Italy Moves to Approve Advanced Nuclear Legal Framework, Paving Way for Small Modular Reactors

Italy's parliament is expected to approve a bill next week establishing a legal framework for advanced nuclear technologies, covering next-generation nuclear solutions such as small modular reactors (SMRs). If passed, the bill would authorize the government to formulate specific rules within one year on reactor licensing, safety regulation, radioactive waste management, and site selection. Italy's Minister of Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, stated that the government's current responsibility is to create the necessary conditions so that entities responsible for future construction decisions can proceed in accordance with the law. In June this year, the Italian Chamber of Deputies...

2026-08-02

KHNP Unveils Research Findings on High-Temperature Steam Electrolysis Demonstration Planning Integrated with Nuclear Power Plants

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) recently participated in the 3rd K-SOC Symposium, hosted by the Korean Ceramic Society and held at OSCO in Cheongju on July 23. During the event, KHNP held a special session on high-temperature steam electrolysis, engaging in discussions with experts from industry, academia, and research institutions on technology development directions and demonstration deployment strategies. The K-SOC Symposium is a major academic event in the field of solid-state ion engineering in South Korea, held every three years, covering topics such as materials, cells, stacks, systems, and processes for solid oxide batteries. At this special session, KHNP presented the preliminary findings of its self-conducted study on the demonstration planning of high-temperature steam electrolysis integrated with nuclear power plants...

2026-08-02

Japan's Chugoku Electric Power swings to loss in FY2026 Q1 as nuclear shutdown raises costs

Japan's Chugoku Electric Power Co. announced its consolidated financial results for the first quarter (April-June) of fiscal year 2026 on July 31. During the reporting period, the company's sales increased 4.4% year-on-year to 343.9 billion yen, up 14.3 billion yen from the same period last year, mainly driven by growth in electricity sales volume. Profit performance, however, came under significant pressure. The company posted an operating loss of 5.3 billion yen, an ordinary loss of 3.2 billion yen, and a net loss of 3.7 billion yen for the first quarter, compared with a net profit of 26.8 billion yen in the same period last year, a year-on-year decrease of 30.5 billion yen. This marks the first time since the first quarter of fiscal year 2022 that the company has recorded simultaneous losses in operating profit, ordinary profit, and net profit over a four-year period. The company stated...

2026-08-02

Wachtebeke Municipal Council Reintroduces Nuclear Power Plant Motion

The municipal council of Wachtebeke, Belgium, has once again seen a motion regarding the construction of a nuclear power plant in Paulina Polder, but this time, unlike before, the motion has gained the support of the far-right PVV party. Previously, the plan had been highly controversial, with local residents and environmental organizations strongly opposing the construction of a new nuclear power plant in this sensitive wetland area. They fear irreversible environmental impacts and question the necessity of building new nuclear plants during the energy transition. The introduction of this motion marks a further strengthening of opposition to the project. The PVV's support increases the likelihood of the motion passing and places greater pressure on local authorities. More...

2026-08-01

Six Polish companies enter final stage of supplier qualification for Westinghouse AP1000 first reactor

Poland's Mostostal Kielce, along with five other Polish companies, has entered the final stage of qualification jointly organized by Westinghouse and Polish Nuclear Power Company (PEJ), with the potential to participate in the construction of Poland's first nuclear power plant. The plant will be located in the Choczewo municipality and will use AP1000 technology. The six companies entering the final stage include Mostostal Kielce, FAMAK, Ferrum Welded Structures Plant, Mostostal Siedlce, Mostostal Kraków, and Energomontaż-Północ Gdynia. In the final round, they will produce structural mock-ups to verify compliance with ASME NQA-1, the international quality standard for the nuclear sector. Prior to this...

2026-08-01

Units 3 and 4 of Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant to Undergo Joint Maintenance of Shared Systems

Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant staff will initiate a planned extended outage for Unit 4 on the evening of August 1, while Unit 3 will remain in its outage state. Both units will be offline simultaneously in August, and the plant will use this window to conduct comprehensive inspections, maintenance, and modernization of the shared facilities of Units 3 and 4. Bohdan Zronek, member of the Board of Directors of ČEZ Group and head of the nuclear energy division, stated that the simultaneous shutdown of Units 3 and 4 at Dukovany will place the plant under an intensive work schedule over the coming weeks. Experts from ČEZ and its suppliers will handle hundreds of tasks, and the effectiveness of the outage work depends on precise coordination across all stages. According to...

2026-08-01

Portuguese Parliament Advised to Assess Feasibility of Small Modular Reactors in the Country

On July 30, the Portuguese Parliament received a draft resolution recommending that the government adopt a pro-nuclear stance and conduct an assessment of the feasibility of using small modular reactors in the country. The draft emphasizes that, against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, successive wars in the Middle East, and the increasing fragility of international supply routes, energy security is no longer merely an economic or environmental issue but a core element of national sovereignty and strategic autonomy. Portugal should not ideologically exclude any low-carbon technology without objective research. The draft resolution points out that Portugal's current energy policy should balance supply security, economic competitiveness, consumer protection, and emission reduction goals, without preemptively rejecting any technology that could contribute to these...

2026-08-01

Vietnam's National Assembly Committee on Defense, Security and Foreign Affairs officially reviews approval contents related to Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Plant

On the morning of July 31, the National Assembly's Committee for Defense, Security and Foreign Affairs of Vietnam officially commenced the review of approval contents related to the Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Plant. At the plenary session held at the National Assembly office building, the Committee's Standing Board convened its second formal review meeting to approve contents related to the Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Plant. The meeting was chaired by Le Tan Toi, member of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of the Committee for Defense, Security and Foreign Affairs, with Vu Hai Ha, member of the Party Central Committee and Standing Vice Chairman of the Committee for Defense, Security and Foreign Affairs, responsible for the organization and coordination of the meeting. At the meeting, representatives from the Office of the President submitted relevant reports, and leaders from the Ministry of Industry and Trade also delivered presentations. Participants...

2026-08-01

Russia Suspends Payments to Nuclear Agency, Redirects Funds to Rosatom

The Russian government has decided to continue suspending membership fee payments to the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), redirecting the funds to Rosatom, Russia's state atomic energy corporation. According to the latest resolution, approximately 61.3 million rubles (equivalent to nearly $773,500) originally allocated for the 2026 NEA membership fees will be reallocated to Rosatom. This marks the second consecutive year Russia has failed to fulfill its financial obligations to the agency. As early as 2025, Moscow had already ceased paying membership fees, following the suspension of its membership. Russia's membership in the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency was suspended in May 2022, which occurred following the...

2026-08-01

Greenpeace accuses Spanish Nuclear Safety Council of improperly renewing Almaraz nuclear power plant license until 2030

The Spanish Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) recently issued a favorable report on extending the operating license of the Almaraz nuclear power plant until 2030. However, the environmental organization Greenpeace has questioned this decision, arguing that the report fails to comply with current nuclear safety regulations. They point out that Council member Francisco Castejón abstained from the vote on approving the extension of the Almaraz plant's lifespan, which indicates blind spots in the assessment process. Greenpeace further emphasized that the handling of this extension application is also problematic, as no new Periodic Safety Review (PSR) was conducted, instead relying on the previous assessment that concluded in June 2018...

2026-08-01

EDF's Performance Declines as Nuclear Plants Affected by High Temperatures

EDF faced pressure in its first-half results, with net profit down 4.4% year-on-year to €5.2 billion. Despite an increase of approximately 8 TWh in French nuclear output, revenue still fell 3.3% to €57.45 billion. The company's half-year EBIT stood at €14.1 billion, with total electricity generation of 262.1 TWh, of which French nuclear plants contributed 189.9 TWh. Meanwhile, EDF also bore an additional €500 million in taxes, mainly related to the contribution on excess profits. Weak market prices reduced the value of electricity sold by EDF, while the company, fully state-owned, needs to fund capital-intensive industrial projects. As of end-June, EDF's net debt reached €51.5 billion, flat compared to the level at end-2025...

2026-08-01

Changwon National University and Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute Join Forces to Promote Korea-Vietnam Nuclear Power Industry Synergy

Changwon National University announced that a delegation from the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute recently visited the university for in-depth discussions on the development of Vietnam's nuclear power industry and cooperation plans in the field of small modular reactors (SMRs). The delegation was led by Dr. Phan Viet Cuong, Deputy Director of VINATOM, among others. The visit came at a time when the Vietnamese government has been comprehensively promoting the introduction of SMRs as a core national energy strategy since 2024. Through the consultations, both sides reached a consensus on close cooperation to strengthen Vietnam's nuclear power technology competitiveness and foster the next-generation SMR industry. In particular, centered on Changwon National University's "SMR² Platform National Research Institute," customized educational programs will be operated for Vietnamese researchers and students...

2026-08-01

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority Begins Revising Seismic Motion Evaluation Guidelines

In response to the data falsification issue at Chubu Electric Power's Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant, Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has initiated the revision of seismic motion evaluation guidelines. The falsification involves seismic motion evaluation data that underpins the safety of nuclear power plants, carrying significant implications. The NRA has stated it will treat this matter with utmost seriousness, aiming to establish stricter standards and monitoring systems through the guideline revision. Chubu Electric Power's data tampering is a grave issue that undermines public trust in nuclear power plant safety. Seismic motion evaluation is an extremely critical element in assessing the seismic resistance of nuclear power plants, and data accuracy is fundamental to safety. This incident has called into question the safety of the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant, necessitating a thorough investigation and re-evaluation by regulatory authorities. In the revision work...

2026-08-01

NEA Advances SFCOMPO Database Upgrade to Support Spent Nuclear Fuel Nuclide Inventory and Decay Heat Validation

The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) held the ninth annual meeting of the Technical Review Group (TRG) for the International Spent Nuclear Fuel Analysis Data Database (SFCOMPO) on July 9 in Boulogne-Billancourt, France. Thirty-three experts from research institutions, regulatory bodies, waste management organizations, and industry across 12 countries attended the meeting. The experimental and evaluated data contained in SFCOMPO are primarily used to validate computational tools related to nuclear safety and the nuclear fuel cycle, with applications including reactor physics, criticality safety, radiation shielding, and radioactive waste management. Accurate characterization of spent nuclear fuel is an essential foundation for supporting decisions on storage, transportation, reprocessing, and disposal, and is also relevant to...

2026-08-01

Romania Declares National State of Emergency for August Amid Decline in Power Generation

Romania's Acting Prime Minister and Energy Minister Ilie Bolojan announced on July 31 after a cabinet meeting that Romania would enter a national state of emergency in August due to a decline in power generation caused by drought. Bolojan stated that the drought has reduced water levels in rivers, with a notable decrease in the flow of the Danube River. The flow has dropped from over 4,000 cubic meters per second to 1,600 cubic meters per second. He said that as a result, the water level in the intake basin of the Cernavodă NPP has fallen, and Unit 1 of the plant had to be shut down recently. He also noted that Unit 2 of the Cernavodă NPP faces a high risk of shutdown. Should Unit 2 go offline, Romania's total...

2026-08-01

Russia-Brazil Uranium Conversion Cooperation Upgraded, Uranium Processing at Angra NPP Increased by 25%

In June 2026, Russia and Brazil signed an agreement to increase uranium conversion volumes for the Angra nuclear power plant in the South American country by 25%. This move is of strategic significance, as Russian fuel fully guarantees the operation of the country's only nuclear power plant. Russia is a key economic partner of Brazil, a Latin American nation, and one of the five historical founding members of the BRICS group. Brazil accounts for more than 50% of Russia's trade with the region, with bilateral trade volume reaching $10.9 billion by the end of 2025. The two countries are developing technical cooperation, particularly in the nuclear field. In December 2022, they signed a five-year contract to supply...

2026-08-01

Korea and UAE Eye Joint Bid for Vietnam's Ninh Thuan 2 Nuclear Power Project

A South Korean team comprising the Korean government, Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) is seeking cooperation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to jointly compete for Vietnam's nuclear power project. The proposed plan aims to combine South Korea's experience in large-scale nuclear power plant construction with the UAE's financial strength to enhance both parties' competitiveness in the international nuclear power market. According to sources from South Korea's nuclear power industry, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) held a high-level meeting with Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) in Hanoi earlier this month, proposing a joint South Korea-UAE participation in the construction of Vietnam's Ninh Thuan 2 Nuclear Power Project. The Ninh Thuan nuclear power project is located in Ninh Thuan Province in central Vietnam, with plans to build four nuclear power units. In the early arrangements of the project, Russia planned to bid for the Ninh Thuan 1 Nuclear Power Project, while Japan planned to bid for the Ninh Thuan 2 Nuclear Power Project. After Japan withdrew and relinquished its preferential bidding rights, South Korea gained the opportunity to enter the competition for the project.

2026-08-01

Japan aims to rebuild up to 5 retired nuclear power plants by the 2040s

The Japanese government held a ministerial meeting on nuclear power on July 31 and decided to rebuild up to 5 retired nuclear power plants by the 2040s. This is the first time since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident that the Japanese government has set a specific numerical target for nuclear plant reconstruction. Kansai Electric Power Company's Mihama Nuclear Power Plant Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae stated at the meeting that to steadily advance nuclear power investment, the Takaichi cabinet will continue to promote nuclear energy policy. According to the direction set at the meeting, Japan plans to rebuild 2 to 5 nuclear power plants by the 2040s, with a total installed capacity of approximately 2.2 million to 5.5 million kilowatts; by the 2050s, the reconstruction scale will expand to 11 to 14 plants, with a total installed capacity of approximately 12.7 million to 16 million kilowatts. The Japanese government plans to...

2026-08-01

Danube water levels continue to decline, Unit 4 of Hungary's Paks Nuclear Power Plant reduces power output

Affected by persistent drought, water levels of the Danube in Hungary have dropped to low levels, impacting the operation of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, which relies on Danube water for cooling. The plant's operator announced on July 31 that, due to a further drop in the water level at the Paks section to -126 cm, experts would reduce the power output of Unit 4 by 50% starting from 22:45 local time on July 31. The Paks Nuclear Power Plant is Hungary's only operating nuclear power plant, generating approximately half of the country's total electricity. Earlier announcements had mentioned that, due to the extremely low Danube water level, shutdowns of some units at the plant had become difficult to avoid. Peter Magyar stated on social media on July 30...

2026-08-01

Canadian nuclear fuel supplier Cameco announces Westinghouse Electric IPO plan

Canadian nuclear fuel supplier Cameco Corporation has announced that its joint venture, Westinghouse Electric Company, has confidentially submitted a preliminary registration statement for a proposed initial public offering. The IPO aims to further advance Westinghouse's business development in the nuclear power sector and bring new sources of funding to the company. Currently, Cameco holds a 49% stake in Westinghouse, with Brookfield Renewable Partners owning the remaining 51%. Westinghouse is one of the world's largest nuclear services companies and the supplier of the world's first commercial pressurized water reactor (PWR). Its technology platform covers the entire nuclear power value chain, with 41 of the...

2026-08-01

Japan's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station launches 22nd release of radioactive wastewater into the ocean, approximately 7,800 tons this time

On the morning of July 30, 2026, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) initiated a new round of nuclear-contaminated water discharge into the ocean at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. This marks the 4th release within 2026 and the 22nd since the discharge plan began in August 2023. According to data released by TEPCO, this discharge is expected to continue until the 17th of next month, with a total volume of approximately 7,800 tons. The total amount of radioactive substance tritium contained therein is as high as approximately 1.3 trillion becquerels. Prior to this, Japan had conducted a total of 21 rounds of radioactive wastewater discharge by the 24th of this month, with a cumulative discharge volume reaching approximately 165,000 tons. This action continues to draw attention and concern from neighboring countries and the international community. This time...

2026-07-31