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Japan's Mihama Nuclear Power Station Unit 3 Plans Grid Connection on September 15

Kansai Electric Power announced on September 1, 2026, that work related to the periodic inspection of Unit 3 at Japan's Mihama Nuclear Power Station is progressing as planned. Based on the progress of the inspection and the status of corrective measures for the steam leakage issue in the high-pressure turbine, the unit is scheduled to be connected to the grid on September 15. Unit 3 of Mihama Nuclear Power Station is a pressurized water reactor unit with a rated electrical output of 826 MW and a rated thermal output of 2,440 MW. On May 8 this year, the unit underwent a manual reactor shutdown after steam leakage was confirmed in the high-pressure turbine. From June 16, the unit entered its 29th periodic inspection. Kansai Electric Power stated that, in response to the steam leakage in the high-pressure turbine, the upper cylinder sealing cover has been replaced based on the results of the cause investigation, and multiple measures such as the development of relevant guidelines are being advanced.

2026-09-01

Manila Electric Company Advances Small Modular Reactor Feasibility Study in the Philippines

Manila Electric Company (Meralco) and its power generation arm, Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGEN), have commissioned U.S. engineering firm Sargent & Lundy and its Philippine local partner, AMH Philippines Inc. (AMH), to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). MGEN announced on September 1 (local time) that the study is part of a $2.8 million technical assistance program provided by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). The program was officially announced in February 2026, with the goal of completing the study by the fourth quarter of 2027...

2026-09-01

U.S. University Establishes Fusion Energy Seed Fund to Support Four Interdisciplinary Research Projects

The Institute for Fusion Studies at The University of Texas at Austin recently launched a fusion energy seed fund to support four interdisciplinary research projects. These projects will bring together teams from plasma physics, engineering, and computational science to address challenges in control, materials, particle confinement, and edge plasma simulation faced by fusion devices such as tokamaks. The fund is supported by the Institute for Fusion Studies (IFS), the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering ...

2026-09-01

Kalinin Nuclear Power Plant Named Industry Ecological Model Unit

Kalinin Nuclear Power Plant in Russia has been awarded first place in the 2025 annual ranking of ecological model units in the nuclear industry. A total of 75 enterprises under Rosatom submitted materials for this selection, with the review committee focusing on the comprehensive performance of participating units in ecological protection, environmental management, and information disclosure. Kalinin NPP, affiliated with Rosenergoatom, Russia's nuclear power operator, is located in Udomlya, Tver Oblast. The review committee concluded that the plant has established a relatively complete work system in infrastructure modernization, environmental impact indicator control, aquatic biological resource protection, ecological science popularization, and information disclosure...

2026-09-01

Russia's Leningrad Nuclear-Powered Icebreaker Electrical Distribution Equipment Passes Inspection

The Nuclear-Powered Vessels Division of the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) has recently completed an inspection of the new electrical distribution equipment for the Project 22220 universal nuclear-powered icebreaker Leningrad. The inspected equipment includes shore power distribution panels and low-voltage distribution panels, manufactured by Novaya ERA company of St. Petersburg. The Leningrad is currently under construction at the Baltic Shipyard, part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC). The inspection was carried out by RS survey engineers upon the enterprise's application. The inspection results confirmed that the relevant equipment meets the requirements of current Russian regulations, and the manufacturer has been issued the corresponding registration certificates. The shore power distribution panel is used for...

2026-09-01

Russia's SKIF Synchrotron Announces Criteria for Selecting Future Research Teams

On August 31, Andrei Bukhtiyarov, Deputy Director of the Shared Use Center of the Siberian Circular Photon Source (SKIF) synchrotron, stated that the scientific innovation of research proposals will be one of the key criteria when selecting research teams for future experiments at SKIF. According to reports, the selection process will also focus on the clarity of research ideas and the feasibility of experimental plans. Since some experiments may not be feasible under existing or planned experimental station conditions, applications will first undergo technical review to confirm whether the experiments can be conducted within the facility's capabilities. The SKIF Shared Use Center has established a Scientific Committee to review applications submitted by research teams. The Center plans to...

2026-09-01

Japan Plans to Introduce Physical AI into Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Decommissioning

The Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) are preparing to introduce Physical AI technology into the decommissioning operations at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station to enhance the autonomous operational capabilities of robots in high-radiation environments. This technology enables artificial intelligence to autonomously control robots based on on-site conditions, performing tasks such as inspection, data collection, and cleanup. To advance this effort, an advisory organization involving the government, businesses, universities, and research institutions is planned to be established within the year, with discussions centered on technology development, equipment application, and on-site verification. The organization is expected to be led by relevant government ministries and TEPCO, and will include AI startups, robot manufacturers, and university researchers.

2026-09-01

Nuclear technology breeding helps Laos improve rice varieties and increase yields

Rice is a vital staple food and source of income for rural households in the Lao People's Democratic Republic, and serves as the foundation of the country's food security. Over 80% of local farmers grow rice, with paddy fields accounting for approximately 60% of the nation's cultivated land. To enhance food supply capacity, Laos has set a target of increasing rice production to 5.5 million tonnes. The Saphart 1 rice variety was launched at the 2023 National Seed Fair for Food Security and Nutrition. (Photo: S. Phommalath/ RCCRC) Facing challenges such as environmental change, flooding, plant diseases, and increasing pressure on agricultural systems, agricultural researchers in Laos are turning to nuclear technology to improve rice varieties. The National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute of Laos...

2026-09-01

Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2 Outage 218 Officially Commences

At 2:20 AM on September 1, Unit 2 of Qinshan Phase II was disconnected from the East China Power Grid, marking the official commencement of Outage 218. This outage is a Category C overhaul for Unit 2 of Qinshan Phase II. In addition to the routine annual overhaul items such as reactor coolant system head removal and installation, fuel handling, SG eddy current inspection and flushing, it also includes important special tasks such as generator rotor removal, insertion and inspection, diesel generator excitation system renovation, PSR weakness anti-boron dilution modification, reactor coolant system automatic makeup and residual heat removal eddy current detection function, and nuclear island low-voltage switchgear renovation. The planned items for this outage total 6,119: including 3,764 preventive items, 171 strategic maintenance items, 789 periodic tests, 133 modification work orders, and 1,262 other types of work.

2026-09-01

CERN Accelerator Complex Enters Full LS3 Shutdown for Upgrades, Paving the Way for the High-Luminosity LHC Era

On the morning of August 31 local time, the injector complex and the Antimatter Factory at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) ceased operation after completing their final beam deliveries, officially entering the third Long Shutdown (LS3) phase. Earlier, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) had been closed in June, marking the flagship accelerator as the first to kick off LS3 upgrade work at the center. Bettina Mikulec (left), head of the Operations Group at CERN, handed a symbolic baton—a miniature superconducting magnet from the LHC—to Jean-Philippe Tock (right), head of the LS3 Coordination Group, with CERN Director-General Mark Thomson (second from left) and Oliver Brüning (third from left), head of Accelerators and Technology, in attendance.

2026-09-01

Tennessee Issues First-Ever Commercial Fusion-Specific Permit in the U.S. to Type One Energy

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has issued Type One Energy the state's first permit specifically for a fusion energy facility, allowing the company to advance fusion-related projects at the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Bull Run Energy Complex in Clinton. Tennessee officials stated this is the first permit of its kind in the United States issued under a new state-level fusion regulatory framework. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, alongside fusion energy partners, presented the first U.S. permit specifically for a commercial fusion facility on Monday at the Organization of American States (OAS) annual meeting in Nashville. (LR) TVA Interim...

2026-09-01

Fuel Loading Begins at U.S. Palisades Nuclear Plant to Advance Restart

Holtec Nuclear announced on August 31 that fuel loading has begun into the reactor pressure vessel at the Palisades Nuclear Plant in Covert Township, Michigan, U.S. This milestone marks a critical step toward restoring operation at the permanently shut down commercial nuclear plant, advancing the restart process into Mode 6, the refueling mode, under the plant's technical specifications. The Palisades reactor core consists of 204 fuel assemblies, including new fuel and partially used fuel remaining from the plant's previous operating cycle. The core is designed to support the plant's 805 MW electrical output. Holtec...

2026-09-01

U.S. Lightbridge Selected for DOE LaunchPad INL Program to Advance Commercialization of Advanced Nuclear Fuel

Lightbridge Corporation, a U.S. advanced nuclear fuel technology company, announced on August 31 that it has been selected for the Nuclear Energy LaunchPad program (LaunchPad INL) managed by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The company stated that the program will provide an accelerated pathway for it to design, construct, and operate a dedicated facility at INL to manufacture lead test assemblies (LTAs) of Lightbridge Fuel™, with subsequent testing supported at U.S. commercial nuclear power plants. Lead test assemblies are generally regarded as a critical qualification step for nuclear fuel after reactor testing and before commercial fuel sales...

2026-09-01

US Westinghouse Electric Seeks to Restart Nuclear Expansion via IPO

US nuclear power company Westinghouse Electric Company is seeking to advance its business revival through an initial public offering. The company previously fell into bankruptcy due to project delays and sharp cost overruns in its nuclear projects, and has since undergone changes in ownership. Recently disclosed information shows that Westinghouse Electric submitted a confidential IPO application last July, with the specific listing date and offering size yet to be determined. Market observers believe that growing electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence development, along with the policy environment promoting nuclear power expansion in the US, is improving valuation expectations for nuclear power companies. David Nicholas, CEO of nuclear energy ETF manager Xfunds...

2026-09-01

Russia's Far East Plans to Build Two Nuclear Power Plants by 2042

Alexey Chekunkov, Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic, said on September 1 during the Eastern Economic Forum that the Russian Far East plans to complete two nuclear power plants by 2042, with a total installed capacity of 3.2 GW. Chekunkov noted that during the same period, the Far East also plans to commission six hydroelectric power plants with a total installed capacity of 3.77 GW, and construct approximately 4,000 kilometers of new power grid. He stated that energy construction is not limited to new power generation projects but also includes supporting grid infrastructure to meet the region's long-term development needs. According to the relevant arrangements, the first phase of construction will last until 2030. During this period, the Far East plans to add 8.3 GW of thermal power installed capacity, including...

2026-09-01