Shanghai Electric Delivers the First Domestic Steam Generator Water Chamber Head Forging for the "Guohe One"

On September 28, the first domestic water chamber head forging for the Guohe One steam generator, manufactured by Shanghai Electric, completed acceptance and was officially shipped at Shanghai Electric Shangzhong Casting and Forging Co., Ltd. The water chamber head is a key pressure-bearing core component of the Guohe One steam generator, with a single-piece net weight of 90 tons. It features a complex structure with ultra-large dimensions, ultra-thick cross-sections, and irregular multi-nozzle geometry, making it the world's largest nuclear power irregular complex-structure large forging, with manufacturing difficulty far exceeding that of similar products for existing domestic nuclear power reactor types. Facing this world-class extreme manufacturing challenge, Shanghai Electric concentrated its efforts to successively break through 500-ton-class ultra-pure low-segregation large steel ingot manufacturing, integrated forging forming technology for multi-nozzle spherical heads,...

2026-09-29

Japan's GX investment expands nuclear power supply chain demand, 17 Korean nuclear power-related material and equipment suppliers visit Tokyo for business talks

On September 10, 2026, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) announced that, together with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power and the Korea Nuclear Industry Association, it had dispatched the 2026 Smart Energy Week Climate Technology Market Exploration Delegation to Tokyo, Japan. The delegation consisted of 17 Korean suppliers of materials, parts, and equipment in the new energy and nuclear power sectors. KOTRA stated that the move aims to align with Japan's energy transition and growing electricity demand, and to support Korean suppliers in entering the local Japanese supply chain. The Korean delegation, together with the Japan Electrical Manufacturers' Association (JEMA) and RX Japan, jointly held a Japanese power equipment industry...

2026-09-10

Toshiba Energy Systems Selected for Next-Generation Innovative Reactor Core Structure R&D and Demonstration Project

On September 9, 2026, Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation (Toshiba ESS) announced that it has been selected for the second round of public solicitation under the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's FY2025 supplementary budget project "Support Program for Technology Development and Supply Chain Construction for Next-Generation Innovative Reactor Development and Construction," undertaking the "Next-Generation Innovative Reactor Core Structure R&D and Manufacturing Demonstration Project (Phase 2)." Figure: Image of iBR internal structure Following this selection, Toshiba Energy Systems will further expand its R&D efforts in reactor internal structures, building on the six projects previously selected in the first round. The company plans to collaborate with suppliers to...

2026-09-09

UK Rolls-Royce SMR Signs Memorandum of Understanding with ABB on Small Modular Reactors

On September 8, 2026, ABB and Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactors (Rolls-Royce SMR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore collaboration on small modular reactor projects. Under the MoU, ABB will study how its automation, electrification, instrumentation, and communications solutions can be applied to the scaled deployment of related projects. Rolls-Royce SMR is developing standardized, factory-prefabricated small modular reactor technology aimed at reducing nuclear project risks, improving delivery certainty, and providing low-carbon electricity in global markets. The company plans to develop a fleet of units, each with an electrical output of 470 megawatts, capable of meeting the electricity needs of one million UK households...

2026-09-09

South Korea Develops 3D Non-Contact Inspection System for High-Temperature Superconducting Wire

The Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) recently announced that a research team led by Ha Hong-su and Park In-sung at its Low-Temperature Device Research Center has developed a three-dimensional non-contact ultra-precision inspection system capable of continuously measuring the thickness and width of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) wire. The institute stated that this is the world's first such inspection system for HTS wire. KERI researchers Ha Hong-su and Park In-sung pose with a high-temperature superconducting wire beside the 3D non-contact ultra-precision inspection system. [Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute] HTS wire exhibits near-zero electrical resistance below a specific temperature, enabling high-current, low-loss transmission,...

2026-09-07

South Korea's KNR System Develops Heavy-Duty Bipedal Robot for Nuclear Facility Decommissioning Applications

South Korean robotics company KNR System recently announced the completion of the lower-body development and basic locomotion verification for its large-scale industrial "super-humanoid" robot. The robot's leg structure can support loads of up to 3 tons and move at a speed of 3 to 4 kilometers per hour. The company plans to release the full model by the end of 2026 and has already initiated whole-body system integration work. KNR System is developing a super-humanoid robot design. Image source: KNR System According to reports, the newly developed robot legs stand approximately 2.9 meters tall, with a maximum load capacity of 3 tons and a dual-arm payload of 600 kilograms. Each side is equipped with 12 joints, utilizing 10,000 Nm-class high-output hydraulic rotary actuators...

2026-09-07

Taishan Nuclear Power Plant Deploys Specialized Underwater Robot for Cold Source Intake to Enhance Water Intake Operation and Maintenance Safety

Recently, at the seawater reservoir of Taishan Nuclear Power Plant, the cold source operation and maintenance team remotely operated a specialized underwater robot to complete an underwater inspection. After entering the water, the robot descended steadily, maintained stable posture at a depth of approximately 10 meters, transmitted clear real-time images, and maintained normal communication links throughout the process, successfully completing the preventive underwater inspection of the seawater reservoir interception net. Underwater inspection of the interception net conducted via the underwater robot. Since its first underwater operation on March 12 this year, the robot has replaced manual labor in dozens of underwater interception net inspections, becoming an important initiative for Taishan Nuclear Power Plant to enhance the intrinsic safety level of cold source water intake operation and maintenance and to advance intelligent operation and maintenance. The cold source interception net is a critical facility ensuring the safety of unit cold source water intake, and its condition and structural gaps directly affect the reliability of cold source water intake. During high-risk periods for the cold source, operation and maintenance personnel are required to conduct underwater inspections of the interception net weekly to confirm facility integrity and operational status.

2026-09-07

Russian Energopotok Plant Delivers 241 Units of Equipment to Multiple Nuclear Power Plants in August

The Energopotok plant, located in the Sarov Advanced Development Territory (ADT) in Russia, continues to supply equipment to nuclear power projects in Russia and abroad. In August, the company delivered a total of 241 units of equipment to the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant, and the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant. The delivered products include globe valves, bellows-sealed valves, throttling control devices, gate valves, check valves, and non-return valves, primarily used in systems of Russian-designed nuclear power plants. Energopotok has expanded its production footprint to the Sarov ADT, where it is advancing an investment project focused on manufacturing globe valves for Russian-designed nuclear power plants. The Sarov ADT...

2026-09-03

Commissioning of the CRAFT Cryogenic System 6 kW@4.5 K Helium Refrigerator Successfully Completed

Recently, significant progress has been made in the construction of the helium refrigeration system on the CRAFT magnet platform. The on-site commissioning and performance testing of the main body of the CRAFT cryogenic system 6 kW@4.5 K helium refrigerator have been successfully completed, with all indicators meeting the design acceptance requirements. The commissioning work focused on systematic verification of the cold box refrigeration performance, liquefaction capacity, control system, safety interlocks, and the operating status of key cryogenic equipment. During the acceptance tests, the helium refrigerator completed 12 hours of continuous stable operation under design conditions, achieving a refrigeration capacity of 6 kW@4.5 K + 50 K@GHe. In addition to design conditions, the project team also conducted performance tests under helium liquefaction conditions, with relevant temperature, pressure,...

2026-09-03

Chongchi Company Leads the Formulation of National Standard for Gearboxes Used in Nuclear Power Seawater Circulation Pumps

Recently, the inaugural working group meeting for the national standard "Design Specification for Vertical Gearboxes Used in Nuclear Power Seawater Circulation Pumps," led by Chongchi Company, was successfully held. The convening of this meeting is not merely a technical specification discussion but also represents a significant leap for Chongchi Company from product manufacturing to rule-setting, marking a new stage where core nuclear power equipment enters the phase of "leading the definition." Leading the formulation of this national standard fully demonstrates Chongchi Company's technical strength and reflects its industrial responsibility. Only by consolidating the technical experience gained during R&D into standards can reproducible and scalable technical references be provided for the technological advancement and industrial upgrading of the entire industry.

2026-09-03

Bulgaria Approves Procurement of Russian-Made Equipment for Kozloduy NPP

Bulgaria's government press office reported on September 2 that the government has issued a special permit to Kozloduy NPP, allowing it to procure equipment and materials from Russia necessary for the continued safe operation of the plant. The Bulgarian government stated that ensuring nuclear safety and accident-free power generation requires regular procurement of spare parts from the designers, engineers, and manufacturers of the plant's equipment. Since most systems and equipment at Kozloduy NPP originate from Russia, multiple contracts concerning the supply of equipment needed for the reliable and safe operation of Units 5 and 6 have been or are about to be signed with Russian suppliers. The government also authorized Bulgaria's National Electric Company to...

2026-09-03

Qinshan Nuclear Power Completes Overhaul Validation of Grille Cleaning Robotic Arm

The grille cleaning robotic arm, an integrated system of UAV-based intelligent inspection and robotic arm automatic cleaning independently developed by the Mechanical Team of the Fourth Maintenance Division at Qinshan Nuclear Power, recently completed on-site validation during the Unit 2 312 overhaul at Qinshan Phase II. Designed for seawater system intake grille cleaning scenarios, this equipment transforms the original manual operation requiring entry into deep wells into an unmanned operation conducted under ground-based remote monitoring. The intake grille serves as a critical barrier for the cooling water system of a nuclear power plant, and its unobstructed condition is directly related to the stable operation of the unit. In traditional cleaning methods, workers were required to enter narrow shafts more than twenty meters underground to perform inspection and cleaning in confined spaces, which involved high labor intensity, low efficiency, and safety risks such as falls from height...

2026-09-03

Hiconics Signs Contract for Main Helium Circulator Variable Frequency Drive Project at Xuwei Nuclear Heating and Power Generation Plant

Recently, Hiconics signed a contract for the main helium circulator variable frequency drive (VFD) project for the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) at the Jiangsu Xuwei Nuclear Heating and Power Plant, and will supply multiple sets of HC2000W four-quadrant water-cooled high-voltage VFDs for the project. This marks the second application of Hiconics' VFD technology in drive scenarios for key equipment related to Generation IV nuclear power, following the HTGR demonstration project at Huaneng Shandong Shidao Bay Nuclear Power Plant. The Jiangsu Xuwei Nuclear Heating and Power Generation Project is a comprehensive nuclear energy utilization project that adopts a coordinated operation model of "nuclear reactor – turbine generator unit – heating system," focusing primarily on industrial heating while also supplying electricity. Phase I of the project plans to construct two Hualong One pressurized water reactors and one HTR-PM600S high-temperature gas-cooled reactor...

2026-09-02

World's First 250,000 Tonne-Meter Ring Crane Rolls Off Production Line, Supporting Hualong One 2.0 Nuclear Power Construction

On August 31, the world's first 250,000 tonne-meter ring crane, jointly developed by SANY Heavy Lift and China Energy Engineering Group Guangdong Thermal Power & Litte Company, rolled off the production line at SANY's Huzhou Industrial Park in Zhejiang. Designed for the "one crane, two islands" construction requirements of Hualong One 2.0, the equipment can address the engineering challenge of covering module hoisting for two nuclear islands with a single unit, marking a key domestic localization breakthrough in China's ultra-large-tonnage nuclear power hoisting equipment. With the advancement of the Hualong One 2.0 "one crane, two islands" construction method, nuclear power projects have imposed higher requirements on the working radius, load capacity, and hoisting precision of heavy lifting equipment. In the past, related high-end equipment technology was long controlled by a few overseas companies. The 250,000 tonne-meter ring crane rolled off the production line this time has undergone seven years of technical research, achieving breakthroughs in structural design, manufacturing processes, and assembly control.

2026-09-02

Changwon National University and Doosan Enerbility Conduct On-Site Training on Nuclear Power Main Equipment Design

The AI-based Next-Generation Nuclear Power Equipment and Components Manufacturing Innovation Research Center (AI-NMIC) at Changwon National University, together with the Regional Innovation Alliance Center for Medium-Sized Enterprises, recently completed on-site training on nuclear power main equipment design. The training was held for students participating in related projects at Doosan Enerbility's site. According to Changwon National University on August 31, the training lasted five days, totaling 30 hours, and was designed to help students acquire professional knowledge related to the design and manufacturing of key nuclear power equipment, as well as to understand the design, manufacturing processes, and practical application scenarios of nuclear power equipment through on-site corporate instruction. The tra...

2026-09-02

NuScale Completes First Manufacturing of Boron Carbide Pellets for SMR Safety Component in the U.S.

NuScale Power and MillenniTEK recently announced that they have successfully manufactured the first batch of boron carbide pellets for NuScale's passive emergency core cooling system (ECCS). This component will be used in NuScale's small modular reactor (SMR) technology and is one of the dedicated components in its reactor safety system. According to reports, in nuclear power plants employing NuScale technology, when the emergency core cooling system is activated, the boron carbide pellets dissolve into the reactor coolant, helping to control and maintain core reactivity at safe levels without operator intervention. This manufacturing effort is considered a key advancement in NuScale's preparation for commercial deployment, involving the validation of dedicated safety components and associated manufacturing processes.

2026-09-02

SNPAS Simulation Center Nuclear Power Simulator Team Awarded AAAA-Level Quality-Trustworthy Team in the Power Industry

On August 31, the China Water Conservancy and Electric Power Quality Management Association announced the results of the 2026 Power Industry Quality-Trustworthy Team Exchange and Evaluation. The Nuclear Power Simulator Team of the SNPAS Simulation Center stood out among numerous participating teams nationwide and was awarded the AAAA-level Quality-Trustworthy Team. The Power Industry Quality-Trustworthy Team Exchange and Evaluation organized by the China Water Conservancy and Electric Power Quality Management Association is a highly influential quality management team evaluation activity in the national power industry. The evaluation is conducted in accordance with the "Evaluation Criteria for the Construction of Quality-Trustworthy Teams in the Power Industry" (T/CEC 501-2021), comprehensively assessing team performance in safety production, quality management, customer service, innovation improvement, and standardization construction...

2026-09-02

Dongfang Electric's Nuclear Generator Sealing Patent Wins China Patent Excellence Award

The China National Intellectual Property Administration recently announced the award decision for the 26th China Patent Award. Dongfang Electric Group won the China Patent Excellence Award for three patents, among which "a full-path sealing structure for turbine generators and its assembly method" has been applied to nuclear power generating unit-related projects, demonstrating its innovative achievements in key technologies for nuclear power equipment. The patent, applied to the world's first Hualong One nuclear power generating unit, proposes a full-path sealing structure that breaks through the traditional intermittent sealing approach, constructing a continuous, uninterrupted sealing surface. By proactively preventing hydrogen leakage in generators, it reduces the risk of hydrogen explosion at the source. The related technology has achieved large-scale application and has been successfully used in the national major science and technology project Guohé One...

2026-09-02

Manur Nuclear Power Produces Domestically Heaviest Slender Withdrawal-Type ESR Ingot

On August 30, 2026, the 60t withdrawal station of the 150-ton-class atmosphere-protected electroslag remelting (ESR) furnace at Yantai Taihai Manur Nuclear Power Equipment Co., Ltd. successfully produced a slender ESR ingot with a diameter of approximately 1270 mm and a weight of 61.2 tons, setting a new record for domestically manufactured special metallurgy equipment and consolidating the equipment foundation for the supply of high-end nuclear power forgings. The 61.2-ton slender withdrawal-type ESR ingot produced this time features a regular appearance and excellent surface quality. During the smelting process, equipment and operations including atmosphere protection, melt rate control, precise molten metal level control, fully automatic electrode exchange, and the complete withdrawal process remained stable and controllable. This ingot is currently the heaviest slender withdrawal-type ESR ingot produced in China, representing another critical leap in domestically manufactured large-tonnage withdrawal-type ESR equipment...

2026-08-31

Russian Power Machines plans to deliver two nuclear steam turbines per year starting from 2029

Power Machines, a Russian company, expects to deliver two steam turbines for nuclear power plants to customers annually starting from 2029. Anton Viktorov, Deputy General Director and Head of the Nuclear Energy Division, revealed that the relevant production capacity arrangements have been incorporated into the company's future plans. Viktorov stated that the company plans to sign contracts for three nuclear power units in 2026, along with several maintenance contracts for steam turbine and generator equipment; negotiations are also underway for contracts covering three additional units. He noted that this task places high demands on the company's production capacity organization and project execution. In terms of manufacturing capabilities, Power Machines previously disclosed that the company plans to produce 7 gas turbines and 14 steam turbines in 2026. With subsequent additional investments and production capacity expansion, the relevant factories will have the capacity to produce 10 sets of equipment annually starting from 2029.

2026-08-30

Rosatom's Atommash and Rostov Region Government Discuss Volgodonsk Development Plan

Atommash, part of Rosatom's mechanical engineering division, recently held a working meeting with the Rostov Region government to discuss the enterprise's comprehensive development strategy and its social projects in Volgodonsk. The meeting focused on talent development, internships and mentorship programs, as well as urban infrastructure improvement plans for residents. Atommash Plant Director Maxim Zhidkov and Rostov Region Governor Yuri Slyusar attended the meeting. According to the company, Atommash is implementing several talent development programs, including...

2026-08-29