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ITER vacuum vessel assembly in France progresses steadily, with five European sectors at different critical stages

The vacuum vessel assembly work for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project in southern France is progressing steadily. As the core component of the ITER tokamak device, the vacuum vessel will contain the plasma confined by superconducting magnets, serving as the critical space where fusion reactions occur. This stainless steel ring-shaped structure weighs approximately 5,200 tonnes in total, measures 19.4 meters in diameter, and consists of nine sectors, five of which are manufactured by Europe. The European Fusion for Energy organization (F4E), together with the AMW consortium comprising Ansaldo Nucleare, Westinghouse Electric Italy, and Walter Tosto Company, is responsible for the related manufacturing work.

2026-08-21

Progress in Tritium Containment and Radiation Protection Materials Research at the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Recently, Associate Researcher Huo Zhipeng of the Fusion Reactor Blanket and Safety Research Center at the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with his supervised master's students Zhang Jie and Chen Zuoyang, developed a class of flexible PbWO4-B4C reinforced silicone rubber composites with dual functions of tritium safety containment and nuclear radiation protection. The related research results were published in Journal of Materials Research and Technology. Future fusion facilities require comprehensive performance from radiation protection materials in tritium safety containment systems, including airtight sealing, flexibility for easy assembly and disassembly, and radiation shielding capability, for penetration hole sealing, post-maintenance, and high-flux neutron and γ-ray radiation protection. The research...

2026-08-21

Ur-Energy Ships First Uranium from Shirley Basin Mine to Lost Creek Processing Plant

U.S. uranium producer Ur-Energy announced that on August 19, 2026, its Shirley Basin uranium mine in Wyoming shipped its first uranium to the Lost Creek processing plant in the same state. This marks the company's second in-situ recovery (ISR) uranium mine entering full production and beginning its ramp-up phase. Ur-Energy President and CEO Matt Gili stated that the shipment of first uranium signifies the full commissioning of the Shirley Basin project and represents the company's transition into a multi-asset U.S.-based uranium producer. According to him, the Shirley Basin project took approximately two and a half years from planning and construction to production. The Shirley Basin uranium mine is Ur-Energy's second in-situ uranium...

2026-08-21

UK Low-Level Waste Disposal Site STIM Project Rail Transport Completed Ahead of Schedule

The Southern Trench Interim Membrane (STIM) project at the UK's Low Level Waste Repository in Cumbria has completed its final aggregate rail deliveries, with related deliveries completed approximately one month ahead of schedule. Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) is progressing with capping works at the site, implementing long-term management of trenches and vaults used decades ago for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste. The current focus is on replacing the protective membrane above the southern trenches. This membrane reduces rainwater infiltration into the waste areas below, helping to lower environmental risks and creating conditions for the subsequent final capping of the northern trenches. The STIM project requires substantial quantities of aggregate to be placed on the trench cover. Since February 2025...

2026-08-21

German SIBAF Project Receives €9.7 Million to Support Fusion Materials Research

On August 20, 2026, with funding from the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), the SIBAF project will launch the construction of an accelerator infrastructure for fusion materials research. The project, whose full name is Superconducting Ion Accelerator as a Foundational Technology for Fusion Research, will receive €9.7 million over three years, of which €8.1 million is allocated to the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research (GSI) and its Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR), currently under construction. Goethe University Frankfurt will also participate in the project. SIBAF is part of the funding program "Fusion Foundational Technologies — Toward the Fusion Power Plant." Project objectives...

2026-08-21

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Awards OSI Systems $85 Million Contract for Mobile X-Ray Inspection Systems

On August 19, 2026, OSI Systems announced that its Security division has been awarded a five-year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with a ceiling value of approximately $85 million. Under the contract arrangement, OSI Systems will provide U.S. Customs and Border Protection with van-mounted mobile Rapiscan X-ray inspection systems for baggage and parcel screening. The company stated that the initial task order under the contract is valued at approximately $21 million, covering the delivery of mobile inspection systems and training for relevant operators. Ajay Mehra, President and CEO of OSI Systems, stated that this multi-year contract reflects the company's commitment to providing technology support for border security and demonstrates the capabilities of its mobile inspection product portfolio. The company will continue to work with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to deploy mobile screening platforms and provide customs and border officers with the necessary equipment and training.

2026-08-21

Indonesia Incorporates Nuclear Energy into Decarbonization and Power Planning

The National Energy Council (DEN) of Indonesia recently stated that nuclear energy is expected to become an important option for driving the country's energy transition and achieving its net-zero emission targets. DEN member Sripeni Inten Cahyani said at a national energy policy promotion event held at Mataram University that the positioning of nuclear energy in Indonesia's energy planning is changing, and it is no longer just a last resort. Sripeni Inten Cahyani (right), a member of the National Energy Council (DEN), accompanied by fellow member Surono (left), gave an exclusive interview to reporters after a national energy policy outreach activity at Mataram University in West Nusa Tenggara Province on Thursday, August 20, 2026...

2026-08-21

Construction of Radiotherapy and Radiosurgery Center Completed at Bulgaria's St. Ivan Rilski University Hospital

All construction and repair work for the new Radiotherapy and Radiosurgery Center at Bulgaria's St. Ivan Rilski University Hospital has been fully completed. According to the hospital, a latest-generation medical linear accelerator has been installed in the center, capable of sub-millimeter patient positioning accuracy. The equipment was delivered by the Ministry of Health under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, as part of the investment project for the modernization of the national system for diagnosis and treatment of oncological diseases, funded by the European Commission's Recovery and Resilience Facility. The device is a TrueBeam-EDGE linear accelerator manufactured by Varian Medical Systems, equipped with BrainLab's ExactTrac Dynamic system, valued at 5.1 million...

2026-08-21

Five New Oncology Diagnostic and Treatment Devices at Bulgaria's ISUL Hospital Expected to Launch This Autumn

Queen Joanna - ISUL University Hospital in Bulgaria expects to begin operating five new devices for imaging diagnosis and treatment of oncological diseases starting early this autumn. The hospital stated that patients will be able to use these high-tech devices after the relevant licensing and approval procedures are completed. Source: Queen Joanna University Hospital - ISULThe newly added equipment is deployed in the imaging diagnostics department and the radiation oncology department. Among them, the radiation therapy department will be equipped with a TrueBeam v4.1 medical linear accelerator, primarily used for radiotherapy and radiosurgery. This device can deliver high-energy radiation to tumor tissue with greater precision, supporting high-precision dose planning to achieve the required therapeutic effect while minimizing radiation exposure to healthy tissues and organs surrounding the tumor.

2026-08-21

South Korea's National Assembly Passes Amendments on Radiation Disaster Response, Strengthening the Treatment System for Radiation Victims

The South Korean National Assembly held a plenary session on the 20th and passed two livelihood bills proposed by Rep. Yoon Jun-byeong, a member of the Parliamentary Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs and Fisheries Committee. The bills concern the establishment of a radiation disaster response system and adjustments to the support system for surviving family members of national meritorious persons. Under the amendments passed, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute will be granted the qualification to operate as a specialized hospital for treating radiation victims. This arrangement aims to further improve the national medical safety net, enabling industrial radiation workers and victims of accidental radiation incidents to receive faster and more systematic treatment and rehabilitation support. Meanwhile, another amendment was also passed. This amendment, in accordance with the Constitutional Court's ruling of nonconformity, abolishes the provision that prioritized age as the sole criterion in the payment of survivor benefits to families of national meritorious persons of the same rank. After the relevant institutional adjustment, greater emphasis will be placed on safeguarding the rights of low-income households to reduce blind spots in welfare support.

2026-08-21

Iran Restarts Cyclotron to Boost Supply of Radiopharmaceuticals for Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

Iranian nuclear industry experts have recently resumed operation of a cyclotron used in nuclear medicine, which can produce radioisotopes needed for cancer diagnosis and treatment. According to plans, by the end of Iran's Seventh Development Plan, i.e., March 2029, Iran will have seven such centers to expand domestic supply capacity for medical radioisotopes. A cyclotron is a type of particle accelerator that can be used to produce nuclear medicine radioisotopes and further prepare radiopharmaceuticals. These drugs can be used for the detection, diagnosis, and monitoring of malignant tumors. Data shows that related products produced domestically in Iran include FDG and F-PSMA, primarily serving nuclear medicine diagnosis and treatment for various cancers...

2026-08-21

Singapore and India to Explore Cooperation on Small Modular Reactors

On August 20, the fourth India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable was held in Singapore. After reviewing progress in the six existing areas of cooperation, both sides proposed to further explore cooperation in new areas such as space and nuclear technology. Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, who led the Singapore delegation, said after the meeting that Singapore and India are satisfied with the good progress of cooperation in the six areas of sustainable development, digitalization, skills development, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, advanced manufacturing, and connectivity. Among the new areas of cooperation, nuclear technology became one of the topics discussed by both sides, with a focus on...

2026-08-21

U.S. Department of Energy Selects Fermilab to Lead AI Project to Enhance Superconducting Radio-Frequency Cavity Control in Particle Accelerators

The U.S. Department of Energy's Genesis Program recently selected an artificial intelligence project led by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, supporting its collaboration with national laboratories, universities, and industry to use AI and machine learning technologies to improve resonance control in particle accelerators. The project aims to enhance accelerator operational performance and beam stability while reducing energy consumption and operating costs. Superconducting radio-frequency cavities are being assembled and tested, ready for installation on the Proton Improvement Plan-II at the Fermilab Accelerator Complex. By finely tuning the resonant frequency of the cavities, scientists can optimize acc...

2026-08-21

Russia Plans to Build New Tokamak Device Using Reactor Technologies

Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom, recently stated at a nuclear energy development conference that Rosatom is collaborating with the Kurchatov National Research Centre to build a new tokamak device using reactor technologies. Likhachev said that fusion energy technology is one of the key directions for Russia's nuclear energy development. Currently, the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, and China are all advancing related projects, and technological competition in the field of controlled thermonuclear fusion continues to intensify. Russia hopes to use this project to maintain its technological leadership in this knowledge-intensive nuclear energy sector.

2026-08-21

Large Hadron Collider experiments reveal neon nucleus may be bowling-pin shaped

A recent experimental result from the Large Hadron Collider at CERN suggests that the internal structure of the neon-20 nucleus may not be approximately spherical as commonly depicted in traditional textbooks, but rather closer to a "bowling pin" shape. This finding provides new experimental clues for studying deformation of light atomic nuclei and collective behavior in high-energy nuclear collisions. Atomic nuclei are composed of protons and neutrons, determining the elemental identity of atoms and carrying most of their mass. Although nuclei are often simplistically depicted as spherical, nuclear physics research has shown that some nuclei exhibit pronounced non-spherical deformation, such as the pear-shaped nuclei mentioned in previous studies. Accurately understanding these shapes helps physicists...

2026-08-21