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Curio, NuScale and Framatome Sign MOU to Advance Next-Generation Nuclear Fuel Cycle Solutions

Curio, NuScale Power and Framatome Inc. recently signed a strategic memorandum of understanding to jointly evaluate integrated nuclear fuel solutions aimed at strengthening the U.S. nuclear fuel supply chain and supporting the international nuclear energy market and the deployment of next-generation nuclear technologies. Under the agreement, the three parties will conduct evaluations centered on Curio's proprietary NuCycle recycling technology, focusing on the conversion pathways of recyclable nuclear materials from "source to product" and from "source to fuel." The collaboration also encompasses future engineering coordination, fuel development, fuel qualification, manufacturing and commercialization, as well as advancing the integration of nuclear supply chain-related segments...

2026-08-07

Three U.S. Nuclear Energy Companies Explore Manufacturing Next-Generation Reactor Fuel from Recycled Nuclear Materials

U.S. nuclear energy companies Curio, NuScale Power, and Framatome have signed a memorandum of understanding to evaluate the feasibility of converting recycled nuclear materials into next-generation reactor fuel and related products. The tri-party collaboration is not focused on immediate commercial production, but rather on research into technical feasibility, fuel development, manufacturing capabilities, supply chain integration, and future commercial deployment, seeking to connect spent fuel recycling, fuel fabrication, and advanced reactor applications into a more complete industrial chain. Under this collaboration, Curio will provide its NuCycle nuclear fuel recycling technology, aiming to recover reusable strategic nuclear materials from spent fuel, with claims of reducing residual waste volume by up to 97%.

2026-08-07

US DOE Approves Nuclear Safety Design Agreement for Deep Fission Underground SMR

Deep Fission, a US advanced nuclear energy company, announced on August 6 that the US Department of Energy (DOE) has approved the Nuclear Safety Design Agreement (NSDA) for its Gravity reactor. The company stated that this milestone means its reactor design meets the requirements for continued advancement under the DOE's Reactor Pilot Program. Deep Fission is developing a small modular pressurized water reactor concept, with plans to place the reactor in a borehole approximately 1 mile, or about 1.6 kilometers, underground. The approved Nuclear Safety Design Agreement will serve as the safety framework for subsequent reactor development work. According to the company's plans, the project will proceed into the DOE authorization process...

2026-08-07

X-Energy and Centrus Sign HALEU Supply Agreement, Accelerating U.S. Advanced Nuclear Fuel Supply Chain

X-Energy and Centrus Energy have signed a low-enriched uranium and high-assay low-enriched uranium supply agreement, marking a more concrete commercialization phase in fuel assurance for U.S. advanced nuclear reactors. Under the agreement, Centrus will provide uranium enrichment services at its American Centrifuge Plant in Pike County, Ohio, with the HALEU to be supplied to X-Energy's fuel subsidiary TRISO-X for the production of TRISO-coated particle fuel at its Oak Ridge, Tennessee fuel fabrication facility, serving the Xe-100 high-temperature gas-cooled small modular reactor. The significance of this agreement lies not only in the supply itself but also in its phased advance payment arrangement. X-Energy will support Centrus through advance payments...

2026-08-07

Türkiye plans to commission subsequent Akkuyu nuclear power plant units at one-year intervals

Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on August 6 that Türkiye plans to commission subsequent units of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) at one-year intervals after the first unit goes into operation. Bayraktar stated that Unit 1 of the Akkuyu NPP is scheduled to begin generating electricity by the end of the year, with work on the first reactor's commissioning currently progressing at full speed. According to Türkiye's plan, after Unit 1 enters service, the remaining units will successively enter the commissioning phase. The Akkuyu NPP is Türkiye's first nuclear power plant, constructed by Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom). The project plans four units, all using Russia-designed Generation III+...

2026-08-07

Oklo's Groves Isotope Test Reactor Achieves First Criticality

Oklo, a U.S. advanced nuclear technology company, announced on August 6 that its Groves Isotope Test Reactor has achieved a controlled self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction at low power, reaching first criticality. This milestone comes less than a year after the project broke ground. Groves Isotope Test Reactor facility (Image: Groves) The Groves low-power test reactor, located in Lockhart, Texas, is the first reactor to achieve criticality on private land under the U.S. Department of Energy's Reactor Pilot Program. According to Oklo, the facility was built from undeveloped land, completing civil excavation, engineering construction, component fabrication or procurement, fuel configuration, and...

2026-08-07

Basic research cracks an application challenge that has persisted for nearly half a century: quantitative prediction of neutron irradiation swelling via ion irradiation

Whether advanced nuclear energy systems can operate safely over the long term depends on the ability of structural materials to resist neutron irradiation damage. Neutrons create numerous atomic-scale defects in materials, which gradually aggregate into nanoscale cavities, ultimately causing material swelling, dimensional instability, and performance degradation. However, obtaining high-dose neutron irradiation data often requires years or even more than a decade, with high costs and post-irradiation sample radioactivity; in contrast, ion irradiation can simulate years of accumulated damage within days and is therefore widely adopted (approximately 95% of irradiation experimental data in existing literature come from ion irradiation). But the dose rate of ion irradiation is typically 3—4 orders of magnitude higher than that of neutron irradiation, making direct conversion between the two results difficult. Recently, the research team of Wang Chenxu and Wang Yugang from the Institute of Heavy Ion Physics, School of Physics, and the State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Nuclear Technology at Peking University, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Tennessee and other institutions, established a quantitative relationship between material swelling and irradiation dose and dose rate at fixed temperatures based on cluster dynamics simulations, theoretical derivations, and ion irradiation experiments, achieving prediction of neutron irradiation swelling using rapid ion irradiation and providing a new tool for rapid screening and lifetime evaluation of nuclear materials.

2026-08-07

China's First Industry Standard for LOCA BEPU Analysis, Led by CGN Research Institute, Officially Released

Recently, approved by the National Energy Administration, the energy industry standard "Technical Requirements for Best Estimate Plus Uncertainty Analysis of Loss of Coolant Accident in Pressurized Water Reactor Nuclear Power Plants" (NB/T 20751-2026), led by CGN Research Institute, was officially released. The standard was developed under the leadership of the Research Institute, in collaboration with the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China Nuclear Power Research and Design Institute, Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute, Hualong Nuclear Power Technology Co., Ltd., and China Nuclear Power Engineering Co., Ltd., among other organizations. It will come into effect on December 26, 2026. This standard is China's first BEPU analysis...

2026-08-06

South Korea Advances First Domestic Commercial Production of Lu-177 Using Wolsong Heavy Water Reactors

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) plans to use the heavy water reactors at the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant to produce, for the first time domestically, the radioisotope lutetium-177 (Lu-177) for cancer treatment. Currently, South Korea relies entirely on imports for this material, which imposes cost pressures and supply instability on local radiopharmaceutical companies such as Cellbion and FutureChem. Industry experts generally believe that domestic production will help build a diversified supply chain and shorten transportation times. The primary goal of this plan is to achieve commercial production of Lu-177, with pilot production expected in 2028 and full-scale production commencing in 2031. Subsequently, KHNP will expand production to include cobalt...

2026-08-06

United States to Host IAEA ATLAS Initiative Ministerial Launch

The United States will host the ministerial launch of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Atoms for Transport Licensing and Applications at Sea (ATLAS) Initiative in Washington, D.C., on August 26-27, 2026. The event will bring together ministers, policymakers, and industry representatives to discuss topics related to the safe and reliable application of nuclear technology in the maritime domain. The ATLAS Initiative aims to establish an international framework to harmonize legal and regulatory issues facing maritime nuclear energy applications and to support the deployment of related civilian nuclear technologies. Building on the IAEA's experience in nuclear safety, nuclear security, and safeguards, the Initiative emphasizes technology neutrality and places safety, security, and non-proliferation requirements as the foundation for advancing maritime nuclear applications...

2026-08-06

South Korean Scholar Patents Fusion Reactor Optimization Design Method

Professor Bonggeun Hong (transliteration) of the Department of Quantum System Engineering at the College of Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, South Korea, has recently registered a patent for a fusion reactor optimization design method, aimed at supporting the engineering design and commercialization of next-generation fusion technology. [Image source: Jeonbuk National University] The design method proposed in the patent can evaluate the performance of fusion reactors in various application scenarios—including power generation, thermal energy utilization, and use as a neutron source for nuclear transmutation—while optimizing device dimensions and key component structures. Its core approach is to simultaneously consider fusion system performance and economic feasibility during the initial design phase, thereby deriving more optimal design solutions.

2026-08-06

UK Energy - Nuclear joins World Association of Nuclear Operators

Great British Energy - Nuclear (GBE-N) has joined the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) as a new member of its fifth membership category. This membership category is open to organizations worldwide that are planning, constructing, or preparing to operate new nuclear facilities. By joining WANO, GBE-N will gain access to the association's global professional network, operational experience feedback, and tailored support for new nuclear projects. WANO can provide assistance in the construction, commissioning, operational readiness, startup, and long-term safe and reliable operation of new nuclear plants. GBE-N, a UK government-owned entity, is advancing plans to deploy Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactors in Gwynedd, North Wales (formerly known as Wylfa).

2026-08-06

Changwon City Advances SMR Industry Support System

Changwon City in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, is advancing a local nuclear industry support system centered on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), and will formulate its first mid-to-long-term nuclear industry plan. Changwon City announced on August 5 that it plans to conduct consulting services for the "Changwon City Nuclear Industry Development Plan (2027–2030)" from October this year to April next year. The project, with a budget of 45 million KRW, will be entrusted to the Changwon Industry Promotion Agency, focusing on systematically supporting the local nuclear industry and improving the relevant institutional framework. The "Changwon City Nuclear Industry Promotion and Support Ordinance," which underpins this effort, was enacted in 2023. South Korea has recently designated SMRs as one of its national strategic directions. In February of last year, the South Korean government proposed in the "11th Basic Plan for Power Supply and Demand" to achieve commercialization of a 0.7 GW-class SMR demonstration unit by 2035. Meanwhile, the "Special Act on SMRs," passed by the National Assembly, is expected to take effect next month. On the 4th, the government also revised the "Special Tax Limitation Act" and its enforcement decree, designating SMRs with an output of 300 MW or less, as well as Micro Modular Reactors (MMRs) of 20–30 MW class and below, as national strategic technologies. In addition to existing projects, Changwon City also plans to conduct research on "Strategy Formulation for an SMR R&D Special Zone" in cooperation with relevant agencies. The city hopes to create synergies with the "Changwon Second National Industrial Complex," which is currently attracting investment, and to promote the establishment of an SMR industry manufacturing hub. Changwon City is home to Doosan Enerbility and its cluster of partner companies, with Doosan Enerbility being one of South Korea's major manufacturers of nuclear power plant key components. In terms of infrastructure, the "Gyeongnam Nuclear Industry Comprehensive Support Center," which provides office space for businesses, broke ground in February of last year and is scheduled for completion in September next year; the "Small Modular Reactor Robot Manufacturing Support Center," which will handle R&D support and workforce training, is planned for completion by December 2028; and the "Small Modular Reactor Manufacturing Parts Testing and Inspection Support Center," which received national funding in April of last year with a budget of 27.4 billion KRW, is currently undergoing conceptual architectural design and is scheduled for completion by December 2029.

2026-08-06

Vietnam Issues 470 International Nuclear Energy Standards Covering the Full Chain of Nuclear Power Plants, Research Reactors, SMRs, and Radiation Protection

Vietnam is preparing for nuclear energy development, with the Ministry of Science and Technology recently issuing a list of 470 international and foreign standards directly applicable to the atomic energy sector. These standards cover multiple aspects including safety, design, operation, equipment, personnel, radiation protection, nuclear security, and accident response, aiming to ensure the safe and reliable operation of nuclear facilities throughout their entire lifecycle. The list encompasses requirements across a wide range of fields, from nuclear power plants and research reactors to fuel technology, monitoring systems, radioactive waste management, and nuclear security. For nuclear power plants, the standards cover analysis, safety assessment, design, commissioning, equipment classification, accident management, aging management, maintenance...

2026-08-06

Vietnam's Ministry of Science and Technology and Canada's Saskatchewan Province Strengthen Cooperation on Peaceful Use of Nuclear Technology

Vietnam and Canada's Saskatchewan Province are cooperating on the peaceful use of nuclear technology. Officials from both sides met in Hanoi on August 5, 2026, to discuss directions for cooperation in science, technology, and innovation, particularly in advanced nuclear technology. The Vietnamese side stated that as Vietnam's energy demand grows, ensuring a stable, green, and clean energy supply is of paramount importance, expressing strong interest in research on small modular reactors (SMRs) as well as CANDU reactor technology. During the meeting, both sides discussed strengthening cooperation among regulatory agencies, legal departments, and research organizations in the nuclear technology field, covering legal framework development, technical standards, nuclear safety and safeguards assessment licensing, accident response, and...

2026-08-06