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U.S. Department of Energy Selects Five States to Explore Building Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Hubs

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced on July 28 that it has selected Utah, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Idaho as potential host states for Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Hubs. The DOE has signed memorandums of understanding with these five states and will continue to evaluate the conditions and plans for hosting the hubs in each state. On January 28 of this year, the DOE issued a Request for Information, inviting states to express interest in building Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Hubs. The proposed hubs are intended to support full lifecycle activities for nuclear fuel, including fuel fabrication, uranium enrichment, spent nuclear fuel reprocessing, and waste disposal. Depending on state priorities and regional capabilities, the hubs may also accommodate...

2026-07-30

McDermott Signs Agreement with ULC-Energy to Support Rolls-Royce SMR Development in the Netherlands

McDermott and ULC-Energy announced on July 29 that they have signed a cooperation agreement to jointly support the development of the Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactor (Rolls-Royce SMR) project, with a primary focus on the Dutch market. Under the agreement, the collaboration will center on the coupling of small modular reactors with energy-intensive industrial processes, exploring the application of nuclear energy in industrial energy systems. McDermott will leverage its engineering experience in energy transition and industrial decarbonization, covering areas such as low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and carbon capture and utilization (CCU); ULC-Energy will provide capabilities in nuclear project development.

2026-07-30

Northwest Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision Station of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment Completes Routine Supervision and Emergency Assessment of Thorium-based Molten Salt Reactor

Recently, the Northwest Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision Station of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (hereinafter referred to as the Northwest Supervision Station) organized a supervision team to conduct routine nuclear and radiation safety supervision and comprehensive emergency drill assessment for the 2 MW Liquid Fuel Thorium-based Molten Salt Experimental Reactor (hereinafter referred to as the Thorium-based Molten Salt Reactor) of the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (hereinafter referred to as Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics). This supervision focused on the operational safety of the Thorium-based Molten Salt Reactor, effluent and environmental monitoring, radiation safety of nuclear technology utilization projects, and comprehensive emergency drills. The supervision team, through document review, on-site verification, and record tracing, primarily examined the effectiveness of the quality assurance program, personnel training and authorization, effluent and environmental monitoring records, emergency system documents, and the rectification records from previous inspections. At the same time, the supervision team observed the comprehensive emergency drill on-site and provided guidance based on actual conditions, conducting a full-process assessment of accident response procedures, cross-departmental coordination, and emergency response measures. In response to the issues and deficiencies identified during the supervision, the supervision team held a special communication meeting with the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics and proposed rectification requirements.

2026-07-30

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Meets ITER Organization Director-General

Starting at 4:50 p.m. on July 29, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi met with Pietro Barabaschi, Director-General of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Organization, who was visiting Japan. The meeting lasted approximately 15 minutes. (Photo source: Japan Cabinet Public Affairs Office) Hayashi welcomed Barabaschi's visit to Japan. He stated that fusion energy has been listed as one of the 17 strategic areas in Japan's growth strategy. Japan looks forward to progress in the ITER project and believes it will play a significant role in advancing the realization of fusion energy and enhancing energy security. Hayashi...

2026-07-30

South Korea launches design of 250 MWe sodium-cooled fast reactor Helios

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), in collaboration with Hyundai Engineering & Construction and KEPCO E&C, has initiated the design of the next-generation sodium-cooled fast reactor Helios. The reactor is planned to have an electrical output of 250 MWe, based on the existing 100 MWe-class sodium-cooled fast reactor Salus-100 design, targeting large-scale power consumption applications such as AI data centers and industrial parks. Lee Je-hwan, head of the Fourth Generation Reactor Technology Development Department at KAERI, stated that future demand for large-scale carbon-free electricity around AI data centers and industrial parks...

2026-07-30

Ontario Invests Additional $4.6 Million in McMaster Nuclear Reactor to Expand Medical Isotope Production Capacity

The Government of Ontario, Canada, recently announced an additional investment of $4.6 million in the McMaster Nuclear Reactor to expand the production capacity of life-saving medical isotopes, supporting more cancer patients in accessing the critical radioisotopes needed for diagnosis and treatment. From left to right: Josip Zikic, Chief Nuclear Officer at McMaster University; Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges and Universities, Research Excellence and Security; Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mining; Susan Tighe, President and Vice-Chancellor of McMaster University; and Victor Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. (Georgia Kirkos/McMaster University) This investment builds on a previous $18 million...

2026-07-30

Russia Completes Manufacturing of Second RITM-200 Reactor Unit for Leningrad Nuclear-Powered Icebreaker

On July 29, Rosatom's ZiO-Podolsk Mechanical Plant in the Moscow Region completed the manufacturing of the second RITM-200 reactor unit for the Leningrad nuclear-powered icebreaker. With this, the manufacturing of all major equipment for the reactor compartment of this under-construction 22220-type universal nuclear-powered icebreaker has been fully completed. The Leningrad nuclear-powered icebreaker began construction in January 2024. The naming of the vessel is linked to the 80th anniversary of the lifting of the Siege of Leningrad, with veterans and survivors of the siege proposing that this new-generation nuclear-powered icebreaker be named Leningrad. Following Rosatom's tradition of naming reactor units, the two completed reactor units of the Leningrad have been named "Iskra" and "Grom," commemorating the operations that broke and ultimately lifted the Siege of Leningrad between 1943 and 1944.

2026-07-30

World Nuclear Association expects global large-scale nuclear power construction spending to peak between 2041 and 2045

The World Nuclear Association (WNA) expects global nuclear power industry spending to reach a phased peak between 2041 and 2045. At 2025 prices, approximately $1 trillion will be directed toward the construction of large nuclear power plants during this period. Sama Bilbao y León, Director General of the World Nuclear Association, stated that investment interest in the nuclear energy sector has significantly increased, with 50 countries having formulated relatively specific nuclear energy development plans. She believes that implementing these plans will require substantial financial support, with the required investment scale far exceeding current levels. According to the Association's estimates, in addition to large nuclear power plant construction, approximately $450 billion will be allocated globally to small modular reactor projects between 2041 and 2045, along with $84 billion for extending the operational lifetimes of existing reactors.

2026-07-30

Rosatom says 13 small reactor pressure vessels at various production stages

Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev recently stated that 13 small reactor pressure vessels are currently at various production stages, and the equipment will be used for nuclear-powered icebreakers and small nuclear power plant projects. Likhachev noted that the batch includes reactor pressure vessels for the Uzbekistan nuclear power plant, which is planned to start construction in 2026. He said that the simultaneous manufacturing of 13 small reactor pressure vessels is unprecedented in the history of Russia's nuclear industry. The reactor pressure vessel is one of the core components of the primary circuit of a nuclear reactor, used to house the core and related internal structures, and withstand high temperatures and pressures during operation.

2026-07-30

Construction of Kola Nuclear Power Plant Phase II Starts in Murmansk Region

On July 29, Murmansk Region Governor Andrey Chibis announced the start of construction of the Kola Nuclear Power Plant Phase II, located near the town of Polyarnye Zori in the region. Chibis stated that the Kola NPP is the most powerful nuclear power plant north of the Arctic Circle, having supplied energy to the Arctic region for over half a century. The newly launched Phase II project is situated adjacent to the existing plant, with a planned installed capacity of 1,200 megawatts. He noted that the Kola NPP Phase II is the second major energy facility built in the Murmansk Region in the past seven years, and will provide energy support for key regional projects over the coming decades, including the construction of new production facilities, mining projects, and the development of the trans-Arctic transport corridor and the resource base of the Northern Sea Route.

2026-07-30

SK Innovation Proposes LNG and Small Modular Reactor Cooperation in Vietnam

South Korea's SK Innovation has proposed a phased energy cooperation plan for Vietnam, initially using liquefied natural gas (LNG) power generation to ensure electricity supply, and later expanding to next-generation nuclear energy technologies such as small modular reactors (SMRs), in response to growing electricity demand driven by Vietnam's artificial intelligence and high-tech industry development. On July 29, SK Innovation announced that its CEO, Choo Hyeong-wook, visited Vietnam from the 16th to the 17th and met with officials from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PVN), and its power generation subsidiary, PetroVietnam Power Corporation (PV Power), to discuss cooperation in the energy and high-tech sectors. According to SK Innovation's...

2026-07-30

Bill Gates May Visit South Korea Next Month, Advanced Nuclear Energy and AI Cooperation Expected to Be on Agenda

Industry insiders revealed on July 29 that Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and chairman of the Gates Foundation, plans to visit South Korea as early as next month and has requested a meeting with South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's office. Currently, both sides are coordinating the meeting time and agenda, with the specific visit date and meeting arrangements yet to be confirmed. If the visit proceeds, it will be Gates' second engagement with South Korea on advanced industrial cooperation following his trip last year. In August last year, Gates visited South Korea, focusing on discussing cooperation plans in areas such as artificial intelligence and next-generation small modular reactors (SMRs). During the visit, Gates also...

2026-07-30

Romanian National Nuclear Power Company Responds to Review Comments on the Doicești SMR Project

SN Nuclearelectrica SA (SNN) responded on July 28 to the content involving the Doicești Small Modular Reactor (SMR) project in the summary of a report by the Romanian Prime Minister's supervisory body. The company stated that strategic nuclear energy projects should be comprehensively evaluated based on technological maturity, economic conditions, and regulatory requirements. Such projects remain in a complex development phase, with schedules and plans subject to updates as engineering, licensing, and technical verification work progresses. SNN noted that the initial development plan for the Doicești SMR project was based on information available at the project's launch, with an estimated timeline jointly developed with technology partners NuScale and Fluor (...

2026-07-29

Chugoku Electric Power Submits Third Amendment to Reactor Installation Change Permit Application for Shimane Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 to Regulatory Authority

Chugoku Electric Power Co., Inc. announced on July 29 that it had submitted the third amendment to the reactor installation change permit application for Unit 3 of the Shimane Nuclear Power Plant to the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) on the same day. The company stated that this amendment adjusts the application content for related equipment at the plant based on previous review findings. This includes reclassifying certain equipment already installed for Unit 2, such as the emergency response center, for shared use between Unit 2 and Unit 3. According to reports, Chugoku Electric Power had previously submitted two amendments to the reactor installation change permit application for Unit 3 of the Shimane Nuclear Power Plant, on December 22, 2021, and June 29, 2022, respectively.

2026-07-29

Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute and SK Hynix to Jointly Use Proton Accelerator and Other Facilities for Semiconductor Radiation Reliability Research

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute announced on July 29 that its Proton Science Research Group has signed a mutual cooperation agreement with SK Hynix to jointly utilize research facilities such as the proton accelerator to advance research on semiconductor radiation reliability. According to the agreement, the two parties will conduct joint research on proton beams and neutron beams generated by the proton accelerator and the HANARO research reactor, and explore methods to simulate real atmospheric and cosmic radiation environments using high-energy proton beams, gamma-ray beams, and neutron beams for radiation impact assessment of semiconductors and other products. In outer space and high-altitude aircraft flight environments, the shielding effect of the atmosphere and magnetic field against cosmic radiation is relatively weakened. After being exposed to cosmic radiation, semiconductors may experience malfunctions or damage. Therefore, semiconductors used in mobile devices such as automobiles and satellites need to have their radiation resistance verified before being put into use.

2026-07-29