U.S. Completes Mechanical Property Measurements of Irradiated HALEU TRISO Fuel Particles

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have completed mechanical property measurements of irradiated high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) TRISO fuel particles, providing new experimental data for the development and qualification of next-generation nuclear fuels. This is an optical cross-sectional image of an irradiated AGR-2 TRISO fuel particle in the Irradiated Fuels Examination Laboratory at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Image credit: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy. TRISO fuel, or tri-structural isotropic fuel, features particles coated with multiple protective layers, typically including pyrolytic carbon layers and a silicon carbide layer. This structure provides strong fission product retention capability and is considered one of the key fuel options for advanced reactors, particularly high-temperature gas-cooled reactors. Understanding the property changes of these coatings after irradiation is a critical step in predicting fuel performance under reactor operating conditions.

2026-09-04

New Fuel Delivery Completed at Japan's Sendai Nuclear Power Plant

Kyushu Electric Power Co. announced on September 2 that new fuel required for Units 1 and 2 of Japan's Sendai Nuclear Power Plant has been delivered. The transport operation began on August 30, 2026, and concluded on September 2. According to information released by Kyushu Electric Power, the new fuel delivered this time was manufactured by Nuclear Fuel Industries, Ltd. Specifically, Unit 1 of the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant received 24 new fuel assemblies transported in 12 shipping containers, while Unit 2 received 28 new fuel assemblies transported in 14 shipping containers. The new fuel transport was carried out using a combination of land and sea routes. Kyushu Electric Power stated...

2026-09-03

U.S. PACMAN AI Framework Achieves Millisecond-Level Control of Fusion Plasma

The PACMAN AI framework, developed by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) and Princeton University, has completed five experimental validations in real fusion experimental systems. The framework can complete data processing, state prediction, and control command output in approximately 20 milliseconds, addressing rapidly developing instabilities in fusion plasma. This is an artist's rendition of the PACMAN AI framework for fusion systems. (Illustration credit: Kyle Palmer / PPPL Communications Department) PACMAN stands for Prediction and Control via Machine Learning. Related design and preliminary experimental results have been published in...

2026-09-03

Unit 4 of Japan's Genkai Nuclear Power Plant Receives 72 New Fuel Assemblies

Kyushu Electric Power Co. announced on September 1, 2026, that Unit 4 of the Genkai Nuclear Power Plant has completed the receipt of a batch of new fuel. The new fuel was processed and shipped by Mitsubishi Nuclear Fuel Co., Ltd., with transportation carried out from August 27 to September 1, 2026. According to Kyushu Electric Power, the new fuel delivered to Unit 4 of the Genkai Nuclear Power Plant consists of 72 fuel assemblies, transported in 36 shipping containers via both land and sea routes. Two control rod assemblies were also transported along with this batch of fuel. Fuel used in nuclear power plants...

2026-09-02

Russia's Smolensk NPP begins loading improved nuclear fuel

On September 1, 2026, local time, Unit 1 of Russia's Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant began gradually loading improved nuclear fuel. The fuel assemblies feature adjusted uranium-235 enrichment and erbium oxide content, as part of the RBMK-1000 reactor modernization program aimed at enhancing unit operational safety and efficiency. The Smolensk NPP is part of the electric power division of Rosatom and is operated by Rosenergoatom. The fuel assemblies loaded into the core this time use lower uranium-235 enrichment and lower erbium oxide content. According to relevant calculations, the new fuel can compensate for changes in core neutronics parameters following graphite stack repair...

2026-09-02

U.S. Plans to Build Second Uranium Conversion Plant

Raven-Flint Nuclear Corporation announced on August 31 that it has been selected for the Nuclear Energy Startup Platform project advanced by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), and plans to build a pilot uranium conversion facility named "Torch" at INL. The company stated that the Torch facility aims to become the second uranium conversion plant in the United States, with a designed annual processing capacity of 500 metric tons of uranium, capable of converting uranium into uranium hexafluoride (UF6). According to the company, this scale can meet the fuel demand of two large nuclear reactors. Upon project completion, it is intended to serve the U.S. Department of Energy and its affiliated agencies, and may provide domestically produced uranium hexafluoride for specific needs.

2026-09-02

Lightbridge Multi-Zone Fuel Element Granted Japanese Patent, Covering Fuel Assemblies and 3D Printing Manufacturing Methods

Advanced nuclear fuel technology company Lightbridge Corporation recently announced that its Japanese patent application for a multi-zone fuel element has been granted by the Japan Patent Office. The patent covers the fuel element design, fuel assemblies incorporating the design, and methods of producing the element via additive manufacturing, i.e., 3D printing. According to the disclosure, the patent involves a fuel rod composed of three layers of different materials. The thickness of the three layers can vary along the length of the fuel rod, thereby regulating fuel performance at different positions in the reactor to enhance reactor operating performance and safety margins. In addition to the fuel rod itself, the patent also covers fuel assemblies for mounting these fuel rods.

2026-09-02

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

India and Uzbekistan Agree to Establish Long-Term Uranium Supply Arrangement

India and Uzbekistan held leader-level talks in Tashkent on August 30, deciding to elevate bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership and agreeing to establish an arrangement for long-term uranium supply from Uzbekistan to India, strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the field of civil nuclear energy. Following talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that the two sides would establish a long-term uranium supply arrangement. The specific scale, duration, and implementation mechanism of the arrangement have not yet been announced. India has in recent years continued to diversify its nuclear fuel sources, and Uzbekistan is an important uranium resource country in Central Asia...

2026-08-31

Antares and Standard Nuclear Sign Multi-Year TRISO Fuel Supply Agreement

Antares Nuclear, Inc. of the United States recently announced that it has signed a binding multi-year fuel supply agreement with Standard Nuclear to secure advanced nuclear fuel supply for its compact microreactor program. Under the agreement, Standard Nuclear will supply up to 8 metric tons of uranium (MTU) of tristructural isotropic particle fuel, or TRISO fuel, to Antares Nuclear by 2035. This fuel will be used in the microreactor currently being developed by Antares. Designed for demanding operating environments such as ground-based and space applications, this class of reactors aims to provide reliable power for national defense, aerospace, and off-grid critical infrastructure...

2026-08-28

U.S. SuperCritical Materials Corp. Completes Independent Engineering Assessment of Seawater Uranium Extraction Platform

SuperCritical Materials Corp. announced on August 26 that Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR) has completed an independent engineering assessment of its seawater uranium extraction platform. The assessment covered the uranium extraction platform, deployment architecture, offshore operation plans, uranium recovery process, commercialization pathway, and key engineering conditions required for future large-scale deployment. The assessment reviewed SuperCritical Materials' conceptual production plan. Under this plan, the system would use approximately 10,000 metric tons of adsorbent and operate on a continuous 21-day deployment cycle, capable of supporting a uranium processing facility with an annual output of 1.85 million pounds of triuranium octoxide (U3O8)...

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

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

Kazakhstan's Kazatomprom Says the Era of "Cheap Uranium" Is Fading

Meirzhan Yussupov, CEO of Kazakhstan's national atomic company Kazatomprom, said during a semi-annual financial results conference call that the global uranium market is entering a new supply-demand phase and the era of cheap uranium is fading. The company also disclosed arrangements for natural uranium concentrate trading and the latest updates on the delay of the TQZ sulfuric acid plant project. Yussupov said that 38 countries worldwide have signed commitments to support tripling nuclear power capacity by 2050, with these countries collectively accounting for more than 70% of global GDP. In his view, nuclear energy development has moved beyond policy discussions and entered the stage of actual deployment...

2026-08-25

Madouela Uranium Project Rights in Niger Re-Secured

Atomic Eagle Limited has reached a new mining agreement with the Republic of Niger to re-secure the rights to the Madouela uranium project. The project is located in Niger, and its mining rights were revoked in 2024 from the previous holder, GoviEx Uranium Inc. Phil Hoskins, CEO of Atomic Eagle Limited, stated that re-acquiring the Madouela mining rights will significantly expand the company's resource base and add a more advanced-stage uranium project to its portfolio. He noted that Madouela is a large-scale, high-grade uranium project with substantial historical...

2026-08-25

US TRISO-X TX-1 Advanced Nuclear Fuel Facility Enters Next Construction Phase

TRISO-X, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of X-energy, announced on August 24 that its TX-1 advanced nuclear fuel manufacturing facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, has entered the next construction phase. With the vertical structure of the facility nearing completion, the project will transition to auxiliary building construction, interior finishing, and equipment installation. The facility is positioned as the first commercial facility in the United States dedicated to producing tristructural isotropic fuel for advanced reactors, and will provide fuel support for X-energy's Xe-100 high-temperature gas-cooled reactor in the future. X-energy is collaborating with Dow to advance the first deployment of the Xe-100 reactor...

2026-08-25

Argentina advances uranium mine restart to support nuclear power program

The Argentine government is incorporating the resumption of domestic uranium mining into its nuclear energy development plan. The government of Javier Milei proposed a nuclear program in June this year, covering uranium resource development, support for the operation of existing nuclear power units, and the construction of modular reactors. Argentina has a long history of uranium mining. According to data, the Huemul uranium mine in Mendoza Province operated from 1955 to 1975, and the Sierra Pintada uranium mine operated from 1975 to 1997. Since then, Argentina has relied mainly on imports for the uranium fuel needed to operate its nuclear power plants. Currently, nuclear power accounts for about 7% of the country's electricity generation. Argentine official data shows that the country has identified recoverable uranium resources of 34,250 tonnes.

2026-08-23

Kazakhstan's Kazatomprom to Supply Natural Uranium Concentrate to Russian and Chinese Companies

Kazakhstan's National Atomic Company Kazatomprom recently announced on the Astana International Exchange (AIX) that it has reached agreements with Russia's Uranium One and State Nuclear Uranium Resource Development Company (SNURDC) for the sale of natural uranium concentrate (U3O8). Under the relevant arrangements, Kazatomprom plans to deliver a batch of natural uranium concentrate to the Siberian Chemical Combine, with the shipment intended for Uranium One; simultaneously, the company also plans to deliver a batch of natural uranium concentrate to Alashankou Railway Station, intended for SNURDC. Kazatomprom stated that it plans to review the relevant major transactions at an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders to be held in September...

2026-08-22

US Standard Nuclear and Radiant Sign TRISO Fuel Supply Agreement

Standard Nuclear announced on August 20 that it has signed a binding TRISO nuclear fuel supply agreement with Radiant Industries, Inc. of the United States. Under the agreement, Radiant will receive a multi-ton supply of TRISO fuel, with deliveries continuing through 2031, to support its microreactor deployment plans. Standard Nuclear, headquartered in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, states that it is currently the only company in the United States with an industrial-scale TRISO fuel manufacturing facility. The agreement is aimed at Radiant's Kaleidos microreactor currently under development. The reactor has a power output of 1 megawatt and is designed to be transportable...

2026-08-21

US LIS Technologies Initiates Site Preparation for Oak Ridge Laser Uranium Enrichment Project

LIS Technologies Inc. (LIST) announced on August 20 that it has initiated preliminary site preparation work on the "LIST Island" parcel at the Heritage Center of the East Tennessee Technology Park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The 206-acre parcel is located within the former K-25 gaseous diffusion plant site. This phase of work includes environmental characterization, environmental assessment, and technical feasibility studies tailored to site conditions. These efforts will provide the preliminary basis for the company's planned commercial laser uranium enrichment headquarters and technology campus, LEU-3. Under current plans, the LEU-3 facility will host the company's FUEL project, namely the Future Uranium Enrichment by Laser project, and support its long-term operations and research...

2026-08-21

IsoEnergy and DISA Complete Transaction to Launch U.S. Uranium Recovery and Production Company DISA Uranium

On August 19, IsoEnergy Ltd. and DISA Technologies, Inc. announced the completion of their previously disclosed transaction to form DISA Uranium Corporation. The new company is positioned as a technology-driven U.S. uranium enterprise, aiming to strengthen domestic uranium supply and serve the growing demand for domestically sourced nuclear fuel. Under the definitive agreement, IsoEnergy transferred its portfolio of permitted and previously producing conventional uranium assets in Utah, U.S., to DISA Uranium in exchange for 1,677,350 common shares of DISA Uranium. The asset portfolio includes the Tony M Mine, Daneros Mine, Rim Mine, Sage Plain Project, and Flatiron Project. Upon completion of the transaction...

2026-08-20