United States and Colombia Sign Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding

On September 8, 2026, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, and Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Blas Escobar attended the signing ceremony of two memoranda of understanding in Barranquilla, Colombia. The related report was published and updated on September 9, 2026. Under the signing arrangement, the first document is a framework memorandum of understanding between the U.S. government and the Colombian government on securing the mining and processing supply of critical minerals and rare earth elements; the second document is a memorandum of understanding between the U.S. government and the Government of the Republic of Colombia on strategic civil nuclear cooperation. Following the signing ceremony, Rubio stated that the United States and Colombia...

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

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

South Korea and Westinghouse Electric Plan to Advance Cooperation on 8 Nuclear Power Plants in the U.S.

According to a September 9 report by South Korean media, South Korea and the United States are coordinating an investment cooperation plan to build up to 8 large-scale nuclear power plants in the U.S., with a total project scale of approximately $120 billion, equivalent to about 161 trillion Korean won. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and U.S.-based Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC) are expected to collaborate on the project. The report said the preliminary plans under discussion include: at least 2 of the 8 nuclear power plants using the Korean-designed APR1400 reactor, with the remaining units likely adopting Westinghouse AP1000 technology. Specific site selection, construction entities, operational arrangements, final reactor types...

2026-09-09

US ONE Nuclear Advances 1 GW SMR Project in Louisiana

ONE Nuclear Energy LLC (referred to as "ONE Nuclear") recently announced that its Amberjack small modular reactor (SMR) project in Louisiana, USA, has entered the technical and environmental assessment phase. The project is planned as a standalone, scalable multi-unit SMR campus targeting an advanced nuclear power generation capacity of up to approximately 1 GW. ONE Nuclear stated that the final installed capacity, reactor technology pathway, and plant configuration for the Amberjack project have not yet been determined and will depend on subsequent technology down-selection, detailed engineering design, environmental assessment, transmission studies, commercial arrangements, financing, and federal licensing processes. The company previously also announced...

2026-09-09

US Lightbridge Aims to Accelerate Advanced Nuclear Fuel Commercialization via INL Project

Lightbridge Corporation, a US advanced nuclear fuel technology company, announced on September 8 that it has been selected for the "Launchpad" program advanced by the US Department of Energy (DOE) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), and plans to leverage this opportunity to accelerate the deployment of Lightbridge Fuel™ in commercial reactors. According to a shareholder letter from Lightbridge Chairman and CEO Seth Grae, the company will pursue a two-track commercialization strategy: on one track, under DOE authorization, it will build the Specialized High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium Extrusion Demonstration (SHED) facility to produce Lead Test Assemblies (LTAs); on the other...

2026-09-09

U.S. Department of Energy Provides $1.9 Billion Loan to Support Restart of Duane Arnold Nuclear Power Plant

NextEra Energy announced on September 8 that it has completed a loan arrangement of up to $1.9 billion with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to support the restart of the Duane Arnold Energy Center in Iowa. The project will help restore operations at Iowa's only nuclear power plant and add stable electricity supply to the regional grid. Located in Linn County, Iowa, the Duane Arnold Energy Center has a generating capacity of 615 megawatts. NextEra Energy has previously stated that, subject to regulatory approvals, it plans to restart the facility no later than the first quarter of 2029. The DOE loan will support related restoration efforts, including...

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

UK's First TerraPower Natrium Reactor Could Generate Power by 2034

TerraPower, the US nuclear power company backed by Bill Gates, expects its Natrium sodium-cooled reactor could generate electricity in the UK as early as 2034. If the project progresses smoothly, the UK will become the company's first market for deploying this technology outside the United States. TerraPower CEO Chris Levesque said that given the company's first Natrium reactor project is scheduled for completion in 2031, the Natrium technology is highly likely to become a reality in the UK by 2034. The technology has already met relevant US regulatory requirements, and the first unit is under construction in Wyoming. In recent years, the UK has accelerated the development of small modular re...

2026-09-08

Korea and U.S. reportedly in talks to jointly build 8 large-scale nuclear power plants in the U.S.

According to the South Korean government and political figures on September 7, South Korea and the United States are in the final stages of discussions on a plan to jointly build up to 8 large-scale nuclear power plants in the U.S. The plan is seen as one of the follow-up projects under the Korea-U.S. investment arrangement in the U.S. Sources say the U.S. side had proposed allocating $120 billion of the $200 billion investment commitment to the construction of 8 nuclear power plants within the framework of investment in the U.S. An additional $150 billion in shipbuilding-related investment falls outside that commitment. However, the South Korean government reportedly did not accept the proposal to directly specify the exact investment amount, instead preferring to use general wording such as "jointly building 8 nuclear power plants" in relevant documents to preserve room for further coordination...

2026-09-08

Kairos Power Completes Phase 1 of ETU 3 Hardware Demonstration in the U.S.

On September 4, Kairos Power announced the completion of Phase 1 of the Engineering Test Unit 3 (ETU 3) hardware demonstration at its Oak Ridge, Tennessee site. The unit, a non-nuclear engineering test platform, is primarily designed to reduce technical risks in reactor construction, operation, and maintenance, and to provide validation data for the Hermes 2 demonstration plant and subsequent commercial reactor deployments. Kairos Power stated that Phase 1 of ETU 3 focused on design validation of precast concrete shielding structures and testing of remote operation and maintenance capabilities. Construction of the Hermes 2 demonstration plant began earlier this year in Oak Ridge, and ETU...

2026-09-06

U.S. NANO Nuclear and Enveniam to Advance Microreactor and Nuclear Fuel Cycle Cooperation

U.S. advanced nuclear energy company NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. announced on September 4 that it has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Enveniam, LLC, a project integration and engineering technology services provider, to explore cooperation in areas such as nuclear fuel cycle infrastructure, microreactor commercialization, advanced manufacturing, and end-user energy solutions. Under the MOU, the parties will evaluate how to leverage Enveniam's experience in nuclear engineering, project integration, safety analysis, licensing support, project controls, operational readiness, and complex energy infrastructure development to support NANO Nuclear...

2026-09-05

U.S. Completes Mechanical Property Measurements of Irradiated HALEU TRISO Fuel Particles

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have completed mechanical property measurements of irradiated high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) TRISO fuel particles, providing new experimental data for the development and qualification of next-generation nuclear fuels. This is an optical cross-sectional image of an irradiated AGR-2 TRISO fuel particle in the Irradiated Fuels Examination Laboratory at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Image credit: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy. TRISO fuel, or tri-structural isotropic fuel, features particles coated with multiple protective layers, typically including pyrolytic carbon layers and a silicon carbide layer. This structure provides strong fission product retention capability and is considered one of the key fuel options for advanced reactors, particularly high-temperature gas-cooled reactors. Understanding the property changes of these coatings after irradiation is a critical step in predicting fuel performance under reactor operating conditions.

2026-09-04

UK and US Ports and Shipping Organizations Study Nuclear-Powered Container Ship Deployment Across the Atlantic

UK classification society and professional consultancy Lloyd's Register, Danish shipping company Maersk, the Port of Charleston in the United States, and the Port of Felixstowe in the United Kingdom are collaborating on the "Pink Corridor" project to study the safety and security requirements involved in deploying nuclear-powered container ships on transatlantic routes. (Image credit: Lloyd's Register) The project uses a conceptual nuclear-powered container ship as its research subject, focusing on analyzing the port access conditions and regulatory requirements it may face when operating on a commercial route between the Port of Charleston in South Carolina and the Port of Felixstowe in Suffolk, UK.

2026-09-04

US NANO Nuclear KRONOS MMR Main Helium Circulator Enters Detailed Design Phase

NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. announced on September 3 that new progress has been made in the development of the main helium circulator for its KRONOS MMR energy system. The engineering collaboration with Howden, a Baker Hughes company, has advanced from preliminary engineering design to the detailed design phase. The main helium circulator is a critical mechanical subsystem of the KRONOS MMR energy system, primarily responsible for driving the helium coolant circulation within the reactor to efficiently transfer heat generated in the core to downstream systems. The performance of this equipment directly affects the reactor's thermal-hydraulic performance, overall efficiency, and long-term operational reliability. According to NANO Nuclear...

2026-09-04

U.S. Develops Refractory Metal Powder Atomization System to Support Fusion Energy Materials Research

U.S. researchers are developing a new refractory metal powder atomization system to produce high-temperature alloy powders for extreme-environment applications. The system will support new materials research in areas such as gas turbines, aerospace equipment, and fusion energy systems. Jordan Tiarks, a scientist at Ames National Laboratory, stated that the laboratory has long been engaged in specialty powder production research, and the new system will expand its materials processing capabilities to higher temperature ranges and more challenging material systems. The research team noted that metal powders are a critical foundation for advanced manufacturing technologies such as powder metallurgy and additive manufacturing...

2026-09-03

U.S. PACMAN AI Framework Achieves Millisecond-Level Control of Fusion Plasma

The PACMAN AI framework, developed by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) and Princeton University, has completed five experimental validations in real fusion experimental systems. The framework can complete data processing, state prediction, and control command output in approximately 20 milliseconds, addressing rapidly developing instabilities in fusion plasma. This is an artist's rendition of the PACMAN AI framework for fusion systems. (Illustration credit: Kyle Palmer / PPPL Communications Department) PACMAN stands for Prediction and Control via Machine Learning. Related design and preliminary experimental results have been published in...

2026-09-03

US Realta Fusion and MGE Plan to Jointly Develop 200 MW Fusion Power Plant

Realta Fusion, a company developing magnetic mirror fusion energy technology, announced on September 2 that it has established a strategic partnership with Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) and its parent company MGE Energy, Inc. The two parties will jointly evaluate the feasibility of co-developing a 200 MW electric-class fusion energy power plant in Wisconsin, USA. Under the collaboration arrangement, the first phase includes a direct equity investment by MGE Energy in Realta Fusion. MGE has also agreed to provide equipment, engineering, and technical support to Realta Fusion, as well as assistance in project siting, permitting, grid interconnection, and financing to advance preliminary work for the proposed 200 MW fusion power project.

2026-09-03

Verdera Energy to Sell 100% Interest in Treeline Uranium Project in New Mexico, USA

Verdera Energy Corp. recently announced that it has entered into a mineral property purchase and sale agreement with Americas Uranium Corp. to sell 100% of its interest in the Treeline uranium project located in New Mexico, USA, with the transaction remaining subject to related royalty arrangements. Under the agreement, Americas Uranium will acquire all interests in the Treeline mineral properties and related titles. The consideration includes US$100,000 in cash payable at closing, and Americas Uranium common shares totaling C$2 million payable in installments over 36 months following closing, with 90% of the share consideration to be paid in stages within that period. In addition, Verdera will retain a 1.5% net proceeds royalty on uranium from the project and a 1.5% net smelter returns royalty on other minerals produced from the project. The royalty can be reduced to 1.0% upon payment of C$400,000 to Verdera.

2026-09-03

DOE Officials Visit Fort St. Vrain Spent Fuel Storage Facility in Colorado

Tim Walsh, Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management (EM), recently visited the Fort St. Vrain spent nuclear fuel storage facility near Platteville in northern Colorado. The facility is managed by the DOE's Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP) and its contractor, Idaho Environmental Coalition (IEC). During the visit, Walsh inspected the storage facility and multiple supporting buildings to learn about the operational mission and historical background of the Fort St. Vrain facility. The facility currently stores spent nuclear fuel from the former Fort St. Vrain power station, which operated using gas-cooled reactor technology and was shut down in 1979...

2026-09-02

U.S. Plans to Build Second Uranium Conversion Plant

Raven-Flint Nuclear Corporation announced on August 31 that it has been selected for the Nuclear Energy Startup Platform project advanced by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), and plans to build a pilot uranium conversion facility named "Torch" at INL. The company stated that the Torch facility aims to become the second uranium conversion plant in the United States, with a designed annual processing capacity of 500 metric tons of uranium, capable of converting uranium into uranium hexafluoride (UF6). According to the company, this scale can meet the fuel demand of two large nuclear reactors. Upon project completion, it is intended to serve the U.S. Department of Energy and its affiliated agencies, and may provide domestically produced uranium hexafluoride for specific needs.

2026-09-02