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Unit 3 of Russia's Kursk Nuclear Power Plant resumes operation after short-term maintenance

Rosatom reported on August 27 that Unit 3 of the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant has resumed operation after completing short-term unscheduled maintenance. Rosatom stated that Unit 4 of the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant remains under planned preventive maintenance. The announcement did not disclose the specific reasons for or the duration of the maintenance on Unit 3. Meanwhile, construction of new units at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant continues to progress. The new units employ modern VVER-TOI reactor technology, with the first unit already commissioned and generating electricity...

2026-08-28

Russia's Kursk Nuclear Power Plant Releases Annual Environmental Report

Russia's Kursk Nuclear Power Plant recently presented its annual environmental report to local residents in the city of Kurchatov. This year's presentation adopted a cycling event format for the first time, with participants including local residents, city Duma deputies, and relevant personnel, held in the area of Warm Coast Park. The Kursk Nuclear Power Plant is part of Rosenergoatom, the power generation division operator of Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom. The plant stated that the event route was specially designed to allow participants to learn about environmental protection data during the ride and directly observe the environmental conditions in the area surrounding the plant. Kursk...

2026-08-28

Russian Thorium-Based Radiopharmaceuticals Expected Within 1-2 Years

On August 27, Igor Korobko, Professor of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Director of the Department of Medical and Scientific Development in Healthcare of the Russian Ministry of Health, stated at the Technoprom Forum held in Novosibirsk that thorium-based drugs for precision radionuclide therapy of tumors are expected to become available in Russia within the next 1 to 2 years. Korobko noted that tumor treatment still requires support from more available isotopes. For example, when patients develop resistance to actinium-related therapies, clinical practice necessitates the use of different isotopes for treatment. He stated that Russia is advancing the development of related therapies domestically and expects to have thorium-based drugs within the next year or two. Currently, actinium-225 is considered one of the more promising radionuclides...

2026-08-28

Russia Plans to Complete Development of First Domestic Proton Beam Therapy Cyclotron by 2027

Russian scientists plan to complete the development of the country's first domestically produced proton beam therapy cyclotron by 2027, with commissioning to begin in the same year. This progress was announced by Sergey Gertzog, CEO of the Russian National Institute of Electronics and Atomic Energy (NIIEFA), at the recent Technoprom forum held in Novosibirsk. A proton beam therapy cyclotron is a type of charged particle accelerator that uses magnetic and electric fields to accelerate protons to high-energy states, reaching speeds of one-half to two-thirds the speed of light. The accelerated proton beam can target cancerous tumor areas with relative precision for oncological treatment. According to the schedule outlined in Gertzog's report...

2026-08-28

France's ITER research program may start before 2034

Scientific preparation work for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is currently about 7 months ahead of the original schedule, and the research program may start earlier than the previously set target of 2034. Anatoly Krasilnikov, Director of the ITER Project Center at Rosatom, revealed this progress during the Technoprom-2026 forum. Krasilnikov stated that the project team no longer uses the milestone term "first plasma," but has instead adjusted the objective to "start of the research program," with a target date of 2034. Based on the current progress, the work is 7 months ahead of schedule, and there is a possibility of achieving the goal ahead of time...

2026-08-28

Russia Advances Radiopharmaceutical Development, Plans to Expand into Diagnostics and Treatment of Heart Disease and Other Conditions

Rosatom is developing radiopharmaceuticals for the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, heart disease, and rheumatic conditions, further expanding the application of radionuclide technology in medicine. During the 13th International Technology Development Forum Technoprom-2026 held in Novosibirsk, Sergei Surov, Director of the Department of Radionuclide Products and Nuclear Medicine at Rosatom's Science Division, stated that the company is advancing the development of these drugs. Radiopharmaceuticals typically contain radioactive isotopes, i.e., radionuclides, and are currently used in medicine primarily for the diagnosis and treatment of various cancers. Surov noted that the new development directions mean...

2026-08-28

First Seven Experimental Stations of Russia's SKIF Synchrotron Planned for Commissioning in Summer 2027

The first seven scientific experimental stations at the Siberian Circular Photon Source (SKIF) shared center, located near Novosibirsk, Russia, are planned to begin beam testing in August 2027. According to the center's relevant official, all experimental station equipment has been fully installed, and experts are currently conducting commissioning work. Construction of the SKIF synchrotron was completed in June 2026. Once the project becomes operational, it will utilize synchrotron radiation to help researchers observe the internal structure of matter, obtaining high-precision data on material structure and behavior, which can serve fundamental research and related industrial R&D. As planned, the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences will launch beam operation in the main storage ring in September...

2026-08-28

South Korea Launches Standard Design Approval Review for i-SMR

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) of South Korea is set to initiate a safety review of the standard design approval application for the innovative Small Modular Reactor (i-SMR). This project is part of the small modular reactor research and development program led by the South Korean government. The NSSC stated on August 28 that, at its 13th meeting of 2026 held on August 27, the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) reported on the review plan for the i-SMR standard design approval application. KINS had previously conducted a suitability review of the standard design approval application documents submitted in February of this year and determined that the documents met the conditions for entering the safety review phase, thereby establishing a subsequent review plan. The standard design approval system is designed to...

2026-08-28

Construction Advances for Holtec's SMR-300 Test Facility at Idaho National Laboratory

Holtec International recently announced that construction of its HI-TEST test facility, supporting the SMR-300 small modular reactor, is advancing at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), with manufacturing of key test components and preparation for facility installation already underway. The facility simulates the SMR-300 plant at approximately one-third scale and is designed to quantify reactor design and operational performance margins, providing a test basis for potential future power uprates. Supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE), the HI-TEST facility's primary mission is to validate SMR-300 design margins under steady-state and transient conditions, offering physical test data for the plant's power generation capacity, resilience, and operability...

2026-08-28

Finland's Onkalo Spent Fuel Disposal Facility Starts Drilling of First Disposal Hole

On the afternoon of August 26, 2026, Finland's Onkalo spent fuel final disposal facility commenced drilling of its first disposal hole deep in the bedrock at Olkiluoto. Posiva stated that the drilling operation is being carried out at a depth of more than 400 meters underground, with the drill bit beginning to cut into the approximately 1.9-billion-year-old Olkiluoto bedrock. Kimmo Lehtola, Posiva's Operations Construction Manager, explained that a kick-off meeting had been held the day before the operation, focusing on reviewing safety matters, technical specifications, and the detailed drilling plan. On the morning and early afternoon of the drilling day, the team completed final adjustments to the equipment, after which the drilling rig began its work. He noted that the team had previously completed...

2026-08-28

Sweden's Oskarshamn New Nuclear Project Applies for State Aid

NuCore Energi AB, a project company under Fortum, has submitted a state aid application to the Swedish government to initiate consultations on the framework and conditions for a new nuclear power project in Oskarshamn municipality. The project is planned to proceed near the existing Oskarshamn Nuclear Power Plant, with options covering small modular reactors (SMRs) and large reactors, with a total installed capacity expected to range between 1,200 MW and 3,400 MW. NuCore Energi submitted the state aid application on August 27, 2026. In the photo, from left to right: NuCore Energi CEO Laurent Leveugle and Minister Niklas Wykman. Fortum...

2026-08-28

Russia and Egypt Plan to Cooperate on Construction of Nuclear Medicine Center and Radiopharmaceutical Plant

Alexey Likhachev, CEO of Rosatom, recently stated that Russia and Egypt are expanding cooperation in non-energy nuclear technologies, with one of Egypt's key priorities being the construction of a high-performance nuclear medicine center based on a research reactor. According to reports, the project will adopt a comprehensive approach, including a radiopharmaceutical production plant, isotope production facilities, and modern diagnostic systems based on PET and SPECT technologies. Some diagnostic systems will use Russian equipment. Once completed, the project is expected to conduct up to 30,000 diagnostic examinations annually and provide treatment services for 400 patients. Construction of the medical facility is expected to begin as early as 2027...

2026-08-28

Bristol Myers Squibb to Invest $173 Million in New Radiopharmaceutical Plant in Indiana, USA

Bristol Myers Squibb's RayzeBio will build a new radiopharmaceutical production facility in Whitestown, Indiana, USA, with an investment of $173 million. The project will be located at the Anson Industrial Park in Boone County, with construction planned to begin this year, complementing RayzeBio's existing operational radiopharmaceutical plant in Indianapolis. According to information released by the state of Indiana, the new facility will cover approximately 225,000 square feet. Bristol Myers Squibb expects the two production sites to add 100 new positions by the end of 2029, with annual salaries for new positions expected to exceed $130,000. Bristol Myers Squibb acquired San Diego-based RayzeBio in 2023 for $4.1 billion...

2026-08-28

Welding of main circulation pipeline completed for Unit 2 of Turkey's Akkuyu NPP

On August 27, welding of the main circulation pipeline was completed for Unit 2 of Turkey's Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant. The pipeline connects the reactor, steam generators, and main circulation pumps, and is one of the key components forming the primary circuit system of the reactor facility. The welding work lasted 73 days and involved welding 32 pipe joints. Engineering technicians, welders, fitters, pipe cutters, non-destructive testing personnel, heat treatment personnel, and quality inspection personnel participated in the relevant operations. During construction, each process step proceeded according to the established technological workflow, and welded joints had to pass inspection before moving to the next stage. According to reports, all welded joints underwent high-temperature heat treatment to relieve internal stress in the metal and ensure compliance with design performance requirements.

2026-08-28

Egyptian Minister of Electricity Inspects Small Modular Reactor Technology in Russia

On August 27, 2026, Egyptian Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mahmoud Esmat visited a small nuclear reactor manufacturing and assembly plant operated by Rosatom during an official visit to Russia. The inspection focused on the latest advancements in small modular reactor-related technologies, industrial application status, and potential cooperation opportunities between the two sides. The Egyptian side stated that such visits align with the country's direction of diversifying energy sources and enhancing the security and sustainability of electricity supply. During the visit, Esmat was briefed on the manufacturing and assembly processes of small reactor components, as well as related safety systems...

2026-08-28