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Shimane Nuclear Power Station Unit 2 scheduled inspection completion date moved up to September 16

Chugoku Electric Power Co., Inc. announced on August 5 that the schedule for the 18th periodic utility inspection of Shimane Nuclear Power Station Unit 2 has been revised, with the inspection completion date moved up from September 17, 2026 to September 16, and the power generation resumption date moved up from August 19 to August 18. Shimane Nuclear Power Station Unit 2 is a boiling water reactor unit with a rated electrical output of 820 MW. The unit was shut down on February 9, 2026 and entered its 18th periodic utility inspection. The reason for this adjustment is that, during the reactor start-up preparation work, the procurement of the nitrogen gas source used to fill the reactor containment vessel was completed earlier than planned, allowing the related work to be advanced accordingly...

2026-08-05

South Korea Launches Emergency Safety Inspection of Nuclear Facilities Amid Heatwave

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) of South Korea announced on August 5 that, due to the ongoing nationwide heatwave, it will conduct an emergency inspection of the safety status and emergency response preparedness of nuclear facilities, including nuclear power plants. The inspection was conducted via video conference, with participation from personnel of the NSSC's six regional offices, safety regulatory agencies, and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP). The inspection focused on the potential impact of rising seawater temperatures used for cooling nuclear power plants. The NSSC verified the performance of relevant measuring instruments and heat exchangers, and examined KHNP's on-site emergency response status and handling procedures. The design temperature limits for seawater intake at South Korea's nuclear power plants range from 31 to 36.1 degrees Celsius. Due to climate change, the risk of high seawater temperatures is gradually emerging. In 2024, seawater temperatures in the waters off all South Korean nuclear power plants, except for the area around Shin-Hanul Units 1 and 2, reached record highs.

2026-08-05

Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress visit Hefei to inspect fusion device and innovation industry development

On August 4, a delegation of Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress conducted an inspection and research visit in Hefei, Anhui Province. The itinerary included visits to the Hefei Innovation Museum, the Memorial Hall of the Crossing-the-Yangtze Campaign, and the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, to learn about the local layout of scientific and technological innovation, the construction of major scientific facilities, and the development of the nuclear fusion industry. At the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the delegation visited the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) nuclear fusion device. Often referred to as the "artificial sun," this device serves as an important scientific research platform for Hefei in advancing the cluster development of major scientific facilities and the growth of the nuclear fusion-related industry. The delegation also received briefings on the construction of the Hefei Future Science City and the layout of related industries. Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress...

2026-08-05

Balakovo NPP Conducts Special Traffic Safety Inspection Jointly with State Traffic Police

Balakovo NPP and the traffic administration recently conducted a joint preventive inspection aimed at improving road safety in the station area and preventing traffic accidents. The operation was carried out by experts from the NPP's transport workshop together with traffic police officers from the Balakovo City Police Department, as part of the annual safety inspection campaign. During the inspection, inspectors carefully checked compliance with traffic rules by vehicle drivers and pedestrians within the NPP premises. The results showed that no violations were detected, which fully reflects the high level of discipline and responsible attitude toward safety requirements demonstrated by Balakovo NPP employees and those of its contractors. The traffic police department stated that the main objective of such inspections is...

2026-08-04

IAEA Inspects Ukrainian Energy Company Substations

On August 3, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) completed its latest inspection of key substations belonging to a Ukrainian energy company. The inspection aimed to assess energy infrastructure, particularly critical facilities affecting the safe operation of Ukraine's nuclear power plants. The Ukrainian side granted the IAEA delegation access to critical high-voltage substation systems for comprehensive monitoring. This comprehensive monitoring of substations was made possible by the expansion of the IAEA's mandate in September 2024. Under the new mandate, international inspectors can monitor not only the safety status of nuclear power plants but also the critical transmission system facilities that ensure their stable operation. Notably...

2026-08-04

Bulgarian Energy Minister to Inspect Unit Operations at Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant

Bulgaria's Ministry of Energy announced on August 3 that Energy Minister Iva Petrova will visit the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant on August 4. Experts from the Ministry of Energy, along with representatives of the management of Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) and the Electricity System Operator (ESO), will accompany her. According to the Bulgarian Ministry of Energy, the visit will focus on understanding the current operational status of Units 5 and 6 at the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, assessing the impact of the abnormally low Danube River water level on plant operations, and reviewing measures taken by the Ministry to ensure the security of Bulgaria's electricity system. On August 2, the Bulgarian Ministry of Energy stated that despite the Danube River water level dropping to a historic low, the two nuclear units at the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant...

2026-08-04

Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and National Supervisory Commission: Toward Innovation and Green Development, Empowering All Industries with Nuclear Energy

Important DiscourseThe nuclear industry is a high-tech strategic industry and a crucial cornerstone of national security. We must adhere to safe development and innovative development, persist in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, comprehensively enhance the core competitiveness of the nuclear industry, and write a new glorious chapter for China's nuclear industry. Empowering All Industries with Nuclear Energy: A Visit to the World's Largest Large-Scale Coupling Demonstration Base of Nuclear Energy and Petrochemical Industry. Panoramic view of the nuclear island of Unit 1 of CNNC Suneng Jiangsu Xuwei Nuclear Heating and Power Plant. Interior view of the nuclear island of Unit 1 of CNNC Suneng Jiangsu Xuwei Nuclear Heating and Power Plant. Rendering of CNNC Suneng Jiangsu Xuwei Nuclear Heating and Power Plant. Night view of Lianyungang Petrochemical Industry Base (All photos provided by CNNC). On the coast of the Yellow Sea, Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province...

2026-08-03

Cambodian Customs Delegation Visits Jiangsu to Study Smart Customs and Scanning Inspection Technologies

The General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia recently organized a delegation for a working visit to Jiangsu Province, China, focusing on smart customs development and advanced scanning inspection technologies, with the aim of advancing Cambodia's customs modernization reform and digital transformation, enhancing trade facilitation and customs supervision capacity. According to the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia, from July 27 to 31, Kun Nhem, Special Representative of the Cambodian Prime Minister and Director General of Customs and Excise, led a delegation to visit Jiangsu Province and conducted an inspection and exchange at Nuctech Company Limited. The visit was intended to understand the application of smart customs systems and customs inspection technologies in actual operations, in support of Cambodia's Customs Reform...

2026-08-03

Multinational Team Reveals Mechanisms of Lithiation in Modulating the Structural and Electronic Properties of Borophene Using Synchrotron Techniques

A research team from the Institute of Physics in Zagreb, Croatia, Elettra Synchrotron in Trieste, Italy, Shimane University, and Tokyo University of Science recently conducted a study on the interaction between lithium atoms and borophene, revealing the mechanisms by which lithiation affects the atomic structure and electronic properties of borophene. The findings were published in *ACS Nano* and selected as the journal cover article. (a) Shift of the B 1s core level toward higher binding energy; (b) reduction of the sample work function due to charge transfer from Li atoms to B atoms; (c) lithium atoms (yellow) deposited on borophene (magenta) induce deformation of the borophene lattice, attributed to significant charge redistribution within the system...

2026-08-03

Xinjiang's First Domestically Developed SPECT/CT Put into Operation at the First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University

Recently, the mid-term summary meeting of the National Key R&D Program project "Research on Application Solutions for Domestically Developed Dual-Head Single-Photon Imaging Equipment (SPECT)" under the 14th Five-Year Plan, along with the SPECT/CT commissioning ceremony and academic seminar, was held at the First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University. The Insight four-dimensional quantitative SPECT/CT from永新医疗 (Yongxin Medical) was officially installed in Xinjiang, becoming the first domestically developed SPECT/CT system put into clinical use in the region. A representative from the First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University stated that the commissioning of the domestically developed SPECT/CT will help the hospital improve its precision diagnosis and treatment system in northern Xinjiang and enhance regional nuclear medicine service capabilities. Experts attending the meeting noted that the deployment of this system in clinical practice will help explore the standardized application pathways of SPECT/CT in primary hospitals and accumulate clinical experience in the use of nuclear medicine imaging equipment in western China.

2026-08-03

Henan Provincial Ecological Environment Monitoring and Safety Center Conducts Special Inspection on Nuclear and Radiation Safety in Wancheng District, Nanyang

From July 29 to 30, 2026, a research team from the Henan Provincial Ecological Environment Monitoring and Safety Center visited Wancheng District, Nanyang City, to conduct special supervision and inspection on nuclear and radiation safety for randomly selected nuclear technology utilization units within the jurisdiction, accompanied throughout by the Wancheng Branch of the Nanyang Municipal Ecological Environment Bureau. The inspection focused on aspects including institutional development, personnel management, on-site protection, equipment operation, ledger documentation, emergency management, testing and evaluation, and system data of radiation units, with emphasis on identifying radiation safety risks and hidden dangers. The inspection team conducted detailed verification of radiation safety license applications to confirm whether relevant units carried out radiation operations in accordance with laws and regulations; it also examined the establishment of radiation safety management organizations, job responsibility implementation, certification of radiation workers, annual training, and assessment management.

2026-08-02

Russia's MEPhI Electrospray Ionization Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer Listed in Russia's Key Scientific Instrumentation Projects

According to the 2025 activity report recently released by the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer with electrospray ionization developed by the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute) has been listed as one of the 8 successful projects under the federal program "Development of Domestic Civil Instrumentation for Scientific Research." The mass spectrometer, developed under the guidance of MEPhI Professor Alexey Sysoev, is primarily used for quantitative analysis and identification of chemical substances, particularly suitable for identifying relevant components in complex mixtures. Previously, all such instruments on the Russian market were imported. This independently developed chromatography-mass spectrometry system can handle...

2026-08-01

U.S. Research Team Tracks Main Drivers of Global Methane Rise Using Stable Isotope Analysis

A research team from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Global Monitoring Laboratory and the University of Colorado has recently traced the sources of the rapid rise in global atmospheric methane since 2007 through high-precision methane concentration measurements and carbon and hydrogen stable isotope analysis. The findings show that over the past two decades, microbial emissions have been the primary factor driving the increase in methane concentrations, while fossil fuel-related methane emissions may have remained relatively stable overall. A methane molecule consists of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms, and methane from different sources differs in its carbon and hydrogen isotope composition. Researchers used this chemical fingerprint to distinguish methane sources: fossil fuel methane such as natural gas typically contains a relatively higher proportion of carbon-13, while methane produced by microbial processes in wetlands, landfills, livestock, and agricultural environments has a lower carbon-13 proportion, exhibiting a "lighter" isotopic signature. The proportion of deuterium in hydrogen isotopes also varies with the way methane is formed, providing a further basis for source identification.

2026-07-31

Joint Safety Inspection of Directly Managed Nuclear Technology Utilization Units in Shandong by East China and North China Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision Stations

To thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important directive on the Quanzhou shoe factory fire accident, which calls for "in-depth investigation and rectification of various risk hazards, meticulous implementation of safety production measures, and resolute prevention of major and catastrophic accidents," the Ministry of Ecology and Environment's East China Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision Station (hereinafter referred to as the East China Station) recently joined forces with the North China Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision Station (hereinafter referred to as the North China Station) to take swift action. Together, they formed a joint inspection team to conduct safety inspections on some of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment's directly managed nuclear technology utilization units in Shandong Province. Shandong currently has 19 such units directly managed by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, making it a major province in nuclear technology utilization. To ensure that this joint inspection achieves the goal of identifying...

2026-07-31

South China Regional Office of the National Nuclear Safety Administration Conducts Special Supervision and Inspection of Changjiang Units Under Construction

As the South China region enters the main flood season with concentrated typhoons and heavy rainfall, nuclear facilities face significant pressure in resisting meteorological disasters, and safety control responsibilities are critical. To rigorously prevent nuclear safety risks triggered by natural disasters during the flood season and to reinforce the primary responsibility of operating entities for safety production, the South China Regional Office of the National Nuclear Safety Administration (hereinafter referred to as the South China Regional Office) made advance deployments and carried out a special supervision and inspection of typhoon and flood prevention for the Changjiang units under construction in an unannounced manner. This inspection comprehensively verified the effectiveness of control measures, tightened the primary responsibility of the operating entity, and effectively built a safety barrier for nuclear facilities during the flood season. Inspectors went deep into the construction sites of Units 3 and 4 of the Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant and the small modular reactor demonstration project, focusing on checking nuclear...

2026-07-31