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UK and Cook Islands Sign International Legal Instruments, Reaffirming Commitment to International Nuclear Cooperation

At the annual treaty signing event held during the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference, the United Kingdom and the Cook Islands each deposited relevant legal instruments, demonstrating their strong commitment to the international legal framework supporting the safe, secure and peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stated that by acceding to such treaties, contracting parties not only assume important national responsibilities but also signal to the international community their dedication to building a solid legal framework to ensure the safe, secure and peaceful uses of nuclear technology. During the event, the United Kingdom deposited the ratification of the Amendment to the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage...

2026-09-17

Focusing on Nuclear Safety Assessment and Future Strategic Priorities, the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency's Working Group on Accident Analysis and Management (WGAMA) Holds Its 29th Annual Meeting

The Working Group on Accident Analysis and Management (WGAMA), a subsidiary body of the Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations (CSNI) of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA), held its 29th Annual Meeting from September 7 to 9, 2026, at the OECD Conference Centre in Paris, France. Sixty-one delegates from 21 countries, as well as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the European Commission (EC), attended the meeting. Participants included experts from regulatory bodies, technical support organizations, research institutions, industry, and international organizations, who jointly assessed current activities, approved new projects, and discussed future strategic priorities in the field of accident analysis and management. As an international platform advancing the technical basis for nuclear reactor safety assessment, WGAMA at this meeting...

2026-09-17

An independent expert team has once again confirmed the environmental safety of Russia's Rostov Nuclear Power Plant

Recently, the annual ecological expedition involving students and researchers from Southern Federal University successfully completed its second phase, and an independent expert team has once again confirmed the environmental safety of Russia's Rostov Nuclear Power Plant. During the expedition, researchers collected 200 soil samples and conducted nearly 500 measurements of air γ radiation dose rates. These sampling points had been established long before the nuclear power plant was put into operation and have been used continuously over the years. Through analysis of these samples, experts were able to accurately assess the local natural radiation background. Dr. Yelena Buraeva, head of the ecological expedition team, briefed the media in detail on the monitoring results sustained over many years, emphasizing that 25 years of...

2026-09-17

The "Weaponized" Nuclear Power Plant: Dual Narratives and Governance Dilemmas in the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Crisis

The "Weaponized" Nuclear Power Plant: Dual Narratives and Governance Dilemmas in the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Crisis

2026-09-17

Holtec SMR project receives regulatory approval to proceed with early site construction

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has granted Holtec International a regulatory exemption allowing the company to advance certain early construction activities for two small modular reactor (SMR) units at the Palisades Energy Center in Michigan before obtaining a Limited Work Authorization (LWA). Palisades SMR, a wholly owned subsidiary of Holtec International, submitted the first part of a phased construction permit application to the NRC last December for the dual-unit SMR-300 project (Units Pioneer 1 and 2). The application included a request for a Limited Work Authorization to allow construction activities to begin before a construction permit or combined...

2026-09-17

Canada's Cameco Signs Exclusive Offtake Agreement to Lock Up All Future Output from U.S. Paducah Laser Enrichment Plant

Canadian nuclear fuel giant Cameco has signed a new exclusive offtake agreement with Global Laser Enrichment (GLE), under which Cameco will purchase all nuclear fuel products from the future production of the Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility (PLEF) that GLE plans to build in Kentucky, United States. This major agreement was formally announced by Australia's Silex Systems. GLE was founded in 2007 to develop and commercialize laser-based uranium enrichment technology in the United States. The company is currently 51% owned by Silex Systems, the developer of SILEX laser enrichment technology, and 49% by Cameco. Silex Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Mike...

2026-09-17

Unit 2 of Japan's Shimane Nuclear Power Plant Completes Periodic Inspection and Resumes Commercial Operation After About 7 Months

The Chugoku Electric Power Company (Japanese: 中国電力株式会社), a large integrated electric power company responsible for supplying electricity to 5 prefectures in the Chugoku region of western Honshu, Japan, announced on September 16 that Unit 2 of the Shimane Nuclear Power Plant has successfully completed the periodic inspection that began in February this year and officially resumed commercial operation on the 16th, returning to power supply after about 7 months. According to Chugoku Electric Power's estimate, in the overall power source mix, nuclear power generation will account for about 15% of the company's total power generation for this fiscal year, and this level of generation is expected to meet about 60% of the electricity demand of the two San'in prefectures. In addition, since Unit 2 of the Shimane Nuclear Power Plant has reached 37 years since it began commercial operation, Chugoku Electric Power also collected, during this periodic inspection, data used as the basis for assessing the "special inspection" required for future extended operation beyond the standard service period (exceeding the 40-year operating limit).

2026-09-17

Kazakhstan is negotiating with potential suppliers on the construction of a second nuclear power plant

Gumar Sergazin, Vice Chairman of the Atomic Energy Agency of Kazakhstan, stated at the 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Kazakhstan is currently engaged in active negotiations with potential suppliers regarding the construction of the country's second nuclear power plant. In his remarks, Sergazin emphasized that within the framework of implementing the national nuclear energy program, Kazakhstan is not only preparing for the construction of its first nuclear power plant, but is also consulting with potential partners on preparations for a second nuclear power plant. Sergazin noted that Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev approved in April 2026 the...

2026-09-17

Unit 1 of Japan's Ikata Nuclear Power Plant Enters the Second Phase of Decommissioning

The Ikata Town Assembly formally passed a resolution on September 17, determining that the plan to advance the decommissioning work of Unit 1 to the next phase starting from the next fiscal year is "appropriate." It is understood that Shikoku Electric Power Company has divided the decommissioning work of Unit 1 at the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant into four phased processes to be carried out in an orderly manner. In July of this year, the company obtained official approval from Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority to commence the second-phase decommissioning plan, which includes the dismantling of equipment surrounding the reactor. According to relevant regulatory and local agreement requirements, the transition of decommissioning work to the second phase must obtain the understanding and consent of the local autonomous body. To this end, the Ikata Town Assembly specifically established a Special Committee on Nuclear Power Generation Countermeasures...

2026-09-17

The "Weaponized" Nuclear Power Plant: Dual Narratives and Governance Dilemmas of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Crisis

As the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to carry out drone attacks and shelling on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, senior Russian officials have adopted an increasingly tough tone. On September 16, Yuri Chernichuk, director of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, claimed to TASS that Ukraine "lacks highly qualified personnel capable of operating the plant," and used the argument that "if Russian personnel stop their services, an irreversible process will ultimately lead to a nuclear accident," in an attempt to strengthen accusations against Ukraine in public opinion. This statement once again pushed the most dangerous nuclear facility on the European continent to the center of public discourse. This article attempts to break away from a single narrative and, from the four dimensions of technology, jurisprudence, geopolitics, and international governance, analyze...

2026-09-17

India's Ministry of External Affairs: Will continue to deepen strategic cooperation with Russia in nuclear energy and continue to advance the subsequent construction of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant

Randhir Jaiswal, official spokesperson of India's Ministry of External Affairs, stated clearly at a press conference that India is committed to continuing to deepen strategic cooperation with Russia in the field of nuclear energy. Jaiswal pointed out that cooperation between India and Russia in the field of nuclear energy has a long history, among which the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant project is a model of successful cooperation between the two countries in the energy industry. He emphasized that India intends to further expand its cooperative relationship with Russia in this field, and that the two sides currently maintain regular dialogue and communication, with relevant technical experts conducting professional discussions on specific matters. Jaiswal also promised that once new cooperation projects are established in the future,...

2026-09-17

Unit 2 of the Czech Temelín Nuclear Power Plant shut down due to a control system fault

Unit 2 of the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant in the south of the Czech Republic has been taken out of service due to a fault in the control system of its non-nuclear portion. Marek Sviták, spokesperson for the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant, said that power engineers shut down Unit 2 of the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant that day because of a fault in the control system of the non-nuclear portion. After the necessary inspection and maintenance work is completed, the unit is expected to resume operation and return to power generation on Thursday of this week. At the same time, Unit 1 of the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant is currently operating normally at full power and has not been affected. In addition to the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant, the...

2026-09-17

Hainan Free Trade Port's first "Hualong One", Huaneng Changjiang Nuclear Power Phase II Unit 3 is about to be officially put into operation

The first Hualong One nuclear power unit in the Hainan Free Trade Port, Huaneng Changjiang Nuclear Power Phase II Unit 3, is about to officially enter commercial operation. Huaneng Changjiang Nuclear Power Phase II is equipped with China's independently developed third-generation Hualong One nuclear power technology and adopts the country's first fully independently controllable group-level nuclear power production management system. It can deliver more than 9 billion kWh of clean electricity to the Hainan power grid each year. The Huaneng Changjiang Nuclear Power Phase II project plans to build Unit 3 and Unit 4, two units with a single-unit capacity of 1.2 million kilowatts. After the two units are fully completed, the annual power generation can reach 18 billion kWh, enough to meet the electricity demand of one-third of Hainan Province's population. Huaneng Changjiang Nuclear Power Phase II Unit 3 is about to be officially put...

2026-09-17

South Korea Plans to Open Up "Direct Purchase" of Nuclear Power: A Low-Cost Pathway for Industrial Decarbonization, or a New Challenge for the Electricity Market?

2026-09-17

Canadian uranium exploration company Triton Uranium advances Atlas project, identifies 46.56 million pounds of potential uranium resources

Canadian uranium exploration company Triton Uranium recently announced that it has completed four technical reports compliant with NI 43-101 and S-K 1300 standards for its Atlas project located in Saskatchewan. The reports indicate that satellite mineralized occurrences and exploration target areas within the project area exhibit low-grade open-pit potential resources of up to 46.56 million pounds of triuranium octoxide (U₃O₈). This major technical breakthrough comes as the United States and Canada accelerate the construction of a continent-wide critical minerals supply chain under the U.S.-Canada Critical Minerals Action Plan. Meanwhile, Canada is fully advancing its nuclear energy strategy, with new reactor construction, small modular reactor (SMR) development, and the refurbishment of existing units...

2026-09-17