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Spain Successfully Develops AI Early Warning System for Algae at Nuclear Power Plants

Recently, Spanish energy services group GDES and the Asociación Nuclear Ascó-Vandellós II (ANAV) jointly announced that the two parties have successfully developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-based early warning system named iAlgae. The system is designed to monitor in real time the accumulation of planktonic vegetation and algae at the cooling water intake of nuclear power plants, marking an important breakthrough in O&M technology for nuclear facilities to cope with natural environmental interference. For power generation facilities that use natural surface water for cooling, the accumulation of algae and planktonic vegetation at water intakes is a common natural challenge. iAlgae ...

2026-11-06

U.S. Department of Energy Allocates $5 Billion to Upgrade Illinois Nuclear Power Plants

Recently, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the provision of $5 billion in federal earmarked funding, focused on equipment modernization and power uprates at 8 nuclear power plants in Illinois, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. It is reported that the funded projects cover six clean energy centers in Illinois—Braidwood, Byron, Clinton, Dresden, LaSalle, and Quad Cities—as well as the Calvert Cliffs and Limerick nuclear power plants in other states. Among them, the 11 reactors within Illinois will receive...

2026-11-02

Rosatom Plans to Export Floating Nuclear Power Plants to Four African Countries

Recently, Alexey Likhachev, CEO of Rosatom, stated at the Third Russia-Africa Summit held in Moscow that the company is in in-depth consultations with four African coastal countries—Egypt, Togo, Namibia, and Tanzania—regarding the deployment of 100 MW offshore floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs). It is reported that the floating nuclear power plants offered by Rosatom to the African market are equipped with two RITM-200M reactors adapted for tropical climates, with a total installed capacity of approximately 100 MW and a design life of up to 60 years. The project plans to adopt a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) business model, with Rosatom responsible for...

2026-10-30

U.S. Plans Massive Funding to Restart Three Decommissioned Nuclear Power Plants to Meet AI Computing Demand

Recently, the United States is experiencing an unprecedented wave of nuclear power restarts, with plans to revive three commercial nuclear power plants that have been shut down, in order to meet surging electricity demand and the computing power needs of large data centers. The three nuclear power plants are the Palisades Nuclear Plant in Michigan, the Crane Clean Energy Center at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, and the Duane Arnold Energy Center in Iowa. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will provide up to $4.4 billion in loan guarantees to restore a total of 2.25...

2026-10-17

US Oak Ridge National Laboratory Develops 3D-Printed Composite Molds, Significantly Shortening Construction Cycles for Advanced Nuclear Power Plants

According to reports, the US Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and its partners have successfully developed new 3D-printed composite molds that can shorten the production cycle of specialized concrete formwork for nuclear facilities from approximately six months to about two weeks. The project, titled Advanced Composite Formwork for Accelerated High-Precision Nuclear Infrastructure Construction, was awarded the 2026 CAMX Combined Strength Award for its breakthroughs in additive manufacturing and advanced materials. It is understood that the technology has been fully...

2026-10-16

Russia is conducting high-level technical consultations with Iran on the construction of brand-new nuclear power plants

According to a comprehensive report by Azerbaijan News Network (AzerNews) and several mainstream Iranian media outlets, Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom, recently disclosed to the media in Yerevan, Armenia that Russia is conducting high-level technical consultations with Iran on the construction of brand-new nuclear power plants, with the cooperation planning scope covering both large commercial reactor types and small modular reactors (SMRs). At the same time, Rosatom's engineering team is conducting comprehensive geological and engineering assessments of multiple candidate new sites in Iran that have the conditions for nuclear power grid connection. Likhachev specifically pointed out that the strategic binding between Moscow and Tehran in the field of civilian nuclear energy...

2026-09-30

Standard Technical Specifications for Passive Nuclear Power Plants, Chiefly Compiled Under the Leadership of Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute, Officially Released

Recently, the National Nuclear Safety Administration officially released the Standard Technical Specifications for Passive Nuclear Power Plants and its explanatory document, chiefly compiled under the leadership of Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute, aiming to promote the standardization and normalization of technical specifications for passive nuclear power plants, continuously improve the nuclear safety supervision and management system, and further enhance the operational safety level of China's nuclear power plants. Based on the framework and format, screening criteria, and other foundations for technical specifications established by the Special Working Group on Technical Specification Optimization of the National Nuclear Safety Administration, Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute, targeting the passive design characteristics of AP and CAP series nuclear power plants and fully incorporating the operating experience and safety regulatory practices of China's passive nuclear power plants, completed the compilation of China's first standard technical specifications and explanatory document for passive nuclear power plants...

2026-09-30

Modernization of the hydraulic blade stamping equipment for nuclear power plants at the Russian "Atom Machine" plant has been completed

On September 21, 2026, according to project information released by the Russian "Atom Machine" (Atom Machine, part of the Mechanical Engineering Division of the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation "Rosatom"), the plant located in Volgodonsk (Волгодонск), Rostov Oblast, announced that its hydraulic blade stamping equipment for nuclear power plants, which is unique to date and has no equivalent in Russia, has completed modernization and successfully passed testing. It is understood that this hydraulic press with a force of up to 15,000 tonnes has now successfully passed all tests and is fully ready for production. This equipment was originally put into operation in 1980. In this modernization project, engineers not only...

2026-09-22

US and OECD Nuclear Energy Agency Call for Unified Regulatory Standards to Break the Vicious Cycle of Cost Overruns and Delays in New Nuclear Power Plants

The U.S. Department of Energy stated that it is engaged in close communication with partner countries, aiming to promote the unification of global nuclear power regulatory standards, thereby accelerating nuclear power capacity expansion and reducing construction costs. During the New Nuclear Roadmap conference organized by the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) in Paris, U.S. Department of Energy Deputy Secretary James Danly emphasized to the media that countries should establish a unified regulatory mechanism. He pointed out that many countries have decades of mature experience in nuclear power regulation, and it would be very regrettable if unnecessary obstacles were placed on nuclear power development due to a lack of consistency in regulatory systems. The United States is currently actively promoting greater regulatory consensus among countries. The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency...

2026-09-18

South Korea Strengthens Drone Control Around Nuclear Power Plants, Illegal Flights to Trigger Criminal Law

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) stated on September 14 that it will further strengthen its response to unauthorized drone flights within no-fly zones around nuclear power plants. It is understood that under the revised Aviation Safety Act, the penalty for unauthorized operation of ultralight flying devices (drones, etc.) within no-fly zones has been significantly raised from the previous "fine of up to 3 million won (administrative fine)" to "imprisonment of up to 1 year or a fine of up to 10 million won." According to statistics from the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission of South Korea, from 2021 to August of last year, a total of 699 illegal drone incidents were detected near nuclear power plants across South Korea, of which 284 cases could not identify the operators...

2026-09-14

South Korea Conducts First Joint Radiation Emergency Exercise Involving Two Nuclear Power Plants Simultaneously

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) of South Korea announced on September 10 that South Korea held the 2026 National Joint Radiation Disaster Prevention Exercise, simulating a radioactive material release accident at the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, and the simultaneous entry into a radiation emergency state at the Hanul Nuclear Power Plant in Uljin County, North Gyeongsang Province. Approximately 2,000 people participated in the exercise, including relevant South Korean central government departments, local governments, specialized agencies, relevant operating organizations, local organizations, and nearby residents. This exercise set up a compound disaster scenario of simultaneous radiation emergencies at multiple nuclear power plants for the first time. The exercise assumed that...

2026-09-12

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

Russia's RADON advances pre-disposal work on radioactive waste at multiple sites

The Russian federal state unitary enterprise RADON is advancing multiple pre-disposal work activities for radioactive waste to reduce existing inventories and transfer compliant waste to the national operator FSUE NO RAO for final disposal. The work falls under special measures within the federal targeted program for nuclear and radiation safety (FTP NRS-2). The radioactive waste accumulated at RADON facilities remains under continuous monitoring and control to meet safety requirements. At the facility of RADON's Northwest Regional Branch in Sosnovy Bor, Leningrad Oblast, the retrieval, sorting, and pre-disposal preparation of federally owned radioactive waste has been completed. Between 2014 and 2018, this batch of waste was in...

2026-09-10

Indian, Russian Leaders to Meet Ahead of BRICS Summit; Talks on New Nuclear Power Plants on Agenda

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on September 8 that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet this Friday, ahead of the 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit scheduled for September 12-13 in New Delhi. Peskov stated that Russia is awaiting negotiations with India on new nuclear power plants. He also noted that the two leaders maintain close contact and are able to discuss sensitive issues in bilateral relations in an open and constructive manner. The Indian side has not yet issued an official statement regarding the bilateral meeting between Modi and Putin. India holds the presidency of the 2026 BRICS Summit. This year's summit will be held at the India Exposition Centre in New Delhi under the theme "Building Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainable Development." During the summit, participants will exchange views on shared priorities and related global and regional issues.

2026-09-09

Five Korean Local Governments Discuss Improvements to On-Site Storage Facilities at Nuclear Power Plants

On September 8, 2026, Gyeongju City announced that the 36th Administrative Meeting of Local Governments Hosting Nuclear Power Plants was held in Gyeongju that day. Heads of local governments from five regions hosting nuclear power plants—Gyeongju City, Gijang County in Busan, Ulju County in Ulsan, Yeonggwang County in South Jeolla Province, and Uljin County in North Gyeongsang Province—attended the meeting. Photo of the administrative meeting of local governments hosting nuclear power plants held in Gyeongju on the 8th. Photo provided by Gyeongju City Government. The meeting discussed topics including current issues with on-site storage facilities within nuclear power plant premises, improvement of support systems for areas surrounding nuclear power plants, and joint response mechanisms among local governments. Participants noted that some issues faced by nuclear power plant host regions share common characteristics, requiring collaboration among local governments to ensure relevant opinions are reflected in government policies and systems.

2026-09-09