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U.S. NRC Expedites Review of License Amendment for Palisades Nuclear Plant Fuel Loading Tilt Incident: Advancing Vanguard SMR Construction Permit Review in Parallel

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is reviewing an emergency operating license amendment request (LAR) submitted by Holtec International. The request was triggered by a nuclear fuel loading tilt incident at the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant (Palisades NPP) in Covert, Michigan, during its restart process, which has resulted in the temporary suspension of some on-site restart recovery operations. According to the application documents publicly available in the NRC's public records system, fuel assembly number DD41 tilted after being released by the fuel handling machine. The lower nozzle of the assembly remains in the core grid position H-1, but the upper portion forms an approximately 30-degree tilt angle with the core plate...

2026-10-09

Preparations Underway for First Nuclear Fuel Loading at San'ao Nuclear Power Project Unit 2

On October 7, it was learned from CGN Cangnan Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. that San'ao Nuclear Power Project Unit 2 is carrying out preparatory work before its first nuclear fuel loading. Once fuel loading is completed, the unit will enter the stage of nuclear commissioning of the primary system with nuclear fuel. During the National Day holiday, personnel at key positions of the San'ao Nuclear Power Project stayed at the front line to fully advance the pre-loading preparations. A relevant person in charge of the Fuel Management Section of the Technical Support Department of CGN Cangnan Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. stated that in order to ensure the high-quality completion of Unit 2's first fuel loading and core photography operations, the project working group strictly implemented relevant regulations and management requirements for nuclear material control, and coordinated the advancement of various pre-loading tasks including the submission of first loading information and the approval request for fuel assembly transfer.

2026-10-08

China's Linglong One global first-of-a-kind unit hot test steadily advances, moving toward the goal of fuel loading within the year

Recently, the Linglong One global first-of-a-kind unit at Changjiang, Hainan, China, is currently advancing hot functional testing in an orderly manner, steadily moving toward the goal of fuel loading within the year. It is understood that modular small reactors feature flexible deployment and outstanding inherent safety, and can be adapted to diverse application scenarios such as island power supply and industrial steam supply. Linglong One is the world's first onshore commercial modular small nuclear reactor to pass the safety review of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). At present, all civil construction of the project has been completed, and the installation of core equipment is basically complete. The hot functional test currently being carried out is a key comprehensive commissioning stage before unit fuel loading, used to verify the performance of the reactor primary loop and supporting systems under high-temperature conditions. If fuel loading is achieved within the year, it will mark the transition of the world's first onshore commercial modular small reactor from the construction stage to the operation preparation stage.

2026-10-05

"Linglong One" Global First-of-a-Kind Unit Enters Hot Functional Testing Sprint Toward Fuel Loading: Hainan Nuclear Power Details Fully Passive Safety and Multi-Layer Defense Logic

At the Hainan Changjiang Nuclear Power Base, the highly anticipated Linglong One multi-purpose modular small pressurized water reactor global first-of-a-kind demonstration project is in the hot functional testing phase, making an all-out sprint toward the goals of first core nuclear fuel loading and grid-connected power generation within the year. As the world's first onshore commercial modular small reactor to pass the International Atomic Energy Agency's generic safety review, its safety margins and engineering design logic have drawn widespread industry attention. Currently, the civil engineering works of the Linglong One unit have been fully completed, and the installation and commissioning of core main equipment are essentially ready. Following the completion of cold functional testing in October 2025, the ongoing hot functional testing is raising the primary loop system temperature and pressure to near actual rated operating conditions...

2026-10-02

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

Mobilization Meeting for High-Quality Fuel Loading of Haiyang Nuclear Power Unit 3 Convened

On September 1, Shandong Nuclear Power organized a themed joint Party building learning session and the mobilization meeting for high-quality fuel loading of Haiyang Nuclear Power Unit 3. Centering on the goal of high-quality fuel loading for Unit 3, the meeting further unified understanding, clarified responsibilities, and promoted the safe, orderly, and high-quality implementation of fuel loading preparations, laying the foundation for the subsequent commissioning of the Phase II project of Haiyang Nuclear Power. The meeting conducted a themed joint Party building learning session. The Haiyang Project Department of Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute (SNERDI), the Commissioning Center of SNERDI, China Nuclear Industry Fifth Construction Co., Ltd., and Jiangsu Electric Power Construction No. 3 Engineering Company respectively reported on the fuel loading preparation status of Unit 3. Participants discussed topics including Party building leading project breakthroughs and ensuring high-quality fuel loading of Unit 3. The meeting also commended...

2026-09-02

Fuel Loading Begins at U.S. Palisades Nuclear Plant to Advance Restart

Holtec Nuclear announced on August 31 that fuel loading has begun into the reactor pressure vessel at the Palisades Nuclear Plant in Covert Township, Michigan, U.S. This milestone marks a critical step toward restoring operation at the permanently shut down commercial nuclear plant, advancing the restart process into Mode 6, the refueling mode, under the plant's technical specifications. The Palisades reactor core consists of 204 fuel assemblies, including new fuel and partially used fuel remaining from the plant's previous operating cycle. The core is designed to support the plant's 805 MW electrical output. Holtec...

2026-09-01

Ministry of Ecology and Environment North China Regional Office of Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision Conducts Supervision of First Fuel Loading at Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant Unit 7

Recently, the first fuel loading of Unit 7 at Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant was officially initiated, with the first fuel assembly successfully loaded into the reactor core, marking the unit's formal transition into the commissioning phase with nuclear operation. This unit is a key cooperative project witnessed by the heads of state of China and Russia via video link at its groundbreaking ceremony. This fuel loading marks a significant milestone achievement in the largest strategic cooperation project in China-Russia nuclear energy cooperation. As a core and critical procedure in nuclear power engineering, the first fuel loading serves as a comprehensive and holistic verification of the unit's engineering construction quality, system commissioning effectiveness, and safety control capabilities, and is of decisive significance to the subsequent safe and stable operation of the unit. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment North China Regional Office of Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision (hereinafter referred to as the North China Regional Office) has consistently upheld the nuclear safety regulatory work style of "rigorous, prudent, meticulous, and practical," closely focusing on the core and critical aspects of the first fuel loading, and implementing full-coverage, full-chain, and whole-process supervision and control over this fuel loading operation, effectively safeguarding the safety and quality defense line of the loading operation.

2026-08-26

Xu Dabao Nuclear Power Plant Completes On-Site Comprehensive Emergency Exercise Before First Fuel Loading of Unit 3

On August 20, Liaoning Nuclear Power conducted an on-site comprehensive emergency exercise before the first fuel loading of Unit 3, honing nuclear emergency response capabilities through practical drills. The exercise was carried out under the full guidance and supervision of the Northeast Regional Office of Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision under the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, with a total of over 300 participants from Liaoning Nuclear Power, the supervision company, the general contractor, and various construction units. The exercise successively completed responses across all emergency preparedness levels, including emergency standby, building emergency, site area emergency, and off-site emergency, with plant recovery efforts initiated during the emergency termination phase. The exercise activated key emergency facilities such as the emergency command center, mobile power garage, and fire station, comprehensively testing the organizational command, comprehensive response, and multi-party coordination capabilities of Liaoning Nuclear Power's nuclear emergency system, as well as the reliability and availability of various emergency facilities and equipment.

2026-08-22

Fuel Loading Completed for Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant Unit 7, Entering Commissioning Phase with Nuclear Fuel

On August 18, with the completion of core loading correctness verification and the commencement of protective tube assembly reinstallation, the first nuclear fuel loading work for Unit 7 of the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant in Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, was successfully concluded, marking the entry into the commissioning phase with nuclear fuel. This laid a solid foundation for subsequent reactor criticality, grid connection, and commercial operation of the unit. Fuel loading is a key milestone in the entire lifecycle of nuclear power plant construction and a critical starting point for the unit's operation with nuclear fuel. Unit 7 of the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant is the first VVER-1200 Generation III nuclear power unit to be constructed in China, and this fuel loading also marks the first-ever fuel loading for a VVER-1200 type nuclear power unit in China. The loading process commenced on the 12th and was fully completed by the 18th, with a total of 163 nuclear fuel assemblies loaded.

2026-08-18

First Fuel Loading Officially Begins at Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant Unit 7

On August 12, as the first fuel assembly was precisely and safely loaded into its designated position in the reactor core, the first fuel loading officially began at Unit 7 of the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant, which is invested and controlled by China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC)'s China Nuclear Power. This marks a solid foundation for subsequent reactor criticality and commercial operation. First fuel loading is the core procedure of implanting the "energy heart" into a nuclear reactor. As a key milestone in the full lifecycle of nuclear power construction, it not only serves as a comprehensive test of the unit's years of engineering construction quality, system commissioning level, and safety management capability, but also represents the critical starting point for the unit's nuclear-powered operation. It is understood that this fuel loading is the first-ever loading for a VVER-1200 unit in China, requiring a total of 163 nuclear fuel assemblies to be loaded...

2026-08-12

The National Nuclear Safety Administration has approved the refueling outline for Units 3 and 4 of the Xudapu Nuclear Power Plant.

The National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA) recently issued a notice approving the "Fuel Loading and Refueling Outline (Version B0) for Units 3 and 4 of the Liaoning Xudapu Nuclear Power Plant." The notice bears the reference number Guo He

2026-07-27