As a first step, the Maritime Administration has , calling on innovators and industry stakeholders to help develop an SMR model that "revitalises US shipbuilding, cuts costs, and secures energy dominance".

The Request for Information (RFI) is seeking input from industry and innovators to advance: deploying reliable, high-power energy to allow commercial ships to travel further and faster; SMRs that will largely eliminate fuel costs and reduce maintenance requirements; reinforcing US supply chains and securing energy independence to bolster its national defence; identifying streamlined deployment methods to integrate nuclear power across entire fleets and logistical networks; integrating SMR production into US shipyards to build strong robust workforce pipelines and new credentialing standards; and establishing liability, insurance, and inspection frameworks to ensure seamless port access before construction begins.

"This RFI seeks industry insight into building a coherent US system capable of long-term commercial adoption, while providing global leadership," the Maritime Administration said. "Specifically, the purpose of this RFI is to investigate if advancements in SMR technology and novel concept development are usable, scalable, and can be made commercially viable. This includes integration of SMR-propelled vessels into international regulatory regimes." The agency said it is particularly interested in concepts that "treat nuclear propulsion as commercial infrastructure rather than a technology demonstration, and that demonstrate clear pathways to scalable, repeatable maritime operations".

The Maritime Administration - whose mission is to foster, promote and develop the USA's maritime industry to meet the country's economic and security needs - noted the SMR initiative advances President Donald Trump's Executive Orders on Unleashing American Energy and Restoring America's Maritime Dominance.

Comments on the Request for Information can be submitted by 5 August.

To support the development of these SMRs, the Maritime Administration is collaborating with the US Coast Guard, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Department of Energy. It said it will collect additional input through other forums, including public workshops, listening sessions, and technical exchanges.

"Under President Trump's leadership, the US is reclaiming its rightful place as a global sea power," said US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. "To secure this future for America's shipbuilding industry, we need to innovate. By partnering with industry experts and outside-the-box thinkers to develop a strong SMR model, we will deliver a state-of-the-art energy source that cuts costs and bolsters national security—all at the Speed of Trump."

The Maritime Administration's Stephen Carmel added: "To successfully introduce SMRs, we must view this through a system-transition lens rather than just as a technology demonstration. We are seeking critical insights on how the government can help reduce systemic uncertainty, align regulatory structures, and enable the market conditions necessary for private capital and operators to scale these groundbreaking technologies."

Rosenergoatom, part of Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom and operator of the country's nuclear power plants, said the document confirms the unit's full readiness for commissioning and market entry, adding: "Our power unit is ready for safe and stable operation throughout its entire planned service life."

The 1,250 MWe unit was connected to the grid in December. During pilot operation there were a series of checks and tests at each capacity level before it was allowed to increase in steps to 100% capacity, which it reached last month. During pilot operation the new unit has already generated more than a billion kilowatt-hours of electricity.

Background

Kursk II is a new nuclear power plant in western Russia, about 60 kilometres (37.5 miles) from the Ukraine border, that will feature four of the new VVER-TOI reactors, the latest version of Russia's large light-water designs. They have upgraded pressure vessels and a power rating of 1,250 MW.

Construction of the first unit began in 2018, its polar crane was installed in October 2021 and the reactor vessel was put in place in June 2022. Concreting of the outer dome of the first unit was completed in August 2023. The second unit is also under construction and the target is for all four units to be in operation by 2034.

Rosatom says the service life of the main equipment has doubled, and that the VVER-TOI units feature a mix of passive and active safety systems and include a core meltdown localiser. The new units at Kursk II will replace the four units at the existing, nearby Kursk nuclear power plant, which are scheduled to shut by 2031.

The first unit was shut down after 45 years of operation in December 2021 and the second unit followed in January 2024. The original design life for the four RBMK-1000 reactors at the plant was for 30 years but had been extended by 15 years following life extension programmes.

In September 2020, the executive meeting of China's State Council approved the construction of units 1 and 2 as the first phase of the San'ao plant. The National Nuclear Safety Administration issued a construction permit for the two units on 30 December that year and first concrete for unit 1 was poured the following day.  First concrete for San'ao 2 was poured on 30 December 2021.

Unit 1 achieved first criticality on 14 February and was connected to the electricity grid on 12 March. It has entered commercial operation five years and four months after first concrete was poured.

The San'ao plant is the first nuclear power project in China's Yangtze River Delta region to adopt the Hualong One reactor design. A total of six Hualong One units are planned for the San'ao site.

The construction of two Hualong Ones as units 3 and 4 of the plant was among plans for 11 reactors approved by China's State Council in August 2024. The first concrete was poured for the nuclear island of unit 3 on 19 December last year.

_{(Image: CGN)}

Upon completion, the project will provide more than 54 TWh of electricity annually to Zhejiang Province and the Yangtze River Delta region, reducing standard coal consumption by over 16 million tonnes and carbon dioxide emissions by over 51 million tonnes annually, CGN noted.

The San'ao project marks the first Chinese nuclear power project involving private capital, with Geely Technology Group taking a 2% stake in the plant. CGN holds 46% of the shares of the project company Cangnan Nuclear Power, with other state-owned enterprises holding the remainder.

"After San'ao unit 1 is put into commercial operation, the number of nuclear power generating units in operation managed by the company (including associates) will increase to 30 units and the installed capacity of nuclear power generating units in operation will also increase from 33,040 MW to 34,248 MW," CGN noted.

Such tests are carried out to confirm whether components and systems important to safety are properly installed and ready to operate in a cold condition. The main purpose of cold functional tests is to verify the leak-tightness of the primary circuit and components - such as pressure vessels, pipelines and valves of both the nuclear and conventional islands - and to clean the main circulation pipes. The tests mark the first time the reactor systems are operated together with the auxiliary systems.

The cold test of unit 5 began on 17 April and lasted for 10 days. Lufeng Nuclear Power and China General Nuclear's Lufeng project department established a joint command with unified plans and unified goals and carried out the work in a "rigorous, cautious, meticulous and practical" way, CGN said.

Background

The Lufeng Nuclear Power Project is the first nuclear power project in eastern Guangdong Province. The proposed construction of four 1250 MWe CAP1000 reactors (units 1-4) at the Lufeng site was approved by China's National Development and Reform Commission in September 2014. However, the Lufeng units have not been built in the numerical order their names would appear to suggest. The construction of units 1 and 2 did not receive State Council approval until August 2024. The first safety-related concrete was poured for the nuclear island of unit 1 at the Lufeng plant on 24 February last year. Approval for units 3 and 4 is still pending.

In April 2022 the State Council approved construction of two Hualong One units at Lufeng as units 5 and 6. First concrete was poured for unit 5 on 8 September 2022 and that for unit 6 on 26 August 2023. Units 5 and 6 are expected to be connected to the grid in 2028 and 2029, respectively. The inner containment dome was installed at unit 5 in April 2024 and the outer containment dome in October 2025.

After the completion of the six pressurised water reactor units the plant will generate approximately 52 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, which will mean a CO2 reduction equivalent to planting approximately 120,000 hectares of trees, according to CGN.
 

"This marks the official entry of unit 3 of the Hainan Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant into the nuclear commissioning phase, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent grid connection and power generation target, and taking a crucial step forward," the company said. "After fuel loading is completed, the project construction team will continue to uphold the core concept of 'pursuing excellence' and strictly follow technical specifications and quality standards to advance the subsequent commissioning work, ensuring that the unit is put into operation with high quality as planned."

_{(Image: CNNC)}

First concrete was poured for the base slab of unit 3's nuclear island in March 2021, with that of unit 4 being poured in the December of that year. 

Cold hydrostatic testing - carried out to confirm whether components and systems important to safety are properly installed and ready to operate in a cold condition - were completed in April last year. These were followed by hot functional tests, which involved increasing the temperature of the reactor coolant system and carrying out comprehensive tests to ensure that coolant circuits and safety systems are operating as they should.

Changjiang Phase II - units 3 and 4 - represents a total estimated investment of CNY40 billion (USD6.4 billion), according to China Huaneng, which holds a 51% share in the project, with CNNC holding the remaining 49%. The construction period is expected to be 60 months. Both Hualong One units are scheduled to be fully operational in early 2027.

The Changjiang nuclear site is already home to two operating CNP-600 pressurised water reactors (PWRs) - Changjiang 1 and 2 - which entered commercial operation in 2015 and 2016, respectively. In 2021, CNNC also began construction of a demonstration ACP100 small modular reactor at the site. The multi-purpose 125 MWe PWR - also referred to as the Linglong One - is designed for electricity production, heating, steam production or seawater desalination.

For conventional large-scale nuclear power plants, the pouring of the first concrete for the reactor's basemat is usually taken as marking the point at which a project becomes a nuclear power unit under construction.

The Basemat module features components made of Diaphragm Plate Steel Composite, an innovative and ground-breaking modular steel-concrete material, which were produced by OPG and its partners, with the help of skilled trades from across Ontario.

The Province of Ontario approved OPG to begin construction of the first of four GE Hitachi BWRX-300 small modular reactors (SMRs) planned at the Darlington New Nuclear Project site in May 2025, weeks after the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) issued a construction licence. Early site preparation works began in the autumn of 2022 and were completed in early 2024, clearing the way for main preparation works to begin. The company recently submitted its application to the CNSC for a licence to operate the plant: it plans to connect the first unit to the grid by the end of 2030.

_{The basemat was lifted into place in a precision operation (Image: OPG)}

Building the chain

Alongside the basemat lift, the Ontario government announced that more than 100 Canadian companies have now signed on to the supply chain to support SMR builds, with the recent addition of 16 new Ontario-based companies and six companies from Quebec and Alberta. Recently awarded contracts include Walters Group, which has been awarded a CAD44.5 million (USD32.8 million) contract for structural steel; Marmon Industrial Water, with a CAD17.8 million contract for a condensate purification package; Tractel, with a CAD9.9 million contract for the reactor building weather enclosure; and Hooper Welding, awarded a CAD8.8 million contract for sampling and collection tanks.

"Ontario just executed with great precision the first foundation of a new nuclear reactor in Ontario in over 30 years," Ontario Minister of Energy and Mines Stephen Lecce said. "This is a major achievement as the world turns to Ontario to refurbish and build large scale nuclear on-time and on-budget."

The SMR supply chain is "infusing" more than CAD500 million into Ontario's economy, Lecce added: "Our government is deeply committed to building more in Canada, which is why we are proud to invest at least 80 per cent of every dollar in the Canadian supply chain."

"With the foundation of the first small modular reactor at the Darlington New Nuclear Project in place, we are now able to begin building up, with the project team now advancing construction on the reactor building's structure, internal systems and components," said Nicolle Butcher, OPG President and CEO. "This was a milestone months in the making, requiring significant attention to detail and safety, as well as the hard work of dedicated trades and project partners from across Ontario."

The Kudankulam site, near the southern tip of India, is already home to two operating Russian VVER-1000 pressurised water reactors 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 under a contract signed in 2024 which covers the fuel supply for units 3 and 4 for the entire operating life of the units.

The Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Health and Care Services, and the Ministry of Climate and Environment established an impact assessment programme for the plans for the proposed plant in February this year, allowing investigation work to begin for the project - the first of ten projects that Norsk Kjernekraft is implementing in Norwegian municipalities. The study programme for Aure and Heim is scheduled to take two years to complete.

Last month, several other municipalities proposing SMR power plants announced they had decided to initiate investigation work for their respective projects based on the framework prepared for the project in Aure and Heim. Several of the topics in the programme are general and directly transferable to other projects.

Øygarden Kjernekraft AS, which previously submitted a proposal for an investigation programme for a possible nuclear power plant in Øygarden, said it has now decided to initiate investigation work for the project. In the first phase, the company will focus particularly on the topics in chapter 4.5 of the study programme for Aure and Heim, which deals with the non-proliferation of nuclear material and its security control. "This is an area where there are already established international standards, and where Norway will be part of a comprehensive and existing control regime," said Håvard Kristiansen, Director of Licensing and Nuclear Safety at Norsk Kjernekraft. "The investigation work will include answers to how a facility can be designed and operated in accordance with requirements from international bodies such as the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as how supervision and control of nuclear material can be implemented in practice."

Meanwhile, Dalane Kjernekraft AS - which has proposed a nuclear power plant in the Dalane region - has decided to initiate investigation work for the project, initially focusing on the topics in Chapter 4.1 and Chapter 12 of the study programme for Aure and Heim. This includes the design of the nuclear plant itself, as well as assessments of costs and financing, topics that are closely related. "Chapter 4.1 provides guidelines for how the facility should be designed and planned," said Steffen Oliver Sæle, CEO of Dalane Kjernekraft AS and Chief Engineer of Norsk Kjernekraft. "This covers everything from technology choices and safety solutions to space requirements and integration with existing infrastructure." Idar Sønstabø, Chairman of the Board of Dalane Kjernekraft AS, added: "Chapter 12 is about getting a realistic picture of costs and financing. This is crucial for assessing whether and how a project can be realised."

Lister Kjernekraft AS has also decided to initiate investigation work for its project to build a nuclear power plant in the Lister region. In the first phase, Lister Kjernekraft will focus particularly on the topics in chapter 4 of the study programme, with emphasis on securing the facility, nuclear fuel and the fuel cycle. "These are fundamental conditions for all nuclear power projects," said Øyvind Aas-Hansen , Director of Government and Society at Norsk Kjernekraft. "It is about how the plant is to be secured, how fuel is handled throughout its life cycle, and how requirements for safety, control and non-proliferation are met." The investigation work will include assessments of physical security of the facility, emergency preparedness, handling of nuclear fuel, and how the fuel cycle can be organised in line with international requirements and best practice.

Grenland Kjernekraft AS's investigation work for its project for a plant in Grenland will initially focus on topics related to decommissioning, in line with Chapter 8 of the study programme for Aure and Heim. This includes how a nuclear power plant should be decommissioned and cleaned up once it is decommissioned. The investigation work will include how the facility can be designed for efficient and safe decommissioning, handling of radioactive material, and how costs and responsibilities can be managed throughout its entire lifespan. "Having a clear plan for the entire life cycle, including decommissioning, is crucial for confidence in nuclear power," said Susanne Møgster Sperrevik, Director of Corporate Governance at Norsk Kjernekraft. "Since this forms a central part of the ongoing political debate, this is an area we want to shed light on in depth at an early stage."

Varanger Kjernekraft AS also announced it had decided to initiate study work for its project in Vardø - the second location to be proposed, after the project in Aure and Heim. Its investigation will initially focus on identifying the expertise needed throughout the facility's life cycle, in line with Chapter 5 of the study programme for Aure and Heim. "We will identify what expertise is needed both in the development phase and in the long-term operating phase, and use that as the basis for a strategy for how it can be developed or attracted," Kristiansen said. "This is also an important contribution to answering the question of whether Norway has sufficient expertise to develop nuclear power."

Fensfjorden Kjernekraft AS has decided to initiate work on an impact assessment for a possible nuclear power plant Austrheim and Alver municipalities in the Mongstad region. In the initial phase, Fensfjorden Kjernekraft will prioritise the investigation of topics including radiation protection and handling of radioactive waste. "These are areas of expertise that require special expertise that we have to a lesser extent locally today, and they are topics that concern the population," said Morten Sognnes, board member of Fensfjorden Kjernekraft and mayor of Austrheim municipality. "Therefore, we want to shed light on these topics early on, so that they receive extra thorough treatment."

"This is the start of a long-term effort to assess nuclear power as a possible part of future energy supply," Sperrevik said. "We have noted that the assessment programme for Aure and Heim requires the project owner to assess alternative locations both regionally and nationally. The goal of starting assessment work in several locations is to ensure a good decision-making basis for such an assessment - ​​both for Norsk Kjernekraft and our subsidiaries, but not least for authorities, local communities and other stakeholders."

The first nuclear fuel loading operation - which involved inserting a total of 177 fuel assemblies into the core of the reactor - was completed at 11:45 local time on 3 May.

"The completion of the first fuel loading of unit 2 marks the successful transition of the unit from the engineering construction phase to the new stage of nuclear commissioning, and represents a crucial step towards achieving the goal of full completion and commissioning of the first phase of the project," China General Nuclear (CGN) said.

The Taipingling plant will eventually have six Hualong One reactors, with a total investment exceeding CNY120 billion (USD17 billion). The construction of the first and second units began in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Hot testing of unit 1 was completed in September 2024, with that of unit 2 completed in July 2025. Unit 1 attained a sustained chain reaction for the first time (referred to as first criticality) on 3 February this year and was connected to the grid on 13 February. It entered commercial operation last month.

"Building upon the successful experience of unit 1's construction and commissioning, the team further optimised construction techniques and management processes, successfully completed the unit 2 hot-state performance test, and implemented a series of digital applications, including digital handover, digital transformation of spare parts, and exoskeleton robots," CGN noted.

Construction of the second phase of the Taipingling plant - units 3 and 4 - was approved by China's State Council in December 2023, with construction of unit 3 getting under way in June last year.

Once all six units are completed and put into operation, the annual power generation will exceed 55 billion kilowatt-hours, CGN said. It will also reduce standard coal consumption by about 16.65 million tonnes and carbon dioxide emissions by about 50.82 million tonnes annually.

Changjiang unit loaded

Meanwhile, the process of loading 177 fuel assemblies into the core of unit 3 at the Changjiang nuclear power plant in Hainan province has also been completed.

_{(Image: China Huaneng)}

The first fuel assembly was loaded into the reactor core on 30 April. Following a 63-hour process, the final fuel assembly was inserted at 04:12 local time on 3 May.

China Huaneng said the milestone "marks a crucial step towards the unit's subsequent nuclear commissioning and grid connection".

First concrete was poured for the base slab of unit 3's nuclear island in March 2021, with that of unit 4 being poured in the December of that year.

Cold hydrostatic testing - carried out to confirm whether components and systems important to safety are properly installed and ready to operate in a cold condition - were completed at unit 3 in April last year. These were followed by hot functional tests, which involved increasing the temperature of the reactor coolant system and carrying out comprehensive tests to ensure that coolant circuits and safety systems are operating as they should.

Changjiang Phase II - units 3 and 4 - represents a total estimated investment of CNY40 billion (USD6.4 billion), according to China Huaneng, which holds a 51% share in the project, with China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) holding the remaining 49%. The construction period is expected to be 60 months. Both Hualong One units are scheduled to be fully operational in early 2027.

The Changjiang nuclear site is already home to two operating CNP-600 pressurised water reactors (PWRs) - Changjiang 1 and 2 - which entered commercial operation in 2015 and 2016, respectively. In 2021, CNNC also began construction of a demonstration ACP100 small modular reactor at the site. The multi-purpose 125 MWe PWR - also referred to as the Linglong One - is designed for electricity production, heating, steam production or seawater desalination.

In granting the permit, the NDK said "Akkuyu Nuclear Inc is authorised to conduct commissioning tests prior to nuclear fuel loading" in accordance with its regulatory requirements.

Turkey's nuclear regulator issued a permit for the first unit to be commissioned in December 2023, and it is currently preparing for hot and cold testing with dummy fuel loaded.

Developments this year at unit 2 include the 437-tonne turbine generator stator being moved on a special track before being lifted into place in the turbine hall of unit 2 in January, and in March the polar crane was installed in its position, which will be under the reactor building’s inner containment dome. Last month the passive core flooding system tanks - the last large components of the reactor plant primary circuit to be installed using the Open Top technology - were installed. The next phase of work includes installing the sixth tier and the dome of the inner containment building.

Sergey Butskikh, CEO of Akkuyu Nuclear JSC, said: "Obtaining the commissioning permit confirms compliance with regulatory requirements regarding the preparation of supporting documentation and allows us to begin preparations for commissioning operations at the second power unit. In parallel with construction work, specialists will begin the sequential testing and adjustment of equipment."

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. 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. All four units are under construction - first concrete for the fourth unit was poured in July 2022.

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.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, commissioning is "the process by means of which systems and components of facilities and activities, having been constructed, are made operational and verified to be in accordance with the design and to have met the required performance criteria". The process includes testing and monitoring before, and throughout the start-up steps, to ensure the reliable and safe operation of a new nuclear power plant.

The Independent Electricity System Operator has been directed to enter into a cost-sharing and recovery agreement for the pre-development activities, which are forecast to continue until around 2030.

The pre-development work "includes ongoing readiness activities such as technology selection, workforce and commercial planning, estimating the cost of site preparation activities, developing cooling water strategies, community readiness, and Indigenous engagement in addition to continuing the Impact Assessment process".

The Bruce C project - which would have a proposed capacity of 4.8 GW - is also currently proceeding with a federal integrated Impact Assessment and Licence to Prepare Site application led by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. It is currently in the Impact Statement phase "which includes engagement with the public, municipal governments, and Indigenous communities".

Ontario's government says the proposed new nuclear power plant will provide enough power for 4.8 million homes and add CAD238 billion into Canada's economy over its lifetime.

Lecce said: "The Bruce C project will advance generational employment creating 18,900 net-new jobs, transforming Bruce Power into the world’s largest nuclear generating facility. Our government is thinking big and long-term as we build on-time and on-budget, leading the largest nuclear expansion on the continent that will help put 150,000 Canadians to work."

James Scongack, Bruce Power’s Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice-President, said: "Advancing early planning for Bruce C allows us to responsibly explore how additional nuclear generation on the Bruce site can play a crucial role in supporting Ontario’s long‑term energy needs and drive economic stability and growth.

"This work is about taking the right steps in gathering information, engaging meaningfully with Indigenous communities and municipalities, and ensuring that any future decisions have been well thought out and carefully scrutinised."

Bruce Power said it was entering into agreements with the Municipality of Kincardine, the Town of Saugeen Shores, and the County of Bruce to provide annual funding to support assessment work, which will help identify "potential impacts to municipal infrastructure and services such as housing, roads, emergency services, community amenities, water and wastewater infrastructure, land development, labour and social infrastructure".

It was also continuing to engage with the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, on whose territory the Bruce Power site is located, "to shape the project to reduce environmental and other impacts while establishing long-lasting community benefits - the announcement today will support research and engagement on issues of importance" to the Saugeen Ojibway Nation.

Background

The Bruce site, 18 kilometres north of the town of Kincardine in Bruce County, is home to eight operating Candu units: units 1-4 are known together as Bruce A and units 5-8 as Bruce B. The new project would be sited within the existing 932-hectare site, with new intake and discharge structures in Lake Huron. Alternative cooling strategies will be evaluated as part of the impact assessment process.

Bruce Power formally notified Canadian regulators of its intention to launch an Impact Assessment process for up to 4,800 MWe of new capacity at the Bruce site in October 2023. The federal government announced CAD50 million of funding in February 2024 to support pre-development feasibility work. In August 2025 the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, in collaboration with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, issued the formal Notice of Commencement of Impact Assessment under the country’s Impact Assessment Act.

With nuclear currently responsible for 50% of Ontario's total generation and hydro contributing 24%, Ontario already has one of the cleanest grids in the world and the Energy for Generations plan published in June 2025 sees nuclear power - including required new capacity - "continuing to serve as the backbone of the province's electricity system providing the 24/7 baseload power the province's economy requires" as demand continues to rise.

Alexander Khazin, Project Director for the Construction of Power Units 3 and 4 at Kursk II, said: "Completing the concrete pouring of the reactor building's foundation is a crucial stage of construction, after which the installation of reinforced concrete blocks and the concrete pouring of the main power unit building's walls will begin. Next, specialists will begin erecting the reactor building's walls."

Another key event this year for the project - for which the International Atomic Energy Agency lists construction as starting on 31 January - is set to be the installation of the first elements of the reactor building's internal containment shell.

Kursk NPP Director Alexander Uvakin said: "The safety and stability of any facility, especially one as complex as a nuclear power plant, depends on its foundation. I express my gratitude to the team, whose experience, collaboration, and hard work enabled us to complete yet another key task as part of one of the nuclear industry's leading projects at a high level and ahead of schedule."

Background

Kursk II is a new nuclear power plant in western Russia, about 60 kilometres (37.5 miles) from the Ukraine border, that will feature four of the new VVER-TOI reactors, the latest version of Russia's large light-water designs. They have upgraded pressure vessels and a power rating of 1,250 MW.

Construction of the first unit began in 2018, its polar crane was installed in October 2021 and the reactor vessel was put in place in June 2022. Concreting of the outer dome of the first unit was completed in August 2023. It was commissioned at the end of last month. The second unit is also under construction and the target is for all four units to be in operation by 2034.

Rosatom says the service life of the main equipment has doubled, and that the VVER-TOI units feature a mix of passive and active safety systems and include a core meltdown localiser. The new units at Kursk II will replace the four units at the existing, nearby Kursk nuclear power plant, which are scheduled to shut by 2031.

The first unit was shut down after 45 years of operation in December 2021 and the second unit followed in January 2024. The original design life for the four RBMK-1000 reactors at the plant was for 30 years but had been extended by 15 years following life extension programmes.

The Taipingling plant will eventually have six Hualong One reactors, with a total investment exceeding CNY120 billion (USD17 billion). The construction of the first and second units began in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Hot testing of unit 1 was completed in September 2024, with that of unit 2 completed in July 2025. Unit 1 attained a sustained chain reaction for the first time (referred to as first criticality) on 3 February this year and was connected to the grid on 13 February. It entered commercial operation on 19 April. Fuel loading at unit 2 was completed last week.

_{How the six units at Taipingling may look (Image: NNSA)}

Construction of the second phase of the Taipingling plant - units 3 and 4 - was approved by China's State Council in December 2023, with construction of unit 3 getting under way in June last year.

Once all six units are completed and put into operation, the annual power generation will exceed 55 billion kilowatt-hours, CGN said. It will also reduce standard coal consumption by about 16.65 million tonnes and carbon dioxide emissions by about 50.82 million tonnes annually.

According to the corporation's in-house news magazine Strana Rosatom, Likhachev said there were 20 Rosatom staff at the construction site, and four more in the central office in Iran's capital, Tehran.

"About 2,200 employees of Iranian contractors have already returned to the construction site. The main work is focused on reinforcing and concreting unit 2, which is under construction. The number of Iranian workers continues to grow," said Likhachev.

After giving the update on progress with the reactor and steam generators, he said "we plan to begin shipping key equipment next year. We are continuing casting and forging metallurgical blanks for the equipment for unit 3".

_{An aerial mage of unit 2, shared by the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran in January (Image: AEOI)}

_{Another view of unit 2, shared by AEOI in January (Image: AEOI)}

According to a report by the official Tass news agency, he said “the project remains a priority for us. Rosatom's enterprises continue to manufacture equipment for the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant as planned”. The agency also reported him as saying that unit 1 at the plant continues to work at 100% capacity.

Background

The USA and Israel launched attacks on Iran on 28 February, saying they were targeting Iran's leadership and its military infrastructure. Iran has retaliated - there is currently a ceasefire and talks taking place aimed at ending the conflict. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)  Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has said that diplomacy and negotiations are the way "to achieve the long-term assurance that Iran will not acquire nuclear weapons and for maintaining the continued effectiveness of the global non-proliferation regime".

The first unit at the Bushehr plant was connected to the grid in 2011. It is a Russian-designed VVER unit with a capacity of 915 MWe. Two further units featuring VVER-1000 units are under construction - unit 2 had first concrete poured in 2019 and the core catcher installed in 2024. In January the third tier of the inner containment building for unit 2 was installed.

At an event at the IAEA's General Conference in September 2024, Iran suggested unit 2's then target date for operation was 2029. According to Russia's Rosatom, unit 3 is also under construction.

In September 2025, Rosatom and the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the building of small modular reactors in Iran. The country says it has an ambition for 20 GW of nuclear energy capacity by 2041.

Alexey Deriy, Atomstroyexport JSC Vice President for Projects in Bangladesh, said: "The work was conducted in strict compliance with the initial core loading programme, process regulations, and nuclear safety standards. The next stage is installing the upper reactor unit and connecting all necessary in-core instrumentation systems. We will conduct hundreds of further tests to prove the reliable and safe operation of all process systems.”

The reactor is expected to be brought to its minimum controllable power level "in the near future", with tests and checks taking place before the power start-up - with further tests and checks before power levels are increased - and trial commercial operation of the unit.

Background

In February 2011 Russia's Rosatom signed an agreement for two reactors to be built at Rooppur, about 160 kilometres from the capital Dhaka, for the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission. The initial contract for the project, worth USD12.65 billion, was signed in December 2015. The Bangladesh Atomic Regulatory Authority issued the first site licence for the Rooppur plant in June 2016, allowing preliminary site works, including geological surveys, to begin.

Construction of the first unit began in November 2017. Construction of the second unit began in July 2018. They have an initial life-cycle of 60 years, with a further 20-year extension possible.

The first batch of nuclear fuel was delivered to the site in October 2023 - the moment that the site got its status as a nuclear facility. In March last year, Rooppur unit 1's turbine installation was completed, as were hydraulic tests to check the primary circuit systems and equipment, followed by hot functional tests. An operating licence was issued by the Bangladesh Nuclear Regulatory Authority on 16 April.

A key feature of many small modular reactors (SMRs) is their safety concept: instead of relying on active systems that require external energy, they use passive cooling. Physical effects such as condensation, gravity, and density differences can keep the reactor safe in an emergency.

Up to now, however, the simulation of such complex cooling processes has required experimental data that have so far been limited, according to the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). A new study at the institute now provides important contributions to help close this gap. At the institute's PANDA test facility, researchers have for the first time investigated passive cooling systems for SMRs under realistic conditions. The experiments, carried out with scientific support from cooperation partners in more than ten countries, provide high-resolution measurement data that can be used to validate such systems in simulations. The results have been published in the journal .

The PANDA test facility extends over five floors, reaching a height of 25 metres. It consists of several containers, with a total volume of about 500 cubic metres, in which processes that occur in nuclear reactors can be realistically simulated. PANDA contains no radioactive material. The steam, which reaches temperatures of up to 200 degrees Celsius and pressures as high as 10 bar, is generated by an electric heater with a power output of 1.5 MW. At more than 80 different points, gas mixtures from different areas of the facility can be extracted and analysed with a mass spectrometer.

A project team at the Paul Scherrer Institute tested a closed cooling circuit. This consists of a vertical pipe, approximately six metres high, through which cold water flows. If steam were to escape into the containment vessel during an incident, it would strike the cold surface of the pipe, condense there, and drip back into the reactor as liquid water. The heat released in this process is transferred to the water inside the pipe. Because warm water is less dense than cold water, it naturally rises and releases its heat to a water reservoir. The cooled water then flows back down. This creates a natural cycle based solely on the density difference between warmer and colder water – entirely without pumps or electricity.

Although previous experiments had already shown that such systems work, the PSI team has presented, for the first time, highly detailed measurement data showing precisely how the physical processes inside a system on the scale of a nuclear power plant would unfold. Using high-speed cameras, the researchers even documented in detail tiny droplets of water that condense on the surface of the pipe. For the first time, the researchers were able to observe how gases inside the containment vessel separate: more air collects in the lower section, while more steam remains at the top. This finding is important for both reactor design and computer simulations. If this effect were not taken into account, the system would be less effective at dissipating heat.

Furthermore, the researchers tracked tiny particles in the gas and demonstrated that it moves very slowly near the pipe. In this area, therefore, condensation is determined not by larger currents, but primarily by diffusion: the water vapour reaches the surface of the pipe only slowly and condenses there. This means that the cooling process is highly dependent on local conditions.

Many SMR design concepts can be replicated in this experimental facility, the Paul Scherrer Institute noted. There are roughly 1,450 sensors ready to provide valuable data.

"Until now, researchers developing simulations couldn't be certain that their calculations matched reality,” said Yago Rivera Durán from the PSI Centre for Nuclear Engineering and Sciences. "We're closing the gap with PANDA."

This will make data crucial for safety assessments and the licencing of future reactors available for the first time, the institute said.

"The latest publication marks the launch of an international benchmarking initiative based on PANDA data," PSI said. "Twenty-five institutions are already participating in this global collaboration, using the experimental results to verify and improve their simulation methods. A follow-up project, PANDA-2, will build on this work and focus even more intensely on complex scenarios as well as the long-term autonomous operation of passive safety systems. This international project is currently expected to run until 2030, while national and EU projects are already planned well into the 2030s."

Florida Power & Light’s St Lucie plant, based on Florida’s Atlantic coast about 195 kilometres north of Miami, comprises two pressurised water reactors, which began operating in 1976 and 1983, respectively. In 2003, the NRC extended the operating licences by 20 years to 2036 and 2043.

An extended power uprate was completed at St Lucie 1 and 2 in 2012 which raised the power output from each of the reactors from some 853 MWe to 1002 MWe, and the application for the subsequent 20-year licence renewal was filed in 2021.

Scott Bores, Florida Power & Light Company's president, said: "This approval ensures that St Lucie will continue to provide safe, reliable, low-cost energy for generations to come. We are pleased that nuclear power will remain an integral part of Florida's energy future and a vital contributor to the local and state economies."

Carlos Santos, St Lucie site vice president, said: "This approval represents the culmination of rigorous efforts by our dedicated nuclear team to meet and exceed regulatory expectations."

The plant generates enough electricity to power a million homes and businesses and provides around 400 jobs.

According to ¶¶Òõpro information, other US reactors already approved to 80 years as of January 2026 were: Turkey Point 3&4, Peach Bottom 2&3, Surry 1&2, North Anna 1&2, Monticello, Oconee 1-3, Virgil C Summer 1, Point Beach 1&2, Browns Ferry 1-3, and Dresden 2&3. Those with applications under review are HB Robinson 2 and Edwin I Hatch 1&2.

Approval of the DSA advances Aalo into its final pre-operations phase, the Operational Readiness Review, in which the DOE verifies that the people, facility, and programmes can be cleared to operate as documented.

Aalo Atomics broke ground in August last year on land leased from DOE at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to start construction of its first experimental reactor, the Aalo-X. Aalo said it planned to complete construction and achieve criticality by 4 July this year, the target date set by the US Department of Energy for at least three test reactors to reach criticality under the programme to expedite the testing of advanced reactor designs it announced in June 2025. Aalo-X will be manufactured at Aalo's pilot factory in Austin, Texas, before being transported to and installed at the INL site. 

In the Aalo-X Critical Test Reactor (CTR), Aalo will test its full-scale nuclear core, with fuel equivalent to what is necessary for 10 MWe, before adding sodium coolant to the equation. The goal is to achieve criticality, a self-sustaining nuclear reaction, at low power and with reduced heat generation. The Critical Test Reactor contains nuclear fuel, moderator, control rod drive mechanisms, shielding, and instrumentation systems that are direct analogues of what will operate in the 10 MWe Aalo-X power reactor being built next door. Operating the Critical Test Reactor will validate the company's neutronics and offer key test data that verifies its computational models.

The test reactor is the precursor to the Aalo Pod, a 50 MWe XMR (Extra Modular Reactor) power plant purpose-built for data centres - demand for which is increasing rapidly following the widespread adoption of AI. Each fully modular Aalo Pod will contain five factory-built, sodium-cooled, Aalo-1 reactors, using low-enriched uranium dioxide fuel. The company says it will be in commercial use by 2029.

"Our team's experience with the Documented Safety Analysis brought to light many facets of compliance that we'll carry forward to the commercial licensing process when building Aalo Pods for AI data centres," Aalo said. "We radically improved our internal competencies on nuclear licensing, and as such, we laid the foundation for regulatory success during commercial scale-up."

Aurora powerhouse PDC

Nuclear technology company Oklo announced that the NRC has approved the Principal Design Criteria (PDC) topical report for its Aurora powerhouse at INL.

_{Oklo's rendering of an Aurora powerhouse (Image: Oklo)}

The topical report was approved on an accelerated review schedule, reflecting the NRC's efforts to modernise licensing pathways for advanced reactors while maintaining stringent safety standards, following executive orders issued in May 2025 to streamline licensing procedures. It also follows the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act, or ADVANCE Act, which calls for a more efficient path to deployment for advanced nuclear technology.

The Principal Design Criteria topical report was approved in less than half the traditional review timeline. Oklo also received notice of the report's acceptance in just 15 days compared with the typical 30 to 60-day period following submission to the regulator.

Oklo said the approval clears the path for the report to be referenced in future applications and reduces the need to re-review established material. The company's Principal Design Criteria topical report establishes a regulatory framework that defines the fundamental safety, reliability, and performance requirements to guide future reactor licensing and design activities.

"This milestone reflects strong work by the Oklo team and timely engagement by the regulator," said Oklo co-founder and CEO Jacob DeWitte. "Performance-based licensing, clear criteria, and efficient reviews are important to advancing modern nuclear projects safely and responsibly."

Last month, Oklo received DOE approval for the Nuclear Safety Design Agreement for its first Aurora powerhouse at INL. The Nuclear Safety Design Agreement is the first step under DOE's Reactor Pilot Program authorisation licensing pathway.

Oklo held a groundbreaking ceremony at INL for the Aurora-INL sodium-cooled fast reactor in September last year.

The Aurora powerhouse is a fast neutron reactor that uses heat pipes to transport heat from the reactor core to a supercritical carbon dioxide power conversion system to generate electricity. Building on the design and operating heritage of the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II), which ran in Idaho from 1964 to 1994, it uses metallic fuel to produce electricity and usable heat, and can operate on fuel made from fresh HALEU or used nuclear fuel.

A team of specialists from the National Atomic Energy Agency (PAA) assessed the 700-page preliminary siting report to ensure nuclear safety and radiological protection at the site under consideration, based on compliance with the requirements specified in the law.

"As a result, it was determined that all legally required analyses had been conducted and that none of the factors precluding the construction of nuclear power facilities, which are also the nuclear facilities covered by the report, existed at the site under consideration," the PAA said. "Therefore, the preliminary assessment concluded that the Lubiatowo-Kopalino location allows for the maintenance of nuclear safety and radiological protection, and therefore there are no circumstances that would preclude the construction of a nuclear power plant there."

Marek Woszczyk, President of the Management Board of Polskie Elektrownie JÄ…drowe (PEJ), said: "The basis for preparing the Preliminary Site Report was material collected by our experts during unprecedented site and environmental studies related to the ongoing investment. There are no shortcuts in nuclear energy, and safety is paramount. According to the Atomic Energy Law, a nuclear facility may only be located in an area that allows for, among other things, ensuring nuclear safety, radiological protection, and physical security during commissioning, operation, and decommissioning."

Following detailed environmental and location studies that began in 2017 with 92 potential sites, PEJ announced in December 2021 that the coastal towns of Lubiatowo and Kopalino in Poland's Choczewo municipality in the province of Pomerania had been named as the preferred location for the country's first large nuclear power plant.

_{The planned plant (Image: PEJ)}

Obtaining an opinion from the President of the PAA on nuclear safety and radiological protection regarding the preliminary siting report is not mandatory. However, PEJ said it is important "because, after the amendment to the Special Nuclear Act, currently being considered by the Sejm (the lower house of parliament), enters into force, it will be one of the documents attached to the application for a permit from the President of the PAA to perform qualified preliminary construction works at the nuclear power facility."

On 31 March this year, PEJ submitted an application to the President of the PAA for a construction permit, which includes a Location Report presenting full, more detailed analyses and measurements. Pursuant to the provisions of the Atomic Energy Law, the President of the PAA will issue a decision regarding a permit to build the plant within 24 months of the submission of the application. Obtaining this permit by PEJ is necessary for the Pomeranian Voivode to issue a building permit.

In November 2022, the then Polish government selected Westinghouse AP1000 reactor technology for the construction of the country's first nuclear power plant, comprising of three units, at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site.

PEJ said it expects to pour first concrete for the plant's first unit in the fourth quarter of 2028. In order to meet this schedule, the company must obtain both a construction permit from the PAA and a building permit from the Pomeranian Voivode. PEJ said it plans to submit a building permit application in 2027.

Construction of each reactor is expected to take about seven years. This will be followed by approximately one year of testing and commissioning. The first reactor will begin commercial operation in 2036, the second in 2037, and the third in 2038.

Cleanup work at Halden and Kjeller is now under way. The cleanup will take several decades, and the costs are currently estimated at between NOK33 billion and NOK57 billion (USD3.6-6.2 billion), depending on the solutions chosen.

To ensure clear responsibilities and state control, the government has planned to transfer responsibilities, tasks and facilities from the Institute of Energy Technology to Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning (NND) as quickly as possible. Established as an agency under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries in February 2018, NND is responsible for decommissioning the research reactors and other related nuclear infrastructure, as well as the safe handling, storage and disposal of radioactive waste.

Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning submitted an application in December 2022 for a licence to own and operate the facilities in Halden and Kjeller, as well as the operation of the waste landfill for low- and intermediate-level radioactive material in Himdalen. The nuclear facilities in Halden were transferred from the Institute of Energy Technology to Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning on 1 April last year.

The Directorate for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (DSA) has now recommended that the Institute of Energy Technology's licence for the nuclear facilities at Kjeller be transferred in its entirety to NND. The government supports this assessment, and has requested DSA starts work on preparing the transfer and submit its recommendation on the transfer of the licence for the Kjeller during the autumn. At the same time, NND will begin preparations for the takeover. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries will also initiate negotiations with the Institute of Energy Technology on the framework for the transfer.

"The experience from the transfer in Halden shows that Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning is well suited to take over responsibility at Kjeller as well," said Minister of Trade and Industry Cecilie Myrseth. "Now we will carry out the cleanup work in a good and safe manner."

NND Director Pål Mikkelsen said: "This is an important milestone in gathering responsibility and expertise in one state actor for a safe and predictable cleanup. Our first priority is safety at the facilities, closely followed by progress in the cleanup work."

"For several years, IFE has worked systematically to facilitate a safe and controlled transfer of the nuclear facilities, and is committed to ensuring that this is carried out as soon as possible, in line with the Storting's [parliament's] decision," said Institute of Energy Technology CEO Nils Morten Huseby. "We will continue this work in close dialogue with the authorities, with particular emphasis on safety, continuity and safeguarding employees. At the same time as NND takes over the concession for the nuclear facilities, they will also take over more than 100 IFE employees who work at and for the facilities. We will ensure that they have a smooth transition to NND."

The refurbishment included the complete replacement of reactor coolant recirculation piping with forged piping and fittings made of advanced corrosion-resistant stainless steel, the regulator said, as well as safety upgrades including the commissioning of the reactor containment filtered venting system and the alternate cooling water system. During the extended outage, inspections of critical reactor components such as reactor pressure vessel welds were carried out as part of the assessment of the unit's ageing status and residual operating life. "The evaluations have shown that the reactor can continue safe operation with the normal maintenance and surveillance programme," the AERB said.

The regulator has now given permission for the unit - known as TAPS (for Tarapur Atomic Power Station) unit 2 - to restart and operate for a further 10 years. The regulator said it will continue to maintain its regulatory oversight and monitor the safety performance of both units at the plant. It issued a permit for TAPS unit 1 to restart after its refurbishment last December: that unit is now operating at its rated power of 160 MWe, the AERB said.

Tarapur 1 is one of two BWR units commissioned at the site in Maharashtra in 1969 as India's first commercial nuclear power plant. Built by GE on a turnkey contract, the units were originally rated at 200 MWe but were subsequently downrated to 160 MWe (gross). They underwent six months' refurbishment in 2005-06, but have both been offline since 2020 for major refurbishment work.

Looking to new build

NTPC's completion of its first feasibility study for a nuclear project has been widely reported in the Indian press. The company - which recently signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with France's EDF to explore cooperation in developing new nuclear power projects in India - is set to submit the first feasibility study for a nuclear project for approval by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), which would pave the way for NTPC to begin work on its first standalone nuclear project in India.

The company is also in the process of conducting feasibility studies in two more states, and has received a go-ahead from the  government of Bihar to conduct a feasibility study for a nuclear project in Banka district, the Economic Times reported, quoting a source who said NTPC "is looking to set up at least two units of 700 MW each in the states being explored for nuclear projects".

NTPC is a Public Sector Undertaking under India's Ministry of Power. It currently operates more than 89 GW of installed capacity, with another 32 GW under construction, with a target to reach 149 GW of total capacity by 2032, including 60 GW from renewable energy sources, with a balanced mix of thermal, hydro, solar, and wind power plants, ensuring supply of reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity to the country.

Restrictions under Indian law have in the past presented a barrier to the participation of private companies like NTPC in nuclear power projects, although NTPC is now part of the Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Ltd (Ashvini) joint venture with NPCIL which is developing two Indian-designed 700 MWe pressurised heavy water reactors, Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Nuclear Power Project units 1 and 2, for which excavation works began in late March.

The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act 2025 - enacted at the end of last year - opens up India's nuclear sector to participation from private companies, including in plant operations, power generation, equipment manufacturing, and selected activities such as nuclear fuel fabrication.

Included among the final rules related to that legislation may be a change to the size of planned exclusion zones around nuclear power plants, Reuters has reported. India currently requires a minimum buffer of about 1 km (0.62 miles) around reactors where no habitation or economic activity is allowed, but unnamed industry officials told the news agency that the DAE and the AERB have approved an in-principle plan to reduce this to 500 metres for small reactors and 700 metres for large reactors, saying this reflects safer reactor technologies, and is in line with global norms followed by countries like the USA and France.

The revised buffer zones would cut the land needs by half for large reactors and by nearly two-thirds for small units, potentially allowing two to three times more capacity on the sites, Reuters said, citing an internal presentation it has reviewed.

The joint statement said: "This initiative reflects the Belgian Government's strategic decision to assume direct ownership of the country's nuclear assets, in line with its ambition to extend the operation of existing nuclear reactors and to develop new nuclear capacity in Belgium. By doing so, the Belgian Government is taking responsibility for Belgium's long-term energy future, with the objective of building a financially and economically viable activity that supports security of supply, climate objectives, industrial resilience and socio-economic prosperity."

The two sides "will negotiate in good faith with the objective of concluding heads of terms by 1 October 2026". The Letter of Intent does not constitute a binding commitment - the completion "remains subject to, among other things, the negotiation and execution of definitive agreements and the required third-party and regulatory approvals".

Background

Belgium's federal law of 31 January 2003 required the phase-out of all seven nuclear power reactors in the country. Under that policy, Doel 1 and 2 were originally set to be taken out of service on their 40th anniversaries, in 2015. However, the law was amended in 2013 and 2015 to provide for Doel 1  and 2 to remain operational for an additional 10 years. Doel 1 was retired in February 2025. Doel 3 was closed in September 2022 and Tihange 2 at the end of January 2023. Tihange 1 was disconnected from the grid on 30 September 2025. The fifth closed unit, Doel 2 in the Flanders region, was taken offline for the final time after 50 years of operation and disconnected from the grid in December.

Belgium's last two operating reactors - Doel 4 and Tihange 3 - had also been scheduled to close at the end of 2025. However, following the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022 the government and Electrabel began negotiating the feasibility and terms for the operation of the reactors for a further ten years, to 2035. A final agreement was reached with a balanced risk allocation - equal ownership of Doel 3 and Tihange 4 between the Belgian state and Engie, and the transfer of nuclear waste liabilities from Engie to the Belgian state for EUR15 billion (USD16 billion) payable in two instalments.

For the continued operation of Doel 4 and Tihange 3, Electrabel had to submit an extensive LTO (Long Term Operation) file with safety studies and an action plan to further increase the safety of the youngest reactors. This file was submitted in December 2024 for both units. Tihange 3 was taken offline on 5 April 2025 for a so-called 'LTO overhaul' - an extensive inspection and maintenance period with a view to safe long-term operation of the reactor. After a thorough analysis, regulator FANC and its technical subsidiary Bel V determined that the reactor meets the conditions for a safe restart and the 1020 MWe PWR resumed operation on 10 July. Doel 4 was taken offline on 30 June for its LTO overhaul and was restarted on 8 October.

In February 2025, Belgium's new coalition government announced plans to operate the two units for a further 10 years beyond 2035. In May 2025, Belgium's federal parliament voted by a large majority to repeal the 2003 law which set out a phase-out of nuclear power and ban on the construction of new nuclear generating capacity. 

Citing the endorsement by 38 countries of the goal of at least tripling global nuclear capacity by 2050, Hodgson said this was a time of opportunity for Canada to grow its nuclear industry to achieve energy affordability and security at home while seizing the global opportunity of an industry that is expected to grow by up to CAD200 billion (USD146 billion) per year by 2030.

The strategy, which is being developed by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), will build on four pillars: Enabling New Builds Across Canada; Being a Global Supplier and Exporter of Choice; Expanding Uranium Production and Nuclear Fuel Opportunities; and Developing New Canadian Nuclear Innovations (including fission and fusion).

The first pillar - enabling new nuclear builds - focuses on "building big at home in both small- and large-scale nuclear", Hodgson said. "To do this, we must derisk nuclear investments, facilitate private and public financing, advance Indigenous partnership and prioritise projects that make economic and strategic sense."

Under the second pillar - positioning Canada as a global supplier and exporter - the minister said Canada was "assertively pursuing a nuclear energy trade strategy that will target priority markets and support Canadian players at all levels of the supply chain as they look abroad", leveraging "all arms of government, including the Trade Commissioner Service and Export Development Canada, to tailor our export goals to key markets with the highest chance for success".

The third pillar will see Canada "make the most" of its uranium resources domestically, "in order to reliably meet the needs of allies’ nuclear fleet expansion with Canadian uranium".

The fourth pillar will focus on next-generation innovation, "whether for power - such as SMRs, microreactors - or other areas, like fusion", Hodgson said.

"We are focused on nuclear energy security and innovation from coast to coast to coast. But perhaps there is nowhere it is needed more than in our North, where bills are highest, energy security is most fragile and sovereignty is increasingly important," Hodgson said. In recognition of this, Canada's Defence Industrial Strategy prioritises the North, including for new, dual-use infrastructure, he said.

"Of course, that infrastructure needs power. Ideally, power that is clean, reliable and Canadian. That is why, today, I am announcing a new joint feasibility programme with the Department of National Defence and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited that will assess the potential of Canadian-controlled microreactor technology in the North.

"The Department of National Defence is investing over CAD40 million this fiscal year to examine whether next-generation microreactors can safely and reliably provide heat and electricity for remote and northern DND and Canadian Armed Forces facilities. Importantly, while this work supports defence and sovereignty in remote regions, it also has broader civilian potential and could support remote communities and other industrial sites looking for clean, dependable power."

Recognising the underpinning role of science, research, technology and innovation for these plans, the minister noted the federal government's commitment of CAD2.2 billion over 10 years in capital investments at the Chalk River Laboratories, Canada's national nuclear labs, including the new Advanced Materials Research Centre and other critical infrastructure across the campus. 

"Nuclear energy is central to our future, whether you are talking about our economy, our security, our climate or our role in the world," he said. "The scale of the global opportunity is massive, but it is not one by which we should be intimidated."

Today, 17 CANDU reactors in Ontario and New Brunswick generate about 13% of Canada's electricity and the nuclear energy sector adds CAD22 billion annually to the Canadian economy, according to NRCan. The nation produced about 24% of total global uranium output in 2024. About 90% of its uranium production is exported to fuel nuclear power plants.
 

The university's TRIGA reactor, which was installed in October 1975, is used for research purposes, The heat it produces is usually bled off by cooling systems rather than being captured to generate electricity. Elemental's innovation is a compact, cold-helium-based power generator that pairs with low-temperature microreactors, replacing steam turbines and their large footprints.

During the experiment, the thermal energy generated by the reactor will be partially captured and converted into electricity using a compact Brayton Cycle power system. The system utilises a 'cold' or 'reverse' Brayton cycle, in which a helium working fluid is compressed, heated using reactor pool water, expanded through a turbine generator, and subsequently cooled via a cryogenic heat exchanger.

Once connected, the resulting electricity will be used to power a high-performance GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) node executing a live AI workload.

The experiment is designed as a proof-of-concept system with the following targets: thermal input from TRIGA reactor water of about 50 kW; turbine output of about 13 kW; and net electrical generation of about 2-3 kW. The system is intended to demonstrate that even small nuclear platforms can produce usable electricity sufficient to power modern computing systems.

"While the 2-3 kW output is modest compared to the hundreds-of-megawatts full-scale data centres will require, it's a symbolic first step towards powering the future," Elemental said.

The AI component of the experiment is supported through collaboration with the University of Utah Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, which brings expertise in the design, development, and operation of AI infrastructure.

"This project is intended to demonstrate a powerful principle," said Mike Luther, Founder of Elemental Nuclear. "The energy produced through nuclear fission can ultimately power the computational systems driving artificial intelligence.

"Our objective is to deliver a commercially viable nuclear microreactor by 2030–2031. Experiments like this enable us to move quickly, validate real-world systems, and build toward scalable solutions."

TRIGA - standing for Training, Research, Isotopes General Atomics - reactors are primarily used for student training, research projects and isotope production. These reactors operate at thermal power levels from less than 0.1 to 16 megawatts, and are pulsed to 22,000 megawatts. Three generations of the pool-type reactor have been built around the world since 1960, 36 of which remain in operation today. Twelve of the 18 TRIGA reactors in the USA are located at universities.

Ted Goodell, the University of Utah's reactor manager, said: "This will be, to our knowledge, the first time any university reactor has produced electricity, not just our own. It's a milestone for our students, but it also shows that small, safe reactors could live at data centres, rather than in labs."

With the Joint Development Agreement (JDA) now in place, the cooperation enters a new phase characterised by structured project plans, a joint Steering Committee, and formalised ownership principles for developed technologies.

Under the JDA, the two companies will jointly develop key elements of the electrical prototype reactor, while establishing the framework for collaboration on the demonstration reactor as well as commercial units. The agreement moves the cooperation from exploratory alignment into structured joint development, with clearly defined project frameworks, governance, and intellectual property allocation. It also creates a robust framework for joint R&D activities and establishes a clear path toward deeper technical and commercial integration.

Furthermore, the agreement establishes ABB as a key partner for automation, control systems, and control room equipment within the defined scope, subject to separate supply agreements. This strengthens the industrial foundation around SEALER and reinforces the ambition to combine Blykalla's reactor technology with ABB's expertise in automation and electrical systems.

"The Joint Development Agreement provides the contractual structure needed to advance safe, sustainable and cost-effective nuclear solutions at plant scale, and signals a shared long-term commitment to bringing next-generation nuclear technology to market," Blykalla said.

"ABB has been an important partner from early on, and this JDA marks the natural next step in a partnership that keeps deepening," said Blykalla CEO Jacob Stedman. "This is exactly the kind of industrial backing SEALER needs to reach commercial scale and accelerate toward deployment."

Daniela Bok, Local Division Manager, ABB's Energy Industries division in Sweden, added: "Early involvement from our engineers and nuclear specialists gives us the opportunity to be involved in co-creating the next generation. It demonstrates the power of a strategic partnership working at its best. Nuclear provides consistent baseload power generation that can support a stable energy grid. As demand for electricity continues to increase, nuclear power offers a reliable, low-carbon solution as part of the future energy mix."

Blykalla 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). A demonstration SEALER (SEALER-D) is planned to have a thermal output of 80 MW. Blykalla's goal is for its first 140 MWt SEALER-55 commercial reactor to be ready for operation in the early 2030s.

Brookfield Asset Management and Cameco acquired Westinghouse in 2023. The Nuclear Company, launched in 2024, aims to modernise nuclear construction through a "design-once, build-many" approach, backed by a proprietary AI-driven platform that it says transforms reactor construction into a data-driven, predictable process.

Construction of two AP1000 units began at VC Summer in 2013 but construction was abandoned in 2017 following reactor vendor Westinghouse's filing for bankruptcy in March that year. Majority owner SCE&G (now Dominion Energy South Carolina) then transferred its interest in the assets to South Carolina state-owned utility Santee Cooper. Santee Cooper announced last year that it was in negotiations with Brookfield Asset Management about the potential completion of the units.

Brookfield said it has - with Santee Cooper's support - selected the new company to project manage the completion of the two VC Summer units, which it says is "one of the most execution-ready nuclear development opportunities in America".

The new company will support due diligence activity for the project and oversee the delivery should it move forward to Final Investment Decision. Development of the project remains subject to further evaluation, regulatory approvals, and the execution of definitive agreements.

Last year, the US Government, Cameco and Brookfield announced a strategic partnership for the construction of at least USD80 billion of new reactors across the USA using Westinghouse nuclear reactor technology.

The new joint venture reflects Brookfield's approach to large-scale infrastructure investment and focus on partnering with experienced operators, Brookfield Managing Partner Wyatt Hartley said: "By combining our global infrastructure development capabilities with nuclear project delivery expertise, we believe this platform has the potential to accelerate the American nuclear resurgence, building on the momentum of the Westinghouse partnership with the US Government."

‍"Our team was built on the field of Vogtle and on some of the most complex energy projects in the world," Joe Klecha, Chief Nuclear Officer of The Nuclear Company, said. "We know what it takes to deliver nuclear. What's been missing is a model that brings together the people, the capabilities, and the capital to do it at speed and scale. That's what this partnership creates."

‍The formation of the new partnership is subject to approvals and conditions.

The Pacific Grebe is the first in Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited's (PNTL's) fleet to be adapted to accommodate the new flask.

The engineering challenge of fitting the package, which is the largest ever transported by PNTL's parent company, Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS), was undertaken by the organisation's transport experts and specialist engineers.

An adapter plate was produced to ensure the cargo would securely fit within the ship's hold. This required millimetre precision, along with the manufacture of a specialist tool to ensure the ship's removable decks aligned perfectly with the new TN Eagle flask, which would carry the material.

Following initial trials at Barrow Marine Terminal in Cumbria, UK, a full-scale test fitting took place in Cherbourg, France, using the specialist vessel operated by PNTL, NTS's specialist shipping division. The was successfully placed in the ship's various holds to check compatibility.

"This has been a fantastic collaborative effort between NTS and PNTL," said NTS Director of Shipping Conner Love. "It demonstrates the world-leading expertise we possess in nuclear shipping and engineering. We are proud to have worked on the successful completion of this project, but this is just the beginning as we embark on a series of vital spent fuel movements around the globe."

Another of PNTL's ships, Pacific Egret, will be adapted in the near future to transport the new flask.

PNTL is owned mainly by NTS - part of the UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority - and partly by Orano and a consortium of Japanese utilities which use its services.

PNTL operates three diesel-powered specialist ships for the transport of high-level waste and other nuclear material: the Pacific Heron, the Pacific Egret and the Pacific Grebe. So far, PNTL has shipped more than 2000 nuclear casks some 5 million miles to countries including Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA.

At the beginning of this year, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved a licensing topical report supporting Blue Energy's model for nuclear plant construction, which would see the separation of the nuclear and non-nuclear portions of the plant and begin by fabricating offsite and installing onsite non-nuclear, non-safety-significant infrastructure needed for its natural-gas-to-nuclear conversion. Blue Energy says this approach could potentially cut at least five years off the conventional nuclear construction timeline. Energising turbines with a "natural gas bridge" that later converts to nuclear power can slash "time to power" as well as helping to unlock project financing.

"Combining our industry-leading HA gas turbines with the BWRX-300, the only small modular nuclear reactor under construction in the Western world today, provides an effective solution aimed to meet the demands of rapid AI expansion in the United States while decreasing time to power," said Eric Gray, CEO of GE Vernova's Power Segment. "Our collaboration with Blue Energy on this project exemplifies the innovative approaches required to help deliver the scale of electricity needed for this extraordinary demand."

The companies will enter into further agreement "in the near future" on preliminary safety analysis work as well as other detailed and necessary development and characterisation work to support Blue Energy's nuclear construction permit application. 

Blue Energy said it could begin early site works on its first planned project in Texas in 2026, to support a final investment decision and a construction permit application to the NRC in 2027. GE Vernova gas turbines are expected to provide around 1 GW of power to the site as early as 2030 before the steam supply is switched and ramped up to some 1.5 GW of nuclear power as GE Vernova's BWRX-300s come online as early as 2032. Blue Energy then plans to deliver nuclear energy to power a nearby data centre campus.

"By collaborating with GE Vernova, we're bringing together critical infrastructure, safe reactor technology, and a financeable delivery model," Blue Energy CEO and co-founder Jake Jurewicz said.

In April, Blue Energy raised USD380 million in financing to advance its turnkey approach to nuclear plant development in a fundraise led by VXI Capital with significant backing from Engine Ventures and participation from other existing investors.

Nuclear revenues, at USD107 million, were 27% up year-on-year, reflecting both favourable pricing and increased volumes, the company said.

Solstice Advanced Materials was spun off from General Atomics' former joint venture partner Honeywell last October. Earlier this year, it announced plans to increase output from its Metropolis Works plant in Illinois - the USA's only domestic uranium conversion facility - and is looking into building a sister plant to the existing facility, which was built in the 1950s and began providing uranium hexafluoride (UF6) for civilian use in the late 1960s.

Halo agreement

On 30 April, micro-modular reactor (MMR) developer Hadron Energy, Inc announced it had signed a Uranium Conversion Services Agreement with ConverDyn which it said would directly enable the first deployment of the company's Halo MMR and its scalable commercial rollout. ConverDyn, a partnership between Solstice and General Atomics, is the exclusive marketing agent for all UF6 produced at Metropolis.

Under the agreement, ConverDyn will supply UF6 supporting Hadron's fuel fabrication pathway beginning with the first-of-a-kind deployment of the Halo MMR, which is based on light water reactor technology and would generate 10 MWe and 35 MW of thermal heat. The agreement has the potential to expand across subsequent commercial units as Hadron scales toward repeatable delivery, in a collaboration spanning the full commercialisation of the Halo reactor.

"Fuel is not a procurement afterthought; it has to be a foundational consideration from day one. Conversion is the critical first step that transforms uranium into a form that can be enriched and fabricated into reactor fuel. ConverDyn provides the only commercial UF6 produced in the United States, and securing this relationship now means our fuel supply pathway is grounded in domestic infrastructure, regulatory familiarity, and operational credibility. That is exactly the kind of supply chain foundation a programme like ours needs to move from design and licensing to a fuelled, operating reactor," Hadron Energy Chief Nuclear Officer Ross Ridenoure said.

Hadron has recently signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with Smartland Energy, LLC, a developer of modular, behind-the-meter power infrastructure for large industrial and digital loads, to collaborate on evaluating the potential deployment of the Halo MMR technology across up to five qualified Smartland projects. It has also signed an MoU with Paragon Energy Solutions, a Mirion Technologies Company, to develop the instrumentation and control architecture for the Halo MMR.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has accepted for review the company's Quality Assurance Program Description Topical Report - described by Hadron as an "an early but foundational step in the licensing process that establishes the quality framework governing all of Hadron's nuclear design, procurement, and construction activities". Hadron has also recently submitted its Principal Design Criteria White Paper to the US regulator as part of the formal pre-application engagement process.

Ac-225 is a short-lived alpha-emitting isotope that can be used in a form of treatment known as targeted alpha therapy. This therapy, in which a molecule such as a monoclonal antibody is combined with an alpha emitter such as Ac-225, has the potential to treat a variety of cancers, targeting solid tumours, metastases, and systemic cancers such as leukaemia. However, the scarcity of Ac-225 - sometimes described as one of the world's rarest radioisotopes - is limiting its development and therapeutic use.

_{How the compoleted facility could look (Image: TerraPower)}

TPI said it selected Philadelphia and ultimately the Bellwether District following a rigorous nationwide site evaluation process that included more than 350 potential locations and 49 site visits across eight metropolitan areas. "Philadelphia emerged as the clear choice due to its strong pharmaceutical footprint, distinguished healthcare leadership, unparalleled access to top talent and academic institutions, and an exceptionally supportive city and state," the company said.

"TerraPower was created to improve the world through nuclear energy and science," said TerraPower President and CEO Chris Levesque. "Breaking ground today on the Bellwether Laboratory represents a defining chapter in TerraPower's history - and in the history of actinium-225 manufacturing. This new flagship, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility will produce actinium-225 at a scale the industry has never seen before, providing global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies with the reliable, large-volume supply they need to advance their clinical programmes and ultimately expand cancer treatment options for patients."

Scott Claunch, president of TerraPower Isotopes, added: "Today, TerraPower Isotopes celebrates breaking ground on the world's most advanced actinium-225 manufacturing site. The Bellwether Laboratory is purpose-built to meet the needs of a growing industry that is working to transform how cancer is treated. With a highly trained and dedicated team, we are thrilled to be building our flagship facility right here in Philadelphia."

"This agreement was established to build a cooperation system covering nuclear power plant operation, facility maintenance, facility reliability, and overall engineering," KHNP said. 

The company said that Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) - its parent company - "plans to take its facility reliability-centred operation system, which has been under way since the transition to an 'engineering system' in December 2023, to the next level through this cooperation".

"This agreement is expected to serve as an opportunity for KHNP engineers to expand their horizons globally and provide a growth chance for the domestic engineering system to take a leap forward," said Kim Young-seung, Head of KHNP's Engineering Division. "We will continue to do our utmost to complete the Korean-style engineering system through close cooperation with overseas operators and international organisations."

KHNP operates 26 nuclear power reactors with a combined generating capacity of 25,609 MWe, which generate almost one-third of South Korea's electricity.

Southern Nuclear - a subsidiary of Southern Company - operates more than 8,200 MWe of nuclear generating capacity across eight units at the Farley plant in Alabama and the Hatch and Vogtle plants in Georgia.

Isotopes of minor actinides are extremely long-lived - with half-lives of hundreds of thousands of years - and it is their presence that determines the duration and conditions for radioactive waste isolation from the environment, Rosatom said, adding that fast neutron reactors are suitable for "burning" of minor actinides "as they provide transmutation of minor actinides into more stable or short-lived isotopes".

The long-term aim is to reduce the volume and range of radioactive waste needing deep geological disposal, with Rosatom saying that eliminating minor actinides "could achieve radiation equivalence between the original uranium feedstock and the nuclear waste destined for isolation hundreds of times faster".

Alexander Ugryumov, Senior Vice President for Research and Development at TVEL, which is Rosatom's fuel division, said: "Burning minor actinides in a commercial reactor is not a one-off experiment, but a long-term strategy. Before scaling this solution to an industrial level, we are demonstrating the very technological feasibility, that this idea actually works. At the next stage, we intend to increase the content of minor actinides in trial oxide MOX fuel assemblies. In addition, we plan to add minor actinides to nitride uranium-plutonium fuel for fast reactors, and also to test heterogeneous burning of 'minors'. In this case, minor actinides are not 'blended' into uranium-plutonium fuel matrix, but are placed in separate fuel rods or assemblies, which will be installed in specific zones of the reactor."

Yuri Nosov, Director of Beloyarsk NPP, said: "We expect that the quantity of minor actinides included in the fuel matrix will be substantially reduced, but this will be confirmed by further post-irradiation studies. These results would confirm the concept of minor actinides burning technology and define its role and significance within the balanced fuel cycle. It is anticipated to reduce the amount of radioactive waste for final isolation multiple times. The fourth-generation power units will contribute to enhancing the environmental safety and energy potential of nuclear power by allowing the use of used fuel instead of its storage. Over approximately 60 years of operation, such installations will be capable of utilising about four tonnes of minor actinides, which is more than several thermal reactors can produce."

TVEL has described the pilot operation of the fuel assemblies in the BN-800 reactor as "the key stage of the comprehensive research programme" for minor actinides afterburning which began in 2021 and is due to run until 2035.

Beloyarsk 4 is a BN-800 reactor - a sodium-cooled fast reactor which produces about 820 MWe - which was brought to minimum controlled power for the first time in June 2014, and connected to the grid on 10 December 2015. The reactor entered commercial operation on 31 October 2016. It was fully loaded with MOX fuel in September 2022 and became the first such facility to complete a year operating on MOX fuel. MOX fuel is manufactured from plutonium recovered from used reactor fuel, mixed with depleted uranium which is a by-product from uranium enrichment.

NFC-Kota is a second PHWR fuel plant which is being set up to meet the needs of India's planned fleet of indigenously designed 700 MWe PHWRs, three of which - Rajasthan Atomic Power Project unit 7 and Kakrapar units 3 and 4 - are already in operation.

The Kota facility handles only natural uranium and is categorised as a low-hazard facility, according to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).

NFC-Kota submitted its application for an operating licence for the facility to the AERB on 17 March after the completion of hot commissioning activities, proposing the production of 500 tonnes per year of finished UO2 (uranium dioxide) fuel bundles for use in 700 MWe PHWRs.

"AERB conducted safety review and assessment of NFC-Kota's application for Licence for operation following its established consenting process to check completeness of the data/information required and compliance to the corresponding operating license requirements specified in applicable regulatory safety documents … the proposed activity of Operation can be carried out in compliance [with] this licence without undue risk to workers, the public and the environment," .

The Department of Atomic Energy said operational clearance for NFC-Kota was a milestone which "marks a decisive step in strengthening the nation’s nuclear fuel cycle", meaning NFC is now "fully geared" to supply nuclear fuel for Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd's 700 MWe indigenous PHWRs. "NFC has been consistently delivering nuclear fuel and core structural components for all operating PHWRs since inception. Aligned with India’s Nuclear Energy Mission, NFC-Kota stands as a testament to indigenous capability, resilience, and the nation’s commitment to reliable, clean, and self-reliant energy for a ViksitBharat," it said.

Viksit Bharat is the strategy launched by the government in 2023 to make India a developed nation by 2047.

The operating licence is valid until 30 April 2031.

Magnus Mori, Head of Advanced Fuels, Commercial for Urenco, said: "Urenco is committed to enriching uranium for the reactors of today and tomorrow. This production trial of LEU+ at Capenhurst has provided a successful outcome and demonstrates our commitment to advancing the nuclear industry in the UK and globally. We are continuing to focus on implementing other operational measures for LEU+, including transport solutions, as a next step."

The nuclear fuel cycle

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. This material, containing between 5% and 10% U-235 - is known as LEU+, with that from 10% to 20% U-235 known as high-assay low-enriched uranium, or HALEU.

Enrichment increases the concentration of the fissile isotope by passing the gaseous UF6 (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.

Enriched uranium is then reconverted from the fluoride to the oxide - a powder - for fabrication into nuclear fuel assemblies.

The need for LEU+

The use of LEU+ fuel can support longer operating cycles for current light-water reactors and also can help with the deployment of new accident-tolerant fuel designs.

Urenco says that LEU+ can also be used by advanced reactor designs which require HALEU as they will be able to "utilise LEU+ initially to speed up deployment timelines". It adds that LEU+ can also serve as feedstock for producing HALEU, increasing the potential output of future HALEU enrichment facilities.

The next steps

Urenco's US division produced its first LEU+ fuel in December and Urenco says that it plans to make LEU+ commercially available from the UK "in the near future", which will support the existing US capability. It says LEU+ could be transported to fabricators from early 2027 to complete the next stage of the fuel cycle.

The UK project received support from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Nuclear Fuel Fund.

The Advanced Test Reactor irradiation campaign involved twelve ANEEL fuel rodlets that were loaded into the reactor in May 2024 and designed to reach three burnup targets: 20, 40, and 60 GWd/MTU. Eight rodlets exceeded the first two burnup targets last year and are currently undergoing post-irradiation examination (PIE) at Idaho National Laboratory's (INL's) Materials and Fuels Complex. Less than two years after irradiation began, the remaining four rodlets have now reached the highest burnup target, over 60 GWd/MTU - representing more than eight times the typical discharge burnup of traditional PHWRs and Candu reactors - and will be transferred to the Materials and Fuels Complex following a short cooling period.

"The irradiation campaign represents an important step in generating real-world performance data for ANEEL fuel under reactor conditions," Clean Core Thorium Energy said. "Results obtained during PIE will provide detailed insight into fuel behaviour, microstructure, and performance at high burnup levels."

It added: "This testing highlights the potential of ANEEL fuel to dramatically improve fuel utilisation in existing reactor fleets and paves the way for near term commercialisation."

The company noted that post-irradiation examination results obtained to date are consistent with findings reported in the literature and suggest that ANEEL fuel performs well, with some test rodlets exhibiting superior fission gas retention compared with traditional UO2 fuel. Initial observations also show that ANEEL fuel maintains structural integrity and favourable fission gas retention behaviour throughout irradiation.

"Surpassing 60 GWd/MTU of burnup in the Advanced Test Reactor marks an important milestone for the ANEEL fuel programme," said Clean Core Thorium Energy CEO Mehul Shah. "This irradiation campaign provides meaningful performance data and demonstrates that thorium-HALEU fuel can achieve burnup levels comparable to those seen in PWR fuels while offering improved fuel utilisation, enhanced safety characteristics, inherent proliferation resistance, and meaningful reductions in long-lived nuclear spent fuel radioisotopes. Our objective has been to introduce thorium into the nuclear fuel cycle in a practical way using existing reactors, and this milestone represents a significant step toward that goal."

Kelley Walker, principal investigator for the irradiation campaign at INL, added: "This final portion of the irradiation experiment has been several years in the making and I congratulate Clean Core on their major accomplishment. This has been an exciting project to support, and I'm eager to see what can be learned from the upcoming high burnup sample PIE results."

Last month, Clean Core Thorium Energy signed an agreement with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) for the manufacture of demonstration irradiation bundles of its patented ANEEL thorium and high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel. Demonstration irradiation bundles are full-scale ANEEL fuel bundles matching actual reactor fuel bundles designed for interface and irradiation testing. Manufactured by Canadian Nuclear Laboratories at the Chalk River Laboratories, these bundles will enable Clean Core Thorium Energy to conduct demonstration irradiation which will provide practical, in-reactor data to support future qualification and potential deployment of ANEEL fuel in Candu reactors and other PHWRs. The demonstration fuel bundles are to undergo irradiation testing at INL's Advanced Test Reactor, targeting burnup levels exceeding 60 GWd/MTU.

Clean Core Thorium Energy said it is "already planning its next milestone: a demonstration irradiation in a commercial power reactor that will move ANEEL fuel from proven test concept to commercial reality".

HALEU - uranium enriched to contain between 5% and 20% uranium-235 - is crucial for next-generation nuclear fuels and will be used by many advanced reactors. The USA is working to build up its supply chain for the material: the Energy Act of 2020 directed the establishment of the to ensure access to HALEU for civilian domestic research, development, demonstration, and commercial use, and an Executive Order issued by President Donald Trump in April 2025 mandates the Department of Energy to ensure a long-term supply of the material and to reduce reliance on foreign sources of fuel. The material from Japan will - once processed - help bridge the gap between supply and demand under the programme, the NNSA said.

_{Matthew Napoli and Japanese Ambassador Shigeo Yamada celebrate the transfer (Image National Nuclear Security Administration​)}

The HALEU that has been shipped to the USA had originally been intended to fuel the Japan Atomic Energy Agency's Fast Critical Assembly - a facility which had operated since 1967 to study the neutronic characteristics of fast reactors. In March 2014, then-Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe and US president Barack Obama pledged to remove and dispose of all the highly-enriched uranium research reactor fuel from the reactor under the auspices of the Global Threat Reduction Initiative set up by the USA in 2004, with the Fast Critical Assembly itself being converted to use low-enriched uranium and reassigned to transmutation and disposition of wastes. 

The material will be reconstituted into a form usable for US industry at the National Nuclear Security Administration's Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

"This milestone accelerates our progress towards a secure and independent energy future, while reaffirming our commitment to nuclear nonproliferation,” said Matthew Napoli, National Nuclear Security Administration's Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation. "Through this partnership with Japan, we are fuelling the next generation of nuclear power, and solidifying America's energy dominance."

Johnathan Chavers, Director of Nuclear Fuel and Analysis, Southern Nuclear, described the growth opportunities presented by increasing electricity demand - both from large load customers such as manufacturing and data centres, as well as residential customers - as unprecedented and transformational. Southern Company is itself investing USD81 billion in energy infrastructure through 2030 to support this growth - and in nuclear, it is focusing on the existing installed capacity, he said, "because that's how we can respond the quickest. But we need to do what is necessary today to prepare ourself and preserve the option to grow nuclear",

The vital role of existing capacity was highlighted by speakers across the conference. Japan shut down its nuclear fleet following the Fukushima accident of 2011. It has now restarted 15 of its fleet of 36 reactors, Shuji Yoneda, General Manager of the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan's Washington DC Office, said, with more restarts to come. But for the first time in 20 years, the Japanese government is projecting increases in electricity demand and envisages nuclear providing 20% of its electricity generation mix by 2040. As well as accelerating the restart process and extending the operating lifetime of those 36 plants, Japan will also need some 5.5 GWe of new nuclear capacity to reach that goal.

Whether from existing capacity, new-build, or new applications, the entire value chain is central to sustained global nuclear growth, said Christian Di Lizia, EDF Senior Business Developer Relations with International Organisations. Standardisation and replication of projects not only leads to speed, cost and quality improvements - they also attract finance. "Very often when we talk about financing projects, there's a kind of a tendency of thinking about reactor technology. It goes beyond that," he said.

_{Istvan Szabo (second from right) (Image: ¶¶Òõpro)}

Istvan Szabo, Senior Sector Engineer at the European Investment Bank, highlighted the importance of regulatory frameworks and capital flow to propel the sector forward - whether for building new capacity or keeping supply chains open. The bank is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, and has a track record of financing nuclear-related projects dating back to the 1970s. "If there is a credible and clear policy, and the project fundamentals are in place, then the experience shows that even long-term financing, both public and private, is available," he said.

Uranium fundamentals

There is no shortage of uranium ore to fuel a growing nuclear sector, but for mining companies to be ready to meet this demand, exploration is a "must", Louis-Pierre Gagnon, Orano Canada's Director of Mining, said in the panel on A Deep Dive into Uranium Mining and Supply. As well as through its well-balanced and diversified pipeline of existing projects in Mongolia - where commissioning of the Zuuvch Ovoo uranium mine is expected to begin in 2028 - Uzbekistan, Canada, and Namibia, Orano is working to secure future supplies through exploration in those jurisdictions and also in new areas in Australia and Botswana, Gagnon said. And innovation in mining - such as Orano's SABRE (Surface Access Borehole Resource Extraction) technique, already in use in Canada, will also play a part in securing future supplies.

Another mine looking set to come into operation is Bannerman Resources' Etango project in Namibia. A key milestone for Bannerman has been the recently announced strategic partnership with CNNC Overseas Limited, the company's VP Market Strategy Olga Skorlyakova said, providing a "pathway to funding" and allowing the project to move forwards into construction: an early works programme is already under way, and with a final investment decision - followed by the start of full-scale construction - expected in the second half of this year, first production is targeted in 2028.

Uranium producers rely on financing to be in place before they can proceed with new projects. Robert Willette, CEO of US-based in-situ recovery uranium producer enCore Energy Corp, said policymakers and regulators - as well as the market - have a part to play here. "Obviously, demand is there, and the resources are there. The real question comes down to a problem of capital formation. And what I mean by that is we have active engagement from utilities and other end users. The difficulty is that those discussions are oftentimes anchored in current market prices. And it's very difficult to have those when you're talking about long-term developed projects that really don't align with current market pricing," he said.

This leads to a disconnect, where a company has to make long-term capital decisions "without having real visibility into what that future market's going to look like", he said. "Supply is not based upon current markets. Supply really responds to confidence in future markets and what that looks like."

Aligning end user contracting, permitting certainty, and policy support will bring the confidence that is needed to bring projects forward, he said. " I think when you get those aligned, you will see capital deployed," he said.

Working together for the future

The two-day programme culminated in a final session when industry leaders were asked to distil the core themes of the conference into an actionable framework, aligning the entire value chain toward the singular goal of a successful, scalable, and sustainable energy transition.

"I can't believe how good things are for all sectors of our industry," John Donelson, Senior VP and CMO at Centrus Energy, said in the final panel of the event in Monaco. "But eventually, all the good words that we have need to be turned into action. So I think the consensus is that we need to execute … it's executing all the programmes that we have in play."

Jonathan Hinze, President of UxC, LLC, agreed with Donelson's assessment of the positivity within the nuclear industry, but despite a general consensus, he said: "I think when we look at our nuclear fuel markets, we're seeing a little bit of variation of opinion - which is always normal in this industry, as it should be.

"I think what I've sensed in this event, speaking to a lot of both utilities and suppliers and others, is that they're trying to find common ground at the same time as being aware of the kind of positions in the market … and I think what I'm noticing is that while there are differences of opinion, we all are sort of still going in the same direction, and that's really important."

Maureen Zawalick is Senior Vice President and Chief Risk Officer at PG&E Corporation. PG&E's Diablo Canyon - which provides nearly 9% of California's electricity and 17% of its zero-carbon energy - had been slated for retirement in 2024-2025 until the state passed a law allowing the two units to continue operation until 2030. Keeping the plant operating - and looking to secure the state-level legislative action to enable operation beyond 2030 - needs collaboration and cooperation, she said.

"The demand growth that we're seeing is going to necessitate us moving into a direction of changing how we've purchased and procured previously," she said. "So there's a lot of variables, it's almost like a Venn diagram that all has to come together to where we go forward in this area. So cooperation and collaboration is key."

World Nuclear Fuel Cycle 2026, held in Monaco in April, was co-organised by the Nuclear Energy Institute and ¶¶Òõpro.

The five-year agreement responds to the NDA's desire to explore issues related to the decommissioning of an irradiated graphite reactor and provides Sogin with an opportunity to share and expand its experience in planning the decommissioning of Magnox-type reactors, such as the one at the Latina nuclear power plant.

Sogin said the MoU includes three strategic objectives. The first involves sharing experiences and promoting the exchange of know-how on decommissioning techniques for a graphite-moderated nuclear reactor, through a structured schedule of meetings and visits between the teams of the two companies. The second aims to strengthen the skills of the respective technical staff, including through specific training programs. This, with the third and further goal of paving the way for new and potential future collaborations.​

Early collaboration between Sogin and NDA subsidiary Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS) under the MoU is expected to focus on: large component and steam generator dismantling; lessons from dismantling design and delivery, including the use of advanced cutting techniques; and technical and strategic approaches shaping decommissioning decisions in different national contexts.

"As government-owned organisations managing long-term nuclear legacies on behalf of the public, both the NDA group and Sogin operate in highly regulated environments where safety, transparency and value for money are essential," the NDA said. "Our shared focus on decommissioning creates strong alignment."

​The agreement follows those signed in recent weeks with the Italian company Graphicore and Japan Atomic Power Company and is part of Sogin's commitment to expand and strengthen its collaboration with the leading international partners in the sector. Through a shared approach, Sogin aims to tackle the dismantling of the nuclear island at the Latina power plant.

"Collaborating on methods and technologies for civil nuclear operations reflects the high level of sophistication the sector has achieved in Europe and around the world," Artizzu said. "Being able to share best practices with similar companies within the International Atomic Energy Agency framework represents a true virtuous cycle, an indispensable asset within our industrial sector."

The Latina plant, comprising a single 210 MWe Magnox graphite gas-cooled reactor, began operating in January 1964. It was permanently shut in December 1987 as a result of the Italian referendum on nuclear power that followed the April 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Sogin took over ownership of the site in November 1999.

The UK constructed a fleet of 26 Magnox power reactors, which began operating between 1956 and 1971. The last Magnox reactor in Britain to shut down was Reactor 1 in Wylfa in 2015.

The most pressing issue is the decision expected later this year by the Spanish government on whether to award a three-year reprieve to Almaraz nuclear power plant units 1 and 2. They are currently scheduled to be shut down in 2027 and 2028, respectively, as part of a 2019 agreement related to the phase-out policy.

Ugalde says that the three-year operating extension would allow time for consideration of whether there should be a more fundamental change to the phase-out plan. She notes that similar reactors in the USA are now licensed to operate for 80 years. The nuclear energy sector has "a lot of support from public opinion and from political parties", she says, although it is up to the current government to decide.

She also talks about what impact last year's blackout has had on the case for nuclear energy. She says: "If we want an energy transition in Spain that actually works, nuclear and renewables need to work together, with system stability always in mind."

The world has changed a lot since 2019, with COVID-19 and then wars taking place in Ukraine and more recently Iran. Added to this there has been the development of artificial intelligence, with its predicted need for vast amounts of power in the future.

"The debate is becoming much more pragmatic because people are paying closer attention to things like stability, security of supply, and price. And nuclear is seen as part of the solution. And with public opinion, for example, we have a survey done by the Royal Elcano Institute which shows that from 2023 to 2025, the support for extending planned lifetimes changed from 43% in 2023 in favour to 66% in favour in 2025. So more or less two-thirds of respondents now think Spain's existing nuclear plants should keep operating," she said.

_{(Image: Foro Nuclear)}

Ugalde, who took over her current role at Foro Nuclear in March, also talks about her background and work in the Spanish nuclear industry, and with World Association of Nuclear Operators.

Spain's seven operating nuclear power reactors - Almaraz I and II, Ascó I and II, Cofrentes, Trillo and Vandellós II - generate about 20% of its electricity. Under the country's nuclear phase-out plans, four reactors are scheduled to close by the end of 2030 - including the two Almaraz ones - while the remaining three reactors will shut by 2035.

The Almaraz plant currently supplies more than 7% of the electricity consumed in Spain, equivalent to 4 million homes, and employs about 4,000 people. Almaraz units I and II are pressurised water reactors with a net capacity of 1011 MWe and 1006 MWe, respectively. Unit I entered commercial operation in 1983 with unit II following the next year. The plant is owned by Iberdrola (53%), Endesa (36%), and Naturgy (11%).

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Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) said that the research team had found that "when hesperidin was administered for seven days to mice with reduced liver enzyme function due to radiation exposure, enzyme function recovered by more than 90%. In addition, they demonstrated both preventive and therapeutic effects by proving that normal function was restored even when hesperidin was prescribed in advance of radiation irradiation".

_{(Image: KAERI)}

The technology transfer also includes the means of "extracting high-purity hesperidin from tangerine peels using radiation fusion technology ... previously, high-purity extraction was difficult due to pesticide residues remaining on the tangerine peels, but the research team developed a new extraction technique that uses radiation to destroy pesticide residues while maximising hesperidin content".

_{(Image: KAERI)}

Jeong Byeong-yeop, Director of the Advanced Radiation Research Institute, stated: "The institute's world-class technological capabilities will serve as a win-win model leading to the product competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises."

The technology transfer was carried out with the support of the Ministry of Science. Arinus Co is a specialised manufacturer of health-focused products and plans to use the technology in health supplements and products for patients undergoing radiation therapy.

Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) - a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) spinout company - said the application is the first-ever request from a grid-scale fusion power plant developer to a major regional transmission organisation. "By entering PJM's queue now, CFS will ensure that it will be able to connect to the grid upon completion of the power plant's construction," the company said. "Submitting this interconnection request helps to derisk delivering power from the ARC plant since it is one of the long-lead actions necessary to connect a grid-scale power plant in the early 2030s."

PJM coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity in all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Its system serves about 182,000 MW of capacity to more than 65 million customers.

"Submitting the interconnection request is one of the long-lead actions necessary for providing power in the early 2030s because the start of the study process to the generation of electricity can take four to six years," CFS said.

PJM will use sophisticated grid simulation models to diligently stress-test the generation systems of CFS's fusion power plant to ensure it can connect reliably to help meet the region's surging energy demands.

"Our commitment to delivering the benefits of fusion, and enabling a future with abundant, secure energy, means that we're not just proving fusion physics works - we're showing exactly how fusion power plant watts get from our machine to the customer, working with the grid and a utility," said Bob Mumgaard, Co-Founder and CEO of CFS. "By becoming the first fusion energy developer to enter a major grid operator's interconnection queue, we're demonstrating that when you're serious about building a power plant in the early 2030s, you act now. This is execution."

Dominion Energy advised CFS on best practices for navigating PJM's interconnection process as part of its Joint Development Agreement with CFS.

"This marks another significant milestone for Commonwealth Fusion Systems and the development of fusion power in Virginia," said Ed Baine, Dominion Energy's Executive Vice President of Utility Operations and President of Dominion Energy Virginia. "We are grateful for the opportunity to support CFS in their efforts to make this exciting project a reality for Virginia."

CFS is currently working to build the SPARC prototype fusion machine at its headquarters in Devens, Massachusetts. It is described as a compact, high-field, net fusion energy device that would be the size of existing mid-sized fusion devices, but with a much stronger magnetic field. The doughnut-shaped device will use powerful electromagnets to produce the right conditions for fusion energy, including an interior temperature surpassing 100 million degrees Celsius. It aims to produce 50-100 MW of fusion power, achieving fusion gain greater than 10.

The plan is for SPARC to pave the way for a first commercially viable fusion power plant called ARC, which is intended to generate about 400 MWe - enough to power large industrial sites, or about 150,000 homes. ARC is scheduled to deliver power to the grid in the early 2030s.

In July last year, Google signed an investment and offtake agreement with Commonwealth Fusion Systems for 200 MW of power from its first ARC commercial fusion plant. In September, Italy's Eni - as a CFS strategic investor - signed offtake agreement worth more than USD1 billion for power from the plant.

CFS announced in plans December 2024 to independently finance, construct, own and operate a commercial-scale fusion power plant in Chesterfield County, Virginia. The company said it reached an agreement with Dominion Energy Virginia to provide non-financial collaboration, including development and technical expertise as well as leasing rights for the proposed site at the James River Industrial Park. Dominion Energy Virginia currently owns the proposed site.

CFS has now announced that the site has been named the Fall Line Fusion Power Station. The name references the geological boundary where Virginia's elevated Piedmont region drops down to the Tidewater coastal plain, creating the rapids on the James River.

"We have grown complacent with the status quo, adopting emergency measures when in need, and focusing on incremental improvements at best. This must change. Political leaders in the EU and its Member States must shift from short-term solutions to a long-term plan that delivers energy security, reduces structural dependencies, strengthens technological sovereignty and prevents future disruptions from dictating our economic fate."

Fusion power, they say, must be a part of that plan.

"Fusion is no longer a distant dream," the letter says. "Sites for fusion power plants have already been identified in Germany, the UK and Sweden. The US, China, Japan, and Canada are scaling up public support and private investment. Europe now faces a strategic choice: stay among the leaders of this transition or continue to depend on technologies and value chains developed elsewhere."

The CEOs say the European Commission should present an EU Fusion Strategy "that gets the level of ambition right from the start" in order for commercial fusion power plants to be constructed in the 2030s. "Europe has one chance to set the trajectory - and it must seize it. Europe's industrial base is ready to support commercial fusion, and there is broad alignment across the ecosystem on the need for a clear and ambitious strategy."

They say the strategy must recognise fusion as a strategic priority for Europe's competitiveness, energy security, and net-zero objectives. It must be "ambitious, technology‑neutral and outcome-oriented". The strategy must prioritise milestone‑based funding that incentivises private investment and rewards progress and performance. It must set out concrete steps to integrate fusion into existing EU regulatory frameworks, ensuring that it is treated differently from fission, "reflecting its fundamentally lower risk profile". It must strengthen, adapt and expand European supply chains and workforce capabilities, ensuring that value creation remains in Europe.

The industry leaders add that the strategy must be accompanied by an action plan that commits budget, mobilises capital and sets "a favourable and predictable regulatory pathway" to make commercial fusion happen.

"The benefits will be transformative: clean and abundant energy, industrial renewal, technological leadership, high-skill jobs for a generation of European talent working on one of humanity’s most ambitious endeavours," the letter concludes. "It is a future we can approach with confidence rather than apprehension."

The letter was signed by senior figures from: ‍Renaissance Fusion, Focused Energy, Marvel Fusion, Proxima Fusion, Novatron Fusion, Gauss Fusion GmbH, NINEFusion, DWE GmbH, RI Research Instruments GmbH, Fusion Europe, Fusion Industry Association, and ProFusion German Fusion Industry Association.

The UK Infinity Fusion Consortium combines Type One Energy's 400 MWe Infinity Two stellarator fusion power plant design, AECOM's leading engineering capabilities, and Tokamak Energy's high temperature superconducting (HTS) magnet technology and manufacturing expertise in the UK. The consortium will use these capabilities to develop a UK Infinity Two fusion power plant project that will include participation by the broader UK fusion value chain spanning construction, finance, offtake and other supply chain partners.

The consortium aims to benefit from the UK's significant investment in magnetic confinement fusion technology, supply chain capabilities, regulation, and power plant siting for the government's STEP Fusion programme. It will also capitalise on the synergy and experience gained from the first-of-a-kind Infinity Two fusion power plant project at the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA's) Bull Run site in the USA, which is targeted for commercial operation in 2034. The TVA Infinity Two project is being supported by the US government's own fusion programmes and provides a strong technical and programmatic foundation for the UK Infinity Two deployment project.

"The consortium will create a private-sector-led fusion commercialisation pathway complementing the STEP Fusion programme," the partners said. "The UK Infinity Two project further scales growth of the UK fusion supply chain and accelerates time-to-market for this critical new energy source, while strengthening the country's industrial base."

"Fusion needs to be delivered, not just developed," said Type One Energy CEO Chris Mowry. "This consortium brings together the core industrial capabilities in the UK and US required to deploy real-world fusion power plant projects that are commercially viable. By aligning fusion technology, advanced manufacturing, and power plant engineering, we are closing the gap between today's energy innovation and tomorrow's energy infrastructure. Our initiative is fully aligned with UK and US ambitions to be leaders in commercial fusion deployment."

Warrick Matthews, CEO of Tokamak Energy, added: "This consortium puts Tokamak Energy's transformative magnet technology and manufacturing expertise in the centre of another world-class fusion programme. Together, we can accelerate towards commercialising a new form of limitless, clean energy and, in combination with our role as STEP magnet systems partner, strengthen the UK supply chain's leadership in global fusion."

"Fusion represents one of the most important long-term energy solutions, offering a clean, safe and reliable source of power for future generations," said AECOM CEO Troy Rudd. "Delivering on fusion's potential requires disciplined engineering, well-established infrastructure delivery models and collaboration across the entire energy ecosystem. Through this consortium, AECOM is bringing its global experience in complex energy infrastructure to help lay the groundwork for commercial fusion projects that can scale with confidence, supporting the UK's energy system while strengthening its industrial and infrastructure base."

_{(Image: Type One Energy)}

Type One Energy's Infinity Two is a stellarator fusion reactor - different to a tokamak fusion reactor such as the Joint European Torus in the UK or the ITER device under construction in France. A tokamak is based on a uniform toroid shape, whereas a stellarator twists that shape in a figure-8. This is intended to get round the problems tokamaks can face when magnetic coils confining the plasma are necessarily less dense on the outside of the toroidal ring.

In September last year, TVA issued Type One Energy a Letter of Intent to develop and build Infinity Two - a first-generation 350 MWe baseload power plant using the company's stellarator fusion technology - with construction starting as early as 2028. Type One Energy completed the first formal design review of Infinity Two in May 2025. Final decisions and definitive agreements regarding the funding and construction of Infinity Two, as well as any agreements to purchase the energy output, are subject to TVA Board approval, regulatory review, and alignment with least-cost planning processes, amongst other things, TVA has previously said. In January this year, Type One Energy submitted the initial licensing application in preparation for the construction of Infinity Two at TVA's former Bull Run fossil plant site in Clinton, Tennessee.