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Ministry of Ecology and Environment North China Regional Office of Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision Conducts Supervision of First Fuel Loading at Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant Unit 7

Recently, the first fuel loading of Unit 7 at Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant was officially initiated, with the first fuel assembly successfully loaded into the reactor core, marking the unit's formal transition into the commissioning phase with nuclear operation. This unit is a key cooperative project witnessed by the heads of state of China and Russia via video link at its groundbreaking ceremony. This fuel loading marks a significant milestone achievement in the largest strategic cooperation project in China-Russia nuclear energy cooperation. As a core and critical procedure in nuclear power engineering, the first fuel loading serves as a comprehensive and holistic verification of the unit's engineering construction quality, system commissioning effectiveness, and safety control capabilities, and is of decisive significance to the subsequent safe and stable operation of the unit. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment North China Regional Office of Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision (hereinafter referred to as the North China Regional Office) has consistently upheld the nuclear safety regulatory work style of "rigorous, prudent, meticulous, and practical," closely focusing on the core and critical aspects of the first fuel loading, and implementing full-coverage, full-chain, and whole-process supervision and control over this fuel loading operation, effectively safeguarding the safety and quality defense line of the loading operation.

2026-08-26

Russian team develops machine learning model to predict stability of rare earth and actinide complexes

Researchers from the Interdisciplinary Laboratory for Intelligent Chemical Design at the Department of Chemistry of Lomonosov Moscow State University, in collaboration with colleagues from the Department of Mechanics and Mathematics, have developed a new machine learning model for evaluating the stability of complexes of rare earth elements and trivalent actinides. The results have been published in the Journal of Chemical Physics. The research team stated that machine learning can reduce time and material costs in chemical research, which is particularly important for rare, expensive, or hazardous lanthanides and actinides. Lanthanides, along with scandium and yttrium, are commonly classified as rare earth elements and are widely used in permanent magnets, batteries, electronic components, lasers, and other applications. Since rare earth elements in nature...

2026-08-25

Kazakhstan's Kazatomprom Says the Era of "Cheap Uranium" Is Fading

Meirzhan Yussupov, CEO of Kazakhstan's national atomic company Kazatomprom, said during a semi-annual financial results conference call that the global uranium market is entering a new supply-demand phase and the era of cheap uranium is fading. The company also disclosed arrangements for natural uranium concentrate trading and the latest updates on the delay of the TQZ sulfuric acid plant project. Yussupov said that 38 countries worldwide have signed commitments to support tripling nuclear power capacity by 2050, with these countries collectively accounting for more than 70% of global GDP. In his view, nuclear energy development has moved beyond policy discussions and entered the stage of actual deployment...

2026-08-25

Madouela Uranium Project Rights in Niger Re-Secured

Atomic Eagle Limited has reached a new mining agreement with the Republic of Niger to re-secure the rights to the Madouela uranium project. The project is located in Niger, and its mining rights were revoked in 2024 from the previous holder, GoviEx Uranium Inc. Phil Hoskins, CEO of Atomic Eagle Limited, stated that re-acquiring the Madouela mining rights will significantly expand the company's resource base and add a more advanced-stage uranium project to its portfolio. He noted that Madouela is a large-scale, high-grade uranium project with substantial historical...

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

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

Fukui Prefecture in Japan Likely to Approve KEPCO's Dry Storage Facility for Spent Nuclear Fuel

According to multiple officials of Fukui Prefecture, Japan, Governor Takato Ishida of Fukui Prefecture is expected to approve Kansai Electric Power Company's (KEPCO) construction of a dry storage facility for spent nuclear fuel at its nuclear power plants within the prefecture. If completed, this would mark the first adoption of such an on-site interim storage facility at KEPCO's nuclear power plants. A dry storage facility is used to store spent nuclear fuel discharged from reactors. The basic approach involves placing spent fuel into dedicated metal containers and cooling them naturally through air circulation, without relying on electrical systems. Since the containers themselves can be transported by ship or trailer, subsequent off-site transfer is relatively convenient; even in the event of a power outage, the associated accident risk is considered low. Japan Atomic Power Company (JAPC) and Shikoku Electric Power Company operate nuclear power plants that have already adopted this storage method.

2026-08-25

Argentina advances uranium mine restart to support nuclear power program

The Argentine government is incorporating the resumption of domestic uranium mining into its nuclear energy development plan. The government of Javier Milei proposed a nuclear program in June this year, covering uranium resource development, support for the operation of existing nuclear power units, and the construction of modular reactors. Argentina has a long history of uranium mining. According to data, the Huemul uranium mine in Mendoza Province operated from 1955 to 1975, and the Sierra Pintada uranium mine operated from 1975 to 1997. Since then, Argentina has relied mainly on imports for the uranium fuel needed to operate its nuclear power plants. Currently, nuclear power accounts for about 7% of the country's electricity generation. Argentine official data shows that the country has identified recoverable uranium resources of 34,250 tonnes.

2026-08-23

Japan Explains Plan for Spent Fuel Interim Storage Facility in Kaminoseki Town

Japan's Agency for Natural Resources and Energy recently held an explanatory meeting with the Kaminoseki Town Assembly regarding the Chugoku Electric Power Company's plan to construct a spent fuel interim storage facility in Kaminoseki Town, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The briefing covered the Japanese government's nuclear fuel cycle policy, facility safety, and related subsidy systems. The meeting was held on the 19th at the Kaminoseki Town Assembly. Previously, the Japanese government had decided to revise guidelines related to nuclear energy policy and included the Kaminoseki Town spent fuel interim storage facility plan within them. At the meeting, the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy stated that interim storage facilities are essential to supporting...

2026-08-23

Kazakhstan's Kazatomprom to Supply Natural Uranium Concentrate to Russian and Chinese Companies

Kazakhstan's National Atomic Company Kazatomprom recently announced on the Astana International Exchange (AIX) that it has reached agreements with Russia's Uranium One and State Nuclear Uranium Resource Development Company (SNURDC) for the sale of natural uranium concentrate (U3O8). Under the relevant arrangements, Kazatomprom plans to deliver a batch of natural uranium concentrate to the Siberian Chemical Combine, with the shipment intended for Uranium One; simultaneously, the company also plans to deliver a batch of natural uranium concentrate to Alashankou Railway Station, intended for SNURDC. Kazatomprom stated that it plans to review the relevant major transactions at an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders to be held in September...

2026-08-22

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

IAEA Launches New Project to Enhance Nuclear Fuel and Materials Testing Capabilities in Research Reactors

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently launched a four-year coordinated research project aimed at optimizing the experimental design of nuclear fuel and structural materials testing in research reactors, enhancing the safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of irradiation experiments. Top view showing a materials testing reactor core loaded with two in-core materials testing devices. (Photo: Y. Ostrovsky/MIT) With the continued advancement of new nuclear reactor technologies, growing interest in small modular reactors, and existing nuclear power plants seeking long-term operation, the demand for reliable testing of new nuclear fuels and structural materials is increasing. Before being put into use in nuclear reactors, these fuels and materials must be tested and qualified under harsh conditions such as radiation and high temperatures...

2026-08-21

US Standard Nuclear and Radiant Sign TRISO Fuel Supply Agreement

Standard Nuclear announced on August 20 that it has signed a binding TRISO nuclear fuel supply agreement with Radiant Industries, Inc. of the United States. Under the agreement, Radiant will receive a multi-ton supply of TRISO fuel, with deliveries continuing through 2031, to support its microreactor deployment plans. Standard Nuclear, headquartered in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, states that it is currently the only company in the United States with an industrial-scale TRISO fuel manufacturing facility. The agreement is aimed at Radiant's Kaleidos microreactor currently under development. The reactor has a power output of 1 megawatt and is designed to be transportable...

2026-08-21

US LIS Technologies Initiates Site Preparation for Oak Ridge Laser Uranium Enrichment Project

LIS Technologies Inc. (LIST) announced on August 20 that it has initiated preliminary site preparation work on the "LIST Island" parcel at the Heritage Center of the East Tennessee Technology Park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The 206-acre parcel is located within the former K-25 gaseous diffusion plant site. This phase of work includes environmental characterization, environmental assessment, and technical feasibility studies tailored to site conditions. These efforts will provide the preliminary basis for the company's planned commercial laser uranium enrichment headquarters and technology campus, LEU-3. Under current plans, the LEU-3 facility will host the company's FUEL project, namely the Future Uranium Enrichment by Laser project, and support its long-term operations and research...

2026-08-21

Kyushu Electric Power explains holding company transition to Kagoshima Prefecture; Sendai Nuclear Power Plant business to continue

On August 20, Kyushu Electric Power President Masaru Nishiyama and two others visited the Kagoshima Prefectural Government to explain to Governor Koichi Shiota the company's plan to transition to a holding company structure in October this year. Under the plan, Kyushu Electric Power will establish a new holding company, Kyuden Holdings, as the group's parent company to improve overall group management efficiency. Following the restructuring, relevant subsidiaries under Kyushu Electric Power will continue to undertake nuclear power operations, including the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant. During the meeting, Governor Shiota specifically highlighted the dry storage facility for spent nuclear fuel that Kyushu Electric Power plans to adopt at the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant...

2026-08-21