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Japan Requests Hitachiomiya City in Ibaraki Prefecture to Conduct Literature Survey for High-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Site

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on August 31 requested Hitachiomiya City in Ibaraki Prefecture to conduct a literature survey, as the first step in siting a final disposal facility for high-level radioactive waste generated from nuclear power plant operations. If Hitachiomiya City agrees, it will become the fifth municipality in Japan to accept such a literature survey, and the second time the Japanese government has proactively requested a survey from a local government, following Minamitorishima in Ogasawara Village, Tokyo. On the same day, Takashi Kume, Vice Commissioner of Japan's Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, visited the Hitachiomiya City government and submitted the survey request to Mayor Sadanori Suzuki. Suzuki stated that he personally takes a positive stance toward accepting the literature survey, and noted that the city faces issues such as rapid population decline and a weak local economy, adding that if the area has favorable geological conditions, participating in the national geological disposal policy would be of "significant importance." He said he would make a decision after hearing the views of the city assembly, with the matter possibly being discussed at the regular assembly meeting as early as September.

2026-09-01

U.S. Heavy-Ion Collision Research Suggests Protons and Neutrons May Not Be Just "Three Quarks"

The STAR Collaboration at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory recently proposed, based on heavy-ion collision data studies, that baryons such as protons and neutrons may not be simply composed of three valence quarks, and that their baryon number may be more closely related to "baryon junctions" in the gluon field. The findings were published in the journal *Science*. In the traditional valence quark model, each quark is assigned a baryon number of 1/3, so baryons such as protons and neutrons, composed of three quarks, carry a baryon number of +1. However, this model is not a fundamental requirement of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). As early as the 1970s, alternative explanations had been proposed in the theoretical community; in 1996, Dmitri Kharzeev proposed a model suggesting that the baryon number is not necessarily carried by the quarks themselves, but may instead be concentrated at the Y-shaped junction formed by the gluon field—the "baryon junction."

2026-08-31

Korea Hosts ROK-U.S. Nuclear Industry Cooperation Seminar in the United States

The Korea Nuclear Energy Export Industry Association (KNA) announced on August 30 that it held the ROK-U.S. Nuclear Industry Cooperation Seminar in Dallas, Texas, on August 27. The seminar was held in conjunction with NECX 2026, a major nuclear energy event in North America, with the primary purpose of consolidating the foundation for ROK-U.S. nuclear industry cooperation and creating networking opportunities for Korean companies to enter the U.S. market and participate in related nuclear projects. Approximately 70 representatives from the nuclear industry sectors of both countries attended the meeting. Participants included a Korean delegation comprising Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), representatives of Korean small and medium-sized enterprises, and officials from relevant U.S. state government agencies...

2026-08-31

Environmental Monitoring Laboratory of Russia's Kola NPP Completes Interlaboratory Comparison Tests

The production environmental monitoring laboratory of the environmental protection department at Russia's Kola Nuclear Power Plant (Kola NPP) has recently completed interlaboratory comparison tests and received the corresponding certificate and conclusion documents for participation in the proficiency testing program. The comparison tests demonstrated that the laboratory's chemical analysis results meet the requirements and that the relevant measurement data are reliable. In June 2026, the Kola NPP production environmental monitoring laboratory received wastewater and natural water samples. Laboratory personnel were required to determine the concentrations of 8 target indicators within permissible error limits. The test results showed that the laboratory completed the specified tasks and the measurement results met the requirements. Natalya Smirnova, head of the Kola NPP production environmental monitoring laboratory...

2026-08-30

South Korea's POSCO Group Invests in Japanese Fusion Company Kyoto Fusion Engineering

South Korea's POSCO Group has invested in Japanese fusion energy company Kyoto Fusion Engineering (KF) to establish an early presence in the global fusion energy market and explore new business opportunities in future steel, specialty materials, and energy infrastructure. According to industry sources on the 27th, POSCO Group participated in Kyoto Fusion Engineering's Series D funding round. The investment was made through the Korea-Japan Fusion Fund, established by IMM Investment Japan (IMMJ) together with Korean and Japanese investors. POSCO Holdings and POSCO International also contributed to the fund...

2026-08-27

U.S. HFIR Research Reactor Boosts Validation of New Nuclear Fuels

The High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is becoming a key facility in the U.S. research, development, and qualification system for new nuclear fuels. A research paper published on August 25 noted that amid growing demand for new commercial nuclear power and advanced reactor construction in the United States, research reactor resources available for new fuel testing are becoming strained, and HFIR is expected to help alleviate the shortage of related testing capabilities. Image credit: Gunes Ozcan/Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy. HFIR is one of the world's highest-flux steady-state research reactors and has long been used for nuclear fuel and materials irradiation testing. The paper recognizes...

2026-08-26

Russian Scientists Propose New Scheme for Measuring Proton and Deuteron Electric Dipole Moments in a Single Storage Ring

August 21 news, researchers from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, the Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, and the Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences have proposed a new experimental scheme to study the electric dipole moments of protons and deuterons in a single storage ring. The scheme can be implemented both in specially constructed new facilities and, potentially, in upgraded existing accelerator complexes. The electric dipole moments of protons and deuterons reflect the asymmetry of the internal charge distribution relative to the spin direction. According to Standard Model predictions, their values are non-zero but extremely small, on the order of 10⁻³¹ e·cm, far below current experimental sensitivity...

2026-08-24

Japan's GX Promotion Organization Invests in Nuclear Fusion Startups

Japan's Green Transformation Promotion Organization (GX Promotion Organization) has invested in two startups, focusing on nuclear fusion-related technology and plastic recycling businesses respectively. The public funds invested are expected to be approximately 3 billion yen; when private sector funds are included, the total related investment is expected to reach approximately 20 billion yen. The two companies are Kyoto Fusioneering and JEPLAN. Among them, Kyoto Fusioneering is primarily engaged in the development of nuclear fusion engineering technology, while JEPLAN is involved in circular economy businesses such as plastic recycling. Details of the investment are expected to be officially announced by the relevant parties. This investment is seen as part of Japan's push to industrialize its green transformation.

2026-08-24

Argentina's Nucleoeléctrica Argentina adjusts organizational structure to boost nuclear service exports

The Board of Directors of Nucleoeléctrica Argentina SA held a meeting on August 12, 2026, and approved Resolution No. 1018, authorizing adjustments to the company's organizational structure with a focus on supporting the development of new business units, particularly the export of specialized nuclear services to international markets. This adjustment provides organizational support for the company's earlier formal incorporation of "provision of services to foreign nuclear facilities" into its corporate purpose. In recent years, the company has participated in projects and services related to nuclear facilities in Canada, Brazil, China, South Korea, and Spain, and has developed proprietary technological solutions applicable to CANDU reactors. Under the new structure, the company's management...

2026-08-22

Brive in France Tests Sterile Insect Technique Using X-Ray Irradiation to Control Tiger Mosquitoes, Preliminary Results Show Nearly 60% Sterility Rate in Mosquito Eggs

The city of Brive-la-Gaillarde in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France is using the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) to control tiger mosquitoes. Since May 2025, the city has been working with the Montpellier-based company Terratis, releasing male mosquitoes that have been treated with X-ray irradiation and rendered incapable of reproduction, in order to reduce the tiger mosquito population. The core of this method is to allow sterile males to mate with wild females, causing the females to lay eggs that cannot hatch. Although it may appear that mosquitoes are still being released in active mosquito areas, the released individuals are males, which do not bite humans. As of October 31, 2025, Brive has deployed nearly 11 million sterile male mosquitoes across 58 release points covering more than 100 hectares, with a weekly release volume of approximately 400,000...

2026-08-23

Embalse Nuclear Power Plant Life Extension Experience Boosts Argentina's Nuclear Power Service Exports

Argentina's Embalse Nuclear Power Plant life extension project has become an important technical foundation for the country's nuclear power service exports. Between 2015 and 2019, the Embalse Nuclear Power Plant underwent a large-scale refurbishment, with core work including reactor tube replacement, fuel channel replacement, steam generator renewal, and upgrade of the plant's computer control system, enabling the unit to operate for another 30 years. Nuclear power plant life extension is one of the most technically challenging projects in the energy sector, requiring the dismantling, inspection, assessment, and refurbishment of key equipment that has been in operation for decades, with stringent requirements for engineering precision, quality control, and project management capability. Through the Embalse Nuclear Power Plant project, Argentina has for the first time fully implemented this complex process.

2026-08-19

Russian Segment of ISS Adjusts BTN-M2 Equipment Configuration, Continues Neutron and Gamma Radiation Observations

On August 13, 2026, during the ISS-75 expedition mission, Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina performed configuration adjustments to the BTN-M2 scientific equipment inside the Nauka module of the Russian Segment of the International Space Station. Figure 1. Profiles of gamma rays (energies below 500 keV, black curve), 511 keV photons from electron-positron annihilation (green curve), and high-energy neutrons (red curve) detected by the BTN-M2 instrument aboard the ISS on July 30–31, 2026. Red arrows indicate enhanced gamma-ray flux during the solar proton event (SPE) as the ISS passed over high-latitude regions of the Earth...

2026-08-18

South Korea's Nuclear Expansion Faces Fuel Supply Pressure as Enriched Uranium Costs Surge Nearly Sixfold in Seven Years

Against the backdrop of accelerating global nuclear power construction and surging electricity demand from AI data centers, the nuclear fuel supply chain is facing new tensions. Due to limited uranium enrichment capacity and sanctions affecting Russian-related supplies, international uranium enrichment prices have risen sharply over the past seven years. South Korea's nuclear expansion plans are consequently facing fuel procurement pressure, with industry experts concerned that if mid- to long-term nuclear fuel security proves insufficient, newly built nuclear units could face operational risks in the future. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) recently disclosed that South Korea's domestic annual enriched uranium consumption is expected to increase from approximately 460 tons currently to about 540 tons next year. The rising demand mainly stems from the overlap between life-extension operations of some older nuclear units and the commissioning of new units...

2026-08-18

Safety measure costs after Japan's nuclear plant accident rise to at least 6.606 trillion yen

A survey of 11 Japanese electric power companies shows that the total cost of safety measures required for nuclear plants to meet new regulatory standards following the Fukushima Daiichi accident has reached at least 6.606 trillion yen. Affected by rising prices, this figure has increased slightly from the previous year. About half of the surveyed companies said that rising costs of materials, equipment, and construction have pushed up related expenses, and the total may continue to rise in the future. After the Fukushima Daiichi accident, Japan implemented new nuclear regulatory standards requiring plants to strengthen earthquake and tsunami protection and improve severe accident response measures. Related costs mainly include seawalls, emergency power supplies, filtered venting equipment, and...

2026-08-18

Russian Scientists Develop Bioluminescent Bacterial Bioassay for Screening Safe Low-Dose Radiation Levels in Animals

Russian researchers have developed a rapid bioassay method based on bioluminescent bacteria that can be used to assess safe dose ranges of ionizing radiation for animals, providing an early screening tool for low-dose radiation applications in livestock farming. The study involved researchers from the Institute of Biophysics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Federal University, and Krasnoyarsk State Agrarian University. The research team noted that low-dose ionizing radiation ranging from tens to hundreds of milligrays (mGy) may activate a series of physiological processes in animals, including metabolism, growth, and biomass accumulation; however, if the dose exceeds the safe range, it may cause physiological...

2026-08-14