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Preparations Underway for First Nuclear Fuel Loading at San'ao Nuclear Power Project Unit 2

On October 7, it was learned from CGN Cangnan Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. that San'ao Nuclear Power Project Unit 2 is carrying out preparatory work before its first nuclear fuel loading. Once fuel loading is completed, the unit will enter the stage of nuclear commissioning of the primary system with nuclear fuel. During the National Day holiday, personnel at key positions of the San'ao Nuclear Power Project stayed at the front line to fully advance the pre-loading preparations. A relevant person in charge of the Fuel Management Section of the Technical Support Department of CGN Cangnan Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. stated that in order to ensure the high-quality completion of Unit 2's first fuel loading and core photography operations, the project working group strictly implemented relevant regulations and management requirements for nuclear material control, and coordinated the advancement of various pre-loading tasks including the submission of first loading information and the approval request for fuel assembly transfer.

2026-10-08

China Institute of Atomic Energy Holds Advanced Scientific and Technological Achievements Transformation Conference: Releases Small Reactor 9-Type Product Matrix, Signs Agreements on Curie-Level Terbium-161 Preparation and SMR Overall Scheme Design

On September 29, the China Institute of Atomic Energy (abbreviated as CIAE) held in Beijing an Advanced Scientific and Technological Achievements Transformation Conference themed "Innovation · Nuclear Fusion of New Quality." The conference showcased CIAE's practical breakthroughs in deepening scientific and technological system reform, advancing the pilot program for empowering scientific and technological achievements from job-related inventions, and integrated institute-enterprise operations, and officially released multiple major scientific research achievements covering advanced reactors, nuclear medical equipment, and isotope preparation, vigorously promoting the acceleration of nuclear technology from the laboratory to the production line. In the report on reform experience and benchmark incubation platforms, the conference systematically summarized three landmark reform achievements: SASAC Pilot Reform for Empowering Scientific and Technological Achievements from Job-Related Inventions: CIAE used...

2026-09-30

Idaho National Laboratory Moran Test Bed Completes Deployment Preparation for Spent Fuel Decladding Skid

A mobile skid dedicated to processing and stripping spent nuclear fuel cladding has been officially declared ready for operation at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Moran Nuclear Fuels Test Facility. The fabrication of this skid system was funded by the Athena Initiative launched in 2022 under the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Nonproliferation Stewardship Program, aimed at providing critical research support for the United States' nonproliferation strategy.

2026-09-24

Miniaturized Plug-and-Play Platform R&D Accelerates, Poised to Revolutionize Novel Positron Emission Tomography Radiotracer Preparation Workflow

A research team at the Keck School of Medicine of USC is developing a miniaturized plug-and-play microfluidic platform aimed at significantly accelerating the synthesis and R&D cycle of novel positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracers. The project has received a four-year, $2.6 million dedicated research...

2026-09-24

Commissioning Preparation Work Begins for the Control System of Akkuyu NPP Unit 1 in Turkey

The process automation control system of Akkuyu NPP Unit 1 in Turkey has begun preparations for pre-commissioning signal testing, which will be carried out before the physical start-up of the reactor. The process automation control system is the core hub of a nuclear power plant, enabling plant operating personnel to monitor and manage all process systems that support power generation. Akkuyu Nuclear Company noted in its announcement that the control systems used in the units of Akkuyu NPP possess the extremely high reliability characteristic of Russian-designed units. The control safety system responsible for automatic start-up and management of active safety systems has excellent fault tolerance, with a failure rate indicator reaching only one possible error per 1...

2026-09-18

Thailand Advances SMR Regulatory and Public Engagement Preparations, Plans to Commission First Unit by 2037

From September 9 to 11, 2026, the U.S. Department of State held the FIRST and Thailand Stakeholder Engagement Workshop in Bangkok. The workshop was co-hosted by the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (TINT) and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), aiming to support Thailand's preliminary preparations for small modular reactors (SMRs), with a focus on transparent communication, public trust, and stakeholder engagement. The FIRST program, whose full name is Foundational Infrastructure for the Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology, was initiated by the U.S. Department of State and mainly supports relevant countries in...

2026-09-12

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

Rosenergoatom Advances Bilibino NPP Decommissioning Preparation in Chukotka

In late August 2026, a delegation led by Alexander Shutikov, Director General of Rosenergoatom, conducted a working visit to the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, traveling to the two nuclear-related towns of Bilibino and Pevek for a series of meetings on the further management of Bilibino NPP, the operation of the Pevek Floating Nuclear Thermal Power Plant, and regional energy security. In Bilibino, Shutikov met with Evgeny Safonov, Head of the Bilibino Municipal District Administration. The parties discussed current and long-term regional projects supported by Rosatom, including progress on the construction of the new "Orbit" ski base.

2026-09-06

Gallium ion FIB-SEM sample preparation has a damage limit; low-energy argon ion beam cleaning is used to improve TEM sample quality

Gallium ion focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (Ga⁺ FIB-SEM) has become an important method for site-specific thin lamella sample preparation for transmission electron microscopy/scanning transmission electron microscopy (TEM/STEM), enabling cutting, extraction, and thinning of target regions at the nanometer scale. However, the literature indicates that while gallium ions provide high-precision machining capability, they also cause amorphization, ion implantation, and localized chemical modification on the sample surface, which can subsequently affect high-resolution imaging and energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis results. According to the literature, Ga⁺ FIB-SEM typically enables high-resolution site-specific machining at 30 keV, but high-energy gallium ions form a damage layer on the sample sidewalls. Taking silicon as an example...

2026-08-31

Boric Acid Leakage During Spent Fuel Transfer Preparation at South Korea's Hanul Nuclear Power Plant

Hanul Nuclear Power Plant in Uljin County, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, recently disclosed that at 10:16 a.m. on the 3rd, a boric acid solution leakage incident occurred in the auxiliary building of Unit 2 at Shin Hanul Nuclear Power Plant. The incident happened while workers were preparing to transfer spent fuel from a transport container in the spent fuel loading pool to the spent fuel storage pool, and the preliminary cause has been attributed to improper on-site operations. Boric acid solution is used in spent fuel storage-related operations. As the solution is associated with the spent fuel storage environment, it carries radioactive management attributes. Hanul Nuclear Power Plant stated that leakage containment measures were immediately taken after the leak occurred, and the leaked material was collected in the decontamination area and recovered to the controlled area...

2026-08-28

Japan to Allocate Funds to Accelerate Preparations for Next-Generation Nuclear Reactor Reviews

The Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) of Japan has decided to include funding in its budget request for the next fiscal year to investigate the effectiveness of safety measures for next-generation nuclear reactors and to make advance preparations for future review work. The Japanese government is promoting the development of next-generation nuclear reactors, including innovative light-water reactors that enhance safety design based on existing light-water reactor technology. Since November last year, Kansai Electric Power Co. has been conducting geological surveys at the Mihama Nuclear Power Station in Fukui Prefecture as part of preliminary preparations for potentially replacing existing units with next-generation reactors in the future. It has been reported that the NRA plans to include in its budget request for the next fiscal year...

2026-08-27

Belarus Advances Preparations for Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility

Belarus is advancing preliminary work on the construction of a centralized radioactive waste disposal facility. Mikhail Kisel, Director of the Belarusian Radioactive Waste Management Organization, recently stated at a public discussion on the environmental impact assessment report held in Mstsislaw that, according to the country's radioactive waste management strategy through 2050, existing storage facilities will need to be decommissioned in the future, and the new radioactive waste disposal facility is planned to be completed by 2030. Kisel noted that the sources of radioactive waste are not limited to the nuclear energy sector, but also include healthcare, industrial, and scientific research activities. Currently, centralized long-term storage of such waste is handled by the specialized enterprise Ekores. Belarusian radioactive waste...

2026-08-27

US Advances Preparations for High-Burnup Spent Fuel Shipment to Idaho for Research

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently stated that the Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP) is participating in preparations for transporting a high-burnup spent nuclear fuel research cask. The cask is planned to be shipped from Dominion Energy's North Anna Nuclear Power Station in Virginia to the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) for subsequent spent fuel-related research. INL was selected as the receiving site primarily because it possesses the specialized facilities, equipment, and personnel expertise required for handling spent nuclear fuel. The DOE noted that these capabilities are typically not part of routine commercial nuclear power plant configurations. High-burnup fuel refers to nuclear fuel that remains in the reactor for a longer period to increase energy output...

2026-08-26

Japan's JT-60SA Experimental Team Advances Preparations for Next Operation Phase

Preparations for the next phase of JT-60SA experimental activities are underway. The technical team is carrying out integrated commissioning as planned, while the experimental team is simultaneously refining related tools and software to enhance scientific output capabilities for the next operation phase. During a training course organized by QST, EUROfusion participants are learning how to configure discharge settings using the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) in preparation for the next JT-60SA campaign. Image credit: QST. The Third JT-60SA Experimental Team Workshop was held from July 27 to 31, 2026, at the Naka Institute of the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) in Japan. Approximately 50 experts attended, including 20 representatives from Europe...

2026-08-26

Liaoning Zhuanghe Nuclear Power Enters Construction Preparation Phase, Expected to Complete 2 Billion Yuan in Project Investment by Year-End

On August 22, 85 heavy and light engineering machinery units entered the site simultaneously to carry out topsoil clearing work on 179,000 square meters of land, marking the official entry of the Liaoning Zhuanghe nuclear power project into the construction preparation phase. Rendering of the Liaoning Zhuanghe nuclear power project. The Liaoning Zhuanghe nuclear power project is the first nuclear power project in Northeast China to adopt the Hualong One, China's self-developed third-generation nuclear power technology. The project plans to build six million-kilowatt-class nuclear power units in three phases, with a total investment of approximately 125 billion yuan. The first phase will construct two units with a total investment of approximately 44.56 billion yuan. It was approved at the executive meeting of the State Council on July 31, received formal approval from the National Development and Reform Commission on August 13, and obtained the advance land use approval from the Liaoning Provincial Department of Natural Resources on August 20, meeting the legal conditions for land construction.

2026-08-25