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US Department of Energy Study Shows: Deep Borehole Disposal Option Can Significantly Reduce Nuclear Fuel Cycle Back-End Waste Disposal Costs

Results from a three-year US Department of Energy (DOE)-funded project show that Deep Boreholes technology can provide a safe and low-cost permanent disposal pathway for radioactive waste remaining after Nuclear Fuel Recycling. Deep Isolation Nuclear conducted a systematic assessment of multiple recycling waste disposal scenarios, and the results showed that the estimated costs for all tested scenarios were below the project's control target of "0.1 cents per kilowatt-hour of electricity generation." Long-term safety modeling also confirmed that under normal expected conditions, all options meet...

2026-09-24

Afrikantov Experimental Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering Completes Manufacture and Delivery of MBIR Fast Reactor Primary Coolant Circulation Pumps

The machine-building division of Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation (Госкорпорация «Росатом» / Rosatom), Afrikantov Experimental Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering (АО «ОКБМ Африкантов» / OKBM Afrikantov), has completed the manufacture and delivery of the primary coolant circulation pumps (Главные циркуляционные насосы, ГЦН) for the multi-purpose fast neutron research reactor (МБИР / MBIR). As core equipment of the reactor facility, these circulation pumps will be responsible for driving the coolant to circulate within the reactor core...

2026-09-24

Unit 2 of Leningrad NPP-2 with a VVER-1200 reactor has been taken out of service as planned for a mid-term major overhaul

At 00:30 Moscow time on September 21, 2026, Unit 2 of Leningrad NPP-2 (Ленинградская АЭС-2 / Leningrad NPP-2) with a VVER-1200 (ВВЭР-1200) reactor was formally disconnected from the grid and entered a planned mid-term major overhaul (Плановый средний ремонт) in accordance with established approval procedures and the maintenance schedule of the Russian Power and Energy Group's Rosenergoatom Concern (АО «Концерн Росэнергоатом» / Rosenergoatom). The overhaul program covers hundreds of individual works, with a focus on the reactor and...

2026-09-24

Balakovo NPP in Russia Conducts Steam Generator O&M Experience Exchange and Technical Support

Recently, at the Balakovo NPP in Saratov Oblast, Russia, a peer support mission focused on steam generator (Steam Generators / Парогенераторы) O&M technology and experience was successfully held. This event was a routine technical exchange organized by the WANO Moscow Centre (WANO-MC / ВАО АЭС-МЦ), aimed at bringing together industry expertise from multiple parties to further enhance the safety and reliability of nuclear power unit operation. The team participating in this support mission was composed of technical backbone personnel from multiple industry organizations and nuclear power plants, including the World Association of Nuclear...

2026-09-24

Nova Fusion and Fuyao University of Science and Technology Jointly Established Fusion Innovation Research Institute and Innovation Laboratory Unveiled

On September 22, 2026, the Fuyao UST·Nova Fusion Innovation Research Institute and the Fuyao University of Science and Technology·Nova Fusion Innovation Laboratory were officially unveiled and established. Wang Shuguo, President of Fujian Fuyao University of Science and Technology, Guo Houyang, founder of Nova Fusion Energy Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Nova Fusion"), and personnel from relevant departments including the Fujian Provincial Development and Reform Commission, Department of Education, Department of Science and Technology, and Department of Industry and Information Technology attended the unveiling ceremony. Zhang Fuli, Executive Vice President of Fuyao University of Science and Technology, presided over the ceremony. The Fuyao UST·Nova Fusion Innovation Research Institute and the Fuyao University of Science and Technology·Nova Fusion Innovation Laboratory established this time are jointly built by Fuyao UST and Nova Fusion, dedicated to promoting fusion energy technology from the laboratory to commercial application.

2026-09-23

Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant Unit 4 Officially Connected to the Grid

According to the operator Slovenské elektrárne, Unit 4 of the Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant in Slovakia officially began generating electricity at 15:33 on Monday. This marks the last major stage before the unit enters commercial operation. The unit reached criticality and minimum controlled power in early August. Before approving entry into the latest stage of trial operation, the Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic conducted a comprehensive inspection and assessed the relevant documents. The transition from physical startup to energy startup means that the heat generated by the reactor will be used to heat water and produce steam, thereby driving the turbine to generate electricity. Next, the reactor's output power will be gradually increased in stages—5%, 20%, 35%, 55%, 75% and 90%—with inspections and tests at each power level before further increases. When power reaches 20%, the unit will be officially connected to the Slovak power system. The final test will be continuous operation at 100% full power for 144 hours. Branislav Strýček, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Slovenské elektrárne, said: "With the successful completion of this stage, Slovakia will gain a new stable source of electricity. In the coming decades, it will make an important contribution to the country's energy security and the achievement of climate goals." Martin Mráz, Director of the Mochovce Completion Project, said: "We have successfully completed the fuel loading and physical startup stages... The achievement of this milestone is a recognition of the high level of professionalism of the Slovenské elektrárne project team and the quality of work of all those involved in the completion."

2026-09-23

Framatome of France Secures First U.S. High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium Nuclear Fuel Contract

French nuclear company Framatome announced that it has signed a commercial contract to supply one operating nuclear reactor in the United States with the world's first nuclear fuel with uranium-235 concentration higher than the industry standard of 5%, for use in replacing reactor fuel. Under the agreement, as part of the Advanced Fuel Management (AFM) program, Framatome will use AFM technology to supply higher-concentration fuel in batches starting in early 2028. The agreement includes the supply of a range of fuels to support long-term use of AFM fuel in the reactor, and includes additional fuel supply options for the future. The company did not disclose the name of the reactor that will use the fuel. Uranium-235...

2026-09-23

Weilan Stellar Completes China's First Stellarator Magnet Cryogenic Comprehensive Test Platform in Three Months, First Round of Magnet Testing Launched

Weilan Stellar recently completed the construction of China's first stellarator magnet cryogenic comprehensive test platform, and the first round of magnet testing has been launched. Qiu Lilong, a review expert for the cryogenic system, stated that from independent design and system integration to domestically sourced supporting equipment, Weilan Stellar took only three and a half months to integrate vacuum, cryogenics, power supply, measurement, and protection into a comprehensive test platform. The test platform fully demonstrates the team's outstanding capabilities in scientific research, engineering, and project management. As the foundation for stable operation of a stellarator, the cryogenic system's vacuum level, sealing performance, and cooling capacity are all crucial. Unlike conventional paced R&D models, Weilan Stellar has always adhered to a pragmatic,...

2026-09-23

Vietnam Holds Scientific Seminar on "Developing Nuclear Energy for Green Growth and National Energy Security"

On September 21, the Central Propaganda Department, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Khanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee of Vietnam jointly held a scientific seminar on "Developing Nuclear Energy for Green Growth and National Energy Security," aiming to explore the role of nuclear energy in addressing challenges such as climate change, meeting electricity demand, and promoting clean energy transition. The seminar emphasized that nuclear energy, as an energy source with large power generation capacity, stable operation, and low carbon emissions, can serve as baseload energy and effectively complement renewable energy that depends on natural conditions. For Vietnam, nuclear power is regarded as an important strategy for achieving sustainable socio-economic development and is expected to bring opportunities for scientific and technological development, industrial upgrading, and the cultivation of high-quality talent. At the seminar,...

2026-09-22

Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment Conducts Technical Exchange at Beishan Underground Laboratory

To align with the key engineering tasks of the 15th Five-Year Plan for Building a Beautiful China, the responsible officials of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (hereinafter referred to as the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center) recently led a team to the Beishan Underground Laboratory for technical exchange. The 15th Five-Year Plan for Building a Beautiful China explicitly proposes the construction of a safety assessment and verification platform for geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste. During the exchange, personnel from the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center went deep into the Beishan Underground Laboratory site, conducting on-site inspections of underground tunnels, disposal holes, surrounding rock excavation interfaces, etc., and carried out in-depth technical exchanges with personnel from the Beijing Research Institute of Uranium Geology. The two sides focused on the layout of special tests for safety review, software development and testing, conceptual design review...

2026-09-22

Modernization of the hydraulic blade stamping equipment for nuclear power plants at the Russian "Atom Machine" plant has been completed

On September 21, 2026, according to project information released by the Russian "Atom Machine" (Atom Machine, part of the Mechanical Engineering Division of the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation "Rosatom"), the plant located in Volgodonsk (Волгодонск), Rostov Oblast, announced that its hydraulic blade stamping equipment for nuclear power plants, which is unique to date and has no equivalent in Russia, has completed modernization and successfully passed testing. It is understood that this hydraulic press with a force of up to 15,000 tonnes has now successfully passed all tests and is fully ready for production. This equipment was originally put into operation in 1980. In this modernization project, engineers not only...

2026-09-22

South Korea Promotes K-Decommissioning Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Technology Overseas

At the 2026 Nuclear Facility Decommissioning Business Forum held on the 18th at the Westin Chosun Seoul, Seo Beom-kyung (서범경), Director of the Clean Nuclear Facility Technology Development Department at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), stated that given the limited scale of the domestic nuclear facility decommissioning market, it is necessary to turn attention to overseas markets. Seo Beom-kyung said that the scale of South Korea's domestic decommissioning market is limited, so attention must be directed overseas. This requires the establishment of international standards, as well as decommissioning methods that reduce environmental burden and plans for subsequent site utilization. At the same time, emphasis must be placed on verifying K-Decommissioning technology in practical applications to ensure its performance and safety. Although technologies achieved at the R&D stage may...

2026-09-22

Fuel loading begins at Unit 8 of Rajasthan Nuclear Power Station

At 3:18 PM on September 19, 2026, initial fuel loading (IFL) began at Unit 8 of the Rajasthan Atomic Power Project Units 7 & 8 (RAPP-7&8) of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), located at Rawatbhata in Rajasthan. It is understood that the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) 7&8 consists of two indigenous 700 MW Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) units. The initial fuel loading of Unit 8 marks an important step toward first criticality and subsequent start of power generation. The unit is expected to begin commercial operation in the current financial year...

2026-09-22

The pressurizer of Unit 3 of the Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Plant has been hoisted into place.

At 19:03 on September 20, the pressurizer of Unit 3 of the Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Plant was hoisted into place. During this pressurizer hoisting operation, the pressurizer was horizontally lifted to the +16.5m platform by a gantry crane, transported and towed by a heavy-duty vehicle into the reactor building, then turned and erected by the polar crane, and finally hoisted into place. The pressurizer is one of the core main equipment items of the nuclear island reactor coolant system, and its main function is to undertake primary loop pressure control and overpressure protection, among other duties. When the temperature and pressure inside the reactor fluctuate, the pressurizer can maintain the temperature and pressure inside the reactor within a safe range by adjusting the flow rate and temperature of the coolant water, thereby ensuring the safe and stable operation of the reactor. At the same time, the pressurizer is crucial for ensuring the power generation efficiency of the unit and maintaining stable operation, and is key equipment for the safe operation of nuclear power units.

2026-09-21

South China Supervision Station Escorts the Safe and Smooth Transition of Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 to Commercial Operation

Recently, the Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3, the first Hualong One nuclear power project constructed by Huaneng Group in the Hainan Free Trade Port, successfully completed a 168-hour full-power trial operation. The achievement of this important milestone marks that the unit has officially met the conditions for commercial operation, and also means that as an important supplement to the clean energy structure of the Hainan Free Trade Port, the project is steadily advancing toward the goal of full commissioning, injecting new vitality into local economic and social development. Looking back at the commissioning process of Unit 3, on April 30 of this year, the unit officially completed its first fuel loading and immediately entered the most critical nuclear commissioning phase. During the commissioning period that lasted for months, every...

2026-09-21