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Lightbridge Approved to Conduct Advanced Nuclear Fuel Irradiation Testing at Idaho National Laboratory

On September 9, Lightbridge Corporation (Lightbridge, Nasdaq: LTBR), a developer of advanced nuclear fuel technology, announced that it has completed the signing of Project Task Statement No. 2 (PTS No. 2) under the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA), the operating contractor of Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Under this task statement, Lightbridge will gain access to the loop test facility of the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory to conduct irradiation testing of Lightbridge Fuel™ cladded fuel rods. The loop...

2026-09-10

Toshiba Energy Systems Selected for Next-Generation Innovative Reactor Core Structure R&D and Demonstration Project

On September 9, 2026, Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation (Toshiba ESS) announced that it has been selected for the second round of public solicitation under the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's FY2025 supplementary budget project "Support Program for Technology Development and Supply Chain Construction for Next-Generation Innovative Reactor Development and Construction," undertaking the "Next-Generation Innovative Reactor Core Structure R&D and Manufacturing Demonstration Project (Phase 2)." Figure: Image of iBR internal structure Following this selection, Toshiba Energy Systems will further expand its R&D efforts in reactor internal structures, building on the six projects previously selected in the first round. The company plans to collaborate with suppliers to...

2026-09-09

West Virginia Joins Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Center Program

On September 9, 2026, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey announced that the state has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to join the Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Center (NLIC) program, becoming the sixth participating state. Earlier this year, the DOE had identified Idaho, Tennessee, Utah, Oklahoma, and Louisiana as potential host states. With West Virginia's addition, the state will work with the DOE to evaluate potential sites and advance possible host agreements. According to reports, the NLIC program aims to support activities across the full nuclear fuel lifecycle...

2026-09-09

UK think tank calls for clear nuclear reactor technology roadmap to support nuclear expansion

On September 8, 2026, UK think tank Policy Exchange released a white paper stating that the UK government needs to more clearly articulate which nuclear reactor technologies it will rely on to advance the so-called nuclear golden age, and to strengthen the supply chain and achieve economies of scale through batch construction. Policy Exchange's Nuclear Enterprise Committee is composed of experts from government, industry, and academia. The committee believes that the UK's civil nuclear strategy is at a critical stage, and related decisions will affect the country's energy system for decades to come. The white paper points out that given that new small modular reactor technologies are still in the early stages of development, the UK government should retain the option of building another large-scale nuclear...

2026-09-09

U.S. Bluecore Energy Raises $50 Million to Advance Floating Small Modular Reactors

On September 8, 2026, U.S.-based Bluecore Energy announced the completion of a $50 million seed financing round to accelerate the development, testing, and deployment of its floating nuclear energy systems. Bluecore Energy is developing small modular water-cooled reactors that can operate on floating barges, with target applications including ports, utilities, data centers, offshore infrastructure, and communities facing energy shortages. The round was led by Silverton Partners, with existing investor Slauson & Co continuing its participation, alongside Harlem Capital, Precursor Ventures, LMNT, Visible Hands VC, Karman Ventures, and others. Bluecore ...

2026-09-09

Austria's Emerald Horizon and Netherlands' VDL Launch Construction of SMRX Small Modular Reactor High-Temperature Loop

On September 8, 2026, Emerald Horizon AG, headquartered in Graz, Austria, announced that it will partner with the Netherlands-based VDL Groep to commence construction of a megawatt-scale power loop for the SMRX small modular reactor in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. Florian Wagner, founder and CEO of Emerald Horizon AG, and Markjan Vermeer, General Manager of Technology & Development at VDL ETG, have signed a joint memorandum on contract operations implementation at the Emerald LaboraTHorium laboratory in Graz. This also marks the first joint public appearance of the two parties in Austria. According to Emerald Horizon, SMRX is a modular subcritical thorium-based energy system. This initiative represents a significant step forward in the commercialization of the technology.

2026-09-09

South Korea and France Agree to Deepen Nuclear Energy R&D and Nuclear Fuel Supply Cooperation

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, on a state visit to France, held a summit with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris on September 8. The two sides stated after the meeting that they would further expand cooperation in the nuclear energy sector, with a focus on nuclear energy R&D, nuclear fuel supply, next-generation reactor development, and mid- to long-term supply chain diversification. Lee Jae-myung said at a joint press conference that the two countries had signed supplementary documents on cooperation in nuclear energy R&D and nuclear fuel supply to deepen the nuclear energy cooperation agreement reached between the two nations in April. Both sides confirmed that they would continue to advance cooperation in next-generation reactor development and mid- to long-term supply chain diversification. According to related reports, the two countries also decided to establish a new...

2026-09-09

"Junhe-1" OTSG Thermal-Hydraulic Experiment Program Passes Expert Review

On September 2, 2026, Shanghai Junhe Atomic Technology Co., Ltd. organized an expert review meeting on the "Junhe-1 OTSG Single-Tube Flow and Heat Transfer Experiment Program" and the "Junhe-1 OTSG Parallel Channel Flow Instability Experiment Program." The review meeting invited multiple experts from CGN Research Institute, Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute, Fudan University, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The first thermal experiment project of Junhe-1 is undertaken by Professor Gu Hanyang's team from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, which has extensive experience in reactor R&D experiments and has undertaken multiple thermal-hydraulic experiment tasks for the Hualong One and domestic small reactor R&D projects. The meeting heard...

2026-09-09

US Kairos Completes First Phase Testing of ETU 3 Reactor Model

Kairos Power announced on September 7 that its Engineering Test Unit 3 (ETU 3) has completed the first phase of testing. The testing, centered on the Hermes 2 reactor cavity model, validated the precast concrete shielding design as well as remote operation and maintenance capabilities, providing support for the design of the Hermes 2 demonstration plant and subsequent commercial units. Reactor cavity model (Image: Kairos Power) ETU 3, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, is part of Kairos Power's iterative development program for its fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR) technology. The unit is a scaled, non-nuclear mockup cavity consisting of a reactor pressure vessel and precast concrete shielding structures.

2026-09-08

Destroyed Syrian Nuclear Reactor May Have Had Capability to Produce Nuclear Weapons Material

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said on September 7 that a Syrian nuclear reactor, which was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in 2007 while it was nearly complete, was of a type capable of relatively quickly producing fissile material that could be used in nuclear weapons. The IAEA recently concluded its investigation into Syria's past covert nuclear activities. The investigation found approximately 73 tons of natural uranium metal, primarily in the form of reactor fuel. In a report submitted to member states, the agency confirmed that its previous assessment remained unchanged: the destroyed facility in Deir ez-Zor Province in eastern Syria was a nuclear reactor under construction, and the associated fuel had also been manufactured within Syria.

2026-09-08

Sweden receives sixth state aid application for new nuclear power

The Swedish government has recently received its sixth state aid application for the construction of new nuclear reactors. Swedish Minister for Financial Markets Niklas Wykman stated that Nordic energy company Fortum's establishment of a project company in Sweden to advance new nuclear reactor plans demonstrates that Sweden's current state aid model has been carefully designed to accommodate project development needs. The application was submitted by NuCore Energi, a newly established project company under Fortum, with the project site located at Ävrö near the Oskarshamn nuclear power plant. Wykman has previously expressed repeated support for expanding nuclear energy in Sweden, believing that new nuclear power is of significant importance for long-term economic stability, industrial competitiveness, and climate goals.

2026-09-07

Russian designers propose hybrid powerplant concept for small nuclear submarine

Nikolai Kirillov, a designer from St. Petersburg, Russia, has proposed a powerplant concept for a small nuclear submarine, envisioning a combination of a diesel engine, a small nuclear reactor, and an electric motor to provide the submarine with three operating modes: diesel surface cruising, electric submerged navigation, and sustained nuclear power generation. Under this concept, the submarine is powered by the diesel engine while surface cruising. The diesel engine drives a fixed-pitch propeller through a gearbox and a dedicated propeller shaft, allowing the diesel to operate as close to its rated conditions as possible to reduce equipment wear. In submerged conditions, the diesel engine is shut down, and propulsion is provided by a separate electric motor. This motor is paired with a controllable-pitch propeller and draws power from a battery bank.

2026-09-07

Sweden's First New Nuclear Reactor Could Be Operational by Mid-2030s

Sweden's Minister for Energy and Industry, Ebba Busch, who also leads the Christian Democrats (KD), stated at a public hearing on September 3 that the country's first newly built nuclear reactor could be operational by the mid-2030s. When asked when the new nuclear unit could be connected to the grid, Busch indicated the mid-2030s. She also noted that the new nuclear project would not rely on direct state funding. However, the Swedish government has previously prepared a support framework for new nuclear construction. The arrangements could involve financial support amounting to hundreds of billions of Swedish kronor, including loans and electricity price guarantees totaling approximately 400 billion Swedish kronor. Busch stated that this is indeed a substantial sum, but its nature is that of loans and price hedging arrangements targeting critical infrastructure.

2026-09-04

Iowa Releases Final Report of Nuclear Energy Task Force

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced on September 3 that the Iowa Nuclear Energy Task Force has completed its final report. The task force was established in January of this year under Executive Order No. 17, with the mission of assessing opportunities for advancing nuclear energy technology and related infrastructure development in Iowa. The task force is composed of representatives from utility companies, power generators, local governments, academia, the Iowa Utilities Commission, industry associations, national laboratories, and the state legislature, and is supported by the Iowa Economic Develop...

2026-09-04

IAEA Confirms Undeclared Nuclear Facilities in Syria

A confidential report by a United Nations agency reveals that after IAEA inspectors visited multiple locations in Syria in August this year, they confirmed that the former Syrian authorities had failed to declare relevant nuclear materials, nuclear facilities, and nuclear activities as required by the safeguards agreement under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The report states that the information includes a nuclear reactor that was under construction in Deir ez-Zor, a fuel fabrication facility, and another site used for fuel storage during the former government era. For a long time, there has been external suspicion that Syria had secretly pursued a nuclear program, with a facility in Deir ez-Zor province believed to be a nuclear reactor built with assistance from North Korea. The facility was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike in 2007...

2026-09-03