<![CDATA[World Nuclear News]]> <![CDATA[Ceremony to mark first concrete for Uzbekistan SMR]]>  ]]> Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:35:50 GMT The presidents of Uzbekistan and Russia, meeting in St Petersburg, joined the event via video link, with International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi among those attending in person.

Azim Akhmedkhadzhaev, Director of the Uzbekistan Atomic Energy Agency, said: "Today, we are not simply laying the first concrete for the nuclear power plant's foundation. We are laying the foundation for a bright and sustainable future for the Republic of Uzbekistan. This integrated nuclear power plant will symbolise a new technological stage for our country - a stage of energy independence, industrial growth, and environmental security."

"Uzbekistan is confidently moving to the forefront of the global energy sector, strengthening its sovereignty and opening new horizons for innovative development. We are building more than just a power plant - we are laying the foundation for a new era of prosperity, technological leadership, and well-being for future generations of Uzbeks."


The IAEA's director general was at the ceremony (Image: Uzatom)

First concrete followed the Committee for Industrial, Radiation, and Nuclear Safety under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan issuing a licence on 4 June to the general contractor for the construction of the nuclear power plant unit's first unit, a Russian-made RITM-200N.

The planned plant

A contract signed in May 2024, during a visit to the country by Russian President Vladimir Putin, was originally for the construction of a 330 MW capacity nuclear power plant featuring six units of the RITM-200N water-cooled small modular reactor (SMR), which is adapted from nuclear-powered icebreakers' technology, with thermal power of 190 MW or 55 MWe and with an intended service life of 60 years. The first unit was scheduled to go critical in late 2029 with units commissioned one by one.

In 2025 a supplemental agreement to the contract for the new nuclear power plant - in the Jizzakh region - covered the decision to change its contents to two gigawatt-scale VVER-1000 units and two SMRs. This increased the proposed capacity to more than 2,100 MWe, compared with the previous 330 MWe.


Concrete work at the site began in March (Image: Rosatom)

Excavation work began in October last year for the pit for the first of the SMRs at the site. About 1.5 million cubic metres of soil were excavated during the digging of a pit 13 metres deep. In March this year, Rosatom said that about 900 cubic metres were being poured during the concrete foundation work for the reactor building. That was due for completion in April and it said that the foundation has since been levelled and waterproofed before the pouring of the first concrete for the reactor building's foundation slab.

What the presidents said

President Putin said: "The fact that Russia and Uzbekistan are implementing such a truly flagship high-tech project is a shining example of the friendship and alliance between our two countries ... the project will provide related orders for many Uzbek companies: new jobs will be created, and local contractors will be actively involved in installation, material supply, transportation, and other services. In total, approximately 15,000 people are expected to be employed at the construction site.

"Importantly, Russia will not only build the nuclear power plant but also provide its Uzbek partners with a preferential export loan and support throughout the plant's entire lifecycle. This includes commitments for long-term reactor fuel supplies, servicing and maintenance, and spent nuclear material management. Essentially, with our country's assistance, a national high-tech nuclear industry is being developed in Uzbekistan."

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said: "Today, we are launching not just the next stage of an infrastructure project, but are participating in an historic event. We are ushering in a new era of technological, industrial, and scientific development for our country. In Uzbekistan, the foundations are being laid for the development of a new field - modern nuclear energy - an industry that symbolises advanced scientific capabilities, cutting-edge engineering expertise, and a strategic vision for the future.

"It is important to note that this project ... is unique in the world; it combines the latest advances in small-scale nuclear generation and large-scale baseload energy."

The IAEA's Grossi noted the uniqueness of the project - which features the first export order for any SMR - and added: "I see investors from other countries here, and they're interested in this project. This project will also contribute to the development of the digital economy, data centres, and other opportunities."

Andrey Petrov, First Deputy Director General for Nuclear Energy at Rosatom, said: "Uzbekistan is embarking on a path of accelerated high-tech development, and Rosatom is honoured to be part of this historic process. Once operational, the nuclear power plant will be able to meet up to 14% of the country's energy needs. Moreover, the nuclear city project we proposed to Uzbekistan will create a new community. The nuclear power plant will be more than just a small town; it will be a true science city - a showcase for cutting-edge nuclear and related technologies."

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]]> true <![CDATA[Japan proposes replacement of up to 14 nuclear reactors]]>  ]]> Fri, 05 Jun 2026 11:46:57 GMT Prior to the March 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, Japan's 54 reactors provided about 30% of the country's electricity. However, within 14 months of the accident, the country's nuclear generation had been brought to a standstill pending regulatory change. Of the 33 units that remain operable, 15 have so far been restarted.

In February 2023, Japan's Cabinet approved a policy to allow new nuclear power reactors to be constructed and the operation of existing reactors to be extended from 40 to 60 years. "Before 2040, more than 3 million kW of existing reactors will reach 60 years of operation, and after that, the supply capacity of existing reactors as decarbonised power sources will be significantly lost," the plan said.

The government's 7th Basic Energy Plan, adopted in February 2025, calls for nuclear electricity generation to increase from 8.5% in fiscal 2023 to about 20% in fiscal 2040. Renewable energy's share of total electricity production, meanwhile, is expected to increase from 22.9% to 40%-50%, with fossil fuels' share dropping from almost 69% to 30%-40%.

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has now outlined a proposed target to a subgroup of the Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy - which advises the industry minister - for replacing reactors that are scheduled to be decommissioned with new reactors in order to maintain this 20% share.

"Based on certain assumptions, it is estimated that approximately 2.2 to 5.5 million kW (approximately 2 to 5 reactors) of nuclear power plants will need to be replaced by the 2040s, and approximately 12.7 million kW to 16 million kW (approximately 11 to 14 reactors) will need to be replaced by the 2050s, including the work done in the 2040s," METI said in a . "Furthermore, given that a similar pace of decline in installed capacity is expected from the 2060s onward, and that future electricity demand may increase more than anticipated, in order to ensure a stable supply, efforts under this guideline will be promoted with a view to replacing at least this amount of installed capacity."

METI said: "It is necessary to present forecasts and a future vision from the perspectives of long-term investment in nuclear power, maintenance of the nuclear industry base, and development and securing of human resources."

The proposal is expected to be officially approved at a session of relevant Cabinet ministers in the coming months.

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]]> true <![CDATA[First criticality for US microreactor under DOE programme]]>  ]]> Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:43:50 GMT The demonstration took place at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) under US Department of Energy (DOE) authorisation, with Antares saying it is the first private company to bring an advanced reactor to criticality under the . Antares was one of five companies selected last year by the DOE for support under the programme to expedite the testing of advanced reactor designs. The pilot programme is part of the Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy executive order signed by Trump in May last year, with a goal to "to construct, operate, and achieve criticality of at least three test reactors using the DOE authorisation process by July 4, 2026".

Criticality means that the reactor has achieved a sustained nuclear chain reaction, with each fission event - when an atom of uranium in the fuel is split - releasing a sufficient number of neutrons to sustain an ongoing series of reactions. In a nuclear power reactor, the heat energy from those fission reactions is used to produce steam and generate electricity.

The Mark-0 is a demonstration reactor, validating key reactor physics parameters for Antares' sodium heat-pipe cooled microreactor technology, which uses tri-isostructural isotropic - or TRISO - fuel containing high assay low-enriched uranium (known as HALEU). 

The DOE described the criticality test of the 53rd reactor to be built at INL since 1951 as a "tremendous accomplishment" validating the safety and operational performance of Antares Nuclear’s fission reactor, and one of the most significant technological achievements in nuclear energy in more than 40 years. "When commercialised after further tests and licensure by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, microreactors like those that Antares makes are anticipated to be used in a variety of terrestrial and space applications and to ensure readiness at military installations requiring reliable energy," the Department said.

The demonstration was conducted in partnership with DOE, INL, and BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT) - supplier of the TRISO fuel used to power the reactor - and with integration and observation support from the US Army, which is seen as a future end user of the technology.

As well as meeting the administration's objectives to reform how the federal government tests advanced reactors, the demonstration establishes a replicable licensing pathway that DOE and industry can use to accelerate future reactor demonstrations on commercial timelines, Antares said.

"Hitting our commitments is everything to us. Nuclear in America has been defined for too long by delays, by companies that said they would and then didn't," said Antares CEO Jordan Bramble. 

Fuelling the future

The fuel used by Antares is modelled on the TRISO fuel compacts delivered by BWXT for Project Pele, a 1.5 MW transportable microreactor BWXT is building for the US Army's Strategic Capabilities Office. Building on a proven fuel specification and manufacturing expertise matured through Project Pele directly underpins the criticality milestone, Joe Miller, BWXT's president for Government Operations, said.


TRISO fuel compacts produced for the Mark-0 by BWXT (Image: BWXT)

The HALEU feedstock material used to manufacture the Antares TRISO fuel compacts comes from scrap materials provided by the DOE's National Nuclear Security Administration. BWXT said it will continue to support Antares with ongoing TRISO fuel manufacturing, reinforcing the company’s readiness to meet customer timelines and the growing national demand for advanced reactor fuel.

"We're grateful for a partnership that continues as we move from neutrons to electrons," Bramble said.

Antares' timeline envisages electricity production in 2027, with the first customer deployments of electricity-producing microreactors the following year. The criticality demonstration, and the licensing pathway it establishes, represent a key step toward deploying electricity-producing microreactors for US military installations by the end of September 2028, Antares said.

"We said criticality in 2026, electricity production in 2027, and power to the warfighter in 2028. Today is the first of those commitments delivered on the schedule we set. The President and DOE set an ambitious timeline for reactor testing, and we met that challenge," Bramble said. "I want to thank our partners at the Department of Energy, Idaho National Lab, BWXT, and the US Army. This is what happens when industry and government work together to accomplish big things."

"We went from concept to a critical reactor, safely, in less than 12 months," he added.  "That doesn't happen by accident. … It also doesn't happen without decades of DOE investment in the AGR-2 TRISO specification and the Project Pele fuel supply chain at BWXT. Our partners at Idaho National Laboratory and DOE-ID provided the design, regulatory, and facilities support that enabled this schedule."

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]]> true <![CDATA[Blykalla applies for state aid for SMR plant]]>  ]]> Fri, 05 Jun 2026 14:03:03 GMT Last month, the company submitted an application to the government to construct the Norrsundet plant, which will have a total generating capacity of up to 330 MWe and an estimated annual production of 2.76 TWh, which would meet approximately 13% of Sweden's target of 2,500 MW of new nuclear power capacity by 2035. Subject to the necessary permits and final investment decisions, the facility could become operational in the first half of the 2030s.

Blykalla's application is the first to be submitted for advanced nuclear power under the new Swedish financing model, which came into effect on 1 August last year. The financing model consists of three instruments: government loans; a contract-for-difference; and a risk and profit-sharing mechanism. The concrete parameters (interest rate level, strike price, contract length) are negotiated project by project and tested by the European Commission.

"This application is a major milestone toward building the clean baseload power Sweden needs," said Blykalla CEO Jacob Stedman. "The new financing model is designed to enable exactly what we plan to build, an advanced nuclear reactor park that can meet Sweden's rapidly growing electricity needs as industry is electrified and we increasingly rely on a digital infrastructure. For our reactor park in Norrsundet, it also means that we can expand supply chains with partners and suppliers, and thus take important steps towards commercial series production."

Blykalla noted that the next step in the funding process was to negotiate with the Swedish government about the parameters of the financing model. At the same time, parallel applications are under way with permits according to the Environmental Code and the Nuclear Technology Act and close cooperation with Gävle Municipality.

"The fact that we are now receiving another application to build new nuclear power shows that the financing model with state support is working well," said Minister of Financial Markets Niklas Wykman. "With new nuclear power, we get stable and fossil-free base power that can secure jobs and growth in Sweden."


Rendering of the SEALER building in Norrsundet (Image: Blykalla)

The application will now be prepared at the Ministry of Finance by the Secretariat for Financing New Nuclear Power. The ministry said that an application means that the work for the government to be able to make a decision on support can begin. In addition to preparing the application itself, the process also includes negotiations between the government and the company on the terms and scope of the support. An ongoing dialogue with the European Commission's Directorate-General for Competition then leads to a formal examination of whether the support is compatible with the EU's state aid rules.

Blykalla - formerly called LeadCold - is a spin-off from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, where lead-cooled reactor systems have been under development since 1996. The company - founded in 2013 as a joint stock company - is developing the SEALER (Swedish Advanced Lead Reactor).

In October 2022, Sweden's incoming centre-right coalition government adopted a positive stance towards nuclear energy. In November 2023, it unveiled a roadmap which envisages the construction of new nuclear generating capacity equivalent to at least two large-scale reactors by 2035, with the equivalent capacity of up to 10 new large-scale reactors (which may include small modular reactors) coming online by 2045. A new act on state aid entered into force on 1 August 2025, since when interested companies have been able to apply for the aid.

The Swedish government received the first such application in December to support proposals for either five GE Vernova Hitachi BWRX-300 reactors or three Rolls-Royce SMRs to provide about 1500 MW capacity at Ringhals on the Värö Peninsula. The application came from Videberg Kraft AB, a project company owned by Vattenfall AB and backed by a series of industrial firms via the Industrikraft i Sverige AB consortium.

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]]> ]]> true <![CDATA[Military action near nuclear plants puts external power needs in spotlight]]>  ]]> Fri, 05 Jun 2026 10:14:27 GMT Grossi, responding to a media question about whether nuclear power plant design safety standards needed to be reviewed as a result of military action near them, said safety standards were kept under constant review, although he did not feel there was a need for a big overhaul.

However there was an increased emphasis on emergency preparedness and response, he said, praising the reaction of the operators of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the UAE after an electrical generator located outside the inner site perimeter of the NPP was damaged by a drone on 17 May - "they demonstrated the professionalism, skills and preparedness that nuclear safety demands every day", he said.

"The UAE never imagined in their wildest dreams that one day Barakah would be attacked," he added at the media briefing after his opening address to the IAEA Board of Governors' meeting.

"I am sure that there will be analysis and evaluation - there is going to be, for example, a further look into the layout of external power supply lines ... sometimes the connections and inter-connections are not designed for situations where loss of outside power could happen more frequently."

He was speaking on the same day that a localised ceasefire was agreed in an area near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to allow repairs to be carried out to the external Dniprovska 750 kV power line, which has been disconnected for more than two months. In the past few days the plant, which has been under Russian military control since March 2022 and is located close to the frontline of Russian and Ukrainian forces, has suffered its 17th loss of external power, when its sole remaining back-up 330 kV lost connection. During its loss of external power, it has had to rely on emergency back-up diesel generators to provide the power required for essential safety and cooling functions.

The ceasefire, the sixth temporary ceasefire that the IAEA has negotiated with Russia and Ukraine to secure off-site power and ensure nuclear safety, was "complicated by the location of the power line damage: on top of high pylons across the line of control in the Dnipro River". Precise timing and coordinates were agreed by both sides "for the sake of nuclear safety".

In his remarks to the IAEA Board of Governors he referenced drones causing damage in the area of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Iran, as well as at Barakah, and urged restraint, warning of the risks if a nuclear accident was caused. In all the cases referred to, there has been no release of radiation as a result of the incidents.

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]]> true <![CDATA[NRC and FERC boosts for Crane Clean Energy Center project]]>  ]]> Mon, 08 Jun 2026 13:35:32 GMT Constellation announced in 2024 its plans to restart the pressurised water reactor, which closed down in 1999, and last year filed an interconnection request with regional transmission operator PJM to allow the plant - now called the Crane Clean Energy Center - to add its 835 megawatts of emissions-free power to the grid. Although PJM approved a request to reconnect the plant to the grid from 2027, the grid operator had also determined that it could take until after 2030 to fully complete the transmission upgrades needed to safely deliver all of the unit’s power to the grid. 

To facilitate Crane's 2027 restart, Constellation filed a waiver request with FERC on 31 March to allow it to transfer capacity rights from Eddystone, a six-unit, dual-fuelled plant in Pennsylvania. Two 380 MW units - Eddystone 3 and 4 - had been scheduled for closure last year, but have been kept online beyond their planned retirement date to ensure grid reliability under a series of emergency orders issued by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright. 

Constellation has argued that the Eddystone units can still operate and meet DOE orders without its capacity interconnection rights and should be thought of as an "energy resource" and not a "capacity resource". (An "energy resource" is not allowed to participate in PJM's capacity market, while a Capacity Resource designation allows a generator to meet capacity obligations through PJM's capacity market).

FERC has now granted Constellation’s request for the waiver, meaning the company can remove the Eddystone units from so-called Capacity Resource status and make the units' capacity interconnection rights available for transfer.

FERC found that the requested waiver would allow for the transfer of capacity interconnection rights between the Eddystone Units and Crane, which could "potentially increase Crane’s interim deliverability and enable Crane to be fully operational before December 31, 2030", and also found that "granting the waiver will not have undesirable consequences, such as harming third parties".

The on 1 June.

Public comment

On 8 June, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued for public comment a draft environmental assessment and draft finding of no significant impact - known as a FONSI - from its evaluation of the "reasonably foreseeable" environmental effects from the proposed reauthorisation of power operations at the plant. 

At the time of its closure in 2019, Three Mile Island unit 1 had a renewed operating licence that was valid until 2034. Constellation has asked the NRC to approve an exemption request and three licence amendment requests to support allowing the resumption of power operations up to the previous expiration date of the plant's licence. It has also previously said it will look to extend operations beyond that, to 2054. 

Based on the findings of its environmental review, which are documented in the draft environmental assessment and draft finding of no significant impact, "the NRC staff has made the preliminary determination that the proposed actions will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment. Therefore, the NRC staff has made the preliminary determination that it will not prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed actions and that a FONSI is warranted", the Commission . 

The NRC will make its final determination after considering comments on the documents received during the 30-day public comment period which runs until 8 July.

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]]> true <![CDATA[IAEA warning after drone hits used fuel facility near Chernobyl]]>  ]]> Mon, 08 Jun 2026 11:58:06 GMT In a briefing to the IAEA's Board of Governors, and in a subsequent press conference, Grossi said that in a separate incident on Friday a drone had injured Russian military personnel undertaking de-mining activities as part of an IAEA-mediated ceasefire to allow the main 750 kV Dniprovska external power line to Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to be fixed.

He said that over the weekend there had been further negotiations with both sides before it was agreed that the IAEA would send observers to monitor the mine-clearing work, which is necessary before the repair work can take place on the external power supply lines on pylons on either side of the military front line.

"Without the Dniprovska line, Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant's off-site power situation is very fragile. Over the past days, the plant suffered its 18th offsite power outage since the war began. With a duration of 15-hours, it was also one of its longest, necessitating the use of emergency diesel generators to cool the six shut down reactors until offsite power was restored on Saturday morning," he said.

The incident with a drone striking the three-year-old Central Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility in the Chernobyl exclusion zone took place on Sunday, with Grossi reporting it caused "significant structural damage to part of the fuel reception building, including the IAEA safeguards office. Spent fuel was stored in casks just a few hundred metres from the damaged building. Thankfully, radiation levels at the facility remained normal, indicating the incident did not cause radioactive contamination. It remains unclear when the facility will be able to start receiving spent fuel from Ukraine’s operating nuclear power plants again".

He added: "Attacking a facility with large amounts of nuclear material is extremely dangerous. It must not happen."

The Centralised Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility is a dry storage site for used nuclear fuel assemblies from the country's VVER-1000 and VVER-440 reactors. It is designed to have a total storage capacity of 16,530 used fuel assemblies, including 12,010 VVER-1000 assemblies and 4,520 VVER-440 assemblies. Contracts were signed for its construction with USA-based Holtec International in 2005, although construction only began in 2017.


The damaged building at the used fuel storage facility site (Image: Energoatom)

It started receiving used nuclear fuel from the country's nuclear power plants at the end of 2023 and it has been operating under a commissioning licence. It was issued with its operating licence last month after an inspection carried out from 20 April to 1 May.

Operator Energoatom said the fire caused by the drone strike covered an area of ​​40 square metres and "was quickly localised and completely eliminated". It said there were no injuries among the personnel and the radiation situation remained within normal limits.

During his speech to the board of governors and during his media briefing, Grossi maintained the IAEA's stance of not attributing blame to either side for incidents during the war.

Asked about the policy during the media briefing, Grossi said that both sides blamed the other for incidents. "The IAEA is not a political commentator. When we say something happened, it must be based on our own independent verification. We try to provide as much information as we can so people can draw their own conclusions."

Both the incidents, followed Grossi's statement to the IAEA's Board of Governors on Friday in which he had warned of the dangers of military action near nuclear power plants. He said that there was an increased focus on military preparedness and response, and suggested that there may be a need for a fresh look at the layout of external power lines, following the recent impacts on power supply at nuclear power plants as a result of military action.

During Monday's press briefing, Grossi was asked whether the attacks on, or near, nuclear power plants means that newcomer countries were rethinking their nuclear power plans. He replied that the attacks on plants "worries us a lot", before outlining the action that the IAEA has been taking to help ensure nuclear safety and security. He added: "We don't see, for now at least, a direct influence between these episodes which are highly regrettable, and medium and long-term planning of many countries in the area of peaceful uses of nuclear energy."

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]]> true <![CDATA[Orano starts construction at Mongolia uranium project]]> A ceremony at the Zuuvch Ovoo site marked the start of the construction phase for implementation of the project in Mongolia.

]]> Mon, 08 Jun 2026 16:42:35 GMT "Yesterday, in the presence of Mr Batjargal Ochirpurev, Governor of the Dornogobi province, Mr Ganburen Gansukh, Governor of the Ulaanbadrakh sum and Mr Manlaijav Gun-Aajav, Secretary of the Nuclear Energy Commission, we celebrated a decisive milestone in the implementation of this strategic project led by Orano and its subsidiary Badrakh Energy, alongside our Mongolian partners," Orano Chairman Claude Imauven said on LinkedIn. 

"As our two countries celebrated the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2025, Zuuvch Ovoo illustrates our shared commitment to developing a strategic project that creates sustainable value for Mongolia and the Dornogobi Province," he added, before thanking the Mongolian authorities, Orano's partners, and the teams at Badrakh Energy and Orano "for their commitment to this exemplary cooperation".

Mongolia has substantial uranium resources - as of 2023, according to pro's information library, its 144,600 tU of uranium resources put it 10th in the world. Although it has been mined there in the past - in conjunction with Russian interests - no  uranium has been mined in Mongolia since the mid-1990s when mining at the Dornod mine, operated by a subsidiary of Russia's Priargunsky Industrial Mining & Chemical Union, ceased.


Image: Orano

Orano Mining has been present in Mongolia for more than 25 years, and has been carrying out exploration in the Gobi Desert since 1997, according to information from the company. The Zuuvch Ovoo deposit was discovered in 2010. In January 2025, Orano and the Government of Mongolia signed an investment agreement to develop and operate the project, in the south-eastern Dornogovi province.

The project will use in-situ leach (ISL, also known as in-situ recovery, or ISR) methods, demonstrated in pilot operations in 2021-2022. Development is planned to take 4 years. The project will have a nominal production capacity of about 2,500 tU per year for a 30-year estimated lifespan, creating 1,600 direct and indirect jobs.

Under the terms of the investment agreement, more than 51% of the direct benefits generated by the project will be received by the Mongolian state.

]]> true <![CDATA[KHNP says EC has dropped foreign subsidy probe into Czech project]]>  ]]> Mon, 08 Jun 2026 13:49:35 GMT The Czech government selected Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) as its preferred bidder in July 2024 for two new units near the current Dukovany nuclear power plant, about 200 kilometres southeast of Prague. Two more units at the Temelín nuclear power plant are also being considered. The engineering, procurement and construction contract was signed in June 2025, for two APR-1000 units at a projected cost of CZK407 billion (USD18.6 billion). The aim is to start construction in 2029.

France's EDF, which had been eliminated from the bidding process, launched legal challenges against the contract decision. The company's objections to the tender process included the belief that the KHNP offer price and the inclusion of a guarantee that the construction would not be delayed or become more expensive, would be "unfeasible without illegal state aid given the prices in the nuclear industry". EDF said that if their rival bidder had state support it would breach European Union rules. KHNP rejected EDF's claims and said "we emphasise that we have not received any subsidies that could damage or distort fair competition in relation to the project".

In response, the European Commission (EC) launched a preliminary review of KHNP and 'Team Korea' - the winning consortium of Korean companies that includes KHNP - in February 2025 to independently examine matters related to the new nuclear power plant project in the Czech Republic. The EU Extraterritorial Subsidy Regulation is a system designed to assess whether financial contributions provided to companies by non-EU countries distort competition in the EU market.

"KHNP and Team Korea faithfully cooperated with the preliminary review process by submitting relevant materials and explaining necessary matters in accordance with the request of the EC," KHNP said. "As a result, the EC completed the preliminary review and finally notified KHNP on 5 June that it had decided not to initiate an in-depth investigation."

"This decision is an official judgement made by the EU after directly reviewing the relevant issues," Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan was quoted as saying by The Chosun Daily. "It is a result of confirming that KHNP and Team Korea have faithfully complied with international norms and EU laws and systems while pursuing the project."

Czech Industry and Trade Minister Karel Havlíček said on social media platform X, that the EC decision "to close the preliminary review under the Regulation on distortive foreign subsidies affecting the internal market ... is good news for this project and for the development of the nuclear industry and the future assurance of energy security in the Czech Republic and the European Union".

There has been a separate EC review taking place relating to the Czech new nuclear plan - in April 2024 the EC approved the original Czech government funding plan for a single new nuclear reactor at the Dukovany nuclear power plant site, but in October last year the Czech Republic officially notified the EC it had expanded its plans to two new nuclear units. The following month, the EC announced it had launched an inquiry into Czech funding plan for new nuclear. At the time it said it had doubts about whether it was fully in line with EU State aid rules and wanted to ensure that "no more aid than necessary is ultimately granted. In particular, the Commission has doubts on whether the proposed package achieves an appropriate balance between reducing risks to enable the investment and maintaining incentives for efficient behaviour, while avoiding excessive risk transfer to the State".

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]]> ]]> true <![CDATA[Dummy fuel successfully loaded in Akkuyu 1]]>  ]]> Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:44:14 GMT The dummy fuel is designed to be an exact replica of nuclear fuel in design, weight and dimensions, and its loading is key to checking systems for loading the real fuel as well as confirming readiness for the next stage of commissioning operations.

The dummy fuel does not contain any nuclear materials and its loading precedes the cold and hot running tests of reactor plant equipment during the commissioning process for new units, before the reactor starts up.


(Image: Akkuyu Nuclear)


(Image: Akkuyu Nuclear)

The loading of the fuel dummies was carried out under the supervision of Turkey's Nuclear Regulatory Authority.

Sergei Butckikh, CEO of Akkuyu Nuclear, said: "The completion of loading of dummy fuel assemblies at Akkuyu NPP Unit 1 is a full rehearsal for loading nuclear fuel. Using the dummies, we work out procedures for handling nuclear fuel in conditions as close to operational as possible, and confirm the readiness of equipment and personnel for the next pre-launch stage."

Background

Akkuyu, in the southern Mersin province, is Turkey's first nuclear power plant. Rosatom is building four VVER-1200 reactors, under a so-called BOO (build-own-operate) model. According to the terms of the 2010 Intergovernmental Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Turkey, the aim was for the commissioning of the first power unit of the nuclear power plant to take place within seven years from receipt of all permits for the construction of the unit.

The licence for the construction of the first unit was issued in 2018, with construction work beginning that year. The first steam generators were shipped to the site - for unit 1 - in August 2020. Nuclear fuel was delivered to the site in April 2023. The aim is for unit 1 to begin supplying Turkey's energy system during 2026.

When the 4,800 MWe plant is completed, it is expected to meet about 10% of Turkey's electricity needs.


Work is taking place on all four units - first concrete for unit 4 (right) was poured in August 2023 (Image: Akkuyu Nuclear)

Turkey has plans for a second nuclear power plant, at Sinop, and has also been in talks with China about plans for a third plant, in the Thrace region in the country's northwest.

The country is also developing plans for small modular reactors, with the aim of adding 5 GWe of capacity by 2050 - which would mean the equivalent of at least 16 individual SMRs.

]]> Automated control system for first Turkish unit delivered

Concreting completed for the containment dome of Akkuyu unit 1
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]]> ]]> true <![CDATA[SMRs to be considered at Romanian port]]>  ]]> Tue, 09 Jun 2026 13:19:33 GMT "As ports electrify and grow, DP World sees access to reliable, low-carbon energy as critical to future competitiveness," the company said. "Rising demand from electrified equipment, shore power, AI data centres, residential heating and industrial activity is placing greater pressure on existing energy systems, driving demand for stable and scalable power. Nuclear energy, including SMRs, has the potential to provide consistent, low-carbon electricity for port operations and wider industrial use."

DP World has signed an agreement with French research organisation Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA) and strategy specialist TerraWater Institute to launch a feasibility study into the use of SMRs at the Port of Constanța. At the mouth of the Danube-Black Sea Canal, the port links sea routes into Eastern and Central Europe, with deep-water access for larger vessels.

The study will model projected energy demand at the port from 2030 to 2050, evaluate integrated low-carbon energy systems, and assess the technical, strategic and economic feasibility of nuclear-based solutions. It will also examine safety standards and considerations for surrounding communities, drawing on CEA's expertise in SMR design and nuclear safety.

DP World said the study is intended to inform future decision-making on how best to meet long-term energy needs for the port and the wider economy. Any future development would be subject to further technical assessment, regulatory review and stakeholder engagement, it noted.

"DP World sees the transition to a net-zero economy not only as an environmental imperative, but as a driver of future growth across global trade," said Nicholas Mazzei, VP Sustainability – Europe, DP World. "Nuclear SMRs are not just energy projects for our ports, they are a competitive infrastructure differentiator. This study will help us better understand how nuclear energy can strengthen operational resilience and help meet rising demand. Across Europe, nuclear energy is increasingly recognised as a resilient and cost-effective solution with the potential to underpin the next generation of industrial activity and the supply chains."

Myrto Tripathi, General Director, TerraWater Institute, added: "Ports sit at the intersection of industry, energy systems, and communities. This study is about understanding how future low-carbon energy systems could be designed to meet complex and evolving demands, while maintaining high standards of safety and environmental performance. For energy as for everything, offer should not shape demand and should provide opportunities rather than dictate terms. Industries' needs have to be understood, assessed and met, while decarbonising. This is the only energy paradigm we should strive for and what we are aiming to demonstrate with this study, thanks to nuclear."

"This study brings together expertise in nuclear technology and energy systems to assess how small modular reactors could be integrated into a real port environment," said Stéphane Sarrade, Directeur des Programmes Énergies at CEA. "By working with DP World and TerraWater, we are applying advanced modelling and analysis to better understand how these solutions could support reliable, low-carbon energy for ports."

In September last year, DP World signed a memorandum of understanding with US-based micro-nuclear technology developer Last Energy to establish the world's first port-centric micro-nuclear power plant at London Gateway in the UK. A proposed PWR-20 microreactor - to begin operations in 2030 - would supply London Gateway with 20 MWe of electricity to power the logistics hub, with additional capacity exported to the grid.

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]]> true <![CDATA[Fuel manufactured for Kudankulam 4's initial loading]]>  ]]> Tue, 09 Jun 2026 11:55:16 GMT Under the contract agreed in 2024 with the Russian state nuclear corporation, TVEL will supply fuel for the lifetime of the VVER-1000 units, which comprise units 3 and 4 at the plant.

The Kudankulam site, near the southern tip of India, is already home to two Russian VVER-1000 pressurised water reactors - owned and operated by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd - which have been in commercial operation since 2014 (Kudankulam unit 1) and 2017 (unit 2). Four more are currently under construction in two phases: construction of units 3 and 4 began in 2017, with the work on units 5 and 6 beginning in 2021. Two further units - Kudankulam 7 and 8, larger AES-2006 units with VVER-1200 reactors - have been proposed as a fourth phase of the plant.

The first nuclear fuel was delivered for unit 3 in December. It was manufactured at Rosatom's Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant.

Rosatom says that during operation of the first two units, its specialists, together with Indian specialists "have significantly improved their efficiency through the introduction of advanced nuclear fuel and extended fuel cycles. Since 2022, the Kudankulam NPP has been supplied with advanced TVS-2M nuclear fuel. It ensures more reliable and cost-effective operation of the power units due to its rigid structure, a next-generation anti-debris filter, and a higher uranium mass".

It has also led to the time between refuelling shutdowns being extended from 12 months to 18 months. Units 3 and 4 will operate with 18-month fuel cycles from the start.

According to pro information, India currently has 24 operable nuclear reactors totalling 7,943 MW of capacity, with eight reactors - 4,768 MW - under construction. A further 10 units - some 7 GW of capacity - are in pre-project stages.

India has a target to expand its nuclear energy capacity to 100 GW by 2047. It plans to achieve this by a two-pronged approach, with the deployment of large-capacity reactors as well as small modular reactors (SMRs). In August last year Minister of State Jitendra Singh outlined to the country's Parliament the three types of SMR that are being designed and developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre for demonstration: the 200 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (sometimes referred to as BSMR-200); a 55 MWe small modular reactor (SMR); and a 5 MWt high-temperature gas-cooled reactor for hydrogen production by coupling with suitable thermochemical process for hydrogen production.

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First nuclear fuel delivered for Kudankulam unit 3

]]> ]]> true <![CDATA[Renewed Bruce 3 back in service]]> Just days after it was reconnected to the grid, Canada's Bruce unit 3 has officially returned to service - more than seven months ahead of schedule.

]]> Tue, 09 Jun 2026 14:02:16 GMT The Major Component Replacement (MCR) which the Candu unit has undergone saw robotic tools used on a reactor face to rebuild a Candu reactor for the first time. The project also saw Bruce Power and its partners set a Candu refurbishment record for calandria tube removal by completing it 11 days ahead of schedule.

Unit 3 began its Major Component Replacement outage in March 2023 and was originally scheduled to return to service in January 2027. It was reconnected to the grid in the early hours of 3 June, since when Bruce Power continued with power ascension and the final testing and approvals required for commercial operation. Its early completion "is the most expedient refurbishment in Ontario to date and reinforces the province's position as a global leader in nuclear energy", according to Ontario's Ministry of Energy and Mines.

"The Unit 3 MCR project was delivered safely and successfully, continuing Ontario's track record of delivering nuclear refurbishments on time, on budget and with quality by a skilled workforce, industry partners and a robust Made-in-Canada supply chain," Bruce Power said.

The refurbishment means the unit's life has been extended by more than three decades. 

The Major Component Replacement projects are part of Bruce Power's Life-Extension Program to refurbish Bruce units 3-8, to enable the site to operate into the 2060s (units 1 and 2 have already been refurbished). Unit 6's MCR was completed ahead of schedule and under budget in 2024, and, with unit 4's MCR already under way, this represents the midway point for the programme, the company said. Each MCR builds on those that have gone before: unit 3's successful return to service, with key phases completed ahead of schedule, has been supported by innovation and continuous improvement; record-setting execution in critical work programmes, reflecting advancements in tooling, planning and workforce expertise; and ongoing improvements in efficiency and quality driven by lessons learned from earlier refurbishments.

Provisions built into Bruce Power's refurbishment agreement with Ontario's Independent Electricity System Operator will ensure that Ontario's citizens benefit from savings realised during the Life-Extension Program and operation of the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station. Bruce said it is expecting to return about CAD150 million (about USD108 million) to the Independent Electricity System Operator as a result of its performance. 

"With unit 3 now back in service and providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable electricity to the province, we continue to demonstrate that large-scale nuclear projects in Ontario can be delivered safely, efficiently, and with real long term financial benefits for ratepayers," said Eric Chassard, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bruce Power. "This achievement reflects the dedication of our workforce, our skilled trades partners, and the strength of our made-in-Canada nuclear industry."

Bruce Power's Life‑Extension Program directly and indirectly supports some 22,000 jobs annually and contributes billions of dollars each year to Ontario's economy.

"When Ontario successfully completed the world's largest nuclear refurbishment at Darlington ahead of schedule and under budget, critics said it couldn't be done again. Yet again, we are proving them wrong," the province's Minister of Energy and Mines Stephen Lecce said.
 

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]]> ]]> true <![CDATA[Australian thorium to fuel Ampera energy system]]>  ]]> Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:54:34 GMT Thorium is a slightly radioactive element that is more than three times as abundant in the Earth's crust as uranium. Although not fissile (capable of sustaining a nuclear chain reaction in the same way that uranium-235 does in a conventional nuclear reactor), it is 'fertile' - upon absorbing a neutron, it transmutes to fissile uranium-233 - so could be used to 'breed' uranium-233 in reactor fuel. 

Ampera says it is developing subcritical thorium-based microreactor systems that are energy dense and do not require refuelling. Through its proprietary TRISO fuel platform, neutron-source technology and advanced additive manufacturing, it aims to deliver scalable, factory-built, rapidly deployable, emission-free power for data centres, defence, industrial and maritime applications.

In February, Ampera formed Ampera Australia Pty Ltd to expedite the procurement and import of thorium to the USA. This followed the October 2025 announcement by the governments of the USA and Australia of a framework for securing supply in the mining and processing of critical minerals and rare earths.

"Our strategy is to secure thorium directly at the source and vertically integrate the entire fuel value chain, from mineral supply through advanced fuel production," said Ampera founder and CEO Brian Matthews. "Thorium offers a compelling combination of abundance, energy potential, economics, and safety, making it an ideal fuel for Ampera's advanced microreactors and a promising resource for the broader nuclear industry."

The company says its broad fuel platform is built on "proprietary processes protected by trade secrets and more than 60 patents for nuclear fuel manufacturing, including proprietary jetting technology used to produce high-quality safe tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) fuel kernels."

"Thorium is the future for ultra-safe, clean power production," Matthews said. "By producing TRISO thorium kernels in the United States, we can ensure ample access to the needed fuel supply as we scale up and also minimize price volatility risk."

In February, Ampera submitted a formal letter to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission indicating its desire to begin the pre-application process for its factory-fabricated, containerised microreactor, and in April, it entered into a strategic collaboration with Monaco-based shipping company Scorpio Tankers Inc to jointly develop and commercialise advanced microreactors for marine, shipping and related maritime applications. The same month, Ampera opened its global headquarters in Florida. It has said it plans to produce TRISO thorium kernels at another location in the state.

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]]> true <![CDATA[BN-1200 targeted for construction start in 2027]]>  ]]> Wed, 10 Jun 2026 11:03:33 GMT The unit, which will be the fifth at the site in Russia's Sverdlovsk region, will become the world's largest fast-neutron reactor.

The sodium-cooled BN-series fast reactor plans are part of Rosatom's project to develop fast reactors with a closed fuel cycle whose mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel will be reprocessed and recycled. In addition to the BN-600 reactor at Beloyarsk unit 3, which began operation in 1980, the 789 MWe BN-800 fast reactor at Beloyarsk unit 4 entered commercial operation in October 2016. This is essentially a demonstration unit for fuel and design features for the larger BN-1200, which will be unit 5 at Beloyarsk.

Details of the proposed construction timelines came during a visit to the site by Rosenergoatom CEO Alexander Shutikov (see picture above), where he heard that 1.4 million cubic metres of waste soil and vegetation have been cleared from the site.

Site preparation for drilling and blasting operations and site planning are scheduled to be ready this summer, reported Yuri Nosov, director of the power plant.

And Shutikov said: "Our primary focus now is completing the design documentation for submission to the Main Directorate of State Expertise of Russia, with the goal of receiving a conclusion on the design documentation for the main construction period by the end of 2026. The next step is to obtain a licence to construct the power unit in the spring of 2027."

He said the target for first concrete was by the end of 2027. When the preliminary phase for construction of the unit was launched in July last year by Rosatom Director General Alexei Likhachev, 2034 was reported as the target date for completion.

Rosatom says the service life of the BN-1200 power unit will be at least 60 years. Its design uses technical solutions that have proven themselves in the operation of the BN-600 and BN-800 reactors, but also features innovations. For example, the BN-1200 will have four instead of three loops for the circulation of liquid sodium, like its predecessors; the volume of the in-reactor storage facility will be increased to allow the unloading of fuel assemblies from the reactor directly into the used fuel pool, eliminating the intermediate drum for used assemblies; and the turbine condensers will be cooled using a chimney-type evaporative cooling tower.

In April last year Russia's nuclear regulator Rostechnadzor gave the go-ahead for the BN-1200 reactor. The licence was issued after the consideration of a package of documents covering the safety of the power unit and its compliance with technical regulations, federal rules and standards and legislation, Rosatom said.

It says that the fourth generation units "have the potential to radically transform the nuclear energy industry, primarily through a new level of safety, an expanded fuel mix, and a significant reduction in radioactive waste" and contributing to a closed nuclear fuel cycle.

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]]> true <![CDATA[Japan, Kazakhstan extend cooperation on fast reactors]]>  ]]> Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:33:00 GMT The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and the National Nuclear Centre of the Republic of Kazakhstan (NNC RK) have been advancing the phased EAGLE Projects on core safety experiments of fast reactors since the early 2000s and implemented three phases: EAGLE-1, EAGLE-2, and EAGLE-3. It is aimed at advancing the safety of sodium-cooled fast reactors, including the investigation of phenomena associated with severe accidents involving core melt. The project includes studies of molten core material behaviour and its interaction with sodium coolant and structural materials through both in-pile and out-of-pile experiments. In-pile tests are conducted at NNC RK's unique IGR research reactor, while out-of-pile studies are performed at the EAGLE test-bench.

About 200 preparatory tests have been carried out, along with two intermediate-scale and nine full-scale reactor experiments, as well as more than 65 out-of-pile tests at the EAGLE test-bench. The EAGLE-1, EAGLE-2, and EAGLE-3 experimental programmes have been successfully completed, confirming that molten fuel is promptly discharged from the core in the event of a severe accident. In addition, with the support of Marubeni Utility Service Ltd, analytical and computational studies were performed to prepare the next phase of the EAGLE programme (the Post-EAGLE-3 project).

NNC RK Director General Erlan Batyrbekov and JAEA President Masanori Koguchi have now signed a memorandum of cooperation to undertake a fourth-phase cooperative research project - EAGLE-4 - and to promote core safety experiments toward the implementation of fast reactors while further strengthening collaboration between both institutions.

The EAGLE-4 project includes several in-pile experiments, twelve out-of-pile experiments, and a series of small-scale tests. The main objectives of this new phase are to test fuel assemblies for advanced Japanese Generation IV reactors, conduct research at the IGR reactor and other NNC RK facilities, and provide the scientific basis for the safety assessment of advanced nuclear technologies.

JAEA said it will conclude in coming months an implementation arrangement that defines the detailed specifications of the core safety tests to be implemented under the EAGLE-4 project and will proceed with the cooperative research with NNC RK.

NNC RK said it is in discussions with JAEA on the continuation of the EAGLE-4 project through to 2031.

Fast neutron reactors offer the prospect of vastly more efficient use of uranium resources than in conventional power reactors, as well as the ability to burn actinides. Fast reactors have operated in various countries since the 1950s, with some producing electricity commercially.

JAEA has a history of operating sodium-cooled fast reactors, such as Monju in Fukui Prefecture and the Joyo experimental fast reactor in Ibaraki Prefecture. However, the development of fast reactors in Japan was halted when the government decided to decommission Monju in 2016, following a series of problems, including leakage of sodium coolant in 1995.

In the strategic roadmap for fast reactor development adopted by Japan's Cabinet in December 2018, a policy was defined to assess the efficacy of various types of fast reactors to be developed following a technological competition among private-sector corporations. The roadmap was subsequently revised by the Cabinet decision on 23 December 2022, at which time two decisions were taken: firstly, to select a sodium-cooled fast reactor as the target of the conceptual design of the demonstration reactor, set to get under way in fiscal 2024; and secondly, to select a manufacturer to serve as the core company in charge of the fast reactor's design and requisite R&D which would proceed with technology development in accordance with the goals and policy directions established by the government.

In collaboration with domestic companies, JAEA is conducting research and development towards the implementation of fast reactors, including the conceptual design of a demonstration fast reactor and the development of severe accident mitigation technologies. A demonstration fast reactor is planned to operate by 2050.

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]]> ]]> true <![CDATA[DOE approval of Xcimer fusion power plant preconceptual design]]>  ]]> Wed, 10 Jun 2026 14:30:44 GMT Athena is the reference architecture for Xcimer's planned fleet of fusion power plants. Designed for continuous operation, industrial scale, and a fuel cycle that renews itself, Athena integrates the company's proprietary excimer laser platform with target delivery, fusion chamber, tritium breeding, and power generation systems engineered from the outset for industrial scale.

Denver-based Xcimer's 724-page submission provided Department of Energy (DOE) reviewers with a detailed assessment of plant performance targets, economics, system-level engineering requirements, safety and environmental analyses, and technology development pathways required to achieve commercial fusion power.

"The question facing laser fusion is no longer whether the physics works," said Conner Galloway, CEO, Chief Science Officer, and co-founder of Xcimer Energy. "The question is how fast we can industrialise it. DOE's acceptance of Athena reflects both the strength of our technical approach and our ability to execute against an ambitious commercialisation roadmap."

Susana Reyes, Vice President for Chamber and Plant Design at Xcimer Energy, added: "A commercially attractive power plant looks very different from a scientific breakthrough facility. We are designing Athena to run continuously at a repetition rate of up to 1 Hz, and the use of a liquid wall chamber maximises availability by protecting the solid structures from the fusion reaction emissions over the entire plant lifetime.

"One reason other fusion chamber designs face a durability problem is that they put solid material where the fusion neutrons go. We don't. The molten salt curtain absorbs and moderates the flux, breeds fuel, and carries the heat - and it flows, so it renews itself continuously. We designed Athena around that property from day one, and it shapes everything: the materials choices, the thermal management, the maintenance philosophy, the economics. And Xcimer's laser architecture uniquely enables this design."

The DOE's acceptance of the Athena design follows Xcimer's completion of earlier programme milestones during the first 18-month budget period in the milestone programme. The company said its next phases of work include full-scale subsystem testing, engineering validation, and preparation for an integrated plant demonstration.

Xcimer to commercialising laser-inertial fusion in February this year.

"The milestone positions Xcimer among the front runners to commercialise fusion energy and marks one of the industry's most comprehensive government reviews of a privately developed fusion plant architecture," the company said. "The acceptance of both the design and roadmap also reflects continued progress under the DOE's Fusion Milestone Development Program and validates Xcimer's roadmap for translating laboratory fusion breakthroughs into a commercially deployable energy system."

Xcimer was one of eight companies selected by DOE in June 2023 to share USD46 million in funding from the Milestone-based Fusion Development Program, with the aim that "within five to 10 years" they "will resolve scientific and technological challenges to create designs for a fusion pilot plant". Xcimer said it had been awarded USD9 million.

Last week, Xcimer announced the launch of operations of its prototype laser system, code-named Phoenix – the largest privately owned laser system in the world and the company's prototype for commercialising laser fusion. Phoenix, housed in Xcimer's Denver laser facility, is a proof of concept for an unconventional fusion architecture: a krypton fluoride excimer laser using Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) to compress a microsecond-long pulse into the nanosecond timescales fusion requires. Phoenix is designed to demonstrate end-to-end integrated operation of excimer amplification and SBS pulse compression.

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]]> ]]> true <![CDATA[Chile and Argentina sign nuclear cooperation agreement]]>  ]]> Wed, 10 Jun 2026 10:36:03 GMT The two countries have had agreements on cooperation in the area of peaceful uses of nuclear technology dating back to 1976.

This latest agreement was signed by representatives of Argentina's National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) and the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission (CCHEN).

It was signed for the Argentine side by CNEA President Martin Porro, who called it "an important milestone in the field of bilateral and regional cooperation, given that the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission is an institution with which we have been working closely for years on a wide variety of issues, including within the framework of International Atomic Energy Agency initiatives such as the Latin American Research Reactor Network".

Richard Gonzalez, acting executive director of Chile's CCHEN, said: "We are very pleased to have consolidated and finalised this cooperation and mutual collaboration agreement. This will boost science and technology in our country … working in collaboration with the CNEA allows us to enhance our technological development in Chile."

The form of cooperation set out in the agreement includes information exchange technical visits and joint research and technological development projects and programmes.

The two organisations said the areas covered are: research reactors and their applications; radiopharmaceuticals; applications of nuclear technology in health, agriculture, industry and mining; nuclear and radiological safety; human resource training; used fuel management; modernisation and management of technological aging, especially of nuclear reactors; and scientific and technical assistance in nuclear power.

Argentina has three nuclear reactors generating about 7% of its electricity. Its first commercial nuclear power reactor began operating in 1974. It had been developing the CAREM25 small modular reactor, but work on that has been halted under the current government. Uranium exploration and some mining was carried out from the mid-1950s, but the last mine closed in 1997 for economic reasons. It also has a long history with research reactors, including the RA-10 research reactor which is currently under construction.

The Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission has operated the RECH-1 research reactor since 1974. This reactor is located at La Reina Nuclear Centre in Santiago. It is a 5 MW pool-type reactor using low-enriched uranium fuel assemblies, light water as moderator and coolant, and beryllium as reflector. The main use of the RECH-1 reactor is the production of radioisotopes, mainly for medicine. In addition, irradiation of samples is carried out for chemical analysis and geological material, for purposes of determining age and preparing radioactive tracers. Chile does not have any nuclear energy plants, but there have been various proposals to develop some in the past.

]]> ]]> ]]> true <![CDATA[Nuclear-powered ship conceptual designs approved]]>  ]]> Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:27:21 GMT Approval in principle is a symbolic procedure in which a classification society reviews the design or technology of a new ship and recognises it as compliant with international regulations and safety standards, serving as the first step toward actual ship development.

Lloyd's Register said it is working with Hyundai Heavy Industries, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE), Hyundai Glovis, G-Marine Service and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) on a joint development project exploring an advanced small modular reactor (SMR) installation on a pure car and truck carrier.

The study focused on how a molten salt reactor (MSR) could be physically and operationally integrated into a large vehicle carrier. Work examined the internal arrangement and segregation of the reactor system, shielding requirements, and the impact on cargo deck layout and vehicle capacity, alongside stability and trim implications linked to the reactor’s weight and positioning. The partners also assessed propulsion system configuration and power delivery, as well as operational flexibility compared with conventionally-fuelled pure car and truck carriers, where trade routes and port calls can be tightly constrained.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and HD KSOE conducted the conceptual design of the vessel and a review of key technologies, while Hyundai Glovis presented measures to ensure flexibility for stable operation and address environmental factors at the actual operation site based on its experience operating large car carriers. G-Marine Service reviewed the elements required in actual operation, such as onboard safety, maintainability, crew support, and long-term operational reliability, from the perspective of ship management, while KAERI was responsible for reviewing MSR technology as a nuclear technology development organisation. Lloyd's Register led the Hazard Identification and Preliminary Risk Assessment work, focusing particularly on the interface between existing ship systems and SMRs, and constraints related to the application of nuclear technology at sea.

"While nuclear propulsion is still at an early stage of development, this project shows the importance of building technical understanding now to support future progress," said Sung-Gu Park, President - North East Asia, Lloyd's Register. "Establishing feasibility at concept stage is a valuable step forward, particularly in areas such as cargo optimisation, vessel stability and integrated safety design."

"Going forward, the participating organisations plan to continue reviewing next-generation ship propulsion technologies and jointly explore ways to ensure the safety, operability, and regulatory compliance of nuclear-powered ships," KAERI said.

Nuclear-assisted cargo ship

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has issued Approval in principle (AIP)  for the integration of a nuclear reactor into a cargo vessel propulsion system developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), HD KSOE and Capital Maritime Group.


(Image: ABS)

This design uses a special synthetic fluid to carry heat from the reactor core. The MIT design's near-atmospheric operating pressure can allow for thinner, lighter reactor vessels, supporting modular construction and easier transport.

This is the first approval in principle to be granted through the MIT Maritime Consortium, where ABS, HD KSOE and Capital Maritime Group are founding members. ABS reviewed the reactor-to-machinery interface based on class requirements.

"As the industry evaluates new pathways for the future, this approval in principle highlights the value of collaboration with key stakeholders in advancing promising commercial nuclear technologies," said Patrick Ryan, ABS Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. "The MIT reactor design is an interesting piece of technology. With characteristics that can support modular fabrication and vessel integration, these emerging technologies represent one possible pathway toward the safe, practical development of next-generation commercial shipping solutions."

Sangmin Park, Senior Vice President at HD KSOE and Head of Green Energy Research Laboratory, added: "As global environmental regulations tighten, the maritime sector requires paradigm-shifting solutions. Nuclear energy represents one of the most promising alternatives to traditional fossil fuels. Through this successful collaboration with ABS, MIT, and Capital Maritime Group, we are proud to demonstrate our readiness to lead the eco-friendly vessel market by presenting a safe and innovative nuclear-powered shipping solution."

"It is our responsibility as an industry to explore every potential solution, including those that challenge conventional thinking," said Stergios Stergiou, Chief Sustainability Officer, Capital Clean Energy Carriers Corp. "Nuclear propulsion is one such frontier. Through our membership in the MIT Maritime Consortium alongside ABS and HD KSOE, we are committed to ensuring that any pathway to net-zero is grounded in the non-negotiable highest standards of crew safety, vessel integrity, and environmental protection. This AIP is the first step in that process."

"The MIT Maritime Consortium is a unique collaboration between academia and key industry stakeholders aiming to address critical gaps in the modernisation of the commercial fleet through the development of bold technological solutions, industry standards, and policies," said Themis Sapsis, Koch Professor of Marine Technology at MIT and Co-director of the Maritime Consortium. "Our reactor design is one of the first concrete outcomes of this synergy, providing a realistic pathway towards nuclear propulsion for commercial vessels."

The shipping industry consumes about 350 million tonnes of fossil fuel annually and accounts for about 3% of total worldwide carbon emissions. In July 2024, the shipping industry, via the IMO, approved new targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions, aiming to reach net-zero emissions by or around 2050.

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]]> ]]> true <![CDATA[Study identifies potential SMR sites in Dutch province]]>  ]]> Thu, 11 Jun 2026 10:58:27 GMT Tractebel said its team used a comprehensive evaluation framework based on the International Atomic Energy Agency's siting criteria for the small modular reactors (SMRs) spatial study, and took into account things such as population density, natural risks, cultural heritage, critical infrastructure, cooling water, and proximity to the electricity grid.

It concluded "there are potentially suitable locations for small SMRs up to 100 MW in many parts of Overijssel. For larger SMRs (between 100 MW and 500 MW), only a few locations appear possible, primarily near the IJssel".

Provincial Executive Member Gert Harm ten Bolscher said: "With this exploration, we are mapping out what might be technically possible. We are deliberately doing this first based on independent knowledge. No choices have been made yet. Thanks to the various studies, we are gaining an understanding of the opportunities and impossibilities. This allows us to discuss the potential role of SMRs in Overijssel's future energy supply."

The province is planning follow-up steps including research into public acceptance and also how SMRs might fit into the power grid.

In its announcement it stressed: "No environmental impact assessment has been carried out yet, no safety studies have been conducted, and no participation with residents has taken place … the province has not currently made a decision regarding the deployment of SMRs. Furthermore, no locations have been designated for an SMR."

Background

The Netherlands currently has one 485 MWe (net) pressurised water reactor at Borssele - operated by EPZ - which has been in operation since 1973 and accounts for about 3% of the country's total electricity generation. 

In December 2021, the Netherlands' then new coalition government placed nuclear power at the heart of its climate and energy policy. In addition to keeping the Borssele plant in operation for longer, the government also called for the construction of new reactors. Based on preliminary plans, two new reactors will be completed around 2035 and each would have a capacity of 1,000-1,650 MWe. The two reactors would provide 9-13% of the country's electricity production in 2035.

The cabinet announced in December 2022 that it saw Borssele as the most suitable location for the construction of the new reactors. Three other locations are also being considered for the reactors: the Tweede Maasvlakte near Rotterdam, Terneuzen in Zeeland and Eemshaven in Groningen. A location selection is expected in September of this year. The government is also taking steps to prepare the Netherlands for the possible deployment of SMRs.

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]]> true <![CDATA[Core catcher installed at Leningrad's seventh unit]]>  ]]> Thu, 11 Jun 2026 10:22:24 GMT Specialists from construction company Titan-2 Holding oversaw the moving of the core catcher into the concrete shaft of the reactor containment building for what is the third unit in the second phase of the Leningrad plant.

The core catcher is a container in the form of a cone made of thermally resistant steel which, in the event of an emergency, would securely hold a melted reactor core and not allow radioactive substances to leave the containment of the reactor.

Alexey Mochalov, Deputy Chief Engineer for the Construction of New Power Units at Leningrad NPP-2, said: "The likelihood that this passive safety system will ever be truly needed is extremely low: all the decisions made in the design of domestic power units with VVER-1200 reactors, the high-quality construction, installation, and commissioning work, as well as the highly qualified and responsible personnel of the nuclear power plant, will leave the trap in standby mode for the entire design life of the unit."


(Image: Rosatom)

Konstantin Khudyakov, director of the Leningrad NPP facilities programme at Titan-2, said: "As of today, the reactor shaft of unit 3 is 55% complete and filled with equipment weighing nearly 900 tonnes. Next, we will install thermal insulation, support and thrust trusses, and other equipment, assemble measuring channels, and concrete the shaft to the design height, so that the reactor vessel can be assembled as early as next year. Work is on schedule, some even ahead of schedule."

Background

The Leningrad nuclear power plant is one of the largest in Russia, with an installed capacity of 4,400 MWe, and provides more than 55% of the electricity demand of St Petersburg and the Leningrad region, or 30% of all the electricity in northwest Russia.

Leningrad 1 shut down in 2018 after 45 years of operation. Leningrad 2, also a 1,000 MWe RBMK unit, started up in 1975 and was permanently shut down in November 2020. As the first two of the plant's four RBMK-1000 units shut down, new VVER-1200 units started up at the neighbouring Leningrad II plant. The 60-year service life of these fifth and sixth units (also known as Leningrad II-1 and Leningrad II-2) secures power supply until the 2080s, with the possibility of a further 20-year extension beyond that. Units 7 and 8 (also known as Leningrad II-3 and Leningrad II-4) will replace units 3 and 4 as they are shut in the coming years.

The pouring of the first concrete for unit 7 in March 2024 marked the start of the main phase of construction of the new power unit. First concrete was poured for the eighth unit in March 2025.

]]> ]]> true <![CDATA[DOE approval milestone for Oklo reactor]]> The US Department of Energy's approval of the Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis is a major step on the authorisation pathway for Oklo's Aurora powerhouse which is to be built at Idaho National Laboratory.

]]> Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:32:55 GMT Oklo asked the department to commence review of its Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis - also known as a PDSA - after receiving its approval of the Nuclear Safety Design Agreement in March. 

The Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis is a major step under the department's Reactor Pilot Program authorisation pathway and represents a detailed review of the preliminary safety basis for Aurora-INL, which will be the first of Oklo's planned fast fission power plants. It includes the project's hazard analysis, accident analysis, safety controls, and design commitments.   

The Reactor Pilot Program framework aims to enable an accelerated deployment of scalable generation capacity under rigorous federal oversight. Oklo expects to gain early deployment and operating experience with Aurora-INL through the programme, while also pursuing US Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing to support future commercial operations.

"This approval represents an important milestone for Aurora-INL and helps establish a foundation for future Aurora deployments," Oklo CEO Jacob DeWitte said. "Aurora-INL is helping show how advanced reactors can move through real safety review, real construction, and ultimately into commercial licensing."

The Aurora powerhouse fast neutron reactor builds on the design and operating heritage of the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II), which ran in Idaho from 1964 to 1994, using metallic fuel to produce electricity and usable heat. It can operate on fuel made from fresh HALEU or used nuclear fuel. Oklo has been granted access to recovered fuel from the EBR-II following a competitive DOE process launched in 2019.

Oklo held a ground-breaking ceremony for the Aurora-INL in September 2025.

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]]>  ]]> true <![CDATA[Permission granted for Kozloduy sanctions derogation]]>  ]]> Thu, 11 Jun 2026 09:58:48 GMT The Kozloduy nuclear power plant is in the northwest of Bulgaria on the Danube River and provides about 34% of the country's electricity. It features two Russian-designed VVER-1000 units currently in operation, which have both been through refurbishment and life extension programmes to enable extension of operation from 30 to 60 years. Unit 5 was connected to the grid in 1987 and unit 6 in 1991.

Following the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, the European Union (EU) has imposed/extended sanctions on Russia. The Bulgarian Council of Ministers on Wednesday decided to grant a derogation from relevant parts of the EU's Council Regulation 833/2014 to allow a public procurement contract to be concluded, and for it to last for the duration of supply contracts.

According to Bulgaria's official BTA news agency: "A priority in the operation of Kozloduy NPP is maintaining the highest level of technical and nuclear safety, radiation protection, safe and healthy working conditions, as well as environmental protection. Regular deliveries of components and parts from the designers, constructors, and manufacturers of the equipment installed at the plant are a key guarantee of nuclear safety and uninterrupted electricity generation. As a large portion of the systems and equipment at the plant are of Russian origin, some contracts for the supply of goods related to the reliable and safe operation of Units 5 and 6 of Kozloduy NPP have been concluded, or need to be concluded, with Russian contractors."

Kozloduy's unit 6 was taken offline twice over the winter after issues said to be related to sourcing replacement parts from a Russian supplier.

Bulgaria has plans for two Westinghouse AP1000 units at Kozloduy. The aim is for the first AP1000 unit - unit 7 at Kozloduy - to be operational in 2035 and the second one - unit 8 - to be operational in 2037. The 2300 MWe capacity of the two new units would exceed the 1760 MWe capacity of the closed first four units. The Bulgarian government has also said that further units will be needed to replace units 5 and 6 by 2050.

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 ]]> true <![CDATA[Studsvik seeks state support for SMRs in Sweden]]>  ]]> Fri, 12 Jun 2026 10:54:25 GMT The application was formally handed over to the Minister for Financial Markets Niklas Wykman on Friday. Studsvik, which acquired Kärnfull Next and its ReFirm programme earlier this year, is developing potential small modular reactor (SMR) projects in southern Sweden, with options at Valdemarsvik and Nyköping forming the basis of the application.

The ReFirm programme is focused on light-water SMR technology, with plans for multiple units at "SMR parks". Its plan is for the first unit to be commissioned during the second half of the 2030s.

Development and permitting processes are under way and Studsvik says its plans retain "flexibility ahead of a later project selection as local, technical, regulatory and commercial conditions mature. The aim is to enable up to approximately 1,400 MWe of new fossil-free baseload capacity through multiple light-water small modular reactor units".

The Ministry of Finance said the application for Nyköping was for the establishment of two to four modular light-water reactors with a total electrical output of approximately 600-1,400 MW. The Valdemarsvik project application is for four to six SMRs with total output of 1,200-1,600 MW. It said Studsvik is expected to decide at a later stage which of the two projects to proceed with.

It is the third application for state aid for new nuclear power capacity that the government has received. In December 2025, Videberg Kraft applied to build reactors on the Värö Peninsula outside Varberg. Earlier in June 2026, the company Blykalla applied for a project at Norrsundet outside Gävle.

Karl Thedéen, president and CEO of Studsvik AB, said: "With this application, Studsvik is taking a major step towards privately led nuclear new build at meaningful scale, based on proven reactor technology and anchored in Swedish nuclear competence."

Finance minister Wykman said: "It is clear that Swedish industrial companies want to be involved in building the fossil-free base power Sweden needs."

The Ministry said that receiving an application means work can begin on making a decision on providing state support. This includes negotiations between the government and the company on the terms and scope of the support as well as ongoing dialogue with the European Commission to ensure that any support is compatible with the European Union's state aid rules.

Background

In October 2022, Sweden's incoming centre-right coalition government adopted a positive stance towards nuclear energy. In November 2023, it unveiled a roadmap which envisages the construction of new nuclear generating capacity equivalent to at least two large-scale reactors by 2035, with the equivalent capacity of up to 10 new large-scale reactors (which may include small modular reactors) coming online by 2045. A new act on state aid entered into force on 1 August 2025, since when interested companies have been able to apply for the aid.

The Swedish government received the first such application in December to support proposals for either five GE Vernova Hitachi BWRX-300 reactors or three Rolls-Royce SMRs to provide about 1,500 MW capacity at Ringhals on the Värö Peninsula. The application came from Videberg Kraft AB, a project company owned by Vattenfall AB and backed by a series of industrial firms via the Industrikraft i Sverige AB consortium.

Last week Blykalla submitted an application for government financing for its planned power plant in Norrsundet, Gävle, in east central Sweden, comprising six SEALER reactors, which will have a total generating capacity of up to 330 MWe.

]]> ]]> ]]> true <![CDATA[Report looks into next steps for port calls for nuclear-powered ships]]>  ]]> Fri, 12 Jun 2026 09:49:56 GMT The report, , examines the safety and regulatory considerations associated with a nuclear-powered ship calling at a European Union port.

It finds that "the principal barriers to nuclear ship port calls are not technical, but relate instead to local and international regulatory alignment, governance, risk management integration and public acceptance".

Mikal Bøe, CEO of maritime nuclear energy specialists Core Power, said: "An obvious key to the success of civil maritime nuclear propulsion is the trusted confidence of port cities and their populations in ship calls by nuclear-powered merchant ships.

"Greenhouse gas emissions from the existing shipping fleet have become unsustainable and have led to the slowest sailing times we've seen in decades. Now is the time to start the important work of evaluating nuclear shipping in a modern context and this report does exactly that."

The report used the hypothetical situation of a nuclear-powered Maersk container ship calling at the Port of Rotterdam, to examine the issues.

Harbour Master of the Port of Rotterdam René de Vries said: "Ports need to understand how emerging energy and shipping technologies may interact with future port operations and industrial systems."

Meg Albrecht, Senior Engineer - Nuclear Technology and Alternative Fuels, Lloyd's Register, said: "The maritime energy transition will require the industry to examine a range of future fuel and propulsion pathways. This work contributes to a broader understanding of the regulatory and operational considerations associated with nuclear-powered vessels and helps establish a structured basis for further discussion and analysis."

Ole Graa Jakobsen, Head of Fleet Technology, AP Moller-Maersk said: "Civil commercial nuclear propulsion presents a number of significant challenges, including safety, waste management, regulatory alignment and public acceptance across regions. This study does not represent a decision to pursue nuclear propulsion, but contributes to further understanding of what would be required for ports and authorities to assess such vessels in a structured and responsible way. We continue to monitor and assess this technology alongside other low-emission solutions."

In its conclusion the report says that although "nuclear ships for commercial or civilian uses are in early stages of development, ports should proactively prepare for their arrival. Globally, efforts focus on technology, safety, and regulations. Locally, this involves legal, safety and operational measures, as well as cooperation with nuclear authorities. A key aspect of this preparation is gaining insights into the potential risks associated with nuclear power and understanding the technology so that risk perception is managed by engineering logic rather than public or promoter misconceptions."

The report adds: "Further research and communication are needed on radiation safety, reactor incidents, security threats, and their effects on ships, terminals, and personnel. Only with a thorough understanding of these risks can appropriate measures be taken, allowing the port to anticipate future developments responsibly.

"Each port expecting future nuclear ships must assess safety, security, safeguards and emergency procedures. Since ports vary, these local assessments help shape national, regional and international guidance or regulations."

The shipping industry consumes about 350 million tonnes of fossil fuel annually and accounts for about 3% of total worldwide carbon emissions. In July 2024, the shipping industry, via the International Maritime Organization (IMO), approved new targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions, aiming to reach net-zero emissions by or around 2050.

There are a range of different development projects for using nuclear power in civilian vessels. The IMO is also revising the Safety Code for Nuclear Ships and the International Atomic Energy Agency is planning on launching its Applications at Sea (ATLAS) initiative in August, which "aims to support the maritime industry’s exploration of small modular reactors to power civilian ships and to provide offshore energy, as operators consider alternative fuels and seek to strengthen long-term energy security".

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]]> true <![CDATA[Ceremony marks start of work at Canadian uranium project]]> Denison Mines - alongside Indigenous and local community partners - has marked the start of site preparation and early works construction at the Phoenix In-Situ Recovery uranium mine in Saskatchewan with a ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony.

]]> Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:04:04 GMT Denison's Board of Directors made its final investment decision in February, after receiving final federal regulatory approvals for the start of construction from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. Provincial-level approvals were already in place. Earlier in the month, Denison announced it had awarded consulting and engineering company Wood Canada Limited the construction management contract to oversee the building of the mine. 

Site preparation and early works construction activities actually began soon after the final investment decision. By mid-May, tree clearing activities across the primary mine site area, installation of construction management facilities, construction of an on-site helipad and civil works for the concrete batch plant pad had already been completed, as well as the start of aggregate production at a nearby quarry. Ongoing civil activities include preparations for a future airstrip. Denison has previously said it expects to commence full-scale construction by the end of the second quarter of this year, in line with its target to achieve first uranium production in mid-2028. 

Phoenix - part of the Wheeler River project - is described by Denison as the largest undeveloped uranium project in the infrastructure-rich eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin region, in northern Saskatchewan. The project is host to the high-grade Phoenix and Gryphon uranium deposits, discovered by Denison in 2008 and 2014, respectively.

In-situ recovery (ISR) - also referred to as in-situ leach - is a method of recovering uranium minerals from ore in the ground by dissolving them in situ, using a mining solution injected into the orebody. The solution is then pumped to the surface, where the minerals are recovered from the uranium-bearing solution. More than half of the world's uranium production is now produced by such methods, which do not generate conventional mine tailings. 

Phoenix is the first uranium mine in Canada to use the ISR mining method, and the first large-scale Canadian uranium mining project to be approved for construction in more than 20 years, and represents a "bold step forward for the Canadian uranium mining industry", Denison said: "This is a nation-building project that showcases the very best of Canadian mining ingenuity, collaboration, and determination."

Over the past couple of years, Denison has signed several agreements with First Nations representatives as well as with communities which amongst other things acknowledge traditional landowners, involve the Athabasca Communities in environmental oversight, and commit to sharing benefits from the successful operation of Denison's projects including community investment, business opportunities, employment and training opportunities, and financial compensation.

Representatives from English River First Nation, Kineepik Métis Local, Métis Nation-Saskatchewan, and Ya’thi Néné Lands and Resources joined the Denison team for the ground-breaking ceremony.

Speaking to Saskatchewan radio station CKCOM, Councillor Jenny Wolverine for English River First Nation said: "This partnership is developed on the foundation of trust, honesty, definitely humour, understanding and compromise … Because of the support from Denison, we are in a strong position to do great things for our people by our people."

Representing the Government of Saskatchewan at the ceremony, Minister of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety Ken Cheveldayoff said the development represents new jobs, economic growth, and opportunities for Saskatchewan communities while strengthening the province's position as a global leader in uranium production. 

"What we are celebrating today reflects years of planning, innovation, and commitment. This project will have a significant positive impact on our province during both construction and operations. It will create good jobs and economic opportunities that will benefit Saskatchewan citizens for years and years to come," he told CKCOM.

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]]> true <![CDATA[Tennessee becomes first US state to set up fusion regulations]]> Tennessee has become the first US state with its own regulatory framework for nuclear fusion machines.

]]> Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:48:40 GMT In 2023, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) announced that it would base its regulatory framework for fusion energy systems on its existing process for licensing the use of byproduct materials: such systems would generate electricity from the energy released when hydrogen atoms are combined to form helium, rather than the splitting, or fission, of uranium atoms. This means that such systems fall outside the requirements to be regulated by NRC as nuclear reactors, as they do not involve special nuclear material (plutonium, uranium-233 or enriched uranium) and cannot produce the self-sustained neutron chain reaction that defines nuclear fission reactors under NRC regulations.

In response to this, Tennessee - which is an Agreement State, meaning it is authorised to license and inspect byproduct, source, or special nuclear materials used or possessed within its borders under a special agreement with the NRC - filed an amendment to its regulations setting out the framework for how it will register and license fusion machines, processes, and related activities.

, as well as its associated definitions, establishes requirements for the licensing of fusion machines and fusion-related activities in the state. The new regulations came into effect on 9 June.

"Tennessee has been named the top state in the nation for nuclear energy industry growth, and for good reason," said Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) Commissioner David Salyers. "This latest step supercharges our reputation as the global hub for nuclear innovation and positions us as the most responsive state to new advanced nuclear companies clamouring to call Tennessee home."

In January, US fusion energy developer Type One Energy submitted an initial licensing application in preparation for the construction of a fusion power plant at Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) former Bull Run fossil plant site in Clinton, Tennessee. The company's commercial site near Oak Ridge is anticipated to be among the first licensees under this new framework and will function as a fusion development campus through projects between the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TVA and the University of Tennessee, TDEC said. Construction of Type One's Infinity Two - a 400 MWe baseload power plant using stellarator fusion technology - could begin in 2028 under the new regulatory rules.

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]]> true <![CDATA[Rolls-Royce joins UK-Japan HTGR development agreement]]>  ]]> Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:45:51 GMT The agreements were signed during a visit to the UK by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. They cover what are termed High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Advanced Modular Reactor technology and expand on previous agreements between the UK's National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL) and Rolls-Royce, and between UKNNL and Japan's Atomic Energy Agency.

The high temperature reactors are seen as a potential way to "deliver energy resilience and enable decarbonisation across civil, defence and industrial applications" and "represent a compact and rapidly deployable nuclear energy solution for off-grid customers who require flexible heat and power that is safe, secure and reliable".

Rolls-Royce, which is part owner of Rolls-Royce SMR, whose small modular reactor has been selected for the first UK government-backed small modular reactor project in the UK, said it was "looking to broaden its nuclear portfolio and explore opportunities in the advanced modular reactor market. Differentiated in reactor technology, size and power output from the Rolls-Royce SMR, the Rolls-Royce AMR still benefits from the same innovative modular design and build certainty".

Rolls-Royce says its advanced modular reactor (AMR) "is a compact nuclear power solution designed to meet increasing demand for clean, scalable and reliable power across civil, defence and industrial sectors … perfectly placed to offer the benefits of a nuclear power solution to the sub-50 MWe scale markets".

The company says its reactor would have "a power output of up to 25 MWe/ 75 MWth per unit and can be combined in multi-unit micro-grids to meet higher power site demands".

Masanori Koguchi, Japan Atomic Energy Agency President, said of the agreements: "I hope that through our expertise in High Temperature Gas Reactor technologies, this collaboration will lead to their early deployment, a significant step towards net-zero."

Chris Cholerton, Group President, Rolls-Royce, said: "Strengthening existing relationships between our nations and combining our broad nuclear capability, will enable us to jointly address technical challenges and accelerate the development of advanced modular reactors and their advanced coated particle fuel, to deliver industrial growth, skilled jobs and energy security for our nations."

Julianne Antrobus, CEO of the UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory, said: "Advanced nuclear technologies have the potential to deliver clean, safe and reliable energy, stimulating economic growth while supporting the decarbonisation of industries that millions of people work in. The UK government’s Advanced Nuclear Framework exists to give industry a clear route to access the world-class expertise that UKNNL offers. Being contracted by Rolls-Royce to support this vital work is a strong signal that the framework is delivering and that UKNNL is playing its part in bringing the sector together."

Antrobus said it was a chance to turn "decades of research and international collaboration into real-world deployment".

The UK uses the term Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) for the next generation of nuclear reactors. In December 2021 the government announced that the technology focus for the programme would be High Temperature Gas Reactors (HTGRs).

The HTGR is seen as a good fit for the UK, which founded its nuclear power sector with two generations of domestically designed gas-cooled reactors: the 26 Magnox reactors deployed in the 1960s and 1970s and the 14 Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors (AGRs) deployed in the 1970s and 1980s. The Dragon Reactor, operated from 1965 to 1975, was one of the world's first reactors to use what is now widely regarded as next-generation nuclear technology. UKNNL’s Preston laboratory has the UK’s only facility for manufacturing CPF kernels and has new coating equipment, which means it can produce coated particle fuel at scale.

Japan, through the Japan Atomic Energy Agency's High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor, has gained world-leading expertise in this field for decades.

In December 2022, the UK government announced funding of GBP60 million (USD77 million) for research into HTGRs, aimed at helping to get a demonstration project up and running by the end of the decade.

In September 2023, UKNNL and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency signed a memorandum of cooperation in the field of HTGRs, as well as a memorandum for collaboration on the next stage of the UK HTGR Demonstration Reactor programme. At the time it was said that JAEA was collaborating with UKNNL to demonstrate Japanese HTGR technology outside of Japan and to promote its social implementation with the aim of returning the decarbonisation technology to Japan.

UKNNL said that the three-way agreements "draw on the best of both nations' capabilities and position the UK and Japan to lead as global interest in advanced nuclear technology deployment grows".

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]]> true <![CDATA[Dome lifted into place on Ningde 5]]>  ]]> Mon, 15 Jun 2026 11:22:25 GMT The lifting and installation process for the 45-metre-diameter dome took a total of two hours and forty-five minutes and was completed at 08:02 local time.

It means that the HPR1000 (Hualong One) nuclear power unit transitions from the civil construction phase to the equipment installation phase, China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) said.

"The nuclear island dome is the core safety barrier of the reactor building, bearing the crucial mission of ensuring the structural integrity, airtightness, and radioactive containment of the reactor building. The dome of Ningde Nuclear Power Unit 5 is a hemispherical hyperboloid shell structure, precisely assembled from main steel plates, angle steel keels, studs, and various internal supporting components," CGN said.

A large crawler crane was used for the manoeuvre, lifting the dome as high as a 20-storey building, before it was fitted precisely into place.


(Image: CGN)

The construction of Ningde units 5 and 6 was approved by China's State Council on 31 July 2023. First concrete for the nuclear island of Ningde 5 was poured on 28 July 2024. It is scheduled to enter operation in 2029.

The Ningde plant currently comprises four 1,018 MWe CPR-1000 reactors, which began commercial operation between April 2013 and July 2016.

]]> ]]> true <![CDATA[Saskatchewan, Czech Republic aim to cooperate on SMRs and MMRs]]>  ]]> Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:44:22 GMT Saskatchewan is home to the largest and highest-grade uranium mines in the world, but does not currently have any nuclear power reactors. It is working alongside the provinces of Ontario, New Brunswick and Alberta on the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) under a joint strategic plan released in 2022. And Crown utility SaskPower has now begun the formal process to evaluate large reactor technologies.

The Czech Republic currently gets about one-third of its electricity from the four VVER-440 units at Dukovany, which began operating between 1985 and 1987, and the two units in operation at Temelín, which came into operation in 2000 and 2002. It has plans for new large units and in October 2024, Rolls-Royce SMR was selected by ČEZ to deploy up to 3 GW of electricity in the Czech Republic, with ČEZ taking a 20% stake in Rolls-Royce SMR.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said: "The Czech Republic shares many priorities with Saskatchewan, and is seeking sustainable energy security for their country. I am excited to see what shared opportunities lie ahead in the areas of sustainable energy, innovation for the nuclear sector and diversifying trade. I look forward to growing this partnership for the benefit of both our economies."

Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček said: "The memorandum with Saskatchewan comes at the right time - Premier Moe’s visit confirms strong interest on both sides. We can strengthen cooperation in energy and resource security, innovation and trade and open the door to new opportunities for companies on both sides of the Atlantic."

The memorandum of understanding also covers cooperation on renewable energy and carbon capture, utilisation and storage technologies. It will take the form of knowledge sharing, "promoting joint projects or exploring cooperation in talent development and educational programmes".

The Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade said that direct exports to Canada rose 36% year-on-year in 2025 and reached USD566 million. The MoU was signed during an ongoing Saskatchewan trade and investment mission to the European Union.

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]]> ]]> true <![CDATA[What changes are needed to help rollout of advanced nuclear technologies in UK?]]> NextGen Nuclear Summit held in London.
 ]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2026 12:03:47 GMT In January 2024, the British government launched a roadmap for reaching its ambition for the UK to have 24 GWe of nuclear generating capacity by 2050, representing about 25% of the country's projected electricity demand. It said the Civil Nuclear Roadmap "outlines plans for the biggest expansion of nuclear power for 70 years to reduce electricity bills, support thousands of jobs and improve UK energy security - including exploring building a major new power station and investing in advanced nuclear fuel production". Nuclear's share of energy in the UK is currently about 16%, however all but one of its existing reactors are due to be retired by 2030.

In June 2025, Rolls-Royce SMR was selected as the UK government's preferred technology for the country's first small modular reactor (SMR) project. In November, the UK government announced that Wylfa on the island of Anglesey, North Wales, would be the site to host the three Rolls-Royce SMR units. It said the site - where a Magnox plant is being decommissioned - could potentially host up to eight SMRs. A final investment decision is expected to be taken in 2029.

The deployment of SMRs and advanced modular reactors (AMRs) to provide power for data centres and industrial parks, and for the production of clean fuels and hydrogen, is also being discussed at other locations within the UK, including the deployment of Holtec International's SMR-300 at the former Cottam coal-fired power plant in Nottinghamshire, England, to provide power to new, advanced data centres on the site.

Speakers at the one-day event, organised by Foresight Events, highlighted what is needed to get to the first-of-a-kind construction of SMRs and AMRs in the UK and their eventual large-scale fleet deployment.

Lord Ravensdale, vice-chair of the Nuclear Energy All Party Parliamentary Group, said that one of the barriers to new nuclear in the UK was planning and regulation. "It's not just about nuclear - it's common to all large infrastructure projects in the UK. The planning and environmental permitting of infrastructure - we really struggle in the UK at the moment ... we need to work hard to remove those barriers to enable us to build all kinds of large infrastructure, including nuclear." He said there were a couple of bills coming up in parliament - the Energy Independence Bill and the Nuclear Regulatory Bill. "We're going to be focusing on all of these processes to ease through large infrastructure projects in the system."

In its final report (the 'Fingleton Report'), published in November, the Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce - led by John Fingleton, former CEO of the Office of Fair Trading - said a "radical reset" was needed and outlined 47 recommendations for the government to speed up building new nuclear projects at a lower cost and on time.

Rob Mossop of nuclear strategic and technical consultancy and project development company Equilibrion said: "From my perspective, government and the associated organisations around the government need to start delivering on the Fingleton Report as soon as possible and meet the deadlines and meet the recommendations. I think we need to start seeing a little bit more movement in that area as soon as possible."

In the USA, TerraPower started construction on its first Natrium plant, Kemmerer unit 1 in Wyoming, in April. The company's Natrium 345 MWe sodium-cooled fast reactor has a molten-salt-based energy storage system which allows it to temporarily boost output to 500 MWe when needed, enabling the plant to follow daily electric load changes and integrate with fluctuating renewable resources. The Natrium reactor is a TerraPower and GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy technology. In February the Natrium reactor was accepted into the UK's Generic Design Assessment process.

Speaking at the event, Jeff Miller, Senior Vice President of Business Development at TerraPower, said: "We've been through the regulatory process in the United States. We have a construction permit under 10 CFR Part 50, which means we have the permission for nuclear concrete. So, we are reflecting on that and how to be better and more efficient in navigating that process and taking those lessons over here and leveraging the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Office for Nuclear Regulation relationship to hopefully be as accelerated as we possibly can."

Scaling up for fleet deployment

Leon Flexman, Corporate Affairs Director at X-energy, said: "If the government is doing the right things to get things going, then the baton is handed on to us to deliver. When we get to that point where we can see a programme of projects that are being delivered, then everybody can rally around that and start to scale up, whether that's skills, supply chain, investors, etc."

He added: "I think one of the things that we need to make sure we do next in order to both deliver projects successfully, but also to deliver them successfully for the UK, is to make sure that the supply chain can rise to the challenge. So, if you look at what happened in our experience in the US, there are ... [many] different SMRs and AMRs out there. And the supply chain needs to ramp up to be ready to deliver. But who does the supply chain pick as the horse that it wants to back if it's going to require investment and staffing up and qualifying to compete, etc? It wasn't really until we got Amazon on board in the US with that pipeline of 5 GW of projects that the supply chain thought, 'right, OK, now this is real, and we need to actually take this seriously'. And as a result, we're making great strides over there. We need to do the same thing in the UK."

The UK is emerging from decades of little new nuclear construction. Simon Barber, UK Managing Director of Assystem, said: "Now we actually have to scale up, and that scaling up is constrained by a number of factors: Firstly, there's a lack of continuity between projects. We've already seen the gap between Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C starting - which means that there is a kind of desert or a fallow area where the skills that we're developing from Hinkley Point C, we run the risk of losing some of those skills because the gap when they're needed for Sizewell City is just too big. So, we need that continuity, that drumbeat of projects that's really going to deliver value and allow the UK to build with the skills it desperately needs. For me, what's at the heart of that is a real lack ... of a cohesive industrial strategy that puts nuclear at its heart, that focuses on the skills that we need to build and actually has that drumbeat, that mandate to build nuclear at pace and at scale."

Responding to a question on how to break the perception that the first-of-a-kind projects are too expensive, too slow, and too bespoke, Andrew Howarth, Vice President of Strategy at the UK's National Nuclear Laboratory, said: "I think to get to first-of-a-kind, you absolutely do not want to be doing research and innovation, but let's use what we know and is regulated and validated and get across the line. But I think in parallel with that, we could be doing validation and testing of things that could be introduced later on to second-, third-, fourth-of-a-kind, which could bring costs down and not much by design changes ... So, I think there's a kind of twin-track approach of validation and testing that goes on in parallel with first-of-a-kind that helps bring that kind of certainty and risk down from a technological perspective."

On the fuel supply side, Sarah Forman, Head of Strategy and Corporate Development at uranium enrichment services provider Urenco, noted that traditionally its customers have been the large utilities running Generation Three reactors. However, she said, "we're now increasingly serving the next generation of nuclear that we're talking about today. And we're one of these fuel cycle companies that needs to scale up in tandem with everybody else, all stepping up a level so that we can be ready for this opportunity to return. We're doing that. So, a lot of this is around changing our investment strategy and growing. Right now across our four different sites in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, and the US, we have big investment projects to increase our enrichment capacity".

She added: "There's a really big opportunity for governments to send a powerful signal that gives the certainty for that investment in a different context. It's really about government standing up and saying very clearly that nuclear is going to be part of our energy mix for a very long time. It makes sense to invest in this, and it makes sense to support it so that you can have a changed approach that lets us all be ready to support each other."

"There's a lot of work to do to really maximise that opportunity and invest in those missing pieces of the puzzle in the nuclear fuel supply chain, like conversion and actually fabrication of advanced fuels as well, really so we can get our whole capability in the UK and, again, seize those export markets," Lord Ravensdale said.

Kevin Murray of Frazer-Nash Consultancy said advanced nuclear technologies were "attracting unprecedented levels of attention from right across the ecosystem, from government, from investors, industry, and off-takers ... the challenge really facing the sector is all about moving from the proving of the technological feasibility, which is very much in train, towards the practical realities around that long-term fleet deployment. There are around 70 technologies in development globally. But really, survival of the fittest is which of those technologies are most likely to reach commercial cooperation first".

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]]> true <![CDATA[Swedish new nuclear project selects Rolls-Royce SMRs]]>  ]]> Mon, 15 Jun 2026 16:03:30 GMT Nuclear project company Videberg Kraft - owned by Vattenfall and Industrikraft, with the Swedish state due to become majority owner - selected Rolls-Royce SMR after a three-year process, which involved assessing 75 different options. The final choice was between Rolls-Royce SMR and GE Vernova Hitachi's BWRX-300.

The Videberg Project will be Sweden's first nuclear power plant in more than four decades and will ultimately add about 1.5 GW capacity to the grid. The project is targeting a first operating unit in the mid-2030s.

Sweden has become the third European country to select Rolls-Royce SMR technology, joining the Czech Republic and the UK.

Desirée Comstedt, acting CEO of Videberg Kraft, said: "Rolls-Royce SMR offers a robust network of subcontractors, the majority of which are located in our geographical vicinity. By choosing to move forward with Rolls-Royce SMR, Videberg Kraft and its owner companies also become part of a European programme, where we can benefit from shared experience."

Chris Cholerton, Rolls-Royce SMR CEO, said: "We are delighted to have been selected by Videberg Kraft as its partner to bring new nuclear power to Sweden. This is a strong endorsement of our transformational approach to delivery of a standardised fleet of SMRs … [and] further demonstrates growing market confidence in our technology."

Anna Borg, Board member of Videberg Kraft and CEO of Vattenfall, said: "Overall, the board’s assessment is that Rolls-Royce SMR is the supplier that can give Videberg Kraft the best pre-requisites for delivering a successful project. The reactor, a pressurised water reactor (PWR), is the same type used at Ringhals today and is a well-proven technology. Moreover, Rolls-Royce SMR has a commercially attractive contractual set-up."

Tom Erixon, Board member of Videberg Kraft and Industrikraft, and CEO of Alfa Laval, said: "Rolls-Royce SMR offers an efficient and industrialised concept that reduces the risk of delays. Videberg Kraft, together with Rolls-Royce SMR, is now paving the way for a new nuclear power on the Värö peninsula - something that would not have been possible without a historically unique collaboration between Swedish industry and the energy sector."

Background

The Rolls-Royce SMR is a 470 MWe design based on a small pressurised water reactor. It will provide consistent baseload generation for at least 60 years. Ninety percent of the SMR - measuring about 16 metres by 4 metres - will be built in factory conditions, limiting activity on-site primarily to assembly of pre-fabricated, pre-tested, modules which significantly reduces project risk and has the potential to shorten build schedules.

In October 2024, Rolls-Royce SMR was selected by ČEZ to deploy up to 3 GW of electricity in the Czech Republic, and ČEZ took a 20% stake in Rolls-Royce SMR. The plan is for the first SMR to be deployed in the area of the Temelín site (which already has two gigawatt-scale VVER-100 units), with futher projects being developed for coal-fired power plant sites, including Tušimice.

In June 2025 Rolls-Royce SMR was selected as the UK government's preferred technology for the country's first SMR project. A final investment decision is expected to be taken in 2029. In November the UK government announced that Wylfa on the island of Anglesey, North Wales, would be the site to host the three Rolls-Royce SMR units. It said the site - where a Magnox plant is being decommissioned - could potentially host up to eight SMRs.

In October 2022, Sweden's incoming centre-right coalition government adopted a positive stance towards nuclear energy. In November 2023, it unveiled a roadmap which envisages the construction of new nuclear generating capacity equivalent to at least two large-scale reactors by 2035, with the equivalent capacity of up to 10 new large-scale reactors (which may include small modular reactors) coming online by 2045. A new act on state aid entered into force on 1 August 2025, since when interested companies have been able to apply for the aid.

The Swedish government received the first such application in December, from Videberg Kraft for its scheme. Earlier this month Blykalla submitted an application for government financing for its planned power plant in Norrsundet, Gävle, in east central Sweden, comprising six SEALER reactors, which will have a total generating capacity of up to 330 MWe. And last week Studsvik submitted an application to the Swedish government for state support for up to 1,400 MW of new nuclear power, featuring small modular reactors, in the southern part of the country.

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]]> ]]> true <![CDATA[Georgia nuclear power plant cleared for 80-year operating life]]> The two boiling water reactor units at Georgia Power's Edwin I Hatch plant have been cleared by the regulator to operate until the mid-2050s.

]]> Tue, 16 Jun 2026 07:44:32 GMT Hatch unit 1 began commercial operation in December 1975, with Hatch 2 following in September 1979. The units were originally licensed to operate for 40 years, with the NRC approving a previous 20-year licence extension in 2002. The plant is operated by Southern Company subsidiary Southern Nuclear on behalf of its co-owners Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power Corporation, the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia and Dalton Utilities. 

Over the last 20 years, the Hatch units have undergone major improvements, including the replacement of cooling towers at unit 2; replacement of key components such as large transformers, plant service water pumps, feedwater heaters; and the identification and elimination of single point vulnerabilities across the site. Recent investments have included the construction of an energy education center and a second onsite simulator to train reactor operators: according to Georgia Power, the plant supports hundreds of highly skilled, long-term jobs and contributes millions of dollars of property taxes each year, as well as maintaining strong community partnerships. The plant's property is also a protected ecosystem.

Georgia's population has more than doubled since Hatch unit 1 - the first nuclear power plant in the state - entered service, and now stands at more than 11 million people. Today, nuclear power from Hatch and the four-unit Vogtle plant, built by the same co-owners, provide nearly 30% of Georgia Power's overall energy production. Georgia Power's latest integrated resource plan approved in July 2025, envisages capacity uprates at four of those units, including at Hatch.

"At Georgia Power, our commitment to our customers is to ensure that the reliable, affordable energy they expect is there when they need it. Our nuclear facilities provide reliable energy around the clock at a stable, predictable cost, and are central to how we deliver on this commitment," said Kim Greene, chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power. 

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed its review of the licence renewal application in less than 12 months - it accepted for docketing plant operator Southern Nuclear's application on 20 June last year. This is the second nuclear power plant licence renewal the regulator has completed within the 12-month target for licence renewal reviews under Executive Order 14300: the first was Duke Energy's Robinson nuclear power plant in South Carolina, which received its subsequent licence renewal in April. 

The regulator said it completed its safety and environmental reviews using a streamlined process for licence renewals, applying lessons learned from earlier reviews to work more efficiently without compromising safety standards.


"The NRC continues to demonstrate we can reach timely decisions while maintaining our strict safety oversight," Director of the NRC's Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Anna Bradford said. "The staff's ability to focus on key factors necessary for long-term plant performance and to implement continuous learning enabled us to efficiently secure another 1.8 gigawatts of power on the grid for 20 more years."

Hatch unit 1 is now licensed to operate until August 2054, and unit 2 to June 2058.

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]]> true <![CDATA[Reactor pressure vessel installed at Indian nuclear plant]]> The 320-tonne vessel which will house the core of unit 5 at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in India was lifted by crane into place in a precision operation as the VVER-1000 construction project enters its next phase.

]]> Tue, 16 Jun 2026 13:49:38 GMT The pressure vessel, which was manufactured at the Atommash plant of Rosatom's Machine Building Division in Volgodonsk, in Russia, was delivered to the construction site in 2025. The installation was carried out using the "open top" method, using a heavy-duty crane to lift it into the building before the reactor dome is closed, the Russian company said. This method was previously used by the Russian-Indian team during the construction of Kudankulam units 3 and 4.

With the reactor vessel installed, the main equipment of the nuclear steam supply system - steam generators, main circulation pumps, main circulation pipeline units, pressure compensator, and emergency core cooling system tanks - can now be installed. 

“А recipe for the success of the Kudankulam NPP project is the long-standing and efficient cooperation between India and Russia. Indian specialists are constructing and commissioning four power units based on the Russian design, with two more power units generating electricity for over 10 years," Mikhail Novikov, Atomstroyexport Director of Projects in India said.


The vessel was lifted into place in a precision operation (Image: Rosatom)

The Kudankulam nuclear power plant project is being implemented under an intergovernmental agreement between India and Russia dating back to 1988. The first two Russian-supplied VVER-1000 pressurised water reactors, which are owned and operated by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), were connected to the Indian grid in 2013 and 2016, respectively. According to Rosatom, by April 2026 they had generated more than 127 billion kWh of electricity.

Four further VVERs are under construction: work started on the second phase of the Kudankulam project, units 3 and 4, in 2017, and on units 5 and 6 in 2021. Once all six units are in operation, Kudankulam's output will cover a significant share of the electricity demands in Tamil Nadu, a state of 72 million, as well as being distributed in other states on India's southern grid, according to Rosatom.

"The milestone reflects the strong collaboration and coordinated efforts between NPCIL and Atomstroyexport ... Kudankulam stands as a cornerstone of India’s clean energy ambitions. With Units 1 & 2 already generating power at rated capacity and having produced nearly 130 billion units of electricity, the project has already helped avoid approximately 112 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions -a significant contribution to environmental sustainability," NPCIL said.

A fourth phase comprising two VVER-1200 reactors - Kudankulam 7 and 8 - has been proposed.

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Pressure vessel in place at Indian plant
Key equipment shipped together to India and China

]]> ]]> true <![CDATA[Fourth application for Swedish state support for new nuclear]]>  ]]> Tue, 16 Jun 2026 10:07:41 GMT The Ministry of Finance said the application states that the project involves two large-scale reactors that are estimated to generate 2,500 MW of power.

The ministry said that receiving an application means work can begin on making a decision on providing state support. This includes negotiations between the government and the company on the terms and scope of the support as well as ongoing dialogue with the European Commission to ensure that any support is compatible with the European Union's state aid rules.

"Sweden needs more stable electricity production," said Minister of Financial Markets Niklas Wykman. "It is therefore positive that interest in investing in new nuclear power continues to be high."

The two ABB-designed boiling water reactors (BWRs) at Barsebäck, about 30 kilometres from Malmö in southern Sweden, shut down in November 1999 and May 2005, respectively. The two 600 MWe reactors - which began operating in 1975 and 1977 - were shut down early because of political pressure from neighbouring Denmark.

In January this year, the Municipality of Kävlinge and Nordic Nuclear Energy (NNE) - part of the same group as Nordic Baseload Power - signed a joint letter of intent regarding cooperation to potentially establish a boiling water reactor in the area where the Barsebäck nuclear power plant is currently being dismantled.

"Kävlinge Municipality is in a unique position in that there is an existing local development plan that allows for additional nuclear power production at Barsebäck," Annsofie Thuresson, Chair of the Municipal Executive Board, said at the time of signing the letter of intent. "Through this cooperation, we now want to examine whether there are conditions for establishing new, modern nuclear power in the area of the former Barsebäck plant."

NNE CEO Göran Engberg said: "We are looking at several sites, but consider Barsebäck to be one of the most interesting, not least because energy demand is so high in electricity price area 4."

NNE's primary development and commercial focus is BWR-N, an evolutionary Nordic boiling water reactor designed for large-scale, fossil-free baseload power and adapted to Nordic regulatory requirements and industrial needs. The design builds on the proven Nordic reactor tradition represented by Forsmark 3 and Oskarshamn 3. The company says its objective is to develop BWR-N as a series-built reactor platform. The company’s initial target is four reactors, with two in Sweden and two in Finland, reflecting the economics of series deployment over one-off construction.

In parallel, NNE is developing micro-modular reactor solutions for local and industrial applications where smaller, flexible and dispatchable energy production is required.

Background

In October 2022, Sweden's incoming centre-right coalition government adopted a positive stance towards nuclear energy. In November 2023, it unveiled a roadmap which envisages the construction of new nuclear generating capacity equivalent to at least two large-scale reactors by 2035, with the equivalent capacity of up to 10 new large-scale reactors (which may include small modular reactors) coming online by 2045. A new act on state aid entered into force on 1 August 2025, since when interested companies have been able to apply for the aid.

The Swedish government received the first such application in December to support proposals for either five GE Vernova Hitachi BWRX-300 reactors or three Rolls-Royce SMRs to provide about 1,500 MW capacity at Ringhals on the Värö Peninsula. The application came from Videberg Kraft AB, a project company owned by Vattenfall AB and backed by a series of industrial firms via the Industrikraft i Sverige AB consortium.

In early June this year, Blykalla submitted an application for government financing for its planned power plant in Norrsundet, Gävle, in east central Sweden, comprising six SEALER reactors, which will have a total generating capacity of up to 330 MWe.

Earlier this week, Studsvik submitted an application for state support for up to 1,400 MW of new nuclear power, featuring small modular reactors, in the southern part of the country, with options at Valdemarsvik and Nyköping forming the basis of the application.

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]]> true <![CDATA[University launches nuclear fission and fusion control room simulator]]>  ]]> Tue, 16 Jun 2026 10:57:55 GMT The university said the simulator was the first of its kind in the UK and would support the country's clean energy goals and help enhance future nuclear safety.

Funded through a GBP2 million (USD2.7 million) grant from the Office for Students, the Lancaster University Nuclear Operations Simulator includes a wraparound screen across three sides of the new facility, which, along with software similar to that found across a range of nuclear reactors, provides an immersive experience for students. It includes what is described as a highly reconfigurable design and software for different reactor types including pressurised water reactors, small modular reactors, and tokamak fusion reactors, with software codes developed by GSE Solutions, Westinghouse, Norway's Institute for Energy Technology, and Tokamak Energy.

Tokamak Energy said it has installed its SOPHIA software programme into the simulator, which was originally developed to predict, simulate and validate experiments in the company's record-breaking ST40 fusion machine. It said the software allows scientists and engineers to get maximum gains from every experiment without needing to test multiple scenarios in the physical machine – which reaches plasma temperatures six times hotter than the centre of the sun – removing human error and fast-tracking results.

"This is a fantastic initiative by Lancaster University that we are extremely proud to support," said Ross Morgan, Tokamak Energy's Fusion Managing Director. "Young people are more aware than ever that the world needs a new supply of clean, secure energy. We hope our tokamak simulator SOPHIA will inspire students to pursue a career in fusion energy and help make the world a better place for future generations."

The simulator also includes leading-edge audio-visual equipment that can be used to flexibly configure different scenarios and record student interactions in the simulation environment to support student feedback. It has also been designed so that furniture can be reconfigured to represent different control room layouts.

The facility will be ready for teaching students at the university from the next academic year.

Lancaster University currently hosts the only single honours Nuclear Engineering undergraduate programme in the UK and has one of the country's strongest nuclear science and technology research communities with expertise across the fission and fusion fuel cycles, nuclear medicine, nuclear security and safeguards.

Rebecca Lingwood, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Lancaster University, said: "This fabulous new facility will augment Lancaster's long-established strength across disciplines such as nuclear engineering and cyber security, providing our students with a truly excellent learning experience. Lancaster University plays a vital role as an economic anchor institution in north-west England and this facility will further enable us in helping to deliver a new generation of young people equipped with the skills needed to support a low-carbon energy sector vital for national energy security, as well as a critical sector for the region's economy."

Paul Smith, Chair in Networking and Principal Investigator of the initiative, said: "This high-fidelity simulator will enable us to create simulations of scenarios where nuclear facilities are cyber attacked, providing valuable in-depth learning experiences for our cyber security students, some of which may become future cyber security professionals protecting our critical national infrastructure."

Samuel Murphy, Director of Studies for Nuclear Engineering at Lancaster University, added: "This exciting and deeply immersive new facility will greatly enhance the experience and learning opportunities for students on our Nuclear Engineering programmes, helping to maintain Lancaster's position as a leading provider of nuclear education in the UK."

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]]> ]]> true <![CDATA[UK to guarantee enriched uranium supplies to Ukraine]]>  ]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2026 07:47:30 GMT The deal was agreed between the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their meeting in London last week.

"The agreement also supports UK jobs and exports, with more than a third of the uranium content originating from Urenco's processing plant in the North-West of England," a UK government statement said. "Urenco employs more than 650 people in the UK and its work at its Chester site supports more than 4,500 jobs around the UK in the wider supply chain."

The financing, backed by UK Export Finance, builds on a previous two-year deal to supply nuclear fuel to Ukraine.

In November 2023, Urenco agreed to continue supplying Energoatom with enriched uranium until 2035, with an option to extend the contract to 2043.

In 2024, Energoatom agreed a loan of EUR181 million (USD210 million) from Deutsche Bank AG and Barclays Bank PLC under the guarantees of UK Export Finance. Energoatom noted that it fully and on time fulfilled its financial obligations to its partner Urenco in 2024–2025.

Energoatom has a number of contracts for the supply of nuclear materials - enriched and natural uranium hexafluoride. In particular, Canada's Cameco will ensure the supply of uranium until 2035, which will be enriched by the UK's Urenco.

Urenco, a UK-Dutch-German company, has worked with Energoatom since 2009. Energoatom's sole supplier for fuel assemblies for its power plants has been Westinghouse Electric Sweden, with the enriched uranium used for that fuel manufacture supplied by Urenco. The previous supply contracts with Urenco - for enriched uranium product and natural uranium hexafluoride - expired in 2025.

Ukraine has 15 reactors - including the six at Zaporizhzhia which have been under Russian military control since early March 2022 - whose combined capacity generates about half of its electricity. The country is looking to the West for new nuclear capacity, large and small, including an agreement with Westinghouse to build nine AP1000 reactors at established sites.

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]]> true <![CDATA[Podcast: Urenco expansion plans to fuel nuclear growth]]> Laurent Odeh, chief commercial officer for Urenco, outlines the uranium enrichment and nuclear fuel services company's capacity expansion plans as it responds to a record order book.

]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2026 20:52:29 GMT

Uranium enrichment explained

Urenco was established in 1970, and is one-third owned by the UK government, one-third by the Netherlands and one-third by the two German utilities RWE and Eon. It provides uranium enrichment services, which is the third stage of the nuclear fuel cycle (after mining of uranium and conversion, but before the fabrication phase).

Unenriched, or natural, uranium contains about 0.7% of the fissile uranium-235 (U-235) isotope. ("Fissile" means it's capable of undergoing the fission process by which energy is produced in a nuclear reactor). The rest is the non-fissile uranium-238 isotope. Most nuclear reactors need fuel containing between 3.5% and 5% U-235. This is also known as low-enriched uranium, or LEU. Advanced reactor designs that are now being developed - and many small modular reactors - will require higher enrichments still. Material containing between 5-10% U-235 is known as LEU+ and high-assay low-enriched uranium, or HALEU, covers enrichment up to 20%.

Enrichment increases the concentration of the fissile isotope by passing the gaseous uranium hexafluoride through gas centrifuges, in which a fast spinning rotor inside a vacuum casing makes use of the very slight difference in mass between the fissile and non-fissile isotopes to separate them. As the rotor spins, the concentration of molecules containing heavier, non-fissile, isotopes near the outer wall of the cylinder increases, with a corresponding increase in the concentration of molecules containing the lighter U-235 isotope towards the centre.  contains more details about the enrichment process and technology.

Urenco's expansion plans

Earlier this month Urenco USA announced that its facility in New Mexico, which is currently the only commercial uranium enrichment capacity in the USA, is to see its capacity increased by 2.1 million SWU (Separative Work Unit - the standard measure of the effort required to separate U235 and U238 - see  and pro's  for more information about uranium enrichment). 

Together with expansion plans in the Netherlands and Germany that means Urenco is adding 4.6 million new SWU, all built on the strong order book, "stable policies and the support and confidence of our customers". The extra capacity will come online over the next six years or so.

Things have definitely changed quite dramatically since 2020, notes Odeh.

"We were planning to be a smaller company in 2030 than we were in 2020, for the reason that there was ample over-capacity in the enrichment market. Prices were depressed and therefore we were just planning for as soft a landing as we could in terms of capacity. Then several factors came into play that have completely changed the landscape for nuclear and therefore for enrichment. The first one was decarbonisation. There was a clear drive to decarbonise, and the pledges signed at COP28 (to at least triple global nuclear capacity  by 2050) clearly showed political willingness to enter into nuclear again. The war in Ukraine has put the spotlight on energy security and energy independence as well, and people have realised that nuclear can be, and should be, part of the mix to ensure energy security. And finally, you can see reliance on fossil fuel at the moment, with the extreme volatility that we see in the oil and gas market, is also an element that played in favour of nuclear. 

"So this whole chain of events has changed completely the landscape, the view towards nuclear. So now people, countries, utilities are looking at nuclear again. And that was post the start of the war in Ukraine.

"You can also see another factor, which is the extreme growth of electricity demand, especially in the United States, based on data centres for AI being built, that need baseload power, 24/7 decarbonised electricity. And that's where nuclear has a role to play. And therefore, if nuclear has a role to play, we as an enricher of uranium, we too have a role to play."


(Image: Urenco)

Odeh says there is a strong link between the order book and expansion plans: "We're relatively lucky in the nuclear business. When people build a large nuclear power plant, you can see the demand coming. So you can adapt and adjust your capacity accordingly to serve that market. We take a punt as well, but of course, the stronger the order book, the more confidence we have in our capacity expansion."

And the long lead time for nuclear new-build helps too. "It's quicker to expand an enrichment facility - basically we replicate modules that look exactly like the previous one - than it is to build a nuclear power plant," he says.

Having said that, there is the prospect of small modular and advanced modular reactors  which should be quicker to build. Odeh says Urenco is ready to adapt its business model if necessary if much quicker build-times emerge for 4th generation reactors.

Urenco uses centrifuges to enrich uranium, but what about innovative new tech being trialled or piloted, like laser enrichment or chemical enrichment processes?

Odeh says: "We are quite well placed to know that there could be disruptive technologies that change the market entirely. In 2000, it was gas diffusion plant that was the main technology to enrich uranium, and then the centrifuges became more efficient, more effective, and therefore suddenly the centrifuge became the workhorse of the industry and still is today. We continue to believe that the centrifuge technology will remain the workhorse.

"Having said that, we always monitor what the competition is doing. We always monitor the potential new technologies. We've made a small investment in Ubaryon, as you know, a chemical enrichment potential. But at the moment there is no intention for Urenco to change the main technology we use, which is the gas diffusion centrifuge."

How significant does he see the recently announced capability to produce LEU+ - material containing between 5% and 10% U-235 - in the UK and the USA?

"It's a significant step because you can see today, and we talked about it earlier on, it takes a long time to add capacity to build a new reactor, a traditional reactor, a large-scale reactor. Therefore, utility customers, if they want to increase their output, they are looking at what can we do. And one way to do that is to produce fuel using LEU+, a higher level of enrichment, to increase the burnup, to increase the length of the cycle, and to reduce the number of outages. So quite a few utilities in the world, and particularly in the US, are looking at this new kind of product. So come next year, we'll have two facilities out of the four we operate today that are capable of producing LEU+."

There is also the future need for HALEU fuel and Urenco’s project at Capenhurst to have the first European commercial-scale facility. How is it progressing?

"It's progressing fairly well. We have launched the first HALEU commercial-scale facility at our Capenhurst site, together with the UK government that co-funds this facility. For HALEU, it's a bit more of a challenge because the market is nascent. You don't have a mature market. So you've got quite a lot of reactor developers that need HALEU fuel but they are not yet established. They don't always have the construction licence. So it's quite difficult for a private company like us to invest hundreds of millions of euro/pounds/dollars into a facility when you don't know exactly where and to who you're going to sell it to. The UK government helped us to basically solve this chicken and egg problem. So we're building. We're on track to have the output and the facility online in 2031. We are discussing with a few reactor developers for their trial of fuel. And should that market take off, we have the opportunity to expand, again, using the same modular approach that we've done in the past to be able to build whatever the market needs."

With large-scale reactors there are about five or six main designs in the market, compared with 80 or so for SMRs and AMRs. Odeh says: "So there will need to be some level of consolidation, rationalisation, because everyone's got a different type of fuel, different type of cycles."

Does Urenco ever consider entering other parts of the fuel cycle?
A graphic showing the main nuclear fuel cycle stages (Image: pro)

"There's always a question of vertical integration … competitors sometimes are vertically integrated. The one thing we know is enrichment. We know how to do it and we do that fairly well. We've had, from time to time, discussion about what's the strategic positioning of the company. The focus remains on enrichment, providing enrichment services. There aren't that many companies in the world that can provide those services. So we see that as our duty, as well as to be able to expand and deliver the critical services that utilities need. And of course, we are good nuclear stewards as well. So when you do enrichment, you end up with two streams of product. One is enriched uranium product, the other one is depleted UF6. So we've also built a tails management facility on our site in Capenhurst that we are looking to expand, because the more enrichment demand you have, the more depleted uranium you produce. We are doing deconversion of UF6 into oxide, a more stable form for long-term storage. That can be re-enriched in the future, if market circumstances change. But those are the two main things that we're working on."

The medical isotopes business is also a priority for Urenco. "It's a smaller, much smaller, business, but very critical when it comes to research, medical applications - every year millions of people use our product for either diagnosis or treatment, so it is something that we're very proud of," says Odeh.

And does he think that there will be sufficient nuclear fuel were there to be a tripling of nuclear capacity by 2050?

"Yes, simply put, yes. As I said, it takes a lot less time to build an enrichment hall than it is to build a nuclear reactor today. We've got our sites licensed for more capacity than they currently operate under, and therefore we've got the potential to expand our sites and our facilities. We've already announced equivalent to 4.6 million SWU of additional capacity. It's a significant undertaking. If we're talking about tripling nuclear by 2050, and the US is even talking about quadrupling their own nuclear capacity - let me put it this way, that'd be a nice problem to have for us."

Will there be enough uranium to enrich though?

Odeh says: "You need to start exploration today to find the new deposits, but what we've seen recently is more budget being allocated to exploration. It takes a long time to build a nuclear power plant. It takes a long time to bring a new mine online too. So those things need to happen in parallel. But there is a lot of uranium in the world. You just need to find the right deposit and to be able to mine it economically. So I think the fuel cycle is working. The nuclear industry forces you to think about not the next three years, the next five years, but the next 20, 30, 40 years. So I'm very hopeful that our colleagues in uranium mining are doing the right thing in terms of allocating significant budget for exploration. We will, when it comes to enrichment, be able to expand accordingly. As I said, I have no doubt that we can step up."

What would be his ask to governments to help facilitate nuclear capacity expansion?

"What I'm asking government to consider is to have a level playing field. Competition is good, but it has to be a fair competition. For years, there has been no reciprocity between ourselves in the Western world and non-OECD countries when it comes to enrichment product and prices. And we've seen a lot of product being dumped into the market at depressed prices. Now the US has taken a bold decision in putting a Russian ban in place from 1 January 2028. That gave us the visibility and enabled us to trigger investment, because you know that you're going to invest hundreds of millions, billions of dollars, but that suddenly you won't have a wave of product coming onto that market. So the US has done that. Now we're looking at Europe, which is the other key market we operate in. We work everywhere, but our two key markets are the US and Europe. And in Europe, there is this discussion about Repower EU (the potential EU energy-related legislation]. We're yet to find some clarity on that front. So people are asking us to invest, to add on capacity, but we also need the right ingredients in terms of policy to make sure that, should we invest and trigger significant investment, we won't find ourselves five years down the road with waves of volumes coming from non-OECD countries at depressed prices, which will then depress the entire market and force us to book impairment as we did in 2016 and 2017 on our US asset."

There is a widespread goal of at least tripling of global nuclear capacity by 2050. Will the target be achieved?

"I think there will be more installed capacity in 2050 than there is today. Tripling is a very significant ask. Again, it takes some vision. Nuclear is not a policy you decide and then you flip-flop at every election cycle. You need to have a clear view. I was born and raised in France. After the oil shock in the 1970s, there was a clear, serious nuclear plan, building the series effect, boom, boom, boom. And then you've got the learning, you gain experience alongside, you've got a strong supply chain that can be mobilised. You look at what's happening in China at the moment, that's exactly what's happening. You've got six or seven reactors being switched on every year, rigorously. It's the same for other countries. It's a significant undertaking, but energy demand is coming up, electricity is going up. If you want carbon-free, reliable base-load power, nuclear has to be part of the solution. So whether it's tripling or not, I will not comment just yet. I think it's a very, very strong ambition, but I'm convinced that there will be more installed capacity. And even doubling nuclear when compared to today will be a significant achievement. If more can be done, great."

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Episode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

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]]> true <![CDATA[Sweden's Parliament approves reclassification of uranium mining]]>  ]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:45:40 GMT The parliament - the Riksdag - voted in favour of a government bill on 11 June proposing amendments to Sweden's Nuclear Activities Act (1984:3) under which uranium mines are no longer to be considered as a "nuclear facility". The bill also included an amendment to the Act on Financial Measures for the Management of Residual Products from Nuclear Activities (2006:647) so that "extraction waste from a nuclear activity that concerns the extraction and processing of nuclear materials" is not considered a nuclear waste product.

With uranium mines no longer regulated as nuclear facilities, uranium extraction will no longer require explicit municipal consent. This creates a more predictable permitting framework which will facilitate future uranium mine development, according to Aura Energy, owner of the polymetallic Häggån deposit.

"The momentum in pro-nuclear legislation continues in Sweden, where the removal of the uranium mining ban in January 2026 has now been supplemented with the declassification of uranium mining as a nuclear facility. This step brings uranium into line with other minerals and creates a more predictable, uniform permitting process for uranium mining in Sweden," the company's Executive Chairman Phil Mitchell said.

Häggån, located in Berg municipality in the province of Jämtland in central Sweden, is estimated to contain 800 million pounds U3O8 (307,718 tU) of uranium resources in addition to other minerals including potash and vanadium. Earlier this year, the Geological Survey of Sweden formally proposed designating the deposit as of national interest for valuable materials.

"With an evolving regulatory environment in Sweden that is clearly supportive of investment in mineral exploration and development, Aura will continue to engage with local communities as crucial stakeholders in the establishment of a successful mining operation in Sweden," Mitchell added.

District Metals Corp's Viken property, also in Jämtland, contains 1.5 billion pounds U3O8 of inferred resources and 176 million pounds U3O8 of indicated resources, as well as vanadium, potash, molybdenum, nickel, copper, zinc, and other important and critical raw materials. The company's CEO Garrett Ainsworth described the parliamentary decision as a significant milestone in Sweden’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its domestic nuclear fuel and critical minerals supply chains. "This change to the permitting framework for uranium fits with Sweden’s ongoing nuclear expansion," he said.

"By establishing a more predictable permitting framework for uranium extraction and processing, Sweden is aligning these activities with other mining projects while maintaining robust environmental and safety standards. We believe these changes further enhance the strategic importance of the Viken Deposit and our broader Alum Shale Properties as Sweden and the European Union seek secure, long-term sources of uranium and other important and critical raw materials required for energy security and low-carbon economic competitiveness," he added.

Coastal sites

The Riksdag has also voted in favour of the government's proposal to amend Sweden's environmental code to enable the expansion of nuclear power in more places on the coast, while also maintaining the protection of natural and cultural values.

A ban on nuclear installations in coastal areas and the archipelagos of Bohuslän, from the border with Norway to Brofjorden, in the provinces of Småland and Östergötland, from Simpevarp till Arkö Sound, from Storfjärden in the estuary of Ångermanälven to Skagsudde, and on the island of Öland will be removed. A ban on nuclear installations in coastal areas and the archipelagos of Bohuslän, from Brofjorden to Simpevarp and from Arkösund to Forsmark, also the coast of Gotland, at Östergarn and Storsundet on Gotland and on Fårö, in places other than where there are already certain industrial and similar facilities, will also be removed.

All the amendments will come into force on 15 July.

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]]> true <![CDATA[TerraPowerpro Natrium reactor begins UK GDA process]]>  ]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2026 13:49:03 GMT The Bill Gates-chaired company has also announced the creation of TerraPower UK, a UK subsidiary, its first office outside the USA.

Chris Levesque, President and CEO of TerraPower, said: "TerraPower is entering the UK market with a long-term commitment to supporting the nation's clean energy future and establishing ourselves as a serious and reliable deployment partner."

He said that creating the UK-based firm and beginning Step 1 of the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process "advances our mission to bring the Natrium technology to Britain".

A Generic Design Assessment is the process to assess nuclear power plant designs, notably the safety, security and environmental implications. It looks at this aspect separately from applications to build them at specific sites.

The ONR says that by assessing at the design stage, any potential safety, security or environmental concerns can be identified and highlighted so "they can be addressed before commitments are made to construct any reactors based on that design. GDA is also designed to be generic, allowing the results of the regulators' assessment to potentially be applied to multiple sites where that design is subsequently constructed".

TerraPower submitted its GDA application in October, the first regulatory filing for Natrium technology in a market outside the USA. It was accepted into the process in February and the UK's Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales have now begun the GDA process.

Over the coming months the ONR will discuss with Terrapower, the Environment Agency, and Natural Resources Wales, "to prepare and agree interface arrangements, undertake reactor familiarisation activities, and develop and define the GDA scope, project delivery strategy and assessment plans needed to guide future formal assessment activities".

Alan McGoff, the Environment Agency's Policy Lead New Nuclear Build, said: "GDA's purpose is to de-risk future Natrium projects by ensuring that environmental protection is built into the design from the start. This is the first GDA where we can take advantage of our arrangements for enhanced cooperation between international regulators following the UK and US governments' signing last year of the Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy."

Yeliz Marshall, Natural Resources Wales's Radioactivity and Industry Policy Senior Specialist Advisor, said: "It provides a valuable route to embed environmental protection early in the Natrium design and address key risks ahead of any future deployment."

Diego Fernandez Lisbona, ONR Head of Regulation for the TerraPower Natrium GDA and Advanced Nuclear Technologies, said: "Our focus is on agile and timely delivery of a robust, risk-informed and proportionate assessment of the design's safety, security and safeguards aspects, to ensure it meets UK regulatory requirements and expectations."

Ian Hudson, who has been appointed as head of Terrapower UK, said: "Establishing a permanent presence enables us to work closely with our partners to deliver the critical energy infrastructure needed to support the UK's clean energy transition and economic prosperity."

Background

In terms of small modular reactors (SMRs), Rolls-Royce SMR Limited's SMR design entered the GDA process in 2022 and is currently in Step 3 - the final step - of the process; Holtec's SMR-300 entered the GDA process in December 2023 and is currently in Step 2; and GE Vernova Hitachi's BWRX-300 entered the process in January 2024 and completed Step 2 in December 2025.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has been chairman of TerraPower since 2006. The firm's molten salt-based energy storage system means the Natrium plant can temporarily boost output to 500 MWe when needed, enabling the plant to follow daily electric load changes and integrate seamlessly with fluctuating renewable resources.

TerraPower began non-nuclear construction for its first Natrium plant, in Kemmerer, Wyoming, in June 2024, and expects construction of the plant - which it says will be the first commercial-scale, advanced nuclear project in the USA - to be complete in 2030. The first Natrium project is being developed through the US Department of Energy's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program.

Earlier this year, social media giant Meta announced that its future nuclear energy plans included funding to support the development in the USA of up to eight Natrium sodium fast reactors - two new units capable of generating up to 690 MW of firm power with delivery as early as 2032, plus the rights for energy from up to six other Natrium units capable of producing 2.1 GW and targeted for delivery by 2035.

The Natrium reactor is a TerraPower and GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy technology.

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]]> ]]> true <![CDATA[Core Power to assess BWXT SMRs for floating nuclear power plants]]>  ]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2026 10:39:33 GMT The mPower small modular reactor (SMR) is an integral pressurised light-water design with 195 MWe or 575 MWt capacity. The feasibility study "will cover baseline information exchange, systems engineering, concept of operations development, product requirements definition, regulatory pathway assessment, marine integration studies and techno-economic analysis".

Floating nuclear power plants are designed to be built in shipyards and moved close to end users and areas of high demand. Core Power says that "by shifting construction into a controlled industrial environment, they offer the potential to cut delivery risk, improve repeatability and provide reliable power to places constrained by grid capacity, land availability or long civil planning or infrastructure timelines".

The initial assessment is being funded by Core Power and is intended "to inform future decisions on engineering scope, regulatory engagement, commercial structure and potential next steps".

Core Power CEO Mikal Bøe said: "This assessment of the mPower technology is a significant step in our strategy to accelerate the design of our fully modular floating nuclear power plants.

"Electric power demand is rapidly outstripping supply. Markets that need reliable electricity cannot wait for conventional infrastructure timelines. The United States has the nuclear expertise, the industrial base and the maritime heritage to lead this market. Core Power's role is to combine those strengths and accelerate the path from technology to product."

Speaking at the Accelerating Nuclear for Energy Generation and Shipping conference in London, he added that the aim was to present the floating nuclear power plant design "to our first customers - electric utilities, ports, industrial manufacturers, data centres and the military - for them to evaluate the design on specific sites and the infrastructure needs to connect to the grid on land, local permitting and operating and contract pricing models. All going well that leads to the contracting stage and a cemented position for Core Power as the first leading FNPP supplier in the OECD".

He described it as an "Airbus industrial model" where key components are supplied by specialist manufacturers, and said Core Power would be "announcing a host of key partners in the coming months". Work was already taking place on designing a training programme for future operators, he said, and US shipyard selection was being fast-tracked.

Land-based SMRs

Meanwhile, in a separate announcement on Wednesday, Applied Atomics announced it had entered a licensing agreement with BWX Technologies under which Applied Atomics "will have exclusive rights to use mPower in the commercial development and deployment of land-based nuclear facilities in the United States, Canada and elsewhere. BWXT retains ownership of the mPower IP and will hold exclusive manufacturing rights for all mPower components plus royalty rights for any components manufactured by Applied Atomics or other third parties".

BWXT preserved the mPower engineering archive and test facilities following the programme's 2017 suspension, Applied Atomics said, adding: "Under the terms of the agreement, Applied Atomics will re-engage the NRC (US Nuclear Regulatory Commission) to resume mPower design certification activities and develop site-specific engineering for initial commercial deployments. Applied Atomics will also contract with BWXT to provide technical support as the licensing process advances."

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]]> true <![CDATA[Fusion plant clears regulatory milestone]]> The receipt of two licences from the Washington Department of Health marks a major milestone for fusion company Helion in its project to build its Orion nuclear power plant.

]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2026 11:22:44 GMT Washington State-based Helion says it is the first company in the world to have the regulatory approvals needed to build and operate a fusion power plant.

The Radioactive Materials licence and Radioactive Air Emissions licence confirm that Helion has the facilities, trained personnel, and safety programmes in place at the Orion facility to meet the rigorous safety standards required for fusion operations. 

"We are extremely proud to be granted these licences from the Washington Department of Health, making us the first company in the world with the regulatory approvals in place for fusion power plant operations," said Helion Energy's David Kirtley. "We have a long history of working with the Department of Health to licence our previous fusion activities. Today's announcement represents the rigour of that work and opens the door for practical, commercial, safe fusion power."

The Washington Department of Health (DOH) is the licensing body for fusion power in the state, following the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) decision to regulate fusion under the byproduct material framework, alongside particle accelerators and hospitals, unlike fission reactors which are regulated by the NRC itself. This distinction "reflects fusion's fundamentally different safety profile and enables a right-sized path to deployment", Helion said. 

These are the latest in a group of key permits and licences needed for Helion to build and operate its first fusion power plant in Malaga in Washington state, the company said. It is also working toward a transmission interconnection agreement with Chelan County Public Utility District, in what will be the first such agreement for a fusion power plant.

Helion began construction of buildings to support the Orion fusion plant last July, on land it is leasing from the Chelan County Public Utilities District. Construction of the assembly and office building is now complete. Now, the company said, it can proceed with work on the generator building, for which initial earthwork began earlier this year.

Helion says its approach to fusion energy differs in three main ways from other approaches: its pulsed fusion system keeps its fusion device smaller than other approaches, and allows it to adjust the power output based on need; its system is built to directly recover electricity, while other fusion systems heat water to create steam to turn a turbine; and it uses deuterium and helium-3 as fuel, which helps keep its system small and efficient.

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]]> ]]> true <![CDATA[Sites selected for Korean nuclear new build]]> Yeongdeok in North Gyeongsang Province has been selected by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power for two new large-scale nuclear reactors. Gijang, in Busan, has been chosen to site a new small modular reactor.

]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2026 13:55:09 GMT South Korea's 11th Basic Plan - which covers 2024 to 2038 - calls for two new large nuclear power reactors with a combined capacity of 2.8 GWe and 700 MW of small modular reactor capacity to be built by 2038, in addition to the large reactors already under construction or planned.

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) launched a bidding process to select the host cities or towns in January, days after the government confirmed plans to construct the reactors by 2038. Two regions - Ulju, in Ulsan and Yeongdeok, in Gyeongbuk (North Gyeongsang) - applied for the large nuclear power plant, while the regions of Gyeongju-si in Gyeongbuk and Gijang, in Busan, applied to host the small modular reactor (SMR) by the 30 March deadline.

The sites were then reviewed by the New Nuclear Power Plant Site Selection Evaluation Committee of external experts in policy/humanities, environment, nuclear power, and geology/seismology which was set up by KHNP in April last year. The committee carried out basic site and environmental surveys, on-site inspections and a public opinion survey on the applicant sites.

"Based on the objective data collected through these processes and the site evaluation criteria, the committee conducted a comprehensive evaluation and selected Yeongdeok-gun for the Large Nuclear Power Plant and Gijang-gun for the SMR as the candidate sites for the new nuclear power plants," KHNP said.

"A stable power supply is essential for securing national competitiveness and for future generations," the Site Selection Committee said. "Our committee strove to find the optimal location by prioritising regional co-prosperity and the role of the plant as a base load power source to sustain the industrial ecosystem."

The committee expressed its gratitude to the local governments and residents "who showed such fervent enthusiasm for hosting the project" and asked KHNP to "utilise the residents' opinions identified during the survey process - including reasons for support or opposition to nuclear power plant construction and suggestions for improvement - when formulating future cooperation plans with the region".

South Korea has four operational APR1400 units - Saeul units 1 and 2 (formerly Shin Kori 3 and 4) and Shin Hanul units 1 and 2. Four APR1400s are under construction as Saeul units 3 and 4 and Shin Hanul 3 and 4. Four APR1400 units have also been built at the Barakah nuclear power plant in the UAE, which are all now in commercial operation.

In February 2026, Korea's National Assembly passed the Special Act on the Promotion and Support of SMR Development, establishing a framework including a five-year basic plan and an SMR Development Promotion Committee. The Ministry of Science and ICT plans to invest KRW1200 billion (USD830 million) by 2030 in core technology designs for three domestically developed SMR types. A consortium led by KHNP and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute is developing the Innovative Small Modular Reactor (i-SMR) - an integrated pressurised water reactor type nuclear power plant with an electrical output of 170 MW for both domestic use and export.

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]]> true <![CDATA[Estonia's Parliament passes new nuclear energy law]]>  ]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2026 11:47:48 GMT It was passed by the Estonian parliament - the Riigikogu - by 63 votes to 10. The act was amended during its legislative journey, to add the requirement for the parliament to give its approval when a decision on constructing a nuclear power plant is made.

The parliament's Economic Affairs Committee said of the Act: "The function of the national nuclear regulator, along with all the rights and obligations associated with that role, will be established under the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority. Among other things, the Act establishes a phased licensing system for the construction of a plant, consisting of a preliminary assessment, a construction licence, a testing licence, an operating licence, and a decommissioning licence. According to the Act, the nuclear regulator will begin operations on 1 January 2027.

"The Act also establishes the principle that the developer and operator of a nuclear power plant will bear full responsibility for the safety of the facility and for the costs incurred at the end of its life cycle. A national decommissioning fund will be established for the decommissioning of the nuclear power plant; during the plant's operational life, the operator will contribute funds to it for dismantling the plant and the final disposal of waste. The Act also provides for the principles of nuclear security, physical protection, emergency preparedness, and the implementation of international safeguards."

It is also limits the choice of technology "to solutions that have already been proven in practice". Subject to ratification from the President, the new law will come into force at the start of next year.

Fermi Energia says the act "clears the way for the nuclear regulator to approve the start of the second phase of Fermi Energia's national designated spatial plan and pre-assessment application for its planned 600 MWe nuclear power plant. Fermi Energia plans to submit this application in mid-2029".

Estonian SMR project

Fermi Energia was founded by Estonian energy and nuclear energy professionals to develop deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) in Estonia. In July 2019, the company launched a feasibility study on the suitability of SMRs for Estonia's electricity supply and climate goals beyond 2030, following a financing round from investors and shareholders.

In February 2023, the company selected GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy's BWRX-300 SMR for potential deployment by the early 2030s. The BWRX-300 design is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of the company's ESBWR boiling water reactor.

Fermi Energia expects to submit a construction permit application for the proposed two-SMR plant in 2029, with construction targeted to begin in 2031. The first of the SMRs is intended to be operational by the second half of 2035.

In April last year, Fermi Energia and South Korea's Samsung C&T signed a teaming agreement to collaborate on the deployment of two BWRX-300 SMRs in Estonia. Under the teaming agreement, the cooperation between Fermi Energia and Samsung C&T will focus on key aspects of the project, including the formation of an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) partnership, site constructability review, cost estimation, and financing strategies. The agreement also positions Samsung C&T as a potential EPC Prime Contractor and key commercial partner in the Estonian SMR project. This collaboration built upon a memorandum of understanding signed between the two companies in November 2024.

A first BWRX-300 small modular reactor is currently under construction at the Darlington site in Canada. The aim is for the first of four planned units there to be connected to the grid in 2030. 

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]]> true <![CDATA[Heavy water delivered for Argentina's RA-10 multipurpose reactor]]>  ]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2026 11:30:44 GMT The RA-10 is currently undergoing pre-commissioning testing which is designed to guarantee the safety and efficiency of all its integrated systems.

The receipt of the reactor-grade heavy water, with an isotopic purity of 99.86%, is linked to the final testing of the systems. In the RA-10 reactor, heavy water acts as a moderator and reflector of the neutrons produced in the core.

Argentina's National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) said: "The heavy water will be placed inside the reflector tank, a cylindrical structure two metres in diameter and one metre high, made of Zircaloy-4. The system operating with this fluid is hydraulically isolated from those working with light water to prevent cross-contamination. The reactor also has specific procedures in place to preserve the chemical quality of the heavy water and prevent potential losses during operation."

The RA-10 multipurpose reactor is a 30 MWt open pool type reactor. The project was approved by the government and officially started by CNEA in June 2010. Argentina's Nuclear Regulatory Authority granted a construction licence for RA-10 in November 2014. The civil works for the reactor began in 2016. Nuclear technology firm Invap is involved in the design and construction of the reactor facility and related installations, playing the role of main contractor.

The assembly of the RA-10 pool - which will house the core of the reactor - was completed in August 2018. The RA-10 will replace the RA-3 reactor on the same site, a 10 MWt pool-type reactor which began operations in 1967. The RA-10 will also have associated facilities such as the Argentine Neutron Beam Laboratory and the Laboratory for the Study of Irradiated Materials.

Argentina says the facility will guarantee self-sufficiency in radioisotopes for medical use and allow for exports to cover up to 20% of global demand. It will also enable the production of doped silicon for industrial applications as well as facilitating new research in a range of areas and training.

Heavy water - water containing an elevated concentration of molecules with deuterium ("heavy hydrogen") atoms - is used as a moderator and coolant in Candu reactors, which use unenriched uranium fuel. 

The Heavy Water Industrial Plant (Planta Industrial de Agua Pesada (PIAP)) at Neuquén supplied Argentina's nuclear programme from 1993 but was mothballed in 2017, with the country's nuclear power plants then relying on imports. With a capacity of 200 tonnes per year, it was the world's largest such facility, and it remains one of the most advanced. Argentina announced plans to modernise and bring it back into service in 2023, and also  In January the CNEA said it would carry out maintenance duties and prepare a bidding process for the work necessary to restart production.

Candu Energy, part of AtkinsRéalis, signed a memorandum of understanding with the CNEA in May 2025 which provided for the restart of the Heavy Water Industrial Plant "along with the long-term acquisition of its heavy water output. It also provides for planning related to the establishment of one or more similar heavy water production facilities in Canada".

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]]> true <![CDATA[Shine, Newcleo join up to close nuclear fuel cycle]]> US fusion energy company Shine has joined a consortium that is working to build US nuclear fuel recycling capability. It has also agreed to work with France-based company Newcleo to link Shine's recycling capabilities with Newcleo's reactors, which are designed to run on recycled fuel.

]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2026 10:32:25 GMT The MARIE (for Model for the Assessment of Reprocessing and Recycle with Innovative Execution) consortium is led by the independent non-profit EPRI research organisation and funded under the US Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy's (ARPA-E) CURIE programme. It is working to build an optimisation tool the US nuclear industry could use to evaluate and underwrite the first commercial used fuel recycling facilities. 

Shine is targeting a pilot facility capable of processing 100 tonnes of used nuclear fuel per year in the early 2030s - the kind of facility MARIE is designed to help underwrite. "Roughly 90,000 metric tonnes of used nuclear fuel sit in US storage today, and Shine's strategy is to turn that inventory into a strategic energy asset," the company said.

Shine's role covers the security, regulatory, and commercial questions facing a US nuclear recycling industry, drawing on its experience in licensing its Chrysalis medical isotope production facility as well as its experience as a commercial isotope producer to assess the markets for valuable isotopes recoverable from used fuel.

"Recycling effectively makes nuclear fuel a renewable resource, reshaping the next era of clean energy. The companies that figure out how to licence and build the facilities will set the pace for US recycling, and that's the work we're doing in this consortium," the company's founder and CEO Greg Piefer said.

Technical collaboration

In a separate announcement, Shine and Newcleo said they have agreed to collaborate on advancing innovative technologies for the recycling of used nuclear fuel.

They will assess how Shine could supply Newcleo with materials from the used nuclear fuel of traditional reactors to manufacture MOX fuel, and how Shine could recycle spent fuel from Newcleo's reactors. The companies also intend to jointly pursue US federal funding opportunities and explore additional opportunities for collaboration across both the US and European Union, where they say used fuel stockpiles represent a growing strategic priority.

Newcleo is developing advanced modular reactors cooled by liquid lead, and the facilities to produce mixed-oxide - or MOX - fuel to power them. Shine is developing nuclear fuel reprocessing technologies aimed at enabling the efficient and proliferation-resistant extraction of uranium and plutonium from existing used nuclear fuel inventories. The MOX fuel manufacturing capabilities that Newcleo is advancing can convert those materials into new fuel suitable for use in advanced reactor systems, the companies said.

"Closing the fuel cycle will require deep, industry-wide collaboration that brings together expertise from across the nuclear fuel supply chain. Today marks an important step in that direction, combining Shine's recycling capabilities with Newcleo's advanced fuel manufacturing and reactor technologies," Newcleo founder and CEO Stefano Buono said.

"Recycling spent nuclear fuel solves two problems at once. It addresses decades of accumulated waste and removes the fuel supply constraint on expanding the reactor fleet. Working with Newcleo connects our capabilities directly to reactors designed to run on recycled fuel. That closed fuel cycle effectively makes nuclear energy renewable and fundamentally changes its economics," Piefer said.

The companies plan to begin technical scoping this year, with joint federal funding proposals to follow.

Last year, Newcleo signed an agreement with US-based sodium-cooled fast-reactor developer Oklo to develop advanced fuel fabrication and manufacturing infrastructure in the USA. It has begun pre‑application engagement with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to support the future licensing of its first Lead-cooled Fast Reactor and an associated MOX fuel fabrication facility.

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