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Hanbit Unit 2 in South Korea Shut Down as Operating License Expires, Four Nuclear Units Temporarily Off the Grid

On September 11, 2026, Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2 in Yeonggwang County, South Jeolla Province, South Korea, stopped generating electricity as its 40-year operating license expired. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) said the same day that the generator of Hanbit Unit 2 was disconnected from the grid at 10 a.m., after which it entered a phase of routine inspection and planned preventive maintenance. Hanbit Unit 2 began commercial operation on September 12, 1986. Previously, Hanbit Unit 1 had been shut down in December 2025 for the same reason. With this, about 1.9 gigawatts of installed capacity from Hanbit Units 1 and 2 has temporarily withdrawn from the grid. In addition to Kori Units 3 and 4, which have already been shut down due to license expiration and are awaiting subsequent review decisions...

2026-09-11

US-based Terrestrial Energy Submits IMSR Graphite Topical Report to Advance Molten Salt Reactor Licensing Preparation

US fourth-generation molten salt nuclear power plant developer Terrestrial Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: IMSR) recently announced that it has submitted a graphite topical report to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The report is intended to provide a regulatory basis for the use of graphite, a key core component of the Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR), in commercial power plant operation. Terrestrial Energy CEO Simon Irish stated that this is the second of at least three IMSR topical reports the company plans to submit to the NRC in 2026, and is part of its structured regulatory engagement plan, ultimately...

2026-09-11

US ONE Nuclear Plans Up to 1 GW Small Modular Reactor Project in Louisiana

ONE Nuclear Energy LLC (ONE Nuclear) announced the launch of its Louisiana project portfolio, with a planned total installed capacity of 5 GW, covering dispatchable generation, grid-scale battery energy storage, data center infrastructure, and advanced nuclear development pathways. The portfolio includes the Cayman Project, the Amberjack Project, and the Barracuda Project. Among them, the one directly related to nuclear power is the Amberjack Project, which aims to build a multi-unit small modular reactor station fleet with an installed capacity of up to 1 GW. ONE Nuclear CEO Richard Taylor stated that the Louisiana project portfolio is designed to meet the growing US electricity demand in different but complementary ways...

2026-09-11

US-based Deep Fission Completes Full-Scale Reactor Vessel Deployment and Retrieval Demonstration Using Commercial Drilling Equipment

On September 3, 2026, advanced nuclear energy development company Deep Fission, Inc. (stock ticker: FISN) announced that it had completed a deployment and retrieval demonstration of a full-scale non-nuclear prototype reactor vessel using standard commercial drilling and hoisting equipment. The company is developing a technology pathway that deploys small modular pressurized water reactors in boreholes approximately 1 mile deep underground. In this demonstration, a commercial drilling and hoisting team lowered a 20-foot-long prototype reactor vessel into a 34-inch-diameter, 100-foot-deep borehole, and after completing alignment, retrieved it to the surface. Deep Fission stated that the equipment used in the demonstration was all standard equipment already in commercial...

2026-09-11

Canada's Nuclear Laboratories Adjusts Clean Energy Program to Support Deployment of New Nuclear Projects in Canada

On September 10, 2026, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) announced an adjustment to its clean energy research program arrangements in order to direct more resources toward new nuclear projects currently under way and planned in Canada. CNL stated that, as of July 2026, it had terminated the Clean Energy Program Invitation and the Canadian Nuclear Research Initiative (CNRI). These two programs had previously been intended to leverage facilities and technical capabilities managed by CNL to support research, development, and demonstration of clean energy-related projects. CNL said the adjustment was made to optimize program priorities and concentrate efforts on supporting Canada's current and anticipated...

2026-09-11

Investigation to Be Conducted into Emergency Diesel Generator Failure at Unit 6 of Japan's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant

Tokyo Electric Power Company announced that it will investigate the failure of the emergency diesel generator at Unit 6 of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The unit was restarted after 14 years of shutdown and resumed commercial operation in April this year. According to Tokyo Electric Power Company, in July this year, workers discovered that water had mixed into the lubricating oil of the emergency diesel generator at Unit 6. Subsequent inspections confirmed that there was a water leak in the cylinder head, a component of the generator engine. The company therefore determined that the unit currently does not meet the operational safety specification requirements. Tokyo Electric Power Company stated that it plans to complete the relevant repair work by September 19. If the repair cannot be completed by then, the cause of the failure will be further investigated, and measures may include shutting down the reactor for inspection.

2026-09-11

Safety review items for Shimane Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 confirmed, operation planned for 2030

The Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) of Japan conducted a safety review of Shimane Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 on September 10. This review is a necessary procedure before the unit can be put into operation. Chugoku Electric Power Company of Japan has been constructing Shimane Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 since 2005 and has been undergoing NRA review since 2018. At the review meeting that day, Chugoku Electric Power Company gave explanations regarding earthquake, tsunami, and severe accident response measures for Unit 3. According to the meeting, all review items were confirmed on September 10. Next, Chugoku Electric Power Company will submit a revised document incorporating the relevant content discussed at previous review meetings. The NRA is expected to prepare a draft review report based on this...

2026-09-11

Decommissioning of Unit 1 at Japan's Ikata Nuclear Power Plant Proposed to Move to Phase 2

On the 11th, Ichiro Ogi, Mayor of Yawatahama City in Ehime Prefecture, Japan, reported to the prefectural government that he has agreed to the decommissioning work of Unit 1 at the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant of Shikoku Electric Power Company entering Phase 2. Ichiro Ogi requested that Shikoku Electric Power thoroughly implement relevant measures during the subsequent decommissioning process to prevent the spread of radioactive materials, control the radiation exposure dose of workers, and protect the surrounding environment of the nuclear power plant. Unit 1 at the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant ceased operation in 2016, and since 2017, decommissioning work has been carried out in four phases, with a planned duration of more than 40 years. Currently, the decommissioning work of this unit is still in Phase 1. According to the safety agreement arrangements, Shikoku Electric Power has submitted a prior consultation application to the Ehime Prefectural Government...

2026-09-11

Chubu Electric Power considers withdrawing Hamaoka nuclear plant restart review application

Chubu Electric Power Company (CEPCO) is considering withdrawing its restart review application for Units 3 and 4 of the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant. The plant is located in Omaezaki City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and it was previously revealed that seismic design data related to the restart review was suspected of falsifying "design basis ground motion" data, making the ground motion amplitude in the submitted materials lower than originally expected. On the morning of the 11th, Chubu Electric Power announced that it had received a report submitted by an investigation committee composed of external lawyers. The committee was commissioned by Chubu Electric Power to investigate the causes and process of the seismic design data issue at the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant. Chubu Electric Power President Shingo Hayashi and others plan to hold a press...

2026-09-11

China Attends the Launch Meeting of the IAEA's "Application of Technology License for At-Sea Nuclear Energy (ATLAS)" Initiative

Recently, the launch meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s "Application of Technology License for At-Sea Nuclear Energy (ATLAS)" Initiative was held in Washington, D.C., the United States. The meeting was organized by the IAEA and hosted by the U.S. government, with approximately 600 representatives attending, including senior government officials, leaders from the nuclear and maritime industries, and technical experts from more than 50 countries and international organizations. Officials from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (National Nuclear Safety Administration), the China Atomic Energy Authority, and the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment attended the meeting. The ATLAS Initiative aims to promote the development and deployment of civil nuclear-powered ships and floating nuclear power plants by establishing a global framework that integrates nuclear safety, nuclear security, and nuclear safeguards. At the opening of the meeting...

2026-09-11

CGN's 33 in-operation nuclear power units achieve RMB-denominated pricing and settlement for operational period insurance

On September 10, the "CGN In-Service Nuclear Power Plant Operational Period Insurance Project Co-Insurance Agreement" was signed in Shenzhen. The agreement achieves RMB-denominated pricing and settlement for major types of nuclear power plant operational period insurance, changing the convention of China's nuclear insurance market's over thirty years of primarily relying on foreign currency transactions. Nuclear insurance is an important type of insurance for ensuring the safe and stable operation of nuclear power units. Due to the enormous insured amount of a single policy, it typically requires joint underwriting by hundreds of insurance companies both domestically and internationally, and is regarded by the insurance industry as one of the most special and complex types of insurance. Since China's first nuclear power plant operational insurance policy——the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant operational insurance policy——was issued in 1993, China's nuclear power industry has long followed mature foreign models...

2026-09-11

Sichuan Energy Nuclear Industry Co., Ltd. Established in Chengdu, Focusing on Advanced Nuclear Microreactor R&D

On September 9, according to Chengdu Sci-Tech Innovation Investment Group, Sichuan Energy Nuclear Industry Co., Ltd. recently completed its establishment in Chengdu with a registered capital of 1 billion yuan. The company was jointly funded and established by Chengdu Sci-Tech Innovation Investment Group through its Chengdu Future Industry Venture Capital Fund, together with Sichuan Energy Development Group, China Nuclear Power Research and Design Institute, Shenzhen Capital Group, and other state-owned capital entities, with its registered address in Chengdu. According to disclosed information, Sichuan Energy Nuclear Industry Co., Ltd. will mainly focus on advanced nuclear microreactor technology R&D iteration, industrialization implementation, and green energy technology layout, positioned as a resource integration center, R&D innovation center, and investment decision-making center, with priority on advancing advanced multi-purpose...

2026-09-10

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries to Invest KRW 238.6 Billion in Dedicated Plant for Manufacturing Major SMR Equipment

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries announced on September 10 that it will invest KRW 238.6 billion to build a dedicated plant for manufacturing major equipment for small modular reactors (SMRs). The plant will be built on the site of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' Ulsan Shipyard, with the goal of commencing operations in 2029. SMRs are regarded as one of the next-generation nuclear power technologies. Compared with conventional nuclear power units, SMRs have lower output power, and their major equipment can be configured in a modular manner, combining features such as stable power supply and reduced carbon emissions. As AI data centers requiring round-the-clock, large-scale power supply increase rapidly, SMRs are attracting more attention. According to projections by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), by 2050, the global SMR market is expected to grow to 150G...

2026-09-10

Turkey and Danish Developer Sign Memorandum of Understanding on Thorium-Based Molten Salt Reactor Research

On September 9, 2026, the Turkish Ministry of Energy stated that the Turkish Energy, Nuclear and Mining Research Institute (TENMAK) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Danish advanced reactor developer Copenhagen Atomics (CA), under which the two parties will conduct collaborative research on the application of thorium as a potential nuclear fuel for molten salt reactors. Tenmak and Copenhagen Atomics signed the memorandum of understanding on September 7. Photo courtesy of the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. The Turkish Ministry of Energy stated that the cooperation aims to advance research in areas related to thorium as a potential fuel for nuclear reactors, with a focus on assessing...

2026-09-10

Vietnam and Russia Exchange Agreement on Nuclear Safety Regulation for Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy

On September 9 local time, during the state visit to Russia by To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President of Vietnam, multiple cooperation documents were exchanged in Moscow, witnessed jointly by To Lam and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Nuclear energy-related documents include the agreement between the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (VARANS) and the Federal Environmental, Industrial and Nuclear Supervision Service of Russia (Rostekhnadzor) on radiation and nuclear safety management for the peaceful uses of atomic energy. The agreement covers activities in the peaceful uses of atomic energy...

2026-09-10