, and local stakeholders, visited the company's uranium enrichment facility in Piketon, Ohio, to discuss the development of the U.S. domestic nuclear fuel supply chain and Ohio's role in it. In September 2025, Centrus Energy announced a multi-billion-dollar expansion of the Piketon uranium enrichment plant. Currently, the expansion...

2026-08-25

US to Partner with UK Firm to Advance Nuclear-Powered Commercial Ships

Stephen Carmel, Administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), stated that the United States will sign an agreement with Core Power, a UK-based marine nuclear energy company, to jointly advance the development of a fleet of nuclear-powered commercial ships. Under the arrangement, Washington plans to sign a public-private cooperation agreement with Core Power. The company will participate in promoting the research and development of nuclear propulsion systems in the shipping sector, accelerating the exploration of applications for this technology in commercial vessels. In June of this year, the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) approved a nuclear-powered ship design proposed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The design is regarded as a significant step forward in the U.S. technological pathway for nuclear-powered commercial ships...

2026-08-25

U.S. Plans to Launch Nuclear Fission-Powered Spacecraft to Fly by Mars by End of 2028

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is advancing the Space Reactor-1 "Freedom" (SR-1 Freedom) mission, with the goal of launching a nuclear fission-powered spacecraft by the end of 2028 to validate deep-space nuclear electric propulsion technology. According to existing mission documentation, the mission plans to fly by Mars in 2029 and deploy the SkyFall payload. The SR-1 Freedom is neither a fusion spacecraft nor a crewed Mars vehicle. Its core experiment is to operate a small uranium fission reactor, an energy conversion system, and Hall-effect thrusters in coordination beyond Earth orbit, accumulating engineering data for future higher-power deep-space missions...

2026-08-24

US Boston Dynamics and UK Roke Expand Spot Robot Reconnaissance Applications for Nuclear Facilities

US-based Boston Dynamics is expanding its collaboration with overseas specialized defense solutions companies to promote the application of its quadruped robot Spot in industrial, defense, and high-risk operational scenarios. Leveraging Spot's mature mobile platform capabilities, the company aims to further enter industry sectors with high demand for unmanned operations by integrating software systems designed for reconnaissance in hazardous environments. Boston Dynamics' quadruped robot Spot is equipped with autonomous reconnaissance software SPROCKET developed by UK-based Roke. (Image courtesy of Roke) UK defense security R&D company Roke announced on the 22nd that it has deployed Spot quadruped...

2026-08-23

Large Transformer Arrives for Restart Project at US Three Mile Island Unit 1

August 21 news, Constellation Energy, the company overseeing the refurbishment of the Three Mile Island nuclear plant, said this week that a transformer weighing approximately 262 tons, shipped from South Korea to Pennsylvania, USA, has arrived at the plant site in Middletown. This is the first of three large transformers planned for delivery to the site. Constellation Energy is advancing the restart of Unit 1 at Three Mile Island and plans to rename the project the Crane Clean Energy Center. The unit has been shut down since 2019. Constellation Energy stated that the arrival of the transformer is a key milestone in its effort to restore 835 megawatts of reliable...

2026-08-23

Gujarat seeks to attract small modular reactor manufacturing projects

On the fifth day of his visit to the United States, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel met with executives from several global companies in New York to advance investment outreach for the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2027. The meetings included Kyndryl, BlackRock, and Holtec International. During the talks with Holtec International, the two sides focused on nuclear technology and manufacturing cooperation. Holtec International primarily provides spent fuel storage and related solutions for nuclear power plants and has already established a precision manufacturing facility in Gujarat to meet growing demand for air-cooled condensers. According to an official statement, the company plans to expand this facility in 2025.

2026-08-23

Kairos Power Launches Nuclear Manufacturing and Construction Workforce Collaboration Program

Kairos Power announced on August 21 the establishment of the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing and Prefabrication Center (NuCAMP), planning to advance nuclear manufacturing, construction method validation, and technical workforce development in eastern Tennessee to support advanced nuclear reactor deployment. The NuCAMP program was officially unveiled at Kairos Power's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Image credit: Amy Smotherman Burgess/ORNL, U.S. Department of Energy. The program was announced at Kairos Power's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Under a signed memorandum of understanding, Kairos Power will collaborate with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), Barnard Construction Company, Roane State Community College, Chattanooga State Community College, and Oak Ridge Schools.

2026-08-22

Two U.S. National Laboratories Collaborate to Advance Arc-Based 3D Printing of Nuclear Pressure Vessels

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Idaho National Laboratory (INL), both under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), announced a collaboration focused on advancing wire-arc 3D printing technology for industrial pressure vessels and qualification capabilities for critical nuclear components, aiming to expand the U.S. domestic supply chain. The two laboratories unveiled the collaboration during the Materials and Manufacturing Innovation Day event hosted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on August 19. The event focused on topics such as advanced manufacturing, nuclear infrastructure, energy security, and domestic supply chains, and featured demonstrations and tours of the DOE Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF). This facility is a large-scale research platform open to industry, primarily...

2026-08-22

US Deployable Signs MOU with Utah on Nuclear Microreactor Siting

Deployable Energy Limited (Deployable) announced on August 21 local time that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Utah Office of Energy Development (OED) on August 18. The MOU establishes a non-binding cooperation framework for the two parties to jointly explore the feasibility of siting Unity nuclear batteries in Utah and supports subsequent information exchange. Deployable is a clean energy company engaged in the design and manufacture of compact, transportable nuclear microreactors. The company stated that signing this MOU is a step forward in advancing the research, development, testing, and commercial deployment of Unity nuclear batteries...

2026-08-22