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60th Anniversary of the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre: Nuclear Techniques Continue to Serve Global Agriculture and Food Safety

In 2024, the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture marks its 60th anniversary. Established in 1964 through a partnership between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Centre primarily promotes the application of nuclear science and related technologies in food security, agricultural production, and sustainable environmental development. Over the past 60 years, the Joint Centre has carried out work in areas including pest control, plant breeding and genetics, soil and water management, animal production and health, and food safety and quality control. Its Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratories have long undertaken tasks in technology development, capacity building, and technology transfer,...

2024-12-27

FAO and IAEA: Nuclear Technologies Are Enhancing Agricultural Production and Food Security

On March 30, 2021, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency presented multiple applications of nuclear technologies in agriculture and food security. The two organizations have collaborated for over 50 years in knowledge sharing and capacity building, further strengthening their partnership through the establishment of the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture. In the field of animal health, nuclear technologies are used for the detection, control, and prevention of transboundary animal diseases and zoonoses. Belize previously had to send animal disease testing samples to overseas laboratories; with support from the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre, the Belize Agricultural Health Authority established a molecular diagnostic laboratory for animal health and adopted real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing technology. This method can detect animal diseases within 24 hours, helping frontline personnel take rapid prevention and control measures. Recently, the laboratory has also been used to assist in human COVID-19 testing, reflecting the "One Health" concept that animal, human, plant, and environmental health are interconnected.

2021-03-30

Argentina's nuclear power generates 4.45 million kWh in half a year, accounting for over 7% of national electricity and meeting the residential electricity needs of 6 million people

Operating data from Nucleoeléctrica Argentina for the first half of 2026 shows that the Atucha 2 and Embalse nuclear power plants generated a combined 4,450,355 kWh, accounting for over 7% of the country's total electricity generation during the period and covering 13% of national residential electricity demand. Notably, although Atucha 1 is temporarily out of service due to a life extension project, the nuclear plants are still able to supply electricity to approximately 6 million people. In addition to its operational breakthroughs, Nucleoeléctrica Argentina is also actively expanding its international business. The company has formally established a new business unit aimed at...

2026-08-06

Korea's Ajou University Hospital Launches Halcyon 5.0 Integrated Precision Radiotherapy Solution

Ajou University Hospital announced on August 6 that it has established a Halcyon 5.0 integrated precision radiotherapy solution and has begun full-scale use for patient treatment. The system integrates high-definition high-speed image acquisition, six-degree-of-freedom patient positioning correction, and markerless real-time motion management into a single treatment workflow to enhance the accuracy and safety of image-guided radiotherapy. This implementation is based on Halcyon system software version 5.0, integrating the high-resolution cone-beam CT imaging system HyperSight, the six-degree-of-freedom patient positioning couch Dynamic Couch, and the surface-guided radiotherapy system IDENTIFY. Ajou University Hospital stated that it is the first hospital in Korea to establish the integrated Halcyon system and the second in Asia to use the system for actual patient treatment.

2026-08-06

World Nuclear Association: Global Nuclear Power Investment Must Reach $250 Billion Annually to Support Tripling of Installed Capacity by 2050

Global nuclear power investment is expected to see significant growth, with annual investment needs potentially exceeding $250 billion by 2050 to meet rising world energy demand. According to a report by the World Nuclear Association (WNA), this investment scale aims to at least triple global nuclear power installed capacity and is supported by 38 countries. This represents a potential investment opportunity of up to $6 trillion for the nuclear power industry, attracting widespread attention. In addition to government funding, private sector capital participation is crucial to the comprehensive development of nuclear power. The report emphasizes that investment should not only focus on new nuclear power plant construction but also expand the nuclear fuel cycle to support large-scale operations, ensure energy supply...

2026-08-06

Bulgaria's Kozloduy Units 5 and 6 VVER-1000 Continue Stable Power Generation

Bulgaria's Ministry of Energy confirmed on August 4 that Units 5 and 6 (both VVER-1000) at the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant remain stably connected to the grid despite record-low Danube River water levels and an ongoing heatwave. Professional assessments indicate that even if the river level continues to decline at the current rate, no power reduction will be required for the next three weeks. Bulgarian authorities have confirmed that they maintain continuous contact with relevant institutions in Serbia and Romania to coordinate and monitor the situation on the Danube waterway. The stable operation of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant comes at a time when neighboring operators along the Danube have been forced to reduce output or cease operations. Due to the sharp drop in water levels and rising river water temperatures, Hungary has had to significantly reduce power output and shut down the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, which supplies more than 40% of the country's electricity.

2026-08-06

Japan's Plutonium Stockpile Expected to Remain at 44.4 Tons by End of 2025

Japan's Cabinet Office reported to the Japan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) on August 5 that Japan's plutonium stockpile is expected to be 44.4 tons by the end of 2025, unchanged from the end of the previous year. By source, domestically sourced plutonium stockpile is expected to be 9.9 tons, while overseas-sourced plutonium stockpile is 34.5 tons. The overseas-sourced plutonium mainly comes from separated plutonium formed after Japan entrusted its spent fuel reprocessing operations to the United Kingdom and France. The report shows that in 2024, Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO) processed 1.3 tons of plutonium stored in France into mixed uranium-plutonium oxide fuel, namely MOX fuel, resulting in a decrease in overseas-sourced plutonium stockpile. Subsequently, this batch of MOX fuel was shipped to the Takahama Nuclear Power...

2026-08-06

CNNC & CIR Co-sponsors Regional Nuclear Medicine Department Development Training Program (Ganzhou Session) and Ganzhou Cancer Hospital High-Quality Nuclear Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment Project Launched Simultaneously

Recently, the Regional Nuclear Medicine Department Development Training Program (Ganzhou Session) and the Ganzhou Cancer Hospital High-Quality Nuclear Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment Project were launched simultaneously at Ganzhou Cancer Hospital. An expert panel from the Nuclear Medicine Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, along with representatives from CNNC & CIR and Atom High-Tech, visited the hospital for research and exchange. More than 200 medical staff from medical institutions at various levels across Jiangxi Province attended the event. The launch ceremony was moderated by Yang Chuansheng, Director of the Nuclear Medicine Department at Ganzhou Cancer Hospital. Fu Wei, Deputy Director of the Ganzhou Municipal Health Commission; Wang Jing, Chair of the Nuclear Medicine Branch of the Chinese Medical Association; and Huang Xingwei, Party Secretary of Ganzhou Cancer Hospital, attended and delivered speeches. Wang Jing stated that nuclear medicine plays a vital supporting role in the precise diagnosis and treatment of major diseases such as cancer, and that promoting the standardized development of regional nuclear medicine at the city and county levels is conducive to channeling high-quality medical resources to the grassroots and enhancing primary healthcare service capabilities.

2026-08-06

US Oak Ridge National Laboratory Advances New Process to Boost Californium-252 Production

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), under the US Department of Energy, is advancing a new Californium-252 (Cf-252) separation process to address growing market demand. The laboratory stated that this process, developed over nearly a decade of research, is expected to shorten the Cf-252 production cycle by about one week, significantly improving processing efficiency without altering product quality. Californium-252 is a neutron-emitting radioisotope used in nuclear reactor startup, fuel testing for new reactors, as well as in oil well logging, coal analysis, port security, fuel rod scanners, and instrument calibration. ORNL noted that it is the only producer of Cf-252 in the Western world...

2026-08-05

Students from 23 countries travel to the North Pole aboard the nuclear-powered icebreaker "50 Years of Victory"

The seventh "Knowledge Icebreaker" science and education expedition departed from Murmansk toward the North Pole, organized by Rosatom to coincide with the Year of National Unity in Russia. At the solemn departure ceremony, Captain Ruslan Sasov of the nuclear-powered icebreaker "50 Years of Victory" gave the order to set sail, with the vessel following the route Murmansk—North Pole—Franz Josef Land—Murmansk. The expedition team includes primary and secondary school students and vocational school students from eight federal districts of Russia, as well as their peers from 22 countries around the world. Those selected include winners of Russian and international open competitions, participants in the "Rosatom Youth"...

2026-08-05

ASP Isotopes PET Lab Revenue Grows Over 50% in First Half of Year, Isotope Enrichment Facilities Advance Toward Commercial Production

ASP Isotopes Inc. recently released a letter to shareholders outlining operational progress across its business segments ahead of the company's second-quarter 2026 financial results announcement. The company stated that its PET lab segment achieved organic revenue growth of more than 50% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. Based on current expectations, the segment's full-year 2026 revenue is projected to be approximately $14 million, up from $6 million in 2025. PET-related operations are typically closely associated with radiopharmaceutical preparation, molecular imaging, and nuclear medicine diagnostic applications. On the isotope front, ASP Isotopes stated that its silicon-28 and ytterbium-176 enrichment facilities have entered the final stage before commercial production, with first deliveries expected in the second half of 2026...

2026-08-05

Kalinin NPP Reaches 850 Billion kWh of Cumulative Power Generation

On August 4, Russia's Kalinin NPP reported that since the commissioning of its first unit, the plant has generated a cumulative total of 850 billion kWh of low-carbon electricity. This output is equivalent to approximately 3.5 years of electricity demand in Russia's Central Federal District. Kalinin NPP is part of the power division of Rosatom. Viktor Ignatov, the plant's director, stated that the cumulative generation of 850 billion kWh is the result of the long-term dedication and professional commitment of several generations of nuclear workers, built upon the expertise of the operating team, reliable unit performance, and the consistent prioritization of safety...

2026-08-05

Ontario Power Generation (OPG) Advances New Nuclear Power Planning at Nanticoke Site, Allocates CAD 500,000 for Local Consultation

Ontario Power Generation (OPG) is planning new energy facilities at the site of the former coal-fired plant in Nanticoke, allocating CAD 500,000 for communication and planning with Haldimand County. The 900-acre site is being evaluated for future power generation possibilities, including small modular reactors (SMRs) or a standard nuclear power plant. This move aligns with Ontario's generational energy plan, aimed at meeting electricity demand projected to grow by 90% by 2050. The Nanticoke Generating Station was once the largest coal-fired power plant in North America, operating from 1972 to 2013 and safely decommissioned in 2019. OPG President and CEO Nicolle Butcher stated that the company understands the...

2026-08-04

USDA Plans $25 Million Investment in Sterile Fly Release Facility in Arizona

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will invest $25 million to build a new sterile fly release facility in Arizona, strengthening efforts to control New World screwworm and reduce the risk of it invading American livestock herds. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the plan during a visit to the Douglas Port of Entry in Arizona. According to the department, releasing sterile flies is a key method for suppressing and ultimately eradicating New World screwworm populations. The proposed Arizona facility will enhance USDA's sterile fly release capacity and complement existing facilities and operations in Texas, Mexico, and Panama, further strengthening emergency response capabilities along the U.S. southwest border. The U.S...

2026-08-04

China's installed nuclear power capacity reaches 135 million kW

According to the National Energy Administration: As of now, there are a total of 120 nuclear power units in operation and approved for construction in mainland China, with an installed capacity of 135 million kW, maintaining the world's largest overall scale. Among them, 62 units are in operation with an installed capacity of 66.14 million kW, ranking second in the world and accounting for 1.6% of the country's total installed power capacity; 58 units are approved for construction with an installed capacity of 69.51 million kW, ranking first in the world. In recent years, the share of nuclear power generation in China's national energy structure has remained stable at around 5%. In 2025, the national nuclear power generation reached 485.2 billion kWh, accounting for 4.6% of total electricity generation. The "15th Five-Year Plan Carbon Peak Action Plan" specifies that by 2030, the installed capacity of nuclear power in operation should reach approximately 110 million kW. To address more...

2026-08-04