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Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Launches Major Overhaul of Damaged Diesel Generator

On August 14 local time, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) stated that it has launched a major overhaul of a damaged diesel generator unit to ensure the plant's independent power supply capability in the event of an external power outage. The plant stated that maintenance work is currently progressing as planned, with a focus on the upkeep and repair of equipment related to safety systems. The diesel generator unit under repair is one of the independent power sources for the safety systems. Previously, during a complete interruption of external power supply, the backup diesel generator units provided power support for the plant to maintain essential safety functions. According to reports, experts on site have begun disassembling and inspecting the main components of the diesel generator unit to determine which parts need replacement or repair...

2026-08-15

South Korea's Honam Region Visits Busan Gijang for SMR Experience, Seeking New Solutions for Stable Semiconductor Power Supply

South Korea's South Jeolla Province and Gwangju region are paying attention to Small Modular Reactors (SMR) as a potential alternative for semiconductor industry power supply. On August 7, members of the "South Jeolla-Gwangju SMR-AI Energy Forum" visited the Gijang-gun Jangan-eup Gilcheon-ri Village Hall in Busan to hold discussions with the local nuclear safety consultative body, village representatives, the Gori headquarters of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, and relevant Gijang-gun departments, focusing on understanding Gijang's autonomous pursuit process and resident communication experience in the siting of the innovative Small Modular Reactor (i-SMR). The direct background of this visit is the potential stable power supply challenge that the semiconductor industry in the Honam region may face in the future. Semiconductor manufacturing relies heavily on continuous, reliable large-scale...

2026-08-11

KHNP President Visits Kori Nuclear Power Plant, Pledges Stable Power Supply

Amid sustained heat waves driving up electricity demand, Kim Hoi-cheon, President of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), recently conducted an on-site inspection at the Kori Nuclear Power Plant headquarters, focusing on the operational status of power generation facilities and frontline working conditions under high-temperature environments. The visit came as the South Korean government issued extreme heat warnings and strengthened its response posture, reflecting heightened attention to the stability of nuclear power as a baseload source in summer electricity supply. According to KHNP, Kim inspected work areas at the Kori plant that are vulnerable to high temperatures, reviewing employee health conditions, working environments, and the implementation of heat prevention and cooling measures. He also examined the operation of...

2026-08-10

Cathode High-Voltage Power Supply for CFQS Device ECRH System Manufactured by CNNC Tongchuang Successfully Shipped

On August 3, the cathode high-voltage power supply for the Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) system of China's first Quasi-Axisymmetric Stellarator (CFQS) device, manufactured by CNNC Tongchuang (Chengdu) Technology Co., Ltd., successfully passed factory acceptance and was officially shipped. The CFQS device is a major scientific and technological infrastructure project of Sichuan Province. The device adopts an advanced quasi-axisymmetric magnetic field configuration, combining the advantages of high confinement performance and steady-state operation. Under low-parameter operating conditions, the CFQS test platform confirmed that the quasi-axisymmetric magnetic field configuration can effectively reduce neoclassical transport losses in plasma and improve plasma confinement, marking the first international experimental verification of the superiority of the quasi-axisymmetric magnetic field configuration. Next, the CFQS stellarator...

2026-08-10

South Korea to Launch Hearings on 12th Power Supply and Demand Plan, New Nuclear Projects Under Review

South Korea's Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment stated on August 4 that the government will advance procedures for the 12th Basic Plan for Power Supply and Demand, with the issue of new nuclear power plants to be included in public discussion and subsequent review. Kim Sung-hwan, Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment of South Korea (Photo source: Yonhap) South Korea's Climate Change Minister Kim Sung-hwan stated that the format and number of sessions for the public hearings on the 12th Basic Plan for Power Supply and Demand will be finalized this week, with plans to accelerate related procedures starting next week. Under the current schedule, the government intends to form a planning proposal in September or October and submit it for review through established procedures after completing public consultation. Regarding the issue of new nuclear power plants, Kim Sung-hwan stated...

2026-08-05

Unit 2 of Kola NPP begins 30-day scheduled preventive maintenance

On August 2, 2026, Unit 2 of the Kola Nuclear Power Plant launched scheduled preventive maintenance (SPM) incorporating modernization elements, expected to last approximately 30 days. During this mid-cycle overhaul, specialists will carry out extensive work on critical equipment. In the reactor shop, major repairs will be performed on part of the steam generators, main circulation pumps, and primary circuit piping. Plans also include disassembly and reassembly of the reactor plant, nuclear fuel replacement, and repair of the reactor internals and safety system equipment. In the turbine shop, turbine units, turbogenerators, circulation pumps, low-pressure heaters, and separators-superheaters will be repaired. On the electrical side, transformers and diesel generators will undergo maintenance. Additionally, upgrades are planned for the automatic chemical control system of the primary coolant and the DC power distribution panels for the entire station and individual units.

2026-08-04

Valar Atomics Completes $1 Billion Equity Financing, Sequoia Capital Partner Joins Board

Nuclear energy startup Valar Atomics confirmed on August 3 that it has completed a $1 billion equity financing round led by Sequoia Capital. Company founder and CEO Isaiah Taylor stated that Sequoia Capital partner Shaun Maguire has joined the company's board of directors. In addition to the equity financing, Valar Atomics also secured a $200 million credit facility from Erebor and other banks. Valar Atomics did not disclose its post-financing valuation. Reports indicate the company is valued at approximately $6 billion. Valar Atomics primarily...

2026-08-04

Czech Republic Leads EU Project to Assess Application of Commercial-Grade Items in VVER Nuclear Power Plants

The Czech State Office for Nuclear Safety (SÚJB) has launched a two-year EU project focused on assessment methodologies for the application of high-quality commercial-grade items in nuclear power plants equipped with VVER reactors. The project aims to establish a unified, expert-judgment-based evaluation process that provides methodological support for nuclear facilities when introducing relevant items, while ensuring that nuclear safety requirements are not compromised. As the nuclear power supply chain landscape evolves, certain plant-specific components may face the need to be replaced by commercial-grade products. In response, regulatory authorities need to establish clear rules to review the suitability, quality assurance, and safety implications of substitute items. The project will focus on evaluating...

2026-08-04

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant currently relies on only one external power line for electricity supply

Alexey Likhachev, President of Rosatom, stated that the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant currently obtains electricity through only one 330 kV external transmission line—Ferrosplavnaya-1—and that the instability of external power supply remains one of the main safety hazards facing the facility. According to the company's press office, Likhachev noted that the lack of a second operational external transmission line at the Zaporizhzhia NPP increases the risk to the safe operation of the plant's units. Although the plant is in a shutdown state, its safety-critical systems still require a stable power supply to ensure the continued operation of equipment related to nuclear safety...

2026-08-03

Philippine Lawmaker Says Nuclear Energy Could Ease Power Supply Pressure in Western Visayas

Mark Cojuangco, chair of the House of Representatives Committee on Nuclear Energy and representative of the Second District of Pangasinan, said on July 29 that if the Philippines adopts nuclear energy technology, the Western Visayas region could gain access to lower-cost and more stable electricity supply. Cojuangco noted that Iloilo and other parts of Western Visayas still rely heavily on coal-fired power, and the repeated power supply issues in recent years indicate the region needs more reliable and cost-controllable energy options. He is one of the principal authors of the Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act (Republic Act No. 12305), which establishes a legal framework for the safe use of nuclear energy in the Philippines and provides for...

2026-08-01

Masayoshi Son: Nuclear Fusion Could Become Key to Powering Future AI Data Centers

SoftBank Group founder Masayoshi Son said at the SoftBank World annual event in Tokyo on July 14 that as electricity demand from AI data centers continues to rise, nuclear fusion technology is expected to become one of the most realistic power solutions in the near future. Son believes that most of the current electricity demand from data centers will still be met by natural gas, but this landscape could change over the next 15 years. He predicted that by 2040, global data center capacity demand will reach 3 terawatts, with nuclear fusion playing a significant role. He said at the event that fusion will become a major source of a cheaper, cleaner, and safer new form of energy on Earth, and asked rhetorically: Now...

2026-07-15

NextEra and Brookfield Plan $100 Billion Data Center Campus at Former Paducah Uranium Enrichment Site in the U.S.

NextEra Energy and Brookfield Asset Management plan to develop a data center campus and supporting power generation facilities with a total investment exceeding $100 billion at a federally owned former uranium enrichment site in Paducah, Kentucky, USA. The project is located on or near the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Paducah site. According to relevant announcements, the campus is expected to provide over 1.2 gigawatts of data center computing capacity and deliver up to 1.8 gigawatts of power to the grid. The project is scheduled to begin operations in 2028 and reach full development approximately four years later; other information indicates that overall construction is expected to be completed around 2031.

2026-07-30

South Korea demonstrates a silicon carbide semiconductor-based beta battery for the first time; the Nickel-63 nuclear battery promises long-term power supply.

On July 26, the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) announced that a team led by Senior Researcher Seo Jae-hwa from its Next-Generation Semiconductor Research Center, in collaboration with Professor Yoon Young-jun’s team at Kyungpo

2026-07-27