Deployable Energy 1MW Microreactor UNB Achieves Initial Criticality: Scheduled to Enter INL DOME Test Bed in 2027 for Full-Power Testing

Houston-based nuclear energy startup Deployable Energy recently announced that its independently developed Microreactor, the Unity Nuclear Battery (UNB), has successfully completed its Initial Criticality Test. According to the established deployment plan, the system will officially arrive at the Demonstration and Operation of Microreactor Experiments (DOME), the dedicated microreactor test bed at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), in 2027 to conduct full-power comprehensive performance testing. Although branded as a Nuclear...

2026-10-02

All Four ITER Test Blanket Module (TBM) Conceptual Designs Pass Preliminary Design Review

Recently, the ITER Organization officially completed the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) of four Test Blanket Module (TBM) conceptual designs. The four blanket system technical designs led by China, the EU, Japan, and Korea — core ITER member parties — all passed independent review to high standards, marking that "tritium breeding and energy extraction validation," one of ITER's three major engineering goals, has fully entered the final engineering implementation phase, providing critical engineering pathway support for the next-generation fusion demonstration reactor (DEMO) to achieve commercial tritium self-sufficiency. In the blueprint for magnetic confinement fusion power generation, deuterium-tritium (D-T) fusion reactions...

2026-09-30

Argonne National Laboratory Achieves Latest Research Progress in Advanced Reactor Passive Safety, Revealing Flow Characteristics of Reactor Cavity Cooling System Using NSTF Facility

A research team at Argonne National Laboratory, under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), has achieved the latest research progress on passive shutdown decay heat removal mechanisms for next-generation advanced nuclear reactors. Under unplanned reactor shutdown or sudden emergency accident conditions, nuclear fuel continues to release decay heat. Ensuring continuous and reliable heat removal under complete power loss and without manual intervention is a core issue in the inherent safety design of Generation IV advanced reactors. The Argonne research team recently focused on the transient thermal-hydraulic response characteristics of key passive heat removal systems under realistic dynamic decay heat curves. This...

2026-09-30

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

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

2026-09-29

The Fully Superconducting Tokamak EAST Marks 20 Years of Operation: From a 3-Second First Cry to Thousand-Second Steady State, China's "Artificial Sun" Opens a Leap Toward Fusion Engineering

On September 28, 2006, the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), independently designed and developed by the Institute of Plasma Physics (ASIPP) under the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, successfully achieved its first plasma discharge on Hefei Science Island, with a current of 200 kA and a duration of nearly 3 seconds. This historic moment marked the official completion and operation of the world's first fully superconducting non-circular cross-section nuclear fusion experimental device, propelling China into the club of fully superconducting tokamak technology ahead of others. Over the past two decades, this artificial sun has completed more than 160,000 physical discharge experiments...

2026-09-28

Fudan University Approved for China's First "Fusion Science and Engineering" Interdisciplinary First-Level Doctoral Degree Program

Recently, Fudan University's "Fusion Science and Engineering" interdisciplinary first-level doctoral degree program was officially approved, making the university the first higher education institution in China to establish such an interdisciplinary first-level doctoral degree program. The degree program is led by the Institute of Modern Physics (Department of Nuclear Science and Technology), and will officially begin doctoral student admissions in 2026. Currently, global fusion R&D is transitioning from the stage of scientific exploration to the critical period of engineering verification and commercialization. China's "15th Five-Year Plan" recommendations list fusion energy as a new economic growth point for future industries. Accelerating the cultivation of high-level fusion talent has become an urgent task for safeguarding national energy security and seizing the high ground of future science and technology industries. Fudan University...

2026-09-28

World's First Compact Fusion Energy Experimental Device BEST TF Coil Cases Delivered in Batch

On September 27, the completion and shipment ceremony for the batch components of the toroidal field (TF) coil cases of the world's first compact fusion energy experimental device—the Burning Experimental Fusion Test (BEST)—was held at the Deyang, Sichuan base of China National Machinery Industry Heavy Equipment Group Co., Ltd. (Sinomach Heavy Equipment). With this, all 8 BEST TF coil case batch components undertaken and developed by Sinomach Heavy Equipment have been fully manufactured and assembled, and successfully shipped for delivery. Song Yuntao, Party Secretary and Director of the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Han Xiaojun, Party Secretary and Chairman of Sinomach Heavy Equipment, delivered speeches at the ceremony respectively. Liu Zhihong, Deputy Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of the Institute of Plasma Physics and Deputy General Manager of Fusion New Energy (Anhui) Co., Ltd...

2026-09-28

China Institute of Atomic Energy Holds 2026 Science and Technology Innovation Conference, Releases Three Independently Developed Scientific and Technological Achievements: Industrial Software, Radiation-Resistant Robot, and Monitoring Watch

On September 23, China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE) of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) officially convened the 2026 Science and Technology Innovation Conference, systematically planning and coordinating key tasks for nuclear basic research and original innovation. The conference brought together Sun Changpu, Ye Guoan, Liu Weiping, and Li Jun, academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Hu Shilin, Wang Hualin, and Su Guanghui, academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; as well as representatives from research and industrial units including CNNC and Aerospace Software. Three independently developed innovative scientific and technological achievements were released on site: the Yundian Product Data Management System N-PDM, the Anluan-R Radiation-Resistant Inspection Robot, and the Antai-W1 Smart Radiation Monitoring Watch...

2026-09-24

The first international severe accident melt pool standard problem led by China Nuclear Power Engineering Co., Ltd. has been officially approved

Recently, the annual meeting of the Working Group on Accident Analysis and Management (WGAMA) of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA) reviewed and approved the International Standard Problem (ISP) in the field of severe accident research, which was led and submitted by China Nuclear Power Engineering Co., Ltd. This approval marks the 54th International Standard Problem since the OECD established the ISP program half a century ago, the first International Standard Problem in the field of in-vessel melt pool research for reactor severe accidents, and the second International Standard Problem led by China. The project entered the international promotion stage in 2024. The project team collaborated with multiple top research...

2026-09-21

NASA Seeks Proposals for Radioisotope Power and Other Technologies for Lunar Missions

On September 8, 2026, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) issued a solicitation seeking proposals for critical technologies and infrastructure for lunar exploration, with near-term focus on supporting the construction of a lunar base in the lunar south pole region. This solicitation is included under Appendix A of the NextSTEP-3 Broad Agency Announcement, the Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator framework, and covers five technology areas: vertical solar arrays, lunar regolith oxygen extraction, radioisotope power, advanced space manufacturing, and innovative nanomaterial production. NASA stated that these capabilities will be used to address the power generation, resource utilization, materials...

2026-09-13

Antares Wins U.S. Air Force Space Nuclear Energy Technology Contract

Antares recently announced that it has received a Strategic Breakthrough Award from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration to advance space nuclear energy technology development. The company said this is currently the largest contract awarded by the U.S. War Department in the field of space nuclear energy. Antares CEO and co-founder Jordan Bramble said that space applications have been a core focus since the company's founding, and that cooperation with the Space Force has turned related concepts into formal space missions. He said nuclear fission technology is expected to provide space missions with strategic capabilities that are currently difficult to achieve. Under the project arrangement, Antares will carry out a ground nuclear power demonstration of the R1-S reactor...

2026-09-13

India's Hylenr Technologies Claims Detection of Rare Earth Element Signatures in Lattice-Confined Fusion System

Indian deep-tech company Hylenr Technologies announced on September 9 that it has observed evidence of element formation in an engineered lattice structure system, including rare earth element signatures. The company stated that this result could provide a technological pathway for nucleosynthesis and strategic materials production that differs from traditional mining. According to the company, the related results stem from Hylenr Technologies' more than 10 years of fusion technology research centered on lattice-confined fusion. Part of the research, titled "Nuclear Signatures in Hydrogen-Loaded Nickel-Palladium Lattice-Confined Systems," was presented earlier this month at the 27th International Conference on Condensed Matter Nuclear Science...

2026-09-10

Lightbridge Approved to Conduct Advanced Nuclear Fuel Irradiation Testing at Idaho National Laboratory

On September 9, Lightbridge Corporation (Lightbridge, Nasdaq: LTBR), a developer of advanced nuclear fuel technology, announced that it has completed the signing of Project Task Statement No. 2 (PTS No. 2) under the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA), the operating contractor of Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Under this task statement, Lightbridge will gain access to the loop test facility of the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory to conduct irradiation testing of Lightbridge Fuel™ cladded fuel rods. The loop...

2026-09-10

US-based Thea Energy Unveils Helios Stellarator Fusion Power Plant Design

On September 9, 2026, Thea Energy, Inc., a fusion energy company based in Kearny, New Jersey, announced that 16 peer-reviewed papers on its Helios fusion power plant design had been published in a special issue of Fusion Engineering and Design (FED). The special issue, titled "Thea Energy's Helios Stellarator Power Plant Design," presents the Helios architecture and its key engineering solutions. According to Thea Energy, Helios is a stellarator fusion power plant architecture oriented toward commercial deployment requirements, integrating magnet coils that can be controlled by software to adapt to actual operating conditions, a stellarator divertor exhaust system for continuous fusion power generation operations, and a sectorized maintenance scheme supporting long-term operation...

2026-09-10

"Junhe-1" OTSG Thermal-Hydraulic Experiment Program Passes Expert Review

On September 2, 2026, Shanghai Junhe Atomic Technology Co., Ltd. organized an expert review meeting on the "Junhe-1 OTSG Single-Tube Flow and Heat Transfer Experiment Program" and the "Junhe-1 OTSG Parallel Channel Flow Instability Experiment Program." The review meeting invited multiple experts from CGN Research Institute, Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute, Fudan University, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The first thermal experiment project of Junhe-1 is undertaken by Professor Gu Hanyang's team from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, which has extensive experience in reactor R&D experiments and has undertaken multiple thermal-hydraulic experiment tasks for the Hualong One and domestic small reactor R&D projects. The meeting heard...

2026-09-09

Türkiye partners with Danish company to develop thorium-based nuclear technology

Türkiye's Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources stated on September 7 that the Turkish Energy, Nuclear and Mineral Research Agency (TENMAK) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Danish nuclear technology developer Copenhagen Atomics to cooperate on developing next-generation nuclear energy technologies centered on Türkiye's thorium resources. According to the Turkish statement, the cooperation priorities include research and development of technologies that can utilize thorium, domestic production of thorium compounds in Türkiye, and promoting the participation of Turkish industrial enterprises, technology companies, and researchers in thorium-based nuclear technology development. The two sides will focus on thorium material preparation, research and development, and project design applicable to next-generation nuclear reactors, particularly molten salt reactors.

2026-09-08

Digital twins are becoming an important R&D pathway in fusion research

Recently, a new paper reviewed the progress of digital twin technology in fusion research over the past five years and noted that several key gaps remain before a complete digital twin model of a fusion power plant can be achieved. Simulating the movement of tungsten in the plasma core. Copyright: (F. Jenko et al., 2026, *Nuclear Fusion* 66 116014) Digital twins are a class of virtual models that reflect the structure, environment, and behavior of physical systems, and can be used to predict future system states and inform real-world decision-making. In fusion research, as issues in plasma physics, device engineering, and material interactions grow increasingly complex, digital twins are considered promising...

2026-09-07

U.S. ZC Institute Unveils "Kardashev One" Fusion Prototype Reactor Plan to Independently Test Neutron Recovery Concept

ZC Institute, a fusion energy company headquartered in Atlanta, USA, announced on September 4 the launch of the Kardashev One program, aiming to develop a fusion prototype reactor to explore recovering energy lost to radiation and neutron escape during fusion reactions. As an early validation step of the program, ZC Institute has commissioned Professor Jason Cassibry and his team at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) to conduct independent testing of the related field distortion technology. According to ZC Institute, existing fusion approaches, including inertial confinement fusion and magnetic confinement fusion, lose energy in forms such as electromagnetic radiation and neutron escape. Magnetic fields can confine charged...

2026-09-05

South Korea Exports Molten Salt Reactor R&D Technology to Denmark

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) announced on September 4 that it has signed a two-year contract worth USD 2.26 million (approximately KRW 3 billion) with Danish nuclear energy company Saltforce to provide molten salt reactor-related R&D services, covering areas such as nuclear fuel manufacturing, molten salt testing, and material corrosion assessment. Molten salt reactors are a class of next-generation reactors that typically use high-temperature molten salt as a fuel carrier or coolant medium. Based on the molten salt chemical system, this type of technology is mainly divided into fluoride-based and chloride-based systems. Under the contract arrangement, KAERI will provide support for the fluoride-based...

2026-09-04

Israel's Quantum X Labs Claims Efficient Geometric Encoding for Complex Nuclear Environments

Quantum X Labs Inc. of Israel announced on September 3 that it has achieved a key milestone in its nuclear quantum business: the company has developed a new method to more efficiently encode complex spatial geometries into quantum transport frameworks. The company stated that the new method can be used to simulate the trajectories of particles moving through complex material boundaries and heterogeneous structures, providing a new technical pathway for representing more complex physical systems within quantum computing frameworks. Such capabilities are closely related to simulation needs in practical nuclear-related scenarios such as nuclear power plants, medical devices, and space exploration. In photon and particle transport simulations, real-world systems often contain complex boundaries,...

2026-09-04

U.S. Develops Refractory Metal Powder Atomization System to Support Fusion Energy Materials Research

U.S. researchers are developing a new refractory metal powder atomization system to produce high-temperature alloy powders for extreme-environment applications. The system will support new materials research in areas such as gas turbines, aerospace equipment, and fusion energy systems. Jordan Tiarks, a scientist at Ames National Laboratory, stated that the laboratory has long been engaged in specialty powder production research, and the new system will expand its materials processing capabilities to higher temperature ranges and more challenging material systems. The research team noted that metal powders are a critical foundation for advanced manufacturing technologies such as powder metallurgy and additive manufacturing...

2026-09-03