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Argonne National Laboratory develops new monitoring system that can accurately diagnose hidden faults inside nuclear reactors

U.S. researchers have developed a new monitoring system that combines fiber-optic temperature sensors with artificial intelligence (AI) to identify hidden internal channel blockage risks before they cause costly reactor shutdowns. The technology was developed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and is specifically designed for key heat exchanger components in molten-salt-cooled reactors (MSCRs). Heat exchangers ser...

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

Rosatom's Podolsk Machine-Building Plant Completes Manufacture of the Second RITM-200S Reactor for the First PEB-106 Floating Nuclear Power Plant

The Moscow Region enterprise Podolsk Machine-Building Plant (PAO ZiO-Podolsk), part of the mechanical engineering division of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom (Госкорпорация «Росатом» / Rosatom), has successfully manufactured the second RITM-200S (РИТМ-200С) reactor unit. This reactor will be installed on the PEB-106 (ПЭБ-106) floating nuclear power unit, designed specifically to ensure power supply for the large copper mining industrial cluster in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug (Чукотский автономный округ / Chukotka Autonomous Okrug). The equipment has successfully passed hydraulic tests (Гидравлические испытания) confirming its structural strength, and a full-scale trial assembly (Контрольная сборка) verified absolute conformity of components with the design drawings.

2026-09-24

Bechtel Exits TerraPower's Sodium-Cooled Reactor Project

U.S. engineering, procurement, construction (EPC) and project management company Bechtel has decided to withdraw from TerraPower's Natrium nuclear reactor project. TerraPower stated that both parties have decided to develop independently and will re-tender the project's engineering, procurement and construction contract for building the first Natrium nuclear reactor in Kemmerer, Wyoming, USA.

2026-09-23

Samsung C&T Teams Up with GE, Hitachi and Synthos to Enter Europe's Small Modular Reactor Market

Samsung C&T's construction division has partnered with GE Vernova, Hitachi and Synthos Green Energy (SGE) to expand into Europe's small modular reactor (SMR) market. By integrating technology, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and business development capabilities, the parties aim to establish a business model for the repeat deployment of standardized small modular reactors across European countries. Samsung C&T announced on the 23rd that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the 22nd (local time) with GE Vernova, Hitachi and SGE to pursue market development and commercial...

2026-09-23

Kairos Power Secures $100 Million Investment from Samsung to Build Nuclear Reactors for Google

Recently, Kairos Power received a $100 million investment from Samsung C&T to build nuclear reactors for Google. Samsung C&T Engineering will participate in the construction of Kairos Power's 50-megawatt demonstration reactor, which is planned for completion by 2030. As part of the deal, Samsung C&T will make an equity investment in Kairos Power and provide in-kind engineering services, with the combined value reaching up to $100 million. Kairos Power stated that the equity investment will account for $70 million of the total investment. Samsung C&T has participated in or helped build approximately a dozen nuclear reactors worldwide, possessing extensive...

2026-09-23

New Generation "Harmony System" and Other Technological Achievements Debut at the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo

At the five-day 23rd China-ASEAN Expo and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, CGN showcased its innovative achievements in nuclear power, new energy, and digitalization under the theme "Smart Nuclear Powers Free Trade, Green Electricity Connects ASEAN." At the exhibition, CGN Digital Technology highlighted its independently developed Harmony System series products and their applications in the new energy sector, and used virtual reality technology to give visitors the opportunity to tour nuclear power plants. The Harmony System is hailed as the "nerve center" and "brain" of nuclear power plants. It is China's independently developed nuclear safety-class digital instrumentation and control system, and has now been widely applied to 34 nuclear power units nationwide, covering second- to fourth-generation nuclear power reactor types and technologies. Through the comprehensive iterative upgrading of the Harmony System, CGN Digital Technology has equipped it with a smarter, safer, and more economical "super intelligent brain," aiming to provide digital and intelligent empowerment for the full-cycle production and operation of nuclear power plants.

2026-09-22

Nuclear energy startup Hylenr completes Phase 1 testing of lattice confinement fusion reactor validation study

Hylenr Inc., a nuclear energy startup based in Michigan, USA, recently completed Phase 1 testing of an independent validation study of its Lattice Confinement Fusion (LCF) reactor at Texas A&M University. Experimental results showed anomalous signals in areas including heat, gas, and materials, and Hylenr stated that the data indicate the technology warrants further in-depth investigation. Basic test information: In a strictly controlled laboratory environment, researchers conducted tests on Hylenr's BRT-NiUCS-2 reactor and multiple hydrogen-absorbing nickel-palladium catalyst samples, focusing on monitoring post-test heat, radiation, residual gases, and...

2026-09-22

France's Nuward plans to start construction of small modular reactor in 2030

The CEO of Nuward stated that the European Industrial Alliance on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) is evaluating applications for the second round of projects, and the company plans to begin construction of its first small modular reactor in 2030 as part of an initial plan for 10 units. Nuward is a wholly owned subsidiary of EDF Group, focused on developing small modular reactor technology. At a related event during the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference in Vienna, Nuward CEO Julien Garrel detailed the development progress of the Nuward small modular reactor. He noted that the project has entered its next phase, with the goal of building the first batch of 10 Nuward small modular reactor series in five European countries.

2026-09-22

New Progress in Research on Microstructural Stability of High-Silicon Austenitic Steels for Lead-Cooled Fast Reactors

The lead-cooled fast reactor is an important reactor type in the fourth-generation nuclear energy system, and its structural materials need to withstand harsh service environments such as high temperature, irradiation, and liquid lead-bismuth corrosion over the long term. High-silicon austenitic stainless steel possesses excellent lead-bismuth corrosion resistance and is an important candidate structural material for core equipment such as the reactor vessel and internals of lead-cooled fast reactors. However, Si addition significantly alters the phase precipitation mechanism during high-temperature service and induces austenite decomposition, affecting the long-term microstructural stability of the material. Recently, the Special Alloys Research Department of the Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with the Department of Mechanical Engineering of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, building on prior work that revealed Si-induced austenite decomposition behavior in high-silicon austenitic steels and the resulting mechanical...

2026-09-21

India Launches "DARSHAN" Centre to Accelerate Small Modular Reactor Technology Development

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has recently officially launched the DARSHAN Centre, aimed at advancing the development of India's domestic Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology. The centre will provide high-performance computing, digital simulation, and advanced engineering support for the indigenous SMR jointly developed by NPCIL and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). The DARSHAN Centre is an important milestone in India's advanced nuclear technology programme. The centre was established to strengthen India's autonomous capabilities in advanced reactor technology and to provide high-level engineering and analysis support for the indigenous SMR. The centre is equipped with high-performance computing infrastructure and advanced simulation capabilities, enabling engineers and research...

2026-09-20

US Delivers Cold War-Era Reactor Molten Salt Coolant to Texas Nuclear Innovation Project

The U.S. nuclear energy sector has recently seen a landmark cross-generational collaboration. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has formally delivered over 2 metric tons of FLiBe molten salt to Natura Resources, a nuclear startup headquartered in Abilene, Texas. This batch of molten salt once served as the coolant for the historic Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) during the Cold War, and after decades in storage, it has been reactivated to support the research, development, and deployment of fourth-generation nuclear reactor technology. The delivered FLiBe molten salt is a mixture of lithium fluoride and beryllium fluoride, and its distinctive feature is that the lithium-7 (Li-7) isotope abundance within it reaches as high as 99.99%...

2026-09-20

ARC and Idaho National Laboratory Forge Strategic Partnership to Advance First Reactor Deployment

ARC Clean Technology announced earlier this week that it has signed a Strategic Partnership Project agreement with Battelle Energy Alliance, the operating and management contractor for Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The agreement establishes a multi-year collaboration framework aimed at advancing in-depth cooperation between ARC and INL on the design, demonstration, and first project deployment of the ARC-100, a 100 MWe sodium-cooled fast reactor. Among the many emerging nuclear reactor startups, Washington, D.C.-based ARC stands as one of the oldest members. The company was founded in 2006, even earlier than well-known industry players such as TerraPower (...

2026-09-20

Romania and Argentina Nuclear Power Companies Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Deepen CANDU 6 Heavy Water Reactor Technology Cooperation

Romania's National Nuclear Power Company (SNN) and Argentina's Nuclear Power Company (NASA) signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding on Thursday. According to a press release issued by the Romanian company, the two parties will engage in in-depth cooperation in the operation and development of CANDU 6 heavy water reactor technology. Both companies possess strong technical strength and rich practical experience in the engineering design, daily operation, equipment maintenance, large-scale project management, life extension, nuclear safety analysis, and reactor operation of CANDU 6 technology nuclear reactors. Argentina's Nuclear Power Company had previously successfully completed the refurbishment and upgrade of the Embalse Nuclear Power Plant, which uses CANDU technology...

2026-09-18