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Westinghouse eVinci Microreactor Achieves Significant Breakthrough in Zero-Power High-Temperature Criticality Test

Westinghouse Electric Company recently announced that its eVinci microreactor achieved a significant breakthrough in a zero-power high-temperature criticality test, successfully achieving criticality at a temperature of 663 degrees Celsius, marking an important milestone in the project's development. This test is an important practice of the build-test-learn development model, providing key data for accelerating subsequent prototype design. The test was conducted at the U.S. Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)'s National Criticality Experiments Research Center (NCERC) in Nevada, with active cooperation and support from Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The selection of the test site has sign...

2026-09-16

China Launches Global Network for Small Modular Reactor Innovation

On Tuesday, September 15, during the 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held in Vienna, the China Atomic Energy Authority officially launched the Global Network for SMR Innovation (GNSI). The network aims to promote technological progress, standard-setting, and deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs), helping to improve the safety, economics, and accessibility of nuclear energy in support of climate action and sustainable development. At the launch and promotion event held in Vienna, participants stated that small modular reactors are expected to play a key role in the global expansion of nuclear energy, with applications far beyond conventional power generation, including offshore power supply, high-temperature hydrogen production, district heating, and seawater desalination.

2026-09-16

BlueCore Energy showcases small modular nuclear reactor port deployment plan

Recently, people from various sectors gathered at the Port of Long Beach in southern California, USA, to discuss the application prospects of nuclear energy. The event was hosted by BlueCore Energy and aimed to present to potential investors, partners, and local government the company's plan to deploy small modular nuclear reactors at the Port of Long Beach. Kofi Asante, founder and CEO of BlueCore Energy, provided a detailed introduction to the project's feasibility and safety during a one-hour symposium. He emphasized that the company is committed to advancing the project in a safe, pragmatic, and inclusive manner. The Port of Long Beach is located in southern California, USA...

2026-09-16

European Investment Bank to invest €40 million in Finnish small modular reactor company Steady Energy

The European Investment Bank will invest up to €40 million (about $46 million) in Finnish small modular reactor company Steady Energy. The company's LDR-50 reactor is specifically designed for district heating networks, and this is also the European Investment Bank's first investment in small modular reactor technology. The European Investment Bank is jointly owned by the 27 EU member states, and these member states do not have a consistent attitude toward nuclear energy. In the past, the bank usually avoided new nuclear power projects and invested only in projects related to nuclear safety, such as Chernobyl-related projects. However, over the past year or so, the European Investment Bank has provided loans for the refurbishment project of a reactor in Romania, as well as for the Tricastin...

2026-09-16

UK Regulator Initiates Design Assessment of Xe-100 Reactor

The UK regulator has formally initiated the assessment of the Xe-100 high-temperature gas-cooled reactor design proposed by X-energy, marking an important step for the UK in developing advanced nuclear technology. This decision follows the completion of a review by the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero of the application from X-energy UK Holdings Limited. In the same period last year, Centrica signed a joint development agreement with an X-energy subsidiary, planning to deploy Xe-100 reactors in the UK and selecting Hartlepool in northeast England as the preferred site, with the potential to build up to 6 million kilowatts of nuclear power plant capacity in the future. The Generic Design Assessment (GDA) is a comprehensive assessment conducted by the UK Office for Nuclear Regulation, the Environment Agency, and Natural Resources Wales of new reactor designs proposed for deployment in the UK, aimed at ensuring their safety, reliability, and environmental impact meet strict standards. This assessment is independent of site-specific construction applications, and only after passing all stages of assessment can the relevant permits and approvals be obtained.

2026-09-16

U.S. Army Deploys First Commercial Microreactor at Crane Base

The U.S. Army announced that it has ordered the first commercial microreactor for Naval Support Activity Crane in Indiana, marking a significant step in the United States' application of advanced nuclear energy technology. This micro-modular reactor (MMR), owned and operated by a commercial entity, will be installed at the base, becoming the U.S. Navy's first land-based advanced micro-modular reactor and Indiana's first power reactor. Naval Support Activity Crane is positioned by the U.S. Army as one of the leading centers in operational innovation and capability development. The deployment of the microreactor aims to provide reliable, 24-hour uninterrupted power, reducing dependence on the commercial power grid, thereby supporting critical missions in various...

2026-09-16

CNNC Signs Cooperation Agreement with IAEA in High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor Field

On September 14 local time, on the opening day of the 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, a China exhibition themed "Small Modular Reactors and Comprehensive Utilization of Nuclear Energy" opened concurrently. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, Director of the China Atomic Energy Authority Shan Zhongde, Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations Office at Vienna and Other International Organizations and China's Permanent Representative to the IAEA Li Song, and CNNC General Manager Zhang Tao jointly visited the exhibition and witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement in the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor field between China Nuclear Energy and the IAEA. Grossi inquired in detail about nuclear energy innovation solutions and comprehensive utilization including high-temperature gas-cooled reactors and Linglong One, and expressed interest in the progress of China's small modular reactor construction...

2026-09-15

Rosatom Completes First Stage of Concrete Pouring for BREST Reactor Core Cavity

TVEL Fuel Company, a subsidiary of Rosatom, has announced that the future innovative nuclear power unit BREST-OD-300, located in Seversk, Tomsk Oblast, has successfully completed the first stage of concrete pouring for the reactor core inner cavity. The reactor is located at the site of the Generation IV Pilot Demonstration Energy Complex (ODEK) within the Siberian Chemical Combine (SCC) area, and is a core component of Russia's national strategic industry project Proryv (Breakthrough). The report noted that concrete pouring for the reactor body will proceed in multiple stages, with full completion expected in the winter of 2027, by which time the total amount of heat-resistant concrete used will exceed 7,000 cubic meters...

2026-09-14

Chubu Electric Power Company withdraws regulatory review application for Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant reactors

Chubu Electric Power Company said on Monday that it will withdraw its regulatory review application to restart reactors at the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant in Shizuoka Prefecture in central Japan. The company also announced the resignation of President Kingo Hayashi and Chairman Satoru Katsuno, who will take responsibility for the company's tampering with seismic data during the restart screening of the plant's Units 3 and 4 reactors.

2026-09-14

Paris, France workshop explores ATHENA thermal-hydraulics nuclear safety research cooperation framework

On September 10-11, 2026, dozens of researchers, experts and related professionals gathered in Paris, France to participate in the workshop on building the ATHENA framework, discussing collaborative mechanisms for thermal-hydraulics nuclear safety research. ATHENA stands for Advanced Thermal-Hydraulics Experiments for Nuclear Analysis and Safety Applications, and aims to establish a more coordinated and more sustainable thermal-hydraulics research framework. Participants believed that clarifying the framework's flexibility, applicable boundaries and advantages requires strengthened communication among all relevant parties to ensure that different research needs are...

2026-09-13

Canada's CSMC Releases Three Advanced Nuclear Reactor Designs

On September 10, 2026, Canadian aerospace and defense company Canadian Strategic Missions Corporation (CSMC) released three advanced nuclear reactor platforms, namely Polar-1, Jay-1, and Orca-1. The company said these three reactors target different application scenarios including remote communities, military operations, space infrastructure, scientific research, testing, and personnel training. CSMC was founded in 2020. The company stated that the three platforms constitute its advanced nuclear technology portfolio, aiming to provide reliable and deployment-flexible nuclear energy solutions in environments where conventional energy solutions struggle to meet demand, with application areas including Arctic communities...

2026-09-13

Hualong One Version 2.0 Independent Innovation Achievements Presented in Beijing

On September 11, the "Road of Independent Innovation for Hualong One" media tour was launched in Beijing, focusing on presenting the independent innovation achievements and technical advantages of Hualong One Version 2.0. According to reports, Hualong One Version 2.0 adopts Chinese standards and has the capability for 100% domestic production of key equipment, with its safety performance indicators ranking in the first tier among large pressurized water reactors globally. Hualong One is a million-kilowatt-class Generation III pressurized water reactor nuclear power technology developed on the basis of China's more than 40 years of experience in nuclear power research and development, design, manufacturing, construction, and operation, and possesses fully independent intellectual property rights. Hualong One Version 2.0, building on the summary of engineering construction and operational experience of Hualong One, has been launched through independent innovation and overall coordination...

2026-09-12

UK Nuclear Industry Association and Ukrainian Nuclear Forum Sign Nuclear Energy Cooperation Memorandum

On September 10, 2026, the UK Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) and the Ukrainian Nuclear Forum signed a memorandum of understanding to expand cooperation in areas including decommissioning of complex nuclear facilities, deployment of small modular reactors, and securing "trusted partner" status under the EU's Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA). Nuclear energy is an important source of Ukraine's wartime electricity supply, accounting for approximately 55% of the country's electricity supply. This cooperation builds on existing UK-Ukraine nuclear fuel cooperation. Urenco, one-third owned by the UK government, has supplied Ukraine with...

2026-09-12

Lower likelihood of restart for Belgium's Doel 3 and Tihange 2 reactors

According to a September 11 report by Le Soir, samples collected nearly two years ago from the reactor pressure vessels of Belgium's Doel 3 and Tihange 2 reactors indicate that the possibility of restarting these two nuclear reactors is extremely low. In the winter of 2024 to 2025, operator Engie successively took samples from the Doel 3 reactor pressure vessel and the Tihange 2 reactor pressure vessel. The sampling work was carried out at the request of the Belgian Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC) and the Belgian National Agency for Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Materials (NIRAS), which is responsible for radioactive waste management, with the aim of measuring in detail the radiation levels at different parts of the pressure vessels so as to classify and dispose of the related waste.

2026-09-13

Thailand Advances SMR Regulatory and Public Engagement Preparations, Plans to Commission First Unit by 2037

From September 9 to 11, 2026, the U.S. Department of State held the FIRST and Thailand Stakeholder Engagement Workshop in Bangkok. The workshop was co-hosted by the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (TINT) and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), aiming to support Thailand's preliminary preparations for small modular reactors (SMRs), with a focus on transparent communication, public trust, and stakeholder engagement. The FIRST program, whose full name is Foundational Infrastructure for the Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology, was initiated by the U.S. Department of State and mainly supports relevant countries in...

2026-09-12